Sign In
Free Newsletter
History repeats itself with caseload woes at CPS
Ten years ago this week, Arizona lawmakers were on the verge of approving a law to strengthen Child Protective Services and ensure the agency investigates all cases of neglect and abuse.
Governor gives vote of confidence to DES director
Gov. Jan Brewer voiced her confidence in DES Director Clarence Carter today as she announced a special team to oversee the investigation of thousands of child abuse cases CPS disregarded under his watch.
Thousands of uninvestigated CPS cases traced to brief cost-saving measure in 2009
A brief Child Protective Services cost-saving measure that was supposed to end after five days in December 2009 has led to the failure to investigate thousands of cases of alleged child abuse, an official testified today.
Lawmaker ready to try again for state ban on texting while driving
Despite failing repeatedly since 2007, a state lawmaker said he is going to try again to have Arizona join 41 other states that have outlawed all texting while driving.
Rocky road ahead
From declining revenues to pay for transportation infrastructure, to a gas tax that is well below the national average and the rise in hybrid and electric vehicles, Arizona’s transportation infrastructure funding system is facing a crisis.
Human trafficking recommendations complete
The governor’s Task Force on Human Trafficking wants lawmakers to enact tougher penalties on pimps who sell underage prostitutes and customers who pay them, while easing punishments against child prostitutes and treating them more as victims under the law.
AG would get $500,000 from indigent defense fund to prosecute death penalty cases
The spending proposal that passed the Senate on May 16 allows the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to tap into a state fund for indigent defendants to pay for prosecuting certain death-penalty proceedings.
Teacher says she would shoot to kill if threatened at school
Substitute teacher Teresa Ottesen Binder said she has the nerve to shoot to kill if faced with a threat at her school.
“And I have the skill to do it,” Binder said.
As economy improves, counties push to restore lost state funding
County governments have been heavily hit by state budget cuts in recent years, causing leaders to strip vital services down to the bare bones, lay off skilled employees and slice large chunks of money from nearly every line in their budgets.
State lawmaker pledges to renew fight for ban on texting while driving
State Sen.-elect Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said he will reintroduce legislation next year to ban texting while driving, despite repeated rejections in the House, noting that the rest of the country has finally caught up with his idea.
State IT plan focuses on efficiency, cyber security and a big revamp in 2013
Armed with more money and increased input from the Governor’s Office, Chief Information Officer Aaron Sandeen revamped the Statewide Strategic IT Plan for 2013 with a keen focus on modernizing and securing the state’s vital technology infrastructure while keeping costs down.
Panel scrutinizes federal decision to end immigration agreements with Arizona lawmen
A Republican-led ad hoc committee has begun looking into the implications of the Obama administration’s decision to sever agreements that authorized local law enforcers to check people’s immigration status.
