TUCSON — Text message while driving within the Tucson city limits is now against the law. The new ordinance began Sunday.

A report by special investigators into the ethics charges against a Tucson Democrat accused of beating his ex-girlfriend will be delayed until at least Friday, but the investigation and future hearings are expected to continue after that.

The woman who last month accused a Tucson lawmaker of assaulting her now says her claims of violence were never true and is calling domestic violence charges and a legislative ethics inquest to be dropped.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is holding a series of public meetings across Arizona on proposals for renewable energy development. Three meetings are scheduled next week in Phoenix, Flagstaff and Kingman. Two others are scheduled in Yuma and Tucson next month.

U.S. Senate hopeful Wil Cardon is launching a $230,000 television ad campaign in his bid to upset frontrunner Jeff Flake in the GOP primary, though the announcement hit a brief snag thanks to a spelling error.

The Arizona House of Representatives announced today that it would hire attorneys Craig A. Morgan and Sharon Ng of Kansas City-based firm Stinson Morrison Hecker to investigate an ethics complaint against Rep. Daniel Patterson, who is facing criminal charges of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend.

Rep. Daniel Patterson says he will vigorously contest a legislative ethics complaint stemming from domestic violence allegations but that he needs a reasonable amount of time to respond. Patterson says in a letter to the Ethics Committee's chairman that he's confident his name will be cleared.

The top-elected officials from Arizona’s largest cities are sending a strong message to the state Legislature: Stop interfering with local decision-making.

In an effort to clear his name of allegations that he roughed up his ex-girlfriend and former campaign manager, Rep. Daniel Patterson turned over documents today alleging the woman has a criminal history involving drugs, domestic violence and theft, and was barred from practicing law in California.

Rep. Steve Farley on Wednesday kicked off his run for the 2nd Congressional District with a three-city campaign tour in southern Arizona.