05/08/2008

Aid to Myanmar held up by politics
Tucson-based World Care can't send assistance to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar due to ban on American help

Deal for arena land has strange twist
The city of Tucson may put a gem show on the roof of the TCC in order to get land to build a new arena

Bank robber identified, but still on the loose
The release of a surveillance photograph has led to the identification of a man who robbed a Wells Fargo Bank on April 28

Mechanic accused of stealing night goggles
A mechanic from Customs and Border Protection's aircraft facility has been indicted for stealing government property

Rosemont Mine hearing is May 12
A public hearing regarding the proposed Rosemont Copper MIne will be held at Elgin Elementary School

Prescribed burn set for Redington Pass
A planned burn will be conducted in the Coronado National Forest on May 12

Man convicted on drug, firearm charges
A Mexican national will spend 184 months in prison for posession of cocaine and guns

Increased access to Sabino Canyon to begin
Starting May 11, access to Sabino Canyon Shuttle Stop #4 will resume during construction lulls

Smuggled fossils seized in Tucson returned to Argentina
More than two years after federal authorities seized four tons of rare fossils illegally imported for sale at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, the relics were returned to Argentina on Thursday.

Pima County urges vaccinations as measles count reaches 20
Three new measles cases have been reported in Pima County, bringing the count in an outbreak that began in mid-February to 20.

Soldier's gun battle recorded on parents' voice mail Stephen Phillips inadvertently dialed his parents while battling insurgents in Afghanistan, leaving a frightening three-minute message.

Ten-year-old rape victim gives birth to baby girl
Authorities say an Idaho man has been accused of raping a 10-year-old girl who later gave birth at an eastern Idaho hospital.

Inmate fights send six in Douglas to hospital
Six prisoners were airlifted for medical treatment after being injured in fights at the state prison in Douglas.

Creek and wash cleanup is May 24
National River Cleanup Day will be observed locally with volunteers cleaning Tucson area creeks and washes

I-19 repaving will cause restrictions
Construction on I-19 at Ruby Road on May 12 will lead to lane restrictions and ramp closures

Giant sinkhole is growing near Houston
Regulators continued monitoring a massive sinkhole which has swallowed up oil field equipment, poles and some vehicles since surfacing just outside the southeast Texas community of Daisetta. There were no reports of injuries or of any homes being damaged early Thursday.

Prosecutors: California man beat, isolated and starved the 19 women and children who lived with him
An Aguanga man locked two of his wives and their children inside a garage, leaving them unable to bathe until he sprayed them down with a garden hose, a prosecutor said during opening statements this morning.

Foreclosures on rise in Pima County
Foreclosures in the Tucson area are increasing dramatically and Pima County officials are looking at ways to stem neighborhood blight that vacant foreclosed homes will cause.

Deputies: Ash Fork man had teenage wife sleep with other men
Sheriff's deputies in Ash Fork say a 51-year-old man married a teenage girl and then invited other men to have sex with her while he took photographs.

Homeless man slips past security, gets on plane at Lambert Airport Security changes are underway at Lambert Airport after a homeless man made his way onto a plane Wednesday morning and fell asleep.

Feds will review polygamy problems
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says a federal prosecutor has been assigned to look for ways to help tackle the problems associated with polygamy in Southwestern states.

Tucson teen, 15, goes pro as a tattoo artist
When Jesse Barksdale was 2 years old, he toddled into his family's living room with one arm covered in ink doodles and proudly declared: "Look, Mama! 'Toos!"

Arrest made in fatal shooting case
A Tucson man is facing a second-degree murder charge after being arrested in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend, police said.

Plan to use police for light rail security fails
Tempe and Mesa have decided to use security guards on their sections of the 20-mile light-rail line after a plan to use police personnel fell through.

Elway, Gretzky, invest in rodeo
Broncos Hall of Famer John Elway and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky have become shareholders in the Colorado-based Professional Bull Riders, Inc.

Insurer agrees to pay for cost of fighting AZ wildfire
The insurer of a fence company accused of sparking a 2006 wildfire that destroyed five buildings in central Arizona has agreed to pay $500,000.

NM Gov. Richardson: Border more secure
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday that he has seen an improvement in security along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Inmate fights send six prison inmates in Douglas to hospital
Six prisoners were airlifted for medical treatment after being injured in fights at the state prison in Douglas.

Wyoming guardsman accused of stealing border fence material
Federal authorities have arrested a Wyoming air national guardsman for allegedly stealing and selling scrap metal from the border fence construction project for more than $8,000.

Paper collects $38,000 in MCSO suit
Taxpayers will have to pay nearly $38,000 to cover a newspaper's court costs in a lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department over the release of public records.

Bald eagle protection reviewed
Federal officials are still trying to decide if Arizona's desert-nesting bald eagles should continue to be protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Packs found along border loaded with pot
U.S. Border Patrol agents have discovered more than 1,300 pounds of marijuana near the San Miguel Gate on the Tohono O'odham Reservation.

Sierra Vista man accused of pouring bleach in drink
A Sierra Vista man is accused of lacing a drink he purchased for his ex-girlfriend at a movie theater snack bar with bleach.

05/07/2008

Man accused of shooting girlfriend
A 23-year old Tucson man faces second-degree murder charges for the death of his 22-year old girlfriend

Nearly-closed school to start recruiting students
Wrightstown Elementary School is launching an advertising campaign to try and lure new students

Sierra Vista man accused of giving bleach to ex-girlfriend
A 20-year old man faces aggravated assault charges for allegedly putting bleach in a drink

Three more measles cases confirmed
The Centers for Disease Control says three more infants in the Tucson area have confirmed cases of measles

Guardsman accused of stealing, selling scrap metal
An Air National Guardsmen assigned to work on the border fence allegedly sold scrap metal from the project

Three arrested on drug smuggling charges
Three women from Nogales, Mexico are accused of trying to sneak cocaine into the United States

Governor signs bill targeting drop house providers
Gov. Janet Napolitano has signed into law a bill making it a crime in Arizona to help provide locations for use as drop houses for smugglers to temporarily house illegal immigrants.

Union Pacific to pay for new crossings in Arizona county
Union Pacific, trying to clear the way for double-tracking its main line across southern Arizona, has agreed to provide $35 million over the next 25 years to help build grade-separated road and rail crossings in growing Pinal County.

Religious enclave of Binghampton recalled
Little is left of the once-thriving Tucson community of Binghampton

ASU's journalism school one of five chosen for ABC bureaus
ABC News has chosen Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication as one of five colleges where the network will open an on-campus bureau run by students.

Rapper DMX arrested for speeding, reckless driving in Ariz.
Rapper DMX has been arrested after speed-enforcement cameras captured him in his bright yellow 1966 Chevrolet going 114 mph on a suburban Phoenix freeway.

05/06/2008

City scales back arena plans
Tucson City Council has rejected plans for a new $200 million arena, and hopes to build a smaller facility

05/07/2008

AIMS test may keep hundreds of seniors from graduating
More than 570 high school seniors in the Tucson Unified School District may not graduate this year because they haven't passed the state AIMS test.

Judge postpones court hearing in Olson divorce
A judge has postponed a hearing to discuss whether University of Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson should be held in contempt of court for withdrawing funds from a bank account co-owned by his estranged wife.

UN officials: Myanmar cyclone a 'major, major disaster'
Hungry crowds of survivors stormed the few shops that opened in Myanmar's stricken Irrawaddy delta, where food and international aid has been scarce since a devastating cyclone killed more than 22,000 people, the U.N. said Wednesday.

Parvovirus warning issued in Pima County
Pima County officials are warning dog owners to beware of parvovirus after 20 dogs at the Pima Animal Care Center had to be euthanized.

Medvedev takes Russian presidency from his mentor Putin
Dmitry Medvedev was inaugurated as Russia's president on Wednesday, pledging to bolster the country's economic development and civil rights, in what may signal a departure from his predecessor's heavy-handed tactics.

15 Philly officers taken off street after videotaped beating
Fifteen Philadelphia police officers have been taken off the street as authorities investigate a video showing three suspects being kicked and beaten by city police.

Police misled by blood-covered scene at Oregon garage It was a recipe for disaster, according to police who walked in on a bloody scene at an underground West Linn parking garage last month.

Group wants Legislature to act on police immigration rules
Advocates for tougher border enforcement said Tuesday that the Legislature needs to act on a proposed ballot measure that would draw local and state police in Arizona deeper into the fight against illegal immigration.

'CIA operative' buried; mystery remains Almost a week after the Pearland man led Houston police on a high-speed chase that ended is his death, his life is still a mystery.

Police bust alleged massage parlor prostitution ring Phoenix police have busted an alleged prostitution ring at the Blue Spirit Massage Parlor located at 524 E. Dunlap Ave.

Clinton lends herself $6.4M as Obama's lead grows
A campaign aide says Hillary Rodham Clinton lent herself $6.4 million in the past month.

Study: Restaurant tobacco bans influence teen smoking
A Massachusetts study suggests that restaurant smoking bans may play a big role in persuading teens not to become smokers. Youths who lived in towns with strict bans were 40 percent less likely to become regular smokers than those in communities with no bans or weak ones, the researchers reported in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

6 fraternities suspended in drug probe at San Diego State U.
San Diego State University has suspended six fraternities after a sweeping drug investigation that landed dozens of students in jail on suspicion of openly dealing drugs on campus.

Suspect, officers involved in shootout near Sedona ID'd
A car-theft suspect and two Arizona Department of Public Safety officers involved in a shootout on Interstate 17 near Sedona were identified Tuesday.

Survey shows US honey bee deaths increased over last year
A survey of bee health released Tuesday revealed a grim picture, with 36.1 percent of the nation's commercially managed hives lost since last year.

Texas judge orders state to handle sect criminal cases
The judge who last month ordered 463 children from a polygamist sect into state custody says the state attorney general should help with any criminal cases that may arise from an April raid on the sect's ranch.

Arizona panel clears new rules on auto emissions
An Arizona panel on Tuesday gave Gov. Janet Napolitano's administration the green light to adopt rules implementing California-style automobile emission and fuel-efficiency standards.

Hospital workers charged for not reporting abuse complaint
Four hospital employees were charged with misdemeanors for failing to tell police about a stroke patient's complaint that she'd been sexually attacked by an employee, Scottsdale police said Tuesday.

Officials: Phoenix gun dealer sold to drug cartels
A Phoenix gun store raided by federal and state officials Tuesday provided hundreds of assault rifles and other guns to violent drug cartels in Mexico, where such weapons are used in deadly confrontations between rival cartels and against law enforcement officers, officials said.

Group launches initiative drive for transportation funding
An initiative campaign launched Tuesday would put a $42 billion, 30-year transportation funding plan on the books by boosting the state's sales tax by a penny for three decades.

Lawmakers approves proposed prohibition on REAL ID standards
The Arizona Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would prohibit Arizona's participation in new federal security standards program for driver's licenses.

Southern AZ women take reins in ranching
Starlene Moore was not at all pleased that she would be fighting a 30 mph wind. "I could have done without this today," the natural beef rancher and farmer said.

Border Patrol rescues 15 illegal border crossers
U.S. Border Patrol agents have been busy rescuing illegal border crossers after they've become severely dehydrated while trying to cross the harsh Arizona desert.

Queen Creek robbery suspect dies in pursuit
A possible suspect in an armed robbery at a Queen Creek convenience store died when his car slammed into an oncoming 18-wheeler during a police pursuit.

05/06/2008

Tucson's disappearing communities
Old maps show at least a dozen communites of the past that have been swallowed up by the expansion of Tucson

Health Department opening measles shot clinic
A clinic offering measles shots will open May 7 on South Alvernon Way

Border Patrol rescues two women from desert
Two illegal aliens in distress were located by a Border Patrol agent on May 6

Big Band concert is May 11
The Arizona Jazz Academy will hold it's Mother's Day concert at the Temple of Music and Art

Forest Service sued over Mt. Lemmon Highway fee
A lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Forest Service that claims the fee charged to drive up Mt. Lemmon Highway is a violation of civil rights and federal law.

Archaeologists sift through artifacts of Indian village
Even though the Hohokam site known as Honey Bee Village in Oro Valley already has provided rich data, archaeologists say more surprises may be in store.

Soldier from Glendale dies in Baghdad bombing
The Department of Defense says an Army soldier from Arizona has died in Iraq.

Tempe officials say fatal fire was arson
Tempe fire officials say a blaze that killed a business owner at an industrial complex was deliberately set.

Mesa police: 2 unsolved killings and sexual assault linked
The unsolved killings of two women and the sexual assault of a third have been forensically linked, Mesa police said Monday.

Committee chairman accuses VA of criminal negligence
The Department of Veterans Affairs' top mental health official said Tuesday the wording in an e-mail to colleagues he sent out about suicide data that started out with "Shh!" was unfortunate.

Five arrested in bizarre sexual assault retaliation case Five people have been arrested after a bizarre attack in which three of the suspects were held captive inside a Port Townsend-area home in an act of retaliation.

Your commute could be killing you If you don't smoke and you have pretty healthy habits, your car ride to and from work may be the most unhealthy part of your day.

EPA might not act to limit rocket fuel in drinking water
An EPA official says there's a "distinct possibility" the agency won't take action to limit a toxic rocket fuel ingredient that has contaminated drinking water supplies around the country.

Myanmar cyclone death toll soars past 22,000: state radio
The cyclone death toll soared above 22,000 on Tuesday and more than 41,000 others were missing as foreign countries mobilized to rush in aid after the country's deadliest storm on record, state radio reported.

Gates says big changes in store for Internet in next decade
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said there will be a vast shift in Internet technology over the next decade as he met Tuesday with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Volcano in Chile spews lava and blasts ash 12 miles into sky
The Chaiten volcano spewed lava and blasted ash more than 12 miles into the sky on Tuesday, prompting a total evacuation of the provincial capital and other settlements.

Gilbert police investigate attacks on two Mormon teens
Gilbert police are investigating an assault against two teenagers who say they were attacked because of their religion.

Fannie Mae loses $2.2B in 1Q, warns of severe weakness
Fannie Mae reported losses of $2.2 billion in the first quarter and the nation's largest buyer of home loans said Tuesday it would cut its dividend and raise $6 billion in new capital, with expectations that the housing slump will persist into next year.

Fire restrictions enacted on Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is enacting fire restrictions on the reservation because of low precipitation, high wind and low humidity.

Vog _ volcanic smog _ kills plants, casts a haze over Hawaii
For eight years, Tony and Sam Bayaoa have grown thousands of bright red, yellow and pink protea flowers on their farm. Then in March, Kilauea volcano opened a new vent and began spewing double the usual amount of toxic gas.

Police: Armed Ex-Wal-Mart employee arrested in store
A former Wal-Mart employee was arrested in the crowded store where he once worked, armed with a 9 mm handgun and an "unreasonable amount of ammunition" that police believe he intended to use, according to arrest affidavits.

Three people shot in El Mirage
El Mirage police say that three people have been shot Monday evening. The three shooting victims were transported to a local hospital. Their conditions are not known.

Water tests reveal Phoenix water is drug free
After extensive testing, Phoenix officials announced the city's water supply is clean and drug free.

Maricopa County hospitals say they lack enough beds for sick children
Hospital officials at Phoenix Children's Hospital and Banner Children's Hospital in Mesa say that despite the expansion, there still aren't enough beds to care for Maricopa County's estimated one million children.

Telecom Qwest 1Q profit falls 35 percent on higher taxes
Qwest Communications International Inc. reported Tuesday its first-quarter profit fell 35 percent on sharply higher tax expenses.

GPS Extra: Little towns within Tucson

05/05/2008

Two men from Sierra Vista face kidnapping charges
Two men are accused of abducting a man from a parking lot and assaulting him

Man who ran red light faces charges
A 21-year old man faces multiple charges after running a red light, causing a crash

Feds arrest sex offender at bus station
U.S. Marshals took a 32-year old man wanted on sex charges into custody

Plans underway for expansion of Grant Road
Indirect left turn intersections may be installed along a 5-mile stretch of Grant Road

Sheriff's Department cracking down on underage drinking
With graduations and proms coming up, Pima County Sheriff's are stepping up patrols looking for teens consuming alcohol

3 illegal immigrants say armed, masked men raped them
Two teenagers and a 20-year-old woman say armed men wearing masks raped them after they illegally crossed the Arizona-Mexico border.

Tucson has new plan to restore downtown facades
Tucson officials are set to unveil their newest and most ambitious program to rehabilitate the facades of older buildings downtown.

Assistant chief asks officers to stop complaing to citizens
Top officials within Tucson police want officers to stop complaining to citizens about contract issues.

Death toll could reach 10,000 in Myanmar cyclone
The death toll from a devastating cyclone in Myanmar could reach more than 10,000 in the low-lying area where the storm wreaked the most havoc, the country's foreign minister warned Monday.

Town begins looking for new law enforcement
A group of residents in the town of Guadalupe have begun planning for a future without police service from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Surviving the allergy season lecture is May 27
Tips on how to get through allergy season will be offered at a free lecture at UMC

Mobil art project planned at airport
Armed with a $3 million check, a lineup of internationally known artists is looking at innovative ways to blend art into airport train stations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

McCain a bit ahead of Obama in NH, about even with Clinton
A new poll shows Republican John McCain slightly ahead of Democrat Barack Obama but about even with Hillary Clinton among New Hampshire voters.

Female inmates get job training
Karin Smith stood defiantly before Judge Richard Nichols in 2001 as the Pima County Superior Court official sentenced her to 10 years in prison for drunken driving.

Who should MDs let die in a pandemic? Report offers answers
Doctors know some patients needing lifesaving care won't get it in a flu pandemic or other disaster. The gut-wrenching dilemma will be deciding who to let die.

Dismantling of Civil War diorama angers AZ teens
An Arizona high school teacher and his students who took years to build a Civil War battle diorama are angry that the curator of a Texas military museum dismantled it after just a few weeks on display.

Police agencies struggle to capture wanted felons
The list of wanted felons in Maricopa County alone grows by 500 to 600 a week, officials said. There are currently 41,000 felony cases in the county along with 30,000 misdemeanor warrants pending among police agencies in Maricopa County.

200 demonstrate in southwest China against petrochemical plant
About 200 people demonstrated in southwestern China against the building of a petrochemical plant they say will pollute their city, state media reported Monday.

Weather service: Arkansas was swept by at least 10 tornadoes
Meteorologists were planning an aerial survey Monday of the destruction caused by at least 10 tornadoes late last week.

Newsmaker: Commander says training Afghans was a priority
Col. Alberto Gonzalez has developed a taste for lamb kabobs and other Afghan food.

Nation's service economy unexpectedly expanded in April
The nation's service economy unexpectedly expanded in April after contracting for the previous three months.

Illinois man orders custom beer-can coffin
Bill Bramanti will love Pabst Blue Ribbon eternally, and he's got the custom-made beer-can casket to prove it. "I actually fit, because I got in here," said Bramanti of South Chicago Heights.

Austrian police: Suspect's dungeon plans date back to 1978
The Austrian man accused of imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering her seven children planned to build his secret cell as early as 1978 when his daughter was 12, authorities said Monday.

Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages
For years, the sea lions lounging at the Bonneville Dam have had easy pickings from salmon waiting to go up fish ladders to upriver spawning grounds.

Yahoo shares fall 16 percent after Microsoft withdraws bid
Yahoo shares fell more than 16 percent Monday as hopes for the once-dominant Internet icon dimmed following Microsoft's withdrawal of a $47.5 billion takeover bid.

Fallen DPS officers remembered
Twenty-six Arizona Department of Public Safety officers who have been killed in the line of duty will be remembered at a ceremony in Phoenix on Monday.

Amber Alert canceled; children safe
Two children abducted in Mohave County are now safe, and their alleged kidnappers are in custody.