07/02/2009

Tucson man sentenced to prison for ID theft
A Tucson man faces three years in federal prison for his part in an identity theft ring that stole more than $64,000.

Mom arrested after DPS recovers big pot load
A big pot bust has led to the arrest of a Tucson mother.

Mexican man admits holding 30 illegal immigrants
A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to carrying a gun while he and six others held 30 people hostage inside an El Mirage home last January.

Chandler man charged in death of 2-year-old girl
Authorities say a Chandler man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter last month.

3 arrested in suspected cockfighting ring
Three men are in custody after Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies began investigating a suspected cockfighting ring.

As economy drops jobs, paychecks drop some weight
Americans lucky enough to still have a job are noticing something unpleasant in their paychecks: They're making less money.

Tucson celebrates the movie premier of Public Enemies
People pack the Hotel Congress to commemorate John Dillinger and the movie about his life. But while police may have captured Dillinger in Tucson, movie crews did not come to Tucson to re-enact the scene.

Budget vetoes leave Ariz.'s fiscal woes unresolved
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer avoided a shutdown of state government Wednesday by signing a budget bill from the Legislature, but her vetoes of other spending proposals leave the state's fiscal woes unresolved.

Lawmakers conflicted over Ariz's education veto
Gov. Jan Brewer's veto of education spending bills leaves Arizona without a K-12 education budget as some school districts prepare to begin classes later this month.

Health officials confirm first case of West Nile
The 2009 West Nile Virus season has begun in Arizona.

Ariz. tribal leader pleads guilty to theft
One of the leaders of a northern Arizona Indian tribe has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $300,000 in tribal funds.

Forest Service expects early arrivals at campsites
The Forest Service expects camping areas in northern Arizona to fill up rapidly as the July Fourth weekend approaches.

12 hospitalized in connection with E. coli in beef
At least 12 people, two of them suffering kidney failure, have been hospitalized in connection with a possible E. coli outbreak in beef suspected of having sickened people in nine states, federal health officials said Wednesday.

Small plane crashes after takeoff
A small amphibious plane piloted by a student crashed shortly after taking off from the Burley Municipal Airport on Wednesday, injuring two Oregon men and knocking out power in the southern Idaho city.

Utah bar crawl to mark end of liquor restrictions
Jeremy Kristic and several of his friends pounded on the door at Oscar's bar Wednesday promptly at 11 a.m. They wanted it to open immediately, and they wanted to drink. They had after all other bars to go to - before closing time at 1 a.m.

467K jobs cut in June; jobless rate at 9.5 percent
Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate climbed to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent. Workers also saw weekly wages fall, suggesting Americans will have little appetite to spend and the economy's road to recovery will be bumpy.

Too many jobs lost, Obama says in AP interview
With joblessness rising, President Barack Obama said Thursday he was "deeply concerned" about unemployment and conceded that too many families are worried about "whether they will be next" to suffer economically.

Sheriff puts 2 on command staff on paid leave
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu announced Wednesday that he has placed two members of his command staff on paid administrative leave for allegations that he described as "serious in nature."

Marines exchange fire with Taliban in searing heat
U.S. Marines hiked through searing heat and took fire from small pockets of militants Thursday after landing in this Taliban-controlled southern region of tree-lined fields, mud homes and crisscrossing waterways in the first major operation under President Barack Obama's strategy to stabilize Afghanistan.

Body in Ariz. may be woman with Colo., Wyo. ties
Authorities say a body found in an Arizona state park may be the remains of a 19-year-old mother of two who disappeared in Colorado in 2002.

07/01/2009

Arizona state parks open after hours-long closure
State parks reopened Wednesday morning after concerns about the lack of a state budget prompted an overnight closure.

12 hospitalized in connection with E. coli in beef
At least 12 people, two of them suffering kidney failure, have been hospitalized in connection with a possible E. coli outbreak in beef suspected of having sickened people in nine states.

Arizona state workers to report to work as scheduled
The Arizona Legislature early Wednesday completed action on nine budget bills to implement most of a compromise $8.4 billion budget negotiated with Gov. Jan Brewer, whose administration told state employees to report to work as scheduled though she hadn't yet received the bills or acted on them.

Status of state budgets
Some developments in states facing budget problems.

A baseball field and a water detention basin rolled into one
The Tucson High School baseball field will ultimately benefit the city during heavy monsoon storms.

Flight diverted after passenger disrobes
A US Airways flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles was diverted to Albuquerque after a male passenger removed his clothing mid-flight.

Tardy Arizona Legislature approves budget bills
The Arizona Legislature has completed action on budget bills to implement most of a compromise $8.4 billion budget negotiated with Gov. Jan Brewer. However, lawmakers omitted a sales tax increase that Brewer wants to help reduce spending cuts.

Ariz. teachers protest proposed education cuts
A teachers union and Democratic lawmakers are demanding that Gov. Jan Brewer veto budget bills that include cuts to education.

Brewer tells safety agencies to maintain services
Amid continued uncertainty about the state's budget, Gov. Jan Brewer's office says she has directed the state's public safety agencies to maintain normal operations Wednesday.

Ariz. Senate approves bill legalizing fireworks
Arizona senators have approved a proposal to legalize some fireworks.

Ariz. Senate doors locked to keep vetoes out
The Arizona Senate's front doors were briefly locked Wednesday morning at the order of a majority staff official who indicated the move was intended to prevent Gov. Jan Brewer's office from delivering vetoes of legislation.

Ariz. Legislature ends session dominated by budget
The Arizona Legislature has finally adjourned its 2009 regular session, a marathon dominated by work on the state's budget troubles.

Iraq Shiite cleric hopeful about US pullback
A Shiite cleric whose followers have been blamed in some of Iraq's worst violence gave a cautious welcome Wednesday to the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from cities.

Mississippi's still fattest but Alabama closing in
Mississippi's still king of cellulite, but an ominous tide is rolling toward the Medicare doctors in neighboring Alabama: obese baby boomers.

Ariz. lawmakers approve bill allowing guns in bars
The Arizona Senate has approved a bill to allow people with concealed weapons permits to carry a gun into a business that serves alcohol.

Arizona House rejects immigration enforcement bill
With many members absent, the Arizona House early Wednesday defeated a bill to criminalize the presence of all illegal immigrants in the state and draw local police officers deeper into the fight against illegal immigration.

Teen clung to Comoros plane wreckage for 13 hours
Despite a fractured collarbone, a teenage girl clung to the wreckage of a plane for more than 13 hours before rescuers found her floating in the Indian Ocean, authorities said Wednesday. She is the only known survivor of the crash.

British man begins Australian island dream job
Briton Ben Southall said he'll miss his mom's Sunday roast as he began what's been dubbed the "Best Job in the World" - a six-month contract to serve as caretaker of a tropical Australian island.

Ariz. lawmakers reauthorize environmental agency
Arizona lawmakers have approved a bill to reauthorize the state Department of Environmental Quality.

California, other states face tough budget choices
Legislators in more than a half-dozen states, their revenues evaporating in the recession, frantically worked to stave off government shutdowns and devastating service cuts. California failed to meet a midnight deadline and now may need to issue IOUs instead of paying bills.

Protection sought again for giant, spitting worms
Fans of the giant Palouse earthworm are once again seeking federal protection for the rare, sweet-smelling species that spits at predators.

CPA rejects polygamous sect trust settlement
A court-appointed accountant says he can't back a settlement proposal that gives the majority of a property trust's assets back to a polygamous church run by Warren Jeffs.

Arizonan travels to SW Michigan to spit some pits
For the 36th time, men and women will gather this weekend in southwestern Michigan to answer a simple question.

Gilbert woman reflects losing family 1 year ago
It's been nearly a year since her entire Gilbert family was killed in a fiery plane crash, but Melissa Pitts has barely begun to grieve.

Phoenix City Council chooses new councilman
A Phoenix attorney has been appointed to a vacant City Council seat.

Democrat Franken wins protracted Minn. Senate race
Al Franken refused his rival's calls for an election night concession last November, choosing instead to begin vote counting and courtroom haggling that stretched almost eight months and ultimately landed him a seat in the U.S. Senate.

06/30/2009 Gov. Brewer asks Dems to back her on sales tax With only hours left to avert a possible state shutdown, Republican Gov. Jan Brewer visited the state House Tuesday, seeking support from Democratic lawmakers for a sales tax increase.

Ariz. lawmakers face midnight deadline on budget
Arizona legislators face a midnight deadline to approve a new budget to close a big revenue shortfall and prevent a possible state government shutdown.

NASA manager pitches a cheaper return-to-moon plan
Like a car salesman pushing a luxury vehicle that the customer no longer can afford, NASA has pulled out of its back pocket a deal for a cheaper ride to the moon.

Arizona man gets new trial in self-defense case
A state appeals court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for a 62-year-old retired teacher convicted of murder in the shooting death of a hiker in northern Arizona five years ago.

Woman rescued after SUV goes over a cliff
A woman has been rescued after her SUV went over a cliff on State Route 88, otherwise known as The Apache Trail, 40 miles east of Phoenix.

Farmers plant more than expected in 2009
Farmers planted an unexpectedly large crop of corn and soybeans this year, easing some fears of rising food costs. Increased cotton acreage is also expected.

Franken wins Minn. Senate race; Coleman concedes
Al Franken ascended Tuesday from the ranks of former "Saturday Night Live" comedians to an even more exclusive club, outlasting Republican Norm Coleman in an eight-month recount and courtroom saga to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

AP Exclusive: Jackson wrapped video before death
Two weeks before he died, Michael Jackson wrapped up work on an elaborate production dubbed the "Dome Project" that could be the final finished video piece overseen by the King of Pop, The Associated Press has learned.

July Fourth fireworks sparkle less under recession
Lack of bucks means less bang this July Fourth for many cash-strapped cities.

Arizona Senator pulls concealed weapons bill
The sponsor of a bill that would have allowed people to carry concealed weapons without a permit says she is holding the bill until next year.

Mesa names interim police chief
The Mesa Police Department's operations commander, Vicki Myers, will head the department until a permanent chief can be hired.

Car bomb kills at least 27 people in Iraqi city
A car bomb exploded in a crowded outdoor market in the northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, killing at least 27 people, police said, a deadly reminder of the challenges facing the Iraqi government even as it celebrated the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from cities.

Yemeni plane with 153 crashes off Comoros Islands
A Yemeni jetliner carrying 153 people crashed into the Indian Ocean as it came in for a landing during howling winds on the island nation of Comoros. There were conflicting reports about whether a child survived.

ICE, ATF cooperating to reduce gun trafficking
Two federal agencies criticized in the past for failing to work together to stop the flow of illegal firearms from the United States to Mexico have agreed to boost their cooperation.

Fed works to speed solar development in Southwest
The federal government's top land steward said Monday that the United States will fast-track efforts to build solar power generating facilities on public space in six Western states.

Report: Cotton acres hit lowest level since 1983
U.S. farmers planted their fewest cotton acres since 1983 - just over 9 million - amid a continued swapping of acres for better priced and less-costly-to-produce crops such as corn and soybeans.

Source: North Korean ship now going the other way
A U.S. official says a North Korean ship has turned around and is headed back the way it came, after being tracked for days by American vessels on suspicion it was carrying illicit weapons.

AP source: Guard to seek volunteers for border
The Obama administration is developing plans to seek up to 1,500 National Guard volunteers to step up the military's counter-drug efforts along the Mexican border, senior administration officials said Monday.

5-year-old dies after shooting at Mesa home
Sheriff's deputies say a 5-year-old Mesa boy has died after being shot at his home on Monday morning.

Virtual fence in So. Arizona nearing completion
The first stretch of the government's new "virtual" border fence is nearing completion in southern Arizona.

Suspect in killing of 7-year-old Ajo girl indicted
An Ajo man has been indicted on charges including first-degree murder in the death of a 7-year-old girl who had gone to play with the suspect's younger brother.

AP Newsbreak: SC gov 'crossed lines' with women
During an emotional interview at his Statehouse office with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Sanford said Chapur is his soul mate but he's trying to fall back in love with his wife.

EPA targets 44 coal ash sites in 10 states
Forty-four coal ash storage sites near 26 communities have been targeted for inspection after federal officials identified the ponds as potential threats to nearby residents.

Ariz. Senate committee endorses budget package
A Senate committee has endorsed a 12-bill package to implement a budget package proposed by Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leaders to close a big revenue shortfall and avert a possible state government shutdown.

Ariz. lawmakers holding onto approved bills
Arizona lawmakers are holding on to some bills already approved by the House and Senate despite a state Supreme Court ruling saying the approved bills must be transmitted promptly.

Canadian polygamous leader wants charges dropped
A polygamous community in western Canada has asked a court to dismiss polygamy charges it faces or order the government to pay legal costs.

06/29/2009 Arizona lawmakers OK guns in parking lots bill The Arizona Senate has approved a bill that would allow gun owners to keep firearms in their locked vehicles while they're parked at businesses that ban weapons.

Tucson police make arrest in 1990 homicide
Tucson police say they've made an arrest in the killing of a 30-year-old man that had gone unsolved since 1990.

Arizona Legislature takes up non-budget topics
The Arizona Legislature's work on a new budget may be bogged down, but lawmakers are finding plenty of other things to do with their time two days before a possible state government shutdown.

5-year-old dies after shooting at Mesa home
Sheriff's deputies say a 5-year-old Mesa boy has died after being shot at his home on Monday morning.

Ford to boost 3Q production on strong June sales Citing better-than-expected sales and traffic at dealerships, Ford Motor Co. said Monday it plans to increase third-quarter production.

EPA reveals hazardous coal ash sites; highest concentration in Arizona
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday made public a list of 26 communities in 10 states where residents are potentially threatened by coal ash storage.

GM seeks court approval to become "New" company
General Motors Corp., hoping for a quick exit from Chapter 11, on Tuesday will ask a bankruptcy judge to approve its plan to refashion itself as a leaner automaker owned mostly by the government.

Arizona moves to allow concealed guns in bars There was a time in the Wild West that cowboys had to check their guns before they could pull up a bar stool for a drink - rules that protected against the saloon gunfights that came to define the frontier era in places like Arizona.

Interior secretary unveils fast-track solar plan
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says the federal government is going to fast-track plans to build solar power generating facilities in six Western states.

Leaders trying to line up support for Ariz. budget
Heavy arm twisting or gentle cajoling. Whatever it takes, legislative leaders continued lobbying behind the scenes Sunday to line up the needed votes to pass an $8.4 billion budget compromise that the Republican governor and GOP legislative leaders unveiled Friday.

Audit shows deficiencies within child agency
A state audit of Child Protective Services accuses the agency of failing to investigate complaints of abuse in group homes and treatment centers in the required time frame.

Bernard Madoff gets maximum 150 years in prison
Historic swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison Monday for a fraud so extensive that the judge said he needed to send a symbolic message to potential imitators and to victims who demanded harsh punishment.

Paradise Valley to refund traffic cam tickets
Paradise Valley giveth tickets and now the town will be taking 1,000 photo enforcement tickets away because of a bad yellow-light timer.

Young victim of massive highway wreck improving
A hospital spokeswoman says the condition of a 12-year-old girl injured in a highway crash that killed 10 people is improving.

Study finds widening generation gap in US
From cell phones and texting to religion and manners, younger and older Americans see the world differently, creating the largest generation gap since the tumultuous years of the 1960s and the culture clashes over Vietnam, civil rights and women's liberation.

US confident hours before leaving Iraqi cities
Hours before the deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from Iraqi cities, the top American military commander in the Middle East expressed confidence Monday that Iraqi security forces are ready despite a string of deadly bombings in recent days.

Light rail marks 6 months of service
After six months, light rail riders are giving the trains running between Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa a thumbs up.

June photo of NKorea's Kim may be recycled: report
A photo of the North Korean leader recently shown on Pyongyang's state TV appears to be a doctored version of one published in April by the country's official news agency - a possible sign his health is worsening - South Korean media reported Monday.

Toyota technology has brain waves move wheelchair
Toyota Motor Corp. says it has developed a way of steering a wheelchair by just detecting brain waves, without the person having to move a muscle or shout a command.

Operator disputes helicopter collision findings
The operator of one of two medical helicopters that collided near a Flagstaff hospital last year is appealing a federal report that placed blame on both pilots.

White firefighters win Supreme Court appeal
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.

Gilbert mom a star in sewing, fabric worlds
Heather Bailey is hours away from a two-day getaway to the kind of resort where there are massages, high-thread-count sheets, white cotton robes, room service and no one saying "Mommy, can you?" "Heather, where's the . . . ?" or "When will you send those?"

Iran says recount shows election valid
Iranian officials have declared the hotly disputed presidential election to be correct after a partial recount.

Car slams into Phoenix apartment complex
A quiet Sunday in west Phoenix turned chaotic after a car jumped a curb and slammed into an apartment complex.

JBS Swift Beef Co. expands beef recall
JBS Swift Beef Co. of Greeley, Colo., is voluntarily expanding its beef recall to include about 380,000 pounds of products because of possible E. coli contamination.

06/26/2009

Grant to bring renewable energy to Navajo homes
A company owned by American Indians has been awarded more than $500,000 to bring electricity from solar power to Navajo Nation homes that now lack electricity.

11 students arrested after Queen Creek brawl
Authorities say 11 students have been arrested on aggravated assault charges following a brawl at a state charter school in Queen Creek.

Wyoming state senator resigns after Arizona move
Wyoming state Sen. Bill Vasey of Rawlins has resigned from his seat after 23 years in the state Legislature because he and his wife recently moved to Yuma, Ariz.

Yavapai County Superior Judge resigning
Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Howard D. Hinson Jr. will resign Sept 30 in an agreement that will resolve misconduct allegations.

May incomes surge, but savings outpace spending
Households pushed their savings rate to the highest level in more than 15 years in May as a big boost in incomes from the government's stimulus program was devoted more to bolstering nest eggs than increased spending.

Texas-bound plane that crashed had drugs, cash
A private plane that crashed on takeoff from Arizona on a flight to the Austin area carried more than 12 pounds of marijuana and a suitcase with cash.

19 seek job on Phoenix City Council
There are 19 applicants to replace Phoenix City Councilwoman Maria Baier, who resigned after Gov. Jan Brewer named her the new state land commissioner.

Michigan finally gets good news with small car plant
Michigan has snatched back a few of its fast-disappearing auto jobs, winning a high-stakes competition with two other states to build General Motors Corp.'s next-generation subcompact car.

Tiny baby gets help in overcoming health odds
High-tech medical technique and cooperation between hospitals came together to save the life of tiny Madeline Mosqueda, who was born at 28 weeks, weighing 1 pound 5 ounces.

US will not use force to inspect NKorean ship
The United States will not use force to inspect a North Korean ship suspected of carrying banned goods, an American official was quoted as saying Friday.

Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad apology demand
President Barack Obama scoffed at the idea that he should apologize to Iran's leaders for criticizing their violent crackdown on demonstrators and said Friday it was President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who must answer to his own people.

Iranian cleric: Some in unrest should be executed
Iran's increasingly isolated opposition leader effectively ended his role in street protests, saying he'll seek permits for future rallies. A senior cleric demanded in a nationally broadcast sermon Friday that leaders of the unrest be punished harshly and that some are "worthy of execution."

Brothers charged in Ariz. diversity office bombing
Twin brothers from Illinois who authorities say are white supremacists have been charged in a 2004 bombing that injured the black diversity director in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale.

Detroit lawmaker pleads guilty to taking bribes
City Council member Monica Conyers, the wife of powerful Democratic congressman John Conyers, pleaded guilty Friday to accepting cash bribes in exchange for supporting a sludge contract with a Houston company.

06/25/2009

Arizona bill banning speed cameras alive again
A state Senate committee has resurrected a measure banning photo radar on Arizona highways.

2 indicted in Arizona diversity office bombing
Twin brothers from Illinois have been indicted in a 2004 mail bombing that injured Scottsdale's diversity director in his office.

Arizona budget talks continue, deadline looms
Budget talks between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leaders are continuing as a Tuesday night deadline looms for adoption of a new state budget.

Associates react to arrest of former Tanque Verde Superintendent
A federal grand jury indicted Tom Rogers for attempting to travel to Mexico to engage in illicit sexual contact with a minor.

Court says strip search of Arizona teenager illegal
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a school's strip search of an Arizona teenage girl accused of having prescription-strength ibuprofen was illegal.

Off-duty agent from Arizona shot at in Texas
Mission police questioned six people after someone shot into the vehicle of an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent from Arizona.

Court eases oversight of Ariz. English program
The Supreme Court has ruled for Arizona officials who are challenging federal court supervision of a program to educate students who aren't proficient in English.

Signs in Houston warn against gun buys for Mexico
More than 70 billboards and other signs in the Houston area warn gun buyers against illegally smuggling weapons for the Mexican drug trade.

Mediator appointed to settle Navajo oil trust case
A federal judge has appointed a mediator to try to settle a long-running lawsuit alleging Utah failed to properly manage a Navajo trust fund that takes royalties on reservation oil wells.

Iran reform leader says he won't end his challenge
Iranian authorities arrested 70 university professors who met with embattled opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, his Web site said Thursday, but he vowed to persevere with his election challenge despite the apparent attempt to isolate him from his supporters.

Funding woes hamper Phoenix light-rail expansion
City officials have decided against a proposed 3-mile expansion of the light-rail system in west Phoenix for at least the next 16 months because of funding problems.

Israel reduces control of 4 West Bank towns
Bowing to pressure from Washington, Israel granted U.S.-trained Palestinian security forces greater autonomy in four main West Bank towns, Israeli and Palestinian defense officials said Thursday.

'High' wallabies blamed for Aussie crop circles
Wallabies snacking in Tasmania's legally grown opium poppy fields are getting "high as a kite" and hopping around in circles, trampling the crops, a state official said.

Jobless claims rise; GDP dips at lower pace in 1Q
Despite persistent layoffs, the economy seems to be faring better than it was at the start of the year.

TV: Al-Qaida says it killed American in Mauritania
Al-Jazeera TV said Al-Qaida's North Africa branch claimed responsibility Thursday for the killing of an American aid worker who was shot dead this week in Mauritania's capital.

Mt. Region expected to see more July 4 travel
AAA-New Mexico says economic uncertainty won't keep people in the nation's Mountain Region from the roads over the Fourth of July holiday.

Bullhead City thanks company for reigniting flame
"Like a frontier town in the Old West, you sent the cavalry in to save the day," said Bullhead City Mayor Jack Hakim to Maggie Wilderotter, Frontier Communications chairman and chief executive officer.

Crews control fire from punctured natural gas line
Prescott authorities battled a fire that began after a truck reportedly ruptured a natural gas line in northwest Prescott Wednesday afternoon.

06/24/2009

Tucson police kill man, say he pulled gun
Tucson police say a man pulled a gun on an off-duty officer who had stopped to help motorists, and the officer fatally shot him early Wednesday.

Grand jury indicts 65 in Arizona fraud scheme
An Arizona woman recruited as many as 136 people to pose as college students and defraud the government out of nearly $540,000 in student aid money, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Tucson City Council deals with potential ballot initiatives
City will begin 2010 fiscal year in the red because certain revenue sources are no longer available.

Gas prices in Ariz. dip slightly
After rising for 54 straight days, gas prices in Arizona dropped slightly Tuesday.

Homeland security kills domestic satellite program
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano killed a program begun by the Bush administration that would use U.S. spy satellites for domestic security and law enforcement.

Air has elevated cancer risk in 600 neighborhoods
Millions of people living in nearly 600 neighborhoods across the country are breathing concentrations of toxic air pollutants that put them at a much greater risk of contracting cancer, according to new data from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Sheriff: AZ girl accidentally shot, killed in S. Utah
Authorities say a 5-year-old girl was apparently accidentally shot and killed at her own birthday party in southern Utah.

Pakistani Taliban chief dodged missile: officials
The head of Pakistan's Taliban had joined a funeral procession targeted in a suspected U.S. missile strike, but left before the attack that killed 80 people mourning an earlier barrage on a militant training camp, intelligence officials said Wednesday.

Ex-DPS officer accused in crime syndicate
Law enforcement agencies are accusing a former Department of Public Safety officer of playing a key role in a Phoenix-area crime syndicate.

Ohio semiconductor plant to close
A company that makes silicon wafers for use in cell phones and other electronic devices says it is closing its southwest Ohio plant next year and moving production to other locations, mainly in Arizona and New Mexico.

Citi boosting salaries to offset lower bonuses
Citigroup Inc. is increasing base salaries for many of its employees - reportedly by as much as 50 percent for some workers - as it restructures its compensation program amid new restrictions on bonus payments.

Mousavi wife compares Iran state to martial law
Iran's supreme leader said Wednesday that the government would not yield to demonstrators who want a disputed presidential election annulled, effectively closing the door to compromise with the opposition.

Alleged money smugglers busted near Yuma
The government says two alleged smugglers recently used boxes of laundry detergent and part of a transmission to sneak more than $200,000 into the U.S.

Woman pleads guilty in drunken breast-feeding case
A North Dakota woman accused of breast-feeding her 6-week-old baby while drunk has pleaded guilty to child neglect.

Pinal County area gets new name
And the winner is -- San Tan Valley. Voters in the Queen Creek-area chose the name for the unincorporated area that is home to roughly 80,000 residents north of the Santan Mountains in Pinal County.

SC gov resurfaces after mystery trip to Argentina
Gov. Mark Sanford told a newspaper he was in Argentina, not hiking the Appalachian Trail as his staff had told the public to explain his sudden absence. He said he "wanted to do something exotic" to unwind after losing a fight over federal stimulus money.

06/23/2009 Prisoner escapes from Tucson P.D. The Tucson Police Department is asking for help in finding a man who escaped from custody Monday evening.

Nine officers injured in fight in Tucson prison cafeteria Early Tuesday morning a large fight broke out at the Rincon Unit of the Arizona State Prison complex in Tucson.

Swine flu means no camp for Jerry's Kids
Thousands of Jerry's Kids won't be going to summer camp this year because of the swine flu.

Foreign officers help fight smuggling at US ports
U.S. agents trying to stop contraband, arms and drug smuggling at the port of Los Angeles will soon get a new partner in their decades-old battle - an officer from Mexico.

Thousands of English learners expected to advance
Four hours a day of English classes appears to be working as nearly 40,000 Arizona students prepare to enter regular classes this coming school year.

Arizona high court to hear Brewer suit on bills
The Arizona Supreme Court is set to hear legal arguments on a fight between Gov. Jan Brewer and the Legislature.

Costs high in supervisors, county attorney battle
The battle between Maricopa County supervisors, the sheriff and the county attorney is costing taxpayers $1.1 million in legal fees, the county manager said.

Yuma's deputy mayor resigns, moves out of state
Yuma's deputy mayor is resigning after seven years on the City Council.

Obama talks tougher on Iran violence
President Barack Obama on Tuesday declared the United States and the entire world "appalled and outraged" by Iran's violent efforts to crush dissent, a clear toughening of his rhetoric as Republican critics at home pound him as being too passive.

Health officials think death was hantavirus
Coconino County health officials believe the death of a Minnesota woman is linked to the hantavirus.

NTSB: Train in crash was recommended for phaseout
The subway train that plowed into another stopped train, killing nine people and injuring scores of others in the nation's capital, was part of an aging fleet that federal officials had sought to phase out because of safety concerns, an investigator said Tuesday.

Mesa residents want plane noise grounded
Noise from low-flying planes approaching Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is making life unbearable for some northeast Mesa residents.

Iran expels 2 British diplomats, refuses new vote
Iran expelled two British diplomats Tuesday after bitterly accusing Britain of meddling and spying. The government also dealt a fresh blow to the opposition by making clear it will not hold a new vote despite charges of fraud.

Bad economy has some thinking about survival
Some Arizonans are so concerned about their future they've begun growing their own vegetables, raising their own livestock and figuring out how to survive in an all out economic collapse.

NKorean cargo ship could test new UN sanctions
An American destroyer tailed a North Korean ship Tuesday as it sailed along China's coast, U.S. officials said, amid concerns the vessel is carrying illicit arms destined for Myanmar.

Work begins on world's deepest underground lab
Far below the Black Hills of South Dakota, crews are building the world's deepest underground science lab at a depth equivalent to more than six Empire State buildings - a place uniquely suited to scientists' quest for mysterious particles known as dark matter.

Latino grocery reaching to non-Hispanic customers
Even as more national retailers like WalMart are joining the race to lure Hispanic grocery customers, the chain that opened up the newest Latino grocery in Mesa is reaching the other way.

06/22/2009

Tucson-area school district superintendent charged in child sex
Federal authorities have arrested the superintendent of a Tucson-area school district on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children.

Fire at KMSB-TV, Fox 11
A fire broke out early Monday morning at the Fox 11 Studios in Tucson.  The fire was restricted to a video tape library, but smoke damage from the fire has affected much of the building.

Detectives investigating death of father, daughter
Coconino County sheriff's deputies are investigating what appears to be a murder-suicide involving a 29-year-old Mesa man and his 3-year-old daughter.

Obama signs anti-smoking bill, cites own struggle
President Barack Obama cited his own long struggle to quit the cigarettes he got hooked on as a teenager as he signed the nation's strongest-ever anti-smoking bill Monday and praised it for providing critically needed protections for kids.

Strong earthquake jolts Anchorage, Alaska
A strong earthquake jolted Anchorage, Alaska, on Monday, sending people diving under desks and huddling in doorways.

Scout dies after jumping from boulder in Arizona
A 15-year-old Boy Scout from Las Vegas is dead after he collapsed while hiking in West Clear Creek Canyon south of Flagstaff.

Official: N. Korean ship carries weapons to Myanmar
A North Korean-flagged ship under close watch in Asian waters is believed to be heading toward Myanmar carrying small arms cargo banned under a new U.N. resolution, a South Korean intelligence official said Monday.

World's media seeks ways around Iran clampdown
Protesters and security forces gather. They collide in a cloud of tear gas and a shower of rocks and bottles.

Iranian police use force to break up protest
Riot police attacked hundreds of demonstrators with tear gas and fired live bullets in the air to disperse a rally in central Tehran Monday.

Government asks to dismiss Geronimo lawsuit
The U.S. Justice Department is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by descendants of the Apache Geronimo, whose remains were purported to be stolen by members of a secret society at Yale University.

Great white sharks hunt like serial killers
Great white sharks have some things in common with human serial killers, a new study says: They don't attack at random, but stalk specific victims, lurking out of sight.

Restaurant and bar owners take aim at gun bill
A measure in the Arizona Legislature that would allow people to carry concealed weapons into places that serve alcohol has upset some restaurant owners.

Immigration enforcement in Arizona could toughen
As America's busiest immigrant smuggling hub, Arizona has earned the distinction as a place that's tough on people who sneak across the border.

Suspect sought in killing of Ariz. woman, grandson
Police on Sunday were looking for a suspect in the beating deaths of a 14-year-old Phoenix boy and his grandmother.

Resort developer sued over low-income housing
A developer who wants to build a 600 million dollar luxury hotel in Scottsdale is in a battle with the federal government.

D-backs tell Tucson they're leaving after 2010 The Arizona Diamondbacks have told Tucson and Pima County officials that they will move their spring training base out of Tucson Electric Park after 2010.

06/19/2009 Man arrested in death of 7-year-old girl in Ajo Pima County Sheriff's detectives have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the death of a 7-year-old girl found in a wash in Ajo on Thursday evening.

Arizona Senate refuses to leash environmental agency
The Arizona Senate refused to tie the continued existence of the state's environmental protection agency to new restrictions sought by some Republican critics.

Sharpton seeks help in Ariz. sheriff's abuse probe
The Rev. Al Sharpton on Friday called for opponents of an Arizona sheriff who has aggressively cracked down on illegal immigration to videotape alleged racial profiling by the sheriff's office.

AZ border residents, DHS officials hold dialogue
Alan Bersin, the Obama administration's border czar, said Thursday the key to achieving comprehensive immigration reform rests with a secure border.

Obama says immigration overhaul is essential
President Barack Obama says he is committed to a comprehensive immigration overhaul that includes a way that illegal immigrants can become U.S. citizens.

Regents approve contract for Arizona's Miller
The state Board of Regents has approved a five-year contract for new Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller that will pay him $1.6 million annually.

Once hush-hush, drug war plays big in Mexico vote
When Mario Anguiano successfully ran for mayor of Colima three years ago, no one much cared that his brother and cousin were in prison on drug charges.

Rare condor chick hatches in Baja California
The San Diego Zoo says a rare California condor chick has hatched on a rocky cliff in Baja California.

World hunger reaches the 1 billion people mark
More than a billion people - a sixth of the world's population - are now hungry, a historic high due largely to the global economic crisis and stubbornly high food prices, a U.N. agency said Friday.

Jobless rate in Western US tops 10 percent
The unemployment rate in the West jumped over 10 percent last month, the first time that regional threshold has been broken in about 25 years. On the state level, eight set record-highs and only two - Nebraska and Vermont - did not report increases.

Gilbert organizer arrested in drug case
A woman who has helped one of Gilbert's biggest nonprofits organize events is facing felony charges for her alleged involvement in a prescription drug ring.

City asks applicants for Internet passwords
Job applicants with the city of Bozeman are finding that their private Internet discussions and pictures may not be so private after all.

Stanford indicted in alleged $7B fraud scheme
Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford, whose sprawling banking empire collapsed this year, was indicted Friday for what prosecutors call a $7 billion scheme to defraud investors.

Driver speeding, impaired in fatal Buckeye crash
Court records show a man involved in a fatal rollover was driving impaired and at 100 mph over the posted speed limit.

New images show evidence of ancient Martian lake
New images suggest Mars had a sizable lake on its surface billions of years ago, further evidence that the planet had a watery past.

Democrats try to regain health care momentum
Trying to regain momentum on a core issue of Barack Obama's presidency, House Democrats on Friday unveiled legislation they said would cover virtually all the nearly 50 million uninsured Americans.

Yuma resident gets impromptu visit with Palin
Yuma resident Dee Lofton used some gumshoe detective work and her persuasive skills to track down and meet with former Republican Party vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin recently at her home in Alaska.

House condemns Tehran crackdown on protesters
In the strongest message yet from the U.S. government, the House voted 405-1 Friday to condemn Tehran's crackdown on demonstrators and the government's interference with Internet and cell phone communications.

Haren picks up victory over Royals
The Arizona Diamondbacks don't need any more bad injury news.

Iran's top leader warns of protest crackdown
Iran's supreme leader sternly warned Friday of a crackdown if protesters continue their massive street rallies, escalating the government's showdown with demonstrators demanding a new presidential election.

06/18/2009

Law enforcement slams Arizona concealed gun bill
Law enforcement officials on Thursday said public safety would be put at risk by proposed legislation that would allow Arizonans to carry concealed weapons without state permits.

Arizona university leaders plan new campuses
Leaders of Arizona's three state universities are moving ahead with a plan to create more affordable higher education options.

06/19/2009

Arizona Legislature OKs limited health coverage
The Arizona Legislature has approved a bill allowing providers of private health insurance policies for uninsured individuals to omit some coverages normally mandated by the state.

06/18/2009

Fire breaks out at Southern Arizona fire station
Charred wood, insulation reduced to ashes, and firefighters cleaning up the scene -- these are all images you're likely to see at a structure fire.

35 square-mile AZ wildfire 60 percent contained
A weekold southern Arizona wildfire is 60 percent contained after charring more that 35 square miles.

Duncan: States could lose out on stimulus cash
The Obama administration is warning it may withhold millions of extra stimulus dollars from states that use the money to plug budget holes instead of boosting aid for schools.

North Korea may fire a missile toward Hawaii
North Korea may fire a long-range ballistic missile toward Hawaii in early July, a Japanese news report said Thursday, as Russia and China urged the regime to return to international disarmament talks on its rogue nuclear program.

Missing Mesa woman, 85, found near Tucson
An 85-year-old Mesa woman reported missing after bcoming lost Tuesday night while driving to a friend's house has been found and police say she's expected to be OK.

Fla. city to workers: Wear underwear, deodorant
A Florida city is cleaning up with a new dress code that requires city workers to wear underwear and use deodorant.

Report: US not doing enough against gun smuggling
Two federal agencies are being faulted for not coordinating their efforts against border gunrunners, a failure one lawmaker says made it easier for Mexican drug cartels to smuggle illegal weapons from the United States.

Plane with dead pilot lands safely in Newark, NJ
he Federal Aviation Administration says a plane carrying a pilot who died in mid-flight has landed safely at the airport in Newark, N.J.

Britain releases lawmakers' contentious expenses
Britain's Parliament posted copies of lawmakers' expense claims online Thursday, but censored almost all of the juicy details that have triggered public anger and forced dozens of legislators to resign.

Dems work to push banking overhaul quickly
President Barack Obama's plan to transform the Federal Reserve into a super-regulator ran into skepticism Thursday from lawmakers who worry that the central bank is not the best suited to keep an eye on firms deemed so big and influential that their demise could hurt the economy.

Buoyed by support, Mickelson aims at US Open win
The applause started 22 strides before Phil Mickelson reached the 18th green during his practice round, crescendoing until he tipped his cap and nodded in appreciation.

Legal standoff over MCSO's new bus
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has a new custom-made bus to transport inmates from jails to court, but it can't be used until the Board of Supervisors approves the title and registration.

New name for unincorporated Queen Creek area
Residents of unincorporated Queen Creek will vote Monday on a new name for their community but it'll only represent what the Postal Service calls it.

Maricopa County ending special transit service
Funding cuts are forcing a closure of Maricopa County's Special Transportation Services at the end of this month.

Jobless benefit rolls drop sharply to nearly 6.7M
The total number of people on the unemployment insurance rolls dropped for the first time since early January, the government said Thursday, while new claims for benefits rose slightly.

Many thousands of reform supporters rally in Iran
Tens of thousands of protesters wearing black and carrying candles filled the streets of Tehran again Thursday, joining opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi to mourn demonstrators killed in clashes over Iran's disputed election.

Accident forces closure of I-17 near Flagstaff
The Arizona Department of Public Safety is on the scene of a car-pedestrian collision on Interstate 17 and Kachina Boulevard south of Flagstaff.

Man attacked by bees in Phoenix park
A man in his 20's is recovering after he was attacked by bees Wednesday afternoon in Scottsdale's McDowell Mountain Park.

06/17/2009

Southern Arizona wildfire grows to 27 square miles
Firefighters report progress as they continue battling a southern Arizona wildfire 50 miles southwest of Tucson that's charred nearly 27 square miles.

Crews plan controlled burn in Coronado Memorial
Crews plan to light an exotic African grass on fire near the entrance to the Coronado National Memorial.

Sheriff investigating Maricopa County supervisor
A Maricopa County supervisor and frequent critic of Sheriff Joe Arpaio is under criminal investigation by the Sheriff's Office.

Medicine men to gather at Navajo Nation
As many as 250 medicine men from North and South America will gather in Window Rock, Ariz., starting Thursday, for the 60th annual conference of the Native American Church of North America.

Iranian opposition leader calls for rally Thursday
Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi issued a direct challenge Wednesday to the country's supreme leader and cleric-led system, calling for a mass rally to protest disputed election results and violence against his followers.

Sonora migrant center to celebrate 3rd anniversary
n a regular basis, illegal immigrants caught by Border Patrol agents in the United States get deported here in Agua Prieta, Sonora, a border town in Mexico.

Russia, China join pressure on North Korea to talk
Russia and China expressed serious concern Wednesday about tension on the Korean peninsula and, in the face of North Korea's rhetoric, joined international pressure for it to return to nuclear talks.

Sex selling for less amid economic downturn
It's past midnight in downtown Berlin, and the prostitutes pace in front of the Hackescher Markt's stores. Signs of a slow economy are everywhere - a sportswear store offers 40 percent markdowns, and bars advertise discounted drinks.

Attempted Iran media clampdown meets Internet age
Iran clamped down Tuesday on independent media in an attempt to control images of election protests, but pictures and videos leaked out anyway - showing how difficult it is to shut off the flow of information in the Internet age.

New US climate report dire, but offers hope
Rising sea levels, sweltering temperatures, deeper droughts, and heavier downpours - global warming's serious effects are already here and getting worse, the Obama administration warned on Tuesday in the grimmest, most urgent language on climate change ever to come out of any White House.

Search in Pinal County for missing Mesa woman, 85
Mesa police say a search has been launched for a missing 85-year-old woman.

Guessing game: How much money is YouTube losing?
Internet video leader YouTube Inc.'s losses have been overblown by some analysts, but corporate parent Google Inc. doesn't mind the misperception, according to a study being released Wednesday.

Argentine glacier advances despite global warming
Argentina's Perito Moreno glacier is one of only a few ice fields worldwide that have withstood rising global temperatures.

2 girls put on wrong Continental Express flights
Continental Airlines said it has taken steps to ensure that proper procedures are followed after two unaccompanied girls were placed on wrong Continental Express flights over the weekend.

Iranian opposition stages another mass rally
An amateur video shows another mass rally of opposition supporters in Tehran and state TV also reported the protest over disputed presidential election.

Obama: New rules will keep 'worst traits in check'
President Barack Obama proposed new "rules of the road" for the nation's financial system Wednesday, casting the changes as an essential response to the economic crisis and the greatest regulatory transformation since the Great Depression.

Construction leads to partial Lynx Lake closure
A portion of the popular Lynx Lake recreation area near Prescott is closing Thursday through Aug. 1.

AP source: Benefits for govt workers' gay partners
President Barack Obama, whose gay and lesbian supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees but stopping short of a guarantee of full health insurance, a White House official said.

Court-appointed trust manager pleads not guilty
A court-appointed fiduciary of a polygamous church trust has pleaded not guilty to Arizona misdemeanor trespassing and other charges related to his management operations.

3 workers exposed to mercury at VA hospital
The Phoenix Fire Department responded Tuesday evening to a mercury spill at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in central Phoenix. At least three people were exposed to mercury.

Casa Grande officer cleared in gay-rights protest
A Casa Grande police officer who ended a gay-rights demonstration has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Worst said to be over in lake carp deaths
Fewer dead carp are washing ashore in Lake Mohave in northwestern Arizona.

Funds to shut nuclear plants fall short
The companies that own almost half the nation's nuclear reactors are not setting aside enough money to dismantle them, and many may sit idle for decades and pose safety and security risks as a result, an Associated Press investigation has found.

Flagstaff's Louie the Lumberjack gets a makeover
The years have not been kind to Louie the Lumberjack. His face was flattened and his torso was rotting from the inside out.

San Francisco mayor says Mesa chief to lead PD
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has chosen Mesa police Chief George Gascon as the city's next chief of police.

Museum exhibit a tribute to Navajo weavers 709712 MSD APPMG DuBois, B. FOX11AZ.com ! Las Cazuelitas 06/17/2009 06/18/2009 06/18/2009 300.00
It's one of the largest exhibits of fine Navajo rugs ever displayed at a museum, and the only word that can describe it for Navajo Nation Museum director Manuelito Wheeler is "overwhelming."

Freedom Comm. names Burl Osborne interim CEO
Freedom Communications, Inc. named independent director and media veteran Burl Osborne interim CEO on Tuesday.

911 tape in Arivaca shooting released
Tuesday, the Pima County Sheriff's Department released the mother's emotional 911 call.

06/16/2009

Arizona boy accused in killings to remain free
A prosecutor has withdrawn his request to have a 9-year-old eastern Arizona boy returned to custody while he awaits sentencing in the death of his father's friend.

Arizona gov sues over delay in sending budget bills
Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer sued the GOP-controlled Legislature on Tuesday, asking the state Supreme Court to order top leaders to immediately send her budget bills.

ADOT moving US 93 checkpoint near Hoover Dam
The Arizona Department of Transportation is adding two lanes to U.S. 93, from Hoover Dam to milepost 17 in a project that will create a four-lane divided highway connecting the Arizona approach of the Hoover Dam Bypass.

DPS: 39 pounds of meth seized outside Tucson
The Arizona Department of Public Safety says officers have seized 39 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.2 pounds of cocaine after a traffic stop on Interstate 10.

Baboquivari Peak Wilderness fire at 14,500 acres
With firefighters continuing to use burnout operations, a wildfire burning in steep, rugged terrain in southern Arizona's Baboquivari (bab-oh-kee-VAR'-ee) Peak Wilderness Area has grown to some 22 square miles.

Public events to mark Arizona's 100 years
With a lack of cash, the party marking Arizona's birth in 2 1/2 years is expected to be a scaled back, privately financed celebration.

Yuma County Sheriff named to security panel
Yuma County's Sheriff has been selected by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to serve on a security advisory council.

Lugar: American arms-length stance on Iran proper
Sen. John McCain charged Tuesday that President Barack Obama is not talking tough enough on the disputed presidential election in Iran.

Obama says nuclear-armed NKorea 'grave threat'
President Barack Obama said Tuesday that a nuclear-armed North Korea poses a "grave threat" to the world, and he vowed to end a cycle of allowing Pyongyang to create crises and then be rewarded with incentives to back down.

4th defendant gets 20 years for OC yacht deaths
Machain got a reduced sentence because he helped Newport Beach police figure out what happened to the Arizona couple who were last seen aboard their 55-foot yacht in 2004.

Thousands rally to support government in Tehran
Thousands of people waving Iranian flags and pictures of the supreme leader massed Tuesday at a rally organized by Iran's clerical regime in an apparent attempt to reclaim the streets hours after saying it would recount disputed presidential ballots.

Sebelius: New effort to improve Indian health care
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says she will launch a new multiyear effort to improve health care for American Indians, which she calls a "historic failure."

NKorea: 2 US journalists planned 'smear campaign'
Two American journalists sentenced by North Korea last week to 12 years of hard labor were caught shooting video for what the North said was a politically motivated "smear campaign," state-run media said Tuesday.

State seeks to return eastern Ariz. boy to custody
A judge will hear arguments Tuesday over whether a 9-year-old St. Johns boy awaiting sentencing in the death of his father's friend should be detained.

String of carjackings in Ariz. sends man to prison
A man authorities said is responsible for a string of Phoenix-area carjackings has been sentenced to prison for 140 years.

Russia, China, others urge diverse monetary system
Brazil, Russia, India and China on Tuesday called for a more diversified international monetary system, but wrapped up their first full-fledged summit by avoiding any explicit criticism of the world's dominant currency, the U.S. dollar.

Survey: Family time eroding as Internet use soars
Whether it's around the dinner table or just in front of the TV, U.S. families say they are spending less time together.

Game and Fish kills bear near Cornville
For four days, members of the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and state Game and Fish tracked a bear hanging around the northern Arizona community of Cornville.

Some Calif. kids may get 34 extra school days
Summer is going to be a lot shorter for hundreds of elementary school students in two Southern California communities.

Outgoing Gilbert mayor apologizes to city
Gilbert's mayor is apologizing for putting the town "through an awful lot of embarrassment."

Crime falls in Coconino County
Violent crime is down in Coconino County.

Vandals hit monument to boy killed in accident
Vandals appeared to have struck a Lake Havasu City roadside memorial to a young boy killed in a head-on collision last March.

Former Napolitano aide expected to be US Attorney
A Phoenix attorney and former top aide to former Gov. Janet Napolitano is expected to be the next U.S. Attorney for Arizona.

06/15/2009

GOP leader: Brewer threat is 'specter' of shutdown
Gov. Jan Brewer on Monday demanded that the state Legislature send approved budget bills to her and threatened to sue.

Three people arrested in Arivaca double homicide
Sheriff's deputies say the three are responsible for killing a man and his daughter during a home invasion in Arivaca May 30.

Baboquivari Peak Wilderness fire at 5,400 acres
A wildfire burning in steep, rugged terrain in the Baboquivari (bab-oh-kee-VAR'-ee) Peak Wilderness Area of southern Arizona has grown to about 8 square miles, or 5,400 acres.

Conservation among keys to coping with water woes
The old quip in the West that whiskey's for drinkin' and water's for fightin' is a tired cliche by now but still rings true.

ASU, UA, NAU looking at cheaper campuses
Arizona's three state universities are proposing opening a fourth, lower-priced campus as soon as next year and four similar campuses by 2020.

US and Mexico agree to improve customs
The U.S. and Mexico formalized an agreement Monday to work together to secure legal travel and trade across the countries' shared border.

Drilling might be culprit behind Texas earthquakes
The earth moved here on June 2. It was the first recorded earthquake in this Texas town's 140-year history - but not the last.

Court turns down Texas counties over border fence
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to get involved in local Texas governments' fight against hundreds of miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Police: 8 officers hurt in Laker victory melees
Los Angeles police say eight officers have suffered minor injuries during downtown disturbances that erupted amid street celebrations of the Lakers' NBA championship victory over the Orlando Magic.

Obama pleads for support of health system overhaul
President Barack Obama has made another strong pitch for overhauling the U.S. health care system, calling it "a ticking bomb for the federal budget."

Iraqi puppy finds new home with Michigan family
Life can be tough - and short - for dogs in Iraq, but one puppy has been given a chance to survive.

Nine foreign hostages killed in Yemen
Nine missing foreigners in Yemen have been murdered, said a Yemeni official Monday, apparently executed by their kidnappers in the impoverished nation in the Arabian peninsula where al-Qaida has a strong presence.

PROMISES, PROMISES: Indian health care's victims
Ta'Shon Rain Little Light, a happy little girl who loved to dance and dress up in traditional American Indian clothes, had stopped eating and walking. She complained constantly to her mother that her stomach hurt.

NKorea holds massive rally to condemn UN sanctions
Tens of thousands of North Koreans rallied in Pyongyang on Monday to condemn the U.N. rebuke of the country's latest nuclear test amid concern the communist regime could conduct another one.

More funds for Maricopa County community colleges
Maricopa County's community colleges will be getting a boost from two sources of federal funds.

Dale Hausner's brother to be sentenced in Phoenix
The brother of a man convicted in metro Phoenix's Serial Shooter case is scheduled to be sentenced Monday in the 2006 random stabbing of a man in a church parking lot.

Huge pro-reform rally defies crackdown threats
More than 100,000 opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defied an Interior Ministry ban Monday and streamed into central Tehran to cheer their pro-reform leader in his first public appearance since elections that he alleges were marred by fraud.

06/12/2009 Arrests made in fatal home invasion in Pima County Investigators say they have made three arrests in a home invasion in southern Arizona where a man and his 9-year-old daughter were fatally shot and a woman was wounded.

Arizona patrol car halts pilot's successful takeoff
A pilot thought he was good to go after making a precautionary landing to refill the oil in his plane's engine on a northeastern Arizona highway.

Arizona inmate death leads to ban on outdoor cells
A prostitute doing time behind bars, Marcia Powell was temporarily moved one day last month to an outdoor holding pen with nothing but a chain-link-fence roof to shield her from the searing desert sun.

Arizona Senate backs guns in eateries serving booze
A bill to let people with concealed-carry permits to take handguns into restaurants that serve alcohol is advancing in the Legislature, with lawmakers debating whether the change would be dangerous or merely reasonable.

Arizona Senate backs bill on immigration enforcement
A bill that would clear the way for local police officers to help enforce immigration laws is now positioned for a formal Arizona Senate that could come as soon as Monday.

Arizona man dies in Nebraska plane crash
An Arizona man has died in a small-plane crash in western Nebraska.

Tucson business owners upset about reorganization at city hall
City Manager Mike Letcher promoted several people to fill voids in his office; angering those recently struck with increased taxes.

2 Arizona men arrested on sexual servitude charges
Nashville Police have arrested a father and son from Phoenix, charging them with trafficking sexual servitude.

Friday marks final signoff for analog TV service
Television stations across the U.S. started cutting their analog signals Friday morning, marking the final signoff for a 60-year-old technology and likely stranding more than 1 million unprepared homes without TV service.

DC Holocaust museum reopens after fatal shooting
Hundreds of visitors streamed into the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum as it opened Friday for the first time since a security guard was shot to death by a man authorities identified as a rifle-toting 88-year-old white supremacist.

2nd wave of swine flu feared in Arizona
State and county health officials warn that the swine flu could develop substrains this fall and winter and possibly lead to more severe symptoms and illness.

Drugmakers rush to produce a swine flu vaccine
With swine flu now an official pandemic, the race is on among drugmakers to produce a vaccine.

Mormon church history library holding open house
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has unveiled a new church history library.

ATF agents shoot 2 men in undercover probe
Authorities say two men have been shot by federal agents after they apparently tried to run over the officers and three other suspects are in custody.

Arizona trying to combat foreclosure problem
Arizona is prepared to spend more than $121 million to combat the state's growing foreclosure problem.

Iran presidential challenger's office attacked
Iranians packed polling stations from boutique-lined streets in north Tehran to conservative bastions in the countryside Friday with a choice that's left the nation divided and on edge: keeping hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power or electing a reformist who favors greater freedoms and improved ties with the United States.

Congress sends Obama bill to regulate tobacco
Congress sent legislation to the White House Friday granting the federal government unprecedented authority to regulate and restrict cigarettes, the single largest cause of preventable death.

Seattle student: I wasn't present at Italy killing
An American student accused of murdering her British roommate took the stand for the first time Friday, telling an Italian court in a quavering voice that she saw the victim hours before the killing, then went to her boyfriend's house for the night.

Obama to fire inspector general of AmeriCorps
President Barack Obama plans to fire the inspector general who investigates AmeriCorps and other national service programs.

Chopper may have hit power lines before crash
Initial reports indicate that a helicopter that crashed northwest of Phoenix, killing the pilot, may have struck power lines.

NKorean leader's son is 'Brilliant Comrade'
The youngest son of North Korea's authoritarian leader has been given the title of "Brilliant Comrade," a newspaper reported Friday, a sign the communist regime is preparing to name him as successor to the ailing Kim Jong Il.

Thomas petitions Ariz. Supreme Court in tower case
The Arizona Supreme Court has been asked to reconsider a lower-court judge's decision to remove Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas from a probe into a $340 million court tower construction project in downtown Phoenix.

New Gilbert school to specialize in agriculture
Freshman and sophomore students interested in welding, woodworking, gardening and raising animals are looking forward to Campo Verde High School's agriculture program.

06/11/2009

Pima County deputy indicted for sexual assault
A Pima County sheriff's deputy has been indicted on sexual assault and aggravated assault charges.

Arizona bill would halt new state rules
Republican legislators want to continue Gov. Jan Brewer's temporary hold for another year on new rulemaking by state agencies that could increase fees on businesses, individuals, state agencies or local governments.

Arizona man accused of impersonating war hero
A man has been accused of pretending to be a highly decorated Marine by wearing a uniform with ribbons representing prestigious military honors, authorities said Thursday.

Southern Ariz. wildfire 50 percent contained
The U.S. Forest Service says the Skeleton Fire burning in the Coronado National Forest in southeastern Arizona is now 50-percent contained after burning 9,230 acres.

Drug tunnel discovered beneath U.S-Mexico border
Another tunnel apparently dug by drug smugglers has been found beneath the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Ariz.

Lawsuit by Thomas, Arpaio against board is tossed
A Maricopa County judge has dismissed a lawsuit by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas against the Board of Supervisors.

Plans announced for sixth solar plant near Kingman
Plans have been announced for a sixth solar power generating station in the Kingman area.

Mesa pays millions in shooting death
The City of Mesa has agreed to pay the family of a 15-year-old boy fatally shot by police officers a $3 million settlement.

Americans' net worth shrinks $1.33 trillion in 1Q
American households lost $1.33 trillion of their wealth in the first three months of the year as the recession took a bite out of stock portfolios and dragged down home prices.

Ash cloud released by Four Corners Plant
Four Corners Power Plant operators blame equipment failure for a cloud of black ash released by the coal-fired power plant earlier this week.

Mass. yellow lobster is a 1 in 30 million rarity
This lobster will catch your eye, but not because you're imagining its tail dipped in butter. It is bright orange and yellow, even though it's never been near a boiling pot.

New jobless claims drop to 601K; retail sales rise
The number of newly laid-off Americans filing jobless claims fell more than expected last week and retail sales grew in May for the first time in three months. But a rise in the number of people continuing to receive jobless aid signaled that an economic recovery is still far off.

Surveys: More than 2M households unready for DTV
More than 2 million households are in danger of seeing their major broadcast TV channels disappear into a fuzz of static when analog service ends Friday, according to surveys.

Gov. proposes cuts for Prescott museum
Gov. Jan Brewer has proposed eliminating funding for the Prescott Historical Society and its Sharlot Hall Museum.

Bermuda takes 4 Uighur detainees from Gitmo
Four Chinese Muslims detained at Guantanamo Bay prison were freed Thursday and resettled in Bermuda, sparking complaints from China and Britain even as the Obama administration tried to iron out details for sending more detainees to the Pacific island of Palau.

WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years
The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic Thursday - the first global flu epidemic in 41 years - as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere climbed to nearly 30,000 cases.

Lawsuit by Thomas, Arpaio against board is tossed
A Maricopa County judge has dismissed a lawsuit by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas against the Board of Supervisors.

Alleged gunman charged in museum shooting
An 88-year-old white supremacist has been charged with murder for killing the security guard who had opened the door to let him into the U.S. Holocaust Memorial and Museum, officials said Thursday.

Iran's raucous election campaign goes quiet
Iran's raucous election campaign fell silent a day before the vote as rallies were barred Thursday to give the public time to reflect on whether they want to keep hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power or replace him with a reformist more open to closer ties with the West.

DPS reopens I-10 following tanker accident
The Arizona Department of Public Safety has reopened eastbound Interstate 10 near southern Arizona's Picacho Peak following a three-vehicle collision in which one person was killed.

Fed gov. orders Flagstaff bank to raise cash
A Flagstaff bank has been ordered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to raise $2 million in new capital.

06/10/2009

Arizona panel OKs proposed abortion restrictions
An Arizona Senate committee has endorsed a proposal that would impose several new restrictions on abortions.

DPS: 3 vehicle collision kills 1 near Picacho Peak
At least one person is reported dead following a three-vehicle collision on eastbound Interstate 10 near southern Arizona's Picacho Peak.

Elderly gunman kills guard at Holocaust Museum
An 88-year-old gunman with a violent and virulently anti-Semitic past opened fire with a rifle inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Phoenix bacon blogger sizzles with new book
Heather Lauer swears that she's not obsessed with a certain breakfast food. But really, you've just got to wonder.

Lawmakers eye Ariz. pension fund for research cash
Legislators want to tap Arizona's main retirement system for public employees for investment cash for a nonprofit that funds research projects.

Lake Mohave carp deaths caused by virus
Biologists have determined that a carp die-off in Lake Mohave is being caused by a virus.

Tucson City Council adopts budget
After months of discussions, the council voted Tuesday to approve the budget six to one.

06/09/2009

2 in custody after Flagstaff kidnapping, robbery
Police in Flagstaff say two Phoenix men are under arrest after they allegedly kidnapped a man from a Wal-Mart parking lot and then robbed him.

Yuma man charged with setting Crown King fire
A Yuma man has been charged with touching off a wildfire that destroyed five homes and threatened the historic mining community of Crown King last year.

Flu cases abnormally widespread in Arizona
The onset of June usually spells the end of Arizona's flu season, but this year is different.

Lawmakers won't send Ariz. budget bills to gov
Gov. Jan Brewer has asked for budget bills passed by lawmakers, but legislative leaders aren't handing them over before more negotiations could produce a possible compromise.

Dad gets 2 years for not paying child support
An Arizona man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for failing to pay more than $65,000 in child support.

Phoenix man killed by police after getting wallet
A Phoenix police officer shot and killed a man who had reached for a black object that turned out to be his wallet, officials said Monday.

Justice Dept.: 1st Gitmo detainee arrives in US
U.S. authorities have brought the first Guantanamo Bay detainee to the United States, flying him into New York to face trial for bombing U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Obama's Afghan surge changes game, commander says
The surge of U.S. troops into southern Afghanistan will be a major "game changer" in the largely Taliban-controlled region as American forces target insurgent transportation routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, an American commander said Tuesday.

10 big banks get OK to repay $68B in bailout money
The Treasury Department has approved 10 of the nation's largest banks to repay $68 billion in government bailout money.

One of Arizona's oldest wineries destroyed in fire
One of Arizona's oldest wineries has burned to the ground, sending ripples through the state's wine industry that it helped developed.

Obama pitches pay-as-you-go plan for Congress
Calling for "greater responsibility," President Barack Obama says Congress should force itself to pay for new spending as it goes rather than sink the nation deeper into a debt.

Slain Kansas abortion provider's clinic to close
The family of slain abortion provider George Tiller said Tuesday that his Wichita clinic will be "permanently closed," effective immediately.

Pakistani officials: Huge bomb at Peshawar hotel
Officials says a huge bomb has exploded at a luxury hotel in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least five people and wounding 25 others.

34 illegal immigrants found in Phoenix drop house
Authorities have busted up a Phoenix drop house where they found 34 illegal immigrants and nine suspected smugglers Monday.

5-year-old's decades-old killing haunts police
The beating death of a child in 1974 with no criminal charges filed is something that Casa Grande criminal investigations Cmdr. Kent Horn hopes to "make right."

Money woes cancel 4th of July fireworks in Mesa
A nearly 40-year tradition of a Fourth of July fireworks show in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa has been extinguished this year.

06/08/2009

8 illegal immigrants killed in rollover in Arizona
Eight illegal immigrants "stacked like wood" in the back of a sports-utility vehicle were killed when the driver lost control on a remote southeastern Arizona highway, authorities said Sunday.

Teacher in fatal love triangle seeks victim status
A high school teacher involved in a love triangle that left one of her students dead and a former student charged with murder is seeking special treatment and inside information on the prosecution by claiming victim status.

Woman arrested in dragging of Phoenix sergeant
Police say a woman trapped a police sergeant in a passenger-side window and dragged him for three blocks before he was able to break free and land in the street.

Arizona teachers recalled after April layoffs
School districts throughout Arizona have started recalling laid-off teachers amid a clearer budget picture and the retirement of some instructors.

7,000 US Marines patrolling southern Afghan desert
Some 7,000 of the new U.S. troops ordered to Afghanistan are fanning out across the dangerous south on a mission to defeat the Taliban insurgency and to change the course of a war claiming American lives at a record pace.

Obama promises more than 600,000 stimulus jobs
President Barack Obama promised Monday to deliver more than 600,000 jobs through his $787 billion stimulus plan this summer, with federal agencies pumping billions into public works projects, schools and summer youth programs.

Quieting of Flagstaff train horns on hold for now
State regulators have ordered a stop to all work related to silencing train horns passing through Flagstaff until they can consider the project for approval.

Gilbert glider pilot to soar on global stage
When glider pilot Jason Stephens is out getting a bird's-eye view of the world beneath, birds view him with equal curiosity.

Pakistanis rise against Taliban after mosque blast
Pakistani tribesmen avenging a mosque attack surrounded two militant strongholds and destroyed the homes of some Taliban commanders, an official said Monday as the death toll in the fighting hit 13.

US technology heads to Brazil for black box search
A U.S. Navy team was flying to Brazil on Monday with high-tech underwater listening devices to help the search for the black boxes from an Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

N. Korea sentences US reporters to 12 years labor
North Korea convicted two American journalists and sentenced them Monday to 12 years of hard labor for crossing into its territory, intensifying the reclusive nation's confrontation with the United States.

North Korea bans ships from coastal waters
North Korea has warned fishermen and boat captains to stay away from the country's east coast, Japan's coast guard said Monday, in another sign the communist regime is planning to fire more missiles after its recent nuclear test.

Qwest to keep long-distance business
Qwest Communications International Inc. on Monday said it is calling off the auction for its nationwide long-haul data and telephone network.

06/05/2009

Man allegedly shot by security guard paralyzed
Family members are angry that Danny Tarango is paralyzed, but they're also angry at the security guard who allegedly shot him.

New drug war strategy focuses on weapons and cash
The Obama administration plans to use a combination of new technology and old-fashioned police work to crack down on the extensive drug trade along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Homeland Security chief touts new anti-drug plan
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano promised Thursday that a new Obama Administration border drug-fighting strategy won't just focus on smugglers.

Death sentence in arson murders of 5 firefighters
A convicted arsonist was sentenced to death Friday for setting a Southern California wildfire that claimed the lives of five federal firefighters as they struggled to defend a rural home from raging wind-driven flames.

Flagstaff to have July 4 fireworks again
Flagstaff residents will be able to watch a fireworks show this Fourth of July for the first time in three years.

New NC range lets Marines train closer to home
An eight-acre training complex at a North Carolina Marine Corps base will open this month, allowing pilots to practice firing guns and dropping bombs in urban settings.

At death camp, Obama says evil must be confronted
President Barack Obama witnessed the Nazi ovens of the Buchenwald concentration camp Friday, its clock tower frozen at the time of liberation, and said the leaders of today must not rest against the spread of evil.

World markets surge after strong US jobs data
European stock markets extended gains Friday amid expectations of an opening jump on Wall Street after stronger than expected U.S. jobs data stoked hopes the world's largest economy may emerge from recession earlier than anticipated.

Peoria man charged in golf-club assault on boy
A Peoria man accused of hitting a 12-year-old boy with a golf club has been charged with aggravated assault.

Navajo Code Talker Begay dies at age 88
Funeral services were being held Friday for a member of the Navajo Code Talkers.

Wal-Mart to add stores, 1,300 Arizona jobs
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to add about a dozen stores in Arizona in the coming year and hire 1,300 new employees in the state.

Chandler police lose 685 crime scene photos
Chandler police say nearly 700 crime scene photos used as evidence in 23 cases have been irretrievably lost because tech workers failed to back up computer files.

Jobless rate hits 9.4 percent in May; layoffs slow
With companies in no mood to hire, the unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent in May, the highest in more than 25 years. But the pace of layoffs eased, with employers cutting 345,000 jobs, the fewest since September.

Man wanted in Ariz. in murder conspiracy arrested
Authorities say a man wanted in Arizona on suspicion of a murder conspiracy and running a high-end prostitution Web site has been arrested in California.

06/04/2009 Tucson city fireworks display will go on City announces private funding has been found to keep the 4th of July tradition alive in 2009

Arizona Senate approves Republican budget proposal
The Arizona Senate early Thursday approved a Republican budget-balancing proposal that faces a possible veto by Gov. Jan Brewer if it reaches her desk.

Gun found on plane heading to Phoenix from Philly
A US Airways employee and a passenger boarding a flight to Phoenix are being questioned after authorities at Philadelphia International Airport found a handgun on the plane.

Dowling sues sheriff, Maricopa County supervisors
Former Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools Sandra Dowling has sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the Board of Supervisors over a SWAT team raid of her home and a criminal prosecution that resulted in one misdemeanor conviction.

Obama calls for new beginning between US, Muslims
Quoting from the Quran for emphasis, President Barack Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" Thursday and said together, they could confront violent extremism across the globe and advance the timeless search for peace in the Middle East.

Minor injuries in Phoenix light rail-bus crash
A light rail train and a city bus have collided in downtown Phoenix, slightly injuring several passengers.

Phoenix bishop sentenced in bell-ringing case
A Phoenix church leader has received a suspended 10-day jail sentence for violating a city noise ordinance because of his church's bells.

Love in short supply for political spouses
Political spouses increasingly are finding little public love to go with marriage.

Muslims see shift in Obama speech, no breakthrough
Muslim shopkeepers, students and even radical groups such as Hamas praised President Barack Obama's address Thursday as a positive shift in U.S. attitude and tone. But Arabs and Muslims of all political stripes said they want him to turn his words into action- particularly in standing up to Israel.

Israel hopes Obama speech will lead to peace
srael said it hoped President Barack Obama's speech to the Muslim world Thursday would help usher in a "new period of reconciliation" in the Middle East, but the positive emphasis barely masked discomfort over key policy differences highlighted in the historic address.

Gilbert raises its sales tax to 1.75 percent
Gilbert has become the first major municipality in the Phoenix metropolitan area to tackle its budget woes for the fiscal year beginning July 1 by raising taxes.

Air France says no hope of survivors in Atlantic
Air France has told families of passengers on Flight 447 that the jetliner broke apart and they must abandon hope that anyone survived, a grief counselor said Thursday as Brazilian ships neared debris bobbing in the Atlantic.

Mesa police officers face probe over incidents
Five Mesa police officers have been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of criminal and administrative investigations including an incident where an officer allegedly flushed a small fetus down a toilet.

AP source: 2 held after gun found on Arizona bound plane
A US Airways employee let a passenger he knew avoid security at the Philadelphia airport Thursday and accepted a bag containing a gun.

Maricopa County settles suit over inmate's death
The family of a man slain last year by another inmate at a Maricopa County jail will receive a $500,000 settlement.