Arizona's unemployment rate is up, again!

Manufacturing; construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services were among the several industries.

Arizona's unemployment rate is up. The state Department of Commerce reports a seasonally adjusted non-farm unemployment rate for October of 6.1 percent.

That's up from 5.9 percent in September but below the national average of 6.5 percent last month.

As the economy continued to slow, Arizona lost 2,200 nonfarm jobs in October with seven major industries reporting declines -- manufacturing; construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services.

The largest gains were in the government sector, which added 4,300 jobs, mostly in local education.

Educational and health services gained 2,000 jobs while trade, transportation and utilities employment lost 500 jobs.

Jarrett Maupin was booked for making a false report to police

Jarrett Maupin was booked for making a false report to police. Reports from the Sheriff's Office indicate he'd seen a video of Mayor Gordon engaging in sex acts with underage boys.

Authorities say a former Phoenix mayoral candidate has been arrested on misdemeanor charges of making a false report.

Jarrett Maupin was bumped from the ballot last year after the Maricopa County Clerk's Office determined that nearly 185 of the signatures that sealed Maupin's spot in the race were collected by convicted felons.

Maricopa County Sheriff's officials on Thursday did not immediately reveal the nature of Maupin's false allegation against Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon other than to say Maupin took a complaint about Gordon breaking the law to sheriff's deputies.

Authorities tell The Arizona Republic that a subsequent investigation showed Maupin lied about the allegation and about having proof of the allegation.

If the 21-year-old Maupin is found guilty of the misdemeanor violation, he would face up to 6 months in jail and fine of up to $2,500.

Former Catholic Priest Turned Sex Offender, Wilputte Sherwood, Arrested

It is estimated that Wilputte Sherwood had over 1800 sexual affairs resulting from Sherwood roaming the streets of Phoenix targeting hitchhikers and runaways.

A former Catholic priest turned fugitive sex offender was arrested Sunday as he was leaving a church in San Francisco, according to the U.S. Marshals.

Wilputte Sherwood, 63, was originally convicted in 1993 of Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and Dangerous Crimes against Children in Maricopa County.

It was alleged that Sherwood kept extensive logs and video tapes of many of his sexual encounters with numerous underage boys. Sherwood subsequently served 10 years in an Arizona prison and was released in 2003. It has been reported Sherwood targeted over 3600 individuals for sexual interludes spanning 12 years and five different parishes.

It is estimated Sherwood had over 1800 sexual affairs resulting from Sherwood roaming the streets of Phoenix targeting hitchhikers and runaways.

Upon his release Sherwood was placed on lifetime probation and was required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. In 2005, Sherwood absconded from probation and fled the Phoenix area.

Law enforcement agencies found that Sherwood was livingin the Castro District in San Francisco. After attending service at the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Sherwood was arrested without incident. Sherwood was booked into a California jail, where he awaits extradition proceedings for his return to Arizona.

Sherwood is also pending federal charges for failing to register as a sex offender.

This is a prime example of why these people should be locked away forever.

Arpaio to have Reality Show in Late December

The Sheriff will be featured in "Smile...You're Under Arrest," which will debut on the FOX Reality Channel December 27.

"Smile...You're Under Arrest!" is the name of a new FOX reality channel show featuring Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Three episodes have been filmed, so far. The focus is on elaborate sting operations used to arrest people with outstanding warrants. All the crooks caught in a sting signed a waiver for producers of the show.

The episodes will start airing December 27.

Whatever it takes to let Sheriff Joe do his job is fine by me. Keep up the good work Joe!

Boy accused of murder to spend Thanksgiving with mother - what a joke!

An 8-year-old boy accused of killing his father and another man in eastern Arizona will be allowed to spend Thanksgiving with his biological mother.

Judge Michael Roca on Wednesday agreed to allow the boy to leave juvenile detention from noon on Nov. 26 until noon on Nov. 28. The judge's decision came over the objection of prosecutors.

The boy faces two counts of murder in the Nov. 5 deaths of his father, Vincent Romero, and Timothy Romans, who was renting a room in the family's home in St. Johns.

The judge says that if the boy doesn't return to detention on time, arrest warrants will be issued for him and his mother. Roca ordered that there be no guns or knives in the home while the boy is free.

Until the killings, the boy was living with his father and stepmother.

This has to be the biggest joke! I know the court system is totally goofed up as it is, but give me a break! Letting this murderer enjoy a "Thanksgiving" has to be the most backwards ruling in the history of Arizona. Let's reward this murderer by letting him spend time with his family!?

Totally insane! The judge should be looked into for other cases where the law was not enforced appropriately.

Avondale girl raped, 3 suspects still on the loose!

Avondale police are looking for three men in connection with the suspected rape of a 15-year-old girl who was attacked while walking home from La Joya Community High School last week.

School officials have not notified parents about the assault pending a police investigation, said Dave Briggs, deputy superintendent for the Tolleson Union High School District.

The girl was assaulted between 6 and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in a park near South 112th Lane and West Whyman Avenue, police reported on Monday.

The suspects drove by the victim three times before the assault occurred, police said. At one point, the victim ignored a question from the suspects and continued walking, said Sgt. Mirela Butler.

On the third drive-by, two men exited the car, forced the victim to the ground and dragged her to the park, according to Butler. One man held the girl down while the other sexually assaulted her, Butler said.

Police released an artist's rendering of the man who allegedly restrained the victim during the assault. He is described as a Hispanic man, 5 feet 10-11 inches tall, with scars on the right cheek bone and the left side of his cheek. He had black hair combed back and a tattoo on the right inner forearm. He was last seen wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and tan pants.

The man suspected of committing the assault is described as Hispanic, about 6 feet tall with short black hair and a scar on the left eyebrow. He has a tattoo of three dots between the thumb and index finger of his right hand. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and a black beanie cap, according to police.

Both suspects spoke Spanish and English with heavy accents. They are believed to be 20 to 30 years old.

The third suspect drove the getaway car. Police have no physical description.

Butler said the victim had never seen any of the men before.

Police are looking for a white, four-door sedan with an Arizona license plate that includes the letter "T" and the number 3. The car also had the letter "C" affixed to the rear of the vehicle.

Anyone with information should call the Avondale Police Department at 623-333-7000.

"Toughest sheriff' wins re-election in Arizona

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio - who embraces the "Toughest Sheriff in America" title - has rolled to victory in his fifth general election.

The Republican sheriff handily defeated Democrat Dan Saban, a former sheriff's deputy, Mesa police officer and Buckeye police chief. Nearly-complete results showed Arpaio winning, 55 to 42 percent.

"I'm going to continue to work hard and fight for the people of Maricopa County," said Arpaio. "I lead this organization. I work hard for 14 hours a day. I will continue to do it, and I'm not going away, and I might get tougher."

Saban, who failed in an earlier effort to wrest the office from Arpaio, said he faced an uphill battle because of Arpaio's name recognition and large campaign chest.

But, he said his campaign would focus the public's attention on Arpaio's policies.

In the past year, Arpaio has gotten headlines for crime sweeps that target illegal immigration, which resulted in scores of arrests after traffic stops and other minor infractions. Arpaio's office turned any arrested illegal immigrants over to federal authorities for deportation.

The tactics brought outrage from some quarters but support from residents upset about the government's failure to deal with illegal immigration.

"If they don't like what I'm doing, go get the laws changed, and then I won't enforce those laws," Arpaio said.

Arpaio has been in office for 16 years and never faced a major re-election challenge.

"He's created an image that, when you don't have the same opportunity to compete in the media like he does, it's hard to dismantle," said Saban.

Phoenix to get Parkinson's center, named after Ali

St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has announced plans for one of the most comprehensive Parkinson's centers in the country, named after former boxing champion Muhammad Ali and his wife, Lonnie.

The Alis were on hand Tuesday for the announcement about the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.

"To see the beginning of this beautiful new center is truly a dream come true for Muhammad and me," said Lonnie Ali. "We are so grateful to all of you -- to Dr. Abe Lieberman, the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation and other supporters.

The new center is expected to open in late 2009. It will include 10 basic exam rooms, a tremor exam room, a botox treatment room, a tilt room to help evaluate patients with orthostatic hypertension and a balance lab.

The pavilion also will contain treatment areas for physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy and a multi-purpose room for educaton and recreational classes.

The National Institutes of Health says at least 500,000 people in the United States suffer from Parkinson's disease and approximately 50,000 new cases are reported annually. The incidence is expected to increase as baby boomers age.

St. Joseph's Hospital and its Barrow Neurological Institute are working to improve services for people with Parkinson's, Huntington's disease and Tourette syndrome.

"We're on our way to ecoming a world-class center for the growing number of people that are affected by these chronic illnesses," said Lieberman.

He added, "The Alis know that Muhammad Ali is going to get excellent care because he's Muhammad Ali, but they want everyone to get that same type of care."

Mistrial declared in border agent's trial

A mistrial was declared Tuesday in the retrial of a Border Patrol agent accused of gunning down an illegal immigrant without provocation.

Defense attorney Sean Chapman said he was disappointed the jury didn't acquit U.S Border Patrol Agent Nicholas Corbett of the charges against him, which included second-degree murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide. Prosecutors had asked jurors to convict Corbett on one of the charges.

``It's our understanding in the jury note that was sent out it was actually 11 to 1 in favor of acquittal in this case, with one holdout,'' Chapman said.

An earlier trial in March also ended with a deadlocked jury.

The incident caused an international uproar, with Mexican President Felipe Calderon condemning the shooting and calling for a complete investigation.

The case was unusual because it involved state criminal charges filed by the Cochise County Attorney, but was tried in U.S. District Court in Tucson because Corbett is a federal law enforcement agent.

Special prosecutor Grant Woods said the county attorney's office showed courage in bringing the case.

``In our state of Arizona, we stood up for the basic human rights of the victim and his family here and the justice system performed as well as it could,'' Woods said.

Woods said he's not sure whether Cochise County prosecutors will choose to retry Corbett.

Corbett, 40, was charged in the death of Francisco Javier Dominguez Rivera of Puebla, Mexico. Jurors could convict on only one charge.

Dominguez was three other Mexican citizens were crossing the southern Arizona desert near Naco in January 2007 when Corbett drove up in his Border Patrol truck, got out and ended up firing the fatal shot.

Dominguez's two brothers, Jorge and Rene, and Jorge's girlfriend, Sandra Guzman. had crossed the Mexican border with him. All testified that he was going to his knees to surrender when Corbett shot Dominguez without provocation.

Corbett's lawyer contended that the agent was innocent of wrongdoing. He said the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Corbett shot in self-defense after Dominguez tried to smash his head with a rock. He also told jurors that the victim's three companions had been kept together for several hours after the shooting, giving them time to concoct a story, and that they had been under pressure from Mexican government officials eager to see Corbett punished, receiving money, clothing and housing in return for their testimony.

Dominguez, 22, was headed to New York, where he worked for more than four years until returning home to Mexico briefly in December 2006.

Man found guilty in murder of two teens back in 1984

County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced today that Mark Stephen Merila, 44 (DOB 8/25/64), has been found guilty of the kidnappings and murders of two teenage girls in 1984.

The victims were 16 and 14 at the time of their deaths. Kelly Cooper and Ermelinda Iannuzzi were friends who both went missing in Mesa twenty-four years ago. Their bodies were discovered along the Beeline Highway three days after their disappearance. Merila, who had resided in Phoenix, was connected to the deaths through DNA evidence and arrested in San Diego in 2006.

After a four week trial, a jury returned their verdicts on November 3, 2008. Merila was found guilty of two counts of First Degree Murder, class one dangerous felonies, and two counts of Kidnapping, class two dangerous felonies.

In December 2005, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement notified the Arizona Department of Public Service of a match from a DNA profile that DPS had submitted in 2002 to a national database administered through the FBI. The match was made to Merila, a Florida convicted offender. In January 2006, the DPS notified the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the investigative agency in the case, that it had confirmed the match. The MCSO placed a note hold to a Florida warrant out on the defendant for a probation violation and absconding. On March 14, 2006, Merila approached San Diego Police and advised them that he wanted to turn himself in on a warrant as friends had seen his photograph on TV announcing he was wanted.

“I commend the investigators who never gave up. My hope is that because of their diligent work, some measure of peace will be imparted to the families of these two innocent victims,” said Thomas.

The defendant will be sentenced on December 5, 2008 in the courtroom of Judge Christopher Whitten. He faces life in prison for the murder charges.

Deputy County Attorneys Mark Barry and Kristen Larish are prosecuting the case.

ICE rescues 4-year-old hostage in human smuggling scheme

The following is a news releases from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

Two illegal aliens, Marcelino Ramirez-Velasquez and Jose Luis Torres-Pais-Paez, suspected of holding a 4-year-old boy hostage are facing state kidnapping charges following the child’s rescue by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

ICE agents rescued the boy from a gang of hostage takers in Mesa, Ariz., October 21 following a report from the child’s mother in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Marlene Garcia, an illegal alien from Guatemala, alerted the West Palm Beach Police Department after she received phone calls threatening her son’s life and demanding for money. The police brought the case to ICE’s Office of Investigations in West Palm Beach, which alerted ICE agents in Phoenix. The Phoenix ICE office then initiated an investigation seeking to find the child. Investigators were able to track the kidnappers to a Mesa hotel, where they discovered the boy and arrested the suspects.

Marcelino Ramirez-Velasquez, a 34-year-old citizen of Guatemala, and Jose Luis Torres-Pais-Paez, 25 years old and a citizen of Mexico, are each facing one count of kidnapping, a class two dangerous felony and dangerous crime against children and one count of theft by extortion, a class four felony. Both defendants were indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury on October 31, 2008.

“It’s well-known that human smugglers have little regard for human life,” said Matt Allen, special agent of the ICE Office of Investigations in Arizona. “However, threatening the safety of a child, takes this reprehensible disregard to a whole new level.”

“This case is indicative of the style of violence this office has been combating. The violence not only endangers neighbors but also helpless children,” said Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas. “We are grateful that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was able to rescue this child.”

In addition to the three hostage takers, ICE arrested two Mexican nationals who were encountered in the same hotel rooms being used by the alleged smugglers. Javier Garcia-Hernandez and Jorge Mora-Valdez are being prosecuted for reentry after deportation, a federal felony which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

40,000 identities stolen from DES in burglary

Up to 40,000 children’s identities were stored on Department of Economic Security hard drives that were stolen from a storage unit in October.

Now all those families may be at risk of identity theft. This affects anyone who has applied for or been accepted to DES’s "Early Intervention Program" over the past several years. This has the parents of those 40,000 children seriously concerned about their well-being.

Chrissy Boyajian has her hands full with triplet 2-year old boys, two of whom have learning disabilities. She tells 3TV, “Tyler was diagnosed at 18 months with autism. Jacob is behind in speech.”

The two boys receive assistance from DES and are enrolled in their Early Education Intervention Program. All has been going well until this weekend when Chrissy received a letter in the mail that was notification of a break-in and possible identity theft.

The letter reads, “The hard drives contained info that might include name address insurance info child disability date of birth and social security number.”

That is the personal information of some 40,000 valley children that was stored on hard drives that are now in the hands of thieves.

DES spokesperson Liz Barker Alvarez says, “We don't have any reason to believe that DES and our computers were the target of theft.”

Still they were stolen from a public storage unit where DES keeps its back-up files. According to the police report, a man and woman broke in and left with five hard drives valued at $450.

The information on those hard drives is obviously much more valuable than that.

Boyaijian admits, “I worry about them so much…the both of them, especially Tyler and then to have this happen.”

DES says the hard drives are all password-protected and they have no reason to believe that any personal information has been accessed.

Nonetheless the families of 40,000 children have been warned and the two suspects remain at large.

According to police, the suspects were last seen leaving in a white extra cab pick-up truck. If you know anything about this crime you are urged to call police.

In the meantime DES is re-evaluating their storage procedures.

Thomas, Arpaio retain County Attorney, Sheriff offices

Two big races in Maricopa County were decided by voters on Election Day - the Maricopa County Attorney and Sheriff.

Current county attorney Andrew Thomas(R) defeated Tim Nelson(D), and Michael Kielsky (L) while current sheriff Joe Arpaio(R) beat Dan Saban(D) for his unprecendented fifth term in office.

Thomas and Arpaio garnered much support and antagonism for their enforcement of illegal immigration laws, seen by many as a defining consideration in who they will vote for.

Early in October, a controversial television ad attacking Sheriff Joe Arpaio's opponent, Dan Saban, made serious allegations about the Democratic opponent. Arpaio denied knowledge of the ad which was funded by the State Republican Party.

Also happening in October was a heated exchange between county attorney Thomas and his competitors Nelson and Kielsky at a debate between candidates.

Thomas and Arpaio participated in joint-advertising during their campaign, with each candidate giving support to the other and promoting the importance of illegal immigration enforcement.

Thomas was elected into office in 2005, Arpaio has been sheriff since 1992.

Law to Modify Illegal Immigrant Sanctions Rejected

Prop. 200 was one of the measures that voters rejected. It would have allowed payday loan outlets to stay in Arizona.

Arizona voters have rejected four ballot measures, including Proposition 202, which would have made business-friendly modifications to sanctions for employers of illegal immigrants.

Also rejected were:

- Proposition 200, which would have allowed payday loan outlets to stay in business under new rules.

- Proposition 105, a proposed amendment that would have made it more difficult to pass initiatives, and Proposition 300, which would have given legislators a pay raise.

- And Proposition 100, which prohibits new local or state fees or taxes on real estate sales, was approved by a wide margin.

Voters approved Proposition 100, a constitutional amendment that prohibits state or local governments from implementing new taxes or fees on real estate transactions.

Sheriff Joe Wins Re-Election

Sheriff Joe was facing what was considered his strongest re-election challenge in years from Democrat Dan Saban, a former sheriff's deputy, Mesa police officer and Buckeye police chief.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio rolled to victory in his fifth general election.

Arpaio was facing what was considered his strongest re-election challenge in years from Democrat Dan Saban, a former sheriff's deputy, Mesa police officer and Buckeye police chief.

But Arpaio beat Saban 56 percent to 41 percent with 80 percent of the precincts reporting.

Saban failed in an earlier effort to wrest the office in the state's most populous county from Arpaio, who's known for his tent city jail, where he outfits prisoners in pink underwear, feeds them green bologna and has them work on chain gangs.

Arpaio has been in office for 16 years and never faced a major re-election challenge.

WAY TO GO SHERIFF JOE!!!