Arizona’s medical marijuana - About the Initiative

Right now, Arizona patients battling cancer, AIDS, and other life-threatening diseases face prison for trying to relieve their pain. By passing this initiative, we can stop this cruel and unnecessary policy.

What would Arizona’s medical marijuana initiative do?

• Allow terminally and seriously ill patients who find relief from marijuana to use it with their doctors’ approval.
• Protect these seriously ill patients from arrest and prosecution for the simple act of taking their doctor-recommended medicine.
• Permit qualifying patients or their caregivers to legally purchase their medicine from tightly regulated clinics, as they would any other medicine -- so they need not purchase it from the criminal market.
• Permit qualifying patients or their caregivers to cultivate their own marijuana for medical use if a regulated medical marijuana clinic is not located within 25 miles of the qualifying patient.
• Create registry identification cards, so that law enforcement officials could easily tell who was a registered patient, and establish penalties for false statements and fraudulent ID cards.
• Allow patients and their caregivers who are arrested to discuss their medical use in court.
• Keep commonsense restrictions on the medical use of marijuana, including prohibitions on public use of marijuana and driving under the influence of marijuana.

Read the full text of the initiative.

About The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project (AMMPP)

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project (AMMPP) is a grassroots organization devoted to passing a medical marijuana initiative in Arizona in November 2010. Currently, seriously ill people who use marijuana on the advice of their doctor to treat illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis are subject to arrest and imprisonment, simply for trying to stimulate their appetite or alleviate their pain.

We can change this. On November 2, 2010, Arizona voters could have a chance to vote to protect Arizona’s medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail. But voters will not have that chance unless we collect more than 150,000 valid signatures to get the initiative on the ballot.

Our signature drive is now underway! Please volunteer, sign up to collect signatures, or donate today. And please check back with us often for updates about our progress as the campaign develops.

We can’t win without your help! Thanks for your support!

Medical marijuana users could get legal anti-discrimination protections

An initiative drive launched recently would give some people who are prescribed marijuana and test positive for the drug on the job the same legal anti-discrimination protections against getting fired as women and minorities.
The measure, dubbed the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, would allow doctors to essentially prescribe marijuana to patients who are suffering from any one of a specific set of conditions. It also would allow creation of a network of nonprofit shops that would sell marijuana to those who have those prescriptions and allow those not within 25 miles of a shop to grow their own.

Backers need to gather 153,365 valid signatures by July 1, 2010, to put the measure on the ballot that year. The plan, modeled after similar laws in other states, requires only "written certification" from a doctor to get up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks. The drugs would come from nonprofit dispensaries, though the question of where they get their plants or seeds is not addressed.
Campaign manager Andrew Meyers said there are differences in this plan designed to make it less subject to abuse than the California model, like distance restrictions of these shops from schools.

There also is a list of medical conditions that could be treated with marijuana, ranging from glaucoma and AIDS to chronic or debilitating conditions that lead to severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe and persistent muscle spasms.

What it also contains, though, are anti-discrimination provisions, including one that an employer cannot make hiring, firing and disciplinary conditions based on a person's status as the holder of a medical marijuana card. Potentially more significant, that protection extends to someone who tests positive for drugs unless the person used or possessed marijuana on the job or was "impaired" during work hours.

Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall said the problem is proving what constitutes impairment. With alcohol, she said, it's easy. Tests determine a blood- alcohol level. And there are standards in both state and federal laws that determine what level constitutes impairment. That doesn't exist for marijuana.

Attorney Don Johnsen, who specializes in labor law, said the language, similar to laws that prohibit discrimination on race, religion or gender, will lead to a lawsuit every time a company fires or refuses to hire someone with a medical marijuana card if he or she is found positive. Johnsen said each side will hire medical experts to argue to a jury whether a specific reading of a metabolite of marijuana shows the person was impaired.

Meyers agreed that the question of what happens to a worker who tests positive "becomes a question for the courts." But Meyers said he's not concerned about employer rights in these cases.

"We don't believe that someone that is using a medication that their doctor recommends to them should be fired because they're following a doctor's advice," he said, adding marijuana should not be treated different from other prescriptions.
Johnsen, however, pointed out that employers are now free to fire people for virtually any reason at all, including showing up at work under the influence of other legal drugs.

Another provision says schools could not refuse to enroll and landlords could not refuse to rent to those entitled to use medical marijuana unless they would lose dollars or licensing because of federal laws.

And the use of marijuana for medical purposes could not be taken into account in child custody or visitation disputes, nor would it be evidence of neglect or child endangerment "unless the person's behavior creates an unreasonable danger to the safety of the minor as established by clear and convincing evidence."

Nothing in the Arizona proposal, like those approved in other states, would immunize anyone from prosecution under federal drug possession laws. But the record so far has been federal agents have shown little interest in going after individuals for possessing small amounts of marijuana.

Marijuana Policy Project hires Riester for campaign

Marijuana Policy Project hired the Riester advertising and communications firm to spearhead a 2010 ballot measure to legalize the medical use of marijuana in Arizona.

The proposed voter initiative would make possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana legal for severely ill patients who have a doctor’s recommendation. The measure also would create dispensaries for the drug, but people without access to the locations could grow their own.

Supporters need to collect 150,000 signatures to get the measure on the 2010 November. The group considered a similar measure for the 2008 election, but opted against it.

Medical marijuana advocates say the drug helps ease pain for some patients, including those with multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and cancer.

Critics, including some in the medical sector, question marijuana’s effectiveness for those uses.
Thirteen states have medical marijuana programs in place. Although the drug is illegal under federal law, the Obama administration said it will not pursue violators in such programs.

Riester also worked on campaigns against bans on gay marriages, which was defeated in 2006 and passed in 2008.

Information on the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project

The issue of legalizing medical marijuana in Arizona has seen a long, slow burn in Arizona.

Voters have approved ballot intiatives several times over the past 13 years, but legal challenges have snuffed-out the practice.

Now, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project (AMMPP) is collecting signatures to get pot for pain and other purposes on the ballot in November 2010.

The group needs to get more than 150-thousand certified signatures by July of next year to qualify.

If passed, severely ill patients would be able to possess a small amount of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation. Growers and dispensaries would be heavily-regulated by the state, most-likely the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). Patients living 25 miles or more from a dispensary would be able to cultivate up to 12 marijuana plants for personal use.

Does it feel hotter to you?

Arizona weather officials are warning that the potential is high for a significant wildfire to start because of high winds and possible lightning strikes without rain.

Parts of Gila County and the Tonto National Forest are expected to see thunderstorms with lightning but little potential for rain through Wednesday.

Winds are expected to reach up to 40 mph.

If lightning ignites a fire on dry vegetation, officials fear the high winds could cause it to grow fast and out-of-control.

Meanwhile, record or near-record temperatures are expected on Sunday and Monday in the Phoenix area, the state's western deserts and the greater Yuma area.

It's expected to reach 106 degrees on Monday.

Tucson teacher accused of sexual relationship with student

A Tucson teacher is suspected of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student.

Joseph Massey, 36, is a teacher at Utterback Middle School.

A family member of the victim discovered suspicious chat messages on the teen's Facebook account and police were notified.

Massey faces two counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

The investigation is ongoing.

Former fitness guru sentenced to five years for killing wife

Former fitness guru Doug Grant was sentenced to five years behind bars for the death of his wife.

Last month, Grant was found guilty of manslaughter for the 2001 drowning death of his wife, Faylene, in their Gilbert home.

A week later, the jury added three aggravating circumstances to their verdict. They ruled the murder was committed in a cruel fashion, that Grant did it for monetary gain, and that the murder caused emotional harm to Faylene's family.

Grant's current wife and other family members pleaded with the court Friday morning to give him probation, but the judge disagreed.

Dead woman found in Phoenix trash can identified

Police have identified the body of a woman found in a trash bin over the weekend.

According to Phoenix investigators, the woman is Tracy Plaxton.

The 31-year-old's body was discovered Friday afternoon in a trash can in a Central Phoenix alley.

Based on the condition of Plaxton's body, detectives are treating this case a homicide, police said. It's not yet known how long she had been in the trash container.

Original Story:
Police in Phoenix made a gruesome discovery on Friday afternoon.

Officers found a body in a dumpster near 29th Avenue and Coolidge after receiving a call of an injured person.

Investigators say the victim is a white female in her late 20s or early 30s but has not been identified.

Detectives also do not yet know how long the victim had been in the dumpster.

Police are investigating the death as a murder. A nearby resident who was throwing outhis trash found the body and talked to 3TV.

Phoenix police scoped out the area and canvassed the neighborhood trying to find anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious.

Steve Orr found a woman’s body in his alley’s dumpster. He says she was in a fetal position at the bottom of the trash can.

Police think she was in the dumpster for less than 24 hours and was dumped after being killed at another location.

The woman is between 25 and 30 years old and there were no visible signs of injuries.

Police are still trying to uncover who the woman was.

Phoenix Zoo getting new exhibits

The Phoenix Zoo has raised $10 million since October and plans a number of new exhibits.

That money is part of a $20 million capital campaign, and the zoo hopes to reach that mark by 2011.

Right now the zoo is building a $1 million Komodo dragon exhibit that is being funded through the campaign.

The zoo also plans to build $3 million tiger habitat and a $5 million orangutan exhibit.

Arizona goes for another Super Bowl bid

Arizona is preparing to make another pitch to NFL owners for hosting the Super Bowl in 2013.

The state is competing with Miami and New Orleans for the big game.

Representatives from the three competing areas will deliver 15-minute presentations at Tuesday's NFL owners meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., followed by five-minute pitches from team owners.

Bob Sullivan, president of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, said he will lay out for the league the state's amenities and track record hosting the 1996 Super Bowl in Tempe and the 2008 game in Glendale, both deemed successes by the NFL.

"This is a sure thing out here," Sullivan said. "We don't have any wild cards."

The last Super Bowl in Glendale brought in $500 million to the local economy, according to a study commissioned by the host committee.

Last year, Sullivan was making calls until the last minute to corral commitments from hotels and resorts for the 19,000 hotel rooms the bid requires. With the recession hitting the local tourism industry, enough rooms were pledged by early April this year.

Room rates fell in the middle price range, according to Sullivan, higher than New Orleans' but lower than Miami's.

Sullivan cited other strengths including the Phoenix-area's solid record hosting big events and its newly opened light-rail system, a weakness in 2008 when downtown Phoenix was torn up with construction.

DPS throws out more than 65 percent of the photos captured

Motorists activated photo-enforcement cameras on Arizona highways more than 471,000 times from December through February but on average, only about one-third of those drivers received tickets from the state Department of Public Safety.

An analysis by The Arizona Republic of three months of records shows Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. and the DPS threw out more than 65 percent of the photos captured.

The reasons for rejecting tickets vary but are relatively uncomplicated: Sun glare, dirty windshields and traffic rank as top causes.

Redflex, a Scottsdale-based company that operates Arizona's statewide system, has a goal of issuing tickets 80 percent of the time the cameras are activated, DPS Lt. Jeff King said.

A Redflex spokeswoman clarified by saying that figure applies only to photos that aren't compromised by factors such as the weather.

King wouldn't characterize the DPS' position on the number of activations and the percentage of tickets issued but said the agency is pleased with photo enforcement's impact on public safety.

Arizona has a driver-responsibility law that means DPS officers have to match the photo of the speeder with one on a driver's license.

Authorities issue notices of violation to owners when a speed camera captures a clear picture of a license plate and a driver. But the vehicle's owner may deny being the driver. If authorities can't then match the camera image to a driver's-license photo, they can't issue a ticket.

Redflex officials would not discuss the technology that operates the photo enforcement system, but the cameras have high-powered lenses, King said.

Legislators approved the statewide program in July, giving the DPS a mandate to install 100 fixed and mobile cameras on Arizona highways. The DPS suspended the program's expansion in mid-January, with 36 fixed locations and 42 mobile units in place.

The suspension coincided with a wave of anti-photo-enforcement efforts that included residents' protests and legislative efforts to end the program, but DPS officials insist they suspended the program to seek the best locations for the remaining cameras.

The most recent data from the DPS shows cameras snapped motorists more than 1 million times on Arizona highways during the program's first seven months. More than 80,000 drivers have paid the fines.

Arizona has collected nearly $12 million through the process, with more than $1.3 million going to Redflex, according to terms of the contract.

King and other DPS officials cite statistics that show traffic fatalities have dropped dramatically in areas where photo-enforcement cameras are stationed.

5 Chrysler dealerships to close in Arizona

Chrysler LLC is targeting five dealerships in Arizona for elimination as part of its bankruptcy court proceeding.

Dealers got the news Thursday.

In a bankruptcy court motion filed in New York, Chrysler said it wants to eliminate 789 dealerships by June 9. The motion said the dealerships sell too few cars and trucks, or compete with themselves.

The five Arizona dealerships picked for elimination are Arnold Motor Sales in Superior, Brothers Motors in Flagstaff, Darner Motor Sales in Mesa, Jones Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Wickenburg and Performance Dodge in Phoenix.

Dealers can appeal the Chrysler decision.

Fake cop pulls over real one in Avondale - David Word arrested

A Surprise man was busted for impersonating an officer after pulling over an off-duty Avondale cop.

The officer, on his way to work in his personal vehicle, was stopped by a black Crown Victoria with red and yellow flashing lights and siren blaring.

The driver advised the off duty cop that he'd seen him speeding, told him to slow down, then drove away, police said.

The officer got the license plate and tracked the vehicle to a 61-year-old David Word.

Word now faces felony charges.

Most Arizonans support medical marijuana use

Arizona could soon be the next state to allow medical marijuana use.

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project is pushing for the issue to be on the 2010 ballot.

The initiative would make possessing and using a limited amount of marijuana legal under Arizona law for certain illnesses.

Marijuana has been shown to relieve nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy treatments and to relieve nerve pain for those suffering from multiple sclerosis.

A poll taken this year showed 65% of Arizona supports the proposed medical marijuana law.

I would have to agree that seeing it help many cancer patients, marijuana can be a very helpful part of treatment.

Woman first to die from swine flu in Maricopa County

A Maricopa County woman in her late 40s died from swine flu complications.

It is the first death in Arizona and the fourth nationwide as a result of the H1N1 influenza.

The woman had a chronic lung condition before she got the flu. The swine flu has now turned deadly in Arizona, but Maricopa County health officials say it will not change the way they monitor the pandemic.

Dr. Bob England, with Maricopa County, say, "Doesn’t change a thing. We knew this was coming and unfortunately …”

It brings the nationwide total to four deaths from the swine flu. Two-hundred-forty people have contracted the virus in Arizona but the rest of those cases are said to be mild.

Doctors say we need to keep things in perspective.

Dr. Sam Benjamin explains, "How many people are dying every day from not wearing seatbelts, diabetes and heart disease?"

Not to mention the 36,000 Americans who die annually from the regular flu. Now doctors statewide are calling Arizona's first swine flu death unfortunate, but not unexpected and also say it is not a sign for the public to panic.

Dr. Benjamin adds, “It's a tragedy, but people shouldn't be walking around with masks on."

The county is not releasing details about the woman who died.

Speeder found with fake bills also on probation for forgery

A Prescott man pulled over for speeding on Monday also faces counterfeiting charges after officers found he was carrying two fake $100 bills, police said.

Daniel Hinton was driving 23 mph over the posted speed limit of 25 mph in the 400 block W. Gurley Street, investigators said.

Officers said he was driving on a suspended license. Hinton was arrested and taken to the Prescott Police Department for processing.

While being searched, officers said they found he was carrying the counterfeit bills.

Hinton is currently on probation for forgery. He was taken to the Camp Verde Jail where he is being held on a $20,000 bond until his May 19 court hearing.

A passenger, identified as Derek Rotsteen, 24, of Prescott, was in Hinton's vehicle at the time of the stop and was cited and released for possessing an open container of alcohol, police said.

Fourth Solar Plant Planned For Mohave Co.

A new solar plant is planned for Mohave County, the fourth and largest now slated to be built in Arizona's northwest corner.

The 340-megawatt plant would be built about 27 miles northwest of Kingman by Mohave Sun Power, LLC, on land it plans to buy from Las Vegas developer Jim Rhodes. The facility will use a solar-thermal design, with parabolic mirrors concentrating the sun's energy on tubes carrying oil. The heated oil is piped to a central facility to generate steam to turn generators. Some of the energy will be stored in molten salt tanks for use after dark, and a secondary heating system using oil, gas or biofuels can also keep the plant running on cloudy days.

The $2.1 billion plant will be one of the largest of its type in the world, project director Greg Bartlett said Tuesday.

Another plant using the same technology is planned south of Kingman. That 200-megawatt facility is being developed by Albiasa Solar. A Mohave County housing development called The Ranch at White Hills is building a solar facility to power its homes, and a smaller solar project is slated for the Yucca area.

"This is proof that our (Arizona's) renewable energy standard is finally bearing fruit," said Arizona Corporation Commission Chairwoman Kris Mayes.

The company looked all over the Southwest before settling on Mohave County, Bartlett said. Some of the benefits to locating the project in Mohave County, as compared to Maricopa County, included a higher elevation, the remote area, the amount of water and the ability to acquire 4,000 acres from a private landholder. The company has a lease purchase agreement with Rhodes for the property.

According to information from Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson's office, the plant will use about 1,500 to 3,000 acre-feet of water per year to wash the mirrors and generate steam. The plant intends to recycle some of the water. The company says it's well aware of the water concerns in the county and is spending a lot of time upfront on the issue, Bartlett said.

The ACC is watching the water issue carefully, Mayes said.

"It's a good deal," Johnson said of the proposed plant. "It will attract a lot of attention to the area." It will also help in the battle for solar power with Phoenix, he said.

The company has applied for a federal loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy.

If the company secures the needed permits, financing and transmission capacity, the company expects to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2010 and complete the project in the second half of 2013.

The plant will create up to 1,500 jobs during its 2.5 to 3 year construction period, and more than 100 full-time operations jobs. It will operate under the name Hualapai Valley Solar, LLC.

Former Employee Set To Sue Goodyear

A former Goodyear employee has put the city on notice that she intends to file a $1.2 million dollar wrongful termination suit. Terri Woodmansee worked as a victim advocate for the Goodyear Police Department for 9 years. She was fired last August for what she says was blowing the whistle on a Goodyear police officer she believes was responsible for the hit and run death of Jered Pendleton of Avondale.

City officials said Woodmansee was let go for spreading rumors, releasing confidential information and then lying about it during an administrative investigation.Last year, police found Pendleton, 18, lying dead in the middle of a Goodyear road. The fatal hit and run has never been solved.

Investigators did look into the possibility that a Goodyear police office driving a patrol car may have had some connection to the accident. Detectives took blood samples from the patrol car and submitted them to the Department of Public Safety lab for DNA testing. Expert accident investigators from Tempe Police were also brought in to assist. The city's report shows the officer may have driven through the accident scene and struck a shoe but no evidence was found that the officer's car hit Pendleton. Woodmansee was overheard telling colleagues that she thought the city has orchestrated a huge cover-up.

That sparked an investigation in which Woodmansee denied every making those statements. In a claim letter to the city, Woodmansee's lawyer says her client reported her suspicions to a member of the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and an FBI agent. The Goodyear police officer in question has been with the department since November of 2006. Prior to that, he was an Avondale police officer for 10 months. He was fired from Avondale for unsafe driving.

Early morning fire rips through Phoenix duplexes

An early morning fire ripped through a pair of duplexes in Phoenix Tuesday.

It happened at about 5 a.m. at 32nd Avenue and Melvin.

Flames tore through one duplex and badly damaged the other.

Some 30 firefighters were called out to the scene and went defensive once they learned nobody was inside either of the structures. Both were vacant.

Neighbors said the landlord might have been doing some electrical work in one of the duplexes, but at this point, firefighters don't know for sure how the fire started.

No injuries were reported and an investigation is under way.

Wildfire near Springerville is now fully contained

Firefighters in eastern Arizona have contained a wildfire that charred 5,000 acres of mainly grassland after breaking out Tuesday.

Arizona State Forestry Division spokeswoman Judy Wood says the 55 fire was declared 100 percent contained at midmorning Wednesday.

Wood said the fire "laid down pretty good overnight" due to higher humidity and less wind.

The blaze started around 2 p.m. Tuesday on the north side of U.S. 60 on the northwestern outskirts of Springerville. Wood said it was human-caused but the cause remained under investigation.

Some 50 firefighters fought the blaze. Wood said no structures or power lines were damaged.

Missing hiker from Surprise found dead on mountainside

A missing hiker was found dead Saturday night after what appears to be an accident.

At approximately 11 p.m. Saturday, Surprise police officers were called to the area of 157th Avenue and Dynamite Road regarding a missing person.

Family members told officers that Sharon Berman, 53, of Surprise, had not returned home from a hike on a local mountain.

She was last seen at around 8 a.m. that day.

Berman was known to hike the mountain and surrounding area frequently.

Officers searched the mountain and found the missing hiker's body at approximately 11:38 p.m.

Police say it appears that the cause of death was accidental and that she may have slipped and fell down the mountainside.

The incident is still under investigation by the Surprise Police Department.

"Bad Hair Day" bandit caught in Arizona

An off-duty reserve deputy is being credited with helping capture a serial bank robber dubbed by police as the “Bad Hair Day” bandit.

The suspect, Blair Daehling, is believed to be responsible for at least five bank robberies over the last month in the east Valley where he wears different wigs as disguises. His wife, Brandy Heidrick-Daehling, was also arrested for her alleged involvement.

It was the suspects hair that reportedly caught the attention of the retired deputy, Jim Jeselun, who says he sensed “something strange” on Monday afternoon. The 10-year veteran says, “The guy was just out of place wearing a long sleeve shirt on a super hot day and a big afro wig.”

The suspect entered the bank and when he left, witnesses told Jeselun the bank had been robbed. Jeselun copied down the suspect’s license plate number and was able to provide information that lead to the suspect’s apprehension.

He later said about the experience, “Actually, it was kind of fun.”

NRA meeting this weekend

No guns will be sold at the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Phoenix this weekend, but plenty of guns will be on display.

"You're going to have upwards in the thousands of products to look at and that doesn't even include accessories, lots of new products," said Ryan Hillaker with the Scottsdale Gun Club.

"A lot of nice stuff to look at, a lot of interactive displays," Hillaker said. "It's an opportunity for people to put their hands on a lot of manufacturers' products and test them and feel them and ask questions directly to the people who make the stuff."

He added, "If people have any questions about the way scopes or optics or triggers or things like that work, they have an opportunity to at least put hands-on in a dry-fire sense a lot of those products that they may be looking at in magazines."

Manufacturers are making sure people who find something they want can find a place to buy it in the Valley, Hillaker said.

"While they're displaying a lot of the firearms throughout the show, they are supporting a lot of the local Arizona businesses by making sure they have the product that they need so that they can redirect a lot of the customers at the NRA show to dealers in the area to get those products in their hands."

Some of the newest weaponry on the market will be on display, along with tons of accessories.

Hillaker said typical gun shows can't compare with the NRA's big event, which will draw thousands to the Phoenix Convention Center.

"It's a little bit more formally set up. A lot of the manufacturers spend anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 on their booths."

The three-day convention, from Thursday through Sunday, includes the 12th annual National Firearms Law Seminar. The day-long seminar is an opportunity for attorneys who represent firearms owners and firearms-related businesses to meet and discuss legal issues and theories relevant to that area of the law.

The convention includes various other seminars, an Air Gun Range and a Sportsmen's Auction. Speakers include retired Marine Col. Oliver North.

On Friday night, the NRA has invited the public to a free concert at the Arizona Center, featuring comedian T. Bubba Bechtol, the Drew Davis Band and country singers Kate and Kacey.

Convention events are open to the public, but most require tickets.

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I hope this helps bring more guns into the stores, because as of right now there are very few guns to buy and even less on the shelves s far as ammo goes!

Virtual fence construction starts in Arizona

Construction has begun on towers for the final version of the virtual fence project in southern Arizona, and project leader Mark Borkowski said Tuesday he's confident the multi-billion dollar will system work well.

Borkowski, executive director of the Homeland Security Department's Secure Border Initiative program office, said he's 75 to 80 percent confident in the engineering of the revamped project.

"And I have higher confidence than that that if there were issues, they'd be issues that we could solve," he said.

Plans call for extending the towers along almost the entire Mexican border by 2014 at a cost estimated at $6.7 billion.

President Barack Obama has not requested that money, nor has Congress appropriated it yet.

"Right now, the administration and the Congress are both very interested in continuing this program," Borkowski said. "What level will it be at, $200 million a year or will it be $2 billion a year? That's part of the broader national debate about what are the priorities and budgets. But there seems to be a continued interest and priority in this at some reasonable level."

The virtual fence is designed to use radar and cameras with about a six-mile range, including infrared devices and other technologies, to detect smuggling attempts. The sensors are designed to be able to distinguish people from animals and allow operators to direct Border Patrol agents to intruders.

The first section will cover about 53 miles of Arizona's border with Mexico, with additional towers, up to 120 feet tall and spaced miles apart, to follow on the remaining 320 miles of the state's southern border. Virtual fencing then will go up in New Mexico, followed by California and most of Texas.

Borkowski said towers with cameras, radars and sensors and communications gear won't stop people or substitute for a physical fence. But he said it will tell the Border Patrol where people are entering the country illegally.

"Technology's not going to secure the borders,'' Borkowski said. "Frankly, the personnel fundamentally are going to secure the borders.''

More drop house news - 14 discovered in Avondale drop house

A joint immigration task force made up of the Department of Public Safety, Phoenix police and federal immigration agents have discovered a drop house in Avondale.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves says 14 suspected illegal immigrants were found in the home. Four suspected human smugglers have been arrested.

Graves says the suspects will likely be booked on charges of human smuggling.

In an unusual twist, the smugglers used close circuit video to monitor their human cargo. Graves says one camera was set up in a room where the immigrants were held. The smugglers would watch their victims from another room in the house.

Graves says the house was heavily fortified to keep the immigrants from escaping. The victims told authorities they were beaten and threatened if they tried to escape.

A Valley pastor tasered during traffic stop

A Valley pastor has posted a video on Youtube.com showing him getting tasered and forcefully removed from his car by DPS officers.

It happened on April 14th during a routine Border Patrol traffic stop about 60 miles north of the U.S/Mexican border.

Steve Anderson had his personal camcorder rolling when officers ordered him out of his vehicle after a canine provided probable cause for the agents to conduct a secondary search. Anderson refused to get out.

That's when authorities busted his car window and deployed the taser. The camera dropped to the floor and all you could see was blackness with sounds of Anderson screaming in pain.

"They're just torturing me with these tasers again and again," Anderson said. They're stepping on my head� They're shoving my face in broken glass for no reason. I wasn't resisting them. I wasn't fighting back. I was limp�just begging for mercy."

The Baptist pastor was arrested and charged with resisting an order and obstructing a highway. When the agents and officers searched his car, they found nothing.

"Nothing, because all I had was tools," said Anderson. "I didn't have any drugs. I didn't have a human body in my car."

DPS says the case is underway and they have no comment at this time.

Obama to visit ASU

Law enforcement and health officials braced for 70,000 people to crowd into Sun Devil Stadium in near 100-degree temperatures Wednesday night to hear President Barack Obama deliver the commencement address at Arizona State University..

Gates were to open at 2:30 p.m., more than five hours before the president was to speak.

Melissa Werner of ASU, one of the event planners, said those attending should, "bring their bottled water, lots of sunscreen, sunglasses, hats," and be prepared for a wait of up to 90 minutes to clear one of the 40 security checkpoints.

"Along those lines, we'll have tenting, we'll have cooling stations, we'll have complimentary water stations," Werner said.

Julie Newberg with ASU said officials would be prepared to deal with people who have trouble with the heat.

"We'll have paramedics from Southwest Ambulance, Tempe Fire will be here, we'll have a first aid station inside the stadium, we'll also have one outside."

People who find the football stadium too hot can watch the ceremony on a large video screen in the nearby Wells Fargo Arena; however, if they leave the stadium, they cannot re-enter.

People must discard their own water bottles as they enter the stadium. They will be permitted to take cameras, cellphones and MP3 players into the stadium, but not food, alcoholic beverages or coolers.

A wave of law enforcement officers started rolling into Tempe at dawn Thursday. Traffic restrictions were set to go into effect around the stadium and on the routes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport into Tempe before the president arrived aboard Air Force One just before 6 p.m. The president will leave Sky Harbor about 9:30 p.m.

Some of the 9,000 graduates said the president's speech will be something to remember forever.

"No matter what your politics are, it's going to be a very cool thing. When else can you say I saw the president of the United States give my commencement speech?" said Sarah Larson, a 23-year-old education major.

Ismael Paderez, 35, of Phoenix, planned to arrive at the stadium at 3 p.m. Nothing, he said, would have prevented his family from attending the ceremony to see him get his degree in electrical engineering.

``I'm the first person on my father's side to graduate from college,'' he said. ``With this economy ... and looking for a job ... I want to hear the president give a message of inspiration.''

The pre-ceremony show was to include an appearance by rock icon Alice Cooper, Mexican mariachis bands, a gospel choir and a marching band.

Following Obama's address, university president Michael Crow was to award five high school students with scholarships named after the president. The President Barack Obama Scholars program will offer them up to $17,000 annually to pay for tuition, books, room and board.

Virgil Renzulli, an ASU spokesman, said ASU hopes the scholarship will serve as a national model for universities aiming to make college more affordable.

``We know that for Arizona to be competitive and the U.S. to be competitive we have got to produce more college graduates,'' he said. ``We hope this (scholarship) will have a lasting effect.''

Woman kills self after short police chase in Tempe

A young woman shot and killed herself Friday after a short police chase in Tempe.

According to Lt. James Warriner, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety, officers got a call from Mesa police to try and find a suicidal person at 3:10 a.m.

Warriner said a DPS officer spotted the car with the woman, who is about 24 years old, inside a car parked in front of a home near Elliot Road and Interstate 10.

The officer sat behind the woman while he waited for other officers to arrive, but she drove away.

She refused to stop for the officer and sped away before pulling into a parking space in front of a convenience store at Priest Drive and Warner Road.

“As the officer stepped out of the vehicle he heard a gunshot,” Warriner said.

Katie McDevitt, Tempe police spokeswoman, said Tempe police will investigate the suicide. Warriner said DPS will conduct an investigation of the officer’s actions, which is routine in significant incidents.

2 men found dead in county island home

Two men were found dead Monday night in a home in a county island area of Mesa, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded to the home at 310 N. 86th St. just before 8 p.m. for a shooting, according to Lindsey Smith, sheriff's spokeswoman. The home is near University and Ellsworth roads.

There were two deceased adult males inside the home, she said.

"The sheriff's homicide unit will conduct the investigation and treat this as a homicide until proven otherwise," Smith said.

She said the office would release no more information until Tuesday.

Officials confirm 131 Arizona cases of swine flu

There are now 131 confirmed cases of the H1N1 swine flu virus in Arizona, including the Phoenix area, Tucson and Nogales.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says there are more than 1,600 cases in the U.S. Illinois has the most (392), followed by New York (174).

Arizona public health officials are optimistic that it is more like regular seasonal influenza strains and not as serious as first believed. Maricopa County officials have lifted an order to close schools when cases of the swine flu pop up at individual schools.

Recently: Head of Desert Divas prostitution ring pleads guilty

The County Attorney’s office announce that they head of the prostitution ring, Paul Nichta, has plead guilty to a variety of charges.

Police charge that Nichta was head of the umbrella organization that was providing prostitutes through numerous websites with titles such as “Desert Divas”, “Az Confidential”, “Hips Tours”, and “Escorts in Action”.

Nichta faces two-and-a-half years in prison when he is sentenced on June 25.

Five other people involved in the ring also plead guilty. Those include accountant Peter Shifman, Manager Scotts Eder, Manager Shelia Bucalo, Manager Sean Carter, part Owner and Photographer Adam Beech and Investor and VIP customer Dr. Ross Levatter.

VIP customers Louis Stirling and William Ferretti also plead guilty to attempted pandering.

The investigation is still underway and additional charges are possible.

According to the County Attorney’s office later developments in the case against Nichta led to the arrest of David Elms, the operator of the Erotic Review website. Elms is accused of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in a case not related to the Desert Divas investigation. There is a warrant out for Elm’s arrest. He fled after posting $150,000 bond.

The prostitution ring was busted back in August of 2008.

Getting hotter every day!

Sure feels like the middle of summer! The weather is surely changing!

Desert Divas' prostitution story continued from below story

"This case is beyond prostitution," Thomas said. "This was a major criminal syndicate that allegedly made millions of dollars."

Those accused of prostitution are:

Melissa Ann Haden, 25 Mindy Allison Haden, 25 Michelle Ann Keithley, 38 Tania Marie Koyanagi, 24 Jillian Lybarger, 24 Julissa Varela Flores, 24 Diane Savannah Hasse, 21 Leslie Ann Wolf, 21 Ashley Marie Kutka, 24 Cynthia Matthews, 27 Emily Jean Boyd, 24

The Desert Divas operation was the largest prostitution bust in Arizona history, investigators said. Not only did detectives make dozens of arrests, they also seized cash, drugs and weapons.

A second phase of the Desert Diva’s criminal investigation has resulted in a 112-count indictment against 43 suspects

A second phase of the Desert Diva’s criminal investigation has resulted in a 112-count indictment against 43 suspects, the county attorney said late Friday.At least 19 new arrests have been made, County Attorney Andrew Thomas said at a news briefing.

he indictments came as the result of search warrants that had been served late last summer. Information from those warrants enabled police and prosecutors to identify the suspects indicted.

A grand jury handed up the indictment on April 23, 2009.

Charges include:

Conspiracy to commit illegal control of an enterprise, a class 3 felony.
Illegal participation in an enterprise, a class 3 felony.
Money laundering in the second degree, a class 3 felony.
Employment in prostitution, a class 1 misdemeanor/
Pandering, a class 5 felony.

Phoenix Police started the investigation in 2007 in cooperation with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Lee Peters walks away from a supervised inmate work assignment at the Pinal County Adult Detention Center

An inmate walked away from a supervised inmate work assignment at the Pinal County Adult Detention Center in Florence at about 3:25 a.m., Pinal County sheriff's deputies said.

Lee Peters, 18, has been in custody since February and is awaiting sentencing for charges of attempted theft of means of transportation.

Detention staff worked quickly to notify Detention Center command staff and immediately began searching for Peters, deputies said.

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit was deployed and area agencies, including the Florence Police Department, were notified to help locate and apprehend the inmate.

Arizona Department of Corrections also responded with five search teams, which included four K-9 units and two horses.

At about 6:30 a.m., a Florence police officer noticed two men talking in the area of Third and Park streets in Florence, sheriff's investigators said. He immediately approached the men and spoke briefly with them, deputies said. The officer was able to identify one of the men as Shane Reid, whom the officer knew.

Suspecting the other to be Peters, the officer asked the men for their identification, deputies said. Peters offered a fictitious name, deputies said. A sergeant with the Florence Police Department arrived at the scene and confirmed the man was Peters and took him into custody, sheriff's investigators said.

Reid's involvement in the incident is currently under investigation.

"An administrative review of this incident has already been initiated," said Chief Deputy James Kimble. "At the conclusion of this review, we will make any necessary adjustments in policy or procedure in an effort to ensure this type or similar incident does not occur in the future."

Chevrolet Camaro makes a come back...again!

The Valley gets its first glimpse today of the new Chevrolet Camaro, a car launch that is so highly anticipated, the buyer waiting list is already long... and getting longer.

"This is a compelling product launch not only for us but for the entire domestic auto manufacturing industry" said Scott Gruwell, New Car Sales Director for Courtesy Chevrolet. "The consumer response has been so overwhelming, it harkens back to the heyday of the American auto industry. And needless to say, we're excited to be moving in that direction again.

The dealership is also giving residents a chance to drive off in one of its brand new Camaros through a live auction that benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix.

The event is open to the public and includes food, drink, music, and local celebrities as well as car enthusiasts and automotive industry journalists eager to chronicle the new Camaro's arrival.

Kingman police kill bear after break-ins

Kingman, Arizona police officers have shot and killed a bear that wandered into town and tried to break into several homes and the local post office.

Police spokesman Sgt. Bob Fisk says the black bear was spotted on Thursday morning by residents and the police switchboard was soon flooded with calls.

Officers spotted the young bruin as it tried to break into a window at the post office, then tracked it as it went through alleys, climbed fences and tried to get into several homes. Fisk says the bear was very aggressive and was seen pushing on a home's door.

Residents gathered to watch, and a police captain ordered officers to shoot it because of the danger to people. After being hit, the bear ran but was pinned in by a police cruiser before dying.

Desert Divas' prostitution busts still going on

Dozens more suspects have been identified in a major Valley prostitution bust.

This is the second wave of arrests in the so-called 'Desert Divas' operation. Around a dozen women, ranging in age from 19 to 47 are part of this new wave of Desert Divas arrests. One of them was a county jail guard. (see a few articles below for her story)

In addition to these women facing money laundering and prostitution charges, Phoenix police also arrested others involved in the operation.

Four men called VIP customers have also been indicted for helping. Police say they had spent time with the prostitutes, evaluate their performance on the escort website.

The VIP customers' entries are too explicit to explain any further. Lt. John Collins explains, “They were rating them in the erotic review. Special customers getting special prices and helping promote and they were doing a good business.”

It is estimated they were raking in around $250,000 month. The ringleader lived in a Paradise Valley home.

Officers made a first round of arrests last August, followed up by the dozens more announced on Friday.

Police say they are still going through the Desert Divas computer records and more arrests could follow.

More pot news - Border Patrol agents seized nearly a ton of marijuana found in an abandoned vehicle in the Arizona desert

Border Patrol agents seized nearly a ton of marijuana found in an abandoned vehicle in the Arizona desert.

Nearly a ton of marijuana found in Suburban - Authorities seized nearly a ton of marijuana found in a camouflaged Suburban parked in a wash.

The discovery was made Thursday near Cockleburr, Ariz., in Pinal County.

The drugs were found in a Chevrolet Suburban parked in a wash and hidden with a camouflaged cover.

The vehicle contained more than 1,900 pounds of marijuana. The street value of the drugs was more than $1.5 million.

No arrests have been made.

Over 5,000 lbs. of pot busted amongst bell pepper load

Over 5,000 pounds of marijuana were busted amongst a load of bell peppers.

The discovery was made on Monday night when a Department of Public Safety officer conducted an inspection on a commercial truck with Mexican license plates.

DPS reports the driver was not able to provide a log book and officers were notified the license plate was not real.

The truck had been loaded in Mexico, although the driver claimed he was taking produce into Mexico.

Officers searched the truck and found bundles of pot totaling 5,027 pounds amongst the bell peppers.

The 34-year old driver from Mexico was arrested and faces charges for transporting the drugs.

A little funny to read about a couple stories where someone is busted for hauling large amounts of pot with some sort of fruit or vegetable! See the story about pot in the watermelon truck below...

Former CPS worker, David Wigton, sentenced on child molestation charges

A former Child Protective Services worker has been sentenced for molesting a young child.

David Wigton will serve 10 year in prison with lifetime probation. In addition, he will have to register as sex offender.

Investigators said Wigton not only molested a 4-year-old girl who is related to him, but he also provided pornography to other underage family members.

Wigton, 58, worked with CPS for more than 20 years.

Police arrested Wigton on April 30, 2008. He eventually pleaded guilty to three felony charges.

508 pounds of pot found in watermelon hauling truck

A truck driver was arrested after marijuana was found in his load of watermelons.

On Tuesday at 12:45 a.m., an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer stopped a commercial vehicle traveling northbound on Interstate 17 near New River for a traffic violation and inspection.

The driver had picked up a load of watermelons in Nogales, Ariz., and was headed to Massachusetts. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, another DPS officer discovered plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana in three bins toward the front of the trailer. The total amount seized was 508 pounds.

Anthony Moyd, 39, Newark, N.J., was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana for sale, transportation of marijuana for sale and operating an illegal enterprise.

Detention officer arrested, charged with prostitution

One of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s detention officers was arrested and charged with prostitution.

A news release from MCSO indicates 23-year-old Jillian Lybarger was taken into custody on Wednesday night by Phoenix police officers and is charged with prostitution. She reportedly worked with the sheriff’s department for a little over a year.

Lybarger was part of a second round of arrests in connection with a prostitution ring referred to as “Desert Divas.” She was placed on administrative leave.

Lybarger was booked into jail but was later released

Arizona mom helps to bust HUGE ecstasy ring

Police are crediting a Phoenix-area mother's tip for the dismantling of an Internet-based Ecstasy sales ring.

The unidentified woman's call to the Maricopa County Methamphetamine Task Force early last week brought swift action from detectives, who within hours located the seller's MySpace page online, including a complete price list, quantity and product review.

By Tuesday, 10 Ecstasy dealers who had a combined client list of nearly 500 metro Phoenix high school and college students were under arrest, investigators say.

The network of small-time peddlers was coordinated and advertised through the social networking Web site, said Lt. Steve Bailey, a Maricopa County sheriff's deputy assigned to the task force.

Detectives were able to buy the drug from dealers in Mesa, north Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Fountain Hills, and in parks, restaurants and other public places. If a dealer ran out, he simply referred undercover agents to some other suppliers, police said.

"It's sort of a loose-knit, somewhat organized group,'' Bailey said. "There's no sense of competition among them or anything.

They got kids with pockets full of money who just want to get high on Friday and Saturday night.''

Detectives purchased more than 200 hits in their brief investigation.

Dealers said they bought the pills for $7 and typically sold them for $15 and could make as much as $3,000 each weekend selling the drug at parties and raves and other all-night dance parties held in large venues.

The ease of buying and selling the drug shows where Ecstasy ranks on the list of concerning drugs for parents and teenagers, investigators said.

"It's very easy (to buy) and unfortunately, I hate to say, accepted. Parents hear about these rave parties and alcohol isn't allowed at these rave parties because it's a dangerous combination,'' said Phoenix police Sgt. Don Sherrard, a member of the task force. "So the parents are kind of ignorant and kind of relieved that their kids aren't out drinking and driving and don't realize their kids are doing methamphetamine.''

Physicians say Ecstasy can damage the brain. It dumps all of the serotonin out of the user's brain in one massive reaction that brings a state of euphoria, said Dr. Jeff Thomas, a clinical professor at Arizona State University.

The drug also blocks the brain from recycling that serotonin, leading to the depression that follows. "It takes a long time, 6 months, for your brain to get back where it was after one dose,'' Thomas said. "This drug is actually more damaging than methamphetamine.''

Police praised the inquisitive mother who helped bring down the Ecstasy ring.

"Had it not been for this mother calling in, we would not have gotten on to these guys,'' Sherrard said.

Phoenix bans cooking fires in mountain preserve

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department has banned open fires in city mountain and desert preserves effective May 11.

The ban takes effect about this time every year, as the vegetation dries out and humidity levels drop. The ban includes the following conditions:

• Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in any part of the mountain preserve;

• Propane or gas grills may be used, but only in established picnic areas;

• Smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes) is prohibited year-round outside of enclosed vehicles.

Fire chief Bob Khan says it takes only a small ember picked up by the wind to start a fire in dry brush. Then, the fire can grow quickly. Fires in the mountain preserve are extremely difficult to fight due to the steep terrain.

The ban applies to Camelback Mountain, Papago Park, all areas of the Phoenix mountains, South Mountain Park/Preserve, and North Mountain and its adjoining areas. The ban does NOT apply in regular city parks.

AZrizona fuel prices lowest in the U.S.

The latest AAA fuel gauge report show gasoline prices in Arizona are now the lowest in the nation.

The AAA says drivers here paid an average of just $1.93 a gallon on Thursday compared to a national average of $2.14.

Phoenix drivers have it best of all, paying just $1.84 a gallon.

The highest price in the nation, as usual, is paid by drivers in Alaska and Hawaii.

Drivers in the Aloha State are forking over $2.51 for a gallon of regular, while those in Alaska are paying $2.59.

Large meth bust in Mesa, Arizona

Four illegal immigrants from Mexico arrested.

It maybe the biggest meth bust in Mesa's history. Sixteen pounds of the drug are seized. Estimated street value is $300,000. Mesa police credit a citizen's tip, last month, to the narcotics hotline. This lead detectives to Phoenix where they found the meth hidden in a car and a house. More arrests are expected.

If you would like to receive alerts from the Mesa Police Department Alert Network, go to www.mesaaz.gov/police and click on "Receive Alerts from Mesa PD."

You may also text tips anonymously to the Mesa Police Department. Text "MESAPD" and your message to tip411 (84741). Mesa PD may reply to your message and ask for additional info. Text "STOP" to end the dialog.

North extension of Arizona HWY 85 now under study

The Maricopa County Department of Transportation is considering an extension of Arizona highway 85 from Interstate 10 through northern Buckeye.

The agency will hold an open house Wednesday to discuss the project. The public meeting is from 5 to 7 p.m. at Sage Recreation Center at Festival Ranch, 26501 W. Desert Vista Blvd., Buckeye.

This is the first of two open houses to gather community input about potential improvements along a 32-mile section of the proposed Turner Parkway corridor between I-10 and Arizona 74.

Turner Parkway will serve as the northerly extension of Arizona 85, originating near the current Arizona 85/I-10 traffic interchange.

The study area is roughly defined by a 2-mile-wide buffer around the Turner Parkway alignment. This study will focus primarily on corridor feasibility and future roadway alignment based on area growth and development and projected travel demand.

Proposed roadway cross sections, alternative alignments and an evaluation of each alternative will be presented.

Information: Contact Denise Lacey at 602-506-6172 or deniselacey@mail.maricopa.gov.

Be back on the look out for DPS speed vans back on highways

Department of Public Safety spokesman Jim Warriner said Tuesday that the vans began being phased back onto roadways after a van operator was killed last month.

Speed-enforcement vans are back on Arizona highways for the first time following the killing of a van operator last month.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Jim Warriner said Tuesday that the vans began being phased back onto roadways Monday.

He says he does not know how many vans are out snapping the photos of speeders or when all of them will be up and running again.

Warriner declined to say whether people were inside the vans, citing safety issues. He said only that ``the technology is out there that has allowed us to move forward.''

He added that DPS is comfortable that van operators will be protected.

Sixty-eight-year-old Thomas Patrick Destories is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Doug Georgianni, who was operating a speed-enforcement van on a Phoenix freeway when he was killed.
==================================

Thomas Patrick Destories















Doug Georgianni

AZ Gun bill may bar gun bans for parked cars

The Republican lawmaker sponsoring the bill said it is intended to overturn bans that deprive employees and others of their Second Amendment rights.

A bill being considered by Arizona legislators is seen as pitting gun owners' Second Amendment rights against the private property rights of businesses and others.

Backed by the National Rifle Association, the bill would permit gun owners to keep legally owned weapons in their locked, privately owned vehicles while they're parked in parking lots, garages or other parking areas of private property where the owner has a policy against allowing guns on the property.

The Republican lawmaker sponsoring the bill (HB2474) said it is intended to overturn bans that deprive employees and others of their Second Amendment rights.

"I was not aware that the Bill of Rights ends at private property,'' said Rep. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills.

The bans mean employees ``can't bring their legally possessed weapons with them to work, so that on the way to work and after work, they would not have access to their weapons for legal self-defense or recreational shooting if they want to go to a range,'' Kavanagh said. ``Having a firearm hidden and locked in a car is not a safety threat.''

Democratic leaders announced their opposition to the bill, which is expected to be considered by the House soon.

Overturning employers' weapons bans could set the stage for deadly workplace violence, said House Minority Leader David Lujan of Phoenix. ``This bill allows incredibly easy access to a firearm.''

Other Democratic leaders said the bill could compromise security at key facilities and that gun owners could and should find another place to park if a property chooses to ban guns.

``The owners of a piece of property should be able to dictate what they want _ or what they do not want _ to protect their employees,'' said Rep. Chad Campbell of Phoenix.

Consideration of the bill by the full House could come either during or shortly before the NRA's annual convention, which is being held May 14-17 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The bill was last considered by House caucuses March 31, and Democratic leaders speculated that action by the Republican-led House would be timed for political reasons to precede or coincide with the NRA gathering.

However, Kavanagh said the bill was held up only to allow time for meetings with businesses to address any concerns.

The bill has drawn opposition from several business groups, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Manufacturers Council.

A lobbyist for the manufacturers council testified that businesses have an obligation to keep their employees safe and that there are concerns about employee violence in the current poor economic climate.

As originally proposed, the bill included a provision to exempt property owners from liability in lawsuits resulting from a gun stored in a locked, privately owned motor vehicle parked on the property.

However, a House panel that reviews proposed legislation for potential constitutional flaws has recommended that the full House rewrite the liability exemption. As written, the provision would violate the Arizona Constitution's guarantee for the right to sue to recover damages, a House staff attorney said.

The bill also contains a provision that states it wouldn't apply in situations covered by other state or federal laws.

49 cases of Swine Flu now reported in Arizona

State health officials say the number of confirmed cases of swine flu in Arizona is now at 49 - up from the previous figure of 17.

Arizona Department of Health spokeswoman Laura Oxley says the new confirmed cases were sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week and took a while to identify because of the backlog there.

Arizona has an additional 150 to 200 possible cases of swine flu at the CDC for testing and Oxley says the number of confirmed cases will certainly increase.

She says the state laboratory hopes to start testing its own cases on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, students at three Phoenix-area schools that were closed because of the swine flu returned to class Tuesday.

Moon Mountain Elementary School in northwest Phoenix was closed as of Thursday, and the Tarwater Elementary and Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary schools in the Chandler Unified School District were closed starting Friday. One student at each of the three schools tested positive.

All three schools were ordered closed for seven days.

Ten public schools in Nogales closed for a week, starting Monday, after one student tested positive _ even though the elementary school student had recovered before the closures were announced. Santa Cruz County health officials had recommended closing only the school the child attends and one neighboring school.

In Nogales, barber Rene Valencia said his 14-year-old eighth-grader would be having a vacation this week. While he isn't worried about his son getting into trouble or being exposed to the flu while hanging around home or with friends, Valencia said he thought school officials overreacted.

Officials with the Tucson and Marana unified districts, which each had one middle school student with a confirmed swine flu case, and on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation, where two high school students were among four positive cases, did not close schools.

In a letter distributed Monday through Maricopa County school districts, Dr. Bob England recommended against any more school closures - barring a significant cluster of cases in a school.

He also said he was not recommending that school events such as proms, field trips or graduations be canceled.

"It appears that the virus is already broadly spread in the community,'' he said. "Therefore, a handful of individual school dismissals will not help to slow its spread.''

He added that closing all schools for a time might help but the disease doesn't seem severe enough to merit the disruptions.

SWINE FLU LINKS:

Preparedness - http://www.wearepublichealth.org

CDC web site on Swine Flu - http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Statewide - http://www.azdhs.gov

Maricopa County - http://www.maricopa.gov/Public_Health/

Coyotes moving to Canada...oh no!!!

As the Phoenix Coyotes file for bankruptcy, there is an offer of sale from an investor that wants to move the team to Canada.

Blackberry boss Jim Balsillie is looking to buy the financially ailing Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Ontario. The co-CEO of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion says his $212.5 million offer is conditional on the Coyotes relocating to Canada, where they existed as the Winnipeg Jets before moving to Phoenix for the 1996-07 season.

"The current team ownership asked that I table an offer to purchase the Coyotes and significant discussions resulted in an offer that is in the best interests of the franchise, the NHL, and the great hockey fans of Canada and Southern Ontario,'' Balsillie said Tuesday in a statement.

Balsillie had made previous failed attempt to purchase the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins with the hope of moving them to Hamilton, Ontario.

See ya later then guys!!!

This month Costco will have their coupon for $70 off for Michelin and / or BF Goodrich set of 4 tires.

If anyone needs new tires I suggest buying them from Costco. They offer so much and are always willing to go the extra mile to help a customer!

I think the deal starts on May 11th but you can call BF Goodrich if you want at 1-877-788-8899

Pearce: We need Natl Guard, DPS on border now!

State Sen. Russell Pearce says the swine flu is just another reason in a long list of reasons for sealing Arizona's border with Mexico.

The sine flu scare "certainly was an opportunity to secure that border and evaluate who's coming and who's not coming," the Mesa Republican told News/Talk 92-3 KTAR's Jay Lawrence Show. "We have an obligation to our citizens to secure that border."

Pearce said action was justified long before people became concerned about a deadly outbreak of the swine flu, since renamed H1N1, in Mexico City.

"You've got drugs coming across there, you've got other things coming across there," he said. "We make a big deal out of the swine flu. And maybe it is a big deal, although we have health officials now saying it's no different than any other flu. This isn't the first thing we've had. We have an epidemic of crime coming across that border."

Pearce said Gov. Jan Brewer has authority to act and she should.

"This governor's the commander-in-chief. Send the guard down there today. Put DPS (the Department of Public Safety) down there today. You want lower taxes, you want less crime, you want less disease, you want jobs protected for Americans in a time when Americans can't find work."

Former Gov. Janet Napolitano, now the secretary of Homeland Security, said, from the start of the swine flu scare, that closing the borders was not an option.

"It actually would have distracted us from the steps we did need to take to protect the American people," Napolitano said. "And that was focusing on what we could do to contain the virus that was already within our borders."

Souns like good advice from Pearce.

Pima board to discuss park closings, very sad news

In an attempt at heading off a budget deficit, Pima County supervisors are expected to consider reductions in the parks and recreation department including the closure of facilities.

The board could also decide to raise fees for use of athletic fields when it meets Tuesday.

Supervisors are expected to get an update from department officials on potential cuts in programs and closures of some community centers and parks to avoid a budget shortfall for the current fiscal year.

Last month, the board approved some fee increases for athletic field use and aquatic programs. Those could be undone Tuesday for additional review.

Supervisors complained at last month's session that information on the proposed changes was not provided early enough to be adequately studied.

They also want to hear from more people before shutting parks and cutting services.

I hope they can find a better solution!

Police shoot and a kill suicidal woman in Tucson

Tucson police say an officer fatally shot a suicidal woman after she pointed a gun at police.

Tucson police spokesman Officer Chuck Rydzak said Sunday that officers went to the woman's home Saturday night after she sent a text message to family members telling them goodbye.

Officers heard loud music coming from 57-year-old Joanna Lee Smith's house when they arrived. Smith refused to open her door and told officers to "just go away.''

Officers then heard a single shot from inside the home.

They evacuated nearby residents and tried to contact Smith by knocking on the door, calling her phone and using a loudspeaker from a patrol car.

That's when officers began to break into Smith's window. As they broke a front window, Rydzak says Smith pointed a gun at them.

Officer Daniel Spencer then shot Smith, who later died at a hospital.

Samantha Angela Somegustava gets LIFE in prison for 2005 murder

A Laveen woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting of a man who had given her and a friend a ride.

Samantha Angela Somegustava, 26, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Valentin Cruz-Gabriel. Her sentence from Judge Timothy Ryan specifies that there is no possibility of parole.

According to court documents, Somegustava was hitchhiking on March 3, 2005, when Cruz-Gabriel gave her a ride in west Phoenix. She had him drive to a home so she could use the bathroom and, while there, picked up Richard Enos, and convinced Cruz-Gabriel to give him a ride, too. Police said Enos had a sawed-off shotgun, took over the car and that he and Somegustava drove to a vacant field where they killed and robbed Cruz-Gabriel.

Somegustava was arrested 11 days later at her home, in possession of Cruz-Gabriel's car and his credit card.

Enos was convicted of first-degree murder at trial and sentenced to life in prison in October 2007.

Apache Junction subdivision basks in solar savings

Two words seemed to be the mantra of residents on a unique street in the East Valley where everyone was drawn together by the sun. "Go green!'' shouted Colleen Hill, high-fiving a woman wearing a T-shirt that read the same, with a small green globe on the front.

Hill wasn't just spouting environmental slogans at an April 25 event centered on Earth sustainability in Apache Junction. She was living it, too.

Hill and her neighbors are the prototypes for greener living, according to officials with the Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona and Salt River Project, who celebrated on the bright day with 18 families living in homes powered by the sun.

A community of colorful dwellings topped with panels that soak up golden rays in exchange for electricity, neighbors in the Ironwood Trails subdivision were marking the completion of the final of 18 homes built by Habitat for Humanity.

It's a trend that SRP officials said they hoped would spread like wildfire in Arizona.

"We would like to see solar subdivisions all over the state,'' said SRP sustainability engineer Joel K. Dickinson. He noted that such an initiative would require developers investing in the somewhat costly technology.

Dickinson said solar panels for a home similar in size to the smaller Habitat for Humanity homes would on average cost $20,000.

Dickinson said homeowners could expect an annual savings of at least $400 each year.

SRP currently offers incentives for residential solar electric at $9,000, and federal tax incentives for solar-powered homes can be as much as $3,600, among other credits, Dickinson said.

Either way, initial savings take a back seat to helping the environment for most homeowners who install solar panels, Dickinson said. He said that's because the return on investment typically comes after about 15 years from the date of installation.

For the families living in the Habitat for Humanity-funded subdivision, the homes were built largely with their own sweat equity, Hill said.

"I think I had a hand in hammering a nail in every one of these homes,'' she said, surveying the colorful dead-end street that abuts a large, barren swath of land similar to how the street looked before there were any homes or even a street.

Habitat for Humanity officials said the homeowners had to meet income and family requirements, as well as possess jobs and the ability to pay back a 0 percent interest mortgage.

Hill said she moved into her home in 2007 at the start of the program after Habitat for Humanity purchased and built up the once large, empty lot where her home and 17 others now exist.

Hill said the savings she has experienced were immediate.

"I had a $16 bill a couple months ago, and sometimes I receive a monthly credit instead of a bill,'' Hill said, while pointing to a meter that was spinning in the reverse direction, indicating that her home by early afternoon was actually feeding the energy grid and earning her credit.

Neighbor Jose Cobian, who has four children, said his next bill was expected to cost about $20.

"Before, where we used to live, the bill was $250, $300 each month,'' he said.

I hope to see this as the future in all new home construction. Add it into the cost of buying the home ie the loan, and let's start helping our world! Great job SRP and Apache Junction!!!

Protesters march from the Sheriff's office to Tent City

A protest rally is planned this weekend outside Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office at the Wells Fargo building. The protest starts there then the crowd will walk about 7 miles to tent city.

Just like February's event, demonstrators will walk the streets to protest Arpaio's immigration sweeps and his use of the 287(g) agreement he has with federal authorities, which allows him to enforce federal immigration laws.

In response to the planned protest, the sheriff put all jails on a security override Saturday and they will not have any visiting hours.

On Friday, the sheriff ordered all inmates to strip down to their pink boxers, having their belongings searched to make sure they did not have any contraband that could be used as a weapon.

Arpaio says he is concerned that a crowd of protestors outside the jails could cause a riot inside.

“Why do they have to come to the jail? These are prisoners!” says Arpaio.

“This is a security issue! Do you really think if 3,000 people were in front of the White House they would say, ‘oh, come on down we don't need any more secret service?’"

The sheriff's office says he has closed all jail access roads to prevent security issues.

Maricopa County deputy hits teen on bike in Surprise

A Maricopa County sheriff's deputy hit a 13-year-old on a bike Monday morning.

It happened at Greenway and Reems roads.

According to the Surprise Police Department, the teen rode off the sidewalk and into the street. That's when the deputy hit him.

The teen suffered minor injuries -- scrapes and bruises -- and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.

Surprise police said no charges are pending at this time.

Our thoughts go out to all those involved.

School districts plan for all-day kindergarten soon

Full-day kindergarten made news early in the legislative session as lawmakers discussed ways to close Arizona's $3 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins in July.

Four months later, school districts don't think the program will be reduced to half-day funding.

Paradise Valley, Chandler and Mesa school districts have joined others across metro Phoenix in notifying parents that they'll offer all-day kindergarten next year.

Earnhardt understands probation for PIR problems

Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes NASCAR made the right decision in penalizing him and Casey Mears for intentionally bumping cars after the race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Earnhardt and Mears were both put on probation this week for the next six races, but neither was fined or lost any points. Earnhardt says he's friends with his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate and the incident will blow over.

Contact between the two caused Earnhardt to crash with 11 laps to go at Phoenix. Earnhardt says the only reason he intentionally spun Mears on the cool-down lap was because his car was already wrecked anyway.

He says he would not have done it if the No. 88 Chevrolet was still intact.