ARIZONA
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Lori Klein's Excuse for Pointing Gun
at Reporter Isn't a Good One, Assuming It's Not a Lie
By Ray SternThu.,
Jul. 14 2011 at 7:45 AM
State
Senator Lori Klein, R-Anthem, likely lied in a recent statement about pointing
a loaded gun at Arizona Republic reporter Richard Ruelas, in our
humble opinion.
In response to heavy criticism,
Klein now claims the reporter moved into her sights as she held the gun for him
to see, its laser pointer somehow finding its way onto Ruelas' chest. That
statement seems like malarkey on its face, and Ruelas denies that's the way it
went down.
But even in a snowball's chance on a
Phoenix summer sidewalk that this isn't a bald-faced lie, any experienced gun
owner knows it doesn't excuse what happened.
Unless Ruelas moved with the speed
of the cartoon superhero The
Flash, Klein should have been able to simply tilt the barrel up for a
moment -- because, as we mentioned in our post on Monday morning, you don't
point a firearm at anything you aren't willing to put a hole in.
Morning Poll: Are You Buyin' Joe
Arpaio's Claim That Immigrants Are Avoiding Maricopa County?
By
James KingThu.,
Jul. 14 2011 at 7:31 AM
Maricopa
County Sheriff Joe Arpaio claimed yesterday that "intelligence
sources" tell him that illegal immigrants and drug smugglers are avoiding
Maricopa County to avoid him and his tough guy antics.
He says smugglers are now choosing to use alternate routes through Arizona after crossing the border.
However, the claim came in the same press release announcing the arrests of 10 illegal immigrants in the north Valley Tuesday night, and the recent seizure of a ton of marijuana abandoned by drug smugglers as they ran from authorities. http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/07/morning_poll_are_you_buyin_joe.php
He says smugglers are now choosing to use alternate routes through Arizona after crossing the border.
However, the claim came in the same press release announcing the arrests of 10 illegal immigrants in the north Valley Tuesday night, and the recent seizure of a ton of marijuana abandoned by drug smugglers as they ran from authorities. http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/07/morning_poll_are_you_buyin_joe.php
Navajos
keep top spot among Arizona tribes
By The Associated Press
Published: July 14, 2011 at 8:02 am
New U.S. Census Bureau
figures show the Navajo tribe remains by far Arizona’s largest, but it isn’t
growing as fast other large tribes.
Smaller tribes like the
Tohono-O’Odham in southern Arizona and the Apache had higher percentage
increases, although the difference could be caused by fuller participation by
those tribes this year.
The Census Bureau
released a detailed breakdown of the state’s American Indian population on
Thursday, showing that nearly 5 percent of the state’s population identified
themselves as belonging to one tribe during last year’s count. In all, about
5.5 percent of Arizona’s 6,392,017 residents identified themselves as being
part of at least one tribe.
The Navajo Nation’s
population in Arizona grew 4 percent to 131,445 between the 2000 and 2010
census counts. The tribe also has large numbers of members in northwestern New
Mexico and some in southern Utah. http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2011/07/14/navajos-keep-top-spot-among-arizona-tribes/
House
speaker Tobin cool to redistricting change
By The Associated Press
Published: July 14, 2011 at 7:52
An Arizona legislator is
calling for a special legislative election so voters can decide whether to
eliminate the state’s redistricting commission.
Republican Rep. Terri
Proud of Tucson is critical of the commission for selecting a
Democratic-leaning firm as its mapping consultants and the chairwoman’s failure
to disclose that her husband did 2010 campaign work for a Democratic candidate.
House Speaker Andy Tobin
says he shares Proud’s concerns about the commission and questions whether the
commission will be fair in drawing new congressional and legislative maps.
But Tobin also says it’s
a “real stretch” for him to think that voters would want to put redistricting
back in hands of legislators. http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2011/07/14/house-speaker-tobin-cool-to-redistricting-change/
Is
Arizona medical group encouraging more illegal immigration?
Dave Gibson, Immigration Reform
Examiner
July 12,
2011
A group of doctors and nurses in Phoenix have
joined together to treat illegal aliens free of charge, even making house
calls.
Registered
nurse, Jason Odhner, recently told KTAR.com: “The Phoenix Urban Health
Collective is a diverse group of physicians, nurses, P.A.'s, midwives, EMTs,
medical professionals who are committed to working on human rights and
community health.”
Odhner
also said that in addition to making home visits, they assist illegal aliens
through the healthcare system if they need surgery or nursing home care.
The group
also fights against tougher immigration enforcement and most recently against
an Arizona bill which would have required hospitals to report illegal aliens to
federal authorities.
While
Senate Bill 1405 failed to pass, the collective has stated they would not
follow the law if it ever did.Continue reading on Examiner.com Is Arizona medical group encouraging more illegal
immigration? - National Immigration Reform | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/immigration-reform-in-national/is-arizona-medical-group-encouraging-more-illegal-immigration#ixzz1SB7cYzO8
Challenger to Pearce emerges
A conservative Republican from west Mesa who has held prominent leadership positions in the LDS church has agreed to run against Republican Senate President Russell Pearce, according to sources with knowledge of the campaign.
A conservative Republican from west Mesa who has held prominent leadership positions in the LDS church has agreed to run against Republican Senate President Russell Pearce, according to sources with knowledge of the campaign.
View Video:
http://bcove.me/uovnqc34ement
A formal campaign announce could
come as soon as next week.
Pearce, whose fervent opposition to
illegal immigration has made him a polarizing figure in Arizona, faces the
first recall election for a sitting legislator in state history. The vote is
Nov. 8.
The candidate's name is Jerry
Lewis, and he is the product of a search by Mesa residents for a challenger.
The group that led the successful campaign to put the recall on the ballot,
Citizens for a Better Arizona, says it has not been involved in the search for
a candidate.
Lewis would be the first candidate
to announce a run since Gov. Jan Brewer ordered the recall election this week.
Lewis' biography matches that of the hypothetical candidate many political insiders have said would
have the best chance of beating Pearce, who has never lost an election.
This would be Lewis' first run for
elected office. He is a former senior manager in the tax department at the
accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. He is now assistant superintendent at Sequoia Schools, a
statewide operator of charter schools, including the former Pappas school for
homeless kids.Lewis is also a former bishop and former president of Mesa's Maricopa stake in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Lewis, who is 54, has seven children and six grandchildren. His family
has lived in west Mesa for 30. For more: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Brahm1700/134458
by Kristine Harrington
azfamily.com
Posted on July 14, 2011 at 6:11 PM
Updated yesterday at 6:17 PM
PHOENIX – U.S. census numbers reveal
the primarily conservative Arizona has one of the highest populations of
same-sex couples living together.
The percentage of gay couples cohabitating is roughly the same percentage as in New York, which just legalized gay marriage, but that doesn't mean Arizona is headed for big changes in our own laws.Change can be slow but these numbers have some same sex couples optimistic that this typically conservative state may soon recognize its own growing gay community.
“This would probably not be our first choice to live. We’d probably move if our business wasn't here and our family,” said John Fagundes.
John and Jared Cranford have been partners in business as well as in life for 10 years. They are also parents to 5-year-old Ayden and 3-year-old Taylor Rae. Despite the state's politics, Phoenix is home.“When I'm walking around I feel normal I see other same sex couples with their families and children and I fit right in I feel right at home,” said Cranford.
That may be, in part, due to the growing number of same sex households.
According to 2010 U.S. census data there are roughly 21,000 same-sex couples in Arizona. That's a 70 percent increase from 2000.
In New York there are 65,000 same-sex couples. That's 40 percent more than in 2000 and both states now average 9 same sex couples per 1,000 households.
That is hard to believe since New York is typically thought of as liberal and Arizona conservative.“I think there's a lot of hope we are going to see changes even bigger than we have in the last 10-20 years,” said Fagundes. I think we will see even bigger changes in the next 5-10.” http://www.azfamily.com/news/Number-of-Arizona-Same-Sex-Couples-up-125607428.html
The percentage of gay couples cohabitating is roughly the same percentage as in New York, which just legalized gay marriage, but that doesn't mean Arizona is headed for big changes in our own laws.Change can be slow but these numbers have some same sex couples optimistic that this typically conservative state may soon recognize its own growing gay community.
“This would probably not be our first choice to live. We’d probably move if our business wasn't here and our family,” said John Fagundes.
John and Jared Cranford have been partners in business as well as in life for 10 years. They are also parents to 5-year-old Ayden and 3-year-old Taylor Rae. Despite the state's politics, Phoenix is home.“When I'm walking around I feel normal I see other same sex couples with their families and children and I fit right in I feel right at home,” said Cranford.
That may be, in part, due to the growing number of same sex households.
According to 2010 U.S. census data there are roughly 21,000 same-sex couples in Arizona. That's a 70 percent increase from 2000.
In New York there are 65,000 same-sex couples. That's 40 percent more than in 2000 and both states now average 9 same sex couples per 1,000 households.
That is hard to believe since New York is typically thought of as liberal and Arizona conservative.“I think there's a lot of hope we are going to see changes even bigger than we have in the last 10-20 years,” said Fagundes. I think we will see even bigger changes in the next 5-10.” http://www.azfamily.com/news/Number-of-Arizona-Same-Sex-Couples-up-125607428.html
