With only a few weeks left before the 2020 census deadline, Arizona has the sixth-worst response rate in the United States. About 83% of Arizona households have responded to the census so far, lower than the national average of 90%, according to data by the U.S. Census Bureau. The last day to respond to...
Read MoreDozens of bison have been relocated from the Grand Canyon’s North Rim and sent to Native American tribes in the Great Plains. A recent two-week roundup led to the transfer of 57 bison to the InterTribal Buffalo Council, Grand Canyon National Park officials said. The bison then were transported to the Prairie Band Potawatomi...
Read MoreA former Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detective was one of five suspects arrested in the past two weeks as part of an operation in Pinal County targeting sexual predators, officials said Wednesday. Christopher Butts, 44, was arrested last Wednesday on charges of aggravated luring of a minor for sexualexploitation and furnishing harmful items to...
Read MoreSix states in the U.S. West that rely on the Colorado River to sustain cities and farms rebuked a plan to build an underground pipeline that would transport billions of gallons of water through the desert to southwest Utah. In a joint letter Tuesday, water officials from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and...
Read MoreA Tucson mainstay is closing its doors indefinitely, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues wreaking havoc on small businesses. Old Tucson, a western-themed attraction and former film set for dozens of classic movies, announced Tuesday it would be closing indefinitely. Pima County announced the venue’s closure in a news release Tuesday morning. The news release...
Read MoreAs Arizona prepares for influenza season amid COVID-19, Governor Doug Ducey today issued an Executive Order extending the Enhanced Surveillance Advisory for COVID-19 and adding new influenza reporting requirements for health care facilities. Arizona’s Enhanced Surveillance Advisory, established by Executive Order 2020-13 in March, required hospitals, testing laboratories and other health care facilities to...
Read MorePhoenix-based electric truck design and production startup Nikola Corporation on Tuesday announced a $2 billion, 10-year deal with General Motors. GM will receive an 11% stake in the company in stock and will help manufacture Nikola’s Badger hydrogen fuel cell and electric pickup truck. Nikola will also get help with cost reductions for its...
Read MoreMikal Lee Smith, a former University of Arizona football player and the son of former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, was indicted by a grand jury in Arizona on August 24 for a range of crimes related to prostitution, sex trafficking, and money laundering. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said that Smith was indicted...
Read MoreA network of urgent care centers based in Arizona was convicted and ordered last week to pay $12.5 million on charges of health care fraud and engaging in monetary transactions derived from unlawful activity. That fine is equal to the estimated loss that the illegal activity, which included fraudulent billing, inflicted on health insurance...
Read MoreFour Arizona airports are set to receive $31.3 million in funding from a grant issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday morning. Phoenix Sky Harbor will receive nearly $22 million, the largest portion of money allocated to the state, to help with apron reconstruction. Prescott Regional Airport, Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport and Ryan Field...
Read More