In the News
As wildfires flare across the West, Arizona's congressional leaders are calling once again on the federal government to press forward on an ambitious plan to reduce forest fires in the state.
Fighter jets from Luke Air Force Base flew in a low missing-man formation over the state Capitol on Friday morning to honor the life and service of Maj. George Washington Biggs, an Arizona Native who served as one of the youngest Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.
Biggs, who died in September at the age of 95, was born in Nogales, joined the military in 1943 at the age of 18, and served during World War II, as well as during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Funeral services celebrating the life of one of the last living original Tuskegee Airman in Arizona took place Friday morning at the World War II memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza at the Capitol.
George Washington Biggs, a Nogales native, died at the age of 95 in a Tucson senior care facility on Sept. 19, according to his daughter Rose Dickerson-Biggs. He served in World War II, the Vietnam War and the Korean War.
Once a reliably red state, Arizona has become increasingly purple over the last decade.
When it comes to the 2020 election, it's districts like Arizona's 9th Congressional District that could swing outcomes on the federal level.
The 9th Congressional District falls in the heart of the Valley. It includes east Phoenix, Tempe, south Scottsdale and parts of Mesa and Chandler. It's home to some of Arizona's largest employers, such as State Farm Insurance and Arizona State University.
Jenny Holsman Tetreault, chair, board of directors, Valley of the Sun United Way, is assistant general counsel, field operations, West and Northwest, US Foods.
John Graham, vice chair, board of directors, Valley of the Sun United Way, is chairman & CEO, Sunbelt Holdings.
Carla Vargas Jasa is president & CEO, Valley of the Sun United Way.
President Donald Trump denies it, Arizona Republicans largely ignored it but state Democrats pounced on it – a New York Times report this week that the president paid as little as $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017.
"These reports show that Donald Trump is one of the biggest con artists in American history," said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson, in a statement. "Behind the smoke and mirrors of television shows and magazine articles, he's nothing more than a failed businessman who has taken advantage of a rigged tax code to avoid paying income taxes."
Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton is urging House leadership to expand compensation for victims of radiation exposure in the Southwest in a future COVID-19 relief package.
Stanton says many residents, known as Downwinders, are more vulnerable to COVID because of higher rates of leukemia, lymphoma, as well as brain, lung and pancreatic cancer, among several other conditions.
The slow migration of the elite wing of the Republican Party into the Democratic fold saw its most pronounced movement earlier this month when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, long an appendage of the GOP, overcame internal dissension to endorse 23 vulnerable House Democrats for reelection, along with a slate of 30 Democratic congressional candidates total.
Danielle Stephens ran her fingers down a long list of her relatives' names and sighed.
All of them had been diagnosed with cancer. Most of them had died, many before they were 55.
Arizona is running out of unemployment money.
Lost Wage Assistance (LWA), which has provided $300 additional dollars a week since August 17, is on track to run out in the next two weeks according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES).
The agency also says the trust fund that supplies money for the regular unemployment insurance program is down to about eight weeks of payments in the bank.