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TUCSON, Ariz.—BASIS charter school in Tucson, Ariz., may be the most unassuming high school ever to receive positive treatment from the national media. Nothing about its location (downtown next to a Bank of America and across from Target) nor its building (a rather dated former daycare center) indicates that it could compete with the monolith, state-of-the-art high schools that surround it. Yet not only does it compete with local schools that have vastly more money and resources, according to analyses by Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report, it bests them and schools all across the country. In 2008, Newsweek...

Rather than post the entire foolish set of BS, here are the outlines--- and the outright lies "Passage of health-care reform will be defining moment for US" By U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Special to the Arizona Daily Star: Published: 11.06.2009 It was 45 years ago that Congress passed the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 — a historic measure that for the first time outlawed all racial segregation in schools, public places and employment. We are poised to make another historic decision that for the first time would guarantee access to health care for all Americans. NO, It will guarantee...

GLENDALE, Ariz. — An early morning garage fire forced nine people from the home of a jailed Iraqi immigrant accused of running down his daughter because she had become too "westernized." Glendale Fire Department spokesman Daniel Valenzuela says firefighters kept the blaze from spreading to other parts of the home. He says there's no indication the fire was intentionally set. Valenzuela says everyone escaped unharmed at about 4 a.m. after a person inside heard a smoke alarm and notified the fire department Investigators are trying to determine how the fire started and the extent of damage. There was a barbecue...

Iraqi held in Ariz. honor killing on suicide watch (AP) – 1 day ago PHOENIX — A court hearing in Phoenix for an Iraqi immigrant accused of killing his daughter because she had become too Westernized has been delayed because he is on a suicide watch.

(Washington, D.C.) -- Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) predicted on Thursday that there will be a constitutional challenge to the provision in the health care bill under consideration in Congress that would require all Americans to buy health insurance. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government has never before mandated that Americans purchase any good or service. When asked by CNSNews.com on Thursday where in the Constitution is Congress given the authority to mandate that people buy health insurance, McCain said, “That is an excellent question and I’m sure that if they pass health care legislation, I think there...

PHOENIX — A court hearing in Phoenix for an Iraqi immigrant accused of killing his daughter because she had become too Westernized has been delayed because he is on a suicide watch.

http://www.kfyi.com/pages/page_images/full-doc.pdf click her to read redacted 10 page memo

One of two women accused of scrapping with an anti-abortion protester in front of Flagstaff City Hall has decided to accept six months of unsupervised probation to make the charges go away. Denise Redsteer, 48, accepted a "deferred prosecution" Friday in Flagstaff Municipal Court, said City Prosecutor Lisa Stankovich. Deferred prosecution does not admit guilt, and if Redsteer successfully completes the terms of her probation, the charges against her will be dismissed. Stankovich said that Redsteer has also agreed to pay a $150 prosecution fee and not commit any criminal offenses during the probationary period. Flagstaff attorney, Mik Jordhal, who...

Many thanks to Jim Robinson and Hildy who encouraged me to post here. I don't do much blogging or posting other than Facebook so you can go over there to learn more about me and my platform. I am running for the U.S. Senate in Arizona. I will be a primary challenger to John McCain. I am a Constitutional conservative. I need your support in our effort to right the wrongs of how our federal government operates and repeal bad laws, regulations and protect states. Thanks for taking the time to read all this and yes I look forward to...

A young Iraqi immigrant who cops say was run over by her dad because she'd become "too Westernized" has died of her injuries. Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, died at an Arizona hospital on Monday after clinging to life for nearly two weeks. Her dad, Faleh Hassan Almaleki, was in jail charged with two counts of aggravated assault when he got word his daughter was dead. The 48-year-old father, who was angry that his daughter was not adhering to traditional Iraqi values, now likely faces a murder charge. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/11/04/2009-11-04_faleh_hassan_almaleki_charged_in_hitandrun_death_of_daughter_noor_faleh_almaleki.html#ixzz0VtFCYLOy

DOUGLAS — Federal authorities say they have seized nearly 700 pounds of marijuana at the Douglas Port of Entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were screening travelers and vehicles Sunday night when they came in contact with a 20-year-old Douglas man driving a truck. The vehicle was inspected and authorities discovered that the bed of the F-150 had been completely altered to accommodate the concealment of nearly 700 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $1.1 million, authorities said. Officers seized the vehicle and marijuana and the man was turned over to the custody of Immigration and...

An Iraqi man who tried to flee to Britain from the United States after allegedly running down his daughter for being "too Westernised" faces a possible murder charge after she died from her injuries. Arizona police said that Faleh Hassan Almaleki ran down Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, and her boyfriend's mother with his Jeep as the women crossed a car park in the Phoenix suburb of Peoria on October 20. (snip) Police said that Mr Almaleki, 48, fled the US after the attack, crossing the Mexican border and leaving his car at the town of Nogales. He then took a...

The slaying of a 64-year-old Catholic nun in her convent over the weekend has stunned and saddened a small Navajo Nation community about 30 miles northwest of Gallup. The FBI is looking for suspects in the death of Sister Marguerite Bartz, a 10-year resident of the community of Navajo, who was killed on church property at St. Berard Mission Church. The FBI would not release details about the manner of death or other aspects of the investigation. They confirmed they are looking for a suspect or suspects who may be armed and dangerous, as well as the vehicle Bartz had...

Controversial Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio and former New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias are involved in a controversy related to an FBI investigation, Talking Points Memo highlights. Arpaio, known as “America’s toughest sheriff” is currently under investigation by the FBI for targeting his political foes in apparent retaliation, according to KHPO, a Phoenix area TV station. Iglesias told KPHO, that he would “seek an indictment” against Arpaio if he were the U.S. Attorney in Arpaio’s area. Then things get even stranger, with Arpaio’s office releasing a statement attacking Iglesias’ reputation. The statement reads in part: *** Rather than dignify...

PEORIA, Ariz. - A 20-year-old woman from Iraq whose father allegedly hit her with his car because she had become too Westernized has died from her injuries, authorities said. Noor Faleh Almaleki had been in a local hospital since Oct. 20, when police say her father ran down her and her boyfriend's mother with his Jeep as the women were walking across a parking lot in the west Phoenix suburb of Peoria. Peoria police spokesman Mike Tellef said Noor died Monday. The other woman, Amal Khalaf, is expected to survive.

PHOENIX — Newly empowered by the Supreme Court, the attorneys general of several states hit hard by the housing collapse are exploring consumer fraud suits against major mortgage lenders. Frustrated by the banks’ inability or unwillingness to stop an avalanche of foreclosures, the states are considering lawsuits over the creation and marketing of millions of bad loans as well as the dismal pace of mortgage modifications. Such cases would have been impossible until recently, because federal regulators had exclusive oversight of national banks. But a 5-to-4 Supreme Court decision in June allowed the states to exercise their own supervision, giving...

PHOENIX (AP) - A young Iraqi woman whose father allegedly hit her with his car because she had become too Westernized died from her injuries Monday after laying in a coma for nearly two weeks. Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, underwent spinal surgery and had been in a hospital since Oct. 20, when police say her father ran down her and her boyfriend's mother with his Jeep as the women were walking across a parking lot in the west Phoenix suburb of Peoria. The other woman, Amal Khalaf, is expected to survive.

Sources: FBI Investigating Joe Arpaio Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Actions 'Absolutely Unacceptable,' Former US Attorney Says POSTED: 5:58 pm MST October 29, 2009 UPDATED: 12:12 pm MST October 30, 2009 PHOENIX -- The FBI is looking into accusations that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is using his position to settle political vendettas. Watch: Sheriff Joe Arpaio Abuses Power, Sources Claim Over the past year, 5 Investigates examined more than two dozen complaints against the sheriff from business owners, government workers, mayors and law-enforcement officials.They claim they spoke out against Arpaio, and shortly after, deputies paid them unwelcome visits. Mayor:...

TUCSON, AZ—A four-count federal indictment was unsealed today against former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Yamilkar Fierros, of Tucson, for allegedly accepting bribes. Fierros was arrested without incident by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday, October 30, 2009, and made his initial appearance at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Glenda E. Edmonds. The indictment alleges that on September 30, 2009, Fierros accepted a $1,000 payment in return for providing a purported drug trafficker with a law enforcement sensitive map of San Rafael Valley, which reflects roads, trails, landmarks, and terminology used by Border Patrol to counter...

Memories of children crying over confiscated Christmas toys still upset the Rev. Tom Hill. Hill, a former Giving Tree volunteer, also remains baffled by the diapers. There were boxes and boxes in storage, he said, and yet Giving Tree Director Libby Wright resisted handing them out to mothers in her program. Wright often said food was in short supply when she sought donations, Hill said, even after he discovered Wright was storing large amounts in one of her organization's homes. Wright declined an interview request for this story. Hill, who now runs his own food program for the homeless, said...

PEORIA — Authorities say a 20-year-old woman from Iraq whose father allegedly hit her with his car in the west Phoenix suburb of Peoria has died from her injuries.

Az woman run down by Iraqi father, dies.

The Tribune Newspapers will cease operations on Dec. 31, the parent company Freedom Communications said Monday. Read the company's news release (PDF) Freedom officials made the announcement to Tribune employees Monday morning, citing the economic recession and changes in the newspaper industry that have cause many publications to close and others to file for bankruptcy protection. Freedom, which itself is operating under Chapter 11 reorganization, had been attempting to sell the Tribune, but no acceptable offers have come forward, said Interim Chief Executive Burl Osborne. “We have received a number of inquiries, but none at a level we would remotely...

Former McCain strategist is about to lose his health insurance. BY PHILIP RUCKER If history had taken a different course, Doug Holtz-Eakin would be inside the McCain White House driving the Republican president's domestic agenda, including health-care reform. But now, one year after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) lost the presidential election, the man who was by McCain's side as the campaign's top health-care guru remains unemployed -- and his COBRA health coverage is running out. Irony of ironies, it gets worse. Holtz-Eakin, who is about to start shopping for insurance on the individual market, is 51. And he has one...

Years ago, Mark Twain said, "Buy land, they're not making it anymore." It's a wise admonition, unless you live in one of the many states that disregard private-property rights. In Connecticut, if a landowner won't sell you his land, then the government is happy to seize it in order to generate new taxable income for the government. Shockingly, four years ago this month the Supreme Court held that cities could take land from a private owner and transfer it to another private owner for economic development. Nine homeowners were forced out of their well-maintained homes in New London, Conn., because...

"Republican Dede Scozzafava today endorsed Democrat Bill Owens, her former opponent, in Tuesday's election to fill the North Country congressional seat formerly held by John McHugh. Scozzafava suspended her campaign for the 23rd District seat Saturday, citing weak poll numbers and inadequate campaign funds. In a statement released this afternoon, she called Owens ''an independent voice devoted to doing what is right for New York.''"

As immigrants’ rights groups are pressing President Barack Obama to step up efforts at comprehensive reform this year, one prominent member of Obama’s cabinet is acknowledging that the economic downturn has made legalization of illegal immigrants tougher to sell to the American public. “When unemployment is up, anything that looks like you’re taking jobs away from …people who are lawfully here—citizens of the United States—is going to meet a lot of resistance,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said during an exchange with reporters Tuesday morning. The homeland security chief and former Arizona governor said the economic slump may also have...

<p>Peoria, Arizona - An Iraqi immigrant accused of running down his daughter in Arizona with his car because she was becoming "too Westernized" has been arrested in Georgia, authorities said on Friday.</p> <p>Jim Joyner, a spokesman for the US Marshals Service in Atlanta, said Faleh Almaleki was arrested on Thursday when he arrived at Atlanta's airport. He had been sent from the United Kingdom after authorities denied him entrance.</p>

Richard Mack, former sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, is not afraid to ruffle some feathers in order to halt what he considers violations of the U.S. Constitution.In 1993, Congress passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (commonly referred to as the Brady Bill), which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton and went into effect on February 28, 1994. A provision of the Brady Bill compelled state and local law-enforcement officials to perform mandatory background checks. Mack, then a Graham County sheriff, was outraged. In response, Mack gained distinction by being the first sheriff in the nation to file...

As I walked home recently from a weekend trip to the grocery store, I passed a total of 13 vacant offices with signs saying "for lease" or "for sale." These spaces ranged from approximately 500 to 5,000 square feet according to their signs, and they are stretched along a main, commercial street in the center of Tucson, AZ. There is also an eight-screen movie theater that sits empty as well. These empty commercial spaces ... are empty now, and have been for quite some time. I found it intriguing that both in the central portion of Tucson and also in...

U.S. Sen. John McCain said Friday that Americans are in the toughest times he can remember and that President Barack Obama hasn't brought the change in Washington that he promised. The Arizona Republican spoke at a town hall Friday to a couple hundred people at Mesa's Central Christian Church, reiterating many of the same arguments he's made in recent similar events. McCain took to the stage with standing ovations and an aim to address key issues affecting Arizonans, such as the economy, health care reform, the war in Afghanistan, among other things.

An Iraqi immigrant accused of running down his daughter in Arizona with his car because she was becoming "too Westernised" has been arrested in Georgia, authorities say. Jim Joyner, a spokesman for the US Marshals Service in Atlanta, said on Friday that Faleh Almaleki was arrested when he arrived at Atlanta's airport. He had been sent from the United Kingdom after authorities denied him entrance. Almaleki, 48, awaits extradition to Arizona and will face two counts of aggravated assault, according to Peoria police. He is accused of striking and then running over his 20-year-old daughter and a family friend with...

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Sen. John McCain says Americans are in the toughest times he can remember and that President Barack Obama hasn't brought the change in Washington that he promised. McCain spoke at a town hall Friday to a couple hundred people in a Mesa church, reiterating many of the same points he's made in recent similar events.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with U.S. Bank, NA, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, to assume all of the deposits and essentially all of the assets of nine failed banks. The nine banks were closed this evening by federal and state bank regulators, which appointed the FDIC as receiver. The nine banks involved in today's transaction are: Bank USA, National Association, Phoenix, Arizona; California National Bank, Los Angeles, California; San Diego National Bank, San Diego, California; Pacific National Bank, San Francisco, California; Park National Bank, Chicago, Illinois; Community...

PHOENIX—Two of the so-called “Wig Bandits,” bank robbers who donned wigs during the commission of armed bank robberies, have been sentenced to federal prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell. Andrei Ulisses Chavez, 25, and Francisco Javier Serrano, 23, both Mexican citizens living in Phoenix, each pleaded guilty in June 2009, to one count of Armed Bank Robbery and one count of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Serrano was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison. Chavez was sentenced in September 2009 to 18 years in federal prison. Four co-defendants are pending sentencing after...

Democrats are getting closer to agreeing on a health care reform bill, but there are still town hall meetings held across the country where people can go to voice their opinions on the issue. At times, the meetings have been heated. On October 30 and 31, Senator John McCain will discuss issues affecting Arizonans, including the economy, health care reform, and the war in Afghanistan in Town Hall meetings. Town Hall Meetings: Oct. 30, 2:00 pm Central Christian Church 933 N. Lindsay Rd., Mesa, AZ Oct. 31, 10:00am Skyway Church of the West Valley 14900 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear,...

Arpaio for governor? New poll says he has the support Email: dbiscobing@abc15.com Arpaio for governor? Polls say he has the support PHOENIX - Sheriff Joe Arpaio rarely keeps a low profile. Never afraid of attention or controversy and always outspoken, he leaves little unsaid. And that includes a race for governor. "There's an old saying in politics: Never say never," Arpaio said. "I know I would make an excellent governor." Arpaio has not officially announced his candidacy, and he never may. But in recent weeks, he's teased and hinted. It's not the first time. "Twice I've looked into it and...

It’s the digital age, the age where every move we make is virtually tracked through Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and more. We have cameras set up on nearly every corner, video clips are as easy to access as your cell phone, and yet somehow, animal cruelty still exists with over 5,000 cases being reported each month. Now a person has managed to slice 14 cats down their spine. Another 20 cats were poisoned and dumped into a Phoenix canal. And at least another 24 cats have been reported burned and/or drowned with threatening notes left next to their mutilated bodies in...

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) says Wednesday on the Senate floor that Republicans should have a say in the crafting of health care reform legislation.

Students begin research project at Big Springs - By: Nancy Stidham, Special to The Independent PINETOP-LAKESIDE - Hiking the trails from Big Springs along Walnut Creek to Woodland Lake was the assignment in Connie Mayo's language arts class on Friday, Oct. 2. There were about 60 seventh and eighth grade Blue Ridge Junior High students who participated in the field trip. Before the hike students were asked to record their opinions about the possible sale of the park acreage. The students spent the morning hiking from Big Springs to Woodland Park where they ate sack lunches. After lunch, the students...

Maria Shriver and Meghan McCain come from different generations and different political backgrounds, but both agree that women in America still face huge challenges trying to balance work and family and to find their own voices.

Republican Sen. John McCain, along with four of his colleagues on the Hill, yesterday introduced a bipartisan post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act, which expands and modernizes the current Troops to Teachers (TTT) program with the goal of having more troops continue their service in the classroom.

PHOENIX—Feliciano Rojas-Vivar, aka Ruben Lopez-Lopez, 53, of Pueblas, Mexico, was sentenced on October 23, 2009, by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Martone to 15 years in federal prison. Rojas-Vivar pleaded guilty to three counts of Harboring Illegal Aliens for Profit at his Phoenix residence in 2007. His step-son, Juan Daniel Rojas-Perez, 30, also of Pueblas, Mexico, was sentenced on March 23, 2009, by Judge Martone to 46 months in prison. He pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens. In November 2007, Rojas-Vivar and Rojas-Perez worked together to harbor illegal aliens at a house owned by Rojas-Vivar. One of the aliens...

You're doing it wrong!! The Border Patrol in Brownsville arrested a 22 year old Arizona man over the weekend, on charges that he was attempting to smuggle drugs into Mexico. Officials say James Williams, 22, from Springdale Arizona was attempting to drive southbound over the Veterans International Bridge in a white Ford Taurus, when the vehicle was 'selected for an intensive inspection.' A narcotic detection dog named Cisco alerted officers to the presence of narcotics in a duffle bag in the trunk, and inside they found five bundles of marijuana, 52 pounds in all. "Although southbound seizures of marijuana are...

PHOENIX - Sen. John McCain ended the third quarter with 500 times more cash on hand - $5 million in all - than his closest declared Republican rival, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. "He's clearly on the path to continue raising money in a substantial amount," said Frederic Solop, a Northern Arizona University political science professor. McCain, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Barack Obama and is seeking a fifth Senate term, raised $919,000 during the three months ending Sept. 30. That included $116,000 from political action committees and other groups. . . . ....

It must be bizarre for a lawman to be told by the federal government not to do his job, which is to enforce the law. It's especially bizarre when he's the only law enforcement official in the country under such orders. Bizarre, yes – but true. Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., finds himself in just that situation, but he's fighting back, saying he says he's won't comply. The core issue for Arpaio is illegal immigration. His county, which includes Phoenix, is a hotbed of illegal alien activity. He sees dealing with that problem as an important part of...

Authorities are now calling a spiritual sweat lodge ceremony that killed three people in Sedona, Ariz., a homicide. Motivational speaker James Arthur Ray was at the center of the ceremony that promised spiritual rebirth but ended in tragedy. “We had actually been under the leadership of James Ray for four to five days,” said participant Beverly Bunn. “We trusted him. We trusted what he was teaching us.” Bunn was one of 50 participants who crowded into the dark sweat lodge for the the two-hour ceremony around burning rocks. “When everybody was actually throwing up, that was considered your body purging...

Senator John McCain made clear that he and the Republican Party should send the message that they support whatever President Obama's strategy in Afghanistan ends up being, rather than send messages that the U.S. is "waffling" or "dithering." In response to former Vice President Dick Cheney's recent remarks, in which he said, "signals of indecision out of Washington hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries," McCain said, "I wouldn't use that language." Speaking Wednesday evening while accepting an award from the conservative Center for Security Policy, Cheney said, "The White House must stop dithering while America's armed forces are in...

(snip) SCHIEFFER: Let me ask you about health care quickly. It looks like that’s coming finally to a head in the Senate. It looks like that the majority leader, Harry Reid, is going to put the government- run insurance option in there, the so-called public option. Do you think at this point that that will pass the Senate?MCCAIN: I think that the Democrats have the votes. I think that Blue Dogs bark but never bite. So I don’t think they have a problem over in the House side.MCCAIN: In the Senate, I think that the Democrats are very aware that...

BUENOS AIRES N.W.R., Arizona | Michael M. Hawkes, manager of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, reaches across his desk and pulls out a homemade blue-and-red bumper sticker that reads, "Littering is always a crime." It turns out that here on the U.S.-Mexico border, even that is a controversial statement — because it's aimed at the humanitarian groups that drop gallon jugs of water on public lands to help illegal immigrants crossing the rugged borderlands. Mr. Hawkes says dealing with those groups now takes up most of his time, and it only builds on top of the pile of other...