Free Republic

In 2001, Colorado electricity consumers enjoyed some of the lowest electric rates in the country. The 15 years since haven’t been so kind to ratepayers. For more than a decade, elected officials, PUC commissioners, industry and advocates have told Colorado ratepayers that they could transform the state’s electricity generation away from coal and toward industrial wind, solar and natural gas with little cost to ratepayers. However, the actual numbers tell a much different story. Colorado electricity rates have risen sharply – 62.1 percent – across residential, commercial and industrial sectors, despite a slight decrease in recent years. Colorado electricity rates...

Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Edward Manuel is determined to prevent President Trump's proposed border wall from carving a path through his tribe's lands — a move which he said would separate members from much needed resources and disrupt the community’s way of life. The nation, which is about the size of Connecticut, is a federally recognized tribe that has land and members on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border. “Walls are made to keep animals in or out, walls cannot contain people,” Manuel said. “People are too intelligent. They can always find a way to get over the wall, under...

migraine (not my real name; but I received this email) -- Emily's List just put Mark Brnovich "On Notice" for his long record of pushing an extreme anti-woman agenda. Brnovich is the only Attorney General Emily's List is targeting. It's time to put a stop to his agenda. Will you help us seize on this news by donating to help January defeat Brnovich? Brnovich attempted to force health clinics into releasing the names and confidential records of women who had abortions with no regard for their privacy. And now he's attempting to take away sexual assault survivor's right to sue...

The City Council of Tucson has finally been forced to stop their irrational violation of state law. For years the city council has been destroying valuable property that could have been sold for the benefit of the public. Instead, they insisted on expensive destruction for political grandstanding.Since 2013 they have ordered 4,820 guns to be destroyed, conservatively valued at between $500,000 and $1,000,000. Guns sold at auction by police routinely bring $100 – $200. One gun destroyed by the city is claimed to have been a rare collectible valued at $10,000. A Colt Python in mint condition turned in...

"A U.S. district judge may refuse to rescind Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s conviction for ignoring a court order, despite President Donald Trump’s pardon, according to a Thursday filing."

One of California’s largest Colorado River farm water districts is suing the state’s largest municipal water agency, charging that efforts to move farm water to cities are threatening the viability of agriculture in one of the oldest farming valleys on the river. The Palo Verde Irrigation District, in a suit filed last month in Riverside County Superior Court, is charging the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California with “thinly veiled attempts” to turn agricultural land it owns in the Blythe Valley into “water farms” by placing water consumption limits and fallowing requirements on the land in order that water from...

Motel 6 says its employees in Phoenix will no longer work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents following news reports that its workers were reporting on guests they believed were in the United States illegally. In a tweet about reports first published in the Phoenix New Times, Motel 6 said Wednesday: “This was implemented at the local level without the knowledge of senior management. When we became aware of it last week, it was discontinued.” Employees at the Motel 6 at one of the locations — near a stretch of other budget motels, discount stores and fast food chain...

On a hot Wednesday in June, Manuel Rodriguez-Juarez, a 33-year-old landscaper, got into an argument with his live-in girlfriend. While he waited for her to cool down, he decided to check into a $45-a-night room at a nearby Motel 6 on Maryvale’s southern fringe, where fast-food restaurants and gas stations catering to travelers passing through on Interstate 10 sit alongside neighborhood panaderias and marisquerias. The front-desk clerk told him that he needed to show identification in order to reserve a room. Rodriguez-Juarez handed over the only thing he had — a Mexican voter ID card. Six hours later, he was...

PHOENIX - The solid rap of a gavel falling at the Arizona State Capitol wasn't lost on the assembled 72 delegates from across the country. "It's pretty historic, really," Arizona State Rep. Don Shooter said. "I think it's the first time since 1861." Lawmakers and observers were in Phoenix for the Balanced Budget Amendment Planning Convention, the very first step in amending the US Constitution. The proposal would force the federal government to only spend the money it has. "This isn't a Republican or Democrat issue; this is an American issue, I think," Kansas State Rep. Blake Carpenter said. But can...

Following an MRI Monday, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, will continue radiation and chemotherapy as part of his brain cancer treatment, in accordance with the recommendation of his doctors, but he plans to remain in the Senate, according to a statement released by his office. "Senator McCain received an MRI at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland yesterday," the statement reads. "Following the advice of his doctors, Senator McCain will continue to receive targeted radiation and chemotherapy treatments at NIH while maintaining a regular work schedule in the United States Senate."

FORT THOMAS — For the second time in two years, an Iraqi jet crashed during a training mission above the Arizona desert, killing its pilot. According to 1st Lt. Lacey Roberts, public information officer with the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard, an F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed in Fort Thomas at about 3 p.m. The crash was in the vicinity of Blackrock Road, near the shooting range. “The pilot was doing a routine training mission in that area,” Roberts told Eastern Arizona Courier. Cause of the crash has not yet been released. An interim safety investigation board has...

SIERRA VISTA – A Hispanic-owned construction company from Sierra Vista won one of four contracts awarded this week to build prototypes of President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall with Mexico, the second round of awards in as many weeks. KWR Construction Inc. was chosen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to build a demonstration section of wall near San Diego using materials other than concrete. The award comes a week after CBP awarded four contracts for wall prototypes made of concrete, one of which was won by Fisher Industries of Tempe. Construction on all the prototypes should begin this fall...

If you read any political commentary over the last few weeks, you probably heard that Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake has problems. He’s in a feud with a president from his own party. His primary challenger led him in a recent poll. He may have trouble winning the general election in 2018 (if he makes it that far). His state has a large and growing Hispanic population -- which makes it a constant target for Democrats. The list goes on. So how much do these problems matter? Is Flake really in danger of losing his seat? It’s hard to answer these...

UPDATE: According to media reports in the area, the Graham County Sheriff has confirmed the pilot has died. News 4 Tucson has reached out to the Graham County Sheriff's Office to confirm this information, but has not hear back. ---------------------------- An F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed 20 miles northwest of Safford on Tuesday at 3 p.m. The F-16 is based out of the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing located in Tucson. Rescue efforts are underway. The status of the pilot is not known at this time.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement today on President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: “President Trump’s decision to eliminate DACA is the wrong approach to immigration policy at a time when both sides of the aisle need to come together to reform our broken immigration system and secure the border.“I strongly believe that children who were illegally brought into this country through no fault of their own should not be forced to return to a country they do not know. The 800,000 innocent young people granted deferred...

Arizona state Rep. Bob Thorpe called out Sen. John McCain Saturday for failing to show his constituents respect. Thorpe said McCain’s criticism of President Trump’s pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was unwarranted, given that his predecessor pardoned a record 1,927. Moreover, he argued, Arpaio was convicted of following state and federal laws regarding immigration enforcement—Obama’s pardons on the on the hand included people who revealed national secrets and broke financial fraud laws as well as narcotics laws. The Arizona Republican said he can forgive McCain for “slandering Arpaio by pushing the false narrative that he was found...

Many are criticizing President Trump for pardoning former Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio. Even some on the right have chimed in against the pardon. Arpaio used to be the most popular sheriff in the country, and until just a few years ago, no one had a problem with him arresting illegal immigrants. Now, a federal judge has convicted him of criminal contempt for “racially profiling” illegal immigrants.I am a former prosecutor with Maricopa County who briefly represented Arpaio in 2010. For the latter, I have been viciously targeted through the legal system ever since. I could have easily turned on...

A Senate Republican is standing up for a GOP colleague in his contentious reelection bid, despite opposition from President Trump. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will speak at a Phoenix fundraiser for Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) in support of the senator's reelection campaign against a pro-Trump challenger, according to azcentral.com. Ernst will appear at a Young Republicans meet-and-greet event on Sept. 7, followed by a "Women for Flake" fundraiser the next day, Flake's campaign told the paper.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said that America is still committed to traditional alliances and values, despite doubts that have emerged due to the "actions and statements of our president." McCain said in remarks Saturday at the Ambrosetti Forum, a major economic and policy conference, that he realizes that he comes to Italy "at a time when many are questioning whether America is still committed to remaining engaged in the world, to upholding our traditional alliances and standing up for the values we share." Resilience Ep 26 | Rosy and Donna Khalife, Co-Founders Surprise Ride Watch Full Screen "It is true...

“Regarding the Arpaio pardon, I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course,”  Jeff Flake on Twitter.  Well, this very judicial process also convicted a Cuban terrorist/spy named Gerardo Hernandez for –among other crimes--conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens. The judicial process so revered by Jeff Flake then sentenced the Cuban terrorist to two consecutive life terms. In fact, these convictions were upheld all the way to the Supreme Court.Yet Sen. Jeff Flake was a gleeful accessory to Obama’s pardon (by any other name) of this communist spy/murderer/terrorist and his release back to...