by Ethan Faverino | Nov 7, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Axon, a global leader in public safety technology, has signed an agreement to acquire Carbyne, the cloud-native emergency communications platform trusted by agencies serving over 250 million people worldwide.
The $625 million transaction, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, marks a critical milestone in Axon’s mission to transform public safety from the moment a 911 call is placed.
By combining Carbyne’s modern call-handling core with Axon’s AI-driven Prepared platform, the company introduces Axon 911–the industry’s first fully integrated, start-to-finish emergency response system.
Axon 911 seamlessly links callers, dispatchers, and field responders through real-time data, live video, multilingual translation, and automated evidence workflows. From the initial alert to final case resolution in Axon Evidence, every critical detail is captured, shared, and actionable.
“Every year, more than 240 million 911 calls are made in the U.S., and in too many cases, vital information is lost between the call and the response,” said Axon Founder and CEO, Rick Smith. “By uniting Axon’s 30-year legacy of innovation with Carbyne’s cloud-based call management platform, we’re closing that gap, giving call takers and dispatchers instant visibility and connecting them directly to officers in the field. It’s how we transform a call for help into the first moment of intelligence.”
The transformation relies on two complementary engines. Prepared by Axon serves as an AI overlay that enhances any existing 911 system with real-time transcriptions, automated triage, and non-emergency deflection. It currently operates in over 1,000 centers across 49 states and serves nearly 100 million residents.
Carbyne functions as a cloud-native core with 99.9% uptime, intelligent routing for voice, text, and video, and real-time voice-to-voice translation. The platform currently processes more than 250 million data points annually.
Together, Prepared and Carbyne power Axon 911 as a unified platform. Call data instantly feeds Axon Fusus for real-time analytics and command visibility. Dispatchers can trigger Axon Drone as First Responder (DFR) directly from the call screen to help deliver real-time updates. Body-camera footage, drone feeds, and digital evidence are automatically archived in Axon Evidence.
Even though 80% of 911 calls now originate from cell phones, most centers still rely on decades-old landline systems. A survey done by Carbyne with the help of the National Emergency Number Association reveals that 86% of centers face high call volumes at least weekly, with 35% experiencing them daily. Additionally, 63% report that 50-80% of calls are non-emergencies.
“Carbyne was created to modernize how help arrives — by giving emergency professionals the clarity, resilience, and confidence they need in critical moments,” said Carbyne Founder and CEO, Amir Elichai. “Joining Axon allows us to scale that mission globally and integrate more deeply into the broader public safety ecosystem. Together, we’ll help agencies save time, reduce uncertainty, and improve outcomes for the people and communities they serve.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 6, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona has emerged as one of the nation’s hotspots for shoplifting, ranking third highest in the United States with 587.83 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to a new report by Summit Defense.
This rate is 56% above the national average, highlighting a growing challenge for retailers and law enforcement across the state. The study, which analyzed FBI Crime Data Explorer figures for the full 2024 calendar year, underscores Arizona’s position in a troubling trend that has been dominating Western states.
“Shoplifting may seem tempting for many, but it’s just not worth the risk, and when people adopt the mindset of seeing shoplifting as a more insignificant crime, then more people often commit it, and the effect that this can have on businesses is enormous,” said Rabin Nabizadeh of Summit Defense. “This study highlights where shoplifting is an epidemic and needs urgent attention from lawmakers, law enforcement, and local businesses in the state.”
Under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 13-1805, shoplifting is defined as knowingly obtaining goods from a retail establishment with the intent to deprive the owner, including actions like removing items without payment, altering price tags, transferring goods between containers, or concealing merchandise.
Penalties in Arizona escalate based on the value of stolen goods and aggravating factors:
- Less than $1,000: Class 1 misdemeanor (unless a firearm, then Class 6 felony)
- $1,000- $1,999: Class 6 felony
- $2,000 or more: Class 5 felony
- Repeat offenders (two or more prior theft-related convictions in 5 years): Class 4 felony
- Organized retail theft (involving intent to resale or tools to remove merchandise): Class 4 felony
Nationally, New Mexico leads with 777.97 incidents per 100,000 residents—106% above average—followed by Oregon at 675.98 (79% above). Arizona’s third-place ranking puts it ahead of Delaware (581.84 per 100,000, 54% above) and New York (558.55 per 100,000, 48% above).
At the other end of the chart, Idaho reports the lowest rate of shoplifting at 176.90 incidents per 100,000, putting it 53% below the national average. Maine is ranked second with 211.70 per 100,000 (44% below), followed by Rhode Island at 216.25 per 100,000 (43% below), Hawaii at 217.22 per 100,000 (42%), and Alaska at 232.22 per 100,000 (38%).
The 30-39 age group dominates shoplifting demographics in 46 states, including Arizona, accounting for around 30% of all reports nationwide.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 4, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
A new analysis has found Arizona among the top 10 U.S. states for the share of births financed by Medicaid, ranking ninth nationwide with 471 Medicaid-supported deliveries per 1,000 live births annually. This comes in at 19% above the national average of 394.46.
The study, which examined five years of data from 2019 to 2023, compiled total Medicaid-financed births for each state, averaged them over the period, and standardized the figures based on total live births to determine the rates per 1,000.
Arizona averaged 36,856 Medicaid-financed births per year, peaking in 2019 at 38,848 (49% of all births) and dipping to its lowest in 2022 at 36,153 (46% of all births).
The top 10 states for Medicaid-funded births (per 1,000) are: Louisiana – 615, Mississippi – 589, New Mexico – 545, Oklahoma – 512, Texas – 487, Alabama – 474.9, West Virginia – 474.6, South Carolina – 473, Arizona – 471, and Tennessee – 465.
It is unknown how many of those children are born to illegal aliens, but a separate finding by the Center for Immigration Studies estimates 225,000 to 250,000 births to illegal immigrants in the U.S. in 2023 alone—representing approximately 7% of all births nationwide.
“Up to a quarter-million births to illegal immigrants is hardly trivial,” the report said. “It appears to be more than the number of births to legal noncitizens, and it is greater than the total number of births in all but two states taken individually. Although not yet available, the 2024 numbers are likely to be even higher.”
The financial implications are substantial, according to a 2023 cost analysis by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The net cost of illegal immigration to U.S. taxpayers at federal, state, and local levels reached at least $150.7 billion in 2023, which is an increase of $35 billion from the 2017 estimate of $116 billion.
After subtracting $32 billion in taxes paid by illegal immigrants from a gross economic impact of $182 billion, the burden equates to $1,156 per illegal immigrant household annually.
Each illegal alien or U.S.-born child of illegal aliens costs taxpayers an estimated $8,776 per year. While some contribute through taxes, these payments only cover one-sixth of the costs they generate. Many illegal aliens working in the “underground economy” avoid income taxes entirely, widening the financial gap.
Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from accessing most federally funded state and local benefits, though states may use their own funds to extend coverage to certain noncitizen populations, including expanded Medicaid for unauthorized immigrants in some areas.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 3, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
A group of students at Arizona State University hosted a public awareness event on Thursday, October 23, at the Memorial Union to highlight Antifa’s activities on campus and encourage students to confidentially report any known associates for submission to the Federal Terror Watchlist.
The event, hosted by College Republicans United (CRU), featured verified public records and official documents detailing students previously convicted of Antifa-related crimes, including multiple individuals who were active members or leaders of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) at ASU at the time of their arrests.
“Like the Trump administration, we believe that if you see something, say something,” Kevin Decuyper told The State Press. According to the outlet, Decuyper co-founded CRU at ASU in 2018 as a student and is now the chairman of the College Republicans United national organization.
Former law enforcement officer and current Congressional candidate for Arizona’s 1st District, Paul Reevs also told The State Press, “What these students are doing, standing up and simply asking people to help them identify violent people, is courageous. We need that kind of leadership, and I want to support them when they do that.” He attended the event and spoke to students to raise awareness about Antifa-related criminal activity on and around campus.
In a release promoting the event, CRU cited Gabriel Nadales, a former Antifa member and National Director of Our America who spoke at the group’s ASU chapter in 2019 about the connection between ANTIFA and the YDSA.
According to The State Press, YDSA co-chair Isaac Burdge denied any organizational ties to Antifa, stating the group opposes fascism but does not engage in violence.
Despite Burdge’s claims that YDSA is not violent, there have been many documented cases of violence, including Benjamin Cooper, YDSA’s agitprop director at ASU, who has had multiple arrests for assaulting police.
Correction: A previous version of this story said that Gabriel Nadales was a featured speaker at the October 23rd event. Nadales did not speak at the event, but spoke to the group in 2019. The story has been udpated to reflect this.
Correction: A previous version of this story failed to cite reporting from The State Press. The story has been updated.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 3, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Republican lawmakers, backed by President Donald Trump and prominent allies including Elon Musk, are escalating efforts to impeach Chief Judge James Boasberg, citing a pattern of rulings they allege usurp executive authority, exhibit political bias, and endanger national security.
The campaign gained fresh momentum on October 30, 2025, when Representative Eli Crane (AZ-02) weighed in on Senator Mike Lee’s tweet, “Should Judge Boasberg be removed from office?”
Crane fired back, “Here’s the real question, @basedmikelee: Why hasn’t it happened already?”
Boasberg, elevated to Chief Judge in March 2023 after his 2011 appointment to the bench by President Barack Obama, has become a focal point in GOP frustration during Trump’s second term, as he keeps getting assigned Trump cases.
Republican lawmakers label him an “activist judge” whose decisions repeatedly obstruct administration priorities on immigration, national security, and government efficiency.
In March 2025, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), along with 22 cosponsors, including Arizona Representatives Eli Crane (AZ-02), Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), and Paul Gosar (AZ-09), introduced H.Res.229, impeaching Boasberg for “high crimes and misdemeanors” under a single article titled “Abuse of Power.”
The resolution accuses the judge of violating his oath by substituting his judgment for the President’s under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and interfering with executive orders.
Specific charges include:
- Issuing a March 2025 temporary restraining order halting the deportation of hundreds of alleged Tren de Aragua gang members—designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization—without due process.
- Ordering mid-flight aircraft carrying deportees to El Salvador to turn around, despite a subsequent Supreme Court ruling permitting the Act’s use with mandated judicial review.
- Initiating contempt proceedings against administration officials for “willful disregard” of his order, actions Republicans called a “constitutional crisis” that jeopardizes public safety.
Newly disclosed FBI documents, released in October 2025, revealed that Boasberg approved covert subpoenas for phone records of nine Republican senators during the Justice Department’s January 6 investigation. The orders barred carriers like AT&T from notifying targets, citing “reasonable grounds” they might tamper with evidence. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), among those targeted, denounced the move as a “weaponized legal system.”
Affected senators also include Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
On October 30, Cruz urged the House to impeach Boasberg and seek federal sanctions, stating, “If a judge signs an order reaching a factual conclusion for which there is zero evidence whatsoever, that judge is abusing his power.”
Lawmakers allege the broader probe—conducted under former special counsel Jack Smith—targeted up to 156 Republican lawmakers, conservatives, and organizations at significant taxpayer expense.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
