by Ethan Faverino | Aug 5, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Maricopa County has secured a spot among Arizona’s top destinations for retirees, according to a new study by SmartAsset.
The study evaluated counties across the United States based on three key factors: tax-friendliness, access to medical care, and social opportunities, putting Maricopa County as an ideal location for those planning the golden years of retirement.
To assess tax-friendliness, the study calculated effective income and sales tax rates for a retiree earning $35,000 annually from retirement savings, Social Security, and part-time work, determining disposable income after taxes.
For medical care, the study measured the number of doctors’ offices per 1,000 residents, and the same for social opportunities, which measured the number by recreation and retirement centers per 1,000, along with the percentage of seniors in each county’s population.
Maricopa County ranked sixth in Arizona with a Best Place to Retire Index score of 43.1.
The county excels in medical care access, with 3.28 medical centers per 1,000 residents, one of the highest rates in the state.
With a tax burden of 15.82% and an offering of 0.12 recreation centers and 0.4 retirement centers per 1,000 people, Maricopa County provides a balanced environment for retirees seeking affordability, healthcare, and an active lifestyle.
While its senior population is lower at 15.99% compared to the top-ranked La Paz County (42.23%), Maricopa County’s urban amenities and vibrant community make it a standout choice.
Retirement dreams of adventure and relaxation require careful financial planning, often overlooked within daily expenses.
Experts recommend saving 10%-15% of annual income and targeting 25 times the yearly expenses to replace 70%-80% of pre-retirement income. For example, if somebody spends $50,000 annually in retirement, they should aim to save around $1.25 million through 401k, retirement, and other investments.
Maricopa County’s high density of medical facilities ensures retirees’ healthcare needs are met, addressing the rising healthcare costs that often challenge retirement budgets. Its moderate 15.82% tax burden supports financial planning by allowing retirees to stretch their savings further.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 4, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne criticized recent remarks made by Governor Katie Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, who labeled the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) staff as “wasteful bureaucracy.”
Horne called the comments a reckless insult to dedicated state employees who are understaffed, under pressure, and focused on serving the parents seeking the best education for their children.
“The governor’s spokesman has demeaned state employees by calling ESA professionals a ‘wasteful bureaucracy.’ Defining people as waste is a terrible insult,” said Superintendent Horne. “No matter what her (Governor Hobbs) personal opposition, the ESA program exists to give parents’ choice when local schools don’t meet their children’s needs, and people are needed to serve those parents. That is not wasteful; it is essential.”
ESA Director John Ward, in a recent legislative testimony, highlighted the program’s significant growth and challenges.
In the 2025 fiscal year, the ESA program distributed $869 million, surpassing the $769 million allocated for all federal education programs in Arizona.
Despite managing a larger budget, the ESA program has only 40 employees, compared to the 300 staff members handling federal programs at the Arizona Department of Education.
Since its start in 2011, the ESA program has grown from $100 million and 11,000 accounts to now, nearly $1 billion and over 90,000 accounts today, with no additional staff to support the increased workload.
“We are always in survival mode,” Ward told lawmakers. “Our main responsibility is to get students who want to be in the program into the program, to review their purchases, and provide customer service. That is our core mission, and that is what we are focused on.”
Horne also noted that in 2025, the Department of Education requested 12 additional staff members to manage the growing program’s demands. The House supported this request in its budget, but Governor Hobbs refused to consider it.
“To deny these resources while allowing her spokesman to insult state employees serving parents is beyond the pale,” Horne said.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 30, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Trump administration recently unveiled a proposal to repeal the 2009 “Endangerment Finding,” a controversial U.S. climate policy that declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a threat to public health and welfare.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule, if finalized, would dismantle the legal foundation for numerous climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, repealing all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the move as “the largest deregulatory action in the history of America,” arguing that the Endangerment Finding has been misused to impose costly regulations.
“There are people who, in the name of climate change, are willing to bankrupt the country,” Zeldin said. “They created this endangerment finding, and then they are able to put all these regulations on vehicles, on airplanes, on stationary sources, to basically regulate out of existence, in many cases, a lot of segments of our economy. And it cost Americans a lot of money.”
The proposal, which follows an executive order from President Trump, directs the EPA to review the findings’ legality. It is part of a broader push to roll back 31 environmental regulations.
Zeldin criticized the Obama and Biden administrations, saying they “twisted the law, ignored precedent, and warped science to achieve their preferred ends and stick American families with hundreds of billions of dollars in hidden taxes every single year.”
In states like Arizona, the Endangerment Finding has been used to enforce mandates and shut down energy sources that Arizona relies on.
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club celebrated the EPA’s proposal, viewing it as a critical step toward alleviating economic burdens imposed on Arizona families and businesses from overreaching environmental mandates.
The Club argues that the Endangerment Finding has forced the closure of reliable energy facilities and imposed costly environmental policies that have led to soaring utility costs and raised concerns about the reliability of the state’s energy grid.
Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, reacted to the Trump administration’s proposal, saying, “[The Endangerment Finding] has always been junk science used to shut down Arizona’s economy, close down our coal plants, and force our state into California-style green mandates. Repealing the Endangerment Finding is a necessary step to restore energy independence, protect ratepayers, and stop the unelected bureaucrats at the EPA from hijacking our economy in the name of climate alarmism.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 30, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Christina Marie Chapman of Litchfield Park, Arizona, was sentenced to 102 months in prison for her role in a scheme that facilitated North Korean IT workers in obtaining remote positions at over 300 U.S. companies.
Chapman helped generate $17 million in illicit revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss in the District of Columbia, also includes three years of supervised release, forfeiture of $284,555 intended for North Korean operatives, and a $176,850 judgment.
Chapman pleaded guilty on February 11, 2025, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Chapman’s scheme was one of the largest in North Korean IT worker fraud cases prosecuted by the Department of Justice. It involved 68 U.S. citizens’ identities and defrauded 309 U.S. businesses, including Fortune 500 companies such as a major television network, a Silicon Valley tech firm, an aerospace manufacturer, an American automaker, a luxury retail chain, and a media company.
“Chapman made the wrong calculation: short-term personal gains that inflict harm on our citizens and support a foreign adversary will have severe long-term consequences,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I encourage companies to remain vigilant of these cyber threats and warn individuals who may be tempted by similar schemes to take heed of today’s sentence.”
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia said, “North Korea is not just a threat to the homeland from afar. It is an enemy within. It is perpetrating fraud on American citizens, American companies, and American banks. It is a threat to Main Street in every sense of the word.”
Chapman operated a “laptop” farm from her Arizona home, hosting and managing laptops sent by U.S. companies under the false idea that the work was performed domestically.
She organized these devices, labeling them with the associated company and stolen identity.
Additionally, Chapman shipped 49 laptops and other devices to locations overseas, including a city in China near the North Korea border.
A search warrant executed in October 2023 led to the seizure of over 90 laptops from her residence.
The scheme also involved falsifying payroll records, forging checks, and funneling wages through Chapman’s U.S. financial accounts to overseas recipients, falsely reporting income to the IRS and Social Security Administration under stolen identities.
North Korea IT workers, using false or stolen U.S. identities, targeted high-profile companies and even attempted employment at two different U.S. government agencies, though they were unsuccessful.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 29, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Scottsdale Police Department announced the retirement of Aiden, a beloved 20-year-old Percheron/Thoroughbred cross breed.
Aiden had a 13-year service with the Scottsdale Police Mounted Unit and was known for his intelligence, athleticism and gentle demeanor.
He will now embark on a new journey as a therapy horse at Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship, continuing his service to the community.
Aiden joined the Scottsdale PD Mounted Unit in June 2012 at the age of seven, following a successful career in Hunter/Jumper competitions. Recommended by the Mounted Unit Veterinarian for his exceptional training and temperament, Aiden quickly adapted to police work, becoming a reliable member of the unit.
Standing 18 hands tall (six feet tall at the shoulder), and weighing around 1,700 pounds, this white-coated gentle giant became a familiar presence across Scottsdale.
Throughout Aiden’s career, he patrolled Old Town Scottsdale on weekend nights, engaging with the community. He also served high-profile events such as the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Super Bowl, and New Year’s Eve celebrations in Old Town.
Aiden also represented the department at police memorials, ceremonial events, and rode in several Parada del Sol parades.
His calm presence was also very helpful during many protests and civil unrest around the Valley, earning him the trust of his officer partners, Debbie Shuhandler, Aaron Bolin, and Keegan DeShotel.
Beyond his patrol duties, Aiden was also a community ambassador, participating in Mounted Unit education demonstrations, neighborhood block parties, and numerous school visits.
In retirement, Aiden found a perfect new home at Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship, a Scottsdale based nonprofit dedicated to providing therapy to people with disabilities and veterans.
Paired with a retired police officer who attends lessons at Camelot, Aiden is already making a positive impact, bringing comfort to those he serves.
Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship, located in North Scottsdale, has been serving the community since 1980, offering programs that promote riding and horsemanship as a means of therapy, improving strength, coordination, balance, and self-esteem.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
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