by Ethan Faverino | Apr 14, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona Senator Janae Shamp (R-LD29) has successfully advanced protections for Arizona’s children and victims of crime after Governor Katie Hobbs signed SB 1092 into law.
The new legislation eliminates a significant gap in Arizona statutes that previously permitted individuals convicted of dangerous crimes against children to petition the court for early termination of their probation. Under SB 1092, offenders convicted of these serious offenses will now be required to serve the full term of probation originally imposed by the court, with no possibility of early release.
The bill ensures that sentences handed down for crimes such as child abuse, sexual conduct with a minor, and child sex trafficking are carried out as intended, without the possibility of early termination of probation.
“Victims and families should never have to worry about whether someone who harmed a child will get a break or be released early,” stated Senator Shamp. “This law shuts down a loophole that allowed convicted child predators to ask for early termination of probation, and that is simply wrong. If you commit a dangerous crime against a child, you should serve every day of your sentence, no exceptions, no excuses, and no second chances to cut it short.”
The provisions of SB 1092 specifically state that the court may not terminate the period of probation—or intensive probation—earlier than originally imposed if the defendant was convicted of a dangerous crime against children as defined in ARS Section 13-705. This probation applies to both standard probation and intensive probation terms.
“Arizona is standing with victims and making it clear that protecting children comes before anything else,” added Shamp. “I have made it my mission to make sex offenders’ lives hell, and I won’t back down.”
The law will take effect on or after January 1, 2027.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Apr 13, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
A 10-year-old girl’s heartfelt plea to restore Pluto’s status as a full planet has gone viral, drawing responses from NASA leadership and highlighting Arizona’s deep connection.
Mike’s Weather Page shared the story on X, saying, “Dear @NASA. From 10-year-old Kaela. She is mailing to you today. Too cute not to post. She and her family are friends of ours. #bringplutoback”
In her handwritten letter, Kaela wrote:
“Dear N.A.S.A… Please make Pluto a planet again. I really want it to be a planet again. Here are some reasons that Pluto should be a planet again:
- It is part of our solar system and used to be a planet.
- It is a dwarf planet and deserves to be an actual planet
- It might make a lot of people happy.”
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman responded directly to the tweet, saying: “Kaela – we are looking into this.”
The office of Congressman Abraham Hamadeh also chimed in, stating: “Kaela – Congressman Hamadeh Agrees! He recently sent a letter to President Trump asking for the same thing. It’s time Arizona’s Planet was rightfully classified.”
Pluto holds special significance in Arizona. It was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory. The story of that discovery impressed state Rep. Justin Wilmeth (R-LD2) enough that he introduced legislation in 2024 designating Pluto as Arizona’s official state planet.
House Bill 2477, signed into law on March 29, 2024, simply states “Pluto is the official state planet,” making Arizona the only state to claim an official state planet.
Arizona’s designation celebrates the state’s rich astronomy heritage. Flagstaff became the first designated International Dark Sky City in 2001, preserving pristine night skies ideal for observation. The area also boasts a strong lunar legacy: every astronaut who walked on the moon trained in Flagstaff, using sites like Meteor Crater, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, and Grand Canyon National Park.
“It might not be your choice, but if it is, please, please, please make it a planet, added Kaela. “It would make me very, very, very happy. If you can’t make it an actual planet, please consider it a planet.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Apr 12, 2026 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
New data from the Common Sense Institute’s Arizona Jobs and Labor Force Update shows Arizona added 5,100 non-farm jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in January, representing a modest 0.16% increase from December. This gain ranked the state 25th highest among all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Nationally, the U.S. economy added 160,000 jobs in January, with 44 states reporting month-over-month job gains.
However, on a year-over-year basis, Arizona’s labor market weakened significantly. The state lost 15,000 jobs compared to January 2025, marking a stark contrast to the national gain of +0.20%. Arizona ranked 43rd in year-over-year job growth, one of 24 states experiencing annual job losses. This marked the 22nd consecutive month of annual job growth below 2% in Arizona.
Revised data now indicate the state has been experiencing year-over-year job losses since August 2025—the first negative annual reading since September 2024 and the largest percentage decline since March 2021.
Arizona’s manufacturing sector provided a bright spot in January, adding approximately 600 jobs. The state was one of only 20 to add manufacturing jobs that month. However, on an annual basis, manufacturing employment continued to contract, down 0.7% from January 2025, with Arizona among 40 states losing manufacturing jobs over the year.
Unemployment in Arizona edged up slightly to 4.5% in January from a revised 4.4% in December, giving the state the 35th highest unemployment rate nationally. The state’s labor force participation rate held steady at 62%. Nationally, the unemployment rate declined modestly to 4.3% in January and has remained at that level through March 2026.
Sector performance in January varied. The “Other Services” sector led growth, adding 1,300 jobs (+1.3%), though it remains one of Arizona’s smaller supersectors with just 105,000 workers. Construction added 800 jobs month-over-month.
On an annual basis, the Mining and Logging sector continued to outperform, expanding 7.2% since January 2025. Meanwhile, the state’s largest supersector—Trade, Transportation, and Utilities—added only 200 jobs in January. The Information sector posted the weakest annual performance, declining 1.83% year-over-year.
While employment growth has slowed, wage growth in Arizona remained robust at the start of 2026. Average hourly wages rose $0.47 in January, ranking the state 9th nationally for monthly wage growth. Over the past year, Arizona’s average hourly wage increased by $1.10, placing it 29th in the U.S. for annual wage growth. Private Sector workers in Arizona now earn an average of $35.32 per hour, up from $34.22 a year ago.
Nationally, average hourly wages rose 0.35% in January and have continued growing, with the U.S. rate reaching 3.5% year-over-year as of March. Real (inflation-adjusted) wages in Arizona were up 1.2% as of January. Roughly in line with national trends, though they remain down 3.4% since April 2020.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Apr 9, 2026 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) March Jobs Report, released earlier this week, shows the Small Business Employment Index declined 1.9 points to 101.6. While the index pulled back from February, it remains above the 2025 average of 101.2 and the long-term historical average of 100.
In March, a seasonally adjusted 32% of small business owners reported having job openings they could not fill, down just 1 point from the prior month but still well above the historical average of 24%. Of those, 27% had openings for skilled workers (down 1 point), and 12% had openings for unskilled labor (up 2 points).
“While small businesses are not hiring extensively, they continue to face difficulties related to labor cost and quality,” stated Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Despite the current stagnant employment growth, economic conditions could change rapidly.”
NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich added, “The numbers tell a clear story — small businesses want to hire, but qualified applicants are hard to find. Add the uncertainty around tax conformity, and owners simply can’t plan with confidence. Inaction at the Capitol has a real cost.”
A seasonally adjusted net 12% of owners reported plans to create new jobs over the next three months, unchanged from February and near the historical average of net 11%. Overall, 52% of owners said they were hiring or trying to hire in March, down 2 points from the previous month.
Among those attempting to hire, 45% reported few or no qualified applicants for the open positions, down 1 point from February. Specifically, 22% reported few qualified applicants (down 3 points) and 23% reported none (up 2 points).
Labor quality remained a top concern, with 15% of small business owners citing it as their single most important problem—unchanged from February and above the historical average of 12%. This marks the first time since December 2016 that labor quality has consistently registered at or above 15%. Meanwhile, 10% of owners identified labor costs as their top problem, up 1 point from February.
On the compensation front, a seasonally adjusted net 33% of owners reported raising worker pay in March, down 1 point from February. Looking ahead, a net 18% plan to increase compensation over the next three months, down 4 points from the prior month and the lowest reading since July 2025. Despite the recent softening, both actual and planned compensation levels remain above their historical averages.
“Employment growth has stagnated, as hiring plans continue to slide toward the historical average,” the report noted. Job openings have reached their lowest levels since the recovery from the COVID-19 recession.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Apr 8, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) will host its annual 2026 Summer Preparedness Workshop on Tuesday, April 14, at 9:00 a.m. in Hearing Room One at the Commission’s Offices. The workshop will also be available virtually.
This annual event serves as a critical exercise in which Arizona’s regulated electric utilities present detailed plans to the Commission outlining their readiness to meet peak electricity demand during the state’s intense summer heat.
The workshop allows the ACC to review utility preparations, verify proactive grid maintenance efforts year-round, and confirm that infrastructure remains safe, reliable, and resilient for customers.
Arizona’s summer temperatures routinely drive record-breaking electricity demand as residents rely heavily on air-conditioning. In recent years, major utilities—including Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP), and Tucson Electric Power (TEP)—have repeatedly set new peak demand records amid scorching heat, with highs often exceeding 115 degrees in the Phoenix area.
In 2025, utilities forecasted and prepared for peaks exceeding 8,400 MW for APS and SRP each, while emphasizing additions of solar, battery storage, and other resources alongside adequate reserves to maintain reliability.
The commission uses the workshop to ensure utilities demonstrate sufficient generating capacity, transmission readiness, maintenance schedules, emergency response protocols, and contingency measures for high-demand periods.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
