by Matthew Holloway | Jan 9, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
During a special meeting on January 6th, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors were sworn into office, and the new Chairman of the Board, Thomas Galvin, was voted into office unanimously by his peers. According to a press release, the newly elected Chairman Galvin addressed the Board and the county, proposing several new initiatives to “bring increased prosperity and security,” to Maricopa County.
Galvin told the meeting, “We aim to be a board of action, and I aim to deliver a consequential chairmanship that will achieve substantial results.”
Galvin, who represents District 2, acknowledged the historic note of his election as Maricopa County’s first Latino Chairman three years after becoming the first Latino Republican elected to the Board.
During his remarks, Galvin set out his priorities for the Board as being: Safety, the Jail Excise Tax, the Melendres Consent Decree impacting the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Economic Development, Housing, Transportation, Water, Elections, and County Staffing.
One standout moment occurred when Galvin stressed his desire to bring back the NHL to the valley following the departure of the Coyotes from Glendale.
“I’ve been talking to Bettman,” he told reporters, referring to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Regarding elections, Galvin broke with many Republicans critical of Arizona’s process stating, “For anyone still going on about widespread fraud or stolen elections, stop it. To continue to do so is destructive and irresponsible.”
He added, “But what I do appreciate are the people who want to make a good system better. Supervisors Lesko, Brophy McGee, and Stewart each have told me they would like to see Maricopa County examine ways it can improve its elections procedures and provide even more transparency to voters. I agree with them!”
Galvin followed with a brief rundown of reforms:
“My ‘95:1 plan’ would ensure 95% of all votes are tabulated by the end of election night. People want election results faster, and when misinformation has more time to fester, it breeds mistrust in our system.
Our state’s inadequate election laws place the burdens on counties and when voters get frustrated by the process, some denounce our election workers and volunteers who are blameless here. I don’t want our election staff to endure that kind of abuse ever again. They work too hard to have to deal with that nonsense.
Here’s how the legislature and the governor can support our election workers and serve voters in a better fashion:
• First, establish a cutoff date for early ballot drop offs
• Second, use government buildings to host polling sites
• Third, eliminate emergency voting for the Saturday and Monday before election day and allow everyone to utilize in-person voting on those days.
Expanding onsite tabulation on Saturday and Monday before election day solves two challenges regarding access to voting and the speed of results.”
In addition to Galvin’s election as Chairman, three new members of the Board were sworn in with Republican Supervisors Mark Stewart (District 1), Kate Brophy McGee (District 3), and former Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (District 4) joining the five-member body. Supervisor Brophy McGee was appointed to serve as Vice Chair.
“This is a place where I believe I can make a difference on kitchen table, quality of life issues like cost of living, jobs, and public safety,” Brophy McGee said. “I know there are good people and programs already in place at Maricopa County, but there’s so much work to be done to get drugs like fentanyl off our streets, address the homelessness and affordable housing crisis plaguing our county, and ensure our region grows in a smart way. I can’t wait to get started.”
Lesko told the gathered meeting, “Thank you to the great people of the West Valley for your continued support! I’m excited to represent you as your Maricopa County Supervisor. I promise to work hard for you, just as I have done as your U.S. Congresswoman and Arizona State Legislator. My priorities include public safety, election integrity and ensuring your taxpayer dollars are used wisely.”
Stewart similarly noted, “I will collaborate with the community and staff to ensure our county government is transparent and delivers consistent, high-quality services at a fair cost. Working together we can build a thriving environment where families and businesses succeed, and government serves as a reliable partner in our shared future.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 9, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In a Monday press release, Arizona State Representative Lupe Diaz announced that he and his fellow House Republicans will honor the dedication and sacrifice of law enforcement officers across the state and nation on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, January 9th. Diaz and the House GOP are inviting all Arizonans to join them.
In the release Diaz said, “In a time when some mismanaged cities and misguided politicians are still pushing to defund law enforcement, Arizona House Republicans stand firmly and proudly with our law enforcement professionals.”
“We deeply appreciate – and will continue to support – the brave men and women who work to protect our families and maintain public safety in our communities.”
The release explained that on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day the legislators are leading an effort to bring forth a visible and tangible expression of Arizona’s support for its Law Enforcement Community with the public encouraged to “show their support by thanking an officer, wearing blue, or sharing messages of appreciation on social media using the #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay hashtag.”
As reported by The Officer Down Memorial Page, four Law Enforcement Officers lost their lives in the line of duty in 2024:
- Officer Zane Tristan Coolidge, 29, of the Phoenix Police Department was shot and killed by a fleeing felon with multiple convictions on September 6th
- Detective Ryan So, 38, of the Scottsdale Police Department lost his life in a tragic accidental discharge on June 13th
- Gila River Tribal Police Officer Joshua Briese, 24, was shot and killed responding to a disturbance call on June 1st. He was still in field training.
- Tucson Police Lead Officer Adam Buckner, 31, was struck and killed in a vehicle collision while responding to a call for service on March 31st.
Through the Arizona State Troopers Association (ASTA), those wishing to show their support can also purchase post cards for officers they wish to thank and appreciate. On the organization’s website, the ASTA says, “Hands down the biggest compliment you can give is to let the officer’s supervisor know that you appreciated whatever the officer did. (The best way is a written note to the chief executive). Why? Because police officers rarely are ever thanked or told that they did a great job.”
The State Troopers Association also recommended penning a letter to the editor of your local newspaper thanking officers for their community dedication and/or putting together a treat of cookies or a dozen doughnuts from your local bakery and leaving them with the department with a thank you card.
Representative Diaz represents the 19th Legislative District and chairs the House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 8, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) has been sworn in along with his fellow freshmen members of the U.S. House of Representatives. But before even taking the oath of office, Hamadeh garnered recognition as one of the “rising stars” in American policitcs “expected to emerge in 2025.”
In a report released on the last day of 2024, Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller pronounced Hamadeh as a rising star alongside fellow Republicans Vice President-elect JD Vance, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio, and Vivek Ramaswamy. He also gave the same recogniation to Democrats like Governors Gavin Newsom of California, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and Wes Moore of Maryland, along with Rep. Pat Ryan of New York and Senator Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland.
Hamadeh, a 33-year-old son of Syrian immigrants, retired Army Reserve Captain & Intelligence Officer, and former Maricopa County Prosecutor enjoyed a massive resurgence in Arizona politics after a razor thin-280 vote defeat in the 2022 race for state Attorney General, a result mired in controversy and serious allegations of disenfranchisement and mismanagement.
He arose victorious in a raucous 8-way primary challenge for the District 8 Congressional seat that saw an unprecedented double-endorsement by President-elect Donald Trump, who supported both Hamadeh and runner-up Blake Masters.
In the end, Hamadeh outperformed the rest of the AZGOP candidates on his way to soundly defeating his Democrat opponent Gregory Whitten in the November General Election.
In a statement about his powerful committee assignments, Hamadeh told Fox News Digital, “I am honored to serve on the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees—two assignments I intentionally sought because our veterans and military deserve leaders who will fight for them. Putting America first starts with defending our homeland and honoring our veterans and their families.”
“Throughout my campaign, I made a promise to bring veterans’ issues to the forefront of our national priorities, and today, I am proud to fulfill that promise,” he added. “This is a ‘promises made, promises kept’ moment as I lead the charge to honor our military leaders, support those who have served our nation, and ensure our veterans receive the care and respect they’ve earned. Serving those who served us is not just my duty—it’s a privilege.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 8, 2025 | News
By Matthew Hollway |
Wide swaths of Tucson city streets are cloaked in darkness on a nightly basis as city officials have struggled to grapple with a massive spike in copper theft. As many as 1,000 city streetlights have been disabled and stripped, leaving local roadways dark. Tucson officials told the Arizona Daily Star that the thieves have been stripping out the copper from the streetlights faster than maintenance crews can replace it. The cost to the taxpayer has spiraled to approximately $1.3 million in replacement wire and infrastructure repair.
Last month, KVOA reported that a neighborhood near the intersection of Fort Lowell and Romero roads was primarily lit by residents’ Christmas lights. The outlet reports that over 400,000 feet of wire has been stolen.
In a statement to the network, the City of Tucson said, “[T]hieves are stealing the wire faster than staff can replace it. [T]hese thefts have overwhelmed staff’s capacity to make repairs. Staff is working as efficiently as possible to keep up with all the outages.”
The wire, coveted by thieves, can be sold and recycled, yielding about $2.30 per pound in the southern area of Arizona. The Arizona Daily Star reported that, per Tucson PD, the stolen wire is difficult to track, owing to a lack of identifying markings on the malleable copper. Although scrap merchants are required to document the identities of those they purchase copper from, this is of limited assistance when the individual stolen items cannot be tracked.
City officials with the Department of Transportation and Mobility told reporters that the issue is exacerbated by staffing shortages impacting the city and have led to a six-month backlog on repair orders. As a result, a triage system is now in use prioritizing pedestrian crosswalks, as well as higher speed and higher traffic volume roadways.
In an October post to X, the Department warned would-be thieves, “Stealing copper wire is not only illegal, it’s extremely dangerous! Copper theft can lead to severe injuries, power outages, and even loss of life. Think twice before putting yourself & others at risk. Report suspicious activity to authorities immediately. Stay safe, stay smart!”
The city told KVOA that it is bringing about new security measures in an attempt to prevent future thefts but declined to provide details. They did tell reporters that they are working closely with the Tucson Police Department.
Tucson Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl told the Arizona Daily Star, that the city has brought in contractors to aid city workers in identifying, locating, and repairing the disabled lights in a costly operation not accounted for in the city’s budget.
“We have to do it, but some other program will suffer because of that,” Dahl explained. “The money (to fix this) doesn’t come out of nowhere. There’s no special grants for this.”
Addressing the new security efforts he added, “We are trying innovative techniques to foil continued theft, and while some have been circumvented, we hope that some will ultimately prove successful.”
Dahl told reporters that although residents cannot repair the damaged lights themselves, security camera footage and tips from witnesses have contributed to successful arrests and felony charges. “Getting the culprits arrested is the best prevention,” Dahl said. “Help be our eyes in your neighborhoods. If you see this happening, 911 is a real quick call to make … if we knock off 10-20% of the bad guys, that’s a lot off our work load.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 8, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Gilbert Town Council handed down a harsh wake up call to the Gilbert Police Department (GPD) in late December. In a meeting, the town denied a request by the GPD to be exempted from a municipal code which levies a fine against building owners if a business or organization has three or more false alarms in a given calendar year. Essentially, the town has told the department that it will have to continue to fine itself.
According to the East Valley Tribune, Assistant Police Chief Michael Angstead told the council that the department currently fines itself and cuts the city a check. “Currently, as an example, we have an alarm on our property and evidence building,” Angstead told councilmembers. “And it’ll go off from time to time because rabbits will get out into the open part of the facility, where we can’t have people running around because there’s evidence outside.” An officer is reportedly dispatched to check each alarm.
In the text of the meeting’s agenda item, Chief of Police Michael Soelberg wrote, “As an example: currently, if the Gilbert Police Department’s Property and Evidence building has an alarm—false or otherwise—the Gilbert Police Department is dispatched to investigate. If the Gilbert Police Department’s officers determine the alarm was false, and there have been three or more false alarms within a calendar year, the Town of Gilbert shall charge the Gilbert Police Department for sending Gilbert Police Department’s officers to respond to a Gilbert Police Department building’s alarm. This amendment will help the Town avoid expending the resources to fine itself, and other government agencies, for the response to false alarms, but notifications will still be made to encourage remedies to the false alarms.”
According to the False Alarm Assessment Schedule provided in the proposal, the fine starts at $50 after the third alarm and increases by $50 with each subsequent alarm up to the tenth, capping at $400 per alarm for all subsequent alarms.
The department’s requested amendment wasn’t limited to its own buildings but also included town-owned buildings as well as county, state, and federal properties. However, the council still turned it down.
Councilwoman Kathy Tilque, who did not seek re-election in 2024, opposed the department’s request. As reported by the Tribune, she explained, “I always believe that if we pass a law to regulate and fine businesses, we should hold ourselves accountable to the same standard,” she said.
“While I understand it seems redundant to process fines within internal departments, the bigger issue is, why do we have this law in place to begin with?”
“I’m prepared to let this die right here,” she said, pushing back against exempting county, state, and federal buildings as well.
Fellow Councilman Chuck Bongiovanni concurred with Tilque and agreed that if the town’s residents and businesses must comply with the statute, the town should be held to the same standard.
The measure was denied unanimously.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
