by Matthew Holloway | Dec 11, 2024 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s charter schools are about to receive a fresh infusion of taxpayer dollars in a federal grant from the United States Department of Education. The grant is expected to fund the establishment of two dozen new charter schools and bolster another 23 already in operation.
As reported by The Center Square, the state of Arizona has received approximately 24% of the $143 million awarded across the nation by the Expanding Opportunities Through Quality Charter Schools Program, a total of about $34.8 million. The outlet noted that although the funding originates from fiscal 2024 it will be distributed in annual disbursements through 2029.
In a press release from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said, “I am extremely pleased that we have received this federal grant that will create 24 new high-quality charter schools and help another 23 existing schools with models and practices that result in academic growth. I want to commend the department staff who competed for this funding. Their work has resulted in the state receiving the largest recipient of this grant, per capita, in the country.”
Horne added, “Arizona is the leader in the country on school choice and charters are a major component of that. These dollars will serve a vital purpose in making sure that an estimated 10,000 students in traditionally underserved areas will have a chance to select a high-quality charter school. Every student in every part of our state, urban or rural, rich or poor, deserves this opportunity and I am very pleased to be a part of this effort.”
Speaking with AZ Capitol Times, Horne explained Arizona’s long-term history of fostering charter schools saying, “The charter schools in Arizona go back to the 1990s.” Then, he noted that as a state legislator, he championed charter schools and their purpose. “Even a good district school may not necessarily meet the needs of all the students,” Horne told the outlet. “And so the parents should have the ability to find a school that does meet those needs.”
In the release, ADE stated that it has already begun work on the upcoming project “which aims to increase the number of high-quality charter schools focusing on educationally disadvantaged students.” It added that such students are identified by their economic disadvantage, disability status, as non-English speakers, and as “other demographic groups.”
The statement outlined the grant’s purpose stating:
“The grant also seeks to close achievement gaps in academic scores, provide technical assistance to educators to improve teaching and learning and encourage dual or concurrent enrollment in college level courses. The expectation is that students will experience at least one year of academic growth on state tests for math, reading and language arts with a long-term measurement of cumulative three-year growth.”
At present, approximately 560 charter schools are in operation throughout Arizona serving about 231,000 students. The Center Square report cited the Arizona Charter Schools Association. Under Arizona law, all charter schools are open enrollment and as a result enjoy wide adoption. The outlet reported that the California Department of Education, Colorado League of Charter Schools, New York State Education Department, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, and Rhode Island Department of Education also received 2024 grant funding as well.
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 | Dec 10, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) introduced a resolution Friday to award U.S. Marine Corps. Veteran Daniel Penny with the Congressional Gold Medal for his “courageous actions taken in response to the threat to his community.” The resolution was introduced three days before his acquittal on charges related to the death of 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a New York City subway in 2023.
Penny, 26, was charged with second degree manslaughter and negligent homicide after he restrained the erratically behaving Neely, a schizophrenic homeless man with 42 prior arrests and an active warrant, in a chokehold until police could arrive. Neely had threatened other passengers on the train telling them, “someone’s going to die today.” As Penny fought to restrain the man with the help of other subway riders, he held the hold for about six minutes.
Neely later died at an area hospital. Authorities would later find that he had the synthetic drug K2 in his system at the time of his death, according to Fox News.
Prosecutors, fearing a hung jury amidst a deadlock, withdrew the manslaughter charges Friday and upon the juror’s return Monday, they found Penny innocent of the remaining lesser charge.
Speaking with the outlet, Crane, himself a retired Navy SEAL Sniper, told reporters, “Daniel Penny’s actions exemplify what it means to stand against the grain to do right in a world that rewards moral cowardice.”
“Our system of ‘justice’ is fiercely corrupt, allowing degenerates to steamroll our laws and our sense of security, while punishing the righteous. Mr. Penny bravely stood in the gap to defy this corrupt system and protect his fellow Americans. I’m immensely proud to introduce this resolution to award him with the Congressional Gold Medal to recognize his heroism.”
In the text of his resolution Crane wrote, “Throughout President Biden’s term as President, local governments across various cities and States failed to adequately protect residents and their property from violent criminals.”
He described Penny’s actions on the subway saying he, “protected women and children of the city of New York, New York, from violence on May 1, 2023.”
Crane added, “Daniel Penny, with others, acted to save New York City subway riders from threatening behavior by restraining a criminal – who had 42 prior arrests and an active warrant – until the police came. The courageous actions taken in response to the threat to his community by Daniel Penny, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, went beyond the civilian call of duty.”
“It is the sense of the Congress that Daniel Penny, with integrity and honor that is characterizstic of who he is and of his honorable service in the United States Marine Corps, stepped in to protect women and children from an individual who was threatening to kill innocent bystanders, and he is a hero.”
Following the not-guilty verdict on Monday, Crane called the decision a “massive vibe shift and a huge win for our nation.” He also criticized left-wing responses to the verdict writing, “The left has a completely backwards view of justice.”
Crane also reposted a Thursday comment on X comparing Penny’s case to the pardon of Hunter Biden writing, “A spoiled elite with a decade of crimes gets off scot-free while a selfless Marine who acted with courage gets put through the wringer. A radical realignment of our “justice” system is long overdue.”
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 | Dec 10, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizonans, treated with the spectacle of satellite launches from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base near Santa Barbara just over 500 miles away, may soon be able to enjoy the view from launches much closer to home in Yuma.
The Arizona city is reportedly working to bring another spaceport to Arizona, buoyed by interest from commercial launch companies seeking a new launch site, according to interim City Administrator Jay Simonton.
As reported by AZ Family, Simonton said “These smaller companies are needing to test their equipment. The market is dominated by the big guys so in Cape Canaveral, (Florida), and California, they can’t get time or space to launch.” He told the outlet that the spaceport would be geared toward providing services to these smaller firms who are effectively squeezed out from larger facilities on the coastlines of Florida, California and Texas.
“We’re talking about very small rockets to launch small commercial satellites for research,” he added.
“Yuma is an ideal location. We are really close to the Sea of Cortez and then we have the Pacific Ocean. It’s a perfect location to launch solar polar orbits. If this comes into fruition, all the launches would launch over the Sea of Cortez and over the Pacific Ocean,” said Simonton.
Yuma is also home to a robust aeronautical infrastructure and controlled airspace as the site of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground, and the adjacent Barry M. Goldwater Range, managed jointly by the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and Army.
The Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp, received a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a land feasibility study to prove Yuma County’s ability to house a spaceport in early 2020.
According to the outlet Yuma estimates that the new spaceport, attracting firms from one of the fast growing industries in the world, would create more than 2,000 jobs and drive approximately $2 billion in growth.
“You bring in those high-tech operations, that brings in high-tech jobs and higher paying jobs,” Simonton said.
As it stands: Yuma is working to obtain an operating license from the Federal Aviation Administration and is seeking outside investors and grants to launch the spaceport’s development. The city was also selected as a finalist for a National Science Foundation Engines Program alongside 71 other teams including the Arizona cities Nogales, Sierra Vista, San Luis, and Somerton. As leader of the Southwest Regional Aerospace Innovation Alliance it could receive up to $160 million over 10 years toward building the spaceport.
Simonton also noted there is support from the project on the state level and cited support from Democrat Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly. “We’ve had discussions with our senator, Sen. (Mark) Kelly. He’s a former astronaut. He is very interested in this project and very supportive of that. He would love something like this to come to Arizona,” he told AZ Family.
In a post to X, Interorbital Systems announced that the firm has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Yuma “to conduct NEPTUNE orbital rocket launches from the new Arizona spaceport.”
Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls told KYMA that the development is a major step for a potential new industry in Yuma. “It changes the way one the world perceives us, but two the industries that to want to locate here, so those that are building rockets and those that are building that industry are going to want to be close to where the launches happen.”
Nicholls also stressed that the city would need to work closely with Mexico to make launches work saying, “We’ve got to communicate with them, let them know what we’re doing, make sure they’re comfortable with that because as I showed the council those rockets will be heading south over Mexico, over the Gulf of California and over the Pacific Ocean.”
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 | Dec 9, 2024 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
A major infusion of public bond-funded dollars into Arizona’s first “nonprofit Green Bank,” the Sustainable Home Improvement Loans of Arizona (SHILA), was announced last week by the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA). The MCIDA was appointed by and answerable to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The $500,000 investment will reportedly be “focused on providing affordable financing solutions for low- and moderate-income homeowners.”
In a press release, Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman said of the decision, “Maricopa County is committed to fostering economic growth and supporting sustainable communities for all residents. By investing in SHILA, we are helping low- and moderate-income homeowners access affordable financing options for energy-efficient improvements that will lower their utility bills, renovate their homes, and improve their overall quality of life.
This partnership not only strengthens our local economy but also contributes to a more resilient and sustainable future for Maricopa County. We are excited to support SHILA’s work and the positive impact it will have in our community.”
SHILA, equipped with the infusion of funds from the MCIDA, will reportedly assist 425 Maricopa County residents with $5 million worth of energy efficiency projects within the next three years. These projects include homeowners upgrading their insulation, roofing, door, window, electrical, and HVAC upgrades to increase energy efficiency with the average project costing $12,000.
Ty Lorts, CEO of SHILA explained, “We are honored to receive this foundational investment from the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority. With their support, we can start making home improvement financing accessible for families who need it most. This funding will allow SHILA to begin transforming homes across Maricopa County, helping residents access a healthier living environment, lower utility bills, and have a greater quality of life.”
The MCIDA, founded in 1973 was created with the mandate to help “create and maintain jobs within Maricopa County and assists residents of the County to achieve a better standard of living and way of life.” But with a catch: it is to accomplish this with no government money involved. To that end, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ appointed Board of Directors issues revenue bonds which are exempted from Arizona State taxes and, if compliant with IRS code, can also be exempt from federal taxes. Through these bonds, the MCIDA’s projects are funded.
Since its founding, the MCIDA has issued over $12 billion in bonds and invested millions into expanding access to affordable housing.
Speaking with KJZZ, Lorts explained that the nonprofit licensed just six weeks ago is working to help support affordable housing with a different strategy as opposed to predatory lenders or banks with high HELOC and credit card interest rates. “As money gets paid back in, we’re able to grow the business to a point where we don’t need any more outside money; where we are serving the outside community not just over the next five years but over the next five generations,” Lorts said.
“We’re trying to keep people in their homes, so they don’t have to seek alternative housing; so they don’t lose the house they’ve been in for the last 30, 40 years,” he added.
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 | Dec 7, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club released a statement on Wednesday severely criticizing the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). The statement came after the ACC, which is charged with protecting Arizonans from a non-competitive energy industry, voted to abdicate its duty by allowing formulaic rates that increase automatically year over year, as opposed to every increase being subject to public scrutiny and requiring approval.
The vote on Tuesday was carried 3-2 with commissioners Anna Tovar and Lea Márquez Peterson dissenting. According to the ACC, its policy statement “allows regulated utilities to propose formula rates in future rate cases. Under this approach, the ACC reviews and accepts as the rate a formula for calculating the utility’s cost of service, including clear definitions of inputs to that formula and a process for updating rates every year as the utility’s costs change.”
The commission claimed, “Formula rates will still be monitored closely to ensure that the utility does not over-earn relative to the cost of service for providing service (plus a reasonable return on invested capital), while continuing to provide service safely and reliably.”
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club responded in a statement saying:
“Following contentious double digit rate hikes being approved and ESG Resource Plans committed to going ‘Net Zero’ by 2050 being rubber stamped, the Commission has rushed through approving new rules masquerading as a mere ‘policy statement’ that could insulate utilities and the Commission from having to face ratepayers in future rate cases. The ‘policy statement’ would depart from traditional rate making and pursue ‘formula based rates’ offloading risk from investors to ratepayers and baking in automatic rate increases with little transparency or opportunity for ratepayer engagement.
“The only support for this ‘policy statement’ came from the utilities themselves. The Commission is charged to protect ratepayers by regulating the utilities, not the other way around. The Commission should pump the brakes, not rush through major rulemaking decisions in a lame duck session.
“The Arizona Free Enterprise Club is committed to protecting ratepayers, ensuring affordable and reliable energy in Arizona. We will continue to work to ensure utilities will not be able to force their captive ratepayers to foot the bill, especially through automatic rate hikes, for their costly goal to go ‘Net Zero’ by 2050 by shuttering reliable sources of energy generation to build out expensive and unreliable wind, solar, and battery storage projects.”
Attorney Dan Pozesfsky of Arizona’s Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO), expressed a similar view according to 12News saying, “Trying to implement formula rates through a policy statement rather than through rules is inappropriate, illegal and in this case denies due process.”
The outlet reported that the ACC, ignoring its own plans for the vote, rushed to schedule it noting that in a previous meeting Commission Chairman Jim O’Connor had told stakeholders, “Give us feedback. Bring us guardrails.” He added, “I eagerly look forward to that kind of input at our next workshop.” However, no workshop occurred and no published legal opinions were issued.
Diane Brown of the nonprofit Arizona PIRG Education Fund stressed that the vote was conducted with critical questions about the scheme remaining unanswered. She said, “This is precisely to me why it was so important to have the legal memo that this Commission said they would get. While there are statements that there will be increased transparency, I’m not seeing evidence of that. It is troubling to me that we haven’t heard from the ALJ (administrative law judge). We have not heard from Staff.”
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.
