by Matthew Holloway | Nov 22, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-2) announced Wednesday that H.R. 3047 which he proposed to transfer Federal Land within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to the northern Arizona communities of Pinedale and Alpine, has made it through the House Committee on Natural Resources. Specifically, the bill addresses the needs for both communities for expanded cemetery space which, being surrounded by federal land, is nearly impossible for the towns or private buyers to acquire.
The bill is cosponsored by Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ-9) and would convey 2.5 acres of National Forest System land to Navajo County for the Pinedale Cemetery expansion and 8.06 acres of National Forest System land to Apache County for the Alpine Cemetery expansion.
The office of Rep. Crane noted that for over a decade both communities have struggle with locating appropriate cemetery space, often needing to lay loved ones to rest in cemeteries over a hundred miles away from the communities in which they lived and died.
Navajo County Supervisor Daryl Seymore wrote, “The community of Pinedale has a long and rich pioneer history, and the residents are proud of that heritage. Pinedale is a community where generations of families live, grow, and raise their families. This bill will allow families to lay their loved ones to rest in the place that their family member loved so much. I’m grateful to Congressman Crane and his staff for their work on this bill and his support of the Pinedale community.”
Crane said in a statement, “I’m pleased to report that my bill passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources and awaits consideration on the House Floor. These communities have storied histories, and they deserve to lay their loved ones to rest in the place that means so much to them.”
The Congressman credited the community of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints adding, “This piece of legislation is one of the first bills I introduced in Congress and is a testament to the strength of the Latter-Day Saints Community in Northern Arizona. I appreciate Supervisors Seymore and Nelson for their leadership, and we will continue to do everything we can to push this bill through the legislative process.”
Apache County Supervisor and Board Vice-Chairman Nelson Davis wrote, “As a County Supervisor and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Apache County, I have seen firsthand the ‘very real needs’ of the communities that I represent. Recently, the effort put forth by you and your staff in securing the conveyance of USFC land immediately adjacent to the Alpine Community Cemetery is representative of meeting that ‘very real need.’”
Following the passage of the bill through the House Committee on Natural Resources, Chairman Bruce Westerman said, “Oftentimes, the smallest solutions can have the most meaning. Congressman Crane’s legislation to convey important parcels of land to the Apache and Navajo counties will help communities properly lay to rest their loved ones. This is the type of thoughtful work that makes Rep. Crane such an important asset to his constituents.”
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 | Nov 21, 2024 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Dr. Owen Anderson of Arizona State University (ASU) reported earlier this week that an examination of the ASU course catalog for the Spring 2025 semester shows that the school does not offer any classes on Christianity. Although the website itself does list Anderson’s REL 270 course, he reports that it “didn’t have enough enrollment, so it was canceled.” He added, “Religious Studies blocked its general education requirements, so students would not be helped toward graduation.”
A course on the New Testament of the Bible is offered, however, it is an online course, which curiously does not require the Bible as a required text. Instead, it requires “How To Read the Bible,” by liberation theologian Harvey Cox, the 95-year-old former Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School. According to U.S. Catholic, “Liberation theology is a social and political movement within the church that attempts to interpret the gospel of Jesus Christ through the lived experiences of oppressed people.”
In Cox’s text he wrote, “There is scarcely one figure in the entire Hebrew scripture we would want our children to emulate.”
In the same work, he also is quoted writing, “The dominant ethos of the twenty-first century consists of an intermingling of the sacred and the secular.”
Anderson added that the university contrasts this by offering seven different courses on magic and witchcraft.
In a post to X, Anderson said, “ASU has canceled its only Religious Studies course on Christianity for the Spring of 2025. You will find all of the other world’s religions taught at ASU, as well as a healthy representation of classes about witchcraft. ASU currently has more events about the benefits of witchcraft than it has courses on Christianity. What is going on? Why would any Christians want to study a humanities topic at ASU when this is how they are treated…”
In his post to Substack, Anderson noted that although Christianity is taught in the coursework of other classes, “Christianity does not get a dedicated class the way Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Witchcraft do.”
The tenured professor argued that parents and students both need the ability to provide input on how the university’s schedule is built: “Parents and students, you need to know how the schedule is built and what classes you are filtered toward. It is a false choice. They give you the appearance of free will. ‘Do you want Buddhism or Witchcraft?’ Either way, you’ll be learning what they want, and you will not be represented.”
Responding to a commenter on X who was disappointed in the university’s decision, Dr. Anderson advised, “This one is done. But you can write an email to the Dean of the Religious studies department. I always recommend that such interactions be respectful.”
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 | Nov 21, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Conserva Mi Voto, a civic engagement organization for Latinos and Veterans, released a statement this week celebrating the group’s successful efforts in the 2024 election, both in Arizona and across the nation. Citing victories from the election of David Lara to the Yuma County Recorder’s Office to the election of Arizona Rep. Steve Montenegro as Speaker of the Arizona House, Conserva Mi Voto touted “its successful efforts to educate Latino voters, empowering them to make the right choices this election cycle.”
The statement noted that Lara is “a small business owner and staunch advocate for election integrity.” He also serves on Conserva Mi Voto’s board and spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In an impassioned plea Lara, told the RNC that in San Luis, drug cartels were using schoolchildren as drug mules and emergency services were overwhelmed with illegal immigrants. “Small towns like mine bear the brunt of the chaos,” Lara said, according to AZCentral. “San Luis wasn’t always this way. And Joe Biden, Kamala Harris do not care,” Lara said. “In fact, they seem satisfied. They have done nothing to stop it and everything to make it worse.”
“We must reelect Trump to put our citizens first and make America strong again,” he said at the time. He capped off his address by saying, “Latinos estamos con Trump,” (Latinos are with Trump). In the statement, Conserva Mi Voto cited a report from Reuters that stated, “Hispanics have largely favored Democrats for decades, but Trump’s share this year was the highest for a Republican presidential candidate in exit polls going back to the 1970s, and just higher than the 44% share won by Republican George W. Bush in 2004,” as well as an exit poll showing that President-elect Donald Trump earned massive support from American Latinos with 55% of Latino men breaking for Trump and Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris only taking 43%.
Reuters reported that Trump’s support among Latinos increased 14% overall, up 7% among voters aged 18-29.
Conserva Mi Voto board member Roman Campuzano explained, “As more and more Latinos understand the power of their vote and the policies promoted by progressives, they are shaping the political landscape in a way never seen before. They are rejecting the socialist proposals and choosing candidates that reflect their values and policies that allow families to prosper, keep neighborhoods safe, and maintain our national security.”
The group in particular cited its successful education efforts contributing to the defeat of Glendale Proposition 499, a potentially devastating measure aimed at regulating the hospitality industry of the city.
The group’s impact has been of great note in Glendale with the Glendale City Council proclaiming October 22, 2024, as Latino Heritage and Empowerment Day and offering recognition of Conserva Mi Voto for the organization’s “dedicated service to the Latino community and its tireless efforts to promote civic participation, family values, and veteran support.”
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 | Nov 20, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Republican volunteers at the Whiteriver Polling Center in Navajo County contacted AZ Free News with a startling eyewitness account of multiple violations of Arizona election statutes constituting electioneering at the polling location by Navajo County Democrats. They described the scene as “a veritable circus atmosphere … all orchestrated by Democrats.”
In an interview with AZ Free News, a source within the Navajo County Republican Party, speaking on condition of anonymity, prefaced what they witnessed by stressing that they are no stranger to election work. The source stated that 2024 was their sixth election as a poll worker and their third at the polling place in Whiteriver on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. In addition to the allegations of electioneering, they emphasized that an ongoing issue in Navajo County has been a lack of poll workers and an apparent unwillingness to address the problem from the Board of Supervisors and the County Manager.
The source explained that during the primary, “Our election integrity network here in Navajo County have been addressing the board of supervisors with election challenges. Why is there nobody in the tabulating room from each major party like it says in the statute? You know, it’s required, but yet they don’t have that. They have two Democrats and an Independent, when it’s supposed to clearly, in the statute code and law, it says you have to have one person from each party in the tabulation room when you adjudicate a ballot, but they’re not.”
According to ARS 16-531(A), “There shall be an equal number of inspectors in the various precincts in the county who are members of the two largest political parties. In each precinct where the inspector is a member of one of the two largest political parties, the marshal in that precinct shall be a member of the other of the two largest political parties.”
The source noted that these issues also occurred during the primary, “We have it on tape. We’ve got screenshots of them.” They added, “They don’t seem to correct it, and it happens again in this general election.”
The allegations of electioneering at the polling place included Democrats reportedly handing out palm-sized “golden ticket” voting guides to voters as they approached the polling location, resulting in a Marshall having to escort them beyond the statutory line.
According to the source, it was “a veritable carnival atmosphere out there across the day, including a ‘DJ’s for Democrat’ guy blasting music from a speaker stashed in the trunk of his car, a grill cooking food for anyone interested in partaking, plus T-shirts, baggies full of candy, etc. being handed out with the palm card listing which Democrat candidates to vote for on one side, and how to vote on propositions on the other side (the card told voters that they should vote ‘yes’ on proposition 139, and ‘no’ on all other propositions).”
The inducement of free food and merchandise potentially runs afoul of Arizona election laws at several points including A.R.S. 16-1005(C), which states, “It is unlawful to receive or agree to receive any consideration in exchange for a voted or unvoted ballot. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony,” and A.R.S. 16-1006(A) which states, “It is unlawful for a person knowingly by force, threats, menaces, bribery or any corrupt means, either directly or indirectly: 1. To attempt to influence an elector in casting his vote or to deter him from casting his vote.” The law makes this type of interference a class five felony as well.
The source’s account also aligns with a previous report from AZ Free News of the “Free Meal, Warm Socks, Voter Info,” event conducted by the Northeast Arizona Native Democrats in Sawmill, AZ.
Another example the source gave centered around campaign merchandise being handed out at the polling place. They told AZ Free News that at one of the Navajo County polling sites for the Nov. 5th General Election “County recorder, Mike Sample, the Democrat candidate…they had pens of his in the polling place. How? If that’s not electioneering, I don’t know what is.”
“That was given to them to use to vote. I mean, talk about blatant and flagrant. They were giving the pens from Mike Sample to the voters to use to fill out their ballot. And he was a candidate for Navajo County Recorder.“
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 | Nov 19, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs promised a “major announcement,” leading up to a Monday press conference at the Port of Nogales on the state’s southern border with Mexico. And indeed, the border press event did highlight “Task Force SAFE,” a joint military-U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation deploying Arizona National Guardsmen to aid in intercepting drug smuggling. However, Hobbs also told reporters that Phoenix would not tolerate what she called Trump’s “misguided policies,” namely his promise of mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
As reported by 12News, Hobbs told reporters, “I will work with the administration when it benefits Arizonans and if I need to stand up to them because their actions will harm Arizonans, I will do that.”
She continued targeting Trump’s deportation vow, specifically saying, “We don’t know what a mass deportation plan will look like, what resources will be involved. I’m here to protect Arizonans, and I will do that.”
When asked if she would allow state law enforcement to participate in any mass-deportation action, Hobbs told ABC News, “We will not be participating in misguided efforts that harm our communities. And I’ve been incredibly clear about that.”
Hobbs added, “Those efforts are going to divert needed resources that we need here on these drug interdiction, and smuggling and trafficking efforts to keep harm out of our communities. We need those resources here. And coming here today and seeing this operation firsthand just underscores that. That working in partnership here is how we can best secure the border.”
When asked what worries her about mass deportation, Hobbs told ABC, “I think the diversion of law enforcement from the work that they do everyday to keep our communities safe, people hiding in fear, we saw that under previous state policies here and it harms communities. It tears families apart. And that’s not going to happen on my watch.”
Despite reports that Hobbs is seeking to clothe herself in the garb of a moderate, noting her refusal to join the “Governors Safeguarding Democracy” (GSD) with fellow Democrat governors J.B. Pritzker (Illinois) and Jared Polis (Colorado), Hobbs recently described the legislature she has to work with as “run by literal insurrectionists and indicted fake electors,” who send her “garbage,” prompting a record shattering 216 vetoes.
According to AZCentral, Hobbs replied to calls to join the GSD saying, “I don’t think that’s the most productive way to govern Arizona. As governor, I have and will continue to stand up against actions that hurt our communities. But I will work with anyone who is doing what is right for Arizona.” Some have taken that as an indication of her willingness to work with the incoming Trump administration and the now-overwhelmingly Republican-controlled Congress.
Hobbs’ commentary from Nogales would seem to put Arizona Democrats’ concerns of the governor potentially moderating her stance against the core policies of the GOP to rest. But should 2024 electoral trends carry through to 2026, it could foreclose on the possibility of her re-election.
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.
