by Matthew Holloway | Sep 8, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
With the tragic murder of a Maryvale High School student and the brutal attack against the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, MN, still fresh in public memory, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne submitted a legislative budget request for $180 million to continue and expand state funding to put more armed officers on campuses throughout Arizona.
Existing funding for school safety, by initial appropriation and carryover, totals $128 million. Federal funding also provides an additional $20 million. According to the Arizona Department of Education, both are scheduled to expire in 2026. To address this, Horne has reportedly submitted the request for $180 million, which, if approved, “would ensure the current level of funding will continue and the added $32 million will allow for expanding the program for more officers and training.”
In a statement released Thursday, Horne said, “Over the past several weeks, our nation has witnessed terrible school tragedies. This problem is not going away, and we need to address it aggressively. Therefore, I am now making a budget request of the legislature to appropriate at least $180 million to make sure we have no gap in providing funding for armed officers on campuses. This request adds dollars to hire and train officers for more schools statewide to protect students, educators, and classified staff.”
Horne referred back to the successful intervention of a heroic Tucson Police Officer William Bonanno, who thwarted an attempted attack on Legacy Traditional School-East Tucson in January.
“The value of having armed officers on campuses is beyond dispute. One of the best examples occurred earlier this year when a heroic Tucson police officer arrested an armed intruder on a school campus during class hours.
“This criminal was armed with a gun and a knife and told the officer he was there to kill children and make them famous. The officer was on that campus because of funding through the department’s School Safety Program. In fact, he had been hired less than a month earlier using supplemental dollars my department made available. This program works and deserves more funding so it can be expanded. Every parent should want an officer on their child’s campus.”
Maricopa County Schools Superintendent Shelli Boggs issued a concurring statement saying, “I will continue to advocate for school safety programs. This is about ensuring that every student, in every school, in every neighborhood, has the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are safe.”
Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan offered his support as well, stating, “As Sheriff of Maricopa County, I strongly support Superintendent Horne’s efforts to fully fund our school safety program to ensure all schools have these resources to protect our kids. There is no greater responsibility for society than to do everything possible to keep children safe, especially in a place of learning and growing. To that end, we currently have dozens of MCSO deputies participating in this program, and additional funding will allow us to expand our services.”
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 | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Richie Taylor, Communications Director for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, was called out on social media earlier this week. The Democrat staffer allegedly launched “vicious ad hominem attacks” against Jenny Clark, founder of Love Your School, a nonprofit that advocates for parental rights, school choice, and resources for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) and special education students.
Clark sat on the State Board of Education, appointed by former Gov. Doug Ducey in 2022, as a public member known for her advocacy for ESAs and School Tuition Organizations (STOs), and for vocally opposing Governor Katie Hobbs on both topics. She was ousted from the role by Hobbs in March after her term expired.
Following an August 27th segment on KTAR’s Outspoken, which featured Clark, AZGOP Chairwoman Gina Swoboda, and KTAR Legal Analyst Barry Markson, a terse exchange between Taylor and Clark began.
The disagreement appeared to arise when Taylor referred to Clark as a “grifter” and put her name in quotation marks, which led Clark to point out Taylor’s collaboration with her during his time as Communications Director for the Arizona Department of Education. She wrote, “Why is my name in quotes, Richie! How weird! Remember when you were at the AZ Dept. of Ed. and we partnered to get flyers out about the ESA program in 2021? Here’s a screenshot for reference! Feel free to keep attacking the Arizona ESA program – right into 2026, please!”
The exchange escalated with Taylor posting, “lol indeed. You caught me acting in good faith. Wow impressive. Again, you had a dem superintendent wanting to work with you and you f***ed it over at every turn because it would have ruined your grift.”
In response, Clark shared the post and asked: “Why is the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes posting in my X account, totally unprovoked, and cussing me out? We have had cordial exchanges before when he was at ADE and I worked to get flyers out for them on ESAs (which I shared in screenshots). Inappropriate and odd.”
Responding to another now-deleted post, she asked, “Why is the Head of Communications for an elected Attorney General @AZAGMayes personally attacking a working mom, who started a non-profit on school choice, and is helping families? I mean, is this the type of class and leadership we have come to expect from democrats? Odd!”
She replied to the post, writing, “It’s such an abrupt and unprofessional personal attack. I’m not sure what prompted it! I’ve never had issues with @richietaylor before, all of a sudden today they’re attacking me personally on my X threads. It’s actually very concerning, on a few different privacy levels, too.”
Taylor then doubled down replying “Cry more and get used to it.”
In the most recent post in the social media clash, Clark shared a screenshot of the now-deleted post in which Taylor allegedly wrote to her, “lol. You make so much money off the program and you know it[.] Why don’t you tell people how much? And you also know you torpedoed any real reform because you were trying to get your preferred vendor the contract to manage it.”
According to ProPublica, citing public tax records, Clark drew a salary of $102,000 in her role as Executive Director of Love Your School. No public record of her applying for “preferred vendor status” was found in the State Board of Education’s available online records.
In her post, Clark wrote, “Update: the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes, @richietaylor- has deleted posts against me which were extremely aggressive, untrue, unprovoked and vicious ad hominem attacks. I make policy arguments supported by available facts, they prefer to personally attack people.”
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 | Sep 5, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) has joined with colleagues from seven western states to reconstitute the Colorado River Caucus, which he will co-chair with Democrat Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado.
As Arizona is heavily dependent on water flowing from the Colorado River, with 2.85 million acre-feet allocated to the state annually, the state’s political representation in decisions that govern the river has always been critical.
Initially launched as a bipartisan effort by members of the 118th Congress in 2023, the 12-member Colorado River Caucus includes representation from Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado.
“The Colorado River is the beating heart of the American Southwest,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “Millions of people in Arizona and six other states depend on it as a source of water for our homes and businesses, our farms and ranches – our way of life. The Colorado River Caucus will help us understand and manage this precious resource as we deal with the impacts of a record-breaking drought that has lasted more than two decades. Collaboration is key and that’s the goal of this bipartisan caucus.”
In May 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and the Colorado River Lower Basin States agreed to a new plan under the Biden administration “to conserve 3 million acre-feet over the next three years to protect the Colorado River system.”
However, in March of this year, Common Sense Institute (CSI) Arizona released a report that pointed to gaps in “infrastructure and ingenuity,” rather than supply scarcity as the state’s greatest water resource issue. CSI advised at the time, “If Arizona opts to address its water future by ending growth and limiting development, rather than investing in infrastructure and addressing water policies, the Grand Canyon state faces the potential of billions in lost economic activity and thousands of new jobs.“
The release from Ciscomani indicated that the Caucus will task itself with advocating for a seven-state solution that incorporates efficient conservation measures to preserve water rights across the board.
Secretary Karen Cesare of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD), representing Pima County, said in a statement, “The Colorado River has been and continues to be one of the most vital issues for the State of Arizona. Since the days of Senator Carl Hayden and Representative John Rhodes, our state has always had leaders in Congress that work on this important issue. I am very happy that Representative Ciscomani is returning as co-chair of the Colorado River Caucus and is continuing this legacy of leadership.”
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 | Sep 5, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Grand Canyon University announced projections for record-breaking student enrollment for the 2025-26 academic year with as many as 133,000 Antelopes or ‘Lopes’ as they’re called, donning the Christian university’s signature purple and black. The new year enrollment represents an increase of approximately 8% over the fall 2024-25 enrollment figure. The increase isn’t limited to online students either, with the university seeing a ten percent increase in new students attending in-person instruction at the North Phoenix campus.
Specifically, the total projected enrollment of GCU for 2025 is 133,000 or more. On-campus enrollment is projected to be approximately 25,000, while online enrollment is expected to exceed 118,000.
In a press release, GCU President Brian Mueller attributed the uptick to the university’s “three core strengths,” citing “high-quality academics, taught from a Christian worldview perspective, a longstanding commitment to affordability, and a vibrant Christ-centered campus culture.”
“There is no shortage of families looking for high-quality, affordable education options rooted in Christian values,” Mueller said. “And they come from every corner of the country.”
In a press release, the GCU emphasized its policy of a tuition freeze for in-person students for the past 17 years, with “only nominal increases in online tuition.”
Mueller also explained, “If I ask students on our ground campus why they chose GCU, 9 out of 10 will say it is because of the community atmosphere on campus It’s what we’re known for, and faith plays a big part in creating that culture.”
Fresh off setting a record in April 2025 for its largest graduating class to date, GCU issued the release corresponding with the university’s ‘Welcome Week,’ describing the festivities as “a spirited tradition that includes more than 105 events organized by Welcome Programs staff alongside more than 500 Welcome Crew and Student Affairs volunteers. Activities range from student orientations, daily socials and nightly events such as Canyon Cooldown, Silent Disco and the inspirational Ignite worship ceremony, which sets the tone spiritually for the school year.”
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 | Sep 4, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On Saturday, in a video recorded at the ICE Eloy Detention Center, Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ03) again falsely described the illegal aliens held there as her “constituents.”
In the political spectacle, a repeat of Ansari’s controversial visit in July, the congresswoman accused the facility of holding her “constituents, who are trapped inside,” claiming there is “dehumanizing, racist, unacceptable treatment happening inside the Eloy Detention Center that is run by a private company called Core Civic.”
Ansari cited the ongoing case of a foreign national known as ‘Yari,’ identified by ABC15 as Arbella Rodríguez Márquez. Yari is a U.S resident whose green card was revoked after being denied parole on human smuggling charges in July and suffers from Leukemia.
Ansari claimed that Rodríguez Márquez has not received “proper medical treatment,” however, these allegations have been repeatedly refuted by the Department of Homeland Security DHS. Assistant Secretary of the DHS Tricia McLaughlin stated in a post to X:
In her remarks, Ansari said that “the accusations against [Rodríguez Márquez] are egregious,” and that she “was a green-card holder.” But she continues to refer to the foreign national as a “constituent,” despite a statement from a DHS spokesman in July that firmly rejects Ansari’s allegations and Rodríguez Márquez’s misrepresented status as the congresswoman’s “constituent.”
After Ansari claimed that she was denied access to the Eloy Detention Center in July, a DHS spokesman told 12News:
“Allegations that Congresswoman Ansari was denied access to the Eloy Detention Facility are FALSE. After being told that Ansari would be unable to speak with detainees—illegal aliens, not constituents—she did not even show up or have the courtesy to send a cancellation notice to ICE.
“While ICE law enforcement officers face an 830% increase in assaults against them, Congresswoman Ansari is has demonized ICE law enforcement in the past—calling them a ‘military force hell bent on terrorizing immigrant communities.’
“Any claim that there are subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are FALSE. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers. Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE. ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.”
As a legal resident in the United States and not a citizen, even before the revocation of her residency, Rodríguez Márquez was unable to vote in U.S. federal elections legally. Following the revocation of her residency, her legal status reverted to that of a foreign national in the U.S. illegally or an illegal alien and a detainee.
Libs of TikTok observed the discrepancy in a post to X writing, “Rep Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) says she has ‘many constituents’ who are in ICE detention facilities[.] Why do you have ‘constituents’ who are in our country illegally @RepYassAnsari?? Does @RepYassAnsari care this much about her actual constituents who are American citizens?”
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.
