by Matthew Holloway | Aug 19, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Following a post on X mourning the reported buyouts of Arizona Republic writers and reporters, Arizona Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes received a harsh rebuke for her participation in a 2000 stock trading scandal. Mayes acknowledged being a party in a 2003 article after resigning from the newspaper.
In her August 13th post, Mayes wrote, “The buyouts at the Arizona Republic are devastating. Losing legendary reporters like @maryjpitzl means less accountability and less transparency for the public. And it’s bad news for democracy. As a former Republic reporter it breaks my heart to see the state of the paper today.“
Brian Anderson, Founder of the Saguaro Group and Arizona Capitol Oversight, quoted the post from Mayes the following day. His post included a newspaper clipping dating to the 2003 Arizona Republic story that revealed Mayes’ participation in purchasing stock from Central Newspapers Inc. (CNI) shortly before the sale of the Arizona Republic to Gannett Co., Inc.. The stock trade netted the then-beat reporter approximately $5,000, according to Mayes.
Anderson wrote, “When @KrisMayes was a ‘journo’ at @azcentral, she was investigated for insider trading and then suddenly resigned.”
According to a 2022 article in the Republic, when the scandal came to light again in Mayes’ campaign for the AG Office, the Democrat defended the purchase of CNI stock. No charges against Mayes or the other nine members of the Republic newsroom were brought at the time.
However, as the Republic noted, a letter to readers in the newspaper in 2000 from then-Executive Editor Pam Johnson announced the scandal, informing readers that 10 of its “newsroom staff” were flagged by the company after purchasing CNI stock through their 401(k) accounts.
Johnson, who passed away at the age of 74 in 2021, openly chided her staffers, including Mayes, for violating the Republic’s ethics policy. She wrote, “Republic journalists should never attempt to gain from information the general public does not have access to.”
She told readers:
“In this case, we investigated all of those involved and concluded that no one had what securities regulators would consider ‘insider information.’ That is to say, they had no concrete evidence that the company was going to be put up for sale. And therefore, there were no legal implications. They acted on gossip. Still, they heard or saw things that the general public couldn’t.”
“Many of our staff members heard or saw those same things and did not act. As one said: ‘I didn’t know if it was illegal, but I knew it wasn’t right.’ We agree,” she added.
According to AZCentral, the punishments handed down in the incident included suspensions without pay for four supervisors and formal letters placed in the personnel files of six reporters, including Mayes. The Attorney General has maintained that her subsequent resignation was planned in advance so that she could attend law school.
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 Ethan Faverino | Aug 18, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) marks the most transformative overhaul of federal tax policy since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
The OBBBA locks in the TCJA’s individual tax provisions, avoiding a tax increase for approximately 62% of tax filers in 2026, according to the Tax Foundation.
The group’s recent analysis also shows that the law will reduce federal taxes for individual taxpayers in every state, with an average national tax cut of $3,752 per taxpayer in 2026.
The economic impact is equally as big, with 938,000 new full-time equivalent jobs created over the long term, including 132,000 in California, 81,000 in Texas, and down to 1,800 in Vermont.
In Arizona, the Tax Foundation says that the OBBBA will deliver an average tax cut of $3,521 per taxpayer in 2026, providing relief to families and individuals across the state.
Maricopa County will see an average tax cut of $4,049 per taxpayer in 2026, driven by key provisions like:
- Income Tax Rate Cuts and Bracket Changes: $1,613 in savings per taxpayer.
- Standard Deduction Expansion: $821 in savings
- Child Tax Credit Expansion: $630 in savings
- Tip and Overtime Deductions: $50 and $229 in savings
- Business Provisions: $1,321 in savings
Other counties in the state will see major tax cuts in 2026, including Coconino County, with $3,096, Yavapai County, with $3,066, Greenlee County, with $3,011, Pima County, with $2,781, and Pinal County, with $2,553.
The Tax Foundation also projects that Arizona will gain approximately 18,014 full-time equivalent jobs in the long run, boosting local economies and supporting communities across the state.
OBBBA’s long-term outlook remains strong, with average tax cuts projected to dip to $2,505 in 2030 due to the expiration of temporary provisions like the tip and overtime deductions, before rising to $3,301 by 2035 as inflation enhances the value of permanent cuts.
Arizona’s business-friendly provisions, such as permanent 100% bonus depreciation and research and development (R&D) expense, will continue to drive investment and job creation.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Aug 18, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Pittsburgh-based autonomous trucking company Aurora Innovation Inc. has officially opened a terminal in Phoenix, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to expand its commercial footprint beyond Texas.
The newly operational site supports driverless freight runs, including nighttime operations, and is part of Aurora’s strategy to scale its autonomous vehicle network across the southwestern United States. The company confirmed that the Phoenix terminal opened in June and is already servicing commercial routes for two of its key partners: Hirschbach Motor Lines and Werner Enterprises.
This development follows Aurora’s earlier announcement, reported last fall, that it would extend its existing autonomous freight corridor — which previously connected Fort Worth and El Paso — to include Phoenix. The move marks Aurora’s first expansion outside of Texas and signals growing confidence in its driverless trucking technology.
While Aurora declined to provide the terminal’s exact location, a company spokesperson said it is situated a few miles from the Loop 202 and Interstate 10 interchange in Phoenix — a strategic logistics hub for commercial transport. Details on staffing at the terminal, including how many employees are currently working on site or whether they are permanently based in Arizona, were not disclosed.
The expansion comes as Aurora and its competitors in the self-driving freight sector race to commercialize their technology at scale. With rising demand for long-haul freight solutions and persistent driver shortages, autonomous trucking is increasingly being positioned as a critical innovation in the logistics industry.
Aurora has not yet announced additional expansion locations, but its continued growth outside of Texas suggests a broader national rollout may be on the horizon.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Aug 17, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The case of a Chinese illegal-immigrant-turned-Peoria restaurateur, Lai Kuen “Kelly” Yu, is raising questions among the Republican Party grassroots.
Yu was arrested on May 28th by ICE agents, and her pending deportation back to China has caused what many see as an inexplicable alignment of Democrat politicians, one Republican leader, and the avowedly anti-Trump group ‘Northwest Valley Indivisible.’
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, laid out plainly in a written statement to AZCentral that Yu, who was reportedly trafficked into the U.S. illegally in 2004, has exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the country. “Lai Kuen Yu, an illegal alien from Hong Kong, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona on February 4, 2004, and two days later was released into the country. She exhausted all her due process and appeals. She has no legal pathways to remain in the U.S.”
Lisa Everett, Republican chair of Legislative District 29, told The Center Square in an interview this week contrary to court records, “Kelly is a woman who came to the United States when she was 18 years old, 21 years old at the time. She was pregnant, fled China due to the one-child policy, and when she arrived, she immediately applied for asylum.”
“She sponsors the high school softball team. She helps with fundraisers for the fire and police department. She has no criminal record, and she does in fact pay her taxes, the business as well as her personal because there are forms you can use to do that,” claimed Everett. “She was scooped up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while she was at an immigration meeting that she had to go to because she is married now, and she’s trying to use being married to an American to become a citizen.”
Everett has teamed up with Brent Peak, co-chair of radical leftist activist group Northwest Valley Indivisible, which has rallied with the socialist Working Families Party and aggressively targeted the GOP’s top priority ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, and his supporters.
As recently as April, Everett, her LD29 team, and supporters from Legislative District 28 were out counterprotesting against Indivisible’s anti-Trump demonstrations on an almost daily basis for nearly two weeks.
The stunning about-face has made significant waves among West Valley Republicans. One commenter on a post by the Maricopa County Republican Committee asked, “Why is she still in position of the Republican chair?”
Another commenter observed, “We’re seeing a growing problem of white progressive women rebranding themselves as ‘conservatives’ just long enough to slide onto Republican tickets. They talk a good game on vague GOP talking points, but when it comes to the hard issues — border security, law and order, the culture war — they fold right back into Democrat-lite positions. This is how the Uniparty works: infiltrate, dilute, and derail. If we don’t vet candidates for values instead of just labels, we’ll keep getting wolves in MAGA clothing.”
Alongside Everett and Brent, prominent Democrats, including Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, and Congressman Greg Stanton, have also weighed in on the matter to support Yu. However, the story of Yu’s illegal entry into the U.S. is not entirely clear-cut, and many unanswered questions remain.
According to Yu’s husband, Aldo Urquiza, per AZ Central, she immigrated to the United States illegally via Mexico through a human smuggler. She was reportedly pregnant and fled China due to the CCP’s one-child policy. Initially, she sought legal asylum in the U.S. in 2004 and was released. According to U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, a federal immigration judge issued a removal order in 2005, as reported by Fox 10. This order went through various appeals until Yu was denied asylum by the Ninth Circuit Court in 2016. However, according to the August 2016 unanimous ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Yu’s request for asylum did not rest on China’s One Child Policy but rather her seeking protection “from her father,” and from “persecution based on discrimination against her as an unwed mother.”
The court found:
Lai Kuen Yu, a native and citizen of China, petitions pro se for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing her appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying her application for asylum and withholding of removal. We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings, Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir. 2006), and we deny the petition for review.
Even if not barred from asylum based on firm resettlement, substantial evidence supports the BIA’s determination that Yu did not demonstrate that she suffered harm rising to the level of persecution in Hong Kong or China. See Nagoulko v. 1NS, 333 F.3d 1012, 1016 (9th Cir. 2003) (persecution is “an extreme concept that does not include every sort of treatment our society regards as offensive”).
Substantial evidence also supports the BIA’s determinations that Yu failed to demonstrate the government would be unwilling or unable to protect her from her father, see Rahimzadeh v. Holder, 613 F.3d 916, 920 (9th Cir. 2010) (applicant bears the burden of establishing that abuse was committed by the government or an agent the government is unwilling or unable to control), and that Yu failed to establish a well-founded fear of persecution based on discrimination against her as an unwed mother, see Nagoulko, 333 F.3d at 1016-17 (being “teased, bothered, discriminated against and harassed” did not compel a finding of persecution); Fisher v. INS, 79 F.3d 955, 962 (9th Cir. 1996) (en banc) (persecution does not include “mere discrimination, as offensive as it may be”). Thus, Yu’s asylum claim fails.
Because Yu failed to establish eligibility for asylum, she necessarily cannot meet the more stringent standard for withholding of removal.
McLaughlin told The Center Square in an email, “On November 14, 2013, the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed her appeal and upheld her final order of removal. On August 23, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied her appeal. On June 12, the Board of Immigration Appeals granted her a temporary stay of removal while they consider her motion to reopen. She will remain in ICE custody pending her removal proceedings.”
While Yu is lauded by her supporters for her civic contributions to her community, critics question how her minor generosity absolves her of illegally overstaying in the U.S. for 21 years.
“Why are so many Democrats and even at least one Republican lining up to take up her case when Yu’s deportation was initiated under the Biden Administration after being adjudicated under the Obama Administration,” questioned one Republican activist.
Yu married her husband Aldo Urquiza in 2025, and according to Everett, is “trying to use being married to an American to become a citizen,” raising the question whether this attempt, if true, places Yu at risk of prosecution under 8 U.S.C. § 1325 and 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a).
According to a source on Capitol Hill, several members of Congress have inquired as to the status of the case and the implications suggest that, short of direct intervention from President Trump, Yu’s deportation order is likely to stand.
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 Jonathan Eberle | Aug 17, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Main Street confidence ticked upward in July, with the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rising 1.7 points to 100.3, edging above its long-term average for the first time in months. The lift was driven largely by more owners reporting better business conditions and viewing it as a good time to expand.
The latest figures, however, paint a mixed picture. While sentiment improved, NFIB’s Uncertainty Index climbed eight points to 97, and labor quality has re-emerged as the top challenge, cited by 21% of owners, the highest share since early spring.
Survey results show growing confidence in day-to-day operations. Thirteen percent of owners rated their business health as “excellent,” up five points from June, and 52% said it was “good,” up three points. Reports of “fair” or “poor” conditions declined. Owners’ outlook on the economy also improved: the net share expecting better business conditions jumped 14 points to 36%, well above historical norms. Sixteen percent said it is a good time to expand, up from 11% last month.
Even with the improved outlook, sales remain a point of concern. Eleven percent named poor sales as their most pressing problem — the highest since February 2021. Inflation worries held steady at 11%, the lowest level since September 2021, though 28% plan to raise prices in the months ahead, a sign that cost pressures persist.
Worker shortages remain acute. Thirty-three percent of owners reported job openings they could not fill, the lowest since December 2020 but still well above average. Of those hiring, 84% said they had few or no qualified applicants. Plans to boost pay are cooling: 27% reported raising compensation in July, down six points, and 17% plan to do so in the next three months. Labor costs were named the top concern by 9% of respondents.
Capital investment showed modest improvement. Fifty-five percent of owners reported spending in the past six months, with the largest share buying new equipment. Still, plans for future capital outlays remain below long-term averages. Borrowing conditions are relatively stable, with only 4% saying their last loan was harder to get. Interest rate concerns remain low, though 25% of owners borrow regularly — a historically small share.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 16, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) has introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives formally recognizing America’s escalating national debt as a direct threat to national security.
As the national debt surpassed $36.2 trillion in January 2025, with the fiscal year 2024 interest expense exceeding $1.13 trillion, Congressman Biggs is urging Congress to confront the growing fiscal crisis head-on.
The resolution highlights the severity of the debt crisis, noting that the total public debt reached 120.87% of GDP in January 2025, equating to $104,780 per citizen and $323,045 per taxpayer.
It points to the federal government failing to produce a balanced budget since 1997, with the fiscal year 2024 resulting in a $1.86 trillion deficit due to federal outlays of $6.94 trillion.
The resolution warns that continued reliance on raising the debt ceiling and bypassing regular order in the appropriations process undermines fiscal responsibility and congressional oversight.
The resolution also references warnings from former national security leaders, including Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen, who have all emphasized the national debt’s threat to military and economic security.
Congressman Biggs, who has introduced this resolution in previous Congresses, remains steadfast in advocating for fiscal discipline. He has also proposed a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to enforce long-term fiscal responsibility.
“The federal government’s wasteful spending spree is unsustainable and is inching us ever closer to a fiscal cliff,” said Biggs. “Our reckless spending habits will enable our adversaries to surpass us on the global stage and constrain our ability to defend our nation in the face of attack. It is past time for Congress to be serious about balancing the nation’s budget and making significant cuts to federal spending, lest we pin a $70 trillion debt on our children and grandchildren’s shoulders. Relying on continuing resolutions year after year is lazy legislating. Raising the debt ceiling every year is a cop out. American voters elected us to enact President Trump’s America First priorities through responsible budgeting, not to maintain the status quo. My resolution acknowledges that Washington has a spending problem and calls to restore regular order to the appropriations process.”
Congressman Biggs’ resolution and amendment are backed by cosponsors across the country, including Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep Daniel Webster (R-FL), Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), and Rep. Keith Self (R-TX).
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
