A Maricopa County Superior Court judge has ruled that Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ proposed ballot language for Proposition 145 violates Arizona law, blocking Fontes from using the language on the November ballot.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29) and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), who challenged the ballot language for the proposed constitutional amendment concerning Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) for children of military families.
Montenegro and Petersen alleged that Fontes’ proposed language improperly characterized Proposition 145 by informing voters that approving the measure would also nullify Proposition 212, a separate ballot initiative that would make changes to Arizona’s ESA program.
Petersen and Montenegro sought an injunction preventing Fontes from using the proposed descriptive title and “yes/no” language on the official ballot.
Fontes’ proposed language stated that a “yes” vote would amend the Arizona Constitution to “nullify Proposition 212, which imposes spending and income limits” on ESAs.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David McDowell ruled that the language did not comply with A.R.S. § 19-125(D), which requires ballot descriptions to explain the effect a measure would have on existing law.
“The reference to Proposition 212 in the title and the ‘yes/no’ language is not a reference to existing law,” McDowell wrote in his ruling.
Because Proposition 212 is a proposed initiative that voters will consider in November, rather than an existing law, McDowell determined that Fontes could not include a reference to its potential nullification in the official ballot language for Proposition 145.
The court therefore enjoined the Secretary of State from using the proposed title and “yes/no” language for Proposition 145 on the official ballot.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona will be home to a new facility to combat screwworms following intervention by Republican Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05).
Brooke Rollins, the secretary of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced the new sterile fly dispersal facility at the Douglas Port of Entry last week. The facility will target the burgeoning threat of the New World screwworm, which feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals.
The USDA pledged a $25 million investment toward the new facility as part of preparedness measures to reopen the port to livestock trade later this month. The facility will also benefit from existing investments from Texas, Mexico, and Panama.
Biggs predicted in a press release that the new facility would further improve the already significant decline in New World screwworm cases over the past year.
“Arizona is leading the way in prevention efforts, and I am grateful that this administration answered my call for assistance,” said Biggs. “I know how hard our state’s ranchers and farmers work for America’s economy and supply chain, which is why I’m doing all I can to protect their cattle.”
The USDA and the Arizona Department of Agriculture will determine the location and operational plan for the facility. The USDA estimated that construction of the facility “could be completed in as little as several months.”
According to the USDA, over the last year its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has worked alongside Arizona officials to trap and submit approximately 1,000 flies for testing — none of which were identified as the New World screwworm.
The southern livestock ports are slated for coordinated, phased reopening contingent upon Mexico’s continued adherence to the administration’s Joint Action Plan to combat the New World screwworm. The USDA selected the Douglas Port of Entry as the first to reopen due to the reported strength of livestock in adjacent Sonora, Mexico, and the port’s ability to implement enhanced inspection protocols.
The USDA announced the first confirmed case of New World screwworm in early June. Days afterwards, Biggs led fellow congressmen Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-04) in a letter advising Rollins that Arizona was uniquely positioned to assist USDA response efforts in combatting the burgeoning screwworm threat.
In that letter, the congressmen identified the state’s historic Douglas sterile fly facility site and scientific capabilities within the University of Arizona and the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
“[The site] remains a strategically valuable location for future production capacity and strengthens Arizona’s ability to support national containment efforts,” stated the congressmen. “The state’s border access, transportation networks, livestock expertise, and university-led research efforts position Arizona to complement USDA’s ongoing investments and make our state an essential partner in preventing an outbreak, safeguarding producers, and strengthening long-term regional stability before this pest can take hold on American soil.”
According to Cochise County officials, a city librarian with the Douglas Public Library, Margaret White, uncovered records earlier this year revealing that Cochise County had helped uncover the sterile insect technique that ultimately eradicated the New World screwworm from the 1960s through the 1980s.
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Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) applauded two major announcements he said further solidify Arizona’s position as a national leader in copper production and critical minerals. The announcements include a $1 billion investment in the Ivanhoe Santa Cruz Copper Project near Casa Grande and $180 million in grants to strengthen mining education programs, including at the University of Arizona.
✅$180 MILLION to strengthen mining education, including at @uarizona.
Arizona has the resources, workforce, and expertise to lead America’s mining future 🇺🇸 ⛏️ pic.twitter.com/lDPDKuWmtv
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) August 7, 2026
Arizona is home to some of the world’s largest copper deposits, as well as an abundance of other critical minerals essential to the nation’s energy, manufacturing, defense, and technology sectors.
The University of Arizona is consistently ranked among the nation’s top mining engineering programs and reports a 100% job placement rate for its graduates, helping prepare the workforce needed to meet growing demand for domestic mining and mineral production.
Two Arizona mining and eduction leaders attended the announcements at the White House and praised the investments.
Kray Luxbacher, Executive Director and Head of the School of Mining Engineering & Mineral Resources at the University of Arizona, highlighted the significance of the investment in mining eduction.
“This was a historic investment in American mining engineering schools, and we’re really grateful, said Luxbacher. “I also want to say thank you for what you’ve already done toward accelerating permitting for mining in the United States. It’s really been unbelievable.”
Proud to see Kray Luxbacher representing the University of Arizona's world-class mining program at the White House today!
UofA's leadership in mining education is second to none and today's federal investment in developing the workforce will power America's future. Thank you,… https://t.co/qvLJt1BQar
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) August 7, 2026
Vicky Peacey, President and General Manager of Resolution Copper, also praised the administration’s efforts to revitalize the domestic mining industry.
“Mr. President, you have brought mining back to America, single-handedly,” said Peacey.
Ciscomani called the announcements a landmark investment in Arizona’s mining industry and workforce.
“From a $1 billion investment in the Santa Cruz Copper Project to $180 million to strengthen mining education, including at the University of Arizona, these are major wins for Arizona,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “Arizona is leading America’s effort to produce the critical minerals our economy and national security depend on.”
“These once-in-a-generation investments by President Trump and the administration will create good-paying mining jobs, strengthen our workforce, and train the next generation of miners and engineers right here in Arizona,” added Ciscomani. “I am proud to see Arizona’s local leaders Vicky and Kray at the table. They are leaders in this industry and this is a transformational moment for Arizona and America’s mining future.”
Ciscomani has made strengthening America’s domestic critical materials supply chain a legislative priority.
He championed the Critical Mineral Consistency Act (H.R. 755), legislation designed to align the Department of Energy’s and U.S. Geological Survey’s separate lists of critical minerals and materials, making copper a critical mineral.
The legislation would establish a more consistent federal framework for identifying critical minerals, with the goal of reducing regulatory uncertainty, streamlining permitting, attracting investments, and accelerating domestic mining and processing projects.
For Arizona, the legislation could help facilitate the development of copper projects by ensuring federal agencies use consistent standards when determining which minerals qualify as critical.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Scottsdale City Council candidate Bob Littlefield withdrew from the race this week to avoid splitting votes among candidates seeking to stop the Axon development.
Littlefield, a three-term councilman from 2002 to 2014, dropped out of the race just days after expressing gratitude for winning in the primary. Littlefield expressed a desire to have more votes in the general election go to fellow, likeminded candidates Barry Graham and Michelle Ugenti-Rita — all three have been vocal in their desire to prevent a development effort by Axon Enterprises.
Dear Friends,
Today I made the difficult and personally painful decision to withdraw from the City Council race and return to my position as the Chairman of TAAAZE (Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions). I made this decision based on the results of the recent…
Raoul Zubia, the fourth primary victor, and incumbent Councilwoman Solange Whitehead, have expressed support for the Axon apartment development, though they have lamented the legislative intervention that thwarted a ballot referendum.
Littlefield, Graham, and Ugenti-Rita have opposed Axon, citing concerns with overdevelopment. The trio recently accused the company of engaging in a pay-to-play scheme to sway the council election. They claimed certain Axon executives funneled more than $1 million into cohort-run political action committees (PAC) dedicated to ensuring only development-friendly candidates were elected: Arizonans for a Better Future, and Better Together.
Arizonans for a Better Future has collected more than $1.1 million, which included $500,000 from Axon, $500,000 from Axon CEO Rick Smith, $100,000 from Axon President Josh Isner, and $20,000 from Axon Chief Legal Officer Isaiah Fields.
In June, the PAC gave $225,000 to American Perspective, a Virginia-based PAC, and spent around $30,000 for communications, more than $16,700 for polling and research, and $1,500 for legal services.
Better Together has raised more than $335,000 from National Horizon, a Virginia-based conservative super PAC. Better Together has spent approximately $200,000 to oppose Littlefield, Graham, and Ugenti-Rita, and $62,000 to support Whitehead.
“Bottom line, if Axon defeats the candidates who told them ‘no,’ Axon will never hear ‘no’ from the Scottsdale City Council again,” said Littlefield in June.
Dear Friends,
For 25 years, overdevelopment has been the dominant issue in Scottsdale elections — and the biggest threat to our city’s character and quality of life. Clogged roads, blocked views, higher taxes, and strained infrastructure are its lasting legacy.…
The city council approved a deal with Axon to fast-track its headquarters expansion last November following the company’s legislative intervention against grassroots opposition. Axon executives had initially called it quits on the city last summer after declining to break ground on its new headquarters early last year.
A ballot referendum led by Littlefield, Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAZE), had gained enough signatures to appear on the ballot and allow voters to decide on the rezoning.
TAAZE emerged following a lame-duck city council agreement in 2024. The group had accused Axon of paying petition blockers to prevent Scottsdale residents from signing petitions to put Axon’s apartment development to a vote on the November 2026 ballot.
TAAZE raised 26,000 signatures and was poised to put the fate of the development to a vote.
Axon Referendum Update: I am happy to report our effort to collect the necessary signatures to refer the massive Axon apartment complex to the ballot is ahead of schedule. This in spite Axon's efforts to undermine our petition drive by deploying blockers to harass our petition… pic.twitter.com/opxb1Qaec6
However, in the months following the petition signature dropoff, Axon successfully lobbied the legislature to pass a bill preventing certain municipalities from allowing residents to decide land zoning measures pertaining to hoteling and housing. Gov. Katie Hobbs signed that bill into law in April 2025.
In May, the Maricopa County Superior Court ruled the law to be constitutional.
Littlefield promised to continue to fight the Axon apartment development from outside the council.
Turning Point COO Tyler Bowyer commended Littlefield for withdrawing.
“Huge props to Bob Littlefield for putting Scottsdale ahead of himself, which he has always done,” said Bowyer.
True! 🇺🇸
Huge props to Bob Littlefield for putting Scottsdale ahead of himself, which he has always done
Ugenti-Rita commended Littlefield’s decision as “sacrifice” and an exemplar of leadership.
“For decades, Bob has been one of this city’s fiercest and most principled advocates, always willing to stand up to special interests and fight for the residents of Scottsdale, no matter the personal or political cost,” said Ugenti-Rita
I want to honor Bob Littlefield for his extraordinary service to #Scottsdale. For decades, Bob has been one of this city’s fiercest and most principled advocates, always willing to stand up to special interests and fight for the residents of Scottsdale, no matter the personal or… https://t.co/jpvAHbL8eE
— Michelle Ugenti-Rita (MUR) (@MichelleUgenti) August 5, 2026
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The city of Surprise now has a webpage to monitor the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility planned for their area.
The page offers a chronicled outline of the actions undertaken by the city and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the current knowns, unknowns, and courses of action the city may take.
Last month, DHS and ICE entered into an agreement with Attorney General Kris Mayes to pause the conversion of a purchased West Sweetwater Avenue warehouse into a detention facility pending an environmental review in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Mayes sued to halt the property conversion in April.
ICE had originally estimated its initial intakes to occur around the end of May.
According to the DHS-Mayes agreement, DHS failed to engage in a proper environmental review. That concession by the federal government appears to conflict with earlier communications DHS had provided to city officials following a March meeting in Washington, D.C.
In those communications, DHS reported that ICE had completed a NEPA analysis in addition to a site history assessment, existing facility condition report, environmental due diligence audit, engineering assessments, and site feasibility assessments.
DHS had initially told Surprise that its warehouse conversion would have a negligible environmental impact and was therefore in compliance with NEPA.
“ICE processing centers share key operational and physical characteristics with industrial facilities, including a similar footprint and traffic patterns. Zoning conformity reports were conducted for all sites,” stated the DHS response. “Based on this analysis, DHS determined that the facility’s functional use remains consistent with the industrial use category and that the acquisition and modification do not introduce significant new environmental impact.”
City of Surprise officials stated that they weren’t made aware of the detention facility prior to the purchase of the warehouse for about $70 million in late January. The Surprise warehouse was one of multiple warehouse purchases across several states for similar conversion plans totaling more than $1 billion.
Mayor Kevin Sartor asked then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in a February letter for more information about the planned detention facility and its potential impacts on the community. DHS staff met with Sartor and other Surprise officials the following month, and provided a four-page response with information on the planned facility.
According to those communications, the facility would contain 500 to 1,500 beds for the temporary intake and transfer of illegal aliens undergoing removal proceedings. DHS estimated that those aliens would remain in the facility for a week or less, and then they would be removed to a larger detention center.
It is unclear when, if ever, the Surprise detention facility will become operational.
After Markwayne Mullin succeeded Noem as secretary of DHS in March, the fate of the Surprise facility and others grew murky. Mullin expressed skepticism of Noem’s approach to immigration enforcement proceedings. The new secretary told The New York Times that he would like “lightning speed” deportations using existing detention space, not additional processing pathways at the expense of taxpayers.
DHS advised in court proceedings earlier this summer that it would offload or sell off seven of the warehouses purchased for more than $700 million collectively, though the Surprise warehouse wasn’t named among them.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
U.S. Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) spent the last week of July traveling across Arizona’s Second Congressional District, meeting with constituents, educators, ranchers, business leaders, and local officials while highlighting legislative priorities ranging from agriculture and energy to education and public lands.
The weeklong tour included stops in Douglas, Show Low, Holbrook, Williams, Camp Verde, and other communities where Crane promoted recent federal investments, discussed ongoing policy initiatives, and gathered feedback from residents on issues affecting rural Arizona.
One of the week’s most significant announcements came Wednesday, July 29 in Douglas, where Crane joined fellow Republican Representatives Andy Biggs (AZ-05) and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) alongside Secretary Brooke Rollins as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled a $25 million investment to construct a new sterile fly production facility in Douglas.
The project is intended to strengthen the nation’s defenses against the New World screwworm, a destructive livestock pest that has prompted growing concern among ranchers across the Southwest.
The announcement followed a letter signed by Crane, Biggs, and Ciscomani along with Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ01) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ09), urging the USDA to modernize the Douglas facility to improve the nation’s long-term response capabilities.
Following the announcement, the congressmen toured livestock inspection facilities at the Douglas Port of Entry, which is scheduled to re-open to livestock trade on August 24th after preparations aimed at safeguarding American agriculture.
Crane later traveled to Show Low, where he visited Linden Valley Arena, a well known destination within Arizona’s roping community that has been owned and operated by the Perkins family since 2010.
The following morning, Crane addressed teachers and staff with the Show Low Unified School District ahead of the upcoming school year, sharing lessons on leadership and teamwork drawn from his experience as a Navy SEAL and small business owners.
He also thanked educators for their commitment to students while highlighting what he described as a recent legislative victory for rural schools.
Last year, Crane helped build congressional support for a three-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program, legislation that was ultimately signed into law and continues funding for education and essential county services in communities located near national forests throughout Arizona’s Second Congressional District.
After leaving Show Low, Crane visited Northland Pioneer College in Holbrook, where he met with administrators to discuss the college’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program.
The visit coincided with the Trump administration’s recently announced Freedom Haulers Initiative, a federal effort designed to expand career opportunities for veterans entering the trucking industry.
Crane praised the initiative while recognizing the college’s work to strengthen workforce development through its CDL program.
Later that day, Crane met with the Murph family at H Bar and Y Ranch in Holbrook. The Murph family, whose cattle operation pre-dates Arizona statehood, faces uncertainty over long-held Arizona State Land Department grazing leases because of a proposed solar development by a foreign company.
Crane said he has been working behind the scenes to help resolve the dispute. The meeting also followed last month’s signing of a memorandum of understanding between the USDA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) establishing cooperation between the USDA Lawfare Portal and the SBA’s Office of National Ombudsman.
The agreement is intended to ensure complaints from farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers alleging legal harassment are investigated and resolved.
According to the USDA, the Lawfare Portal has received more than 400 complaints from 47 states over the past two years.
Crane also toured the Cholla Power Plant, which stopped burning coal in March 2025 after more than six decades of operation. Arizona Public Service is pursuing plans to convert the facility to natural gas, a transition expected to generate approximately 380 megawatts of capacity while preserving jobs and maintaining reliable power generation for the region.
On Saturday, August 1, Crane attended the annual Coconino County Farm Bureau and Cattle Growers Association banquet in Williams, where he updated attendees on several legislative priorities pending before Congress.
Among the measures discussed was the House-passed Farm Bill which includes Buy American requirements for school meal programs, increased reporting requirements for agricultural land purchases by foreign adversaries, and strengthened farm credit and crop insurance programs.
Crane also highlighted his amendment intended to accelerate recovery efforts following the White Sage Fire, while noting his support for proposals removing pesticide liability protections and ensuring compensation for livestock losses caused by Mexican wolves.
The measures seek to improve forest management through expanded technology and reduced litigation while accelerating reconstruction efforts at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim following the Dragon Bravo Fire. Both bills have passed the House but remain pending in the Senate.
The congressman’s final stop took him to Camp Verde, where he met with ranchers to discuss ongoing concerns involving the U.S. Forest Service.
Crane said he is developing legislation aimed at simplifying fence repairs following natural disasters while also addressing what he characterized as abuses of the Equal Access to Justice Act.
The district also received additional federal infrastructure support during the week as the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded more than $5 million in airport improvement grants throughout Arizona’s Second Congressional District.
The funding Includes:
Bagdad: $90,389 for design work to expand terminal parking.
Chinle: $339,000 to reconstruct aircraft apron pavement.
Cottonwood: $536,876 to reconstruct portions of Taxiway A.
Page: $679.031 for design of a new aircraft rescue and firefighting facility.
Springerville: $443,000 to construct a new taxilane serving future hanger development.
Prescott: $2.97 million to construct a new aircraft storage hanger designed to improve airport self-sufficiency.
ICYMI – The @USDOT awarded more than $5 million to improve airport infrastructure in #AZ02.
The latest awards follow additional federal grants announced last month totaling approximately $10 million for improvements at Polacca Airport and Coolidge Municipal Airport.
Reflecting on the week’s events, Crane emphasized the importance of maintaining close ties with constituents while Congress remains out of session.
“Last week, I had the privilege of visiting with constituents, industry leaders, and remarkable institutions within Arizona’s Second Congressional District,” said Rep. Crane. “While there is much work to be done in Washington, D.C., it’s refreshing to get back home and meet face to face with the people I’m honored to represent. I look forward to building on these relationships and delivering principled and effective solutions for all Arizonans.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
