According to a new report from Mixbook, the Christmas light displays of three Arizona cities have been voted among the most popular in the nation. The three cities enjoying the honor are Lake Havasu City, Prescott, and Glendale.
Christmas displays from New York, California, and Hawaii dominated the top ten in the survey, which covered 3,000 families nationwide. Arizona’s three cities ranked 53rd, 110th, and 119th respectively.
Lake Havasu City’s 29th Annual Festival of Lights will see over 500,000 lights set aglow the beautiful London Bridge over the Bridgewater Channel. The city’s website states that families can stroll the walkway beneath the British 19th-century stone-arched bridge, which dates to 1831 and spanned the Thames River for 136 years. Boaters can also enjoy the spectacle from on the water.
This isn't just another light display –– this is the 29th Annual Festival of Lights with over a half-million of these little beauties illuminating the Bridgwater Channel all season long! Join us for a holiday experience you won’t soon forget! #golakehavasu#letsdohavasupic.twitter.com/sJH2CVEuoj
With Prescott designated as Arizona’s Christmas City by Governor Rose Mofford in 1989, the territorial capital has become a nexus for Christmas celebrations both before and after the lighting ceremony. Events run all the way up to a fireworks spectacular on December 31st at 7 p.m. According to Mixbook, “The Courthouse Plaza, adorned with a million lights, becomes the heart of this nostalgic Christmas experience.”
Wishing you an enchanting holiday from Arizona's official Christmas City. 🎄✨
In the Valley of the Sun, Glendale Glitters is “an exquisite arrangement of lights, complimented by beautiful interactive features and picture-perfect holiday displays,” according to the city’s website. Although the kickoff and parade have come and gone, the beautiful lights will remain on display until January 1st from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The city encourages folks to enjoy some local holiday shopping and treats as they stroll through Downtown Glendale, taking in the magical lights and features.
We're having ourselves a merry little Christmas in Glendale! 🎄✨ What a sparkling start to #GlendaleGlitters! 🎅❤️🎉 Thank you to everyone that came out to celebrate. Come soak in the magic and make memories — the glow lasts until the New Year! 🎄💫 #GlendaleAZpic.twitter.com/2mwSXyjUUN
— Glendale, Arizona Economic Development (@GrowGlendale) December 16, 2024
A spokesman for Mixbook said in a statement, “As the holiday season approaches, these incredible light displays remind us of the magic that comes from bringing communities together. Whether it’s a neighborhood effort, a citywide festival, or a creative masterpiece, these displays capture the spirit of the season and give us all a reason to celebrate.”
According to a recent letter from the Goldwater Institute, Governor Katie Hobbs’ administration has imposed a regime of regulation that has ground the development of new home construction in the fast-growing areas of Maricopa County to a halt. Now, the organization is challenging the validity of the newly established rules.
A press release this week from Goldwater stated that the action conducted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), which lacks the approval of the Arizona legislature or a formal regulatory approval process, is “driving up housing costs for all Arizonans and threatens to stifle economic growth in our state.”
Goldwater went on to characterize the ADWR’s move as “one of the most significant bureaucratic overreaches in Arizona’s history.” In its letter to the agency, it urged leaders to reverse course.
Bureaucrats under AZ @GovernorHobbs have enacted a rule stopping new home construction in Maricopa County’s fastest-growing, affordable areas.
Jon Riches, Goldwater’s Vice President for Litigation, explained in his letter:
“ADWR has imposed two AMA-Wide rules that have prevented HBACA (Home Builders Association of Central Arizona) members from obtaining Certificates of Assured Water Supply. The first of these invalid rules provides that, if groundwater modeling predicts that a well may not be able to fully satisfy projected demand in any location within the Phoenix AMA Model domain within the next 100 years, then there is no groundwater available throughout the entire model domain (‘AMAWide Unmet Demand Rule’). The second invalid rule provides that if modeling predicts that depth-to-water will exceed 1,000 feet in any location within the Phoenix AMA in the next 100 years, then there is no physical availability of water anywhere within the Phoenix AMA model domain (‘AMA-Wide Depth-to-Water Rule’).”
Goldwater noted that the AMA-Wide Unmet Demand Rule doesn’t exist under Arizona law and was not adopted through the legal rulemaking process. It argued that under previous rulings in Arizona courts, the policies are “rules” and are legally subject to Administrative Procedure Act’s (“APA”) rulemaking process. Specifically, it cites “an agency policy as a rule subject to the Administrative Procedures Act’s rulemaking process as one that ‘is generally applicable, and … implements, interprets or prescribes law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice requirements of an agency.’”
Furthermore, the rule was reportedly created under what Goldwater refers to as a “flawed concept,” the eponymous “unmet demand,” which establishes that if a groundwater shortage is projected by models at any location within a given management area, then zero groundwater across that area will be considered available for any use.
“The model further compounds this issue by arbitrarily placing wells throughout the management area that do not move over the course of 100 years, far in excess of the life expectancy of most wells,” Goldwater writes.
”If water in a hypothetical well is projected to dip below a certain depth in the East Valley, the agency declares a water shortage for developments in entirely unrelated areas like the West Valley.”
In the release, the Goldwater Institute expressed concern that the Hobbs administration took this action unilaterally, effectively defying both the legislative and judicial branches of the Arizona government in what amounts to a massive overreach of her executive authority.
One member of Arizona’s Republican congressional delegation is standing strong for the hopeful Pentagon head under the new presidential administration.
Last week, U.S. Congressman Eli Crane signed a letter in support of Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Department of Defense when the Trump Administration assumes control of the nation on January 20, 2025.
The letter was signed by 32 veterans in the United States Congress and was sent to Majority Leader-elect John Thune and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in the Senate.
In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “[Hegseth’s] ability to communicate across institutional landscapes – with military leadership, congressional representatives, and frontline troops – will set him apart. His media expertise and transparent communication style will be crucial in executing a clear vision that cuts through bureaucratic inertia. As a decorated combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, he offers an authentic understanding of modern warfare. His Harvard and Princeton credentials, combined with battlefield experience, forged a rare intellect aligned with President-elect Trump’s strategic vision, to bridge the gap between the beltway and frontline realities.”
The letter added, “Despite relentless media attempts to undermine Mr. Hegseth’s nomination, we call on the Senate to honor its constitutional duty of advice and consent by conducting a fair, thorough confirmation process that evaluates his nomination solely on its substantive merits – his distinguished military service, academic credentials, and a bold vision for revitalizing our national defense. The integrity of our democratic institutions depends on allowing this critical process to proceed.”
The congressional co-signers concluded their communication with an unequivocal statement of support for Hegseth, noting their confidence that “he will transform President-elect Trump’s vision into reality, safeguarding America’s national security interests with courage, intellect, and unwavering commitment.”
When President-elect Donald J. Trump nominated Hegseth last month to serve as the next Secretary of Defense, he said, “Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down. … Pete has also led two Veterans Advocacy organizations, leading the fight for our Warriors, and our great Veterans. Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our “Peace through Strength” policy.
Hegseth is currently navigating an uphill battle in the U.S. Senate to secure the necessary votes he needs for cabinet confirmation in January with the 119th Congress, which will feature Republican control in the upper chamber.
Crane is finishing up his first term in the United States House of Representatives after being elected to Arizona’s Second Congressional District in November 2022. He is a military veteran of the United States Navy, serving thirteen years, including on SEAL Team 3. Before entering Congress, Crane also operated a small business.
This past November, Congressman Crane sailed to reelection over his Democrat opponent, with almost 55% of the vote. He serves on the Committees on Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Small Businesses. He is also a member of the House Freedom Caucus, Western Caucus, and Copper Caucus.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
On Tuesday, the Arizona Republican Party cast its votes for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
“With a decisive victory, Arizonans delivered a clear mandate: return to common sense, security, prosperity and liberty,” said the Arizona GOP. “God bless America and let the Golden Age begin!”
Today, the @AZGOP and Chair @GinaSwoboda proudly cast their votes for President Trump and J.D. Vance!
With a decisive victory, Arizonans delivered a clear mandate: return to common sense, security, prosperity and liberty.
Trump won Arizona with over 52 percent of the vote (over 1.7 million votes) to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s 46.7 percent (over 1.5 million votes).
As a swing state once again this election, Arizona delivered 11 electoral votes for Republicans. The flip from the 2020 election marked a key victory in an overall decisive comeback for Trump.
The president-elect not only secured but swept all seven battleground states: Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump won 312 electoral votes over the 226 pulled by Harris.
Trump won with a greater margin than Joe Biden did in 2020. In the last presidential election, Biden won 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. Democrats flipped the key swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump matched Trump’s 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton (both securing 306 electoral votes), meaning Trump outdid his 2016 performance in addition to his comeback from his 2020 election loss.
Trump’s victory didn’t translate to flipped congressional seats in Arizona. Incumbents held their seats within their parties. However, Republicans did expand their slim majority in the state legislature.
The open Senate seat vacated by independent Kyrsten Sinema was nabbed by Democratic candidate Ruben Gallego, who emerged victorious with 50 percent of the vote (an 80,600-vote lead) to Republican candidate Kari Lake’s 47 percent.
Lake’s loss didn’t take her out of the political arena, however. Lake secured a spot within Trump’s administration as the director of the federally funded Voice of America (VOA), an entity within the U.S. Agency for Global Media. VOA’s current director is Michael Abramowitz, formerly the president of the DC-based nonprofit Freedom House and longtime reporter with The Washington Post.
Incumbent Democratic Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Greg Stanton defended their seats from Republican challengers. Likewise, incumbent Republican Reps. David Schweikert, Eli Crane, Andy Biggs, Juan Ciscomani, and Paul Gosar defended their seats from Democratic challengers.
Although his seat was hotly contested, Ciscomani fended off a challenge from repeat Democratic candidate Kirsten Engel.
Abe Hamadeh, a Republican, secured the open District 8 seat left by Debbie Lesko. Unlike Lake, Hamadeh successfully navigated the loss of a statewide seat in 2022 to nab a higher seat this year.
In the state legislature, Arizona Republicans flipped a net total of three seats: one in the state senate, and three in the state house (another seat in the house flipped blue). Republicans expanded their majority from 16-14 to 17-13 in the senate and from 31-29 to 33-27 in the house.
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) claimed in a statement on the legislative expansion that Arizona Republicans outperformed Democrats despite leftwing groups having spent over $9 million.
The inauguration is scheduled to take place on Jan. 20, 2025.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The nation may see the benefits of hydropower expansion in Arizona, depending on President Joe Biden’s approval of an Arizona congressman’s bill.
That bill, HR 1607 from Congressman David Schweikert, transfers National Forest System land near the Salt River in Arizona to the Bureau of Reclamation for the purpose of additional hydropower generation within the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project.
In remarks before the House last year, Schweikert explained that pumped storage hydroelectricity supplements energy resources in the state.
“It’s environmentally sound, it actually allows us to take care of something that is somewhat unique for us in the desert southwest, and that is the solar power we produce,” said Schweikert.
Pumped storage hydroelectricity pumps water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir during low energy demand. During high energy demand, the upper reservoir releases downhill into the lower reservoir through hydropower turbines to generate around 10-12 hours of reliable energy.
In a press release, Schweikert said the legislation proved Arizona’s standing as a state leading on energy production and efficiency.
“Once again, Arizona has proven to lead the charge to deliver innovation and make life more efficient for Arizonans at a time when our state’s economy and population continue to explode,” said Schweikert. “The near unanimous support for this legislation proves that America is ready to embrace long-term energy storage technologies to expand the supply of affordable and reliable energy for our communities.”
Schweikert thanked his Democratic colleague, Congressman Greg Stanton, for his assistance in getting the bill passed with bipartisan support.
“I’m incredibly thankful for my friend and colleague, Rep. Stanton, who’s been crucial to this process of embracing innovation, and I’m looking forward to seeing this technology benefit Arizona,” said Schweikert in the press release.
Stanton contributed a statement to Schweikert’s press release, adding that the pumped storage hydroelectric expansion couldn’t come at a better time.
“Not only do pumped storage projects provide greater flexibility and improve reliability in our energy grid, but they also cut utility costs for Arizona families and businesses,” said Stanton. “This critical legislation passed the House with an overwhelming majority last year, and today it’s on its way to becoming law.”
It was a bipartisan coalition of elected leaders that ensured the passage of Schweikert’s bill. Both the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources passed the legislation unanimously.
Schweikert introduced the bill last March. The House passed the bill last November, where it awaited Senate review for over a year. The Senate approved the bill on Tuesday. Arizona Senators Mark Kelly (D) and Kyrsten Sinema (I) introduced companion legislation in March, SB 739, which has advanced to Biden’s desk.
Kelly said in the press release that the expansion would not only strengthen the state’s energy grid but result in lower energy costs for Arizonans.
“Expanding pumped-storage hydropower in Arizona will strengthen our energy grid and lower energy costs for families,” said Kelly. “This is about using technology to make our energy more reliable and affordable.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The Democrat who formerly represented Arizona’s 29th legislative district, Martín Quezada, is now the lawyer for the major Muslim activist group, Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ).
Quezada joined up with the chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy nonprofit over the weekend during their annual banquet. This career move follows his 2022 loss in the race to become Arizona’s treasurer against incumbent Kimberly Yee, and failure to achieve confirmation on a nomination from Governor Katie Hobbs.
From Arizona State Senator…
To running for Arizona State Treasurer…failed.
To nomination for Arizona Registrar of contractors under Hobbs…failed.
Quezada has a long history of sympathizing with Muslim causes.
In 2016, Quezada voted against the state’s first law prohibiting the state from initiating any Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.
In a 2021 speech for CAIR-AZ, Quezada accused the Israel government of being a “Zionist state” enacting terrorism. Quezada also called for President Joe Biden to cease funding to the Israeli military.
“All of those billions of dollars, that is directing military aid that is going to occupation forces that are committing terrorism against the people of Palestine right now,” said Quezada at the time. “This — what we are witnessing — is oppression and occupation in action right now. This is murder in action right now.”
Last year, Quezada failed to be confirmed as the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AROC) director due to his extensive support for the BSD movement. Quezada had purged a number of anti-Israel posts from his timeline in preparation for confirmation, notably one post in which he urged followers to listen to a speech from Michigan Rashida Tlaib demanding the freeing of Palestine.
His timeline has recommenced its criticisms against Israel, last week retweeting a viral post which read “‘Violence isn’t the answer’ unless you’re Israel, the American government, the police, military-trained vigilantes, or a for-profit healthcare system.”
In 2022, Quezada screened a documentary, “Boycott,” detailing various states’ efforts to overturn laws prohibiting BDS actions by the state.
That same year, during his campaign for the state treasurer’s seat, Quezada rejected claims that he was antisemitic.
“First of all, the antisemitism charge, flat-out wrong, and it’s ridiculous to even suggest that,” said Quezada. “I am not antisemitic, hard stop, full period right there.”
CAIR-AZ’s executive director, Azza Abuseif, was the state director for NextGen America in Arizona. Abuseif and her family came to the U.S. as refugees from Sudan. Abuseif also serves as a lead organizer for Women’s March Phoenix, and formerly served as board president for the Arizona Democracy Resource Center.
CAIR-AZ provides free legal services to those who believe they have been discriminated against for being Muslim, and they advocate for the inclusion and acceptance of the Islamic religion.
The nonprofit maintains a running list of Islamophoic individuals and organizations, including: Ann Coulter, ACT For America, the Anti-Defamation League, Bill Maher, Fox News, Glenn Beck, National Review, and Steven Crowder.
The national affiliate, CAIR, is an entity of the Muslim Brotherhood linked to activities engaged in by Hamas, the terrorist organization behind last year’s terrorist attack on Israel.
CAIR leaders celebrated the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
