by Matthew Holloway | Mar 19, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona will not recognize Cesar Chavez Day this year following allegations detailed in a report by The New York Times that labor leader Cesar Chavez sexually abused girls and assaulted women connected to the United Farm Workers movement.
According to a FOX 10 Phoenix report, the state will not observe the March 31 holiday in response to the allegations. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs honored Chavez as recently as 2022 in a post on X, writing, “Today, we celebrate and honor the life and legacy of civil rights and labor activist Cesar Chavez.”
In a statement released March 17, the governor’s office said:
“The Governor’s Office is deeply concerned by the troubling allegations against César Chávez. As a social worker who worked with homeless youth and victims of domestic violence, Governor Hobbs takes allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against women and minors very seriously. The Governor’s Office has decided to not recognize César Chávez Day this year. Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected.”
The Times reported that two women, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas, said Chavez sexually abused them for years when they were minors associated with the United Farm Workers’ La Paz compound in California. Murguia said Chavez was 45 and she was 13 when he began summoning her to his office for sexual encounters, which she said continued dozens of times over four years. Rojas said Chavez first touched her inappropriately when she was 12 and later had sexual intercourse with her at age 15 during the union’s 1975 1,000-Mile March—conduct the Times noted constituted rape under California law due to her age.
The investigation also reported that longtime labor activist Dolores Huerta, a co-founder of the United Farm Workers, said Chavez sexually assaulted her. Huerta told the Times that Chavez raped her in 1966 in Delano, California, and described an earlier 1960 encounter in which she said she felt pressured into sex during a work trip.
According to the Times, the findings were based on interviews with more than 60 people, including former aides, relatives, and union members, as well as a review of hundreds of pages of union records, emails, photographs, and audio recordings. The accounts of Murguia and Rojas were corroborated through interviews with individuals they had confided in and through contemporaneous documents and records, the report said.
The fallout was immediate. The United Farm Workers canceled its annual Cesar Chavez Day celebrations after learning of the allegations during the reporting process. In a statement cited by the Times, the organization said the “troubling allegations” were incompatible with its values and that it would take time to ensure support services were available for those affected.
Chavez’s family said it was “not in a position to judge” the claims, according to the Times, adding that the allegations were “deeply painful” and that they support individuals who report sexual misconduct.
The investigation further reported that some relatives and former union leaders had been aware of allegations of sexual misconduct for years, but there was no evidence of efforts to fully investigate or publicly address the claims. Internal communications reviewed by the Times included discussions of Murguia’s allegations dating back more than a decade. The report also cited a social media post by Rojas in a private group years earlier in which she alleged Chavez had molested her.
Additional allegations included an account from Esmeralda Lopez, who told the Times that Chavez made a sexual proposition to her in 1988 while she was working within the movement. Lopez said she refused. Her account was corroborated by her mother, according to the report.
The Times also reported that some individuals who worked closely with Chavez denied the allegations, while others who lived at La Paz said they did not experience misconduct.
Chavez, who died in 1993, remains a prominent figure in American labor and civil rights history, with his name attached to schools, public buildings, and annual observances nationwide. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Bill Clinton in 1994, and a bust of Chavez was displayed in the Oval Office of former President Joe Biden in 2021.
Arizona’s decision not to recognize Cesar Chavez Day this year marks a direct response to the findings outlined in the Times investigation.
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 | Mar 19, 2026 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) announced earlier this month that high school students around the district are invited to submit original artwork for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.
The non-partisan competition, also known as the Artistic Discovery Contest, is open to all high school students (grades 8-12) across the country, including those in homeschool, online school, or alternative learning programs.
The theme for the 2026 competition is “Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom in America,” marking the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Students are encouraged to create original two-dimensional artwork that reflects the enduring spirit of the nation and celebrates 250 years of American freedom, service, unity, and opportunity. Submissions should be patriotic in tone and supportive of the United States.
“I look forward to seeing even more talent from Arizona, as last year’s art submissions were truly incredible. We were proud to display winner Luke Wagner’s artwork at the Capitol and at my district office,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “With the theme this year being our nation’s 250th birthday, I expect that we will be very inspired by the artwork we receive for consideration.”
Sponsored nationwide by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and administered by the Congressional Institute since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has engaged more than 650,000 high school students over the decades. It provides a platform to recognize and encourage artistic talent both nationally and in each congressional district.
Local winners are selected by panels of district artists, with recognition at the district level and an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
The first-place winner’s artwork for District 8 will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol’s Cannon Tunnel from June 2026 through May 2027. The second-place winner’s piece will be exhibited in Congressman Hamadeh’s congressional office in Washington, D.C., and the third-place winner’s artwork will be displayed at the Congressman’s district office in Surprise, Arizona.
All submitted artwork will be displayed at the district office during the competition week, with an Award Ceremony scheduled for late April 2026, where the first-, second-, and third-place winners will be recognized.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Mar 18, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Gov. Katie Hobbs fired an Arizona State Board of Education (ASBE) member following pressure from a public school activist group, email records revealed.
The emails obtained and published by FOIAzona revealed that Hobbs heeded a demand from Save Our Schools Arizona (SOSAZ) to fire former ASBE member Jenny Clark due to her general support for school choice.
SOSAZ led a ballot initiative in 2022 in an attempt to overturn the legislation that universalized Arizona’s school choice within the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program. The effort was unsuccessful after SOSAZ far overestimated their signature numbers when they turned in their signature sheets.
SOSAZ lobbyist Beth Lewis emailed Hobbs chief of staff Chad Campbell and deputy chief of staff Lourdes Pena in January of last year with the demand to fire Clark and another board member, Katherine Haley. Lewis alleged the pair were “anti-public school” due to their school choice affiliations.
Lewis recommended Hobbs replace Clark with an ESA parent of a special needs student, suggesting Kathy Boltz, a member of the SOSAZ board. Haley’s recommended replacement was Alison Bruening-Hamati, an administrator with the Tempe Elementary School District.
Three days after that initial email, Lewis sent a follow-up email to stress the urgency of both Clark and Haley’s removals, citing an upcoming (at the time) ASBE meeting to update the ESA Parent handbook.
Pena responded that they had “a plan in place to replace Clark,” and that they were holding “more ongoing convos” about Haley. Not much later, the former would be given the boot. For unknown reasons, the latter was permitted to remain on the board.
A little over three weeks later, Clark announced on social media that Hobbs’ office ignored her refusal to resign and notified her of a forthcoming letter confirming the end of her term. When that letter hadn’t arrived six days later, Clark again posted online to notify of the absence of the letter. Within hours, the governor’s office sent a letter notifying Clark that she had been replaced since her term had expired.
Several other members of the board were serving on expired terms when Hobbs ousted Clark. However, in a letter last March announcing the appointment of Lupita Hightower to replace former ASBE board member Anna Tovar, Hobbs’ office claimed no other ASBE members were serving expired terms. However, that was not true.
Haley, now the president, had her term expire last January. Both vice president Scott Hagerman and Jason Catanese had their terms expire in January 2024.
At the time of Hobbs’ letter last March, Karla Phillips-Krivickas and Jacqui Clay had unexpired terms. However, both of their terms expired this January.
Hightower did not replace Clark. Kathleen Wiebke, whose term was set to expire in 2029, replaced Clark last March but passed away in December.
ASBE also has two vacancies at present, one seat for a public member and one seat for a charter school administrator.
In all, five of the 11 board members are serving on expired terms and two are vacant.
Lewis, the author of the emails, responded that the publishing of her emails was “hilariously stupid” and accused the women she sought to remove from ASBE as “working to destroy public education.”
“[Y]all are just pearl clutching — take luck!” said Lewis.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 18, 2026 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
America First Legal (AFL) has launched an investigation into the Flagstaff Unified School District #1 (FUSD) over its handling of a large-scale student walkout and anti-ICE protest on January 28, 2026.
AFL filed a detailed public records request with the district, demanding transparency about the event in which hundreds of students left school grounds without apparent parental notification or consent.
According to KNAU, approximately 700 to 800 students from multiple FUSD schools—including Coconino High School, Flagstaff High School, Mount Elden Middle School, and Sinagua Middle School—participated in a coordinated walkout beginning around 11:30 a.m.
Students marched more than a mile across busy intersections to Flagstaff City Hall, where they lined the sidewalks with anti-ICE messages protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies. Students from some charter schools also joined the demonstration, which appeared to be part of a broader national action against immigration enforcement.
America First Legal’s request highlights serious concerns that school employees actively facilitated the protest by escorting students off campus and supervising the march, despite no evidence of prior parental consent or notification.
According to AFL, the district has not publicly disclosed when it first became aware of the planned event, how it prepared its response, the extent of staff involvement in organizing or assisting, or any disciplinary consequences for students who left class or school property without authorization.
The organization argues that these actions may have violated parents’ fundamental constitutional rights to direct their children’s education and upbringing, as well as Arizona’s Parenal Bill of Rights and related federal laws that protect pupil privacy and related rights.
“Parents do not surrender their rights at the schoolhouse gate,” stated James Rogers, Senior Counsel at America First Legal. “When hundreds of students are permitted to leave campus during the school day for a political protest, families deserve complete transparency about who approved it, how it was supervised, and why parents were not notified.”
The public records request, submitted under the Arizona Public Records Law, seeks a wide range of documents from August 1, 2025, onward. These include:
- Records of FUSD employees who organized or participated in the protest.
- Communications and preparations related to the event.
- Details on how students and staff were processed back onto school property that day.
- Policies on students leaving campus and any parental consent communications.
- Social media posts, flyers (including one titled “Walk Out Against ICE”), and messages via platforms like ParentSquare.
Rachel Griffin, Attorney at America First Legal, added: “Schools exist to educate children, not to sideline parents, and certainly not to indoctrinate students. This investigation seeks basic answers about how this political protest was handled and whether the district respected parental rights and the rule of law. America First Legal will bring the truth into the light.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 18, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The U.S. Forest Service has finalized a long-contested land exchange with Resolution Copper tied to the proposed mining project near Superior, Arizona.
Resolution Copper announced that the exchange with the federal government has been finalized following years of environmental review, legal challenges, and consultation. The exchange transfers more than 2,400 acres of land in the Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper, while the company conveys more than 5,400 acres of land across Arizona to federal agencies for conservation and public use.
The land exchange was authorized by Congress in the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act and has been subject to ongoing litigation and regulatory review in the years since.
The announcement follows a March 13 decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which declined to block the exchange, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2025 decision not to issue an emergency stay requested by Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit effort of the San Carlos Apache tribe and mine opponents.
The parcel transferred to Resolution Copper includes Oak Flat, an area within the Tonto National Forest that sits above a large underground copper deposit. The project has been identified as one of the largest undeveloped copper resources in North America, with estimates of more than 40 billion pounds of copper.
Resolution Copper, a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto and BHP, has stated that the project could eventually supply a significant share of U.S. copper demand and support domestic supply chains for energy and infrastructure.
The Forest Service completed a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project in 2025 following more than a decade of study and consultation.
Despite the completion of the land exchange, the project remains subject to additional federal, state, and local permitting requirements before mining operations can begin.
The land transfer has been the focus of sustained opposition from the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other groups, who argue that Oak Flat—known as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel—is a site of religious and cultural significance.
The Resolution Copper project has drawn national attention due to its potential economic impact and its role in domestic mineral production, as well as ongoing legal and political disputes surrounding the land exchange.
In February, Resolution Copper announced a $285,000 donation to the United Food Bank amid rising food assistance demand in Arizona.
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 Staff Reporter | Mar 17, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A Pima County judge sentenced an illegal alien to less than three years in prison for a fatal hit-and-run.
Superior Court Judge Danielle Constant sentenced illegal alien Alexis Eduardo Ibarra-Guerrero, 18, to 2.5 years in prison for the hit-and-run death of Sally Alcaraz Rodriguez, 75, in Tucson. At the time of the crime, Ibarra-Guerrero was already living in the U.S. on an overstayed visa.
Ibarra-Guerrero earned 100 days credit for his time in jail. He will be on a supervised release following his imprisonment.
Ibarra-Guerrero, who doesn’t have a driver’s license, struck Rodriguez with his vehicle last November. He drove for several blocks with her body atop his vehicle, dropped it off, and then left her to die on the road. Rodriguez was walking through her neighborhood, heading to a bus stop to go to work. Ibarra-Guerrero turned himself into police 10 days after he fled the scene.
Police said Ibarra-Guerrero was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro on the scene.
Rodriguez’s family shared that she was the “matriarch” of their family: a beloved grandmother, devoted member of her church, and a caregiver to a 100-year-old patient. The family is still raising funds to cover Rodriguez’s funeral and burial expenses through GoFundMe.
Her daughter, Mary Rodriguez Romero, said Ibarra-Guerroro advocated for stronger responses to crimes like the one Ibarra-Guerro committed.
“The choices people make have real consequences, and our children, our future, must learn responsibility,” said Romero.
Police charged Ibarra-Guerrero with leaving the scene of an accident. They said they could find no other evidence indicating the hit-and-run was anything more than an accident.
Arizona law classifies leaving the scene of an accident as a class 2 felony. This felony carries a mitigated sentence of three years, minimum sentence of four years, presumption sentence of five years, maximum sentence of 10 years, and aggravated sentence of 12.5 years.
If Ibarra-Guerrero had a driver’s license, he would have also lost it for 10 years.
Rodriguez’s family expressed their disappointment in the lack of charges for her death, and the low sentencing.
Judge Constant was appointed to the Pima County Superior Court in October 2022 by Governor Doug Ducey following the retirement of former judge Deborah Bernini.
Prior to coming to the superior court, Constant was the managing partner of the Jennings Strouss & Salmon Tucson office going back to 2017.
Last summer Constant issued the controversial sentencing in the case against Malyn Christine Pavolka, the 34-year-old who killed five people in Pima County in 2024. Pavolka received up to 30 years in the state mental health facility instead of prison for reckless driving that caused a massive car wreck. She had declined to take medication for her bipolar disorder.
A Facebook page that appears to belong to Ibarra-Guerrero (spelled without the dash) indicated that he came to the United States from Sonora, MS, Brazil and went to Sahuaro High School. Among his few “liked” pages on the platform were the Mexican consulate and a Mexican street racing page called Street Racing Cuu.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
