U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) led a bipartisan group of Arizona lawmakers in sending a letter to the National Park Service (NPS) last week, requesting $28.36 million to upgrade aging water infrastructure serving Page and surrounding communities.
The funding, sought under the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), would rehabilitate systems managed by Page Utility Enterprises (PUE) that supply water to Page, nearby Navajo Nation areas, and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Cosigners on the letter addressed to Acting NPS Director Jessica Bowron included Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ).
Despite the ongoing shutdown, my team and I remain focused on #AZ02.
Yesterday, we urged @NatlParkService to help upgrade the water delivery system serving Page and nearby communities that serve as a gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. pic.twitter.com/pw60wHJBmW
In a post to X, Crane wrote, “Despite the ongoing shutdown, my team and I remain focused on #AZ02. Yesterday, we urged @NatlParkService to help upgrade the water delivery system serving Page and nearby communities that serve as a gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.”
The current aging infrastructure, over 60 years old, includes a 12-inch intake pipeline through Glen Canyon Dam that is undersized and vulnerable to fluctuations in Lake Powell’s water levels, according to the letter. Peak seasonal demand often exceeds capacity, and if lake levels drop below the intake level, PUE could lose the ability to deliver water to customers.
Recent wildfires, including the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires, have burned thousands of acres in northern Arizona, further straining the drought-impacted region and highlighting the need for long-term solutions, the lawmakers wrote.
The proposed project would involve installing a new water intake and pump station on the south side of Lake Powell, along with an 18-inch replacement pipeline. This would double daily delivery capacity from 3.3 million gallons to 6.6 million gallons.
The GAOA, enacted in 2020, provides up to $1.3 billion annually through 2025 for public lands infrastructure and recreation access. The representatives noted that the Page project aligns with the program’s goals and should be prioritized if remaining funds are available or if the act is reauthorized.
“I’m proud to lead this bipartisan letter to ensure Page and surrounding communities have reliable water delivery infrastructure,” Crane said in a statement.
“With the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires devastating the region, we must do more for what is a critical gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I’m grateful to Reps. Stanton, Gosar, and Biggs for joining this effort, and we will continue pushing for a positive outcome.”
The bipartisan letter from the Arizona congressmen emphasized the project’s role in supporting public health, economic stability, and tourism in the region, which relies heavily on the national recreation area.
An elementary school student testified that his former teacher harassed him over his family’s conservative beliefs.
The young boy brought his complaints to the attention of the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) at their most recent board meeting.
The little boy accused SUSD teacher Donna Javinett (Anasazi Elementary School) of coordinating with one of his neighbors to target himself and his family for their “extremist” beliefs in recent years.
The boy referenced a court case that resulted in a restraining order against his neighbor; during a hearing, the neighbor disclosed email correspondence with Javinett documenting their collusion against the boy.
“This teacher created a hostile school environment for kids like me when she didn’t like their parents. She would yell at me in the hallway and hurry me along. I also caught her filming me one day. She claimed she was filming for field day but the event was over and her phone was pointing right at me. At the same time, a neighbor on my street was also filming me while I was outside my home. It was creepy and I felt unsafe. It became so bad that my family had to get a restraining order against my neighbor. At court is when the neighbor revealed a personal email from Mrs. Javinett to my teacher not to my neighbor thanking my neighbor for protecting teachers against extremists. This is when I found out that Mrs. Javinett and my neighbor were working together.”
Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity, an activist group of SUSD community members and parents, obtained the referenced email. Javinett wrote an email thanking the neighbor, a retired educator by the name of “Ellen,” to thank her for her actions.
“I want to thank you for defending Scottsdale teachers against extremists who have nothing better to do than harass teachers, administrators, board members, and the superintendent on social media. We have been called groomers, rapists, and people who want nothing more than to indoctrinate children. You have defended us every step of the way. I know you are a retired educator who is still involved with many of our wonderful students in Scottsdale and I hope you know how much your support is appreciated.”
The parents of the student featured in the video shared an email sent by the SUSD 3rd-grade teacher to her neighbor. This email – obtained through a legal proceeding involving Ms. Javinett – appears to confirm that she referred to parents and families who raise concerns about… pic.twitter.com/iC1dJ7VgSD
— Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity (@ScottsdaleUnite) October 13, 2025
Javinett first came into the public eye for her Facebook comments responding to the assassination of Turning Point CEO and president Charlie Kirk.
Javinett argued with community members and parents on social media over whether Kirk was partially at fault for his assassination.
“Yes hate leads to violence and unfortunately Charlie Kirk in sided [sic] violence. He was nothing more than an ugly bigot,” said Javinett. “Kirk’s hatred of trans, LGBTQ, black people, and women is out there. I don’t have to defend the fact that I don’t respect hatred and bigotry.”
Javinett also accused Kirk of being a white nationalist.
“He was disgusting. He was in [sic] white nationalist. He disparaged marginalized communities. He thought that men should control women. You should be embarrassed that you support him,” said Javinett. “It makes me sad that you all try to indoctrinate kids with this right wing Christian bulls**t.”
The little boy asked the SUSD governing board why Javinett was allowed to continue teaching given her comments and past behavior.
“She’s the reason why we and others left Anasazi,” said the boy.
Javinett previously sustained criticisms for supporting an all-encompassing social and emotional learning approach to education.
Scottsdale Unified 3rd grade teacher Donna Javinett said the quiet part out loud and confirmed that class time across all subjects is spent on Social Emotional Learning, i.e. feelings/emotions, racial awareness, gendered identities and distributive justice. (CASEL is the… https://t.co/bPaLjoZCmvpic.twitter.com/6IzJv7dEXe
— Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity (@ScottsdaleUnite) October 23, 2024
Last fall, Javinett donated nearly $1,000 to the campaign of progressive SUSD board member Donna Lewis.
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Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage over Democrats in Arizona to 333,255 registered voters, according to the latest October 2025 report released by the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
The newest data shows Republicans now total 1,603,141 registered voters (35.63%), compared to 1,269,886 Democrats (28.23%). Another 1,625,968 voters are registered as “Other,” which includes independents and minor parties such as Libertarians (32,026), No Labels (42,277), and Greens (5,212). Arizona’s overall active voter registration stands at 4,498,995.
Since July, Republicans have added 5,436 new voters, while Democrats lost 421, according to changes noted in the official quarterly report. Historical data compiled by the Secretary of State’s office shows this partisan gap widening steadily in recent years. Republicans led by 295,000 voters in 2024, 166,000 in 2022, and 130,000 in 2020. As of October 2025, that lead now surpasses 333,000 — the largest margin in nearly a decade.
County-level data reveals that Maricopa County, Arizona’s largest, remains a focal point of both parties’ registration efforts. The October report lists 940,727 registered Republicans, compared to 744,804 Democrats, giving the GOP a nearly 196,000-voter advantage in the county. In traditionally conservative counties like Yavapai, Mohave, and Pinal, Republicans maintain commanding leads, while Pima County continues to serve as the Democratic stronghold with 247,221 Democrats to 191,977 Republicans.
The data also shows continued growth in unaffiliated voters, reflecting Arizona’s independent streak. The “Other” category now represents more than one-third of all registered voters (34.37%), and its steady rise across counties — particularly in Maricopa, Pima, and Yuma — highlights how nonpartisan voters could decide close statewide races.
The voter registration update comes less than a year before the 2026 gubernatorial election, in which Republicans aim to unseat Governor Katie Hobbs (D). Political analysts note that while registration advantages can shape turnout dynamics, Arizona’s large share of unaffiliated voters keeps the state in competitive territory.
The report also tracks 409,091 inactive voters, those whose registration may need updating due to address or status changes. Among inactive registrations, Republicans slightly outnumber Democrats — 110,196 to 106,623 — though both parties show similar proportional shares. The next update from the Arizona Secretary of State is expected in early 2026. With voter registration surpassing 4.49 million and growing each quarter, Arizona remains one of the most closely watched swing states in the nation heading into the 2026 election season.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) condemned top Democrats on Wednesday for casually acknowledging the hardships Americans face during the ongoing government shutdown — one they’ve prolonged while using it for political leverage.
“It’s reprehensible to see top Democrats admit that they’re willing to inflict pain on hardworking Americans to achieve their priorities,” Hamadeh posted on X. “It’s even worse when you consider those priorities are handouts to illegal immigrants & taxpayer-funded fake news.”
It's reprehensible to see top Democrats admit that they're willing to inflict pain on hardworking Americans to achieve their priorities.
It's even worse when you consider those priorities are handouts to illegal immigrants & taxpayer-funded fake news.https://t.co/KAgZPR7AMP
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) October 22, 2025
Hamadeh’s remarks followed comments from House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), who, in a Fox News interview, described the shutdown as a rare opportunity for her party despite its toll on families.
“Shutdowns are terrible. And of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leverage times we have,” Clark said.
🚨 @WhipKClark, the number two House Democrat, on the Democrat Shutdown: "Of course there will be families that are going to suffer… but it is one of the few leverage times we have."
The full government shutdown stems from Democrats’ refusal to support a clean continuing resolution to maintain current funding levels through November. Instead, they are demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending, including $500 million for public broadcasters like NPR and PBS, and changes to narrow eligibility restrictions for government health care benefits under the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” according to Speaker Mike Johnson’s office. Those restrictions currently limit benefits like Medicare and premium tax credits to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, certain Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and Compact of Free Association migrants. Democrats seek to rescind them, potentially extending free health care to millions of Biden-era parolees from countries like Haiti and Venezuela—2.8 million of whom were admitted despite being “otherwise inadmissible,” per congressional testimony.
As of this report, Senate Democrats have now blocked shutdown-ending votes 11 times in the Senate alone, or 12 overall, including House actions, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“This is now the longest full shutdown in American history. And yet again, Senate Democrats voted for the 11th time — 12 times overall, when you count House and Senate Democrats — to prolong the pain and keep the government closed,” Johnson said in a press conference on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump accused Democrats of “holding the entire federal government hostage” and vowed, “We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs.”
The standoff has furloughed over 800,000 federal workers and contractors, delayed veterans’ benefits, and paused services such as FDA inspections, with ripple effects into the holiday season.
In an interview with KFYI host James T. Harris, Hamadeh stated, “There’s no way we’re going to give an inch on this… There’s nothing that we can negotiate,” when asked how long the Democrats might continue to block funding.
“There's no way we're going to give an inch on this… There's nothing that we can negotiate.”
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) October 21, 2025
Democrat Senators under Minority Leader Chuck Schumer led the rejection of another clean bill Thursday that would have provided funding to pay the Armed Forces, Capitol Police, Border Patrol, Air Traffic Controllers, Congressional staffers, and “various essential federal workers,” according to Hamadeh. He wrote in a post to X, “It turns out that the ONLY people essential to the Democrats are their militant base and illegal immigrants.”
The Schumer Democrats just rejected a CLEAN bill that paid the following during their shutdown:
• Our Troops • Capitol Police • Border Patrol • Air Traffic Controllers • Their Own Staff • Various Essential Federal Workers
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) October 23, 2025
Later in the day, Hamadeh wrote, “The Democrats won’t support a clear CR, something they’ve done forever… why would you still think they’re going to honor the filibuster next time they’re in power? They’ll gut it so quickly and Republicans will look like fools. They’re unreasonable, manic, and controlled by the leftwing base that’s rewarding them with $$$ political donations. They have zero incentive. The uncomfortable truth is that we are no longer operating under the same rules — I wish we were, but it is not reality. It’s time for the Senate to exercise the nuclear option.”
Democrats previously supported 13 clean continuing resolutions during the Biden administration, a point Republicans have highlighted as inconsistent with their recent actions.
An unidentified pink-haired student at the University of Arizona (U of A) gave a death threat to Turning Point USA (TPUSA) students.
The student had a male-presenting voice and wore sunglasses, a long pink dress, light pink jacket, black and white sneakers, and a canvas backpack.
The student’s voice and the type of shoes worn in the video that captured his threat — Puma Zip C men’s sneakers — indicated that the student was a male.
Per a video captured by those present, the student threatened those working the TPUSA table with the same fate that befell the late TPUSA founder and CEO, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated by a gunshot through the neck last month at Utah Valley University.
Kirk was one month shy of 32 years old at the time of his death. The prominent young conservative activist and pundit left behind a wife, Erika Kirk, and two young children. The individual arrested and charged for Kirk’s assassination, Tyler Robinson, held progressive political beliefs and was in a romantic relationship with a male who identified as a transgender woman.
“Hey Nazis, can you set up somewhere I can avoid you easily?” said the student.
“Yeah, have a great day,” responded one of the TPUSA individuals behind the table.
“Ah, f**k you Nazi. Watch your neck,” responded the student.
The individual who captured the threat on video, TPUSA field representative Caden Hart, reported that, aside from the incident, their tabling efforts yielded over 25 new signups for their chapter.
Besides this situation, tabling today was full of great conversations and interactions! • Thanks to our @tpusastudents at the University of Arizona we ended the day with 25+ signups! https://t.co/KnCa2N7s7k
There is a closed hearing scheduled for Friday at the Utah County Courthouse for Kirk’s alleged killer, and a waiver hearing next week. The proceedings will remain “open to the public,” per the judge in the case. Robinson may receive the death penalty if found guilty.
Some point to this recent incident with the TPUSA table as indicative of the political climate at U of A, and associated it with a reported 19 percent drop in first-year students.
The university associated the decline with a dropping number of out-of-state and international students (23 percent less out-of-state students, nine percent less international students); overall student enrollment fell about four percent.
While hundreds in the U of A community mourned Kirk’s assassination, some have been outspoken about their indifference or even support for his death.
Yazmin Castro, a freshman and member of the sorority Kappa Alpha Theta, told AZPM that Kirk bore some responsibility for his own assassination since he was vocal about his conservative beliefs, which included his support for gun ownership.
“I think he was very hateful sometimes with his views,” said Castro. “I hope that the people that believed in those views as well, seeing someone that they looked up to being a victim of gun violence, I hope it opens their eyes to its not worth it,” she said.
A recent U of A graduate and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality employee, Jessika Mesa, posted a celebration of Kirk’s death on her social media page.
Jessika Mesa who has recently graduate from the University Of Arizona posted some hate regarding Charlie Kirk.
Tucson Councilwoman Lane Santa Cruz, an adjunct professor at U of A, responded to Kirk’s death with a story on social media that read “diosito te maldiga,” meaning “God curse (damn) you.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Arizona Public Service (APS) is seeking to raise electricity rates by 14% starting in 2026 — a move the Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AZFEC) argues would unfairly burden Arizona families while subsidizing costly “green energy” initiatives and the early closure of a key coal plant.
According to filings with the Arizona Corporation Commission, APS attributes the proposed rate increase largely to battery storage projects and the early retirement of the Cholla Power Plant. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club filed an official response criticizing APS for attempting to block the organization’s intervention in the case, while allowing environmental groups such as the Sierra Club to participate. “APS has no issue letting radical groups like the Sierra Club into their hearings, but they’re trying to block the one organization fighting for Arizona families,” said AZFEC President Scot Mussi.
BREAKING: Arizona Public Service (APS) wants to raise your electricity rates by 14% starting in 2026.
Why? To pay for expensive battery projects and the early closure of the Cholla Power Plant: a plant President Trump directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to keep online.
Mussi contends APS’s “carbon free” and “carbon neutral” commitments over the past five years have shaped their energy plans — including their Integrated Resource Plans and large-scale renewable energy projects — resulting in higher costs for consumers. “For years, their voluntary commitments have very likely increased costs for Arizona ratepayers,” the organization said in its filing.
Two days after filing its response, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club announced it had been officially granted intervention in the APS case. This designation allows AZFEC to participate directly in proceedings, making it the only organization representing ratepayers who oppose the rate hike.
BREAKING: The Arizona Free Enterprise Club has been granted intervention in APS’s proposed rate hike case!
That means we’re officially in the room, as the only organization standing up for Arizona ratepayers and fighting back against the radical “Green New Scam.”
In the ruling, the Administrative Law Judge overseeing the case described the Club as “the lone proponent” of an energy approach emphasizing reliability, affordability, and independence — priorities the group says align with President Trump’s “American Energy Dominance” agenda.
“While others are lobbying to shut down Arizona’s coal plants and pour billions into unreliable Green New Scam projects, we’re standing up for the ratepayers who will be left to foot the bill,” Mussi said. “We’re proud to be the only organization in this case fighting to keep Arizona’s energy secure, affordable, and free from political interference.”
The Club’s participation ensures that Arizona ratepayers have a voice during the proceedings, according to Mussi and AZFEC Deputy Policy Director Greg Blackie. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about protecting Arizona families and ensuring that our state doesn’t fall victim to the same radical energy policies destroying affordability across the country,” said Blackie. “We intend to shine a light on the real costs, the real numbers, and the real consequences of this so-called green transition.”
The case before the Arizona Corporation Commission will determine whether APS can move forward with its proposed rate hike. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club says it plans to continue pressing for “transparency, accountability, and energy freedom,” ensuring that “ratepayers are not forced to fund reckless green energy policies.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
