Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) recently blasted the Arizona Republic as a “dying newspaper. The congressman accused the outlet of “covering for” Democratic congressional candidate JoAnna Mendoza through its framing of a report about property-tax benefits she received on two homes.
“The Arizona Republic, a dying newspaper, is at it again!” Hamadeh wrote. “This time they’re covering for Democrat candidate JoAnna Mendoza, Congressman Juan Ciscomani’s opponent.”
The Arizona Republic, a dying newspaper is at it again!
This time they’re covering for Democrat candidate JoAnna Mendoza, Congressman Juan Ciscomani’s opponent.
They use these words and framing in the headline to cover for her.
Hamadeh criticized the newspaper’s use of the terms “mistake” and “acknowledged the error” in its coverage of Mendoza’s receipt of Arizona’s State Aid to Education property-tax reduction on two residences categorized as her primary home.
“If I sneezed the wrong way 20 years ago, these propagandists would write a nasty story about me,” Hamadeh wrote. “But all they do is cover for DEMOCRATS. Because they are an unofficial arm of the Democrat Party.”
Hamadeh said the article should have been presented under the headline: “Democrat candidate JoAnna Mendoza unlawfully takes tax benefit and claims primary residency in two counties, drawing scrutiny.”
“These people aren’t journalists, they’re activists and propagandists — and have zero credibility,” Hamadeh wrote.
The criticism followed an Aug. 13 Arizona Republic report by Laura Gersony. The version republished by the Arizona Daily Star carried the headline, “House candidate Mendoza wrongfully took home tax credit.” The report described the dual property classifications as an error and quoted Mendoza’s campaign calling it an honest mistake.
A tax filing mistake is drawing attention in a Southern Arizona House race after a candidate acknowledged the error. https://t.co/Lpb6fFZ4EB
According to the report, Mendoza purchased a central Tucson home for approximately $330,000 in 2021 and received the State Aid to Education reduction on that property. She purchased another home in Red Rock for approximately $337,000 in 2023 and later began renting the Tucson residence.
Both properties remained categorized as primary residences, leading Pima and Pinal County officials to apply the reduction to each property. The Tucson classification saved Mendoza $404.29 in 2024 and $415.87 in 2025, a combined $820.16. Her 2026 property-tax bill was not yet publicly available.
Arizona’s State Aid to Education program reduces qualifying school-district property taxes on owner-occupied residential property. The reduction is calculated through a parcel’s property classification and is generally capped at $600 under.
Arizona law classifies residential property occupied by its owner as a primary residence as Class Three property. Residential property used solely as a rental is classified as Class Four property.
County assessors are required to review residential property classifications and investigate parcels that may be rented while classified as primary residences. If an owner fails to respond to the notices prescribed by law, the assessor must reclassify the property and could impose a civil penalty equal to the additional state aid paid on the parcel during the preceding tax year.
Mendoza acknowledged to the Republic that she did not submit the necessary paperwork after she began renting the Tucson property and moved to Red Rock. Records cited by the Republic showed that she contacted Pima County officials on Aug. 10 to have the Tucson home reclassified.
“JoAnna is already in touch with the county assessor to correct the filing mistake,” campaign spokesman Kyle McCarthy told the Republic. The campaign said Mendoza would pay the amount county officials determine she owes.
The Republic also reported that Mendoza disclosed approximately $20,000 in rental income when filing her congressional financial disclosure.
Mendoza is challenging incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) in the general election. Federal Election Commission records showed Mendoza had raised approximately $7.35 million through July 1, compared with approximately $6.17 million raised by Ciscomani.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued two drought disaster designations covering several Arizona counties, making eligible farm operators in affected areas able to seek emergency loan assistance through the Farm Service Agency.
The designations name multiple Arizona counties as primary or contiguous natural disaster areas because of drought conditions, according to an announcement from Rep. Eli Crane’s office. The first designation, issued June 29, named Coconino and Maricopa counties as primary natural disaster areas. Gila, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma counties were listed as contiguous counties.
In a post to X on Wednesday, Crane wrote, “The @USDA’s drought designations give our farmers and ranchers access to meaningful financial support during a difficult period. I appreciate @SecRollins and her team for recognizing the seriousness of these conditions and taking action.”
The @USDA’s drought designations give our farmers and ranchers access to meaningful financial support during a difficult period.
A second designation elevated Gila, Pinal, and Yuma counties to primary status. Coconino, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, and Yavapai counties were listed as contiguous counties under the second designation.
The determinations were made under 7 CFR 759.5(a), which provides for Secretarial disaster area designations when any portion of a county experiences D3, or extreme drought, or higher during the growing season, or D2, or severe drought, for at least eight consecutive weeks during the growing season of affected crops.
The Arizona Department of Water Resources says the U.S. Drought Monitor is the official record for federal drought relief claims. The department’s drought status page said Arizona’s Drought Monitoring Technical Committee advises U.S. Drought Monitor authors on current drought conditions in the state using precipitation, streamflow, drought indices, and impact data.
ADWR’s May drought status summary reported that severe short-term drought had advanced in Mohave, Coconino, Navajo, Gila, Maricopa, and Yavapai counties, covering 60% of the state, while extreme short-term drought expanded in Apache County. The department’s long-term drought update for January through March said Arizona experienced the hottest and 28th driest January-to-March period on record, as well as the hottest and 27th driest four-year period from April 2022 through March 2026.
Crane said the designations will give agricultural producers in affected counties access to federal assistance after years of drought pressure in rural Arizona.
“For years, rural Arizonans have faced worsening drought conditions without adequate federal assistance,” Crane said. “These designations finally give our farmers and ranchers access to meaningful financial support and help our producers during a difficult period.”
Crane thanked Agriculture Secretary Rollins and the USDA for recognizing the drought conditions and urged eligible applicants to work with their local Farm Service Agency office to determine whether low-interest loans could help offset recent losses.
Under Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, USDA may extend disaster designations beyond counties that meet the drought criteria directly by naming neighboring counties as contiguous disaster areas. Crane’s office said both primary and contiguous classifications make farm operators eligible to be considered for FSA emergency loan assistance.
The FSA stated that emergency loans may be used to replace essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganize a farming operation, or refinance certain debts. The agency reviews loan applications based on the extent of losses, available security, and repayment ability.
Farmers and ranchers in the affected counties have eight months from the date of their county’s listing to apply. Crane’s office said applicants should contact their local FSA office for help with the application process and required documentation.
Applicants with questions may also email FPAC.BC.Congressional@usda.gov and reference disaster designation number 2026N00000369 for the June 29 announcement or 2026N00000419 for the Monday announcement.
A Pima County supervisor wants the sheriff out of office after details of his past misconduct came to light.
Pima County Supervisor Matt Heinz is accusing Nanos of “perpetrat[ing] a fraud” on the Pima County community for decades. Heinz has been calling for Nanos’ ouster for over a month now.
Nanos, no stranger to controversy, came under fire again for his alleged mishandling of the investigation into the apparent kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, 84. Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home nearly three months ago. As of this report, no leads about her kidnapper(s) have been made public.
Doubts over his administration of the high-profile disappearance prompted further scrutiny into Nanos’ past. The Arizona Republic reported on records indicating that Nanos falsified his resume in order to be hired by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) over 40 years ago.
Nanos is accused of failing to disclose the alleged misconduct that led to his resignation while working for the El Paso Police Department in New Mexico back in the 1980s.
Nanos received 37 days of suspension or leave for eight misconduct incidents, ranging from poor behaviors to violence. One incident yielded a 15-day suspension for allegedly beating a handcuffed robbery suspect seated in the back of a cop car with a flashlight.
According to reports, it was that latter incident that caused the El Paso Police Department to be sued and forced Nanos to resign in 1982 in lieu of termination. However, Nanos claimed on his resume that he left the El Paso Police Department in 1984.
“He’s a bad cop. He made really bad decisions, and then lied about his past to convince then-Pima County officials to hire him back in 1984. He also lied about that gap in time. He used to say 1982,” said Heinz in an interview with NewsNation. “We shouldn’t even know his name. We should not know the name Nanos.”
Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is overseeing the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, faces renewed scrutiny from local officials who are reviewing his past suspensions while working as a cop in El Paso, Texas. “He’s a bad cop. He made really bad decisions and then lied… pic.twitter.com/4ZDIbEKlx6
PCSD said in a press release issued last month that the date discrepancies were “administrative in nature” and weren’t part of an intentional effort to mislead or misrepresent Nanos’ work history.
Heinz also accused Nanos of holding a grudge against the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) over a 2015-2016 investigation into his department over the possible misuse of around $500,000 in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) funds. That investigation ended up costing Nanos his chief deputy, who was indicted, and ultimately the sheriff’s race.
“He has held a grudge against the FBI and refused to fully work with them going forward,” said Heinz.
Heinz said it was possible this potential personal grievance by Nanos had jeopardized Guthrie’s case.
Nanos’s attorney, James Cool, said in a statement that the sheriff’s past has no bearing on his present conduct.
“Whatever the Sheriff did or did not do before being elected is necessarily unrelated to his performance of the duties of his office,” stated Cool.
During their next meeting (May 12), the Pima County Board of Supervisors plan to review a report submitted by Nanos answering questions about his employment history and current administration. The board has entertained considerations of removal proceedings, but hasn’t made any final decisions.
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Republican lawmakers are challenging Pima County over its resolution to prevent federal immigration enforcement from using county property.
House and Senate leadership filed a complaint with Attorney General Kris Mayes on Monday requesting an SB1487 Investigation. There is only one other active complaint under this designation, relating to a similar regulation prohibiting federal immigration enforcement activity on city property passed by the city of Phoenix.
In February, Pima County adopted a resolution, “Protecting County-Owned Properties,” prohibiting county departments, agencies, and employees from giving federal officials access to county buildings without a court warrant. The policy also barred departments, agencies, and employees from voluntarily assisting, facilitating, or cooperating with immigration enforcement.
The policy also prohibited county property from being used for staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for immigration enforcement. The county defined staging area to include an assembling, mobilization, or deployment of vehicles, equipment, materials, or personnel for immigration enforcement.
Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott told AZPM that federal agents would have to justify themselves to county officials.
“If somebody with an enforceable warrant comes in, wanting to deal with what we’ve heard are the ‘worst of the worst,’ they’re going to be able to do that,” said Scott. “These warrantless, random sweeps that we’ve been seeing around the country are not going to happen on county property.”
Pima County Supervisor Tanya Nunez went a step further. She told KOLD that ICE needed to cease operations entirely.
“It’s a first step, it’s an important step, but it is really just the beginning. We need to have ICE not operate anywhere in our community, not just county property,” said Nunez.
According to the supervisors, the goal of the resolution was to prevent mass deportations and to limit immigration agents to warrant-based actions.
GOP leadership in the legislature say this resolution violates Arizona law prohibiting subdivisions of the state from limiting or restricting the enforcement of federal immigration laws, and the Supremacy Clause included in the Arizona Constitution.
Senate President Warren Petersen called the resolution a “radical” undermining of public safety in a press release.
“We’re seeing Democrat-run local governments put radical political agendas ahead of public safety,” said Petersen. “Instead of supporting law enforcement and protecting their citizens from crime, they’re creating barriers that make it harder to enforce the law and easier for criminals to stay in our communities.”
Senate President Pro Tempore TJ Shope argued these patchwork mandates from municipalities would only undermine law and order.
“This is about making sure our laws are applied consistently across Arizona,” said Shope. “When one county decides to go rogue, it creates gaps that undermine enforcement statewide. Arizonans expect coordination between all levels of government, not policies that tie the hands of law enforcement.”
House Majority Leader John Kavanagh questioned whether Mayes would have an biased approach, given her outspoken criticisms of ICE.
“Given her record and her public opposition to immigration enforcement, there is a serious question about whether she can review this case objectively. This is not a policy debate. The law is clear, and it must be applied,” said Kavanagh.
The city of Phoenix passed a regulation similar to Pima County’s resolution last month.
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An Arizona-based social media startup, ConnectNeighbors.com, is projected to surpass 4 million visitors before the end of February 2026, according to a recent company press release.
The digital platform, designed to offer structured community information across the United States, currently includes websites for more than 3,080 counties, 3,100 cities, and 5,700 neighborhoods nationwide — all organized in searchable pages distinct from traditional social media feeds.
ConnectNeighbors.com was founded by Air Force veteran and entrepreneur John Backer, emphasizing long-term discoverability through dedicated local websites at the state, county, city, and neighborhood levels. Using this model, the platform intends to provide residents and local service providers with community-specific content that remains accessible in search engines.
In a statement, Backer said the projected milestone reflects “steady organic growth” tied to the ongoing expansion of neighborhood web pages across all 50 U.S. states.
“The focus has been on building dedicated neighborhood websites that remain searchable and accessible for residents, real estate professionals, and local businesses,” he explained.
In Pima County, where the platform is based, the network comprises one county page, 10 city pages, and 997 neighborhood websites. Additional cities and neighborhoods are planned for launch throughout 2026. The cities in Arizona with the most neighborhood pages, according to the site’s directory, include Tucson, Green Valley, Phoenix, Vail, Sahuarita, Chandler, and Yuma.
In today’s fast-paced world, staying connected with your neighbors can be challenging. https://t.co/j053IV02qb makes it easier than ever to build stronger, more engaged communities!
ConnectNeighbors.com offers dedicated community pages that can host local news, events, polls, homeowners’ association information, business listings, and real estate data without the time-limited feeds typical of social networking platforms.
According to the platform’s website, community members can browse by state to find neighborhood pages that include vital local resources, such as utility contacts, schools, safety alerts, and community activities.
The project launched nationwide in 2025 and surpassed 2 million page views by mid-year, expanding to serve all 50 states.
The platform operates through a sponsorship model, in which local Realtors sponsor and help curate neighborhood pages, providing both community resources and professional visibility.
ConnectNeighbors.com’s model centers on structured, permanent websites designed to be discoverable through search engines, in contrast to platforms that focus on time-sensitive social feeds or subscription-gated content.
Neighborhood pages are free for community residents to access and are supported through local sponsorship by realtors, lenders, and small businesses, which may use the pages to reach local audiences.
