Enterprise samples
Failure to comply - state agencies, universities ignore energy-reduction law
Arizona Capitol Times | March 26, 2010
Back in 2003, lawmakers passed a law that required state agencies and universities to reduce their energy consumption by 10 percent by the end of 2008. The legislation had overwhelming bipartisan support, and it was intended as a way for the state to set an example for local governments to make their buildings more eco-friendly.
The intentions may have been noble, but the results were disappointing. None of the energy standards were met by the deadline, and the Board of Regents, responsible for the state's three universities, remains noncompliant.
Yet the law included no penalty for violations. And it's anybody's guess when the universities will meet the reduction standard. The UofA, for example, has completely disregarded the law by increasing energy use during the past six years, and university officials say they don't expect to make serious progress anytime soon. [continue reading]
Arpaio interview interrupted
DowntownDevil.com | December 1, 2009
A round table interview with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio abruptly ended Monday night at the Walter Cronkite School when a small group of singing protesters interrupted the Sheriff as he was answering a question concerning his immigration policies.
About 10 protesters began singing an original rendition of the British rock band Queen’s 1975 hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” at approximately 7:45 p.m. with less than 15 minutes left in the hour-long interview. Arpaio walked off stage and out of the Cronkite School’s First Amendment Forum when the singers refused to stop until they finished the song.
“This isn’t the way journalists should operate,” Arpaio said in reference to the singers before getting up to leave. According to multiple protesters, however, none of them were Cronkite students. [continue reading]
Feature/analysis samples
McComish still seeking Cubs solution; Campbell worried about Brewers
Arizona Capitol Times | March 26, 2010
Representatives Chad Campbell and John McComish joined Mesa lobbyist John MacDonald and Phoenix Councilman Claude Mattox March 26 for an hour-long debate hosted by the Valley Citizens League at the Irish Cultural Center. Sitting at a table with peanuts and Cracker Jacks, the four talked about possible solutions to keeping the Chicago Cubs in Mesa without making fans of other teams in the Cactus League pay an unfair amount to keep them here.
The bill at the center of attention is H2736, which would add a surcharge to Cactus League tickets to help pay for a new stadium for the Cubs in Mesa. Previously the bill had called for a rental car tax and had asked for an 8-percent surcharge on the tickets, but an amendment last week on the House floor removed the rental tax and made the ticket surcharge an unspecified amount.
McComish and Campbell stuck to their talking points. McComish said giving the Cubs a new stadium will help the Cactus League as a whole and ensure the league’s most popular team doesn’t go anywhere. Campbell disagreed and worried a surcharge for such a purpose might prompt other teams - particularly the Milwaukee Brewers - to find new spring training homes in Florida’s Grapefruit League. [continue reading]
Column samples
Fort Hood: Why we need to talk about it
The State Press | November 10, 2009
Hours after news broke Thursday of the deadly shooting rampage at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, someone within my social network of friends on Facebook posted a status update decrying the lack of alertness from her news feed concerning the newsworthy tragedy.
“I bet if Michael Jackson had been shot there, it would be the universal status update,” her post lamented.
I’d like to believe I’m pretty tapped into the news (despite not owning a television), but I must admit that even with Facebook, Twitter and the ubiquitousness of portable Internet connectivity, I didn’t hear about Fort Hood until 11 people were confirmed dead and the shooter was thought to be long gone. [continue reading]
Is Scott Brown our next president?
The State Press | March 1, 2010
Last week a $15 billion job-creation bill passed the U.S. Senate despite the Democrats’ recent loss of Ted Kennedy’s seat and their filibuster-proof supermajority.
How did they do it?
Surprisingly, the bill passed with a little help from Republican friends.
Five Republican senators voted to break a filibuster on the bill, including wet-eared Scott Brown, the fresh-faced trucker who came out of nowhere to beat Martha Coakley in Massachusetts’ special election in January.
It doesn’t matter who the other four were, because Scott Brown’s vote is the first of many that may help ascend him to the presidency. [continue reading]
