State Capitol News

Phoenix, AZ – While the prison in Kingman is owned and operated by Management
and Training Corporation, there is supposed to be state
oversight. Ryan said the last evaluation, done in two years
before the breakout, gave the facility high marks. But he said
that system, in place since 2005, is flawed.

Phoenix, AZ – The 9.7 percent unemployment figure is just 0.1 percent below
what it was in August of 1983. That was at the end of a recession
which actually shot the state jobless rate as high as 11.5
percent. It also compares sharply with the state's 3.6 percent
unemployment rate in mid 2007, just before the Arizona economy
peaked, the real estate bubble burst and companies began shedding
workers. Aruna Murthy, an economist with the state Department of
Commerce, said the problem remains lack of consumer confidence.

Phoenix, AZ – Republican state senator John Huppenthal said it's wrong to
assume that someone who has a degree in education will be a
better teacher.

(The tragic fact is they've now shown the college of education
degree doesn't show higher academic gains when you compare them
with long-term substitute teachers, there's no difference. And
that's a tragedy.)

Phoenix, AZ – The Department of Weights and Measures is working to teach police
and private security personnel about skimmers. These are
unahtorized electronic devices which can read the information
from credit and debit cards that gasoline customers insert into
the pump. Agency director Kevin Tyne said that information then
can be used by thieves to make purchases.

Phoenix, AZ – Ronald Brewer was indicted in 1989 on two charges of sexual
assault and one count of kidnapping after forcing his way into a
woman's home. He eventually was found not guilty by reason of
insanity. Those court records were open until last year, just
days before Brewer became governor, when her son had his
attorneys successfully get an order having them sealed. The
governor, in a pair of interviews with Arizona Public Radio, said
she played only an indirect role in that decision.

Phoenix, AZ – The suit was filed by a law firm which represents Democratic
Party interests. Attorney Paul Eckstein said that several of
those who became Green Party nominees were enticed to run for
office by Republicans.

(The candidates that were recruited had no ties to the Green
Party beforehand and they were asked to run as Greens for the
purpose of diluting Democratic Party votes for the offices that
were at issue.)

Phoenix, AZ – Under state law, a candidate can become the official nominee for
a minor party by simply registering as a write-in and then voting
for himself or herself. Keith Beauchap, attorney for the Green
Party, said several people made a last-minute registration change
from being Republicans, voted for themselves, and are now
official nominees. He said his party doesn't want them, saying
they don't represent the party principles, with one even having a
swastika on his web site. And Beauchamp said this really is a