Hobbs: Flags to half-staff to honor IRS special agent https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/082323_irs_agent_half_staff/hobbs-flags-half-staff-honor-irs-special-agent/

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs ordered flags at all state buildings be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Thursday, August 24, to honor of IRS Special Agent Patrick Bauer, who died after being shot during a training incident at a firing range last Thursday.

#Tucson #Arizona

Hellertoon: Mortgage rates spike through the roof https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/082023_hellertoon_mortgages/hellertoon-mortgage-rates-spike-through-roof/

As even the best rates on home mortgages have topped 7%, buying a house has become even further out of reach for many. The highest interest rates in more than two decades are pricing many out of the real estate market.

#Tucson #Arizona

nostr:npub13h0m32eu7y42umgkcq9hv3gmdt6zxnsvezg3cqesahm0apmlx72qtw2yqt

The Constitution requires Senate approval of generals and flag officers. The law requires Senate approval of other military promotions.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/624

Georgia grand jury returns indictment in Trump election probe https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/081423_trump_georgia_indictment/georgia-grand-jury-returns-indictment-trump-election-probe/

At least one indictment was handed up by a grand jury in Georgia Monday evening that had heard evidence from prosecutors in their investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and others criminally interfered with the state's 2020 presidential election results.

#Tucson #Arizona

Leo W. Banks' new modern Western novel: ''The Flying Z' https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/081423_flying_z_banks/leo-w-banks-new-modern-western-novel-the-flying-z/

The Tucson Sentinel presents the first chapter of "The Flying Z," a modern-day Western noir, alongside an essay about writing a novel from Banks himself.

#Tucson #Arizona

Tucson poet's debut book offers alternative look at life along U.S.-Mexico border https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/081323_border_simulation_poetry/tucson-poets-debut-book-offers-alternative-look-life-along-us-mexico-border/

Tucson poet Gabriel Dozal's debut poetry collection explores life along the border from his experiences as a Mexican-American man.

#Tucson #Arizona

Az Freedom Caucus lawmakers use fringe conspiracies to justify opposing transportation bill https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/081423_freedom_caucus_transportation/az-freedom-caucus-lawmakers-use-fringe-conspiracies-justify-opposing-transportation-bill/

Last month, Democrats and Republicans overrode the objections of the hyper-conservative Arizona Freedom Caucus to pass a bill allowing Maricopa County voters to decide whether to extend a local transportation sales tax next year.

#Tucson #Arizona

Pot smell & safety concerns ignite disputes over public smoking https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/081423_marijuana_concerns/pot-smell-safety-concerns-ignite-disputes-over-public-smoking/

Most states that have legalized marijuana forbid public consumption due to public safety concerns and a general distaste for the pungent odor of pot smoke, but the debate has grown since 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use cannabis.

#Tucson #Arizona

'Uncivil obedience' becomes an increasingly common form of protest in the U.S. https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/081223_uncivil_disobedience_op/uncivil-obedience-becomes-increasingly-common-form-protest-us/

Like civil disobedience, the purpose of uncivil obedience is to change laws, but it does so by “mastering the system’s rules” - following the law but in ways that challenge the practicality and fairness of laws and processes.

#Tucson #Arizona

Advocates accuse U.S. border officials of relying on 'old habits' to block asylum seekers https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/081123_turn_back_lawsuit/advocates-accuse-us-border-officials-relying-old-habits-block-asylum-seekers/

Immigration advocates challenged the Biden administration's use of CBP One — a cellphone application to create appointments for asylum seekers — arguing the border-wide policy violates federal law by sending people back to dangerous circumstances in Mexico.

#Tucson #Arizona

Red states accuse Biden administration of censorship before 5th Circuit https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/081123_biden_censorship/red-states-accuse-biden-administration-censorship-before-5th-circuit/

The Biden administration urged a Fifth Circuit panel on Thursday to nix an injunction that limits its communications with social media companies, arguing that persuading platforms to take down misleading posts did not cross the line into unconstitutional coercion.

#Tucson #Arizona

Tech breakthrough could boost states’ use of geothermal power https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/080723_geothermal_tech/tech-breakthrough-could-boost-states-use-geothermal-power/

Lawmakers in some states have been laying the groundwork to add geothermal power to the electrical grid and pump underground heat into buildings, and now, a new drilling technique could greatly expand where geothermal plants could be built.

#Tucson #Arizona

Trial over Backpage prostitution accusations delayed to late August https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/080723_backpage_trial/trial-over-backpage-prostitution-accusations-delayed-late-august/

A federal judge delayed a trial against Michael Lacey and former employees of backpage.com by three weeks following the death of co-defendant and backpage.com co-founder James Larkin.

#Tucson #Arizona

EPA approved fuel ingredient could cause cancer in every person exposed over a lifetime https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/080723_epa_chevron_fuel/epa-approved-fuel-ingredient-could-cause-cancer-every-person-exposed-over-lifetime/

An EPA document shows that a new Chevron fuel ingredient has a lifetime cancer risk more than 1 million times higher than what the agency usually finds acceptable — even greater than another Chevron fuel’s sky-high risk disclosed earlier this year.

#Tucson #Arizona

Study cited by Texas judge in abortion-pill case under investigation https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/080723_mifepristone_study/study-cited-by-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation/

The research cited to order a suspension of mifepristone’s FDA approval earlier this year was authored by many of the same anti-abortion activists directly involved in suing the FDA - but now the study is now being investigated amidst claims the authors exaggerated their findings.

#Tucson #Arizona

Lessons of unnecessary mass destruction on 78th anniversary of Hiroshima attack could guide future nuclear talks https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/080623_hiroshima_anniversary/lessons-unnecessary-mass-destruction-78th-anniversary-hiroshima-attack-could-guide-future-nuclear-talks/

As the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima during WWII marks its 78th anniversary, the lessons of unnecessary mass destruction learned could help guide future nuclear arms talks.

#Tucson #Arizona

Under Trump, Texas’ foot soldiers became federal judges, securing a conservative stronghold in the courts https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/080623_conservative_foot_soldiers/under-trump-texas-foot-soldiers-became-federal-judges-securing-conservative-stronghold-courts/

A federal judiciary full of ideological allies is helping Texas block Democratic priorities and advance right-wing legal doctrines. But the bigger prize is conservative control of the rule of law itself.

#Tucson #Arizona

nostr:npub14yrm4r2w22e3r0njkmlcqzswm6sc5pnuwpccrdx24j4s8e4vqkvs3r7wx3 "As a Superfund Alternative site, cleaning the water is overseen by the EPA, but the cost will be borne by Cyprus Tohono Corporation, the most recent company to own and operate the mine."

From hot issues to hot dogs, politicians turn to Threads to reach voters https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/080523_political_threads/from-hot-issues-hot-dogs-politicians-turn-threads-reach-voters/

Among the 100 million users who reportedly signed up last month for Threads, Meta’s new social media platform, were Arizona politicians from both state and federal office and from both sides of the aisle.

#Tucson #Arizona

Texas backlash to Obama fueled conservative drive to reinterpret U.S. Constitution https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/080523_conservative_court_backlash/texas-backlash-obama-fueled-conservative-drive-reinterpret-us-constitution/

Barraging the Obama administration with lawsuits, the Texas attorney general’s office wasn’t just trying to block policies. It was injecting disruptive, overtly Christian legal philosophies into the mainstream, and grooming a generation of conservative legal warriors.

#Tucson #Arizona