Category: State News

The Biden-Harris administration has announced a significant milestone in its efforts to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System and strengthen water security in the West.  With historic water conservation enabled by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Administration has staved off the immediate possibility of the Colorado River System’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production. Due to record conservation investments as well as improved hydrology, Lake Mead levels today, at elevation 1075 feet, are the highest since May 2021, when they were at 1073 feet. The Department of…

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A Native American tribe with one of the largest outstanding claims to water in the Colorado River basin is closing in on a settlement with more than a dozen parties, putting it on a path to piping water to tens of thousands of tribal members in Arizona who still live without it. Negotiating terms outlined late Wednesday include water rights not only for the Navajo Nation but the neighboring Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes in the northeastern corner of the state. The water would come from a mix of sources: the Colorado River that…

Platform offers eligible taxpayers a new option to file electronically for free Phoenix – The Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) is announcing that the much-anticipated Direct File tool — and Arizona’s integrated state filing tool, FileYourStateTaxes — will be officially available for all eligible taxpayers to file their tax returns electronically for free starting March 12. This historic new program will allow eligible taxpayers to file their federal and state returns seamlessly and for free. Starting this week, the platform is in its final testing phase, allowing new users to file their returns 24 hours a day, every day. A message…

In the heartland of America, where fields, pastures, and open ranges stretch as far as the eye can see, there struggle the often overlooked and undervalued farm and ranch workers. These dedicated men and women toil under the scorching sun, enduring grueling hours, and hazardous conditions, all to ensure that our tables brim with fresh groceries. Their contributions often go unnoticed, while their lives are etched by poverty and vulnerability. Introduction to PPEP – NFJP Fortunately, a ray of hope shines for these near invisible heroes: the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP). This federally funded program is managed locally at…

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), Division of Problem Gambling (DPG), in collaboration with the National Council of Problem Gambling (NCPG), recognizes March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. 2024 marks the 21st anniversary of Problem Gambling Awareness Month. “Problem gambling is a serious addiction that affects an estimated two percent of adults and five percent of youth in Arizona,” said Katie Hobbs, Arizona Governor. “That is why I have issued a proclamation announcing March 2024 as Arizona Problem Gambling Awareness Month — through education and outreach, we can spread the word and support those in Arizona who may…

Arizona lawmakers are pushing to return social equity licenses for marijuana dispensaries to their original owners, alleging private investors and cannabis corporations used predatory tactics to seize control of nearly all the lucrative licenses.  Senate Bill 1262, introduced by Republican Sen. Sonny Borrelli, seeks to restore power to those the state’s social equity program was actually meant to benefit: people from marginalized communities disproportionately affected by past marijuana convictions. It would also allow the state Attorney General’s Office to investigate and punish entities that exploited those individuals. “What we have here is an injustice that needs to be fixed,” Borrelli,…