Blogs

Take a look back at the stories of July 2008 in this month in photos slideshow.

Phil Gordon

By Ray Stern

After Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon accused Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's deputies of racial profiling in an April 4 letter to the U.S. Attorney General, Arpaio "ordered an immediate investigation" into the charge, according to a Sheriff's Office press release.

The newly released report on an allegation of racial profiling involving one of Gordon's aides, Jessica Rodriguez of Buckeye, shows the "investigation" was a sham from the beginning.

At least one racial profiling complaint had been sitting around for anyone to find at the Sheriff''s Office since December. But as the sheriff's latest press release shows, the "investigators" simply filed a highly questionable request for public records with the City of Phoenix and never bothered to check their own files for a complaint until July 16.

Which would seem pretty stupid, unless you look through the lens of politics. Then all the lies begin to make sense. As New Times has chronicled, the Phoenix records request by Arpaio was apparently designed only to embarrass or intimidate Arpaio's political foe, Gordon.

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by Sarah Fenske

The Phoenix Country Club continues to make headlines — this time for
booting longtime member Rusty Brown. Brown's crime? Daring to speak to the media about the ongoing civil rights imbroglio at the club.

As we first reported last July, two longtime members filed a complaint with Attorney General Terry Goddard alleging that the club discriminates against women. (Female members are barred from the club's casual dining grill — and stuck using a women's grill with far fewer amenities.) That complaint touched off a series of disturbing clashes among the club's hoity-toity members that included alleged vandalism targeting the complainants, Logan and Barbara Van Sittert. And, at the time, the club passed a new rule threatening to expel any member who makes "derogatory or otherwise injurious comments to the media."

Frankly, it's kind of hard to see how Brown qualifies. A lawyer with a solo practice in Phoenix, Brown had questioned the sex-segregated grills at a luncheon hosted by the Arizona Women Lawyers Association. His only comment to the media, as best I can tell, was a quote in a New York Times story in June that ''most men are indifferent to the policy or are against it."

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By Stephen Lemons

Mesa Police Chief George Gascon pens an op-ed for the Gray Lady. Phil Gordon defends racial profiling claim against Sheriff. Lettuce Ladies give everyone gas. Cops seek knife-wielding mariachi. Moron Steve Berman. Crypto parasite terrorizes Mesa. Roller derby dames do it with their helmets on. Three vanishing Mexican stories. (A new record!) Ramos and Compean stay convicted. D-Backs pound Padres 7-3. Javelin-boy goes to Beijing.

Gascon pens immigration op-ed for New York Times.

Gordon defends racial profiling claim vs. Sheriff.

Vegan hotties give us gas.

Crypto parasite found in Mesa pool.

American History X-Man.

Police seek knife-wielding mariachi.

Roller derby dames do it on wheels.

Real cops eager to collar fake flatfoot.

Wacko Berman on the ropes.

D-Backs bolt past Padres 7-3.

Breaux Greer chucks spear in Beijing.

Nativist Center for Immigration Studies trumpets illegals’ decline.

Feds say illegals can “self-deport.”

Vanishing Mexicans, vanishing money.

Appeals court upholds Ramos/Compean convictions.

Politicker AZ reports latest Tim Nelson-Gerald Richard debate.

By John Dickerson

On Monday, July 28, “Sheriff Joe” made the editorial page of the Washington Post. And this bit of national coverage didn't involve some brainless TV reporter taking Arpaio’s word or remarking about how neato that pink underwear is. No, D.C.’s paper of record called it like it is. “Sheriff Joe likes to refer to his blatantly unconstitutional campaign of harassment as ‘crime suppression sweeps,’” the editorial reads.

“By equating race with immigration status, the sheriff's office has made moving around Maricopa County risky and at times terrifying for many Latinos, immigrant and native alike.”

The Post editorial succinctly unpacked the pattern of Maricopa deputies’ racial profiling — and the price it costs documented citizens who get arrested and harassed in the process. The Post's editorial board was able to identify and nail this issue from 2,300 miles away. What a shame more local reporters and editors can’t see it as clearly from so close.

Of course, the Post isn’t the first national paper to notice how backwards Maricopa County has become. The New York Times wrote a similar piece back in April. That editorial called for legislators to issue subpoenas for Arpaio and hold a congressional hearing about his tactics.

Meanwhile, local TV coverage of Arpaio is rife with hunky-dory stories about doggies and good deeds, punctuated with five-second soundbites and rarely questioning the sheriff’s self-serving “internal investigations.” (Joe Dana’s coverage of Arpaio burning county dollars in Honduras is one of the notable exceptions.)

With both the Washington Post and New York Times trained on the Joker, er, Arpaio, Gotham City, er, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon is now in Washington, D.C., encouraging more national media outlets to notice the constitutional abuses funded by our local tax dollars.

As the wagons of national media circle, the question changes from "Do Maricopa County residents know that the constitutional rights of one minority group are being blatantly violated?"

Now the questions seem to be: "Do Maricopa County residents even care that the constitutional rights of a minority group are being blatantly violated?"

by Sarah Fenske

The Democratic candidates for Maricopa County Attorney squared off last night at Central High School. But what was a bit more interesting than the debate, I think, was the press conference that one candidate held before the event.

Tim Nelson, who is Governor Janet Napolitano's former general counsel, held the conference to denounce the current county attorney, Andrew Thomas, for his habit of spending RICO funds to promote his own agenda. As we've previously reported, Thomas has used the funds for a host of questionable purchases - many of them clearly designed to shore up his own name recognition. Most recently, as my colleague Stephen Lemons reported, Thomas even used RICO money to sponsor a right-wing radio host's book tour.

The radio host in question, Darrell Ankarlo, works for KTAR. Which is why it was incredibly funny that a "reporter" from KTAR showed up for the conference and attempted to pose "questions" vindicating the expenditure. (Interestingly enough, the "reporter" was hanging out with Thomas' right-hand guy, Barnett Lotstein, while the Nelson people were setting up.)

After Nelson gave a short speech criticizing the expenses - "what does promoting a political book have to do with public safety?" - the KTAR "reporter" began challenging him.

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By Stephen Lemons

Ankarlo book tour fiasco costs taxpayers $11,500. Dan Saban dodges verbal knives, kicks butt on KFYI 550 AM Bruce Jacobs’s morning show. Arizona’s modern-day version of the Trail of Tears. Channel 12’s Joe Dana reports some more on Honduras-gate. MCSO denies racial profiling. (Pause for laughter.) Female cabbie stabbed, body dumped. D-Backs spank San Diego.


$11K from the MCAO to KTAR in Ankarlo book tour.

Or was it $11,500?

The Republic says $11,500 too.

Arpaio-foe Dan Saban kicks ass on Bruce Jacobs.

Arizona’s modern-day Trail of Tears.

More great work from Joe Dana on MCSO’s Honduran caper.

Of course, Feathered Bastard covered same ground in April.

MCSO: Racial profiling? What racial profiling?

San Diego spanked by D-Backs, 3-0.

Teixeira traded to Los Angeles Angels.

Cards acquire former Arizona State tight end.

D-Backs’ Owings to minors.

Female cabbie stabbed, left for dead in Phoenix, expected to recover.

Jeffs charges back to grand jury?

Arizona loses thousands of jobs to China.

Compiled By Jonathan McNamara

On: Latino Bar Business Down on Big Fight Night, Thanks to Sheriff Joe What's-His-Name

"How cute! Dan Saban has his 14 supporters writting in. I guess that's what you need to do when you can't raise money in a campagin. He knows the New Times will post anything for him and certainly won't ask any tough questions. Saban will open the door and welcome every illegal alien he can get into this state. He is already said he will not enforce illegal immigration."
-Saban52

"'Anybody But Joe' won't be on the ballot, so get used to the name, Dan Saban. He'll be your next Maricopa County Sheriff."
- Sam, President, ASU For Dan Saban

On: National Tally: Obama, 71 McCain, 38. Even Fox News Prefers Obama

"How is it that a candidate with absolutely no substance or experience could be interesting. It is almost biblical how Obama can just chant "change" and people fall all over themselves and can't tell you why. Hope and change, hope and change, hope and change......when I snap my fingers you will come to and stop acting like a jackass!"
- Dave

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By Steve Jansen

ASU running back Keegan Herring

2008 Pac-10 Predictions:

1. USC
2. Oregon
3. ASU
4. California
5. Oregon State
6. UCLA
7. Arizona
8. Washington State
9. Washington
10. Stanford

Over the years, I’ve written about loads of subjects that excite me. The merits of old free jazz vinyl. A dude that “played” the Arizona-Mexico border. A vegan bondage gear maker.

Arizona State Sun Devil football is another one of those topics. However, there isn't a ton of stuff going on until the team's season begins August 30 against NAU.

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By John Dickerson

In March, New Times reported that the Arizona Medical Board looks the other way once doctors graduate from its addiction recovery program. The board doesn’t even track how many doctors relapse once their drug testing ends (about three out of four docs New Times followed did relapse).

But one thing the board should be credited for doing is monitoring the doctors who are still in the addiction-recovery program, known as the “monitored aftercare program,” or MAP.

Today, the board learned that one MAP physician, Tempe ER doc Edwin D. Stump, failed his most-recent drug test when his urine tested positive for alcohol. Board staff tried to contact Stump, but the doctor was either out of town or out cold.

So the board immediately suspended Dr. Stump’s license today. Stump is just one example of a functioning addict whose patients (unless they smell alcohol on his breath) have no way of knowing whether their ER doctor is an alcoholic — even though the medical board knows.

Even if a patient were to log on to the Arizona Medical Board’s Web site and had the wherewithal to pull Stump’s profile, said responsible patient wouldn’t see that Stump is an alchie. In fact, his profile reports a perfect score of zero board [disciplinary] actions.

How could it be that the board knew he was an alcoholic and didn't warn his patients? That’s because Arizona (and a number of other states) offers confidential rehab for doctors who self-report their addictions. Confidential, as in the medical board has known this guy had an alcohol problem since July 3. (Unlike Stump, most doctors last longer than a month in the MAP program.)

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By Stephen Lemons

Melanoma-man McCain gets another biopsy. Mayor Phil talks immigration on NPR. Tucson Citizen blasts Arpaio. (And if you missed it yesterday, the Washington Post got its licks in, too.) 50 popped in drop house raid. Cards linebacker Haggans wants to dye his Mohawk red. (Go for it, dude.) Republican state Senator Jack Harper investigated. A violent home invasion caught on tape. And Barriozona's slideshow of the Borders Books anti-Arpaio demo.

Mayor Phil Gordon discusses Arpaio, immigration on NPR.

Hunk of flesh carved off of old man McCain.

Tucson Citizen raps Arpaio’s knuckles.

Washington Post redux: Post slams Arpaio.

Phoenix PD nab 50 in Maryvale drop house.

Suspect in Phoenix sex attacks collared.

D-Backs winning streak stopped by Padres.

Mohawker Haggans plans to dye it Cardinal red.

Barriozona slideshow of anti-Arpaio protest at Borders.

R-Cubed on Jack Harper investigation.

We beat out Tampa. Woo-hoo!

State Supremes toss murder conviction for David Anthony.

Violent home invasion caught on tape.

By Ray Stern

A Phoenix man is sitting in jail today on suspicion of touching, grabbing, and possibly trying to kidnap or molest a dozen young girls in recent weeks.

His name is Robert Jesse Payan, 28. But police don't want you to see who he is yet. They haven't released his mug shot. They won't confirm whether Internet pictures of a man matching the suspect's description are of the suspect. And they won't say whether their suspect sketch (above) resembles the man, even though police acknowledge the sketch helped catch him.

As New Times reported on July 18, Phoenix police have already tried to stop news reporters from talking to any witnesses or victims in the case, though one TV news outlet — Channel 3 (KTVK) — bucked the request and ran one such interview regardless.

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By Jonathan McNamara

Top Chef at Phoenix Public Market

The Summer heat didn't slow Downtown Phoenix Public Market down a bit this Saturday. While just across the street early morning people scrambled to get a seat at Matt's Big Breakfast, market shoppers selected fresh produce, traded crafts and oh yeah, got autographs from Top Chef cast members Richard Blais (season four) and Betty Fraser (season two).

Romantasy Cabaret at The Sets

Life is a cabaret old chum, and that means the audience was treated to music, dancing and even a few revealing acts at The Sets on Saturday July 26, 2008.

Native American Basketball Invitational at U.S. Airways Center

The NABI’s men and women's brackets battled it out to determine who would win it all and who would go home on July 26, 2008.

Also: Don't miss "Senator Files Ethics Complaint Over Gay Marriage Vote" posted Saturday by John Dickerson on Valley Fever.

By Paul Rubin

Mexican welterweight boxer Antonio Margarito's surprising 11th-round TKO stoppage of previously unbeaten Puerto Rican champ Miguel Cotto was one of the more stirring sporting events we've witnessed in a while (at least since gimpy-legged Tiger Woods limped to victory in the U.S. Open over a wonderful journeyman named Rocco Mediate last month).

That's Margarito on the left, pounding Cotto late in the Vegas bout, which certainly will be a huge contender for Fight of the Year.

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By Stephen Lemons

Grampa McCain can’t figure out affirmative action. Orders Confederate troops to fire on Fort Sumter. Helicopter guys get a memorial. D-backs take broom to Frisco, get to use it. Rodgers-Cromartie makes Card camp. Tim Nelson berates Barnett Lotstein. Gotbaums say Phoenix too mean for trial. (Phoenix, mean? Naaah.) New PAC seeks Russell Pearce’s defeat. (Welcome to the club, bubs.) Plus Juggalos, an air guitar god, and ex-Republic columnist Jon Talton found alive and well, sipping java in Seattle.

THIS JUST IN: Washington Post blasts Arpaio with both barrels!

Grampa McCain backs anti-affirmative action effort.

A memorial for the helicopter guys.

Feds close First National Bank of Arizona.

D-backs take broom to San Fran.

Cards welcome Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. (Say that three times fast.)

Trib profiles GOP hopefuls for CD 5.

Tim Nelson smacks up MCAO eminence greasy Barnett Lotstein.

New PAC targets Russell Pearce.

Gotbaums to court: Phoenix too hateful, move trial to Tucson.

Jugga-ofays bring in the clowns.

Air guitar head.

Jon Talton found alive and well in Seattle.