By ALEXANDER MacLEAN
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Thursday, Nov. 12) _ Opening Arizona to competition by companies providing electricity could lower rates and give providers more incentive to act wisely when considering investments on infrastructure, experts told a group of state lawmakers Thursday.
“Under the current system, the regulated utilities are playing with the ratepayers’ money, and they have no incentive to save costs,” said Andrew N. Kleit, a professor of energy and environmental economics at Pennsylvania State University. “If we move toward restructuring, they’ll be investing with their own money and they’ll have incentives to reduce their costs leading to reduced costs for Arizona ratepayers.”
Kleit and Stanley S. Reynolds, a University of Arizona economics professor, co-authored a report explaining the advantages of a competitive electricity market for the Goldwater Institute, an advocacy group committed to limited government and free-market values.
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Thursday, November 12 – 17:59
By Cronkite News Service
Here are steps toward restructuring Arizona’s electricity system recommended in a report for the Goldwater Institute by Adam N. Kleit of Pennsylvania State University and Stanley S. Reynolds of the University of Arizona:
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Thursday, November 12 – 16:06
Here is the Cronkite News Service lineup for Thursday, Nov. 12. As the week progresses, this digest lists spot news, stories offered for use throughout the week and features suggested for weekend use. If you have questions or would like to receive the daily news digest by e-mail, please contact Steve Elliott at 602-496-0686 or steve.elliott@asu.edu. You can monitor Cronkite News Service via Twitter (@cronkitenews) and a Web feed optimized for iPhone (http://cronkitenews.asu.edu/mobile). Cronkite News Service video is available at http://cronkitenews.asu.edu/video, and clients are welcome to link to or embed individual videos on that site. In addition, clients may download the QuickTime movie file for their players here with a free Vimeo account.
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Thursday, November 12 – 13:49
By ALEXANDER MacLEAN
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Wednesday, Nov. 11) _ A conservative advocacy group’s report card on how Arizona lawmakers uphold its definition of liberty rates every Republican ahead of every Democrat in both houses of the Legislature.
The Goldwater Institute, a nonprofit organization that like its namesake promotes limited government and free-market principles, based its grades on 305 floor votes during the 2009 session. Its analysis looked at bills dealing with education, taxes and budget, regulation and constitutional government.
Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, who received the group’s highest score, said he’s proud to rein in regulation and government expansion.
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Wednesday, November 11 – 11:45
By Cronkite News Service
Here are quick facts about the Goldwater Institute:
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Wednesday, November 11 – 11:00
By ELIZABETH SHELL
Cronkite News Service
TUCSON _ “Life’s too short for beige,” Steve Farley said, standing in his backyard looking at the color palette he’s painted his home: sandy peach, Easter-egg turquoise and a rich purple.
But what stands out the most also happens to be what Farley does for a living: hundreds of painted ceramic tiles on the back of his house together form a two-story saguaro cactus in shades of green and gray.
Farley, a photographer, graphic designer and public artist, said a benefit of his work is it gives him the income and flexible schedule needed to support his other career: serving as a state representative.
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Tuesday, November 10 – 20:21
By Cronkite News Service
Here are examples of public art by state Rep. Steve Farley, D-Tucson:
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Tuesday, November 10 – 20:20
By Cronkite News Service
Here are quick facts about state Rep. Steve Farley, D-Tucson:
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Tuesday, November 10 – 20:19
By EVAN WYLOGE
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Tuesday, Nov. 10) _ Roughly 20 supporters shared pastries, coffee and handshakes Tuesday morning while U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., touted progress on environmental legislation, health care reform and economic recovery at a fundraiser in north Phoenix.
“With an election every two years, I’m always in campaign mode,” the second-term representative from southern Arizona said. “This election will be about strong ideas and a clear vision.”
With GOP leaders touting off-year victories in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races as signs of momentum nationally, party leaders at the state level are looking to make up ground they lost in 2006 and 2008, when Democrats pulled even and then ahead in Arizona’s U.S. House of Representatives delegation.
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Tuesday, November 10 – 19:15
By Cronkite News Service
A quick look at incumbent Democrats in the U.S. House could face strong Republican challenges:
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Tuesday, November 10 – 19:10
By CHRYSTALL KANYUCK
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Tuesday, Nov. 10) _ An upcoming law providing tax incentives to attract companies that manufacture parts for the renewable energy industry will create high-wage jobs that are vital to rebuilding Arizona’s economy, Gov. Jan Brewer said Tuesday.
“We have to be more competitive and we have to be smarter about bringing jobs to our state,” Brewer said. “This is Arizona’s way forward.”
A day before Phoenix was to play host to an international conference on sustainable building, Brewer spoke at a ceremonial signing of the legislation, which will take effect Jan. 1. The Greater Phoenix Economic Council organized the event.
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Tuesday, November 10 – 18:10
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- With BC-CNS-Solar Law
By Cronkite News Service
Here are quick facts about a state law that will offer tax incentives for renewable energy manufacturing firms to set up shop in Arizona:
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Tuesday, November 10 – 18:09
By KRISTA NORSWORTHY
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Monday, Nov. 9) _ Attorney General Terry Goddard goes to work every day in a building he describes as one of the most backward on the energy grid. Built in the 1950s, it has strips under the windows to provide heating, for example.
“But we do have a big flat roof,” he said.
That brought him to the Phoenix Convention Center on Monday for a presentation on how more than 700 peel-and-stick solar panels on the roof provide some of the facility’s power.
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Monday, November 9 – 17:54
By Cronkite News Service
Here are key facts about the Greenbuild 2009 International Conference and Expo:
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Monday, November 9 – 17:30
- Slug: BC-CNS-Veterans-History, 1st Ld-Writethru,755
- Note: SUBS grafs 8-9 to CORRECT year program began to 2003 sted 2002 and add background on Salt River Project’s involvement. A Cronkite News Service Weekend Special
- Multimedia: Flash video for computers; YouTube video for iPhone.
- With: BC-CNS-Veterans-History-Box
- Photos available (thumbnails, captions below)
By KRISTA NORSWORTHY
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX _ What sticks with Kevin Kane most from the first time he received a Purple Heart isn’t the explosion that sprayed his arms and legs with shrapnel and left him hard of hearing in one ear. It’s the Iraqi civilians across the street from his crippled Humvee, apparently unconcerned.
“As we were trying to figure out what had just happened, I looked over and these people were just staring at us in line to get gas, like nothing had just happened,” said Kane, who as an Army specialist spent 13 months patrolling Baghdad and training police.
There were plenty of experiences worth forgetting, Kane said, occasionally tearing up. But there also were moments that gave him hope before he returned in 2006 with a second Purple Heart.
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Friday, November 6 – 7:30
By Cronkite News Service
Here are quick facts about the Arizona Heritage Project at Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek:
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Friday, November 6 – 7:00
By CHRYSTALL KANYUCK
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Thursday, Nov. 5) _ A task force appointed by Gov. Jan Brewer recommends adding $14 or $15 to annual vehicle registrations to help sustain Arizona State Parks.
The recommendation from the Task Force on Sustainable State Parks Funding includes the ability for vehicle owners to opt out of the fee. However, all drivers with Arizona license plates would receive free admission to state parks.
The proposed fee echoes a recommendation in a report last month by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy.
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Thursday, November 5 – 17:07
By Cronkite News Service
Here are recommendations from Gov. Jan Brewer’s Task Force on Sustainable State Parks Funding:
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Thursday, November 5 – 17:05
By ALEXANDER MacLEAN
Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX (Thursday, Nov. 5) _ In her 2008 State of the State Address, Gov. Janet Napolitano proposed providing, despite the state’s growing economic challenges, free college tuition to Arizona high school students who get good grades, perform community service and stay out of trouble.
Dubbed the Centennial Scholars Program, it would have started in 2012, the year Arizona marks its 100th anniversary as a state.
Nearly two years later, Napolitano has moved on to Washington, bills that would have established Centennial Scholars have gone nowhere and the Arizona Board of Regents, tasked with trying to find private funding for the program, isn’t optimistic.
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Thursday, November 5 – 16:42
By Cronkite News Service
Here are some quick facts about the Centennial Scholars Program sought by former Gov. Janet Napolitano:
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Thursday, November 5 – 16:25
