Buckmaster: Wasting water will cost you

As schools across Arizona face down an impending fiscal cliff, lawmakers met on Thursday to discuss what their options are — despite the fact that legislation to address the issue has been ready to go since the session started. Read more»   

The West has been slammed by wet weather this winter: Good news for the Colorado River, where all that moisture hints at a possible springtime boost for the reservoirs that have been crippled by drought - but many more years of heavy snow are needed to make a serious dent. Read more»   

Scientists are finding in an ongoing study that despite the haze from far-off blazes, enough indirect sunlight was available to fuel the nation’s burgeoning solar panel industry in 2020 - good news as the U.S. government is seeking to quickly ramp up solar energy production. Read more»   

One state lawmaker wants Arizona police departments to focus on increased policing and deterrence programs to combat what he said is an out-of-control surge in violent crime, but critics say that his recommendations will only lead to increased incarceration for low-level crimes. Read more»   

Democrats' dissent wasn’t enough to stop the Arizona House Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee from passing four Republican-sponsored bills aimed to instill faith in the election process back into voters, whom Republicans say have less trust following recent elections. Read more»   

A decision on the legality of DACA - when it eventually goes to the U.S. Supreme Court - is not expected to be issued until 2024, and while Congress appears unlikely to take action, participants in the program are left uncertain if they will be protected from deportation. Read more»   

A proposal in the Arizona House to target predators who were able to plead felony offenses down to a misdemeanor and increase the punishments for sexual offenders could put teenagers in prison for having intimate relationships with their peers. Read more»   

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed her sixth executive order Wednesday, establishing an independent prison oversight commission to improve the transparency and accountability of Arizona’s corrections system. Read more»   

Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward and her team spent more than $530,000 on what one GOP consultant said were “vanity projects” designed to boost her ego instead of winning races on an election that ultimately ended in disaster for Republicans in Arizona. Read more»