For the third straight year, Arizona was ranked best state in the nation for gun owners by Guns and Ammo magazine, which praised the state’s self-defense and carry laws, its shooting sports and strong gun culture. Read more»

Arizona environmental groups cheered the final version of the Clean Power Plan unveiled Monday, a first-ever national standard that aims to cut power plant emissions by a third by 2030. But Arizona utilities and state officials both were more cautious, saying they need to study the plan that has been more than a year in the making. Read more» 1

Despite making progress in most areas, Arizona remained mired at 46th among states for overall child well-being in the 2015 KidsCount report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Read more»

It took more than 20 months of negotiations to reach agreement on an Iranian nuclear deal, but it took mere hours for Arizona lawmakers to respond to the plan, with support falling along party lines. Read more»

As governor, Attorney General Mark Brnovich would declare every day Grateful Dead Day and take down SkyNet, the self-aware computer network that menaces mankind in the “Terminator” movies. Those were some of the fanciful exchanges when he found himself acting governor this week, in the absence of Gov. Ducey and Secretary of State Reagan. Read more» 2

A federal appeals court on Tuesday reinstated the conviction of a Gila River tribal member under the Indian Major Crimes Act, redefining its rule for determining who is and is not Indian in the process. Read more»

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from officials in Arizona and Kansas who wanted federal election officials to require proof of citizenship for people registering to vote. Read more»

The White House announced a new policy this week on how it deals with foreign hostage-takers and “in particular its interaction and communication with families whose loved ones have been taken hostage.” Obama’s order comes four months after former Prescott resident Kayla Mueller died while being held by ISIS militants. Read more»

Matt Salmon celebrated the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that said same-sex marriage is a constitutionally protected right. Matt R. Salmon, that is, the gay son of Rep. Matt Salmon, a conservative Republican from Mesa who, unlike his son, opposes same-sex marriage. Read more»

As the Supreme Court ruled states cannot deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples, activists in Arizona were sharply split. "Big picture, this isn’t the final word on marriage," said a spokesman for the right-wing Center for Arizona Policy, while a member of the College Democrats said "the fight for equality doesn’t end here at all, this isn’t the moment we get complacent." Read more» 1

Arizona Republicans sided with President Barack Obama and the state’s Democrats opposed him Thursday, as the House voted to revive stalled negotiations toward a 12-nation free-trade pact with Asian and Pacific Rim countries. Read more»

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema was the sole Arizona Democrat to break party ranks Wednesday as the House rejected a Democratic proposal calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and Iraq. Read more»

OSHA officials have a message for workers and others who expect to be outside working and playing as summer heats up: Shade, water and rest for safety. And if that’s too much to remember, the agency has an app for that. Read more»

Critics are still calling for an investigation of the Phoenix mosque, but officials there say they have been getting "thousands of messages of support." Read more»

When U.S. Sen. John McCain announced his intention this week to run for election to a sixth term in 2016, he said he was ready for a fight from any challengers who might want to take him on. He may well get one. Political analysts say McCain will almost surely face an expensive campaign with challengers likely from both the left and the right. Read more» 2