HOME STRETCH OF SUCCESSFUL STATE REPORTING TOUR

posted to AZ Week Notebook by Michael Chihak

Springerville Town Manager Steve West says his community will survive and thrive, eventually, in the wake of the record-setting Wallow Fire because of its character.

"What you find in small communities that you don't necessarily find in big communities, in the metropolitan areas, is that everyone, when it's the worst, they band together," West said in an interview for Friday's Arizona Week.

He said full economic recovery could take three to five year, not just because of the fires. The lingering recession is a major contributing factor, West said.

Springerville-Eagar Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becki Christensen said she thinks local businesses must rethink their approach and not be afraid to undergo change.

Christensen, also interviewed for Friday's Arizona Week, said she hopes that when people understand the underlying causes of the fire -- federal restrictions on logging and cattle grazing -- that there will be a loosening to allow those industries to return and create jobs.

On Friday's program at 8:30 p.m. MST on PBS-HD-6, complete details from them and from neighboring businesses, via an interview Beverly Stepp, executive director of the Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce.

WILL KELLY RUN?

posted to Political Buzz by Christopher Conover

Campaign finance reports are due to the Federal Elections Commission by the end of the week, so numbers are just starting to trickle in. While most political junkies keep an eye on who is raising money attention is also paid to who isn’t raising money.

In January, Jesse Kelly who challenged Gabrielle Giffords last year was rumored to be on the cusp of announcing another run…but so far that announcement hasn’t come. And despite the fact that Kelly has an active campaign account for a 20-12 congressional run, in the last quarter he raised no money. Kelly is the only active candidate in either Congressional District 7 or 8 to file a report at this point.

SENATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE

posted to Political Buzz by Christopher Conover

Election Day for the US Senate and House is still more than a year off, but candidates are starting to line up their finances. Rep. Jeff Flake (R) who is running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jon Kyl (R) has banked $ 2 million so far. According to his campaign that is an addition of more than $800 thousand to his coffers in the last quarter. Campaign finance reports are due to the Federal Elections Commission by the end of the week.

PUTTING THE ARIZONA INTO 'ARIZONA WEEK'

posted to AZ Week Notebook by Michael Chihak

The singing of Springerville gave way to the storminess of Window Rock and the Navajo Nation today as we traveled for Arizona Week.

Springerville and environs gave us this Friday's episode, on the aftermath of the record-setting Wallow Fire and recovery efforts. Interviews will include Springerville's town manager and officials from two chambers of commerce in the White Mountains.

Northward we headed after a cool dawn to the Navajo Nation. We had a sunny outdoor interview with Nation President Ben Shelly with the Window Rock serving as most appropriate background. An upcoming episode of Arizona Week will feature the Shelly interview, including his economic developments plans for the tribe.

Following the visit to Window Rock was a brief stop at St. Michael on the Navajo Nation to view and photograph the beautiful historic stone church. Then we took a cross-state ride into the teeth of two fierce summer thunderstorms, arriving in Flagstaff at 5 p.m.

Overnighting here in anticipation of Wednesday interviews about Flagstaff and Interstate 40 corridor tourism business.

COMPETITION FOR 51ST STATEHOOD?

posted to Political Buzz by Andrea Kelly

A California politician is floating the idea of splitting the state into two.

If the effort moves forward, that would mean competition between the Southern California folks hoping to form a new state, and the Southern Arizona folks hoping to do the same.

Will there be a 51st state in the near future? If so, will it be Baja Arizona or South California? Questions to which we, of course, don't know the answers.

Here's an Associated Press story on the California effort:

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Thirteen mostly conservative California counties would break away to create a 51st state known as South California under a proposal by a local elected official.

Republican Jeff Stone has asked fellow members of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to support a motion to bring together officials from the 13 counties to discuss the idea. A vote is scheduled for Tuesday.

Stone says California is too big to govern, which has led the state to raid local government coffers because of runaway spending.

Stone's version of South California would not include Los Angeles County. Instead, it would encompass coastal Orange and San Diego counties, and inland Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino and Tulare counties. It would have a part-time Legislature and no term limits.

AZ SENATOR DISPUTES AIMING GUN AT REPORTER

posted to Political Buzz by Andrea Kelly

The political news of the day Monday came from a Sunday news story.

In its series, "Guns in Arizona," the Arizona Republic newspaper reported Sunday that, while a reporter was interviewing State Sen. Lori Klein (R-Anthem) about carrying her gun onto the Senate floor, she took the gun out of her purse to show it to him.

But it was the way she showed him that is drawing attention from national and local media. The reporter said she pointed the laser sight of the loaded gun at his chest.

After the news swept the state, State Sen. Steve Gallardo, (D-Phoenix) called for an ethics inquiry into the incident, and also a ban of firearms in the Senate.

Klein told the Arizona Capitol Times she pointed the gun's laser sight at a wall, and the reporter sat down in front of it.

Here's reporter Richard Ruelas' account in the Republic:

"Oh, it's so cute," Klein said, as she unzipped the loaded Ruger from its carrying case to show a reporter and photographer. She was sitting on a leather couch in a lounge, just outside the Senate chamber.

She showed off the laser sighting by pointing the red beam at the reporter's chest. The gun has no safety, she said, but there was no need to worry.

"I just didn't have my hand on the trigger," she said.

And here's Klein's account in the Arizona Capitol Times:

“The photographer, who was behind me at the time, asked me to show him the laser sight and I did so, turning it on and shining it on the wall in front of me (away from the photographer). During this demonstration, the reporter came and sat down in the sofa in front of me, placing himself in the line of the laser sight,” Klein said.

“He noticed the light, then I noticed the light, then I turned it off. I apologized and let him know that he was safe because I keep my finger out of the trigger guard. Again, that is basic gun safety,” she added.