Learning to the test
by David SafierNow this is a test driven student culture. Fourteen to 16 hours a day, he studied for the college entrance examination, which this year will determine the fate of more than 10 million Chinese students. He took one day off every three weeks. Advertisement [snip] Families pull out all the stops to optimize … Read more
Update: Bill to require nonpartisan elections in Tucson is a “do pass” in Senate
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: According to ALIS SB1123, the bill to to require Tucson to conduct nonpartisan elections, and elections by ward ward only, is a "do pass" in the Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) today. It will now move over to the House. Earlier this week, the Arizona Daily Star weighed in on this … Read more
A Landmark Legislative Victory: Congress authorizes FDA to regulate tobacco
Posted byAzBlueMeanie: Some 50 years after the U.S. Surgeon General first warned of the dangers of smoking and 45 years after the seminal Surgeon General's 1964 Report on Smoking and Health, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally will be authorized to regulate tobacco products. It has been a long time in coming. On Thursday, … Read more
House Minority Leader Lujan says Governor is planning state government shutdown
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: In yesterday's Arizona Republic there was this interesting factoid buried in this report Tax hike could go to voters, say lawmakers: House Democratic leader David Lujan said Brewer told him she is prepared to shut down state government if she can't reach an accord with the GOP-controlled Legislature by the end of … Read more
Star, I’ll see your Thorn and raise you one
by David SafierInstead of addressing Rob O'Dell's shoddy reporting (here and here) about raises and new jobs in city government, the Star decided to double down and repeat O'Dell's inaccuracies. The editorial section gave Mike Letcher a thorn. A THORN to City Manager Mike Letcher, who promoted three staffers and gave them raises totalling $34,000. … Read more
Fleming works to pass Military Family Relief Fund
by David SafierA week ago, Jeff Latas posted about the importance of SB1176, the Military Relief Fund legislation. Now Rep. Pat Fleming (D-Sierra Vista), a member of the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee, has a letter to the editor in the Sierra Vista Herald discussing the bill and asking for active support of … Read more
Update on O’Dell story about Letcher, city spending
by David SafierThis morning I took apart a Star story by Rob O'Dell that implied City Manager Mike Letcher was spending all kinds of money for pay raises and new hires. Using the information in the rest of the story, I came to the conclusion that O'Dell was creating a false impression. Later today, I … Read more
