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News from 2016


Imagination’s the motivation at Mesa’s newly renovated children's playground at Superstition Springs Center, which is holding an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at 6555 E. Southern Ave. in the Sears Court.

After months of investigation, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said last week that his office erroneously attempted to remove Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) Commissioner Bob Burns by misinterpreting Burns’ previous association with a telecommunications group.

U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans sent a letter last week to two congressional committees asking them to consider Phoenix area concerns about flight path changes at Sky Harbor International Airport.

Hearts, homes and health initiatives will thrive in Arizona with $40,000 in 2016 POWER Grants recently distributed to nine regional agencies courtesy of Trico Electric Cooperative Inc., a nonprofit serving more than 38,000 customers in northwest Tucson.

The 107th Arizona town hall meeting, held in Mesa in November, focused on “keeping Arizona's water glass full” and addressed the last 15 years of drought, increasing population growth, federal regulatory oversight and growing environmental concerns.

The city of St. Johns recently joined the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality's (ADEQ) Small Communities Environmental Compliance Assistance Program, a project to help small, often rural municipalities comply with environmental regulations to protect air, land and water quality.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) will convene an open meeting directly after a scheduled 10 a.m. swearing in ceremony on Tuesday in Hearing Room One at the ACC, 1200 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.

Scottsdale’s El Capitan Precious Metals Inc. said last week it is collaborating with Texas-based Logistica US for precious metal refining at a New Mexico mine and continuing their agreement to sell construction-targeted iron ore.

Arizona Public Service (APS) said recently it powers the state not just electrically but also financially as the utility said it designated more than $10 million in grants, sponsorships and donations during 2015.

Comtech EF Data Corp., an Arizona provider of satellite bandwidth efficiency and link optimization products, recently announced the appointment of Mark Toppenberg as its new senior vice president of sales and marketing strategy.

The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce recently issued its list of legislative priorities for the coming year.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) said last week that incoming Commissioner Andy Tobin has selected Matt Gress to be his policy adviser, citing the broad experience, neutrality and commitment to public service Gress brings to the role.

From lab testing and legal appointments to medical, management and military-friendly facilities, the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce recently tabulated activities and ribbon-cuttings involving Phoenix-area businesses in December. 

In his first executive order of 2016, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey recently provided for the state’s “sharing economy” with a directive establishing a council to focus on economic and transportation initiatives.

After months of careful planning, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and fellow congressmen introduced bipartisan federal legislation recently to preserve historic western U.S roads and pave the way for counties to maintain rights-of-way economically.

In the midst of the controversy over Arizona’s net metering policy, one expert at the Energy and Environment Legal Institute (E&E Legal) suggests several policy reform strategies.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey highlighted schools, safety and savings in releasing a 2017 fiscal year budget Tuesday that spurns tax increases and stresses stability in spending to swing the state back to a positive fiscal position.  

Responding to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s massive changes to the federal coal program, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) said last week that the Obama administration’s freeze on new coal leases is “shameful.” 

The Arizona Commission Corporation (ACC) said recently that it has approved upgrades to the BNSF high-traffic railroad crossing in El Mirage and the work will be timed to minimize traffic disruption.  

Marana, Arizona-based Trico Electric Cooperative Inc. recently reminded homeowners that state Senate Bill 1465 went into effect on Jan. 1 mandating full disclosure for solar purchases and leases.