Wayne Schutsky
@wschutsky.bsky.social
1/3 of the Politics Desk @kjzzphoenix.bsky.social
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl announced he is stepping back from public life after being diagnosed with a neurological disease that causes dementia.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl stepping back from public life due to neurological disease diagnosis
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl announced he is stepping back from public life after being diagnosed with a neurological disease that causes dementia.
www.kjzz.org
December 31, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl announced he is stepping back from public life after being diagnosed with a neurological disease that causes dementia.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
For the third straight year, state lawmakers will try to reach a deal to renew Prop 123, which increased the amount of money public schools received from the state’s land trust fund before it expired this year, but many of the same roadblocks remain.
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
Arizona officials are 'hopeful' for a Prop. 123 renewal in 2026
For the third straight year, state lawmakers will try to reach a deal to renew Proposition 123, the 2016 ballot measure that increased the amount of money public schools receive from the state’s land ...
www.kjzz.org
December 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
For the third straight year, state lawmakers will try to reach a deal to renew Prop 123, which increased the amount of money public schools received from the state’s land trust fund before it expired this year, but many of the same roadblocks remain.
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has refused the Department of Justice’s latest request to access Arizonans’ voter data.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Fontes again rejects Department of Justice request for Arizona voter information
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has refused the Department of Justice’s latest request to access Arizonans’ voter data.
www.kjzz.org
December 22, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has refused the Department of Justice’s latest request to access Arizonans’ voter data.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Opposition from Republican state lawmakers has members of the Phoenix City Council concerned that a westward expansion of the light rail system — and the hundreds of millions of federal dollars that would help pay for it — is in jeopardy.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Republican lawmakers threaten future light rail extension as federal funding deadline looms
Opposition from Republican state lawmakers has members of the Phoenix City Council concerned that a westward expansion of the light rail system — and the hundreds of millions of federal dollars that w...
www.kjzz.org
December 18, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Opposition from Republican state lawmakers has members of the Phoenix City Council concerned that a westward expansion of the light rail system — and the hundreds of millions of federal dollars that would help pay for it — is in jeopardy.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
And that makes three. The RNC and Arizona Republicans file lawsuit challenging the Arizona Independent Party name change.
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www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Republicans file lawsuit challenging Arizona Independent Party name change
Republican officials are contesting a decision by Arizona’s top election officer to approve the Arizona Independent Party’s name change a week after the state’s Democrats lodged a similar legal challe...
www.kjzz.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:16 AM
And that makes three. The RNC and Arizona Republicans file lawsuit challenging the Arizona Independent Party name change.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Sen. Ruben Gallego is calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs Sec. Doug Collins to cancel plans to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Sen. Gallego calls on Trump administration to cancel VA job cuts
Sen. Ruben Gallego is calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to cancel plans to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs.
www.kjzz.org
December 16, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Sen. Ruben Gallego is calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs Sec. Doug Collins to cancel plans to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Water officials in Pinal County experimented with cloud seeding technology to boost rainfall over the summer, just months after bills that would have banned the practice failed to gain traction at the state legislature.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Water officials experimented with cloud seeding to increase rainfall in Pinal County
Water officials in Pinal County experimented with cloud seeding technology to boost rainfall over the summer, just months after bills that would have banned the practice failed to gain traction at the...
www.kjzz.org
December 16, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Water officials in Pinal County experimented with cloud seeding technology to boost rainfall over the summer, just months after bills that would have banned the practice failed to gain traction at the state legislature.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Arizona regulators scaled back a program operated by the state’s largest utility designed to encourage energy efficiency, arguing they were trimming ineffective initiatives and eliminating unnecessary expenses.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Arizona utility regulators scale back APS energy efficiency incentives
Arizona regulators scaled back a program operated by the state’s largest utility designed to encourage energy efficiency, arguing they were trimming ineffective initiatives and eliminating unnecessary...
www.kjzz.org
December 3, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Arizona regulators scaled back a program operated by the state’s largest utility designed to encourage energy efficiency, arguing they were trimming ineffective initiatives and eliminating unnecessary expenses.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Arizona Attorney General's office tells me Trump admin threats to withhold SNAP funding to states, including AZ, that won't turn over beneficiary data are illegal due to court orders blocking the effort.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Trump administration threatens to withhold SNAP funds from Arizona
The Trump administration is threatening to withhold SNAP funding from more than 20 states, including Arizona, that have refused to share data about residents who benefit from the food assistance progr...
www.kjzz.org
December 3, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Arizona Attorney General's office tells me Trump admin threats to withhold SNAP funding to states, including AZ, that won't turn over beneficiary data are illegal due to court orders blocking the effort.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
I took a look at changes made to SNAP by the Big Beautiful Bill and how the government shutdown could provide a preview of how those changes will affect the food assistance ecosystem in AZ over the next few years.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
How the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' will impact Arizonans and the state's food banks
Even with SNAP funding restored, Arizona food banks may face an increased demand in the coming years due to changes made to the program by the Republican tax cut and spending package passed this year.
www.kjzz.org
December 3, 2025 at 4:56 PM
I took a look at changes made to SNAP by the Big Beautiful Bill and how the government shutdown could provide a preview of how those changes will affect the food assistance ecosystem in AZ over the next few years.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Reposted by Wayne Schutsky
A new lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to void the name change of the Arizona Independent Party, arguing it will cause widespread voter confusion.
Lawsuit against Fontes seeks to reverse Arizona Independent Party name change
A new lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to void the name change of the Arizona Independent Party, arguing it will cause widespread voter confusion.
www.kjzz.org
December 3, 2025 at 12:16 AM
A new lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to void the name change of the Arizona Independent Party, arguing it will cause widespread voter confusion.
Calling the alleged activity “more egregious than TikTok,” AZ AG Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against Temu, alleging the Chinese-owned online retailer company cheats consumers while illegally collecting their data.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
'More egregious than TikTok': Arizona AG files lawsuit against online retailer Temu
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against Temu, alleging the Chinese-owned online retailer company cheats consumers while illegally collecting their data.
www.kjzz.org
December 2, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Calling the alleged activity “more egregious than TikTok,” AZ AG Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against Temu, alleging the Chinese-owned online retailer company cheats consumers while illegally collecting their data.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
The Mesa Police Department arrested a longtime Valley activist on Tuesday morning as he was documenting federal immigration activities, leading to backlash from protesters and state officials.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Mesa police arrest longtime activist who says he was observing federal immigration agents
The Mesa Police Department arrested a longtime Valley activist on Tuesday morning as he was documenting federal immigration activities, leading to backlash from protesters and state officials.
www.kjzz.org
November 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
The Mesa Police Department arrested a longtime Valley activist on Tuesday morning as he was documenting federal immigration activities, leading to backlash from protesters and state officials.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
The Citizen Clean Elections Commission is calling on Sec of State Adrian Fontes to reverse a decision allowing one of the AZ's newest political parties to rebrand itself, arguing the new name will cause mass voter confusion.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Clean Elections says Arizona Independent Party name change will lead to 'voter confusion'
The Citizen Clean Elections Commission is calling on Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to reverse a decision allowing one of the state’s newest political parties to rebrand itself, arguing the party’s ...
www.kjzz.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:02 PM
The Citizen Clean Elections Commission is calling on Sec of State Adrian Fontes to reverse a decision allowing one of the AZ's newest political parties to rebrand itself, arguing the new name will cause mass voter confusion.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
At a conference of western governors in Arizona last week, the region’s energy future dominated the conversion as populations and the AI data center industry continue to grow and drive up demand.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Western states face unprecedented energy, water demand driven by AI boom
At a conference of western governors in Arizona last week, the region’s energy future dominated the conversion as populations and the AI data center industry continue to grow and drive up demand.
www.kjzz.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
At a conference of western governors in Arizona last week, the region’s energy future dominated the conversion as populations and the AI data center industry continue to grow and drive up demand.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Western governors, gathered for a conference in Paradise Valley, concentrated on the need to grow the American energy industry dramatically to meet the nation’s exploding demand for electricity.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Western governors gathered in Arizona focus on rising electricity demand driven by AI data centers
Western governors, gathered for a conference in Paradise Valley, concentrated on the need to grow the American energy industry dramatically to meet the nation’s exploding demand for electricity.
www.kjzz.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Western governors, gathered for a conference in Paradise Valley, concentrated on the need to grow the American energy industry dramatically to meet the nation’s exploding demand for electricity.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
During his first countywide election, Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap’s office rejected ballots at a rate nearly three times as high as seen in recent elections, causing alarm for some county leaders.
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
Ballot rejections nearly triple under Maricopa County recorder's new signature verification system
During his first countywide election, Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap’s office rejected ballots at a rate nearly three times as high as seen in recent elections, alarming some county leaders.
www.kjzz.org
November 20, 2025 at 8:44 PM
During his first countywide election, Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap’s office rejected ballots at a rate nearly three times as high as seen in recent elections, causing alarm for some county leaders.
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
Court records show that a group of Arizonans accused of using fraudulent documents to get an inmate out of prison 20 years early attempted to use a similar scheme to free a second inmate.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
2nd Arizona inmate attempted to order release using fake documents scheme, records show
Court records show that a group of Arizonans accused of using fraudulent documents to get an inmate out of prison 20 years early attempted to use a similar scheme to free a second inmate.
www.kjzz.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Court records show that a group of Arizonans accused of using fraudulent documents to get an inmate out of prison 20 years early attempted to use a similar scheme to free a second inmate.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
I say this a lot privately to colleagues and for no reason whatsoever I’m going to say it here: access journalism is a cancer.
November 19, 2025 at 4:01 AM
I say this a lot privately to colleagues and for no reason whatsoever I’m going to say it here: access journalism is a cancer.
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky said a new deal to build Axon's HQ - and cancel a voter referendum - provides "finality." But plenty of questions remain about the future of the project.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Scottsdale, Axon come to a compromise over headquarters and number of apartments
The Scottsdale City Council approved a new deal with Taser-maker Axon to cancel a citizen referendum that tried to send the company’s plans to build a new headquarters to voters.
www.kjzz.org
November 18, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky said a new deal to build Axon's HQ - and cancel a voter referendum - provides "finality." But plenty of questions remain about the future of the project.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
AG Mayes won't say whether she'll appeal decision sending fake electors case back to grand jury by Nov 21 deadline but she dismissed reports earlier this month inferring she was preparing to drop the case
"I guess I would caution folks against reading into my comments."
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
"I guess I would caution folks against reading into my comments."
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Mayes faces Friday deadline to decide future of Arizona 'fake elector' case
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes faces an end-of-week deadline to decide whether to move forward with the criminal case she brought against Arizona’s so-called fake electors.
www.kjzz.org
November 17, 2025 at 8:17 PM
AG Mayes won't say whether she'll appeal decision sending fake electors case back to grand jury by Nov 21 deadline but she dismissed reports earlier this month inferring she was preparing to drop the case
"I guess I would caution folks against reading into my comments."
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
"I guess I would caution folks against reading into my comments."
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
A dispute between a Medicaid insurer Mercy Care and an autism therapy provider could leave hundreds of patients searching for new places to receive care next year, though I just found out Mercy Care delayed the end of the contract from January to March.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Medicaid contract dispute threatens services for hundreds of Arizonans with autism
A dispute between an Arizona Medicaid insurer and a large autism therapy provider could leave hundreds of patients searching for new places to receive care next year.
www.kjzz.org
November 15, 2025 at 5:20 PM
A dispute between a Medicaid insurer Mercy Care and an autism therapy provider could leave hundreds of patients searching for new places to receive care next year, though I just found out Mercy Care delayed the end of the contract from January to March.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Congressman Andy Biggs said today he will vote to release the Epstein files when it comes up for a vote in the House.
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www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Biggs says he will vote to release the Epstein files
Congressman Andy Biggs says he will vote to release the Epstein files despite efforts by President Trump to keep lawmakers from forcing the Justice Department to disclose the records.
www.kjzz.org
November 13, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Congressman Andy Biggs said today he will vote to release the Epstein files when it comes up for a vote in the House.
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
With Congress making progress towards ending the government shutdown, Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva could be sworn into office at some point this week.
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
House speaker signals he could finally swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva
With Congress making progress towards ending the government shutdown, Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva could be sworn into office at some point this week.
www.kjzz.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:12 PM
With Congress making progress towards ending the government shutdown, Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva could be sworn into office at some point this week.
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
A West Valley school board member is suing her own district, claiming her fellow board members violated the law by censuring her over allegations that she “humiliated” employees and displayed other unprofessional behavior.
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
West Valley school board member sues district over workplace harassment investigation
A West Valley school board member is suing her own district, claiming her fellow board members violated the law by censuring her over allegations that she “humiliated” employees and displayed other un...
www.kjzz.org
November 8, 2025 at 12:07 AM
A West Valley school board member is suing her own district, claiming her fellow board members violated the law by censuring her over allegations that she “humiliated” employees and displayed other unprofessional behavior.
www.kjzz.org/education/20...
www.kjzz.org/education/20...