By Trent Thomas Every work day, anywhere from 200-300 inmates from the Arizona State Prison Complex in Tucson prepare for their jobs outside the prison walls. The inmates don their distinctive bright orange shirts and pants labeled with ADC (Arizona Department of Corrections) and line up for exit screening. They then form into one of about 40...
by Trent Thomas Five years ago this November, Vail and Corona had a major decision to make about their future governance – remain unincorporated or become a city? It was known as “Proposition 403” and with a simple majority of a yes vote, most of the 85641 ZIP code would become a self-governing city. In fact, Vail would have become the 92nd...
By Trent Thomas The giant saguaros dotting our landscape have long been an iconic symbol of Arizona and the Sonoran desert. Tourists come from around the world to see them firsthand and take pictures of the 40 foot tall cacti that make up our landscape. So many tourists travel to Arizona each year to see our desert that the state economy receives...
by Trent Thomas It can quickly become a parent’s worst nightmare. Having a residential pool combined with toddlers nearby should make the hairs stand up on the back of most adult necks. Even with all the education, safety advances, and ordinances that try to help, incidents and accidents are an everyday occurrence. The Center for Disease...
By Trent Thomas People may assume Pima County has the sole responsibility of maintenance and law enforcement jurisdiction of all our county roads. After all, if the county is the governmental agency that designs, builds, and repairs the roads, then they also have the right to enforce the vehicular driving laws upon those same roads. However, this...
by Trent Thomas In late February, six southern Arizona Rotary youth learned which country they are traveling to for their year long assignments. Rotary International has a vibrant student exchange program that facilitates the exchange of over 8,000+ teenagers around the world each year. Rotary kids can be sent to any one of 30+ participating...
Homeowners in Vail and Corona see relatively high values when compared to the greater Tucson area. Corona homeowners average around $209,400 for their house. Homeowners in Vail average $302,000 of value per house. Among the hundreds of available homes for sale, there are numerous property amenities to choose from that range from private pools...
The new year has arrived, and resolutions are made. Oftentimes a healthier lifestyle makes it to the top of our lists of things we want to change. This month many of us will try to take up jogging as one of those promises. We are fortunate to have excellent weather year-round in Arizona. This allows joggers a better chance to reach individual...
It isn’t unusual to discover shopping carts scattered far away from the store to which they belong. Oftentimes the carts are found collecting around bus stops, neighborhood entrances, and sometimes even pushed into washes. It is assumed the carts are being used to move purchased goods from a store location closer to a buyer’s residence. But when...
On a Sunday in early August, Shannon Kessler was outside walking in her community when she noticed a drone buzzing nearby in the air. As she watched the drone, she could clearly see the aircraft had a camera attached to the bottom. As time went on she noted the drone was slowly and methodically dipping into the backyards of people’s houses. She...
