State Glance

Fire restrictions now lifted on some state-owned lands

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management has lifted fire restrictions on stateowned and state-managed lands in several counties.

The move was made Monday afternoon with the recent monsoon rains in the northern and central portions of the state.

Apache, Gila, Maricopa, Navajo and Yavapai counties now have been released from Stage I Fire Restrictions.

This means campfires will be allowed once again, but forestry officials still urge public to be safe with fire.

On Tuesday morning, Coconino County and a portion of Mohave County will be released from Stage I restrictions.

Shuttered Mexican-American studies program back in court

PHOENIX — Arizona authorities are back in federal court in Tucson this week over a yearslong legal battle against a 2010 state law targeting ethnic studies in public schools that resulted in the shuttering of a popular Mexican-American Studies program, launching tense student protests.

Former Arizona schools chief Tom Horne was behind the battle against the Tucson Unified School District program and is scheduled to testify Tuesday in the case against the law.

A group of Tucson Unified School District students say the law was enacted with discriminatory intent and specifically targeted the Mexican-American program.