State Glance
Suspect in July 12 arson at Phoenix youth center arrested
PHOENIX — Authorities say a suspect in an arson that damaged a Phoenix LGBT youth center has been arrested.
Phoenix police say 26-year-old Darrin Beech was booked into jail Friday afternoon on suspicion of arson of an occupied structure.
It’s unclear if Beech has a lawyer yet.
The Phoenix Fire Department on Wednesday released video evidence showing a man pouring liquid on the floor of the one.n.ten center on July 12 and then stepping outside just before a room goes up in flames.
Youth center officials say Beech was a participant in their program, but aged out of eligibility when he turned 25.
The one.n.ten center serves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth ages 14 to 24.
It lost electronic equipment, food, camping equipment and other items in the fire.
Tucson company to do emergency repairs on border sewage line
NOGALES, Ariz. — Authorities say a Tucson construction company is being paid $300,000 to do emergency repairs on an international sewage line north of Nogales.
The flow of untreated wastewater has been pouring into a southern Arizona wash from a partial break in the international sewage line.
The partial breech was detected Tuesday and occurred in a sparsely populated rural area.
The pipeline carries wastewater from Nogales, Ariz., and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, to a treatment plant in Rio Rico, Ariz..
Santa Cruz County officials say the wastewater has tested positive for excessive levels of E. coli.
Authorities believe the break occurred because of excessive rainwater that put too much pressure on the pipe.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency Thursday and allocated $200,000 to help with repair management.
County attorney: No prosecution for Sky Harbor disruption
PHOENIX — A passenger who was arrested after operations at one terminal of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were disrupted July 7 for two hours won’t be prosecuted.
Maricopa County Attorney’ Bill Montgomery says a review concluded there’s no reasonable likelihood of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that a felony hoax crime was committed.
A statement released Friday by Montgomery to announce the no-prosecution decision doesn’t identify the man by name, but Phoenix police and court records previously identified him as 61-year-old John Lincoln Nichols of Temecula, Calif.
Police had said Nichols was arrested after a comment was allegedly made to an airline employee about a bomb but that nothing dangerous was found in Nichols’ bag.
Montgomery says airline and law enforcement personnel dealt with the situation with appropriate “seriousness and professionalism.”