State Glance
Cops: woman in food line killed in drive-by shooting
PHOENIX— A woman waiting in a line to buy food with her young son was killed in a drive-by shooting and investigators do not believe she was the intended victim, Phoenix police said.
Martha Adrianna Alejo, 32, was fatally shot when someone in a car that stopped in front of a business fired shots at people in the line Wednesday night, a police statement said.
“Several other innocent bystanders were also in the direct line of fire, but no one else was injured,” the statement said.
No immediate arrest was made, no suspect description was released and police appealed to the public for help solving the crime.
“We know that violent crime in our city has been on the rise. No one should have to worry about being shot as they stand in line for food. And no child should have to see their mother gunned down for no reason,” said Cmdr. Warren Brewer, who leads the police department’s violent crimes bureau.
Arizona tribe extends closure prompted by pandemic
SUPAI — The Havasupai Tribe deep in a gorge off the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona has extended the pandemic-prompted closure of its reservation through the 2022 tourism season, the tribe announced Friday.
The reservation renowned for its towering blue-green waterfalls has been closed to visitors since March 2020.
The tribe said it is making enhancements to its facilities as well as repairs that spokeswoman Abbie Fink said are needed because of the extended closure. The facilities include a trailhead, campground and lodge.
“We have seen our tribal lands return to their natural beauty over the last two years and are eager to share their beauty once again,” Chairman Thomas Siyuja, Sr. said in a statement released by the tribe.
Tourists with reservations through 2022, which have not already been rebooked, are being rescheduled for the same date in 2023 but no further reservations will be taken for the 2023 tourist season, the statement said.
“The Havasupai Tribe appreciates your ongoing patience and looks forward to once again welcoming tourists back to Supai,” Siyuja said.
Ducey signs bill limiting successor’s pandemic powers
PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation Friday limiting the ability of his successor to tap into the emergency powers that he used for more than two years in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The measure, which won’t take effect until Ducey leaves office, is one of several bills moving in the Legislature to prevent future state and local leaders from using some of the public health tools that enraged conservatives who thought Ducey went too far in restricting the rights of individuals and business owners. Public health experts, on the other hand, complained that Ducey was far too timid in controlling the spread of the virus, ended restrictions abruptly and allowed disease cases and hospitalizations to skyrocket multiple times.
Ducey has described his management of the pandemic as a nuanced approach that angered people on both sides but limited the number of job losses.
The bill signed Friday put limits on the governor’s authority to declare a public health emergency, which opens broad powers to spend money and impose emergency restrictions on people and businesses. After 120 days, the governor would have to get approval from the Legislature to continue the emergency declaration, and lawmakers would have to approve its extension every 30 days.
Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, a Scottsdale Republican who introduced the bill, has said Ducey’s emergency powers “have been misused and abused.”
Ducey last year signed a budget bill that included similar provisions, but they were later thrown out when the Arizona Supreme Court ruled lawmakers can’t stuff the budget with policies unrelated to the state’s spending plan.
Ducey’s emergency declaration has been in place for nearly two years, though his restrictive orders have expired. Now, the emergency declaration allows him to prohibit local governments from closing businesses or enacting their own mask or vaccine mandates.
Another measure nearing a final vote in the Legislature would prohibit government agencies, including courts and schools, from requiring people to wear masks in their facilities. The only exceptions are institutions, such as Maricopa County’s hospital, that have longstanding infection control measures unrelated to COVID-19.