NEW YORK (AP) - The nation's record-low teen birth rate stems from robust declines in nearly every state, but most dramatically in Arizona and several other Mountain States and among Hispanics. All states but West Virginia and North Dakota showed significant drops over five years. But Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Nevada saw rates fall by 30% or more. In 22 states, teen Hispanic birth rates plunged at least 40%, which was described as "just amazing" by the report's lead author.
PHOENIX (AP) - State officials say a recent court ruling that allows the Tohono O'odham Nation to build a sprawling casino near Phoenix is improper. A new court filing says the court should base its decision on the intent of the state's gambling contract before it was approved by voters in 2002. They insist the Tohono were aware that the contract was passed by voters opposed to new casinos.
NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) - A wildfire has grown to at least 7 square miles of grass and brush on ridges of the Coronado National Forest in southern Arizona. The Soldier Basin fire is east of the Nogales airport in steep, rocky terrain in Santa Cruz County. Forest Service officials say the human-caused fire was 15% contained by late yesterday. They say the wildfire isn't threatening any structures.
PAGE, Ariz. (AP) - ADOT is preparing to pave a road that will serve as an alternate route to a buckled highway south of Page. A 150-foot section of pavement on U.S. 89 buckled earlier this year in a landslide. A stretch of Navajo Route 20 between the Gap and Page to be used as an alternate route will become a work zone when the paving project begins within a week or two. Work is expected to be finished in late summer.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
