ARIZONA LAWMAKERS THREATENED
Arizona investigating angry email sent lawmakers
PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Department of Public Safety has launched an investigation into lawmakers' safety after at least nine legislators received threatening emails over Gov. Jan Brewer's push to expand Medicaid.
Officials said Friday that the sender of the email asked the lawmakers to vote against the Medicaid expansion plan and made reference to Second Amendment rights.
State police are also investigating a separate incident involving a voice mail left for Rep. Kate Brophy McGee of Phoenix. She is a Republican who supports the Medicaid expansion. Brophy McGee asked House members Thursday to tell their constituents to be civil.
Spokesman Bart Graves with the Department of Public Safety declined to provide a copy of the email or name the lawmakers involved. It's unclear if the lawmakers were House members or Republicans.
HORNE-CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Campaign-finance case against Horne still on track
(NOT FOR USE IN THE PHOENIX MARKET)
PHOENIX (AP) - A spokesman says Secretary of State Ken Bennett's office isn't being swayed by a lawyer's criticism of campaign finance allegations against Attorney General Tom Horne and an associate.
Attorney Timothy La Sota says in a letter obtained by The Arizona Republic that the allegations are full of holes, based on an unconstitutional law and tainted by investigators' bias.
La Sota represents Kathleen Winn, a Horne employee who ran a committee that supported Horne's 2010 campaign.
Horne and Winn deny there was illegal coordination.
Spokesman Matt Roberts says Bennett's office stands by its conclusion and will soon request legal action.
That referral will go to Horne's office because a judge ruled that it must under Arizona law. An initial version that went to another prosecutor was tossed out.
HORSES-FIREFIGHTERS
Phoenix firefighters herd horses from stable fire
PHOENIX (AP) - Phoenix firefighters had to get several horses out of harm's way as they fought an early morning fire at a stable on Friday.
Fire Capt. Jonathan Jacobs says a fire truck used a water gun to knock down the flames but that the job was made more difficult by up to 10 horses running around.
He says firefighters had to herd several of the horses to safety away from the fire.
Cause of the fire wasn't immediately known but Jacobs says there was nothing that immediately appeared to be suspicious.
No injuries to horses or humans were reported.
FIREFIGHTER'S FUNERAL
Phoenix firefighter to be buried Friday
PHOENIX (AP) - A rolling set of street closings is planned late Friday afternoon and early evening for a procession of fire vehicles as the body of a Phoenix firefighter is taken to a cemetery for burial after his funeral.
The procession for Firefighter Brad Harper begins at 3 p.m. after his funeral at Christ's Church of the Valley in Peoria.
It will travel on State Route 101, Interstate 17 and local streets to Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery in central Phoenix.
The burial ceremony concludes at approximately 7 p.m.
Harper was fatally injured Saturday when he was caught between fire equipment at a mulch fire. The 23-year-old died Sunday of his injuries.
Gov. Jan Brewer has ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff Friday in honor of Harper.
BULLHEAD CITY-ABDUCTION
Bullhead City man arrested in son's abduction
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) - Bullhead City police have arrested a 38-year-old man in the abduction of his 13-year-old son from the home of the boy's custodial mother.
According to the Mohave Daily News, a police spokeswoman said Michael Darold Brewer was apprehended late Thursday at a residence after police got an anonymous tip.
The boy was abducted Thursday morning but later in the day was found unharmed in a vehicle driven by Brewer, who fled on foot when it was stopped by police.
A loaded gun was found in the vehicle.
Police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt says had an active order of protection against Brewer.
ABDUCTION ATTEMPT-ARREST
Man held in abduction try faces multiple charges
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - A 22-year-old man arrested in the attempted abduction of a female jogger in Scottsdale now faces charges in that case as well as several others involving allegations of indecent behavior or assault.
Charges against David Talkington include kidnapping, sexual abuse, assault and public sexual indecency.
Police say in a court document that the charges stem from six incidents between May 14 and Tuesday, including several in which he accosted women in parking lots.
Police say Talkington in one incident threatened a woman by saying he'd blow them both up if she didn't show him her breasts.
The woman took down his vehicle's license plate number and later identified Talkington in a photo lineup.
A Maricopa County Superior Court spokesman says he doesn't know if Talkington has a lawyer yet.
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