ABORTION-20 WEEKS
Franks pushes ban on US abortions after 20 weeks
WASHINGTON (AP) - An Arizona congressman wants a nationwide ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Republican Rep. Trent Franks had introduced a bill that would ban such procedures only in the District of Columbia. But following the Kermit Gosnell case, he plans to amend it so it would apply nationwide. Gosnell is a Philadelphia abortion doctor who was convicted of killing three babies after they were born alive.
Several states have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The legislation has been pushed by anti-abortion groups and is based on the disputed claim that fetuses can feel pain at a gestational age of 20 weeks or older.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah has introduced a similar bill in the Senate that would apply only to the nation's capital.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY-DIRECTOR
AZ Democratic Party picks new exec director
PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Democratic Party has named its former elections director as its new executive director.
DJ Quinlan has been serving as interim director for five months. Party Chairman Bill Roe announced Friday that Quinlan's been hired to do the job permanently.
Besides serving as elections director, Quinlan also ran the party's get out the vote efforts last year.
He replaces Luis Heredia, who is now government relations director at a Tempe consulting firm.
PRESCOTT BAR FIGHT
Arizona deputy loses job over Prescott bar case
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) - A Yavapai County sheriff's deputy whose actions were investigating following a brawl involving a motorcycle club at a Prescott bar has been fired.
The sheriff's office announced Friday that a personnel review board recommended that Deputy Mark Boan be terminated. That recommendation was upheld during a hearing in front of the county's human resources department.
Boan has indicted that he plans to appeal.
The board also recommended termination for sheriff's Capt. Marc Schmidt and Sgt. Bill Suttle. However, the two have already resigned.
An investigative report released last month alleged that members of a law enforcement motorcycle club assaulted patrons at the Prescott bar last December, and high-ranking officers tried to cover up the bikers' involvement.
The brawl along Whiskey Row sent a man to the hospital with a bloodied and swollen nose and left another with minor injuries.
SCOTTSDALE SLAYING-SENTENCE
Ariz woman gets life in prison for husband's death
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -_ A Scottsdale woman will spend the rest of her life in prison for killing her husband, dismembering his body and dropping pieces of it in at least three counties.
Shari Tobyne was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to first-degree murder and other charges related to the death of 57-year-old Dwight Tobyne.
Police say Shari Tobyne shot and killed her husband in 2009. At the time, he was in the process of divorcing her.
Tobyne had used her husband's phone and email accounts to send messages to family and friends, making them think he was alive.
After police opened their investigation, they spotted her putting a garbage bag in a trash bin behind a store. The bag contained a gun and clothing.
Authorities used a DNA profile to match the remains that were found in three Arizona counties to Dwight Tobyne.
ORO VALLEY-TEACHER ACCUSED
Arizona teacher accused of sexual misconduct
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) - A teacher at Ironwood Ridge High School is being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a female student.
Oro Valley police say the department's school resource officers first began investigating Robert Brush in March. At the time, there wasn't enough evidence to make an arrest.
This week, investigators received additional information, and the 31-year-old marketing and media arts teacher was taken into custody at the school. He was booked into the Pima County jail on one count of sexual misconduct with a minor.
It's not clear if Brush has an attorney.
Police say the investigation is in its preliminary stages and additional charges could be pending.
School district officials say Brush was placed on administrative leave. He has been with the district since August 2012.
CASA GRANDE-TRAIN DEATH
Man dies after being hit by train in Casa Grande
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (AP) - Casa Grande police say a man is dead after he was hit by an empty cargo train early Friday.
Union Pacific Railroad called police around 7:40 a.m. to report a collision involving 1 of its trains in the area of the Gila Bend overpass.
Casa Grande police spokesman Thomas Anderson says the man was standing on the tracks but did not move despite the train operator honking the horn and pulling the brakes.
Television station KPHO reports that the train was traveling at least 50 mph, and the man died on impact.
Police say they are trying to identify the man so that his family can be notified.
GILBERT-FATAL SHOOTING
Police investigate deadly Gilbert shooting
GILBERT, Ariz. (AP) - Gilbert police are trying to piece together what led to a deadly shooting late Thursday.
Television station KTVK reports that investigators were on the scene all night and into Friday morning. They talked to everyone who was in the area at the time 46-year-old Winston Lewis was shot.
Police say the shooter, 27-year-old Brandon Shriner, claims he fired in self-defense. He has not been arrested, and police say the investigation is ongoing.
PHOENIX-BROTHERS KILLED
Arrest made in killing of restaurant co-owners
PHOENIX (AP) - Phoenix police say 1 of 4 men who were part-owners of a Vietnamese restaurant has been arrested in the stabbing deaths of 2 brothers who were also part-owners of the business.
Police said two pairs of brothers owned the restaurant and that one brother from each pair argued for several hours about hiring and firing of restaurant staff before the fight began.
Brothers Brandon and Timmy Hoang were fatally stabbed.
The other pair of brothers were questioned by detectives, resulting in the arrest of 51-year-old Tony Phung on suspicion of 2 counts of second-degree murder.
It's not immediately clear whether Phung has an attorney.
WILDFIRES-AIR TANKERS
Udall tells USFS to override air tanker protest
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado is urging the U.S. Forest Service to make sure a contract dispute doesn't ground large air tankers used to fight wildfires.
Missoula, Mont.-based Neptune Aviation on Thursday formally protested a recent U.S. Forest Service decision to award national firefighting contracts to five other companies.
Neptune Aviation didn't get a contract to fly so-called "next-generation" large air tankers against wildfires. Chief Operating Officer Dan Snyder says the Forest Service was unfair and his company needs the contract to help it remain viable.
The dispute puts the contracts for up to seven large air tankers in limbo. Udall says the Forest Service should seek emergency authority to keep the planes available to fight fires despite the dispute.
Forest Service officials did not return messages seeking comment.
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