Jimmy Jenkins
USA TODAY
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Past articles by Jimmy:
Arizona pauses death penalty pending review; system 'needs better oversight,' governor says
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the appointment of a Death Penalty Independent Review Commissioner, effectively pausing executions in the state. → Read More
Eight Prisoner Crews Fighting Wildfires Across Arizona
Incarcerated people are working to fight wildfires raging across the state. There are eight prisoner crews assigned to various fires. The crews are made up of 17 prisoners and three staff members from the Department of Forestry and the Department of Corrections.State Forestry spokesperson Tiffany Davila said the incarcerated people are providing direct attack resources at the → Read More
State Rep. Diego Rodriguez Announces Campaign for Arizona Attorney General
State Rep. Diego Rodriguez has announced he is running for Arizona attorney general."What I'm looking to do is get the Attorney General's Office back to do its No. 1 job," he said, "which is fighting for people who don't have a voice."Rodriguez, a defense attorney and former prosecutor, says protecting voting rights is a priority, and he would use the powers of the AG’s office → Read More
Rafael Fire: The Latest On The Wildfire Near Perkinsville, Arizona
June 24: Evacuation Orders Expand As Wildfires Burn Near FlagstaffResidents in about 90 homes west of Flagstaff were told to evacuate Thursday because of a wildfire in the area. → Read More
Arizona Budget Proposal Assumes New Private Prison Beds Will Cost More Than Public Facilities
Zach Perrino was incarcerated in both public and private prisons throughout Arizona. He says he never felt safe in any of them, but there was a time during a violent 2015 riot at the Kingman prison when Perrino truly feared for his life:“I remember kind of making peace with myself,” Perrino said. “You know, this is probably where my story ends.”Thirteen people were → Read More
Aluminum Shortage Causing License Plate Delays In Arizona, Nebraska, North Carolina
Supply chain issues have temporarily halted license plate production in Arizona.Citing a worldwide shortage, the Arizona Department of Transportation says its vendor did not receive a scheduled aluminum delivery and currently has none in stock. The shortage is resulting in a delay in license plates being sent to drivers.The state contracts with Arizona Correctional Industries, → Read More
Phoenix Pride Announces In-Person Events In Celebration Of Pride Month
Phoenix Pride has announced a lineup of events to celebrate Pride month in June. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego kicked off the observances by issuing a proclamation on Tuesday recognizing Pride Month and raising the LGBTQ Pride and Transgender Pride flags at City Hall.The Phoenix Rising Football Club and Arizona Diamondbacks announced Pride Nights in the coming weeks that will → Read More
Mesa To Use CARES Act Funding To Address Homelessness
The city of Mesa has announced a plan to use federal dollars to address homelessness.Mesa says it is using federal CARES Act funds to help homeless people find stable housing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. → Read More
Maricopa County Jails Begin Inmate Vaccinations
Maricopa County jails have begun vaccinating inmates.Correctional Health Services, the health care provider for Maricopa County jails, began vaccinating inmates age 55 and older Thursday morning.A spokesperson for the county said CHS received 400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from the Public Health Department for incarcerated people earlier in the week.There are 318 → Read More
Whistleblowers: Software Bug Keeping Hundreds Of Inmates In Arizona Prisons Beyond Release Dates
According to Arizona Department of Corrections whistleblowers, hundreds of incarcerated people who should be eligible for release are being held in prison because the inmate management software cannot interpret current sentencing laws.KJZZ is not naming the whistleblowers because they fear retaliation. The employees said they have been raising the issue internally for more → Read More
Suspect In Lake Havasu City Arsons Arrested
A man suspected of multiple arsons in Lake Havasu City is in custody. Havasu police said they arrested Jeremy Chelgren on Monday after he allegedly set fire to multiple locations earlier in the day.Several vehicles were found fully engulfed in flames and police say they responded to five additional fires Monday afternoon, all of which were new homes under construction. → Read More
Supreme Court Reinstates Death Penalty For Arizona Man
The U.S. Supreme Court has reinstated the death penalty for an Arizona man who was convicted of murder. Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced Tuesday that the Supreme Court had reversed a 9th U.S. Circuit Court ruling in the case of George Kayer of Arizona.Kayer was convicted of killing his friend and robbing his belongings in 1994 in Yavapai County. → Read More
Prison Food Study Finds Examines Impact Of Diet On Incarcerated People
A new study from a criminal justice research center investigates the food in state prisons across the country. According to the authors, the research examines "how the quality, quantity, and experience of food in prison affect physical health, mental well-being, and human dignity." → Read More
More Than 600 Inmates Test Positive For COVID-19 At Yuma Prison
The Arizona Department of Corrections says hundreds of people incarcerated at the state prison in Yuma have tested positive for COVID-19.A new round of testing found 655 inmates living on the La Paz Unit of the Yuma prison were positive. It’s the largest outbreak in the state prison system since the beginning of the pandemic.In a statement, ADC said inmates who test positive → Read More
Scottsdale Selects Interim Chief Of Police During Nationwide Search To Lead Department
The city of Scottsdale has selected a new interim police chief.The current police chief, Alan Rodbell, announced his retirement in October, saying he would step down on Dec. 1.Rodbell came to the Scottsdale department in 2002 and served as its chief of police since 2003.City Manager Jim Thompson selected Jeff Walther to serve as interim police chief while Scottsdale conducts a → Read More
Tempe Cancels Fall Festival Of The Arts
The 2020 Tempe Fall Festival Of The Arts has been canceled. The city of Tempe says it made the difficult decision out of an abundance of caution as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Arizona.In a statement, the city called the cancelation "another major hit" to local artists and businesses. The move was part of a larger decision to postpone permits for all large-scale → Read More
Mina Mendez Appointed As New Chair Of Arizona Board Of Executive Clemency
Gov. Doug Ducey has appointed a new chairperson of the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency. Ducey appointed Mina Mendez on Friday to replace former Chairman C.T. Wright, who died in October after leading the board since 2016.The Board of Executive Clemency conducts hearings of inmates seeking release from prison and makes recommendations to the governor.Mendez was born in → Read More
Penzone Leading Sheridan In Maricopa County Sheriff's Race
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone looks to be on the path to a second term. Penzone was up more than 250,000 votes on his opponent Jerry Sheridan on Tuesday night.Sheridan ran on a campaign echoing President Trump’s calls for law and order while Penzone asked voters to give him more time to continue reforming the department he took over from Sheriff Joe Arpaio.Sheridan → Read More
Sinema To Vote No On Barrett Confirmation To Supreme Court
Senator Kyrsten Sinema issued a statement Sunday saying she was "concerned" about Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s inconsistent views on legal precedent.A spokesperson for Sinema said Barrett did not meet the criteria to garner the Senator’s support and confirmed that she would vote no on Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court in the full Senate vote on Monday.pic.twitter.com/1RfC1LuAcx → Read More
Wednesday Afternoon Power Outage Briefly Impacts 1,200 Customers In Downtown Phoenix
A power outage briefly affected business and residential areas in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday afternoon. Traffic lights were out at intersections from Third Street to Seventh Street on Roosevelt Street on Wednesday around 11:30 a.m.Traffic was backed up on the busy thoroughfare and several businesses were shut down.The outage extended east to 11th Street and from McDowell Road to Pierce Street. → Read More