Governor Jan Brewer today announced directorship changes at the Arizona State Land Department and Arizona Department of Insurance.

With more budget cuts looming, the Arizona State Land Department has made significant changes to its Tucson office.

August 30, 2006 - Pima County planner Arlan Colton tried last Thursday night to clarify what the state plans to do with 45 square miles of state land for a room full of anxious Oracle, Catalina and SaddleBrooke residents.

People waited more than two hours Thursday night to say their piece about the general plan amendment for Arroyo Grande, the 9,107-acre state parcel west of Catalina.

When I discovered locally produced olive oil, I felt at once relieved and surprised.

The smell of freshly-mowed grass floats across the rolling golden prairie at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Tucson’s highest peak, Mount Wrightson, stands 20 miles toward the Southwest as the hawk flies. Keith Arnold, a wildlife conservation student at the University of Arizona, shoves a black-tailed prairie dog into an artificial burrow dug nearly 8 feet into the clay soil.

After reading both the news article related to Arroyo Grande published by Patrick McNamara on Dec. 10, and the editorial by Dave Perry, I believe it is appropriate to provide the county perspective on the issue of the Arroyo Grande General Plan.

Over the objections of Councilmember Paula Abbott, the Oro Valley Town Council agreed on a 3-1 vote at its Oct. 2 meeting to begin a process the town hopes will lead to the annexation of 640 acres of state land west and adjacent to its current boundaries.

The Arizona State Land Department is reviewing two reports of consultants charged with preparing an engineering assessment and an economic assessment of the possible sale of 900 acres of state trust land near Picacho Peak to Union Pacific Railroad for a proposed switching yard.

Avra Valley Fire District has had its share of problems in the past, but those are behind it now, according to the district’s new chief, who is beginning to put his personal stamp on the department and how it functions.

Oro Valley is questioning Pima County's request to have the Arizona Land Department reclassify more than 3,000 acres north of the town to establish a biological corridor for wildlife as part of Tortolita Mountain Park expansion.

Despite some initial concerns, the Oro Valley Town Council on Sept. 16 unanimously approved a transfer of Pima County bond funds to purchase a pair of properties on North Oracle Road.

After nearly four years, Pima County has spent almost half the $164 million voters approved in 2004 to buy environmentally sensitive land, including some tracts in the Northwest.

Sept. 15, 2004 - About 1,000 years ago the Santa Cruz River Valley flood plain supported a thriving agricultural civilization. On the northwest edge of what is now Continental Ranch, the Hohokam Indians used canals to irrigate fields and developed a sedentary community with an extensive trade network.

Catalina village officials are hoping a proposed 190-acre development will provide the springboard to a new 25-acre park for residents and a 15-acre Amphi-theater Public Schools K-5 school site.

Feb. 2, 2005 - Oro Valley now has possession of 24 acres of land in Rancho Vistoso it has been trying to acquire for a variety of town uses, and town officials said they hope to begin preliminary work on the site soon.

The only reasonable conclusion I can draw from the legislative session that just ended is this: Republican legislators think nothing is more important to Arizona than teaching the Bible in public schools and restricting women’s access to contraception and abortion. Jobs? Education? The economy? Not nearly as important.

Progress on the much-anticipated annexation of 14-square miles of desert north of Oro Valley may be stalling, with the resignation of the state land commissioner and a shrinking state budget for that department.

Due to the high risk of wildfire in southeastern Arizona, State Forester Scott Hunt today announced that the Arizona State Forestry Division will be implementing fire restrictions for 3.5 million acres of state-owned lands in that region.

January 25, 2006 - Editor's note: This is the first story in a five-part series examining the spending habits of Marana public officials. The EXPLORER reviewed records of the town's travel and training expenses for the last five fiscal years. The newspaper also reviewed bank statements and receipts to see how Marana officials are using their town-issued credit cards to spend taxpayer dollars.

A dispute over which government should pay for a series of wildlife crossings along Oracle Road has been resolved.

At previous State of the Town addresses, Oro Valley Mayor Paul Loomis has shared “the success of our town,” and presented “goals for the coming year.”

Imagine if a company wanted to start a project in Arizona that would help our economy by offering:

Portable classroom buildings are noisy.

A site just north of Marana has emerged as the likely home of a 3,200-bed prison that would house almost all of Arizona's adult female convicts in a facility built and operated by a private corporation, state corrections officials confirmed last week.