I have 2 dads — both Hall of Fame inductees by Phil Riske|Senior Reporter/Writer
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer On this Father’s Day, I again won’t get to send cards or call my fathers. They are both gone, dying a year apart. So, I celebrate by telling you about them. Inducted into the Wyoming Coaches Hall of Fame 1983Began his football coaching career in 1948, and he retired […]
Read More →Arizona cities, from rich to poor
Size has nothing to do with affluence in Arizona By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer Two Arizona cities are at the top and bottom of rating scales used by 24/7 Wall Street. to decide what are most affluent and “worst” cities in America. Overall picture Incomes climbed faster in 2017 for the typical American household than […]
Read More →Key Republicans oppose governor’s budget, a flashback to 2006
Arizona budget negotiations hung up by sexual abuse issues By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer This legislative session is not the first where two Republicans took on their party leaders and governor in opposing the proposed state budget. In 2006, it took 128 days, but Republican lawmakers released a budget proposal that met with lukewarm […]
Read More →The final rip-off — paid obituaries
From the Rose Law Group Reporter Growlery By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer Let’s call this an “obitchuary.” I assisted with an obituary this week for a dear friend. The husband had to pay $559 to The Arizona Republic to publish it. In a way, newspapers hold you hostage: How could you possibly be unwilling to […]
Read More →Would someone please answer these Top 10 nagging questions?
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer Nothing is more maddening than something that leaves you begging for an answer. So, someone please help me out with these: 10. When a commercial states, “Not available in all states,” doesn’t that mean not available anywhere? 9. Why doesn’t the IRS send thank you notes when we pay […]
Read More →Bringing about national togetherness with a simple kiss
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer As politicians decry the polarization that is the current state of the nation, I wondered what I — one person — could do to better understand the divisions in our thinking and take action to narrow the differences that plague the American citizenry. I came up with this list […]
Read More →Drink up, Arizona, it’s lemonade, not milk
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer The Arizona House on Thursday ignored the state’s dairy industry and voted to make lemonade the state drink. The bill (HB2692) came at the request of a Gilbert student who wants Arizona to join 27 other states that have adopted state drinks. They are, according to Wikipedia: Alabama Conecuh […]
Read More →Visiting Hell and back again
Moving to Arizona saves a marriage By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer With wind chill, the temperature in Laramie, Wyo. last week was 31 below zero. Seems by life has gone from the hell of frigid conditions to the hell of days that bring 115-degrees. For the purpose of having a partner in this column, […]
Read More →Giffords rounds up former colleagues, victims, to rally for gun bill; Lesko lambasts the measure [VIDEO]
By Andrew Howard | Cronkite News Former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords rallied House lawmakers Tuesday to support a bill that would expand the requirement for background checks on private gun sales. Giffords, the victim of a 2011 shooting that still makes it hard for her to walk and speak, was surrounded by other […]
Read More →Those crazy legislators and their crazy bills
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer It’s deadline time at the Arizona Capitol for lawmakers to submit their bills, several hundred of which will be dead on arrival. Here are examples of measures likely to be ignored by the speaker of the House and president of the Senate HB 2012—Appropriations: Light, Rail Tombstone to […]
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