Arizona

Arizona Republic and its newsroom union agree on 2-year contract

Published

2 years ago

January 27, 2024

Arizona Republic and its newsroom union agree on 2-year contract

The Arizona Republic and its newsroom staffers agreed Friday on a two-year contract that provides a framework for benefits, wages and working conditions for employees.

A tentative agreement, negotiated between The Republic and local members of Media Guild of the West, was reached in December.

The contract was approved unanimously in a vote by Guild members this week. It comes after more than four years of negotiations after reporters, photographers and other newsroom staffers at The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com and La Voz voted to unionize in October 2019.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the deal.

“Four years ago in Phoenix, we began negotiating a first contract fully aware of the complexities,” said Greg Burton, Republic executive editor. “Today, we emerge united around mutual priorities, a mission to serve readers and an obligation to hold the powerful to account.”

The contract maintains core management rights to lead the newsroom, direct employees’ work, and manage the number of employees and their assignments. It affirms that union employees will share the same benefits at the company as non-union employees.

The contract also sets out a minimum starting salary, increases pay for all union staffers, provides some layoff protections and continues paying matching funds on employee contributions in the 401(k) retirement plan.

Some 78 votes were cast in favor, none in opposition, with five eligible Guild members not voting.

Burton said the local journalism effort never stopped throughout the bargaining process.

“Never once did we aspire for anything less than our best,” he said. “That’s reflective of the talent and dedication of every person in this newsroom.”

Finalizing the contract in Phoenix “affirms our commitment to local journalism and serving our neighbors in this community with the information they want, need and deserve,” said Kristin Roberts, Gannett Media chief content officer, in a statement. Gannett is the parent company of The Republic.

“We plan to continue finalizing contracts for our valued USA TODAY Network colleagues while actively posting and filling journalism jobs across the country,” Roberts said.

Roberts reaffirmed company officials remain “unwavering in our promise to deliver essential content and trusted journalism — it’s a goal we all share as we stabilize our business.”

Richard Ruelas, an investigative reporter and chair of the Republic guild, called it a “beneficial” agreement that features a minimum starting salary of $50,000 and automatic increases after five and 10 years of employment. The company also agreed to continue paying matching funds on employee contributions in the 401(k) retirement plan and to more than double mileage-reimbursement rates.

“Additionally, every employee in the newsroom who doesn’t get a bump in the new salary structure will receive a $1 an hour raise in each of the two years of the contract,” he said. “That means the minimum pay increase a Republic newsroom (guild) employee will receive is $4,160 over the next two years.”

The contract also specifies a layoff process that calls on The Republic to seek volunteers before anyone is involuntarily dismissed, Ruelas said.

“It’s much better that employees leave of their own volition, with celebrations and fond farewells, than be involuntarily shown the door,” he said. “Both sides agreed with that.”

Lengthy organizing, bargaining process

The Republic’s Guild counts 93 members, 83 of whom signed cards agreeing to pay dues and entitling them to vote on the contract.

Non-management newsroom employees voted to join the Guild in October 2019. Bargaining for a contract began in December 2019, with the COVID-19 pandemic later moving the negotiations to Zoom meetings.

“It was a challenge to sustain momentum and energy with employees being hired and others leaving,” Ruelas said. “Most of the people who led the original effort to unionize have left for other job opportunities.”

Burton, in an earlier message to employees, praised The Republic’s diversity and talent, calling it a newsroom united by a commitment to ensure that the publication “thrives for another 133 years (as) a First Amendment bulwark on which we promote the common good, protect the public trust and serve all Arizonans.”

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.

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Arizona

3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

Published

11 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Three Valley men have been sentenced for their roles in what prosecutors described as a “sophisticated fraud scheme” against an online shopping giant.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Mughith Faisal, 29, of Glendale, was sentenced on Feb. 5 to 18 months in prison. His brother, Basheer Faisal, 28, of Glendale, was also recently ordered to spend 18 months in prison.

The feds said a third defendant in the case, Abdullah Alwan, 28, of Surprise, was sentenced to six months in prison after the trio pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Prosecutors said the three were also each ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution to Amazon.

According to federal officials, Alwan worked in Amazon’s logistics division and left the company in 2021 when he reportedly used his knowledge to manipulate rates for transportation deliveries assigned to Amazon’s third-party carriers.

The feds said Basheer and Mughith Faisal used “Blue Line Transport” to knowingly get to increased transport rates that Alwan would then input into Amazon’s system, ripping them off out of $4.5 million.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division helped in the investigation, which was then prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

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Arizona

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

2-0-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

02-05-18-27-41

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

11-14-17-19-23-24

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Arizona

Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

Two teenagers were fatally shot while camping northeast of Phoenix in May 2025.
Both Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were shot in the head, autopsy reports said.
A 31-year-old man was arrested and indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths.

A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.

Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.

The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight

While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.

A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.

“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.

Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.

Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.

“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”

It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.

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