New figures show the state's economy continues to plug along.

“Mesa judge Markel [Mark] Chiles was issued a citation for shoplifting recently. Will another judge give him the six months in jail and $2,500 fine just to set the punishment at a level others could receive? Watch for a slap on the wrist.”

“Mesa judge Markel [Mark] Chiles was issued a citation for shoplifting recently. Will another judge give him the six months in jail and $2,500 fine just to set the punishment at a level others could receive? Watch for a slap on the wrist.”

I have to admit that this column is going to have few readers. For one thing, here is the only mention it will have of the name Jodi Arias. That’s it. Sorry.

During the weeks preceding the formal unveiling of the ludicrously named Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2103, S. 744, the Gang of Eight authors dominated the headlines with their empty promises.

New unemployment numbers released Thursday suggest the state's economic recovery is weakening.

Unemployment insurance

Hundreds of teachers at religious schools around the state could soon be at risk of being laid off with no prospect of collecting jobless benefits.

With the need to cut $6 million from its budget next year, the Gilbert Unified School District is looking at shaving school budgets, hiring occupational and physical therapists rather than using contract workers, and raising athletic fees.

Arizona’s unemployment rate came down slightly, going from 8 percent in January to 7.9 percent in February.

Calling it "an important part of improving education,'' Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to eliminate the AIMS test -- including the graduation requirement -- paving the way for something else to measure the new Common Core standards already being implemented in Arizona schools.

Finally some actual facts! That’s what I was hoping to find when I opened Rod Livdahl’s letter about the “tickle up effect”. Alas, it was not so. It was simply more “theory,” not supported by actual facts in an attempt to disparage President Reagan’s implementation of supply side economics. So I took one statistic, the unemployment rate, and did some research. These facts paint an interesting picture:

The devil is in the details.

Recovery seems to be on the minds of many these days as the economy continues to shake off the after-effects of the recession. Housing prices and sales are climbing, the unemployment rate is falling and near record-low mortgage rates are bringing potential buyers who had been reluctant to make a move during the housing downturn back into the market.

State lawmakers are poised to make it more difficult for some people to collect unemployment benefits.

The state's jobless rate jumped a tenth of a point in January to 8.0 percent.

Businesses could get state tax credits for hiring unemployed veterans under the terms of legislation approved Monday by the House.

“Old Sparky, new Sparky ... the dude’s about as handsome as Mitch McConnell.”

The sequester is giving job seekers the "one-two punch," first in terms of unemployment benefits and second in job training.

Peter Sterling’s ascent to the pinnacle of the Mesa business community was relatively fast.

A local civil rights leader is accusing two members of the state Board of Regents of having an illegal conflict of interest because they serve on the board of a company that builds private prisons for the state.

Saying it will help prevent fraud, state lawmakers voted Wednesday to impose new burdens on some people seeking unemployment insurance.

WASHINGTON — Republicans warned Tuesday that President Barack Obama's second-term agenda would bring more tax increases and escalate deficit spending, vowing that they would guard against Washington-centric policies and help middle-class families rebound from years of tepid economic growth.

WASHINGTON — Uncompromising and politically emboldened, President Barack Obama urged a deeply divided Congress Tuesday night to embrace his plans to use government money to create jobs and strengthen the nation's middle class. He declared Republican ideas for reducing the deficit "even worse" than the unpalatable deals Washington had to stomach during his first term.