Stay ConnectedHelping you keep up with what matters in Arizona’s political news. Each week we interview politicians, public figures or journalists to break down one local issue and how it affects your life in Arizona.
Coming to you every Wednesday morning, The Gaggle is hosted by The Arizona Republic’s national political reporters Ron Hansen and Stephanie Murray, and is produced by Amanda Luberto.
Days after delivering his State of the State speech this week, Gov. Doug Ducey elaborated on his priorities, and fielded questions on some of Arizona's other top issues in an exclusive interview with The Gaggle podcast.
Hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen asked Ducey about his plans for gun safety reform, water policy, marijuana legalization and why he's involved himself on reshaping the mission of the Department of Corrections.
The interview follow Ducey's sixth and longest State of the State address on Monday. The speech, named "The Arizona Way," touched on topics like economic growth and education funding.
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Arizona adults unable to protect themselves from abuse or exploitation because of a physical or mental impairment are falling through the cracks of the state system designed to protect them.
This week on The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen get an advance interview with healthcare reporter Stephanie Innes about her reporting on the flawed system serving vulnerable adults.
This includes myriad agencies, such as Arizona's Adult Protective Services, Arizona Department of Health Services and more.
The episode takes you behind the scenes into a state task force meeting to hear heartbreaking testimony from victims and their families, and how local leaders are hoping to improve conditions.
The state task force convened after a woman with severe disabilities was raped and gave birth at Hacienda HealthCare in December 2018. Staff at the facility was unaware the woman was pregnant until she went into labor, according to 911 calls.
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For suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, Adult Protective Services operates a hotline: (877) SOS-ADULT or (877) 767-2385 or TDD: (877) 815-8390. The hotline does not run 24/7, however. The hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and state holidays.
To file online reports with Adult Protective Services at any time, use this link: azdes.gov/reportadultabuse.
To file online complaints about facilities that are licensed through the Arizona Department of Health Services, go here: app3.azdhs.gov/PROD-AZHSComplaint-UI.
The main phone number for the Arizona Department of Health Services is (602) 364-2536.
The Arizona Center for Disability Law is a non-profit public interest law firm that provides a variety of legal services to people with disabilities. Its toll-free number is 1-800-927-2260. The center has an online intake form and self-advocacy guides at azdisabilitylaw.org/getting-help/.
The Area Agency on Aging operates a 24-hour senior helpline for Phoenix residents at (602) 264-HELP or (602) 264-4357, which can help seniors navigate local resources and answer questions about transportation, housing, long-term care, home-delivered meals and home care.
The San Francisco-based Institute on Aging maintains a 24/7 toll-free crisis "Friendship Line" for older adults and adults with disabilities. The number is (800) 971-0016. Trained volunteers specialize in offering a caring ear and having a friendly conversation with depressed adults.
The Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (800) 782-6400 or (602) 279-7270 (TTD/TTY).
The national domestic violence hotline: (800) 799-7233 or (800) 787-3224 (TTY).
The national sexual assault hotline: (800) 656-HOPE.
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The annual State of the State address is an opportunity for Gov. Doug Ducey to lay out his agenda for 2020, unveil new policy proposals and reflect on the controversies and successes of 2019.
This week on The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen talk to State Legislature reporter Andrew Oxford and state government and politics reporter Maria Polletta about what to expect from Ducey in this year's address.
In this episode you'll hear about:
Related reading:
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The American Psychological Association's "Stress in America 2019" survey found that 62% of Americans say they're stressed by the current political climate. And 62% say that the future of the country is a significant source of stress.
Dr. Lynn Bufka is the executive director of practice, research and policy at the American Psychological Association. She joins hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen on this week's episode of The Gaggle, a political podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.
In this episode, you'll hear:
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Merry Christmas and happy holidays from The Gaggle! We're taking a week off to spend time with family and friends. But we wanted to say thank you for giving us your time and attention this year. We'll join you again in 2020 and we're already gearing up for the election-related news to come. Happy holidays, all!
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From legalizing recreational marijuana to the presidential election of 2020, there is a lot for Arizonans to watch out for in the coming year.
This week on the Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen sit down with state government reporter Andrew Oxford to go over the six biggest stories they'll be following next year.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
Related reading:
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Groundwater levels in many parts of rural Arizona are plummeting. That's because outside investors are buying land, drilling large wells and pumping out water for industrial farms.
The investors are drawn to Arizona for its lack of regulation, but nearby residents are enduring the consequences. While investors have the money to drill wells that are four times as deep, nearby families cannot complete. Instead, their wells are going dry.
In this week's Gaggle, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen sit down with environmental reporter Ian James and data reporter Rob O'Dell to discuss how lawmakers are managing Arizona's next water crisis.
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As Arizona’s national prominence rises going into the 2020 election cycle, there will be concerns about voter security and allegations of voter fraud in the state. In 2016, Arizona's voter-registration system was targeted in at least two hacking attempts connected to Russia.
There are no instances we know of somebody changing someone else’s vote in Arizona, and prosecutions related to voter fraud are highly rare.
This week's episode of The Gaggle podcast breaks down all you need to knowabout Arizona election security going into next year's election cycle. We talk with Andrew Oxford, a government reporter, who's been investigating voter security.
In this episode you'll hear:
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Since the Great Recession ended in June 2009, the economy has continued to expand. This summer, the United States broke its record for the longest economic expansion. But now people are worried: How long will it last? Is the economy about to burst?
National political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen sit down with business reporter Russ Wiles to discuss the nation's economy, how Arizona's faring, and what role the economy will play in the 2020 election cycle.
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Two political action committees,The Committee to Defend the President and GreatAmerica PAC, are heading up a voter drive to identify and register 142,000 potential voters in Arizona.
The PACs are using data mining to find and target nonvoters who they think could be swayed to register to vote – and to vote for Trump. Trump narrowly won Arizona by just over 90,000 votes. They hope their efforts will keep Arizona red in 2020.
This week on The Gaggle Podcast hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald Hansen talk with Ted Harvey, the chairman of The Committee to Defend the President. Listen to hear his plans to keep Trump in the White House.
In this episode you'll hear:
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