Scott Bourque

Scott Bourque

Military & Veterans Issues

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Americans love the troops, but often don't know how to actually support them

Only about 1% of Americans serve in the military. For the other 99%, their understanding of military service comes from what they see on the news and in movies, as well as what politicians and prominent veterans say in public speeches. The American public devotes a lot of energy to displaying their support for troops and veterans, but some experts believe these public displays are harmful because they alienate veterans who are struggling, and inadvertently stigmatize seeking help.
KJZZ •

U.S. military culture can make it hard for service members to get help with their mental health

Although the stigma around mental health disorders are waning in mainstream society, some of those stigmas still exist in the military. Although military policy officially allows service members access to mental health treatment, there is still a cultural stigma on receiving mental health treatment in the military, and that treatment can often have significant repercussions on a service member’s career.
KJZZ •

Most post-9/11 veterans feel like they were set up to fail in the civilian world

91% of post-9/11 veterans felt the military trained them well for their military service, but only half said the military effectively prepared them to reintegrate into the civilian world after their service was finished. Experts say the military transition process focuses too much on finding a job, and not enough on the massive culture shock someone experiences when they leave the service.
Scott Bourque/KJZZ
A jacket owned by George W. Biggs, a former Tuskegee Airman who died recently at the age of 95.
KJZZ •

Arizona Native And Tuskegee Airman George Washington Biggs Remembered At State Capitol

Fighter jets from Luke Air Force Base flew in a low missing-man formation over the state Capitol on Friday morning to honor the life and service of Maj. George Washington Biggs, an Arizona Native who served as one of the youngest Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Biggs, who died in September at the age of 95, was born in Nogales, joined the military in 1943 at the age of 18, and served during World War II, as well as during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Biggs came from a long line of Black m
Rick Romley
Former Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, a Vietnam veteran, endorsed Biden over Trump.
KJZZ •

Military Times Poll: Support For Trump Among Military, Veteran Community Declining

More than 10% of adults in Arizona served in the armed forces, and they might not be the reliable Republican voting bloc they had been in previous years. Among active duty troops, President Trump’s disapproval rating is now higher than his approval rating ever was with that group. Trump’s approval rating in the military community peaked at 46.1% in 2016. As of August 2020, his approval rating among active-duty troops dropped to 37.8%, while his disapproval rating climbed to 49.9%.
KJZZ •

'Remember Pearl Harbor' — 78 Years Later, Arizonans Haven't Forgotten

Just before 8 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the home to the American Pacific Fleet. At the end of the day, close to 2,500 American servicemen were dead. The USS Arizona was at the bottom of the harbor. Nearly 200 American aircraft were destroyed. The Americans were catapulted into World War II. The rallying cry "Remember Pearl Harbor" echoed throughout the nation and motivated 16 million Americans to military service, and th
KJZZ •

Arizona Soldier Killed As Military Training Deaths Outpace Combat Deaths 4-to-1

One of the three soldiers killed in a training accident at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Sunday is a Peoria native. Twenty-one-year-old Pvt. 1st Class Antonio Garcia was killed when the vehicle he was riding in rolled over into water, according to Maj. Gen. Tony Aguto, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. “A Bradley Fighting Vehicle from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat team was involved in a training accident when it rolled off a bridge and was submerged upside down in a stream on Fort

Local & Regional Issues

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The Little Woody, a neighborhood bar in Arcadia, opened for the first time in months - but large nightclubs violating COVID restrictions threaten it.
KJZZ •

Neighborhood Bars Hope Big Nightclubs Follow The Rules To Prevent A Third Arizona Shutdown

On their first night back open, staff at The Little Woody, a neighborhood in Arcadia, said things went smoothly. Guests wore their masks, and for the most part, stayed at their tables. The bar reached 50% capacity later in the evening, and LaFlash had to hold customers at the door. A few miles away in Old Town Scottsdale, though, at least two nightclubs were found flouting the rules, according to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. The actions of the big clubs threaten the business of small bars like The Little Woody.
Scott Bourque/KJZZ
Soldiers from the Arizona National Guard's 253rd Engineer Battalion stand in formation before being dismissed after their year-long Middle East Deployment at the Papago Military Reservation on January 11, 2020.
KJZZ •

Amid Iran Tensions, 150 Arizona National Guard Troops Return From Middle East Deployment

After spending the past year deployed to various locations in the Middle East, more than 150 members of the Arizona Army National Guard's 253rd Engineer Battalion returned home to Phoenix. Most of these 150 soldiers made up the headquarters company for engineering units in the Middle East. For security reasons, the soldiers weren't allowed to talk about what countries they actively served in.
KJZZ •

Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Seen Tackling, Pinning Down 15-Year-Old Quadruple Amputee

Video footage has surfaced showing a Pima County sheriff's deputy tackling and pinning down a 15-year-old boy with no arms or legs. The teen lived in a group home near Tucson. In September, staff at the group home called police, saying the teenager was being disruptive and had knocked over a trash can. The deputy is seen pinning the boy and yelling at him, inches from his face. The officer wasn’t wearing a body camera, but another teen who recorded the video presented it to the Pima County Pub
KJZZ •

Phoenix Sikh Community Donates 550 Trees In Honor Of Sikhism’s Founder

Members of the Phoenix Sikh community donated 550 trees, worth more than $60,000, to the city of Phoenix. Nov. 12 marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Guru Nanak is known for establishing tenets of Sikhism, including environmental stewardship. The Sikh faith is the fifth largest in the world. There are more than 500,000 Sikhs in the United States, and more than 4,000 in the Phoenix area. “Guru Nanak very much believed in the oneness of the earth, the
KJZZ •

Bullhead City Called Arizona's Most Affordable Place To Live

A western Arizona city is one of the most affordable places to live in the state, according to third quarter data contained in the Cost of Living Index. Bullhead City had an overall affordability index of 91% — which means it costs about 9% below the national average to live there. The city’s administrative analyst Sheila Betts says the prices bring people to the area. "The survey shows that our residents enjoy low cost gas prices, food, housing, compared to other areas that are like metropol
KJZZ •

Phoenix Police Union Calls Off No-Confidence Vote Against Chief Williams

The union representing Phoenix police officers is no longer calling for a vote of no confidence against Police Chief Jeri Williams. After Williams fired two officers last week over two high-profile incidents — one for racist social media posts, and another for threatening to shoot a family accused of shoplifting — the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, or PLEA, announced they’d hold a no-confidence vote. PLEA’s President Michael Britt-London now said the union’s members no longer support a v
KJZZ •

National Public Lands Day Takes On Trash, Invasive Species At The Salt River

Several environmental and recreation groups set up exhibits along the Lower Salt River in the Tonto National Forest to observe National Public Lands Day. Scott Wood and his wife Patti Fenner spend a lot of time in the Tonto National Forest photographing the environment, mapping the spread of invasive species, and cleaning litter. They’re volunteers with Friends of the Tonto National Forest, a group that emphasizes resource management and maintaining the forest’s ecosystem. “We’re just one
KJZZ •

Goodyear Raises Tobacco Purchase Age To 21, Bans Vaping On City Property

Goodyear is now the third city in Arizona to have raised the legal age to purchase tobacco products and electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21. The unanimously passed ordinance amends the city’s 2002 smoking ban to include vaping materials. In addition to raising the tobacco purchase age, the ordinance prohibits vaping on city property, in city parks, and on city-owned hiking trails. It also restricts the possession and use of vaping materials on school campuses and at school-sponsored events. “W

Local & State Government & Politics

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Howard Fischer/Capitol Media
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey speaks at a COVID-19 press conference.
KJZZ •

Group Launches Recall Initiative Against Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey

Accountable Arizona, a nonpartisan political action committee, is launching a petition to recall Gov. Doug Ducey. The group says it will formally file the petition with Secretary of State Katie Hobbs on Friday. This petition is the second recall effort launched against the governor over his handling of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the first by a nonpartisan group.
COVID 19 Consortium
Approval for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey's handling of COVID-19.
KJZZ •

Poll: Arizona Gov. Ducey Has Worst Approval Rating For COVID-19 Response Nationwide, Lower Than Trump

With just 32% of Arizonans approving of his response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Doug Ducey ranks dead last among governors nationwide in a recent online poll commissioned by the COVID-19 Consortium, a collaboration of several universities to collect data on the pandemic. President Donald Trump earned a 34% approval rating among Arizonans, making Ducey the only governor to earn an approval rating lower than Trump among voters in the governor's respective state. → No New Stay-At-Home Orde
Bret Jaspers/KJZZ
Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward
KJZZ •

Arizona Republican Party Doubles Down On 'Liberal Hacks' And Anti-Journalist Rhetoric

Less than two weeks after Sen. Martha McSally (R-Arizona) called CNN reporter Manu Raju a “liberal hack” when asked a question about impeachment, the state Republican Party Committee is seizing on the phrase and using it as a rallying cry. At the 2020 meeting of the State Committee for the Arizona Republican Party, speakers including McSally, Rep. Debbie Lesko, and party chairwoman Kelli Ward each repeated anti-media and anti-journalist messages that label the press the “liberal hacks.”
Bret Jaspers/KJZZ
Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward
KJZZ •

AZ GOP Committee Meeting: Impeachment, Trump Economy And Future Of Arizona GOP

The crowd of nearly 900 precinct committee members and GOP officials gathered to vote on state committee leadership positions and hear from elected Republican officials. The theme of the meeting was #KeepArizonaGreat, and the atmosphere was decidedly pro-Trump. Most attendees wore some sort of Trump-themed apparel. Much of the discussion surrounded the ongoing Senate impeachment hearings against President Trump. Speakers also addressed the future of the Republican Party, and foretold a bleak future if conservatives didn’t get out and vote.
KJZZ •

Ducey Says Arizona Sex Ed Law 'Seems To Be Working' Ahead Of Allen's Bill

Currently, Arizona law allows — but doesn’t require — schools to offer age-appropriate sex education courses to any grade level. State Sen. Sylvia Allen wanted to outlaw those programs for students younger than the seventh grade. In order for her bill to pass, she needs Gov. Doug Ducey’s signature — but he says he’s OK with the current law. “Whatever age we're doing it right now seems to be working," Ducey said. Allen's bill is in line with a poll written by the Center for Arizona Policy, an
KJZZ •

Federal Judge Dismisses Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Defamation Suit

A federal judge has dismissed former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s defamation lawsuit against three media corporations. Arpaio had sued CNN, the Huffington Post and Rolling Stone magazine claiming they published inaccurate and defamatory information that caused him to lose the 2018 Senate race. CNN’s Chris Cuomo and Rolling Stone Magazine both referred to Arpaio as a felon, while the Huffington Post claimed he was sentenced to prison for his misdemeanor contempt conviction. None of the
KJZZ •

Phoenix Police Union Calls Off No-Confidence Vote Against Chief Williams

The union representing Phoenix police officers is no longer calling for a vote of no confidence against Police Chief Jeri Williams. After Williams fired two officers last week over two high-profile incidents — one for racist social media posts, and another for threatening to shoot a family accused of shoplifting — the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, or PLEA, announced they’d hold a no-confidence vote. PLEA’s President Michael Britt-London now said the union’s members no longer support a v

Daily Local News

Daily local news stories produced and reported at KJZZ. 

Scott Bourque/KJZZ
The Little Woody, a neighborhood bar in Arcadia, opened for the first time in months - but large nightclubs violating COVID restrictions threaten it.
KJZZ •

Neighborhood Bars Hope Big Nightclubs Follow The Rules To Prevent A Third Arizona Shutdown

On their first night back open, staff at The Little Woody, a neighborhood in Arcadia, said things went smoothly. Guests wore their masks, and for the most part, stayed at their tables. The bar reached 50% capacity later in the evening, and LaFlash had to hold customers at the door. A few miles away in Old Town Scottsdale, though, at least two nightclubs were found flouting the rules, according to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. The actions of the big clubs threaten the business of small bars like The Little Woody.
Scott Bourque/KJZZ
A ribbon cutting ceremony for Bunker Labs Phoenix, a nonprofit that seeks to support military veterans who start their own businesses.
KJZZ •

Nonprofit Incubator Aims To Help Veterans Start Their Own Businesses

After the second world war, close to half of returning servicemen started their own businesses, including major corporations like WalMart, AmWay, FedEx and Enterprise Rent-a-car. But generations later, very few veterans of the Post-9/11 conflicts, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, consider entrepreneurship. According to data from the Small Business Administration, only about 5 percent of returning servicemen and women launch their own businesses — even though 25 percent express interest in entrepreneurship.
Scott Bourque/KJZZ
Soldiers from the Arizona National Guard's 253rd Engineer Battalion stand in formation before being dismissed after their year-long Middle East Deployment at the Papago Military Reservation on January 11, 2020.
KJZZ •

Amid Iran Tensions, 150 Arizona National Guard Troops Return From Middle East Deployment

After spending the past year deployed to various locations in the Middle East, more than 150 members of the Arizona Army National Guard's 253rd Engineer Battalion returned home to Phoenix. Most of these 150 soldiers made up the headquarters company for engineering units in the Middle East. For security reasons, the soldiers weren't allowed to talk about what countries they actively served in.
KJZZ •

Ducey Says Arizona Sex Ed Law 'Seems To Be Working' Ahead Of Allen's Bill

Currently, Arizona law allows — but doesn’t require — schools to offer age-appropriate sex education courses to any grade level. State Sen. Sylvia Allen wanted to outlaw those programs for students younger than the seventh grade. In order for her bill to pass, she needs Gov. Doug Ducey’s signature — but he says he’s OK with the current law. “Whatever age we're doing it right now seems to be working," Ducey said. Allen's bill is in line with a poll written by the Center for Arizona Policy, an
KJZZ •

Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Seen Tackling, Pinning Down 15-Year-Old Quadruple Amputee

Video footage has surfaced showing a Pima County sheriff's deputy tackling and pinning down a 15-year-old boy with no arms or legs. The teen lived in a group home near Tucson. In September, staff at the group home called police, saying the teenager was being disruptive and had knocked over a trash can. The deputy is seen pinning the boy and yelling at him, inches from his face. The officer wasn’t wearing a body camera, but another teen who recorded the video presented it to the Pima County Pub
KJZZ •

Phoenix Sikh Community Donates 550 Trees In Honor Of Sikhism’s Founder

Members of the Phoenix Sikh community donated 550 trees, worth more than $60,000, to the city of Phoenix. Nov. 12 marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Guru Nanak is known for establishing tenets of Sikhism, including environmental stewardship. The Sikh faith is the fifth largest in the world. There are more than 500,000 Sikhs in the United States, and more than 4,000 in the Phoenix area. “Guru Nanak very much believed in the oneness of the earth, the
KJZZ •

Bullhead City Called Arizona's Most Affordable Place To Live

A western Arizona city is one of the most affordable places to live in the state, according to third quarter data contained in the Cost of Living Index. Bullhead City had an overall affordability index of 91% — which means it costs about 9% below the national average to live there. The city’s administrative analyst Sheila Betts says the prices bring people to the area. "The survey shows that our residents enjoy low cost gas prices, food, housing, compared to other areas that are like metropol
KJZZ •

Federal Judge Dismisses Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Defamation Suit

A federal judge has dismissed former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s defamation lawsuit against three media corporations. Arpaio had sued CNN, the Huffington Post and Rolling Stone magazine claiming they published inaccurate and defamatory information that caused him to lose the 2018 Senate race. CNN’s Chris Cuomo and Rolling Stone Magazine both referred to Arpaio as a felon, while the Huffington Post claimed he was sentenced to prison for his misdemeanor contempt conviction. None of the
KJZZ •

Phoenix Police Union Calls Off No-Confidence Vote Against Chief Williams

The union representing Phoenix police officers is no longer calling for a vote of no confidence against Police Chief Jeri Williams. After Williams fired two officers last week over two high-profile incidents — one for racist social media posts, and another for threatening to shoot a family accused of shoplifting — the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, or PLEA, announced they’d hold a no-confidence vote. PLEA’s President Michael Britt-London now said the union’s members no longer support a v
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Local History Features

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Scott Bourque / KJZZ
A Federal Signal Thunderbolt siren that was once mounted atop Metro Tech High School in Phoenix. The siren now belongs to 22-year-old Mesa resident Scott Nelson, who bought the siren at auction for about $960.
KJZZ •

Parts Of Phoenix Cold War History Disappearing Into The Hands Of Collectors

Decades after the Maricopa County outdoor warning system was decommissioned, the county government began removing the sirens and selling them at auction. Some ended up in museums. One ended up in the town of Beebe, Arkansas, and is used to warn residents of impending tornadoes. And many landed in the hands of collectors, like Scott Nelson of Mesa. Along with several classic cars, Nelson collects and restores air-raid sirens he’s gathered from across the country.
Scott Bourque / KJZZ
The below-grade Papago Freeway in central Phoenix was built on what used to be Moreland and Culver streets.
KJZZ •

The Deck Park Tunnel Opened 30 Years Ago. The Phoenix Neighborhoods It Cut In Half Are Still Recovering

If the Golden Spike at Promontory Point marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, then the Deck Park Tunnel in Phoenix is Interstate 10’s golden spike. When the tunnel opened to traffic 30 years ago today, it was the last half-mile stretch in the transcontinental freeway that connected Santa Monica, California, with Jacksonville, Florida. It took almost three decades to build, in a process fraught with political battles over where the freeway should go and how it should look. In the decades it took to plan, debate over the plans, make new plans and eventually build the freeway, though, neighborhoods along the alignment suffered from disinvestment and crime, and went from thriving middle-class urban neighborhoods to slums. They are just now starting to show serious signs of recovery.