Groundwater regulation weaknesses exploited by industrial-scale agriculture is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. Over the past 15 years, even with groundwater restrictions in effect that limit new irrigated land, at least several thousand acres of dormant farmland have again started siphoning groundwater to sustain new crops in Arizona’s Douglas basin, often under industrial-scale owners that consolidated the land—and the grandfathered water rights tied to it—into massive operati ..read more

Our methods: Groundwater regulation weakness exploited by large farms is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. To understand the growth of active farmland and groundwater declines in the Douglas basin, AZCIR analyzed data from local and state agencies, including the Arizona Department of Water Resources, as well as satellite data compiled by federal agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Our methods: Groundwater regulation weakness exploit ..read more

State leaders misled public about scope of Medicaid fraud crisis is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. State leaders have admitted that fraudulent billing extended beyond a small portion of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, contradicting previous assertions that fraud only impacted a small share of the agency. The revelations came to light after AZCIR pressed AHCCCS about its waiver of key provider screenings during the pandemic, ultimately affecting the agency’s en ..read more

Arizona bill aims to reclaim social equity licenses from investors, corporate marijuana dispensaries is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. Arizona lawmakers have proposed a bill to return social equity licenses to their original owners, alleging private investors and cannabis corporations used predatory tactics to seize control of nearly all the lucrative marijuana dispensary licenses. Arizona bill aims to reclaim social equity licenses from investors, corporate marijuana dispensa ..read more

(Dis)Information and Democracy is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. presented by (Dis)Information and Democracy by special invitation Join AZCIR o for a discussion about the vital role independent journalism plays in reclaiming community narratives in an age of mis- and disinformation. You’ll hear from featured guest speaker Richard Stengel, former managing editor of TIME Magazine and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and […] (Dis)Information and Democracy is reportin ..read more

Arizona could become latest state to ban attendance-related suspensions is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. An Arizona lawmaker is again trying to bar schools from using out-of-school suspensions to punish students who miss class, arguing the strategy is not only ineffective but harmful. House Bill 2218 is Rep. Laura Terech’s second attempt to ban the practice of suspending Arizona students for tardiness and truancy, after a 2022 investigation by AZCIR […] Arizona could become l ..read more

AHCCCS alerted to ‘predictable’ homelessness surge before fraud crackdown is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. The embattled state agency at the center of Arizona’s ongoing behavioral health crisis knew its proposed billing reforms could trigger a surge in homelessness nearly a year before implementing the changes, yet failed to prepare accordingly. Though AHCCCS claims it worked to connect victims with ‘reputable’ housing, it arranged for just three facilities—all in the Phoenix ..read more

Whispers of groundwater regulations spur surges of deeper, higher-capacity wells is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. Arizona farmers and water experts worry that further delay in groundwater legislation will allow larger, often corporate-backed farms to continue expanding their share of groundwater before future regulation takes effect. By applying for new wells that go deeper, often with higher capacity pumps, those with the financial resources to drill them can extract so much ..read more

Arizona gave families public money for private schools. Then private schools raised tuition. is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. Arizona became the first state to offer universal school choice for all families, giving them roughly $7,000 per student to spend on private schools and other nonpublic options. When some private schools in the state hiked their tuition after the law was passed last year, critics worried Arizona’s school choice program risks becoming a subsidy for the ..read more

Patients, advocates describe ‘pure chaos’ in state response to AHCCCS fraud is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting. The state’s failure to adequately anticipate the impact of widespread suspensions among behavioral health providers has put members of an already susceptible population at further risk of relapse, abuse, homelessness and even death as operators shut down. Patients, advocates describe ‘pure chaos’ in state response to AHCCCS fraud is reporting published by Arizona Cente ..read more