The topics that took the top spots for Arizona Daily Independent readers 2021 are interesting, but not at all surprising. Readers seemed to take special interest in the COVID-19 vaccine and celebrities and politicos walking away from their jobs.
The ADI’s Top Ten Stories for 2021 are:
1) Severe Adverse COVID-19 Vaccine Reactions Accumulate
Big Bird is advertising shots for tots, and many are facing unemployment just after Christmas because of shot mandates. So why wait?
The main reason for getting the shot is to lower your risk of dying, since it does not reliably prevent catching or transmitting COVID. The statistics are confusing—did a person die with or of COVID? But we can tell whether a person died. Are more people dying than usual?
2) Maricopa County Treasurer Flora Resigns In “Disgust” With Board Of Supervisors
Outgoing Maricopa County Treasurer Royce Flora announced on Wednesday his resignation from his post on December 31, citing “disgust” with the Board of Supervisors. In his resignation, Flora also announced his intention to assist with the recall of Supervisors Clint Hickman, Bill Gates, Jack Sellers, and Steve Gallardo.
“It has also come to my attention that the incoming Treasurer cannot be legally sworn in until January 11, 2021 and therefore according to the Arizona Constitution, my term would extend until that time,” wrote Flora. “This is unacceptable to me for several reasons. First, the liability bond protecting me expires December 31st, 2020 and I would become personably liable for any loss. Second, the political environment at the County has become so toxic I have no desire to endure further abuse. Finally, I intend to participate in the recall of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors which puts me in direct conflict with County government. For these and other reasons, I resign my office of Maricopa County Treasurer effective on the statutorily prescribed date of midnight, December 31st, 2020.”
3) Kari Lake Leaving Longtime Fox10 News Anchor Job
For nearly 30 years, Kari Lake has been a fixture in the Phoenix-area news business, first as a reporter in 1994 and then as a longtime anchor for KSAZ-Fox10. But on Monday, she released a video explaining to viewers why she hasn’t been on the air since January and why they won’t be seeing her back in the anchor chair.
The Emmy Award-winning Lake announced she is stepping away from broadcasting in the country’s 11th largest television market.
Residents say Joseph Rosenbaum, who was the first man Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot in self-defense would be alive today if justice has been served in Pima County, Arizona. On Friday, a Kenosha, Wisconsin jury found Rittenhouse not guilty of killing Rosenbaum, who had been chasing Rittenhouse before the teenager shot in self-defense.
According to the court testimony, Rittenhouse said that he acted in self-defense after Rosenbaum threatened to kill him and tried to grab his gun. However, say Pima County residents, Rittenhouse would have never found himself in a position where he had to defend himself from a violent child molester had the Pima County Attorney’s Office done its job and kept Rosenbaum locked up.
5) Woman Charged In Deadly Crash, 6 Killed On I-10
Upon her release from the hospital on Thursday, Iyona Holton was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on charges for her role in a deadly crash that killed 6 people.
Holton has been charged with four counts of Aggravated Assault, 1 count of Possession of Dangerous Drugs, and 1 count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
6) Kirkpatrick Of Arizona Will Not Seek Reelection
Facing dim prospects due to anticipated redistricting, U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick announced on Friday her intention to retire. She said she will not seek reelection after her sixth term ends.
“Every two years for the past 18 years, there has been an election in Arizona with my name on the ballot. Serving Arizonans has been my absolute honor and joy, but after much consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election in 2022. I will continue the good fight through this Congress, and when the term is up, I will hand over the baton,” Kirkpatrick said in a press release.
Senate President Karen Fann wants Maricopa County officials to meet with her next week to “constructively resolve” several issues related to the Senate’s ongoing election audit, including whether someone at the county deleted a main database from the Election Management System (EMS) last month.
“We have recently discovered that the entire ‘Database’ directory from the D drive of the machine ‘EMSPrimary’ has been deleted,” Fann wrote on Wednesday to Jack Sellers, chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. “This removes election related details that appear to have been covered by the subpoena.”
8) Maricopa County Admits To Withholding Routers Demanded In Senate Subpoena
Maricopa County officials have not fully complied with the State Senate’s election audit subpoenas, a decision made to avoid causing a “significant security risk” to data utilized by numerous law enforcement agencies, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said Monday.
“We had previously believed that the risk would be eliminated by redacting the law enforcement data on the routers and not producing it. But we were informed that redaction did not eliminate the risk,” Deputy County Attorney Joseph LaRue wrote in a letter to Senate Audit Liaison Ken Bennett. “We also learned that if criminal elements or others gained access to this data, it might compromise county and federal law enforcement efforts and put the lives of law enforcement personnel at risk.”
9) Undergrad Student Attacked By ASU PhD Students Says He Is Cooperating With Investigation
A student, who came under attack for being a “white, cis male” by an ASU PhD student, Chase Beckerman, announced on social media in an apology of sorts that he is cooperating with University officials in an investigation of the matter.
At issue is a video that has gone viral of two women, undergraduate student Mastaani Qureshi and graduate student Sarra Tekola, attacking the two young male students for studying in what the women claim was space meant for “marginalized and oppressed peoples.”
10) Majority of Arizona Republicans Want Former President Trump To Make A Comeback
Despite the nearly three years until the next presidential election, a new poll by OH Predictive Insights (OHPI) finds that more than half of Arizona Republicans believe Donald Trump should follow in Grover Cleveland’s footsteps and become the first former president in more than a century to seek the office after losing re-election. The poll finds that, should he decide to run, Trump would be a prohibitive favorite in the race for the GOP nomination, running far ahead of any competitor in a crowded field.
This survey was the newest edition of OH Predictive Insights’ Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP). The AZPOP is a statewide survey that provides regular updates on the moods, opinions, and perceptions of Arizonans on hot topics facing the state. This AZPOP was conducted November 1st – November 8th, 2021 and surveyed 713 registered voters in Arizona, giving the survey a margin of error of +/- 3.7%.