AP Arizona

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State third-string quarterback Jack Miller III was suspended from the team after being arrested early Friday and cited for operating a vehicle while impaired. The redshirt freshman from Scottsdale, Arizona, was cited by the Ohio State Highway Patrol a few blocks from the Columbus campus around 1:30 a.m. Friday. The

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Larson was the best of NASCAR’s four title contenders Friday in the final practice before the championship is decided in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.  Larson turned in the top single lap and had the best 10-lap average among the four championship drivers.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals will be without three assistant coaches for their game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday because of COVID-19 protocols. Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers, running backs coach James Saxon and assistant offensive line coach Brian Natkin will not travel to the game. The Cardinals said

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR has denounced its association with the “Let’s go, Brandon” political cry that’s being used as an insult to President Joe Biden. NASCAR President Steve Phelps says the top motorsports series in the United States does not want to be associated with politics “on

PHOENIX (AP) — Education advocates did not collect enough valid signatures to give voters a chance to repeal a new state law exempting some business owners from a tax increase on the wealthy to boost school funding. A lawyer for Secretary of State Katie Hobbs announced the shortfall during a court hearing on Friday. The

By DAVID A. LIEB, GEOFF MULVIHILL and ANDREW DeMILLO Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The attorneys general of 27 states have filed federal lawsuits challenging a vaccine mandate for employers issued by the Biden administration. They generally contend that the authority to compel vaccinations rests with the states, not the federal government. The

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — AJ Allmendinger is trying to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship on Saturday night. He says there is a bigger prize to win in his family. Tara Allmendinger is is the reigning Mrs. North Carolina and she’s trying to become Mrs. America at the Nov.

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona on Friday reported 3,813 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and 58 more virus deaths. The figures reported on the state’s coronavirus dashboard raised Arizona’s pandemic totals to nearly 1,183,000 cases and nearly 21,350 deaths. The dashboard reported that COVID-19-related hospitalizations remained over 1,800 for the fourth straight day, with 1,864 virus patients

By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The attorneys general of 11 states have filed a lawsuit challenging a vaccine mandate for employers issued by President Joe Biden’s administration. The suit filed in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals contends that authority to compel vaccinations rests with the

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Chase Elliott was supposed to be the king this season in NASCAR. He’s the reigning Cup champion and NASCAR’s most popular driver, but he’s been overshadowed by new teammate Kyle Larson. Elliott has two victories this year, but Larson has a series-high nine wins. The

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 27 points, Landry Shamet added 19 off the bench and the Phoenix Suns pulled away late to beat the Houston Rockets 123-111. Phoenix has won three straight games and pushed above .500 for the first time this season with a 4-3 record. Houston

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Police say the driver of a car made an unsafe lane change that led to a crash that seriously injured longtime Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry last month. According to Tucson police reports, a 75-year-old driver merged from the right to left lane before striking another vehicle and causing it to

By BOB CHRISTIE Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is defying a demand that he stop using federal coronavirus relief money to fund an education grant program that can only go to schools without mask mandates. He is also continuing to give private school vouchers to parents upset their children’s schools require

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Matt Crafton, John Hunter Nemechek, Ben Rhodes and Zane Smith are racing Friday night for the NASCAR Truck Series championship at Phoenix Raceway. Nemechek is the series leader with five wins. He almost missed making the cut after he was wrecked out of last week’s race

By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Two prominent Democrats are stepping down from the Arizona House, further shaking up a Legislature that has seen a flurry of resignations ahead of the 2022 session. Rep. Charlene Fernandez of Yuma accepted a job with President Joe Biden’s administration. Rep. Randall Friese of Tucson said

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Denny Hamlin oozed confidence Thursday at NASCAR’s championship contenders event ahead of Sunday’s title-deciding season finale. It will be his fifth attempt at winning his first NASCAR championship and he said he’s never been more prepared. Hamlin said he performs at his best when his

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Thursday reported 103 more COVID-19 cases and five deaths. It marked just the 13th time in the last 36 days that the tribe has recorded a coronavirus-related death. The latest numbers pushed the tribe’s totals to 37,154 confirmed COVID-19 cases from the virus since the pandemic

By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs presented herself as an advocate for government efficiency. Hobbs on Thursday struck a centrist tone as she ramps up her campaign for Arizona governor in the wake of losses in Virginia that spooked Democrats around this country. Hobbs has made

DENVER (AP) — The Western Athletic Conference has named Brian Thornton as its next commissioner. Thornton will replace Jeff Hurd, who is ending a 10-year run as commissioner and 37 years overall with the conference on Dec. 31. Thornton spent the past year as the American Athletic Conference associate commissioner for basketball, serving as the

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t practice for a second straight day on Thursday because of an injured ankle, casting doubt on his status for the team’s upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Murray hurt his left ankle on the final drive