Arizona Morning Briefing, Sept. 17: Sunshine Subpoenas, Peoria Water Deal, Heap Medical Drama, Meet the Candidates’ Wives, and More

Here are the Arizona stories we’re following today:

•SUNSHINE SUBPOENA–Senate Government Committee Chairman Jake Hoffman issued subpoenas Wednesday to Gov. Katie Hobbs, AG Kris Mayes, members of their staffs, former DCS officials and Sunshine Residential owner Simon Kottoor, with a public hearing set for Sept. 29. Hoffman is demanding documents and phone records related to Sunshine’s rate increases, along with Mayes’ investigative file. Hoffman’s advertising company has also received nearly $1.2 million to support Andy Biggs’ campaign to defeat Hobbs, a connection Hobbs’ campaign says makes the inquiry political. Hoffman says the investigation is legitimate and that he can separate the two roles. “I can walk and chew gum at the same time,” he said in a press conference. Neither Hobbs nor Mayes had committed to appearing as of Wednesday evening.

•YUMA DRY–Late Wednesday, the Yuma City Council unanimously authorized action on two Colorado River disputes. The city will join Mohave and La Paz counties in legal proceedings involving the proposed transfer of Colorado River water from GSC Farm in La Paz County to Queen Creek, and it separately authorized potential legal action against the Interior Department over its August Colorado River operating-guidelines decision. City officials say they’re concerned about the precedent for moving rural western-Arizona water to growing communities elsewhere in the state.

•PEORIA BOUGHT THE WATER–The city of Peoria says it will acquire about 173,672 acre-feet of stored-water credits plus a 120-acre property with two wells in the Harquahala irrigation area from a company called Vidler Water. Peoria projects the deal can eventually add about 1.5 million gallons per day to its water portfolio for the next century. The deal will close next month. Peoria and Vidler Water: Makin’ friends!

•RALPH HEAP IS NOT SO HIP–The Arizona Agenda reported Wednesday that The Arizona Medical Board reprimanded Republican Corporation Commission candidate Ralph Heap in 2023 after he settled a malpractice lawsuit alleging that he botched a patient’s hip replacement. The board’s disciplinary action focused on Heap’s failure to perform a timely postoperative examination. Heap accepted the reprimand in a consent agreement and waived his right to challenge it. More pertinent to Heap’s current Corporation Commission bid: as reported here ad nauseam, the Citizens’ Clean Elections Commission is currently investigating allegations that Heap failed to report campaign-sign spending.

•THE CANDIDATES’ STEPFORD WIVES–The Republican Party of Arizona Latinos is promoting a Sept. 29 Chandler event inviting voters to “meet the CANDIDATES WIVES.” The promotional material says the event will feature “honest connection with the candidate’s wives” and promises “no political buzzwords.” What will we talk about, then? The latest episode of Lanterns?

•CHANDLER WILL SETTLE YOUR BEEF–Chandler has launched a free voluntary mediation program with ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law for disputes involving HOAs, noisy neighbors, property maintenance, landlords and tenants. Law students working under faculty supervision will mediate. Arizona Globe has issues with misbehaving children in restaurants, people who talk in movie theaters, and many other peccadilloes. Chandler may regret letting this particular horse out of the barn.