The New York Times reported that on the country’s southern border, New Mexico Democrats broke the Republican hold on a House seat that had endured for 37 years, like several other moderate Democrats who flipped House seats nationwide last year.

As Mr. Trump agreed to end the longest government shutdown on record, he backed down at least temporarily from his campaign promise of a border wall.

Don Henninger, executive director of the Scottsdale Coalition of Today & Tomorrow, shared his opinion in an editorial in the Scottdale Independent that Scottsdale residents have installed a new City Council and presumably a fresh set of objectives and goals moving forward for the city yet
the idea that a new year and “new” council means a new set of goals and objectives for the city remains elusive.

Arizona Horizon reported that Arizona lawmakers and the governor are under the gun to come up with a Drought Contingency Plan. Kathleen Ferris of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy talks about the intentions to deal with possible Colorado River water shortages.

Vanguardia Arizona reported that while the number of Latino votes cast in Arizona and across the nation is growing significantly, major barriers to boosting Latino turnout persist.

An expert discussion panel held at Phoenix College as part of an ongoing series of civic engagement activities, hosted by Chicanos Por La Causa, said when it comes to the Latino vote, the news is mixed.

Erica Quintana and David Schlinkert

The Payson Roundup reported that Rim Country schools continue to cope with the ongoing teacher shortage, despite recent pay raises.

The San Tan Times reported that Expect More Arizona commissioned its annual statewide public opinion survey of 600 likely Arizona voters and for the fourth year in a row, results show that voters believe education is the most important issue facing our state, above immigration, healthcare or the economy.

KJZZ's The Show reported that a survey of the ongoing teacher shortage in our state shows gaping vacancies within the 211 participating school districts and charter schools throughout Arizona. Half the vacancies are filled by teachers who don’t meet standard teacher certification requirements.

KJZZ reported that one of the items Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey addressed during his inaugural speech Monday was water and how Arizonans need to come together to help ensure the state’s future.

The Arizona Republic reported that days after he retired for the second time from the U.S. Senate, Jon Kyl is back to work again for a Washington, D.C.-based law and lobbying firm.

Kyl, 76, returns to Covington & Burling, which paid him nearly $1.9 million from January 2017 until he returned to the Senate in September, financial disclosure records filed on the day he left office show.