Tucson Oddity: Farmer John mural the very picture of roadside art

As empty warehouses go, it's hard to be more noticeable than the Farmer John Meats building. Nine years after the facility on West Grant Road near Interstate 10 shut down, Farmer John's iconic wall mural remains a well-known sight to Tucson motorists.

2 indicted in pot smuggling

A federal grand jury has indicted two Indiana women who were arrested last month, reportedly while trying to smuggle more than 100 pounds of marijuana into the United States.

Overnight fire heavily damages Tucson hotel

A fire that severely damaged a Tucson hotel early this morning was set intentionally, authorities said.

Board gives go-ahead to rec-area plan

Pima County got the ball rolling on one of its most ambitious projects in years Tuesday, getting approval from the Board of Supervisors to move ahead with plans for a massive recreation complex on the northwest side.

Law & Order Briefs

Border Patrol finds 2,800 pounds of pot

Seasonal change could start with something of note - rain

The changing of the seasons is hardly noticeable around these parts - a date-on-the-calendar kind of thing. Not this year.

Last day of summer in Tucson could be soggy

The National Weather Service is giving the Tucson area a better than 50 percent chance of rain for both the final day of summer (today) and the first day of fall (Wednesday).

Former Oro Valley restaurateur gets sentenced in pot scheme

The former co-owner of a well-known Oro Valley restaurant has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his involvement in a cross-country marijuana distribution ring.

Plume of flame prompts evacuation

More than 20 homes were evacuated in a midtown Tucson neighborhood after a natural-gas line caught fire in an alley, authorities said.

County plan: vast complex for recreation

Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry has unveiled a sweeping plan to turn mostly vacant land on the northwest side into a massive complex of facilities for recreation, groundwater reclamation and environmental restoration.

Former National Guardsman who stole scraps of border fence sentenced

A former Air National Guardsmann has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for stealing scrap metal from from a project to build a border fence in Arizona.

Teens airlifted to Tucson after morning wreck in Sierra Vista

Two teenagers have been airlifed to Tucson following a rollover accident this morning in Sierra Vista, police said.

Supes' role in permit questioned

Rosemont Copper has called out Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry and the Board of Supervisors for their "mistaken belief" they have a say in whether Rosemont's air-quality permit gets approved by the county.

Tucson police: Man wanted in connection with slaying arrested in California

A 25-year-old man wanted in connection with a stabbing death last month was arrested Monday in California, Tucson police said.

Sierra Vista man accused of child molestation, sexual abuse

A 77-year-old Sierra Vista man is in the Cochise County jail after being arrested in connection with the alleged molestation of three young girls.

Family of 5 displaced by midtown Tucson apartment fire

A cooking fire late Monday displaced a family of five from a midtown apartment complex.

Law & Order Briefs

Two discoveries yield 3,500 pounds of pot

'If I had a gun I would shoot you'

An 18-year-old man slain during a weekend party in the Mount Lemmon area handed a loaded gun to a woman who said she wanted to shoot him, court records show.

Plan's aim: to 'fix' pets

A proposed change to Pima County's animal-control ordinance could make it much more expensive to reclaim lost or seized cats and dogs. The recovery-fee increase is among a handful of changes to the county's animal-control laws being looked at by the Pima Animal Care Center Advisory Committee.

Mount Lemmon shooter got gun from victim, records show

An 18-year-old man slain during a weekend party on Mount Lemmon handed a loaded gun to a woman who said she wanted to shoot him, court records show.

Law & Order Brief

Amado man gets 8 yrs. for smuggling drugs

Homicide is sixth of September

An upswing in homicides in the Tucson area that began in August has continued into September, with six already reported in the first 10 days of the month.

Bee swarm attacks elderly man on Tucson's east side

An 82-year-old man is in serious condition at a local hospital after suffering more than 100 bee stings, authorities said.

30 displaced by intentionally set fire in midtown Tucson

A fire that destroyed two units in a midtown apartment complex Thursday was intentionally set, authorities said.

Cycle, semi collide on I-10

A Tucson police motorcycle officer was seriously injured Thursday when he was involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer rig on Interstate 10.

Law & Order Briefs

Police ID man, 33, found dead on street

Tucson businessman gets 30 months for income tax, bankruptcy fraud

A Tucson businessman was sentenced this morning to 30 months in federal prison for hiding more than $2 million from the Internal Revenue Service and faking a bankruptcy filing.

Tucson motorcycle officer seriously injured in crash on I-10

A Tucson police motorcycle officer is in serious condition at a local hospital after being involved in a collision on Interstate 10, authorities said.

Rash of break-ins near UA called sexually motivated

Tucson police are investigating a series of burglaries near the University of Arizona they believe are sexually motivated.

Law & Order Briefs

Man's remains found; suicide is possible

Tucson police: String of UA-area burglaries sexually motivated

Tucson police are investigating a series of burglaries near the University of Arizona they believe are sexually motivated.

Overnight killing marks Tucson's 40th homicide this year

A man found dead on the street overnight in midtown Tucson is the city's 40th homicide this year, matching the number of homicides Tucson had for all of 2009.

Body of missing Cochise County man found near Bisbee

The decomposed body of a man reported missing in Cochise County in late July was found Tuesday, authorities said.

County OKs zoning steps should pot-sale measure pass

The Pima County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to start planning a new zoning designation for medical-marijuana sales and cultivation should a ballot measure pass in November.

DPS looking for help to ID victim, driver involved in fatal wreck on I-19

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is looking for help identifying a teenage boy who was struck and killed while running across Interstate 19 on Sunday night.

Supervisors move on county zoning rules for medical pot

The Pima County Board of Supervisors gave approval this morning to start the process of creating a zoning code for facilities that provide and grow medical marijuana, which pending a November ballot initiative remains illegal in Arizona.

Strong chance of rain in Tucson area today

The National Weather Service has put the odds of late morning and afternoon rain for the Tucson area at 60 percent, about as sure a bet of precipitation as you can get during the monsoon.

Law & Order Briefs

Man, 54, arrested in attack on woman

Man found shot, burned in Ironwood Forest National Monument

A man was shot to death and burned northwest of Tucson early this morning, authorities said.

Tucson police identify man killed in early morning shooting

A 61-year-old man was found shot to death early Friday morning inside a home on Tucson's southwest side, police said.

Law & Order Briefs

Police seek man in credit union robbery

Expect spike in holiday traffic as Tucsonans try to flee heat

Get those barbecues - and cold drinks - ready, because Labor Day weekend in the Tucson area is going to be a hot and dry one.

Ex-con from Bowie gets 95 months for federal weapons charges

A Bowie man with at least six prior felony convictions is now serving a 95-month federal prison sentence after getting caught with 17 weapons in his home in 2008.

Stepped-up DUI enforcement planned for Labor Day weekend

Several DUI deployments are scheduled this week in conjunction with Labor Day weekend.

Highway west of Tucson reopens after semi rollover

A semi-truck rollover has closed a state highway west of Tucson.

Hot, dry holiday weekend expected in Tucson area

Get those barbecues — and cold drinks — ready, because Labor Day weekend is going to be a hot and dry one.

Teens arrested in connection with Sierra Vista burglary spree

Two Sierra Vista teens were arrested early Wednesday in connection with as many as nine residential burglaries committed in one night, authorities said.