Latest news with #Tempe-based
Axios
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Maricopa Democrats mailer case ends with Franks fulfilling plea deal terms
The case against a local political activist and Democratic operative charged with forgery in a dispute over unsent mailers from the 2022 election is over after Bruce Franks Jr. completed a diversion program as part of a plea deal. State of play: Under the terms of a deal Franks entered into in November, the case would be dismissed upon the completion of the diversion program he entered into. Franks fulfilled the terms of the plea deal, and the Pinal County Attorney's Office requested that the case be dismissed, which a judge granted in April. Franks pleaded guilty last November to one class 6 felony charge of theft and was placed on supervised probation. He'd also been charged with nine counts of forgery, charges that were dismissed as part of his plea deal. Catch up quick: The Maricopa County Democratic Party paid $24,480 to Tempe-based consulting firm Agave Strategy for about 100,000 mailers in October 2022. Agave subcontracted through Franks' company, Blaque Printing Enterprise. Agave Strategy CEO Dawn Penich told Axios last year that Franks gave her documents purporting to show the mailers were sent through a sub-vendor. Democratic party officials, upon learning the mailers never went out, questioned the authenticity of the documents, later determined to be forgeries, according to reports from the sheriff's office. The party asked for a refund, which it received the following January. Zoom in: Franks' theft count stemmed from a separate incident in which Agave Strategy said it paid him about $2,400 for 10,000 school board candidate mailers that were never sent. He agreed to repay the money as part of his plea deal. The intrigue: The incident prompted the resignations of the MCDP's chair and executive director. MCDP enacted a conflict-of-interest policy in September 2022 requiring employees to disclose financial conflicts to its executive board and recuse themselves while the board decides on the transactions or arrangements. Franks and executive director Ne'Lexia Galloway, then his fiancée, asked Agave Strategy to use Blaque Printing for the mailer job but requested that the firm keep the arrangement secret, Penich said. What they're saying: Franks' attorney, Steve Benedetto, said in a statement to Axios his client took the plea deal not because he was guilty but because "like many before him, he knew what he was up against if he chose to proceed in the criminal justice system." Per Benedetto, Franks decided "to protect his future, his family and his peace. He is grateful that this matter has been dismissed, and looking forward to closing this chapter." MCDP chair Patti O'Neil said the case shows the need for the party to vet the people it hires and elects, calling the ordeal a "lesson learned."
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tempe company Solestial goes prime time in Google Super Bowl LIX TV ad
Tempe-based space startup Solestial Inc. was featured in a Google Super Bowl LIX TV ad, according to a release from the company. The solar technology firm is part of Google's '50 States, 50 Stories' campaign, and the ad about it ran on Fox Arizona channels during the U.S.'s most watched football game, the release confirmed. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40 to 22 in Sunday night's game. 'It's every business's dream to be featured in a commercial during football's premier event,' said Solestial CEO Stan Herasimenka. 'We are hopeful that the media attention will increase awareness of our next-generation silicon solar technology.' Google picked one company from each state for the 30-second ad, according to the release. The ad can be seen on Google Workspace's YouTube channel. Companies spent an average of about $8 million for a 30-second spot during Super Bowl LIX TV. The Arizona ad featured Herasimenka and other Solestial employees using the company's solar technology and Google's AI tool Gemini. Solestial builds space-grade solar cells that are designed to be cheaper, more efficient and last longer. 'It's a company milestone none of us will ever forget,' Herasimenka said. Reach the reporter at or 602-444-8040. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @CatherineReagor. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tempe solar firm Solestial featured in Google Super Bowl LIX TV ad
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arizona Utilities Announce Effort to Add More In-State Nuclear Power
Arizona's three major electric power utilities said they will collaborate to explore adding more nuclear power generation in the state, possibly placing small modular reactors (SMRs) or building large reactor projects at the locations of retiring coal-fired power plants. Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP), and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) on Feb. 5 in a news release wrote that they have been 'monitoring emerging nuclear technologies and have a shared interest in evaluating their potential' to provide more electricity to meet the growing demand for power across the state. Officials with Phoenix-headquartered APS said their utility will lead the effort, working with TEP and SRP 'to assess a wide range of possible locations,' including at some of the several closed or soon-to-retire coal-fired power stations in the state. Many U.S. utilities have been adding new generation resources, both thermal and renewable, at closed power plant sites in order to take advantage of existing transmission lines and other infrastructure. Arizona has one operating nuclear power plant, the Palo Verde Generating Station, located about 50 miles west of Phoenix. Palo Verde—which won a POWER Top Plant Award in 2015—has three pressurized water reactors, and a total generation capacity of about 4 GW. It is the only large nuclear power plant in the world not located near a large body of water, receiving its water for cooling from wastewater and well water. The nuclear power station for years was the largest in terms of capacity in the U.S., and now ranks second behind the four-unit, 4.5-GW Plant Vogtle in Georgia, which added two new units—each with about 1,100 MW of generating capacity—over the past two years. 'Energy demand in Arizona is increasing rapidly,' said Ted Geisler, president of APS. 'To ensure a reliable and affordable electric supply for our customers, we are committed to maintaining a diverse energy mix. While new nuclear generation would take more than a decade to develop, the planning and exploration of options must begin now. We are partnering with neighboring utilities to assess the feasibility of new nuclear generation, alongside other resources, to meet the state's growing energy needs.' [caption id="attachment_86142" align="alignnone" width="640"] The Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona has three pressurized water reactors, with a total of about 4 GW of generation capacity. It is the second-largest nuclear power plant in terms of capacity in the U.S. The facility's three reactors came online between 1986 and 1988. Source: Arizona Public Service[/caption] APS in 2020 said the utility would strive to be carbon-free by 2050. The company was among those with an ownership stake in the 2,250-MW coal-fired Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, that was closed in 2019. The plant was the largest coal-fired facility in the southwestern U.S. Jim Pratt, general manager and CEO of Tempe-based SRP, said, 'SRP is exploring all options to meet the growing energy needs of the Phoenix metropolitan area affordably, reliably and sustainably. We appreciate the collaboration with our neighboring utilities to help determine the role new nuclear generation could play in powering Arizona's future.' Officials on Wednesday said siting work for additional nuclear would consider SMRs in addition to larger, traditional reactors. SMRs are reactors generally with 300 MW or less of generation capacity. 'New nuclear generation could provide Arizona with reliable, around-the-clock carbon-free energy to power economic growth while helping us make progress toward a clean energy future,' said Susan Gray, TEP president and CEO. 'We know the development timeline would be long, so it makes sense for our state's energy providers to begin this preliminary evaluation as soon as possible.' The utilities on Wednesday said they have applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to begin preliminary exploration of at least one potential site. The application was submitted under the DOE's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations & Office of Nuclear Energy's Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor program. The grant if approved would support a three-year site selection process, and also potential preparation of an early site permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The utilities said the grant application is a first step in their collaborative effort, and said a preferred site could be chosen 'in the late 2020s, at the earliest, potentially enabling additional nuclear to be in operation in the early 2040s.' APS serves about 1.4 million homes and businesses in 11 of Arizona's 15 counties, and is the owner and operator of the Palo Verde Generating Station. SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest provider of electricity in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving more than 1 million customers. TEP serves more than 450,000 electric customers in Southern Arizona. TEP and its Tucson-based parent company, UNS Energy Corp., are subsidiaries of Fortis Inc., a North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. —Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
