Headlines Friday

Town Lake ready to rock and row Boaters, start your engines. Tempe officials will reopen Town Lake on Saturday, three weeks after winter storms forced its closure. Body-dumping case has prosecutors aiming to fill 'void' in Arizona law A homicide case in which a man's body was hauled 100 miles and dumped in the desert south of Phoenix - and in which the acknowledged killer claimed self-defense and went free - may prompt Arizona lawmakers to put a new crime in state law. Trump project focus of ire over height rules Almost 200 people turned a public hearing at a Phoenix school Thursday night into an anti-Donald Trump pep rally. Napolitano wants new radios, special search squads at prisons Gov. Janet Napolitano wants to spend $4.2 million next fiscal year to protect employees at Arizona's prisons by buying better radios for corrections officers and creating special squads to conduct unannounced searches for makeshift weapons and other forbidden items. Giving wolf more space The Mexican gray wolf needs more room to roam, and a government study is recommending that the entire state of Arizona, as well as all of New Mexico, be considered part of the wolves' territory. Entrant torture described Lost and hungry, the three illegal border crossers hoped the Three Points property would be a place to rest. Instead, they were stripped and extorted, and one them was tortured, a county prosecutor Fun planned for Chinese New Year You don't have to be a rooster to take part in this year's Phoenix Chinese Week Cultural Festival. According to the Chinese zodiac, this is the Year of the Rooster, or Year 4703, and the Chinese New Year will unfold throughout Greater Phoenix on Feb. 7-13. Bond money ready to rebuild 4 schools The Scottsdale Unified School District is getting ready to start spending $217 million in school construction bond money approved by voters in November. Phoenix will replace waterlines, sewerlines CENTRAL PHOENIX - As Phoenix prepares for light rail, the city also is preparing to spend $70 million for new water and sewerlines. Not-guilty plea entered in lights case Chris Birkett, the Scottsdale man whose elaborate holiday displays could land him in jail, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of disorderly conduct. In a pickle, mom starts own relish company CHANDLER - Whoever said necessity is the mother of invention may not have had relish in mind. Officer drank before assault, reports say Police reports show a Chandler police officer jailed in the aggravated assault of a neighbor this week said he began drinking about 10 hours before he was arrested. State's House judiciary panel approves body-dumping bill A homicide case in which a man's body was hauled 100 miles and dumped in the desert south of Phoenix, and in which the acknowledged killer claimed self-defense and went free, may prompt Arizona lawmakers to put a new crime in state law. City leaders air views There's at least one clear message city officials want to send the state Legislature this year: Leave us, and our money, alone. Senate backs 2 special days The Senate gave a preliminary thumbs up Thursday to a pair of resolutions to declare May 1 as Cold War Victory Day and Feb. 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. School officials OK free tutoring to 868 juniors Arizona education officials have approved 868 high school juniors in 11 districts and charter schools to receive free tutoring paid for by a new $10 million fund dedicated to helping members of the Class of 2006 pass the AIMS test, the Arizona Department of Education announced Thursday. Vocational classes change TUCSON - Arizona students who would have been diverted to an auto or woodshop class a decade ago are doing better in school, scoring higher on standardized tests and are more likely to attend college. Population of Surprise growing fast Surprise's population has exceeded all previous projections, keeping it one of Arizona's fastest-growing cities since 1999. Valley real estate agent pleads guilty to fraud A Valley real estate agent specializing in low-cost home sales agreed Thursday to plead guilty to fraud and theft charges stemming from a real estate scam in which investors reportedly lost $1.4 million. Tucson owners liable when dogs bite TUCSON - Millie Zuniga was clearing brush in a midtown alley Nov. 19 when two snarling dogs, a pit bull and a boxer, clambered through a 6-inch gap in a fence and knocked her to the ground in a frenzied attack. Campaign finance aide disqualifies self from reviews PHOENIX (AP) -- Citing family involvement in abortion-related advocacy, a state campaign finance regulator disqualified herself from overseeing pending inquiries into five legislators' campaign finances and a political operative's controversial mailing. Audit faults handling of unemployment benefits PHOENIX (AP) -- A new audit report released Thursday says the state unemployment insurance program's high error rates cause financial hardships for both workers and employers.