Guests - Betsy Smith, Chris King, Joanie Hammond
Local Crime Trends: National Declines Mask Tucson Challenges
Kathleen Winn opens with observations on Tucson's rising heat and its potential link to increased local crime. Despite national trends showing murder rates down 44% from the 2021 peak, Pima County experiences persistent violence. Three shootings occurred in three days, involving juveniles in some cases. Winn highlights an incident where an illegal immigrant struck an elderly woman with his vehicle, dragging her on the hood for blocks before pushing her off, resulting in a two-and-a-half-year sentence with only 100 days served due to time already spent in custody.
Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association, addresses the disconnect between national and local statistics. "Murder is down across the nation, 44% lower than it was at the high in 2021." She notes that while murder is difficult to underreport, other crimes like armed robbery can be reclassified as petty theft, skewing figures. Smith criticizes Pima County leadership, particularly Mayor Regina Romero, for inaction: "I don't know if it's because Regina Romero is still in her closet, sucking her thumb, crying about Cesar Chavez or what the issue is, but she's paying no attention."
Smith points to broader failures, including lenient sentencing for crimes involving illegal immigrants. On the elderly woman's case: "He's pushing her off. He's got two and a half years as a sentence and even the county prosecutor's office recognized that she acknowledged that people were going to be upset about this. She didn't apologize or anything for the conduct of her prosecutor and of course, the activist judge gave this illegal alien murderer a hundred days of time served." She expresses hope the victim's family will speak out: "Whoever that woman's family is, they should be appalled."
Sheriff Chris Nanos and the Recall Effort
Smith condemns Sheriff Chris Nanos's handling of public safety issues, linking it to the Nancy Guthrie disappearance. "This guy is a rogue. He doesn't play well with others. And he has made it be about him when it really isn't about him at all. And he has lost the idea of what a public servant is." She notes Nanos's recent statement warning the perpetrator could strike again: "The most recent one was that this person is still out there and it could happen again, like, what the hell is wrong with you?" Smith calls it "irresponsible" and "terrifying," especially for elderly residents.
A recall petition against Nanos has gained traction, with Daniel Butierez filing and securing volunteers. Smith supports it: "There is a recall motion, um, movement underway. It has been filed and they've gotten several thousand signatures." She ties this to national attention on the case and local distrust: "From our elections to our elected officials to our sheriff and scaring elderly people that this guy's still out there and probably going to come for them too."
ICE Detention Center in Marana and Protests
Smith discusses opposition to the proposed ICE detention center in Marana, framing protests as anti-law enforcement. "These people want to turn towns like Marana and Oro Valley and Salarita into the city of Tucson. They want to destroy the rest of the County." She criticizes a "private press conference" at the MTC Center excluding citizens: "It was by invitation only. And they don't want other opinions."
Smith highlights economic benefits: "This will provide jobs for so many people... whenever you have any kind of correctional facility, you have to have not just guards, but you have to have janitors and you have to have cooks and you have to have social workers and you have to have clerical personnel." She mocks claims of family hardship, referencing Brinley Carrillo: "Brinley and all her fellow activists... want people to believe that this is going to affect life in Marana. The only effect this will have on life in Marana is... the Marana police will have to deal with the lunatic protesters and number two, it will bring jobs."
Smith connects protests to broader agendas: "They are the same people that want to abolish the police. They are the same people that want our borders wide open. They're also the same people who got involved in various protests, going back to reclaim the streets, occupy wall street, black lives matter, and then the pro-Palestinian movement."
Chris King's Campaign for LD17 State Senate
Chris King, running for state senate in LD17, discusses his background as a retired Air Force veteran, former instructor at Fort Huachuca, and current substitute teacher and school board member in Vail. "I've been here in Arizona for almost 25 years. Came here. The military was what brought me here." King served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star in each.
His priorities include education, public safety, and economic prosperity to retain graduates. "Top priorities are going to be education, public safety, and making sure that we can keep our kids here after they graduate." On jobs: "With those jobs comes affordability." King advocates attracting businesses through reliable energy and stable pricing, supporting nuclear power to address shortages. "In particular, nuclear power. And so there's been bills... to streamline permitting of small modular reactors."
King emphasizes constitutional carry and law enforcement support: "Constitutional carry is you don't need a permit to carry a firearm because it is the freedom to defend yourself is enshrined in the Constitution." He criticizes lenient sentencing: "If you murder someone, there should be a minimum penalty." On education choice: "I believe that if we're going to have empowerment scholarship accounts, ESAs, that... the funding follows your student."
LD17's conservative lean gives King an advantage: "It's a 10% Republican district. So 10% advantage. So we just need to unite Republicans." He notes growth and diverse needs: "Having lived in the district now for almost 22 years, I've been all over."
Joni Hammond and Hands of Hope: Dangers of Abortion Pills
Joni Hammond, CEO of Hands of Hope for six years, discusses the center's 45th anniversary and services. "We have actually this is our 45th year of being Hands of Hope, which is a crisis pregnancy center." The center provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI testing, treatment, perinatal hospice, and counseling. "Everything we do is free. All of this is free."
Hammond warns about abortion pills, noting Arizona's illegality but enforcement gaps. "In Arizona, are they not? Yes, they are. And our attorney general said, I will not prosecute." She describes ordering pills online: "I paid a hundred and eighty nine dollars and I used a sixty year old man's credit card to buy them." Instructions include seeing fetal tissue: "At 12 weeks, you might see a pregnancy around 2 to 2.5 inches long. At 14 weeks, you might see a pregnancy around 3 to 3.5 inches long. Seeing a fetus after 14 weeks can be upsetting for some people."
Hammond highlights risks: bleeding up to a month, sepsis, hemorrhaging. "One in nine women are having complications." She notes Planned Parenthood refers clients: "If somebody says, I don't know if I want to do this, they'll say, we can't help you, go over there." Hammond advocates ultrasounds: "A sonogram is what changes their mind. When they see their baby, when they come in and they see their baby, they usually will change their mind."
On Deeper Still retreats: "We have a huge healing program... There's eight women at our deeper still retreat being healed from their past abortion experience." Participants arrive burdened by shame but leave with forgiveness: "They have received God's forgiveness and grace, and it's one of the biggest, most gracious walks through repentance and restoration I've ever seen."
Hammond stresses spiritual battle: "I think we're in a major spiritual battle... There's a lot of misinformation out there." She invites tours: "Anyone who would like to see Hands of Hope to just email me at Joni at Hands of Hope Tucson.com and I would love to give you a tour."
Upcoming Events and Voter Engagement
Winn urges precinct committeeman recruitment for 1,776 members to cover Pima County. She promotes the Colá Guard golf tournament and Wildcats' NCAA run: "The Wildcats are writing. They've already made history this year and we have to, as a community, come out and support them." Selection Sunday at 3 p.m. determines brackets, with Arizona seeded No. 1 aiming for the Final Four.