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Curt Prendergast

Curt Prendergast

Curt Prendergast spent a dozen years covering the border, federal courts and local government at the Nogales International and the Arizona Daily Star. Along the way, he won a bevy of awards, from community journalist of the year in 2014 to best news story in 2021. After getting laid off as the Star’s opinion editor, he co-founded the Tucson Agenda and ended up in the best job he’s ever had. These days, he focuses on the twists and turns of local politics, and ways to innovate the craft of journalism. He also writes the daily “In Other News” sections and makes sure the newsletters go out on time. When he’s not typing away, he’s hanging out with his wife and spoiling their three dogs: Mozzie, Althea and Pigeon. Contact: [email protected].

CD1: Shah’s two-front fight

Sep 4, 2026

•

7 min read

CD1: Shah’s two-front fight

Clowns to the left, jokers to the right ... Even a good story can get old ... And it was funnier in the Chamber group chat.

TJ L'Heureux
Curt Prendergast
TJ L'Heureux, +1
The bad news billionaires

Aug 17, 2026

•

7 min read

The bad news billionaires

On the Agenda's fifth birthday, we look at the state of the news industry.

Curt Prendergast
Curt Prendergast
Another gut punch to the news biz

Feb 6, 2026

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13 min read

Another gut punch to the news biz

Journalism is down, but not out ... Abortion heads to court ... And “hoo-ha” is a legal term.

Curt Prendergast
TJ L'Heureux
Curt Prendergast, +1
Republicans take on the cops

Jan 30, 2026

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16 min read

Republicans take on the cops

But not the surveillance state ... Welp, guess he quit ... And feed those birds, not those birds.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson, +2
Raising a ruckus in the valley

Jan 28, 2026

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14 min read

Raising a ruckus in the valley

What exactly were those agents doing? ... Supporting the unborn ... And singing senators.

Curt Prendergast
TJ L'Heureux
Curt Prendergast, +1
Light rail in limbo

Jan 27, 2026

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13 min read

Light rail in limbo

Will Phoenix kill CAPEX? ... Shut it down ... And Mesa don't need no stinking judge’s signature.

TJ L'Heureux
Curt Prendergast
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Play it safe, or guns blazing?

Jan 23, 2026

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12 min read

Play it safe, or guns blazing?

As ICE squads come to Phoenix, Gov. Katie Hobbs and AG Kris Mayes take vastly different approaches.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson, +1
Welcome to Hell (Week)

Jan 6, 2026

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3 min read

Welcome to Hell (Week)

One last desperate act ... Three bomb threats in one day ... And Big Brother saves Nala.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson, +2
December's dirty dozen

Jan 5, 2026

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3 min read

December's dirty dozen

MAGA infighting at AmericaFest ... Kelly vs Trump et al ... And that’s one heckuva top hat.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Joe Ferguson
Hank Stephenson, +2
Secret Santa: Inside the money pot

Dec 11, 2025

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3 min read

Secret Santa: Inside the money pot

A budget never looked so delicious.

Curt Prendergast
Curt Prendergast
Arizona’s in the Epstein files

Nov 18, 2025

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3 min read

Arizona’s in the Epstein files

We read them so you don’t have to ... Fake electors vs. fake candidates ... And drop us a line.

Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +2
Not your grandma’s socialism

Nov 11, 2025

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3 min read

Not your grandma’s socialism

Democratic socialism is on the rise ... Let's make a deal (without insurance) ... And oops!

Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson
Alysa Horton
Curt Prendergast, +2
Bet on change

Nov 6, 2025

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3 min read

Bet on change

With politicians, it’s always a gamble ... Democrats winning except in numbers ... And Lake breaks character.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Alysa Horton
Hank Stephenson, +2
Shutdown hits the dinner table

Nov 3, 2025

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3 min read

Shutdown hits the dinner table

We the people have to eat ... Beef sounds good ... And a sledgehammer, you say?

Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson
Alysa Horton
Curt Prendergast, +2
Forecast calling for ICE and “no”

Oct 27, 2025

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3 min read

Forecast calling for ICE and “no”

How long until immigration helicopters hover over Phoenix?... No SNAP for you ... And just don't sing the song, Joe.

Curt Prendergast
Alysa Horton
Curt Prendergast, +1
Who owns your news?

Sep 26, 2025

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3 min read

Who owns your news?

Why Nexstar wants 12News — and Trump’s Blessing.

Curt Prendergast
Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast, +1
Know your Grijalva

Sep 23, 2025

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3 min read

Know your Grijalva

The political dynasty news quiz ... Some good news, for once ... And keep your VPN handy.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Alysa Horton
Hank Stephenson, +2
Everybody's laughing at me!

Sep 19, 2025

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3 min read

Everybody's laughing at me!

Trump throws a tantrum and we all get baby food on us.

Curt Prendergast
Curt Prendergast
Dark money, dim light

Sep 16, 2025

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3 min read

Dark money, dim light

Who’s policing Prop 211? ... Arpaio still haunts us all ... And the Howie mute button.

Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Alysa Horton
Nicole Ludden, +2
Your legal cheat sheet

Sep 15, 2025

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3 min read

Your legal cheat sheet

New laws incoming ... Tall order for top Dem ... And laughing beats crying.

Curt Prendergast
Alysa Horton
Curt Prendergast, +1
The life and death of Charlie Kirk

Sep 12, 2025

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3 min read

The life and death of Charlie Kirk

You could love him. Or love to hate him. But you couldn't ignore him.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Joe Ferguson
Alysa Horton
Hank Stephenson, +4
A Flag Day reckoning

Jun 16, 2025

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3 min read

A Flag Day reckoning

Kings are so European ... Budget 2.0 incoming ... And they don’t need Palantir to find you.

Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Alysa Horton
Nicole Ludden, +2
WaltGPT

Jun 4, 2025

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3 min read

WaltGPT

Blackman’s AI problem — and the human behind it ... Howie screams deadline! ... And is that you, Phil?

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +2
How Arizona’s porn law could backfire

May 23, 2025

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3 min read

How Arizona’s porn law could backfire

Could porn become prohibition? ... The plural is Agendi ... And let the voters fix it.

Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +2
Turning inward

May 22, 2025

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3 min read

Turning inward

Quiet at the border, chaos everywhere else .... Carry on, officers ... And a tattletale gets tattled on.

Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast, +2
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Arizona Agenda

The weekday briefing that takes you behind the scenes in Arizona politics.

Contact: [email protected]