Weekend wrap-up: Biggest Arizona stories over Christmas weekend

PHOENIX — The holiday season is about to come to a close, but there was plenty of news that happened over the Christmas weekend.

From the discovery of more than a dozen open investigations into inappropriate behavior at Arizona agencies to Sen. Jeff Flake floating a presidential run in 2020, there was plenty of content to read between baking Christmas cookies and singing carols.

Here are the biggest Arizona-related news stories from the Christmas weekend.

About 20 investigations of abuse, harassment open at Arizona agencies

There have been about 20 open investigations into inappropriate behavior at state agencies throughout Arizona since 2015, according to documents obtained by KTAR News 92.3 FM.

The reports of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation has plagued agencies including the economic security, game and fish and gaming departments, Arizona Lottery, Arizona State Parks, state medical board and more.

The incidents range from male supervisors asking female interns to sleep in the same room as them, people in management carrying guns to work, threatening supervisors and one manager who told a female employee “I’ve always wanted to change clothes in the dark with you.”

Arizona DPS trooper arrested, booked for theft, weapons misconduct

An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper was arrested for multiple counts of theft and misconduct, the department announced.

In a press release, the department said the trooper, who was later identified as John Petculescu, was arrested and booked on eight counts of theft and eight counts of misconduct involving weapons.

An investigation uncovered “several thousand rounds of ammunition of multiple calibers,” much of which was stored loosely.

Officials also found multiple flashbang grenades that were “never cataloged or inventoried by DPS, as required by law.”

Phoenix area marks chilly temperatures ahead of Christmas

For the first time this season, the Valley saw temperatures ranging from the high 20s to the low 40s on Friday, the National Weather Service said.

According to the department, Phoenix reached 36 degrees Fahrenheit, while Deer Valley saw 34 degrees and Mesa and Goodyear only reached 28 degrees.

Trump signs, lauds tax overhaul, off to Florida for holiday weekend

President Donald Trump signed the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul into law, using his last moments in the White House before flying to Florida for the holidays to celebrate a much-needed political win.

He also signed a temporary spending bill to keep the government running and provide money to upgrade the nation’s missile defenses. The tax cut, which fulfilled a long-held Republican goal, was at the forefront of Trump’s mind.

McConnell praises McSally as Senate candidate, despite lack of campaign

U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) has not formally announced her Senate campaign yet, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was singing her praises at a press conference.

In his end-of-year news conference, McConnell told reporters that McSally was one of the top Senate recruits as he was discussing the Republican Party’s strategy for the primary and general elections in 2018.

“We’ve got some great candidates out there and you’re familiar with them, Martha McSally…We hope to land a few more in the coming weeks and I think we’re going to be very competitive,” McConnell said.

Viva PHX Music Festival in downtown Phoenix to take 2018 off

One of the Valley’s more prominent music festivals will be taking a break in 2018.

The Viva PHX Music Festival has taken over downtown Phoenix the past several years, providing a premier musical event with, at times, 100 bands gracing more than 20 venues in the downtown area.

Stateside Presents, the main contributing partner for the event and its founder, Charlie Levy, said the hiatus for the event is due to their inability to find the same talent level to perform as in year’s past.

President Jeff Flake? Arizona senator not ruling out 2020 presidential run

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake has already decided that he will not seek reelection in 2018, but are plans to seek a higher office in his future?

In an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” Flake said he is not ruling out a presidential run in 2020, but clarified that it is not in his plans at the moment.

“I don’t rule anything out, but it’s not in my plans,” he said.

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