The Editor’s Desk

Every now and then, we’re reminded how a story or photo we publish can touch someone in a way we never expected. One such reminder came our way last week, in the form of an e-mail from Adeline Barajas.

Adeline doesn’t live in the East Valley, but in the southwestern part of the state, in a tiny community called Roll. Roll is easy to miss if you’re driving to Yuma, but if you notice signs for places like Wellton or Dateland along the way on Interstate 8, then you’re reasonably close.

Adeline’s note was sent in praise of a photograph that was published back in February that still exists on our web site. It was taken by photographer Ralph Freso, during a high school soccer playoff game in the East Valley between Chandler’s Valley Christian and Antelope Union High School from Wellton.

The picture shows three boys, one of them named Alejandro Alcala, who now is a senior at Antelope High. He is on the far left, wearing No. 3 in the picture, which you can click to enlarge.

“He is 17 years old, he is an ‘A’ student, he loves soccer,’’ said Adeline, who is the boy’s Godmother.

She explained to me that since the time that picture was taken, things took an unfortunate turn for Alejandro. He started experiencing migraine headaches. When his parents took him to Yuma Regional Medical Center, it was confirmed the boy had a brain tumor.

Alejandro was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix for further tests that continue this week to determine if the tumor, which is the size of a golf ball, is malignant. Either way, he faces surgery, Adeline said.

“Alejandro is in good spirits and is worried about getting behind in school, and hopes to make it back on time to play is beloved game, soccer,’’ she said in a follow-up e-mail to me.

So why did she send us a note about the picture?

“The picture was taken before he was diagnosed or before anyone knew he was ill. My son sent me the link (Friday morning) and told me to look at Alejandro’s picture,’’ Adeline explained.

“I started crying, then I smiled, because this is Alejandro doing what he loves, playing soccer. This picture showed happiness and frustrations all at the same time.’’

Adeline’s note to the Tribune was a simple thank you to us, and specifically, photographer Ralph Freso, for taking the photo and still having it available online.

Really, though, it is we who owe Adeline a thank you ­- especially as we enter the final seven weeks of the Tribune publishing. She reminded us how the seemingly routine things we do here can end up touching people in ways that are far from routine.

Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates on Twitter: EVTribEditor.)

Salt Lake City this week became the first Utah community to pass a form of gay rights legislation. It came after the proposal to ban discrimination against homosexuals in housing and hiring won the surprise endorsement of the Mormon Church.

It will be interesting to see how close officials in Mesa and other East Valley cities were watching this.

That’s because locally, an effort is being renewed to seek approval of a city registry that would allow couples in committed, but non-married relationships the ability to more easily visit loved ones who become hospitalized and the right to make medical decision if necessary. Such a registry would make it easier for health care professionals to determine someone’s right to do this, backers contend.

A gay advocacy group has been promoting the idea with Mesa’s Human Relations Advisory Board, taking the step of starting with Mesa because it may be the toughest nut to crack in getting such an ordinance on the books. Other local cities or towns could follow.

Most members of the Mesa City Council have been non-committal on the idea, although Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh has been the most vocal on-the-record backer of the idea.

There is a longstanding assumption among many Valley residents that Mesa’s conservative tradition is in a large part influenced by the city’s roots as a community founded by Mormon pioneers and since populated by many Mormon residents and a significant LDS church presence. 

While this is true to a certain extent, today – with a population of nearly 500,000 – it’s pretty safe to say that people of many other faiths, or those who claim no religious affiliation whatsoever, make up significant portions of the population. It’s worth noting that the Catholic Church, for example, is a significant presence as well and has often aligned itself with the Mormons when it comes to gay rights laws, primarily opposing those that legalize unions between same-sex couples.

Salt Lake City – which is home to the Mormon church headquarters and heavily Mormon - was ahead of the curve in adopting a similar mutual commitment registry. But any assumption that as Salt Lake City goes, Mesa goes, isn’t automatic.

For local backers, there is a lesson to be derived from the Salt Lake City story: Engaging local church leaders as part of the process, as was the case in Salt Lake City, could prove beneficial. The hunch here is that local leaders of the Mormon Church could be open to an ongoing dialogue. The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, meanwhile, is involved with many health care initiatives. Just last month, the diocese established a medical ethics board to advise clergy and health care professionals on topics as they relate to church teaching. It is not out of the question that a sympathetic ear might be found in Bishop Thomas Olmsted’s office on the registry topic.

It may be that these conversations are happening behind the scenes, but if not, they should be. The Salt Lake City story proves why.

 Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates on Twitter: EVTribEditor.)  

Tuesday night’s welcoming reception for the new owners of  the Chicago Cubs was, well … how should I put it?

Let’s just say a good time fawning was had by all.

The private reception was held at the Red Mountain Ranch Country Club in northeast Mesa for three members of the Ricketts family, who are in town this week touring possible locations for a massive new Cubs spring training facility.

This was not a standard “meet and greet,’’ for the new guys in town, although there was plenty of  greeting going on. It really was a well-orchestrated lovefest designed to parade local political and business leaders in front of the three Ricketts siblings and drool over all things Cubs, tout the wonders of Mesa and Arizona, and then drool some more.

A classic Arizona sunset even appeared behind a bank of west-facing windows, which Mesa Mayor Scott Smith noted several times.

Through the whole thing, it appeared that Tom Ricketts, the family’s chief spokesman who will oversee the ownership, sat mostly poker faced, though he did grin on occasion, particularly during Gov. Jan Brewer’s upbeat remarks.  At times, he shook his foot a bit nervously, as if he was somewhat embarrassed by the way so many people were tripping over themselves to impress the contingent.

“We didn’t  expect  this,’’ he said, during his cordial but brief remarks.

I’m guessing they expected it a little bit. Things like this tend to happen when a city may lose something big from a rival bidder – in this case, Naples, Fla.

Wednesday is when everyone would get down to business – and make no mistake, this will be a business decision sometime next year.

The show of support by the group, which included key business leaders, land holders and developers, as well as politicians such as Brewer and state House Speaker Kirk Adams of Mesa, was a good start, even if all of the fawning further serves to solidify the bargaining position the Cubs are in.

But putting together a deal that will make it actually happen will be complicated. Smith said a true “public-private’’ partnership is inevitable.

All signs suggest that some private entity, such as DMB, the major property developer that holds scores of land that was once the GM Proving Grounds in east Mesa, will step up and offer the acreage needed. But no business will do that without some guarantee of  payback down the road – and that’s where the public part of the deal will come in.

It’s apparent that some state legislative action that will facilitate a creative financing mechanism could come into play, which is why Adams was sitting at the table with the Ricketts.

The method often hinted at is tax-increment financing. The idea behind that allows a developer to eventually reap payback from higher tax collections generated by higher land values created by their improvements. The technique is used just about everywhere else but Arizona, where the topic has proven controversial when it’s been broached in the past.

Mesa voters also could be asked to approve bonds, according to some city sources I spoke to. The deal would include more than a Cubs facility, probably tossing in general parks improvements.

Also on the table: Money from the Tourism and Sports Authority, once its coffers start refilling. It’s no secret that in recent years, the bulk of big spending on the Cactus League from the TSA has gone to facilities in the west Valley, so a move to shift money to Mesa to keep the Cubs here would seem logical at some point.

All of it will be politically sensitive, but the one thing that will be working in favor of the deal makers is the Cubs brand, which is unrivaled in the Cactus League and is a major revenue generator for tourism. The team’s track record in that regard is proven.  Hopefully, even the most jaded voters and legislators will be able to understand that.

Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates on Twitter: EVTribEditor.)

Mesa’s political and business leaders are preparing to host a group representing the Chicago Cubs and its new owners next week. No less than the team’s spring training future here is at stake. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions on what to do, and what not to do, during the visit that city leaders might have overlooked:

DO … take the group to locations in Mesa that afford breathtaking views of the Four Peaks, Superstition Mountains, Red Mountain and the Valley lights at night. Few can resist the allure these vistas offer.

DON’T … take them near the intersection of Country Club Drive  and Main Street in downtown Mesa. The Taco Bell may be one of the nicest in the Valley, but this intersection, which the city hopes will become a showcase entry to downtown, continues to struggle aesthetically. 

DO … let them see at least one thing at the other end of downtown, the Mesa Arts Center.

DON’T … drive them along Southern Avenue  west of Alma School Road, at least until a sign goes up along one of those empty and blighted strip malls that says, “Future Site of (fill in the blank).’’

DO … explain Mesa’s quick access to areas in Scottsdale, Tempe or Phoenix where nightlife and entertainment have progressed more than in Mesa.

DON’T … explain Mesa’s quick access to all that vacant land near the Gila River Indian Community’s I-10 entertainment corridor.

DO … encourage a strong showing in the community of Cubs’ fans, team paraphernalia, signage, etc., to be strategically placed in areas where you expect the group to travel.

DON’T … have any slips of the tongue that mix up the phrase “favorite team,’’ with  “Diamondbacks’’ or “White Sox.’’

DO … encourage meetings with other top state and local elected officials who can show how unified the area is in keeping the Cubs in Mesa. 

DON’T … let any of those aforementioned elected guests accidentally drift into conversations on the following topics: illegal immigration, budget deficits, school funding, gun rights, President Obama and, most of all, anything at all to do with any aspect whatsoever of  Maricopa County government and any of its government entities or elected officials. In fact, the less said about anything involving the people who currently run the top offices in Maricopa County, the better. Come to think of it, if the Cubs’ entourage were to be “accidentally’’ mislead into thinking a proposed site actually was in Pinal, Gila, Yavapai, Coconino or any of the state’s 10 other counties, that would be OK.

DO … immediately flog anyone who violates the above ‘don’t.’’’

DO … help our visitors enjoy many of the fine restaurants the area offers.

DON’T … attempt to answer the following question if it comes up after dinner: “Where can a guy get a drink in downtown Mesa after 9 p.m.?’’  Promptly change the subject instead.

DO … keep reinforcing all of the possible sites for locating a new Cubs’ training complex along the 202 freeway or near the planned Gaylord project and Gateway Airport.

 DON’T …during awkward periods of silence during the drive around town, succumb to the relentless temptation to ask why the Cubs haven’t won a World Series “in, gosh, hasn’t it been, like, a hundred years or so?’’ Yeah, don’t say that.

DO … look for opportunities to slip in warm-hearted terms such as “Friendly Confines,’’ “Lovable,’’ “Ivy walls,’’ and “Bleacher Bums.’’

DON’T … slip in potentially offensive terms involving the words “goat,’’ “curse,’’ or “Steve Bartman.’’

DO … remember: Naples is just a city in ITALY.

 DON’T … forget  that Florida’s humidity is oppressive and the beach a serious distraction.

DO … offer to pick up the check.

DON’T … be so quick that they can’t reach for it first. You’ll probably be promising to pick up the tab that matters anyway. 

(Have some suggestions of your own? Post them below. - Chris C.)

Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates on Twitter: EVTribEditor.)

Every now and then, a story idea will land in the Tribune newsroom and before long, take on a life of its own.

Sometimes, it’s a downer, involving somebody acting bad or being hurt, or explaining how something will impact a bunch of people in a negative way. More often, it involves an isolated controversy that resonates with readers in a larger way.

This past week, however, an unusual story that was none of these things captured our fancy – and, as it turns out, that of many folks in our community.

It was the tale of one Floyd Burns of Mesa.

Floyd didn’t do anything bad. He is not in a fight with the government or a victim of anything newsworthy, far as we can tell.

Floyd simply walked into the Tribune’s front lobby here in downtown Mesa one day and dropped off a press release about himself.

We get a lot of press releases here, most sent via e-mail. Many end up as “briefs’’ or event announcements. Some turn into stories. Many others aren’t covered or mentioned for a variety of reasons, including the fact that we simply can’t get to everything.

Floyd’s press release explained that he was turning 80 years old. No story there, it happens a lot. But then came the zinger: He was gong to mark his birthday by bowling 80 straight games over at the Brunswick Zone lanes in west Mesa.

He invited us to come cover it.

Assistant city editor John Yantis shared the release with me after he got it. “What do you think about this?’’ he said, seeming almost embarrassed to even ask, as if I was going to scoff and shoo him away.

As we talked it over, we became intrigued – even amused.

We’ve heard of people jumping out of airplanes or running marathons to mark a special longevity milestone – but there was something about bowling 80 straight games that seemed, well, very down-to-Earth.

After all, bowling isn’t sexy. It isn’t trendy or glamorous. It isn’t particularly dangerous or confined to the young and highly fit. It’s a “sport’’ that’s often mocked when it’s actually referred to as a sport (“Hey, it’s not really a sport if you get better with the more beer you drink!’’ is one variation of an old joke).

True, it’s been used as a successful storytelling vehicle in some offbeat films (“The Big Lebowski,’’ “Kingpin.’’). But a “bowling shirt’’ is a fashion statement only in the most retro sense of the word. In Arizona at least, bowling alleys themselves aren’t nearly as prevalent as, say, golf courses or tennis courts.

So it seemed the perfect Mesa story.

And the more we talked about it, the more others in our newsroom overheard and chimed in. Before long, it was apparent that we had to write about Floyd – which was now officially the most talked-about story in the newsroom even though we hadn’t done anything yet.

Ideas bubbled up. Some members of our news team thought it would be good to write a story in advance explaining what he was going to do, so we did. Someone else thought a video would be nice. Videographer Tim Hacker obliged.  (Check it out here). Our web site content producer even promoted it on evtrib.com.

And the more we promoted it, the more Floyd’s story took on a life of its own.

Other media began catching on and plenty were on hand to watch the bowling marathon Tuesday, but none were as diligent as Tribune reporter Hayley Ringle, who provided live updates throughout the day online. It was one of the most visited stories Tuesday on evtrib.com.

I stopped by just as Floyd completed his 60^th game late in the day, as numerous family members and friends cheered him on. Floyd’s daughter, Doris, and sister, Mildred, said the family didn’t want to do the bowling thing – Floyd had done it a few years before on his birthday. They wanted a more traditional family gathering.

“We couldn’t talk him out of it,’’ Doris said, adding that Floyd told the family they didn’t have to be there if they had other things to do. So, the family bit the bullet, had a separate birthday gathering a few days earlier and headed down to the Brunswick Zone to watch the all-day spectacle.

Mildred seemed genuinely concerned about how well her brother would hold up during the bowling marathon. Apparently, getting him to take drink breaks was a challenge. But Floyd looked no worse for the wear. He even seemed energized by all the attention.

Still, can’t you just picture  frustrated family members, hoping to mark the big 8-0 in a special way, rolling their eyes at the thought of sitting in a bowling alley again, others worried if it would be too taxing?

Yet, they deferred to what Floyd wanted to do – what would make him happy on his birthday, even if it didn’t quite fit their vision of the special occasion.

In the end, I think that’s what I found most inspiring about Floyd’s story.

It was his big day, and if he wanted to spend it in a bowling alley all day, then that’s what he was going to do.

And his family was OK with that. What nicer gift could they have given him?

So roll on Floyd. Here’s hoping your strikes are many, your splits are few and you come to us with another press release when it’s time to bowl 90 straight.

Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates on Twitter: EVTribEditor.)

As Sheriff Joe Arpaio prepares once again to hit the streets Friday with another “crime suppression’’ sweep targeting illegal aliens, his office has offered an important clarification.

The sheriff has been insisting that he still has a federal law on his side for his enforcement effort, despite the fact that the Department of Homeland Security has refused to fully renew its agreement with MCSO that gave its deputies authorities to make such arrests.

Since late last week, the sheriff had been distributing what had been touted as an excerpt of the law that stated, rather clearly, that law enforcement officials do have the authority to stop and question people who they believe may be in the country illegally.

Questions were raised about that, however, when a report by the Arizona Capitol Times pointed to that language as being an interpretation of a federal law, called title 8, as offered by the Federation for American Immigration Reform on its website.

The sheriff contacted me last week to object about the way we referenced this in an editorial last week, insisting that he had the law on his side – even offering to send a copy to the Tribune for review. What his office sent was the same summary offered on the FAIR web site, as well as other sites devoted to this issue, but not an actual excerpt of any law. Here is the excerpt:

A person or entity having knowledge of a violation or potential violation of employer sanctions provisions may submit a signed written complaint to the INS office with jurisdiction over the business or residence of the potential violator, whether an employer, employee, or agent. The complaint must include the names and addresses of both the complainant and the violator, and detailed factual allegations, including date, time, and place of the potential violation, and the specific conduct alleged to be a violation of employer sanctions. By regulation, the INS will only investigate third-party complaints that have a reasonable probability of validity. Designated INS officers and employees, and all other officers whose duty it is to enforce criminal laws, may make an arrest for violation of smuggling or harboring illegal aliens. 

State and local law enforcement officials have the general power to investigate and arrest violators of federal immigration statutes without prior INS knowledge or approval, as long as they are authorized to do so by state law. There is no extant federal limitation on this authority. The 1996 immigration control legislation passed by Congress was intended to encourage states and local agencies to participate in the process of enforcing federal immigration laws. Immigration officers and local law enforcement officers may detain an individual for a brief warrantless interrogation where circumstances create a reasonable suspicion that the individual is illegally present in the U.S. Specific facts constituting a reasonable suspicion include evasive, nervous, or erratic behavior; dress or speech indicating foreign citizenship; and presence in an area known to contain a concentration of illegal aliens. Hispanic appearance alone is not sufficient. Immigration officers and police must have a valid warrant or valid employer’s consent to enter workplaces or residences. Any vehicle used to transport or harbor illegal aliens, or used as a substantial part of an activity that encourages illegal aliens to come to or reside in the U.S. may be seized by an immigration officer and is subject to forfeiture. The forfeiture power covers any conveyances used within the U.S.

On Thursday, the eve of a planned sweep in a yet-undisclosed county location, the office released a statement that offered a clarification.

The statement said the form containing the interpretation was “inadvertently given to the Sheriff with an incorrect citation of a certain section nof federal law as an example of how to pursue the federal law.’’ 

It continued, “Although the citation language does not appear in the U.S. code, title 8 does exist and the Sheriff’s Office believes that it still has the authority under federal law to detain illegal aliens during the course of their duties.’’

MCSO included a copy of the section of law it stands by, and highlighted a specific paragraph. The law seems to be referring to those who hire or harbor illegal aliens rather than individuals who are here illegally, but admittedly, I am not an expert in immigration law and the ways a section can be interpreted.

Here is the section of law  that the sheriff’s office cites. In particular, the MCSO news release points to section near the bottom, labeled, ”Authority to Arrest.”

Update to this post, 12:15: p.m. 10/16/09:

 During an interview this afternoon on CNN, John Morton, assistant secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said  the federal government views Arpaio’s sweeps as “overbroad” and inconsistent with the agency’s priority of identifying the most serious criminal offenders who are in the country illegally.  He disputed the notion that federal law still is on Arpaio’s side.

““If he continues his sweeps he’s doing so purely under Arizona law,” Morton said during the CNN interview, a direct refutation of Arpaio’s assertion that the federal law is on his side.  Arpaio also has indicated that the state’s law against human smuggling backed his continued sweeps.

Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates  on Twitter: EVTribEditor.) 

It didn’t take long for the vitriol to start flying Friday after the announcement that President Barack Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Some of the statements from right-wing pundits and Republican leaders, including GOP party chairman Michael Steele, ranged from less than gracious to downright petulant and mean-spirited.

While there may be some legitimate reasons to raise eyebrows over the Nobel committee bestowing this honor on Obama so early in his tenure, the sound of an opposition party openly scoffing at a sitting president who receives such an honor is bewildering.

Fortunately, Arizona’s most high profile Republican leader did not take the bait.

In fact, U.S. Sen. John McCain, in offering his response, seemed to remind others in his party that, no matter how much you differ with Obama, there is a time to be civil and respectful.

Here is what McCain said when interviewed by CNN’s John King Friday in reacting to the award for Obama:

“I’m sure the president is very honored to receive this award,’’ he said.

“And (the) Nobel Committee, I can’t divine all their intentions, but I think part of their decision-making was expectations. And I’m sure the president understands that he now has even more to live up to. But as Americans, we’re proud when our president receives an award of this prestigious category.’’

Yes, it was measured. Some might detect a hint of muted resentment, but even Obama seemed to acknowledge that the award comes with expectations.

Still, McCain could have easily chalked this up as another reason  to deride all things Obama and taken the gloves off.  Instead, he chose the more graceful and respectful path, opting to leave the political haymakers for another day – thus reminding all Americans that it’s OK to be proud even if you differ with the president’s policies.

Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates  on Twitter: EVTribEditor.) 

During a press conference Tuesday, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio lashed out at the Tribune when questioned by a television reporter about some of the findings produced in our 2008 investigation of his controversial “crime suppression’’ sweeps, which target illegal immigrants.

Channel 12’s Joe Dana  asked whether shifting resources back to traditional policing might help clear more cases. He cited the Tribune series, which last year found the sheriff’s diversion of resources toward the sweeps came at the expense of response times and criminal investigations elsewhere within its jurisdiction.  

The sheriff couldn’t resist taking his swipe at the Tribune.

“First of all, I don’t want to talk about that garbage five-part series with their own agenda. They’re going out of business,’’ he snarled, as he went on to explain how his office has 15 deputies dedicated to the sweeps who are funded by the Legislature.

“So you can take your Tribune articles and you know what you can do with that.’’

I don’t know if the sheriff has some inside information on the Tribune’s future – I know I don’t.

I do know what’s already been reported by us and others: That our parent company, Freedom Communications, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. It also has retained an outside firm to facilitate the possible sale of the Tribune and other Freedom properties in the Valley.

I also know we remain in business, publishing three days a week and seven days on evtrib.com, and hope to be for a long time serving the East Valley.

As for the “garbage’’ series – which this year won the Pultizer Prize for local news reporting – the sheriff seemed to have a suggestion on what folks could do with it. But he didn’t finish the thought.

Allow me to make a suggestion.

What you can do with the series is read it. Read it again if it’s been awhile. Read it for the first time if you haven’t. Read it and decide for yourself whether there were legitimate questions raised about the sheriff’s approach.

It has been more than a year since its publication, and even though some things may have changed since then (hopefully for the better), the issues we first raised in July 2008 remain relevant to the discussion today.  

Every story (as well as graphics and reader comments from last year) is on evtrib.com, on a special page devoted to our series, called “Reasonable Doubt.”

Here is the link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/page/reasonable_doubt

 Chris Coppola is editor of the Tribune Newspapers and eastvalleytribune.com. He can be reached at ccoppola@evtrib.com. Follow his newsroom updates  on Twitter: EVTribEditor.) 

In case you haven’t noticed, the current health care debate before Congress has been contributing mightily to the rising profile of Arizona’s other United States senator.

It’s not that Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., was completely invisible before. It’s just that, when you’re the state’s junior senator and the senior guy is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the shadow you work under is fairly large.

Kyl  has managed to carve for himself a fairly solid place within the Senate as a pillar of his party’s conservative wing.  He is Senate minority whip, and it is not out of the question to envision him someday stepping into the top Senate Republican leadership role (a spot currently held by the underwhelming Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.).

For better or worse, Kyl’s rising star probably has been aided by the mess the GOP was left with in the wake of the George W. Bush presidency - a mess that was affirmed by the electorate handing not only the White House, but the House and Senate to Democrats.

A party in disarray needs some pit bulls to not only bark, but bite and Kyl has been more than happy to fill the bill.

His clash with Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., during a committee hearing last week on the health care legislation, has been great fodder for pundits and political bloggers across the nation. (Baucus accused Kyl of engaging in delay tactics, which set off some fireworks).

Another moment during hearings that has made the rounds is when Kyl scoffed at the notion that maternity care should be mandatory in health care policies.

Kyl gave the GOP’s weekly radio response to the president in July, and he was one of the more prominent Republican voices who spoke against the nomination of Sonja Sotomayer to the U.S. Supreme Court during her confirmation hearings.

More and more, he’s been taking national air time away from McCain.

Further affirmation of Kyl’s rising status came Wednesday when the Democratic National Committee designated Kyl a “Call ‘em out” honoree.

The DNC is singling out Republicans who it contends has made misleading  statements related to health care. Kyl is the third such designee (one of the other is the House minority leader), so it’s clear  the Democrats see Kyl as one of the big GOP voices they need to stifle.

It’s interesting to see how Kyl is portrayed by at least one group that has been tracking how campaign donations from the health care stakeholders have been funneled to members of Congress.

The Center for Responsive Politics, on its web site opensecrets.org, on Wednesday came out with a list of U.S. House and Senate member who have taken the most donations from health industry lobbyists, employees and political action committees since 2007.

It listed the top 61 members, but Kyl does not appear among them. McCain tops the list, but that’s a bit misleading since much of the money was accepted as part of his presidential run, the site points out. Other key players are there - from both parties - including Baucus and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

But elsewhere on the same site, other reports show how Kyl has accepted such money in the past - and plenty of it.

A report showing a breakdown of various industry campaign donations to members from 2003 to 2008 (a period that takes into account when Kyl was re-elected), shows the senator accepted close to $1 million in donations from several sectors collectively described as “health.”

The breakdown, which is on the site, shows more than $208,000 from pharmaceutical interests, $109,000 from health services and HMOs, $226,634 from the insurance industry, nearly $250,000 from health professionals and $118,000 from hospitals and nursing homes.

Kyl is only two years into his current term.

A lot can happen between now and 2012, when he is up for re-election. The hot issues of today might be a distant memory by then.

But, given the way his star seems to be on the rise, it’s a good bet that the incumbent who seeks re-election in 2012 will be an even tougher target than he was when the deep-pocketed Democrat Jim Pederson gave him a fight in 2006.