Phoenix — Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Tuesday that she has named former state legislator David Lujan as the new director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

Full state Senate approval is required before Lujan can officially get the job, but he can serve interimly before completing the confirmation process. Lujan has served in both houses of the Arizona State Legislature and has worked as an attorney for a non-profit organization that provides legal services to abused and neglected children.

For the past two years, he has served as President and CEO of the Children’s Action Alliance advocacy group. Lujan has also served as Assistant Attorney General and General Counsel to the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hobbes withdrew its first nomination for the child safety division last month. He said he acted suspiciously.

Former Arizona lawmaker sanctioned in election

PHOENIX – On Monday, a judge sanctioned former Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem of Arizona for “unsubstantiated” allegations of election fraud in the 2022 midterm elections.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Iyer-Julian also divided current Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and current Gov. ordered the campaign to pay.

A judge dismissed Finchem’s case in December and confirmed Fontes’ election. Julian said the court found that Finkem’s allegations that Maricopa County had failed to conduct fair and safe elections were “not raised in good faith.”

The lawsuit also alleges that Hobbes as secretary of state abused his power by not properly certifying the tallying machine, and threatened the Mojave and Cochise county oversight boards with criminal liability if he did not certify the election.

Kayak capsizes on Arizona lake, killing 2 men

PEORIA – Two men died after apparently drowning in Lake Pleasant in the Phoenix suburb of Peoria, officials said Tuesday. The Maricopa County Sheriff identified the victims as Christopher Goboni, 28, and his 24-year-old, Rogelio Ortiz. It was not immediately clear where they were from.

Neither man was wearing a life jacket when the inflatable kayak capsized Sunday night, according to the sheriff’s deputy. Witnesses said a road runner on the lake called 911 after he heard a swimmer in distress in the water near his campsite screaming for help. Deputies and Peoria Fire Department personnel responded to the area and found an overturned kayak and some shoes in the water, but no sign of the two men. Both bodies were found 100 feet apart under 55 feet of water near Roadrunner Island.

It’s unclear what caused the kayak to capsize, and the man appears to have been about 600 feet away trying to swim to shore, sheriff officials said.