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Arizona governor fires embattled state parks director

Posted at 4:29 PM, Nov 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-16 19:23:11-05

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has fired embattled state Parks Director Sue Black following complaints she allowed potential archaeological sites to be bulldozed to make way for new cabins.

The governor's office said Friday that Ducey removed Black and her top deputy, Jim Keegan, from their positions.
    
The action came after a former state archaeologist filed a complaint alleging that Black and other top parks officials ignored his repeated warnings that their actions violated regulations prohibiting destruction of artifacts and archaeological sites.
    
Black had kept her job despite facing previous inquiries, including that she was disrespectful toward staff.
    
Ted Vogt, who previously served as the chief operating officer for the state of Arizona, will serve as the interim director of the agency.