U.S.

Well Known Vegan Man Kills Wife & Two Kids

Published

9 years ago

December 27, 2017

(Via AzCentral.com)

The man suspected of fatally shooting his former wife and two children in Phoenix on Christmas is a vegan chef and motivational speaker.

Anthony Milan Ross, 45, was taken into custody shortly after 10 p.m. Monday after exchanging gunfire with officers following a six-hour standoff, a Phoenix police spokesman said Tuesday.

Fans of Ross on social media have been shocked by the news.

Many commented on a Facebook video posted on Christmas Eve of Ross singing with his 11-year-old son, Nigel, whom police found the next day shot in a Phoenix apartment, along with his 10-month-old sister, Anora.

Ross lost a large amount of weight when he was in his 20s, which he has attributed to his vegan lifestyle. He spoke about it in a feature-length documentary that also included celebrities James Cameron and Samuel L. Jackson.

His estranged wife, Iris Ross, 38, was shot Monday shortly before officers were called to Highland Apartments at Highland Avenue and 16th Street at 3:45 p.m., police said. Her body was found lying in a patio area at the complex, police said, and an hours-long standoff with the man inside ensued.

One officer who was injured after a police tactical squad entered the apartment was reported in stable condition. Ross was uninjured.

Ross is commonly known by his middle name, which he uses for his business ventures, which include vegan cooking and writing.

In Ross’ initial court appearance Tuesday, he was ordered held without bond at a Maricopa County jail. He is held on three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, 19 counts of aggravated assault on an officer and one county of discharging a firearm within city limits.

According to a court document, witnesses told police officers that they saw Ross shoot a woman who was running away from him. After that, they said, he returned to an apartment and they heard two to three more gunshots from inside the home. Soon after, he was back outside, going through through Iris Ross’ pants pockets, witnesses said. They asked Anthony Ross if she was OK, and he responded by pointing his handgun at them and telling them “no,” according to the court document.

Iris and Anthony Ross were divorced earlier this year.

Howard said Anthony Ross initially told police negotiators he had killed the children. However, police negotiated with him for hours in hopes that one or both of the children were alive, Howard said. During the negotiations, Ross changed his story, saying they were alive and threatened to kill them, according to officials.

Shortly after 10 p.m., a police Special Assignments Unit deployed a robot into the apartment, and it became evident to officers that the younger child, Anora, was dead in one of the rooms.

Police entered the apartment after discovering her, and Ross opened fire, according to court documents. Officers discovered Nigel’s body in a different room.

Howard said police do not yet know the motive for the killings.

A 46-year-old male officer with 23 years of service was injured by shrapnel and taken to a hospital in stable condition, police said.

Iowa

“Despite What You All Think”: Nearly $150 Million in New Water Commitments Follow Reynolds’ Defense of Iowa’s Record

Published

3 days ago

July 18, 2026

Pepe Jones

Gov. Kim Reynolds defended Iowa’s water-quality efforts and the stewardship of farmers during a May 1 press conference. In the weeks that followed, the state and federal governments committed approximately $148.3 million in clearly identifiable new water funding and financing.

During a May 1, 2026, press conference announcing Iowa’s “Farm to Faucet” proposal, Gov. Kim Reynolds pushed back when reporters questioned the condition of Iowa’s water.

“Despite what you all think,” Reynolds told the group of reporters before defending Iowa’s investments and arguing that farmers care about protecting their land because they intend to pass it down to their children.

The governor’s defense came as Iowa continued confronting concerns involving nitrates, lead pipes, PFAS contamination, aging treatment facilities and rural water infrastructure. Reynolds announced what her administration promoted as a nearly $320 million water-quality package spanning 12 years. The proposal was signed into law on June 1 and took effect July 1.

How Much of the $320 Million Is Actually New?

The nearly $320 million headline does not represent $320 million in entirely new state spending.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture’s own announcement states that the legislation works partly by “re-directing existing dollars.” Approximately $76 million can be clearly identified as new or additional state funding:

$52 million over 12 years for conservation practices in the Greater Des Moines watershed.
$6 million over 12 years for additional water-quality monitoring, based on an additional $500,000 annually.
$8 million as a one-time investment in drinking-water and wastewater treatment grants.
$10 million to establish the Rural Iowa Infrastructure Bank, which will provide low-interest loans for smaller communities.

That equals approximately $76 million in clearly new state commitments—about 24% of the administration’s advertised $320 million package.

Another $25 million is designated for Central Iowa Water Works to expand nitrate-removal capacity. However, the state says that money will come from the existing balance of an underused program, meaning it is redirected funding rather than an entirely new appropriation. Other portions of the $320 million package similarly involve restructuring existing water-excise-tax revenue and moving money between programs.

More Than $72 Million in Federal Support Followed

Separate from Reynolds’ state package, federal agencies announced approximately $72.3 million in water-related funding and financing for Iowa after her May 1 comments.

The documented federal commitments include:

$46.116 million announced by the Environmental Protection Agency on May 20 for identifying and replacing lead service lines.
$9.457 million announced by the EPA on May 19 for PFAS testing, planning and treatment projects in small or disadvantaged Iowa communities.
$344,000 announced on June 26 for small and rural drinking-water systems.
$16.373 million announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for rural Iowa water infrastructure, including new wells, a treatment plant, a water tower and pipelines. Of that amount, approximately $15.5 million consists of loans and $874,000 consists of grants.

The federal money addresses several different problems, including lead exposure, PFAS, insufficient rural water supplies and aging infrastructure. It should not be presented as though every dollar directly addresses agricultural nitrate runoff.

The Combined Total

Since Reynolds’ May 1 remarks, the clearly identifiable commitments are:

New state funding: approximately $76 million
Federal funding and financing: approximately $72.3 million
Combined total: approximately $148.3 million

These numbers represent appropriations, allotments, grants, loan funds and financing commitments. They do not mean that all $148.3 million has already been spent or that the projects have been completed.

The state portion is also spread across as many as 12 years, while several federal awards will flow through state or local programs before construction begins.

Still, the scale and timing of the investments matter. Reynolds told reporters, “Despite what you all think,” while defending Iowa’s water record. Yet within weeks, her administration signed a major water package and federal agencies committed tens of millions more to Iowa’s lead pipes, PFAS contamination, nitrate-treatment capacity and struggling rural water systems.

Investment is welcome, but the funding itself demonstrates that Iowa faces real and costly water challenges. The final measure of success will not be the size of a press-release headline. It will be whether nitrate levels decline, unsafe pipes are removed, rural systems become reliable and Iowa residents can trust the water flowing from their faucets.