Terms of Use

Effective Date: October 10, 2026

Welcome to PinalPost.com (the “Website”), a news website owned and operated by Pinal Post LLC (“Pinal Post,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By accessing or using the Website, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use (“Terms”) and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not access or use the Website.

1. Acceptance of Terms and Eligibility

Anyone may read the Website. By using its interactive features (such as comments, email subscriptions, donations, or event submissions), you represent and warrant that:

You are at least 13 years of age. If you are under 18, you represent that you have your parent’s or guardian’s permission to use those features.
You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.
You will comply with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws and regulations.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly. Children under 13 may not use interactive features of the Website, including comments, email subscriptions, donations, or event submissions.

2. Ownership and Copyright

Except where otherwise indicated, Pinal Post owns the original content it creates for the Website, including text, articles, images, audio, video, interviews, graphics, maps, logos, and software (the “Content”). Third-party materials, including licensed images, syndicated content, and user submissions, remain subject to their owners’ rights and licensing terms. We do not claim ownership of underlying public records, government data, or public-domain materials.

Content is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You do not acquire any ownership interest in Content by accessing the Website, and you may not reproduce, distribute, display, perform, or create derivative works from Content without permission, except as permitted by fair use or other applicable law. Nothing in these Terms is intended to restrict fair use or other uses permitted by law.

2.1 Public Documents and Public Data

The Website may feature articles, analysis, or commentary based on publicly available documents and data, including government records, court filings, public meeting minutes, government geospatial (GIS) data, election records, and similar materials. Our original analysis, commentary, and presentation of those materials are our intellectual property. The underlying documents and data are reproduced for informational and journalistic purposes and remain subject to whatever rights, if any, the originating agency or author holds; we claim no ownership of them.

2.2 Interviews and Media Content

Pinal Post’s ownership of interview content it produces is subject to the ownership and licensing qualifications in Section 2. Interview subjects may have granted separate releases for their participation. Except as permitted by fair use, other applicable law, or an applicable license, redistribution, editing, or commercial use of interview content requires written permission.

2.3 Maps and Geospatial Content

The Website may feature maps, boundary illustrations, annotations, and other geospatial content created by Pinal Post using tools such as Google My Maps, QGIS, and other mapping and geospatial software (“Map Content”). All original Map Content, including but not limited to annotations, boundary depictions, color-coding, commentary, and other editorial additions, is the intellectual property of Pinal Post.

Map Content is provided for informational and journalistic purposes only. Property boundary depictions, parcel illustrations, and other geographic representations published on the Website are editorial interpretations and are not official surveys, legal boundary determinations, or authoritative land records. Map Content should not be relied upon for any legal, real estate, surveying, land use, construction, or transactional purpose. For official property boundary information, users should consult a licensed surveyor, the Pinal County Assessor’s Office, or other authoritative sources.

Election and district boundaries. Depictions of voting precincts, polling places, vote centers, and legislative, congressional, supervisor, justice, school, fire, water, or other district boundaries are illustrative only and are not official election records. Precinct and district lines may be simplified, generalized, or drawn from data that predates the most recent redistricting, precinct consolidation, or annexation. Pinal Post is not responsible for any ballot that is cast at the wrong location or rejected because a reader relied on Map Content.

Official sources. Pinal Post is not an official election authority. Before acting on election-related information, confirm current registration, precinct, voting locations, deadlines, and ballot information with the Pinal County Recorder, the Pinal County Elections Department, or the other government office responsible for the election.

Sources and currency. Underlying base map data, satellite imagery, and geographic layers may be provided by third parties, including Google, Esri and its data providers, OpenStreetMap contributors, and government agencies such as Pinal County, the State of Arizona, and the U.S. Census Bureau, and are subject to the terms and conditions of those providers. Boundaries change over time; each map reflects the source data as of the retrieval or publication date stated in its caption or accompanying article, and we do not undertake to update published Map Content when the underlying data changes. Pinal Post makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of any Map Content.

Interactive maps. Some maps are interactive and offer tools such as address search, geolocation, and distance or area measurement. Measurements are computed on the web map and are approximate; address search results are placed by a third-party geocoding service and may be imprecise. Neither is a survey, a legal description, or a determination of which precinct, district, or parcel an address falls in. Base maps are provided by third parties (including Esri and its data providers and OpenStreetMap contributors) under their own licenses and attribution requirements.

2.4 Data Files and Visualizations

Data files, charts, tables, and visualizations made available on or through the Website (including downloadable geospatial files) are derived from public records and third-party data, are provided as-is without support, and may contain errors present in the source data. They are provided for informational and journalistic purposes only. Our original additions (annotations, derived fields, styling, and commentary) may be reused with attribution to Pinal Post; the underlying data remains subject to its source’s terms. Any redistribution must preserve the source attribution and any disclaimer that accompanies the file.

3. User-Generated Content

The Website may allow users to submit comments, articles, photos, videos, event submissions, and other content (“User-Generated Content” or “UGC”). By submitting User-Generated Content for publication, you grant Pinal Post a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to publish, edit, reproduce, distribute, display, archive, and create derivative works from it, on the Website, in our newsletters and archives, on social media, and in promotion of Pinal Post’s journalism and community listings. We may sublicense those rights to the services we use to publish and distribute the Website.

You retain ownership of your submissions. You grant us only the limited license described above.

You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to submit the User-Generated Content and that it does not violate any third party’s intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other legal rights.

This section applies to material you submit for publication. Confidential news tips, private correspondence with our staff, and material provided under a separate written agreement are not User-Generated Content and are handled according to our editorial practices and that agreement.

4. Events Calendar

The Website may feature an events calendar with listings for community events, meetings, and other activities. Event information is provided for informational purposes only. Pinal Post does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of event listings and is not responsible for changes, cancellations, or any issues arising from attendance at listed events.

If you submit an event for listing, you represent that you have the authority to do so and that the information provided is accurate. Submitted events are subject to editorial review and may be modified or rejected at our discretion. Links to third-party ticketing or registration services are provided for convenience only; we are not responsible for transactions conducted through such services.

5. Email Subscriptions and Communications

The Website offers email subscription services, including newsletters, breaking news alerts, and other communications. By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from Pinal Post at the email address you provide.

You may unsubscribe at any time by:

Clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email
Contacting us at [email protected]

We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and will process unsubscribe requests within 10 business days. We do not sell, rent, or share your email address with third parties for their marketing purposes without your consent.

We may track email engagement metrics such as opens, link clicks, and delivery status to measure and improve newsletter content. This data is collected through our self-hosted email management system and is used only for internal analysis. Subscriber information and engagement data are never sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.

Our newsletter and email communications are managed through a self-hosted email management platform. Subscriber data, including name, email address, subscription preferences, engagement history, and segmentation data, is stored on our servers and managed by Pinal Post. We do not share subscriber data with third-party email marketing services; the providers that host, deliver, and back up our systems process it in the course of providing those services.

6. Donations

6.1 General

The Website may accept voluntary donations to support our journalism and operations. Donations are made at the donor’s discretion and are entirely voluntary. Pinal Post is a limited liability company (LLC) and is not a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, donations to Pinal Post are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.

Donations do not confer control over editorial decisions or guarantee coverage, favorable treatment, or removal of published material.

6.2 Payment Processing

Donations are processed through Stripe, a third-party payment processing service. When you make a donation, your payment information (including credit or debit card number, expiration date, and billing address) is transmitted directly to and processed by Stripe. Pinal Post does not store, access, or retain your full payment card details on its servers.

By making a donation, you agree to Stripe’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Pinal Post is not responsible for Stripe’s handling of your payment data.

Donation forms on the Website are powered by self-hosted form management tools. Information you provide through donation forms, such as your name, email address, and donation amount, may be stored by Pinal Post and added to our internal subscriber management system for record-keeping and communication purposes.

6.3 Refund Policy

Donations are generally non-refundable. Please contact us promptly at [email protected] about duplicate payments, payment errors, or unauthorized charges so we can investigate with Stripe and determine the appropriate resolution, which may include a refund.

If recurring donations are offered and you choose one, you authorize us to charge your payment method at the frequency you select until you cancel. You may cancel future payments at any time by contacting us at [email protected]; cancellation does not refund payments already processed.

6.4 Donor Communications

By making a donation, you consent to receive a confirmation email and, if you provide your email address, periodic updates about Pinal Post. You may opt out of future communications at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email or by contacting us at [email protected].

7. Data Collection, Cookies, and Privacy

Pinal Post collects certain information about users of the Website, including but not limited to:

IP address
Browser type and version
Device type and operating system
Geographic location
Pages visited and time spent on the Website
Referring websites and search queries

7.1 Analytics Services

We use analytics tools to understand website usage and improve our services:

Matomo Analytics: We use Matomo Analytics, hosted on our web hosting provider’s infrastructure. Data collected through Matomo is managed by Pinal Post and includes IP address, pages visited, device type, approximate location, and referring URLs. This data is not used for advertising profiling or sold to third parties.
Google Analytics: We also use Google Analytics, a service provided by Google LLC, which uses cookies to collect and analyze usage data. This data may be processed by Google in accordance with its Privacy Policy. For more information about how Google collects and processes data, visit Google’s Privacy Policy.

7.2 Subscriber and Donor Data

We use the following tools to manage subscriber and donor information:

Subscriber Management System: We use a self-hosted customer relationship management and email marketing platform to manage newsletter subscriptions, donor records, email communications, and audience segmentation. Subscriber and donor data resides on our servers and is managed by Pinal Post; the providers that host and back up our systems process it in the course of providing those services.
Form Management Tools: We use self-hosted form management tools to collect information through contact forms, donation forms, event submissions, and other interactive forms on the Website. Data submitted through these forms is stored on our servers and may be integrated with our subscriber management system for record-keeping and communication purposes.
Stripe: A third-party payment processing service used to process donations. Stripe collects payment information (such as credit card number, expiration date, and billing address) directly and processes it in accordance with its own Privacy Policy. Pinal Post does not store full payment card details.

7.3 Embedded Third-Party Services

The Website may embed content or services from third parties, including but not limited to Google My Maps, YouTube, and social media platforms. These embedded services may set their own cookies and collect data about your interactions in accordance with their respective privacy policies. Pinal Post does not control the data collection practices of these third-party services.

Interactive maps may send a location or an address you enter to a third-party geocoding or map-tile provider in order to display results. If you use a “locate me” feature, your browser will ask permission before sharing your device location. Pinal Post does not control those providers’ data practices.

7.4 Cookies

The Website uses cookies (small text files stored on your device) and similar technologies to enhance your experience, remember preferences, and collect analytics data. You may control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling cookies may affect Website functionality. By continuing to use the Website, you consent to our use of cookies as described in our Privacy Policy.

Our Privacy Policy outlines in greater detail how we collect, use, and protect user data. By using the Website, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal data as described in our Privacy Policy.

8. Moderation Policies

Pinal Post has a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech, harassment, and other forms of abusive behavior on the Website. You agree not to post or transmit any content that:

Is libelous, defamatory, or false
Is threatening, harassing, or intimidating
Contains explicit language or graphic images
Promotes hate, violence, or discrimination
Infringes on any third party’s intellectual property or other rights
Contains spam, advertising, or solicitations without permission
Impersonates any person or entity

We reserve the right to remove or modify any User-Generated Content that violates these policies and to suspend or terminate access for users who violate these Terms.

9. Account Termination

If you create an account or register for any services on the Website (such as email subscriptions or comment accounts), we reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, including but not limited to violation of these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Website will immediately cease.

10. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Policy

Pinal Post respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects users to do the same. We will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other applicable laws.

10.1 DMCA Contact

Pinal Post LLC has registered a designated agent with the U.S. Copyright Office. To report alleged copyright infringement, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

10.2 Filing a DMCA Notice

If you believe that your copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please send a notice to [email protected] with the following information:

A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent
Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed
Identification of the material claimed to be infringing, including its location on the Website
Your contact information (address, telephone number, email)
A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the owner’s behalf

10.3 Counter-Notification

If you believe that your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification to [email protected] containing: (1) your physical or electronic signature; (2) identification of the removed material and its former location; (3) a statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification; (4) your name, address, and telephone number; and (5) a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for the district in which your address is located (or, if outside the United States, any district in which Pinal Post may be found) and that you will accept service of process from the person who submitted the original notice or that person’s agent.

It is our policy to terminate, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts or access of users who repeatedly infringe the copyrights of others.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

The Website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or content that are not owned or controlled by Pinal Post, including but not limited to Google My Maps, OpenStreetMap, map-tile and geocoding providers, Stripe, and other embedded or linked services. We are not responsible for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. You acknowledge and agree that Pinal Post shall not be liable for any damage or loss caused by your use of any third-party websites or services.

The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Pinal Post. We encourage you to read the terms and privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

12. Advertising

The Website displays advertisements from various sources, including:

Programmatic Advertising: We may use third-party advertising services, including Google’s advertising network, to display advertisements on the Website. These services may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activity across websites to provide targeted advertising. You may opt out of personalized advertising through your browser settings or by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out page.
Direct Advertising: We may display advertisements from sponsors and advertisers with whom we have direct contractual agreements. These may include banner ads, sponsored content, or promotional materials.
Sponsored Content: From time to time, we may publish sponsored articles or content provided by or created in partnership with advertisers. Sponsored content will be clearly labeled as “Sponsored,” “Advertisement,” “Paid Content,” or similar designation.

Pinal Post is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or opinions expressed in advertisements or sponsored content. The appearance of advertisements on the Website does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser or the products and services advertised.

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE WEBSITE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PINAL POST DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Pinal Post does not warrant that the Website will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that the Website or servers are free of viruses or other harmful components. News articles and other content are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, medical, or other professional advice.

WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, MAP CONTENT, INCLUDING PROPERTY, PARCEL, PRECINCT, POLLING-PLACE, AND DISTRICT DEPICTIONS AND OTHER GEOSPATIAL REPRESENTATIONS, IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND JOURNALISTIC PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL SURVEYING, LEGAL BOUNDARY DETERMINATIONS, OFFICIAL LAND RECORDS, OR OFFICIAL ELECTION RECORDS MAINTAINED BY THE PINAL COUNTY RECORDER, THE PINAL COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, OR THE ARIZONA SECRETARY OF STATE. MAP CONTENT MAY BE GENERALIZED, SIMPLIFIED, OR OUT OF DATE. PINAL POST MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR CURRENCY OF ANY MAP CONTENT AND DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY ARISING FROM RELIANCE ON SUCH CONTENT, INCLUDING ANY BALLOT CAST AT THE WRONG LOCATION OR NOT COUNTED.

Content reflects information available at the time of publication. Pinal Post has no obligation to update archived Content to reflect later developments; errors in the original reporting remain subject to our Corrections Policy (Section 20). Any reliance you place on Content is at your own risk; you are responsible for verifying information with the relevant agency, court, or official source before acting on it. Nothing on the Website creates an advisory, fiduciary, or professional relationship between you and Pinal Post.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PINAL POST AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND CONTRACTORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM:

Your use of or inability to use the Website
Any inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or misleading Content, including Map Content and any depiction of property, precinct, polling-place, or district boundaries
User-Generated Content posted by third parties
Third-party services, advertising, or links
Donations or payment processing, including unauthorized charges
Technical errors, downtime, or security breaches
Any conduct or content of any third party on the Website

IN NO EVENT SHALL PINAL POST’S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Pinal Post and its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, and affiliates from and against any third-party claims, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from:

User-Generated Content you submit that you lacked the right to submit or that violates another party’s rights
Your violation of these Terms
Your unlawful conduct in connection with the Website

16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms of Use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or your use of the Website shall first be attempted to be resolved through informal negotiation. If the dispute cannot be resolved informally within 30 days, either party may initiate binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration venue shall be Pinal County, Arizona, and hearings may be conducted remotely unless both parties agree to in-person proceedings. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.

YOU AGREE THAT ANY ARBITRATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE DISPUTE BETWEEN YOU AND PINAL POST INDIVIDUALLY. YOU WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR CLASS ARBITRATION.

17. Changes to Terms

Pinal Post reserves the right to modify or update these Terms at any time. We will notify users of material changes by posting a notice on the Website or sending an email to registered users. Your continued use of the Website after changes are made constitutes your acceptance of those changes. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

18. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving the parties’ original intent.

19. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Use, together with our Privacy Policy and any other legal notices or policies published on the Website, constitute the entire agreement between you and Pinal Post regarding the use of the Website and supersede all prior agreements and understandings on that subject. These Terms do not supersede any separate written agreement between you and Pinal Post; if such an agreement conflicts with these Terms, that agreement controls for the matters it addresses.

20. Corrections Policy

Pinal Post is committed to accuracy in our reporting. If you believe we have published an error, please contact us at [email protected] with details of the alleged inaccuracy and supporting information.

We will review all correction requests promptly. If we determine that a correction is warranted, we will update the article and note the correction at the bottom of the article with the date of the correction. Significant corrections may also be noted at the top of the article. Corrections to Map Content will be noted in the map’s caption or in the accompanying article.

A correction addresses an error in the original reporting. We do not revise archived articles to reflect events that occurred after publication, though we may add an editor’s note or link to later coverage.

Corrections do not constitute an admission of liability, and our commitment to accuracy does not create any legal duty beyond our journalistic standards.

21. Changes to Services

Pinal Post may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Website at any time, including features, content, services, or functionality, with or without notice. We shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuance of the Website or any part thereof.

22. Accessibility

Pinal Post is committed to providing an accessible experience for all users. If you encounter accessibility barriers or have difficulty accessing any part of the Website, please contact us at [email protected] so we can work to address your concerns.

23. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us at: