The Mesa Chamber of Commerce presented its fifth annual Mesa Has Heart Gala, recognizing businesses, nonprofits and individuals for community impact. Awards covered multiple categories, including student, teacher and professor honors supported by scholarships and grants from program sponsor Carreon Payments.
· Carl BrownTucsonThe Pima County primary is set for July 21 with early voting underway and a mail ballot request deadline of July 14. Candidates across Legislative Districts 17 and 20, several municipal races and local mayoral contests are campaigning on water policy, housing, education and public safety.
· Carl BrownPhoenixPhoenix-area libraries report rising summer reading participation as a dinosaur-themed program called “Unearth a Story” draws families with costumes, events and prize incentives. Library staff say the program, which awards points for minutes read and event attendance, has helped re-engage children and increase circulation and registrations compared with recent years.
· Anne RadmoreTucsonMargaret Joan “Jo” Bain, 84, of Clarkdale, died June 17, 2026. A devoted volunteer, committed reader and longtime vegetarian, she is remembered for her years of community service, extended backpacking trips and her care for older pets.
· Carl BrownFrederick “Fred” Duarte, a Tucson native and longtime tire industry employee, died July 3, 2026, at age 69. Visitation is scheduled for July 15 at Martinez Funeral Chapels in Tucson; he is survived by his wife Rhonda, three children, numerous grandchildren, stepchildren and siblings.
By Anne Radmore
A trio of friends turned a shared passion for antiques and design into Gather a Vintage Market, a brick-building shop in Tucson’s Lost Barrio that becomes a curated marketplace four days each month. Owners Simon Carson, Lorri Boffo and Timothy Reynolds rotate roles to transform the space into themed vignettes of vintage furniture, home decor and artwork that draw shoppers back for new discoveries each month.
By Anne Radmore
Greta Ruekgauer draws on a childhood spent roaming the New Mexico desert and the landscapes of southern Arizona to create block-printed designs on thrifted clothing. Working under the label Stubbornworn, she launched the project in January 2026 and sells upcycled pieces that celebrate cowgirls, bison and mustangs.
By Mariam Delgado
The Federal Aviation Administration has allocated $32 million to a dozen airports across Arizona, with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport receiving the largest single grant — $18,029,200 — for a new taxiway and apron reconstruction. The awards are part of a $1.8 billion nationwide funding package announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, aimed at runway rehabilitation, safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
By Carl Brown
As temperatures rise across the Desert Southwest, animal welfare advocates in Yuma are urging city leaders to adopt stronger rules to keep pets safe from extreme heat, including limits on tethering. A petition circulating online has drawn roughly 400 signatures, and a local rescuer whose social media post about a tied dog reached thousands says a council member plans to propose rules similar to recent changes in Phoenix.
By Mariam Delgado
New county health figures show July is the deadliest month for overdoses in Maricopa County and that more than half of heat-related deaths last year involved drugs or alcohol. Fire officials warn stimulants, alcohol and some medications can mask heat illness and rapidly push a person into life-threatening heat stroke.
By Carl Brown
A Phoenix homeowner says a faulty city-owned transmitter left his property unbilled for seven months, then produced a $2,777 charge covering 344,000 gallons of water. The homeowner reached a 36-month payment arrangement with the city and contends the utility should share responsibility for the delayed detection of an underground leak.
By Mariam Delgado
A 23-year-old Tempe woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a three-vehicle collision on west Phoenix’s I‑10 that left one man dead and a passenger seriously injured. State troopers say the crash occurred just before noon Sunday when the woman’s vehicle struck a Toyota Highlander, which then struck another SUV and spun into an exit sign pole.
By Anne Radmore
A 60-year-old bicyclist died after being struck by a pickup truck in west Phoenix on Thursday afternoon, family members confirmed to reporters. Police said no arrests have been made and investigators remained at the scene.
By Anne Radmore
The City of Phoenix has launched a targeted one-time crisis assistance program offering up to $700 to households that experienced a complete loss of SNAP benefits on or after Oct. 1, 2025. The fund, approved as part of the fiscal year 2026–2027 city budget, provides short-term help for utilities and transportation while money remains available.
By Mariam Delgado
Statewide changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have already driven Arizona enrollment down sharply, community health leaders say, and similar federal reforms slated for Medicaid in 2027 could produce comparable declines. Local providers, lawmakers and state officials are trading sharply different views on whether the changes are necessary to curb fraud or will leave hundreds of thousands without coverage.
By Mariam Delgado
In his eighth game with Arizona, outfielder Max Kepler produced a first-inning RBI single and a three-run homer in the third to account for four of the Diamondbacks’ eight runs in an 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. Kepler’s one-year signing — despite an 80-game PED suspension that keeps him off any potential postseason roster — delivered the power Arizona has been seeking from the left side of the plate.
By Mariam Delgado
A 33-year-old man was discovered unresponsive and bound to a wheelchair on June 25 in south Phoenix. Two men were later arrested in connection with his death; one was booked on homicide and kidnapping charges and the other died in custody over the Fourth of July weekend while the cause of his death remains under investigation.
By Anne Radmore
The U.S. men’s national team was eliminated from the World Cup Monday night after a 4-1 defeat to Belgium, and oppressive summer temperatures across the Phoenix area kept most fans inside air-conditioned bars and homes rather than at outdoor block parties. Organizers and supporters adapted to triple-digit daytime heat and 90-degree nights, trading sidewalks and plazas for televisions, misters and bottled water.
By Mariam Delgado
A rezoning application from The Garrett Companies seeks approval to develop a 15-acre parcel in Deer Valley into a 336-unit, four-story multifamily complex. The Deer Valley Village Planning Committee will consider the request at a July 6 hearing, with site plans submitted to the city showing the project would consist solely of multifamily housing.
By Anne Radmore
Patients report receiving unexpected 'facility fees' on medical bills that increase the cost of routine doctor visits. Investigators are examining how those surprise charges are applied while consumers file complaints and review paperwork to challenge them.
By Anne Radmore
The Maricopa Association of Governments and the Heat Relief Network have identified water, cooling and donation sites across the Valley intended to reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths. A list of the 10 stations nearest Arcadia is available, but full details are behind a membership wall.
By Anne Radmore
A man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries after a reported stabbing in Phoenix on July 6, 2026. Phoenix police and city personnel blocked off a street near Central Avenue with crime-scene tape as officers worked at the scene.
By Mariam Delgado
A primary care doctor in Arizona details her family’s experience with a rare form of dementia and describes how that history shapes her care for older patients and their families. She outlines signs that distinguish normal aging from possible Alzheimer’s, presents state and national estimates, and highlights supports available to caregivers.
By Carl Brown
A joint venture between Ryan Companies and Standard Real Estate Investments has finalized an 85,241-square-foot lease with Okland Construction for Building D at 17 North Corporate Center in Phoenix. The contractor will use the space primarily to expand its prefabrication capacity to better serve technology-sector clients, and one remaining building in the complex is still available for lease or sale.
By Anne Radmore
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, working with HSL Properties and Desert Hospitality Management, will convert a long-empty downtown Tucson tower into the Hyatt Regency Tucson Convention Center, slated to open in late 2027. The project will revive a building vacant since 2012, bringing 291 guestrooms, expanded meeting facilities and amenities to the city’s convention district.
By Carl Brown
Former Arizona point guard Kerr Kriisa was taken into custody by the FBI in Lexington, Kentucky, and is facing federal wire fraud charges tied to an alleged multimillion-dollar scheme. Prosecutors say the 25-year-old defrauded victims of about $2.2 million using fabricated personas and false family emergencies and is being extradited to West Virginia where some alleged activity occurred.
By Carl Brown
Nestled in the Catalina Foothills, Hacienda Del Sol began in 1929 as an exclusive ranch school for girls and has grown into a 97-room boutique resort after multiple restorations and expansions. Longstanding architectural details, equestrian traditions and Hollywood ties remain woven into the property’s fabric.
By Anne Radmore
Tucson Fire Department units responded to 177 calls between 7 p.m. on July 4 and 7 a.m. on July 5, including 95 fire-related incidents. Fire Chief Sharon McDonough says illegal fireworks and staffing shortages pushed call volume roughly 60% above the department's typical overnight total.
By Anne Radmore
A California-based tile manufacturer has purchased the long-vacant Sam Levitz Furniture warehouse on East 36th Street and plans to convert it into a production facility and new headquarters. Company co-owner Armen Alajian says operations should begin within a year and the factory is expected to create at least 85 jobs in Tucson.
By Mariam Delgado