Homeowners near Sloan Park on Mesa’s West Mesa are reporting a surge in low-altitude aircraft noise as nearby airports and flight schools expand operations. Federal review and re-design of approach and departure routes remain stalled, leaving residents uncertain when—or if—noise relief will arrive.
· Mariam DelgadoTucsonA 20-year-old University of Arizona student has been taken into custody in Germany on an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of his 19-year-old girlfriend in Tucson. Authorities say the suspect left the United States after the alleged killing and was detained upon arrival in Germany as part of a coordinated law-enforcement effort.
· Mariam DelgadoPhoenixA line of severe storms moved through the Phoenix metropolitan area, prompting a National Weather Service severe thunderstorm warning for Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria and a Dust Storm Warning for parts of Maricopa County. Winds were forecast up to 80 mph, hail was reported in North Mountain Park, and roughly 36,000 customers were without power as of 9 p.m., mainly in the West Valley.
· Anne RadmoreMesaInfineon Technologies America is closing its semiconductor manufacturing facility at 550 West Juanita Avenue in Mesa and will lay off 98 employees as the site winds down operations by Sept. 30. The company is shifting production of its 6/8-inch frontend epitaxy wafers to external foundry partners and filed a formal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state on Aug. 3.
· Mariam DelgadoThe Los Angeles Dodgers broke a losing skid with a 2-1 extra-inning victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Aug. 8, 2026. The win pushed the Dodgers' lead in the National League West to 8.5 games.
By Anne Radmore
Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona announced a merger with the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona that is expected to be finalized Oct. 1. The partnership is intended to expand operational support for the long-running nonprofit as demand for home-delivered meals climbs amid recent SNAP benefit cuts.
By Carl Brown
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is the subject of a pay‑to‑play corruption investigation being led by Attorney General Kris Mayes, a fellow Democrat, who has said the probe is near its conclusion and results will come before the November election. The inquiry centers on a group‑home operator that received a large rate increase from the state after making substantial political donations; Mayes herself has faced scrutiny over payments to her legal fund from a national Democratic group.
By Mariam Delgado
A wildfire ignited in the Catalina Foothills Friday night after lightning moved through the area. Our meteorology team observed the fire while tracking storms; officials have not yet released information on size, containment, or response agencies.
By Carl Brown
A 51-year-old woman died after a single-vehicle rollover crash near downtown Phoenix in the early hours of Saturday. Phoenix police responded to multiple calls about the wreck and found an overturned vehicle at the intersection of 7th Avenue and Portland Street.
By Anne Radmore
Tempe councilman Randy Keating has asked the Arizona Supreme Court to remove Proposition 144 from the fall ballot, arguing the measure improperly combines several distinct election changes into a single up-or-down vote. Supporters of the proposal say the provisions are tied together by a common purpose — election integrity — and a Maricopa County judge already found the package sufficiently related to remain on the ballot.
By Carl Brown
Central Arizona remains under a High Pollution Advisory after a second consecutive Category 5 dust storm, with hazy skies and poor air quality across the Valley. Meteorologists say widespread monsoon relief is not imminent; only isolated evening storm chances — about 20% Sunday and 30% Monday night — are forecast while extreme heat persists through the weekend before a cooler pattern arrives next week.
By Carl Brown
Phoenix has retained two law firms and convened city leaders behind closed doors to evaluate legal and regulatory options after the federal government released a final environmental impact statement for managing the Colorado River after 2026. Mayor Kate Gallego said the federal framework risks placing disproportionate water reductions on Arizona and signaled the city will pursue every option to protect its supply and avoid steep cost increases for residents.
By Anne Radmore
The Mesa Board of Adjustment voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to approve a substantial conformance improvement permit allowing the La Jolla Villas apartment complex at 1500 E. Dana Ave. to add eight units, more than doubling the development. The approval, taken as part of a consent agenda, includes a landscape plan listing several trees and shrubs and is documented in city planning materials.
By Anne Radmore
Residents and farmers in the Three Points area have organized meetings and raised concerns after a developer proposed a solar installation spanning more than 5,500 acres near Robles Junction. Local leaders say the land is state trust property and no formal county application has been filed, while supporters argue a transition to renewable energy requires difficult choices.
By Mariam Delgado
Two consecutive Category 5 dust storms swept across the Phoenix region this week, producing blinding walls of dust, 50 mph winds and sharply reduced visibility but causing no major reported damage. Meteorologists say the timing — both events occurring later at night — limited impacts to commuters, while researchers call the rapid succession of high-intensity storms unprecedented in local records.
By Mariam Delgado
Insiders say Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is preparing to select former Mesa Mayor John Giles as her running mate for lieutenant governor as she seeks re-election. Neither Hobbs nor Giles has publicly confirmed the report, and the governor will face Republican nominee Rep. Andy Biggs in November.
By Anne Radmore
Declassified investigative records show a 2020 cyberintrusion into Maricopa County’s public voter systems resulted in the exfiltration of more than 633,000 voter registration records and exposed over 900 records with sensitive information. The FBI traced the activity to a Fountain Hills residence and obtained a confession, but several prosecutorial offices declined to bring charges and the criminal file was closed in 2023.
By Mariam Delgado
Arizona will enter the 2026 season with offensive coordinator Seth Doege, defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales and special teams coordinator Craig Naivar all returning. Head coach Brent Brennan and players say that continuity after a 9-4 turnaround from 4-8 last year is central to the program’s plan to build rather than reset.
By Anne Radmore
The Maine will mark their 20th anniversary by headlining the 2027 edition of 8123 Fest at Mesa Amphitheatre on January 15–16, performing unique sets each night. The festival, curated by the band, includes The Band Camino, Andrew McMahon and the Strings Attached Quartet, The Academy Is…, The Aces, The Summer Set and more, along with side shows, a pop-up shop and a charity day on January 18.
By Anne Radmore
Fresh reports that people believed to be FBI agents were seen searching desert brush near the Catalina Foothills home of Nancy Guthrie have brought renewed attention to the case six months after her disappearance. Investigators have released images of a masked man and two ransom notes but have made no arrests; local law enforcement says no recent task force search took place.
By Mariam Delgado
Mesa City Council has lowered the posted speed limit in the Lehi neighborhood from 35 mph to 30 mph following years of complaints from residents about dangerous driving on narrow, rural roads. Homeowners and local equestrians say the change — approved unanimously on July 27 — is a step toward greater safety for people, animals and students who use those streets.
By Mariam Delgado
A 34-year-old man was taken into custody after investigators linked his vehicle to a hit-and-run on Camelback Road that left a pedestrian with life-threatening injuries. Police say a motorist who followed the suspected vehicle while on the phone with 911 provided a license plate number that led detectives to the suspect's apartment.
By Carl Brown
Aaron Farinacci, a man now in custody in an Arizona jail, has a criminal record that includes a 2010 killing of his father. Authorities are investigating his possible connection to the Old Trails fire in the Spokane area while forensic teams comb through a charred home for evidence.
By Carl Brown
Authorities say the public posting of two ransom notes sent after the Feb. 1 abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie produced only a modest uptick in tips and none that have broken the case. Investigators continue to follow up on every lead as the family renews public pleas for information.
By Mariam Delgado
Dillon Brooks has signed a three-year, $73 million extension that will keep him with the Phoenix Suns through the 2029–30 season. The deal follows a summer in which the Suns prioritized continuity, re-signing multiple veterans and adding pieces to the roster while maintaining the team’s recently established, hard-nosed identity.
By Carl Brown
Mesa police shot and killed a man the evening of Aug. 3 after multiple 911 callers said he assaulted his ex‑wife and children with a shovel and was damaging vehicles. An officer encountered the man carrying an ax, gave verbal commands and then fired; the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team is investigating with the Gilbert Police Department leading the probe.
By Anne Radmore
High winds and dust that buffeted the Phoenix area Monday night — producing gusts over 40 mph and reducing visibility below 2 miles in some locations — could return for a second consecutive night on Tuesday. Residents were advised to fold up and stash lawn furniture as the region prepared for another round of windy, dusty conditions.
By Mariam Delgado
An active monsoon pattern is expected to persist across southeastern Arizona through the end of the week and into the weekend, bringing thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, blowing dust and localized flooding. The greatest chances for heavy rain remain east and south of Tucson, but metro areas will also have a notable shot at storms over the next several days.
By Mariam Delgado