Border & Immigration Reporter. Based in Douglas, Carl brings boots-on-the-ground reporting from Arizona's southern border communities. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona.
188 articles published
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.
The 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.
Margaret 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A 68-year-old man, identified as Marshall Craig Davis, died after his vehicle drifted into oncoming traffic and struck a semitrailer near 71st Avenue and Buckeye Road in west Phoenix just before 11 a.m. Sunday. The impact pushed a second semitrailer off the road; investigators from the Phoenix Police Vehicular Crimes Unit are probing the cause of the crash.
Phoenix police have identified the man who died after a two-semi crash near 72nd Avenue and Buckeye Road on July 5 as 68-year-old Marshall Craig Davis. The collision occurred around 10:42 a.m.; investigators say Davis’s vehicle drifted into eastbound lanes and struck a semi-truck head-on, and the crash remains under investigation by the Vehicular Crimes Unit.
Phoenix is bracing for a noticeable increase in heat this week, with a Sky Harbor reading shown at 104°F during local coverage. Arizona has opened more than 200 designated cooling locations statewide to help residents cope as temperatures climb.
The Phoenix Suns and Mercury have extended Josh Bartelstein’s contract as CEO, prompting a broad mix of reactions from supporters. Some fans praised the move as a sign of stability and long-term planning, while others criticized it as premature given unresolved roster and postseason questions.
The Phoenix Suns have re-signed guard Koby Brea to a two-way contract, a move aimed at bolstering perimeter shooting and roster flexibility. Brea, who appeared in 12 games as a rookie, will split time between the NBA and the developmental circuit as he works to round out his defensive play.
Peter Alexander, 90, who lived in Minnesota and Arizona, passed away on June 17, 2026. A graveside service will be held at Fairview Cemetery in Stillwater on Saturday, August 8 at 10 a.m.; arrangements are being handled by Mueller Memorial.
The Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family awarded $100,000 through the Arizona Child Abuse Prevention and Advocacy License Plate Grant Program to four organizations across the state. The funds will support trauma-informed, community-based services that expand parenting and caregiver education, youth mentoring, and connections to local resources before family challenges escalate into crises.
Phoenix recorded temperatures near 110 degrees over the weekend as a strengthening ridge of high pressure pushes heat upward into the work week. Extreme Heat Warnings are in effect Tuesday through Thursday for the Phoenix Valley and large portions of southern and western Arizona.
The Salvation Army Tucson, Fry's Food Stores and KGUN 9 are again teaming up for the Back-to-School Backpack SOS supply drive, running July 6 through July 26 with donations accepted at participating Fry's locations across Southern Arizona. Organizers are collecting new backpacks and classroom essentials to distribute to children from families facing financial hardship before the school year begins.
A free back-to-school event at El Rio Neighborhood Center on July 18 will offer school supplies, haircuts and connections to community resources for families. Pre-registration is required and space is limited; families should call the center to reserve spots.
A joint venture between Cohen & Steers Income Opportunities REIT and Phillips Edison & Company has purchased Oracle Crossing, a 265,530-square-foot grocery-anchored, open-air shopping center in Oro Valley, Arizona, for $54.35 million. The center, anchored by a Whole Foods Market and including a Kohl’s parcel, sits at the intersection of Oracle Road and Magee Road.
A shooting at an apartment complex near 16th Street and Missouri in midtown Phoenix left one person dead overnight. Police established a mobile command post and crime-scene tape as detectives worked at the scene; officials have released few details as the investigation remains active.
Koa Peat, a Gilbert Perry High School product and standout at the University of Arizona, was selected with the 30th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. Peat addressed the media at the Suns’ practice facility after the team acquired the late first-round selection via a multi-team deal.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, a 104-game tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, has local bars and restaurants in Phoenix rolling out big screens, drink deals and game-day menus. From arcade bars handing out souvenir cups to breweries discounting pints for yellow and red cards, here are Valley spots showing the matches and offering specials for fans.
With the trade deadline approaching and the first half of the 2026 season winding down, the Arizona Diamondbacks sit under .500 at 44-45 after a series-ending loss to Milwaukee. Star outfielder Corbin Carroll offered a blunt appraisal of the club’s recent form and warned the team is not playing the way it needs to if it hopes to achieve something this season.
Rooftop air-conditioning units are a familiar sight across Phoenix neighborhoods. A listener’s question prompted a Valley 101 episode that traces how those rooftop systems have become a visible part of the city’s built landscape and what their presence reveals about the region’s housing and cooling history.