Ruben B. Ortega, a consequential and sometimes controversial leader in Arizona policing, has died at 86. Services are scheduled next week in Glendale.

Median weekly pay in Arizona rose about 25% over five years to roughly $1,213, but rising listing prices and rents have trimmed the real benefit for many households.

Solari will end 211 Arizona’s live-operator phone service on Aug. 13, 2026, after the state budget left the program unfunded. The searchable directory and automated menu will remain available.

A Phoenix veterans group sued the booking company after Shaquille O’Neal didn’t appear at its Nov. 7 gala, saying it paid $82,500 and only got a partial refund. The complaint asks a court to return the money plus interest and legal fees.

Gov. Katie Hobbs expanded ReadyTechGo to Coconino, Mohave and Yavapai community colleges to widen access to advanced manufacturing training across Arizona.

Arizona moved up slightly in the 2026 KIDS COUNT rankings but remains 40th overall, with education and preschool access dragging the state down.

A Safeway in Queen Creek sold a Fantasy 5 ticket worth roughly $503,000 on June 5. Arizona Lottery rules give winners 180 days to claim the prize.

Maricopa County broke ground on a 94,000-square-foot animal campus in Glendale that will add clinic space, 600+ kennels and low‑stress housing for shy dogs.

Phoenix Union will add 15 full‑time school resource officers next school year after a board vote to accept state grants. The decision split students, staff and community members.

At a Phoenix ceremony the Arizona Chamber named Peoria Best City for Business and honored Amkor and Banner Health for major investment and research.

A Powerball ticket sold at a Circle K in Tucson matched four balls plus the Powerball and paid $150,000 after a 3x Power Play. Winners have 180 days to claim and can request confidentiality for six‑figure prizes.

Planned upgrades at Tempe’s Kyrene water plant are meant to bolster reclaimed‑water storage, but archaeologists and tribes warn the work could disturb Los Guanacos, an ancient Hohokam village.

State Board approvals sent roughly $1.8M to Kyrene and about $890K to Tempe for counselors, social workers and SROs — but far more requests remain on a statewide waitlist.