Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1876, the first seven inmates walked into the brand-new Yuma Territorial Prison and were locked into the cells they'd built themselves.

Just how many shoppers packed Buc-ee's on its opening day? Find the answer in Business. Were you one of them? Reply to let us know what you think of the store.

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Court Upholds Dark Money Law

The state Supreme Court upheld much of Proposition 211, the voter-approved 2022 law requiring big political spenders to name their donors.

In a 4-3 decision, the majority found the state's constitution favors campaign transparency, with Chief Justice Ann Timmer writing that disclosure is "deeply rooted in Arizona's history."

The justices sent one part of the case back to a Maricopa County court to further consider a claim that naming donors could chill their free speech.

Their ruling keeps in place one of the nation’s most sweeping donor-disclosure laws while sending the narrow free-speech challenge back to a lower court.

Dubbed the Voters' Right to Know Act, the law passed with about 72% of the vote. Justices heard oral arguments in September, with the Goldwater Institute as the plaintiff and the Arizona Secretary of State's office as the defendant.

Robotaxi Market Shifts

Uber and Waymo ended their trial robotaxi partnership in Phoenix, the latest change in an evolving market for driverless car makers and the services that use them.

Uber called its partnership with Waymo in Phoenix "an intentionally limited deployment." The two companies are still working together in the Atlanta and Austin, Texas, markets.

Uber said it plans to partner with another company in the Phoenix market but did not disclose which one. Tesla and Amazon-owned Zoox are among the companies developing driverless vehicles for the Phoenix market.

Meanwhile, the Waymo cars aren't leaving town. The company is folding them back into its Phoenix fleet, which provides rides through the Waymo app and deliveries via DoorDash.

Holiday Celebrations Set Statewide

Communities from Flagstaff to Yuma will celebrate the nation's 250th birthday with a variety of mostly free Fourth of July events. You can find a list here.

The Valley will light up with Phoenix's Fabulous Phoenix 4th at Steele Indian School Park and free shows in Mesa, Goodyear, Surprise, and Buckeye.

Up north, where fire risk has reshaped the holiday, Flagstaff will swap fireworks for a drone show. Several Valley cities will also offer drone shows.

Tempe relocated its Saturday evening show to Tempe Diablo Stadium and priced tickets at $2.50 "in honor of America 250." Tucson plans its biggest fireworks show of the year starting at 9 p.m. Saturday, launching from "A" Mountain/Sentinel Peak.

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➤ Tucson: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos dismissed a new letter sent to TMZ from someone claiming to have a video of missing Nancy Guthrie, calling it likely another fake. (More)

➤ Scottsdale: The city council approved an $8.25 million purchase of long-term water credits from Harquahala Valley, calling it a hedge against existing supply cuts. (More)

➤ Kearny: Evacuation orders for the Linx Ranch and Victory Cross Ranch communities were lifted Monday as crews gained ground on the Steamboat Fire. (More)

➤ Prescott: Arizona marked the 13th anniversary of the Yarnell Hill Fire, honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed. (More)

➤ Statewide: School districts from Apache Junction to Wickenburg are partnering with GenTech EDU to outsource STEM instruction—coding, robotics, and engineering—to trim staffing and equipment costs. (More)

➤ Wheatfields Lake: Search crews recovered the bodies of two boaters from the Navajo Nation lake east of Chinle, ending a days-long search. (More)

➤ Lake Havasu City: Police arrested four people allegedly tied to two jewelry store burglaries, including a February break-in that netted about $742,000 in merchandise. (More)

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➤ Grand Canyon University will join the Big West Conference for beach volleyball starting in the 2027-28 season, as part of the conference's push to become a premier destination for Olympic sports programs. (More)

➤ NBA free agency kicked off Tuesday night, with signings by the Phoenix Suns and other teams around the league expected to continue today. (Free Agency Tracker)

➤ Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes, who hasn’t pitched since Tommy John surgery in June 2025, will be re-evaluated in early July after a shoulder strain set back his return. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: World Cup | Wimbledon | MLB | WNBA

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➤ The state's first Buc-ee's drew about 41,000 customers on its June 22 opening day in Goodyear. (More)

➤ A new state law lets hotels, motels, and resorts band together as tourism improvement areas and levy a tax of up to 5% on overnight stays, with the money to be used for marketing and promotion and not construction. (More)

➤ Longtime Scottsdale friends Manisha Javia and Jodi Mastro opened the Two Friends Granola online shop, offering three flavors at $14 a bag. (More)

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➤ James Guarino, a World War II combat medic who turned 102 on Father's Day at his Gilbert retirement community, credits his longevity to his Italian heritage, including garlic, vinegar, good wine, and good olive oil. (More)

➤ A guided tour of the Romero Ruins trail at Catalina State Park spotlights the Hohokam village, whose builders raised corn, beans, and squash using monsoon rains and irrigation. (More)

➤ The Sunnyslope Historical Society in Phoenix will mark America's 250th birthday with a July 4 morning of crafts and games and a July 5 neighborhood potluck. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ These six science-backed tricks are supposed to help fussy children finally eat their vegetables. (Hear Details)

➤ The pope is pleading with a breakaway traditionalist group to abandon what he calls a sin of extreme gravity. (Hear Story)

➤ Experts have a clear pick for the best long-term investment, but Americans keep choosing something else entirely. (Listen Now)

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Do you support public safety power shutoffs?

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A June 30, 1956, midair collision over the Grand Canyon killed all 128 people aboard two airliners. What federal agency did the disaster lead Congress to create?

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