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AM Roundup: Charlie Kirk flown back to the Valley, Arizona species struggling in hotter summers

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AM Roundup: Charlie Kirk flown back to the Valley, Arizona species struggling in hotter summers


PHOENIX — Happy Friday! Temperatures will be in the double digits this weekend, so get out and enjoy the slowly cooling temperatures!

We’re staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Friday, September 12; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:


From Meteorologist Jorge Torres – Cooler air on the way

We’re wrapping up the week with a breezy and slightly cooler day! Highs in the Valley will top out near 100º this afternoon, with gusts up to 25 miles per hour. Then, get ready for an even cooler weekend ahead as temperatures dip back into the 90s!


Air Force Two landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Thursday to bring Charlie Kirk’s body home.

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The conservative activist was shot and killed while speaking at a rally in Utah on Wednesday.

Vice President JD Vance flew to Utah to meet Kirk’s family and escort them back to Phoenix.

Kirk is the co-founder of Turning Point USA, which has its headquarters in Phoenix. Kirk and his family are residents of the Valley.

The procession carrying Charlie Kirk’s casket headed north up State Route 51 before turning off and stopping at Hansen Mortuary Chapel at 7th Street and Northern Avenue in north Phoenix.

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Charlie Kirk body arrives in Phoenix on Air Force Two


A man is among three people who are dead after a crash on Interstate 10 just west of SR-85 in Buckeye.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety has confirmed the eastbound lanes of the freeway were blocked because of the crash between Palo Verde Parkway and SR-85.

Buckeye fire officials say they responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

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A man was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not yet been identified.

Four others, including a woman, a teenage boy, and two young children, were reportedly in critical condition when they were taken to the hospital.

DPS has since confirmed that two of the other victims have also since died, but officials did not disclose their ages.


Arizona’s fourth-hottest summer on record is proving fatal for even the most resilient desert species, as saguaros and rattlesnakes are dying in alarming numbers amid prolonged and extreme heat.

The saguaro cactus, a symbol of the Southwest and found only in the Sonoran Desert, is showing signs of stress and sharp population decline. Researchers at the Desert Botanical Garden say mortality rates have jumped from 1 to 2 percent annually to nearly 7 percent in recent years, due in large part to extended heat waves and high nighttime temperatures that interfere with many plants’ natural respiration.

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Rattlesnakes are also facing conditions that may exceed their physical limits. Mike Cardwell, a consulting wildlife biologist who has tracked rattlesnakes in Arizona for more than 25 years, said two adult Western diamondbacks failed to emerge after the record heat in July 2023 — a first in his decades of study.

“Those snakes stayed underground during the hottest stretch and never came back up,” Cardwell said. “If it’s happening to rattlesnakes, it’s hard to imagine it’s not happening to other species as well.”

Even Arizona’s most resilient species facing pressure as summers get hotter

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On a mission in the Arabian Sea, the five thousand-plus crew on the USS Carl Vinson went about their routine work.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Carl Forkner awoke to a pounding on his door. The intelligence officer, stationed just across the passageway, urged him to turn on the ship’s television.

What Forkner saw was not a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster, but the beginning of a new era for the United States and its military.

“I said, ‘Was this like a showing of a new Die-Hard movie or what?’” Forkner recalled. “He said, ‘No, that’s really happening right now. Probably ought to get ready, get dressed. I’m sure we’ll have a meeting in the Captain’s Office.’”

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24 years later, USS Carl Vinson veteran remembers America’s first response


The Federal Communications Commission is alerting consumers about a new wave of scam calls and texts falsely claiming to offer 50% discounts on cable and streaming services from major providers like Comcast, Spectrum, and Prime.

Consumers across the country are reporting robocalls and voicemails with urgent messages claiming their supposed discount is about to expire. In one example provided by the FCC, a caller impersonating Comcast Xfinity said: “We’re reviewing your account, and it appears your 50 percent discount on your monthly bill is set to expire today. To confirm and secure your savings, call the number displayed on your caller ID immediately. This offer cannot be extended.”

According to complaints filed with the FCC, people who call back are pressured to act quickly to keep the fake discount. The scammers then claim the only way to secure the savings is to prepay for multiple months of service using gift cards.

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The FCC emphasizes that pressure to act quickly and demands for gift card payments are clear warning signs of a scam.

Let ABC15 Know: FCC warns consumers about fake cable and streaming discount scams


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2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals

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2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals



Since the Arizona Cardinals want to trade back from the No. 3 picks, here are three deals that could work.

The Arizona Cardinals have the third pick in the 2026 NFL draft, which begins this week on Thursday. All the reports coming out are saying that they want to trade out of the pick to acquire more draft picks.

But what does a trade look like and who could be involved?

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The Kansas City Chiefs are involved in talks at some level. ESPN’s Adam Schefter expects trade talks to heat up this week.

NFL teams use a variation of a trade value chart when it comes to draft picks. Now, what a team actually is willing to give up can be influenced by potential competition with other teams, but we can’t count on that.

Here is the general trade value chart teams use.

Here are some potential deals that could be done.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have two first-round picks, which would be appealing to the Cardinals, who reportedly want to make a move for quarterback Ty Simpson, and the 29th pick might be just the spot to get him.

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The third overall pick is worth 514 points.

The Chiefs’ picks at No. 9 (387 points) and No. 29 (202 points) together are worth 589.

To make up the difference, the Cardinals could give up No. 65 (78 points) for a total of 592 points.

One deal could be:

  • Cardinals receive get No. 9 and No. 29 (589 points)
  • Chiefs receive No. 3 and No. 65 (592 points)

Another could be:

  • Cardinals receive No. 9, No. 29, No. 74 and 2027 third-round pick (653 points + value of future third-round pick, which is 36-78 points)
  • Chiefs receive No. 3 and No. 34 (689 points)

The Cardinals keep their third-round pick and the Chiefs essentially move back five spots from No. 29.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have the 12th and 20th picks but no pick in the second round.

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Pick No. 12 is 347 points and No. 20 is 269 for a total of 616.

This deal is close:

  • Cardinals receive No. 12, No. 20 (616 points)
  • Cowboys receive No. 3, No. 65 (592 points)

New Orleans Saints

The Saints are perhaps a dark horse to move up, although they do not have two first-round picks. They have the No. 8 pick, worth 406 points. Their second-round pick, at No. 42, is worth 142 points.

This deal could work:

  • Cardinals receive No. 8, No. 42 (548 points)
  • Saints receive No. 3, No. 104 (547 points)

Then the Cardinals could use their two second-round picks to then move back into Round 1 to get Ty Simpson.

They could trade No. 34, No. 42 and No. 65 (395 points) for No. 28, No. 38 and No. 106 (398 total points).

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Dust returns to Phoenix area after hazy weekend – KTAR.com

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Dust returns to Phoenix area after hazy weekend – KTAR.com


PHOENIX — Breezy winds kicked up a blanket of dust across the Valley on Sunday, and forecasters say more is on the way this week.

Visibility in Phoenix became so bad on Sunday that Sky Harbor airport stopped flights for over an hour

The wind and dust peaked Sunday afternoon and gradually improved into the evening, said Michael Graves, an air quality meteorologist with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

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“You might’ve seen the mountains a bit obscured in the distance,” Graves told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday. “A lot of haze in the air.”

By Monday morning, skies had largely cleared and dust levels near the ground had dropped significantly.

Expect more gusty, dusty days this week

The relief may be short-lived.

ADEQ is watching for increased afternoon breezes Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, this time from the west and southwest. Though the winds are expected to be weaker than Sunday’s, Graves said forecasters cannot rule out dust.

“I wouldn’t say windstorm,” Graves said. “I would just say we’ve got some waves coming in. They’re going to increase our afternoon breeziness.”

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It’s enough to kick up dry, exposed dirt, which could create pockets of dust. There is a slight chance of broader regional dust transport, Graves said.

It will impact people with asthma, COPD or respiratory conditions the most. Graves advised those with issues to monitor conditions and stay indoors during the dustiest hours.

“If you’re going to be outside, be outside during the times when it’s less dusty or hazy,” Graves said.

Graves noted that spring weather systems typically pass to the north of the Phoenix area, delivering wind and slight temperature drops but little to no rain, a pattern likely to continue.

KTAR News reporter Kellen Shover contributed to this report.

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Trying to beat the heat: Addressing rising temperatures in Southern Arizona

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Trying to beat the heat: Addressing rising temperatures in Southern Arizona


The University of Arizona and Tucson are known for yearlong warm weather, but when is it too much? With temperature reaching record highs in March, the city of Tucson has already reported increased temperatures for this year. 

In the wake of the third annual Southern Arizona Heat Summit, integrating voices throughout the City of Tucson, community stakeholders and experts from UA gather to speak about possible solutions and policies to address rising temperatures and extreme heat. 

The summit strives to ensure that the lived experiences of Southern Arizona residents are voiced. The first summit commenced in 2024, in response to the declaration of an extreme heat emergency in Arizona by Gov. Katie Hobbs, as part of a larger plan called Arizona’s Extreme Heat Response Plan. 

With representation from organizations such as the American Red Cross, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, Arizona Jobs with Justice, Tucson Indian Center and many more, the summit emphasized the importance of the perspective and concerns of stakeholder groups throughout the community. 

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The summit included a variety of UA experts, including faculty representing the School of Geography, Development and Environment; the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy; the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.

One particular project, led by Ladd Keith at the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, is a part of the Southwest Urban Corridor Integrated Field Laboratory, which is funded by the United States’ Department of Energy to explore extreme heat throughout Arizona. SW-IFL works in collaboration with other national laboratories including those at ASU and NAU. 

The team works to analyze extreme heat in the southwest and rural areas, and how communities deal with heat by conducting interviews. The team has also prescribed policy to Pima County and the City of Tucson regarding more effective strategies to combat rising temperatures, such as green stormwater infrastructure. 

Anne-Lise Boyer, a post-doctoral researcher with the Climate Assessment for the Southwest, shared that the team particularly analyzed extreme heat in three parts: heat mitigation, heat management and heat governance.

Mitigation deals with prevention through strategies such as green infrastructure and planting trees, while management includes cooling sensors and heat warning systems. Governance allows these measures to be enacted through policy.

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In Tucson, some of the most meaningful work the team has engaged in has been drafting the City of Tucson’s Heat Action Roadmap in 2024, which outlines goals to mitigate and mandate extreme heat and its impacts while prioritizing community voices.  

The goals of the roadmap include informing and educating citizens of Tucson on the adverse effects of extreme heat and cooling people’s homes and neighborhoods by incorporating heat risk in regional planning. These steps are essential to practicing heat management, especially as the city of Tucson grows. 

“I think the most interesting thing about being based in Tucson is that because the heat has been here for a long time, it’s like a laboratory in itself,” Boyer said. “We have all this research and all this collaboration happening with local actors because it’s a pressing issue in Arizona.”

As the annual heat summit recurs, new ideas and perspectives continue to be shared throughout the community. Boyer shared that this year, the Southern Arizona Heat Summit focused on the youth perspective, highlighting middle school and high school students and how heat impacts their everyday lives. Many students spoke about how heat shaped their lives at home, school and sports.

“That’s one of the goals, to have community members participate and give their input in how they wish the city will deal with the heat,” Boyer said. 

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Boyer and Kirsten Lake, a program coordinator for the SW-IFL team, also shared how the impacts of extreme heat impact some neighborhoods and communities in Tucson more than others, and that their research often evaluates these factors to determine where heat management efforts would make the greatest impact.

“Its important when you’re putting into effect some of these measures, that you make sure you put it where it’s going to make the biggest difference,” Lake said.

The work of the SW-IFL team is not just locally known. The Brookhaven National Lab based in New York deployed a specialized truck to Tucson to collect information on the atmosphere and rising temperatures. The SW-IFL team hosted the Brookhaven team.

Additionally, Keith’s work has led to a guidebook called “Planning for Urban Heat Resilience” which focuses on the adverse effects extreme heat poses to marginalized communities across the country. 

“It is so different from place to place and neighborhood to neighborhood because you have to take the whole context into account,” Boyer said. “They recommend first to document the heat impacts in your communities.”

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