An Arizona city has approved a program that would allow homeless workers to sleep in their cars amid skyrocketing housing prices, outraging residents, according to a report.
The Sedona City Council voted 6-1 to approve The Safe Place to Park program this week, which includes 40 designated parking spots for those employed full-time within the city limits with temporary bathrooms and showers on site, AZCentral reported.
Sedona, Arizona approved a program that will allow workers to sleep in their cars on city property. FiledIMAGE
“I don’t think there’s anybody up here or staff that are extremely proud of this. This is a last-ditch effort,” Mayor Scott Jablow said during a contentious, 7-hour meeting Tuesday where local residents spoke out against the program. “No one’s really proud because this isn’t really the answer. It’s one of many answers.”
Those enrolled in the program are required to be engaged with local social services with the ultimate goal of securing permanent housing, according to the outlet.
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Detractors say that the site will lead to pollution, drug use and other illegal activities, negatively impacting the park and local area.
Safe Place to Park is funded through a two-year grant from the Arizona Department of Housing. The site will be managed by the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition, who will be responsible for monitoring the lot from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.
Vehicles must leave the premises during daytime hours.
The lot is located in a 6-acre parking lot in Sedona’s 41-acre Cultural Park on land the city purchased for $23 million last year, according to AZCentral. The area will not be visible to any residents in the area.
Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow called the program a “last ditch effort” to address affordable housing problems in the city. Scott Jablow for Mayor of Sedona/FacebookConcerned Sedona residents say the program could lead to drug use and illegal activity in the area. benedek
City officials emphasized the program is only temporary and will conclude in 2026 when the two-year grant funding runs out. The land will also be rezoned in June 2026.
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The program comes after a year of planning as the city searched for a solution on how to house city workers while waiting for a number of affordable housing projects to be completed.
Supporters say the move will help those who would otherwise be illegally sleeping in their cars or city streets.
“If we don’t do this now, then there’s never going to be a time for us to do this,” said council member Melissa Dunn.
“We can wait two years until we have housing, but those people will be living on the street in their cars, will be living in the forest with unsafe conditions,” she added.
Two Arizona Public Enemy concerts in one year? As Chuck D. might say, bring the noise.
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After a searing set in February at Tempe’s Innings Festival, the legendary hip-hop group will return to metro Phoenix on Saturday, Oct. 24, to perform as part of the Arizona State Fair’s concert series.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. inside the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum with no opening act.
Public Enemy joins a growing lineup of artists set to perform at the 2026 Arizona State Fair, which runs weekends from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1.
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Previously announced Coliseum Concert Series performers include alt-rockers Gin Blossoms on Friday, Oct. 2, R&B/pop star Becky G on Friday, Oct. 9 and punk favorites The Offspring on Friday Oct. 16.
Few hip-hop acts are as iconic as Public Enemy. Fronted by Chuck D. and Flavor Flav, the group has performed since the early ‘80s and has spent decades mixing politically charged lyrics with fierce bests on classic tracks like “Fight the Power,” “Bring the Noise” and “Welcome to the Terrordome.”
Public Enemy’s upcoming concert marks the first time the iconic hip-hop act has performed at the Arizona State Fair and their latest in a series of Valley gigs. It also continues a decades-long history of Valley performances.
Over the years, Public Enemy has played venues large and small across metro Phoenix, from arenas and stadium shows to concert halls Tempe’s Marquee Theatre. The group also famously staged an impromptu performance at the long-running local hip-hop event The Blunt Club back in 2006.
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Public Enemy performs at Innings Festival on Feb. 22, 2026.
When do Arizona State Fair concert tickets go on sale?
Tickets for Gin Blossoms and Russell Dickerson are already available through azstatefair.com/concerts.
Tickets for Public Enemy at the fair go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday through azstatefair.com/concerts. A presale for subscribers to the Fair Fandom newsletter begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
Reserved-seat upgrades are available for all four concerts. Each concert ticket also includes admission to the Arizona State Fair.
VIDEO: Hundreds of loved ones and first responders gathered Saturday to celebrate the life of Nicholas Hutcherson, an Arizona wildland firefighter killed late last month while battling a wildfire in Colorado.
Hutcherson was part of a Helitack crew trained to respond to remote areas and contain wildfires before they spread.
He was one of three wildland firefighters killed June 27.
His father, Ron Hutcherson, said his son sent him a text message the morning he died, saying he was on his way to a fire and would try to call that evening.
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“The text included a picture from inside his Helitack helicopter,” Ron Hutcherson said. “One of his crew members had a Snoopy on their helmet — he knew how much me and my wife loved Snoopy.”
That evening, a call came — but not from Nicholas.
Saturday, Ron Hutcherson read a letter addressed to his son, recounting their shared memories — including the moment a young Nicholas fell in love with the fire department.
In most cases, the number of players drafted is a strong indication of how good a college baseball team was the previous season. Arizona had nine draftees last year after reaching the College World Series, but following a disastrous 2026 campaign only two Wildcats heard their names called in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Right-handed pitcher Owen Kramkowski was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 5th round, while fellow righty Collin McKinney went in the 9th round to the Baltimore Orioles.
Kramkowski was taken with the No. 145 picks, which has a bonus slot value of $506,100. McKinney’s bonus slot at No. 260 is $213,300. Players chosen in the 11th round or later can sign for up to $150,000 without it impacting a team’s bonus pool.
The two draft picks for Arizona is its fewest since 2022, when catcher Daniel Susac went in the 1st round and outfielder Tanner O’Tremba went in the 15th round. It was also the first time since 2014 the UA did not have a player taken in the first four rounds.
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While the loss of existing UA players to the MLB Draft was minimal, the same can’t be said for future Wildcats. Two members of Arizona’s 2026 recruiting class as well as three transfers signed this summer were drafted Sunday.
Incoming freshman catcher Francisco Rivero, from Canyon del Oro High School in Oro Valley, went in the 15th round to the Washington Nationals while righty Garrett Ahern—a transfer from GCU—went in the 16th round to the New York Yankees. The 17th round then saw righties McCartyEnglish (Southern Miss) and Collin Cobb (Williston State JC) and New Mexico prep righty Jack Byers all get picked.
Each has until July 27 to sign a pro contract or they’ll join the Wildcats this fall for the 2027 season.
The 6-foot-3 Kramkowski, who grew up in Sahuarita, is the fifth player recruited to the UA out of high school by Chip Hale and his staff to get drafted. He spent three seasons with the Wildcats and was part of the weekend rotation the last two years, starting the opening game of the College World Series. In 2025 he wen 9-6 with a 5.48 ERA, striking out 90 batters in 92 innings, but struggled as a junior with a 1-8 record and 6.13 ERA.
In 35 career appearances, Kramkowski walked only 38 batters in 165.1 innings against 165 strikeouts.
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The 6-foot-5 McKinney spent the last two seasons at the UA after beginning his career at Baylor. He was the Wildcats’ Friday night starter for most of 2025 before getting moved to the bullpen, and this past spring spent time in the rotation and as a reliever. He struck out 109 in 91.2 innings with Arizona.
McKinney had entered the NCAA transfer portal last month and committed to Houston but is expected to sign.
Arizona’s lack of draft picks from its roster was indicative of a team that went 19-34, its worst record since 1994, and finished 9-21 in the Big 12 after winning the conference tournament title the previous year. The same can’t be said for ASU, which failed to advance beyond the NCAA regionals despite having 10 draft picks on the roster.
