Arizona

Arizona senator pushes for hearings on controversial Venezuela boat strike

Published

4 months ago

December 5, 2025

Arizona senator pushes for hearings on controversial Venezuela boat strike

WASHINGTON (AZFamily/AP) — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is pushing for hearings on a controversial U.S. boat strike off the coast of Venezuela as military officials briefed lawmakers behind closed doors on Capitol Hill Thursday about the situation that has led to concerns about possible war crimes.

Kelly, a retired Navy Captain who sits on the Armed Services Committee, was not in Thursday’s briefing but has been calling for a full investigation into the September strike that killed suspected drug smugglers.

Lawmakers who attended Thursday’s briefing walked away split along party lines on what they saw. Republicans defended the deadly strike against suspected drug smugglers. Democrats say it crossed the line.

Briefing focused on follow-up strike

Thursday’s meeting wasn’t just about the first missile strike on that suspected drug boat. It was about a follow up strike and whether or not it was legal or a potential war crime.

Navy Vice Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley arrived on Capitol Hill to brief lawmakers about the September boat strike off the coast of Venezuela.

During the closed door meeting, Bradley showed them the full unedited version of video — the raw footage of the U.S. military opening fire on a boat suspected of carrying drugs. Following the first hit, two survivors were reportedly spotted near the remains of the vessel when a second strike was launched, killing them and leaving no survivors.

Republicans defend strikes

“The first strike, the second strike, and the third and the fourth strike on September 2nd were entirely lawful and needful and they were exactly what we’d expect our military commanders to do,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas.

Cotton defended the second attack against what he called “narco terrorists.” But Democratic Congressman Jim Himes emerged from the briefing with a different take. He questioned the second attack against what he described as two “shipwrecked sailors.”

“The decisions taken and Admiral Bradley has a storied career and he has my respect and he should have the respect of all of us, but what I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service,” said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn.

Admiral denies “kill them all” order

Lawmakers briefed by Admiral Bradley also said he denied he was ever given any order for a second strike to “kill them all.” This goes against reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had directly ordered the follow-up strikes.

Kelly questioned Hegseth’s role in the operation.

“I mean, he says he’s not in the room. I don’t know if he was in the room or not. It would be interesting to see what the other people say. Maybe he wasn’t, maybe he was. He’s the guy that’s the ultimate responsible party for an operation,” Kelly said.

The White House said Monday that Bradley acted “within his authority and the law” when he ordered the second, follow-up strike on the alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea, according to The Associated Press.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered the justification for the Sept. 2 strike as lawmakers announced there will be congressional review of the U.S. military strikes against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean, the AP reported. The lawmakers cited a published report that Hegseth issued a verbal order for a second strike that killed survivors on the boat.

Leavitt in her comments to reporters did not dispute a Washington Post report that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came after President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike” when asked about the incident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Arizona

NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals fill biggest needs in 4-round mock

Published

12 hours ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals fill biggest needs in 4-round mock

The 2026 NFL draft is still more than a month away, and we are beginning to get more multi-round mock drafts. We have a four-round mock draft from NFL.com’s Chad Reuter.

What does that mean for the Arizona Cardinals, who have one pick in each round? In this case, it means hitting their four biggest needs with their first four picks.

Let’s see.

Round 1, pick No. 3: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa

The Cardinals don’t overthink this pick. Mauigoa’s a strong, hard-nosed run blocker who fills a major need in Arizona and should be an NFL starter for a decade.

This pick appears to be destined for one of two routes — a tackle or a pass rusher. The question is whether they value Mauigoa over David Bailey, who goes with the very next pick of this mock draft, or another pass rusher.

The Cardinals have not done anything on the defensive edge this offseason. They have made some minor moves at right tackle.

Round 2, pick No. 34: Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker

If they don’t get a pass rusher in Round 1, it makes sense to go with one in Round 2. Parker looks the part at 6-4, 263 pounds with long 33 1/8-inch arms.

He had 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in 2024 but saw his production dip to five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss last season.

Round 3, pick No. 65: LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

Yes, it makes sense for the Cardinals to draft a quarterback, one they can develop a bit. Nussmeier has the tools but was very inconsistent.

Round 4, pick No. 104: Alabama DT Tim Keenan

The Cardinals have thrown bodies on the defensive line this offseason, signing three and re-signing one. Getting one on Day 3 who is more of a space-eater than playmaker would continue with this trend.

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.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals fill biggest needs in 4-round mock

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Arizona

20K fans back bid for pro women’s soccer team at Fiesta Mall site

Published

24 hours ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

20K fans back bid for pro women’s soccer team at Fiesta Mall site

A fan initiative to bring a National Women’s Soccer League team to Mesa, Arizona, has gathered nearly 20,000 signatures.
Developer Vicki Mayo plans to build a 25,000-seat enclosed soccer stadium at the former Fiesta Mall site, now called the Palo District.
The Palo District project also includes a women’s sports wellness campus, an AI venture studio, and two large hotels.

Nearly 20,000 people signed a fan initiative to attract a National Women’s Soccer League team to Mesa’s former Fiesta Mall site, its developer said.

Now known as the Palo District, the 80-acre site along Alma School Road and Southern Avenue is poised for a major transformation that its owner, Vicki Mayo, hopes will be a hub for women’s sports.

Mayo is aiming to attract Arizona’s first National Women’s Soccer League by building a 25,000-seat enclosed soccer stadium that is planned to break ground in the summer.

Her company, Sunny Day Sports, an investment firm, launched an initiative in January called the Founding Fan to showcase that the development would be a “perfect” location for a professional women’s soccer team.

She said the initial goal was to get 10,000 founding fans in 10 days, but exceeded that by reaching over 15,000 signups in that time frame. Now that number is close to 20,000 fans, she said.

The aim is to show the NWSL that metro Phoenix has a fan base and interest to sustain a team.

The 2026 NWSL season launched in March, debuting two new teams and expanding from 14 to 16 teams.

In 2028, two new teams are expected to debut, including the already announced 17th franchise in Atlanta.

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman, in her 2026 Kickoff Address, stated the 18th team would be awarded later this year, USAToday reported on March 13.

The league would not “comment on specific markets or pending bids,” said Jennifer Levine, the vice president of public relations and communications for the NWSL.

She said the league was engaging in a “deliberate, rolling expansion process with a number of world-class potential ownership groups as we look toward the future of the league.”

Mayo said she was “not at liberty to disclose” if she’s had conversations with the league to pitch Arizona and the Palo District.

Are professional soccer leagues interested in Arizona?

The state doesn’t have any top-level professional soccer leagues, neither men’s nor women’s teams, but several amateur or minor leagues exist. That includes the Phoenix Rising soccer team in the United Soccer League, a tier below MLS.

The men’s Major League Soccer organization has flirted with the possibility of coming to Arizona for years and most recently hinted it could land in Mesa at a different site. It also appears that the political will to welcome a soccer team is there, as city officials stated in 2024 that it had entertained conversations.

A women’s professional soccer team could see an easier pathway to landing in Arizona and is the focus of the Palo District, according to Mayo.

Several amateur or minor-league women’s soccer clubs have formed over the years. Most recently, the Women’s Premier Soccer League announced a new team would be based at the Peoria Sports Complex. Those teams are created both to build a fan base and to cultivate local talent.

Mayo wants to build on the state’s popularity of youth soccer and keep rising talent in the state.

The Arizona Soccer Association reported that “more than 55,000 boys and girls” are participating in 45-plus clubs throughout the state in 2026.

She said she wants women coming out of those youth programs to have an opportunity to play in Arizona.

“I want these girls that are top tier that want to play pro to be able to stay in their home state and play for their home team,” she said.

Women like Julie Ertz from Mesa, who went on to play in Chicago and Los Angeles. Ertz made 123 appearances with the women’s national team and was in the NWSL between the 2014 and 2023 seasons.

Several other women soccer players with Arizona backgrounds have gone on to play in the NWSL and on the national team.

Mayo said she hopes the planned 25,000-seat “fully enclosed, fully domed” stadium with air conditioning and a retractable grass pitch will be sufficient to attract a professional soccer team.

Details surrounding the financing of the project remained slim. The Mesa City Council in November approved the creation of a theme park district, which will provide a dedicated financing system and a board that will be in charge of that system. It was not immediately known when the board would gather for its first meeting.

What’s planned for the former Fiesta Mall site?

The Palo District is developing with a focus on women’s sports and health.

It previously announced a women’s sports wellness campus in December as an anchor and “cornerstone” project that will be a $100 million capital investment in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

An AI venture studio, WaveX, backed by LG Electronics, will also be featured at the site.

Two massive hotels with a combined 600 rooms are also planned at the site. The flagship hotel will tie directly into the stadium, which will bring a “VIP” experience, she said. It will be a 4 to 4.5-star property, she said.

“We’re in active conversations with a number of leading hotel chains to see which brand we’re going to solidify on and bring on,” Mayo said.

Like this story? Get more East Valley news straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free weekly East Valley Newsletter, which comes out on Wednesdays.

Is there something under construction you’d like to tell us about or find out more about? Reporter Maritza Dominguez, who covers Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek, can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @maritzacdom.

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Arizona

100-degree heat hits busy Arizona wedding weekend in Maricopa

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

100-degree heat hits busy Arizona wedding weekend in Maricopa

MARICOPA, Ariz. – It’s one of the busiest times of year for weddings in Arizona, usually because the weather couldn’t be better. But this weekend, the heat is changing plans for some couples getting ready to say “I do.”

Marriage is all about adjusting and adapting — something Elle Vanderham and Reece Pocock have had to do. They thought they were going to be married in perfect March weather; instead, they’ll be tying the knot in the 100-degree desert sun.

What they’re saying:

“Everyone comes in March, so we were like perfect, we’ll do it then,” said bride Elle Vanderham. “And then they all got here and everyone is dying.”

Love is heating up in Arizona, and so are the temperatures.

“What’s that saying… when you make plans, God laughs? Yeah, so here we are,” said Dana Schwartz, the bride’s aunt.

Vanderham and Pocock are set to tie the knot this Saturday in Maricopa. The two met when Pocock would come down from Canada for work. They were hoping for mild spring weather, but now they’re preparing for triple-digit heat.

“I’m very ready,” Vanderham said. “I’m just happy I don’t have to wear a felt cap and a suit jacket.”

Schwartz has been helping set up the event. She says changes had to be made to help keep the over 200 guests from all over the world comfortable.

“We brought in coolers and misters. We’re going to have umbrellas for out there,” Schwartz said. “We had to bring in a refrigerated truck because hydration is going to be a big thing. In fact, we had to buy more. You have to adjust the order of things. It’s all you can do.”

Like many Arizonans, they’re taking the heat in stride and rolling with whatever comes — a little preview of married life. Ultimately, they’re just happy to celebrate together.

“I’m very grateful for everyone I have in my corner,” Vanderham said. “And I’m very grateful for all the Canadians who came down even though they knew it was going to be hot.”

What you can do:

If you are attending an outdoor wedding this weekend or any event outdoors, doctors recommend hydrating as much as possible and seeking shade.

The Source: Interviews with Dana Schwartz, Elle Vanderham and Reece Pocock

WeatherNewsMaricopa CountyLifestyle

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