Connect with us

Arizona

Broken air conditioning in Arizona? Research your rebate options before buying

Published

on

Broken air conditioning in Arizona? Research your rebate options before buying


Summer in Arizona brings more than just the heat. It also brings high energy bills for consumers.

If your air conditioning unit is aging or you’re trying to cut down on the bill by installing a more efficient unit, make sure to do your research before buying. Consumers may be enticed after hearing the word ‘rebate,’ but don’t rely on a salesperson’s guarantee that you qualify.

The terms and conditions of rebates, grants, and tax credits can differ greatly. It’s best for consumers to do their own research before applying or hiring a contractor. That way, you aren’t left without money or credits you were counting on receiving.

In Arizona, both APS and SRP have rebate programs. APS customers can receive a $200 rebate if they replace an old or broken A/C with a new one installed by an APS-qualified contractor. Customers in need can also receive up to $1,000 in rebate assistance. Meanwhile, SRP has a Cool Cash rebate program for upgrading units. Read the fine print because with each program, A/C units must meet certain standards, and some have installer qualifications that must be met to qualify for the rebate.

Advertisement

Maybe you’re in a similar situation to Let ABC15 Know viewer, Cheri, who reached out with questions about national programs.

First, it’s important for consumers to understand the difference between federal tax credits and state or local rebates to maximize savings.

According to the IRS, a tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of the amount of tax you owe. Credits are usually claimed when a consumer files their federal tax return.

A rebate can be received in various ways, either as a point-of-sale discount or a delayed refund. Specifics of how a rebate is applied depend on the organization offering it, but rebates are often immediate and help to reduce upfront costs.

Under the Energy-Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit, consumers can receive a credit of up to $600 for a/c units. The units must meet certain energy standards, and consumers must have all of their documentation.

Advertisement

Remember, consumers may also qualify for manufacturer rebates or other statewide rebate programs in Arizona.

Search the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency to see a larger list of rebate and credit options in one place.

Latest from Let ABC15 Know:





Source link

Advertisement

Arizona

Diamondbacks Fans Can Now Vote for Arizona’s All-Stars

Published

on

Diamondbacks Fans Can Now Vote for Arizona’s All-Stars


Believe it or not, the 2026 All-Star Game voting process has already begun, as of Wednesday. Fans who want to see their favorite members of the Arizona Diamondbacks take the field in the midsummer classic this season can begin voting for their stars.

There are certainly some deserving players on this Diamondbacks club, which is currently 32-28 and occupying the third Wild Card sport in the National League.

Here’s how and where you can vote for your hometown heroes:

Advertisement

How to vote for Diamondbacks players to make All-Star Game

Arizona Diamondbacks batter Ketel Marte (4) rounds the bases after his 2-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field in Phoenix on June 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Advertisement

Fans can utilize the following link to vote for members of their team on dbacks.com. Fans are permitted to fill out and submit as many as five ballots per day, selecting as many or as few players as they choose.

Advertisement

This period of the fan vote constitutes Phase 1 of All-Star voting, which will run from Wednesday, June 3 through Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time (12:00 p.m. Eastern time).

Following Phase 1, the two overall top vote-getters will receive automatic berths into the All-Star lineups. If those two are not Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge once again, that would be an upset.

Advertisement

When and where is the 2026 All-Star Game?

Fans at Citizens Bank Park before the gates open on their NLCS game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 16, 2023. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2026 All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies in Philadelphia. All-Star week begins on June 10, with a full slate of activities, before the game is played on Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time (5:00 p.m. Arizona time).

The full schedule of events are as follows:

Advertisement

  • Friday, July 10: HBCU Swingman Classic
  • Saturday, July 11: 2026 MLB Draft
  • Sunday, July 12: All-Star Sunday, MLB Futures Game, MLBx All-Star 3-on-3
  • Monday, July 13: T-Mobile Home Run Derby (8:00 p.m. ET)
  • Tuesday, July 14: All-Star Red Carpet, All-Star Game

Which Diamondbacks are deserving All-Stars?

Jun 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
| Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

So, who should Diamondbacks fans vote for? Obviously, you may fill out the ballot however you choose. That can include a full roster of Diamondbacks, regardless of their stats or notoriety this season.

Still, here are some of the top performing D-backs who might have a leg up on an All-Star berth:

Advertisement

OF Corbin Carroll

Corbin Carroll is having another All-Star worthy season. He’s hitting .289/.380/.545 with a .925 OPS and eight home runs, while playing good right field defense. He has the eighth-most bWAR (2.7) among position players, fifth-most in the National League, and third-most among all pure outfielders.

Advertisement

2B Ketel Marte

If Marte wins the NL second base fan vote, it will be his third straight season starting the All-Star game. Despite such a slow start to the year, that feels possible again. Marte is hitting .259/.315/.456 with 10 homers and is playing the best defense of his career.

3B Nolan Arenado

Nolan Arenado is quietly putting together one of his better seasons of the 2020s, slashing .269/.351/.467 with eight homers and flashing his elite third base glove at nearly as good a pace as ever. His name still carries a lot of weight in third base conversations; he’ll get some votes, no matter what.

1B Ildemaro Vargas

Advertisement

Vargas’ bat has cooled down quite a bit since his historic start to 2026. He’s still hitting a sturdy .290/.318/.454, but feels more likely to be considered as a reserve selection than a leading vote-getter.

Honorable Mention: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez

Pitchers are not selected by the fan vote. They are selected by player ballots and the All-Star Game managers. The National League’s manager will be Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, again.

Advertisement

The National League has quite a few talented pitchers, but Eduardo Rodriguez currently holds the fifth-best starting pitcher ERA (2.24) among NL hurlers. It’s going to be difficult to dethrone Christopher Sanchez or Jacob Misiorowski, but Rodriguez could find his way into the pitching pool, especially after his WBC heroics for Team Venezuela.

Advertisement
Add us as a preferred source on Google



Source link

Continue Reading

Arizona

Arizona State Adds Alabama Assistant Michael White To Coaching Staff

Published

on

Arizona State Adds Alabama Assistant Michael White To Coaching Staff


Arizona State has added Michael White to its coaching staff for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. White will join the program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

“I am incredibly honored to return to my home state and join this elite program,” White said. “I’m proud to say that I am coming home. I can’t thank Coach Herbie enough for the opportunity to join his incredible staff and help these young athletes grow and develop into the best individuals they can be. There are so many friends and mentors who have left their mark on this program, and I’m excited for the opportunity to leave mine and help take this program to new heights. Go Devils!” 

White arrives with the Sun Devils after most recently spending the last three seasons with Alabama as an assistant. The Alabama women finished 11th at the 2026 NCAA Championships while the men were 24th.

Prior to arriving at Alabama, White spent the 2022-2023 season as a volunteer assistant at Wisconsin. He primarily coached the freestyle, breaststroke and distance groups for the Badgers. In addition to coaching the Badgers, he also was an assistant senior coach with the Madison Aquatics Club for the year. He began his coaching career at Juniata College in Pennsylvania as a volunteer assistant from 2019-2021. 

Advertisement

White spent his collegiate career at St. Bonaventure in New York. There he was a 7x individual Atlantic-10 champion and swam to three school records as a senior with a 1:47.30 200 IM, 3:52.18 400 IM, and a 1:47.70 200 fly. He also was team captain for two season and helped the team capture the 2014 A-10 team title.

The Scottsdale, Arizona native will return to his home state. He was a 2012 AIA Division I state champion in the 100 breast and 200 IM as a senior for Dobson High School.

White joins the coaching staff led by head coach Herbie Behm, who is already known to be an innovative coach. Behm spoke of White’s innovation as well saying, “Mike is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA. His interview blew me away with the innovative ideas he presented. I can’t wait to start implementing those ideas and continue our growth at ASU.”

Arizona State swept the 2026 Big 12 team titles, and the men went on to finish 4th at 2026 NCAAs while the women were 37th. Rising senior Ilya Kharun captured the NCAA title in the 200 fly with a 1:37.66.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Arizona

Racial equality in education: Arizona ranked 18th – KTAR.com

Published

on

Racial equality in education: Arizona ranked 18th – KTAR.com


Arizona is ranked 18th in the nation when it comes to racial equality in the classroom, according to WalletHub.

The personal finance website compiled its 2026 list of Best States for Racial Equality in Education by looking at differences between Black and white students when it comes to test scores, college attainment and high school graduation rates.

The rankings are based on a weighted average of six metrics, but did WalletHub not provide a breakdown of each category.

However, statistics from the Center for the Future of Arizona support the idea that Arizona has work to do when it comes to racial equality. African American students in Arizona have an average college attainment rate of 38%, while white students have an average rate of 54%.

Advertisement

That difference is also evident in other education areas, with a gap of 11 percentage points between Black and white high schoolers in graduation rate.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo called the high school graduation rate the most “alarming” data set for the Arizona. He said if the study included the state’s large Hispanic population, the results might have been different.

“It would be interesting, if those numbers were included, where the gaps would be. Again, Arizona has a high Hispanic population, as [does] New Mexico, and New Mexico was at number three. So maybe Arizona could take a look at what their neighbors are doing there to kind of bridge those gaps,” he said.

How can Arizona increase racial equality in the classroom?

Lupo said Arizona can boost its ranking and improve racial equality in schools by increasing the representation and funding for public education.

Advertisement

“One thing [to] do is to build more diversity within the school system. More Black administrators and more Black teachers kind of create more of a familiarity for Black students and more mentors. … Increased funding and a more concerted effort to increase diversity among the school systems, I think, would go a long way in bridging that gap,” he said.

WalletHub ranked Wyoming, West Virginia and New Mexico as the best states for racial equality in the classroom, with New Jersey, Connecticut and Wisconsin at the bottom of the list.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Advertisement






Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending