Arizona
Post-holiday rush has Arizona shoppers returning gifts, spending holiday cash

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Christmas is over, but the stores and malls are busy one day later—shoppers either returning gifts that weren’t quite right or spending some of that holiday cash.
“A lot of the stores we went to, you had to wait in lines just to get from one store to the other,” said Jeannie Mac. “It was pretty busy.”
When you think of holiday shopping, you often think of items flying off the shelves.
“There are a lot of discounts at target, 50% off all decorations. You’d be surprised. The shelves are a little empty,” said shopper Joseph Caruana.
But the day after Christmas, many of those items end up back in-store. This year, returns are expected to add up to 17% of all merchandise sales, according to a recent report by the National Retail Federation. It’s about $890 billion in returned unneeded or unwanted gifts.
However, not everyone was there for returns or exchanges.
“Everyone enjoyed the presents, so didn’t have to return anything, thankfully,” said Max Miely.
Many people Arizona’s Family spoke with were mainly there looking to spend their holiday money, including Jenn Neild, who was visiting from Canada.
“We’re just looking around for some post Christmas deals, Boxing Day deals,” she said.
Boxing Day is traditionally a holiday similar to Black Friday, celebrated in the U.K. and Canada.
It was a good opportunity for shoppers who came out ready to use their holiday gift cards or, in other cases, to claim their Christmas gifts.
“We just went to go get my cousins ear pierced for her Christmas present and we’re going to be shopping for pajamas and different things,” said Morgan Uperesa, another shopper.
Because Dec. 26 and Dec. 27 are historically the busiest days for returns, the Better Business Bureau advises you to bring any receipts to the store.
If you don’t have one, they say you should know the rules on returns without it.
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Arizona
Man who defrauded Arizona fraternity board gets 5 years

PHOENIX — A man who defrauded a University of Arizona fraternity board out of over $500,000 was sentenced recently to five years in prison, officials announced Thursday.
Michael Woolbright, 60, was convicted in April on five counts of fraud and one count of theft, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
His prison sentence will be followed by 30 years of probation. In addition, the AG’s Office said it secured $520,000 in restitution.
How did Michael Woolbright defraud UofA fraternity board?
Woolbright served on the Tucson Delta Chi Alumni Board and controlled its bank account. The board holds the title to a fraternity chapter house on the University of Arizona campus.
Prosecutors said he repeatedly issued unauthorized checks and sent unauthorized wire transfers to himself and his business without the rest of the board’s knowledge.
“If you are an individual or an entity attempting to defraud Arizonans from their hard-earned savings — consider this a warning,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release.
Arizona
Police: Southern Arizona man attacked grocery store employee with club

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – A Green Valley man is facing a host of charges after allegedly attacking a grocery store employee with a club.
The Sahuarita Police Department said Daniel Kovarik Jr., 42, was arrested Wednesday on several counts of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, criminal damage, and threats and intimidation. He is being held on a $45,000 bond.
The SPD said he also had an unrelated felony arrest warrant.
The SPD said Kovarik went into the grocery store, located in the 18000 block of South Nogales Highway, on Wednesday afternoon and attacked the worker. Kovarik was taken into custody without incident, according to police.
The 70-year-old employee suffered serious injuries, according to the SPD.
The SPD said there is no indication that Kovarik knew the woman before the attack.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 911, 520-445-7847, 520-351-4900, or 520-344-7000.
Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold
Copyright 2025 13 News. All rights reserved.
Arizona
Back in the lineup, Teoscar Hernández provides the offense as Dodgers beat Arizona

On Tuesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made a decision.
A day after Teoscar Hernández returned to the Dodgers’ lineup, activated from the injured list Monday following a two-week absence because of an adductor strain, Roberts decided to sit the veteran slugger for the second of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It was a surprise choice, but with a simple reason.
Knowing Hernández would play only twice this week coming off his injury, Roberts wanted to ensure he would be available Wednesday to face former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes.
“I just felt like having him in there tomorrow,” Roberts said Tuesday, “I feel good with.”
Twenty-four hours later, the result was even greater than he expected.
In the Dodgers’ 3-1 rubber-match victory over the Diamondbacks, Hernández delivered the night’s biggest swing in the bottom of the sixth, taking a wrecking ball to what had been a flawless outing from Burnes with a three-run home run that turned the game upside down.
Entering the sixth, the Dodgers (31-19) had managed just one hit against Burnes, the four-time All-Star and 2021 Cy Young winner who had just blanked them over six innings at Chase Field two weekends ago. They were in danger of squandering their own strong start from right-hander Dustin May, whose only blemish in a six-inning, eight-strikeout outing came on a solo home run by Ketel Marte in the fourth. And they were staring down a potential series defeat to the Diamondbacks (26-24), one that would have further underscored the tight early-season battle they are facing in a competitive National League West.
Second baseman Miguel Rojas stretches out for a ball in the sixth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“Obviously,” Hernández said, “we’re not playing the baseball that we know we can play.”
But on Wednesday, all they needed was one big inning to steal another win.
Miguel Rojas led off the inning with an infield single. Mookie Betts rolled another base hit through the left side to put two runners aboard. And with two out, up stepped Hernández, the second-year Dodger who has endeared himself in Los Angeles with his ability to produce clutch hits and game-changing moments.
“He relishes those spots,” Roberts said. “He’s really in the elite class of the ability to drive in runs.”
After a first-pitch ball, Burnes beat Hernández with his trademark cutter, dialing up the pitch for consecutive whiffs that put Hernández in a two-strike hole.
Hernández, however, didn’t panic, even though he later acknowledged he’s still working to get his feel for his swing back.
After his second empty hack, Hernández walked a lap around the hitting circle, called for a timeout and took a deep breath.

Dustin May gave up only one run in six innings.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“I chased two out of the strike zone after the first pitch,” Hernández said, “so [I was] just trying to walk around, talking to myself. Stay calm and just try to hit the ball.”
When Hernández dug back in, Burnes fired a slider that didn’t have nearly enough break. The pitch stayed over the outer half. Hernández barreled it up with a one-handed finish. And as the ball sailed out to straightaway center, he admired it all the way, watching his 10th long ball of the season travel every bit of 413 feet.
“I think that was the only pitch that he missed all night,” Hernández quipped.
It was the only scoring the Dodgers did Wednesday, finishing the game with just five hits.
But between May’s solid start (which dropped his ERA to 4.09), a four-out relief appearance from Lou Trivino (a recent minor league signing called into action with the Dodgers woefully short on right-handed relief options), and a bounceback save from closer Tanner Scott (who gave up two home runs in Tuesday’s come-from-behind win), it proved to be just enough — Hernández’s well-timed day off resulting in an even better-timed home run.
“It worked out that way, yeah,” Roberts laughed postgame. “It was certainly helpful for him to hit a three-run homer.”
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