Firefighters to Aid Texas Recovery

Nearly 50 members of the Phoenix Fire Department’s FEMA search and rescue team were deployed Tuesday to assist with flood recovery efforts in Texas.

Among the hardest-hit areas in Texas was Kerr County, where floodwaters devastated Camp Mystic. Across the region, the death toll rose to 119 as of Wednesday.

Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty

A Phoenix man pleaded guilty to violating the rarely used federal Kingpin statute for his role in leading the Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and other states.

Authorities say Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, 55, and his son led the major drug ring.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania is prosecuting Monarrez-Mendoza, who faces a sentence of 20 years to life in prison and a possible $2 million fine. His sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 5.

The federal Kingpin statute is aimed at combating organized drug trafficking. Among members of the Monarrez drug organization, 23 of 35 defendants have been convicted, including 16 in Arizona.

Waymo Allows Solo Teen Riders

Waymo on Tuesday began allowing children aged 14 to 17 to ride alone in the company’s self-driving vehicles in a 315-square-mile service area in the Phoenix Valley.

Solo teen rides are managed through Waymo accounts linked to parents or guardians. The accounts share real-time trip details and allow Waymo agents to quickly call parents if needed. Ride receipts are sent to parents after each trip.

Supporters say the program will reduce driving accidents among teens, the age group that faces the highest risk of crashes due to preventable issues such as distraction and drowsiness.

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➤ Paradise Valley: Town leaders are exploring options to keep the town’s only post office open. The post office is managed by a private party under a special contract with the U.S. Postal Service. (Watch)

➤ Tucson: A man arrested for allegedly stealing a fire truck and driving to St. Joseph’s Hospital told police he was constipated. He refused to provide additional information. (More)

➤ Phoenix: Sky Harbor Airport travelers faced discomfort and long lines during a scheduled maintenance outage for the airport’s air conditioning system on Wednesday morning, ahead of triple-digit heat. (Watch)

➤ Tempe: The Kyrene School District will no longer offer bus transportation for athletics in the coming school year, citing a shortage of drivers. (Watch)

➤ Flagstaff: Little America Trails will be closed to the public because of homeless encampments and growing wildfire risks. The trail will remain open for Little America Hotel guests. (Details)

➤ Yuma: Police issued a warning about scammers who use dating apps and social media to extort victims by threatening to leak explicit photos. (More)

➤ Professional boxer Pedro Rodriguez was found dead inside his Phoenix hotel room hours after a fight Saturday at the American Royal Palace. The cause of death is under investigation. (More)

➤ Grand Canyon University will join the Mountain West Conference immediately, accelerating its plan to leave the Western Athletic Conference next summer. (More)

➤ The Arizona Cardinals are offering fans a luxury away-game experience that includes chartered flights, game tickets, and other all-inclusive perks. Packages range from $2,500 to $6,000. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA | Wimbledon

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➤ The state Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against four Phoenix Valley smoke shops, accusing them of marketing nicotine products to minors. (Details)

➤ A historic Queen Anne Victorian home converted into offices in downtown Tucson sold for $1.4 million in four days. The buyer plans to use the building for law offices. (Photo)

➤ Construction is underway to remodel and expand Northern Arizona Healthcare’s Summit Center in Flagstaff, with the work expected to take 18 months. (More)

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➤ A Phoenix Valley ophthalmologist and collector revealed what he thinks is the only privately owned copy of the Pennsylvania Packet newspaper edition that published the full Declaration of Independence in July 1776. (Watch)

➤ A Mesa woman designed a cover for trailer chains to stop sparks that can ignite wildfires, leading a grassroots campaign she calls Operation Spark Arrest. (Watch)

➤ Matthew Giordano, a former longtime Phoenix Police Department commander, was appointed as the department’s police chief. (Watch)

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