Thursday, October 23, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1927, the University of Arizona dedicated its new library, built for $450,000. This site now houses the Arizona State Museum.

Now’s your chance to vote for your favorite finalist in the state transportation department’s 2025 Safety Message Contest, with winning slogans set to appear on freeway signs across Arizona.

🤖 Keep an eye on your inbox today: You will be receiving a special message from today’s edition sponsor, Miso Robotics, on how AI is transforming the fast-food industry and why today is the final day to invest.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Tensions Boil Over Water Rates

Gilbert police arrested 40-year-old Robert Bird last week for allegedly threatening town council members over steep water bill increases. Bird could not be reached for comment.

The arrest comes as some in Gilbert continue to express frustration over rising rates, including a two-phase 75% hike since spring 2024 and a planned 25% increase next year.

Some residents also report bills showing unusually high water usage, with thousands of unexplained gallons listed.

Town officials attribute the higher bills to phased-in rate increases to maintain and improve the water supply, new meters, a new billing system, and past miscalibrated meters.

Election System Dispute Reignites

First-year Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap asked a judge to stop an audit of the county’s election system, drawing a sharp rebuke from the county’s Board of Supervisors.

Heap, who ran as a critic of Arizona’s voting systems when he unseated incumbent Stephen Richer in 2024, argues an audit agreement between Richer and the board hamstrings his work and shouldn’t apply to him.

The Board of Supervisors responded with a statement accusing Heap of flip-flopping on the issue and saying he has “consistently played games with the court system, with disregard to voters and taxpayers’ money.”

Gas Prices Fall

Gas prices are falling, with the national average approaching $3 for the first time in four years and Arizona’s average down 24 cents in the past month to $3.38.

The drop in Arizona prices follows a brief spike caused by a California refinery fire, industry analyst Patrick De Haan said. On Wednesday, prices ranged from $3.05 in the Sierra Vista area to $3.66 in Scottsdale.

A proposed pipeline into Arizona from Oklahoma and Texas refineries could help stabilize prices in the future, De Haan said.

The national average recently dropped to $3.05, driven by lower demand, falling crude oil prices, and cheaper winter-blend gas.

Flying together with our sponsor

Elon Musk: “Robots Will… Do Everything Better”

And it’s already happening.

Just look at fast food. Miso Robotics is already delivering an AI-powered fry-cooking robot called Flippy, which can cook perfectly and never calls in sick.

As restaurants grapple with 144% labor turnover rates and $20/hour minimum wages, it’s no surprise brands like White Castle are turning to Miso. Now, after selling out the first run of its first fully commercial robot in one week, Miso is leveraging a new manufacturing partnership to scale production to 100,000+ US fast food locations facing staffing challenges.

In fact, with its US-based manufacturing now ramping up, Miso has partnerships with NVIDIA, Amazon, and Uber AI to help refine its robots and AI.

And you can join 39k+ people as an early-stage Miso investor today. But don’t wait. Today is the final day to invest this year.

➤ Phoenix Valley: Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb will run for the 5th Congressional District, seeking to succeed fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who is running for governor. (Watch)

➤ Benson: Cleanup was underway after three Union Pacific rail cars derailed Tuesday morning near State Highway 80 and Fourth Street. Nobody was injured. (Watch)

➤ Globe: City officials aim to submit flood damage assessments by Friday, aiming to reach the $13 million threshold needed for federal aid that could cover up to 90% of reconstruction costs. (Watch)

➤ Sierra Vista: The police department expanded its K-9 program, adding two dogs trained to detect fentanyl and other narcotics. (Watch)

➤ Pima County: A deputy was unharmed after his patrol SUV flipped onto its roof following a collision at Cortaro and Thornydale roads. (Watch)

➤ The Phoenix Suns held off the Sacramento Kings for a 120–116 home victory in their season opener on Wednesday. (Score)

➤ The Big 12 fined Arizona State $50,000 for fans rushing the field after the team’s win against Texas Tech on Saturday. (More)

➤ Liberty High School in Peoria topped one publication’s Arizona high school football rankings for the second straight week, followed by the Hamilton Huskies and the Basha Bears. (Rankings)

➤ Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi said she didn’t watch her former team in the WNBA Finals this year because she was on a family vacation in Hawaii. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAF | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ Foreclosures in metro Phoenix were up 30% year-over-year through September, though analysts note the level remains historically low. (More)

➤ Fresenius Kidney Care in Flagstaff began offering at-home dialysis to rural patients in an effort to reduce patient travel time and improve treatment flexibility. (More)

➤ Supporters and critics continued to debate the planned $3.6 billion Project Blue data center, with Pima County officials saying much of the county’s work on the project is done unless the developer seeks changes. (Watch)

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[FINAL DAY] The AI Restaurant Brands Are Demanding

Sellouts are good for business, and Miso sold out its initial units of the newest AI-powered kitchen robot, Flippy Fry Station, in just one week.

Why? The $1T fast-food industry faces 144% worker turnover and $20/hour minimum wages in places like California. But these units can boost industry profits by up to $24B. Brands like White Castle already use them.

With partnerships in place with NVIDIA, Amazon, and Uber AI to refine its robots and AI, Miso is currently ramping up its U.S.-based manufacturing to capture a $4B/year annual revenue opportunity.

There are over 100,000 U.S. fast food locations in need, making your opportunity to become an early-stage investor today all the more enticing.

Just don’t waste time. Today is the final day to invest this year.

This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.

➤ Chaparral High School in Scottsdale will host a car wash fundraiser on Saturday, with all proceeds going to cure spinal muscular atrophy. (Watch)

➤ Fire crews in Oro Valley ordered temporary evacuations and shelter-in-place orders on Tuesday while responding to a hazardous materials incident involving pool chemicals. Nobody was injured. (Photo)

➤ The Sedona International Film Festival will show The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood. (Details)

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