Saturday, May 9, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1939, Bartlett Dam on the Verde River was completed in under 1,000 days of construction, delivering critical water storage to farms and families across Central Arizona.

A wild burro took a misstep and wound up in a stinky situation in Kingman. Learn more in today’s Et Cetera.

A deadly virus just killed three people aboard a cruise ship, and passengers have now scattered to more than a dozen countries, including here in the United States. It’s not COVID. It’s not the flu. It’s Hantavirus, and the way it spreads might already be hiding in your home. On today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast, host Amy Hess reveals the five things every American needs to know before this gets any closer. Tune in here!

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Colorado River’s Historic-Low Forecast

The Colorado River is headed for record-low flows this summer—and a federal hydrologist was left momentarily at a loss for words describing just how dire the latest projections have become.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s new forecast projects flows into Lake Powell will hit the lowest levels ever recorded, after Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming posted the worst Rocky Mountain snowpacks in history. Inflows are forecast at just 29% of historical average—potentially pushing the reservoir below minimum power pool by August.

Seven states, two countries, and 40 million people share this river. While interstate negotiations have been stalled, Arizona, California, and Nevada announced a temporary plan to cut Colorado River water use.

“We have kind of a crisis situation that this past winter has created,” Tom Buschatzke, Arizona’s lead negotiator, said earlier this week. “We need to do everything we can, and that’s what our plan does, to find a short-term fix.”

Man Sentenced in Navajo Disappearance Case

The only person ever charged in the unsolved 2021 disappearance of Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay was sentenced on Friday in federal court—five years after Begay vanished from her home in Sweetwater.

Preston Henry Tolth, 26, pleaded guilty to robbery under a federal plea agreement. Under its terms, he faces a maximum of five years in prison with credit for the three years he has already served. Tolth admitted to taking Begay’s pickup truck by force, striking the then-62-year-old in the face, and leaving her on the roadside before driving away. He later sold the truck for cash and methamphetamine.

Begay’s fate remains unknown. No one has been charged with her disappearance or death—only the robbery of her vehicle. Her case drew national attention as a stark example of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis, a systemic pattern of violence and inadequate law enforcement response affecting Native communities across the country.

Near-Record Heat Arrives This Weekend

Summer arrived early in the Valley this weekend. After weeks in the low 80s, Phoenix was already at 102°F by Friday, and it’s only getting hotter. Forecasters expect 104°F today, 106°F Sunday, and 108°F by Monday—making this the hottest stretch of 2026 so far. First Alert Weather Days are in effect through Monday for metro Phoenix.

Cooling centers are open across the Valley. The City of Phoenix is operating a 24/7 respite center at 20 W. Jackson Street downtown, with additional hours at the Justa Center (1001 W. Jefferson St., 3-9 p.m.). If you’re planning an outdoor Mother’s Day brunch, early morning is your best window.

The heat extends well beyond Phoenix. AccuWeather is tracking similar extremes across the interior Southwest, with triple digits stretching from Palm Springs to Tucson. For Arizonans, it’s the unofficial announcement: summer is here, and it didn’t bother knocking.

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➤ Phoenix: The Arizona Department of Transportation issued a weekend travel advisory with closures or lane restrictions scheduled for freeway improvement projects. Drivers should allow extra travel time and use detour routes as needed. (More)

➤ Bullhead City: A 23-year-old man is charged with terrorism after investigators say he was building a bomb at his home and referenced the Laughlin Bridge in recorded phone calls with an incarcerated family member. (More)

➤ Laveen: The Phoenix Union High School District voted to change the name of Cesar Chavez High School after the governing board members condemned the sexual abuse allegations against labor leader Cesar Chavez. The school has officially been renamed to Cactus Canyon High School. (More)

➤ Prescott: Yavapai County officials are urging residents to clear brush and create defensible space as fire risk escalates. Crews say the preparation window is closing fast after a difficult spring brush fire season across Arizona. (More)

➤ North Phoenix: TSMC released rare video footage from inside its Fab 21 chip plant—the first public look at the facility, highlighting both the scale of the project and the complexity of its semiconductor manufacturing operations. (More)

➤ Tempe: Canvas, the learning management platform used by ASU and thousands of schools worldwide, was knocked offline Thursday by a ransomware attack during finals week, disrupting exams and grading before service was restored Friday. (More)

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➤ The Phoenix Mercury open their season tonight against the Aces in a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals. The Mercury returned stars Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, but lost Satou Sabally to the Liberty in free agency. (More)

➤ New Arizona State basketball coach Randy Bennett said he doesn’t want NIL to be the primary motivation for recruits choosing the Sun Devils. (More)

➤ Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen—who re-signed on a one-year deal this offseason—is already being floated as a trade deadline candidate after posting a 4.45 ERA through his first seven starts. (More)

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➤ DoorDash named Arizona Flower Market in Phoenix to its inaugural Top 100 Local Florists for Mother’s Day list—recognizing small shops with top customer ratings. If you haven’t ordered flowers yet, consider this your reminder. (More)

➤ A wild burro fell into a septic tank at an RV park near Kingman last week and the Bureau of Land Management showed up to pull it out. It was a “stinky situation” that ended on a positive note. Afterward, the burro was rinsed off with a hose and given alfalfa and fresh, clean water. (More)

➤ The Arizona Biltmore is pitching Valley residents on a summer staycation—pool, spa, and Frank Lloyd Wright architecture without the airport hassle. With 108-degree heat arriving this weekend, the math is pretty straightforward. (More)

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