Friday, August 14, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1898, a storm swept through Gila Bend, demolishing a school and businesses while overturning freight cars.

Looking for a cool escape? The Dorrance DOME offers just the ticket in Top Stories.

What if the hours you already spend on your phone could actually earn you money? Today’s sponsor, Mode Mobile, is building technology to do just that, and more than 66,000 investors have already backed its vision. Learn more below, and watch for a special message later today about the technology behind its “EarnPhone” and the opportunity to invest.

Biggs Disputes Hobbs Tax Ad

Republican gubernatorial nominee U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs called Gov. Katie Hobbs’ campaign ads tying him to a federal tax proposal deceptive, saying his state plan calls for a phase-out of the state income tax.

Meanwhile, Biggs’ running mate, former state Sen. Sine Kerr, continued to blast Hobbs’ running mate John Giles for refusing to debate, posting that “I don’t think I would debate either if I had to defend her record.” Hobbs is also opting out of debates.

Biggs’ platform calls for a phase-out of the state income tax with the revenue loss covered through efficiencies and asset sales. The tax mentioned in the ad refers to his support for the federal FairTax.

A Hobbs campaign spokesperson said the ad was based on remarks Biggs made in 2012 when he was running for state Senate.

Waymo Expands Into East Valley

Waymo expanded its driverless service area by 55 square miles Thursday, adding parts of Chandler, Gilbert, and San Tan Ranch.

The company’s Valley coverage now tops 350 square miles, and the growth moves service closer to Waymo’s own Mesa vehicle depot.

Waymo said it will add Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport pickups in the near future, joining Sky Harbor and Scottsdale Airpark.

Waymo opened its first metro Phoenix location in Chandler in 2016.

Immersive Ocean Film Offers Desert Escape

The Arizona Science Center will offer additional special viewings of Sounds of the Ocean through December, giving more visitors a chance to view the 47-minute multisensory film.

The globally recognized film is shown in the Dorrance DOME, where viewers recline in a 65-degree theater while ocean sounds and scenes play out on a 60-foot LED dome screen.

Alec Warren, the director of the dome and planetarium, urged visitors to book early because dates are selling out.

The dome, which opened last year, is “the most immersive, technologically advanced planetarium on Earth, right here in Phoenix,” he said. You can view current and upcoming dome shows here.

Flying together with our sponsor

What 66,281 investors saw when they looked…

More than 66,000 investors already decided to invest in Mode Mobile.

They saw a company with:

$107M+ invested to date
$115M+ lifetime revenue
$1B+ earned/saved by users

They saw a company already profitable before going public.

They saw 32,481% three-year revenue growth which ranked #1 in software on Deloitte’s fastest-growing companies list.

And they saw an opportunity to invest while Mode was still private.

Over 4 trillion hours are spent on smartphones each year. Mode is building ways to turn that screen time into income.

Over 66,000 investors are already in. You can still join them at $0.52/share before the price changes.

⚠️ Last chance to invest at $0.52/share. Price changes today.

➤ Tucson: Video shows bystanders struggling to pull two people from rushing water in Sabino Canyon on Thursday morning. (More)

➤ Statewide: A judge ruled the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office must remove the term “school voucher program” from a November ballot question seeking to limit Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. (More)

➤ Litchfield Park: The city lost about 50 large trees after Sunday night’s monsoon storm pummeled the West Valley community. No one was injured. (More)

➤ Northern Arizona: Small businesses and nonprofits that lost revenue to the Pocket Fire can now apply for federal economic injury loans. (More)

➤ Surprise: Police paused the city’s license plate reader program and placed an officer on leave after an audit found potential misuse. (More)

➤ Glendale: A barricaded 59-year-old man who repeatedly fired a rifle at officers was found dead of a gunshot wound Wednesday evening. Police have not said whether it was self-inflicted. (More)

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➤ Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll became the first player in MLB history with 100 homers, 100 steals, and 50 triples in his first 650 games, reaching the mark in his 606th game. (More)

➤ The Arizona Cardinals defeated Las Vegas 27-14 on the road Thursday night, the Cardinals’ second preseason game. Arizona rookie running back Jeremiyah Love made his preseason debut. (More)

➤ Northern Arizona named James Malamas as the play-by-play voice for Lumberjacks football and men’s basketball, succeeding Mitch Strohman, who retired after 30 years. (More)

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➤ Healthcare Made Convenient with OMZO. From weight loss and hair loss to sexual health and skincare, OMZO brings personalized telehealth care right to you. Connect with licensed providers online, explore treatment options tailored to your needs, and get convenient access to care without the waiting room—all from the privacy of home. Explore OMZO Telehealth today >>

➤ Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan, and HF Sinclair will proceed with the planned $5 billion Western Gateway Pipeline, a 1,300-mile system expected to carry 230,000 barrels a day of Midwest and Gulf Coast fuel to Phoenix and California by 2029. (More)

➤ Raytheon secured a $745 million Missile Defense Agency contract to build and sustain SM-3 Block IIA interceptors, with production in Tucson and Huntsville, Alabama. (More)

➤ A Scottsdale man was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison and ordered to repay more than $10.7 million after admitting to 17 years of embezzlement at the software company where he worked. (More)

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➤ Struggling With Blood Pressure Management? This device helps monitor your vital signs accurately at home without expensive doctor visits or unreliable readings. Learn More

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Palantir grew 1,540% This company did 32,481%

Palantir just rocketed to $420 billion by helping companies turn vast amounts of data into value.

There’s just one group that missed out on the data boom: the people producing it.

Mode Mobile wants to change that.

By allowing users to share in the value of everyday smartphone activity, they’ve facilitated over $1 billion in earnings and savings.

With 32,481% 3-year revenue growth, they ranked #1 in software on Deloitte’s fastest-growing companies list, and investors have until August 14 to invest at $0.52/share.

Like Uber turned cars into taxis and Airbnb turned homes into hotels, Mode is transforming smartphones into EarnPhones.

🚨Last chance to invest at $0.52/share. Price changes at 5PM ET.

This is a paid advertisement for Mode Mobile Regulation A+ offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.modemobile.com/ *Mode Mobile recently received their ticker reservation with Nasdaq ($MODE), indicating an intent to IPO in the next 24 months. An intent to IPO is no guarantee that an actual IPO will occur. *Mode cumulative revenue includes full year revenue of businesses acquired in 2025.

➤ A free indoor art festival will debut Aug. 22-23 at the Westin La Paloma in Tucson, giving more than 60 artists a place to sell work away from the heat. (More)

➤ Some in Flagstaff took canoes out on flooded streets Tuesday after 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain fell in parts of the city in under an hour. (More)

➤ Barn owls in the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area in Cochise County laid a rare second clutch of eggs this month after raising five owlets earlier in the year, surprising state biologists watching a webcam. (More)

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➤ Johns Hopkins researchers identified a “silent epidemic” that may increase frailty risk by 230% in Americans over 50. The surprising solution isn’t another medication, but a forgotten superfood linked to Nobel Prize-winning research. This nutrient dense food may support memory, muscle strength, and bone health, yet most Americans rarely eat it. Learn More

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane watch as a strengthening Pacific storm threatens heavy rain and flooding. (Hear Details)

➤ Luigi Mangione is reportedly weighing a courtroom move that could upend his murder trial in New York. (Hear Episode)

➤ Tech executives are cloning themselves with artificial intelligence, and some of the digital doubles are already going rogue. (Listen Now)