Saturday, October 24, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2001, Flagstaff became the world’s first International Dark Sky City. The International Dark-Sky Association gave the city the title for its work keeping the night sky dark while still protecting public safety.

Multiple Native American communities across northern and eastern Arizona are working to recover after severe storms brought devastating flash flooding this week, displacing dozens of families and prompting emergency declarations. Severe flooding in the Four Corners region also prompted multiple water rescues on Friday. See Top Stories for more information.

What are the best and worst grocery stores? Texas swears by H-E-B. Florida won’t hear a bad word about Publix. California gave the country Trader Joe’s. What about Walmart, Albertsons, and Costco? Only one of them can be America’s top-rated supermarket. More than 31,000 shoppers graded the nation’s biggest grocery chains, and the results can be polarizing. Is your weekly grocery store on the best list or the worst? Ayla has the countdown on today’s Flyover Podcast. Tune in and pick a side.

Many of you have used Insurify to compare auto insurance. Today’s sponsor is back with another way to look for savings: homeowners insurance. This is our first time sharing Insurify’s home offering, bringing the same trusted comparison process to another big household expense.

Floodwaters Force Rescues on Tribal Lands

Rescue crews pulled 30 people from flooded homes in Dennehotso, a Navajo Nation community in Apache County, Thursday night.

The flooding also left several elders stranded, and Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said a helicopter was sent for those whom ground crews couldn’t reach. Another team drove an all-terrain rescue vehicle through floodwater to reach homes.

Near Tuba City, the Hopi Tribe declared a state of emergency after the Moenkopi Wash rose nearly 5 feet and displaced at least eight families. About 50 people evacuated along Cibecue Creek on the White Mountain Apache Reservation, where floodwaters washed out part of the main road.

In the Four Corners region, National Guard crews pulled people off rooftops Friday in New Mexico, and Farmington ordered about 600 households along the San Juan River to evacuate. A National Weather Service meteorologist said the region is saturated after the “third or fourth round” of heavy moisture in as many weeks.

Heber Residents Question Tornado Warning

Some Heber-Overgaard residents say the tornado warning that hit their phones Wednesday night left them almost no time to take cover.

Jon Crandell said his family was eating dinner when the alert buzzed, and a deep roar followed 15 to 20 seconds later. He believes the wind lifted his RV over a storage container, destroying it.

The National Weather Service issued the warning at 7:02 p.m., once radar detected the tornado, and cell carriers took a couple of minutes to relay it, meteorologist Mark O’Malley said. The fire district puts touchdown between 7:15 and 7:25 p.m., with the first 911 call at 7:18 p.m.

A bicyclist caught in the storm was thrown and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The weather service sent a team to survey the damage and confirm whether it was a tornado.

Arizona Approved for Workforce Pell Grants

Arizona students who qualify for Pell Grants can now use them to learn to draw blood as phlebotomy technicians at Pima Medical Institute, after the U.S. Department of Education approved a Workforce Pell program for the state.

Workforce Pell was created by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act that President Trump signed into law last year. It lets students use Pell Grants on accredited programs lasting 8 to 15 weeks, rather than only on two- and four-year degrees.

Arizona is the seventh state to win approval. The department signed off on Iowa first, in August, followed by Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida.

Mark Luebke, Pima Medical Institute’s co-CEO, said in a statement released by the department: “Workforce Pell creates an exciting opportunity for more students to pursue hands-on training and take their first step toward a meaningful healthcare career.”

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You Checked Your Car Insurance. What About Your Home?

Your homeowners insurance renews. You pay the bill. Another year goes by.

But when was the last time you checked what other insurers would charge?

If you’ve used Insurify for auto insurance, you already know the idea: compare your options and see whether there’s a better fit for your budget. Now you can do the same for your home.

Insurify lets you compare home insurance quotes from multiple companies, giving you a way to explore potential savings without visiting each insurer’s website individually.

It’s free to compare, and you can weigh the price, coverage, and deductible against your current policy. Whether you’ve tried Insurify before or you’re starting fresh, here’s another household bill worth a second look.

See what you could save on home insurance.

➤ Rimrock: Arizona Department of Public Safety rescued four people from the roof of an SUV that was swept 150 feet down Wet Beaver Creek near Sedona Thursday. Yavapai County deputies found them and sent GPS coordinates to the crew. No injuries were reported. (See Rescue)

➤ Statewide: Gov. Katie Hobbs announced $16 million in state housing grants Friday to add shelter space and keep homeless services running. Recipients range from Kingman to Sierra Vista, and 78 providers applied. (Learn More)

➤ Phoenix: Flames tore through a vacant building near I-17 and Greenway Road early Friday, forcing two occupied buildings next door to evacuate. About 100 firefighters brought the second-alarm fire under control in roughly 30 minutes. No one was hurt. (See Fire)

➤ Grand Canyon: The park’s newest employee is Blue, an 18-month-old Catahoula dog whose job is teaching elk to stay out of crowded areas. The park has more elk than ever, and a record share are used to people, a wildlife biologist said. (Meet Blue)

➤ Clarkdale: Police closed the TAPCO River Access Point on Thursday after high water on the Verde River put part of the area underwater. (See Closure)

➤ Tucson: Tucson Unified wants to fold Magee Middle into Sabino High, 7 miles away, starting in 2027-28. Magee has lost more than half its students since 2018. Middle schoolers would get separate buildings, classes, and lunch periods. (More)

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➤ The Arizona Cardinals ruled out running back Jeremiyah Love and defensive lineman Walter Nolen III, both with ankle injuries, for Sunday’s game against Denver. Neither is expected to land on injured reserve. Love will miss his second straight game. (More)

➤ NAU football is having one of its strongest seasons in years. The Lumberjacks beat Portland State 38-25 in their homecoming game, overcoming an early 14-0 deficit. The Lumberjacks visit Southern Utah next to face the Thunderbirds on Oct. 31. (More)

➤ Phoenix Rising FC can clinch a USL Championship playoff spot by beating Lexington SC at home tonight in their regular-season finale. Rising have won two straight, and Ihsan Sacko’s 16 goals tie for the league lead. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | MLB | NHL | NBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Could you handle an unexpected vet bill? Pet insurance may help cover eligible treatment costs when your furry companion gets sick or injured. Explore pet insurance options with Money.com, and compare costs, deductibles, and exclusions before choosing. See whether coverage makes sense for your pet and budget.

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Same Trusted Process. Another Place to Look for Savings.

Already compared your auto insurance through Insurify? Give your homeowners policy the same attention.

You don’t have to be moving or buying a house to explore your options. If you’ve been renewing the same policy year after year, comparing quotes can help you see how it stacks up today.

Your home is a major investment. Its insurance deserves more than an automatic renewal.

Compare home insurance quotes for free.

➤ A pottery festival that started in a Camp Verde potter’s home studio has hit a milestone. Ben Roti worried in fall 2021 that no one would come. Five years and a venue change later, the Verde Valley Pottery Festival is set to celebrate its fifth anniversary Nov. 13-15 at D.A. Ranch in Cornville. (See Details)

➤ Trader Joe’s is opening two new stores in Phoenix. They’re part of 28 new locations the grocer plans to open across 15 states in the coming months. (See Openings)

➤ Phoenix’s Cholla Library turns 50, and young artists can help mark the occasion. Councilwoman Ann O’Brien announced a youth contest to design a mural for the branch. (Learn More)

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➤ Could your next grocery trip cost less? When checkout totals squeeze your budget, a few changes to your shopping routine may help. Explore The Penny Hoarder’s grocery savings tips for ideas to try before your next store run. See which tips could work for your household.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country.

➤ What are the best and worst grocery stores in America? Shoppers just ranked them all. (Hear Ranking)

➤ The Trump administration has canceled some of its toughest tariffs on Canada, less than two weeks before the midterms. (Listen Now)

➤ Mexican prosecutors have filed treason charges over a CIA drug raid that left four people dead, escalating sovereignty tensions. (Hear Story)