Saturday, November 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2001, more than 300,000 fans packed downtown Phoenix and Bank One Ballpark for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ World Series victory parade. It was Arizona’s first major men’s professional sports championship.

Can service dogs help veterans heal from PTSD? Researchers at the University of Arizona are working to answer that question. Learn more in today’s Top Stories and let us know what you think in today’s Poll.

Is there a right day to run your errands? Gas is cheapest on the day you’d least expect, the DMV has two days you’ll want to avoid, and airlines, car dealers, and grocery stores each have a sweet spot of their own. We’re counting down what the data says about all seven, saving the biggest surprise for last. Amy has the full story on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

If you have $1 million or more, you may be asking how to create a retirement plan that fits your goals and situation. Download the guide from todays sponsor Fisher Investments, and discover the fundamental retirement questions, then schedule a conversation with a financial professional.

Voters Pass Measure Labeling Cartels as Terrorists

Arizona voters approved Proposition 317 on Tuesday, making drug cartels terrorist organizations under state law.

The measure passed with more than 56% of the vote and directs the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do “everything within its authority” to address cartel threats. It defines a cartel as any group whose members engage in human trafficking, drug trafficking for profit, or terrorism.

Critics including Gov. Katie Hobbs note that the department mostly handles administration and grants, with no officers who can make arrests. Former Yuma Sector Border Patrol Chief Chris Clem said steering those grants and intelligence toward cartels backs local police and sheriffs.

The Republican-led Legislature sent the measure to voters, and House Speaker Steve Montenegro said it gives law enforcement the tools it needs, while opponents dismissed it as symbolic. It takes effect once results are certified later this month.

University Researching how Service Dogs Help Veterans Heal

Ahead of Veterans Day, Phoenix-based Dogtopia’s charity announced Nov. 5 it is advancing University of Arizona research into whether service dogs help veterans stick with one of PTSD’s most effective and most difficult treatments.

The foundation has put more than $325,000 into the work since 2023. Its newest phase centers on prolonged exposure therapy, which asks veterans to confront traumatic memories and which many quit midway. The University of Arizona team is continuing this work through a national randomized clinical trial following veterans with PTSD over 15 months.

Lead researcher Maggie O’Haire asks whether dogs can help them ”overcome the stresses and challenges” involved.

A 2024 study of 156 veterans found that those with trained service dogs scored nearly 12 points lower on a PTSD symptom checklist after three months than those still waiting. It wasn’t randomized, so it can’t prove causation; a randomized trial is now underway.

Air Force veteran Kory Kelly, a study participant, said of his service dog, “Merin hasn’t erased my challenges, but she has helped me face them.”

TUSD Finalizes Eight Closure Proposals

Tucson Unified has capped its list at eight proposals to close or merge schools over the next two school years.

The plans include closing Hudlow Elementary and moving Magee Middle School students onto the Sabino High School campus. Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said each school community heard the news before the public did.

Trujillo says this round is about winning families back, not about the budget like past closures. ”We have to put the district in a place where it can grow again, and we have to do it now,” he told a public meeting.

Parents are fighting back. An online petition to save Collier Elementary has topped 850 signatures, and the Governing Board isn’t expected to decide until December.

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The 15-Minute Retirement Plan

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➤ Mesa: Gunfire outside Skyline High School sent a ricocheting fragment onto the baseball field Thursday night, striking a child, who is expected to be okay. Police briefly locked down the campus and have made no arrests. (Read Report)

➤ Kingman: A 41-year-old contract school janitor is accused of trading vapes and alcohol for nude photos of four girls ages 14 to 16. Deputies arrested a 57-year-old Kingman Unified teacher who admitted receiving the photos. (More)

➤ Huachuca City: State troopers arrested a semi driver whose rig turned in front of an oncoming car at State Routes 90 and 82 late Thursday, killing the car’s driver. (More)

➤ North Phoenix: Deputies seized 24 dogs, nine cats, and a horse on Nov. 3 from a home near 19th Avenue and Happy Valley Road. Its owner, who runs an animal rescue, was convicted of cruelty 15 years ago. (See Details)

➤ Flowing Wells: Pima County deputies charged a 50-year-old driver with manslaughter after a 42-year-old pedestrian he hit on Oct. 31 died two days later. Deputies say the driver fled to a nearby home and showed signs of intoxication. (Read Update)

➤ Also Mesa: A family is seeking $6 million, alleging Mesa police failed to safely transfer their daughter to a mental health facility. Six days later, she was struck and killed in Sun City. (More)

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➤ No. 22 Arizona hosted TCU last night, needing to win out to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Wildcats entered as seven-point favorites. (See Details)

➤ The Phoenix Suns forced 25 turnovers in a 117-104 win over the shorthanded Orlando Magic on Thursday, improving to 2-5. Devin Booker scored 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting with a season-high eight assists, and Dillon Brooks added 24. (See Recap)

➤ Two Mercury legends will enter the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame on June 26, 2027. Diana Taurasi retired as the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer with 10,646 points, and Sandy Brondello coached Phoenix to its 2014 title. (Meet Inductees)

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➤ Dermatologist Begs Women With Thin Hair To Use This Household Item. An Austin hairstylist’s 7-year client file revealed why thinning hair products fail after 50. The fix starts in your medicine cabinet. Learn More

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More accounts, managers and investment choices do not always add up to a cohesive wealth strategy. Investors with $1 million or more may benefit from considering how each decision fits their goals, time frame and full financial picture.

The 15-Minute Retirement Plan examines risk, inflation, withdrawals and how long you need your wealth to last. Download the guide and schedule a conversation with a financial professional to talk about your plan.

➤ Tree-listening microphones built at NAU to hear bark beetles chirping inside living trees head into Arizona’s forests next summer. State regents gave the project 12 more months, at no added cost, to test it alongside state foresters. (See Research)

➤ A 78-foot spire that crowned Paradise Valley’s Ascension Lutheran Church for more than 60 years was saved from demolition. Now the steel landmark needs a permanent home. (See Spire)

➤ Four Tucson-area teachers each won $2,500, plus $2,500 for their schools, as this year’s E.L.E.V.A.T.E. Award winners. The honorees, spanning early education through high school, were honored Thursday at the Stand Up 4 Teachers celebration. (Meet Teachers)

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➤ Hot cacao vs Green Tea… Which of these hot drinks was proven in a study boost stem cells by 220% in 30 days? Billionaires drop 6 figures on stem cell therapy, but this hot drink costs 50 cents a day and boosts anti-aging stem cells improving heart health, blood pressure, and longevity.

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.

➤ Most people run errands on the wrong days, and it’s costing us time and money. (Watch Breakdown)

➤ Social Security has set a new earnings limit that could temporarily cost some working seniors nearly $1,000 in benefits. (Listen Now)

➤ More young homebuyers are putting parents on their mortgages, with the practice surging in some of America’s priciest cities. (Podcast Available)