FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1854, President Franklin Pierce signed the Gadsden Purchase. The U.S. paid $10 million for a 29,760-square-mile area of Mexico that would become part of Arizona and New Mexico. See a map here.

We’re getting close to the podcast launch for the national edition of The Flyover! The first episode will be featured here on Monday. For now, here’s an introduction from our hosts, Ayla Brown and Amy Hess.

Do you love Arizona? So do our 50,000 readers. Advertise in The Arizona Flyover and connect your business with passionate locals. Learn more.

We’re flying today with Timeplast, offering an investment opportunity in a new environmentally safe plastic technology.

Ex-Cardinals Player Mistakenly Detained

Former Arizona Cardinals player Wesley Leasy was mistakenly detained at gunpoint by Mesa police at Sky Harbor Airport during a botched search for a shooting suspect.

Leasy, 53, was handcuffed after being misidentified by police, who were searching for a suspect with the assistance of a helicopter spotlight and K-9 units. Police admitted the mistake. The true suspect remained at large.

Leasy, a retired NFL linebacker who played for the Cardinals in 1995, said the experience traumatized him. He’s hired civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor to represent him.

Bodycam footage shows Leasy complying while protesting the error.

Former FBI Agent Details Train Heists

A former FBI agent offered insights on the likely methods used by thieves to pull off a series of Arizona train heists involving millions of dollars worth of stolen goods.

Retired agent John Iannarelli said train robbers often target slow-moving freight trains in remote areas to nab electronics, tools, shoes, and other goods.

He detailed how robbers use lookouts and bolt cutters to access freight cars, adding that they also may receive help from someone on the inside.

A report on a recent robbery details how thieves cut the train’s brake lines to steal Nike shoes from a railcar near Phoenix.

Parkinson’s Survivor Returns to Sculpting

Phoenix sculptor Bill Daggett, who’s battled Parkinson’s disease for more than two decades, returned to the studio after a life-changing procedure at the city’s Barrow Neurological Institute.

Deep brain stimulation surgery helped steady his tremors, allowing him to resume his craft for the first time in years.

The 79-year-old was emotional as he reflected on his journey, and he credited the surgery for restoring both his skills and his spirit.

Daggett is one of nearly 1 million people with Parkinson’s in the U.S.

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Japanese Water Soluble Plastic Has American Competition

Japan’s RIKEN institute recently unveiled a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours — a breakthrough in the fight against pollution. But Florida-based Timeplast may have quietly surpassed it.

With seven patents and a proprietary process called “molecular disintegration,” Timeplast’s plastics dissolve not just in seawater, but also in freshwater, rain, humidity, and soil. Unlike traditional solutions, these materials leave no microplastics behind and maintain the strength of conventional plastics. Already used in 3D-printing and flexible composites, Timeplast’s lineup is versatile and scalable.

They’re on a mission to revolutionize multiple industries:

Packaging
3D Printing
Healthcare
Agriculture
Consumer Goods
Marine
Construction
Retail & Events

As you can see, the market potential is enormous ($1.3T in total). That’s just one reason why they’ve already attracted over 6,000 investors.

This is your opportunity to join Timeplast as they lead a plastic revolution with global implications. Become a Timeplast shareholder now.

➤ Yuma: A local man accused Mexican National Guard troops of stealing $20 from his car after stopping him at the Arizona-Mexico border crossing, claiming he was playing music that glorified drug cartels. (Watch)

➤ Buckeye: Four teenagers, one of them armed with a gun, were arrested for fighting during student pickup time at an elementary school, police say. (More)

➤ Tucson: An armed person was detained near Pima Community College’s West Campus on Thursday afternoon. (More)

➤ Capitol: The state House passed a measure that would pay for the state’s disability services program. The bill now goes to the state Senate. (More)

➤ Scottsdale: The city announced the appointment of Joe LeDuc as police chief. (More)

➤ Peoria: Police investigated a possible shooting that led to a car crashing into a building. (Details)

➤ The Arizona Cardinals selected Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen with the 16th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night. Nolen tallied 26 solo tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2024. (More)

➤ Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was the eighth overall pick of the NFL draft on Thursday night, selected by the Carolina Panthers. (More)

➤ The Arizona Diamondbacks dropped a game to the Tampa Bay Rays despite Corbin Carroll’s two home runs. (Highlights)

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➤ Intel’s new CEO plans a 20% workforce reduction that could affect the company’s nearly 10,000-person Phoenix Valley workforce. (Details)

➤ Walmart plans to renovate 16 Arizona stores. The changes include wider aisles, new signage, and private pharmacy screening rooms. (More)

➤ Joe’s Farm Grill in Gilbert ranked second in the U.S. on Yelp’s list of top 100 family-friendly restaurants. (List)

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Meet the Genius Who Invented Plastic That Dissolves in Water

The world produces 450 million metric tons of plastic waste each year. Microplastics are seeping into our oceans and food. They even show up in our bodies. So you can imagine how revolutionary a new kind of plastic that completely dissolves in water can be.

Thatʼs exactly what Timeplast created. The company patented a water-soluble, time-programmable plastic that vanishes without harming the environment. Major players are already partnering with Timeplast for their patented technology.

Now you can invest in Timeplast as they scale in their $1.3 trillion market. Become a Timeplast shareholder here.

This is a paid advertisement for Timeplast’s Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.timeplast.com.

➤ 3D-printed artificial intelligence-aided robots are being built in the Phoenix Valley, and the developers say they could become your next co-workers. (Watch)

➤ Grand Canyon University will graduate 31,104 students this school year, the largest class in its 75-year history. (More)

➤ A proposal for a luxury movie theater in Green Valley follows a report showing residents make a combined 10,000 trips a year to Tucson’s Roadhouse and Harkins theaters. (More)

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