FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1890, Walter and Edward Vail started driving 1,000 head of cattle to California after boycotting the Southern Pacific Railroad—the last major cattle drive in Arizona and one of the last in the country. Here’s a photo of one such Arizona cattle drive circa 1890.

Are you interested in show business? Now might be your chance to appear on the big screen, as several movies and TV shows are casting in Phoenix and Tucson. You can see a list in our Et Cetera section.

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State Students’ Reading, Math Below Average

Arizona students’ math and reading scores dropped significantly in 2024, according to the results of an exam known as the nation’s report card.

The data shows similar patterns across America following the Covid-19 pandemic. In Arizona, the results were poor enough to drop the state below the national average.

The test is given every two years to a sample of America’s children and was administered in 2024 in every state for the fourth and eighth grades.

Nationally, results showed no new reading gains in any state compared to 2022, and one-third of eighth graders were not reading at basic levels—a greater percentage than ever before.

Hobbs Nominates New Supreme Court Justice

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Wednesday appointed Judge Maria Elena Cruz as the state’s newest Supreme Court justice, the first appointment by a Democratic governor since 2005. See video here.

The governor called Cruz “eminently qualified” and said of her nomination that it was a “historic moment,” as Cruz is the first Latina and black justice chosen for the state’s high court.

Cruz, who said she’s avoided politics for much of her life, called the bipartisan support she’s received so far “an expression of people’s confidence.”

Hobbs was tasked with nominating a new justice after the retirement of Justice Robert Brutinel last year.

Record Bass Caught in Lake Havasu

A 72-year-old retiree broke a 17-year-old Lake Havasu bass fishing record this month when he reeled in an 11.34-pound largemouth bass.

Brad Miller, an angler who splits his fishing time between Lake Havasu and Florence, Oregon, caught the record-breaking fish in about 7 feet of water using a swim jig.

A certified scale confirmed the fish as the lake’s heaviest ever caught. Miller measured and photographed the bass before successfully releasing it back into the lake.

The previous record was held by Stan Culling, who caught a bass weighing 10.52 pounds near the lake’s London Bridge.

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➤ Sedona: Two groups of lost hikers, totaling eight people, were rescued on Wednesday from Devil’s Bridge Trail after snowfall covered the walkways. (More)

➤ Tolleson: The Tolleson School District announced it will purchase a school from the Isaac School District in order to help with the district’s mounting debt and talks of layoffs. (See Details)

➤ Douglas: A Customs Patrol K-9 dog helped capture a couple during a human-smuggling attempt at the Port of Douglas. (See Video)

➤ Phoenix: A flight from Phoenix to Washington D.C. was canceled in the aftermath of American Airlines’s deadly collision with a military helicopter over Washington D.C. on Wednesday evening. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: A group of bipartisan lawmakers have introduced the Arizona Starter Homes Act, a bill to reduce housing costs. (See Video)

➤ Mount Lemmon: A winter storm brought snow to the Catalina Mountains and slick conditions to Mount Lemmon. (See Video Report)

➤ Pima County: Drivers should expect to see delays on several roadways as repaving efforts begin. (See List)

➤ The Phoenix Suns are reportedly no longer looking to trade for Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler despite Butler indicating on multiple occasions that he would like to play for the Suns. (More)

➤ Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has become the sixth member of the Cardinals organization to be elected to the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. (More)

➤ Devin Fitzgerald, son of Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald, has received an offer from Arizona State’s football team. (More)

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➤ A list of the 50 largest employers in Arizona features Banner Health at No. 1 and Discover Financial Services at 50. See which other familiar names made the list. (See List)

➤ Construction is underway for a luxury housing development in Sedona. The Toll Brothers development will feature a hillside enclave of 30 homes on approximately 1 acre each, with red rock views. (See Image)

➤ Arizona ranks among the top five states for the biggest decrease in unemployment. As of December, the state’s unemployment rate was 4.1%. (See Details)

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➤ A woman gave birth to quadruplet babies this week at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix. All four girls were born within three minutes of each other. (See Photo)

➤ Phoenix came within one day of breaking its longest dry streak ever after not seeing rain for 159 consecutive days. It rained .01” on Wednesday at Sky Harbor Airport, stopping just short of matching the 160-day record. (More)

➤ A number of movies and TV shows are now casting in Phoenix. See which roles they’re looking to fill. (More)

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