Friday, June 5, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1928, bids were opened for the construction of the North Rim Road at the Grand Canyon.

In Arizona, a cowboy hat isn’t a costume, it’s a credential. That’s clear from today’s Top Story about state lawmakers and their hats.

Today’s sponsor, BOXABL, is working to tackle America’s housing affordability crisis with factory-built, foldable homes designed for faster production, easier shipping, and scalable deployment. Later today, you’ll receive a message from them detailing the opportunity they offer.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Ocean Water Plan Advances

Arizona, Nevada, and California water agencies signed an agreement exploring an exchange of desalinated Pacific Ocean water and Colorado River allocations or credits, a move that could help address the West’s ongoing drought crisis.

The proposal centers on San Diego County’s Carlsbad Desalination Plant, with Arizona and Nevada receiving credit for water left in the Colorado River. The arrangement would rely on existing infrastructure rather than costly new pipelines.

Tom Buschatzke of the state Department of Water Resources joined Nevada and California officials at the Carlsbad plant to herald the signing, the first formal step in a model that could reshape how drought-stricken states share the over-allocated river.

Federal officials said the proposal reflects the creative solutions needed as the West’s water supply remains under stress and long-term basin negotiations continue.

Court Rejects Electors Case Appeal

The Arizona Supreme Court declined to review a lower-court ruling sending the state’s prosecution of the 2020 Republican presidential electors case back to a grand jury.

Afterward, the office of state Attorney General Kris Mayes announced plans to re-file the case with a grand jury.

In the lower-court ruling, a judge said grand jurors weren’t shown a key law governing certification of presidential contests that the defendants invoked in their defense.

Similar cases in Michigan and Georgia were dismissed, and a federal case against Trump was dropped in late 2024. Trump maintains the cases are politically motivated.

Lawmakers Share Stories Behind Cowboy Hats

An Arizona Capitol Times Q&A series took a closer look at a topic of special interest for one group of state senators: their cowboy hats.

The series concluded with state Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, who said he wears a hat for protection and as a lifestyle choice. “This is cowboy land,” he said of Arizona.

Earlier installments covered other Arizona senators, including state Sen. Janae Shamp, R-Surprise, who grew up riding horses and married a rancher.

You can find links to other lawmakers’ stories behind their hats here.

Flying together with our sponsor

BOXABL Is Betting on Factory-Built Housing

Boxabl’s goal is ambitious: build homes more like automobiles using factory automation and standardized production.

The company says a single automated factory could eventually produce thousands of homes annually while using significantly less labor than traditional homebuilding methods.

Its foldable Casita homes are designed to ship efficiently and unfold on-site in about one hour. BOXABL also says it is developing stackable housing systems for multifamily and larger residential projects.

BOXABL has announced plans for a proposed SPAC merger with FG Merger II Corp. (NASDAQ: FGMC), with the combined company expected to trade under the anticipated ticker symbol $BXBL following closing.

FGMC on Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/FGMC/

Learn more about the proposed transaction here.

➤ Statewide: Rescue agencies urged extra caution on desert trails as temperatures climb, warning that trail rescues are already trending upward across city preserves. (More)

➤ Phoenix: Waymo will begin offering free test rides to select customers in its new Ojai model, a larger, living-room-style autonomous vehicle. (More)

➤ Gilbert: Businesses at a decades-old shopping plaza were ordered to evacuate after inspectors found the building structurally unsafe. (More)

➤ Tucson: An immigration judge dismissed removal proceedings against Karla Toledo, a DACA recipient whose case had drawn community attention. (More)

➤ Phoenix: U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs and Eli Crane hosted a meeting last week on the state’s drug overdose crisis with National Drug Control Policy Director Sara Carter, tribal leaders, DEA personnel, and families who’ve lost loved ones. (More)

➤ The Cactus Bowl college football bowl game will return to Arizona State’s Tempe campus for the first time in years in December. (More)

➤ The Arizona Cardinals reportedly will not trade edge rusher Josh Sweat despite speculation fueled by his offseason absence. (More)

➤ Two Arizona State wide receivers made ESPN’s list of top 100 football newcomers, with Reed Harris at No. 31 and Omarion Miller at No. 33. (More)

➤ Arizona men’s basketball center Motiejus Krivas made FOX Sports‘ list of the top 10 returning players in college basketball. (More)

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➤ FedEx will close a Phoenix-area facility and lay off about 100 workers as part of a broader network streamlining effort. (More)

➤ Machine Investment Group bought a 10-building Hub 202 industrial park in Mesa, citing its location in one of the nation’s fastest-growing manufacturing corridors. (More)

➤ PrismJet began offering private aviation service between Scottsdale and Flagstaff’s Pine Canyon luxury golf community, cutting what is typically a 2.5-hour mountain drive to a 30-minute flight. (More)

➤ A study found that Metro Phoenix posted its strongest quarter ever for industrial property investment to start the year, driven by semiconductor manufacturers, logistics firms, and tech companies. (More)

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BOXABL’s Growth Story Is Drawing Investor Attention

This company has raised more than $235M from investors as it works toward its goal of transforming the housing industry with factory-built homes.

The company’s foldable housing system is designed to reduce shipping costs and speed up installation. Its flagship Casita unfolds on-site in less than one hour.

The company has announced a proposed merger with FG Merger II Corp. (NASDAQ: FGMC), which could result in BOXABL trading publicly on Nasdaq under the ticker $BXBL.

Shareholder meetings related to the proposed transaction are expected on June 9, 2026.

FGMC on Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/FGMC/

Find important information related to the proposed merger here.

BOXABL and FGMC have extended their merger deadline to June 30, 2026, pending shareholder approvals, see SEC Exhibit 99 for further details https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1816937

➤ Schmigadoon, co-created by Arizona native Cinco Paul, tied for the lead with 12 Tony Award nominations ahead of the June 7 ceremony at Radio City Music Hall. (More)

➤ A Scottsdale homeowner called wildlife control after hearing boxes crashing in the attic and discovering a bobcat and her cubs living in the space. (More)

➤ Energy experts shared tips on how Arizonans can cool their homes for less, including adjusting thermostat schedules and changing the ceiling fan direction. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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