Monday, September 28, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Arizona during his presidential campaign, receiving an enthusiastic welcome at the Greenway Ranch in Williams.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ thrilling late-season playoff push came up short Sunday. See more coverage in Sports. What does the team need to do to get back to the postseason next year? Reply and tell us.

Some of the smartest financial decisions you’ll make as you near retirement are on things that save you money, time, or trouble down the road. The catch is that the window to buy them can close before you realize it was open. Why do so few retirees claim Social Security at the right time? What $150 scan can catch a silent problem before it lands you in the hospital? In the latest episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 purchases that are worth every penny, starting with the easy wins and ending with the ones you can’t undo if you wait. (Tune in here)

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U of A Freshman Class Shrinks

The University of Arizona enrolled 6,111 first-year students this fall, an 18.6% drop from 2025.

On-campus enrollment is down at all three state universities.

U of A officials say the smaller class reflects a return to more traditional class sizes and a decline in nonresident and international students.

U of A faculty chair Leila Hudson said the decline is “almost inevitably going to have financial repercussions” due to lower tuition revenue.

Diesel Prices Squeeze Farmers

Arizona’s average diesel price hit a record $6.45 a gallon last week, and farmers say the hike is hurting their bottom lines.

Arizona Worm Farm in Phoenix, which uses 1,000 gallons a month, says the higher prices add $40,000 a year.

The owners of a Casa Grande farm said they are discussing selling the farm. “The diesel prices are killing us,” co-owner Nancy Caywood said.

An early switch to winter-blend fuel may not bring quick relief, AAA said. You can check the latest diesel prices in your area here.

Verde Valley Wine Scene Grows

Verde Valley winemakers are finding success using the region’s sharp nightly temperature drops to grow grapes in the desert heat.

Temperatures drop 15 to 30 degrees after sunset, slowing ripening and helping preserve the grapes’ acidity.

At D.A. Ranch in Cornville, vineyards cover nearly 16 acres in a valley fed by water sources like Oak Creek.

Arizona wines are typically “as dry as the climate,” said Dylan Jung, the ranch’s wine club and entertainment manager.

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➤ Scottsdale: Police Chief Joe LeDuc said violent crime in Old Town is down by half over five years despite summer shootings. (More)

➤ Globe: Residents gathered Saturday to honor three people killed in last year’s flash flooding. (More)

➤ Flagstaff: Thirty-seven years later, DNA and fingerprint analysis identified a man killed by a train in 1989. (More)

➤ Tucson: The school district is weighing school consolidations or closures, with enrollment now under 40,000 in a district built for more than 67,000 students. (More)

➤ Gilbert: Wildlife volunteers have taken in ducks, turtles, and other animals as the town drains the Freestone Park lake for renovations, with some of the ducks sickened by possible botulism. (More)

➤ Wickenburg: Police arrested an elderly couple accused of running a chop shop in nearby Whispering Ranch, where investigators found a buried stolen vehicle. (More)

➤ Tombstone: A Friday traffic stop north of town that ended in a rollover crash and foot chase led investigators to a stolen-car ring reaching into metro Phoenix. (More)

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➤ The Arizona Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes came to an end on Sunday, with a 9-4 loss to San Diego and Philadelphia’s 7-3 win over Tampa Bay. Arizona finished the regular season with a record of 86-76. (More)

➤ The Arizona Cardinals put up a strong fight on the road against the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers before falling 36-30. (More)

➤ The Phoenix Suns rank among a group of potential play-in participants ahead of the NBA season, according to an ESPN analyst. (More)

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➤ Some things are worth paying more for as you get older, because waiting on them can cost you far more later. (Tune in here)

In the latest episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 things actually worth spending more money on as you near retirement. We get into the Social Security decision most retirees get wrong, the box of memories in your basement that may be running out of time, and the purchases that buy you something more important than money. Plus, the number-one item on the list becomes irreversible if you wait too long. (Watch Now)

In case you missed it, last week on Flyover Focus, we broke down what drives your cost of living, so tune in here.

➤ Mesa’s proposed economic plan for 2027-29 targets tech, lifestyle businesses, and four other industries and also calls for a New York media push. (More)

➤ Takanock LLC wants to annex its 160-acre data center site north of Luke Air Force Base into Glendale. (More)

➤ Five Starbucks stores in Chandler, Mesa, and Tucson appear to have shuttered as part of the chain’s latest North American closures, based on a Reddit user’s analysis of store hours. (More)

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➤ The Pumpkin & Chili Party at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek opens Thursday with a roller coaster and four other new rides to mark the farm’s 85th anniversary. (More)

➤ Hundreds of volunteers removed trash and invasive plants along the lower Salt River on Saturday for National Public Lands Day. (More)

➤ Nearly 30 adults with physical and intellectual disabilities learned basketball fundamentals at an event this weekend in Phoenix, supported by a Phoenix Suns/Mercury Foundation grant. (More)

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

➤ Ukraine airdropped kamikaze ground robots behind Russian lines and says they took out 3,000 troops. The general in charge calls it a world first. (Hear Details)

➤ A sweet tooth in the first two years of life may follow you into adulthood in a way researchers didn’t expect. (Listen Now)

➤ Alina Habba, President Trump’s former lawyer, married a 29-year-old Turkish billionaire at the Waldorf Astoria. (Hear More)