Monday, August 17, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1877, teen outlaw Billy the Kid (then Henry Antrim) fatally shot blacksmith Frank “Windy” Cahill in a saloon fight near Camp Grant in the Arizona Territory, considered his first killing.

How does the military decide who’s tough enough to become a Navy SEAL? Why does it take a full year to train someone to fly a plane that never leaves the ground? And what exactly happens inside the school that teaches Americans how to survive being captured? The military doesn’t advertise most of this, but the answers are out there, buried in Navy attrition reports, Army training records, and firsthand accounts from the people who made it through. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla digs into what that paper trail reveals about how America really forges its warfighters. Tune in here!

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Extreme Heat Returns

The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning from today through Friday night for the Valley, warning that highs will climb back to 110 degrees or higher.

Southern Arizona also faces sizzling temperatures, with an extreme heat warning covering most of Pima County from 10 a.m. Monday through 8 p.m. Friday, with highs near 106 in Tucson.

A strong ridge of high pressure is driving the warm-up, with Phoenix bracing for another stretch of extreme heat after already recording 24 days above 110 degrees this season.

Storm chances are expected to pick up in the second half of the week.

Top Official Objects to River Rules

Arizona’s top water official told federal officials that the government’s preferred plan for the Colorado River could inflict catastrophic harm on the state’s residents.

Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke laid out seven objections in an August 10 letter to the Interior Department, which is finalizing post-2026 river rules.

The federal framework could cut Lower Basin deliveries by up to 3 million acre-feet while seeking only 200,000 acre-feet in voluntary Upper Basin reductions.

State water officials have said the plan could devastate Arizona’s economy, and Buschatzke wrote that Arizona reserves the right to take its Colorado River Compact claims to court.

‘Tickets’ Reward Good Parkers

Downtown Mesa is putting mock Cloud Citations on windshields through early September, rewarding drivers who park legally instead of fining those who do not.

Parking staff pick legally parked vehicles at random, and each ticket carries a QR code that opens an entry form for biweekly prize drawings. Winners receive merchandise, gift cards, and prize bundles from local businesses.

The promotion adds to the city’s Main Street revival push that includes a city-backed restaurant incubator. The cloud theme of the tickets is a playful nod to monsoon season.

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➤ Douglas: A magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck about 19 miles from the city early Sunday. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. (More)

➤ Sells: A federal judge declined to halt 62 miles of border wall construction along the Tohono O’odham Nation’s southern boundary, rejecting the tribe’s claim of illegal trespassing. (More)

➤ Tucson: Flock co-founder Garrett Langley said his company’s license plate cameras could have solved the Nancy Guthrie case, as some Arizona agencies cut ties with the surveillance firm. (More)

➤ Phoenix: A fire tore through a Travelodge near 25th Avenue and Greenway Road early Sunday, displacing about 30 people from more than 50 units. No injuries were reported. (More)

➤ Queen Creek: Mayor Julia Wheatley said governing the fast-growing town is a balancing act between improving quality of life and managing the pressures of rapid growth. (More)

➤ Kingman: Route 66 reopened early Saturday after nearly 4 inches of rain in hours flooded the area and damaged stretches of the highway. (More)

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➤ The Arizona Rattlers won their second Indoor Football League championship in three years on Sunday night in Tucson, defeating the Green Bay Blizzard 62-51. (More)

➤ Newly inducted Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Amar’e Stoudemire reflected on his time in Phoenix in his induction speech Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts. He extended praise to the Suns medical staff and former coach Mike D’Antoni, who was also inducted into the Hall as a contributor. “(We had) such a brilliant time and a great moment in history in Phoenix, playing under coach Mike D’Antoni with the ‘Seven Seconds or Less’ offense. We had so much fun,” Stoudemire said. (More)

➤ Arizona Cardinals star rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will miss at least one week after suffering an ankle injury in his preseason debut on Thursday. (More)

➤ Arizona State football unveiled its new Roses & Devils uniforms over the weekend, designed to commemorate its victory over Michigan in the 1987 Rose Bowl. (See Photos)

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➤ A clean-energy slate lost its narrow majority on Salt River Project’s district board after a new appointment, four months after winning control in April elections. (More)

➤ David Weekley Homes will break ground on model homes at Saddleback, a $1 billion master-planned community in northwest Peoria where Lennar and Taylor Morrison are already building. Scottsdale-based Camelot Homes and Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers are also on the way. (More)

➤ The proposed Cactus Surf Park in southeast Gilbert was shelved after its developer walked away, ending plans for the sandy beach and water park with wave-generating technology. (More)

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➤ 15X Bigger Than SpaceX: Elon’s New Launch. While the rest of the market goes crazy for “the mother of all IPOs,” a new Elon Musk innovation is quietly being rolled out nationwide. It’s been 27 years in the making, and it could have a radical impact on how millions of people manage their money… and even collect Social Security. Here’s everything you need to know.

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➤ The Ra Ra Room, a members-only dining club behind an unmarked door inside the Phoenix Suns arena, has become one of the priciest tickets in the city’s luxury restaurant scene. (More)

➤ Tipsy Scoop opened a location in downtown Phoenix, offering liquor-infused ice cream and sorbet. (More)

➤ More than 100 desert tortoises are available for adoption as part of the state’s adopt-a-tortoise program. (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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Navy SEAL candidates cover more than 200 miles on roughly four hours of sleep, and most still don’t finish. (Hear Toughest Training)

➤ Two million American raccoons have taken over Germany, and the Nazi commander blamed for it didn’t do it. (Hear Real Culprit)

➤ Your beach read reveals which of four anxieties is quietly driving you. (Hear Your Type)