Arizona Could Soon Get 4th National Park

Congress passed the Chiricahua National Park Act, sending President Trump a bill that would make the southeastern Arizona monument the state’s fourth national park.

The 12,000-acre preserve sits 36 miles southeast of Willcox, where a volcanic eruption 27 million years ago left the rock spires visitors come to see. The land has carried federal protection since 1924; park status mainly means a new name and more tourists.

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R, who carried the bill in the House, said he expects a signature within about 10 days. Sen. Mark Kelly, D, who cosponsored the Senate version, said the designation will protect the landscape and bring visitors and economic opportunity to southeastern Arizona.

Chiricahua would be the country’s 64th national park, six months after the House passed the bill in March. Regulars know it as a quiet, uncrowded stop, and park status is expected to change that.

Arizona Sues Drug Middlemen

Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a consumer fraud lawsuit Thursday against Express Scripts and Optum, claiming the two pharmacy middlemen helped push opioid prescribing higher in Arizona for more than two decades, thereby contributing to the state’s opioid epidemic.

The companies sit between insurers, drug makers, and pharmacies, deciding which drugs a health plan covers and on what terms. The complaint alleges they took confidential payments from manufacturers including Purdue Pharma in exchange for dropping the approval checks that would normally slow down OxyContin prescriptions.

Mayes said the companies “repeatedly violated Arizona law,” and her office alleges they also sold prescriber and patient information to drug makers that used it to find doctors writing the most opioid prescriptions.

Neither company has publicly answered the allegations, which haven’t been tested in court. The state wants restitution and civil penalties, plus a court order forcing the two to hand back profits and halt the practices.

Voters to Decide if Cartels Will Be Designated Terrorist Groups

Arizona voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to approve Proposition 317, which would designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations and direct the state Department of Homeland Security to confront them.

Republican lawmakers referred the measure to the ballot in 2025 after Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a similar bill in 2023, saying terrorist designations are a federal responsibility.

Supporters, including Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, say the measure would give law enforcement every available tool against cartels and deter drug trafficking across the southern border.

Opponents, including former state Democrat Party Chair Raquel Teran, call it symbolic, noting it adds no new funding or penalties and arguing such designations belong to the federal government.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Marana: A shooting that police say began as road rage near Ina Road and the I-10 frontage road sent one person to the hospital with serious injuries Thursday afternoon. Officers detained a suspect and closed the westbound I-10 off-ramp. (More)

➤ Phoenix: An 11-story office tower that sat vacant for years at Central Avenue and Camelback Road reopened as One Camelback, featuring 163 luxury apartments, 20% of which are already leased. Three-bedroom units run $8,000 to $10,000 a month. (See Details)

➤ Tucson: Santa Rita Park on the southside reopened on Friday after an $8 million overhaul, adding a shaded splash pad, two multipurpose fields, a relocated baseball field, and more than 300 trees and shrubs. (Watch Report)

➤ Flagstaff: Delta has added a new nonstop service between Salt Lake City and Flagstaff, calling it a “new gateway to the Southwest,” which will begin on June 7, 2027. (More)

➤ Camp Verde: Parks and Recreation asked park visitors to watch their step after recent rains pushed up snake activity, with several turning up on fields and facilities. (See Alert)

➤ Superior: The Ninth Circuit denied every petition to rehear challenges to the Oak Flat land exchange, clearing the way for Resolution Copper’s underground mine 60 miles east of Phoenix. Apache groups and environmentalists had sought the rehearing; 11 judges dissented. (More)

Enjoy reading The Arizona Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ The Arizona Wildcats host Cincinnati at 8 p.m. tonight at Arizona Stadium in their Big 12 home opener. It’s Family Weekend, and fans are asked to wear white. (See Game Info)

➤ Arizona State seeks better offense against Baylor after gaining just 228 yards against Kansas. Baylor’s defense leads the Big 12 in sacks and allows 306 yards per game. The teams will square off tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Mountain America Stadium. (More)

➤ An Arizona volleyball great, Madi Kingdon Rishel, was inducted into the Ring of Honor before the Wildcats’ match against Iowa State at McKale Center. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NHL | WNBA | Soccer | Golf

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Have You Heard the Latest News About Tylenol? Tylenol may provide temporary relief from everyday aches, but researchers are exploring other factors that may contribute to stiff, uncomfortable joints. A natural approach could help support joint comfort and mobility by addressing what may be behind the discomfort. Learn what researchers are discovering and what you can do about it.

Flying together with our sponsor

That scam call wasn’t random 

Scammers don’t just guess your number. They buy personal information from data brokers, Companies selling your phone number, home address, relatives’ info, and more online.

That’s how a random scam call can turn into phishing, impersonation, identity theft, or someone knowing more about you than they should.

That’s why I recommend Incogni. It removes your personal information from these databases and keeps removing it automatically.

Get 55% off with code FLYOVER

➤ New pickleball courts and a skate park have opened at Tucson’s Jacobs Park, where a 40-acre redevelopment has been underway since 2021. Stormwater and irrigation upgrades should help the grounds stand up to the weather. (See Park)

➤ Queen Creek Marketplace is filling nearly 30,000 square feet with five new tenants: Barnes & Noble, Jinya Ramen Bar, LongHorn Steakhouse, Aubergine Kitchen, and LaserAway. The bookstore opens first, with a grand opening Nov. 11. (See Lineup)

➤ A wildlife ramp off Interstate 10 at Avra Valley Road gives javelina and other wildlife a safe way in and out of the Santa Cruz River. Volunteers hauled 11 tons of trash from the river in 17 cleanups last year. (Watch Report)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Hit longer, straighter shots without changing your swing. SwitchGrips use a patented counterbalance system to optimize your club’s balance, helping increase swing speed, improve contact, and tighten shot dispersion. They fit everything from drivers to wedges, install in about two minutes, and are USGA and R&A approved for tournament play.

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

➤ Sick season is here, and doctors say relief for that stubborn throat starts with one surprising fix. (Listen Now)

➤ Nobel watchers say the International Space Station is a serious Peace Prize contender this year, alongside far more contentious earthbound names. (Hear Names)

➤ Pope Leo XIV is urging artists to join the church in a fight to protect human creativity from artificial intelligence. (Podcast Available)

Have you visited Chiricahua Monument?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

How would you rate Arizona’s restaurant scene?

1. Up-and-coming: 72%
2. A little lacking: 16%
3. Nation’s best: 12%

What tree-climbing canine species can be found in the Chiricahua National Monument?

Show me the answer