Thursday, August 20, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1775, Lt. Col. Hugo O’Conor of the Royal Spanish Army selected the site and layout for the Presidio de San Agustín de Tucson fort, shown here circa 1869.

Have you ever done a home remodel and regretted it? Well, you aren’t alone. 74% of homeowners who renovated in the last five years wish they’d done something differently, and the most regretted upgrades aren’t what you’d expect. Some of the most popular design trends in America made the list. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla counts down the 10 renovations homeowners regret most and shares the simple tricks that could save you from making the same mistakes. Tune in here!

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Voucher Measures Off Ballot

An Arizona Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday left a group seeking income caps and more regulations on school vouchers short of the signatures needed to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

The justices also blocked a competing ballot question, upholding an earlier ruling that the measure improperly bundled two separate provisions.

On the voucher limits, attorneys on both sides agreed the measure missed the 255,949-signature threshold by roughly 12,000, though a judge must still certify the final count.

Voucher supporters praised the removal of the question while critics, including the teachers’ union, said they will shift their focus to individual candidate races.

Report: Space Economy Window Closing

A new report states Arizona has three to five years to claim a bigger share of the space economy or watch as Texas, Florida, and California extend their lead.

The 2026 Arizona Space Blueprint, a recap of this spring’s Arizona Space Congress, ranks the state first nationally in guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing jobs. This week, Raytheon in Tucson landed a $22.9 billion Navy contract to ramp Tomahawk production over seven years.

At the same time, the report notes that the state is home to other space-related industries and assets but needs to do more to leverage them to attract a bigger share of the space economy.

The group Space Rising prepared the report and said its efforts will include forming a coalition to back spaceport bids in Yuma, which is pursuing launches, and Sierra Vista, which is seeking an FAA reentry license.

Survey: Most Feel Speeding Safer

Fifty-five percent of Arizona drivers say keeping pace with traffic feels safer than obeying the posted speed limit, according to a survey.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey also found that most Arizona drivers consider driving 10 mph over the speed limit routine.

So when do Arizona drivers slow down? According to the survey: 81% of drivers hit the brakes to avoid a speeding ticket, 68% to avoid a crash, and more than half ease up in adverse weather.

Next summer, a new state law will allow judges to offer excessive speeders the option of paying for a speed-limiting device rather than having their licenses suspended.

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➤ Tucson: A manhunt continued for two masked gunmen who killed a 23-year-old police recruit at home and wounded the recruit’s fiancée, a county corrections officer, on Wednesday. (More)

➤ Marana: A long-planned 20-acre downtown entertainment district cleared its final legal hurdle, with town officials now targeting the start of construction for late 2027 or early 2028. (More)

➤ Chandler: The city moved to raise utility rates for the second time in a year, proposing a 9% hike on water and a 6.5% increase on wastewater. (More)

➤ Sacaton: The University of Arizona will open the nation’s first degree-granting medical school branch on tribal land, enrolling 10 students a year. (More)

➤ Statewide: Arizona U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego allegedly billed his campaign $2,000 for flights for his sister-in-law and au pair. His office has previously said campaign-related childcare is reimbursable. (More)

➤ Eloy: Local police became the first nationally to use tech company eSleuth Inc.’s artificial intelligence “virtual investigators” to help officers connect cases and leads. (More)

➤ Salt River: The state paused wild horse removals for two years and raised the herd’s target population to 170 while universities conduct a genetic study. (More)

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➤ Phoenix ranked 25th out of 30 NFL markets in a Nielsen fan passion index, which found that large markets’ transplant populations and competing entertainment options can lessen interest. (More)

➤ The Phoenix Suns will install a massive outdoor video display on Mortgage Matchup Center ahead of the 2027 NBA All-Star Game, which the arena will host in February. (More)

➤ Sports betting in Arizona hit about $664 million in June, a 22% jump from a year earlier, state gaming officials said. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | WNBA | Little League World Series | Soccer

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➤ Arizona’s job market is flashing warning signs that economists typically associate with recessions, with about 43,000 businesses shrinking or closing last year versus 42,000 opening or adding workers. (More)

➤ Officials from the University of Arizona and Taiwan’s National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University met in Tucson for two days to build a partnership training semiconductor workers. (More)

➤ Casa Grande farmer Nancy Caywood discussed how drought and inflation are reshaping operations on land farmed by her family since 1930. (More)

➤ Phoenix rents remain below the national average, rising 0.3% year over year in July to $1,727, compared to a U.S. average of $1,962, according to Zillow. (More)

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➤ The Arizona Cardinals unveiled new stadium concessions for the season, including walking tacos, a “machete” quesadilla, vegan chorizo pizza, and lobster rolls. (More)

➤ Winslow locksmith Vernon Nichols has reset all 700 locker combinations at the junior high school by hand for 19 straight years, a late-summer ritual he calls “my summer exercise”. (More)

➤ Team Moms: Baseball, set at the Legendary Prep Academy in Scottsdale and executive produced by Kim Kardashian, premieres Sept. 24 on Paramount+. (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:

➤ Remodeling triggers regret in 74% of homeowners, with these 10 “upgrades” causing the most trouble. (Hear Details)

➤ American forces are reportedly running a secret nightly operation to move millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. (Hear Episode)

➤ Russia has placed RFK Jr.’s son on its most wanted list over accusations that he fought for Ukraine. (Listen Now)