Arizona Notches Record Economic Year

Arizona drew commitments for 26,225 projected new jobs and more than $109 billion in investment in the fiscal year that ended June 30, both single-year highs.

The figures are projections tied to company pledges, not jobs already filled. The new positions carry an average wage of $81,368, above the state median.

Expansion projects reached 23 communities, from Buckeye and Litchfield Park to Tucson, Yuma and Cochise County. Semiconductor projects included commitments from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) in Phoenix, ASML, and Amkor in Peoria.

Gov. Katie Hobbs credited the results to workforce investment and a business climate that “creates opportunity for every Arizonan.”

The Arizona Commerce Authority, marking its 15th year, says it has secured more than 1,428 projects and $304 billion in investment since 2011.

Court Shields Clergy from Reporting Law

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled last week that churches, not judges or juries, decide which clergy conversations count as confidential and fall outside the state’s mandatory child-abuse reporting law.

The unanimous decision stems from a lawsuit by three children who said bishops of a Bisbee ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints failed to report their father’s abuse.

Paul Adams admitted the abuse to a bishop in a 2011 confession and again before a church disciplinary council. He was indicted in 2017 and later died by suicide in jail.

The children argued the clergy waived confidentiality once the abuse was repeated before others they contended were not clergy, and that state law required them to alert authorities.

The justices disagreed, holding that the First Amendment bars courts from second-guessing how a church defines confession. They noted judges may still intervene in rare cases of fraud or collusion.

West Nile Cases Surge across Arizona

Arizona has recorded 61 West Nile virus infections and five deaths this year, more than any other state and nearly double last year’s pace.

Federal officials call it the worst early-season surge in more than 20 years. Nationally, an average of about 10 cases had been reported by the end of June since 2004. This year, the national total reached 48 before July.

Maricopa County drives the outbreak with 47 cases and all five deaths through the week of July 24, up from 24 cases and two deaths at this point last year.

The virus has reached beyond the Valley, with 11 cases in Pima County and one each in Coconino and Pinal counties. Arizona’s total is roughly five times that of Texas, the state with the next-highest count.

Health officials warn peak transmission season, typically August and September, has not yet arrived. “You do need to seek medical care if you get sick,” said Dr. Leo Odle, a primary care physician with Optum Arizona.

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➤ Eagar: State troopers arrested drug-trafficking suspect Jason Tobey after a chase toward the New Mexico border, ending a summer-long investigation into a Phoenix-area drug pipeline. Tobey was already wanted in five Arizona counties. (See Details)

➤ Mesa: A 9-year-old had saved $160 to open his first savings account when he spotted a masked robber vault over the teller counter at a Bank of America. He calmly warned his grandmother, and the two took cover. Police arrested the suspect and praised the boy. (Read Story)

➤ Peoria: Bjorn Hartzell, now 20, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for a 2022 Thanksgiving crash that killed five people. Prosecutors said he was 16, impaired by marijuana, and driving about 112 mph in a 40 mph zone when he hit a family’s minivan. (More)

➤ Litchfield Park: The West Valley city opened a new 10,000-square-foot library Monday, nearly 40% larger than its old branch. The facility anchors the La Loma Homestead redevelopment and adds study rooms, a teen space, and an automated book-sorting system. (See Photos)

➤ Scottsdale: Postal inspectors arrested a California man accused of stealing mail and unvoted mail-in ballot packets from a post office collection box using homemade “trap” devices. Investigators say Richard Anthony Ramos Jr. also took outgoing checks, including one for $16,000. (More)

➤ Sun City West: A $50,000 Powerball ticket from Saturday’s drawing was sold at a Safeway near R.H. Johnson Boulevard and Camino Del Sol. The jackpot for Monday night’s drawing was estimated at $748 million. (More)

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➤ Arizona basketball signed Clemson transfer forward RJ Godfrey. Godfrey, who averaged 12 points and 5.3 rebounds on 61% shooting last season, gained a fifth year of eligibility through a recent court ruling that temporarily granted him an extra year. (More)

➤ Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III is “good” after he was seen limping at practice Friday, head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters. The 2025 first-round pick missed eight weeks as a rookie with a calf strain and later tore his meniscus, so any slight injury draws attention. (More)

➤ The Cardinals released their first depth chart of the preseason, with first-round pick Jeremiyah Love listed as RB2 behind Tyler Allgeier. (More)

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

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➤ SEMICON West, the semiconductor industry’s flagship North American trade show, will make Phoenix its long-term home, moving to an annual spring run at the Phoenix Convention Center starting in 2027. Its Arizona debut drew 60% more registrations, the biggest turnout in nearly 20 years. (More)

➤ Celebrity chef Scott Conant brings his wood-fired Italian cuisine to Roman God of Fire, opening Aug. 7 at Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe. The Roman-inspired menu features supplì, rigatoni carbonara, and pasta matriciana, with reservations open now. (See Details)

➤ Paradise Earth, a proposed indoor rainforest near Scottsdale, had its permit vote tabled as the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Council sought answers on water use, waste, animal sourcing, and heat concerns. It will return to the council later. (More)

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➤ Arizona’s deadliest animal is the western diamondback rattlesnake, according to a new World Population Review ranking of the creature most likely to kill people in each state. Snakes topped the list in 14 states, more than any other category, ahead of bears, deer, and even moose. (See List)

➤ The Local Donut, a Scottsdale shop, struggled to make payroll this summer, so owner Daniel Tes posted an online plea for help. The community packed the place the next day, with some businesses even pre-paying for strangers, helping keep the 10-year-old shop open. (Read Story)

➤ ASU’s Counseling Training Center is expanding free and low-cost counseling services to all Arizona adults, not just students, and adding a Mesa location. Weekly sessions start Aug. 24. They’re free for college students statewide and $100 a semester for other residents. (See Details)

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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:

➤ Hidden ultra-processed ingredients lurk in over half your diet, but there are six simple swaps to fight back. (Hear Details)

➤ The first deaths have been reported in the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, with two victims confirmed in Michigan. (Hear Episode)

➤ New Yorkers can finally camp overnight in Central Park, but scoring a free spot means winning a coveted citywide lottery. (Listen Now)

If you won a $748 million Powerball jackpot, what would you do first?

1. Pay off the house
2. Travel the world
3. Invest it
4. Give some or all away
5. Keep working anyway
6. Other (reply to tell us)

Previous Results:

Phoenix drew a record $13.4 billion from visitors last year. Are the crowds that come with tourism a problem where you live?

1. No, not really: 37%
2. Only in peak season: 21%
3. I welcome the visitors: 19%
4. Yes, it’s too much: 14%
5. Other: 9%

Which famous American company laid the foundation for Litchfield Park by sending executive Paul W. Litchfield to Arizona in 1916 to establish a cotton-growing operation?

Show me the answer