Grand Canyon Fire Response Criticized

Gov. Katie Hobbs criticized the National Park Service for its handling of the lightning-caused Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and about 70 other structures on Sunday.

Hobbs called for an independent investigation, saying Arizonans deserve answers after officials allegedly managed the wildfire as a controlled burn rather than take quicker action to extinguish the flames. Park service officials did not immediately respond.

On Sunday, wind gusts reaching 40 mph drove the fire to grow by 500 acres as crews worked to contain the flames amid rapidly shifting conditions.

The Grand Canyon area has seen devastating wildfires in the past, including the 2006 Warm Fire, which decimated forests on the North Rim and left about 800 tourists and 200 park rangers stranded for days before being evacuated.

Intel to Cut Nearly 700 Arizona Jobs

Intel gave an update on its planned layoffs, with the number of job cuts climbing to 696 in Arizona and more than 3,200 in Oregon and two other states. 

The latest layoff figures were revealed Friday, a day after Intel rival Nvidia became the first publicly traded company to surpass $4 trillion in market value.

Earlier this month in Chandler, 172 Intel workers were laid off as part of the hundreds of jobs cut the company initially announced in August.

Oregon is set to bear the brunt of the overall cuts, with 2,392 planned. California and Texas will also be affected. Reports show mid-level management, engineers, and technicians are among those losing jobs.

Families Seek $243M After Deadly Plane Crash

Families of five victims killed in last year’s fiery plane crash at Falcon Field in Mesa filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, seeking $243.4 million.

The lawsuit alleges the city, which owns and operates the airport, failed to ensure a proper runway safety area. A city spokesman said Mesa officials declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings.

In the November 2024 crash, a small plane overshot the airport runway on takeoff, hit a fence, and collided with a car, killing pilot Spencer Lindahl, three passengers, and motorist Raymond Longhi. Kimball Lindahl, then 18, was the sole survivor.

A final report on the cause of the crash has not been released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

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➤ Guadalupe: Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a hit-and-run suspect who had made suicidal statements and refused to drop a knife. (More)

➤ Wellton: A house fire destroyed an electrical transformer, knocking out the town’s power. (Watch)

➤ Youngtown: A good Samaritan who stopped to assist a woman injured in a hit-and-run crash was struck by a separate vehicle. Both suffered serious injuries and were hospitalized. (Watch)

➤ Phoenix: A 21-year-old man was sentenced to two life sentences plus 21 years in prison for murdering a couple who sold their Ford Shelby GT500 to someone else. (More)

➤ Sedona: The Red Rock Ranger District added 3.3 miles of hiking trail with the completion of the Del Sol Trail. (Photo)

➤ Prescott Valley: Police will give a free K9 demonstration at 6 p.m. July 22 at Findlay Toyota Center. (More)

➤ The Arizona Diamondbacks selected high school slugger Kayson Cunningham with the 18th pick in the MLB Draft. Some analysts believe the Texas shortstop is the best pure hitter in the draft. (More)

➤ Arizona State track secured a transfer commitment from star high jumper Brennen McHenry, who decided to leave Texas and return to his home state “to go somewhere I was much more valued.” (More)

➤ Former Arizona Wildcats Caleb Love and Carter Bryant are among the top performers of the NBA2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, observers say. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: Soccer | WNBA | MLB Draft 

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➤ The average profit margin on Phoenix home sales was 52.4% in the first quarter of the year, above the national average of 50% but down from a year earlier. (More)

➤ Some Tucson residents are pushing back against a proposed Circle K development at Tanque Verde and Houghton roads, saying the project doesn’t align with the area’s character and environmental priorities. (Details)

➤ Developers in Casa Grande proposed a mixed-use project that would include 77 age-restricted apartments and more than 30,000 square feet of retail space. (More)

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➤ After a disabled dog’s wheelchair was stolen at Butcher Jones Beach, a supporter of Second Chance Dog Rescue donated a new one to the pup. (Watch)

➤ A 5,189-square-foot Oro Valley home with four bedrooms and six bathrooms hit the market for $4.35 million. (Photos) 

➤ Overflow Pools, the company behind the Phoenix Zoo’s big cat habitat pools, highlighted the novel design considerations required to meet the needs of animals such as jaguars and lions. (Watch)

Will flying cars become a reality within three years?

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