Federal Water Plan Nears

Federal officials are expected to release new guidelines this week for sharing the shrinking Colorado River, a decision that will help determine Arizona’s water future.

The rules are expected to identify the federal government’s preferred approach for operating Lake Mead and Lake Powell after the current guidelines expire.

Negotiations among the seven basin states have stalled for months. Arizona, California, and Nevada have proposed mandatory cutbacks that Upper Basin negotiators refuse to match.

Reservoir levels keep falling, and marinas at Lake Powell are relocating docks and closing boat ramps as the lake approaches historic lows.

Report Flags Gambling Risks

Roughly one in five Arizona adults faces a moderate or high risk of problem gambling, a report from state gaming officials found this week.

The survey of about 1,000 residents found roughly 6% chase losses most or all of the time, and another 6% said they bet more than they could afford to lose.

The report recommends that screening for problem gambling be built more widely into behavioral health care.

Arizona has become a multibillion-dollar gambling market since sports betting launched in 2021. Regulators recently moved against five websites accused of operating without licenses.

Dairy Herds Beat the Heat

Arizona’s roughly 200,000 milking cows are riding out the same extreme heat as their owners, with dairy farms using shade to help maintain milk production.

At Desperado Dairy in Casa Grande, fourth-generation farmer Casey Dugan keeps his herd under a covered livestock shelter he says runs 40 degrees cooler than open sun.

Cows that suffer heat stress produce less and lower-quality milk, which can ripple out to consumer prices in a dairy industry valued above $1 billion statewide.

The National Weather Service extended an extreme heat warning through Wednesday, with highs in the Phoenix area nearing 110 degrees.

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➤ Prescott: The Veterans Affairs health care system launched a Northern Arizona non-emergency ambulance staffed by its own paramedics. (More)

➤ Mesa: The East Valley Institute of Technology reached a settlement with its member school districts to bus students to its campuses for the first time. (More)

➤ Tucson: Savannah Guthrie posted a video message urging her mother’s kidnapper to reveal where to look. Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Catalina Foothills home in February. (More)

➤ Coolidge: A mother described her family’s ordeal after power was lost to her bedbound son’s medically necessary equipment for 16 hours during a weekend outage. (More)

➤ Surprise: Anthony Rojas, now 21, reunited with the Boston, Massachusetts, medical team that used an experimental pump to help him survive a heart attack at 14. (More)

➤ Nogales: U.S. Marines installed coils of razor wire along sections of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, part of the continuing push to reinforce barriers in southern Arizona. (See Images)

➤ Benson: After an ambulance bogged down in monsoon mud Saturday night, search and rescue crews waded through a flooded wash to carry out an unconscious woman. (See Images)

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➤ Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett declined to name No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love the starting running back, saying veteran James Conner remains part of the competition. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Cardinals fans picked defensive lineman Walter Nolen as the team’s most likely breakout player in a recent survey. Injuries limited the 2025 first-round pick during his rookie season. (More)

➤ Dalen Terry will look to sign with his fourth NBA team since February after the 2022 first-round pick from Arizona was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 4.1 points last season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | Soccer

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➤ Real estate agents told FinanceBuzz they expect home prices to keep sliding in nine Arizona cities where new construction risks outpacing demand, including Buckeye, Queen Creek, Goodyear, and Tempe. (More)

➤ Willmeng Construction broke ground on a 1.1 million-square-foot speculative warehouse in Tolleson, a 75-acre Class A project near Interstate 10. (More)

➤ Arizona drivers are paying among the highest costs for gasoline in the country as pump prices stay elevated nationally. (More)

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➤ OpenTable’s 2026 list of the 100 best hotel restaurants in the nation includes three in Phoenix: Different Pointe of View, Le Âme Parisian Steakhouse, and théa Mediterranean Rooftop. (More)

➤ A Gilbert father finished a cross-country walk to Montana carrying his late son’s ashes, turning private grief over substance abuse into a national awareness campaign. (More)

➤ Phoenix news stations marked the 19th anniversary of when two news helicopters collided over Phoenix while covering a police chase, killing four Valley journalists. (More)

➤ July’s full Buck Moon will rise over the state Wednesday evening. It’s named for the time of year when male deer begin growing new antlers. (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:

➤ Rushing the Social Security claiming decision could cost retirees tens of thousands over a lifetime, so which choice makes sense for you? (Listen Now)

➤ Gunfire erupted at a crowded Seattle food festival, leaving three dead and forcing thousands of visitors to flee. (Hear Episode)

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What’s your go-to drink to cool off?

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