TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1881, ground water began seeping into the Tombstone mine shafts at 500 feet. The water helped with drilling operations at first but became a nuisance that required removal. This 1880s photo shows a train pulling a load of ore from a Tombstone mine.

If you’ve got any books or furniture collecting dust, Edison Elementary in Phoenix could use them as the school looks to spruce up its library. Watch the report here.

On the subject of sprucing up, a Vail family was awarded a home makeover as part of the TV show Military Makeover with Montel Williams. Read about it in Top Stories.

We’re sponsored today by the nonprofit World Concern, offering an opportunity to help people in need in the Congo.

University of Arizona Halts $300M Project

The University of Arizona paused construction on its new biomedical research center at the Phoenix Bioscience Core because of uncertainty over federal funding.

John Arnold, the school’s chief operating officer, said the university halted the $300 million project because of possible cuts in federally funded research under President Trump.

The federal government under Trump and a Republican Congress continues to explore shifts in federal spending priorities.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, is one of 22 attorneys general involved in a lawsuit to block federal cuts in medical research funding.

Race Car Explodes at NHRA; Driver OK

National Hot Rod Association funny car driver Ron Capps was unharmed after his car exploded and hit a wall during the Arizona Nationals on Sunday. Watch the explosion here.

The explosion sent his vehicle’s roof airborne, forcing the car into the wrong lane and against a guard wall. Capps was able to get out of the car under his own power.

“I just hung on and tried to brace myself, and when it hit, I honestly didn’t expect to be awake afterwards,” said Capps, who was cleared by a medical team at the track.

Paul Lee claimed his first NHRA nitro Funny Car championship when he clocked a 4.030 seconds at 313.22 to defeat Austin Prock.

Military Family Gets Televised Home Makeover

A Vail family is the recipient of a home makeover as part of the TV show Military Makeover with Montel Williams, which partners the former talk show host with homebuilders to help veterans.

Air Force veteran Matt Kosto served multiple overseas deployments before a motorcycle accident claimed a part of his leg. Later, his wife Virginia was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, now in remission. Watch the report.

“This is the craziest thing that has ever happened to us. It is very surreal. We are beyond blessed. Grateful,” Virginia Kosto said. Added Matt Kosto, “Thank you, everybody.”

The family’s health challenges made keeping up with home repairs difficult, prompting nonprofit homebuilder Purple Heart Homes and 100 community members to team with the TV show on the project.

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Crisis in DRC

A decades-long conflict in eastern Congo has gone from a simmer to a boil in recent months.

Last week, Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 ignored calls for a ceasefire, seizing a strategic town in Congo—one of the most poverty-stricken countries in the world. M23 is one of nearly 100 armed groups that have been vying for control of the mineral-rich area, and the resulting conflict has caught civilians (including many Christians) in the middle, creating one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises.

Last month, the U.N. Human Rights Council launched an investigation into allegations of atrocities, such as mass killings of civilians, by multiple groups.

An estimated 7 million people have been displaced, and more than 25 million people—approximately one in four Congolese—face acute food insecurity.

➤ Santa Cruz County: Fire crews stopped the advance of the human-caused Chino Fire, which burned more than 130 acres as of Friday. (Watch)

➤ Phoenix: Five people injured in a January fireworks explosion in Hawaii have been discharged from Valleywise Health’s Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center. (Details)

➤ Statewide: Lawmakers approved $16 million to prevent foster group homes from running out of money. (More)

➤ Maricopa County: A stretch of McKellips Road near the Loop 101 freeway will stay closed for two months for an improvement project. (Map)

➤ Sedona: Comedian Rita Rudner will perform Thursday at the Performing Arts Center to support the Sedona International Film Festival. (Watch)

➤ Bisbee: A new survey supports the mayor’s declaration of an affordable housing shortage, city leaders say. (Watch)

➤ Flagstaff: Starlight in the Square, a stargazing event in downtown Flagstaff, will return in April. (More)

➤ Arizona men’s basketball will face No. 1 Duke at 6:39 p.m. Thursday in a Sweet 16 matchup. The Blue Devils defeated the Wildcats 69-55 in November. (More)

➤ Phoenix Suns star forward Kevin Durant has now scored 40 points in a game against every team in the NBA, joining LeBron James as the only NBA players ever to accomplish the feat. (More)

➤ Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes will not pitch in the team’s first series of the season. (More)

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➤ Casino Del Sol in Tucson shut down its Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention over concerns about a possible “contagious virus.” (More)

➤ Tucson ranks as one of the 10 most affordable major cities in the U.S., a study found. (List)

➤ The Henry restaurant and cafe will open a location near Central Avenue and Camelback Road in north central Phoenix. (Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Flying together with our sponsor

Join us in partnering with World Concern to help the most vulnerable in the Congo and in countries around the world where World Concern serves by providing life-sustaining nutrition, clean water, medication, and more with the love of Jesus. Every $27 dollars provides someone with these emergency essentials.

➤ A man who “cheated death” after surviving a natural gas explosion in 2021 will take part in the Walk of Courage to raise money for other burn survivors. (Watch)

➤ The SanTan Village Art and Wine Festival will return to Gilbert for a second time, showcasing more than 100 original pieces of art and wine from at least a dozen local wineries. (Details)

➤ Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman signed a pledge to help strengthen monarch butterfly habitats as the species decreases in population due to habitat loss and environmental factors. (More)