Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1891, the University of Arizona welcomed its first students. This historic photo shows the school’s first building, Old Main.

October marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with a Phoenix nonprofit offering free mammograms for qualifying women. Get the details in Around Arizona.

Did you know that the team that makes The Arizona Flyover also produces a national publication called The Flyover? Click here to subscribe and stay up to date with the latest national headlines—without the bias of legacy media outlets.

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Glendale Honors Al McCoy

The city of Glendale dedicated a park and basketball court to honor Phoenix Suns broadcasting icon Al McCoy, who died last year at age 91.

The city unveiled Al McCoy Memorial Park near where McCoy lived for five decades, and renamed its basketball court the SHAZAM! court in a nod to one of his signature phrases.

Suns analyst and former player Eddie Johnson said at the dedication, “To carry on Al’s legacy through a basketball court and in the neighborhood he loved so much, it doesn’t get any better.”

McCoy worked as a Suns broadcaster for 51 years.

College Rankings Out

Arizona State University surpassed the University of Arizona in the latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings.

Nationally, ASU climbed to 117th, while UA fell 18 spots to 127th. Northern Arizona University ranked 242nd.

Smaller schools also earned recognition, including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, which took the top spot among regional colleges in the West.

The rankings—popular among students making college choices—are based on 17 factors, including student outcomes and peer assessments. You can see the full rankings here.

Bear Cub Goes Grocery Shopping

A bear cub paid a visit to a Fry’s grocery store in Oro Valley on Monday, dashing past registers and into the produce section, as captured on video by a wildlife photographer.

Wildlife officials reported that they are tracking multiple bears in the Tucson area, possibly the result of drier-than-normal conditions limiting natural food sources.

The encounter at Fry’s followed a bear sighting days earlier near Painted Sky Elementary School in Oro Valley, prompting a shelter-in-place order and advisory to bring pets indoors.

You can find tips for dealing with bear encounters here.

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➤ Flagstaff: The Flagstaff Unified School District reported losing $580,000 as a result of an unspecified cybercrime. (More)

➤ Globe: City officials held a news conference to discuss the deadly weekend flooding, response efforts, and ongoing recovery operations. (Watch)

➤ Tucson: The city suspended its requirement for a permit to distribute food and beverages in city parks, under pressure from aid groups. A health department permit is still required in many cases. (Details)

➤ Prescott: A 91-year-old veteran who suffered frostbite after wandering from a Prescott assisted-living facility in 2023 is back in the news amid ongoing scrutiny of care home supervision. (Watch)

➤ Phoenix: The nonprofit Check for a Lump offers free mammograms and follow-up care to qualifying women for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Details)

➤ Page: Horseshoe Bend will close to the public for trail maintenance and debris removal from Nov. 3 through Nov. 6. (Photo)

➤ The advisory panel aiming to bring NHL hockey back to Arizona outlined plans to secure stable ownership, identify a stadium site, and sustain statewide interest in the sport. (More)

➤ The Arizona Diamondbacks will retain manager Torey Lovullo. Owner Ken Kendrick attributed the team’s disappointing season to a lack of talent and injuries. (More)

➤ Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson missed Monday’s practice, while rookie cornerback Will Johnson returned. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: WNBA | MLB | NHL | Soccer | NFL

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➤ Starbucks employees and supporters in Tucson rallied Monday, calling for better pay, hours, and job security. (Watch)

➤ A group of Patagonia residents raised concerns over South32’s proposed Hermosa Mine during a public hearing on the state’s revised air quality permit. (Watch)

➤ Salt & Straw will open its second Phoenix Valley location on Friday, bringing its inventive ice cream flavors to Tempe’s Novus Place entertainment district. (More)

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➤ Williams Field High School in Gilbert opened its new training area for its criminal justice programs, featuring a surveillance and dispatch room, a blood spatter lab, and two mock jail cells. (Watch)

➤ Gaslight Theatre hosted the premiere of the documentary Joe Cooper: The Funniest Man in Tucson, celebrating the actor’s nearly four-decade career on stage. (More)

➤ Isabel’s South of the Border Restaurant won best overall salsa for the fourth straight year at Safford’s NatureSweet SalsaFest, also earning best green salsa and best presentation. (Photos)

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➤ Harvard scientists just uncovered shocking evidence: the same bacteria that eats holes in your teeth was found inside the brains of 97% of patients with total memory loss. If your gums are this unusual shade of red, you may be at serious risk of dementia. Could you be affected? Watch this short video now: If Your Gums Look Like This, You’re at Risk of Memory Loss.