KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.
KJZZ's Sun Up Transcript for Tuesday, April 28, 2026
PHIL LATZMAN: Hey there, this is KJZZ Sun Up, it’s your daily news update from here in Phoenix on our state and region. I’m Phil Latzman, good day to you. We bring you this podcast as a daily digest of the news from here in Arizona as reported by our award-winning and amazing KJZZ news team. It is Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Thanks for being here; hope the week’s off to a good start. Let’s now see what is in the news.
Well, Republican lawmakers at the Arizona Legislature want to make broad spending cuts across almost every state agency, including short-staffed departments charged with fighting fires and helping vulnerable residents. From the politics desk, Wayne Schutsky has details.
WAYNE SCHUTSKY: In a new budget draft, Republicans in the Arizona House and Senate proposed a 5% across-the-board cut to most state agency budgets. Those spending reductions come as multiple state agencies already say they are understaffed. State Fire Manager John Truett told KJZZ’s The Show that the Department of Forestry and Fire Management doesn’t have enough money now to hire the people it needs as wildfire risk continues to grow in Arizona. But Republican Representative David Livingston, who chairs the House’s budget committee, dismissed those concerns, citing Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’ plan to save $100 million by improving government efficiency.
DAVID LIVINGSTON: It’s good news that the Governor thinks there’s $100 million in efficiencies that she can cut to fund those things.
WAYNE SCHUTSKY: Under the Republican plan, only the Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, and Department of Child Safety would be exempt from the cut. Wayne Schutsky, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, that GOP budget proposal would adopt massive tax cuts by slashing spending, and with those savings, the state can pay for tax conformity matching Arizona's tax policy to federal changes that were implemented by Congress last year. Senate President Warren Petersen insists the GOP budget plan should have bipartisan appeal.
WARREN PETERSEN: We’re moving a budget that cuts taxes, funds core services, shrinks government, includes priorities both sides have raised, and gives Arizona a responsible path to finish the session.
PHIL LATZMAN: Republicans are still at odds with Governor Hobbs, who proposed a budget deal back in January that only implements a portion of those federal tax cuts at the state level.
Well, despite Resolution Copper recently acquiring 2,400 acres of once federal lands through an exchange, the company still needs Arizona lands to hold all of the waste that the massive mine could produce. As Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, opposition is mounting against the proposal. In a Monday letter sent to Governor Katie Hobbs:
GABRIEL PIETRORAZIO: More than 50 groups are urging the State Land Department under Hobbs to not sell or lease anything to Resolution Copper. For now, the plan is to erect a nearly three-mile-long, 500-foot-high dam. It could one day store about 1.4 billion tons of mine waste. The letter also asks the Hobbs administration to stand with Arizonans against turning state trust lands into a, quote, "permanent dumping ground" for foreign-owned mining operations. Gabriel Pietrorazio, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Dozens of demonstrators gathered on Friday, last Friday, to protest ongoing construction at the site of the Project Blue Data Center. As Katya Mendoza reports, residents say they are frustrated by a deal to power the data center with electricity from Tucson Electric Power.
PROTESTERS: (Chanting) Say it loud, say it clear, Project Blue is not welcome here!
KATYA MENDOZA: Protesters wore red, held signs that said "No Data Center," and tried to block construction vehicles from leaving the site. Five Pima County Sheriff vehicles arrived at the scene to move protesters out of the way and left shortly after. Organizer Reed Spurling says they feel betrayed by elected officials for working with TEP and BIIL Infrastructure.
REED SPURLING: The company told the board and told us that if the city of Tucson voted down providing water service to this site, that the project would be done. That was a lie.
KATYA MENDOZA: Land prep began about a week ago on the 300-acre site. That’s Katya Mendoza reporting from Tucson.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, there are already thousands of data centers around the US; here in Arizona, close to 160 of them. Aaron Smith is with the Pew Research Center studying data center development.
AARON SMITH: About 90% of the data centers that are currently operational in the country are in urban or suburban areas.
PHIL LATZMAN: But of the 1,500 new facilities planned, most will be in rural areas. The surging demand for computing power is being driven by AI and cloud storage, and that shift is coming to the region. Some communities like Phoenix, Denver, and Reno are pushing back, residents concerned about how much water and energy these facilities are using; they're also worried about potential noise and air pollution.
Well, the Arizona Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that comments made to a third party about a different person could still fall under the state's harassment laws. As Greg Hahne reports, yesterday's ruling comes out of a family law court case.
GREG HAHNE: The case stems from harassment charges filed by a mother against the father of her child. According to the mother's complaint, the father made harmful statements about her to their daughter's teacher and school principal—staff who also happen to be the mother's co-workers since she's employed at the same school. The Supreme Court overruled a Court of Appeals decision that the father's remarks were not directed at the mother under state law because they were made to a third party. Justices found that the law focuses on who harassment targets, not just who hears the words. Greg Hahne, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced the indictment of an aide in a West Valley school, accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor student. 22-year-old Jesenia Rodriguez was arrested by Avondale Police and is being held on $100,000 bond with a trial date set for August.
Turning our attention south of the border, Mexico says US agents who died in the country roughly two weeks ago were not authorized to be operating there. From the Fronteras Desk in Hermosillo, Nina Kravinsky has the latest.
NINA KRAVINSKY: The two US agents, who several news outlets have confirmed worked for the CIA, died in a car crash in the Mexican state of Chihuahua after an anti-narcotics operation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration says the agents, who were working with state officials in Chihuahua, did not have permission from Mexico’s federal government to be operating inside the country. Sheinbaum says her government told the United States in a diplomatic note that they hope the participation of US agents in the operation was an exception.
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: (Speaking Spanish) We hope from this moment on, the rules of our Constitution and national security law will be followed.
NINA KRAVINSKY: Mexico's government has said the agents’ presence in Chihuahua may violate constitutional bans on foreign actors operating in Mexico. Nina Kravinsky, KJZZ News, Hermosillo.
PHIL LATZMAN: Aerospace experts are seeking new ways to bolster innovation and growth here in Arizona. The blueprint for this goal is to take shape tomorrow in Phoenix when the Arizona Space Congress and other industry leaders will convene. Amelia Monroe tells us more.
AMELIA MONROE: As of 2024, the global space economy raked in over $613 billion and continues to grow, according to the Space Foundation. Taryn Struck, co-founder of the Liaison Group Space Rising, says the orbital and lunar economy will have a lasting impact on the world, much like the internet did in the early 2000s.
TARYN STRUCK: Space is the next layer of the entire global economy and it's going to be—it's going to affect everyone. Just like when the internet came out, nobody knew there were going to be an internet company; space is no different.
AMELIA MONROE: Struck says the focus will be on finding ways to expand technology, infrastructure, human frontiers, and power systems over the next four years. She says these pillars are key for Arizona to become a world leader in aerospace development. Amelia Monroe, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, SRP has launched a new program to bring flood irrigation back to areas of the city where water infrastructure has fallen into disrepair. Elvy Barton with SRP says the Community Irrigation Revitalization Initiative aims to cool the city through more efficient water use.
ELVY BARTON: Trees and shade are actually going to reduce the temperatures, which actually reduces water demand, it reduces electricity demand, and it’s more affordable for our customers. So if there’s an opportunity to invest in shade and landscapes like that, it’s really important for long-term resiliency.
PHIL LATZMAN: Barton told KJZZ’s The Show the pilot project in South Phoenix is expected to save 76 million gallons of water over five years.
On the basketball court last night, the Suns are now out of the NBA playoffs after the defending champion Thunder finished a four-game sweep in Phoenix, 131 to 122. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points to once again lead the way for OKC in the series clincher. Suns showed some fight in the second half that cut a 15-point deficit to eight entering the fourth. A frustrated Devin Booker had 24 for Phoenix but says the season was not a lost cause.
DEVIN BOOKER: We exceeded everybody else's expectation but—but not ours, so, you know, we still—still have some learning to do. This was a great test for us, a great—I keep saying—stepping stone, first step.
PHIL LATZMAN: Phoenix now lost 10 straight in the playoffs dating back to 2023. The Thunder move on to face the winner of the Rockets-Lakers series, with LA up now three games to two.
In baseball, after splitting two games in Mexico City with the Padres, the Diamondbacks begin a road trip in Milwaukee against the Brewers this evening. The D-backs 15 and 12 on the season; that’s four games back of the Dodgers in third place in the National League West.
And that’ll do it for this edition of KJZZ Sun Up, Arizona’s morning news podcast. This Tuesday, April 28th, I’m Phil Latzman. Thanks so much for being with us. We’ll do it again tomorrow. Talk to you then.
