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.
Transcript
PHIL LATZMAN: Hey, this is KJZZ’s Sun Up. It is your daily news update from here in Phoenix, on our state and region. I’m Phil Latzman, your host for this podcast, a daily digest of the news here in Arizona as reported by our KJZZ news team. It is Monday, May the 18th. New week, fresh start, hope you had a nice weekend. Let's get the party started this week with a check of the news.
Well, today the state’s utility regulator will start its last set of hearings for the APS rate case. And as Greg Hahne tells us, the state's largest utility is asking for a 14% increase.
GREG HAHNE: The Arizona Corporation Commission is slated to take public comment on Monday to launch its six-week evidentiary hearing process. Monday will be the last time the panel will take public input on the case. APS says the rate increase is necessary to maintain energy reliability. But Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Democratic legislative leaders have filed oppositions saying families can't afford the jump. The Commission anticipates a decision on whether to approve or deny the proposed rates for APS will come in December, with the final rates going into effect early next year. Greg Hahne, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: A broad coalition of water users in the Colorado River Basin is calling on the federal government to designate $2 billion for drought recovery. As Alex Hager reports, it includes more than 70 groups from Arizona and beyond.
ALEX HAGER: The letter was co-signed by farm districts, environmental nonprofits, cities, Native American tribes, and more, stretching from Wyoming to San Diego. They're asking Congress for new money to help the region deal with drought. The call comes on the heels of a historically dry winter. In the past, federal spending has gone to cities, farms, and tribes who leave water in major reservoirs in exchange for payments. The new letter says federal money could also go toward recovering from wildfire, protecting ecosystems, and developing new water sources. Alex Hager, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: A spokesperson for Waymo says its autonomous vehicle service in the Valley will not be impacted by a recall of its entire fleet. Ignacio Ventura has details.
IGNACIO VENTURA: Last week, Waymo announced a recall of more than 3,700 vehicles to address a software defect that caused some to drive into flooded roadways in San Antonio following recent severe storms. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, the affected cars include those with the company's fifth automated driving system. The same software used by Waymo serving the public in the Phoenix metro region. A spokesperson for the company told KJZZ that there are no disruptions to vehicles or services in Phoenix. Waymo also says it's working to implement additional software safeguards and addressing extreme weather conditions. Ignacio Ventura, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, Phoenix and a handful of other cities across the U.S., select Amazon customers can now receive deliveries in under 30 minutes. Taylor Griffith tells us more about that.
TAYLOR GRIFFITH: The fast delivery is made possible by what's called flex centers. According to Amazon senior communications manager Lindsey Hamilton, these facilities will be located closer to customers and businesses and only stocked with high-priority items, such as fresh groceries and —
LINDSEY HAMILTON: Over-the-counter medication, diapers, you know, we've seen people ordering children's cold medicine. It's the kind of thing where you might not be able to leave the house, but if your kid needs it, you want it now.
TAYLOR GRIFFITH: Amazon Now, as the service is called, promises deliveries in under 30 minutes. Taylor Griffith, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, next month, the city of Tempe will reduce speed limits along seven corridors, including Broadway Road and Priest Drive, by 5 mph in each location. While some oppose the speed reduction, others said the lower limits would benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and in — on some roads, kids walking to schools, like a stretch of Guadalupe Road near Marcos de Niza High School where the speed limit will drop from 45 to 40 mph. Michelle Beckley is the city’s senior civil engineer.
MICHELLE BECKLEY: This is a great opportunity to bring the posted speed limit more in alignment and support, uh, setting speed limits that that suit all roadway users.
PHIL LATZMAN: The speed limit update is expected to take place in mid-June.
Well, Arizona is set to resume executions this week, scheduled to execute by lethal injection a man in his 60s on Wednesday in Florence. Matthew Casey has more.
MATTHEW CASEY: LeRoy McGill was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder in 2004. Authorities said McGill threw a cup of gasoline at two people sitting on a Phoenix apartment sofa and lit a match. Flames killed one person and left another with third-degree burns. McGill's lawyers presented evidence about abuse he suffered as a child, mental impairment, and psychological immaturity, but he still received a death sentence. McGill is the first person in Arizona to face execution this year. The state last put a man to death in October. Matthew Casey, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Valley residents will feel a brief cool down this week. The National Weather Service predicts high temperatures in the upper 80s today, low 90s by tomorrow. However, that’s temporary solace as the summer season approaches. Mark O'Malley is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
MARK O'MALLEY: Typically the middle of May we is when we start the heat season. And by the end of May, our normal high temperatures are above 100 degrees, and then everybody knows June, July, August are the peak of the summer here.
PHIL LATZMAN: O'Malley says people going outside though should not overexert themselves in these conditions, even though it'll be a few degrees cooler today and tomorrow in the Valley.
New federal guidance could roll back some hunting and fishing restrictions in national parks, recreation areas, and seashores, many of them in the West. And conservation groups say it may put wildlife and visitors at risk. Stephanie Adams is wildlife director for the National Parks Conservation Association. She says those limits, such as no shooting across trails or in certain zones, were common-sense rules that were layered on top of state regulations.
STEPHANIE ADAMS: We really do encourage that hunting and trapping, when it occurs on National Park Service lands, is done in a manner that has the least impact.
PHIL LATZMAN: The association is also raising alarms about federal guidance discouraging restrictions on lead ammunition and tackle unless there’s clear evidence of harm.
Well, the rates of sexually transmitted infections, specifically syphilis, are on the rise among older adults. Kathy Ritchie has more on why and ways to prevent transmission.
KATHY RITCHIE: Enrique Baylón is the community outreach supervisor at Spectrum Medical Care Center in Phoenix.
ENRIQUE BAYLÓN: One of the things that I've seen out in the elderly community, and also in the young community, is that not only the young people are having sex, but also the elderly.
KATHY RITCHIE: Yes, older adults are having sex, and they're not always using protection. Context is important here. Protection to one generation might mean from pregnancy. They might not consider STIs, and stigma remains a barrier. Baylón says he was recently talking to a group of seniors at a long-term care community about STIs.
ENRIQUE BAYLÓN: They were judging, you know, they were just talking about like they're not gay, they don't have sex with random people.
KATHY RITCHIE: Baylón says one person might think they're in a monogamous relationship while the other doesn't, so it's important to use protection like condoms and get tested. Kathy Ritchie, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: A state board that regulates drilling has greenlit new geothermal exploration wells in Greenlee County. The governor's office says it's a step towards expanding geothermal energy projects in Arizona. Here's Greg Hahne once again with that.
GREG HAHNE: The wells, approved by the Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, are part of a project to use geothermal energy to directly power Freeport-McMoRan's Morenci Mine, reportedly the largest copper mine in North America. The geothermal exploration company Zanskar is supporting the venture. Gov. Katie Hobbs says the project could entice more geothermal developers to the state. Hobbs's office says new technology advancements mean geothermal could be a valid utility source, as the state's geology has previously blocked traditional projects. Greg Hahne, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: In sports, the Diamondbacks take two of three in Denver. Corbin Carroll big day, homered twice and drove in three runs as they beat the Rockies 8-6. D-backs starter Michael Soroka struck out eight and allowed just two runs to improve to 6-2. Paul Sewald finished it off with his 10th save in 11 chances. D-backs try to get back to .500 again tonight as they return to Chase Field and begin a series with the Giants.
Hey, that will do it for this edition of KJZZ's Sun Up, Arizona's morning news podcast on this Monday, May the 18th. I'm Phil Latzman. Have a wonderful day, and we'll be back at you to do it again tomorrow. Talk to you then.
