KJZZ's Stories You Don't Want to Miss

Vice President Kamala Harris was in the Valley on Thursday, and she made a historic visit to the Gila River Indian Community. A chipmaker will send temporary workers to Phoenix to help build a massive factory, while the state and city pledge to improve a major road near the site. Leaders from the United States, Mexico and Canada are meeting this week to reflect on the regional trade agreement known as the USMCA. Plus the latest metro Phoenix, education and science news.

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne says public schools that allow English language learners to use the 50/50 dual language model are violating state law and risk losing state funding. The Phoenix City Council was asked to approve more than $2 million to create a new court for people experiencing homelessness. When the new fiscal year begins on July 1, the Arizona Department of Housing will begin working with the largest budget it’s ever had for the state’s Housing Trust Fund. Plus the latest in metro Phoenix, science, tribal resources and Fronteras Desk news.

A year after Roe v. Wade was overturned, patients seeking abortions in Arizona are facing longer wait times and added barriers for appointments, according to the state’s largest abortion provider. Many Arizonans are wondering how a Saudi Arabian dairy company's search for water ever led to the bone-dry Southwest. In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the federal government does not have to take affirmative steps to secure water for the Navajo Nation. Plus the latest Fronteras Desk, education, business and science news.

The housing market in Phoenix has been booming in recent years, but Arizona now faces a stark reality. In exchange for funding, Phoenix leaders want more information from the state’s largest emergency homeless shelter. A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit against the University of Arizona. Plus the latest Fronteras Desk, science and metro Phoenix news.

How do AIs respond to people who are suicidal or dealing with sexual assault or addiction? Arizona’s FAFSA completion rates are near the lowest in the country. Three major chemical companies say they’ve reached a tentative settlement with cities suing them for water contamination caused by PFAS. Plus the latest metro Phoenix, tribal resources and business news.

Arizona will stop approving some development projects in areas where groundwater would be the only water source. A Phoenix council member opposed to using tax dollars on stadiums is now supporting a bid to host  a major sporting event. Arizona State University has announced plans to launch a new medical school. Plus the latest metro Phoenix, Fronteras Desk, tribal resources and science news.

This year, Maricopa County is spending more on heat relief than it ever has in hopes of turning the heat-related deaths trend around. New technologies using artificial intelligence are shaking up many industries, including publishing and art. Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has submitted new legal filings. Plus the latest in metro Phoenix and Fronteras Desk news.

KJZZ has been committed to covering Arizona’s water challenges, in our ongoing series, “Every Last Drop.” And this week, we’ve been looking into the contaminants that pose threats to the state’s increasingly precious supply of drinking water. Tempe voters on Tuesday rejected a set of ballot measures that would have created a new venue for the Arizona Coyotes. Plus the latest in metro Phoenix, Fronteras Desk, tribal resources, education and science news.

A Flagstaff judge has dismissed a restraining order that state Sen. Wendy Rogers obtained against an Arizona Capitol Times reporter. For the unincorporated community of Rio Verde Foothills, water stopped flowing this year when the nearby city of Scottsdale shut off the taps. Are other small communities facing the same threat? Plus the latest metro Phoenix, science and education news.

A non-profit organization based in the Valley is offering help, in the form of man’s best friend, for combat veterans suffering from PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. On the second floor of Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix is a room filled with Arizona history dating back to territorial days. Plus the latest Fronteras Desk, science, business and metro Phoenix news.