Monday, March 9, 2026

$7.2M LEGO Subsidies, NASCAR, and Plane Crash Audio

Monday, March 9, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1955, weather station operators at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson were photographed providing round-the-clock weather reports for flight crews.

The stars of NASCAR battled in Phoenix on Sunday. Learn who crossed the line first on Top Stories.

Today's sponsor, RAD Intel, is an emerging AI company focused on helping major brands turn artificial intelligence into smarter marketing decisions and measurable business results—an opportunity thousands of early investors are already watching closely.

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.

Demonstrators Clash Over Middle East

Protesters and counter-protesters clashed outside the Arizona State Capitol on Saturday over the U.S. military action in Iran.

The confrontation included shouting matches and some people waving flags while others dragged them on the ground.

Some participants briefly shook hands before tensions flared again.

The demonstrations followed rallies held last weekend.

$7.2M in School Vouchers Spent on LEGOs

Arizona families participating in the state's school voucher program have spent more than $7.2 million on LEGO sets since 2022, when the program expanded to all students.

Receipts obtained by 12News, which sued the state for access, showed 22 families spent at least $10,000 each on LEGO sets, including one family that spent nearly $30,000.

An education department spokesperson said LEGO sets are an allowed educational expense under the program, which serves more than 100,000 students and costs over $1 billion annually.

State school Superintendent Tom Horne declined an interview about the findings. In 2023, Horne issued a statement that seemed to indicate LEGO purchases were being limited to under $500.

Blaney Ends Reddick Streak

Ryan Blaney won the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, passing Ty Gibbs after a late-race restart to secure his first victory of the NASCAR Cup Series season.

Blaney's win—his second straight at the track—denied Tyler Reddick a historic fourth straight victory to start the NASCAR season. See the full results.

The NASCAR Cup Series race capped a busy weekend at the one-mile Avondale oval.

On Saturday, Justin Allgaier won the GOVX 200, leading the final 11 laps to claim his third win in Phoenix and the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series points lead.

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The AI Investment Hiding Under the Chip Boom

While headlines focus on chips and data centers, a quieter AI race is unfolding and early investors are already moving in. Big brands aren't asking who has the flashiest AI model. They're asking who can turn AI into cleaner decisions and better numbers quarter after quarter. RAD Intel has been building for that second wave from the start.

While most investors chased the obvious names, RAD Intel quietly stacked 5,000%+ valuation growth in 4 years, delivered 2× sales contract growth in 2025, and has multiple recurring 7-figure enterprise contracts under its belt. The platform sits beneath major enterprise marketing budgets across industries like gaming, entertainment, and fashion, helping companies see where the next dollar is most likely to perform before it's spent.

15,000 investors have already stepped in and $60M+ has been raised while the company is still private, with a reserved Nasdaq ticker $RADI. Shares are $0.85 for now, with a scheduled share price change on March 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Lock in $0.85 Shares Before March 12.

➤ North Phoenix: Audio recordings captured a pilot reporting engine trouble moments before a small plane crashed into two homes near Deer Valley Airport last week. (Listen)

➤ Statewide: Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill creating a license plate honoring Charlie Kirk, saying it would inject politics into a nonpartisan government service. The bill's sponsor called Hobbs' action "grotesque partisanship." (More)

➤ Cornville: A 16-year-old was arrested after allegedly taking a car without permission on a high-speed joyride on rural roads last week. (More)

➤ Phoenix: A judge ordered state lawmakers to revise the state's K-12 facilities funding system, the latest in a long-running legal battle between some schools and the state legislature. The judge gave lawmakers eight months to make changes or appeal the decision. (More)

➤ Tucson: Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Tucson, said he supported President Trump's decision to replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and nominate U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., for the post. (More)

➤ No. 2 Arizona men's basketball rallied to beat Colorado 89–79 in the regular-season finale, securing its first Big 12 title and a school-record 29 regular-season wins. (Photo)

➤ Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was arrested on suspicion of DUI after a traffic stop early Friday in Scottsdale. (More)

➤ Grand Canyon University men's basketball received a first-round bye in the upcoming Mountain West Conference tournament that begins Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nevada. (More)

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➤ Economic development groups and Arizona State University inked a deal with Japan's trade agency to boost semiconductor investment, workforce training, and research. (More)

➤ State lawmakers passed a bill requiring businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest 5 cents following the end of penny production. (Watch)

➤ Arizona farmers are tightening irrigation and conservation efforts amid proposals to sharply reduce the state's Colorado River water allocation. (Watch)

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The Second Wave of AI is Here. Share Price Changes 3/12.

Most AI headlines focus on chips and models. The second wave is brands streamlining workflows so ideas move faster, decisions get tighter, and spend is easier to defend. RAD Intel is built for that shift, applying AI to marketing execution where budgets and outcomes meet.

The traction already shows up in the numbers—5,000%+ valuation growth in 4 years, 2× sales contract growth in 2025, and multiple recurring 7-figure enterprise contracts in place. Fortune 1000 teams use the platform to tighten targeting, creator selection, and paid media choices before spend moves.

15,000 investors have already participated and $60M+ has been raised while RAD Intel remains private, with a reserved Nasdaq ticker $RADI. Shares are $0.85 for now, with a scheduled share price change on March 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Secure your shares before the price updates.

Lock in $0.85 today.

This is a paid advertisement for RAD Intel made pursuant to Regulation A+ offering and involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. The valuation is set by the Company and there is currently no public market for the Company's Common Stock. Nasdaq ticker "RADI" has been reserved by RAD Intel and any potential listing is subject to future regulatory approval and market conditions. Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.radintel.ai.

➤ Tombstone's Outlaw Zipline reopened Saturday with a western-themed attraction that lets visitors zip through town while shooting outlaw targets. (Watch)

➤ A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled Kari Lake lacked legal authority to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media, invalidating budget cuts and other actions the Arizona Republican oversaw at Voice of America. Lake called the ruling a "bogus" decision by an activist judge and said the government plans to appeal. (More)

➤ Phoenix Valley nonprofits are teaming up to give a trained service dog to a deserving Arizona veteran, with a March 14 application deadline. (Watch)

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Rec Report, Sinclair Fined, and Hundreds of Hats

Monday, March 9, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1814, John Evans, Colorado's second territorial governor, was born in Waynesville, Ohio.

A March storm dumped more than 20 inches of snow in parts of the high country. See the totals in our Top Stories. Did you get any snow where you live? Vote in our Poll to let us know.

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.

Outdoor Rec Boom Begins to Cool

Colorado's outdoor recreation industry grew about 3.6% in 2024, contributing $18.1 billion to the state's economy.

Though the state's outdoor sector is still a multibillion-dollar heavyweight—ranking 10th-largest in the U.S. and No. 1 for snow activities—the pace of growth reflects a slowdown from the post-pandemic boom.

Nationally, the industry generated about $1.3 trillion in economic output and grew 2.7% in inflation-adjusted terms in 2024, a deceleration from 5.3% growth in 2023. Supporting activities, like recreation-adjacent tourism and travel, made up more than half of the total economic output.

Available data doesn't yet reflect Colorado's 2025 season conditions, which included a record-low snowpack. Some industry leaders are calling on policymakers to help shore up long-term growth.

Greeley Meatpackers Prepare to Strike

The union representing workers at Greeley's JBS meatpacking plant has given notice it will cancel its contract extension on March 15, setting the stage for a strike as soon as Monday, March 16.

Meatpackers at the plant—one of the largest beef processors in the U.S.—have been negotiating a new contract since July. The union cites unsafe working conditions and low pay as its top concerns.

Union employees authorized a strike last month in a near-unanimous vote. A walkout of nearly 3,800 JBS workers could become the nation's first meatpacker strike since 1985.

Last year, a class-action lawsuit alleged JBS exploited over 1,000 Haitian immigrants recruited to work at the Greeley facility. That lawsuit is still pending.

Storm Dumps Snow, Impacts DIA

A winter storm left nearly two feet of snow in some areas over the weekend, with Ward in Boulder County reporting 23.2 inches by noon Saturday. See a list here.

The snowstorm also delayed more than 1,200 flights at Denver International Airport (DIA) on Friday, briefly earning it the title of "most miserable" airport in the U.S., according to FlightAware.

Amid the heavy snow at DIA, a United Airlines flight collided with a de-icing truck, sending one worker to the hospital. No passengers or crew were injured.

A warming trend drove highs back into the 50s and 60s by Sunday. The next chance for precipitation is Tuesday night, with scattered showers possible over the southern Rockies.

Flying together with our sponsor

The AI Investment Hiding Under the Chip Boom

While headlines focus on chips and data centers, a quieter AI race is unfolding, and early investors are already moving in. Big brands aren't asking who has the flashiest AI model. They're asking who can turn AI into cleaner decisions and better numbers quarter after quarter. RAD Intel has been building for that second wave from the start.

15,000 investors have already stepped in and $60 million+ has been raised while the company is still private, with a reserved Nasdaq ticker $RADI. Shares are $0.85 for now, with a scheduled share price change on March 12 at 11:59 pm P.T.

Lock-in $0.85 Shares Before March 12.

➤ Pagosa Springs: A multistate manhunt for a triple-murder suspect ended Thursday when police arrested Ivan Miller, 22, who had traveled to Colorado after allegedly killing three women in southern Utah. (More)

➤ Front Range: State officials fined oil company Sinclair more than $365,000 for the Jan. 7 fuel mix-up that resulted in diesel-contaminated gas being distributed to 49 gas stations. (More)

➤ Broomfield: Around 80 students and staff members have been told to stay home temporarily from two local schools after health officials declared a measles outbreak tied to Broomfield High School. (More)

➤ Denver Public Schools held its first public-comment session on a proposed policy aimed at limiting ICE access to school property without a warrant. (More)

➤ Grand Junction: Lawmakers, including Rep. Jeff Hurd, introduced a bipartisan bill to keep a local uranium disposal site open until it reaches maximum capacity, a measure they say would save taxpayers millions and protect public health. (More)

➤ Garfield County: A car crashed into the Colorado River after sliding off an ice-slicked stretch of Interstate 70 early Saturday and became submerged. Both occupants escaped unharmed. (See Photo)

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➤ The Denver Broncos agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with linebacker Justin Strnad, including $10 million guaranteed. Strnad had 58 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and an interception last season while filling in for injured starters. (More)

➤ The Colorado Rapids beat the LA Galaxy 4-1 Saturday with two late goals from Rafael Navarro. Darren Yapi opened scoring and Alexis Manyoma added his first Rapids goal before Navarro sealed the win. (More)

➤ Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and his wife, Izzy, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Riley Belle, on Feb. 25. The baby shares a birthday with Nix, who turned 26 the same day. (More)

➤ Nine athletes with Colorado ties are competing for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy. The games run March 7-15 and feature more than 660 athletes competing in six sports. (More)

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➤ Waymo, a self-driving rideshare service, still plans to launch in Denver later this year—part of its push into colder cities—despite a warm, dry winter during its testing period. (More)

➤ Denver's home prices are the highest among major U.S. cities outside of California and coastal markets, with a median listing just under $565,000, according to a new report. (More)

➤ Douglas County is positioning itself as a major U.S. aerospace hub, with more than 27,000 employees in the sector, business incentives to attract companies, and a talent pipeline from the Colorado School of Mines. (More)

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➤ U.S. Veterans may be missing out on hundreds in exclusive savings. USA Military Savings highlights money-saving tips, discounts, and benefits available only to veterans and military families—from travel and shopping to insurance and everyday expenses. See what you qualify for and start keeping more of your hard-earned money today. (LEARN MORE)

Flying together with our sponsor

The Second Wave of AI is Here. Share Price Changes March 12.

The traction already shows up in the numbers - 5,000%+ valuation growth in 4 years, 2× sales contract growth in 2025, and multiple recurring 7-figure enterprise contracts in place. Fortune 1000 teams use the platform to tighten targeting, creator selection, and paid media choices before spend moves.

15,000 investors have already participated and $60 million+ has been raised while RAD Intel remains private, with a reserved Nasdaq ticker $RADI. Shares are $0.85 for now, with a scheduled share price change on March 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Secure your shares before the price updates.

➤ A 94-year-old Denver woman and two-time cancer survivor hand-knits hundreds of colorful hats for local school students each year—producing about 700 hats annually at her peak. (Read Story)

➤ Denver and Aurora are among the hardest-working cities in the U.S., ranking No. 9 and No. 16, respectively, according to a new study based on 11 key metrics. (See Map)

➤ The Colorado State Fair announced its first three concert headliners for this summer: Ian Munsick, Dylan Scott, and Neal McCoy. The fair opens Aug. 28 in Pueblo. (See Details)

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➤ Nearly half of parents are underinsured. Nearly 47% of parents say they need more life insurance, but closing the gap is easier than you think. Term life coverage can start at just $7 a month, with online approval possible in under 15 minutes. Compare Money's top-rated providers and protect your family with confidence. COMPARE LIFE INSURANCE.