Friday, September 11, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1899, Northern Arizona Normal School, the forerunner to Northern Arizona University, opened in Flagstaff with 23 students, two faculty members, and two sheepskin-bound dictionaries.

Triple-digit heat shows no signs of easing for much of the state, but forecasters are at least hopeful for a cooldown of at least a few degrees starting this weekend. You can find tips for staying safe here.

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Kirk Remembered One Year Later

Turning Point USA unveiled an 8-foot statue of Charlie Kirk outside its Phoenix headquarters Thursday, one year after the group's co-founder was assassinated at Utah Valley University in Orem.

The organization held an all-day public memorial at the Phoenix campus.

Turning Point held a second remembrance Thursday evening at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was shot, featuring Glenn Beck and Frank Turek. President Trump invoked Kirk separately in Dallas on Wednesday night, where his convention speech drew chants of "Charlie, Charlie."

Kirk co-founded Turning Point in 2012 and built it into a Phoenix-based political operation with more than 800 college chapters. Its campus tours have resumed.

Arizona Marks 9/11 Anniversary

Communities across Arizona are marking today's 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with ceremonies, flag displays, and firsthand accounts from those who were there.

Volunteers spent Thursday planting 2,977 flags at Tempe Beach Park, one for each victim. The Tempe Healing Field tribute begins at 5:46 a.m. today—the moment the first plane struck—followed by a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m.

In Tucson, retired FDNY Battalion Chief Richard Picciotto—the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center collapse—spoke at the Tucson Convention Center about being trapped in the North Tower.

Phoenix firefighters deployed to Ground Zero are also sharing their memories, and the brother of a Mesa man killed in a post-9/11 hate crime said he's found his way to forgiving the attacker.

Newcomers Flock to Surprise

A Surprise ZIP code drew more movers per resident than anywhere else in Arizona so far in 2026, according to a report from moving marketplace MovingPlace.

The 85387 area logged 99.5 moves per capita by the company's calculation, ahead of north Phoenix's 85054 at 59.0 and Rio Verde's 85263 at 51.2. The study tracked moves from January through June.

The same two ZIP codes cracked MovingPlace's national top 10 in March, with Surprise at No. 5 and 85054—which takes in Desert Ridge—at No. 9.

The latest available U.S. Census Bureau figures show Surprise and Goodyear each added about 7,700 residents between 2024 and 2025, with Queen Creek and Buckeye adding more than 6,500 apiece.

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➤ Benson: Crews rescued an elderly couple whose vehicle was swept into a wash near Interstate 10 and North Ocotillo Road on Wednesday evening. (More)

➤ Willcox: A woman was cited for DUI, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license after her car struck a stopped school bus with its lights flashing and stop arm out. Several students reported minor headaches and dizziness and were evaluated by medical personnel. (More)

➤ Gilbert: Jay Feely, the Republican nominee in the 1st Congressional District, spoke at the party's midterm convention in Dallas, Texas. (More)

➤ Grand Canyon: Park officials say South Rim water service should be restored in weeks rather than months after last month's flash flood destroyed the new water intake at Bright Angel Creek. (More)

➤ Tucson: The city council voted to pause renaming Joaquin Murrieta Park after activist Salomon Baldenegro, citing domestic violence allegations. (More)

➤ Statewide: The state launched a website to help enrollees navigate new Medicaid work requirements that could affect more than 400,000 Arizonans starting in January. (More)

➤ Phoenix: An 82-year-old man wanted in Maricopa County for two decades on child molestation charges was arrested in Texas following an investigation by a Texas deputy constable. (More)

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➤ Noche UFC takes place Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, the first event under a three-year TKO partnership bringing seven UFC, WWE, PBR, and boxing cards to Arizona. (More)

➤ Nogales native Demetrio Crisantes, an Arizona Diamondbacks infielder prospect who reached Triple-A at 22 this season, will play for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. (More)

➤ A $57 million purchase of three Valley golf courses in Cave Creek, Mesa, and Gilbert underscores the strength of Arizona's golf tourism industry, buyer Walden Group said. (More)

➤ The Arizona Cardinals' 2024 draft class enters a pivotal third season, with seven picks from the first three rounds, including receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (More)

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➤ Amkor Technology will invest $5 billion to expand its Peoria semiconductor packaging campus, bringing the total project to $12 billion. Construction on the 645,800-square-foot expansion is set to start in late 2027. (More)

➤ Sprouts Farmers Market opened its 180,000-square-foot headquarters at the CityNorth development in north Phoenix, a seven-acre campus that includes a flagship store and additional retail spaces. (More)

➤ The U.S. Energy Department awarded $20 million for upgrades at the University of Arizona's San Xavier research mine in Sahuarita amid rising demand for domestic critical minerals. (More)

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➤ The Arizona State Fair continues to finalize plans for its Oct. 1 through Nov. 1 run at the Phoenix fairgrounds, with country singer Russell Dickerson headlining the Coliseum on Oct. 17. (More)

➤ A southern Arizona school district warned families about a viral online trend built around a sinister version of Dr. Seuss' character Cat in the Hat. (More)

➤ Harkins Theatres in Arizona and other states stopped screening movies released by A24, citing an ongoing contract dispute, meaning fans of the studio's films will need to find another chain. (More)

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