“He doesn't want to reform elections. He wants to upset the apple cart,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said of state Rep. Alexander Kolodin. Fontes accused Kolodin of pushing election changes that would undermine voting by mail and force Arizonans to vote in person. He also argued that distrust in Arizona’s elections has been fueled by unsupported allegations against election workers and officials—not evidence of wrongdoing. “So, he and I agree on very little when it comes to elections,” Fontes said, pointing to Kolodin’s involvement in lawsuits challenging the 2020 election. Watch Fontes discuss election distrust and voting access in this clip from the Arizona Political Podcast, posted by Jim Sharpe: ktar.com/watch/az-political-…

A driver told Arizona troopers he was playing a game called "Lunatic" after being stopped for wrong-way driving on Interstate 40 near Winslow, according to DPS. FULL STORY: ktar.com/arizona-news/wrong-…

After the Cardinals' 10th straight loss to Seattle, Arizona Sports' Cardinals reporter Tyler Drake isn't sugarcoating Arizona's outlook heading into another NFC West showdown. "If they can't move the ball, I don't see them winning this game," Drake said, pointing to third-down struggles and a lack of targets for Marvin Harrison Jr. The Friday Huddle is sponsored by ZONiE.

High gas prices. Steep borrowing costs. A home that feels out of reach. Ruben Gallego says everyday expenses are squeezing Arizonans — and Republicans aren’t showing enough concern. "It feels like the president, and a lot of Republicans, they're ... just not showing, at a minimum, the empathy that people really need right now," Ruben Gallego says. Gallego says hearing complaints about gas prices even in well-off communities makes him worry about families with less financial breathing room, including those in south Phoenix. In a state where residents depend on driving, he says fuel costs add to the pressure of high interest rates and the struggle to afford a home. "I think this is gonna be a very good year for Democrats. It's unfortunate why that's the case," Ruben Gallego says. "The economy is THAT bad, and you never want to root for something like that, because it really, truly affects people. People are really hurting out there, and it's just everyday stuff."

This week would have marked the 19th birthday for Preston Lord, a Queen Creek teen who was killed at a 2023 Halloween party. On what is now honored as "Preston Lord Day" every Sept. 23 in the city of Chandler, the teen's father, Nick Lord, wore his son's favorite color and reflected on the sense of pride he holds for his son. He also thanked the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and East Valley community for standing by the family. Lord said he's heard "Preston's Law" has helped law enforcement in other cases. The law increases penalties in assault cases when three or more assailants attack one person. One of several people accused of participating in the attack that killed Preston Lord, Talyn Vigil, was also back in court this month because of an unrelated drag-racing arrest in Tempe. In response, Nick Lord said, "Honestly, I can't understand the mindset," he told @balin_om.

America's adversaries are using U.S.-developed artificial intelligence against us, according to @SenRubenGallego, who wants stronger safeguards and mandatory reporting of foreign theft or misuse. "We just, for example, learned that the Houthis were using Claude AI to figure out how to calibrate their missiles to better attack U.S. ships," Gallego told @AZMorningNews. More: ktar.com/arizona-technology-…

Rain swept across metro Phoenix this morning — watch it roll through in this timelapse! 🌧️ Missed the storms? More rain could be on the way, according to National Weather Service meteorologists. (Footage via @CityofPhoenixAZ)

Mother Nature hit the snooze button on sunshine this morning — and decided to crank up the water works instead! 🌧️ Drivers across the Valley woke up to slick, splashy freeways, and she's not done yet. More storms could roll through central and southern Arizona today, with the best chances of a downpour hitting mid-afternoon into the evening. Even Sky Harbor got in on the drama — thunderstorms crashed the party and disrupted travel! ⛈️✈️ Check out this clip of floodwaters making themselves right at home on our roads, and then drop YOUR videos and clips in the comments. We want to see how this morning's monsoon madness played out in your neighborhood! 👇

Storms developed in the Valley this morning, and more rain is expected next week. Phoenix seven-day forecast brought to you by the Homes2X Weather Center on KTAR.com. STORY: ktar.com/arizona-weather-new…

Both candidates for Arizona attorney general duked it out on the debate stage Wednesday night. Incumbent Democrat Kris Mayes touted her record, saying she's won 83% of her nearly 50 cases against the Trump administration and brought more than $2 billion back to the state. Republican challenger Warren Petersen argued Mayes has no business challenging the federal government so often, saying Arizona is a center-right state. But Petersen said he, too, would sue the Trump administration if necessary to protect Arizona's water rights. 📹: @heidi_hommel

"I can't believe you're allowing this to be aired." Kris Mayes wanted the moderators to jump in during a particularly tense moment in the attorney general debate where Warren Petersen was making multiple claims about how the incumbent has previously behaved.

Axios reported Wednesday that a Goodreads account appearing to belong to Andy Biggs gave positive reviews to books that have been criticized as Islamophobic and anti-immigrant. His campaign did not confirm or deny whether the account belonged to the congressman or address the reviews. Faceoff panelists on @OutspokenKTAR reacted to and provided their opinions on the reported reading list and reviews.

A body was found inside a car after Gilbert crews extinguished a blaze in the vehicle early Wednesday. ktar.com/arizona-news/body-f…

With Colorado River water cuts looming, Peoria is making a $104 million move to shore up its future supply. 💧 The City Council approved a contract to buy roughly 176,000 acre-feet in long-term water storage credits from the Harquahala Valley. The move comes as Peoria's annual Central Arizona Project allocation is expected to shrink by about 7,000 acre-feet next year — roughly one-fifth of its current share. 🌊 Water Watch is brought to you by @AMWUA

🚨 TRAFFIC ALERT: Broadway Road in west Phoenix is closed as investigators work to determine if a report of shots fired is related to a fatal vehicle-pedestrian collision. ktar.com/arizona-traffic/bro…

Are you getting older — or just giving up the things that made you feel young? 🎶 In this clip from the Amazing Arizonans podcast, brought to you by @resolutioncu, Danny Zelisko, shares a message for people who've stopped going to concerts: The music that made you happy and excited as a kid can still do that today.