Senate Republicans are moving forward with a plan to sidestep Gov. Katie Hobbs' veto stamp by putting a tough illegal immigration and border security law on the November ballot.The big picture: In a year in which illegal immigration and border security are expected to be top issues in the election, Arizona voters may have a chance to weigh in on what would be one of the toughest laws in the country.Catch up quick: In March, Hobbs vetoed the Arizona Border Invasion Act, which would've made crossing the border without authorization a misdemeanor state crime.The proposal was modeled on a Texas...

Note: Share of the U.S. labor force that is functionally unemployed (seeking but unable to find a full-time job, is unemployed or is employed in a position earning less than a living wage); Data: Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity; Chart: Axios VisualsPhoenix's true unemployment rate last year was 21.9%, compared to its official rate of 3.5%, according to a study from the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity.Why it matters: Phoenix has enjoyed a rosy unemployment picture in the past few years, but a more nuanced look at the region's workforce data reveals a larger chunk of individuals who...

Randy's Donuts is a longtime institution in California, and now that it's officially expanded to Phoenix, you can stop in yourself to see why it's such a beloved chain.State of play: The chain, which opened its original store in Inglewood, California, in 1952, launched its first Arizona location last month.Randy's Phoenix location is on Seventh Street, a few blocks south of Bethany Home Road.They have 17 other U.S. locations in California, Nevada and Georgia, along with 21 international stores in South Korea, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.New stores are scheduled to open later this year in Albuquerque, Las Vegas and...

Arizona's public universities are barricading fields, creating new protest rules and urging pro-Palestinian demonstrators to obey campus policies in the lead-up to this week's graduation activities. Why it matters: Universities nationwide fear protests will disrupt commencement events. The University of Southern California canceled its main ceremony, citing new safety protocols.

A new industrial park broke ground last week in a rapidly growing corner of the Valley.The big picture: Brickyards on Ellsworth, near Ellsworth and Willis roads, just southeast of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, will be an eight-building complex with more than 900,000 square feet, according to a press release from Scottsdale-based Martens Development.Why it matters: Martens called the southeast Valley "one of the most active industrial submarkets in the country."While the area has boomed with large industrial buildings over the past few years, Brickyards will fill a need by serving "that homegrown business" that needs office and manufacturing space to expand,...

The long-anticipated new Maricopa County East Valley Animal Care Center is officially open.Why it matters: The 84,000-square-foot shelter, built on county land at Baseline and McQueen roads in Mesa, has bigger kennels, a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic and a stress- and noise-reducing layout.The previous shelter at Rio Salado and Loop 101, which ceased operations April 22, was 30 years old and did not allow for a "high quality of animal care," the county said in its shelter FAQ.Flashback: The county previously planned to consolidate all shelter services by expanding its Durango location in south Phoenix.After spending about $300,000 to study the expansion, the county determined it was not a viable solution.In 2021, the county Board of Supervisors allocated $27 million for the new East Valley shelter.State of play: The Bissell Pet Foundation is waiving adoption fees for all dogs six months and older adopted at county shelters until May 15.Puppies will continue to have an adoption fee of $150.1 fun thing: A shelter dog named Palm bit through a link of sausages in a pup-ified version of a ribbon cutting on Wednesday.

Some Republicans who were indicted for casting false electoral votes for former President Trump in Arizona have argued that the votes were a contingency to be in place in case ongoing litigation changed the outcome of the 2020 election.Why it matters: Whether they intentionally cast fraudulent votes or were voting only as a contingency could be a major factor in the 11 fake electors' case.What they're saying: Attorney Dennis Wilenchik, who represents elector Jim Lamon, told Axios, "If it ever goes to trial, it will be huge on criminal intent. There was none."The other side: The indictment alleges the electors...

The Arizona Diamondbacks' followup to last season's stunning run to the World Series is off to a lackluster start.The big picture: The D-Backs are struggling so far this year, with a 14-18 record that's put them in fourth place in the National League West.They've also been hampered by numerous injuries.Zoom in: Outfielder Corbin Carroll is starting the season in a sophomore slump after dominating his way to last year's NL Rookie of the Year award.Carroll is batting .197 with one home run and five RBI, and is now batting near the bottom of the order.That's a far cry from the...

There's plenty of fun to be had across the Valley this weekend. Enjoy Mariachi music, nerd out with Star Wars celebrations and more: ☄️ Galaxy STEM FestBring the kiddos for hands-on learning and fun, including slime-making and a demonstration of "The Force" by the Arizona chapter of the international Star Wars costuming club.Saturday, 9am-2pm; Free!🏇 Derby Day ClubGrab a giant hat and head to Turf Paradise for a Kentucky Derby Party with on-site horse betting and mint juleps.Saturday, 10:45am-5pm; Tickets start at $50.😋 Vegan Street FairTaste-test snacks from more than 20 plant-based vendors at PHX Beer Co.Saturday, 11am-7pm; Admission is...

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill Thursday to repeal a ban on nearly all abortions.Why it matters: The ban, which dates to early territorial days in 1864, forbids doctors from providing abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother. The repeal will allow a 2022 law permitting abortions through 15 weeks of pregnancy to take effect.What they're saying: "This ban needs to be repealed. I said it in 2022 when Roe was overturned and I've said it again and again as governor," Hobbs said before signing the bill.Reality check: The ban, which the Arizona Supreme Court...

The Arizona Senate voted on Wednesday to repeal the state's pre-Roe ban on nearly all abortions, the final step before it goes to Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has said she'll sign it.Why it matters: Repealing the ban, which dates to early territorial days in 1864, will allow a 2022 law permitting abortions through 15 weeks of pregnancy to go into effect.Reality check: That won't happen until 90 days after the legislative session ends.Sessions have no set time limits, and the only deadline lawmakers face is July 1, the date by which they must pass a budget.The big picture: Republican lawmakers...

Hundreds of Arizona freshmen are expected to attend one of the state's three public universities this fall without having ever submitted a college application.The big picture: It's part of an automatic admission program that aims to increase college enrollment among Arizona high schoolers, especially those who are Latino or live in lower-income communities.Why it matters: The percentage of Arizona high school students who pursue secondary education is 15 points below the national average, according to the ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence.How it works: The Personalized Admissions Project allows Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University...

The Phoenix Suns' future is uncertain after a disappointing season and even more disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs.The big picture: After two years of major roster shake-ups that made the Suns virtually unrecognizable from the team that went to the NBA Finals in 2021, they're left without a clear path forward if they want to stay in the hunt for the franchise's first championship.New owner Mat Ishbia's plan to win now, which included trading for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to form a "big three" with longtime star Devin Booker, didn't pay dividends.The team struggled to find its identity...

Data: Climate Central; Chart: Axios VisualsThe average annual temperature in Phoenix increased by 4.4 degrees from 1970 to 2023, according to a new analysis by Climate Central.Why it matters: A 4-degree temperature difference can be a matter of life or death during the summer.645 people died of heat-related causes in Maricopa County during last year's historically hot summer. More than half of the deaths occurred on the 21 days the National Weather Service calculated an extreme heat risk.Zoom out: All 50 states and nearly all 241 U.S. cities the group analyzed have warmed since 1970.

There are a lot of new restaurants on the horizon at Novus Place in Tempe, but Eureka! is now open and worth checking out.State of play: Eureka! is a chain with a menu that's big on gourmet burgers, plus signature sandwiches and other entrees.It opened its first Arizona location in Tempe at Novus Place in February.It's 27 locations are mostly in California, with restaurants in Austin, Boise, Las Vegas and Seattle as well.What to try: The Fresno Fig burger seemed interesting, with fig marmalade, bacon, goat cheese, arugula and spicy porter mustard.I'm not normally big on sweet potato fries, but Eureka!'s, made with cinnamon and drizzled with honey, sounded incredible.The unique mix of flavors, not normally associated with a burger, was delicious and did not stand out as bizarre.I can't say enough about the sweet potato fries. They could've been a dessert and I'm already craving another order.What's next: I didn't order a drink this time around, but Eureka! has a great whiskey selection and I'd be tempted to join their whiskey club if Tempe weren't across town for me.

Negotiations brokered by Gov. Katie Hobbs over possible legislation to alleviate Arizona's housing crisis have been underway since she vetoed a bill intended to foster construction of lower-cost starter homes in March.Why it matters: The state faces a shortage of 270,000 housing units, according to a 2022 report by the Arizona Department of Housing, while rising prices have made available homes unaffordable for many Arizonans.Catch up quick: Hobbs in her veto letter called the starter homes bill, which would've prohibited cities from requiring certain aesthetic and design features on single-family homes and barred mandates that people form homeowners associations, "a...

Data: Axios research; Note: Universities with joint encampments reported separately; Locations approximated for clarity; Map: Kavya Beheraj, Tory Lysik and Will Chase/AxiosCollege demonstrations and encampments calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment in Israel erupted this month across the nation, including at Arizona State University, where 72 protesters were arrested over the weekend.The big picture: The protests over the treatment of Palestinian citizens in the Israel-Hamas war spread after a demonstration at Columbia University drew international attention earlier this month, when the university's president requested that the protesters be removed.Critics call the protests antisemitic and bigoted and say they've led...

Data: Redfin analysis of county records; Note: National data calculated from 40 of the most populous U.S. metro areas; Chart: Axios VisualsPhoenix's median down payment reached $47,000 in February, up about 31% from just a year earlier, according to a new report from Redfin.The big picture: Homebuyers are reaching deeper into their pockets on the front end to soften their monthly payments, Redfin researchers say.Yes, but: The typical Phoenix down payment in February of 10% fell below the national 15% median, per the report.Between the lines: Those who put at least 20% down can avoid the added cost of private mortgage insurance.Reality check: First-time buyers across the country are still struggling to get their feet in the door.First-timers don't have equity from selling a home to boost their down payment, and they're often competing against cash buyers, according to Redfin.ICYMI: New Arizona program will provide up to $30,000 for first-time homeowners

Phoenix Christian Preparatory School has big plans for the former Asbury United Methodist Church, including its iconic "cupcake chapel." Catch up quick: Asbury United Methodist Church built the chapel in 1967, according to a 2002 article in the Arizona Republic. It's probably best-known as the "cupcake chapel" but has also...

Data: Climate Central via U.S. Department of Energy; Note: Major power outages affect at least 50k customers or interrupt service of 300 megawatts or more; Outage events can cross state lines; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosArizona experienced only six power outages caused by extreme weather between 2000 and 2023, well below the national average, a new report from nonprofit research and communications group Climate Central found.Why it matters: A resilient electrical grid — which keeps our air conditioners working — can be a matter of life and death during the summer.Half of Phoenix residents would need emergency medical attention if a multiday...