About a week ago, I drove past a gas station in Scottsdale with regular gas listed for over $5 a gallon. 😵💫
As of Friday, the average gas price for Maricopa County was just under $4.90.
Gas for over $5 at a Sinclair in Scottsdale, pictured Sept. 19, 2026. (Jessica Swarner/The Copper Courier)
I get my gas at Costco, where it was a little cheaper at $4.75. You have to have a membership there, though, to be able to get in on the discount.
I wish I had good news to share, but it looks like gas prices are going to remain high at least for the next few months because of the war in Iran.
For now, if I find myself far from Costco, I use the GasBuddy app to find the cheapest station around me. (This is not an ad—just a personal recommendation!)
Local news is disappearing. The pressure on the newsrooms that remain is growing.
More than 3,500 newspapers have closed nationwide since 2005. Journalists and newsrooms face increasing attacks from the federal government, while funding for local news continues to dry up. We can’t keep doing this work without our readers’ support.
This is the same company that won a contract to convert a warehouse in Surprise into a detention center. That project is on pause for an environmental review, though, because of a lawsuit from Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.
An employee of GardaWorld Federal LLC stands outside the ICE-owned warehouse in Surprise on April 18, 2026. (Provided by Jeremy M. Helfgot via Reuters Connect)
This plan for expansion comes the same week as congressional investigators reported that ICE has wasted tens of millions of dollars on its projects.
What do you think of ICE expanding immigration detention in Florence? Let me know, and I’ll include some responses in Wednesday’s newsletter!
🎵 A middle school in Tucson offers a music technology class that teaches students how to compose and produce songs. (Arizona Luminaria)
💦 The city of Phoenix offers free water conservation consultations and kits with tools to reduce water usage. (Axios Phoenix)
🍕 Check out this map of 45 bars, restaurants, and coffee shops that have opened in Tucson this year. (Tucson Foodie)
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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jessica Swarner with stories from Sahara Sajjadi, USA Today Network via Reuters Connect, The Associated Press, and Britteny Dee. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.
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