PHOENIX — Happy Tuesday! We will clear out and warm up today, but more rain chances are coming!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Tuesday, April 7; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Warming back up before our next storm moves in
The mid-90s are coming back. The storm that rolled through yesterday is pulling out, skies are clear today, and the heat returns for the rest of the week.
Closing arguments heard in Allison Feldman murder case
After months in trial, jurors heard closing arguments in a Scottsdale murder case that marked a first in Arizona.
Allison Feldman, 31, was killed inside her Scottsdale home back in 2015. The case went cold for years before familial DNA was used, pointing police to suspect Ian Mitcham.
A battle over how that key DNA evidence was obtained delayed the case against Mitcham for years and even reached the State Supreme Court.
In December 2024, Arizona's highest court ultimately ruled the evidence could be used at trial.
Over a decade after the murder, the trial against Mitcham began in November 2025.
The case could be handed over to the jury as early as Tuesday.
School districts see end of one federal preschool funding program
Research shows preschool gives children an early start that carries them through their K-12 education. That’s why Areanna Lozano enrolled her daughter, and she said it’s made a difference.
“We have seen significant improvements with her speech, her social skills, and her academics, “ Lozano told ABC15.
Lozano’s daughter was able to go to preschool thanks to the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) the Avondale Elementary School District received over the years.
The first round of funding reached more than 30 organizations, including school districts, distributing more than $22 million statewide, according to the Arizona Department of Education.
That grant, however, expired in December.
Trading cigarettes for cameras: A WWII soldier’s unlikely path to preserving history
With World War II underway, Bob Stone knew it was just a matter of time before he'd find himself on a warship heading overseas. He was 21 and made a decision to take control of the situation, the best he could.
“If you let them pick where you’re going, you could wind up in the trenches,” Stone said. “And they offered me an option where they would teach me some radio engineering… so I took it.”
Now 103, the New York–born World War II veteran recalls training eight hours a day, six days a week, for six months in radio engineering — the equivalent, he said, of a two-year course. By the time he finished, the Army had enough radio technicians.
“They offered me some other options,” Stone said. “I could become a pigeon trainer. I could become a cook… and then they gave me an option of becoming a teletype operator. Since I was able to type, I took that.”
That choice put Stone at the heart of the Allied war effort in Europe. Deployed to the European Theater in 1944, he arrived on the continent about two months after D-Day, first passing through the muddy, rain-soaked orchards of Normandy.
Phoenix Denny's busser celebrates his birthday and 48 years on the job with a special fundraiser event
A beloved busser at a central Phoenix Denny's is celebrating two major milestones: his birthday and 48 years on the job.
Barney Mullen was hired in the late 1970s and has become a fixture of the restaurant. Coworkers and customers know him for his perfect attendance, tireless work ethic, and warm personality.
Mullen is recognized as a trailblazer for employees with intellectual disabilities, proving that dedication and kindness can leave a lasting impact on a workplace and a community.
On April 8, the restaurant plans to celebrate Mullen by donating 20% of all sales to Lura Turner Homes. The nonprofit provides housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities and is where Mullen lives today.
