PHOENIX — Happy Monday! Only a few more days until Christmas!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Monday, December 22; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - More record heat before rain moves in
Another round of record warmth is headed for the Valley today, with highs reaching 82º, breaking the old record of 79º set back in 1917. Changes are coming, though, as rain chances return tomorrow.
Turning Point showcases the discord that Republicans like Vance will need to navigate in the future
The next presidential election is three years away, but Turning Point USA already knows it wants Vice President JD Vance as the Republican nominee.
Erika Kirk, leader of the powerful conservative youth organization, endorsed him on the opening night of its annual AmericaFest convention, drawing cheers from the crowd.
But the four-day gathering revealed more peril than promise for Vance or any other potential successor to President Donald Trump, and the tensions on display foreshadow the treacherous waters that they will need to navigate in the coming years. The “Make America Great Again” movement is fracturing as Republicans begin considering a future without Trump, and there is no clear path to holding his coalition together as different factions jockey for influence.
After a weekend of debates about whether the movement should exclude figures such as antisemitic podcaster Nick Fuentes, Vance came down on the side of open debate.
Body found in Phoenix canal under investigation
Phoenix police are investigating after a body was found in a canal Sunday morning.
Officers were called to the area of 35th Ave and Indian School Road just before 10:30 a.m. after receiving a report of a body in the canal, according to Phoenix police.
Police and the Phoenix Fire Department responded to the scene and confirmed the person was dead.
Police say the person’s identity and the cause of death have not been determined.
Jewish community closes out somber Hanukkah in Scottsdale
It has been one week since an act of terrorism in Australia shook the Jewish community worldwide.
Sunday in Scottsdale, on the final night of Hanukkah, a group of celebrators reflected on the lives lost and the way forward.
“It demands two conflicting feelings at the same time. On the one hand, we mourn the loss, but at the same time, the way we respond to it is not by backing down but by doubling down and spreading lightness,” said Chabad of South Scottsdale Rabbi Shmuli Bronstein.
‘Smiles from Caleb’ brings healing along with holiday joy
Every December, a Valley couple shows up to the Michigan RV & Mobile Home Park off Grand Avenue with boxes of toys, and leaves behind something much bigger.
Joe and Crystal Pabustan, the founders of “Smiles from Caleb”, say their goal is simple: make kids smile.
“This is actually our 12th year coming to this community and handing out toys,” Joe Pabustan said.
Back in the beginning, they never imagined how large the effort would become. In their first year, they handed out just five toys. Now, every December, their nonprofit reaches thousands of children across the Valley, many of whom may not have had something under the tree.
