Good Wednesday morning!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for August 13; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From the ABC15 Meteorologists - Monsoon storm chances in the Valley this week
Extreme heat grips the Valley for one more day, so it's another Weather Action Day!
An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect here until 8 p.m. tonight, meaning today is another ABC15 Weather Action Day, a reminder to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your pets.
Hot surfaces such as car doors, steering wheels, and playground equipment can cause serious burns within seconds, so avoid direct contact whenever possible.
Extreme Heat Warnings are also in effect across western Arizona along the Colorado River, Marble and Glen canyons through this evening, and for the lower elevations of the Grand Canyon below 4,000 feet through Thursday evening.
A Heat Advisory is in place for the Northwest Plateau of Mohave County until 8 p.m.
Temperatures will gradually cool toward the end of the week as monsoon moisture moves in and storm chances increase.
In southern Arizona, storms today may bring gusty winds and blowing dust.
A Blowing Dust Advisory is in effect this afternoon for much of the region, including northwest Pinal County. People with respiratory issues should plan to stay indoors until storms pass, as visibility could quickly drop to near zero.
If you encounter blowing dust on the road, pull completely off the pavement, put your car in park, turn off all lights, and take your foot off the brake. Remember, “Pull Aside, Stay Alive.”
Here in the Valley, a few isolated storms are possible this evening, with the best chances coming Thursday and Friday.
Threats include gusty winds, blowing dust, heavy rain that could lead to localized flooding, and dangerous lightning.
Storm chances will taper off over the weekend, with temperatures likely ramping up once again.
See the forecast from Kidcaster Gianmarco:
Woman shot and killed, man in custody after shooting at Gilbert extended stay
A woman has died and a man is in custody after a shooting at an extended stay in Gilbert, police said.
Gilbert police say it happened just before 6 p.m. at the InTown Suites Extended Stay near Country Club Drive and Guadalupe Road.
When officers arrived, they found a woman who had been shot. They performed life-saving measures before she was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Police say a man also "retreated inside a room and barricaded."
Officers were able to make contact with the man and he later surrendered without incident.
"There was some sort of ongoing feud that possibly led to tonight's events," police said.
Pinal County Attorney will seek death penalty for suspect accused of killing Apache Junction officer
The Pinal County Attorney's Office has announced it will seek the death penalty against the man accused of shooting and killing Apache Junction Officer Gabriel Facio.
County Attorney Brad Miller made the announcement during a news conference in Florence on Tuesday.
“The decision follows a thorough review of the facts, evidence, and applicable laws and was made in consultation with input from experienced prosecutors in our office,” said County Attorney Miller.
On June 2, Officer Facio was responding to a road rage incident near Ironwood Drive and Elliot Road when he was allegedly shot by 37-year-old Roger Nunez.
According to documents, Nunez told officers he did not have a weapon in his vehicle. However, when asked to step out of the vehicle, Nunez pulled out a firearm and walked away from the vehicle, ignoring verbal commands from officers to stop and drop his weapon.
Phoenix pulls out of settlement with woman wrongly charged for officer’s accidental death
Phoenix is not done fighting Nubia Rodriguez.
For more than three years, officials tried to prosecute her for the tragic death of Officer Paul Rutherford, with police and prosecutors withholding key video evidence and using misleading and biased testimony to obtain a negligent homicide charge.
When the court tossed charges against Rodriguez, she filed a lawsuit for malicious prosecution against the city.
In April, it appeared the legal drama surrounding the case would finally end.
Phoenix’s outside attorneys filed for a stay in the lawsuit because they had reached a tentative settlement with Rodriguez and just needed final approval.
It now appears Phoenix has pulled out of the agreement, court records show.
Rodriguez's attorney, Larry Wulkan, declined to comment specifically on the failed settlement.
'The system has failed': Lawmaker over DCS says there must be change
ABC15's interview with State Senator Carine Werner comes after the high-profile murders of three kids known to DCS.
The state lawmaker with direct oversight of the Department of Child Safety told ABC15 there must be a change within the system.
ABC15's interview follows the high-profile murders of three children known to DCS: 14-year-old Emily Pike, 16-year-old Zariah Dodd, and 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste.
"We have three dead children, the system has failed," said State Senator Werner.
Senator Werner, who is the Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, first announced a probe into DCS after Emily was found dead in February of this year. The San Carlos Apache teen had been reported missing from a Valley group home licensed by the state.
ABC15 attended a public hearing back in May at the state Capitol. There, the Joint Legislative Committee over the Department of Child Safety heard from tribal leaders, DCS, and law enforcement.
"We have these awful incidents, and you know, we're missing something somewhere along the road here," said Sen. Werner.
She told ABC15 she would be meeting with the DCS Director this week and shares some of the same questions raised by the community, particularly following the murder of Rebekah Baptiste.
