PHOENIX — We made it to Friday! Are you ready for what should be a picture-perfect weekend for outdoor activities in the Valley?
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Friday, October 17; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Warming up in Arizona as we head toward the weekend
Enjoy the mild stretch while it lasts! Valley highs top out in the low 80s today, then we cool into the upper 50s and low 60s overnight.
Warmer air returns this weekend as highs jump into the mid to upper 80s.
Echo Canyon Trail on Camelback Mountain closed due to storm damage
Echo Canyon Trail is closed until further notice due to safety concerns from recent storms.
The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department announced the closure of the Camelback Mountain trail on Thursday, saying it is necessary so that the City of Phoenix can assess the damage and determine next steps.
Park Rangers will be at the trail to let visitors know about the closure and ensure everyone stays off the trail until it is safe to reopen.
“The recent storms have caused erosion along the trail that presents safety concerns,” said Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department Director Cynthia Aguilar. “We know Echo Canyon is one of our most popular hiking destinations, and we appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation as our team works to ensure that it is safe to hike the trail again.”
Residents in small neighborhood say they feel cut off after rain from remnants of Priscilla destroys bridge
Neighbors in a small West Valley community are dealing with the aftermath of the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla after heavy rains destroyed a bridge they relied on daily.
The 70-year-old bridge that washed away had been the only passageway for the small residential community. Now, people who live in the dozen homes near Beverly Road and 133rd Avenue say they fear they’re cut off from services and emergency responders. They reached out to ABC15, raising both safety concerns and questions about who is responsible for rebuilding the bridge.
Marilyn Chandler has called the neighborhood home for 25 years, but says she’s never seen anything like this.
“It was unbelievable! It was literally unbelievable,” she said.
Neighbors woke up Sunday to find the bridge that let them cross a wash destroyed by rising rainwaters.
'Catastrophic' service cuts for Arizona kids with disabilities on hold
The state is changing and pausing policies that would have led to major service cuts for Arizona children with disabilities, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Thursday.
The Division of Developmental Disabilities rolled out changes to how it assesses the needs of children younger than 18 on Oct. 1 to comply with a state law requiring reforms. The resulting service cuts were projected to save DDD, which faces a budget shortfall, $133.2 million.
The changes would have restricted attendant care, which pays for care workers who help provide safe and healthy living conditions, and implemented age-based limits on habilitation, or therapies that help those with disabilities learn needed life skills. Advocates had called the revamped policies “catastrophic.”
Former Arizona corrections officer leaves post to launch a non-profit book club
Christine Calabrese was celebrated by the Arizona Department of Corrections for starting a book club for inmates.
She realized that what was inside a good book could help inmates find purpose, so she quit her job as a correction officer to launch the EmBOSSed Book Club.
As she waits for her non-profit status to get approved, Christine hopes prisons in Arizona and across the U.S. adopt her program to help inmates pass the time by doing something to help themselves and possibly others through the teachings of a good book.
