PHOENIX — Happy Thursday! Hopefully, the ASU women can shoot as hot as our weather today! They face Virginia in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at 6 p.m. tonight.
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Thursday, March 19; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Arizona sets records as dangerous heat wave peaks this week
The Valley is under an Extreme Heat Warning today as Phoenix chases history —105 degrees would be the earliest we've ever hit that mark, more than a month ahead of the previous record from April 20th, 1989.
Major child murder trial suspended indefinitely due to Goodyear PD’s evidence problems
A high-profile child murder trial against a former Phoenix cop and his wife has been shut down indefinitely because Goodyear police have significant and widespread issues with their evidence.
In a ruling from the bench on Wednesday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Patricia Starr ordered that the trial against Germayne and Lisa Cunningham will be suspended until the court can hold an evidentiary hearing to determine the scope of the problems and their impact on the case.
The lengthy trial, which has been running for the past six months, was initially paused on Monday after prosecutors disclosed thousands of pages of documents over the weekend that outlined systemic problems with police evidence.
Internal police documents obtained by ABC15 reveal that Goodyear has longstanding issues with their evidence tracking software, impacting chain of custody in the Cunningham case and potentially many others.
Crescent Moon display on Tempe’s “A” Mountain destroyed; Muslim community calls for tolerance
Members of the Muslim community at Arizona State University and across Tempe say they are shocked and saddened after a 15‑foot crescent moon installation on “A” Mountain was found destroyed Tuesday, just before the end of Ramadan.
The large crescent, erected in mid‑February to mark the start of the holy month, had become a visible symbol of prayer, fasting, and reflection for Muslims in the Valley.
“For us, the crescent symbolizes the coming of Ramadan but then also the coming at the end of Ramadan to the new lunar month, which is the month of celebration,” said Imam Omar Tawil of the Islamic Community Center of Tempe.
ASU Muslim students, who have installed the crescent in recent years, much like other faith groups display crosses or menorahs during their holidays, said they were devastated to see the structure destroyed.
“It was devastating to just completely see the work that we’ve done… and just the representation,” said Wid Alsabah, who helped put up the display. “Not even just the work, but the symbol of Muslims being targeted this way.”
Scottsdale group proposes $2.5B Palo District on former Fiesta Mall site
A Scottsdale sports investment firm intends to transform the 80-acre former Fiesta Mall site in Mesa into the Palo District, a $2.5 billion mixed-use development anchored by a 25,000-seat stadium built for women’s professional soccer.
Sunny Day Sports, led by founder Vicki Mayo, shared renderings showing two planned hotels. Sunny Day also plans a mix of homes, restaurants, and retail. The project also would include a center focused on women’s health and innovation, and is designed to attract a national women’s soccer league franchise to the Valley.
“We’re excited about the Palo District and what it’s doing for Mesa,” Mayo said. “We’ve really been thoughtful about the projects that we’ve brought into this parcel to ensure it’s a place where people want to come and hang out and stay.”
The Mesa City Council has approved the plans, and the last remaining building from the old mall was demolished last year, clearing the site for redevelopment.
Phoenix Wounded Veteran Ride gives wounded warriors a family and a lifeline
For Army veteran Dennis Chamberlain, the hardest mission of his 26-year career didn’t happen on a battlefield. It began when he took off his uniform for the last time.
Chamberlain, who served in the Army from age 17 to 44 as a helicopter crew chief, engineer, recruiter and infantry officer, said the prospect of retiring in 2020 left him “terrified.”
“The military was all I knew from 17 to 44,” he said. “To be a little vulnerable, I was terrified.”
That fear began to ease when a fellow soldier he trusted, now president of a local veterans organization, nominated him as an honoree for the Phoenix Wounded Veteran Ride, the flagship fundraising event for the Arizona nonprofit They Fought We Ride. The group supports combat-wounded and other struggling veterans who have “fallen through the cracks.”
