PHOENIX — Happy Tuesday! Hope you had a great holiday weekend!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Tuesday, September 2; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - More storm chances this evening
Labor Day brought plenty of severe storms across the Valley, and we could see a few more develop this evening. Otherwise, look for partly cloudy skies with a high of 107º and overnight lows in the 80s.
See the forecast from Kidcaster Genesis:
Monsoon storms roll through the Valley on Labor Day
We couldn't avoid the monsoon this Labor Day!
Monsoon storms rolled through the Valley during the evening hours Monday.
Some parts of the Valley saw more than a half-inch of rain with the storms.
At the height of the storms, about 9,000 APS and SRP customers had lost power.
Rain chances will continue in the Valley throughout this week.
Apache County's house representative calls for action amid probe into DCS
Calls for change have been growing louder following three high-profile murders of children known to the state Department of Child Safety. ABC15 sat down with Arizona Representative Walter Blackman just days before a stakeholder meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting will bring together tribal leaders, law enforcement, and legislators to discuss state protocols. In a press release, state Senator Carine Werner's office said the goal was to identify "immediate safety improvements and develop long-term reforms..."
"This is a hard thing to look at, because you have a little girl that was tortured, that was abused, systems failed on her," said Rep. Blackman.
His district covers a portion of eastern Arizona, close to the final place Rebekah Baptiste lived before she was killed.
Fire at Phoenix church Sunday night destroys classroom building
A fire that broke out at a Phoenix church Sunday evening is under investigation.
Phoenix Fire Department officials say the blaze started around 9 p.m. at the church near 7th Street and Broadway Road.
ABC15 crews talked with a pastor of the church on Sunday, who said the building was vacant and no injuries were reported.
Senior Leader of Life Changers Global Ministries, Dr. Earl Newton, said the two mobile classrooms were purchased for $12,000. They planned to create a pre-school in one and run their homeless outreach program in the other.
Valley artist adds color to the lives of those in need, one canvas at a time
When St. Vincent de Paul’s De Paul Manor first opened its doors to those in need, the rooms offered shelter, but little color. With its walls empty and bare, the organization was determined to make it more welcoming.
That’s when 85-year-old local artist Betsy Vincent stepped in with a gift no one expected: more than 1,000 original paintings.
Now, every wall is alive with art, and every resident leaves with a piece of beauty to call their own.
