PHOENIX — Happy Monday! Temperatures will be warming up this week — it's going to feel like spring!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Monday, January 12; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Ashlee Demartino - Warmer week ahead
It will be dry, sunny, and breezy again this afternoon. Expect northeast winds between 10-15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph in the Valley.
We'll see a high of 71º, with an overnight low of 46º.
See the forecast from Kidcaster Jorge:
Hundreds protest ICE, Trump administration in Tempe
Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration took place across the country Saturday, including here in Arizona, where one of the largest demonstrations unfolded in Tempe.
Hundreds of people gathered on a pedestrian bridge over U.S. 60, waving signs and drawing honks of support from drivers below. Protesters said they were demonstrating in response to the recent shooting in Minneapolis that killed Renee Good, as well as concerns about ICE’s enforcement actions nationwide.
“I’m standing up for my neighbors,” said Laurie Green of Tempe. “I am not happy with what happened in Minneapolis.”
Another protester, Mitch, also from Tempe, criticized the use of deadly force. “Even if the woman was in the wrong, there was no reason to shoot her at point-blank range,” he said.
The protests come as the Trump administration continues to defend the ICE agent involved in the Minneapolis shooting, saying the agent acted in self-defense. Vice President J.D. Vance echoed that position publicly.
Ahead of State of the State, Gov. Hobbs sits down with ABC15
As she heads into 2026, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs says her legislative focus will be affordability for working families.
“Since I got elected, I’ve been focused on lowering costs for Arizonans,” Hobbs said. “It should be no surprise that that’s going to be a highlight of what we focus on this year.”
At the center of her agenda is a new middle-class tax cut proposal similar to provisions contained in President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.
“It will give a bigger standard deduction for the 88% of Arizona filers who use that,” Hobbs said. “It includes an exemption for tips and overtime as well as a big senior tax credit.”
While the cost of living remains a major concern, Governor Hobbs is also facing challenges on the state’s long-term water supply as negotiations among seven Colorado River Basin states continue.
Multiple arrests made after MCSO busts cockfighting ring near Tonopah
Multiple people have been arrested and cited after an active cockfighting ring was discovered near Tonopah on Saturday.
According to MCSO, deputies were called to the property on January 10 after the out-of-state property owner reported unauthorized people on the land and requested a welfare check.
When deputies arrived, they say they saw dozens of people fleeing the area and observed an in-progress cockfight. Several people were detained at the scene.
Inside the property, investigators say they found clear evidence of cockfighting, including a fighting ring, gambling ledgers, scoreboards, and cockfighting equipment.
Deputies say they also found 34 live altered roosters and two recently deceased roosters near the ring. Another area on the property reportedly contained several more dead roosters buried in a hole.
MCSO says multiple people were cited for being present at a cockfight, while others were booked into the county jail on charges related to facilitating cockfighting.
New federal draft outlines options for Colorado River management after 2026
The Bureau of Reclamation has released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) outlining potential options for managing Lakes Powell and Mead and related Colorado River reservoir operations after the current operating guidelines expire in 2026.
Federal officials said the draft does not identify a preferred alternative, allowing flexibility as negotiations continue among the seven basin states, tribes, and other stakeholders on how to manage the river system amid long-term drought and declining reservoir levels.
“The Department of the Interior is moving forward with this process to ensure environmental compliance is in place so operations can continue without interruption when the current guidelines expire,” Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Andrea Travnicek said in a press release. “The river and the 40 million people who depend on it cannot wait.”
The draft comes as the basin states themselves have been unable to come up with an agreement. Arizona leaders have blamed the upper basin states for the impasse, saying they’re unwilling to compromise on new conservation efforts.
Acting Commissioner Scott Cameron said Reclamation did not select a preferred alternative because discussions among stakeholders are still ongoing.
