Happy Friday! We're almost to the weekend, but it's going to be a scorcher out there if you have outdoor plans!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Friday, July 31; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Extreme Heat Warning continues in the Valley through Monday
Near-record heat is in store today. We're calling for a high of 115º. That's just one degree shy of the record set back in 2020. It stays dangerously hot this weekend, with highs around 115º each day.
See the forecast from Kidcaster Declan:
Phoenix rescue helicopter out of service for weeks during hottest stretch of the year
Phoenix will be without helicopter hoist rescue capabilities for several weeks during one of the hottest stretches of the year after the Phoenix Police Department sent its helicopter out of state for an extended maintenance overhaul.
The Phoenix Police Department's Firebird helicopter, which Phoenix Fire relies on for technical mountain rescues, has been taken out of service for what Fire Captain Rob McDade described as perhaps the longest maintenance absence the department has experienced.
The timing is significant. Phoenix is entering August, historically one of the most dangerous months for hikers on the city's mountain trails.
McDade said the helicopter's hoist capability has been critical in cutting down rescue times, particularly for patients near the summit of a mountain who are critically injured.
"What the hoist helicopter has done for us is it cuts that three-hour operation sometimes into one hour," McDade said.
Without it, rescues that previously took 30 minutes to an hour could now take up to three hours and require significantly more physical exertion from firefighters.
Arizona foster care facility faces 79 licensing complaints, eight violations in two years
The Arizona Department of Child Safety investigated nearly 80 licensing complaints during a two-year period against the state’s largest group home for foster children.
DCS licensing investigators looked into claims against Canyon State Academy and Desert Lily Academy in Queen Creek. The complaints ranged from sex crime allegations to verbal abuse and physical punishment, as well as improper restraint techniques.
According to the academies, they serve more than 600 youth a year as a qualified residential treatment program. Behind tall block walls, the kids live on a sprawling campus, and they attend school, activities, and therapy.
Last summer, ABC15 heard from relatives and child advocates who were concerned about the safety and well-being of youth at the facility. Through public records requests, ABC15 obtained Queen Creek Police calls for service data and DCS state regulator reports.
In a previous story, ABC15 reported on more than 2,000 police calls for service coming from the joint facility from January 2022 to September 2025. About 600 of the calls involved missing child reports.
Mesa widow pushes for tougher speeding penalties after 2025 crash killed Army Ranger husband
The widow of an Army Ranger who was killed in a crash after surviving the real-life "Black Hawk Down" operation is speaking out ahead of a possible plea deal on Friday.
Jeremy Kerr survived an hours-long firefight in Somalia, now known as the Battle of Mogadishu, during Operation Gothic Serpent in 1993. Years later, in February 2025, he lost his life in a Mesa crash.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Mesa Police Department reports say Kerr was turning left onto Signal Butte Road from Weir Road when a Dodge Challenger going 113 miles per hour, driven by 23-year-old Matthew Kelliher, hit him.
Heather, Kerr's widow, says Veterans Affairs can’t help her because her husband died while he wasn’t serving, and she's left fighting for justice following her husband's death.
Kelliher is expected to attend a hearing on Friday when he could take a possible plea deal in connection with the deadly crash.
Arizona father walks 1,400 miles with son's ashes to launch nationwide recovery movement
A Gilbert father turned the death of his son into a cross-country mission to raise awareness about substance abuse and support families touched by addiction.
Twenty years ago, Barry Adkins' eighteen-year-old son Kevin died from alcohol poisoning the day he moved out on his own. What was supposed to be a simple night of celebrating with friends changed his family's lives forever.
Rather than grieve in private, Kevin's father placed his son's ashes in a backpack and began walking more than 1,400 miles from Gilbert, Arizona, to Kalispell, Montana. Along the way, he met families impacted by substance abuse, shared his son's story at schools, and raised awareness every step of the way.
That journey has since grown into the Million Mile Challenge. Every mile, he said, represents hope for someone still fighting their battle.