Happy Friday morning!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for January 23, 2026; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Arizona winter storm brings rain, snow, and travel impacts this weekend
A winter storm is moving into Arizona as we head into the weekend.
Parts of the valley could see a tenth to a quarter inch of rain, with highs near 70 and lows in the 50s.
Avondale police, Gila County authorities search Globe area for Isabella Comas
Avondale police say they worked with Gila County authorities on Thursday to search the Globe area for missing 21-year-old Isabella Comas.
Officials confirmed that they believe Comas may be in the area.
They also confirmed ABC15 reporting from Wednesday that blood stains were found in Comas' car when it was located in west Phoenix.
Police added that 39-year-old Tommy Rodriguez, who faces charges connected to Comas' stolen car, continues to be a person of interest in her disappearance.
Along with the blood stains, police say that there were also items "that could be used to hurt someone" in the car.
Police believe that Comas is seriously injured, and they are continuing to ask for the public's help.
Anyone with information is asked to call Avondale police at 623-333-7000 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
FBI offering $25K reward in connection to death of Navajo's Mollie Boone
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $25,000 reward in connection with the disappearance and death of a Navajo girl.
The FBI announced the reward on Thursday, a week after 8-year-old Maleeka "Mollie" Boone was found dead on January 16 near Coalmine, on the Navajo Nation.
The reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Boone's death.
The FBI says Boone left a family member's home at around 4:15 p.m. on January 15 to return to the home in which she lived. Both residences are in the same neighborhood and in close proximity to one another.
Boone's body was located in a field located within the Coalmine neighborhood at about 8:30 a.m. on January 16.
$140M plan in the works to fix Grand Avenue triple intersection
It’s one of the Valley’s busiest intersections, and it also has a history of crash risks.
The tangle at 35th Avenue, Indian School Road, and Grand Avenue isn’t just a congestion headache; it’s a safety problem, made more complicated by a freight train line cutting through the middle.
Now, after years of discussion, a major fix is moving forward.
The Arizona Department of Transportation is planning a $140 million project that would elevate 35th Avenue, creating a separate intersection for 35th and Indian School above, while Grand Avenue and the railroad tracks run underneath.
Transportation leaders say the goal is fewer crashes, safer traffic flow, and less chaos.
DCS notified of potential lawsuit in death of Rebekah Baptiste
An attorney representing the mother of Rebekah Baptiste has taken the first steps in filing a lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
Rebekah, 10, died last July after being found severely injured in Holbrook, Arizona.
At the time, Rebekah's mom did not have custody of the young girl or her two brothers.
Records say the young girl was subjected to “horrendous conditions” including forced workouts, laps and planks as punishment in the heat.
The claim details the injuries to Rebekah, including allegations that she was tortured and raped by her father and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods.
Both Richard Baptiste and Woods are facing multiple charges, including murder, and their trial is set for June in Apache County.
ABC15 previously reported that school administrators said they reached out a dozen times to DCS, suspecting abuse or neglect from November 2023 to January 2025.
The law firm Gallagher & Kennedy filed the claim on behalf of Rebekah’s mother, alleging negligence and gross negligence.
Attorney Matthew Boatman wrote in the claim that there were nineteen-plus reports to the department, “They tell a single, continuous story of escalating danger that any functioning child protection agency would have recognized and stopped.”
