PHOENIX — Happy Wednesday! Make sure you have an umbrella and functioning windshield wiper blades, because wet weather is on the way!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Wednesday, January 7; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - ABC15 Weather Action Days amid back-to-back winter storms
Highs fall into the low 60s across the Valley as scattered showers move in midday and linger into the evening. Rain totals will range from a tenth to a quarter-inch for many neighborhoods, with isolated areas experiencing higher amounts of up to a half-inch.
Toddler shot near 32nd Street and Broadway Road, no suspects identified
A toddler has been taken to a hospital after being shot near 32nd Street and Broadway Road.
Phoenix police were called to the area just before 12 p.m. Tuesday for a call for "unknown trouble."
When officers arrived at the scene, they located a toddler with what appeared to be gunshot wounds.
The child, whose age has not been released, was taken to a hospital to be treated for serious injuries, according to Phoenix police officials.
Judge grants motions in Preston Lord cases to separate, trial date pushed back
A judge has granted two motions that sever the Preston Lord case into multiple trials, following concern regarding evidence, including the term "Gilbert Goons."
Preston Lord's family was in the courtroom on Tuesday as their attorney appealed to the judge before he made multiple major decisions.
The 16-year-old Lord was attacked and beaten while leaving a Queen Creek Halloween party in 2023 and died days later. His death sparked a movement against teen violence in the Valley.
Six defendants, including Talan Renner, Jacob Meisner, Taylor Sherman, Talyn Vigil, Treston Billey, and Dominic Turner, have been charged with felony murder and kidnapping.
A seventh defendant, William Owen Hines, is the only one so far to take a plea agreement. He is now serving 17 years behind bars, with 12 of those years being for his role in Preston's case.
Mark Kelly says he wouldn't change troop message or 'back down' after censure
Sen. Mark Kelly said he would "absolutely not" have changed his message to U.S. troops about not following illegal orders, despite now knowing that it would result in a censure.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth censured Kelly, a Democrat of Arizona and retired captain in the U.S. Navy, on Monday for "conduct [that] was seditious in nature," referring to a video Kelly participated in in November that told United States service members they have a right to refuse unlawful orders.
As a military retiree, Kelly is subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and potentially subject to discipline, including being called back to active service to face charges.
Hegseth alleged that Kelly "counseled members of the Armed Forces to refuse lawful orders" in the video. Kelly and others who participated in the video have disputed that claim.
"Let me make this perfectly clear, though, Gabby and I are not people that back down," Kelly said on Tuesday during an appearance with his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, on "Good Morning America." "From anything, from any kind of fight."
Telegraph Pass Trail offers sweeping views of the Valley from South Mountain
If starting the new year on the right foot means getting outside, Telegraph Pass on South Mountain is giving hikers plenty of reason to lace up their boots.
The popular out-and-back trail delivers sweeping views of the Valley, stretching from downtown Phoenix to Ahwatukee — and on especially clear days, all the way to Four Peaks.
Telegraph Pass is about 2.5 miles round-trip with roughly 500 feet of elevation gain. The first mile features a textured concrete surface before transitioning into a rocky canyon surrounded by classic Sonoran Desert plant life.
Once hikers reach the summit road, catch your breath on a bench and soak in the view.
