PHOENIX — We're more than halfway through August. Yes, we're in another hot stretch, but we're closer to the start of fall than the start of summer!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Tuesday, August 18; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Extreme heat alerts across Arizona
Extreme Heat Warnings remain in effect for another day in the Valley. Temperatures soar to 112º this afternoon, with lows only in the 90s. Tomorrow we're still hot at 111º, with a slight chance for a monsoon storm.
Two Phoenix officers under criminal investigation after traffic stop
The Phoenix Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation into a pair of officers who failed to document use of force and didn’t activate their body cameras during a traffic stop.
Officials released a statement confirming the investigation after ABC15 reached out to the department with questions about serious allegations related to the nature and reason for the stop.
Phoenix did not identify the officers, who have been placed on leave.
But multiple sources said the officers work in the South Mountain Precinct.
Arizona charter school CEO earns $520K for school with about 225 students
A CEO running an Arizona charter school with approximately 225 students earned $520,000 in total compensation during the 2024-25 school year, according to IRS and state education records.
Kurt Huzar serves as CEO of the North Star Charter School, Inc., a nonprofit organization that runs Arizona Preparatory Academy. The charter school, located near 99th Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix, helps at-risk students earn their high school diplomas.
According to Arizona Department of Education enrollment data from October 2025, about 225 students attend Arizona Preparatory Academy. Huzar’s total compensation is listed on the charter organization’s IRS Form 990 filing. The filing for the 2024-25 school year showed Huzar earned $520,000 in combined base salary, bonus, deferred compensation, and nontaxable benefits.
State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez says Huzar’s salary is a questionable use of public funds.
"Absolutely inappropriate. Not okay," said Gutierrez, D-District 18.
Woman charged nearly a year after more than 60 doodles and yorkies rescued from Litchfield Park home
A Litchfield Park woman accused of operating a dog breeding business faces 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, while all 70 dogs rescued from her home have since been adopted.
Lori Ann Kniphuisen faces 10 counts of Class 1 misdemeanor animal cruelty, nearly a year after Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies rescued more than 60 dogs from her West Valley home.
Court records show investigators found 70 live dogs and 1 dead dog inside the home on September 2, 2025, when a search warrant was served at the home. Kniphuisen and her husband operated a dog breeding and selling business called State 48 Doodles and Yorkies out of the residence, according to court paperwork.
Investigators found dog remains in a room marked "The Dog House" — including a red collar, a femur, the front part of a skull and a lower mandible, according to court documents. Court documents note the bones showed evidence of being chewed on and likely consumed by other dogs.
According to the probable cause statement, the stench inside the home was described as unbearable, burning investigators' eyes and noticeable from outside as they approached the front door. Fecal matter was allegedly smeared onto the patio bricks leading up to the entrance.
South Phoenix advocate merging basketball with behavioral health inside juvenile detention center
A program inside the Durango Juvenile Detention Facility aims at reshaping the minds of boys and girls who have found themselves on the other side of the law.
After seeing an increase in youth violence for years in her community, activist and non-profit founder Dana Burns wanted to bring a program called “Shoot Your Shot” to incarcerated kids that would captivate their attention as much as correct their life journeys.
“Words are powerful, and that's what I'm teaching these kids to speak over their lives,” Burns said. "The increase in youth violence in our community is horrific to me, and I want to know what can we do as a community to bring the right resources to help our kids.”
Burns knows what it’s like to be incarcerated. She now dedicates her life to helping others turn their lives around.
She started A Permanent Voice, which is a south Phoenix-based organization aimed at strengthening community and addressing key issues.
