Weekend Wrap: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from Feb. 14-17

PHOENIX — From President Trump halting production of pennies to legislation being introduced to enforce federal immigration policy, here are some of the Valley’s top news stories from Feb. 14-17.

Trump’s order to end minting of pennies will save taxpayers millions without much impact on Arizona copper mines

Most copper mined in the U.S. comes from Arizona. But President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement that he will halt production of pennies won’t make a dent in the state’s mining industry.

The U.S. Mint produced 3.2 billion pennies last year. But since 1982, nearly all of the metal used has been zinc.

So the copper industry can shrug off Trump’s move, which economists have long called a no-brainer because each penny costs more to make than it’s worth – 3.69 cents as of last year – and most end up in jars, piggy banks and sofa cushions.

Arizona legislation would require local authorities to enforce federal immigration policy

Since his inauguration last month, President Donald Trump has been making good on a campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation effort in American history.

Republican Arizona lawmakers have introduced legislation that would require county sheriff’s deputies and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) to enter into a 287 (G) agreement to support federal enforcement of immigration law.

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen is behind the Arizona ICE Act.

MCSO investigating drug smuggling at Estrella Jail after inmate dies of overdose

An inmate died of a fatal overdose at the Estrella Jail in Phoenix in the early hours of Valentine’s Day, authorities said.

This incident was one of 12 overdose cases in the last week, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

She was one of four inmates who were rushed to receive medical care around 1 a.m. on Feb. 14 after reports of a suspected overdose.

Phoenix drug trafficker sentenced to 151 months in prison

A Phoenix drug trafficker was sentenced to 151 months in prison, authorities announced on Friday.

Miguel Gaytan-Ramirez, 34, an undocumented Mexican man living in Phoenix, was caught by an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent more than a year ago.

The agent agreed to purchase 150,000 fentanyl pills from Gaytan-Ramirez, who was working as part of a Mexican drug trafficking organization, on Jan. 25, 2024.

Fungus causing white-nose syndrome detected on Arizona bat

A bat sampled by biologists at Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista in 2024 tested positive for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) disease in bats.

The bat, a cave myotis, was found to have the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans after researchers conducting surveillance noticed suspicious wing abnormalities that might be related to the disease. Four additional bats, including two other species, were determined to have trace levels of the fungus, which tells researchers that the fungus is present in the area.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department along with agency researchers and partners have conducted surveillance for WNS for more than a decade.

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