Weekend Wrap: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from Feb. 7-9

PHOENIX –From a Phoenix man being pulled over with more than 100,000 fentanyl pills to Kris Mayes being granted a temporary restraining order over DOGE Personal data access, here are some of the Valley’s top news stories from Feb. 7-9.

Phoenix man charged after police seized 100,000 fentanyl pills

A man in Phoenix was pulled over by police during a routine traffic stop, which led to the seizure of about 100,000 blue fentanyl pills.

Jose Manuel Arellano-Noriega, 37, of Mexico, was arrested on Monday, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona press release.

He was charged with possession with the intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

Federal judge grants Arizona AG temporary restraining order over DOGE personal data access

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes was granted a temporary restraining order on Saturday after 19 attorneys general filed a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal payment systems containing Americans’ sensitive personal information.

The federal judge’s decision (which came from the Southern District of New York) makes it so Elon Musk and his DOGE employees cannot access Americans’ sensitive personal information. Musk and his employees are required to destroy the data and records they had already gained access to.

The next step in the proceedings will come on Feb. 14 when the court will begin to hear arguments on Mayes and the coalition’s motion for a preliminary injunction.

3 men arrested near Tucson after fleeing from Border Patrol

Tucson Border Patrol agents arrested three men on Tuesday near the southern border, after they tried to flee from law enforcement.

The men were arrested near the Sonoita border, after they failed to yield for a traffic stop around noon, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release. 

Two of the men were Mexican nationals and the third was an American citizen and were spotted driving a GMC Yukon on State Route 82.

Peoria police search for vandals who caused $30-40K worth of park damage

The Peoria Police Department is asking the public for help in finding suspects responsible for vandalizing and causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage to a local park.

Last week, on Wednesday at approximately 12:55 a.m., an unidentified suspect in a black Ford 1999-2004 model 4-door truck was seen driving into the entrance of Paloma Park near Lake Pleasant Parkway and Dixileta Drive.

The damage consisted of cut electrical wires and eight of the park’s electrical boxes were destroyed, according to reporting by ABC15.

Phoenix Convention Center to introduce reusable food and drink packaging

Don’t be surprised if the cups and containers at the Phoenix Convention Center feel more durable than the ones you used during your last visit.

The venue is focusing on a three-step reusable serveware initiative that began in December with durable dishes, reusable cups and return stations being added to the food hall. The second stage kicked off this month with the Phoenix Convention Center starting to offer reusable cups for PepsiCo beverages throughout the venue.

In phase three, officials say they’ll transition to offering reusable serveware for larger banquets and catering, which they hope will transform the entire event experience.

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