Weekend wrap-up: Biggest Arizona-related stories from this past weekend

PHOENIX — The weekend has officially come to an end.

Over the past couple of days, we have witnessed a change in how the state will address the opioid crisis, saw more fallout from USA Gymnastics over the Larry Nassar conviction and started saving pennies for Elton John’s final tour.

Here are some of the biggest stories, both in Arizona and nationwide, from this past weekend.

Elton John to bring final tour to Glendale next year

Music icon Elton John is hitting the road one last time in his career and his massive tour will make a stop in the Phoenix area early next year.

John will play at Gila River Arena near the Loop 101 and Glendale Road on Jan. 26, 2019 as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

“Performing live fuels me and I’m ecstatic and humbled to continue to play to audiences across the globe,” John said. “I plan to bring the passion and creativity that has entertained my fans for decades to my final tour.”

Ducey signs Arizona law designed to tackle rising opioid crisis

Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law a bill that was designed to crack down on opioid use and overdose deaths in the state.

The then-bill was passed by both the state House and Senate late last week. Ducey called lawmakers into a special session on Monday to pass the legislation.

Ducey’s law bars doctors from prescribing more than an initial five-day supply of pain medication in most cases, boosts pain clinic regulation and adds $10 million to help uninsured and underinsured people get addiction treatment. It requires electronic prescriptions for narcotics as early as next year.

Resolution would ask Arizona voters to repeal minimum wage hikes

A resolution in the Arizona Senate would ask voters to repeal further hikes of the state’s minimum wage, deny mandatory sick leave and block attempts by cities to raise the lowest amount paid to workers.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1016 was introduced by a group of Republican state senators and representatives.

Under the resolution, the minimum wage would hold firm at $10.50 per hour instead of increasing to $12 per hour by 2020. The resolution would also remove a law that requires employers to give employees at least three sick days per year and block cities from raising their own minimum wage.

USA Gymnastics board stepping down after Nassar conviction

The remainder of the USA Gymnastics board will reportedly step down after former sports doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to at least 40 years in prison.

ABC News reported that the U.S. Olympic Committee told boardmembers they could either step down or risk desertification. Three boardmembers had already stepped down during Nassar’s trial.

John Kerry honors Sen. John McCain at annual Alfalfa Club dinner

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has stayed away from Washington, D.C. in recent months as he battles brain cancer in Arizona, but his influence is still felt by other lawmakers.

John Kerry, the former U.S. Secretary of State, sang the Arizona senator’s praises at the annual Alfalfa Club dinner — a social organization that is comprised of about 200 members — on Saturday.

“I will always thank John McCain for sharing in the discovery of that lesson — and tonight I ask all of you to join me in raising a glass to one of the best and bravest men I know, my friend — our friend — John McCain,” Kerry said.

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