Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from March 29-31
Mar 31, 2024, 8:00 PM
A weather system brought showers to metro Phoenix, NWS said. (File photo by Ahmad Al-Rubare/AFP via Getty Images)
(File photo by Ahmad Al-Rubare/AFP via Getty Images)
PHOENIX — From an off-duty officer who was shot to record-setting rain and everything between, here are the biggest news stories in the Valley this weekend.
Gilbert utility rates to start rising in April, with water and trash bills doubling by 2026
Gilbert utility customers can expect to see significantly higher water and trash bills starting with the April cycle.
Under new rates approved by the Gilbert Town Council on Feb. 6, residential utility services will cost more than $100 a month on average by 2026, doubling the current level.
Based on town estimates, the combined cost for residential water and trash services in Gilbert will rise from the current rate of $53.03 to $78.55 starting in April, $91.55 in 2025 and $107.55 by 2026.
The rate hikes are necessary to pay for projects to secure the town’s water supply and to account for rising operational costs, according to a press release.
Phoenix sets new daily rainfall record and sees first measurable rainfall on Easter in 25 years
The city of Phoenix set a new daily rainfall record of 0.32 inches on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
This new record for March 31 breaks the day’s previous record of 0.27 inches, which the city of Phoenix set back in 1949.
Furthermore, it’s the first measurable rainfall on Easter Sunday since 1999, NWS said.
Off-duty police officer shot by unknown suspect in Phoenix
An off-duty officer was hospitalized Friday night after being shot by an unknown suspect in a Phoenix business parking lot, authorities said.
The officer, who was working in an off-duty capacity at a nearby business, was advised about a group of suspects attempting an armed robbery of a vehicle near 35th and Southern avenues around 11:30 p.m., the Phoenix Police Department said.
Investigators said the officer approached the area in an attempt to make contact, but at least one suspect began firing a handgun toward him.
The officer suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital for injuries that weren’t life-threatening. He didn’t fire his firearm during the incident, police said.
10-acre Harvest Park opens in Phoenix neighborhood of Laveen
Harvest Park, a 10-acre park in the Phoenix neighborhood of Laveen, opened to the public last week.
The park, which debuted Saturday, is located at 5400 W. Gwen St.
The park is made possible through a $4 million investment funded by impact fees.
The park features many activities and areas for people of all ages to visit and engage with, such as a playground, two pickleball courts, a Bank Shot court, a basketball court and an amphitheater.
911 caller on night of Lord’s Queen Creek attack frustrated as initial pleas for help went unanswered
A 911 caller who phoned the night 16-year-old Preston Lord was beaten to death after a Halloween party last October said she’s still trying to understand how a teenager was killed.
Jeanna Pignatiello is a resident in the Queen Creek neighborhood where the fatal beating took place.
On Oct. 28, 2023, after finishing watching TV, Pignatiello went to stand in her front yard with her eyes scanning the chaotic scene unfolding before her, she said Friday on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos.
