Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Arizona stories from Feb. 15-18
Feb 18, 2019, 4:10 PM | Updated: 4:20 pm
(Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
A mass shooting in Illinois, John and Cindy McCain’s condo for sale and a body found in a Gilbert lake.
Here are some stories that headlined the news cycle, both locally and nationally, over the long weekend.
Gunman dead after killing 5 in shooting at Illinois business
An employee of a manufacturing company opened fire at its suburban Chicago plant Friday, killing five people and wounding five police officers before he was fatally shot, police said.
Aurora, Illinois, Police Chief Kristen Ziman told a news conference that the gunman was 45-year-old Gary Martin and said he was believed to be an employee at the Henry Pratt Co. – which makes valves for industrial purposes – in the city about 40 miles west of Chicago.
She told reporters that officers arrived within four minutes of receiving reports of the shooting and were fired upon as soon as they entered the 29,000-square-foot manufacturing warehouse.
Police said they did not know the gunman’s motive.
“May God bless the brave law enforcement officers who continue to run toward danger,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at the news conference.
John and Cindy McCain’s luxury condo in Phoenix listed for $3.1 million
Looking for a place to settle down that’s fit for Arizona royalty?
The condo where John and Cindy McCain lived when they stayed in Phoenix is for sale.
The 6,500-square-foot unit in the luxurious The Residences at 2211 Camelback complex has been listed with a $3.1 million price tag.
The five-bedroom, 5½-bathroom condo comes with multiple balconies and spectacular views of the mountains and city in one of Phoenix’s most desirable areas.
The master suite is one of the home’s highlights, with a two-sided fireplace, sitting area and massive walk-in closet.
The complex features 24-hour security, concierge service, valet parking for guests, a rooftop pool and workout center.
Biker finds man’s body floating in Gilbert neighborhood lake
A person biking through a Gilbert park Sunday afternoon discovered a man’s body floating in a lake, according to police.
Police said the person alerted authorities, and the Gilbert Fire Department recovered the body from the water near Queen Creek and Lindsay roads.
Police said they are waiting for a medical examiner to identify the man and determine his cause of death.
Police described the man as an adult, black male.
No further information about the case was immediately released.
Music legend Willie Nelson set to perform in Phoenix
The legendary Willie Nelson will be coming to the Valley to perform two shows in two nights.
Willie Nelson & Family will be performing on May 20 and 21 at Celebrity Theatre in downtown Phoenix.
In recent years, Nelson has released more than a dozen new albums and appeared on the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine.
In 2015, Nelson published “It’s A Long Story: My Life” an autobiography that ended up on the Top 10 New York Times’ bestsellers list.
Rain, snow and hail hit Arizona throughout the weekend
Friday morning commuters in the Valley fought their way through heavy fog.
Northern Arizona cities experienced heavy snowfall over the weekend, with Flagstaff receiving more than 14 inches.
Presidents Day brought heavy rain to the Phoenix area, as the snow continued up north and hail hit some parts of the Valley.
Randy Cerveny, professor of geographical sciences at Arizona State University, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday that the precipitation Arizona has received this winter is good for alleviating drought conditions.
“I would imagine in the next few weeks we’re going to see our drought monitor … slowing ticking down more and more, getting us out of the drought conditions that we’ve seen in Arizona for the last couple years,” he said.
