Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Arizona stories from August 2-4
Aug 4, 2019, 6:00 PM | Updated: Aug 5, 2019, 8:28 am
Mourners gather at a vigil following a nearby mass shooting, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, in Dayton, Ohio. Multiple people in Ohio have been killed in the second mass shooting in the U.S. in less than 24 hours, and the suspected shooter is also deceased, police said. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Arizona politicians react to two mass shootings, another record-tying day of heat in Phoenix and new headquarters for Harkins Theatres.
Here are some stories that headlined the news cycle, both locally and nationally, over the weekend.
Arizona political figures react to mass shootings in Texas, Ohio
Arizona politicians shared their thoughts on social media after two mass shootings — one in Texas and another in Ohio — left dozens dead this weekend.
Republican U.S. Sen. Martha McSally wrote on Twitter that she woke up Sunday devastated to hear of the most recent shooting.
McSally’s colleague, Democratic U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, offered her condolences to the El Paso victims.
Mark Kelly, who is running against McSally for Senate in 2020, called on the Senate to act following the shootings.
Kelly’s wife, former Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, was the target of a massacre in Tucson in 2011.
Giffords also tweeted asking for policy change.
A Saturday afternoon shooting at a shopping area in El Paso, Texas, left 20 dead and 26 wounded. A shooting hours later at a popular entertainment district in Dayton, Ohio, killed nine more.
Phoenix ties 2nd-hottest day of year, ties record for date set in 2009
Forecasters warned that this weekend would be especially scorching in metro Phoenix and they were right.
The National Weather Service reported Saturday that the high temperature in Phoenix climbed to 114 degrees (45.5 Celsius), tying the second hottest day of the year and tying the record for the date set in 2009.
Phoenix’s high so far this year was 115 degrees (46.1 Celsius) on July 16.
The weather service had issued an excessive heat warning for the area and other parts of south-central and western Arizona into Monday evening.
Little change expected after Fox Restaurant Concepts buyout
A change in ownership won’t change much for restaurants under Fox Restaurant Concepts like North Italia and Flower Child.
The Cheesecake Factory Inc. announced Wednesday it had bought the Valley-based restaurant chain for $308 million, as well as an additional $45 million to be paid out over the next four years. However, both companies agree this won’t change the recipes so many have come to know and love.
“No, there’s no menu changes,” Sam Fox, the mastermind behind FRC, told KTAR News 92.3 FM Friday. “We are going to continue to innovate and have great, delicious foods at all the places. I don’t think you’re going to see any menu changes at all, outside the normal menu changes.”
He added that the rewards programs and gift cards will all continue to be honored and remain the same.
“It will be seamless,” Fox said. “The guests won’t even know the changes.”
Construction underway for new Harkins headquarters in Scottsdale
Some new digs are on the way for Harkins Theatres.
The Arizona-based movie theatre company announced its plans for a new $32 million headquarters and retail campus on Wednesday.
The three-acre development, located at the intersection of the Loop 101 and McDonald Drive in Scottsdale, will be split up between the headquarters and mixed-use space.
The new 65,000-square-foot headquarters is expected to triple the size of the company’s current headquarters, also located on McDonald Drive.
“Even though we have been entertaining Arizonans for over 85 years, we feel that we are just getting started in our plans to bring bigger and better movie-going and entertainment to the community.” Mike Bowers, president and CEO, said in a press release.
Democrats gaining ground in Maricopa County, new numbers show
Democrats are gaining ground in Maricopa County, according to new data from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
The numbers showed that from January to July, Democrats gained 9,822 registered voters in the state’s most populated county, while Republicans saw 8,179.
“(The) latest voter registration numbers indicate that Democrats are gaining ground in Arizona’s most Republican-rich county, which is Maricopa County, while the GOP is making gains in the rural counties,” Mike Noble, chief of research at OH Predictive Insights, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.
“This trend is not good for the GOP, because Maricopa County is the key to winning a statewide election in Arizona,” Noble said.
However, at about 819,000 voters, Republicans still outnumber Democrats in the county by about 128,000.
