Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Arizona stories from June 24-26
Jun 26, 2022, 6:00 PM
(Twitter Photo/@TaylorKinnerup)
(Twitter Photo/@TaylorKinnerup)
PHOENIX – Arizona reacts to the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, a Phoenix coffee shop run by Catholic Charities Community Services announces it will be turned into an affordable housing apartment complex and KTAR News 92.3 FM celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Here are some of the biggest stories that headlined the Arizona news cycle over the weekend.
About 100 people tried to get into Arizona Senate, tear gas used at protest after abortion ruling
Upwards of 100 people tried to get into the Arizona Senate building and tear gas had to be used at a protest in downtown Phoenix Friday night following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortions, authorities said.
One person was arrested and damage was done to multiple Senate doors and memorials in Wesley Bolin Plaza, Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
“As groups realized the state legislature was in session, they attempted to breach the doors of the Arizona Senate and force their way into the building,” according to a press release from AZDPS.
What does Roe v. Wade reversal mean for Arizona abortion law?
Now that the Supreme Court has put abortion law authority in the hands of the states, what does it mean for Arizona?
With Roe v. Wade reversed, all Arizona abortions might now be outlawed except to save the mother’s life, based on a law enacted more than 100 years ago, before statehood.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office said it’s reviewing Friday’s Supreme Court decision and called it a “developing situation.”
Multiple Arizona providers have announced they are suspending all abortion procedures.
Biden signs landmark gun measure, says ‘lives will be saved’
President Joe Biden on Saturday signed the most sweeping gun violence bill in decades, a bipartisan compromise that seemed unimaginable until a recent series of mass shootings, including the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at a Texas elementary school.
“Time is of the essence. Lives will be saved,” he said in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Citing the families of shooting victims he has met, the president said, “Their message to us was, ‘Do something.’ How many times did we hear that? ‘Just do something. For God’s sake, just do something.’ Today we did.”
The House gave final approval Friday, following Senate passage Thursday, and Biden acted just before leaving Washington for two summits in Europe.
Phoenix café closing to make way for affordable housing apartment complex
A Phoenix café serving visitors for over eight years is closing shop and making way for an affordable housing apartment complex.
The complex Acacia Heights, which will be located at Seventh Avenue and Camelback Road, will serve low-income families once it’s been developed, according to a press release.
The move comes after Refuge Café, a coffee shop overseen by Catholic Charities Community Services, announced it will serve its final cup of coffee from the location on June 30.
KTAR News celebrates 100th anniversary with first pitch, national anthem at Diamondbacks game
KTAR News 92.3 FM (KTAR) celebrated its 100th anniversary of being the Trusted Voice of the Valley with throwing the first pitch and singing the national anthem at the Diamondbacks game on Friday.
At the night at the ballpark, sales operations coordinator for KTAR Gail Lichtenstein sang the national anthem.
Following her performance, KTAR legend Pat McMahon threw the first pitch.
1 child dead, brother in critical condition in Glendale drowning incident
One child is dead and another is in critical condition after a drowning incident in Glendale on Friday night.
According to authorities, one of the boys jumped in to a backyard pool in an attempt to save his brother who fell into the pool while playing in the area.
“Both of them received CPR as a result and life saving measures were performed,” Glendale Fire Department spokeswoman Ashley Losch told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
The brothers were identified as three and four years old but police did not identify which brother died in the incident.
