Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Arizona stories from Jan. 14-15
Jan 15, 2023, 5:00 PM
(Twitter Photo/@ArizonaDOT)
(Twitter Photo/@ArizonaDOT)
PHOENIX — Storms brought rain to the Valley and snow to the high country, two inmates we transported from the Towers Jail in Phoenix on Friday for a possible overdose and residents are looking to cash in by renting spaces during the Super Bowl.
Here are some of the biggest stories that headlined the Arizona news cycle over the weekend.
Roads close around Arizona as storms pummel high country, Valley
For the second time in the new year, the Valley and much of the high country were pounded with rain and snow, respectively, causing road closures around the state.
Flagstaff Airport recorded 17.4 inches of snow as of 12 p.m. Sunday while Arizona Snowbowl recorded over 15 inches of snow overnight, according to the National Weather Service of Flagstaff.
“We have 200 snowplows statewide that are working around the clock to get the roads clear,” ADOT spokesman David Woodfill said.
2 inmates transported from Towers Jail in Phoenix after possible overdose
Two inmates we transported from the Towers Jail in Phoenix on Friday for a possible overdose, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
Phoenix Fire Department crews responded to the jail after receiving a report that two male inmates had taken an unknown substance. The inmates were taken to a hospital for evaluation. They were breathing and alert upon their departure from the jail.
Both were cleared by medical personnel and have been transported back to the Towers Jail.
Valley residents cashing in on Super Bowl by renting out spaces
Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale will bring droves of visitors to the Valley in February, setting up a unique opportunity for residents looking to make money by renting their homes or rooms in their homes with services like Airbnb or Vrbo.
The big game is set for Feb. 12, the same day as the final round of the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, and hotels are filling up.
“How big is your house? How big is your room? Where is it? Because those are going to be the big determiners,” Jason Morris, a real estate attorney with Wither Morris PLC, told KTAR 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Evening News on Friday. “We’re seeing individual rooms anywhere from $100 to $150 to mega mansions you can take from $35,000 to $50,000 for the night. Depends on your appetite.”
Department of Energy helicopters to test Glendale radiation ahead of Super Bowl LVII
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration will measure background radiation Sunday-Wednesday using low-flying helicopters over Glendale.
The Nuclear Emergency Support Team’s aircraft will make the safety inspections in preparation for Super Bowl LVII, which will be played at State Farm Stadium on Feb. 12, the Department of Energy said in a press release.
The Bell 412 helicopters with radiation sensors will fly on a grid pattern at 150 feet above the ground or higher at 80 mph. These flights will only occur during daylight hours and are planned to take two hours to complete per monitored area.
Accused Arizona meth smuggler, 19, faces possibility of life in prison
A young Arizona man faces the possibility of life in prison for allegedly trying to smuggle about 175 pounds of methamphetamine across the U.S.-Mexico border, authorities said Friday.
On Jan. 3, a federal grand jury indicted 19-year-old Isrrael Millan of San Luis on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and importation of methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said in a press release.
The maximum penalty for each offense is life in prison and a $10 million fine, according to the release.
