Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from Sept. 13-15
Sep 15, 2024, 6:00 PM
Here's a look at the biggest Phoenix news stories from the weekend. (KTAR file photos)
(KTAR file photos)
PHOENIX — From changes to Arizona’s minimum wage to updates on a downtown development, here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from the weekend.
Arizona’s minimum wage set for another increase in 2025
A report issued Wednesday by the U.S. government has set the stage to raise Arizona’s minimum wage starting in the new year.
Following the release of the latest Consumer Price Index report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers in Arizona will have to pay workers at least $14.70 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2025. Currently, the minimum wage is $14.35 an hour.
The 35-cent minimum wage increase is directly tied to the latest CPI report, which showed an 2.5% increase in inflation from August 2023 to August 2024.
Arizona Restaurant Association leader says Proposition 138 right move for service industry
The head of the Arizona Restaurant Association believes Proposition 138 is right for the service industry and hopes the constitutional amendment passes in November.
Steve Chucri, the association’s president and CEO, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday that Prop 138 is designed to keep the status quo for tipping culture while allowing restaurants to operate at lesser costs.
“It’s uniting not only the restaurant owners with the tipped workers, it’s making sure that we’re going to provide meaningful meals to our guests every day at the lowest cost possible,” Chucri said.
Here’s the latest on the Central Station development in downtown Phoenix
The massive Central Station development in downtown Phoenix isn’t slated to open until next year, but there have been recent developments.
Both of the high-rise buildings in the complex, located on Van Buren Street between Central and First avenues, have been named. The east building was called The Maeve Central Station while the west building was called ANOVA Central Station, according to a press release.
The entirety of Central Station will span 1 million square feet and include luxury housing, student housing, office space, retail space and more.
West Valley district building its 8th elementary school
A West Valley school district is set to break ground Friday on a new elementary school in Buckeye.
The future Loretta Zumbro Elementary School is expected to open in phases, the first of which will open in August of next year.
It is the eighth school in the Liberty Elementary School District. Officials named it after an employee who spent 38 years with the district.
Crews progress toward containment on Siphon Fire near Apache Junction, evacuation orders lifted
uthorities lifted evacuation orders on Sunday for the community of Tortilla Flat near Canyon Lake, east of metro Phoenix, after the Siphon Fire threatened the area.
In addition to the area returning to “READY” status, Highway 88 was also reopened on Sunday.
The Siphon Fire was discovered in the Superstition Wilderness east of Apache Junction on Tuesday.
