Feds step in for SVB, but fate in Tempe uncertain

1 big thing: Uncertainty for SVB in Tempe

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2. 🗳️ It's Election Day! 

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Affordability, local control concerns doom housing bill in AZ Senate

3. Senate rejects housing bill

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4. Chips and salsa: Grand opening for Shaq's chicken

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Take your career to the next level

5. 🎶 Welcome to "Swift City"

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Happy Tuesday! Make sure to wish a happy Pi Day to all the mathematicians in your life. 🤓

Today's weather: Temperatures are going up. Expect a high of 83.

🙏 Thanks for reading! Consider supporting our work by becoming a member.

Today's newsletter is 940 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🐨 Jeremy did some Google research and had to break the news to his 4-year-old daughter that she cannot get a pet koala.

🎤 Jessica wishes she were going to see Taylor Swift this weekend.

This newsletter was edited by Gigi Sukin and copy edited by Jay Bennett.

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Phoenix

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Phoenix is Honeywell's hub for urban air research

1 big thing: The Valley's urban air travel revolution

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How Bally Sports' bankruptcy will impact Arizona Diamondbacks fans

2. Bally Sports goes belly up

A baseball player in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform hits a ball. 

3. 👀 First look: Young and unaffiliated Latino voters surge 

4. Chips and salsa: Tuition hike

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A new career is waiting for you

5. The ostriches are coming!

Illustration of an ostrich head poking out from behind a cactus. 

It's Thursday! We wish you the best of luck with your brackets as the NCAA tournament kicks off.

Today's weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 70.

Situational awareness: ASU defeated Nevada 98-73 in an NCAA tournament play-in game last night and will play TCU on Friday.

Today's newsletter is 926 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🏀 Jeremy is looking forward to spending the next couple of days with college basketball games constantly in the background.

🎶 Jessica had a great time at the Matt Nathanson concert last night.

NAU opening accelerated nursing program in north Phoenix

1 big thing: NAU brings accelerated nursing program to north Phoenix

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Almost 30% of Arizonans don't have a primary care provider

2. 🫵 Go to the doctor

You can star in a game show on your next group outing

3. ✅ Your next group outing

A woman dropping a puck on a board that says, "The Drop."

Is a new job in your future?

4. Chips and salsa: We'll miss you, Al

5. Pic du jour: Look what she made us do

Taylor swift onstage with a video of her in the background.

Well, hello, Monday. You sure do like to sneak up on us!

Today's newsletter is 906 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🏀 Jeremy's bracket is still alive, but he's not super optimistic about winning his tournament pool. 

🎟 Jessica didn't end up blowing her life's savings on Taylor tickets, and kind of regrets it.

This newsletter was edited by Shane Savitsky and Gigi Sukin and copy edited by Jay Bennett.

Phoenix elections: Hodge Washington ousts Garcia, Robinson beats Stone

1 big thing: City Council shake-up

2. "Standby" apartments

How to fake it: March Madness for Arizona fans edition

3. How to fake it: March Madness edition

4. Chips and salsa: Campaign finance crackdown?

Illustration of a gila monster whose stripes spell "Chips and Salsa."

On the job hunt?

5. 🤑 Charted: We're feeling tipsy

It's Wednesday! We're at the halfway point.

Today's weather: The high temperature is down to 69, and showers are likely throughout the day.

Situational awareness: Bally Sports Arizona owner Diamond Sports Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday. The regional sports network broadcasts Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks games.

Today's newsletter is 941 words — a 3.5-minute read.

filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

😐 Jeremy is begrudgingly rooting for ASU to beat Nevada for the sake of Pac-12 pride.

😈 Jessica is glad to hear Jeremy finally came to his senses and will be gifting him lots of Sparky swag to celebrate his newfound commitment to ASU.

Phoenix wants to protect mobile home park residents from eviction

1 big thing: Mobile home park crisis

Illustration of a ball and chain crashing into the roof of a house.  

Biden picks Arizona to win it all in March Madness

2. Epic upset for Cats

Two Arizona basketball players look dejected as Princeton players celebrate near them.

Capitol roundup: A new Prop. 400 plan emerges

3. Capitol roundup: Another bite at the Prop 400 apple

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4. Chips and salsa: Fiesta Mall demolition plans

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New jobs to check out

5. Top o' the weekend to you!

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Happy St. Patrick's Day! Are you wearing green? If not, consider this a virtual pinch. 🤏

Today's weather: Clear and sunny with a high of 73.

Today's newsletter is 910 words — a 3.5-minute read.

📺 Jeremy will be on The Journalists' Roundtable at 5 and 10pm today on PBS' "Arizona Horizon,"  so be sure to tune in.

🤔 Jessica is still contemplating blowing all of her money on Taylor Swift tickets.

Three Phoenix mobile home parks are expected to close in the next two months to be redeveloped into pricier housing projects, impacting more than 120 families.

State of play: Some Phoenix council members are trying to force park owners to keep them open, but they're likely to hit several political and legal hurdles.

Why it matters: Mobile homes are among few affordable housing options left in metro Phoenix. Despite their name, they are very difficult to relocate, meaning residents are often left without housing when parks close.

What's happening: Earlier this month, at a meeting to discuss how to help residents at risk of eviction, a council subcommittee recommended placing a zoning overlay on the parks that would prevent land owners from redeveloping without special council approval.

Reality check: Arizona law would require the city to compensate the park owners if the council implemented a new zoning rule that decreased the land's value, as such an overlay certainly would, city staff warned the subcommittee.

Phoenix has recently encountered legal problems for similar issues, including zoning changes meant to preserve a golf course and historic home, The Arizona Republic reported.

Zoom out: ASU real estate development professor Mark Stapp tells Axios many landowners keep mobile home parks on an interim use basis — a way to make easy cash flow while they wait for the properties to become more desirable. Then they sell or redevelop them into something more profitable like apartments or condos.

The Valley's hot housing market has led to many mobile home park redevelopments in the past five years, he said.

Yes, but: Metro Phoenix has failed to develop other affordable housing options, which leaves park residents without alternatives.

What they're saying: "It's unfortunate for those whose life is greatly impacted by this. They are typically those who have the least ability to deal with the change," Stapp says.

He recommended the council consider ways to mitigate the impact on residents instead of pursuing the likely illegal zoning change.

The intrigue: ASU law professor Troy Rule tells us there are issues beyond the legal risk the council should evaluate before adopting policies that would keep mobile home parks in place.

A journal article authored by his students last year found that about one-third of all heat deaths in Maricopa County in 2019 occurred in mobile homes.

These housing units, especially older models, are energy inefficient and typically let in more heat than a traditional home.

Rule said it's probably better public policy to transition people into safer affordable housing than to perpetuate mobile home use.

Threat level: That would take time that residents don't have. The first of the three parks is scheduled to close April 1.

What we're watching: The mobile home park discussion will come before the full council on Wednesday.

In addition to the zoning changes, the council will consider creating a fund to help people find new housing options with federal pandemic relief money.

Mobile homes are among few affordable housing options left in metro Phoenix.

Affordable housing

Three Phoenix mobile home parks are expected to close in the next two months to be redeveloped into pricier housing projects, impacting more than 120 families.State of play: Some Phoenix council members are trying to force park owners to keep them open, but they&#x27;re likely to hit several political and legal hurdles.

News

Politics

Real Estate

Vitals

Axios Vitals

Data: FAIR Health; Note: Washington, D.C. and Hawaii's datasets were to small for analysis; Map: Thomas Oide/Axios

Nearly 30% of Arizona patients who received medical services between 2016 and 2022 did not see a primary care physician, mirroring a national trend,  according to a new FAIR Health analysis.

Why it matters: Primary care providers are supposed to manage patients' day-to-day health needs and provide preventive care, and evidence shows they can drive down costs and improve outcomes. But many people are clearly getting their care elsewhere — if they're getting it at all.

The big picture: The report points to the geographic distribution of primary care providers around the country and regional gaps that can lead to worse outcomes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said last September that Arizona needs 650 primary care physicians in order to remove the federal designation of a Health Professional Shortage Area.

The intrigue: Arizonans see nurse practitioners as primary care providers more than patients in almost any other state.

This is likely because it is one of few states that allows nurse practitioners to practice independently and prescribe medications and controlled substances just like a doctor, according to the report.

What's next: The trend of nurse practitioners making up a large percentage of the primary care workforce will likely grow nationally as provider models evolve and other states eye changes to scope-of-practice rules.

Evidence shows they can drive down costs and improve outcomes.

Nearly 30% of Arizona patients who received medical services between 2016 and 2022 did not see a primary care physician, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mirroring a national trend" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/15/patients-primary-care-doc-map" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/15/patients-primary-care-doc-map" target="_self">mirroring a national trend</a>, according to a new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FAIR Health analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media2.fairhealth.org/whitepaper/asset/A%20Window%20into%20Primary%20Care%20-%20A%20FAIR%20Health%20White%20Paper.pdf" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media2.fairhealth.org/whitepaper/asset/A%20Window%20into%20Primary%20Care%20-%20A%20FAIR%20Health%20White%20Paper.pdf" target="_blank">FAIR Health analysis</a>.Why it matters: Primary care providers are supposed to manage patients&#x27; day-to-day health needs and provide preventive care, and evidence shows they can drive down costs and improve outcomes. But many people are clearly getting their care elsewhere — if they&#x27;re getting it at all.

Here's a recommendation: Book your next team-building activity, party or group date at Game Show Battle Rooms in Chandler.

State of play: I'm a game show nut, so my friends surprised me with an outing here during my bachelorette party.

I had never heard of it, and I assumed it would be a little hokey, but it was super entertaining and really high quality!

How it works: In the "classic showdown" room, you'll split into two groups and spend an hour facing off against your friends in "Wheel of Fortune," "Family Feud" and "The Price Is Right"-like games.

For legal reasons, they're all called something else (e.g., Spin and Solve), but they're essentially the same games you know from TV.

Details: The battle rooms are designed to feel as though you're actually on a game show, with stage lighting, sound effects and a host to guide you through the games.

It's about $35 per person and worth every penny.

😂 1 funny thing: They make you sign a waiver acknowledging that your appearance will not, in fact, air on television.

Jessica playing The Drop, a game like Plinko on "The Price Is Right." Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Boehm

Here&#x27;s a recommendation: Book your next team-building activity, party or group date at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Game Show Battle Rooms" data-vars-click-url="https://gameshowbattlerooms.com/phoenix/" data-vars-content-id="72d4d8eb-ed09-4af6-9533-045d2268b926" data-vars-headline="You can star in a game show on your next group outing" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://gameshowbattlerooms.com/phoenix/" target="_blank">Game Show Battle Rooms</a> in Chandler.State of play: I&#x27;m a game show nut, so my friends surprised me with an outing here during my bachelorette party.

Things to Do

The owner of Bally Sports Arizona — the regional broadcaster of Diamondbacks, Suns and Coyotes games — filed for bankruptcy Tuesday night.

Why it matters: Diamond Sports Group owns the broadcast rights to 42 professional sports teams across the country.

How Diamond emerges — or doesn't — will be viewed as a bellwether for the increasingly dire future of regional sports networks, Axios' Tim Baysinger reports.

The intrigue: The company said Tuesday it has $425 million cash on hand and will continue to pay its rights fees — except to the Diamondbacks.

The deal with the D-backs is extremely favorable to the team, the Sports Business Journal reports.

Diamond is likely trying to use bankruptcy to get a better agreement that includes D-backs streaming rights, though the MLB doesn't appear to be interested in negotiating.

What they're saying: "Despite Diamond's economic situation, there is every expectation that they will continue televising all games they are committed to during the bankruptcy process. Major League Baseball is ready to produce and distribute games to fans in their local markets in the event that Diamond … is unable to do so," MLB said in a statement following the bankruptcy filing.

What we know: Thursday night marks the expiration of a 14-day grace period for Diamond to resolve its D-backs debt, which means the MLB can officially take the company to court to get those rights back.

That legal process will likely take a while, and Diamond can continue to broadcast D-backs games until a court order is granted.

What we don't know: How much — if any — of the D-backs season, which begins March 30, will be available on Bally Sports.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Diamond Sports Group has a 14-day grace period to resolve its Arizona Diamondbacks debt, not 30.

The company said Tuesday it will continue to pay its rights fees — except to the Diamondbacks.

Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks in action Sunday. Photo: John E. Moore III/Getty Images

Major League Baseball (MLB)

The owner of Bally Sports Arizona — the regional broadcaster of Diamondbacks, Suns and Coyotes games — filed for bankruptcy Tuesday night.Why it matters: Diamond Sports Group owns the broadcast rights to 42 professional sports teams across the country.

Sports

Business

Voters elected two political newcomers to the City Council — retired Phoenix police assistant chief Kevin Robinson and local attorney Kesha Hodge Washington, unofficial race results show.

State of play: Hodge Washington defeated incumbent Council Member Carlos Garcia in District 8, which includes parts of south and downtown Phoenix.

In District 6, Robinson beat Sam Stone, former chief of staff for Council Member Sal DiCiccio, who currently represents the district but was term-limited.

Why it matters: The new members will help lead the city through a turbulent economy and make decisions about issues like affordable housing, policing and homelessness.

The intrigue: Mayor Kate Gallego may have been the biggest winner of the night. Replacing DiCiccio and Garcia — the council's most conservative and most liberal members, respectively — should allow the mayor to build a more moderate coalition to support her political priorities.

Gallego, a Democrat, has found herself fighting against a more progressive faction of the council — led by Garcia — for most of her tenure as mayor.

She endorsed Hodge Washington after her impressive showing in the November general election, inciting even more tension on the council during the past four months.

1 rare thing: It's highly unusual for elected incumbent council members to lose a re-election race — it hasn't happened in at least two decades.

Of note: This'll be the first time in city history that Phoenix has two Black council members serving at once.

What we're watching: Garcia will serve through two more formal council meetings before Hodge Washington's inauguration.

We expect Garcia's council allies to try to push through some of their priorities while they still have his vote — most notably, a controversial mobile home park zoning overlay that would stop the redevelopment of three parks.

Kesha Hodge Washington defeated incumbent Council Member Carlos Garcia.

Kevin Robinson and Kesha Hodge Washington. Photos: Courtesy of Robinson and Hodge Washington campaigns 

City council

Voters elected two political newcomers to the City Council — retired Phoenix police assistant chief Kevin Robinson and local attorney Kesha Hodge Washington, unofficial race results show.<ul><li>They will take office April 17.</li></ul>

Jessica Boehm

Stories

Almost 30% of Arizonans don't have a primary care provider

You can star in a game show on your next group outing

Phoenix wants to protect mobile home park residents from eviction

How Bally Sports' bankruptcy will impact Arizona Diamondbacks fans

Phoenix elections: Hodge Washington ousts Garcia, Robinson beats Stone

Newsletter editions

🫵 Go to the doctor

😿 March sadness

🚕 Air taxis

👀 Council shake-up

🗳 Election Day (again)