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Kelly's Senate reelection plans are up in air

Kelly's plans will affect both Democrats and Republicans who are eyeing his seat.

News

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="eyeing the 2028 presidential race" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/07/28/senators-ruben-gallego-mark-kelly-president-2028" data-vars-content-id="56a27765-8c28-4538-818f-d2e9a65c65e0" data-vars-headline="Kelly&#x27;s Senate reelection plans are up in air" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/07/28/senators-ruben-gallego-mark-kelly-president-2028" target="_self">eyeing the 2028 presidential race</a>, but he also has a big decision to make: whether to seek reelection.Why it matters: Kelly&#x27;s decision will affect the plans of potential candidates for a highly competitive Senate seat on both sides of the aisle.

What to know about the fight over a $12.8M Arizona Lottery ticket

Multiple people have claimed the winning ticket.

Yet another person has come forward to press a claim to a disputed $12.8 million <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Arizona Lottery" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2025/03/05/chips-salsa-mega-millions-change" data-vars-content-id="7e973ed1-da86-4bed-84d7-95f23db86c28" data-vars-headline="What to know about the fight over a $12.8M Arizona Lottery ticket" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2025/03/05/chips-salsa-mega-millions-change" target="_self">Arizona Lottery</a> ticket.Why it matters: We can think of about 12.8 million reasons.

Arizona school districts grapple with war-induced fuel costs

Gilbert Public Schools is spending an extra $8,000 weekly on diesel.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Arizona" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2025/01/30/arizona-4th-8th-grade-reading-scores-fall-2024-national-trend" data-vars-content-id="fb1efcec-0e0f-4422-9e7f-8539eab97b15" data-vars-headline="Arizona school districts grapple with war-induced fuel costs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2025/01/30/arizona-4th-8th-grade-reading-scores-fall-2024-national-trend" target="_self">Arizona</a> school districts are feeling the pinch from high diesel costs caused by the Iran war. Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="war" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/02/iran-trump-negotiations-war-reasons-fail" data-vars-content-id="fb1efcec-0e0f-4422-9e7f-8539eab97b15" data-vars-headline="Arizona school districts grapple with war-induced fuel costs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/02/iran-trump-negotiations-war-reasons-fail" target="_self">war</a> is sending <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="diesel costs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/22/trump-diesel-exports-ban" data-vars-content-id="fb1efcec-0e0f-4422-9e7f-8539eab97b15" data-vars-headline="Arizona school districts grapple with war-induced fuel costs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/22/trump-diesel-exports-ban" target="_self">diesel costs</a> higher just as districts are grappling with a yearslong bus driver shortage — a double whammy that can ripple into missed breakfasts, late classes and fewer school activities.

Suns and Mercury plan new $60M downtown Phoenix YMCA

The historic downtown Phoenix YMCA building that opened in the 1950s closed last month.

The Phoenix Suns and Mercury plan to help build a $60 million YMCA building in downtown Phoenix, replacing the historic facility that closed last month. Why it matters: The Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA was a community institution and its closure <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="displaced hundreds of low-income residents" data-vars-click-url="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/metro-phoenix/2026/09/30/residents-look-for-housing-as-downtown-phoenix-ymca-closes/92029021007/" data-vars-content-id="7364e624-d3d5-4f40-85b9-389c7840d5f4" data-vars-headline="Suns and Mercury plan new $60M downtown Phoenix YMCA" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/metro-phoenix/2026/09/30/residents-look-for-housing-as-downtown-phoenix-ymca-closes/92029021007/" target="_blank">displaced hundreds of low-income residents</a>.

I defied death and ate all the weirdest Arizona State Fair food

It was an uncomfortable lesson in stomach capacity.

State Fair

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Arizona State Fair" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/02/arizona-state-fair-prices-parking-deals-2026" data-vars-content-id="593e3e4c-58cb-4432-8893-8ac2e30b6f06" data-vars-headline="I defied death and ate all the weirdest Arizona State Fair food" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/02/arizona-state-fair-prices-parking-deals-2026" target="_self">Arizona State Fair</a> has more weird food items — massive, fried, shoved-on-a-stick or all of the above — than one person can safely consume.Why it matters: I know, because I stupidly tried.