The Valley is again among the worst metros in the country for ozone pollution, putting the health of nearly 1.4 million Arizona kids at risk, per the American Lung Association's 2026 "State of the Air" report released this morning.

Why it matters: Infants, children and teens are most susceptible to the effects of air pollution because their lungs are still developing, per the report.

• Exposure to smog during childhood has been linked to reduced lung growth, asthma and increased risk of respiratory diseases.

The big picture: The report comes a month after the EPA announced that Maricopa County won't be punished for failing to meet federal ozone standards.

How it works: Ozone forms when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — which come from wildfires, paints, pesticides, etc. — combine with oxides of nitrogen, produced primarily by fossil fuel vehicle emissions.

• Some VOCs and oxides of nitrogen are produced locally, but many are carried in the wind from other parts of Arizona, as well as California, Mexico and even Asia.
• These elements need sunlight to interact and form ozone, and with an average of 330 days of sunshine per year, the Valley is at a disadvantage.

Threat level: Maricopa County has failed to meet ozone pollution standards for about a decade and was slated to slide into "serious nonattainment" last summer, which would have required companies that open or expand factories locally to invest in expensive environmental offsets.

Yes, but: The Trump administration amended federal guidance last year to make it easier for counties like ours to prove their high ozone levels are at least partly caused by international pollutants outside of our control.

• The EPA last month announced it would not enact new regulations on Maricopa County, citing this new threshold.

Reality check: Federal punishment or not, the Valley's air is unhealthy.

Tell a parent

Phoenix's semiconductor and bioscience industries are thriving, and Mayor Gallego is looking at quantum computing as the city's next technological frontier.

The big picture: In her annual State of the City address yesterday, Gallego touted recent achievements like the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. expansion, the city's investment in the new ASU Health building downtown, and light rail's extension through south Phoenix with plans to reach into Maryvale.

• She also announced several new initiatives, including:

💻 Phoenix Quantum Strategy: Gallego promoted quantum computing, communications and sensing as the next big thing in the city's technological boom, with a new initiative to attract investment in the field.

• Quantum computing is an emerging field that uses quantum mechanics to solve problems beyond the abilities of traditional computers.
• The new Phoenix Quantum Strategy initiative, led by former National Science Foundation director Sethuraman Panchanathan, aims to position Phoenix as a "quantum hub" in the U.S.

🔬 Bioscience investment: Bioscience has been one of the core drivers of Phoenix's recent economic growth, and Gallego announced that Spanish cancer research company ROIS has made a $100 million commitment to Phoenix, its newest manufacturing site.

• The company makes specialized injectables to treat rare diseases, obesity and cancer, the mayor said.
• One of its cancer treatments allows chemotherapy patients to keep their hair, said Gallego, who recalled her mother's battle with cancer.

Housing and nutrition assistance

If you want to check out a pet axolotl while getting your hair done and shopping for cat-themed memorabilia, believe it or not, we've found the place for you.

The intrigue: The Worx Salon at Campbell and 7th avenues in Phoenix's Melrose District houses an eclectic collection of businesses:

• The Peacock Room, a barbershop and salon;
• Go Kat Go, which sells feline-themed clothing, jewelry, coffee mugs, decorations and more;
• And several other aestheticians and hair stylists.

Yes, but: The biggest attraction for my family was a fish tank that's home to Selena, the salon's axolotl.

• Peacock Room co-owner Derrick Nieves told Axios they wanted a "weird shop pet" and didn't think a fish or insect would suffice.
• They've got a collection of axolotl-themed decorations that have been gifted to them over the years, along with peacock stuff and random other adornments like a taxidermied raccoon with a cigarette in its mouth.

💧 A Maricopa County judge ruled that Arizona water officials illegally restricted some Valley homebuilding by imposing new groundwater standards without going through a required public rulemaking process. (Arizona Mirror)

♻️ The Phoenix City Council will vote today on whether to raise trash and recycling rates by $14 per month, over the course of three years. (KJZZ)

👀 Former state Rep. David Marshall withdrew from the Corporation Commission race and was sworn in as Navajo County recorder — a position he is ineligible to hold. (AZcentral)

💦 The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will stabilize water levels in Lake Powell by moving up to 1 million acre feet from Wyoming's Flaming Gorge Reservoir and reducing discharge to Lake Mead by nearly 1.5 million acre feet. (Arizona Agenda)

It was a play call no one saw coming.

Kevin Warsh, President Trump's nominee for Federal Reserve chair, had an unexpected guest in the audience for his Senate confirmation hearing — retired Arizona Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald.

• The Hall of Fame receiver was seated behind Warsh at the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs yesterday, and the two were seen shaking hands and greeting each other.

The intrigue: The NFL legend's appearance had a lot of people wondering what he was doing there — Punchbowl News reporter Laura Weiss wrote on X that Fitzgerald and Warsh are friends.