Yesterday was both a record-tying and -setting day in the Valley as our stifling heat wave continued.

Driving the news: It was our 18th consecutive day with a temperature at or above 110°, tying the record of 18 set in 1974.

• We'll set a new record today if we hit the projected high — 115°.

Zoom in: The low temperature yesterday morning was 95°, our eighth straight day with an overnight low of at least 90°, the National Weather Service told us.

• That breaks our old record of seven days, which happened twice in 2020 and once in 2012, Matt Salerno, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, told us.
• This morning's low was 94, extending the streak to nine days. Salerno said 90°-plus low temperatures will likely continue into the weekend.

Meanwhile, yesterday was also our 117th day with no measurable precipitation at Sky Harbor, which gets us into the top 10 longest rainless streaks.

• There was a small amount of precipitation in Anthem and New River, according to NWS.

What's next: Unfortunately, we can expect more of the same.

• NWS extended its excessive heat warning through at least Friday.
• It may not get better from there either — some forecasts predict the heat wave could continue into August.
• The long-range weather pattern has uncertainties, particularly regarding the monsoon's arrival, but computer models and NOAA forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center are showing a continuation of above-average temperatures across the West and Southwest into early next month, according to Axios' Andrew Freedman.

Of note: If you need, you can visit one of the hundreds of cooling centers, respite centers and hydration stations across the Valley.

The big picture

Developers began demolishing the shuttered Fiesta Mall yesterday, making way for a long-awaited redevelopment project in Mesa.

Flashback: The majority of the mall closed in 2018 and its final anchor — the Dillard's Clearance Center — shuttered in 2019.

• In its heyday, Fiesta Mall was a popular gathering place for the East Valley. Mesa officials have been trying to orchestrate the site's redevelopment since before it officially closed.

What's happening: Verde Investments Inc. plans to transform the 80-acre site near Southern Avenue and Alma School Road into a "new gem" with up to 4,000 apartments and homes, spokesperson David Leibowitz said.

• The final plans for the site have not yet been determined.

What they're saying: "Eighty-acre parcels that are a blank slate don't happen often in the Valley,” Leibowitz said in a statement. "Even as we say goodbye to the old mall, we're optimistic that we will offer something special for the community and for the partners we intend to attract."

• What we're watching: There's been speculation that the Arizona Coyotes are eyeing part of the Fiesta Mall site for a new arena following their failed attempt to build in Tempe.

Go deeper

👋 Jeremy here. I know about New York- and Chicago-style pizzas, and even California pizza from their eponymous kitchen.

• But when I saw that Via 313 was opening its first restaurant in Arizona, it occurred to me I'd never tried Detroit-style pizza.
• I decided to remedy that with a trip to its restaurant at Rural Road and University Drive in Tempe.

Be smart: Detroit-style pizza is a rectangular, deep-dish pie with a crispy crust, brick cheese and a layer of sauce on top.

• Since I don't know much about Motor City pizza, I asked my Axios Detroit colleague Joe Guillen to lay it out for me.
• "The proper crust is essential. … When done right, it's thick, crispy and liable to leave your fingers a little greasy. It's heavy pizza — so order with an empty stomach — but totally worth it," he explained.

What I ordered: A small Detroiter, which features two kinds of pepperoni — smoked under the cheese and natural casing on top of it.

• It was cheesy and delicious, a nice change of pace that seemed like a good halfway point between traditional pizza and the hardcore Chicago style of deep dish.
• They brought me a complimentary order of garlic cheese bread, which was also awesome.

More pizza recs

🎒 Attorney General Kris Mayes issued an opinion saying Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne lacks the authority to withhold funding from schools that use dual-language instruction. (Arizona Mirror)

⛰ A Paradise Valley mansion with an unobstructed view of Camelback Mountain sold for $11.5 million. (AZcentral)

🙅 Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson filed an ethics complaint against City Council member Jim Torgeson last week, accusing him of "creating and spreading a false narrative and disparaging comment." (Daily Independent)

🏛 Defeated AG candidate Abe Hamadeh said he'll appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court after a Mohave County judge rejected his request for a new trial challenging his loss. (Capitol Media Services)

💼 Check out who’s hiring now.

1. Senior Director, Government Relations at Community Choice Financial.
2. Curator of Education at Music Instrument Museum.

• Manager, HRIS & Benefits at Arizona Cardinals.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Use code FIRST50 for $50 off your first job post.

What an amazing night! Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate our first anniversary at Greenwood Brewing.

• We drank cold beer, met many of you and heard from three local business owners.

Zoom in: Megan Greenwood, one of the few female brewery owners in the country, shared exciting news about selling her beer at Total Wine and Costco.

• Phoenix Coqui co-founder Alexis Carbajal shared how he took his dream of bringing Puerto Rican food to Phoenix from food truck to brick-and-mortar restaurant.
• Amy Guerrero, founder of Sunshine Craft Co., told us she's looking for more guest teachers to expand the number of craft classes at her Melrose studio.

What's next: We hope to have another event soon! We're thinking a half-birthday party so we can beat the heat. 😂