Axios Phoenix

May 20, 2026
Happy Wednesday! It's National Dog Rescue Day and a good day to add a furry friend to your family.
- We recommend checking the county animal shelter.
☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, high of 94.
Situational awareness: Incumbents Jennifer Adams and Berdetta Hodge are trailing in the runoff election for two Tempe City Council seats, with challengers Brooke St. George and Bobby Nichols in the lead. It's unknown how many ballots remain.
- St. George declared victory last night.
Today's newsletter is 816 words — a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Phoenix eyes new fireworks restrictions
With Independence Day nearing, the city of Phoenix may limit where people can set off fireworks.
Why it matters: Fireworks can cause blazes and wildfires resulting in injuries and property damage when not used safely.
State of play: The Phoenix City Council today will consider barring people from using fireworks within a mile of mountain preserves.
- That one-mile restriction will be extended to other city parks during state-issued fire restrictions.
- Fireworks are already banned inside state parks.
Zoom in: The city is creating an online tool that people can use to see whether their home is within a restricted area.
Violations of the city's fireworks restrictions are already class 1 misdemeanors under city code, but the proposed changes would allow civil penalties of up to $2,500.
- The Phoenix Police Department's intent is to start with civil fines and escalate to criminal penalties for repeat offenders, Lt. Brian Rimsza told a council subcommittee earlier this month.
Threat level: The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management issued a stage 1 fire restriction last week for state trust lands in Maricopa, Gila and Pinal counties, which has since been extended to Apache, Coconino and Navajo counties.
The intrigue: The proposed changes to city code go as far as a 2010 state law permits, Phoenix Fire Department assistant chief Justin Alexander told the subcommittee.
- Cities can't ban any fireworks permitted by state law, including fountains, cones, sparklers, spinners and smoke devices.
- Cities also can't ban the sale or use of fireworks on or around Independence Day, New Year's, Cinco de Mayo and Diwali.
- Fireworks that shoot into the air and explode aren't allowed for consumer use — not that you'd be able to tell during the Fourth of July or other firework-heavy celebrations.
What's next: If the council approves the new restrictions, they'll take effect in 30 days, about two weeks before Independence Day.
2. Booker x Nike x McDonald's
In a trippy, cryptic video, McDonald's is giving us a preview of an upcoming collab with Suns star Devin Booker and Nike.
Zoom in: The iconic turquoise arches in Sedona — which is one of the few McDonald's locations without golden arches — appear to be central to whatever it is the fast-food chain, basketball star and footwear company are cooking up.
The latest: In a video McDonald's posted to X yesterday, Booker hikes in Sedona, recording himself on an old-school camcorder.
- Also making an appearance: a turquoise basketball and Ronald McDonald wearing turquoise shoes.
- The video ends by cutting to a turquoise McDonald's logo and then a turquoise Nike logo.
The intrigue: The video release follows days of leaked images on social media claiming to show a new, soon-to-be-released version of Nike's Book 2 sneakers, with a turquoise swoosh and McDonald's logo.
The bottom line: The details are still (purposefully) fuzzy, but the ad campaign's got us hyped for some new kicks.
3. Chips & salsa: No homelessness rise
👀 Maricopa County's homeless population held steady after rising to an all-time record last year, according to data from the annual point-in-time count. (AZcentral)
💍 Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, got married in Sedona last Friday. (People)
- We wonder if he checked out the turquoise arches.
🍖 Little Miss BBQ was named the No. 1 BBQ place in the U.S. by Yelp reviewers. (Arizona's Family)
📽️ Viewers in the U.S. and Mexico watched a movie together on back-to-back screens on both sides of the border wall at the Nogales International Film Festival. (KJZZ)
4. 🛒 1 for the road: Bed Bath & Beyond returns

The first dual-branded The Container Store x Bed Bath & Beyond location opened Saturday in Fort Worth, and we got sneak peek from our Axios Dallas colleagues before the concept arrives in the Valley later this year.
State of play: The collab will be rolled out at all Container Store locations nationwide this year amid a merger uniting the two home goods companies.
- There are two Phoenix locations and one in Glendale.

🎟️ Check your drawers, because the stores will honor old Bed Bath coupons.
- The company is even running a contest to see who has the oldest coupon.
🏪 Bed Bath & Beyond president Amy Sullivan told Axios: "We don't want people to think of this as a shop-in-shop."
- Instead, Sullivan says it's a "forever together, co-branded" concept.
🏫 Jeremy can't believe it's already his kids' last day of school. The time really flies by.
👟 Jessica is not a sneakerhead in any way but desperately wants a pair of turquoise Book 2s.
Thanks to Jessica for editing.
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