UPDATE: Hobbs signed this today, moving the 2026 primary from Aug. 4 to July 21. See here: azgovernor.gov/office-arizo... The state primary date will permanently shift to the second-to-last Tuesday of July. Some changes to the curing window in there, too. Read my initial story here. ⬇️

NEW: This public hearing is on hold after Recorder Justin Heap filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in Maricopa County Superior Court. Judge says that he is “concerned” by the board’s move to subpoena MCRO employees, and suggests it could amount to “retaliation.”

UPDATE: This legislation just passed the Arizona Senate, and is now headed to Gov. Katie Hobbs' desk. It passed with bipartisan support in both houses after behind-the-scenes negotiations, so it looks increasingly likely that this year's primary will move from Aug. 4 to July 21.

NEW: Resource-intensive data centers are flocking to Arizona. But how much energy and water do they actually use — and is that a problem? I created a custom database to dive into the numbers for @azcentral.com. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

ALSO: This is my first published story with @votebeat.org! 💃

NEW: Arizona could permanently move up its primary election under an advancing bill. It would also give voters more time to fix signatures on early ballots and codify where observers may watch voting activity. In 2026, primary would move to July 21. Read: www.votebeat.org/arizona/2026...

OF NOTE: Arizona is among the states scrambling to find new ways to pay for election security as the feds pull back, with the SOS Office asking state lawmakers to allocate unused money from last year's CD-7 election to cybersecurity. From @CyberScoopNews: cyberscoop.com/cisa-electio...

A new report shows threats, stress, and burnout are driving election officials to quit in droves.

Former Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer: “Clearly the federal government is going to do things that it’s never done before. The FBI going in and taking materials from an election that happened over five years ago is unprecedented, so maybe we’re destined for additional unprecedented actions."

BREAKING: The Maricopa County BOS is subpoenaing three MCRO employees to attend a hearing and answer questions about their recent testimony in the ongoing legal battle between county election officials. The meeting is set for Feb. 9, per a county statement.

NEW: As data centers see local pushback, operators are diverging on how to respond. Some are promising to be better neighbors. Others threaten to sue over new rules for the facilities. And, the debate is starting to shift to other parts of Arizona. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

Two big points from my story: - The law that established the data center tax exemption program doesn't require operators to report key data, like how much money they saved. - Existing facilities contributed at least $24.9 million in property taxes last year in Maricopa County.

NEW: Arizona is a top market for data centers, warehouses for the digital infrastructure that powers modern technology. I investigated the industry in my final stories for @azcentral.com. The first looks at why the facilities are dividing communities. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

Fontes: "This administration is weaponizing law enforcement across the board and in this case for the purpose of satisfying the president’s obsession with his 2020 election loss." "If Arizona is next, so be it. We’ve got nothing to hide and they’ve got nothing to prove."

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m joining @votebeatus to cover voting access, election administration and democracy across Arizona! I've long admired this outlet's work, and I'm excited to be on the team. I start today, so send tips and add me to press lists: [email protected].

Hey y'all! I’ve got some personal news to share. This week will be my last at @azcentral.com. I'm leaving for an exciting new opportunity. It’s a bittersweet moment. I’ve learned so much in this newsroom, and it’s been an honor to work with so many talented journalists.

NEW: Phoenix City Council unanimously approved a 7,400-acre development during a marathon meeting last night. The decision clears TSMC to expand near Loop 303 and I-17, alongside other commercial facilities, housing units and schools. Via @azcentral.com: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

NEW: NXP plans to shutter a fab on its campus in Chandler, citing declining demand for specialized chips used in 5G-enabled cellphone towers. Will it lead to layoffs? Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Arizona will join a lawsuit against Uber, accusing it of deceiving users while selling its subscription service. AG Kris Mayes called its actions "unfair and unlawful." Uber denied the claims, and says they could "upend" how such programs work. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/news/p...

NEW: Looking for faster internet? Communities across Arizona continue to see a broadband building boom as telecommunications giants seek to expand their footprints nationally. That means your neighborhood might be getting new options. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: The federal government has officially signed off on Arizona's broadband plan, unlocking funding to bring high-speed internet to 160,000 households by 2030. It's a monumental milestone in efforts to address long-standing digital inequities in rural areas. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Tucson Electric Power got approval from its regulators last night to provide hundreds of megawatts of energy to Project Blue, marking a milestone for the controversial data center. But the deal comes as its developer hunts for a new customer. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

ICYMI: ASML is launching a new academy in Phoenix to train engineers to maintain its complex chipmaking equipment. The chip manufacturing machine maker has long built tools for industry giants, including TSMC and Intel. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: SRP wants to develop a new 1,675-megawatt energy generation hub as power demand continues to grow statewide. The proposed site — called the Marigold Energy Center — would include solar arrays, battery storage and natural gas turbines. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Tesla has received the state-level certifications required to operate a robotaxi ride-sharing service in Phoenix. It now holds the same type of ride-sharing permit as Uber, Lyft and Waymo. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Waymo is now offering autonomous rides on local freeways, including I-10, I-17, Loop 202 and U.S. 60. It marks a key step in efforts to integrate driverless technology on the roads, and could ultimately lead to a bigger service area in Phoenix. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: More than two dozen parties will seek to challenge a rate hike sought by APS. I took a look at the intervenors in the case — and the questions they are fighting over. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: A lawsuit claims TSMC retaliated against a worker involved in an ongoing class-action workplace discrimination case, demoting and ultimately firing her. The company said it doesn't comment on litigation, but it's committed to complying with labor laws. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Lucid reported another earnings miss yesterday, and is again narrowing its auto production targets as rough conditions continue for EV makers. It initially said it would build 20,000 cars this year, but is now aiming to produce just 18,000. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Arizona is on the hunt for public and private dollars as it urgently seeks to train residents for jobs in the construction, semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries. So far, stakeholders seem to be seeing some success. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

REMINDER: It's Election Day! I just dropped off my ballot at MCTEC. AZ voters, get those ballots in! 🫶 Here's how to find voting locations, and everything else to know before voting in today's jurisdictional elections: www.azcentral.com/story/news/p...

NEW: SRP is moving forward with a plan to regear one of its last remaining coal-fired units to natural gas after a board vote. The move drew criticism from environmentalists and praise from local officials in rural Apache County. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: SRP customers are set to see higher electric bills this month as rate increases approved earlier this year take effect. Here's a breakdown of how the changes will impact your bill: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

I was thrilled to hop on @kjzzphoenix.bsky.social recently to chat about what challenges and opportunities lie ahead for the desert's booming semiconductor ecosystem. If missed me on the radio, you can still take a listen here: www.kjzz.org/the-show/202...

NEW: APS plans to develop a new natural gas plant near Gila Bend. The plant will be built in two phases. One will add power to the grid amid rising energy demand. Another will serve data centers via a new subscription model. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Lucid wants to build fully autonomous vehicles for private use and introduce AI in its factories via a new alliance with NVIDIA. It's the latest automaker to hop on the consumer autonomous car bandwagon. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: In an earnings call, Amkor CEO Giel Rutten said he'll retire at the end of the year — and teased a potential third chips packaging facility in Peoria. The news comes as the company executes a major expansion in Arizona. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Salt River Project hopes to convert a coal-burning unit to natural gas at one of Arizona's last remaining coal plants. The proposal recently passed through committee, and is now set for a vote by the utility's board. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan plan to build and operate a new 20-inch, 1,300-mile pipeline connecting the Texas Panhandle and Phoenix, Arizona. The move is likely to shift the balance of the local gasoline supply. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in an earnings call that the company would begin operating its self-driving vehicles "by the end of the year" in Arizona, as well as a number of other states. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: One thing was clear as tens of thousands of semiconductor professionals descended on the desert earlier this month: Arizona had successfully established itself as the country's chips capital. Now, it must fight to keep its crown. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: Davis-Monthan is one of five bases that could be sites for private commercial data centers, according to the Air Force in a request for lease proposal published Oct. 15. Via @azcentral.com: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

NEW: Waymo and DoorDash are introducing autonomous grocery delivery across a 315-square-mile swath of the Phoenix metro. It's among a slew of recent initiatives that have robots running errands around the area. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: TSMC is moving to more quickly introduce advanced semiconductor processing technologies at its desert fabs because of strong demand for its chips amid the artificial intelligence boom. Plus, record-breaking earnings — again. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

NEW: ASU has officially opened a long-awaited research, development and prototyping hub for semiconductor technology. It aims to speed chip production breakthroughs amid a global tech war. But another facility looks dead after a federal clawback. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

PLUS: New details on Fab 62. Officials are slow-walking construction on that facility, calling it a “scale plan” if more customers come. But they didn't rule out the possibility that it could one day serve as a home for a next-generation manufacturing process. 👀 Read ⬇️

NEW: Intel’s long-awaited Fab 52 is officially up and running in Chandler, marking a new — and potentially trepidatious — chapter for the chipmaker. Take a peek inside the new fab, and the company’s future. Read: www.azcentral.com/story/money/...

A proposed development that could include TSMC's expanded manufacturing facility and thousands of housing units has some neighbors concerned about increased traffic and other impacts. Via @azcentral.com: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

NEW: EPCOR has gotten an alternative designation of assured water supply, reopening a path to development in parts of the West Valley. It is the first to obtain the status via new rules that allow homebuilding to continue in areas reliant on groundwater. www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

The surprise announcement came amid a ceremonial groundbreaking that brought the massive, multi-phase project a step closer to completion. Even with the expansion, officials say the company will still have leftover space at its new site in Peoria. 👀