🌱 County's Black Ballot Bags + 2023 Jimmy Buffet Concert

Good morning, Phoenix! Like many of you, the Patch staff will be taking some time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, so you won’t see a newsletter from me tomorrow. We’ll be back bright and early Saturday morning, but for now, here’s all the most important things happening in the community.

But first, today's weather:

Nice with plenty of sunshine. High: 71 Low: 47.

Here are the top three stories today in Phoenix:

1. AP News has addressed a recent election claim about Maricopa County's black ballot bags. Images of the bags have been circulating through social media channels claiming that they are used to manipulate vote totals. According to AP News, these claims are false. The black bags are used to carry counted ballots and there is no evidence that they were used fraudulently. The bags are a normal part of the vote-counting process in Maricopa County. (AP News)
2. Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will be performing in Phoenix next year. The performance has been scheduled for Mar. 8 at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. Tickets will be going on sale Friday, Dec. 2. This will be the eleventh time that Buffet has performed in the Valley. The most recent Buffet concert in the Valley was in 2018. (KTAR.com)
3. A new report by The Wall Street Journal has recognized Phoenix Sky Harbor as one of the best airports of 2022. The report ranked the country's largest airports based on a variety of factors that included on-time arrivals, security, and ticket prices. Phoenix Sky Harbor was ranked in the fifth spot. The top spot went to San Francisco International Airport. (Arizona Foothills Magazine)

Today in and around Phoenix:

• 2022 Turkey Trot 5K Run & Fitness Walk At Fountain Park, Fountain Hills (7:15 AM)
• Thanksgiving Day Parade At Avenue of Fountains, Fountain Hills (9:31 AM)
• Thanksgiving Dining At Hyatt Regency Scottsdale (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• The Phoenix Public Library's Hoopla Bonus Borrows will allow patrons to access more than 1,000 top titles. Click here to learn more about Hoopla. (Phoenix Public Library via Facebook)
• Don't ruin your holidays with a sanitary sewer overflow. Click the link to watch a video containing holiday safety tips regarding oil, grease, and fat disposal. (City of Phoenix Water Services Department via Facebook)
• The Phoenix Planning & Development Department reminds the community to start the permit process using the new myPHX311 app. Click here for app details. (Phoenix Planning & Development Department via Facebook)

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That's all for today! Have a happy Thanksgiving!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.