🌱 Explosion Injures Two Women + Tempe Hiring For Park Ranger Program

Hello all! I'm back in your inbox this morning with everything you need to know about what's happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

Hot; breezy in the afternoon. High: 114 Low: 91.

Here are the top three stories today in Phoenix:

1. On Saturday morning, a dog attacked a man inside a house in Phoenix, prompting a loose animal call. When a police officer responded to the scene, the dog also attacked the officer, leading the officer to shoot and kill the dog. Both the man and the officer were taken to the hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries, but have since been released. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. (Subscription: The Arizona Republic)
2. On Saturday around 12:00 p.m., two women in Phoenix suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries in what the police believe was an explosion. The incident occurred in the area of 17th Drive and Van Buren Street, and preliminary information suggests that one of the women was handling an unknown object when it exploded, causing injuries to both of them. The police's bomb squad conducted an investigation at the scene, but they are still working to determine the cause of the explosion. (FOX 10 News Phoenix)
3. The nearby City of Tempe is launching a park ranger program this fall and is hiring 14 full-time employees to serve as ambassadors for parks, preserves, and green spaces. The rangers will focus on providing resources, information, and education about park rules, and their approach will be service-oriented, prioritizing education. The city is seeking community input to ensure the program aligns with the specific parks and neighborhoods where the rangers will be serving, and a public meeting (Jul. 24) and online survey are being conducted to gather feedback. (Subscription: Daily Independent)

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Today in and around Phoenix:

Monday, July 17

• Monday Energizers At StartUpPHX, Burton Barr Central Library (9:30 AM)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night At 12 West Brewing, Gilbert (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Saturday marked the hottest day of the year in Phoenix, with a temperature of 118 degrees, breaking the previous record of 117 degrees set in 1998. An Excessive Heat Warning is in place until Wednesday, with temperatures remaining dangerously high and chances of showers and thunderstorms mainly limited to higher terrain areas. (Arizona's Family)
• Amid the hot weather over the weekend, a great horned owl in Ahwatukee Foothills found relief by taking a dip in a resident's pool. The owl stood on the pool's first step, dipped its beak, and splashed to cool off. You can see a photo at the link! (12news.com KPNX)
• WalletHub compared 182 cities in the U.S. to determine the most fun locations based on factors like entertainment, nightlife, and cost — ranking the top 50. The site evaluated 65 key metrics, including fitness centers, movie costs, and brewery open hours. Phoenix came in at No. 28 while nearby cities Scottsdale and Tempe ranked No. 39 and No. 34, respectively. (Arizona's Family)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.