Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How a Phoenix seed bank is racing to save Arizona’s rare plants

You won't want to miss Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra Presents: A Season of Light on the Phoenix Patch calendar

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Thursday December 11th Patch AM
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Good morning Phoenix! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a Phoenix seed bank is racing to save Arizona’s rare plants
  • How hard are Phoenix home values really falling this year?
  • How a stolen paddle boat led police to a Phoenix crime stash

Also on today's calendar: Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra Presents: A Season of Light and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Phoenixfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Phoenixfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Thursday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 78 and low of 51 degrees.
  • Friday: Sunny to partly cloudy, temps: high: 78, low: 54.
  • Saturday: Mostly sunny and warm, with a high of 76 and low of 54 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Seed bank hopes to save endangered Arizona plants from extinction (fox10phoenix.com) — Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden is quietly banking seeds to protect Arizona’s endangered cacti and orchids from heat, drought, and habitat loss. Working out of the Ahearn Desert Conservation Laboratory, staff freeze and store rare seeds, invite volunteers to help, and encourage visitors to support conservation by learning, donating, and choosing specific plants that sustain fragile desert ecosystems.
   

2. New Zillow study: Phoenix among markets with highest year-over-year home value decline (abc15.com) — Phoenix homeowners are seeing one of the steepest home value drops in the country, with prices down about 3.4% year over year, according to new Zillow data. While cities like Hartford and Milwaukee are gaining value, Phoenix joins Austin, Tampa, Miami, and Orlando among the metros with the sharpest declines.
   

3. Paddle boat pirate: Glendale PD arrest man who used watercraft to steal from home (abc15.com) — A Phoenix man was arrested after Glendale police say he used a stolen paddle boat to burglarize a lakeside home, taking more than $20,000 in belongings. Investigators tracked him using surveillance footage and a real-time crime center, then found multiple allegedly stolen vehicles and recreational items at his Phoenix residence tied to other Valley burglaries.
   

4. Grandfather's 40-hour journey becomes viral wedding miracle (fox10phoenix.com) — A Phoenix groom’s wedding day turned into a viral sensation when his 93-year-old grandfather endured a 40-hour journey from a small village in Rwanda to surprise him outside the church. The emotional reunion, captured on video and shared on Instagram, shows the grandfather recovering from a stroke, tossing aside his cane, and dancing the night away, inspiring viewers with a powerful reminder about family bonds.
   

5. Phoenix family to leave US amid synthetic drug dangers (azfamily.com) — A Phoenix mother says her family plans to leave the U.S. after her 21-year-old son became addicted to a synthetic opioid called 7-OH, which he bought locally over the counter. Arizona officials, including Attorney General Kris Mayes, report rising Kratom-related cases and say they’re working to better enforce existing laws meant to keep dangerous products off store shelves.
   

📸 Around Phoenix

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Phoenix

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📣 Phoenix Shout Outs!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Creating a growth plan for your landscaping business —Max Lancaster Read on Patch
  • Goodwill Industries of Central and Northern Arizona posted a job opening for Donation Attendant Part Time in Phoenix. Apply here.
  • Kroger Family of Companies posted a job opening for Grocery Clerk in Phoenix. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Phoenix here.

Ok Phoenix! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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