🌱 ADOT Revises Policies + Phoenix Parent & Student In Custody

Good morning, neighbors! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out the most important things happening around town.

But first, today's weather:

Hot with plenty of sunshine. High: 105 Low: 76.

From our partner:

Apple announced some big news at Tuesday's "Wonderlust" event! Click here for all the details.

Here are the top three stories in Phoenix today:

1. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has revised its policies, now only allowing ADOT employees to engage with homeless individuals during cleanup operations on state lands. This change follows reports of contractors forcing individuals like Zach Davis, a man living under a Phoenix underpass, to quickly vacate their encampments and allegedly discarding their belongings without warning. Advocates, such as Eric Tars from the National Homelessness Law Center, emphasize the importance of providing social services and respect for the homeless, suggesting that discarding their possessions can be considered cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. (ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix)
2. A parent and a student were taken into custody following a fight at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon. 35-year-old Brittany Richards allegedly confronted and threatened multiple students, leading to police intervention where she resisted arrest. While no serious injuries occurred, Richards faces charges of resisting arrest and interfering with an educational institution, and the student has been charged with assault and aggravated assault on a police officer. (Arizona's Family)
3. Metro Phoenix's inflation rate, which had surged to a significant 13 percent annually in August 2022, has now aligned with the national average of 3.7 percent as of August 2023, reveals the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite this moderation, local prices for items such as food, rent, and automobiles remain considerably higher than they were two years prior. Amid these developments and with core prices showing slight acceleration, Federal Reserve officials are deliberating the potential for future interest rate hikes, though many anticipate the central bank may refrain in its upcoming meeting. (KTAR.com)

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Today in and around Phoenix:

Saturday, September 16

• Arizona Shred Saturday At ProShred, Tempe (9:00 AM)
• Inversions Workshop At Sutra Studios (12:00 PM)
• Canacopia 2023 At 2100 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Mesa (3:00 PM)
• Valley Sol Series Featuring Saxophonist Dee Lucas At Chars Live (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Airlines has introduced a new nonstop flight between Phoenix and Washington, D.C. via Dulles International Airport, starting Apr. 9, 2024, operating five days a week. Fare prices found by The Arizona Republic range between $179 and $189 on select dates for the new route. (Subscription: The Arizona Republic)
• Attention drivers: various Valley highways, including parts of I-17, I-10, Loop 101, and Priest Drive at the U.S. 60, will experience closures and restrictions this weekend due to construction and improvement projects. The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan alternative routes and check conditions at az511.gov. You can view specific closures at the link. (Subscription: The Arizona Republic)
• Did you know burrowing owls live around the City of Phoenix Public Works Department's 27th Ave. Transfer Station? These owls live underground but they are active during the day. View photos at the link! (City of Phoenix Public Works Department via Facebook)

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That's it for today! See you tomorrow for 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.