🌱 Phoenix Teacher Arrested + Jewish Deli + Press Secretary Resigns

Hello all. I'm back with your new copy of the Phoenix Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right with a quick dive into the most important things happening around town.

But first, today's weather:

A brief afternoon shower. High: 64 Low: 47.

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Here are the top three stories in Phoenix today:

1. Samuel Bauman, a Phoenix Coding Academy High School teacher, has been arrested for attempting to lure minors for sexual activity after communicating with undercover officers on various dating apps. The 30-year-old allegedly agreed to meet with an undercover officer, whom he thought was a man with a child, and brought sex toys to the agreed-upon location. Although there is no evidence that Bauman had any sexual conduct with children, he faces one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and has been placed on administrative leave by the Phoenix Union High School District. (ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix)
2. Rick Phillips is a well-known figure in the Phoenix Valley area, having been involved in food blogging, barbecue, taco festivals, and the iconic MercBar. His latest venture, Little Pickle, is a Jewish deli that nods to his childhood in New York City. Phillips takes pride in offering Valley residents something different with his bagels, lox, and pastrami sandwiches served with a pickle, all while looking out the window at the MercBar. The Little Pickle is located at 2501 E. Camelback Road, Suite 40. (Arizona's Family)
3. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs' press secretary, Josselyn Berry, has resigned after a controversial tweet was posted the day of the Nashville school shooting. Berry posted an image of an armed woman along with a tweet about "transphobes," drawing criticism online for appearing to promote gun violence. The tweet was part of a longer exchange between the press secretary and others on Twitter about "transphobic" progressives. The governor's office released a statement saying that the post by the press secretary was not reflective of the values of the administration. (FOX 10 News Phoenix)

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Today in and around Phoenix:

• Dippin - Central Flow At Sutra Studios (12:00 PM)
• Reading The Icon Of The San Damiano Cross - Evening Sessions At Franciscan Renewal Center In Scottsdale (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Cesar Chavez Community Center, opening to the public today, is Phoenix's first newly built community center since 2007! The public open house will take place today from 4-8 p.m. at 7858 S. 35th Ave., which is off 35th Avenue, just south of Baseline Road. (KJZZ)
• According to GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan, gas prices are surging in metro Phoenix and across Arizona due to the state transitioning to its summer gasoline blend. (KTAR.com)
• Looking to add a four-legged friend to your family? The Arizona Humane Society has new pets coming through its doors every day. Click the link to view photos and learn more about all the available adoptable animals! (Arizona Humane Society via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! See you all tomorrow morning 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.