Andrew Oxford
, 
Stephanie Innes
 
| Arizona Republic

Some Arizona counties likely will return to the category of “substantial spread” of COVID-19, but officials want to avoid another shutdown, the state’s governor and health director said Thursday.

Under the state’s guidelines, that level of virus spread could trigger restrictions on businesses, but Gov. Doug Ducey said that wouldn’t happen barring a dramatic increase.

State data shows at least two counties surpassed the state’s ‘moderate’ benchmark of cases per 100,000 individuals for business reopening for one week — Pima and Coconino.

On the state’s business operations dashboard, having more than 100 cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks constitutes ‘substantial’ spread.

“So, we’re starting to ...

Kaila White
 
| Arizona Republic

Three people were injured in a drive-by shooting on Thursday night outside a home near 16th Street and Broadway Road in Phoenix, police said. 

About 8 p.m., Phoenix police responded to a call in the area and found two men and one woman with gunshot wounds. All three were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to Phoenix Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Ann Justus. 

The victims were standing outside a home when someone in a dark-colored car drove by and shot at them, according to preliminary information, Justus said. 

The investigation is ongoing. 

Reach breaking news editor Kaila White at [email protected] or on Twitter @kailawhite.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

tinyur...

Madeline Ackley
 
| Arizona Republic

Two groups planned a candlelight vigil and a protest in downtown Phoenix on Thursday night in response to two pieces of news: Monday’s announcement that the state trooper who fatally shot Dion Johnson will not face charges, and Wednesday’s grand jury decision in Louisville, Kentucky, not to indict officers in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Among protests around the country this week, the local vigil was organized by the W.E. Rising Project, a protest group against police violence and systemic racism that has been responsible for many marches and vigils over the last several months in Phoenix. 

“It’s been a long, tough week,” W.E. Rising organizer Itoro Elijah told The Arizona Republic before the event...

Katelyn Keenehan
 
| Arizona Republic

A toddler was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest in a backyard pool near Stapley Drive and McKellips Road  on Thursday, according to the Mesa Fire & Medical Department.

The child was found unresponsive in the pool around 1 p.m., according to a statement from the department. CPR instructions were provided by the Mesa Regional Dispatch Center while the Mesa Fire and Medical Department was in route.

The child regained a pulse and began breathing while being transported to a local children’s hospital but was still in critical condition, officials said. 

Authorities are investigating how the child got into the pool.

This story is still developing. Check azcentral.com for updates.

Reach breaking news reporter Katelyn Keenehan at Katelyn...

Jamie Landers
 
| Arizona Republic

Police have identified a suspected intruder who was shot by a woman after he broke into her Mesa home on Friday.

According to Mesa police spokesman Detective Jason Flam, 29-year-old Elijah Jones broke into a home near Main Street and Alma School Road in the early morning hours.

The woman who owned the home told police she was doing yardwork in the cool morning weather when she heard a loud noise that startled her. She then received an alert from her security system that there was movement near her carport door. When she entered her house, Jones was standing in her kitchen, court documents said.

The woman repeatedly told Jones to leave, according to court documents. When he didn’t move, she went into another room to get her gun...

Donna Reiner
 |  Special for The Republic

The symbol of the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes has been quite vivid as wildfires char the West Coast. 

No one knows whether the towns will rise again or if the forests will return. Even years later, sometimes there are surprises.

That was recently the case with a missing Phoenix streetcar thought to be in a trolley car barn fire in 1947. 

The Phoenix Trolley Museum received a remarkable tip. Mike Bystrom of Restaurant Equipment Hunter explained that he had Streetcar No. 509. And, he wanted to know if the museum was interested in it.

The museum was shocked to discover its existence, but even more surprised that Bystrom offered to donate it and pay to transport it to the Grand Avenue site...

Katelyn Keenehan
 
| Arizona Republic

Numerous homes and businesses in north Phoenix were without power on Thursday morning after police say a power pole was intentionally set on fire. 

Phoenix police responded to the scene of a power pole fire near Second Street and Bell Road around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Phoenix police spokeswoman Sgt. Ann Justus said initial information indicated the fire was intentionally set. It burned through “several thousand fiber connections” that fed into customer internet services. 

The internet outage was first reported Wednesday evening.

The damage was severe enough that Cox technicians worked on the repairs throughout the night, according to Cox spokeswoman Andrea Pappas.

She said services were expected to return to the area throughout the day on Thursday.

Katelyn Keenehan
 
| Arizona Republic

A 21-year-old woman was shot multiple times during an argument at a Glendale sports bar early Thursday, according to police. 

A group of men began arguing inside Stinger’s Sports Bar near 43rd and Peoria avenues shortly after midnight/12 a.m., according to a Glendale police spokesperson. Eventually, police say, it escalated into a physical fight that continued into the parking lot.

Police said some members of the group fired multiple gunshots and a 21-year-old woman was hit. 

The woman was transported to the hospital in stable condition.

Most of the group then fled the scene following the shooting, officials said. One person was detained for questioning.

The shooting remained under investigation Thursday morning.

Reach breaking news reporter Katel...

Debra Utacia Krol
 
| Arizona Republic

Roxanne Wilson mixes flour, water and baking powder in a bowl on a work surface inside a metal food truck on a weekday morning in mid-August. The temperature has already soared past 100 on its way to another 115-degree day during the hottest August in recorded Phoenix history.

She’s working alongside three other family members inside the tight spaces of the sweltering vehicle. It’s parked on a city street just north of the Phoenix Indian Medical Center, “next to the lonely tree” as their Facebook page announces.

“We’re used to the heat,” Wilson said, pointing to her black-on-black wardrobe that she says prevents the sweat marks from showing.

She deftly stirs mutton and a mix of veggies bubbling in a pot, simmers dried corn until each ke...