by Matthew Holloway | Mar 17, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) to speed recovery efforts at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon passed the U.S. House of Representatives with unanimous, bipartisan support.
According to a statement released by Crane’s office, the House approved the North Rim Restoration Act of 2025, which aims to accelerate rebuilding efforts following the Dragon Bravo Fire that damaged infrastructure and surrounding areas in 2025.
The bill, cosponsored by Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05), Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ09), seeks to streamline the federal contracting process by granting the National Park Service (NPS) emergency contracting authority to expedite recovery projects.
“Five months ago, I introduced the North Rim Restoration Act of 2025 after listening to folks on the ground who were directly impacted by this devastating fire,” Crane said in a statement. “Whether speaking with small business owners, local officials, or park staff, it became clear that removing red tape and bureaucratic hurdles would benefit all stakeholders. Today’s unanimous vote sends a clear message that America refuses to abandon our iconic landmarks and storied communities. This timely response would not be possible without the leadership of Chairman Westerman, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, and everyone else who helped build this blueprint. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to embrace our strong momentum and send this critical bill to the president’s desk.”
In a post to X, Crane wrote, “It’s time for the Senate to harness this strong bipartisan momentum.”
The Dragon Bravo Fire, sparked by a lightning strike in July 2025, destroyed more than 100 structures on the North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. The damage disrupted tourism and impacted park employees, local businesses, and nearby communities that rely on visitation to the park.
Crane introduced the legislation on October 9, 2025, after meeting with park officials, local leaders, and business owners about recovery efforts in northern Arizona.
According to the text of the legislation, the measure authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use federal emergency acquisition flexibilities when contracting for recovery work within the affected areas of Grand Canyon National Park. The authority would apply to forest restoration, infrastructure rebuilding, and other recovery improvements.
The bill also requires the National Park Service to provide Congress with a comprehensive report every 180 days detailing recovery progress and federal expenditures.
The legislation advanced through the House Committee on Natural Resources with unanimous support before receiving approval from the full House. Local officials have expressed support for the measure, including the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, which endorsed the legislation during the legislative process.
The North Rim Restoration Act now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 17, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A Maricopa County judge sentenced a 21-year-old man to prison for his role in a fraud scheme that targeted elderly residents in the Phoenix area, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that Jixiong Zhang was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felony charges related to the scheme.
According to prosecutors, Zhang served as a courier in a coordinated scam targeting elderly victims between October and December 2024. Victims were contacted by individuals who claimed their bank accounts or online purchases had been compromised and were instructed to withdraw large amounts of cash to protect their funds. Couriers were then sent to collect the money.
Authorities said the victims in the cases were 83, 93, 94, and 99 years old. Investigators determined Zhang collected or attempted to collect more than $112,500 from the victims as part of the scheme.
Zhang pleaded guilty to several felony charges across three separate cases, including theft, money laundering, and assisting a criminal organization, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
The court ordered Zhang to pay $79,500 in restitution to the victims. He received 258 days of credit for time served, according to prosecutors.
“Targeting seniors in fraud schemes is particularly cruel,” Mitchell said in a statement announcing the sentencing. “These crimes steal more than money. They take away a sense of security and trust.”
Mitchell’s office stated that upon completion of his sentence, Zhang is “expected to face immigration proceedings.”
Investigators said fraud schemes like the one in Zhang’s case often involve impersonation tactics, in which victims receive calls or messages claiming to be from financial institutions or technology companies and are directed to withdraw funds or transfer money to protect their accounts.
Fraud targeting older adults has been the focus of increased enforcement and legislative attention in Arizona in recent years. Lawmakers have advanced legislation to address financial crimes and property-related fraud schemes targeting vulnerable residents.
Officials with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said they continue to investigate cases involving organized fraud operations and individuals who serve as couriers in financial scams.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 16, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona House of Representatives passed legislation last week with bipartisan support, allowing residents to place medical directive information on their state-issued identification cards.
House Bill 2772, sponsored by State Rep. Khyl Powell (R-LD14), was approved by the House on Wednesday and now advances to the Arizona Senate for consideration.
According to a press release from the Arizona House Republican Caucus, the proposal would allow Arizonans to indicate on their driver licenses or nonoperating identification cards that they have a medical directive on file, helping first responders quickly identify a patient’s medical wishes during an emergency.
Medical directives, also known as advance directives, allow individuals to document instructions for medical treatment in the event they are unable to communicate their decisions.
According to the Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry (AzHDR), the number of Arizonans with advance directives has seen significant growth, with over 100,000 advance directives registered with the program from 2019 to 2023, an increase of approximately 34%.
“HB 2772 protects a person’s right to have lawful medical choices recognized when every second matters,” Powell said. “If someone has taken the time to make these decisions with family and medical professionals, the state should not make those wishes harder to find. For someone with a valid directive, this could be the difference between their wishes being honored or missed.
“An orange form sitting on a refrigerator at home does no good if the emergency happens somewhere else. This bill puts that information where it can actually be seen.”
The bill passed the House with bipartisan support, 49–2, and now moves to the Arizona Senate for further consideration.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law, the legislation would add a mechanism for residents to voluntarily indicate the existence of a medical directive on their state-issued identification, allowing emergency responders to locate critical information more quickly.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 16, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month aimed at strengthening the federal government’s response to cybercrime, fraud, and other online schemes targeting Americans.
The order, titled “Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens,” directs multiple federal agencies to coordinate efforts to disrupt criminal organizations involved in cyber-enabled fraud schemes and online scams.
According to the White House, the policy establishes that the United States will protect Americans and strengthen financial and digital systems against cybercrime while responding to attacks through “law enforcement, diplomacy, and potential offensive actions.”
The order states its purpose as follows:
“Cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes are draining American families of their life savings, stealing the benefits of years of work, and destroying the lives of our youth. These activities — which include deploying ransomware and malware, phishing, financial fraud, ‘sextortion’ and other extortion schemes, impersonation, and more — are often coordinated campaigns carried out by Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) aimed at the most vulnerable among us.”
The order also states that foreign governments are connected to many of these schemes, writing, “In many cases, foreign regimes provide willing or tacit state support to cybercrime and predatory schemes, creating a shadow economy fueled by stolen identities, coercion, forced labor, and human trafficking.”
The executive order directs federal officials to conduct a comprehensive review of the operational, technical, diplomatic, and regulatory tools used to combat transnational criminal organizations engaged in cyber-enabled crimes and fraud schemes. The review is intended to identify ways to prevent, disrupt, investigate, and dismantle scam operations.
Under the order, the Attorney General is directed to prioritize prosecutions of cyber-enabled fraud and scam schemes and pursue serious, provable offenses. The Attorney General is also tasked with submitting recommendations on establishing a Victims Restoration Program to help return seized or forfeited funds to victims of fraud.
The Department of Homeland Security is instructed to work with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to provide training, technical assistance, and resilience-building support to state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.
The order also directs the Department of State to engage with foreign governments to encourage enforcement action against transnational criminal organizations operating within their borders. Countries that fail to cooperate could face consequences including sanctions, visa restrictions, limits on foreign assistance, or the expulsion of officials found to be complicit.
The executive order was issued alongside the administration’s broader Cyber Strategy for America, which outlined priorities for deterring cyber adversaries, strengthening critical infrastructure security, modernizing federal networks, and expanding the government’s cybersecurity workforce and capabilities to Congress.
Federal agencies are expected to develop implementation plans and recommendations in the coming months as part of the administration’s effort to disrupt cybercrime networks and strengthen protections for American citizens and businesses.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 15, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Inflation rose slightly in February, with the Consumer Price Index reaching 2.41 percent year over year, according to the latest monthly inflation update released Wednesday by the Joint Economic Committee.
The committee’s report found that CPI-U inflation increased from 2.39 percent in January to 2.41 percent in February. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, declined slightly from 2.50 percent in January to 2.46 percent in February. The Federal Reserve targets inflation of roughly 2 percent over the long term, making CPI readings near that level a key benchmark for policymakers.
Economists often monitor both measures when assessing inflation trends. Headline CPI reflects the full range of consumer price changes, including food and fuel, while core CPI removes those categories because they can fluctuate sharply from month to month due to factors such as commodity markets and weather-related supply disruptions.
The update noted that the figures do not include potential increases in energy prices that could result from ongoing military activity in the Middle East.
Food prices continued to rise faster than overall inflation. Year-over-year food price inflation reached 3.06 percent, an increase of 0.45 percentage points compared with the previous month.
Energy prices also increased, with year-over-year energy inflation reaching 0.48 percent, up 0.65 percentage points from the prior reading. Energy prices can shift quickly due to changes in global supply, geopolitical developments, and seasonal demand.
Regionally, inflation rates varied across the country but declined from January to February in each region measured by the report. Inflation was highest in the Midwest at 2.8 percent, followed by the Northeast and West at 2.7 percent each, while the South recorded the lowest rate at 1.8 percent.
Regional CPI comparisons reflect differences in housing costs, transportation expenses, energy prices, and local economic conditions that influence consumer spending patterns across the country.
The report also found that wages increased when adjusted for inflation.
Real weekly earnings for all employees rose 1.67 percent year over year, representing a 0.98 percentage point increase from the previous reading. Real hourly earnings increased 1.42 percent year over year, a 0.16 percentage point increase.
The Consumer Price Index, compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, tracks price changes across a basket of goods and services commonly purchased by households, including housing, food, transportation, medical care, and other everyday expenses.
The index is widely used by policymakers, businesses, and economists to measure inflation trends, evaluate purchasing power, and guide economic policy decisions.
Arizona residents experience many of the same price trends reflected in national CPI data, including changes in food, energy, and consumer goods prices that affect household budgets across the state.
The full February inflation report is available from the Joint Economic Committee here.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
