by Matthew Holloway | Dec 7, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Peoria Mayor Jason Beck posted on X on Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Beck noted that he and his wife, Jane, will instead guide the company they founded, Tyr Tactical, through its upcoming merger.
Elected in 2022, Beck called his role as mayor “the best job I ever had,” in the Wednesday press release, saying that he approached the role “with a desire to serve the community I have lived in, worked in, and raised a family in.”
He added, “I never intended to run for office or had a long-term goal to be a politician. When I saw that Peoria wasn’t achieving its full potential, I felt called to run and make changes. I’ve since learned after being elected, that Peoria’s potential is limitless, and it’s been an honor to help unlock it.”
Both Beck and the Peoria City Council began their term with three stated goals: economic development, public safety, and water security, and the Mayor pointed to examples of each. He referred to “unlocking thousands of acres for sustainable future growth” through a major land agreement with the State Land Department, the groundbreaking of an Amkor Technology facility, and kick-starting of the revitalization of Peoria’s Historic Downtown district.
He noted that under his tenure, the city’s Real Time Crime Center and the West Valley’s first advanced aviation unit were launched by the Peoria Police Department, along with an expansion of the city’s School Resource Officer program.
In the area of water security, Beck touted new investments in Peoria’s water infrastructure, “positioning Peoria for long-term stability as we navigate the challenges of the Colorado River and the anticipated regional growth.”
Thanking his city staff and fellow councilmembers, Beck said, “The next thirteen months will be a sprint,” adding, “There is still important work to be done to ensure we leave Peoria stronger than we found it.”
“My future focus needs to be on my family and our businesses, all of which have supported me throughout this journey,” Beck said. But he emphasized he would not be stepping away from public life entirely: “My commitment to our community is far from over. I will continue to stay involved, support strong candidates, and work to improve the place we all call home,” he said in his announcement.
“For someone who never envisioned a path in public service, I can’t imagine my life without it. As a business owner, husband, father, and citizen, public service doesn’t stop here. This is where it begins.”
As reported by AZCentral in November, the merger Beck referred to involves Cadre Holdings. This Florida-based, publicly traded firm also manufactures protective products for first responders and federal agencies. The anticipated merger would reportedly see Cadre purchase the Peoria-based company for $175 million.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Beck founded TYR Tactical, a body armor and tactical equipment firm with his wife Jane in 2010. It has since grown into one of Peoria’s largest private employers with an annual revenue of almost $94 million according to 12News.
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 | Dec 6, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Starting February 2026, air travelers arriving at TSA checkpoints without acceptable ID, such as a REAL ID or a passport, will face a $45 fee and be required to complete additional online identity verification, the agency confirmed Monday.
As reported by Fox News, a proposed rule published in the Federal Register had called for a lower fee amount of just $18. However, Senior TSA Officials told the outlet that upon careful review, the agency determined that higher-than-anticipated technology and operating costs necessitated the higher final fee.
The TSA announced the move on Monday in a press release, reiterating that the REAL ID law was signed and took effect over 20 years ago, and is now being fully implemented and enforced at the direction of President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as of May 7, 2025.
Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for TSA, Adam Stahl, explained, “Identity verification is essential to traveler safety, because it keeps terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens out of the skies and other domestic transportation systems such as rail.”
According to the TSA, over 94 percent of U.S. passengers already use REAL IDs or another acceptable form of identification. However, passengers who do not provide an acceptable ID can expect increased wait times at Security Checkpoints. The agency listed over a dozen forms of acceptable identification in its release. A complete list of acceptable forms of ID can be found here.
Stahl noted, “The vast majority of travelers present acceptable identification like REAL IDs and passports, but we must ensure everyone who flies is who they say they are. Beginning February 1, travelers who do not present an acceptable form of ID at our security checkpoints and still want to fly can pay a $45 fee and undergo the TSA Confirm.ID process. This fee ensures the cost to cover verification of an insufficient ID will come from the traveler, not the taxpayer. The security of the traveling public is our top priority, so we urge all travelers to get a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID as soon as possible to avoid delays and potentially miss flights.”
The TSA has called upon travelers who do not possess a REAL ID to pay the fee in advance online before arriving at an airport. However, for those who do not, information on how to pay the fee and complete the TSA Confirm.ID process will be available at locations at or near TSA Checkpoints. The agency stressed that passengers completing the process at the airport should expect delays.
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 | Dec 5, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The murder and attempted murder of West Virginia National Guard Soldiers Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, in November is being investigated as a possible act of international terrorism. The attack on the soldiers seems to align with warnings the Biden administration was given in 2021 by then-prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Congressman Abe Hamadeh.
The latest reports from Washington, D.C., indicate that Beckstrom and Wolfe were shot in what law enforcement officials are calling a “targeted” attack near the Farragut West Metro station near the White House. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told a press conference that both Guard members had been sworn in to assist with the ongoing crime suppression efforts in the nation’s Capitol for less than 24 hours, according to Fox News. She described a “brazen and targeted attack,” and said the Guard members were “ambushed.”
“A lone gunman opened fire without provocation, ambush style,” Pirro told reporters. “Armed with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, one Guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the Guardsmen again. Another Guardsman is struck several times.” Nearby Guard members rushed the assailant; one opened fire, and they quickly subdued the attacker.
Pirro told reporters, “This is what happens in this country when people are allowed in, who are not properly vetted.”
President Donald Trump informed the nation last Thursday evening that U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom of Summersville, one of the West Virginia National Guard members ambushed in Washington, D.C., had passed away from her injuries, in post to X.
According to Reuters, the suspect first entered the U.S. in September 2021, as part of the Biden administration’s Afghan resettlement program: Operation Allies Welcome, the very program Hamadeh wrote about in a 2021 op-ed for the Arizona Republic. The suspect had worked with the CIA in Afghanistan as far back as at least 2011 and was granted asylum in April of this year. “In terms of vetting, nothing came up,” an unnamed senior U.S. official told Fox News. “He was clean on all checks.”
Hamadeh’s op-ed offered a troubling, almost prescient warning to the Biden administration after the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He cautioned that a string of incidents that year created “concern whether the Biden administration is doing enough to vet refugees arriving on American soil.” He noted, “We need to do more rigorous checks.”
The reports that Lakanwal passed “all checks” would seem to support Hamadeh and Pirro’s conclusion.
“By not properly vetting refugees, we do a disservice to the Afghans who served with us. No vetting is foolproof, and bad actors may still go undetected. However, a proper vetting process can greatly reduce the risk,” Hamadeh wrote. He added, “The State Department has identified Phoenix as a top destination for refugees. Arizonans are generous, and a vast majority of Arizonans agree that the United States should accept Afghan refugees who assisted us in the U.S.-led NATO mission.”
Hamadeh went on to describe newly implemented security vetting that included: “biometrics, biographical and social media data collection,” stating, “This process is rigorous and can take weeks and months to complete, and is similar to the process that Afghan refugees should be undergoing right now.”
He warned that the Biden administration instead insisted upon releasing the Afghan refugees “to their permanent states after only four weeks on U.S. military installations.” He commented, “Americans should be skeptical that tens of thousands of refugees here on humanitarian parole status could be thoroughly vetted in that short amount of time.”
Hamadeh concluded: “Arizona leaders should also demand answers from the federal government and require that the vetting process is shared between federal and state officials in order to ensure the safety of Arizonans.”
As of this report, West Virginia National Guard Member Wolfe remains hospitalized in serious condition. The suspect was also hospitalized due to his injuries and remains there under heavy guard.
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 | Dec 4, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Beginning Dec. 6, 2025, all in-park hotels on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, including El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, and Trailer Village, will shutter indefinitely to overnight guests. The closure decision was prompted by a series of significant breaks in the 12.5-mile Transcanyon Waterline supplying the park’s water, the National Park Service revealed Tuesday.
As of mid-November, water is no longer being pumped to the South Rim, the National Park Service said, forcing park officials to suspend overnight stays and dial back visitor amenities. The NPS reported that overnight stays at accommodations outside of the park in nearby Tusayan are unaffected.
According to NPS, “The waterline has exceeded its expected lifespan and experiences frequent failures, which require expensive and continuous maintenance work to repair leaks. The National Park Service started construction in 2023 on a multi-year, $208 million rehabilitation of the Transcanyon Waterline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system. This crucial investment in infrastructure will ensure the park is able to meet water supply needs for five million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.”
The Park Service is asking year-round residents to help conserve water by taking steps to reduce usage, such as limiting showers to 5 minutes or less, turning off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets only when necessary, washing laundry only with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate authorities.
In a Tuesday press release, the agency said that “Dry Camping,” requiring campers to transport their own water, will continue to be permitted, with water spigot access available at the Mather Campground check-in kiosk; however, spigots inside the campground have been shut down. Faucets in park bathrooms will also remain operational.
Grand Canyon National Park Public Affairs Officer and Communications Lead, Joëlle Baird, suggested that the closure could be resolved relatively quickly, saying, “If all planned work proceeds without additional issues, we anticipate being able to restore water service and begin reopening overnight lodging as early as next week.”
The outlet reported that welding repairs to the 1960s-vintage pipeline were progressing on Wednesday despite a fresh snowfall, and the current repair schedule calls for flushing and recharging the system over the next several days.
In the aftermath of the devastating Dragon Bravo fire, hotel closures are an additional blow to parkgoers. In addition, a complete prohibition on all fires remains in place for the South Rim and inner canyon areas, such as “outdoor wood burning and charcoal fires, including campfires, warming fires, and charcoal barbeques.”
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 | Dec 3, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) blasted Democrat Senator Ruben Gallego for posting what he called a “profanity-laced” video on X defending the controversial “Don’t give up the ship” message to U.S. service members. The message, released November 19th, also featured Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
In the ad first posted by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sen. Kelly is seen with Slotkin and Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA). Kelly is addressing “members of the military” directly and stating, “This Administration is pitting our uniformed military,” against the American people and advising that “from right here at home: our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.”
Many Republican critics, including President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Rep. Eli Crane and have argued that Kelly’s comments violated the law governing conduct of former service members still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Kelly is now under investigation by the Department of War (DOW), which stated in part, “In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.”
Gallego released a 55-second video in a post to X on November 24th in which he stated:
“This is f***ing insane. We should all point out how f***ing insane this is. Hey, this is Ruben Gallego. I’m traveling through Arizona right now and I just received the news that the Department of Defense is starting an investigation against my seatmate Mark Kelly. This is f***ing insane. We should all just point out how f***ing insane this is. And you know: these guys are trying to say that they’re not acting like fascists. They’re not trying to give as much power to this president as a King. And they should start …stop acting like it. Mark Kelly is a patriot. There’s no reason why they’re going after him. He was doing his duty and just reminding people about their rights as service members.
And you know: Secretary Hegseth, all these guys: f*** you guys.
You’re not going to scare us. We have a right to defend the Constitution of the United States. We have a right to tell other service members that they have a right to ignore illegal orders. And you’re not going to intimidate us.”
In a statement posted to X on Friday, Rep. Crane blasted Kelly for his comments and Gallego’s attempts to defend them.
“Ruben, in your profanity laced video you state that there is no reason that this administration is going after Senator Kelly. You are either lying or unaware of 18 U.S.C. § 2387 in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This section prohibits inciting or abetting mutiny or sedition in the U.S. armed forces. Sedition is speech or conduct that incites rebellion or insurrection against a government or authority. I have noticed how the group who made this video have all agreed publicly that no unlawful orders have been given. They have then all stated that it’s just a reminder to our armed forces of their rights and responsibilities.
As servicemen ourselves we are both aware that all servicemen and women are already trained and educated of these rights and responsibilities in basic training. If the intention of your colleagues was solely to remind our service members of their rights and responsibilities then why didn’t they make this video when Joe Biden was CIC? You remember him right? The guy who didn’t know where he was half the time and who could barely string together a coherent sentence. The fact of the matter is that we all know why the video was made. If/when Senator Kelly is recalled to active duty for a court martial the American people will get educated themselves regarding the UCMJ and the provisions within it to deter this very conduct.”
In a post to Truth Social on November 20th, President Trump responded to the video, writing: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” In a follow-up on November22nd, President Trump wrote, “THE TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS SHOULD BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW, NOT ROAMING THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT WHAT THEY SAID WAS OK. IT WASN’T, AND NEVER WILL BE! IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY SAID!”
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.
