by Ethan Faverino | Jul 25, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
New research has shown the best cities in the United States for bargain shopping, with Mesa and Glendale, Arizona, both securing spots in the top 10.
Ranking seventh and fifth, these Arizona cities stand out as prime destinations for savvy shoppers seeking affordable deals, joining other top cities like New Orleans, Louisiana, and Orlando, Florida, in a nationwide ranking of budget-friendly shopping hubs.
The study, conducted by saving experts at BravoDeal.com, analyzed cities with populations over 200,000, evaluating the prevalence of affordable retail options such as vintage and thrift stores, pawn shops, discount stores, flea markets, used car dealerships, outlet stores, and wholesale stores.
Each city was assigned an index score out of 100 based on the number of these stores per 100,000 residents, revealing the best location for cost-conscious consumers.
Mesa, Arizona, earned its seventh place ranking with an index score of 60.28 out of 100. The city has the third-highest number of vintage and thrift stores nationwide, with 35.96 per 100,000 people, making it a hotspot for unique, second-hand finds.
Additionally, Mesa ranks fourth in pawn shops, with 8.01 per 100,000 residents.
Glendale, Arizona, claimed the fifth spot with an index score of 60.68 out of 100. The city leads the nation in pawn shops with 11.03 per 100,000 people, and ranks fourth for outlet stores, with 7.88 per 100,000 residents.
Glendale also secured the seventh spot for discount stores, with 27.97 per 100,000 people.
CEO and Co-Founder of Bravo Savings Network, Marco Farnararo, said, “The ranking is dominated by Southern states, taking up seven of the top 10 spots, and the remainder being occupied by states in the West. This could imply that there is a culture of budgeting and saving money in these regions more than in areas such as the Midwest or the Northeast.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez has launched his second attempt to unseat Republican Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02). In response, the Congressman blasted Arizona Democrats, saying they “have hit rock bottom, which is exactly where they found Jonathan Nez.”
The Navajo Democrat was handily defeated by Crane in a 9-point race in 2024, outperforming former Vice President Kamala Harris by 3.5 points and exceeding then-Democrat Senate candidate Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s 2nd District.
In a lengthy interview with the Arizona Republic, Nez told the outlet, “Reintroducing myself and introducing myself is going to be priority this time. It seems like it’s been a long time, but it’s only been seven months of this administration… but as you know, and the people in this country know, there’s a lot of changes with policies and laws that are negatively impacting people every day, hardworking people.”
In a statement released Tuesday, Crane wrote:
“The Democratic Party has no leader, no message, no policy agenda, and no candidates. They’ve resigned themselves to the same old, tired talking points being spewed by the same old extreme liberals.
“They have hit rock bottom, which is exactly where they found Jonathan Nez – still licking his wounds after learning the hard way rural Arizona does not want to be represented by a never-Trump radical. I welcome a rematch with Nez and relish the opportunity to remind voters just how out-of-touch he truly is on taxes, on spending, on border security, on crime, and on energy.”
Crane’s campaign noted in a press release that as far as fundraising is concerned, Crane outraised Nez by over $3 million in the 2024 campaign and has raised more than $2.65 million year-to-date with $1.2 million already in his war chest.
As reported by AZ Free News in April, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced that it is targeting the congressional districts of Congressmen David Schweikert (AZ-01), Eli Crane (AZ-02), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) in 2026, listing Congressional District 2 as among the “competitive” districts and classifying Rep. Crane as “vulnerable.”
However, the rosy projections of recently ousted former Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Robert E. Branscomb seemed to ignore that Rep. Eli Crane’s District 2 seat, which has historically seen zero Democrat wins in the last nine races, was designed by Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission to hold a 7.2% vote spread competitively. Crane beat that spread by nearly two points in 2024.
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 Jonathan Eberle | Jul 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Republican leaders in the Arizona Legislature are highlighting a string of tax cuts they say are aimed at providing relief to working families, renters, and small business owners across the state. Over the past three years, lawmakers have passed three separate tax measures that they argue will reduce financial burdens for everyday Arizonans.
The most recent change, Senate Bill 1069, was approved last month and is set to take effect on January 1, 2026. The legislation raises Arizona’s business personal property tax exemption to $500,000, a move Republican lawmakers say will particularly benefit small businesses by cutting down on tax bills for equipment and other property used in daily operations.
In 2023, the legislature also passed Senate Bill 1184, which bans municipal excise taxes on residential leases starting in 2025. Supporters say the measure will help renters by prohibiting local governments from adding extra taxes to apartment and home leases, a cost often passed directly to tenants.
That same year, lawmakers enacted the Arizona Families Tax Rebate through Senate Bill 1734. The rebate provided one-time direct payments to Arizona households: up to $750 for single filers and up to $1,500 for joint filers. Families received $250 per child under 17, while older dependents qualified for $100 each.
Senate President Warren Petersen praised the tax cuts as part of a broader conservative approach to governance.
“At a time when families are feeling squeezed, we’re doing what government should—getting out of the way and letting our hardworking taxpayers keep more of what they earn,” Petersen said in a statement. “These tax cuts aren’t handouts. They’re the result of smart, conservative leadership that puts everyday Arizonans first.”
Petersen also framed the tax policy as aligned with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, signaling that Arizona Republicans see these moves as part of a larger national effort to spur growth and reduce government intervention.
Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, have raised concerns in past sessions that cutting taxes could limit state and local governments’ ability to fund essential services, including education and infrastructure. However, GOP leaders maintain that the state’s healthy revenues give them room to ease tax burdens without sacrificing core programs.
With these three measures now on the books, Arizona Republicans are positioning themselves as champions of taxpayer relief ahead of the 2026 legislative session and upcoming election cycles.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jul 23, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
In a tense and disorganized special meeting last week, the Arizona Democratic Party voted to remove Chair Robert Branscomb after just six months in office. The ouster followed months of infighting, public disputes with elected officials, union clashes, and growing concerns over the party’s financial health heading into the 2026 election cycle.
Branscomb, who was elected chair in January after unseating incumbent Yolanda Bejarano, faced mounting criticism from party leaders and lawmakers. Arizona’s top Democratic elected officials—including U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, Governor Katie Hobbs, Attorney General Kris Mayes, and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes—issued a rare public rebuke earlier this year, expressing a loss of confidence in his leadership.
Despite technical problems that plagued the meeting, 476 party committee members voted to remove Branscomb through the party’s preferred voting method, surpassing the two-thirds threshold required by Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) bylaws. Some members cast votes by email due to glitches in the party’s online voting system, though the total vote count remains unclear.
“Today’s recall effort is rooted in misrepresentation, divisive tactics and does not reflect our democratic values,” Branscomb said during the meeting. He argued that his removal was not about party unity but about “distraction and dividing us at a time when unity is more important than ever.”
Several lawmakers and party officials cited concerns over Branscomb’s ability to lead Democrats to victory in the next election. “Donors have told me directly they’re sitting out until the party gets its act together,” said State Representative Aaron Márquez.
The July 16 meeting stretched on for hours as frustrations mounted over procedural confusion and technical failures. Several members said they did not receive links to vote on the quorum, raising fears that they would be disenfranchised. Over two and a half hours were spent troubleshooting the party’s online voting platform.
Much of the confusion appeared to stem from tensions between party officers and ADP Executive Director Michael Ruff, who was tasked with managing the voting system. Some staff members claimed in Zoom chat messages that they had offered to help with the process but received no response.
ADP Vice Chair Melissa Galarza criticized the disorganization, saying, “I just feel like this was not well planned, the staff was not prepared for it, Michael Ruff did not prepare us, we had a lack of conversation about this meeting.”
A new election to select the party’s next chair is scheduled for September. Branscomb has the option to challenge his removal in that meeting. Until then, ADP Vice Chair Kim Khoury will serve as interim chair.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 23, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Representative Nick Kupper (R-LD25) has stepped up to the ongoing controversy surrounding the hacking of the Arizona Secretary of State’s website. The lawmaker has requested a formal briefing from Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to account for the attempted breach of security to all members in the legislature, not merely the “select members” already discussing the matter.
The incident was reportedly carried out by Iranian hackers, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, who replaced images of the candidates on the website with images of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
In a letter to Fontes, Kupper wrote in part: “While I understand your office has communicated with select members of the Legislature regarding this issue, I believe that all lawmakers should be afforded the opportunity to receive a comprehensive briefing on the nature of the attempted breach, any data or system vulnerabilities identified, and the steps you have taken to ensure the integrity and security of our electoral infrastructure.”
Kupper referenced reported failures in the AZSOS candidate portal noted by Turning Point Action’s Tyler Bowyer last week, writing, “Since the incident, the candidate portal has experienced noticeable slowdowns, which have affected accessibility and overall functionality.”
In a statement released alongside the letter to Fontes, Kupper noted, “Arizona’s election systems should never be this easy a target for foreign adversaries. This wasn’t a prank — it was a politically motivated act of cyberwarfare, and we deserve answers. Every legislator has a responsibility to understand what happened and what’s being done to keep it from happening again.”
Kupper has called for “a comprehensive briefing on the breach, including how it occurred, what systems or data may have been accessed, and what steps are being taken to prevent future incidents.”
The Arizona Representative even offered to arrange the logistics of “a full in-person briefing that will be open to all Arizona House Members and State Senators,” with the reservation of a conference room in the Arizona House of Representatives. He added that the briefing should occur in the next two weeks.
Reporting from KJZZ revealed that the images uploaded by the hackers were also linked to social media accounts, including a Telegram account which wrote, “We were not looking for war or adventure. However, President Trump’s flagrant violation of the agreement, through his aggressive attack on the nuclear and civilian infrastructure of the great nation of Iran, has forced us to face a difficult and regrettable confrontation. Now the American people share in the consequences of his risky decision. Our erosion revenge has begun.”
The attacks persisted for approximately a week, according to Arizona Department of Homeland Security Spokesman Aaron Thacker: “What this incident has done is it’s created — it’s not just an attack on the Secretary of State’s Office. It’s also an attack on government as a whole. We are not the only agencies that are being attacked.”
Thacker added, “When it comes to our overall collective security, this isn’t really something we should be playing politics with, and there have been a few folks that are being unnecessarily critical.”
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 | Jul 23, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ09) joined a growing bipartisan chorus calling for an investigation into the Dragon Bravo Wildfire.
Gosar’s statement differed slightly, however, from Democrat leaders in one key concern: the culpability of the Biden administration.
Raging across the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, the wildfire escalated quickly, destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge as well as park administrative offices and residences. As of this report, the massive blaze is currently 8% contained and has burned over 12,000 acres. Approximately 70 buildings have been destroyed.
According to the Grand Canyon National Park Service, the fire was started by a lightning strike on July 4th and was allowed to burn for a few days for “resource objectives.” It was behaving as planned until “really strong aggressive winds” arose from the canyon and “changed the fire behavior dramatically very quickly,“ National Park Service Public Affairs Officer Joëlle Baird told AZ Family.
Robert Rickey, a National Weather Service science operations officer in Flagstaff, told the outlet that a mixture of high-pressure, disappearing humidity, and high winds triggered the explosive expansion of the fire.
“We had this big area of high pressure. All that moisture basically evaporated,” he said. “In terms of humidity, we consider 15% to be a critical threshold, so when we’re seeing humidities in the single digits, I mean that’s about as low as it can possibly get.”
Wind gusts at Grand Canyon National Park reportedly hit as high as 40 mph.
“The winds shifted more toward the northwest, and I think that really caused them some issues,” Rickey said per AZ Family. “When you get more of a northerly flow at night time, all that air just drops right down into the Grand Canyon and so basically it accelerates right along the rim.”
In a single day, the fire exploded from 120 acres to 1,500 acres.
Ken Phillips, a 27-year veteran employee at the Grand Canyon and former chief of emergency services told The Guardian that he believes the decision to “control and contain” the fire initially was a mistake.
“The North Rim did not need to burn the way it did and put firefighters in harm’s way,” he said. “There is a history of escaped managed wildfires at Grand Canyon. It is very tragic that the lessons learned from those fires weren’t heeded in this situation.”
Rachel Pawlitz, a National Park Service (NPS) spokeswoman, offered a different view in an interview with the Arizona Republic. She defended the park’s response saying, “The National Park Service and our interagency partners actively fought the Dragon Bravo fire employing tactics that met the suppression objectives and mitigated risk. Firefighters had constructed containment lines and were prepared to conduct a defensive firing operation before conditions rapidly changed.”
NPS told the outlet that the fire was “expertly handled.”
In a statement to the Republic, Gosar’s spokesman, Anthony Foti, said, “The Congressman is both sickened and troubled by the fire. As the dean of the Arizona congressional delegation and as member of both the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee he will be calling for a full and complete investigation. More details very soon.”
Congressman Gosar said in a statement, “I am concerned that the Dragon Bravo Wildfire is the direct result of recently inherited policies from the Biden Administration.”
“We must not waver in our efforts to seek answers for the people of Arizona. Today, I call on Secretary of the Interior, Secretary Burgum, to seek answers for the people of Arizona, who want answers as to the causes of this disaster and what can be done to prevent tragedies like this in the future.
“The people of Arizona will not be calling for answers alone. I will continue to seek answers and solutions, because these wildfires deeply impact Arizonans and our state.”
In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Gosar wrote, “I am concerned that the spread of the Dragon Bravo Wildfire is the direct result of the recently inherited policies from the previous administration. Specifically, the Biden-Harris administration promoted policies that allowed for the mass overgrowth of brush, prohibited effective fuel reduction operations, and locked up the lands from resource development.”
He added, “President Trump’s Executive Order 14308, published on June 12, 2025, sought to correct this mismanagement and empower the Department of the Interior (DOI) to identify the steps necessary for innovative wildfire response—with some actions already identified by Congress, like forest thinning and improved suppression response times.”
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.
