State Representatives Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss (R-LD1) met Sunday with Pocket Fire incident command at the Sedona Airport air operations base as the wind-driven wildfire north of Sedona continued to grow and threaten nearby communities.
The Pocket Fire had burned 5,547 acres as of Sunday morning, with 871 personnel assigned to the incident. The fire was first reported June 19 about seven miles north of Sedona and is burning in steep, rugged terrain that limits where crews can safely attack it directly. By mid-Monday, the fire had grown to 11,192 acres with zero percent containment.
The fire more than doubled in size between Saturday evening and Sunday morning as strong winds pushed it northeast. Fire crews shifted resources toward threatened communities and continued using bulldozers and other heavy equipment to build defensive lines. By Monday, the blaze had roughly doubled again.
Coconino County’s Pocket Fire information page said the fire began on June 19 on the Coconino National Forest, is burning in difficult-to-access terrain, and is expected to remain active for several weeks. The county listed Oak Creek Canyon, Kachina Village, Forest Highlands and Pine Del under SET evacuation status and encouraged residents susceptible to smoke to take precautions.
As of Sunday afternoon, Oak Creek Canyon Zones 14 and 15, Kachina Village and Forest Highlands remained under SET status. State Route 89A remained closed to nonlocal traffic between Sedona and Interstate 17, and portions of the Coconino National Forest remained closed.
Nguyen and Bliss requested the briefing to hear directly from incident command, determine whether additional state assistance is needed, and provide residents with current information. Fire officials thanked Yavapai County, Coconino County, the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and other agencies assisting with the response.
“This is our district, and we have a duty to know where the threat is moving, what crews need and whether the state can do more,” Nguyen said. “We came to hear directly from incident command and see the operation firsthand. The men and women fighting this fire are working in dangerous conditions, and we stand ready to help secure any state resources they need.”
Bliss urged residents in SET areas to prepare before conditions worsen.
“SET means prepare now, not later,” Bliss said. “Pack medications, important documents and supplies. Account for family members and pets. Know where you will go, monitor official alerts and leave immediately if ordered. Do not wait for GO status to start preparing.”
Coconino County Emergency Management ordered activation of the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Friday due to critical fire weather in connection with the Pocket Fire and to assist with an APS Public Safety Power Shutoff. The county said the EOC provides support and coordination for multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional emergencies affecting residents, businesses, property, and infrastructure.
The U.S. Forest Service said earlier in the incident that resources assigned to the Pocket Fire included Hotshot crews, engines, helicopters, air attack, and other firefighting assets, with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 2 ordered to assume command after initial response by a Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team.
Nguyen and Bliss also honored three federal firefighters killed Saturday in a burnover incident while assigned to the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado-Utah border. Two other firefighters were injured.
“The deaths of three firefighters this weekend are a painful reminder of the dangers wildland firefighters face to protect others,” Nguyen and Bliss said. “We mourn them, pray for the injured and remember the six lost in the Dude Fire and the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots. At the height of fire season, the public must do its part: obey restrictions, prepare early and never interfere with crews on the line.”
Coconino County has activated a Pocket Fire call center for questions about the fire, shelters or evacuation stages at 928-679-8525. County officials also said areas of Coconino County within and adjacent to the Coconino National Forest moved to Stage 2 fire restrictions effective Tuesday, June 30, at 8 a.m..
Officials urged residents to monitor Coconino County Emergency Management, Coconino National Forest, InciWeb, and AZ511 for current fire, evacuation, closure, and road information. They also warned the public not to fly drones near the fire because unauthorized aircraft can ground firefighting planes and helicopters.
Arizona’s major state-owned public shooting ranges, including the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, are now protected from unilateral closure after Gov. Hobbs signed House Bill 2763 into law. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-LD1).
The new law establishes additional safeguards before certain Arizona Game and Fish Commission-owned shooting ranges can be closed, requiring approval from the Arizona Legislature in addition to existing public review and executive branch requirements.
H.B. 2763 applies to state-owned shooting ranges located in or near Arizona’s larger population centers and adds a legislative approval requirement to an already extensive closure process.
Under the law, a shooting range may not be closed unless the following steps occur:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department director recommends the closure in writing.
The commission issues a report explaining the reason for the proposed closure.
Public hearings are held in Arizona’s three most populous counties.
The commission unanimously approves the closure.
The Joint Committee on Capital Review reviews the closure recommendations.
The Arizona Legislature adopts a joint resolution approving the closure.
The Governor signs an executive order authorizing the closure.
The legislation passed both chambers of the Arizona Legislature without receiving a single Democratic vote.
Rep. Nguyen, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the measure ensures that decisions involving Arizona’s most significant public shooting facilities remain subject to public scrutiny and legislative oversight.
🚨BILL SIGNED🚨
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – The Ben Avery Shooting Facility and other major state-owned public shooting ranges are now protected from unilateral closure under legislation sponsored by Republican State Representative Quang Nguyen and signed into law today.
“Ben Avery belongs to the people of Arizona, and no state agency should be able to quietly shut it down because development moved closer or political priorities shifted,” stated Rep. Nguyen. “This law puts that decision where it belongs: before the public and the lawmakers they elect. Ben Avery trains responsible gun owners, supports hunters and law enforcement, and keeps shooting activity on a supervised range instead of pushing it into the open desert. Protecting this facility protects public safety, public access, and the rights of Arizona gun owners.”
Ben Avery Shooting Facility, located in North Phoenix is the largest publicly operated shooting facility in the United States and serves thousands of Arizonans annually through hunter education programs, firearm safety training, competitive shooting events, recreational shooting opportunities, and law enforcement qualification exercises.
Supporters of the legislation noted that Ben Avery was established decades before much of the surrounding residential and commercial development. They argue that maintaining designated public shooting facilities helps keep shooting activities in safe, supervised environments rather than pushing them onto unmanaged desert lands, where concerns can include wildfire risks, litter, environmental damage, and unsafe shooting conditions.
In addition to Ben Avery, the law impacts several other Arizona Game and Fish Commission-owned shooting ranges throughout the state, including:
Three Points Shooting Range (Tucson)
Seven Mile Hill Shooting Range (Kingman)
Silver Creek Archery Range (Show Low)
Second Knoll Shooting Range (Show Low)
Sierra Vista Shooting Range (Sierra Vista)
St. Johns shooting Range (St. Johns)
Tri-State Shooting Park (Bullhead City)
Usery Mountain Shooting Range (Mesa)
Northern Arizona Shooting Range (Flagstaff)
With Governor Hobbs’ signature, H.B. 2763 is now law, providing an additional layer of legislative oversight before Arizona’s major state-owned public shooting ranges can be permanently closed.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona Consumers will soon see clearer labeling on food products made from cultivated animal cells following the enactment of House Bill 2762, known as the “Andy Groseta Act.”
The legislation, sponsored by State Representative Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), was signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the Arizona Legislature, passing the House of Representatives by a vote of 52-3 and the Senate by a vote of 24-5.
The new law requires manufacturers, packagers, and retailers of food products derived from cultivated animal cells to clearly label those products as either “Cell-Cultivated” or “Cell-Cultured” on their packaging before they are sold to Arizona consumers.
The measure is named in honor of the late Andy Groseta, a prominent Arizona cattleman and agricultural leader who served as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association, and the Yavapai Cattle Growers’ Association.
Under the law, food products produced from cultivated animal cells may continue to be sold in Arizona, but consumers must be informed about how those products were made.
✅New Arizona Law Requires Clear Labels on Cell-Cultured Food Products Rep. Quang Nguyen’s “Andy Groseta Act” protects consumers and supports Arizona agriculture
“Arizona consumers deserve honesty at the grocery store, and Arizona ranchers deserve a fair market. This law does… pic.twitter.com/Nv0QuJOhKt
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) June 22, 2026
“Arizona consumers deserve honesty at the grocery store, and Arizona ranchers deserve a fair market,” stated Rep. Nguyen. “This law does not ban anything. It simply says that if a product is grown from cells in a lab, the package has to say so. Families should not have to sort through marketing claims to know whether they are buying food raised by farmers and ranchers or a product made another way. Clear labels protect consumers, respect Arizona agriculture, and make sure the package tells the truth.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), animal cell culture technology produces meat and poultry products without slaughter by growing livestock or poultry cells in a controlled environment, such as a bioreactor, before harvesting those cells for human consumption.
Federal regulators classify these products as meat and poultry food products and subject them to the same inspection and oversight requirements as conventionally produced meat and poultry.
“Andy Groseta spent his life standing up for cattlemen, rural Arizona, and honest agriculture,” added Nguyen. “This law honors that legacy by keeping the marketplace honest. If companies want to sell cell-cultured products, they can. But they should not be able to market their products as something they are not.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) paid a visit to Arizona last week.
Sara Carter, director of the ONDCP, came to address Arizona’s unique situation with its ongoing drug crisis. Arizona was one of few states to experience an increase in drug overdose deaths rather than a decrease in 2025. Not only that: Arizona had the most drug overdose deaths last year.
While drug overdose deaths decreased 31% nationwide, Arizona experienced a 30% increase in drug overdose deaths.
Republican Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05) hosted Carter’s visit to Arizona, and Republican Rep. Eli Crane (AZ-02) joined the pair for meetings according to a press release from Biggs. These meetings were also attended by Drug Enforcement Administration officials, tribal partners, local law enforcement, and Angel Families.
Angel Families include all family members of individuals victimized or killed by criminal illegal aliens. Nearly all of the Angel Families in attendance last week were those whose loved ones fell victim to the crimes and violence resulting from drug cartel activity.
Eight of those families testified at a roundtable hosted at the Arizona State Capitol on Friday. These families claimed that the deaths of their loved ones were preventable through stricter immigration enforcement policies.
Among those to testify were Mary Ann Mendoza, who recounted how her son, Mesa police officer Brandon Mendoza, was killed in 2014 by an illegal alien drunk driver who had a criminal record dating back to 1994 and was living as a fugitive at the time of the crash.
Doug and Patricia Quets shared how their adult son Nicholas Quets, a Marine veteran, was murdered by Sinaloa cartel members in 2024.
Fernando Basurto explained that his grandson, Fernando Jose Basurto Jr., was about to graduate high school and had plans to enter the Air Force when he was murdered by a criminal illegal alien in 2016, who had been released shortly prior to the murder. Basurto said that former Sen. Martha McSally initially soured him on Congress because she refused to see their family to discuss Fernando Jose’s murder.
Patti Fox testified alongside her adult daughter, Carissa Aspnes, who was struck and severely disabled by an illegal alien running a stop sign in 2025. Carissa — a second-generation American on her grandmother’s side, a legal immigrant from Thailand — suffered a traumatic brain injury and now requires full-time care. Fox said local investigators initially covered up the fact that Carissa’s assailants were illegal aliens who entered the country under the Biden administration.
Karen Griffin explained that her teen son, Tyler Griffin, passed away in 2020 after taking a pill he believed to be Tylenol, but was actually laced with fentanyl.
Similarly, Anne Fundner shared that her 15-year-old son, Weston Fundner, passed away in 2022 after taking pills laced with fentanyl.
Carter promised to incorporate those suggestions from Friday’s roundtable into legislative proposals and policies put forth by the Trump administration.
Attendees included Reps. Quang Nguyen (R-LD-1), Nick Kupper (R-LD-25), and Lisa Fink (RLD-27); Sen. Carine Wrner (RLD-4); Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko; Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley; and Art Del Cueto, formerly president of the National Border Patrol Council.
As part of its mission to address the drug crisis, ONDCP has taken a special focus on Arizona’s increase in drug overdose deaths, especially those involving fentanyl. It is the belief of the Trump administration, and Biggs and Crane, that the border policies of former President Joe Biden are to blame for Arizona’s ongoing drug crisis.
Carter commended Arizona as taking steps to fight back against the drug crisis.
“These communities know firsthand the devastating impact of illicit drugs,” said Carter. “President Trump and his administration will continue to fight for our citizens until every American is free to live a safe and healthy life, free from the scourge of illicit drugs.”
Earlier this month, ONDCP released a 200-page National Drug Control Strategy for 2026.
Under this administration, Trump has signed legislation classifying fentanyl-related compounds as Schedule I drugs; designated cartels as foreign terrorist organizations; designated illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction; and signed legislation expanding the border wall and increasing deportations.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The Arizona House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 1041 with a bipartisan 41–11 vote on Wednesday, advancing legislation that would allow electronic monitoring in long-term care facilities.
According to a press release from AARP Arizona, the bill is intended to provide an additional option for families seeking to monitor the care of residents who may be unable to report abuse or neglect. The amended measure now returns to the Arizona Senate for approval.
SB 1041, if enacted, would permit residents or their representatives to install electronic monitoring devices, such as cameras, in long-term care settings under specified conditions.
The House vote follows recent media reports of an alleged abuse incident involving a long-term care worker and a resident with dementia
“This legislation gives families an additional option to help protect residents who may not be able to speak for themselves,” said Dana Marie Kennedy, state director of AARP Arizona, in the release.
Kennedy cited a recent incident involving the alleged abuse of a dementia patient, which, according to the release, “came to light only after the resident’s daughter placed a camera in her mother’s room and captured what occurred, leading to the worker’s arrest.”
According to AZ Family, Gamacy Gilles, 46, was arrested and accused of abusing a dementia patient at Grand Court Senior Living in Mesa on Sunday.
“That case highlights why SB 1041 matters,” Kennedy said, “Families should not have to depend on chance or learn after the fact that a loved one was harmed.”
Kennedy said the bill builds on several years of advocacy focused on improving safety and oversight in long-term care facilities. AARP Arizona has worked on related issues since 2017, according to the organization.
AARP Arizona also acknowledged the bill’s sponsor, Wendy Rogers (R-LD6), and its House sponsor, Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), and urged the Arizona Senate to approve the measure.
