Arizona's Morning News

Back on this day in 1975 "The Wheel of Fortune" debuted on TV. Pat Sajak hosted the show for 41 seasons before retiring in 2024.

2026 is filled with Valley freeway projects. Doug Ninztel with ADOT talks about upcoming plans and how this will impact your Phoenix commute.

Four customers of McDonald's have filed a lawsuit alleging the fast-food chain does not use rib meat in its McRib. Jim Ryan, ABC News correspondent, explains the lawsuit and McDonald's defense.

Pete Hegseth, secretary of defense, announced he is going to censure Arizona Senator, Mark Kelly. Tim Stringham, former military lawyer, discusses what the next steps in the process will be.

Back on this day in 1980 Rapper's Delight became the first hip-hop single to hit the Billboard charts.  KTAR Timeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

This month's KTAR Community Impact Spotlight highlights The Thunderbirds and their fundraising efforts for numerous valley organizations through their annual WM Phoenix Open tournament next month.  Waste Management Phoenix Open chairman Jason Eisenberg joined Arizona's Morning News to discuss the organization's community outreach. 

Will we see an influx of billionaire migrating from California becuase of their 5% wealth tax? And what would this influx do Phoenix's housing market?  Senior Housing Analyst Tina Tamboer of the Cromford Report joins Arizona's Morning News to talk about what changes we could be seeing. 

2025 was a strong year for the national economy and Arizona's economy alike. Can we expect the same market strength in 2026? It's Money Monday and Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Arizona's Evan Taylor joins the show to discuss all things money. 

What charges is Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro going to face when he makes his appearance in court today? And is the capture of the Venezuelan President by the Trump Administration legal? To help us answer these questions is ABC News Investigative Reporter Peter Charalambous.

Back on this day in 1974 President Nikon signs the national speed limit into law. He signed the federal law lowering the speed limit to 55 mph to be more fuel efficient. 

ACA subsidies have expired and the U.S. has struck more boats in Venezuela. Chuck Todd, political analyst, explains the local and national impact of these government actions.

The Cardinals play their final game of the season Sunday. Tyler Drake, host of Cards Corner, discusses what next season could look like with a rebuild in the off-season.

New York City is prepping to ring in 2026 with extra security. ABC News Correspondent, Peter Charalambous, explains what to expect.

According to the FBI, fraudsters netted over $330 million using bitcoin ATM's. ABC News Correspondent, Jim Ryan, explains how people are getting away with these scams.

While its not pool season, water safety is still critically important. Vice President of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona, Jay Arthur, explains 2025 drowning stats and shares safety tips.

Back on this day in 1968 Frank Sinatra recorded the ballad: "My Way". KTAR Timeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

OpenAI is hiring for a new role: "Head of Preparedness". CEO Sam Altman describes the role as "very stressful". What will the role invovle? And leaks have hinted at a new iPhone having folding capabilities. It's Tech Tuesday and Mashable Tech Editor Tim Werth joined Arizona's Morning News to break down these stories. 

Live lobsters headed to Costco locations in Illinois and Minnesota were stolen before they could arrive. Cargo theft is on the rise. Who is behind these crimes and how organized are these criminals? ABC News Correspondent Jim Ryan has been looking into this and joins Arizona's Morning News to share the details.

We can't seem to catch a break from the flu. What can you do to help prevent you and your loved ones from contracting the flu? Dr. Joel Terriquez with the Arizona Department of Health Services joins Arizona's Morning News to talk about why the flu is spreading and important tips to remember. Dr. Joel Terriquez is the cross-cutting Medical Director of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases Services (BIDS) and the Bureau of Immunization Services with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).

Back on this day in 1973, Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  KTAR Timeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

The New Year is fast approaching, and many are recalling a tragedy from almost a year ago in New Orleans, where a man killed 14 people and injured 50 more using a car. What is law enforcement doing to help keep the Big Easy safe this New Year's? ABC News Correspondent Jim Ryan joined Arizona's Morning News to discuss the National Guard deploying hundreds of guardsmen to patrol New Orleans and how the community is responding to their presence. 

We are nearing four years since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Will we finally be able to see a resolution to the fighting? President Donald Trump met his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday in Mar-a-Lago to discuss peace proposals. ABC News National Correspondent Steven Portnoy joined Arizona's Morning News to talk about what the two leaders discussed. 

Back on this day in 1982 Time Magazine named the personable computer as Person of the Year. The editors chose the computer to reflect the technology that has been developing for decades.

The Cardinals season is ending and the team is looking to rebuild. Cards Corner Host, Tyler Drake, talks about the most surprising moments and what's to come.

Christmas dinner may have been more expensive this year. Dennis Hoffman, ASU economist, explains why there was a price increased.

Is your tree drying out as we close out the holiday season? Scottsdale Fire Captain, Dave Folio, explains why you need to get rid of those trees and how to do so.

Back on this day in 1888, Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear.  KTAR Timeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

AAA is expecting nearly 122 million people to travel this holiday season. What do you need to know before you hit the road or the skies for Christmas? Doug Johnson, External Communications Lead for AAA joined the show to discuss travel expectations for the holidays. 

The past few years have been rough for potential homebuyers. Will 2026 provide relief to a market that has been greatly inflated? Will the interest rate cut help new people buy a home? Tina Tamboer with the Cromford Report joined the show to talk about the housing market going into the new year. 

How much money have data centers raised? And self-driving cars are getting more advanced, but that didn't stop Waymos in San Francisco from getting stuck after a blackout.  Mashable Tech Editor, Tim Werth joined Arizona's Morning News for Tech Tuesday. 

Should the general public have privacy concerns regarding automated license plate reading  technology? Investigators used these readers to track down the Brown University shooter and this technology has already been deployed in numerous parts of the country. ABC News Correspondent Jim Ryan joined Arizona's Morning News to dicusss the pros and cons of adopting this tech in a more widespread manner. 

Back on this day in 2001, a shoe bomber was stopped.  KTAR Timeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

Will this holiday season be the first one where spending exceeded a trillion dollars? With a few days left until Christmas there's still time to surpass that milestone. ABC News Correspondent Jim Ryan joined Arizona's Morning News to discuss what the numbers are looking like for holiday sales this year. 

Is Arizona's economy poised to accelerate in the near the future? A recent report from the University of Arizona projects that our state's economy is set to accelerate in 2026.  Evan Taylor, Associate Economics Professor at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management, joined Arizona's Morning News to discuss the study put out by his employer. 

This past friday saw the Justice Department begin to release numerous pages of their Epstein files. What's in the files? And just how much exactly is has been redacted? ABC News Correspondent Steven Portnoy joined Arizona's Morning News to break down what we are learning now that the files have been released. 

Back on this day in 1843 Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carrol" was published. KTAR TImeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

President Trump addressed the nation live on television Wednesday night. He touted his administration's accomplishments in the first full year of the his second term and made new promises. Politcal Analyst Chuck Todd joined Arizona's Morning News to talk about the President's speech and gives his opinions on the controversial Truth Social post that was made after Rob Reiner's murder.

How will the Cardinals fare against another nose diving avian flock in the Atlanta Falcons?  Will Jonathan Gannon remain as head coach? Plus the Cardinals are slated to have a first round draft pick, can they capitalize on their draft position? Cardinals insider for Arizonasports.com Tyler Drake joined Arizona's Morning News to break down what you should be looking for when the red birds take the field this Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.  Cardinal Coffee Talk is brought to you by Better Buzz Coffee. 

January 1st will see Arizona's minimum wage increase to $15.15 an hour. On top of the benefits this will give to lower income earners, are there any unintended consequences of this increase? Valley economist Jim Rounds joined Arizona's Morning News to break down the impact of the minimum wage increase. 

What's so special about Merriam Webster's word of the year, "Slop"? ABC News Digital Reporter Mason Leath joined Arizona's Morning News to discuss the new meanings of an old word, and he also discusses a set of pennies that sold for $16 million at auction. 

Back on this day in 1892 the Nutcracker ballet premiered. The Russian performance made its debut in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Copper Canyon High School has a student-run food pantry. President of Canyon Corner, BLANK, joins to explain how the club started. 

The Brown University shooter is still at large. Brad Garrett, ABC News crime and terrorism analyst, explains the updates of the investigation and the psychological toll after several violent events back to back. 

AAA is projecting another record breaking travel holiday. Clara McMichael, ABC News transportation reporter talks about the expected 122.4 Americans who will travel 50 miles or more.

Back on this on this day in 1903 the first airplane took flight. The Wright brother's plane was in the air for about 12 seconds.

As e-bikes become more popular, the safety of the bikes is brought up. John Boyd, Phoenix Children's injury prevention specialist, joins to explain e-bike best practices.

The Kyrene School District voted to close six schools at a school board meeting. Shira Tanzer, KTAR education reporter, explains the struggles the district has faced and what's next for these students of the closing schools.