Arizona stories ready to republish | October 22, 2026

Below are today’s Arizona and national stories, available for immediate republication. You can access them via The Center Square RSS feed or BLOX Content Exchange.

Mesa’s $449 million school bond measure draws criticism
A potential bond measure that would cost Mesa taxpayers $449 million is drawing criticism from education analysts across Arizona. That’s because Proposition 419, which would chip in roughly a third of the $1.4 billion in Mesa Public Schools' capital needs, has some wondering whether such a large investment is prudent right now. By Christopher Boan.

Potentially historic El Niño winter could batter Arizona
A potentially historic winter of rain and mountain snow is about to descend upon the American West, potentially leaving a trail of natural disasters in its wake. Tom Frieders, the acting meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Tucson office, told The Center Square that this year’s El Niño most closely mirrors that of the infamous 1983-84 cycle. That was the year that $6.1 billion in inflation-adjusted flooding damage hit Arizona and the West. By Christopher Boan.

Georgia child protective services gives up its $1 million spy truck
Georgia's child welfare agency no longer has its Chevrolet Traverse spy vehicle, bought with nearly $955,000 in taxpayer money and equipped with a powerful cell phone surveillance tool. On Tuesday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a statewide law enforcement agency, took the keys, GBI spokeswoman Sara Lue confirmed for The Center Square. State officials will not explain the reasons for the handover, or who ordered it. The vehicle handover happened eight days after The Center Square first reported that the state Department of Human Services, which oversees child protective services, bought a 2026 SUV at a cost of $38,700, but paid nearly $916,000 extra to have a cell-site simulator installed.

Poll: More than half of Americans disapprove of Trump, economy
More than half of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance, including his handling of the economy, according to a new poll.

U.S. House committee subpoenas NJ SOS, probes 6.6k illegal voter registrations
Two U.S. House committees are jointly subpoenaing the New Jersey State Department, accusing the state of not fully cooperating with an investigation into what it says are the more than 6,000 noncitizens recently found on the state’s voter rolls.

SNAP fraud costs agencies $4.29 for every $1 stolen, study finds
Fraud is costing taxpayers more than four times the value of the fraudulent benefits themselves, according to a new study. The fifth annual “True Cost of Fraud” study found that for every $1 in fraudulent losses, agencies spend an additional average of $4.29 on investigations, labor and recovery efforts. In an exclusive interview with The Center Square, Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ government group, said he is hopeful this study shows the amount of fraud happening in government programs.

U.S. Supreme Court allows prisoner transgender operations
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision Wednesday, temporarily prevented the Trump administration from challenging a policy that allows federal taxpayer dollars to support prisoners' gender transitions.   

Feds charge 40 people in $40M SNAP fraud schemes
Forty individuals have been charged in connection with more than $40 million in federal fraud, Vice President JD Vance announced Wednesday.  

House Ethics won't say if members must report prediction bets
The Senate's ethics committee told senators in May that prediction market trades must be reported. The House Ethics Committee has issued no such guidance, and its chief counsel would not say whether it will. (Brett Rowland)

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STATE OF THE COUNTY: The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is holding the second annual State of the County event Thursday in North Phoenix, covering what’s happening in Arizona’s most populous county and where it’s headed. The Center Square chats with Board Chair Katie Brophy McGee, R-Sunnyslope; County Manager Jen Pokorski, and members of the Greater Phoenix Chamber about taxpayer and accountability issues. By Christopher Boan.

VVP DIRECTION:  Seven in 10 true independents say the country is headed the wrong way, a new The Center Square poll found, but most won’t commit to either major party’s candidate.

VVP DSA: A plurality of Americans don’t want to see their community move in the direction of the Democratic Socialist agenda, according to a new poll from The Center Square. (Likely running Friday)

AUTOWARCOM COST: The Department of War is standing up a four-star combatant command for drones and autonomous systems by Oct. 1, 2027, and has not said what it will cost. A letter from the project’s leaders released this week says every “auditable dollar” spent should reduce cost-per-kill or risk-to-force. (Brett Rowland)

SCOTUS DISTILLING: The Buckeye Institute will host a briefing on the arguments and potential ramifications of the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming case over home distilling. Federal takings law and congressional taxing authority are at stake in the high-profile case. (Andrew Rice) 

VVP SOCIALISM: The economy and affordability tops reasons why American voters believe more people are being drawn to democratic socialists, according to a new poll from The Center Square. (Sarah Roderick-Fitch)

INTERNET FREEDOM: A new report released Thursday examines the state of internet freedom, including government censorship, surveillance and restrictions on online expression. (Morgan Sweeney)

VVP ECONOMY: Slightly more Americans indicated they have more confidence in the Democrats over Republicans when it comes to the economy, according to the latest poll from The Center Square. (Morgan Sweeney)

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Dave Mason
Regional Editor
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