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Proposition would cap Arizona grocery taxes at 2%
An Arizona proposition would cap the grocery sales tax on unprepared food products. On Nov. 3, Arizona voters will determine the fate of Proposition 316, which would prevent local governments from charging more than 2% in sales taxes on food products at stores. By Zachery Schmidt.

Arizona loses thousands of jobs in August
Arizona lost thousands of jobs from July to August, according to the latest figures. Common Sense Institute Arizona released a report showing that Arizona lost 4,100 jobs in the one-month span. Arizona ranked 43rd in job creation during the period. By Zachery Schmidt.

Analyst: School phone bans fail to address deeper issues
As more states ban phones in K-12 classrooms to reduce distractions and improve student engagement, an analyst says these policies do not address the deeper academic problems facing students.

Up to $304B lost to tax fraud, no IRS antifraud strategy
The federal government loses as much as $304 billion a year to tax fraud, and the IRS has no agency-wide strategy for stopping it, congressional auditors said in a report Friday.

Supreme Court allows citizenship verification program
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision on Friday, temporarily allowed the Trump administration to use a federal database that verifies whether voters are eligible to participate in an election. 

U.S. Supreme Court again blocks Missouri congressional map
The U.S Supreme Court blocked a Missouri congressional map favoring Republicans from going into effect for a third time. In a brief, unsigned order issued Friday, the high court rejected the map from going into effect, citing the proximity to the midterm elections.

August orders for big-ticket goods made in U.S. beat expectations
August’s durable goods orders were down slightly from July’s at just over $338.6 billion but up from a year ago by 8.5% or $26.5 billion, according to the latest Census Bureau report.

Xi wraps up historic state visit; more meetings planned
fter a historic state visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife departed Washington, D.C., Friday afternoon, with President Donald Trump and the Chinese leader confirming two more meetings this year.

Assaults against ICE up 1,700%+ as Dems' criticism grows
There were 647 assaults against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during the first 21 months of the second Trump administration, compared to 37 assaults during the Biden administration's first 21 months, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Comey’s arraignment postponed 3rd time; now in January
James Comey, former FBI director in hot water for a social media post of seashells spelling out 86 47 on a North Carolina beach, will not face arraignment next week in New Bern. Judge Louise Flanagan, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, on Friday afternoon pushed the date back to January. Trial would now begin in February. It's the third delay since the summer.

More than 260,000 pounds of cocaine seized by Coast Guard
In less than one week, a U.S. Coast Guard crew seized more than 25,000 pounds of cocaine across three interdictions in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Their efforts are part of an international drug trafficking interdiction effort, Operation Pacific Viper, launched in August 2025. Since then, Operation Pacific Viper USCG crew members have seized more than 260,000 pounds of cocaine. 

No cost estimate for Pentagon's testosterone screening program
The Pentagon still will not say what testosterone screening will cost for male service members 30 and older, and a national group of hormone specialists says the testing is expensive and will produce false positives.

Everyday Economics: Consumers are still spending. They’re looking for a better deal.
Americans haven’t stopped spending. They are looking harder for a price they can live with. Bank of America’s August card data show spending per household rose 4.5% from a year earlier. But big-box and general merchandise stores outperformed traditional retailers, suggesting shoppers are seeking lower-cost alternatives while continuing to spend. That is a more useful description of the consumer than a single strong or weak label. 

Alaska Senate candidates divide on taxes
One of the closest U.S. Senate races in the country is in Alaska between candidates who offer key similarities and differences in their tax policies.

Orland Park shooting highlights role of concealed carry in self-defense
The shooting of an alleged armed robber by an Illinois concealed-carry license holder at an Orland Park gas station highlights the potential role of lawfully armed citizens during violent encounters, according to John Boch of Guns Save Life.

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SCHOOL FUNDING: Arizona voters will decide whether to require public schools in Arizona to increase their direct instruction spending to 60% of the budget. The Center Square reached out to people for and against the measure. This is part of The Center Square’s previews of the Nov. 3 general election. By Zachery Schmidt.

ELECTION FUNDING: As political parties grow increasingly partisan, the centrist LeadershipNOW group is advancing a Massachusetts referendum aimed at adopting a nonpartisan primary system. The Center Square spoke with Daniella Ballou-Aares, leader of the group about policy priorities for business leaders and a return to centrist politics in an era of extremism. (Andrew Rice)

MILITARY COMPENSATION'S OTHER COSTS: The full cost of an active-duty service member is $86,000 a year higher than the Pentagon's budget shows, according to a new Congressional Budget Office estimate of deferred veterans' benefits. CBO found the cost of disability compensation, health care and other VA benefits for former service members now exceeds the cost of compensating the existing force, and that those costs sit outside the Department of War budget and outside its total force planning. (Brett Rowland)

WALMART AI PRICING: Walmart CEO John Furner said that the retailer won't use AI or customer data, including through its Sparky shopping assistant, to charge individual shoppers different prices based on income, shopping history or urgency, (Brett Rowland)

UK TERROR PLOT: A foiled terror plot outside an UK base housing American forces raises questions regarding the motive. The Center Square asked President Trump about the plot Sunday evening, with the president responding that more information on the foiled attack will be released soon. (Sarah Roderick)

ROUNDTABLE: Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, will lead a roundtable discussion with patients, families, doctors and nurses on hospitals’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Morgan Sweeney)

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