FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1877, Tucson became Arizona's first city, and the subsequent arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1880 solidified its footprint. See more history and photos here.

Yesterday, we covered how Arizona's first senator, Henry Ashurst, helped establish Northern Arizona University. Today, we offer a glimpse inside his childhood home, where he matured into a captivating speaker who earned his nickname as the "Silver-Tongued Orator of Congress."

Our sponsor today is Mode Mobile, which is pioneering a transformative approach to smartphone usage by turning everyday devices into income-generating assets.

Horne Aligns with Trump on Education

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said in an interview this week that he agrees with President Donald Trump's plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Watch a clip of Horne's explanation.

Horne said of the ED, "They don't really do anything for us," and suggested the money saved by eliminating the department could be used to increase teacher wages.

Democrats have reacted with strong opposition, citing the nation's falling test scores. Abolishing the education department would require an act of Congress.

No Deal: Durant Remains with Suns

Fifteen-time All-Star Kevin Durant will remain with the Phoenix Suns after rumors surfaced this week that the organization was interested in trading him.

The Golden State Warriors were the alleged frontrunners to land Durant, who played three years with the team and helped them win back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019.

That was until Durant revealed he had no desire to reunite with his former team, which led the Warriors to recruit Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler instead.

The Suns' decision to hold Durant came shortly before yesterday's NBA trade deadline, which saw several other big-name players change teams.

Shooter McGavin Crashes WM Phoenix Open

Actor Christopher McDonald, known for his role as Shooter McGavin in the film Happy Gilmore, crashed an interview at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Wednesday.

There to promote Happy Gilmore 2, McDonald stepped into the frame after a reporter asked pro golfer Justin Thomas about his part in the upcoming sequel.

Staying in character, McDonald complimented Thomas' golf and acting skills but then said they're "just not as good as the Shooter."

Thomas ended day one of the tournament tied for first place. Happy Gilmore 2 will be released on Netflix sometime this year.

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Elon Musk Dreams, Mode Mobile Delivers

As Elon Musk puts it, “Apple used to really bring out products that would blow people’s minds.” Those days are long gone, and a new smartphone company is stepping up to deliver the mind-blowing moments we've been missing. They’ve just been granted the stock ticker $MODE by the Nasdaq, and you can still make an investment in their pre-IPO offering.

Turning smartphones from an expense into an income stream, Mode has already helped users earn and save an eye-popping $325M+ and has seen an astonishing 32,481% revenue growth rate over three years. Uber did it to taxis, Airbnb did it to hotels… And now, Mode Mobile is doing it to the $1 trillion smartphone industry.

Don’t miss your chance to invest in the next big disruption to smartphones. Join 30,000+ shareholders and invest at $0.26/share today.

➤ Statewide: A bill that would restrict how long Arizonans can receive unemployment assistance is moving forward at the state legislature. (See Details)

➤ Mesa: A woman preparing to open a new barbershop caught a FedEx driver throwing $2,500 worth of merchandise onto the ground before rolling it end-over-end to her front door. (See Video)

➤ Phoenix: Dozens of deportation protesters marched the wrong way down a one-way street on Wednesday night. (See Video)

➤ Tucson: Authorities are searching for suspects after two men pointed a gun at someone on the University of Arizona campus on Wednesday. (More)

➤ Snowflake: The owner of an equine rescue who requested animal crackers as a snack for her newly adopted horses got an overwhelming response. (See Details)

➤ Pine: A group of volunteers that meets each Tuesday is working to carve out a 21-mile hiking trail around the town. (See Photo)

➤ The Phoenix Suns announced they'll trade Jusuf Nurkic to the Charlotte Hornets for forward Cody Martin, guard Vasilije Micic, and a 2026 second-round pick. (More)

➤ The Arizona Diamondbacks brought back Randal Grichuk on a one-year contract worth $5 million. He finished last season with a .291 batting average, 12 home runs, and 46 RBIs in 254 at-bats. (More)

➤ The Phoenix Suns were blown out 140-109 by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. However, Suns guard Bradley Beal put together a strong performance, scoring 25 points and shooting 63% from the field. (More)

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➤ The state's three largest electricity providers are considering collaborating to build a second nuclear power plant. The plant would likely take more than a decade to become operational. (See Video)

➤ Mortgage banking company BWE announced it has secured a $26.6 million loan to finance the development of The Lofts at G Diamond Ranch, a 120-unit apartment community in Casa Grande. (See Image)

➤ A Phoenix feed store is having trouble keeping baby chicks in stock as people started buying chickens to offset the rising cost of eggs. (See Video)

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No, it's not Nvidia… It's Mode Mobile, 2023’s fastest-growing software company according to Deloitte.

Their disruptive tech, the EarnPhone and EarnOS, have helped users earn and save an eye-popping $325M+, driving $60M+ in revenue and a massive 45M+ consumer base. And having secured partnerships with Walmart and Best Buy, Mode’s not stopping there…

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➤ A special-needs student sent the Sandra Day O'Connor High School auditorium into a frenzy when he made a half-court shot during halftime of the boys' basketball game. (See Video)

➤ A man driving a water truck helped put out a car fire on Interstate 10 before first responders arrived. The incident happened near downtown Phoenix on Tuesday morning. (See Video)

➤ The 5th Annual Black Canyon Donkey Derby returns on March 8. The BYOD (Bring Your Own Donkey) competition features people running alongside their donkey—a sport that dates back to mining times. (See Details)

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