Thursday, June 19, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1915, a crowd of 70,000 people watched the launch of the USS Arizona at the New York Naval Yard. This photo of the $13 million ship was taken in Seattle shortly before World War II.

The University of Arizona hopes to treat the state's doctor shortage with a fast-acting remedy: a three-year medical degree. Get the full dose in Top Stories.

We're sponsored today by Infinity Fuel, offering an investment opportunity in fuel systems that are making space travel possible.

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3-Year Medical Degree Approved

The Arizona Board of Regents will allow the University of Arizona to fast-track medical students through a three-year degree program to help address the state's doctor shortage.

The accelerated program will trim a year off the standard four-year track, with a focus on producing more primary care doctors from the university's medical colleges in Tucson and Phoenix.

The students will still need to complete the same amount of core coursework required in the four-year program. The university hopes to attract 35 students when enrollment starts this fall.

Nationwide, more than 30 universities offer three-year medical degree programs, but this is Arizona's first, launched as the state braces for an expected shortfall of 2,000 primary care physicians by 2030.

Congress Eyes Federal Land Sales

Millions of acres of Arizona public land could become eligible for sale under a proposal introduced in the U.S. Senate as part of ongoing federal budget talks.

The bill would permit the land sales in 11 Western states over five years, focusing in part on areas suitable for home development to help ease the nation's housing crisis. Critics call the proposal a threat to recreation and wildlife areas.

The bill would exclude national parks and wildlife conservation areas, but could include federal lands in or near tourist areas such as Sabino Canyon, Mt. Lemmon, and Madera Canyon, as shown in this map.

Restaurant Wins James Beard Award

The chefs at Phoenix restaurant Lom Wong were collectively selected as the winner of the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest region, which covers Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Oklahoma.

"Lom Wong is a family restaurant. We're grateful to be recognized for doing something that comes from our hearts," restaurant co-owner Alex Martin said. The restaurant specializes in Thai food.

The annual James Beard Awards honor talent and achievement in culinary arts, hospitality, and other categories.

Last year, Phoenix chef Rene Andrade of Bacanora won the award for the region's best chef.

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NASA and the Navy have an energy problem

Batteries weren't built for the vacuum of space. Or the crushing depths of the ocean. Yet that's exactly where today's most critical national defense, deep-sea surveillance, and space missions need to go—where failure isn't an option.

That's why NASA and the U.S. Navy are turning to Infinity Fuel's hydrogen systems.

Their systems are air-independent, silent, and capable of supplying power in the harshest environments where normal batteries can't survive.

Now, after laying a strong foundation in the hydrogen fuel cell space for decades, their momentum is accelerating rapidly:

$50M+ in awarded contracts with NASA, the U.S. Navy, and commercial space companies over the last 22 years
Fuel cells that operated aboard two Blue Origin launches
Follow-on contract with NASA to support 14+ day lunar missions
Exclusive UUV partnership targeting the $11B global UUV market
New partnership with Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG) to expand terrestrial hydrogen microgrid systems

They've also reserved the Nasdaq ticker 'IFCH', but you don't have to wait.

Their current investment round closes June 26—become an Infinity Fuel shareholder as their commercial traction expands.

➤ Phoenix: The Arizona Department of Economic Security will lay off 5% of its workforce—about 400 workers—due to federal budget cuts. The department oversees many of the state's welfare and workforce programs. (Watch)

➤ Yavapai County: The town of Jerome leads the nation for fire risk with an estimated 97% likelihood of a major wildfire. Countywide, the risk stands at 90% as Stage I fire restrictions take effect. (Details)

➤ Lake Havasu: Federal prosecutors named a third defendant in a healthcare fraud scheme in which a couple allegedly convinced patients they could cure cancer with veterinary drugs and cosmetic cream. (Details)

➤ Sedona: A proposed ordinance would ban the public display of exotic animals, a response to the growing number of people bringing reptiles and other wild animals to the city's uptown tourist area. (More)

➤ Tucson: The city council voted 5-1 to make it a misdemeanor to camp in city washes and watercourses. Violators face community service, a fine, and up to 10 days in jail. (Watch)

➤ Nogales: Border agents reported seizing nearly 250 pounds of fentanyl, 1,000 pounds of meth, and 60 pounds of cocaine over the past month. (More)

➤ Retired Pima County supervisor Sylvia Lee was charged with misdemeanor assault and banned from the University of Arizona until February 2026 for throwing a drink during a basketball game between the Wildcats and BYU. (Watch)

➤ Arizona Diamondbacks' veteran third baseman Eugenio Suarez said the players' current mentality is "winning games" and "not giving the chance to the front office to trade you." (More)

➤ Arizona State men's basketball added center Mor Massamba Diop, who averaged 16.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while playing professionally in Spain. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: MLB | WNBA | NCAAB | Soccer

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➤ JetBlue, which serves Arizona, announced plans to cut back on flights, citing doubts about turning a profit in 2025. (More)

➤ State Attorney General Kris Mayes said she will "vigorously oppose" a proposed 14% rate hike sought by Arizona Public Service. (More)

➤ Pima County officials passed a motion Tuesday to sell 290 acres of county-owned land for a proposed data center, a project that has been met with a mix of support and criticism. (Watch)

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NASA Turns to Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Deep Space Power

Batteries can't survive the 14+ day lunar night or keep underwater drones running for weeks. That's why NASA and the U.S. Navy are turning to Infinity Fuel.

Infinity's regenerative hydrogen fuel cells are designed to deliver long-duration power where traditional systems fail—in areas without oxygen, too cold for normal batteries to survive. These fuel cells have already flown aboard Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos' company) and are now being built for critical lunar and underwater missions.

With $50M+ in awarded contracts and a new Plug Power partnership targeting terrestrial markets, Infinity is scaling fast. Become an Infinity Fuel shareholder now.

This is a paid advertisement for Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc. Reg CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.infinityfuel.com/.

➤ The Tucson City Council voted 5-1 to increase water rates by 19% for those living outside of the city limits. Customers within the city limits could see a reduction. (Watch)

➤ SWAT teams responded after suspects in a Sinclair Fuel Station armed robbery holed up in an apartment complex Wednesday morning in Casa Grande. Authorities said the situation was resolved, but few details were immediately reported. (Watch)

➤ The Phoenix Zoo received a $500,000 grant to help fund a planned 27,000-square-foot veterinary medical center that will replace the decades-old Joyce Corrigan Memorial Care Center. (More)

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