The Society of St. Vincent de Paul recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new temporary housing facility. The facility will offer accommodations for 100 unhoused seniors, veterans, and adults with disabilities, along with an animal clinic by Midwestern University and a program aimed at assisting transitional housing residents in securing stable employment. “As De Paul Manor opens its doors, it marks the launch of exceptional services and resources available to our neighbors in need,” said Chuck Carefoot, Ryan Companies southwest region president. “The completion of this project highlig ..read more

The National Association of Manufacturers and several business groups are calling on Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Minority Leader Hakeen Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to consider the impact the new Environmental Protection Agency ruling on PM2.5 will have on businesses.  PM2.5 refers to air particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. The EPA in March lowered the standard for PM2.5 in its National Ambient Air Quality Standards rule by 25%, down from 12 micrograms per cub ..read more

Fortescue, a global leader in green energy, recently announced the official launch of its first U.S. green hydrogen production facility, Arizona Hydrogen, in Buckeye, Arizona. Fortescue Executive Chair and Founder Dr. Andrew Forrest AO, along with state, local, and tribal leaders, were on-site recently to celebrate the significant milestone, which included a soil turn ceremony and renaming of the facility. In his remarks, Forrest commended the Biden administration’s efforts in promoting the energy transition but highlighted the need for supportive policies to accelerate progress in green ener ..read more

This opinion column by Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally appeared in The Arizona Capitol Times.  In their memoir Two Lucky People, Milton and Rose Friedman wrote that property rights “are the most basic of human rights and an essential foundation for other human rights.” That’s a good framing to consider the state of property rights in Arizona and how leaders like Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell are doing in upholding this “essential foundation.” Here are a few points on why I believe Mitchell deserves high marks on her private ..read more

This opinion column by Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally appeared in The Phoenix Business Journal.  As an Arizona sports fan, I can’t help but lament that in losing our NHL team to Utah, we’ve lost our place among the handful of markets that could claim a franchise in the highest levels of football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. There was a sense of civic pride – at least for those of us who care about sports – for being part of such an exclusive club.   As the leader of a business organization, I’m disappointed about the l ..read more

Sixteen Arizona middle-schoolers on Friday took center stage at the Arizona competition of the National Civics Bee, showing off not only their knowledge of American civics, but also their creative ideas for tackling some of their communities’ most pressing challenges. Held at the Flinn Foundation in central Phoenix, the event was a collaboration of the Arizona Chamber Foundation and the U.S. Chamber Foundation. .@FlinnFoundation will host the Arizona State Competition of the National Civics Bee on May 3, with the winner moving on to the national contest in November. Read more: https://t.co ..read more

BASIS-Peoria was rated the nation’s #1 public high school, and a dozen Arizona schools scored among the country’s 100 best, according to newly-released, 2024 rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Among all states, Arizona and Florida tied for the most public high schools ranked among the Top 100 nationally. “This independent analysis by U.S. News & World Report confirms what we already knew: Arizona has some of the best public schools in the country,” Jake Logan, President & CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, said in a statement. “We congratulate BASIS and each of Ari ..read more

The Phoenix Airport system has a positive economic impact of more than $44 billion per year according to a new study from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.  The system, which in addition to Phoenix Sky Harbor includes airports in Deer Valley and Goodyear, supports more 246,000 direct and indirect jobs with a payroll of nearly $15 billion annually.  The study captured data from 2022, when domestic and international travel was still very much in pandemic recovery, and yet the study shows upticks in economic output, worker wages, and visitor spending compar ..read more

A bipartisan coalition of Western state governors is seeking greater flexibility from the Biden administration in achieving the strict ozone standards in the Clean Air Act.  In a letter from Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R), and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R), the governors cite “substantial regionally specific challenges” in meeting the law’s requirements, and say that they are “alarmed about the possible sanctioning of states that struggle to attain the standard.”  The challenges  The governors in their letter cite specific ..read more

As threats of missile attacks persist, Israel is employing cutting-edge technology and sophisticated equipment for its defense. Among these are technologies developed by defense firms operating in Arizona, highlighting the state’s pivotal defense industry.  Arrow  The Arrow system stands out as a premier air defense mechanism against long-range ballistic threats. This high-altitude system is engineered to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The Arrow operates through a kinetic kill vehicle, which destroys incoming missiles upon direct contact, thus neutraliz ..read more