State Glance
Motorcyclist dies after crash with truck in north Phoenix
PHOENIX — Authorities have released the name of a man who died after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck in north Phoenix.
Phoenix police say 40-year-old Brett Johnson was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash around 5 p.m. Saturday.
They say the truck was doing a U-turn at the time.
Johnson was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police say they don’t believe impairment was a factor in the crash, but it’s still unclear if the truck driver will be facing any charges.
Police: ASU student dies after fall from apartment balcony
TEMPE — Tempe police say an Arizona State University student has died after falling from the balcony of an apartment complex.
Officers responded to the scene around 3 a.m. Saturday.
Police say the man was in his 20s, but his name hasn’t been released yet.
They say impairment may have been a factor and an investigation remains ongoing.
Police say the man may have fallen from the 15th floor of the apartment building or higher.
They say the man was dead at the scene and his body was found near the seventh-level pool area.
Police say there’s no evidence of foul play at this time and it appears to be a tragic accident.
Man killed, woman injured in shooting outside Avondale bar
AVONDALE — Police in Avondale say a man is dead and a woman injured after a shooting outside a sports bar.
They say officers are searching for a person of interest in the Sunday morning incident at the Light House Sports Bar and Grill.
Police say an officer was sitting in a patrol car in the bar’s parking lot when the shooting occurred around 2 a.m.
Authorities have a description of the male shooter and his getaway vehicle.
Police haven’t released the name and age of the victim yet.
A motive for the shooting remains unclear, but police say the shooting may be gang related and a gang task force is at the scene helping with the investigation.
Firefighters rescue hiker injured on Camelback Mountain
PHOENIX — Phoenix and Tempe firefighters hauled a hiker with a broken ankle over the top of Camelback Mountain by using a basket and rope systems to get her to a landing zone where a helicopter then picked her up and flew her to a ground ambulance.
A Phoenix Fire Department spokesman says the rescue Saturday took three hours because of its difficult location and the primary rescue helicopter normally used by technical rescue teams being unavailable due to maintenance.
Fire Capt. Larry Subervi says the cross-mountain rescue was difficult but something that crews train to do.
He says the 29-year-old patient was reported in stable condition after being removed from the mountain, which is a popular hiking area on the city’s east side.
No other injuries were reported.
Park officials prepare to phase down services on North Rim
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK — Grand Canyon National Park is preparing to begin the annual phasedown of services on the North Rim before its Dec. 1 winter closure.
Seasonal shutdown of most visitor services begins with Grand Canyon Lodge serving its last meal the morning of Oct. 16.
The last North Rim trail rides will be October 15, and the lodge gift shop, campground sites and the visitor and backcountry information centers close after Oct. 31.
The North Rim will remain open from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30 only for day use. All North Rim operations close Dec. 1 or earlier if snow closes State Route 67.
Hikers and cross country skiers with backcountry permits can enter the North Rim over the winter, and the South Rim and inner canyon facilities remain open year-round.
International trade center plans 2018 opening in Arizona
CASA GRANDE — An international trade hub is scheduled to open next year in Casa Grande, Ariz., after being plagued by delays, setbacks and a federal investigation.
The Casa Grande Dispatch reported last week that PhoenixMart, which was first announced in 2011 as a sourcing center bringing manufacturers, sellers and buyers together for large-scale purchases, is on track to open by the end of 2018.
While construction began last year, the project has experienced several setbacks due building permit issues, canceled contracts and an FBI investigation into the parent company AZ Sourcing.
The project was originally planned to be funded through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program that gives residency to foreign investors under certain stipulations, but officials say they have moved away from this strategy.