Good Wednesday morning!
We’re staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for May 14, 2025; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
Winds are still hanging on and temperatures are dropping even further.
Today will be the coolest day of the week, with Valley highs only reaching the mid to upper 80s. Several degrees below average for this time of year.
The mayors of Eager and Springerville have declared a State of Emergency due to the ‘Greer Fire’ burning in Eastern Arizona.
As of 8 p.m., the fire has grown to just more than 3,500 acres and is at 0% containment.
‘GO’ evacuations have been ordered for everyone in Greer, Northwoods, and South Fork, and residents are urged to leave immediately.
A ‘SET’ order for evacuations is in place for everyone east of South Fork and east of the 261, within a mile radius, and the 26 Bar neighborhood. SET status means everyone should be prepared to evacuate by packing a to-go bag, gathering prescription medications, important documents, and other necessities.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs officially signed HB2281, or “Emily’s Law,” on Tuesday. The bill, which will now become a law, is named after Emily Pike.
The San Carlos Apache teen was reported missing from her Mesa group home in January. Weeks later, the 14-year-old was found killed about 20 miles northeast of Globe in Gila County.
This law now means that in Arizona, a “turquoise alert” similar to an AMBER Alert will be established for missing indigenous people.
ABC15 also reached out to Emily’s mom, Stephanie Dosela, on Tuesday. In a message, she said her daughter is “changing the world.” Dosela is now hopeful this will help save others.
Lawmakers at the Arizona State Capitol are also preparing for a legislative hearing on Wednesday. It will focus on Emily’s case and group home protocols.
The hearing was set after ABC15 reached out to Tribal Leadership regarding a letter sent from lawmakers. It said they had been trying to reach out for “several weeks” to set a new date, after the original time had to be moved.
ABC15 will be at the hearing, which starts at 1 p.m.
Emily’s Law signed by the Governor, creating ‘turquoise alert system’
In the heart of the Arizona desert, some of the country’s most advanced semiconductor chips are being manufactured at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) facility.
“Semiconductors are basically everything that’s in your phone, in your computers. It’s the brains of everything that has a power switch and anything that needs to compute,” said TSMC Arizona’s President, Rose Castanares.
Creating these tiny technological marvels is an incredibly complex process.
The manufacturing requires up to 4,000 precise steps, and there’s no room for error.
See part one of an exclusive three-part series in the player below.
Inside TSMC: How the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips are made in Arizona
A new state law aims to crack down on child sex predators in Arizona by closing what lawmakers say is a loophole in cases like these.
“No more hiding behind excuses. No more slipping through legal cracks,” said State Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp, who represents Legislative District 29.
Lawmakers explained why they are taking a harder stand against child sex predators on Tuesday at the Arizona State Capitol, where Shamp spoke about the passage of her Senate bill.
“I intend to make pedophiles’ lives hell,” said Shamp.
“In the 20 or so individuals that we prosecuted, some people brought lube, money, Monster energy drinks, some even brought toys,” said Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller.
Before Senate Bill 1585, people who were caught during law enforcement undercover sting operations luring children for sex acts could sometimes be let off with probation instead of a stiffer jail sentence.
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