Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: 6 Phoenix Schools Land Among Arizona's Best High Schools: U.S. News

Also check out BBQ, Brews, and Brawn Servathon on the Phoenix Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday August 19th Patch AM
Wednesday August 19th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hello Phoenix! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • See which Phoenix high schools just ranked among Arizona's best
  • Phoenix weighs new fees that could reshape access to police records
  • Inside Phoenix's new women-only housing wing changing veterans' lives

Also on today's calendar: BBQ, Brews, and Brawn Servathon and 5 more events.

Today's riddle: What do evil hens lay? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
Today's Phoenix Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. After investing billions to light up their network from big cities to small towns, T-Mobile is America's Best Mobile Network in the US according to Ookla Speedtest®. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Phoenix Patch AM possible.
Find a T-Mobile store near Phoenix. Advertisement

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 110 and low of 88 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Thursday: A t-storm around in the p.m., temps: high: 110, low: 87.
  • Friday: Hot with periods of sun, with a high of 110 and low of 89 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. 6 Phoenix Schools Land Among Arizona's Best High Schools: U.S. News (patch.com) — Phoenix families can celebrate as six local public high schools, including BASIS Ahwatukee, BASIS Phoenix, and Phoenix Union Bioscience, rank among Arizona's top 25 in new U.S. News & World Report ratings. The story highlights each Phoenix school's state and national rankings, graduation rates, and college-readiness scores, underscoring how strongly several city campuses perform compared with thousands of schools nationwide.
   

2. New Fees Could Change The Cost Of Phoenix Police Public Records (patch.com) — Phoenix residents who request police records could soon see big changes in what they pay, with noncommercial electronic documents becoming free but new fees added for printed records, videos, and other materials. The City Council will consider the proposal after Sept. 23, potentially affecting how journalists, attorneys, and everyday residents access Phoenix Police Department reports, 911 recordings, photos, and body-camera footage.
   

3. Women veterans find safety and a fresh start in new Phoenix housing wing (abc15.com) — Women veterans in Phoenix now have access to a secure, women-only housing wing at U.S. VETS near I-17 and Cactus, offering stability, classes, and help with VA benefits. Residents describe escaping homelessness, healing from trauma, and finally feeling safe, while staff work to connect them with jobs, permanent housing, and long-overdue support.
   

4. Phoenix rent is below the national average — but still climbing (azfamily.com) — Phoenix renters are now paying an average of $1,727 a month, up slightly from last year but still below the national average. Zillow's latest report says a Phoenix-area household must earn about $69,000 annually to afford a typical rental, highlighting both the city's relative affordability and the growing strain on local budgets.
   

5. No body cameras, no force report: Phoenix officers now under investigation (azfamily.com) — Phoenix police have placed two officers on administrative leave after confirming they used force during a south Phoenix traffic stop but failed to report it or activate body cameras, triggering a criminal investigation. A related Tempe police report describes a violent Aug. 5 stop near 19th Avenue and Broadway that initially raised fears of police impersonators, though Phoenix officials have not confirmed if the same officers were involved.
   

📸 Around Phoenix

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Phoenix

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

📣 Phoenix Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

    Wednesday August 19
  • Modified Wednesday
    Sun Valley Elementary School Peoria, AZ 85380
    8:40 am
  • đ Football @ Canyon View (pre-season scrimmage)
    Liberty High School 6024 N Perryville Rd, Waddell, AZ 85355, USA
    6:00 pm
  • Varsity Football- Scrimmage
    Peoria High School Peoria, AZ 85380
    6:00 pm
    • Thursday August 20
  • Meet the Teacher Night
    Cactus High School Peoria, AZ 85380
    5:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Phoenix PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • REDW Advisors & CPAs Names Christopher Tyhurst to Lead Fast-Growing Phoenix Office —Justin Liggin Read on Patch
  • Update: Pet Reunited
    Lost Chugs, a dog who went missing in Phoenix, AZ, has been safely reunited with their family after 37 minutes. Message from Owner: "My grandma lost… (Nextdoor Arcadia Lite)
  • LARRY JUST CALLED.
    HE'S HOME AND FEELING FINE. STILL NO ANSWER ABOUT WHY HE FAINTED BUT HE'S OK. About once a month I have lunch with a former coworker, Larry. … (Nextdoor Madison Groves)
  • Savers Value Village posted a job opening for Retail Warehouse & Production Associate in Phoenix. Apply here.
  • Huntleigh USA posted a job opening for JANITOR (3rd Shift) in Phoenix. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Phoenix here.

Ok Phoenix! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Deviled eggs (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Phoenix