ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix Latest Headlines | May 7, Midday

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]These latest [music] headlines from ABC 15 are sponsored by Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. [music] One call, that's all. Hi there, I'm Jamie Warren with your afternoon update from ABC 15 Arizona. The feud between Senator Mark Kelly and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is entering a new legal chapter. Oral arguments are now underway at a DC Circuit Court. This all comes after a judge blocked defense officials from punishing Kelly for a video that he posted last fall. In it, it shows Senator Kelly and other Democratic lawmakers calling on troops to defy any possible illegal orders. The Pentagon wants to dock Kelly's retirement pay.

[00:00:42]The Justice Department is arguing that retired officers cannot tell service members to disobey orders. Kelly is arguing that he has the right to free speech.

[00:00:52]Taking a look at gas prices today, according to AAA, Arizona's average for gallon of regular unleaded is now sitting at $4.84 a gallon. It's 10 cents higher in the city of Phoenix. While diesel remains well above the $5 mark, gas prices are now more than a dollar higher than this time last year. State leaders are looking for ways to lower the cost at the pump. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is calling for a suspension of the federal gas tax. Senator Mark Kelly is co-sponsoring legislation in Washington to pause that tax. Experts tell us that the gas tax would only save drivers a couple of dollars every um time they go to fill up at the pump.

[00:01:36]The state gas tax currently funds highway maintenance and construction.

[00:01:40]Well, we are all about connecting with our community here at ABC 15, and that is why we want the city of Mesa to have a talk with us. Let's talk. We're hosting an event this Friday where you can come have a conversation with members of the ABC 15 team and also share any story ideas that you might have with us. That event is taking place this Friday night from 5:00 to 7:00 at Sunset Park.

[00:02:06]Pomp and [music] circumstance and uncertainty about future employment circumstances. I'm excited. I'm very much anticipating the next steps, but I'm also, you know, the natural nerves that comes with like, what is next? Tyra Afolabi spoke with Scripps News Group before receiving her diploma last year and before she eventually secured a job, but her nerves were well-founded. The unemployment rate for recent college grads hit 5.7% in the fourth quarter of last year, a four-year high, and soon-to-be graduates face a similar daunting outlook. We remain in a low higher, low fire environment. I think for the graduates of 2026, they enter a labor market that's very similar to the one that their peers who who graduated last year in 2025 are entering. Recent graduates are doing all they can to break into the workforce. The share of grads creating Indeed profiles online nearly doubled in two years, jumping to 19% in 2025. But job postings are not matching the labor pool. Junior-level postings fell 7% last year. The number of jobs that are available to new grads is maybe less than they would have hoped to a few years ago. But the challenge isn't just about numbers. It's also about a changing work environment. We're in this this period of economic uncertainty and AI plays into that. You know, a lot of organizations are not necessarily removing jobs based on AI, but kind of hitting the brakes a little bit.

[00:03:33]>> Nearly nine in 10 grads are worried artificial intelligence will replace entry-level roles, and just one in three say college is preparing them to use AI in the workplace.

[00:03:46]That's why some students like Chris Stone are learning skills like welding at a community college. I feel like we definitely help our community with producing good quality welders. There are certain jobs that are more AI-proof than others, and they're more along the lines of frontline workers in terms of mechanic, electrician, plumber, um a nurse. Those are the jobs that may have more viable prospects if job seekers are looking for something that they're concerned about AI replacing their job.

[00:04:14]Stephanie Liebhergen, Scripps News Group.

[00:04:18]Heating up heading into the weekend and next week with some of the hottest temperatures of the year coming our way.

[00:04:22]Most accurate forecast and meteorologist Ashley De Martino, let's break down for the afternoon. We're talking about those temperatures gradually making their way to 95, putting us slightly above that average of 91. We are going to be seeing highs at ranging between about 92 to 96 around the valley and then around the state. We've got a high today of 99 for Bullhead City. We're going to see 79 for Prescott, 71 for Show Low, 84 for Globe, and 69 the high for Flagstaff. So, everywhere will range between about 15 to by the time we head into the start of next week, 20 degrees above where we should be for this time of year. Take a look at the 7-day forecast for Phoenix and for Flagstaff. For Phoenix, we climb to 108 by Monday. Overnights will go into the 70s starting on Saturday morning. Flagstaff, you are dry, not tracking anything but a few clouds that might come and go at times. Upper 70s by Sunday, 80s by Monday. We'll have another update tonight. Until then, you could always get the very latest news, weather, and traffic at abc15.com or by downloading that free [music] ABC 15 mobile app.