Jill Ryan
KJZZ 91.5
Phoenix, AZ, United States
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Past articles by Jill:
AZ education group president: Teacher salary increases are not enough to address shortage
A new survey shows Arizona school districts have nearly 3,000 open teacher positions statewide. One way the Legislature is addressing the shortage is by proposing a salary increase. → Read More
AZ Democrats take another stab at ratifying Equal Rights Amendment
Arizona Democrats are taking another stab at ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment 100 years in the making.State Rep. Laura Terech says this should be a bipartisan effort.“Since Sandra Day O’Connor’s first introduction of the ERA this resolution has been introduced again and again and again to no avail," Terech said. → Read More
Arizona Cardinals hire Monti Ossenfort as team's new general manager
The Arizona Cardinals have hired Monti Ossenfort as the team's new general manager.The franchise announced the hiring of Ossenfort on Monday, one week after owner Michael Bidwill announced that head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim would not return following a dreadful 4-13 season. → Read More
The kraken, a new COVID-19 variant, is spreading across the U.S.
Another COVID-19 variant is lurking in the U.S., and spreading even faster than its counterparts. Known as “the kraken,” this omicron subvariant was first detected in New York and is eluding vaccines and antibodies. But Dr. David Engelthaler, a genomic epidemiologist, says the kraken is mostly mild. → Read More
Abandoned domes near Casa Grande, Arizona, demolished
The mysterious concrete domes rising up from the desert near Casa Grande are no more. → Read More
Arizona Gov. Hobbs creates a bipartisan task force to review state election laws
In one of her first executive actions, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is tackling the transparency and safety around elections.She says while the process is fair and secure, it is clear that more can be done to bolster Arizona’s election laws.Hobbs will be creating a bipartisan task force “to study and make recommendations to strengthen election laws, policies, and procedures in the state.” → Read More
Metro Phoenix is in for a cold weekend
If your coats are not already out, get ready — it's going to be cold in the Phoenix area this weekend.Below average temperatures are currently gripping the metro area, and National Weather Service Phoenix meteorologist Marvin Percha says the chill and possible frost will continue into the weekend. “Saturday morning, we’re looking at temperatures even at the airport in the → Read More
Arizona Humane Society waives adoption fees this week
The Arizona Humane Society is waiving its adoption fees through Sunday to encourage adoptions amid overcrowding.The society's spokesperson Kelsey Dickerson says about 1,100 animals are currently in their care, and potential families should put in the work before adopting. → Read More
Gas in the Phoenix area is about 50 cents higher than the national average
The price of a gallon of gas in Arizona is nearly 50 cents higher than the national average.AAA Arizona spokesperson Julian Paredes says the cost may grow or shrink as you travel around the state.“So the most expensive gas right now is in Maricopa County with averages around $4.54, and the cheapest gas is in Pima County at $3.63," Paredes said.Paredes says fears of limited → Read More
The Valley is forecast to have a dry and cold weekend
After Thursday's storm, temperatures continue to plummet in the Valley, but it’s drying out. Meteorologist Chris Kuhlman, with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, says the Valley is seeing what should be December weather a month early. “Well it’s not highly unusual but it’s probably 16 degrees below normal which is a little bit, we don’t see that every month where we have → Read More
High Maricopa County voter turnout expected in November
Early ballots are going out next week in Arizona, and voter turnout is expected to be high.Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer says he anticipates nearly double the turnout of the primary."We had the most number of ballots cast ever in Maricopa County for a primary this past August. That meant about 35% turnout," Richer said. Richer estimates 1.6 million ballots to be cast → Read More
Save Our Schools Arizona fails to gather enough signatures for school voucher bill
An effort to send Arizona’s massive new school voucher expansion to voters has fallen short.Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said in a tweet Friday morning that the petition from Save our Schools Arizona would not meet the minimum requirement of 118,823 signatures.At a protest at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Gov. Doug Ducey called on Hobbs to expedite the count. → Read More
The latest consumer price index is out; Phoenix leads the nation in inflation
The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest inflation numbers, and they’re not looking good.The Consumer Price Index shows the Phoenix metro-area leads the nation with a 13% change between August 2021 and 2022.Over the past year, food prices are up more than 14% and energy is up more than 19%. → Read More
Arizona traffic deaths decreased in early 2022, a new report says
Traffic deaths surged from 2019 to 2021 in Arizona and across the U.S. While that trend continues nationwide, a new report shows traffic fatalities in the state have fallen by 31% in the first quarter of 2022. Alberto Gutier is with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. → Read More
There's a chance for rain in Phoenix every day this week
Monsoon activity will remain in the Phoenix area with chances of rain expected to increase later in the week.Below-average high temperatures are expected to be in the low 100s in the Phoenix area.Bianca Feldkircher is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “We do start drying out a little bit and warming up a little bit as we start the work week," Feldkircher said. → Read More
Flash flood watch in effect for Phoenix and Flagstaff until Wednesday morning
A flash flood watch has started at noon today in the Phoenix area. Heavy rains are possible, with a 25% chance of flash flooding through tonight and into the early hours of Wednesday morning.Meteorologist Isaac Smith is with the National Weather Service in Phoenix.“So we’re going to be looking at the potential for thunderstorms to develop across the area, capable of producing → Read More
Pipeline Fire: Get the latest on the wildfire burning near Flagstaff
June 13: 3 fires burning near Flagstaff The winds are playing hell games with the fires. Smoke from Pipeline is now south east of the original path and smoke from Haywire just blew upward. pic.twitter.com/sY1XeyJ783— Michel Marizco (@MichelMarizco) June 13, 2022 → Read More
Pipeline Fire: Get the latest on the wildfire burning near Flagstaff
June 13: 3 fires burning near Flagstaff The winds are playing hell games with the fires. Smoke from Pipeline is now south east of the original path and smoke from Haywire just blew upward. pic.twitter.com/sY1XeyJ783— Michel Marizco (@MichelMarizco) June 13, 2022 → Read More
Pipeline Fire: The latest on the wildfire near Flagstaff
June 16: Coconino National Forest officials request to close down the forest rejectedRegional officials have rejected a request from the Coconino National Forest to fully close down the forest. The decision means no Stage 3 fire restrictions in spite of the powerful wind-driven fires that have ripped through northeastern Flagstaff and evacuated neighborhoods twice in two → Read More
2 more bills targeting COVID rules head to Ducey's desk
Two more bills restricting responses to the coronavirus pandemic are heading to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey's desk, including one that would impact the ability of future state leaders to respond to another airborne-spreading disease and a second blocking the state from ever requiring schoolchildren to get a COVID-19 vaccine.Tuesday's state Senate votes were the latest moves by → Read More