This state's citizens now oppose Flock cameras — despite agreeing they help police



There are now over 130,000 ALPR cameras in the United States, the vast majority of which are from controversial company Flock. Both the camera capabilities and the rapid increase in number of cameras have become a hot-button issue, with the recorded number of cameras increasing by more than 30,000 in less than two months.

In one big Sun Belt state, it's been less than three months since residents figured out they're being watched, and the situation is only getting worse.

Technology used to monitor, police, and conduct federal investigations has been at the tip of the spear in the debate surrounding personal freedoms, and citizens have quickly soured on the idea that the Big Brother-style security system is welcome in the state.

'82% of those polled are concerned that the cameras could be misused.'

At the beginning of June, reports spread of how traffic cones and barrels were being used along different roadways by Customs and Border Protection to read license plates in order to catch illegal aliens.

The conversation quickly accelerated, revealing that not only were automated license plate recognition cameras being used to fight immigration violations, but they were being used nationwide on Americans.

Now, new data shows that voters in Arizona have expressed "genuine tension" over the cameras, telling pollsters they oppose their use despite believing they can help solve crimes.

The numbers are actually quite staggering: 63% of Arizonans polled oppose the camera use entirely, while 51% believe they help police.

NextGen Polling shows the biggest discrepancy among registered voters is opinions on misuse and audits. 82% of those polled are concerned that the cameras could be misused, while another 82% said they support independent audits on surveillance companies.

RELATED: What the Flock? Knoxville mayor explains the dark truth about Flock cameras: ‘Not your grandma's license plate readers’

Jean-François FORT/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images

As Blaze News previously reported, CBP has had access to at least 1,600 of Flock's license plate readers across 22 states at one time. The agency has also been using the technology in its investigations dating back to at least 2017.

At the same time, Flock is used by more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States.

Voters in Arizona oppose the use by local police (Net -32.7) while a majority, 52%, oppose the cameras being shared with ICE.

Democrats are more likely to oppose the camera use, 73% compared to Republicans at 54%. Meanwhile, 80% of Democrat voters oppose sharing the camera capabilities with ICE; 59% of Republicans actually support it.

RELATED: Flock off, Axon on

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In addition to license plate reading, companies like SignalTrace have developed methods to upgrade Flock cameras to capture any "unique signals" emitted from devices in the car.

This includes cell phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, earbuds, and Wi-Fi signals.

Each unique identifier can be attached to the license plate number, and therefore the owner, to essentially create an entire electronic surveillance profile on the driver.

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'Jesus is still Lord': Little League World Series coach delivers unforgettable mound visit speech



A coach in the Little League World Series delivered a speech on the mound on Wednesday that is being labeled the greatest of all time.

During a West Region tournament game between Arizona and Hawaii, Arizona had a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning. That's when Coach Drew Breivogel visited his pitcher on the mound.

'This is a baseball game, right?'

Little League teams from across the globe compete every year to become world champions, and the pressure can be overwhelming for many of the young players, who are all ages 10 to 13 years old.

Pitcher Camden Burke of Chandler National Little League in Arizona seemed to be feeling the heat when Breivogel came to speak to him. What happened next was unexpected.

"I'm so proud of you. I've known you since you were 8," Breivogel said, as ESPN microphones picked up his comments. "Not a lot of people get to see the fruit of the labor that you put in, right?"

The coach went on, "Remember Zacchaeus in the Bible? Someone planted that tree 30, 40 years prior so he could climb up into it. Salvation — we're talking salvation. This is a baseball game, right?"

In an effort to help the young player relax, the coach seemed to be letting Burke know there are more important things in life than the outcome of the game.

"If you walk the next five guys, Jesus is still Lord," Breivogel continued.

"If you strike out the next five guys, guess what: Jesus is still Lord. Okay? I love you. Have some fun," he concluded.

A post that showed the exchanged labeled the coach's speech "the greatest [Little League] mound visit of all time," and had already been viewed more than 10 million times at the time of this writing.

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Although Burke had the lead, he was already 82 pitches into his night, a lot for even a major league hurler. This no doubt had an effect as Kawaihau Community Little League of Hawaii scored four runs in the inning.

Neither team scored in the remaining innings, and Hawaii took home the victory, 5-2, eliminating Arizona from the tournament.

The speech was not without controversy, however. Several responses criticized the coach for not talking strategy or offering the boy pitching advice.

"How about a scouting report?" Tim Earle replied, suggesting the coach should have given "some advice about mechanics."

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Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Another widely viewed remark accused the coach of "using TV to make himself look good [.] He knew he was Mic’d up, that was his BIG moment."

Although the coach received a lot of support, detractors of his speech were split between those who found it to be inappropriate for the situation and those who preferred the coach to dish out strategy during his time at the mound.

Neither the coach nor the player has addressed the memorable moment.

Hawaii will play Southern California in the West Region championship Friday at 9 p.m. ET. The winner will advance to the elimination tournament.

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Male accused of starting devastating Spokane fire was convicted of killing his adoptive father in Arizona, officials say



The 37-year-old male accused of starting the devastating Old Trails Fire in Spokane, Washington — which has displaced more than 60,000 people since Saturday — was convicted of killing his father in Arizona, officials told KPNX-TV.

The station, citing records, said Aaron Farinacci was convicted over a decade ago of manslaughter and aggravated assault after killing his father.

'It was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something, that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci.'

Farinacci was released from prison six years ago, KPNX said, and he was arrested Monday on a first-degree arson charge.

"Mr. Farinacci is a convicted felon out of the state of Arizona," Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said, according to the station. "Major crimes detectives in Spokane County were able to identify him. They developed probable cause and determined the origin of the fire was indeed exactly where the witnesses had seen Mr. Farinacci kneeling in the grass earlier that day.”

According to the sheriff, a witness said Farinacci was bending down near some grass and looked nervous — and then the witness said smoke was coming from the area soon after, KPNX reported.

The sheriff added to the station that Farinacci was carrying waterproof matches and butane when he was arrested.

Spokane County Jail records indicate that Farinacci remained behind bars Wednesday on a $1 million bond.

"As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something, that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci," Sheriff Nowels said, according to KREM-TV.

RELATED: Video: Thug throws Molotov cocktail at man in wheelchair, setting him on fire — right in front of police headquarters

Documents show that Farinacci pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his father in October 2010 amid a domestic dispute, KREM reported in a separate story.

Farinacci, 21 years old at the time, was in the dining room with his mother and adoptive father when he got into an argument with his father over doing the dishes, KREM said, citing records.

More from KREM:

The man then retreated into his parents' bedroom, and his father followed, opening the bedroom door with a key. Documents show that Farinacci armed himself with a gun kept in the room and shot his father, striking him in the face, and then shot him again in the back as his father turned to leave.

Farinacci ran from the scene and then "shot himself in the chest with the same gun he used to shoot his father," according to documents.

Farinacci told police that the shooting was an accident and that he felt he "deserved to be sentenced to prison as he took someone's life."

Farinacci was convicted of manslaughter and aggravated assault in 2012, KREM said, adding that records show he was released from prison in 2020 and discharged from probation in 2024 while living with a girlfriend in Washington state.

Farinacci, a Spokane resident, has no previous history of arson, KREM said.

The Old Trails Fire has become the most destructive fire in Spokane history, KREM added, forcing more than 60,000 people to evacuate and burning down at least 700 homes.

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Pro-amnesty Utah Republican introduces last-ditch bill to import more migrants



Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) is demanding more migrants.

A new bill from Curtis and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), the State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2026, would allow states to circumvent federal immigration law to import foreign workers. As an amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act, the bill aims to allow migrants and their families to secure state-sponsored visas for three-year terms.

'Hispanic businesses disproportionately operate in industries that heavily rely on immigrant labor.'

Utah wanted to implement a similar state-level migrant worker visa policy in 2011, when President Barack Obama was still in his first term. The state even sought "waivers" from the federal government to do so, but federal approval never materialized.

“Utah employers tell me time and again how difficult it's become to find enough workers to meet growing demands,” Curtis said in a Monday X post. “Our bill allows states to sponsor visas tailored to their unique workforce needs, while ensuring rigorous federal vetting and accountability.”

Although the Department of Homeland Security would retain final authority to approve each state’s visa criteria and program, the bill also authorizes interstate compacts allowing migrant workers to move freely among participating states.

States would initially receive 5,000 visas per fiscal year, according to the bill. Another 245,000 visas plus 5,000 visas for every nonparticipating state and unused or revoked visas from previous years would also be pooled together and distributed to participating states.

The bill characterizes the visa program as "nonimmigrant," but there are no provisions prohibiting visa-holders from applying for citizenship once in the country.

Kelly and the DHS did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

RELATED: Illegal aliens may need to phone home amid new ICE actions

Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

The bill has been endorsed by multiple Hispanic organizations, including UnidosUS, the U.S. Hispanic Business Council, and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“Hispanic-owned small businesses understand firsthand both the economic contributions of immigrant workers and the need for a lawful, secure, and accountable process,” U.S. HBC President Javier Palomarez said in his endorsement.

When Blaze News asked whether the bill was an ethnic carveout, a U.S. HBC spokesperson replied, "It is not that. This is an endorsement of a potential solution to the very real issue of worker shortages across major industries, totaling millions of unfilled jobs."

“Hispanic businesses disproportionately operate in industries that heavily rely on immigrant labor like agriculture (70% immigrant workforce), hospitality/hotels/lodging (31%), construction (30%), professional services (23%), food services (22%), and more," according to the spokesperson. "This issue is impacting all businesses, but given our presence in these industries, it affects these business owners more significantly.”

UnidosUS and the AHCCC did not respond to requests for comment.

Multiple endorsers of the bill donate to or support almost exclusively Democrats. One-hundred percent of Third Way’s donations went to Democrats in 2024, according to Open Secrets. UnidosUS has bankrolled exclusively Democrat campaigns since 2016 and has overwhelmingly supported them over Republicans since 1992.

UnidosUS was previously known as the National Council of La Raza. La Raza means "the race" in English.

In 2022, then-Rep. Curtis (R-Utah) co-sponsored the DIGNIDAD Act with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), which would have legalized some illegal aliens after background checks and other requirements were satisfied.

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Boy, 9, witnesses armed robbery while at bank to open his first checking account; his grandmom calls his response 'surreal'



July 13 was shaping up to be a big day in the life of a 9-year-old Arizona boy named Hunter.

You see, on that day Hunter entered the Mesa Bank of America with his grandmother, Colette, to open his very first checking account, KNXV-TV reported.

'You can't let your fear guide you; you have to meet it head-on.'

Hunter — a bespectacled, blond-haired kid headed into the fourth grade — had spent the week doing work at his grandparents' house and earned just under $200, the station said, adding that his grandmom suggested they deposit Hunter's cash in the bank.

But it turns out Hunter's big day also would be unforgettable for a rather scary reason.

KNXV said Hunter spotted someone entering the bank wearing a mask — but instead of panicking, Hunter reacted with courage well beyond his years.

"He just walked up and tapped me on the shoulder," Colette told KNXV, adding that she noticed "the calmness in his demeanor, it was surreal. I just turned my head and saw the teller there with something pointed at her head."

That something was a knife, KNXV reported.

With that, Hunter and his grandmother got under a desk for safety and didn't hear the suspect say anything during the robbery, the station said.

"I did not hear anything; All I heard was my Nana's breathing really hard," Hunter recalled to KNXV.

Truth be told, the station said Hunter also was thinking about his hard-earned cash — $160 of his own money plus $27 in change from Colette.

"If I lose it, $160 down the drain!" Hunter explained to KNXV.

That same day, Mesa police arrested a woman who tried to rob the bank, the station said, adding that she was booked on charges of felony armed robbery, aggravated assault, and disorderly conduct. Police said no one was injured, KNXV reported.

RELATED: Blaze News original: 10 inspiring examples of Good Samaritans who ran toward danger to help others, often defeating bad guys

After giving police a statement, Hunter and his grandmother returned to the Bank of America the very next day to open his checking account, the station said.

"You can't let your fear guide you; you have to meet it head-on," Colette told KNXV.

When the station asked Hunter what his first debit card purchase would be, he replied that he wants to buy his grandmother a new keyboard — and maybe soon a computer for himself.

But when KNXV asked him what he would say to the bank robber, Hunter's reply was blunt: "Get a job."

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Arizona Primaries Offer Some Serious Reasons For Conservative Hope

'Republican voters were not subtle.'

Video: MLB player ruptures his testicle mid-game — then shocks his manager with what he does next



Infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer may have broken a record against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday, but it came at the cost of breaking something else, too.

The Athletics player had just hit his first MLB home run, but his hot streak soon came to an end in the fifth inning in the worst way possible.

'I think he might be the only player in major league history.'

Kuroda-Grauer took a big swing and fouled a ball that, in most cases, would either land harmlessly near the batter's box or bounce off his foot or leg.

On this occasion the odds were not in the young player's favor when he smashed the foul ball right off his groin. First dropping to his knees, Kuroda-Grauer appeared to be in excruciating pain before eventually lying flat on the ground motionless for some time.

After about three and a half minutes, the 23-year-old somehow got to his feet and stepped back up to the plate — and, remarkably, smacked a single to right field.

Kuroda-Grauer was even able to come out and play defense in the bottom of the inning, but ESPN reported later in the evening that the player left the game in the sixth inning and was taken to the hospital for emergency surgery for a ruptured testicle.

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By continuing to play, and even get a hit, Kuroda-Grauer showed an insane amount of grit and determination that only an MLB manager can truly appreciate.

"I think he might be the only player in Major League history to, you know, fracture a testicle, stay in the game, get a hit, and not only that, play a half-inning of defense," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told a reporter on Tuesday. "It shows the fight that this kid has, desire to be on the field, and just the will and the want. It's pretty remarkable."

Taking time to consider the gruesome injury, Kotsay said it was indeed "bad timing."

Kuroda-Grauer, a New Jersey native, was just called up to the majors for the first time at the end of June. Monday's game was only his 16th in the big show, where he was batting a whopping .417 with 25 hits in 60 at-bats.

At the same time, the Athletics had been sticking around the middle of the pack in the American League, with their young stars seemingly starting to figure things out — that is, until a late-June collapse saw the team lose 14 out of 15 games. The team losing its hottest bat in Kuroda-Grauer simply adds even more insult to injury.

The A's did manage to beat the Diamondbacks on Monday, though, 5-2.

RELATED: Whitlock: MLB can’t spend 'Pride Month' mocking America and then wave a flag

Norm Hall/Getty Images

Kuroda-Grauer is recovering well, according to his manager, who said the infielder had to stay in hospital for a second night.

"He'll stay one more night in the hospital and then travel back to Sac," Kotsay said unironically, referring to Sacramento.

Shockingly, Kuroda-Grauer was only placed on the 10-day injured list following his surgery, meaning he could return to action in the first week of August.

"There's no real timeline for this," Kotsay added. "It's obviously a unique injury. [I'm] thankful that he's going to be fine and [this] doesn't impact his life."

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Huge brawl at In-N-Out Burger caught on video; customers are seen running for cover: 'Did they order it animal style?'



A huge brawl at an Arizona In-N-Out Burger was caught on video early last week, and customers are seen running for cover in the clip.

Tempe police told KSAZ-TV they were called to the fast-food restaurant near Rural Road and Playa del Norte Drive just after 7 p.m. Monday.

'Bunch of future doctors and lawyers.'

The station said people were seen screaming and running for the door as the melee commenced.

In the clip, numerous individuals are seen trading punches, wrestling, and tackling each other all over the restaurant, KSAZ said.

A person who uploaded video of the fight told the station customers were "camping out" inside the restaurant during an active monsoon storm.

But by the time police arrived at the scene, all those involved in the brawl had already taken off, KSAZ said, adding that some fled on foot while others departed in cars.

The station said what sparked the fight is unknown, and no names have been released in connection with the case.

Police did tell KSAZ that officers were able to speak with witnesses and restaurant staff, and a follow-up investigation is under way.

RELATED: Male, 55, accused of grabbing 15-year-old by neck, throwing him to floor of In-and-Out Burger — and it's all caught on video

Commenters who posted reactions under the KSAZ video report showing the brawl were disgusted by it:

  • "Bunch of future doctors and lawyers," one commenter wrote.
  • "Did they order it animal style?" another commenter quipped, referencing an In-N-Out Burger serving option.
  • "Stay in school, kids," another commenter suggested. "This is what happens when you drop out and become a loser. Becoming violent and then running away speaks volumes about your level of education."
  • "In my day we took it outside," another commenter recalled. "Not in front of women and children."

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Falling back, springing forward — but maybe not for much longer



After years of false starts, Congress is finally within reach of ending one of the most universally hated rituals in American life: changing the clocks twice a year.

The House Rules Committee voted 6-4 Monday to advance Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan's Sunshine Protection Act to the full House floor, teeing up a chamber-wide vote on making daylight saving time permanent nationwide.

'Ridiculous, twice-yearly production.'

States such as Hawaii and Arizona, which already skip the twice-yearly changeover, would keep their exemptions.

President Donald Trump has backed the bill, calling the current system a "ridiculous, twice-yearly production" and predicting that passing it would be a win for Republicans.

It's been a long time coming. Then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) first introduced the Sunshine Protection Act back in 2018 and kept pushing it nearly every Congress since — only for the House to kill it. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has since picked up the baton, with bipartisan co-sponsorship.

Not everyone in Congress is on board. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) tried to amend Buchanan's bill with language from her own rival measure, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, which would lock in standard time instead. The amendment was rejected before it reached the floor.

RELATED: California Republicans move to end daylight saving time — America’s dumbest tradition

Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images

Supporters argue the case is simple: More evening sunlight means more time to be outside, shop, exercise, and spend money at local businesses, rather than watching the sun set before dinner.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has framed it as giving states the freedom to stop asking Washington's permission every year to decide how they want to live. Polling has consistently shown a solid majority of Americans just want the switching to stop — most favoring the "more evening light" version Buchanan's bill delivers.

Critics have raised familiar objections about winter sunrise times — the same argument that sank the country's last attempt at permanent daylight saving time in the 1970s. But with six competing bills on the table and a Republican Congress that just moved one out of committee, Americans could be looking at their last "fall back" ever.

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Dem House Candidate Fundraises With Groups That Called To Defund Police While Saying She Doesn't Support Defunding Police

The presumptive Democratic nominee in Arizona's Sixth Congressional District, JoAnna Mendoza, is attempting to distance herself from her past comments calling to defund police. At the same time, she's holding fundraisers with far-left groups that have called to defund police, a Washington Free Beacon review found.

The post Dem House Candidate Fundraises With Groups That Called To Defund Police While Saying She Doesn't Support Defunding Police appeared first on .