Monday, January 12, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1883, the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks were completed, connecting Tucson to the East Coast via San Antonio.

We launch today's Top Stories with coverage of Pandora, the University of Arizona satellite that launched on Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.

Former Trump administration official Steve Bannon is laying the groundwork for a presidential run in 2028. How serious is he? Listen to Ayla Brown as she breaks down Bannon's not-so-quiet moves towards a run in 2028 in today's Flyover Podcast episode. Watch it here.

As AI reshapes the global economy beyond just chips, today's sponsor EnergyX is positioning itself at the center of the massive lithium demand powering the next wave of innovation.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

UA's Pandora Heads Into Space

Pandora, the University of Arizona's exoplanet-studying satellite, successfully launched on Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Equipped with a telescope with an 18-inch mirror and specialized sensors, Pandora will examine the atmospheres of at least 20 planets outside of our solar system.

The small satellite will analyze their chemical composition, clouds, hazes, and water. Its mission will also help with future studies of potentially habitable worlds.

You can watch the launch and track Pandora and the full Twilight mission here.

Bill Would Ban Weather Tampering

A Republican state lawmaker proposed legislation that would ban attempts to alter the weather or climate.

Senate Bill 1098 by state Sen. John Kavanagh would ban any effort to change temperature, sunlight, or rainfall, with violations carrying fines of up to $100,000.

The bill also targets chemtrails. Kavanagh said he's unsure they exist, but acted in response to constituent concerns about chemicals possibly being added to the air.

The proposal follows Pinal County's cloud seeding experiment this past summer, which was legal under current Arizona law.

Gaming Grandma Funds Cancer Treatment

An 81-year-old Phoenix Valley grandmother's videos of herself playing Minecraft are helping pay for her grandson's cancer treatments.

Sue Jacquot, who learned the video game from her grandkids, launched the channel GrammaCrackers, which has grown to over 100,000 subscribers in just a month.

The channel's advertising revenue is now helping cover medical bills for her 17-year-old grandson, Jack, who is recovering from aggressive cancer treatment.

The fundraiser had reached nearly $35,000 as of Sunday morning.

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Nvidia's Not the Only Winner of the AI Boom

The AI boom's demand for chips turned Nvidia into the most valuable company on the market. But chips won't be the only winner.

Keeping these AI processors running is creating substantial new demand for lithium. Google alone needs 100+ million lithium-ion cells to power its AI data centers.

With experts forecasting 5X lithium demand growth by 2040, it's no wonder 40,000+ investors backed EnergyX. Their patented tech can recover 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That's already earned investment from giants like General Motors and POSCO.

Now, they're moving toward commercial production. With 100,000+ acres of lithium deposits in Chile, that's a potential $1.1B in annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices.

Invest in this boom as an early-stage EnergyX shareholder today.*

➤ Cochise County: The state attorney general's office secured an $11 million settlement to fund groundwater access for residents near Willcox impacted by dairy company Riverview LLP's water use. (More)

➤ Statewide: Federal officials released a draft environmental impact statement outlining options for Colorado River water use as Arizona and other basin states remain deadlocked. (More)

➤ Navajo Nation: A magnitude 3.7 earthquake struck the area on Friday morning, with no reported damage or injuries. (More)

➤ Phoenix: Rescue crews airlifted an injured hiker from Camelback Mountain's Echo Canyon Trail on Saturday morning after she suffered a leg injury. (More)

➤ Sedona: Authorities temporarily closed the Soldier Pass trailhead on Saturday after a "disorderly subject" was reported on the trail. (More)

➤ Tucson: Jacobs Park will receive new playgrounds, upgraded sidewalks, and enhanced accessibility features. (Watch)

➤ No. 1 Arizona men's basketball moved to 16-0 with an 86-73 win over TCU on Saturday, while Arizona State edged Kansas State 87–84. (See Scores)

➤ The Arizona Diamondbacks traded outfielder Jake McCarthy to Colorado for right-handed pitching prospect Josh Grosz. (More)

➤ Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green is getting closer to a return from a hamstring injury that has limited him to two games this season. (More)

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➤ Taiwan Semiconductor secured 900 acres in a state land auction for nearly $200 million, marking the first phase of its NorthPark expansion near Phoenix. (More)

➤ SOLON Corp. completed Arizona's largest on-site solar system at Tucson Water's Central Avra Valley Storage and Recovery Project, projected to save $3.37 million over 28 years. (More)

➤ Prescott Valley began requiring new businesses to register and pay a one-time $60 fee to aid public safety and code compliance. (Details)

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Investors Can't Get Enough of This Precious Metal

The price of lithium recently hit its highest levels since late 2023.

No surprise with experts expecting demand to jump 30-40% next year and Google deploying 100+ million lithium-ion cells to help power their AI data centers.

Even less surprising? 40,000+ people joined General Motors as early-stage EnergyX investors to get a piece of this boom. Their patented tech recovers up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. It's more than the tech turning heads, though.

They're moving toward commercial production on 100,000+ acres of lithium-rich Chilean land, a potential $1.1B annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices. Next up? ~50,000 acres of deposits in Arkansas and Texas.

Become an early-stage EnergyX investor today.

Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. ("EnergyX") has engaged The Flyover to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX's ongoing Regulation A offering. The Flyover has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. The Flyover and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX.
This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX's offering materials. EnergyX's Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/.

➤ Registration opened for Pat's Run in Tempe, a 4.2-mile event honoring Pat Tillman, the former Arizona Cardinals player and Arizona State standout who died serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. (More)

➤ Gila County's Greenback Valley Ranch and Bruzzi Vineyard were named 2026 honorees of the Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame for their impact on local agriculture and community. (More)

➤ Folk group The Kingston Trio will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at Kingman's Beale Street Theater. (More)

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