Good morning, Maricopa.

Ryan Lawrence and Thomas Giddings launched Suncliffe gin using Arizona-grown juniper berries and local ingredients to create a drink—one that welcomes everyone while challenging the traditional, exclusive image of gin.

They later joined with Clare Byrne to expand the brand with a bitter liqueur and donate portions of sales to causes like Phoenix Pride and a Navajo water project, and they now supply bars and stores across Phoenix.

Photographer Andrew McCarthy and skydiver Gabe Brown set up a jump in southern Arizona to capture a unique image of Brown’s silhouette falling before the sun — they used a special telescope and precise calculations to get the perfect angle, achieving the shot on the first jump after several positioning adjustments. The viral photo, titled 'The Fall of Icarus,' has earned praise from photographers around the world.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is offering three new specialty license plates that donate $17 of each $25 sale to the Phoenix Mercury Foundation, ovarian cancer education programs, or sustainable vineyard practices—buyers can also personalize their plates for an extra $25 per year from 109 available options.

Dr. Anthony Pickett of Phoenix Children’s Hospital said that with the holiday season underway, respiratory illnesses like the flu, COVID-19 and RSV are rising and parents should watch for symptoms such as fever, cough and breathing difficulties in children.

He advised keeping sick children at home with over-the-counter medicine and rest, and to call a doctor if symptoms do not improve in 5-7 days.