(13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (14) You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. New King James VersionChange email Bible version
We like to think of ourselves as rising to the occasion when a time of great crisis arises. We all hope to emulate what the heroes of faith did. But as great as they were, Jesussays here, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” It is very easy to think of the sacrifice implied in “lay[ing] down one’s life” as dying for another in one moment of time. Though that may occasionally occur, the context shows this sacrifice within the framework of friendship. Friendship occurs over months and years, not just in one moment in time.
In true friendships, because we are eager to help, we willingly spend ourselves ungrudgingly, without tallying the cost. Friends open their hearts and minds to each other without secrecy, which one would not do for a mere acquaintance. True friends allow the other to see right in and know them as they really are. Friends share what they have learned. Finally, a friend trusts the one who believes in him, and risks that the other will never doubt his loyalty but look upon him with proven confidence.
Though the principle given by Christ is applicable to all friendships, He has one specific friendship as His primary focus: ours with Him, or more generally, ours with God. Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” That friend is Jesus of Nazareth, but He made it very clear that if we are His friends, we will show it in our obedience to His commands. But before we can obey, we must trust Him.
Take a moment to evaluate yourself. Are you as open and frank with Him as He is with us through His Word? Often our prayers are stiff and formal, not truly honest. Besides that, sometimes we become bored in His presence and soon have nothing to say to Him. Is it not true that we do not trust Him as fully as we should? That we are often quick to doubt Him? That we easily grow suspicious of Him? That we lose heart or fear that He has forgotten us? That He is not really trying or is unequal to the task of shepherding us into His Kingdom? Though He has neverfailed us, we are so quick to suspect and blame Him!
Justin Verlander pitched into the sixth inning and struck out six in his last career start, and daughter Genevieve surprised him during his final mound visit before escorting him into retirement.
What about the other three-time Cy Young winner who emerged as an ace for the Tigers? Max Scherzer plans to make a retirement decision after the season — and a start today for the Blue Jays.
The Red Sox have used left-handed pitchers more than any team since the 1988 Reds, presenting an interesting matchup for the Yankees in the Wild Card Series.
It’s the whole album with the instruments taken away — full vocal mixes, every song. Not rough takes; these are the finished, edited vocal stems, the same ones sitting inside the album you already know. You just get to hear them on their own.
If you’ve spent time with the original, I think you’ll hear things you missed. That was the whole reason I wanted to put it out.STREAM IT NOW
Some news I haven’t shared here yet: Music In Me has been submitted for the 69th Grammy Awards in the Best Alternative Jazz Album category. First-round voting runs October 12–22.
This record was made with a lot of people I admire — Keith Slattery and Rob Chiarelli, who produced it with me, plus Stokley, Anthony Hamilton, Keyon Harrold, Isaiah Sharkey, and Kev Choice.
Seeing it in that category feels right, and I’m proud of the work.
If you know someone who’d connect with the album, passing it along means a lot.
This week I introduced the VA Hiring Integrity Act of 2026to prohibit the Department of Veterans Affairs from hiring or retaining individuals who have knowingly committed fraud involving federal funds.
The legislation responds to a 2023 VA Inspector General report that identified four individuals on the Veterans Health Administration payroll who appeared on the HHS OIG exclusion list, including one convicted of health care fraud.
Under the bill, individuals would be barred from VA employment if they have been convicted of certain crimes involving federal funds, found civilly liable under the False Claims Act, or excluded from federal health care programs. The legislation also includes an internal grievance process to protect due process.
The VA should be a place veterans can trust. My legislation strengthens accountability, protects taxpayer dollars and helps ensure those entrusted with serving veterans meet a basic standard of integrity.
For years, California has used its senior water rights and political muscle to push Arizona and other Western states around. Now that there isn’t enough water to go around, California wants Arizona to keep taking the hit.
We have done our part. What we will not do is sit quietly while Washington protects California and tells Arizona to sacrifice even more.
Yuma is on the front lines. Its farmers help feed America, its communities depend on the Colorado River, and Arizona’s economy depends on having a reliable water supply.
I will fight like hell to protect it.
This is not about asking for special treatment. I t is about standing up to a system that too often leaves Arizona holding the bag. We need to protect Arizona’s existing water rights while aggressively developing new supplies through desalination, infrastructure, aquifer recharge and other projects.
California may have the bureaucrats in Washington on speed dial. Arizona has me—and I’m not backing down. 🚰
Gosar Sets the Record Straight: Cut Waste, Lower Taxes and No Socialism
There has been a lot of talk recently from the Socialists serving in Congress about so-called “free” government handouts. Let me set the record straight: there is no such thing as a “free” government handout. Every dollar Washington spends first comes from someone who earned it. The government doesn’t create free stuff—it takes money from taxpayers and then redistributes it with strings attached.
As your Congressman, I am taking a different approach. Instead of taking more of your money, I am working to let Americans keep more of what they earn, produce more energy and goods here at home, and bring down the cost of living.
The Socialist answer is always the same: spend more, tax more, waste more and grow the size of the government. But remember who ultimately pays the bill – YOU do. I’ll always stand on the side of the taxpayer.
Shocking Poll: Majority of Democrats Want President Trump Dead
A sickening new poll released this weekby Liberal Currents and the Center for Strategic Politics indicates that an overwhelming majority of Democrats want President Trump dead by any means necessary including dying in his sleep, assassination, or by military coup.
Disagreement should not turn into anger and hatred. We need to remember that you can fight hard for your principles without hating the people who disagree with you. Make the argument. Defend your beliefs. Hold people accountable.
Sadly, we are witnessing a deeply disturbing rise in political violence by hate-filled leftists—from attacks on police and ICE officers, to multiple thwarted attempts on President Trump’s life, threats against Supreme Court justices, and the assassination of my friend, Charlie Kirk. And somehow, it gets even more vile: this week, a Wisconsin brewery was reported to be offering “free beer all day long” on the day President Trump dies.
At a time when political violence should be condemned without qualification, celebrating the death of a president is beyond disgraceful.
You can disagree without demonizing your opponent, and there is never an excuse for threats or political violence. The vile rhetoric from the left and their willingness to approve of such violence as noted in this poll is truly a low point in our society.
District Highlights
It was another busy week in Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District, with stops throughout the district including in Yuma and Glendale highlighting our district’s role in strengthening America’s workforce, manufacturing base and national security.
In Yuma, I joined SBA Associate Administrator Lisa Shimkat at Arizona Western College to tour its manufacturing facilities and recognize a $5 million Manufacturing in America E2G grant. The funding will provide hands-on technical training and business assistance to small manufacturers and startups across Southwest Arizona, helping local businesses grow and create good-paying jobs.
Arizona is building the workforce, manufacturing capacity and technology that America needs to compete and lead—and I’m incredibly proud to represent the people making it happen.
The festival returns this weekend for its second year and has grown into a major West Valley attraction, featuring 13 acres of fall-themed activities including excavator experiences, a pumpkin maze, zip lines, apple cannons, live entertainment, food and more. Organizers expect tens of thousands of visitors and estimate the festival could generate as much as $5 million in economic activity for the local community.
It’s a great example of the family-friendly events and small-business opportunities that make the West Valley such a great place to live. If you’re looking for something to do, grab the family and check it out!🎡
Tweet of the Week:
Photo of the Week:
📸 Maxine Scott from Mesa, AZ shares this picture of a gorgeous sunrise over Superstition Mountain taken from her home. Incredible photo, Maxine. Keep sending them in!
Do you want the chance for your photograph to be featured as our “Photo of the Week?” If so, send your best shots along with a brief description to Anthony.foti@mail.house.gov. Remember to include your name and where you live.
⚠ Warning!! The Gosar Weekly Newsletter is meant for discerning readers with above-average intelligence. We link to interesting stories. We get stories a couple different ways: Google alerts, a third-party aggregator and sometimes readers send stuff. We don’t vouch for every publication or every author. If we link to a story, it is because of that story. The views expressed in any of the publications do not represent any promotion, endorsement or reflection of Congressman Gosar’s views. While we try our best, we cannot guarantee every news organization spouting hatred, animosity or divisiveness will be filtered from appearing in the Gosar Weekly Newsletter. We will endeavor to prevent that from happening by never linking to Fake News organizations including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Rolling Stone, the Arizona Republic, the Arizona Mirror, Media Matters or the New Republic. WEBSITE | UNSUBSCRIBE | CONTACT MEShare on Facebook | Share on TwitterWashington, DC Office 2057 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2315Goodyear 1300 S. Litchfield Road Suite 115-H Goodyear, AZ 85338 Phone: 623-707-0530
F1 fans react as George Russell claims Azerbaijan GP pole
“Plenty to talk about after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with George Russell claiming pole and his teammate’s session ending in a Q1 crash.
What did you make of qualifying in Baku? Join the discussion on TalkingPoints and have your say!”
Gosar Introduces VA Hiring Integrity Act to Keep Convicted Fraudsters Off VA Payroll
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to introducing H.R. 10556, the VA Hiring Integrity Act of 2026, legislation that would prohibit the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from hiring or retaining individuals who have knowingly committed fraud involving federal funds.
“Veterans who risked their lives to defend our country deserve to know that the people entrusted with their care and benefits can be trusted. It is unacceptable for someone who has committed fraud against the federal government to turn around and collect a federal paycheck—especially from the very department responsible for serving our veterans.
The need for stronger hiring protections is clear. A 2023 VA OIG report found four individuals on the Veterans Health Administration payroll who appeared on the HHS OIG exclusion list, including one convicted of health care fraud. The VA removed them only after the OIG identified the problem. As the VA itself recognizes, fraud, waste and abuse undermine the integrity of the agency and erode the trust veterans place in it.
My legislation gives the VA a common-sense tool to remove bad actors and protect veterans and taxpayers. There should be no such thing as a federal job for someone who has defrauded the federal government. We need to put veterans first, protect taxpayer dollars and make sure the VA has the authority it needs to deal with fraud and abuse,” stated Congressman Gosar.
“Veterans have tremendous potential to continue serving and strengthening their communities long after they leave the military, and they deserve a VA that helps them do just that,” added Michael Nudo, Federal Legislative Liaison for Concerned Veterans for America. “The VA Hiring Integrity Act is a commonsense safeguard that helps ensure bad actors don’t undermine the care and support veterans need to thrive and continue contributing to our country.”
Background:
Under the VA Hiring Integrity Act, an individual would be prohibited from employment at the VA if their conduct resulted in:
A criminal conviction for fraud, theft, bribery, kickbacks, false statements, conspiracy to commit such offenses, or similar crimes involving federal funds;
A final civil judgment establishing liability under the False Claims Act; or
Exclusion from federal health care programs as listed by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The bill also preserves due process protections. The VA would be required to establish an internal grievance process for health care employees subject to the legislation, ensuring the law is applied based on documented conduct and cannot be weaponized for political purposes by changing administrations.
Original Cosponsors (34): Alford, Baird, Bean, Bergman, Biggs (SC), Bilirakis, Bost, Brecheen, Burchett, Carter (GA), Cloud, Davidson, Edwards, Fine, Finstad, Fry, Harrigan, Lawler, Luttrell, Mann, McDowell, McGuire, Messmer, Miller (OH), Moore (NC), Murphy (NC), Norman, Obernolte, Rose, Self, Sessions, Van Duyne, Van Orden, Wittman
Group Support: Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS, Concerned Veterans for America (CV4A), Military Order of the Purple Heart, Military-Veterans Advocacy (MVA), National Defense Committee, Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS), Vietnam Veterans of America
The weekend is here, and we have gathered what is going on around San Tan Valley so it is all in one place.
Maybe you are looking for something to do with the family, catching up on local news, finding a business close to home, or just keeping up with your neighbors. You will find it all below.
Take a look, make some plans, shop local when you can – and have a great weekend, Pahovis ! 😊
Did You Know?
A lot of local stories start with a neighbor. If something is happening in the San Tan Valley area, like a new business, a local achievement or an event worth covering, you can tell us about it on our Share Your News page. It comes straight to us.
Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple told a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Sept. 23 that the newest AI-powered camera networks can violate people’s Fourth Amendment rights, and he asked Congress to write…
The Town of San Tan Valley’s new Planning and Zoning Commission picked its first chair and vice chair on Aug. 24, then spent the rest of the meeting on two cases it has no power to vote on.
Love a local business?Forward this email so they get listed too.
Proud Community Partners
🤣Friday Funnies🤣
Do you have a great Dad joke? 🤣
➡️ Reply back and your joke just might be featured next wek!
Proud Community Partners
Looking for things to do in the upcoming week? Here are a few highlights from our events calendar. Don’t forget to check out the full events calendar at https://santanvalley.com/events to make sure you’re not missing out on anything.😀
The Cubs, White Sox, Guardians and Padres all clinched, meaning there are just two spots left — one in each league — before the 12-team October field is finalized.
With two AL divisions still to be decided, two playoff spots up for grabs and an unsettled NL Wild Card picture, the final three games of the season will be fun and frenzied.
The Red Sox welcome the Cubs to Fenway Park for Game 1 of a doubleheader at 1 p.m. ET before Pete Alonso and the Orioles take on Ben Rice and the Yankees in Game 2 of a doubleheader at 7 ET (or Braves vs. Marlins). Then, catch the D-backs vs. Padres following the final out of Orioles vs. Yankees (or Astros vs. A’s).
Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games. Today’s edition is brought to you by David Adler. We have a poll for you, everything on the line this weekend, Verlander’s sendoff and more.
Looking at the 2026 playoff teams, you might notice something: Three of them have never won a World Series.
That’d be the Brewers, Rays and Padres, who are three of the five teams that have never won it all. (To the other two, the Rockies and Mariners: There’s always next year.)
So will we see a first-time World Series champion this year? Milwaukee, Tampa Bay and San Diego each have a pretty strong case why they can win. Let’s take a look — and we also want to get your vote on this in a sec.
Brewers
The Brewers are headed to their eighth postseason in the last nine years. They’re the best team in baseball this season, they just reached 100 wins for the first time, and they have the most overpowering pitcher on the planet in Jacob Misiorowski. This might be their best chance yet.
The Rays are the No. 1 seed in the American League. They were the best team in a loaded AL East division — the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox aren’t just playoff teams, they have the three best records in the AL. They have an MVP contender in Junior Caminero, a unique sparkplug in Chandler Simpson and great pitching depth. They’re a well-rounded team that can win in a lot of different ways.
The Padres will have to play their way through the Wild Card Series to reach the Fall Classic. That’s what happens when you’re in the same division as the back-to-back reigning champs. But San Diego is loaded with stars — Fernando Tatis Jr. has been a monster down the stretch — and is rolling into its third straight postseason run. Maybe most important for playoff baseball: This team has a lights-out bullpen. Mason Miller is the most dominant reliever in the game, and he’s just the start.
Which team is the MOST likely to win its first World Series this year?BREWERSRAYSPADRES
We’ll get back to you with the results on Monday.
EVERYTHING AT STAKE IN FINAL WEEKEND
We had four clinches yesterday — the White Sox, Cubs, Guardians and Padres — which means that 10 of the 12 postseason spots are locked up. But that still leaves two up for grabs in the final weekend of the season — and there are also still division titles to be won.
Here are the three biggest questions for the playoff picture that will be answered this weekend:
1) Who will win the AL West?
Of the two division races to be decided, this one has the highest stakes, because the loser goes home. The Astros and Rangers are tied for first place in the West at 79-80. Only one of them can make the playoffs. The Astros have the leg up because they hold the tiebreaker over Texas. The Rangers will have to win one more game than Houston this weekend.
2) Who will win the AL Central?
The Guardians are a game up on the White Sox entering the weekend, but Chicago holds the tiebreaker. Both teams have already clinched playoff spots — the second-place division finisher will slot into an AL Wild Card spot — but there’s a pretty big bonus for winning the division. The Central winner will be the No. 2 seed in the AL and get a bye into the Division Series.
3) Can the D-backs pull off the crazy comeback and take the last NL Wild Card?
It looked like the Padres, Cubs and Phillies were locks for the three NL Wild Card spots. But the Phils’ late-season slump has opened the door for a suddenly red-hot D-backs team. Arizona has won five in a row and is now only two games behind Philadelphia entering the final weekend. The Phillies control their own destiny, but the pressure’s on.
Besides those playoff races, there are also statistical races to be decided this weekend. See all the details here >>
BIGGEST SERIES OF THE WEEKEND
There’s going to be plenty of drama this weekend — and even the weather is getting involved, with teams moving games around to deal with the nor’easter that’s hitting the East Coast.
These are the two series that will decide the AL West. With the division tied, both the Astros and Rangers will send their aces to the mound tonight: Hunter Brown for Houston, Jacob deGrom for Texas. Again, the Astros have the tiebreaker cushion for the division, so the Rangers need to out-win them this weekend to make the playoffs.
To leapfrog the Phillies at the 11th hour, the D-backs have to go through a division rival and playoff team in the Padres. The Padres have stakes of their own — they’re a game up on the Cubs and two up on the Phils for the top NL Wild Card spot, which would earn them home-field advantage in the Wild Card Series. See our full preview of this series here >>
Even with the D-backs looming, the Phillies are still two games up for the last Wild Card with three to play. They can even clinch a postseason berth tonight with a win and an Arizona loss. And for tonight’s all-important series opener, Philadelphia gives ace Cristopher Sánchez the ball. The AL-best Rays are a tough last opponent, but they’re also already locked into the No. 1 seed entering this series, so they’re not playing to clinch anything.
We’re not sure yet, but this weekend also might be the sendoff for both Verlander and Scherzer.
Scherzer — Verlander’s former teammate with the Tigers, fellow three-time Cy Young winner, fellow 3,000-strikeout club member and fellow likely Hall of Famer — is expected to provide some clarity on his future in the next day or two. But it’s certainly possible that this will be the final season of Mad Max’s equally legendary career, too.
Scherzer could return on short rest to make one last start on Sunday in the Blue Jays’ season finale. If he does, we’ll certainly be watching — especially because there could be a battle for placement on the all-time strikeout leaderboard brewing.
Verlander enters the weekend with 3,554 K’s. Scherzer is right behind him with 3,550. Verlander is eighth all-time. Scherzer is ninth. The race could be on, one last time.
Every fifth day, the baseball world hyped up “José Day.” There was a palpable buzz in the Marlins’ home ballpark in Little Havana, which became the place to be in the South Florida sports scene.
From the moment Fernández debuted at 20 years and 250 days old, everyone knew he was something special.
It was his childlike exuberance matched with an equally competitive nature, the rare combination of joie de vivre and a masterclass in pitching. His infectious smile and big personality drew baseball diehards and casuals alike.
Fernández, who fled Cuba on a boat with his mother as a child, experienced true hardship that made the pressure of Major League Baseball seem easy compared to real life. He was the American Dream personified.
“He was a ball of energy,” former teammate and Marlins.TV broadcaster AJ Ramos said. “Whenever he was in the clubhouse, you knew it. Whenever he was pitching, you knew it. I think that’s why he brought a lot of people to the stadium.”
The White Sox slugger was the star of the postgame party after Chicago punched its ticket to the playoffs yesterday following three straight 100-loss seasons.
