Feeding America is marking National Agriculture Day by recognizing farmers, ranchers, and producers as key partners in the fight against hunger.

In a March 24 press release, the organization said the agricultural community plays a vital role in helping food banks and pantries deliver fresh, nutritious food to families across the country. Feeding America noted that produce, dairy, and protein are among the most requested foods by neighbors facing hunger and make up half of all food distributed through its network.

The organization said that in 2025, its network worked with growers to rescue 971 million pounds of fresh produce, helping redirect surplus food to communities in need. Feeding America also pointed to federal nutrition and farm support programs, saying government purchases from U.S. growers provide more than 20% of the food distributed through its network.

Ami McReynolds, Feeding America’s chief advocacy and community partnerships officer, said supporting farmers is directly connected to helping families access healthy meals. The organization is also urging Congress to support additional farm aid and a Farm Bill that strengthens nutrition programs.

Feeding America said a recent poll found that 95% of voters view hunger as a nonpartisan issue, reinforcing support for collaborative solutions between agriculture, food banks, and policymakers.

Related Links

• Feeding America
• Feeding America Advocacy
• Feeding America Action
• National Agriculture Day

Source Links

• Original press release via PR Newswire
• About Feeding America

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First Job Confessional

McDonald’s is putting first jobs in the spotlight with a new campaign that asks fans to share the real-world skills they gained early in their working lives. Launched on National Employee Appreciation Day, the brand’s First Job Confessional invites people to reflect on how those first roles helped shape their careers — and, in some cases, earn a free meal in the process.

The campaign is built around a simple idea: first jobs often teach lasting skills that deserve more recognition. Whether someone learned problem-solving while babysitting, communication during a lunch rush, or teamwork behind a counter, McDonald’s is framing those experiences as valuable career foundations. The company says those are the same kinds of skills employers continue to prioritize as workplace demands evolve.

How the First Job Confessional Works

In select cities, McDonald’s is setting up confessional booths designed to look like ordering kiosks. But instead of placing a meal order, participants can record a story about their first job and the skills they picked up along the way. Those who take part in person will have the opportunity to receive a $15 McDonald’s gift card, while supplies last.

Fans who cannot attend in person can still join online by posting their stories using #FirstJobConfessional. McDonald’s says selected videos may also be featured on its YouTube channel, extending the campaign beyond the live events.

External Related Links

• McDonald’s corporate article: McDonald’s is Asking Fans to Get Real About Their First Job Skills in Exchange for Free Meals
• McDonald’s 1 in 8: First Job Confessional
• McDonald’s 1 in 8 home page
• Marketing Dive coverage of the campaign
• Parade coverage of the First Job Confessional tour

Source Links

• Original PRNewswire press release from McDonald’s USA, LLC
• McDonald’s official corporate story
• McDonald’s 1 in 8 First Job Confessional page
• McDonald’s 1 in 8 official website

The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

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Last Updated on March 25, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the United States, yet its skyline doesn’t resemble other major metros like Los Angeles, Chicago, or Dallas. Despite rapid population and economic growth, downtown Phoenix has long lacked supertall skyscrapers — and until recently, didn’t even have a building tall enough to qualify as a true “skyscraper” under standard definitions.  

The Basics: Phoenix’s Height Reality

The tallest structure in Phoenix for decades has been Chase Tower, rising to about 483 feet. Under the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat definition, a skyscraper reaches at least 492 feet — which means Phoenix has technically lacked one — despite its size and population.  

A new project, the Astra Tower, is planned to rise around 540+ feet when it breaks ground, potentially giving Phoenix its first true skyscraper.  

Airport Proximity: The FAA’s Height Grid

FAA Obstacle Evaluation & Downtown Limits

Phoenix’s skyline constraints are rooted in aviation safety.

📍 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport sits just a few miles from downtown.

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates building heights near airports so they don’t obstruct flight paths, require planes to alter approaches, or interfere with climb-out safety.
• In Phoenix, this results in a layered set of height limits that vary by location and elevation above sea level — often measured in feet above mean sea level (MSL) rather than simply building height from ground.  

The city’s zoning code divides downtown into multiple contour zones with distinct maximum elevation values (e.g., 1,275 ft, 1,525 ft, 1,700 ft MSL), each tied to how close it sits under airport flight paths.  

That means in some blocks you can’t build above a specific elevation even if ground levels are lower — a regulatory “roof” that varies across downtown.

City zoning also explicitly states that no building can exceed the FAA’s airport height limits, even if other bonuses or zoning allowances exist.  

Phoenix vs. Los Angeles: A Quick Comparison

Los Angeles: Higher Limits, Different Constraints

Cities like Los Angeles also have nearby airports (e.g., Los Angeles International Airport), but their key business districts aren’t directly under major flight corridors.

LA’s downtown has:

• Taller office and residential towers
• A financial core with dense development
• Fewer FAA-driven overlays because the flight paths stretch past the downtown edge

Los Angeles’s tallest buildings — including Wilshire Grand Center (~1,100 ft) and U.S. Bank Tower (~1,018 ft) — were built where FAA restrictions don’t force low ceilings. FAA evaluations were conducted but didn’t cut as deeply into downtown zoning compared to Phoenix.

Phoenix, by contrast, sits right under approach and departure corridors — leading to consistent FAA involvement in almost every proposed mid- or high-rise downtown.

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Economic and Planning Philosophies

Beyond FAA rules:

• Phoenix developed in the automobile era, with vast inexpensive land encouraging horizontal growth.  
• Los Angeles grew earlier with heavier investment in centralized neighborhoods and higher density.
• Phoenix’s village plan long encouraged multiple smaller hubs instead of concentrating all growth in one downtown core.  

These historical differences mean Phoenix didn’t have the same economic “pressure” to build up — even with zoning that allows significant height if FAA permits are met.

What This Means for Phoenix’s Future

Phoenix still has room to grow vertically — but:

• FAA height contours will remain the ceiling unless flight paths change
• Developers must secure determinations of no hazard from the FAA before going taller
• New projects like Astra show demand for taller buildings is rising

As Phoenix’s urban core densifies and land becomes scarcer, its skyline may yet reach higher — but always within the invisible grid drawn by aviation safety.

Related External Links

• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Official Website
• FAA Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA)
• City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department
• Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)
• Los Angeles World Airports (LAX Authority)
• Phoenix Skyscraper Database & Diagrams
• Los Angeles Skyscraper Database & Diagrams

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