Programs help students build skills, explore careers, and prepare for the future PHOENIX — Across Southwest Gas’ service territory in Arizona, the company and the Southwest Gas Foundation are partnering with schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations to support students through essential resources, hands-on learning, safety education, mentorship, scholarships, and career training. “Our employees live and work in the communities we serve, so supporting local schools and programs is personal to us,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO of Southwest Gas. “By working alongside trusted partners, we can help students feel better prepared, explore their interests, and see greater possibilities for their future.” Programs and partnerships across Southwest Gas’ service territory in Arizona include: · Arizona Educational Foundation’s (AEF) teachSTEM Program Since 2024, the Southwest Gas Foundation has supported the AEF’s teachSTEM program. The program provides educators with hands-on STEM training, resources, and mentorship, while inspiring students to explore and pursue STEM careers. The program has reached more than 5,000 students, 78% of whom attend Title I schools. · Energy Safe Kids with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) For nearly 30 years, Southwest Gas has partnered with the NEF to promote energy education and safety awareness in schools. Through the Energy Safe Kids program, elementary and middle school teachers receive curriculum that helps students recognize and respond to a suspected natural gas leak, identify natural gas appliances and pipeline markers, and understand the importance of calling 811 before digging. Last year, 130 schools throughout Southwest Gas’ service territory used the program. · Girls in STEM at the Arizona Science Center The Southwest Gas Foundation has supported the Arizona Science Center’s Girls in STEM program since 2021. This initiative introduces girls in grades 4-8 to science and engineering through hands-on activities and mentorship. These experiences help students explore STEM concepts and envision careers in the field. · Natural Gas Program at Estrella Mountain Community College Southwest Gas partners with Estrella Mountain Community College on a hands-on Natural Gas Program that introduces students to careers in the utility and construction industries. Courses taught by current Southwest Gas employees provide experience with tools and safety practices used in the field. · Share the Spirit Shoes for Kids With the support of a $5,000 contribution from the Southwest Gas Foundation, Southwest Gas employees partnered with the Share the Spirit Foundation to provide 90 students from Title I schools with new shoes and socks during the Shoes for Kids event on August 28. As part of the Company’s volunteer program BLUE (Building Lives Up Everywhere), Southwest Gas employees served as personal shoppers, helping the students select new shoes that fit comfortably and help boost their confidence as they begin the school year. · Summer Internship Program Southwest Gas offers a paid Summer Internship Program for currently enrolled college and university students across the U.S. The 10-week program offers hands-on experience and professional development opportunities across a variety of business functions. Applications are open from January through April, with the program starting in June. Last year, more than 2,900 students from across the country applied for the internship program. Together, these collaborative efforts help open doors for opportunity and reflect Southwest Gas’ long-standing commitment to enriching lives and strengthening communities. For more information about Southwest Gas and its community partnerships, visit www.swgas.com/community. About Southwest Gas Southwest Gas Corporation is a dynamic energy company committed to exceeding the expectations of our over two million customers throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada by providing safe, reliable, and affordable service while pursuing innovative sustainable energy solutions to fuel the growth in its communities. For more information about how Southwest Gas is supporting a sustainable energy future, please visit www.swgas.com. About The Southwest Gas Foundation The Southwest Gas Foundation has spent six decades partnering with 501(c)(3) organizations to open doors of opportunities, provide support in times of need, and create a legacy of impact that benefits generations to come. Funded by shareholders, the Foundation is committed to enriching lives and strengthening communities. For more information, please visit www.swgas.com/community.

August 20, 2026 (Amado, Arizona)— A new festival celebrating the awe-inspiring dark skies of the Southwest United States is coming to Green Valley, Arizona thanks to a new partnership between Green Valley Recreation and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Southwest Skies, which will run from October 1-3, 2026, at facilities from Green Valley to Amado, is designed to spotlight not only astronomical research and the Southwest’s clear, dark skies but also the community that makes it possible. “At the Whipple Observatory, we believe that the sky is for everyone, and launching Southwest Skies is just one of the many ways we are working to make the sky, and science, more accessible to our local and global communities,” said Gabrelle Saurage, Site Director, Whipple Observatory, who will provide the keynote presentation on the final evening of the festival. “We also recognize that this festival is so much more than a celebration of the night sky. It’s also opening our local community to guests from around the globe to appreciate what we all get to experience every day and night living here.” Thanks to a new partnership with Green Valley Recreation, the festival will be entirely free for both attendees and exhibitors, allowing the community and its visitors to come together for three days of wonder in learning about the night sky and how we all interact with and protect it. "There's something magical about looking up at the night sky. It reminds us that no matter our background or experience, we're all connected by a shared sense of wonder,” said Nick McLain, Events and Entertainment Manager, Green Valley Recreation. “Through our partnership with Whipple Observatory, Southwest Skies brings our community together to explore, learn, and create unforgettable memories under some of the darkest skies in the country. That's what Green Valley Recreation is all about—bringing people together through experiences that inspire." The festival will feature exhibits, science lectures, community events, star parties, a pop-up art show, and a community forum with Tucson and Pima County on the Outdoor Lighting Code revisions currently under consideration. The event isn’t just for astronomy and dark skies organizations. It’s for the entire community, and local businesses in Southern Arizona are encouraged to participate by hosting themed events throughout the festival. "The Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center is proud to support Southwest Skies and welcome visitors from across Arizona and beyond to experience one of our region's greatest natural treasures, our extraordinary dark skies,” said Randy Graf, President & CEO of the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce. “This exciting new festival not only celebrates science, education, art, and discovery, but also creates meaningful opportunities for local businesses, restaurants, hotels, and community organizations to engage with residents and visitors alike. Events like Southwest Skies showcase the unique character of Green Valley and Sahuarita while generating economic activity and fostering community pride. We encourage businesses throughout the area to participate and help make this a truly community-wide celebration." “As part of the Smithsonian Institution, we are always looking for new ways to work with and for our community to help make it a better place to live, work, and play, and hosting Southwest Skies here gives us the opportunity to highlight not only our counterparts throughout the Southwest, but also the local businesses, organizations, and people that make Southern Arizona unique and special,” said Amy C. Oliver, FRAS, head of education and public outreach at Whipple Observatory, and the lead organizer of this year’s festival. “As the Smithsonian in your backyard, we’re looking forward to opening our doors again this Fall with new services and opportunities around every corner, starting with Southwest Skies.” Whipple Observatory opens to the public with expanded hours on Saturdays beginning September 25, 2026. Tickets for Up Close with VERITAS walking tours and small group private tours of the upper observatory are available now at VisitWhipple.cfa.harvard.edu.  Visit https://southwestskies.cfa.harvard.edu/ for the current and growing list of programs and exhibitors, and information on how you can take part as a community organization, speaker, or artist. Events at Southwest Skies Take the Public to the Edge of Darkness and Beyond The current program for Southwest Skies includes (but is continuing to grow): Thursday, October 1, 2026 Green Valley Rec Center West, 1111 GVR Dr., Green Valley, AZ 85614 Exhibits, activities, food trucks, music, and solar telescopes, 5:00pm-9:00pm Visions of a Southwest Sky pop-uppop up juried art show, 5:00pm-9:00pm Artists can learn more and submit artwork at: southwestskies.cfa.harvard.edu/art-show Prizes include a Plein Air studio session behind the private gates at Whipple Observatory and a private tour of the Hartmann Art Gallery at the Planetary Science Institute Community Performance & Arts Center, 1250 W Continental Rd, Green Valley, AZ 85622 Light Speed Lectures, 6:00pm-7:30pm Tickets free but strongly suggested. Visit CPAC online to secure your tickets. Star party with Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, 7:30pm-9:00pm Friday, October 2, 2026 Whipple Observatory, 670 Mt. Hopkins Rd., Amado, Arizona 85645 Open house visits to the lower observatory, 10:00am-3:00pm Hands-on activities, solar telescopes, and demonstrations, 11:00am-2:00pm Up Close with VERITAS walking tours, 8:30am and 10:00am Santa Rita Springs, 921 W Via Rio Fuerte, Green Valley, AZ 85614 “Protecting Our Dark Skies” presentation with Dark Sky Defenders, 6:00pm-7:00pm Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code Open Q&A and Community Forum with Tucson and Pima County staff and members of the Outdoor Lighting Code Committee, 7:00pm-8:30pm Telescopes and constellation tour with Apache Point Observatory and Whipple Observatory, 7:30pm-9:00pm Arizona Family Restaurant, 80 W Esperanza Blvd, Green Valley, AZ 85614 Space Trivia, 6:00pm Saturday, October 3, 2026 Whipple Observatory, 670 Mt. Hopkins Rd., Amado, Arizona 85645 Open house visits to the lower observatory, 10:00am-3:00pm Hands-on activities, solar telescopes, and demonstrations, 11:00am-2:00pm Up Close with VERITAS walking tours, 8:30am and 10:00am Santa Rita Springs, 921 W Via Rio Fuerte, Green Valley, AZ 85614 Keynote presentation: Gabrelle Saurage, Site Director, Whipple Observatory, 6:30pm-7:30pm Star Party with Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, Apache Point Observatory, and friends, 7:30pm-9:00pm

RTA, City of Tucson celebrate launch of 2026 RTA Plan and Irvington Road repaving project