Latinos working frontline jobs powered U.S. economy during peak of pandemic, report says

by Martin Dolan
  • Slug: BC-CNS Latino GDP,715 words.
  • 1 photo and caption below.

By Kristen Apolline Castillo
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES – Latinos played a crucial role in keeping the U.S. economy humming during the peak of the pandemic, a new report says.

As state and city governments mandated COVID-19 related shutdowns across the country, both Latino and non-Latino workforces saw declines, but as time went on, the Latino force bounced back faster.

As a group, Latinos contributed $2.8 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2020 – more than the gross domestic products of the United Kingdom, India or France, according to a Sept. 29 report from the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at California Lutheran University. Continue reading “Latinos working frontline jobs powered U.S. economy during peak of pandemic, report says”

Fact-check: Republican Arizona secretary of state candidate aims to end mail-in voting option for millions

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS: Fact-check Mail-in Voting. 905 words.
  • Politifact meter available for download below, and additional Politifact logos are available here.
  • EDS: This is a partner story with Politifact. If you opt to pick it up, please credit appropriately and include all pieces, including the sources at the bottom of this file.

By Renee Romo
Politifact

If your time is short

  • Arizona Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem backs absentee voting only for people who physically can’t make it to the polls.
  • He introduced a bill, which ultimately did not pass, that would allow voting by mail only in a few circumstances.
  • The bill would have eliminated an early and mail-in voting option that does not require any excuse that is used by millions of voters.

Adrian Fontes stated on September 22, 2022 in a debate: Mark Finchem “wants to strip Arizona’s citizens of their capacity to vote by mail.”

Continue reading “Fact-check: Republican Arizona secretary of state candidate aims to end mail-in voting option for millions”

In the rise and fall of Arizona junior college football, the long fight continues

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Arizona Junior College Football, 2558 words.
  • 6 photos available

Gannon Hanevold
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Hours before the final game of the 2017 season, Phoenix College football coach Robin Pflugrad made lunch for his team. The Bears were preparing to host the 8-1 Snow College Badgers, the second best team in the conference.

For lunch, they ate Uncrustables.

Pflugrad and his coaching staff bought the frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in bulk from Costco, and every coach brought a toaster from home to make sure they could efficiently thaw the sandwiches and feed every single player. Continue reading “In the rise and fall of Arizona junior college football, the long fight continues”

Bolsos veganos hechos de piña, cactus y corcho podrían ayudar a salvar el planeta

by Adnan Alam
  • Nombre: BC-CNS-Bolsos Veganos, 750 palabras.
  • 5 fotos disponibles.

Por Fernanda Galán Martínez
Cronkite Noticias

LOS ÁNGELES – Las piñas ya no solo se utilizan para hacer piñas coladas.

A medida que la moda busca ser más sustentable, los diseñadores están probando materiales inusuales, como la piña, el cactus y el corcho, para crear bolsos y otras prendas tradicionalmente hechas de vinilo o cuero.

En lugar de confiar en las telas sintéticas a base de petróleo que dominan la moda, Remington Reble y otros diseñadores utilizan textiles veganos destinados a ayudar a sanar el medio ambiente.

Continue reading “Bolsos veganos hechos de piña, cactus y corcho podrían ayudar a salvar el planeta”

Tempe plans to reopen long dormant water reclamation plant amid grinding drought

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS Tempe Water Reclamation, 570 words.
  • 1 photo and caption below.
  • Audio story here, credit Athena Ankrah/Cronkite News)

By Cole Januszewski
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Kyrene Water Reclamation Facility, built in the late 1980s and closed by budget cuts in 2010, is being brought back online as a part of Tempe’s response to the ongoing drought. The plant will collect and recycle wastewater, used mainly to recharge aquifers beneath the city. Continue reading “Tempe plans to reopen long dormant water reclamation plant amid grinding drought”

Former Phoenix police official explains secrecy around union contract negotiations

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS News21 Police Contracts, 545 words.
  • 1 photo and caption below.
  • 1 audio story here, credit Nathan Collins.

By Nathan Collins
News21

PHOENIX – Activists across the country say police labor unions can play an outsized role in determining – and sometimes thwarting – police reform proposals.

Critics say one of the biggest problems is the lack of transparency during contract negotiations between unions and the cities the officers serve. Continue reading “Former Phoenix police official explains secrecy around union contract negotiations”

Cronkite News Digest for Wednesday, Oct. 5

by Paola Boivin

Here is your Cronkite News lineup for Wednesday, Oct. 5. If you have questions on news stories from the Phoenix bureau, please contact Managing Editor for Digital Julia Thompson at 602-543-4610 or julia.thompson.1@asu.edu, while estions about stories from our Washington bureau should go to Steve Crane at 202-684-2398 or steve.crane@asu.edu. Sports story questions can be directed to Paola Boivin at paola.boivin@asu.edu. Clients who want to use Cronkite videos can find clean versions, and scripts, for download in a Dropbox – if interested, contact Managing Editor for Broadcast/Executive Producer Heather Dunn at 602-430-8764 or at  hdunn4@asu.edu for access. Stories promised for today, along with photos and links to multimedia elements, will post to our client site at cronkitenews.jmc.asu.edu/clients. Continue reading “Cronkite News Digest for Wednesday, Oct. 5”

ASU president lauds interim football coach despite USC loss – but he won’t halt search

by Martin Dolan
  • Slug: Sports-Crow ASU Football,550 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Shayan Moghangard
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES – Arizona State University President Michael Crow praised interim head coach Shaun Aguano and the Sun Devils football team despite Saturday’s loss to USC, but said the search for a permanent coach will continue.

“I was very excited about the game,” Crow said Tuesday in a visit to the ASU California Center in Los Angeles. “I thought coach Aguano did a fantastic job.“

But despite his praise, Crow gave no indication he will cut short the search for a permanent head coach to replace Herm Edwards, who resigned last month after an upset loss to Eastern Michigan University.

“We are still a ways from that,” Crow said in response to speculation on who the next head coach will be. Continue reading “ASU president lauds interim football coach despite USC loss – but he won’t halt search”

Sky Harbor to build taxiway overpass with federal funds to support growing air traffic

by Martin Dolan
  • Slug: BC-CNS Sky Harbor Improvement, 600 words.
  • 5 photos and captions below.
  • 1 audio story below, credit Yoori Han/Cronkite News.

By Shane Brennan
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Sky Harbor International Airport is planning upgrades to its runway space with a new taxiway overpass backed by federal funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law enacted last year.

The project is funded in part through the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Joe Biden signed in November, which will allocate $194 million to these improvements at Sky Harbor, one of the busiest airports in the country. Continue reading “Sky Harbor to build taxiway overpass with federal funds to support growing air traffic”

ASU men’s basketball players secure another free ride through new NIL deal

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-ASU NIL, 1,339 words.
  • 2 photos available

Derrian Carter
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Arizona State’s 600-acre campus in Tempe is home to more than 50,000 students, which creates traffic congestion that can be overwhelming. As a result, on-campus parking is at a premium.

To expedite his travels, incoming men’s basketball guard Desmond Cambridge weighed purchasing a bike or scooter before the fall semester. About the same time – to his surprise – State Bicycle Co. reached out about collaborating with him and his teammates, his brother Devan Cambridge and Warren Washington. The genuine interest from both sides sparked a name, image and likeness (NIL) partnership.

“It’s always been fun to watch them perform, and they entertain us, so I think they should be compensated, especially if they can help your business as well,” said Reza Farsi, COO and co-founder of State Bicycle. Continue reading “ASU men’s basketball players secure another free ride through new NIL deal”

As Arizona recovers from pandemic, Black entrepreneurs still face challenges

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS Black Entrepreneurs, 975 words.
  • 1 video here, credit Annie Lavino/Cronkite News.
  • 1 graphic here.
  • 5 photos and captions below.

By Scianna Garcia
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Fernanda Sayles found her love for baking at age 10, when she started making banana pudding for her family in south Phoenix.

At the time, Sayles never would have imagined she’d someday own a successful business selling desserts in Mason jars.

Her success didn’t come easy though, as she began FernDiggidy Sweets & Treats in 2015 with only the resources she had in her kitchen. Continue reading “As Arizona recovers from pandemic, Black entrepreneurs still face challenges”

Following in his father’s skates, ASU’s Josh Doan takes team captaincy in stride

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Josh Doan ASU, 690 words.
  • 2 photos available

Danny Karmin
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Since Josh Doan stepped foot at ASU, success has followed him.

As a freshman on the men’s ice hockey team, Doan set two ASU single-season rookie records with 25 assists and 37 points in 35 games. The 20-year-old was invited to the 2022 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation camp this past summer. Oh, and he got drafted by his hometown Arizona Coyotes in the second round in 2021.

None of these accomplishments eclipse the honor given to him this summer, when he was named team captain along with graduate forward Demetrios Koumontzis and senior defenseman Jacob Semik’s selection as alternate captains. Continue reading “Following in his father’s skates, ASU’s Josh Doan takes team captaincy in stride”

Arizona Wildcats receivers catch on in quest to become the Pac-12’s best

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Arizona Football Receivers, 2,000 words.
  • 2 photos available

Brendan Mau
Cronkite News

TUCSON – On the first drive of the game against Colorado, Arizona QB Jayden de Laura threw a quick backwards pass to freshman WR Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan looked down the field on the trick play to throw to an open receiver, but could not find anyone, so he ran to the other side of the backfield, looking like he was going to turn downfield, but then he checked down a pass to de Laura, who made a nice catch along the sideline for an 11-yard gain.

“I was like, ‘Throw me the ball, throw me the ball,’ and I thought he was gonna run, but he ended up throwing it to me,” de Laura said postgame. “And you know me, with the best hands on the team, I’m not dropping that.”

The player with the self-proclaimed “best hands on the team“ was the only Wildcat who caught a pass without a touchdown against the Buffaloes. De Laura ended the 43-20 win on 33-46 completions with 484 passing yards and tied the school record with six touchdown passes, both career highs for the sophomore in his first season with the Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 Pac-12), who face No. 12 Oregon this Saturday. Continue reading “Arizona Wildcats receivers catch on in quest to become the Pac-12’s best”

Casino divide: Tribes split as California voters consider online sports betting

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS California Gambling Expansion, 725 words.
  • 1 handout photo and caption below.

By Kristen Apolline Castillo
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES – California voters next month will decide between two competing ballot measures involving sports betting that would dramatically alter legalized gambling in the state, a struggle that underscores the have and have-not divide between the state’s native tribes.

The newest chapter of this long-standing divide comes more than a year after Arizona legalized online sports wagering. Now, California may follow suit with Propositions 26 and 27 on the Nov. 8 ballot. Continue reading “Casino divide: Tribes split as California voters consider online sports betting”

Promising future, storied past of Arizona hoops on display at Red-Blue Game

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Arizona Basketball, 1.300 words.
  • 2 photos available

Brendan Mau
Cronkite News

TUCSON – Arizona men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd gave a sellout crowd at McKale Center its first look at a remastered Wildcats roster along with a glimpse into the program’s storied past during at Arizona’s annual First Watch Red-Blue Game on alumni weekend.

The Wildcats, who lost three players to the 2022 NBA Draft, rocked new uniforms that are a throwback to 1987-88, paying homage to the program’s first Final Four team that included NBA standouts Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott and Tom Tolbert.

“There’s a pride in wearing an Arizona uniform, especially (when it is from) back in the day,” said junior center Oumar Ballo. “Guys like Steve Kerr really set the tone for us, so we’re just proud to get a throwback jersey.” Continue reading “Promising future, storied past of Arizona hoops on display at Red-Blue Game”