For Mike Budenholzer and Phoenix Suns, talk ‘really doesn’t matter’ ahead of 2024-25 NBA season

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports–Suns Season Preview, 800 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Connor Moreno
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – When Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić invites teammates to his summer training spot in Split, Croatia, the typical response is a sarcastic, “Yeah, I’ll be there” – the kind of response one would give to politely decline.

Not from coach Mike Budenholzer, though.

“I didn’t doubt it,” Nurkić said of Budenholzer accepting his invitation this past offseason. “But also, it’s the NBA. People say a lot of things that you want to hear. When I came to (training) camp, he was all about his words. Continue reading “For Mike Budenholzer and Phoenix Suns, talk ‘really doesn’t matter’ ahead of 2024-25 NBA season”

GCU men’s basketball balances experience, youth in final WAC championship pursuit

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports–GCU MBB Preview, 1,200 words.
  • 2 photos available.
  • Video available.

By Kendall Flynn
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Maybe not older, but wiser.

That might be the best way to describe Grand Canyon’s men’s basketball team. Half the roster is made up of underclassmen, but there also is a wealth of experience as the Lopes chase a fourth – and final – Western Athletic Conference basketball championship.

GCU has four true freshmen on the roster this season, including the program’s first top-100 signee in forward Sammie Yeanay, who comes to the Lopes as ESPN’s highest-ranked player in the top 100 to choose to play outside a Power 6 basketball conference. Continue reading “GCU men’s basketball balances experience, youth in final WAC championship pursuit”

Arizona Wildcats hope to regroup amid three-game skid, injury setbacks

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports–Arizona Wildcats Football Struggles, 740 words.
  • 4 photos available.

By Tom Forbes
Cronkite News

TUCSON – The University of Arizona was eyeing a chance to take down Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes during a sold-out homecoming weekend in Tucson Saturday.

Instead, the Wildcats might be watching their season slip away.

Arizona fell 34-7, their third straight loss, tumbling to 10th place in the Big 12 standings and putting coach Brent Brennan’s team in a fight just to reach six wins and bowl eligibility. Continue reading “Arizona Wildcats hope to regroup amid three-game skid, injury setbacks”

Arizona Humane Society and Soldier’s Best Friend aid military families with pets, service animals

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Military Pets. 620 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Sienna Monea and Nash Darragh
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Two Arizona-based organizations, Soldier’s Best Friend and the Arizona Humane Society (AHS), are supporting military families by ensuring both the mental health of veterans and the well-being of their pets and service animals while they serve and beyond.

Project Active Duty is an AHS program launched in response to the 9/11 attacks. Partnered with PetSmart Charities and Credit Union West to provide foster care for the pets of deployed service members from all military branches, the initiative offers peace of mind to those on active duty who know their pets will be waiting for them when they return home.

Continue reading “Arizona Humane Society and Soldier’s Best Friend aid military families with pets, service animals”

Playoff bound: Phoenix Rising FC squeaks into USL Championship postseason, readies for Saturday’s finale

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports–Phoenix Rising Playoffs, 570 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC will not go down without defending its crown.

For the seventh time in the last eight seasons, Rising clinched a USL postseason spot, but the news came in the wake of the reigning champion’s 1-0 loss Saturday against Memphis 901.

Rising needed help to secure a playoff season and they got it as all the dominoes fell the right way to slot Rising into the playoff bracket. Continue reading “Playoff bound: Phoenix Rising FC squeaks into USL Championship postseason, readies for Saturday’s finale”

Dillingham apologizes, ASU football looks to bounce back after kicker controversy

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports–ASU Dillingham Kickers, 740 words.
  • 4 photos available.

By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

CINCINNATI – After calling Arizona State’s kicking game “atrocious” in the wake of a 24-14 Big 12 loss at Cincinnati Saturday, Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham continued to walk back his criticism of kicker Ian Hershey during his Monday press conference.

Dillingham opened the media session by apologizing for his comments immediately after the game, when he said he would hold open tryouts for a kicker and invited ASU students to email him if they have kicking experience.

“I’m not kidding,” Dillingham said at the time. Continue reading “Dillingham apologizes, ASU football looks to bounce back after kicker controversy”

Gen Z in Arizona and beyond worries that food choices are driving climate change

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Food and Climate. 930 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Samantha Bell
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Like many in Generation Z, Aria Harness worries about whether her next meal will harm the planet. Her biggest concerns: pesticides in food, water and soil.

“It is up to each individual to make these choices about their health,” she said, though she acknowledged that processed food is often more affordable than natural alternatives, “especially for college students, due to the significant increase in price and lack of options on campus.”

Continue reading “Gen Z in Arizona and beyond worries that food choices are driving climate change”

The cumulative stress of policing has public safety consequences for law enforcement officers, too

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Lethal Restraint-Mental Health. 1,550 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Lisa Patel and Mikey Galo
Howard Center for Investigative Journalism

Joseph William Holsopple was pronounced dead on Sept. 27, 2020, at a hospital in the city where he was born, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Cause of death: alcoholism. Marital status: divorced. Age: 48.

He graduated high school in Akron, Ohio, in 1990 and joined the Springfield Township Police Department in 2000. Over the years, Holsopple married, had two children and bought a house. But his life began to unravel, and in January 2018 he was fired from the department for showing up to work intoxicated and failing a breathalyzer test.

Continue reading “The cumulative stress of policing has public safety consequences for law enforcement officers, too”

El voto de no ciudadanos rara vez ocurre, pero ha ganado atención nacional con la Ley SAVE

by Julio Cisneros

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was translated from English to Spanish using ChatGPT. A Cronkite News editor reviewed the translation. Find the original story here. See any errors? Please let us know. Contact julio.cisneros@asu.edu.

NOTA DEL EDITOR: Este reportaje fue traducido del inglés al español usando ChatGPT. Un editor de Cronkite Noticias revisó la traducción. Encuentra el reportaje original aquí. ¿Ves algún error? Por favor, déjanoslo saber. Contacta a julio.cisneros@asu.edu.

  • NOMBRE: CN-VotoNoCi. 1255 palabras.
  • 1 foto disponible

Por Mia Osmonbekov
Cronkite Noticias

WASHINGTON – La amenaza de un cierre del gobierno puso a el voto de los no ciudadanos, un punto de controversia política en Arizona, en el centro de atención nacional después de que el presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Mike Johnson, vinculara el paquete de financiamiento gubernamental con un controvertido proyecto de ley de integridad electoral.

Continue reading “El voto de no ciudadanos rara vez ocurre, pero ha ganado atención nacional con la Ley SAVE”

As Costa Rica welcomes record-breaking number of tourists, the country is battling rising crime

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Borderlands-Costa Rica Crime. 3,000 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
  • Data visualization available here.

By Carly Stoenner
Cronkite Borderlands Project

SAN JOSÈ, Costa Rica — Dense jungles, pristine beaches, towering volcanoes, and a welcoming attitude toward visitors have caused tourists to flock to this peaceful nation for decades, but a wave of crime is now threatening paradise.

In 2023, Costa Rica welcomed 2.7 million visitors, according to the country’s Tourism Institute. Tourism has risen steadily since the end of the COVID pandemic.

Continue reading “As Costa Rica welcomes record-breaking number of tourists, the country is battling rising crime”

Funding stalled for federal program that’s reducing diabetes among Arizona Native Americans

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Native American Diabetes. 560 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Gabrielle Wallace
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Federal funding expires at the end of the year for a program that has reduced diabetes among Native Americans. Congress has yet to act, leaving providers and patients worried.

Diabetes is especially prevalent among Native Americans. In Arizona, 27% of Indigenous adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 10% of the White population, according to 2021 data from the Center for the Future of Arizona.

Continue reading “Funding stalled for federal program that’s reducing diabetes among Arizona Native Americans”

CORRECTION to Oct. 10 story about bed shortages

by Julia Thompson

EDS: Clients who used the Cronkite News story slugged SMI Patient Care that moved Thursday, Oct. 10, are asked to run the following correction. The errors occurred in grafs 6, 7 and 25 of the original. A corrected version of the story has been posted here.

An Oct. 10 Cronkite News story about bed shortages and inadequate care for severely mentally ill patients included incorrect information about the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. AHCCCS does not have responsibility for opening or licensing new facilities related to mental health treatment. Also, information about an involuntary hold for Jane Jepson’s son, Nick, was not correct. Nick was placed on a 72-hour involuntary hold at the Urgent Psychiatric Center at what was then Phoenix Memorial Hospital.

‘Hungry’ for redemption: Phoenix Country Day girls volleyball seeks third title in four years

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports–Phoenix Country Day Volleyball, 1,000 words.
  • 3 photos available.

By Sebastian Mondaca Sepulveda
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – It was one loss. One loss in a season otherwise stuffed with wins. One measly, soul-crushing loss from last November that should be a distant, fuzzy memory.

But not for Phoenix Country Day, which has one of the most dominant girls volleyball teams in the Valley’s 2A region. Part of that success comes from Kat Glaeseman, the team’s coach who brought in a new identity for the squad when she took over the program.

Between 2021 and Thursday night, Phoenix Country Day had won 57 and lost five matches in the regular season, while winning two state titles in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, the Eagles had their best year yet, going undefeated with a 17-0 record in the regular season. However, after reaching the 2A finals for a third consecutive season, Phoenix Country Day suffered an upset, losing to Trivium Preparatory Academy, marking the Eagles’ lone defeat that year. Continue reading “‘Hungry’ for redemption: Phoenix Country Day girls volleyball seeks third title in four years”

Heart of the defense: ASU’s clutch linebacker room fuels team’s remarkable 5-1 start

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports–ASU Football Linebackers, 1,000 words.
  • 4 photos available.

By Tucker Sennett
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The legendary coach Bill Parcells once said, “I like linebackers. I collect them. You can’t have too many good ones.” As the heartbeat of a defense, they are arguably the second-most important position on a football team.

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham, defensive coordinator Brian Ward and linebacker coach A.J. Cooper did their best to emulate the great Parcells by building a position group that has excelled in a number of ways in the 2024 season.

A perfect example of that excellence came in the Sun Devils’ 27-19 upset win over No. 16 Utah last Friday, which raised ASU’s record to 5-1, its best start in years. After being suspended for targeting the week before, junior linebacker Keyshaun Elliott had to watch the defense he normally leads from the sideline for the first half. Luckily for the Sun Devils, the depth of the group shined bright. Continue reading “Heart of the defense: ASU’s clutch linebacker room fuels team’s remarkable 5-1 start”

‘We’re still here to stay’: Indigenous Peoples Day festival gives Arizona Native communities visibility

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Indigenous Peoples Day. 1,000 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Marshall Baker
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – “Indigenous Peoples Day is a day to embrace all Indigenous people everywhere,” said Deeanna Talley, who goes by Nanibaah. She is the lead singer for Earth Surface People, an Indigenous music collective in Arizona. Her group headlined the mainstage for Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest in downtown Phoenix, a festival celebrating Native culture and artists in and around the Phoenix area.

“For me, I love it. It means so much to me,” Talley said. “It doesn’t limit anyone to a country, to a tribe, whether you’re half Native or mixed. … It’s to embrace every single person from every walk of life, that’s still here as a result of genocide.”

Continue reading “‘We’re still here to stay’: Indigenous Peoples Day festival gives Arizona Native communities visibility”

Donald Trump opposes U.S. funds for massive Phoenix chip factory, could scrap deal with Taiwan semiconductor giant if elected

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Trump Chips Taiwan. 1,090 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Phineas Hogan
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – The federal government promised billions to a Taiwanese semiconductor giant to bring thousands of high-paying jobs to Phoenix. Former President Donald Trump is critical of the funding, and if elected, he could claw back the subsidies – putting those jobs at risk.

“Taiwan took our chip business,” he said in a June interview that roiled the stock price of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, arguing that Taiwan is “immensely wealthy” and the U.S. shouldn’t be “giving them billions of dollars to build chips.”

Continue reading “Donald Trump opposes U.S. funds for massive Phoenix chip factory, could scrap deal with Taiwan semiconductor giant if elected”

Number of electric vehicles in Arizona has tripled, outpacing charging station installation

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: EV Charging Stations. 660 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Kelechukwu Iruoma
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Electric vehicle sales have increased in Arizona faster than installation of charging stations.

The number of EVs registered in the state has tripled in the last year and a half to 89,798, according to the Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center. California has 1.2 million EVs, the most of any state. Arizona ranks 10th.

State and federal officials are scrambling to make sure the infrastructure catches up.

Continue reading “Number of electric vehicles in Arizona has tripled, outpacing charging station installation”

Can Phoenix Rising FC clinch a playoff berth at home? Memphis 901 match looms large

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports–Phoenix Rising Review, 780 words.
  • Photo available.

By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Just two weeks remain in the United Soccer League’s regular season, and with only a handful of games left to play, the playoff picture is going from murky to clear. One notable team has yet to lock themselves into the playoffs.

That’s right, 2023 USL champion Phoenix Rising FC is still looking to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

Not having clinched a spot with two games remaining may sound the alarm bells in some quarters. But despite the season’s ups and downs, Rising still has a very good shot of making the playoffs. Continue reading “Can Phoenix Rising FC clinch a playoff berth at home? Memphis 901 match looms large”

Vanden Bosch twins take a page from father’s NFL playbook to power Brophy College Prep football

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports–Vanden Bosch Twins, 700, words.
  • 3 photos available.

By Jalen Weathers
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The 2024 high school football season has been nothing short of competitive in the AIA, and Brophy College Prep is at the center of it all. Ranked the No. 2 team in the Arizona 6A division, the 5-1 Broncos are in the midst of a fierce start thanks in part to key contributions from twin brothers Case and Bastian Vanden Bosch.

The dynamic duo benefits from Kyle Vanden Bosch’s 12 years of NFL experience, which he shares with his sons to make them better football players as the special team’s coordinator for the Broncos. But more than statistics, Kyle is focused on the character of his sons as teammates.

“I’m just proud of them for who they are,” Kyle said. “I told them from when they were little that you will get respect based upon how hard you work in life. Neither one of them is perfect. They make mistakes, but they’re tough. And they show a certain level of toughness on the football field.” Continue reading “Vanden Bosch twins take a page from father’s NFL playbook to power Brophy College Prep football”

ASU beach volleyball serves up skills for local youth through ‘Building Brilliant Futures’ in first Tempe event

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports–ASU Beach Volleyball Event, 670 words.
  • 3 photos available.

By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Shouts of excitement and bursts of sand filled the air at the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility. The Arizona State beach volleyball season might not begin until February, but the athletes didn’t need competitors on the other side of the net to help push their sport last Wednesday.

As Sun Devils junior Tori Clement tossed volleyballs to her teammate Samaya Morin, Kastyn Hoffman helped an assembly of kids with their serving technique during a session of “Building Brilliant Futures,” a program created by Beach Nation Volleyball to reach out to underprivileged youth in multiple communities throughout the U.S.

“I hope that by being a role model for the kids here right now, they can follow by example and fill in those shoes when they get older,” Clement said. “These sessions help hone their skills, and learn about teamwork. The lessons learned can apply this to many different aspects of their life. They can really grow their game, make themselves better athletes, better friends and better leaders.” Continue reading “ASU beach volleyball serves up skills for local youth through ‘Building Brilliant Futures’ in first Tempe event”