EDS: Cronkite School students profiled candidates for Phoenix City Council and the Maricopa County sheriff race. You can find all the profiles here.
By Eve Wodarcyk
Special for Cronkite News
Continue reading “Ann O’Brien runs unopposed for Phoenix City Council District 1”
By Connor Moreno
Cronkite News
PALM DESERT, Calif. — As Devin Booker wrapped up his routine of feeling out the game ball before the Phoenix Suns tipped off last Sunday’s preseason game, Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell jokingly tried to steal the ball in front of referee Kevin Cutler to stop Booker from getting comfortable.
After exchanging a few words and laughs, the two guards embraced with a dap-up and a hug and lined up on their respective sides of the jump ball circle to open the 2024 NBA preseason – marking the start of the 10th season for the friendly foes.
From getting each other in trouble for breaking curfew at the NBPA Top 100 camp in 2014, to hitting golf balls at Booker’s mountainside driving range in the 2024 offseason as a part of Russell’s “Backyard Podcast,” their friendship has mostly been unknown to the public. Continue reading “Book & D-Lo: One of NBA’s closest friendship is hidden in plain sight”
EDS: An earlier version of this story included incorrect information about the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and about an involuntary hold for Jane Jepson’s son, Nick. The errors occurred in grafs 6, 7 and 25. The story below has been corrected, but clients who used previous versions are asked to run the correction found here.
By Shi Bradley
Cronkite News
Jane Jepson remembers when her son, Nick, first came back home in 2017. He was working as a bellman, traveling across the country, from Alaska to Virginia.
“He was so excited,” Jepson recalled fondly. “He looked so handsome and so strong and in such good shape.”
However, a few weeks later, Jepson received strange phone calls from Nick.
By Brianna Chappie
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood donation, according to the American Red Cross. The Southwest Arizona Chapter of the organization is running a campaign to encourage more Latinos in Arizona to donate blood.
The Southwest Arizona Chapter serves 1.4 million people across Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Yuma, La Paz, Graham and Greenlee counties. The group’s”Los Donates” campaign, timed to coincide with Hispanic Heritage seeks to inspire more Latinos in Arizona to donate blood and help meet the critical demand.
“Donating blood is one of the noblest acts a person can do,” said Edgar Olivo, CEO of the Red Cross of Arizona and New Mexico.
The initiative draws inspiration from the traditional Mexican card game lotería, similar to bingo. The donantes, or donors, featured on the Red Cross cards represent people who’ve won because they’ve donated a lifesaving necessity which is blood donations.
Around 60 percent of Latinos have Type O blood, according to the American Red Cross. Type O is vital: O-positive blood is the most common blood type, account for an estimated 37% of the world’s population. O-negative blood is a universal donor, meaning it can be donated to anyone regardless of blood type or phenotypes.
Latinos also make up 30.7% of Arizona’s population, showing a heightened need for a significant portion of people in the state.
Olivo emphasized how increasing the number of blood donors could help meet the needs of people outside urban areas.
“We know that the rural hospitals, the ones that are away from the metro Phoenix area, are the ones that need blood just as much as the metro hospitals as well,” Olivo said.
Ashley Mérida, chapter president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in Phoenix, says that fighting misinformation is a challenge when it comes to encouraging new donors.
“I think a lot of Latinos have a lot of misinformation regarding the donation of blood,” Mérida said. “I’ve heard some people say that it can alter the DNA. It changes the DNA. I’ve heard people just say like they just really aren’t interested, or maybe it’s just the lack of time of getting to a blood drive.”
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs was at the Red Cross’ Hispanic Heritage Month Kick Off on Sept. 17 and encouraged all people to donate, regardless of blood type.
“Even if you don’t have Type O blood, your donation is invaluable,” Hobbs said. “So today, I’m encouraging all of you celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month to consider doing so by making a blood donation and encouraging your friends and family to do so as well.”
Hispanic heritage Month runs through Oct. 15. Anyone interested in donating blood or blood platelets can visit the American Red Cross website to find the nearest American Red Cross clinics and view available times to donate.
For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
By Amelia Monroe and Mia Osmonbekov
Cronkite News
WASHINGTON – As Hurricane Milton slams into Florida, and North Carolina residents dig out from Hurricane Helene, Republicans are pushing claims – widely debunked – that federal disaster aid has been depleted because of illegal immigration.
“FEMA, among a whole bunch of other federal agencies, has been using your tax dollars that are supposed to help you as American citizens,” said U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, during a campaign stop Tuesday in Phoenix on behalf of former President Donald Trump. “They use that money helping illegals here that they brought into America.”
By Miguel Ambriz
Cronkite News
WASHINGTON – In the rematch between first-term U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Tucson, and former state Sen Kirsten Engel, D-Tucson, immigration and abortion rights are forefront issues.
Both call the other extreme, even as each claims to be a centrist eager to work with people across the aisle.
“Rep. Ciscomani and I agree that Congress has been run by extremists,” Engel said during a fiery 55-minute debate Tuesday night. “Where we disagree – I believe Mr. Ciscomani is part of that dysfunction. He has sided with extremists.”
Ciscomani portrayed his challenger as out of touch on kitchen-table issues and public safety.
By Fletcher Anderson
Cronkite News
TEMPE – Arizona State swimmers took center stage in Paris during the Olympic finals of the 200-meter butterfly on July 31. The Canadian-born Ilya Kharun captured Olympic bronze, while his former Sun Devil teammate Leon Marchand of France won gold. Four days later, in the 100-meter butterfly, Kharun secured his second bronze for Canada at just 19 years old.
Nearly three months later, as Marchand settles into his professional career, Kharun is back in the Valley and leading the Sun Devils as ASU’s swim and dive team leaps into a new season under a new coach, Herbie Behm. Last Monday, Kharun and Behm paused to reflect on a wild summer in Paris, while looking ahead at the Sun Devils’ new era as part of the Big 12 Conference.
“Such an honor, representing the country and performing at that stage,” Kharun said about his Olympic experience. “It did take me some time to actually (realize) like wow, I was there. Because in the moment at the Olympics, I didn’t think of it as a big deal.” Continue reading “After 2024 Paris Olympics success, ASU men’s swimmer Ilya Kharun looks to build on Sun Devils legacy”
By Tom Forbes
Cronkite News
TUCSON – Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium came alive as Tucsonans flocked to the diamond for a vibrant weekend of baseball, food and lively music to celebrate Mexican culture during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Mexican Baseball Fiesta, a beloved annual Tucson tradition, hosted professional teams from the Mexican Pacific League along with a special appearance from the Arizona Wildcats baseball team.
The event started in 2011 and has called Kino Stadium home ever since. Thousands of fans come to the field to get a taste of the atmosphere of professional baseball in Mexico. The event has expanded to include events at Sloan Park in Mesa and Camelback Ranch in Glendale in recent years. Continue reading “Arizona Wildcats dominate Naranjeros de Hermosillo in Mexican Baseball Fiesta ahead of first Big 12 season”
By Tucker Sennett
Cronkite News
TEMPE – Other than their names ending in “ham” and guiding their teams to identical records through the first six weeks of the college football season, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham share few similarities.
On Friday night at Mountain America Stadium, the two coaches will lead their 4-1 teams into battle against one another in a true test of youth against experience.
The 64-year-old Whittingham has been with the Utes since 1994, becoming the head coach in 2004 after the University of Florida took a chance on an exciting new coach named Urban Meyer. Since then, Whittingham has amassed a record of 166-80, quietly becoming one of the nation’s best coaches. Continue reading “Battle of the ‘Hams’: ASU braces for No. 16 Utah under Friday night lights”
By Daniel Mendenhall
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” “College GameDay,” and the 2024 U.S. Open Tennis Championships are among the most notable television sports programs that DirecTV customers could not view in September as a result of the contract negotiations between cable provider DirecTV and entertainment giant, The Walt Disney Co.
The deal impacted viewers for 13 days, but for diehard sports fans, it felt much longer.
Suzy Emre, a college football and Kansas City Chiefs fan, was one of the many DirecTV customers who vocalized their dissatisfaction with the platform’s failure to secure a deal in time for the football season. Like Emre and other sports fans, their love for the game has a personal connection, and missing the first games of the season left them feeling empty. Continue reading “DirecTV-Disney standoff underscores ongoing media industry shift, future of sports fan viewership”
By Jalen Woody
Cronkite News
SACATON – In the heart of Sacaton, located south of Phoenix, the Gila River Indian Community received nearly $6 million in funds from the Biden administration in 2023 to create a renewable energy plan involving the construction of solar panels over the Casa Blanca Canal.
Funding came from the Inflation Reduction Act, part of Biden’s Investing In America agenda, which aimed to combat the effects of climate change with new projects to conserve energy, according to the Department of the Interior. The project aims to cover 2,782 feet of the canal and requires approximately 2,556 solar panels.
By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News
SCOTTSDALE – Baseball in Arizona is truly a year-long love affair. It begins in February, when 15 big league teams make their spring home in the Cactus League.
It continues with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season from March through at least September. And every October, the top prospects in baseball descend upon the Valley to make their mark in the Arizona Fall League, which began play Monday.
The Fall League gives baseball lovers a chance to watch the top prospects from every minor league level in action in a laid-back atmosphere that is reminiscent of spring training in Arizona years ago. Continue reading “‘Nothing but success’: Top MLB prospects converge on Valley for Arizona Fall League”
By Chase Beardsley
Cronkite News
SALT LAKE CITY – As the NHL drops the puck on the 2024-25 regular season Tuesday, Arizona hockey fans are facing off with the reality that their hockey club is gone.
The Arizona Coyotes are now the Utah Hockey Club, which opens the season against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Delta Center. In April, the NHL’s board of governors approved the sale of the team to tech billionaire Ryan Smith, who owns the NBA Utah Jazz, and signed off on the club’s relocation to Salt Lake City.
It ended years of ownership turmoil, arena haggling and relocation rumors that seemed to go on almost from the time the Winnipeg Jets relocated to Phoenix in 1996 and became the Coyotes. Continue reading “Arizona hockey fans face first season without NHL team since 1996 as Utah Hockey Club makes season debut”
By Kendall Flynn
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Camping out before any event is nothing short of madness anyway, but almost 250 Grand Canyon University students took it to another level, setting up tents and hammocks to stand in line Thursday in record-breaking Arizona October heat.
For Lopes fans sweating out a chance to see their basketball team, it’s all worth it.
GCU hosted its annual Midnight Madness celebration Friday, unofficially tipping off the 2024-25 basketball seasons for the men and women’s teams. While the event is a party for the entire Lopes community, it is also a strong show of support for GCU’s athletes.
By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News
TEMPE – Minutes after Arizona State secured its first Big 12 Conference victory Saturday, quarterback Sam Leavitt was on the field praising coach Kenny Dillingham on national television for his work ethic and commitment to players.
In the postgame game interview room after the 35-31 victory over Kansas, running back Cam Skattebo snuck up on the coach with a bear hug and said, “This is the man right here! Love you coach.”
Since arriving in November 2022, Dillingham’s goal has been to shift the narrative surrounding Arizona State football. Continue reading “Culture shift: Kenny Dillingham’s fingerprints all over ASU football’s gritty win in Big 12 home opener”
By James Morel
Cronkite News
TEMPE – It’s not October football if you’re not breaking curses.
A nearly three-year hex followed the Arizona Cardinals into their game Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers but was broken when linebacker Kyzir White picked off quarterback Brock Purdy to seal a 24-23 victory.
The Cardinals entered Sunday with a four-game losing streak against to 49ers, which dates back to November 21, 2022, when they lost by 28 points.
The Cardinals’ last win over the 49ers was on November 7, 2021, when Colt McCoy threw for 249 yards and a touchdown to improve the team’s record to 8-1.
Continue reading “The Terminator: Connor helps Cardinals end losing streak to 49ers”
By Connor Moreno
Cronkite News
PALM DESERT, Calif. – There would be no history if there wasn’t a first.
It was a night of firsts for the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers during a 118-114 Phoenix preseason victory over at Acrisure Arena Sunday. It was the Suns’ first game under new coach Mike Budenholzer. It was the first time their new point guard, Tyus Jones, took the floor with “SUNS” stitched across his jersey.
And it was the first time in NBA history that a father-son duo graced the floor together in either a preseason or regular-season NBA game.
By Zev Black
Cronkite News
TEMPE – As incidents of antisemitism continue to surge across the United States, new data from the Anti-Defamation league shows staggering numbers with college campuses emerging as a focal point.
Jewish students report feeling increasingly unsafe and facing harassment, vandalism and hateful rhetoric in both physical and online spaces. While some students at Arizona State University believe that the administration has done a good job with ensuring safety on campus, concerns remain.
Continue reading “1 year after Hamas attack, antisemitism remains problem on college campuses”
By Saleh Awwad
Cronkite News
TUCSON – Just when it appeared Arizona was ready to live up to preseason expectations after they upset top-10 ranked Utah on the road, the Wildcats wasted a strong defensive effort and lost at home to Texas Tech.
The Wildcats dominated in almost every area against the Red Raiders, except the one that counts most – the score.
Arizona beat Tech handily in time of possession, total yards and first downs. However, the Wildcats were unable to finish off drives, settling instead for five Tyler Loop field goals in a 28-22 loss at Arizona Stadium. The offensive woes wasted a solid Wildcats defensive performance against a good Red Raiders offense that came in averaging 41.6 points a game. Continue reading “Tech fall: Arizona slips to 3-2 with home loss to Red Raiders; road test at BYU next”
By Hayden Larkin
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Monday, Oct. 7, marks the final deadline for Arizona voter registration. Volunteers and state officials across the political spectrum are attempting to engage citizens for the November election.
This election is a tight one, where both presidential candidates are fighting to win battleground states like Arizona.Polls show both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris effectively tied in many of the key states, meaning both campaigns are vying for votes to clinch a victory. Continue reading “Groups target potential Arizona voters on last day to register for 2024 election”
