By Emery Davis
Cronkite News
LOS ANGELES – California is taking climate-saving efforts to the next level with a full ban on plastic bags and a state lawsuit against natural gas giant ExxonMobil.
Gov. Gavin Newsom approved new legislation Sunday prohibiting stores from providing plastic bags starting in 2026.
By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – After Saturday’s decisive 4-0 win, Phoenix Rising FC turn the page to arguably their biggest game of the season. On Wednesday night, Rising face their rivals, Orange County SC, in a matchup with playoff implications.
The game is packed with storylines as both teams compete for the final two spots in the Western Conference, but none bigger than facing former Phoenix Rising coach Danny Stone, who was named interim coach of Orange County SC on Aug. 30.
Stone, an assistant coach for Phoenix Rising from 2021-23, helped guide the team to its first USL championship title last season. On Jan. 18, he was promoted to Rising coach after Juan Guerra left for Major League Soccer. Continue reading “Phoenix Rising FC set for showdown against former coach Danny Stone, Orange County SC”
By Anne-Marie Iemmolo
Cronkite News
TEMPE – Arizona State women’s volleyball assistant coach Shaughn McDonald stood near the end line of the court during a team practice, helping players perfect the form on their serves ahead of the Sun Devils’ upcoming game.
At times during the team scrimmage, McDonald paused play to direct the team to be more aggressive or correct players’ positions on the court. McDonald, a former libero for the Saint Francis Red Flash men’s volleyball team, has endless experience on the court and in the coaching zone.
Last year, he was the director of operations and technical coordinator for the Houston Cougars, one of ASU’s new Big 12 opponents. This year, McDonald uses his prior experience to help the Sun Devils adjust to their new conference and competition.
“This conference (Big 12) has retained a lot of really good players, so I do feel fortunate to have a little bit of insight into what those players and those teams do,” McDonald said following a recent team practice.
By Sebastian Mondaca Sepulveda
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Every time Phoenix Rising FC scored a goal, red smoke filled the sky, adding more color to an evening that was as festive as it was meaningful.
The goals came early and often – it was the first four-goal game this season for Phoenix, which had eight shots in the first 30 minutes – as the organization celebrated its annual Hispanic Heritage Night with a 4-0 victory against San Antonio FC Saturday at Phoenix Rising Stadium. The victory, which helped the defending USL champions keep their postseason hopes alive, also highlighted the importance of bringing in the culture within the community and the love of the sport.
Hispanic Heritage Month honors the diverse heritage of American citizens whose ancestors originate from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The celebration has grown since its origins as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson, expanding into a full month under President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
By Dylan Ackermann
Cronkite News
TEMPE – Heading into the 1997 NFL Draft, former Arizona State offensive tackle Juan Roque felt superhuman.
Selected in the second round, 35th overall, by the Detroit Lions after leading Arizona State to an 11-1 record and a Rose Bowl appearance, the two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection and consensus All-American was certain his best days were still ahead of him.
What many Lions fans remember as one of the most unforgettable Thanksgivings ended up being just as memorable for Roque, although for very different reasons.
By Kelechukwu Iruoma
Cronkite News
WASHINGTON – The Center for Biological Diversity and Maricopa Audubon Society are accusing federal agencies of allowing livestock grazing that has put the northern Mexican garter snake at risk.
The rare wetland snake has lost 90% of its habitat in the past century and was declared threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2014.
The two groups sued the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on July 11, asserting that livestock grazing on federal lands along the Big Sandy River in western Arizona is pushing the garter snake toward extinction.
By Amelia Monroe
Cronkite News
WASHINGTON – The nation’s first solar-powered cobalt processing facility will break ground next year in Yuma County, a $300 million project subsidized by a big federal investment in climate-friendly projects.
The plan is one of two dozen projects underway in Arizona catalyzed by the Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Joe Biden in August 2022. The law set aside $370 billion to promote clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
By Aaron Stigile
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Arizona State University announced measures on Monday to deal with higher education budget cuts passed by the state Legislature. They include a tuition surcharge, cuts to programs such as the Arizona Teachers Academy and the Arizona Promise Program and the closing of its Lake Havasu center. Thousands of students and employees are expected to be affected.
The tuition surcharge is a $350 additional payment for full-time on-campus students in spring 2025. Part-time on-campus students will pay a proportional charge.
By Nash Darragh
Cronkite News
MESA – Election season is in full swing. Arizona is one of the most important states in this year’s presidential “race to 270.” The purple state contains 11 electoral votes that could make or break either campaign for former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans in Arizona who are publicly switching their support to Harris could have an impact.
“I remain registered as a Republican because I think it most closely identifies with where I’m at politically,” said Mesa Mayor John Giles, who has endorsed Harris. “There are absolutely things about the Biden-Harris administration that I have policy differences with. I think the fearmongering from the Trump campaign about Vice President Harris being a socialist or calling her Comrade Harris, you know, those are way overblown. I think she’s demonstrated that when it comes to governing and when it comes to problem solving, she will do that. She will compromise, and she’ll work with Republicans, and she’ll govern from the middle.”
By Jalen Weathers
Cronkite News
TEMPE – The Arizona State women’s volleyball team is off to a strong 11-1 start this season. Ranked No. 14, the team’s only loss was to Nebraska, which jumped from No. 5 to No. 2 in the national rankings this week.
Other than that blip, the Sun Devils have been dominating, sweeping eight of their 12 opponents.
A vital part of ASU’s success is libero Mary Shroll. Continue reading “Defensive anchor Mary Shroll keys ASU women’s volleyball hot start entering inaugural Big 12 campaign”
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.
Por Phineas Hogan
Cronkite Noticias
WASHINGTON – Kari Lake ha mostrado un desempeño consistentemente inferior al de Donald Trump en Arizona, una actuación débil que augura problemas para los republicanos que esperan obtener el escaño senatorial vacante del estado.
By James Morel
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Over the last year, girls flag football has drawn attention around the world after the International Olympic Committee announced it is among the sports that will be added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, school districts across the U.S. are adding the sport, with nearly half a million girls from the ages of 6 to 17 playing flag football, a 69 percent increase since 2019, according to the National Federation of High School Associations.
Few states have embraced the sport more enthusiastically than Arizona. Last year, 57 high schools in the state offered flag football. This season, more than 100 schools are participating at the 6A, 5A and 4A levels, according to the Arizona Interscholastic Association. Continue reading “Ready for primetime: Girls flag football on rise in Arizona with Cardinals backing”
ByTucker L. Sennett
Cronkite News
TEMPE – After a lack of discipline, several errors from special teams and other issues piled up in Arizona State’s loss to Texas Tech in its Big 12 Conference debut, the Sun Devils have a chance to reflect on what went wrong and look ahead and what’s to come.
The Sun Devils entered their first bye week with a 3-1 record after the 30-22 loss in Lubbock, Texas, and have already matched last season’s win total. They had their chances on Saturday but dug a hole too deep to escape.
“You’re two to three plays away from … us being undefeated,” said ASU coach Kenny Dillingham. “That’s every season, for every team, forever.” Continue reading “Welcome to the Big 12: Hostile road environment rattles Arizona State football in loss to Texas Tech”
By Keller Brown
Cronkite News
TEMPE – After an explosive victory over the Los Angeles Rams in their second game of the season, the Arizona Cardinals sputtered offensively in a home loss to the Detroit Lions.
By Monday, the Cardinals were already looking ahead to the Washington Commanders, who visit State Farm Stadium next, and when they did, they might have noticed some faces familiar to Valley football fans.
Jayden Daniels, the Commanders quarterback and the second overall pick from last year’s NFL Draft, returns to the desert after playing his first three collegiate seasons at Arizona State. Daniels transferred to Louisiana State following his 2021 campaign and went on to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy before declaring for the NFL Draft. Continue reading “Cardinals ready to move on after loss to Lions against familiar faces”
ByDoyal D’angelo
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Al McCoy was the iconic voice of the Phoenix Suns for 51 years and is a beloved figure in Arizona sports.
But those who knew him best say that he was just as beloved as a person – someone who cared about the welfare of others.
Julie Fie, the former vice president of basketball communications for the Phoenix Suns, recalls living “parallel lives” in the NBA world with McCoy as two proud Iowans. While most Arizonans got to listen to McCoy over the airwaves, Fie heard his voice up close. Continue reading “It was good to hear your voice: Popularity of Suns broadcaster Al McCoy spanned generations”
By Emery Davis
Cronkite News
LOS ANGELES – Following Little Tokyo’s designation as one of America’s most endangered historic places, the area is looking to return to its flourishing past.
Throughout its 140 years, Little Tokyo has faced many challenges, including racial discrimination and cultural erasure. However, it continued to celebrate thriving legacy businesses and provide a safe haven for Asian culture.
By Jalen Woody
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Arizona changes every day. The state’s count of new buildings and people grows daily. As the state changes, so do the museums, which are challenged by a constantly changing city with new possibilities, tastes and people.
Museums in Arizona continue to change their tactics to draw in new audiences. These attractions are expensive to run but must continue to innovate what they have. Otherwise they risk the chance of losing their core audience.
Note to CN clients: This story includes Arizona material.
By Celia Frazier
News21
LAS VEGAS – In the heart of Las Vegas’ Chinatown, residents gather for a celebration of the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Some stop in to grab shiny, red packages of premade zongzi.
Others grab flyers decorated with a colorful dragon boat and something else: a QR code taking them to information about how to vote – all translated into Chinese. As demographics shift, advocates from Nevada and Arizona to Alaska are fighting to make voting accessible for citizens who speak different languages. But challenges remain – from the cost of translating materials to outright resistance to the idea.
By Brenden Paul
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Kim Hayashi rose to dominance thanks to her “go big” jumping style. Now she’ll “go big” into the USA BMX Hall of Fame this weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma, alongside fellow Arizonan Debbie Kelley.
Hayashi and Kelley will be two of the eight members inducted into the USA BMX Hall of Fame Class of 2024, as voted on by over 500 BMX experts, including current Hall of Famers, BMX historians and selected members of the BMX media.
“It’s pretty humbling. It feels like a huge honor,” said Hayashi, 38, who lives in Chandler. “Especially when you look at the women’s side, there’s not a lot of female names up there (at the Hall of Fame). To see some of the people that I looked up to, some of the people that were my heroes, and seeing my name next to theirs is a huge honor.”
Continue reading “Track titans: Two Arizonans among inductees into 2024 USA BMX Hall of Fame class”
By Connor Moreno
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – The outcome of Thursday’s Phoenix Mercury regular-season finale against the Seattle Storm at Footprint Center didn’t matter.
The playoff-bound Mercury lost 89-70, but scenes from the stands suggested otherwise. Handmade signs in the crowd reading, “DT, we’re NOT ready” and “If this is it, I might cry” perfectly evoked the collective feeling of fans attending what could have been Mercury guard Diana Taurasi’s last home game.
As the Mercury’s ‘If this is it’ campaign implied, the night was supposed to be a celebration, a chance to honor the greatest player to grace the WNBA. But the night was an emotional rollercoaster. Fans were just as prepared to say goodbye as they were ready to chant, “One more year!” every chance they could.
