Author: Adnan Alam

Election Tuesday, CFP style: First college football poll of 12-team playoff season makes debut

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-CFP First Ranking, 710 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Fletcher Anderson
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – On Tuesday, voting will take place – we aren’t talking about politics.

The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2024 will be released, and with a new 12-team format, discussion will center around seedings and automatic qualifiers.

Since 2014, the CFP has determined the national champion using a four-team playoff, with no automatic qualifiers. Just the four best teams in the eyes of the committee. This year, they expanded to 12 and have a completely different format. Continue reading “Election Tuesday, CFP style: First college football poll of 12-team playoff season makes debut”

Reigning USL champions Phoenix Rising FC opens back-to-back title quest in New Mexico

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Phoenix Rising Playoff Preview, 920 words.
  •  2 photos available.

By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC seeks a rare feat, one that hasn’t been accomplished since 2018, when Louisville City FC won back-to-back USL titles.

Heading into this year’s playoffs, Rising’s road to gold appears all too similar to last season’s run. In the 2023 playoffs, Rising came in as the sixth seed in the Western Conference and needed road wins over San Diego Loyal SC, Orange County SC and Sacramento Republic FC to earn a shot at the title. After passing each test with victories, Rising went on to capture their first championship in franchise history against Charleston Battery.

Phoenix enters the 2024 USL Playoffs as the eighth seed in the conference and needs a similar run away from home to defend its USL championship, starting Sunday against conference foe New Mexico United.

Continue reading “Reigning USL champions Phoenix Rising FC opens back-to-back title quest in New Mexico”

Tua Tagovailoa’s comeback vs. Arizona Cardinals underscores NFL’s ongoing player safety challenges

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Tua NFL Concussions, 1,430 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Jalen Weathers
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Tua Tagovailoa’s return to the field Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals wasn’t just a comeback; it was a calculated risk highlighting the realities of professional football. After sustaining three concussions, the Miami Dolphins quarterback played without wearing a guardian cap at Hard Rock Stadium after missing six weeks of action.

With multiple concussions under his belt, the question about the NFL’s safety protocols is still relevant. Is the NFL doing enough to protect the players it showcases every week?

There is no question Tagovailoa can still play, but his return has reignited conversations about whether the NFL is equipped to prevent serious head trauma, particularly for a star quarterback who has brought entire stadiums and homes to silence after showing signs of the fencing position. Continue reading “Tua Tagovailoa’s comeback vs. Arizona Cardinals underscores NFL’s ongoing player safety challenges”

Phoenix mayoral candidates Kate Gallego, Matt Evans tout crime approaches as election nears

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Phoenix Mayor Crime. 800 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
  • Graphic available here.

By Aaron Stigile
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Statistics say violent crime in Phoenix is not dramatically increasing, and it has actually decreased over a multiyear time span, with some monthly dips and jumps.

Nationwide trends are somewhat similar; data from the FBI released in June showed that reported violent crime decreased nationwide by 15.2% from January to March in comparison to the same time period in 2023.

Continue reading “Phoenix mayoral candidates Kate Gallego, Matt Evans tout crime approaches as election nears”

Halloween can be fun for some but challenging for others, especially those with dementia

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Halloween Dementia. 450 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Lizeth Adriana Calderon
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Halloween is a fun, spooky holiday for many, but for those living with dementia, it can be frightening. Halloween can cause sensory overload and disrupt the routine for people with dementia, said Shannon Lindemer, senior psychometrist with public health program Nosotros Comprometidos a Su Salud.

Sensory overload happens when the brain gets overwhelmed by too much information from the five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch and sound.

Continue reading “Halloween can be fun for some but challenging for others, especially those with dementia”

Profit vs. principles: Sports and politics collision creates controversy, opportunity

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Globalization of Sports, 1,800 words.
  • Photo available.

By Doyal D’angelo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Killings, kidnappings, violent oppression of political opposition, torture and censorship are just a few human rights abuses that officials in the Rwandan dictatorship are either credibly accused of committing or failing to investigate.

Paul Kagame, the Rwandan dictator who helped lead his country out of its horrid genocidal past, has been in power since 2000 and with no end to his reign in sight – yet the NBA is doing business with him.

As part of a widespread effort to expand his league’s global reach, Adam Silver and his team met with Kagame in Kigali in 2018 and advised him to build a new facility, BK Arena, that would host the first Basketball African League game in 2021. Continue reading “Profit vs. principles: Sports and politics collision creates controversy, opportunity”

Arizona State women’s basketball joins improved Big 12 Conference with fresh energy, high expectations

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Big 12 WBB, 660 words.
  • Photo available.

By Dane Palmer
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As the 2024-25 Big 12 women’s basketball season tips off, a new era of college sports begins, marked by transfers, new rivalries and high expectations.

With the conference’s expansion bringing in four new programs – Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and BYU – the level of competition has never been higher. The revamped Big 12 looks to grow in more ways than from just adding schools, with improved ratings, engagement and international experiences all on the checklist for commissioner Brett Yormack.

Yormack has big aspirations for the expanding conference, which now features 18 teams spread across 10 different states. Continue reading “Arizona State women’s basketball joins improved Big 12 Conference with fresh energy, high expectations”

Plain language for ballot initiatives: Why it matters

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Ballot Initiative Language. 550 words.
  • Photo available.

By Sona Gevorgyan
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Ballot initiatives allow citizens to vote on new laws. As a result, voters have a direct say in how the government operates.

In Arizona, voters will have a say on key issues like abortion access, immigration and the state minimum wage through the 13 propositions on their ballots. Research has shown ballot wording impacts voters’ decisions.

According to a 2019 study published in the journal Electoral Studies, simple ballot language can lead to an incomplete representation of initiatives.

Continue reading “Plain language for ballot initiatives: Why it matters”

How Maricopa County counts millions of ballots

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Counting Ballots. 560 words.
  • File photo (thumbnail, caption below).

By Eddie McCoven
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With more than 2.4 million registered voters in Maricopa County and the increasing number of allegations around election integrity, counting ballots for the 2024 presidential election is no easy task.

Maricopa County Deputy Elections Director Jennifer Liewer said the county goes to “extensive lengths” to make sure all legal votes are counted.

“Our systems, our personnel, our workers are all trained to ensure that we do not disenfranchise voters,” Liewer said. “We want you to know that if you are a legally registered voter in Maricopa County, that your ballot will be cast.”

Continue reading “How Maricopa County counts millions of ballots”

Well, well, well: Taxpayers pay the price for oil and gas wells leaking methane as multiple entities work to plug them

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Orphaned Wells. 965 words.
  • Photo, map available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Gabrielle Wallace
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Many oil and gas wells across Arizona with no known owners leak methane into the environment, which tribal, state and federal agencies are responsible for cleaning up.

These wells – referred to as “orphaned” – are often not properly maintained and can lead to surface and groundwater contamination causing pollution, health issues and threats to wildlife.

Continue reading “Well, well, well: Taxpayers pay the price for oil and gas wells leaking methane as multiple entities work to plug them”

Religious groups recruit volunteers to provide peaceful presence at Arizona polls

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Religious Poll Watchers. 590 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Tony Gutiérrez
Special for Cronkite News

Following reports of armed “poll watchers” at Arizona polling places during the last several election cycles, two groups have launched initiatives inviting people of faith to help promote peace at the polls.

Faiths United to Save Democracy is actively recruiting “poll chaplains” to serve at various poll locations, while the Arizona Faith Network, in partnership with Election Protection Arizona, is inviting people of faith to be “peacekeepers.” Medina Moore, voting rights organizer for the Arizona Faith Network, said both groups support each other in their missions.

Continue reading “Religious groups recruit volunteers to provide peaceful presence at Arizona polls”

Election Day essentials: The do’s and don’ts for spotting disinformation

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Spotting Disinformation. 490 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Ana Burk
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In this era of social media, a seasoned political reporter shares key strategies for identifying disinformation during election season.

The American Psychological Association reports that over the past few decades, people’s attention spans have decreased due to constant distractions from phones and other devices. People tend to only read the first line of a story, or watch the first few seconds of a video.

Continue reading “Election Day essentials: The do’s and don’ts for spotting disinformation”

Maricopa County officials confident but wary of threats ahead of Election Day

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Maricopa County Election Security. 700 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Aaron Stigile
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Rallies outside of Maricopa County offices, threats and intimidation directed toward election workers and false election conspiracy theories spread by politicians are all problems Maricopa County officials have had to deal with in the past.

Now, officials are preparing security measures and fighting back against misinformation in the run-up to Nov. 5.

Continue reading “Maricopa County officials confident but wary of threats ahead of Election Day”

Arizona Senate candidates Kari Lake, Ruben Gallego targeting younger voters

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Senate Young Voters. 800 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Nash Darragh
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With just a week to go until Election Day, all eyes remain on the swing state of Arizona. The state’s 11 electoral votes have been increasingly sought after by both Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris over the past few months.

But Republican Kari Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego are also aiming to secure the final undecided votes from a generation that is voting for the first time.

Continue reading “Arizona Senate candidates Kari Lake, Ruben Gallego targeting younger voters”

‘Not reconcilable’: Latter-day Saints in Arizona break with Trump on immigration, which could help Harris

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: LDS Voters Immigration. 960 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Mia Osmonbekov
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have launched get-out-the-vote coalitions targeting the close to half a million Latter-day Saints in Arizona, a battleground state where every voting bloc will count in the presidential race.

Trump pitched himself to Arizona LDS voters while campaigning in Prescott Valley earlier this month. During an online “LDS for Trump” event, Trump told attendees that “we really have the same values.”

Continue reading “‘Not reconcilable’: Latter-day Saints in Arizona break with Trump on immigration, which could help Harris”

Arizona schools must adjust to physicality, officiating in inaugural Big 12 men’s basketball season

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports – Big 12 Media Day, 900 words.
  • Photo available.

By Patrick Holleron and Doyal D’angelo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – There are sure to be adjustments and maybe some growing pains in the upcoming 2024-25 college basketball season for this year’s inductees to the Big 12 Conference.

Arizona State, Arizona, Colorado and Utah all became members of the league following the collapse of the Pac-12 Conference and joined a pantheon of college basketball powerhouses in the Big 12.

The overarching theme of the Big 12 Basketball Media Day was the challenge former Pac-12 teams face while adjusting to the officiating, style of play and travel the newcomers will experience in the Big 12. Continue reading “Arizona schools must adjust to physicality, officiating in inaugural Big 12 men’s basketball season”

‘World’ of support: Alex Verdugo’s family-fueled journey from Tucson leads to baseball’s biggest stage

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports–Alex Verdugo Feature. 2,481 words.
  • 9 photos available.

By Dylan Ackermann
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The jarring phone call came as Alex Verdugo was enjoying lunch with his brother, Chris, at a pizza parlor in Minnesota. The call came from Verdugo’s agent with news that the Los Angeles Dodgers had just traded him to the Boston Red Sox.

Verdugo was upset. Then bummed. Then in denial. But it was his brother who helped him accept the dark realities of the business side of baseball.

Chris pointed out that he should feel honored. He was being traded for two potential Hall of Famers – outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price. Continue reading “‘World’ of support: Alex Verdugo’s family-fueled journey from Tucson leads to baseball’s biggest stage”

Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team determined to prove Big 12 critics wrong in debut season

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports – Arizona Wildcats WBB, 770 words.
  • Photo available.

By Aya Abdeen
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Arizona’s women’s basketball team, four years removed from its national championship appearance under coach Adia Barnes, enters the 2024-25 season in need of a fresh start.

Coming off its first sub-20-win season since 2017-18, Arizona was picked to finish seventh in the conference during the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Media Day in Kansas City.

But those who sleep on the Wildcats do so at their own peril. Continue reading “Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team determined to prove Big 12 critics wrong in debut season”

Ventanilla de Salud initiative in Phoenix provides preventative health screenings for people with Mexican roots

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Ventanilla de Salud. 650 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).
  • Audio voiceover available.

By Lizeth Adriana Calderon
Cronkite News

PHOENIX — People line up outside the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix, one of the five Mexican consulates in Arizona.

They’re seeking assistance with visa application, consular and voter registration, community agendas and more. And while they wait, they learn about the free health services the consulate offers. Approximately 200 to 300 people use the consulate’s services daily, according to Consul General Jorge Mendoza Yescas.

Continue reading “Ventanilla de Salud initiative in Phoenix provides preventative health screenings for people with Mexican roots”

ASU baseball hopes to build on last season with new coaching hires, transfers

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports – ASU Baseball Culture, 960 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Ethan Desjardine
Cronkite News

TEMPE – At Arizona State’s baseball fall practices, the body language seems different, the music a little more vibrant, and the vibe slightly more upbeat than in previous years.

Even though ASU’s baseball program is one of the most storied in the country, with 22 NCAA World Series appearances and five NCAA championships, as of late, the program has faced tough times.

The Sun Devils have had just four losing seasons in history, three of which have come since 2017, and in 2024, for the first time since 1959-63, ASU missed the postseason for a third season in a row. Continue reading “ASU baseball hopes to build on last season with new coaching hires, transfers”