• Slug: BC-CNS-Pumpkin Carving. About 1,000 words.
• 11 photos available (thumbnails and captions below).
• 4 Arizona pumpkin carving stencils by Emily Mai available (thumbnails and downloadable PDFs below).

By Emily Mai
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – For many, carving a pumpkin is a beloved Halloween tradition. But for Ray Villafane, it’s an art form. As a pumpkin artist with numerous awards and a worldwide reputation, Villafane has turned this seasonal craft into a masterful expression of creativity.

One of his preserved pumpkin carvings is alongside a 1,700-pound pumpkin at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, but Villafane isn’t just about the grand spectacles. He believes that every pumpkin, regardless of its size, holds the potential for a masterpiece. For him, the joy of art comes from the process and not necessarily the end product.

“Sometimes it’s so satisfying to pour love into something that no one else is pouring love into. It’s OK to pursue things for the joy of doing it,” Villafane said.

Here are six tips from Villafane for finding the potential in any pumpkin carving.

Continue reading “Carving a masterpiece: Artist Ray Villafane’s 6 tips to unlocking your pumpkin’s potential (with Arizona stencils)”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Tucson Border,710 words.
• Photo, graphic available (embed code, thumbnail, caption below).

By Adrienne Washington
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – A record 2.47 million migrants were stopped at the southern border in fiscal 2023, with the Tucson sector of the border leading the rest of the nation for the third straight month.

New numbers from Customs and Border Protection show that migrant encounters in the Tucson sector rose from 48,754 in August to 51,001 in September, part of an overall increase from 232,963 to 269,735 along the entire southern border in the same period.

For the year, the Tucson sector, which includes most of the Arizona border, recorded 373,625 migrant encounters, third overall behind the El Paso and Del Rio sectors in Texas, which one analyst called “quite odd.” Continue reading “2.47 million migrant encounters at southern border in fiscal 2023 sets record”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Native Plants Heat,1140 words.
• 9 photos, graphic available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Ellie Willard
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With July being declared Earth’s hottest month on record, Arizonans faced the grim reality of record-breaking temperatures and extreme arid conditions causing residents to seek refuge inside from the relentless heat.

But how did the native dwellers rooted into the desert soil protect themselves?

Native Arizona plants – most notably saguaro cactuses, succulents, palo verde trees and creosote bushes – have adapted over millennia to accommodate the scorching summer highs of the Sonoran Desert, but growing climate change concerns are raising alarms for how well and at what rate these plants will continue to adapt. Experts say cultivating genetic diversity and mitigating Phoenix’s urban heat island must occur to protect native plants. Continue reading “‘Not normal at all’: Rising temperatures threaten saguaros, other native plants”

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• Slug: BC-CNS-River Wrangling,1060 words.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Alex Hager
KUNC

A new federal government report shows Colorado River states are aiming to agree on a plan to cut back on water, but remain divided about how to share the shrinking supply among tens of millions across the Southwest.

The Bureau of Reclamation on Thursday released the results of its two-month summer “scoping” process, gathered input from states, environmental groups, tribes and others with a stake in the river’s future. Those comments will be used to draft the Environmental Impact Statement, likely by the end of this year, outlining the plan for the amount of water released from major reservoirs. Continue reading “‘Scoping’ results show new Colorado River rules will face a range of demands”

• Slug: BC-CNS-First Time Homebuyers. 1,200 words. By Alyssa Bickle.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails and captions below).

By Alyssa Bickle
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – High home sales prices and mortgage interest rates are squeezing out first-time home buyers from entering the market, especially as incomes have not kept up, housing experts say.

In 2020, the housing market was in a frenzy. High numbers of homes were selling, agents’ inventories were low and offers were frequently being made over list prices, said Jason Giarrizzo, a realtor with West USA Realty, who has been in the industry for 31 years.

Coming out of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the market continued to surge as people began buying real estate, Giarrizzo said. “We weren’t sure where the market was going to go, (if) it (was) going to plummet because of you know, the shutdown and everything, but it was quite the opposite.”

A balanced market in the Phoenix metropolitan area would have inventory levels of about 30,000 properties, Giarrizzo said, but by the end of 2021 inventory began to shrink to about 4,400 properties in the area.

Continue reading “High home prices and interest rates contribute to tough market for first-time homebuyers”

• Slug: Sports-The Sweet Spot. Runtime 12:03.
• Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download)

[Music bed under] 

TSS Host: This is The Sweet Spot where we take a closer look at the week’s biggest sports stories in Arizona. I’m Alex Chenevey and thank you for tuning into the show.

[Music fade in/under]

TSS Host: On today’s show we’ll tell you how business has been booming due to the Diamondbacks’ success in the MLB Playoffs. Then we’ll talk about state records being broken in high school football and the ever-growing sport of Pickelball in the Valley. Lastly, a look at high school marching band, and how 23 bands gathered in Flagstaff for a competition. Continue reading “The Sweet Spot: Making the most of DBacks run, making music and breaking records”

• Slug: BC-CNS-CN2Go Weekly Update. Runtime 10:34.
• Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download)

[Music bed under] 

CN2Go Host: This is Cronkite News 2 Go. I’m your host, Kiersten Edgett.

[Music fade in/under]

CN2Go Host: On today’s show we talk about Debbie Lesko’s announcement that she will not be running for re-election, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix’s recently-opened Mental Health Ministry, and how some veteran organizations have been left in limbo over a criminal case relating to bingo games and technology. Continue reading “CN2Go Weekly Update: Phoenix Catholic church expands its Mental Health Ministry”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Migrant Monuments,710 words.
• Photo, video story available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Alexandria Cullen
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Tohono O’odham Chairman Verlon Jose told a House panel Wednesday that while migrants crossing his reservation are causing problems, those are overshadowed by problems from the construction of the border wall meant to stop migration.

“Construction of a wall on federal lands near our reservation also interferes with the flow of scarce, vital water resources on which plants and wildlife depend. Our tribal members rely on these plants for food, medicine and cultural purposes,” Jose said in his testimony.

His comments came during a House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on the federal government’s recent decision to use Floyd Bennett Field, a National Park Service site in Brooklyn, as an emergency housing site for some of the thousands of migrants who have recently been shipped to New York from the border. Continue reading “Tohono O’odham official says immigration is a problem – but so is the wall”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Homeless Mesa,740 words.
• 2 photos, video story available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Adrienne Washington and Renee Romo
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Mesa Mayor John Giles told a Washington seminar Thursday that he no longer has to fight to make people understand the seriousness of homelessness, but that the fight to solve the issue is ongoing.

“I remember saying homelessness is an issue in Mesa, Arizona,” Giles said during the seminar. “I no longer feel like I need to say that, because I think most people have come to realize it’s not an issue, it’s the issue in our communities.”

Giles’ comments came at a Bipartisan Policy Center forum with mayors from across the country on city approaches to ending the cycle of homelessness. The mayors agreed that long-term solutions are needed but that – it’s complicated. Continue reading “Giles, other mayors say ongoing homelessness issue needs ongoing solutions”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Mental Health Ministry. 1,450 words. By Deanna Pistono.
• 5 photos, audio story available.

By Deanna Pistono
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – On Sept. 10, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix held its second annual Mass of Remembrance for People Who Died by Suicide. People holding white carnations filled the pews at Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral and vases of white carnations surrounded an altar of Mary. Organ music rang out as Bishop John Dolan began to lead the Mass.

Dolan, who has been bishop at the Diocese since Aug. 2, 2022, has a personal connection to the event. Three of his siblings died from suicide: his brother, when Dolan was in eighth grade, one of his sisters and her husband, when Dolan was in college in the 1980s, and another sister in October 2022.

For Dolan, being open about his ways of dealing with these deaths has led to more open conversations among parishioners.

Continue reading “The Diocese of Phoenix supports mental health through ministry”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Lesko Leaves,830 words.
• 2 file photos, video story available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Renee Romo
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Declaring Washington “broken,” four-term Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, made the surprise announcement Tuesday that she will serve out her current term but will not seek reelection next year.

The announcement shocked political observers who said Lesko’s departure opens the door to what will likely be a crowded, and costly, GOP primary to replace her in what has been called a solidly Republican district.

“It’s going to be one of the most watched races in the state, all of a sudden,” said Paul Bentz, senior vice president of research and strategy for Highground Inc. “This is a pretty shocking announcement that creates a very competitive race that a lot of people are going to jump into.” Continue reading “Heated race likely to succeed Lesko, who will leave ‘broken’ Washington”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Cleaner Burning Gas. 570 words.
• File photo available.

By Reagan Priest
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A joint committee of the Arizona Legislature held a hearing on Monday to discuss high gas prices in Maricopa County and how to lower them, but experts testified that lowering prices could take years.

The Republican chairs of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Study Committee on Air Quality and Energy called the hearing after claiming that Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ administration didn’t do enough to mitigate a shortage of Cleaner Burning Gasoline, a unique blend of gas that is required in Maricopa County to reduce emissions.

Cleaner Burning Gasoline, or CBG, is required under a state implementation plan from 1997 to comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the Clean Air Act. It is only sold in Maricopa County and parts of Pinal and Yavapai Counties.

Continue reading “Can Arizona lawmakers lower gas prices in the Valley? Not any time soon”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Solar Eclipse,640 words.
• Photo, NASA video available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Kate Duffy
Cronkite News

FLAGSTAFF — At 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, when the annular solar eclipse reached its peak, more than 2,000 people at the Lowell Observatory broke into applause as they witnessed the “ring of fire.”

The weekend’s eclipse was an annular eclipse, which, according to Tyler Richey-Yowell, the Percival Lowell Postdoctoral Fellow at the Lowell Observatory, occurs when the moon is further away from the Earth and, therefore, appears too small to fully eclipse the sun.

“That’s how you end up with this beautiful ring of fire, we call it, where you’re seeing just the outer edges of the star,” Richey-Yowell said. Continue reading “Thousands gather in Flagstaff to witness annular solar eclipse”

• Slug: BC-CNS-House Divided,790 words.
• Photo, video story available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Alexandria Cullen
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Arizona lawmakers voted on party lines for a new House speaker Tuesday, but it was not enough to overcome a new group of rebellious Republicans in the House who blocked the election of Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.

Jordan needed 217 votes to become speaker, but could only muster 200 from his party, as 20 Republicans voted for other candidates.

It was the first attempt to elect a speaker since eight Republicans – including Reps. Andy Biggs of Gilbert and Eli Crane of Oro Valley – joined all Democrats two weeks ago to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Continue reading “Arizona lawmakers fall in line, but House fails to elect new speaker”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Lake Loss,580 words.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Adrienne Washington
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court rejected an attempt by 2022 GOP candidates Kari Lake and Mark Finchem to stop Arizona’s use of electronic voting machines, saying the claims did not raise a “real and immediate” threat of voter fraud.

The ruling Monday by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2022 U.S. District Court decision to dismiss the suit on the same grounds. It was the latest defeat for Lake, the failed Republican nominee for Arizona governor, and Finchem, the party’s failed nominee for secretary of state, who have mounted numerous legal challenges to their defeats. Continue reading “Court rejects attempt by Finchem, Lake to bar electronic voting machines”

• Slug: BC-CNS-OTC Contracptives,1050 words.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Angelina Steel
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Arizona regulators this summer finalized long-awaited rules that allow expanded access to over-the-counter hormonal contraceptives for women over age 18 in the state.

“Reproductive freedom is critical to the individuals and families working hard to create a life for themselves in Arizona,” Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a July 6 news release publicizing the new legislation.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports over-the-counter access to hormonal contraception, pointing out the requirement for a prescription can be an obstacle for those who use contraceptives. The professional organization recommends over-the-counter contraceptives because they can be a cheaper and easier option for women who are uninsured, live in rural areas, or have to make special arrangements in order to see a health care provider. Continue reading “Contraceptives will be available at pharmacies without a prescription, increasing accessibility for Arizona women”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Tax Credits. 615 words.
• File photo available (thumbnail and caption below).
• Video story available.

By Jacob Snelgrove
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Republican legislators defended family tax rebates Monday as beneficial to Arizonans on the heels of new projections that Arizona is expecting a $400 million state budget shortfall.

The Finance Advisory Committee report released last week indicated the projected shortfall is due in part to a drop in individual income tax collections. In a news release, Arizona House Democrats pointed to “an irresponsible permanent $2 billion income tax cut primarily benefitting wealthier Arizonans.” Arizona’s 2.5% flat tax was approved by Republican lawmakers in 2021, and the following September, former Gov. Doug Ducey directed the Arizona Department of Revenue to enact the flat tax in the 2023 tax year, a year ahead of schedule.

Republican legislators, including the Arizona Freedom Caucus, hosted a news conference Monday to tout the rebates as “inflation relief” that will be headed to Arizona families. Beginning Oct. 30, tax rebates will start heading out to about 750,000 Arizona families. The money could take weeks to a month to reach them.

Continue reading “Arizona Republicans tout family tax rebates amid projected $400 million budget shortfall”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Water Catchments. 640 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
• Audio story available here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download.)

By Kiersten Edgett
Cronkite News

CAREFREE – At the center of all life is water. But, for wildlife in the hot deserts of Arizona, finding it isn’t so easy. That’s where water catchments come in.

Water catchments are systems that collect rainwater and use it to fill a drinking hole for desert-dwelling animals – from honeybees to bighorn sheep.

According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, there are roughly 3,000 catchments across Arizona.

Continue reading “Water catchments across Arizona provide drinking water for wildlife”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Israel Palestine Rallies,1100 words.
• 8 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Kate Duffy and Angelina Steel
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Hamas, which the U.S. State Department has designated a terrorist organization, launched an attack on Israel this past Saturday. More than 1,200 were dead as of Wednesday, according to media reports, and Israel on Sunday declared war on Hamas.

Hamas governs more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Founded in 1987, Hamas has called for the elimination of Israel, which was founded in 1948 as a safe haven for Jews fleeing persecution.

Amid news of death and violence in this latest Israel-Hamas war, the diverse communities of Arizona State University have expressed both grief and support for Israelis and Palestinians. The first ASU event took place on the Tempe campus on Wednesday evening, and drew students and others together to grieve for lost loved ones and show solidarity for Israel. On Thursday at 11 a.m., a group marched through the Tempe campus to show their support for Palestinians. Continue reading “Hundreds gather at ASU events with opposing views of Israelis, Palestinians”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Urban Trees. 1,300 words. By Zach Bradshaw.
• 4 photos, embeddable map, video story available (map code, thumbnails, captions below).

By Zach Bradshaw
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The city of Phoenix is dedicating millions of dollars to increase tree and shade coverage for underserved communities.

The Office of Heat Response and Mitigation is accepting applications from public schools and neighborhoods to receive grant funds for tree and shade structure installation in qualified census tracts – communities with a poverty rate of 25% or more, or with 50% of households with incomes below 60% of the area median gross income.

Three available grants – Community Canopy, Canopy for Kids, and Shade for Students – are intended to improve shade landscapes at schools and places that provide services for youth and to improve shade coverage in pedestrian places and residential sites.

Continue reading “Phoenix funding trees and shade structures for underserved communities”