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THIS IS YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2GO BRIEFING.

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I’M EMMA VANDENEINDE. (  go to story ) 

HEADLINE: Arizona K-12 funding approved by the House Committee

Summary:  The Arizona House Appropriations Committee approves K-12 funding 

ARIZONA LAWMAKERS ARE NOW CONSIDERING LAST MINUTE LEGISLATION THAT AIMS TO EQUALIZE THE FUNDING SCHOOLS RECEIVE PER STUDENT. IT WAS APPROVED BY THE ARIZONA HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MONDAY.

THE PROPOSED FUNDING FORMULA WOULD SLASH RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGETS. BOWIE (BOO-ee) UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A STAFF OF 17 AND 72 STUDENTS. DAN ERICKSON, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND PRINCIPAL EXPLAINS HOW THIS BILL WOULD HARM RURAL SCHOOLS LIKE HIS.

“I would love to say that a kid is a kid is a kid, but it doesn’t cost the same to educate a kid in a rural school as it does to educate a kid in a city school.”

ERICKSON SAYS THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A TWELVE PERCENT CUT TO THEIR BUDGET IF THIS LEGISLATION GOES THROUGH. THAT WOULD MEAN STAFF WOULD BE REDUCED, SALARIES WOULD BE FROZEN AND SOME PROGRAMS WOULD BE DIMINISHED. 

HEADLINE: Kelly, Sinema tell Biden to think twice before ending border policy

Summary: Arizona Senators urge Biden not to end Title 42 until there is a secure plan to ensure an orderly process at the border.

ARIZONA SENATORS MARK KELLY AND KYRSTEN (KEER-sten) SINEMA–BOTH DEMOCRATS–URGED THE WHITE HOUSE LAST WEEK TO KEEP A CONTROVERSIAL BORDER CONTROL POLICY IN PLACE. THAT IS UNTIL THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A SECURE PLAN. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN UNDER PRESSURE BY DEMOCRATS TO DISCONTINUE TITLE 42 BECAUSE IT’S A POLICY THAT’S CARRIED OVER FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. 

TITLE 42 WAS PROPOSED BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION AS A PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURE DURING THE PANDEMIC. IT WAS ENFORCED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO TURN AWAY MIGRANTS FROM THE BORDER DUE TO SPREADING THE VIRUS. 

MORE THAN ONE POINT SEVEN MILLION MIGRANTS HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY SINCE THE POLICY WAS ENACTED IN MARCH 2020.

KELLY AND SINEMA SAY THAT TITLE 42 SHOULD END EVENTUALLY, BUT NOT UNTIL THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ENSURE A HUMANE PROCESS AT THE BORDER. 

HEADLINE: Why the Sonoran desert tortoise won’t be listed as endangered 

Summary: Earlier this year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided that the Sonoran desert tortoise does not warrant endangered species protection. Advocates disagree and have pushed for protection for the past 14 years.

HOST INTRO: 

THE SONORAN DESERT TORTOISE WAS DENIED ENDANGERED SPECIES STATUS FOR A SECOND TIME EARLIER THIS YEAR. THAT’S AFTER ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES HAVE PUSHED FOR 14 YEARS TO PROTECT AN ICONIC SPECIES OF THE DESERT SOUTHWEST.

CRONKITE NEWS ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA EXPLAINS WHAT THIS MEANS. 

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THE SONORAN DESERT TORTOISE WITH IT’S HIGH DOMED BROWN SHELL  IS NATIVE TO ARIZONA AND SONORA, MEXICO.   

“That’s the part of the desert that has saguaros, lots of boulders, rocky habitats, generally on slopes…”

THAT’S THOMAS JONES. HE’S THE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES MANAGER FOR THE ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT. HE SAYS THE TORTOISE CAN LIVE BETWEEN 70 TO 80 YEARS. BUT GETTING TO THAT AGE CAN BE TRICKY BECAUSE ABOUT 1 PERCENT OF EGGS A YEAR SURVIVE. 

“It’s a rough life, especially when you’re starting out as a little tiny, two inch long morsel that everything wants to eat.”

IN FEBRUARY THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DETERMINED THE TORTOISES DID  NOT WARRANT ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION. THE AGENCY NOTED THE TORTOISES’S POPULATION IS STABLE AND ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. 

“We are hopeful that they’re correct.” 

THATS CYNDI TUELL. SHE DIRECTS THE WESTERN WATERSHED PROJECTS IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.

“I’m worried that they may have put the tortoise on a collision course with extinction, because I think they really minimized some of the threats the tortoise faces, especially from livestock grazing.” 

TUELL WORRIES THAT LIVESTOCK WILL EAT THE SAME PLANTS THAT THE TORTOISE RELIES ON. BUT THAT’S NOT THE ONLY THREAT. 

“These include non native vegetation, altered fire regimes, habitat conversion, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and what we refer to as human tourist interactions.”

THATS JEFF SERVOSS, A BIOLOGIST WITH THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. SERVOSS WORKED ON THE ASSESSMENT OF THE SONORAN DESERT TORTOISE FOR A YEAR. HE SAYS EVEN THOUGH THE TORTOISE DOESN’T WARRANT PROTECTION NOW, THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ICONIC REPTILE.  

“We are committed to continuing to work with other federal, state, tribal and private partners to monitor and conserve the species into the future. So the story is not done. And we’ll continue to look after this, this critter.

THE CONSERVATION OF THE DESERT SONORAN TORTOISE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE 1980S. THAT’S WHEN THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DETERMINED THE TORTOISE COULD BE A CANDIDATE FOR ENDANGERED STATUS. 

ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA, CRONKITE NEWS.

HEADLINE: Chris Paul returns to the Phoenix Suns

Summary: After missing 15 games with a broken thumb, Chris Paul returns to the Suns lineup.

PHOENIX SUNS GUARD CHRIS PAUL HAS RETURNED TO THE LINEUP AFTER MISSING THE LAST 15 GAMES WITH A BROKEN RIGHT THUMB. THIS INJURY KEPT PAUL OUT OF THE ALL-STAR GAME IN CLEVELAND IN FEBRUARY. 

PAUL WAS BACK ON THE COURT THURSDAY NIGHT IN DENVER AGAINST THE NUGGETS. THE ALL-STAR GUARD SCORED 17 POINTS AND PUT UP 13 ASSISTS IN 29 MINUTES OF PLAY. 

PAUL’S RETURN COMES AS THE SUNS ARE POISED TO MAKE ANOTHER DEEP PLAYOFF RUN THIS YEAR. THE TEAM SECURED THE TOP SEED IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE WITH THURSDAY’S WIN AND WILL HAVE A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS.

THE SUNS CURRENTLY SIT AT 61 WINS AND 14 LOSSES ,WITH JUST 7 GAMES LEFT ON THE REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE. 

HEADLINE: Arizona tennis player Kylie McKenzie launches federal lawsuit 

Summary: Kylie McKenzie and her attorney Robert Allard held a press conference to announce the filing of a sexual assult lawsuit against her former USTA coach.

 ARIZONA TENNIS PLAYER KYLIE MCKENZIE HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT  AGAINST MCKENZIE’S FORMER COACH ANIBAL ARANDA (AN-IBLE IRAN-DUH).

WHEN SHE WAS JUST 16 MCKENZIE  RANKED IN THE TOP 10 FOR HER AGE IN TENNIS AND WAS RECRUITED BY THE U-S  TENNIS ASSOCIATION. MCKENZIE  MADE THE CHOICE TO MOVE AWAY FROM FAMILY TO TRAIN WITH THE ASSOCIATION AND IT WAS THERE WHERE ARANDA ALLEGEDLY SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER. 

MCKENZIE’S ATTORNEY LABELED ARANDA AS A PREDATOR. THE FORMER COACH HAD OTHER SEXAUL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM WHICH THE ASSOCIATION DID NOT DISCLOSE WITH MCKENZIE  OR HER FAMILY BEFORE THEY AGREED  TO SEND MCKENZIE  TO TRAIN AT THEIR FACILITIES. 

MCKENZIE SOBBED AS SHE TOLD HER STORY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TUESDAY. SHE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY JANCY THOMPSON, A FELLOW SEXAUL ASSULT SURVIVIOR AND FORMER ASU SWIMMER, AS WELL AS, AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG. 

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WE HAD HELP TODAY FROM NICK SCHESKE AND ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA. ALSO, THANKS TO JUSTIN TORRES FOR PRODUCING TODAY’S SHOW. (list everyone who contributed for the show including the producer credit as well) 

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YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORIES YOU HEARD IN TODAY’S NEWS UPDATE, BY GOING TO CRONKITENEWS-DOT-AZPBS-DOT-ORG. 

THAT’S ALL FOR YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2 GO. I’M EMMA VANDENEINDE. 

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