- Slug: BC-CNS-CN2Go Weekly Update. Runtime 9:17.
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[Music bed under]
CN2Go Host: This is Cronkite News 2 Go. I’m your host, Kiersten Edgett.
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HOST: On today’s show we talk about the results of Tuesday’s election, how two local outrigger canoe teams keep the ocean-based sport alive in the middle of the desert, and what the future of horse racing could look like in Arizona.
El Mirage voters say no to proposed $41.5 million bond for public safety, city facilities
HOST: Only one city’s bond proposal did not pass the Special Bond Election on Tuesday as the citizens of El Mirage voted against a FORTY ONE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLAR bond package. Reporter Kenny Rasmussen has more on the story.
RASMUSSEN: The $41.5 million bond package would’ve provided a second fire station, an expansion to the police station, a new court facility, and an expansion to city hall. $21.5 million of the proposed package would’ve gone toward public safety facilities and the other $20 million would be dedicated to city facilities. The bond would have also increased the citizens’ property tax rate, specifically in secondary property taxes.
Members of the city council seemed to not mind the bond’s failure. Councilmember Roy Delgado said “A majority of the people voted against it, and I honor their wishes, that’s all there is to discuss.” Councilmember Anita Norton mentioned the proposed second fire station was in response to a previously proposed creation of commercial development, which is still in the planning stages. Norton maintains that even without the second station, the city’s fire department is still effective, claiming emergency response times under five minutes due to El Mirage’s relatively smaller size.
<< Anita Norton: “We already in El Mirage have the best average response time on our emergency calls than any city around us (lists cities around them) and that’s with our one station.” >>
RASMUSSEN: Norton also discussed the 16.4% election turnout rate, which she attributed to it being an off-election year. Despite this lack of attendance, the election was advertised throughout El Mirage.
<< Anita Norton: A lot of people didn’t really even pay attention to the signs, you know, they see them but they don’t know what it’s about.” >>
RASMUSSEN: Norton noted the ultimate turnout is likely higher due to mail-in ballots not being counted yet and ultimately maintained satisfaction with the people who did vote, even if it was during an off-election year.
<< Anita Norton: “In spite of that (the low election turnout/off-election year) the people came out voted, and made their voices heard.” >>
RASMUSSEN: Kenny Rasmussen, Cronkite News
Outrigger canoe clubs bring a little bit of Hawaiian culture, sport to the Valley
HOST: Outrigger canoe paddling is a competitive sport originating from Hawai’i, but with the recent increase of Hawaiians moving to the mainland, connecting with the culture can be more challenging. I went out to Tempe Town Lake to learn more on how two Arizona teams are taking a sport from the ocean, into the desert.
<<ambi – paddling, lay under entire script>>
EDGETT: As the sun rises over Tempe Town Lake, two outrigger canoe teams, Na Leo ‘O Ke Kai and Team Arizona, have already hit the water.
<<raise ambi of some sort of call>>
<<Ilona White: Paddling is a Hawaiian tradition, a Polynesian tradition, that took them from island to island and a way of providing food on their table. They went fishing in their outrigger canoes, and then it became a competition.>>
EDGETT: That was Ilona White, a member of Team Arizona since 2008. She originally learned to paddle in Hawai’i and has been in the sport for over 23 years. Unlike other canoes, a single hull outrigger canoe has a beam attached to the side to act as a sort of balancing weight when taking on larger ocean waves. Double hull canoes look like two canoes attached to each other using wood beams, with a space in between each boat of about three feet. Today, it’s one of the most popular sports in Hawai’i, and is slowly spreading out as locals move away from the islands. Joey Kau, a member of Na Leo, moved to Arizona 8 years ago, initially having his kids join so they can be in touch with their culture.
<<Joey Kau: Because they’re growing up here, it’s hard for them to be in touch with the culture… I just wanted them to experience being on the water because, you know, being from the islands that’s all we have to do, and so they were able to gravitate towards that.>>
EDGETT: The mainland has seen a recent influx of those moving from Hawaii. According to a recent study from WiseVoter, Hawaii is the state with the highest cost of living in the U.S. Roxann Garza was one of the original members of the first outrigger canoe club in Arizona which was founded in 1996.
<<Roxann Garza: There’s no waves like there is over here, you don’t flip your canoe like you do over there, so we still do practice where they flip the canoe to make sure that they can turn it back over and get back in and whatnot, but just the way the ocean is compared to here is super different.>>
EDGETT: Although paddling in Arizona is an adjustment, Garza says it’s important to continue the sport for generations to come.
<<Roxann Garza: It’s very important to our people to perpetuate our culture, and our parents really made sure that we did and we continue to hand it on to the next generation… so it was important to us to start a canoe club here, where we now have multiple canoe clubs here in Arizona.>>
<<raise ambi of paddling>>
EDGETT: In Tempe, Arizona. For Cronkite News to Go, I’m Kiersten Edgett.
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A storied history, an uncertain future: Arizona horse racing hopeful but wary
HOST: The future of horse racing in Arizona is up in the air — multiple race tracks across the Valley are struggling financially. The uncertainty of when and where to hold races has affected thousands of workers in the horse racing industry. Austin Hepola takes us to the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Sale at Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre to figure out what the future might hold for the sport.
[nat sound: Auctioneer at Thoroughbred Breeders Sale]
HEPOLA: The Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association hosted an auction in late October. Their goal is to preserve the sport of horse racing in the Valley. Several racing tracks in Arizona, like Turf Paradise and Arizona Downs, have gone through various highs and lows over the last few years — and mostly lows. We’re talking financial issues, ownership changes and developers backing out of deals. Thoroughbred trainer, Stacy Campo, is uneasy about instability in a sport that she’s made her livelihood. She’s been at it since she was 8 years old.
<<Stacy Campo : The uncertainty, the, you know, the fear of something collapsing in front of us is on our minds every single day, especially when we get up in the morning at five o’clock to feed the horses in our backyard. Wondering, you know, when are we going to race?>>
HEPOLA: Those local race tracks I mentioned earlier are EXPECTING to resume horse racing in 2024. Stacy says that’s thanks in large part to the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Sale..
<<Stacy Campo: When we have a sale like this and we’ve got breeders out here and we’ve got people that are determined to keep it alive and we’ve got, you know, people who have tracks that are willing to negotiate, to find a way to be able to run, they’re gonna do it and, and we’re gonna help them.>>
[nat sound: More from auctioneer at Thoroughbred Breeders Sale]
HEPOLA: The goal of the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Sale is to supply “stock” for its members. Horses are put up for auction — obviously, to provide buyers with potential racers down the line… The auction ALSO serves as a fundraiser to help bring the sport back to life.
[nat sound: Sounds of horses]
HEPOLA: Organized horse racing has been a staple in the U.S. dating back to the 18th century. It’s also one of the only sports that truly captures Arizona’s old western roots that run deep among members of the horse racing community. That bond not only motivates them to keep the sport alive now, though. Farm owner and thoroughbred breeder Tosch Keshian [cash-yen] intends to keep the sport going for future generations.
<<Tosch Keshian: The people are willing to go to work every morning at 5 and 6 or 4 o’clock to make sure the horse is taken care of, because it’s their pride. I’m optimistic that things will work out but you have to have a storm every once in a while to kind of clean out the chaff, to bring back the green.>>
HEPOLA: The past few years have been tough for the horse racing industry. Still, the community is keeping its spirits high heading into 2024, when they’ll once again open the starting gates. For Cronkite Sports, in Queen Creek, I’m Austin Hepola.
[nat sound: Sounds of horses]
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HOST: And this was your CN2Go. This show was produced by Kiersten Edgett. Special thanks to Kenneth Rassmusen and Austin Hepola for their stories in this episode. I’m your host, Kiersten Edgett. Until next time!
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