Just an eagle: One player’s perspective of competing in a U.S. Amateur Qualifier

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-U.S. Amateur Qualifier First Person, 1,100 words
  • 2 photos available.

By Jack Reeves
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – One hole to play, I need an eagle to advance. From 245 yards away on the par-5 closing hole, I hit a cut off the left side of the green, tracking right on the flag, waiting for the ball to land.

A potential spot in the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship awaits.

Four hours earlier, I started my round at Desert Highlands Golf Club, looking to finish in the top eight of the 76-player qualifier field. If I make the cut, I advance to the final qualifying stage, looking to eventually make the field at Hazeltine National. Continue reading “Just an eagle: One player’s perspective of competing in a U.S. Amateur Qualifier”

CORRECTION to June 4 story about Arizona’s cannabis social equity program

by Julia Thompson

EDS: Clients who used a Cronkite News story slugged BC-CNS-Cannabis Social Equity that moved Tuesday, June 4, under a PHOENIX dateline are asked to run the following correction. The error occurred in the 55th graf of the original. A corrected version of the story has been posted here.

PHOENIX – A June 4 Cronkite News story about Arizona’s cannabis social equity program misquoted civil litigation and cannabis lawyer Jimmy Cool. “You’re going to send these people back to their communities, they’re going to spend money at the local store, they’re gonna contribute to the property tax base, they are going to enrich their community,” Cool said. “It creates economic activity in these areas that we hollowed out.”

Congress gave citizenship to Native Americans a century ago, but voting rights would come decades later

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Indian Citizenship Turns 100. 1,695 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Brianna Chappie
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – June 2 marked one century since then-President Calvin Coolidge signed a law granting American citizenship to Native Americans.

Women had secured the right to vote four years earlier under the 19th Amendment. For the nation’s 250,000 or so Native Americans, the Indian Citizenship Law promised acceptance, economic opportunity and legal protections.

But it was not intended to ensure voting rights.

That remained the purview of states, and many threw up obstacles for decades. Arizona, in particular, used literacy tests and other tools to quash voting rights of Americans who also happened to be Native American.

Continue reading “Congress gave citizenship to Native Americans a century ago, but voting rights would come decades later”

Supreme Court rules in favor of two Native American tribes in dispute with federal government over insurance billing fees

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: BC-CNS-SCOTUS Tribal Health. 425 words.
  • File photo available.

By Brianna Chappie
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the federal government must pay millions in administrative and overhead costs for federal health care programs that Native American tribes had taken over.

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act authorizes Indian tribes and Tribal Organizations to contract for the administration and operation of certain federal programs, such as those run by the Indian Health Service, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services.

Continue reading “Supreme Court rules in favor of two Native American tribes in dispute with federal government over insurance billing fees”

Fashion forward: How the ABA paved the way for NBA style, player expression

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-NBA Fashion ABA, 2,300 words.
  • 3 photo available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX — As the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics tip off Thursday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the primary focus will be on Kyrie Irving’s wizardry, Luka Doncic’s bionic eyes and Jayson Tatum’s exceptional wing play.

However, before stepping on the court, the superstars stroll through the arena tunnel. Here, one will witness the flair expressed in their outfit choices. For several decades, NBA players have taken pride in showing off their game day clothing selection in the tunnel.

Still, whether it’s a vibrant suit, simple overalls or a white T-shirt, the players’ freedom to express themselves through fashion derives from the American Basketball Association, an innovative basketball league that experienced its glory days from 1967 to 1976. Continue reading “Fashion forward: How the ABA paved the way for NBA style, player expression”

Boosting mental health through haircuts: ClipDart recreates barbershop, salon experience for Glendale older adults

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: BC-CNS-ClipDart Haircuts. 790 words. David Ulloa Jr.
  • Photos, file video available.

By David Ulloa Jr.
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Surrounded by the low hum of clippers and the click of scissors cutting hair, a group of older adults sits at a long rectangular table in the Glendale Community Center. They place beans on Lotería cards – a traditional Mexican game similar to bingo – as one of the staffers calls out the names of icons on the playing cards, in broken yet well-intentioned Spanish. One client jumps up from her salon chair as soon as her haircut is done to join the rest of them to see if she can fill her card and yell “Lotería!” to win the game.

The barbers and hairstylists at the Glendale Community Center are part of a nonprofit organization called The ClipDart Giveback, a group of mobile barbers and hairstylists who help improve the mental health of vulnerable communities by providing an authentic barbershop and hair salon experience.

Continue reading “Boosting mental health through haircuts: ClipDart recreates barbershop, salon experience for Glendale older adults”

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark outlines new-look conference’s vision in meeting with Arizona Board of Regents

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Big 12 Commissioner ABOR. 700 words
  • 2 photos available.

By Mateo Arenas
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Big 12 Conference is set to leave its mark on Arizona, as a positive early step was checked off Thursday.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was in Tempe, speaking to the Arizona Board of Regents at Arizona State’s Fulton Center. Yormark spoke on the current state of college athletics, highlighting the new-look Big 12 with the addition of several schools, including ASU and the University of Arizona.

The conversation covered a variety of topics embedded in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, including expansion, revenue-sharing, and name, image and likeness. Joined on stage by recently hired athletic directors Desireé Reed-Francois of Arizona and Graham Rossini of ASU, Yormark emphasized his vision for the Big 12 as the conference expands to 16 teams starting this fall.

“I love the market, and it’s always nice to pay a visit here,” Yormark said. “I will say there’s never been a more important time for college athletics than right now … As I see it, (sport) sits at the front porch of every institution for all the right reasons, and it drives the ecosystem across the board.”

Continue reading “Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark outlines new-look conference’s vision in meeting with Arizona Board of Regents”

CORRECTION to June 5 story about right-to-contraception bill

by Julia Thompson

EDS: Clients who used the Cronkite News story slugged BC-CNS-Contraceptives Senate that moved Wednesday, June 5, under a WASHINGTON dateline are asked to run the following correction. The error occurred in the headline of the original. A corrected version of the story has been posted here.

WASHINGTON – The headline on a June 5 Cronkite News story about a measure that attempted to ensure access to birth control nationwide misspelled the first name of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Senate Republicans block right-to-contraception bill backed by Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona

by Julia Thompson

EDS: An earlier version of this story contained an error in the headline. It has been corrected, but clients who used previous versions are asked to run the correction found here.

  • Slug: BC-CNS-Contraceptives Senate. 920 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Alex Cunningham
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans blocked a measure that would ensure access to birth control nationwide as reproductive rights dominate the upcoming Arizona elections.

The 51-39 vote fell short of the 60 needed to proceed. Democrats had expected the effort to fail but were eager to score political points.

The bill would have codified access to contraception, regardless of any state-level restrictions, though no states are moving in that direction. Republicans called the legislation unnecessary.

Continue reading “Senate Republicans block right-to-contraception bill backed by Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona”

LUCHA files lawsuit, vows to fight controversial HCR 2060, the Secure the Border Act

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-HCR 2060 Lawsuit. 650 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Lauren De Young
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In the wake of the passage of HCR 2060, Living United for Change in Arizona filed a lawsuit against the state Wednesday aiming to strike it from the ballot in November.

The lawsuit claims that House Concurrent Resolution 2060, known as the Secure the Border Act, violated the single-subject rule, which states that the measures within a bill must be united under one subject.

“This is not some mere technicality. This rule ensures that acts of the Legislature do not result in surprise from unrelated propositions that are under the same act in order to attract majority support for what would otherwise be unpopular measures,” said Jim Barton, an attorney for LUCHA.

Continue reading “LUCHA files lawsuit, vows to fight controversial HCR 2060, the Secure the Border Act”

‘I feel free’: Natasha Cloud embraces fresh start, purpose with Phoenix Mercury

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Mercury Natasha Cloud, 1,300 words.
  • 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – After morning shootaround on a game day in late May, Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud made her way to the corner of the Verizon 5G Performance Center court. While discussing her time in Phoenix, she raised her hands and drowned out Kodak Black’s music playing over the speakers in the background with three spoken words: “I feel free.”

The young girl, raised in hard-nosed Philadelphia, became a woman in fast-paced, politicized Washington D.C. during her eight seasons with the Washington Mystics.

The East Coast made her who she is today. It matured her. It nurtured her. Continue reading “‘I feel free’: Natasha Cloud embraces fresh start, purpose with Phoenix Mercury”

Social equity: Critics say Arizona’s cannabis program did ‘exact opposite’ of what voters intended

by Adnan Alam

EDS: An earlier version of this story contained an incorrect quotation in the 55th graf. It has been corrected, but clients who used previous versions are asked to run the correction found here.

  • Slug: BC-CNS-Cannabis Social Equity. 2,160 words.
  • Photos available.

By Analisa Valdez
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – It might feel like there’s a dispensary on nearly every other corner. Billboards that tout marijuana products such as carts and eighths and promote specials such as “dope deals” or “BOGO” sales line Arizona freeways.

Consumers might have trouble distinguishing between the stores and the products they sell, but one major difference sets apart Cookies dispensary in Tempe.

Continue reading “Social equity: Critics say Arizona’s cannabis program did ‘exact opposite’ of what voters intended”

Biden order shutting the border to migrants seeking asylum draws mixed reviews in Arizona

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Border Biden. 830 words. By Benjamin Adelberg.
  • Photo available (thumbnails, captions below).

WASHINGTON – Some Arizona Democrats praised President Joe Biden’s order Tuesday closing the border to asylum-seekers, embracing his remarkable shift toward a Donald Trump-era policy despite long-held qualms.

“I think President Biden really does want to find a solution to fix this problem,” said Manuel Ruiz, chairman of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, who stood with Biden at the White House as the president announced the new policy. “Immigration has been an issue that everybody has kicked down the road since, God rest his soul, Sen. (John) McCain and Ted Kennedy.”

Continue reading “Biden order shutting the border to migrants seeking asylum draws mixed reviews in Arizona”

Diamondbacks reliever Andrew Saalfrank suspended 1 year by MLB for sports betting

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Diamondbacks Player Gambling, 420 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By William Osborne
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES – Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Andrew Saalfrank was among four players MLB suspended Tuesday for sports betting. The league also banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for life. 

Saalfrank is on assignment with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate Reno Aces. During the league’s investigation, he was found to have violated MLB’s sports gambling policy, rule 21(d)(1).

“Betting data shows that from September 9, 2021 through October 29, 2021, and on March 9, 2022, Saalfrank placed 29 baseball bets, including 28 MLB-related bets and one parlay bet on college baseball games, while he was on a Minor League contract with the Diamondbacks,” an MLB press release said. “Saalfrank placed all of his MLB-related bets, including four bets involving the Diamondbacks’ Major League team, while he was assigned to and on the Injured List of the Diamondbacks’ Low-A affiliate. Continue reading “Diamondbacks reliever Andrew Saalfrank suspended 1 year by MLB for sports betting”

Magic Johnson pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ASU speech with inspiring address, $75K donation to students

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Magic Johnson MLK ASU, 1,500 words.
  • 10 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Magic Johnson elected not to use the elevated stage set up for him during his 20-minute speech at Arizona State University’s Student Pavilion, instead choosing to pace back and forth in front of the crowd. With a gentle, resounding voice, the five-time NBA champion chronicled his high school days and the impact of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy on his life before a phone rang from the audience about five minutes into his speech. 

“I can answer it for you and … tell them ‘Magic is here,'” Johnson told the attendee, earning a few laughs.

He indeed was there, but not to glorify himself.  Continue reading “Magic Johnson pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ASU speech with inspiring address, $75K donation to students”

Faith and baseball: Valley Christian’s journey from Dominican Republic fuels 3A state championship run

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Valley Christian Baseball Trip, 860 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Noah Maltzman
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – After kicking off the 2024 season with an impressive 3-0 record, outscoring teams 48-7, the Valley Christian baseball team took a scheduled hiatus during spring break to embark on a transformative mission trip to the Dominican Republic in March.

As part of the school’s mission program, which allowed the junior varsity and varsity teams to immerse themselves in the culture for a week, the Trojans landed bearing gifts and valuable lessons about the game of baseball and returned with a stronger bond, deeper resolve and renewed spirit that carried them to the program’s second state championship.

“We brought down youth equipment to bless their underprivileged kids in this society and held youth camps for baseball. We also did clean up days where we left properties that we were staying at better than how we received them,” coach Vince LaGatta said. “We held devotions every night. We sat under the stars and shared fears and insecurities and opened up to one another and shared life together. Continue reading “Faith and baseball: Valley Christian’s journey from Dominican Republic fuels 3A state championship run”

Blood, sweat and stories: Preserving culture and history through lowriding

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Lowrider Culture. 1,400 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By David Ulloa Jr.
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – On the second Saturday each month in the spring, the narrow two-lane road between First and Second Streets in downtown Phoenix is filled with striking lowriders, their glossy steel frames gleaming under the sun. A nearby DJ spins a mix of soulful blues and funky 80s beats as crowds gather to marvel at the classic cars that are visually stunning and tell stories of a bygone era.

Steven Alvarez, who is in charge of public and community relations for the Pachuco Arizona Car Club and the host of the web series Arizona Bomb Stories, emphasizes that these meticulously customized cars that drive low to the ground are not just vehicles. Alvarez said lowriders are living, breathing symbols of the rich cultural history of the Mexican and Mexican American communities. Continue reading “Blood, sweat and stories: Preserving culture and history through lowriding”

Donald Trump will campaign in Phoenix on Thursday after felony convictions in hush money case

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Trump Phoenix. 700 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Alex Cunningham
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump will stump Thursday in Phoenix, his first public campaign event since a New York jury convicted him on 34 felony counts.

Arizona has been at the center of Trump’s debunked stolen election claims. He lost the state narrowly. Attorney General Kris Mayes has brought charges against 11 Arizona Republicans and seven Trump aides and advisors, accusing them of conspiracy to overturn the result.

Continue reading “Donald Trump will campaign in Phoenix on Thursday after felony convictions in hush money case”

Debbie Lesko presses Fauci on gain of function, alleged suppression of lab-leak COVID-19 theory

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Fauci Arizona. 770 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Grey Gartin
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Dr. Anthony Fauci faced tough questions from Republicans at a House hearing Monday on the origins of COVID-19 and the federal public health response.

GOP lawmakers have tried without success to show wrongdoing by Fauci, who led the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic under former President Donald Trump. Many pressed him to agree that the “lab-leak theory” – that COVID-19 did not evolve naturally – is no conspiracy theory.
Continue reading “Debbie Lesko presses Fauci on gain of function, alleged suppression of lab-leak COVID-19 theory”

Ruben Gallego faces election year pressures in vote against noncitizen voting in D.C., but it’s not unusual in local elections

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Noncitizen Voting. 1,440 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Alex Cunningham
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – For over 20 years, Arizona has banned noncitizen voting in local elections. Now as Rep. Ruben Gallego and Kari Lake tussle in the state’s U.S. Senate race, the issue is rising to the forefront.

Just last year, Gallego defended the District of Columbia’s policy allowing noncitizens to cast ballots in municipal elections.

But as the heat of an election year rises to a boil and hard-line Republicans stoke fears of illegal immigration and fraudulent elections, the issue has proved too toxic for Gallego as he seeks to broaden his appeal beyond his progressive base.

When the issue came up again in late May, Gallego sided with Republicans in an effort to overturn the D.C. law.

Continue reading “Ruben Gallego faces election year pressures in vote against noncitizen voting in D.C., but it’s not unusual in local elections”