Honoring heritage: Mercury’s Diana Taurasi pays homage to roots on Dia Latina amid skid-snapping win

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Mercury Taurasi Latina, 1,075 words.
  • 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – On the table at home after game night, Diana Taurasi sets a glass of wine. If the Phoenix Mercury guard had a choice of her favorite childhood home-cooked meal to complement her drink, she’d request her mom’s milanesa or ensalada de mozzarella. But the Argentinian desires nothing more than Lili Taurasi’s empanadas de pollo. 

Lili is from Argentina, and her husband Mario was born in Italy but primarily raised in Argentina, where he became a professional soccer goalie. The couple gave birth to their second child, Diana, in Los Angeles but prioritized her immersion in Latina culture.

During Sunday’s 87-68 victory against the Los Angeles Sparks at Footprint Center, the Mercury celebrated Dia Latina or Latina Day. The organization honored members of the Latina community in Phoenix, from local artists to members of their own hip-hop dance squad. Continue reading “Honoring heritage: Mercury’s Diana Taurasi pays homage to roots on Dia Latina amid skid-snapping win”

Wrestling with fate: How two visionaries elevated professional wrestling in the Valley

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Phoenix Championship Wrestling,  1,500 words.
  • 4 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Dylan Slager
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Dom Vitalli, a professional wrestler and business guru who started working in the industry in New York in 2001, moved to Arizona in 2009 and had nearly reached a dead end in his search to find established wrestling schools in the Valley before joining a local venue as a volunteer trainer.

“One random Thursday night, I went to go train myself. I asked, ‘Hey guys, so who is the trainer?’ And they said, ‘Oh well we don’t have a trainer on Thursday nights, we just kind of do what we want,’” Vitalli recalled. “From my background, that is completely unacceptable. It’s like letting kids loose in a candy store. Someone is going to get hurt.”

Vitalli’s desire for wrestling and making other wrestlers better led him to meet his future partner in the business, Jon Wolfgang. In 2016, while attending college, Wolfgang chose to pursue his passion for wrestling and move back to Arizona, where he also noticed a lack of developmental resources for professional wrestling. Continue reading “Wrestling with fate: How two visionaries elevated professional wrestling in the Valley”

Government report confirms that border agencies lose migrant belongings

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Migrants’ Missing Stuff. 1,120 words.
  • Photos available.

By Benjamin Adelberg
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – A child’s only change of clothes. Birth certificates and crucial contact information to reach family friends or distant relatives. Even wads of cash.

All have been lost at migrant detention facilities along the southern border, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office that affirms long-standing allegations by migrant advocates.

By the time migrants’ formal complaints to Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol or other agencies are investigated, the GAO found, their belongings have often been discarded.

Continue reading “Government report confirms that border agencies lose migrant belongings”

In rare bipartisan agreement, House and Senate push to lift ban on felons with drug-related convictions receiving SNAP benefits

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Felon Food Stamps. 550 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Amaia Gavica
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON — In a rare instance of bipartisan consensus, Congress is moving toward ending a ban on felons with drug-related convictions receiving food stamps –a 28-year-old policy seen by ex-offenders and their advocates as an obstacle to reentering society.

The reversal is part of a massive farm bill approved by the Republican-controlled House Agriculture Committee on May 24. The Senate, controlled by Democrats, is also expected to end the ban in its version of the bill, which Congress updates every 5 years.

Continue reading “In rare bipartisan agreement, House and Senate push to lift ban on felons with drug-related convictions receiving SNAP benefits”

‘A long time coming’: Phoenix Mercury players rally behind ‘Unrivaled’ league as game-changer for women’s basketball

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-New Women’s Basketball League, 830 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Morgan Bertsch’s family sent wedding invite after wedding invite. Her response was always the same: Declined. The first-year Mercury forward has missed every one of her family’s weddings to date due to a professional basketball journey that has taken her across the world. Despite becoming a third-round pick in the 2019 draft, she didn’t make a WNBA roster and played overseas for four years before playing her first season with Chicago Sky in 2023.

It’s a voyage many WNBA players endure to increase income, with nearly half the league competing in foreign countries during the past offseason, according to Front Office Sports. It’s not a matter of want but necessity, as the WNBA’s minimum salary is just over $64,000.

However, a new women’s basketball league, “Unrivaled,” aims to address those issues. Continue reading “‘A long time coming’: Phoenix Mercury players rally behind ‘Unrivaled’ league as game-changer for women’s basketball”

Homegrown talent: Arizona connections take center stage in 2024 Women’s College World Series

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-WCWS Arizona Ties, 650 words.
  • 2 photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Jorden Hampton
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The 2024 Women’s College World Series has strong ties to the Valley this year, prominently featuring Arizona natives Kaitlyn Terry and Viviana Martinez showcasing their talents on a grand stage for UCLA and Texas, respectively.

As the NBA and NHL playoffs approach its final stages, college softball is taking over the driver’s seat with Thursday’s start to its championship round with eight teams vying for the NCAA national championship.

Terry, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year who helped lead the Bruns to 34 regular-season wins, kept the pressure on Alabama in Game 1 by tossing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts in UCLA’s 4-1 win. The Bruins will play Oklahoma on Saturday after the Sooners beat Duke 9-1 in six innings Thursday. Continue reading “Homegrown talent: Arizona connections take center stage in 2024 Women’s College World Series”

All eyes on Vegas: Phoenix Rising look to build after back-to-back losses

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Phoenix Rising Move Forward, 800 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Jack Reeves
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Under the lights Saturday night, Phoenix Rising will have an opportunity to reach third place in the 12-team Western Conference.

The matchup against the Las Vegas Lights comes as Phoenix rides a two-game losing streak during a three-game road trip. The back-to-back losses dropped Phoenix to 1-2-2 away from home.

Despite the results, the team’s overall performance against two top sides has the team and coach Danny Stone feeling good going into this week’s matchup.

Continue reading “All eyes on Vegas: Phoenix Rising look to build after back-to-back losses”

Supreme Court dashes Arizona death row inmate’s hope to avoid death penalty in 1992 double murder

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS-SCOTUS Death Row, 715 words.
  • 1 photo available (thumbnail, captions below).

By Sahara Sajjadi
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday reversed a lower court ruling ordering a new sentencing hearing for an Arizona death row inmate who strangled a 7-year-old and beat her father to death with a bat in 1992.

Lawyers for Danny Lee Jones, convicted in 1993 of the brutal murders in Bullhead City, argued that his death sentence was unfair because his lawyer failed to introduce evidence of his own childhood trauma and brain injuries – mitigating factors that might have led to a lesser sentence.

The state’s highest court had rejected that argument. But a federal appeals court agreed that Jones did not have effective counsel as guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment.

Continue reading “Supreme Court dashes Arizona death row inmate’s hope to avoid death penalty in 1992 double murder”

Coaches, community leaders strive to improve Arizona’s poor numbers in youth sports participation

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports-Arizona Youth Sports Participation, 1,000 words.
  • 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Zachary Mott
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Studies that spotlight Arizona as one of the worst states for youth sports participation have prompted a counterattack by community coaches and leaders who want to change the narrative.

A 2023 study from the Aspen Institute’s Project Play has Arizona ranked second to last (42.6%) in the country for percentage of youth ages 6-17 who played on a team or took lessons. Nationally, Hispanic youth participating in sports dropped a whopping 7.9% from 2017-22, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, a statistic that could be impacting Arizona’s overall number since it ranks sixth in the nation in Hispanic population.

“Seeing the decline in youth sports overall is unfortunate, because I know how important it is to just move the body in general,” said Dallas Braden, a former Oakland Athletics pitcher who was born in Phoenix and played youth sports. “You just create a baseline for physical fitness … it’s directly connected to mental health. Physical and mental health go hand-in-hand. We’re really impacting some potential growth phases and growth periods that are massively important.” Continue reading “Coaches, community leaders strive to improve Arizona’s poor numbers in youth sports participation”

‘He loved being Bill Walton’: Celebrating the life and legacy of a basketball icon, beloved broadcaster

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports-Bill Walton Pac-12, 800 words.
  • 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Mateo Arena
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As the University of Arizona’s Pac-12 baseball title last Saturday night marked the final event in the conference’s current iteration, Monday’s passing of basketball legend Bill Walton signaled a true end of an era.

A passionate advocate for the “Conference of Champions,” Walton’s overwhelming joy and zest for life was reflected in his coverage of the Pac-12, the conference he won two NCAA championships representing at UCLA.

“(Bill) truly believed that the (Pac-12) conference was the best conference in the country,” said Tim Sullivan, a former ESPN live sports producer and close friend of Walton’s. “That was not only based in fact, number of national championships both team and individual that have been won by Pac-12 schools, but also in the classroom.” Continue reading “‘He loved being Bill Walton’: Celebrating the life and legacy of a basketball icon, beloved broadcaster”

Thousands of college-bound Arizona students still in financial aid ‘limbo’ in wake of FAFSA snafus

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-FAFSA AZ. 1,440 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Grey Gartin and Keetra Bippus
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Defects with the federal application for financial aid have left thousands of Arizona students still unsure if they can afford college – or at least, how much they’ll have to pay – with less than three months to go before classes start.

The uncertainty is far more widespread in Arizona than in most states. As of May 17, only about 28% of graduating high school students in the state had completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – far below the 42% national rate, and well off last year’s pace, according to a tracker from the National College Attainment Network. At this point a year ago, just over half the class of 2023 nationwide had completed the FAFSA form.

Continue reading “Thousands of college-bound Arizona students still in financial aid ‘limbo’ in wake of FAFSA snafus”

Build-to-rent communities surge in Phoenix amid high home interest rates

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Build to Rent. 965 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Vanessa Pimentel
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – High mortgage interest rates are pushing prospective homebuyers to consider build-to-rent communities instead.

Build-to-rent (BTR) communities with single-family home rentals fill the space between traditional rental properties and housing developments. They are constructed with the renter, not the buyer, in mind, and the target market includes young individuals and those who want a more home-like feel as opposed to an apartment lifestyle.

Rising interest rates are making it difficult for individuals to purchase homes. The Maricopa Association of Governments’ June 2023 housing update identified 256,000 households in the Phoenix metropolitan statistical area as “severely cost-burdened,” meaning they spend more than 50% of their income on housing.

Continue reading “Build-to-rent communities surge in Phoenix amid high home interest rates”

Sedona parking lot program to ease homelessness on hold until November election

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Sedona Homeless Parking. 850 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
  • Video available.

By Huston Dunston Jr.
Cronkite News

SEDONA – Sedona has been looking for solutions to its homelessness problem and city leaders think the Safe Place to Park Program could be a step in the right direction, but residents against the program have stalled the measure by pushing to take the issue to a public vote in November.

The program is meant for people who work in Sedona but can’t find affordable housing there and are living out of their vehicles. The proposed program would provide legal overnight parking, some amenities and help finding housing. To be eligible for the program, participants would have to prove employment in the city and have a registered and insured vehicle.

Continue reading “Sedona parking lot program to ease homelessness on hold until November election”

Despite first home loss, Phoenix Mercury remain confident as they embark on road trip

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Mercury Home Loss.
  • 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Suns forward Kevin Durant stood on his feet with a drink in hand at Footprint Center Saturday night when Mercury guard Kahleah Copper made a driving layup with two minutes left in the third quarter.

It cut a 24-point deficit to nine.

It was the first time the Mercury found themselves within single digits since the beginning of the second. They came within four, but it was too little too late as a 40-point performance by Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale handed the Mercury their first home loss of the season. Continue reading “Despite first home loss, Phoenix Mercury remain confident as they embark on road trip”

CORRECTION to May 23 story about Live Nation and Ticketmaster

by Julia Thompson

EDS: Clients who used the Cronkite News story slugged BC-CNS-Live Nation Lawsuit that moved Thursday, May 23, under a WASHINGTON dateline are asked to run the following correction. The errors occurred in the 3rd and 5th grafs of the original. A corrected version of the story has been posted here.

WASHINGTON – A May 23 Cronkite News story about an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary incorrectly represented the relationship between Live Nation and State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which uses Ticketmaster and other providers. The story also misstated how many states joined the U.S. Justice Department in the lawsuit; it was 29 plus the District of Columbia.

Arizona concertgoers hopeful as Justice Department brings antitrust suit against Live Nation

by Julia Thompson

EDS: An earlier version of this contained errors in the 3rd and 5th grafs. The story below has been corrected, but clients who used previous versions are asked to run the correction found here.

  • Slug: BC-CNS-Live Nation Lawsuit. 620 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Alexander MacDonald
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Arizona concertgoers, long annoyed at the so-called “Ticketmaster tax,” saw a glimmer of relief after the state and the U.S. Department of Justice accused the companies that have access to the nation’s top venues of monopoly practices and pricing.

“I hate them. The fees are absolutely ridiculous,” said Khambrel Speer, a hairstylist from Chandler who goes through Ticketmaster to watch the Rattlers play indoor football at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.

Continue reading “Arizona concertgoers hopeful as Justice Department brings antitrust suit against Live Nation”

Phoenix Mercury rolling to start 2024 WNBA season in Brittney Griner’s absence

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Mercury’s Strong Start. 800 words.
  • No photos

By Aya Abdeen
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With uncertainty surrounding the Phoenix Mercury, especially after star center Brittney Griner suffered a toe fracture, the new-look team has surprised many with its strong start.

On Tuesday night, the Phoenix Mercury avenged a season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Aces with a victory in their second meeting to improve to 2-1, marking the team’s first win over the two-time defending WNBA champions since July 2021. The Mercury aim to win a third straight Thursday against the Washington Mystics at Footprint Center.

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper has been key to the team’s success in her first season with Phoenix, averaging a WNBA-best 31.3 points per game. In Tuesday’s win, she became the second player in WNBA history to score 35 or more points in back-to-back games.

Continue reading “Phoenix Mercury rolling to start 2024 WNBA season in Brittney Griner’s absence”

6 months later, ASU names an athletic director: Graham Rossini

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-ASU Names Athletic Director, 800 words.
  • 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Jack Reeves
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The wait is finally over – Arizona State has named its new athletic director.

ASU graduate Graham Rossini was officially introduced Thursday at Mountain America Stadium in front of the Pat Tillman statue, with family, ASU personnel and a handful of media members present for the announcement.

ASU President Micheal Crow tapped Rossini at a crucial time for ASU athletics, with an upcoming move to the Big 12, NIL and the transfer portal, making the job in Tempe unlike any other in the past. Continue reading “6 months later, ASU names an athletic director: Graham Rossini”

It’s not just for hockey: Mullett Arena to house G League Valley Suns

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Suns G League Mullett, 660 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Anne-Marie Iemmolo
Cronkite News

TEMPE – There’s a new team in Tempe.

The Phoenix Suns officially introduced their new G League affiliate team, the Valley Suns, who will play at Mullett Arena starting in November. 

During Wednesday’s press conference at the arena, Suns CEO and president Josh Bartelstein, and G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced their plans for the new team, from their logo design to their home venue.

“It’s a lot of work to get this thing going. We’re really proud of it,” Bartelstein said.  Continue reading “It’s not just for hockey: Mullett Arena to house G League Valley Suns”

Playing beyond limits: Coyotes Sled Hockey empowering disabled athletes through inclusive ice hockey

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports-Coyotes Sled Hockey. 1,680 words.
  • 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Sean Brennan
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – An ice hockey rink’s characteristics are unmistakable.

The crunch of skate blades digging into the ground, the chilly air and smell of ice can be easily recognized by all hockey players, regardless of their origins or skill level. These lasting sensations remain in an athlete’s head well past their playing careers – mementos they grasp from the game they love.

A passion for ice hockey keeps members of Coyotes Sled Hockey, a team open for any mentally and physically disabled players, coming back. With only a few differences compared to standard hockey, these individuals can compete at a high level while staying active in an enjoyable fashion.
Continue reading “Playing beyond limits: Coyotes Sled Hockey empowering disabled athletes through inclusive ice hockey”