Maricopa County working around the clock to make sure Election Day goes smoothly

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Maricopa County Elections. 490 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Keller Brown

PHOENIX – Voters have many questions about the 2024 general election. Whether or not their early ballot will be counted in time to questions on security at voting centers, Maricopa County is preparing for all of it.

Around 55% of total ballots will drop immediately after 8 p.m. on election night, which is on par with previous elections in Maricopa County. For those who participated in early voting wondering when their ballot will be reported, around 75% of returns from early ballots will be available after 8 p.m.

Continue reading “Maricopa County working around the clock to make sure Election Day goes smoothly”

Prop. 314: Arizonans at odds over authorizing local police to tackle immigration

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Prop. 314 Border Photos. 470 words.
  • 6 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Gabriel Garza
Cronkite News

NOGALES, AZ – Working directly at Arizona’s border, Nogales Mayor Jorge Maldonado believes local police should not have to deal with immigration.

“If they want to fund me for resources, might as well give it to people who do that job,” he said. “Ours are not trained to do immigration.”

In a meeting with Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication students, Maldonado expressed his opposition to Arizona Proposition 314, which would authorize local law enforcement, under “probable cause,” to detain and deport individuals entering the state outside lawful ports of entry.

Continue reading “Prop. 314: Arizonans at odds over authorizing local police to tackle immigration”

Arizona LGBTQIA+ high school, college students say their ‘lives could change’ with presidential election

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: LGBTQ Students Politics. 1,225 words.
  • File photo available.

By Aaron Stigile
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – When Avery changed their name, it was a moment their life changed for the better. Their mom told them to hop on a surprise Zoom call, and Avery joined to an interesting sight.

“I saw the guy in the robes and with a gavel, and I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, this is probably a thing that involves me,’” said Avery, who is a transgender nonbinary high school student in Arizona.

The judge proceeded to change their name.

Continue reading “Arizona LGBTQIA+ high school, college students say their ‘lives could change’ with presidential election”

Phoenix Suns, NBA amplify Hispanic culture in Dia de los Muertos celebration and Mexico City Game 2024

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-NBA Hispanic Culture, 2,200 words.
  •  Photo available.

By Connor Moreno and Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As Spanish music and vibrant accompanying lights filled Footprint Center throughout a 103-97 Phoenix Suns victory over the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday, the Suns and their fans celebrated more than just a win.

The game was played on the Suns’ ninth annual Dia de los Muertos night, celebrating a Mexican holiday that shows respect and appreciation for the dead. The Suns Dance Team members wore face paint depicting a calavera – sugar skulls – and performed alongside folklórico dancers at halftime.

Theme nights like these are part of a larger effort by the Suns and the NBA to embrace Hispanic culture – and appeal to the league’s growing Hispanic fan base. Continue reading “Phoenix Suns, NBA amplify Hispanic culture in Dia de los Muertos celebration and Mexico City Game 2024”

Election Tuesday, CFP style: First college football poll of 12-team playoff season makes debut

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-CFP First Ranking, 710 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Fletcher Anderson
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – On Tuesday, voting will take place – we aren’t talking about politics.

The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2024 will be released, and with a new 12-team format, discussion will center around seedings and automatic qualifiers.

Since 2014, the CFP has determined the national champion using a four-team playoff, with no automatic qualifiers. Just the four best teams in the eyes of the committee. This year, they expanded to 12 and have a completely different format. Continue reading “Election Tuesday, CFP style: First college football poll of 12-team playoff season makes debut”

Servicios de guardia a maternidad en zonas rurales de Arizona son impulsados por fondos de AHCCCS

by Julio Cisneros
  • Nombre: CNMatZon. 656 palabras
  • 1 foto disponible

Por Lizeth Adriana Calderon
Cronkite Noticias

PHOENIX – Aproximadamente una quinta parte de las madres embarazadas y primerizas en Arizona reciben poca o ninguna atención prenatal, lo que puede llevar a malos resultados de salud para las madres y sus hijos, según el informe de March of Dimes del año pasado.

Continue reading “Servicios de guardia a maternidad en zonas rurales de Arizona son impulsados por fondos de AHCCCS”

Reigning USL champions Phoenix Rising FC opens back-to-back title quest in New Mexico

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Phoenix Rising Playoff Preview, 920 words.
  •  2 photos available.

By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC seeks a rare feat, one that hasn’t been accomplished since 2018, when Louisville City FC won back-to-back USL titles.

Heading into this year’s playoffs, Rising’s road to gold appears all too similar to last season’s run. In the 2023 playoffs, Rising came in as the sixth seed in the Western Conference and needed road wins over San Diego Loyal SC, Orange County SC and Sacramento Republic FC to earn a shot at the title. After passing each test with victories, Rising went on to capture their first championship in franchise history against Charleston Battery.

Phoenix enters the 2024 USL Playoffs as the eighth seed in the conference and needs a similar run away from home to defend its USL championship, starting Sunday against conference foe New Mexico United.

Continue reading “Reigning USL champions Phoenix Rising FC opens back-to-back title quest in New Mexico”

Tua Tagovailoa’s comeback vs. Arizona Cardinals underscores NFL’s ongoing player safety challenges

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Tua NFL Concussions, 1,430 words.
  • 2 photos available.

By Jalen Weathers
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Tua Tagovailoa’s return to the field Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals wasn’t just a comeback; it was a calculated risk highlighting the realities of professional football. After sustaining three concussions, the Miami Dolphins quarterback played without wearing a guardian cap at Hard Rock Stadium after missing six weeks of action.

With multiple concussions under his belt, the question about the NFL’s safety protocols is still relevant. Is the NFL doing enough to protect the players it showcases every week?

There is no question Tagovailoa can still play, but his return has reignited conversations about whether the NFL is equipped to prevent serious head trauma, particularly for a star quarterback who has brought entire stadiums and homes to silence after showing signs of the fencing position. Continue reading “Tua Tagovailoa’s comeback vs. Arizona Cardinals underscores NFL’s ongoing player safety challenges”

Halloween puede ser divertido para algunos, pero desafiante para otros, especialmente para aquellos con demencia

by Paola Boivin

Lizeth Adriana Calderon

PHOENIX – Halloween es una festividad divertida y espeluznante para muchos, pero para aquellos que padecen de demencia, puede ser aterradora. Halloween puede causar sobrecarga sensorial e interrumpir la rutina de las personas con demencia, dijo Shannon Lindemer, psicómetra sénior del programa de salud pública Nosotros Comprometidos a Su Salud.

La sobrecarga sensorial ocurre cuando el cerebro se ve abrumado por demasiada información de los cinco sentidos: vista, olfato, gusto, tacto y oído.

Continue reading “Halloween puede ser divertido para algunos, pero desafiante para otros, especialmente para aquellos con demencia”

Phoenix mayoral candidates Kate Gallego, Matt Evans tout crime approaches as election nears

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Phoenix Mayor Crime. 800 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
  • Graphic available here.

By Aaron Stigile
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Statistics say violent crime in Phoenix is not dramatically increasing, and it has actually decreased over a multiyear time span, with some monthly dips and jumps.

Nationwide trends are somewhat similar; data from the FBI released in June showed that reported violent crime decreased nationwide by 15.2% from January to March in comparison to the same time period in 2023.

Continue reading “Phoenix mayoral candidates Kate Gallego, Matt Evans tout crime approaches as election nears”

All 3 Cochise County Board of Supervisors seats are on Nov. 5 ballot

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Cochise County. 530 words.
  • File photo (thumbnail, caption below).

By Owen Alfonso
Special for Cronkite News

BISBEE – Though the presidential and congressional races will be a priority for many Arizonans come November, Cochise County residents will also vote on local offices, including the Board of Supervisors.

Arizona’s most southeastern county, sharing borders with New Mexico and Sonora, Mexico, is home to roughly 125,000 Arizonans in rural towns like Tombstone, Sierra Vista, Douglas and Naco.

Continue reading “All 3 Cochise County Board of Supervisors seats are on Nov. 5 ballot”

Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships celebrates sport and high fashion in record numbers

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-Scottsdale Polo Championship, 720 words.
  • 3 photos available.

By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – At the center of WestWorld, thumping hooves against the ground couldn’t be heard over the cauldron of nonstop activities. There was blaring live music, lavish fashion and dog shows, unique concession stands and a fleet of motor vehicles – all colliding for a single extravagant festival.

The 13th annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships attracted a record-breaking turnout, with spectators from all corners of Arizona gathering to partake in the day’s lineup and watch the 10 best polo teams across the U.S. compete for the right to hoist the Molina Cup.

Though the sport has been around for centuries, polo moved to a new level in Arizona in 2011, when the championship matches started at WestWorld of Scottsdale with 2,500 people in attendance. Since then, popularity surrounding the event has grown tremendously, with 12,469 attendees present Friday for the first day of competition. Continue reading “Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships celebrates sport and high fashion in record numbers”

Halloween can be fun for some but challenging for others, especially those with dementia

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Halloween Dementia. 450 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Lizeth Adriana Calderon
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Halloween is a fun, spooky holiday for many, but for those living with dementia, it can be frightening. Halloween can cause sensory overload and disrupt the routine for people with dementia, said Shannon Lindemer, senior psychometrist with public health program Nosotros Comprometidos a Su Salud.

Sensory overload happens when the brain gets overwhelmed by too much information from the five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch and sound.

Continue reading “Halloween can be fun for some but challenging for others, especially those with dementia”

Maricopa County boosts transparency to counter misinformation ahead of 2024 election

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Election Misinformation. 550 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Jamie Montoya
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Maricopa County is ramping up transparency and education efforts in response to growing election skepticism.

Maricopa County is the nation’s second-largest voting jurisdiction and represents more than 60% of Arizona voters.

Continue reading “Maricopa County boosts transparency to counter misinformation ahead of 2024 election”

Profit vs. principles: Sports and politics collision creates controversy, opportunity

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Globalization of Sports, 1,800 words.
  • Photo available.

By Doyal D’angelo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Killings, kidnappings, violent oppression of political opposition, torture and censorship are just a few human rights abuses that officials in the Rwandan dictatorship are either credibly accused of committing or failing to investigate.

Paul Kagame, the Rwandan dictator who helped lead his country out of its horrid genocidal past, has been in power since 2000 and with no end to his reign in sight – yet the NBA is doing business with him.

As part of a widespread effort to expand his league’s global reach, Adam Silver and his team met with Kagame in Kigali in 2018 and advised him to build a new facility, BK Arena, that would host the first Basketball African League game in 2021. Continue reading “Profit vs. principles: Sports and politics collision creates controversy, opportunity”

Arizona State women’s basketball joins improved Big 12 Conference with fresh energy, high expectations

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Big 12 WBB, 660 words.
  • Photo available.

By Dane Palmer
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As the 2024-25 Big 12 women’s basketball season tips off, a new era of college sports begins, marked by transfers, new rivalries and high expectations.

With the conference’s expansion bringing in four new programs – Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and BYU – the level of competition has never been higher. The revamped Big 12 looks to grow in more ways than from just adding schools, with improved ratings, engagement and international experiences all on the checklist for commissioner Brett Yormack.

Yormack has big aspirations for the expanding conference, which now features 18 teams spread across 10 different states. Continue reading “Arizona State women’s basketball joins improved Big 12 Conference with fresh energy, high expectations”

Rebounds and turnovers: GCU men’s basketball eyes improvements, looks to defend WAC title

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-GCU MBB Preview, 1,070 words.
  • Photo available.

By Brenden Paul
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As the clock struck 7 p.m. before the ring ceremony began, the student section known as the Havocs started singing “Be Ready” by Sovereign Grace Music in complete unison and without music, engulfing Global Credit Union Arena with their voices.

The Havocs’ impromptu celebration carried Grand Canyon University’s men’s basketball team into its emotional Western Athletic Conference championship ring and banner reveal ceremony Tuesday night, a reminder of the Lopes’ accomplishments from last season and what they have on the line this year.

It’s safe to say GCU fans are more than ready for the start of college basketball season. However, the Lopes have work to do to live up to the hype expected from the Havocs this season.  Continue reading “Rebounds and turnovers: GCU men’s basketball eyes improvements, looks to defend WAC title”

Transfer trio: GCU roller hockey championship team boosted by newcomers from Bethel University

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-GCU Roller Hockey, 860 words.
  • Photo available.

By Brenden Paul
Cronkite News

PEORIA – Kawena Lee was awakened by teammate Zach Hoffman while taking a nap on his couch with the news that Bethel University’s roller hockey team had folded due to financial issues.

“I’m all lethargic and drowsy from my nap still, and (Hoffman) says, ‘Did you hear about the news?’ I said no, and he told me to check my email because Bethel just closed their roller hockey program,” Lee said.

One year removed from making the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) semifinals, members of the Bethel University Wildcats, located in McKenzie, Tennessee, suddenly needed new places to play for the 2024-25 season, and a trio of players found a home in the desert with Grand Canyon University. Along with forwards Lee and Hoffman, defenseman Josh Little also joined the movement to Arizona. Continue reading “Transfer trio: GCU roller hockey championship team boosted by newcomers from Bethel University”

Plain language for ballot initiatives: Why it matters

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Ballot Initiative Language. 550 words.
  • Photo available.

By Sona Gevorgyan
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Ballot initiatives allow citizens to vote on new laws. As a result, voters have a direct say in how the government operates.

In Arizona, voters will have a say on key issues like abortion access, immigration and the state minimum wage through the 13 propositions on their ballots. Research has shown ballot wording impacts voters’ decisions.

According to a 2019 study published in the journal Electoral Studies, simple ballot language can lead to an incomplete representation of initiatives.

Continue reading “Plain language for ballot initiatives: Why it matters”

Arizona Cardinals return home to test momentum vs. heartbroken Chicago Bears

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports-Arizona Cardinals Bears, 700 words.
  • Photo available.

By James Morel
Cronkite News

TEMPE – On any given Sunday, the unusual can happen. Last Sunday, in something you’d see in a movie, the Chicago Bears were stunned by a last-second Hail Mary, while further south, the Arizona Cardinals jubilantly celebrated following a game-winning field goal.

The two teams, on contrasting paths, meet Sunday in a clash at State Farm Stadium, though the Cardinals know any ounce of momentum soared out the window when they touched down back in Phoenix.

“We got our work cut out for us, it’s going to be a big-time challenge,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Wednesday. Continue reading “Arizona Cardinals return home to test momentum vs. heartbroken Chicago Bears”