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Year of Medicaid ‘unwinding’ cuts 600,000, but renews nearly 2 million on state’s rolls

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:52:20 +0000

April 26, 2024

Year of Medicaid ‘unwinding’ cuts 600,000, but renews nearly 2 million on state’s rolls

PHOENIX - One year after restarting the pre-pandemic review process for enrollment in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System cut coverage for 611,144 recipients and approved 1,953,301 renewals, according to its eligibility dashboard. The agency is continuing to review coverage for 1,892 recipients as of April 5. The nationwide review process, referred to as “unwinding,” cut the Medicaid rolls in every state. State agencies, like AHCCCS, go through a process every year known as “renewal and discontinuance.” During this process, recipients' income levels are evaluated to determine if they still qualify for coverage through Medicaid or CHIP - the Children's Health Insurance Program. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act instructed states to suspend disenrollment efforts and extend coverage through March 2023. [caption id="attachment_231138" align="alignright" width="300"] Matt Jewett, director of health policy for the Children’s Action Alliance. (Photo courtesy of Children’s Action Alliance)[/caption] During this time Medicaid and CHIP enrollment grew to 92.3 million nationwide, an increase of over 20 million since the beginning of 2020. In Arizona, enrollment grew from 1.9 million to 2.5 million during the pandemic, according to Matt Jewett, director of health policy for the Children’s Action Alliance. Despite the unwinding process, over 2.2 million Arizonans still have full or partial coverage through Medicaid or CHIP, around 300,000 more than before the pandemic, as reported in the April 2024 AHCCCS Population Highlights report. “We're happy that the total number of people enrolled is still above what it was before the pandemic started,” Jewett said. According to Medicaid, the expiration of continuous enrollment that happened during the pandemic is the “single largest health coverage transition since the first open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act.” AHCCCS, the Arizona agency in charge of Medicaid, reviewed medical criteria and ran 2.5 million Arizonans enrolled in Medicaid through the federal database and income sources to determine eligibility. Medicaid recipients received letters explaining the start of this process and their status, no matter if they were declared eligible or not. “There are a lot of people who fell off; many of them managed to get back on,” said Jewett. “We don't understand why some of those people lost coverage to begin with. Maybe they did not return their renewal forms on time, or they didn't take action, or it could be some sort of technical or administrative glitches. But it sounds like AHCCCS is doing better than other states.” [caption id="attachment_231136" align="alignright" width="300"] Claudia Maldonado, director of outreach and enrollment at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. (Photo courtesy of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers)[/caption] Those who weren’t automatically declared eligible or ineligible through the database were informed of their status through email and mail notifications sent out by AHCCCS. It told people to review their information for possible errors and verify that they exceeded the Medicaid income limit. Heidi Capriotti, communication administrator for AHCCCS, noted that a main reason for disenrollment was a lack of response from the Medicaid recipient. For many recipients, this was their first experience with the review process, according to Claudia Maldonado, director of outreach and enrollment at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. Joint communication and outreach from state and local organizations was implemented to help guide recipients through the process. “Those that did have to interact often went to maybe a community health center because they knew somebody there who could help them, as all of our health centers have people who are dedicated to helping people with their enrollment and questions and what have you,” Maldonado said. Arizona's average automatic renewal rate was 72% throughout the unwinding process that started in April 2023. AHCCCS got information through Equifax, the Department of Motor Vehicles, Medicare, the Social Security Administration and other sources to automatically verify eligibility and avoid staff intervention. According to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, Arizona has the second highest “ex parte,” automatic renewal rate, in the country. This means that many Medicaid and CHIP recipients went through the renewal process without providing back-and-forth documentation because the AHCCCS was already in possession of necessary documents. [caption id="attachment_231137" align="alignright" width="300"] Jennifer Burns, senior director of legislative affairs at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. (Photo courtesy of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers)[/caption] “We are one of the highest in the country,” said Jennifer Burns, senior director of legislative affairs at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. “It's been very rewarding to see how well that went.” Burns attributed Arizona's success to the collaboration between the various state agencies, managed care organizations, community health centers and the community at large. Licensed navigators received lists of those who lost coverage and were available to help those people find coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Maldonado said navigators prioritized community outreach at school-based community resource centers, fairs and food banks where they understood the demographics of community members and their needs. Meanwhile, community health centers worked with health plans like Medicaid to further localize outreach. Maldonado, at AACHC, participated in media coverage of the unwinding process on Spanish-language news and radio. “Every community is different and has its own personality,” Maldonado said. “Some of our communities prefer radio and television over social media. So it's understanding those nuances in our communities and then choosing those avenues that we know the messaging will have the greatest impact.” After “unwinding” Medicaid for the first time in years, state and federal agencies will soon begin the review process for the coming year.

Ketamine: An alternative to police force or a silent killer?

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:50:56 +0000

April 26, 2024

Ketamine: An alternative to police force or a silent killer?

Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic Jeremy Cooper stood above the slight 23-year-old man as he lay face down in the grass, a policeman’s knee in his back, wrists handcuffed and pulled high behind him. For roughly six minutes, Cooper observed the man crying, gagging and calling out for help while being pinned face down by two officers. The paramedic asked no questions and performed no physical exam before deciding that the young man was suffering from “excited delirium” — a controversial term used to describe people displaying extremely agitated behavior.

Star athletes and best friends: Basha’s Gabriella and J.J. Garcia share unique bond through sports

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 21:39:32 +0000

April 26, 2024

Star athletes and best friends: Basha’s Gabriella and J.J. Garcia share unique bond through sports

CHANDLER – As the Basha Bears softball and track and field teams gear up for their respective state championship runs, one pair of sisters are cementing their legacy at the school. Gabriella and Juliana (J.J.) Garcia have been dominant in their respective sports. Gabriella, a senior infielder on the Bears softball team, recently committed to the University of Oklahoma softball team, the top collegiate program in the nation. Gabriella is currently batting .507 with 27 runs batted in and 31 runs scored. When she isn’t on the diamond, she throws the javelin and does it with excellence, placing first at every competition this season. Her younger sister J.J., a junior, placed first in discus throws at the Red Mountain Rampage and the Shadow Ridge Showcase with a distance of 134 feet, 5 inches and 133 feet, 11 inches respectively. She also placed first in shot put at the Red Mountain Rampage with throws of 36 feet, 11 inches and at the Devon Allen Invitational with 36 feet, 11.25 inches. The softball state championship games begin Saturday for Gabriella, while the track and field state championships start Wednesday for J.J. Although sibling rivalries are common in most households, the Garcia sisters don’t see their respective achievements as one trying to be better than the other. In fact, they use their experiences to help each other learn and flourish. “Growing up being the older sister, you're always the first to try everything new,” Gabriella said. “I get to try everything first and then I get to help her and make sure she gets exactly what she needs in order to perform and become the best person, per person, athlete student that she could become. I mean, she is 10 times greater than I will ever be.” After a big smile, J.J. gave her share of compliments and love to her big sister. “I admire her hard work,” J.J. said. “She sometimes works harder than me and it's like I want to be just like her. When she's working, I know I have to be working too because I want to be where she's at. “She's just accomplished so much. I idolize her so much… This is my sister. This is my big sis and I'm just so proud of her and I'm going to be sad when she leaves for college. All I know is that she's still going to be with me and I'm going to be hearing her voice just saying ‘You can do this.’” Without influence from her big sister, J.J tried out for the track and field team, specifically with the shot put and discus. She vividly recalls the first time she threw, as well as the positive culture around the event. “Honestly, when I put the disc in my hand and it just like flew out there, I was like, ‘Oh, I like this. I get to throw stuff,” J.J. said jokingly. “Honestly just like going to the meets and the environment that the track committee provides for us, everyone is so supportive. Your competitors, they cheer you on, you make friends and they also become your supporters and you want to see them exceed as well as yourself.” The encouragement between both sisters radiates throughout the campus. Basha softball coach Kailey Pomeroy witnessed that firsthand when she coached both sisters on the elementary school softball team. Even with J.J. focusing solely on track and field and Gabriella pursuing both sports, the former Basha Bear hopes that their sisterhood will be an example of true sibling love. “So, I have two little girls and I hope my kids are close like that,” Pomeroy said. “I got to watch J.J playing softball (when she was) younger and she's actually pretty good. She hit the ball very well, but just kind of watching them support each other and the way that they talk to each other and all that has been really special. I really think that's a cool thing to have.” Pomeroy noted how Gabriella’s treatment of her younger sister is indicative of her personality. Her interactions, coaching and mentoring of the underclassmen on the team reflect on her upbringing. “I think the biggest thing this year is watching our freshmen… we did bring six freshmen in this year and watching them respond and watching them ask questions and just kind of learn and allow her to coach and, and kind of mentor them,” Pomeroy said. “And not just her, but our other seniors as well. Even seeing that relationship with her and our seniors and our juniors and even our underclassmen, she's done a phenomenal job.” The tight-knit bond between the sisters stems back to their parents. Kara Brun (now Kara Brun-Garcia) left a lasting legacy on the Arizona State softball program. A native of Arizona and graduate of Deer Valley High School in Glendale, she helped lead the Sun Devils to the 2002 Women’s College World Series before losing to the eventual champion and Pac-12 rival, University of California Berkeley Golden Bears. Even with athletic prominence, Gabriella credits much of her success to her family upbringing, attitude and work ethic. “Both of my parents in general, they break their backs to provide us with this amazing life that we have and they're both so incredible,” Gabriella said. “They're incredible people and they raised us to have great morals, to stay humble, to keep, to work hard.” The morals and mentality came from Kara and her upbringing. She and her husband, Jason, shared the same vision for both of their kids. “I just think we pushed family,” Kara said. “Since they were born, family was the most important thing and the same with my husband's upbringing. So from day one, no matter what, we're just family and we love each other through the good and bad.” After her dominance at Arizona State, Kara learned what goes into being not just a successful softball player, but a successful athlete. “I just knew what it took to get there,” Kara said. “I know how it starts out. It's kind of like a triangle when you're young. It's really wide at the bottom and at the top it starts to shave off kids. I knew the level they had to get to, to where they can be successful and compete because I've already been through it. “I kind of know the expectations of what they expect for you in college. I know the work that it takes to get there. I basically just took what I knew and instilled that all into them.” Kara eventually became the head coach of the Basha softball team from 2017-2021. When Pomeroy replaced Kara, it allowed the mother-daughter duo to really have a mother-daughter relationship. “My mom is also one of my best friends,” Gabriella said. “I have an extremely close relationship with her and growing up, she always was my coach. After she retired, we became a lot closer and we learned about a mother-daughter relationship and having that has just been extremely helpful. She's so wise and no matter what, she's going to put us in the best situation to succeed.” Kara took the lessons she learned as a player and folded them into her job as a coach, as both Gabriella and J.J. were around softball since they were infants. Kara even laughed when talking about coaching kids when they were still infants. Still, Kara knows what goes not only into coaching, but using coaching to build up great athletes. “I would just say it's commitment,” Kara said. “It's honestly what you're willing to put in is what you get out and that's kind of what we stress to our kids. It's a ton of time. You're not going to become great overnight and they just know that. “It's just time, it's sacrifices, it's everything you can do to help the kids come better.” While Kara and Gabriella remain intense when it comes to athletics, they both see something different in J.J., who has a unique quality that sets her apart. “She has a calmness about her and humbleness about her… something that you find very rare in a person,” Gabriella said. “She does not feel pressure, like she does great under pressure. I admire the calmness. It's very hard to find in people and I admire her. Always motivating people and always wanting to push those around her.” J.J., seems to be far beyond her years in terms of maturity, according to Gabriella and Kara. J.J. certainly has a unique perspective on sports that allows her to perform at the highest level, while also sharing what she’s learned with her teammates and even her sister. “It's patience because sometimes you just want it now versus enjoying the journey,” J.J said. “The process of sports… just having this long journey of going like, ‘I'm getting better and better each time.’ You get those little bumps and it's frustrating, but just enjoying the journey and having patience with the sport is what it taught me.” Kara witnessed the lessons learned from both Gabriella and J.J. during their athletic endeavors. She also became emotional and full of gratitude when she heard the praises her daughters were giving her. “It means the world to me because they are mine,” Kara said. “They're my kids, I'll do anything for them. Obviously, I feel very honored and special that my daughter's thinking of me that way. I remind them daily that I don't love you for the athlete that you are, the softball player that's going to OU or the great javelin thrower or the great discus and shot put thrower. “I just remind them every day that I love them for the people they are, the character that they have and the love they show in the community.”

Golf It Forward aims to grow women’s golf, empower future generations through Marilynn Smith’s legacy

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 21:34:11 +0000

April 26, 2024

Golf It Forward aims to grow women’s golf, empower future generations through Marilynn Smith’s legacy

SCOTTSDALE – When Debbie Waitkus published a story on LPGA icon Marilynn Smith following her World Golf Hall of Fame induction, it was supposed to be nothing more than a tribute to her golfing journey. However, 18 years later, that story has brought her to a place she never would’ve imagined the day she put the pen to paper. Founded in 2020 under Waitkus following the passing of Smith in 2019, Golf It Forward has been a cornerstone in the golf community, preserving the legacy of the 13 LPGA co-founders and sharing their passion for the future of women’s golf with the world. The non-profit organization will host a series of events from Sunday to Wednesday at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale to fundraise for scholarships. The foundation's roots are inspired by Smith, who was one of, if not the most prolific pioneer in women’s golf history. While she amassed 21 tournament victories during her LPGA Tour career, it was off the green that truly cemented her legacy. Smith helped co-found the LPGA and was recognized as the “LPGA’s Goodwill Ambassador” for her efforts to promote the sport. She became the first female television commentator at a men’s golf tournament at the 1973 U.S. Open Championship and is estimated to have globally taught 250,000 golfers across 4,000 clinics. In 2006, Smith was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. [caption id="attachment_231111" align="alignright" width="300"] Marilynn Smith's passion for teaching the game led her to give over 4,000 golf clinics for an estimated 250,000 people. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)[/caption] Waitkus, the future president of Golf It Forward, just happened to be attending. However, her’ journey to where she sits now is about as rare as a hole-in-one. “I became involved with golf much later than people probably would think,” Waitkus said. “The first time I ever played, I was pregnant with my daughter.” Waitkus played nearly every sport growing up, but golf to her was anything but a sport since it lacked the team element. Her first opportunity to test her long-running theory head-on came when a coworker asked Waitkus to join her and a few others to play a round. Not only did Waitkus need a set of clubs, but she also needed a quick lesson. “My mom called me and said there was a set in the garage,” Waitkus said. “She told me that the only thing missing was a driver. I responded by saying that it would be okay since we take our own golf carts. I didn’t know a driver was a golf club, and now I work deep in the golf industry.” After her first outing, Waitkus became increasingly involved, including writing articles in different magazines about women in sports and even establishing her own company in 2000 called Golf For Cause to help empower businesswomen through golf. When the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony came around in 2006, Waitkus attended as part of a think tank called Golf 2020. As soon as Smith stepped foot on the stage, Waitkus felt an immediate connection. “I was so inspired by her story,” Waitkus said. “She talked about how she originally thought golf was a sissy sport and that she didn’t know anything about it until she let out a four-letter word playing baseball, causing her parents to make her take up golf so she could play a ladylike sport. [caption id="attachment_231118" align="alignright" width="223"] The Marilynn Smith Scholarship Pro-am is one of Golf It Forward's main attractions in preserving the legacy of former LPGA heroes. This year’s event will honor Renee Powell, left and Sandra Post. (Photo courtesy of Debbie Waitkus)[/caption] “I was like, oh my gosh. This is my girl. An athlete who didn’t like golf and then fell in love with it.” Waitkus wrote a story about Smith, which she shared with Peggy Gustafson, an LPGA teaching professional in Arizona. Gustafson agreed to share the article with Smith, who called Waitkus two days later. “She was one of my dearest friends ever since,” Waitkus said. “We spoke every morning, sometimes several times a day. I was like a sponge soaking up things through different stories. “I was able to know her for about 10 years. I am so blessed looking back on the fact that I never really wanted to play golf, and now it’s given me so many things in life.” The latest thing golf has given Waitkus is the ability to continue on Smith’s legacy and traditions through Golf it Forward. Smith’s greatest tradition is the Marilynn Smith Scholarship, which will hit its 25th anniversary in 2024. The scholarship provides a monetary value of $5,000, and over $1 million has been given to girls who hope for a future in golf. To be eligible, one must already be committed to playing collegiate golf. The scholarship is typically awarded through the LPGA, but it’s been Golf It Forward’s mission to fulfill Smith’s dream of giving as many girls as possible a chance to earn the scholarship. “The LPGA gives out only five scholarships, but we want to add to that,” said Deborah Grischo, vice president and chair of the scholarship committee at Golf It Forward. “This year we’re giving out 25 scholarships, and we have been raising more and more money each year.” Smith wanted to provide more than just scholarships to the girls receiving them. She would follow up with the recipients by writing to them and becoming pen pals to foster connection. To honor Smith’s heartwarming tradition, Golf It Forward deems anyone who receives a scholarship a PEARL to remember Smith’s most notable fashion trend. [caption id="attachment_231117" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Marilynn Smith, left and Debbie Waitkus grew to have an amazing bond for nearly a decade. Waitkus is continuing the legacy of Smith with her foundation, Golf It Forward. (Photo courtesy of Golf For Cause)[/caption] “When Marilynn started playing golf in the 1950s, she’d always have her signature pearl necklace on,” Grisco said. “By being deemed a PEARL, we are trying to create a way for all these girls to be able to come together for advice and build a community throughout their lives.” Teeing off the week’s event lineup is the Sunday Tea, which will allow fans to meet LPGA professionals, learn about the founders of the LPGA and experience a one-of-a-kind memorabilia display. The following day will play host to The Marilynn Smith Scholarship Pro-Am, which gives four amateur golfers the chance to team up with one LPGA Tour Professional and will honor LPGA pioneers Renee Powell and Sandra Post. Major bragging rights will be on the line. The most prominent event of the bunch, the Marilynn Smith Arizona Senior Women’s Open, is set for Tuesday and Wednesday and ready to make a huge splash this year. “For the first time ever, we are paying every person in the event no matter what place they come in,” tournament director Carla Glasgow said. “Even last place will receive $500, and for the tournament's 35-year entirety, I always thought that should happen.” The tournament’s purse holds a whopping $100,000 and duos from across the country will aim to drive, chip and putt their way to victory. Nevertheless, no prize money will overshadow the meaning of keeping Smith’s legacy alive and setting the playing field for the future of women's golf.

Hockey hotbed: Arizona might have lost its NHL team, but push for the sport’s growth continues

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 18:00:01 +0000

April 26, 2024

Hockey hotbed: Arizona might have lost its NHL team, but push for the sport’s growth continues

PHOENIX – Kenny McGinley prides himself on being part of one of the first generations to play hockey in Arizona. Born in 1993, the current president of the Arizona High School Hockey Association was 3 when the first iteration of the Winnipeg Jets packed up and joined the Valley’s professional sports franchises as the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996. For many years after the NHL’s emergence in the Valley, there was great skepticism as to whether a winter sport like hockey could survive in an arid climate. But there are several reasons why the sport has grown in the past 27 years, the largest being the Coyotes’ success in spearheading the hockey movement in Arizona. On the surface, it appears that Arizona hockey is in a tumultuous time. The Coyotes, who were renamed the Arizona Coyotes in 2014, saw their 2023-24 regular season come to a close on April 17 at the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena in Tempe. The next day it was announced that the Coyotes had been sold and will be moving to Salt Lake City due to ownership’s inability to secure a long-term arena deal in the Valley. However, the impact of an NHL team in Arizona has extended far beyond just the professional level. The ever-growing youth scene – for both boys and girls – in addition to the strides made in college and minor-league hockey, have shown that the sport can thrive in such an untraditional market.

Youth hockey's rise in the desert

Since the Coyotes arrived in town, the number of ice rinks in the state — specifically in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area — has rapidly increased, with 15 currently in the state of Arizona. This resulted in the emergence of youth programs, such as the Jr. Coyotes, who were originally established in the early 2000s, around the time the Ice Den in Scottsdale was built. Naturally, more rinks and hockey programs becoming available meant more children were introduced to the sport. During the 2002-03 season, 4,949 athletes from Arizona were registered with USA Hockey. Twenty years later, the number of registered players has climbed to 9,716. “There’s just more kids playing hockey now,” said Arizona Jr. Coyotes Director of Operations Mike DeAngelis. “The talent level is going up, and we’ve got young men playing in the NHL, you’ve got guys playing professional hockey, collegiate hockey from Arizona. “Compared to when I first got involved, there was a pretty good triple-A community going on, but there weren't a ton of kids playing hockey. (Not) as many as there are now, and certainly not the facilities. So I’ve definitely seen not only the numbers grow, but the level of play just (has gone) way up.” Over the years, Arizona youth hockey programs like the Jr. Coyotes have seen significant growth and progress in more ways than just a significant uptick in enrollment numbers. The program now has several coaches at all levels with ample hockey experience, providing athletes better instruction and a chance to learn from professionals. DeAngelis himself enjoyed an extensive playing career. The defenseman was a four-year contributor at the University of Minnesota Duluth from 1984 to 1988 before embarking on a 14-year professional career that saw him spend time in leagues across the globe — mainly in Italy — including a two-season stint with the Phoenix Mustangs of the now-defunct West Coast Hockey League. The Jr. Coyotes staff also includes a handful of former NHL players such as Michael Grabner, Zbyněk Michálek and Steve Sullivan. “I think the level of our athletes and the level of coaching has gone way up,” DeAngelis said. “We’ve got lots of former NHL (players), former Coyotes guys now that are coaches in our program. The coaching has gone up, the level of player has gone up.” It doesn’t take a hard look to see that the level of athletes taking the ice in Arizona has indeed improved. Since the Coyotes’ inaugural season, several talented hockey players got their starts in Arizona, but none more notable than Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews. While he was originally born in San Ramon, California, his family moved to Scottsdale only months later and the Grand Canyon State is where Matthews’ passion for hockey was ignited. Matthews played his youth hockey in Arizona through 16U before electing to play in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and later spending his draft year overseas in the Swiss National League. When he was selected first overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016, it marked the beginning of an illustrious, decorated career. Prior to Matthews being drafted, there were only three hockey players hailing from Arizona that have seen action in the NHL: forward Sean Couturier, goaltender Ty Conklin and defenseman Jim Brown. With much of his playing days presumably still ahead of him, the 26-year-old’s resumé is already quite impressive. Through six full seasons in the NHL, Matthews is a four-time All-Star, two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy recipient and was even named the league’s most valuable player for the 2021-22 campaign. This season he led the NHL with 69 goals. Matthews is not the only high-profile professional hockey player hailing from the Valley. Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies, 21, looks to be a promising part of his team’s future, while the Coyotes’ Josh Doan — son of Yotes’ legend Shane Doan and former ASU forward — was recently called up to the NHL and logged nine points in 11 games. “(Matthews), his success in the hockey world has been fantastic,” DeAngelis said. “Everybody knows who he is. (Knies) recently with the Toronto Maple Leafs, this year has been a big one for a lot of kids who are around this age group of teenagers.” Aside from Matthews, Arizona is well-represented among hockey’s elite players with Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson all hailing from the Grand Canyon State. In January, the Jr. Coyotes reached the championship game of the Circle K Classic — a high-profile international youth tournament held annually in Calgary.

AZ is a hockey state. The NHL Coyotes failed; youth hockey is thriving.

The Jr. Coyotes just went all the way to the Circle-K Classic final here in Calgary. There's been so much grassroots development in the area. I really hope that can continue to be supported in full.
— Mike Gould (@miketgould) April 13, 2024

There is still room for growth for the junior hockey scene in Arizona, although it remains less accessible than outdoor sports like football and baseball simply based on the number of playing surfaces across the state. But it’s important to acknowledge just how much the Jr. Coyotes have grown, providing young Arizona athletes a viable option to culminate their hockey careers at home. The demand is there. “There aren’t a lot of reasons now for kids to leave Arizona to find another level of youth hockey,” DeAngelis said. “We want them leaving Arizona beyond youth hockey to join junior hockey when they’re ready.”

A growing high school scene

McGinley hasn’t always been spearheading the Arizona High School Hockey Association’s growth as the organization’s president; he, too, played hockey at the high school ranks, albeit when it was far smaller than today. Immediately after his four-year high school playing career at Horizon High School, he began coaching locally. Through all of the development and transformation that the organization has experienced over the years, McGinley has held a consistent idea of what high school hockey in Arizona should be — a positive area for athletes to improve their game. “I enjoy the high school environment that’s less pressured,” McGinley said. “We’re a player-centered environment, we’re a family-centered environment (asking) ‘What is the best experience for our players?’ The quality of hockey isn’t how we’re measured, it’s the quality of experience.” The organization has experienced a significant uptick in registration. In 2013-14, there were about 450-500 players and 28-30 teams. Now, in the AHSHA’s 24th season, it contains 40 teams and about 770 players. “Our registration on May 15 of last year literally sold out in 20 minutes, if that,” McGinley said. “The year before, it was 60 or 70 minutes, and the year before that it was three or four hours. So all that right there can tell you which way it’s trending. I think part of that is the product of high school hockey is getting better, our players are getting better… So that’s super helpful and that’s promoting that growth, because that leads more kids to want to play.” But even with a boom in participation numbers, the AHSHA still faces its fair share of challenges, the most formidable being the distribution of players. There are currently four levels of high school hockey in Arizona: Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Jr. Varsity. But not all schools are created equal when it comes to fielding teams. Certain institutions, like Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale and Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, have enough athletes to field entire teams. But for the majority of schools in Arizona, this simply isn’t the case. Due to the Valley’s population being spread out — about five million people live in the 14,587 square miles encompassing the Phoenix metropolitan area — most of the 130 schools the AHSHA represents don’t have nearly enough hockey players enrolled to put out a full team. So the association developed a workaround. The AHSHA entirely fields its registration, which allows it to hand-sort players onto squads. This process differs from year to year, but generally, if a school doesn’t have enough players for a full team, the association will assign players in the area to play for the closest institution using various statistics like school district boundaries and zip codes. Consider 2024 AHSHA state champions Centennial High School in Peoria as an example. Along with Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, it represents the only high school hockey teams in the West Valley. Because of this, there is a large umbrella for both teams to take players from, as there are an estimated 160 players in that area with only two teams in close proximity. “Just think of it as a huge net that’s cast over the entire West Valley,” McGinley said. “We could break (the group of players) up into seven or eight different teams and different school names. But when you do that, you’re going to have one good player, some kids that have never played hockey before, and it’s going to be a mix. “What ultimately has happened, we’ve seen it for 20 years, teams didn’t experience any success… Some teams only have 12 or 13 players on them, so that makes budgeting harder, that makes organization harder, that makes year-to-year transitions harder. So we grouped them all together to build bigger programs for numerous reasons, to give not just on-ice success but off-ice success too, and some stability.” [caption id="attachment_231101" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Despite the Arizona Coyotes' move to Salt Lake City, the team's 27 years in Arizona have left a lasting impact on the growth of youth and high school hockey in the state. (Photo by Daniella Trujillo/Cronkite News)[/caption] Challenges aside, there is no denying how far the AHSHA has come in such a non-traditional hockey market. Even in its early days, high school hockey was a hot commodity in the Valley. McGinley recalls that as early as 2008, 550 fans routinely packed the Ice Den for every Division 1 state championship. “Three to four hours before we started to sell tickets, the line was around the building,” McGinley said. “There were 500-600 people in line. They brought pizza, they brought lunch, it was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.” So in 2012, the AHSHA went big and moved its championship to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, the former home of the Coyotes. While the event drew nearly 1,500 people, the atmosphere just wasn’t the same in a venue with 17,000 seats, prompting organizers to move back to Scottsdale. In a sense, the AHSHA was stuck in a state of limbo — the championship was too big for the Ice Den yet too small for an average-sized NHL Arena. After holding the event at the now-demolished Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe for two years, Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat facility on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus that housed the Coyotes, opened in 2022. And it just so happened that Adam Mims, who ran Oceanside, transitioned to a role at the brand-new rink, giving the AHSHA a valuable connection. At that point, McGinley knew he’d found the perfect match. As soon as Mullett Arena opened, he scheduled a meeting with leadership to discuss a potential partnership. In 2023, the championship moved to the arena, and the event instantly took on a more polished, professional look. “I feel like we look more big-league than we actually are, just playing there,” McGinley said. “That experience — being able to turn on all the lights, cameras, bells, whistles, everything — gives a way higher production of the game than what our level actually is.” After officials at Mullett Arena witnessed the raucous environment of the 2023 AHSHA State Championship, they knew they had made the right decision in allowing the event to be hosted in their building. The 2024 championship, which featured Centennial and Notre Dame Prep, drew around 2,000 spectators, about half the venue’s capacity, but the atmosphere reflected a packed and loud arena. With an increase in the number of schools adopting hockey coinciding with the growth of the game across the board in Arizona, the potential of high school hockey expanding is seemingly limitless. However, regardless of the sport’s popularity in a given year, the AHSHA’s goal remains the same: help the participating players develop their game and become better. “The emphasis is purely on hockey ability,” McGinley said. “We want to create the best hockey leagues that we can, but also, we want to push as many teams up to higher levels as possible, avoiding anyone going 0-20. We want development for our players… If we have 770 players, we hope that 770 leave this year being better hockey players than they came into it as.”

Expanding women’s hockey

Prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Arizona Kachinas president Lyndsey Fry was given the opportunity of a lifetime. During her fourth year at Harvard, the Chandler native learned that she was selected to represent the United States’ women’s hockey team in the Games, a testament to her relentless training and unwavering commitment to the sport. While the Americans fell just short of winning the gold medal as they were defeated by rival Canada in the championship game, Fry had accomplished something that no hockey player from Arizona ever had before. “It’s amazing to represent your country, but for me, it was so special to represent my state,” Fry said. “I was very conscious of the fact that if I made that team, I’d be the first hockey player — male or female — from the state of Arizona to go on and do that. Making that team was special for that reason. But also, I tell people all the time, my favorite part of the Olympics was getting to tell my family that I had made it, just because I was a little girl from the desert in Arizona.” After her tenure at Harvard ended a year later, Fry knew she didn’t want to completely abandon the game she loves, and decided to take up coaching girls hockey, specifically in areas where the sport wasn’t well-recognized, like Alabama and New Mexico. To accomplish this, 10 years ago she started Lyndsey Fry Hockey, her very own organization dedicated to helping grow the sport among young girls. Around that time, Fry also began holding hockey camps in the Phoenix metropolitan area, where she grew up playing. This helped her strengthen her relationships with rinks in the Valley, which came in handy after she began working with the Coyotes shortly after returning to Arizona following her graduation from Harvard. Fry was hired as a full-time employee by the Coyotes as a hockey ambassador and advisor to the president/CEO in 2018 and got right to work, quickly establishing the Arizona Kachinas, an exclusive girls hockey program in Arizona, along with former Coyotes Senior Director of Hockey Development Matt Shott, who passed away in 2021 after a battle with liver cancer. But the reality is that Fry was attempting to grow women’s hockey in an untapped hockey market, which came with its challenges. In 2002-03, Arizona only had 377 female hockey players registered with USA Hockey. While that number jumped to 1,060 in 2022-23, it still only made up a fraction of the 9,716 total players in the state. As a result, the main obstacle Fry faced in the early days of the Kachinas was simply making families aware that girls hockey was being offered. “A lot of times, parents just need to be educated on what (hockey) is and what the opportunities are for their daughters,” Fry said. “Because there’s still the stigma of,‘Wait, Arizona has hockey? And Arizona has girls hockey?’ So we have to continue to fight through that, but once we get them out there, getting them to stay is pretty easy.” The Coyotes’ women’s hockey programs greatly benefitted from the Industry Growth Fund, a 2013 joint venture between the NHL and NHLPA where owners and players put money in a pool that goes to growing hockey in North America by helping franchises create new programs. In 2017, the Coyotes were given their first girls’ hockey grant, leading to the creation of the Small Frys, a program that helps expose young girls to hockey, and the Kachinas. With support from the NHL, along with absorbing two existing girls’ hockey programs in Arizona, the number of teams in the state grew from four to nine. Four years later, Arizona now has 16 women’s hockey teams, all affiliated with the Kachinas. There are now teams for girls of all ages in the Valley. While they aren’t located in a hotbed for hockey, the Coyotes’ progress in the women’s hockey sphere provided a reference for other organizations. Fellow NHL franchises like the Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals all modeled programs after that of the Coyotes, showing how impactful they’ve been for women’s hockey. Women’s hockey is only one of many areas in which hockey has grown in Arizona, and Fry believes the recent progress is only the beginning of the sport’s growth. Of course, women’s hockey is at the forefront of Fry’s focus, but she is optimistic that the sport as a whole will continue to flourish in the Grand Canyon State. “Now, we’ve got every level of girls’ hockey available,” Fry said. “(If) you want to play house rec, you can play house rec. (If) you want to play A hockey, you can play A hockey… We have girls who have committed to all levels of NCAA as well as ACHA. I had to leave to go to Colorado to get opportunities. Kids don’t have to leave anymore. To me, that was what we were trying to do, is create a start-to-finish program that could serve as many girls as possible. “I feel good about the future of hockey (in Arizona) no matter what happens, because I think there are just so many passionate people here and the sport has grown so much over the last 25-30 years that I don’t see that momentum stopping anytime soon.”

Hope remains

The Coyotes’ abrupt relocation left a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the future of hockey in the Valley. But shortly after the move became official, several stakeholders presented a plan to continue the sport’s growth in Arizona, with Fry at the forefront of these efforts. On April 25, she announced the establishment of the Matt Schott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit organization aiming to support youth hockey at all levels in the Phoenix metropolitan area. While Fry will be the chair of the foundation, there are several other well-known hockey personalities involved including Grabner, Jason Demers and Greg Adams, who all spent time playing for the Coyotes during their professional careers.

In the wake of the Coyotes' relocation to Salt Lake City, Arizona Kachinas president and co-founder @lyndsey_fry_18 has established the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation to help fund & support youth hockey across the Phoenix Metropolitan area.https://t.co/DTmcUQt1B3
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) April 25, 2024

The foundation aims to accrue a $10,000,000 endowment over the next five to 10 years to sustain youth hockey, which can be expensive to play and maintain. This announcement comes shortly after Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo pledged to continue supporting youth hockey in the Grand Canyon State in a recent news conference. Despite losing its NHL team, it is clear hockey gained a large enough following in Arizona for swift efforts to be made to preserve the sport. Even though there are no guarantees that the NHL will return – albeit the organization has been given a five-year window to begin building a new arena – the sport’s growth in the desert can continue.

Myth of ‘superhuman strength’ in Black people persists in deadly encounters with police

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:46:59 +0000

April 26, 2024

Myth of ‘superhuman strength’ in Black people persists in deadly encounters with police

Deputy Steven Mills of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol one night in 2013 when he received a call about a Black man walking down a rural road in Phenix City, Alabama, naked in 50-degree weather. Mills said the man ignored his calls to stop, but when the officer threatened to use his Taser, 24-year-old Khari Illidge turned and walked toward him, saying “tase me, tase me.” In a sworn statement, the deputy later said he had to tase Illidge twice because he’d been unable to physically restrain the “muscular” man with “superhuman strength.”

‘Fake electors’ indictment charges GOP leaders with felony fraud, forgery

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 03:21:59 +0000

April 25, 2024

‘Fake electors’ indictment charges GOP leaders with felony fraud, forgery

WASHINGTON - Eleven top Arizona Republicans were among 18 people indicted on felony fraud, forgery and conspiracy charges for their part in a plan to present themselves to Congress as the state's presidential electors and throw the election to Donald Trump. The 58-page indictment handed up Wednesday gives a detailed account of the plan by former state party Chairwoman Kelli Ward, current state Sens. Jake Hoffman and Anthony Kern, and others, to keep Trump - identified as "Unindicted Coconspirator 1" - in office "against the will of Arizona's voters." "The people of Arizona elected President Biden," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Wednesday. "Unwilling to accept this fact, the defendants charged by the state grand jury, and other unindicted co-conspirators allegedly schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency. "Whatever their reasoning was, the plot to violate the law must be answered for, and I was elected to uphold the law of this state," she said in a video announcing the charges. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/22/supreme-court-turns-down-lake-finchem-suit-to-ban-electronic-vote-tallies/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kari-Lake.jpg" headline="Supreme Court turns down Lake, Finchem suit to ban electronic vote tallies"] Mayes, a Democrat, said investigators merely "followed the facts where they led." But Republicans swiftly, and loudly, condemned the indictment as politically motivated persecution timed to land just months before the next election. "Let me be unequivocal," Hoffman said in a social media post. "I am innocent of any crime, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this disgusting political persecution by the judicial process. "Kris Mayes & the Democrats' naked corruption and weaponization of government will long be a stain on the history of our great state and nation," the Queen Creek Republican tweeted. The indictment caps a yearlong investigation by Mayes office of events that happened after the 2020 election as part of the post-election "Stop the Steal" maneuvering that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Coincidentally, it also landed one day before the Supreme Court heard Trump's arguments that he should be immune, as former president, from criminal prosecution for his role in the insurrection. In addition to Ward, Hoffman and Kern, the indictment names Ward's husband, Michael, Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer, then-Arizona Arizona Republican Party Executive Director Greg Safsten and Jim Lamon, a GOP candidate in 2022 for U.S. Senate. Also named are Nancy Cottle, a former member of the party's executive committee; Robert Montgomery, a former Cochise County Republican Committee official; Samuel Moorhead, a former Gila County GOP officer; and Loraine Pellegrino, former president of the Arizona Federation of Republican Women. Seven other defendants had their names redacted from the indictment, but will be identified once they have been served, Mayes said. But published reports have indicated that the defendants likely include Rudy Giuliani - identified in the indictment as Trump's personal lawyer, who was called "the mayor" - and Mark Meadows, "Unindicted Coconspirator 1's Chief of Staff in 2020," among others. [caption id="attachment_231084" align="alignnone" width="1024"]Only a handful of protesters turned out Thursday at the Supreme Court, where attorneys for former President Donald Trump argued that he should be immune from criminal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection. The hearing came one day after an Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people for trying to reverse the 2020 election. (Photo by Ian McKinney/Cronkite News)[/caption] The indictment charges the named defendants with nine counts of conspiracy, fraud and forgery for claiming to be the legitimate presidential electors from Arizona, pledged to Trump, in place of the 11 Biden electors who were chosen by voters. Biden beat Trump by less than 11,000 votes out of almost 3.4 million cast in Arizona in 2020. The Arizona defendants, along with GOP slates of fake electors from other states, hoped that then-Vice President Mike Pence, overseeing the joint session of Congress that counts electoral ballots to officially declare the president, would reject Democratic electors from those seven states. But Pence refused and Biden was elected. Arizona becomes the fourth state to take action against its fake electors, following indictments in Nevada, Michigan and Georgia. "There's been a lot of movement in the key states, you might remember that there were seven states, at least seven states, where the Trump team was really active in trying to get fake electors together to help overturn the election," said Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Paul Bentz, senior vice president of research and strategy for HighGround Inc., said the Arizona charges are not surprising even though they have "been a while coming." [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/12/harris-arizona-democrats-seize-on-abortion-ban-to-blast-trump-gop/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/veepharris-1024.jpg" headline="Harris, Arizona Democrats seize on abortion ban to blast Trump, GOP"] "We heard from Attorney General Kris Mayes that this was something that she was looking into. And as we saw with other states like Michigan going down this route, that there was at least a likelihood that something like this could happen in Arizona," Bentz said. Arizona political consultant Jason Rose said the indictments are just more bad news for the state's GOP, which has been on the back foot in recent weeks as it fought to keep Democrats from repealing a near-total ban on abortion. "It's more defense that the Republicans have to play. And when you're on defense in sports, you ain't on offense, and you're usually losing," Rose said. "It is the definition of Republicans on defense at a time when they need to be doing the opposite." The party lashed out Wednesday at Mayes for the timing of the indictments, which it called "suspiciously convenient and politically motivated. This is not justice; it is pure election interference." But Sozan said it is not surprising that prosecutors are moving slowly because "prosecutors in the states want to be cautious." Bentz agreed, and belittled GOP arguments that the charges are "political theater and chalk it up to Democratic opponents" in the attorney general's office. "This investigation didn't start until 2022 when she took office, and I've been asked about why did it take so long?" Bentz said. "Well, it took so long because she was elected in 2022, takes office in '23, and then has to assign people to do the due diligence involved with something."

‘Opportunities are boundless’: Arizona’s pushes space sector’s growth through education, collaboration, economy

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 23:35:54 +0000

April 25, 2024

‘Opportunities are boundless’: Arizona’s pushes space sector’s growth through education, collaboration, economy

PHOENIX – “Our opportunities are boundless, just like space,” Gov. Katie Hobbs told an audience at the second annual Arizona Space Summit in Tempe last month. Arizona is the fifth-largest employer in aerospace and defense manufacturing, home to over 1,250 supply chain contributors, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Sandra Watson, the authority's president and CEO, said Arizona has become the “global hot spot for emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing.” Major industry players in Arizona have a significant impact on the economy. Together, these companies employ more than 52,000 people directly, according to the authority. Its website states the numbers reflect “Arizona’s long-standing history with leading names in the industry - companies whose continued success in everything from unmanned aircraft systems to missiles, space vehicles to commercial aircraft and research into alternative fuels - drives further future growth.” “Arizona is open for business, and in our state you will find a partner with a shared focus on the future and one that is rooted in innovation,” Hobbs said. Jessica Rousset directs Arizona State University’s Interplanetary Initiative, leading its strategy, collaborations and operations. She explains how the space sector reflects job opportunities, infrastructure and benefits for Arizona. “We get a lot of data from space in terms of informing agriculture, informing mining. Mining is a huge activity here (in Arizona),” Rousset said in an interview. “So that’s a very interesting synergy between mining in space, mining on Earth.” [caption id="attachment_231079" align="alignright" width="300"] In Tempe, at the 2024 Arizona Space Summit, Gov. Katie Hobbs talks to Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority president and CEO, about how the state is involved in the space sector. “Looking ahead, as our space leadership continues to grow, the universities will continue to be central to our success in this area,” Hobbs says. (Photo by Marnie Jordan/Cronkite News)[/caption] Rousset also mentioned the importance of space data in connection to industrial success in Arizona. Information from space can help manage things on Earth, such as water supply, which is essential to Arizona’s agriculture and semiconductor industries. Rousset and Chase Kassel, portfolio manager of ASU’s Interplanetary Initiative, referenced a 2019 Deloitte study that said Arizona was the only state with the capability to provide the five critical segments of the space economy – aerospace, launch services, manufacturing, metals and mining, and research and development. Hobbs said aerospace companies are looking to grow in Arizona and expand their operations due to the growing workforce, infrastructure, reliable energy and a diverse supply chain. Rousset said there is a “huge sort of economic activity” around these businesses that might not be as visible, but is responsible for creating jobs and hiring many people. “Space needs all talents, all backgrounds, all cultures, all perspectives. The more inclusive we are in creating this space future for all of us, the more we can unlock for most people. I think that it is really important for the next generations to see themselves as being part of this,” Rousett said. Arizona has a number of programs and initiatives targeted at getting students interested in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – at a young age. An example of this is the work of the SciTech Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing and promoting STEM education and awareness in Arizona and beyond. The institute holds annual festivals and chief science officer programs. “These programs promote the importance of STEM, of the STEM education. They empower children to pursue careers in STEM-related fields,” Hobbs said. “The exposure to fields that kids might have not thought possible is really critical.” Bringing upcoming generations into the development of the space sector will shape the future. The University of Arizona is ranked top six for NASA-funded activity, according to the National Science Foundation. ASU is a top university for space science, ranking No. 8 in the U.S. for higher education research expenditures financed by NASA, according to the 2022 National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development survey. “Collaboration really is key, and I think that Arizona does this better than any other state,” Hobbs said. “As our space leadership continues to grow, the universities will continue to be central to our success in this area.”

The rise of Valley fever

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 23:04:04 +0000

April 25, 2024

The rise of Valley fever

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, Calif. – Valley fever has been infecting people in the Southwest U.S., Central America and South America for decades. “It’s not just (in Arizona). It’s also up and down the Western Hemisphere. There are pockets in Mexico, there are pockets in Central America,” said Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona. In 1891, a medical student in Argentina came across a 36-year-old soldier with a fungal-like mass on his right cheek and elsewhere on his body. A year later, a migrant farm worker in the San Joaquin Valley in California showed up in Kern County with similar skin lesions caused by an unknown disease, which was later dubbed “Valley fever,” according to an article in the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/25/valley-fever-hits-minority-populations-southwest-hardest/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/0X7A4779.jpg" headline="Valley fever, a fungal disease endemic to the Southwest, disproportionately affects minority populations"] The first public health record of Valley fever occurred in Bakersfield, California, in 1901, according to Kern County Public Health. Bakersfield is in the San Joaquin Valley, which gave the disease its name. “In Bakersfield, they feel a personal attachment to this disease,” Galgiani said. “It was discovered in the San Joaquin Valley with faculty at Stanford.” The disease is so prevalent in Bakersfield, that most of the residents have either had it or know someone who had it, Galgiani said. A major study into the disease came when Midwestern farm workers moved to the San Joaquin Valley during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, when drought dried the topsoil and winds blew the resulting dust into the air, according to Clinical Infectious Diseases. Other groups affected by exposure to the fungus include prisoners of war, Japanese internment victims and Army camps in Kern County, where the annual incidence of infection in 1941 and 1942 was 20% to 25%, according to Clinical Infectious Diseases. Charles E. Smith, a medical student at Stanford University, studied the disease for seven years, even contracting it himself and discovering innovative ways to test for both disseminated and acute infections, according to the Clinical Infectious Diseases article. As indicated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map, Valley fever shows up in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and, recently, in the state of Washington.

Valley fever, a fungal disease endemic to the Southwest, disproportionately affects minority populations

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 22:58:43 +0000

April 25, 2024

Valley fever, a fungal disease endemic to the Southwest, disproportionately affects minority populations

TUCSON – Daniel Sestiaga remembers being in the COVID-19 ward of a hospital in late 2020. He tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in June, then later tested negative, but he was still struggling to breathe and testing positive again by the end of August. After driving 60 miles to see his Indian Health Service primary care physician in Sells, Sestiaga said that his doctor took a chest X-ray showing pneumonia. His breathing became so difficult that he had to go to the emergency room before seeing a pulmonologist. It wasn’t only COVID-19 causing his difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with Valley fever after the X-ray revealed fluid around his lungs restricting their capacity. Sestiaga was told the fluid needed to be removed. Doctors in the emergency room who were draining his lungs told him he was going to feel a lot of pressure and that he needed to keep breathing through the whole process. The capacity of his right lung was half its normal size. [caption id="attachment_231061" align="alignright" width="225"] Dr. Robert Johns is medical director of Banner Urgent Care. (Photo courtesy of Banner Health)[/caption] “All of a sudden, my lung started working,” Sestiaga said. “I could feel myself take a breath for the first time. After that they put me on a drain.” The doctors wound up draining between 2 and 4 liters of fluid from his lungs, he said. He felt immense pressure. Valley fever (Coccidioidomycosis) is an infection caused by the spores of Coccidioides fungus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The spores live in the soil and dust in some areas of the southwestern U.S. People become infected by inhaling the spores when they’re released from the dust. When they tested Sestiaga, they noted that his markers for infection with Coccidioides were “through the roof,” he said. Testing early may prevent a lot of the problems associated with the progression of the disease, according to Dr. Robert Johns, medical director of Banner Urgent Care. Johns recalled one person experiencing serious complications after not being tested quickly enough. “This individual who’d been diagnosed with pneumonia at the ER, given an antibiotic, actually had Valley fever,” Johns said. “He was admitted to the hospital in the ICU. He was put on a ventilator and ended up having a pneumonectomy, that’s part of the lung removed.” [caption id="attachment_231065" align="alignright" width="252"] Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona. (Photo courtesy of Kris Hanning, Biocommunications, University of Arizona Health Sciences)[/caption] Because of greater awareness of the disease, anyone who comes to Banner Urgent Care with pneumonia should receive a Valley fever test, Johns said. Sometimes, the disease also produces a telltale rash called erythema nodosum that may warrant a prompt test. “One, it’s not going to clear up with antibiotics. Two, it’s more than likely going to get worse,” Johns said. Despite that, tests aren’t typically sensitive in the early course of the disease, said Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona. “It’s a very specific test. If it comes back positive, even a single test, you don’t need to wait for a pair,” Galgiani said. “Unfortunately, they’re not completely sensitive so that early in the course of these tests, sometimes they’re negative. When you repeat it two weeks later, it turns positive.” The tests also often need to be sent to an outside laboratory – in-clinic tests aren’t yet commonplace – which can lead to delays that impede treatment, Galgiani said. “That delay is actually an impediment to the test getting done at all because it seems like it’s going to come back long, too long to be really a problem,” Galgiani said. According to the CDC, the true number of Valley fever cases is likely underreported due to many patients not being tested. The Valley Fever Center for Excellence estimates that the actual number of cases is six to 14 times higher than reported. [caption id="attachment_231067" align="alignnone" width="800"] Estimated areas with coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) in the United States. (Map courtesy of CDC)[/caption] The fungus is found throughout the Southwest and, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona accounts for nearly two-thirds of all Valley fever cases in the U.S. Between 1990 and 2022, reported cases of Valley fever climbed from 5.2 per 100,000 people, to 128.4 per 100,000 people, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona’s top three most populous counties alone – Pima, Maricopa and Pinal – made up 94.1% of Valley fever cases in the state. In addition, Valley fever is one of Arizona’s most commonly reported infectious diseases. In 2022, there were 706 hospitalizations associated with a primary diagnosis of Valley fever, and hospital charges for Valley fever patients totaled $68.3 million, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. “It’s kind of an Arizona disease now because of population growth in the state. Whereas originally the name came from California,” Galgiani said. "Between those states 95% of infections occur." Although Arizona has the highest rates of patients with the disease, the fungus that causes Valley fever can be found throughout the Americas, from Mexico to Argentina, Galgiani said. Most people recover from the disease without medical care, and approximately 60% of people experience no symptoms. But in some cases the infection travels throughout the body, known as dissemination, according to an article in the Journal of Fungi. Out of 150,000 estimated infections in the U.S, approximately a third require clinical attention. [caption id="attachment_231068" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Biology of Coccidioidomycosis. (Graphic courtesy of CDC)[/caption] The main symptoms of acute infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and rash, according to several health sources. Symptoms of chronic infection include coughing blood, low-grade fever, weight loss, chest pain and nodules in the lungs. In severe cases of dissemination, the fungus may cause severe nodules or lesions worse than those initially present; painful lesions in the skull; painful, swollen joints; and meningitis, according to several health sources. Anyone can contract the disease but infection varies between races and ethnicities. In Arizona, Hispanic, Native American and Black people are more likely to have severe Valley fever than white people. A study reported in a 2019 article in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases journal, looked at the disease in American Indians/Native Alaskans from 2001 to 2014, and found they had high hospitalization rates, high morbidity and possible missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis. The study concluded that Native Americans “may be uniquely vulnerable” to Valley fever. Sestiaga is a member of the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe. “A lot of Native people had let me know, ‘Well, I had a cousin who died, and I had this uncle who passed away,’ and then they found out later on it was Valley Fever,” Sestiaga said. Before being diagnosed with the disease, Sestiaga said he didn’t even know about Valley fever. Despite the advances in testing, there’s still a lack of awareness about testing for it in pneumonia cases, Johns said. There’s also a lack of knowledge for doctors trained where the disease isn’t endemic, especially on the East Coast. [caption id="attachment_231063" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Daniel Sestiaga experienced a severe case of Valley fever and went to the emergency room for it twice. (Photo by Jack Orleans/Cronkite News)[/caption] “I had to do a crash course on Valley fever. ‘What is it?’ What’s going on?’ I had recently gotten my masters of public health from U of A, but Valley Fever never came up in the conversation. I never even knew what Valley fever was,” Sestiaga said. Valley fever is treated with azole antifungal drugs, like fluconazole. If treatment is stopped, a relapse in infection can occur, according to the Journal of Fungi. Galgiani said there’s no vaccine yet, however, there’s a push to start human trials as early as this year. “I’ll probably be on a low-dose (of) fluconazole for the rest of my life,” Sestiaga said. Some of the side effects of fluconazole include peeling or loosening of the skin, hair loss, chest pain, muscle pain and spasms and unusual bleeding or bruising, among others, according to several health care providers. “I couldn’t even complete one round because they had to put in the IV. They had to fill you with a whole bag of saline (and) fluid because it’s just so hard on your kidneys,” Sestiaga said. He was given a cocktail of drugs in the hospital, including fluconazole and amphotericin, he said. Galgiani said part of the reason that funding has been slow to find a vaccine is because Valley fever is an “orphan disease,” defined by the Food and Drug Administration as a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people. So far, the only tools to combat Valley fever are education on how to prevent the disease and antifungal treatments. Research may also suffer from a lack of willing participants. Sestiaga only signed up for medical studies that focused on Valley fever and nothing else. His caution came from knowing the history of mistreatment of Indigenous people in medical settings. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/25/the-rise-of-valley-fever/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/valley-fever.jpg" headline="The rise of Valley fever"] In 2004, the Havasupai tribe sued the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona State University when tribal members discovered that DNA samples taken for research on type 2 diabetes had been used in other genetic studies as well, without their consent. According to the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, researchers violated the tribe’s informed consent by testing their genetic material for inbreeding, schizophrenia, alcoholism and the origin of the tribe’s migration from Asia. “Culturally, I’m really not supposed to be giving you my blood, (that’s) just what we were taught,” Sestiaga said. It’s also difficult to measure Valley fever infections in those who work outdoors. Any activity that involves digging, soil disruption or generating dust in places where the Coccidioides fungus grows puts workers at risk for infection, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Valley fever isn’t covered under Arizona worker’s compensation, according to the Industrial Commission in Tucson. Over one-third of construction workers in Arizona lack health insurance, almost three times the rate for all workers, according to the Labor Center at the University of California in Berkeley. Even with insurance, proper treatment isn’t a guarantee. “I had the ability to have the coverage … to be able to cover, obviously, the treatment, everything,” Sesitaga said. “But it doesn’t come without its hiccups.”