
No falling back: Why does Arizona opt out of daylight saving?
PHOENIX – Most Americans adjust their clocks and watches in March and November, but Arizonans don’t. Why don’t we participate in daylight saving time? Arizona has a long history of opting in and out of daylight saving, which was introduced in 1918 to save fuel during World War I. It was repealed after the war,.

Arizona joins more than 40 other states in antitrust probe of Facebook
WASHINGTON – Arizona joined 46 other states and territories this week in antitrust investigation of Facebook, including whether the social media giant violated consumer data privacy and whether it is a monopoly that has driven up advertising prices and suppressed competition. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Tuesday that he joined the investigation being spearheaded.

New Scottsdale production company hopes to change landscape of esports in Arizona
SCOTTSDALE – Metro Phoenix is one of 13 markets in the country with teams from all four major professional sports leagues. Of those, only three – Phoenix, Detroit and Denver – lack an esports team in the Overwatch League or the Call of Duty World League. Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the nation, is.

Upgrades to begin soon to keep Interstate 17 underpasses from flooding
PHOENIX — During last week’s monsoon storm, several underpasses along Interstate 17 in north Phoenix flooded, causing traffic delays. This isn’t uncommon. In September 2014, for instance, flooded underpasses shut down sections of Interstates 17 and 10 and U.S. 60 for several hours — and, in some cases, several days — while outdated pumping stations.

A family affair: Father, son make mark as graffiti grows in acceptance
TEMPE – Adults and children as young as 4 huddle around a painted-over canvas on the grass of Tempe’s Svob Park on a cloudy afternoon. Some of the amateur artists, who were there as part of an Arts in the Parks event, stand close to the canvas, spray cans in hand. Most are inexperienced with.

Arizona officials fear fallout as new tariffs on Chinese goods start
WASHINGTON – Arizona business leaders said they worry that a 15% tariff on $300 billion in Chinese goods that takes effect Sunday will backfire and end up hurting economic growth at home. The new tariffs are set to be imposed on more than 6,000 items but will fall largely on consumer goods, according to the.

Monsters, pinball and improv: 3 ways to find your niche in metro Phoenix
PEORIA – From July 2017 through June 2018, more than 200 people moved to Maricopa County every day, in search of sun, plentiful jobs and a lower cost of living. But in a metro area of 4.4 million, how do transplants, particularly those who relocate without family, find a sense of community? Here’s a glimpse.

Rosie the Riveter 2.0: Welding, wielding power in male-dominated industry
GOODYEAR – Rachel Miller’s chestnut hair is tied up in a ponytail that slides halfway down her back. She’s wearing steel-toe boots that are ripped at the seams and a plaid button-up over a gray T-shirt. Her clothing reflects a gap in women’s wear, where trade uniforms are rarely made for them. Through safety glasses,.

Developments in disaster-prone areas mean big bucks for builders but can put homeowners at risk
ELFIN FOREST, Calif. – Elfin Forest is named for the miniature trees that blanket the surrounding ridgeline. The terrain acts like a wall, which has until recently prevented suburban San Diego from sprawling into the bucolic valley. The town, home to 800 people and 300 horses, bills itself as “A Rural Community.” It’s accessed by.

Resource centers nourish parents, young children with food and education
PHOENIX - Jessica Sauter moved from San Diego to Phoenix in November, and like many young mothers, she searched for ways to keep her 3-year-old occupied. She and Bodey spent many days at the park until a neighbor told her about the Creighton Family Resource Center. “It’s an amazing experience,” Sauter said. Mom and son.

Monsoon madness: You say dust storm, I say haboob
PHOENIX – The monsoon thunderstorms have finally arrived after a delayed start to the season, and with them comes the familiar (or if you’re new in town, terrifying and apocalyptic) dust storms also called haboobs. These fast-moving leviathan walls of dust can quickly transform the streets into a scene ripped from a Mad Max movie,.

Vulnerable communities adapting to ever-present threat of wildfires
PINETOP-LAKESIDE – Learning to live fire-wise is a cause for celebration in areas that are vulnerable to wildfires. Especially in this White Mountains community, which is becoming one of the country’s next fire adapted communities. Bounce houses, barbecues and face-painting are hallmarks of the annual White Mountains Communities Firewise Block Party. But this year, the.

Tolleson opens new high school with state facilities funds
PHOENIX- The Arizona School Facilities Board helps fund new school buildings and renovations in Arizona to relieve outdated and overcrowded classrooms throughout the state. Since 2000, the board has used their funds to help build more than 320 new schools, according to Kerry Campbell, the deputy director of operations for the board. The board budgeted.

‘Large and in charge’ drag queen inspires youth, other queens of color
PHOENIX – Neon strobes flash as the eager crowd hollers and holds their drinks aloft. Music blares from the speakers as the emcee announces Rosie Cheeks, who strides onstage in high heels and a wide, black cape, ready to reveal her sparkling jumpsuit to her fans. Before Rosie Cheeks can strut her stuff, Steven Juniel.

Taliesin West added to World Heritage List after 15-year wait
SCOTTSDALE – The slanted roofs of Taliesin West mimic nearby ridgelines in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains. Its massive stone walls, long and low-slung, almost blend into the surrounding desert. Legendary American architect Frank Lloyd Wright began construction on Taliesin West, meant to be his winter home, in 1937. His vision was to create.

Tiny terrors: Mosquitoes in Arizona and how to avoid them
ARIZONA – Monsoon storms, haboobs, scorching temperatures: Let’s face it, summer in Arizona comes with some big hazards. So it could be easy to forget one of the tiniest perils. Yes, mosquitoes, those buzzing, blood-sucking little demon insects. The mere mention of the pests is enough to make your skin itch, triggering flashbacks of outings.

Childhelp center places help for abused children under one roof
PHOENIX – Teddy bears, toy cars and clouds painted on sky-blue ceilings surround the small survivors of abuse and neglect. A child-abuse center in Phoenix places everyone crucial to helping these children – police officers, prosecutors, mental-health counselors and medical-services employees – in one place, so survivors can avoid the trauma of going to multiple.

Kings, queens and inbetweens: Diversity in Phoenix’s drag scene
PHOENIX – Diverse drag performers are challenging norms in Phoenix’s nightlife. Drag kings, assigned female-at-birth queens, alternative performers and people of color are taking stages across metro Phoenix. We talked to performers about the challenges they overcame to establish themselves in the local drag scene. Felicia Minor Offstage, a full manicure is the only sign.

Cruise ships to launch in December, even though port at Rocky Point isn’t ready
PUERTO PEÑASCO, Mexico – Cruise ships will be launching from Rocky Point for the first time this winter, but a long-awaited cruise port in this beach town won’t be finished by the time they set sail. Construction began in 2013 on a cruise port in Puerto Peñasco, or Rocky Point, as it’s known to Arizona.

Phoenix launches downtown ‘giving meters’ to help fight homelessness
PHOENIX – The city has launched its “giving meters” program, repurposing four downtown parking meters to help those who are experiencing homelessness. The four meters, which have been decorated by local artists, accept donations by coin or credit card to benefit PHX C.A.R.E.S., the city’s homelessness outreach program, which sends trained teams into the community.

Advocates decry Trump administration plan to rein in food stamp access
WASHINGTON – Arizona is one of the 43 states that could be affected by a Trump administration proposal to tighten restrictions on access to food stamps for people receiving other financial assistance. The Department of Agriculture said the rule, to be released Wednesday for public comment, would close a “loophole” in current policy that makes.

50 years later, Arizona still plays a big role in exploring the universe
PHOENIX – The press release that went out on July 6, 1969, began: “The United States will launch a three-man spacecraft toward the Moon on July 16 with the goal of landing two astronaut explorers on the lunar surface four days later.” That astronomical task, which was stated in the plainest of terms, would be.

21st-century druids: No animal sacrifices, but connected to community, history
PHOENIX – Mark Bailey comes from Scottish and Mexican heritage, and he prefers Irish pubs. On a late morning, he sits in a booth at Rosie McCaffrey’s pub in central Phoenix, chatting with the waitresses as they navigate the narrow space, balancing trays of Guinness and burgers. Bailey’s arms are covered in tattoos carrying symbolic.

‘One small step’ was a breakthrough in radio communications
PHOENIX – When Neil Armstrong touched foot on the moon 50 years ago this month and said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” his iconic words could be heard back on Earth thanks to technology made in Scottsdale. General Dynamics Mission Systems, which was a division of Motorola at the time,.

Discipline and sacrifice: Taekwondo studio leads its students to better lives
CHANDLER – At a storefront studio in Chandler, taekwondo students of all ages stream through the door, looking to improve their coordination, burn off energy or get in shape. But they will leave with much more than that, says Johnny Nguyen, the master instructor at NB Taekwondo & Fitness Center. “I want to be a.

Ant antibiotics: Could ASU research lead to human applications?
PHOENIX – A recent Arizona State University study has shed new light on antibiotics produced by ants, and the lead author thinks the work could be applied to improving human health. “What is really fascinating to me is that these ants might actually help save our lives one day,” said Clint Penick, lead author of.

Burning questions: How to deal with 157-degree dashboards, dead batteries and blowouts
PHOENIX – Drivers are donning oven mitts to grip steering wheels, wildfires are burning and all the winter visitors have flown away for greener, possibly Canadian, pastures. Yes, it’s summertime in the inferno Arizonans call home. Whether you’ve lived here forever or are a recent transplant, you’ve probably noticed the effects of the heat on.

Lack of broadband puts tribal, rural areas ‘in jeopardy,’ lawmakers told
WASHINGTON – The Havasupai tribe is falling behind in education, health and emergency needs because, like many rural communities, it lacks affordable, reliable and high-speed broadband, a tribal councilwoman told a House committee Thursday. Ophelia Watahomigie-Corliss was one of several witnesses who said rural areas are “in jeopardy” of being left behind without the high-speed.

Ducey not among governors supporting 55 mpg fuel efficiency standards
PHOENIX – Governors of 23 states and Puerto Rico this week urged the Trump administration to retain the high vehicle fuel-efficiency standards set by President Barack Obama. Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona was not one of those governors. Under current rules, automakers have to achieve corporate average fuel economy of almost 55 mpg by 2025..

Cyberbully solutions: Target becomes an activist; ASU researchers develop Instagram app
PHOENIX - After long days of torment at middle school, Grace Martinez would come home, eat dinner and do her chores. But as she as soon as she was alone, behind her bedroom door, she released her emotional pain. “I got to the point where I didn’t want to feel the pain they were giving.

Throwing a lifeline to poor patients ‘dumped’ by health care providers
PHOENIX – David Jarmusz has been through a lot in his 55 years. Diagnosed with HIV in 2009, he suffers from neuropathy, or numbness in his peripheral nerves, and has a hernia in his lower abdomen. He is also a recovering drug addict and a widower who has been homeless off and on for more.

No bursting in air: Carefree uses drones instead of fireworks to celebrate the Fourth
PHOENIX – For some metro Phoenix residents, the steady drumbeat of Fourth of July fireworks will be replaced with the high-pitched whine of electric motors as hundreds of drones take to the sky. For the second Fourth in a row, Carefree is sponsoring a swarm of drones bearing LED lights in lieu of a more.

Making America grill again: Cost of cookouts little changed this year
WASHINGTON – Feel free to splurge on the ice cream. That’s the message from the American Farm Bureau Federation, which said in an annual survey that the cost of a Fourth of July cookout for 10 is just $5.28 per person this year – and still less than $6, even if you add the ice.

Climbing in Joshua Tree: Breaking bones and belaying friendships
JOSHUA TREE, California – Sitting on well-worn couches in a living room lined with climbing guidebooks, Todd Gordon and Tucker Tech reminisce on a friendship that has lasted nearly 40 years and rock climbing careers that have lasted even longer. They’re swapping tales in the house where Gordon, 64, lives with his family on the.

Maricopa County approves updates to vote-counting system to avoid snafus
PHOENIX – Months after glitches at the polls led to long waits for voters, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a $6.1 million contract to update the vote-counting system and establish an executive position they said will smooth future balloting. “One’s right to vote is sacrosanct,” Supervisor Steve Chucri said. “I think.

Chemical retardant used to fight wildfires could pose harm, group says
PHOENIX – Fire retardant is one tool in battling wildfires, including the Woodbury Fire east of Mesa. But is the mixture of water and chemicals, including thickening agents, a danger to people and the environment? Dolores Garcia, a spokeswoman with the Bureau of Land Management office in Phoenix, said retardant is crucial in areas where.

Why some tattoo artists choose vegan inks over traditional formulas
PHOENIX – Luis Marrufo, his brown eyes bright but focused, hunched over a client lying on a cushioned table. He pressed the sharp end of the tattoo machine into his client’s forearm, the needle dispensing carbon-colored liquid into his skin in vibrating bursts so quick they’re almost invisible to the naked eye. The low-pitched buzz.

It’s rattlesnake season. Are you prepared?
SCOTTSDALE – Crossing paths with a venomous snake may not be at the top of your to-do list this summer. But if you want to prepare in case you do, the Phoenix Herpetological Society can teach you how to safely handle the situation. “I’d wanted to take the class because I’d encountered a snake on.

Arizona’s average age still below U.S., but it’s catching up fast
WASHINGTON – Arizona continues to be relatively young compared with the rest of the U.S., but it saw one of the nation’s biggest jumps in average age from 2010 to 2018, according to new data from the Census Bureau. The state’s median age grew 2 years in that period, from 35.9 to 37.9 years, according.

Breaking the mold: Diversifying Arizona’s modeling industry
PHOENIX – Models from across Arizona will take part in Phoenix Fashion Week’s Model of the Year search on Saturday. The organizers will choose 40 men and women to walk their runways for the weeklong event in October in Scottsdale. But how diverse will the top 40 be? Ce-Ce Marie, a plus-size model who has.

Vapors, oils and brownies: AZ Supreme Court decision boosts medical marijuana industry
PHOENIX – Marijuana-laced massage oils, vaping products and brownies and other edibles likely will emerge as the future of the multimillion-dollar medical marijuana industry in Arizona, thanks to a court decision last month, industry representatives say. Concentrates, or extracts of the active ingredients in marijuana, such as THC and CBD, are considered legal under an.

Salt River Project prepares businesses for monsoon season
TEMPE – If the power goes out in your home, it’s frustrating. But if a business loses power, it can have major consequences. For the past five years, the Salt River Project trained businesses to prepare for power outages, especially during Arizona’s monsoon season, which officially kicked off June 15. The utility held some of.

Turning children into animal caregivers at summer camp
PHOENIX – As summer camps kick off around the nation, some young people in metro Phoenix are learning about the compassionate care of animals. At the Animal Ed-ventures Summer Camps, it’s not just snuggling puppies all day. The Arizona Humane Society educates children about animal advocacy while working with animal professionals and kittens, dogs and.

Power to the people: Utilities from around the U.S. pitch in to bring electricity to Navajos
DILKON – Neda Billie has been waiting to turn on the lights for 15 years. “We’ve been living off of those propane lanterns,” Billie said. “Now we don’t have to have flashlights everywhere. All the kids have a flashlight, so when they get up in the middle of the night, like to use the restroom,.

‘They choose not to know’: Victims, advocates combat sex trafficking in Arizona
Editor’s note: Frontline on PBS on Monday aired “Sex Trafficking in America,” a documentary that focused on the sex trade in Arizona. The show featured young women coerced into prostitution and followed a law enforcement unit committed to investigating sex crimes. Cronkite News reporters Jake Goodrick and Alicia Longo produced three supplemental videos to accompany.

Buckeye had nation’s fastest growth, Phoenix added most people in 2018
WASHINGTON – Buckeye posted the fastest growth rate among cities in the nation last year, while Phoenix held the top spot for the size of its overall growth, according to new numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau. The report, released Thursday, said Buckeye added 5,813 residents, an increase of 8.5% in just a year, while.

For homeless young adults, HomeBase offers structure, shelter and a way out
PHOENIX – Clay Hollinshed found himself sleeping under the stars in a community park near Grand Canyon University in west Phoenix this past winter. But he wasn’t afraid. “I felt free,” he said, beaming ear to ear, his curly hair peeking out from inside the white bandana attempting to hold it in place. He had.

Fare enough: Uber, Lyft surge ahead of cabs in campaign expense reports
WASHINGTON – The initial public offering of Uber shares this month fell short of expectations, but there’s at least one audience where the ride-sharing service dominates – members of Congress. Federal Election Commission reports for the 2017-2018 election cycle show that congressional campaigns spent $2,171,381.99 on rides and on services like UberEats. Expenses on ride-sharing.

Inmates at Arizona prison prepare retired greyhound racers to live with families
ELOY – Sit. Down. Wait. More than a dozen inmates at Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy spend their days working with former racing greyhounds to understand these commands. They’re part of a unique program that allows the inmates at the private prison to rehabilitate and train the canines and prepare the dogs to go home.

Kitchen-inspection reports for day cares and schools are available – if you look
PHOENIX – Squeals of joy fill a colorfully decorated schoolroom before breakfast on a Thursday morning. As the children wash their hands one-by-one, cook Mariela Alejos pushes plastic carts loaded with freshly prepared beans, tortillas and watermelon to each classroom. Alejos feeds schoolkids every day at Arizona Migrant Head Start in Surprise. The smell of.

Thin on broadband: Tribal areas still struggle with lagging technology
WASHINGTON – “Just Google it.” Carroll Onsae says it’s a joke among Hopi, who have broadband internet in only some pockets of the reservation. And even there it works slowly. “Our area is economically disadvantaged. It’s a hardship for families to not have service to broadband services,” said Onsae, the general manager of Hopi Telecommunications.

Doing more time: Ex-felons face long odds, long wait to restore voting rights
TUCSON – Michael Romero looks like someone who has worked with his hands for a long time. His muscular forearms make the many tattoos that cover them seem like pop art. Among them are the numbers 93 and 94, etched on the skin of his left forearm to represent two of the five years Romero.

Robocalls hit 3 million a day in Arizona, but help may be on the way
WASHINGTON — On a typical day in Arizona this year, more than 3 million robocalls were made to phone numbers in the state, an increase of more than 1.4 million a day from just a year earlier. Despite efforts to block the calls, most of which are illegal, the calls keep coming. And the Federal.

Battling tariffs, drought and milk substitutes, Arizona dairy farmers expand their global reach
PHOENIX – Dairy farmers in Arizona are dealing with challenges brought by tariffs and competition from alternative milk products, such as almond and soy milk, as well as persistent drought across the Southwest. But they’re forming new partnerships and adjusting their agricultural practices to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving world market. One such farmer.

Low and slow: Car clubs celebrate unique lowrider culture of the Southwest
SAN DIEGO – The American Southwest is known for the meshing, coalescing and fusing of many cultures. Here, custom and tradition “no son ni de aqui ni de alla” (Spanish for “are neither here nor there”). Nowhere is this better represented than in the lowrider culture, where lowering an automobile elevates its prestige and helps.

Migrant medical costs, Arcosanti experiment and day care inspections
CHOOSE YOUR NEWS Migrant medical costs, Arcosanti experiment and day care inspections PHOENIX – Cronkite News wants to bring you the stories you want to see. We first asked audiences to vote on stories in three topic areas: health, sustainability and borderlands. Our reporters put together news stories exploring various aspects within those areas,.

Census: Maricopa County – again – saw country’s biggest population gains
WASHINGTON – Maricopa County again saw the largest population increase of any county in the nation last year, adding 81,244 residents to make eight straight years of gains, according to figures released Thursday by the Census Bureau. The county was the driving force behind a 122,770-person increase in Arizona’s population, which hit 7.17 million last.

Arizona becomes the first state to recognize all out-of-state occupational licenses
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed House Bill 2569, making Arizona the first state to recognize out-of-state occupational licenses across the board. Ducey, who was driven to the signing ceremony at the Capitol in a U-Haul truck, said the law will remove barriers to employment for about 100,000 people who are expected to.

‘Helping humanity’: Senior centers use crafting skills to give back
TEMPE – Several senior centers across Arizona are knitting, crocheting, sewing and quilting to help the poor. Two such groups are the Tempe Needlewielders and Knit 4 Needy. “There’s such a need for people that are in some type of stress in their life, to give them something that can have a special meaning in.

Religious group claims ‘Bodies Revealed’ exhibit uses cadavers of Chinese prisoners
SCOTTSDALE – Nearly 200 human bodies, stripped of skin and hair to reveal muscle, bone and sinew, line dimly lit galleries at the Odysea Aquarium. Visitors gaze at stomachs, livers and hearts placed like books on shelves, offering lessons from the dead that exhibit supporters sponsors and supporters say could lead to better health for.

A long road: Opioid-addicted rural residents travel hundreds of miles to reach methadone clinics
MORENCI – It’s just before sunrise as Maggie Phillips wakes her three children in the darkness. The oldest, Jaxon, a second-grader, is headed to school. For the two youngest, Phillips packs clothes, snacks and toys for the hourlong trip to the methadone clinic. Jesse, 3, runs around the small room he shares with his brother,.

Alliance of American Football suspends operations just 8 weeks into first season
PHOENIX – Suspending operations just two weeks before the end of its inaugural 10-week season, attempts to continue the upstart Alliance of American Football will be difficult, Don Gibson, a professor at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, said. The AAF is the latest of several expansion football leagues to run into.

New Chicanos Por La Causa center to empower Maryvale community through education, jobs
PHOENIX – Among the hundreds of attendees at the jobs fair at Desert Sky Mall, Terry Hardy stood taller than most and carried a bag full of handouts from employers. Hardy has lived in the Phoenix village of Maryvale for the past 30 years and attended the fair seeking to get back into the workforce.

Jobs, recreation, high rents and traffic: Four ways a growing population changes Arizona
PHOENIX – Arizona’s growth continues to surge, with a 2019 census report estimating it was the fourth fastest growing state last year. The report, which estimates Maricopa County had reached more than 4 million people by 2016, said population growth in five Western states has surpassed other regions for seven decades. The growth of the.

Arizona cattle rancher uses science to beef up industry
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS – Green vegetation dots the mountain range from Quarter Circle U Ranch headquarters to the edge of the Superstition Mountains, where genetically selected black Angus cattle roam rocky trails, eating cacti and dry hay. Chuck Backus is a ranch owner cloaked in science, his background in engineering leading him to choose the right.

Jaguar attack at zoo may reflect new normal of selfie culture, expert says
PHOENIX – Wildlife World Zoo officials have said the woman attacked by a jaguar Saturday was taking a selfie. The incident gained national attention, and the woman at the center of it has made various statements. She told azfamily.com she “never crossed the barrier” and was “not trying to get a selfie.” And in an.

UA professor cautions senators to go slow in bid to protect personal data
WASHINGTON – A University of Arizona law professor cautioned members of a Senate panel Tuesday against rushing into data privacy laws that could wind up hurting consumers. Jane Bambauer said she was “delighted” to see lawmakers considering federal laws on data privacy, but said they should not follow laws in California and the European Union.

As e-cigarette use climbs, schools address the problem with vape detectors and information
PHOENIX – Jan Vesely, superintendent of the Kyrene School District, asked middle school students in a focus group last year what their biggest concern was. Their answer surprised her. It wasn’t their friends, course work or teachers. The students told her how they go all day without using the restroom, fearful they’d encounter other students.

Targeting a killer: UA researchers discover potential birth control for mosquitoes
TUCSON – Researchers have forged a path toward mosquito birth control, manipulating DNA to fight such mosquito-transmitted diseases as Zika, malaria and West Nile virus. The 10-year battle involved raising swarms of lab-born female mosquitoes to test, figuring out how to get rid of mosquitoes that continuously build resistance to insecticides and finding a scientific.

Maricopa woman shares story in call for an end to mandatory arbitration
WASHINGTON – Maricopa resident Akeala Edwards was a student and a parent when she took out an online payday loan to help her get by, electronically signing the accompanying documents with little thought. It wasn’t until after the lender renewed her loan without her knowledge that Edwards learned that the paperwork she signed included a.

FDA vs. SPF: Feds say new look at sunscreen regulations long overdue
WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration wants to take a closer look at the ingredients and labeling for sunscreens, hoping to update regulations that the commissioner said have not been changed “in literally decades.” Among the proposed changes FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb outlined Thursday are limits on the upper end of SPF ratings –.

Find a lawyer: Arizona Bar’s online site matches clients, attorneys
PHOENIX – Becky Caudle wanted just the right match. The relationship with her employer was about to change under new ownership, so the physician’s assistant wanted to make sure she was treated well. She called the State Bar of Arizona, one of 30,000 calls the bar gets every year seeking help finding legal representation. For.

Arizona’s top 10 specialty license plates
Arizona offers more than 60 specialty license plates, according to ADOT. The state sold 495,617 specialty license plates during fiscal year 2018. Every plate cost $25, and is an additional $25 to renew annually. For every specialty plate bought or renewed, $17 goes towards charity. To create a new plate, a state lawmaker must introduce.

$300,000 down the drain: Rubber ducky, grease and currency clog treatment plant, cost taxpayers
SURPRISE – A $20 bill. A rubber ducky. And grease – lots of grease. Money, toys and food byproducts clog wastewater systems in Surprise and other cities, costing time, wasting taxpayer dollars and frustrating workers dealing with the errors people flush down the drain, city leaders said. “We see everything – feminine products, we see.

‘In God We Trust’ license plates spark funding furor
PHOENIX – The specialty license plate “In God We Trust” has come under fire because the group behind the plate is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its anti-LGBTQ views. Secular Coalition for Arizona, a nonprofit that promotes the separation of church and state in government, asks on its.

Arizona food banks prepare for possible government shutdown – again
PHOENIX – Food banks across Arizona launched mobile services to help federal workers during the recent five-week shutdown, which taught them how to prepare for the possibility of another shutdown. Jerry Brown, spokesman for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, said the organization distributed more than 100,000 pounds of food during three mobile drives for employees.

Standing up for veterans who need haircuts, housing and other help
PHOENIX – The needs of military veterans have changed over the past two decades, expanding from housing to such services as a simple haircut, having a cavity filled or getting medical attention for PTSD. Stand Down, a nationwide event conducted in Maricopa County for nearly 20 years, once served only about 200 people, but in.

Arizona skateboards shred the Union Hills Classic competition
GLENDALE – On a cool winter afternoon, 208 skateboarders of all ages competed in the Cowtown Skateboards’ Union Hills Classic, eager for the chance to win bragging rights and an Arizona-shaped trophy. Others were stoked to win raffle prizes from such skate brands as OJ Wheels and Santa Cruz Skateboards. The competition, which included divisions.

Future of Suns, Diamondbacks in downtown Phoenix causing angst
PHOENIX – With significant decisions on the horizon for the future of the Diamondbacks and Suns in downtown Phoenix, some are concerned about what the future might hold if the teams leave. “It would be terrible. It gives people a reason to come downtown. It gives people a reason to come out, hang out, have.

Rainy day fund, drought and teacher pay: Ducey proposes 2020 budget
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday proposed a fiscal year 2020 budget that would double the rainy day fund to $1 billion, put aside $165 million to hike teacher salaries and battle drought. Here are three key areas of the proposed budget, which still needs legislative approval: 1. Ducey wants to save for a.

Partnerships are crucial to saving dogs at Maricopa County shelter
PHOENIX – Head-high stacks of dog beds line the hallways, while row upon row of shelves in storage are packed with pet food. The barking quickly becomes deafening as hundreds of dogs, one after the other, join the cacophony, the sounds bouncing off the gray concrete walls and the steel kennels that are now their.

Phoenix couple’s nonprofit helps more Haitian children get adopted
PHOENIX – Craig and Kathi Juntunen retired in 1998, leaving their successful consulting firm to live a life spent mostly on the golf course and ski slopes. “We were living a … very privileged life that we were lucky enough to stumble onto,” Craig Juntunen said. While golfing one day, he had a conversation with.

Save water, drink beer: Camp Verde collaboration swaps corn for barley
CAMP VERDE – Chip Norton has a message to promote the importance of river conservation: “I’ll say it both ways – Save water, drink beer. Drink beer, save water.” Norton, president and principal shareholder of Sinagua Malt, started his malt house in 2016 to help reduce water use from the Verde River. Norton and the.

Phoenix and some companies offer options for recycling holiday lights
PHOENIX – Environmentally speaking, it’s best to reuse your holiday lights for as long as possible, or to donate them. But for the first time, Phoenix is accepting strings of lights for recycling. Residents can drop off lights at one of two transfer stations, starting the day after Christmas. “This is the first year that.

ASU groundskeeper leaves his stamp on Cheez-It Bowl
TEMPE – As college football players, coaches and fans tune in to bowl games across the country, one select group is staying busy preparing for the big games: the groundskeepers. Meet Brian Johnson, Arizona State’s athletic grounds facilities manager. He spends the bulk of his time during football season caring for the fields at Sun.

Hispanics, blacks more likely to develop Alzheimer’s; cardiovascular diseases may be a factor
LAVEEN – It’s nearing 7 p.m., into the evening hours of a long day of caregiving for the daughters of Santiago González – a life that has become routine in the decade since their father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Maury González asks her father if he’s ready for dinner. She spoon-feeds him applesauce while.

Barley shortage tied to climate change could have you crying in your craft beer
PHOENIX – Climate change could double your beer tab, according to a recent global study, and craft breweries fear they’ll be hurt the most. The study, published in October in the peer-reviewed online journal Nature Plants, suggests that the barley supply could decrease up to 15 percent over the next several decades due to ongoing.

Alzheimer’s disease also upends the finances and lives of those caring for patients
PHOENIX – An estimated 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and a great deal of research and support focuses on them. But their caregivers, who are often family and friends, also face devastating financial and lifestyle challenges. People with moderate and late-stage Alzheimer’s rely heavily on the supervision and care of loved ones. Generations of.

ASU, Arizona make effort to enroll Chinese students
TEMPE – Summer in Phoenix made Weihan Chu feel dizzy as he came off of the plane at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport three years ago. He was thankful volunteers of Arizona State University’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association were there to greet him so he didn’t have to wait outside in the triple-digit swelter..

ASU grad hoped to raise ‘a little’ to aid synagogue; nets $1.2 million
WASHINGTON – Shay Khatiri believes in the power of community, even if that community is hundreds of miles from where he is living and worlds away from the culture in which he was raised. So when Khatiri, an Iranian immigrant who is studying in Washington, learned that a gunman walked in to a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Do you have what it takes? FBI invites reporters to work out with agents for a day
PHOENIX – The FBI hires special agents from a wide range of backgrounds: microbiologists, law enforcement officials, military veterans, computer scientists, teachers and wedding planners. “We are looking for everyone who wants to join our organization,” said special agent Erin Gibbs, applicant coordinator of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. But news reporters? Maybe. – Video.

Pack your patience, check your car and take it slow for holiday travel in Arizona
PHOENIX – Law enforcement officials ask travelers to slow down and pack their patience as they drive Arizona roads during a busy and dangerous holiday season. Nearly 900,000 drivers were on the road over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday, and an AAA Arizona spokeswoman expects that number to increase from Christmas to New Year’s Day. Last.

Natural disaster, unnatural calm: Trying to stay upbeat after hurricane
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. – Ten weeks ago, Mary Rotchford’s home was destroyed and her life upended by a hurricane, and she and her family found themselves sleeping for weeks on cots in a converted senior center in this coastal city. And yet she considered the experience a positive one. “People only get together at funerals.

Buckle up? Not in every seat in Arizona, which some experts frown on
WASHINGTON – The number of holiday travelers will be up this year in both the state and the nation, according to AAA, which estimates that 908,000 Arizonans will be among the 48.5 million Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving. That’s about a 5 percent increase over holiday travel last year for both the state and.

Breaking into construction: How an ADOT program attracts women and minorities
MIAMI – The Arizona Department of Transportation is working with education and business leaders to change a dismal statistic – more than 90 percent of workers in the construction industry are men, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. ADOT is working with community college leaders and contractors to integrate more women and minorities into.

Arizona Korean War veterans hold fast to memories of the ‘forgotten war’
MESA – Pat Haggard spent almost his whole life in Arizona. It’s where he went to college at Arizona State University, where he met his wife, Jo, had three children and became a grandparent. Almost his whole life. Haggard, now 89, was 21 years old when he left the state to fight in a war.

Dream season ends: Phoenix Rising fall short in USL championship
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The confetti shot into the air as the newly crowned 2018 United Soccer League Champions lifted the cup. After a playoff run that included hefty wins at home, the team held the league’s top trophy surrounded by fans and media. One of its team leaders had scored the game winner. Phoenix Rising.

‘The stars came out’: Drogba helps send Phoenix Rising into title game
IRVINE, Calif. — Phoenix Rising FC invaded Orange County and painted the O.C. red, advancing to the United Soccer League title game in the process. A Chris Cortez first-half goal and one by Didier Drogba in the second half gave the Rising the USL Western Conference championship as they eliminated Orange County Soccer Club 2-1.

TGen’s MindCrowd seeks 1 million people around the world to help cure Alzheimer’s
PHOENIX – Researchers are turning to tech to help figure out why some people live long lives without brain problems while Alzheimer’s and similar forms of dementia rob others of their ability to form memories and perform daily tasks that once were routine. The Translational Genomics Research Institute, known as TGen, founded and conducts MindCrowd,.

Under stars, surrounded by stars, Phoenix Rising stay alive in playoffs
SCOTTSDALE – Some of Arizona’s top sports figures came to watch the hottest team in the state Friday night. They weren’t disappointed. Phoenix Rising FC defeated the Swope Park Rangers 4-2 in the United Soccer League Western Conference semifinals in front of 7,707 fans at Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex. The crowd included the Cardinals’ Larry.

Historic Phoenix restaurants are rare but leave lasting impacts
PHOENIX – Rosa Gonzales was crying as she waited in the long line, waiting to eat her last meal at a Chinese restaurant closing its doors after nearly a century in business. She was grieving Sing High Chop Suey House, the downtown Phoenix fixture where she and her husband stopped for a meal every week..

Arizona Corporation Commission: Kiana Sears says experience as energy consultant sets her apart
Name: Kiana Sears Political party: Democrat Position sought: Arizona Corporation Commission City of residence: Mesa Occupation: Volunteer, Valley of the Sun United Way What is the greatest issue Arizona residents face? If elected, how would you address this issue? “The greatest issue for hard-working families in Arizona is the increase in electric bills,” said Sears,.

Arizona Corporation Commission: Justin Olson pledges to keep putting ratepayers first
Name: Justin Olson Political party: Republican Position sought: Arizona Corporation Commission City of residence: Mesa Occupation: Member of the Arizona Corporation Commission What is the greatest issue Arizona residents face? If elected, how would you address this issue? “The Number 1 issue that’s before the commission is the affordability of our utilities,” said Olson, who.

Arizona Corporation Commission: Rodney Glassman vows to restore integrity to regulatory board
Name: Rodney Glassman Political party: Republican Position sought: Arizona Corporation Commission City of residence: Phoenix Current job: Attorney and major in Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps What is the greatest issue Arizona residents face? If elected, how would you address this issue? Affordable and reliable energy and water, said Glassman, who has a.

Protesters call for end to ‘hottie’ Native American costumes based on stereotypes
PHOENIX – Amanda Blackhorse, grasping burning sage in one hand and a bullhorn in the other, prepared to protest at a costume company’s Phoenix headquarters. Blackhorse and her small group carried signs, shouting “People, not costumes!” and “You’re on stolen land!” as they walked around the parking lot, several of them wearing traditional skirts. They.

NOAA: Arizona outlook promises warmer, wetter winter – but not too wet
WASHINGTON – Arizona could see a wetter and warmer winter than usual, with a weak El Nino system bringing steady, mild rains to the state, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. NOAA’s winter forecast, released Thursday, is just what state farmers are hoping for – rain, but not the recent torrential storms that made.

Arizona has had at least eight cases of mysterious, polio-like disease
WASHINGTON – Talen Spitzer was a healthy 10-year-old from Queen Creek a little more than two years ago when, in a matter of minutes, he lost control of his muscles and his hands were paralyzed. His mother, Rochelle Spitzer, said doctors didn’t know what was wrong with him at first because everything else seemed normal..

Suns’ Booker on Ayton: ‘My job is to make it special for him’
PHOENIX — The expectations that come with being an NBA Draft lottery pick are something Devin Booker knows all too well. Selected 13th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, the fourth-year wing has developed into a cornerstone of the Phoenix Suns franchise. However, it was at times a painful process. In his three years, Booker.

Suns’ Deandre Ayton to begin NBA career against friend and rival Luka Doncic
PHOENIX – When Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic see each other this week in the first game of their NBA careers, basketball may not be the first order of business. According to Ayton, Doncic has a debt to repay first. “He owes me a thousand dollars, too,” Ayton said..

Rosen remains confident, Wilks realistic as Cardinals’ broken offense takes center stage
TEMPE – A win against the San Francisco 49ers two weeks ago seemed to give the Arizona Cardinals a ray of hope. It was rookie quarterback Josh Rosen’s first win as a starter and gave coach Steve Wilks his first win as an NFL head coach. But a 27-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on.

Teen tobacco use down, but e-cig use draws health officials’ concern
WASHINGTON — With teen use of cigarettes and other tobacco products declining, Arizona health officials say their “No. 1 priority” now is reducing e-cigarette use, or “vaping,” by high school and middle school students in the state. It comes as the Food and Drug Administration announced recent steps to reduce youth use of e-cigarettes, a.

Changes to state’s Medicaid program meant to improve patient experience, efficiency
PHOENIX – Arizona’s Medicaid agency has blended its health-care programs for mental and physical health for 1.5 million people in a move to increase efficiency and improve patient health. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, known as AHCCCS, now contracts with organizations to manage coverage of such physical ailments as diabetes and heart disease,.

Health insurance premiums to drop about 10 percent in Arizona next year
WASHINGTON – Health care premiums are expected to drop about 10 percent in Arizona next year, more than double the decline predicted just a month ago, federal officials reported Thursday. The report from the Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services said Arizona is one of 17 states expected to see premiums in the Affordable Care.

Oops or Shine On? Phoenix program helps residents recycle better
PHOENIX – Monica Strauss pulls on a pair of plastic gloves every morning to dig through blue recycling bins set out on curbs in parts of the city. The Phoenix Public Works Department employee is methodical as she approaches each blue bin and sorts through the paper, cardboard boxes, plastic waste and other contents. She.

‘Everyone’s got a story’: Portraits at André House show humanity, stories of people who are homeless
PHOENIX – Black-and-white portraits of people without homes, people who often are ignored and misunderstood, hang on a wall at André House. Each photo reveals a single moment in a singular life. Contentedness juxtaposed with melancholy. Silliness tucked beside seriousness. Samuel MacDonald started shooting the portraits in 2015 when he worked at André House, fitting.

Rosa’s record rains: Arizona gets drenched as tropical depression barrels through
PHOENIX – Remnants of Hurricane Rosa drenched most of Arizona on Tuesday, dumping more than 2 inches of rain on the Phoenix area, snarling traffic during the morning commute, closing several schools and spurring calls from people with water in their homes. A flash-flood watch for much of Arizona remains in effect through Wednesday morning,.

Arizona braces for Rosa, which already has caused flash floods in southern Arizona
PHOENIX – Much of the state is under flash-flood warnings as Tropical Storm Rosa continues to churn north. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to last through Wednesday. Rosa will make landfall late Monday along the west coast of Baja California, Mexico. Tuesday morning, the storm will veer across the northern tip of the Gulf of.

NCAA, Arizona universities look to address lack of women coaching women’s sports
PHOENIX – Forty-six years have passed since Title IX of the Education Amendments Act was enacted by the federal government, requiring equal opportunity for women in educational institutions. Although it opened doors for female athletes, women who coach women’s sports have not experienced the same growth. Just the opposite. When Title IX was passed in.

Hungry for jobs, people with Down syndrome learn to cook
PHOENIX – As a pan sizzles, grins and laughter fill the room. Young chefs chop carrots and thinly slice onions. Besides a meal, the students in this cooking class are preparing for job potential. The teacher, Kris Mill, owner of Wok This Way, operates food trucks for a cause. Besides running a vegetarian and environmentally.

Changing hands: Cardinals opt to go with rookie quarterback Josh Rosen
TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks thought he had finally caught a glimpse of the offense he envisioned the Cardinals having in the 2018 season. Quarterback Sam Bradford had thrown for two touchdowns in the first half on Sunday, solidifying a commanding 14-point lead over the Chicago Bears going into halftime. That vision quickly.

Saguaro High community, led by famous alumni, rallies around deli owner
SCOTTSDALE – Joe Casella opened the doors to his deli in 1976, just a few blocks from Saguaro High School. Forty-two years later, the two remain equally important to one other, with Casella’s Deli a mainstay in the lives of Saguaro High families for decades. That was evident after Casella learned in August that he.

A year after Hurricane Maria, panel wants 9/11-level probe of response
WASHINGTON – One year after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, Arizona State University Professor Maria Cruz-Torres said her parents on the island are still struggling to complete repairs to their house after getting “no help from FEMA at all.” Her complaints were echoed at a Capitol Hill conference Thursday where experts called for a.

Red Cross mental-health volunteers help victims deal with emotional trauma from Hurricane Florence
PHOENIX – Physical destruction from hurricanes is easy to see, but such disasters also bring psychological and emotional damage to victims. Lillian Ortiz was in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria struck just one year ago. “This is what was traumatic to me, leaving and knowing the conditions, wondering if I couldn’t survive a night, wondering.

Arizona’s first malt house saves water and supports local breweries
CAMP VERDE – Zach Hauser, like many farmers in the Verde Valley, takes pride in his land and the crops he grows. Normally this time of year, rows of corn, alfalfa, carrots and watermelon would cover his acreage. But today, two large sections of his property look like a farmer’s worst nightmare: fallow land strewn.

Phoenix takes steps toward a more pedestrian friendly downtown
PHOENIX – The city is making strides toward a more pedestrian-friendly downtown in a move to build community and boost business. Phoenix this summer opened a “more walkable” area along First Street just south of Roosevelt Street, where workers widened sidewalks, planted 125 shade trees and narrowed First Street from two lanes each way to.

Despite cries for Rosen, Cardinals coach Wilks sounds committed to Bradford
TEMPE – A 34-0 loss against the Los Angeles Rams has Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks scrambling for answers for the second consecutive week. It appears, however, that he has an answer for the fans that are clamoring for Cardinals rookie quarterback Josh Rosen to replace nine-year veteran Sam Bradford. “If I thought it was.

‘Bisbee ’17’ documentary recounts ‘shameful moment’ in Arizona history
PHOENIX – America had just entered the “war to end all wars” in Europe. Demand for metal ore was rising. Unionists and radical socialists of the International Workers of the World – known as the Wobblies – were demanding better wages and conditions from corporations across the country. A strike against copper giant Phelps Dodge.

A good run: Eno Benjamin’s strong start hints at big things for ASU
TEMPE – One run. One run was all it took to grab the attention of Arizona State football fans. With that 19-yard touchdown run against Colorado in November, true freshman Eno Benjamin showed ASU fans what life after Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage could look like. The Wylie, Texas, native was a U.S. Army All-American.

The place to be: Grand Canyon soccer leads nation in average attendance
PHOENIX – Grand Canyon University is the definition of a mid-major school. The Lopes, with an on-campus population of about 20,000 students, do not have a football program and the rest of their Division I sports compete in the Western Athletic Conference. So how does a school with a still-growing athletic profile post some of.

From shipyard to Top 25 coach: San Diego State meaningful to ASU’s Edwards
TEMPE – Arizona State’s road trip to San Diego State this weekend carries more meaning than most regular-season matchups for coach Herm Edwards and members of his staff. For Edwards, he won’t just be facing an opponent but revisiting his past. The coach played for the Aztecs his senior year after bouncing around from school.

After years of increases, Arizona 2019 health premiums likely to drop
WASHINGTON – After several years of double- and triple-digit increases in health insurance premiums, Arizona could see premiums fall more than 4 percent in 2019, one of only 11 states looking at a drop, according to a new analysis. It’s a sharp turnaround for Arizona, a state where a premium increase of 116 percent in.

For first time, gamers can customize female players for NBA Live
PHOENIX – For the second year in a row, gamers can hit the virtual hardwood with such WNBA superstars as Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart. But NBA Live 19 – released today on Xbox One and Playstation 4 – allows them for the first time to “create a female” player of the same height and.

Where the Suns do shine: Hall of Fame inductees spotlight journey of NBA franchise
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — No matter where Grant Hill looked, he saw a familiar face. “The thing that’s unique is that I feel like I have a connection, a relationship or was a fan of all of them in some capacity,” Hill said Thursday. “Them” are the four others with Phoenix Suns connections that are representing.

From Tillman talk to economic impact, Nike’s Kaepernick deal sparks debate
PHOENIX – He just did it. Colin Kaepernick may never suit up for another NFL game, but that hasn’t stopped the quarterback from being the center of debate. This time, it is as the face of Nike’s 30th anniversary celebration of its “Just Do It” marketing campaign. The ad includes a close-up of Kaepernick’s face.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi continues to redefine ‘clutch’
PHOENIX – The term “clutch” has no single definition. Fitting, given one of the most broad characteristics in sports has numerous interpretations. But throughout the WNBA and across basketball as a whole, Diana Taurasi continues to redefine “clutch” and at 36 years old, she shows no signs of slowing down. “What amazes me about Diana.

‘Success can be a disease’: Arizona State happy with win but Herm Edwards seeks improvement
TEMPE — The start of the Herm Edwards era injected excitement into Arizona State football, but on Saturday it also inspired a huge sigh of relief for the Sun Devil faithful. ASU routed the University of Texas at San Antonio Saturday night 49-7. Many fans reacted by praising Edwards and the team for delivering a.

Having a field day: ASU’s Johnson makes sure Sun Devil Stadium is game-ready
TEMPE – It’s 7 a.m. and Sun Devil Stadium is blanketed by shade, its stands deserted. Brian Johnson, who arrived two hours earlier, paces around the football field, marinating in sweat and camouflaged in maroon and gold paint. They are the same colors that have been tattooed on Johnson for 33 years, since he joined.

Gas prices up, so is travel as Arizonans grab end-of-summer holiday
WASHINGTON – Gasoline prices are up, but that doesn’t seem to have put the brakes on Americans’ urge to travel this holiday weekend. Air carriers said this week that they expect a record high number of passengers for the three-day Labor Day weekend, with an estimated 16.5 million passengers expected to fly this holiday on.

Businesslike Herm Edwards prepares for debut as Arizona State football coach
TEMPE — Herm Edwards sat alone at the podium early Monday afternoon, hunched over, arms tucked tightly in, and armed with nothing but a single sheet of paper in front of him. It was Edwards’ first regular season press conference in 10 years, since he last served as head coach of the NFL’s Kansas City.

Man behind Miss Gay America wants young LGBTQ people to know they are valued
PHOENIX – The lights dim, halting the sound of clinking glasses. A spotlight pierces the darkness as whispers bounce around Club Hippo in Baltimore, then collide with a familiar voice. “What you want, baby, I got it. What you need, do you know I got it?” Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” fills the room as a statuesque.

Movies, classes, yoga: ASU 365 Community Union expected to transform Sun Devil Stadium
TEMPE – Todd Graham was tasked with a difficult challenge when Arizona State hired him to coach football in 2012: Ignite a dormant donor base. When he walked into the ASU football facility on his first day on the job, he found 14-year-old carpet and horse troughs for ice baths in a badly outdated building..

Church ‘campout’: Faith community provides food, shelter for homeless in Chandler
CHANDLER – Every night, about two dozen men and women gather on a street corner and go through the same routine: A monitor searches their backpacks, suitcases and toiletry bags. They go over the rules, then board a bus to where they’ll “camp out,” eat dinner, say a prayer and bunk down for the night..

Santa Cruz River in jeopardy if international sewage pipe ruptures again, experts fear
NOGALES – Some residents in Santa Cruz County are warning that the pipeline carrying raw sewage from Mexico into the United States could rupture as it did during last year’s monsoon, spewing millions of gallons of waste into the Nogales Wash over seven days. The wash is a main tributary of the Santa Cruz River,.

Environmentalists want Glen Canyon Dam removed, but is that possible?
PAGE – The Bureau of Reclamation finished Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, obliterating one of the most spectacular red-rock canyons in the Southwest and altering the flow of the mighty Colorado River. The concrete-arch dam, just south of the Arizona-Utah line, was first proposed in the 1940s to store water and produce electricity for Western.

Just for kicks: Arizona sneakerheads pay big bucks for elite shoes
PHOENIX – J Carrillo’s house is covered in sneakers. Some pairs are scattered across the floor, permissible to be kicked out of the way by his girlfriend. Others have been worn once or twice and are stored in the man cave room of the house in individual, transparent display drawers. In this special room, Carrillo,.

Arizonans got 78.3 million robocalls in June, part of a boom nationwide
WASHINGTON – Robocalls skyrocketed for every area code in Arizona in the first half of this year, reaching 78.3 million calls in June alone, according to data compiled by a firm that sells call-blocking software. The Arizona spike mirrored a national trend, with the total number of robocalls in the U.S. hitting 4.1 billion in.

Native American farmers plan moves to global market, greater sustainability
PHOENIX – Thirty miles south of Phoenix, green fields of alfalfa and pima cotton stretch toward a triple-digit sun. Hundreds of yellow butterflies dance above the purple flowers that dapple the tops of the young alfalfa stalks – to expert eyes, the flowers signal that the plants are heat-stressed and should be harvested soon. Gila.

Toilet water mold, fast food and futons: Many minor leaguers live below poverty line
PHOENIX – Garrett Broshuis was nervous when he picked up his fiancee from the airport. It was her first time visiting since he had moved to Connecticut to play Double-A baseball. His fears, however, had nothing to do with their relationship or with baseball. “I was already worried about her seeing my (apartment) because the.

Raising the steaks: Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald sees giving back as his personal responsibility
SCOTTSDALE – Eleven-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald, decked in a white chef’s jacket, proudly held a piece of beef he prepared at Dominick’s Steakhouse. Asked what was harder – hitting the links, hitting the gridiron or cooking a steak – the Arizona Cardinals wide receiver replied, “Definitely cooking a steak. … I burnt my fingers.

Vehicle crashes and fatalities continued to rise in 2017, ADOT report shows
PHOENIX – Three people died every day on average on Arizona roads in 2017, and 152 people were injured, according to the Department of Transportation’s annual report on motor-vehicle crashes. Nearly three-quarters of accidents occurred from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The report, released Tuesday, draws a detailed picture of such things as how often.

Phoenix partners with California company to turn palm fronds into feed for livestock
PHOENIX – Phoenix is working with a California company to turn fronds into cattle feed, reducing landfill trash. The partnership with Palm Silage Inc. will divert 34,000 tons of palm trimmings annually from city landfills. The company is leasing 10 acres at a city trash-recycling center in southwest Phoenix, city spokeswoman Brenda Yanez said. The.

Lawn time ago: Tucson saves water with desert landscaping, synthetic grass
TUCSON – This used to be a city of lawns. Patches of Bermuda grass lined residential neighborhoods, kept green — even in blazing summer months — with diligent watering. Over the decades, that has changed. Most Tucson residents eschew lush lawns in favor of landscaping more in tune with the city’s desert setting — although.

The Grind: How two Sun Devils in minors are making a push for big league call-ups
TACOMA, Wash. – With a thunderous crack of the bat, Andrew Aplin jolted the baseball high into the clear cool Tacoma night sky. But the ball’s flight peaked in right field and plummeted back to earth, caught well short of the warning track for the final out of the night, sealing an extra-inning loss for.

Gender gap in pay begins with children’s allowances, app maker’s analysis suggests
PHOENIX – Parents pay boys a weekly allowance twice as high as they give girls, according to a study from a Phoenix-area company that sells an app to track children’s chores, allowances and finances. Boys averaged nearly $14 a week, while girls averaged almost $7, according to a data analysis of BusyKid’s app’s 10,000 users..

Flush with success: Low-flow toilets are water-conservation champ
LONGMONT, Colorado – Throughout the Western U.S., water conservation is in the toilet. And that’s a good thing. Since the 1990s, a strange phenomenon has emerged in arid urban areas: Populations are booming while overall water use is staying the same or going down. The trend is clear in Denver, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, San Diego.

‘Fight the bite’: August rains bring risk of mosquito-borne illnesses
PHOENIX – Arizona’s wettest month is upon us, but rain won’t be the only thing that arrives with these August monsoon storms. Standing rainwater provides optimum breeding conditions for mosquitoes, which have the potential to cause serious illnesses, including the West Nile virus. “It’s really important that after a rainstorm comes through that you clean.

Remembering the legacy of ‘Those Dam Women’
LAS VEGAS — What we now know as Hoover Dam was one of the most impressive and recognizable feats of engineering of the 20th century. And in the 1930s, the construction of Boulder Dam and Boulder City helped put southern Nevada on the map. But some of the people who helped build the dam and.

Heat puts extra pressure on Tempe Meals on Wheels volunteers
TEMPE – Tempe Meals on Wheels depends on volunteers to make deliveries and run the organization, but Arizona’s summer heat creates challenges – mainly, a shortage of hands. That can have dangerous consequences to elderly clients, many of whom live alone. “Everybody heads for the hills in the summer,” said Gwen Hanna, president of the.

How Arizona’s largest aquarium keeps its sharks happy, healthy
SCOTTSDALE – With the Discovery Channel airing the 30th incarnation of its popular Shark Week television event this week, interest in the predator is high. The shows attract millions of viewers, and their popularity has led to multiple Sharknado movies and shark-themed items in popular video games. Businesses in Arizona are capitalizing on the shark.

ADOT workers on South Mountain Freeway muscle through the summer heat
PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is pushing ahead on construction of the South Mountain Freeway, even through 115-degree temperatures, by ensuring its workers remain safe and hydrated. The long-envisioned project, which began in early 2017, is meant to cut congestion and drive times in central Phoenix by diverting traffic off Interstate 10 onto.

Extreme-heat warning for this week prompts renewed plea for water donations
PHOENIX – This week is forecast to be a scorcher in the Valley, and city officials are asking for more water donations to help those in need through the rest of the summer and into the fall. The goal is at least 300,000 bottles of water. Temperatures are expected to climb as high as 115.

Phoenix works with community to replace aging public-housing complex
PHOENIX – As new apartment buildings crowd the downtown skyline and rents rise across Phoenix, low-income residents continue to rely on decades-old public housing. But that’s beginning to change: In June, the city announced that the A.L. Krohn East apartments in central Phoenix will be completely replaced with new units. Access to affordable housing is.

Latest restrictions on Obamacare could mean higher premiums in Arizona
WASHINGTON – The White House’s decision to suspend billions in Obamacare “risk adjustment” payments to insurance companies could hit tens of thousands of Arizonans in the pocketbook, as insurance companies grapple with new market uncertainty. That was the assessment of advocates and insurers both after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service this month stopped.

A short wait: NCAA awards Phoenix its second Final Four
PHOENIX — Just a year after hosting its first Final Four, Phoenix has landed the mega-event again. The NCAA awarded the 2024 Final Four Monday and also granted Houston (2023), San Antonio (2025) and Indianapolis (2026) the right to host college basketball’s largest championship event. Like many across the country, Debbie Johnson was glued to.

Killer heat: Phoenix seeking solutions, hopes to become leader in climate mitigation
PHOENIX – Heat is killing more people in the United States every year. And as temperatures rise with climate change, that’s only forecast to get worse. In Phoenix, the problem is especially pressing, and the city’s trying to do something about it. ‘It becomes too late very quickly’ There’s a moment as heatstroke sets in.

Monsoon rains douse campfire ban in Coconino National Forest; restrictions remain elsewhere
PHOENIX – Monsoon rains have reduced the danger of wildfires in Arizona, prompting forest officials Wednesday to lift the ban on campfires in the Coconino National Forest and reduce fire restrictions in parts of the Kaibab and Tonto national forests. Other federally controlled forests kept fire restrictions in place because of wildfire risks spurred by.

ASU grad in Thailand: Country felt ‘lots of relief’ after cave rescues
WASHINGTON – Arizona State University grad Breanne McNitt said Thailand went from a country “on edge” to one feeling “lots of relief, everywhere” when 12 boys and their coach were rescued Tuesday from the cave where they had been trapped. McNitt teaches in the same region in northern Thailand where the boys and their soccer.

After Thai drama, cavers insist sport is safe if you’re prepared, alert
WASHINGTON – For people like Ray Keeler, a seasoned Arizona caver, there is an important lesson in the headline-grabbing story of the boys trapped in a cave in Thailand: Be prepared. “You’re taking three lights per person and a helmet,” said Keeler, who served as an underground rescue coordinator for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department..

Power mostly restored to Buckeye after monsoon storm wreaks havoc
BUCKEYE – A handful of residents remained without power almost 18 hours after a violent monsoon storm swept through the West Valley on Sunday evening. Winds reaching 60 mph brought down a number of APS power lines and other electrical infrastructure around metro Phoenix, temporarily shutting off power to about 21,000 Arizonans, including 14,000 people.

‘I meant it’: After loss, Marvin Bagley acknowledges grudge against Suns still alive
LAS VEGAS – At his pre-draft workout with the Phoenix Suns, Marvin Bagley III reminisced about watching his hometown team and seeing the players he emulates today – such as Amar’e Stoudemire and Jason Richardson – go against the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. That day he was wearing purple and orange, sitting behind.

ASU’s Bobby Hurley visits Vegas to support Shannon Evans’ ‘new journey’
LAS VEGAS – The scene at Cox Pavilion Friday mimicked the boarding of an airplane: slow, confusing and frustrating. The coach watched the cross traffic flow behind the scorer’s table, looking ahead to see what the hold up was. As people started to scoot by him and head to better seats, the whispers to their.

Vegas lights shine bright on Deandre Ayton in Suns debut
LAS VEGAS – The Phoenix Suns have been the NBA’s catfish for years: bottom-feeders that rarely draw a crowd. Friday in Las Vegas felt different. Fans packed UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Arena for a chance to see the new-look Suns, led by this year’s No. 1 and No. 10 picks, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges,.

Bid to put recreational marijuana on November ballot fails
PHOENIX – Another attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona went up in smoke Thursday when Safer Arizona missed the 5 p.m. deadline to file petitions to get on the Nov. 6 ballot. A representative of the grassroots group said Thursday afternoon that it had collected about 75,000 of the 150,625 signatures needed to qualify.

Rise in rabies cases expected to continue as summer heats up in Arizona
WASHINGTON – Rabies cases in Arizona have risen sharply this year compared with the same time last year, and state health officials said the problem is only likely to get worse as the temperatures rise. There were 81 confirmed rabies cases in animals reported to the Arizona Department of Health Services through May, up from.

Mowers in sheep’s clothing: Flock clears vegetation around solar panels in southeastern Arizona
WILLCOX – It was time to bring the sheep in for a drink. “Go to water, go to water!” shouts Rusty Cocke, who owns about 200 head of sheep that act as living lawn mowers on a solar farm about 20 miles west of Willcox. The sheep have spent the morning munching through mesquite saplings.

Realtor group files petitions to bar Arizona from ever imposing a tax on services
PHOENIX – A group of Arizona Realtors on Tuesday delivered more than 400,000 signatures to the state Capitol in support of a ballot measure to constitutionally prohibit the state from imposing a sales tax on services. The group, Citizens for Fair Tax Policy, which was created by the Arizona Association of Realtors, says it opposes.

More Arizona communities cancel firework shows because of extreme fire danger
PHOENIX – Add Prescott Valley, Show Low and Heber-Overgaard to the list of cities that have canceled their annual firework shows because of extreme fire danger. That makes seven communities that will celebrate the Fourth of July without the red, white and boom. Flagstaff, Williams, Prescott and Cave Creek all have canceled their shows in.

Replace your gas-powered lawn mower to help us all breathe easier
PHOENIX – In the land of year-round lawns, gasoline-powered mowers are ubiquitous, and they’re a major source of the ozone and other pollutants that foul our air, experts say. To address the problem, the Maricopa County Air Quality Department has partnered with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to persuade homeowners to switch from gasoline.

That’s the ticket: Pro teams hope to create lifelong fans with student pass programs
PHOENIX — In a city filled with transplants, Arizona’s professional sports teams are left fighting for the fandom and support of those who have already pledged their allegiances to others. Luring those who don’t have a particular rooting interest in the building is tough. Luring them to come back is even harder. That’s why the.

July 4 is deadliest day to drive an off-road vehicle, group warns
PHOENIX – Fun is the focus of Fourth of July festivities, but the Consumer Federation of America reminds that July 4 is the deadliest day for drivers of ATVs, quads and other types of off-highway vehicles. The federation’s OHV Safety Coalition has analyzed fatalities involving off-highway vehicles (OHVs) from 2013 through 2017. In that span,.

A Fourth without fireworks: Flagstaff has been there before
FLAGSTAFF – Fire restrictions have doused the city’s Independence Day fireworks show, but officials stress there still are plenty of ways to celebrate. The city has imposed stage 3 fire restrictions banning the sale and use of commercial-grade fireworks. This is the highest stage Flagstaff has seen in a few years, and fire officials cite.

‘Something special’: World Cup popularity endures even without U.S. team
LAVEEN VILLAGE – It wasn’t even 7 a.m. when Adrian Zarate took a gulp from his red plastic cup and watched more Mexico soccer fans file into the Pancho Villa’s Army watch party at Native Grill and Wings. “If we win,” he shouted, “this place will go nuts.” Although Mexico didn’t win, the place went.

Red, white and ouch: Phoenix Fire warns public about dangers of fireworks
PHOENIX – There’s a small window in Arizona when it’s legal to set off fireworks – but even the legal ones make public-safety workers nervous. About 280 people on average go to emergency rooms nationwide with fireworks-related injuries in the month surrounding the July 4 holiday, according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Phoenix.

On the fast track: Abby Meulebroeck, 15, off to strong start in male-dominated motorsport
QUEEN CREEK – Pyrotechnic flames shoot into the air as cars cross the finish line in the first heat of the Father’s Day weekend races at Arizona Speedway. Up next is Abby Meulebroeck. She climbs into her silver, steel-clad No. 67 car, tucks her long, brown hair under her white helmet and hits the gas..

The Goldilocks approach: Arizona HOAs strive to balance lush grass with water conservation
CHANDLER – Jose Alvarez, a supervisor at R.H. Dupper Landscaping, stood up from changing a sprinkler nozzle on a large grassy area managed by a homeowner’s association in Chandler. He surveyed the turf, a patchwork of green and brown. “It looks terrible,” he said. “The sprinklers, they don’t have enough pressure, and they spray, like,.

Navajo, others testify for bill to expand protections for ‘downwinders’
WASHINGTON – Navajo officials and residents urged a Senate committee Wednesday to expand coverage of a fund that compensates uranium miners and “downwinders” – people who lived downwind from Cold War nuclear tests. “I had a good job supporting my family,” said Leslie Begay, a uranium miner who said he faces high medical costs from.

Study: Phoenix region among worst for air pollution, researchers recommend changes
PHOENIX – Metro Phoenix was among the Top 5 largest metro areas with the most days of smog in 2016, according to a national study released Wednesday by an Arizona research group. Experts say that’s a serious health concern for the 4.6 million people who live in the area because breathing contaminated air increases the.

Anti-abortion advocates hail Supreme Court decision on pregnancy centers as free speech win
PHOENIX – Arizona anti-abortion activists hailed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling supporting pregnancy centers as a win for free speech and religious rights. “The ruling means that Arizona city government will not be able to compel a pro-life pregnancy center to communicate a message that violates their deeply held convictions,” said Cathi Herrod, president of.

Yuma lettuce growers work to rebuild consumer trust after E. coli outbreak in March
YUMA – An E. coli outbreak that sickened people in 35 states and led to a recall of romaine lettuce farmed in Yuma clipped a billion-dollar industry that reaches to Europe, with farmers now working to rebuild consumers’ trust. “After it was announced that Yuma was the source of the lettuce causing the outbreak, it.

Your vote, your voice: What do you want in election coverage?
Politics are confusing. Help us design the perfect political affairs show to change that. There were more than 3.6 million registered voters in Arizona in March, the most recent month for which figures are available from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office. With the midterm elections just five months away, Arizona voters face a plethora.

Seismic shift: Suns fans, executives hopeful selection of Ayton will change team’s fortunes
PHOENIX — The jumbotron and screens the Suns set up for their draft party Thursday flipped to ESPN. The fans who filled up about three-quarters of Talking Stick Resort Arena’s lower bowl kept quiet. They didn’t move as the pre-draft montage flipped from Duke’s Marvin Bagley to Real Madrid’s Luka Doncic to Michigan State forward.

As expected, Suns use franchise’s first-ever No. 1 overall pick on Arizona’s Ayton
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – For the first time in franchise history, the Phoenix Suns had the first pick at the NBA draft Thursday and they looked close to home, choosing the University of Arizona center Deandre Ayton. The choice came as no surprise to analysts who called it “the worst-kept secret” this year, to the characteristically.

‘A lot like Garnett’: Suns pick Deandre Ayton compared to former NBA MVP
PHOENIX — Following his pre-draft workout with the Phoenix Suns, the one and only team he worked out for this offseason, the NBA draft’s No. 1 overall pick, Deandre Ayton, was asked which player’s game his most resembled. “Kevin Garnett,” Ayton said. Although most basketball pundits heralded Ayton as the top prospect in this year’s.

ASU partners with Valley Metro to equip buses with thermal sensors
PHOENIX – Problems can’t be managed unless researchers have accurate measurements. For example, would planting a million trees reduce the ambient temperature in Phoenix by a tenth of a degree Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Fahrenheit? Researchers would need valid data to answer that question, said David Sailor, director of Arizona State University’s Urban Climate Research.

Phoenix Council to proceed with light-rail extension to South Phoenix, but requests design evaluation
PHOENIX – The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday agreed to proceed with the development of the South Central light-rail extension, however, the council also approved a motion directing Valley Metro to evaluate the possibility of maintaining four lanes of surface roads along portions of the $965 million project. The number of lanes is a major.

From pools to popsicles, Phoenix Zoo works to keep animals cool
PHOENIX – Some animals at the Phoenix Zoo come from cooler, wetter climates, which is a challenge for zookeepers to keep them cool in the scorching desert heat. Many of the animals have access to air-conditioned indoor spaces, but some, including the Bornean orangutans, prefer to be outside, said Jessica Petershick, a senior keeper of.

Monsoon season is here: What to do when the weather turns dangerous
PHOENIX – Monsoon season is a time of peril in the Southwest. Summer storms develop quickly and play out furiously, and it’s important to know what to do when conditions turn dangerous. Monsoon storms spawn dust storms (sometimes called haboobs), lightning, torrents of rain and the resulting flash flooding. Stay safe this season with tips.

Phoenix Rising soccer eyes growth in Valley Latino community
SCOTTSDALE – In its quest to join Major League Soccer, Phoenix Rising FC continues its push to grow its brand locally, and that includes tapping into the area’s large population of Latinos. Maricopa County is home to just more than 1.3 million Latinos, slightly less than a third of the county, according to 2017 U.S..

Wildfires have burned 75,000 acres in Arizona, but experts had predicted more
PHOENIX – Wildfires have burned through about 75,000 acres in Arizona already this year, but experts say those numbers aren’t bad compared with last year. At this time last year, large fires had burned about 130,000 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Agencies Southwest Coordination Center. The agency considers “large” fires anything that has.

Washington’s Stanley Cup rally draws fans from Arizona, Puerto Rico
WASHINGTON – Tens of thousands of Washington Capitals fans celebrated the team’s Stanley Cup victory Tuesday – but not all of those cheering were Washingtonians. “I was excited (when they won),” said Linnette Klinedinst, a former Arizona resident who has lived in the District for four years. “I stayed up later after traveling to watch.

Got milk? D-backs and Shamrock Farms make sure needy folks have plenty
PHOENIX – Food banks across Arizona struggle to keep milk on the shelves, with 95 percent of food banks surveyed by the Arizona Milk Producers saying they can’t meet demand. To help, the Arizona Diamondbacks, in partnership with Shamrock Farms, held the second-annual Grand Slam Give Back milking contest Tuesday at Chase Field. The team.

Phoenix Rising FC coach Patrice Carteron leaves team for Egyptian club
PHOENIX — Phoenix Rising FC coach Patrice Carteron is leaving the local club for another head coaching job. Carteron has left the club to sign with top Egyptian club Al Ahly, the team announced Tuesday morning via a release. Assistant coach Rick Schantz will take over as interim head coach and will lead the team.

Obama Foundation launches community organizing initiative in Phoenix
PHOENIX – The Obama Foundation launched its first Community Leadership Corps in Phoenix over the weekend, a six-month program designed to help young people bring about change in their communities. “It’s exciting, the idea of building something from the ground up,” said Breeonna Combs, one of 35 young people chosen to participate in the program..

Better WiFi, heat-resistant engines and, far, far on the horizon, self-piloting passenger planes
PHOENIX – The Boeing 757 is minutes from takeoff to the Grand Canyon, but the interior lacks that airliner feel – its silver insulation is exposed, its overhead luggage bins and row upon row of seats gone. The exterior also is different: A third engine is mounted midway on the fuselage. Even the preflight patter.

Middle-age suicides on rise, new CDC report says
PHOENIX – High suicide rates have largely been associated with younger populations, but middle-age suicides are beginning to rise throughout the country, a new report says. In 2016, the population group at the highest risk for suicide was 45 to 54, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. recorded 8,437 suicides.

Experts warn swimmers to beware of water-borne parasites and bacteria
SCOTTSDALE – One-third of recreational waterborne disease outbreaks occur at hotel pools or hot tubs, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that urges people to take precautions regardless of where they swim over the summer. More than half of the outbreaks occur during the summer, but they also spike in March..

Stubbornly steadfast: Mules have kept the Grand Canyon moving since the 1880s
GRAND CANYON – Thousands of years ago, in what’s now Turkey, someone bred a horse with a donkey. The mule was born, and the sturdy hybrids soon were put to work across the globe. Cars and trucks have replaced mules in most places, but the beasts of burden still reign supreme at the Grand Canyon..

As heat bears down, nonprofits help to hydrate those in need
PHOENIX – Temperatures have soared above average for early June, and the National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for parts of central Arizona. Local nonprofits are helping to combat the scorching conditions by providing water and air-conditioning to those in need. The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Survival Squad has set up hydrations stations.

Sexually transmitted diseases up 19% in Arizona, perhaps because of greater awareness
PHOENIX – Sexually transmitted diseases reported in Arizona from January through April have increased 19 percent over the same period last year, possibly because of increased awareness and improved treatment, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Nicole Capone, spokeswoman for DHS, said 15,710 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported from January.

Arizona unemployment remains at 4.9%; national level at 18-year low
PHOENIX – Arizona’s unemployment rate remains at 4.9 percent, while the national average is 3.8 percent, its lowest since 2000. State officials say our population growth could be behind the stagnation. Employers added 223,000 jobs in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retail, health care, transportation and construction in particular have seen.

Three bears killed for posing public safety threats in Arizona urbanized areas
PHOENIX – Hungry, thirsty black bears are making their way from the wilderness into the city, and it hasn’t gone well for the animals. In the past week, the Arizona Game & Fish Department has put down three bears that posed threats to public safety. State wildlife officials are patrolling Show Low, Yarnell, Pinetop and.

NCAA returns to Valley as organizing committee makes pitch for Final Four return
PHOENIX — In March, 2017, Tom Burnett arrived in Phoenix to experience the Final Four as a fan. He had visited many times before on business but had never seen the state come alive for a mega-event. The Southland Conference commissioner and member of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee member was running out of adjectives.

Rolling Thunder brings Washington a raucous reminder of POW/MIA issue
WASHINGTON – For Dan Grannan, an Air Force veteran from Tucson, the rush and the camaraderie that he experienced at his first Rolling Thunder Run more than a quarter-century ago has kept him coming back since. “I remember the very first time I went on this ride in ’92 and when I went across that.

Beating a hasty retweet: Avoiding the downsides of social media
WASHINGTON – Our social media platforms are bombarded with images showing seemingly perfect people living seemingly perfect lives. What they don’t show is the effect that mental health experts say can come with that torrent of images: Increased social media use can be tied to depression and anxiety, they say. Dr. Brian Primack, a researcher.

Restrictions on prop weapons put in place at Phoenix Comic Fest
PHOENIX – Participants in Phoenix Comic Fest have had to rethink some of their props, thanks to new security changes. Arizona’s largest pop-culture convention, which opened Thursday at the Phoenix Convention Center, does not allow items such as replica firearms, bladed knives or solid wood weapons, said a spokeswoman for Square Egg Entertainment, which is.

Proud and close-knit : A Phoenix neighborhood unites under Old Glory
PHOENIX – The American flag doesn’t always bring people together. Old Glory was burned to protest the Vietnam War in the ’60s and, more recently, used by the “alt-right” and its opponents, and in demonstrations against police injustice toward people of color. But residents of one north-central Phoenix street, 11th Avenue just south of Northern.

Stand or stay away: Reaction mixed to NFL’s new anthem policy
PARADISE VALLEY – The NFL’s attempt to resolve the national anthem debate has sparked more controversy. League owners Wednesday approved new standards that allow players to stay in the locker room while the anthem is played before games, but if they’re on the field they must “stand and show respect for the flag and the.

Adults with Down syndrome are more independent, experts say, but face challenges in getting old
PHOENIX – Meika Lively has her own language, understood by family members and others close to her. As a 33-year-old with Down syndrome and the speech and hearing problems common for those with the condition, she’s found a way to communicate, sometimes using hand signals or props. She expresses disgust, a universal “Eeckk,” as her.

Tempe, ASU to study wastewater for clues about opioid use
TEMPE – Arizona State University scientists will work with Tempe to detect opioids and other drugs in city wastewater, an exploration that could serve as an early-warning system in the ongoing opioid crisis. The city and the ASU Biodesign Institute each will contribute $35,000 to study wastewater for opioids, cocaine, marijuana and other drugs as.

Tucson teen reaches finals before bowing out of National Geographic Bee
WASHINGTON – Gayatri Kaimal grinned and immediately scribbled down an answer when she heard the question: What species of cactus has a national monument named for it at the U.S.-Mexico border? Then again, the Tucson middle schooler may have had a homefield advantage over the other contestants in the final rounds of the National Geographic.

After years of trying, Congress gives ‘right to try’ drug bill final OK
WASHINGTON – When Brophy College Preparatory student Diego Morris needed a life-saving experimental treatment that was not available in the United States, he and his family did the only thing they could do. They moved to London for a year where the drug regimen had already been approved. “It was time-sensitive,” said a cancer-free Morris,.

Arizona promises ‘most fan-friendly’ Super Bowl in 2023
PHOENIX – For the fourth time, the Super Bowl will come to Arizona. The NFL on Wednesday announced that Super Bowl LVII, to be played in 2023, will return to the Arizona Cardinals’ home field, University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. It will be the third time the venue has hosted the event; Super Bowl.

Second-grader uses fire-safety training to save her family from burning home
PHOENIX – When 7-year-old Monibelle Townsend heard her family’s smoke alarm go off and smelled smoke, she said she knew what to do, thanks to training she had received at school just days before. She woke up her grandmother and 6-year-old brother and escorted them to safety. Her home was destroyed by the fire, but.

Despite WNBA’s recent success, players think league could do more
PHOENIX – A frenzied crowd of 11,000 piled into Talking Stick Resort Arena to watch Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith, three of the WNBA’s most-recognizable players, tip off the 2018 season. Meanwhile, in New York, league officials were celebrating. The WNBA considers last season one of its most successful, with average game attendance.

Scottsdale app eases finding baby sitter, furthers evolution of location-based apps
SCOTTSDALE — A new app connects Scottsdale parents with baby sitters, part of an ongoing trend in the tech service industry that brings strangers into the home. Location-based apps, whether it be for rides, deliveries, games, dating or babysitting, have accelerated human behavior and social conventions, Arizona State University law professor Diana Bowman said. “This.

Scottsdale bike-sharing companies see rapid growth, but ditched bikes cause concerns
SCOTTSDALE – Managers of dockless bike-share services say they’ve seen exponential growth since two companies arrived in the city late last year, and they’re addressing the main complaint: Bikes ditched where they shouldn’t be. Dockless bikes do not require a docking station like those used by the Grid bike-share program, which allows customers to leave.

‘Hotel living,’ long drives: NBA’s two-way contract provides challenges, opportunities for players
PHOENIX – Between Prescott Valley, where the G League Northern Arizona Suns play, and Phoenix is 92 miles of highway. Danuel House and Alec Peters are quite familiar with a route that is their regular commute to play for the Suns. It’s just another day in the life of a two-way player. The two-way contract.

Phoenix trains apprentices to become sanitation workers
PHOENIX – The job involves working on a 400-horsepower truck weighing more than 20 tons with a full payload, driving on the right side of the vehicle and collecting garbage while much of the world still sleeps. Being a sanitation worker is no easy task, but someone has to do it. For those who think.

With Suns poised to select another one-and-done player, debate about value continues
PHOENIX – Like many NBA standouts, Suns guard Devin Booker has come a long way. After moving to Mississippi to live with his father during high school, he worked hard, earned a scholarship to play at Kentucky and after one season on the bench, declared for the NBA Draft. The Suns’ 13th overall pick in.

Clean Energy ballot initiative could take Palo Verde nuclear plant off the grid
TONOPAH — About 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix, three massive concrete domes, spaced side-by-side on a 4,000-acre plot of land, dominate the skyline. The Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station is the nation’s largest power producer, serving 4 million people across the Southwest and providing about 35 percent of Arizona’s electric power, according to the.

May 14, 2018 Newscast | Cronkite News
Health and consumer reporters bring stories on the health and well-being of Arizona communities

Tucson entrepreneur finds his groove cutting records out of unusual materials
TUCSON – Michael Dixon has been interested in music for as long as he can remember. First, it was listening to his parents’ Creedence Clearwater Revival albums. Then, it was performing in bands that “weren’t very good.” Today, the Tucson entrepreneur owns five music-related businesses. Dixon has worked with such popular artists as Justin Timberlake,.

May 11, 2018 Newscast | Cronkite News
Cronkite Sports brings reports on youth soccer, fencing, waste at the Phoenix Open and more

Saluting history: WWII museum honors veterans by preserving their stories, vintage planes
MESA – As the Flying Fortress thunders to life on the runway, Jeff Cook runs to warn visitors to avoid the danger zone. The roar of the propellers drowns out his voice and the prop wash nearly blows off his cap. It’s a typical day at the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa, where.

Big hearts built tiny homes for homeless veterans
PHOENIX – Roman Coppola and Benjamin Strouse lift a piece of roofing, Charlie Ellis uses a drill and Jimmy Montgomery saws strips of siding into perfect lengths. They’re all volunteers, working to transform a vacant lot into a small enclave for military veterans who need homes. Tiny homes. The three homes in the development, called.

The right stuff: Young women take rising interest in taxidermy
PHOENIX – Heather Grimes is a 24-year-old vegan who enjoys painting, making jewelry and playing in a band. She’s also a taxidermist. “I just appreciate animals,” Grimes said. “Especially if they’re already dead.” Grimes isn’t alone in her interest for the art of preserving, posing and mounting dead animals for posterity. Robert Mead, president of.

Keeping NFL dreams alive: Indoor football offers stage for Rattlers, others
MESA – The odds of a college athlete making it to the NFL are slimmer than ever. In 2016, just 1.5 percent of college football players were drafted by the league, a 2017 NCAA study revealed. But what happens to standouts that do not make it to the NFL? At this time of year, many.

Smart dressers: Technology flourishes in wearable fashion designs
PHOENIX – A model in a pink bodysuit and a red, high-waisted couture skirt glides gracefully across the runway. But her elegant attire takes fashion beyond the traditional, featuring smart technology designed to ease a woman’s menstrual cramps. The bodysuit, called Empowerment, is one of several cutting-edge garments made this spring by students in Arizona.

Climbing from homelessness to give back
PHOENIX – Rudy Soliz was happy, enjoying the life of many Americans, with a good job in construction, a family, a house and cars. “I was living the dream,” Soliz,58, said of the time before he landed where he is today. He works at Justa Center, which helps people 55 and older who are homeless.

How Monopoly, Jenga and Battleship show cryptocurrency’s energy drain is no game
SUN CITY – Computers lining the rickety plastic shelves in Steve Irwin’s garage make him $450 a day – and eat energy that could power four homes every month. Irwin tinkers with the machines once in a while to monitor their operating temperature but mainly leaves them to do their job of mining for online.

Arizona podcasters work to attract listeners, amplify storytelling
MESA – “Oh, cool, is this our room?” Kevrie Howard, lead singer and bassist of local band Fear and Love, asked with a laugh. He’s looking around a cramped, former dental-exam room in west Mesa that’s been refurbished to serve as a recording studio. In early April, Fear and Love – Howard, guitarist Rob Dinuto.

Tens of thousands of Arizona businesses have yet to renew ‘sales tax’ license
PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Revenue is reminding businesses to renew their Transaction Privilege Tax license, as about 98,000 businesses have yet to renew as of April 25. The tax serves as Arizona’s alternative to sales tax: Instead of taxing the consumer, the state taxes businesses on their sales. However, most businesses pass this.

Self-driving car industry continues to speed ahead
PHOENIX – After trial, error and more than a decade of innovation, self-driving cars are being tested alongside human-driven vehicles in dozens of U.S. cities. Companies like Uber and Waymo – a subsidy of Google – have made the Phoenix area a hub for testing their autonomous vehicles, drawn by permissive state regulations. Successes include.

Shoebox of hope comes full circle to health care, housing for the homeless
PHOENIX – Sister Adele O’Sullivan, a nun and doctor, once treated a homeless man who had scorched his feet walking on hot pavement. She took care of his burns, then realized she didn’t have shoes to give him. “We take care of whole people,” she said. “Bodies, minds, spirits. It didn’t take me long to.

Arizona ranks high for hit-and-run deaths, AAA report shows
WASHINGTON – Arizona had the fifth-highest fatal hit-and-run rate among states in 2016, a year that saw the most hit-and-runs fatalities nationwide, according to a new report by the AAA. The report found that pedestrians and cyclists are the two most likely victims of hit-and-run accidents, accounting for 19.5 percent of all pedestrian fatalities between.

What you should know about your health care data
PHOENIX – Businesses and research groups know a lot more about you than you might think. The recent Cambridge Analytica data breach at Facebook, where a political data firm connected to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was able to access private information on millions of users, shows the immediacy and power of data-collecting and aggregating.

Gene therapy targets incurable diseases, but costs are high and there are risks
PHOENIX — Gene therapy could be the key to curing rare and life-threatening diseases, but high costs and potential negative effects are slowing the fledgling field, experts say. In gene therapy, normal genetic material replaces missing or defective genes to cure disease. In December, the Food and Drug Administration approved Luxturna, the first commercial gene.

GOP lawmakers make ‘surreal’ return to field where gunman opened fire
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Gloomy skies and a rain-soaked field did not stop Republican lawmakers from returning to practice Wednesday at the baseball field where a gunman opened fire last summer, wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and three others. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, who was on the field last June when the shooting began, said.

Catch some Z’s: Lack of sleep can put you in ER
PHOENIX – Chronic sleep disorders can lead to heart attacks, hypertension, stroke and other major illnesses, according to sleep specialists. Insomnia and sleep apnea are familiar to most Americans, and up to 70 million adults in the U.S. are affected by sleep disorders, according to the federal Institute of Medicine. Aside from illnesses, sleep deprivation.

Swinging for the fences: Chandler bat company finds it way to major leagues
CHANDLER — With Major League Baseball back in action, the crack of a wooden bat returns as one of the soundtracks of summer. Some of that sound is courtesy of Valley-based Zinger Bats. The company provides bats for all levels of baseball, including the major leagues. “I’ve enjoyed them,” Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Godley said. “They.

Domestic abuse is the new realm of concussion studies
PHOENIX — Concussions in athletes have received attention in recent years, but experts are now looking to also address the needs of a large, yet overlooked, population – domestic abuse victims. One in three women and one in four men have been physically abused by an intimate partner in their lifetime. There are 10 million.

Arizona tightens the leash on service animals
PHOENIX – A controversial new law will levy a $250 fine on people who misrepresent their pets as service animals in such businesses as restaurants and stores. The law is meant to deter pet owners from abusing a system that protects people with disabilities, even though the lawmaker who sponsored the bill said it will.

California’s cost of living pushes people to move to Arizona
ORANGE COUNTY, California – A company that manufactures workbenches and lab furniture is relocating to Goodyear to save money, while creating 30 new jobs in Arizona. Matt McConnell, director of sales and marketing for IAC Industries, said the move will increase the stability and longevity of his business. IAC is located in Brea, California. “The.

Warning: Genetic health tests aren’t always good for you
PHOENIX – Federal guidelines that govern genetic testing were relaxed last year, raising concerns about safety and accuracy, an Arizona legal expert says. “To be able to understand our own bodies and our own futures is wonderful. It’s just a matter of us making sure that we aren’t getting ahead of the science – that.

From miles away, a doctor can see a stroke victim – and save a life
PHOENIX – Stroke victims who have only minutes to get treatment before their brains suffer permanent damage are getting help faster through the eyes of cameras on a mobile stroke van, doctors at Barrow Neurological Institute said. “The fact is, we know time is brain,” said Gabriel Gabriel, a registered nurse who oversees the unit..

Doctors’ lack of awareness of Valley fever puts many sufferers at risk
PHOENIX — Doctors can misdiagnose Valley fever, a fungal disease that lurks behind such common symptoms as coughs, headaches and fatigue, because they’re not familiar with the respiratory disease, medical experts say. That could prolong patient suffering and even result in death. Misdiagnosis not only hinders recovery, it can worsen Valley fever, said John Galgiani,.

Number of homeless people not in shelters is up 27% in the past year in Maricopa County
PHOENIX – The number of homeless people not in shelters has increased by 27 percent in the past year, according to preliminary numbers released Wednesday by the Maricopa Association of Governments. The numbers are from the annual Point-in-Time homeless count, which is conducted in accordance with federal regulations. Each January, volunteers take to the streets.

Vroom service: Veterans rev up on racetrack to speed PTSD recovery
CHANDLER – Joanna Sweatt is familiar with fear. Still, strapped into a race car with engines revving up in the desert, the Marine vet is a little nervous. Her fingers dig into her thighs and her face tightens as she sits in the passenger seat. Beside her is a professional drift-car driver who has done.

Plane truth: Airline quality at highest level in decades, report says
WASHINGTON – Despite a “rough year for airlines in the public’s eye,” the industry had the best year ever in terms of passenger service in 2017, according to an annual airline quality report released Monday. The 28th annual Airline Quality Rating said the industry improved in the number of denied boardings, mishandled baggage and consumer.

Diamondbacks’ Salas, De La Rosa first pair of Mexican teammates since 2004
PHOENIX — On Opening Day, 750 players began the season on an active roster in Major League Baseball. Among them, only 10 total native Mexicans started the 2018 season in such a position. The Arizona Diamondbacks boast two of them in their bullpen: left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa and right-hander Fernando Salas. The veteran.

Spring sprung: NOAA sees warmer, drier spring in Arizona, Southwest
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – It’s spring, which usually means a change in the weather. But long-range forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are saying that folks in Arizona may not see much change this year. Experts at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, are calling for a spring with above-average temperatures.

Seeking allies: First openly gay NBA player calls on league stars to join the cause
PHOENIX – The first openly-gay active NBA player called on current players to show their support and be allies to the LGBT community. Basketball first showed a tendency toward progress when center Jason Collins came out after the 2012-13 season. Collins worked with Sports Illustrated writer Frank Lidz in crafting his story about coming out.

Tech behind cryptocurrency craze could disrupt medicine, housing and ID security
PHOENIX – The technology behind bitcoin and other cryptocurrency could change lifestyles and livelihoods, leading to cheaper, more efficient ways to ship packages, buy homes, access medical records and even build a secure vault of personal information. The little-understood and often misunderstood system of virtual money, known as cryptocurrency, is based on something called blockchain,.

Eye on the ball: Humidor debuts in D-backs opener
PHOENIX – When the Arizona Diamondbacks took the field against the Colorado Rockies in their season opener, a new piece of equipment made its debut behind the scenes. The humidor. The team is storing baseballs in a climate-controlled chamber, which will alter their weight because of extra humidity, general manager Mike Hazen said. Based on.

Path to citizenship is long, frustrating and expensive
PHOENIX – Salvador Macias knows all too well the lengthy, complicated and expensive process becoming a U.S. citizen can be. The DACA recipient now is a Phoenix attorney who has dedicated his life to helping others navigating the road to citizenship. Macias began his own journey when his parents brought him to the U.S. from.

Trump administration seeks rule change linking immigration status to use of public benefits
PHOENIX – The Trump administration has proposed a policy change that could disqualify some foreigners seeking permanent residency in the United States if they or family members have used government benefits, such as the children’s health insurance program, Medicaid and the Earned Income Tax Credit. According to the National Immigration Law Center, the rule change.

Arizona snowpack near record low this year, but SRP says the situation isn’t dire yet
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a new multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal. PINE – The Salt River Project’s annual water expo this year featured a “snowpack simulator” – a pile of cold, wet, white stuff on a hot, sunny day.

Mesa entrepreneur ignores heart doctors’ warnings, launches career in fitness
MESA – Brenton Simmons has found his place in the burgeoning fitness industry. The founder and face of LFTD.Lifestyle – a fitness supplement and lifestyle brand – said his desire to get into the profession was driven by reasons much deeper than financial gain. Simmons was born with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a congenital disorder of the.

Vegan grocery store opens in Glendale, a first for Arizona
GLENDALE – Sandra and Dylan McKee looked around and saw a vegan wasteland in metro Phoenix. The longtime vegan couple capitalized on the trend toward a more healthful, plant-based diet to open Veggie Rebellion, the first vegan-only grocer in Arizona. They hope the tiny store in downtown Glendale will attract customers from across the Valley..

Uber self-driving cars suspended from Arizona roads; Waymo moves ahead
PHOENIX – Hours after Gov. Doug Ducey suspended self-driving Uber cars on public roads, Waymo on Tuesday announced plans to begin ride-hailing service in metro Phoenix by the end of the year. Ducey’s order came in response to the release of a dash-cam video of a fatal pedestrian accident March 18 in Tempe involving a.

‘I will not be next’: Teen activists lead 15,000 in March For Our Lives Phoenix
PHOENIX – “I will not be next! I will not be next!” Thousands of people of all ages chanted their retort to gun violence at the Arizona Capitol on Saturday, a massive protest connected to hundreds of thousands of March for Our Lives activists in Washington, D.C., and across the nation. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, carrying.

Phoenix cannabis company uses Super Bowl trash to make concrete in struggling California town it owns
NIPTON, Calif. – A Phoenix company is using trash from the 2015 Super Bowl hosted in Phoenix to make durable, energy-absorbing concrete to rebuild a small township in the Mojave Desert. American Green Corp., which builds vending machines for marijuana products, purchased the small township last summer for $5 million. The company is investing in.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack? Try Dutch Bros. and Portillo’s at Chase Field this season
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks have added a popular coffee shop and Italian cuisine to their ballpark options this season. Fans will also be able to stroll down memory lane in the center field concourse with the addition of a food stand named after a World Series hero and a makeshift museum reflecting key franchise.

Maricopa County again leads nation’s counties in population growth
WASHINGTON – Maricopa County once again saw the largest population gains among the nation’s nearly 3,200 counties, according to 2017 population estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau. The county added an estimated 73,650 new residents between 2016 and 2017, well ahead of Clark County, Nevada, the second-biggest gainer with 47,355 new residents last year..

Quarterback Sam Bradford ready to move past ‘dark times’ and lead Cardinals
TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford’s career has been highlighted by one thing over the rest: injuries. When the newest Cardinals player was introduced at the team’s practice facility Friday, he gave perspective on how those ailments have impacted him moving to his fourth franchise in five seasons. “It’s frustrating,” Bradford sighed. “There’s been.

Local expert and national reports indicate Arizona bridges are generally safe
PHOENIX – Arizona’s bridges generally are safe, experts say, even though the federal government says nearly 400 of them are in poor or “structurally deficient” condition. Bridge safety gained national attention Thursday when at least six people died after a pedestrian bridge collapsed on the Florida International University campus in Miami. The bridge collapsed while.

‘My heart’s broken’: End of season means end of ASU’s Guard U
DAYTON, Ohio — Once the top story in college basketball and nearly the top-ranked team, Arizona State made the NCAA Tournament by the skin of its teeth. All the naysayers and critics didn’t matter, just the fact that the Sun Devils had at least one more game to prove themselves. But although you can wipe.

Quick turnarounds prepare ASU for First Four opponent
DAYTON, Ohio — A weekend in December could hold the key to success in March for Arizona State. The Sun Devils will face off with the Syracuse Orange tonight, just over 72 hours after finding out when and where the game would be. The winner will head to Detroit and play TCU in the Round.

UA’s Miller braces for Buffalo, NCAA Tournament stage and off-the-court questions
TUCSON – University of Arizona men’s basketball coach Sean Miller discussed a variety of topics Monday afternoon, but it was the topic Miller didn’t discuss that likely will get the most attention. With the Wildcats preparing for Thursday’s matchup against Buffalo in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Miller was asked Monday if he.

After ‘excruciating’ wait, Sun Devils learn NCAA Tournament fate: They’re in
TEMPE — Tra Holder cried. Kodi Justice found Bobby Hurley and gave him a hug. The Arizona State men’s basketball team jumped into their head coach’s pool in elation. For the first time since the 2013-14 season, the Sun Devils are going to the NCAA Tournament. On Sunday, it was announced that ASU earned a.

Waiters, bartenders worry that proposed rule to pool tips will hit pay
WASHINGTON – The tips Jonathan Teslevich earns are “crucial to my life,” which is why the Phoenix bartender worries that a new Labor Department rule on tip pooling could cost him the majority of his income. The proposed rule change would reverse decades of departmental policy by letting employers pool tips received by any workers.

A single decision seven years ago altered career path of Suns’ Devin Booker
PHOENIX — One decision can have a profound effect on a career. For Suns standout Devin Booker, his came the summer after his freshman year in high school. He moved 1,000 miles from Grandville, Michigan, to Moss Point, Mississippi, to live with his father. “Culture shock for me,” Booker said. Adapting has clearly been Booker’s.

Shifting gears: Female mechanic empowers women to enter automotive world
PHOENIX – A business that started in a driveway more than a decade ago is paving the way for other women to be part of the automotive industry. “Tell me I can’t and I will show you I can,” said Bogi Lateiner, owner of 180 Degrees Automotive in central Phoenix. Lateiner did a 180 turn.

March 6, 2018 Newscast | Cronkite News
Cronkite News health and consumer reporters bring you stories about Phoenix’s point-in-time homeless count, the opioid special session and homemade wine.

Chinese Culture and Cuisine Festival offers a taste of Asia to Valley residents
PHOENIX – For two days, Margaret T. Hance Park became the epicenter of Chinese culture and traditions, as the 28th annual Chinese Cultural and Cuisine Festival took over the public space in February, offering Valley locals an opportunity to see, hear and taste what the Asian country has to offer. Jeffrey Chow, a resident of.

Arizona gun shop owner on retailers’ new restrictions: ‘I can understand why they did it’
PHOENIX – David LaRue, owner of Legendary Guns Inc., wondered Friday how his central Phoenix store might be affected by the recent decision by several major retailers to end the sale of firearms and ammunition to anyone younger than 21. “I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, but I can understand why.

A 36-hour tattoo, other stories from Cactus League body art
SURPRISE – Thirty-six hours. Thirty-six hours of Rangers outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. lying on his stomach waiting for a tattoo artist to complete the work covering almost every inch of his back. “I’m a beast. I see the end, and I just want to get it done,” DeShields said. The words from Psalm 23:4 appear.

Arizonans join hundreds paying respects to Billy Graham at Capitol
WASHINGTON – Arizona residents Crystal Van Dyke and Jamie Wooldridge were among the first in line Wednesday morning to pay respects to the Rev. Billy Graham as the renowned evangelist was lying in honor in the Capitol Rotunda. Graham, known as “America’s Pastor,” died Feb. 21 at 99 after nearly half a century of advising.

3 major retailers across the country ban sale of guns, ammunition to customers younger than 21 years old
TEMPE – Kroger Co., the nation’s largest grocery chain, on Thursday announced its Fred Meyer stores will discontinue the sale of guns and ammunition to customers younger than 21 years old. It’s the third major U.S. retailer in two days to also raise the purchase age. Kroger sells firearms at 43 Fred Meyer locations in.

Tempe opens low-income housing targeted to veterans, families
TEMPE – City officials have opened a low-income housing development targeted to veterans and their families to give back to those who served their country. The 50-unit development, Valor on Eighth near downtown, already has been leased to 45 low-income residents, including 13 veterans and their families, said Tina Lopez, chief development officer for Save.
