
Arizona seeks to create surface water protections after Clean Water Act rollback
Since June, a large proportion of Arizona’s rivers, lakes and streams have not been protected by the Clean Water Act, the result of changes to federal rules by the Trump administration in 2019. The state had relied on the landmark law to keep its arid streams free of pollution. But after the federal protections were.

Is it ethical for teams to allow fans back into sporting events?
TEMPE – Gloves are popping. Bats are cracking. And gates are opening. Spring training baseball is back. But should it be? And, more important, should fans be able to attend the games just when the end to a global pandemic seems within reach? These aren’t just health questions. They’re ethical ones. “If it’s safe for.

Monday Morning Sun Devil: ASU football growth measurable as spring practice starts
PHOENIX – In past years, Arizona State coach Herm Edwards has preached a desire for bigger, stronger and longer players up and down the Sun Devils’ football roster. But this spring, Edwards has changed his tune. “We look good coming out of a tunnel,” Edwards said. “That doesn’t win games for you, though. But we.

Knack for the comeback: Resilient Coyotes start slow, finish strong
GLENDALE – One could easily have written the Arizona Coyotes off multiple times this season. After a 5-1 blowout loss Friday and a 2-0 deficit through 20 minutes Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild at Gila River Arena, the Coyotes were in danger of chalking up another disappointing defeat on their home ice. Turns out.

As survivors pass on, more Holocaust education could be headed to Arizona classrooms
PHOENIX – Arizona students haven’t been properly taught about the Holocaust in recent years, according to a recent poll conducted by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. Among Arizona millennials surveyed in March 2020, 42% could not name a single concentration camp the Nazis built to detain and exterminate Jews and others deemed.

‘He stands up to anybody’: Conor Garland is crucial component for Coyotes
GLENDALE — When the sixth goal rustled the net, it felt like the Coyotes had hit rock bottom. Arizona, 9-8-3 at the time, was on the verge of losing its second game in a row to the Colorado Avalanche. Although they had fallen to the Avalanche by just a goal the previous night, Coyotes coach.

Ducey back-to-school order leaves educators shocked, scrambling, upset
WASHINGTON – Educators across the state Thursday were calling Gov. Doug Ducey’s surprise back-to-school order disruptive, challenging and frustrating, a last-minute complication to reopening plans that many schools already had in the works. School officials, from the state level on down, said they were given little notice before Ducey’s announcement on Wednesday and are now.

Foreign bodies: International players, coaches give ASU volleyball unique makeup
PHOENIX – Using their backgrounds as a recruiting tool, Arizona State’s volleyball coaches are bringing international talent to the desert and helping them succeed on the court. Despite the team’s 1-9 record, the Sun Devils can be heard in more ways than one, with international players relaying supportive chants in their native languages and coaches.

Diamondbacks’ ‘superstar’ Marte starting point for rest of team’s lineup, defensive alignments
PHOENIX – Mike Hazen’s words came firmly. No hesitation, no reflection before answering the question. Nothing. “We are extremely fortunate to have a superstar player that does what Ketel does,” the Arizona Diamondbacks general manager said. The description of Ketel Marte might trigger some second-guessing. Superstar? The 27-year-old utility player was fine during the shortened.

Summer school an expanding option for students who struggled with online learning
PHOENIX – Before the pandemic, second-grader Melody Wiseley loved going to school. But for the past year, her life has consisted of Zoom classes and social distancing. The mundane, taken-for-granted moments she once shared with friends in the lunchroom and on the playground are cherished memories. Her grandmother, Heidi Aranda, who is the senior director.

Black and blue line: Coyotes’ Niklas Hjalmarsson committed to blocking shots
PHOENIX – Niklas Hjalmarsson has never been afraid to take one for the team. Well, make that two or three. He’s made a living blocking shots on a nightly basis over the course of his 14-year career in the National Hockey League. “It just comes naturally for me,” Hjalmarsson said. On Wednesday night, Hjalmarsson played.

Committee vote moves Haaland one step closer to historic Interior post
WASHINGTON – A Senate committee narrowly voted Thursday to advance Rep. Debra Haaland’s nomination to be the next secretary of Interior, moving her one step closer to becoming the first Native American to head a Cabinet-level agency. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 11-9 to send Haaland’s nomination to the full Senate, over.

Officials grill water utility over response to earlier Luke AFB spill
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Corporation Commission grilled a West Valley water company Wednesday, asking why it did not respond more aggressively after chemical agents were discovered in water from its wells five years ago. Commissioner Anna Tovar at one point during the hearing asked an official of Valley Utilities Water Co., “Do you care for.

Ducey orders schools to offer in-person classes; ASU expert urges caution about lifting mask rules
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday issued an executive order requiring most of the state’s K-12 schools to get back to in-person instruction by March 15. Although Ducey said students need to get back into the classroom, other states are loosening or eliminating some COVID-19 restrictions, including mask mandates. Dr. Joshua LaBaer, the executive.

Deployed, then unemployed, military veterans fight to find jobs
PHOENIX – After leaving the Army two decades ago, Miachelle DePiano faced new challenges on the civilian battlefield: a hyper-competitive job market. “I couldn’t show anybody a portfolio because everything I had written was classified, and I didn’t have a degree to back up my claim,” said DePiano, who served as an intelligence officer in.

Placing a bet at Chase Field? Sports gambling in Arizona moves closer to reality
PHOENIX – Picture a baseball game at Chase Field. Or a basketball game at Suns Arena. As more fans begin returning to sporting events after the COVID-19 pandemic, they are welcomed by the benefits of live competition, from ballpark hot dogs to the energy of a packed stadium. In the near future, the Arizona sports.

In rapidly warming and drying Colorado River Basin, the negotiating table is being set
Anyone who has hosted a good dinner party knows that the guest list, table setting and topic of conversation play a big role in determining whether the night is a hit or the guests leave angry and unsatisfied. That concept is about to get a true test on the Colorado River, where chairs are being.

The key to the Suns’ defensive success: a ‘versatile’ Deandre Ayton
PHOENIX – When Phoenix Suns forward Frank Kaminsky walked into a postgame interview following his team’s recent 106-97 win over the Chicago Bulls, there was something different about his appearance. The 7-footer, who claimed he is “not really into jewelry,” was wearing teammate Deandre Ayton’s custom-made chain around his neck, something he requested for reasons.

Supreme Court hears Arizona voting law case with national implications
WASHINGTON – Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich told the Supreme Court Tuesday that voting laws struck down for reflecting the state’s “long and unhappy history of official discrimination” are really no more than “common-sense and commonplace” voting protections. But critics argue that Arizona laws banning ballot-collection and out-of-precinct voting impose substantial burdens on Black, Latino.

Art installation honors thousands of Arizonans who’ve died of COVID-19
TEMPE – More than 16,000 Arizonans have died from COVID-19 over the past year, and many survivors haven’t had the chance to properly grieve their loved ones. On Monday, two organizations – Marked by COVID and the Floral Heart Project – came together to help Arizonans remember and pay their respects at a public memorial.

Masks can come off for high school winter playoffs, spring sports, AIA board votes
PHOENIX – High school athletes will not be required to wear masks during spring sports competition and neither will winter sports athletes during playoffs, the Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board voted Tuesday The decision comes after the Sports Medicine Advisory committee recommended removing the mask mandate for outdoor spring sports. The only exception is for.

North Dakota stars Schmaltz, Caggiula embrace ‘exciting’ reunion with Coyotes
PHOENIX – Drake Caggiula was in limbo. The 26-year-old forward entered unrestricted free agency with the hope of continuing his NHL career amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While supporting his 6-week old son, Caggiula waited two months for a call. Silence. “You’re just kind of wondering ‘What’s the next plan for me?’” Caggiula said. He reached.

Inhaled smoke could raise risks of COVID-19 for firefighters, expert warns
PHOENIX – More than 10.3 million acres of land were scorched by wildfires nationwide in 2020. Firefighters battling the harrowing flames often work shifts that exceed 24 hours, and they stay in close quarters in remote locations for weeks at a time, offering a prime opportunity for COVID-19 to spread. In addition, firefighters in urban.

Feds rescind OK for copper mine at Oak Flat, seek ‘thorough review’
WASHINGTON – The government Monday rescinded its approval for a proposed massive copper mine at Oak Flat, just days before it was to transfer thousands of acres of federal land for the project. The Department of Agriculture said it ordered the rescission to allow for a “thorough review based on significant input from collaborators, partners.

‘Superspreader events’: Experts worry hockey arenas a toxic formula for COVID-19
GLENDALE – A buzz filled the air about 30 minutes before puck drop, with the Westgate Entertainment District surprisingly busy. Maskless customers congregated around restaurant tables, laughing and chatting away. Fans lingered outside the arena – roughly half of them protecting their faces, others not – huddled around their friends and family in anticipation of.

Wait, Watt? Cardinals surprise league by securing popular defensive end
PHOENIX – March Madness is reserved for college basketball. Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim is trying to make March Gladness the official brand of Arizona Cardinals fans. Or March Sadness for Houston Texans faithful. In 2020, Keim’s one shining moment was acquiring wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Texans in a trade that not only.

GAO: Pentagon estimates of border duty costs, impact were unreliable
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon did not have reliable estimates for the cost of its work supporting Homeland Security efforts on the southwestern border and did not assess the impact of those efforts on military readiness, a new report says. The report by the Government Accountability Office also chided the Defense Department for failing to fully.

With spring sports season underway, Arizona high schools await decision on COVID-19 protocol
PHOENIX – Winter high school sports, which are beginning to wrap up around Arizona, took on a much different look than in past years on and off the courts and playing fields. Athletes had to jump through more hoops than they shot at. But at least the games have gone on. Now with spring sports.

House OKs bill to ban mining on 1 million acres around Grand Canyon
WASHINGTON – The House voted Friday to permanently ban new mining claims on more than 1 million acres around Grand Canyon National Park, with supporters calling protection of the landmark canyon a “moral issue.” The bill would make permanent a current mining moratorium that is scheduled to run through 2032. Supporters said a permanent ban.

Arizona Department of Corrections fined $1.1 million for neglecting health care benchmarks
PHOENIX – For the second time since 2019, the Arizona Department of Corrections has been found in contempt for its failure to follow health care guidelines designed to protect prisoners. In a ruling issued Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver fined the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry $1.1 million for neglecting health.

Nearly one year removed from abrupt end to 2020 basketball tournament, Pac-12 readies for ‘21 version
PHOENIX – When the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament was canceled after the first round last season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the conference had one word to describe the preparation for this year’s event in Las Vegas to happen. Nimble. “There’s many crises that can happen and we have to be nimble enough and ready.

‘No comparison’: ASU baseball fans frustrated with Pac-12 prohibition on fan attendance
PHOENIX – Dave Rasley had attended every single Arizona State baseball home opener since 1984 – until this year. Rasley, an ASU alum of 1978 and former Tempe High School teacher, saw his annual tradition of attending Opening Day of Sun Devil baseball come to an end on Feb. 19 after 37 years. “It was.

Despite Coyotes’ offensively challenged defensemen, Jakob Chychrun remains offensive force
GLENDALE – The Coyotes needed a kick in the backside. Arizona trailed 3-0 to the last place Anaheim Ducks early in the second period. Outhustled and outplayed, especially in the opening 20 minutes, the Coyotes had hit a new low. “In the first period we were god awful,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said about the.

28 paintings highlight famous – and less familiar – figures in Black history
PHOENIX – Leaders who fought for equity and justice. Entertainers who shifted the sound of music. Inventors who brought water toys and traffic lights to America. Arizona artists have painted the sweep of Black history at 28 businesses and organizations in downtown and central Phoenix. Malcolm X, Aretha Franklin, Angela Davis and Percy Julian are.

House passes LGBTQ rights bill; critics say it tramples religious rights
WASHINGTON – The House voted Thursday to expand civil rights protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy, a move supporters said will grant those groups “the full equality under the law they deserve.” But critics of the Equality Act blasted it as a measure that will trample on religious freedom and individual rights,.

Arizona State gymnastics team vaults into spotlight with convincing victory over Arizona
TEMPE – The Arizona State gymnastics team continues to enhance its resume for the postseason. The No. 17 Sun Devils scored a season-high 197.450 against Arizona in a midday Territorial Cup matchup at Desert Financial Arena. Wednesday’s score topped the previous season-high of 197.150 against No. 3 Utah and tied the ninth-highest score in program.

Pause on leasing public land for oil and gas extraction draws mixed reaction
PHOENIX – Land, and specifically what to do with land, has been among the most divisive topics in U.S. history since the arrival of European settlers in 1492. More than 500 years later, little has changed. On Jan. 20, the Biden administration ordered a 60-day pause on new oil and gas leases on federal lands.

Surprise college baseball tournament provides sneak preview of spring training protocols
SURPRISE – Baseball fans enjoyed a glimpse into the near future last weekend when they attended the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic at Surprise Stadium, spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, a ballpark that usually has a capacity of 10,500 was topped off at 2,200 for.

On the rise: Expensive youth sports clubs have deepened the economic divide
PHOENIX – Krystle Mann, a stay-at-home mother to three sons, makes and sells cornbread and jam to pay for new baseball gear and help cover club fees – approximately $1,500 per year. Her older son, Sam, 12, plays for the AZ Diamond Dawgs in Queen Creek, while her middle son, Tommy, 11, plays for both.

Judge tells lawmakers Arizona federal courts are overloaded, overworked
WASHINGTON – The federal district court in Arizona has been struggling to keep pace with a staggering civil and criminal caseload in the growing state, and it needs more judges to keep up, a judge from the court told lawmakers Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa was joined by other judges and law professors who.

Despite grim milestones, experts say state has turned corner on COVID-19
WASHINGTON – Health officials confirmed COVID-19 in another 1,310 Arizonans Wednesday and reported that 43 more people died from the disease, according to the latest numbers from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Depressing numbers – but a vast improvement from just six weeks ago, when the daily average of new cases in one week.

Suns get look at second-half schedule, learn Devin Booker added to All-Star Game
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns are set to play 17 games against teams that currently have a .500 record or better in the second half of their 2020-21 schedule, the NBA announced on Wednesday afternoon. The Suns are 11-4 this season against teams with a .500 record or better and 9-6 against squads with a.

For LGBTQ seniors, COVID-19 worsens an epidemic of loneliness
PHOENIX – Reminders to stay connected and reach out to loved ones have been constant during the pandemic. However, as shutdowns and quarantines continued, the safety precautions worsened a long term issue for LGBTQ seniors – loneliness. It’s a feeling Lavina Tomer, executive director of Southern Arizona Senior Pride in Tucson, knows all too well..

Senators press Capitol police on security breakdowns before Jan. 6 riot
WASHINGTON – Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema joined other senators asking police officials Tuesday how it is that an FBI report warning of the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol did not reach the right people before the attack. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee heard from five witnesses involved in Capitol security.

Critics grill Haaland; backers point to historic nature of nomination
WASHINGTON – Republican senators tried to pin down Rep. Deb Haaland at a hearing Tuesday on her nomination to be the next Interior secretary, pushing her on fossil fuels and the job losses they said would come from President Joe Biden’s proposed energy policies. But Democrats at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

Tiger Woods in ‘serious but stable condition’ after rollover accident in LA
LOS ANGELES – Golfer Tiger Woods is in serious but stable condition after suffering injuries to both legs in a traffic accident on Tuesday morning, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said. “Thankfully the interior was more-or-less intact, which gave him the cushion to survive what would have been a fatal crash,” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.

How a recruiting ploy became a durable bond between Sun Devil wrestlers
Arizona State heavyweight wrestler Cohlton Schultz was just named Pac-12 Wrestler of the Week after going 10-0 this season. Schultz earned this award after a weekend of defeating two top-10 wrestlers. As Schultz and the rest of the Sun Devils look forward to competing in the Pac-12 Championships in Oregon on Sunday, ASU can thank.

Investors now can bet on California’s water, helping agriculture withstand dry spells
Climate change and extreme weather events are forecast to further reduce water supplies in the American Southwest, and a new futures market could allow water users to recoup losses if the price of water spikes. The futures market is the first of its kind, allowing investors and farmers alike to bet on how much water.

Oklahoma works with tribes, Indian Health Service to distribute vaccines despite storms
Oklahoma is pushing ahead with its COVID-19 vaccination drive despite severe winter storms that left thousands of people stranded in their homes and many without electricity and running water. The state continues to lead most surrounding states in getting the first dose into residents’ arms, in spite of early opposition to the vaccine. Despite single-digit.

State of tribal nations ‘strong’ despite crises, but feds need to help
WASHINGTON – The state of Indian nations is strong, but the federal government still needs to “come to terms with the right of tribal Nations to chart their own course and their rightful place,” a tribal leader said Monday. National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp, in a wide-ranging State of Indian Nations address,.

Want to buy spring training tickets? Four Cactus League teams already sold out
PHOENIX – Going, going, almost gone! Tickets are selling out fast at the Valley’s Cactus League stadiums, where 15 major league teams are based during spring training. With attendance limited this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, seats are scarce. At least four Cactus League teams already are sold out for the spring, including.

Leighton Accardo’s spirit guides Lyndsey Fry through 96-mile rollerblading fundraiser
PHOENIX – “Skate hard, have fun.” Those words from Leighton Accardo served as a guiding light for Lyndsey Fry as she embarked on an inspirational journey. Fry, the director of external engagement and female hockey for the Arizona Coyotes and the president of the Arizona Kachinas Hockey Association, rollerbladed 96 miles Sunday to raise money.

‘The balance of risk has shifted’: Cancer screenings plunge during pandemic
PHOENIX – Cancer screenings in the U.S. have plunged since the start of the pandemic almost a year ago, prompting health advocates to increase calls for the public to stop postponing these potentially life-saving procedures. More than one-third of adults have failed to receive recommended cancer screenings during the pandemic, according to “Cancer Won’t Wait.

Arizona efforts to boost electric cars get so-so grades in new reports
WASHINGTON – Arizona got middling scores in two new national reports on states’ efforts to boost the number of electric vehicles on the road, which advocates say is proof that the state has a long way to go. Arizona finished 24th and 25th, respectively, in the reports by the group Plug In America and by.

Vaccinated seniors set sights on travel and reunions with family and friends
Lupe Solis’ prayers were answered when she received her second dose of COVID-19 vaccine recently at the State Farm Stadium mass vaccination site in Glendale. Now the 77-year-old is being cautious and patient, waiting to worship in person again at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Mesa. “Prayer takes up a big part of our life,”.

Sedentary and stressed? Get outside to improve health during COVID, experts advise
PHOENIX – Nearly a year of isolation and widespread closures has harmed the mental and physical health of many Americans. But Arizona state parks saw record visitation over parts of 2020 – a positive sign to experts urging people to get moving and get outside as COVID-19 continues to spread. Doctors have long touted the.

Three influential Arizonans share their goals and challenges – and their inspiration
February is Black History Month, and Arizona PBS is honoring the contributions and achievements of Black Americans. Meet three influential leaders who have made an impact on our state. Meet Cloves C. Campbell Jr., publisher of the Arizona Informant Cloves C. Campbell Jr. has dedicated his life to positively representing the Black community in print.

Masks off: Bill would allow Arizona businesses to ignore city, county mandates
PHOENIX – A House committee has passed a Republican sponsored bill that would allow Arizona business owners to decide whether to enforce mask mandates for employees and customers, a move supporters say promotes freedom and critics call a threat to health and safety. “It’s a simple bill – it restores the freedom and the liberties.

‘ESAs are merely a Band-Aid’: Arizona education advocates oppose bill to expand school vouchers
PHOENIX – Public education advocates and leaders of the Arizona School Boards Association’s Black Alliance and Hispanic-Native American Indian Caucus gathered Thursday at the state Capitol to protest a proposed voucher expansion initiative that they say would further defund public schools. Senate Bill 1452, proposed by Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, would allow all children attending.

Suns’ woes with closing games reappear in ‘disgusting’ loss to Brooklyn Nets
PHOENIX — A nine-year NBA veteran, Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder promised to hold himself and teammates accountable when he signed with the franchise in November. He certainly kept his word on Tuesday night, calling the Suns’ 128-124 loss to the Brooklyn Nets – in which they blew a 24-point first-half lead – “disgusting.” “It’s.

Oklahoma tribe volunteers pass out food boxes, supplies amid harsh winter weather
CARNEGIE – Oklahoma’s Kiowa Tribe is moving to expand emergency assistance efforts for tribal members as severe weather conditions are now only beginning to abate. The tribe is offering free firewood, and households with tribal elders are the first priority. “We are monitoring the storm and doing the best we can to get help to.

Mural featuring Phoenix Suns, Mercury highlight teams’ commitment to social justice
PHOENIX – It began with a simple black backdrop. A white chalk grid followed. Next came pops of color, including blue, orange, red and brown. In just three days, portraits of Brianna Turner, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Chris Paul, Monty Williams and Jevon Carter appeared on the west side of Phoenix Suns Arena. Behind them stand a.

ASU pitching staff enters season healthy after long, uncertain offseason
TEMPE – At every level of baseball, pitcher health is a significant concern. Attention to the issue picked up steam in the late 1990s, when statistics like Pitcher Abuse Points were introduced in an attempt to quantify the health risk associated with pushing players past their limits. Today, arm management has its own science with.

Report: Arizona continues to trail other states in higher-ed support
WASHINGTON – Arizona continues to be one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to funding higher education, still reeling from deep budget cuts that were made during the recession, according to a new national report. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities studied state funds from the time of the Great.

Debating grading: Bill, executive order will not affect student grades
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Department of Education wants to make sure parents understand their kids will be getting letter grades this year – and to drive home the point, the department sent the message in capital letters. Actions taken by the governor and Legislature earlier this week apply to schools but “NOT individual student grade.

COVID vaccines and supplies delayed by severe weather across most of the U.S.
PHOENIX – Winter storms engulfing much of the U.S. are delaying shipments of COVID-19 vaccines and supplies, forcing delays to long-awaited appointments for some residents of Arizona. The delays are the latest obstacle for health officials in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, which has had to overcome misinformation, skepticism and ongoing scheduling issues. Shipments of both.

Two Diamondbacks players test positive for coronavirus
PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks opened spring training on Wednesday morning when pitchers and catchers reported to Salt River Fields amid news that two players tested positive for COVID-19. Catcher Stephen Vogt and pitcher Luis Frías both tested positive for the coronavirus and were absent from workouts. Vogt’s positive test came during the team’s intake.

ASU baseball team ready to roll no matter what 2021, pandemic have in store
PHOENIX – Arizona State’s 2020 baseball season ended amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. And the start of the 2021 season was no sure thing, either. On Jan. 29, ASU coach Tracy Smith and the Pac-12 Conference announced the team’s 2021 schedule, a routine event at any other time. But there is nothing routine.

‘Short Leash Line’ sparks Coyotes in historic series with Blues
PHOENIX – Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet is clever with his catchphrases. Ahead of the team’s first extended road trip of the season, Tocchet tinkered with his line combinations and, in the process, came up with a new nickname for the team’s top forward line of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Conor Garland. “It’s a.

Doctors call for action to eliminate vitamin D deficiencies to help fight COVID
PHOENIX – Could an over the counter capsule be a key in fighting COVID-19? More doctors say yes, and they’re urging health professionals to help eliminate vitamin D deficiencies – especially in patients of color and others disproportionately affected by the disease. “Patients, especially patients who are hospitalized for COVID-19, should be given vitamin D.

As demand surges, advocates worry food stamps miss eligible families
WASHINGTON – The number of food stamp recipients in Arizona has surged over the past year, but advocates worry that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is still only reaching a portion of those eligible for assistance. A recent Census Bureau report found that one in six people who were eligible for SNAP in 2017 did.

Anatomy of a postponement: How a COVID-19 test halted Desert Vista, Mountain Pointe game
PHOENIX – Desert Vista was pumped and prepared on Jan. 29, ready to travel to rival Mountain Pointe High School for a highly anticipated rematch of last season’s 6A state final. But as it often has in the last year, COVID-19 had other plans. In just another example of the havoc a pandemic has wreaked.

Marijuana and mental health: Examining a complicated relationship
A blue haze swirled around Jaime Weidmann as the TV droned on. Another day, another high. But this day in 2016 would be different. Her boyfriend was fed up with her verbal abuse and refusal to get a job — Weidmann hadn’t worked in five years. Tired of enabling her marijuana addiction, he kicked her.

‘Saving up for playoff money’: Suns fans excited to return to games, cheer on competitive team
PHOENIX — Dave Thaker was 11 when the Phoenix Suns last made the NBA playoffs, advancing to the Western Conference Finals in the 2009-10 season before falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers. Since then, Thaker and Suns fans have endured a drought that has felt drier than the Mojave Desert. Phoenix posted a.

Experts: New enrollment for Obamacare could be ‘really good’ for state
WASHINGTON – Health advocates welcomed Monday’s reopening of enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage, saying the opportunity for more people to get or renew their health insurance could be “really good for Arizona.” The normal period for Americans to sign up for coverage ended Dec. 15, but President Joe Biden called for this special 90-day.

Arizona primary care physicians want to help seniors struggling to register for vaccination online
PHOENIX – Primary care physicians in Arizona say making COVID-19 vaccines available in their offices would help seniors who have struggled to make online appointments. “I’ve been wanting to offer a vaccine ever since COVID-19 really got started because I knew that was our only way out of this illness,” Dr. Andrew Carroll of Chandler.

From BMX bikes to Daytona 500: Glendale’s McDowell an unlikely, humble champion
PHOENIX – A little luck and a lot of perseverance allowed Glendale native Michael McDowell to come away with an unlikely Daytona 500 victory early Monday morning, his first win in 358 NASCAR Cup Series races. McDowell, 36, started racing in the Cup Series in 2008 and has bounced around from team to team over.

ASU sophomore David Puig taking dead aim at Mickelson’s record
TEMPE – Sophomore David Puig wasn’t expected to be Arizona State’s hottest golfer this season. That honor was supposed to go to Chun An Yu, the fifth-ranked amateur in the world. But it is Puig who has a chance to place his name alongside Phil Mickelson’s in the ASU record book by capturing the individual.

Earnhardt’s unfortunate role of safety pioneer evident during Daytona 500 crashes
PHOENIX – Dale Earnhardt, or “The Intimidator” as most fans knew him, was probably the most-feared driver in NASCAR history. His black No. 3 Chevrolet was almost always running at the front or near the front of the pack on Sundays. Even the asphalt he drove on seemed to be afraid of him. This is.

Sinema, Kelly vote to convict, as Senate acquits Trump of incitement
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s senators joined all Democrats and a handful of Republicans Saturday in an unsuccessful attempt to convict former President Donald Trump in a historic second impeachment of the same president. The 57-43 vote to convict Trump of incitement to insurrection in the deadly Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

Federal judge rejects Apache Stronghold request to block Oak Flat mine
WASHINGTON – A federal judge Friday refused to order a halt to the proposed Resolution Copper Mine on Oak Flat, land that opponents say is sacred to the Apache people and will be destroyed by the mine. U.S. District Judge Steven Logan rejected a request by the group Apache Stronghold for a preliminary injunction against.

EPA awards $220 million for uranium mine cleanup on Navajo Nation
WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will award contracts worth up to $220 million to three companies for the cleanup of some of the hundreds of abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation. Work could start later this year following the completion of assessments for mining sites coordinated between the EPA and.

Hamilton’s Logan Saloman emerging as one of nation’s top pitchers
CHANDLER – The 2020 high school baseball season was going to be one for many of Arizona’s top players to showcase their talents and attract attention at the next level. The rise of COVID-19 cases changed that. Headaches and heartbreak followed as seasons were canceled after just seven games. It wasn’t easy for Hamilton Huskies.

Young and hungry: ASU women’s basketball back at full strength, poised to make a run
TEMPE – Nobody said playing sports during a global pandemic would be easy. For Charli Turner Thorne and the Arizona State women’s basketball team, navigating a season in the COVID-19 world has been a grind. “Challenging is not a strong enough word for what we’re all experiencing and trying to meet the standards we’re used.

ASU commit Ty Murchison finds ‘home feeling’ in joining budding program
TEMPE – A smile spread across Ty Murchison’s face as he walked through the doors of Oceanside Ice Arena for the first time. He got a taste of what will soon be home. “I can get used to being in the sun again,” Murchison said. Murchison, a Corona, California native, is the second full-time player.

Court: Holiday did not give Arizona voter an extra day to register
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court Thursday rejected a Maricopa County man’s claim that he was denied the right to vote in 2016 because the last day to register fell on a holiday, and he registered a day later. State election officials rejected ballots from David Isabel and about 2,000 others who registered on the.

NRC credits Palo Verde response to worker’s license application error
WASHINGTON – Operators of the Palo Verde nuclear power plant told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday they have addressed oversights that let a plant operator be licensed without noting a medical condition that could have restricted his license. The error was caught by officials at the plant and reported to the NRC, which issued an.

State delivers 1 million COVID-19 shots, but work is just beginning
WASHINGTON – Arizona delivered its 1 millionth COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, a milestone that came just two months after the first doses were administered and “thrilled” state officials. But the state still has a way to go: The 224,542 Arizonans who have received the two shots needed to be fully protected represent just 3% of the.

Registering for COVID-19 vaccinations frustrates Arizona seniors
PHOENIX – On a recent weekday morning, Liz Northcott, 78, logged onto her home computer, went to Arizona’s COVID-19 vaccination registration site and tried her best to make an appointment. Two frustrating hours later, she found a phone number to call instead. After finally getting through to a human on the phone, Northcott secured first-dose.

Want to attend spring training? Cactus League teams begin to roll out plans
PHOENIX – Batter up. Mask up. Despite an offseason that suggested a delay to the start of spring training, Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report Tuesday, with games kicking off on Feb. 27. Arizona is home to 10 stadiums where 15 Cactus League teams prepare for the regular season each year..

Despite another stoppage, ASU men’s basketball looks to keep its momentum
TEMPE – For Bobby Hurley’s team, finding a rhythm in a season that has been full of irregularities has been one of the toughest challenges. It didn’t get any easier for ASU last week. Coming off of back-to-back wins over California and Stanford, their first weekend sweep in conference play, the Sun Devils were faced.

Monty Williams’ ‘winning culture’ helps Suns overcome injuries, rotation changes
PHOENIX – With eight new players on his roster, Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams has had to continuously solve puzzles with his team’s rotation and chemistry. But more often than not, he has not had each piece at his disposal. Of the Suns’ 24 games played, they have rarely had their full rotation available. At.

Suns’ Williams responds to Cuban decision: National anthem holds ‘special place in my heart’
PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams said the national anthem holds “a special place in my heart” when asked about the Dallas Mavericks’ decision under owner Mark Cuban to not play it in any of their first 13 preseason and regular-season home games, including their first contest with limited fans present against the Minnesota.

Optimism grows as COVID-19 vaccinations ramp up, cases fall, but experts warn against complacency
PHOENIX – A top Arizona health official on Wednesday said the number of COVID-19 cases in the state is “definitely trending in the right direction,” but he cautioned that “we need to keep following guidelines.” “We need to keep wearing masks, and we need to keep staying separated,” Dr. Joshua LaBaer, the director of the.

Never pay debts with gift cards, new Arizona consumer program warns
SCOTTSDALE – Consumers will start seeing new “STOP” signs at gift card displays in many Arizona stores, part of an effort to fight a growing and costly fraud in which scammers – often posing as government officials – ask consumers to pay off a debt or penalty through gift cards. Attorney General Mark Brnovich and.

Ping pong and 7 games vs. Blues: Pandemic wreaking havoc on Coyotes schedule
GLENDALE – The St. Louis Blues are no pushover of a team. They’ve made the playoffs in all but one season since 2012, and won the Stanley Cup just two years ago. Beating the Blues on their home ice once is difficult enough. Beating them in three games out of four at the Enterprise Center.

The Oregon Trail: Many of Arizona’s top football prospects migrating to Pacific Northwest
PHOENIX – Tyler Shough. Johnny Johnson III. They are familiar names to college sports fans in Arizona and Oregon. Johnson, a wide receiver, graduated from Chandler High and made several highlight plays for the Ducks in their 2019 loss to Arizona State. Shough, a product of Hamilton High, also in Chandler, started at quarterback for.

Pandemic prompts changes to HIV testing and treatment across Arizona
PHOENIX – In a downtown parking garage, a health care worker, dressed in protective gear, waits for cars to pull up for drive-thru HIV tests. Inside the building, volunteers assemble packages of at-home tests and condoms to be shipped across the state. Elsewhere in metro Phoenix, a van travels to neighborhoods whose residents may face.

1 in 4 Arizonans still insist Trump won, as second impeachment begins
WASHINGTON – As the Senate began debate Tuesday on a historic second impeachment of former President Donald Trump, a recent poll shows that more than half of Arizona Republicans believe Trump was the rightful winner of the November election. The poll, taken by OH Predictive Insights shortly before President Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration, found.

The realism of imitation firearms: Who benefits and who suffers?
Tempe police responded to a 911 call on Jan. 15, 2019, about a suspected burglary in an alley. Officer Joseph Jaen arrived to find Antonio Arce, sitting in a truck with a handgun. Jaen called to Arce, 14, who turned and ran. “Let me see your hands!” Jaen yelled, but Arce continued running, and Jaen.

Glendale native McDowell looking to build off career NASCAR season in 2021
PHOENIX – Despite driving for a smaller NASCAR team, Glendale’s Michael McDowell understands his significance to the Arizona racing community. “I used to not think about it very much when I was young,” McDowell said. “Like it doesn’t matter where you’re from because it’s where you are now and all that. But as I’ve gotten.

Enough habitat exists to support return of Mexican wolves in Southwest, study says
PHOENIX – A U.S.-Mexico partnership could aid the long-term recovery of the endangered Mexican wolf, a subspecies of the North American gray wolf, and its eventual removal from the U.S. endangered species list, according to a new study. In a peer-reviewed study published Jan. 21, researchers from several universities in Mexico, the University of Arizona.

After abrupt end to 2020 season, ASU softball ready to run it back in ‘21
TEMPE – The last time Arizona State’s softball team was prepared to take the field, the Sun Devils were on a bus traveling to Los Angeles to face UCLA at the Bruins’ Easton Stadium in a Pac-12 Conference opener. They never got there. En route, the 22-7 Sun Devils, who were ranked 15th nationally in.

Warriors’ Nico Mannion set to make NBA G League debut with Santa Cruz
PHOENIX – Almost a year has passed since Nico Mannion last started and played a full basketball game. March 11, 2020, to be exact – his final game of his one-year college career at Arizona before COVID-19 shut down the rest of the college basketball season. After being drafted in the second round by the.

Biden holds up Arizona’s mass vaccination sites as a model for nation
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden called Arizona’s around-the-clock COVID-19 vaccination site at State Farm Stadium a “model for the nation” Monday, as the administration pushes its goal of administering 100 million shots in its first 100 days. The virtual tour for Biden, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, came as the Arizona Department of Health.

Workers rally in Phoenix, U.S. for $15 minimum wage, end of reliance on tipping
PHOENIX – Blanca Collazo started working as soon as she could. She was approved for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, at 16. She then was hired as a hostess at the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant to help her family with bills and to save for college tuition. She worked long shifts after school.

Arizona gets grades from failing to ‘OK-ish’ for anti-tobacco efforts
WASHINGTON – Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. but two recent reports say Arizona needs to do more to help people break free from using tobacco products. “We certainly need a lot more resources here in Arizona to help people quit smoking,” said JoAnna Strother, senior director of advocacy.

‘A gut punch’: Pedro Gomez’s impact on baseball, journalism was far-reaching
PHOENIX – Super Bowl Sunday was in full swing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers routing the Kansas City Chiefs when the gut punch landed. It wasn’t another Tom Brady scoring pass that floored many sports followers, especially baseball lovers. It was the stunning news that ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez, 58, had died unexpectedly at his.

Auditor says DHS knew ‘zero-tolerance’ would split families at border
WASHINGTON – Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions knew the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy would separate families at the border but moved ahead with it anyway, a Justice Department official told lawmakers this week. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz told the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Thursday that the 2018 policy followed a test.

Lost jobs and rising hunger: St. Mary’s Food Bank shifts gears during COVID-19
PHOENIX – Hunger in America is on the rise, putting more pressure on food banks already struggling to keep up with the unprecedented need during the COVID-19 pandemic. St. Mary’s Food Bank, which has been feeding families for more than five decades, has seen the need soar over the past several months, spokesman Jerry Brown.

Luxury suites, players lounge: ASU excited for addition of multi-use sports facility
TEMPE – When the 2019-20 NCAA hockey season was shut down by COVID-19, Arizona State’s men’s team ranked 13th in the nation by both the USCHO and USA Today polls. The Sun Devils peaked in Week 19 of that season, when both polls placed them at a program-best ninth overall. But even with that success,.

From Tyrann Mathieu to Bruce Arians, Super Bowl LV has strong Arizona ties
PHOENIX – Bruce Arians is proud, proud of a young man he took a chance on nearly eight years ago. Arians, then the coach of the Arizona Cardinals, rolled the dice when the Cardinals selected former LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu with the No.69 overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. Mathieu had just spent a.

Hobbs, other state officials discuss 2020 election ‘conspiracy circus’
WASHINGTON – Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told a national panel Thursday that the best way to combat election misinformation is with truth, even if “there are some folks who are never going to believe anything I say.” Her comments came during a call with election officials from the battleground states of Ohio, Michigan.

Pandemic exposed social inequities, created backlogs of care, Mayo specialists say
PHOENIX – From the importance of personal protective equipment to dealing with the harsh isolation of quarantined patients, the medical community learned countless lessons during the first year of COVID-19, a pandemic unprecedented in modern times. “Limiting it to one (lesson), it is how profound it is that social inequity kills people,” said Dr. Andrew.

AIA changes course, allows parents to attend high school away games
PHOENIX – Apprehensive Arizona parents of high school athletes can rest easier now. Citing improving COVID-19 metrics, the Arizona Interscholastic Association executive board has amended its current attendance policy so that up to two parents or legal guardians of student-athletes can attend away games, the governing body announced via a release on Thursday afternoon. Prior.

In COVID era, players adjusting to ‘weird’ Phoenix Open with limited fans
PHOENIX – The 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open is not just any par-3. The 16th hole is three stories high. The 16th hole is a coliseum, built to hold tens of thousands of crazy, screaming fans. The 16th hole is where the hordes would line up at the break of dawn and.

‘I’m learning from him every day’: Devin Booker values connection with Chris Paul
PHOENIX – Even before Devin Booker set his feet and swished the go-ahead 3-pointer that beat the Dallas Mavericks Monday night, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul had “all the confidence in the world” the shot was going in. Separated in age by 11 years and teammates for just 16 games, Paul has quickly gained trust.

How university students and faculty are joining mask innovation race
PHOENIX – Since the onset of the pandemic, health experts have touted masks as the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but wearing them in public met considerable resistance and was politicized in some places. That was true in Arizona, where Gov. Doug Ducey initially opposed mask mandates sought by local officials. “Until.

Apache make emotional appeal to court to halt proposed copper mine
WASHINGTON – Members of the group Apache Stronghold told a federal district judge, in sometimes tearful testimony Wednesday, that a proposed copper mine at Oak Flat would destroy a “holy place” for Native Americans and needs to be stopped. “This is what this fight for Oak Flat is revealing,” said Wendsler Nosie Sr., a leader.

Supreme Court halts hearings on Trump border cases after Biden reversals
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court postponed upcoming hearings on two Trump administration immigration policies Wednesday, after both had been reversed on the first day of President Joe Biden’s term. The court was scheduled to hear arguments in the coming weeks challenging then-President Donald Trump’s ability to divert Defense Department funds to border wall construction and.

Arizona mayors join plea for $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill with city aid
WASHINGTON – Six Arizona mayors were among hundreds who urged Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief bill that includes $350 billion in aid for state and local governments who say they are on the front lines of the crisis. Republicans in the House and Senate have said they want to approve COVID-19 relief but.

‘The People’s Open’ will be short on people, people’s champion Mickelson this year
SCOTTSDALE – The Phoenix Thunderbirds, sponsors of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, like to call their event “The People’s Open.” However, it won’t be open to many people this year, and the people’s champion will be missing. For the second straight year, three-time WM Phoenix Open champion Phil Mickelson decided to play in the Saudi.

Cactus League scrambles to resolve ticket sales, attendance with start of season nearing
PHOENIX – With Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers expected to report in two weeks, Cactus League teams are scrambling to determine what spring training will look like for fans in 2021. The league announced on Monday night that it is preparing for an on-time start to spring training and Opening Day as originally scheduled.

Although little fanfare greeted Oubre’s return, former Suns player still missed
PHOENIX – Kelly Oubre Jr. made his return to Phoenix recently for the first time since he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who then moved him to the Golden State Warriors, but his homecoming was greeted by the quiet of an empty arena thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was quite the twist,.

Parents of Basha player push for change after viewing son’s nightmarish injuries on live stream
PHOENIX – Time seemed to slow to an agonizing crawl. On a high school soccer field in Queen Creek, a sophomore goalkeeper remained motionless on the pitch. Miles away, his two parents were glued to their iPad, watching helplessly, frozen with fear. Because of Arizona Interscholastic Association’s rules limiting attendance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jason.

Overcoming vaccine doubts, fears requires outreach and education, experts say
PHOENIX – As the daughter of a medical technician, Hanna Hyland was raised to put her faith in science. But Hyland, 18, also was raised as a person of color in a country with a health care system marred by historic instances of racism. When it comes to deciding whether to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Hobbs calls for expanded voting rights, blasts GOP election proposals
WASHINGTON – Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said the 2020 elections “challenged our democracy in ways we’ve never seen before” but that officials still managed to deliver a safe, secure election with record-breaking turnout in the midst of a pandemic. Hobbs, speaking as part of a panel of election officials Tuesday, also blasted what.

State superintendent calls for equal funding for remote learning, help for mental health
PHOENIX – Arizona’s top schools chief on Tuesday called for state funding for remote learning to be allocated at the same rate as funding for in-person learning, and she urged extra help for students and staff members suffering mental issues as the yearlong COVID-19 pandemic stretches into an uncertain future. Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy.

Health officials keep close eye as COVID-19 variants found in Arizona
WASHINGTON – COVID-19 infections in Arizona appeared to be leveling off last week when officials confirmed that a variant of the virus, first found in the United Kingdom, had been found in the state. Not good news, but experts say things could be worse. “If this new variant had become dominant in early January, it.

Mercury get their G.O.A.T.: Diana Taurasi signs multi-year deal
PHOENIX – As Diana Taurasi officially signed a contract that will keep her with the Phoenix Mercury for another two years, it was easy to jump ahead a few months and imagine what might be, while also cherishing what has always been. A team that had been playoff contenders the last few years while not.

‘A modern-day legend’: Former ASU baseball coach Pat Murphy reflects on Dustin Pedroia
PHOENIX – Long before Dustin Pedroia turned spectacular double plays for the Boston Red Sox, he was turning heads in the desert. On the heels of the former Arizona State baseball star and long-time Red Sox second baseman announcing his retirement on Monday after 14 seasons with the franchise, his former college coach marveled at.

During pandemic, GCU works to balance high energy fan base with safety measures
PHOENIX – Since the COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of sports competition, teams around the country have adjusted to playing in empty or near-empty arenas, making home-field advantage less of a factor. For Grand Canyon University, however, their fan base, the Havocs, continues to provide noise and energy that has impressed opposing coaches but also.

Vaccine site opens at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, making it Arizona’s second
PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Monday opened the state’s second COVID-19 vaccination site, at ASU’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium, aiming to build on the success of the first site at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Until more vaccine doses are available from the federal government, the Phoenix site will be limited to 500 shots a.

Coyotes struggle without injured captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson
GLENDALE – Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the face of the Arizona Coyotes. Excluding last season’s shortened campaign, Ekman Larsson has played in at least 75 games every season since 2013-14, all with Arizona. He’s been an All-Star five times and the Coyotes captain since 2018. Since Shane Doan’s retirement, Ekman-Larsson’s name has been synonymous with the.

Ban on new private prison contracts will not reach ICE detainees
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s order that the Justice Department stop contracting with private prisons could eventually affect thousands of inmates – but not the roughly 3,000 immigrants being held in private facilities in Arizona. Biden said Tuesday that his executive order is part of an effort to promote racial equity and is needed to.

Bitter Ahwatukee basketball rivals reflect on why they marched for justice
PHOENIX — Kaimarr Price recalls the night, as a student and basketball player at Mountain Pointe High School, that police pulled over a car he was in after a high school party. Now the varsity basketball coach at Mountain Pointe, Price was with friends and his brother, all of whom are Black. His brother’s girlfriend,.

Vaccinating the homeless: Some have received doses, others await their turn
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Foster was living out of his car when he contracted COVID-19. The 67-year-old knew he faced higher risks of death or severe outcomes during the pandemic because of his chronic heart and bladder conditions, but for Foster and thousands of other homeless people across the Southwest, it’s been hard to protect.

Arizonans prepare for a March for Life with no marching, more surfing
WASHINGTON – In any other year, scores of Arizonans would be heading to Washington about now to take part in the National March for Life, an annual anti-abortion event that typically draws tens of thousands. But this year’s event will include very little marching, and a lot more surfing. The march, like so many other.

COVID-19 forces Arizona community college baseball to prepare differently for spring season
PHOENIX – Anthony Gilich remembers March 16, 2020, the day when the National Junior College Athletic Association announced it was canceling the remainder of the spring sports seasons because of COVID-19. The Central Arizona College baseball coach, now in his seventh year, had to tell his players something he never thought he would have to.

The deadliest year: Overall death toll grew by 25% in Arizona in 2020
WASHINGTON – Total deaths in Arizona rose 25% in 2020 over the previous year, with some counties seeing increases approaching 50% for the year in which COVID-19 became the leading killer in the state. While data on the causes of death is not expected until later this year, experts attribute the “exceptional increase” in deaths.

Advocates, lawmakers hail Biden pledge to respect tribal sovereignty
WASHINGTON – Native American policy experts and Arizona lawmakers welcomed President Joe Biden’s order calling for stronger relations with tribal governments, with one saying it “goes right along with what Indian country has been asking for.” The memorandum, signed Tuesday, largely restores earlier executive orders set under the Clinton and Obama administrations that aimed to.

Expert: COVID-19 cases may have leveled off after deadly winter surge
WASHINGTON – COVID-19 cases in Arizona may have reached a plateau after a deadly two-month surge, one expert said Wednesday, but that does not mean the pandemic is under control. Dr. Joshua LaBaer, executive director of Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute, noted that the number of confirmed new cases of the virus dropped from a.

Unemployment dips in Arizona for December, but jobs are still tight
PHOENIX – As COVID-19 pummels away in Arizona, unemployment in the state dipped slightly in December, with the restaurant and entertainment industries continuing to take the hardest hits. The state unemployment rate was 7.5% last month, compared with 8% in November, putting Arizona among 20 states with the good fortune to post December decreases, according.

Pascua Yaqui win water funds, first of $150 million for Arizona projects
WASHINGTON – Pascua Yaqui Council members called it “a blessing” Tuesday. They were talking about $900,000 in federal funds that will be used to bring water to the tribe’s lands for irrigation, the first fruits of an effort last year by members of the state’s congressional delegation to win $150 million in federal funding for.

Schilling falls 16 votes shy of Hall of Fame, asks to be ‘removed from ballot’
PHOENIX – The stats are almost undeniable. Curt Schilling posted a 3.46 ERA over 20 years pitching in MLB. He recorded 3,116 strikeouts. His ERA+ was a well-above average 127. And yet, Schilling, a product of Shadow Mountain High School, failed to make the Baseball Hall of Fame for the ninth consecutive year Tuesday by.

Masked men, disinfected gym give high school basketball game in Ahwatukee unique feel
PHOENIX – Mandatory masks. A fog of disinfectant sprayed throughout the gym before and after the game. Socially distant seating in the stands. Temperature checks at the door. This is high school basketball in a pandemic. It wasn’t normal. But it was still the same sport. And when Mountain Pointe and Corona del Sol tipped.

Dreamers in Arizona have mixed feelings about Biden’s immigration plan
PHOENIX – On his first day in office, President Joe Biden sent to Congress his plan to reform the U.S. immigration system. The bill includes preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, and outlines a path to permanent residence and citizenship for its recipients. That includes Reyna Montoya, an activist in Phoenix.

NHL pulls microchipped tracking pucks after complaints about playability
PHOENIX – The 2020-21 NHL season already has been an unusual one. A condensed, series-based schedule. Realigned divisional play. And games with limited fan attendance are a few of the twists and turns the league has maneuvered amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another wrinkle has been added to the mix. Just six days into the.

Federal committee recommends more research, care for patients with sickle cell
PHOENIX – Health care experts are calling on federal and state agencies to take action to provide better care for the estimated 100,000 Americans who suffer from sickle cell disease. Sickle cell is the most common inherited blood disorder in the U.S. and disproportionately affects African Americans, occurring in 1 out of every 365 births.

A year after first case in Arizona, COVID-19 is now a leading killer
WASHINGTON – COVID-19 may now be the leading cause of death in Arizona, apparently surpassing both cancer and heart disease for the number of fatalities in a year, according to the latest data from the Arizona Department of Health Services. The COVID-19 death toll through Monday was 12,448, according to numbers reported by the state.

Play ball? Cactus League asks MLB to delay start of spring training
PHOENIX – The Cactus League has asked Major League Baseball (MLB) to delay the start of spring training in Arizona due to high COVID-19 infection rates in Maricopa County. The request came in a letter addressed to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. “In view of the current state of the pandemic in Maricopa County – with.

Medical schools face calls for more change as states declare racism a threat to public health
PHOENIX – Amid moves by some states to declare racism a public health issue, experts are looking to medical schools to identify strategies to improve care for people of color and eliminate disparities related to a patient’s race or ethnicity. Dr. David Acosta, chief diversity and inclusion officer with the Association of American Medical Colleges,.

‘Frustrated’ Suns looking for late-game answers after back-to-back overtime losses
PHOENIX – His voice cracking, eyes cast toward the floor, Suns forward Cameron Johnson gave out a deep sigh and shook his head as he tried to explain his team’s 120-112 double-overtime loss Saturday to the Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns Arena, the team’s second straight loss in extra time against the surging Nuggets. “It’s.

Border wall foes hail order halting project, but say it’s only first step
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden made good on a campaign promise within hours of his swearing-in this week, ordering a pause in construction of the border wall and a plan for how to redirect wall funding. Opponents of the wall called the executive order “a huge win.” But they also said it is not the.

As Americans roll up their sleeves, here’s how three COVID-19 vaccines compare
PHOENIX – Three COVID-19 vaccines have made their way through trials in the United States since December. Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna passed testing standards set by the Food and Drug Administration with the hope that millions will be distributed across the country in the coming months. The third vaccine, from AstraZeneca, is in the.

Senior season in a pandemic: How COVID-19 altered futures of ASU athletes
PHOENIX – When Cielo Meza heard that her team would be taking a bus to its first conference series at UCLA, she knew something was wrong. “We fly everywhere, especially during Pac play, so getting on a bus – it was weird,” said Meza, who was a fifth-year senior pitcher on the Arizona State softball.

Flurry of Biden orders on COVID-19 raise some doubts, but more hopes
WASHINGTON – Almost half of the 24 executive orders President Joe Biden has signed in his first two days in office have dealt with COVID-19, which White House officials cite as proof that fighting the pandemic is the top priority for his administration. “The first order I’m going to be signing here … relates to.

‘No surprise to me’: Dominant Ayton an expectation for Suns
PHOENIX – In the midst of a week in which three of his team’s games were postponed in accordance with the NBA’s health and safety protocols, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton overheard a statistic from coach Monty Williams that particularly unsettled him. “Coach made a valid point that I think we were last in points.

Battling adversity all season, ASU men’s basketball enters rivalry week with nothing to lose
TEMPE – This was supposed to be Arizona State’s year. But so far, it sure hasn’t gone that way. After years of early-season runs leading to late-season disappointments and early March Madness exits, the 2020-21 basketball season was supposed to be different. A backcourt of top recruit Josh Christopher and returning senior Remy Martin was.

Biden’s path to citizenship for immigrants could face an uphill battle
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden unveiled a sweeping immigration reform bill Wednesday that would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, preserve DACA and end the ban on travel from Muslim-majority countries, among other changes. The proposal, released on the first day of his presidency, is a sharp reversal from former President.

Trump pardons former Rep. Rick Renzi for fraud, extortion convictions
WASHINGTON – In one of his last acts as president, Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned two Arizonans, including former Rep. Rick Renzi who was convicted of extortion, racketeering and other charges while representing the 1st District in Congress. The pardons – including one for Scott Connor Crosby, a one-time bank robber who supporters say has.

Distant but devoted, Biden supporters gear up for virtual inauguration
WASHINGTON – In any other year, Ak-Chin Chairman Robert Miguel would have headed to Washington to be part of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. But Miguel will instead be watching the swearing-in from home, one of the thousands who would normally have flooded Washington this week but were told.

‘I’m not surprised’: Report of harassment by fired Mets GM prompts anger, shock
PHOENIX – News that New York Mets general manager and former Arizona Diamondbacks executive Jared Porter sent sexually explicit texts to a female reporter drew widespread criticism, including some from one of sports journalism’s female trailblazers. “I’m saddened that we’re still having these conversations,” said Valley resident Anne Montgomery, who was one of ESPN’s first.

‘They really do exist’: Coyotes fans welcome in-person experience
GLENDALE – Linda Riggins was first in line at Gate 3 before the Arizona Coyotes’ season opener at Gila River Arena. Riggins, a season ticket holder, and her son, Keith Traub, arrived three-and-a-half hours early. They were ready for hockey. “I was just so happy to be there,” Riggins said. “My son was in seventh.

Washington in unprecedented lockdown days before Biden’s inauguration
WASHINGTON – Four years ago, President Donald Trump claimed the crowd attending his inauguration was the largest in history, a claim widely ridiculed in the face of photos showing a half-empty National Mall. But when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in Wednesday, it’s safe to say he will have one of the smallest crowds ever..

Health officials ramp up COVID-19 vaccines with new sites, eligibility
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Department of Health Services said Friday it is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination programs, adding distribution at pharmacies and at a second state-run site in the East Valley and broadening the number of people eligible for the vaccine. The expansion comes as the state has already administered well over 200,000 doses of.

Officials prep for possible inauguration protests at Arizona Capitol
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Capitol is surrounded by two rows of chain-link fence and police presence has been increased, as authorities brace for possible violence in response to the inauguration next week of President-elect Joe Biden. The preparations come amid reports that the FBI has warned of possible armed protests at all 50 state capitals.

He’s ready to rumbbbbbble: Former ASU wrestler Levi ‘Tucker’ Cooper embracing WWE
PHOENIX – One day he is studying accounting at Arizona State. The next he is hitting his “business” partner with a briefcase. Welcome to the world of former ASU wrestler Levi Cooper, better known these days as “Tucker,” a WWE performer on Monday Night Raw. “I love ASU and always will,” Cooper said. “Tempe has.

Reading, listening, learning: ASU Libraries provides public BLM resource guide
PHOENIX – During months of public demonstrations spurred by the death of George Floyd last spring and centuries of injustices against Black lives across the globe, Arizona State University Libraries created a digital resource guide focused on the Black Lives Matter movement, justice and equity. The elements of the Black Lives Matter guide extend beyond.

‘Kill the Indian, save the man’: Stories of Indian boarding schools still echo
WASHINGTON – About 180 white tombstones – each belonging to a child who died while attending the Carlisle Indian Industrial School – stand row-by-row in the dewy grass of central Pennsylvania, bearing the names of those who died while being forced to learn the white man’s way. From 1,500 to 1,800 Native American students from.

Sprint to the start: Coyotes ready for unique season following shortened training camp
PHOENIX – The Arizona Coyotes had just 10 days to prepare for the shortened 2020-2021 season, which begins tonight when they host the San Jose Sharks at Gila River Arena. It wasn’t a typical training camp around the NHL, but coach Rick Tocchet and the Coyotes made the most of their truncated time. “It’s a.

Arizona lawmakers split as Trump impeached by House for a second time
WASHINGTON – No Arizona lawmakers broke party ranks as the House Wednesday impeached President Donald Trump on a mostly party-line vote, just one week after a deadly mob attack on the Capitol that critics said was incited by the president. The 232-197 vote also comes 13 months after Trump was first impeached by the House,.

‘Life Is …’ documentary confronts youth suicide in Arizona
What can be done about the alarming rate of suicide among young people? Student journalists at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication have sought answers to that question, seeking workable solutions to what has become a public health crisis. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth.

For the love of animals: High suicide rates reflect the many stresses of veterinarians
In 2014, veterinarian Jason Sweitzer started his 10-minute drive home from the clinic in Conejo Valley, California, where he routinely treated animals that had been stabbed, shot, abused and made to suffer other horrors. This time, his thoughts drifted to suicide. “No one else was on the road. What if my car just veered off.

Agencies seek plasma donations to treat COVID-19 patients
PHOENIX – As vaccinations for COVID-19 continue nationwide, blood donation agencies are stepping up efforts to encourage those who’ve had the disease and recovered to donate their plasma to help treat the sick. January is National Blood Donor Month, a time when agencies typically work to recruit more donors as bad winter weather and seasonal.

House votes on removing, possibly impeaching Trump after mob attacks
WASHINGTON – Arizona lawmakers split along party lines late Tuesday as the House passed a resolution urging Vice President Mike Pence to remove President Trump from office – or face the threat of a second impeachment. The 223-205 vote came a week after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a deadly attack that critics say.

Female inmate firefighters build character but often can’t use fire skills after release
PHOENIX – May Tiwamangkala remembers mornings at Perryville Prison west of Phoenix, when the Wildland Fire Crew members began chanting and stomping their feet on concrete to let the rest of the prison know it was 5 a.m. On their training runs, she recalls, one veteran on the all-women crew would shout, “Who are we?”.

Research finds COVID may worsen symptoms of those with Tourette’s
PHOENIX – Stress, isolation and face mask requirements related to COVID-19 may be worsening symptoms for the estimated 1% of the world’s population who suffer from Tourette syndrome, research shows. The neurological disorder, named for a French doctor who first described the condition in 1885, is characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements or sounds. Common motor.

At Teen Lifeline, teens help in ways only they can
A group of teenagers huddled around a table, some typing essays, others binge-watching a favorite Netflix series. One teen pored over “Frankenstein” for her English class. Each was deeply immersed in their tasks, but when a phone rang, the mood of the room quickly switched. Red lights blinked on each landline and a tri-tone melody.

As soccer season nears, ASU’s Barbieri remains stranded in Brazil
PHOENIX – As the start of the Pac-12 women’s soccer season closes in, Arizona State is without veteran midfielder Lara Barbieri. The ASU senior is from Monte Mor, São Paulo, Brazil, where she has been stranded, unable to return to the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Barbieri has been in Brazil since March,.

The other pandemic: Loneliness widespread with the loss of social connections
PHOENIX – The pandemic has affected different people in different ways, causing financial stress due to job loss, sliding grades, relationship pressures and worries that vulnerable loved ones could contract COVID-19. But one factor that has affected Americans across the country is the loss of social connectedness. Even before the pandemic shuttered schools, restaurants and.

Independent music venues struggle to stay afloat during pandemic
LOS ANGELES – Like music venues around the world, the Paramount ballroom has been forced to endure months of limited work, reduced revenue and a forced transition to the digital world – no easy task for the venerable Boyle Heights venue, which is nearly 100 years old and has a legacy of supporting underdog artists..

Four decades after memorable run with ASU, Lionel Hollins still thriving
PHOENIX — As confetti sprinkled down on the court inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, most of the Los Angeles Lakers’ players and coaches celebrated their championship together, marking the end to an anomalous season. Assistant coach Lionel Hollins watched his team win on television from his home in Memphis. The Arizona State basketball.

The fight at home: Suicide rate is highest among younger military veterans
Alex Martinez looked over his Air Force dress blues, the uniform he wore when he graduated from boot camp. He touched his insignia – a circle with a star in the center and a striped wing flaring from either side – that signified his rank of airman second class. “I was in the military for.

Making their pitch: Women on Angel City soccer club forging bonds with community
LOS ANGELES – Angel City Football Club is looking to make an impact on women’s sports and soccer with new community initiatives as the team prepares to join the National Women’s Soccer League in 2022. With a star-studded ownership group that includes actress Natalie Portman, former U.S. national team player Abby Wambach and tennis legend.

Cherokee Trail of Tears just one of many forced removals of Eastern tribes to Oklahoma
WASHINGTON – The Trail of Tears, the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma, was one of the most inhumane policies in American history – but it wasn’t an isolated incident. In 1831, nearly 16,000 members of the Cherokee Nation were forced under armed guard to leave their native lands in the southeastern United.

Phoenix Rising believes new stadium will bring improved fan, player experience
PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC hopes 2021 is about more than just improved play on the field. The organization said it is committed to a better fan experience, too. A club that advanced to the USL Championship in 2020 – before it was canceled because multiple Tampa Bay players tested positive for COVID-19 – also.

Report: ‘Child care deserts’ hit poor, rural Arizona families hardest
WASHINGTON – Arizona has 304,180 infants and toddlers who need child care but only 234,270 slots to accommodate them, with poor and rural families most likely to be left out, a recent study said. Arizona child care advocates said they were not surprised by the numbers in the Bipartisan Policy Center study, which they said.

Watching brother win Fiesta Bowl a special moment for Florida State’s Chubba Purdy
GLENDALE – The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of college football, including postseason bowl games. Although few fans were allowed to attend the Fiesta Bowl, it didn’t spoil the experience for a certain Florida State quarterback in the stands. Seminoles freshman Preston “Chubba” Purdy was at State Farm Stadium on Saturday to watch his.

Balancing act: Olympic athletes try to ramp up training, avoid injury after COVID-19 delay
PHOENIX – Arizona State swim coach Bob Bowman has faced many challenges throughout a nearly 35-year-long coaching career, a portion of it guiding Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian. However, Bowman never had to navigate the postponement of the Olympic Games and all of the potential ramifications of the delay. Welcome to sports in the.

Trump makes way in at least one part of Washington – souvenir shops
WASHINGTON – For two months since the election, President Donald Trump has challenged the election of President-elect Joe Biden, but there is no question that in some parts of Washington it will soon be time for Trump to go. The Trump key chains, that is. And Trump mugs. And T-shirts and posters and finger puppets.

Study: Post-9/11 vets more likely to be employed, and in steadier jobs
WASHINGTON – Post-9/11 veterans are not only more likely to be employed than the general population, they are also more likely to be in jobs that are immune to recession, according to a recent report by the Census Bureau. The Census study, released in November, said the unemployment rate for the nation’s 3 million post-9/11.

Not the ‘blue wave’ they hoped for, but Democrats made gains in 2020
WASHINGTON – For years, Democrats have argued that Arizona was about to turn blue, and this year they came closer than they had in decades, winning the presidential race and unseating an incumbent Republican senator. Close, but not the “blue wave” Democrats had been hoping for. While they grabbed the top two races on the.

Sticks and zones: The right hockey equipment can elevate a player’s game
PHOENIX – Johnny Walker is quite particular with his hockey stick. The Arizona State forward wasn’t happy with his shot at a morning practice last season and marched into the office of equipment manager Jon Laughner with a puzzled look on his face. “I don’t know what to do,” Walker said. “Grab somebody else’s stick,”.

Toned down Fiesta Bowl still has meaning for Oregon, Iowa State
PHOENIX – Pomp, circumstance and long-standing traditions are aspects of college football bowl games that players, coaches and fans have learned to cherish over the years. Yet in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sports as we know them have looked different. That will include the second day of 2021 as well, when No. 10.

Digitized health records, safety apps could be game-changer for athletes at every level
PHOENIX – Most of 2020 has been marred by uncertainty. The fickleness of daily routines. The indecision of divided leadership. The precariousness of an American lifeline, sports, as society once knew them. What lies beyond the scope of doubt, however, is that formerly marginalized voices are headed to the podium to ignite tangible, national growth..

Lending a hand(print): Athletes raise awareness for missing, murdered Indigenous women
PHOENIX – The sight can be jarring: As a runner’s graceful stride brings her closer, her face comes into focus. A rich, red handprint covers her mouth. We will not be silenced. The painted hand has become a powerful symbol for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Movement, known as MMIW, a cause boosted by.

Democrats pass independents, can’t overtake GOP in voter registration
WASHINGTON – Arizona Democrats registered more new voters in the last election cycle than any other party, moving ahead of independents in registration for the first time in 10 years – but still failing to overtake Republicans. Democrats registered 226,579 new voters from 2018 to 2020 to reach 1.38 million voters, or 32.2% of the.

Arizona hate crimes bounced back in 2019, experts fear a surge in 2020
WASHINGTON – Hate crimes in Arizona bounced back in 2019 after a sharp drop the year before, and advocates say they fear the numbers are only going to continue to rise when the tumult of 2020 is reported. Despite a steep increase from the 173 hate crimes recorded in Arizona in 2018, the state’s 217.

‘Divas’ and suckers: The fight to save endangered Colorado River fish
The Colorado River is one of the most engineered river systems in the world. Over millions of years, the creatures that call the river home have adapted to the natural variability of its seasonal highs and lows. But for the past century, they have struggled to keep up with rapid changes in the river’s flows.

As pandemic surges, officials call COVID-19 fatigue real and dangerous
WASHINGTON – The numbers can be numbing. And that’s exactly what health officials fear. More than a half-million Arizonans have contracted COVID-19 and more than 8,700 have died from it so far, according to state data. The disease is surging again, with one week this month seeing an average of 7,770 new cases a day,.

As protests for racial justice divided the country, ASU hockey star found his voice
PHOENIX – When reality sets in … a deep pain and sadness comes over you. It’s a feeling that lingers no matter what unfolds the rest of the day. It occupies your mind, even though I (along with many others) continue to put on a brave face. Those are the words Dominic Garcia penned June.

‘Pushing a rock up the hill’: Former Valley star Tank Johnson leads fight against private prisons
LOS ANGELES – Being locked up was supposed to be a punishment for Terry “Tank” Johnson. It also turned out to be an awakening. In the early 2000s, the product of Tempe McClintock High and the University of Washington was basking in the spotlight of football success – playing seven NFL seasons with Chicago, Dallas.

Prom dress calling attention to missing, murdered Indigenous women added to Smithsonian exhibit
WASHINGTON – It’s one of the most important events in a teenager’s life – high school prom. For Isabella Aiukli Cornell of Oklahoma City, her junior prom in 2018 was about more than just wearing a stylish gown in a high school gymnasium. It was an opportunity to call attention to what has been described.

After years of lowered refugee admissions, Biden plans sharp reversal
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – After years of steadily slashing the number of refugees it will accept, the U.S. can expect to see an increase under the incoming Biden administration. An eight-fold increase and then some. President-elect Joe Biden has said.

Researchers at Petrified Forest discover fossil of a reptile with claws and a beak
PHOENIX – A team of researchers at Petrified Forest National Park east of Holbrook have discovered fossilized remains of a new species of prehistoric reptile. The 220-million-year old burrowing reptile is a drepanosaur, an ancient reptile that had a claw on its tail and a birdlike beak. Researchers, who named the species Skybalonyx skapter, announced.

Nonprofit Soldier’s Best Friend pairs rescues with veterans to become service dogs
PHOENIX – Staff Sgt. Terry Stallings served in the Army for 23 years. He was stationed across the globe, including posts in Iraq, Balad, Kuwait, Desert Storm, Mexico, Central America, Alaska, Portugal and Germany. After six combat deployments overseas, he returned home and was diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder. Veterans often rely on medications,.

Biden firm on uranium-mining ban around ‘jewel’ of the Grand Canyon
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – For four years, the Trump administration took steps to boost uranium mining for what it called national security reasons, a move environmentalists saw as an attempt to open the door to mining near the Grand Canyon..

No fans, no vaccine, no problem: It’s not ideal but Suns excited to showcase new look
PHOENIX – After a disrupted 2019-20 season that ended in a bubble at Walt Disney World, the Phoenix Suns have undergone an offseason makeover that they hope will build on their surprising 8-0 run in Orlando that followed the COVID-19 interruption. The Suns pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire perennial All-Star point guard Chris.

Tribal leaders optimistic about Biden; Haaland nomination a good start
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – The federal government may not have a stellar track record when it comes to keeping promises with Native Americans, but tribal leaders in Arizona said they think President-elect Joe Biden could be the exception. Their hopes.

‘My story is not done’: Eddie Johnson begins 20th season as voice of Phoenix Suns
PHOENIX – His story is full of chapters. Some are complete, defined by adversity and accomplishments, and others remain unwritten, blank pages waiting to be filled with more life experiences. Former NBA standout Eddie Johnson is beginning his 20th year as the color analyst for the Phoenix Suns, who open their season tonight against the.

After four years of tumult, businesses hopeful for Biden trade policy
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump entered office pledging to blow up trade deals, and he later imposed tariffs on trading partners around the world – but the biggest threat to Arizona-Mexico trade over the past four years appears.

Record heat proves to be a queen palm’s worst enemy
PHOENIX – Hot summers are nothing new in Arizona, but humans aren’t the only ones who have suffered from record-breaking heat: queen palm trees across the Valley have been burning up. 2020 was the hottest year on record in Phoenix, with 48 days of excessive heat warnings and a heat peak in July and August,.

Biden’s work cut out for him in plan to undo Trump immigration policy
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden has promised to roll back many of the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies when he takes office next month. He’s got his work cut out for him. While President Donald Trump’s signature –.

ACA enrollment uptick a ‘pleasant surprise’ after years of declines
WASHINGTON – After years of steady declines, enrollment in Affordable Care Act coverage ticked up in Arizona and held steady in the U.S. this year in what one advocate called a “pleasant surprise” after a challenging year. The six-week open enrollment period that ended last Tuesday showed enrollment going from 153,020 in Arizona for coverage.

Colorado River Basin winter forecast signals dry times ahead
All signs are pointing to a dry start to 2021 across much of the Colorado River watershed, which provides water to about 40 million people in the Western U.S. A lack of precipitation from April to October made this spring, summer and fall one of the region’s driest six-month periods on record. And with a.

6 Arizonans discuss the impact Ruth Bader Ginsburg had on their lives
PHOENIX – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a towering figure in the fight against discrimination based on gender, and her death Sept. 18 was a blow to many women who reverently refer to her as the Notorious RBG. On the three-month anniversary of Ginsburg’s death, women across the state continue to remember her legacy. Cronkite.

Gun sales hit record in 2020, driven by pandemic, protests, politics
WASHINGTON – Background checks for gun purchases in Arizona hit their highest level ever in 2020, driven by an unprecedented convergence of a pandemic, a summer of national unrest and a presidential election, experts said. With a month left to go in the year, 610,911 background checks had been performed in the state through November,.

With focus on COVID-19, experts fear opioid crisis may worsen unseen
WASHINGTON – A deadly epidemic has been on the rise this year in Arizona – but this one has drawn scant media attention. With the world focused on COVID-19, local and national experts say a growing number of opioid overdoses and deaths is being overlooked. “COVID-19 has taken up a lot of our space, but.

They shoot, they score: Coyotes’ goal to increase youth hockey participation a success
PHOENIX – From “Rookie of the Year” to “Little Giants,” sports movies captivated kids growing up in the 1990s. One of those was a young girl from Chandler, who fell in love with an unlikely sport. Hockey. For a native of the Valley, hockey seemed as out of place as a cactus in Buffalo. As.

Phoenix PD offers officers mental health training; community members say that’s not enough
PHOENIX – Protesters over the summer called for defunding Phoenix police, motivated in part by deep skepticism about officers’ ability to properly handle mental health crises. Activists point to police shooting deaths of mentally ill Arizonans in the past as evidence that law enforcement officers need help defusing such situations. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

High-stakes races sparked high-dollar giving by Arizona voters in 2020
WASHINGTON – Arizonans were heavily invested in this fall’s elections in more ways than one, donating a total of at least $110 million to support candidates and high-profile ballot initiatives. That was a sharp increase from the $60 million that state voters donated just four years ago. And the increases this year were seen across.

‘Yelp’-like reviews for social justice? ASU civil rights center seeks ways to target systemic inequality
PHOENIX – Attorney Ehsan Zaffar is leading an initiative to establish a civil rights center at Arizona State University to target inequality in the U.S. To do so, Zaffar envisions a range of products, services and programs – perhaps including Yelp-like reviews of how Arizona companies address social justice issues. “Inequality is the greatest social,.

‘I wanted to do more than hold a sign’: Street medic crew forms out of Black Lives Matter protests
PHOENIX – Three nights after George Floyd suffocated when a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, Black Lives Matter supporters rallied in downtown Phoenix. From 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., hundreds of people were on the streets chanting, “What’s his name? George Floyd!” and “Hands up, don’t shoot!”.

Monday Morning Sun Devil: ASU rout in Territorial Cup reflects state of program
PHOENIX – Running up the score was not Arizona State’s intent during its 70-7 win over Arizona in the Territorial Cup. Rather, the Sun Devils worked to ensure the statement win that had eluded them against USC and UCLA would not slip from their grasp Friday as they built an ever-increasing first-half lead that eventually.


As legal challenges continue to fall, Biden electors set to meet, vote
WASHINGTON – Add one more thing to the list of normal activities that have been upended in 2020 – the job of the state’s presidential electors. What is normally a mundane and largely ceremonial task, often handed out as a reward for loyal party service, has been thrust into the spotlight this year by ongoing.

‘I am that character’: New Marvel heroes battle underrepresentation of Native Americans in comics
FLAGSTAFF – Asgard, Wakanda, Xandar and other intergalactic empires are well-known to comic book fans, but a new comic is hoping to bring readers back to Earth to learn about Indigenous heroes. Penned by Native American artists and writers, “Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices #1” was released Nov. 18, to the delight of Native Americans who.

Three Arizona tribal leaders on diverse slate of 11 electoral voters
WASHINGTON – In what a former Arizona elector called “a sweet irony,” the slate of 11 Democratic presidential electors who will cast Arizona’s Electoral College votes Monday includes three tribal leaders. Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr. will join eight.

Transgender patients face uphill battle for care amid discrimination, doctor shortage
PHOENIX – When Coree Pledge decided to transition from female to male 11 years ago, he couldn’t find a doctor providing hormone replacement therapy in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama. So he drove six hours, one way, to find care in Atlanta. “After about a month of calling and research is when I focused on.

Michelangelo up close: Exhibit brings replicas of Sistine Chapel masterpieces to Phoenix
PHOENIX – Details of Michelangelo’s famous frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, which are all but impossible to see in the Vatican, are right above your head at a new exhibition downtown. Visitors to “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition” can view life-size prints of some of the artist’s most famous works spread across 10,000 square feet.

House calls: Arizona lawmakers land in COVID-19 quarantine more often
WASHINGTON – Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, said it can be hard to be socially distant when a large part of your job requires being social. From interacting with constituents, to boarding planes between D.C. and Arizona, to voting on the House floor, Lesko said it’s challenging for members of Congress to limit possible exposure to.

Struggles of Cave Creek district are emblematic of Arizona schools during COVID-19
CAVE CREEK – Students and teachers at the Cave Creek Unified School District returned to in-person classes in early September, joining other schools as petri dishes for how classes could be handled during COVID-19. Weeks later, early results show the struggle – teachers leaving schools over health concerns, students in classrooms led by long-term substitute.

Pandemic, Trump and racism drive voter turnout in some tribal communities
PHOENIX – Enthusiasm across Arizona was higher this election than in the 2016 presidential contest, and final results show the contrast was even more stark in Indian Country, where voters said they were especially motivated because of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues of race. A census analysis of 2018 data found American Indians were at.

Holiday punch: COVID-19 worries mean no holiday party for most offices
WASHINGTON – The staff at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Scottsdale was planning to go ahead with its annual office Christmas party this year – but with social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions in place. As coronavirus cases continue to surge in Arizona and across the country, however, the Rev. Thomas Hallsten and parish.

Biosphere 2 study: Tropical forests may be more resilient to rising temperatures than predicted
PHOENIX – Step inside Biosphere 2’s tropical rainforest, which thrives beneath an enormous glass dome, and visitors are met by a wall of warm humidity and lush greenery. The sprawling complex north of Tucson in Oracle provides climate-change researchers unique opportunities to test theories in ways that would be impossible in the field. This is.

What to know about open carry gun laws in Arizona
PHOENIX – Arizona has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the U.S., one of three countries that consider gun ownership a constitutional right. Consider this data: Americans own more than 390 million guns – with 120.5 civilian firearms per 100 people, according to a study by the World Population Review. In February, Arizona.

Immigration advocates hail DACA reinstatement; DHS promises appeal
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration said Monday it will abide by a court order – for now – to start accepting new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals applications, a move that could affect an estimated 682,000 undocumented immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security is already looking to appeal the Friday court ruling, but advocates for.

Navajo program again distributes reservation coal to heat tribal homes
WASHINGTON – For decades, coal from the Navajo Nation helped deliver water and helped power homes and businesses throughout Arizona and the Southwest. Now, some of that coal is being used to heat Navajo homes as well. For the fifth straight year, the Community Heating Resource Program (CHRP) is helping Navajo residents stay warm through.

No cold elders: Volunteers provide firewood for Navajo families ahead of winter
As winter approaches, volunteers with Chizh for Cheii are preparing to deliver firewood to elders on the Navajo Nation reservation, where nearly 90% of homes rely on wood for heat. The nonprofit organization, whose name means “firewood for Grandpa” in English, launched nine years ago. The volunteers work because they “don’t want people to pass.

First COVID-19 vaccines, vaccinations expected in Arizona by Dec. 15
WASHINGTON – Arizona health officials said they expect to get the first of more than 380,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 15 and will begin vaccinating health care workers and first responders shortly thereafter. Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ made that announcement Friday, as the state submitted its plans for.

Home on the road: COVID-19 closures mean Lakers fans will travel to see the champs play
LOS ANGELES – After the Lakers won their first NBA championship in 10 years, LA fans defied pandemic warnings to rampage through the streets in celebration, leading to vandalism and dozens of arrests. But when the NBA season tips off Dec. 22, Lakers fans won’t be able to watch the defending world champions play at.

Once used to track foodborne illnesses, UArizona team now traces COVID contacts
PHOENIX – It’s been a quiet day on Zoom for Kylie Boyd and Alexandra Shilen. Occasionally, some student volunteers pop into their online room to check in or ask a brief question, then pop back out to hit the phones. On this fall afternoon, Boyd and Shilen are overseeing 13 volunteers who are calling residents.

Navajo warn hospitals at ‘breaking point’ in worsening COVID-19 surge
WASHINGTON – With a shortage of beds, oxygen and staff, the Navajo Nation can no longer depend on regional aid and is sending critical patients farther afield for care, officials reported Thursday. That news came as area health care workers and Navajo government officials warned that the coming surge in COVID-19 cases would be worse.

Superspreaders, clusters and dead ends: Research reveals more about how coronavirus spreads
PHOENIX – Research from Arizona and beyond suggests the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread erratically, making some infected people “superspreaders” and others dead ends for transmission. This can create clusters or “micro-hotspots” – neighborhoods, schools, towns or other small geographic areas where the virus runs rampant – even while communities next door remain relatively.

Gilbert’s Made With Love Market reopens, brings together small business owners
GILBERT – Nine months since closing down because of COVID-19, the Made With Love Market is back and bringing some much-needed exposure to small businesses in metro Phoenix. Made With Love Market came to be three years ago with the help of Maribeth Suvlette and her business partner, Cody, along with their shared love for.

Tolleson, Chandler communities saddened by COVID-related deaths of two beloved coaches
PHOENIX – When Arizona Schools Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said at a recent press conference that “two high school coaches have lost their lives to COVID-19,” it rattled a local sports community that largely felt immune to the disease. Tolleson assistant baseball coach Ash Friederich passed away from complications of the disease Oct. 31, and Chandler.

Ducey rejects new COVID-19 limits, as models foresee swamped hospitals
WASHINGTON – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey again rejected calls for tougher statewide COVID-19 restrictions Wednesday in the face of what experts called a pending “catastrophe,” opting instead for more funding for nurses and more pleas for personal responsibility. Ducey also ordered insurance companies to cover the costs of COVID-19 vaccinations, which could arrive in the.

Kelly takes oath, casts first vote as Arizona’s newest senator
WASHINGTON – Mark Kelly can drop “senator-elect” from his title. Less than a month after Election Day, Kelly was sworn in as the junior senator from Arizona on Wednesday and will serve the remaining two years of the late Sen. John McCain’s term. Kelly, who ran on a promise to be a bipartisan voice in.

Mesa teachers union urges district to halt in-person classes
The Mesa teachers association has urged Mesa Public Schools to halt in-person learning for its more than 63,000 students, citing rising COVID-19 infections in the state’s largest district. Remote learning is the safest option for the district, which operates 80 schools, Joshua Buckley, who heads the Mesa Education Association, said Wednesday. The association sent a.

State posts new COVID-19 case record, as possible holiday surge looms
WASHINGTON – Arizona reported a record 10,322 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, more than twice the previous high, as cases surged ahead of a holiday season that one health expert said could be a “real scary time.” State health officials were quick to point out that Tuesday’s numbers were artificially high because they encompassed a backlog.

Phoenix City Council expected to decide fate of local sports tournaments this week
PHOENIX – The City Council is expected to decide as early as Wednesday whether to cancel sports tournaments scheduled for December through February because of the continuing spread of COVID-19. The council’s decision could affect roughly 30 soccer and softball tournaments scheduled to take place at the city’s five sports complexes: Desert West, Encanto, Papago,.

‘Devastating’: Brophy Prep swimming reflects on season halted by COVID-19
PHOENIX – As high schools transition from fall to winter sports, Brophy Prep is left to reflect on a season that ended abruptly. After 32 years of dominating Arizona high school swimming, the boys team finally ran into an opponent the Broncos couldn’t outswim. COVID-19. “I think our first initial reaction was sort of like.

Navajo health director named to Biden’s advisory board on COVID-19
WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden has said dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic will be one of the first orders of business for his administration, and the head of the Navajo Health Department will be there to advise him on it. Biden’s transition team added Dr. Jill Jim over the weekend to the panel of health.

State leaders deride daylong rehash of rejected voting irregularities
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s attorneys presented hours of rehashed claims of previously rejected voting irregularities during a daylong meeting Monday that legislative leaders called an “illegitimate” exercise meant to undermine confidence in the elections. The meeting came as state officials certified the results of the election that awarded Arizona’s 11 electoral votes to President-elect.

Census: Not sure it can exclude migrants, but wants to be left to try
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration said it does not know how many immigrants might be excluded from the Census under a 2019 presidential order, but it still urged the Supreme Court on Monday to overturn lower courts that blocked the proposal. That was one of the arguments raised Monday as the court considered President Donald.

Proposition 207: What happens before recreational marijuana becomes legal in Arizona?
PHOENIX – Recreational use of marijuana will soon be legal in Arizona, thanks to Proposition 207’s easy passage, but economic and logistical hurdles remain before Arizonans will feel the effects. The measure – approved by more than 60% of voters in unofficial results from Nov. 3 – decriminalizes recreational marijuana use and possession for those.

Kelly already playing part of senator ahead of next week’s swearing-in
WASHINGTON – He won’t be Arizona’s next U.S. senator for another couple of days, but Sen.-elect Mark Kelly is already acting the part. Just days after Election Day, the Democrat was on Capitol Hill for new member orientation and conversations with sitting senators from both sides of the aisle, including Republicans Mitt Romney of Utah,.

‘We hold these truths to be’ A, B or C? Citizenship test gets harder
WASHINGTON – The good news for prospective citizens is that they will soon have more time to take the civics test that has long been a critical part of the citizenship process. The bad news is that, beginning next week, the test will be twice as long. And harder. And there’s no bonus for getting.

1 in 10 Maricopa County residents have likely had COVID-19, new study finds
PHOENIX – The number of COVID-19 infections in Arizona’s most populous county probably is far higher than what official counts show, according to a survey that found 1 in 10 residents have likely had the novel coronavirus that causes the disease. As health experts worry about a new spike in infections, a study by the.

Appeals court upholds child pornography conviction of Tucson man
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court Wednesday upheld a Tucson man’s conviction and sentence on child pornography charges, rejecting his argument that procedural problems at trial kept him from presenting his defense. Bryan Rusnak claimed that child pornography found on his home computer in 2014 had been downloaded by a friend without his knowledge. But.

That’s awkward: Trump touts Arizona election review that won’t happen
WASHINGTON – When the Trump campaign announced Tuesday that the Arizona Legislature would hold a public meeting next week to review this year’s elections, there was just one problem. Nobody told state lawmakers. “There is no legitimacy to that claim and there are no hearings being held on that issue on Monday or any other.

Copper rush: Opponents worry feds have fast-tracked Resolution mine OK
WASHINGTON – Activists worry that the Trump administration has fast-tracked the final environmental impact statement for the massive Resolution Copper mine, a project planned for lands near Superior that are claimed as sacred by the San Carlos Apache. Opponents became alarmed when the U.S. Forest Service’s schedules of proposed action, which said the environmental statement.

How Arizona universities are riding the waves of COVID-19
PHOENIX – As cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in Arizona and the rest of the nation, the state’s three public universities are wrangling their approaches to the pandemic in similar but separate ways. Arizona State University developed a saliva-based test and aims to monitor the spread through frequent mass testing. The University of Arizona,.

Food banks receive government help to fill bellies during holidays
PHOENIX – At one point Tuesday, cars came through at a rate of one every minute, six lanes across, to get boxes and bags of turkeys, potatoes and canned food from St. Mary’s Food Bank. Members of the National Guard and volunteers in neon-orange vests, all wearing masks or bandanas, loaded up one car trunk.

COVID-19 cases could push hospital beds, staff to limit, official says
WASHINGTON – The recent surge in COVID-19 cases could push hospital staff and hospital bed capacity to the limit in coming weeks, particularly if people are not careful over Thanksgiving, an Arizona hospital official said Tuesday. Marjorie Bessel, chief clinical officer for Banner Health, said its projections show the system will be using 125% of.

Inequality in dermatology brings misdiagnoses for patients of color
PHOENIX – Lack of representation of people of color in research and textbooks – as well as in white coats – has created gaps of inequality that cause Black patients to be misdiagnosed and undertreated in the field of dermatology, experts say. “Right now, the standard for dermatology is white skin,” said Dr. Chesahna Kindred,.

After weeks of fighting, ballot counting may be near finish in Arizona
WASHINGTON – All 15 Arizona counties had submitted official election results by Monday to the secretary of state, who will certify them in the next week or sooner – ending a contentious weeks-long battle over a normally routine process. That included GOP lawsuits challenging the election, angry rallies outside the Maricopa County Ballot Tabulation Center.

Holiday travel down this year, but millions still hit roads, airports
WASHINGTON – Thanksgiving travel is expected to be down sharply this year because of COVID-19, but as many as 50 million Americans are still expected to travel this week despite pleas from health experts to stay home. And those people who do travel could run into a bewildering array of restrictions when they reach their.

Nico Mannion, former NBA father Pace, reflect on former Pinnacle standout landing with Warriors
PHOENIX – Nico Mannion was considered one of the top college prospects in the country when he signed with the Arizona Wildcats after a standout career at Pinnacle High School. He even played for Italy’s national team as a teenager. So during the recent 2020 NBA Draft, Mannion expected to hear his name called much.

Lost on the front lines: Health care workers in Southwest who died fighting COVID-19
Health care workers across the country have risked their lives to care for COVID-19 patients, and Cronkite News reporters teamed up with the Guardian and Kaiser Health News to tell some of the stories of those who died because of exposure to the novel coronavirus that causes the deadly disease. Mark Daughterty: Nursing assistant played.

Mayors again call for statewide mask mandate as COVID-19 cases surge
WASHINGTON – Democratic mayors from across the state urged Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday to implement a statewide mask mandate, as COVID-19 cases surged past 4,000 for a second straight day and state hospitals neared capacity in their intensive care units. The call by mayors of Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Tolleson came two days after.

ASU basketball’s crowded backcourt gives ‘Guard U’ a preseason top 25 nod
Updated: ASU will face Rhode Island instead of Baylor, according to Empire Classic officials, following the Baylor coach’s disclosure of a COVID-19 diagnosis. LOS ANGELES – Eight months ago, Remy Martin threw his name into the hat that is the NBA Draft, leaving Arizona State basketball without its starting point guard. Two weeks after losing.

California high school athletes travel to Arizona to keep playing through COVID-19
SAN CLEMENTE, California – High school athletes can’t play competitively this fall semester due to California’s pandemic restrictions, so some elite players are traveling to Arizona and other states to maintain their skills and continue developing a scouting profile for colleges. With some high school sports indefinitely on hold, California athletes on club or travel.

Another judge dismisses another GOP suit over election, ballot count
PHOENIX – Arizona Republicans suffered another blow Thursday to their legal challenges to the election when a Maricopa County judge dismissed a suit claiming that county officials’ audit of ballots was in technical violation of state law. The ruling by Superior Court Judge John Hannah marked the second time in less than a week that.

Schools welcome state mandate for masks in classrooms, buses, events
WASHINGTON – Arizona health officials on Thursday mandated that students wear face coverings in school, on buses and at school activities, an emergency order that school officials called a step in the right direction, but not enough. The order by Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ follows Gov. Doug Ducey’s order this.

Flagstaff’s Snowbowl Ski Resort ready to open with COVID-19 restrictions
Snow in the Valley? Unlikely, but Arizonans can make their way about two hours north from Phoenix to Flagstaff to get a taste of winter. Snowbowl Ski Resort, the Alpine slopes on Northern Arizona’s San Francisco Peaks, opens for the winter season on Friday, with some slight changes due to COVID-19 restrictions. “Obviously we want.

No average Guy: Apache Junction football player remembered for drive, compassion
PHOENIX – Growing up, Alex Guy was called “Shock Collar” because his hits on the football field felt like an electronic dog collar. Throughout junior high school, his football pads acted as a Superman cape because he transformed into a different person on the field. When time came for Guy to undergo his fourth surgery.

Community health centers struggle to serve and survive during pandemic
PHOENIX – On a sun-drenched afternoon, Ana Brito arrives for a doctor’s appointment at Desert Mission Health Center, greeting staff members in Spanish. Nestled on a quiet street in north central Phoenix, the clinic is a one-stop shop for some of the city’s most vulnerable. Brito, 46, and her husband are uninsured, but the clinic.

Judge promises quick decision in latest Arizona GOP attack on election
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County judge said he would decide by Thursday morning whether to let the Arizona Republican Party proceed with its challenge to Maricopa County’s audit of ballots from this month’s election, an audit the party claims violated state law. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah Jr. appeared skeptical of GOP arguments.

In emotional Senate farewell, McSally thanks voters, wishes Kelly well
WASHINGTON – A sometimes emotional Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, gave her farewell address on the Senate floor Wednesday, saying that “serving and fighting for Arizona as a U.S. senator has been the opportunity of a lifetime.” McSally also wished “all the best” to Sen.-elect Mark Kelly, the Democrat who unseated her in this month’s elections.

Coconino official backs bill to burn forest waste for renewable energy
WASHINGTON – Coconino County Supervisor Art Babbott urged senators Wednesday to pass a bill that would let limbs and trees left over from forest maintenance be burned for renewable energy. Babbott, testifying before a Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee, said the lack of a market for forest waste has been a bottleneck choking efforts.

Ducey acts to reduce COVID risks from Thanksgiving travelers and winter visitors
PHOENIX – With Thanksgiving and the arrival of winter visitors drawing near, Gov. Doug Ducey announced new efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 from travelers and assist Arizonans most affected by the disease. “I know many in our state are asking: When will it end? The answer is: That’s not on the horizon..

Carbon free energy required by 2050 under Arizona Corporation Commission proposal
PHOENIX – States across the Southwest have adopted clean energy plans that regulate utility companies and work toward carbon-free goals. After lagging for several years, Arizona is starting to catch up. The Arizona Corporation Commission on Friday passed a proposal requiring utilities to be 100% free of carbon emissions by 2050 and meet particular benchmarks.

Want to play golf with Bobby Hurley or Sean Miller? Auction gives you the chance
PHOENIX – Would you play a round of golf with Roy Williams at Pinehurst? How about a foursome involving Ken Griffey Jr. at a Michael Jordan-owned course in Florida? Does hitting chip shots with Bobby Hurley or Sean Miller appeal to you? That’s the hope of Eric Sedransk, who was moved to find a way.

Arizona comes up short on report on lung cancer screening, treatment
WASHINGTON – Arizona was in the bottom tier in three of six categories in a new American Lung Association report, which put the state dead-last for the number of patients who receive treatment after getting a diagnosis of lung cancer. The 2020 “State of Lung Cancer” report released Tuesday also said Arizona ranked 46th among.

‘This is trauma’: Some Latino children face mental health struggles during pandemic
PHOENIX – The halls at Manzanita Elementary School are emptier than they were a year ago. But school social worker Anthony Guillen says he’s far busier, as students struggle to deal with the increased stress and psychological toll brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a typical year at the north central Phoenix school, Guillen.

Ballot count complete, but Republicans press ahead with challenges
WASHINGTON – Arizona elections officials finished counting the last of more than 3.4 million ballots over the weekend and are vowing to certify the results in the next two weeks, despite ongoing challenges from state Republicans. In the final unofficial count, President Donald Trump narrowed the gap with President-elect Joe Biden, but still trailed by.

Mount Graham red squirrel makes comeback, but not out of the woods yet
WASHINGTON – An endangered squirrel that was driven to the brink of extinction by wildfire just three years ago in southern Arizona has seen its numbers more than triple following federal, state and local preservation efforts. The Mount Graham red squirrel population was cut from 252 to just 33 squirrels in the wild after the.

AIA recommends postponing start of winter sports seasons
PHOENIX – The Arizona Interscholastic Association recommended postponing the start of winter high school sports such as basketball, wrestling and soccer to its executive board Monday, possibly pushing the start of those sports into January. AIA Executive Director David Hines will meet with state health and education officials before the executive board votes on the.

Delay of games: Back-to-back cancellations leave ASU football on uncertain path
TEMPE – During a sports year when news of a game cancellation can arrive at the last minute – especially in the scrambled Division I college football season – the Pac-12 Conference took the unusual step Sunday of canceling a football game nearly a week in advance. In a statement on Twitter, the conference said.

‘Disruptive and cruel’: Native Americans worry as Supreme Court weighs repeal of health care act
PHOENIX – Native American leaders are keeping close watch on the Supreme Court battle over whether to repeal all or parts of the Affordable Care Act, a move many say could devastate health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives. “In our vulnerable populations, particularly in the time of COVID-19 and its disproportionate impact on.

Pick one: California multisport athletes forced to choose, putting college recruitment at risk
ANAHEIM, California – Nicholas Mikhail has been a dual-threat in soccer and football throughout his high school career in Southern California. Entering his senior year in 2020, he was prepared to improve his chances of being recruited by college teams. The pandemic, however, had other plans. After the California Interscholastic Federation postponed all seasons in.

Trump backers take their turn, crowding Washington streets in protest
WASHINGTON – Tens of thousands of people turned the streets of Washington into a sea of flags and banners Saturday, marching and chanting in support of an embattled President Donald Trump as his election chances falter. The march went under a number of different names – Million MAGA March, Stop the Steal and March for.

As it drops one challenge, GOP files new suit over election returns
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Republican Party filed a second legal challenge Thursday to Maricopa County’s election returns, even as attorneys for the party were conceding that an earlier suit would not make a difference in the presidential results. With just 1,700 ballots left to count in Arizona as of Friday evening, President Donald Trump trailed.

McSally concedes to Kelly, capping costly and high-profile Senate race
WASHINGTON – Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, conceded Friday to Democratic challenger Mark Kelly, whose heavily funded campaign ousted the sitting Republican to give the state two Democratic senators for the first time in almost 70 years. McSally’s concession came 10 days after polls closed, ending the most expensive race in state history, when it became.

COVID-19 vaccine test subjects weighed risks, rolled up their sleeves
WASHINGTON – With Santa Cruz County facing one of the highest rates of COVID-19 cases in the state, Tubac Fire Department Fire Chief Cheryl Horvath knew that a vaccine is what’s needed to bring an end to the pandemic. But a vaccine requires human volunteers as test subjects. Horvath had never taken part in a.

Phoenix Rising re-sign eight starters, Junior Flemmings not among them
PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC announced on Friday it had re-signed eight players from its 2020 Western Conference Championship-winning team, but questions about the 2021 roster remain unanswered. The re-signed players – all starters – include goalkeeper Zac Lubin, defender Darnell King, midfielders Jon Bakero, Kevon Lambert, Santi Moar and Sam Stanton, and forwards Solomon.

Youth advocacy groups kept voters safe and informed on Election Day
LOS ANGELES – Young people stepped up on two fronts this Election Day: volunteering to replace older poll workers who feared exposure to COVID-19 and pushing more of their peers – an age group with historically low turnout – to register and vote. Across the Southwest, such organizations as Future Leaders of America, California Campus.

ASU’s Herm Edwards, multiple players test positive for COVID-19 as game vs. Cal canceled
PHOENIX – Arizona State football coach Herm Edwards has described the coronavirus as the “opponent you can not see” that teams have to prepare for many times this season. Unfortunately, that invisible opponent has made its way to him and his team. Arizona State’s football game scheduled for Saturday versus California was canceled Friday because.

Big Ten, here we come: ASU hockey team opens season at Michigan
TEMPE – We’ll never know what might have been for the 2020 Arizona State men’s hockey team. Ranked No. 13 on March 4, the Sun Devils, with a 22-11-3 record and seven wins in their last nine games, looked poised to make their second straight NCAA Tournament. That changed a week later, when the NCAA.

Trump’s voting irregularity claims get cold reception in court hearing
WASHINGTON – Trump campaign lawyers dropped claims of voter fraud Thursday, telling a Maricopa County Superior Court judge instead that they were in court to point out “good faith errors” by election officials that could have affected the vote count. “We are not alleging fraud in this lawsuit,” said Kory Langhofer, an attorney for the.

Field of flags tries to make sense of staggering COVID-19 death toll
WASHINGTON – The hardest part of Suzanne Firstenberg’s day is when she changes the numbers on the board – each number representing an American who has died as a result of COVID-19. She climbs on a concrete ledge, pulls off a large poster with one number on it and replaces it with a higher number.

Forecast calls for drier, warmer winter to follow ‘nonsoon’ summer
WASHINGTON – State and federal weather officials are predicting a warmer and drier than normal winter for Arizona, which would come on the heels of the driest monsoon ever recorded in the state. The “nonsoon” summer followed by a La Niña winter could spell trouble for water resources and wildfire conditions in a state already.

Arizona State football game against California remains in doubt
PHOENIX – Just two days before Arizona State is scheduled to host California in a Pac-12 football game, the status of the contest is still in question. The game could take place Saturday or Sunday, or not at all. Cal, who had one player test positive earlier this month, has been fighting local COVID-19 protocols.

Burned acreage up sharply, as Arizona 2020 wildfire season winds down
WASHINGTON – The acreage torched by wildfires in Arizona was up sharply this year, but fire officials said it was still not a particularly bad season in terms of lives lost and structures burned in the blazes. The 2020 wildfire season had burned just under 955,000 acres as of Wednesday, according to the Arizona Department.

Despite ‘eerie’ vibe, NASCAR Championship Weekend a hit with drivers, fans
AVONDALE — Before this year, NASCAR crowned Cup champions in Miami, home of sunny skies and crowded beaches. This year the crown jewel of the series finished in the desert, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Phoenix Raceway played host to its first championship weekend by implementing safety protocols that included a limited number of fans, masks.

Soldiering on: After layoff, guardsman wins ‘best warrior’ competition
WASHINGTON – Daniel D’Ippolito’s situation was hardly unique in March when he was laid off from his job renting heavy equipment, one of the tens of thousands of Arizonans who lost jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic that month. What he’s done since then, however, is unique. After he was laid off, D’Ippolito, a corporal.

Navajo hemp investigation expands to federal marijuana, labor probe
WASHINGTON – A Navajo Nation probe of a controversial, Navajo-owned hemp operation has turned into a federal investigation into reports of marijuana production, interstate drug trafficking and violations of labor and child labor laws. The FBI said Monday it had executed search warrants “in the area of Shiprock” in an operation that included nine federal.

COVID-19 and Veterans Day: Remember your mask as you remember our vets
WASHINGTON – In addition to wearing the traditional red, white and blue, people watching the Veterans Day parade in Prescott are being encouraged to wear something else this year: a mask. It’s just one of the ways that organizations across Arizona have responded to the coronavirus, trying to balance the usual parades and picnics with.

Pandemic shines light on complex coexistence of modern times, traditional ways on Navajo Nation
PHOENIX – The most recent album from Hataalii, a Navajo Nation indie-rock artist, closes with a pair of instrumental tracks called “Rain.” The songs, the artist said, are inspired by the relief that rains bring in hot summer months and the idea that all struggles subside with time. The message connects to something his grandmother.

Trump lawsuit targets Maricopa vote count, as gap with Biden narrows
WASHINGTON – The Trump campaign added Arizona this weekend to the list of states where it has gone to court to challenge the ballot count, charging that Maricopa County rejected ballots that should have been given a second review. The suit, filed Saturday in Maricopa County Superior Court, claims that those rejected ballots would “yield.

Telehealth is the best option for some but not all, mental health experts say
PHOENIX – Telehealth can help treat people with depression or other mental-health issues but patients need to guard their privacy and consider whether the treatment is right for them, health advocates said. June Rolph, a board-certified nurse practitioner in Phoenix, said patients may feel more emotionally removed from the therapeutic process in a video session.

Arizonans will be watching closely when Supreme Court takes up ACA
WASHINGTON – When the Supreme Court takes up the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act – again – Tuesday, Tucson resident Alicia DeWitt will be watching the case closely. Without the ACA, DeWitt said she would not have been able to get health insurance to pay for surgery to remove a brain tumor, and would.

Biden claims ‘clear victory’ as Arizonans await final vote counts in razor-thin election
PHOENIX – Amid celebrations on one side and vows to keep fighting on the other, Arizonans on Sunday awaited final vote counts even as President-elect Joe Biden claimed a “clear victory, a convincing victory” and began making plans for the next four years. Biden and Kamala Harris, making history as the first woman and first.