Finding Grandma Joyce: What happens when someone dies alone?
TUCSON – A two-year search for Joyce Maryanna Williams led to Maricopa County’s final resting place for the unclaimed, unidentified and indigent. Between September 2021 and August 2022, 718 people in Maricopa County died alone, meaning next of kin were unable to be located or refused to handle arrangements.
Cactus High students build a road-worthy electric vehicle
GLENDALE – As the world moves slowly away from fossil fuels, Cactus High School in Glendale is teaching automotive students how to build an electric vehicle from scratch.
Gilbert Fire and Rescue’s best arson investigator is a 4-year-old Lab named Zeta
GILBERT – Gilbert Fire and Rescue’s arson dog, Zeta, is their best investigator of suspicious fires. The 4-year-old Labrador can quickly and precisely locate accelerants, saving the fire department time and money.
Vertical farm in Avondale promotes sustainability, technology, water conservation
AVONDALE – The vertical farm OnePointOne has opened in Avondale and is growing a variety of leafy greens and strawberries. Among its benefits, vertical farming uses 99% less water than a traditional farm – which could significantly affect Arizona’s water supply.
For Arizona athletes, competing at Gallaudet means one less challenge
WASHINGTON - Challenge is a part of sports, but the challenges don't usually include being able to freely communicate with teammates and coaches. For deaf Arizona athletes on hearing teams back home, all that changed when they started competing for Gallaudet University.
After overwhelming voter OK, political ‘dark money’ law hailed as model
WASHINGTON - It could be months before the impact of Proposition 211 is seen in Arizona, but experts are already hailing the new law aimed at exposing "dark money" in politics as a model for the rest of the nation.
Valley homeowners take advantage of xeriscape incentives
MESA – Mesa and Chandler offer xeriscape incentives for homeowners to convert their grass lawns to more desert-friendly landscaping.
Indigent and unclaimed: 494 people memorialized in André House candlelight vigil
LITCHFIELD PARK – André House of Arizona held its annual Thanksgiving Eve candlelight vigil for the indigent and unclaimed buried at White Tanks Cemetery in Litchfield Park, which is Maricopa County’s potter’s field.
‘Somebody special for our 500th ride’: 100-year-old WWII veteran flies with Grounded No More
MESA – Grounded No More, a Mesa nonprofit that takes veterans on “honor flights,” took its 500th flight with 100-year-old WWII veteran Ted Giannone, who joined the Navy at 19.
Propositions: Measures to limit ‘dark money’ and medical debt pass
PHOENIX – Proposition 211, the ballot measure requiring disclosure for political spending, has passed, according to the Associated Press.
See updates from Arizona voters and polling locations on Election Day
PHOENIX – Voters across Arizona headed to the polls to make their voices heard this midterm election. Their votes on candidate races and propositions will determine the future of Arizona. This year, tensions are high as Arizonans decide on a new governor as well as a U.S. senator, among other races.
Piggin’ out for the planet: Halloween pumpkins wind up in livestock, not landfills
Pumpkin drives are becoming a popular way to give your Halloween pumpkins a second purpose while keeping them out of landfills, where they rot, generating greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change. Better Piggies Rescue and Rover Elementary School are among the groups hosting donation drives to collect pumpkins to feed them to animals or to be composted.
