HistoriCorps volunteers help preserve structures at Crescent Moon Ranch in Sedona

SEDONA – The nonprofit organization HistoriCorp partnered with Coconino National Forest to preserve historic buildings on the Crescent Moon Ranch in Sedona, founded in 1880.

HistoriCorps volunteer Yumi Shimizu, left, learns how to use a circular saw from project supervisor Pete Specht on Oct. 24, 2022, with Sedona’s Cathedral Rock as a picturesque backdrop. (Photo by Drake Presto/Cronkite News)

SRP researches cloud seeding in White Mountains to create snow amid historic drought

PHOENIX – SRP is researching cloud seeding along the Mogollon Rim as Arizona continues to struggle with its worst drought in 1,200 years. The partnership with the White Mountain Apache Tribe could bring Arizona its first cloud seeding operation.

A turboprop Piper PA31T Cheyenne II airplane sits in storage. These twin-engine airplanes carry both hygroscopic and glaciogenic flares to use for cloud seeding. (Photo courtesy of Gary Walker/SOAR)

Companionship and championships: Adult baseball league provides outlet to live out childhood

GOODYEAR – The National Adult Baseball Association plays its World Series in Phoenix every year and is one of America's fastest-growing adult baseball leagues. Mitch Gross, Chris Cumrine, Eric Alexander and Rick Fischer are four of the thousands of men that have all found a new home to play baseball.


Climate change and drought are muting bright fall colors as we know them

FLAGSTAFF – Visitors travel far and wide to view fall colors in northern Arizona, but climate change and ongoing drought are affecting fall foliage as we know it. The PhenoCam Network, based in Flagstaff, is tracking these changes.

A row of bright yellow aspen trees at Arizona Snowbowl north of Flagstaff show off their fall grandeur on Oct. 22, 2022. (Photo by Payton Major/Cronkite News)

Student loan forgiveness program would help Black, Latino borrowers in Arizona

PHOENIX – Student loan forgiveness could eliminate college debt for thousands of Black and Latino borrowers in Arizona. According to a report from the Student Borrower Protection Center, 90% of Black and 72% of Latinx students take out loans to attend college, compared with 66% of white students.

Students walk across the Arizona State University campus in Tempe on Aug. 24, 2022. According to a report from the Student Borrower Protection Center, 90% of Black and 72% of Latinx students take out loans to attend college, compared with 66% of white students. (File photo by Sophie Oppfelt/Cronkite News)

For love of the game: Arete Prep’s Aiden Wander leaves heart on the field after scary injury

GILBERT – Arete Prep RB Aiden Wander doesn’t remember leaving the field after suffering a concussion early in the season. His road to recovery was long and difficult, but there was never a doubt that he was going to finish out his senior year.

Aiden Wander poses with his family at Arete Prep's senior night, which marked his final high school football game. (Photo by Michele Aerin/Cronkite News)

Arizona taking steps to combat maternal mortality, one doula at a time

TEMPE – A new doula advisory committee in Arizona is developing certification procedures for the nonmedical labor professionals. It will bring the state one step closer to increasing access to doulas – who, research shows, can help prevent pregnancy-associated deaths.

Latisa Ratliff holds her daughter in her living room in Tempe, Arizona, on Nov. 16, 2022. As a birth doula and a mother of three, Ratliff encourages her clients to find a health care provider who listens to their individual needs. “Listen to that mother’s intuition,” Ratliff says. (Photo by Laura Bargfeld/Cronkite News)

Bears witness: Phoenix College women’s soccer moves one title closer to building a dynasty

PHOENIX – The Phoenix College women’s soccer team has won two of the past three nationals after upsetting the No. 1 seed in this year’s Division II national championship tournament. Can the team replaces its stars and keep the momentum going into next season?

The Phoenix College women's soccer team celebrates its second Division II national championship on Nov. 19 after shutting out No. 1 Holmes, 4-0, in a rematch of the 2020 title game. (Photo courtesy of NJCAA.com)

Busker nation: Outside of sporting events, street performers capture soundtrack of Phoenix life

PHOENIX – Outside of Phoenix sporting events and concerts, local street performers set the ambience for fans. Many of them come from illustrious musical backgrounds, and they’re hoping you’ll listen, even if just for a moment.

Trumpet player Edward Conway performs outside Footprint Center following a Suns victory over the Warriors on Nov. 16. Conway started busking out of necessity. (Photo by Nikash Nath/Cronkite News)

Certain sports promote stronger skeletons in kids, study finds

LOS ANGELES – A University of Indiana study found that young “unidirectional athletes,” such as swimmers and runners, have a higher risk of bone-related injuries than youngsters who pursue multidirectional sports, like football and basketball.

A University of Indiana study found that young “unidirectional athletes,” such as swimmers and runners, have a higher risk of bone-related injuries than those who pursue multidirectional sports, like football and basketball. (File photo courtesy of Northern Arizona Athletics)

Last-second miss: GCU men fall to North Texas in Jerry Colangelo Classic

PHOENIX – GCU came up just short against North Texas in the Jerry Colangelo Classic, named after the former owner of several Arizona teams and the namesake of GCU’s business school.

North Texas forward Aaron Scott, left, and Grand Canyon guard Ray Harrison fight for possession during the Jerry Colangelo Classic Saturday at Footprint Center. GCU lost on a last-second shot. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Arizona slipped from top 10 in Pentagon spending, but defense economy still strong

WASHINGTON - Pentagon spending in Arizona fell sharply in fiscal 2021, part of an overall decline in expenditures nationally that bumped the state from seventh place among states to 13th, Pentagon data shows, but experts say the industry remains strong in the state.