Connected, dangerous and complete: Arizona Diamondbacks aim to cement place among MLB’s elite teams

SCOTTSDALE — As the Arizona Diamondbacks enter 2024 Spring Training, they carry the momentum of their surprising 2023 World Series journey, armed with a bolstered roster and a renewed sense of determination.

Manager Torey Lovullo's Arizona Diamondbacks are poised to prove that their unity, talent and hunger make them a force to be reckoned with in 2024. (Photo by Joe Eigo/Cronkite News)

‘Looseness to this group’: Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen enters 2024 Spring Training with sense of relief

SCOTTSDALE – After being a major factor in the team’s 2023 postseason run, the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen is prepared to take the next step forward and build off the team’s National League pennant.

Ryan Thompson says he's open to stepping into any bullpen role for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2024 season. (Photo by Joe Eigo/Cronkite News)

MLB managers praise Arizona Diamondbacks for improbable success in 2023

GLENDALE — The Diamondbacks shocked the baseball world with their improbable 2023 postseason run that resulted in a World Series appearance. Looking toward 2024, numerous MLB managers have praised the team for the team’s recent success.

San Diego Padres manager and part-time Valley resident Bob Melvin discusses the 2023 run of the Diamondbacks, a team he used to manage. (Photo by Joseph Eigo/Cronktie News)

Feds OK state plan to expand KidsCare eligibility, pay parent caregivers

PHOENIX - Arizona will expand income eligibility for the state's KidsCare program, potentially adding10,000 children to the low-cost health care program, and will make permanent a pandemic-era program to pay parents who act as caregivers for their disabled children.


Community 43 supplements Phoenix traditional mental health services with ‘clubhouse’ model focused on social and cognitive skills

PHOENIX — Community 43, a Phoenix mental health facility, uses a “clubhouse” model to provide recreational opportunities for members to improve quality of life and regain independence.


Building dreams: Phoenix Rising FC paving way for Arizona’s soccer future, one youth player at a time

PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer serves as a cornerstone of Arizona's soccer development, offering comprehensive programs that nurture talent from grassroots levels.


Chub snub? Advocates question plan to protect threatened Colorado River fish

Federal water managers proposed a new plan to protect the humpback chub, a threatened native fish species in the Colorado River and its tributaries, but conservation groups say it does not go far enough.


‘It’s home’: Desireé Reed-Francois introduced as University of Arizona’s athletic director

TUCSON – As the University of Arizona welcomes Desireé Reed-Francois as its first female athletic director, the institution embarks on a new era marked by fiscal challenges, conference realignment and a commitment to maintaining all 18 Division I sports programs.

Desireé Reed-Francois, second from right, steps into her role as the University of Arizona's first female athletic director, promising a strategy centered on fiscal responsibility, philanthropy and athlete engagement. (Photo by Anthony Remedios/Cronkite News)

Insider look: Freshman forward Hunter Friesen takes viewers behind the scenes of ASU club hockey on YouTube

TEMPE — Hunter Friesen, a freshman forward on Arizona State's club hockey team, provides viewers with an inside look into the world of collegiate athletics through his rapidly growing YouTube channel.

Through YouTube videos, ASU freshman Hunter Friesen brings to light the experiences and routines of athletes as a member of the club hockey team. (Photo by Daniella Trujillo/Cronkite News)

Safety first: USA Hockey’s youth neck guard mandate receives positive response in Arizona after tragic incidents

SCOTTSDALE – USA Hockey mandated the use of neck guards for youth hockey players from the age of 18 and under. Members of the Jr. Coyotes react to the news and give their feedback on the safety of hockey players.

In the wake of recent tragedies, youth hockey players and supporters embrace the mandatory use of neck guards. The NHL currently does not have any such mandate for players. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

House panel advances GOP plan to check citizenship of welfare recipients

PHOENIX - A House committee, on a party-line vote, gave preliminary approval Monday to a ballot measure that would require cities, towns and agencies to check the citizenship status of anyone applying for public welfare benefits or a license of any kind.


From Serbia to Phoenix: Freshman Iva Sepa makes waves in tennis, culture at Grand Canyon University

PHOENIX – Iva Sepa's journey from Serbia to Phoenix takes center stage as she embraces collegiate tennis at Grand Canyon University while navigating the challenges of a new country.

Serbian athlete Iva Sepa shines as a freshman tennis player at Grand Canyon University while navigating the challenges of living in a new country. (Photo courtesy of GCU Athletics)