Some back-to-school events go beyond backpacks and pencils and offer health care, groceries for entire families

PHOENIX – Some back-to-school events have moved beyond notebooks and backpacks and try to help the whole family with health care, groceries and haircuts. “If parents or grandparents aren’t happy and healthy, they can’t help their kids,” one partner said.

Isaac Elementary School District and United Healthcare gave away 1,000 backpacks full of school supplies during its joint back-to-school event at Isaac Middle School. (Photo by Kylie Werner/Cronkite News)

From Tempe to Auckland: Arizona State’s Gabi Rennie triumphs as New Zealand claims first World Cup win

TEMPE – Less than 700 miles away from her hometown of Christchurch, ASU forward Gabi Rennie ran onto the pitch in front of over 40,000 fans in the 94th minute to help the Football Ferns in its first senior World Cup victory.

Arizona State women's soccer forward Gabi Rennie celebrates her momentous debut and New Zealand's first win in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in front of a roaring home crowd of over 40,000 fans at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

U.S. criticizes Mexico over protection of vaquitas, stops short of sanctions

WASHINGTON - Mexico is not living up to its responsibility to protect the threatened totoaba fish and the critically endangered vaquita, a small porpoise of which there are only around a dozen left in the Gulf of California, the Biden administration said this week.


Feds to pay for environmental repair, wildlife care, more at border wall

WASHINGTON - The federal government has agreed to pay $1.2 billion to repair environmental damages and reinstate Pentagon projects sidelined by construction of the border wall, and will take steps to protect wildlife in the region.


Arizona legislator gives ASU 60 days to respond to free speech suppression allegations

PHOENIX – Republican Sen. Anthony Kern gave ASU 60 days to look into claims that faculty members at its honors college bullied students into not attending a school event because of its political speakers.

The Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Freedom of Expression at Arizona's Public Universities holds its first meeting on July 18, 2023. The discussion focused on an incident at Arizona State University. (Photo by Ole Braatelien/Cronkite News)

‘We cannot continue to scar Mother Earth’: Public shows support for proposed monument near Grand Canyon

FLAGSTAFF – Dozens of community members, tribal leaders and state officials gathered in Flagstaff to show their support for a proposed national monument around the Grand Canyon, saying the designation could protect natural and cultural resources. Critics say the monument could hurt the economy.

Nearly 200 people attend a meeting to discuss the proposed national monument near the Grand Canyon in Flagstaff on July 18, 2023. (Photo by Ashley Lay/Cronkite News)

Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier launch Unrivaled league to revolutionize WNBA’s offseason play under prioritization clause

LAS VEGAS – Former UConn teammates turned WNBA stars are looking to investors for a new 3-on-3 league in Miami during the WNBA offseason. The idea is a direct response to the WNBA’s prioritization rule and a growing fear of traveling to play overseas.

Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier unveiled their game-changing women's basketball league, Unrivaled. The former UConn teammates aim to reshape the offseason landscape for WNBA players. (Photos by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

A peek into the world of celebrity row at the 2023 NBA Summer League

LAS VEGAS – Summer league is more than an opportunity for players to earn roster spots in the NBA. It’s 11 days of celebrity sighting in these Las Vegas arenas.

Former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and girlfriend Jaclyn Cordeiro sit courtside at the Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves game. (Photo by Taylyn Hadley/Cronkite News)

Pride Night in sports stirs divisive reactions among athletes, leagues and LGBTQ community

PHOENIX – As the celebration and importance of Pride nights in sports face challenges from professional athletes and programs, organizations are confronted with the question of how to progress in hosting future events amidst the presence of trailblazers and protesters.

In the face of challenges, courageous athletes and advocates unite under the rainbow banner and remain determined to make Pride Night an enduring symbol of equality and progress in the world of sports. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Coconino official tells House ‘anti-ESG’ bills threaten public investments

WASHINGTON - Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar told House lawmakers Tuesday that it's her job to get the best, and safest, return on public investments for taxpayers, but that "anti-ESG" legislation puts public dollars at risk.


Latest student debt-relief plan could mean $1 billion for 20,000 in Arizona

WASHINGTON – More than 20,000 Arizona residents would see $1 billion in student debt erased under a Biden administration plan unveiled just two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down a previous debt-forgiveness plan.


Arizona State coaches grapple with unregulated terrain of NIL and transfer portal

TEMPE – Before Name, Image and Likeness deals were OK'd by the NCAA in July 2022, Arizona State coaches focused more on recruiting and less on retaining. The transfer portal existed, but rules and regulations made its impact minimal over a long stretch of time.

Arizona State coaches Kenny Dillingham, left, Bobby Hurley, middle, and Willie Bloomquist face new offseason challenges due to NIL and the transfer portal in the evolving landscape of college athletics. (Illustration by Spencer Durose/Cronkite News)