Flagstaff gets $32.5 million in latest release of infrastructure act funds
WASHINGTON – Federal officials announced the release Thursday of $32.5 million for pedestrian improvements along Flagstaff's Downtown Mile, the largest portion of what one official said will be biggest transit investment in the city in years.
In the cards: Arizona show puts blossoming collecting industry on full display
PHOENIX – Cole McAuliff’s vision for the collectibles industry in Arizona has turned into putting on big shows like the Arizona State Card Show. The growth of his organization, Collectibles on College, mirrors the rise of the collectibles industry since the coronavirus pandemic.
Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet
LOS ANGELES – Some designers are becoming more sustainable by replacing traditional leather with such materials as pineapple, cactus and cork. They look great and are better for the environment.
Union membership in Arizona inches up, still trails most of the nation
WASHINGTON - After bottoming out at 4% in 2017, labor union membership in Arizona has been slowly rising, reaching 5.4% in 2021, but it is still well behind levels of previous years and only about half of the national average.
Average gas price falls below $4 in Arizona, after record-high summer
WASHINGTON - The average price for gas in Arizona fell to $3.99 a gallon Thursday, the first time in months it has been below $4 and a sharp decrease from the record high of $5.388 hit just two months ago. It's part of a steady decline in gas prices nationally.
Both sides find something wanting in Biden’s student-debt relief plan
WASHINGTON - There are nearly 900,000 Arizonans who could benefit from a White House plan for student debt relief - and almost as many opinions about whether it's good or not, with conservatives saying it goes too far and progressives saying it does not go far enough.
Libraries drop fines, add services to entice readers to return
PHOENIX – Several libraries in the Valley have eliminated overdue fines and taken other steps to get more readers back in the fold and on the same page.
Capitalizing on capital’s draw, street vendors peddle to protests, tours
WASHINGTON - Whether it's icy bottles of water out of a cooler in the summer, or hats and T-shirts in the winter, when political movements come to Washington they are invariably trailed by an army of vendors who capitalize on the protesters' need for food, water and souvenirs.
3D printing and foam: Arizona organizations make homes more sustainable
PHOENIX – Amid climate change and an affordable housing crisis in Arizona, organizations have developed housing solutions, including using 3D printing and plastic foam, to make buildings better for the environment and for tight budgets.
Tempe streetcar opens as Valley Metro expands light rail west and south
TEMPE – Valley Metro is expanding the reach of public transportation across the Phoenix area, including a recently opened streetcar in Tempe and light rail expansions northwest to Metrocenter mall and south to Baseline Road.
Fight over Resolution Copper Mine drags on – and both sides expect more
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers, federal regulators and courts have been grappling with challenges to the proposed Resolution Copper Mine in Oak Flat for years, and while the two sides agree on little, most agree that the debate is likely to continue for years to come.
A special routine: Schweikert a top user of House ‘special order’ speeches
WASHINGTON - Arizona GOP Rep. David Schweikert, a self-described "accountant on steroids," is one of the biggest users of "special order" speeches, the end-of-day time when lawmakers are free to address an empty chamber - and C-SPAN cameras - for pet issues or peeves.
