Nearly a third of teacher vacancies went unfilled this fall, most in 8 years
WASHINGTON - Nearly one-third of teaching vacancies in Arizona public and charter schools this fall had still not been filled one month into the school year, according to a new report, that said that was the most in eight years of data on school vacancies.
Growing Arizona Jewish population finds community in synagogues, elsewhere for High Holy Days
PHOENIX – The Jewish population in Maricopa County has grown by nearly 20% since 2002, according to an Arizona State University study done in 2019. But leaders in the Jewish community say the proliferation of synagogues – with most in Scottsdale and North Phoenix – hasn’t kept up with the growth of the Jewish population. People are finding alternate places to gather, including Zoom, on campus and in friendship groups.
Girls Golf empowers next generation of female golfers through LaBauve Cup at Scottsdale
SCOTTSDALE – Girls Golf of Phoenix hosted its third annual LaBauve Cup in Scottsdale. The only group of its kind, the Cup is a segway for the organization to promote more golf opportunities for girls.
Youth golf charity First Tee-Phoenix celebrates 20 years of giving back
SCOTTSDALE – First Tee-Phoenix is an organization dedicated to educating and empowering the youth generation through the game of golf. The organization held a 20th anniversary dinner at Ocean 44 to raise funds, drawing celebrities and pro golfers to the red carpet.
22 years later, 9/11 Tempe Healing Field tribute honors lives in terrorist attack
TEMPE – The Tempe Healing Field tribute at Tempe Beach Park honors the lives of those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
ESA program added almost 50,000 students in the past year, state reports
WASHINGTON – The state added nearly 12,000 students to the Empowerment Scholarship Account program in the last quarter, bringing total enrollment to 61,689 at the end of June and renewing debates about the costs and benefits of the program.
Freeze on DACA approvals leaves thousands of Arizona migrants in limbo
WASHINGTON - An estimated 1.1 million undocumented individuals in the U.S. are eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protection – 44,000 in Arizona - but fewer than half actually have coverage, as new applications have been frozen by ongoing court challenges.
Student loan repayments will hit economy; how hard depends on who’s being hit
WASHINGTON - When federal student loan payments resume Oct. 1, they could pull $71 billion a year out of the economy, $5.3 billion from Arizona. The pain could be real for borrowers - about 880,000 in Arizona - but will present only a "modest headwind" to the overall economy.
What’s in a name change? Too many hurdles, transgender advocates say
WASHINGTON - Activists say that Arizona is about in the middle of states in terms of the hoops transgender people have to jump through to amend their driver's license, birth certificate or other state-issued documentation. But that doesn't mean it's easy, they say.
Group mentor program in Tucson teaches male youth about healthy relationships
TUCSON – A mentoring program is using talking circles, adventure outings and overnight camping trips to help young men develop positive and healthy relationships. The goal is to give every boy in middle and high school access to safe and trusted men.
House dads: Gallego’s paternity leave shows slowly growing acceptance
WASHINGTON - Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, was not the first House member to take paternity leave, but that doesn't mean it was considered routine either. But experts say it's becoming more common in private workplaces, and is starting to be "normalized" in Congress.
From hot issues to hot dogs, politicians turn to Threads to reach voters
WASHINGTON - Among the 100 million users who reportedly signed up last month for Threads, Meta's new social media platform, were Arizona politicians from both state and federal office and from both sides of the aisle.
