‘Sentimental thing:’ Neon signs still cast an eerie glow, but mostly in museums
GLENDALE, Calif. – The warm glow of neon is being preserved in cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Casa Grande, Arizona. Some find it soothing reminders of yesteryear. Others just get a laugh out of some of it.
First in the nation law requires tech companies to take steps to improve kids’ well-being
PHOENIX – Research shows that more young Americans are facing mental health struggles, and technology is partly to blame. A new California law requires tech companies to do more to protect the privacy and data of children online. The measure could pave the way for similar laws elsewhere.
‘Somebody special for our 500th ride’: 100-year-old WWII veteran flies with Grounded No More
MESA – Grounded No More, a Mesa nonprofit that takes veterans on “honor flights,” took its 500th flight with 100-year-old WWII veteran Ted Giannone, who joined the Navy at 19.
Symptoms of COVID ‘long haulers’ baffle doctors looking for treatment options
LOS ANGELES – With COVID-19 restrictions having faded away, doctors are seeing an influx of patients with long-term symptoms that are similar to the severe symptoms shown at the peak of the pandemic but are not as lethal. Doctors and other health care providers in Southern California are working with patients to correctly diagnose them and provide proper care to ease their suffering.
Voters with disabilities have many ways to cast ballots in Maricopa County
PHOENIX – An estimated 38 million eligible voters in the U.S. have a disability, but they tend to have a lower turnout rate than voters without disabilities. A Phoenix nonprofit works with disabled residents on what to expect on Election Day.
Ride to the polls: Grassroots effort gets people out to vote on the Navajo Nation
KAYENTA – Protect the Sacred is a grassroots effort to find new and creative ways to engage with young Indigenous voters. Earlier this year, the group skateboarded to the polls for the primary election, and recently they gathered in Kayenta to ride horses to the polls ahead of Nov. 8.
Observations vary by culture, but remembrance remains the heart of Día de los Muertos
PHOENIX – Although Día de los Muertos has been commercialized and thought to be the “Mexican Halloween,” it remains a day of remembrance. Those who celebrate also remember the origins of the holiday, which reach back to the Aztecs.
Valley animal shelters struggle to ease overcrowding amid economic instability
PHOENIX – Metro Phoenix is experiencing an animal housing crisis of overcrowded animal shelters. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and the Arizona Humane Society are offering resources to pet owners and rolling out initiatives to get pets out of shelters and into permanent or foster homes.
Day of the Dead, Hollywood style, comes to movie star cemetery
LOS ANGELES – Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, attracts thousands every year to Hollywood Forever. Families created altars for loved ones who have died, adorning them with photographs, decorations and some of the departed’s favorite things. The hope was, even in death, their family members might return and enjoy the tributes for one day of the year.
Pain, action and hope: Activists have battled for police reform for decades
OAKLAND, Calif. – Activists are pushing for police reform, building on the struggles of the past to improve the future of policing in the U.S. To long-time activist Elaine Brown in Oakland, that means being willing to risk your job, to consistently confront the uncomfortable.
Yoga for addiction recovery and mental health expands among care providers
Within the past decade, behavioral and mental health providers have adopted yoga as a supplemental treatment tool for addiction recovery. With overdose deaths up by 30% in 2020, people are turning to less traditional methods, like practicing yoga, to get and stay clean.
Higher ed math: Proposition 308 would let Dreamers pay in-state tuition
WASHINGTON - Proposition 308 would let undocumented residents or Arizona pay in-state tuition to attend one of the state's universities. If approved, it would reverse a 2006 ballot measure that passed by a huge margin, but supporters say times have changed in Arizona.
