Arizona LGBTQIA+ high school, college students say their ‘lives could change’ with presidential election

PHOENIX – Arizona high school and college LGBTQIA+ students shared their views before Tuesday’s elections, with some students saying they feel like their priorities have not been adequately addressed by either political party.


Well, well, well: Taxpayers pay the price for oil and gas wells leaking methane as multiple entities work to plug them

WASHINGTON – Ownerless oil and gas wells leak methane into the environment. The plugging process isn’t simple, but it is costly and taxpayers carry this financial burden. Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva and the Well Done Foundation want to alleviate this strain.


Biden issues formal apology for treatment of Indigenous children within federal boarding schools

LAVEEN VILLAGE – Joe Biden visited the Gila River Indian Community Friday morning to make history: He issued a formal apology to all tribal nations over the past treatment of Indigenous children within federal boarding schools. This landmark event was met with heavy emotion as the boarding school system affected many in attendance.


Will tax deduction cap expire under Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? Experts weigh potential impact on Arizona taxpayers

WASHINGTON – Arizona homeowners could see a tax break from the state and local tax deduction cap if tax code changes occur after the election and 2025 expiration of Donald Trump-era tax cuts. The cap has affected higher-income residents, though many Arizonans remain unaffected by the state’s flat tax.

A crowd of people standing outside the capitol building holding signs that say "Tax The Rich."

Phoenix says visits to heat relief centers skyrocketed during record-breaking summer, and 92% were from people experiencing homelessness

PHOENIX – City officials said Phoenix’s heat-relief network saved many lives this summer, particularly among the unhoused population.

Kate Gallego speaking at a podium with a pink and white design on a screen behind her.

Flourishing Los Angeles: Activists reclaim urban spaces through guerrilla gardening

LOS ANGELES – Guerrilla gardening empowers communities to reclaim neglected urban spaces and combat environmental issues. This movement promotes sustainable practices, fosters social change and environmental awareness while transforming the city’s concrete landscape. City officials urge going through the permitting process.

Man holding a block of substrate with yellow mushrooms in a mushroom cultivation room.

These police officers had red flags in their past, then used force in a case that ended in death

Nearly three dozen officers who had been disciplined for violent or criminal offenses went on to be involved in other deadly encounters with the public, according to an investigation by The AP and Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism.


Maricopa County combats heat with its heat-relief network; Phoenix reports serving 35,000

PHOENIX – Maricopa County opens several heat-relief centers every summer. These centers are vital to the community when the weather outside reaches unbearable temperatures; centers in Phoenix served more than 35,000 this summer.

The Burton Barr Central Library respite center stands in the blazing heat, and those seeking relief run to its doors to seek shelter. (Photo by Jalen Woody/Cronkite News)

Gen Z in Arizona and beyond worries that food choices are driving climate change

WASHINGTON – Gen Zers seek healthier food systems amid concerns about the environmental and health impacts of processed foods. Sustainable practices are a point of pride for Arizona’s Date Creek Ranch among other businesses.

A dry field with sparse alfalfa and a clear blue sky with clouds.

The cumulative stress of policing has public safety consequences for law enforcement officers, too

The mental health needs of law enforcement officers are rarely emphasized in the ongoing debate over police reform. The consequences for officers and the public can be dangerous – and even deadly.


As Costa Rica welcomes record-breaking number of tourists, the country is battling rising crime

SAN JOSÈ, Costa Rica — In 2023 Costa Rica’s tourism industry attracted 2.5 million visitors, a figure that’s steadily been on the rise due to the country’s welcoming nature and high level of safety. This reputation is now being threatened by a growing cartel presence and an expanding consumer market for illegal drugs.

Two Costa Rican police officers watch passersby on Central Avenue in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, on March 1, 2024. According to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation agency (OIJ), there were over 900 homicides in 2023—the most violent year in the country’s history. Officials primarily attributed them to narcotrafficking groups. (Photo by Carly Stoenner/Cronkite Borderlands Project)

In Costa Rica and elsewhere, U.S. ‘Safe Mobility’ program for migrants is unknown, underused

PASO CANOAS, Costa Rica – Costa Rica, along with Guatemala, Colombia and Ecuador, has a “Safe Mobility” office where migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. are encouraged to apply and be evaluated for refugee status, instead of traveling to the border and facing potential rejection. But the system is underused and almost unknown.

Migrant families take their seats on a bus chartered by Costa Rican government for the next leg of a trip north toward the United States. (Photo by Christopher Lomahquahu/Cronkite Borderlands Project)