Phoenix explorer, entrepreneur will be on first civilian crew to go into space

PHOENIX – A Phoenix professor will be among the crew members to fly on the first all-civilian space flight that SpaceX launches this fall.


PPE trash, plastic – and feces – mar many beaches and scenic spots across the Southwest

LOS ANGELES – Face masks, plastic bottles and other items are showing up more and more in nature since the beginning of COVID-19 as people go outdoors.


Neighbors hope for relief from crematorium smoke as COVID-19 deaths decrease

PHOENIX – Maricopa County’s air quality department lifted regulations for crematoriums to operate past sunset. Public records show county residents have filed nearly 20 complaints about smoke coming from across the county.


Tribal leaders ask for more funding, less meddling for water projects

WASHINGTON - Arizona tribal officials told a Senate committee Wednesday that the federal government can help address a crisis with water infrastructure on their lands through more funding, and less meddling.

Man on top of water tank

Mohave County, Navajo officials push to broaden ‘downwinder’ coverage

WASHINGTON - Federal law compensates people who lived downwind of nuclear test sites, including many residents of northern Arizona - but not in most of Mohave County. Arizona officials told a House panel its time to change the boundaries and right that wrong.


Why this Japanese musician performed on Piestewa Peak every morning for a year

PHOENIX – Ken Koshio specializes in the ancient Japanese taiko drumming, and for a year, he committed to welcoming the start of each day at the top of Piestewa Peak. His performance often drew an audience.


Chiricahua leopard frogs face habitat challenges as Phoenix Zoo works to save them

PHOENIX - Chiricahua leopard frogs, native to Arizona, have been named a threatened species since 2002, but a Phoenix partnership is trying to help.


Despite steep decline, monarch butterflies aren’t as endangered as other species, agency says

PHOENIX - The number of monarch butterflies continues to decline, and conservationists fear not enough is being done to protect the species.


A Colorado River showdown is looming. Let the posturing begin.

A showdown is looming among the states that rely on the Colorado River for drinking and irrigation water. Negotiations are set to start on the river's future among worsening drought conditions.


Thrift shops and sustainable fashion outlets thrive during the pandemic

PHOENIX - While most businesses have been suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, thrift stores across Arizona have been experiencing success.


Senate makes history with vote confirming Haaland as Interior secretary

WASHINGTON - The Senate Monday confirmed New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as the next Interior secretary, a historic vote that makes her the first Native American to head a Cabinet agency.


Call of the wild: Record number of sandhill cranes winter in Arizona this year

TOMBSTONE – A record 47,000 sandhill cranes were recorded in mid-January between Whitewater Draw and the nearby Willcox Playa, which is a dry lake most of the year.