Last place? ASU dismisses skeptics who predict poor Big 12 finish
LAS VEGAS – Arizona State football coach Kenny Dillingham attended his first Big 12 Football Media Day. Picked to finish last in the conference, the Sun Devils and Dillingham say they have improved in the offseason and hope to prove critics wrong.
Arizona farmers turn to solar panels to shade crops, save water and generate power
WASHINGTON – With Arizona’s blazing sunshine and depleting water sources, agrivoltaics could be used to grow healthy crops in a sustainable way. Federal funding under IRA and REAP is helping farmers get started.
‘Philly Special’: Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper’s hometown grit reshaping Phoenix Mercury’s culture
PHOENIX – Philadelphia natives Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper are transforming the Phoenix Mercury with their resilient play and shared hometown bond.
‘Something to prove’: ASU men’s basketball rebuilds for Big 12 transition with high-profile recruits, transfers
TEMPE – After a disappointing season, ASU men’s basketball revitalizes its roster with top-tier recruits and transfers, aiming for a successful debut in the Big 12 Conference under Coach Hurley’s leadership.
‘It’s a lot’: Phoenix Mercury battle mental challenges to endure grueling compressed schedule
PHOENIX – Nate Tibbetts and his players discuss the mental toll that playing on a compressed schedule presents. The team stresses unity to persevere through the demanding juncture in the season.
Navajo uranium miners, people downwind of atom bomb tests demand justice as Congress lets aid program lapse
WASHINGTON – Congress let the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expire June 10, leaving Navajo uranium workers and people downwind of nuclear weapons tests furious.
International athletes watch from sidelines as U.S. peers cash in on NIL deals
PHOENIX – International college athletes in the US cannot profit from NIL deals due to visa restrictions. However, lawmakers are looking for ways to change that by adjusting visa restrictions and implementing employment authorization for student-athletes.
Arizona could see open primaries on the ballot this November, allowing independents to weigh in on presidential nominees
WASHINGTON – Backers of a ballot initiative that would open Arizona’s presidential primaries to independent voters filed over 500,000 signatures to get on the November ballot. Over a third of voters are independents, who make up one in three registered voters.
Arizona’s homeless could be targeted by police under Supreme Court ruling allowing bans on public encampments
WASHINGTON – Arizona advocates fear the new Supreme Court ruling will have a disastrous impact on homeless people.
Curling in the desert: Ability360 champions wheelchair curling in Arizona heat
TEMPE – In Arizona's desert heat, Ability360's wheelchair curling clinics at the Coyotes Curling Club fostered community and local enthusiasm for the sport.
Abortion ballot measure in Arizona could drive turnout as Biden campaigns hard on reproductive rights
WASHINGTON – Polls show Joe Biden currently lagging behind Donald Trump in Arizona, with the president using abortion as the key issue to mobilize voters and attack Republicans on. An abortion ballot measure could prove Biden’s golden ticket to reelection.
‘A true teammate’: Shaped by his mother’s influence, Oso Ighodaro brings selfless spirit to Phoenix Suns
PHOENIX – Oso Ighodaro is a 6-foot-10 center who recognizes life is bigger than himself. The newest Suns member recalled moments and people that influenced him to dedicate his life to others through selfless leadership and service. He hopes to bring the same attitude to the Suns.
