Search result for Cronkite News

LUCHA files lawsuit, vows to fight controversial HCR 2060, the Secure the Border Act

PHOENIX – On the steps of the Arizona Supreme Court, Living United for Change in Arizona filed a lawsuit challenging HCR 2060, known as the Secure the Border Act, claiming the resolution violated the single-subject rule. HCR 2060, a resolution that will bypass the governor and go to voters, would make crossing the border outside of points of entry a state crime, among other border and immigration provisions.

Alejandra Gomez, LUCHA executive director, says if HCR 2060 proceeds to the ballot in November, Arizona voters will be heard on Election Day. “While Republicans believe this will rally their base, I can assure you that a different story will be told on the day after the election,” Gomez says at a news conference in Phoenix, on June 5, 2024. (Photo by Stella Subasic/Cronkite News)

‘I feel free’: Natasha Cloud embraces fresh start, purpose with Phoenix Mercury

PHOENIX – Natasha Cloud was born in Philadelphia and spent her entire WNBA career with the Washington Mystics. Now, one of the league's best passers has found a home on the West Coast. But accepting that she’d be leaving D.C. wasn’t easy.

Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud settles in Phoenix after spending her first eight WNBA seasons with the Washington Mystics. (Photo by Shirell Washington/Cronkite News)

Social equity: Critics say Arizona’s cannabis program did ‘exact opposite’ of what voters intended

PHOENIX – Arizona legalized recreational marijuana and established a social equity ownership program. Critics say the state failed to establish a fair program. We explain how it happened.

Alicia Deals, left, checks in on her colleague, who goes by K.T., while he sorts and packs online orders, on June 3, 2024, at the Cookies dispensary in Tempe. (Photo by Stella Subasic/Cronkite News)

Biden order shutting the border to migrants seeking asylum draws mixed reviews in Arizona

WASHINGTON – Arizona Democrats stood with President Joe Biden Tuesday as he announced strict policies for asylum-seekers. Republicans said it was too little too late as a long stalemate over the border persists in Congress.

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix, speaks with reporters at the White House on June 4, 2024, after President Joe Biden’s announcement on asylum policy. (Photo by Cronkite News)

Blood, sweat and stories: Preserving culture and history through lowriding

PHOENIX – There is a deeper story within the chrome and bright colors of the lowrider culture. A local car club member and Phoenix artists talk about the deeper meaning of lowrider culture and its role in preserving Chicano culture.

Lowriders in downtown Phoenix are adorned with Chicano, Mexican and Mexican American symbols, such as the serape, a traditional blanket, and the rosary, on April 13, 2024. (Photo by David Ulloa Jr./Cronkite News)

Magic Johnson pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ASU speech with inspiring address, $75,000 donation

PHOENIX – To honor the 60-year anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at Arizona State, the school held its first “Building History: Continuing the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr” event. Keynote speaker Magic Johnson shared how King’s legacy has impacted his generosity.

Arizona State University Black African Coalition presents 'Fly: The Big Book of Fashion' by Mitchell S. Jackson. (Photo by Shirell Washington/Cronkite News)

Honoring heritage: Mercury’s Diana Taurasi pays homage to roots on Dia Latina amid skid-snapping win

PHOENIX – Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi discusses growing up in a Latina household, how that shaped her loyalty to Phoenix and how the Valley’s strong Hispanic population has led to her long list of successes.

Phoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi hit seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 31 points against the Los Angeles Sparks at Footprint Center. (Photo by Shirell Washington/Cronkite News)

Ruben Gallego faces election year pressures in vote against noncitizen voting in D.C., but it’s not unusual in local elections

WASHINGTON – Rep. Ruben Gallego voted with Republicans to block noncitizen voting in Washington, D.C. The issue is a lightning rod in the 2024 Senate campaign, and isn’t widely used in the United States, but it’s not unprecedented in local elections.

Rep. Ruben Gallego campaign photo

Wrestling with fate: How two visionaries elevated professional wrestling in the Valley

PHOENIX – Dom Vitalli and Jon Wolfgang helped transform Arizona’s wrestling landscape by establishing TrainInAZ and Phoenix Championship Wrestling.

Kevin Koa, a pro wrestler based in Mesa, provides entertainment for the growing wrestling fan base in Arizona at a Phoenix Championship Wrestling event. 4(Photo courtesy of Phoenix Championship Wrestling)

Government report confirms that border agencies lose migrant belongings

WASHINGTON – A recent GAO report investigated complaints of border agents mishandling and throwing away migrant’s personal belongings. The report addressed these complaints and recommends new guidelines. Advocacy groups say migrants have lost vital documents.

Migrants are placed in holding facilities before they are returned to Mexico. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

In rare bipartisan agreement, House and Senate push to lift ban on felons with drug-related convictions receiving SNAP benefits

WASHINGTON — The Farm Bill advancing in the U.S. House would lift the 28-year ban on felons with drug-related convictions receiving SNAP benefits. Ex-offenders and prison advocates say this will make rehabilitation and returning to life after incarceration easier.

The number of Arizonans in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or food stamps – surged in the past year, as the pandemic hit the economy. But a new report says not everyone eligible for SNAP is able to access the system, and advocates worry that may still be happening despite increasing need. (Photo by USDA/Creative Commons)

‘A long time coming’: Phoenix Mercury players rally behind ‘Unrivaled’ league as game-changer for women’s basketball

PHOENIX – With the launch of the "Unrivaled" league on the horizon, Mercury players like Morgan Bertsch and Sug Sutton see a chance to stay stateside, build careers and shape the future of women's basketball.

Unrivaled, a new women’s basketball league created by WNBA All-Stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, offers an alternative to traveling overseas and addresses the wage gap in women’s basketball. (Photo by Grace Hand/Cronkite News)