RipLey-Simone Kennebrew
RipLey-Simone Kennebrew(she/her/hers)
News Reporter, Phoenix

RipLey-Simone Kennebrew expects to graduate in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in business communications. Kennebrew has interned as a multimedia reporter at ICT News and as a feature writer at The Scottsdale Living.

Latest from Ripley Simone Kennebrew

Sedona parking lot program to ease homelessness on hold until November election

SEDONA – Sedona has been looking for solutions to its homelessness problem, and city leaders think the Safe Place to Park Program could be a step in the right direction. However, residents against the program stalled the measure by pushing it to a public vote in November.

Jodi Jackson is a prime candidate for the Safe Place to Park Program. She currently lives out of an RV and works at a laundromat in Sedona. Photo taken in Sedona on April 3, 2024. (Photo by Emily Mai/Cronkite News)

Phoenix-area Black businesses face challenges with start-up capital

PHOENIX – Black businesses are facing funding problems to start up. The State of Black Business report has recommendations to help fix the problem.


‘All I wanted to do was dance’: Ballet scholarship competition helps further dancers’ dreams

PHOENIX – Ballet dancers competed for scholarships at the Youth America Grand Prix international student ballet scholarship competition at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix in February.

Betzy Martinez, 19, performs at the Youth America Grand Prix international student ballet scholarship competition on Feb. 10, 2024. (Photo by Marnie Jordan/Cronkite News)

‘Everything old is new again’: Valley vinyl stores see uptick in physical music sales

PHOENIX – Luminate's 2023 Year-End Report has found that physical album sales grew 8.9% over 2022, with records seeing the largest growth. As audio streaming popularity skyrockets, vinyl, CD and cassette tape popularity are holding strong in sales up from 79.9 million in 2022 to 87 million in 2023. Arizona record stores have noticed the trend, and Arizona artists hope to record physical copies of their music.

Dario Miranda, who works for Stinkweeds Records, inspects a vinyl for scratches or imperfections. Photo taken in Phoenix on Jan. 22, 2024. (Photo by Emily Mai/Cronkite News)