April 25, 2024
‘Fake electors’ indictment charges GOP leaders with felony fraud, forgery
WASHINGTON - Eleven top Arizona Republicans were among 18 people indicted on felony fraud, forgery and conspiracy charges for their part in a plan to present themselves to Congress as the state's presidential electors and throw the election to Donald Trump. The 58-page indictment handed up Wednesday gives a detailed account of the plan by former state party Chairwoman Kelli Ward, current state Sens. Jake Hoffman and Anthony Kern, and others, to keep Trump - identified as "Unindicted Coconspirator 1" - in office "against the will of Arizona's voters." "The people of Arizona elected President Biden," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Wednesday. "Unwilling to accept this fact, the defendants charged by the state grand jury, and other unindicted co-conspirators allegedly schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency. "Whatever their reasoning was, the plot to violate the law must be answered for, and I was elected to uphold the law of this state," she said in a video announcing the charges. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/22/supreme-court-turns-down-lake-finchem-suit-to-ban-electronic-vote-tallies/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kari-Lake.jpg" headline="Supreme Court turns down Lake, Finchem suit to ban electronic vote tallies"] Mayes, a Democrat, said investigators merely "followed the facts where they led." But Republicans swiftly, and loudly, condemned the indictment as politically motivated persecution timed to land just months before the next election. "Let me be unequivocal," Hoffman said in a social media post. "I am innocent of any crime, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this disgusting political persecution by the judicial process. "Kris Mayes & the Democrats' naked corruption and weaponization of government will long be a stain on the history of our great state and nation," the Queen Creek Republican tweeted. The indictment caps a yearlong investigation by Mayes office of events that happened after the 2020 election as part of the post-election "Stop the Steal" maneuvering that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Coincidentally, it also landed one day before the Supreme Court heard Trump's arguments that he should be immune, as former president, from criminal prosecution for his role in the insurrection. In addition to Ward, Hoffman and Kern, the indictment names Ward's husband, Michael, Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer, then-Arizona Arizona Republican Party Executive Director Greg Safsten and Jim Lamon, a GOP candidate in 2022 for U.S. Senate. Also named are Nancy Cottle, a former member of the party's executive committee; Robert Montgomery, a former Cochise County Republican Committee official; Samuel Moorhead, a former Gila County GOP officer; and Loraine Pellegrino, former president of the Arizona Federation of Republican Women. Seven other defendants had their names redacted from the indictment, but will be identified once they have been served, Mayes said. But published reports have indicated that the defendants likely include Rudy Giuliani - currently identified as Trump's personal lawyer who was called "the mayor" - and Mark Meadows, "Unindicted Coconspirator 1's Chief of Staff in 2020," among others. [caption id="attachment_231084" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Only a handful of protesters turned out Thursday at the Supreme Court, where attorneys for former President Donald Trump argued that he should be immune from criminal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection. The hearing came one day after an Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people for trying to reverse the 2020 election. (Photo by Ian McKinney/Cronkite News)[/caption]
The indictment charges the named defendants with nine counts of conspiracy, fraud and forgery for claiming to be the legitimate presidential electors from Arizona, pledged to Trump, in place of the 11 Biden electors who were chosen by voters. Biden beat Trump by less than 11,000 votes out of almost 3.4 million cast in Arizona in 2020.
The Arizona defendants, along with GOP slates of fake electors from other states, hoped that then-Vice President Mike Pence, overseeing the joint session of Congress that counts electoral ballots to officially declare the president, would reject Democratic electors from those seven states. But Pence refused and Biden was elected.
Arizona becomes the fourth state to take action against its fake electors, following indictments in Nevada, Michigan and Georgia.
"There's been a lot of movement in the key states, you might remember that there were seven states, at least seven states, where the Trump team was really active in trying to get fake electors together to help overturn the election," said Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.
Paul Bentz, senior vice president of research and strategy for HighGround Inc., said the Arizona charges are not surprising even though they have "been a while coming."
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"We heard from Attorney General Kris Mayes that this was something that she was looking into. And as we saw with other states like Michigan, going down this route, that there was at least a likelihood that something like this could happen in Arizona," Bentz said.
Arizona political consultant Jason Rose said the indictments are just more bad news for the state's GOP, which has been on the back foot in recent weeks as it fought - unsuccessfully - to keep Democrats from repealing a near-total ban on abortion.
"It's more defense that the Republicans have to play. And when you're on defense in sports, you ain't on offense, and you're usually losing," Rose said. "It is the definition of Republicans on defense at a time when they need to be doing the opposite."
The party lashed out Wednesday at Mayes for the timing of the indictments, which it called "suspiciously convenient and politically motivated. This is not justice; it is pure election interference."
But Sozan said it is not surprising that prosecutors are moving slowly because "prosecutors in the states want to be cautious." Bentz agreed, and belittled GOP arguments that the charges are "political theater and chalk it up to Democratic opponents" in the attorney general's office.
"This investigation didn't start until 2022 when she took office, and I've been asked about why did it take so long?" Bentz said. "Well, it took so long because she was elected in 2022, takes office in '23, and then has to assign people to do the due diligence involved with something."]]> April 25, 2024
‘Opportunities are boundless’: Arizona’s pushes space sector’s growth through education, collaboration, economy
PHOENIX – “Our opportunities are boundless, just like space,” Gov. Katie Hobbs told an audience at the second annual Arizona Space Summit in Tempe last month. Arizona is the fifth-largest employer in aerospace and defense manufacturing, home to over 1,250 supply chain contributors, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Sandra Watson, the authority's president and CEO, said Arizona has become the “global hot spot for emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing.” Major industry players in Arizona have a significant impact on the economy. Together, these companies employ more than 52,000 people directly, according to the authority. Its website states the numbers reflect “Arizona’s long-standing history with leading names in the industry - companies whose continued success in everything from unmanned aircraft systems to missiles, space vehicles to commercial aircraft and research into alternative fuels - drives further future growth.” “Arizona is open for business, and in our state you will find a partner with a shared focus on the future and one that is rooted in innovation,” Hobbs said. Jessica Rousset directs Arizona State University’s Interplanetary Initiative, leading its strategy, collaborations and operations. She explains how the space sector reflects job opportunities, infrastructure and benefits for Arizona. “We get a lot of data from space in terms of informing agriculture, informing mining. Mining is a huge activity here (in Arizona),” Rousset said in an interview. “So that’s a very interesting synergy between mining in space, mining on Earth.” [caption id="attachment_231079" align="alignright" width="300"]
In Tempe, at the 2024 Arizona Space Summit, Gov. Katie Hobbs talks to Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority president and CEO, about how the state is involved in the space sector. “Looking ahead, as our space leadership continues to grow, the universities will continue to be central to our success in this area,” Hobbs says. (Photo by Marnie Jordan/Cronkite News)[/caption]
Rousset also mentioned the importance of space data in connection to industrial success in Arizona. Information from space can help manage things on Earth, such as water supply, which is essential to Arizona’s agriculture and semiconductor industries.
Rousset and Chase Kassel, portfolio manager of ASU’s Interplanetary Initiative, referenced a 2019 Deloitte study that said Arizona was the only state with the capability to provide the five critical segments of the space economy – aerospace, launch services, manufacturing, metals and mining, and research and development.
Hobbs said aerospace companies are looking to grow in Arizona and expand their operations due to the growing workforce, infrastructure, reliable energy and a diverse supply chain. Rousset said there is a “huge sort of economic activity” around these businesses that might not be as visible, but is responsible for creating jobs and hiring many people.
“Space needs all talents, all backgrounds, all cultures, all perspectives. The more inclusive we are in creating this space future for all of us, the more we can unlock for most people. I think that it is really important for the next generations to see themselves as being part of this,” Rousett said.
Arizona has a number of programs and initiatives targeted at getting students interested in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – at a young age. An example of this is the work of the SciTech Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing and promoting STEM education and awareness in Arizona and beyond. The institute holds annual festivals and chief science officer programs.
“These programs promote the importance of STEM, of the STEM education. They empower children to pursue careers in STEM-related fields,” Hobbs said. “The exposure to fields that kids might have not thought possible is really critical.”
Bringing upcoming generations into the development of the space sector will shape the future. The University of Arizona is ranked top six for NASA-funded activity, according to the National Science Foundation. ASU is a top university for space science, ranking No. 8 in the U.S. for higher education research expenditures financed by NASA, according to the 2022 National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development survey.
“Collaboration really is key, and I think that Arizona does this better than any other state,” Hobbs said. “As our space leadership continues to grow, the universities will continue to be central to our success in this area.”
]]> April 25, 2024
The rise of Valley fever
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, Calif. – Valley fever has been infecting people in the Southwest U.S., Central America and South America for decades. “It’s not just (in Arizona). It’s also up and down the Western Hemisphere. There are pockets in Mexico, there are pockets in Central America,” said Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona. In 1891, a medical student in Argentina came across a 36-year-old soldier with a fungal-like mass on his right cheek and elsewhere on his body. A year later, a migrant farm worker in the San Joaquin Valley in California showed up in Kern County with similar skin lesions caused by an unknown disease, which was later dubbed “Valley fever,” according to an article in the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/25/valley-fever-hits-minority-populations-southwest-hardest/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/0X7A4779.jpg" headline="Valley fever, a fungal disease endemic to the Southwest, disproportionately affects minority populations"] The first public health record of Valley fever occurred in Bakersfield, California, in 1901, according to Kern County Public Health. Bakersfield is in the San Joaquin Valley, which gave the disease its name. “In Bakersfield, they feel a personal attachment to this disease,” Galgiani said. “It was discovered in the San Joaquin Valley with faculty at Stanford.” The disease is so prevalent in Bakersfield, that most of the residents have either had it or know someone who had it, Galgiani said. A major study into the disease came when Midwestern farm workers moved to the San Joaquin Valley during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, when drought dried the topsoil and winds blew the resulting dust into the air, according to Clinical Infectious Diseases. Other groups affected by exposure to the fungus include prisoners of war, Japanese internment victims and Army camps in Kern County, where the annual incidence of infection in 1941 and 1942 was 20% to 25%, according to Clinical Infectious Diseases. Charles E. Smith, a medical student at Stanford University, studied the disease for seven years, even contracting it himself and discovering innovative ways to test for both disseminated and acute infections, according to the Clinical Infectious Diseases article. As indicated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map, Valley fever shows up in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and, recently, in the state of Washington. ]]>April 25, 2024
Valley fever, a fungal disease endemic to the Southwest, disproportionately affects minority populations
TUCSON – Daniel Sestiaga remembers being in the COVID-19 ward of a hospital in late 2020. He tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in June, then later tested negative, but he was still struggling to breathe and testing positive again by the end of August. After driving 60 miles to see his Indian Health Service primary care physician in Sells, Sestiaga said that his doctor took a chest X-ray showing pneumonia. His breathing became so difficult that he had to go to the emergency room before seeing a pulmonologist. It wasn’t only COVID-19 causing his difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with Valley fever after the X-ray revealed fluid around his lungs restricting their capacity. Sestiaga was told the fluid needed to be removed. Doctors in the emergency room who were draining his lungs told him he was going to feel a lot of pressure and that he needed to keep breathing through the whole process. The capacity of his right lung was half its normal size. [caption id="attachment_231061" align="alignright" width="225"]
Dr. Robert Johns is medical director of Banner Urgent Care. (Photo courtesy of Banner Health)[/caption]
“All of a sudden, my lung started working,” Sestiaga said. “I could feel myself take a breath for the first time. After that they put me on a drain.”
The doctors wound up draining between 2 and 4 liters of fluid from his lungs, he said. He felt immense pressure.
Valley fever (Coccidioidomycosis) is an infection caused by the spores of Coccidioides fungus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The spores live in the soil and dust in some areas of the southwestern U.S. People become infected by inhaling the spores when they’re released from the dust.
When they tested Sestiaga, they noted that his markers for infection with Coccidioides were “through the roof,” he said.
Testing early may prevent a lot of the problems associated with the progression of the disease, according to Dr. Robert Johns, medical director of Banner Urgent Care. Johns recalled one person experiencing serious complications after not being tested quickly enough.
“This individual who’d been diagnosed with pneumonia at the ER, given an antibiotic, actually had Valley fever,” Johns said. “He was admitted to the hospital in the ICU. He was put on a ventilator and ended up having a pneumonectomy, that’s part of the lung removed.”
[caption id="attachment_231065" align="alignright" width="252"]
Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona. (Photo courtesy of Kris Hanning, Biocommunications, University of Arizona Health Sciences)[/caption]
Because of greater awareness of the disease, anyone who comes to Banner Urgent Care with pneumonia should receive a Valley fever test, Johns said. Sometimes, the disease also produces a telltale rash called erythema nodosum that may warrant a prompt test.
“One, it’s not going to clear up with antibiotics. Two, it’s more than likely going to get worse,” Johns said.
Despite that, tests aren’t typically sensitive in the early course of the disease, said Dr. John Galgiani, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona.
“It’s a very specific test. If it comes back positive, even a single test, you don’t need to wait for a pair,” Galgiani said. “Unfortunately, they’re not completely sensitive so that early in the course of these tests, sometimes they’re negative. When you repeat it two weeks later, it turns positive.”
The tests also often need to be sent to an outside laboratory – in-clinic tests aren’t yet commonplace – which can lead to delays that impede treatment, Galgiani said.
“That delay is actually an impediment to the test getting done at all because it seems like it’s going to come back long, too long to be really a problem,” Galgiani said.
According to the CDC, the true number of Valley fever cases is likely underreported due to many patients not being tested. The Valley Fever Center for Excellence estimates that the actual number of cases is six to 14 times higher than reported.
[caption id="attachment_231067" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Estimated areas with coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) in the United States. (Map courtesy of CDC)[/caption]
The fungus is found throughout the Southwest and, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona accounts for nearly two-thirds of all Valley fever cases in the U.S.
Between 1990 and 2022, reported cases of Valley fever climbed from 5.2 per 100,000 people, to 128.4 per 100,000 people, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona’s top three most populous counties alone – Pima, Maricopa and Pinal – made up 94.1% of Valley fever cases in the state.
In addition, Valley fever is one of Arizona’s most commonly reported infectious diseases. In 2022, there were 706 hospitalizations associated with a primary diagnosis of Valley fever, and hospital charges for Valley fever patients totaled $68.3 million, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
“It’s kind of an Arizona disease now because of population growth in the state. Whereas originally the name came from California,” Galgiani said. "Between those states 95% of infections occur."
Although Arizona has the highest rates of patients with the disease, the fungus that causes Valley fever can be found throughout the Americas, from Mexico to Argentina, Galgiani said.
Most people recover from the disease without medical care, and approximately 60% of people experience no symptoms. But in some cases the infection travels throughout the body, known as dissemination, according to an article in the Journal of Fungi. Out of 150,000 estimated infections in the U.S, approximately a third require clinical attention.
[caption id="attachment_231068" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Biology of Coccidioidomycosis. (Graphic courtesy of CDC)[/caption]
The main symptoms of acute infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and rash, according to several health sources. Symptoms of chronic infection include coughing blood, low-grade fever, weight loss, chest pain and nodules in the lungs.
In severe cases of dissemination, the fungus may cause severe nodules or lesions worse than those initially present; painful lesions in the skull; painful, swollen joints; and meningitis, according to several health sources.
Anyone can contract the disease but infection varies between races and ethnicities. In Arizona, Hispanic, Native American and Black people are more likely to have severe Valley fever than white people.
A study reported in a 2019 article in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases journal, looked at the disease in American Indians/Native Alaskans from 2001 to 2014, and found they had high hospitalization rates, high morbidity and possible missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis. The study concluded that Native Americans “may be uniquely vulnerable” to Valley fever.
Sestiaga is a member of the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe.
“A lot of Native people had let me know, ‘Well, I had a cousin who died, and I had this uncle who passed away,’ and then they found out later on it was Valley Fever,” Sestiaga said.
Before being diagnosed with the disease, Sestiaga said he didn’t even know about Valley fever. Despite the advances in testing, there’s still a lack of awareness about testing for it in pneumonia cases, Johns said. There’s also a lack of knowledge for doctors trained where the disease isn’t endemic, especially on the East Coast.
[caption id="attachment_231063" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Daniel Sestiaga experienced a severe case of Valley fever and went to the emergency room for it twice. (Photo by Jack Orleans/Cronkite News)[/caption]
“I had to do a crash course on Valley fever. ‘What is it?’ What’s going on?’ I had recently gotten my masters of public health from U of A, but Valley Fever never came up in the conversation. I never even knew what Valley fever was,” Sestiaga said.
Valley fever is treated with azole antifungal drugs, like fluconazole. If treatment is stopped, a relapse in infection can occur, according to the Journal of Fungi. Galgiani said there’s no vaccine yet, however, there’s a push to start human trials as early as this year.
“I’ll probably be on a low-dose (of) fluconazole for the rest of my life,” Sestiaga said.
Some of the side effects of fluconazole include peeling or loosening of the skin, hair loss, chest pain, muscle pain and spasms and unusual bleeding or bruising, among others, according to several health care providers.
“I couldn’t even complete one round because they had to put in the IV. They had to fill you with a whole bag of saline (and) fluid because it’s just so hard on your kidneys,” Sestiaga said. He was given a cocktail of drugs in the hospital, including fluconazole and amphotericin, he said.
Galgiani said part of the reason that funding has been slow to find a vaccine is because Valley fever is an “orphan disease,” defined by the Food and Drug Administration as a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people. So far, the only tools to combat Valley fever are education on how to prevent the disease and antifungal treatments.
Research may also suffer from a lack of willing participants. Sestiaga only signed up for medical studies that focused on Valley fever and nothing else. His caution came from knowing the history of mistreatment of Indigenous people in medical settings.
[related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/25/the-rise-of-valley-fever/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/valley-fever.jpg" headline="The rise of Valley fever"]
In 2004, the Havasupai tribe sued the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona State University when tribal members discovered that DNA samples taken for research on type 2 diabetes had been used in other genetic studies as well, without their consent.
According to the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, researchers violated the tribe’s informed consent by testing their genetic material for inbreeding, schizophrenia, alcoholism and the origin of the tribe’s migration from Asia.
“Culturally, I’m really not supposed to be giving you my blood, (that’s) just what we were taught,” Sestiaga said.
It’s also difficult to measure Valley fever infections in those who work outdoors. Any activity that involves digging, soil disruption or generating dust in places where the Coccidioides fungus grows puts workers at risk for infection, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Valley fever isn’t covered under Arizona worker’s compensation, according to the Industrial Commission in Tucson. Over one-third of construction workers in Arizona lack health insurance, almost three times the rate for all workers, according to the Labor Center at the University of California in Berkeley.
Even with insurance, proper treatment isn’t a guarantee.
“I had the ability to have the coverage … to be able to cover, obviously, the treatment, everything,” Sesitaga said. “But it doesn’t come without its hiccups.”
]]> April 25, 2024
Clock is ticking: Arizona Cardinals set eyes on NFL draft with fourth pick overall
PHOENIX – Following the fast frenzy of free agent action that has taken place over the past few months, the Arizona Cardinals now have their eyes set on 11 total draft picks heading into the NFL draft. But it all starts with the fourth overall pick for a team looking to revamp and reload following a 4-13 season. Last Thursday, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon took the podium to discuss their plans for the draft, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday. With the clock quickly winding down, teams are scrambling to find the right players and the Cardinals seemed ready for when their name is called. “I’d say our board is 95-98% complete…we’re in a really good spot,” Ossenfort said. The Cardinals find themselves in a position to make an early splash in round one, especially with Ohio State’s superstar wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. on the board. Ossenfort wouldn’t comment on whether the Cardinals want to commit to a target or find a “dance partner” to gather more picks. “I think it’s all situational based,” Ossenfort said. “You always want more picks but also we need players …I think it’s really more opportunity-based.” Many Cardinal fans and reporters see Harrison Jr. as the Cardinals’ pick at No. 4, with Arizona Sports reporter Tyler Drake calling Harrison Jr. “Larry Fitzgerald 2.0.” In his three-year tenure at Ohio State, Harrison Jr. played in 38 total games with just over 2,600 yards receiving and 31 total receiving touchdowns. For the Cardinals, however, it’s deeper than just drafting a good football player. They’re also looking for a good person off the field. “Good players, right people,” said Ossenfort, “picking the right people, good people…people that fit what we’re trying to do both on the field and off the field.” While Cardinals fans don’t know exactly what Ossenfort and Gannon are shopping for with the fourth pick, fans can get a sense of how much the team values the pick overall. But they would swap it, Ossenfort suggested, if the price made sense. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/19/meruelo-bettman-respond-coyotes-move/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/yotes1.jpg" headline="‘Most painful decision in my life’: Meruelo, Bettman respond to criticism about Arizona Coyotes departure"] “Guys, I love my house,” Ossenfort said. “if all of a sudden there's a knock on my door and someone offers me something, I’m gonna look and see what they’re offering.” It’s not just the fourth overall pick the Cardinals are thinking about on Thursday as the Cardinals also hold the 27th overall pick, which they received from the Texans in a draft day trade in 2023. So it’s very possible that if the player the Cardinals are eyeing isn’t available at No. 4, the Cardinals can trade down to a spot that feels comfortable for them while also capitalizing on that later draft pick. ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler said this about the Cardinals’ possibility of trading down, “Chargers and Cardinals are trying to sell high; high-interest rate. Most teams I’ve talked to expect one of these two teams to trade back…” If the Cardinals do trade back, they will likely be looking at LSU receiver Malik Nabers or Washington receiver Rome Odunze. Nabers, in three seasons, had 189 receptions for 3,003 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Tigers, while in four seasons with the Huskies, Odunze hauled in 214 receptions for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Cardinals are one of the few teams who get to set the tone for the draft and will have a lot of options at pick No. 4. Ossenfort and Gannon hope they have positioned their team to be at the driving wheel of destiny and are eyeing another draft that not only sets themselves up for success this season but for the seasons to follow.]]>April 25, 2024
Pressure, resilience define former Pinnacle star Spencer Rattler’s unconventional journey to NFL draft
PHOENIX – Ever since he was in middle school, Spencer Rattler has felt the hype around his name. The Phoenix native was highly coveted by high schools in Arizona as his freshman year approached. During his senior year at Pinnacle High School, where Rattler grew into the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class, he starred in the documentary “QB1: Beyond the Lights.” Described as confident and competitive from day one, he set state records during his high school tenure. He committed to the University of Oklahoma during his sophomore year at Pinnacle High School, following in the cleats of two Heisman winners and one runner-up in coach Lincoln Riley’s offense. However, with the NFL draft starting Thursday and running through Saturday, Rattler is in unusual territory. Instead of thriving in the spotlight, he’s had to work his way back to relevance following his exit from Oklahoma. Despite the obstacles, Rattler never lost his confidence. “Not everything’s going to be easy, but I always keep that confidence,” Rattler said in a recent interview with FOX Sports. “I believe I’m one of the top guys in this quarterback class.” His path certainly hasn’t been easy, and his commitment was put to the test. His confidence is what people will see, but Rattler’s work ethic is what helped him make a name for himself in the first place, those close to him say. “That kid puts in the work,” Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke said. “He is always training, always trying to perfect his craft.” Zupke, who first coached Rattler in middle school, said they were forced to start him at quarterback his freshman year. He recounts that Rattler showed all the signs of a great player from the second game of the season. “We play Saguaro … and they were really aggressive, pressuring him, and he just picked them apart,” Zupke said. “I still to this day have never had a kid that can throw the ball with the velocity and accuracy that Spencer has.” During his time at Pinnacle, Rattler’s 11,083 career passing yards set the state record, although it has since been passed. He still sits third on the list, and his 116 career passing touchdowns are seventh in state history. Both are the top marks in Arizona 6A conference history. “It’s not easy to get to that point,” said Mike Giovando, who has been Rattler’s personal quarterback coach for over a decade. “You’re going to have to go through a lot of things to get to the top of that mountain that you want to get to, and Spencer shows all of those traits.” Despite his standout high school career, it wasn’t without adversity. Rattler was ruled ineligible for the final portion of his senior season at Pinnacle for violating a district code of conduct policy. The ineligibility “haunted” Rattler, Zupke said. [caption id="attachment_231044" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
At Pinnacle High School, Spencer Rattler was a consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class. (File photo by Ellen O’Brien/Cronkite News)[/caption]
Even with the setback, Rattler never lost his signature confidence heading into Oklahoma.
“His confidence is definitely there,” said Rube Oliver, Rattler’s personal trainer. “I don’t think you want to doubt yourself or think that you’re anything less than number one, especially when you are number one.”
To cap off a solid redshirt freshman year in the 2020 season, Rattler led the Sooners to their sixth straight Big 12 Championship with a win over Iowa State and fellow Arizona high school quarterback legend Brock Purdy. Rattler was projected to be the top quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL draft and was the Heisman favorite heading into next season.
But after some inconsistent play in 2021 and some pressure from the coaches and fanbase to uphold the Heisman standard, Riley benched Rattler for five-star freshman Caleb Williams. Rattler entered the transfer portal and committed to South Carolina following the season. In an unfamiliar situation away from the spotlight, Rattler had to prove himself yet again.
“To be able to go to a place like South Carolina, who was really, really excited that he was there, was a great choice,” Giovando said. “I think that was a great move for him.”
Rattler had a connection with South Carolina coach Shane Beamer when he was at Oklahoma, and he found success in two years with Beamer’s squad.
His first year, he led the program to an 8-5 record, including a bowl appearance and back-to-back wins over top-10 ranked Tennessee and Clemson to end the year. Last season, he threw for 19 touchdowns and a career high 3,186 passing yards.
“If I had to guess, Spencer left Oklahoma a little dejected, but also with this chip on his shoulder,” Zupke said. “I think we really saw Spencer’s true colors and the way that he responded … that’s helped him develop and posture him into the position he’s in now.”
Now, as Rattler prepares for the NFL draft, he’s in the opposite situation he was in at Oklahoma. He isn’t considered a top quarterback prospect, but he’s put himself in a much better position than he was following his transfer.
Rattler shined at the Reese’s Senior Bowl in February, winning MVP in a game that also featured former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. Rattler also turned heads at the recent NFL combine. After steadily climbing draft boards, he is now projected by many as a potential second- or third-round pick. ESPN analyst Field Yates projected Rattler as the No. 76 overall pick to the Denver Broncos in a mock draft in early April.
Giovando, who has been working with Rattler during the pre-draft process, isn’t surprised by his rise.
“You want to be peaking at this time, and that’s where (Rattler’s) at,” Giovando said. “I knew once people got around to him and he was able to showcase all his skills and talents and personality, people were going to like him.”
When Rattler hears his name called, he’ll have the expectations back on him. Few are more well-equipped for the pressure, Zupke said.
“He’s had to deal with this expectation of who he is since he was probably 10 or 11,” Zupke said. “I have no idea what it’s like to be in that kid’s shoes and the pressure of being Spencer Rattler.”]]> April 25, 2024
‘Power to evoke change’: Phoenix-based Artists 4 Liberation uses art to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
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NFL tight end Mark Andrews wants to inspire others with diabetes both on and off the field
MESA – Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was not always a football star. When he was young growing up in Scottsdale, soccer was his sport of choice. However, it appeared his sports career might be in jeopardy when he and his family found out that he had type 1 diabetes. Now, Andrews, a Scottsdale native who played wide receiver at Desert Mountain High School, is one of the NFL’s best tight ends, with three Pro Bowl appearances and a First-Team All-Pro nomination in 2021. But even when his body started to show symptoms of the disease when he was a child, Andrews always knew he would be fine. He knew from his next soccer game after his diagnosis that he would be fine. His blood sugar was up near 450 mg/dL, which is very high. But despite his parents' concern, Andrews said he needed to play. And that competitive edge has now helped him achieve success at the NFL level. “Before the first half ends, I have three goals, kick on my right, left foot, whatever it was,” Andrews said, referring to his first soccer match after receiving the diagnosis. “I think at that time, my parents knew it was like, this isn't the end of the world. This isn't going to stop me from doing what I want to do. And that was a big thing for me and my family to see that this disease wasn't going to stop me and resiliency was going to be the key.” Andrews was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 9. His father, a urologist, noticed something was wrong during one of Andrews’ soccer games. After his diagnosis, Andrews said that while he didn’t understand fully what it meant, he knew it was something life-changing. “I remember sitting in the doctor's patient room,” Andrews said. “(A) doctor comes in after we gave the results and said that I have type 1 diabetes. And this was the first time that I'd seen my dad cry. I saw the emotion of my mom. And I knew that something in my life was going to change forever. This is something that was going to be extremely significant.” And the significance of his diagnosis was not lost on his family. “I didn't even know what diabetes was, to be very honest with you,” said Mark’s mother, Martha Andrews. “My husband's a physician, he understood it. It hit him very hard. To me, I was just like, ‘OK, what do we need to do? Let's get the education and get it done.’ I had no concept of what our life was going to be like or all of that was going to be involved with it.” Type 1 diabetes is a disease that destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. What this means is that a person diagnosed with type 1 diabetes must act as their own pancreas, giving themselves insulin to lower their blood sugar when it gets too high. “It's not anything that they did wrong, it's not anything that could be prevented,” said physician assistant Ashley Cobert, an endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism specialist at Endocrinology Associates in Scottsdale. “So then they have to be managed with multiple daily insulin injections, or with an insulin pump. No pills or other things will work. There's no diets or anything like that. It just is something they have to continuously monitor. In terms of managing diabetes with insulin, it is a 24/7 job.” As much as doctors would like to be able to monitor patients all the time, they obviously can’t and often the burden is placed on the family, Cobert said. So the Andrews family stepped up. Both Mark and Martha said the whole family got involved. The older brothers learned how to administer insulin shots, his sister helped him out at school and even his grandparents got involved. And Andrews, of course, is extremely grateful for his family’s support. But, as an athlete, monitoring blood sugar can be a lot more difficult, as there is a lot more risk involved. Being active creates a lot more opportunities for blood sugar levels to change. Because of this, it makes an athlete’s job a lot more complex, as there are many outside factors that can influence blood sugar. “It's an invisible illness,” Cobert said. “(A)nd the reason that it's harder than for the athlete, it adds in more variables that go into managing sugars. So if you're home laying on the couch all day, you don't have to make as many decisions with managing your sugar because that's much more stable. “Whereas an athlete, exercise can increase or decrease your blood sugar depending on the intensity. Being out in the sun, it can increase your or decrease your blood sugar depending on health, getting dehydrated, all of those extra variables that then make managing diabetes that much more complicated.” There are plenty of other people going through the same struggles that the Andrews family did almost 20 years ago. And Andrews has decided to use his platform as a way to not only help other people with diabetes, but also to inspire them. “One of the coolest things for me, and it's become more and more frequent in the last couple of years,” Andrews said, “but usually about every game there's families that hit up the PR staff and with, you know, kids or someone in the family that has type 1 diabetes and to be able to see them before or after the game and see their sides and to know that I'm able to play and inspire, that’s the biggest influence for me… I love using the podium of playing in the NFL.” [caption id="attachment_231024" align="alignright" width="300"]
Mark Andrews said a scary situation in college when he woke up to paramedics surrounding him was a big wake-up call. (Photo courtesy of Dexcom)[/caption]
Martha Andrews, who has done work with organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, sees value in athletes who get involved with causes they are passionate about.
“It's really important that these athletes who are so important to children and to adults as well really sharing their struggles, their everyday lives and using that as a platform,” she said. “Mark’s is just a very personal one and, you know, he takes it as a responsibility and a gift that he's able to do that. It's really important to him.”
Andrews’ efforts have not gone unnoticed, as he was honored March 28 at the Dexcom facility in Mesa, when the company named one of its manufacturing lines for their G7 continuous glucose monitor after him.
Dexcom is a company that specializes in developing CGMs. They are used to monitor glucose level in the user’s bloodstream, and Dexcom’s CGMs can connect to phones or other smart devices to give the user their readings. Before CGMs became common, Cobert said, every night could often be a risk for those with type 1 diabetes. She said that often “you would poke your finger before bed and hope” that nothing went wrong before waking up the next morning.
Andrews felt honored to be recognized by Dexcom, saying that he and everyone in the diabetes community appreciates the company’s dedication.
Andrews may have been the event’s most famous guest, but there was another guest of honor. Grace Meyers, an 11-year-old Mark Andrews superfan who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes eight years ago, was also at the event.
The two were put in contact after Andrews’ mother met Grace’s mother at an event for the JDRF. Martha was a sponsor for JDRF and their caregiver coffee events, where they meet at someone’s home and discuss their stories dealing with diabetes. Grace was already a huge fan of Andrews, and so Martha and Grace’s mother believed it would be a good idea to put them in touch.
Andews and Grace have since become close, and for National Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day in 2022, he asked Grace for a custom patch design for his CGM. The patch is used to hold the CGM in place, and not only did Andrews wear the patch, he also wore cleats with Grace’s design for the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign.
“She's constantly showing support,” Andrews said of Grace at the Dexcom event. “I always get her videos through my mom and Grace. I want to tell you I appreciate you. You inspire me and just your energy, how you live every day, it's awesome. So, and thank you for continuing to help people with type 1 diabetes.”
While Andrews was young when he received his diagnosis, he didn’t learn about Dexcom until he was at the University of Oklahoma, where in three years he finished with the sixth most touchdown receptions (22) by any receiver, along with posting the most receiving yards (1,765) by a tight end. He had worn a CGM before in high school, but stopped because he said he didn’t like it. But after a scary situation while in college, he decided he needed to find something that worked for him.
“I think I was about to go home in like a day or two, so schedules changed and I worked out in the morning, took my nap, and passed out in my sleep,” Andrews said. “And the only thing I remember is ... being you know hooked up to an IV with a bunch of paramedic people around me. That was a super scary moment you know for me, it's a wake-up call. It felt like a dream, but that's when we found Dexcom and it's been a true game-changer for me, a life-changer to help prevent these situations.”
As a professional athlete, Andrews has to constantly check his blood sugar throughout practices and games to make sure his body is regulated. He mentioned that sometimes he’ll score and his teammates want to celebrate with him, but he’s often busy on the sidelines checking his blood sugar. But he also said that his teammates are very supportive of him and often curious about what having diabetes is like.
“As I got a little older I wanted to show people that and especially show my teammates and friends that show them what I'm going through and what I've received from that is that most people are pretty curious,” Andrews said. “They want to know what you're going through. They want to understand what it is and so I've had some incredible teammates that really take an understanding to what I do and how it goes and yeah, I'm extremely blessed.”
Andrews has never been one to let his diabetes slow him down, which is present in his play on the field and his work off the field. Ultimately, he wants to show that even with his condition, he can still go on to achieve great things as an athlete.
“Is it harder? For sure, but can you do it? Absolutely. And it's thanks to products like Dexcom that make my life easier and achievable to be able to be at the top of my game and to live the lifestyle of, you know, trying to be the best,” he said “That's been my whole motto of my career, is being the best player I can be, the best teammate, and managing my diabetes the best I can.”]]> April 25, 2024
After losing players to the transfer portal, Arizona State football looks to returnees to bolster defensive line
TEMPE — With the NFL draft and transfer portal taking players from teams across the country, Arizona State is relying on returnees to bolster the defensive line. ASU must deal with two big departures with defensive linemen B.J. Green and Dashaun Mallory going to Colorado and the draft, respectively. The Sun Devils will also be without graduate defensive lineman Anthonie Cooper this season after an ACL injury, so there are several major holes to fill. Mallory is an especially difficult loss as he was a graduate transfer from Michigan State who provided leadership and was a run-stuffer up the middle. While Mallory hopes to be selected in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday night, ASU will evaluate potential replacements. The Sun Devils added some defensive lineman from the transfer portal with junior Jacob Rich Kongaika from rival Arizona and graduate transfer Jeff Clark from Louisville, but they will also look at potential in-house solutions. Returnees include edge rushers Prince Dorbah, a redshirt senior, and Clayton Smith, a redshirt junior. Sun Devil Source publisher Chris Karpman also touted senior defensive lineman Elijah O’Neal as “one of ASU’s most improved defensive players,” so that’s another name to watch. [caption id="attachment_231011" align="alignright" width="300"]
C.J. Fite works on his explosiveness out of the snap during spring practice. Fite will have an increased role compared to last season. (Photo by Spencer Barnes/Cronkite News)[/caption]
One more returnee of note is sophomore defensive lineman C.J. Fite, who expects more playing time after making 15 tackles as a freshman. A bigger role for Fite means that the defensive lineman needs to get his body in proper shape, which was his primary focus this past offseason.
“My body fat dropped and muscle has gone up, so I'm glad to be working with (football sports performance) coach Joe Connolly,” Fite said. “I've gotten stronger for sure. I dropped 4% body fat just this winter training, so now I'm just trying to build on it and make sure I don't go backwards over the summer.”
Fite said he was in a similar situation last winter where he dropped body fat, but regained the weight in the summer. The rising sophomore has a chance to start fresh, especially now that he has a new defensive line coach.
ASU coach Kenny Dillingham hired Diron Reynolds in December 2023 to coach the defensive lineman. Reynolds, who was a defensive line coach at other places, including Oklahoma, Stanford and Michigan State, now can make an imprint during his first year in Tempe.
Fite is one of the players who caught Reynolds’ attention during spring practice, which is good for a young player hoping to start in his second season.
“I've seen C.J. just really take off from where he is right now,” Reynolds said. “He's been really dominant in the run game inside. I’m really pleased where he is. For as young as he is, he has become kind of a savvy vet with the way he does things. (I’d) just like to see his pass rush continue to trend in the right direction, continue to get better so that he can possibly give us some third-down snaps too.”
Unlike Fite, Smith and Dorbah started for the Sun Devils last year after transferring from Oklahoma and Texas, respectively. Those defensive ends provide leadership as upperclassmen as they go through spring ball to get ready for another season.
[caption id="attachment_231012" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
The ASU defensive line has lost players from last season to the transfer portal and likely to the NFL draft, but the team is confident it can benefit from its returning players. (Photo by Spencer Barnes/Cronkite News)[/caption]
Dorbah, in particular, has taken a leadership role entering his fifth collegiate season. The former Longhorn knows the grind of getting ready for the season, especially with the hot temperatures at spring practice.
“Just like yesterday, practice at 10 (a.m.),” Dorbah said. “People’s bodies are hurting. People are (low on energy). A lot of people don’t want to be here.”
These are the conditions that get the team ready to compete. It’s something that all the players endure and they are able to push each other to get the best version of themselves.
“Coming out with that same mindset of holding people accountable and push each other to get one percent better each day. You're not always great one day, so get one percent better and work on the little fundamental things,” Dorbah said. “Your technique, your eyes, your vision, your playcalling. I guarantee you there is someone out there to take your spot, so come out with that mindset and get better.”
That’s the mindset the ASU defensive line has as it prepares for Friday’s spring game, with the hope that it continues through the upcoming season.
“When you go through the fire with guys, you just build a certain bond with them,” Fite said. “Going through the season last year. Working with them and training and just working hard with them. You just build another level of connection. Now this spring we've just been building upon that and we just have that brotherhood.”]]> April 25, 2024
April 24, 2024, Newscast
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