• Slug: BC-CNS-Veterans Wall Photos. 90 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
• Video available.

By Kayla Mae Jackson
Cronkite News

PEORIA – The Wall That Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is on display through Sunday at Lake Pleasant in Peoria. The traveling replica has been displayed in nearly 700 communities across the U.S., according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

The three-quarter-scale replica is 375 feet long and 7.5 feet tall and honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War. It features the names of more than 58,000 who lost their lives in the war.

Continue reading “The Wall That Heals: Replica Vietnam Veterans Memorial travels to Lake Pleasant”

EDS: An earlier version of this story misquoted filmmaker Greg Kwedar. The error appeared in the 11th graf. The story below has been corrected, but clients who used previous versions are asked to run the correction found here.

• Slug: BC-CNS-Phoenix Film Festival. 720 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Paloma Ruherford
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Film Festival is celebrating its 24th year and is dedicated to promoting independent cinema and providing a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work.

Jason Carney, executive director of the Phoenix Film Foundation and the festival, said this anniversary offers valuable insights into the growth and evolution of filmmaking in the Valley over the past two decades.

Continue reading “Phoenix Film Festival works to boost Arizona’s film scene”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Black Overdose Deaths. 950 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
• Graphic from Pew Research Center.

By Jack Orleans
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Black people in Arizona die from opioid overdoses more than any other race or ethnicity, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The Opioid Overdoses Surveillance report revealed that Black people in Arizona experience an opioid overdose fatality rate of 32.4 deaths per 100,000 people. Nonfatal overdoses also occur at a higher rate for Black Arizonans than for other groups, at a rate of 67.7 per 100,000 people.

Continue reading “Black people have the highest opioid fatality rate among all other races and ethnicities in Arizona”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Prom Dress Shopping. 945 words.
• 20 photos available.

By Lauren Kobley
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Prom season is upon us. Some high schoolers are looking for a more affordable and sustainable option when purchasing a dress this year.

The price of a new prom dress could range from $85 to $900, but most people will spend an average of $400 to $500, said Kunal Madan, co-founder of Amarra, a dress company. According to the company’s guide to navigating prom costs, total costs could be upward of $2,000.

Continue reading “The Prom Closet and Valley Girl Dresses offer prom shoppers free or affordable options”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Rockin’ River Ranch. 660 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
• Video available.

By Marnie Jordan
Cronkite News

CAMP VERDE – After setbacks and struggles and eager anticipation and waiting, Rockin’ River Ranch State Park opened on Feb. 9.

Arizona’s newest state park sits between Phoenix and Flagstaff, at the confluence of West Clear Creek and the Verde River, where native wildlife, hiking trails and picnic areas have already attracted local and international visitors.

According to the website, the 209-acre state park was originally privately owned and operated as a guest ranch with horse riding and boarding facilities. The state acquired Rockin’ River Ranch in 2008, and master planning happened in 2017 and early in 2018.

Continue reading “‘Absolute beautiful place’: Rockin’ River Ranch State Park opens in Camp Verde”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Hobbs Affordable Housing Photos.
• Photos available by Marnie Jordan.
• Video available.
• Note: This story includes photos and video only.

Continue reading “Photos: Gov. Katie Hobbs touts affordable housing initiative”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Tribes Cartels,620 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Ian McKinney
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers wanted to talk about the problems of foreign criminal cartels operating on Indigenous lands, but tribal leaders came to the House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing Wednesday seeking solutions.

Instead, they said, they left the hearing afraid it was just another “check-a-box-off” exercise.

“Something that wasn’t really talked about is where do we go from here?” said Tohono O’odham Chairman Verlon Jose. “I heard, ‘Yes I want to go to your reservations,’ ‘Yes, I learned something.’ But there was no real strong commitment on where do we go from here. That’s what I want to hear.” Continue reading “Tribal leaders seeking solutions to cartel crime, say they mostly got talk”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Repeal Repelled,850 words.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Martin Dreyfuss
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Arizona House blocked two efforts to overturn a near-total ban on abortion Wednesday, one day after the 19th-century law was reinstated by the state Supreme Court.

The procedural moves to block the repeal sparked an outburst by angry Democrats, who shouted down the lawmakers who called for a recess. That was followed by a more-civil, but no more successful second try later in the day before the House adjourned for a week.

Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, D-Tucson, said “the eyes of the world watching the state of Arizona” and she urged her colleagues to stay in session and vote to reverse the Supreme Court’s “extreme” ruling. Continue reading “Attempt to repeal abortion ban fails as House devolves into raucous shouting”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Abortion Scramble,550 words.
• File photo, video story available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Sadie Buggle and Martin Dreyfuss
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – One day after the Arizona Supreme Court resurrected a law that makes it a felony to perform an abortion, clinics around the state said they will continue offering care even as they scramble to figure out how long they can do so.

The court ruled Tuesday that an 1864 law banning abortions in all cases except to save the life of the mother is still in effect, overriding a 2022 law that allowed abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. But the justices put the ruling on hold to allow for legal challenges in lower courts – a delay that different groups have said could be 14 days or two months. Continue reading “Clinics vow to continue providing abortions, but unsure for how much longer”

• Slug: BC-CNS-ESA Report. 845 words.
• Video available.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

Analisa Valdez
Cronkite News 

PHOENIX – The Common Sense Institute Arizona has released a on Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program, also known as ESAs or universal school vouchers. The report contends the state-funded program “has (and hasn’t) altered Arizona’s K-12 landscape.”

Since its expansion last year, ESA program enrollment has grown from 12,000 students to 77,000, according to the report. 

Key findings from the report contend that while ESA enrollment is slowing down and public school enrollment is in decline, the ESA program may not be solely to blame. 

Continue reading “Report: ESA voucher program not fully to blame for public school enrollment decline”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Abortion Upheaval,1260 words.
• 7 photos, video story available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Lillie Boudreaux
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A divided Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a 19th-century, near-total ban on abortion, saying it overrides a 2022 law that allowed abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy.

State officials said it will be another 60 days before the ruling could take effect, but the reaction was swift and angry to what abortion-rights groups called a “dark day for Arizona.” Continue reading “Arizona Supreme Court restores near-total ban on abortions in the state”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Sniffspot Photo Story. 555 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below)
• Video available.

By Crystal Aguilar
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Technology is aiding dog owners through apps like Sniffspot, which lets pet parents who don’t have their own backyard rent other people’s property to give their pets space to run.

“I think any time we can make owning a pet more accessible for a larger amount of people is beneficial not only for pets in the area who need homes but also for people who maybe don’t have backyards or feel that they don’t have quite enough space for a dog to run around. But if they can use a neighbor’s yard for a pet, that is going to help make it easier for them to own one, and maybe open up a door to a new pet owner that maybe didn’t exist before,” said Joe Casados, Arizona Humane Society public relations and social media manager.

Continue reading “‘Sniff and have fun’: Technology like Sniffspot app gives pets space to roam”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Sun Screen,770 words.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Martin Dreyfuss
Cronkite News

FLAGSTAFF – The weather was chilly and the skies were partly cloudy, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the hundreds who came to Lowell Observatory to watch the last solar eclipse in the continental U.S. for the next 20 years.

The observatory was not in the path of totality for Monday’s so-called “Great American Eclipse,” which cast a shadow from Texas through New England, but sky-watchers in Arizona were able to see about two-thirds of the sun blocked by the moon at the height of the eclipse. Continue reading “Despite overcast skies, ‘Great American Eclipse’ delivers for Arizona fans”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Chips Shot,720 words.
• File photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Reagan Priest
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Biden administration announced Monday that it will award $6.6 billion in grants and another $5 billion in loans to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to enhance and expand semiconductor production in Arizona.

It’s the second time in three weeks that the White House has delivered CHIPS and Science Act funds to an Arizona chipmaker – Intel received $8.5 billion in grants and $11 billion in loans last month for its planned expansion in the state.

Federal and local officials hailed the support for TSMC, which is currently building two semiconductor plants in Phoenix and will now invest in a third, moves supporters say will help create thousands of jobs in the state. Continue reading “For second time in a month, feds shower billions on Arizona microchip makers”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Long Term Care Legislation. 700 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).
• Video available.

By Analisa Valdez
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The multiyear journey to get health care reform for long-term assisted living facilities signed into law has finally come to fruition. Gov. Katie Hobbs signed HB 2764 at the Arizona State Capitol Executive Tower on Monday morning.

“I urged legislators to join me in addressing this issue head on, making sure that bad actors are held accountable and putting an end to the cycle of abuse against vulnerable Arizonans,” Hobbs said during opening remarks. “Today, with the signing of House Bill 2764, that is exactly what we are doing.”

According to the Arizona Adult Protective Services’ annual report on elder and nursing home abuse, the state received over 37,000 reports during fiscal 2023, approximately 2,500 of which came from caregivers and resident managers. HB 2764 requires the Arizona Department of Health Services to implement stricter standards and oversight for these facilities, particularly in memory care services, to ensure public health, safety and welfare are maintained.

Continue reading “Gov. Katie Hobbs signs law aimed at accountability for Arizona long-term care facilities”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Homelessness Spending. 800 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By John Sanders
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Think tank Common Sense Institute Arizona released a research study earlier this year claiming that Arizona spends as much as $1.1 billion a year on homelessness-solution services. The organization found that in 2023, approximately 14,200 people were unhoused and the number of unhoused individuals has increased by 30% since 2020.

The research estimates that the 167 nonprofit organizations providing homeless services across the state employ 9,003 people and utilize another 42,053 volunteers – a workforce that rivals the state’s mining and logging industries in terms of annual work hours.

Continue reading “Think tank estimates Arizona spends $1.1 billion annually for homelessness solutions”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Indigenous Astronaut. 1107 words.
• 4 photos, available (thumbnails, captions below).

By David Ulloa Jr.
Cronkite News

AVONDALE – Estrella Mountain Community College celebrated Women’s History Month by hosting an event on March 27. Marine Col. Nicole Mann, a member of the Wailacki tribe of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, was invited to speak at the event. She shared her unorthodox journey to becoming an astronaut.

Continue reading “The first Indigenous woman in space never planned on becoming an astronaut “

EDS: This is a partner story from KUNC. If you choose to use it, please fill out this form to help their tracking.

• Slug: BC-CNS-Shoshone Water,2420 words.
• 6 photos, audio story available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Alex Hager
KUNC

Colorado’s Glenwood Canyon is as busy as it is majestic. At the base of its snowy, near-vertical walls, the narrow chasm hums with life. On one side, the Colorado River tumbles through whitewater rapids. On the other, cars and trucks whoosh by on a busy interstate.

Pinched in the middle of it all is the Shoshone Generating Station.

“It is a nondescript brown building off of I-70 that most people don’t notice when they’re driving,” said Amy Moyer, director of strategic partnerships at the Colorado River District. “But if you are in the water world, it holds the key for one of the most interesting and important water rights on the Colorado River.” Continue reading “Water and power collide in proposed $100 million Colorado River deal”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Hearing Help,1200 words.
• 5 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Annika Tourlas
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Jane M. Howard Turner lived with the “noise of the night,” a term she coined in her youth when a medication caused permanent ringing in her ears. For decades, Turner watched her mother manage progressive hearing loss without realizing that the “noise of the night” was a sign that Turner was in the same situation.

Turner had her hearing tested for the first time at 19 years old, when doctors told her to sleep with the television on to try to muffle the constant ringing in her ears. Over 50 years later, Turner finally received proper hearing health care from the Arizona State University Speech and Hearing Clinic . Continue reading “Low-income hearing health care expanded to all three Arizona universities”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Homeless ID Fees. 875 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Sadie Buggle
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Arizona advocates are working to help get identification documents for those experiencing homelessness, aiming to eliminate the barriers faced by people seeking to regain stability and self-sufficiency. One step in that process is fighting to waive the fee to get a state identification card.

Experts say not being able to easily obtain licenses is a factor that can make it nearly impossible for people to escape the cycle of homelessness. Without an ID, it can be difficult or impossible to gain employment, secure housing, apply for food stamps or access disability benefits.

Continue reading “Arizona advocates aim to break cycle of homelessness through ID accessibility”