• Slug: BC-CNS-Scotus SanCarlos,740.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Ian McKinney
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – The San Carlos Apache said Monday that the federal government owes it $3 million for health care services, one of two tribes arguing before the Supreme Court for more support from the Indian Health Service.

But attorneys for the government argued that allowing tribes to claim additional overhead costs for the health care they provide their members would strap the system, and end up siphoning away money for care of Native Americans in other tribes. Continue reading “Tribes, feds spar before Supreme Court over who pays for health care”

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• Slug: BC-CNS-Black Businesses. 520 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Huston Dunston Jr.
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – There is a small but growing number of Black-owned businesses in Arizona. One of the challenges that they face is getting the money to start.

Brownstone Spa in Phoenix is owned by Stacy Best-Nervis. The spa has customized services for men and women of color, who often experience skin issues that are not easily identified due to the absence of training and expertise at other facilities and esthetic schools, according to the spa’s website. It says the business offers skin consultations, body treatments, customized facials and advanced treatments such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion and dermaplane treatments.

When asked about challenges in starting her business, Best-Nervis said “gaining capital and getting your finances together” was tough. “As a Black-owned business, there are stats that show it is harder for us to get capital.” She started her business five years ago and said she’s proud she can provide services in the skin care industry for those who haven’t been able to get proper care or treatment.

According to the State of Black Business 2022 report, there were 1,019 Black-owned businesses in greater Phoenix, or 1% of employer firms. The report said it would take almost 5,000 more Black-owned businesses in the area for the number to match population representation.

Continue reading “Phoenix-area Black businesses face challenges with start-up capital”

EDS: UPDATES lede and second graf to reflect early-morning Senate vote. No other changes. Will not be led.

• Slug: BC-CNS-Border Budget,700.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Ian McKinney
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers have approved a $1.2 trillion package of budget bills that includes funding for 42,000 new beds in migrant detention facilities and for the hiring of an additional 22,000 Border Patrol agents.

The House voted 286-134 for the bill early Friday afternoon and the Senate approved it 74-24 shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday – stopping a government shutdown that was scheduled to take effect at midnight Friday if no budget had passed. President Joe Biden has said he will sign a bill as soon as Congress gets it to him.

The bill passed the House despite substantial opposition from Republicans, who said it was rushed through and contained what they called giveaways to Democrats. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Oro Valley, called the measure “a complete disaster.” Continue reading “$1.2 trillion budget bill, racing against shutdown, funds more border security”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Downwind Downtrodden,1130.
• 3 file photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Lillie Boudreaux
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The $1.2 trillion budget package that Congress was working to pass Friday included everything from protection for gas stoves to restrictions on payments to the Chinese government.

What it didn’t include was an extension for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which compensates people who lived downwind from nuclear test sites and developed cancer as a result.

Family members of such “downwinders,” like Cullin Pattillo of Mohave County, said they felt “disgust” at Congress’ lack of action. Continue reading “‘Downwinder’ renewal left out of massive budget bill rushed through Congress”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Inequitable Prenatal Care. 1,420 words.
• Photos, embeddable map available.

By Mia Milinovich
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Minority communities without access to adequate prenatal care often suffer high maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates. In Arizona, approximately 1 in 6 infants in 2022 was born to a woman who didn’t get adequate prenatal care.

Mobile maternity care clinics are making a difference by bringing prenatal care into communities where it’s needed. These maternity care clinics, on wheels, connect expectant mothers to accessible and timely medical services.

Continue reading “Mobile maternity care clinics work to expand prenatal care accessibility”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Chips Change,690.
• 3 photos, video story available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Lillie Boudreaux
Cronkite News

CHANDLER – President Joe Biden announced the award of $8.5 billion to chipmaker Intel on Wednesday, along with $11 billion in loans that will help the semiconductor manufacturer expand operations in Arizona and three other states.

The grant, the largest to date under the CHIPS and Science Act, will let Intel upgrade current facilities in Chandler and construct what the company says will be two “leading edge” facilities there, making it the largest chipmaking location in the country when it opens in late 2025. The Chandler project is expected to create 3,000 manufacturing jobs along with 7,000 construction jobs. Continue reading “Feds award Intel $8.5 billion; money to expand Chandler, other chip plants”

• Nombre: CN-BiTrAZ. 531 palabras.
• 2 fotos disponibles

Por Maria Garcia
Cronkite Noticias

PHOENIX — El presidente Joe Biden y el expresidente Donald Trump obtuvieron la victoria en las elecciones presidenciales de preferencia este martes en Arizona. Los votantes tuvieron la primera oportunidad de seleccionar formalmente al candidato que representaría a su partido.

Continue reading “Biden y Trump logran victoria en elecciones de preferencia presidencial en Arizona “

• Slug: BC-CNS-Smokus Pocus. 565 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Donovan Growney
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With the benefits of cannabis legalization still being debated throughout the country, one traveling magician is trying to destigmatize its use.

Ben Zabin brought his “Smokus Pocus” show to Phoenix earlier this month as part of his nationwide tour.

Zabin described the show as projecting a laid back and humorous atmosphere that includes “pretty crazy stuff” with bongs, lighters and jars of weed. Though recreational cannabis was legalized in Arizona in 2020, Zabin said that his show helps to destigmatize the use of cannabis and empower cannabis users nationwide.

Continue reading “‘Smokus Pocus’ cannabis-themed magic show aims to destigmatize marijuana use”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Third Spaces. 1,115 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Analisa Valdez
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – There’s something that occurs in a coffee shop when a series of individuals preparing for their day cross paths in a shared space. A man stops inside for a bite to eat, a woman keeps to herself and studies diligently in the corner, one barista wipes off tables while the other takes orders, and a young woman on the porch sketches in her notepad. While these people only interact partially with one another, what they’ve essentially created in this unassuming coffee shop is what is known as a “third space.”

In sociology, a third space is defined as a place outside of the traditional first spaces – like a person’s home or place of residency – and away from second spaces – like work or school – to create an environment where attendance doesn’t feel like a requirement or chore. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these spaces closed, keeping people in isolation even after the major lockdown protocols had expired. Much of the population sequestered themselves in their homes.

Continue reading “Home away from home: Third spaces reemerging for community engagement, social development following COVID-19 impact”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Presidential Returns,910.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Lillie Boudreaux
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump cruised to victory in Arizona’s presidential preference election Tuesday, easily outdistancing challengers despite an organized protest vote and former challengers who were still on the ballot.

In early returns, Biden had 89.7% of votes from Democrats, far ahead of the 3.5% for challenger Marianne Williamson. She had been pushed as an alternative by groups calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, who hoped to send a message to Biden over his administration’s support for Israel.

Trump, meanwhile, had 76.7% of the Republican vote compared to 19.8% for Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor – and Trump’s former United Nations ambassador – who dropped out of the race two weeks ago after winning only a handful of delegates in early primary states. Continue reading “Despite lingering challenges, Trump, Biden cruise to victories in Arizona”

Slug: BC-CNS-Biden Arrival.

20 photos by Reece Andrews (click on thumbnails for large files).

Continue reading “PHOTOS: President Joe Biden arrives in Phoenix ahead of Intel speech”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Presidential Preference. 690 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
• Video available.

By Donovan Growney and Vanessa Pimentel
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes encouraged voters Tuesday to participate in the state’s 2024 presidential preference election, despite the parties’ nominees being all but decided.

Starting at 6 a.m., the polls opened for Arizonans to vote for who they want the presidential nominee to be for their respective parties. While President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are the presumptive nominees for the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively, several candidates in each party were still listed on the ballots.

Continue reading “Voters hit the polls for Arizona presidential preference election”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Native Voters. 890 words.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By John Sanders
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As voters headed to the polls Tuesday to vote in the presidential preference election, Native Americans in Arizona continued to work within a system that has challenged their ability to vote for decades. With new legislation affecting the upcoming election in November, the challenge just got harder for Native Americans looking to exercise their voting rights.

In 2021, 19 states enacted 33 laws that target voting rights, which the Brennan Center For Justice characterized as restrictive legislation. Organizations around the country have been assisting people affected by these laws.

Continue reading “Organizations assist Native American voters as election year ramps up”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Wildfire Season,530.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Martin Dreyfuss
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Forestry officials said Arizona is on the verge of a volatile wildfire season, and they urged state residents to be prepared and to take steps now to head off the worst of it.

“The first day of any firefight starts with the actions and efforts that we do today,” said Aaron Casem, the prevention officer at the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

He was speaking at a news conference Monday where state officials said a wet winter spurred excessive growth of vegetation that has the potential to become a “heavy fuel load” for fires as the state dries out this summer. Continue reading “State officials warn of potentially ‘explosive’ wildfires this summer”

• Slug: BC-CNS-PPE Meh,710.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Reagan Priest
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Joe Biden and Donald Trump have already locked up their parties’ presidential nominations, but that doesn’t mean Arizona voters won’t have a choice when they cast ballots Tuesday in the state’s presidential preference election.

The question is how many voters exercise that choice.

Democrats angry with Biden’s stance on Gaza are urging a protest vote to show their displeasure, while Trump critics can pick from eight other – former – GOP candidates whose names are still on the ballot. Continue reading “Presidential nominees already picked, but Arizona voters still have options”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Disabled Voting Accommodations. 565 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Jack Orleans
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A mock election to help voters with various physical or mental disabilities was held Feb. 27 by the Maricopa County Recorder’s Elections Office and Vote The Spectrum, an initiative launched by a Phoenix nonprofit to register 10,000 individuals with autism or intellectual or developmental disabilities.

“We’ve done 250 vote registrations as of today, and that means that we’ll get additional people out there voting,” said Monica Murray, a member of the Maricopa County Special Elections Board.

Those boards provide services to people whose various disabilities make voting difficult.

Continue reading “Maricopa County, First Place conduct mock election for voters with disabilities ahead of presidential primary”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Mobile Banking. 820 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Naomi DuBovis
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – For some, going to the bank is a regular errand, but for others, it’s a difficult and sometimes impossible task. That’s why some programs bring the bank to the customer instead of making the customer come to the bank.

With portions of Arizona’s population having limited or nonexistent access to banking services, financial institutions are working with nonprofits to help. Bank branches on wheels is one tool they’re trying out to provide financial education and get more people signed up for bank accounts.

According to data compiled by economic justice nonprofit Prosperity Now, 17% of Phoenix households were underbanked in 2021 compared to 14% of households nationwide. Underbanked households have a bank account, but they rely primarily on cash and alternative financial services like payday loans to manage their money.

Continue reading “Phoenix banks on wheels try to make banking more accessible, provide financial education”

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• Slug: BC-CNS-GRIC Water,660.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Alex Hager
KUNC

The Gila River Indian Community said it does not support a plan backed by three states for managing the Colorado River’s shrinking water supply, and is instead working instead with federal officials to develop its own proposal for water sharing.

Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said Wednesday at a meeting of policy experts and water scientists in Tucson that his tribe would not go along with the plan unveiled a week earlier by the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada. Continue reading “Gila River Indian Community rejects states’ plan for Colorado, works with feds”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Pool Fences,650.
• 5 photos, graphic available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Lauren Kobley
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Brandi Stoll is an Arizona native who grew up swimming in pools and was familiar with pool safety. When she became a mother, she knew the risks and how to keep her children safe around the pool, but her world changed in July 2021 when she found her almost-2-year-old daughter face down in her family’s pool.

Drowning is a leading cause of death for children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, there were 133 water-related incidents reported in Maricopa and Pinal counties, 50 of which involved children 5 and under, according to data from Children’s Safety Zone, which tracks Arizona data. Of those 50 incidents, 12 resulted in fatalities. Continue reading “Pool Fence Safety Program aims to raise awareness, reduce drownings”

• Slug: Sports-Arizona Men,730.
• 5 photos available

By Jesse Brawders
Cronkite News

LAS VEGAS – In college basketball, teams have to take games in March one game at a time. The No. 1 Arizona Wildcats have embraced that motto, as they swiftly put away the No. 9 USC Trojans Thursday afternoon in the Pac-12 Men’s Tournament quarterfinals.

During the regular season, Arizona (25-7; 15-5 Pac-12) and USC (15-18; 8-12 Pac-12) each won on home soil, with USC beating the Wildcats just last week 78-65, in the final game of the regular season before the Pac-12 Men’s Tournament for both teams.

But the Wildcats tend to turn it up in Las Vegas, where they are now 6-1 against the Trojans all-time with their only tournament loss to USC in their previous matchup in 2019, when the Wildcats fell 78-65 in the first round. Continue reading “Oumar Ballo, Arizona Wildcats cruise past USC to Pac-12 Tournament Semifinals”