• Slug: BC-CNS-UFO R-E-S-P-E-C-T,710 words.
• Photo, video story available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Alexandria Cullen
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – After years of researching UFOs, Phoenix resident Shane Hurd thinks the research may be finally be entering what he hopes is a “golden age.”

“The taboo … is lifting and the government is taking it seriously,” said Hurd, the assistant director of the Arizona Mutual UFO Network. “And as I said, I think we’re even in a little bit of a golden age where we stand a real possibility of getting some very meaningful information from the government and … from scientists.”

Hurd and other researchers are encouraged by the federal government’s recent interest in explaining Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena – the new name for what used to be called UFOs. Continue reading “UFO buffs feel the R-E-S-P-E-C-T as government gets serious about research”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Opioid Settlement. 750 words.
• Photos, video story available (thumbnails and captions below).

By Oakley Seiter
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – On Aug. 31, Maricopa County announced it was distributing approximately $2 million in national opioid settlement funds to 12 local organizations. The county prioritized organizations that offer youth prevention and treatment, recovery programs and harm reduction programs. According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, more than two-thirds of all drug overdose deaths from 2019 to 2021 involved opioids.

Live and Learn AZ, a nonprofit organization that supports women, received $60,000 of those funds. Live and Learn provides education and training to women who have experienced homelessness, domestic violence or substance use disorders, and offers a structured two-year program to help women reach economic independence. The organization offers career guidance, job training, mentoring and financial assistance. Continue reading “Maricopa County uses part of national opioid settlement for group that helps recovering women”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Park Vandalism. 750 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails and captions below).

By Zach Bradshaw
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Montezuma Castle National Monument is wrapping trees to prevent vandalism.

In March, natural resources technicians at the national monument used burlap to cover the bark of six Arizona sycamore trees along public trails at Montezuma Castle. Portions of the bark were written and carved on. Many of the carvings included the year, which made it obvious there had been a recent increase in incidents.

But national park vandalism isn’t just a problem at Montezuma Castle – it’s been an issue many Arizona national park sites have dealt with.
Continue reading “Montezuma Castle among Arizona national park sites combating vandalism”

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-Winter Wishing,1240 words.
• 6 photos, audio story available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Alex Hager
KUNC

When the snows come to the mountains of Colorado, it’s good news for skiers but also the first step to recharging the Colorado River.

But this winter’s precipitation outlook is unclear, and how it unfolds will have an outsized impact on the next few years of management of the river, which supplies water to tens of millions of people from Wyoming to Mexico and gets most of that water from high-altitude snow, two-thirds of which falls in Colorado. Continue reading “Winter snow could help recharge the Colorado River. But what if it doesn’t?”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Recycled Wastewater. 730 words.
• 4 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Kate Duffy
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Recently, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality released a proposed roadmap outlining plans to convert treated wastewater into purified drinking water.

“Advanced water purification has the potential to provide a reliable source of purified water that can alleviate water scarcity issues faced in much of Arizona,” said Randall Matas, deputy director of the water quality division at ADEQ. “The additional source of sustainable healthy drinking water will really support Arizona’s growing population and economy.”

The Advanced Water Purification Program roadmap establishes and explains the technical standards to which purification technology will be held.
Continue reading “ADEQ proposes framework for converting wastewater into purified drinking water”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Tomato Wars,740 words.
• 2 file photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Lux Butler
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – The U.S. is involved in a “critically important trade battle” that could cost the Arizona economy billions while raising the price of tomatoes to consumers by as much as 50%, according to one study.

That’s what Arizona businesses and lawmakers say will happen if the Commerce Department gives in to demands to raise tariffs and overhaul an agreement on tomatoes imported from Mexico, an agreement that growers in Florida and other states say is being abused. Continue reading “Tomato fight: Arizona firms say tariff on Mexican tomatoes will hurt state”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Homeless Defiant,650 words.
• Accompanies BC-CNS-New Mexico Homeless.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Caleb Scott
Cronkite News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – One individual who calls himself Rabbit, 50, said he has been on the streets for 26 years as an unsheltered individual. He prefers to be called a hobo. “Hobo is the only word that has dignity to it,” Rabbit said. “Wherever I lay my head is my home.” He emphasized that he is homeless by choice.

Rabbit is currently staying near the Compassion Services Center in the International District in southeast Albuquerque, which is run by Pastor Joanne Landry. “This place right here, Pastor Joanne’s place, is the only place I feel is my second home,” Rabbit said. Continue reading “Despite outreach efforts, some unhoused people prefer to stay that way”

• Slug: BC-CNS-New Mexico Homeless,920 words.
• With BC-CNS-Homeless Defiant.
• 2 photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Caleb Scott
Cronkite News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After declining for almost a decade, New Mexico’s homeless population has increased by 48% from the previous year. According to a report released by the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee, this spike is primarily due to housing shortages and rising rents.

The report said rents in New Mexico increased by 70% from 2017 to 2021 while wages increased by 15%. Zillow reports the average price for a home in New Mexico in January 2017, was $173,063; in the current market, the average New Mexico home has increased to $293,040. For the U.S. as a whole in the same period, the average price for a home went from $206,839 in January 2017 to $346,653 in 2023. Continue reading “New Mexico confronts 48% homelessness spike with housing programs, rental aid”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Latino Vote,720 words.
• File photo, video story available. (thumbnail, caption below)

By Renee Romo
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – An estimated 150,000 Latino youth in Arizona will become eligible to vote in the 2024 election, when Hispanics will account for almost one in five voters in the state, according to analysts’ projections.

But how that bloc wields its growing clout remains a question, experts say.

“They’re still not the largest demographic group, but I think they’re the one for the biggest opportunity for either political party,” said Mike Noble, CEO of Phoenix-based Noble Predictive Insights.

Latino voters still lean Democratic, but experts say they are not a monolith: Their political outlook can be affected by age, religion, country of origin and the issues involved, which are as varied as they are for any voting group. Continue reading “Number of Latino voters is growing, but experts wonder in which direction”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Open Third,860 words.
• File photo available. (thumbnail, caption below)

By Renee Romo
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Look at campaign websites for the Democrats running to fill the seat being vacated by Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, and the issues tend toward the progressive: climate change, abortion rights, affordable housing, migrant rights.

It’s red meat for a blue district, which comes as no surprise to analysts like Paul Bentz.

“More than half of all voters in that district are Democratic … only about 14% of registered voters in that district are actually registered Republicans,” said Bentz, senior vice president of research and strategy at HighGround Inc. Continue reading “Race to replace Gallego in Democrat-heavy 3rd District draws crowded field”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Target Arizona,880 words.
• Photo, video story available. (thumbnail, caption below)

By Renee Romo
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Election 2024 in Arizona is expected to bring a high-profile, three-way Senate race and campaigns for two open House seats that have drawn dozens of big-name candidates.

But analysts say it’s two other House races in Arizona that stand to be “two of the most competitive House districts in the whole country.”

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Tucson, and Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, were listed as the 11th and 15th most-vulnerable House members, respectively, on the National Journal’s initial 2024 House Power Rankings. With control of the House hinging on just a handful of seats, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted Ciscomani and Schweikert among 33 competitive districts. Continue reading “With control of House in the balance, Democrats target two Arizona seats”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Indigenous Diabetes,1170 words.
• 12 photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Oakley Seiter
Cronkite News

FLAGSTAFF – Native Americans for Community Action, a nonprofit agency in Flagstaff, provides health services primarily to Native Americans of Flagstaff and Coconino County, both on and off the reservation. These photos, taken in NACA’s wellness center on Oct. 24, look at what NACA is doing to tackle the issue of diabetes within the Indigenous community. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH), American Indians are almost three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-Hispanic white adults. Continue reading “A Flagstaff nonprofit helps its Indigenous community combat high rates of diabetes using holistic approaches”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Politician Shaman,880 words.
• 3 file photos, video story available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Adrienne Washington
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Jacob Angeli-Chansley said he is not ready to give up on shamanism, but he wants voters in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District to know that he no longer wants to be known as the QAnon Shaman.

“I’ve never called myself a shaman. I call myself a shamanic practitioner. I practice shamanism,” said Angeli-Chansley, who rocketed to fame as the face-painted, horned-hat face of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

“If I’m going to rebrand myself, it would be maybe ‘America’s shaman,’ because the QAnon label has been stigmatized with the number of sub-labels or subcategories, conspiracy theories, white supremists, terrorists,” he said. “I don’t want to be associated with anything that the media has already maligned.” Continue reading “Still a shaman, but not the ‘Q’ shaman: Chansley rebrands for Congress bid”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Infant Mortality,740 words.
• File photo available. (thumbnail, caption below)

By Caleb Scott
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) released a report that shows an 11% increase in infant mortality rates from 2021 to 2022. The rate of infant mortality in Arizona in 2022 was 6 for every 1,000 births. Previously it was at 5.47

Across the U.S. the rate was 5.6 for every 1,000 births in 2022, according to a National Vital Statistics System report that put Arizona’s infant mortality rate at 6.17 for the year. Other developed countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain and Iceland have infant death rates in 2023 of 3.337, 2.011 and 1.055 per 1,000 respectively. Continue reading “Infant mortality in Arizona rose 11% in 2022, again topped national rate”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Crazy Eighth,970 words.
• 2 file photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Renee Romo
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Open congressional seats typically draw a crowd of hopefuls, but the crowd lining up to replace outgoing Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, is being described by experts with words like “all-stars,” “fascinating” and “fun.”

The 20 candidates to file paperwork for the seat with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office for the primary or general election so far include two failed statewide GOP candidates, another two who were at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and the former congressman from the district, who resigned amid an ethics probe in 2017.

“Grab your popcorn, pull up your chair because you’re going to be in for a world of fun watching that race … it’s going to be a blast to watch,” said Mike Noble, CEO of Phoenix-based Noble Predictive Insights. Continue reading “Lesko’s retirement starts stampede of high-profile hopefuls in 8th District”

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-Colorado Confab,1740 words.
• 4 file photos, audio story available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Alex Hager
KUNC

The annual Colorado River Water Users Association meets this week, but for the first time in several years, state water policy leaders say there’s less urgency for short-term fixes and more time to focus on long-term solutions.

A wet winter and a recent conservation deal have bought some breathing room as the biggest water policymakers in the arid West convene in Las Vegas at the Colorado River’s marquee annual event.

The event brings together hundreds of scientists, politicians, tribal members, farmers and others with a stake in the future of the water supply for roughly 40 million people across the Southwest. While they still face the daunting challenge of agreeing on water cutbacks by farms, ranches and cities from Wyoming to Mexico, many say last year’s wet winter helped clear the way for more productive talks. Continue reading “Some breathing room as water managers meet to weigh Colorado River’s future”

• Slug: BC-CNS-LGBTQ+ Teen Health,1540 words.
• 15 photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Oakley Seiter
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A 2022 survey of nearly 34,000 LGBTQ youths in the country, ages 13 to 24, found that 45% of them had seriously considered suicide within the past year. In Arizona alone, the survey showed 49% of this group seriously considered suicide and 16% attempted it.

According to The Trevor Project, the nonprofit organization that conducted the survey, these mental health and suicide risks are related to the harmful ways LGBTQ+ youth are treated, including discrimination, harassment, family rejection, social rejection and violence, rather than something intrinsic about being LBGTQ+.

One·n·ten is an Arizona organization responding to this serious mental health problem. The organization formed in 1993 and started as a volunteer-led meet-up group for LGBTQ+ teens. It opened a youth center in 2017 in downtown Phoenix that currently offers resources for the overall well-being of LGBTQ+ youth, ages 11 to 24. Continue reading “One·n·ten organization serves LGBTQ+ youth by providing mental, emotional and physical well-being resources”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Vintage Fashion,1170 words.
• 4 photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Kate Duffy
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – If you’ve been to a flea market or visited First Friday in downtown Phoenix, you’ve likely seen booth after booth of independent sellers offering a curated selection of vintage finds.

Vintage reselling has become a popular full-time job for fashion enthusiasts in the past few years, and vintage markets have become a destination for young shoppers hoping to lessen their environmental impact by avoiding fast fashion. Continue reading “Vintage resale: Sustainable business endeavor grows for fashion enthusiasts”

• Slug: BC-CNS-COVID Normal,670 words.
• 2 photos, video story available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Alexandria Cullen
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – The U.S. has entered a “new normal” for COVID-19, with lower but consistent levels of infection. But experts fear that the new normal may include people skipping vaccines that are still needed for protection.

“So few people are getting this new booster that is specifically targeting the new circulating strains of the Omicron virus,” said Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association.

The Arizona Department of Health Services no longer posts regular updates of vaccination rates, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that just 17% of Arizona residents were up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations as of Sept. 12, the most recent date for which numbers were available. Continue reading “COVID-19 cases down from pandemic; so are vaccinations, worrying experts”

• Slug: BC-CNS-Tribal Summit,800 words.
• 5 photos available. (thumbnails, captions below)

By Maddy Keyes
Gaylord News

WASHINGTON – The beat of drums echoed off the walls of the Department of the Interior auditorium Wednesday as members of the Native American Women Warriors Color Guard moved toward the stage with tribal flags in hand.

Just minutes before, the room was filled with laughter and conversation as friends and family gathered. But as the traditional song filled the space, they fell quiet.

More than 100 Indigenous leaders were on hand for the first of two days of the Biden administration’s third annual Tribal Nations Summit, where President Joe Biden on Wednesday vowed to strengthen relationships with tribal nations and advance tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Continue reading “Biden kicks off Tribal Nations Summit with order streamlining funding access”