AUDIO: Republican lawmakers move to tighten Arizona voter ID requirements

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THIS IS YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2GO BRIEFING.

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I’M EMMA VANDENEINDE (  go to story ) 

HEADLINE: Arizona House tightens mail-in voting, ID requirements for elections

SUMMARY: The Arizona House approved a bill Monday, adding extra forms of identification for mail-in ballots and removing identification options for in-person voting.

VOTERS IN ARIZONA THIS NOVEMBER WILL NEED TO MEET STRICTER IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. THAT’S AFTER LEGISLATION CLEARED THE STATEHOUSE MONDAY THAT LIMITS THE TYPE OF IDENTIFICATION NEEDED TO VOTE AT A POLLING LOCATION. IT ALSO REQUIRES MAIL-IN VOTERS TO ADD THEIR DATE OF BIRTH AND EARLY VOTING NUMBER ALONG WITH THE TRADITIONAL SIGNATURE.

ARIZONA ALREADY HAS STRONG VOTER ID LAWS. BUT REPUBLICANS CONTEND THEY LEAVE ROOM FOR FRAUD OR ILLEGAL VOTES. DEMOCRATS SAY THE MEASURE ALONG WITH OTHER ELECTION BILLS THIS SESSION ARE EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE IN A KEY STATE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LOST IN 2020.

THIS COMES AFTER THE ARIZONA REPUBLICAN PARTY FILED A LAWSUIT FRIDAY ASKING THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT TO REMOVE THE VOTE-BY-MAIL SYSTEM ENTIRELY. THEY ARGUE IT’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL FOR 90 PERCENT OF VOTERS TO USE ONE SYSTEM. 

HEADLINE 2: Governor Ducey outlines plan to boost water supplies
SUMMARY:

 ARIZONA GOVERNOR  DOUG DUCEY AND A TOP LEADER IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAVE FILLED IN A KEY PART OF A NEW PLAN TO BOOST THE STATE’S INCREASINGLY STRAINED WATER SUPPLY. 

THEY PLAN TO CREATE A STATE AGENCY TO ACQUIRE SUPPLIES AND DEVELOP AND FUND PROJECTS. THE ARIZONA WATER AUTHORITY WILL HAVE DEEP POCKETS AND THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND FIND SOURCES THAT CAN SECURE THE STATE’S WATER FUTURE. 

ONE POTENTIAL PROJECT IS A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR DE-SALINATION PLANT IN MEXICO, BUT MANY OTHERS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. 

HOUSE SPEAKER RUSTY BOWERS (BOW-ERS) SAYS IT’S IMPORTANT TO ACT NOW BECAUSE ARIZONA HAS ALREADY ABSORBED CUTBACKS IN THE ALLOCATION OF COLORADO RIVER WATER. 

HEADLINE: February Madness

SUMMARY: For the first time in history all 6 top AP poll teams lost on the same day

MARCH MADNESS MAY HAVE COME EARLY. ALL OF THE TOP 6 AP POLL TEAMS LOST ON THE SAME DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THIS PAST WEEKEND. 

THIS INCLUDED NUMBER 2 RANKED UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA LOSING TO AN UNRANKED COLORADO TEAM ON THE ROAD. THIS GAME FAVORED UARIZONA, BUT A 47 POINT SECOND HALF EXPLOSION FROM THE BUFFALOES PROVED TO BE TOO MUCH TO HANDLE.

MARCH MADNESS GETS UNDERWAY IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL THIS WEEKEND.  ONLY GONZAGA AND UARIZONA HELD THEIR PLACES WHILE AUBURN, PURDUE, KANSAS, AND KENTUCKY ALL SLID DOWN IN THE AP RANKINGS.

HEADLINE: Sounds of the Ocean combines ocean conservation and mental health

SUMMARY: Sounds of the Ocean is an experience that allows people to connect with marine life.

THERE ARE MANY MENTAL HEALTH AND OCEAN CONSERVATION ADVOCATES IN THE WORLD, BUT RARELY DO WE SEE BOTH BEING ADDRESSED AT ONE  EVENT.

IN LOS ANGELES, CRONKITE NEWS REPORTER KAREN MARROQUIN TAKES US INSIDE A TRAVELING EXHIBIT THAT HOPES TO IMPROVE THE OCEAN, AND YOUR PEACE OF MIND.

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THE SOUNDS OF THE OCEAN FILL THE ROOM WITH TRANQUILITY AND JOY AS PEOPLE LAY AROUND, ABSORBING THE AMBIANCE.

BY COMBINING OCEAN SOUNDS AND ART, JOSHUA SAM MILLER, MUSICIAN AND CO-CREATOR OF “SOUNDS OF THE OCEAN,”  SAYS HE IS BRINGING AWARENESS TO OCEAN CONSERVATION 

<sot JOSHUA SAME MILLER,MUSICIAN/PRODUCER OF MINDFUL MUSIC CRONKITE NEWS/runs :12 hits xx-xx >

“The ocean is the lung of our planet and it’s the way that we’re bringing balance to the negative impact that unfortunately a lot of our industry and commerce has had from our work here on land

EACH YEAR BILLIONS OF POUNDS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS ENTER THE OCEAN THROUGH HUMAN ACTIVITIES… AND HUMAN ERRORS. 

JUST LAST YEAR, AROUND 126,000 OIL GALLONS SPILLED INTO THE OCEAN AFTER A PIPELINE RUPTURED OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST.

MILLER HOPES THAT HIS WORK WILL INSPIRE PEOPLE TO BE MORE MINDFUL OF THE OCEAN, AND FIND MORE INNER PEACE IN THE PRESENT. DUCK THE MUSIC

<sot – AARON KRASNOW/VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR, ASU HEALTH SERVICES/ runs :07 hits xx-xx>“One of the things we know is that the more present we can be with our thoughts and our feelings, the more relaxed we can be and oftentimes that makes us feel a lot better.”

NOWADAYS, CARING FOR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS MORE THAN EVER. 

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY ASSOCIATION, IN 2021, NEARLY ONE THIRD OF ADULTS SAID THAT THEY WERE SO STRESSED ABOUT THE PANDEMIC THAT THEY STRUGGLED MAKING BASIC DECISIONS, LIKE WHAT TO WEAR OR WHAT TO EAT.

AARON KRASNOW IS THE ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY’S HEALTH AND COUNSELING SERVICES. HE SAYS THAT WHILE THESE TYPES OF EVENTS ARE GREAT TO RELAX THE MIND , HE ALSO WANTS TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT …

“…All the people that benefited from that activity, they may have benefited in that moment but if they don’t put it into practice it won’t have a major change in their life.”

INSTEAD, KRASNOW SUGGESTS RELAXING THE MIND A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK TO REAP THE LONG LASTING BENEFITS.

<sot – AARON KRASNOW/VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR, ASU HEALTH SERVICES/ runs :10 hits xx-xx>

“People who participate in mindful activities, because that’s what it is, it’s a mindfulness practice, have a better outcome for their mental health, for their physical health, for their relationships.”

REPORTING FROM LOS ANGELES, KAREN MARROQUIN, CRONKITE NEWS.

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ANCHOR TAG:

SOUNDS OF THE OCEAN IS CURRENTLY TOURING WORLDWIDE. THEIR NEXT EVENT WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 12 IN COSTA RICA.

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WE HAD HELP TODAY FROM KAREN MARROQUIN. ALSO THANKS TO JUSTIN TORRES, WHO PRODUCED TODAY’S SHOW.

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YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORIES YOU HEARD IN TODAY’S NEWS UPDATE, BY GOING TO CRONKITENEWS-DOT-AZPBS-DOT-ORG. 

THAT’S ALL FOR YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2 GO. I’M EMMA VANDENEINDE

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