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THIS IS YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2GO BRIEFING.

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I’M  THALAI LOPEZ              (  go to story ) 

Arizona wildfire doubled in size northeast of Flagstaff  

A WILDFIRE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA HAS TORN THROUGH TWO-DOZEN STRUCTURES AND HAS FORCED THE EVACUATION OF MORE THAN 700 HOMES. THE TUNNEL FIRE LOCATED 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF FLAGSTAFF WAS DISCOVERED SUNDAY. BUT STRONG WINDS PUSHED THE FIRE TO GROW AND BY WEDNESDAY MORNING IT WAS MORE THAN 16-THOUSAND ACRES. FIRE SPOKESMAN DICK FLEISHMAN SAYS THE WIND IS DRIVING THE FLAMES AND IT’S NOT LETTING UP.  

“We’re still looking at potential 20 -30 mile an hour winds which is also very problematic and the fields are offly dry especially for April 20th.” 

FLEISHMAN SAYS THE PLAN IS TO WORK THE SIDES OF THE FIRE AND GUIDE IT AWAY FROM SUBDIVISIONS. FLEISHMAN SAYS WILDFIRES TRADITIONALLY STOP AT THE END OF MAY BUT CAN GO INTO  JUNE. HE SAYS THIS YEAR IS ALREADY PROVING TO BE ANOTHER BUSY FIRE YEAR. 

Arizona Governor along with 25 others announce new border strike force 

GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY AND 25 OTHER GOVERNORS ON WEDNESDAY LAUNCHED THE AMERICAN GOVERNORS BORDER STRIKE FORCE, A PARTNERSHIP PLANNED TO SECURE THE SOUTHERN BORDER. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE A DAY AFTER A REPORT BY THE US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WHICH SHOWED MIGRANT CROSSINGS ALONG THE US-MEXICO BORDER ARE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN TWO DECADES. GOVERNOR DUCEY SPOKE ON THE MIKE BROOMHEAD SHOW ON KTAR ABOUT THE NEW STRIKE FORCE. 

“​​This is gonna be a sharing of intelligence of law-enforcement, of our fusion centers to get after these cartels and human traffickers that are wreaking havoc all over our nation.” 

DUCEY SAYS THESE 26 STATES WILL FILL THE ABSENCE OF  THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE NATION’S SOUTHERN BORDER BY FLOODING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN NEEDED AREAS. THE MULTI STATE FORCE WILL IMPROVE INTELLIGENCE SHARING AND ANALYSIS OF STATE LEVEL CRIMES, MONITOR CYBERSECURITY ISSUES, TARGET CARTEL FINANCES , AND IMPROVE COORDINATION ON INTERSTATE-10 AND INTERSTATE-40. URGENCY FOR BORDER PROTECTION COMES AS FENTANYL DEATHS IN ARIZONA ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. OVERDOSES ON FENTANYL HAVE SURPASSED CAR ACCIDENTS AS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH LAST YEAR FOR PEOPLE 19 AND YOUNGER IN PIMA COUNTY.  

Phoenix Mercury speak out on Griner’s detainment 

THE PHOENIX MERCURY KICKED OFF TRAINING CAMP THIS WEEK, BUT ARE   MISSING A KEY MEMBER OF THE TEAM.

THAT IS MERCURY GUARD BRITTNEY GRINER WHO WAS DETAINED IN RUSSIA IN FEBRUARY. SOME OF HER TEAMMATES AND COACHES GAVE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE SITUATION INCLUDING DIANA TAURASI WHO SPENT TIME IN RUSSIA: 

<DIANA TAURASI/GUARD, PHOENIX MERCURY> :00-:07

“I spent ten years there, so I know the way things work there and it’s delicate “

VANESSA NYGAARD,(NY-gard)  THE MERCURY’S HEAD COACH SAYS GRINER’S DETAINMENT ISN’T JUST ABOUT THEIR TEAMMATE BUT ALSO ABOUT THEIR FRIEND: 

<VANESSA NYGAARD/HEAD COACH, PHOENIX MERCURY> :08-:27

“So it is something we think about and we pray to make sure she is safe and she comes home quickly. We feel confident that everything is being done to make sure that she gets back as quickly as possible.”

AND TEAMMATE SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM PUT IT THIS WAY: 

<SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM/GUARD, PHOENIX MERCURY> :27-:36

“It’s BG there’s no one like her in the whole world. So definitely miss her, but it’s not even like basketball anymore.  

THE TEAM NOW HAS TO PREPARE TO START THEIR SEASON ON MAY SIXTH WITHOUT GRINER.  MEANWHILE, GRINER HAS A COURT HEARING ON MAY 19TH

US agency mulls yanking Arizona’s work safety oversight

ARIZONA MAY LOSE THE AUTHORITY TO OVERSEE ITS OWN WORKPLACE SAFETY PROGRAM. THAT’S BECAUSE OF A PATTERN OF IGNORING FEDERAL DIRECTIVES INVOLVING COVID-19 PROTECTION, EMPLOYER PENALTIES AND OTHER ISSUES. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION THREATENED WEDNESDAY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN REVOKING FEDERAL APPROVAL OF ARIZONA’S PLAN TO MONITOR AND PROTECT PRIVATE, LOCAL AND STATE EMPLOYEES. ASSISTANT U.S. LABOR SECRETARY DOUG PARKER SAYS THE AGENCY WILL PUBLISH A FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE RECONSIDERING ARIZONA’S APPROVAL. THE NOTICE OPENS UP A 35-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THE STATE COULD REQUEST A HEARING. GOV. DOUG DUCEY PREVIOUSLY CALLED THIS  “A POLITICAL STUNT AND DESPERATE POWER GRAB.”

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SPECIAL THANKS TODAY TO KTAR AND  TO MASON MILLER WHO PRODUCED THE 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   THALIA LOPEZ               . 

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