Cronkite News Digest for Wednesday, Nov. 20

by Paola Boivin

Here is your Cronkite News lineup for Wednesday, Nov. 20.

If not linked below, stories promised for today, along with photos and links to multimedia elements, will post to our client site at cronkitenews.jmc.asu.edu/clients.

TODAY IN NEWS

‘We are not alone’: LA city council passes sanctuary city ordinance as Donald Trump plans mass deportations

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to pass a new sanctuary city ordinance that aims to solidify protections for immigrant residents at risk of deportation. City hall was abuzz with activity as supporters, many wearing T-shirts and holding signs with slogans like “Protect our neighbors” and “Make California a Sanctuary City,” gathered to advocate for the measure. The ordinance formalizes the city’s status as a sanctuary for immigrants by prohibiting the use of city resources, personnel or property to assist federal immigration enforcement.

Slug: LA Sanctuary City. 670 words. By Brandelyn Clark.

Photos available.

Cancer can affect anyone. But Hispanics face disproportionately severe outcomes

PHOENIX – For 58-year-old Beatriz Topete, cancer has been a part of her life from an early age. When she was barely a toddler, Topete lost her mother to leukemia. Fourteen years later, her half-sister, 3, was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, a type of cancer that affects kidneys. The girl survived. Later, the disease took her 62-year-old father, two uncles and one grandmother. Topete was anything but surprised when doctors told her she had a rare muscle cancer called leiomyosarcoma this year. Cancer was the second leading cause of death in Arizona in 2022. While white Arizonans had the highest cancer rates between 2017 and 2021 – 431.6 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 284.3 cases for Hispanics – the latter group has higher chances of dying from cancer than acquiring it compared to their white counterparts. Hispanics are less likely to develop the widespread types of cancer, such as breast, prostate and lung, but they are twice as likely to acquire mostly preventable cancers linked to infections.

Slug: Hispanic Cancer. 1,130 words. By Nicollette Valenzuela.

Photos available.

ASU Prep launches Family Choice Day for flexible Friday learning

PHOENIX – ASU Preparatory Academy is making educational waves with Family Choice Day. This new program aims to give families more flexibility while helping students stay engaged in their learning. The initiative comes as more schools nationwide, including those in the Phoenix area, adopt four-day school weeks. Starting this fall, ASU Prep switched to a Monday through Thursday in-person schedule for students enrolled at its Phoenix, South Phoenix, Pilgrim Rest and Polytechnic campuses. This change was inspired by families wanting more options for how their children learn, especially with the rise of hybrid learning.

Slug: Family Choice Day. 570 words. By Sienna Monea.

Photos, video available.

TODAY IN SPORTS

Look who’s 21: Arizona State checks into CFP rankings for first time since 2014 as BYU looms

PHOENIX – Defeat Kansas State? Check. Land in the College Football Playoff rankings? Check. The CFP committee placed Arizona State at No. 21 in the third ranking of the year Tuesday, its first appearance since the inaugural year in 2014 as the Sun Devils continue their improbable run to 8-2.

Slug: Sports-CFP Rankings ASU. 780 words. By Fletcher Anderson.

Photo available.

Arizona Fall League proves invaluable for MLB prospects in successful 2024 campaign

SCOTTSDALE – Entering the 2024 Arizona Fall League championship game, Washington Nationals No. 13 prospect Robert Hassell III felt several emotions. He was excited for a chance at redemption: He reached the semifinals in the two previous seasons with two separate teams but lost each time. He felt a sense of fulfillment for giving himself an opportunity at a championship. But the one emotion he didn’t feel was surprise. Despite the AFL season being a sprint that begins in early October and wraps up in mid-November, Hassell’s Salt River Rafters have formed a strong connection over the short time. They bonded over many things, but the biggest was undoubtedly the desire to win a championship.

Slug: Sports-Fall League Championship. 800 words. By Sean Brennan.

Photo available.

New coach Pa-Modou Kah brings global expertise to Phoenix Rising FC amid roster uncertainty

PHOENIX – The new coach of Phoenix Rising FC comes from a different league, and the roster he is taxed with improving before the United Soccer League season begins in March is still in a state of flux. But Pa-Modou Kah has a resume as unique as the situation he is inheriting. Kah has a wealth of experience not only on the field but off it. The Gambia native has experience in both European and North American soccer and speaks seven different languages. Kah is fluent in Wolof, Norwegian, English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Arabic. Kah’s mastery of diverse languages should help him form genuine connections with his players quicker than most.

Slug: Sports-Phoenix Rising Coach. 1,180 words. By Cooper Burns.

3 photos available.

THIS WEEK IN NEWS

Arizona receives mixed ratings on American Lung Association’s annual ‘State of Lung Cancer’ report

PHOENIX – The American Lung Association graded Arizona’s lung cancer response as mostly below average Tuesday. The association releases an annual report documenting the success or failure in each state’s response to lung cancer awareness. The ALA report follows a criterion that ranks states on six factors. Arizona ranked above average for rate of new cases; average for early diagnosis; and below average for survival rate, surgical treatment, and lack of treatment and screening.

Slug: State of Lung Cancer. 465 words. By Jalen Woody.

File photo available.

Ruben Gallego outspent Kari Lake to win Senate seat but other Arizona races proved money isn’t always enough

WASHINGTON – More than $250 million poured into Arizona’s contests for the U.S. Senate and House. After all the ads, mailers, phone calls and rallies, not a single seat flipped – proving, experts said, that money isn’t everything in politics. The Senate race between Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake, a former news anchor, drew the bulk of that spending – $156 million, according to OpenSecrets, a group that tracks campaign spending. Gallego and his allies outspent the other side more than 2-1. He won by nearly 81,000 votes, or 2.4 percentage points.

Slug: Costly Arizona Elections. 750 words. By Miguel Ambriz.

Photo available.

‘Cultural shift’ of young voters favored Donald Trump in 2024 election

PHOENIX – The outcome of the 2024 election has a familiar look to 2020. Then, the Democrats successfully got Joe Biden elected to the presidency, won the U.S. House and split the Senate. Now, a massive swing has led to what some are calling “the greatest comeback in political history.” The Republicans have a trifecta for at least two years; Donald Trump won the presidency while Republicans won the Senate and officially claimed 218 House seats for a GOP majority. Much of the shift has been credited to younger voters, specifically young men in America, who have seen some of the biggest margin changes. In Arizona, young voters ages 18-29 made up 15% of the turnout in 2024 in comparison to the 16% in 2020, according to exit polling by NBC News and other media outlets.

Slug: Young Voter Swing. 710 words. By Nash Darragh.

Photos available.

COVID-19 winter surge expected to hit marginalized communities hardest, experts warn

LOS ANGELES – As COVID-19 is expected to surge this winter, communities across the Southwest face rising hospitalizations and new, resilient variants. Infection rates can be even more severe for marginalized populations in these states. Limited health-care access and historically low vaccination rates amplify the burden on these communities and underscore long-standing health disparities. Following a summer surge, this new wave serves as a stark reminder of how these inequities continue to put vulnerable groups at greater risk. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is deploying mobile vaccine clinics to bring updated Moderna and Pfizer shots directly to high-risk areas.

Slug: COVID-19 California. 940 words. By Brandelyn Clark.

File photo available.

Migrants headed north from the Darién Gap can walk or catch a bus

UVITA, Costa Rica — According to the UN, 865 migrants per day arrived in Costa Rica from Panama in September. To continue their journey, the government offers them bus rides. Those who can’t afford it must wait or walk.

Slug: Borderlands-Uvita. 2,340 words. By Carly Stoenner | Cronkite Borderlands Project.

Photos, charts available.

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS

Despite BYU family ties, ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt focused on task at hand: Beating Cougars

TEMPE – Arizona State football has finally made its push into the top 25 teams in college football, landing at No. 21 in the nation. One of the most important games of the season now lies ahead of the Sun Devils as they get ready to face off with 14th-ranked BYU at Mountain America Stadium. Quarterback Sam Leavitt’s brother and father are former BYU players, but it’s not changing his mindset heading into the game. “It’s the same as every other week. It doesn’t change based on what my family’s done in the past,” Leavitt said. “Its pretty funny watching (BYU) growing up and now I get to play them.”

Slug: Sports-ASU Football BYU. 580 words. By Dane Palmer.

2 photos available.

Breaking barriers: Ability360 opens Phoenix Summit Challenge to all abilities

TEMPE – On a slightly overcast Saturday at Papago Park, which is sandwiched between Tempe and Phoenix, a group of three hikers gathered to take on their second hike of the day, with two more trails still to follow. The three hikers, accompanied by at least one guide per person at all times, were not ordinary hikers, and not just because they were willing to hike four trails in a day. Two sat in wheelchairs, another recently suffered a partial loss of her vision. Enter Ability 360.

Slug: Sports-Ability 360 Phoenix Summit. 834 words. By Keller Brown.

Photo available.

‘It’s like family’: Phoenix Suns gear and connection bring joy to Kenyan superfan Hussein Siro

PHOENIX – Devoted Phoenix Suns fan Hussein Siro was overcome with emotion when his package – which had traveled over 9,000 miles from Phoenix to Nairobi, Kenya – finally arrived. Inside the box were a Devin Booker jersey and some Suns graphic tee shirts. His connection with the NBA team has brought him great from far away.

Slug: Sports-Kenyan Suns Fans. 740 words. By Anne-Marie Iemmolo.

3 photos available.

With a national ranking and gifted offense in tow, ASU prepares for big stage against BYU

TEMPE – With a No. 21 ranking and 8-2 record, all eyes are on the Arizona State football team as it prepares to take on BYU at Mountain America Stadium Saturday. The Sun Devils suddenly find themselves in conversations about the Big 12 championship game and even, gasp, the College Football Playoff.

Slug: Sports-ASU Football Ascension. 900 words. By Tucker Sennett.

Photo available.