Profit vs. principles: Sports and politics collision creates controversy, opportunity

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Globalization of Sports, 1,800 words.
  • Photo available.

By Doyal D’angelo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Killings, kidnappings, violent oppression of political opposition, torture and censorship are just a few human rights abuses that officials in the Rwandan dictatorship are either credibly accused of committing or failing to investigate.

Paul Kagame, the Rwandan dictator who helped lead his country out of its horrid genocidal past, has been in power since 2000 and with no end to his reign in sight – yet the NBA is doing business with him.

As part of a widespread effort to expand his league’s global reach, Adam Silver and his team met with Kagame in Kigali in 2018 and advised him to build a new facility, BK Arena, that would host the first Basketball African League game in 2021. Continue reading “Profit vs. principles: Sports and politics collision creates controversy, opportunity”

Arizona State women’s basketball joins improved Big 12 Conference with fresh energy, high expectations

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Big 12 WBB, 660 words.
  • Photo available.

By Dane Palmer
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As the 2024-25 Big 12 women’s basketball season tips off, a new era of college sports begins, marked by transfers, new rivalries and high expectations.

With the conference’s expansion bringing in four new programs – Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and BYU – the level of competition has never been higher. The revamped Big 12 looks to grow in more ways than from just adding schools, with improved ratings, engagement and international experiences all on the checklist for commissioner Brett Yormack.

Yormack has big aspirations for the expanding conference, which now features 18 teams spread across 10 different states. Continue reading “Arizona State women’s basketball joins improved Big 12 Conference with fresh energy, high expectations”

Rebounds and turnovers: GCU men’s basketball eyes improvements, looks to defend WAC title

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-GCU MBB Preview, 1,070 words.
  • Photo available.

By Brenden Paul
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As the clock struck 7 p.m. before the ring ceremony began, the student section known as the Havocs started singing “Be Ready” by Sovereign Grace Music in complete unison and without music, engulfing Global Credit Union Arena with their voices.

The Havocs’ impromptu celebration carried Grand Canyon University’s men’s basketball team into its emotional Western Athletic Conference championship ring and banner reveal ceremony Tuesday night, a reminder of the Lopes’ accomplishments from last season and what they have on the line this year.

It’s safe to say GCU fans are more than ready for the start of college basketball season. However, the Lopes have work to do to live up to the hype expected from the Havocs this season.  Continue reading “Rebounds and turnovers: GCU men’s basketball eyes improvements, looks to defend WAC title”

Transfer trio: GCU roller hockey championship team boosted by newcomers from Bethel University

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-GCU Roller Hockey, 860 words.
  • Photo available.

By Brenden Paul
Cronkite News

PEORIA – Kawena Lee was awakened by teammate Zach Hoffman while taking a nap on his couch with the news that Bethel University’s roller hockey team had folded due to financial issues.

“I’m all lethargic and drowsy from my nap still, and (Hoffman) says, ‘Did you hear about the news?’ I said no, and he told me to check my email because Bethel just closed their roller hockey program,” Lee said.

One year removed from making the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) semifinals, members of the Bethel University Wildcats, located in McKenzie, Tennessee, suddenly needed new places to play for the 2024-25 season, and a trio of players found a home in the desert with Grand Canyon University. Along with forwards Lee and Hoffman, defenseman Josh Little also joined the movement to Arizona. Continue reading “Transfer trio: GCU roller hockey championship team boosted by newcomers from Bethel University”

Plain language for ballot initiatives: Why it matters

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Ballot Initiative Language. 550 words.
  • Photo available.

By Sona Gevorgyan
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Ballot initiatives allow citizens to vote on new laws. As a result, voters have a direct say in how the government operates.

In Arizona, voters will have a say on key issues like abortion access, immigration and the state minimum wage through the 13 propositions on their ballots. Research has shown ballot wording impacts voters’ decisions.

According to a 2019 study published in the journal Electoral Studies, simple ballot language can lead to an incomplete representation of initiatives.

Continue reading “Plain language for ballot initiatives: Why it matters”

Arizona Cardinals return home to test momentum vs. heartbroken Chicago Bears

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Sports-Arizona Cardinals Bears, 700 words.
  • Photo available.

By James Morel
Cronkite News

TEMPE – On any given Sunday, the unusual can happen. Last Sunday, in something you’d see in a movie, the Chicago Bears were stunned by a last-second Hail Mary, while further south, the Arizona Cardinals jubilantly celebrated following a game-winning field goal.

The two teams, on contrasting paths, meet Sunday in a clash at State Farm Stadium, though the Cardinals know any ounce of momentum soared out the window when they touched down back in Phoenix.

“We got our work cut out for us, it’s going to be a big-time challenge,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Wednesday. Continue reading “Arizona Cardinals return home to test momentum vs. heartbroken Chicago Bears”

How Maricopa County counts millions of ballots

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Counting Ballots. 560 words.
  • File photo (thumbnail, caption below).

By Eddie McCoven
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With more than 2.4 million registered voters in Maricopa County and the increasing number of allegations around election integrity, counting ballots for the 2024 presidential election is no easy task.

Maricopa County Deputy Elections Director Jennifer Liewer said the county goes to “extensive lengths” to make sure all legal votes are counted.

“Our systems, our personnel, our workers are all trained to ensure that we do not disenfranchise voters,” Liewer said. “We want you to know that if you are a legally registered voter in Maricopa County, that your ballot will be cast.”

Continue reading “How Maricopa County counts millions of ballots”

Well, well, well: Taxpayers pay the price for oil and gas wells leaking methane as multiple entities work to plug them

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Orphaned Wells. 965 words.
  • Photo, map available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Gabrielle Wallace
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Many oil and gas wells across Arizona with no known owners leak methane into the environment, which tribal, state and federal agencies are responsible for cleaning up.

These wells – referred to as “orphaned” – are often not properly maintained and can lead to surface and groundwater contamination causing pollution, health issues and threats to wildlife.

Continue reading “Well, well, well: Taxpayers pay the price for oil and gas wells leaking methane as multiple entities work to plug them”

On-call maternity care in rural Arizona boosted by AHCCCS funding

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: AHCCCS Funding. 550 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).
  • Voiceover available.

By Lizeth Adriana Calderon
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Roughly a fifth of expecting and new mothers in Arizona receive little to no prenatal care, which can lead to poor health outcomes for mothers and their children, according to the March of Dimes report from last year.

Overall the health of mothers and infants in the U.S. is on decline, partially because more than a third of Americans live in maternal care deserts, according to the subsequent March of Dimes report. A maternity care desert is an area where access to reproductive health care is limited or women face other obstacles in their ability to access care.

Continue reading “On-call maternity care in rural Arizona boosted by AHCCCS funding”

Religious groups recruit volunteers to provide peaceful presence at Arizona polls

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Religious Poll Watchers. 590 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Tony Gutiérrez
Special for Cronkite News

Following reports of armed “poll watchers” at Arizona polling places during the last several election cycles, two groups have launched initiatives inviting people of faith to help promote peace at the polls.

Faiths United to Save Democracy is actively recruiting “poll chaplains” to serve at various poll locations, while the Arizona Faith Network, in partnership with Election Protection Arizona, is inviting people of faith to be “peacekeepers.” Medina Moore, voting rights organizer for the Arizona Faith Network, said both groups support each other in their missions.

Continue reading “Religious groups recruit volunteers to provide peaceful presence at Arizona polls”

Election Day essentials: The do’s and don’ts for spotting disinformation

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Spotting Disinformation. 490 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Ana Burk
Special for Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In this era of social media, a seasoned political reporter shares key strategies for identifying disinformation during election season.

The American Psychological Association reports that over the past few decades, people’s attention spans have decreased due to constant distractions from phones and other devices. People tend to only read the first line of a story, or watch the first few seconds of a video.

Continue reading “Election Day essentials: The do’s and don’ts for spotting disinformation”

Maricopa County officials confident but wary of threats ahead of Election Day

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Maricopa County Election Security. 700 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Aaron Stigile
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Rallies outside of Maricopa County offices, threats and intimidation directed toward election workers and false election conspiracy theories spread by politicians are all problems Maricopa County officials have had to deal with in the past.

Now, officials are preparing security measures and fighting back against misinformation in the run-up to Nov. 5.

Continue reading “Maricopa County officials confident but wary of threats ahead of Election Day”

Arizona Senate candidates Kari Lake, Ruben Gallego targeting younger voters

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Senate Young Voters. 800 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Nash Darragh
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – With just a week to go until Election Day, all eyes remain on the swing state of Arizona. The state’s 11 electoral votes have been increasingly sought after by both Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris over the past few months.

But Republican Kari Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego are also aiming to secure the final undecided votes from a generation that is voting for the first time.

Continue reading “Arizona Senate candidates Kari Lake, Ruben Gallego targeting younger voters”

‘Not reconcilable’: Latter-day Saints in Arizona break with Trump on immigration, which could help Harris

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: LDS Voters Immigration. 960 words.
  • File photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Mia Osmonbekov
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have launched get-out-the-vote coalitions targeting the close to half a million Latter-day Saints in Arizona, a battleground state where every voting bloc will count in the presidential race.

Trump pitched himself to Arizona LDS voters while campaigning in Prescott Valley earlier this month. During an online “LDS for Trump” event, Trump told attendees that “we really have the same values.”

Continue reading “‘Not reconcilable’: Latter-day Saints in Arizona break with Trump on immigration, which could help Harris”

Iniciativa Ventanillas de Salud ofrece exámenes de salud preventivos a personas con raíces mexicanas

by Julio Cisneros
  • Nombre: CNVentSal. 687 palabras
  • 2 fotos disponibles

Por Lizeth Adriana Calderon
Cronkite Noticias

PHOENIX — La gente hace fila en las afueras del Consulado General de México en Phoenix, uno de los cinco consulados mexicanos en Arizona, en busca de los servicios de salud gratuitos.

En el interior hay una gran sala de espera y una cabina contra la pared que muestra folletos de atención médica. Se lee: “¿Tiene preguntas sobre su salud y bienestar? Acércate a la Ventanilla de Salud para recibir información”.

Continue reading “Iniciativa Ventanillas de Salud ofrece exámenes de salud preventivos a personas con raíces mexicanas”

Arizona schools must adjust to physicality, officiating in inaugural Big 12 men’s basketball season

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports – Big 12 Media Day, 900 words.
  • Photo available.

By Patrick Holleron and Doyal D’angelo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – There are sure to be adjustments and maybe some growing pains in the upcoming 2024-25 college basketball season for this year’s inductees to the Big 12 Conference.

Arizona State, Arizona, Colorado and Utah all became members of the league following the collapse of the Pac-12 Conference and joined a pantheon of college basketball powerhouses in the Big 12.

The overarching theme of the Big 12 Basketball Media Day was the challenge former Pac-12 teams face while adjusting to the officiating, style of play and travel the newcomers will experience in the Big 12. Continue reading “Arizona schools must adjust to physicality, officiating in inaugural Big 12 men’s basketball season”

‘World’ of support: Alex Verdugo’s family-fueled journey from Tucson leads to baseball’s biggest stage

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports–Alex Verdugo Feature. 2,481 words.
  • 9 photos available.

By Dylan Ackermann
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The jarring phone call came as Alex Verdugo was enjoying lunch with his brother, Chris, at a pizza parlor in Minnesota. The call came from Verdugo’s agent with news that the Los Angeles Dodgers had just traded him to the Boston Red Sox.

Verdugo was upset. Then bummed. Then in denial. But it was his brother who helped him accept the dark realities of the business side of baseball.

Chris pointed out that he should feel honored. He was being traded for two potential Hall of Famers – outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price. Continue reading “‘World’ of support: Alex Verdugo’s family-fueled journey from Tucson leads to baseball’s biggest stage”

Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team determined to prove Big 12 critics wrong in debut season

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports – Arizona Wildcats WBB, 770 words.
  • Photo available.

By Aya Abdeen
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Arizona’s women’s basketball team, four years removed from its national championship appearance under coach Adia Barnes, enters the 2024-25 season in need of a fresh start.

Coming off its first sub-20-win season since 2017-18, Arizona was picked to finish seventh in the conference during the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Media Day in Kansas City.

But those who sleep on the Wildcats do so at their own peril. Continue reading “Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team determined to prove Big 12 critics wrong in debut season”

California launches Mexican Repatriation Memorial Project to honor residents deported during Great Depression

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Mexican Repatriation California. 765 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Brandelyn Clark
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES — On Thursday, Sens. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) officially launched the Mexican Repatriation Memorial Project in Los Angeles.

The project aims to commemorate the 2 million Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants who were forcibly deported from the United States during the Great Depression, including approximately 400,000 individuals from California. Senate Bill 537, authored by Gonzalez and Becker, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September. It will enable a selected nonprofit to construct and maintain a memorial in a public area of Los Angeles. The memorial is planned for completion before the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics in LA.

Continue reading “California launches Mexican Repatriation Memorial Project to honor residents deported during Great Depression”

Act One helps Title I students connect to the arts with string quartet at Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Arts Field Trips. 470 words.
  • Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Hayden Larkin
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Nonprofit organization Act One funded a school trip to the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix to see the Tetra String Quartet on Wednesday, which kicked off the organization’s 2024-25 season.

“I just think it was so beautiful,” said Milani Duran, a sixth grader from Sunland STEAM Academy. “Seeing all the different (things), seeing the violin, the cello, it was very different.”

Continue reading “Act One helps Title I students connect to the arts with string quartet at Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix”