Arizona News & Current Events | Public News Service

Around 50% of voters who supported Joe Biden in 2020 view the Supreme Court as a very important issue now, compared with just 37% of 2020 Trump voters, according to Stand Up America. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Poll: Voters say future SCOTUS appointments are top-of-mind issue

Former President Donald Trump has taken credit for placing three conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. On Monday, the court awarded him a …

Using a ceiling fan can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 30% when the fan is circulating counterclockwise. It pushes cooler air downward, creating a cooling effect. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 1, 2024

Rising AZ summer temps also mean higher energy bills

Summer is in full swing and as temperatures increase across the state of Arizona, so do energy bills. Diane Brown, executive director of the Arizona …

HIV continues to have a disproportionate impact on certain populations, particularly racial and ethnic minorities and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. (Adobe Stock)

'Know your status' on National HIV Testing Day

More than a million people live with HIV in the United States, and more than 18,000 of them call Arizona home. Today, on National HIV Testing Day…

The population in the Tucson metro area increased by 0.7% in 2023, bringing the total population to just over 1 million, according to the University of Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ mayor sees federal investments pay off for Tucson

Regina Romero, mayor of Tucson, was one of many local leaders at the 92nd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting, which wrapped up this weekend…

About a quarter of Americans hold unfavorable views of both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. (Christian Delbert/Adobe Stock)

Expert warns of upcoming threats to democracy across the nation

The Arizona Court of Appeals recently dismissed a case brought by Republican Arizona attorney general candidate Abraham Hamadeh, Republican Cochise …

The Proposition 479 investment plan is projected to create $2.4 billion in net new economic activity per year. (Eduardo Barraza / Adobe Stock)

AARP AZ endorses Prop 479 to strengthen public transit for older adults

An Arizona organization said Proposition 479, which will be put to voters in November, is essential for the growth of the greater Phoenix area and …

New data show nearly 30% of Generation Z adults identify as LGBTQ+, according to the Human Rights Campaign. (Adobe Stock)

AZ organization calls for equality, justice on LGBTQ+ Equal Pay Day

Full-time LGBTQ+ workers make about 90 cents for every dollar earned by the average worker in the U.S. Today is LGBTQ+ Equal Pay Awareness Day…

Nationwide, the child poverty rate decreased from 17.2% in 2021 to 15.9% in 2022, returning to pre-pandemic levels, according to this year's Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ's educational system failing its students

Arizona's overall child well-being ranks 42nd in the nation. The latest Annie E. Casey "Kids Count" Data Book looks at markers to see how well …

Controversial AZ immigration measure faces legal challenge

A controversial immigration bill could allow Arizona law enforcement to arrest people who are found to be illegally crossing the U.S. - Mexico border…

Rural households use 80% of the propane used across all U.S. households, according to a Rural Climate Partnership report. (Adobe Stock)

Report finds rural America's climate impact has been overlooked, calls for action

At least 10% of Arizona's population lives in rural areas, and a new report shows a significant portion of the state's greenhouse gas emissions …

If dairies in Willcox continue to grow, annual water use is projected to increase from an estimated 2,953 acre-feet to 5,085 acre-feet by 2038, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. (Adobe Stock)

AZ town grapples with drying wells, unregulated water use, large ag ops

Wells in the Willcox Basin in southeastern Arizona are drying up, and many are pointing the finger at massive agriculture and cattle operations…

Around 34% of plants and 40% of animals are at risk of extinction, and 41% of ecosystems are at risk of range-wide collapse, according to NatureServe. (Adobe Stock)

New rule to update energy grid must account for Arizona wildlife

In the face of climate change and the need for clean energy, a new federal plan aims to update the country's outdated power grid. One Arizona …

In Arizona, the minimum Empowerment Scholarship Account school voucher is $500 higher than the state per-pupil funding in district schools, according to Save Our Schools Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ public school advocates demand ESA voucher reform

As the State of Arizona grapples with a $1.8 billion budget deficit, public school advocates are demanding urgent reform on the state's Empowerment …

By 2060, nearly half the days in the year are projected to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arizona set to experience a hotter summer this year

Arizona is already warming up, and a new report sheds light on how climate change is intensifying that heat. Last year, just under 650 heat-…

Superior, Ariz., has received Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding to work on a Queen Creek renovation project shelved since the late 1990s, which is finally coming to fruition. (Adobe Stock)

Arizona town makes comeback with help of federal dollars

Federal investments have given one Arizona community the opportunity to slowly rebuild itself and invest in new areas. The historic town of Superior…

Warmer nighttime temperatures decrease the overnight relative humidity, making it more difficult for firefighters to gain control over wildfires, according to Climate Central's report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arizona now sees two more months of fire weather

A new report found Arizona is experiencing some of the greatest increases in annual fire weather days, with some areas seeing around two more months …

By the end of 2026, the BuilditAZ Apprenticeship Initiative Arizona will double the number of construction and trades registered apprentices. (Adobe Stock)

AZ apprenticeship programs look to grow construction, trade jobs

The State of Arizona has received more than $650,000 in grant awards to advance five construction and trade registered apprenticeship programs…

The difference between age-adjusted non-cardiac mortality rates for the overall population in rural and urban areas grew from being 6% higher in rural areas than urban areas in 1999 to 20% higher in rural areas than urban areas in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Mortality rates in rural Arizona have experts concerned

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public…

The poll by the civil rights coalition Intersection of Our Lives found women of color think things have gotten worse in the country over the last year. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: AZ women of color are discontent with policymakers

The majority of women in Arizona belong to communities of color and a new poll found they do not feel heard or seen by most policymakers. The poll …

There are 1.45 million Independent and unaffiliated voters in the Grand Canyon State, the largest voting bloc, according to Make Elections Fair Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ veterans support open primaries initiative

Memorial Day is less than two weeks away, and for two Arizona veterans, it's a time to honor those who lost their lives while defending the United …

Dawn Alexander says many times romance scammers are based outside of the United States, and encourages people to listen to their intuition. (Adobe Stock)

AZ group warns of romance scams, offers tips

Just last month, a California man was sentenced to four years in prison for being the mastermind behind romance scams - in which he received hundreds …

Around 43% of participating voters said that while they are personally against abortion, they do not believe government should be preventing someone from making that decision for themselves. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Rural AZ voters not a 'cultural monolith'

Arizona's primary election will take place in July, and a new Rural Democracy Initiative poll shows that likely voters from rural areas of the state …

In 2022, 10.3 million park visitors spent an estimated $1.2 billion in local gateway regions while visiting National Park lands in Arizona, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rules could help national parks in AZ

As opponents to the Bureau of Land Management's new rules push back, public lands advocates are praising the agency's decision to put conservation on …

The Department of Energy estimates that the new standards, once finalized, will cumulatively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons or more. (Adobe Stock)

AZ consumer group praises new water heat efficiency standards

An Arizona consumer group is applauding the U.S. Department of Energy's new residential water heater standards that they say will save American …

Artificial intelligence has recently been used to facilitate the diagnosis of acute stroke, by automatically detecting intracranial hemorrhage on noncontrast computed tomography scans of the head. (Adobe Stock)

AI could help detect stroke, AZ cardiologist says

Artificial intelligence seems to be quite the hot-button issue these days but an Arizona cardiologist contended the technology could be useful in even…

There are 8,337 solar jobs in the state of Arizona, according to Solar Energy Industries Association. (Adobe Stock)

AZ receives millions of dollars for solar investments

The State of Arizona has received $156 million to invest into solar systems for Arizona families. Adrian Keller, Arizona program director for the …

David Coon designs and evaluates interventions for families and caregivers of adults with chronic illnesses, including dementia, cancer and depression. (Arizona State University)

AZ Alzheimer’s Consortium shares advances in diagnosis, treatment

The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …

Independent and unaffiliated candidates must collect up to six times the number of signatures compared with partisan candidates, according to Make Elections Fair Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

Experts, officials discuss electoral discontent in AZ

A new poll finds a near 20-year low in the number of voters who say they have a high interest in the 2024 election, with a majority saying they hold …

The Endangered Species Coalition supports the Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project in preparation for Endangered Species Day, which takes place the third Friday in May. (Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project)

AZ group highlights importance of pollinators on Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, and one initiative in southern Arizona is helping build public gardens providing beneficial habitat for pollinators, from Monarch …

Outdoor recreation added $11.7 million to the Arizona economy in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Adobe Stock)

AZ conservation groups pleased with Biden's move to protect public lands

Arizona conservation groups and sportsmen alike say they're pleased the Bureau of Land Management will now recognize conservation as an integral part …

The beans from the velvet mesquite are known as

Food forests in southern Arizona help combat heat and hunger

By Max Graham for Grist.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Serv…

Forty-three states currently have statewide training available to election administrators. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ sees high levels of threats against election officials leading to turnover

A new report examines election official turnover since 2000 and found it's something that has been increasing steadily and might continue to rise…

People can receive online tax-filing support from IRS staff Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time. (Adobe Stock)

New IRS tool makes filing taxes easier for some in AZ

Arizonans have until Monday to file their individual income-tax returns, and for some, the Internal Revenue Service wants to make the chore a little …

The Nature Conservancy Arizona will use the funding to purchase conservation easements from willing landowners on up to 20,000 acres. (Juliana Swenson/Adobe Stock)

Millions of dollars going to Verde River conservation in north central AZ

More than $11 million in federal grant money will go to improve land and water conservation in the upper Verde River Watershed and Big Chino Grassland…

Some 60% of Arizona voters consider themselves pro-choice rather than anti-abortion, according to the grassroots organization Indivisible. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Supreme Court reinstates 160-year-old, near-total abortion ban

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 ban on nearly all abortions, except in situations when it is necessary to save the life of a …

Vasectomy procedures are 99.9% effective and take less than 30 minutes, according to Planned Parenthood Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ sees increased demand for vasectomies post-Roe

Planned Parenthood Arizona is expanding vasectomy services to its Central Phoenix health center, a year after it launched a similar program in Tucson…

ESA vouchers will cost the state $825 million in fiscal year 2024, according to Save Our Schools Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed voucher accountability rules nixed by AZ Republicans

Arizona Superintendent of Public Education Tom Horne and the State Board of Education have rejected a move to enact a new ESA Voucher Handbook…

About 12.9 million people received health coverage under both Medicare and Medicaid in 2021, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

More AZ seniors could qualify for dual-eligible special-needs plans

Arizona is one of the states with the highest percentage of eligible seniors enrolled in dual-use special-needs plans but there is a push to get even …

Almost 50% of Arizona adults believe abortion should be legal

AZ pro-choice advocates secure signatures for 2024 ballot measure

Pro-choice advocates in Arizona said they have surpassed the threshold of required signatures to put a measure on the November ballot which would add …

The Arizona PIRG report says while it's a positive step that certain states have taken the lead in eliminating or curbing so-called 'facility fees,' they can and should do more. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arizonans should be cautious with facility fees

A new report from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund finds that Arizonans are getting hit with what are known as facility fees, leading to higher costs …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

AARP AZ cites impacts of APS rate increase

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Kerner leads the development and deployment of AI and machine learning tools for the NASA Acres and NASA Harvest consortia. (Samantha Chow/Arizona State University)

ASU researcher uses AI to help address global challenges

An Arizona State University researcher is using artificial intelligence to transform data collected from satellites and other earth observation instru…

As of January, 7,434,577 recipients across the country have received Supplemental Security Income benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Social Security wants to get funds to more Arizonans

The Social Security Administration has launched a campaign to let people know there is money on the table for many Arizonans who may qualify for finan…

Federal physical activity guidelines call for 150 minutes or more of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week for adults, or a combination of the two. (Adobe Stock)

Getting more Arizonans moving to improve physical, mental health

Almost one in four Arizona adults report getting no physical activity or exercise other than on their jobs. An event in Phoenix this Saturday…

Arizona is now among the top 10 states with the most electric vehicle registrations. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed EPA rule aims to increase EV sales

In Arizona, four in every 1,000 people have electric cars and a federal rule soon to be finalized could increase those numbers. It is gaining support …

Most candidate elections in Arizona are determined in the primary, where only 23% of registered adults voted in August 2022, according to Make Elections Fair AZ. (Adobe Stock)

AZ holds its PPE, bipartisan group renews calls for more competition

Today, people across Arizona are voting in the Presidential Preference Election, a chance for registered Democrats and Republicans to choose their …

The types of products recalled most were children's sleepwear, small vehicles such as ATVs and golf carts, toys, infant sleep products, furniture and small kitchen appliances. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Recall announcements up 10% from 2022

A new report found recalls, warnings and penalties for consumer products all increased last year. The recalls led to 550 injuries, 15 deaths and as …

Maricopa County's latest report says 71% of heat-related deaths last year occurred on days with an excessive heat warning. (Adobe Stock)

Higher heat-related fatalities prompt warnings for Arizonans

Summer will be here before you know it, and experts say now is the time to get prepared for Arizona's scorching and life-threatening temperatures…

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