The Arizona Board of Regents, known as ABOR, has approved no-cost extensions for three Regents’ Research Grants, focused on finding solutions to a few of the state’s big problems.
Arizona’s three public universities are working on the projects alongside state agencies and community organizations.
ABOR Treasurer Fred DuVal said the money for this specific type of grant comes from a sales tax increase that voters passed in 2000 to help stimulate economic growth.
“These are projects that are reverse engineered," DuVal said. "It starts with the public benefit — going to public agencies and public officials and saying, ‘What problem are you trying to solve for which our faculty, our universities can be the solution?’”
One project takes an inventory of potentially hazardous abandoned mines that discharge pollutants to surface and groundwater. Another focuses on reducing water contamination from PFAS, which some studies have linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
DuVal said the third project has researchers trying to prevent more Valley fever cases, as certain parts of the state reduce their water use.
“The surface land is getting harder and creating more volatile conditions for Valley Fever," DuVal said. "So we are working with the state to see if there are ways through chemical applications and spraying and other ways where we can create more fertile soil and suppress the dust.”
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El Capitan, a team that has made the Arizona 1A playoffs each of the last four years, had its season cut short because of a recent measles outbreak in Mohave County, one of the largest outbreaks in the country. Throughout the season, several players contracted the virus, ultimately forcing seven game cancellations, including El Capitan’s coveted matchup with their crosstown foes. -
Researchers at University of Arizona have confirmed a new jaguar in southern Arizona. This is the fifth big cat over the last 15 years to be spotted in the area. -
The Phoenix Union High School District has posted a preliminary list of more than 160 positions that could be cut next school year. -
The superintendent of the Paradise Valley Unified School District could soon be terminated. The district’s governing board began the process for dismissal Tuesday night. -
Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes is investigating Republican schools Superintendent Tom Horne over his handling of public money that flows into the state’s school voucher system, which costs around $1 billion annually.
