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TIARA VIAN: From KJZZ News in Phoenix, I'm Tiara Vian. Republican lawmakers are appealing a court ruling to keep a measure on the ballot that would nullify an effort to put restrictions on the state's school voucher program. KJZZ's Camryn Sanchez reports.
CAMRYN SANCHEZ: The GOP measure is ostensibly about protecting education funds for military families, but it would also nullify a voucher reform referral pushed by public school advocates. On Wednesday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Kreamer agreed that the measure runs afoul of a constitutional provision requiring measures to keep to a single subject. Republicans want the Arizona Supreme Court to reverse that decision. They argue Kreamer was wrong about the single-subject violation because everything in their measure falls under the umbrella of education funding. Camryn Sanchez, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
TIARA VIAN: Arizona has emerged as a leading domestic manufacturing hub, according to the Small Business Administration. Yesterday, the SBA hosted a matchmaking expo in Scottsdale. It's the third event in a national effort to reshore manufacturing. KJZZ's Taylor Griffith has more.
TAYLOR GRIFFITH: The SBA is a federal agency designed to help small businesses grow and obtain contracts with the U.S. government or major industries. It estimates 99% of all firms in Arizona are small businesses. A growing share are in the space and semiconductor industries. SBA Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs says small firms are the backbone of the U.S. supply chain and the state's economy.
BILL BRIGGS: Any large industrial entity relies on thousands of small business suppliers. So, we hear some positive news about large semiconductors making more investment in Arizona last week—that's going to have a tremendous trickle-down effect.
TAYLOR GRIFFITH: The SBA screened over 200 applications for one-on-ones with Intel or major defense companies like Northrop Grumman, among others. Over 600 companies were registered to attend. Taylor Griffith, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
TIARA VIAN: The University of Arizona says it will no longer recognize one of its fraternities. As KJZZ's Bridget Dowd reports, the decision follows a hazing investigation.
BRIDGET DOWD: A letter from the Dean of Students Office said it received reports in April that new members of Sigma Alpha Mu were subjected to hazing. Allegations included students being burned by hot liquids and forced to consume alcohol, resulting in hospitalizations. A video provided to the office included 21 individual clips of different hazing incidents. The fraternity has lost its university recognition through May 2031, which means it can't participate in university-sponsored events or use university facilities, equipment, or services. A police investigation is ongoing and some members are facing federal and state charges. Bridget Dowd, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
TIARA VIAN: A new pipeline built by the Salt River Project will help move water from underground storage to cities that need it. The pipe near Mesa started carrying water today, and KJZZ's Alex Hager was there to see it.
ALEX HAGER: Cities have been storing excess water in a nearby underground aquifer. This new system helps move it into the Arizona Canal, which already flows to city water treatment plants around the valley. Sharon Morris is SRP's director of water construction.
SHARON MORRIS: So, it's a transmission highway for water. So, we can move heavy water that takes a lot of time quickly that may not have been easy for our city partners to get to otherwise.
ALEX HAGER: Morris says moving backup water more easily will get more important in the future. Impending cutbacks to the Colorado River will force cities to use more of their other supplies in order to keep taps flowing. Alex Hager, KJZZ News, reporting from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
TIARA VIAN: This is news from KJZZ. You can find these stories and all of our news online at kjzz.org.
