KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day, It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.
Transcript
PHIL LATZMAN: This is KJZZ’s Sun Up. It is your daily news update from here in Phoenix on our state and region. I’m Phil Latzman, your host for this podcast, a daily digest of the news events here in Arizona as reported by our KJZZ news team. It’s Monday, and May the fourth be with you, on this May the fourth. Hope you had a nice weekend and are ready for a new week. Let's see what’s happening in the news. Ever since a bombshell report revealed allegations of sexual abuse against Cesar Chavez, organizations throughout the country have been re-examining their ties to the labor rights icon. As Ignacio Ventura reports, the latest reckoning is happening at the University of Arizona.
IGNACIO VENTURA: The University held a public meeting Friday to discuss a possible renaming of its Cesar E. Chavez building. The forum did not center around choosing a name, but rather to foster discussion and receive input. Ideas included finding a new name reflective of the Latino community. Anna O’Leary is a professor in the Department of Mexican-American Studies.
ANNA O’LEARY: We had people from all sectors of our regional community, not only professors, we had students, we had staff, we had members of other organizations in the audience. We had the Provost in the audience, we also had members of the naming committee in the audience.
IGNACIO VENTURA: The final decision will be made by University President Suresh Garimella. Public input can be submitted at a future virtual meeting and in an online survey. Ignacio Ventura, KJZZ news, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Later this month, the Arizona Heritage Center in Tempe will temporarily close again. This time, for more than a year. Jill Ryan has details on that.
JILL RYAN: From May 17th to June of next year, the building will be replacing its fire suppression system, among other renovations. David Breeckner is with the Arizona Historical Society.
DAVID BREECKNER: The building’s just about 32 years old, which does not sound like old at all when you’re a historical society, but it’s one of the ones — it’s our facility that needs the most TLC.
JILL RYAN: The center was closed last fall to fix flood damage caused by Valley storms.
DAVID BREECKNER: We had to close for three months to address that issue, but this really stems from a report we received from Tempe Fire Department speaking to our fire suppression system and the need to replace and modernize it for health and safety reasons.
JILL RYAN: The society says while the museum galleries will be closed, public programs and events will continue. Jill Ryan, KJZZ news, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: In an effort to bring down fuel prices, the Trump administration has approved a cheaper blend of gasoline known as E15. Many Arizona stations began selling the fuel Friday, but experts are warning drivers to be cautious. AAA’s Doug Johnson says the blend has more ethanol and less gas, which could cause problems, especially in older vehicles.
DOUG JOHNSON: It could create extreme problems for your fuel line and for your engine. Think about putting diesel in a regular gasoline; there’s just complications that would happen that you just don't want to deal with. So again, you really need to check your owner’s manual.
PHIL LATZMAN: Johnson says in addition to being about ten to fifteen cents cheaper than regular gas, the E15 blend can provide slightly better mileage. A budget proposal by Republicans in the Arizona state Legislature could have a dramatic effect on downtown Tucson. Nick Rommel has more.
NICK ROMMEL: In 1999, voters approved creating the Rio Nuevo District around downtown Tucson. Sales tax revenues collected inside its borders that would usually go to the state are kept in Tucson instead and reinvested. Over the years, the district has helped fund the Caterpillar offices, the Mercado San Agustin, and several restored buildings along Broadway Boulevard. That district would be eliminated under a budget proposal unveiled this week by Republicans who control the state legislature. They estimate it would bring the state $19 million a year. The proposal makes spending cuts across the board to pay for tax cuts, in line with those signed into law by President Trump last year.
PHIL LATZMAN: That’s Nick Rommel reporting, and the GOP budget also proposes cuts to the Arizona Commerce Authority and the State Office of Tourism. Summer is right around the corner, and keeping a home cool in Arizona can come with a big price tag. Katherine Davis-Young has more on the utility assistance programs that are available this year.
KATHERINE DAVIS-YOUNG: Low-income Arizonans needing help with bills may qualify for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program administered by Arizona’s Department of Economic Security. And this summer, more middle-income Arizonans may be able to get help on energy bills through a new initiative called Power AZ, says Kelly McGowan with the nonprofit Wildfire.
KELLY MCGOWAN: Power AZ has expanded eligibility capacity, so for a household of four, people can earn almost up to $9,000 a month and still be eligible.
KATHERINE DAVIS-YOUNG: Paying to replace an air conditioner can be another huge expense, and qualifying households may be able to receive assistance through Maricopa County or local agencies. Matthew Utyro with Phoenix’s Neighborhood Services Department says the city’s weatherization program may be able to help with air conditioner replacement for certain low-income residents.
MATTHEW UTYRO: Reach out as early as possible if you believe your home's going to need weatherization and you believe you qualify.
KATHERINE DAVIS-YOUNG: More resources for utility assistance and air conditioner repair are listed at KJZZ.org. Katherine Davis-Young, KJZZ news, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Ukrainian soldiers are visiting Arizona to bring attention to the war that is still raging in their homeland. Their journey is made possible by Cactus and Tryzub, a Phoenix-based group founded after the Russian invasion in 2022. Tryzub is Ukrainian for "freedom" and appears in the country’s Coat of Arms. Irene Amrine founded the local volunteer initiative made up of Ukrainian expats. She hopes that bringing the soldiers all the way to Arizona will bring attention to their plight.
IRENE AMRINE: We invited them to come out here to share their stories and we want people of Arizona to learn a little bit more about Ukraine from those who have been there and seen it all and learn about Ukraine from beyond the headlines.
PHIL LATZMAN: Mykola Melnyk is a retired lieutenant in Ukraine’s armed forces; he lost both legs in combat. He says he’s not concerned about the Trump administration’s shift away from supporting his country’s efforts to beat back Russian aggression.
MYKOLA MELNYK: I don't know what think Mr. Trump about Ukraine, but I know Ukrainian soldiers. We are like old, ugly dogs. Maybe we have not legs, maybe we have not eyes, but we never surrender. Russian can kill us, but never win.
PHIL LATZMAN: After meeting with the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations last week, the soldiers spoke at ASU today, and will be speaking there as guests of the school’s Future Security Initiative.
PHIL LATZMAN: More women are using hormone replacement therapy to help with menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. As Kathy Ritchie reports, that’s led to prescription estrogen shortages or delays.
KATHY RITCHIE: Late last year, the FDA announced it was removing Black Box warnings on hormone replacement therapy products, specifically estrogen. Dr. Shaida Molloy is a physician at Banner University Medical Center.
DR. SHAIDA MOLLOY: The demand for this medication has grown exponentially with providers actually prescribing the medication appropriately.
KATHY RITCHIE: And some of her patients who rely on estrogen have had a hard time getting their HRT.
DR. SHAIDA MOLLOY: It’s more specifically related to the patch. Other forms of estrogen — the vaginal estrogen cream, there are gels, there are pill products that you can use — that hasn’t, at least certainly in my practice, I’ve not noticed a shortage in that area.
KATHY RITCHIE: Molloy says if a brick-and-mortar pharmacy is out, she’s been referring patients to online options, including the HRT Club. Kathy Ritchie, KJZZ news, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: An armless airplane pilot will soon join a group of members inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame. Jessica Cox is a Tucson resident who showed interest in flying after graduating from the University of Arizona. She flies using her feet that control things like the yoke and the throttle. Cox says she’s thankful for the honor.
JESSICA COX: I feel so humbled and so grateful to be among some of the most incredible people who have paved the way for me as an aviator, as a pilot.
PHIL LATZMAN: Cox helped found a nonprofit that helps children with physical disabilities. She’s also developing a custom plane that’s tailored to her needs.
PHIL LATZMAN: A new study seeks to answer a long-standing question about where the Colorado River flowed before it carved the Grand Canyon. As Chris Clements reports, some Flagstaff researchers think they have their answer.
CHRIS CLEMENTS: Scientists say they’ve known the river flowed near Grand Junction millions of years ago, and that at some point millions of years later, it exited the Grand Canyon. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Ryan Crow wondered:
RYAN CROW: Where was the Colorado River in the intervening 5 million years?
CHRIS CLEMENTS: Crow and his colleagues, like John Douglas, say they now have an answer. It pooled into a lake east of where the canyon now lies, eventually spilling over and carving what we now know as the Grand Canyon.
RYAN CROW: At least now we have a point where we can say, "Yep, the Colorado River was right here and we know it." Prior to that, we just did not have that.
CHRIS CLEMENTS: The moment that ancient lake spilled over marks the Colorado River’s transition to the continental-scale waterway we know today. I’m Chris Clements, in Flagstaff.
PHIL LATZMAN: In sports, baseball Diamondbacks swept in Chicago. They lose the finale yesterday at Wrigley Field, 8 to 4. D-backs starter Merrill Kelly got banged around by the red-hot Cubs who won a fifth straight. Arizona’s now dropped four in a row. Gabriel Moreno and Adrian Del Castillo each hit two-run homers for Arizona in a losing cause. Also in the series, Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas saw his 27-game hit streak come to an end in Saturday’s blowout loss—shutout loss, I should say. Not a good weekend for the D-backs who drop under .500 now. They return to Phoenix to begin a homestand against the Pirates tomorrow.
That will do it for this edition of KJZZ’s Sun Up, Arizona’s morning news podcast, this Monday, May 4. I’m Phil Latzman. Have a wonderful day and we will do it again tomorrow. Talk to you then.
