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
ANNOUNCER: KJZZ's Sun Up is supported by Banner Health, Arizona's largest nonprofit healthcare system. Last year, Banner reinvested more than $1.1 billion in community health and charity care. Banner Health, nonprofit for Arizona. Bannerhealth.com/nonprofitforaz.
PHIL LATZMAN: Hey there, this is KJZZ's Sun Up, 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 news here from Arizona as reported by our KJZZ news team. It's a Friday Eve, or the more traditional Thursday if you prefer. June the 4th is the date. And as the weekend creeps up, let's do the news.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating claims that Arizona State University is illegally discriminating against some students by operating surreptitious diversity, equity and inclusion programs. From the Politics Desk, Wayne Schutsky reports.
WAYNE SCHUTSKY: The DOJ said the Title VI investigation was prompted by viral videos that show ASU may be denying equal treatment to students based on race, color, or national origin, which would violate federal law. The department did not specify which videos it was referring to, but earlier this year, a conservative watchdog published secretly recorded videos of ASU faculty members talking about the ways they continue to promote inclusivity while following rules designed to block DEI policies. ASU officials did not respond to a request for comment. But after those videos first went public, a spokesperson denied the university engaged in discrimination. Wayne Schutsky, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: A new agreement could pave the way for desalinated ocean water to help Arizona survive drought. As Alex Hager reports, Arizona officials traveled to the San Diego area to sign a deal at the largest desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere, which makes Pacific Ocean water drinkable.
ALEX HAGER: San Diego County Water Authority Board Chair Nick Serrano says the new agreement would allow for an exchange. His agency would lean harder on that ocean water, and other users in California, Arizona, and Nevada could pay to take some of San Diego's Colorado River water.
NICK SERRANO: Because the challenge we face is regional and across state lines, the solutions must be that, too.
ALEX HAGER: Water agencies around Phoenix and Tucson are scrambling to find new water supplies as they could face big cuts to the amount they can pull from the Colorado River. Officials said this new agreement could give them an option that doesn't require the construction of any new pipes or canals. Alex Hager, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: And speaking of the Colorado River, a new leader is likely coming for the top federal agency that regulates and governs it. Multiple people who work closely with the agency told KJZZ that the nomination of Audrey Bettencourt will likely be announced in the coming weeks to run the Bureau of Reclamation. Bettencourt comes from a long career in water and agriculture policy in California. She also worked for multiple federal agencies, including the Interior Department under the first Trump administration. Her nomination would come during intense negotiations about the future of the Colorado River. Federal officials are working alongside the seven states that use its water on a new plan for sharing the dwindling supplies with a deadline for an agreement fast approaching.
A state committee is directing the Arizona Auditor General to conduct special audits on student safety and childcare assistance. From the education desk, Bridget Dowd has that.
BRIDGET DOWD: That Joint Legislative Audit Committee voted to approve the audits earlier this week. One is the fourth in a series of reviews of school safety practices at multiple school districts. But a statement from Rep. Matt Gress focuses on the Phoenix Union High School District and a fatal stabbing that occurred at one of its campuses in August. The committee also approved an audit of Arizona's administration of the federal Child Care and Development Fund, which gives aid to qualifying families. Gress says the review comes as federal officials are warning of fraud and abuse in publicly funded assistance programs across the country. Bridget Dowd, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, the Department of Justice will appeal a federal judge's decision to toss out a lawsuit attempting to force Arizona to turn over its voter rolls to the Trump administration. Here once again is Wayne Schutsky with that.
WAYNE SCHUTSKY: In April, Judge Susan Brnovich dismissed the lawsuit, which sought to force Arizona to give federal investigators access to sensitive voter information. She sided with Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, who ARGUED that the information included in Arizona's voter rolls is protected by state and federal privacy laws. The Department of Justice, which had argued federal law gives it the power to demand voter information, asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to review the ruling. In a statement, Fontes called the appeal legally futile and nothing more than political theater. Wayne Schutsky, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, the Goldwater Institute is suing the city of Phoenix over a downtown land deal the group says violates the Arizona Constitution. Matthew Casey reports the buyer is required to build some affordable housing.
MATTHEW CASEY: Court records say land located near Second and Roosevelt streets was appraised a couple years ago as being worth roughly $4.8 million. The city is reportedly selling the property to a developer for $1.5 million. Goldwater Institute attorney Tony Napolitano says this amounts to an illegal gift.
TONY NAPOLITANO: The city is picking one specific developer and giving them this huge benefit that, frankly, no one else knew was available and violates the Arizona Constitution.
MATTHEW CASEY: A city spokesman did not dispute the numbers cited by the Goldwater Institute, which got details of the deal under public records law. The developer, Penrose LLC, has built several affordable housing projects on the East Coast. Matthew Casey, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Tucson's Planning Commission met last night to discuss proposed regulations for data centers. The City Council directed staff to draft regulations after rejecting the Project Blue data center last August. Under the proposed rules, most data centers would have to apply as a specialized zoning district with stricter rules on water, energy, and environmental compatibility. Koren Manning is with Tucson's Planning and Development Services.
KOREN MANNING: The only other use in our code that is a defined land use but only permitted through a PAD or PCD is a utility generating use, essentially a power plant.
PHIL LATZMAN: The commission plans to incorporate more stipulations, including some raised by the public at the meeting yesterday, before sending the regulations to the council for final approval.
Well, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new initiative to boost cotton production nationwide. As Greg Hahne reports, Arizona's cotton farmers are hoping to benefit.
GREG HAHNE: The USDA's Great American Cotton Plan includes efforts to assist in pest research, farmer financial aid, and increase cotton exports. Brazil overtook America to be the top cotton exporter in 2023. While initially a staple of Arizona's economy, cotton production has fallen drastically since its peak in the 1970s. And as trade prices have dropped, farming costs have only risen.
JAYDEE ROEHNER: It just doesn't pencil to be a cotton farmer.
GREG HAHNE: Jaydee Roehner with the Arizona Cotton Growers Association says she hopes the new plan will help farmers, but is cautious.
JAYDEE ROEHNER: America has lost a lot of infrastructure overseas, and realistically, I'm not sure that that's something for cotton that will ever ever return.
GREG HAHNE: Greg Hahne, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, two more Mexican governors, including from the Mexican state just south of Arizona, are reportedly facing criminal investigations here in the United States. The Los Angeles Times broke the story, and from the Fronteras Desk in Hermosillo, Nina Kravinsky has more on it.
NINA KRAVINSKY: News of investigations into the governors of Sonora and Tamaulipas follow a US criminal indictment against several Sinaloa public officials, including that state's governor. Sinaloa officials are accused of protecting cartel members. The LA Times reports the governors of Sonora and Tamaulipas have had their US tourist visas revoked. Sonoran Gov. Alfonso Durazo called the report baseless and denied any ties to criminal groups. Durazo is an ally of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who questioned why the issue was coming to light in the press, and urged calm from public officials.
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: (Translated) What's the intention behind taking away visas and then making it public?
NINA KRAVINSKY: Sheinbaum asked. The LA Times report is based on multiple anonymous sources it says are familiar with the cases. Nina Kravinsky, KJZZ News, Hermosillo.
PHIL LATZMAN: Well, back to some politics now. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has a 31% advantage in Latino support over Republican Andy Biggs, according to a recent poll by UnidosUS. University of Texas professor Daron Shaw worked on the survey of hundreds of Arizonans, which found that 52% of Latinos would vote for Hobbs and just 21% would pick Biggs. Shaw says most independents and a chunk of Republicans don't yet have a favorite candidate.
DARON SHAW: The indecision on the part of either the independents or Republican or Republican-leaning constituencies is where a lot of the action is right now.
PHIL LATZMAN: Biggs is currently projected to be the Republican nominee to challenge Hobbs in November, pending the primary.
In sports, baseball, Shohei Ohtani did it again to the Diamondbacks, this time on the mound for the Dodgers, dominating six scoreless innings in a 7-0 LA shutout last night in Phoenix. Ohtani also had three singles and reached base five times. Zac Gallen didn't have it for the D-backs, allowing nine hits in five innings, took the loss. Arizona's now lost five of six and they try for a split of the four-game series with the division-leading Dodgers this evening at Chase Field.
Basketball, the Mercury finally back in the win column as Natasha Mack scored a career-high 16 with 10 rebounds, and Kahleah Copper also had 16. The Mercury beat the Storm in Seattle last night 72-68 to snap a six-game losing streak.
In football, the Cactus Bowl is back, and it's returning to the ASU campus. Fiesta Bowl Sports Foundation, which operates the Fiesta and Cactus Bowls, announced the return, ending a nine-year run at Chase Field. The game will be played on December 26th at Mountain America Stadium. The bowl moved to Chase Field while the stadium was undergoing renovations and had numerous title sponsors, most recently being known as the Rate Bowl. It's the Cactus Bowl again.
And that does it for this edition of Sun Up, Arizona's morning news podcast this Thursday, June 4. I'm Phil Latzman, thanks so much for being with us, and we'll do it again tomorrow on its Friday. Talk to you then.
