Last week, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich continued his battle against Arizona State University.
He filed a second lawsuit against the Arizona Board of Regents — the body that oversees the state’s public universities — saying ASU’s real estate deal with the Omni Hotel is an illegal use of tax-free land.
ASU rents out its land to private developers, who then benefit from the school’s tax-exempt status.
ASU President Michael Crow said this surprise suit is unfounded and even, he said, strange. At a Greater Phoenix Chamber Event held Friday, NAU and University of Arizona presidents both backed ASU, saying on-campus hotel deals aren’t a bad idea.
Crow joined The Show to talk about it.
The United Methodist church has long said it does not allow openly LGBTQ clergy to be ordained and that it does not perform same-sex marriages.
Last month, the church held a special worldwide conference in St. Louis, Missouri, to discuss that policy. On the table were two options: the Traditional Plan, which would uphold the ban, and the One Church Plan, which would allow churches to decide for themselves.
The delegates voted in favor of the Traditional Plan, but by a slim margin.
The Show spoke with Jeff Procter-Murphy, lead pastor at Dayspring United Methodist Church in Tempe. He hoped that the One Church Plan would pass.
The Show also reached out to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church and did not hear back. But in a video statement, the president of the Council of Bishops asked for patience while they clarify how the decision will affect churches.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1014 into law Thursday, eliminating the controversial four-hour mandated block of English-language instruction (ELL) for English language learners in the state. It’s a move that’s being celebrated by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and welcomed by educators.
Students enrolled in Arizona’s ELL program have one of the lowest graduation rates in the country — at just under 20 percent.
Many educators argue that’s because we have one of the most restrictive ELL programs in the country. Until yesterday, ELL students were required by state law to take English language instruction in four-hour blocks.
Terri Cota, English language acquisition specialist with the Mesa Public School District, joined The Show to talk more about her reaction to the passage of this law.
Calexico is one of the most notable bands to come from Arizona. For many, its music — which is sometimes called “desert noir” — is synonymous with the Southwest. It blends styles like Americana and folk, with cumbia and mariachi — making it a reflection of the cultural milieu of the borderlands.
In just over two decades, the Tucson-based band has found a unique place as a group that makes music that is simultaneously personal and political. The lyrics on Calexico’s latest album "The Thread That Keeps Us" serve as a post-2016-election reflection explored through individual stories.
Calexico’s frontman Joey Burns, along with bandmate Sergio Mendoza, visited us in Phoenix just ahead of the kickoff of their summer tour. The Show spoke with Burns about the politics of our region, how the desert landscape shapes Calexico's sound and storytelling through music.
Calexico performed for KJZZ in The Reading Room at Valley Bar. They are performing June 1 at The Van Buren in Phoenix.
Monsoon season in Arizona is both violent and beautiful. Powerful winds and rain can flood streets and destroy homes. But, the storms also bring at least temporary relief from the oppressive desert heat and much needed water to our perpetually dry city. And, whether you love it or you hate it, the monsoon is a uniquely Arizona time of year.
For this series, we talked to artists, architects, poets, scientists and even a park ranger about the monsoons. And, we asked the listeners of The Show for their input as well.
What we got is a multifaceted, in-depth, sometimes emotional, sometimes funny look at the Arizona season that defines this place we live in.
Last month, Tracy Nadzieja stood in front of a courtroom, took an oath to become a commissioner of the Maricopa County Superior Court and became the first known transgender judge in the state.
And, according to the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance, Nadzieja is just the third in the country.
Despite her historical position, she never wanted to be in the spotlight — especially for her gender identity.
But after she took that oath, she agreed to sit down with the Arizona Capitol Times to talk about being the first.
She also agreed to sit down with The Show to talk about her journey and how she’s become the story despite her hesitations.
It used to be that if a woman suffered a miscarriage, it just wasn’t something you talked about, especially not in a public way.
But that’s changing.
October was Infant Loss and Miscarriage Awareness Month — and Oct. 15 a day of remembrance for those who have been lost. Throughout the month, we heard family and friends tell their stories on social media, many of whom we never knew had experienced anything like this.
So, what made them come forward?
For Kalila Martinez, it was her own need for release that motivated her to share that day. A few years ago, she became pregnant with her second child, but had a miscarriage pretty early on. Then, just last summer, she lost another child — this time, on the day he was born.
After she suffered that miscarriage, she said it changed her understanding of trying to conceive.
The Show sat down with her to talk more about her own experience, and why she thinks so many more women are willing to talk about infant loss than ever before.