May 3, 2024
Cave Creek business aims to train dogs to avoid rattlesnakes in the summer months
PHOENIX – Rattlesnake season in Arizona is ramping up and while that means watching out for snakes – it can mean watching out for your pets, too. Experts caution Arizonans to be aware of their surroundings while hiking or walking their dogs and to keep their eyes and ears open for the telltale signs of rattlesnakes: their coiled bodies and the unmistakable rattle of their tails. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/05/01/arizona-rattlesnake-encounters-increase-hot-weather/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/rattlesnake.jpg" headline="As Arizona shifts into warmer weather, beware of rattlesnakes, experts say"] “Certainly there are avoidable situations and potentially unavoidable situations,” said Bryan Kuhn, pharmacist and toxicologist at Banner Health Poison & Drug Information Center. “I can say that for this year, the vast majority of our bites have been these sort of unintentional, unavoidable type scenarios where someone is in an area where they are unaware there’s a snake.” That’s where Rattlesnake Ready and Rattlesnake Ranch come in. Co-founders and owners Cody and Kate Will have built a large collection of rattlesnakes at Rattlesnake Ranch, which people can visit for a fee to see and learn about the snakes. Through Rattlesnake Ready, the pair prepare and educate pets and pet owners about these misunderstood desert creatures by utilizing ranch resources at the 2,400-square-foot nature center and training area in Cave Creek. Cody Will said he launched the Rattlesnake Ready training program that teaches dogs to avoid the venomous reptiles because he saw a "big need for it, knew I could do it, started it for fun and it took off.” “The training itself, the ultimate goal is to teach the dog to avoid rattlesnakes so if they ever do see, smell or hear one in the future, they have the wisdom and knowledge to leave it alone rather than approach it like most dogs do,” he said. “Teaching them to avoid them can save owners thousands of dollars in veterinary expenses because if a dog is to get bit, it’s really scary.” According to experts at the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary, there are 13 different kinds of rattlesnake found throughout Arizona, from the metropolitan areas to rural peaks out in the desert. Though the Sonoran Desert is a beloved place for hiking and exploration for locals and tourists, it’s also the natural habitat for these venomous reptiles. “We have the most rattlesnakes than any other state, without a doubt. We just have the perfect climate and habitat,” said Cale Morris, venom manager at the sanctuary. “We relocate hundreds of rattlesnakes a year. The fire department relocates hundreds. There’s other companies and organizations that also relocate hundreds. So we estimate thousands are getting relocated out of the Phoenix area.” By using real rattlesnakes in training, Rattlesnake Ready gives dogs exposure to the very real danger rattlesnakes pose without actually putting them in danger. Medical tape is used in strips to muzzle the snakes, rendering them harmless and unable to bite the canines, while an e-collar is placed around the dogs’ necks to give them a small jolt when they get too close. “It is humane the way we do it for the snakes. Dogs get a great encounter with a real rattlesnake, and we train them to avoid them,” Cody Will said. “The snakes only work about a day a week, and so we use them for a full day, let the dogs get close to them; we correct the dogs when they’re too close. And, so really the snakes’ only job is to just sit there and act like a rattlesnake for a few minutes at a time, kind of multiple times throughout the day.” [caption id="attachment_231463" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Rattlesnake Ready trainer Cody Will holds Arlo before having the dog run past a rattlesnake to his owner. (Photo by Emily Mai/Cronkite News)[/caption] The average training session is broken up into four parts, all geared toward getting dogs to evade the sight, smell and sound of rattlesnakes. The first part is the introduction of the small, muzzled snake followed by the initial jolt. The second part is exposing the dog to a pile of molted rattlesnake skin followed by a second jolt. The third part includes playing the sound of a rattlesnake’s warning rattle from the bushes, and having the owner jog away with their pet. And for the final portion of training, Cody Will places a larger, muzzled rattlesnake against the exit gate. Each dog has a different reaction, from giving the snake a wide berth to stopping and dashing in the opposite direction. Though rattlesnake bites are more prevalent from March through October in Arizona, experts, like Morris and Will, say there are ways to be proactive in avoiding rattlesnake bites year-round, by understanding more about the native reptiles and taking precautions for both human and pet safety. “Rattlesnakes are just part of the desert ecosystem out here. They’re not out to get you,” Cody Will said. “They want nothing to do with you. So if you ever come across one, it’s not really a matter of what to do, it’s more a matter of what not to do.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmXYqiifMFI
(Video by Zoriah Cole/Cronkite News)
]]> May 3, 2024
Nod to the past: The ties between baseball and bobbleheads
NOTE: DO NOT COPY AND PASTE THIS INTO A NEW DOC; INSTEAD, GO TO File>Make a copy … Don’t forget to RENAME the file though! (NOTE: Make sure you save this into the digital copy folder in the CN SPRING 2024 shared drive in Google. Share the file with your director, as well.) SLUG Lotts – Business of Bobbleheads VERTICAL(S) Sports SUGGESTED HEADLINE Nod to the past: The ties between baseball and bobbleheads SHORTENED HEADLINE Behind the business of bobbleheads SEO HEADLINE Nod to the past: Why bobbleheads are so prevalent in MLB SUMMARY TEXT Bobbleheads are some of the most popular giveaways around MLB, which makes them a hot commodity for baseball fanatics. Here’s why teams give so many away, why fans collect them and the significance they have for players and their families. SEO KEYWORDS Arizona Diamondbacks, Bobbleheads, MLB, National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, Kansas City Royals, Corbin Carroll PHOTOS Directors must deliver all photos to the #digprod-delivery channel. In this document, list any special instructions (whether to use a specific image as the main image, etc). VIDEOS Include the URL if the video is on YouTube. If we need to post a video to YouTube, include a headline and description here. Directors must send digital video to #digprod-delivery with this information. AUDIO Include the URL if the audio is posted on SoundCloud. If we need to add audio to Soundcloud, include a headline and description here. Directors must send the audio to #digprod-delivery with this information. OTHER ELEMENTS David made a Diamondbacks bobblehead timeline to insert into the story. RELATED STORY https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/03/27/diamondbacks-upgrades-chase-field-lights-speakers-food/ BYLINE James Lotts, Cronkite News ACCURACY CHECKED? JL SOCIAL MEDIA 1 Fans are nodding yes to the 2024 Arizona Diamondbacks promotional schedule – especially the bobbleheads. A story on bobbleheads and their ties to America’s Pastime from @LottsJam FACEBOOK POST 1 Fans are nodding yes to the 2024 Arizona Diamondbacks promotional schedule – especially the bobbleheads. A story on bobbleheads and their ties to America’s Pastime. BODY COPY PHOENIX – America’s pastime has long been remembered through the preservation of its memorabilia, telling its rich history through the jerseys, gloves, hats and trading cards of its legendary figures. Giveaways are popular around the league, but one souvenir has cemented itself as a staple to fans and collectors everywhere: bobbleheads. If you’ve gone to a baseball game, you’ve probably seen and heard advertisements for the team’s seasonal giveaways. Bobbleheads have been used as promotional tools for teams around the league and therefore the knick-knacks have boomed in popularity. This wasn’t always the case, however. While bobbleheads can be dated back to the late 1700s as decorative figurines, they didn’t get their start in the sports world until 1960. Four baseball legends of the time were turned into caricatures of themselves – Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Roberto Clemente. They were made out of paper-mâché and despite being set apart by different uniforms, all shared the same face. The San Francisco Giants paved the way for today’s bobblehead obsession on May 9, 1999, when they gave away 20,000 Willie Mays bobbleheads. Since then, bobbleheads have become a staple in promotion schedules around the league. “They (bobbleheads) took off in the ‘60s and they sort of faded off into the ‘70s, ‘80s — even in the ‘90s — until the San Francisco Giants gave away a Willie Mays bobblehead … and that’s what really ignited the bobblehead craze,” said Phil Sklar, co-founder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As time moves on, advancements in technology and the use of different materials has allowed for more creative designs and different special features on the collectibles. Some newer bobbleheads have even had audio features. Carlton Hawkins, director of marketing for the Arizona Diamondbacks, credits improvements in production value for the evolution of player likeness and posing for bobbleheads. “I think the sculpting is getting better. The materials are getting lighter,” Hawkins said. “But the problem is the more lifelike they get, the more complicated they get, the more expensive they get. So it’s like you give and take.” Despite the increased cost to produce the souvenirs, the Diamondbacks still use them as tools to encourage fans to attend a ballgame. The team has been giving out bobbleheads since 2001, with the exception of the 2020 and 2022 seasons. The team has four bobblehead giveaways slated for the 2024 season. The first took place on March 30 with a Corbin Carroll bobblehead to commemorate his 2023 Rookie of the Year award. Hawkins said the bobbleheads are useful promotional tools for baseball more so than other professional sports leagues like the NFL or NBA because of the quantity of games. He noted they help get casual fans out to the ballpark and that giveaway games can lead to a 5-25 percent increase in attendance compared to regular games. Teams around the league strategize when they schedule giveaways to maximize potential attendance. Hawkins said the San Diego Padres, for example, give their bobbleheads away on weekdays because they don’t have trouble filling seats on weekends. The Diamondbacks schedule most of their giveaways for weekends due to the heat in the summer. On bobblehead giveaway days, the lines to get into Chase Field can stretch all the way across the concourse. To prepare for that, fans sometimes show up early – very early. “We got here around 11:30 (a.m.),” said D’Andre Hulett, a 19-year-old Diamondbacks fan who wanted to secure the Carroll bobblehead and scheduled his day around the 5:10 p.m. first pitch. Hulett has been coming to Diamondbacks games since he was around 5 years old and enjoys collecting the giveaway bobbleheads. “It’s a piece of history,” Hulett said. “It’s a trinket that shows a member of a team that you enjoy and it’s a thing that you can take forever and enjoy.” The desire to acquire these bobbleheads has led to fans re-selling – even pre-selling – them online. Fans can go on eBay and pay to have someone go to the stadium and get them a bobblehead. Multiple listings can be found for Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno’s bobblehead to celebrate his first Gold Glove award, which will be given away Saturday. Each guest – depending on the quantity available – gets one bobblehead when they enter the stadium, but it’s not uncommon to see people walking around the stadium with several. Sklar has developed a few different strategies to secure multiple bobbleheads at games. To improve their collection, Sklar and his friend, Brad Novak, who is the other co-founder of the museum, simply ask people if they wanted theirs. They even offer money to kids and teenagers who may not care to keep the souvenirs. “They (kids) were excited, we were happy and it was a win-win,” Sklar said. Sklar and Novak got the idea to open the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum when Novak was working for the Rockford RiverHawks and he would bring home bobbleheads the team would give away. It then led to collecting more and more. While the two had a passion for collecting sports memorabilia, they also recognized the value in bobbleheads. Once they opened the museum, they expanded to collecting pop culture and political bobbleheads, which led to a sizable collection. They even began making their own, starting with Special Olympian Michael Poll, a friend of theirs. “We saw the value,” Sklar said. “You could go to a game and get a bobblehead with your ticket and the same bobblehead might be selling for $25, $50, $100 or even more." In order for demand to be high for the bobbleheads, however, the teams need players the fans are invested in. Hawkins said the reason the Diamondbacks produced no bobbleheads in 2022 was because of the lack of a solidified star, plus some supply chain issues. The stars of today’s MLB once grew up idolizing their favorite players. The significance of getting a bobblehead night can vary depending on which player you ask, but for some, it’s a dream come true. Maikel Garcia, infielder for the Kansas City Royals, dreamed of playing in the major leagues while growing up in Venezuela.The Royals are giving away 15,000 Garcia bobbleheads on July 20, the first time the young Venezuelan will be transformed into a bobblehead. Garcia said he aspired as a kid to see all the fans line up for a mini version of him and was honored that the Royals chose him to be featured on a bobblehead. “It’s a dream come true,” Garcia said. “When I was young I dreamed of that and I recognize how hard I’ve worked all my career and that’s a blessing.” Hawkins said while players don’t usually have input on the design process, it’s still important to them. He said Carroll looked at his first bobblehead as a moment to know he’s really made it to the big stage. It’s also a special moment for the players’ families when they get a bobblehead night. https://twitter.com/Dbacks/status/1695149517522506163/video/1 For Carroll’s second bobblehead on March 30, lines stretched all the way from the box office to Jefferson Street. It was a bustling scene outside Chase Field, and Hawkins and the Diamondbacks have heard from fans and expect that to be a trend moving forward. “The fans want more and as they get to know the players we have more,” Hawkins said. “They’re happy that we’ve got four planned for this year. And we’ll see, but it always seems like ‘more is better.’” ]]>May 3, 2024
Medical interpreters break the language barrier in Phoenix hospitals, use interpretation and translation services to broaden accessibility
PHOENIX – Non-English speakers can face big communication challenges in medical settings: being unable to convey personal information, understand medical jargon and follow treatment instructions. These challenges can result in misunderstandings, or worse, in misdiagnoses. Phoenix hospitals work at preventing problems like this by providing interpretation and translation services in many different languages. [related-story-right box-title="Leer en español" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/05/02/interpretes-medicos-ayudan-comunidad-espanol/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_5676-300x188.jpg" headline="¿Cómo los intérpretes médicos ayudan a superar las barreras del idioma?"] About 2 million Arizonans speak a language other than English, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, although it is not clear how many would be considered non-English speakers. Over 1.3 million speak Spanish; more than 130,000 speak another Indo-European language; 150,000 speak an Asian or Pacific Island language; and 160,000 speak other languages. Phoenix hospitals, including the Mayo Clinic, Valleywise Health, Abrazo Health and Banner Health, have established services for interpretation – for speech – and translation – for written communication – that can cover dozens of different languages. When a hospital’s language department is unable to directly provide interpretation and translation services, third-party providers – vendors and contractors – will step in. Two medical professionals shared their experiences on how language services change health care accessibility for many underserved people who could fall through the cracks.Banner Health Estrella – Elsa Perez
[caption id="attachment_231434" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Elsa Perez, a Spanish-language medical interpreter at Banner Estrella Medical Center, says that interpretation services are a big help for patients. “They’re getting all the information, all their medication, all their diagnostics in their own language so they can understand,” Perez said. (Photo by Kevinjonah Paguio/Cronkite News)[/caption]
Elsa Perez is a Spanish-language medical interpreter at Banner Health Estrella. She knows the challenges a language barrier can present. She interpreted for her parents during doctor visits, speaking to them in Spanish and trying to answer questions health providers asked in English.
“It could be something as simple as, ‘Have you had a bowel movement?’ I don’t know what that was as a 10-, 11-year-old kid,” Perez said. Doctors would reword their questions, but it was still difficult to convey the message to her parents.
After a career working for the state, Perez looked into working in the medical field and found a position for a Spanish-language medical interpreter. “I thought, ‘Hey, I already know the language. I kind of already know what I’m doing,’” she said. She took classes and realized that she did not know Spanish well enough to do the job, saying that she spoke more “street Spanish” than “school Spanish.” She overcame that challenge.
As a Spanish-language medical interpreter, her work helps patients who don’t know English to understand the information doctors give. “It’s a great deal of help,” she said, “because they’re getting all the information, all their medication, all their diagnostics in their own language so they can understand.”
She still faces challenges. For example, she said people speak many different versions of Spanish: Mexican Spanish, Dominican Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish, to name just a few. This can cause misunderstandings between medical staff and the patient.
“One little word can mean (something) totally different in Puerto Rico or Colombia,” she said.
She recalls a case when a diabetic patient’s sugar levels weren’t going down and doctors couldn’t understand why. He was doing everything by the book – he had a good diet, took his insulin and his medication. After two or three appointments, Perez realized that the patient, who was from Puerto Rico, was drinking about a gallon of orange juice a day. This wasn’t caught because he referred to orange juice as “green tea.”
Perez says interpreters and translators have to be ready for any situation.
Valleywise Health – Martha Martinez
[caption id="attachment_231436" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Martha Martinez is the manager of language services at Valleywise Health. “I want every human being to have information and health care in their language,” she said. (Photo by Kevinjonah Paguio/Cronkite News)[/caption]
“I remember doctors – I guess because of my name, my last name and my skin color – they would say, ‘Oh, I think you speak Spanish. Can you please help me with interpretations?’” she said. “Without being trained, without knowing, really, medical terminology, I would do my best to help the doctors.”
A misdiagnosis by a bilingual medical professional, however, prompted Martinez to become an interpreter. The medical professional said that Martinez had a sexually transmitted disease, whereas she actually had a urinary tract infection. What made the experience worse was that this professional told her “You shouldn’t be playing around with men.” Martinez’s husband was present for the whole interaction.
“I couldn’t say anything,” she said. She explained that when she came to the United States and people didn’t speak her language, Spanish, she just took whatever they would say. “You just don’t fight. You just don’t ask.”
That event inspired Martinez to go to school, learn medical terminology and many years later, she became manager of language services at Valleywise Health. She wants everyone to get the right medical information. She also wants to advance cultural sensitivity because it plays such an important part in medical care.
She recalls a case when a woman came in with various issues. The patient had gone to a yerberia – an herb remedy store – and it turned out that the herbs she took were interacting with her medication. “The doctor was asking all the questions,” Martinez said, “but he never took in consideration our culture, where sometimes we take herbs.”
The interpretation services at Valleywise Health will be Martinez’s legacy.
“Back 30 years ago, there were no programs (to train interpreters),” she said. “Now, it’s a career.”
She knows her work has an impact. “Young generations will say, ‘Wow, you know, that’s good for you,’” she said. “I guess my generation would say, ‘We’re so proud of you, you being a Latina and doing this for the whole community. It’s wonderful.’”
Phoenix hospitals provide other services to break the language barrier in health care. In addition to interpreters and translators, both Valleywise Health and Banner Health offer over-the-phone and video services. Banner utilizes VRIs (video remote interpreters) while Valleywise uses iLISA (Language Interpretation Services Anywhere), its form of VRI.
Nevertheless, Perez and Martinez believe that interacting with a human being is the best form of communication.]]> May 3, 2024
From college stardom to WNBA uncertainty: Rookies fight steep odds to realize dream with help of former coaches
PHOENIX – With just 144 available roster spots, the WNBA is widely recognized as the hardest professional league to make a roster in. Every year, college stars and fan-favorite veterans are cut during training camp as each of the league's 12 teams whittle their rosters down to 12 players. Due to cap space, some don’t even carry that many. As this year’s draftees and rookie free agents compete in their first training camp, the possibility of being cut at a moment’s notice stays in their minds, keeping them on their toes for anything their new coaches and teammates may throw at them. “I can't overstate it,” ESPN women’s basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “This is the hardest league to make a roster spot, and draft night is really exciting, and so we don't want to necessarily talk about how hard it is on draft night because the second- and third-rounders have just had their dreams come true, but it's hard. It's hard, and we've even seen in recent years first-round picks who weren't able to stick their rookie year, so it's tough.” For the Phoenix Mercury though, this year may be a different story. Both of their new rookie draftees came in the third round, with UCLA’s Charisma Osborne selected 25th overall and Nebraska’s Jaz Shelley taken 29th. The team also signed Washington State’s Bella Murakatete as an undrafted rookie free agent. The Mercury entered this year’s draft with the mindset that they might be able to keep a rookie or two on the roster, according to team scout Charli Turner Thorne. It certainly became more of a possibility when Osborne, a projected first-round pick, fell to the Mercury in the third round. [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/15/wnba-draft-stock-basketball/ " image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNBA-photo.jpg" headline="How 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament affected WNBA Draft stock for collegiate superstars"] “We thought to get a kid that was projected first round or high second round with our third-round pick was amazing,” Turner Thorne said. “And we're actually one of the teams that we have a spot or two. We could keep people. “So even though it's like, ‘Oh, we have two third-round picks, we were extremely focused to possibly get somebody that might actually even make our team because we're not in that situation that a lot of the teams are in this year, which is (they) have 11, 12 returners, and (they) really aren't going to keep anybody.” To predict a player’s potential success in the league, scouting carries more weight than just their on-court performance. Observations revolve around their character and work ethic, two things that are crucial for college athletes looking to take the next step. It’s especially important for players to get in the right mindset with the quick turnaround between the NCAA and WNBA seasons. The NCAA national championship game was on April 7. The WNBA Draft happened on April 15, and WNBA training camp kicked off Sunday. The regular season will start on May 14, just about a month after the draft. “The quick turnaround is definitely huge,” Turner Thorne said. “Just I think learning everything new, you know, new coach, new terminology, if you don't learn well, it's going to be really tough to make a team. The physicality and the speed of the game is definitely there's a difference. “The other thing is they just have to adjust to being a pro. No one's holding their hand. No one's checking on them, telling them when to go to bed, what to do. I mean, they really have to be mature about, ‘I'm a pro,’ and know how to handle their business and manage their life and be really responsible because, in college, we tend to really support them and take care of them. Obviously, they're kind of in their little bubble, their protective support bubble, and that is gone in the pros.” Before pro-caliber players prepare to leave college for the next level, there are several things their collegiate coaches do to prepare them for what’s coming. ASU women’s basketball coach Natasha Adair has coached her fair share of players to the WNBA, including five-time WNBA champion and current Minnesota Lynx assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson, Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby and most recently Jasmine Dickey, the 30th overall draft of the 2022 draft. [caption id="attachment_231426" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
ASU women's basketball coach Natasha Adair knows the extra guidance and work she provides for her players could help them reach their dreams of playing in the WNBA. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)[/caption]
In preparing each of these three players, there were specific differences based on their positions and the era of basketball. There were also recognizable similarities in the eyes of Adair, such as their passion, work ethic and on-court demeanor, that foreshadowed their future WNBA aspirations becoming a reality in some manner.
“They were phenomenal teammates,” Adair said. “Sometimes you see talented players, or what people deem as the nation's best players, maybe it's hard to play with them, but it was not hard to play with those three. They made their teammates better. They got excited for their teammates more than themselves, so they were selfless in their approach, but I just think, in their own time, different generations, obviously, the common denominators are the same.”
While coaching those players to help their college programs succeed while also preparing for a pro career, it was about finding a balance. Many players enter college with their eyes set on playing professional basketball, opening an avenue for coaches to guide them and train them to reach that goal.
Adair says creating that routine can include extra workouts to help the players advance their skills. She says it's also about bringing in players who fit the system. Many of the skills that made players elite prospects to WNBA scouts and executives also made them hard to stop and contain for opposing NCAA teams.
“Rebekkah Brunson was probably one of the most phenomenal rebounders of her time,” Adair said. “Well, that fits into who I am and how we want to play, so she just excelled at it for our team. Dearica Hamby was a perimeter post, so she could stretch defenses, but our trail fours shoot the three. So with their skill set, even it being exceptional, it just made us have more success because they were very talented at it, so it didn't take away from what the team needed to do.”
Even with all the effort coaches put into preparing their players and giving them all the necessary tools they need to move on to the next stage of their basketball careers, it still doesn’t work out for everyone.
After being drafted, Dickey made the Wings’ roster and played 20 games in her rookie season. In her second year, Dickey was waived after 14 games played on June 28, just a month and a half into the 2023 season. She has yet to sign a new WNBA contract since then.
Like many other players who struggle to find a permanent home on American soil, Dickey turned to an overseas league to continue her development with hopes of making it back to the WNBA. This offseason, Dickey played for the WNBL’s Southside Flyers in Australia, where she averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds while playing a role in the Flyers’ WNBL title run.
“It's hard to make the WNBA and sustain it, and so was she disappointed when the Wings let her go? Absolutely,” Adair said. “But to speak to who she is as a competitor, she went overseas … and so I think with her experience in the WNBL, you don't know if she's going to get picked up. She may get picked back up to a (WNBA) team. …
“And so I think that she's going to stay focused and she's going to continue to feed her passion and her drive, and whatever it is she's going to do, whether it be in the (WNBA), whether it be overseas, she's going to still put herself in a position to be the best one of the best, and a champion.”
Right now the WNBA only stands at 144 spots. With the new Bay Area franchise slated to begin play in 2025, that number will soon expand to 156. At the WNBA draft, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert set a goal of 16 teams by 2028, which would total 192 opportunities. Until then, rookies will keep fighting to break into the top 144 and college coaches will keep doing everything they can to support their players taking that leap.
“It starts as soon as they get there really,” Adair said. “You talk to them in the recruiting process. You talk about the goals that they have and the players will tell you right away, ‘I want to play at the next level. I want to play in the WNBA,’ or ‘I want to play overseas.’ So as a coach, you know that right up front and normally in any preparation that we have, as a coach, you're going to prepare your players regardless, but the players that want to play at that next level, it's just a little bit more.”
]]> May 2, 2024
‘Doing great’: Mat Ishbia encouraged about Phoenix Suns’ future despite sweep
PHOENIX – After the Phoenix Suns’ season came to an abrupt end, owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones knew they would have to face the music. They did Wednesday, and it was accompanied by a healthy dose of feedback. “I’m glad that the fans are upset with how the season went, that means they care just as much as we do,” Ishbia said. Reporters grilled the pair after the team finished the regular season 49-33 and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After trading for Bradley Beal in the summer of 2023, the Suns had high expectations for the season. But the team fell victim to inconsistencies, both said, because of health issues and players unable to get on the same page. “Guys had to learn a new system,” Jones said. “They had to unlearn and relearn terminology and schemes.” Ishbia noted that “our core guys (Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker) only played about 40 games together.” Beal played in just 53 games, Booker in 68 and Durant in 75. The lack of chemistry proved costly. Speculation about coach Frank Vogel’s future picked up after the first-round sweep but Ishiba said he didn’t want to discuss the coach’s performance because the pair hadn’t talked yet. Jones, meanwhile, voiced his support. “I thought Frank did a great job given the circumstances,” Jones said. “We assembled a really talented team, primarily three scorers. Whenever you try to get guys to adjust and adapt their games, there’s a transition time. It’s sometimes a struggle, but I thought he did a great job this year.” Ishbia also suggested a major overhaul wasn’t in the team’s future. “I don’t think it’s a blow-it-up and all these things people are talking about,” he said. “We were way better than we were last year.” Fans are restless. They hoped to see a team compete for a championship or at least a Western Conference Finals appearance. The Suns’ offense showed promise this season and ranked fifth in field goal percentage, but the team finished in the middle of the pack in defense at 13. Defensive struggles and the lack of a facilitator-type point guard hurt them. Jones confirmed reports that the team wanted a true point guard to help the three core guys become more effective, but added the filling that role is more challenging than people think. “It varies on how they fit with our play style, personalities and who is available,” he said. The Suns’ starters are under contract for at least next season, and the team has its first round pick for five of the next eight drafts. “We aren’t looking for the next best seventh-grader in 2031,” Ishbia said. “We want to win and compete right now with the best roster we can come up with.” He remained optimistic about the team’s future. “The narrative that the house is burning is incorrect,” Ishbia said. “The Phoenix Suns are doing great. Excellent. Not as good as we want to be. Not as good as we’re going to do next year. And that’s what we’re going to figure out – what we’ve got to tweak, modify and adjust to win a championship next year.” ]]>May 2, 2024
Salton Sea immigrant community experiences high rates of asthma from inhaling dust from the drying sea bed
NORTH SHORE, California – As it deteriorates, the ecosystem around the Salton Sea in Riverside County in Southern California, has been creating a toxic environment that hurts the health of children of immigrant families who live and work there, according to researchers. A 2023 study by the University of California, Riverside, looked at the immigrant population of low-income Hispanic and Indigenous Mexican Hispanic people in communities around the Salton Sea and found that the rate of childhood asthma is 20% to 22.4%, much higher than the California average of 14.5%. The study’s researchers said that the health problems are caused by the dust from the remains of fish that ingested toxic materials from the water in the Salton Sea. “When I moved to North Shore, I started having problems with one of my children because at a young age, 2 months old, he started having breathing problems,” said Solangel Cruz, a resident of North Shore, California, who works in the agriculture fields. “He got the flu and from the flu he got bronchitis.” [caption id="attachment_231408" align="alignright" width="300"]
Solangel Cruz’s son had a bad case of bronchitis caused, in part, from the dust from the Salton Sea. (Photo by Jack Orleans/Cronkite News)[/caption]
The UC Riverside study showed that when dust from the dried-up seabed is blown by the wind and inhaled, it activates immune responses in nearby residents.
“One of the concerns that the community faces around the lagoon is allergies, asthma, respiratory problems, eye problems and nosebleeds,” said María Pozar, an area resident who goes by Conchita and was one of the lead researchers of the UC Riverside study.
The Salton Sea, California’s largest lake, is drying at a rate of 1.3 million acre feet per year. A study from the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources tracked the deterioration of the sea and surrounding ecosystem and determined that in addition to evaporation, a lot of water has been diverted to urban areas since 2018. Because of that, the salinity of the water and toxic materials in it have been concentrated in the dust, making it dangerous.
“Waste from the water, toxic water, entered here,” Pozar said.
The Salton Sea formed in 1905 when the Colorado River, itself a river with high salinity, burst an irrigation canal gate and flooded the area; the lagoon almost had the same salinity as the ocean. It was an important site for fish that tolerate high salinity and it was also an important feeding ground for birds.
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Conchita Pozar works with a research project of the University of California, Riverside, and provides care for residents through the Coachella Valley Free Clinic. (Photo by Jack Orleans/Cronkite News)[/caption]
In the 1950s, the Salton Sea was a tourist destination with seaside resorts, marinas and yacht clubs, and it drew both vacationers and entertainers and celebrities. However, there were environmental concerns by the end of the 1960s.
In the 1970s, tropical storms and floods damaged tourist areas. In addition, the salt from nearby agricultural sites mixed with irrigation water from the Colorado River. The lagoon started receding as it dried. The fish that the birds depended on either died from increasing salinity or predation from tilapia, according to the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources. In the end, only tilapia remained. Today, the dust comes from the dried seabed which includes decimated fish remains.
According to Pozar, other problems include illegal dumping and a lack of trees and plants that could help trap the dust before it reaches the community.
The respiratory problems persist, but the immigrant community lacks access to health services that could help.
“It’s a very large immigrant population, their familiarity with health care systems is usually the Mexican health care system, which is a very different way about accessing health care,” said Ann Cheney, lead researcher of the UC Riverside study, and a medical anthropologist in the Department of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health at the University of California, Riverside.
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Ann Cheney, a research scientist for the University of California, Riverside, helps provide care for residents through the Coachella Valley Free Clinic. (Photo by Jack Orleans/Cronkite News)[/caption]
Cheney also said that sometimes parents prefer to take their children to Mexico for treatment, if they can cross the border, instead of to doctors in the U.S. Undocumented people aren’t eligible for Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace or other forms of public health insurance, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
In addition, 30% of farm workers live below the federal poverty line, and 65% lack health insurance, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
“There’s a fear that providers are going to ask for a form of identification or are going to ask for insurance coverage,” Cheney said.
Cheney and Pozar said that the mission of the Coachella Valley Free Clinic, operated by the university and led by Pozar, is to go into the immigrant community and provide treatment for the people who need it.
“As a mother, I give myself the obligation to be able to advocate, to be able to do the research that can lead them to a good place,” Pozar said.
]]> May 2, 2024
¿Cómo los intérpretes médicos ayudan a superar las barreras del idioma?
PHOENIX – Martha Martínez gerente lingüística de Valleywise Medical Center recuerda que hace varios años ella fue a un hospital y que sintió en carne propia a lo que se someten los pacientes que no hablan inglés y a quienes, en ocasiones, se les hace una traducción errónea al momento de ver a un médico. “En una ocasión cuando llegué tenía un dolor muy fuerte y venimos a la sala de urgencias. El doctor dijo que yo tenía una infección urinaria bastante fuerte”, dijo Martínez. “La persona bilingüe que hacía las traducciones dijo que yo tenía una enfermedad venérea. Y no solamente dijo eso, agregó que yo no debería de andar jugando con tanto hombre”. Martínez dijo que se sintió avergonzada, pero ese error de traducción le dio fuerza para prepararse, estudiar inglés y aprender la terminología médica adecuada para poder desempeñarse como intérprete. [caption id="attachment_231383" align="alignright" width="300"]
Edificio de Valleywise Centro Médico en la ciudad de Phoenix el 16 de abril de 2024. (Foto de Kevinjonah Paguio/Cronkite Noticias)[/caption]
Los intérpretes médicos son esenciales para brindar atención de calidad a los pacientes que no hablan inglés ya que superan la barrera del idioma entre el personal médico y los pacientes, lo que garantiza que ambas partes se entiendan y puedan comunicarse de manera efectiva. Un simple error puede tener graves consecuencias.
Martínez señaló que trabajó por un tiempo en el área de limpieza de Valleywise Medical Center, y que sus habilidades bilingües a menudo atraían a los médicos que necesitaban ayuda para comunicarse con sus pacientes. Martínez dijo que se unió a un programa piloto en 1994 en dicho hospital convirtiéndose en intérprete y posteriormente vocera.
“Yo encantada”, dijo Martínez. “La pasión me desbordada de los poros para poder ayudar a las personas”.
Según recientes estadísticas en los Estados Unidos hay más de 17,526 intérpretes médicos empleados. El 67,6% de todos los intérpretes médicos son mujeres, mientras que el 32,4% son hombres. La edad media de los intérpretes médicos es de 41 años. El origen étnico más común de los intérpretes médicos es de la raza blanca (39,6%), seguido del hispano o latino (35,3%) y el asiático (14,3%). En 2022, las mujeres ganaron el 93% de lo que ganaron los hombres. El 15% de todos los intérpretes médicos son LGBT. Los intérpretes médicos tienen un 80% más de probabilidades de trabajar en empresas privadas en comparación con las empresas educativas.
El programa de intérpretes de Valleywise Medical Center ofrece servicios de traducción de documentos médicos. El programa ha ayudado a interpretar en decenas de idiomas.
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Martha Martínez es gerente de servicios lingüísticos de Valleywise Centro Médico. “Yo creo firmemente que todas las comunidades, todas las personas requieren recibir su información en su idioma", dijo Martínez en Valleywise Centro Médico el 16 de abril de 2024. (Foto de Kevinjonah Paguio/Cronkite Noticias)[/caption] “Estoy muy orgullosa de mi equipo”, dijo Martínez. “Es como, es mi espina dorsal los que me apoyan, todo mi equipo. Son personas que tienen la pasión de ayudar”. Para Jhonatan Martínez, intérprete de Valleywise Medical Center desde hace un año y medio, trabajar en el sector médico siempre fue un sueño. Como inmigrante, dijo que cuando era niño luchó por aprender el idioma inglés y adaptarse a la cultura de Estados Unidos. “Vienes a un país nuevo, no hablas el idioma, no teníamos un estatus legal. Son muchas las cosas que detiene la vida de una persona que emigra a un país”, Jhonatan Martínez. Martínez recuerda que cuando era niño y se transportaba en un autobús escolar, el chofer le pidió que cerrara una ventana del autobús. “Era mi primer día de escuela”, dijo Martínez. “Yo no entendía nada y pues todos se rieron”. Ese incidente marcó su vida y lo hizo entender la importancia de ser bilingüe y lo beneficioso que es su trabajo. [caption id="attachment_231384" align="alignright" width="300"]
Un letrero en la puerta de la oficina de intérpretes en Valleywise Centro Médico el 16 de abril de 2024. (Foto de Kevinjonah Paguio/Cronkite Noticias)[/caption]
“Yo trato de explicar lo mejor que yo pueda para que no tenga ninguna duda porque yo recuerdo como yo me sentía cuando no entendía nada”. dijo Jonathan.
Martha Martínez y Jhonatan Martínez utilizaron sus experiencias y las transformaron en algo positivo. Ahora ambos son puentes de comunicación entre médicos y pacientes. Para poder lograrlo utilizaron no solo el manejo eficaz del idioma inglés y español sino también el conocimiento de la cultura.
Martha va a las escuelas para hablar con los niños y contar su historia. Dice que quiere inspirar a las nuevas generaciones.
“Los niños no se dan cuenta de la importancia de ser bilingües verdad. Entonces quieren dejar su idioma fuera”, dijo Martha. “Yo les he dicho yo hablo dos idiomas y yo gano dinero por eso”.
Ser intérprete es una gran responsabilidad dijo Martha Martínez, algo que ella se toma en serio.
“Por eso la importancia no solo de ser precisos y claros, esto hace la diferencia en salvar la vida de una persona”, dijo Martha Martínez. “No somos doctores, pero también salvamos vidas”.
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Unhittable: Pitching powers propel GCU softball to record season, WAC crown
PHOENIX – Earlier this season, GCU coach Shannon Hays said pitching was a bright spot for the 2024 GCU softball team. His words remain true with three games remaining. Grand Canyon softball is performing exactly how the team envisioned as the reigning WAC champions. Behind a program record 42-11 and a 20-3 record in conference play, the Lopes earned their fourth regular-season championship and have all but clinched the top seed for the upcoming WAC softball tournament, which begins Wednesday. Since March 15, the Lopes have posted a 22-4 record while losing just one conference game behind their strong arms. In GCU’s 22 wins, pitchers allowed three runs or less in 17 of those games with a strong collective effort. The team’s six pitchers posted a staggering 1.17 WHIP and 2.48 ERA, numbers that cemented GCU’s dominant run over the last six weeks. “The cool thing about our staff is they’re all different,” said pitching coach Maribeth Gorsuch. "We can use them as starters, we can use them as relievers, and they all work really well together.” One person stepping up is senior pitcher Hailey Hudson, who has become a critical piece in helping Grand Canyon stay in games when the offense stalls. Despite being overshadowed at the beginning of the year by teammate and Preseason WAC Pitcher of the Year, Meghan Golden, Hudson appeared in a team-high 29 games for the Lopes this season and posted 17 starts. She holds a 13-4 record as a starter and ranks highest in innings played, with over 100. “Hailey in particular really has had a 180-degree shift in her game from last season to this year,” Gorsuch said about Hudson. The difference between this season and the last is simple. “Last year I put a lot of pressure on myself, and this year, I trusted in my team and defense,” Hudson said. “That’s helped me tremendously this year just knowing I have such a great team to back me up.” [related-story-right box-title="Related story" link="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/03/grand-canyon-university-sotball-shanon-hays-kristin-fifield/" image="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/04-07-22-GCU-Softball-Practice-7-1.jpg" headline="Grand Canyon softball’s WAC defense in full-swing after most successful season in program history"] The Lopes pitchers keep hitters guessing through their versatility as a rotation. Each player brings a different role and style to the game. “With players like Hailey, we can move her anywhere. She can play any way that is successful,” Gorsuch said. The connection and bond between the Lopes pitchers is evident at practice, where they are always together, talking and working to get better. At the plate, power hitters Kristin Fifield and Ashley Trierweiler lead the way but the duo is far from the only one stepping up to the plate. One of those players is Kayla Rodgers. Rodgers, another senior, is a transfer from Yavapai College in her second season with the program. The outfielder is batting .380, which sits third on the team in batting average among players with more than an at-bat. “I think as a whole team we’re doing really well. We’re together as a whole and coming together offensively,” Rodgers said about the season. A big reason for success is how the team capitalizes on big moments that are presented, and Rodgers has certainly been involved in all of them recently. The last trip to Nacogdoches, Texas, saw the Lopes complete a three-game sweep over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. Game 1 went the distance, all the way to nine innings. Hudson played a complete game, gave up zero runs total and allowed just three hits. Rodgers scored the winning run for a 1-0 clutch win. The Lopes followed that thriller with shutouts, giving up zero runs on the weekend. Rodgers, who had hits and RBIs in all three games, is continuing to terrorize pitchers at the plate. She’s recorded hits in 12 straight games and RBIs in nine of the last 13 games. After losing Tuesday to Arizona, 3-2, GCU returns home Friday and Saturday to host senior weekend against Abilene Christian University. ]]>May 2, 2024
Older adults face homelessness at high rates. Here’s how governments, organizations are responding
PHOENIX – Homelessness is an ongoing issue in the state and around the country. As the number of unhoused individuals rises, government and nonprofit organizations continue to assist those impacted – with the help of federal funding. Arizona older adults in particular have difficulties with housing and may be limited in generating new income. A 2022 report from the Arizona Department of Economic Security indicated that more than 4,500 individuals ages 55 and older received homelessness assistance, more than any other age group that year. Rachel Milne, director of the Phoenix Office of Homeless Solutions, said older adults are a fast-growing subgroup in the unhoused population, with unique challenges. “Seniors are typically on a very fixed income. Whether they're receiving a little bit of assistance, they have what they have, and that number is not going to change,” she said. “So they need to be able to find a unit that will fit within their budget knowing that they're not anticipating getting raises.” Milne said in May 2023, the city used $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to buy an old Super 8 near Northern Avenue and Interstate 17. Then in March, Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema announced that $3 million in federal funding would go toward converting the hotel into a permanent housing option for older adults. [caption id="attachment_231367" align="alignright" width="300"]
Robert Chayrez gets a haircut from Adriel Romano. Chayrez says he’s been coming to Justa Center for four years and has been able to get biweekly haircuts from volunteers. (Photo by Crystal N. Aguilar/Cronkite News)[/caption]
Other sources are also financing the project, Milne said, including a grant from Maricopa County and general funds from the city.
Milne said that shelter services are a major focus for the city, which solves homelessness for older adults only in the short term. The hotel conversion project, she said, is meant to be a longer-term solution.
“Shelter doesn't end homelessness,” she said. “It helps people stabilize, certainly, but we're really happy to have this housing so folks will have their own leases at this site. This will be their home for as long as they want to and without risk of losing it due to rising rents.”
Kelly and Sinema also announced $850,000 in federal funding for the Justa Center.
The Justa Center in downtown Phoenix has worked for years to assist unhoused older adults in the community. The organization works toward getting older folks a place to go for the day.
Justa Center started in 2006 and provides shower and laundry services, a dayroom, a health clinic and digital skills training. Also, the nonprofit serves two meals a day for most of the year. During the summer months, it serves three meals a day and provides heat relief. The center provides case manager assistance and a director of housing solutions who can help older adults find shelters or housing facilities.
Dean Scheinert, executive director of Justa Center, explained why the organization is unique among nonprofits looking to help an aging unhoused population.
“There are many organizations that provide services to either seniors or people who are experiencing homelessness, … but they do a lot of other things. So that (unhoused older adults) is our one and only mission,” Scheinert said.
John Dean, a Justa Center visitor, has lived in Phoenix his whole life and said the center has been valuable in getting relief. Dean said that he became unhoused after his apartment caught fire and burned down.
“I lost a lot of things,” Dean said. “It was awful.”
"I'm just trying to get a place," Dean said, who spends nights in a motel and relies on Justa Center primarily for its food and housing resources, which have helped him through a difficult process.
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John Dean frequents Justa Center for help finding housing while he stays at a motel, after a fire forced him out of his apartment. He says he likes the center because it’s easy to talk to everyone due to their shared experiences. (Photo by Crystal N. Aguilar/Cronkite News)[/caption]
“It’s very hard. Very hard. You have nowhere to go, you know? It’s real hard,” Dean said, in reference to the difficulty of being unhoused.
Dean said that he is also receiving assistance from Central Arizona Shelter Services as he looks for permanent housing.
“I’m going to CASS right now,” Dean said on a February morning. “I have a case manager, so she’s working on it.”
Scheinert said there are a number of reasons older adults experience homelessness.
“One is, obviously, the lack of affordable housing. Seniors are often on fixed incomes,” Scheinert said. “When you’re a senior and you’re homeless and you haven't been diagnosed for many years, they (mental health challenges) become exacerbated. The summer is a big issue – things like that.”
Scheinert said that though awareness surrounding the issue is improving, there has been a lack of “core focus for public policy.”
Scheinert said Justa Center’s approach has served thousands of people and that it has created a close community whose members help each other through the process of gaining housing.
“We’re like a family,” Scheinert said. “We have a small staff – there are 13 people here – some of whom have lived experience … and a lot of people who work here are seniors, so it could be any of us.”
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Bobby Winkles enshrined in bronze at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, cementing ASU baseball legacy
PHOENIX – Bobby Winkles, Arizona State baseball’s first varsity head coach, has a permanent home at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Immortalized along the third baseline and revealed on April 10, the former ASU coach's statue is decorated with his countless accomplishments while guiding the program from its infancy to an annual powerhouse. The statue was funded by 70 former Sun Devils baseball players who played under Winkles. Before the statue’s unveiling, former players recalled laughable moments and his impact on and off the field. “Winks was an unbelievable person,” said Fred Nelson, a 1967 national champion and Sun Devil Hall of Famer. “(He was) loved by the players (and) loved by the fans.” During his 13 seasons coaching at ASU, Winkles amassed 524 wins and coached the team’s first three national championships. [caption id="attachment_231355" align="alignright" width="300"]
The Bobby Winkles statue was funded by 70 former Sun Devil players who played under the legendary coach during his 13 seasons at ASU. (Photo by Tyler Bednar/Cronkite News)[/caption]
The 1964 Sun Devils team produced one of the more memorable years with a 44-7 record, a Western Athletic Conference title and their first College Baseball World Series appearance, where the team finished sixth. ASU baseball held a 60th anniversary ceremony for the team before first pitch, where numerous players attended and were honored.
One season later, the Sun Devils finished 54-8 and earned their first national championship but didn’t stop there. The Sun Devils established themselves as a college baseball dynasty by winning the national championship in 1967 and 1969.
Winkles was named NCAA Coach of the Year in 1965 and 1969, in addition to the Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1965, 1967 and 1969. He was inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame in 1982, the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 and his No. 1 is retired.
Quickly into his speech, Nelson spoke about Winkles’ desire to teach the game’s fundamentals, sometimes with a little sarcasm.
“He said, ‘Boys, I’m going to tell you. They’ve been playing the game of baseball for 105 years and not one guy has ever been thrown out at the mound, so get your (butt) off the mound and get over,’” Nelson said.
ASU coach Willie Bloomquist, a Bobby Winkles Award winner, says his impact still resonates with the program to this day.
“I can only hope and imagine that my players look at me one day the way that you guys look at him,” Bloomquist said. “I have the honor of trying to fill the footsteps of the foundation that he built here. He was the founder, the godfather that put this place on the map, which made Arizona State the greatest place to play baseball.”
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The front of Bobby Winkles’ statue represents his immense accomplishments as the former Arizona State baseball coach. (Photo by Tyler Bednar/Cronkite News)[/caption]
After many players told their favorite stories of Winkles, the group walked back down the third base line to see the unveiling of his statue. His family members revealed the statue, including his grandson, Parker Gatewood, who cut the ribbons and threw out the game’s first pitch.
“I think the thing that I go back to every time when I talk about granddad is that he molded who I am, personally, as a man and my life’s philosophy, because all I wanted to do was be like him,” Gatewood said. “All you can do is try to do that to the best of your ability. If I ever come out, just half the man that Grandad was, I’ll consider that a success.”
It was a busy weekend for the Winkles family. Winkles was one of seven people inducted into the 2024 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
“This weekend means the world to our family,” Gatewood said. “We just are so honored and feel so privileged to be able to share, in his legacy playing out here at Arizona State, the Hall of Fame and statue dedication. It means more than words can even express just the fact that we get to talk about and share and the love that we had for our granddad. The granddad himself, Bobby Winkles, is just an absolute blessing.”
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