Arizona
How to help the San Carlos Apache Tribe after wildfire devastation
The Watch Fire has devastated the San Carlos Apache Tribe community, destroying at least 13 homes and leaving 75 people homeless.
A day after the fire ignited, the San Carlos Apache Tribe declared a state of emergency on July 12. They requested disaster assistance and urged those affected by the fire to evacuate to donation centers at San Carlos High School and Apache Gold Casino and Resort.
The devastation of the fire extends far beyond the reservation. In Phoenix, efforts have been underway since early Friday morning to gather and ship supplies to San Carlos. Indigenous activists and other organizers from across the state quickly mobilized to deliver water, clothing, first aid kits, food, and other essential items to the reservation.
Lending a Helping Hand
Reva Stewart, a Navajo activist and owner of Shush Diné, a Native shop on North 16th Street, showcases jewelry, books, and other items highlighting Native culture in the front of her store. However, a look into the back room reveals stashes of water, clothing, and other supplies set aside to assist people living on the streets of Phoenix.
Friday morning provided another opportunity for Reva Stewart to help those in need and support her community. She has been collaborating with Stolen People, Stolen Benefits, and other organizations to gather supplies, along with accepting individual donations. Stewart noted that the community has been eager to contribute, with some visitors to her shop on Friday having family members on the reservation.
She emphasized the importance of coming together, noting that the reservation already faces a lack of resources. The dryness of the area causes brush fires to spread quickly, and due to the remote location—about two hours from Phoenix—some people do not have vehicles to evacuate.
Reva said her own tribe is only just starting to gain access to a 911 emergency system, and many other reservations face the same problem.
“I think if the state and tribal governments stood up and made it work, it would work,” she said.
Stewart sent out a truckload of donations Friday morning, and will continue taking donations until at least Monday, depending on what more is needed, she said.
As the sun set on Friday evening, trucks from the San Carlos Apache Veteran’s Association arrived to load more boxes of supplies and pallets of water. By the end of the day, approximately 150 cases of water, along with tents and portable air conditioning units, had been shipped out.
Rebuilding the damage caused by the fire will require a collective effort from the Native community, Stewart said. She pointed out that it can be difficult for people to grasp the extent of the need for assistance due to the misconception that tribes receive ample government funding. In reality, much of the revenue from Native casinos goes towards paying off interest rather than directly benefiting Native people.
“It makes it harder for people because nobody wants to help,” said Stewart. “They think ‘oh, well, you’ve got the casino, so that should help you. But that’s never the case.”
As volunteers finished loading the last round of shipments Friday, hugs and laughs were shared as Stewart and other volunteers reflected on the importance of teamwork. It had been a long day, but their commitment to helping their communities was steadfast.
Before the Veteran’s Association left for the final trip of the day, the group came together and joined hands, saying a prayer for those who had lost everything.
How you can help: Places to donate across the Valley
The supplies most needed include cookware, non-perishable food, hygiene items, baby care supplies such as diapers and formula, portable fans, cell phone chargers and pet items. Dozens of locations in Phoenix and across the Valley are accepting donations over the weekend and into next week.
While most donation centers are accepting any items people can spare, the Office of the Chairman for the San Carlos Apache Tribe is specifically seeking campdresses, traditional garb worn by Apache women. These dresses are bright, colorful, and intricately embroidered, holding significant cultural value. Those with gently used or new campdresses can send them to the following address: Office of the Chairman San Carlos Apache Tribe PO Box 0 San Carlos, AZ 85550
Places to donate food and other items include:
- Apache Gold Casino Bingo Hall: 777 Geronimo Springs Blvd., San Carlos, AZ 85550. Food and beverage donations are being directed to the bingo hall, while clothing and hygiene supplies are being taken at the hotel. Animal care items can go to the pavilion.
- San Carlos High School: 860 US-70, Peridot, AZ 85542.
- Burdette Hall: San Carlos Ave. & Yavapai St., San Carlos, AZ 85550.
- Superstition Harley-Davidson dealer: 2910 W. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85120.
- Shush Diné: 3449 N. 16th St. Phoenix, AZ. Taking donations 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Until at least Monday, July 15.
- San Carlos Apache Tribe Emergency Response Commission: Taking donations until further notice. Contact 928-475-2008; kevin.cassadore@scat-nsn.gov
- Kayenta Chapter House: Accepting donations 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 15. Contact 602-718-9132
- 2500 E. Cooley St., Show Low, AZ 85901. Accepting baby supplies July 15 and 16.
- 1107 S. Maverick Ave., Whiteriver, AZ 85941. Accepting baby supplies July 15 and 16.
- McNary Hondah Community Board: Accepting donations 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Tuesday, July 16. Contact 928-207-6434 for drop-off locations.
- Chinle Flea Market: BIA-102, Navajo Nation, AZ. Taking donations 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, July 15. Not accepting clothing donations.
- Dine College Tsaile Campus: 1 Circle Drive, Route 12, Tsaile, AZ 86556. Donations accepted 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Spruce Hall through July 18.
- San Carlos Healthcare Warehouse: 103 Medicine Way, Peridot, AZ 85542. Accepting donations 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through July 14.
- Hopes Frybread: 144 S. Mesa Drive, Mesa, AZ 85210. Accepting donations 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. through July 14.
- Nurd Berger Cafe: 420 S. Hill St., Globe, AZ. Taking empty box donations to organize donated products.
Three members of an Arizona fraternity are facing a hazing charge in connection with the death of a student during a pledge event this weekend, police said.
Officers were called to a residence on Saturday morning to help with an unresponsive 18-year-old male, according to the Flagstaff Police Department. The young man was not breathing and bystanders had been performing CPR by the time officers arrived at the scene.
He was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics arrived at the house, police said. Police identified the young man only as a student at Northern Arizona University.
Police said detectives executed search warrants for the residence and interviewed several witnesses, learning that there was a rush event for the Delta Tau Delta fraternity there the night before.
“Alcohol consumption was reported to have occurred by numerous individuals in attendance, including pledge candidates, which includes the deceased male,” police said.
Three members of the fraternity’s executive board were arrested and booked into jail on a charge of hazing, police said. They were identified as Ryan Creech, fraternity vice president; Carter Eslick, new member educator; and Riley Cass, treasurer.
Court records were not immediately available for the three 20-year-old fraternity members and it is unclear whether they have retained attorneys.
Northern Arizona University released a statement Saturday describing the death as a “devastating loss” to the university’s community. It also acknowledged the three arrests, saying that the death occurred at an off-campus residence associated with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
“We want to be clear: The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priorities,” the university said. “Violence, hazing or any other behavior that endangers others has no place at NAU.”
The university added that it was suspending Delta Tau Delta while it conducts its own investigation regarding potential violations of university policies.
Arizona passed a law in 2022 that made hazing a criminal offense in honor of Jack Culolias, who died as a freshman at Arizona State University. Hazing resulting in death is a Class 4 felony, according to the law.
Culolias was drinking during a pledge event at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in 2012 when he drank so much alcohol that he eventually drowned by falling into Tempe Town Lake after he was last seen leaving a fraternity event, according to NBC affiliate KPNX.
TEMPE — Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley is relatively pleased, yet not exactly thrilled with his team’s performance in what was an 87-74 loss to the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena.
Hurley discussed a wide range of topics during his press conference that featured a surprising amount of praise for their rival.
Watch Hurley discuss the result of the game, reflect on the season series against Arizona, and more below.
Hurley Discusses What Went Wrong
Arizona State brought a free-flowing offense, intense on-ball defensive pressure, and well-timed shot making to the table in what resulted in a game that was tied at 38 going into the half.
The Wildcats asserted their physical dominance over the last 20 minutes of the game, which is something Hurley didn’t mince words on following the final buzzer.
“This game felt like very similar to like a mirror of our last game in Tucson, just really good first half, and then you know, whether it’s they’re just too big and physical that you know they wear you down, and eventually… the encouragement of having our defense in front of us in the first half and now down at the other end, and we just weren’t able to stand up to challenge on the interior, whether that meant, you know, stopping their drives or getting a big defensive rebound when we needed to, we still had our chances.”
There were several points in the final 10 minutes in which Arizona State had an opportunity to bring the deficit down to two possessions or less, although the Wildcats’ sheer physicality, depth, and timely shot making resulted in remaining undefeated.
The 11th-year head coach also discussed Arizona State’s shortcomings on the offensive side of the ball – including not shooting well enough to keep up with an Arizona offense that continued to fire on all cylinders.
“We didn’t shoot free throws well. think we were four for 15 on unguarded threes. So things against the team, as good as this Arizona team, is you can’t afford to do those things offensively.”
Arizona State shot 27-65 from the floor, 8-24 from behind the arc, and missed eight free throws – including ones in key moments that has potential to bridge the gap that had been built in the second half.
Hurley Discusses “Putting Things Together”
Hurley was pleased with what he saw overall in the loss, although there were areas that the team fell short in that were made an emphasis.
“It’s kind of too late to put things together, I would say. But like, more or less like, we’ve been scrappy… we’ve beaten, beaten Texas, Oklahoma, being Santa Clara, close games, fortunate to win a couple of them, we’ve kind of done as good as we can do… Now we should be able to shoot free throws better. There’s no excuse for that. There had to be two or three more rebounds that we should have gotten that we didn’t get. Maybe if you do that, it closes the gap a little bit.”
One would have an incredibly strong case to make that Arizona State would be considered a bubble team in the NCAA tournament picture at absolute worse had they prevailed against Oregon State, Colorado, and UCF.
A pair of competitive losses to Arizona, an effort that had Gonzaga sweating, and a 13-point loss to UCLA that was really only realized in the closing minutes of the game have displayed what team the Sun Devils can be, although they have yet to capitalize in capturing a season-defining triumph.
The acknowledgement that the Sun Devils were “close” to their ceiling in this game serves as a stark reminder that the team has so much potential to be a competitive one, but they have yet to fully realize it over a full 40 minute game – at least in Big 12 play.
The Sun Devils return to action on Wednesday night in a road battle against the Utah Utes.
Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..
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Arizona freshman standout Ivan Kharchenkov has adjusted nicely to the college basketball landscape since coming from overseas before this season.
While Brayden Burries and Koa Peat have taken a lot of the attention as the star freshmen talents of the #1-ranked Wildcats, Kharchenkov cannot be forgotten as well. The 6-foot-7 forward from Germany is averaging 9.4 pounds, and 3.3 rebounds per game as a freshman this season.
Prior to joining Arizona before this season, Kharchenkov had played in the EuroLeague since he was 16. In the 2024-25 season, he helped Bayern Munich earn the Bundesliga championship.
Now making the transition to college basketball in America, Kharchenkov has had no problem adjusting to the pace, and physicality of the Big 12. He has been a key figure for Arizona as they currently remain undefeated at 21-0, and are the nation’s top team in not just the AP Poll, but also KenPom, and NET rankings, making them the unanimous choice for the country’s best team by the most respected metrics.
Overseas basketball has been brought to prominence thanks to the passion, and hardcore fandom by the fanbases in the leagues. Rivalry games in particular show plenty of intensity, so Kharchenkov is no stranger to big games with tons of animosity.
Kharchenkov’s thoughts
In light of Arizona’s thrilling victory over the #13 BYU Cougars, Kharchenkov was asked recently about the difference between playing overseas, and playing college basketball in the United States.
- “It’s definitely a little bit different,” Kharchenkov said. “In Europe, derby games are a little bit more harsh, like in language. Here, they’re kind of nicer, but the hate itself is a little bit bigger. Both are good, I like this one more because it’s a little more correct, and more sportsmanlike.”
Kharchenkov’s composure in big games must be contagious, as the Wildcats have excelled in big-time matchups this season. They’ve earned themselves six wins over ranked teams this season, are 9-0 in Quad 1 games, and 3-0 in Quad 2, giving them an already impressive resume with the NCAA Tournament still over a month away.
They’ll look to continue their incredible season as the schedule now enters the stretch run heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats currently look like potentially the most dangerous team in all of college basketball, and the fact that they are led by several freshmen makes them a truly unique team capable of earning the second national title in program history.
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