Arizona
Another weekend, another opportunity for Arizona Cardinals rookies to give back
Arizona Cardinals rookie WR Xavier Weaver ready to study playbook
Rookies for the Arizona Cardinals enjoyed some flag football with athletes from Special Olympics Arizona on Saturday at the team facility.
Arizona Cardinals rookies spent another Saturday morning at the team’s facility in Tempe, volunteering their time to play flag football with another group the organization works with every year.
Last week it was girls high school flag football teams. This week, athletes from Special Olympics Arizona visited the Cardinals to play some ball and interact with the players. These are the kind of events where all of those involved get a lot out of the experience.
“I’m really thankful to be here in Arizona, so the least I can do is give back my free time to others in our community, and I’m really thankful to be here with my teammates,” Cardinals rookie Darius Robinson said. “I just see their smiles and their faces playing ball. We as football players, we can take it for granted how blessed we are to play a game, just to see how happy they are to do the same things we do. So just happy to see them smile.”
Robinson has been helping people since college. At Missouri while in college, Robinson started his own non-profit organization that handed out 100 bookbags for children at his church, and also raised money for families at Christmastime. He said he’s excited to continue doing community work with the Cardinals as well as on his own.
Robinson said his mother inspired him to do such work, telling him to appreciate what he is blessed with in life.
“Life is great for me, so the least I can do is give back my time and energy and pour it into other people,” Robinson said.
Ben Wrubel, Vice President of Programs for Special Olympics Arizona, said it means a lot for the athletes to get to spend time with the Cardinals.
“Our athletes are always told from the time they’re born that they can’t, they can’t, they can’t. And Special Olympics really tries to prove that they can. To get to hang out with the athletes, to do drills with the rookie class, to do drills with Marvin Harrison Jr., that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. And they’re soaking it all in and it means the world to them,” Wrubel said. “It just shows what sports can do, how sports can bring people together.”
There were an estimated 75 flag football players in attendance Saturday, plus coaches and caregivers.
Arizona
Conservative think tank challenges Arizona AG on rental price-fixing records
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A conservative-leaning think tank is suing Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes over her office’s refusal to fully disclose records related to allegations of rental price-fixing involving major landlords and a property management software company.
The Goldwater Institute filed a public records lawsuit against Mayes, demanding she reveal how many people have filed complaints related to the allegations.
In a news release, the think tank said Mayes has refused to state how many Arizonans claimed the alleged conspiracy actually harmed them.
In February 2024, the AG’s office sued nine landlords, including Avenue5, Greystar, RPM Living, and Weider. State officials also named RealPage, a property management software company, in the lawsuit, alleging it colluded with others to inflate rental prices across metro Phoenix.
The Goldwater Institute said it had requested full complaint records from Mayes’ office but reportedly only received a numerical count of complaints, without the underlying records.
“I firmly believe in vindicating Arizona’s Public Records Law, which exists to ensure that government remains accountable to the people it serves,” said Michael Bloom, an attorney for the American Freedom Network, which is representing the Goldwater Institute. “Transparency is the cornerstone of public trust.”
Goldwater officials said the AG’s office claimed the information was confidential, but they argue it is not protected under public records law.
The think tank also noted that Mayes’ lawsuit mirrors similar cases filed by other Democratic attorneys general, and partnered with a private law firm to pursue the case, similar to approaches taken in those other states.
Last year, the Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, accusing it of an illegal scheme that allowed landlords to coordinate and hike up rent prices.
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Arizona
Arizona presses for federal help as new report reveals $33.5M loss in floods
GLOBE, AZ (AZFamily) — Arizona lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to swiftly approve Gov. Katie Hobbs’ request for a major disaster declaration for Gila and Mohave counties.
The move brings hope to communities like Globe, which are grappling with the aftermath of destructive and deadly floods in September and October.
Globe Mayor Al Gameros expressed his appreciation for the bipartisan effort.
“It’s amazing that letter was written in this shorter period of time,” Gameros said. “I’m glad that it’s a bipartisan letter. I’m glad that it’s urging the president to immediately sign this and not delay it, because it is important to our rural community.”
Included in the correspondence is a newly released damage assessment compiled by FEMA, the state, and local leaders.
The assessment of the two counties details significant destruction, including that 312 homes were damaged, with 64 destroyed, 89 suffering major damage, and 159 receiving minor damage. The total estimated loss in dollars is $33,579,081.
Gameros noted the challenges communities face in securing aid.
“We (other mayors) tried to learn, at the same time, learning what the complexity of filing for reimbursement,” he said.
He explained that while the state will reimburse towns up to 75% of costs, federal approval could mean up to 90% is paid back.
Now, Gameros is anxiously awaiting the Trump administration’s decision, hoping that if the disaster declaration is approved, the process won’t be slow.
“That would really put a hurt in our community as far as us being able to move forward,” he said.
In the meantime, he said they have restaurants open in Globe and urges Arizonans to pay them a visit.
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Arizona
Kansas football bowl projections following Big 12 Conference loss on road against Arizona
Kansas football QB Jalon Daniels reflects on loss against Arizona
Check out everything Kansas football quarterback Jalon Daniels had to say Saturday following a loss on the road against Arizona in Big 12 play.
LAWRENCE — Kansas football lost 24-20 on the road this past weekend against Arizona.
The Big 12 Conference defeat saw the Jayhawks (5-5, 3-4 in Big 12) come up short on what could have been the day it became bowl eligible this season. Coach Lance Leipold and company gave up a late lead against the Wildcats and suffered a disappointing defeat. Bowl eligibility is still possible, as KU navigates an open week, but with the loss, reaching that point has become all the more challenging.
Before Kansas’ season resumes Nov. 22 on the road against Iowa State, here are some bowl projections for the Jayhawks:
This projection places Kansas in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, scheduled for December 26 in Dallas, Texas. It would put the Jayhawks up against Boise State (6-3, 4-1 in Mountain West Conference). Boise State most recently lost against Fresno State, but is still in contention to play for its conference title.
These projections place Kansas in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, scheduled for December 30 in Shreveport, Louisiana. One has KU facing Kennesaw State (7-2, 5-0 in Conference USA), while the other has KU facing Louisiana Tech (5-4, 3-3 in Conference USA). Kennesaw State beat Louisiana Tech earlier this season.
This projection places Kansas in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl, which is set for Dec. 23 in Frisco, Texas. It would put the Jayhawks up against California (6-4, 3-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference). California is coming off of a win against now-No. 21 Louisville.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
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