Arizona
Arizona Democrats attempt to repeal the state’s 19th century abortion ban – The Boston Globe
For a third straight week, Democrats at the Arizona Legislature are attempting Wednesday to repeal the state’s near-total ban on abortions, again spotlighting an issue that has put Republicans on the defensive in a battleground state for the presidential election.
Republicans have used procedural votes to block earlier repeal efforts, each time drawing condemnation from Democratic President Joe Biden, who has made his support for abortion access central to his campaign for reelection.
Arizona Republicans have been under intense pressure from some conservatives in their base, who firmly support the abortion ban, even as it’s become a liability with swing voters who will decide crucial races including the presidency, the U.S. Senate and the GOP’s control of the Legislature.
The vote comes a day after Biden said former President Donald Trump, his presumptive Republican rival, created a “healthcare crisis for women all over this country,” and imperiled their access to health care.
The Arizona Supreme Court concluded the state can enforce a long-dormant law that permits abortions only to save the pregnant patient’s life. The ruling suggested doctors could be prosecuted under the law first approved in 1864, which carries a sentence of two to five years in prison for anyone who assists in an abortion.
A week ago, one Republican in the Arizona House joined 29 Democrats to bring the repeal measure to a vote, but the effort failed twice on 30-30 votes. Democrats are hoping one more Republican will cross party lines on Wednesday so that the repeal bill can be brought up for a vote. There appears to be enough support for repeal in Arizona Senate, but a final vote is unlikely May 1.
The law had been blocked since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteed the constitutional right to an abortion nationwide.
After Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, then-Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, persuaded a state judge that the 1864 ban could be enforced. Still, the law hasn’t actually been enforced while the case was making its way through the courts. Brnovich’s Democratic successor, Attorney General Kris Mayes, urged the state’s high court against reviving the law.
Mayes has said the earliest the law could be enforced is June 8, though the anti-abortion group defending the ban, Alliance Defending Freedom, maintains county prosecutors can begin enforcing it once the Supreme Court’s decision becomes final, which is expected to occur this week.
If the proposed repeal wins final approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature and is signed into law by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, a 2022 statute banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy would become the prevailing abortion law.
Planned Parenthood officials vowed to continue providing abortions for the short time they are still legal and said they will reinforce networks that help patients travel out of state to places like New Mexico and California to access abortion.
This past summer, abortion rights advocates began a push to ask Arizona voters to create a constitutional right to abortion.
The proposed constitutional amendment would guarantee abortion rights until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks. It also would allow later abortions to save the parent’s life, or to protect her physical or mental health.
Republican lawmakers, in turn, are considering putting one or more competing abortion proposals on the November ballot.
A leaked planning document outlined the approaches being considered by House Republicans, such as codifying existing abortion regulations, proposing a 14-week ban that would be “disguised as a 15-week law” because it would allow abortions until the beginning of the 15th week, and a measure that would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before many people know they’re pregnant.
House Republicans have not yet publicly released any such proposed ballot measures.
Arizona
Deadspin | Arizona rolls past No. 25 Baylor for 7th straight win
Henri Veesaar’s 19 points led a balanced scoring effort to lead Arizona to its seventh straight win, 81-70 over No. 25 Baylor on Tuesday night in Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona (11-5, 5-0 Big 12) took advantage of short-handed Baylor (11-5, 3-2) for most of the game, building a 27-point lead in the second half.
The Bears battled back, making eight consecutive made field goals to cut the lead to 71-62 with 2:52 left, but they did not get closer.
Baylor, which cracked the AP Top 25 on Monday after winning six of its previous seven games, played mostly with a six-player rotation because Jalen Celestine and Langston Love missed their fourth straight game with ankle injuries.
Duke transfer Jeremy Roach, who finished with 13 points, picked up his fourth foul with 16:59 left and Arizona ahead 46-25.
Norchad Ormier also played in foul trouble throughout and committed four fouls. He finished with nine points.
Jaden Bradley had 13 points, five rebounds and six assists for Arizona.
KJ Lewis finished with 11 points and seven assists.
All top eight players in Arizona’s rotation scored, including Anthony Dell’Orso, who produced all nine of his points in the first half when Arizona built a 42-19 lead at the break.
Robert Wright led Baylor with 16 points off the bench and VJ Edgecombe had 14.
Arizona fell behind when Omier made a layup 14 seconds in but the Wildcats did not trail thereafter.
Omier exited briefly after he was called for his second foul with 18:54 remaining in the first half.
Arizona built an 11-4 lead before Omier made the Bears’ second field goal of the game, a 3-pointer with 13:36 left in the half.
The Wildcats took control of the half following a 12-0 run that put them ahead 37-15 with 2:25 remaining until halftime.
Caleb Love made his first shot with 3:32 left and banked in a 3-pointer to culminate the 12-0 run.
Baylor shot 69 percent from the field in the second half, including 5 of 11 from 3-point range after starting 1 of 9 from beyond the arc.
Arizona shot 53.7 percent from the field for the game, tallying 21 assists on its 29 made field goals.
–Field Level Media
Arizona
Report: Cardinals Met With Hula Bowl OL
ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals have met with another Hula Bowl prospect, according to Ryan Fowler.
After previously having meetings with Wisconsin LB Jaheim Thomas and Illinois EDGE Seth Coleman, Arizona also has met with North Dakota State OL Mason Miller.
Miller just finished his fifth season at North Dakota State and does not have any official stats recorded for 2024 on his bio from the school, though he did start at multiple spots in 2023:
“Started all 15 games for the Bison, the first three at right tackle before moving to left guard for the remainder of the season…Blocked for an offense that ranked fourth in the FCS averaging 237.3 rushing yards per game and led the nation in rushing yards (3,560), rushing touchdowns (47) and offensive touchdowns (69)…The Bison also ranked second nationally in passing efficiency, completion percentage and red zone scoring.”
Versatility is certainly a tool that’s coveted by the Cardinals, especially along the offensive line. Miller having experience both inside and outside will only be a positive for him at the next level.
Arizona’s offensive line could look a lot different at the start of next year. Besides left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and center Hjlate Froholdt, all three spots are up for grabs for Week 1 of the 2025 season.
Starting left guard Evan Brown is set to hit free agency while the Cardinals may not be sold on either Isaiah Adams or Trystan Colon at right guard, both of whom split time throughout the year. Right tackle Jonah Williams suffered a season-ending injury and his status to open 2025 is very much in question while backup swing tackle Kelvin Beachum could retire.
Arizona
Arizona State friendship bench connects generations to ease loneliness
PHOENIX (AZFamily)—In a world of technology and social media, we’ve never been more connected to others. However, recent studies have shown that we’ve also never been more lonely.
According to a recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services, about half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.
However, a new initiative at Arizona State University is working to change that through its friendship bench, and that is Something Good.
The bench is meant to encourage younger and older folks just to sit and talk to one another about anything.
One of the participants is ASU alumna Pencie Culiver, who sits on the bench every Tuesday with a sign that says, “I’m all ears.”
She invited anyone to sit with her, whether for a few minutes or half an hour.
“I have really had some interesting questions, people sit down for half an hour, other people two minutes, so a big variety,” said Culiver. “I believe that I have heard most of anything, it also has taught me, kids really are lonely and they don’t have somebody to divulge things they don’t even want to divulge to their roommate or their classmate and also the complications of education we did not have when we went to ASU a long, long time ago.”
The ASU Friendship Bench Program started this past fall semester with about a dozen residents of Mirabella, a university-based retirement community located on the college campus.
Thank you to Culiver, ASU and all the participants for connecting with others and making the world a little less lonely.
Know of someone or an organization doing something good in your community? Nominate them for our segment here!
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