Arizona
Steve Benson, acclaimed AZ cartoonist, recovering from stroke • Arizona Mirror
Legendary Arizona cartoonist Steve Benson suffered a stroke last month and is recovering in a Mesa rehabilitation hospital.
His wife told the Arizona Mirror the prognosis is positive.
“We’ve been assured there’s a good chance of full recovery,” Claire Benson said.
In a brief interview, she said that Steve suffered the stroke on Feb. 21 and received medical care quickly, including life-saving medication that “greatly increases the potential of a full, or near to full, recovery.”
In a post on Substack Monday, David Fitzsimmons, a longtime editorial cartoonist for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, wrote that his close friend would be getting around-the-clock care in the coming weeks as he begins his recovery.
If you love his work as much as I do, and admire him as much as I do, now is the time to let him know.
Claire encouraged readers and friends to send well wishes to Steve on his Facebook page.
Benson was the Mirror’s editorial cartoonist from April 2019 through the end of 2023, when he retired from regularly publishing cartoons after more than 40 years skewering Arizona leaders. His archive of cartoons for the Mirror can still be viewed online.
Before that, Benson spent decades as the in-house cartoonist for the Arizona Republic, where he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1993. He was also a Pulitzer finalist in 1984, 1989, 1992 and 1994.
Arizona
3 Arizona Cardinals Now on the Chopping Block Entering Training Camp
ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals will be one of the first teams to hit training camp this summer.
Arizona’s July 22 report date is among the earliest in the league thanks to their participation in the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game to begin preseason festivities.
Eyes and ears are curious to see what Mike LaFleur’s first training camp in the desert looks and sounds like. With four preseason games and numerous camp practices, Arizona will begin the process of trimming their roster down to 53 players ahead of the regular season.
These four Cardinals could find themselves on the chopping block:
RB Trey Benson
Benson’s had arguably the worst offseason of any returning veteran in Arizona, as numerous faces have arrived to his position room to ultimately push him down the depth chart.
Benson’s play in the prior two seasons leading up to the 2026 offseason was shaky at best. Injuries and erratic play in the backfield offset any flashes of potential the Florida State product has had.
Many thought Benson may have been the potential lead back this season, though after James Conner restructured his deal, Tyler Allgeier signed in free agency and Jeremiyah Love was drafted with the third overall pick — Benson’s playing time has been massively dwindled.
If the Cardinals keep four running backs, Benson is in line to compete with Bam Knight for the final spot.
CB Kei’Trel Clark
I’ve often included Max Melton’s name in similar lists, and while there’s no doubting the pressure facing Arizona’s former second-round pick, Melton’s spot on the roster feels safe.
Kei’Trel Clark, on the other hand, is a different discussion.
Clark started seven games his rookie season but has combined for just two starts in the last two years after. The Cardinals have continuously poured resources into the cornerback room, and Clark’s hung around.
Injuries to Starling Thomas and Sean Murphy-Bunting helped solidify Clark’s roster spot last season, yet with both working their way back to full health (on top of Garrett Williams potentially being ready for Week 1), the Cardinals will have a crowded depth chart.
Clark will need to have a big training camp and leapfrog somebody ahead of him to retain his roster spot.
QB Kedon Slovis
This is more circumstantial than regarding talent.
Slovis moves into training camp as the heavy favorite to get the axe with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck over him on the projected depth chart.
Brissett has (reportedly) been told by Arizona he’s the starter. Minshew has more guaranteed money than Brissett on his contract and Beck is a third-round pick.
None of the three quarterbacks are going to be cut, leaving Slovis with two options: Turn into the greatest quarterback we’ve seen or be an unfortunate cut candidate.
Slovis probably won’t make his way back to the desert on the practice squad, either — especially if Arizona indeed keeps three active quarterbacks on the roster.
Was Slovis ever going to start for the Cardinals? No. However, he’s on the chopping block merely because of the new faces added this offseason.
Charge it to the game.
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Arizona
‘Multiple victims’ in shooting at Westgate Entertainment District, police say
GLENDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — Multiple people have been shot at a popular entertainment spot in Glendale, according to officials with the city’s police department. No suspect or suspects have been caught, police said.
Officers responded to the Westgate Entertainment District, near Glendale and 91st avenues, around 9 p.m. for reports of a shooting.
Police said they believe the injuries are not life-threatening.
Police said the individuals involved may have known one another and this was an isolated incident. No other information was given.
This is a developing story.
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