An executive from Strata International Group in Phoenix demonstrates how foam pieces are assembled into the frame on July 1, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill/Cronkite News)
3D Printing and Foam: Arizona Organizations Make Homes More Sustainable

Amid global climate change and a chronic shortage of affordable housing, local construction companies and nonprofits are taking innovative steps to make homes more energy efficient and sustainable.

Jacque Smith rides the Tempe streetcar down Apache Boulevard in Tempe on July 8, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill/Cronkite News)
Tempe Streetcar Opens as Valley Metro Expands Light Rail West and South

The Tempe streetcar is the latest of several expansions to the Valley Metro transit network meant to add options for people without a personal vehicle.

people sitting on couches surrounding a TV screen
New Phoenix Shelter Is More Than a One-Night Stop for People Experiencing Homelessness

The 200 guests at a new Phoenix homeless shelter at 28th and Washington streets receive a dedicated bed with no limit on how long they stay.

young man sits in front of a computer and a bike
NAU’s Smart Bike Technology Can Detect Damaged Pathways

A team of Northern Arizona University engineering students and professors has created a sensor that connects to a bicycle to detect dips and jolts in pathways.

Arizona film industry
Lights, Action—Camera! Arizona Film Industry Is Growing After a Decade of Stagnation

“Forever Home” is Sean Oliver’s first feature-length narrative film, a haunted-house movie he co-wrote and co-produced with a friend during the pandemic.

Arizona Renaissance Festival
Arizona Renaissance Festival Returns, and With It, Workers Who Depend on ‘the Circuit’

There’s another group that returned as well—the workers, such as actors, vendors and craftspeople, most of whom rely on Renaissance festivals as their main source of income throughout the year.