Yesterday, we talked about the late labor leader César Chávez and the new allegations that he sexually assaulted girls and women, including fellow activist Dolores Huerta.

As institutions across the US—including in Arizona—remove his name from schools, holidays, parks, and more, I asked how you all were feeling about this.

Here’s what you said: 

💬 “We don’t have many heroes anymore, so it is sickening and heart-breaking to learn that Chavez was a rapist.” — Peggy H.

💬 “I don’t know the details regarding Chavez, but I think it’s ironic that everyone is jumping all over this while Epstein’s collaborators still escape accountability.” — Nancy S.

💬 “This is so wrong at every level.” — CJ D.

💬 “Took over 30 years after his death to come forward. Sounds wrong to me. He can’t defend himself and evidence is thin.” — Linda R.

Editor’s note: The New York Times investigation included interviews with more than 60 people and the review of hundreds of pages of documents, in which elements of the accusers’ stories were corroborated. Also, here is some information on why survivors of abuse may choose not to report it, or to wait before coming forward. 

💬 “Always hard to learn that one of your heroes feet were made of clay. One less ‘good guy’ in a dark world.” — Anthony D. 

💬 “If we are removing his name, we should be removing Trump as well!” — Karen

Keep sending in your comments, and I’ll post more to our website today. Thanks for your responses so far. 

Esha Marupudi, a 14-year-old eighth grader at BASIS Chandler, won the Arizona Spelling Bee, successfully defending her title by correctly spelling “penicillate” in the final round.

Grasshoppers are a common sight across Arizona, but why does it seem like there’s an excess of them right now?

Amid a partial government shutdown affecting workers at Phoenix Sky Harbor, the airport is asking Arizona residents to support employees who continue to show up despite not being paid.

Local news is essential for democracy.

Our reporting cuts through false narratives, documents what’s actually happening in our communities, and provides voters with the clear, factual information they need—especially when the stakes are high.

📕 The state received a federal grant of over $8 million to boost early literacy and improve Arizona’s declining reading scores. (12 News)

🛋️ A new IKEA in north Phoenix will be a “small-format concept,” but it will still hold over 23,000 items. (Phoenix New Times) 

🧅 Get to know Maria Garcia, the founder of Tucson’s La Indita restaurant, as she celebrates turning 96. (Tucson Foodie)

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jessica Swarner with stories from Sophia Braccio, Haley Van Horn, and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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