I’m settling back into work after being off for a week, which is why this email is coming to you later than usual.
I went to my hometown in Maryland to surprise my grandparents for their 65th anniversary, and it was so much fun!
On top of spending time at home, I got to see an Orioles game at Camden Yards and ride roller coasters at Hersheypark—two of my all-time favorite places.
We’ll be back to our normal sends starting this Wednesday. Hope you have a great week!
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If you were at ASU’s undergraduate commencement last week and saw workers picketing, our reporters Sahara Sajjadi and Zineb Haddaji explain why:
“Ellen Stant came to the Tooker House dining hall at Arizona State University (ASU) the way many of her colleagues did—through hard times.
The 54-year-old, a food service worker, got her job while living in a homeless shelter run by St. Vincent de Paul in Tempe.
But nearly a year into the job, she said she earns $19 an hour, her hours have been cut as the summer semester begins, and she recently discovered she is uninsured—despite believing she had coverage.
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A UNITE HERE worker pickets outside ASU’s undergraduate commencement in Tempe on May 11. (Zineb Haddaji/The Copper Courier)
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On May 11, while a record 22,631 students in caps and gowns celebrated their graduation inside Mountain America Stadium, Stant and her colleagues stood outside with drums, signs, and a banner, demanding a new contract from Aramark, the company ASU pays to run its food service operations.
Workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 11 have been negotiating with Aramark since the previous contract expired at the end of August 2025. After months of failed talks, workers voted 99% in favor of a strike in November 2025, then walked off the job across all four ASU campuses in February 2026.
Their demands: higher wages, affordable healthcare, pension access, fair staffing, and workplace protections against immigration enforcement.”
What do you think? Let me know, and I’ll include some responses in Wednesday’s newsletter!
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From new rental communities to deals on couches, here’s a quick recap of helpful links for Phoenix renters.
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Are you looking for a new Phoenix rental? Or maybe you like to scroll listings for fun? Either way, here are the highlights we saw on Zillow this week.
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Desert Diamond Arena saw gross sales increase by 156% after the Coyotes departed from 2022 to 2023, while showing a 119% jump in attendance.
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👟 A Valley 14-year-old is so good at pickleball that he’s already got sponsorship deals—and he’s aiming to go pro. (Arizona’s Family)
🐸 Volunteers and state officials are creating ponds in the White Mountains to help restore the population of the Chiricahua leopard frog. (Arizona Mirror)
🤼 After a Mesa grandma got ripped off by a contractor, community members stepped in to build her grandsons a backyard wrestling ring. (ABC 15)
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