Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Phoenix Suns fans have long argued that Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in the NBA.
By the media. The officials. The opponents.
Until these playoffs, many believed the 24-year-old received neither the same calls nor the national attention granted to other young NBA stars.
Not anymore.
“Devin Booker is the next Kobe Bryant,” ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith said Monday on “First Take.” “He’s an assassin and guess what, this Clippers team, you need Kawhi back to knock that kid off.”
Booker, who is averaging 29 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in his first playoffs, just lifted the Suns over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals after dropping a triple-double, the first of his career. Game 2 is Tuesday. His performance throughout these playoffs has helped raise his national profile.
He joined elite company with his 40-point triple-double, joining Oscar Robinson and Luka Doncic as the only players 24 or younger to do so. He is one of six players in NBA history to have multiple 40-point games in their first postseason, joining Doncic, LeBron James, Bob McAdoo, Rick Barry and Wilt Chamberlain.
Although Booker has shattered records season after season, he frequently received less national praise than his contemporaries. In April, ESPN’s “The Jump” shared a list of the top 10 players by future potential. Booker came in at No. 8.
PHOENIX – After months of relaxed COVID-19 precautions, including lifting restrictions on face masks and social distancing, India has suffered a second surge that set records for new infections and deaths.
As the United States begins to ease into a new normal and relaxes its own pandemic restrictions, is there a chance of a similar outbreak here? Dr. Janice Johnston, chief medical director of Redirect Health, told ABC15 multiple factors, including emerging variants and vaccines, ultimately will determine the severity of the spread.
“This is what viruses will do,” Johnston said. “They will start to mutate and vary. And what we think right now is that the vaccines are being quite effective with these variants, but time will tell.”
From a global perspective, health officials are watching the variants closely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says its working with partners around the world to detect, track and respond to new variants.
In this video, Cronkite News reporter Jamie Landers explains where the U.S. stands compared to other countries.
Cronkite News has partnered with ABC15 Arizona to expand the station’s Health Insider series, which provides expert advice and insights into health topics. Cronkite News is experimenting with storytelling tools and techniques to help explain the issues.
Monday, June 21, 2021
MESA – On a recent weekday morning, Paul Petersen of Florence was one of the first to arrive at Mint Dispensary to get something not usually offered at the cannabis shop: a free COVID-19 vaccine.
The 40-year-old had been holding off on getting vaccinated to see how others responded but was persuaded by an added perk: Mint’s Snax for Vaxx event. Mint gave away one free edible and a pre-rolled joint to anyone 21 or older receiving a Moderna vaccine.
Petersen said he took advantage of the opportunity to acquire “two things at once.”
“I’m comfortable with it now,” he said of the vaccination process, “but I didn’t trust the science before.”
With COVID-19 vaccination rates declining in Arizona and other states, public and private entities are using incentives to reverse the trend and get more shots into more arms.
From free doughnuts at Krispy Kreme shops to cold, hard cash from the state of California, individuals stepping up to get pricked can be rewarded in myriad ways.
In Arizona, Mint joined with Commerce Medical Group to provide vaccinations at pop-up clinics June 1 through 3 at its locations in Mesa, Tempe and Phoenix. Forty doses were brought to each location, and about two-thirds were distributed, said Kristy Jozwiak, a spokesperson for Mint.
Linzy Volm, a medical assistant for Commerce Medical Group who helped at the Mesa location, said more people turned up than she’d expected.
“I think it helps, giving a reward for (the shots),” she said. “But it kind of sucks that it has to come down to people being bribed to get vaccinated.”
