Aaron Stigile

My latest multimedia freelance work is up, this time about the Boise Urban Garden School and its outdoor education model. They have greenhouses, a culinary kitchen, you name it- and they are partnered with the City of Boise.

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean provided a statement about the city’s support for BUGS, saying the city is “committed to providing affordable and accessible early education opportunities for kids.”

Read more here from myself and Idaho Education News:

BUGS serves students through outdoor education The Boise Urban Garden School is set to expand in the summer of 2026 to a 20-acre piece of land near Capital High School.

Months later, our work with News21 is finished. I traveled to California to report on immigrant access to health care, where I spoke with patients, health care workers, politicians and advocates. Restrictions on immigrant access to care are coming from the federal level and also the (blue) state level, including in California. Read the story here: https://upheaval.news21.com/stories/advocates-fight-for-immigrant-health-care-amid-cuts-to-coverage-increased-enforcement/

Hopefully, this reporting helps shine a light on the importance of health care to immigrants and the experiences health care workers are going through. Thank you to all my colleagues who helped with my reporting and the people I met and spoke with throughout the journey.

And an extra-big thank you to my reporting partner Alissa Gary, who traveled with me to California to support me in my reporting, and who I accompanied for her excellent reporting in Crete, Nebraska.

Advocates fight for immigrant health care amid cuts to coverage, increased enforcement Health care workers and advocates are fighting back against cuts to immigrant health care and enforcement in medical facilities. The assault is happening around the country – at the federal level, through the policies of the second Trump administration, and in blue states that have cut health prog...

A week in Cronkite News:

Last week, I attended the Donald Trump rally in Tempe at Mullett Arena. Trump harped on anti-immigrant and anti-trans people sentiments and Vice President Kamala Harris' record. He was preceded by speakers such as Stephen Miller and Kari Lake. Some students were also at the rally, and they voiced their support for the former president. Read more about it here: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/10/24/donald-trump-rallies-arizonans-tempe-mullett-arena/

Over the past two Tuesdays, I have attended Maricopa County news conferences about elections and election security. Some big takeaways: election worker hiring is moving ahead as scheduled despite threats and intimidation. Law enforcement is working with multiple national agencies for security, including the FBI and the DHS. The Maricopa County sheriff also said a mailbox fire that happened in Phoenix was not election-related, despite some ballots being damaged. He also said snipers are likely not in the picture for election security, but drones are. Read more here: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/10/29/maricopa-county-election-officials-wary-threats/

Maricopa County election officials wary of threats but confident in Arizona elections Maricopa County election officials and law enforcement are preparing for and dealing with threats, intimidation and misinformation ahead of Election Day. Though the problems are not new, there is renewed focus on the safety of election workers.

I attended last night's debate for Cronkite News. Rep. Ruben Gallego and The Kari Lake clashed over immigration, the economy, abortion, and more. They are running to become a member of the U.S. Senate to replace Kyrsten Sinema. Gallego has led most recent polls. Read more about the debate and what the candidates said here:

Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego clash in first Arizona U.S. Senate debate Former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego clashed in their first debate for the Arizona seat to be vacated by Kyrsten Sinema.

I'll be covering the AZ Senate debate tomorrow night between candidates Rep. Ruben Gallego and The Kari Lake for Cronkite News. Stay tuned for updates!

64% of Arizona voters say that climate change is very or somewhat important when deciding who to vote for in the presidential election. Scientists and advocates say that fossil fuel use needs to come down to avoid worsening the effects of climate change.

Yet, both the Trump and Harris campaigns tout the use of some fossil fuels, although both have different plans regarding the subject.

Read more in my latest for Cronkite News about how the respective campaigns are approaching the issue of climate change:

Kamala Harris, Donald Trump tout some fossil fuels as Arizona voters voice climate change concerns Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump both support some fossil fuels while scientists and advocates say the need to reduce emissions is urgent and also complicated. Arizona voters have expressed concern about climate change ahead of the election.

Arizona State University is closing its Lake Havasu Center, cutting funding for programs such as the the Arizona Teachers Academy and the Arizona Promise Program, and it will also be adding a tuition surcharge in spring 2025 after the Arizona legislature passed major higher education budget cuts in the last legislative session.

I spoke with students and advocates who did not favor the changes, and I also spoke with state senators who were also unfavorable and placed blame in varying places.



Read more here in my latest for Cronkite News:

ASU adds tuition surcharge, cuts programs in response to Arizona state budget Arizona State University will make cuts to its Arizona Promise Program and the Arizona Teachers Academy, close the Lake Havasu center and add a tuition surcharge in response to higher education cuts in the state budget. Advocates, students and legislators weigh in.

A recent rule update to T Visas, which are meant for victims and survivors of human trafficking, may already be creating benefits for those who work in the field and for victims.

Only 5,000 T Visas can be distributed every fiscal year, but that number has never been reached. The rule change may shift that trend.

Read more in my first article for Cronkite News:

USCIS implements T visa rule change for survivors of human trafficking A new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services T visa rule change implemented in August could provide opportunities for victims and survivors of human trafficking. However, it may also complicate the process, according to legal experts, attorneys and advocates.

Hi all, I'm going to be using this profile as a professional account for my Cronkite News reporting this semester, where I'll be covering politics and borderlands. I'll be posting stories and updates here.

I'm still learning the Facebook ins and outs, so bear with me! If anyone has story tips or ideas, feel free to reach out.