BC-AZ--Arizona News Digest, AZ

Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes

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Good evening. Here's a look at how AP's general news coverage is shaping up today in Arizona. Questions about today's coverage plans are welcome, and should be directed to Walter Berry at 602-258-8934. A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Advisories, digests and digest advisories will keep you up to date.

Eds: NEW STORIES THIS UPDATE

— Navajo Uranium Cleanup

— Cellmate Killing

— Arizona Budget

— Arizona Sheriff-Posses

— Tesla Incentives

TOP STORIES:

SKYDIVING DEATH

ELOY, Ariz. — An attempt to set a world skydiving record by having more than 220 people free-fall from an airplane in formation turned tragic Thursday when one jumper died during the daring effort at the same Arizona location where two skydivers fell to their deaths last year trying to set a different record. Police identified the victim as Diana Paris, 46, from Berlin, Germany. Her husband told authorities she had completed 1,500 jumps in her skydiving career. By Brian Skoloff. SENT: 640 words, photos, video. Should stand.

NAVAJO URANIUM CLEANUP

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — More than $1 billion is going to help clean up abandoned uranium mines that have left a legacy of disease and death on the Navajo Nation. The money is part of a $5.15 billion settlement that the federal government reached with Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for the cleanup of thousands of long-contaminated sites nationwide. The settlement announced Thursday resolves a legal battle over Tronox Inc., a 2005 spinoff of Kerr-McGee Corp. that Anadarko acquired in 2006. By Felicia Fonseca. SENT: 650 words, photo. Should stand.

CELLMATE KILLING

PHOENIX — A Phoenix man who told police he killed his 12-year-old half brother last month because he "just felt like killing" is now accused of fatally stabbing a cellmate, authorities said Thursday. Andrew Ward, 27, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the Wednesday night killing of cellmate Douglas Walker, 33, in a Maricopa County jail in Phoenix, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. By Paul Davenport. SENT: 640 words, photos. Should stand.

ARIZONA BUDGET

PHOENIX — With a budget deal near but not yet sealed, Arizona legislators temporarily wrapped up talks on Thursday and will likely not meet again until next week. The weeks-long discord between the Senate and House came to a halt after Senate President Andy Biggs declined to assign senators to a joint committee to agree on a state budget. By Bob Christie and Astrid Galvan, SENT: 280 words. Will be updated.

ARIZONA SHERIFF-POSSES

SUN CITY, Ariz. — Three Maricopa County sheriff's volunteer posses that temporarily suspended operations are back at work Thursday after officials say they have resolved a question over who will provide insurance coverage for posse-owned vehicles. The sheriff's office changed its policy in mid-2012 to require posses to provide their own car insurance coverage, but that policy wasn't carried out, and posse volunteers were told that they had until mid-April to get private coverage. Sheriff Joe Arpaio and a county official now say posse vehicles will be covered under by the county's self-insurance pool. By Jacques Billeaud. SENT: 460 words. Should stand.

ARIZONA SHERIFF-RACIAL PROFILING

PHOENIX — A federal judge presiding over a racial profiling case against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office says he has "zero confidence" that the agency can train its officers if one of the sheriff's top aides never bothered to read key court findings. U.S. District Judge Murray Snow said Thursday that he won't tolerate any more mischaracterizations of the court's findings, even those that are made innocently. Snow concluded that Arpaio's office racially profiled Latinos and unreasonably prolonged traffic stops. By Jacques Billeaud and Terry Tang. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 450 words.

ENDANGERED WOLVES

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Two Mexican gray wolves have been released in southeastern Arizona, but another pair has been removed in New Mexico after roaming too far north, sparking more criticism from environmentalists about the way the wild population is being managed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed expanding the area where the predators are allowed to roam, but it could be months before a final decision is reached. Until then, the agency is required to capture those wolves found outside the nearly 7,000-square-mile wolf-recovery area that straddles the Arizona-New Mexico border. By Susan Montoya Bryan. SENT: 470 words. Should stand.

TESLA INCENTIVES

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A dozen legislators and other Democrats say New Mexico shouldn't go overboard in granting tax breaks to Tesla Motors so the electric car company locates a battery plant in the state. In a letter to the Albuquerque Journal, the Democrats said any bid to attract the plant shouldn't rely solely on tax breaks. Arizona, California and Texas also are trying to win the $5 billion battery plant. SENT: 300 words. Should stand.

HISPANIC MEDIA-GROWING PAINS

MIAMI — Reaching the nation's 55 million Latinos has become gospel for mainstream media giants, but capturing this fast-growing, mostly U.S.-born audience is proving tricky to networks and websites. For every success story there is a flop. Take CNN's latest attempt at a Spanish-language broadcast targeting U.S Latinos. The broadcaster is no newcomer to the Spanish-speaking world, for decades reaching Latin America with CNN en Espanol. But the company said it axed its CNN Latino domestic Spanish-language service after one year because it failed "to fulfill our business expectations." NBC's attempt at a website called NBC Latino folded in January after 16 months, despite producing thousands of original stories. By Laura Wides-Munoz. SENT: 880 words, photos. Should stand.

ALSO: HOME INVASION-SUICIDE. LEGISLATURE-SLOW WALK. PRESCOTT BIRTHDAY PHOTO. FAKE AIR BAGS-ARREST. CONGRESSWOMAN SHOT-SURVIVOR HONORED. TUCSON-CAR BOMB TRIAL. BORDER PORTS-AGENTS. BEER OFFER-ASSAULT.

SPORTS:

BBN--GIANTS-DIAMONDBACKS

PHOENIX — The San Francisco Giants ended their four-game series with Arizona the same way they opened it — with a come-from-behind victory. Angel Pagan hit a three-run home run in San Francisco's five-run eighth inning and the Giants beat Arizona 8-5 on Thursday in a game that was halted briefly in the top of the first due to a swarm of bees in the outfield. Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo each hit two-run homers and Arizona led 5-3 after seven, but the Giants teed off on reliever Will Harris in the eighth to take three of four games from the Diamondbacks. By Bob Baum. SENT: 700 words, photos. Should stand.

BBN--ROCKIES HOME OPENER

DENVER — Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort raised eyebrows when he said on a Twitter chat this spring that he thought his team could win 90 games so long as his players stayed healthy. Despite losing two-fifths of his starting rotation already, Monfort is sticking to his prediction as the Rockies get set to host Arizona in their home opener Friday. By Arnie Stapleton. SENT: 650 words, photos. Should stand.

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