Life Coach in Phoenix, AZ

PHOENIX - The White House is positive about its plan to fight inflation through the Inflation Reduction Act, but it's a message that's a tough sell for many in Phoenix.

St. Marys Food Bank is certainly feeling the effects of inflation while dealing with the highest demand for their services ever. They're seeing more clients than they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They have a lot less food now, too, because they were able to get some through government programs during the pandemic. Now, it’s up to them and donors.

"The impact we are seeing day in and day out continues to go up," says Tom Kertis with the food bank. "The families are stressed."

August hit an all-time record for clients served at the food bank. Using their two main food bank locations in Phoenix and Surprise, they saw an average of more than 1,200 families per day in August alone, and staff says September is already on track to be much higher.

"The people that we serve are being impacted by inflation. Obviously, we are seeing the food prices go up, we are seeing the price of gas up, rent, medical costs but even at St. Mary’s, we are having inflation impacting us. We can’t, you know, it takes more dollars to buy food today than it did just six months ago. We are buying a lot of food to fill the need because the need is growing so much," Kertis said. "So the only way to fill that need is by buying."

On Sept. 13, thousands of supporters from across the country gathered at the White House as President Joe Biden celebrated the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, a sprawling new law that’s goal is to lower prescription drug costs, address global warming, raise taxes on some billion-dollar companies, and reduce the federal deficit.

Dale Rogers, director of Frontier Economies Logistics Lab with Arizona State, says of the act, "This act does a lot of good things, but it shouldn't have been called the Inflation Reduction Act. That was just clever labeling I think, and not necessarily what it really is."

Data shows that inflation soared 13% in Phoenix last month, a record for any U.S. city going back 20 years or more, and more than twice as high as San Francisco. Overall, inflation was resurgent in August, as prices rose 8.3% compared to the year before.

"We really haven’t really recovered from those shutdowns and all the other disruptions and so it’s going to be awhile before supply really flows well and that’s unfortunate but I’m thinking it’s probably another year, year and a half before we see that stuff work," Rogers said. "You can compare it to the post World War II period where after World War II it took a while to go back to the production of the industrial economy that we had at the time."

Read more about the Inflation Reduction Act here.

Dodgers clinch NL West for ninth time in 10 seasons in win over Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — Last year, they chased the San Francisco Giants in vain until the final day, falling a game short of a division title and victim to an arduous postseason path as a lower-seeded wild card team.

It haunted them all winter. It was one of their main motivators this spring. And all regular season, it had been the goal most front-of-mind for the team with baseball’s best record.

On Tuesday night, with more than three weeks remaining in the regular season, they officially did.

With a 4-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field, the Dodgers clinched the division title in dominant fashion, locking up the NL West with 21 games to go.

Final: Dodgers clinch NL West with 4-0 win over Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — For the first time since 2020, and the ninth time in the last 10 years, the Dodgers are champions of the National League West.

They clinched the division with a 4-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, marking the earliest in the schedule (in Game No. 141) they’d ever locked up a division crown.

Clayton Kershaw pitched seven shutout innings. Joey Gallo, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy all hit home runs.

The Dodgers are now 98-43.

Final: Dodgers 4, Dbacks 0

Clayton Kershaw through seven scoreless innings as Dodgers lead grows on Max Muncy’s home run

After throwing 82 pitches in seven scoreless innings, Clayton Kershaw’s night is done.

If the Dodgers hold on, it could mark the left-hander’s latest memorable performance in a division-clinching game.

Three times previously in his career, Kershaw has been on the mound on nights the Dodgers clinched the NL West. His performances in those games:

2009: Six scoreless innings against the Colorado Rockies.

2014: One run over eight innings against the San Francisco Giants.

2015: A complete-game shutout against the Giants.

The Dodgers lineup, meanwhile, added to their lead thanks to Max Muncy’s solo home run in the top of the seventh.

Muncy’s blast was his 20th of the season, making him the fifth Dodger to reach that plateau. Only the Toronto Blue Jays have as many.

End 7th: Dodgers lead 4-0

Freddie Freeman homers one over the Chase Field pool

Dave Roberts said pregame he didn’t want his players going into the Chase Field pool tonight.

Freddie Freeman listened.

In the third inning, the Dodgers slugger hit his 20th home run of the season over the pool in right center field, extending the Dodgers early lead to 3-0.

Freeman, who was the NL’s Player of the Week last week, is now 16 for his last 35 at the plate with four home runs and 10 RBIs. His .330 batting average on the season is the best in the majors.

Clayton Kershaw, meanwhile, is through three scoreless innings on 43 pitches. He has given up only one hit.

End 3rd: Dodgers lead 3-0

Dodgers strike first on Joey Gallo home run

On the night the Dodgers are trying to clinch the division, their newest member put them on the board first.

In the top of the second, Joey Gallo clobbered a two-run home run to center field, his fifth home run with the Dodgers since being acquired at the trade deadline.

The ball traveled 438 feet, the longest of Gallo’s 17 total home runs this season.

Mid 2nd: Dodgers lead 2-0

Dodgers going for NL West title with Clayton Kershaw on the mound

PHOENIX — With a win on Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers will clinch the NL West for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.

And they’ll have Clayton Kershaw on the mound when they try to do it.

If the Dodgers clinch tonight — they could also do so if the San Diego Padres lose to the Seattle Mariners — it would mark the fastest they’ve clinched a division in a full-length season in franchise history.

One thing not to expect Tuesday: A Dodgers celebration in the Diamondbacks pool, as they did when they clinched the division at Chase Field in 2013.

“I think that’s in the past,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I just don’t think that’s who this team is. I don’t really expect us or see us jumping in a pool in right-center field.”

Here is the Dodgers lineup for Tuesday, when Kershaw (7-3, 2.62 ERA) will square off against Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (12-5, 2.94 ERA):

Kahnle activated

The Dodgers bullpen got a boost Tuesday, as Tommy Kahnle was activated from the injured list following a four-month absence with right forearm inflammation. Roberts said he expects the right-hander to be part of the team’s postseason pitching staff.

“I think the timing is good in the sense of, he hasn’t pitched very much for us this year,” Roberts said. “So having a few weeks with him on our roster to get him kind of re-acclimated is a good thing.”

Heath Hembree was designated for assignment to make room.

Gonsolin to throw bullpen

The Dodgers should get a better sense of injured right-hander Tony Gonsolin’s status after he throws a bullpen session on Wednesday.

“It’s important considering where we’re at on the calendar,” Roberts said of Gonsolin’s upcoming bullpen. “He’s as frustrated as anyone. He’s done so much for us this year up to this point, so to even envision him not being a part of it is sort of frustrating for him. But I’m hopeful that tomorrow will go well and we can keep moving forward.”

Gonsolin has been out for more than two weeks now with a forearm strain. Without him, the Dodgers are planning to slot Michael Grove into the rotation for Wednesday’s finale against the Dbacks.

Short hops

Gavin Lux (neck) will face live pitching on Wednesday at Chase Field instead of Camelback Ranch as originally planned. One of the pitchers he is scheduled to face is Yency Almonte (elbow) ... Blake Treinen (shoulder) is continuing to feel better everyday, Roberts said, and is expected to be ready to come off the IL when eligible on Sept. 22.

Dodgers officially clinch playoff berth with win over Diamondbacks, for real

PHOENIX — The Dodgers clinched a playoff berth Monday night.

For real, this time.

A day after the team believed it had locked up a postseason spot, Major League Baseball had to backtrack Monday morning, determining that there remained far-fetched yet technically possible three-way and four-way tiebreaker scenarios in which the Dodgers could miss the playoffs — if they lost all 23 remaining games on their schedule.

“I’m pretty confident we’re not going to lose the rest of the way, 23 in a row,” manager Dave Roberts said before Monday’s game.

He was right.

With a 6-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers officially secured their October ticket while lowering their magic number to win the National League West crown to one, setting up an opportunity for them to clinch the division title with a win (or San Diego Padres loss) Tuesday night.

How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season

Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season:

The NBA fined and suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver after an independent investigation found that he used the "N-word" at least five times during his tenure with the teams and made repeated "sex-related" comments to female employees.

The investigation also found that Sarver "engaged in demeaning and harsh treatment of employees" by yelling or cursing at them.

The NBA suspended Sarver for one year (a ban that also applies to his involvement with the Mercury) and fined him $10 million. He was also ordered to complete a training program focused on respect in the workplace.

During Sarver's suspension, he can't attend any Suns or Mercury events, be present in any NBA or WNBA facility, publicly or privately represent the teams, or have any involvement with the teams or leagues.

The $10 million fine appears to be the biggest in league history and is the maximum permitted by the NBA, according to ESPN.

In a statement, Sarver said: "While I disagree with some of the particulars of the NBA's report, I would like to apologize for my words and actions that offended our employees. I take full responsibility for what I have done. I am sorry for causing this pain, and these errors in judgment are not consistent with my personal philosophy or my values."

Sarver said he would use the suspension as a way to "demonstrate a capacity to learn and grow as we continue to build a working culture where every employee feels comfortable and valued."

The investigation, conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, began after a November 4, 2021, report from ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

The ESPN story detailed several allegations of workplace misconduct against Sarver, including the use of the "N-word" and unfair treatment of female employees.

In a 43-page report from the investigators, Sarver said that he only recalled one incident when he used the "N-word" — in 2013, when he repeated a Suns player who had used the word during a team-building event. According to the investigation, players "reacted negatively" to Sarver's use of the word, and he was told not to use it.

Former Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson, who is Black, told Baxter that after a loss to the Golden State Warriors in 2016, Sarver went into the coaches' locker room and asked why Draymond Green could say the "N-word." Despite coaches telling Sarver not to use the word, he repeated the question.

According to the investigation, two coaches recalled the incident as reported.

Sarver said he had emailed the NBA to complain about the officiating and was quoting a Warriors player who had used the "N-word."

The investigators found that Sarver did not use the word "with the intent to demean or denigrate."

Sarver told investigators that he had made "substantial personal and professional contributions to social and racial justice causes." Sarver promoted the Suns' record of hiring people of color and pointed to donations in the millions to nonprofit organizations.

'Inequitable and demeaning conduct toward female employees'

The investigation also found that Sarver often violated the Suns and NBA's workplace conduct policies, including in his treatment of women.

In one instance, Sarver told a pregnant employee that she'd be unable to fill a coordinator role at an event because she'd be breastfeeding and the baby needed its mother. According to the investigators' report, Sarver later held a meeting with an employee who had witnessed the incident and a lawyer. During the meeting, Sarver said he didn't do anything wrong and questioned the witness's judgment. The pregnant employee was still able to fill the coordinator role at the event.

In another instance, Sarver "screamed" at a female employee over a tribute video for a departing team executive, causing her to cry. During a follow-up meeting, Sarver asked, "Why can't we get along? What's wrong with you?" When the employee began crying, Sarver said, "Why do all the women around here cry so much?"

Investigators also found "numerous" instances of Sarver making crude, sexual, and vulgar commentary. These incidents were often corroborated by multiple witnesses and included Sarver joking about condom sizes, genitalia, and how he learned about "blow jobs" as a child.

In one instance, Sarver was preparing to take a shower at team facilities. Sarver came upon a male and female employee having a conversation, and Sarver said to the female employee, "You gotta get out of here ... you've never seen anything this big."

In another instance, Sarver commented on a female employee's breast augmentation, reportedly saying, "Did you get an upgrade this summer?"

Sarver had also made several inappropriate comments to Suns players about their sex lives. Sarver told investigators that the comments were made in "banter" and sometimes while addressing "issues."

In the summary of their report, investigators found that Sarver "often acted aggressively in an apparent effort to provoke a reaction from his targets; Sarver's sense of humor was sophomoric and inappropriate for the workplace; and Sarver behaved as though workplace norms and policies did not apply to him."

CNN —

The NBA has fined Phoenix Suns and Mercury managing partner Robert Sarver $10 million and suspended him for a year after an independent investigation found he engaged in hostile, racially insensitive and inappropriate behavior.

The report, commissioned by the NBA last fall, found Sarver had “engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards, as reflected in team and League rules and policies. This conduct included the use of racially insensitive language; unequal treatment of female employees; sex-related statements and conduct; and harsh treatment of employees that on occasion constituted bullying.”

The NBA released the report, conducted by a New York law firm, on Tuesday. The investigation came after an ESPN.com report about Sarver’s behavior.

Part of the findings found Sarver had “on at least five occasions during his tenure with the Suns/Mercury organization, repeated the N-word when recounting the statements of others.” He also “engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.”

Sarver, who has been the Suns’ and Mercury’s majority owner since 2004, cannot have any involvement with the team during the yearlong suspension and must complete a workplace training program. The $10 million fine is the maximum allowed as determined by the NBA by-laws.

According to the NBA, 320 current and former employees who worked for Sarver were interviewed.

The NBA said Sarver and the Suns and Mercury organizations cooperated with the investigation.

“Regardless of position, power or intent, we all need to recognize the corrosive and hurtful impact of racially insensitive and demeaning language and behavior,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated Tuesday, “On behalf of the entire NBA, I apologize to all of those impacted by the misconduct outlined in the investigators’ report. We must do better.”

Sarver responded to the report Tuesday by accepting the NBA’s decision and apologizing.

“Good leadership requires accountability. For the Suns and Mercury organizations, that begins with me,” he said in part. “While I disagree with some of the particulars of the NBA’s report, I would like to apologize for my words and actions that offended our employees. I take full responsibility for what I have done. I am sorry for causing this pain, and these errors in judgment are not consistent with my personal philosophy or my values.”

Suns Legacy Partners, which manages and operates the Suns and Mercury, said it is continuing to improve its workplace.

“These efforts include hiring new HR leadership, updating our employee handbook to clearly define our expectations for appropriate workplace behavior, adopting a strong code of conduct, instituting robust processes to report misconduct, and holding trainings on respect in the workplace and our corresponding policies and procedures,” it said in a statement.

“We nevertheless take seriously the NBA’s findings and will implement the workplace improvements the NBA has identified, to the extent that we have not yet done so.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 03: Bounce Moody scores a slam-dunk during the Harlem Globetrotters Spread Game Tour at Qudos Bank Arena on July 03, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Nathan Hopkins/Getty Images)

Nathan Hopkins | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

The Harlem Globetrotters are returning to network TV for the first time in more than 40 years.

The world-famous exhibition basketball team known for its spectacular ball handling and humorous antics will appear in a weekly show called “Harlem Globetrotters: Play it Forward” on NBC.

The show, which debuts Oct. 1, will be hosted by Craig Robinson of “The Office.” It will showcase the players’ talents and their connections to local communities, including volunteer initiatives and fundraising. The Globetrotters also previously participated in efforts such as anti-bullying campaign T.E.A.M. Up and Hoops for the Troops.

“Many of us grew up watching and admiring the Globetrotters,” said Frank Biancuzzo, president of Hearst Media Production Group, which is partnering with the team to produce the show. “They are magicians on the basketball court and true role models in the community. We’ll bring that compassion, energy and excitement to the new weekly series.”

Each episode will focus on team members’ inspirations and interests, including space exploration with NASA, financial responsibility and literacy, urban farming, and female empowerment.

The move back to television is a way for the Harlem Globetrotters to expand their reach with a new generation of fans, said Keith Dawkins, president of the Harlem Globetrotters.

Craig Robinson will host “Harlem Globetrotters: Play it Forward” a new 30-minute weekly show airing on NBC.

Hearst Media Production Group

Previously, the Harlem Globetrotters appeared in a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera and CBS, which featured animated versions of players from the basketball team. The show aired from 1970 to 1971 and followed a weekly formula where the team would travel to try and help settle local issues over a basketball game.

Typically, the opposing team would do something to rig the contest, but the Globetrotters would find a away to even the odds and win the game. The formula was repeated for “The Super Globetrotters,” a 1979 animated series from Hanna-Barbera that aired on NBC.

The team also appeared in a live-action Saturday morning variety show in the 1970s called “The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine,” which showcased the characters’ skills through comedy skits and educational segments.

The new 30-minute show will be live-action and air on Saturdays at 11 a.m. ET during NBC’s “The More You Know” programming block.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.