Jessica Swarner

Phoenix

Community Editor at The Copper Courier

Newsletter editor @CopperCourier (sign up below!)➖ Poetry open mic host ➖ Past @ktarnews923 @cronkite_ASU ➖mostly RTing @phoenixmercury content

Featured in: Favicon

coppercourier.com Favicon

slate.com

azcentral.com Favicon

ktar.com

azdailysun.com Favicon

azpbs.org (+1) Favicon

tucsonsentinel.com Favicon

azcapitoltimes.com Favicon

naturalproductsinsider.com Favicon

couriernewsroom.com + 5 more

Articles

Here are the 2025 Copper Courier poetry contest winners

2 days ago | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

(Courier Newsroom Illustration/Francesca Daly, Photo by John Idalis) Another year, another poetry contest! Here are the poems that came out on top. The Copper Courier has come to the end of our third annual poetry contest, and we’re so excited to share the winning poems with you. But first—we want to give a massive thank you to everyone who submitted this year.
Grab your suit: Winner of Rafi look-alike contest in Phoenix will win $2,500

4 days ago | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

Last month, I covered a hot-dog eating contest at Sidewinder in my newsletter. I have possibly an even weirder event to share with you today. On June 25, you may see lots of people in suits and neatly trimmed (or drawn-on) facial hair in downtown Phoenix. That’s because Welcome to Arizona and Rafi Law Group are holding a Rafi look-alike contest. Who is Rafi, you may ask? Look up while you’re driving on a Valley freeway and you’re likely to see his face.
Here’s how to enter The Copper Courier’s third annual poetry contest

1 month ago | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

This year’s Copper Courier poetry contest has a theme: “Arizona.” Want to share your writing with the world? We’re launching our third annual Copper Courier poetry contest, and the winner of the competition will be invited to be a featured reader at our July 2 open mic at Meraki Kava Bar in north Phoenix.
You may qualify to file your taxes for free in Wisconsin-here’s how

Feb 6, 2025 | upnorthnewswi.com | Jessica Swarner

An estimated 830,000 Wisconsin residents will be eligible to use the IRS Direct File program to file their taxes this year. Wisconsinites have some good news this tax season—the state is participating in the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Direct File Program, which allows qualified residents to file their taxes for free. The new program was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act signed in 2022.
You may qualify to file your taxes for free in New Hampshire-here’s how

Feb 6, 2025 | granitepostnews.com | Jessica Swarner

An estimated 180,000 New Hampshire residents will be eligible to use the IRS Direct File program to file their taxes this year. New Hampshirites have some good news this tax season—the state is participating in the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Direct File Program, which allows qualified residents to file their taxes for free. The new program was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act signed in 2022.
These were Arizona’s top baby names in 2024

Jan 6, 2025 | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

Here were the top baby names in Arizona last year, according to Arizona Department of Health Services data.
Vehicle crashes, firearms lead in causes of preventable child deaths in Arizona

Dec 4, 2024 | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

Arizona has reported a 171% increase in child deaths by firearms over the past decade. A new report from the Arizona Department of Health Services shows that 415 of 853 child deaths in the state last year were preventable. The top five causes of these preventable deaths were:motor vehicle crashesfirearm injuriessuffocationpoisoningdrowningJust over 80 kids died in vehicle crashes, and in 32% of those crashes, the driver was under 19 years old.
Dreading political talk over the holidays? Here’s an AZ therapist’s tips on navigating differences

Nov 26, 2024 | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

Local therapist Carlie Rouse offers tips for setting boundaries, changing the subject, and controlling reactions to political conversations this holiday season. “Concerned,” “heavy,” “uncomfortable,” “disappointed,” “miserable,” and “rejected.”These are some of the words that Copper Courier newsletter subscribers used to describe their experience navigating relationships with loved ones who voted differently than them this year.
Nearly 100 volunteers stuff stockings in Phoenix for Chicanos Por La Causa’s holiday events

Nov 20, 2024 | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

Even Arizona Cardinals player Roy Lopez joined the Chicanos Por La Causa event to fill stockings for underserved kids. Nearly 100 volunteers with Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) filled a Phoenix parking lot on Tuesday to pack over 6,000 stockings for the nonprofit’s upcoming holiday events.
7 Arizona artists who sell prints you’ll want to gift-and buy for yourself

Nov 20, 2024 | coppercourier.com | Jessica Swarner

These seven Arizona artists don’t just have pieces hanging in galleries—they also sell prints that you can easily gift this holiday season. If you’re tired of picking up the same old gifts, or you need some out-of-the-box inspiration, consider this: a print from a local artist. It can be so fun to flip through an artist’s work and find styles and subjects that you know would appeal to someone on your gift list.