Cover Story
Tucson Salvage: Meet Ned Sutton: Unsung In and Out of Song
The three white ducks, Huey, Dewy and Louie, hang together in a corner like a band, waddle and flop in unison, squawking a specific waterfowl rhythm that soon becomes a kind of dusty, backyard aria, which includes two young clowning grandchildren, an overhead helicopter, a hammock creaking in the breeze, several baby chickens in a…
‘Still expected to look like Barbie dolls’: Gender equality in sports media an ongoing battle
PHOENIX – A documentary recently aired in France titled, “I’m not a slut, I’m a journalist.” The title might be shocking, but the experiences shared by female sports journalists featured in the documentary don’t come as a surprise to women in sports media. The documentary featured women speaking candidly about the derogatory comments, lascivious advances…
What Forms Do I Need to File My Taxes and Where Can I Get Them?
For 2021, the tax deadline for individuals was extended to May 17. This list highlights the most common tax forms and which ones you might need, depending on your circumstances. Over the years, the IRS has created a vast network of forms. To file your taxes, you’ve got to navigate a lot of paperwork. Get…
Arizona study examines health risks faced by female firefighters
PHOENIX – Nicole Minnick had been a firefighter for seven years when she gave birth in 2008 to her first child, a girl named Kyndal. A few months later, when she returned to work, one thought was foremost in her mind: Would it be safe to breastfeed? “My second or third shift back to work,…
Bill would cut voter-approved education funds, school supporters say
PHOENIX – Red for Ed, the teachers group that spearheaded Proposition 208 – which increases some taxes to hire teachers and bolster teacher salaries – returned to the political battlefield to fight a bill it says undermines the will of Arizona voters in November. Education advocates oppose Senate Bill 1783, which would allow some business…
Kino Stadium Outdoor Vaccination Site Will Close Due to Heat
The Kino COVID-19 vaccination drive-through site will shut down permanently after delivering its last doses on May 14, due to hot weather, Pima County officials announced on Tuesday. The site at Kino Stadium managed by Banner – University Medicine will begin and end earlier starting on April 17. The new hours will be 7:30 a.m.…
AZ Supreme Court: State Lawmakers Are Not the Boss of Tucson Elections
The Arizona Supreme Court today said state lawmakers overreached when they passed a law requiring Tucson elections to move to presidential and midterm election years if not enough voters turned out to cast ballots. In a 5-1 decision with Justice Clint Bolick dissenting, the court held that the timing of elections in a charter city…
Sports betting by summer? Could be, as Arizona Senate sends gambling bill to governor
PHOENIX – The Arizona Senate passed legislation Monday night that paves the way for legalized sports betting in the state, possibly as soon as summer. Senate Bill 1797 and House Bill 2772 were passed with bipartisan support on the new gaming compact, which includes the legalization of daily fantasy sports, and now head to Gov. Doug Ducey…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Wednesday, April 14: County pauses use of J&J vaccine; Outdoor Banner site to close May 14; Here’s how to set up vaccine appointments, COVID tests
With 419 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases passed 851,000 as of Wednesday, April 14, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services Pima County, which reported 81 new cases today, has seen 113,903 of the state’s 851,265 confirmed cases. With 4 new deaths reported this morning, a…
University of Arizona will lead space telescope mission to learn how galaxies evolve, form stars
PHOENIX – NASA has chosen the University of Arizona to lead a space telescope mission meant to better understand how galaxies and stars form. The space agency awarded $20 million to the Aspera mission, which will allow the Arizona researchers to develop a telescope about the size of a minifridge for the expected launch in 2024.…
Movie Review: Oh Man, This Movie is STOOPID!!!!
I know many of you are aching to get back to the theaters and see a movie on the big screen. You have some options at the moment. Don’t allow the movie below to be an option you choose…this film will kill brain cells. FILM REVIEW: VOYAGERS Some kids get put on a spaceship where…
Pima County Stops Using J&J Vaccine After Blood-Clotting Risks Discovered
Pima County Health Department is temporarily pausing the distribution of Johnson & Johnson vaccine on the guidance and recommendation from the CDC and Arizona Department of Health Services on Tuesday. In a CDC statement, officials with the CDC and FDA said they are reviewing six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of…
Biden cites infrastructure needs in Arizona, other states, to push plan
WASHINGTON – The White House began its pitch Monday for President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure proposal by spelling out construction needs in all 50 states, including Arizona which got a grade of C on a recent infrastructure report card. Biden unveiled his American Jobs Plan on March 31, to fund everything from roads and…
Amphi announces outdoor graduation ceremonies
Amphitheater Unified School District high schools will host outdoor graduation ceremonies, district officials announced last week. The three high schools have also consulted with the Pima County Health Department to decide the best health practices to hold these events. Graduating seniors at all three high schools – Canyon del Oro, Ironwood Ridge, and Amphi -…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Tuesday, April 13: Number of AZ cases surpasses 850K; Decline in cases stalls; County opening new indoor vax site today; How to set up vaccine appointments, COVID tests
With 610 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 850,000 as of Tuesday, April 13, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 58 new cases today, has seen 113,822 of the state’s 850,846 confirmed cases. With 19 new deaths reported this morning, a…
UA Encourages Student Vaccination, Tackles Vaccine Hesitancy
The University of Arizona is encouraging students to get vaccinated before they travel outside of Pima County and, ideally, students should receive their first dose by Friday to be fully vaccinated come summer vacation, UA President Robert C. Robbins said on Monday morning. “We want to vaccinate as many of our students as we can,…
2021 Arizona International Film Festival begins this week
The Arizona International Film Festival returns this week with 12 days of online and outdoor film screenings from comedy to drama to documentary. The 29th festival kicks off opening night at the MSA Annex on Wednesday, April 14, with an outdoor screening of Dustwun, a drama about a friendship between an undocumented migrant lost from…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, April 12: AZ cases top 850K; Decline in cases stalls; County opening new indoor vax site today; Here’s how to set up vaccine appointments, COVID tests
With 675 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 850,000 as of Monday, April 12, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 105 new cases today, has seen 113,764 of the state’s 850,236 confirmed cases. With no new deaths reported this morning, a…
Report: Biden to nominate Tucson Police Chief Magnus as head of Border Patrol
President Biden will nominate Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, a longtime critic of Trump-era immigration policies, to oversee Customs and Border Protection, according to a report in the New York Times. Magnus was chosen because of his progressive efforts to promote community policing, according to the Times. Magnus would report to Department of Homeland Security…
‘Dog-flipping’ on the rise as more Americans seek companionship during pandemic
PHOENIX – Nationwide lockdowns in the past year have driven demand for companionship from man’s best friend during the pandemic, and shelters across the country have seen spikes in dog adoptions and fosters. But some pricey and popular canines are being ripped away from their intended forever homes and sold to unsuspecting buyers. It’s known…
See a show: The arts are rebounding in Southern Arizona
Bit by bit, the arts are opening up in Tucson. And the arts organizations are dreaming up clever new ways to keep their artists and fans safe from COVID-19. In the coming weeks, Ballet Tucson will send its dancers to perform in the great outdoors, and the Yume Japanese Gardens will host Funhouse Movement, performing…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, April 9: UA opening 8,900 first-dose vax appointments today; County opening indoor vax sites; Here’s how to set up vaccine appointments, COVID tests
With 1,302 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 848,000 as of Friday, April 9, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 88 new cases today, has seen 113,463 of the state’s 848,202 confirmed cases. With 7 new deaths reported this morning, a…
UA POD To Open 8,900 Vaccine Appointments Friday, Plus More Daily
The UA POD will open 8,900 first-dose COVID-19 vaccination appointments on Friday, with additional same-day appointments available every day. The university advises checking for appointments frequently as appointments will be updated online throughout the day, based on operational capacity. In order to encourage UA student vaccination, the university is offering students the ability to register…
Getting outside? Watch out for rattlesnakes
It’s that time of year again, when rattlesnakes are more active. Getting bit by a rattlesnake can be fatal and cause a great deal of pain, says Meghan Spyres, MD, a toxicologist with Banner Poison and Drug Information Center. The center has already helped one patient with a rattlesnake bite. ”So, if you see a…
Tucson Water warning residents of thieves claiming to be water inspectors
Tucson Water has received several complaints of individuals coming to homes and asking to be let inside to collect water samples. Individuals arrive unannounced, show a badge, claiming to be Water Department employees and say they need to check the water in the house, including in the bedrooms. One resident discovered that personal items were…
New restrictions on sex education advance to Arizona House
PHOENIX – State lawmakers are one step closer to passing a bill that would require parents to give written permission for children to discuss sex and gender identity in the classroom and ban any formal sex education – including AIDS instruction – before the fifth grade. The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, calls Senate…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, April 8: AZ cases nearly 847K; UA vax POD opening new appointments daily; Here’s how to set up vaccine appointments, COVID tests
With 670 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases neared 847,000 as of Thursday, April 8, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 122 new cases today, has seen 113,375 of the state’s 846,900 confirmed cases. With 32 new deaths reported this morning, a…
Editor’s Note: So Close
Hey, how about that UA women’s basketball team? As columnist Tom Danehy notes this week, “This was a season to be cherished, a team to be revered, and the start of something that will leave us all awestruck.” This team sparked a lot of joy in our town at a time when we could really…
The Skinny: Here’s how this year’s Tucson City Council races are shaping up
The landscape for this year’s Tucson City Council came into focus earlier this week, as the deadline to turn in nominating petitions arrived with eight candidates filing to run for office. No Republican candidates filed to run this year, but two independent candidates did turn in their petitions ahead of Monday’s deadline. There are three…
Tucson Folk Fest returns with virtual and in-person options
Although 2020 saw no formal festival, the minds behind the Tucson Folk Festival continued to support local music throughout the year with a series of intimate, livestreamed performances. But this weekend, Tucson Folk Festival is returning with in-person performances at multiple venues, as well as virtual shows. The 36th Annual Tucson Folk Festival takes place…
Spaced Out: City of Tucson zeroes in on zoning updates for marijuana-related businesses
In the run-up to passage of 2020’s Prop 207 legalizing adult-use recreational cannabis in Arizona, the City of Tucson began the process of reevaluating its zoning codes for what has become a billion dollar industry statewide, even before the advent of adult-use recreational sales. The process continues this month as the deadline for the Arizona…
State lawmakers look to block Corporation Commission from setting renewable energy standards
The Arizona Corporation Commission and energy companies are maintaining a “business as usual” strategy in the pursuit of clean energy and energy reliability in Arizona, despite twin bills looking to strip the ACC’s power. House Bill 2248, sponsored by Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Sierra Vista), would bar the Arizona Corporation Commission’s from adopting or enforcing policy…
Board votes to fund transportation for asylum seekers leaving Border Patrol custody
The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on March 24 to enter into transportation contracts to transport asylum seekers dropped off by Border Patrol at Ajo to Tucson. Border Patrol officials in Ajo had been releasing asylum seekers to the International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA), an Ajo nonprofit, which then asked asked Catholic Community…
UA women’s basketball team had a glorious season, even if they fell short at the buzzer
One of the greatest movies ever about music (although you can’t really call it a musical) is “The Commitments,” an often-hilarious story of a group of hardscrabble, pasty-faced Irish kids (and one grizzled professional) in Dublin who get together to form a soul-music band. They stumble along, spurred on by Jimmy, their self-appointed manager who…
