Cover Story
Stage Fright
For the rest of 2020, it’s curtains for certain at Tucson’s concert halls
It’s Illegal for Federal Officials to Campaign on the Job. Trump Staffers Keep Doing It Anyway.
Stay up to date with WNYC and ProPublica’s investigations into the president’s business practices. This story is co-published with WNYC. President Donald Trump’s recent musings about staging his Republican National Convention speech at the White House drew criticism from government ethics watchdogs and even one Republican senator, John Thune of South Dakota. The suggestion wasn’t…
Kamala Harris Reading Guide: The Best Reporting on the Vice Presidential Candidate
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. On Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden selected Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., as his vice presidential running mate. We’ve collected some of the best stories on Harris to get you up to speed…
Talking ‘the talk’: Black leaders in Arizona recall sobering rite of passage
PHOENIX – For any teen, getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage – a small taste of freedom in their adolescent lives. But for Black teens in America the little bit of freedom that comes with car keys also comes with “the talk”: The time when Black parents sit their children down and…
Health officials report increases in drug overdoses, suicides during COVID-19 pandemic
PHOENIX – As social distancing and isolation continue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many states across the country are reporting an increase in reported drug overdoses and suicides, including Arizona. The Arizona Department of Health Services has observed an increase in deaths due to suicide and drug overdose during the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Dr. Cara…
Asians make long transcontinental journey to reach U.S., new opportunities
LA PEÑITA, PANAMA – Salman Khan is 9,000 miles from his home country of Pakistan. He crossed one of the most dangerous jungles in the world. He sits in a squalid camp overseen by the Panamanian border patrol, unsure of what his future holds. But to Khan, Panama represents a path to freedom. “I want…
As providers turn to telehealth during COVID-19, calls rise for more resources in Indian Country
Editor’s Note: Coronavirus has devastated Native American communities and put a spotlight on some long-standing problems in Indian Country that have made this pandemic that much worse. But at the grassroots level, everyday heroes have stepped up to help. Part of a series. PHOENIX – Before COVID-19, Joshuaa Allison-Burbank spent his days traversing the Navajo…
‘Keeping the culture alive’: Native dance goes digital during pandemic
PHOENIX – Singing, dancing, socializing, sharing food – the elements that make powwows an essential part of preserving Indigenous culture are the same ones that make them a coronavirus risk. Native communities throughout the country have cancelled the traditional gatherings indefinitely as a result. But Tiny Rosales, a member of the Ojibwe tribe, has found…
Arizona Medicaid recipients topped 2 million after five-month surge
WASHINGTON – The number of people on Arizona’s Medicaid rolls topped 2 million this summer, after a five-month surge in enrollment that coincided with COVID-19’s hit to the state’s health and its economy. Almost 1.88 million people were covered by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System – the state’s Medicaid program – on March…
ICE Is Making Sure Migrant Kids Don’t Have COVID-19 — Then Expelling Them to “Prevent the Spread” of COVID-19
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. This article is co-published with The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan local newsroom that informs and engages with Texans. Since March, the Trump administration has pushed thousands of migrant children back to their…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Wednesday, Aug. 12: Total Cases Hit 189K; Wildcats Are Canceled as Pac-12 Calls Off Fall Sports; Pop-up Test Sites Available
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 189,000 as of Wednesday, Aug. 12, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 18,508 of the state’s 189,443 confirmed cases. A total of 4,347 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 12 report. The number of hospitalized COVID…
So Much for That UA-ASU Season Opener: Pac-12 Cancels Fall Season for All Sports, Hopes for Spring Season
The Pac-12 Conference unanimously voted to postpone all sports competitions through the rest of the year, with an eye toward pushing fall sports like football to the spring. The announcement, which was unveiled during a Zoom call by Commissioner Larry Scott, came hours after the Big Ten Conference announced a similar decision. Scott laid out…
Local Man’s Anti-Mask Tantrum Gets More than 2 Million Views on Twitter
Anti-masker in Tucson, AZ throws a tantrum and has to be carried out by his own son pic.twitter.com/ggo4I968aL — Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) August 11, 2020 A local jerk has become Twitter famous after a video of his anti-mask tantrum in a Tucson Sprouts was posted on social media yesterday. When you get to…
OSIRIS-REx Prepares for Final Sample Collection Rehearsal
On Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 11:30 a.m. Arizona time, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will begin its final sample retrieval rehearsal on the asteroid Bennu, currently some 170 million miles from Earth. This four-hour rehearsal is in preparation for the spacecraft’s attempt at collecting dust and rocks from the surface of the asteroid in October. If successful,…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Tuesday, Aug. 11: Total cases hit 188K; Cases in Pima County on the Decline; Pop-up Test Sites Available; Pence in Tucson Today
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 188,000 as of Tuesday, Aug. 11, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 18,381 of the state’s 188,737 confirmed cases. A total of 4,199 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 11 report. The number of hospitalized COVID…
Pima County provides $2 million in grants to local child care providers
Pima County has announced new grant funding that will be distributed to child care providers to reimburse them for costs associated with reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a county press release, certain providers can each receive up to $10,000 to cover eligible expenses such as rent and mortgage payments, utilities, payroll, licensing fees,…
Crimes in Tucson, Phoenix fell in second quarter, as COVID-19 took hold
The latest police data show reported crimes fell in Phoenix and Tucson during the second quarter of the year, a period in which Arizonans were largely confined to their homes by the governor’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order. But while property crimes in both cities fell, violent crime in Phoenix rose sharply in the quarter, driven largely…
Now Stream This: It’s About Time the Go-Go’s Got a Documentary!
I’ve been bitching about the Go-Go’s not being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for years. They, along with Pete Townshend solo, Smashing Pumpkins and Tommy James and the Shondells should’ve been first-ballot inductees, but nope, Bon Jovi is in there instead. Now that I’ve ranted, let me tell you about The Go-Go’s,…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Monday, Aug 10: Total cases hit 187K; New Pop-Up Sites Opening in Pima County; Relief Package Talks Collapse in DC, Trump Gives Up Negotiating with Democrats, Issues Various Orders
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 187,000 as of Monday, Aug. 10, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 17,996 of the state’s 187,523 confirmed cases. A total of 4,154 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 10 report. The number of hospitalized COVID…
Claytoonz: Bikers For Trump Virus
For more Claytoonz, click here.
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Friday, August 7: What We’ve Covered Today
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 185,000 as of Friday, Aug. 7, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. The Pima County Health Department today announced new drive-thru COVID-19 testing events beginning next week that will be available in areas of the county that have had limited testing availability. County Recorder…
As feds debate COVID-19 deal, clock is ticking on state eviction protection
WASHINGTON – Arizona renters may have breathed a sigh of relief last month when Gov. Doug Ducey extended the state moratorium on residential evictions to Oct. 31. But for some of them, Oct. 31 could come as soon as later this month if they don’t act. In his July 16 executive order, Ducey said that…
Fish Karma Releases New Album ‘The Moving Finger’
The devil can’t stand mockery, as the adage goes, but fans of Fish Karma know humor can be used to overcome all manner of hardship. This is truer than ever on the longtime Tucson musician/comedian’s latest album, The Moving Finger, which tackles modern woes both internal and external. The Moving Finger is a follow-up to…
With Nearly All the Votes Counted, Here’s How the Dust Settled in Pima County
As of this morning, Pima County has just a few thousand ballots left to count. County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez had completed signature checks on the ballots that arrived by mail and had shipped them over to the Elections Department to tabulate them. Rodriguez still had about 3,000 provisional ballots to review. Given the small…
New COVID-19 Testing Site Opens Today; Pop-Up Testing Sites Coming Next Week
The Pima County Health Department today announced new drive-thru COVID-19 testing events beginning next week that will be available in areas of the county that have had limited testing availability. Through their partnership with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Pima County will offer a minimal contact testing operation for free at the…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Friday, Aug. 7: Total cases hit 185K; Virtual Schooling Is Here; New Testing Center Opens; Still No Deal in DC on Unemployment Benefits, Other COVID Relief
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 185,000 as of Friday, Aug. 7, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 17,497 of the state’s 185,053 confirmed cases. A total of 4,081 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 7 report. The number of hospitalized COVID…
Claytoonz: Defund The NRA
For more Claytoonz, click here.
High School Sports Are Coming Back Next Month
The Arizona Interscholastic Association’s executive board approved the fall 2020 interscholastic athletics calendar during a special meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The AIA board voted for a staggered athletics season based on the information received from AIA member schools through a July online survey. Factors like student and personnel safety protocols that can be easily…
With Razor-Thin Margin, Oro Valley Town Council Remains Undecided
The Pima County Recorder’s Office’s most recent election results show a razor-thin margin between the five candidates seeking three seats on the Oro Valley Town Council. As of 2 p.m. today, incumbent Councilmember Steve Solomon leads the race with 7,360 votes (20.49 percent). Newcomer Harry “Mo” Greene is second with 7,355 votes (20.48 percent), Tim…
Now Stream This: A Rock Magazine Documentary and a Big Dumb Dog Highlight Latest at The Loft
This week at the Loft Cinema, four new streaming options to go with the many fine films currently available on their site. During the pandemic, you can assist The Loft by not only streaming films, but donating while their physical doors remain closed. Click Here for more details on how you can help. For a…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Thursday, Aug. 6: Total cases hit 183K; Death toll tops 4K; Meeting with Ducey, Trump says AZ is stomping out “embers” of outbreak; in-person school has been canceled until at least Labor Day
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 183,000 as of Thursday, Aug. 5, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 17,293 of the state’s 183,647 confirmed cases. A total of 4,002 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 6 report. Arizona hospitals remain under pressure…
Unemployment Urgency
With hundreds of thousands of unemployed Arizonans scrambling to make ends meet on $240 a week, local bartenders reflect on what’s next now that the extra $600 federal unemployment benefit has ended
Southern Arizona Weekly COVID-19 Roundup
What we’ve covered this week
No Account
Federal banking law hinders a blossoming industry
Check Up
Pima County increases COVID testing and tracing
Danehy
After battling off a demon succubus, Tom has a lot to think about
The Skinny
TOO EARLY FOR HALLOWEEN Trailing in the polls, Sen. Martha McSally tries on an ill-fitting moderate and pragmatic persona
