Biosphere 2 study: Tropical forests may be more resilient to rising temperatures than predicted
PHOENIX – Step inside Biosphere 2’s tropical rainforest, which thrives beneath an enormous glass dome, and visitors are met by a wall of warm humidity and lush greenery. The sprawling complex north of Tucson in Oracle provides climate-change researchers with unique opportunities to test theories in ways that would be impossible in the field. This…
Arizona to receive 383,750 COVID-19 vaccines by end of December
Arizona is on track to receive 383,750 COVID-19 vaccines by the end of December, according to a news release from Gov. Doug Ducey’s office. Over the weekend, the Arizona Department of Health Services ordered the first shipment, which is expected to arrive next week, according to the release. The vaccines will go to Pima and…
Pima County issues mass alert as COVID-19 cases surge
The Pima County Health Department distributed a mass alert Wednesday informing the public of its renewed public health advisory as COVID-19 cases reach alarming levels. The message was sent to those who signed up for emergency alerts and revealed coronavirus transmission rates are “extremely high” and that local hospitals have reached or are nearing capacity,…
Tucson Singer Debuts with Quiet Self-Reflection on ‘Antares’
Jessica Tanner wrote and developed the nine songs on her debut album over multiple years – but with their soft melancholy, it’s fitting for them to release during this period of extended isolation. Tanner, who goes as Asphalt Astronaut on her solo folk release Antares, drew inspiration from heartbreak, astronomy and Fourth Avenue. antares by…
TMC nurses plead with the public as COVID-19 surges
Nurses from Tucson Medical Center are imploring the public to help slow surging COVID-19 rates as hospitals approach capacity, compromising the ability to treat patients. Pima County alone has reported 7,711 coronavirus cases in the first nine days of December. Hospital admissions are rising to higher levels than during the summer surge. Along with a…
What to know about open carry laws in Arizona
PHOENIX – Arizona has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the U.S., one of three countries that consider gun ownership a constitutional right. Consider this data: Americans own more than 390 million guns – with 120.5 civilian firearms per 100 people, according to a study by the World Population Review. In February, Arizona ranked…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Wednesday, Dec. 9: More than 4400 new cases; 108 eight new deaths; AZ cases top 382K; Tucson now under curfew
With more than 4,400 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 382,000 as of Wednesday, Dec. 9, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 957 new cases today, has seen 47,570 of the state’s 382,601 confirmed cases. With 23 new deaths reported today, a…
Holiday punch: COVID-19 worries mean no holiday party for most offices
WASHINGTON – The staff at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Scottsdale was planning to go ahead with its annual office Christmas party this year – but with social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions in place. As coronavirus cases continue to surge in Arizona and across the country, however, the Rev. Thomas Hallsten and parish…
Once used to track foodborne illnesses, UA team now traces COVID contacts
PHOENIX – It’s been a quiet day on Zoom for Kylie Boyd and Alexandra Shilen. Occasionally, some student volunteers pop into their online room to check in or ask a brief question, then pop back out to hit the phones. On this fall afternoon, Boyd and Shilen are overseeing 13 volunteers who are calling residents…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Tuesday, Dec. 8: More than 12K New Cases Reported Today; Total Number of Cases in AZ Tops 378K; Tucson Now Under Curfew
With more than 12,000 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 378,000 as of Tuesday, Dec. 8, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 957 new cases today, has seen 46,849 of the state’s 378,157 confirmed cases. With 23 new deaths reported today, a…
Immigration advocates hail order reinstating DACA; DHS promises appeal
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration said Monday it will abide by court order – for now – to start accepting new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals applications, a move that could affect an estimated 682,000 undocumented immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security is already looking to appeal the Friday court ruling, but advocates for immigrants…
Arizona’s Economic Forecast Cloudy as Capitol Hill Debate on COVID Relief Continues
The future of Arizona’s economy is one of uncertainty, UA economist George Hammond made clear at a virtual economic outlook event Friday. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the state has fared better in unemployment numbers compared to the rest of the nation, but it has still withstood a heavy loss, according to Hammond, the director of…
UA Develops New “Swish Gargle” COVID-19 Test, Expert Discusses Vaccine Efficacy
As University of Arizona students finish the fall semester remotely, they’ll return to more stringent guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the spring semester. The university will require weekly COVID-19 testing for all students attending in-person classes on its main campus or living in dorms, UA President Robert Robbins said in a press…
Superspreaders, clusters and dead ends: Research reveals more about how coronavirus spreads
PHOENIX – Research from Arizona and beyond suggests the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread erratically, making some infected people “superspreaders” and others dead ends for transmission. This can create clusters or “micro-hotspots” – neighborhoods, schools, towns or other small geographic areas where the virus runs rampant – even while communities next door remain relatively…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, Dec. 7: County Board of Supes Passes New Regs Related to COVID; Total Number of Cases in AZ Closes in on 366K; Tucson Now Under Curfew; AZ Legislature Closes for the Week
With more than 1,500 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 366,000 as of Monday, Dec. 7, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 726 new cases today, has seen 45,892 of the state’s 365,843,101 confirmed cases. A total of 6,950 Arizonans…
First COVID-19 vaccines, vaccinations expected in Arizona by Dec. 15
WASHINGTON – Arizona health officials said they expect to get the first of more than 380,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 15 and will begin vaccinating health care workers and first responders shortly thereafter. Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ made that announcement Friday, as the state submitted its plans for…
Movie Roundup: Big News From a Big Studio and the New One From David Fincher
So, the big movie news this week is the Warner Bros. announcement that all films on their 2021 slate—all of them, no matter how much they cost to make—will follow the model they have put in place for the Christmas Day release of Wonder Woman 1984. Matrix 4, Dune, Suicide Squad and many others will…
Pima County Board of Supervisors Approves Stricter Mask Mandate, New Biz Regulations To Combat Spread of COVID
The Pima County Board of Supervisors approved six measures to combat the spread of coronavirus at an emergency special meeting today. The board approved the following motions: A revised mask mandate with a civil penalty for noncompliance; businesses now required to mandate masks for all customers. Upon their second violation of noncompliance to safety protocols,…
Santa Claus Is Coming to (Down)Town
While it might not be safe to take your kids to sit on Santa’s lap this year, that doesn’t mean ol’ Kris Kringle won’t be back downtown for the annual Miracle on Congress Street. Starting Friday, Dec. 4, Santa will be up on the rooftop at Playground, 278 E. Congress St., to wave to kids…
‘It’s go time’: Booker, Ayton eager to start after key offseason additions
PHOENIX – Suns fans are certainly excited for the arrival of Chris Paul, but center Deandre Ayton might be the most excited of all. “We got CP3 in Arizona, y’all trippin’,” Ayton said Thursday in a press conference via Zoom. “We got Chris Paul in Phoenix!” Arizona sports fans have endured a lot of heartbreak…
Navajo warn hospitals at ‘breaking point’ in worsening COVID-19 surge
WASHINGTON – With a shortage of beds, oxygen and staff, the Navajo Nation can no longer depend on regional aid and is sending critical patients farther afield for care, officials reported Thursday. That news came as area health care workers and Navajo government officials warned that the coming surge in COVID-19 cases would be worse…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, Dec. 4: Curfew Begins Tonight in City of Tucson; Total Number of AZ Cases Tops 352K; Hospital Numbers Still Rising; Pima County Weighing New Restrictions Today
With more than 5,600 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 352,000 as of Friday, Dec. 4, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 816 new cases today, has seen 42,698 of the state’s 352,101 confirmed cases. With 64 new deaths reported yesterday, a…
Ducey rejects new COVID-19 limits, as models foresee swamped hospitals
WASHINGTON – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey again rejected calls for tougher statewide COVID-19 restrictions Wednesday in the face of what experts called a pending “catastrophe,” opting instead for more funding for nurses and more pleas for personal responsibility. Ducey also ordered insurance companies to cover the costs of COVID-19 vaccinations, which could arrive in the…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, Dec. 3: 5400 new cases; AZ cases top 346K; 82 new deaths; Ducey says no new restrictions oncoming
With more than 5,400 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 346,000 as of Thursday, Dec. 3, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 569 new cases today, has seen 41,882 of the state’s 346,421 confirmed cases. With 82 new deaths reported yesterday, a…
Kelly takes oath, casts first vote as Arizona’s newest senator
WASHINGTON – Mark Kelly can drop “senator-elect” from his title. Less than a month after Election Day, Kelly was sworn in as the junior senator from Arizona on Wednesday and will serve the remaining two years of the late Sen. John McCain’s term. Kelly, who ran on a promise to be a bipartisan voice in the…
Season’s Greetings: Calexico Drops Holiday Album ‘Seasonal Shift’
Calexico’s Joey Burns says the band didn’t set out to record an album of seasonal music this year. The band’s European label, City Slang, asked them if they’d like to do one holiday song “as a way of giving something back to the fans in between releases.” But ideas began blossoming and before long, bandmember…
Our Favorite Local Albums of 2020
Leave it to Tucson to continue releasing music as the rest of the world is upended. They say difficulty breeds greatness, and if that’s true, Tucson’s music must have received an extra helping of greatness on top of a generally stellar output. For each lonesome pandemic song this year, there were as many resilient and…
City Week: Weekly Picks
Editor’s Note: As of the Weekly’s print time, the Tucson City Council was considering implementing a nightly curfew, so we’ve included a mixture of virtual and in-person events so you can have something to do no matter their decision. Native American Arts Fair. ‘Tis certainly the season for local craft fairs, but this one is…
Local Locale: Local Restaurateurs Find the Right Spot for Taste of Italy
Choosing to open a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic may seem like madness to those in the service industry. But to seasoned restaurateurs like Deb Tenino and Nick Kreutz—who opened Foothills eatery Contigo Latin Kitchen during the Great Recession and persevered—there’s always a silver lining to challenging times. “I opened Contigo in the…
Zoned Out: Local Municipalities React to Prop 207 Passing
Reaction to the passage of Prop 207 has been swift in some quarters, with several Pima County towns passing emergency resolutions aimed at restricting recreational cannabis sales in the coming year. Since mid-October, municipalities including Sahuarita, Marana and Oro Valley have quickly acted to limit legal cannabis sales in their respective jurisdictions. But the City…
Danehy: The High School Football Season Didn’t Have to End This Way
The 1979 Amphi High football team went undefeated for the entire season. They needed a stifling 15-0 win over powerhouse Sunnyside to reach the state playoffs and a gutsy goal-line stand in the final two minutes of a 7-0 semifinal win over Apollo to reach the state title game. Amphi cruised in that championship game,…
Editor’s Note: Sounds of the Season
If you ask me, the upcoming merry little Christmas is less “hang a shining star on the highest bough” and more “we’ll have to muddle through somehow.” It seems the (nearly) original lyrics of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” have never been more relevant in my lifetime. While next year all our troubles will…
Holiday Fear: UA Team Calls for Shelter-In-Place Order, Mask Mandate
Experts from the COVID-19 modeling team at the University of Arizona are calling for a shelter-in-place order, mask mandate and emergency economic relief measures statewide as coronavirus metrics increase to alarming levels. “No matter what actions are taken, Arizona will experience a hospital crisis in the coming weeks. However, if action is not immediately taken,…
