Cover Story
Something in the Air
Happy Independence Day! Early Voting Starts Next Week!
Now Stream This: The Loft’s New Offerings
The Loft Cinema’s Virtual Cinema Series continues this week with four new offerings. There are many ways to support The Loft during their closure, and streaming movies via their website is just one of them. Here’s a link to their contributions page for other ways to donate, including ordering up some of their trademark organic…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, July 9: Total Cases Now Number 112K; Death Toll Tops 2K; US Reps, Joe Biden Call for More Testing in AZ; Battle Over Schools Continues
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 102K as of Thursday, July 9, after the state reported 4,057 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had 10,835 of the state’s 112,671 confirmed cases. A total of 2,038 people have died after contracting the virus.…
Grijalva on Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador’s White House Visit: “AMLO Has Become Nothing More Than Trump’s Collaborator”
Congressman Raul Grijalva wasn’t impressed with today’s sit-down between President Donald Trump and Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador. Grijalva’s statement: I had high hopes for Mexico’s future when Lopez Obrador won the Mexican Presidency on a progressive platform that sought to tackle corruption, inequality, and push back on President Trump’s anti-Mexican and anti-immigrant agenda. Instead,…
White House calls for quick return to school; some Arizona parents, educators balk
PHOENIX – A White House panel of parents, teachers and school administrators said Tuesday that reopening schools this fall should be the nation’s top priority, for the wellbeing of students and parents and as a move to “stabilize our society.” But while the panel pushed for schools reopening “quickly and beautifully in the fall,” as…
Anna the Zebra Gives Birth to a Baby Boy
While we were experiencing a COVID-19 Fourth of July, Anna the Grevy’s Zebra was experiencing the miracle of life. The Reid Park Zoo has announced that Anna gave birth to a male foal over the weekend. Anna, and her mate Ben, are first-time parents. They’re also an endangered species. Grevy’s zebras are the largest zebra…
This Isn’t Gonna Help McSally Win Over Female Voters: US Senator Once Said Women in Military Get Pregnant To Avoid Their Responsibilities to the Country
It’s safe to say that appointed U.S. Sen. Martha McSally has some work to do to win over the same female voters that President Donald Trump is driving into Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden’s camp. A few weeks before McSally lost her 2018 Senate bid to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, an NBC/Marist polls showed women favored…
Musician John Legend Endorses Pima County Attorney Candidate Laura Conover; Jonathan Mosher Gets AZ Star Endorsement
Soul singer, songwriter, actor, philanthropist and all-around good guy John Legend tweeted his support for Pima County Attorney candidate Laura Conover this afternoon, July 8. “I’m very genuinely and sincerely moved. I had no idea our race was on (Legend’s) radar, but true reform candidates are obvious to other true reformers,” Conover said. “I’m so…
Tucson City Council Repeals Controversial Police Ordinance Allowing Officers To Set Crime Scene Boundaries To Limit Filming of Officers
Last night the Tucson City Council voted 6-1 to repeal Ordinance 11746, which allowed Tucson police officers to establish restricted areas and administer penalties to individuals for “interfering with police investigations or enforcement activity.” Adopted on April 21, the ordinance was passed unanimously by the council in response to a video TPD showed them of…
Dems in AZ Congressional Delegation: FEMA Needs To Launch AZ Coronavirus Testing Blitz
The five Democrats in Arizona’s congressional delegation—U.S. Reps. Raul Grijalva, Tom O’Halleran, Ann Kirkpatrick, Greg Stanton and Ruben Gallego—have asked FEMA to bring expanded testing to Arizona as COVID-19 cases continue their uncontrolled spread. In a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Administrator…
‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’ Continues Will Ferrell’s Mediocrity Streak
Will Ferrell used to be such a sure fired guarantee comedy go-to. There was a stretch where it seemed he could do no wrong. That stretch is long behind him now, and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, continues his recent streak of lousy-to-mediocre films. This one falls somewhere in the realm of…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Wednesday, July 8: Total Confirmed Cases Top 108K; Amphi School District Announces Plans for Fall; Curtains for Certain at the Fox Until 2021; More Contact Tracing Coming in Pima County
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 108,000 as of Wednesday, July 8, after the state reported 3,520 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had 10,485 of the state’s 108,614 confirmed cases. A total of 1,963 people have died after contracting the virus.…
New Major Ad Buy Targeting Trump Launches in AZ Today
Protect Our Care, a nonprofit healthcare advocacy group, is launching a $2 million TV buy in three states, including Arizona, to hammer President Donald Trump for his response to the coronavirus crisis. In one spot, “Left Behind,” a family nurse practitioner, Tarik Khan, talks about how Trump failed to protect vulnerable older adults from the virus.…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Tuesday, July 7: What We’ve Covered Today
ICYMI, here are the stories we covered for you today. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed reached 105,000 as of Tuesday, July 7, after the state reported 3,653 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Hamilton is the gem it was rumored to be. Although the…
UA Compares the Best (and Worst) Material for COVID Masks
A new study led by University of Arizona researchers examines a variety of “nontraditional mask materials” and their ability to protect wearers. The study, published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, compares the risk reduction of materials like scarves, pillowcases, and t-shirt fabric, as well as more common professional masks. “N99 masks, which are even…
An ‘emotional,’ financial drain: Gym owners blindsided by Ducey’s order to shut down
PHOENIX – The news that gyms would be shut down as part of Gov. Doug Ducey’s latest executive order to slow the spread of COVID-19 has blindsided those who work in the fitness industry. “We had just been getting things going,” said Maddi Briguglio, a personal trainer at Jab Fitness in Tempe. “Clients had just…
Trump Friends and Family Cleared for Millions in Small Business Bailout
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Update, July 7, 2020: This story has been updated to include a statement from Peter Febo, chief operating officer of Kushner Companies. Businesses tied to President Donald Trump’s family and associates stand to…
Amphi School District Tells Students To Be Ready To Start Online School on Aug. 10
With COVID-19 cases spreading wildly in the community, the Amphitheater School District is joining TUSD and Sunnyside School District in launching online-only classes to start the school year. The virtual classes will begin on Aug. 10. Officials say they will return to the traditional classroom as soon as Aug. 17 but students will be able…
Grand Canyon businesses claw back, slowly, after 2019, 2020 setbacks
PHOENIX – After a prolonged government shutdown cut into their revenues in 2019, business owners around the Grand Canyon National Park said 2020 appeared to be on track to being a bounceback year for them. Then COVID-19 hit. The park was closed from April 1 to May 15, when it began to reopen on a…
Agonizing Lag in Coronavirus Research Puts Pregnant Women and Babies at Risk
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. In late June, after three months of near silence on the topic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finally weighed in on a question of critical importance to millions of American women…
ASU researchers develop cheaper, faster saliva test for COVID-19
PHOENIX — As the number of Arizonans who have contracted COVID-19 has raced past 100,000, testing for the novel coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease has become a priority. Some of that testing now is being done through saliva, a process that’s easier and less expensive. Arizona’s first saliva test – designed by scientists at…
Vigils continue as police release partial video of weekend fatal shooting
PHOENIX – Phoenix police released partial video Monday of the fatal shooting by officers this weekend of a man in Maryvale, but that did little to satisfy activists who are pressing for more footage to be released to the public. “We want the full video to be released. Every single video. There were multiple police…
Pima County Hires Outside Firm for Additional Contact Tracing Efforts
Today Pima County government announced they contracted Maximus Health & Services, Inc. to boost contact tracing efforts in the region. Maximus is an outsourcing company that provides business support to government health agencies such as the Pima County Health Department. They will hire about 150 local residents to perform “extensive” contact tracing as directed by…
Fox Theatre programming officially suspended through December
Although the downtown theatre hasn’t hosted a live performance in months, the Fox Board of Directors has officially decided to suspend programming through December 2020 due to the continued impacts of COVID-19. As of now, scheduled events in 2021 are expected to go forward. According to a release from the Fox, their Paycheck Protection Program…
It Took Two Viewings, But Grimm Loves ‘Hamilton’
I didn’t like Hamilton the first time I watched it. The music felt unoriginal, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s face and voice were annoying me, and I didn’t follow the plot. But…I loved the ending and really liked the women in the show, especially Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton. I liked them so much it made me ponder…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Tuesday, July 7: Total Cases Rise to 105K; Hospitals Overloaded; Some Schools Moving To Distance Learning, Others Still Developing Plans
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed reached 105,000 as of Tuesday, July 7, after the state reported 3,653 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had 10,184 of the state’s 105,094 confirmed cases. A total of 1,927 people have died after contracting the virus.…
Claytoonz: Racing The Racist
For more Claytoonz, click here.
Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases, School Districts Prepare for 2020-21 School Year
One week ago, Gov. Doug Ducey announced that Arizona public schools will be allowed to open their doors to students on Monday, Aug. 17. But with COVID-19 cases on the rise, local school districts are not confident that this start date is the real thing. Two districts, Tucson Unified School District and Sunnyside School District, announced…
Voter Register Deadline: Sign Up To Vote by Midnight Tonight if You Want To Cast a Primary Ballot
Today is the last day to register to vote in the Aug. 4 primary election. Early balloting begins Wednesday, July 8. To help you register, Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez will be open until 7 p.m. at both her downtown office (240 N. Stone Ave.) and her eastside office (6920 E. Broadway Blvd.). “Fourth…
Scenes from the Black Lives Matter Protest March on 4th of July
Noelani Betters, a 15-year-old Tucsonan, organized two Black Lives Matter protests in Tucson for Saturday, July 4, 2020. Betters led the first protest that started at Tucson City Hall that grew to roughly around 60 protesters of mostly young people, as they marched to the University of Arizona campus, before meeting up with a second…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Update for Monday, July 6: Confirmed Cases Top 101K; Schools Are Moving Toward Distance Learning; Hospitals Remain Under Strain
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 101,000 as of Monday, July 6, after the state reported 3,352 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had 9,873 of the state’s 101,441 confirmed cases. A total of 1,810 people have died after contracting the virus.…
Bighorn Fire 75 percent contained, minimal growth expected
After more than a month of burning, fire crews have mostly contained the Bighorn Fire, which has spread across 119,000 acres of the Santa Catalina Mountains. “The fire is pretty much out, we only have one area that the fire is still active in. It’s right here in Willow Canyon and it’s right by these…
Why Isn’t Martha McSally Outraged Over the Russian Bounty Scandal?
I deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as a Civil Affairs Team Leader in Mazer-e Sharif. I patrolled the rural Afghan villages of Chimtal and Chahar Bolak, leading reconstruction projects in these communities during a time I thought was the twilight of the war. I was wrong about the war coming to an end, now an…
On the Next July 4, Let’s Make Sure We Still Have the Country our Founders Entrusted to Us
That Mount Rushmore display last night—an alternately smirking and glowering Mussolini declaiming to howling hyenas—shook me to my toenails. Each time they chanted “USA! USA!” he paused with that look of self-adulation I’ve seen from Mobutu to Ceausescu to Qaddafi. They roared when he said anyone defacing a block of stone can be sentenced to…
Botanical Gardens to Reopen July 9
The Tucson Botanical Gardens are reopening on July 9 with a few new protocols and safety guidelines. The amount of guests in the park will be limited to align with social distancing guidelines, and guests and staff are required to follow Tucson’s current mask guidelines. In addition, guests will now enter the park through the…
Still Rat Scabies After All These Years: Punk legend talks COVID-19, Dad, His New Album and Joey Ramone.
If I told you that Chris Millar has occupied a drum seat behind one of punk rock’s originating groups, many basic rock fans and current “alt or punk” millennials would have no clue who I am talking about. And, yet, Rat Scabies, as he has been known for the past 43 years, was one of…
Tucson Weekly Removes Isaiah Toothtaker Profile from Website
After consulting with writer Casey Dewey and former Tucson Weekly editor Dan Gibson, I removed a 2013 interview with tattoo artist Isaiah Toothtaker from our website. Here is Dewey’s comment on the article: Eight years ago I wrote a cover story about Isaiah Toothtaker for the Tucson Weekly. The original idea was to write a shorter piece…
National Solar Non-Profit Starts Tucson Co-op
The national non-profit organization Solar United Neighbors has launched a local solar co-op, with aims of getting panels for homeowners and businesses in the City of Tucson. According to Bret Fanshaw, Arizona program director for SUN, a solar co-op is a group of households in a geographic area who are planning to go solar around…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Update for Friday, July 3: State’s Confirmed Cases Near 92K; Hospitals and ERs Jammed; TUSD Announces Online-Only Classes This Fall as Schools Will Remain Closed; No Fireworks for Independence Day Weekend
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona rose to nearly 92,000 as of Friday, July 3, after the state reported 4,433 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County cracked the 9,000-case threshold, with 9,024 of the state’s 91,858 confirmed cases. A total of 1,788 people have…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Thursday, July 2: What We’ve Covered Today
Just ICYMI, here are the stories we covered today. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona rose past 87,000 as of Thursday, July 2, after the state reported 3,333 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. The almighty Loft Cinema continues its series of streaming films this week…
Motorcycle Club Distributes Water Bottles to the Homeless this Sunday
Jaylon Sesay—a.k.a. Prospect Jay—and the Sho Ryders Motorcycle Club are distributing water bottles to Tucson’s homeless at several different locations around the Old Pueblo on Sunday, July 5. The motorcycle club has amassed over 1,600 water bottles to give away on Sunday for their charity water ride. “It’s been getting really hot out these last…
Arizona business leaders have high hopes as USMCA takes effect
WASHINGTON – There’s often not much agreement on news out of Washington, but Arizona business leaders were hard-pressed this week to come up with negatives about the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that took effect Wednesday. The deal, which has been several years in the making, replaces the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement that created the…
He Built a Privately Funded Border Wall. It’s Already at Risk of Falling Down if Not Fixed.
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. Tommy Fisher billed his new privately funded border wall as the future of deterrence,…
Rain Helps Slow Bighorn Fire, Flash Flood Warnings Today
The monsoon may be the next major player in the Bighorn Fire story. The 118,000-acre fire is now more than half contained after burning across the Catalina Mountains for nearly a month. With the fire at 58 percent containment, firefighter presence around the burn area is reducing. Roughly 800 personnel are now working to suppress…
‘Help is on the way’: Pence makes house call to Arizona amid COVID-19 surge
PHOENIX – As Arizona broke records Wednesday for new COVID-19 cases and deaths reported in a single day, Vice President Mike Pence flew in to assure Gov. Doug Ducey that the federal government “will spare no expense” in helping the state. Pence’s trip originally included a visit to Tucson and a rally with supporters, but…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, July 2: Confirmed Cases Grow To 87K; No Fireworks for Independence Day; Stay Home and Avoid Big Parties or We Won’t Be Able To Start School in August
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona rose past 87,000 as of Thursday, July 2, after the state reported 3,333 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 8,577 of the state’s 87,425 confirmed cases. A total of 1,757 people have died after contracting the…
Claytoonz: Trump’s Symbol of Hate
For more Claytoonz, click here.
Tucson Salvage
A thing of hate
Stay Home Arizona
An update on extended closures
Southern Arizona Weekly COVID-19 Roundup
The COVID News We Covered This Week
The Skinny
Things Don’t Look So Good for McSally
Closing Time
Tucson bar owners are ambivalent over Governor Doug Ducey’s recent executive order
Quick Bites
Highlights of local restaurants that are reopening
