Cover Story
A Teacher’s COVID Journal
Niki Bolze Tilicki thought her summer at home was going to be isolated and boring. Then she got sick.
Border Patrol Detains Dozens at No More Deaths Camp
On Friday, July 31, armed border patrol agents entered a No More Deaths camp near Arivaca and detained an estimated 30 undocumented migrants in what the humanitarian aid organization is describing as a “military style raid.” The encounter occurred after a series of escalations between the two organizations, and the detained migrants’ whereabouts are currently…
RIP, Newspaperman Pete Hamill: A Taste of His Work from Tom Miller’s ‘Revenge of the Saguaro’
Pete Hamill, a journalist, novelist, essayist, editor and educator, died today at age 85. Hamill was a longtime New York City columnist whose byline appeared in the Daily News, New York Post, Village Voice, Newsday and many others. His novels include Forever and Snow in August. He was NYC through and through. Hamill penned the introduction…
After a Year of Investigation, the Border Patrol Has Little to Say About Agents’ Misogynistic and Racist Facebook Group
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Brian Hastings, a top Border Patrol official, stared grimly at the television cameras. It was July 1, 2019, and Hastings was facing down a scandal: News reports had revealed that Border Patrol agents…
COVID-19 Spreading Through Tucson State Prison
Nearly half of all incarcerated people housed inside the Whetstone Unit of the Tucson state prison complex have tested positive for COVID-19, the Arizona Department of Corrections announced Tuesday evening. The department indicated that 517 people out of the total 1,066 population have the virus. They are currently being housed together in a separate living…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Wednesday, Aug. 5: Total Cases Reach 182K; Death Toll Reaches 3,932; Little Progress Made in DC Talks on New Relief Package, Unemployment Benefits
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 182,000 as of Wednesday, Aug. 5, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 16,964 of the state’s 182,203 confirmed cases. A total of 3,932 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 5 report. Arizona hospitals remain under pressure…
Claytoonz: Why, Covid, Why?
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AZ Primary 2020: Conover Wins Pima County Attorney’s Race as Mosher Concedes
Defense Attorney Laura Conover has won the three-way Democratic primary and will take control of the Pima County Attorney’s Office in January after Barbara LaWall retires after 24 years as the county’s top prosecutor. Conover had 57 percent of the vote when the batch of ballots was released today. Jonathan Mosher, a prosecutor in the…
AZ Primary 2020: Pima County Constables Races Show Bernal Ahead and Ferguson Behind
A handful of Pima County constable positions are up for grabs this year, and the primary election’s early results are revealing who will be the elected officials delivering court papers and handling evictions throughout Pima County. As of 10 p.m. on election night, incumbent Constable Bennett Bernal of Precinct 6 is ahead of his Democratic…
AZ Primary 2020: In State Legislative Races, Incumbents Beating Challengers
In the competitive primaries in state legislative districts, incumbents held off challengers. These early returns represent the early ballots that were tabulated as of today. Throughout the evening, we’ll update as today’s ballots are tabulated. More results are expected in the coming days as the Pima County Recorder’s Office validates more early ballots. Arizona Senate In the…
AZ Primary 2020: Oro Valley Council Race Too Close To Call
There are three seats up for grabs on the Oro Valley Town Council, early returns show all five candidates are neck-and-neck. Harry “Mo” Greene has the highest percentage of votes, with 20.38 percent and 5,746 votes, council member Steve Solomon is second with 20.28 percent and 5,717 votes, Tim Bohen is third with 20.11 percent…
AZ Primary 2020: Jackie Craig Takes Early Lead in Marana Council Race
Long-time Marana Mayor Ed Honea is unopposed as he seeks another term but a political newcomer has jumped out to a lead in the race for two council seats. Rookie candidate Jackie Craig is outpolling Marana Town Council members Roxanne Ziegler and Dave Bowen. According to early returns, Craig is leading the race with nearly…
AZ Primary 2020: Heinz Looking To Knock Out Incumbent Valadez in District 2 Board of Supes Race; Spain Leading the Pack in District 1; Grijalva Winning District 5; Bronson Dispatches Padres in District 3
In what could be the local upset of the night, Pima County Supervisor Ramon Valadez is losing to challenger Matt Heinz, a former state lawmaker and current emergency room doctor. In early returns, Heinz has 54 percent of the vote over Valadez, who is in second with 33 percent of the vote. Political activist Richard…
AZ Primary 2020: McSally Crushing “Demand” Daniel McCarthy in Early Returns
Sen. Martha McSally is on her way to easily dispatching GOP challenger “Demand” Daniel McCarthy, with more than 78 percent of the vote in early returns. Her win tonight sets up the marquee race in Arizona: McSally vs. Democrat Mark Kelly, the retired NASA astronaut who is leading McSally in the polls. Arizona officially became…
UA Selected to Lead Center for Quantum Networks
The National Science Foundation recently awarded the University of Arizona a $26 million grant to establish and lead the Center for Quantum Networks. CQN will be an engineering research center of the National Science Foundation and aims to lay the foundations of the quantum internet by “creating a fabric to connect quantum computers, data centers…
McSally’s Latest Performance: A Bogus Push for an Extra Week of Employment Bucks for Out-of-Work Arizonans
Sen. Martha McSally took to the Senate floor today in an effort to squeeze back into her “pragmatic problem solver” persona, but it’s an ill fit. McSally delivered a sequel to her speech last week urging her colleagues to extend the extra $600 in unemployment benefits that out-of-work Americans have been receiving during the pandemic. “I…
Her Rapist Threatened to Make Her “Disappear.” Instead of Asylum, ICE Put Her in a Hotel and Sent Her Back.
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. A teenage girl carrying her baby arrived at the U.S. border this summer and…
Now Stream This: The Muppets are Back—AGAIN!
The umpteenth incarnation of the Muppets proves to be a good one, with Kermit and pals assimilating into the world of Zoom and cooking competition shows. The premise is simple: Kermit now presides over a different kind of show, one in which he remains the emcee, and Scooter continues as a stage manager of sorts.…
Experts: Latino youth ‘invisible’ in juvenile justice data
Today, the Latino and Hispanic population is the largest ethnic or racial minority group in the country, according to the U.S. Census. Yet, experts say their presence in the juvenile justice system is severely underreported. Many experts agree Latino, Indigenous and Hispanic youth are misidentified and poorly counted in county, state and national statistics due…
Family of Carlos Adrián Ingram-López files $10 million Notice of Claim with City of Tucson
The family of Carlos Adrián Ingram-López filed a notice of claim with the City of Tucson today seeking $10 million for his death. Ingram-López died on April 21, 2020, after Tucson police detained him at his grandmother’s house. He was 27 years old. That night, his grandmother called 911 at 1 a.m. asking for help…
Pinal County Sheriff Establishes ‘Citizens Posse’ program
On July 30, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb announced a new police program that will allow citizens the opportunity to become deputized after four hours of training. According to the PCSO, the program “offers a training course designed to show residents the reality of Police Work.” Participants will learn the basics of “constitutional law, search…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Tuesday, Aug. 4: Total Cases Reach 180K; Death Toll Reaches 3,845; It’s Election Day; Talks Continue To Stall in DC Over New COVID-19 Relief Package, Unemployment Benefits
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 180,000 as of Tuesday, Aug. 4, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 16,809 of the state’s 180,505 confirmed cases. A total of 3,845 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 4 report. Arizona hospitals remain under pressure…
It’s Election Day! Get Out and Vote (If You Haven’t Already)
Arizona voters will decide a variety of primaries at the town, county, state and federal level today, all the way from Oro Valley Town Council to U.S. Senate. Polls are open until 7 p.m. You can find your precinct polling place here. If you have an early ballot, you can turn it in any any…
Portland Protesters No Longer Being Banned From Attending Protests to Win Release From Jail
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Federal defenders and prosecutors in Portland, Oregon, have teamed up to try to end a court practice of releasing arrested protesters only after they have agreed not to attend protests — a restriction…
New York Grand Jury Indicts Two Former Leaders of Mexico’s Drug War for Cartel Connections
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. A New York grand jury on Thursday indicted two former leaders of the Mexican federal police force, including one who oversaw the anti-narcotics units that were specially vetted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement…
Nobody Accurately Tracks Health Care Workers Lost to COVID-19. So She Stays Up At Night Cataloging the Dead.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. When police discovered the woman, she’d been dead at home for at least 12 hours, alone except for her 4-year-old daughter. The early reports said only that she was 42, a mammogram technician…
Bill Barr Has Done This Before
ProPublica Illinois is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. As violent crime continued to climb in Chicago and other cities across the country, Attorney General William P. Barr announced that the U.S. Department of Justice was mobilizing to help: Dozens of federal agents would be sent to work with local police to combat…
Food insecurity amid COVID-19 prompts Native Americans to return to their roots
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 – From a traditional hogan in a remote area on the…
Cannabis, Lies and Foreign Cash: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey Through the Underground Mask Trade
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 April, as an escalating pandemic shut down most of the country and the federal government shelled out billions of dollars to untested contractors for protective masks, Juanita Ramos got a call…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, Aug. 3: Total cases hit 179K; Death toll rises to 3,779; Congressman Grijalva tests positive for coronavirus
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 179,000 as of Monday, Aug. 3, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 16,741 of the state’s 179,497 confirmed cases. A total of 3,779 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 3 report. Arizona hospitals remain under pressure…
Claytoonz: Virtual Fans
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Congressman Raul Grijalva Tests Positive for COVID-19
Congressman Raul Grijalva, a Democrat who was first elected to serve Southern Arizona in Congress in 2002, announced today that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Grijalva, 72, had been in self-quarantine after Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas tested positive earlier this week. He said he felt fine and was showing no symptoms. Grijalva’s…
Now Stream This: Gordon Lightfoot and a Crazy Lake Monster Highlight New Films in The Loft’s Stream At Home Series
The Loft’s streaming series continues this week with a wide range of cinematic treats for you to enjoy at home. No doubt, this week’s offerings are some of the most eclectic, interesting, and entertaining looking films of the series so far. Here are the six new films now available for streaming…visit their website for details…
COVID-19 on pace to become third-leading cause of death in state
PHOENIX – Six months after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Arizona, the disease is well on its way to becoming the third-leading cause of death in the state this year, following cancer and heart disease, according to state data. As of Friday, July 31, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 3,694…
Navajo ‘Water Warrior’ drives miles during COVID to deliver to those in need
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. PHOENIX – When the sun is up, he’s up and ready to hit the road by…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, July 31: 174K Confirmed Cases in AZ; Trump Backs Away from Call To Delay in November Presidential Election; Senate Effort To Pass New Relief Package Stalls as Boosted Unemployment Benefits Expire
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 174,000 as of Friday, July 31, after the state reported 3,212 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 16,167 of the state’s 174,010 confirmed cases. A total of 3,694 people have died after contracting the…
How the Trump Administration Allowed Aviation Companies to Keep Relief Money That Was Supposed to Go to Workers
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. This spring, as the coronavirus spread and international travel bans grounded flights, Gebrish Weldemariam got a layoff letter from his airline catering job at Dulles International Airport. He’d been working as a driver…
Marana Unified School District Finalizes Back-to-School Plan
The Marana Unified School District governing board today unanimously approved a plan to teach all grade levels remotely when school instruction begins Wednesday, Aug. 5. MUSD Superintendent Dan Streeter said the district is working with the state Department of Education, the Pima County Health Department, Marana Health Center and other entities to ensure they are…
The Loft Virtually Screening ACLU Documentary
The latest film in The Loft Cinema’s virtual screening series follows the work of the attorneys at the American Civil Liberties Union. The Fight examines the struggle for civil rights when “a migrant mother is separated from her child, when a transgender soldier is at risk to lose his career, when reproductive rights and basic…
Mount Lemmon Highway to Reopen Aug. 1
Today, the Pima County Department of Transportation announced that the Mount Lemmon Highway will reopen beginning Saturday, Aug. 1. This announcement comes only two weeks after the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said mountain access would be cut off until November. But a coordinated repair effort between the PCSD, the Department of Transportation and the Coronado…
Proposal to protect Joshua trees from climate change proves divisive
PHOENIX – Named for the biblical figure Joshua by Mormon pioneers who saw its outstretched limbs as a guide to their westward travels, the Joshua tree is an enduring icon of the Southwest. In tiny Yucca Valley, California, the spiny succulents that once guided pioneers through the Mojave Desert still adorn the landscape, but as…
On their way north, pregnant migrants brave a harrowing jungle crossing in Panama
BAJO CHIQUITO, Panama – Billowing dust trailed the van as it barreled down a dirt road. In the back seat, Faustin Dieumes held his pregnant wife, running the remnants of a damp napkin over her face. Her body was limp and one of her palms laid face up in her lap. The couple had gone…
Danehy: Push Back the Start of High School Sports
An Open Letter To Governor Doug Ducey and David Hines, Head of the Arizona Interscholastic Association: There are few things more important to a high-school athlete that his/her senior season. It is the culmination of years of preparation and it generates memories that last a lifetime. But now, due to a coronavirus pandemic that hasn’t…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, July 30: 170K Confirmed Cases in AZ; Trump Calls for Delay in November Presidential Election; More Testing in Pima County
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 170,000 as of Wednesday, July 29, after the state reported 2,525 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 15,884 of the state’s 170,798 confirmed cases. A total of 3,626 people have died after contracting the…
Claytoonz: A Mythical A.G.
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A Cautionary Tale
What started out as an impromptu goodbye party has turned into a nightmare that doesn’t seem to end
Blowing Smoke
Anti-pot prohibitionists sue to keep recreational use prop off November ballot
Southern AZ Weekly COVID-19 Roundup
What’s happened this week
Abuse Allegations
Sheriff candidate’s daughter makes horrific claims as primary approaches
The Skinny: Primary Day is Here
Time to decide the nominees for the November general
