Cover Story
Oil Boom: Cannabis extracts target treatment, eliminate waste in the industry
The Weekly is happy to bring the third annual OIL edition to its readers, celebrating July 10—710, which is OIL upside-down—and the cannabis extractions that have created a vibrant marketplace both for medical patients and adult-users of legal weed in Arizona. Broadly defined, oil is any product derived from cannabis flower processed into a concentrated…
Migrant deaths in the desert at record levels as heat wave pounds West
WASHINGTON – The number of migrant deaths recorded in the Arizona desert so far this year is on pace to break the record set just last year, as migrants attempt the crossing in the face of a record-breaking heatwave. Humane Borders and the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office reported finding the remains of 127 migrants in…
TUSD Remote Learning Available For the Upcoming School Year
Tucson Unified School District will be offering a remote-only learning option for the coming school year. On August 5, students who would prefer to learn online will be able to attend Tucson Unified Virtual Academy K-12. Students would follow a regular class schedule, like in-person instruction, and the district would provide the technology devices and…
Storms, flooding close roads in Pima County
Several local roads are closed because of flooding, according to the Pima County Transportation Department. Recent storms have produced flash-flood warnings from the National Weather Service. Roads closed as of Wednesday morning: Manville Road West of Sandario Road – all directions Manville Road West of Avra Road Sandario Road South of Desert Oasis Trail Avra Valley…
Destination Mars: Elon Musk’s plan to colonize space starts with test flight this month
PHOENIX – Is bringing humankind to Mars necessary or realistic in our lifetimes? Tesla CEO Elon Musk is adamant about it, and he and two fellow billionaires are pushing the boundaries of how far private companies have gone into the stratosphere and beyond. But some experts are raising concerns about the high-priced and publicity grabbing…
Casa de los Niños Thrift Store closing July 24
The Casa de los Niños Thrift Store, on the corner of Mountain Avenue and Prince Road, is closing its doors after 46 years. In an announcement to the community, Casa de los Niños cited the changing retail landscape for the thrift store’s financial struggles and said they are no longer accepting donations. “There is increasingly…
Arizona venues get $45 million in COVID relief, but many still waiting
WASHINGTON – Federal officials have awarded $45.3 million in COVID-19 relief funds to 68 Arizona concert venues, a vast improvement over the single grant awarded a month ago but still far short of the need, advocates say. The Arizona funding was part of the $3.2 billion awarded as of Tuesday by the Small Business Administration…
A PSA on SPF: Tips on getting the most protection from sunscreen
PHOENIX – With summer in full force, it’s more important than ever to wear sunscreen when outside. Arizonans are at particular risk for sun-related skin damage, according to experts at the University of Arizona’s Skin Cancer Institute. Arizona sits at a higher altitude and lower latitude than most states, meaning it’s closer to the sun and…
Rep. Grijalva Calls for Investigation into Migrant Facility at Fort Bliss After Whistleblower Complaint
Congressman Raúl Grijalva called for an investigation into a facility housing migrant children in Fort Bliss, Texas after whistleblowers filed a federal complaint alleging rampant abuse and neglect. The complaint notes that the Children housed in one of the Biden administration’s largest shelters for unaccompanied migrant minors were being watched over by contractors with no…
Service Dog Lost after 4th of July Fireworks
A local service dog named Ursa broke out of its home following fireworks on July 4 and has yet to be found. The Belgian German Shepherd female puppy was last seen around the Swan Road and Skyline Drive area. For over a year, Ursa has been bonding and training with her person. July 4 celebrations…
Arizona’s ban on mask mandates in schools criticized by health experts
PHOENIX – Health experts are concerned that Arizona’s recently approved budget, which bans public schools and universities from enforcing mask mandates and COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated students, is endangering public health across the state. In a virtual panel assembled by the Committee to Protect Health Care, a national advocacy organization that aims to “fight for…
70% of Pima County Adults Are Now Vaccinated
Pima County reached the goal of 70% vaccination for adults with at least one dose on Thursday. President Joe Biden in June set a national goal of vaccinating at least 70% of all U.S. adults with at least one dose by July 4. Although Pima County fell short by just four days, it is now…
Changes at Los Reales to reflect city sustainability efforts
The Los Reales Landfill is getting a new name—and a new mission. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and the Tucson City Council voted this week to rename the Los Reales Landfill as the Los Reales Sustainability Campus. It is part of a larger planning effort to achieve waste reduction goals established by City Council in a Climate Emergency Declaration. The…
Creature Comfort: Saving lives in Cochise County
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona has been serving pets and the people who love them in the Tucson metro area for more than 77 years. Starting this month we are finally living into the last two words of our name as we extend our mission—both within and beyond Pima County. We currently operate a…
Missed Shot: County falls just short of mid-year COVID vaccination goals
As 2021 reaches its midpoint, Pima County continues to push for more people to get vaccinated. At the start of June, the Biden administration announced their “all-of-America” sprint to have 70% of adults vaccinated with at least one dose by July 4. However, as the holiday weekend grew close last week, Biden conceded that the…
Danehy: America has a dark and violent political history. Let’s hope it’s not the future.
As we celebrate the first Fourth of July after pulling back from the brink, we should be in a celebratory mood. The economy is good-going-on-great, the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror of those who have chosen to embrace science, and things are returning to a semblance of normalcy. However, bitter political winds are blowing…
City Week
Yogas with Aja. Oh, you think you’re trendy because you do yoga? You know nothing of trendiness until you’ve taken a yoga class at the local contemporary art museum. On the autonomous space rug, no less. The rug, part of the current exhibition Pia Camil: Three Works, is a patchwork of carpet painted with a…
Widow’s Bite: Marvel has another winner with the long-delayed sendoff for an original Avenger
While the Marvel train kept a-rollin’ during the pandemic with home offerings like Wandavision and Loki (A thousand thank yous, Disney+!), the blockbuster movies have been on ice for a couple of years (Screw you, Pandemic!). The drought ends with the long-delayed Black Widow, a fine sendoff for Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, and an even…
Pot and PTSD: Study shines light on need to end cannabis prohibition as researchers seek alternatives for lousy research weed
A clinical study on the effects of cannabis as a treatment for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder was finally released in March, after more than a decade of work—slowed by frustrating delays—by former UA assistant professor Dr. Sue Sisley and a network of organizations advocating for veterans’ access to medicinal cannabis. While the study…
Caught on Tape: Soda Sun find a home in the heat on their debut Stay Here
The story of the band Soda Sun begins with guitarist and vocalist John Goraj moving to Tucson from Los Angeles in 2017. But the story of the band’s debut release begins with a return trip to California to pick up a vintage tape machine. Though there is room for all four band members on the mellow…
Editor’s Note: A 710 Celebration
With recreational cannabis now legal in Arizona, there are a lot more people who can celebrate 710, the second-biggest holiday marijuana holiday. (In case you’re wondering why the cannabis community landed on July 10: If you turn 710 upside-down, it spells “oil,” a reference to extracts produced when you process marijuana plants.) Sure, like 420, the…
