Cover Story
Inferno
The Bighorn Fire has devoured more than 80,000 acres in the Santa Catalina Mountains. What will the sky island look like when the smoke clears?
Now Streaming: ‘Artemis Fowl’ Is for the Birds
It seemed as if we were getting a little gift when Disney announced it was sending Artemis Fowl directly to its streaming service: A big-budget, Kenneth Branagh-directed adventure was coming directly into living rooms, because most theaters are closed. What a treat, right? No. As it turns out, the film is awful. You’ll realize within…
Now Streaming: ‘7500’ Is a Bumpy Ride
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, after a four-year absence from starring roles in order to become a new daddy, returns with the pretty standard, sometimes tense airplane thriller, 7500. Levitt does competent work as Tobias, a nebbish co-pilot on a night flight that includes his girlfriend (Aylin Tezel) on the crew. They aren’t in the air long before…
Celebrate Independence Day with These Streaming Independent Movies from The Loft Cinema
The almighty Loft Cinema continues its series of streaming films this week with 6 new offerings starting July 3: three documentaries, the directorial debut of actor Bill Duke, a raving comedy and an award winning film from South Korea. Hey, if you want to get that extra Lofty feeling while watching these movies at home, The…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Wednesday, July 1: What We’ve Covered Today
Happy July, Everyone! Hope you’re staying cool in this Summer heat. Here are the stories we covered today, ICYMI. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed 84,000 as of Wednesday, July 1, after the state reported 4,878 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Take a break…
Rec. Marijuana Initiative Files 420,000 Signatures to be Included on Nov. 3 Ballot
Smart and Safe Arizona, the citizens’ initiative to legalize recreational marijuana, filed 420,000 signatures with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office on July 1 in an effort to secure its place on the upcoming Nov. 3 ballot. However, Smart and Safe Arizona could still be challenged before making the November ballot. “It’s great to be…
Diamondbacks’ Mike Leake first MLB player to opt out of season amid pandemic
PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks announced their 60-man roster for their upcoming summer training camp Monday, but the biggest news was which player on that list would not be joining the team. Mike Leake, a key rotation piece and pending free agent, notified the club that he will exercise his ability to opt out of…
ADOT rolls out new dust detection system to help drivers on I-10
PHOENIX – Dust storms in Arizona can blow up suddenly, and the patch of desert between Eloy and Picacho Peak is especially prone to wind-driven dust. Dust drastically reduces visibility for drivers, which is why the Arizona Department of Transportation, ahead of monsoon season, has implemented a new dust detection system to protect drivers on…
COVID-19 in Arizona: Navajo will not ease restrictions, despite improving numbers
PHOENIX – The number of new COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation is on a downward trend, but tribal leaders said Tuesday that does not mean they are ready to ease up on health restrictions. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a Facebook live town hall that the tribe will continue its 57-hour weekend…
UA Delays Furlough Plan (Again)
In response to demands from a coalition of more than 1,400 faculty, staff and students at the University of Arizona, President Dr. Robert Robbins announced via email that he would halt their planned furloughs until August. “I have decided the best way forward is to delay the implementation of the university’s furlough and furlough-based salary…
Has the IRS Hit Bottom?
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. It’s been almost 10 years since Republicans, riding the Tea Party wave, took control of the House of Representatives and started hacking at the IRS’ enforcement budget. Down it went, some years the…
Arizona Democrats Join Call for ICE to Release Families Amid COVID-19
A handful of Arizona officials have joined 80 House Democrats and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in demanding that the Trump administration “safely and swiftly” release children and adults held in immigration detention centers due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group sent a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf…
Bighorn Fire more than 50 percent contained
During their July 1 morning update, fire crews announced that the Bighorn Fire, which for weeks has burned across the Santa Catalina Mountains, is more than 50 percent contained. The wildfire has spread rapidly throughout the mountains north and east of Tucson due to strong winds and high temperatures, burning nearly 120,000 acres. More than…
Little House of Funk and Backroads Country Band coming playing Gaslight Music Hall drive-in show
Take a break from the quarantine blues and head up to Oro Valley to enjoy some live music in a fun, safe, and family-friendly environment at the Gaslight Music Hall. Playing next Wednesday and Thursday are Little House of Funk and Backroads Country Band, respectively. Get your groove on Wednesday, July 8 with Little House…
Your Southern AZ COVID AM Roundup for Wednesday, July 1: Welcome to the Second Half of the Year from Hell! Number of Confirmed Cases Crosses the 84,000 Threshold, Four Times the Total on June 1; Death Toll Hits 1.7K; No Fireworks for 4th of July
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed 84,000 as of Wednesday, July 1, after the state reported 4,878 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 8,387 of the state’s 84,092 confirmed cases. Cases in Arizona have more than quadrupled since June 1, when the…
Claytoonz: Racist Mississippi
For more Claytoonz, click here.
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Tuesday, June 30: What We’ve Covered Today
Here we are at the end of June. Half a year has gone by since 2020 began, and we can’t tell if it’s felt like the longest or shortest year in history. There have been so many groundbreaking historic moments, but here are just a few that we covered today. Don’t forget to vote in…
UA Pauses Bringing Back Student Athletes
The University of Arizona announced Tuesday they will pause bringing additional student-athletes back to campus after the recent spike in COVID-19 cases through the Pima County and the state. “Out of an abundance of caution, we have made this decision with campus and community partners to pause our re-entry process,” Vice President and Director of…
Governor’s Office Provides $270 Million for Reopening Schools
Governor Doug Ducey and Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman announced a new funding plan last week intended to help public school districts across the state safely open at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. The plan includes $200 million to help districts bolster their remote learning capacity, and protect against any budget shortfalls…
Court affirms ruling that Pentagon funding of border wall is ‘unlawful’
PHOENIX – Just days after President Donald Trump was in Yuma to praise construction of the border wall last week, a federal court reaffirmed its ruling that the administration’s method of funding that construction was “unlawful.” The ruling Friday by a divided panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that the administration’s…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Tuesday, June 30: Hospitals on the Edge; Ducey Orders Bars, Gyms, & More Closed for a Month, Delays Start of School Year to Aug. 17; Cases Soar to 79K; Please Stop Drinking Hand Sanitizer
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 79,000 threshold as of Tuesday, June 30, after the state reported a record 4,682 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That high number reflects cases that would have been reported yesterday but were not because of a technical glitch.…
AIA Delays Fall High School Athletic Season until Aug. 17
The Arizona Interscholastic Association announced all school-related athletics and activities will be delayed until Aug. 17, in response to Governor Doug Ducey’s executive order Monday pushing back the start date of all state schools. As a result, high school fall sports practice will be delayed until Arizona schools reopen mid-August and the fall competition season…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Monday, June 29: What We’ve Covered Today
While the most breaking news we covered concerns Gov. Ducey’s order to close some businesses and extend the start date for schools, we covered plenty of other news items as well. ICYMI, here are those stories. Arizona Department of Health Services tweeted earlier this morning that not all new cases are reflected in the daily…
Ducey: Bars, Theaters, Gyms, Water Parks Must Close; Start of School Year Delayed to Aug. 17
As COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket, Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered the closing of bars, gyms, movie theaters, water parks and river tubing activities for at least one month. Ducey also said Arizona would delay the start of the school year to Aug. 17. Ducey warned that Arizonans will see more cases of COVID-19 before…
Salvation Army and City of Tucson Team Up To Bring the Chill
Even if you have never stepped foot in Arizona, you know that it’s hot here. As much as we joke about our lovely oven environment, we only do so because most of us have access to either air conditioning or swamp coolers. Not everyone who lives here has that luxury. The Salvation Army and City…
Poison Centers to Arizonans: Don’t Drink Hand Sanitizer
Since June 1, Arizona’s poison centers have received 14 cases related to people drinking homemade liquor and hand sanitizers in hopes of getting drunk. While hand sanitizer does contain the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic drinks (ethanol) and can reach 140 proof, it can also contain the toxic alcohol methanol if improperly made. According to…
Arizona elections officials defend mail-in voting after Trump’s criticism
PHOENIX – Arizona elections officials disputed President Donald Trump’s latest attacks on mail-in voting, which he leveled Tuesday at a Students for Trump rally in north central Phoenix. Because of voting by mail, Trump told the crowd, the November election would be the “most corrupt election in the history of our country.” “And there is…
FEMA Ordered $10.2 Million in COVID-19 Testing Kits It’s Now Warning States Not to Use
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has warned states not to use COVID-19 testing supplies it bought under a $10.2 million contract after a ProPublica investigation last week showed the vendor was providing contaminated…
COVID-19 in Arizona: Clubs close after citations, push back on Ducey’s call-out of ‘bad actors’
PHOENIX – Several Scottsdale bars and restaurants labeled “bad actors” by Gov. Doug Ducey have shut down temporarily, and they’re pushing back on his allegations that they disregarded safety protocols meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Ducey labeled eight Scottsdale establishments “bad actors” at a news conference Thursday. The admonishment came after city authorities…
Spike Lee Is Back in Action With ‘Da 5 Bloods’
Spike Lee follows up BlacKkKlansman, one of his best movies, with another great one, Da 5 Bloods, now out on Netflix. Delroy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman lead a strong cast as Lee examines the lives of five Black veterans before and after Vietnam. Lee and his co-writers send the five characters back to Vietnam to…
Critical of critical habitat: Endangered turtle haven abuts border wall
PHOENIX – Nearly three years after it won endangered species status, the Sonoyta mud turtle was granted 12.3 acres of protected habitat this week – but supporters worry that that habitat may no longer provide all the protection the turtles need. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday designated an area in the Organ…
Local DJs Live Stream on Facebook to Raise Funds for COVID Masks for the Homeless
Mondays are not typically known to be a party day, but we’re not living in typical times. DJ Jahmar International of DJs Against Hunger will be live-streaming a two-hour DJ set tonight, Monday, June 29 on his Facebook page, featuring the best reggae and hip hop known to the human race in an effort to…
Bighorn Fire Surpasses 100,000 Acres, Fire Crews Braced for Extreme Winds Today
It will be another hot, windy day on the flanks of the Catalina Mountains, where the Bighorn Fire has burned 107,000 acres over the past three weeks. The blaze, which began from a lightning strike on June 5, is currently 45 percent contained with more than 1,000 fire personnel on the job. Since its start,…
Amid COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter, providers push for equity in treating eating disorders
PHOENIX – Changes in lifestyle associated with COVID-19 have heightened concerns among health professionals about anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating and other eating disorders. But one demographic is drawing particular attention: Black women, who have long been overlooked in this specialized area of treatment. “We’re underserved. We’re poorly served. We’re served through bias and ignorance,” said Shelby…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Update for Monday, June 29: Confirmed Cases Top 74K; 1.5K Now Dead After Contracting Virus; Hospitals Activating Surge Plans; No “A” Mountain Fireworks This Week
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 74,000 threshold as of Monday, June 29, after the state reported 625 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That said, Arizona Department of Health Services tweeted earlier this morning that not all new cases are reflected in this total,…
Claytoonz: Trump’s White Power
Fore more Claytoonz click here.
Tucson Salvage: A Thing of Hate
The sun falls and the cloud turns dark against the sky, unfurling off the southern slope of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Some evil invading the northeastern part of the city. The helicopters are gone from above now but the buzzsaw harmonics of Cicadas remain and I let the black smoke turn into a plague of…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Friday, June 26: What We’ve Covered Today
ICYMI, here are the stories we covered today. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 66,000 threshold as of Friday, June 26, after the state reported 3,428 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. What’s essential in a pandemic? Pretty much everything, if you read the tariff…
17th Street Market Returns in July
Imagine, if you will, an international farmers market you would likely see in Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles—but located in downtown. Tucson’s beloved 17th Street Market is reopening mid-July and it’s expected to be unlike anything the Old Pueblo has ever seen before. “Basically, it’s opening in a different form,” Owner Tom Kusian said.…
Politifact Says Sen. Martha McSally Is Lying Again About Protecting People with Pre-Existing Conditions
Just as the Trump administration was asking the Supreme Court to toss out Obamacare, Politifact was out yesterday with a new assessment of appointed Sen. Martha McSally’s claim in a recent ad that she “will always protect people with preexisting conditions. Always.” Yesterday, PolitiFact rated that claim, based on McSally’s own voting record, as “false.”…
Arizona lawmakers split on party lines as House passes police reform bill
PHOENIX – Arizona lawmakers split on party lines Thursday as the House passed a Democrat-backed police reform bill on the one-month anniversary of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would ban chokeholds like the one that killed Floyd, restrict police officers’ qualified legal immunity, require…
Tucson Medical Center launches campaign encouraging voter participation
According to the president and CEO of TMC Healthcare, Judy Rich, one of the most important things healthcare workers (and anyone else) can do to improve public health is to become more civically engaged. That’s the leading message of Tucson Medical Center’s newest campaign, launched in partnership with VotER, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works…
No, President Trump, Testing Is Not Causing Case Counts to Rise. The Virus Is Just Spreading Faster.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have repeatedly attributed the increase in the coronavirus case count in the United States to an increase in testing. “We’re doing so much testing, so…
San Pedro River, squeezed by growing population, is subject of multiple lawsuits
PHOENIX – The Verde and the San Pedro rivers are the subject of lawsuits filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club and other conservation groups. In Part 1 of this series, Cronkite News explored the impact cattle have had on the Verde River. For the final installment, Cronkite News looks at the…
A Company Run by a White House “Volunteer” With No Experience in Medical Supplies Got $2.4 Million From the Feds for Medical Supplies
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. A company created by a former Pentagon official who describes himself as a White House volunteer for Vice President Mike Pence won a $2.4 million dollar contract in May — its first federal…
Oyster, Air Fryer and Bicycle Companies Say Their Goods Are Essential to Fighting Coronavirus So They Can Get Tariff Relief
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. What’s essential in a pandemic? Pretty much everything, if you read the tariff appeals of companies that import goods from China. Canned tuna, which an importer argues is a perfect food to stock…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 Roundup for Friday, June 26: Total AZ Cases Top 66K; Death Toll Tops 1500; Ducey Warns Hospitals Will Soon Need To Activate Emergency Plans, Suggests People Take More Precautions; Baseball Is Coming Back
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 66,000 threshold as of Friday, June 26, after the state reported 3,428 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 6,836 of the state’s 66,458 confirmed cases. Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1,…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 PM Update for Thursday, June 25: What We’ve Covered Today
ICYMI, here are the stories we covered for you today. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 63,000 threshold as of Thursday, June 25, after the state reported 3,056 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. It’s a tale of two rivers: The Verde, which flows south…
Northeast states slap quarantine on Arizona travelers to stem COVID-19 spread
TEMPE – Arizonans will face a 14-day quarantine if they travel to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, whose governors announced the restriction Wednesday to keep people from COVID-19 “hot spots” from bringing the infection with them. The quarantine, which took effect at midnight Wednesday, applied to nine states with positive virus test rates above…
Gov. Ducey: Arizonans would be safer staying home
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has blunt advice for anyone worried about catching COVID-19: Stay home where it’s safer. The governor’s tip, delivered during his weekly press conference, came as the state passed 63,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. “COVID-19 is widespread in Arizona,” Ducey said. “It’s in all 15 of our counties. It’s growing, and…
Stop Seizing Paychecks, Senators Write to Capital One and Other Debt Collectors
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. The nation’s largest debt collectors should suspend seizing wages “immediately,” two prominent senators demanded in letters sent Wednesday. The letters came in response to a ProPublica story this month that focused on how…
Inside the U.S.’s Largest Maximum-Security Prison, COVID-19 Raged. Outside, Officials Called Their Fight a Success.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. By the time he persuaded the guards to let him call his family, Michael Williams could feel his life slipping away. His body ached, and he was struggling to breathe. For three days,…
Romero Responds to TPD Chief’s Resignation Offer: “I Do Not Believe the Chief Should Resign”; City Manager Mike Ortega Tells Magnus To Stay on the Job
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero today said she did not believe Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus should resign following yesterday’s press conference during which Magnus offered to step down following the completion of an investigation into the in-custody death of 27-year-old Carlos Adrian Ingram, who died of cardiac arrest as he was physically held down by…
Arizona jobless rate drops sharply, but still at twice pre-COVID levels
WASHINGTON – Arizona posted one of the sharpest unemployment drops in the country in May, falling from a historic high of 13.4% in April to 8.9% last month, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But that drop still left May’s unemployment rate for the state at the highest point in…
He Removed Labels That Said “Medical Use Prohibited,” Then Tried to Sell Thousands of Masks to Officials Who Distribute to Hospitals
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. Lucas Rensko was making money through a popular handyman-for-hire app called TaskRabbit, doing odd…
Play ball: Diamondbacks, MLB prepare to play America’s pastime in coronavirus era
PHOENIX – When Major League Baseball canceled the remainder of spring training games on March 12 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, it was with the initial hope of holding Opening Day for the 2020 season on April 9. That hope never manifested as the spread of the coronavirus forced the league and its players…
Cattle damage to Arizona’s Verde River spurs legal action
PHOENIX – It’s a tale of two rivers: The Verde, which flows south from near Flagstaff to metro Phoenix, and the San Pedro, which begins in Mexico and flows north to Winkelman. In some ways, the rivers differ drastically. The San Pedro is one of the last undammed rivers in the Southwest, while the Verde…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup: Cases Top 63K; 3K New Confirmed Cases Today; Hospitals Remain Under Stress; Ducey Reveals Details of School Funding Plan
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 63,000 threshold as of Thursday, June 25, after the state reported 3,056 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 6,546 of the state’s 63,033 confirmed cases. Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1,…
All Bark and No Bites
Keeping your dog safe from rattlesnakes during the summer
Stray Thoughts
The Future of Helping Dogs on the Loose
Stay At Home
You can prevent separation anxiety in your dogs
Pet Problems
Keeping your furry friends safe from the summer heat
Taking Home
Whether you get evicted in Pima County depends on where you live
Here to Stay, For Now
DACA gets a reprieve, but Trump vows to make another attempt to end the program for undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children
Danehy
THE PIMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS GOING WAY TOO EASY ON PEOPLE WHO WON’T WEAR MASKS
Open and Shut
An alarming rise in COVID-19 cases leads to a growing number of Pima County restaurateurs to consider voluntarily closing their dining rooms
Prime Time
Boasting one of the most diverse selections of MMJ products in Tucson at reasonable prices, The Prime Leaf makes sure its customers leave happy and feeling hooked-up
Southern Arizona Weekly COVID-19 Roundup
A glimpse at the news covered throughout the week
On the Record
Prosecutor seeking top spot in Pima County Attorney’s Office has several letters of reprimand in his personnel file
Mask Up
Residents of Pima County required to cover their faces in public to combat spread of COVID-19
