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Editor’s Note: Here to Help and Inform
As the confirmed cases of COVID-19 rise across the state, there’s a lot of uncertainty out there.
To Our Readers
A letter to you, our readers, from our President.
Candidates Are Scrambling To Get Signatures To Run for Elías Seat on Board of Supes
There are now six candidates running for the Pima County Board of Supervisors District 5 seat—and they have less than five days until the signatures are due at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 6. Four Democratic hopefuls filed paperwork days after District 5 Supervisor Richard Eliás died of an apparent heart attack last weekend. TUSD…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus PM Roundup: 29 Now Dead Statewide, Confirmed Cases Hit 1,413; It’s April 1 and the Rent Is Due for Struggling Restaurants; UA/PAG Want Your Ideas for a COVID-19 Testing Booth; Loft Is Streaming ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’
Here are the stories we’ve been following today: • Pima County had 217 of the state’s 1,431 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. A total of 29 people have died in Arizona from COVID-19, including 10 in Pima County. • It’s April 1 and the rent…
Humane Society Hosting Pet Food Drive This Weekend
Humans aren’t the only ones suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic: There are furry friends out there that need a helping hand. In an effort to fill food bowls for those facing hardship, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona is hosting a pet food donation drive this Friday and Saturday. Donations go to the organization’s monthly…
Loft Cinema Presents Free Livestream of ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ Tonight
Since we can’t go to the Loft Cinema, the Loft brings the cinema to us! Besides the classy arthouse offerings that the Loft is streaming on the regular, the nonprofit theater is presenting a free live stream of Ed Wood’s classic Plan 9 From Outer Space’ tonight. Is there a better way to celebrate April…
UA Economics Professor Price Fishback: People Are Going To Need Some Credit To Get Through This Outbreak
Price V. Fishback is an economic historian who has served as the Thomas R. Brown Professor of Economics at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management since 2010. He earned a PhD in Economics from the University of Washington and is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. This interview has…
UA, Pima Association of Governments Seek Your Ideas To Create COVID-19 “Testing Booth”
The Pima Association of Governments’ Regional Partnering Center is collaborating with the University of Arizona’s Center for Innovation to launch an “innovation challenge” to design a safe testing booth for COVID-19 to be used at local hospitals. The innovation challenge is open to members of the community to quickly develop an outdoor medical consultation and…
Nonprofits Grants Available from Community Foundation for Southern Arizona
Nonprofits doing charitable work in Pima and Santa Cruz counties can now apply for grant funding from The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona’s COVID-19 relief funds, which launched last month. The foundation unveiled the Community Support and Nonprofit Event Relief funds in an effort to shore up the finances of those hit hardest during the…
It’s April 1 and Rent Is Due: Restaurateurs Struggle To Make Payments
While April Fools Day marks a new month, the struggle for restaurants across the nation—and locally—is no laughing matter. Last week, The Cheesecake Factory sent a letter to the landlords of their 294 restaurants, spread out across 39 states, explaining they would not be paying rent at any of their restaurants or affiliates for April…
A Major Medical Staffing Company Just Slashed Benefits for Doctors and Nurses Fighting Coronavirus
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Emergency room doctors and nurses many of whom are dealing with an onslaught of coronavirus patients and shortages of protective equipment — are now finding out that their compensation is getting cut. Most…
Marana Waives Late Fees, Ties Local Emergency to Statewide Proclamation
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Town of Marana temporarily waived a series of fees to help keep money in residents’ pockets. The town will not collect fees on late payments, returned checks, dog licensing and late license renewals. The change in protocol was part of Mayor Ed Honea’s fourth amendment to his…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus AM Roundup: 29 Now Dead Statewide as Cases Grow to 1,413; Stay Home and Stay Safe
The coronavirus had killed 29 people statewide, including 15 in Pima County, as of Wednesday, April 1, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had 217 of the 1,413 cases of COVID-19 that had been confirmed in Arizona. In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has…
Taxpayers Paid Millions to Design a Low-Cost Ventilator for a Pandemic. Instead, the Company Is Selling Versions of It Overseas.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tried to plug a crucial hole in its preparations for a global pandemic, signing a $13.8 million contract with a Pennsylvania manufacturer…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus PM Roundup: COVID-19 Cases Rise to Nearly 1300; Banner Accepting Donations of Medical Gear; Dumb UA Kids Throw Party in Midst of Pandemic; Race for Elias Seat Gets More Crowded
The stories we followed today: • Pima County had 202 of the state’s 1,289 confirmed COVID-19 cases. A total of 24 people have now died after contracting the novel coronavirus. • Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry is sending as many employees as he can home, either on leave or telecommuting. • Some dumb UA students…
Some Pima County Employees Placed on Leave, Working from Home
Pima County employees deemed non-essential will be asked to stay home from work until Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order is lifted, the county announced Tuesday. As of Wednesday, April 1, employees sent home will be eligible for county and federal pandemic leave. County employees still working in their offices will continue to do so, though…
Dumb UA Kids Throw a Weekend Party, TPD Warns That Scofflaws May Face Consequences
A University of Arizona senior hosted a house party over the weekend despite the City of Tucson’s call to avoid nonessential gatherings. The party caused a response from the Tucson Police Department, which later released a statement saying they are “ready to enforce social distancing using state statutes, the red tag ordinance or possibly new…
Bisbee Breakfast Club Closes Tucson Locations Until Further Notice
Tucson’s superb breakfast and brunch scene are a little less delicious this week after Bisbee Breakfast Club announced it would close all Tucson locations due to growing concern over the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure includes carry-out and curbside pickups and took effect on Tuesday. “Through no lack of support from you wonderful folks, we’ve powered…
#SceneFromASocialDistance: Getting To Know Your Neighbors
The fear of hunger has driven many to stock up food supplies and, in the worst cases, to hoard. That hunger for food will most likely be satisfied one way or another. Some may die after contracting COVID-19, but no one is going to starve to death. There is another kind of hunger developing—one that…
Senior Living Community Asking for Messages of Love During COVID-19 Pandemic
If you’ve recently found yourself trying to stay occupied as you shelter at home, why not send a loving message to someone who needs a bit of encouragement? That’s what Park Senior Villas at La Canada is asking of the Tucson community. The senior living community is looking for a bit of love for its…
Banner Health Accepting Donations of Medical Supplies and Protective Equipment
The Banner Health Foundation is accepting donations of medical supplies and personal protective equipment for use in Banner Health’s Arizona hospitals and medical centers. Donations can be dropped off, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Banner Health Home office located at 575 E. River Road. The foundation asks that any…
Walmart Rolling Out Infrared Thermometers to Take Employee Temperatures
On Tuesday, Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner announced that the company would take the temperatures of all its employees as they arrive to work. This new measure includes all Walmart facilities: stores, clubs, and distribution centers. Shipping infrared thermometers to all locations will take up to three weeks. In a company communication, Furner…
You Can Still Get a Library Card Online if You Don’t Have One
Schools are closed, restaurants are closed, stores are closed. If you do venture out for any reason, you’ll notice that everything has been shuttered to some degree due to precautionary measures for COVID-19. And, yes, that means the public library, too. But, fear not! You can still get your hands on a library card if…
Three Local Restaurants Provide Meals for Essential Workers
Prep & Pastry, Commoner & Co. and eegee’s have partnered up to deliver donated breakfasts, lunches, and dinners to grocery store workers throughout Tucson today. “These individuals are taking a risk for all of us; they’re potentially exposing themselves to COVID-19 so that the rest of us can have access to critical grocery services, and…
Consuelo Hernandez Expected to Run for Elias’ Seat
There are now two new Democratic candidates running for the Pima County Supervisors District 5 seat left vacant after Supervisor Richard Elias died this past Saturday. Consuelo Hernandez filed a Statement of Interest as well as a Statement of Organization with the Pima County Elections Department on Monday, according to Mary Martinson, elections unit supervisor…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus AM Roundup for Tuesday, March 31: 1,289 Confirmed Cases in the State; 24 Now Dead; Ducey Tells Arizonans To Stay Home; School Year Canceled; Nursing Home Outbreak
The coronavirus has now killed 24 people statewide, including six in Pima County, as of Tuesday, March 31, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. A total of 1,289 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Arizona. There are now 202 confirmed cases in Pima County, where six people have…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus PM Roundup for Monday, March 30: Ducey Orders Statewide Stay-at-Home Order, Closes Schools; Tucson Nursing Home Reports 27 COVID-19 Cases; AZ Confirmed Cases Top 1K
Today in Southern Arizona COVID-19 news: • Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered a statewide stay-at-home order beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, although people may still shop for groceries, and other supplies; go to work at a business the governor has deemed essential; visit family and friends who need help; and visit the great outdoors.…
Gov. Ducey Issues ‘Stay At Home’ Order
Gov. Doug Ducey has issued a statewide stay-at-home order as confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Arizona have climbed past 1,100. Under the order, Arizonans are still able to shop for groceries, medical and household needs, and pet supplies. You can also go work, pick up a take-out meal from a restaurant, travel to take care…
Tucson Nursing Home Reports 27 COVID-19 Cases
A nursing and rehabilitation facility located in Tucson reported 27 confirmed COVID-19 cases among its residents and patients. Sapphire of Tucson announced the results Monday morning. According to the company, 24 patients and three employees tested positive. Sapphire is located at 2900 E. Milber St., near Banner-University Medical Center South. “As soon as the first…
Adelita Grijalva Announces Bid For Elias’ Seat
Tucson Unified School District Board Member Adelita Grijalva announced her intention to run for the Pima County District 5 seat in a Facebook post this afternoon. The announcement comes days District 5 Supervisor Richard Elias died on Saturday and just a week before the filing deadline to seek the office. From the FB post: The…
Courts Announce New Protective Order Process In Response to COVID-19 Emergency
The Pima County Superior Court, Justice Court, and Tucson City Court have moved their procedures for filing protection orders to an online format, due to the COVID-19 health emergency. Victims of abuse, stalking, or harassment can now complete most requests for protection orders by phone and the internet. Applicants must start their protection order request…
Local First Arizona Launches Small Business Relief Fund
Small businesses throughout Arizona looking for some financial assistance during the COVID-19 Pandemic can now look to Local First Arizona for help after the nonprofit launched its Small Business Relief Fund on Monday. Businesses who employ up to three employees and generate less than $250,000 in annual revenue can apply for immediate assistance. Businesses must…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus AM Update for Monday, March 30: AZ Confirmed Cases Top 1K, 20 Now Dead
The coronavirus has now killed 20 people statewide, including six in Pima County, as of Monday, March 30, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. A total of 1,157 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Arizona. There are now 187 confirmed cases in Pima County. The latest death in…
AZ School Closures Extended Through the End of the School Year
Gov. Doug Ducey and State Superintendent Kathy Hoffman announced this morning that Arizona schools would remain closed through the end of the academic year. Ducey and Hoffman released the following statement: In alignment with yesterday’s updated federal guidance, today we are announcing the extension of school closures through the remainder of the school year. Today’s…
Congressman Raul Grijalva: “Richard Elias Gave a Shit”
My family and I were stunned and saddened by the sudden death of our dear brother, Richard Elias. Frustrated by the distance this crisis demands and unable to personally comfort Emily, Luz and the Elias family, we are left with the overwhelming sadness that so many of us who loved and worked with Richard can’t…
BREAKING: Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias Dead at 61
Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias died today at age 61. Elias, a Democrat who has represented District 5 since being appointed to the board in 2002, has been serving as chair of the five-member board. Justice of the Peace Ray Carroll, who served alongside Elias on the board before declining to seek reelection in 2016,…
Your Southern AZ Coronovirus Roundup for Saturday, March 28: AZ Cases Rise to 773; 120 Cases in Pima County; Romero Orders Closure of Non-Essential Biz in Tucson and Urges Residents To Stay Home
A total of 773 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Arizona on Saturday, March 28, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. That’s a jump of 108 from yesterday’s 665. There are now 120 confirmed cases in Pima County. The virus has killed 15 people in Arizona, including at…
Your Southern Arizona Coronavirus PM Roundup: Friday, March 27
Here are the coronavirus news stories we’ve been following today: A total of 665 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Arizona on Friday, March 27, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. With the Arizona Department of Health Services announcing the state’s COVID-19 transmission level to be “widespread,” sectors…
Oro Valley extends business restrictions, shuts down parks and rec amenities
Oro Valley’s proclamation shuttering businesses and restricting restaurants to carry-out and delivery services were extended through the end of the state-wide emergency after a third amendment to its proclamation on Friday. Mayor Joe Winfield issued his original proclamation on March 17, but at the time did not require establishments to close. In his original message,…
If You Don’t Have Plans To Go Out Tonight: Fox Tucson Theater Presents “Friday Nights In”
It’s Friday, which usually means going and doing something fun to cap off the end of the work or school week. What’s that you say? Everything is closed? Well, not to worry! Tonight, Fox Presents Friday Nights In! Co-hosted by Tucson Weekly, tonight’s “Friday Nights In” features Acoustic Crossroads with singer/songwriters Billy Shaw Jr. & Amy Munoz right…
UA Scientists 3D-Printing Medical Masks to Fight COVID-19
A group of researchers from the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering and College of Medicine are 3D printing medical masks for health care workers at Banner Medical Center. The project involves multiple scientific fields; researchers in materials science and engineering will print the masks, then a chemical engineering researcher and a medical professor will…
Gov. Ducey signs legislation providing education guidelines
As the question of whether Arizona’s public schools will reopen before the scheduled date of summer break hangs in the air, administrators now know they will not have to extend the academic year. Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation Friday that ensures school will not have to make up for days lost due to statewide closures…
Hospitals Bracing for a Rush of COVID-19 Cases, but the Needed Personal Protective Equipment Remains in Short Supply
With the Arizona Department of Health Services announcing the state’s COVID-19 transmission level to be “widespread,” sectors from private businesses to the state government are implementing new plans to combat the steadily growing pandemic. These plans all focus on preventing an eventual hospital overload with more patients than beds, as has happened in other countries…
The Triple-T Truckstop Feeds Drivers Who Keep the Nation’s Supply Chains in Gear
As basic necessities and rest-stop options become limited across the nation during the coronavirus pandemic, the Triple T Truckstop is stepping up to make sure truck drivers on Interstate 10 have what they need and a safe, clean place to lay their head. “Everyday day you go to a store looking for toilet paper, you…
Cannabis Demand Is Up as Dispensaries Adapt to Coronavirus
As with many businesses, dispensaries continue to adapt to daily societal change in the face of the COVID-19 virus. While non-essential businesses remain closed for the foreseeable future, dispensaries continue to maintain recommended measures to keep patients and staff safe. Most dispensaries have adopted social-distancing policies to keep patients a safe distance from each other…
As Coronavirus Infections Spread, So Have Clashes Between ICE Detainees and Guards
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, as part of an investigative partnership. As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, so have confrontations between detainees and guards at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities…
Waiting in Vain? Tucsonans Line Up Early to Buy Groceries
Dozens of Tucsonans waited outside Fry’s Grocery Store at Grant Road and Swan Road at 6 A.M. to be the first to procure necessity items like eggs, milk, bread and toilet paper once the doors open at 7 A.M. Recently the grocery store changed their hours to open for seniors at 6 A.M. Monday through Thursday,…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus AM Roundup: Confirmed Cases Rise To 665 in AZ, 4 Dead in Pima County
A total of 665 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Arizona on Friday, March 27, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. That’s a jump of 157 from yesterday’s 508. There are now 102 confirmed cases in Pima County. The virus has killed 13 people in Arizona, including four…
Local Hospitals Update Strategies to Handle Coronavirus
With the Arizona Department of Health Services announcing the state’s COVID-19 transmission level to be “widespread,” sectors from private businesses to the state government are implementing new plans to combat the steadily growing pandemic. These plans all focus on preventing an eventual hospital overload with more patients than beds, as has happened in other countries…
“Our Goal Should Be to Crush the Curve”
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. In January 1976, flu broke out among Army recruits training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Most of the flu, tests revealed, was of a common strain, A-Victoria, but four cases (one of them…
Internal Emails Show How Chaos at the CDC Slowed the Early Response to Coronavirus
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest st ories as soon as they’re published. On Feb. 13, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out an email with what the author described as an “URGENT” call for help. The agency was struggling with one…
Your Southern AZ Coronavirus PM Update: AZ Confirmed Cases Rise to 508, Second Death in Pima County, Severe Shortages of Protective Gear for Healthcare Workers & More
Here are the stories we’ve been following today at the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread across Arizona: • Confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew to 508 today, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. A second person, a man in his 70s with underlying health conditions, has died in Pima County. The first victim was…
United Way launches United for Southern Arizona COVID-19 Fund
In an effort to provide essential items to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, The United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona announced the creation of the United for Southern Arizona COVID-19 Fund. The effort will help fund the distribution of goods to children, families, and seniors through partnerships with local nonprofits and partner…
Second COVID-19 Death in Pima County
An unnamed man in his 70s with pre-existing health conditions is the second Pima County resident to die in the COVID-19 pandemic, the county health department announced Thursday. The first was a woman in her 50s who also had underlying health conditions. “It is an upsetting reality that we will continue to see the number…
Pima County Supervisors Extend Biz Closures Through Friday, April 10
As the number of COVID-19 cases in Pima County continues to rise each day, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to extend their mandate on the closure of all movie theaters, gyms, restaurants, bars and other places where people gather in unincorporated parts of the county. Restaurants are still allowed to operate through…
Pima County Desperately Short of Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers as State Announces “Widespread Transmission” of COVID-19
Pima County needs a lot more personal protective gear for healthcare workers on the front line of dealing with the COVID-19 virus that state officials now consider to be be in widespread transmission. Pima County got a shipment from the state’s portion of the federal National Strategic Stockpile, but it’s not nearly enough, even when…
Silver Sea’s Pet Food Pantry For Those In Need
If you’re having a hard time affording pet food and needs during the coronavirus shut down, come see Lizzie Mead, owner of the Silver Sea on Fourth Avenue. Mead’s shop doubles as a pet food pantry giving away dog and cat food, leashes, collars and other pet related items for those with low-income or temporarily…
City Week
The COVID-19 situation seems to change every moment, affecting everything from our jobs to our bathroom habits to our screentime. Below are just a few resources you may be able to turn to for help. Watch this space and TucsonWeekly.com for more help.
Art in the Time of Coronavirus
Over the last two weeks, Tucson’s art museums have closed down one by one, their grim announcements syncing with the worsening national news about the coronavirus pandemic. Some galleries have closed as well (see accompanying box for closures).
Living Room Theater
With mass business closures and event cancelations, Tucsonans are finding themselves with ample time to work through that seemingly endless “to watch” movie list.
Reel Indie
While local movie theaters are closed for the time being because of the darn pandemic, you’re likely not cut off from wonderful cinema.
Arts: Stage Left
One doesn’t need to see the Rialto Theatre’s “F U Coronavirus” marquee to know the artistic heart of Tucson has gone silent.
Music: The Covid Sessions
At 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, every restaurant, bar, club and cafe in the City of Tucson closed its doors through the end of the month in an attempt to slow the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus. While this obviously dealt a massive blow to the food and hospitality industries, it also stripped local…
Feed the Children
The spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has put a growing number of people out of work and Gov. Doug Ducey has extended school closures through at last April 10.
Interview: Fighting the Bug
Dr. James Galloway is a former assistant U.S. Surgeon General, a cardiovascular medical doctor and a public health expert.
Pressed for Space
Local child care is on shaky ground as more Tucson families are staying home to fight the spread of coronavirus after Gov. Doug Ducey’s order that school closures would continue through at least April 10.
Chow: On the Fly
Tucson’s vibrant restaurant industry screeched to a halt at 8 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, as Mayor Regina Romero ordered all restaurants, bars, venues, gyms and places people congregate shut down until the end of March to slow the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medical Marijuana: Keeping Coronavirus Out of Cannabis
While many businesses in major metropolitan areas have closed their doors for the foreseeable future, medical cannabis patients don’t have to worry
