Cover Story
Take a Shot! Local health officials work to overcome vaccine hesitancy
On a recent Friday night, Paul Madero walked into downtown’s Fox Tucson Theatre mobile vaccination site following almost a month in the hospital thanks to a mountain bike accident. Madero’s daughter, April Madero, had already gotten her family vaccinated, but was unable to get her father an appointment. April saw the Fox Theater offered vaccinations…
The Daily Saguaro, Saturday, 5/22/21
The trunk of this saguaro is as big as any I’ve ever seen…
Service time manipulation: Debate rages as MLB teams hold off on bringing up top prospects
[image-1] PHOENIX – The words were light, yet poignant. “If we would’ve had an injury problem or a COVID outbreak, you might’ve seen my big tummy out there in left field.” That’s what former Seattle Mariners President Kevin Mather said during a video call with a local rotary club on Feb. 5, adding that there…
Arizona bill targeting transgender athletes could impact state’s ability to host NCAA events
PHOENIX – Although Arizona is the site of two NCAA softball regionals this week, that might not be the case next year if the state passes a law requiring athletes to compete in interscholastic sports based on their sex at birth. The “Save Women’s Sports Act” was introduced on Feb. 3 as House Bill 2706,…
Vaccinations Available at Foothills Mall; Tucson Repeals Mask Mandate
Pima County is expanding vaccine opportunities, offering daily walk-in vaccinations at Foothills Mall. On Sunday, the vaccination site, located in the former Old Navy store, began offering vaccinations for all ages from noon to 8 p.m. every day. “The large operations made an incredible impact and allowed us to vaccinate hundreds of thousands of people…
‘It hasn’t stopped’: Arizona volunteers try to stem the tide of migrant deaths in the desert
AJO – It was a simple message scrawled into a basalt rock lying near-empty cans of beans and jugs of water that volunteers had left deep in the Sonoran Desert for undocumented immigrants passing through: “Gracias.” But to Mikal Jakubal, who, as a volunteer with the Ajo Samaritans, had been making weekly trips into the…
How inconsistent policies and enforcement have created false hope for migrants at the border
The Biden administration and the Mexican government have made the situation at the border so confusing that even seasoned experts can’t always determine who is allowed in and who isn’t. That may be contributing to the high number of border crossings. No matter how hard he tried, Jonatan Garcia said, he couldn’t find steady work…
Hundreds of PPP Loans Went to Fake Farms in Absurd Places
An online lending platform called Kabbage sent 378 pandemic loans worth $7 million to fake companies (mostly farms) with names like “Deely Nuts” and “Beefy King.” The shoreline communities of Ocean County, New Jersey, are a summertime getaway for throngs of urbanites, lined with vacation homes and ice cream parlors. Not exactly pastoral — which…
Local nonprofits eligible for free Wi-Fi
Area organizations that help low-income families access the internet are now able to apply for free Wi-Fi. During this year, Comcast is selecting nonprofits to benefit from its Lift Zones program, which will supply free internet access for the next three years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson and the Pascua Yaqui Clubhouse were recent…
Documents Show Trump Officials Used Secret Terrorism Unit to Question Lawyers at the Border
In newly disclosed records, Trump officials cited conspiracies about Antifa to justify interrogating immigration lawyers with a special terrorism unit. The documents also show that more lawyers were targeted than previously known. Taylor Levy couldn’t understand why she’d been held for hours by Customs and Border Protection officials when crossing back into El Paso, Texas,…
Arizona in top 15 for congressional effectiveness
WASHINGTON — They don’t have the high profiles or long tenure of other members of Congress, but Arizona lawmakers in the last Congress ranked relatively high on a recent scorecard of congressional effectiveness. The Center for Effective Lawmaking study, by researchers at the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University, ranked members on the amount of…
Movie Review: Riders of Justice is a Shocking, Thrilling, and Oddly Funny Film Now Playing at The Loft Cinema
MOVIE REVIEW: RIDERS OF JUSTICE Now Screening at The Loft Cinema Mads Mikkelsen is one of the many things that makes Anders Thomas Jensen’s Riders of Justice one of the year’s best films so far. He’s brilliant in a movie that dares to dig below the surface of a revenge movie plot and provide characters…
Disc golf participation soars during coronavirus pandemic
PHOENIX – Carla Walker was tired of sitting inside during the coronavirus pandemic. She missed going to the gym, shopping and spending time with friends and family. Her retail job in Central Phoenix had laid her off and she had time on her hands. She wasn’t sure how to fill it. One day while returning…
Police keep tabs on social media, but who keeps tabs on cops?
Phoenix police don’t follow Fe’La iniko on social media, but he knows they’re watching. “They’re pretty hip to Instagram,” the racial justice activist said. “Sometimes they’ll pop up in my story views.” Iniko, whose given name is Milton Hasley, often uses social media to share fliers on upcoming protests or speak out against police violence.…
County Repeals Mask Mandate, But Still Recommends Mask Use
The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to 4-1 to repeal the mask mandate and continue recommending masks at the emergency meeting Friday afternoon. In order to stay in line with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on Thursday, announcing fully-vaccinated individuals can go unmasked in indoor and outdoor settings in most…
Poll: Majority of Voters Supports Biden Infrastructure and Care Plan
A new poll shows bipartisan support for President Joe Biden’s infrastructure and care plan in key states, according to Data for Progress. From the end of April to early May, Data for Progress, a think tank and political advocacy group, surveyed an average of 642 likely voters in each of 10 key states – Arizona,…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, May 14: Board of Supervisors to discuss mask mandate today; Ducey shutting down federal unemployment aid; Here’s where to find a vax shot
Fully vaccinated individuals can resume activities without wearing a mask and physical distancing in indoor or outdoor settings, in most cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated public health guidance released Thursday. “Today brings more encouraging news for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — and another reason for everyone else to…
Ducey to halt $300 federal boost to unemployment benefits
Arizona will no longer provide the weekly $300 federal supplement for unemployed workers during the pandemic, Gov. Doug Ducey said on Thursday. With his “Arizona Back-to-Work” Plan, thousands of Arizonans on unemployment will return to receiving the maximum $240 on July 10. Several other states announced they also would stop taking the federal pandemic unemployment…
Golf tournament to benefit Community Food Bank, Pascua Yaqui Tribe
The Casino Del Sol Charity Golf Tournament is back for its sixth year to raise money for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe Charitable Organization. The event will be held Oct. 27-28, 2021, at Sewailo Golf Club. Casino Del Sol has hosted the Charity Golf Tournament since 2015, with…
Pima County offers free swimming lessons for children
Pima County and Tucson Medical Center are offering 800 free swim lessons to children at three Pima County pools. The free lessons will be available at: Kino Pool, 2805 E. Ajo Way Los Niños Pool, 5432 S. Bryant Ave. Flowing Wells Pool, 4545 N. La Cholla Blvd. The lessons are part of an overall water…
Another Hill to climb: Obscure law denies Dreamers congressional jobs
WASHINGTON – Gilbert resident Jose Patiño remembers the moment he knew he wanted to work in Congress: It was 2018 and he had just spent months in Washington lobbying to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. “That’s where I saw how impactful it was to have people there,” Patiño said. “While I was…
Pima Board of Supervisors To Meet Friday To Discuss New CDC Mask Guidlines
Fully vaccinated individuals can resume activities without wearing a mask and physical distancing in indoor or outdoor settings, in most cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated public health guidance released Thursday. “Today brings more encouraging news for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — and another reason for everyone else to…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, May 13: Mobile vax units at Wheeler Taft Library and Greyhound Park today; Here are other spots to find your shot
Pima County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have launched mobile vaccination units to reach vulnerable communities with high risks of COVID-19 exposure and infection. The operation includes two mobile vaccination units that are able to administer 250 vaccines per day each, according to a county press release. The units will run through June 26,…
Cultivation Community: The Guys at Green Lady can help you grow your own
Growing your own pot can be a rewarding experience, particularly when you consider how much it costs to buy your weed at the local dispensary. But getting started can be difficult, so what better place to learn about the ins and outs of the craft than an established hydroponics shop with a full-blown nursery attached?…
City Week: Weekly Picks
Art In the Eye of a Needle. There’s something really impressive about all of the displays at the Miniatures Museum: little houses only two feet tall, or people the size of your fingers. Colombian artist Flor Carvajal takes things to the next level with her micro-miniature sculptures on the head of pins and in the…
Wage Rage ‘Fight for $15’ ballot initiative gains traction in Tucson
For more than two months, organizers with the Tucson Fight for $15 campaign have worked to collect signatures in the hopes of getting a citywide policy initiative on the ballot this November. The initiative seeks to gradually increase Tucson’s minimum wage to $15 by 2025. In addition to increasing wages, the initiative would lead to…
Danehy: Tom has a few things to say to the TCC vaccine team, U.S. Sen. Sinema and State Sen. Michelle Udall
Dear Folks Involved in the Vaccination Effort at the Tucson Community Center: YOU’RE THE GREATEST! From the guy directing traffic to the madly skilled woman who put the needle in my arm to the uber-polite person checking to make sure that the newly vaccinated didn’t try to sneak out before their prescribed post-shot down time—you’re…
The Skinny: The Fraudit Doesn’t Add Up
Senate President Karen Fann just can’t understand why so many people view her so-called “audit” of Maricopa’s 2020 election as a sad and pathetic joke. During an appearance on Phoenix PBS affiliate KAET-TV last week, the Prescott Republican fell back on the argument that so many critics don’t want the audit done, she’s beginning to…
Mystic Blues: Keith Allen Dennis commemorates the transitional nature of Southern Arizona on new album
Bisbee is located roughly 10 miles from the Mexican border, but a stroll through its colorful architecture and storied downtown proves the city is influenced by much more than governmental transitions. On his latest album “Liminal,” musician Keith Allen Dennis traces the transitional nature of Bisbee’s history, culture, spirituality—and yes, geography—in a musical style he…
Editor’s Note: Take Your Best Shot
Last week, the New York Times had a story that suggested, thanks to vaccine hesitancy, we may not be able to vanquish COVID-19. Instead, the disease may continue to circulate at low levels “for generations.” It’s a chilling thought. This week, staff reporter Christina Duran sinks into the efforts that federal and local officials are…
Kelly visits local venues, hopes federal funding will open them soon
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz) visited the Rialto Theatre this week to highlight federal funding designed to get local music venues open again. The federal government allocated more than $16.2 billion to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant for live venues, live performing arts organizations, museums and movie theatres, as well as live venue promoters, theatrical producers…
