Scientists Celebrate Successful OSIRIS-REx Touch Down
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touched down on the asteroid Bennu for 4.7 seconds, a maneuver that was more than a decade in the making. Scientists at the University of Arizona nervously watched the data from the autonomous process — because the asteroid is more than 200 million miles away, messages from the…
Marana Council Pushes Out Town Manager, Replaces Him with Police Chief
The Town of Marana’s mayor and council chose Police Chief Terry Rozema to replace Jamsheed Mehta as town manager in a 6-1 vote during a special council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Rozema will begin his new job today. Council Member Roxanne Ziegler cast the lone dissenting vote. “I think this was something managed about…
U.S. Rep. Grijalva: ‘Trump Administration Must Undertake Every Effort To Reunite the Families They So Willingly Destroyed’
Lawyers were unable to track down the parents of 545 children removed from their families through the Trump administration’s family separation policy, according to a news release from Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s office. When former Attorney General Jeff Session announced the administration’s “zero-tolerance policy” in April 2018, migrant children were separated from their parents instead of…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Wednesday, Oct. 21: Nearly 1K New Cases Today; Four COVID Cases in Amphi Schools; Total AZ Cases Close in on 234K; Free Testing Available
With 975 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 234,000 as of Wednesday, Oct. 21, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 27,128 of the state’s 233,912 confirmed cases. With 17 new deaths yesterday, a total of 5,854 Arizonans had died after…
Homeowners who avoid wildfire damage can find themselves in new flood zone
Major wildfires have burned through the Western U.S. in 2020, breaking records for their scale and damage. As firefighters tamp down their immediate effects, those who live nearby are coming to grips with the lingering danger of wildfires. Even long after the flames are gone, residents face a serious increase in the threat of flooding.…
Four Positive COVID Cases in Amphi Schools
In its second week of reopening, the Amphitheater Unified School District has reported four positive coronavirus cases resulting in 32 students and staff members quarantining, Communications Director Michelle Valenzuela said in an email Tuesday. Amphitheater reopened for in-person classes in a hybrid model on Oct. 12, and its latest positive COVID-19 case was reported today,…
Supreme Court to hear Trump plan to use Pentagon funds for border wall
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider whether the Trump administration can use an emergency declaration to divert $2.5 billion on Defense Department funds to construct the southern border wall. Two lower courts have rejected the administration’s argument, agreeing with opponents who argue that the emergency declaration was meant to bypass Congress…
Sportswear Company Relocating Headquarters to Downtown Tucson
A luxury technical sportswear company is moving its operations to downtown Tucson. WOW Studios is relocating from Seattle to establish its new headquarters at 1 E. Toole Ave., the sportswear business announced in a press release Oct. 19. The company says their relocation will have an economic impact of $252 million over the next 10…
Watch Live: OSIRIS-REx Sample Collection Today
Today, The University of Arizona-led OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will make its first attempt to gather dust and rocks from the surface of the asteroid Bennu. NASA is currently streaming the operation live. While there isn’t a live feed from spacecraft itself (which is millions of miles away), the live stream is providing mission details, interviews with…
NAU linebacker has spotlight in Biden ad during Monday Night Football
LOS ANGELES – The intersection of sports and politics took center stage again Monday night when a campaign ad featuring a Northern Arizona football player aired during ESPN’s broadcast of the Arizona Cardinals-Dallas Cowboys game. Tristen Vance, a Hamilton High School graduate and linebacker for the Lumberjacks, expected to play his final season this fall before…
Arizona Senate race breaks record, pulling in whopping $133.7 million
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s Senate race is now the state’s most expensive campaign, with the latest Federal Election Commission filings showing the two candidates have pulled in a staggering $133.7 million so far. Republican Sen. Martha McSally had raised $50.9 million as of Sept. 30, while Democratic challenger Mark Kelly reported raising $82.8 million by that point, according…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Tuesday, Oct. 20: More Than 1K New Cases Today; UA Increases Number of In-Person Classes; Total AZ Cases Close in on 233K; Free Testing Available
With 1,040 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 233,000 as of Tuesday, Oct. 20, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 27,019 of the state’s 232,937 confirmed cases. With seven new deaths yesterday, a total of 5,837 Arizonans had died after…
Trump stops in Prescott, Tucson draw GOP crowds, Democratic jeers
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump was welcomed by boisterous MAGA-hatted crowds in Prescott and Tucson on Monday, the last stops on a Western swing as the campaign entered its final two weeks. But not everyone was putting out the welcome mat. Democrats in the state criticized what they called the president’s “super spreader” events during…
A country club for racing enthusiasts, Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox ups its game
PHOENIX – Inde Motorsports Ranch has been a staple among motorsports enthusiasts across North America for a decade. The 2.75-mile road course sits in Willcox, a community of 3,500 about 80 miles of Tucson. It grants its 200-plus members exclusive access to private garages, trackside casitas and 40 different track configurations, while boasting one of…
October Horror Show: Photos Show Border Wall Built Across San Pedro River
New photos show the Trump Administration’s border wall constructed across the San Pedro River, formerly the last major free-flowing river in Arizona. The photos, taken where the San Pedro crosses into Mexico from Cochise County, were shot by Robin Silver, co-founder and board member of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity. The wall’s construction has…
Tucson, other Arizona cities defend progress after slipping in clean energy ranking
WASHINGTON – Local officials pushed back this week against a new report that showed three Arizona cities slipping in a national ranking on clean-energy policies, saying the report does not appear to reflect their clean- and renewable-energy efforts. The 2020 City Clean Energy Scorecard, released last week by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, scores…
As Coronavirus Numbers Remain Low, UA Will Start More In-Person Classes This Week
The University of Arizona will allow more students to return to campus this week as metrics tracking the spread of coronavirus remain low, UA President Robert C. Robbins said in a news conference Monday, Oct. 19. Continuing phase two of its reopening plan, the university will allow classes of 50 or fewer to return the…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, Oct. 19: Total AZ Cases Close in on 232K; Free Coronavirus Testing Available
With 748 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 232,000 as of Monday, Oct. 19, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 26,955 of the state’s 231,897 confirmed cases. With three new deaths yesterday, a total of 5,830 Arizonans had died after…
For the West’s drinking water, wildfire concerns linger long after smoke clears
For many communities in the West, the water that flows out of kitchen faucets and bathroom showerheads starts high up in the mountains, as snowpack tucked under canopies of spruce and pine trees. This summer’s record-breaking wildfires have reduced some of those headwater forests to burnt trees and heaps of ash. In high alpine ecosystems,…
Magic Kingdom fans impatient over continued closure of Disneyland
ANAHEIM, California – Guidelines for theme park reopening are coming “very shortly,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in mid-September, but the Magic Kingdom remains closed and Disney fans, laid-off workers and city officials are pleading for tourism’s return to Orange County. Newsom last week pointed to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and told reporters the state…
Now Stream This: Pandemic Documentary Highlights this Week’s Streaming Releases at The Loft
The solid streaming continues at The Loft Cinema, along with their Open Air Cinema series. There are plenty of ways to get your Loft fix in these crazy times! This week’s streaming highlights: TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL A documentary on our pandemic that, not surprisingly, appears to paint our current douche President in a bad light.…
Opinion: Trump’s ACA Attacks Would Devastate Arizona’s Communities
For months now, we here in Arizona have said that health care is on the ballot this November—and that is even more true today than it was six months ago when this pandemic began. The dual public health and economic crises from the coronavirus have raised the stakes even higher when it comes to the…
eegee’s Expanding to Phoenix in 2021
The Tucson-based restaurant chain eegee’s has announced their plans to expand to the Phoenix area in 2021, with five new locations slated throughout the Valley. The openings will begin in the second quarter of next year and take place in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale and two locations in Gilbert. While eegee’s has expanded to two dozen locations…
As COVID-19 wreaks havoc on schedules, blowouts prevail in high school football
PHOENIX – In the first two weeks of the high school football season, the 6A conference has seen a high volume of blowouts. Twenty-five out of 34 matchups in the first two weeks in the 6A conference have been won by at least 17 points. You can probably blame the pandemic. Week two saw multiple…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, Oct. 16: Total AZ Cases Top 229K; Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair Canceled; More Restaurant Closures; Top News of the Week
With 738 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 229,000 as of Friday, Oct. 16, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 26,769 of the state’s 229,486 confirmed cases. With 17 new deaths yesterday, a total of 5,806 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19,…
Court: Mailed Navajo ballots should not get extra time to be counted
WASHINGTON – Native Americans may face barriers to voting in general, but that is not enough to require that ballots mailed from the Navajo Nation get 10 extra days to be counted, a federal appeals court said Thursday. The ruling by a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld a lower court that rejected…
Add COVID-19 to list of things driving Arizona teachers from jobs
WASHINGTON – Arizona schools have long struggled with teacher shortages but the problem was made worse this year by COVID-19, which has led to more teachers quitting or taking leave, school officials said. Just over 28% of teaching slots were still vacant several weeks into the 2020-2021 school year, up from 21% last year, according to…
Cafe Poca Cosa to Close
After 35 years in business, Tucson’s beloved Cafe Poca Cosa announces plans to close due to coronavirus concerns and the corresponding economic downturn of Tucson’s service industry. Owner Suzana Davila said after giving her “heart and soul” to Cafe Poca Cosa over the years, she is choosing to shut her restaurant down after experiencing “many…
Glendale homeowners association orders removal of Black Lives Matter sign
GLENDALE – Melanie Boyle hung a hand-painted Black Lives Matter sign on her home in July to show her support for the movement and its demands for justice. “I wanted to do this little act of putting up a sign and open more conversation about it in my area,” she said. Conversations with her neighbors…
Rising COVID cases leave Arizona ‘headed toward exponential growth,’ expert warns
PHOENIX – A prominent health expert expressed worry Wednesday about rising COVID-19 numbers across Arizona, saying the trend is reminiscent of early summer conditions that preceded a spike in cases and rollback of measures to reopen businesses. “This is a moment to sort of stop and take measure and think hard about: What can we…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM roundup for Thursday, Oct. 15: Total AZ cases jump by more than 1,000, top 228K; New downtown testing center opening; Free COVID tests available
With 1,113 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 228,000 as of Thursday, Oct. 15, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 26,727 of the state’s 228,748 confirmed cases. With 17 new deaths yesterday, a total of 5,789 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19,…
Rush to register voters is on after court shortens registration window
WASHINGTON – Voting rights groups who thought they had until Oct. 23 to register new voters were scrambling Wednesday after a federal court set a new registration deadline of 11:59 p.m. Thursday. The ruling late Tuesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stays a lower court’s order that extended the deadline from the original…
Melodramatic moments
Moments of carefree, silly joy are more valuable than toilet paper, these days. The Best of Gaslight Fall Revue is chock full of them. While the folks at the Gaslight haven’t been able to hold a show in their indoor theater venue on Broadway Boulevard since March, their drive-up porch concerts throughout the summer were…
City Week
Working From Home: New Commissions From Tucson. MOCA has reopened, with lots of new adjustments and precautions, including requiring facial coverings and social distancing, operating at 50 percent capacity, and more. This exhibit features work from five artists and two poets who currently or recently live, work or quarantine in the area. The fact that…
It’s High Time
Weed is on the ballot once again in Arizona, but as with most things involving money and bureaucracy, there are those in the cannabis industry who think this is the wrong bill. For the second time in four years, Arizona voters have the opportunity to legalize marijuana for recreational use through the Smart and Safe…
Editor’s Note: Shameless Self Promotion
I’m excited to announce that Tucson Weekly brought home seven awards in this year’s Arizona Press Club competition. Associate editor Jeff Gardner won a first place award in the science writing category among community papers for his story about autonomous trucking in Southern Arizona. Judge Lisa M. Krieger, Pulitzer finalist and science writer at the…
Cutting class
The Tucson Unified School’s District’s governing board approved a new hybrid learning model for returning to classes but delayed voting on when to implement it. In a 4-1 vote, the board approved the new model but decided to delay voting on a return date until the next TUSD board meeting Oct. 27. Superintendent Dr. Gabriel…
Catholics have to choose between Joe Biden and Donald Trump
It’s been 60 years since America elected a Catholic President. Joe Biden will be the second. Despite the fact that I am also a Catholic, Biden’s religion doesn’t really matter to me. I voted for Barack Obama in 2012, but if he had lost, I would have thought, “Hey, that’s kinda cool. In consecutive contests,…
A Bitter Battle
For the past three months, Viva Coffee House found itself steeping in hot water over various noncompliance violations to Pima County’s temporary COVID-19 Minimum Health Standards for Business Proclamation and corresponding Resolution 2020-49. Infractions such as employees not wearing masks while serving customers, lack of signage alerting the public to not enter if they’re experiencing…
State of the Art
Back in the spring, Kareem-Anthony Ferreira prepared an array of large-scale paintings to present in the MFA show at the University of Arizona. The canvases, lush and gorgeous, portray the members of his extended family, Trinidadians who immigrated to Canada and their first-generation Canadian offspring. The young Black artist, born in Ontario, grew up in…
