Mercado Flea Market Reopens Oct. 11
Mercado San Agustin recently announced that their monthly flea market is returning from hiatus on Sunday, Oct. 11. The open-air flea market takes place in the parking lots and sidewalks on Avenida Del Convento between the Mercado San Agustin and the MSA Annex, and features dozens of local sellers. The market runs from 8 a.m. to 2…
County Grant Program Aims to Help Small Businesses
Pima County is implementing a new grant program to help local small business owners affected by the ongoing pandemic. Qualifying small businesses and nonprofit organizations are eligible for up to $10,000 as a part of the Pima County CARES for Small Businesses Grant Program. Grant funds can be used to pay past mortgage payments, lease…
Tucson Humanities Festival announces 2020 schedule
The Tucson Humanities Festival, facilitated by the University of Arizona College of Humanities, will focus on justice and morality this year, with a wide range of events throughout October. Unsurprisingly, all of the events are virtual but are hosted on a variety of platforms and websites. “We chose the theme out of a moral necessity…
What the Photos of Wildfires and Smoke Don’t Show You
The West will need “good fire” — controlled, managed fire that balances the ecosystem — to stave off deadly, out-of-control fire. We need to know what that looks like. Over the past few weeks, the West erupted in flames. The lucky among us know this from the news: 3.2 million acres burned in California, 1…
This is how voting by mail will look in Arizona in November
PHOENIX – Nationally and in Arizona, as Nov. 3 approaches, many Arizonans still have concerns about getting their mail-in ballots returned on time – and counted. Voting by mail has become polarized, and some experts have warned that results may be delayed for weeks in presidential and local elections. Arizona is a national example: For…
Movement to defund police gains urgency in Arizona
PHOENIX – A years-old movement to reform police departments, which reentered the national debate last spring when a Minneapolis police officer dug his knee into George Floyd’s back until he couldn’t breathe, has taken root in Arizona. “No justice, no peace, defund the police!” The chant is a nationwide call to action, voiced by millions…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Wednesday, Sept. 23: Total Cases Top 215K; Pima County Cases Top 25K; County Test Sites Open
With 438 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 215,000 as of Wednesday, Sept. 23, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 25,004 of the state’s 215,284 confirmed cases. With 27 new deaths today, a total of 5,525 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19,…
‘Crazy, crazy’ real estate market puts Gilbert near top of rankings
WASHINGTON – Gilbert resident Nadia Saco bought the home of her dreams this August. But landing it, she said, was a “nightmare.” Saco, 32, and her husband, who spent a year and a half looking for a larger home for their growing family, were outbid on two houses before finally winning a bidding war for…
‘We get more followers in times of crisis’: As pandemic limits in-person action, activism goes digital
PHOENIX – Civil rights marches. Anti-war protests. Rallies against gun violence. Public demonstrations historically have involved the “mass mobilization of bodies,” according to Tiera Rainey, program director for the Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund and an organizer with Black Lives Matter Tucson. But when the novel coronavirus struck, prompting warnings against crowds and close…
Hotel Congress to Reopen Oct. 1
The cornerstone of downtown’s culture scene is reopening on Thursday, Oct. 1 after more than six months of pandemic shuttering. While their doors have been closed, Hotel Congress announced they’ve kept busy by working on a new menu for their Cup Café, a new cocktail list for the Hotel Congress, and a calendar of upcoming live…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Tuesday, Sept. 22: Total Cases Close in on 215K; UA Delays Phase 2 of Campus Reentry, Cracks Down on Partying Students; County Test Sites Open
With 595 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 215,000 as of Tuesday, Sept. 22, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 24,798 of the state’s 214,846 confirmed cases. With 20 new deaths today, a total of 5,498 Arizonans had died after…
Ginsburg’s decades on high court included numerous Arizona rulings
WASHINGTON – In a 27-year career on the Supreme Court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote more than 200 opinions and countless dissenting opinions that were known for the sharp language that made them one of her trademarks. Any case before the Supreme Court has national impact, but a fraction of cases the court decided during…
Pac-12 must satisfy six states before kicking off football season
PHOENIX – With the presidents and chancellors of Big Ten universities voting to resume football last week, players and fans called on Pac-12 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott to join other Power Five conferences and allow the football season to kick off. However, Scott said in a statement that universities in California and Oregon do not…
Poorly Protected Postal Workers Are Catching COVID-19 by the Thousands. It’s One More Threat to Voting by Mail
More than 50,000 workers have taken time off for virus-related reasons, slowing mail delivery. The Postal Service doesn’t test employees or check their temperatures, and its contact tracing is erratic. For months, one postal worker had been doing all she could to protect herself from COVID-19. She wore a mask long before it was required…
California guidelines aren’t blocking Pac-12 football, governor says
LOS ANGELES – A day after a written plea from the Southern Cal football team for a resumption of college sports in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said state guidelines do not restrict participation in Pac-12 football. “I want to make this crystal clear,” Newsom told reporters Wednesday. “Nothing in the state guidelines deny the ability for…
UA Further Delays “Phase 2” of Campus Reentry, Cracks Down on Student Social Gatherings
Dozens of official actions have been taken against students who violated COVID-19 safety precautions and hosted social gatherings off-campus. The university and the Tucson Police Department administered 20 red tags, 19 citations and 24 Code of Conduct violations over the weekend for student parties, according to UA President Robert C. Robbins, who shared the numbers…
Black and brown people at a crossroads as COVID-19 vaccine trials seek participants
PHOENIX – As researchers race to produce an effective COVID-19 vaccine, medical professionals are urging Latinos and Black people, who are at higher risk of contracting and dying from the disease, to participate in clinical trials. But because of a long history of racism and unethical experimentation, people of color may be hesitant to roll…
Repeated Trump, Pence visits cement Arizona’s status as a battleground
WASHINGTON – If there was any doubt that Arizona will be a battleground in this fall’s presidential election, a look at the travel itineraries this week of the first and second families should clear it up. President Donald Trump was in Phoenix Monday. Daughter Ivanka Trump was there Wednesday. Second lady Karen Pence was in…
Arizona jobless rate plummets in August, nearing pre-pandemic levels
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s unemployment rate plummeted last month to almost pre-pandemic levels, falling from 10.7% in July to 5.9% in August, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While state officials hailed the drop as a sign that the economy is on the rebound, economists warned the new number may reflect…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, Sept. 21: Total Cases Top 214K; County Test Sites Open
With 233 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 214,000 as of Monday, Sept. 21, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 24,647 of the state’s 214,251 confirmed cases. With two new deaths today, a total of 5,478 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19,…
Sabino Canyon Re-Opening Today But No Tram or Visitor Center
After a double-whammy of COVID and summer fires, Sabino Canyon recreation area is partially reopening today, Monday, Sept. 21. While the Recreation Area itself will open, the shuttle and the visitor center will remain closed. The Forest Service says they are working to open these amenities “as soon as possible.” “We’ve worked to implement emergency treatments so we…
Arizonan on Trump’s Short List for Supreme Court Has Low Profile
WASHINGTON – When President Donald Trump sits down to pick a Supreme Court nominee to take the seat of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday, Phoenix native Bridget Bade will be on the list. Trump added Bade 10 days ago, along with 19 others, to his short list of potential Supreme Court justices, bringing the…
XIXA announces second album with single “Genesis Of Gaea”
Tucson’s favorite darkly psychedelic caballeros are back with the lead single to their second LP Genesis, set to release Feb. 19, 2021. While the new single “Genesis of Gaea” covers similar ground to their previous work – a smoky combination of rock, cumbia and psychedelia – the track lingers more with layered vocals and subtle piano. But perhaps…
As schools reopen, Arizona confronts high rates of COVID-19 in youth
PHOENIX – Arizona has one of the highest rates of COVID-19 in young people in the nation – driven in part, experts say, by a large population of children of color, who are more likely to have underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to the disease. As of Sept. 10, youth made up 10%…
Tucson Botanical Gardens host Dia de los Muertos exhibit
The Tucson Botanical Gardens has opened a Dia de los Muertos-themed exhibit after COVID-19 forced them to close their doors in March. “La Calavera Catrina” decorates midtown with nine-foot-tall depictions of Mexican cultural figures as joyful skeletal sculptures. The works are created by Los Angeles-based artist Ricardo Soltero, but the La Catrina figure is rooted…
Sarandon, Faust and Chuck Berry Highlight Streaming Offerings at The Loft and Open Air Cinema Continues
Five new streaming films and a continuation of their popular Open Air Cinema series are the highlights this week at The Loft Cinema. Want to go enjoy a movie sitting under the stars? Visit here to get the details. As for your streaming options, well, here they are: Blackbird Oscar-winners Susan Sarandon and Kate Winslet…
Barbershop Opening This Saturday at Borderlands Brewing Company
There are few things in life more satisfying than a nice craft brew while waiting to get a haircut. The people behind Borderlands Brewing Company understand this notion. In an effort to treat the community to this thin slice of heaven, the team is opening Borderlands Social Club, a barbershop inside the brewery’s Arizona room—complete…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, Sept. 18: Total Cases Close in on 213K; UA Students Asked To Self-Quarantine; No Trick-or-Treating This Year; County Test Sites Open
With 1,281 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 213,000 as of Friday, Sept. 18, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 24,313 of the state’s 212,942 confirmed cases. As with yesterday’s jump of 1,753 cases, today’s dramatic increase in cases was…
Arizona officials work to boost census responses with time running out
WASHINGTON – A federal judge could decide next week whether to force the Census Bureau to extend its 2020 count for another month, but state and local groups working to ensure a high response rate said they are taking no chances. Gov. Doug Ducey, at a news conference Thursday with Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham,…
County Health Department Now Offering Second Round of Pop-Up Testing with Emphasis Around UA
Today, the Pima County Health Department announced a partnership with the State and FEMA to offer “pop-up” testing at multiple locations around Tucson. The tests are free, and while pre-registration is strongly encouraged, walk-ins can register on the spot. Preregistration is available at doineedacovid19test.com, and results are available in 3-5 days. Below are locations and…
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts
Sign up for ProPublica’s User’s Guide to Democracy, a series of personalized emails that help you understand the upcoming election, from who’s on your ballot to how to cast your vote. If you’re anxious about running into problems exercising your right to vote this election, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey from the…
Your Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, Sept. 17: Total Cases Jump Past 211K; County Discourages Halloween Trick-or-Treating; TEP Extends Shut-Off Moratorium; County Test Sites Open
With 1,753 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 211,000 as of Thursday, Sept. 17, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 23,563 of the state’s 211,660 confirmed cases. The dramatic increase in cases was a result of the state including a big batch…
Report: Arizona teens paid to file social media posts for campaigns
WASHINGTON – Facebook and Twitter opened investigations this week into a number of Arizona teenagers’ social media accounts for operating fraudulent profiles and spreading misinformation in support of the Trump campaign, reportedly for pay. The campaign was first reported by the Washington Post, which said Wednesday that Phoenix-based Turning Point Action recruited teenagers to take…
A New Message
For singer Marianne Dissard, as with many musicians, 2020 is full of great change. But aside from global upheaval, the year is serving as an opportunity to reexamine what music is worth recording, and what it means to be a musician in the first place. French-turned-Tucsonan-turned-English Dissard is keeping busy by releasing a new cover…
Irie Vibrations, pandemic style
Not even a shelter-in-place order can slow down DJ Jahmar Anthony’s hustle. The 32-year-old is known for being one of Southern Arizona’s hardest working DJs. By day, he works with the non-profit Dee-Jays Against Hunger. By night, he’s getting the party started. Recently, Anthony hooked up with international reggae group Inner Circle, best known for…
Fresh ventures
Tacos and quesadillas and hot dogs, oh my! Two tried and true Sonoran style restaurants are opening their doors on Tucson’s northwest side. Tacos Apson opened their highly anticipated second location at 641 N. Thornydale Road last month. Yazmin Aldecoa-Durazo, who started the taqueria 19 years ago on South 12th Avenue with her husband, Francisco,…
More or Less
As Arizona pot advocates await the results of November’s vote on Proposition 207 (AKA Smart and Safe Arizona) that would allow adults to consume cannabis without a hassle, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives is poised to vote next week on legislation that would go a long way toward normalizing the plant in the eyes of…
Big virus on campus
University of Arizona President Dr. Robert Robbins and Pima County Public Health Director Dr. Theresa Cullen announced on Sept. 14 they are recommending a 14-day quarantine for students living on and off campus within a geographical boundary they have identified as showing high transmission of the novel coronavirus. Robbins said this is a “last ditch”…
Working Out the Bugs
On Sept. 3, the Arizona Department of Health Services announced six counties have reached the public health benchmarks to start hybrid in-person and online K-12 school instruction. The department identified in August three data areas to determine when it is safe for schools to begin transitioning back to in-person learning. Most K-12 schools across the…
Danehy
A few weeks back, The New York Times ran an article about how the long-simmering (and often rancorous) feud between surveyors and normal people over the length of a foot. (The Daily Star, picking up on a local angle, ran a similar article a couple Sundays ago.) I know, a foot’s a foot, right? Except…
Now Hear This
This year has been hell for many people. Musicians, along with the venues that host them, have been battered in 2020. But many are using their down time to record new music or wrap up projects they were working on before the pandemic hit. This week, we take a look at the fortunes of a…
Onstage Again
While the major concert venues are still on pause, there are a few smaller stages throughout Tucson that are hosting musicians and bands, some for the first time in months. Some of these gigs allow for a socially distanced audience, and others facilitate virtual livestreams of local music. Either way, they’re providing work and income…
