Gov. Doug Ducey has another big decision to make this week: Whether to lift Arizona's stay-at-home order and go back to our old ways or to extend it in order to limit the spread of the deadly virus in our community.
As staff reporter Austin Counts explains in this week's cover story, Ducey has already allowed bars to reopen, even if their food service consists of having a bag of chips behind the counter. It's a bit of surprise, given that Ducey previously said bars would remain shuttered as restaurants reopened, but we live in a surprising world these days. As much as I could use a drink right now—and as much as I miss enjoying meals at my favorite restaurants—I'm gonna stick with takeout for a few more weeks as I watch whether we continue to flatten the curve.
I'm no epidemiologist, but as far as I can tell, hanging out in an enclosed place with an air conditioner that is recycling the air that everyone is breathing seems like a bad idea at this particular time. I'm going with the advice of the public health experts whom I trust and am advising readers to do the same: Avoid unnecessary trips, wear a mask when you go out and—especially if you're elderly or you have those underlying health conditions—stay home if you can. Support your favorite businesses with phone orders and curbside pickup, but don't risk your life—and the lives of others you could infect.
Elsewhere in the book this week: Longtime columnist Tom Danehy really, really misses sports; arts writer Margaret Regan looks at how the pandemic has hammered the arts sector—and whether galleries and museums will be reopening later this summer; Cannabis 520 columnist Nick Meyers looks at whether Arizona voters will get a chance to vote this year on legalizing recreational use of marijuana by adults; sex columnist Dan Savage has more advice on when you should just dump the MF'er already; and, of course, our cartoonists are still drawing their distractions, horoscope writer Rob Brezsny is still telling your fortune for the week and our New York Times crossword is here to keep you puzzled. While our print edition is ultra-slim for your pleasure these days, you'll find plenty of breaking news at TucsonWeekly.com, where our team continues to bring you the latest on what's happening our community, from controversies over modeling teams being fired and rehired to the Community Food Bank's latest distribution plans.
See you on Zoom!
— Jim Nintzel Executive Editor
Hear Nintz talk about the latest coronavirus news on at 9:30 Wednesday mornings on The Frank Show on KPLX, 96.1 FM.
