Thursday, June 25, 2020
WASHINGTON – Arizona posted one of the sharpest unemployment drops in the country in May, falling from a historic high of 13.4% in April to 8.9% last month, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But that drop still left May’s unemployment rate for the state at the highest point in almost nine years and was twice the jobless rate that Arizona posted at the beginning of year, before the COVID-19 pandemic hammered the economy.
The biggest job gains came in hotel and food services jobs, according to data from the Economic and Business Research Center at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. It said jobs in those categories rose from 178,500 in April to 216,900 in May.
“Huge difference because of usual suspects reopening, which include bars, restaurants, retail, and more,” said Elliott Pollack, economist and CEO of Elliott D. Pollack and Co., an economic and real estate consulting firm in Scottsdale.
University of Arizona economist George Hammond said the numbers reflect a bounce back from the stay-at-home order that was lifted in Arizona in May. But while the numbers are encouraging, he said the state’s economy still has a long way to go before it gets back to pre-coronavirus vitality.
“As we look forward, it will be a process of gradual improvement,” Hammond said.
The Arizona numbers, released Friday, mirrored national jobless statistics that were released early this month. The BLS reported that the national unemployment rate fell from 14.7% in April to 13.3% in May, bucking economists’ fears of an increase and leading President Donald Trump to tout the gain of almost 3 million jobs.
The Verde River is home to the rare loach minnow and another small fish, the spikedace, and birds protected under the Endangered Species Act, including the yellow-billed cuckoo and the southwestern willow flycatcher. (Photo courtesy of Joe Trudeau, Center for Biological Diversity)
In some ways, the rivers differ drastically. The San Pedro is one of the last undammed rivers in the Southwest, while the Verde has many dams, including Horseshoe and Bartlett northeast of Phoenix. Parts of the Verde are protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act – protections the San Pedro doesn’t share.
But for all the differences, there are many similarities. Both have diverse ecosystems that are home to many endangered wildlife species, including the southwestern willow flycatcher and loach minnow. Both have felt the effects of increased groundwater pumping and cattle grazing. And, just recently, both have been at the center of lawsuits filed to protect each river.
“The story of Arizona rivers is that we have demonstrated many times that we can dry them up, but we haven’t demonstrated that we can save them,” said Sandy Bahr, the director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter.
In this two-part series, Cronkite News takes a deep dive into these two Arizona rivers and the threats they face.
Part 1: The Verde
At almost 60, Jon Fuller would rather be canoeing the Verde than sitting in a reclining chair. The author of “Verde River Elegy: A Paddling Journey to the River’s End,” Fuller has studied rivers for almost four decades. During his journey down the Verde in 2017, Fuller witnessed cattle grazing along the banks.
“The cows drop their droppings on the campsite, on the river,” he said. He points out the irony of having to carry his own waste, in accordance with the law, while seeing far more waste from what he calls unregulated cattle. Cattle also erode river banks and sandbars, and eat large amounts of streamside vegetation.
“It turns out most wilderness areas have exemptions for cattle grazing, although they should not be in the river corridor themselves, according to the rules the federal government agreed to,” Fuller said. “Yet there they were.”
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
It's the middle of the week, and we have a lot to cover! ICYMI, here are the stories we shared with you.
Vote Now in Best of Tucson® 2020: The Lost Treasures!
Vote Now in Best of Tucson® 2020: The Lost Treasures!
- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona jumped to just shy of 60,000 as of Wednesday, June 24, after the state reported 1,795 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- President Donald Trump toured a newly finished section of border wall Tuesday in Yuma, crediting it not only for a reduction in border crossings and drugs but claiming it has helped prevent “a coronavirus catastrophe” on the southern border.
- The recent protests sparked by the death of George Floyd (as well as Breonna Taylor and many other people of color) have affected families with young children in many different ways.
- The 75,000-acre Bighorn Fire is now burning on several fronts throughout the Catalina Mountains after being fanned by gusty weather and has even stretched across the Pinal County line to the north.
- Donald Trump is famous — and infamous — for his use of Twitter and Facebook. But particularly since the pandemic forced him to largely swear off his favorite mass, in-person rallies, his campaign has been amping up the use of another form of alternative media: YouTube and podcasts.
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday suspending H-1B, L-1, J and other temporary work visas until the end of the year, while also extending the hold on green cards for new immigrants.
- As President Donald Trump was hailing the pace of border wall construction Tuesday, Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr. was bemoaning it as a project that continues “to destroy … sacred sites.”
- Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo said “goodbye” to one of its animals Wednesday when the organization announced the passing of Shombay the African lion. Shombay lived to 12 and was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease in 2016.
- Carlos Adrian Ingram-Lopez died after Tucson police detained him on April 21, 2020. He was 27 years old.
- Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus offered his resignation to Mayor Regina Romero over how TPD officers handled the in-custody death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez last April during today's press conference regarding the incident.
Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo said “goodbye” to one of its animals Wednesday when the organization announced the passing of Shombay the African lion. Shombay lived to 12 and was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease in 2016.
“Losing Shombay is particularly difficult for our team,” said Dr. Sue Tygielski, Director of Zoo Operations, in the zoo’s announcement. “Our animal care and veterinary teams worked so hard to encourage him to participate in training sessions to help save his life. When he received these additional fluids, he would act more energetic. The team could see clear evidence of how their skills and dedication helped Shombay. They are all proud to have worked with him and our zoo is so lucky to have such dedicated staff.”
According to the zoo, the lion’s recent blood tests showed a decline in kidney function, and “he was not participating in fluid sessions.”
“These factors combined contributed to the zoo’s decision to humanely euthanize him on Wednesday morning,” the zoo stated.
Shombay landed at Reid Park Zoo in 2010, when he was 2 years old. Known as a cautious lion, Shomby was well known for investigating new habitats before making himself comfortable—and longtime patrons may remember the mohawk he once sported in his youth.
Shombay and Kaya, a female lion at the zoo, were responsible for the birth of several litters of cubs. Their 6-year-old, Nayo, lives at Reid Park.
“We expect their behaviors to be different in the near future as they adapt to life without Shombay,” Animal Care Supervisor Rebecca Edwards said. “Our team will do all we can to make the transition as easy as possible.”
“Losing Shombay is particularly difficult for our team,” said Dr. Sue Tygielski, Director of Zoo Operations, in the zoo’s announcement. “Our animal care and veterinary teams worked so hard to encourage him to participate in training sessions to help save his life. When he received these additional fluids, he would act more energetic. The team could see clear evidence of how their skills and dedication helped Shombay. They are all proud to have worked with him and our zoo is so lucky to have such dedicated staff.”
According to the zoo, the lion’s recent blood tests showed a decline in kidney function, and “he was not participating in fluid sessions.”
“These factors combined contributed to the zoo’s decision to humanely euthanize him on Wednesday morning,” the zoo stated.
Shombay landed at Reid Park Zoo in 2010, when he was 2 years old. Known as a cautious lion, Shomby was well known for investigating new habitats before making himself comfortable—and longtime patrons may remember the mohawk he once sported in his youth.
Shombay and Kaya, a female lion at the zoo, were responsible for the birth of several litters of cubs. Their 6-year-old, Nayo, lives at Reid Park.
“We expect their behaviors to be different in the near future as they adapt to life without Shombay,” Animal Care Supervisor Rebecca Edwards said. “Our team will do all we can to make the transition as easy as possible.”
Firing operation on Oracle Ridge, by National Forest Service
The 75,000-acre Bighorn Fire is now burning on several fronts throughout the Catalina Mountains after being fanned by gusty weather and has even stretched across the Pinal County line to the north. The June weather is reaching near 110 degrees during the day, and causing poor humidity recovery at night, resulting in “critical fire conditions,” according to the national Incident Information System. The fire is currently 33 percent contained, with 876 fire personnel on the job.
The fire is burning across the northern, southern, and eastern flanks of the Catalinas, which is expected to lead to smoky conditions today. This smoke is anticipated to worsen due to higher winds over the coming days.
During a morning meeting, Tim Reid, deputy incident commander on the Bighorn Fire, assessed the multiple areas of burning: Reid says the southern fire in Sabino Canyon and Catalina Foothills areas is fairly secure and that fire teams are "fairly optimistic, but there's still a threat." The burning across Pusch Ridge near Oro Valley is also in good shape, as the fire is entering sparser fuels as it comes off the mountain flanks.
Reid said fire crews are focusing on the fire burning north near Oracle, using bulldozers and burn lines to keep the Oracle Ridge area in check and braced for additional winds.
They are also taking steps to protect Mount Lemmon's Sumerhaven.
"The area where we're really focusing on is the Summerhaven area,” Reid said. “The basic strategy and tactics are lining and firing underneath the values at risk, and connecting them to the Mount Lemmon highway, and then bringing fire down the highway so that the values at risk are protected from a southwest push."
According to the National Forest Service, Catalina and Oro Valley have the greatest risk of smoke, especially in the morning.
"We're feeling pretty good about where we're at,” Reid said. “If we have a successful day today, the stage will be set for success with the wind test that's coming up."
Fire crews remind the public that drones are prohibited over the fire area, as firefighting aircraft are busy and must be grounded in drones' presence. According to NFS, on June 8, a drone was observed over the Bighorn Fire’s southern perimeter, which "forced the aircraft suppression effort to be halted, endangering the lives of on the ground firefighters and the aircrews at a critical time during the height of the burning period."
This was the second such incident in three days.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump is set to visit Yuma Tuesday to celebrate the completion of 216 miles of border wall, well shy of the 450 miles he has pledged to have built by the end of this year.
But experts note that the pace of construction has picked up in recent years and that, with elections looming this fall, the administration has a powerful incentive to keep pressing ahead.
“The Trump administration is spending money on the wall at an unprecedented level,” said Jessica Bolter, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.
A report Friday by Customs and Border Protection said that since Trump took office in 2017, $15 billion has been budgeted for about 738 miles of wall along the southwest border.
Supporters of the wall say it’s money well spent.
“This is the most important issue facing our nation. Our border must be secured,” Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Prescott, said in a statement Monday. “Yuma is on the front lines of this defense and I am proud to have supported additional border security.”
Critics of the wall see it differently, calling the project wasteful and environmentally harmful. Democrats have scheduled a news conference in advance of Trump’s visit to say he should be focusing on the economy and the coronavirus instead.
But experts note that the pace of construction has picked up in recent years and that, with elections looming this fall, the administration has a powerful incentive to keep pressing ahead.
“The Trump administration is spending money on the wall at an unprecedented level,” said Jessica Bolter, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.
A report Friday by Customs and Border Protection said that since Trump took office in 2017, $15 billion has been budgeted for about 738 miles of wall along the southwest border.
Supporters of the wall say it’s money well spent.
“This is the most important issue facing our nation. Our border must be secured,” Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Prescott, said in a statement Monday. “Yuma is on the front lines of this defense and I am proud to have supported additional border security.”
Critics of the wall see it differently, calling the project wasteful and environmentally harmful. Democrats have scheduled a news conference in advance of Trump’s visit to say he should be focusing on the economy and the coronavirus instead.
PHOENIX – Guidelines for how Arizona school districts can safely reopen for the fall have been released, but at least some parents – and teachers – are questioning how safe it will be. Administrators also wonder how to pay for implementing the changes.
Ayanna Johnson, who teaches third grade at Monte Vista Elementary School in central Phoenix, said it’s not clear how her district will adopt the new guidelines released by the Arizona Department of Education on June 1.
“To be honest, we haven’t had any communication from” the Creighton School District, she said. “I heard about it on the news, and … are we going to be wearing masks? Are we going to be … social distancing? Are we going to be having a shorter day. … What is it going to be like?”
Ayanna Johnson, who teaches third grade at Monte Vista Elementary School in central Phoenix, said it’s not clear how her district will adopt the new guidelines released by the Arizona Department of Education on June 1.
“To be honest, we haven’t had any communication from” the Creighton School District, she said. “I heard about it on the news, and … are we going to be wearing masks? Are we going to be … social distancing? Are we going to be having a shorter day. … What is it going to be like?”
In yet another move to let the good people of Tucson know Summer 2020 is officially canceled, the City of Tucson has decided to postpone this year's 4th of July "A" Mountain Fireworks celebration.
City officials cite growing concerns over large gatherings during the pandemic as well as the potential for wildfires as reasons for the postponement. Local firefighters have been battling the Bighorn Fire in the Catalina Mountains since early June after lightning ignited dry brush on the mountain's backside.
The city has not rescheduled the event at this time.
"With the recent large spike in COVID-19 case and the current administrative order to postpone reopening our City facilities to August 3, postponing the event at this time is the right decision to ensure that we stay on track slowing the spread and for our planned reopening," City Manager Mike Ortega said. "it is our intent to hold the event sometime in the future, when we can all safely come together, to celebrate coming out of this time of crisis and our return to a new normal for our society."
Today alone, Arizona has seen a 3.6 K jump in COVID-19 cases, with more than 500 of those cases in Pima County. Last week, Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclamation requiring all Tucsonans age 2 and up to wear a COVID-19 mask while in city limits. A day later, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to require facemasks to be worn in the county.
Summer 2020 will be officially canceled in the Old Pueblo if Eegees decides not to release their beloved watermelon Eegee as they usually do in July. Don't let us down, Capt. Eegee. You're our only hope.
City officials cite growing concerns over large gatherings during the pandemic as well as the potential for wildfires as reasons for the postponement. Local firefighters have been battling the Bighorn Fire in the Catalina Mountains since early June after lightning ignited dry brush on the mountain's backside.
The city has not rescheduled the event at this time.
"With the recent large spike in COVID-19 case and the current administrative order to postpone reopening our City facilities to August 3, postponing the event at this time is the right decision to ensure that we stay on track slowing the spread and for our planned reopening," City Manager Mike Ortega said. "it is our intent to hold the event sometime in the future, when we can all safely come together, to celebrate coming out of this time of crisis and our return to a new normal for our society."
Today alone, Arizona has seen a 3.6 K jump in COVID-19 cases, with more than 500 of those cases in Pima County. Last week, Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclamation requiring all Tucsonans age 2 and up to wear a COVID-19 mask while in city limits. A day later, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to require facemasks to be worn in the county.
Summer 2020 will be officially canceled in the Old Pueblo if Eegees decides not to release their beloved watermelon Eegee as they usually do in July. Don't let us down, Capt. Eegee. You're our only hope.
Monday, June 22, 2020
It's the beginning of another work week and the unfolding of new stories that we began to cover today. Let's take a look, ICYMI.
Don't forget to vote in the Best of Tucson® 2020!
Don't forget to vote in the Best of Tucson® 2020!
- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona jumped over 54,000 as of Monday, June 22, after the state reported 2,196 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- Right before President Donald Trump unveiled punitive measures against China on May 29, he inserted a surprise into his prepared text. “We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization,” he announced during a press conference in the Rose Garden.
- The Bighorn Fire continued its spread northeast across the Catalina Mountains over the weekend, reducing its containment levels by more than half.
- With COVID-19 taking an especially heavy toll on Native Americans, tribal leaders and mental health experts have stepped up efforts to address the emotional suffering brought on by ongoing lockdowns and so much loss.
- Local Greek eatery Athens on 4th Avenue decided to call it quits last Saturday evening after serving the Old Pueblo for 27 years.
- A new partnership between Pima County government and the Downtown Tucson Partnership will distribute personal protective equipment to downtown businesses in the coming weeks.
- As the top spot for the Pima County Attorney’s Office opens up this August, candidate Mark Diebolt believes his 23-year record as a deputy county attorney speaks for itself.
- As the school year draws near, many questions are still in the air about the University of Arizona’s campus re-entry plans.
- President Donald Trump’s scheduled rally in Phoenix on Tuesday will go ahead as planned, and Mayor Kate Gallego has pledged not to enforce local face mask requirements.
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump’s scheduled rally in Phoenix on Tuesday will go ahead as planned, and Mayor Kate Gallego has pledged not to enforce local face mask requirements. The announcements came as Arizona’s COVID-19 cases surpassed 50,000 over the weekend.
On Friday, Phoenix City Council approved requirements of wearing face masks but Gallego told CNN Sunday that those rules will not be enforced at Trump’s rally at Dream City Church in north-central Phoenix. Gallego told CNN she hopes Gov. Doug Ducey will wear a mask at the rally to set a good example and “send a strong message.”
Ducey, she said, “believes in masks and he could be a great spokesman for telling the young people who are there to wear masks, but the best spokesman would be the president.”
