Tuesday, September 1, 2020
In an attempt to reduce the number of in-person visits to Motor Vehicle Departments, Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order today deferring requirements to renew standard driver licenses.
If your license has an expiration date through Dec. 31, 2020, renewal requirements have been extended by one year.
According to the Governor's office, under this Executive Order, all Arizona police as well as state government agencies, county and municipal governments, and election officials will accept Arizona driver licenses with expiration dates between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020, as valid identification for any purposes for which unexpired driver license cards would otherwise be accepted.
This follows Ducey's executive order in March, which delayed expiration dates on Arizona driver licenses for six months.
Arizona drivers may see their updated driver license expiration date at AZMVDNow.gov. Drivers have the option to order a duplicate license with the updated expiration date.
So Gov. Doug Ducey and public health experts are asking you to roll up your sleeve and get a flu shot to help keep hospital capacity low and available for those with COVID.
The governor said the Arizona Department of Health Services will be implementing an aggressive plan of action during this flu season by distributing the vaccination for free to all Arizonans through doctor’s offices, pharmacies, local health departments and community healthcare centers statewide.
“We don’t want cost to be something that gets in the way of this,” Gov. Ducey said during Monday’s press conference. “If you are uninsured or underinsured we want you to get a flu shot and it’s the best thing you can do to add more help to our situation in Arizona.”
Gov. Ducey said the overlap with COVID produces greater challenges than a typical flu season and preventing the flu is more important than ever. More than 4,000 people were hospitalized with flu symptoms in Arizona last year and roughly 700 people die from the illness each year, according to the governor.
The state will reimburse Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System providers offering free flu shots to AHCCCS members, while giving AHCCCS members a $10 gift card for their troubles after they've been vaccinated, said Gov. Ducey. The governor announced he is also allowing certified pharmacists the ability to administer the vaccine to AHCCCS-enrolled children.
“These actions have led to a 50 percent increase of flu shot administration rates in other states,” Gov. Ducey said. “We’re confident they’ll make a big difference in Arizona as well.”
Certain COVID-19 testing sites will also offer flu shots to those getting tested for coronavirus in starting in September, said Gov. Ducey. The Arizona Department of Health Services will expand online resources to help the public find free vaccine distribution locations as well as help businesses set up their own flu shot clinics for employees, according to the governor.
“I want to emphasize Arizona’s most important partner in this fight is you, the people of Arizona” Gov. Ducey said. “You’ve made a big difference in where we are today and you could make a huge difference in where we’ll be tomorrow going forward.”
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Pima County had seen 21,001 of the state’s 200,139 confirmed cases.
With 33 new deaths reported today, a total of 4,929 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 27 report.
The number of hospitalized COVID cases continues to decline. ADHS reported that as of Aug. 26, 895 COVID patients were hospitalized in the state, the lowest that number has been since May 25, when 818 people were hospitalized. That number peaked at 3,517 on July 13.
A total of 1,019 people visited ERs on Aug. 26 with COVID symptoms. That number peaked at 2,008 on July 7 and has bounced between 900 and 1,100 for most of August.
A total of 311 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on Aug. 26. That number has been cut in half since the beginning of August. The number in ICUs peaked at 970 on July 13.
In Pima County, the week-by-week counting of cases peaked the week ending July 4 with 2,398 cases, according to an Aug. 19 report from the Pima County Health Department. Those numbers have dropped with Pima County requiring the wearing of masks in public but they have plateaued in recent weeks, with 832 cases in the week ending Aug. 8 and 819 cases in the week ending Aug. 15. (Not all recent cases may have been reported.)
Deaths in Pima County are down from a peak of 54 in the week ending July 4 to 19 for the week ending Aug. 8.
Hospitalization peaked the week ending July 18 with 247 COVID patients admitted to Pima County hospitals. For the week ending Aug. 8, 88 COVID patients were admitted to Pima County hospitals.
State hitting benchmark to allow shuttered biz to reopen
State officials expect Arizona to hit certain benchmarks allowing for the reopening of Indoor gyms, movie theaters, bars serving food, water parks and tubing operations in Pima, Maricopa and Pinal counties.
State metrics are expected to reach the “moderate” COVID-19 transmission category today.
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Mitchell, 38, has two appeals remaining – a request for a presidential commutation of his sentence and a petition for another court to delay his execution so the commutation request can be heard – but one expert conceded that those were long shots.
“Mr. Mitchell’s life is in President Trump’s hands, and we hope the president will demonstrate his respect for tribal sovereignty and grant Mr. Mitchell the mercy of executive clemency,” said a statement Wednesday from Celeste Bacchi and Jonathan Aminoff, the federal public defenders representing Mitchell.
If the execution goes forward at 6 p.m. EDT in the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, it would be the first time in modern history that the federal government carried out the death penalty for a crime between Native Americans on tribal land, over the objections of the tribal government, his attorneys said.
“There’s a feeling that, you know, the matter is something that should be in the hands of the Navajo leaders…. That we have the inherent power to make decisions,” said Robert Yazzie, who was the Navajo Nation chief justice during the time of Mitchell’s crime.
Monday, August 24, 2020
“Over the past week, my office has heard from over 18,000 Arizonans about the importance of the Postal Service,” but many also said that the service is getting worse, the Arizona Democrat said during the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing.
DeJoy has come under fire for several cost-cutting changes that have led to disruptions and delays in deliveries, and raised fears about the agency’s ability to deliver mail-in ballots in this fall’s presidential election.
DeJoy defended the changes that he said were made to cut costs and have long-term efficiency benefits at an agency that stands to lose $11 billion this year, after losing $9 billion in fiscal 2019.
He told lawmakers that there “will be absolutely no issue” with mail-in ballots, noting that the Postal Service handles two to three times as much mail in a single day as it expects to handle during election week.
DeJoy also said he has ordered a pause in some changes until after Election Day “given recent customer concerns.” But the House is scheduled to vote Saturday on a bill that would mandate that freeze until the end of the year or the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pima County had seen 20,535 of the state’s 198,414 confirmed cases.
With 0 new deaths reported today, a total of 4,771 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 24 report.
The number of hospitalized COVID cases continues to decline. ADHS reported that as of Aug. 23, 908 COVID patients were hospitalized in the state, the lowest that number has been since June 1, when 1,009 people were hospitalized. That number peaked at 3,517 on July 13.
A total of 896 people visited ERs on Aug. 23 with COVID symptoms. That number, which peaked at 2,008 on July 7, has been on a plateau for most of this month, bouncing between 1,100 and 900 since Aug. 8.
A total of 345 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on Aug. 23, with lows rivaling numbers since May 25, when 337 people were in ICU. The number in ICUs peaked at 970 on July 13.
In Pima County, the week-by-week counting of cases peaked the week ending July 4 with 2,398 cases, according to an Aug. 19 report from the Pima County Health Department. Those numbers have dropped with Pima County requiring the wearing of masks in public but they have plateaued in recent weeks, with 832 cases in the week ending Aug. 8 and 819 cases in the week ending Aug. 15. (Not all recent cases may have been reported.)
Deaths in Pima County are down from a peak of 54 in the week ending July 4 to 19 for the week ending Aug. 8.
Hospitalization peaked the week ending July 18 with 247 COVID patients in Pima County hospitals. For the week ending Aug. 8, 88 COVID patients were in Pima County hospitals.
Ducey: Stay the Course
In a brief press conference last week that did not include Ducey’s usual PowerPoint presentation regarding statistics, Gov. Doug Ducey thanks the Trump administration, local authorities and the National Guard for their work during the pandemic.
Ducey said the state was making progress in the fight against the virus and Arizonans should continue taking precautions such as avoiding large gatherings, staying home when possible, washing hands and wearing a mask.
“We’re going to continue to be guided by the data and the doctors,” Ducey said. “Returning our kids to the classroom, reuniting with our loved ones, all of these depend on continued responsible behavior you have demonstrated so well for so long. So I urge everyone to stay the course, stay physical distanced, stay smart and healthy and continue to mask up.”
Unemployment numbers creeping upward
Thursday, August 20, 2020
The Pima County Board of Supervisors on Monday approved a new partnership with the Community Investment Corporation to distribute more than $3.6 million to local residents facing evictions.
The Community Investment Corporation is an economic development nonprofit working to assist in education, home ownership and entrepreneurship for Pima County residents. This partnership is part of the county’s larger commitment to distribute $20.5 million from six different funding sources for rental assistance, associated deposits and related legal fees.
The CIC will lead a coalition of nonprofit housing providers to serve at least 600 low-income renters that are currently in eviction proceedings because of COVID-19.
Financial assistance will go toward unpaid rent from as far back as March 1, 2020—if landlords agree to waive late fees, withdraw the eviction and enter into a payment plan with their tenant, according to a county press release. Legal and court fees incurred since March are also eligible for reimbursement through this program.
Pima County has hired additional workers to expedite rental assistance applications, which can be accessed through the Arizona Department of Housing’s website. The county constables will also be integral for working with tenants and landlords to generate direct referrals for the program and distribute the funds quickly to those most in need, the release states.
Tags: Rental Assistance , Eviction Prevention , Pima County , Community Investment Corporation , Grant Program , Renter , Tenant , Landlord , Image
The City of Tucson’s We Are One | Somos Unos Resiliency Fund recently received a $1.25 million donation to provide financial relief for Tucson’s immigrant communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The donations, from the Open Society Foundations and an anonymous donor, will provide funds to immigrants living in the City of Tucson and the City of South Tucson. These are people who have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 but are often excluded from federal aid.
The Open Society Foundations is a worldwide philanthropic organization run by billionaire George Soros.
The $1.25 million will be disbursed through grants to those who were not eligible to receive federal CARES Act stimulus checks earlier this year, and who face additional barriers to financial assistance programs, according to a city press release.
“It is unconscionable that many of our fellow Tucsonans do not have access to federal aid despite risking their lives serving as essential workers during this pandemic,” said Mayor Regina Romero in the release. “No one should suffer hardship in the shadows and, unfortunately, that’s the painful reality many immigrants are enduring.”
Tucson council member Lane Santa Cruz said that early in the COVID-19 pandemic advocates from the Immigrant Empowerment Taskforce shared information about how immigrant families were being affected. In the release, Santa Cruz said they were grateful for the donations which will help the city address these economic injustices.
The Sunnyside Foundation has been designated as the administrator of the funds, and details on how to receive aid will be shared on Sept. 1 at www.sunnysidefoundation.org.
“Entire families in our community are being evicted from their homes, losing jobs, and having to decide between buying groceries or paying utility bills,” said Sunnyside Foundation Executive Director Kerri Lopez-Howell in the release. “We are honored to steward these resources and eager to work alongside grassroots community leaders, organizers, and advocates to ensure that those most impacted receive these dollars.”
Tags: COVID-19 , Coronavirus , Relief , Financial Assistance , City of Tucson , We Are One Somos Unos Resliency Fund , Open Society Foundations , Sunnyside Foundation , Image
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
The number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 195,000 as of Wednesday, Aug 19, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Pima County had seen 20,047 of the state’s 195,557 confirmed cases.
With 105 new deaths reported today, a total of 4,634 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID-19, according to the Aug. 19 report.
The number of hospitalized COVID cases continues to decline. ADHS reported that as of Aug. 18, 1,160 COVID patients were hospitalized in the state, the lowest that number has been since June 6, when 1,079 people were hospitalized. That number peaked at 3,517 on July 13.
A total of 1,000 people visited ERs on Aug. 18 with COVID symptoms. That number peaked at 2,008 on July 7.
A total of 414 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on Aug. 18, the lowest that number has been since June 9, when 413 people were in ICU. The number in ICUs peaked at 970 on July 13.
Pima County: Schools remain unsafe to open for in-person instruction
The Pima County Health Department is cautioning local school districts against bringing students back to campus.
According to the county's nine metrics based on local public health data, the current COVID-19 situation is too dangerous for schools to reopen for in-person classroom instruction.
Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said that when progress is made in all nine metrics, schools should be allowed to operate in a hybrid fashion with some in-person instruction combined with online learning, according to his Aug. 17 memo to the Board of Supervisors.
“The key concern for students, parents, teachers, administrators and all support personnel is when it is safe for schools to begin to transition and ultimately return to face-to-face classroom instruction,” Huckelberry wrote. “The scientifically based criteria offered by the State of Arizona and Pima County have been aligned to avoid any possible contradiction or confusion.”
The metrics include a variety of data concerning disease spread, healthcare capacity and public health capacity. As of Aug. 10, some had reached the “progress” state, but none have been fully met.
See the details on metrics and progress here.
The committee will determine the appropriate timing for face-to-face classroom instruction based on ADHS guidance, the current Pima County COVID-19 Progress Report and the latest scientific information available, according to Huckelberry's memo.
The county health department also recommended the committee develop a “written, worksite-specific COVID-19 prevention plan for every school district or facility.” This plan will include a “comprehensive risk assessment” of all work areas in all districts. The department is already working to develop a guidance document that will assist schools with their individual prevention plans.
City of Tucson offering rental assistance, grants for those affected by pandemic
The City of Tucson has allocated $4.5 million of federal CARES Act funding for an emergency rent and utility assistance program available to city residents.
To be eligible for the financial assistance, participating renters must have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the household income cannot exceed $68,400.
One application will be accepted per household, and each household can receive up to $2,500 to cover up to three months of late or upcoming rent or utility payments that were incurred after March 1, 2020.
All applicants will need to provide copies of their identification, bills, proof of income and other household information. The city’s Housing and Community Development department is partnering with several nonprofit organizations to administer these funds, including Primavera, Interfaith Community Services, Catholic Community Services and the International Rescue Committee.
Representatives from one of these agencies will contact applicants within five days for a phone interview and may ask for additional information. The funds will be sent directly to each applicants’ landlord and/or utility company.
“Keeping Tucsonans safe and healthy in their homes is the most important thing as many of our residents have been greatly impacted financially by this pandemic,” said Housing and Community Development Director Liz Morales in a press release.
The application process opened yesterday and renters are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Visit www.tucsonaz.gov/hcd/rent-help to complete an application. If you need assistance or are unable to complete the application online, call (520) 837-5364 or email [email protected].
The city is also setting aside $3 million of CARES Act funding to be distributed to local workers and families that have been negatively impacted by the crisis.
The grant program, named the “We Are One | Somos Unos Resiliency Fund” will focus on individuals and households that have not received any state or federal COVID-19 relief money and whose income does not reach Pima County’s self-sufficiency standard.
The self-sufficiency standard measures how much money an individual or family needs to earn to be able to meet their basic needs with no public or private financial assistance. In 2018, the self-sufficiency standard for a single adult in Pima County was $9.66 per hour or $1,700 per month. For a household with two adults and two young children, the standard was $13.22 per hour for both adults, or $4,711 per month.
The city is partnering with the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona, who will administer the grants and begin accepting applications at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19 until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
County delays hike in restaurant permit fees
With local restaurants hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted this week to delay a previously scheduled restaurant permit rate increase and provide credits to businesses that have already paid the higher fee.
The fee increase was originally adopted in 2016 as a way to recover costs incurred by the Pima County Health Department Consumer Health and Food Safety department, according to a county press release. The department performs regular restaurant safety inspections and has recently been tasked with enforcing increased health and safety standards in restaurants related to the current public health crisis.
The fee was planned to increase gradually over five years, and the supervisors’ decision yesterday will delay the final increase of 25 percent. The county says these extra costs were partially offset by their Restaurant Incentive Program, which allows restaurants to save up to 25 percent on their permitting fees if they adopt certain practices such as having a certified food handler on staff, eliminating trans-fats in their food and posting nutritional information on their menus.
Restaurants can still apply for these savings through the program, as it is not affected by this recent change in fees. It is currently unclear when the fee might be reinstated.
“The pandemic was a big blow to many local restaurants. We’ve strived to support our restaurants as they adapt, while keeping the broader community safe,” said Director Loni Anderson of the Consumer Health and Food Safety Division. “We know that the vast majority of restaurants have a passion for what they do, and want to do right by their customers. The Restaurant Incentive Program, and today’s delay, are designed to benefit restaurant owners, and the whole of Pima County.”
Get tested: Pima County has several testing centers, including pop-up sites this week
The Pima County Health Department has rolled out new pop-up COVID-19 testing sites that are available in areas of the county that have had limited testing availability.
Through their partnership with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Pima County is wrapping up its free minimal contact testing operation today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. Sixth Ave. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and can be completed at www.pima.gov/covid19testing.
Participants can access their test results by logging into www.doineedacovid19test.com within a few days.
Pima County has three other testing centers with easy-to-schedule appointments—often with same-day availability—and you get results in less than 72 hours.
Centers offering a nasal swab are at the Kino Event Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way, and the Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road. The center at the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road, involves a saliva test designed by ASU.
Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.
The centers are also tied into Pima County’s developing contact tracing operation, which aims to be able to identify potential clusters and warn people if they have been in contact with someone who is COVID-positive.
If you’re interested in a test to determine if you’ve already had COVID-19, the UA has expanded a free COVID-19 antibody testing program to include 15 new categories of essential workers considered at high risk for exposure. The antibody test, developed by researchers at UA Health Sciences, determines who has been exposed to and developed an immune response against COVID-19.
In addition to healthcare workers and first responders, the test program is now open to educators, childcare workers, agriculture, grocery and foodservice workers, hospitality employees, solid-waste collection workers, transportation services workers and members of the National Guard. More information and registration for the test is available at covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu.
—with additional reporting from Kathleen B. Kunz, Austin Counts, Jeff Gardner and Tara Foulkrod
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
According to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, air and ground forces have responded to the fire, which threatens a few structures in the rugged terrain. The fire has increased today due to high temperatures, and fire crews are planning for additional air support to hold the fire at the roadline.
