The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 22,753 as of Thursday, June 4, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That's a jump of 530 from yesterday and a total of 2,600 new cases in the last three days.

Pima County had 2,669 confirmed cases.

The coronavirus had killed 996 people statewide, including 202 in Pima County, according to the report.

In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hit 11,229.

Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people, especially if you have underlying health conditions, and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.

• Following the end of Gov. Doug Ducey's stay-at-home order on March 15, Arizona hospitals are seeing a rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID symptoms, as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. Today's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that through yesterday, 1,079 Arizonans were hospitalized. A total of 638 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 3, according to the report.

This week's Skinny delves into appointed U.S. Sen. Martha McSally's campaign tailspin, but if you need more evidence, here's a new Fox News poll that hit yesterday after our deadline.

McSally is trailing former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly by 13 percentage points in Arizona, according the survey. Half of the voters surveyed say they plan to vote for Kelly, while just 37 percent say they will vote for McSally.

McSally, who was rejected by Arizona voters in 2018 in favor of Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, has struggled on win over hearts and minds since she was appointed to fill out the late Sen. John McCain's term.

In the presidential race, the Fox News poll shows 46 percent of voters favoring Democrat Joe Biden while 42 percent support President Donald Trump. The state is split when it comes to Trump's job approval; 46 percent of those surveyed approved of the job Trump is doing, while 52 percent disapprove. But only 28 percent strongly approve of Trump's job performance (with 17 somewhat approving), while 41 percent strongly disapprove (with 11 percent somewhat disapproving).

McSally is struggling across the board. A breakdown of the survey shows Kelly leads her among: men (51%-39%), women (50%-35%), white voters (48%-40%), Hispanic voters (61%-22%), voters who earn under $50K (51%-33%), voters who earn more than $50K (51%-38%), voters under 45 (52%-28%) and several other subgroups, McSally does better than Kelly among white evangelicals (59%-30%) 2016 Trump voters (73%-15%).

In other notes from the survey: 60 percent of voters are concerned they will catch COVID-19, while 39 percent are not concerned; 40 percent say that Gov. Doug Ducey is reopening Arizona too quickly, while 39 percent say it's the right pace and 15 percent say it's too slow; and 75 percent have a favorable opinion of people who wear face masks, while 12 percent have an unfavorable opinion. Gov. Doug Ducey got high marks in the survey, with 61 percent approving of his job performance and 33 percent disapproving.

This could be another yet another bad poll, but the trend is crystal clear among the surveys that have been released: McSally is falling further behind Kelly, the husband of Gabby Giffords, the former Southern Arizona congresswoman who stepped down from office after surviving a 2011 assassination attempt that left six dead and 13 wounded, including Giffords.

The Fox News poll was conducted by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research from May 30-June 2. It surveyed a random sample of 1,002 voters proportionately representative of voter makeup in Arizona. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
 

Halfway through the week. Here are the stories we covered today.

• The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 22,223 as of Wednesday, June 3, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That's a jump of 973 from yesterday and a total of 2,100 new cases in the last two days.
• Companies receiving taxpayer dollars as part of President Donald Trump’s signature food aid program hired a longtime lobbyist to push back on criticism that the government is relying on unqualified contractors, such as an event planner.
• Waves of protests, rolling across Arizona in the last several days like a tributary in a national unleashing of fury and grief over the deaths of black people at the hands of police, kept flowing on Tuesday night.
• Honea said he told Ducey that Marana used to have a problem “with that virus thing,” but now Marana is dealing with other issues: Potential protests and people losing their jobs due to financial strain during the stay-home order.
• Arizona tribal leaders told House lawmakers Tuesday that moves to reopen national parks are being made without needed health safety measures to protect tribal members or park visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• President Donald Trump’s pledge to deploy “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers” to put down protests was seen as either a promise or a threat, depending on which Arizona lawmaker was reacting to his comments.
• A message from Pima County Public Library's Kindred Team...

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 22,223 as of Wednesday, June 3, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That's a jump of 973 from yesterday and a total of 2,100 new cases in the last two days.

Pima County had 2,627 confirmed cases.

The coronavirus had killed 981 people statewide, including 196 in Pima County, according to the report.

In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hit 11,068.

Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people, especially if you have underlying health conditions, and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.

• Following the end of Gov. Doug Ducey's stay-at-home order on March 15, Arizona hospitals are seeing a rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID symptoms, as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. Today's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that through yesterday, 1,092 Arizonans were hospitalized. A total of 597 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 2, according to the report.
• Ducey has ordered a statewide curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 p.m. through June 8 unless extended. The curfew order came following a weekend of unrest in Tucson and Phoenix. A protest against police violence turned violent in downtown Tucson on Friday night when rioters smashed windows, painted graffiti, and others went wild in downtown Tucson. The protest was one of many across the country following the killing of George Floyd, who died in police custody after a Minneapolis Police Officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as the black man gasped for air and said he couldn't breathe. Following Friday's riot, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus asked the public to not attend a Saturday protest. A few hundred people still turned out on Saturday night for a protest march that went smoothly until protestors attempted to match back downtown and clashed with police.

During the curfew, members of the public are prohibited from "using, standing, sitting, traveling, or being present on any public street or in any public place, including for the purpose of travel," according to the Tucson Police Department. Exceptions include police, firefighters, emergency responders, medical personnel, the National Guard, and members of the media. People are allowed to travel to and from work, make deliveries, obtain food, care for a family member, friend or animal, patronize a private business, seek medical care, or flee a dangerous situation.

• COVID-19 is spreading through Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities even as the court system is experiencing delays as a result of the outbreak, meaning that detainees can't get hearings for bond or parole. Of the roughly 26,000 people detained by ICE, only 2,300 have been tested for COVID-19 and roughly 1,200 have tested positive.

Here are the stories we covered today.

• The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 21,250 as of Tuesday, June 2, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
• Scientists from the University of Arizona-led OSIRIS-REx space mission have released new findings on the origins of small astronomical bodies based on observation of the asteroid Bennu.
• Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have become the public faces of the $3 trillion federal coronavirus bailout. Behind the scenes, however, the Treasury’s responsibilities have fallen largely to the 42-year-old deputy secretary, Justin Muzinich.
• We've checked in with more than 100 local restaurants to find out which are now open for dine-in service, which are still only offering take-out, and which are planning on opening in the near future.
• After days of clashes between protesters and police, Arizona spent a relatively quiet night Sunday under a statewide dusk-to-dawn curfew that was ordered Sunday afternoon by Gov. Doug Ducey.
• A cry of “I can’t breathe” in Minneapolis has reverberated thousands of miles away in Arizona, where protesters for several days have marched in sorrow and rage – peacefully for the most part, but sometimes clashing with police and looting and vandalizing several businesses in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
• A candlelight vigil for George Floyd in pictures.
• There are more than 26,000 people currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities across the United States. Only 2,300 people in that group have been tested for COVID-19, but 1,201 have tested positive.

There are more than 26,000 people currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities across the United States. Only 2,300 people in that group have been tested for COVID-19, but 1,201 have tested positive.

With testing numbers this low and positive cases becoming prevalent, immigration and human rights advocates are reaffirming their push to get people released from ICE detention and prevent further infections and deaths.

Keep Tucson Together, the legal clinic of the advocacy group No More Deaths, has been able to get seven people in ICE detention released on bond, and two others released on humanitarian parole.

All nine people were tested for COVID-19 after their release, and three tested positive. KTT believes the infection rate within ICE detention facilities is much higher than what is currently being reported.

KTT said ICE keeps detained people in close proximity, has a lack of hygiene supplies and “rampant medical negligence” which have resulted in the high COVID-19 infection rate. They reported hunger strikes and other demonstrations from within these facilities in protest of their current living conditions. These actions have been met with rubber bullets, teargas and solitary confinement.

PHOENIX – A cry of “I can’t breathe” in Minneapolis has reverberated thousands of miles away in Arizona, where protesters for several days have marched in sorrow and rage – peacefully for the most part, but sometimes clashing with police and looting and vandalizing several businesses in Phoenix and Scottsdale.

Arizonans are reacting to and taking action following the May 25 death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, 46, and Dion Johnson, 28, who was killed by an Arizona state trooper the same day. Cronkite News spoke with several people about the protests, including a college activist who stresses the need for real activism outside of Instagram, an interior designer who wants others to realize what is meant by Black Lives Matter, and a business owner who’s worried about looting and vandalism but hopes the protests will bring real change.

Head of black mothers’ group says policing must be transformed
Deborah Colbert has been active in the civil rights movement for 50 years, beginning her lifelong journey of fighting for black people when she was about 12. Although there have been tremendous changes in the movement, Colbert said, the lack of sustained progress deeply troubles her.

“It’s almost like reliving the pain and agony of being an African American in America again,” she said. “The feeling for me is, ‘When? When will we really come together and see that it’s time for us to realize that there’s a humanitarian feature missing here?’”

After days of clashes between protesters and police, Arizona spent a relatively quiet night Sunday under a statewide dusk-to-dawn curfew that was ordered Sunday afternoon by Gov. Doug Ducey.

It’s unclear how much impact the 8 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew had on the situation – and it’s unclear how strictly it will be enforced.

Response from law enforcement agencies around the state ranged from departments that said they do not expect to enforce the curfew to others that said they would if needed, while citing exemptions that will allow people to be out after curfew.

“We aren’t actually enforcing that curfew,” said Mark Crandell, chief deputy of the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office.

More were like officials in Mohave County, who recognized the curfew but in a statement said they do not expect to have to enforce it over the next week.

“As the governor stated in his press release, this is a tool for law enforcement to address potential lawlessness,” Mohave County Sheriff Doug Schuster said.

“Having said this, this order will not interfere with the otherwise legal movement of our citizens, regardless of time of day, and the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office will continue to actively address criminal behavior brought to our attention,” the statement said.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 21,250 as of Tuesday, June 2, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County had 2,496 confirmed cases.

The coronavirus had killed 941 people statewide, including 191 in Pima County, according to the report.

In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hit 10,536.

Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people, especially if you have underlying health conditions, and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.

• Following the end of Gov. Doug Ducey's stay-at-home order on March 15, Arizona hospitals are seeing a rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID symptoms, as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. Today's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that through yesterday, 1,009 Arizonans were hospitalized. A total of 569 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 1, according to the report.