Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Exceptions will be made to allow one adult visitor with pediatric patients under the age of 18 and one support person to accompany mothers in the labor and delivery wards.
As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report, Pima County has five confirmed cases of COVID-19. A total of 265 people have been tested for COVID-19; a total of 15 people have tested positive, 102 cases are still pending and 148 have been ruled out. Statewide numbers updated here.
That news came in a letter sent to MUSD parents and guardians from district superintendent Doug Wilson. In his letter, Wilson wrote that the district “is continuing to work diligently to make decisions that best serve our students, employees, and community.”
“Like you, we have many questions surrounding AzMERIT and other state-mandated academic testing, supplemental instruction, activities, and graduations, just to name a few,” Wilson wrote. “We are continuing to receive information from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) regarding school closure, testing, instruction, and services.”
Parents of students who need a Chromebook to support online resources and activities to support at-home learning should click here to apply for a computer. Chromebooks will be given to each student who does not have access to a digital device.
The request form must be completed by Monday, March 23 at noon. Questions can be sent via email to [email protected].
In the same letter, Wilson announced that the district will provide its Marana Cares Mobile meal services Monday through Friday as long as schools are closed. Marana Cares Mobile will provide lunch service. Breakfast and lunch will also be available for pickup beginning March 23 at several MUSD schools. Breakfast runs from 7:30 to 9 a.m., while lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Grab-and-go meals are available from the following schools through the closure:
Butterfield Elementary School: 3400 W. Massingale Rd. Tucson, AZ 85741
Estes Elementary School: 11280 W. Grier Rd. Marana, AZ 85653
Picture Rocks Elementary: 5875 N. Sanders Rd., Tucson, AZ 85743
Quail Run Elementary: 4600 W. Cortaro Farms Rd., Tucson, AZ 85742
Roadrunner Elementary: 16651 W. Calle Carmella, Marana, AZ 85653
Marana Unified will also not send out report cards Monday, March 23. Future updates from the district will provide more information. The next expected update is also March 23.
As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report, five people in Pima County have tested positive for COVID-19. In Arizona, a total of 27 people have tested positive, 102 cases are still pending and 148 have been ruled out. Statewide numbers updated here.
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The order would not affect grocery stories, pharmacies, food banks, banks and some cafeterias located inside hospitals, nursing homes or food vendors at Tucson International Airport.
The declaration would also encourage churches and the houses of worship to limit gatherings on their premises.
The board meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 130 W. Congress St.
The Board's plan to have an emergency meeting follows Tucson Mayor Regina Romero's emergency declaration yesterday closing similar establishments and limiting restaurants to take-out and drive-thru service.
Restaurants in Oro Valley and Marana remain open, with officials in those towns saying they are waiting to see what Pima County does.
As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report, Pima County has five confirmed cases of COVID-19. A total of 265 people have been tested for COVID-19; total of 15 people have tested positive, 102 cases are still pending and 148 have been ruled out. Statewide numbers updated here.
The decision was announced by Simon Property Group Chairman and CEO David Simon.
“After extensive discussions with federal, state and local officials and in recognition of the need to address the spread of COVID-19, Simon will close all of its retail properties, including Malls, Premium Outlets and Mills in the U.S.,” the company’s update states.
"The health and safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees are of paramount importance and we are taking this step to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities," said Simon.
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They requested the Arizona Supreme Court take immediate action to halt the eviction process as more and more businesses close down to slow the Coronavirus outbreak, and more and more workers become in danger of losing their income.
The following post from Constable Joe Ferguson of Precinct 9 contains the full letter:
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The Arizona Department of Corrections today changed their healthcare policies for people incarcerated within their facilities, after a federal judge ordered them to respond to concerns about the COVID-19 virus outbreak and the high likelihood of infection spreading within prisons.
ADC usually requires a $4 co-pay from incarcerated individuals to receive medical care, even if that means just seeing a nurse. Many people inside prisons cannot pay this fee, since they are already required to pay for things like soap, toothpaste and other basic supplies for personal hygiene.
Because of the concerns over COVID-19, ADC has announced they will waive the $4 co-pay only for those who have cold and flu symptoms, and will make soap available for free to the incarcerated population.
The department also put a halt on all "routine internal movement" across all state prison complexes, but specialty needs for individual movement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Tags: arizona department of corrections , coronavirus , covid-19 , Image
While Tucson restaurants are only offering to-go and drive-thru service, eateries in Marana, Oro Valley and unincorporated Pima County remain open, although that situation could change.
The mayors of Oro Valley and Marana both issued emergency declarations on Tuesday, strongly advising local businesses and restaurants to institute social distancing procedures, and for the latter to move to carry-out and deliver-only services.
The two municipalities' decision comes after Tucson Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclomation calling for the closure of all bars, gyms "and other specific venues stated in the proclamation where groups of people congregate" beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Romero also ordered restaurants to move to carry-out or delivery services.
“I want to reiterate that food being served by our restaurants is safe," Romero stated. "It is the congregation of individuals in a dine-in setting that is unsafe.”
While Tucson has closed establishments, Oro Valley and Marana have not.
Oro Valley spokesperson Misti Nowak said the town is following the guidelines currently laid out by the county, but are constantly evaluating its procedures.
If the county calls for mandated closures, Oro Valley will follow suit, Nowak said.
Marana spokesperson Vic Hathaway says the situation in the town is "very fluid" and procedures may change at any time.
Pima County is expected to soon issue recommendations regarding local restaurants and bars. Pima County spokesman Mark Evans told Tucson Local Media that the Pima County Health Department leadership and the Health Department’s Consumer Health and Food Safety Division has met this week with representatives from the food and beverage sector “to discuss strategies for restaurants and bars to meet the social distancing guidelines from the state and federal government and still remain in business. That discussion will inform the Health Department's and County Administration's recommended social distancing guidance for restaurants and bars in Pima County, which should be announced soon.”
As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report, Pima County has five confirmed cases of COVID-19. A total of 265 people have been tested for COVID-19; total of 15 people have tested positive, 102 cases are still pending and 148 have been ruled out. Statewide numbers updated here.
"We're reporting (to the state) whenever we've got a case while we're still investigating," Pacheco said. "It might have been (reported) yesterday or earlier today, but contact investigation requires us to contact the individual and getting that information, so we're still working on that."
As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report, 265 people have been tested for COVID-19. A total of 15 people have tested positive, 102 cases are still pending and 148 have been ruled out. Statewide numbers updated here.
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The truck with flames went up in flames 😔😔😔😔😢😢😢 our generator caught fire and toasted up the outside of our truck a great bit. Fortunately no staff or customers were injured. We do want to thank the fire department for controlling the fire and responding quickly saving us the inside of our truck. We want to thank the @capscorksaz staff for alerting the FD and keeping the guest safe. We did have customers that gave us the heads up and helped us try to control the situation and we are forever grateful for you! There are a lot of questions that we don’t have answers to right now as we asses the damages. We love you! Be safe! And rock on! A post shared by Pops Hot Chicken Truck (@popshotchicken_) on Mar 17, 2020 at 8:33pm PDT
Pop's Hot Chicken recently opened a location at American Eat Co., but the food court has since been shut down due to the City of Tucson's proclamation that shuttered bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms and other public venues over the COVID-19 pandemic. The proclamation went into effect at 8 P.M. Tuesday. City-area restaurants, bars and bottle shops are still offering to-go, delivery and drive-thru service.
We'll update as the story develops.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Mayor Regina Romero announced on March 17 that all restaurants and bars in the City of Tucson will be closed except for take-out and delivery orders. In addition, food courts, gyms and other venues where more than 10 people gather will also be closed through the end of the month.
“My top priority, above all else, is to protect public health,” Romero said. “This is a painful decision that I do not take lightly. Several restaurants have already stopped dine-in service and transitioned to all drive through and curb-side pick-up.”
Restaurants in Oro Valley, Marana, Sahuarita, South Tucson and unincorporated Pima County remain open as of now.
In addition to the restaurant and bar closures, the City of Tucson also mandated that all service counters and lobbies within city buildings, including Ward offices and City Hall, will be closed through the end of March, but they will continue services and operations electronically. Romero says there will be no interruption in trash, recycling, landfill, or water services; all evictions on city-owned public housing will be suspended through the end of April; and there will be no water shutoffs through the end of April.
Romero said her decision was in conjuncture with closures throughout the City of Phoenix.
These closures follow increasingly strict recommendations by the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. Nationally, the virus’ cases have spiked from the single digits in February to more than 5,000 confirmed cases as of Tuesday, March 17—though this number is believed to be far lower than the total count as many people may not yet be showing symptoms and testing kits remain in short supply.
“I want to reiterate that food being served by our restaurants is safe. It is the congregation of individuals in a dine-in setting that is unsafe,” Romero said. “At this time, the best thing we can do is come together as a community and take care of each other. We’re all in this together. We will get through this.”
Fred Ronstadt, the executive director of the Fourth Avenue Merchant's Association and a former City Council member, expressed frustration that a meeting to discuss options for restaurants and nonprofits did not include his organization or many other stakeholders.
He said today's decision to limit restaurants and bars to take-out and drive-thru service was done despite little consultation with the restaurant community or coordination other local governments such as Oro Valley or Marana.
But Ray Flores, the CEO of Flores Concepts (aka the El Charro empire) who attended yesterday's meeting with Romero, said he supported the decision.
"We understand the severity and gravity of the situation you are navigating in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak and we are here to stand by you and our beloved community during this most difficult time."
Flores' letter listed a number of other restaurants that also supported the decision, including DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails, Todd Hanley of Hotel Congress, Beyond Bread, Tito and Pep Restaurant, American Eat Co., Penca, Rocco's Pizza, Reilly Pizza, Diablo Burger and others.
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