Monday, July 27, 2020
Tucson Weekly is on the hunt for these long-lost treasures—and we need your help to find them as we embark on Best of Tucson® 2020.
But we’re not just looking for lost treasures. We’re celebrating the living legends of today: our restaurateurs, our brewers, our artists, our musicians, our bartenders, our coffee grinders, our bakers, our writers, our merchants and all the others who make our Sonoran home such a hospitable place.
That’s where you come in! We’re asking you to vote in the final round of Best of Tucson®! Earlier this summer, you told us your picks for Tucson's best in the first round of voting. Web editor Tara Foulkrod has tabulated those votes and now presents you with a ballot featuring the finalists in nearly every category. Now it's your turn again! This final round of voting will continue through midnight on Monday, Aug. 24. And on Oct. 22, we’ll announce the winners in our special Best of Tucson® collector’s edition!
Find your ballot here!
An accidental shooting at Canyon Del Oro High School has left one man dead and placed the school on lockdown while Oro Valley Police conduct an investigation into how the shooting occurred on Monday, July 27.
No students were in that area of CDO’s campus where the shooting took place, but a handful of school employees were on site, according to Oro Valley Police Sgt. Amy Graham.
A worker for Progressive Roofing—a company contracted to repair the school’s aging roof—accidentally shot himself with his own handgun while performing roof repairs and then fell from the roof to the ground on Monday morning, Graham said.
The name of the deceased has not been released at this time.
“The gentleman had the gun with him and somehow he accidentally discharged the gun,” Graham said. “The other employees could see him with it and separately he fell to the ground.”
The man died after paramedics performed CPR for over 30 minutes, said Graham. While details are minimal, investigators believe the shooting was accidental, but are interviewing the employee’s co-workers to determine why the man brought a gun to his job. Graham estimates the school will reopen by Monday evening.
"Because (paramedics) took half an hour to CPR and we just recently found the gun and casings, everything is there to show us it was accidental,” Graham said. “Now that we’ve secured the weapon and now know what happened, it will stay a crime scene until we work it and interview everybody.”
When he announced an extension Thursday of his order closing bars, gyms, movie theaters and more, Gov. Doug Ducey acknowledged that “businesses and employees have sacrificed” as the state fights the spread of COVID-19.
But some of those businesses are tired of sacrificing.
A lawsuit filed with the Arizona Supreme Court by 50 owners of 44 bars claims Ducey’s order, first filed June 29, is unconstitutional. The bars in the suit come from cities around the state, including Chandler, Mesa, Phoenix, Prescott, Sedona and Tucson, among others.
“They’re all complying with the order,” said Ilan Wurman, the attorney representing the bar owners. “But the reality is that if this goes on for much longer, some of them will just have to open up and risk the enforcement authorities.”
Wurman, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, claims in his filing that the closure order is unconstitutional because it is unevenly applied and it denies bar owners their due process. He also claims that only the Legislature has the power to issue the order and that laws cannot be subject to “the whims of one man.”
But some of those businesses are tired of sacrificing.
A lawsuit filed with the Arizona Supreme Court by 50 owners of 44 bars claims Ducey’s order, first filed June 29, is unconstitutional. The bars in the suit come from cities around the state, including Chandler, Mesa, Phoenix, Prescott, Sedona and Tucson, among others.
“They’re all complying with the order,” said Ilan Wurman, the attorney representing the bar owners. “But the reality is that if this goes on for much longer, some of them will just have to open up and risk the enforcement authorities.”
Wurman, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, claims in his filing that the closure order is unconstitutional because it is unevenly applied and it denies bar owners their due process. He also claims that only the Legislature has the power to issue the order and that laws cannot be subject to “the whims of one man.”
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 163K as of Monday, July 27, after the state reported 1,813 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Pima County had seen 15,109 of the state's 163,827 confirmed cases.
A total of 3,304 people have died after contracting the virus, including 418 in Pima County.
Maricopa County had 109,988 of the state's cases.
Hospitals remain under pressure, although they report a slight decrease in the number of Arizonans hospitalized with COVID-19-related symptoms. The report shows that 2,626 COVID patients were hospitalized yesterday in the state, down from a peak of 3,517 on July 13. It's the lowest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients since June 26, when 2,577 people were hospitalized.
A total of 1,189 people visited ERs yesterday with COVID symptoms, the lowest number since June 29, when 1,077 people visited emergency rooms. That number peaked at 2,008 on July 7.
A total of 820 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday, the lowest number since July 3, when 796 people were in ICU beds. The number of COVID patients in ICUs peaked at 970 on July 13.
NEW SCHOOL RULES
Gov. Doug Ducey and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman announced last week that while school districts have to open up “learning centers” in schools by Aug. 17, they do not have to provide in-class instruction. Instead, the schools can open up for students who need a place to go during the day but offer all-online courses, as Tucson Unified School District announced it would do earlier this month.
Ducey said he agreed with Hoffman’s plan to use metrics regarding the spread of the virus to determine whether schools are safe to reopen. The Arizona Department of Health Services is working with education leaders to develop the standards before Aug. 7.
Hoffman had proposed using metrics rather than a calendar date to determine whether schools could reopen safely. Her suggested metrics included a downward trajectory of confirmed new cases, a decrease in positivity rates in testing, and widespread availability of tests.
Pima County had seen 15,109 of the state's 163,827 confirmed cases.
A total of 3,304 people have died after contracting the virus, including 418 in Pima County.
Maricopa County had 109,988 of the state's cases.
Hospitals remain under pressure, although they report a slight decrease in the number of Arizonans hospitalized with COVID-19-related symptoms. The report shows that 2,626 COVID patients were hospitalized yesterday in the state, down from a peak of 3,517 on July 13. It's the lowest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients since June 26, when 2,577 people were hospitalized.
A total of 1,189 people visited ERs yesterday with COVID symptoms, the lowest number since June 29, when 1,077 people visited emergency rooms. That number peaked at 2,008 on July 7.
A total of 820 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday, the lowest number since July 3, when 796 people were in ICU beds. The number of COVID patients in ICUs peaked at 970 on July 13.
NEW SCHOOL RULES
Gov. Doug Ducey and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman announced last week that while school districts have to open up “learning centers” in schools by Aug. 17, they do not have to provide in-class instruction. Instead, the schools can open up for students who need a place to go during the day but offer all-online courses, as Tucson Unified School District announced it would do earlier this month.
Ducey said he agreed with Hoffman’s plan to use metrics regarding the spread of the virus to determine whether schools are safe to reopen. The Arizona Department of Health Services is working with education leaders to develop the standards before Aug. 7.
Hoffman had proposed using metrics rather than a calendar date to determine whether schools could reopen safely. Her suggested metrics included a downward trajectory of confirmed new cases, a decrease in positivity rates in testing, and widespread availability of tests.
Friday, July 24, 2020
ICYMI, here are the stories we covered today.
- The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona climbed past 156K as of Friday, July 24, after the state reported 3,349 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- The Sundance Film Festival Shorts Tour “Virtual Edition” is coming to you via The Loft’s streaming series, and this collection is a winner. The Festival has helped launch the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson (Both Andersons!), Lynn Ramsay, and Taika Waititi, and this year’s selection has some new candidates for greatness.
- As activists nationwide vandalize, topple and demand the removal of Confederate statues and memorials, the United Daughters of the Confederacy on Wednesday removed two monuments from the Capitol complex and along U.S. 60 near Gold Canyon.
- Arizona skywatchers have been over the moon about a comet that has graced the night sky since July 11.
- Arizona schools must open their doors to at least some of their students on Aug. 17, state officials said Thursday, but districts will have the flexibility to offer alternative schooling to students who want to stay home.
- Professional spring sports are back after COVID-19 delayed or canceled numerous leagues' seasons.
- Gyms, bars, nightclubs and more will remain closed past next week as the state continues to fight a disease that is “highly contagious and in every part of the state,” Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday.
- Downtown Tucson will be getting another fantastic taproom, by a fantastic local brewery in one fantastic location by 2021.
- The WNBA and NBA have allowed players to choose a variety of social justice messages they would like on the back of their jerseys once regular season basketball resumes.
Courtesy The Screening Room
For more than 30 years the Screening Room brought the Tucson community together through independent film festivals and events – the Arizona International Film Festival, Arizona Underground Film Festival, Terrorfest and Keep Tucson Sketchy comedy show to name a few. Now suffering from the pandemic like many others, the downtown theater is facing the struggle to survive.
The Screening Room’s current operator David Pike recently created a GoFundMe page to “Save The Screening Room,” reaching out for the community’s support.
“It’s paying the bills. It’s paying on loans, electricity, water and the rent that is due,” Pike said.
PHOENIX – The WNBA and NBA have allowed players to choose a variety of social justice messages they would like on the back of their jerseys once regular season basketball resumes.
Play Ball! Diamondbacks Start Season Tucson Tonight, FC Tucson Is Back on Soccer Field Sunday The Phoenix Mercury will be honoring the life of Breonna Taylor by showcasing her name on the back of every player’s uniform when their season begins Saturday against the L.A. Sparks in Bradenton, Fla., the team announced.
And the Suns’ Deandre Ayton told the media on a Zoom webinar call on Thursday that he plans to have the messaging “respect us” on the back of his jersey.
Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by police when Louisville officers came into her apartment abruptly on March 13 while using a no-knock warrant to search for drugs during a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found in Taylor’s apartment and the warrant was made in connection with a suspect who did not share the apartment with Taylor in any way.
Play Ball! Diamondbacks Start Season Tucson Tonight, FC Tucson Is Back on Soccer Field Sunday The Phoenix Mercury will be honoring the life of Breonna Taylor by showcasing her name on the back of every player’s uniform when their season begins Saturday against the L.A. Sparks in Bradenton, Fla., the team announced.
And the Suns’ Deandre Ayton told the media on a Zoom webinar call on Thursday that he plans to have the messaging “respect us” on the back of his jersey.
Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by police when Louisville officers came into her apartment abruptly on March 13 while using a no-knock warrant to search for drugs during a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found in Taylor’s apartment and the warrant was made in connection with a suspect who did not share the apartment with Taylor in any way.
Downtown Tucson will be getting another fantastic taproom, by a fantastic local brewery in one fantastic location by 2021.
North-central Tucson's Dillinger Brewing Company is opening a second location at the southeast corner of Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue in the former space of The Coronet.
"To have that level of visibility is going to be awesome," Dillinger Brewing co-owner Eric Sipe said.
Sipe and his business partner, Arron Long, said they had been looking for a new space to open a more central located taproom, but the pandemic put the brakes on that—at first. They're excited to be opening a second location in the heart of downtown, according to Long
"This kind of fell into our lap and we couldn't turn it down," Long said. "It the right size for us and it's got a great outdoor area that has great foot traffic."
The two owners still plan on keeping their original taproom open but plan on explaining their brewing capacity, according to Long. While brewing won't take place at the new spot, the owners plan on creating a barrel-aging program in the the space's two 200 square-foot rooms.
"Our current spot is going to host production and brewing atmosphere," Long said. "The downtown location will feature our specials and barrel-aged releases."
Long said the property's landlord has been willing to work with the brewery over concerns of opening during the pandemic, considering Gov. Doug Ducey extended the order to keep bars, movie theaters and tubing events closed until the virus' number decrease.
"We have complete confidence (the landlord) is willing to with us completely in the event at the shutdown lasts longer," Long said. "Every apprehension we was eased by how cool the landlords are being."
Down on the other end of Fourth Avenue on the corner of University Boulevard, Epic Cafe—the hipster coffee house loved by artists, students and aspiring writers—has decided to call it quits due to slow sales during the pandemic.
Owner Kimberly Flagg said she planned on reopening on Aug. 15, but with coronavirus lingering on and uncertainty looming, the owner decided it's better to close the doors and try to sell the late-night hangout spot. Flagg took over Epic Cafe in 2016 when the business was previously experiencing hard times. It's been in business on Fourth Avenue for roughly a quarter century.
"I'm pretty devastated at the moment. We really hoped to reopen on Aug. 15 on the condition the pandemic would be under control, the U of A would be open and doing face-to-face classes, that we would get some more funding to dig ourselves out of the COVID hole," Flagg said. "But it didn't happen so I put the 'for sale' sign up because if somebody could come in and buy it, Epic doesn't die."
Flagg said she's received several offers to take over her lease but only if they can change the concept. That's a non-starter for Flagg.
"I don't want someone to buy it and turn it into something else. I want someone to buy it and keep it Epic," Flag said. "I bought it because I didn't want to see this cafe close. If somebody loves Epic and wants to keep it Epic, come see me."
North-central Tucson's Dillinger Brewing Company is opening a second location at the southeast corner of Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue in the former space of The Coronet.
"To have that level of visibility is going to be awesome," Dillinger Brewing co-owner Eric Sipe said.
Sipe and his business partner, Arron Long, said they had been looking for a new space to open a more central located taproom, but the pandemic put the brakes on that—at first. They're excited to be opening a second location in the heart of downtown, according to Long
"This kind of fell into our lap and we couldn't turn it down," Long said. "It the right size for us and it's got a great outdoor area that has great foot traffic."
The two owners still plan on keeping their original taproom open but plan on explaining their brewing capacity, according to Long. While brewing won't take place at the new spot, the owners plan on creating a barrel-aging program in the the space's two 200 square-foot rooms.
"Our current spot is going to host production and brewing atmosphere," Long said. "The downtown location will feature our specials and barrel-aged releases."
Long said the property's landlord has been willing to work with the brewery over concerns of opening during the pandemic, considering Gov. Doug Ducey extended the order to keep bars, movie theaters and tubing events closed until the virus' number decrease.
"We have complete confidence (the landlord) is willing to with us completely in the event at the shutdown lasts longer," Long said. "Every apprehension we was eased by how cool the landlords are being."
Down on the other end of Fourth Avenue on the corner of University Boulevard, Epic Cafe—the hipster coffee house loved by artists, students and aspiring writers—has decided to call it quits due to slow sales during the pandemic.
Owner Kimberly Flagg said she planned on reopening on Aug. 15, but with coronavirus lingering on and uncertainty looming, the owner decided it's better to close the doors and try to sell the late-night hangout spot. Flagg took over Epic Cafe in 2016 when the business was previously experiencing hard times. It's been in business on Fourth Avenue for roughly a quarter century.
"I'm pretty devastated at the moment. We really hoped to reopen on Aug. 15 on the condition the pandemic would be under control, the U of A would be open and doing face-to-face classes, that we would get some more funding to dig ourselves out of the COVID hole," Flagg said. "But it didn't happen so I put the 'for sale' sign up because if somebody could come in and buy it, Epic doesn't die."
Flagg said she's received several offers to take over her lease but only if they can change the concept. That's a non-starter for Flagg.
"I don't want someone to buy it and turn it into something else. I want someone to buy it and keep it Epic," Flag said. "I bought it because I didn't want to see this cafe close. If somebody loves Epic and wants to keep it Epic, come see me."
PHOENIX – Gyms, bars, nightclubs and more will remain closed past next week as the state continues to fight a disease that is “highly contagious and in every part of the state,” Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday.
But even as he urged people to stay home and practice safe hygiene, Ducey declined to require the use of masks statewide, instead unveiling an advertising campaign, “Tougher than COVID,” that urges people to wear masks voluntarily.
“I’d ask you to continue to be vigilant,” Ducey said. “Whether you’re in Phoenix or Tucson or a rural area, the virus is still present.”
The comments came in a wide-ranging news conference in which the governor tried to walk a tightrope between touting improvements in the state’s number of COVID-19 cases and warning residents that the virus still presents a threat and people need to brace for what Ducey called a new normal.
They also came the same day that the state crossed the 3,000 threshold for deaths. The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 84 deaths Thursday to bring the total for the state to 3,063.
“There’s no victory lap today, there’s no celebration,” said Ducey, who extended condolences to the thousands of Arizona families who have lost a loved one to the disease.
But even as he urged people to stay home and practice safe hygiene, Ducey declined to require the use of masks statewide, instead unveiling an advertising campaign, “Tougher than COVID,” that urges people to wear masks voluntarily.
“I’d ask you to continue to be vigilant,” Ducey said. “Whether you’re in Phoenix or Tucson or a rural area, the virus is still present.”
The comments came in a wide-ranging news conference in which the governor tried to walk a tightrope between touting improvements in the state’s number of COVID-19 cases and warning residents that the virus still presents a threat and people need to brace for what Ducey called a new normal.
They also came the same day that the state crossed the 3,000 threshold for deaths. The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 84 deaths Thursday to bring the total for the state to 3,063.
“There’s no victory lap today, there’s no celebration,” said Ducey, who extended condolences to the thousands of Arizona families who have lost a loved one to the disease.
Cinephiles, rejoice. The Sundance Film Festival Shorts Tour continues with a virtual edition, and The Loft can get you access to it. I've seen it...it's a great watch. The Shorts tour, and four other new streaming movies, are now available for in home viewing. Visit The Loft's website for details on how to order movies, and perhaps some Curbside Concessions.
Here's what's doing this week:
2020 Sundance Film Festival Shorts Tour
The annual tradition continues with a "virtual edition." For a review of the program, and instructions on how to order, see this post.
Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful
A documentary in which celebrities including Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Catherine Deneuve and Grace Jones reflect upon the career of trailblazing fashion and art photographer Helmut Newton.
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets
In a time where simply going to a bar has all sorts of potential political and physical consequences, this is an interesting watch. Part documentary, part drama, it tells the story of the final days for a Las Vegas dive bar called The Roaring 20s.
Amulet
An ex-soldier living in London moves in with a mother and her daughter. He falls for the girl, which is a bad idea because this is a horror movie and something is seriously screwed up about her. The trailer for this one is freaky. Looks good.
Yes, God, Yes
Alice (Natalia Dyer of Stranger Things), a devout Catholic, discovers masturbation, and also discovers that, naturally, she kind of likes masturbation. Crippled with guilt, she goes to a religious retreat in hopes of conquering her urges but, of course, things don't go as planned. Written and directed by Karen Maine, maker of the funny Jenny Slate vehicle, Obvious Child.
Here's what's doing this week:
2020 Sundance Film Festival Shorts Tour
The annual tradition continues with a "virtual edition." For a review of the program, and instructions on how to order, see this post.
Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful
A documentary in which celebrities including Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Catherine Deneuve and Grace Jones reflect upon the career of trailblazing fashion and art photographer Helmut Newton.
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets
In a time where simply going to a bar has all sorts of potential political and physical consequences, this is an interesting watch. Part documentary, part drama, it tells the story of the final days for a Las Vegas dive bar called The Roaring 20s.
Amulet
An ex-soldier living in London moves in with a mother and her daughter. He falls for the girl, which is a bad idea because this is a horror movie and something is seriously screwed up about her. The trailer for this one is freaky. Looks good.
Yes, God, Yes
Alice (Natalia Dyer of Stranger Things), a devout Catholic, discovers masturbation, and also discovers that, naturally, she kind of likes masturbation. Crippled with guilt, she goes to a religious retreat in hopes of conquering her urges but, of course, things don't go as planned. Written and directed by Karen Maine, maker of the funny Jenny Slate vehicle, Obvious Child.
