Thursday, June 18, 2020
If you want to get a sense of what it was to be near the Bighorn Fire yesterday, watch this terrifying video from the Mount Lemmon Fire Department.
As the Bighorn Fire continues to burn across the Santa Catalina Mountains, residents in two new areas have been warned to evacuate.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department has told residents in the lower Catalina Highway and lower Mount Lemmon communities from Organization Ridge Road to South Willow Canyon to leave their homes, while the Pinal County Sheriff's Department has ordered the evacuation of Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road in the Oracle area.
Much of the rest of Oracle has now also been advised to be ready to evacuate.
The Bighorn Fire made a large run Wednesday night, burning more than 10,000 additional acres throughout the western flanks of Mount Lemmon and the Catalina Mountains. The fire had burned an estimated 31,000 acres and is 40 percent contained, according to a morning press briefing.
The fire burned an estimated 13,616 acres yesterday, which was easily the most devastating day yet. The second most destructive day so far was Friday, June 12, at 3,762 acres.
Fire crews were successful in pushing the fire around and away from Summerhaven. The town and surrounding structures, including the Mount Lemmon Sky Center and the Mount Lemmon Fire Department headquarters, remained unharmed. However, the fire remains active to the south and west of the Mount Lemmon community. Fire operations section chief Travis Mayberry says fire crews are "very concerned" about the fire moving back toward the community.
"It all played out to be a very challenging day for the folks up on the hill," Mayberry said. "The fire was extremely active, it got established in Romero Canyon just to the west of the observatory and made a pretty significant push to the northeast, wrapping around the community of Summerhaven.”
Last night was intensified by strong winds, which not only fanned the flames, but grounded some air support. However, Mayberry says that although there is some wind today, air support should be fine.
More than 800 personnel are working on the Bighorn Fire, and 400 firefighters worked on the ground to protect Summerhaven last night.
The fire crews plan to work today within the old Aspen Fire line if the Bighorn makes a push toward Oracle. The community of SaddleBrooke should expect to see smoke off the western edges of the Catalinas. The fire is still present in Ventana Canyon.
The areas of Summerhaven and Mount Lemmon remain under an evacuation order. The Catalina Foothills and the community of Catalina remain on the "Be Ready" to evacuate order.
Pima County had 4,682 of the state's 43,443 confirmed cases.
That's more than double the 20,123 confirmed cases the state had on June 1.
A total of 1,271 people have died after contracting the virus, including 235 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 23,880.
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.
Although Gov. Doug Ducey told Arizonans that the state was "clearly on the other side of this pandemic" when he lifted his stay-at-home order on in mid-May, Arizona hospitals continue to see a steady rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID symptoms, as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, a record 1,667 Arizonans were hospitalized, a jump of 658 people from the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1. A record number of 1,109 arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 17. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667, but the daily number hasn't dipped below 800 since June 5. The number of patients in ICU beds hit another record of 540 yesterday.
At a press conference yesterday, Ducey clarified that when he said the state was "clearly on the other side of this pandemic," he meant that the state had a lot more information about how the virus behaves, not that the COVID-19 outbreak had peaked. He also said he could now see a trend in the rising cases; at a press conference two weeks ago, he said the rising cases were data but he couldn't see a trend.
"There is an indication that we are not out of the woods yet," Ducey said.
Ducey, who wore a mask before beginning the press conference for the first time, said he would allow cities and counties to set their own policies in regard to mandating the wearing of masks. While he had previously blocked local jurisdictions from setting standards more strict than the state's emergency regulations, Ducey said different areas of the state were facing different circumstances, so he was relaxing his emergency regulations that limited the actions of local communities. He said it would be up to local communities to set up rules and penalties.
Tags: racism , aunt jemima , syrun , unncle ben , quaker oats , political , cartoon , Image
#SCOTUS rules against Trump administration in challenge to decision to end #DACA program, which allowed noncitizens brought to this country illegally as children to apply for protection from deportation, holding decision was arbitrary and capricious
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 18, 2020
Congressman Raul Grijalva reacts:
Today is a victory for the young immigrants who dared to dream. It’s a victory for those who fought from childhood and well into their adult lives to send a message that they have every right to exist in the only home they have ever known. It’s a strong rejection of one of President Trump’s central ideas of his presidency that seeks to rewrite America’s immigrant heritage and demonize those who don’t look like him.
We knew all along that DACA was lawful and that Trump and Stephen Miller recklessly ended the program for racist reasons and put the lives of 700,000 young immigrants in limbo. I’m pleased the majority of the Supreme Court saw Trump’s actions for the true fraud they were.
This ruling is not the end, and it’s time for Congress to take legislative action ensure that DACA recipients, Dreamers, and TPS and DED recipients have a pathway to citizenship that they deserve. The House has already passed the Dream and Promise Act, and it’s time for the Leader McConnell and the U.S. Senate to do the same.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona jumped to nearly 41,000 as of Wednesday, June 17, after the state reported 1,827 new cases reported this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- Mount Lemmon's community of Summerhaven was spared as the Bighorn Fire continued to rage in the Santa Catalina Mountains.
- One of the Old Pueblo's most revered Sonoran hot dog institutions is temporarily shutting down dine-in service in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and is challenging other local restaurateurs to follow suit.
- It’s been six months since researchers in China said they had identified a novel coronavirus spreading in the city of Wuhan. Hope and desire for a vaccine to end the global devastation is growing with each passing week.
- The first time Deric Ladnier, the Diamondbacks’ director of amateur scouting, saw Bryce Jarvis, he knew he wasn’t ready for the big leagues.
- In a reversal of his previous policy, Gov. Doug Ducey announced today that he will allow local jurisdictions to mandate the wearing of face masks in an effort to slow Arizona’s skyrocketing spread of COVID-19.
After Gov. Doug Ducey announced this afternoon that he would give local jurisdictions the power to mandate masks, Board Chairman Ramon Valadez called for the 3 p.m. meeting.
The ordinance, which is still being drafted, would apply countywide, including within all jurisdictions, Valadez said.
Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson said she was in favor of mandating masks.
Ducey, who wore a mask before beginning the press conference for the first time, said different areas of the state were facing different circumstances, so he was relaxing his emergency regulations that limited the actions of local communities. He said it would be up to local communities to set up rules and penalties.
Earlier today, Romero said she had asked City Attorney Michael Rankin to develop a legal strategy to require masks.
Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik, who last week called on Ducey to allow local communities to set their own standards, called Ducey's announcement a "half-step."
"The fact that we can do masks is fine," Kozachik said. "We ought to be able to do more."
Kozachik had earlier today called for the city to return to the emergency proclamation issued by Romero in March that limited restaurants to curbside service and closed bars, gyms, theaters and other gathering places. Kozachik said he believed the city's charter gave the council that authority, although he said he expected it would be challenged by Republican state lawmakers.
Ducey, who had not emphasized the wearing of face masks before last week, recommended that people should “act responsibly” and wear the masks when out in public.
“Every Arizonan should wear a face mask,” Ducey said. “It’s the smart thing to do.”
Ducey also said his administration would be providing more guidance to businesses to prevent large gatherings.
Ducey's action comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona soared to nearly 41,000 as of today after the state reported 1,827 new cases reported this morning.
Pima County had 4,385 of the state's 40,924 confirmed cases, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That's more than double the 20,123 confirmed cases the state had on June 1.
A total of 1,239 people have died after contracting the virus, including 229 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 22,272.
In a reversal of his previous policy, Gov. Doug Ducey announced today that he will allow local jurisdictions to mandate the wearing of face masks in an effort to slow Arizona’s skyrocketing spread of COVID-19.Protect yourself.
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) June 17, 2020
Protect others.
Help contain the spread of #COVID19.
Wear a mask. #MaskUpAZ pic.twitter.com/jtWuZmyiqF
Ducey, who wore a mask before beginning the press conference for the first time, said different areas of the state were facing different circumstances, so he was relaxing his emergency regulations that limited the actions of local communities. He said it would be up to local communities to set up rules and penalties.
Tucson officials, including Mayor Regina Romero and Councilmember Steve Kozachik, had been asking Ducey to allow them to set local standards in accordance with CDC guidelines. Earlier today, Romero said she had asked City Attorney Michael Rankin to develop a legal strategy to require masks.
Ducey, who had not emphasized the wearing of face masks before last week, recommended that people should “act responsibly” and wear the masks when out in public.
“Every Arizonan should wear a face mask,” Ducey said. “It’s the smart thing to do.”
Following Ducey's announcement, Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson said she believed the county should mandate the wearing of face masks.
Ducey also said his administration would be providing more guidance to businesses to prevent large gatherings.
Ducey's action comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona soared to nearly 41,000 as of today after the state reported 1,827 new cases reported this morning.
Pima County had 4,385 of the state's 40,924 confirmed cases, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That's more than double the 20,123 confirmed cases the state had on June 1.
A total of 1,239 people have died after contracting the virus, including 229 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 22,272.
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.
This is a developing story with newly added reaction from local officials.
“The stuff that was coming out was very marginal. And I remember telling (his father Kevin Jarvis), I said, ‘I like him. He’s not where he needs to be,’” Ladnier said about Bryce in high school. “This is the perfect guy that I think needs to go to college and prove that he’s going to be something. And his dad was adamant about he’s going to be something.”
Prove it he did, as Jarvis became a first-round pick (No. 18 overall) for the Diamondbacks in the 2020 Major League Draft last Wednesday. The team further indicated a desire to stockpile top-line pitching talent by selecting Miami’s Slade Cecconi No. 33 overall with its competitive balance round A selection.
Jarvis, whose father Kevin played and scouted for the club, compiled a 0.67 ERA in 27 innings pitched in his 2020 junior season. He hurled a 15-strikeout perfect game with his father in attendance in February, a brilliant highlight in an otherwise abbreviated season due to the spread of COVID-19.
“The college guys, even Bryce and Slade, we probably got four or five starts out of them this year,” general manager Mike Hazen said.
