After year of closures, restaurants look toward a better 2021
AZPM
It has been a year of loss for Tucson's restaurant community, with institutions like Café Poca Cosa closing their doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even with vaccines on the horizon, COVID-19 cases are surging in Arizona, leaving more restaurateurs struggling to survive as federal pandemic relief remains in limbo.
The annual arrival of snowbirds typically heralds the start to Tucson's booming restaurant season. But traffic at Tucson International Airport is down 50% during what is usually its busiest time of year. With the University of Arizona offering most classes online this semester, students haven't been out as much either.
"We're not seeing those students to the numbers as we were downtown," said Carriage House owner Janos Wilder. He said it's for the better since it's not the time for large gatherings.
For DACA, new ruling and immigration services notice bring new hope
AZPM
Last Friday, a New York federal court ruled the Trump administration must begin accepting new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.
The ruling brought to an end a weekslong legal battle for the Obama-era policy that gives some undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children protection from deportation and a work permit. But it has been in limbo for years.
Even after Friday’s ruling, first-time DACA applicant Jesus Lucero didn’t want to expect anything.
Then, a notice on the Citizenship and Immigration Services website made it official: DACA would be restored in full.
TUSD sees increase in failing grades, mirroring a nationwide trend
AZPM
The Tucson Unified School District experienced an increase in failing grades cross grades 6-12, district Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo announced at the Tuesday night meeting of the governing board.
Failing grades for those students increased by 49%, from 6,424 total last year to 9,587 total this year. Sixth grade saw the largest rise in failing grades, at 71%.
The district, the largest in Tucson, serves over 40,000 students.
Trujillo also announced that TUSD will begin next semester online, doubling down on a previous promise not to enter a hybrid-learning model until Pima County is in a state of moderate transmission or better.
Santa Cruz County has one of the state's highest COVID-19 positivity rates
AZPM
Arizona's COVID-19 case count is still climbing this week. State health officials reported more than 12,000 new cases on Tuesday, twice the high daily count from last week.
The bulk of those are in Maricopa and Pima counties, home to Arizona's two most populous cities. But a worrying trend is happening along the U.S.-Mexico border in Santa Cruz County.
With just over 46,000 residents, Santa Cruz is one of Arizona’s smallest counties. But it also has one of the state's highest positivity rates.
State health data shows a 25% positivity rate among diagnostic tests recorded last week. Yuma's rate was similarly high, at 28%.
Tucson rolling out, taking applications for free wireless internet
AZPM
The city of Tucson has started taking applications for its free wireless internet access.
The program, paid for with $4 million in federal CARES Act grant money, is designed to give people in low-income areas access to the internet for work or learning. The mayor and council voted to initiate the program in August.
Arizona reports over 100 deaths; toll from COVID-19 tops 7K
AP
PHOENIX — Arizona’s death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 7,000 as the state reported over 100 additional fatalities from COVID-19.
Officials on Wednesday reported 4,444 additional virus cases and 108 additional deaths, increasing the state’s known totals to 382,601 cases and 7,081 deaths. The Department of Health Services said 80 of the additional deaths involved reviews of past death certificates.
According to the state’s coronavirus dashboard, coronavirus-related hospitalizations as of Tuesday reached 3,287. That's up 130 from Monday. Hospital officials and public health experts have warned that the current virus surge will exceed the state's health system’s capacity.
Arizona Supreme Court rejects GOP bid to undo Biden victory
AP
PHOENIX — The Arizona Supreme Court rejected a GOP bid to undo Democrat President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump in the state.
The court said no evidence of illegal votes was presented in Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward's challenge of certain ballots in metro Phoenix. The justices said the margin of votes between Trump and Biden wasn’t small enough to trigger an automatic recount, even with the small number of votes Trump could have lost due to problems in ballot processing.
They rejected a request to inspect more ballots and cited case law that concludes the validity of elections isn’t voided by honest mistakes.
Arizona utility increases its share of nuclear power plant
AP
PHOENIX — An Arizona public utility is increasing its ownership share in the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station located west of Phoenix.
The Salt River Project announced that its board has approved the purchase of part of Public Service Co. of New Mexico’s ownership along with some transmission assets for about $70 million plus the cost of the plant’s associated nuclear fuel inventory. When the deal is completed, SRP says its ownership share will be about 20% of the plant’s total capacity.
SRP says its purchase of 114 megawatts of Palo Verde’s output from PNM will provide additional energy needed to serve increasing customer demand.
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