Arizona COVID-19 cases: 7 days
Cases 833,381 | Deaths 16,553
On Monday, March 15, Arizona reported 638 new cases of COVID-19 and no additional deaths. The number of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients has also dropped over the past few weeks, the Associated Press reports.
Positioning for congressional race underway
AZPM
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick announced, Friday, that she will not seek another term in office. The announcement sets up a rare, open-seat race for Congress. The Southern Arizona Democrat said she expects a crowded field next year.
Election watchers, pundits, and strategists expect the race to represent Southern Arizona in Congress will be one of the most hard-fought races in the country during the 2022 election cycle.
“I would expect both the national groups that support congressional candidates for Republicans and Democrats to spend heavily depending on the candidate,” said Barrett Marson, Phoenix-based Republican strategist.
Democrats agree with Marson’s assessment and they are ready to defend the seat.
UA expanding in-person classes
AZPM
The University of Arizona announced on Monday that it plans to expand to Phase Three for in-person classes on March 29. Phase Three allows classes of up to 100 students to meet in-person.
The declining COVID-19 cases in Arizona and on campus allowed university officials to make the decision to move forward with more in-person classes.
“We’re able to project the shift due to continuing lower numbers of COVID-19 in the campus population,” said University of Arizona President Robert Robbins.
Gila topminnow repopulate native waters
AZPM
The Gila topminnow only measures about one to two inches long. But the little fish used to have a big range across Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico, according to Luke Cole with the Sonoran Institute.
Cole said declining habitat, predation by nonnative fish and poor water quality essentially erased the Gila topminnow from local waterways for seven decades. But a few years after improvements at Tucson's wastewater treatment plant in 2013, they started finding the topminnow in the Santa Cruz River again. And Cole said that's good news for the river:
"The Gila topminnow is pretty inconspicuous, it's small, but it's a really useful indicator of river health because it's so pollution sensitive," he said.
Arizona reports 638 new COVID-19 cases but no new deaths
AP
PHOENIX — Arizona health officials are reporting no new COVID-19 deaths and 638 more confirmed cases, one of the lowest figures in months.
The state Department of Health Services released the latest numbers Monday, bringing the totals since the pandemic started to 833,381 cases and 16,553 deaths.
Still, even the number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds continues to drop. As of Sunday, 716 people were hospitalized due to the virus. Of those, 210 were in ICU beds.
Meanwhile, many Arizona schools reopened for full-time in-person instruction Monday as mandated by Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive order. He cited teachers getting vaccinated as a main factor.
Navajo Nation reports 3 more COVID-19 cases, no new deaths
AP
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation on Sunday reported three additional cases of COVID-19, but no new deaths.
The latest numbers pushed the tribe’s pandemic total to 29,948 confirmed cases. The known death toll remained at 1,218.
The Navajo Nation is planning a soft reopening Monday with 25% capacity for some businesses under certain restrictions. Tribal President Jonathan Nez said in a statement that health care experts continue to caution everyone about traveling because another surge of the virus could happen.
Nez says vaccines continue to be administered across the Navajo Nation and tells tribal members to “continue staying home as much as possible, wear a mask, practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings and crowds, and wash your hands often.”
Grijalva announces bill to reverse land swap for copper mine
AP
SUPERIOR — Democratic U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva has introduced a bill to keep the U.S. Forest Service from turning over land in Arizona for a massive copper mine.
The parcel of land in the Tonto National Forest east of Phoenix was set to be transferred to Resolution Copper this week. But the Biden administration pulled back an environmental review that cleared the way for the land transfer to further consult with Native American tribes.
The land exchange was included in a must-pass defense bill in 2014.
Grijalva's bill introduced Monday seeks to repeal that provision to protect Oak Flat, held sacred by tribes.
Judge: Arizona GOP must pay $18K in groundless election suit
AP
PHOENIX — A judge ordered the Arizona Republican Party and its lawyers to pay $18,000 in attorneys’ fees that taxpayers were forced to cover to defend against the party’s failed challenge of President Joe Biden’s victory.
Judge John Hannah concluded the state GOP brought a groundless claim to court and filed its case for political reasons while claiming it was trying to protect election integrity. A lawyer representing the Arizona GOP said the decision would be appealed.
No evidence of fraud or hacking of voting machines emerged during the election in Arizona.
The Arizona Republican Party’s executive director didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.
FEMA to help manage unaccompanied minors at US-Mexico border
AP
WILMINGTON, Del. — The Biden administration is turning to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help managing and caring for record numbers of unaccompanied immigrant children who are streaming into the U.S. from Mexico.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says FEMA will support a government-wide effort over the next three months to safely receive, shelter and transfer minor children who arrive alone at the U.S. southwest border.
Government figures show a growing crisis at the border as hundreds of children illegally enter the U.S. daily from Mexico and are taken into custody.
In a pandemic, Navajo community steps up for its vulnerable
AP
TEESTO — A strong sense of community and taking care of one another has come to the aid of people like Raymond Clark on the Navajo Nation.
The 71-year-old painter lives alone, without running water or transportation in the community of Teesto. He's content paying for wood deliveries, chipping in for gas money for a ride to town and carrying jugs to fill up at a water station. But sometimes, those things come to him.
Officials at the Teesto Chapter House say they have even more of a duty now during a pandemic to ensure their most vulnerable residents get what they need to stay safe and at home.
Mexican President’s Party Accused Of Using Vaccination For Political Purposes
Fronteras Desk
MEXICO CITY — Mexico is among the countries offering free COVID-19 vaccines to its population, following its own protocols. But the process has also been politicized, and the president’s party might be penalized after using vaccinations as a political platform.
Morena is the Mexican president’s party, which was accused by opponents and citizens of using vaccination points for political purposes.
Morena brigades have collected voter-identification data from the people waiting in line to get the vaccine and have offered them social benefits and programs from the government.
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