Arizona COVID-19 cases: 7 days
Cases 836,737 | Deaths 16,745
On Monday, March 22, Arizona reported 484 new cases of COVID-19 and no additional deaths. Monday morning, the state opened up vaccine eligibility to include all Arizonans over the age of 16.
State opens COVID-19 vaccines to all adults
AZPM
The Arizona Department of Health Services announced, as of Wednesday, Mar 24, everyone ages 16 and up can get a COVID-19 vaccine at one of the state-run vaccine locations.
In southern Arizona, the University of Arizona operates the only state pod.
Officials at the university said they have plenty of appointments available for this week.
The change in eligibility is only for the state-run pods and does not include county-run or other sites though those sites could change to the new eligibility category.
You can register for vaccines at state pods here.
State health officials getting ready to move COVID vaccine sites inside
AZPM
Rising temperatures in Arizona are forcing health officials to plan for the relocation of outdoor COVID-19 mass vaccination sites.
Spring has arrived and with the new season comes the annual creeping of temperatures towards the 100-degree mark. As a result, state health officials are getting ready to move many of the outdoor vaccination sites to indoor locations to protect people and computer equipment.
One state-run site that will stay outdoors, at least for now, is the one at the University of Arizona.
In Douglas visit, Gov. Doug Ducey calls rising apprehensions a 'man-made crisis' by Biden administration
AZPM
Governor Doug Ducey spent the day in Douglas Friday touring the border and meeting with local leaders to discuss what he called a "man-made crisis," and "the worst situation" he's seen along the border.
The governor was joined by Senator Rick Scott of Florida and a group of law enforcement officers in Cochise County. They began with a helicopter tour before addressing the media in front of a portion of the border wall lined with concertina wire.
Ducey cited Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ recent statement that the U.S. was on pace to see the highest number of border apprehensions in two decades, and a record number of migrant children in DHS custody.
State Sen. Engel running for Congress
AZPM, AP
State Senator Kirsten Engel announced Friday, on social media, that she is running for Congress in Southern Arizona.
The Tucson Democrat is hoping to replace Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick who announced she will not run for another term in 2022.
Engel teaches environmental law at the University of Arizona.
She was elected to the state Senate in November after serving two terms in the Arizona House of Representatives.
Tucson official says city can fight water cuts despite data
AP
Tucson’s top water official says the city could withstand a “worst plausible scenario” cut of 50% of its total Colorado River allocation from the Central Arizona Project canal system.
The Arizona Daily Star reported Saturday that Interim Assistant City Manager Tim Thomure says much of the water that could be cut is not currently under customer use and that the city stores more than one-third of its CAP supply in large basins for emergency use.
The assurance came despite warnings from researchers who have warned the Colorado River Basin could face severe cuts in water supplies due to climate change and other factors.
Number of Navajo Nation COVID-19 cases surpasses 30,000
AP
The Navajo Nation has reported nine new COVID-19 cases but no new deaths, pushing the total number of cases since the pandemic past 30,000.
The latest numbers released Sunday bring the tribe’s pandemic total to 30,0007 confirmed cases. The number of known deaths remains 1,233.
The Navajo Nation had a soft reopening last week with 25% capacity for some businesses under certain restrictions. Still, mask mandates and daily curfews remain.
Tribal President Jonathan Nez reiterated in a statement the importance of getting vaccinated. However, he says those who are vaccinated should not take vacations or hold large in-person gatherings with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 variants.
Sens. Sinema, Cornyn Call On Biden To Put Resources Along Border Amid Growing Crisis
Fronteras Desk
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema joined a growing chorus of elected officials calling on the Biden administration to quickly address the surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sinema joined Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a letter to president Joe Biden on Monday. It calls on Biden to pour resources along the U.S.-Mexico border and to improve the asylum process.
It also calls on the administration to improve collaboration both with its own various agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations that have helped to care for migrants at the border.
And it calls for migrants in custody to be afforded full due process, including legal orientations before starting the asylum process.
Biden aims to prevent border crossings from swamping agenda
AP
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is scrambling to manage a growing humanitarian and political challenge at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Stories of unaccompanied minors and families trying to cross the border and of overwhelmed border facilities have begun to dominate the headlines and threaten to overshadow the administration's ambitious legislative agenda.
President Joe Biden said Sunday that he will “at some point” go to the border and that he knows what is going on with border facilities.
Administration officials say Biden inherited an untenable situation that resulted from what they say was President Donald Trump’s undermining and weakening of the immigration system. Critics say the new administration should have been better prepared.
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