/ Modified dec 10, 2020 6:34 p.m.

News roundup: Pima County clarifies COVID-19 alert, election lawsuit dismissed

Recent coverage impacting Southern Arizona, Dec. 10.

Cases 387,529 | Deaths 7,154

On Thursday, Dec. 10, Arizona reported 4,928 new cases of COVID-19 and 73 additional deaths.


County clarifies COVID-19 threat level

AZPM

Pima County emergency management officials Thursday walked back an emergency alert issued the day before that had apparently caused some alarm in the county.

"COVID-19 transmission is HIGH and hospitals are at capacity. Stay home if you can," Wednesday's alert read.

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, county officials said that some in the public and the media understood the message to mean that hospitals were no longer accepting patients. Thursday's statement said: "All of the hospitals in Pima County are making use of the state’s surge line to manage their patient loads, especially in relation to COVID-19 patients. Anyone who needs to go to a hospital in Pima County should go and they will be given care there."

Hospitals may be at or close to their licensed capacity, but under state COVID-19 guidelines they are allowed to go up to 125% of capacity, and even to exceed it briefly as needed.


Judge dismisses suit seeking to overturn Arizona election results

AZPM

A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking to decertify the election results that gave Democrat President-elect Joe Biden his Arizona victory.

The lawsuit alleged Arizona’s election systems have flaws that let election workers and foreign countries manipulate results. Officials have said the lawsuit uses conspiracy theories to make allegations without any proof.

Judge Diane Humetewa wrote: "Not only have Plaintiffs failed to provide the Court with factual support for their extraordinary claims, but they have wholly failed to establish that they have standing for the Court to consider them."

She ruled against the plaintiffs and in favor of Gov. Doug Ducey and Secretary of State Katie Hobbs late Wednesday afternoon.

Learn more here.


New Mexico task force submits report on missing and murdered Indigenous peoples

AZPM

New Mexico's task force investigating missing and murdered Indigenous peoples sent in its final report Wednesday to the state's governor and lawmakers.

Over the last year, the task force has gathered data, recorded testimonies from Indigenous people affected by the violent crisis and recommended changes to the state. The task force is calling to fully fund and staff tribal courts and judiciary systems so they can better enforce current tribal and federal laws.

Navajo Nation first lady Phefelia Nez said it's also the responsibility of tribal legislative bodies to create and amend laws to protect Indigenous people from crimes, such as human trafficking.

The Navajo Nation is currently developing its own missing persons unit.


Patience advised for coronavirus vaccine distribution

AZPM

Arizona is expected to receive more than 383,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of the month. The state health department placed the order for the first shipment this weekend, and it is due to arrive next week.

Patience will be a key quality for people awaiting an end to the COVID-19 crisis even after vaccines are distributed.

University of Arizona immunobiologist Liz Connick says evaluating the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines will take time. But she notes that is no excuse for people to pass up vaccines and take a chance on developing antibodies.

Connick says the first sign that vaccines are working will be a decrease in sickness among health care workers and nursing home residents. Pima County health officials expect vaccines for about 50,000 people to become available by the end of the month.


Lawyer trying to resurrect bid to undo Biden’s Arizona win

AP

PHOENIX — Conservative lawyer Sidney Powell is appealing the dismissal of her lawsuit seeking to decertify election results that gave Democrat President-elect Joe Biden a victory in Arizona.

Powell said in a filing she was taking her case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which later scheduled the first brief in the appeal to be due two months after inauguration date. Alexander Kolodin, an attorney who along with Powell filed the challenge, has since said the plan is to take the case directly to the U.S. Supreme Court on an expedited basis.

The lawsuit was dismissed for failing to provide evidence to back up its fraud claims.


Working Remotely? Tucson May Have A Space For You

Fronteras Desk

Tucson has long marketed its more than 300 days of sunshine to lure in college students and snowbirds. Now a nonprofit with funding from the city has started a program to lure working professionals.

"People are looking for different quality of life. They’re looking to connect with their communities in different ways," said Liz Pocock, CEO of Startup Tucson, the nonprofit that runs Remote Tucson.

It’s offering people who relocate about 7,500 in incentives, including moving money, a year of Internet, a workspace, and an ambassador to help them settle in.

The program is starting off with a pilot to relocate 10 people. They must have a job that exists elsewhere and they have to be willing to make Tucson home for at least a year. It is modeled after one in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Learn more here.


Mexican Students Can Resume In-Person Classes In January In States Where COVID-19 Spread Is Low

Fronteras Desk

Students across Mexico have been out of the classroom for most of the year amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the country’s education secretary says in-person classes are starting up again in January for states with low levels of coronavirus spread.

Since August, school has been at home for most Mexican students, with classes broadcast on TV.

Starting in January, though, Education Secretary Esteban Moctezuma Barragan says Mexican schools can start reopening — but only in states designated as “green” on a federal coronavirus risk scale.

"And let something be very clear, the return to in-person will be when the traffic light is on green," he said Wednesday.

As of this week, only three of Mexico’s 32 states would qualify to go back to in-person classes — those are Campeche, Chiapas and Veracruz.


Sonora Should Be A Priority For COVID-19 Vaccines Because Of Proximity To Arizona, Governor Says

Fronteras Desk

The governor of neighboring Sonora, Mexico is urging federal leaders to make the state a top priority for receiving vaccinations, in part because of its proximity to Arizona.

Sonora Gov. Claudia Pavlovich sent a letter to Mexican federal officials Tuesday, asking them to include her state among the first to receive doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Sonora should be a priority, she said, not only because of rising cases, limited hospital capacity and high rates of comorbidities and chronic disease, but also because Sonora borders Arizona.

"We’re a border state," she said. "And unfortunately, we can't forget that our brothers in Arizona are in a very bad situation, as we all know, and we have to do what’s needed for Sonora to do well.”

In recent weeks, coronavirus cases, test positivity rates and hospitalizations have all risen sharply in Sonora.


Navajo Nation reports 191 new COVID-19 cases, 5 more deaths

AP

WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation health officials on Wednesday reported 191 new COVID-19 cases and five more deaths. In all, the tribe has now reported 18,575 cases and 693 known deaths since the pandemic began.

Navajo Department of Health officials say nearly 177,000 people on the vast reservation that includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah have been tested for COVID-19 and more than 10,000 have recovered. But officials have identified 77 Navajo Nation communities with uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus since late last month.

Tribal officials say nearly all intensive care unit beds on the reservation are being used as COVID-19 cases surge. The Navajo Nation has extended its stay-at-home order though Dec. 28 in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

Learn more here.


Phoenix medical center remains last resort for virus cases

AP

PHOENIX — Officials say a shuttered Arizona hospital with empty beds awaits patients in the case of a coronavirus surge that overwhelms the capacity of other state health care facilities.

The Arizona Republic reported St. Luke’s Medical Center in Phoenix has 235 unused patient beds and can be activated within seven to 14 days. Officials say scaling up to full capacity would be accomplished in 25-bed increments.

Arizona Department of Health Services spokeswoman Holly Poynter says the state has an operator contract for the facility through Virginia-based PAE Inc., which would increase the operation and staffing based on patient need.

Learn more here.


City disciplines officer who detained Black man at gunpoint

AP

TEMPE — A Tempe police officer is serving a two-week unpaid suspension and will work a desk job for at least the next year for holding a Black hotel employee at gunpoint while searching for an armed suspect described as white.

Tempe officials said an investigation of the Aug. 29 incident at the hotel where Trevonyae Cumpian worked and was detained by Officer Ronald Kerzaya determined that Kerzaya violated city policies.

The City Council on Wednesday approved a $300,000 settlement with Cumpian. He previously filed a $2.5 million claim for emotional trauma and related therapy. A claim is a precursor to a possible lawsuit.

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