/ Modified mar 15, 2021 10:48 p.m.

News roundup: AZ congressional race expects to be fierce, UA to expand in-person classes

Recent coverage impacting Southern Arizona, March 15.

Arizona COVID-19 cases: 7 days

Map shows COVID-19 cases and case rates over the week preceding the last update.

Credit: Nick O'Gara/AZPM. Sources: The New York Times, based on reports from state and local health agencies, Census Bureau. Case reports do not correspond to day of test.

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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.”

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.


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.

Learn more here.

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