Tucson Sentinel @TucsonSentinel@mastodon.tucsonsentinel.com

Texas investigating claim that DPS troopers were told to push migrants back into Rio Grande https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/071923_texas_migrants/texas-investigating-claim-that-dps-troopers-were-told-push-migrants-back-into-rio-grande/
The Texas Office of the Inspector General is investigating claims DPS troopers were told to push migrants, which include small children and women with nursing babies, back into the river and turning away a 4-year-old girl who later passed out on the riverbank from the heat.
#Tucson #Arizona

Incumbents outspending challengers in Tucson Council primary races https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071923_primary_election_reports/incumbents-outspending-challengers-tucson-council-primary-races/
Tucson City Council incumbents are outspending their challengers in the Aug. 1 Democratic primary, while outside groups are laying out more than most of the candidates in the election.
#Tucson #Arizona

Arizona Helping Hands launches mobile unit to assist foster children and families throughout state https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071423_foster_help/arizona-helping-hands-launches-mobile-unit-assist-foster-children-and-families-throughout-state/
Arizona Helping Hands kicked off its back-to-school season by opening a mobile unit that will distribute backpacks to foster children and provide services to foster families throughout the state.
#Tucson #Arizona

Pima County taps Scott DiBiase to lead Enviromental Quality dep't https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_pdeq_director/pima-county-taps-scott-dibiase-lead-enviromental-quality-dept/
After nearly 20 years of managing air quality in Pinal County, Scott DiBiase was chosen to lead Pima County's Department of Environmental Quality.
#Tucson #Arizona

Judge: No proof means no new trial for Hamadeh in bid to overturn Az election loss https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_hamadeh_trial_denied/judge-no-proof-means-no-new-trial-hamadeh-bid-overturn-az-election-loss/
Abraham Hamadeh won’t be granted a third try at overturning his 2022 loss, after a Mohave County judge ruled that he lacks both the evidence and legal basis to do so.
#Tucson #Arizona

Arizona advocates fear long-term impact of court’s discrimination ruling https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_creative_tension/arizona-advocates-fear-long-term-impact-courts-discrimination-ruling/
Advocates say a Supreme Court ruling that struck down anti-discrimination protections will likely have little immediate impact in Arizona – beyond confusion – but they worry it opens the door to abuses down the road.
#Tucson #Arizona

Judge balks at voting advocates' bid to release 'privileged' Arizona Legislature records https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_leg_voting_records/judge-balks-voting-advocates-bid-release-privileged-arizona-legislature-records/
A federal judge appeared likely to side against voting rights advocates asking him to order the Arizona Legislature to release nearly 200 internal communications documents the governing body claims are protected by legislative privilege.
#Tucson #Arizona

Hobbs talks tribal commitments in historic speech to Navajo Nation Council https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_hobbs_navajo/hobbs-talks-tribal-commitments-historic-speech-navajo-nation-council/
Katie Hobbs made history on Monday, becoming the first sitting Arizona governor to address the Navajo Nation Council, congratulating the council on its 100 years as a governing body and discussing her office’s commitment to Arizona’s tribal nations.
#Tucson #Arizona

AG Mayes says Horne can’t defund Arizona's dual-language education https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_dual_language_horne/ag-mayes-says-horne-cant-defund-arizonas-dual-language-education/
Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne doesn’t have the power to punish schools for using dual-language instructional models, according to Attorney General Kris Mayes - though Horne is preparing to sue schools teaching students in two languages.
#Tucson #Arizona

Runbeck rejects claims AI used to process Maricopa ballots https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_runbeck_election/runbeck-rejects-claims-ai-used-process-maricopa-ballots/
Runbeck Election Services rebutted claims - raised by the Republican-led Arizona legislature - that artificial intelligence was used to verify signatures on Maricopa ballots, and said it will not provide a lengthy list of documents and video footage requested by GOP committee members.
#Tucson #Arizona

Runbeck refutes claims election contractor used AI to process Maricopa ballots https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_runbeck_election/runbeck-refutes-claims-election-contractor-used-ai-process-maricopa-ballots/
Runbeck Election Services rebutted claims - raised by the Republican-led Arizona legislature - that artificial intelligence was used to verify signatures on Maricopa ballots, and said it will not provide a lengthy list of documents and video footage requested by GOP committee members.
#Tucson #Arizona

Heat-related illnesses soaring in Arizona and Florida as the planet warms & temperatures rise https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071823_heat_illnesses/heat-related-illnesses-soaring-arizona-and-florida-as-planet-warms-temperatures-rise/
Among the hottest states in the country, none saw a sharper spike in summertime temperatures over the last century than Arizona and Florida - and as the number of heat-related emergency room visits sharply rises, poor communities are bearing the brunt of sickening heat.
#Tucson #Arizona

Trump says special counsel is investigating him for Jan. 6 charges https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/071823_jan_6_trump/trump-says-special-counsel-investigating-him-jan-6-charges/
A third indictment may be imminent after former President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that he received notice from the Justice Department that he has been targeted in the special counsel’s investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
#Tucson #Arizona

Veteran local journalist Jim Nintzel joins Tucson Sentinel staff https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/062923_nintzel/veteran-local-journalist-jim-nintzel-joins-tucson-sentinel-staff/
Updated: Longtime Southern Arizona journalist Jim Nintzel, who worked as a reporter and editor at the Tucson Weekly for more than three decades before stepping down last year, is joining the Tucson Sentinel staff to serve as the Government & Political Impact reporter.
#Tucson #Arizona

Happy when it rains... A monsoon tunes playlist https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/071723_rain_songs/happy-when-it-rains-monsoon-tunes-playlist/
It's hot, it's humid, and it's (finally) raining buckets of cats and dogs, or at least kittens and puppies, across parts of Tucson. Here are a few monsoon tunes to play as you celebrate.
#Tucson #Arizona

City Council looks to create open space at Randolph Park https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/071723_agenda_golf_op/city-council-looks-create-open-space-randolph-park/
The Tucson City Council is scheduled to tackle making open space available for general public use at the Randolph Golf Complex. Sadly, there are no tigers involved. Plus more in local government meetings this week.
#Tucson #Arizona

DHS to return $427M in military funds spent on border wall, create animal portals in Az https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071723_border_wall_settlement/dhs-return-427m-military-funds-spent-border-wall-create-animal-portals-az/
Two lawsuits over the Trump administration's unlawful attempt to use billions earmarked for military projects to instead build border barriers came to a close Monday after the Biden administration, environmentalists and 18 states agreed to a settlement.
#Tucson #Arizona

Republicans' weeklong monsoon of dumb rains over Arizona https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/071723_gop_dumb_op/republicans-weeklong-monsoon-dumb-rains-over-arizona/
The Atlantic's Adam Serwer wrote a pretty important article about Trumpism, saying "the cruelty is the point." I'm starting to believe "the stupid is the point." Nobody can tell 'em nothing, at least when it comes to the Arizona Republican Party.
#Tucson #Arizona

'Strength through Native drag:' Indigenous artists don’t let discrimination stop them https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/071723_native_drag/strength-through-native-drag-indigenous-artists-dont-let-discrimination-stop-them/
In recent months, Arizona and state legislatures across the nation have introduced hundreds of laws targeting LGBTQ+ communities, including drag shows, but Native performers say existing as a 2SLGBTQ+ person is a form of resistance, and they hope people remember that.
#Tucson #Arizona

PCC & other community colleges tweak offerings to match the local job market https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/071723_pcc_colleges_jobs/pcc-other-community-colleges-tweak-offerings-match-local-job-market/
Pima Community College and other four other institutions were identified by the Harvard Project on Workforce as examples of community colleges thriving, moving in lockstep with local economy, and evolving for the needs of the community.
#Tucson #Arizona