Tucson Sentinel @TucsonSentinel@mastodon.tucsonsentinel.com

Stephens back in Pima County Board of Supes race https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_stephens_out/stephens-back-pima-county-board-supes-race/
Updated: Republican Beatrice Cory Stephens has dropped out of the race for Pima County supervisor in District 2.
#Tucson #Arizona

Ahead of risky wildfire season, Forest Service warns about budget cuts https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022024_wildfires_budget_op/ahead-risky-wildfire-season-forest-service-warns-budget-cuts/
An announcement from U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore telling agency employees to expect budget cuts from Congress is raising concerns of a reduction in the firefighting workforce, compounding recruitment and retention challenges that the Forest Service is already facing.
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Diamondbacks consider all options, including relocation, amid soon expiring stadium deal https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/sports/report/022024_diamondback_stadium/diamondbacks-consider-all-options-including-relocation-amid-soon-expiring-stadium-deal/
Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick left the door open for a possible relocation of the Arizona Diamondbacks amid growing talks of possible league expansion and the continued uncertainty of Chase Field as a viable home ballpark.
#Tucson #Arizona

Az public schools struggle to find teachers as leaders brainstorm staffing solutions https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022024_teacher_shortage/az-public-schools-struggle-find-teachers-as-leaders-brainstorm-staffing-solutions/
The ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College’s annual Strategic School Staffing Summit earlier this month highlighted a collection of potential solutions to the teacher shortage, but the question remains if any will incentivize teachers enough to commit to the classroom long term.
#Tucson #Arizona

Arizona House panel advances GOP plan to check citizenship of welfare recipients https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022024_everify_benefits/arizona-house-panel-advances-gop-plan-check-citizenship-welfare-recipients/
Arizona Republicans gave preliminary approval to a proposal to require cities, towns and agencies to use E-Verify to check the citizenship status of anyone applying for public welfare benefits or a license of any kind, which would be put before voters this fall if it passes the Legislature.
#Tucson #Arizona

Az lawmakers move to ban ‘reunification’ treatment in child custody cases https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022024_custody_reunification/az-lawmakers-move-ban-reunification-treatment-child-custody-cases/
Arizona lawmakers are looking to put an end to the practice of reunification, reuniting children with an estranged parent after the child has indicated they want to remain in the care of their other “preferred” parent, considering a pair of bills that would effectively end the practice in the state.
#Tucson #Arizona

Contentious election challenges brewing for Pima County Board of Supervisors https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021324_pima_board_races/contentious-election-challenges-brewing-pima-county-board-supervisors/
Updated: Rounding up the candidates in the 2024 races for Pima County Board of Supervisors.
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Stephens drops out of Pima County Board of Supes race https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_stephens_out/stephens-drops-out-pima-county-board-supes-race/
Republican Beatrice Cory Stephens has dropped out of the race for Pima County supervisor in District 2.
#Tucson #Arizona

Former ACLU of Arizona prez Roberto Reveles to challenge Wendy Rogers https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021924_reveles_rogers_election/former-aclu-arizona-prez-roberto-reveles-challenge-wendy-rogers/
Former president of the ACLU of Arizona and founding president of Somos America Democrat Roberto Reveles announced he is running to unseat incumbent ultra far-right conservative Republican Sen. Wendy Rogers, saying there is “no expiration date” on his experience or commitment.
#Tucson #Arizona

Poll: Almost 1 in 4 Az Republicans wants to secede from the U.S. https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_arizona_secession/poll-almost-1-4-az-republicans-wants-secede-from-us/
According to a recent poll, nearly one in four Arizona Republicans think the Grand Canyon State should secede from the United States, a desire for secession driven by Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, who overwhelmingly are more supportive of seceding across the country.
#Tucson #Arizona

Pima County Administrator warns of 'homelessness on steroids' as federal funding for asylum seekers ends https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_migrant_shelter_funding/pima-county-administrator-warns-homelessness-steroids-as-federal-funding-asylum-seekers-ends/
For months, Pima County officials have said they face a "fiscal cliff" without federal funding and warned the county could not shelter asylum seekers after they are processed and released by federal officials. That deadline will finally arrive on April 1.
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When will housing affordability improve? Spoiler alert: It will take some time https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/021924_affordable_housing/when-will-housing-affordability-improve-spoiler-alert-it-will-take-some-time/
Inflation is slowing and job growth has surged, but many Americans still feel the burden of expensive housing – fueled in part by high demand, low inventory and mortgage rates and some states and cities are stepping up to the challenge of improving its affordable housing stock.
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Patients see first savings from Biden’s drug price push as Pharma lines up lawyers https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/021924_drug_price_drop/patients-see-first-savings-from-bidens-drug-price-push-as-pharma-lines-up-lawyers/
Drug price reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act are kicking in now, with out-of-pocket spending caps on brand-name drugs for Medicare beneficiaries at about $3,500 in 2024, and pharmaceutical makers have filed lawsuits as the patient cap for all drugs drops to $2,000 next year.
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Mexico is suing U.S. gun-makers for arming its gangs — a U.S. court could award billions in damages https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021924_mexico_guns_lawsuit_op/mexico-suing-us-gun-makers-arming-its-gangs-us-court-could-award-billions-damages/
The government of Mexico is suing U.S. gun-makers for their role in facilitating cross-border gun trafficking that has supercharged violent crime in Mexico, and the demand for $10 billion in damages could drive several of the nation’s largest firearm manufacturers into bankruptcy.
#Tucson #Arizona

Arizona could be the first in the nation to create an animal abuser registry https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_animal_abuse_registry/arizona-could-first-nation-create-animal-abuser-registry/
Arizona lawmakers are looking to take animal cruelty penalties to a new level by establishing an animal abuser registry to publicize the information of convicted offenders in the same way that sex offenders are required to register with law enforcement.
#Tucson #Arizona

Fueled by ‘conspiracy theory,’ Az Republicans are pushing for strict rules on ballot tabulators https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_ballot_tabulators/fueled-by-conspiracy-theory-az-republicans-are-pushing-strict-rules-ballot-tabulators/
Arizona Senate Republicans want tighter specifications on how electronic ballot tabulators are tested prior to elections, but the proposed legislation itself falls short on specifics.
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Zero hour arrives for Tucson and RTA; Trump thinks voters are stupid https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/021924_agenda_rta_migrants_op/zero-hour-arrives-tucson-and-rta-trump-thinks-voters-are-stupid/
The Tucson City Council will discuss City Manager Mike Ortega's misgivings about the RTA, Efforts to clear Pioneer Hotel fire suspect; Pima County is six weeks from running out of money to house migrants and more from meetings around Tucson this week.
#Tucson #Arizona

Federal regulators deny permits for hydropower projects on Navajo Nation https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_hydropower_halted/federal-regulators-deny-permits-hydropower-projects-navajo-nation/
Federal energy officials took the unusual step of denying permits to several pumped hydropower projects proposed on the Navajo Nation, citing a new policy that gives tribes a greater voice in projects on their lands.
#Tucson #Arizona

Az cannabis industry trending toward sales record as medical continues to flounder https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/021924_cannabis_records/az-cannabis-industry-trending-toward-sales-record-as-medical-continues-flounder/
As 2023 hit its 11th month, sales trends in the Arizona cannabis industry continued a familiar pattern with the adult-use, recreational market more than tripling that of the medical sector.
#Tucson #Arizona

UA poetry project invites 'love letters' about lakes, streams & other bodies of water https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/021824_water_poems/ua-poetry-project-invites-love-letters-lakes-streams-other-bodies-water/
"Dear Body of Water," led by poet Gretchen E. Henderson, is a global poetry project that seeks to connect tributaries in appreciation of bodies of water.
#Tucson #Arizona