The Sunday Agenda: It's a team effort
Our staffers are crushing it with their coverage ... Test your knowledge of last week's news with our crossword puzzle.
It was a busy week of coverage for Susan and our contributors, who wrote three of the five stories that we published this week.
We’re proud to have featured these young reporters’ work over the last few months and love what they’ve been able to add to our coverage.
Susan’s already on our staff, so she’s sticking around for a while, but we’re excited to say that Angelina and Samantha will be continuing to write for us this fall.
We’re thrilled to say that Refugio has started working as a substitute teacher, and while we’ll miss having him on the team, we couldn’t be happier for him.
Mac will be working with us through the end of the month, and some new student journalists will be joining our ranks when classes start back up at the University of Arizona in just a few weeks.
New contributors means new coverage, and we’d love your help figuring out what that should entail. Election coverage is a given, but what else would you like to see us and our contributors focus on over the next few months?
Please take our short survey so that we can make sure we’re bringing you the news you want and need. It’s only five questions, but your input is invaluable.
We’ve got some great stories lined up for next week. While you’re waiting for those, let’s take a look back at our coverage from last week.
Monday: “Newcomers dominate in small town elections.” Susan, Samantha and Angelina checked in on elections in South Tucson, Oro Valley and Marana, where newcomers enjoyed some sweeping victories. With shakeups on all three councils, next year’s meetings will feature new voices and ideas about what’s best for the three very different municipalities.
Tuesday: “Despite summer spike, COVID rates still below-average.” Samantha checked in with the Pima County Health Department about this year’s summer COVID spike and what guidance families should follow when getting ready for back to school. And while booster rates are down, the three-year case average is also way down, although officials warn that the data doesn’t include home tests, which the vast majority of people rely on.
Wednesday: “South Tucson voters to decide fire department funding.” South Tucson voters may have elected a new city council, but their work isn’t done for the year. In November, they’ll decide on a bond that will help fund the cash-strapped fire department, which only has two full-time employees and routinely relies on the Tucson Fire Department for assistance. With needs including a new (used) firetruck, the department’s fate is unclear without a funding increase.
Thursday: “Now that’s an anniversary gift.” Local nonprofit I Am You 360 is celebrating its 10th year in business and is marking the occasion by bringing Tucson its first tiny home village. The group works with kids and teens in foster care, with the village serving as a safe haven for 18 through 22 year olds transitioning out of foster homes. The finish line is near and organizers are hoping the community will continue to show up and help push them across.
Friday: “Arizona’s Elon Musk of weather.” A questionable social media account that provides weather forecasts had a bit of a moment last week, when one of its posts was shared more than 16,000 times. Arizona Weather Force has nearly 100,000 followers, but the man behind the account has a history of causing panic with his sensational and occasionally accurate forecasts.
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We’ve got another crossword for you! These things are really fun to make. In this week’s crossword, we pulled the answers to the clues from the stories and Other News sections we ran last week.
It’s been a long, hot summer and the Pima County Health Department wants to hear all about it. The goal of the Extreme Heat Community Survey is to gather information about the community’s experience with extreme heat, heat-related illness and awareness of cooling centers. Survey responses are confidential.
The board of supervisors is also holding a public hearing next Monday, August 19, about the county’s proposed heat ordinance designed to protect workers. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. in the Pima County Board of Supervisors Hearing Room (130 W. Congress St.) If approved, the ordinance would go into effect 30 days after the date of its adoption.
