Tucson Weekly April 23, 2020 by Tucson Weekly

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In a time of outbreak, are the kids alright? A tale of Tucson Salvage by Brian Smith

CHOW: Bid on a 4-H Steer! THE SKINNY: Martha McSally Can’t Keep Up With Mark Kelly CANNABIS 520: Court Battle Over Weed Prop

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

APRIL 23, 2020

APRIL 23, 2020 | VOL. 35, NO. 17

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STAFF

CONTENTS COVID-19 ROUNDUP

EDITOR’S NOTE

Muchas Gracias

THE SKINNY

Mark Kelly has raised more than $31 million for his Senate campaign

TUCSON SALVAGE

Are the kids alright during quarantine?

CHOW

4-H and Future Farmers host online livestock sale

CANNABIS 520

Recreational cannabis backers join other initiative campaigns to request use of electronic signature gathering

Jaime Hood, General Manager, Ext. 12 jaime@tucsonlocalmedia.com Casey Anderson, Ad Director/ Associate Publisher, Ext. 22 casey@tucsonlocalmedia.com Sheryl Kocher, Receptionist, Ext. 10 sheryl@tucsonlocalmedia.com

FIRST OF ALL, HUGE THANKS TO

The latest news on COVID-19 in Tucson and the nation

ADMINISTRATION Jason Joseph, President/Publisher jjoseph@azlocalmedia.com

everyone who has made a donation in support of our local journalism. As you can see from this slim edition of Tucson Weekly, many of our advertisers have been hammered by the restrictions related to the COVID-19 outbreak, so contributions from you are keeping our local newspaper alive as we work our way through the pandemic. If you’d like to make a donation, please visit TucsonWeekly.com and see the donation box in the upper right of the website. A caveat: We are not a nonprofit so your contributions are not tax-deductible, but they do keep our reports coming. Even though the paper is slim, this team working with me—managing editor Logan Burtch-Buus, associate editor Jeff Gardner, web editor Tara Foulkrod and staff reporters Kathleen Kunz and Austin Counts—are delivering updates about the pandemic alongside other vital local news constantly at TucsonWeekly.com. With apologies to Rolling Stone, we may only have room for all the news that fits in our print edition, but there’s a lot more to read online. Last week, as you’ll see in our new COVID-19 newsbrief roundup on Page 4, we covered the troubles that local businesses are facing to get Paycheck Protection Program loans through the banks and the Small Business Administration; the

dire financial straits facing the City of Tucson and the University of Arizona; Tucson’s effort to find housing for homeless people suffering from or at high risk for the novel coronavirus; the UA’s plans to make antibody tests; and a whole bunch more. This week, we’re rolling out campaign coverage of local, state and federal races that are coming up this year. So what will you find in our print pages this week? The Skinny looks at who’s running for U.S. Senate and Congress, along with their latest fundraising numbers; Tucson Salvage columnist Brian Smith looks into how kids are handling the social distancing caused by the outbreak; reporter Austin Counts delivers the latest on the court fight regarding the recreational cannabis initiative and other signature-gathering efforts, as well as telling you how you can bid on a 4-H steer now that the Pima County Fair is canceled; and we’ve got comics, horoscopes, a sex column and other diversions to help you pass that stay-at-home time. Thanks for being here with the Weekly. We appreciate it now more than ever. — Jim Nintzel Executive Editor Hear Nintz talk about the latest on COVID-19 on The Frank Show, Wednesday mornings on KPLX, 96.1.

Cover design by Ryan Dyson RANDOM SHOTS By Rand Carlson

EDITORIAL Jim Nintzel, Executive Editor, Ext. 38 jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com Logan Burtch-Buus, Managing Editor, Ext. 36 logan@tucsonlocalmedia.com Jeff Gardner, Associate Editor, Ext. 43 jeff@tucsonlocalmedia.com Tara Foulkrod, Web Editor, Ext. 35 tara@tucsonlocalmedia.com Austin Counts, Staff Reporter, Ext. 37 austin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Kathleen Kunz, Staff Reporter, Ext. 42 kathleen@tucsonlocalmedia.com Contributors: Lee Allen, Rob Brezsny, Max Cannon, Rand Carlson, Tom Danehy, Emily Dieckman, Bob Grimm, Andy Mosier, Xavier Omar Otero, Linda Ray, Margaret Regan, David Safier, Will Shortz, Jen Sorensen, Eric Swedlund, Mark Whittaker PRODUCTION David Abbott, Production Manager, Ext. 18 david@tucsonlocalmedia.com Louie Armendariz, Graphic Designer, Ext. 29 louie@tucsonlocalmedia.com Madison Wehr, Graphic Designer, Ext. 28 madison@tucsonlocalmedia.com Ryan Dyson, Graphic Designer, Ext. 26 ryand@tucsonlocalmedia.com CIRCULATION Alex Carrasco, Circulation, Ext. 17, alexc@tucsonlocalmedia.com ADVERTISING Kristin Chester, Account Executive, Ext. 25 kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Candace Murray, Account Executive, Ext. 24 candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com Lisa Hopper, Account Executive Ext. 39 lisa@tucsonlocalmedia.com Brek Montoya, Account Executive, Ext. 20 brek@tucsonlocalmedia.com Tyler Vondrak, Account Executive, Ext. 27 tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com Liane White, Account Executive, Ext. 23, liane@tucsonlocalmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING VMG Advertising, (888) 278-9866 or (212) 475-2529 Tucson Weekly® is published every Thursday by 13 Street Media at 7225 N. Mona Lisa Rd., Ste. 125, Tucson, Arizona. Address all editorial, business and production correspondence to: Tucson Weekly, 7225 N. Mona Lisa Rd., Ste. 125, Tucson, Arizona 85741. Phone: (520) 797-4384, FAX (520) 575-8891. First Class subscriptions, mailed in an envelope, cost $112 yearly/53 issues. Sorry, no refunds on subscriptions. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN). The Tucson Weekly® and Best of Tucson® are registered trademarks of 10/13 Communications. Back issues of the Tucson Weekly are available for $1 each plus postage for the current year. Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement at his or her discretion.

Copyright: The entire contents of Tucson Weekly are Copyright © 2019 by Thirteenth Street Media. No portion may be reproduced in whole or part by any means without the express written permission of the Publisher, Tucson Weekly, 7225 N. Mona Lisa Rd., Ste. 125, Tucson, AZ 85741.

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

APRIL 23, 2020

Southern Arizona

COVID-19

Roundup

By Logan Burtch-Buus logan@tucsonlocalmedia.com • The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona had topped 5,000 as of Monday, April 20, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County had seen 941 of the state’s 5,064 confirmed cases. The coronavirus had killed 187 people statewide, including 58 in Pima County, according to the report. In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 2,636. • Nationwide, more than 720,630 people had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which had killed an estimated 37,202 people of Monday, April 20, according to preliminary statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because test kits remain in short supply and COVID-19 symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials say community spread of the disease is worse than the official count. They have urged the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people. • A small group protested at the state Capitol this week to express their unhappiness with Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order that has closed a wide number of “non-essential” businesses, including bars, beauty salons, tattoo parlors, swap meets and many retail stores. Public parks remain open but amenities such as playgrounds and restrooms are closed. Under the stay-at-home order, which is set to expire on April 30 unless it is renewed, Arizonans are still able to shop for groceries, medical and household needs, and pet supplies. They can also go to work, pick up a take-out meal from a restaurant, travel to take care of a family member, friend or pet, and can still go walking, hiking, biking and golfing, provided that they adhere to social distancing guidelines. • Many local businesses struck out in their applications for loans under the $350 billion Paycheck Protection Program, which was part of the $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief passed by Congress

LOGAN BURTCH-BUUS

The University of Arizona announced a furlough to most of its staff last week. Furloughs will range between 13 and 39 days, based on earnings. The university’s highest paid employees, who earn more than $150,000 annually, will receive 17 to 20 percent pay cuts instead of being furloughed. last month. Republicans have pushed to add $250 billion to the program, but the legislation stalled because Democrats demanded additional aid to state and local governments that are seeing huge budget hits as businesses shutter their doors and are unable to collect sales taxes.

although there have been reports of people coming down with the disease after beating it once. Ducey said the state would use the tests for healthcare workers and first responders, while Robbins plans to use them to test students, faculty and staff at the university.

• The University of Arizona announced that employees would have to take furloughs and, in some cases, other pay cuts. UA President Robert C. Robbins says that university is facing a dire financial situation, as it’s unknown how many out-of-state and international students will return to the campus for the fall semester if the COVID-19 outbreak still poses a threat. “The task ahead is not easy, and it depends largely on the resolution of our public health crisis,” Robbins said in a letter to UA employees.

• The Tucson City Council discussed an expected significant collapse in city sales tax and other revenue streams during the COVID-19 pandemic at last week’s study session, but they won’t know how bad the situation is until summer. “We know there’s an iceberg ahead, but won’t know how large until probably midJune,” said Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik before the study session. “We need to budget assuming the Titanic and hope to be surprised.”

• The University of Arizona plans to produce 250,000 tests for COVID-19 antibodies. Such tests could tell people if they have already been exposed to COVID-19, which is deadly to some patients while others remain asymptomatic. Testing for antibodies could identify people who are no longer at risk for catching COVID-19,

• The City of Tucson launched a new program to house homeless people who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who are considered high-risk in two local hotels that have a total of 315 rooms available. The program is funded through a $1.67 million Emergency Solutions Grant allocated from the federal CARES Act package.

• Walgreens announced it would begin drive-thru COVID-19 testing at an eastside Tucson location, 10315 E. Broadway Blvd., but by appointment only. Fill out an online health questionnaire to determine if you are eligible at walgreens.com/coronavirus. • COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include headache, fever, cough, and shortness of breath, according to the CDC. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. • If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, speak with a healthcare provider for medical advice. According to the CDC, people who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home. Stay at home and avoid public transportation, but stay in touch with your doctor. If you do leave your home, wear a facemask and clean your hands often. —Additional reporting from Kathleen B. Kunz, Austin Counts, Jeff Gardner and Tara Foulkrod ■

THE SKINNY

APRIL 23, 2020

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FACEBOOK.COM/JIMNINTZEL @NINTZEL

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STORMING CAPITOL HILL

Your federal races in Southern Arizona are shaping up //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

THE U.S. SENATE RACE BETWEEN Sen. Martha McSally and Democratic challenger Mark Kelly is promising to be one of the most lively—and most expensive—in the country this year, with control of the U.S. Senate hanging in the balance. So far, Kelly is leading the polls. Last week, another survey from Arizona-based polling firm OH Predictive Insights showed McSally trailing Kelly by 9 percentage points, but most surveys have put the race closer and we’d still call it a toss-up, especially since the COVID-19 outbreak is already scrambling campaigning and—if it’s still spreading by the time Election Day rolls around in November—it could have a big impact on who gets out to the polls. Nonetheless, it’s hardly good news for McSally, who is only in the Senate because Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey appointed her to the office in 2018 to finish out the late John McCain’s term after she became the first Republican to lose a Senate seat in Arizona in 30 years. McSally is making herself as visible as she can as the COVID-19 outbreak paralyzes the nation’s economy, but she’s got two big liabilities: 1. She has a lousy record on healthcare, having repeatedly voted to repeal regulations that prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions (which is true no matter how many times she says it’s not), and 2. She remains tightly tied to President Donald Trump and has sidestepped numerous opportunities to criticize his handling of the outbreak, instead choosing to focus her ire on China. (There’s a strategy there as Kelly has done consulting work in China in the past so Team McSally sees that as a weak point.) Kelly is also clobbering McSally on the fundraising front. Last week, Team Kelly revealed the former NASA astronaut had raised more than $10 million in the first quarter of 2020. Meanwhile, Team McSally reported raising $6.2 million—a respect-

able haul, but far behind Kelly. At the end of March, McSally had raised nearly $19 million for her race and had $10.2 million in the bank, while Kelly raised more than $31 million and had nearly $20 million in the bank. (Yes, McSally technically has a primary challenger in Republican Daniel McCarthy, but she has nothing to fear from the Makeup Eraser dude, who spent his campaign time last weekend shaking hands with people who are protesting Arizona’s stay-at-home order. McCarthy raised a pathetic $26,364 from contributors for his quixotic campaign while loaning it nearly $210,000 that has been almost entirely spent, leaving him with just about $12,000 on hand as of March 31. Daniel, that’s got to be the most wasteful $200,000 you’ve ever spent.) Meanwhile, here’s how the other federal races are shaping up in Southern Arizona based on campaign finance reports that cover activity through March 31: • In Congressional District 1, which includes Oro Valley and Marana as well as much of rural eastern Arizona, Flagstaff and the Navajo reservation, incumbent Democrat Tom O’Halleran is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary from Eva Putzova, a former Flagstaff City Council member. As to be expected, O’Halleran had a big fundraising edge over Putzova through the end of March. O’Halleran had raised more than $1.6 million for his campaign and still had more than a million bucks in the bank, while Putzova raised $186,533 and was down to roughly $40,000 in the bank. This is one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country, but the Democrats have managed to hold it since it was created for the 2012 election cycle. This year, three Republicans are battling for the chance to be the party’s nominee in November. The presumptive favorite in the GOP contest is Tiffany Shedd, an attorney with a family farm in Eloy. But she has competition from first-time candidate and attorney Nolan Reidhead of Oro Valley, as well as political newcomer and veteran Doyel Shamley.

Shedd had raised more than $446,000, including $66,140 she lent the campaign. She had roughly $180,000 on hand at the end of the reporting period. Reidhead had raised just over $80,000, including more than $18,000 from his own pocket and a $15,000 loan he loaned the campaign, and ended the reporting period with about $30,000. Shamley, meanwhile, isn’t exactly a powerhouse in the fundraising department; he’d raised a paltry $3,170, but he’s been very frugal, having spent just $109.80, leaving him with $3,060 in the bank. • Like AZ-01, Arizona’s Congressional District 2—which includes Tucson, the Catalina Foothills and rural areas stretching into Cochise County—is also one of the most competitive in the country. Democrats won the district with Ron Barber in 2012, McSally took it for the Republicans in 2014 and 2016, and current incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick took it back for the Democrats in 2018. Kirkpatrick, who took a six-week leave of absence earlier this year to enter recovery for a drinking problem, is up against Democratic challenger Peter Quilter, an attorney who is making his first bid for public office. Quilter told The Skinny he was motivated to run in part by Trump, but also because he believes the voters in Congressional District 2 want to see more from their representative. “President Trump has embarrassed us, demeaned us and placed our Democracy in a kind of peril we have never seen before,” Quilter said. “But it’s not only him. It’s our voters. Our voters in AZ-02 are hungry for their representative in Congress to do more than just manage constituent services and the status quo.” Kirkpatrick has raised more than $1.2 million for her campaign and had $690,000 at the end of the reporting period, while Quilter, whose campaign-finance report hadn’t been uploaded as of our print deadline, told The Skinny that he’d raised more than $14,000 and had a little over $1,000 on hand. Four candidates are vying the AZ-02 GOP primary: Brandon Martin, who came in second in the four-way 2018 primary; Joseph Morgan, who was briefly a con-

COURTESY PHOTO

In the stratosphere: Mark Kelly has raised more than $31 million for his Senate campaign.

servative columnist for the Arizona Daily Star and a radio host and who now works at Pima College; Noran Eric Ruden, the owner of a local termite and pest control company; and Shay Stautz, a former lobbyist for the University of Arizona. Stautz had raised more than $242,000, including roughly $137,000 in contributions and $105,000 he lent the campaign. Ruden had raised more than $235,000, but only about $27,000 came from contributors; Ruden had kicked in more than $108,000 in contributions and loaned the campaign another $100,000. He’d spent about $80,000, leaving him with $155,000 at the end of the reporting period. Martin had raised more than $98,000 without dipping into his own wallet and spent roughly three-fourths of that, leaving him with about $26,000 in the bank. And Morgan was bringing up the rear, having raised about $24,000. Morgan had spent most of that, having just about $1,100 in the bank as of March 31. • In Congressional District 3, Congressman Raul Grijalva faces no primary opposition, but he does face a Republican Daniel Wood, a Marine veteran who is making his political debut. Grijalva, who rarely faces a serious challenge in his heavily Democratic district, had raised nearly $475,000 and had roughly $176,000 left in the bank at the end of March. The FEC had no campaign finance report for Wood. ■

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

APRIL 23, 2020

Story & photos by Brian Smith

GROUNDED: ARE THE KIDS ALRIGHT? I AM WATCHING SIX-YEAR-OLD Reece negotiate a football with a mechanized toy forklift on our patio. Lucky bees loop the few blooming roses, and the city is so hushed now you can hear their buzz, a 100-cycle hum upholding the springtime ostinato of a natural world springing to life. Reece drops his forklift work to land a suite of punches to my thigh (a recent development), yelping in a loud, high tenor something about Trump and his death to America, and he laughs and screeches and runs in circles, around the outdoor table like some tow-headed Sambo whipping up butter. His mama is inside mixing the pancakes, presumably with the ghee Reece is emulsifying. Our six-month-old Rickie is in my lap simultaneously using a finger to comfort the first teeth breaking her gum and flapping her arms with unmitigated joy to Reece’s hijinks. It is a warm, sunny Tuesday morning in Tucson. Our children do not have to suffer. There is food to eat, a good house free of domestic abuse to live in, especially during Reece’s long school’s-out days, which he spends mostly with his “mama” learning Spanish soliloquies, math equations, and creating a chapter book filled with sketches and bilingual descriptions. My history lessons with Reece so far show a kid more fascinated with hows and whys of bloody battlefields than contexts of racism and slavery. He is only just grasping concepts of forced racial, gender and class inequalities, and he is shocked. Reece’s thoughtful and gentle biological dad Curtis fathers Reece two nights a week, and tackles the science teachings. My point is the boy is well-looked after. He challenges, dear God, he challenges, but his days are laid out ahead of him filled with some dreaded routine but also unicorns and little green army men and sundry homespun adventures. But there is no social scene, no kids his age, and he spins out of his little head some-

times. I get it, man. Isolation is nothing new for me, but for him? At least the bullies can’t get to him. There is little fear here but there is out beyond our house and it drones and seethes in and out of our collective consciousness like a virus, or the virus, the one of sickened friends and killer of others I’ve long looked up to. We have a house. I think of that. Just that. How fortunate we are. The refrigerator with some food, the WiFi, the books, the music and movies, the still-controllable financial worries. That stuff. And those who don’t? I saw a baby maybe Rickie’s age in a stroller outside a Dollar Tree store with sugary pastel streaks and grime on his cheeks and dark eye circles. The baby’s two older school-age siblings, malnourished and unclean, trudged alongside. The spindly mother was hurting and she just does not have the time for any virus, pushing forward in that speedy hamster-wheel gait to the bus stop, a smoldering cigarette between fingers gripping the pram. I wanted to meet them, selfishly, because this family’s palpable adversity ached in my gut: if things weren’t bad enough, the COVID-19 could easily seize one and kill them. Or any of us. What could I do? Anyway, mom didn’t want any part of a conversation, her harried travel and hurting ankles and bus schedules. I’ve known troubled children, and those like me who’ve grown kicking and screaming into “adults,” others I meet in places like Circle K, and at Reece’s school, or have written about. I think of their homes or shelters, the dimming lights in those lives, a suddenly unemployed single mom or dad or both, ill-equipped to manage children or foster kids whose knowledge-hungry brains are saddled with fortunes of idle time, too-easily swayed and cut off from friends, and how some can become easy targets of blooming household cruelty caught in lockdown,

where a spark-tempered terrorizer wields even more power and fright. How police departments and abuse hotline services around the country are reporting a 20-25 percent increase in domestic-violence calls. It becomes a song in my head, a requiem, tingling in the scars on my body and the shame inside. I HIT UP A couple of counselor folks working opposite ends of the financial spectrum for takes on how this pandemic and attendant fears are influencing kids under lockdown. These guys are unsung champs in their fields. Both show zero resentments toward their work but are guarded in their responses to specifics, as they do work with children, yet both agree on the importance of in-person human interaction, the distance between breathing the same air and cold and vast wireless radio waves to far-off screens. Both are working remotely from home. For John Elliott, this is an unprecedented time of need, especially with reduced services and resources for those caught in spirals of poverty. Elliott supervises a team of developmental specialists from Casa de los Niños embedded within one of El Rio Health’s clinics, El Pueblo, on Tucson’s south side. I’ve known Elliott from afar for months. He fights a good fight, working with the overlooked and underserved families, the havenots and never-hads. His specialty is early childhood mental health, birth to about 8 years old. His team provides developmental and social screenings to families and caregivers of patients, which means he sees some things. Elliott has two adopted children of

BRIAN SMITH

his own, which he and his then-spouse first fostered (he shares 50/50 custody). “They are amazing children,” he says, “and have shown me not only the negative power that early childhood adversities can have long-term, but also the brilliant and beautiful resilience of the human spirit.” He talks of his own children as reflections of himself, the “positivity and humor” he is able to radiate or “present.” He chooses the latter word because the pandemic’s ugly, more silent infection includes stresses to Elliott as a parent and a professional working with kids. When the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders hit, Elliott’s team had to abandon in-person services, which are key to understanding the anguishes and the emotional depth of problems and sufferings among families, caretakers and kids. For one, losing access to the electronic health records meant his team reaches fewer families, and many of these families have been asking for food and other necessities. His team discovered how limited

APRIL 23, 2020

outside resources for families are now, and the operational outlets are rationing what they do have. Religious organizations in Tucson such as the Gospel Rescue Mission and Interfaith Community Services and other have stepped up to help the community, schools offer pick-up boxed lunches, but families need to have the resources and planning to get there. The gap in services is steadfast. “This is a tragic consequence,” he says. Elliott’s field includes therapy, which is reduced to video platforms, but to remain federally compliant, only certain video services can be used, a huge problem because not all families can access “telehealth,” nor do they have fast enough WiFi to stream, if they have it at all. “Therapy for young children is done within the context of play,” Elliott says, “interactions, art, and other mediums that can cover experiences and emotions in ways that are not always verbal. When I was doing therapy, physical cues were wholly crucial to my work. This was true for the children and the adults in their lives. These cues are missed during phone calls

and, sometimes, video sessions. When symptoms cannot be seen, they cannot be addressed.” During the 2008 economic collapse and ensuing years, Elliott worked in a unit of the Department of Child Safety (DCS, formerly CPS). He saw a spike in reports of child abuse and DCS involvement, and while he has not seen actual data yet regarding the pandemic, he knows what’s up. “For the children, losing school is losing a crucial outlet for social well-being, structure and routine, and, sometimes, even safety,” Elliott says. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey closed schools for now—without the need for making this time up. Most, if not all, schools are still providing the curriculum to the families. There are the critical needs maybe not met in the home, where parents and caregivers are stressed with work and money issues and pandemic fear. Now they need to be teachers too. “Patience can be worn thin, and quickly,” Elliott says. “Physical handouts and packets can be given to families who need them, but this only addresses the concern of not being able to access

online materials. It cannot be assumed that all parents and caregivers themselves are able to access written material, or have the ability to interpret this information for their children. I mentioned resilience before, and while we all have a certain measure of it, the amount varies from person to person, and it also has a limit. Many children, including my own, run the risk of losing skills that are not kept up with, creating a situation of spending time in the next school year trying to ‘catch up’ as opposed to moving forward.” He adds that the social determinants of health, especially for the underserved population he works with, are as critical as child development itself. “Many are grateful just to have that outside contact, and to know someone is trying to help them.” GREG KACZYNSKI IS A UA GRAD now dean of students at a private academy (grades 4-12) in Los Angeles, overseeing gifted students with learning challenges, a school population known as “twice exceptional.” He is also one half of the academy’s counseling team, helping students’ interpersonal

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conflicts and emotional struggles. He spends some of his free time authoring horror-story fiction. Many of his students are on the spectrum. It is mostly kids hailing from well-to-dos in the entertainment biz, children of film folk, doctors and lawyers and such, whose parents can also afford private tutors. Kaczynski is hyper-intelligent and intuitive, qualities put to test as he faces child disabilities—including dyslexia, ADHD, dysgraphia and others—but now in lockdown. Abuse is not a rampant issue within the specific population he works. “However,” Kaczynski says, “being stuck at home for an indefinite period of time without any clear light at the end of the tunnel is sure to exacerbate any standing issues within a family system. Anyone who had an older sibling who enjoyed torturing them, or a younger sibling whose shrieking voice was like nails on a chalkboard while growing up, doesn’t need much imagination to consider how challenging lockdown with family members can be.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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APRIL 23, 2020

BRIAN SMITH

His counseling offices are safe places where students speak their minds without worry of getting in trouble. With remote lockdown learning, he says, beyond the technology issues—internet troubles, computer issues—struggles amplify. Kids pulled from the school environment diminishes the connection Kaczynski and other faculty members have fostered with them over time. The lack of one-on-one attention, under which his kids really thrive, the human contact they get in the building, is gone. The teachers are still available to help when they can, but … “That’s all changed under lockdown,” he says. “And it’s not just the focus and attention from the teachers, it’s the learning space that has gone away. They’ve suddenly found themselves in their bedroom, surrounded by their video game consoles, their flat-screen TVs, their pets, any number of distractions that are far more entertaining and far less challenging than their school work. I will say that the kids have been surprisingly flexible with the vast amount of change that came their way in a short amount of time.” Kaczynski worries of students losing hope, abilities to gaze ahead to better times, their excitement and enthusiasm for the work receding, the onset of depression and anxiety. He worries of the unease of the family system trickling down to the kids. In the last three years he has seen a “spike in anxiety in my kids, and I would argue that a large part of that is the stress and anxiety their parents have been feeling since Trump became president. This lockdown has not made any of this easier.”

WHEN NIGHT SINKS DOWN ON Tucson, a different apprehension kicks in. I still dream of cold beers inside old bars full of happy and sour drunks, but I can’t drink anymore and won’t leave a family hanging. I wonder now how many others who can drink have that same dream now? Because we are now living out a bad dream, one partly fueled by a dehumanizing presidency willing to offer up its citizens to save the world’s wealthiest economy, how frivolously he wears his solipsism, lies and contempt for poor people and non-whites. It seeps in, man. What if this was worse? Like a climate-change catastrophe birthing some much deadlier virus? It is all coming. This pandemic is just a prologue to another time. You can go ahead and call this entry-level rhetoric, but when this virus passes I’m hoping for more empathy and compassion in the world, coming from every direction, amorphous. At least for Reece and Rickie Rose and all the kids. The world belongs to them now. Empathy will give rise to anything good, it always does. Onward and upward, as an old editor would always say to me. Onward and upward. It is Wednesday evening and we are at one of Reece’s favorite parks, Rickie is perched in mama’s arms. The angle of dusk newly weighted with that recurring drone of sadness, beyond the usual of empty playgrounds and the far-off figure walking a dog. Caution tape ropes off the play-area’s sets and slides, but the burnt orange sunset offers a welcome heart lift. Young Reece has nothing to play on here, no one to play with. When the sun falls and the lights come on, we move toward home to escape the inescapable. ■

APRIL 23, 2020

CHOW

COURTESY PHOTO

NEW KIDS ON THE AUCTION BLOCK Local 4-H and Future Farmers members move livestock sale online after Pima County Fair is canceled By Austin Counts Austin@tucsonlocalmedia.com

A LOCAL CHARITY IS HELPING youth members of Pima County 4-H and Future Farmers of America after their annual livestock auction moved online when this year’s Pima County Fair was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Los Charros Foundation, Inc. is purchasing $25,000 worth of small and large livestock from members of the two groups at this year’s online auction, hosted by the Pima County Junior Livestock Sales, Inc. The foundation typically spends about $5,000 at Southern Arizona county fairs in Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties, said board member Richard Bratt. After this year’s Pima County Fair was canceled Bratt said he knew the organization had to do more. “This year, we’re reallocating $25,000 from our scholarship fund because these kids didn’t get to have the Pima County Fair where they could auction,” Bratt said. “These kids are getting hurt after spending all year and spending their own money buying feed and supplies.” Bratt said he was concerned local 4-H and FFA youth would ultimately be losing money typically used for their higher education after recouping feed and supply cost accrued raising the animal. “Some of these kids are selling a pig for $1,800 or a steer might go anywhere from

steer she’s been raising for the past eight months. It’s the sixth steer she’s raised and auctioned since joining the organization at 9 years of age. The eighth-grader said being in 4-H is in her family’s blood. “My grandmother started in 4-H back in Kansas,” she said. “Then my dad and the whole family have also been involved with 4-H. My older sister was in it and I always looked up to her. I wanted to show cattle so I started when I was in third grade and have been in it ever since.” She said it was intimidating being around half-ton steer at first as a 9-year-old, but her father gave her some good advice. “I was really small and it was a big calf, but my dad always told me I’m the boss of this steer,” Levin said. “After the first week or so I became really close to him and wasn’t scared anymore. It’s definitely toughened me up.” Levin said at first it was hard parting with the steers she’s raised after becoming close with them. But over time, Levin said she’s accepted the notion “this is what we’re here to do.” “My first four years it was huge,” she said. “Even weeks before selling them I would

$8,000 to $12,000. These kids might lose out on all that money,” Bratt said. Pima County 4-H Manager Josh Moore JEN SORENSEN said he knows from firsthand experience how much raising and selling animals at county fair auctions mean to youth trying to pay for trade school or college. He joined 4-H at 9 years of age and continued with the program until he turned 18. “I grew up in a very small rural county and I did the same program,” said Moore. “It definitely paid for college and grad school and it was nice to be able to save up enough money to help fund a portion of my schooling myself.” Moore said about 95 percent of the auction proceeds go back to the youth selling the livestock, with a small portion kept by the PCJLSI to help pay for the auction’s cost and other expenses. Larger livestock (beef, lamb, swine and goat) are typically sold by the pound and smaller livestock (rabbit, cavy, pigmy goat, pigeon and poultry) are usually sold by-the-head. This year, however, all livestock will be sold by-the-head due to the auction being moved online. “In the past, we’ve had beef prices sell for about $10-a-pound which is quite significant when you consider a steer can weigh up to 1,250 pounds as the maximum payout weight,” Moore said. “We’re not sure what we’re going to see this year though.” Ella Levin, a 14-year-old 4-H member, is getting ready to auction her black Angus

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be very sad. But in the last few years, I’ve realized this is what we’re here to do. We’re learning about how to raise and sell these animals for consumption. So it’s not really that sad anymore.” Levin said she hopes to receive a scholarship to an agricultural college. Ultimately she would like to become a livestock judge and said she appreciates being in 4-H because the program has given her “insight at what livestock judging would look like.” More so than that, Levin said 4-H has taught life skills she didn’t have before. “The program has given me a better work ethic. What needs to get done, needs to get done,” Levin said. “I’ve learned to be more efficient with my time and I have much better communication skills. Before I wouldn’t talk much, but now I look people in the eye and can have a good conversation.” This year’s PCJLSI online auction is taking place through April 25 for small stock auction; the large stock auction will take place April 25 through May 2. For more information check out pcjlsi.org. ■

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HIGH SIGN Recreational cannabis backers join other initiative campaigns to request use of electronic signature gathering By Austin Counts austin@tucsonlocalmedia.com ARIZONA’S RECREATIONAL marijuana initiative is fighting to make the Nov. 6 ballot as federal and state courts decide if electronic signatures can be used by initiatives sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic before the state’s filing deadline. The Smart and Safe Arizona initiative has already collected more than 300,000 signatures since filing paperwork last summer, according to Stacy Pearson, senior

vice president of Strategies 360. Initiatives need to file 237,645 valid signatures to make the Arizona 2020 ballot before July 2, 2020. Typically, an initiative campaign will collect more signatures than needed because a percentage of signatures are typically invalid. “Smart and Safe is in the best position. We filed the marijuana legalization effort in August and began collecting (signatures) around Labor Day,” Pearson said. “The other initiatives are not in as good of shape. They don’t have as many signatures at this date.” While the recreational marijuana initiative has collected more signatures than needed, Pearson said the group’s plan was to file more signatures than any initiative in Arizona history. “The original plan was to file the most signatures of initiative in Arizona history

and we were on track to do that until the pandemic hit,” Pearson said. “We want more (signatures). Every additional valid signature is an insurance against a challenge.” Smart and Safe, along with three other initiative groups—Save our Schools Arizona, Invest In Education and Arizonans for Second Chances—filed a Petition for Special Attention with the Arizona Supreme Court on April 2. The groups want to utilize the state’s E-Qual electronic signature system in an attempt to help initiatives continue collecting signatures during the pandemic. Federal and state legislative candidates have been using E-Qual for signature gathering purposes since 2012. According to current state law, state and federal office seekers can only use the E-Qual system. Roopali Desai, the attorney representing the initiative groups, said the situation is depriving her clients of exercising their constitutional rights. “Our reason is based entirely on the extraordinary circumstances that we’re all facing in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea is that these folks have the right to exercise their constitutional legislative right,” Desai said. “Without this opportunity to use e-signature gathering, which is already available to candidates, they would be prohibited from exercising

their constitutional right.” Desai said she believes Arizona’s E-Qual system is not extended to citizen ballot initiatives because the state legislature does not want citizens to have the same legislative power as state lawmakers. “The legislature has made it incredibly clear they do not like citizens having coequal legislative power,” Desai said. “They want to make it easy on themselves to qualify as candidates, but not allow it to be used by anybody else.” Pearson agrees with Desai’s assessment of the situation. She said after the state’s minimum wage rose when Prop. 206 passed in 2016, Republican state lawmakers have been trying to dissolve one of the foundations of the Arizona Constitution: direct democracy. “I think the Arizona majority party has been very clear that they are not fans of direct democracy, despite this being a foundational issue in Arizona,” Pearson said. “Their dislike of direct democracy intensified after minimum wage passed by such a resounding margin and there was nothing the business community and the Republican legislature could do to stop it.” Pearson said she hopes the state Supreme Court will rule in their favor after considering the circumstances surrounding

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their situation of not being able to collect in-person signatures. She said it’s absurd the state would expect initiative campaigns to be excluded when the technology is available to remedy the situation. “Hopefully the court will take careful consideration of the unprecedented situation that we’re in and the inability to take a 20th-century method and safely use it in the middle of a pandemic,” Pearson said. “In a perfect world, the court would recognize the absurdity and offer relief to the campaigns in this cycle.” Two other state initiative groups filed similar lawsuits in federal court, but federal Judge Dominic Lanza ruled against them last week. In response to these lawsuits, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs issued a statement of support saying her office “won’t oppose the request being made by these organizations” and “can implement the necessary changes, should that be the court’s order.” But Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has been fighting against the lawsuit, arguing that not only does state law not allow the use of electronic signature gathering for initiatives, but also that the Arizona Constitution requires

in-person signatures. That argument was echoed in a statement by Senate President Karen Fann and House Majority Leader Rusty Bowers, whose motion to intervene in the case was granted by the Arizona Supreme Court. “The law does not allow—much less require—initiative proponents to be allowed to gather signatures electronically,” Fann and Bowers said in joint statement. “According to Article 4, Part 1 Section 1, Paragraph 9, the Arizona Constitution requires that “each of the names on said (petition) sheet was signed in the presence of” the circulator of the initiative petition. Therefore, the action to expand E-Qual, the State’s online signature gathering platform, would be unconstitutional.” The Arizona Supreme Court is considering the case without a hearing and is expected to make a decision by the end of April, Desai said. “I think the court understands the importance of expediting its ruling,” Desai said. “As long as the court puts us at the top of its list, I have every reason to believe we’ll have a decision by the last week of April.” ■

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

By Rob Brezsny. Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY HOROSCOPE 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700 $1.99 per minute. 18 and over. Touchtone phone required.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the future, when the coronavirus crisis has a diminished power to disrupt our lives, I would love for you to have more of the money you need to finance interesting new experiences that help you learn and thrive. Now is a good time to brainstorm about how you might arrange for that to happen. For best results, begin your meditations with vivid fantasies in which you envision yourself doing those interesting new experiences that will help you learn and thrive TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Renowned Taurus composer Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) completed his first symphony when he was 43 years old—even though he’d started work on it at age 22. Why did it take him so long? One factor was his reverence for Ludwig van Beethoven, the composer who had such a huge impact on the development of classical music. In light of Beethoven’s mastery, Brahms felt unworthy. How could any composer add new musical ideas that Beethoven hadn’t already created? But after more than two decades, Brahms finally managed to overcome his inhibition. He eventually produced four symphonies and scores of other pieces, and left a major mark on musical history. For you, Taurus, I see the coming months as a phase comparable to the time when Brahms finally built the strength necessary to emerge from the shadow that had inhibited him. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A Gemini friend sent me and three of her other allies a poignant email. “This note is a tender apology to those of you whom I’ve hurt in the process of hurting myself,” she began. “I want you to know that I have been working hard and with great success to eliminate my unconscious tendency to hurt myself. And I am confident this means I will also treat you very well in the future.” I received her message with joy and appreciation. Her action was brave and wise. I invite you to consider making a comparable adjustment in the weeks ahead.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Ojibwe are indigenous people of North America. Professor of Ojibwe studies Anton Treuer writes that in their traditional culture, there have been men who act and dress like women and women who act and dress like men. The former are called ikwekaazo and the latter ikwekaazowag. Both have been “always honored” and “considered to be strong spiritually.” Many other Native American groups have had similar arrangements. Transcending traditional gender behavior is not unique to modern Western civilization. With that as inspiration, and in accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to explore any inclinations you might have to be your own unique gender. The time is ripe for experimenting with and deepening your relationship with the constructs of “masculine” and “feminine.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What’s the current state of the relationship between your ego and your soul? Is there an uneasy truce between the ambitious part of you that craves success and recognition and the lyrical part of you that yearns for rich experiences and deep meaning? Or do those two aspects of you get along pretty well—maybe even love and respect each other? Now is a favorable time to honor your ego and soul equally, Libra—to delight in the activities of both, to give them plenty of room to play and improvise, and to encourage them to collaborate in ways that will further your well-rounded happiness and health.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “The history of my stupidity would fill many volumes,” wrote Nobel Prizewinning poet Czesław Miłosz. Wow! If a highly respected genius like him has spawned so much nonsense and ignorance, what about the rest of us? Here’s what I have to say about the subject: Each of us should strive to be at peace with the fact that we are a blend of wisdom and folly. We should be tenderly compassionate toward our failures and weaknesses, and not allow them to overshadow our brilliance and beauty. Now would be a good time for you Leos to cultivate this acceptance and perform this blessing for yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio author Voltaire (1694–1778) was a crusader for freedom of thought and civil liberties, as well as a key player in the Enlightenment. He was very prolific. In addition to producing 2,000 books and pamphlets, his carried on such voluminous written correspondences with so many interesting people that his collected letters fill 98 volumes. Would you consider getting inspired by Voltaire’s approach to cross-pollination? According to my calculations, the next phase of the coronavirus crisis will be a favorable time for you to intensify your communication via the written word.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Helen Traubel (1899–1972) was best-known for her opera career, although she also sang in concerts, nightclubs, and musical theater. But in her autobiography, she confessed, “Opera bored me.” She reminds me of Georgia O’Keeffe, famous painter of flowers. “I hate flowers,” O’Keeffe said. “I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move.” Now of course most of us have to do some things that we don’t enjoy; that seems to be a routine part of being human. And since the coronavirus arrived in

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I like musician David Byrne’s views on what constitutes meaningful work. It’s not just the tasks you do to earn money. “Sex is a job,” he says. “Growing up is a job. School is a job. Going to parties is a job. Religion is a job. Being creative is a job.” In other words, all the activities he names, to be done well, require a commitment to excellence and an attention to detail. They are worthy of your diligent efforts, strenuous exertion, and creative struggle. I encourage you to meditate on these thoughts during the coming

SAVAGE LOVE BIG MOVES

By Dan Savage, mail@savagelove.net

I was raised in a religious home and didn’t lose my virginity until the embarrassing age of 26. I was told by the church to save it for marriage and I was a virgin until I met the woman who would become my wife at a party. I said to hell with it, we had a one-night stand, and we’ve been together now for eight years. I’m tall and slim and my wife is short and heavy. Like an idiot I believed it’s what’s on the inside that matters. My wife is the sweetest, most thoughtful person I’ve ever met, I love spending time with her, but I have absolutely no sexual attraction to her. As a result, I’ve all but stopped initiating sex and on the rare occasion when we do

our midst, you may have been saddled with even more of this burden. But I’m happy to inform you that the coming weeks will be a favorable time to brainstorm about how you could do more of what you love to do once the crisis has abated.

make love I make her come twice while I’m struggling just to get off. I know it’s shallow and I know beauty is only skin deep but what am I supposed to do when seeing my wife naked sends me into an anxiety attack? When I’m helping out with laundry, I get bummed because there’s nothing in her wardrobe I find attractive on her. Even when I look at old pictures of us together I get extremely depressed because I know this is the best she’s ever going to look. It doesn’t help that she finds me handsome and regularly tells me so. It’s gotten to the point where I find any

woman who isn’t my wife desirable. (Including, but not limited to, her family and friends.) I should also mention that she has no interest in having an open relationship or threesome because she prefers having me “all to herself.” I don’t want to ask her to change because she’s perfectly happy with herself but I’m becoming increasingly resentful. What do I do? How do I tell her? And is there any way I can come out of this a good husband? —In The Shallows I was so relieved to get all the way to end of your letter without learning you had kids. Because that means I can advise you—with a clear conscience—to file for divorce and move the fuck out just as soon as it’s possible to do so. Not for your own sake, ITS, but

weeks. Identify what jobs you want to get better at and are willing to work hard on and would like to enjoy even more than you already do. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): At its best and brightest, Capricornian love isn’t frivolous or flighty. It’s not shallow or sloppy or slapdash. When Capricornian love is at its highest potency, it’s rigorous, thoughtful, and full-bodied. It benefits anyone who’s involved with it. I bring this up because I expect the coming weeks to be a Golden Age of Capricornian Love—a time when you will have the inspiration and intelligence necessary to lift your own experience of love to a higher octave. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I hope you’re not one of those Aquarians who regards stability and security as boring. I hope you don’t have an unconscious predilection for keeping yourself in a permanent state of nervous uncertainty. If you do suffer from those bad habits, you’ll be hard-pressed to stick to them in the coming weeks. That’s because the cosmic energies will be working to settle you down into a steady groove. If you cooperate, you will naturally enhance your ability to be well-anchored, calmly steadfast, and at home in your life. Please don’t resist this opportunity. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I foresee the likelihood that you’ll be having brilliant and evocative conversations with yourself in the coming weeks. Your heart and your head may become almost blissful as they discuss how best to create a dynamic new kind of harmony. Your left side and right side will declare a truce, no longer wrestling each other for supremacy, and they may even join forces to conjure up unprecedented collaborations. The little voices in your head that speak for the past will find common ground with the little voices in your head that speak for the future—and as a result you may be inspired to formulate a fresh master plan that appeals both. ■ Homework: Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s Audio Horoscopes and Text Message Horoscopes.

for your wife’s sake. She deserves better. You say you’re growing increasingly resentful. I hope your resentment is directed at all of the people who victimized you. Your wife isn’t one of them. It’s your parents you should resent, ITS, as well as all the sex-phobic bullshit artists out there masquerading as “faith leaders.” You should be angry with yourself too. While I know from personal experience how a religious upbringing can put the zap on a kid’s head, you were a grown-ass man when you met your wife at that party. You couldn’t have slept with her that night—you couldn’t have lost your virginity in a onenight stand—if you hadn’t already rejected nearly everything you’d been taught about sex. If you were capable of having premarital sex, you were capable of refraining from

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marrying the first person you slept with. Your wife is gonna want to know why you’re leaving her—of course she is—but you’re not going to tell her the real reason. You’re going to make something up. You want kids and she doesn’t (or vice-versa), you married too young (which is true), you have unresolved childhood issues (and don’t we all). While you won’t be able to spare your wife the pain of a breakup, ITS, you can spare her the pain of learning the person she’s been sleeping with for eight years is repulsed by her body. You can’t be a good husband to her, ITS, but you can be decent ex-husband. And to do that—to be her decent and loving and supportive ex—you can’t set her self-esteem on fire on your way out the door. And your wife’s body isn’t repulsive. She’s not someone you’re attracted to, ITS, and you’re not obligated to find short and round women sexually appealing. But while “tall and slim” are more closely associated with conventional concepts of attractiveness, ITS, not everyone’s into tall and slim. There are people who are into short and round and people out there who are attracted to all body types and people who are utterly indifferent to bodies. Your wife deserves the chance to find someone who’s sincerely attracted to her. Even being alone would be better than spending decades with someone who recoils from her touch. For the record: What’s on the inside does count. It matters. If you met a woman who was more conventionally attractive—if you were with someone who was your idea of hot—and over time she revealed herself to be an asshole (if she was rude to waiters, if she was emotionally abusive, if she was a Trump supporter, etc.), your attraction to her would wither away. What you want— not what you’ll get, ITS, but the best you can hope for—is some combo of hot on the outside (subjective and personal) and good on the inside. And the longer you’re with someone, ITS, the more important good on the inside becomes. Time is a motherfucking meat grinder and it makes hamburger out of us all. If you prioritize you’re idea of hot over all other qualities, you run the very real risk of spending decades with a person who has aged out of hot and was never nice.

Long time reader asking for advice. I’m a med student, I came to the U.S. when I was 18 in order to go to college, and I’m still in the U.S. I’m 25 now and I’ve been dating my boyfriend for about three years now. We’re somewhat monogamous and been living together for two years. I’m out as a gay man where we live but my parents and family back in Brazil have zero idea. As you may know, Brazil has a weird relationship with sexuality. We’re seen and for the most part are very open but our culture is also very homophobic. My BF has been pressuring me to come out but I’ve been apprehensive considering how important family is to me. —Fears A Massive Implosion Likely, Yet… Gay men don’t come out to our families because they’re unimportant to us. We come out to our families because they are important to us. Family is important to you and you’re worried you might lose yours if you come out to them. But you’re definitely gonna lose them if you don’t. Because to keep your life a secret from them—to hide your boyfriend from them—you’re going to have to cut them out of your life. It’ll be little things at first, FAM, but over time the amount of things you have to keep from them grows. Lies pile up on top of lies and the distance between you and your family grows. Before you know it, they don’t know you at all anymore and you don’t know them. Because you can’t risk letting them know you. So to avoid their possible rejection, you will have rejected them. You will have lost your family. I know, I know: It’s scary. I came out to my very Catholic family when I was a teenager. I was scared to death. But if they couldn’t accept me for who I am—if I couldn’t rely on their love and support—what was the point of having them in my life at all? P.S. No one likes being someone’s dirty little secret. It hurts your boyfriend to see the person who claims to love him prioritize his family’s presumed bigotry (it’s possible they’ll react more positively than you think) over his feelings and dignity. By not coming out, FAM, you will lose the family you were born into and the one you’ve created with your boyfriend too. ■ mail@savagelove.net Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage savagelovecast.com

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irst and most important: I hope that you and your loved ones are safe during these difficult times. Please be sure to heed the advice of the health care experts and make sure to check in with family, friends and neighbors. At Tucson Local Media, we are committed to bringing you the news and information as quickly as we can during these unprecedented times Marana Unified School District for everyone in our communities. busdriver Alvin Ramsey hands out a ‘grab-and-go’ meal to The majority of our staff is curchildren at the Marana Cares rently working remotely. Our team Mobile traveling eatery. The of reporters and editors are on the remodeled school bus is phones continually throughout equipped to provide meals to the day with city and state officials, students, and will operate as school officials, community orgalong as schools are closed. For nizations, small and large businessmore information on Marana es and nonprofit organizations to Cares Mobile, and where to bring you the most current up to find it, visit maranausd.org/ date information. mcm. Small businesses in any commuLogan Burtch-Buus nity are the lifeblood of our everyday lives. Please continue supporting those businesses in any way you can. Please don't hesitate contacting most notably the virus that causes us at 797-4384 or emailing us at tucthe common cold. So coronaviruses soneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com are not new, but this strain is new, with any tips or suggestions of things and that’s why it’s so different than happening in your community. what we’re used to,” said Aaron PaFrom all of us at Tucson Local checo of the Pima County Health Media: Thank you for supporting us. Department. While often compared to the flu, —Jason Joseph, COVID-19 differs in a few key ways. President/Publisher Perhaps most importantly: there is

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To our readers

Keeping The Lights On

irst and most important: I hope that you and your loved ones are safe during these difficult times. Please be sure to heed the advice of the health care experts and make sure to check in with family, friends and neighbors. At Tucson Local Media, we are committed to bringing you the news and information as quickly as we can during these unprecedented times for everyone in our communities. Marana Unified School District The majority of our staff is curbusdriver Alvin Ramsey hands out a ‘grab-and-go’ meal to rently working remotely. Our team children at the Marana Cares of reporters and editors are on the Mobile traveling eatery. The phones continually throughout remodeled school bus is the day with city and state officials, equipped to provide meals to school officials, community orgastudents, and will operate as nizations, small and large businesslong as schools are closed. For es and nonprofit organizations to more information on Marana bring you the most current up to Cares Mobile, and where to date information. find it, visit maranausd.org/ Small businesses in any commumcm. nity are the lifeblood of our everyday Logan Burtch-Buus lives. Please continue supporting those businesses in any way you can. Please don't hesitate contacting us at 797-4384 or emailing us at tucthey need it.” most notably the virus that causes soneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com Jeff Gardner We spoke with local health ex- the common cold. So coronaviruses with any tips or suggestions of things Tucson Local Media perts to get to the bottom of some are not new, but this strain is new, happening in your community. ong before mass restaurant clo- of the biggest questions related to and that’s why it’s so different than From all of us at Tucson Local sures and event cancellations, the ongoing pandemic: How does it what we’re used to,” said Aaron Pa- Media: Thank you for supporting us. the World Health Organization differ from the flu? Can ibuprofen checo of the Pima County Health described an ongoing “info- worsen symptoms? How long does Department. —Jason Joseph, demic” about COVID-19, citing a the virus remain on surfaces? Is TucWhile often compared to the flu, President/Publisher massive amount of both true and son particularly susceptible? COVID-19 differs in a few key ways. false information online that “makes “The novel coronavirus strain is Perhaps most importantly: there is it hard for people to find trustworthy just that: a new strain of coronaviSee COVID-19, P6 sources and reliable guidance when rus. There are lots of coronaviruses,

Local utility companies suspend shutoffs during Coronavirus crisis | Page 10

MARANA CARES

INSIDE

Childcare Concerns

Keeping kids safe |Page 4

Restaurant Woes

Eateries limited to takeout and delivery |Page 8

Live Streaming WaveLab to host local musicians |Page 13

How does Tucson stack up against COVID-19?

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Questions?

Page 3

The Big Resource List | Page 2 • School’s Are Still Feeding Students | Page 4 • The Search For Child Care | Page 6

FOOTHILLS NEWS April 1, 2020 • Volume 10 • Number 7 • www.TucsonLocalMedia.com

COVID-19 Resource Guide How to keep your kids occupied, your pantries full and your rent paid through the pandemic

call

520-797-4384 7225 N. Mona Lisa Road, Ste. 125 Tucson, AZ 85741

www.tucsonlocalmedia.com

April 2020

DESERT TIMES The Voice of Southwest Tucson

Volume 33 • Number 4

Looking for up-to-date COVID-19 Coverage? Go online to Tucsonlocalmedia.com for breaking stories and updates

FOOD DRIVE

INSIDE

Drexel Heights

Water safety protects the whole family |Page 5

Childcare Woes

Watching out for the little ones |Page 6

Pima County extends business closures, restaurant restrictions through April 10

Empty Tables

How restaurants are weathering the storm |Page 10

Restaurants are still allowed to opKathleen B. Kunz erate through take-out or drive-thru Tucson Local Media service only. The closure was supposed to last s the number of COVID-19 cases in Pima County contin- until Tuesday, March 31, but the suues to rise each day, the Pima pervisors held an emergency meetCounty Board of Supervisors ing on March 26 to extend it to Frivoted 3-2 to extend their mandate day, April 10. Democratic Supervisors Richard on the closure of all movie theaters, gyms, restaurants, bars and other Elías, Sharon Bronson and Ramón places where people gather in un- Valadez voted in favor, while Reincorporated parts of the county. publican Supervisors Ally Miller and

To our readers

Interfaith Community Services Faith and Community Outreach Manager Lauryn Valladarez loads donated food and cleaning supplies into an ICS van parked at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. The nonprofit is hosting shortnotice food drives throughout the Greater Tucson Metro Area in order to keep its food bank full of supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resource Guide

How to keep your kids busy, and your pantry full during shutdowns |Page 4

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

APRIL 23, 2020

Comics

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PHYSICIANS

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