Closure list

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In today’s newsletter:

🏫 Update: TUSD is naming schools for closing or merging one at a time this week, and our running list tracks each recommendation, plus when you can weigh in before the board’s Dec. 8 vote. Read more.

💧 Arizona is joining Nevada’s lawsuit against the Trump administration’s Colorado River plan, which would cut Arizona’s share by 760,000 acre-feet a year, about a quarter of its allocation, while asking Upper Basin states only for voluntary contributions. Read more.

🗳️ Friday, Oct. 23, is the last day to request a mail ballot for the Nov. 3 election. All of our voter guides, from who’s on your ballot to what each proposition would do, are now on one page in English and Spanish. Find your guide | Encuentra tu guía

Featured stories

TUSD closures list update: Two more schools recommended for closing or merging

On Tuesday afternoon, the Tucson Unified School District recommended closing Dunham Elementary and consolidating it with Marshall Elementary — the third and fourth schools named as part of recommendations to […]

Arizona joins Nevada’s lawsuit challenging federal Colorado River plan

Arizona is joining a fight against the Trump administration’s 10-year plan for managing the Colorado River that could slash the state’s share of water. The Arizona Department of Water Resources […]

2026 Arizona propositions: What’s on the ballot in Pima County

Tucson-area voters will see a lot of questions on their ballots for the Nov. 3 general election, with decisions ranging from how we vote to how we fund our zoo. […]

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Air Force PFAS cleanup comments: The U.S. Air Force is taking public comments through Nov. 20 on its plan to add treatment for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, to the groundwater treatment system at Air Force Plant 44 in Tucson. The Air Force says the plan would keep the chemicals, linked to past firefighting foam, from moving toward drinking water supplies, and estimates the cost at $19.5 million to $22.8 million over 30 years. Officials presented the proposal at a public meeting Wednesday, Oct. 21. Read the plan and learn how to comment.

Raytheon union contract talks continue in Tucson, and a contract ratification vote is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25. Members of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 933, which represents more than 2,200 workers at Raytheon Missile Systems, rallied Wednesday. Negotiations opened Oct. 6. The union says it is seeking fair wages, strong benefits and secure jobs.

Democratic candidate JoAnna Mendoza, a Marine veteran challenging Rep. Juan Ciscomani in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, says she would work to reinstate food assistance and make federal tax breaks on overtime and tips permanent. In an interview on Arizona Public Media’s “The Press Room,” she also discusses Medicaid, veterans’ care, the war in Iran and a report that she wrongly received a state property tax benefit on two homes, which she called an administrative oversight. Watch the episode.

Southern Arizona organizers fighting against hyperscale data centers will hold a series of events called Music Against the Machine, which will run from Oct. 22-27 at various venues across the city. Along with screen printing, live music and vendors, the period will also include a conversation called Hyperscale Threats in the Desert Region, exploring how AI investment is intersecting with mining and other developments in the region.

Former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan will swing for the fences at Big League Wiffle Ball’s first celebrity home run derby, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Scottsdale Stadium. Doan and seven other Arizona personalities will face eight qualifiers from the public in a 16-person bracket, with the celebrity and open division winners meeting in a $1,000 final. Anyone can try for an open spot for $10 per attempt from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day during the seventh annual Western Wiffle Ball Classic. Details.

Hike Oracle State Park’s 1.2-mile Nature Trail loop and watch members of the Sonoran Plein Air Painters at work from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Maps at the entrance show where each of the eight artists will be set up. The event is free with park admission. Learn more.

To the bat cave! Bat Fest is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, with kids’ crafts, book readings and presentations from bat biologists. Admission is free with the $20-per-vehicle park entry fee, and cave tours aren’t included, so book those in advance. Learn more on the park’s website.

Cyclovia Tucson, a free and car-free street event from Living Streets Alliance, marks its 25th edition from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 along 2.25 miles between downtown Tucson and South Tucson. The route passes Armory Park, Santa Rosa Park, Children’s Museum Tucson and Arizona Theatre Company, with food trucks, performers and activities from dozens of nonprofits and community groups. Event details. Arizona Luminaria is a proud local media sponsor of Cyclovia.