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This week we’re looking back at an unforgettable year in Southern Arizona. Our team chose the stories that stayed with them — investigations, community voices and moments of hope that reveal what mattered most in 2025.
We’re also sharing 32 of our favorite photos from the year — powerful images that capture everyday life, big decisions and quiet moments you might have missed.
Take a look back with us.
Also in today’s newsletter:
🚱 After toxic TCE contamination sickened families on Tucson’s south side, residents organized for clean water. Now longtime advocates are passing the torch. Read more.
Featured stories
Our favorite Arizona Luminaria stories of 2025
Ay. Dios. Mío. It has been a year, mi gente. A long year, filled with hundreds of Arizona Luminaria stories. Reporters spent time in our communities trying to understand what […]
Our favorite photos of 2025
Every year our photographers and reporters capture moments that say as much, or more, than the words in our stories. Some of our favorite Arizona Luminaria photos from the last […]
Tucson’s south side residents built an environmental justice movement after TCE — now they’re passing the torch
Yolanda Herrera dabs the corner of her eye with a tissue, wiping away tears as she talks about the people in her family who have died of cancer. This is […]
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Arizona’s minimum wage increases from $14.70 to $15.15 on Jan. 1. See minimum wage FAQs from the Industrial Commission.
Get your Social Security questions answered with a free workshop on Jan. 14. This session requires registration and is from noon to 1 p.m. online. Jack Burns, public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration in Arizona will conduct the workshop. Learn how to use your Social Security online account and other online services. Create an account and print out your statement before attending.
Check out the art along the Sunlink streetcar line with this cool class on Jan. 8. This three hour walking tour is $20 and begins at Mercado San Augustin, 100 S. Avenida del Convento. At each stop, learn about the public art, the artist and pick up some Tucson history. The 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. tour involves lots of walking. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a hat and water.
Have more pickleball fun in 2026 when the Kino Sports Complex expands its hours and uses a new reservation system for the 20 courts. Reservations are required beginning Jan. 12, when the cost is $10 per hour and court hours change: 7 a.m. to noon and from 5 to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Pima Community College is hosting in-person Super Saturday events to help students enroll in spring 2026 classes, Jan. 3 and Jan. 10. Attendees can apply, register, meet with advisors and access additional student services during the sessions.
Mark your calendar for festivals in January.
• Tucson Jazz Festival, Jan. 16-24
• Tucson Fringe Festival, Jan. 8-11
• Wings Over Wilcox Birding & Nature Festival, Jan. 15-18
• SAVOR Heritage Food Festival, Jan. 24
• Yuma AGFest, Jan. 24
• Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, dates vary with many shows starting in January
• Arizona Balloon Classic, Jan. 16-18 in Chandler
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