Hola,
Things to do this weekend: Vote if you live in CD7 and are a registered Democrat or Republican — ballots for the special election primary for Southern Arizona’s U.S. House representative have been sent out and we have guides in English en español.
Also today’s newsletter, catch up on some interesting environmental stories:
🐟 A barramundi farm with connections to the UA is using groundwater to raise fish near Dateland — reigniting debates over water use and what counts as “sustainable” in a state facing deepening drought. Read more.
🌵 Mycorrhizal fungi are vital to ecosystems around the world, but remain largely understudied, especially in arid regions. They may prove critical to the survival of fragile deserts stressed by climate change. Full story.
🛑 An analysis by Inside Climate News found recent EPA grant terminations focused almost entirely on cutting spending on poor and minority communities, affecting 384 primary grants worth more than $2.4 billion. Read about two such tribal communities in Arizona.
Featured stories
Your 2025 voter guide to Arizona’s Congressional District 7 primary
For the first time in more than 20 years, voters in Southern Arizona’s Congressional District 7 will choose a new representative. Between June 18 and July 15, voters will decide […]
Tu guía electoral 2025 para las primarias del Distrito Congresional 7 de Arizona
Por primera vez en más de 20 años, los votantes del Distrito Congresional 7 del sur de Arizona elegirán a un nuevo representante. Entre el 18 de junio y el […]
In the Arizona desert, a Tucson-linked fish farm tests the limits of sustainable seafood
In the greenhouses at University of Arizona professor Kevin Fitzsimmons’ lab in Tucson, tilapia circle idly in tanks that filter down into tubs full of mussels and floating patches of […]
Searching for hidden fungi in the Sonoran Desert
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. As the sprawl of […]
EPA grants were set to address health risks for the Hopi and Navajo nations, until the Trump administration cut them
Red Feather is just one of hundreds of groups that have had grants meant to help disadvantaged communities canceled by the Trump administration. An Inside Climate News analysis, which relied on […]
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The Reid Park Zoo is offering $3 tickets from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday in June and July. The discount celebrates 60 years of the zoo being in the community. Guests can purchase their discounted tickets at the front entrance.
Former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Elizabeth Gutfahr was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a public official, money laundering and tax evasion. Gutfahr was also ordered to pay $51.8 million in restitution to the county and the U.S. Treasury. According to court documents, Gutfahr, who served as Santa Cruz County treasurer from 2012 through 2024, embezzled and laundered approximately $38.7 million by wiring public funds from Santa Cruz County’s account to accounts in the names of fake companies she had created that performed no legitimate business. She used the money to purchase real estate, renovate her family ranch, pay expenses for her cattle business and buy at least 20 vehicles. More details.
The State of Black Arizona launched a survey about Black homeownership. Learn more and take the survey.
Meet the candidates for Tucson City Council at a meet-and-greet event co-hosted by Arizona Luminaria and Tucson Spotlight on Tuesday, July 8. This isn’t your typical forum. No grandstanding, no soundbites. Just real people talking about real issues that affect our neighborhoods. This event is an experiment in civic engagement and education, designed to create space for meaningful dialogue between candidates and community members. Ask your questions, hear from the candidates and cast your ballot with clarity. Free to the public, but you must RSVP because space is limited. Early voting begins July 9 and Primary Election Day is Aug. 5.
A very good boy named Jacob is the newest courthouse employee, working to support crime victims and witnesses for the Pima County Attorney’s Office. Along with fellow courthouse dogs Arrow and Baja, this 2-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever will provide comfort to children and adults who are navigating the criminal justice system, including victim meetings, court hearings and trials. Courthouse dogs have been part of the Pima County Attorney’s Office since 2012.
Check in with the roadrunners and other birds of Mission Garden with free tours by the garden’s expert birders every second Thursday in July from 8-9:30 a.m. Beginning and intermediate birders can identify common calls and songs, check the hummingbird feeder and learn about the history of Tucson’s agriculture.
Get free breakfast and lunch at 52 Tucson Unified School District schools and about 20 family centers around Tucson this summer. Times and locations vary. Check the schedule here. Anyone under 18 can participate in the meal program, which is not available on Friday, July 4.
Participate in or donate supplies to the Quincie Douglas Back to School Bash on Saturday, July 12, from 8-10 a.m. at the Quincie Douglas Center. Families can access free sports physicals and required school vaccinations from the UA Mobile Health Clinic, and kids 5 and older will receive a free school supply pack while supplies last. For questions or to reserve your spot, call 520-791-2507 by July 9.
Create a postcard for Tucson’s birthday The Postal History Foundation seeks an original drawing from artists ages 5 to 17 about Tucson in honor of the Old Pueblo’s 250th birthday. Entry form and designs must be received by the Postal History Foundation before 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18. One entry per student, found here.
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