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In today’s newsletter:
🏘️ As homelessness continues to rise and federal cuts loom, Arizona Luminaria spoke to director Ann Chanecka about the work Tucson’s housing department is doing. “Simply we don’t have enough housing to address the need,” she says. Read the Q&A.
🎒 The feds released some frozen education money allowing TUSD to run its before and after-school programs starting in a couple weeks.
🥶 But money for English language education, teacher professional development, technology and mental health services are still frozen. Pima County schools superintendent says that’s “absurd.”
Featured stories
5 questions with Tucson’s housing director: “Simply we don’t have enough housing to address the need”
Tucson needs more housing. There are upward of 2,000 people living on the streets and in emergency shelters. At the same time, the city is expected to see nearly 50,000 […]
Local before and after-school programs are saved for next school year after feds release some education grant money
The Tucson Unified School District learned Friday it can now provide before and after-school programs for its students — just 17 days before the new school year begins. The Education Department […]
“Absurd”: Pima County schools superintendent says training for thousands could be impacted by frozen grant funds
Pima County Superintendent Dustin Williams says freezing $6.8 billion in federal education grant money is “absurd” and the potential loss of funds could curb training for county educators. “It’s just […]
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Toad whisperer Robert Villa will give a talk about Sonoran Desert toads and other monsoonisms at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 19 at Pidgin Palace Arts, 1110 S. Sixth Ave. in Tucson. Stay for a psychedelic art show featuring artists Pat Foley and Nina Lott. Don’t lick the toads, which excrete dangerous hallucinogens, and certainly don’t lick the art.
Free back-to-school supplies and free physicals are available Saturday, July 19 from 9-11 a.m. at the Ward 2 City Council office, 7820 E. Broadway Blvd. Call to reserve a spot.
A community information meeting on Project Blue will be held Wednesday, July 23 from 5-7 p.m. at Mica Mountain High School at 10800 E. Valencia Road. The meeting will also be livestreamed here.
Thousands of free backpacks and school supplies can be picked up by students ages 4-14 at the Back to school: Kidz Expo on Friday, July 24 from 4-9 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center. Free Spanish textbooks are available in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate. Check out the live music, raffles and games.
Check out Monsoon and Moonlight — a vintage and art market and silent auction to raise money for The Homing Project. Saturday, July 26 from 6-8 p.m. at The Coalition Space at 311 E. Seventh St. More info here.
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