Arizona hospitals at 83% capacity, elective surgery may stop
AP
GLENDALE — Arizona hospitals that are expected to be able to treat new cases of coronavirus without going into crisis mode were above 80% capacity Tuesday. The milestone should trigger an automatic end to elective surgeries at affected hospitals.
Wednesday's report from the Department of Health Services comes as the state deals with a surge in virus cases and hospitalizations that experts say is likely tied to Gov. Doug Ducey’s ending of statewide closure orders in mid-May. Ducey has been criticized for not adding requirements that could prevent a surge, and some say the time to put those measures in place has come.
Border wall construction results in 'loss of trust' from community
AZPM
Contractors continue to install new border barriers across the U.S.-Mexico border, including many across sensitive lands, including Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge and Cabeza Prieta National Monument.
While the Sierra Club's Dan Millis and many others have repeatedly pointed to the environmental harm that will result from essentially blocking all wildlife movement across the border with wall construction, there’s another overarching element of their frustration.
“I did not even know that they were going to be building a border wall until we read about it in the newspaper,” said Cochise County Supervisor Ann English, whose district encompasses much of the borderlands.
UA expands COVID-19 antibody testing
AZPM
The University of Arizona's COVID-19 antibody testing study has expanded to include all employees at hospitals and a broad list of registered health care professionals. They will also be available to state corrections officers and child safety workers.
Antibody testing identifies if people have proteins in their blood produced by their immune system to fight the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. If participants are found to have COVID-19 antibodies, researchers say they should not assume they are immune to reinfection.
Those who want to participate in the study consent to have researchers draw a sample of blood and take down some demographic information. The study's consent form outlines that a portion of this blood might then be sent to UA partners for additional testing.
Arizona could fare better than expected in recession
AZPM
Unlike the 2008 recession, Arizona could fare better than much of the nation in the current recession. University of Arizona economist George Hammond said that is because in the last recession, Arizona was one of the “epicenters” of the housing crisis.
“This recession isn’t playing out the same way so far. Arizona’s job loss from February to April was about 10% of our jobs disappeared in that short time, but it was worse nationally — about 14.5% of national jobs were lost from February to April,” Hammond said.
Arizona’s unemployment numbers continue to climb, but Hammond says that is because the sectors hurting the most are hospitality, entertainment and vacation — all big industries in Arizona. Last week, nearly 1 million residents of the state received unemployment benefits.
Phoenix to no longer allow police officers to use chokehold
AP
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department says it will no longer allow officers to use a dangerous chokehold.
Police Chief Jeri Williams, who leads the law enforcement agency in the nation’s fifth-largest city, announced the decision Tuesday. The new practice takes effect immediately. The city's first black, female police chief says the department can't function without the trust of the community. She is confident the chokehold decision moves it closer to that goal.
Phoenix joins several other cities where police departments are taking action on the “carotid control technique” in the wake of George Floyd’s death. The tactic used on Floyd was different than the carotid hold that involves wrapping an arm around the neck of a person.
Advocates warn of dangers to Sonoran agricultural workers
Fronteras Desk
A binational group says that more needs to be done to protect Sonora’s agricultural day laborers.
In a recent letter, a binational group of largely Arizona and Sonora advocates and researchers warned that community spread in agricultural communities is imminent. To avoid that, they recommend improving access to protective gear, policies to allow for appropriate distancing in work transports, and providing means to isolate for workers who do contract the novel coronavirus.
“There needs to be a health promotion program in the fields, but that’s sensitive to cultural variables like ethnolinguistic varieties,” said Jose Eduardo Calvario, a researcher at the Colegio de Sonora in Hermosillo and a letter signatory. Many of the agricultural workers in Sonoran fields are from indigenous communities.
Wind fuels growth of 2 wildfires burning outside Tucson
AP
ORO VALLEY — Firefighters are battling two separate wildfires in a mountainous area outside of Tucson. Firefighters have been up against gusty and erratic winds as they work to contain the fires that were sparked by lightning last week.
Both are burning in rugged terrain but not threatening any structures. The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality issued an air pollution health watch Tuesday because of smoke from both wildfires. The department says the smoke can irritate eyes, the respiratory system and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases.
I-10 system to warn drivers of blowing dust now operational
AP
PHOENIX — State officials say a new system to warn of hazardous driving conditions during dust storms on a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson is operational in time for next Monday’s official start of the monsoon season.
The system deployed between Eloy and Picacho Peak includes weather radar, visibility sensors, closed-circuit cameras, overhead message boards and variable speed limit signs. The Department of Transportation says the system is designed to quickly tell drivers to slow down when windblown dust reduces visibility.
The department still advises drivers caught in dust storms to exit the highway or alternatively to pull off the roadway, turn off vehicle lights and avoid stepping on the brake.
Northern Arizona forests set to tighten fire restrictions
AP
FLAGSTAFF — National forests in Northern Arizona are expanding fire restrictions because of dry conditions.
Campfires have been prohibited across all six national forests in Arizona since late April because of the coronavirus pandemic. Fire restrictions set to go into effect June 13 for the entire Coconino and Kaibab national forests include the campfire ban. They also limit where visitors can smoke and the use of internal combustion power tools like chainsaws.
The move is in line with what's already in place across much of Arizona. The state is in the midst of what's typically one of the driest times of the year ahead of the monsoon season.
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