ARIZONA 360

Episode 108

Operation Stonegarden: Pima County Board of Supervisor Ramon Valadez switched his vote this week on a federal grant worth $1.4 million that covers the Pima County Sheriff’s Department’s expenses related to enforcing border security. After initially voting no, Supervisor Valdez told Arizona 360 why he changed his mind, despite considerable pushback. Oro Valley development: About 85% of the land in Oro Valley is developed. Much of that growth happened in the last 5 years. The town largely has a reputation as a retirement community, but Oro Valley officials say it has as many children under 18 as residents over 65. Arizona 360 looks at the strategy behind the town's recent development boom and some of the challenges that presents. Immigration attorney on DACA: With a permanent solution for DACA still up for debate in Congress, immigration attorney Jose Vasquez explained how the current federal injunctions leave DACA recipients in a legal limbo. He also discussed the politicization of family reunification – now commonly referred to as chain migration. Severe flu season: Dr. Michael Worobey, the head of the UA Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, discusses this year's flu season and why it was so severe, when illnesses usually taper off and how experts are preparing for the next flu season. Thornhill Lopez Center: Vanessa Barchfield reports on the Southern Arizona AIDs Foundation's new center for LGBTQ kids on 4th Avenue. She checks in with leaders at the center about what services they provide.