ARIZONA 360

Episode 327

TUCSON POLICE BUDGET: This week the Tucson City Council passed a new budget that includes $166 million for police. The 6-1 vote followed heated public comment from people for and against defunding the department. Lorraine Rivera hears from Councilman Steve Kozachic, who voted to pass the budget, and Councilwoman Lane Santa Cruz, who was the sole nay vote, about how they view police reform and what steps they think the city should pursue to address the issue. UNEMPLOYMENT AND EVICTIONS: KJZZ Radio’s Katherine Davis-Young discusses the COVID-19 pandemic’s widespread effects on unemployment in Arizona and its impact on residents’ ability to pay rent, as well as resources available that are designed to offer landlords and tenants relief. SUMMERHAVEN BUSINESSES: Tony Paniagua reports on struggling small businesses in Mount Lemmon’s Summerhaven that are desperate to recover from the effects of the Bighorn Fire and the pandemic. MASK MATERIALS: While masks are an effective tool to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, some are better than others. University of Arizona researcher Amanda Wilson discusses the findings of a recent study that looked into the best materials for face coverings.