Tucson Spotlight

12/04/2024

A new leadership group took the helm in South Tucson today, so Tucson Spotlight Deputy Editor Susan Barnett decided to take a deeper look at some of the history, nuances and key issues that will shape the future of the body that governs the 1.2-square-mile city. While all council members are coming in with their own priorities, they will be tasked with addressing the same issues. Read about it here.

While all council members are coming in with their own priorities, they will be tasked with addressing the same issues.

12/03/2024

Tucson Spotlight is featuring a pair of stories today that you can't read about anywhere else. First up, reporter Isabela Gamez writes about the final meeting of the Rez Babes Book Club, which was formed during the pandemic to support Native and Indigenous authors. The club has grown to 150 members in a handful of countries and inspired some to start telling their own stories, but a lack of time and funding means that its days are numbered. Read about it here.

Rez Babes Book Club started as a group of about 20 people, but quickly grew into a monthly virtual gathering of up to 150 people from around the world.

12/03/2024

It's Giving Tuesday, and while there are no shortage of amazing causes, we'd like to make a case for supporting our community-based newsroom. Tucson Spotlight launched just over two months ago, and in that time we've:

*Published 160 stories to our website, with 55 of those stories available in Spanish.

*Created dozens of TikTok and Instagram reels to accompany our stories and reached tens of thousands of consumers who prefer not to read their news.

*Added three local reporting positions to the pool of Southern Arizona journalists.

*Provided paid internships to four University of Arizona students this semester.

*Covered topics you can't read about anywhere else, including news out of Marana, Oro Valley, South Tucson, Nogales, the University of Arizona and local K-12 schools.

*Featured regular coverage about businesses and people working to solve problems and make our community a better place.

One of our goals in launching was to spotlight underserved communities, and we're proud to say we've done just that. We've also managed to create a newsroom, despite our lack of a physical office. Spotlight has become a hub of learning for up-and-coming journalists, creating a mentorship network where newer reporters can learn from their more experienced counterparts.

We have big plans to add some new areas of coverage and expand our Spanish-language reporting and social media presence, but we can't do that without the community's support. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our newsroom today. You can find more details at https://tucson-spotlight.monkeypod.io/give/support-tucson-spotlight

12/03/2024

A year after the city ramped up its use of technology to help curb illegal street racing and reckless driving, police continue to face challenges, in part because of social media. During a recent city council meeting, Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar pointed out how social media platforms amplify this reckless behavior, especially among young men. Read Spotlight reporter Angelina Maynes' story here.

TPD has made over 29,000 traffic contacts this year, a steady increase from the previous years.

12/03/2024

The University of Arizona’s Guerrero Center is launching a new project in hopes of helping students who face insecurity when it comes to meeting their basic needs. The Guerrero Center is one of seven cultural resource centers at the UA. It supports Hispanic students and has done so for generations. Read Spotlight intern Abbie Andrus' story here.

The Guerrero Center’s new project, Nuestro Cabinete, which means “our pantry” in Spanish, has been in the works since May.

11/29/2024

Spotlight intern McKenna took a trip to Pueblo High School to meet with members of its peer coaching program, which pairs seniors with their classmates to help guide them through the college application, admission and financial aid process. Pueblo is one of 19 schools in five districts that have benefitted from Pima College Access Network's peer coach program with more than 100 coaches working to help their classmates over the last five years. Read the full story here.

The peer coaches program is designed to empower high schoolers with the tools and training they need to help support college and career readiness in their own schools.

11/26/2024

The Arroyo Chico Neighborhood's new mural is part of Just Communities Arizona’s most recent Community Safety Incubator Project. The non-profit organization seeks to empower residents to help their neighborhoods become safer and more connected through collaborative initiatives. Read Spotlight reporters Isabela Gamez and Angelina Maynes' story here.

The mural is part of Just Communities Arizona’s most recent Community Safety Incubator Project.

11/26/2024

Marana is making progress on a handful of initiatives to help modernize the town, support growth and streamline services.
Read Spotlight intern Lauryn Abozeid's story here.

Marana is making progress on a handful of initiatives to help modernize the town, support growth and streamline services.

11/25/2024

A program that matches veterans transitioning out of the military with internships with the City of Tucson has grown significantly in its first year, officials said earlier this month. Read Spotlight intern Abbie Andrus' story about the program.

Through SkillBridge, the Department of Defense pays up to 180 days of the person’s salary, while the city provides training and employment for careers in various departments.

11/21/2024

University of Arizona officials are pausing plans to move several groups out of the student union in response to complaints about the negative impact. During a Wednesday forum, administrators listened to student concerns and acknowledged that they had not fully considered the “functional impact” of the displacement. Read the full story here.

Officials acknowledged that administrators had not fully considered the “functional impact” of the displacement.

11/21/2024

The South Tucson City Council swore in several new members Tuesday night and appointed new leaders in a significant change from the previous administration. The new members pointed to public safety as their top priority, along with making sure the city’s departments are well funded. Read more about it here.

The council's new members pointed to public safety as their top priority, along with making sure the city’s departments are well funded.

11/21/2024

LD17 senate candidate John McLean was killed in a car crash last Friday, shocking the community. But long before his recent foray into politics, McLean was advocating for Pima County's most vulnerable animals and working to support local agriculture and nature. Read more about his work here.

In addition to being a longtime volunteer at PACC, McLean was also a former board member of Friends of PACC, the shelter’s nonprofit partner.

11/21/2024

A Tucson nonprofit is one of just 10 organizations in the country to receive a national grant that supports early literacy as a pathway to equality, access and social change. Make Way for Books provides children, parents, and educators inside and outside of Southern Arizona classrooms with support to help children read and succeed. Read Spotlight intern McKenna Manzo's story here.

Make Way for Books provides programs, services, and resources to more than 30,000 young children, parents, and educators throughout southern Arizona each year.

11/21/2024

The University of Arizona is wrapping up a public forum addressing concerns about student groups that are being displaced from their current spaces in the student union. The groups, which include Survivor Advocacy, the United Fraternity and Sorority Council, Cultural and Inclusive Experiential Learning Opportunities and the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs, were notified by administration last week that they needed to vacate all or part of their spaces on the fourth floor months ahead of schedule. Read about the issue here and stay tuned for our updated story.

Impacted groups include Survivor Advocacy, the United Fraternity and Sorority Council, Cultural and Inclusive Experiential Learning Opportunities and the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs

11/17/2024

Pima County supervisors announced last week that they're accepting applications for the vacant constable position in Justice Precinct 9. The position is open to registered voters from any party living in JP 9, who are over the age of 18. Letters of interest, a resume, financial disclosure statement and conflict of interest form should be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27. Read Spotlight reporter Angelina Maynes' story here.

The Justice Precinct 9 constable serves a community of 128,454, with County Administrator Jan Lesher writing in a recent memo that the position cannot be eliminated

11/17/2024

Spotlight reporter Isabela Gamez writes about Marky Urias, a local cyclist who has become the United States’ first retailer of a UK-based rider-run and rider-designed brand that aims to get more people involved in BMX. Urias, known on social media as .swerves, started riding as a kid and organizes community rides and events to help introduce kids, teens and adults to his love of the sport. Read about it here.

Marky Urias, known on social media as .swerves, started riding as a kid, but it wasn’t until after high school that he became fully invested in the sport.

11/16/2024

Sunnyside Unified School District is looking to expand its partnership with Pima Community College to provide college prep classes to district students. Pima currently offers three federally-funded programs to district high school students, partnering with the district since 2007, but Spotlight intern Abbie Andrus reports that district and college officials are hoping to expand the program's availability to five middle schools. Read the full story here.

Pima Community College currently offers three federally-funded programs to Sunnyside high school students, partnering with the district since 2007.

11/15/2024

Breaking news: The University of Arizona spent more than $1.7 million on a South by Southwest sponsorship during two years in which the school’s “accelerated spending” led to a multimillion dollar budget shortfall. Read the full story here.

In March of 2022 and 2023, the UA sponsored a South by Southwest “experience house,” a hosted space where conference attendees “can immerse themselves in a brand’s products or a theme.”