 Photo Credit: David Wallace/The Republic
As of today, the Bush Fire in the Tonto National Forest has burned more than 193,455 acres with 98% containment, according to fire officials. It is the fifth largest wildfire in Arizona history.
The Tonto National Forest has area closures surrounding the Bush and Central Fires. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available here.
Please continue to keep our firefighters in your thoughts and prayers as they battle this fire. For up to date information on this brush fire click here >
As part of continued efforts to reverse the trend of COVID-19 spread in Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey signed an Executive Order to prohibit large gatherings, cease the issuance of new special event licenses and pause the operations of bars, gyms, movie theaters, waterparks and tubing rentals. The pause of these business operations took effect at 8:00 p.m., Monday, June 29 and is in effect for one month.
View the Executive Order pausing some business operations HERE.
View the Executive Order protecting public health for students and teachers HERE.
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Officials from Maricopa County Department of Public Health detailed the three tactics that are currently most critical to addressing the increased spread of COVID-19 in Maricopa County.
- Case investigation and contact tracing
- Social distancing
- Masks
Read the press release to learn more about the benefits and limitations of each tactic.
With increased community spread comes an increased demand for COVID-19 tests. Maricopa County is working with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to obtain and distribute testing supplies to health care providers. Members of the public can see a list of testing locations on the ADHS website but should know that waiting times for tests have been getting longer, as have times for getting back results.
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Maricopa County is putting hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds to immediate use helping people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic while also pulling back on discretionary spending unrelated to the crisis. It’s a one-two effort to best serve taxpayers during a time of national emergency. The Board of Supervisors approved a tentative $3.071 billion budget for fiscal year 2021. Spending is focused on core statutory responsibilities like public safety, with an increased amount dedicated to community health.
We are cutting back on spending where we can and doubling down where we must, with a focus on wise management of the CARES Act funding. A crisis of this magnitude makes it even more important for our government to operate at the speed of business. I’m proud of how quickly we’ve been able to adjust our operations to serve constituents, all while not raising the tax rate. Read the press release here.
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The Board adopted a plan for the Small Business Relief Program through CARES Act funding. The purpose of the Maricopa County Small Business Relief Program is to support the continued viability of small businesses experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The program provisions include providing up to $10,000 to qualifying small businesses for expense reimbursement for actual losses due to COVID-19. The program is open to for-profit and non-profit (501(c)3) businesses within Maricopa County, but are outside of Phoenix or Mesa, which have already set up similar programs for businesses within their boundaries.. The application period will begin next week. We are in the process of arranging the portal for applicants. Once this is available, we will follow-up with additional information.
Governor Ducey announced, in coordination with Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, the first day of school for in-person learning will be delayed until August 17, 2020. Schools will be able to conduct distance learning before then should they choose. Read the Executive Order here.
In addition, last week, Governor Ducey held a press conference announcing a $270 million plan to help public schools safely open at the start of the school year with $200 million from enrollment stability grants and $69 million from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. He also issued Executive Order 20-41 School Year Prioritizing Kids and Schools During COVID-19 allowing school districts and charter schools that are not certified for online instruction to continue offering distance learning, if the parents feel it is the best choice for the student, without impacting their funding.The full spending plan can be viewed here. To view the press release, click here.
 Maricopa County is expanding voting access for the August Primary Election, while focusing on the health and safety of voters and poll workers, according to the Primary Election plans approved by county officials today.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the revised election model is designed to provide voters with a safe, secure, reliable and accessible August Primary Election.
The Election Day and Emergency Voting Plan, approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors today, includes:
- Vote Center Election Model – Instead of one assigned polling location, voters will have 90-100 locations to choose from on Election Day. Vote Centers are located across the county, including on tribal land and in rural areas to ensure in-person voting is still an option for all communities.
- Safety Protocols for In-Person Voting – All Vote Centers will provide space for physical distancing and will implement heightened safety and cleaning measures, including frequently cleaning high touch surfaces and disinfecting pens after each use. Poll Workers will wear gloves and masks and will offer voters gloves when checking in. For the safety of the voter and the safety of others, we encourage all voters to wear a mask and practice physical distancing when they visit a voting location.
- Evening & Weekend Voting – To allow voters time to cast a ballot, polling locations will be open in phases before Election Day. In coordination with the Early Voting Plan, 50-60 locations will be open for at least two weeks, including in 23 malls and retail facilities across the county. The majority of the Vote Centers will offer extended hours of service including weekends and are located near bus routes and public transportation.
The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department realizes that the community is seeking outdoor recreation opportunities where they can walk, hike, run, and bike while practicing safe social-distancing. To ensure park visitor and staff safety, operational changes have been implemented in all regional parks. Read here for more information.
Environmental Services works year-round monitoring and treating mosquitoes, to help prevent the spread of diseases like West Nile virus and St. Louis Encephalitis. Mosquito activity tends to increase in the summer, so now is the time to learn how you can help protect yourself and others from mosquitoes. You can also visit FightTheBiteMaricopa.org for more information.
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 Maricopa County Reads is the award-winning online summer reading program provided by the Maricopa County Library District to all public libraries within Maricopa County.
Just a reminder that our County Reads program began on June 1 and will go through August 1, 2020. For more information about this reading program and to register, visit Maricopa Reads.
Thinking about adopting a pet? We are utilizing appointment-only adoptions through a revamped adoption web page during the health crisis. Sign up here for adoptions and here for fostering. Click here to see available adoptions.
Here’s how it works:
- You must sign up at https://mcaccappointments.as.me/adopt
- Get paired with an Adoption Counselor at your appointment time
- Meet the pet of your dreams
- Complete the adoption paperwork
- Go home with your new best friend!
With the recent wildfires, including the Tonto National Forest and Cave Creek north of Phoenix, the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC) is getting ready for an influx of injured, displaced, and orphaned wild animals.
“SWCC has seen a large increase in orphaned and displaced animals this spring. Animals that have not perished in the fires have lost their habitats causing them to move long distances and crossing highways to find new homes. They are forced into areas that are unfamiliar to them. They do not know where to find food and water,” said Linda Searles, founder and executive director of the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. SWCC rescues and rehabilitates wildlife that has been injured, displaced, and orphaned. Once rehabilitated, they are returned to the wild.
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Sincerely,
Steve Chucri, District 2
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
www.maricopa.gov/steve
602-506-7431
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