Tucson NewsNet Daily Digest - A Service of the City of Tucson
MT. LEMMON HIGHWAY TO OPEN THIS WEEKEND - The highway up Mt. Lemmon will reopen beginning tomorrow, Aug. 1. The Pima County Department of Transportation and contracted workers replaced more than 250 guardrail posts that were critically damaged during the Bighorn Fire. Replacement of non-critically damaged posts will continue next week, including the repair or replacement of nearly 1,700 feet of guardrail. Speed reductions and lane restrictions will remain in place in areas where repair work continues. The reopening will allow vehicular access on Mt. Lemmon Highway to Summerhaven and Ski Valley, and limited parking is available in those areas. Once parking areas become full, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department will control access to the Mt. Lemmon Highway until enough vehicles leave and allow for additional visitors to drive up the mountain. National Forest Service areas on the mountain will remain closed. A lightning strike sparked the Bighorn Fire on June 5, which burned for nearly seven weeks, covered 120,000 acres, and closed public access to the mountain.
Read the news release.
SMALL BUSINESS AND NONPROFIT CONTINUITY GRANT APPLICATIONS OPEN TODAY - As part of the City of Tucson’s CARES Act funds, the Mayor and Tucson City Council approved $2.5 million for small businesses and nonprofits. Under the We Are One | Somos Uno Resiliency Fund, the grant program will distribute $2 million to small businesses and $500,000 to nonprofits. In partnership with the YWCA of Southern Arizona (YWCA) and the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA), the grant program is now accepting applications. The YWCA’s Women’s Business Center will administer the small business continuity grants, up to $10,000. Applications are available in English and Spanish, and grants will be awarded within 10 business days of submission. Nonprofit continuity grants, up to $20,000, will be administered through the CFSA. Nonprofits in the City of Tucson and the City of South Tucson are eligible to apply. Follow the links below for more information.
YWCA (for small businesses)
CFSA (for nonprofits)
COVID-19 CASES INCREASE FROM YESTERDAY - As of today, July 31, Arizona now has 174,010 positive coronavirus cases, with 3,694 new cases reported today. The total number of cases includes people who have recovered. Of that number, 16,167 cases are in Pima County. There have been 3,694 COVID-19 deaths in Arizona, and 459 of those occurred in Pima County. Meanwhile, the City of Tucson maintains an up-to-date COVID-19 website (link below) that includes information for businesses, residents, and even activities for kids. The site is updated as information evolves.
COVID-19 website
GOV. DUCEY WON'T PUSH FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS INCREASE - As the federal pandemic unemployment benefits program that provides an extra $600 a week expires today, July 31, and Congress has yet to approve an extension or scaled-back plan, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says he will not consider boosting the state's unemployment rate of $240 per week. That rate is the second-lowest in the nation. In his COVID-19 news briefing yesterday, Ducey said Congress needs to work overtime to solve that problem and the state can't just print money. Arizona lawmakers haven't raised the $240 weekly benefit since 2004. “If I have any advice for Congress it would be to turn around, order sandwiches in, stay the weekend, and figure this out,” he said.
From Capitol Media Services via the Arizona Daly Star
CITY RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS FOR AUDITING COMMISSION - The City of Tucson is looking to fill several vacancies on the Independent Audit and Performance Commission (IAPC). The IAPC is an advisory committee made up of seven members, with one member appointed by the mayor and each member of the Tucson City Council. Each member of the commission must reside in the City of Tucson and will serve without compensation. Qualifications include at least 10 years of financial or executive experience or at least five years of such experience plus another five years experience in a comparable field, such as project management, grant administration, compliance reporting, or data analysis. City employees are not eligible to serve on the IAPC. More information can be found at the link below, or you can call (520) 791-4204 or email Robert.Kulze@tucsonaz.gov.
IAPC
Apply online
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