A local Catholic organization sees a detention facility as a “blank canvas” they can transform into a welcoming humanitarian shelter, but some community members believe it is impossible to repurpose a building that actively incarcerates people.

Hi there! My name is Cupcake and I am a 1-year-old girl. I am a mellow girl who absolutely loves to be pet. I have done well with kittens but do not have any experience with dogs or kids. I came to HSSA as a stray and hope to find a loving home that can show me how great life can be. I teste…

Oro Valley residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinion on the town-owned community center, golf courses and other associated amenities next Wednesday evening during a special meeting of the council.

Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to ever set foot on the moon while 600 million people watched from Earth, and astronaut Michael Collins drifted quietly overhead. But what does that have to do with Tucson? As it turns out, quite a lot. 

Some of us Baby Boomers were blessed to have been just old enough to sort-of understand President Kennedy’s words when he said that we (the United States and/or mankind) were going to the Moon by the end of the 1960s. It energized us in a way that would shape our lives through an academic de…

For years, the young minds of Mesa Verde Elementary School have walked over and around the same, faded mural in the center of campus: a smiling mountain lion under which the words “BE YOUR BEST” were painted. 

Members of the Tucson City Council signed off on a preliminary agreement for a proposed hotel and casino on land owned by the Pascua Yaqui tribe last Tuesday afternoon.  

There was once a time when the days between mid May and early August were filled with adventures and summer camp, a carefree era of Fruit by the Foot and Capri-Sun before the perils of spiral notebooks and syllabi once again took over.

Nearly 19 pounds of cocaine was prevented from entering the country after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a 29-year-old Mexican citizen on Monday.

Marana constituents interested in speaking with members of Sen. Martha McSally’s staff have an opportunity to do so next Monday.

On Friday, June 28, local high school students gathered at Pima Community College Downtown to take part in the third annual Junior Shark Tank Competition, hosted by the S.Y.STEM Coalition and the Pima Joint Technical Education District. The students pitched products of their own creation in …

For reasons not entirely clear, the good people at BASIS Oro Valley asked me—a relatively unaccomplished 62-year-old man—to address the class of 2019 and guests at commencement in late May.

Don’t look now, but summer is almost gone. Prepare for the new school year with a fresh list of important dates to keep an eye on.

The idea of doing anything athletic in the midst of the oppressive heat which inundates Arizona during the summer might seem asinine to some. To others, the sky-high temperatures serve as an extra jolt of motivation to go the extra mile in preparation for their sport of-choice. 

In the closing hours of the 2018 legislative session, Arizona Republican lawmakers passed a bill that changed the words in a statute from “primary” to “secondary.” That minor change resulted in millions of dollars pushed onto local homeowners within the Tucson Unified School District.

It may feel like we just made it to the half-way point of the summer, but school starts in less than a month. That means it’s time for new school supplies: pencils, notebooks, erasers, backpacks, new shoes and new clothes. But for some families, it’s just not affordable. 

It’s hard to maintain a sense of humor when a traffic detour requires you to circumnavigate the globe instead of just crossing an intersection to get to your destination. With over a year remaining on the La Cholla Boulevard widening project, a sense of humor will be useful. Now that we’re s…

Nearly half of all teens in Pima County have tried a vape or e-cigarette, and the number is only growing. Part of preparing for the new school year means both school districts and health organizations alike are taking measures to educate students on the dangers of vaping. 

The summer heat may still be with us, but summer vacation is rapidly coming to a close, with most local school districts starting up their classes in early August. But never fear: Tucson Local Media is here with your guide to what’s happening in education this year.

For years, Arizona teachers have struggled to make ends meet, while working in classrooms that are overcrowded, under-supplied and falling apart. This reality came to a climax last year, when the Red for Ed movement descended onto the capital and put pressure on the state government to adequ…

Stranded hikers might soon be rescued by a very different kind of first responder. 

The Havasupai tribe is falling behind in education, health and emergency needs because, like many rural communities, it lacks affordable, reliable and high-speed broadband, a tribal councilwoman told a House committee last Thursday.

Many people believe that water aerobics or other types of aquatic exercise are for those with bad knees or brand-new hips—a last resort for staying fit. But in fact, working out in water is great for everyone. People of all ages, abilities, and fitness levels can use aquatic exercise to impr…

Paragon Space Development earns NASA contract. Tucson’s Paragon Space Development Corporation, partnered with Giner Inc., recently announced they are now under contract for the development and testing of the “ISRU-derived water purification and Hydrogen Oxygen Production (IHOP) a patent-pend…

A 45-acre development for cyclists in Saguaro National Park East received the green light from the Pima County Board of Supervisors last Tuesday morning. 

Cardiothoracic surgeon Zain Khalpey could have worked anywhere when he joined Northwest Healthcare earlier this year. He has worked at Columbia University, Harvard University and was awarded the Distinguished Fulbright Chair in Medical Sciences in 2016. Serving the Tucson community since 201…

Friends and family members of 19-year-old Raymundo Lopez Casillas have rallied to support him after he accidentally shot and killed his 17-year-old nephew last month. They describe him as a reserved, non-confrontational and harmless young man who made a mistake, but a U.S. Magistrate judge b…

Despite a growing population, the Town of Marana has kept its budget growth near 2 percent for years, and did so again last week with the passage of next year’s spending plan.

From the building layout to the student seats, most everything at the Marana Unified School District’s new computer science school is built with the future in mind. The Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School, located at 5650 W. Moore Road in Marana, is nearing completion, and set to open for the fir…

The Marana Chamber’s plans include the same principles that have carried us this far: our caring and friendly culture, our willingness to think out of the box, and our continued mission to be the voice of business that works to build economic growth and quality of life in our community.

Though he’s only 18 years old, Marana High School’s most recent valedictorian is already preparing himself for a rewarding career as an engineer.

May has been officially designated “Building Safety Month” in the Town of Marana, and town staff have been working hard to showcase the importance of safe and resilient construction, fire prevention, disaster mitigation and new technologies in the construction industry. 

To keep up with a shrinking labor market, the Town of Marana recently adopted a new policy to provide two weeks of paid parental leave to all town employees.

The Marana Police Department announced the passing of one of its own with the news that Detective Michael Torres passed away Friday, May 3. He began his career with the Tucson Police Department in 2005, where he served as a patrol officer, field training officer and investigator.

The Marana Town Council has unanimously decided to rejoin Sun Corridor, Inc. after seven years apart.

A new, state-of-the-art senior living facility is expected to open in Marana next year, with nearly 70 jobs needing to be filled.