Inside Tucson Business, Dec. 31, 2021

Chamber Chatter Tracking consumer trends that emerged from COVID

Page 2 Dec 31, 2021

Volume 29• Number 27

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TECH TALK

The top Tucson science stories of the year Page 10

Economic Forecast

LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

CRYPTO

SEC Bitcoin policy inconsistent

Tucson lagging Phoenix in pandemic job recovery

Page 6

Alexandra Pere Inside Tucson Business / Page 8

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN

‘A GAME CHANGER’

First phase ending for child tax credit

Page 9 BOOK OF LISTS

THIS YEAR’S NUMBERS PEOPLE IN ACTION

REAL ESTATE

Southern Arizona tourist attractions and guest ranches

New promotions, hires and awards Page 3

$3.7M Foothills home sells in only three days Page 4

Page 15 1

Chamber Chatter Engaging in the Political Process

Page 2 May 7, 2021

Volume 29• Number 10

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CHAMBERCHATTER

WEEKLY TOP

BY MICHAEL GUYMON SPECIAL TO INSIDE TUCSON BUSINESS TUCSON METRO CHAMBER

6 Consumer Trends that Emerged From COVID

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do love this time of year.

Sure, it’s easier to say that as a Tucsonan since we really don’t have to deal with winter weather, but it’s also nice to reflect on the year we just experienced and get excited about the new year to come.

I recently wrote that resiliency should be the word of the decade. The 2020s did not start off like we all hoped, but a vast majority of our members showed resiliency by restructuring, developing new products and services and finding more effective and efficient ways to conduct business.

Not too long ago, we hosted a series called Pause, Pivot and Prosper. We reached out to our members to uncover the ways in which they changed their mindset in response to the shift brought about by the pandemic.

Those lessons we learned certainly still ring true today.

Mitch Pisik, who is one of our Board Members, said that this is a golden time to be as generous and as communicative as you can to your loyal customers, especially if they are hurting. He also stressed that keeping your talented employees is key to surviving any crisis. To that point, he wisely stated that those people who have helped the company succeed will be hard to replace.

Kerry Stratford at Caliber informed us there has been a significant shift in expectations as consumers engage with brands. Here are six consumer trends that have emerged or gained serious traction during the COVID-19 crisis.

1. Mindful Consumption: Americans are spending more on essentials like groceries and home improvement items, as well as on products like bicycles and

camping equipment.

2. Homebound Economy: Consumers continue to have a wide range of comfort levels regarding venturing out and returning to pre-pandemic behaviors.

3. Be Well & Healthy: Consumers are focused on healthy and safe living realizing that many people are in crisis and need support.

4. Family First: Americans are spending more time dining, playing board games and watching TV together.

5. The Local Lens: The “buy local” movement has become much more mainstream promoting heightened interest in knowing the source of a brand’s goods and services.

6. Diversity & Inclusiveness: Brands take a fresh look at their diversity programs and seek guidance from a broader brush of people for guidance on how to become more welcoming and inclusive.

This year marked a big year of pivoting and resiliency for the Chamber as we unveiled our Workforce Blueprint, adopted a 3-Year Strategic Plan and hosted Mayor Romero’s first in-person State of the City address in partnership with Visit Tucson.

The five recommendations in our workforce blueprint point to the need for employers to engage with education. A project we are excited about is our new partnership with the Center for the Future of Arizona and the Sunnyside Unified School District. Our goal is to engage employers in the district to highlight opportunities right down the road from the school.

Our 3-Year Strategic Plan sets our sights and our focus on issues important to our members. Top of the list is

advocacy and we have already started conversations with the newly appointed Chief of Police Chad Kasmar to address the increase in retail thefts and property damage. Public safety has and will always be a business issue and we continue to advocate for increases in commissioned officers.

We also know that next year brings more in-depth conversations about RTA reauthorization and a potential ballot measure to maintain the City’s sales tax to support transportation infrastructure. These are pivotal issues for our members to be heavily involved in.

Mayor Romero spoke in her State of the City address for the need to make stronger connections with our counterparts in Mexico. We look forward to collaborating with her to increase commerce and business to our region.

Predicting what will happen next year is difficult, let alone dangerous. Last year at this time many said 2021 would bring the end to the worries of the pandemic since vaccines were entering the marketplace yet concerns still linger.

If history has taught us anything, it is that with crisis comes resiliency. Business leaders look forward, not backward. With forward progress comes solutions to our challenges and innovative ideas that fulfill our needs. I am optimistic that we will use the lessons learned to make a number of improvements and while the economy in 2022 will not be the “hockey stick” growth we want to see, it will continue to climb.

Now let’s get back to enjoying our “winter” weather.

Michael Guymon is interim president and CEO of the Tucson Metro Chamber.

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BY LISA LOVALLO

Online brand reputation management

n the age of social media, sometimes a negative customer experience can spread across the internet extremely quickly—leaving a brand’s reputation vulnerable. More than 50% of consumers read at least four reviews on a product or company before deciding to purchase, so it’s important to be maintaining your brand’s online reputation. Here are some tips to do so.

1. Assess where you’re at. Run a Google search on your company and see what comes up. Are there Google reviews? Are there people talking about your brand on Twitter? Make a log of any site your business shows up on.

2. Flag negative sentiment. While assessing where your brand is being discussed, flag any negative reviews or comments that have not been addressed.

You’ll want to address these to help rectify any situations you are able to.

3. Respond to the negativity. Respond to unhappy customers directly from your brand’s account and offer resolution. Many brands offer to replace the product, assist further with a call from customer service or IT, or offer a refund.

4. Also respond to positivity. This step is often forgotten while focusing on negative mentions. Responding to customer praises with a genuine thank you message strengthens the relationship your brand has with happy customers, increasing the likelihood that they will come back again.

5. Set up monitoring.

Media and online monitoring tools like Mention will flag and notify you of online mentions of your brand or

company on social media, review sites and more.

6. Hire a community management team. Some companies have more online chatter than one person can handle. If this is the case, look into hiring a team that will be dedicated to monitoring mentions of your brand and responding to customers.

7. Create a plan. Put together a document of pre-approved responses and statements that will help mitigate any negative situations. Within the document, include an internal organization chart for cases when a severely negative mention should be handled by the leadership team.

8. Build positive sentiment. Some brands simply have no mentions at all, which can also be harmful because consumers rely so heavily on reviews. Consider asking customers to leave an online review if they are happy with their experience.

9. Try influencer marketing. Influencers have a strong impact on consumer purchasing decisions, especially the younger crowd.

Seventy percent of teens trust influencers more than they trust their favorite celebrities.

10. Bulletproof your customer experience. The best way to avoid negative reviews is to avoid causing any negativity in the first place.

Run through your customer journey and make sure you are providing best-in-class service to every customer that interacts with your brand.

Lisa Lovallo is the Southern Arizona market vice president for Cox Communications, leading a team of 260+ Southern Arizona Cox employees. Reach her at lisa. lovallo@cox.com.

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PEOPLEINACTION

Felipe Garcia

DEC 31, 2021

EMAIL YOUR PEOPLE IN ACTION DETAILS TO JEFF@TUCSONLOCALMEDIA.COM

Tourism organization Visit Tucson has announced that their current interim president & CEO, Felipe Garcia, will keep the title moving forward. Garcia is replacing Brent DeRaad, who had been president & CEO since 2012.

“It was abundantly clear that Felipe has both the skills and experience for this new challenge,” said John Denker, Visit Tucson’s Board Chair, after a nationwide search. “Beyond just already knowing the business and staff of Visit Tucson, his passion for his work and the future of this community shine through in all that he does.”

Garcia has led Visit Tucson’s Vamos a Tucson Mexico marketing efforts throughout his tenure. Prior to his work at Visit Tucson, Garcia worked for the City of Tucson as an economic development specialist focused on trade opportunities between Mexico and Southern Arizona. He is an attorney by trade and started his career working on international trade and investment throughout Latin America.

“I am honored to continue to serve this community in this new role,” said Garcia. “Visit Tucson is a leader in both this industry and in driving economic impact for the people of metro Tucson.”

Arizona Superior Court in Pima County Welcomes New Judge

Craig Hoover

Eric Smith

Karen Falkenstrom

Carmen Haber

The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center welcomes interventional cardiologist Dr. Craig Hoover to their faculty. Hoover was appointed clinical assistant professor of medicine in 1997 after graduating in 1996 from the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program at the UA College of Medicine. Prior to joining the Sarver Heart Center, he was a cardiologist in community practice at the Southern Arizona VA Medical Center in Tucson. Dr. Hoover’s research focus is on clinical trials of novel interventional devices and therapies. He served on the national board of governors of the American College of Cardiology and as governor of the Arizona Chapter of the organization.

Eric Smith, executive director of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, has been elected to a seat on the International Business Innovation Association’s board of directors. Smith joins a team of 15 who are “global advocates for stakeholders within entrepreneur-driven economic ecosystems.”

InBIA serves a network of entrepreneurship centers that enable entrepreneurs to transform their work into high-growth business ventures. InBIA is a global community which includes over 1,200 members across 30 nations. Member portfolio companies include business incubators, accelerators, coworking spaces, makerspaces, university commercialization and more.

The Southwest Folklife Alliance has announced the recipients of its annual Master-Apprentice Award. The award program supports master traditional artists and apprentices, in partnership with the Arizona Commission on the Arts. The award provides $5,000 each to the Arizona-based artist and $500 to an emerging-artist mentee to support the “transmission of traditional knowledge.”

Among the winners is Karen Falkenstrom, who plays and makes taiko drums. Falkenstrom also founded Odaiko Sonora, Tucson’s Japanese drumming ensemble, and will teach drum making to student Natalie Wilson.

SFA executive director Leia Maahs says the awards acknowledge the dedication to folk artists in the state.

The Tucson Values Teachers December Teacher Excellence Award goes to Carmen Haber, a teacher at Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind Preschool.

Haber has taught for the past 17 years, the last four have been at the preschool.

“I love working with our little ones and supporting our parents at the beginning of their journey. I have children of my own with hearing loss so this is also very personal for me,” Haber said.

Winners of the Teacher Excellence Award receive $250 cash courtesy of Helios Education Foundation, a $100 gift certificate to Jonathan’s Educational Resources, and flowers.

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The Pima County Superior Court has announced the appointment of Renee L.K. Hampson as a new judge pro tempore. Hampson will fill the vacancy in Division LF created by the elevation of Kimberly Ortiz to retained Superior Court judge. Judges pro tempore are volunteer, pro bono positions who serve in various court departments as needed.

Hampson is a supervising attorney with the Office of the Pima County Public Defender. Since 2016, she has managed a team of lawyers and staff members working with criminal litigation, probation violations, post-conviction Drug Court, Mental Health Court and Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison Court. Her focus has been almost exclusively on issues relating to addiction, trauma and mental health. Hampson helped design the Superior Court’s new STEPs Court program.

This pre-indictment “Supportive Treatment and Engagement Program” was brought to fruition under her guidance in the Public Defender’s Office.

“The Superior Court is excited to welcome Renee as its newest criminal bench pro tem judge,” said Pima County Presiding Judge Jeffrey T. Bergin. “She is highly respected and brings a wealth of experience to our bench. Pima County is fortunate it will have her continued positive influence on our community.”

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INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

DEC 31, 2021

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

$3.7M Foothills Home Sells In Only Three Days

Courtesy photo

Jeff Gardner

all-time high,” Durkin said in a press release. “The price we set and ultimately got didn’t shock me as much as the ucson’s real estate market amount of interest we had, including a back-up contract is poised to stay strong for substantially more than list into the new year as properties continue to sell fast price. This is Tucson’s time to shine and catch up to other and for higher than asking competing markets, as we are prices. Recently, a home near Finger Rock trail in the still undervalued in my opinCatalina Foothills was sold by ion compared to Phoenix, Palm Springs and Santa Fe.” Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty for $3.795 million in only three days.

SALES Dubbed the “Hacienda Rosetta Marie,” the propSeven Eight Investments, erty stretches 1.6 acres with LLC purchased 3,900 square a 6,800 square-foot home. feet of retail space at 821 Built in 1999, the estate has W. Grant Road in Tucson, three bedrooms and three full baths built in a signature from Vitaliy V Melkumov and Diana Melkumov for Spanish style. $490,000. Rob Tomlinson, Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty Luxury Principal, Retail Specialist Agents Bryan Durkin, Susan with Cushman & Wakefield Neitzel and Anne Ferro sold | PICOR, represented the the property and closed the buyer in this transaction. deal in cash, continuing an Chuck Corriere with Keller impressive run of luxury Williams Commercial, repreproperty sales in Tucson sented the seller. The propthroughout 2021.

“Having represented both erty will be the new home of the original owners and Tucson Collision Specialists, current sellers five years ago a high-end auto paint and in a totally different market, body service provider. we were elated to have been Western American Inselected again to list this specvestments, LLC purchased a tacular property and bring 4,414 square foot industrial it to the market when the Tucson luxury market is at it’s building at 3825 E. 37th Inside Tucson Business

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Street in Tucson, from B&B Partners, Inc. for $380,000.

Paul Hooker, Principal, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the seller in this transaction.

1001 Flint Street LLC purchased Vista De Monte Apartments, a 9,791 square foot multi-family investment property located at 2555-2579 E. Water Street in Tucson. The 13 unit apartment facility was purchased from Tucson Rents LLC for $1,417,000. Allan Mendelsberg, Principal, and Conrad Joey Martinez, Multifamily Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented both parties in this transaction.

Halter Holdings LLC purchased 3,570 square feet of industrial space at 2601 E. Ginter Road in Tucson, from DEFT TUC I LLC for $440,000. Stephen D. Cohen, Principal, Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the seller in this transaction.

Ron Zimmerman, Principal, Continued on P7

INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

DEC 31, 2021

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INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

DEC 31, 2021

LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

SEC’s Bitcoin policy inconsistency threatens the emergence of a new asset class in the U.S. market while spectacularly failing to allow investors to benefit from this new asset class f the Securities Exor to effectively protect change Commisthem from crypto Ponzi sion (SEC) has good schemes, exchange hacks evidence that the Bitcoin and rug pulls. market poses a danger In denying a Bitto the U.S. investor, coin spot market ETF, why would they allow the SEC looked to the investors to access this requirements of the Exmarket through every change Act Section 6(b) other conceivable avenue, (5) which is “designed to including three recently prevent fraudulent and approved Bitcoin futures manipulative acts and ETFs? practices” and “to protect In my opinion, U.S. investors and the pubcryptocurrency compalic interest.” The SEC’s nies are over-regulated mission is to “protect to the point where it has investors; maintain fair, effectively stifled growth orderly and efficient marDavid McCarville

Special to Inside Tucson Business

I

kets; and facilitate capital formation.”

The SEC’s stated reason for its most recent denial of a Bitcoin spot market ETF was that the market is too prone to abuse and that the fund sponsor failed “to demonstrate that other means to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices are sufficient.”

Following the SEC’s denial, attorneys from Davis & Polk, representing Grayscale Investments, have argued in a letter to the SEC that the SEC’s decision to deny a spot market Bitcoin ETF appears to be “arbitrary

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the underlying commodity and the actual price.

3) Investors have broad access to Bitcoin spot markets through a variety of consumer applications such as Square, CashAPP, Robinhood, Coinbase and many other approved exchanges.

4) In addition to the licensed and regulated exchanges that offer US investors exposure to the Bitcoin spot market the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) has been approved and offered to investors since 2015.

5) Institutional adoption of Bitcoin and institutional custodial services are widely available and there are many examples of insurance companies, pensions, and various investor funds that have exposure to Bitcoin spot markets.

6) With few exceptions, Bitcoin transactions can easily be tracked and bad actors identified by analyzing the Bitcoin ledger.

There are a number of highly qualified vendors that provide this service to government agencies such as Chainalysis 1) The SEC recentwhose most recent annual ly approved three BTC report indicated that only ETF’s based on future 2.1% of all cryptocurrencontract prices. cy transactions were tied 2) The approved futo illicit financial transtures contract ETF’s are actions including crypto inherently more risky ransomware, darknet and costly to investors markets, etc. than spot market ETF’s 7) The SEC has allowed because of the “Contanpublic companies to buy go Effect” which is the and sell Bitcoin as part of disparity between the projected futures price of their corporate treasury and capricious” and is therefore a violation of Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”). In order for the SEC’s ruling to be compliant with the APA they must prove that there is a rational connection between the facts found and the agency’s decision.

Unless the SEC can provide a rational reason for their approval of several futures contract ETF’s while denying spot price ETF’s, it seems likely that their decision could be overturned as “arbitrary and capricious”.

The SEC’s denial of a spot market ETF has done nothing to effectively protect investors.

The ruling has confused investors and continued to restrict one investment vehicle for an asset that is incredibly volatile in the short term but also has rewarded investors with average returns of 200% per year over the last decade.

Consider the following facts as to why a BTC spot market EFT should be approved:

management, most notably Tesla, Microstrategy and Marathon.

Failure to recognize that a new asset class will require a new regulatory approach appears to be the primary reason for the denial, according to SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, who has been a vocal critic of the SEC’s denial of Bitcoin ETF’s and was quoted as saying that the reason for the denials is that “…Bitcoin markets don’t look like our regulated securities markets…” and “The thing that regulators are most comfortable with are markets that look like our own.”

A commonsense approach to effectively protecting U.S. consumers from bad actors while providing clear guidance to businesses and consumers is far overdue.

Ideally, these regulations would be promulgated by a central regulatory body that works with the industry to develop comprehensive and understandable regulations that punish bad actors while facilitating growth. ITB David McCarville is a Director at Fennemore Craig, P.C. and is a member of the firm’s Blockchain and Cryptocurrency practice group. He also is an adjunct professor at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law teaching a Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies Law & Policy course.

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Real Estate Continued from P4

Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the buyer.

JVC Transport Express, LLC, purchased a 4.34acre vacant land parcel from Bright Sky Ventures, LLC. The industrial land property, located at 225 E. Medina Road in Tucson, was purchased for $325,000.

Ron Zimmerman, Principal, and Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the seller in this transaction.

LEASES Weathersby Windows & Doors, LLC renewed their lease with Pegasus Tucson Owner LLC for 4,320 square feet of industrial

DEC 31, 2021

space at Exchange Place Business Center, 1870 W. Prince Road, Suites A-3, 4, and 5 in Tucson. Paul Hooker, Principal, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Vance, LLC leased 3,175 square feet of office space, at 3275 W. Ina Road, Suite 135 in Tucson, from Caldor Investments of Arizona, LLC. Thomas J. Nieman, Principal, Office Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Affordable Care, LLC renewed their lease with Blue Hat, LLC for 2,400 square feet of retail space at Santa Cruz Plaza, 3788 S. 16th Ave, Suite F-01 in Tucson.

Greg Furrier, Principal, Retail Specialist with Cush-

man & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Legendary Automotive renewed their lease with Pegasus Tucson Owner LLC for 1,525 square feet of industrial space at Midway Business Park, 4500 E. Speedway Blvd., Suite 71 in Tucson. Paul Hooker, Principal, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Kore Refrigeration LLC renewed their lease with Pegasus Tucson Owner LLC for 1,440 square feet of industrial space at Exchange Place Business Center, 1870 W. Prince Road, Suite B-19 in Tucson. Paul Hooker, Principal, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the

landlord in this transaction.

Light Research, Inc. leased 1,216 square feet of office space at Speedway Professional Center, 2302 E. Speedway Blvd., Suite 114 in Tucson, from Professional Center, LLC. Thomas J. Nieman, Office Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Espresso Wrench Maintenance Co., Inc. renewed their lease with Pegasus Tucson Owner LLC for 600 square feet of industrial space at South Dodge Business Center, 3210 S. Dodge Blvd., Suite 4 in Tucson.

Paul Hooker, Principal, and Andrew Keim, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Arizona Kawasaki KTM Triumph renewed their

leased for 13,440 square feet of industrial space, at 3741 N. I-10 EB Frontage Road, Suites 101 & 103, in Tucson, from Peacock Investment Builders Tucson I, LLC. Robert C. Glaser, SIOR, CCIM, Principal, and Stephen D. Cohen, Principal, Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Blind Echo, LLC leased 12,611 square feet of retail space, located at 5335 E. 29th Street in Tucson, from Parker Enterprises Ltd. Dave Hammack, Principal, Retail Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, and Stephen D. Cohen, Principal, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

TMC Sleep Lab renewed their lease with TMC Hold-

ings, Inc. in Tucson Medical Park, 2100 N. Rosemont Blvd., Suites 100 & 110 in Tucson. Richard M. Kleiner, MBA, Principal, and Office Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction.

Criterion Supply, Inc. leased 6,000 square feet of industrial space at 750 E. Ohio Street, Suite 1 in Tucson, from Ohio Street Bldg. No 2 Ltd., LLLP. Robert C. Glaser, SIOR, CCIM, Principal, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the landlord in this transaction. Steve Bodeman with DAUM Commercial Real Estate Services, and Ben Gibbs with ESRP Advisor Dallas, LLC, represented the tenant. ITB

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DEC 31, 2021

Tucson lagging Phoenix in pandemic job recovery Alexandra Pere

Inside Tucson Business

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eorge Hammond, the director of the UA’s Eller Economic and Business Research Center, said that while the Arizona economy is bouncing back from the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Tucson’s job recovery has been slower than Phoenix and Flagstaff.

Hammond presented his newest compilation of economic data virtually at the Arizona Economic Outlook event on Nov. 30. Hammond advised attendees to keep their eyes on Arizona’s labor and housing markets.

Tucson is behind Flagstaff and Phoenix in replacing jobs lost in the beginning months of the pandemic.

Tucson had a 77.5% job replacement rate, while Flagstaff had 85% and Phoenix had 105.8%. Hammond found hospitality and leisure jobs were significantly affected by the pandemic, leading him to believe this may be one of the reasons Tucson is falling behind in job replacement rates.

“Government jobs, leisure, and hospitality jobs are way below where they were before the pandemic began while trade, transportation, and utilities jobs are way above,” Hammond said.

Another element Hammond presented to explain Tucson’s job replacement lag is the region’s population demographics. According to United States census data, 14.3% of Tucson’s population is 65 and older.

“That demographic is a little bit slower to go back to the kinds of in-person activities that we were enjoying

before the pandemic began,” Hammond said.

With fewer customers from older demographics using hospitality or leisure services, there is less need for staff. However, the pandemic has significantly impacted the labor market in multiple ways. People 65 and older are less likely to leave the house and many Americans across the nation are rethinking what they want from jobs.

“Employers are struggling to hire while employees or at least some employees, are sitting on the sidelines and kind of rethinking their lives, what they want to do with their lives, what they want their career and occupation to look like going forward,” Hammond said.

Hammond described the labor market as being in “turmoil” but forecasted widely available COVID-19 vaccines will promote job growth and population growth in the future.

This point was also made by former Chief Economist at Chase Anthony Chan, who also presented at the Nov. 30 Economic Outlook virtual event.

“I think everybody should make up their own minds, but I just don’t want people to die because when they die that’s when you get nervous about spending, you get nervous about economic growth,” Chan said.

Population growth is essential to Arizona’s economy.

More people leads to more workers, more spending, and more contributions to the local economy. Arizona’s population growth of 12% is well above the national average of 7.4%. Tucson’s population growth is below the national average at 6.4%.

Migration and natural increase play an important role in Arizona’s population growth. Arizona’s natural population increase is the difference between birth and deaths. As the Baby Boomer generations grow older, deaths are expected to outweigh births in Arizona.

Hammond reported that Arizona has had a declining natural increase since 2007 and Arizona’s natural increase rate was negative for the first time last year.

“That means our population growth is going to be completely driven by net migration,” Hammond said.

“Since net migration is relatively volatile, that means our overall population growth is going to be more volatile in the future than it has been in the past.”

With Arizona’s rapid population increase, the housing market skyrocketed in the last year. Tucson’s median housing prices increased 20.4%.

This can be attributed to high demand and low supply.

But Hammond reported Tucson housing permits had a stronger increase than Phoenix. Total housing permits in Tucson rose by 30%, while Phoenix permits rose by 11.9%. More housing supply should assist with demand and slow the stark increase in housing costs.

“Overall I think we’re in good shape to continue to be one of the fastest growing states in the nation,” Hammond said. “Phoenix is going to continue to be the engine of state growth, Tucson will participate as well, we’ll see the Tucson economy continue to add jobs, population and income, but at a somewhat slower pace than we’ll see in Phoenix.” ITB

BUSINESS CALENDAR

EMAIL DETAILS FOR YOUR BIZ EVENTS TO SHERYL@TUCSONLOCALMEDIA.COM Monday, Jan. 3 • Oro Valley Toastmasters meets. Details: 6:15 p.m. (on Zoom); https://2854329.toastmastersclubs.org or 314-8008.

Tuesday, Jan. 4 • The Arizona Commerce Authority holds Small Business Bootcamp & Resource Collective - SMART Goal Setting for a Successful 2022 webinar. Details: 9 a.m.; free; azcommerce.com.

Tuesdays, Jan. 4 and 11

• The Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce holds a Business Summit with guest speakers Mayor Joe Winfield and David Aaker and breakout sessions on employee recruitment, retention and marketing. Details: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa, 245 E. Ina Road; $10 members; orovalleychamber.com.

• Southern Arizona SCORE offers a webinar on 2022’s Hottest Businesses, Markets & Trends presented by small business expert and author Rieva Lesonsky. Details: 11 a.m.; free; southernarizona.score.org.

• Startup Tucson offers Lunch & Learn Web Series Product Design & Development with a Product Manufacturing Overview. Details: noon-1 p.m.; free; startuptucson.com.

• The Rotary Club of Marana meets (weekly). Details: 7 a.m.; Northwest Fire Dept., 5125 W. Camino de Fuego (in person first 3 Tuesdays of the month); via Zoom (first 4 Tuesdays of the month); Thursdays, Jan. 6 and 13 maranarotary.org or text 520-909-9162 for virtual • The Rotary Club of Dove meeting information.

Mountain meets weekly. Details: 5-6 p.m.; Highlands of Dove Mountain Clubhouse; 4949 W. Heritage Club Blvd.; dovemoun• The Marana Chamber tainrotary.org. of Commerce holds Marana Mornings networking breakfast. Details: 7:30-9 a.m.; The Highlands at Dove Moun• Arizona Hispanic Chamtain, 4949 W. Heritage Club ber of Commerce offers Blvd.; $35, $30 members; business bootcamp How maranachamber.com. to Franchise Your Success-

Wednesday, Jan. 5

Tuesday, Jan. 11

Thursday, Jan. 6

a.m.; online; azhcc.org.

• The Arizona Commerce Authority holds Small Business Bootcamp & Resource Collective - Know the 5 Ps of Your Business webinar. Details: 9 a.m.; free; azcommerce.com.

Wednesday, Jan. 12 • The Tucson Metro Chamber holds Coffee & Contacts at Antsy Nancy. Details: 7:308:30 a.m.; 5655 E. River Road, #101; members free; tucsonchamber.org.

• Arizona Sands Club meets with local business spotlight, education and networking.

Details: 9-10 a.m.; UA Football Stadium, 565 N. Cherry Ave., fifth floor; 520-621-7674 or clubcorp.com.

Thursday, Jan. 13 • Southern Arizona SCORE offers a webinar on Building a Hybrid Cloud for Your Growing Business presented by Dell Chief Technology Strategist Allen Clingerman.

Details: 11 a.m.; free; southernarizona.score.org.

Friday, Jan. 14

• The Arizona-Mexico Commission holds State of the State with Gov. Doug Ducey.

Details: 9:45 a.m. registration, 10:30 a.m. program; Hilton El ful Business and Watch It Conquistador, 10000 N. OraGrow. Details: 8:30-10:30 cle Road; $50; azmc.org.

INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

DEC 31, 2021

But those first six months of payments have been a success: Nationally, the expanded payments may billion in advance payments “These regular payments, income or do not owe any will struggle to make ends have lifted 4 million chilfederal taxes can still receive meet between now and to Arizona families, part of which amounts to up to dren out of poverty, cutting next spring, when they file the $76.7 billion distribut- $300 for a child under the the maximum amount. that child poverty rate by The expanded credit means their income taxes and the age of 6 or a little bit less ed nationwide. second half of the tax credit more than 40%, according eligible families could get for older kids, has made a Unless the Senate acts to Center on Budget and up to $300 per month for arrives. real, tangible benefit on a before the end of the year Policy Priorities estimates, “We know that children kids under 6 and $250 a monthly level for families to extend the program, what Cox called a “really that grew up in houseto be able to afford grocer- month per child ages 6 to as part of the Build Back historic” shift.

Better plan already passed ies, child care, rent, school 17. holds with more income She said the payments are “This money can really by the House, the advance supplies, and all these other live healthier lives, they do often used by low-income be a game changer for payments end with the needs that have popped better in school, they earn families to pay for basic December checks that went up,” said Andrew Sugrue, families to help ensure more as adults,” Cox said. needs they may have strugout Wednesday. After that, assistant director of policy their kids have enough “Without the expanded families will have to wait and advocacy at the Arizona to eat every meal, have a child tax credit, many chil- gled with before, providing a “predictable boost” to a secure roof over their heads dren will have less opporuntil they file their income Center for Economic family’s income. every night, have clothing taxes to get the second half Progress. tunities to achieve their “Most families, especially if they grow, and give them potential.” of the tax credit they are Besides advancing those with lower incomes, a strong start in life,” said owed in 2021. the credit with monthly Sugrue said the program are spending their credit Kris Cox, deputy director was targeted toward families Whatever happens, advo- payments, the American on basic necessities, things that need the help the most cates said the first round of Rescue Plan also increased of federal tax policy at the Center on Budget and the maximum tax credit and that the payments, “at like housing, food, utilities, payments has made a real and education as well as Policy Priorities. per child from $2,000 least provided on a regudifference for the almost clothing,” Cox said.

Both Cox and Sugrue to $3,600 and made the 1.4 million Arizona chillar basis,” have been able worry that if the Senate to help them meet those dren who benefited under credit fully refundable, so See Child Tax Credit, P14 families who do not get any doesn’t act, some parents challenges. the program.

First phase ending for child tax credit, a ‘game changer’ for families Genesis Sandoval Cronkite News

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rizona families may have seen the last—for now—payment Wednesday under an expanded child tax credit program that advocates say has been a “game changer” for low-income families in the state.

The program, passed earlier this year as part of the pandemic-relief American Rescue Plan, sent families monthly advance payments, from July to December, of the child tax credit they are expected to receive on their 2021 income taxes. Through November, the IRS had distributed more than $1.7

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INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

DEC 31, 2021

TECH TALK

Top 10 Tucson Science Stories of the Year Jeff Gardner

internet-related products, including self-driving cars. The rovers weigh roughly 100 pounds and n “optics valley,” defense contractors, are a bit larger than a mienvironmental cen- crowave. With six wheels and several cameras, the ters, strong ties to NASA: there’s always more science robots drive between three and five miles per going on in Tucson than hour. what you might expect at Once an order comes first glance. It should come into one of the participatas no surprise that many ing dining locations, staff of this year’s most exciting will prepare the order for science stories were based takeout as they normally around the University of would, place it inside a Arizona. However, the rover’s cargo compartTucson area is also home ment and send the rover to multiple independent on its way. Students who businesses and scientists concocting their own news- order the food will also worthy stories. So here is a receive a unique “retrieval list, in no particular order, code” meaning only they can access the food. of some of our favorite “We know that our stuscience stories to come out dents are very interested of Tucson this year. in forward-thinking tech applications such as Robots on campus. smart vending machines, In late November, the and we hope that with University of Arizona this new delivery option, began using a fleet of we can offer quicker autonomous rovers that deliveries, especially deliver food to students during rush times, across from on-campus dining campus,” said Christine locations. In a partnerCarlson, director of ship between the UA and food delivery service dining and nutrition for UA’s Arizona Student GrubHub, Wildcat stuUnions. dents can use the GrubHub app for the robots to Tourism afloat. In Ocnavigate campus on their own and deliver food. UA tober, Tucson-based aerospace engineering compais the second campus to offer this delivery option, ny World View announced plans to offer public space following Ohio State tourism via passenger University. balloons. For years, World The rovers were View has developed highdeveloped by Yandex, tech balloons that can rise a Russian multinationhigh into the atmosphere al technology company that develops a variety of and travel multiple miles, Inside Tucson Business

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but now they have announced their “​​Explorer Stratospheric Capsule.”

The passenger capsules are expected to carry people into the stratosphere (more than 15 miles up) for flights lasting from six to 12 hours. While this altitude isn’t quite what NASA considers “space,” World View promises “space-like” views from this high. Eight passengers are expected to fit into each capsule.

The flights are expected to begin in Page near the Grand Canyon. However, the company says they will eventually offer services around the world, from near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, to the pyramids in Egypt, to Norway to see the northern lights.

The passenger capsules will be fitted with onboard video cameras and telescopes for a better view of the world below and stars above. In addition, the flights will have dining options and a full bar. Of course, this balloon-rideof-the-future comes with an equally soaring price, estimated near $50,000.

The flights are expected to begin in 2024.

Science out of Tucson this year brought us computers that fuse to bone, balloon flights into the stratosphere, and a telescope to replace Hubble. Photo courtesy UA / Gutruf Lab.

long periods of time. The so-called “osseosurface electronics” are ultra-thin devices that are wireless and do not require batteries. The devices use a calcium adhesive with an atomic structure similar to bone cells to stay attached.

Although not yet approved for human use, researchers hope the devices can eventually be used to monitor health and healing associated with bone fractures and breaks.

This may be of particular importance to individuals with diseases like osteoporosis; rather than tracking bone health via trips to the hospital, the small devices could continually provide information to the user Calcified Computers. and doctor wherever they A new type of computer are. The devices have so developed by researchfar been used on lab rats, ers at the University of and collected information Arizona can monitor bone including temperature and health while remaining bone strain during exerattached to the body, cise. The devices can even beneath the skin, over deliver optical stimulation

to the bone and surrounding tissues, to potentially induce bone regeneration.

“As a surgeon, I am most excited about using measurements collected with osseosurface electronics to someday provide my patients with individualized orthopedic care—with the goal of accelerating rehabilitation and maximizing function after traumatic injuries,” said Dr. David Margolis, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the UA College of Medicine.

the strange flowers.

Researchers at Saguaro National Park, which is home to more than 21,000 saguaros, track irregularities such as these side blooms. Generally speaking, blooming or flowering occurs on the “crown” (or top) of the cactus, where new tissue growth has occurred.

These side blooms may signify a lack of growth, suggesting that old tissue has simply been reactivated, allowing the cacti to slough off what was supposed to bloom and grow Saguaro Side Blooms. last year.

Tucsonans saw unique While some columnar flowers blooming out of cacti such as organ pipes, the sides of saguaros this silver torches or carspring, causing many dones are known to have questions. The phenome- side blooms, this recent non, observed both in and widespread occurrence is out of Tucson, involved unusual for the saguaro more buds dispersed along cacti and may be related saguaros’ trunks, with to other conditions that smaller flowers and fruits. haven’t been fully underResearchers blamed last stood yet. year’s pitiful monsoon on

INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

Eyes in the Sky. A husband and wife team of University of Arizona professors and their research group are part of an international group of scientists working on NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope.

The JWST is planned to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA’s flagship astrophysics mission, and will be able to observe some of the oldest and most remote objects in the universe. George Rieke, UA Regents Professor of Astronomy, describes the mission as “perhaps the most ambitious astronomy project human beings have done.”

George and Marcia Rieke, both UA Regents Professors of Astronomy, have worked with infrared astronomy and NASA missions for decades. For the JWST, each will work with high-tech infrared imaging devices: Marcia on the telescope’s near-infrared camera, and George on the telescope’s mid-infrared camera. Both instruments observe infrared radiation to collect data on planets in distant solar systems.

The telescope’s massive 21-foot diameter presents a unique problem for space launch, as it is too wide to fit into the nose cone of a rocket.

To account for this, the JWST will fold up like an umbrella to fit inside the rocket. According to UA, once in space, the telescope will unfold and its instruments will be checked and calibrat-

DEC 31, 2021

ed, with the telescope’s mirror adjusted to optical perfection. This will happen during a six-month period, after which the telescope will be a million miles from Earth. This point in space will allow the JWST to fly effortlessly with the Earth around the sun, making it possible for the telescope to radio its huge amount of data back to Earth.

“The history of real scientific discoveries is that you can’t predict what they’ll be,” George said. “So I hope the astronomical community uses JWST to discover things we’ve never dreamt of.”

role as mission pilot by winning an entrepreneur competition. As the second-in-command, Proctor was “responsible for calling up checklists, monitoring systems and executing commands.”

omers to not only detect their location and speed, but also to compute their size.

“The fact that NASA tasked Dr. Mainzer and her group with the scientific leadership of this mission is a direct testaAttack Asteroids. ment to her incredible Furthering their partleadership and expertise, nership with NASA, the as well as our universiUniversity of Arizona ty’s strong foundation was selected to lead a in infrared astronomy,” mission to “find, track said UA President Robert and characterize” asterC. Robbins. “With NEO oids and comets that may Surveyor, we are empose a threat to Earth. barking on a project that UA professor of lunar transcends basic research and planetary science and directly tackles one Amy Mainzer is leading of humankind’s grand the Near-Earth Object challenges: keeping our Surveyor mission, which planet safe from devasuses an infrared space tating asteroid impacts.” telescope to identify potentially hazardous The future of space asteroids and comets that missions. The first-evcome within 30 million er spaceflight with only private citizens launched miles of Earth’s orbit. into space in September Asteroids and comets in this range are classified with an Arizona scias near-earth objects, ence teacher on board. or NEOs. NASA has SpaceX’s Inspiration4 flight launched from the previously identified an estimated 90% of all Kennedy Space CenNEOs larger than 1,000 ter in Florida with four aboard: businessman Jar- meters. This new mission aims to identify 90% of ed Isaacman, physician assistant Hayley Arcene- NEOs larger than 140 meters within a decade. aux, Air Force veteran Christopher Sembroski, There are currently more and science teacher Sian than 25,000 near-Earth asteroids and comets Proctor, who teaches at identified. These types of a Phoenix community celestial bodies are widely college. considered to have had Proctor is a geolomajor impacts on Earth’s gy professor at South history, both geologicalMountain Community College, a science ly and biologically. The communicator who mission will use infrared has appeared on mulsensors to detect astertiple TV shows, and on oids and comets that have Sept. 16, became the been warmed up by the first Black woman to sun. Searching for asterever pilot a spacecraft. oids by sensing their heat Proctor earned her emission allows astron-

Aviary Autotune. Scientists at the University of Arizona demonstrated they could use a tiny, wireless device attached to a bird’s head to rapidly change the pitch of their songs, which may lead to better understanding of speech in the human brain. Based out of the UA’s College of Engineering, the science team is studying songbirds because they are one of the few species that “share humans’ ability to learn new vocalizations.”

The devices, created in assistant professor of biomedical engineering Philipp Gutruf’s lab, modulate neuron groups in the bird’s brain, changing song pitch.

UA says the team’s next

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goal is to expand device capabilities to also record neuron activity. This could allow researchers to visualize brain activity during song learning and performance to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying brain mechanisms. The paper “Wireless battery free fully implantable multimodal recording and neuromodulation tools for songbirds” was published in Nature Communications.

“Because of the small size and lightweight, the birds can move freely and live permanently with the implant without affecting their behavior or health, which opens up many possibilities to study the

See Tech Talk, P14

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INSIDETUCSONBUSINESS.COM

DEC 31, 2021

ON THE MENU

Readers were hungry for these columns in 2021 Matt Russell

my stories—the clicks, likes, and shares—that tells me what you really value.

So I’ve called on our web ere we are at the end editor once again to dive of another delicious into the data to reveal my Top 10 stories from the year in Southern past year that triggered Arizona, and the comthe highest level of reader mencement of my 10th year writing this column response.

The envelope, please. for Tucson Local Media Sitting at the number and its portfolio of 10 spot is my story about publications. downtown restaurant I enjoy getting feedback from our readers as OBON that launched a seasonal menu featuring much as I enjoy writing “perfect examples of the the stories themselves. unexpected.” You must This feedback comes in many forms, but it’s your have expected the unexpected given your engagedigital engagement with Special to Inside Tucson Business

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DEC 31, 2021

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County enacts new COVID mask mandate as Omicron spreads Alexandra Pere

meeting recommending a mask mandate.

“Given the global surge of the exceptionally more ith the arrival of transmissible omicron the new COVID variant, it is appropriate variant Omito reconsider the tools that cron in Pima County, are available to mitigate its the Pima County Board impact on Pima County of Supervisors voted 3-2 particularly during this last week to enact a new mandate requiring people winter holiday season,” she to mask up while indoors wrote.

The Centers for Disease in public spaces when they Control released new data cannot maintain a physshowing the Omicron ical distance of six feet from people outside their variant surpassed the Delta variant in national household.

COVID cases. According Pima County Supervito their estimates, the sors Matt Heinz, Sharon Omicron variant already Bronson and Adelita Grijalva voted in favor of made up 73% of COVID cases in the United States the mask mandate at the last week. board’s Dec. 21 meeting, There is speculation the while Democrat Rex Scott Omicron variant causes and Republican Steve less severe symptoms than Christy voted against it. the original virus and the Heinz, who put the Delta variant, but more proposal on the board’s research is needed to agenda, said it was important to bring back the accurately determine the variant’s severity. mask mandate because High transmissibiliarea hospitals are stretched ty gives Omicron more to the limit with unvacopportunities to infect cinated COVID patients people, leading health and Omicron is a more officials to expect an incontagious coronavirus creased need for commuvariant.

“Due to the increase of nity health care. Lesher expressed concern for COVID cases and as you available hospital resourchave heard from TMC healthcare, and the Ban- es in the memo.

“We are now experiencner system, the hospitals ing the highest COVID-19 are really to the point of ICU occupancy since last bursting,” said Heinz, who winter.

On December wanted the mandate to be 19, hospitals reported reinstituted ahead of the 117 COVID-19 positive holiday season.

Acting County Admin- individuals occupying 39 istrator Jan Lesher sent a percent of ICU beds,” memo to the Pima Coun- Lesher wrote.

Lesher noted extremely ty Board of Supervisors low intensive care unit caahead of their Dec. 21 Inside Tucson Business

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pacity in Pima County. For the past two months, Pima County had only 13 staffed ICU beds.

Hospital resources are strained all over the state of Arizona, as well.

President Biden’s administration announced on Dec. 21 they would send COVID emergency response teams to six states, including Arizona.

Response teams include clinical personnel and paramedics.

According to Lesher’s memo, Pima County reported 15,851 cases in November 2021 compared to 13,933 in Nov. 2020.

Supervisor Steve Christy raised concerns over the enforcement of the mask mandate. A new law passed earlier this year allows businesses to ignore enforcement of mask mandates passed by the state, city, county or any other jurisdiction of Arizona.

Lesher conceded that the county has little ability to require residents to wear masks.

“While admittedly there is no practical enforcement option, it has been shown in this community and elsewhere in the country that the mere existance of a mask mandate increases the likelihood of mask use by the public,” Lesher wrote in a memo to the the board. “A county-imposed mask mandate would be a call-to-arms for everyone in the county to step up and do their part to help prevent the

spread of a deadly virus, especially during the holidays.”

Supervisor Rex Scott was unsure that Pima County residents would follow the mandate.

“Unfortunately, ever since the pandemic began, there has been an ugly bevy of falsehoods, fears, and resentments about masks fed to our citizens by some in leadership positions who should be forever ashamed of their ignorance and selfishness. As a result, although I firmly believed each of us should be wearing masks when we are in group settings, I’m certain that a sizable

number of Pima County residents will defy or ignore any mandate we may enact today,” Scott said.

Scott added to his argument that enforcement of the previous mask mandate fell onto workers in the public space. Scott worried misinformation around masks had increased since the last mandate and workers would be subject to abuse by the public.

Wearing masks traps respiratory droplets that travel from one person to another. Respiratory droplets can carry viral loads which can infect people that inhale them.

The most effective masks on the market are N95 masks.

The CDC released a study co-authored with Pima County in early Oct. showing that K-12 schools without mask requirements were 3.5 times more likely to experience a COVID outbreak. The study used data from 999 public schools in Pima and Maricopa County.

“I voted in favor of the mandate because of the recommendation of county administration and the recommendation of TMC and Banner Health,” Supervisor Sharon Bronson said. ITB

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DEC 31, 2021

Tech Talk: Top 10

order to “remove internal stresses and toughen the glass.” The Giant Magellan Telescope is mirror” measuring 27.6 currently under conContinued from P11 feet in diameter. The UA struction in Chile’s Atacfurnace began heating ama Desert. Six off-axis the glass on March 1 pieces and a central basis for vocal commuon-axis segment will nication,” said co-senior and reached more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenform the final 80-foot author Julie Miller, an heit on March 6. The mirror, and contribute assistant professor of to the GMT’s power beneuroscience and speech, furnace also rotated at five revolutions per min- ing 10 times greater than language and hearing ute, so as the glass melt- the Hubble Space Telesciences at UA. ed, it was forced outward scope. According to UA, and up the sides of the once the GMT becomes Telescope Mirror. mold to form a curved fully operational, it will The University of Arisurface. At peak tempera- have a light collecting zona contributed to the area of 3,961 square feet, upcoming Giant Magel- ture, the glass took on lan Telescope by casting a the consistency of honey enough to see the torch and flowed into the mold engraved on a dime from mirror that will be used nearly 100 miles away. as part of the telescope’s to form the honeycomb structure.

The mirror Commissioning of the primary viewer. In then entered a monthtelescope is scheduled to Mach, a giant furnace long “annealing” process begin in 2029. underneath UA’s Arizowhere the molten glass “The polishing and na Stadium converted cooled while the furnace constant measuring are 20 tons of borosilicate what turn this amazing glass into a “honeycomb spun at a slower rate in

piece of glass into a mirror,” said Buddy Martin, polishing scientist at the university’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. “By the time we finish polishing, it will be accurate to better than 25 nanometers. That’s how smooth the surface has to be in order to make the sharpest possible images.”

Exploration Drones.

A team of researchers at the University of Arizona received a $3 million grant from NASA to develop and test drones that may one day explore the surface of Mars. The team is led by Christopher Hamilton, associate professor at UA’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. The Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Networks (RAVEN)

drones will be tested in Iceland to explore volcanic terrains that are similar to those observed on Mars. NASA’s process for planetary exploration traditionally involved four steps: flyby, orbit, land and rove. Now, the RAVEN team is adding fly to that list. According to UA, a major challenge in exploring young volcanic terrains on Mars is that the surfaces are too rough for a traditional rover to traverse. RAVEN will open new opportunities for exploration by enabling a rover and drone to work together. The drone will provide reconnaissance to scout the best path forward, and even be able to collect and return remote samples that are inaccessible to the rover. RAVEN will

also serve as a platform for new technologies such as 3D terrain imaging.

In addition, the drones will be equipped with a prototype grabbing device that can pick up rocks and return samples to the associated rover.

“It is a testament to the University of Arizona’s long-standing track record in planetary exploration that NASA continues to trust our experts with finding solutions to some of our biggest challenges,” said UA President Robert Robbins in a press release. “RAVEN is no exception, as this project is part of the bold vision to land humans on Mars in the not-too-distant future.” ITB

Child Tax Credit: ‘Tremendous Impact’

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“Families who are struggling to make ends meet now have some income support.”

This was echoed by Sugrue.

“We see a lot of evidence when surveys go out to families that have claimed the child tax credit and received these advanced payments, the top uses of the credit are for food, for clothing, for school supplies, all the basic needs the expanded child tax credit was designed to be used on,” he said.

Cox said that payments under the program have also helped push back “against historical and ongoing racial disparities.”

“It narrows the difference between the child poverty rates of Black, Latino and Native American children versus white children,” Cox said.

Not only are the advanced payments benefiting families, but they help the economy as well by pumping money back into local businesses.

“To the extent that families spend their credits like many families are, on basic necessities, that money will

go back into the economy and support businesses, support employees,” Cox said. “That money will recirculate into the economy.”

Sugrue said the payments so far have “had a tremendous impact on our state.”

“These millions of dollars are not just going to these families, but they’re also spending it in the economy,” he said. ITB For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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DEC 31, 2021

Southern Arizona Tourist Attractions Rank Business 2021 Address 2020

Phone Company Email Website

2020 Adult Admission Hours of Operation Attendance Fee

1

Reid Park Zoo 3400 E Zoo Ct Tucson, AZ 85716

(520) 791-3204 info@reidparkzoo.org ReidParkZoo.org

336,020

$10.50

2

Arizona Renaissance Festival 12601 E. US Hwy 60 Gold Canyon, AZ 85118

(520) 463-2600 arizonarenfest@renfestinfo.com arizona.renfestinfo.com

216,000

3

Madera Canyon Whitehouse-Madera Canyon Road Green Valley, AZ N/A

N/A info@friendsofmaderacanyon.org www.friendsofmaderacanyon.org

4

Children's Museum Tucson | Oro Valley 200 S. Sixth Ave. Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 792-9985 cmt@childrensmuseumtucson.org Childrensmuseumtucson.org

5

Biosphere 2 - University of Arizona 32540 S. Biosphere Rd. Oracle, AZ 85623

(520) 838-6200 bio2-info@email.arizona.edu Biosphere2.org

6

Jazz in January, Inc. dba Tucson Jazz Festival (520) 762-6260 P.O. Box 1809 info@tucsonjazzfestival.org Tucson, AZ 85702-1809 www.tucsonjazzfestival.org

7

Tubac Presidio Park and Museum 1 Burruel St. #1296 Tubac, AZ 85646

8

Specialties

Top Local Executives

Year Establ.

Locally

N/A

Exotic animals in natural habitats. Conservation. Nancy Kluge

1967

$30

10am-6pm

Amazing 50acre 16th Century village, 16stages, 200 artisans,jousting arena, feasting, mermaids and so much more. It is an ALL day adventure.

1989

120,000

N/A

dawn-dusk

N/A

N/A

118,137

N/A

N/A

Play-based learning and discovery for children and famlies

Hilary Van Alsburg

1986

37,000

$25 Adult

9am-4pm

Guided tours inside Biosphere 2

Richard W. Neter

1990

25,000

$45-$75

varies

N/A

Khris Dodge Chita Stevenson Elliot Glicksman

2014

(520) 398-2252 director@tubacpresidio.org www.tubacpresidio.org

6,500

$7

Wednesday through Sunday, 9am- 5pm

Spanish fort site, museum, historic schoolhouse, art gallery, gift shop, eight gardens and historic house lived in by a local family for over 1oo years.

Arizona State Parks Government

1958

The University of Arizona Museum of Art 1031 N. Olive Rd. Tucson, AZ 85721

(520) 621-7567 artmuseum@arizona.edu artmuseum.arizona.edu

5,528

$8.00

Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 4:30pm

World-class art from the 14th century to today, permanent and changing exhibits

Jill McCleary

1955

9

Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, Div of Old Pueblo Trolley 414 N. Toole Ave. Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 623-2223 satm1673@outlook.com tucsonhistoricdepot.org

4,755

free

TUE 10-2 :FR 10-4 SAT 11- 4 SUND 11-3

Railroad exhibits - locomotive #1673, Amtrak lobby

Kenneth Vernon Karrels

2005

10

Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum 196 N. Court Avenue Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 837-8119 info@TucsonPresidio.com tucsonpresidio.com

3,360

5

10 am - 4 pm

Living history, local culture, family activities.

Mark Clark

2007

Gadsden Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum 3975 N. Miller Ave Tucson, AZ 85705

(520) 888-2222 N/A GPDtrains.org

0

N/A

Closed / Planned Reopening September 2021

Private Tours, Field Trips,Birthday Parties, Polar Express Event

Jeff Swanson Bill Nunn

2001

Ranked by the total attendance 2020 Ranked information is provided by business representatives at no charge and is ranked alphabetically in case of ties. Other businesses were contacted but either declined or did not respond by deadline. There is no charge to be included in Inside Tucson Business listings.

N/A=not provided WND=would not disclose NL=not listed last year NR=listed last year but ranking criteria not provided

Resorts & Guest Ranches Rank Business 2021 Address 2020

Phone Company Email Website

No. Rates: of Single Units Double Suites

Total Sq. Capacity: AAA Feet Banquet Travel Meeting Theater Guide Space Rating

Amenities

Top Local Executives

Year Establ.

Locally

1

The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa 3800 E. Sunrise Dr. Tucson, AZ 85718

(520) 742-6000 01001@westinlapaloma.com westinlapaloma.com

487 26

$199.00 $219.00

84,000

1,500 2,000

4 Star/4 Diamond

5 outdoor heated pools, 177- foot water slide, 27-hole golf Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, La Paloma Spa & Salon with 17 treatment rooms, 10 tennis courts, health and tennis center and 6 different onsite dining offers.

Trevor Curran Art Zehnder

1986

2

Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain 15000 N. Secret Springs Dr. Marana, AZ 85658

(520) 572-3000 tusrz.leads@ritzcarlton.com www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/arizona/dovemountain

253 43

N/A N/A

40,000

600 854

5* Forbes, 5* AAA

27-hole golf course, 17,000 square foot spa and fitness center, 20 miles of hiking and biking trails, horseback riding, tennis, stargazing, three pools with a 235-foot water slide, multiple dining choices

Kevin Kelly

2009

3

Hotel McCoy 720 W Silverlake Rd Tucson, AZ 85713

(844) 782-9622 N/A www.hotelmccoy.com

88 N/A

N/A N/A

N/A

N/A N/A

N/A

Suana Laundry Gym Bar Food Pool Art

Nicole Dahl Lynette Lopez

2018

4

La Posada Lodge and Casitas an Ascend Hotel Collection 5900 N. Oracle Rd. Tucson, AZ 85704

(520) 887-4800 laposadalodge@outlook.com laposadalodge.com

72 N/A

N/A N/A

1,100

100 50

4

Refrigerators and microwaves in all rooms, outdoor heated pool and spa, restaurant on property

Ramsin Barkhoy

2002

5

White Stallion Ranch 9251 W. Twin Peaks Rd. Tucson, AZ 85743

(520) 297-0252 info@whitestallion.com https://www.whitestallion.com

43 7

N/A N/A

3,000

160 195

4 star

Heated pool, hot tub, fitness center, sauna, spa recreation room, lighted tennis court and sports court, horseback riding, guided rock climbing, shooting range, fat tire e-biking, hiking, gift shop, dining room and bar on premises

Steven A True

1939

Corona Ranch Tucson 7595 E. Snyder Rd. Tucson, AZ 85750

(520) 529-1457 coronaranchtucson@gmail.com coronaranch-tucson.com

0 0

N/A N/A

N/A

N/A N/A

N/A

Privacy, great views, quiet setting, rolling grass lawn for wedding ceremonies, trees and fountain

Samantha Hay

1935

Ranked by the total number of units Ranked information is provided by business representatives at no charge and is ranked alphabetically in case of ties. Other businesses were contacted but either declined or did not respond by deadline. There is no charge to be included in Inside Tucson Business listings.

N/A=not provided WND=would not disclose NL=not listed last year NR=listed last year but ranking criteria not provided

16

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