EXPLORER The Voice of Marana, Oro Valley and Northwest Tucson
July 21, 2021
Volume 28 • Number 29
Sonoran Sounds
Tucson band Soda Sun find a home in the heat on their debut album ‘Stay Here’ | Page 15
INSIDE
DOG DAYS The Reid Park Zoo is nearing the end of their Summer Safari Nights event series. But there’s still time to show off their new African wild dogs, giant anteaters, and bluetongued skinks for the “dog days” of summer. Read more on page 11.
Our Town
Construction begins on Oracle | Page 4
Voices
Photo by Mathias Appel, Flickr. / Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic
Letters to the Editor | Page 8
Ducey threatens Catalina Foothills School District over COVID protocol as AZ cases rise
Mayor’s Message
Christina Duran Tucson Local Media
Exciting plans for OV Parks & Rec
| Page 13
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awyers representing Catalina Foothills School District and Peoria Unified School District last week responded to a letter from Governor Doug Ducey’s office that called their quarantine protocol “unlawful.” In a July 14 letter, Kaitlin Har-
390,000 2BD/2BA
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(1,750 sq ft) updated home in Sun City Vistoso. MLS#22111389
rier, education policy advisor for Governor Ducey, told CFSD Superintendent Mary Kamerzell that the school’s isolation policy violated an Arizona statute, particularly the section on face coverings, signed by Governor Ducey on June 30. “Specifically, the practice of instituting a mandatory 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated stu-
dents who have a COVID-19 exposure, but exempting vaccinated students, is contrary to Laws 2021, Chapter 404, Sec. 12, which states, “A school district or charter school may not require a student or teacher to receive a vaccine for COVID-19 or to wear a face covering to participate in in-person instruction,” wrote Harrier in her letter. See COVID, P10
County prepares for potential monsoon floods worsened by wildfire scar Jeff Gardner Tucson Local Media
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e’re less than a month into the monsoon, and the Tucson area has already received more rain than the entire 2020 monsoon season. While the cooler days and rainstorms are a welcome sight for many, the heavy downpours have also caused flash flooding throughout the state. On Thursday, July 15, the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County declared a state of emergency due to monsoonal flooding. This declaration came as videos were widely shared of flash floods damaging homes and vehicles in Flagstaff, worsened due to the nearby burn scars from Arizona’s drought-heightened wildfires. See MONSOON, P9
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$
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