UPDATES: Tucson area coronavirus developments, July 15: Here's what we know

Editor's note: With our coronavirus coverage, the Star is not trying to alarm the public but to provide up-to-date information so you can make educated decisions about your health. Because of this, we’ve made all coverage related to COVID-19 free. Help us continue this important work by subscribing to the Star.

As the spread of coronavirus continues, here are the latest updates from Southern Arizona.

Wednesday, July 15

• An online, in-person learning combo will be implemented by the Tucson Unified School District. Among the changes: Monitors supervising classrooms while teachers work remotely; Students who go to school in person will be assigned a computer and a learning lab or work space with about 13 students to a room; and students with special needs will be prioritized for in-person learning while not having to follow the same mask-wearing and social-distancing requirements.

• Arizona's 'skewed' virus numbers don't justify pandemic restrictions, Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, contends in a report.

• This map shows coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 14.

• Some Arizona taxpayer dollars might go to private religious schools, but it's a tiny fraction of their funding, writes Tom Askew, of Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization.

• These face masks offer protection, and a chance to show off Tucson pride.

• Here's a searchable database of all Paycheck Protection Program loans of at least $150,000 given to Arizona businesses.

• A new campaign on Tucson's North Fourth Avenue encourages visitors to wear face masks.

• Join the Star's Opinion team Thursday at 2 p.m. for chat with readers. Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus is the guest.

Tuesday, July 14

• Gov. Doug Ducey's approval rating among Arizonans for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic has fallen sharply as the number of cases in the state has skyrocketed. A new poll says of 37% of those questioned say they strongly disapprove of how Ducey is managing the virus crisis. Another 26% say they somewhat disapprove.

• A company that franchises out fitness studios wants a federal judge in Arizona to rule that there are limits on the unilateral authority Gov. Doug Ducey has to close them down — even during an emergency like the coronavirus pandemic.

• Here's a map of Arizona's coronavirus cases, by county, for July 13.

• In April, the Star's Henry Brean wrote about the impact the Spanish Flu pandemic had on the dusty town of Tucson a century ago. This is how the Star covered the "Spanish influenza" in 1918.

In case you missed it: Pima County moves in to provide Tucson's funeral homes extra space for the dead; The county also opened a free COVID-19 testing site on Monday; Employers in Arizona get to decide if coworkers — or the public — know about coronavirus cases among workers at places you eat and shop; Arizona families that include individuals with disabilities are especially alarmed by the prospect of Arizona's "triaged care."; The University of Arizona promises enough on-campus classes for foreign students to meet new ICE requirements that threatens to yank student visas.

• Join the Star's Opinion team Thursday at 2 p.m. for chat with readers. Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus is the guest.

Monday, July 13

• Tucson-area private and charter schools have collected millions in federal coronavirus relief loans. While tradition public school districts a excluded from the Paycheck Protection Program, 29 private and charter schools or corporate headquarters in Tucson collectively received between $11 million and $27 million.

• On Sunday, Arizona's total coronavirus cases topped 122,000.

• The Arizona Interscholastic Association announced Friday that Arizona's high school football season will start the second week of September. Athletic directors at high schools across metro Tucson are focused on how to safely return to fall sports. "We are having talks of when we will return, but the conversation is mainly focusing on what that return will look like," Tucson Unified School District athletic director Dee-Dee Wheeler said. "We haven't had any conversations regarding canceling."

• Here are some local coronavirus stories from this weekend you might have missed: A Tucson nursing home has the worst COVID-19 death toll in the state; Tracking coronavirus trends in Arizona can be harder because of data-reporting lags; The coronavirus pandemic has plunged non profits here into a financial quagmire; The end of eviction protection is coming to an end in Arizona, and the housing industry is bracing for a  "pending tsunami."

• Join the Star's Opinion team Thursday at 2 p.m. for chat with readers.

Sunday, July 12

• A Tucson nursing home has the worst COVID-19 death toll in the state, new federal numbers show. The nursing home with the third-highest number of deaths is also in Pima County.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 11.

• More than 74,000 Pima County residents could be at risk of losing their homes as Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey‘s moratorium on evictions approaches its end. Across Arizona, 365,000 renters could face eviction over the next four months, according to a recently published analysis by the international consulting firm Stout Risius Ross.

• State data shows a week-to-week decrease in the numbers of coronavirus cases, tests and hospitalizations, but “Don’t believe it,” said Dr. Joe Gerald, an associate professor with the University of Arizona’s Zuckerman College of Public Health. Data-reporting lags make it difficult to interpret coronavirus trends. They occur across all entities, like hospitals and laboratories, that report data to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

• A Southern Arizona high school athletic trainer beat leukemia. Now she's battling coronavirus.

• Tucson-area gyms struggle to cope with what they see as vague guidance in Gov. Doug Ducey's order shutting them down to slow the spread of coronavirus.

• University of Arizona athletic director praises plan to keep Pac-12 games playing, thanks Wildcats for their support.

• Coronavirus plunges local nonprofits in financial quagmire.

• Here's what it's like to fly in and out of Tucson International Airport during the pandemic.

Saturday, July 11

• Pima County moves in to provide Tucson's funeral homes extra space for the dead. The county is making available up to 150 spaces in the Office of the Medical Examiner's morgue to help hospitals, funeral homes and mortuaries that have reached or neared capacity. It insists, however, that the move is not "directly" related to COVID-19. The county's announcement comes a day after it said it will open a free COVID-19 testing site on Monday.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 10.

• Arizona's Rep. Biggs joins the White House in pushing schools to have in-person classes this fall.

• Pac-12 says it's going league-only for football, other fall sports.

• Arizona Wildcats Women's Basketball Coach Adia Barnes is using Zoom calls to help unite her team this off season.

Friday, July 10

• Pima County is set to open a free COVID-19 testing site on Monday. Test results will be quick too, county officials say.

• Even after saying his stay-home order helped slow the spread of the coronavirus in the state, Gov. Ducey on Thursday said it's not necessary to reimpose such an order during the current surge. Instead — as coronavirus cases have been spiking in Arizona at a rate that's one of the highest in the country — Ducey is putting new occupancy rules on restaurants and promising the state will 'dramatically' increase testing.

• Arizona bars: Power Ducey given to force them to close is unconstitutional.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 9.

• To save its season during the virus pandemic, the Pac-12 should follow Big Ten's lead and play a conference-only schedule.

• Weekend reads: Employers in Arizona get to decide if coworkers — or the public — know about coronavirus cases among workers at places you eat and shop; Families that include individuals with disabilities are especially alarmed by the prospect of Arizona's "triaged care." Why? Because if the virus crisis gets bad enough and resources get scarce enough, it provides guidelines that include critical care treatment based on likelihood of survival. And that could mean people with certain disabilities might not get the same level of care; Tucson school districts set start dates, but most kids will begin the school year learning at home.

Thursday, July 9

• Arizona is getting a lot of national attention over its skyrocketing of new coronavirus cases. There were nearly 27,000 new confirmed cases in the most recent seven-day period available, a data analysis by Capitol Media Services found. That's nearly 3,700 new infections this past week for every million Arizona residents. That's higher not just than any state in the country but any other country in the world, according to a separate analysis by the New York Times.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 8.

• Southern Arizona arts organizations landed nearly a half-million dollars in federal funding to help them survive the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona received a $250,000 grant.

• A local relief fund for Tucson theater artists reaches $13,000.

• Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich to judge: Lawsuit over closure of gyms across the state might have legitimate claims.

• University of Arizona: We will meet new immigration rules from ICE for international students this fall.

• ASU researchers develop cheaper, faster test for COVID-19.

• "Our colleges and universities are now threatened by a foolish ICE policy . . . that could effectively ban international students," writes Jeremy Fiel, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Arizona.

• The coronavirus pandemic could keep the Schooler brothers from teaming up for the Arizona Wildcats.

Wednesday, July 8

• Arizona recently saw its slowest week-to-week increase in coronavirus cases in about a month. The state's slower rate of increase in cases of the coronavirus indicates mask-wearing mandates are helping, says a University of Arizona public health professor.

• A ruling by a judge will keep Arizona gyms closed through July 27 — if not longer.

• The University of Arizona promises enough on-campus classes for foreign students to meet new ICE requirements that could yank student visas.

• Coronavirus fears, government spats in Sonora have resulted in chaos for visitors from Arizona traveling to Puerto Peñasco.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 7.

• An immigration advocacy group is trying to win release of a 'dreamer' from Tucson who has contracted the coronavirus while being held at a detention center in Eloy.

• "It is essential that Arizona waive the requirement for students to be physically present in order to broaden options that ensure the safety of our community," write Erik M. Francis and Adelle McNiece, authors and educators.

• An Arizona Daily Star storytelling event today will feature artists with disabilities.

Tuesday, July 7

• Some Tucsonans with COVID-19 are being sent to hospitals in San Diego, Albuquerque, Las Vegas or hospitals in other parts of Arizona for treatment when shortages in staffing, equipment or bed space make it impossible for care here.

• Once the coronavirus crisis is over, legislators need to consider exactly how much unilateral power they have given Arizona governor, says Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott. She's joined by other Arizona lawmakers pushing for a review that could alter how governors handle statewide emergencies.

• Needs only grow for Tucson foster children and families during the pandemic.

• All Souls cancels its procession in Tucson, takes most events online.

• Coronavirus keeps Tucson's Fox Tucson Theatre closed through 2020.

• "President Robbins has taken a holistic, shared-sacrifice approach to try to keep the university community whole," writes Regent Fred DuVal, about COVID-19 plans being implemented at the University of Arizona.

• Local action is needed to mitigate economic fallout from pandemic, writes Lynn Nadel, a professor emeritus of cognitive science and psychology at the University of Arizona.

• Many international athletes may be left out of NCAA sports this year 

Monday, July 6

• Having so many patients here facing a long recovery from an assortment of health effects from severe case of COVID-19 could overwhelm Tucson's health-care system, some medical professionals say.

• Local organizers, the city and Pima County are stepping up to support Tucson businesses trying to adjust to a COVID-19 world.

• Here's a map of Arizona cases by county for July 5.

• Weekend reads: Employers in Arizona get to decide if coworkers — or the public — know about coronavirus cases among workers at places you eat and shop; Families that include individuals with disabilities are especially alarmed by the prospect of Arizona's "triaged care." Why? Because if the virus crisis gets bad enough and resources get scarce enough, it provides guidelines that include critical care treatment based on likelihood of survival. And that could mean people with certain disabilities might not get the same level of care; Tucson school districts set start dates, but most kids will begin the school year learning at home.

Sunday, July 5

• Arizona families that include individuals with disabilities are especially alarmed by prospect of "triaged care" being implemented here. Why? Because in Arizona, if the coronavirus crisis gets bad enough and resources get scarce enough, the state's plan provides guidelines under triaging care that include determining which patients get critical care based on likelihood of survival. And that could mean people with certain disabilities might not get the same level of care.

• Employees and the public are often left in dark when Tucson businesses opt not to disclose coronavirus cases.

• A Tucson mom and daughter shared their lives, then COVID-19 struck.

• This map shows cases of the coronavirus in Arizona, mapped by county for July 3.

• University of Arizona volleyball player Kamaile Hiapo has an improvised at-home training routine during the pandemic that includes an oversized slanted board built be her dad, playing games, doing drills and talking volleyball nearly 24/7.

•  It's getting harder and harder to imagine Tucson having a prep football season in 2020, writes Star sports columnist Greg Hansen.

• In Tucson you can send love to isolated seniors through a nice note.

• "The 126,000-plus U.S. citizens who've died of COVID-19 were more than just numbers," says Renée Schafer Horton, a Tucson writer.

• The faith leaders across metro Tucson sharing inspirational stories today in the Star's "Keeping the Faith" feature include: Carolyn Ancell, an ordained interfaith minister from Oro Valley; Rev. Janis Farmer, an ordained minister of religious science who ministers at The Center for Spiritual Living Tucson; and Jim Howard, the assistant pastor at Tucson Baptist Church.

Saturday, July 4

• Tucson school districts set start dates, but most kids will begin the school year learning at home.

• Sonora makes exception, opens border to travelers headed to Rocky Point. A day earlier, Sonora officials said the were closing the border to US travelers due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Arizona.

• Here are COVID-19 cases in Arizona mapped by county for July 3.

• In Tucson, face masks are for more than just for people.

• On Friday, Arizona reported more than 4,400 new coronavirus cases, totaling more than 91,800 statewide.

• Sahuarita is the only municipality in the Tucson area still planning a large Fourth of July fireworks show tonight.

• Topgolf in Marana set to reopen after 110-day closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Friday July, 3

• With 4,433 new coronavirus cases, the statewide total is 91,858, the state department said Friday in its daily tally. Here's a look at today's map of COVID-19 cases in Pima County and the rest of Arizona.

• Worried about Arizona's surge in coronavirus cases, Sonora is set to turn away US tourists at the border starting this weekend.

• TUSD is starting school Aug. 10, but only online. Traditional classes will start when it's safe to do, says Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo.

• Health initiative backers submit signature petitions to get on Arizona's ballot. The initiative would raise pay for hospital workers; protect patients against 'surprise' medical bills; and guarantee that individuals with preexisting conditions will be able to obtain insurance if the federal Affordable Care Act is repealed. "What COVID has done is reveal some of the cracks in our public-health system," said Rodd McLeod, a spokesman for the campaign financed by a California-based union.

• More than two dozen health clubs disobey Arizona's gym closure order.

• Here's a map of COVID-19 in Arizona by county for July 2.

• "Three months after becoming ill, I am still recovering," Evangeline Marie Ortiz-Dowling, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona, College of Nursing, writes about her fight against COVID-19.

Thursday, July 2

• Not wearing a face mask in Tucson could cost you $50.

• Saying they don't want to be responsible for making decisions about public health, school leaders across metro Tucson are grappling with when it will be safe for kids to return to classrooms.

• Vice President Mike Pence visited Arizona on the same day it breaks another daily record for new coronavirus cases.

• University of Arizona President Robert Robbins ordered a last-minute delay on a furlough plan to get more feedback.

• While Fourth of July fireworks have been canceled in cities and towns across Pima County, Sahuarita is ready to light up the sky on Saturday.

• Here's a map showing coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for July 1.

• Tucson Youth Football and Spirit Federation cancels its 2020 season.

• "COVID-19 has been a brutal, sudden and time-compressed reminder of our shared human mortality," writes Sarah S. Ascher, the senior director of Arizona End of Life Care Partnership.

Wednesday, July 1

• A worry for Arizona education officials: What if schools reopen, and no one comes?

• About a month after it reopened, downtown's Hotel Congress closes again amid a spike in coronavirus cases.

• Marana's Growlers TapHouse, licensed as a bar, is appealing to the state to let it stay open as a restaurant.

• Pima County Superior Court is offering remote access to hearings.

• The University of Arizona paused bringing more student-athletes back to campus, but workouts will continue for football players already here.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for June 30.

• From Sunday's edition: Pima County leaders could again be asked to provide health officials legal avenues to enforce the mask-wearing ordinance the Board of Supervisors approved. Currently the ordinance prevents the county from pursuing violations as a misdemeanor without permission from Supervisors. And as cases of the coronavirus in Arizona continue to rise, the Sonora beach town of Rocky Point is welcomed tourists back, while still trying to keep the spread of the coronavirus away.

Tuesday, June 30

• Arizona bars, nightclubs and gyms shutdown again as COVID-19 cases continue to rise and Gov. Doug Ducey reverses his stance on reopening an assortment of businesses. The start of the school also delayed.

• University of Arizona: Return of athletes to campus put on pause amid spiking COVID-19 cases in the state.

• Tucson's 'Let Freedom Sing' celebration is going virtual this Fourth of July.

• Arizona's daily virus report shows fewer cases after a lab misses its reporting deadline.

• Arizona's White Mountain Apache Tribe is taking some of the most drastic actions in the state to protect its 13,500 residents.

• This map shows coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for June 29.

• In the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, don't let Trump add to financial mess by gutting our banking safeguards, writes Paul Morton Ganeles is a retired CPA in Tucson.

Monday, June 29

• Pima County has received more than 100 complaints of businesses disregarding its new ordinance requiring face masks to be worn in public. And with COVID-19 cases surging across Arizona, county leaders could again be asked to provide health officials legal avenues to enforce the mask-wearing ordinance the Board of Supervisors approved. Currently the ordinance prevents the county from pursuing violations as a misdemeanor without permission from Supervisors.

• Rocky Point, the Sonora town many consider Arizona's beach, is again welcoming tourists while trying to keep the spread of the coronavirus at bay.

• Hospital workers are feeling the strain as the coronavirus sweeps across Arizona.

• Arizona reported 3,591 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday.

• Here's a map of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Arizona by county for June 27.

• These Tucsonans who used stick-to-home time to establish enjoyable, life-affirming routines, connections and practices that they plan to maintain after the coronavirus pandemic ends.

• Tucsonans unite to help the Navajo Nation amid the pandemic.

• The coronavirus has stalled — not stopped — ex-Arizona Wildcat Matt Brase's dreams of being NBA head coach.

• Despite the growing number of college football players testing positive for the coronavirus, one expert says the 2020 season is far from doomed.

• Here are ways to fill spiritual, social needs during pandemic, writes the Star's Sara Brown.

• These spiritual leaders share uplifting messages in today's Keeping the Faith: Faiz Currim, a member of Masjid Tucson; Roy Tullgren, pastor of Gospel Rescue Mission's donor and church engagement; and Rabbi Sanford Seltzer, who has served as adjunct rabbi of Temple Emanu-EI.

• We can not depend on private entities alone to get out of this recession, writes Tucsonan Hallette Luedtke.

Saturday, June 27

Puerto Peñasco, the Sonoran town known as “Arizona’s beach” is open to tourists again — but the tourist experience is far different than it was pre-coronavirus.

Vice President Mike Pence has postponed a trip through Southern Arizona on Tuesday that would have included stops in Tucson and Yuma.

Some restaurants closed their dining rooms and returned to takeout only after seeing the state's coronavirus cases quadruple since Gov. Doug Ducey ended his stay-at-home order in mid-May.

With 3,591 new cases, the statewide total is 70,051, the department said Saturday in its daily tally. The state said 1,579 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. There were 44 new deaths reported today. Coronavirus cases mapped by county for Saturday, June 27.

• On Friday, Arizona reported more than 3,400 new coronavirus cases.

• BK Carne Asada temporarily closes both Tucson locations as virus cases jump across Arizona.

• For intramural sports at the University of Arizona, one of the models for this fall amid the coronavirus pandemics calls for not having officiated sports — indoor and outdoor soccer, flag football and 5-on-5 basketball. While they are the most popular sports, they also have the most contact.

• Here's a map of Arizona coronavirus cases by county for June 26.

• David Fitzsimmons visits the Arroyo Cafe for a serving of much-needed human contact.

• Last week Arizona and Pima County set records — again — for weekly rises in COVID-19 cases. Look for this week's trends in Sunday's Star.

• Arizona attorney general warns church where Trump had rally.

Friday, June 26

• “We can expect our numbers will be worse next week and the week after,” Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday about the coronavirus pandemic in Arizona. Ducey went on to defend indoor political rallies in which thousands gather without wearing masks, while simultaneously warning that bars and restaurants that don't adhere to social distancing rules could face misdemeanors. 'People's rights to assemble are not going to be infringed in Arizona in an election year or any year,' Ducey said in a news conference. He brushed aside questions about how requiring people to wear masks in public — which is now the law in Phoenix and throughout Pima County — interferes with their right to assemble.

• More than $127 million in rental assistance is available in Arizona but so far less than $1 million has reached the people who need it.

• The increase of COVID-19 cases in the state could delay the start of the upcoming semester, University of Arizona President Robert Robbins said on Thursday. He made the comment on the same day faculty and staff pushed back on the school's furlough plan that is set to start July 1.

• Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona have now reached 63,000.

• Masks are healthy and good science — not submission, the Star's Editorial Board writes.

• This map shows coronavirus in Arizona by county for June 25.

Thursday, June 25

• $270 million in federal funding — including $200 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act — will be shared by Arizona schools to help them get started when classes resume during the coronavirus pandemic.

• A proposed $585M budget for the Tucson Unified School District next year would include $12.7 million in expenses related to COVID-19 expenses. District administrators also shared a few changes some students could face when schools reopen.

• There was a big jump in reported COVID-19 deaths in Arizona Wednesday, but officials say most of it was due to a review of about a month's worth of death records.

• Here's a map showing coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for June 24.

• Students at a University of Arizona dorm were notified of a coronavirus cases there.

• Arizonans headed to New York and two other states now face a 14-day quarantine.

• Feed Tucson 2020 is set to distribute basic supplies, nonperishable food to those in need Thursday morning.

• Pandemic shutdown for youth sports in Tucson could provide opportunity for needed changes.

• Nearly $8,500 was raised in Tucson for a theater artists relief fund.

• These Tucson businesses are ready to help you celebrate Independence Day weekend.

Wednesday, June 24

• Patients with the coronavirus are filling up ICU beds at hospitals across Tucson, prompting them to use of the state's health-care emergency hotline to take in or move those who are seriously or critically ill. "It is important to understand that hospital capacity is about more than just beds," said Rebecca Ruiz-McGill, spokeswoman for Banner Health in Tucson, which includes two medical centers. "When we look at our ability to deliver care at the highest level, we are also factoring in equipment, supplies and staffing."

• The University of Arizona's coronavirus plan calls for in-person classes to end at Thanksgiving break.

• Pima County adopts a $1.4 billion budget that has been significantly modified to account for the economic hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Jobless claims in Arizona surge amid its bleak economic outlook.

• Tucson's Silver Saddle delays reopening after meeting with employees.

• Pandemic prompts the Arizona Wildcats to add clauses to nonconfernce game contracts.

• The doctor leading the team planning UA athletes' safe return to campus calls the effort a high-stakes responsibility.

• Universities in Arizona are set for a safe, successful year, writes Dr. Larry E. Penley, chair of the Arizona Board of Regents.

Tuesday, June 23

• 103 virus cases have reported among immigration detention center workers in Arizona since the start of the pandemic.

• Tucson's Silver Saddle Steakhouse delays reopening due to the spike in coronavirus cases.

• The coronavirus pandemic was the last straw for Tucson restaurateur Andreas Delfakis, who is closing Athens on 4th after more than 30 years. The Chicago Bar, a hangout for lovers of the blues and Chicago sports, recently announced its closure too.

• Arizona need to close bars again, and limit restaurants to takeout-only as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise across the state, writes Steve Kozachik, the Tucson city councilman for Ward 6.

• Due to pandemic, a big Boys & Girls Clubs' fundraiser in Tucson is set to be televised.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for June 22.

• The fashion program at Pima Community College makes face masks to thank its donors, help first responders during the virus outbreak.

• Carrie Cecil, a native Tucsonan who is married to UA senior defensive analyst Chuck Cecil, is an expert in crisis and litigation communications. Cecil has helped create guidelines and a resource kit to help businesses navigate their messages during the pandemic. The S.A.F.E. plan is free to download at Anachel.com and lays out how universities — and athletic departments — can best handle COVID-19 information.

Monday, June 22

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The biggest age group of positive COVID-19 test results in Arizona is now among those 20 through 44 years old. Dr. Cara Christ, Arizona's top health official, says that means the state has to find a better way to convince people in that age group that the coronavirus is dangerous. "They're likely not the ones that are going to have the outcomes and the risk factors from COVID-19," she said. "But we need everybody to keep in mind that all of us have connections to loved ones and family members that are high risk or people out in the community."

• Tucson's popular blues spot, Chicago Bar, closes from financial strain of pandemic.

• Barrio Brewing closes temporarily after exposures to COVID-19.

• On Sunday, Arizona reported more than 2,500 new virus cases.

• Here's a map showing coronavirus cases in Arizona by county.

• Bags, batteries top list of recycling in changes in Tucson from virus pandemic. Here's a related story about batteries sparking fires at Tucson landfills.

• "More than ever, the responsibility of UA's athletic department is to keep student-athletes safe, on and off the field," write a group of University of Arizona Ph.D. students concerned about college athletes returning to athletic competition during the pandemic.

Sunday, June 21

Arizona continues to capture national headlines as the coronavirus pandemic here continues to break records for the state and Pima County for week-to-week increases. New, confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Arizona totaled 11,665 from June 7 to June 13, an increase of 3,962 from the week before, up about 51%. In Pima County, cases totaled 1,129 over the same period. That's an increase of 366 cases, or 48%, from the week before.

• A device invented at the University of Arizona delivers COVID-19 results in minutes.

• On Saturday, Arizona reported more than 3,100 new coronavirus cases, another daily record, according to the state Health Services Department.

• Dan Amaro, a veteran UPS employee, died of COVID-19 after an outbreak at the company's Tucson distribution facility, according to union officials.

• Dale Elkins, a Navy veteran and retired FAA supervisor living in Oro Valley, died from COVID-19 shortly after a liver transplant.

• "My family is important to me, and I have to make sure they are safe. I need to go home," writes Tyson Hudson about his decision to leave Tucson to move closer to family and the Navajo reservation.

• This map shows coronavirus cases in Arizona by county.

• Tucson Youth Football and Spirit Federation decides to go ahead with a 2020 season.

• Live theater returns to Tucson with precautions against virus spread.

• Today's "Keeping the Faith" features inspiring messages from Ryan Collins, senior pastor of Desert Son Community Church in Tucson; Rev. Jonathan Zenz, senior minister at Unity of Tucson; and Rev. Michael T. Bush, senior minister of Casas Adobes Congregational UCC in Tucson.

Saturday, June 20

6 p.m.: Arizona, Pima County set records — again — for weekly rise in COVID-19 cases.  "We should be very concerned," says Dr. Francisco Garcia, Pima County’s chief medical officer. But the county's new mask-wearing requirements, covering all residents including in Tucson, might change the trajectory of the coronavirus outbreak, experts say.

12 p.m.: The Arizona Department of Health Services has now reported more than 3,100 coronavirus cases on back-to-back days with its latest update. Here's a look at today's map of COVID-19 cases in Pima County and the rest of Arizona.

11 a.m.:  A veteran employee of a Tucson UPS distribution facility died of COVID-19 at Banner-University Medical Center on June 16. He was one of more than 40 employees who recently tested positive during an outbreak at the United Parcel Service facility, a local union said.

A mask-wearing requirement to help quell the spread of the coronavirus was approved Friday by Pima County. The county effort supersedes a similar requirement proclaimed by Tucson Mayor Regina Romero a day earlier and drops some of the requirements in her order. The biggest change: There's no civil or criminal penalty for not wearing a mask.

• Another daily record: Arizona reports over 3,200 new coronavirus cases on Friday, according to the state Health Services Department.

• The University of Arizona is testing an app that warns of possible coronavirus exposure, and is moving forward with anti-virus measures as the campus prepares for the new semester.

• This map shows Arizona's latest coronavirus data by county.

• Opinion by Edward Celaya: Arizonans have to learn how to live with the virus for the foreseeable future. Clear and consistent rules from our leaders will help make it easier.

• Opinion by David Fitzsimmons: Arroyo Cafe opens as pandemic closes in.

• Tucson's Barrio Brewing and other restaurants close due to COVID-19 exposures. Other restaurants across metro Tucson decide to close dining rooms and revert to only take-out.

Friday, June 19

• Pima County Supervisors are meeting today to discuss a mask-wearing policy that it says could override the one mandated by Tucson Mayor Regina Romero a day earlier. Tucson's order requiring wearing a face covering in public is set to go into effect Saturday morning.

• Arizona's rise in coronavirus cases prompted a long-time Tucson bar to close 72 hours it reopened. 'I'm sorry. We made a mistake,' says a sign at the door posted by Richard Snyder owner of Danny's Baboquivari Lounge. A southside restaurant made a similar decision earlier this week when it decided to close the dining room a go back to take-out only.

• On paper, Arizona's jobless rate falls during the pandemic, but adjustments loom.

• Gov. Doug Ducey's latest response to Arizona's coronavirus surge puts burden on cities, and local officials writes Star columnist Tim Steller.

• 2,519 new cases of coronavirus reported in Thursday was another daily record for Arizona.

• Better contact tracing, cleaner dorms expected at UA when classes resume

Thursday, June 18

• Wearing masks in public will be required in Tucson after Arizona Gov. Doug backs down his previous stance and allows cities to set own standards when it comes to slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

• Tucson's popular BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs is one of several restaurants across Arizona that have reopened their dining rooms only to close them again over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

• Creating a "streatery" at Tucson restaurants could be a solution needed during the coronavirus pandemic, writes Emily Yetman, the executive director of Living Streets Alliance.

•  TUSD students in middle and high school might be required to wear masks in the coming school year, according to recommendations from a task force as the district prepares to reopen in August. All staff, parents and visitors also would need face coverings when social distancing isn't possible.

• Arizona reports 1,800 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, totaling about 40,900 statewide.

• Cinemark will reopen its Tucson movie theaters July 3, starting out with two locations and opening the remaining two later.

• Face cover designed in Tucson could be game-changer for Arizona Wildcats.

• With no live shows during pandemic, Garth Brooks' drive-in concert is coming to Tucson.

• Missing a long road trip? Here's how to get away while staying close to home.

• Here's a map of coronavirus cases in Arizona by county for Tuesday, June 16.

• Our coronavirus resource guide offers lots of ways to find and get help during the pandemic.

• Join the Star Opinion team for its weekly reader chat today.

Wednesday, June 17

• Arizona has a reprieve for evictions during the coronavirus pandemic, but a lot of renters in Pima County are still losing their home.

• Some 1.6 million people in Arizona are collecting jobless benefits as state reports surge in claims as the coronavirus pandemic churns on.

• There were nearly 2,400 new coronavirus cases in Arizona on Tuesday, a record.

• A 'dreamer' from Tucson with health issues who many worried was at high risk for COVID-19 in detention, was released Tuesday on his own recognizance. Brayann Lucero will wear an ankle bracelet as he goes through the process to renew his status in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA.

• Our coronavirus resource guide offers lots of ways to find and get help during the pandemic.

• Join the Star Opinion team for its weekly reader chat on Thursday June 18.

Tuesday, June 16

• A record number of new coronavirus cases was reported in Arizona on Tuesday.

• Immigration advocates say Tucson teen's health makes it too risky for him to be placed in detention.

• Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 36,705 on Monday, the Arizona Department of Health Services said in its daily tally. The state said 1,194 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County, 3,944 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 223 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department.

• Here's a map of coronavirus case in Arizona by county for Monday, June 15.

•  Our coronavirus resource guide offers lots of ways to find and get help during the pandemic.

• Join Star Opinion team for its weekly reader chat on Wednesday, June 18.

Monday, June 15

A neighborhood association is hoping to halt any potential sale of land at the University of Arizona's Campus Agricultural Center, the 160-acres of farmland and facilities on North Campbell Avenue that's been used for many years of research activities. Why worry? Recent comments by UA President Robert Robbins described the land as valuable real estate at a time that the school is facing a multi-million dollar budget shortfall due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• In today's Education Notes, Tucson Unified School District has a new webpage with information about reopening schools in August and there's a new state task force to address the digital divide among schoolchildren that became a glaring problem amid the virus pandemic.

• Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona keep climbing, reaching 35,691 on Sunday, the Arizona Department of Health Services said in its daily tally. The state said 1,186 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County, 3,910 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 223 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 469,426 coronavirus tests given across  Arizona, with 6.9% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says.

• Here's our daily map of new cases, mapped by county

• Gov. Doug Ducey and other state leaders have given too little guidance regarding measures that should be taken to reduce the surging spread of the coronavirus in Arizona, write public health professors Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Paloma I. Beamer, Stephanie R. Carroll, Joe K. Gerald and Bonnie LaFleur.

• The virus pandemic might make us better, more strategic business networkers, writes Bill Nordbrock, vice president of community relations for SCORE Southern Arizona, a nonprofit that offers free small-business counseling.

•  Our coronavirus resource guide offers lots of ways to find and get help during the pandemic.

Sunday, June 14

6:30 a.m.: Early results from the University of Arizona’s coronavirus antibody test show roughly 1% of local subjects had developed antibodies to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. That suggests Pima County and Arizona are still a “virgin territory for the virus,” according to Dr. Janko Nikolich-Zugich, a UA professor and head of the school’s department of immunobiology, whose labs are overseeing the tests. “We have lived with it and have been in social isolation for a while … and the virus has really not spread much throughout Arizona,” he told the Star last week. The UA has done 11,000 tests since the initiative was launched in April. Researchers analyzed the results from the first 5,845 subjects, which included health-care workers, members of the UA community, and those from the general public, all from Pima County.

Here's our daily map of new cases, mapped by county.

• Arizona just saw its largest week-to-week increase in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began. New, confirmed cases in the state totaled a record 7,121 from May 31 to June 6, according to the latest data published Friday by the Arizona Department of Health Services. That was an increase of 2,504, or about 54%, compared with the week of May 24-30. In Pima County, new cases totaled 665 from May 31 to June 6, an increase of 165, or 33%, from the previous before.

• The emergency in Arizona is that cases are spiking, not that media outlets are writing about it, despite what the governor may claim, Star columnist Tim Steller writes.

• Here's how four Tucson organizations stepped up to provide support during the pandemic.

• Shops and restaurants have reopened in Arizona, but restrictions and new expenses like protective gear for employees have many wondering how long they can hang on.

•  Our coronavirus resource guide offers lots of ways to find and get help during the pandemic.

Saturday, June 13

6:30 a.m.: Cases are still rising in Arizona and Pima County. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona topped 32,900 on Friday, according to new state figures. That's up 1,654 from the previous day. Pima County reported 149 new cases, an increase of 149 cases from Thursday.

Here's our daily map of new cases, mapped by county.

• There’s cause for concern for the University of Arizona’s reentry plans after a recent uptick in coronavirus infections in the state and about 50 days left to finalize plans for the fall, the administration says.

• Arizona is conducting a live experiment - and we are the guinea pigs, writes former Tucson mayor Tom Volgy.

• FC Tucson soccer players are returning to practice, but advancing cautiously toward a new season.

Friday, June 12

6:30 a.m.: Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday that he does not intend to impose new restrictions on Arizonans — or even require them to wear masks — as people in Arizona contract COVID-19. The Department of Health Services shows a record 1,291 patients in Arizona hospitals. And that doesn’t count another 429 in intensive-care beds, a figure exceeded only by a peak of 438 just three days earlier. Even so, reimposing restrictions like those he lifted last month is “not under discussion,” he said. 

• New cases of coronavirus continue to surge in Arizona. On Thursday, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 1,412 new cases for the day and 32 new deaths. There were 129 new cases reported in Pima County.

Here is Thursday's map of cases by county.

• The athletic department is preparing for student-athletes’ return to campus and an eventual return to play for all sports. The first group of 20 Wildcats will begin voluntary workouts on Monday and the Wildcats are scheduled to open their football season Aug. 29.

• Concern about COVID-19 has become highly partisan. A statewide poll finds that 32% of Republicans say they are at least moderately concerned about the spread of the coronavirus in Arizona. By contrast, 85% of Democrats say they are extremely or moderately concerned.

• Arizona is dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations that experts say is likely tied to Gov. Doug Ducey's ending of statewide closure orders in mid-May.

• City of Tucson parks and playgrounds will remain closed until at least June 22 to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

• A gift card incentive program will make one final push to raise money for downtown business.

• The Star has teamed up with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona to raise money for local theater artists.

Thursday, June 11

6:30 a.m.: Arizona is dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations that experts say is likely tied to Gov. Doug Ducey's ending of statewide closure orders in mid-May. 

Arizona hospitals that are expected to be able to treat new cases of coronavirus without going into crisis mode were above 80% capacity Tuesday, a milestone that should trigger an automatic stop to elective surgeries at affected hospitals.

• City of Tucson park playgrounds and other amenities and equipment will remain closed until at least June 22 to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community. 

• Concern about the coronavirus is dropping fast among Arizona Republicans while it's rising for Democrats, a survey found.

• After raising more than $300,000 in just two months for downtown Tucson businesses, a gift card incentive program will make one final push to raise an additional $28,000.

• Escape coronavirus cabin fever with one of these Arizona road trips.

• The Star has joined forces with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona to raise money for local theater artists.

• University of Arizona is ready for in-person classes, thanks to strong and high-profile leadership from the top, writes Tucson attorney Burt Kinerk.

• Rushing to hold classes in person while increasing class sizes to save money isn't a safe combination, write two professors also deciding whether to send their son to UA this fall.

Wednesday, June 10

6:45 a.m.: Arizona employers are continuing to lay off workers even with the end of coronavirus restrictions Gov. Doug Ducey had placed on individuals and businesses. New figures from the Department of Economic Security show that 23,037 people filed for first-time jobless benefits in the past week. That’s up from fewer than 22,000 the week before.

• The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across Arizona is 28,296, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Tuesday morning. There are 3,161 confirmed cases in Pima County. Here's a look at cases mapped by county.

• The number of Maricopa County jail inmates who have tested positive for the coronavirus has increased sharply over the last five days, leading officials to consider mass testing at county correctional facilities.

Tuesday, June 9

6:45 a.m.: Know someone who needs a job? Geigo is hiring 150 people in Tucson and 3,000 nationwide. The new hires will work from home at first because of the pandemic.

• In Arizona, 789 new coronavirus cases were reported statewide on Monday morning. The number of confirmed cases is 27,678 in the state, with 3,154 confirmed cases in Pima County. This chart shows detailed numbers mapped by county.

The pandemic continues to intensify in Arizona, with hospitals reporting sharp increases in patients and emergency-room visits. Intensive care units at Banner hospitals are at capacity in Phoenix, and are appraoching capacity in Tucson.

• Hearings and jury trials are starting again at Tucson's federal court, although strict federal health guidelines are in place.

• A Tucson-based national organization of doctors has sued the federal government for putting roadblocks in the path of physicians who want to prescribe hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19. Dr. Jane Orient, executive director of the Association of Physicians and Surgeons, maintains the Department of Health and Human Services is illegally restricting the rights of doctors to choose what is best for the patients.

• Many Tucson restaurants have reopened their dining rooms and many are still offering only takeout and delivery. The Star's giant list tells you which local restaurants are open for which service.

Monday, June 8

6:45 a.m.: Even as the U.S. economy begins to flicker back to life, even as job cuts slow and some laid-off people are called back to work, the scope of the devastation left by the viral pandemic has grown distressingly clear to millions nationally who'd hoped for a quick return to their jobs: They may not be going back anytime soon.

In Arizona, more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases were reported statewide on Sunday morning. The number of confirmed cases is 26,889 in the state, with 3,098 confirmed cases in Pima County. 

As the pandemic intensifies in Arizona, mounting evidence shows, hospitals are seeing sharp increases in patients and emergency-room visits.

• Many Tucson restaurants have reopened their dining rooms and many are still offering only takeout and delivery. The Star's giant list tells you which local restaurants are open for which service.

• When local opinion contributor Ester Saenz's car died while picking up food on a day when temperatures were in triple digits, she was surprised by roadside-assistance changes due to coronavirus.

Sunday, June 7

7:00 a.m.: The coronavirus pandemic is intensifying in Arizona, with hospitals seeing sharp increases in patients and emergency-room visits. Last week marked the largest week-to-week increase of coronavirus cases in both Arizona and Pima County since the pandemic began, and Banner Health is reporting its ICUs are at full capacity in Maricopa County and rapidly approaching full capacity in Tucson. Statewide, new cases are up nearly 50 percent over the previous week. In Pima County, new cases totaled 481 for the week, an 85% increase from the previous week.

• Coronavirus is spiking in Arizona, with more than 1,000 new cases and 30 deaths reported in the past day, state figures show. Confirmed coronavirus cases across Arizona since the pandemic began have hit 25,451, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Saturday in its daily tally. That's up 1,119 cases since Friday. Our daily map shows details of how the virus continues to spread statewide.

• As Tucson's economy reopens, we're starting to get a glimpse of our future. Arizona Daily Star beat reporters talked with their sources last week and collectively painted a picture of what a post-coronavirus Tucson might look like. Some of the changes, like required social distancing, might not surprise you. Some, like the possibility of schools without playground and community events spread all over town, could be a jolt.

• The infected patient who touched off the first major coronavirus outbreak in the United States probably arrived from China after President Trump restricted travel from that country, according to a new study led by a University of Arizona researcher. Genetic analysis of the virus from hundreds of patients showed that the first known cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and Europe were successfully kept from spreading in January, and it was new introductions of the virus weeks later that led to “sustained transmission networks” in Italy and Washington state.

• A retired aerospace engineering manager from Tucson says he's looking to President Trump to "stop the bleeeding" caused by coronavirus and he likes what he sees: a singular goal of quickly developing a vaccine. "Trump is sitting at the highs stakes table and the cards dealt are misery, death and economic shutdown. He doubles down," Jeffrey Mcconnell writes.

• Tucson's fishing holes offer social distancing, fresh air and a bonus: dinner!

• As area outdoor venues reopen, here's a guide to which parks, pools, gyms and recreation areas are open and when.

• Wondering what restaurants are open for dine-in, takeout and delivery? Our giant list has your answers.

• Our coronavirus resource guide offers all sorts of information designed to help Tucsonans get through the pandemic, from financial and job assistance to parenting ideas to virtual classes and events.

Saturday, June 6

7:00 a.m.: The chief clinical officer at the state’s largest hospital network says Arizona is headed for a health crisis if residents don’t change their habits to deal with COVID-19. Dr. Marjorie Bessel said the intensive-care units at the Maricopa County hospitals for Banner Health already are at full capacity. And other Arizona hospitals are rapidly approaching that point. Coronavirus cases took a big jump Friday, with 1,579 new cases, bringing the tally in Arizona to 24,332.

• At least 1 in 4 federally licensed nursing homes in Pima County have reported deaths from the coronavirus, while more than half have had at least one case among residents and staff workers, according to data released this week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In Pima County, eight facilities reported a total of 38 deaths among residents, while 15 facilities reported at least 152 confirmed cases of the virus among both staff workers and residents, according to the data. That total includes 15 resident deaths at Handmaker, an assisted-living and skilled-nursing facility in midtown Tucson.

• Confirmed coronavirus cases in the state have reached 24,300, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Friday. The state passed a grim milestone with more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19. In Pima County, 2,883 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 202 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 370,255 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.9% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says.

• J.C. Penney is closing its El Con location, leaving two Tucson locations. It is among 154 stores JC Penney is shuttering to shrink its footprint in response to financial troubles that began before COVID-19 but have gotten worse during the pandemic. Closing sales are expected to begin June 12. Here is a list of the stores slated for closure.

• Low-cost Allegiant Air has included Tucson on a list of cities it could stop serving under requirements for airlines that received federal aid to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. But Allegiant went ahead with plans Friday to launch a twice-weekly seasonal nonstop flight from Tucson to Las Vegas, and is maintaining service between Tucson and Provo, Utah. Tucson International Airport is seeing its passenger counts rise faster than elsewhere and expects several suspended flights to return in mid- to late-summer.

• 17 people have tested positive for the coronavirus at the department that handles the Tucson's 911 emergency calls. The ability to handle emergency calls is not expected to be affected.

Friday, June 5

9:00 a.m.: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across Arizona is 24,332, the Arizona Department of Health Services said.

7:00 a.m.: Even as the number of people being hospitalized with the coronavirus in Arizona is rising and the state being expected today to surpass 1,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, Gov. Doug Ducey says his decision to end the statewide stay-home order early last month was the right thing to do. Ducey says the increase in COVID-19 infections in Arizona was expected because more people are being tested. However, Cara Christ, the state health director, conceded Thursday she could not say how much of the ongoing increse in COVID-19 cases across Arizona is due to more testing and how much is due to 'community spread' — people infecting one another as they interact more. "The virus is not going away," Ducey said in a news conference Thursday afternoon. "We mourn every death in the state of Arizona."

• Confirmed coronavirus cases in the state has reached 22,753, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Thursday in its daily tally. The state said 996 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County, 2,669 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 202 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 350,902 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.8% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says.

• Rincon Market, the popular long-time grocer in Tucson's Sam Hughes neighborhood east of the University of Arizona campus, has been shut down over unpaid rent. The landlord posted a 'lock out' notice on the front door of the market at 2513 E. Sixth St. It says the market operators had failed to pay rent and did not respond to written demands for payment. Rincon Market, a Tucson landmark since it opened in the neighborhood 1926, announced on its Facebook page in April that it was taking a pause amid Arizona's stay-home order. A note on the door said it had planned to reopen in May.

• Gov. Ducey's current curfew order has made life harder on some businesses in Tucson already fighting to recover from closures and restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, writes Tim Steller, the Star's metro columnist. The week-long statewide curfew was instituted Sunday as a response to protests against police brutality in Tucson, Phoenix and other parts of the state. It was looting and heavy damage to a Scottsdale mall that, however, that is believed to have gotten the governor's attention. Arizona's curfew rules are supposed to keep life normal for businesses. The rules for the Arizona curfew specifically exempts private businesses from the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, along with people going to a private business, or those specifically going to get food. It didn't work. Many businesses are closing early anyway.

• 17 people have tested positive for the coronavirus at the department that handles the Tucson's 911 emergency calls. The ability to handle emergency calls is not expected to be affected.

Thursday, June 4

6:45 a.m.: Nearly 1.9 million people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, the ninth straight decline since applications spiked in mid-March at the start of shutdowns and restrictions across the country related to the coronavirus pandemic. The new data on unemployment filing could be a sign the gradual reopening of businesses has slowed the loss of jobs, the Associated Press reported Thursday morning. Passengers, employees and visitors to Tucson International Airport will be required to wear masks starting Saturday. Casino del Sol opened its doors Wednesday and Desert Diamond Casinos showed what it's doing in terms of cleaning and operating procedures as it too prepares to re-open after weeks of a shutdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 22,200, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Wednesday in its daily tally. The state said 981 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County, 2,627 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 196 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 345,044 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.8% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says. Here are the latest news developments in Tucson and Arizona related to the coronavirus pandemic from Thursday's edition of the Arizona Daily Star:

• Starting Saturday, everyone at Tucson's airport must wear a mask.

• Tucson's Casino del Sol opens doors; Desert Diamond up next.

• Will a muffled McKale Center be part of the Arizona Wildcats season?

• Drive-in movies make a comeback in Tucson during virus pandemic.

• Tucson movie theaters prepare reopening plans amid COVID-19.

• 32 things to do this weekend in Tucson, June 3-7.

• Go to This Is Tucson to search our updated summer camp guide.

• Join the Star Opinion Reader Chat today to talk about topics that include protests over police brutality and killings of African American people, institutional racism, unemployment and the ever-present concerns about COVID-19 ramping up from the public gatherings. The chat begins at 2 p.m. Email Opinion editor Sarah Garrecht Gassen at for the invitation and meeting link.

Wednesday, June 3

3:00 p.m.: Tucson International Airport has joined many other airports by requiring passengers and other airport visitors to wear face coverings starting Saturday, June 6.

6:45 a.m.: The number of Arizonans hospitalized with positive or suspected cases of COVID-19 shot past 1,000 on Monday. The spike prompted the state's former health chief to questions whether Gov. Doug Ducey should have ended the state's stay-at-home order. There's been a steady upward trend since the Department of Health Services began tracking the numbers in early April. It also follows the setting of another record last week, with 635 positive cases reported from tests conducted on May 26. Amid concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, TUSD has canceled plans for an in-person graduation event later this month. The district said the Pima County Health Department could not support an in-person graduation at the end of June despite the precautions the district was planning. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 21,250, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Tuesday in its daily tally. The state said 941 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County, 2,496 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 191 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 336,589 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.7% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says. Here are the latest news developments in Tucson and Arizona related to the coronavirus pandemic from Tuesday's edition of the Arizona Daily Star:

• COVID-19 hospitalizations in Arizona topped 1,000 Monday, bringing Ducey's order to end his stay-home order into question.

• Citing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, TUSD cancels plans for an in-person graduation.

• Tucson-based Truly Nolen jumped into the fight vs. COVID-19, writes Ken Cook, in todays's Building Tucson Businesses column.

•  Join the Star Opinion Reader Chat to talk about topics that include protests over police brutality and killings of African American people, institutional racism, unemployment and the ever-present concerns about COVID-19 ramping up from the public gatherings. The chat begins at 2 p.m. Thursday. Email Opinion editor Sarah Garrecht Gassen at for the invitation and meeting link.

• Search more than 100 Tucson-area summer camps with help from #ThisIsTucson.

• These restaurants across Tucson are open for dine-in, pick-up or delivery.

Tuesday, June 2

7:00 a.m.: While acknowledging that it's virtually impossible to guarantee a risk-free environment, Arizona's top education official on Monday issued guidelines schools districts can use as they prepare to reopen. The 41-page 'road map' released Monday by Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman provides a series of options for local school districts to consider as they figure out the best course of action going forward for Arizona's 1 million schoolchildren and more than 2,000 school buildings. Pima County is moving forward with a plan to improve its contact tracing efforts to fight the spread if the coronavirus. It will add 127 full-time employees to assist in COVID-19 investigations. The cost of the expanded contact tracing effort is expected to be reimbursed through federal emergency funding, officials say. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona is 20,123, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Monday in its daily tally. The state said 917 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County 2,382 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 185 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. No new deaths were reported in Pima County today. There have been 321,926 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.6% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says. Here are the latest news developments in Tucson and Arizona related to the coronavirus from Tuesday's edition of the Arizona Daily Star:

• Arizona issues guidelines for school districts on reopening classrooms during virus pandemic.

• Pima County prepares to bolster COVID-19 contact tracing.

• Struggling during the pandemic, downtown restaurants now cope with vandalism from protests.

• I, too, love America, but when will police brutality end?, writes Bobby Burns, an author and former educator who lives in Tucson.

Monday, June 1

6:45 a.m.: Gov. Doug Ducey on Sunday afternoon issued an unexpected statewide emergency order that mandated an 8 p.m. curfew. The week-long order, Ducey said on Twitter, is needed due to the "lawlessness" shown at police protests that started Friday night in cities like Tucson and Phoenix. There are several exceptions and loopholes. In Tucson, the curfew order will be used to target criminal behavior in areas where sometimes violent protests occurred over the weekend around downtown, along North Fourth Avenue and near the University of Arizona campus, Mayor Regina Romero said Sunday. The mayor said neither she nor Police Chief Chris Magnus were given advance notice of the curfew order by Ducey's office, which had said earlier Sunday that the order was made after consulting with local leaders across the state. Looting at a mall in Scottsdale Saturday seems to have been the incident that grabbed Ducey's attention. Later today, the state schools superintendent is expected to issue guidelines Arizona schools can follow to reopen. The guidelines will come about a week after Ducey said classrooms in the state will resume foe the fall semester. Tucson Unified School District is considering flexible learning options and new safety precautions amid concerns about returning to schools during the pandemic. A new poll shows that only a slight majority of Arizonans are ready to send their kids back to school. Just 52% of those questioned said they would allow children to go back to school, even though the governor allowed his stay-home order to expire earlier this month. In fact, the findings by HighGround, a political consulting firm, found that 29.5% said they would definitely permit kids to go to school, with the balance of that 52% in the 'probably yes' category. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across Arizona is 19,936, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Sunday in its daily tally. The state said 906 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County, 2,368 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 185 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 318,573 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.6% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says. Here are the latest news developments in Tucson and Arizona related to the coronavirus pandemic from Monday's edition of the Arizona Daily Star:

• Gov. Doug Ducey issues curfew order for all of Arizona after protests in Tucson, Phoenix. Here's the order.

• TUSD forms reopening plan as parents seek choices for returning kids to school.

• A slight majority of Arizonans say they're willing to send kids back to school, a new survey shows.

• 8 people were arrested on second night of police protests in Tucson.

• The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmen's Fund, which raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend overnight camps for free, makes adjustments due to the virus pandemic.

• Testing, tracing and isolation will help Arizona defeat the coronavirus, writes Dr. Quinn Snyder, an emergency physician and public health advocate in Mesa, in a guest opinion signed by more than 100 Arizona doctors.

• The Star's online chats showcase Tucson's humanity, writes Kathy Scott, the grants director for the Nogales Unified School District.

Sunday, May 31

6:45 a.m.: Evictions hearings in Tucson are set to resume Monday. With nearly 600 hearings scheduled over the next few weeks, it marks the end to a reprieve for most renters brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. People facing eviction due to COVID-19 hardships, which include financial and health-related issues, can ask the judge for a temporary reprieve based on Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's March 24 executive order. But advocates say more needs to be done by the state to avoid a wave of debt to new debt and a spike in homelessness. Poverty — along with age and pre-existing medical conditions — is a leading risk factor for people to be affected the most by the coronavirus outbreak, a new report by the Pima County Health Department confirms. "Our health department fully recognizes the uneven medical and social vulnerability of segments of our community and is pledged to continue to address these unique needs," County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said in a preface to the report, which was sent to the county Board of Supervisors. The report shows that 80% of deaths in Pima County related to COVID-19 were were people 65 years old or older. And those who died largely had one or more preexisting conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, kidney disease or lung disease. A week ago, it appeared that new cases of COVID-19 in Arizona may have peaked. But an unexpected reporting lag backfilled enough new cases this week that it turns out there was no dip between May 10 and May 17 and any previous week's total. 'So what looked to be like a peak is no longer a peak, and the case counts continue to trend up,' said Dr. Joe Gerald, an associate professor with the University of Arizona's Zuckerman College of Public Health. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona is 19,255, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Saturday in its daily tally. The state said 903 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19. In Pima County 2,290 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed. There have been 185 known COVID-19 deaths in the Tucson-metro area, according to the state health department. There have been 307,715 coronavirus tests given across Arizona, with 5.6% of them showing positive for COVID-19, the state says. Here are the latest news developments in Tucson and Arizona related to the coronavirus outbreak from Sunday's edition of the Arizona Daily Star:

• Despite early indications, virus cases in Arizona are still rising.

• Eviction hearings to resume in Tucson this week amid calls for more help for renters.

• Poverty, age and race all play roles in who gets hit hardest by the coronavirus.

• At Eloy immigration detention center, detainees must fight poor conditions along with the coronavirus.

• UA researchers express confidence that testing of sewage can predict outbreaks of COVID-19.

• Judge rules against news agencies in releasing nursing home data.

• Tucson lab develops test to detect coronavirus on surfaces, in air.

• Tucson dad seeks to bring joy with pandemic poems posted online daily.

• Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra posts tribute to Tucson nurses.

• Our buildings are closed, but the church is not, write 10 Tucson-area Protestant clergy members.