Tuscon news

• Mobile orchestra tries to bring cheer to Venezuelan streets

  05-03-2021 23:58
  
  BARQUISIMETO, Venezuela (AP) — A mobile orchestra has been playing on the streets of Venezuela in an effort to give people a brief respite from the coronavirus pandemic. Sixteen musicians climbed on a truck’s platform on a recent afternoon, and wearing facemasks, began to play as they traveled around Barquisimeto, a city west of the South American country’s capital. The unusual performance  included a cello, violins and even a Steinway & Sons grand piano. Venezuelan pi
  
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• 3 Venezuelans plead guilty for aiding anti-Maduro plot

  05-03-2021 23:50
  
  MIAMI (AP) — Three Venezuelan men pleaded guilty to helping organize an ill-conceived invasion last year to remove President Nicolas Maduro. The men in a hearing Friday in a Colombian court acknowledged their role alongside former American Green Beret Jordan Goudreau in organizing a rag tag army of Venezuelan military deserters intent on overthrowing the socialist leaders. The so-called Operation Gideon ended with six insurgents dead and two of Goudreau’s former Special Forces buddie
  
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• The Latest: South Carolina governor lifts mandates on masks

  05-03-2021 23:49
  
  COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Gov. Henry McMaster lifted mandates Friday on face coverings in South Carolina’s government office buildings and restaurants, leaving it up to state administrative officials and restaurant operators to develop their own guidelines related to the coronavirus pandemic.
  The executive order essentially reversed similar guidance from the governor issued in July, when McMaster made it a requirement that anyone entering a state office building, as per guidelines d
  
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• North Dakota lawmaker expulsion reveals policy problems

  05-03-2021 23:48
  
  BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota legislative leaders say they will work to overhaul a harassment policy after a lawmaker was expelled from the Legislature. The House voted Thursday to expel Republican Rep. Luke Simons for a pattern of behavior they said stretched back to soon after he took office in 2017. The policy adopted by the Legislature contains a requirement that eventually could make a victim’s identity public, something that may have kept some women from coming forward. Fo
  
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• California to let Major League Baseball, Disneyland reopen

  05-03-2021 23:48
  
  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California officials will allow people to attend Major League Baseball games and other sporting events, go to Disneyland and watch live performances in limited capacities starting April 1. The rules announced Friday coincide with baseball’s opening day. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics all have home games scheduled for April 1. California divides its counties into four color-coded tiers based on the spread of the coronavirus. At
  
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• Study marks major milestone for Louisiana coastal plan

  05-03-2021 23:46
  
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A nearly $2 billion plan to divert water and sediment from the Mississippi River to rebuild land in southeastern Louisiana  has passed a major milestone with the publication of an environmental impact study. The Army Corps of Engineers report issued late Thursday spells out the potential benefits of the plan. It is projected to build thousands of acres of freshwater marshes on the western side of the Mississippi River that will help knock down storm surge in the New
  
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• Missing 74-year-old sought after last seen at southside Walmart

  05-03-2021 23:39
  
  Tucson Police Department
  TUCSON (KVOA) - A woman is sought after she was reported missing from the south side of Tucson on Thursday.According to Tucson Police Department, 74-year-old Viviana Freeman was last seen at the Walmart located at 1650 W. Valencia Rd. near Midvale Park Road at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday.According to officials, Freeman was last seen wearing a black top and black pants. She was described to be five feet, one inch tall and weigh about 140 pounds.Anyone with information is a
  
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• California to allow Major League Baseball, parks like Disneyland, live shows to resume at reduced capacity on April 1

  05-03-2021 23:31
  
  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California to allow Major League Baseball, parks like Disneyland, live shows to resume at reduced capacity on April 1.The post California to allow Major League Baseball, parks like Disneyland, live shows to resume at reduced capacity on April 1 appeared first on KVOA.
  
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• Young artists sought for Living River of Words contest

  05-03-2021 23:28
  
  Local students, ages 5-19, are being asked to submit original poetry, photography or visual art focusing on water and the natural world for this year’s Living River of Words contest. The deadline to enter is April 2.
  …
  
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• Protests backing opposition leader escalate in Senegal

  05-03-2021 23:27
  
  DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Protestors have taken to the streets for a third day in Senegal in support of the country’s main opposition leader, who made his first court appearance since an arrest two days ago that has sparked increasingly violent demonstrations. At least three people have been killed. The unrest this week is the worst seen in years in a country known for its stability. Police on Friday fired tear gas to disperse crowds throwing objects at security forces and setting tires
  
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• Paul McMullen, ’96 US Olympic runner, dies in ski accident

  05-03-2021 23:13
  
  GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (AP) — Paul McMullen, a runner who was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, has died in a ski accident in northern Michigan. McMullen attended Eastern Michigan University. The university says the 49-year-old McMullen died Thursday. In ’96, McMullen won the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 1500 meters and qualified for the Olympics in Atlanta. He made it to the semifinals. McMullen lost two toes in a lawn mowing accident in 1997. But he still won the mile run the next
  
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• Bill advances to exempt New Mexico from time changes

  05-03-2021 23:13
  
  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico would eliminate seasonal time changes under a bill endorsed by the New Mexico state Senate. On a 22-18 vote Friday, the Senate endorsed a Republican-sponsored bill that would keep New Mexico on daylight saving time throughout the year and do away with spring and fall clock adjustments. The bill moves to the House, where the level of support for it is uncertain. Republican Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell has championed the initiative since 2013 without success.
  
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• Fighting Biden virus aid, GOP rekindles Obama-era strategy

  05-03-2021 23:12
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have one goal for President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package: to erode public support. They say it’s too much public spending for a pandemic that’s almost over. Senate Republicans are prepared to vote lockstep against it. They’re taking a calculated political risk that Americans will sour on the big-dollar aid. It’s a tested strategy they used in 2009 against then-President Barack Obama’s recovery package. B
  
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• The Latest: Study finds masks, dining rules help curb spread

  05-03-2021 23:09
  
  NEW YORK — A new national study adds strong evidence that mask mandates can slow the spread of the coronavirus, and that allowing dining at restaurants can increase cases and deaths.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the study Friday. It looked at counties placed under state-issued mask mandates and at counties that allowed restaurant dining — both indoors and at tables outside. The agency’s director says it shows decreases in cases and deaths when people w
  
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• Goodbye, Mike: Legendary Local Banker Michael Hard Dies at 84

  05-03-2021 23:05
  
  Michael Wales Hard, an Easterner who traveled to the West to seek his fortune and build his family, died on Sunday, Feb. 28. He was 84.…
  
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• NASA’s new Mars rover hits dusty red road, 1st trip 21 feet

  05-03-2021 23:02
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s newest Mars rover has hit the dusty red road, taking a spin for the first time this week. The Perseverance rover traveled 21 feet in its first test drive Thursday, two weeks after landing on the red planet to seek signs of past life. The drive lasted just 33 minutes and went so well that the six-wheeled rover was back driving again Friday.  A project engineer says she’s never been happier to see wheel tracks. As soon as checks are complet
  
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• Credit card borrowing falls to lowest in level in 4 years

  05-03-2021 22:56
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Borrowing by Americans fell in January for the first time in five months, as the use of credit cards fell to the lowest level in four years, offsetting gains in auto loans and student loans. The Federal Reserve reported Friday that consumer borrowing fell by $1.3 billion in January, the first setback since a $9 billion decline in August. The weakness came from a $9.9 billion decline in borrowing in the category that covers credit cards. It pushed credit card activity down
  
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• New York cinemas reopen, brightening outlook for theaters

  05-03-2021 22:53
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — After growing cobwebs for nearly a year, movie theaters in New York City reopen Friday, returning film titles to Manhattan marquees that had for the last 12 months read messages like “Wear a mask” and “We’ll be back soon.” Cinemas in the city are currently operating at only 25% capacity, with a maximum of 50 per each auditorium. As in other places, mask wearing is mandatory, seats are blocked out and air filters have been upgraded. For a theatr
  
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• Study finds mask mandates, dining out influence virus spread

  05-03-2021 22:48
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — A new national study adds strong evidence that mask mandates can slow the spread of the coronavirus, and that allowing dining at restaurants can increase cases and deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the study Friday. It looked at counties placed under state-issued mask mandates and at counties that allowed restaurant dining — both indoors and at tables outside. The agency’s director says it shows decreases in cases and deaths when pe
  
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• Airline IT provider hacked, frequent flyer data breached

  05-03-2021 22:48
  
  BOSTON (AP) — A company that manages passenger processing and frequent flier data for major global airlines has exposed the personal data of an unspecified number of travelers. Geneva-based SITA says the hackers were inside servers for up to a month before the incident’s seriousness was confirmed on Feb. 24. SITA would not say how many airlines were affected. The company says it serves more than 400 airlines and that those impacted include Singapore Airlines, New Zealand Air and Luft
  
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• Arizona’s Akinjo forged toughness through early difficulties

  05-03-2021 22:44
  
  TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — James Akinjo  has made a name for himself as one of college basketball’s toughest guards, first at Georgetown, now at Arizona. Akinjo had 19 points in his first game with Arizona and eclipsed 20 points seven times, including a 26-point outing against Washington on Feb. 27. He led the Wildcats at 15.6 points and 5.4 assists per game this season. His 53 3-pointers and 37 steals were team highs. Early adversity in his life in Oakland, California, forced him to
  
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• Official: Less than 5,000 still without water in Jackson

  05-03-2021 22:41
  
  JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Less than 5,000 people were still without water Friday afternoon in Mississippi’s capital city of Jackson. Public Works Director called the development “positive progress” for the city of 160,000. Some residents have been without water for three weeks now. A key focus to recovery has been filling the system’s water tanks. Williams said earlier in the week debris clogged screens where water moves from a reservoir into the treatment plant. He sai
  
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• Democrats split on jobless benefits slows relief bill in Senate

  05-03-2021 22:31
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats trying to move their 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill through the Senate have laid aside one battle over boosting the minimum wage.
  But they've promptly descended into another internal fight, slowing work on President Joe Biden's premier legislative priority. The Senate seemingly killed progressives’ last-ditch effort to include a federal minimum wage hike in the relief package.
  The vote against the increase was 58-42, with eight Democrats joining Republi
  
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• Wyoming governor quietly mobilized Guard troops in Cheyenne

  05-03-2021 22:13
  
  CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon quietly mobilized dozens of National Guard troops in case of any violence at the state Capitol in Cheyenne in January. The deployment came to light Friday after an Associated Press inquiry after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, which left five dead. Gordon spokesman Michael Pearlman says the governor didn’t previously disclose details of the deployment of 72 Guard members in the Cheyenne area Jan. 15-21 because it was a “securi
  
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• WHO head wants virus vaccine patents waived to boost supply

  05-03-2021 22:13
  
  GENEVA (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization is calling for patent rights to be waived until the end of the coronavirus pandemic so that vaccine supplies can be dramatically increased. The WHO chief says these are “unprecedented times” that warrant the move. He commended AstraZeneca for sharing its COVID-19 vaccine technology with companies including the Serum Institute of India, but criticized a lack of transparency. An Associated Press investigation found at least
  
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• Tech rebound pulls stocks out of a slump and to weekly gain

  05-03-2021 22:13
  
  A late-day rebound in technology companies pulled the stock market out of a slump and helped give the S&P 500 its first weekly gain in three weeks. The index rose 2% Friday. Investors were encouraged by a government report that U.S. employers picked up the pace of hiring last month. However they were also still anxious over a recent surge in long-term interest rates in the bond market, which can slow the economy and discourage borrowing. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note pulled back fro
  
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• Oregon governor ordering teachers to return to classroom

  05-03-2021 22:11
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is issuing an executive order mandating that all public schools provide universal access to in-person learning by the month’s end for students up to fifth grade and by mid-April for older students. The state’s coronavirus case numbers have fallen significantly and Oregon put teachers ahead of older residents in the line for the COVID-19 vaccine. The order states that students in K-5 must have an in-person learning option by March 29.
  
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• US to open more beds for immigrant children as numbers rise

  05-03-2021 22:10
  
  HOUSTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration is instructing long-term facilities that hold immigrant children to lift capacity restrictions enacted during the coronavirus pandemic. The administration is looking to open up much-needed beds in a system facing sharply increased needs. A memo issued Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tells service providers to “temporarily increase capacity to full licensed capacity … while implementing and adh
  
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• Dems draw on civil rights history to push Amazon union vote

  05-03-2021 22:09
  
  BESSEMER, Alabama (AP) — Some Democratic members of Congress and national union leaders have gathered, seeking to build support for unionizing a massive Amazon facility outside Birmingham, Alabama. Mail voting by about 6,000 workers at the distribution facility began in February and concludes at the end of March. It’s the largest organizing attempt in the history of Amazon, the nation’s second-largest employer. U.S. Rep Terri Sewell of Alabama welcomed four fellow members of th
  
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• New California law aims to put kids in class. Will it work?

  05-03-2021 22:02
  
  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s governor has signed a law aiming to return public school students to classrooms. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law on Friday, a day after it passed the state Legislature by a wide margin. But many parents and teachers are questioning whether it will work. The law offers $2 billion to school districts that reopen physical classrooms by the end of March. It also includes another $4.6 billion for all schools to help students catch up. But it has no
  
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• VIRUS TODAY: Vaccinated adults await advice on family visits

  05-03-2021 21:57
  
  Here’s what’s happening Friday with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.:
  THE NUMBERS:
  VACCINES: Nearly 54.1 million people, or 16.3% of the U.S. population, have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the CDC. Some 27.7 million people have completed their vaccination, or 8.4% of the population.
  CASES: The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. decreased from 72,418 on Feb. 18 to 61,968 on Thursday, according to data from Johns Hopkins Un
  
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• Nevada, UNLV each to face Pac 10 and Big 12 football teams

  05-03-2021 21:57
  
  RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada and UNLV each will play non-conference football games against teams from the Pac 10 and Big 12 in September.   The 2021 schedule the Mountain West Conference announced Friday has the Wolf Pack traveling to California on Sept. 4 and Kansas State on Sept. 18. The Rebels visit Arizona State Sept. 11 before hosting Iowa State Sept. 18. Nevada hosts UNLV Saturday Oct. 30 in the annual intrastate battle for the Freemont Cannon Nevada Day weekend. UNLV opens the seas
  
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• Ducey Order Forces TUSD To Start In-person Classes Two Days Early; Marana Unified Updates Plan

  05-03-2021 21:55
  
  Tucson Unified School District reaffirmed their plan Thursday to open schools the week of March 22, which is in compliance with Gov. Doug Ducey’s Executive Order released Wednesday, said TUSD Superintendent Dr. Gabriel Trujillo.
  …
  
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• UK says vaccine shipment from India won’t hurt poor nations

  05-03-2021 21:53
  
  LONDON (AP) — Britain’s vaccines minister has dismissed suggestions that the country was getting key COVID-19 jabs intended for poorer countries, insisting that 10 million doses coming from India were always intended for distribution in the U.K. Nadhim Zahawi, in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, confirmed reports that the Serum Institute of India, one of the world’s largest vaccine makers, would be sending doses of the vaccine developed by Oxford University and
  
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• Stocks climb, erasing earlier losses, as economy heats up

  05-03-2021 21:50
  
  Stocks are swerving through another rocky ride Friday as investors struggle to figure out what an encouraging report on the economy and the recent march higher for bond yields should mean for the market. The S&P 500 was 1.9% higher in afternoon trading, after earlier swinging from a 1% gain to a 1% loss. The spark for all the uncertainty was a government report showing that employers added more jobs last month than economists expected. That’s an encouraging sign for the economy, and it
  
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• Arizona governor lifts capacity limits at gyms, restaurants

  05-03-2021 21:49
  
  UnmutePlayRemaining Ad TimeAd - 00:00
  PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has lifted capacity restrictions at gyms, restaurants and other businesses. Ducey cited lower COVID-19 cases and increased vaccination as he eases up on the pandemic restrictions that have upended life for nearly a year. Ducey announced the changes Friday citing declining COVID-19 cases and the rollout of the vaccine. Masks and social distancing requirements remain unchanged. The lifting of capacity restrictions a
  
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• Dem split on jobless benefits slows relief bill in Senate

  05-03-2021 21:47
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats trying to move their 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill through the Senate have laid aside one battle over boosting the minimum wage. But they’ve promptly descended into another internal fight, slowing work on President Joe Biden’s premier legislative priority. The Senate seemingly killed progressives’ last-ditch effort to include a federal minimum wage hike in the relief package. The vote against the increase was 58-42, with eight Democrats joi
  
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• The Latest: Italy surpasses 3 million coronavirus cases

  05-03-2021 21:40
  
  ROME — Italy surpassed 3 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, the third straight day this week that daily new caseloads exceeded 20,000 cases.With the 24,036 new confirmed infections registered by the Health Ministry, Italy has reached 3,023,129 cases. The actual total is widely considered higher because testing wasn’t extensive early in the pandemic.The virus variant first found in England is potentially fueling the increase, along with another variant, detected in Brazil.
  
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• US consumers eased off credit card borrowing in January

  05-03-2021 21:38
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Borrowing by Americans fell in January for the first time in five months. A big drop in the use of credit cards offset increases in auto loans and student loans. The Federal Reserve reported Friday that consumer borrowing fell by $1.3 billion in January, the first setback since a $9 billion decline in August. The weakness came from a $9.9 billion decline in borrowing in the category that covers credit cards. Consumer borrowing is closely watched for indications about Amer
  
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• Free, monthlong, virtual job fair begins March 15

  05-03-2021 21:36
  
  A free, monthlong virtual job fair will help connect Arizona job seekers with employers throughout the state.…
  
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• NFL hires first Black female official

  05-03-2021 21:26
  
  (CNN) -- The NFL is welcoming its first black female official.Friday, the league announced it has added Maia Chaka to its roster of game officials for the 2021 season.It's been years in the making. In 2014 Chaka was selected to be a part of the NFL's officiating development program.The NFL's executive vice president of football operations called her a 'trailblazer' who has put in years of hard work, dedication and perserverence.In a statement, Chaka said, "I am honored to be selected as an NFL
  
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• Oregon gov: Schools must offer in-person classes by March 29

  05-03-2021 21:25
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is issuing an executive order mandating that all K-12 public schools provide universal access to in-person learning by the month’s end for students up to fifth grade and by mid-April for older students. The state’s coronavirus case numbers have fallen significantly and Oregon put teachers ahead of older residents in the line for the COVID-19 vaccine. The order states that students in K-5 must have an in-person learning option by Marc
  
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• Jeep might drop Cherokee SUV name

  05-03-2021 21:23
  
  (CNN) — Jeep could drop a name synonymous with it’s brand.Jeep’s new boss says the company is open to dropping “Cherokee” from it’s vehicles.The consideration is in response to objections from the Cherokee Nation. The company is engaging with officials from the Native American tribe.RELATED: Cherokees ask Jeep to stop using tribe’s name
  The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the companies best-selling models. It was first used on a Jeep SUV in 1974.The post
  
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• Bars, Gyms, Theaters Can Now Fully Reopen As Ducey Rescinds Occupancy Order

  05-03-2021 21:13
  
  Gov. Doug Ducey announced he is rescinding his previous executive order limiting occupancy capacity for restaurants, gyms, theaters, water parks, bowling alleys and bars with dine-in service in a new executive order signed and released Friday. …
  
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• Giuliani probe awaits Garland as he nears AG confirmation

  05-03-2021 21:03
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors investigating the overseas business dealings of Rudy Giuliani have returned to the question of whether to charge the former New York City mayor and Trump ally. That’s according to current and former law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Among the charges being considered is whether Giuliani failed to register as a foreign agent as part of his work in Ukraine, where he helped dig up dirt against J
  
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• Tucson Musicians Pull Together to Honor the Music of the Legendary Al Foul

  05-03-2021 21:01
  
  Al Foul with a compilation album after the rockabilly musician recently announced his throat cancer diagnosis. …
  
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• At least 10 dead in bombing at restaurant in Somali capital

  05-03-2021 20:59
  
  MOGADISHU. Somalia (AP) — A car packed with explosives has rammed into a popular restaurant in Somalia’s capital, and police say at least 10 people were killed and more than 30 wounded. A police spokesman blames the attack on the local al-Shabab extremist group, which is linked to al-Qaida and often targets Mogadishu with bombings. The Luul Yamani restaurant also was attacked last year. At least one building near the restaurant collapsed after the blast, and people are feared to be t
  
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• Affidavit: Man found Tiger Woods unconscious after SUV crash

  05-03-2021 20:50
  
  ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, Calif. (AP) — A court document says a man found Tiger Woods unconscious after his SUV crashed in Southern California. The document obtained Friday was written by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy seeking a search warrant to obtain data from the SUV’s event recorder. The man lives nearby, heard the crash last week and walked to the SUV. He told deputies Woods would not respond to questions. The first deputy on the scene has said Woods was able to talk
  
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• Journal’s ‘appalling’ racism podcast, tweet prompt outcry

  05-03-2021 20:43
  
  A prominent medical journal is apologizing for a tweet and part of a podcast episode about structural racism in health care. The tweet from the Journal of the American Medical Association said in part, “No physician is racist, so how can there be structural racism in health care?” It was promoting a podcast episode featuring two white doctors talking about racism. JAMA’s editor issued an apology Thursday but the outcry on Twitter has persisted. Some Black physicians called the
  
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• Exam finds multiple cracks in part of United jet’s engine

  05-03-2021 20:33
  
  Federal safety officials are updating their investigation into the engine failure on a United Airlines plane that sent parts of the engine housing raining down on Denver-area neighborhoods last month. The National Transportation Safety Board said Friday that a microscopic exam confirmed that a fan blade that snapped off had telltale signs of fatigue — tiny cracks caused by wear and tear. The safety board says the engine had been used on nearly 3,000 flights since its last inspection. After
  
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