Posted May 5, 2023
At this week’s study session, I misstated the number of deaths in the Pima County Jail. Sheriff Chris Nanos emailed me and other council members noting the error and was concerned that I didn’t talk to his office before giving a number that was incorrect.
I owe him an apology for saying that there were 49 deaths during the period from 2017 through 2020, when that number is 28. An additional 22 have died in the two years since then.
At the request of my office, Sheriff Nanos sent me a complete list of deaths in custody since 2017 with names and causes. I’d like to thank him for his openness and his offer to meet with my office about this issue.
The number still concerns me, however, given that, according to the Arizona Republic, there were 64 deaths in county jails state-wide between 2017 and 2020. For a county that represents a bit more than 10% of the state’s population, that’s way out of proportion. Many of those deaths were not on Nanos’s watch, of course. I’ve had a discussion with the sheriff and will soon be touring both the jail and the crisis response center. I look forward to working with him and other officials on issues around people in custody.
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Back in 2016, UNESCO declared us a “City of Gastronomy.” This has given us plenty of opportunities to highlight our local food.
One comes this weekend as we host the second annual Pueblos del Maíz Fiesta in Tucson, May 4-7, at various locations. In partnership with three other designated food heritage cities — San Antonio, Texas; Merida, Mexico; and Puebla, Mexico — Tucson will host the first weekend of a month-long international food and culture celebration. The festivities of Pueblos del Maíz Tucson will include regional food vendors, chef demonstrations, live music and entertainment, educational panels, movie screenings, and much more to celebrate the rich traditions of maíz. One of the events is the free Community Maíz Fiesta on Saturday, May 6, at Kennedy Park, 3700 S. Mission Road. The 4-10 p.m. event will feature live music, chef demonstrations, family-friendly activities, and more. Learn more about the fiesta, and find a listing of events, by visiting here.
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Tucson Parks and Recreation's summer indoor leisure classes and summer camp offerings are viewable online now. Classes range from arts and crafts, Little Movers and Shakers, dance, gymnastics, jewelry making, glass fusing, music, and more for youth and adults. KIDCO Summer Camps (5-11 years old), In-Betweeners Club (12-14 years old), and Junior Staff in Training (14-17 years old) will be offered in June and July. Registration for these programs will begin Saturday, May 6, at 6 a.m., for city-residents and at noon for non-city residents.
Visit EZEEReg.com for details.