DISTRICT 5 DIGEST: October 2021
Welcome to District 5 Digest! Our mission of this newsletter is to demystify the role of local government in our community and keep you up to date with County politics. As a life long resident of District 5 and now as Pima County Supervisor, it has always been vital to our shared community to know what's going on in our community and how everyone can get involved. Please share widely with your community and as always, please reach out to our team at district5@pima.gov with any questions or concerns. This newsletter will highlight District 5's activities for October 2021.
Stay safe,
Photos & Media
The People of District 5
In Memory of Jazelle Armenta
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On October 18th, Jazelle's memorial in Manzanita Park was unveiled with her family, teammates, and community present. The memorial highlighted some of Jazelle’s favorite movies, foods and showcased her family. Jazelle Armenta was born on May 9, 2012, and passed away September 18, 2019. According to her mom, Jazelle loved everyone, was a happy little girl and was fearless. Thank you to all involved in establishing Jazelle's legacy for generations to come. Special thanks to the Armenta family, Supervisor Richard Elías, Nahrin Jabro, Saul Ortega, Las Artes and the many County Departments and staff that created this memorial. Always with us in spirit and in our hearts, never forgotten.
You are missed Jazelle!
Business Spotlight: Barista del Barrio
Barista del Barrio is a fresh, local, and delicious business! They serve coffee, breakfast, tamales, and more. From the website: "Barista del Barrio was founded by our family in 2017. It had always been a dream of owner, Flavia Briones, to own and operate a restaurant and share beloved family recipes. After years of working tirelessly to support two kids as a single mother, it is amazing to see this dream coming true. Barista del Barrio started out as a small coffee cart, ran by Flavia and her two kids Ariana and Sergio, but the business quickly expanded and moved into the building next door, where we set up our permanent kitchen. The support from the community that has helped expand our business has been truly overwhelming."
They are located at: 1002 N. Grande Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745
Plática con Adelita: Seguridad y Vacilación de la Vacuna COVID-19
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El 18 de Octubre, Supervisora Adelita Grijalva, Dr. Francisco García, Administrador Adjunto del Condado de Salud y Servicios Comunitarios y Director Médico del Condado de Pima, Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, Superintendente del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Tucson, y Paula Jenko, organizadora comunitaria, discutieron las vacunas contra el COVID 19, su seguridad y cómo hablar con aquellos que dudan en recibir sus vacunas. Esta conversación es principalmente en español e inglés (bilingüe).
On October 18th Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, Dr. Francisco García, Deputy County Administrator for Health & Community Services and Chief Medical Officer for Pima County, Dr. Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, Superintendent of Tucson Unified School District, and Paula Jenko, community organizer, discussed the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s safety, and how to talk to those who are hesitant to receive their shots. This conversation will be in Spanish primarily and English (bilingual).
COVID-19 Updates
There are various ways to receive your COVID-19 vaccine. For the most up to date information on how to get vaccinated, please visit pima.gov/covid19vaccine.
What you need to know:
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COVID infections are plateauing at a very high rate. There were 2000 cases last week, as opposed to 243 cases during the last week of May.
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The test positivity rate was 10 percent last week, as opposed to 2 percent during the last week of May.
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COVID-19 positive individuals occupy approximately 313 hospital beds each week.
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Cumulative school reported cases since July 20th of this year are up to 3,513 as of last week. Children who are not eligible to be vaccinated due to their age make up 47 percent of school reported cases.
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From the FDA website:
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action to expand the use of a booster dose for COVID-19 vaccines in eligible populations. The agency is amending the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of a single booster dose as follows:
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The use of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine that may be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series to individuals:
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65 years of age and older
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18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19
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18 through 64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2
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The use of a single booster dose of the Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered at least 2 months after completion of the single-dose primary regimen to individuals 18 years of age and older.
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The use of each of the available COVID-19 vaccines as a heterologous (or “mix and match”) booster dose in eligible individuals following completion of primary vaccination with a different available COVID-19 vaccine.
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To clarify that a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series to individuals 18 through 64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
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TESTING CHANGES FOR PIMA COUNTY SPONSORED SITES.
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Through partnerships with Arizona State University, Premier Medical Group (PMG) and Paradigm Labs, Pima County is offering free COVID-19 testing, with some exceptions.
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You CAN get tested for free at a Pima County testing site without a doctor's order if:
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You are age 5 or older and have symptoms of COVID-19 or are a close contact of someone
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who has tested positive for COVID. Note: if you had an initial negative test you SHOULD
quarantine and retest in 3 to 7 days dependent upon your vaccination status if symptoms
persist. Tests can be done with a home test kit or at the County-supported test site.
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You CAN NOT get tested at a Pima County testing site if:
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Your testing is needed for occupational or work-required reasons.
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You do not have COVID symptoms and are seeking a repeat test within 14 days of a previous
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test.
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Due to high demand for COVID-19 testing, we encourage University of Arizona students and employees to schedule their free test through the University’s testing program.
Stay safe everyone! Mask up, wash your hands, and get vaccinated.
For the most up to date information on COVID-19, vaccinations, and testing, please visit the Pima County Health Department's website.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Our office wore purple on October 21st, Wear Purple Day, to stand in solidarity with domestic-abuse victims and to support an end to domestic violence.
Policy Updates
Vaccine mandate for employees of Pima County who work with vulnerable populations
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Employees who work with vulnerable populations must be vaccinated by January 1st.
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If an employee in this category is not vaccinated by that time, they will receive disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
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Between January 2020, at the height of COVID in Pima County, and September 2021 last month, the County has expended $3.4 million in COVID related payouts. That includes $1.5 million in hospitalizations and $400,000 in emergency room visits. All of this is for treatment of employees who are covered by Pima County insurance.
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This item passed 4-1, with Supervisor Grijalva voting in favor.
Legislative District 10 Appointment of Stephanie Stahl Hamilton to State Senate
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This item passed with 4 in favor, 1 abstention. Supervisor Grijalva voted in favor.
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Congrats Senator Stephanie Stahl Hamilton!
Issuance of $230 million in low-interest bonds to American Leadership Academy Project charter schools in Maricopa County
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Supervisor Grijalva is a strong supporter of public education and is against the County financially supporting charter schools with low-interest bonds public schools cannot apply for.
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These charter schools are also not in Pima County.
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This item passed 3-2, with Supervisor Grijalva voting against it.
Return to In-Person Meetings
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Supervisor Grijalva is not opposed to returning to in-person meetings, as long as all Supervisors are present and everyone in the room wears a mask at all times.
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One of the Supervisors was unwilling to agree to these conditions.
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Masks are a requirement in all County buildings, so they should be required at Board of Supervisors meetings.
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This item failed 3-2, with Supervisor Grijalva voting against it.
Pima County participation in the One Arizona Plan related to the One Arizona Opioid Settlement
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This item is to discuss Pima County’s participation, acceptance of funds, and future use of funds with regards to the One Arizona Opioid Settlement.
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This item passed 4-1, with Supervisor Grijalva voting in favor.
Appointment of a Constable to Justice Precinct 5
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The new Justice Precinct 5 Constable is William Lake-Wright.
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This item passed 3-2, with Supervisor Grijalva voting in favor.
Women's History Spotlight: Isabella Greenway
A section to celebrate important women in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona State, United States.
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Chair of the Women's Land Army for New Mexico during World War I
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Founder of the Arizona Inn of Tucson
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Speaker at the 1932 Democratic National Convention
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Lifelong friend of Eleanor Roosevelt
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Worked to secure New Deal funds and federal grants for AZ during the Depression
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Arizona's first Congresswoman
Photo courtesy of the Daily Star
D5 Wishes You a Happy Halloween and Feliz Día de los Muertos
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We hope you have a spooky time this weekend!
But don't let COVID haunt your Halloween.
- Outdoor trick-or-treating ok, says Dr. Fauci
- Avoid large groups
- Mask-Up
- Wash and sanitize your hands
- Stay safe!
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Did you know? El Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a pre-Columbian tradition from Mexico to remember loved ones who have died. During this time family gathers and many people create altars with ofrendas, or offerings. They eat pan de muerto/bread of the dead and decorate with marigold flowers/cempazúchitl. In Tucson, we have our All Souls Procession to celebrate. This year, it will be held on November 7.
*The portraits of Jazelle and her family were created by Las Artes artist Saul Ortega, while the pictures of Jazelle’s favorite foods, animals and other cherished things were the work of seven students at Las Artes.