Cities, counties to get $441 million in direct COVID-19 relief funds
WASHINGTON - Arizona cities and counties will get access to nearly $600 million in COVID-19 relief funding, part of the more than $1.8 billion awarded two months ago to Arizona under the federal CARES Act.
As holiday crowds packed tourist spots, fears rose of COVID-19 spread
Memorial Day weekend crowds that one official said were "off the charts" at Arizona vacation spots have health experts worried that tourist behavior could lead to an increase of COVID-19 of cases.
Report: Treasury formula for COVID-19 funding shortchanges some tribes
Arizona tribes were among those who could get too much - or too little - COVID-19 relief funding under a Treasury Department funding formula that is based on "probably not the best numbers," according to the author of a new report.
Holidays, on ice: COVID-19 upends Memorial Day weekend travel plans
The travel forecast for this Memorial Day weekend is fuzzy - just another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, as restrictions and concerns about the virus are scrambling trip planning. The traffic will likely not be near the 43 million Americans who traveled last year, but after that it's anybody's guess.
Buckeye bumped from top spot; Valley cities still post big population gains
PHOENIX - The city of Buckeye got bumped from the top spot for population growth rate in 2019, but its 56.6% population increase since 2010 was still enough to make it the second-fastest growing city in the nation for the decade. Phoenix, meanwhile, had the nation's biggest gains over the decade.
Tool shows what many know: Arizona communities at high risk for wildfire
PHOENIX - A new U.S. Forest Service tool removes any doubt that wildfire poses a high risk Arizona properties, mapping the state in blazing reds and flaming yellows, but officials hope the tool can help community leaders and fire experts take steps to reduce risk to homes and businesses.
State taking steps to reopen economy, but reviving it could take years
WASHINGTON - Arizona took another tentative step toward reopening the state's economy Monday, when dine-in restaurants were allowed to resume limited service. But while reopening the economy could come relatively swiftly, experts say reviving the economy could take years.
Mother and son percolate coffee business to hire the formerly incarcerated
PHOENIX – One coffee at a time: A former sex offender and his mother hire formerly incarcerated workers for Java Justice. The new business is part of reforming a system that punishes people long after they have left prison.
Whack-a-troll: Watchdogs scramble to keep up with COVID-19 scams, fraud
PHOENIX - Authorities and consumer watchdog groups say the threat of COVID-19 and the national focus on it have combined with the speed and anonymity of the internet to spread scams that have left them scrambling to keep up with the fraudsters.
New jobless claims fall, but unemployment rolls keep growing
WASHINGTON - The number of new jobless claims fell for a second straight week, but the number of unemployed continued to rise in Arizona and the nation in what one expert calls a shock to workers and a "huge shock" to the system.
How to find a job when so many are out of work
PHOENIX – Some Arizona industries such as medical, sales, food and delivery companies are hiring and developing social distancing protocols to protect employees.
Small farms struggle to get federal relief funds or emergency help from USDA
PHOENIX – Although big agriculture producers continue to operate during the pandemic, small farms are struggling to sell to consumers with restaurants and schools closed.
