🚨 Public Safety
ICE arrests in Arizona more than tripled in fiscal year 2025 as street operations surged. Federal immigration agents recorded more than 6,000 arrests in Arizona in FY2025, with numbers holding steady at roughly 175–190 per month before Trump's inauguration, then surging dramatically — reaching 364 in February 2025, over 800 by June, and a record 997 in September. Street-level enforcement has expanded beyond targeted operations into neighborhoods and workplaces, and fear of enforcement has deepened across immigrant communities statewide.
Arizona Luminaria (in partnership with CALÓ News)
🏛️ Government
Tucson's fight over taking over Tucson Electric Power is heating up, with both sides organizing ahead of a possible City Council vote. A new pro-TEP group with prominent local backers has launched just as the City Council prepares to revisit "public power." TEP has put a $4 billion-plus price tag on a city takeover of its electric grid — a figure the utility says would cost taxpayers dearly — while the city has been exploring a municipal utility transition since 2023. Any ballot measure is likely still at least a year away.
Tucson's budget deficit may be significantly larger than previously reported, closer to $67.5 million rather than the $40 million figure City Hall had cited. Officials are quietly evaluating what's on and off the table, with options including the return of red-light cameras, adjustments to RTA Next funding, fare-free transit, and pension payment restructuring. The Gem Show's fiscal contribution is also under review as part of the city's broader revenue conversation.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is appealing a state utility regulator's decision that blocked her legal challenge of an energy supply agreement tied to a proposed data center. The Arizona Corporation Commission had previously refused to allow Mayes to intervene in the TEP agreement supporting the Project Blue data center development. Mayes has been an active participant in oversight of TEP's rate and energy dealings in recent months.
Marana residents have filed a lawsuit against the Town of Marana after town officials rejected referendum petitions that would have put a proposed data center to a public vote. The lawsuit argues the town improperly invalidated the petition signatures, preventing residents from having a direct say on the large-scale data center project. The dispute reflects growing local tension over data center development across the Tucson metro.
Tucson city officials released a draft public safety action plan outlining measurable targets for addressing homelessness and public drug use. The proposal reflects the city's commitment to the Safe City agenda and sets benchmarks that officials say will allow the public to track progress. The plan was presented to city officials last week as part of ongoing efforts to define success metrics for street-level interventions.
🎓 Education
Pima Community College is integrating artificial intelligence into both instruction and student preparation, positioning itself as an early adopter in the community college sector. Computer information systems instructor Roger Hurwitz uses AI to convert his lectures into podcast-style audio for students and has joined a newly formed AI advisory committee. PCC has rolled out AI tools and training for faculty college-wide, with the philosophy that ignoring AI "is unwise."
🏗️ Development & Business
Local butcher shop Lomo Premium Meats has opened a full-service restaurant next door — Lomo Grill — at 1521 N. Wilmot Road on Tucson's east side. The 1,500-square-foot restaurant, which seats 26 guests in the former New York Pizza Department space, opened Feb. 6 and held its grand opening celebration on March 1. The concept centers on a choose-your-own-steak experience drawing on the butcher shop's Arizona ranch beef sourcing.
Oro Valley is moving forward with a three-year phased rate increase for stormwater services. The tiered approach is designed to ease the financial impact on ratepayers while addressing the town's infrastructure maintenance needs.
🎉 Community & Events
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball clinched the Big 12 Conference title Monday night with a 73-57 victory over Iowa State on Senior Night at McKale Center. Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats, with Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso embracing key bench roles that coaches and players say have been central to the team's chemistry and success this season. The title marks a significant milestone in UA's first years competing in the Big 12.
About 40 Tucsonans gathered at a federal building in downtown Tucson on Monday to protest the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran. The Tucson chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation organized the demonstration, with protesters calling on elected officials to end the conflict. The strikes, which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior figures over the weekend, have drawn both local opposition and local support — as of Monday, six U.S. service members have been killed.
Retro Game Show Night — a beloved Tucson monthly event — has found a new home at 191 Toole after 13 years at Hotel Congress. The event continues its run at the new Congress Street venue.
This Is Tucson / Arizona Daily Star
⛈️ Weather — Tucson
No active weather alerts for the Tucson/Pima County area.
Today: Sunny. High near 87°F. West southwest wind 2 to 12 mph. Precipitation chance: 0%. Tonight: Clear. Low around 50°F. West southwest wind 3 to 10 mph. Tomorrow (Wednesday): Mostly sunny. High near 83°F. South wind 2 to 8 mph. Outlook: Tucson is running exceptionally warm for early March — today's high of 87°F is 15–20 degrees above seasonal norms. Expect continued dry, sunny conditions through the rest of the week. No precipitation in the forecast.
NWS Tucson Forecast API