Daily Brief
May 22, 2026
Friday
🚨 Public Safety
Pima County Sheriff's Department is searching for a missing 49-year-old hiker on Mount Lemmon. Kevin Rudh was last seen around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Kolb Road and Snyder Road; authorities believe he is hiking in the Marshal Gulch area. Rudh is described as 5-foot-9, 180 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing a light-colored shirt, tan pants, and brown boots and carrying a light-colored backpack. Anyone with information is urged to call 911 immediately.
A 46-year-old woman has died from injuries sustained in a midtown Tucson hit-and-run. The woman was struck while attempting to cross a midtown street; the driver fled the scene. Tucson police confirmed her death Wednesday evening. No arrest has been announced.
Arizona DPS troopers issued 67 phone-use citations near a recent Tucson wreck as part of an enforcement operation. State law prohibits holding, manipulating, or resting a phone on the body at any time while a vehicle is in motion. The enforcement sweep follows a crash in the Tucson area.
🏛️ Government
University of Arizona officials have directed faculty to immediately call campus police if non-university law enforcement attempts to enter classrooms or other facilities. The guidance, delivered to faculty senators this spring by the Office of Public Safety, instructs faculty to contact UAPD at once if "non-university law enforcement" shows up on campus. The directive reflects growing concerns at universities nationwide about federal immigration enforcement operations targeting academic settings.
Arizona veterans rallied at the state Capitol Thursday urging Congressional Republicans to support a Senate War Powers Resolution that would limit President Trump's authority to continue the war against Iran. The U.S. Senate voted 50-47 Tuesday to advance the resolution; both Arizona senators — Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, both military veterans — voted in favor. Thirteen American service members have died since the conflict began in February. Veterans advocacy group VetsForward organized the event and called on lawmakers not to "treat these lives like the price of doing business." The resolution still faces an expected defeat in the Republican-controlled House.
A new report ranks Arizona 34th out of 35 states for elementary reading score growth since 2019. Arizona students are performing more than a half-grade below their pre-pandemic reading levels, according to the assessment. The state's performance places it near the bottom nationally for academic recovery in elementary reading.
🏗️ Development & Business
Grant Road near Interstate 10 is now closed for a months-long construction project expected to run through early August. The closure affects the stretch between the westbound I-10 frontage road and Flowing Wells Road, where crews are working on the Grant Road underpass near the Union Pacific Railroad. Detour routes include Miracle Mile, Speedway Boulevard, and I-10 frontage roads. The voter-approved RTA project will widen Grant Road to six lanes and includes drainage and ADA upgrades; double shifts and weekend work are planned to keep the project on schedule.
New Census Bureau figures show population growth in Tucson and other major Arizona cities has largely stalled or gone into decline. The data, released this week, adds Tucson to a list of large Arizona cities seeing slowing or negative growth — a reversal from the rapid in-migration the state experienced in prior years.
🎉 Community & Events
A new Tucson app, Nexus for Hope, aims to help outreach workers find real-time open shelter beds for people experiencing homelessness. Created by Josh Jacobsen of the Tucson Crime Free Coalition, the app connects to existing homeless management systems used by shelters across the city, replacing dozens of phone calls with a single search. Local nonprofits including La Frontera and Gospel Rescue Mission have provided feedback on the app; it is ready to launch pending funding and broader shelter participation.
Pima Community College celebrated its 4,500-person graduating class Thursday, with graduates ranging in age from 16 to 80. Many will go on to continue higher education or advance existing careers. The diverse class underscores PCC's role as an accessible pathway for community members at every stage of life.
⛈️ Weather — Tucson
No active watches, warnings, or advisories for Pima County or the Tucson metro area.
Today: Sunny, high near 94°F. South-southwest wind 1 to 7 mph. 0% chance of precipitation. Tonight: Clear, low around 64°F. South-southeast wind 3 to 8 mph. Tomorrow (Saturday): Sunny, high near 95°F. West-southwest wind 1 to 5 mph. 0% chance of precipitation. Outlook: A hot Memorial Day weekend is ahead, with temperatures climbing from 94°F today to near 97°F on Sunday before settling back to around 96°F on Memorial Day Monday. No precipitation is expected through the holiday; clear skies and light winds will prevail under classic pre-monsoon conditions.
NWS Tucson Forecast API