News

37 Years Later, a Murder Suspect Is Found

Donna Marie Smith was found dead in 1976, an apparent victim of domestic violence. Yet her murder would go unsolved for decades. That is, until two cold-case detectives in Tucson picked up the case earlier this year, finally getting the break that Smith’s family had been long awaiting.

Rise in Valley Fever May Be Tied to Climate Change

A disease caused by airborne fungus from the soil is common in the hot, dry Southwest, but researchers wonder whether it is spreading elsewhere because of climate change

Animals Are Also Victims of Valley Fever

Veterinarians are seeing more cases of Valley fever in pets, paralleling the rise in human cases. Jackson, a Boston terrier and pug mix, is one case.

Effort to Recall Maricopa Sheriff Falls Short

Critics of Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio failed to collect enough signatures for recall effort.

Arizona Woman, Held in Pot Seizure in Mexico, Is Freed

The Arizona woman who was arrested in Mexico on suspicion of smuggling 12 pounds of marijuana onto a bus headed for the United States, was released Thursday night and has returned to her home.

Moving to Plan B for Border Surveillance

After the failure of a $1.1 billion network of surveillance towers, another costly initiative is underway to help seal the 2,000 mile-long U.S.-Mexican border, using high-tech, high-priced, high-rise motion-detectors.

On Border, Signs of a Surge in Illegal Immigration

As the nation debates immigration policy, Arizona border residents say they are seeing an increase in the number of people trying to get into the U.S. from Mexico.

Tucson Beats Phoenix in Conserving Water

As drought concerns underlie water-use policies in the Southwest, a sharp contrast between Arizona’s two major metropolitan areas.

Home Then, Home Now: The Burden of Immigration

As Congress debates immigration reform, children caught in the middle must straddle two worlds.

Cuts Affect Health Care for Indians

Adequate health care on Indian reservations becomes a larger problem as federal cuts mean fewer medical referrals, delays in renovations and longer waits. The Indian Health Service provides care for two million Native Americans; it faces a $220 million cut through October.

A Haven, and Blue Shirts, for Immigrant Workers

A church in Tucson has remained true to its activist roots, creating social programs for immigrant workers at risk of being mistreated or arrested.

Woman Jailed in Mexico Was Framed, Family Says

A suburban woman, a Mormon and mother of seven from Goodyear, Ariz., has become embroiled in a drug-smuggling case in Mexico that has brought worldwide media attention to a courthouse in Nogales, just across the Arizona-Mexico border.

The Dogs Still Race, to the Echoes of the Past

Tucson’s dog racing industry is dwindling, possibly toward extinction. Facing a host of allegations of animal abuse from animal rights groups, Tucson Greyhound Park, the last operational dog track in Arizona, is trying to keep business afloat and its culture alive.

Protecting Tucson’s Dark Skies to Snag an Asteroid

An important astronomy project to reach an asteroid depends in part on the dark night skies that are a result of cooperation between science and industry in Tucson.

Deported to Mexico, but Not Planning to Stay

Increased federal penalties for migrants illegally crossing into the United States have skyrocketed in the last decade, but for many at the Juan Bosco migrant shelter in Nogales, Mexico, family trumps all.

Out With the Old Lions, In With the New

After 13 years, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s sibling mountain lions, the zoo’s mascots of sorts, are being forced into retirement by arthritis. A cub, almost 6 months, that was found orphaned in San Jose, Calif., will replace the siblings. And when the siblings retire, so too will the name George L. Mountainlion. An online contest is being held to name...

Men Charged in Saguaro Park Vandalism

Two separate acts of vandalism in the past month in Saguaro National Park’s Rincon Mountain District resulted in saguaros that had been spray-painted and a barrel cactus that was hacked in half.

Drought Leaves Horses Neglected and Abused

Horses are being abandoned in Arizona and elsewhere in the country because the economy and the drought have made it too expensive to care for them. Some horses are used in drug smuggling; others are dropped off by their owners in isolated or residential neighborhoods.

Pilot Accused of Transporting Illegal Immigrants

In a twist on illegal border crossings, a man is charged with attempting to use a private airplane to transport passengers who are illegally in the U.S. from a sleepy desert airport to the Phoenix area.

Judge Finds Latinos’ Rights Violated by Sheriff in Arizona

A federal judge found that deputies of Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, used race or Latino ancestry as a factor to stop vehicles.

Kidnapping Suspect Arrested After Car Chase

A man wanted on suspicion of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend was arrested Friday afternoon after a high-speed car chase, and the woman was rescued.

Border Waiting Time Costs Billions, Report Says

Long and unpredictable waits at border crossings are costing the United States and Mexican governments billions of dollars per year, according to a report on the Mexico-U.S. border by an international border research partnership.

Nogales Wildfire Spreads to 10,775 Acres; Area Closed for Public Safety

Firefighters have now contained 70 percent of the Nogales wildfire, which has spread to 10,775 acres and forced the temporary closure of a portion of the Coronado National Forest and Sierra Vista Ranger District.

Sheriff Releases Photos of ’11 Tucson Shooting

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has released nearly 600 photos from the 2011 mass shooting that injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The photos included the Glock 19 that the gunman, Jared Loughner, used to kill six people and wound 13 others, as well as the bloodied pavement outside the Safeway.

Midtown Raid Involves More Than 50 Officers

More than 50 officers from agencies across Pima County and more than 30 vehicles, including an armored car, swooped into a former auto wrecking yard during an FBI-led raid in the Julia Keen section of Tucson on Thursday morning. Authorities would not say if any arrests were made.

Nogales Fire Spreads; May Hint at Bad Season

A wildfire near Nogales has quadrupled since it began last Friday – but fire officials, who have contained 40 percent, say the only threat to nearby residents will be smoky air, not damage to nearby structures. Wildfires may be frequent in 2013, with experts predicting an “above normal” season.

NYTSJI 2013: Under Way

The 2013 class of The New York Times Student Journalism Institute started in Tucson, Ariz. Twenty-three students will tackle Tucson news for two weeks with the assistance of reporters and editors from The New York Times and The Boston Globe.