The Supreme Court has formally dismissed an Arizona-led effort to preserve Title 42, the pandemic-era immigration restriction that was officially ended by the Biden administration last week. Read more»

I've been waiting for the foretold catastrophic flood of migrants crossing the border after the end of Title 42. But early indications are that crossings have fallen precipitously, even as Pima County and social service workers have been handling the problem. Read more»

After pausing the Biden administration’s actions on a controversial asylum policy for months, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the dismissal of a suit aimed at upholding Title 42 despite the waning COVID-19 emergency. Read more»

Republicans have been warning that the end of Title 42 would bring calamity and overwhelm our nation with an invasion of our southern border. Guess what: Border crossings actually went down. Read more»

The federal response to mass unemployment and business closures due to COVID-19 helped fast-track the recovery - but the lasting effects of the pandemic on the labor force and how well prepared policy makers are to handle a potential recession or another pandemic is unclear. Read more»

Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher seems to want to adjust the county's base budget upward a tad after the Great Recession forced supervisors to push it down. It's part of a plan to recruit talent and invest in roads, as the surplus reaches $159 million. Plus more in local government meetings this week. Read more»

The far-right Patriot Party of Arizona has taken on a new form and new leadership, in the form of former GOP state Rep. John Fillmore, who is aiming to distance the group from its founders and reigniting an attempt to make it a full-fledged political party. Read more»

With Title 42 ending, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs laid out new steps to manage the influx of people coming across the U.S.-Mexico border this week, including bus routes and $7 million for municipalities. The Biden administration announced new restrictions on asylum applications. Read more»

May 11 will mark the end of the federal public health emergency for COVID-19, bringing changes to health care and public benefits, including changes in the cost of COVID-19 tests and treatments and the potential loss of access to free COVID-19 vaccines for people who are uninsured. Read more»

It's the most mathematical time of the year. Budget time is when priorities with the force of dollars behind them are set for the next year. Next year's to-do puts a premium on capital investment and hiring talent. Plus more in local government meetings this week. Read more»

Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is stepping down at the end of June after 2½ tumultuous years leading the nation’s primary public health agency — and much of the Biden administration’s effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more»

Between September 2021 and August 2022, 718 people in Maricopa County died alone, meaning next of kin were unable to be located or refused to handle arrangements - but what happens when someone dies alone - and how do loved ones find their final resting place? Read more»

Incluso a medida que los niveles de COVID-19 disminuyen, el departamento de salud de Arizona continúa brindando pruebas, vacunas y otros servicios médicos a las comunidades desatendidas y de bajos ingresos en todo el estado. Read more»

The Biden administration will send an additional 1,500 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to support border officials ahead of an expected influx of migrants seeking asylum following the end of Title 42 next week. This will "argument" the 2,500 military personnel already on border. Read more»

White House officials announced Monday that they will end the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal employees, contractors and international travelers when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends on May 11. Read more»