🌵 The Arizona Supreme Court heard arguments today over two conflicting abortion laws.
The state currently has two abortion laws on the books. One law, written in 1864 before Arizona was a state, enforces a near-total ban with mandatory prison time. A more recent law from 2022 bans abortions past 15 weeks. The 2022 law is currently in effect, but anti-abortion advocates are arguing that the 2022 does not explicitly allow abortions before 15 weeks, meaning the 1864 law ban should take precedence.
🌵 Governor Hobbs visited the closed border in Lukeville on Saturday.
The Border Patrol closed the Lukeville crossing so that it could reassign agents to deal with the uptick in migrants — around 1,000 per day — crossing into the U.S. to seek asylum. Hobbs is asking the Biden Administration to redeploy National Guard troops already in the area to help reopen the crossing. She also sent Biden a $512 million bill seeking reimbursements for border operations. “Arizona can’t do this alone,” she said in a social media post.
- Governor Katie Hobbs video post on X
- Office of the Governor: Governor Katie Hobbs Launches Operation SECURE, Offers National Guard Mobilization to Open Lukeville Port of Entry
🌵 Meanwhile, the closed Lukeville crossing is disrupting border communities.
The travel time from Ajo, Arizona to Sonoyta, Mexico went from 45 minutes to more than 5 hours, with the nearest crossings located 120 miles to the west at San Luis, or 115 miles east at Nogales. Residents of Puerto Peñasco, the popular American tourist destination known as Rocky Point, say the city has become a ghost town.
- Tucson Sentinel: Frustration for Ajo with Lukeville border crossing closed; Hobbs looks to Nat’l Guard
- AZPM: Rocky Point residents say it’s a ghost town after port closure
🌵 The University of Arizona-led OSIRIS-REx mission dodged a bullet as it brought samples of an asteroid back to Earth.
During the capsule’s return to Earth in September, a drogue parachute meant to stabilize the capsule as it fell through the atmosphere failed to deploy. Fortunately, the main parachute deployed as intended, slowing the capsule so that it could touch down safely in the Utah desert. An initial analysis of the asteroid samples found water and organics, supporting the theory that asteroids may have carried the building blocks to life to Earth long ago.
🌵 Lastly, the Winterhaven Festival of Lights is now open.
You can enjoy the lights in Tucson’s Winterhaven neighborhood, where residents have thoroughly decked the halls in celebration of the holidays. The 74th annual event will be open Dec. 9 through 25, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day. You can stroll through the neighborhood or reserve a hayride, party bike, or trolley tour. Admission is free, but donations of food or money are encouraged to support the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.