Thursday Microburst: Regent threatens legal action against UA faculty member, Bisbee fire cause unknown

Good afternoon. Temperatures will climb tomorrow and stay warm through the weekend. Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 78° on Friday, and a high of 81° on Saturday. 

🌵 The Pima County Board of Supervisors will collect more information before deciding whether to build a new jail.

At a Tuesday meeting, supervisors signaled they would investigate the severity of the current jail’s condition, how healthcare dollars are being spent, and the number of people held because they can’t afford bail. A new commission may be formed to explore who ends up in jail and why, and how to reduce the population. 

🌵 An Arizona Board of Regents member is threatening legal action against the U of A Faculty Senate Chair. 

Chair Leila Hudson raised questions Monday about a conflict of interest between Fred DuVal and his prior employer, Amicus Investors, a private investment group that does business with the U of A. DuVal was a regent from 2006 to 2012 before joining the company as managing director from 2015 to 2017. He began his second term as regent in 2018. DuVal denies any conflict and is threatening legal action against Hudson.

🌵 The Pima County Board of Supervisors suspended Constable Oscar Vasquez.

A state ethics board recommended Vasquez be disciplined after he failed to show up for work for five months in 2023. Vasquez said he was recovering from a minor accident that left him unable to defend himself. Constables are elected peace officers that deliver legal paperwork, including eviction notices. A constable was killed on the job in 2022.


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🌵 The cause of last week’s fire in downtown Bisbee is still unknown.

The fire, which broke out last Wednesday night, damaged two businesses on Main Street. The area is still closed because the structures’ brick walls are on the verge of collapse, which is keeping investigators from entering the building to determine the cause of the fire. 

🌵 Lastly, a man from Tucson finished runner-up in the Daytona 500.

Alex Bowman drove his first race cars on a dirt track near Marana when he was seven. With nine laps to go in Monday’s race, he bumped his teammate, triggering a 23-car accident. The race finished under a caution flag, with Bowman’s final position recorded just a foot behind the leader.