Monsoon Storms, School Budgets, and Political Races: A Tucson Local Pulse Update

Good morning, this is Tucson Local Pulse for Sunday, July 13, 2025. We wake up today under heavy monsoon clouds as much of Tucson saw steady overnight rain, with more storms possible through the afternoon. Flash flooding is a concern, especially along low-lying areas like South Sixth Avenue, so we all need to drive carefully and keep an eye out for street closures. The weather is keeping temperatures in the nineties, which is a relief after those relentless triple-digit days that Dana Hemmenway joked required a parka just to survive. City hall is buzzing this week with two local school districts finalizing their budgets for the new year, bringing modest tax cuts to homeowners. Meanwhile, Amphitheater Public Schools is searching for a new board member after the passing of Patricia Harris last month, and community voices are encouraged to step forward. Turning to politics, we’re just days from a consequential primary. Emergency voting sites are open across Southern Arizona for the Congressional District 7 election, as five Democrats compete to fill the late Representative Raúl Grijalva’s seat—one of Tucson’s most influential figures. Registration for city primary elections has closed, but if you requested an early ballot for the CD7 race, be sure to cast your vote by Monday. On the business side, there’s a steady drumbeat of preparations for the school year. This weekend, the Quincie Douglas Center on the Southside drew thousands for the annual Back 2 School Bash. Kids picked up free backpacks, got physicals and vaccinations, and families enjoyed music and food. This event returns Saturday, July 19, at the Ward Two Council Office on East Broadway, so mark your calendars if you missed it. Job seekers will find a steady, if competitive, market. Recent numbers show unemployment hovering around the state average, but with school staffing season underway, there are postings from bus drivers to teachers, especially in the public districts. Real estate is still moving, though rising prices are slowing sales slightly. The median home price held steady around the low three-hundreds, but inventory remains tight, so buyers have to act fast. In sports, our FC Tucson women ended their season with a tough 3-1 loss to the Arizona Arsenal, and the Tucson Sugar Skulls came up short against Northern Arizona in a nail-biter indoor football match last night, but both teams are already looking ahead and building fan momentum for next season. On the cultural scene, poet and DJ Logan Phillips, also known as DJ Dirtyverbs, has been named writer in residence again at the Pima County Public Library. He’ll be hosting a series of workshops this summer, bringing poetry and music to new corners of Tucson. If you’re in the mood for music, locals are pairing their monsoon drives with playlists celebrating the rain after our long dry spell. For public safety, Tucson police reported a significant arrest yesterday. A local man faces federal charges for allegedly selling ill This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.