Tucson Local Pulse: Phone Scams, Homeless Encampment Cleared, Grijalva's New Committees, and Sports Victories

Good morning, this is Tucson Local Pulse for Friday, November 21st, and we have a full slate of stories to help you start your day connected to our city. Overnight, Tucson police are alerting the community about a new wave of phone scams. Several South Tucson neighbors say they’ve received calls from scammers pretending to be the South Tucson Police Department. These calls demand cryptocurrency payments and threaten arrest if folks don’t comply. Commander Raul Navarro at the department is reminding us to never give out personal or financial information over the phone. If you get a call like this, report it straight to the Pima County Sheriff’s non-emergency line. In a long-anticipated move, Tucson cleared out the encampment known as the 100-Acre Wood near Golf Links and Pantano on Tuesday. The city says this was to ready the area for a new bike park that’s slated to break ground later this year. Several social service teams were on site to offer shelter and support to those moving on. Community advocates have been watching the situation closely, especially as affordable housing and support for the unhoused remain top issues. On the political front, Tucson Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva just received her new committee assignments in the U.S. House of Representatives. She’ll serve on the House Committee on Education and Workforce and the House Natural Resources Committee. Grijalva says she’s focused on reversing recent attacks on public education and championing fair wages along with environmental protections, including the rights of tribal communities. Weather-wise, we’re waking up to cool and cloudy skies with a touch of rain likely through the morning, keeping things damp along Speedway and Broadway. The National Weather Service expects highs only reaching the low 60s today, so plan accordingly if you’re headed to outdoor events. Rain is expected to return on Saturday, with temps staying in the mid-60s through the weekend. Best to have a light jacket handy if you’re planning to cheer on local teams outside. Speaking of sports, University of Arizona fans are celebrating after the Wildcats men’s basketball team notched an impressive victory over the third-ranked UConn Huskies on Wednesday night. That win marks their third triumph over a top-ranked team in just five games. Over on the track, freshman Evans Tanui will represent Arizona at the NCAA cross-country nationals after placing ninth at the West Regionals. He’s the first Wildcat male to qualify in twelve years. On the jobs front, seasonal hiring continues across Tucson as major retailers and logistics firms ramp up for the holidays. Over 800 temporary positions have opened citywide, with hotspots near Park Place Mall and along Oracle Road. In real estate, the southeast neighborhoods, particularly Rita Ranch and Civano, are seeing homes move quickly, with median prices holding steady around four hundred thousand dollars. A new local business is already making waves in the downtown arts This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.