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Today’s edition · Thurs., Nov. 5

TUSD recommends closing Steele Elementary, its eighth school closure proposal

Plus, SpaceX says it's behind a proposed data center campus in Cochise County.

The Tucson Today team1 story17 sources5 min read

SchoolsTop story

TUSD recommends closing Steele Elementary, its eighth school closure proposal

Eight TUSD schools are recommended to close and merge

Closing schoolMerging intoWould start
Hudlow ElementarySewell ElementaryAug. 2027
Dunham ElementaryMarshall ElementaryAug. 2027
Cragin ElementaryBlenman ElementaryAug. 2027
Collier ElementaryBloom ElementaryAug. 2027
Magee Middle SchoolSabino High SchoolAug. 2027
Secrist Middle SchoolSanta Rita High SchoolAug. 2028
Cavett ElementaryUtterback Middle SchoolAug. 2028
Steele ElementaryBooth-Fickett K-8Aug. 2028

Sources: AZ Luminaria, KVOA, Tucson Spotlight, KGUN 9, Arizona Daily Star

If you have a kid on the east side, this one's for you. Tucson Unified Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo on Wednesday recommended closing Steele Elementary and sending its students to Booth-Fickett K-8 for the 2028-29 school year. Steele is 35% full, and Booth-Fickett had 240 students last school year with capacity of more than 1,300.

The first five mergers would start in August 2027 if the approves them at its Dec. 8 meeting, and Trujillo says they'd save about $7 million. Want a say? The board's public hearing is Tue., Nov. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at Sahuaro High School.

“Schools are magical places. They’re communities, they’re living, breathing communities that have been a point of pride in these neighborhoods for years.”

Gabriel Trujillo, TUSD superintendent
  • Enrollment: down more than 20,000 students since 1999
  • More possible: Trujillo said more consolidations could be announced
  • Recommendations only: the board hasn't voted on any of them

The recommendations have rolled out since Oct. 19

  1. Oct. 19Trujillo proposes merging Hudlow Elementary into Sewell Elementary.
  2. Oct. 27Trujillo holds a news conference on the recommendations.
  3. Nov. 4Trujillo recommends consolidating Steele Elementary into Booth-Fickett K-8.
  4. Nov. 17The hosts a public hearing at Sahuaro High School at 5:30 p.m.
  5. Dec. 8The Governing Board is not expected to take action before this meeting.
  6. Aug. 2027The first five consolidations would take effect if the board approves them.

Sources: KVOA, Tucson Spotlight, KGUN 9

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News Notes

Sabino Canyon

Coronado National Forest crews are clearing debris, mud and overhanging branches from low-water crossings in Sabino and Bear Canyons, and officials are asking visitors to avoid the area. Water rose 4 to 6 feet in some spots in Sabino Canyon within 24 hours after Sunday's storm, leaving eight people stranded. Tucson also had its wettest first 2 days of November on record. KVOAArizona Daily Star

Sun Tran

Starting Mon., Nov. 9, Sun Tran won't let passengers board when a bus operator is away from the vehicle or the doors are closed, including at bus stops and transit centers. The agency says the change is meant to improve safety and set clearer expectations for riders and employees. KGUN 9

TUSD Takeover

Arizona is hosting "TUSD Takeover," which lets nearly 2,000 students experience the UA campus and attend the Wildcats' game against TCU on Friday night. Brent Brennan donated tickets to volunteers and chaperones. Arizona Daily Star

Chamberlain

Chamberlain Group is adding 100,527 square feet to its 300,000-square-foot plant at East Drexel and South Country Club roads on the south side. Sun State Builders, based in Tempe, has been contracted for the work. Arizona Daily Star

Chamberlain's expansion adds a third of its current plant's size

Floor area of the Chamberlain expansion, beside places you know

The Chamberlain expansion100,527 sq. ft.
The existing Chamberlain plant300,000 sq. ft.
A football field57,600 sq. ft.end zones included
A basketball court4,700 sq. ft.NBA size

21 basketball courts would fit inside the Chamberlain expansion

Source: Arizona Daily Star

View as table
Floor area
The Chamberlain expansion100,527 sq. ft.
The existing Chamberlain plant300,000 sq. ft.
A football field57,600 sq. ft. (end zones included)
A basketball court4,700 sq. ft. (NBA size)

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Around Arizona

Data center

SpaceX announced Wednesday night that it's behind a proposed data center campus of more than 700 acres, plus a battery energy storage system, near the community of Cochise off Highway 191. It would demand about 6 gigawatts and include up to nine computing buildings. The energy load is six times larger than Project Blue's, the data center underway in Pima County. Cochise County said it didn't host the privately organized meeting. KVOAKJZZKOLD

The Cochise campus would rank third in the nation for scale

Source: KJZZ

View as table
Value
Project Matador, Texas11 GW
Stratos Project, Utah9 GW
Cochise campus6 GW

Rain and water

Heavy rains pounded Arizona and the Four Corners in recent weeks, but they were a drop in the bucket for the region's water supply crisis. Nolie Templeton, who monitors Colorado River reservoirs for the Central Arizona Project, said, "Very happy to have more water in the system." In Tucson, a UA hydrology professor said the rain could renew shallow groundwater near the mountain front, but refilling the aquifer in central Tucson would take decades to hundreds of years. KJZZKOLD

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The Wrap

Southern Arizona has a new kills king. Ironwood Ridge senior Ashlyn Quiri, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, broke the region's career kills record with 1,593, passing the 1,514 Mia Sokolowski set at Tucson High from 2012 to 2015. That's a lot of swings. Nighthawks, take a bow.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Pima County voters narrowly back a spending increase; Arizona lands at No. 22

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Every source in this edition17 links · 9 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. KGUN 9kgun9.com
  3. AZ Luminariaazluminaria.org
  4. KVOAkvoa.com
  5. Tucson Spotlighttucsonspotlight.org
  6. Arizona Daily Starthisistucson.com
  7. KVOAkvoa.com
  8. Arizona Daily Startucson.com
  9. KGUN 9kgun9.com
  10. Arizona Daily Startucson.com
  11. Arizona Daily Starthisistucson.com
  12. KVOAkvoa.com
  13. KJZZkjzz.org
  14. KOLDkold.com
  15. KJZZkjzz.org
  16. KOLDkold.com
  17. Tucson events calendartucsontodaynews.com

Past issues

  1. Wed., Nov. 4Pima County voters narrowly back a spending increase; Arizona lands at No. 22
  2. Tues., Nov. 3TEP wants a 9.8% rate hike, and polls close at 7 p.m.
  3. Mon., Nov. 2Flooding led to 16 river rescues in Pima County; drier days ahead
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Tucson Todayto me · Thurs., Nov. 56:00 a.m.

TUSD recommends closing Steele Elementary, its eighth school closure proposal

Plus, SpaceX says it's behind a proposed data center campus in Cochise County.

The TLDR

  1. TUSD recommends closing Steele Elementary, its eighth closure
  2. Sabino Canyon cleanup is under way after the weekend flood
  3. Sun Tran's closed-door policy starts Mon., Nov. 9
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Tucson Today’s other editions

All the news
ElectionPima County voters were narrowly approving a spending increase of up to $610 million a yearPima County was winning permission from voters to spend up to $610 million more per year, the Arizona Daily Star reported at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, with voters narrowly approving the increase.Wednesday’s editionRead WildcatsArizona football lands at No. 22 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the seasonIf you bleed red and blue, your number today is 22. The Wildcats (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) debuted at No. 22, even after last week's 34-26 loss to Texas Tech, which came in at No. 15.Wednesday’s editionRead UtilitiesTucson Electric Power is asking for a 9.8% rate increase, about $13.50 more a monthIf you get a Tucson Electric Power bill, here's what's on the table. TEP's final proposal to the Arizona Corporation Commission would raise the average customer's monthly bill by about $13.50, or 9.8%. The administrative law judge on the case, Julia L. Matter, recommended a little less: about $12.93 a month, an estimated 9.4%.Tuesday’s editionRead

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