Arizona Daily Star reporter Nicole Ludden's Top 5 stories of 2021
We are sharing Arizona Daily Star reporters' and photographers' favorite work from 2021.
Nicole Ludden covers local government issues for the Star.
(5) updates to this series since Updated
'We basically gave this guy a death sentence,' sheriff says of inmate's COVID deathFor Star subscribers: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says COVID cases are increasing at the county jail. He says the low vaccination rate among his employees, including corrections officers, is disappointing, "particularly when you're talking about people who are willing to take a bullet for you but they won't take the shot.”
For Star subscribers: The county is looking to change the way wedding fees are handled after the finance department documented a slew of violations in the handling of marriage ceremonies.
The facility, at East Valencia and South Kolb roads, would be built to sterilize medical equipment using ethylene oxide.
The Cadence apartments in downtown Tucson has been issued a notice of violation from city code inspectors after tenants' complaints of water shut-offs, compiling trash and security issues.
Tucson City Council changed the name of the Los Reales Landfill to the "Los Reales Sustainability Campus," initiating the process of achieving zero waste at the facility.
Nicole Ludden
Local government reporter
County considering suing city of Tucson over new rates that will see the average Tucson Water customer in unincorporated county limits will see monthly water bills increase from $50.28 to $56.45 per month.
County officials are attempting to reduce the jail population as about 150 unvaccinated corrections officers could be terminated by Dec. 31.
Pima County residents are now required to wear masks indoors, although there's no real enforcement behind the mandate.
Only Supervisor Steve Christy voted against giving county workers paid parental leave at 100% of their regular salaries as opposed to the 66% rate paid before.
The county's vaccine mandate for certain employees takes effect Dec. 31, and more than 200 workers have yet be vaccinated.