The San Rafael Valley, the low-lying grasslands between the Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains, is the birthplace of the Santa Cruz River, which tracks a scenic dirt road running south through the center of the valley, on the river鈥檚 way to Mexico. Though dry at the surface, the Santa Cruz River is easily spotted from a distance by the line of tall cottonwood trees running along it, with deep roots that reach to the aquifer below.
Save the San Rafael Valley
In January 1994, I participated in my first Audubon Christmas Bird Count in the San Rafael Valley grasslands. With an old, heavy pair of binoculars, I hiked along with an expert birder into a new and exciting experience, including learning about birds but also seeing, for the first time, the stunning place that is the San Rafael Valley. Many Christmas bird counts later, I still cherish my memories of that blustery day.
Opening this morning鈥檚 paper to the photos of the still-beautiful valley, along with the report of the plans to build a 30鈥 border wall, stunned me. The desecration of this valley is wrong on so many levels.
I鈥檓 80 now and still participate in less active birding outings. But I hope the San Rafael Valley will still be wild and beautiful for future birding and nature enthusiasts and the wildlife it shelters.
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Diana Fuller Holmes
Oro Valley
Who is Ciscomani working for?
The budget bill in Congress will devastate the lives of many Americans, and will have harsh effects on the 蜜柚直播 economy. If Juan Ciscomani is your representative in Congress, you must tell him not to rubber-stamp this bill.
The biggest winners are the wealthiest 1% of Americans (including Trump himself), who get more than $2 trillion in tax breaks. For the rest of us, Trump鈥檚 plan raises the national debt $5 trillion, cuts Medicaid by more than $1T, eliminates health coverage for millions of people, slashes education and environmental protection. The 蜜柚直播 economy will be devastated by cuts to science and education funding to the University of 蜜柚直播. As a scientist, I can see the US already losing ground to other countries as Trump devastates research programs.
Rep. Ciscomani, we need to remind you that you work for us, not Donald Trump. Very few people in your district will benefit from this disastrous bill. Throw away your Trump rubber stamp and show some spine.
Don Falk
Midtown
District 7 candidates
In his recent endorsement of Adelita Grijalva, Dr. Heinz lauds her work on the School Board and the County Board of Supervisors. He follows the typical progressive script of detailing her support for the poor and disadvantaged.
I listened to the two debates. The three Republicans all praised Donald Trump, which pretty much disqualifies them from representing District 7 since the district voted overwhelmingly for Kamala Harris. Ms. Grijalva went on and on about what she wants to do for the poor and disadvantaged. Nothing about what she鈥檇 do for the rest of us.
Daniel Hernandez was the only Democrat who seemed to understand that he鈥檇 be working in a Republican-controlled body. In all her vast experience, Ms. Grijalva has always been in the majority. Mr. Hernandez has experience being in the minority. I鈥檒l be voting for Mr. Hernandez.
Steven Brown
Midtown
Bill decimates clean-energy economy
Flying under the radar in Trump鈥檚 Big Beautiful Bill is the decimation of our clean energy economy and progress on climate change. To pay off big oil for donating to the President鈥檚 election, this bill decimates our clean energy economy, environmental regulations, and will take America back to the fossil fuel energy policies of the 1950s, policies that destroyed our natural resources and vital ecosystems.
Clean energy is starting to generate more electricity than fossil fuels. More Americans now work in our clean energy economy than in the fossil fuel economy. Under Biden, the U.S created 400,000 clean energy jobs. Consumer and environmental protections suffer significantly in Trump鈥檚 bill. The already eliminated Energy Star program generated $40 billion in consumer energy savings.
This Big Bad Bill will destroy our booming clean energy economy and the jobs it produces. And China will continue to lead the world in clean energy development, while Trump will take the USA back to the stone age of fossil fuel energy production.
Kathy Krucker
Midtown
Critical thinking
As a critical thinker with common sense, I attempt to confirm information before speaking. Regarding illegal immigration in the last four years, one should query the internet thoroughly regarding that issue. The Biden Administration consciously allowed this flood to happen, and now it is imperative to clean up the mess. The Obama Administration deported 3.1 million illegals. Consider the following. 鈥淚CE principally removes aliens from the United States after they have received a final order of removal. The Trump administration has arrested over 150,000 illegal aliens in 2025. CE has focused on arresting criminal illegal aliens, with 75% of their arrests being individuals with convictions or pending charges.鈥 Forgive me if I am biased, but removing these criminal illegals is a good thing, particularly for the communities they live in. I am unable to find information regarding the cost of this invasion to we, the taxpayers, but assume it is massive. Amazingly, the invasion has been halted. Interesting when 鈥渄on鈥檛鈥 actually means something.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Medicare fraud bust
This past year, I was one of the 1 million Americans whose personal information was compromised and used to fraudulently bill Medicare for medical products I did not need, use or receive. I reported the fraud to Medicare and was quickly and efficiently assisted by a Medicare phone representative. This week, you probably read about 鈥淥peration Gold Rush,鈥 the $10 billion Medicare fraud bust that is the largest in U.S. history. I think it鈥檚 worth noting that the criminal arrests of the fraudsters is the result of a 2-year investigation by 鈥渢eams at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the HHS inspector general鈥檚 office.鈥 These teams are staffed by federal civil servants with experience, knowledge and expertise 鈥 the same people Trump and MAGA think of as 鈥渄eep state鈥 and that DOGE is firing and laying off.
Thea Chalow
Oro Valley
Venting?
Here we are with more demented sophistry from the Roberts Court, and 鈥淭rump鈥檚 little john鈥 describes dissent as venting.
The Roberts gang of six decrees that Federal Courts can鈥檛 issue nationwide injunctions because they only have authority over a single jurisdiction. Really? When Iowans view the Constitution under bulletproof glass in Washington, do they see a different document from the one I see?
Consider: a federal court rules Trump鈥檚 ban on birthright citizenship is unconstitutional for Jane Doe in 蜜柚直播, so ICE agents haul her into a Texas court and try their luck again.
I know analogies don鈥檛 replace logic in an argument, but roberts鈥檚 鈥渞easoning鈥 is EXACTLY like telling a man he has cancer in California, but if that man doesn鈥檛 like the result he should convince a doctor in Minnesota to rule differently 鈥 the tumor goes poof.
Another nonsensical decision from this batch of robed rogues.
Jim Christ
East side
Combating antisemitism
I believe Antisemitism is a serious issue, and Americans have a crucial role to play in combating it.
We need to educate ourselves about the history and culture of Jewish people. Understanding their experiences, particularly the Holocaust, is vital.
Look into the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Financial contributions and volunteering are powerful ways to show support to organizations like the Jewish Funders Network.
If monetary contributions aren鈥檛 feasible, consider volunteering with the local Jewish community center here in 蜜柚直播. If you encounter any form of antisemitism, it鈥檚 crucial to report it. You can contact the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a leading organization in fighting
antisemitism.
Do not support public figures who exhibit antisemitic behavior or patterns. Understand where your political candidates stand on issues related to antisemitism. Using your vote is a critical way to advocate for leaders who will actively combat hate.
The upcoming midterm elections are a pivotal moment, and antisemitism is an important issue. But most of all, let your Jewish friends and neighbors know how you feel.
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
Thomas Paine in A.I.?
Perhaps the sentiments contained in these sentences are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor. A long habit of not thinking a thing (or a favorite person) wrong gives it (or him) a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of the custom or action. But that tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason. The thought of a kingly president may not be fixed in the minds of many citizens. People often defend changes that affect others more than themselves simply because of that reasoning. But change for some inevitably leads to change for all. When power is abused, it prompts people to question its legitimacy. As the President, Congress, and Supreme Court have set us all on courses that effectively reduce our choices and curtail our rights, and the people are oppressed by these executive orders, votes, and decisions, they have the right (and responsibility) to examine and reject these usurpations of human and constitutional rights.
Wes Ward
Oro Valley
The innovative economy
The U.S. economy has left the rest of the world in the dust. No matter what Trump and his minions say, we are not now or in the future an industrial economy. We are an 鈥淚nnovative Economy.鈥欌 The rest of the world assembles what we invent. Case in point, Apple鈥檚 iPhone is designed and its software developed out of California, while Chinese labor, according to MIT, adds less than 10% to the total value.
How did we become the economy the rest of the world envies? Simply put, our universities, capital markets, but most of all our openness to global talent. Over 50% of U.S. startups valued at over 1 billion were founded or co-founded by immigrants. Americans have won over 400 Nobel Prizes, 35% of them are immigrants, and their percentage is even higher in physics and chemistry.
It is painful to see this dominance in innovation being systematically reduced for the most baseless and abhorrent reasons. We can do better!
Lawrence Mazin
SaddleBrooke
