November 2020 – Pima Post

25Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

News

Arizona COVID update: Thanksgiving edition

By Troy Hutchison Arizona was one of the hot spots for COVID-19 around the country during June and July, with the highest cases-per-day coming on July 1, with a total of 4,877 cases across the state. After the spike, Arizona saw numbers decrease through mid-October, causing the state to reopen with some limitations still in place. Now, as we’re near the end of November, case numbers are starting to rise again, with 4,471 new cases on Nov. 20. The rise has brought concern to local leaders all across the state of Arizona and leaves people to wonder if students will be coming back to college campuses such as the University of Arizona (UA). When you walk around campus at UA, you’ll find many different opinions about the situation and how it might affect the school moving forward for the 202...

24Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Making sense of the Suns draft

Photo by Alexander Jonesi By Kyler Van Vliet The 2020 NBA draft has come and gone. Besides the league consensus top three picks in Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, there were no other standout draftees, thus leaving teams uneasy in who to draft. Many drafted simply based off of player interviews, such as the Chicago Bulls picking college benchman Patrick Williams at pick 4. The Phoenix Suns were one of many teams that left fans confused based off their first round draft pick, drafting big man Jalen Smith from Maryland. Smith, 20, played two seasons for the Terrapins, averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. I too was confused by the pick as I was certain they would draft a guard like Kira Lewis who would have been a great scorer off the bench and cou...

Before the sun sets on his career, Chris Paul will try to elevate Phoenix

21Nov

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News, Sports

Before the sun sets on his career, Chris Paul will try to elevate Phoenix

Photo by Tim Shelby By: Kyler Van Vliet With the NBA off-season shortened up to fit the altered 2021 season timeline, the trade moratorium was lifted this Monday on November 16. Many teams were quick to jump all in and start flipping assets in order to elevate their teams, and the Phoenix Suns were not late to the ball. The Suns traded for the Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. The trade consisted of the Suns sending Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre Jr., two other young players and a future first-round pick to the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder. After reestablishing himself as one of the best point guards in the league this past season it was no surprise that his former team, the Thunder, were going to capitalize on other team’s desire to acquire Paul via trade. Before the moratorium wa...

Climate change education remains difficult for Arizona science teachers

20Nov

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News

Climate change education remains difficult for Arizona science teachers

Photo by Dulcey Lima Posted with permission from Inside Tucson Business. Original Story can be found here. By Joe Giddens The quality of climate change education in Arizona’s classrooms received a middling grade from the National Center for Science Education’s new review of the nation’s science standards. While the state’s science curriculum was updated in 2018, Arizona bears scars of the politicization of science. “While it is disappointing to be given a ‘C’ grade … the Arizona Department of Education continues to prioritize climate change education within our science standards,” said ADE spokeswoman Morgan Dick. Science standards are what students should know by the end of the school year, however, Arizona leaves specific curriculum to the school districts. The report tied Arizona with M...

Pima to hold ‘Faces of First Year’ event featuring the Immigrant and Student Resources Center

17Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

News

Pima to hold ‘Faces of First Year’ event featuring the Immigrant and Student Resources Center

By Dalton Grijalva The First Year Experience program, along with Student Life will be hosting a live event through Pima Student Engagement YouTube channel on November 20th at 1:30 p.m.. The event, called Faces of First Year, will feature The Immigrant and Student Resources Center (IRSRC). The event will introduce students to staff, student leaders, and resources which will be very valuable to first year students. The mission of the IRSRC is to help students bridge the information gap so that immigrant and refugee students can succeed while at Pima. Established in 2019, the center is relatively new. The goal is to help refugee and immigrant students finish their education no matter their immigration status. Some of the resources the IRSRC will distribute are information, development as...

15Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Opinion

Column: Mandate on toxic politics

By Kevin Hartung Taking the White House is a victory, holding the Senate and adding to the House number is also a win. Neither side generated a landslide victory indicating that a state of contention continues to exist in our country. We the people have found our voice. What played out in this election was ridding the government of venomous politicians and divisive actions. Voters are done with the antagonistic poison that exists in Washington, D.C. Clearly, the win was not a mandate for repealing legislation, but a directive to replace the antagonistic, revengeful discord among our elected officials. This may have been the highest turnout for an election since 1900, but it was not the repudiation hoped for or predicted. Past landslide elections have signaled shifts that carried America ...

Q&A with Los Angeles Charges wide receiver and Pima alum Jeff Cotton

15Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features, Sports

Q&A with Los Angeles Charges wide receiver and Pima alum Jeff Cotton

Photo by Andy Morales (All Sports Tucson) By Troy Hutchison Millions of kids grow up dreaming of playing in the NFL and becoming stars like their favorite players that they see on television. However, chances of achieving this are slim, as according to the NCAA, only 3.8 percent of college football players make it to the next level. Former Mountain View and Pima Community College (PCC) player Jeff Cotton is closer to making that dream a reality as a practice squad player for the Los Angeles Chargers. While at PCC he was coached by current Athletic Director (AD) Jim Monaco from 2015 to 2017 before the football program got shut down in 2018. Cotton then moved on to Idaho for his final two years of college football, where he established himself as a top target racking in 1,141 yards on 137 ...

Column: Blending opposing forces in humanity

13Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Opinion

Column: Blending opposing forces in humanity

By Kevin Hartung Although not the only one, John F. Kennedy once said, “We recognize that what unites us is greater than what divides us…” This was true of both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Both held individual visions for the United States and the nation needed both men. Theirs was not a close friendship but was a viable working relationship. We must stay motivated by our collective loyalties to begin the task of cohesive unification of opposing forces. An exceptional article on April 21, 2020, in the Saturday Evening Post by Nicholas Christakis on our connections is summarized in the following observation. There is evidence that we all carry in the genes of our brains a blueprint, a history of evolution, that shaped us as social beings. As social animals, we are equipped w...

13Nov

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Arts & Entertainment, News

Sculpture on campus 2020

By Noor Haghighi Since 2004, Pima Community College has given local artists the opportunity to enrich the PCC environment with their contemporary outdoor sculptures. This year, the opening ceremony was taken to the virtual world with a live stream via YouTube on Friday, October 30. PCC Dean of the Arts, Steven Higginbothom, opened with the prominent message that, “particularly at this time, when we are all cooped up in our homes and maintaining our social distance … the purpose and value of art is so apparent.” Lee Lambert, PCC’s chancellor, and Chair of Pima’s Board of Governors, Damian Klinko, followed, asserting their appreciation for art, especially at this time. To close the introduction, Mike Stack, part of PCC’s art faculty, offered his excitement for the program and added that...

12Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Devin Booker wants out of Phoenix?

Photo by Keith Allison By Kyler Van Vliet With the NBA finals coming to a close in October and the 2021 NBA season aiming at a late December start, it leaves fans with a fairly short offseason window to fantasize about unrealistic trade inquisitions and drool over the latest rumors surrounding the league. The latest rumor involvesDevin Booker, shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns.. On November 3rd, Ryen Russillo appeared on the Bill Simmons Podcast and stated that Booker wanted out of Phoenix. “The worst-kept secret in the league is Booker already wants out of there,” said Russillo. But does he really? Booker just came off of his best season with the Suns after ending the season with a record of 34-39 and going 8-0 in the NBA bubble, almost securing them a playoff berth. The Suns thems...