Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Arizona stories from Nov. 13-15
Nov 15, 2020, 6:00 PM
(Getty Images/ Mario Tama)
(Getty Images/ Mario Tama)
PHOENIX – Winter road closures in the high country are coming, the city of Peoria will implement a new outdoor dining feature and coronavirus cases in Arizona continue to rise.
Here are some of the biggest stories that headlined the Arizona news cycle over the weekend.
ADOT to begin closing select state routes Monday as winter draws near
State Route 473 around the White Mountains and State Route 366 near Mount Graham in southern Arizona, also known as Swift Trail, will close for the winter on Monday.
Other impending closures include State Route 67 leading to the north rim of the Grand Canyon on Dec. 1 and White Mountain State Routes 261 and 273 by Dec. 31.
ADOT closes the state routes every winter due to the significant snowfall these areas typically receive, with the closures possibly occurring earlier depending on the weather.
Peoria temporarily relaxes outdoor patio restrictions amid coronavirus
The city of Peoria will temporarily allow restaurants and bars to expand outdoor seating patios in an effort to help local establishments navigate the coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary provision gives restaurants and bars that are approved the opportunity to regain some lost indoor dining capacity by moving customers to an outdoor location, according to a press release.
“Small businesses have encountered many disruptions over the past year and it’s critical that we continue to do all that we can to support them,” Mayor Cathy Carlat said.
“This provision is about easing restrictions to help our local restaurants and bars maximize their offerings to our community. It’s just in time for cooler weather and I hope our businesses take advantage of this opportunity to expand their footprint.”
Arizona reports 2,383 new coronavirus cases, 2 more deaths
Arizona health officials on Sunday reported 2,383 new coronavirus cases and two additional deaths, bringing the state’s documented totals at 275,436 infections and 6,302 fatalities.
Sunday’s report ends a two-day stretch of more than 3,000 reported coronavirus cases. The count eclipsed that mark three times last week, the first time that many cases had been reported in a day since July 31.
Arizona’s weekly percent positivity for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, an indicator of how much the virus is spreading in the community, has reached its highest level in three months.
The weekly rate last week through 72,163 tests recorded was 10%, the highest since it was the same mark for the week starting July 26.
Reserve Phoenix police officers receive 4 new donated vehicles
Volunteers in the Phoenix Police Department’s Reserve Division will have some new wheels to patrol the streets in after receiving four new vehicles from the Phoenix Police Reserve Foundation.
Three new Chevrolet Tahoe SUV’s and one specially wrapped Chevrolet Camaro coupe were donated by the foundation’s board of directors in partnership with Courtesy Chevrolet, according to a press release.
The donation was part of the annual award ceremony Friday night at Chase Field recognizing members of the Reserve Division, which is comprised of more than 120 sworn reserve volunteer police officers independently performing the same duties as full-time career police officers.
Tempe pulls plug on Ironman, Festival of the Arts due to coronavirus
The city of Tempe said Friday it has not approved the permits for Ironman Arizona or the Tempe Festival of the Arts, both scheduled to occur within the next month, citing rising coronavirus cases in the state and region.
Tempe’s internal Special Events Task Force declined Ironman Arizona’s special event permit while the Downtown Tempe Authority and the city of Tempe canceled the arts festival before going to the task force for a permit.
The cancellation of the full Ironman comes less than a month after the half Ironman took place, however, the city stated the event was able to proceed because coronavirus numbers were not rising rapidly at the time and that safety procedures were carried out well by the organization and city.
Meanwhile, the Tempe Festival of the Arts event earlier this year was moved online to due to the pandemic.
