PIMA COUNTY (Nov. 20, 2025) – The Pima County Board of Supervisors, on Nov. 18, unanimously approved creating a medically supported space for individuals experiencing substance use disorder with opioid settlement funds.

The $1.8 million contract, which uses opioid lawsuit settlement funds, was awarded to Community Bridges to establish the Sobering Alternative to Recovery (SAFR) Center at 250 S. Toole Ave. The center is set to begin limited operations in December. Full referrals from EMS, law enforcement, hospitals, and walk-ins will begin being accepted in the third month, tentatively January/February 2026.

Community Bridges will partner with CODAC Health, Recovery in Wellness, and the University of Arizona School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness for the project.

The SAFR Center is one of numerous programs and efforts by the County to address the challenges of substance use and addiction in the County. It also aligns with the Board’s approval at the Nov. 18 meeting of the One Pima Initiative, which seeks to strengthen public safety, expand treatment and recovery services, support housing stability, protect public health, and improve the condition of the Chuck Huckelberry Loop and County-managed public spaces. Piloting the SAFR Center and strengthening diversion programs that move people into treatment rather than jail are key priorities of the One Pima Initiative.

“The opioid epidemic has had alarming ripple effects nationwide and in our own community,” said Board Chair Rex Scott. “The SAFR Center will enable us to ensure individuals in crisis are stabilized and connected to treatment and recovery resources while prioritizing public safety.”

The Pima County Health Department will maintain oversight of the operation, tracking metrics such as total number of referrals, client demographics, time of arrival, housing, employment, food security, and insurance status; number of referrals made (such as to housing, treatment, etc.); use of opioids; and length of stay. The SAFR Center will also assess client outcomes at 30, 60, and 90 days post-intake and will solicit feedback from first responders, partners, and staff.

Establishing the center also supports the County’s Prosperity Initiative, a regional partnership working to reduce generational poverty so that every child can reach adulthood with the skills, tools, and resources needed to achieve economic stability.

The funds are part of the One Arizona Agreement, which is distributing $1.215 billion in opioid settlement funds over 18 years to the state, counties, cities, and towns affected by the opioid epidemic. The Pima County Health Department is the lead agency for managing county funds and coordinating payments to municipalities. The Pima County region, including its jurisdictional partners, is due to receive $126.8 million per the One Arizona settlement.

The Health Department has taken a multifaceted approach to addressing substance use in the region. Dr. Theresa Cullen, director of the Pima County Health Department, wrote in a Nov. 14 memo that the approach “underscores the department’s commitment to advancing health equity, reducing preventable deaths, and strengthening the community’s capacity for resilience and recovery. Our Health Department has been recognized nationally for best practices in these areas.”

The initial contract term runs through June 30, 2026, with options for two one-year renewals.

Landmark 1,003-room convention center hotel trades hands, marking one of the largest hotel sales in Arizona’s history

PHOENIX, (Nov. 19, 2025) –  JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality group announced today the sale of the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, a premier 1,003-room convention center hotel in the heart of Arizona’s capital city, marking one of the largest hotel sales in Arizona’s history.

JLL represented the seller in the transaction.

The 33-story Sheraton Phoenix Downtown stands as the city’s largest hotel, featuring 112,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, including the 27,200-square-foot Phoenix Ballroom, the largest in the downtown market, and the 14,000-square-foot Valley of the Sun Ballroom. The property offers 26 total meeting rooms, with the largest space accommodating up to 2,510 guests and 20 breakout rooms available for concurrent sessions.

Built in 2008 and enhanced through a comprehensive $45 million renovation completed in 2020, the hotel showcases modern amenities and sophisticated design throughout its 806,481-square-foot tower. All guestrooms, located on floors five through 33, feature stunning views of downtown Phoenix and the surrounding mountain ranges. The property includes eight different room types, from traditional king and double rooms to its impressive 1,625-square-foot Governor’s Suites.

The hotel’s food and beverage program features three distinctive concepts: Carcara, the signature restaurant, which was recently renovated, offering Arizona-inspired cuisine with Sonoran influences; &More by Sheraton, a versatile venue serving as a coffee shop, grab-and-go market, and evening bar; and Breeze Bar & Grill, located on the fourth-floor poolside terrace and offering panoramic downtown views. Additional amenities include a state-of-the-art 4,300-square-foot fitness center, outdoor pool, Sheraton Club Lounge, and comprehensive business services.

Strategically positioned just two blocks from the Phoenix Convention Center, the hotel benefits from its proximity to major demand generators, including the Footprint Center, Chase Field, and Phoenix Symphony Hall. The property borders Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus and the expanding Phoenix Bioscience Core, while serving as the preferred headquarters hotel for the Phoenix Convention Center.

Senior Director Matt Riley led the JLL Hotels & Hospitality team.

“The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown represents the rare combination of institutional quality, strategic location and significant scale that attracts best-in-class capital,” said Riley. “Phoenix has established itself as one of the most dynamic lodging markets in the United States, with downtown benefiting from diverse demand drivers including expanding convention business, corporate relocations and the growing influence of Arizona State University’s downtown campus. This transaction validates the strength of the market fundamentals and the appeal of irreplaceable urban assets.”

Tucson, AZ (November 19, 2025) — Ballet Tucson, in partnership with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, will present the timeless beauty of an age-old story, The Nutcracker, opening on December 19 at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall.  Written in 1892 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, as an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s 1844 short story, the two-act classical ballet is set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas Tree in a child’s imagination, featuring a Nutcracker doll.  The Nutcracker itself is the retelling of E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.  Many ballet companies have since performed the Nutcracker worldwide, and it is a true joy of the season for many.

This season marks the fourth year of Ballet Tucson’s partnership with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, a collaboration that celebrates the strength and spirit of the local arts community. Together, Tucson’s professional ballet company and symphony orchestra unite in a treasured tradition – to bring Tchaikovsky’s iconic score to life.

Each year, Ballet Tucson welcomes talented young dancers from The School of Ballet Tucson and across Southern Arizona to share the stage with their professional company dancers, a thrilling opportunity for these emerging artists.

“For so many, the beloved ballet The Nutcracker, marks the beginning of a lifelong love of dance. As a child, I was filled with awe watching the beautiful dancers around me. I am proud to share that I performed in this very production growing up here in Tucson and I now have the pleasure of watching the children of my childhood friends perform this beautiful ballet. The Nutcracker was the first step in realizing my dream of becoming a professional ballerina and I now get to support the dreams of the next generation. Whether dancing onstage or watching from the audience, this ballet’s magic has inspired me for over three decades”, said Margaret Mullin, Ballet Tucson’s Artistic Director “

The Nutcracker – Photo Credit Carlos Chavez

The Nutcracker will be performed at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall on Friday, Dec 19, 7pm, Saturday, Dec 20, 1pm and 6pm and Sunday, Dec 21, 1pm and 6pm.  For tickets and additional information, visit www.ballettucson.org.  (Limited availability prime seating, VIP Experience, a post-performance meet and greet with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier with photo opportunity, and a signed photo or pointe shoe from the Sugar Plum Fairy.)