Nogales Unified schools project returning to hybrid learning March 15

The Nogales Unified School District announced Friday that all schools are expected to return to in-person learning in March.

By: Maria Arey

NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Nogales Unified School District announced Friday that all schools are expected to return to in-person learning in March.

Based off Santa Cruz County data and recommendations from health officials, the district is considering and projecting a re-opening date for hybrid learning of March 15, according to a letter sent to families. Students will have the option to continue online learning or to attend the hybrid learning model, until it is completely safe for students to fully return to in-person learning.

The district says several teachers and school workers are scheduled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

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NUSD created a plan at the beginning of the school year by enforcing CDC guidelines, which includes disinfecting and cleaning, social distancing, and providing PPE.

Below are safety protocols to be followed at all times during hybrid school hours:

• Use of masks/facial covers will continue to be a requirement at all times during school hours for all stakeholders in our school community.
• Avoidance of large gatherings of any kind during school hours.
• Practicing good hygiene with additional hand washing/hand sanitizing stations provided throughout the school buildings.

The district says all schools will continue online learning until further notice, but will continue to provide updates for the re-opening of hybrid learning.

For more information about NUSD COVID-19 updates, click here.

Nogales Housing Authority director departs

The director of the Nogales Housing Authority resigned at the beginning of the year, leaving the city’s public housing agency without a director. Micah Gaudet had served in the role for less than one year.

Gaudet was appointed to the position by short-lived City Manager Eddie Johnson. He was hired at a salary of $80,000; the city’s budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20 had put the NHA director’s salary at $68,000.

Councilmembers cried foul about the hiring of Gaudet, who had worked with Johnson at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Mayor Arturo Garino complained that Gaudet wasn’t qualified for the job and his hiring showed Johnson “doing the good-old-boy thing.”

City Human Resources Director Carmen Fuentes said last week that Gaudet resigned on Jan. 3 and his position remained open.

Gaudet apparently left Nogales for a job running the town of Miami, Ariz., a small municipality in Gila County with a population of approximately 2,100. The Arizona Silver Belt, a newspaper based in Globe, Ariz., reported that Gaudet made his debut as town manager at a Jan. 11 meeting.

Is Nogales, Sonora’s population really 264,782?

Federal statistics put the population of Nogales, Sonora at 264,782 in 2020, but at least one local official doesn’t trust the number.

According to a story published Tuesday in the newspaper El Diario de Sonora, the new population count from Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) marks an increase of approximately 30,000 people from 2015 and approximately 44,500 since 2010.

But the paper quoted María de los Ángeles Rodríguez Estrella, planning director in Nogales, Sonora as saying that INEGI’s figures “don’t correspond to reality in the city.” She expressed concern that a population undercount would mean that the city will be allocated fewer resources than it needs, likening the situation faced by the mayor to that of a person with seven children who receives financial support for three.

Group events planned at Las Cienegas area

The Bureau of Land Management is advising the public that some group campsites Las Cienegas National Conservation Area near Sonoita will be unavailable during certain dates in February and March after it authorized special permits for a pair of organizations.

From Feb. 11-15 and March 11-15, the Maternity Well Group Site will be occupied by the Arizona National Shoot to Retrieve Association for their competitive field trials, the BLM said in a news release.

Also during the March 11-15 period, the Airstrip Group Site will be occupied by the American Endurance Ride Conference for competitive equestrian races.

“During the permitted events, we ask the public to plan using other camp areas to prevent possible user conflicts,” BLM Tucson Field Manager Jayme Lopez said in the announcement.

Alternate camping spots in the Las Cienegas area include Cieneguita, Oak Tree Canyon and Road Canyon.

All designated camp areas are primitive and have no water, toilet and trash service. When recreating at these sites, the public is asked to practice “leave no trace” ethics and pack out trash from the camp area.