Susie Trabant places a flower to a growing display of yellow roses in front of Nancy Guthrie’s home, as her husband, Galen, stands in the background in Tucson, Ariz. on February 11, 2026. The Catalina Foothills Neighborhood Association sent an email to members and encouraged them to send or place yellow roses “creating a visible show of solidarity on the street and a traditional sign of hope for her safe return,” stated the email. Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie disappeared on February 1.
Love your neighbor
We were attracted to Catalina Foothills for its beauty -the views of the Catalina Mountains, the native plants, birds and wildlife, the integration with the Sonoran Desert. Apparently many neighbors fell in love with this area as well for similar reasons, including the Guthrie family. We are so happy to call this our home. We are not far from the home of Nancy Guthrie. Though we do not know her, she is our neighbor — as is her family, who is clearly in unimaginable pain. You all are our neighbors. Love the Guthries, and love your neighbors.
Roy Van Duivenbode
Foothills
Trump goes to confession
Finally, finally, Trump admits to the real reason he so rabidly pursues a reversal of the 2020 election — his ego can’t stand to lose! Since Barack Obama had won back-to-back elections, Trump couldn’t accept being one-upped, especially by a black Democrat. So at the National Prayer Breakfast, he confesses "I had to win it. I had to win it. I would have had a bad ego for the rest of my life.”
So he spent millions of taxpayer dollars trying to prove “they rigged the second election,” and he continues doing that in Georgia.
Well, Donald, “actions speak louder than words.” If you really believed you had won 2020, you would have barricaded yourself in the White House, under Secret Service protection, as the “true President of the United States.” No, instead, you left voluntarily, in your little helicopter, tail between your legs.
Trump continues to spend millions of our dollars on a quixotic mission. Impeachment, and conviction, now.
James Torrey
West side
WISeR is not so wise
CMS has implemented WISeR, which privatizes Traditional Medicare and generates profits for Health Insurers by allowing AI denial of claims for seniors on Traditional Medicare. Right now WISeR includes a limited list of services requiring prior auth. But the plan is to lengthen that list, so its impact on Seniors' healthcare will increase.
CMS claims WISeR will control costs, but the success of all other industrialized countries in controlling costs, shows that the most effective way is not limiting utilization, but to eliminate profit, streamline administration (both of which traditional Medicare already does) and to set strict price controls, which is simple and would eliminate any need for a "prior auth list."
WISeR is a threat to traditional Medicare. Other CMMI models have not reduced Medicare spending, and there's no reason to think WISeR will be any different. Urge passage of HR 5940, HR 6361, and S 3480.
Lee Stanfield
East side
Keep enforcement issues out of our hospitals
As a physician in Tucson, I read with interest the article from February 12 about another bill this year that our state legislators are spending time on, trying to make hospitals and clinics responsible for collecting data on a patient's status in this country. This requirement would simply cause marginalized people to have even more fear of seeking treatment. It would also cause anxiety among already stressed healthcare providers as we worry about our patients' wellbeing. When I testified at the HHS committee meeting on this SB1051 in late January, Senator Shamp opined during her vote of support for this bill that doctors offend her when they don't want data. I assure her and everyone that doctors love data — any data that helps us care better for our patients, data that is based on science, truthful and actionable. SB1051 does nothing to further patient care.
Sarah Lee-Davisson
Oro Valley
America rises up
Numerous US athletes at the Winter Olympics and at the Super Bowl speak up against the horrible deeds by the Trump government to cleanse this nation from all non-white people; actors, singers, artists, and filmmakers speak up and protest (Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen); students protest in droves; masses of people all over the US demonstrate against ICE and other evil branches of the current regime; the Democratic state governors refuse in unison to work with Trump and his private army; the few remaining free journalists work overtime to expose lies, deceptions, coverups (Epstein files), and outright crimes; many courts rule harshly against fascist attempts by the government to take over the country; the US farmers finally realize that they are all screwed by the Trump tariffs; the US industry faces extremely tough times because of enormous cost increases and the withdrawal of foreign investors. Only the billionaires and scores of hypnotized fanatics support what is going on right now. The American people have had it. We demand our country back.
Albrecht Classen
Midtown
Just more potholes
When it comes to RTA, it is time to start making difficult decisions. To continue paving over the desert to accommodate sprawl because that’s what we’ve always done is the definition of insanity. What the future Tucson becomes will be a very gradual process, but we need to start setting goals now. Please vote “No” on RTA Next.
Linda Dobbyn
Midtown
Nancy Guthrie
The recent kidnapping of Tucson resident Nancy Guthrie has incensed people both local and national. No doubt it is a dastardly deed and the perpetrators should be caught and summarily punished. We all empathize with her friends and family and understand that this is a horrendous situation to undergo. Something that troubles me, though. I understand that hundreds of investigators (local and FBI) are cooperating in the investigation. The FBI director was allegedly in town to look at the situation. Information about the matter is headlined local news and constantly on CNN. Knowing that hundreds of people are kidnapped in the country every year why the oversaturation? I suspect if you or I were kidnapped a couple of detectives plus several uniformed would be looking at the matter. Is the reason for the attention to the case because her daughter is a national TV figure? If so, how many other cases are going without so that agents can focus on this matter only?
Philip Reinecker
East side
Props 418 and 419
Honorable Mayor Romero, I am writing today about Props 418 and 419. Voters are pushing for which areas of the city should be repaired. First, consider Silverbell Road between Speedway Road and St. Mary's Road. It is one of the main feeders to take the sick and wounded to St. Mary's Hospital for care. Ambulances use this road a lot to obtain the rapid care patients need. Take a moment and drive this small stretch of road. It would be a cheap fix compared to what several writers are asking for. The second piece of road is west of the city and was annexed by the city to build a well for the city. At the corner of Sandario Road and Snyder Hill Road drive west just one mile. You will want to fix the road. I am willing to vote for the 1/4 cent if you fix a couple of small sections of road. Starting with Silverbell.
Michelle Lynn
West side
RTA and pothole 'repair' promises
Apparently RTA funds are also allocated for pothole repairs. To just how great this works for the citizens of Tucson, look no further than the northbound stretch of Pantano Parkway between Golf Links and 22nd. This and the lack of concern for pothole remediation, the time required to "repair" them (months if not years) are why I cannot support the RTA 1/2 cent sales tax. Try increasing the fuel tax in Pima County instead and get off your bums and start taking care of the infrastructure! Note to local media: Thanks for dropping the ball on this continuing problem and holding absolutely no one accountable.
Bradley Grey
Northeast side
As if...
The current Republican Administration has, with a stroke of the delete key, erased any scientific notion of climate change. Who knew it could be so easily resolved. Impressive.
I look forward to the near future when they can just as easily end all illness, poverty, and crime, fix failing infrastructure, and erase all other discomforts and natural disasters that so often clog our human experience. Such power. Such reach. They probably have great explanations as to why they haven’t done so sooner. Maybe they don’t want to burden us with all the redacted details.
As a reminder of their complete and utter control of, well, everything, we can look forward to viewing all the grand monuments the Republicans are planning to honor the great savior they carry on their shoulders.
Bruce Kaplan
Northwest side
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