Guests - Betsy Smith, Chris King, Joanie Hammond

Guests - Betsy Smith, Chris King, Joanie Hammond

Kathleen Winn opens with observations on Tucson's rising heat and its potential link to increased local crime. Despite national trends showing murder rates down 44% from the 2021 peak, Pima County experiences persistent violence. Three shootings occurred in three days, involving juveniles in some cases. Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association, addresses the disconnect between national and local statistics.

Chris King, running for state senate in LD17, discusses his background as a retired Air Force veteran, former instructor at Fort Huachuca, and current substitute teacher and school board member in Vail.

Joni Hammond, CEO of Hands of Hope for six years, discusses the center's 45th anniversary and services. "We have actually this is our 45th year of being Hands of Hope, which is a crisis pregnancy center." The center provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI testing, treatment, perinatal hospice, and counseling.