It’s official- you can now call or text 911. Pima county has now given residents the ability to text 911 if they are in an emergency, as opposed to before when it was only an option to call in. Pima County says this option has been added for people with disabilities, those in situations where you must stay quiet, and those whose speech may be impaired due to injury. If you are in an emergency and need to text 911, follow these three steps:

1. Open a new text message on your mobile device
2. Input 911 as the recipient
3. Begin your text conversation with the location of the emergency and “send”

Lately, the skies have been hazy, causing orange suns and moons to be seen at sunrise and sunset. This isn’t caused by clouds, but rather smoke being blown in from the wildfires raging across the West Coast of the United States. According to the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, the smoke is so high up, the air quality is still considered good; however, if winds pick up and you begin to smell smoke it will be considered best to refrain from outdoor activity.

Tucson has joined 1,700 other cities in declaring a climate emergency. This happens in hopes of cutting down Tucson’s impact on the climate, and in a year to a year and-a-half, a specific plan will be completed. Some proposals include converting city vehicles to clean energy, planting more trees to reduce carbon in the air, and using building patterns that make it easier for citizens to use mass public transit. “And so I would invite people to take a look at their electric bills. And many people complain of the $450 bill that they received in August the hottest month on record in the city of Tucson,” is Tucson Mayor Regina Romero’s appeal to the people of Tucson, as record heats are being created by climate change.

The dinosaur located in front of the McDonalds on Tanque Verde road has become a Tucson staple and has been around since 1994. Despite its lasting legacy, it has recently received backlash from a group known as Christians Against Dinosaurs. Josh Brown, a (now former) member, targeted the statue on the group’s Facebook page, requesting members to call in and ask for its removal. Brown was asked by the Arizona Daily Star if the whole thing was a joke, he responded that he believes there is no humor in, “lying to our children.” Despite these efforts, it appears they will all be in vain. “Absolutely not, people really seem to like it. It’s a landmark really,” was Lizzeth Alvarez’s response to being asked whether or not the statue will be removed; she is the area supervisor for the owner of the Tanque Verde McDonalds.