Gov. Hobbs Is on a Roll; Celebrate ‘Sun Day’ with Your Wise Elders September 17, 2025

Gov. Hobbs Signs Executive Order to Make Covid-19 Vaccines Available to All Arizonans

Gov. Katie Hobbs is preparing the state for the cold and flu season by signing an executive order that counters the FDA crackdown on COVID-19 vaccines, which this year limits availability to people 65 and older or those at “higher risk of severe disease.”

The EO directs the Arizona Department of Health Services and Board of Pharmacy to make vaccines, “including the recently approved COVID-19 vaccine, broadly accessible and available to Arizonans who want them.”

“Arizonans and their doctors deserve the freedom to access the vaccine if it is right for them,” said Hobbs. “With this Executive Order, we are following the science and ensuring that Arizonans have access to vaccines to keep themselves and their families safe.”

For more information, call your healthcare provider or local pharmacist. Or visit ADHS and the CDC. 

Pima County Offering COVID-19 Vaccines

Pima County Health Department  is aligning with the governor’s order and is expanding COVID-19 vaccine accessibility at all county health clinics “for most people who want one,” according to health director Dr. Theresa Cullen in a press release Sept. 12. 

Dr. Cullen also noted that COVID-19 vaccination supplies are limited but that additional vaccines “are expected to arrive soon.”

The county also will announce dates in October for clinics offering both flu and COVID-19 shots. Additional COVID-19 vaccine supplies for county clinics are expected to arrive soon, she said.

To make an appointment now, visit the list of clinic locations and hours.

Gov. Hobbs Signs Second Executive Order in a Week, This One Taking on Our Energy Future

Gov. Hobbs this morning signed an executive order to establish a state energy plan that will have an “all-hands on deck” approach within her administration to speed up the deployment of renewable energy projects “before renewable tax credits expire” and to generally address the ability of the state to determine its energy future, including the use of solar, wind, and nuclear power. It also addresses how the state will handle the data center boom.

Watch Hobbs announcement on YouTube (fast forward to 16.21). Read Executive Order 2025-13, “Removing Barriers to Delivering Affordable Energy for Arizona.”

Celebrate  ‘The Power of the Sun’ on the Last Day of Summer (According to the Calendar)

Date: Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025
Time: 3  p.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: UA Campus, Tucson 

Virtual: Talks will be livestreamed.

Tucson is “Celebrating the power of the sun!” on Sept. 21 with Third Act founder, author, and climate change warrior,  Bill McKibben; Diana Liverman, UA Regents Professor and climate scholar; and Sharon Collinge of the Arizona Institute for Resilience.

The event begins with introductions by McKibben, Liverman, and Dollinge, and continues until 5 p.m. with speakers including Adrian Keller, Solar United Neighbors, members of the Arizona Youth Climate Coalition, and Michael Catanzaro, City of Tucson Energy Manager. Local organizations will be on hand to enhance the conversation, including Sustainable Tucson, the Climate Reality Project, and Solar United Neighbors.

Sun Day is a national day of action celebrating the unstoppable rise of clean energy. Solar energy is now the cheapest form of electricity generation in history, yet barriers remain to its widespread adoption. Through thousands of local events like this one, Sun Day aims to demonstrate the overwhelming public support for renewable energy and build momentum for policy changes needed to address climate change.

Understanding What Science Is Up Against in the Second Trump Administration

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists is hosting a live online event Sept. 25 that will examine President Trump’s policies on science and research. The first part of the discussion will be broadcast on YouTube for the public. It will be followed by a private Zoom meeting with the speakers. This is a unique opportunity to both watch the event and to stay on for an off-the-record chat with our guests and the expert network of the Bulletin. 

Following the swift reductions in staffing and contracts under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an already tumultuous 2025 for science is now setting the stage for an even more difficult 2026, say organizers. 

Agencies such as the NIH, NOAA and NASA are already feeling the attention directly, especially in areas of cancer and vaccine research, forecasting major tropical and inland storms, and overall US competitiveness against rising countries. 

How will possible cuts directly affect scientists, and what solutions may exist? Will the system starve if the cuts continue? 

Speakers for the live event and private discussion are: 

Alexandra Bell, President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 

Gretchen Goldman, President of the Union of Concerned Scientists

John Holdren, Professor Emeritus at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government 

Agenda

Public Event Begins — 10:30 a.m. CDT (8:30 Arizona)

Public Event Concludes — 11:15 a.m. CDT (9:15 Arizona)

Private Q&A and Discussion — 11:15 a.m. CDT (9:15 Arizona)

Adjournment — 11:45 a.m. CDT (9:45 Arizona)