Arizona
Scout’s Honor: Otis H. Chidester Scout Museum of Southern Arizona hosts open house
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — This weekend, the Otis H. Chidester Scout Museum of Southern Arizona opened its doors to the public for a special open house event, giving visitors a chance to explore an important piece of the region’s history.
Located in midtown Tucson, the museum houses the largest collection of scouting memorabilia in Arizona, serving as a living tribute to both the Boy Scouts and the history of Southern Arizona.
This memorabilia includes photographs, fliers, vintage scout uniforms and artwork by famous scouts such as artist Norman Rockwell and behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner.
Dr. James Klein, the museum’s president, took on the role of running the museum as a personal favor to its founder, Otis Chidester, a revered community leader and scoutmaster.
“He called me and said, well, would I help him with his museum,” Klein said. “And I said, well, you couldn’t say no to a man who you’ve known since a kid and respected.”
Chidester began collecting scouting items years before the museum was even an idea, starting as a project for his scout group. He received donations from friends, many of whom retired or moved away, trusting him to preserve their personal memorabilia.
The result of these efforts is a rich archive of scouting history, which Klein and the museum’s volunteers work to curate and share with the public.
Chidester had moved to Tucson in the 1930s from New York after being diagnosed with tuberculosis. At the time, Southern Arizona was seen as a healing environment to help treat the disease.
Chidester remained in Tucson for the remainder of his life along with his wife, living in the home that currently houses the museum.
Terri Newman, a volunteer at the museum, emphasized the role of scouting in the development of Southern Arizona.
“Scouting actually started in Southern Arizona, so it was like the forerunner for a lot of this stuff,” Newman said. “They can see how scouting was a part of the early development in Arizona.”
Beyond simply displaying historical objects, the museum aims to tell the stories behind them.
“One of the things we’re looking at is using the objects to tell a story,” Newman said. “Because anybody can go see stuff, right? But to see the stories that go with it—that’s what makes it special.”
The Otis H. Chidester Scout Museum is open most Saturday mornings for free tours, offering a chance for the community to engage with this unique aspect of local history.
The museum is located at 1937 E. Blacklidge Dr. in Tucson.
Private tours are also available by appointment, with contact information provided on the museum’s website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson’s local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
Arizona
Arizona man convicted for role in bringing cocaine to Cincinnati, other US locations for over 5 years
CINCINNATI — An Arizona man has been found guilty of supplying dozens of kilograms of cocaine to multiple U.S. locations, including Cincinnati, bi-weekly for more than five years.
Tucson resident Cesar Cervantes, 52, was convicted of participating in drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies in a jury trial after the government seized more than 160 kilograms of cocaine, three kilograms of fentanyl and $1.4 million in cash from him.
According to court documents, Cervantes would use a network to deliver drugs that originated in Mexico to multiple locations across the country, including designated couriers in Cincinnati, between at least July 2018 and August 2023. Officials said he would supply between 25 and 50 kilograms biweekly to his coconspirators.
Cervantes would then use money launderers to funnel money back to Mexico. In one instance, court documents said he had coconspirators deliver around $300,000 to two separate money launderers — one based in China and another in Colombia.
The jury found Cervantes guilty on all counts for his role in the conspiracies following a trial before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland in the Southern District of Ohio. He faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Investigators are analyzing two ransom notes sent after Nancy Guthrie vanished, as a retired FBI agent questions whether the latest message is real. A new development in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance centers on two ransom notes sent to her family after she vanished. Investigators believe the messages may have come from the same person or group, possibly from the same computer IP address. The first note demanded billions in bitcoin, while the second claimed Guthrie had died and offered an apology. Retired FBI agent John Iannarelli says he is skeptical of the second note and questions why the sender has not provided credible information about her location. The case remains active as detectives continue following any reliable leads.
CAMP VERDE, AZ (AZFamily) — An Arizona wildlife park is asking visitors to follow its rules after a visitor discarded a lit cigarette in the park, sparking a fire.
Park officials said Saturday a visitor ignored the no-smoking policy and threw a lit cigarette on the ground near the Tiger Splash Arena, causing the fire.
“If you are not willing to respect our policies, we understand that our park may not be the right destination for you,” Out of Africa Wildlife Park and Sanctuary said in a social media post.
Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District firefighters put out the fire before it could spread or threaten any animals, park officials said.
“Every policy we have in place exists for a reason, even if it may seem inconvenient to some visitors,” park officials said. “The outcome could have been devastating for the animals. We respectfully ask all visitors to follow the rules that are in place for everyone’s safety.”
Park officials said the safety of the animals, guests and staff is the highest priority.
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