City News

STREETCAR LAUNCH IN JUST TWO WEEKS - The Sun Link Tucson Streetcar officially begins passenger service two weeks from today (July 25), with grand opening ceremonies and three days of free rides. While official service hasn't begun, the streetcar vehicles welcomed their first test passengers on Wednesday. The major purpose of the test was to determine how well the validators worked, with the passengers getting on and off at various stops. Validators are the machines where riders will tap their SunGO cards and passes to pay their fares. The tests also helped determine the timing of stops and the counting of passengers.

HOW TO USE A BIKE BOX - You may be noticing more green bike boxes at signalized intersections. The box allows bikes to pull in front of vehicles at a red light and wait behind the crosswalk, while motor vehicles are required to wait behind the white stop bar. This provides more safety and visibility for the bicyclists. The City of Tucson Bicycle and Pedestrian Program's latest  newsletter has a simple infographic and instructions on how bike boxes work. The newsletter also includes information about how to bring your bike onto the streetcar when it begins service July 25.

PARKS AND RECREATION FALL CATALOG AVAILABLE NOW - The Fall Program Guide and Class Catalog is now available in print form at Parks and Recreation facilities across Tucson. You can also view it online. The guide has information on leisure classes, KIDCO, pools, and sports programs. You also will find information on recreation centers, senior centers, fitness and special needs centers, Reid Park Zoo, Tucson City Golf courses, and year-round pool locations.

2nd SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN TOMORROW - The monthly, free, family-friendly event this Saturday begins with gallery shows at 9 a.m. and entertainment later in the day. At 6:30 p.m., the main stage at Scott Avenue and Congress Street features musical groups, and there are plenty of activities for children. Food from vendors and downtown eateries will be available. Tomorrow also is the first Ice Cream Showdown at the event, hosted by Maynard's Market. From 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., tasters will buy tickets for the competition, which is open to creameries throughout Arizona. Proceeds will benefit Ben's Bells. Street parking is free on Saturdays, or you can pay $3 to park in the Pennington Street Garage. View the 2nd Saturdays Downtown schedule.

DOWNLOAD APP TO REPORT GRAFFITI IN TUCSON - Graffiti Protective Coatings and the City of Tucson have a smartphone application for reporting graffiti. MyTucson is a free download on the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android. Watch a University of Arizona PSA about the app.

10 BEST THINGS TO DO IN TUCSON - The USA Today's 10best.com travel website highlights the best things to do in Tucson. As for attractions, the site lists the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Old Tucson Studios, Mission San Xavier del Bac, Mt. Lemmon Ski Resort and others. For outdoor activities, Sentinel Peak Park tops the list. When it comes to annual events, the site ranks the 4th Avenue Street Fair, Tucson International Mariachi Conference and All Souls Procession as the top three.
Read the article from 10best.com: http://bit.ly/1mjUd4I 

Our latest Ward 2 newsletter is posted.

CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES CITY MANAGER MIRANDA - City Council Members took the time last night to give a public thank you to City Manager Richard Miranda. The Council meeting was Miranda's last before his retirement on July 31. A Tucson native, Miranda has served his community for nearly forty years and lead the City through some of its toughest financial challenges. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said, "the qualities that you possess in abundance — integrity, reliability, stability — were exactly what this city needed as we rebuilt trust with our constituents." Read Arizona Daily Star's story about Miranda's retirement from the City of Tucson.

TRANSIT TALK FRIDAY - Transportation planner and educator Jarrett Walker will lead a public discussion about how good planning and an improved transit system can enhance the quality of life in Tucson. Walker is the author of the book "Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives." He also writes the blog "Human Transit." His talk will be held Friday night at Tucson Electric Power Company headquarters, 88 E. Broadway. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a reception, and the free presentation begins at 6 p.m. Ward 3 Council Member Karin Uhlich is one of the many sponsors of the event. Read the Ward 3 news release.

TUCSON WATER BEGINS RECYCLED WATER PROGRAM - Tucson Water announced that it has completed a master plan for the development of recycled water as a future drinking water source. After thirty years of success with supplying reclaimed water systems to parks, schoolyards, and some neighborhoods, Tucson Water is confident that purification technology is available to ensure safe drinking water. Although the development of recycled water will take several years, ongoing drought and climate changes have made the program a priority. "The City of Tucson leadership has always supported Tucson Water in planning far in advance to make sure we have a safe, reliable water supply for the future," said Tucson Water Director Alan Forrest. Read the Tucson Water News Release.

SUMMER MEANS POETRY DOWNTOWN - The UA Poetry Center is hosting a short series of Walt Whitman Circle Summer Social events, taking place at Hotel Congress. Each event is slated to begin about a half-hour before the speaker takes the podium to allow attendees time to partake in snacks and conversation. The next event, Poetry in Partnership, is scheduled for July 23 and will focus on ways poetry will play an ongoing role with the Sun Link Streetcar (which begins passenger service two days later). The final event will take place on August 13, discussing the relationship between poetry and the financial markets. Read more from Downtown Tucsonan.

TRACK THE REMNANTS OF ICONIC MINIATURE GOLF BUSINESS - Magic Carpet Golf on East Speedway closed in 2008, but memories live on for those who grew up in Tucson. Even though the business is gone, much of it remains around Tucson. The big statues/obstacles have new homes around the city, and the neon sign now rests with others on West Drachman Street, near Pima Community College. There's even an interactive Google map to track the locations of where everything went. In 2011, the City of Tucson's Historic Landmark Signs Preservation Program was created to encourage voluntary preservation of historically-significant older signs, which often are larger than current sign code allows. Once designated as historic, the signs can be repaired, restored, adaptively-reused, and even relocated.

TRAFFIC ALERT

SIXTH AVENUE UNDERPASS CLOSURE

On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 through Thursday, July 10, 2014 the Sixth Avenue Underpass downtown will be closed daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to allow crews from Graffiti Protective Coatings (GPC) to repaint the underpass. 

Electronic message boards are in place to notify the traveling public of this closure.  Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians will be prohibited from using the underpass during the work hours. 

TUCSON FIRE DEPARTMENT'S SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAM CALLED INTO ACTION BY SATURDAY'S STORM - A Tucson Fire Department ladder truck successfully rescued two people from the top of a Jeep after the vehicle got stuck in a wash near Broadway and Wilmot. In another incident, TFD rescue crews responded to a call of a man being swept away in a wash near Prince and Romero. A caller to 9-1-1 said someone had been living in the area and his dog was on the bank of the wash as crews arrived. Despite intense search efforts, the man had not been found as of this morning. Follow updates on TFD's Facebook page, and read monsoon safety tips.

SOME TUCSON POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVE REPLACEMENT BULLETPROOF VESTS - Approximately 100 Tucson Police officers received new protective vests through a local program that generated funds over the past year through events, sponsors, grants and donations. The Tucson Police Foundation’s “Adopt-A-Cop” program, which began in 2011, helps raise funds to replace the vests for the patrol officers who wear a vest that is five years or older. Foundation officials say one vest costs about $800. So far, the program has provided vests to more than 300 TPD officers. Read more from Tucson News Now.

PREPARE TO RIDE THE STREETCAR - The Sun Link Tucson Streetcar opens to passenger service on July 25. The first three days of service will include free rides and a chance to learn more about this new from of travel in Tucson. You can buy a one-day pass for $4 at machines at the stops, or use your SunGo card, which will deduct from your pass or cash balance just like you're riding a bus. Read more about the streetcar from Downtown Tucsonan.

FORBES: TUCSON AMONG THE TOP 10 NEW CAPITALS OF INFLUENCE - Tucson rounds out Forbes magazine's list in its article "Why the Southwest is the New Capital of Influence." Forbes points to the region's Hispanic/American culture and Latin millennials making lives in the Southwest. The article says "millennials have real clout, both for their spending power now and for their ability to influence what comes next. Marketers especially should start paying attention." It also says Tucson’s millennial reputation is that the city is future-affordable and very authentic.

NEW TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION MONUMENT AT SENTINEL PEAK - A new monument in Menlo Park honors Tucson’s original inhabitants and represents the sighting of the 1692 arrival of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino at Chuk Son, an area at the base of what is now called Sentinel Peak. Watch the story produced by Tucson 12.