Karin's Note: Friday, August 22, 2014

 

 

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Dear Tucsonans,

 

 

Now that the modern streetcar is successfully up and running, we have a proven example of how dedicated, high-capacity transit corridors can draw investment and provide quality, affordable mobility. Last month I teamed up with a number of groups to bring transit expert Jarrett Walker (website humantransit.org ) to Tucson. You can see his presentation in its entirety at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCdZWLnMOBA&list=UUYmiAlAneeX83HynCPDW35A&index=1

 

Just this week the U of A Drachman Institute presented key findings from their study on transit (here’s the article on the session in the Arizona Daily Star: http://tucson.com/news/local/buy-land-now-for-affordable-housing-later-tucson-told/article_9e7b3575-9d3d-5d6d-94d5-76c22df730c1.html ). It’s clear that Tucson has become well-positioned as a City and a Region to strategically leverage transit as a tool for economic development, sustainable land use, and better-orchestrated, affordable mobility. I will continue working on that goal over the coming year, and keep you posted on opportunities to help shape the future of transit across our valley. The decisions we make together will significantly impact our shared economy, environment, and quality of life for generations to come.

 

 

This week the courts upheld Tucson’s position that local elections should be governed locally and not dictated by the state. As you may remember, a state law passed that would have prevented Tucson (and Phoenix) from holding our local elections in odd- vs even-numbered years. The Mayor and Council has established a Citizen Charter Review Committee, a group which may or may not recommend changes to our electoral processes (any of which would require voter approval to amend our local Charter). I am pleased that the courts continue to uphold local control over something as fundamental as our local elections.

 

On a related note, in the 2013 election cycle my campaign filed two complaints with the City Clerk’s office regarding violations of local Clean Elections rules. In the past I have also served as a plaintiff in partnership with the Arizona Advocacy Network to ask for the courts to protect and uphold our local system for Clean Elections. Tucson has one of the strongest donor disclosure and reporting systems in the nation, critical to our effort to maintain transparency and accountability in our local elections. The City Clerk did uphold the basis for our complaints in the 2013 campaign cycle (the Clerk is now authorized under City Code to settle on fine levels once such violations are confirmed). And the Arizona Advocacy Network prevailed in court to insure that our City Clean Elections matching fund program can continue without state interference.

 

I hope in the future that the state and other jurisdictions will uphold the kind of Clean Elections guidelines and reporting requirements enforced here in Tucson. The integrity of elections matters to us all.

 

 

On Saturday my staff and I will team up with community volunteers once again to offer monthly neighborhood cleanup work in Ward 3. We focus on removing furniture and debris left curbside. During our last cleanup we filled four huge rolloff dumpsters! I appreciate serving with a staff so dedicated to action, community volunteers in Ward 3 who work tirelessly year-round to improve their neighborhoods and our City, and other elected leaders, like Constable Bennett Bernal, who consistently go above and beyond in their service to Tucson. Just in this past week, over 20 youth from the METRO Program at St. James United Methodist painted a house on Delano and a dozen freshmen from the U of A joined Lend A Hand and the Mountain View Neighborhood Association to clean-up a property on Halcyon. Our own Environmental Service Department has been a wonderful partner as well. If you’d like to get involved in beautifying your area or in our monthly cleanups specifically, give us a call at 791-4711.

 

Have a great weekend,

 

Karin

 

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Planning for the fall Cyclovia is in full force. Living Streets Alliance has the November 2nd 10:00 am – 3:00 pm route online here. https://www.cycloviatucson.org/. If you have questions about the route or logistics please call (520) 261-8777. We are looking forward to having DJs, jumping castles, food vendors, bike repair booths, and water balloon jousting. Mark your calendars!

 

Matt Kopec, Council Aide

 

National Night Out is coming up on October 7^th and we would like to know if your neighborhood has anything planned! National Night Out began thirty years ago and is celebrated annually across the U.S. as an evening to promote community involvement in crime prevention and comraderie among neighbors. This year in our ward, National Night Out events are being held at Balboa Park and Saint James United Methodist Church. Please contact us at 791-4711 by next Friday if you are planning a celebration as well, so we can help spread the word and coordinate with TPD.

 

Brianda Torres-Traylor, Council Aide

 

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Ward 3 Events:

 

- Mental Health First Aid – Monday and Tuesday, August 25 – 26^th 12:30 – 5:00 pm (both days ) at the CPSA Training Center 2502 N. Dodge Blvd. This 2-day training is an 8-hour course that teaches members of the public to recognize when a person is showing symptoms of a mental illness or a mental health crisis, and to provide immediate help. Learn risk factors and warning signs for several common mental health disorders, as well as - approach skills, providing support and hope, and connecting an individual in need to professional care and other community supports, through a five-step action plan.

 

- Open House at Amphi High School and Keeling Elementary – Thursday, August 28th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Amphi High 125 W Yavapai Rd and Keeling Elementary 2837 N. Los Altos Ave. Students and faculty in the Amphi School District started back to school this month, so join them at Amphi High School or Keeling Elementary for an Open House to kick off a great year ahead. Visit http://www.amphi.com/ to keep updated on the activities and projects that these wonderful students and educators are working on!

 

- Pima County One Stop Job Leads - Friday, August 29^th 12:00 – 3:00 pm in the lobby at Woods Memorial Library 3455 N. First Ave. Let a representative from Pima County One Stop connect you with career services, networking opportunities and job leads.

 

- Football Home Opener – Alumni Appreciation Night - Friday, August 29^th 7:00 - 9:30 pm at Friedli Field 125 W. Yavapai Rd. Come out and support the Amphi High School football team as they take on Pueblo Magnet. Join players and fans at half-time to honor former Amphi Coach Vern Friedli. Amphi Passport Members get in for $2.00. Go Amphi!

 

- Brush & Bulky Pick-up – Week of Monday, September 1^st for Area 26 (see schedule and map here). Brush & Bulky pickups have arrived! Crews visit each of Tucson's 26 residential trash service areas twice each year to provide Brush & Bulky collection. This is your opportunity to clean your yard, garage or storage shed and get rid of any debris. Please set out collection items in the area where your trash in usually collected by 6:00 am on the Monday that your collection week starts (note: materials cannot be set out more than two weeks prior to collection). Visit /es/brush-and-bulky for the details on what B&B will and will not collect, as well as access to the address look-up tool to determine which service area you are in.

 

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Ward 3 Neighborhood/Coalition Meetings:

 

- Keeling NA – Monday, August 25^th 7:00 – 8:00 pm Cornerstone Fellowship 2902 N. Geronimo

 

- Amphi CAG – Wednesday, August 27^th 5:30 – 7:00 pm Amphi High School Library 125 W. Yavapai Rd

 

- Jefferson Park NA – Wednesday, August 27^th 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Ward 3 City Council Office 1510 E. Grant Rd

 

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Community Support Needed!

 

AIDSWALK Tucson is coming up on Sunday, October 12^th in Downtown Tucson. This will be AIDSWALK's 26th anniversary and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation hopes you will join as a Walker, Runner, or Volunteer. Walkers are off to a great start raising more than $2,400, so far! You can join them by registering, fundraising, and walking. Walkers raise more than 40% of the funds at AIDSWALK and because the costs of the event are underwritten by sponsors, every dollar donated and raised by Walkers goes directly back to SAAF! Register or sign up to volunteer at http://aidswalktucson.saaf.org/registration-and-fundraising/ and be a part of a great day in support of SAAF. Plus, everyone who registers before August 31 will be entered into a drawing for a pair of Fitbits!

 

Cyclovia needs to raise $15,000! That's the goal Living Streets Alliance has set to make the first fall event in Cyclovia history a success. Your donations go directly towards covering basic expenses like barricades, safety personnel, printed materials, and supplies for activity hubs. BUT, the more they raise, the more FUN they can include in the program like DJs & stages with live music, bounce houses & climbing walls, bike decorating stations, and MORE! PLUS, when you make your donation, you get a gift! Cyclovia Tucson has become one of the region’s most exciting initiatives to promote the benefits of active transportation and healthy, sustainable lifestyles. Visit https://www.cycloviatucson.org/ to donate or for more information on becoming an activity provider, community partner, or business sponsor, email info@cycloviatucson.org

 

Living Streets Alliance Volunteer Work Night Wednesday, August 27^th 6:00 - 8:00 pm at Living Streets Alliance 265 S. Church Ave (inside MOCA). Living Streets Alliance is gearing up for a very busy fall season of events including their popular programs like Kidical Mass, Cyclovia Tucson, and Neighborhood Walking Assessments. LSA could use a little help getting their office and to-do lists in order before the cooler weather sets in and they find themselves outside, engaging with the community and encouraging people to get out and explore Tucson on two wheels, on two feet and on our recently expanded transit network. There will be snacks and tunes, good company and camaraderie - it won’t even feel like work at all! If you plan on joining, please email Gary@livingstreetsalliance.org to RSVP or call 520-261-8777 for more information.

 

Native Seeds/SEARCH  In-kind donations of equipment and services to Native Seeds/SEARCH are tax-deductible, invaluable to our efforts, and much appreciated. The list of current needs is now online and they are grateful for any contributions, new or used. Some examples of what they are in need of:

View complete list at http://nativeseeds.org/get-involved/donate-goods-and-services

 

PACC Summer Shelter Wish List On your next shopping trip, consider thinking of our homeless pets! As our community’s only open-admission shelter, PACC takes in nearly 24,000 pets a year. You can help PACC save them by donating:

You can also shop on their Amazon Wishlist, and have products mailed right to them at  https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3ABSYH836EQXD/ref=cm_wl_huc_view. If you have questions, call the Development Office at 243-5984 or email karen.hollish@pima.gov

 

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Citywide Events:

 

- Tucson Bike (Birthday) Party - Saturday, August 23^rd  6:30 - 9:30 pm at University of Arizona Old Main flagpole. Celebrate Tucson's 239th Birthday with - what else?! - a family-friendly, community bike ride! Led by Living Streets Alliance and organizers of the Tuesday Night Bike Ride, this slow-paced ride is for all ages and abilities. Meet as a group at the flagpole at Old Main on the University of Arizona campus and take a scenic, six-mile tour to the historic birthplace of Tucson, Chuk-Son, at the foot of A Mountain. Next, stop at the Mercado San Agustín for cake and ice cream! Be sure to wear a helmet and bring bike lights - we will be riding after the sun sets. Costumes are encouraged! The theme of this bike party: You don't look a day over 200, Tucson! Dress up in your finest historic, western, or birthday party regalia. For more information, visit: https://www.bikefesttucson.com/events/ and to RSVP via Facebook, go to the Bike Fest Tucson page. For questions, call 520-261-8777.

 

- Mission Garden Breakfast Celebration - Sunday, August 24^th 7:00 – 10:00 am Mercado San Agustín 100 South Avenida del Convento. Celebrate Tucson's 239^th Birthday & Misson Garden's Progress! Enjoy cool early morning traditional breakfast of Torta de Huevo, Chilaquiles, Sonoran-style Tepary beans, local corn & flour tortillas, Pico de Gallo fruit cups, mesquite muffins, pan dulce, coffee, tea, horchata and limonada. The event will also feature music, a silent auction, sale of heritage plants, trees & seeds, a presentation from the Manzo Elementary School Partnership, and shuttle to tours of nearby Mission Garden & Complex. $25 with RSVP; $30 at the door. Children under 5 are free, 5-10 years $10. RSVP at (520) 777-9270 or missiongarden.tucson@gmail.com

 

- 16^th Annual PALF Labor Day Picnic - Monday, September 3^rd, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Reid Park Bandshell 1100 S. Randolph Way. This Labor Day, the Pima Area Labor Federation (PALF) will host their 16th Annual Labor Day Picnic to honor Tucson’s working families and union members. The “Red, White & Blue – Union Made Puts America to Work” theme promotes union made products and union jobs. The event is free and open to the public. Guests will enjoy hot dogs, musical acts, dancers, labor history exhibits, children’s activities, “Union Olympics” games, and more!

 

- NeighborhoodLIFT – Friday – Saturday, September 5 – 6^th 10:00 am – 7:00 pm at Tucson Convention Center Halls B & C  260 S Church Ave. Consumers who have a goal to become a homeowner won't want to miss the event, sponsored by Wells Fargo in collaboration with local non-profit organizations. At the event, prospective homebuyers can find out if they qualify for the down payment assistance program and reserve funds for 60 days – even if they haven't yet found a property. Information about home and renovation financing, homebuyer education and virtual home tours will also be available. For more information or to sign up for a tour of the event please call: Dave Howell, Director of State and Local Government Relations at (602)378-1894 or Pat Nie, Community Development Representative at  (505) 765-5132.

 

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Did You Know...?

 

… that the Humane Society of Southern Arizona is now offering FREE spay or neuter surgery for dogs in the 85705 zip code? A significant number of the dogs turned into PACC and the Humane Society are coming from this area of our city. Please take advantage of this great opportunity from the Humane Society to help address this issue. Proof of residency is required for the free service, but even if you do not live in 85705, you may still qualify for programs that can reduce the cost to $10 or $20. Call 881-0321 for more information and to schedule an appointment today. The Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic is located at 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd.

 

…that Amphi Passport Cards are now available for Seniors age 62 and over? The Amphi Passport Card is free and allows Seniors to get in to athletic and fine arts events at Amphitheater Schools for the student price. Amphitheater Schools are fortunate to have a community of retired people who give their time, money, and expertise to help students prepare for the future. The Passport Card is a way to thank Senior members of the community for their support of public education. Order your Amphi Passport Card today at http://www.amphi.com/district/amphi-community/amphi-passport.aspx. Check out the calendar of events on the Amphitheater District web site at www.amphi.com.

 

…that there is a new 8-week preschool program at Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center? Kids and Parents Playtime is for children ages 3-5 who are toilet trained.  The parent/s must accompany the child and remain on premises during the entire program. A variety of activities are offered, including arts and crafts, music, story time, nutrition education, early learning skills, socialization, and much more.  For more information, contact Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center at 520-887-9786.

 

…that Chicanos Por La Causa has two new programs for low-income families who want to buy a home or have one in need of repairs? Chicanos Por La Causa Homebuyer Assistance Program offers free one-on-one counseling to help you with the process of buying a home, as well as down payment and closing costs assistance, referrals and education workshops. The Roof Replacement Program offers funds to help families pay for roof repairs. If you need roof repair and you own your own home within the City of Tucson, live in your home and your family earns less or meets the maximum HUD Income guidelines, you may qualify! Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and a completed application as well as other documentation is required. Pick-up your application or get more info at the CPLC office at 2550 E. Fort Lowell. Call 520-882-0018 with any questions!

 

…that the Department of Parks & Recreation is looking for vendors to join the Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair at Reid Park? Applications are available for artists who wish to participate in the Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair on November 29^th – 30^th. This event has been held for over two decades drawing in over 100 vendors from all over the southwest.  P&R is looking for artists, crafters, photographers, painters, potters, jewelers and more to sell their original artwork. All items must be handmade or made by you, no mass produced, store bought, re-sale, or imported items. All applications are subject to approval. This event is located in Reid Park, west of DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center. Registration will open October 1, 2014 and go through November 14, 2014. Walk in registration will begin October 7, 2014 at 900 S. Randolph Way in the Registration Office. The fee is $90 for a 10 x 10 arts and craft vendor space for the two day event. For more information or to download an application visit https://www.tucsonaz.gov/parks/announcement/holiday-arts-crafts-fair-reid-park.