“We Reflect, We Mend, We Mourn
Join us for Stories of Healing”

January 5th at 8 p.m. and again, January 8th at 6 p.m. on PBS-HD 6 (KUAT Channel 6)

Press release from Arizona Public Media:

Tucson, Ariz. – December 19, 2011 – We reflect, we mend, we mourn – January 8th, 2012 marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting of nineteen people at a Congress on Your Corner event in Tucson. On Thursday, January 5th at 8 p.m. and again on Sunday, January 8th at 6 p.m.

Arizona Public Media presents a one-hour special documentary, Together We Heal, a moving and thought-provoking program focusing on emotional healing, both individual and community-wide, over the past year. For many, grieving and healing have become on-going and consequential parts of their lives. Narrated by national correspondent, Savannah Guthrie, Together We Heal features 36 in-depth interviews with victims and their families, members of Congresswoman Giffords’ staff, and the doctors and nurses who treated them.

Together We Heal interviewees include John Green, Christina-Taylor Green’s father; Ross Zimmerman, Gabe Zimmerman’s father; Gabrielle Giffords’ staff members Ron Barber, Pam Simon, former staff member C. J. Karamargin and others; good Samaritans; staff members from the UAMC Trauma Center, Intensive Care Unit and UAMC Surgeons; and therapist Maggie Morton.

Together We Heal is all about the healing that has taken place from the perspective of individuals immediately impacted by the events of January 8th, 2011. As our community continues to heal, we would like to hear your story. We invite you to share your stories and remembrances. Go to www.azpm.org.

Together We Heal is written, directed and produced by AZPM’s Emmy® Award winner Tom Kleespie.

Credits:
Producer/Director/Writer: Tom Kleespie
Contributing Producers: Michael Chihak, Peter Michaels
Director of Photography: Martín Rubio
Narrator: Savannah Guthrie

About Tom Kleespie
Tom Kleespie is Senior Producer, Special Projects at Arizona Public Media. He’s traveled the deserts of the world for 19 seasons for his work on The Desert Speaks, airing on over 300 PBS stations nationally and the winner of multiple regional and national awards, including 24 Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards. Kleespie also produced Unforgettable: The Korean War, Phoenix Mars Mission: Ashes to Ice and the follow-up program, Phoenix Mars Mission: Onto to Ice, Southwestern Gems: Our Desert National Parks and the Tucson Remembers series which included Tucson Remembers: The War Years, Tucson Remembers: The Battle for Europe, and Tucson Remembers: War in the Pacific and A Show of Courage.
Kleespie, a Tucson native, joined KUAT-TV 35 years ago as a member of the student production crew. Four years later, he became a full-time studio supervisor. He also did a four-year stint directing Arizona Illustrated, was a KUAT membership pledge producer, and worked for two years producing and directing for South Dakota Public Television.

About Savannah Guthrie
Savannah Guthrie is a native of Tucson, Arizona, and graduated from Amphitheater High School.
Guthrie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Arizona and was a student intern at AZPM. She received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. Before joining Court TV (now truTV), Guthrie worked at NBC affiliates WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. as a reporter, KVOA-TV in Tucson, Arizona as a reporter/anchor, and at KMIZ-TV in Columbia, MO. Guthrie was named White House correspondent for NBC News. After substituting for both Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry on NBC’s Today, Guthrie became co-host of NBC’s Today alongside Natalie Morales and Al Roker, as well as NBC News Chief Legal Analyst. Guthrie was the commencement speaker for the University of Arizona’s 2011 graduation ceremony.

About AZPM
Arizona Public Media (AZPM) is a member-supported non-profit media organization based at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and is the trusted source of information that promotes thoughtful conversation and community collaboration. The organization offers six channels of television content, three channels of radio content, a robust lineup of online offerings, and community and educational outreach to residents in Southern Arizona and beyond. AZPM produces award-winning original television, radio and online content from its digital studios on the campus of the University of Arizona and is provided as a community service and educational resource. More information about AZPM, including program schedules and Video-on-Demand offerings, can be found online at www.azpm.org.

Media Contact: Sue DeBenedette, Marketing Manager
Tel: 520-621-5222 Mobile: 520-247-5883
sdebenedette@azpm.org
Follow us on: Twitter: @azpmnews
Facebook: facebook.com/azpublicmedia

Watch a short one minute, 39 seconds AZPM preview of this documentary here.

Carolyn’s note: I was fortunate enough to view a preview copy of this documentary, which is incredibly moving to hear the horror story related by those who were there at the Safeway on 1/8/11, esp. Dr. David Bowman and his nurse wife Nancy Bowman, who both aided the bleeding victims. Roger Salzgeber, one of the two men who tackled Loughner down says that “death just passed right over us” (as he and his wife Faith were standing in that line to speak with Congresswoman Giffords). The show highlights the physical & emotional healing after the shooting, with touching scenes of the memorials and interviews of the UMC Trauma staff. I’m even shown wearing my British Gillie hat at the UMC memorial, where I spent many days re-lighting candles and praying for the victims. I’ve known Gabby for years and also worked with Gabe Zimmerman, and had just met Pam Simon a month before this event. But time does heal wounds and our Tucson community has been changed forever by this mass shooting.

Watching this heart-felt documentary will indeed help us all reflect, mourn, mend, as the anniversary of 1/8/11 approaches. Together we can heal.

PRESS RELEASE – Ward 5 Council Office
Contact: Mark Kerr, 520-791-4231.

Update: At the December 20 Tucson Mayor and Council, by a 6-0 vote, they went on record to oppose the proposed closure of the Cherrybell Post Office Processing and Distribution Center.

This item was placed on the Council agenda by Councilmember Richard Fimbres. He expressed his appreciation to the Mayor and fellow Councilmembers for realizing the importance of this and how it could impact Tucson’s economy.

Arnold Elias, retired Tucson Postmaster and Connie Sadler-Nelson with the local Postalworkers Union were present to speak about the impact this closure would have on Tucson.

Councilmember Fimbres also urged people to attend the public hearing or to write to get their comments in by January 12.

TUCSONS MAIL SORTING POST OFFICE FACILITY UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR CLOSURE BY USPS; HEARING SET FOR DECEMBER 28

Tucson- On Wednesday, December 28, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will be holding a public hearing in Tucson on whether to close Tucson mail sorting facility and moving that service to the Phoenix facility.

This hearing will be held at the Leo Rich Theater, 260 South Church, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Tucsons Processing and Distribution Center, located at 1600 South Cherrybell Stravenue is one of many facilities being studied for possible closure under the direction of the current U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe.

Currently, more than 1,000,000 pieces of mail a year is being processed by the Cherrybell Post Office.

Up to 400 jobs are in possible jeopardy with this potential closure of this facility by the USPS.

This would be a substantial setback to the effort to rebuild Tucson’s economy, said Councilmember Richard Fimbres. In addition, this would also hurt businesses who rely on the distribution center, the elderly who may pay bills by mail or wait for their Social Security checks and medication, he added.

Fimbres went on to say that, If Tucson loses the Processing and Distribution Center, the effort to recruit companies to the area would be severely hampered, since the city would be one of the largest without a Distribution Center. Tucson is the 33rd largest city in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.

Government functions involving mailing items, peoples water bill, and electric bills and voting by mail would be impacted by this potential closure, Fimbres said. Small, local businesses that rely on mail order service could close if Tucson’s distribution center is moved to Phoenix.

The proposed closure is only one item being considered by the USPS. The elimination of overnight service in the Tucson metro area as well as all of the 856 zip code areas is also on the table.

This is not just a Tucson issue, it will affect all of Southern Arizona, its citizens, businesses and their governments, Fimbres stated. This would end overnight service as well as cause delays for the mail for Tucson and the Southern Arizona region.

At the December 28 meeting, the public will have the opportunity at this meeting to speak to the USPS management in attendance and give their feedback on the proposed shut-down of the Tucson mail sorting facility and moving that service to the Phoenix facility.

USPS is also inviting their largest local business customers to the meeting so they can hear about the plan and its possible effects on their mailings.

The public may send their comments on this to the USPS. Comments will be accepted and postmarked by January 12, 2012. Written comments may be sent to: Management, Consumer and Industry Contact, Arizona District, P.O. Box, 21628, Phoenix, Arizona 85036-1628.

Contact: Mark Kerr, 520-837-4281, Ward 5 Council Office
Arnold Elias (former Tucson Postmaster) h) 520-622-6128
Alvaro Alvarez (former Tucson Postmaster) (c) 520-349-8534
American Postal Workers Union Local 255, Connie Sadler-Nelson, 520-325-5891

I’ve been receiving several email alerts & even one on Facebook about this proposed closing, so please plan on attending this meeting at the TCC Leo Rich Theater, and voice your concerns. If you miss it, send comments via mail by 1/12/12 to:
Management, Consumer and Industry Contact, Arizona District, P.O. Box, 21628, Phoenix, Arizona 85036-1628.

One of the emails I received from Beryl Baker (former Ward 1 Council candidate) said that this closure will impact the following:

* Elders who rely on USPS for prescription medication delivery.
* Businesses who rely on having a local distribution center; small and home
businesses who receive raw goods and resell finished ones via mail delivery will
see their turnaround times impacted.
* Vote-by-mail programs.
* Tucson’s ability to recruit new business to the area.
* All of Southern Arizona — Oro Valley, Marana, Bisbee, Ajo, Tohono O’odham and
Pascua Yaqui Nations, Green Valley, et cetera.

Another email was about saving postal jobs and a rally/march on 12/28 as well:

Tucson’s Jobs with Justice Coalition urges
YOU to support Tucson’s postal workers.

STAND UP TUCSON!

Say NO to cutting Postal jobs and essential services!

On Wednesday December 28th

4:30pm – Assemble at Veinte de Agosto Park
(corner of Congress & Church), Downtown Tucson

4:30pm to 5:15pm – Sign-waving rally in
support of Tucson Postal employees.

5:15pm to 5:45pm – Downtown march beginning
at Veinte de Agosto Park, ending at the 6pm – Public hearing

‘TIS THE SEASON TO TREECYCLE!

For the 16th year, residents can recycle their Christmas trees through the City of Tucson’s TreeCycle Program. The program begins on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 and continues through Sunday, January 8, 2012. TreeCycle sites are located throughout Tucson and Oro Valley. (See list of TreeCycle sites below).

The TreeCycle program began in 1997. This year, the City of Tucson will again be offering residents the opportunity to take a bit of Christmas home with them. The City of Tucson will grind Christmas trees and will have wood chips available for pick-up at three locations this year—Udall Park, Randolph Golf Course, and Los Reales Landfill. Bring your own container and take home some free wood chips for your garden. Please remember to remove all ornaments, decorations and tree stands before dropping off at the TreeCycle sites. Remember to Tree Pool! Bring your neighbor’s tree— fewer trips means cleaner air.

The following TreeCycle sites are open during daylight hours, seven days a week:

1. Oro Valley lot, “Naranja Town Site,” 660 W. Naranja Dr.

2. Rillito Race Track, 4502 N. 1st Ave., east parking lot (follow signs)

3. Udall Park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd., south of ball fields (follow signs)

4. Golf Links Sports Park, northwest of Craycroft Rd. and Golf Links Rd.

5. Tucson Rodeo Grounds, northeast of Irvington Rd. and 6th Ave.

6. Los Reales Landfill, 5300 E. Los Reales Rd., (follow signs)

7. Silverbell Site, northeast of Goret Rd. and Silverbell Rd. (follow signs)

8. Purple Heart Park, southeast corner of Rita Rd. and Esmond Loop

9. Randolph Golf Course, 600 S. Alvernon Way, southeast portion of parking lot

IMPORTANT: The City of Tucson will not collect Christmas trees from curbs and alleys. Other green waste cannot be accepted at TreeCycle. Commercial tree lot overages are not accepted at TreeCycle sites, except for Los Reales Landfill and Tangerine Landfill at posted landfill rates.

Questions? Call the Recycling InfoLine at 520-791-5000 or visit the ES website at www.tucsonaz.gov/esd.

Cristina Polsgrove
Public Information Officer
City of Tucson Environmental Services
(520) 837-3715
cell (520) 975-5966

Some of us no longer have live trees (with the children gone), some of us use artificial trees, but for those of you celebrating with live cut trees, here’s your chance to recycle it starting tomorrow. For a few years we used alive trees in pots, so we planted them thereafter but they grew to enormous heights (not here).

Happy Holidays!