The Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists (SDMB) is offering a $1000 micro grant available to Pima County residents and organizations with “the intent of bettering the local biking community”.

If you are interested, please download the More Info Request for Proposal online. All submissions due by June 30, 2012. All applications received will be reviewed by committee and the winner notified by the end of the following month (July 31, 2012).

Application online here: http://www.sdmb.org/wp-content/themes/sdmb/images/SDMB-MicroGrant-Program.pdf

So if you or your group has some great, creative idea or plan about improving bike routes, trails, signage, etc. through education, art, PSAs, etc. please consider this RFP — note that the grant’s goal is “the intent of bettering the local biking community.”

I wish someone could figure out a way to educate bicyclists to actually STOP at stop signs and traffic lights, and not bike through them without stopping or even slowing down. The fine for running a stop sign is $105 to $212, a stop light is $270 to $322. I see this all the time on the City of Tucson’s bike route on E. 3rd Street. Perhaps bicyclists going east-west should be given priority over cars on these designated bike paths.

Applications for this grant by snail mail only to: SDMB, PO Box 65075, Tucson Arizona 85718, must be postmarked by 6/30/12.

More information about bicycling can be found in the Tucson Pedaler (Southern Arizona’s bicycling community newspaper), now published once every 2 months by Tucson West Publishing.

The Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists is an all-volunteer 501c3 non-profit organization devoted to the promotion of the sport of mountain bicycling, and view the sport as a vehicle to promote low impact outdoor recreation, conservation, and mountain bicycling opportunities that are environmentally and socially responsible. SDMB is dedicated to protecting and enhancing mountain bicycling opportunities through:

–providing fun, safe bicycling experiences and social events for the bicycling community, and at the same time using these events as an opportunity to educate and encourage riders.
–promoting responsible riding and ethical behavior among the mountain bicycling community .
–working in concert with land managers and owners to improve trails and facilities.
–working with other user groups to ensure a quality trail experience for all users.
–efforts to increase the diversity of the mountain bicycling community.

Enjoy biking and please ride safely.

Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission has scheduled 3 debates in Tucson for the upcoming primary:

— District 9 – June 25, 2012

House of Representatives Democrats

6:00 pm

Pima Community College Downtown Campus

1255 N Stone Ave

Tucson, Az 85709

District 9 Democrats seeking 2 House seats: Dustin Cox (former candidate LD 27 House), Mohur Sidhwa (former candidate LD 28 House), Victoria Steele, political newcomer.

— District 10 – July 10, 2012

House of Representatives Democrats

6:00 pm

Pima Community College District Office

4905 E Broadway Blvd

Tucson, AZ 85709

District 10 Democrats seeking 2 House seats: Stefanie Mach and Brandon Patrick, both political newcomers; Bruce Wheeler, current LD 28 House Rep. & former Tucson City Councilmember.

— District 3 – July 24, 2012

Senate Democrats

6:00 pm

Pima Community College West Campus

2202 W Anklam Rd

Tucson, AZ 85709

District 3 Democrats seeking one Senate seat: current LD 27 Senator Olivia Cajero Bedford vs. former LD 27 Senator Maria Garcia (widow appointed to the seat of the late LD 27 State Senator Jorge Luis Garcia).

For more info on these candidates, go to Pima County Democratic Party website (click here).

And as in the past, most of these debates are video recorded and a copy can be viewed a few days after the debate online at the CCEC website.

Independents & Democrats –attend these debates to decide whom to vote for in the upcoming Arizona primary on August 28.

“Meet Me at the Library, Conversations with Arizona Leaders”

District 4 Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll

Supervisor Ray Carroll

Monday June 25, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Kirk-Bear Canyon library, 8959 E. Tanque Verde Rd. (NE corner of Bear Canyon Rd. and Tanque Verde Rd.)

We invite you to take this opportunity to meet and converse with Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll. Supervisor Carroll has represented District 4 on the Pima County Board of Supervisors since February 1997.

Mr. Carroll was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Catholic and public schools in that city. In 1980, he became a Westerner when he moved to Denver, Colorado and entered Regis University. He was graduated with honors in 1984, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy. He then moved to Tucson. Prior to his service on the Board of Supervisors, Mr. Carroll was Foundation Manager for Casa de los Niños. He also served as Chairman on the City of Tucson’s Housing Board.

From Supervisor Carroll’s website:

Now in his 15th year on the county legislative body, he has established a firm reputation among his constituents for advocating open, transparent county decision-making based upon the very lowest taxes consistent with responsible government.

Mr. Carroll has been the recipient of many prestigious awards over the years. Some of the more recent accolades include: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Public Service, presented in 2007 at a ceremony in San Francisco; the Hero of the Taxpayer Award, presented in 2007 by the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers; the Sky Island Alliance Award for Public Service, presented in 2008 for his leadership in opposing the proposed Rosemont Mine; and, the Governor Howard Pyle Award, presented in 2009 in Phoenix by the Republican Party of Arizona for his political leadership in southern Arizona.

Carroll was first appointed to his seat in May, 1997 and was elected to it in Nov. 1998. He has been unopposed since then in the primary & general elections, except for this year when he faces a political newcomer, businessman Sean Collins in the Republican primary on August 28.

As for the other Supervisors, District 1 Supervisor Ann Day is retiring, and 4 Republicans (Mike Hellon, Ally Miller, Stuart McDaniel, and LD 26 House Rep. Vic Williams) will face off in the August primary, to challenge 1 Democrat (former LD 26 House Rep. Nancy Young Wright) for that seat.

In the other Supervisor races– Districts 2, 3 and 5–Republican political newcomers are also challenging each of the Democratic incumbents, all in the November 6 General Election:

District 2: James Kelley vs. Supervisor Ramon Valadez, current Chairman of the Board
District 3: Tanner Bell vs. Supervisor Sharon Bronson
District 5: Fernando Gonzales vs. Supervisor Richard Elias