I miss the Pacific Ocean and sometimes go out looking for ponds and public water features around town. So here’s my list of where there are large bodies of water (and fountains) in Tucson. Lots of ducks and other aquatic birds habitate most of these ponds.

Ponds:
1) Reid Park ponds, with cascading streams on the hill nearby. NE corner of E. 22nd St. and Country Club
2) Ft. Lowell Park (NE corner of Glenn and Craycroft), small pond with spouting fountain in the middle, for fish, turtles, ducks & geese
3) Kennedy Park pond (NW corner of Mission Rd. and Ajo Way), medium sized pond for fishing
4) Christopher Columbus Park (4600 N. Silverbell Rd, north of Grant Rd., west of I-10), perhaps the largest of all these ponds, even has boats, fishing, and wind surfers
5) Chuck Ford Lakeside Park pond (8300 E. Stella Rd., south of Golf Links), medium sized for fishing
6) Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Park pond (12325 E. Roger Rd. at Soldier Trail Road) in Pima County, pond 1 has fish, turtles, frogs, & aquatic birds; ponds 2 & 3 are dried up (see photo below)
7) University of Arizona small turtle/goldfish pond on Park Avenue (between E. 2nd St. and E. North Campus Drive, across from the AZ Historical Society)

Streams:
Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon out east both have natural steams and small pools of water

Fountains:
1) El Presidio Park (near Tucson City Hall) and La Placita Village downtown just between Leo Rich Theater and the Music Hall, east of Church Street have large fountains
2) Tucson Museum of Art (140 N. Main Avenue, north of Alameda Street), small fountain outside in front plaza
3) Fourth Avenue Underpass layered metal fountains (south end, near E. Congress St. and the new parking garage)
4) University of Arizona Administration Bldg. on the UA Mall has some spouting fountains on the south side, and the Student Union Memorial Center to the west has cascading water over large chains, near the UA Bookstore)
5) University of Arizona Old Main historic circular fountain on the west side of the building, facing Park Avenue
6) University of Arizona Architecture building on Speedway (east of Olive Street Underpass), in the back of the building is a small, lush landscaped wetland pool, “Sonoran Landscape Laboratory” with a waterfall from a metal scupper
7) Geronimo Plaza fountain at Main Gate Square, just east of Euclid Avenue on University Blvd.
8) E. Speedway Blvd. at Warren Street Underpass (west of Nob’s Hill shopping center), cascading waterfall fountain (area under construction due to streetcar)
9) River Center, cascading stream (NE corner of River and Craycroft)

Know of any more ponds, streams, or fountains in Tucson open to the public? Please note in comments below for our readers to seek out & enjoy the refreshing coolness of these water features in this Southwest desert, especially during the summer.

Agua Caliente Park pond, courtesy of Friends of Agua Caliente Park

Keep cool in the hot summer heat.

Bonus: Youtube video from University of Stuttgart in Germany about water having memory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ILSyt_Hhbjg

Powerful, traumatic stories of teenage drugs, pregnancies, juvenile prison time, poverty — by eight young people in Southern AZ are edited by Susan Lulic Enholm of Tucson. The eight (Carlos, Christina, DeAnne, Jarid, Marquis, Megan, Melissa, Nicole) are all now adults, and in their own words honestly related how they grew up with mostly unwed or divorced parents, in poverty, in dysfunctional families where some of their parents used drugs. And these eight separately got involved with inappropriate peer groups/gangs, drugs, sex at early ages. And several had babies as teenagers.

The stories are heartbreaking (especially ones about sexual abuse) but realistic. And all of these young people eventually drop out of high school due to failing grades & performance, inability to study or control their impulses. None of these eight young people had good role models to follow, and several of them witnessed domestic violence or suffered from child abuse.

In Melissa’s own words:
“Probation was a turning point, obviously. Hang in there. Don’t drop out. Life is too important to leave your education behind. You can’t get anywhere without an education. You’ll probably regret it. I know I did. I regretted it a long time.I think if you have a drug problem, talk to someone about it. I think you’ll know if you have a problem because you just feel it. You have this aching where you have to get higher and higher. Get help right away.” (page 89)

These stories are in sharp contrast to young people who grow up in a privileged world of middle or upper class wealth – with intact, loving parents, no drugs, no teen sex, college bound expectations, but later may become people who also face adversity through bad marriage or career choices, infertility, and depression.

The book is a worthy attempt to reach out to teens who are going through similar circumstances, and who may need to hear how other young people “turned their lives around”. Some of them specifically related what their lowest point in life was and what caused them to change, and escape the chaotic world they were in.

Although the editor is not in contact with these authors anymore, one hopes that they have found better lives, and may be able to change the lives of their own children and break the cycles of poverty, crime, child abuse.

This book portrays horror but inspires hope.

Contact the editor Susan Enholm at susanenholm@comcast.net for information on how to purchase her book, which sells at $12.95, published by City Girl Press, www.citygirlpress.com. It’s in e-Book and softcover.

Schedule:

Friday, Sept. 20
7-8 PM
Unisource Building Conference Room
88 East Broadway in Tucson.
Eric Klinenberg, an inspiring, nationally known speaker (author of the critically acclaimed book, Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago) will hold a public talk.
(Free and open to the public)

Saturday, Sept. 21
7:30 AM until 4:30 PM
Tucson Convention Center
Meeting Rooms

The Purpose of this Conference:

This conference is being organized by the Arizona Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility with the support of a coalition of co-sponsoring community and national organizations as well as local leaders. The purpose is to build new and fortify existing cross-cultural, community, and governmental partnerships to educate and engage community action to address the anticipated public health impacts of climate change in the Southwest.

Why It’s Very Important:

Extreme weather events in the Southwestern U.S. and adjacent Borderlands are on the rise and with them, higher incidences of health-related impacts such as heat stress, newly emerging infectious diseases, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Moreover, as the “hottest, driest part of the United States,” our region is already experiencing longer and more intense heat waves and (the threat of wide scale power blackouts), a “dramatic spike” in forest fires, severe dust storms, and changes in the amount and timing of rainfall and seasonal snowmelt that threatens water resources and food security. While these events are alarming, communities in the Southwest are preparing for these risks and other impacts outlined in the new National Climate Assessment through planning and prevention strategies aimed at reducing our vulnerability to extreme weather and local climate impacts.

Who Should Attend:

Community and neighborhood leaders, formal and informal educators, citizen activists, government and non-profit agency personnel;
Climate scientists, and health professionals in the Southwestern U.S. Northern Mexico, and First Nations who have an interest in community based action for preparedness to develop more resilient neighborhoods, towns, cities, borders regions, and tribal lands;
National leaders and members of PSR, environmental groups, and policy making agency representatives.

The Conference Experience: see detailed agenda online (click here).

Conference Goals:

1. Actively address the issue of the public health challenges in the face of climate change in the Southwest through the offering of distinguished speakers and facilitated stakeholder workshops designed to encourage and develop new leaders (and to support and re-energize existing leaders) in building innovative community organizing strategies for climate change adaptation.

2. Sustain the work of these community leaders into the future by providing networking opportunities, resources (see deliverables below), and mentoring.

3. Offer a replicable model for engaging communities in climate adaptation throughout the nation

Conference Objectives:

To provide a public forum for facilitated stakeholder input into the development of six strategic plans for building resilience into these areas of climate risk vulnerability:

Assuring Local and Regional Food Security,Availability, and Safety
Integrating Health Care, Emergency Medical Response and Disaster Preparedness
Promoting Mental Well-being and and Spiritual Health
Educating Our Children and Schools for New Environmental Problem Solving
Building Resilience in Our Cultural Diversity with Cross Cultural and Cross Border Cooperation
Organizing to Strengthen and Support Our Most Vulnerable Community Members

Conference Deliverables:

A summary report of the conference that includes an evaluation of how well we met our objectives based on a survey of stakeholder responses on knowledge, attitudes, and overall satisfaction with the conference
Distribution of this report to all attendees via a follow up email and link a to a web resource
A resource manual in a downloadable PDF format
Follow-up 3-hour facilitated workshop with senior government personnel to support the integration of the resource manual and stakeholder input into planning and preparedness for climate change in Tucson and Pima County.

I heard Dr. Barbara Warren, MPH one of the organizers of this conference speak at Drinking Liberally a few weeks ago, and she talked about those six working groups above on 1) preparedness/emergencies 2) mental health & well-being 3) food & water security 4) education of children 5) vulnerable populations 6) cross-cultural concerns & the border w/ Mexico. Contact Dr. Warren is you are interested in serving on any of these groups at bwarre01@gmail.com. I honestly think that we in this Southwest desert need to learn to raise our air conditioning temperature control knob and not “refrigerate” ourselves so much during May to September, as well as plan for wise water use for a growing population.

Register early and save these dates of September 20 and 21 for this “Ready or Hot?” conference.

Emerge! serves many mothers who would go to the end of the earth to protect their children. Each year we choose one mother, a mother who has displayed exceptional courage and strength. At our Mother of the Year Luncheon we tell her story, and celebrate her bravery. This 12th annual event will also honor the service of our CEO for seven years, Sarah Jones.
Help us celebrate!

Save the Date! 12th Annual Mother of the Year Luncheon
Thursday, May 9, 2013, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Westin La Paloma Resort

Single Tickets $75 Each Purchase your tickets today! Call 520-795-8001 ext 7013 or purchase online at http://www.emergecenter.org/

There will also be a terrific silent auction, which you can view online and purchase raffle tickets online as well. You do not have to be present to win. Raffle tickets are $5 check or five for $20. View fabulous silent auction/raffle items
(click here).

And Happy Mother’s Day on May 12.

©2013 Oldemark LLC

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Wendy’s franchise wants to show their support for all Tucson educators and “Give Something Back” on their special day for the hard work and dedication they put forth each day. On National Teacher Appreciation Day Wendy’s is inviting all Tucson educators and staff members to visit any one of 14 locally owned Tucson area Wendy’s restaurant to receive a FREE Jr. Hamburger.

Who: Tucson educators and staff members
When: May 7, 2013 in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Day
What: FREE Jr. Hamburgers for all educators and staff members (one per faculty member)
Where: All Tucson area Wendy’s locations
How to redeem offer: Present faculty badge.

Logo courtesy of Triwest Restaurants LLC. The Wendy’s name, design and logo are registered trademarks of Oldemark LLC and are licensed to Wendy’s International, Inc.

Contact: Rochelle Romero
Field Marketing Manager
Triwest Restaurants LLC
(520) 271-6194
r.romero@wendyscos.com

Pick up a delicious, cool Wendy’s frosty (my favorite) while you’re there.
And appreciate your teachers and educators.

National Press release from Wyland Foundation below. They say on their website that “Together we pledged to save 742,175,738 gallons of water this year”. See information about Tucson specifically below the press release.

TORRANCE, Calif., May 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Five U.S. cities were honored today for residents’ commitment to water-saving choices as part of the second annual National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. Separated into five population categories, the winning cities are Denver; Tucson, Ariz.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Bremerton, Wash. and Laguna Beach, Calif. Residents in all 50 states made more than 44,000 online pledges to save water, use less energy and reduce pollution in four categories – home, yard, community and life – with potential cost savings of more than $30.6 million.

Presented nationally by Wyland Foundation and Toyota, the National Mayor’s Challenge had participation from 70 mayors across the U.S., including Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock; D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray; Columbus, Ohio Mayor Michael B. Coleman; Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn; Tucson, Ariz. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Santa Fe, N.M. Mayor David Coss. City leaders encouraged their residents to participate in the online challenge, which also provided access to regional water and energy resources along with cost-saving tips.

“This year’s challenge gathered the support of an impressive list of cities, mayors, corporations and nonprofits, all of whom shared our enthusiasm for working toward a more sustainable future,” said environmental artist Wyland, founder of the Wyland Foundation. “Congratulations to the winning cities. The environmental education and pledges will have an impact in bringing the conversation about conserving resources closer to home.”

At a May 10 event in Denver, Hancock will draw the grand prize winner of a new Prius c from the pool of winning cities’ participants, who are also eligible to win hundreds of water-saving fixtures and gift certificates to Lowe’s stores. A $1,000 Lowe’s Shopping Spree will also be chosen from among the entire pool of U.S. participants. The National League of Cities, CH2M Hill WaterMatch, Rain Bird Corporation, Lowe’s home improvement stores, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense, and the U.S. Forest Service supported the challenge too. The additional support from well-known comedians through Comics for Conservation, a series of public service announcements, expanded this year’s environmental message. Pete Dominick, longtime SiriusXM host, stand-up comic and CNN contributor, was the official spokesperson.

Toyota’s partnership with the Wyland Foundation and the Mayor’s Challenge included a new element this year – an eight-state U.S. environmental educational tour to schools and communities, reaching 4,000 students. The mobile, 1,000-square foot Wyland Clean Water Mobile Learning Experience featured interactive exhibits to demonstrate the relationships between humans and water.

“Toyota has a deep commitment to environmental sustainability across our operations, making our work with the Wyland Foundation a natural and rewarding fit,” said Michael Rouse, vice president of diversity, philanthropy, and community affairs for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “By helping expand the reach of the National Mayor’s Challenge this year, we hoped to encourage more people to learn and participate in conserving natural resources.”

In addition to making water-saving pledges, challenge participants pledged to reduce their use of single-use plastic water bottles by more than 5.4 million bottles and eliminate 69.9 million pounds of hazardous waste from entering watersheds. By altering daily lifestyle choices, pledges also resulted in potentially 18.3 million fewer pounds in landfills and 2.2 million fewer pounds of fertilizer in the waste stream. Potential savings of 67.8 million gallons of oil and 2.7 billion pounds of carbon dioxide rounded out the final pledge results.

To learn more about the National Mayor’s Challenge, visit www.mywaterpledge.com. For tips on how to save water every day and to learn about water-efficient products for the home, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.

About the Wyland Foundation
Founded in 1993 by environmental artist Wyland (best known for his series of 100 monumental marine life murals), the Wyland Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, is actively engaged in teaching millions of students around the county about our ocean, rivers, lakes streams, and wetlands. The foundation’s latest project, FOCUS (Forests, Oceans, Climate – and us) brings together the U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, and numerous non-profits to teach young people about the future of our water supplies, climate, and global health. www.wylandfoundation.org.

Additional news re: City of Tucson from Wyland Foundation media contact Steve Creech, steve.creech@wylandfoundation.org:

Water Saved
38,829,430 gals

Dollars Saved
$1,620,719.71

Less In Landfill
959,198 lbs

Fertilizer Not in Waste Stream
112,110 lbs

Water Bottles Saved
275,230

Hazardous Waste Avoided
3,550,640 lbs

Oil Saved
3,444,114 gals

CO2 Emissions Reduced
139518770 lbs

“It was clear that Tucson was motivated to win. Even during our visits to the community with our clean water mobile learning center, we noticed the people in Tucson – right down to the kids – seemed generally well informed about the importance of water to the future of the city. The effort of Tucson to become sustainable is a powerful model for the rest of the country. While people enjoy the competition and the prizes, the challenge is really aimed at broadening the dialogue about conservation. Tucson got people talking. And we find —that when conservation becomes top of mind, people start making changes. And that’s what this is all about.”
—Wyland, environmental artist and founder of the Wyland Foundation

Free admission, live animal displays, guided hikes, kids activities, speakers, information booths, etc., even a Star Night Party. There will be cake too.

Live Music & Ceremonies

Large Group Area Ramada
9 am. Flag Raising, Troop 232, Catalina Council, Boy Scouts of America
9 am – 10:30 am. Pusch Ridge Christian Academy Band Mens & Ladies Chorus
11 am. Catalina State Park’s 30th Anniversary Ceremony
Noon. Monarch Music Performance, Stacy Scheckel
1 pm. Sun City Strummers
2 pm. Friends of Catalina State Park Raffle Drawing
3 pm. Canyon del Oro High School Jazz Band
4 pm. Flag Lowering, Troop 232, Catalina Council, Boy Scouts of America

Programs & Activities
Most programs last between 20–40 minutes.

Picnic Area Ramada
9 am. Southwest Rescue Dogs Inc. (SRDI), Pima County Search & Rescue
10 am. Ranches of Catalina, Barbara Marriott
Noon. Making Medicine with Our Sonoran Plants, John Slattery
1 pm. Big Horn Basics, Richard Boyer
2 pm. GPS Navigation, Javelina Outdoor Education
3 pm. 10 Essentials, Javelina Outdoor Education

Ringtail Group Area Ramada
9 am & 10 am. Natural History of the Harris’s Hawk, Kathie & Hawk Sueño
Noon. Geologic History of Catalina Mnts., Karen Gray
1 pm. The Characters of Catalina, Barbara Marriott
2 pm. Arizona Arthropods, Garrett Hughes

Trailhead
9 am. The Basics of Plein Air Painting, Ken Stockton
10 am. Basics of Birding, Tucson Audubon Society
Noon. Big Horn Basics, Richard Boyer
1 pm. Sample the Catalina Adventure Program, Ranger Jennifer Rinio
7 pm – 10 pm. Star Party, Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

Hikes & Walks

Trailhead
7 am. Sutherland Trail, Out & Back (3 miles).
8 am. Family Bird Walk (2 miles).

More info: www.friendsscsp.org, and www.AZStateParks.com/Parks/CATA.

What a perfect way to spend Saturday May 4, 2013 before the summer heat comes in. Catalina State Park is located north of Tucson at 11570 N. Oracle Road, phone 520-628-5798. It’s about 16 miles from midtown.

The April 7 event was well attended with hundreds of bicyclists (two wheels, tandems), three wheeled vehicles, scooters, baby strollers, wagons, skaters, walkers, etc. enjoying the downtown streets sans automobiles/trucks. There were numerous family-friendly activity centers along the route, as there will be on April 28 as well.

More info: www.cycloviatucson.org. And below are the activities scheduled at each activity area:

La Madera Park Hub

Official event Kick-off Celebration with Ward 3 Council Member Karin Uhlich at 10 am.
Cox Communication’s Kids Zone, Strider Obstacle Course along with El Grupo’s Bike Rodeo and free youth helmet give away while supplies last.
Zumba classes, food trucks, and more!

Keeling Neighborhood Activity Hubs

11 am – 1:30 pm Live Entertainment: Tucson Friends of Traditional Music, Contra Dance Flash Mob, and The Saguaro Stompers
DJ Carl Hanni and DJ Herm
Tucson Audubon Society Bird Watching Activity
Keeling Neighborhood “Glazing in the Park: Art Activity to Beautify the Bike Boulevard”
BICAS Recycled Art hosts a “Fur and Flower Your Bike Decorating Station”

E. Glenn St. and Mountain Ave.

Bike Boogie: Learn to Dance with your Two-Wheeled True Love with Kimi Eisele
Solar powered Music by Chet Gardiner
Ben’s Bells
Cakes for Causes
Bookman’s Recreation Exchange
Bicycle Tune-Ups by Road Runner Bike Shop
Rocks and Ropes Climbing Wall

“Farm Corner” at Mountain Ave. and E. Blacklidge Dr.

HabiStore, FreeCycle™, Pima County Office of Sustainability, Technicians For Sustainability Solar Demo
Honeybee Demo, Tucson Village Farm, Zen Hens Urban Chickens
Tucson Organic Gardeners Compost Experience, Community Food Bank
Music by Tucson Ukulele Meet-Up

North Dodge Boulevard

DJ Alias with Solar Power provided by the Solar Store
Bicycle Tune-Ups by Arizona Bicycle Experts
Pima County’s “The Loop” Info Booth, Giant Bubbles by the Pima County Library
Living with Urban Wildlife Trailer by Pima County Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation
Feed the Koi, Tucson Koi and Water Gardens
Raku Pottery Demonstration by Tucson Clay Co-op
Drum and Drummer School of Percussion at Tucson Metal Arts Village

Enjoy the streets of Tucson and enjoy Spring outside.

Saturday, April 27 at 10:00am

Free Admission

The Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding presents the second-annual PSA showcase to end bullying!

Join students, parents, teachers and community members for a showcase and awards ceremony for student produced 30 second public service announcements themed “BYSTANDER EMPOWERMENT!” The End of Bullying Task Force of the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding along with the Pima County Attorney’s Office and Cox Communications invite the community to attend this powerful event as we watch solutions to bullying through students video art.

Admission is free for all and we will have free popcorn, water and T-shirts for the first 300 youth. Lastly, thanks to Cox Communications, we will have a raffle for an iPad for one lucky audience member (you must be present to win.)

Present will be 12 year old Levi Fallavollita, local author of “The Good, the Bad and the Bullies” published in 2012. I just heard Levi and his mother Chantel (who was bullied as a child for a physical disability) speak at 2nd Annual Youth & Peace conference at Doolen Middle School on March 16. Levi is on a mission to do what he can to stop bullies, as he was a victim in elementary school.

Our community needs to have a zero tolerance attitude to bullying of children and each other.

Ticket info: www.jello-wresting.org, 520-628-7223, sponsored by Southern Arizona Aids Foundation.

Saturday April 27, 2013

NEW LOCATION: The Slaughterhouse 1102 W. Grant Road

3:00pm Gates Open/Pre-Event Games & Festivities

4:00pm Wrestling & Live Auction Begins

8:00pm Event Ends

The 26th Annual Reno Gannon Memorial Jell-O Wrestling Extravaganza and Benefit Auction will be held on Saturday April 27, 2013 at The Slaughterhouse, located at 1102 West Grant Road, just east of the I-10 access ramp.

Teams of wrestlers raise funds to wrestle in a pit of Jell-O, often with extraordinary costumes and characters. Between wrestling matches our Drag Diva Hostesses run a live auction featuring a variety of unique items selected to please the crowd.

I’ve seen regular wrestling, but never mud wrestling or this stranger version of Jello wrestling. But check it out on April 27 for this benefit. I reported on it last year with background on founder the late Reno Gannon (click here).