AZPM political correspondents Christopher Conover and Andrea Kelly (no relation to the candidate with same last name) facilitated this debate between:

–Democrat Ron Barber, former District Director for Congresswoman Giffords; he was shot twice on January 8, 2011 at the Tucson Tragedy mass shooting

–Republican Jesse Kelly, ran unsuccessfully for this seat in Nov. 2010 & lost to Giffords by 4,156 votes

–Green Party Charlie Manolakis, political newcomer; former Democrat & recent Green party member (March 12, 2012)

Click here for the video of this 3-way debate.

My previous blog about the CD 8 debates, with photos and campaign website info (click here).

Early voting for this June 12 special election in CD 8 starts tomorrow.

Who’s running:
Ron Barber (D), former Tucson District Director for Congresswoman Giffords (5 years), former State Director of AZ Division of Developmental Disabilities, www.ronbarberforcongress.com, political newcomer

Jesse Kelly (R), project manager of family construction firm, former Marine, Republican nominee for CD 8 House in Nov. 2010 (lost to Giffords by 4156 votes), www.votejessekelly.com

Charlie Manolakis (G), community activist, political newcomer, former Democrat turned Green on March 12, 2012; website under construction?

Two debates coming up between these candidates:

–May 16, Arizona Public Media (AZPM) Arizona Illustrated, on PBS-HD Channel 6, 6 to 7 p.m.
all 3 candidates will be debating,
simulcast on the radio NPR 89.1 FM

If you have any questions for the candidates for the AZPM forum, submit them by going to this link (click here), and by giving your name & city you live in.

–May 23, hosted by Arizona Daily Star & Tucson Jewish Community Center (TJCC),
at the TJCC Ballroom , 3800 E. River Road, 7 p.m.,
all three candidates are scheduled to attend.

This debate will aired live on KVOI AM 1030 Tucson and KAPR AM 930 Douglas. 1030 AM Radio talk show host Bill Buckmaster (www.buckmastershow.com) will be the MC for the evening.

If you want to submit questions for the May 23 debate, send them to politics@azstarnet.com and include your name, phone number, address. Deadline is May 21.

An earlier May 14 debate, hosted by Vail Academy High School has been cancelled via their Facebook page:

Unfortunately, VAHS was unable to secure all three candidates therefore we are canceling the debate scheduled for May 14th. Thank you for all of your support and apologies for the inconvenience; oh, and by the way, the Class of 2013 is already working on the upcoming General Election.

My understanding on that Vail Academy HS debate was that Kelly and Manolakis agreed to participate, but Barber declined.

View separate interviews of each CD 8 House candidate previously done by AZPM reporters:

Ron Barber:http://www.azpm.org/yourvote/story/2012/4/25/184-cd8-democratic-candidate-ron-barber/

Jesse Kelly:http://www.azpm.org/yourvote/story/2012/4/25/182-cd8-republican-candidate-jesse-kelly/

Charlie Manolakis: http://www.azpm.org/news/story/2012/4/27/1454-cd8-candidate-charlie-manolakis/

Vote wisely on or before June 12.

Ron Barber

Jesse Kelly

Charlie Manolakis

From Earth Day Festival website (click here).

The Tucson Earth Day Festival promotes Southern Arizona’s unique
environment and features activities, displays, music, dance and food.

It is great fun for children of all ages!

The 18th Annual Tucson Earth Day Festival is scheduled for Saturday April 21, 2012 at Reid Park. The Festival begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00! The event features environmentally themed exhibits, music, performances, and food vendors. Admission is free, and all exhibits include hands-on environmental activities for young and old alike.

Join the Parade
All species great and small-insects, plants and animals-the Earth needs them all! Dress-up and participate in the “All Species Procession” as part of the Earth Day Parade! Make a banner and tell us how your species is so important to Planet Earth. Are you helping clean the air (trees and plants)? Are you endangered or threatened species? The ice may be melting your home (global warming) or maybe there hasn’t been rain in a while so you are affected by drought or the threat of fire… let us know what we should do to help all species have a place on earth! Parade begins at 10:00 and winners are announced at 11:30.

Solar Competition
Model Solar Electric Cars and Houses, designed and constructed by middle school students, are real world engineering projects. The kits contain solar cells, motors, batteries, lights and other optional parts. The design and the construction is “left to the ingenuity of the student”! Competition begins at 10:45. Awards at 1:00!
For a kit order form and information on how to enter email Stacey at solar@swetucson.org

Alternate Fuel Vehicle Show
Check out vehicles that run on alternate fuels such as biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electric, ethanol, propane and waste vegetable oil. Ask the experts how you can start using an alternate fuel in your vehicle to keep the air clean for all.

Bike to the Zoo
Animals love the earth and need clean air too! So, ride your bike to the Reid Park Zoo and get FREE admission by showing your safety helmet. Before or after visiting the zoo, ride over to the Earth Day Festival for more fun!

For more information on the Tucson Earth Day Festival please call 520 206-8814 or email e Tucson Earth Day Festival promotes Southern Arizona’s unique environment and features activities, displays, music, dance and food.

It is great fun for children of all ages!

The 18th Annual Tucson Earth Day Festival is scheduled for Saturday April 21, 2012 at Reid Park. The Festival begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00. The event features environmentally themed exhibits, music, performances, and food vendors. Admission is free, and all exhibits include hands-on environmental activities for young and old alike.

Join the Parade
All species great and small-insects, plants and animals-the Earth needs them all! Dress-up and participate in the “All Species Procession” as part of the Earth Day Parade! Make a banner and tell us how your species is so important to Planet Earth. Are you helping clean the air (trees and plants)? Are you endangered or threatened species? The ice may be melting your home (global warming) or maybe there hasn’t been rain in a while so you are affected by drought or the threat of fire… let us know what we should do to help all species have a place on earth! Parade begins at 10:00 and winners are announced at 11:30.

Solar Competition
Model Solar Electric Cars and Houses, designed and constructed by middle school students, are real world engineering projects. The kits contain solar cells, motors, batteries, lights and other optional parts. The design and the construction is “left to the ingenuity of the student”! Competition begins at 10:45. Awards at 1:00!
For a kit order form and information on how to enter email Stacey at solar@swetucson.org

Alternate Fuel Vehicle Show
Check out vehicles that run on alternate fuels such as biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electric, ethanol, propane and waste vegetable oil. Ask the experts how you can start using an alternate fuel in your vehicle to keep the air clean for all.

Bike to the Zoo
Animals love the earth and need clean air too! So, ride your bike to the Reid Park Zoo and get FREE admission by showing your safety helmet. Before or after visiting the zoo, ride over to the Earth Day Festival for more fun!

For more information on the Tucson Earth Day Festival please call 520 206-8814 or email tucsonearthday@yahoo.com.

I’ve been to this festival in the past, and it’s very beneficial for families (especially children) to learn about our fragile ecosystems and to appreciate our Mother Earth.

And on Apil 22 (the actual Earth Day) please watch this 30 minute PBS-HD documentary “Seeking Water from the Sun” at 6 p.m. on KUAT Channel 6. Click here for youtube preview.

Seeking Water From the Sun is a production of Arizona Public Media, produced by Dustinn Craig and Tom Kleespie in association with the UA Renewable Energy Network, UA College of Engineering, and Bureau of Reclamation, and input and cooperation from various Navajo Nation Chapters, community members, and agencies such as the Division of Water Resources, the Navajo Division of Natural Resources, and Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency. This documentary is narrated by Norman Patrick Brown with musical score by Mary Redhouse.

Celebrate our Earth. Reduce Recycle Reuse.!

2 days — March 2 and 3 — of Active Adult Lifestyle activities — all at Tucson Convention Center, 10 to 4 p.m. daily. Note that parking costs $8/day at TCC, with free street parking on Saturday.

The Ages ’n Stages Active Adult Lifestyle Show is directed at the over-45 population of Pima County and will be “senior friendly” and intergenerational in nature.

You will discover new ways to enrich daily life; fun things to do and experience;
and new technologies available to change the way we live. There will be music,
events, live stage shows, and the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of activities.
It is a show about enjoying and getting the most out of life, and the many
options available to do just that.

Exhibitions will represent:
• the travel industry, parks and recreation
• leisure activities such as hiking, camping, fishing and biking
• new technologies for active families and adults
• artisans, fashion, restaurants and small businesses
• financial advisors, insurance companies and real estate advisors
• environmental organizations
• medical centers, health and wellness, health care providers and medical supply
• assisted living facilities and retirement centers

At Ages ’n Stages you will be able to explore easily the options available in our
community including exercise; hobbies; clubs; entertainment; art; performing
arts (dance, music, theater); cultural opportunities; fraternal and religious
organizations; community and educational organizations; and new ways to
gain more personal meaning from your life.

Event Chairman is Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the U.S.

Wow, that’s a lot of offerings for elder adults — about 150 public & private organizations will be exhibiting. Go online to www.pcoa.org/ages-n-stages or call 520-790-0504 for more information.

AZ Public Media Channel 6 interview on 2/29/12 about this expo (click here).

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.

http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/info/calendars

Let me know which ones you find helpful, as I continue to report/blog about community events & people in Tucson. I didn’t hyperlink any of the listings, as the City’s website has done that for us.

Event Calendars
Downtown Tucson Partnership Event Calendar
Zocalo Downtown Event Calendar
Showup.com Art & Culture Calendar
AZStarnet Calendar
Dot Tucson Calendar
Tucson Style Event Calendar
University of Arizona Event Calendar
University of Arizona Sports Calendar
Pima Community College Event Calendars
AZ State Museum
UA Free Classes & Events
Tucson Weekly Calendar

Watch videos about local art:
Sonoran Style – Channel 12
DTown – Channel 12
Arte – Arizona Public Media
Arts and Life – Arizona Public Media

Videos about local music:
Studio C – Channel 12
Music – Arizona Public Media

Sports & Recreation:
Rec365 – Channel 12
Zoo News – Channel 12

Shop Local Businesses
Local First Arizona, Tucson listings
The 3/50 Project – Arizona listings

Attractions & Destinations
Tucson.com Travel
Tucson Attractions

Outdoor Activities
Arizona Parks
Saguaro National Monument
Coronado National Forest
Visit Tucson Day Trips

Food
Tucson Dining Guide
Tucson Originals
Local & Heritage Foods Directory

With all these listings & resources, I’m sure you’ll find something to do. Enjoy Tucson and Southern Arizona!

Tucson, Ariz. – October 17, 2011 – Arizona Public Media’s PBS-HD Channel 6 received five Emmy® Awards for television broadcast over the last year and tied for sixth overall (commercial and non-commercial stations) in the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. On a state, non-commercial, level, PBS-HD 6 tied with KAET 8 in Phoenix with five awards.

“These awards for quality and creativity speak volumes about what we produce for people in Southern Arizona,” said Jack Gibson, Director and General Manager of AZPM. “Our job is to share these great stories with the rest of the world, and this recognition shows we’re accomplishing that goal.”

For inquiring minds: commercial stations KOLD 13 received six awards and KGUN 9 received one.

PBS-HD Channel 6 – Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards

Awards By Category:

Historic/Cultural – News Single Story – For excellence in coverage of subjects that emphasize historical, cultural or ethnic issues or topics:

*Neon Artistry (Arizona Illustrated) Luis Carrion

Documentary – Cultural – For excellence in the creation of a formal, structured television presentation
with dramatic impact of an event, condition or situation of current, cultural and/or historical significance.

*Secrets of the Divine: The Altarpiece of Ciudad Rodrigo Sooyeon Lee

Information/Instructional – For excellence in presentation of stories from a regularly scheduled program, series or special whose prime purpose is to be instructional; to teach formally or informally about a subject or subjects.

*WaveLengths: Scientific Voyage Pamela White & Daniel Duncan

Writer – Program (Non-News) – For excellence in a specific television discipline demonstrating the skills of one or more individuals.

*Unforgettable: The Korean War Thomas Kleespie

*Secrets of the Divine: The Altarpiece of Ciudad Rodrigo Sooyeon Lee & Kimberly Craft

Awards by Program:

*Arizona Illustrated –Daily News Magazine program – 1 award

*Neon Artistry (Arizona Illustrated) – Luis Carrion
Historic/Cultural – News Single Story

*Secrets of the Divine: The Altarpiece of Ciudad Rodrigo – 2 awards

Cultural – Sooyeon Lee
Writer – Sooyeon Lee & Kimberly Craft

*Unforgettable: The Korean War – 1 award

Writer – Program (Non-News) – Thomas Kleespie

*WaveLengths Series – 1 award

Informational/Instructional
Scientific Voyage – Pamela White & Daniel Duncan

The Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is a membership organization dedicated to excellence in television by honoring exceptional work through the prestigious Emmy® Award. This organization is the only professional association representing television professionals from all disciplines of the industry, serving as the common meeting ground for individuals dedicated to advancing the art and science of television. The Chapter region serves Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and El Centro, California.

Media Contact: Sue DeBenedette, Marketing Manager
Tel: 520-621-5222 Mobile: 520-247-5883
sdebenedette@azpm.org

Congratulations to all the award recipients for their great work and dedication!

DeCamp defeated fellow activist Dave Croteau in the Green Party primary on August 30, 2011 and also ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 3 Council seat in 2009. Grinnell ran for the Ward 2 Council seat unsuccessfully in 1995 and 1999, and was a write-in candidate in the recent Republican primary. And Rothschild has never run before for any political office and faced no opposition in the August Democratic primary.

“An encore radio broadcast of this special forum will air on NPR-FM89.1/1550AM on Friday night, October 14th at 6:30 p.m. Marketplace normally scheduled at this time will be pre-empted.”

Click here for the “debate” between these 3 candidates.

Prior KUAT Interviews (separately) of each Mayoral candidate:

–DeCamp on October 6 (click here).
–Grinnell on September 9 (clck here).
–Rothschild on September 22 (click here).

If you want to meet these candidates in person (as well as all others running for Council seats in Wards 1, 2, and 4), plan on attending the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson forum on October 17 at Temple Emanu-El (225 N. Country Club), 6 p.m. The forum is co-sponsored by the Pima County Tucson Women’s Commission.

Vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed out by City of Tucson Elections next week on October 19. Vote wisely.

Info about Mary from my previous blog (click here).

She is a community activist and Code Pink member, received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Sciences and Master of Arts in Communication from the U of A, and has been a college instructor. Mary is currently employed as a Connector with Pro-Neighborhoods, “organizing neighborhood communities to adopt healthier diet and exercise choices”.

Mary got 4429 votes (6.16 % of the vote) in the Ward 3 race in 2009, next to Democratic Councilmember Uhlich’s 46.98% of the votes and Republican Ben Bueller-Garcia’s 46.74% of the votes. She also defeated fellow Green candidate Dave Croteau in the recent August 30 Green Party primary for Mayor (369 to 127 votes). (Croteau was the sole challenger before in 2007 against current Republican Mayor Bob Walkup, who is stepping down after 3 terms).

DeCamp is facing off with Democrat Jonathan Rothschild (political newcomer) and Republican Rick Grinnell (ran twice before unsuccessfully for the Ward 2 Council seat) in the November General election.

On Tuesday October 4 DeCamp announced at a press conference at City Hall that her 2 bedroom/1 bath home in Tucson is being foreclosed, & she faces eviction on November 10, 2 days after the General Election. Her home has been sold by the bank in a foreclosure sale to a foreign company. Apparently Mary purchased the home in 2007 but experienced a costly bicycling accident in 2009, and then her employment at the U of A was scaled back due to the economy, causing her to miss mortgage payments.

She will continue her campaign despite this setback, and will be sign waving usually every Friday at 4 p.m. at the NW corner of Granada & Broadway, downtown. (Sign waving is wildly popular & expected in State of Hawaii campaigns, but not as popular or utilized here. In Hawaii the candidates stand out there in the streets daily, often wearing fresh lei around their neck to distinguish themselves from their campaign supporters.) Mary usually wears a Green Party (green colored) t-shirt, and this week she & her supporters will be at 4th Avenue and Broadway instead.

Campaign website: www.DecampforMayor.org.

Click here for the interview.

Scott is running for her 5th term on the City Council (elected in 1995), and ran her own business for 21 years prior to that. From Vogt’s website: “Tyler Vogt works as Deputy Chief Engineer of Production on a $250+ million contract. He is a subject matter expert in system architecture and design and system analysis. His previous position as a Principal Systems Engineer and lead systems analyst on a $400+million development contract required skills in requirements development and management, similar to developing and writing legislation/ordinances.”

Scott’s campaign website: www.shirley2011.com
Vogt’s campaign website: www.vogt4tucson.com

Wards 1, 2 and 4 are up for election this year, and there are now KUAT Channel 6 interviews of all these races:

For the 9/1/11 KUAT interview of the Ward 1 Council candidates, click here.

For the 9/15/11 KUAT interview of the Ward 2 Council candidates, click here.

Vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed out on October 19, so vote wisely on/before November 8.