Voluntary Firearm Buy-Back Event

On Tuesday, January 8th, beginning at 9am, Tucson Police will be accepting firearms, .22 caliber or larger where the weapon is designed to fire a projectile that is propelled using expanding gas, that are voluntarily turned in by members of the general public. In exchange, a $50 Safeway Food Store gift card will be provided. The event will take place at the Tucson Police Department Hardesty Sub-Station located on Alvernon Way, just north of 22nd. There is a limited number of Gift Cards, so the event will end when they’ve all been given out.

Tucson Police will ensure the disposal of all firearms that are voluntarily turned in during this event will be handled in compliance with all relevant Arizona Revised Statutes. Serial numbers will be tracked through appropriate databases to identify weapons reported as lost or stolen, or that may be implicated in any criminal activity.

This event is made possible by the generous donations from private individuals who join me in wanting to offer this opportunity to City residents to properly dispose of unwanted firearms. As has occurred in many other cities, we hope this will allow people who wish to participate, a greater sense of safety in their own homes for having taken part.

This event is coincidentally being held on the 2nd anniversary of the Tucson Tragedy shooting of January 8, 2011 when 19 people were shot at the NW Safeway at Ina/Oracle including then-CD 8 Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, three members of her staff (including now-CD 2 Congressman Ron Barber), Federal District Judge John Roll, and several others. Six people died that day and the shooter Jared Lee Loughner was thereafter sentenced to several life sentences (with no possibility of parole).

Further info about the buy-back event, contact the Council 6 Ward office at 520-791-4601 or email ward6@tucsonaz.gov.

And the AZ Daily Star reported on Saturday Jan. 5 that former LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori has offered “cold cash” for guns starting at $100, for his own private collection at the same police station on 1/8/13. Click here for that article.

There has been an excellent response to the January 7th event – please continue to rsvp us @ 791.4601 or 795.0844. Also, if there are particular areas of interest you’d like to hear addressed (Federal, State, County, or local) send us an email @ ward6@tucsonaz.gov / something such as “what will you do to address the following…?”

The event is scheduled for 7pm – 9pm / 3233 E. Speedway / Loft Cinema.

Lisa Horner from Access Tucson has offered to tape the event to be re-run after the fact in order for those who can’t make it to give it a look. It’ll air on Saturdays at 11am and Sundays at 7pm starting Jan. 13th. Cox Channel 20/Comcast 74. There are technical reasons why they can’t air it live, but let’s hope this is the start of some community conversations that, through cooperation between all of our media partners we can book follow up meetings and get these things out over the air in real time in the days ahead.

Here’s the unofficial list of politicians who will be attending or sending a representative (if they don’t dare show up to be “roasted”):

Congressman Raul Grijalva (CD 3)
Congressman Ron Barber (CD 2)
State Senator Olivia Cajero Bedford (LD 3)
State Senator David Bradley (LD 10)
State Senator Steve Farley (LD 9)
State Representative Sally Ann Gonzales (LD 3)
State Representative Macario Saldate (LD 3)
State Representative Stefanie Mach (LD 10)
State Representative Bruce Wheeler (LD 10)
State Representative Ethan Orr (LD 9)
State Representative Victoria Steele (LD 9)
County Supervisor Richard Elias (D 5)
County Supervisor Sharon Bronson (D 3)
City – Mayor Jonathan Rothschild

My previous blog post announcing this event, with updates (click here). The list of politicians was created as those who have an impact on the issues of Ward 6 in the City of Tucson.

Due to threats of disruption about this event the Az Daily Star has reported (click here) that there will be no live microphone, no guns allowed, and bags will be checked. Doors open at 6 p.m. Questions can be submitted in writing at the community town hall.

So I started pondering about what I liked about central/midtown Tucson, where we have lived (two apartments, one home) for over 25 years. So here’s my informal list of 10 things I like about Midtown. Click on the blue hyperlinks if you are new to Tucson and need more information.

1. Himmel Park (south of Speedway, between Tucson Blvd. & Treat Avenue), has tennis courts recently resurfaced, an open air pool now open again for the summer, lots of grass, playing fields, an outdoor grass amphitheater for plays/concerts. A Shakespeare in the park performance of “The Taming of the Shrew” is performing there opening tonight, for three weekends at 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation, to benefit El Rio Theatre Project.

2. Himmel Park Branch Library, oldest branch library of Pima County (built in 1961), children’s storytime, teen activities, Senior Games (including mahjong), films & lectures, lots more, even books to borrow.

3. Reid Park at NE corner of E. 22nd St. and N. Country Club, much larger park with an outdoor performance center & stage, ramadas, playground equipment & stone turtles for children, a rose garden, dog run, a duck pond & gurgling streams, artistic sculptures, etc.

4. The Reid Park Zoo for the children and out of town guests: elephants, tigers, bears, (oh my!), even unusual anteaters and a capybara.

5. The Loft Theater, 3233 E. Speedway, independent and creative movie showings, plus a promised expansion and often freebies during special events

6. Casa Video, 2905 E. Speedway, terrific collection of recent and old DVDs and videos, plus free popcorn whenever you drop in (open daily 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.)

7. Yoshimatsu/Sushimatsu at 2660 N. Campbell – authentic Japanese food in two unique restaurants, plus a very cute gift shop of Japanese items, toys

8. Bookman’s on Grant (SE corner of Campbell): a used book store and much more – gift items, art paraphernalia, current magazines, musical instruments, electronic stuff, even jewelry. And a new Bookman’s is coming to E. Speedway near Camino Miramonte.

9. The University of AZ, between Speedway & E. 6th Street, between Euclid Ave. and Campbell, not only an undergraduate & graduate university, but a resource for the community with art displays, outdoor sculptures, lectures, musical & dance performances, festivals & workshops, intellectual stimulation for all ages. Starting tomorrow an 8-day Chinese Culture Festival, event schedule at www.confucius.arizona.edu.

10. Bicycle path on E. 3rd St. runs from Wilmot Road westward through midtown past lovely, small Miramonte Neighborhood Park (NW corner of Richey Blvd.), one block south of Himmel Park aforementioned (Treat Ave. and Tucson Blvd.), right through the University of Az (on University Blvd.) through to 4th Avenue and Stone Avenue, with several bicyle-friendly “hawk” crossings to help bicyclists cross the major intersections. For more info on bicycling and bike maps in Tucson, go to Tucson Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee website (click here).

These are the 10 things that make my life more enjoyable and fun in midtown Tucson. What are yours?

Here’s the schedule for the debates, which all start at 6 p.m.:

• Sept. 20 — LD2 House
Where: PCC East Campus, Room L-101, 8181 E. Irvington Road
House candidates: John Ackerley (R), Andrea Dalessandro (D) and Rosanna Gabaldon (D).

• Sept. 24 — LD11 House and Senate
Where: PCC Northwest Campus, Room A-207, 7600 N. Shannon Road
House candidates: David Joseph (D), Adam Kwasman (R) and Steve Smith (R).
Senate candidates: Jo Holt (D) and Al Melvin (R).

• Oct. 3 — LD9 House and Senate *
Where: PCC Downtown Campus, Amethyst Room, 1255 N. Stone Ave.
House candidates: Cynthia Miley (R), Ethan Orr (R), Mohur Sarah Sidhwa (D) and Victoria Steele (D).
Senate candidates: Steve Farley (D) and Tyler Mott (R).

• Oct. 10 — LD10 House
Where: PCC District Office, Community Board Room (C-105), 4905 E. Broadway
House candidates: Todd Clodfelter (R), Stefanie Mach (D), Ted Vogt (R) and Bruce Wheeler (D).

*9/12/12 update: LD 9 debate moved to following day, October 4, same time, same place due to conflict with U.S. Presidential debate.

For more info about AZ CCEC go to www.azcleanelections.gov, to see list of participating candidates in the Clean Elections program.

The Debate schedule is here on their website for other legislative districts, including LD 14 Senate & House candidates on Sept. 26* in Benson, AZ. at the Benson City Council Chambers, 120 W. 6th St. In that race for Senate, incumbent Gail Griffin (R) of LD 25 is facing Pat Fleming (D). In the House race four men are vying for 2 seats: David Gowan (R) incumbent in LD 30, Robert Leach (D), David Stevens (R) incumbent in LD 25, and Mark Stonebraker (D).

*Update: This LD 14 debate moved to October 10, due to Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever’s memorial service.

In LD 10 House race, Bruce Wheeler and Ted Vogt are incumbents, currently serving as representatives in LD 28 and LD 30 respectively. In the LD 11 Senate race, Al Melvin is the incumbent State Senator in LD 26. Cynthia Miley is a Republican write-in candidate from the AZ Primary in LD 9 House, which is why her name has not appeared in previous posts.*

*10/5/12 update: No appearance by Republican Cynthia Miley at last night’s CCEC debate, someone announced that she was not on the ballot. Checked with AZ SOS website, and her name does not appear for LD 9 House.

Attend these debates to listen to these candidates, and vote wisely on or before Nov. 6. Early voting starts October 11.

Mary Charlotte Thurtle, courtesy of Pan Left Productions

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beautiful sister, friend, and longtime Pan Leftie, Mary Charlotte Thurtle. As many knew, she had been diagnosed with cancer and fighting a very hard battle. Mary passed away this past weekend after a bout of pneumonia. We at Pan Left are shocked and saddened by this sudden tragedy and we will greatly miss her as she has been a huge part of our lives along with many others. Mary first arrived in Tucson in the early 90‘s and it became her beloved home where she was known to many as an archeologist and artist. We knew her as MC where she became a Pan Left member in 2000 and then our Executive Director in 2007. Her documentaries include Quince Años (2005) which she directed, and was co-producer for The Heart and the Monster: A Journey to Cananea (2003) and Under Arpaio (2012)- winner of Best of Arizona, Arizona International Film Festival. There were also many Pan Left projects and productions she edited, assisted, and guided through completion.

Beyond her many accomplishments, she was a tireless advocate for women and human rights in our community. MC worked for social justice in issues such as migrant rights, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, free speech, and advocacy for arts and education. She was committed to preserving access to community grassroots media and was a board member for Access Tucson. Her time here was cut short at age 50, but she lived in this world as person who had many lifetimes worth of experiences. A world traveler, committed friend, and true woman living without borders. We will miss her.

Memorial services are pending by Bring’s Memorial Chapel. Here’s the link (click here) to the AZ Daily Star obituary (also on page A21 of today’s print edition).

Sadly I don’t think I ever met Mary Charlotte though we attended a few Pan Left events, and I heard her once on the Steve Leal radio show. I wrote about the July 28 benefit at the Hotel Congress to aid Mary Charlotte’s battle with cancer (click here). Rest in peace Mary Charlotte, who passed away suddenly at a young age of 50 on August 25, 2012.

9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Maracana Indoor Sports Arena on Saturday June 23
555 East 18th Street
Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: 520-235-7094

Global Village & Culture Booths
Walk the streets of the nations, explore the wide range of cultural goods or refugee business enterprises – stock up for yourself or for gift-giving! This is your opportunity for traditional henna treatment, bead-buying, or an iced Burundian coffee! Want to learn more about refugees and how to make a global impact by acting locally? Visit our information booths or take a mock citizenship exam. Booths & exhibits will be featured as the soccer tournament is played. Come, and learn while you play!

Cultural Talent Performances
Main Stage, 2:30-9pm (schedule below)

2:30pm Arizona Symphonic Winds

3pm Proclamations and USCIS Citizenship Ceremony
Celebrate with us as 50 international children & young adults become new American citizens

4pm Balkan Spirit – Gypsy, Balkan, Middle Eastern music

5pm Refugee Talent Show – dance, music, poetry from Burundi, Somalia, Bhutan and more

6pm Faraz Zein – Iranian/Flamenco guitarist

7pm Balkan Spirit

830 pm Soccer Tournament Awards

Cheer on the winning team as Supervisor Richard Elias recognizes refugee’s contributions to Tucson

Enjoy dozens of performers representing over fifteen countries as they recite poetry, sing, dance and provide the multi-cultural musical backdrop for the evening’s events. Kicking off this year’s festival is an Oath Ceremony where 50 international children will become new American citizens.

Help us cheer on the soccer champions at the Soccer Awards Ceremony led by Omer Kreso, Stephen Zleh & Abdkadir Abdullahi!

Kids’ Corral
RefugeeFEST has fun things to do for children of all ages! Kids can play soccer games of their own, thanks to Alex Mar & the Girls Scouts of Southern Arizona. Parents and children can relax together while listening to stories from around the world.

Info at: http://www.tucsonrefugeefest.com/

Join the Tucson community in welcoming these refugees and enjoying their multi-cultural contributions from all over the world.

Read about refugees’ resilience in today’s AZ Daily Star guest column by Aaron Grigg, interim executive director of the International Rescue Committee (click here), which “offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.”

The mission of the Johrei Fellowship is to help create a better world for everyone by raising people’s spiritual vibrations. The ultimate goal is Paradise on Earth, in which disease, conflict, and poverty will disappear and a world of truth, virtue, and beauty will come into being in balance with material civilization.

Kanji for "light"

Johrei is the Japanese word meaning “purification of the spiritual body.” According to their literature, “the invisible Light of God, focused through Johrei, reaches the inner soul and transforms it.” This can help even skeptics and is done without touching. Sessions in which Johrei ministers or trained volunteers focus their spiritual energy can last about 20 minutes and begins/ends with a prayer.

I only recently heard about the Tucson Johrei Center, so I attended their 2nd Sunday of the month appreciation service at 10:30 a.m. today. It was like other religious/spiritual services with opening music (but in this case it was a taiko drum and then a violin), followed by three offerings of tea cups, vegetables, fruits, followed by an “Amatsu Norito” chant/prayer of heaven in Japanese by Rev. Gerry Nangle.

Then the elder Rev. Henry Ajiki read the “Prayer for Paradise on Earth”, addressing the God of Light by saying that “All of nature receives your loving influence and finds its rightful place… All people are united, encircled by Your Light and guided by Your wisdom.”

In the middle of the service Rev. Nangle stood up facing the congregation and lifted her right hand and directed it slowly to all the members & guests – in a group Johrei session. Later she read from Cathy Ginter’s works (Safe Harbor Center for Spiritual Healing) and said that we need to all “ponder the expanse of Oneness” and that “everything we are is in our vibrations.”

Johrei Fellowshp was founded in 1935 in Japan by Mokichi Okada (1882-1955) aka Meishu-sama, a Japanese philosopher, spiritual leader, poet, artist & businessman/humanitarian.

More info on their website, www.tucsonjohrei.org. The Tucson Johrei Center is located in the lovely Catalina Foothills at 3919 E. River Rd. (NE corner of Alvernon),
phone 520-299-5670. They are also collecting $ for the Japan Disaster Relief efforts and have raised $13,000 so far. Email is johreituc@comcast.net.

Their classes include Sangetsu (Japanese flower arranging) based on Meishu-sama’s philosophy that “you can raise your spiritual vibrations by cultivating an appreciation for art and beauty” in your daily life. These classes plus ones in beginning/advanced/esoteric teachings of Johrei are for fee or donation. This afternoon they were hosting a Sangetsu Exhibition (click here for Az Daily Star article with photos of the beautiful ikebana flower arrangements).

So if you are feeling overwhelmed by your “spiritual clouds” — negative thoughts, words & deeds and toxins in your body — give Johrei a try to seek some spiritual harmony. As the founder Meishu-sama stated “The key to the solution of all problems whether they concern an individual, a nation or the world is Makoto, love.” (January 25, 1949)

The next free 2nd Sunday appreciation service is scheduled for May 8, in honor of ancestors, at 10:30 a.m. followed by a pot luck. Everyone is welcome.

Arthur Albert Chapa

Memorial services were held today at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Avenue in memory of former Arizona Board of Regents member Arthur Albert Chapa, who passed away on November 19, at age 69, from H. pylori-induced cancer.

Chapa was well known in Democratic political circles, “raising money for Democratic candidates, serving as a staffer for Congressman Morris K. Udall (1978-81), and serving on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ transition team in 2006. He was the state director of President Bill Clinton’s 1996 re-election bid.” (from Az Daily Star article on November 23).

He served on the Arizona Board of Regents for 8 years (1990 to 1998), according to his friend former Gubernatorial candidate Eddie Basha, who spoke today at his service. Both Basha and another friend former State Senator George Cunningham referred to Chapa as their “brother/hermano”. He graduated from George Washington University Law School, and also worked as a lobbyist for Pima County.

Basha said that Chapa “spoke against discrimination” and worked towards increasing in-state minority enrollment at ASU’s Law School, and wanted the best “quality of life experience for all the students.”

Bishop Gerald Kicanas (who officiated today) spoke of Chapa as a man whose “life was well lived, given in service to others”. He said that “some make a difference” in life and that Chapa was one of those who did, as he “wanted the best for his community, because he always wanted more not less” for Tucson.

Art Chapa is survived by his wife Lynette, three children, three grandchildren.

Numerous politicians, City and County officials were present today at this memorial service, including all five Pima County Supervisors (Ramon Valadez, Sharon Bronson, Ray Carroll, Richard Elias, Ann Day), County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry, UA President Robert Shelton.

The Chapa family has established a fund in his name to increase awareness of H. pylori-induced cancer, and contributions can be sent to the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, 1295 N. Martin Ave., Tucson, 85724. Remembrances can be posted at www.MeM.com.