– for living in the United States of America, a land of freedoms
– for the beautiful vistas & weather of Arizona and the Southwest
– for the lovely flowers blooming around you (even in November)
– for your family, friends, convivial associates and neighbors (community)
– for your health
– for your education & the teachers who inspired you
– for all your blessings (religious, spiritual, otherwise)
– for the ability to love

There lots to be thankful for today — Thursday, November 25, 2010. And be thankful you’re alive to read this. I am reflecting upon the friends and relatives who passed away this year and are no longer here on Earth to read this.

This is what I wrote last year for Thanksgiving (click here), and it still applies, even more so since my friend Hearing Officer Bill Beards has now departed. And the Tucsoncitizen.com is still thriving online, with new bloggers/citizen journalists.

May you enjoy today and your meal. Happy Thanksgiving!

Readers, what else are you thankful for? This week Hugh Holub (“View from Baja Arizona”) wrote a blog about the things you need to survive & be happy, and he mentions “a loving spouse” (click here.) And he goes on to say “And to whatever degree you have the things you need to survive…that’s what you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.”

“Make Way for Books Family Literacy Festival”
Saturday November 6, 10 to 3 p.m.

Popular Costumed characters (i.e. Curious George, Clifford the Red Dog, Corduroy, Daisy, Cookie Mouse)

Story Book performances
–Rhyming Dust Bunnies
–Three Little Fish & the Big Bad Shark
–Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
–We’re Going on a Bear Hung
–I’m Not Cute

Music & Dancing
–Nepali Sunflower Dance Troupe
–Music with instrument making presentation(Anthony Aldinger from Bookman’s)
–Ballet Folklorico Tapatio

“This year the festival also will include short, family friendly workshops featuring read-aloud tips to keep children hooked on books.”

All free, with free parking under the main library and on the street. Food will be available for purchase. I’ve attended this event in the past and it’s a wonderful festival to encourage reading for children aged 3 to 12. It makes reading a book “alive” for children.

Curious George and friend at 2009 Story Town, courtesy of Pima County Public Library

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Saturday morning
10:00 Opening Ceremony with Honorary Mayor Llama Llama
10:00 Stroll over to Art Alley to make a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom craft
10:30 Head to the Book Nook for a fun and interactive storytime with Good Night Gorilla (Storytimes will begin on the half hour throughout the morning).
10:30 Ballet Folklórico Tapatíio on Rhythm Road
10:30 Grab your binoculars and follow the prints to the library for a Jungle Tracks adventure (on-going all day)
11:00 Performances begin on Storybook Lane (Stories are about 15 minutes long and will run continuously.)
11:00 Megascience Meg presents: Jungle Safari! (Lower Level Meeting Room inside the library)

Saturday afternoon
12:30 Music with Nature by Bookman’s Junk Band on Rhythm Road
12:30 Stroll over to Art Alley to make a We’re Going on a Bear Hunt craft
1:00 Head to the Book Nook for a fun and interactive storytime with Good Night Gorilla (Storytimes will begin on the half hour throughout the afternoon).
1:00 Performances begin on Storybook Lane (Stories are about 15 minutes long and will run continuously.)
1:00 Join librarians inside the library for Jungle Jammin’ a musical puppet show & face painting
2:30 Nepali Sunflower Dance Troupe on Rhythm Road
3:00 Parade of Characters closes Story Town

More info: 520-721-2334. www.makewayforbooks.org, email: storytown@makewayforbooks.org

“Carmen and Soledad were both sexually abused as children by family members. Now, as adults,they share their stories.”

They are inviting members of the community to participate in this video presentation/free event, which has been showing at 7 other libraries in October. Q & A following this 20 minute bilingual video.

More info call: Etty Collins, Su Voz Vale Community Educator, 520-434-0195.
SACASA website: www.sacasa.org.

I found out about this video series at the public libraries at the art show opening of The Healing Mask (“La Mascara Sandora”) at 4444 E. Grant Rd., Suite 113. Local artist Cathie Jo Buhlert worked with clients at the Su Voz Vale Program of the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault “to express their feelings about the trauma of sexual assault.” These extremely creative masks (made from all types of materials) were very cathartic for the sexual assault victims (female & male), who also wrote poignant pieces of prose or poetry to accompany their masks.

To view some of the masks, click here for the flyer (English version).

Join them for a Dia de Los Muertos closing celebration tonight November 2, at this art show, 6 to 9 p.m. Suite 113 at 4444 E. Grant Road is between Columbus and Swan, on the south side of Grant.

At the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA) it is our mission to reduce the trauma and incidence of sexual assault by providing treatment and promoting prevention of sexual abuse, incest, molestation and rape. We provide a safe place for survivors to gain strength, learn coping skills, and develop trusting, caring relationships.

Tucson Chinese Cultural Center is having a Halloween Party, 5 to 8 p.m. at their lovely center at 1288 W. River Rd. (east of La Canada, north side).

Free admission to costume contest, games for the kids, candy (of course) for those who trick or treat. Pizza $2 per slice, drinks $1 (what a deal). All families are welcome.

And there will be a scary Tucson Chinese School haunted house.

For more info:
520-292-6900, www.tucsonchinese.org. Go online for their other activities/calendar of events such as qi-gong classes, a Holiday Party in December, Lunar New Year celebrations coming up in February, 2011 (Year of the Rabbit).

Happy Halloween to all. Be safe tonight.

Do the candidates support:
–aging in place
–grandparents raising grandchildren
–healthy aging
–financial security
–understanding medicare

Why: advocating for the needs of older adults & their caregivers is needed now more than ever

When & where:
LD 26 -10/12, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Ellie Towne Flowing Wells community center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd., Tucson

LD 27- 10/13, 10 to 11:30 a.m., El Rio Neighborhood Center, 1390 W. Speedway, Tucson

LD 28 – 10/14, 1 to 2:30 p.m., El Dorado Campus/TMC, Senior Services Community Meeting Room, 1400 N. Wilmot Rd., Tucson

LD 29 – 10/12, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Freedom Park Center, Multipurpose Center, 5000 E. 29th St., Tucson

LD 30 – 10/13, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Casa de Esperanza, Green Valley, 789 S. Park Centre Ave.

Attend these forum to find out how the various candidates in Legislative Districts 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 will handle legislation on aging issues.

See PCOA website for information and maps to these centers: http://www.pcoa.org/what-s-new/

Pima Council on Aging (PCOA) is the designated Area Agency on Aging serving older adults and their families living in Pima County, Arizona. PCOA advocates, plans, coordinates, develops and delivers home-and-community-based aging services for older adults and provides supportive assistance, accurate information, and local resource connections for family caregivers.

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Find out who this visioning group “Imagine Greater Tucson” (IGT) is by attending their Kick Off event on September 30th, 4-5:30pm at Hi Corbett Field – Oktoberfest tent on the field (Randolph Way, between Broadway and E. 22nd). I hear they are an outgrowth of a 2007 Tucson Town Hall meeting on Tucson’s future.

“All attendees of the Kick-Off are invited to stay and enjoy the Oktoberfest opening night festivities at 6pm. Families and friends are welcome.”

“Imagine Greater Tucson is led by Director Eileen Fagan. A steering committee and several working groups are in place to inform and engage the public. Working group members include representatives from neighborhood and environmental/conservation groups, business, education, government, health care and non-profits”. (per Donald Ijams, IGT member and coordinator of the Neighborhood Support Network)

Mission
Imagine Greater Tucson’s purpose is to create a shared vision and clear action for the Tucson region that will make our community a vibrant and healthy place to live, work, learn and play for current and future generations of all ages.

Goals

* A clear set of broadly supported strategies to guide the future of the region;
* Broad-based community support for a preferred future scenario, and clear plans and action to turn this future scenario into reality;
* Integration of IGT outcomes into Town, City and County planning processes;
* A robust and sustainable multi-stakeholder coalition to move action plans forward and work together on implementation;
* Enhanced community cohesiveness and relationships;
* A more informed, mobilized, and engaged public;
* Tangible results felt by all members of our greater Tucson community!
*
GET INVOLVED
We want to work together to help shape the future of our region. We can’t do it alone. We need your help, support, and ideas to make the Tucson region a better place to live now and in the future. We encourage all members of the community – citizens, businesses and organizations – to join in! Here’s how you can get involved…

o Email us at volunteer@imaginegreatertucson.org
o Sign up to Stay Informed at igt@imaginegreatertucson.org
o Volunteer at an event or a Community Conversation this Fall
o Make a tax-deductible donation in any amount to Imagine Greater Tucson – click Donate
o Find us on Twitter or Facebook
Get involved with Imagine Greater Tucson. Our work depends on an enthusiastic network of organizations, institutions and individuals like you. Let’s shape our future together!

For media inquiries, contact:
Sheila Storm
Pima Assoc. of Governments
520-792-1093
sstorm@pagnet.org

For speaking engagements, contact:
Michael Guymon
michael@mpaaz.org

Presented by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson and
Tucsonans United for a Sound District, the forum will feature candidates incumbent Adelita Grijalva, Michael Hicks, Miguel Ortega, and Armand Salese.

The forum is sponsored by Old Pueblo Rotary Club, Ferrell Insurance Group,
O’Shaughnessy’s Steakhouse &Piano Bar, Paytran Merchant Services, and Davidson Business Technologies.

Contact: Rich Kronberg: 520 256-0127,
questions@tucsonansunited4asounddistrict.com or lwvgt@aol.com.

I blogged about this race (for 2 seats on the November General Election ballot) earlier, click here (with photos of the 4 candidates). These candidates were also interviewed separately on KUAT Channel 6 (click here.)

“Tucsonans United for a Sound District is a nonpartisan group dedicated to the preservation of public education and the improvement of TUSD.”

You can vote online at their website as to these 3 questions: “Which candidate’s posted priority most reflect yours? (please take the time to review the candidates’ pages first)?, What is the most important characteristic in a school board member? and What should be the first priority of the School Board?”

UPDATE: audio tape of this debate online now:
http://www.tusd.k12.az.us/contents/events_boardforum.html

“The new figures show, among other things, that the number of people getting married fell to a record low level in 2009, with just 52 percent of adults 18 and over saying they were joined in wedlock, compared to 57 percent in 2000.”

(Click here for full article, with more census information)

I think young people don’t see the value in marriage (maybe it’s too traditional or old fashioned), and the divorce rate has steadily risen over the years (showing others that marriage doesn’t work for all, or is not financially necessary for women anymore). And lots of young people aren’t attending church (of any religion) so they don’t hear about the religious reasons from a Pastor/Rabbi/Priest/Oman/Sensei to enter wedlock. I broached this subject back on January 1st of this year (click here, blog entitled “Why marriage?)

The AP article states the reasons may be economic (too expensive to get married now, wait till later), or that cohabitation may be cheaper. And I think young people are increasingly commitment-shy and afraid of marriage, which ended in divorce for many of their parents. Half of my son’s friends now come from families of divorce.

But I also like to think it may be somewhat societal as well with gay marriage being denied couples in 45 states, that maybe it’s a civil rights issue for some younger folks (who tend to be more accepting of gays/lesbians). If gays can’t get married, why should straights?

Now I know why we haven’t been invited to too many weddings in recent years. One of my six nieces is living with her partner (and choosing not to marry), with their 3 year old son, & another baby on the way. And only one of the others is married.

Marriage isn’t for everyone, but it can work well, as I’ve stated in my previous blog.

What do you readers think are the reasons for the lowering of the marriage rate in America?

And speaking of the recent census, here’s a quote I just read which is inscribed on the walkway at Miramonte Neighborhood Park (NW corner of E. 3rd St. and N. Richey Blvd.):

“The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops, but the kind of man that the country turns out.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1870).

Let’s also reflect upon the kind of man (and woman) we are turning out today in 2010, 140 years hence.

Secretary of State Ken Bennett announces statewide General Election town halls

Non-partisan forums designed to inform public on ballot propositions

PHOENIX – Wondering about the 10 propositions on the Arizona ballot this fall? Got a question on one of the measures dealing with health care reform, state trust land, medical marijuana or the state budget?

Stay tuned, because the Secretary of State’s Office may soon be coming to your community with its 2010 General Election Town Hall series. Secretary of State Ken Bennett has announced about two-dozen town halls across Arizona. The events are free-of-charge and open to the public as an opportunity for voters to learn about the ballot propositions and pose questions to neutral and informed staff members provided by our office.

Audience members also will hear from supporters and opponents of the ballot measures, with both sides given the opportunity to make brief statements and take questions from the crowd.

“Critical issues are at stake this General Election,” Secretary Bennett said. “These town halls are a wonderful opportunity for Arizona voters to become better informed about the ballot propositions they’ll be voting upon.”

These Community town halls began on Sept. 22 in Phoenix, and will continue through Oct. 25, with forums planned all over the state.

The Tucson town hall is scheduled for September 28, 7 p.m. at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, Building 9 (multipurpose room), 101 W. Irvington Road.

Please turn out for this town hall to find out how to vote on the ten state-wide propositions (106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 203, 301, 302) on November 2nd. I blogged about the LWV meeting last week about these propositions (which included short descriptions of each, click here).

And don’t forget to learn about the City of Tucson Propositions 400 (proposed half cent sales tax increase) and 401 (proposed 80% salary increase for Mayor/Council & other City charter changes including increasing the power of the Mayor & the City Manager)…at other town halls/forums, before the General Election.

There’s one this week, also at El Pueblo:

The Southside Neighborhood Association Presidential Partnership (SNAPP) has scheduled a debate on both Propositions 400 and 401 for:

El Pueblo Neighborhood Center

Thursday, September 30th
6:00 – 8:00PM
El Pueblo Activity Center, Multi-purpose Room
101 W. Irvington Road

Speakers include Richard Bayse (NO), Bruce Dusenberry (YES),Mark Clark (YES), and Steve Leal (NO).

Over 1000 community leaders, business leaders & clergy and members from over 50 institutions (churches, synagogues, schools & non-profits) across Pima County convened today at 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Tucson Conventon Center’s Copper Ballroom to present an agenda that builds stronger families & communities in Southern Arizona, through “values reflection, inquiry, and constructive action.”

Sitting politicians (federal & state) and candidates seeking those offices were asked questions pertaining to workforce development, education, services to families, and immigration.And they were asked to promise to meet with PCIC delegations after the General Election.

Here’s a list of who attended today (supposedly all Democrat & Republican candidates of these offices were invited):

Congressman Raul Grijalva (D), CD 7
Ruth McClung (R), candidate in CD 7

State Senate candidate Chery Cage (D), LD 26
State House candidate Terri Proud (R), LD 26
State House Rep. Nancy Young Wright (D), LD 26

State House caniddate Robert Compton (R), LD 27
State House caniddate Sally Ann Gonzales (D), LD 27
State House candidate Macario Saldate (D), LD 27

State Senator Paula Aboud (D), LD 28
State Senate candidate Greg Krino (R), LD 28
State House Rep. Steve Farley (D), LD 28
State House candidate Ken Smalley (R), LD 28
State House candidate Bruce Wheeler (D), LD 28

And for the statewise offices:
Gubernatorial candidate Terry Goddard (D), current Attorney General
Attorney General candidate Felecia Rottellini (D)
Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Penny Kotterman (D)
Corporation Commission candidate David Bradley (D), current LD 28 House rep.

Statements were also made by TPD Chief Robert Villasenor and Councilmember Regina Romero in support of Proposition 400, to raise the city sales tax by one half cent/dollar.

Question asked of the State Legislature candidates:
Will you vote to enact additional revenue sources so that funding for vital services such as education & health care can be protected? (All State Senate & House candidates responded “yes” in their one minute replies, some with conditional responses.)

Questions asked of the Gubernatorial candidate:
1. What measures will you take & what leadership will you provide to ensure that budgets are not balanced on the backs of our children & most vulnerable citizens?
2. Will you support our efforts to expand innovative job training initiatives like Job Path throughout the state?

Questions asked of the Attorney General candidate:
1. What role can you play as attorney general that would benefit our families that are abused by mortgage companies? 2. Will you ensure that the enforcement of SB 1070 is done in a humane manner, and that local police departments receive accurate & just interpretations of the law?

Question asked of the Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate:
In light of the budget crisis, what leadership will you provide to improve public education in the State of Arizona?

Tucsoncitizen.com fellow blogger David Morales (“3 Sonorans”) was present videotaping this candidate session, so hopefully he will be able to provide a video later with the specific responses.

Protesting outside the Tucson Convention Center were Independent candidates Ted Downing and Dave Ewoldt (both for LD 28 Senate), and Green Party candidate Kent Solberg (for LD 27 House), who were apparently not invited to participate. Solberg handed out a statement which read that “Limiting debate, discussion & points of view is not discussion and is not consistent with the Pima County Interfaith Council’s stated goals and purposes.”

Also in the audience today were former Mayor George Miller, former TUSD Superintendent Stan Paz, current TUSD Governing Board candidate Miguel Ortega and member Adelita Grijalva, and former Pima County Attorney candidate Claudia Ellquist.

For more information on PCIC:
639 E. Speedway Blvd. #1, Tucson, Arizona
520-903-2333, office@pimacountyinterfaith.org

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