Photo courtesy of Charlie Spillar

To read more about Charlie go online to www.tucsonweekly.com (article is written by one of our former editors/artist Ryn Gargulinski, now a writer for the Weekly). Or pick up your issue today or tomorrow all over town, page 18.

Another local hero in that Weekly article is Patricia Maisch, who wrestled that gun clip away from Jared Loughner on January 8, 2011. She is now a spokesperson for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, to tighten background checks of people who purchase guns. The article about Patricia is on page 15 of the Weekly. She is also honored as one of AARP Magazine’s “The Daring Dozen” in their December 2011/January 2012 issue (page 51). These 12 American individuals are recognized as people who use “their energy, creativity and passion to make the world a better place.”

Arizona shooting heroes Ret. Army Col. Bill Badger and Roger Salzgeber are honored along Patricia for their acts of physically bringing armed Loughner down to the ground at the NW Safeway. I recently met both Patricia and Roger at the Tucson hearing by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, through mutual contact Daniel Hernandez, Jr.

A tribute to one of these “daring dozen” was given to my former boss Hawaiian U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (page 48), now President Pro Tempore, who is committed to “common courtesy” as a “Chief Compromiser”. The Senator has served in the U.S. Senate since Hawaii’s statehood in 1959. He just sent me a President Pro Tempore medallion as a keepsake.

Read this AARP article about “Inspire Awards Honorees” online (click here).

Congratulations Charlie and to these other 9 Tucson local heroes, and to the AARP “Daring Dozen”, which also included famous people such as Jane Goodall and the late Steve Jobs.