Our Tucson community is still healing after that horrendous mass shooting incident on January 8, 2011 outside of the Safeway supermarket at the SE corner of Ina/Oracle Rd. Please join in this community wide effort to remember the victims, the survivors, the first responders, the medical staff who helped the 19 victims of that day. Democrat Ron Barber is now the Congressman from District 2, and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly have moved back to Tucson. And best wishes to the other survivors of that Tucson Tragedy shooting, may they continue to heal and find peace in 2013.

The January 8th Memorial Foundation is trying to create an appropriate permanent memorial of that shooting. Contact the President of the Board of Directors if you have input, or

Remembering January 8 Foundation (http://www.tucsonj8.org/)
PO Box 40355
Tucson AZ 84717
contact@tucsonj8.org

Photos of the stone memorial outside of the Safeway (click here), where people have gone to drop off flowers on the anniversary of 1/8/11.

Today January 6: CD 2 Congressman Ron Barber (who was shot twice on 1/8/11) announced at yesterday’s Beyond Tucson event at Armory Park that there will be a multi-faith service today to commemorate the Tucson Tragedy. It will be held at St. Augustine’s Cathedral, 3 p.m., 192 S. Stone Ave. in downtown Tucson.

Ron Barber (D) 147,338, 50.32%
Martha McSally (R) 144,884, 49.48 %

This was a very close race, with early and provisional ballots in the thousands being counted in Pima and Cochise Counties since Election Night November 6. The lead changed many times, but Barber ultimately began to take the lead on Saturday November 10. McSally was leading on the morning of November 7 by 1312 votes when I first reported the Arizona general election results.

Barber was first elected to Congress in CD 8 in June, 2012 by defeating Republican Jesse Kelly in a special election. Then Barber won the CD 2 primary in August, 2012 against LD 29 Rep. Dr. Matt Heinz. Barber was chosen by his former employer, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords to run in CD 8 after she resigned in January, 2012, to spend more time in her physical recovery from the 1/8/11 Tucson Tragedy shooting. Giffords and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly have since moved back to Tucson, from Houston, Texas.

Congratulations Congressman Barber.

Congressman Ron Barber

Ron Barber

The Arizona Daily Star, The Tucson Weekly, and The Arizona Republic newspapers have all endorsed Democrat Ron Barber for the vacant U.S.House seat in CD 8 (which encompasses parts of Cochise, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties).

–The Tucson Weekly article on May 17 (click here), “Voters should pick trusted public servant Ron Barber to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ term”

–The Arizona Republic article on May 19 (click here), “Barber provides steady centrism district needs”

–The Arizona Daily Star article on May 27 (click here), “Barber for CD8: centrist, mature leadership on complex issues”

Congressional District 8 has been without a representative in the U.S.House since Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords resigned from the seat she held for 5 years, on January 25, 2012. She had been shot once in the head on January 8, 2011 and resigned to focus on her recovery.

The special primary for that CD 8 race was held on April 17, and 3 nominees emerged from that election: Ron Barber (D), Jesse Kelly (R), and Charlie Manolakis (G). Barber faced no opposition, Kelly defeated LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori and political newcomers Martha McSally and Dave Sitton. Manolakis defeated write-in candidate Richard Grayson.

Kelly is the only one who has run for political office before, having won the Republican primary in August, 2010 for this same seat, defeating former LD 30 State Senator Jonathan Paton, political newcomer Brian Miller and perennial candidate Jay Quick. He then lost to 2 term incumbentCongresswoman Giffords by 4156 votes in November, 2012.

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly) have both endorsed Ron Barber, who was her District Director in Tucson for 5 years, and was also shot twice on January 8, 2011 in the Tucson Tragedy. (Mark Kelly is not related to Jesse Kelly).

Early voting began on May 17 for the special general election on June 12. Early ballots are being returned at a record rate. 187,614 early ballots were mailed out in Pima County, and CD 8 has 424,718 registered voters per AZ Secretary of State’s report of 3/1/12.

For a May 16 online debate/forum between the 3 candidates, log onto PBS-HD 6 (click here for my previous blog).

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

She had served n the U.S. Congress since January 2007, was re-elected twice. As most of you know by now she was shot in Tucson once in the head at close range by mass shooter Jared Lee Loughner on January 8, 2011, over a year ago. She has been recovering in Houston, Texas where her astronaut husband Capt.(ret.) Mark Kelly lives, sharing custody of his two daughters from his previous marriage.

She faced three tough campaigns for her CD 8 race in the general elections: against former LD 30 House Rep. Randy Graf in 2006, former LD 30 State Senate President Tim Bee in 2008, and newcomer Jesse Kelly in 2010. And she also had a contentious Democratic primary race in 2006 against former TV newscaster Patty Weiss, and four others (William Johnson, Jeff Latas, Alex Rodriguez, Francine Shacter). She ran unopposed in the Democratic CD 8 primaries of 2008 and 2010.

Her closest race margin was with Kelly in November, 2010 (winning by 4,156 votes). Read my previous blog about that race “How did Giffords win?” (click here).

Gabby served one and a half terms in the Arizona State Senate (2003 to 2005), and also one term in the State House (2001 – 2003), representing mid-town Tucson in LD 28, prior to Congress. I knew her then as well, and worked as a volunteer on her Congressional campaigns for 2006 and 2008. So I knew Gabby professionally through the Pima County Democratic Party and as a campaign volunteer, and later as I covered her campaign for the TucsonCitizen.com in 2010. And of course I knew the late Gabe Zimmerman, who worked as a field organizer on her first 2006 campaign and later as the constituent outreach director in her Tucson District Office. (30 year old Zimmerman was killed in the Tucson Tragedy mass shooting on 1/8/11).

There is a bumper sticker “Gabrielle Giffords continues to inspire” which was placed at the Tucson three impromptu memorials that sprang up after the shooting. It was a testament of her courage and inspirational fight back to health, which is still ongoing (and the reason for her resignation). Because the Glock 9mm bullet entered the left side of her brain, Gabby’s right leg, right arm/hand, and speech were affected by the injury, and she now is working in rehab with her aphasia –speech & language difficulties — and reduced physical mobility. Prior to this shooting, Gabby was an avid hiker, and rode horses, a bicycle, and a motorcycle.

But I know what a healthy, friendly, strong-willed individual she was as a politician and community activist, and I know she will work tirelessly now at age 41 to recover fully from her injury. She took a bullet in the line of duty as a U.S. Congresswoman and should be praised for her courage and resiliency, and hard work for over 10 years as a state & federal legislator.

Good luck Gabby and our prayers are with you as you recuperate, and find a new mission in life.

Remember the first moment you heard/read online that CD 8 Congresswoman “Gabby” Giffords had been shot in the head (credit to blogger “3 Sonorans” for his fast blog here at Tucsoncitizen.com, minutes after the shooting).

Remember when you realized that 19 persons including a 9 year old child had been shot & injured at that Safeway in NW Tucson.

Remember the pain when you realized that you personally knew someone who died (for me, Gabe Zimmerman, Gabby’s community outreach aide). Remember the grief thereafter for such a senseless killing.

Remember anxiously waitng for news from UMC of the condition of the injured.

Remember going to that Safeway to pay your respects to the six fallen on the sidewalk.

Remember going to the UMC memorial to light candles, and to the Congresswoman’s office to place flowers, pray for healing and peace of mind.

Remember President Barack Obama’s speech on January 12, 2011 at McKale Center, in which he stated:
“I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us”.

We all remember January 8, 2011 and the first responders, Surgeon Dr. Peter Rhee at the UMC Trauma Unit, the outpouring of love and support for the families of the murdered and the injured.

Today, as we reflect on the events of that day a year ago, here is a list of some events to attend, to collectively continue the healing:

7 a.m.

Ben’s Bells Distribution – Hundreds of Ben’s Bells will be randomly distributed throughout Tucson in memory of those we lost and in gratitude for our beautifully supportive community. Contact: Phone:520-628-2829

10 a.m .- 5 p.m.

A Day of Kindness at the Children’s Museum — Tucson Ben’s Bells invites families to gather to sign the Kindness Contract, to paint Kindness Coins and to hang Kindness Wishes in the trees at the Museum. Contact: Children’s Museum Tucson, 520-792-9985, 200 S. 6th Avenue

10:11 a.m. Community-wide Ringing of Bells

1:00 p.m. Interfaith Service
San Augustine Cathedral
190 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ

3 p.m. – 5 p.m. January 8th Lecture Series
Centennial Hall – University of Arizona Campus
1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ
The event will be streamed live at http://ondemand.azpm.org/live.

6:30 p.m. – Candlelight vigil on University of Arizona Mall, with speeches
Congresswoman Giffords and her husband USN Captain (ret.) Mark Kelly will be attending.
The vigil will be streamed live at http://ondemand.azpm.org/live.

For my earlier blog with many more details on today’s events including other faith services (click here).

Today let us remember January 8, 2011.

UPDATES: my notes in comment section below about some of the events I attended today.

1/9/12 update: Channel 6 video of the vigil: http://azpm.org/news/story/2012/1/9/1616-view-jan-8-2012-candlelight-vigil/

http://www.rumromanismrebellion.net/2012/01/04/january-8th-anniversary/

Ron Barber, her District Director will be the emcee at that vigil, with speeches by newly- elected Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Dr. Peter Rhee, Chief, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, The University of Arizona Medical Center. Barber himself was shot twice on January 8, 2011 and is still recovering from the wound to his leg. Captain Mark Kelly is also listed as one of the speakers at the vigil.

For more information on the events of that day “Remembering January 8th”, the one year anniversary of the mass shooting on 1/8/11, click here.

Remembering January 8, “Honoring the Spirit of Tucson”

Not many of us can forget that horrendous event of the January 8, 2011 mass shooting here in Tucson, or the outpouring of community caring & support after that tragedy. 6 innocent citizens (including a nine year old girl and a federal district judge) were gunned down in front of that Safeway Supermarket, and 13 (including a 3-term U.S. Congresswoman) were wounded.

We remember January 8th. How could we forget? I took photos of each of the 3 memorials that sprung up after the shooting, which are hyperlinked at the end of this blog.

http://www.rememberingjanuary8.org/

Listed below are community events scheduled for January 8:

January 8th
Together Tucson

7:00 am Ben’s Bells Distribution

Description: Hundreds of Ben’s Bells will be randomly distributed throughout Tucson in memory of those we lost on January 8th, 2011 and in gratitude for our beautifully supportive community.

Location:Ben’s Bells Main Gate, 816 E. University Blvd.
Contact: Phone:520-628-2829

8am-5:pm Tohono Chul Park Complimentary Admission Day

Description:In remembrance of January 8th, Tohono Chul Park will open its gates free of charge to offer the community a place of quite reflection.
Location:Tohono Chul Park – 7366 N. Paseo del Norte

10-5pm A Day of Kindness at the Children’s Museum Tucson

Description: Join Ben’s Bells at the Children’s Museum Tucson For a Day of Kindness. Ben’s Bells invites families to gather to sign the Kindness Contract, to paint Kindness Coins and to hang Kindness Wishes in the trees at the Museum. The Museum will serve as a gathering point for families to celebrate the kindness in our community.

Location: Children’s Museum Tucson, 260 S. 6th Ave.
Contact: 520-792-9985 (Children’s Museum), 520-628-2829 (Ben’s Bells)

10:11am Community-wide Ringing of Bells

10:15 am Remembering January 8, 2011: Hurting, Healing, Hoping

Description: January 8, 2012, marks the first anniversary of the Tucson tragedy where six people died and thirteen were injured. Join the Rev. Dr. John Kitagawa, at 10:15 a.m., remembering and reflecting on our memories of that day and the year that has followed. In this session, we remember those lost and injured and share reflections of the time since the tragedy. All are welcome to join in this community conversation in the Murphey Gallery at St. Philip’s and at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services which will also honor the tragedy of January 8, 2011.

Location:St. Philip’s In The Hills Episcopal Church, 4440 N. Campbell Ave. at River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718

10:45- noon Journey from Mental Illness to Mental Health

St. Francis in the Foothills is offering a class that is open to the public discussing the journey from mental Illness to mental health. Members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will be presenting information to enlarge community mental health awareness and promote civil engagement.

Location: St. Francis in the Foothills, 4625 E. River Rd (River west of Swan), Tucson, Arizona

1:00pm “We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe” Interfaith Service

Description: All faith communities in Tucson are invited to join in commemoration of both the tragedy and the triumph of Jan. 8, 2011. The service will consist of prayer, music, reflections, dance and the participation of those attending. The service will include Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Baha’i and Sikh traditions of prayer.

Location: St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona

3:00pm Reflections: Honoring the lives of January 8 shooting victims

Description: A series of talks reflecting on the lives of Congresswoman Giffords and those who were killed on January 8.

Speakers include:
Senator Mark Udall (for Congresswoman Giffords)
Federal Judge Raner Collins (for Judge John Roll)
Pat Maisch (for the survivors and citizen heroes)
Dr. Lattie Coor (for Gabe Zimmerman)
Dr.Andrew Ross (for Phyllis Schneck)
Serenity Hammerich & Jamie Stone (for Christina-Taylor Green)
Ron Barber (for Dorwin Stoddard)
Brandon Nelson (for Dorothy Morris)

Location: Centennial Hall – University of Arizona Campus, 1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ. Tickets are free and can be picked up at the UA Centennial Hall’s box office, 2020 E. University Blvd.; The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, 2250 E. Broadway; and Pima Council on Aging, 8467 E. Broadway.

6:30pm Candlelight Vigil
University of Arizona Mall

Community members are encouraged to attend and show their support for the families of victims and the survivors. Those attending are asked not to bring candles. Glowsticks will be provided at the vigil to all those in attendance.

The Tucson Symphony Orchestra will perform and confirmed speakers include:

Eugene G. Sander, President, University of Arizona

Ken Bennett, Arizona Secretary of State

Honorable Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor, City of Tucson

Dr. Peter Rhee, Chief, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, The University of Arizona Medical Center

Mark Kelly, Captain, USN (Retired) Spouse, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

The emcee for the evening will be Ron Barber, survivor and founder of the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding.

1/4/11 UPDATE: Injured Congresswoman Giffords will also be attending this vigil (click here).

6:30 pm Shining the Light of Hope and Peace

Description: The entire Tucson community is invited to attend a special evening service of songs, prayer and healing.

Location: Northminster Presbyterian Church, 2450 East Fort Lowell Road, Tucson, Arizona
Contact: 520-327-7121, ext. 229

For more information: Daniel J. Benavidez at

(520) 331-4989, or info@rememberingjanuary8.org.

And for more events commemorating 1/8/11, read my blog on “BEYOND” Tucson (click here) for info and updated website events on what’s happening the day before (January 7) all over Southern Arizona.

Photo gallery of UMC memorial (click here).

Photo gallery of Congresswoman Giffords’ office memorial (click here).

Photo gallery of the Safeway memorial (click here).

And recently I posted a blog about an upcoming PBS documentary about the shooting victims & aftermath entitled “Together We Heal” to show on January 5 & 8, 2012 (click here).

On Wednesday at a press conference for BEYOND, I met Ross Zimmerman, father of the late Gabe Zimmerman, and Suzi Hileman who took the late Christina-Taylor Green to that “Congress on your Corner” (and who was also shot three times.) I felt their pain as victims of that shooting. Let us participate in “honoring the spirit of Tucson” on January 8, 2012.

Monday, May 16, 5:30 a.m.: Rise and Shine — and come to the Trident Grill, 2033 E. Speedway Blvd. (east of Campbell Avenue), to watch the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final launch with the Cactus Roots Team. We will be serving breakfast — and LOTS of coffee — and hope you’ll join us in cheering for Mark Kelly and the Endeavour’s crew as they launch their final mission to the International Space Station. (Launch Time: 8:56 a.m. EDT). Gabrielle is heading back to Florida for the launch — we hope you’ll come back to the Trident Grill to support Mark, Gabby, and the entire Endeavour crew. Sign up here to let us know you’ll be joining us on May 16th for breakfast and the Watch Party!

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has traveled once again from her Houston rehab hospital to Florida to see her husband Mark Kelly and his crew hopefully lift off tomorrow. Good luck to them all.

I reported on the April 29 launch & attended the luncheon watch party at the Trident Grill, even though the Endeavour’s launch was postponed (click here). Fellow Tucsoncitizen.com blogger Ernie McCray – “From the Soul” (visiting from San Diego) joined me and another friend. Other attendees were Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham, LD 28 Rep. Steve Farley, former Arizona Assistant Attorney General Vince Rabago.

UPDATE: 5/16/11 6 a.m. We have lift off! “Expanding our knowledge, expanding our lives in space.” Good luck to Captain Mark Kelly and the Endeavour crew.

Latest from ABC news:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/gabrielle-giffords-ready-shuttle-launch-doctors-report-improvement/story?id=13446310&sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4db4674e20f5e3fa%2C0

Endeavour, from wikipedia

“Giffords will have company with her, including her family, her husband’s family, her staff and President Obama, with his wife Michelle and their daughters Malia and Sasha. Her staff has warned this will not be a public appearance for Giffords though they have suggested they may release a photo post launch.”

A launch party is scheduled at the Trident Grill here in Tucson on Friday, April 29:

Space Shuttle Endeavor Launch Watch Party With The Cactus Roots Team

Friday, April 29, 11:00 a.m.: Mark Kelly will command the Space Shuttle Endeavour as it heads to the International Space Station on Friday, April 29, and while we all can’t be at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to see him and his crew lift off into space, we can watch together here in Tucson. Please join us, and if you have any little astronauts of your own — bring them along. Every child who comes out will receive an official STS-134 mission patch! We will be cheering for both Mark and Gabrielle as we watch the launch at the Trident Grill, 2033 E. Speedway Blvd. (East of Campbell Avenue). Appetizers will be served, and the rest of the menu will be available at a discount. All are welcome, and we hope to see you there.

Event info from Blog for AZ website, go to their website to sign up, click here.

And keep praying for the Congresswoman’s full recovery from that tragic shooting on 1/8/11. More about her current medical condition from AZcentral.com:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/04/24/20110424gabrielle-giffords-medical-condition.html

UPDATE 4/29/11 9 a.m.: Endeavour launch delayed 48 hours due to mechanical problems with power generator. Stay tuned.

Here’s the photos I took today with the Panasonic Lumix camera I won at our Tucsoncitizen.com holiday/blogger appreciation party on December 4, 2010.

At this particular office memorial site there are lots and lots of flowers & candles, cards, messages, photos, balloons, peace signs, as well as potted plants, flags, stuffed animals, statues, vases, wreaths, beads/necklaces, ornaments, caps, even fruits — all left in loving memory of the victims and as get well wishes for the wounded. Stop by sometime and share a somber moment at this peaceful, touching memorial.

Congresswoman Giffords is listed in “serious” condition at UMC, and is scheduled to be transferred to a rehabilitation hospital in Houston, Texas on Friday, where her NASA astronaut husband Mark Kelly lives and works.

UPDATE: For photos of the memorial at the Safeway on Oracle/Ina, click here. And for photos of the memorial at UMC, click here.