Info from Tucson Forward and other news sources:

The U.S. Air Force is inviting the public’s input on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Pilot Training Center of F-35A aircraft.

The Air Force has not chosen a base yet. Potential locations include:
Boise Air Terminal Airport Air Guard Station, also known as Gowen Field, Idaho;
Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.;
Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.;
and Tucson International Airport Air Guard Station, Ariz.

The purpose of the proposal is to train pilots and personnel to operate F-35A aircraft. Training would include the use of existing training airspace and ranges, which permit flare countermeasures, supersonic flight and the use of munitions.

To download a copy of the Draft EIS, visit www.F-35ATrainingEIS.com. A paper copy of the document is also available at the following public libraries:

Copper Queen Library
6 Main St.
Bisbee, AZ 85603

Safford City-Graham County Library
808 S. 7th Ave.
Safford, AZ 85546

San Carlos Public Library
89 San Carlos Ave.
San Carlos, AZ 85550

Sierra Vista Public Library
2600 E. Tacoma St.
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

Valencia Branch Library (only one in Tucson)
202 W. Valencia Road
Tucson, AZ 85706

All comments on the Draft EIS must be postmarked or received by March 14, 2012, for consideration in the Final EIS.

Written comments on the Draft EIS may be submitted to:

David Martin, Air Force Contractor, and Kim Fornof
HQ AETC/A7CPP
266 F Street West, Bldg. 901
Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4319
Fax: 210-652-5649
Email: aetc.a7cp.inbox@us.af.mil
Written and oral comments may also be submitted in person at the public hearings.

Public Hearings: Three public hearings near Tucson International Airport Air Guard Station will be held to inform the public and receive public comments on the Draft EIS. All hearings include an open house information session from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a presentation and formal public comment session from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Representatives from the Air Force will be available during the open house session to provide information and to answer questions related to the Draft EIS.

Date: Feb. 21, 2012
Location: Windemere Hotel & Conference Center
Grand Ballroom
2047 S. Highway 92
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

Date: Feb. 22, 2012
Location: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Tucson Airport
North Ballroom
4550 S. Palo Verde Road
Tucson, AZ 85714

Date: Feb. 23, 2012
Location: Tucson Jewish Community Center Auditorium
3800 E. River Road
Tucson, AZ 85718

The Draft EIS does say: “On July 29, 2010 the Air Force announced its Preferred Alternative for the Pilot Training Center as 72 F-35A training aircraft at Luke AFB, Arizona. However, no decisions regarding the proposal will be made until after the environmental impact analysis process is complete”.

I blogged about that preliminary decision re: Luke AFB last year (click here).

I hear that the F-35A at 104 decibels is allegedly 4 x as loud as the F-16. If you feel strongly about this issue, do send in a written comment or attend these public hearings to voice your concerns and/or learn more about the F-35A. For more information on noise levels go to Tucson Forward, www.tucsonforward.com.

The info postcard I received from the U.S. Air Force also says that you also seek info from Maj Gabe Johnson, 162nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, TIA Air Guard Station, by calling 520-295-6192.

If you haven’t mailed in your City Primary ballot yet, it may be too late, depending if you trust the U.S. Postal Service. Since the absolute deadline for these first time vote-by-mail election ballots is August 30, 7 p.m. you might want to consider dropping off the ballot at any of these locations, open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow. You can drop off your marked ballot, take your unmarked ballot & cast it there, or get a replacement ballot (in case your ballot was lost, spoiled, destroyed, or not received.)

Randolph Golf Complex
600 S. Alvernon Way

Quincie Douglas Library
1585 E. 36th Street

Clements Center
8155 E. Poinciana Drive

St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
1145 E. Ft. Lowell Road

Udall Park Recreation Center
7200 E. Tanque Verde Road

Valencia Branch Library
202 W. Valencia Road

Tucson City Clerk Elections Center (also open today 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
800 E. 12th Street

(Note: All vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the City Clerk’s Office either by mail or dropped off at any of these centers by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day in order for your ballot to be counted. –And I have heard that postmarks won’t count.)

And finally, a recap of who’s running for Mayor of Tucson, and City Council in Wards 1, 2 and 4:

Mayor:
Democrats: Jonathan Rothschild, two write-ins David Karr and Joseph Maher, Jr.
Greens: Dave Croteau and Mary DeCamp
Republicans: two write-ins Rick Grinnell and Daryl Peterson

Ward 1:
Democrats: Joe Flores and Regina Romero
Green: write-in Beryl Baker
Republican: none

Ward 2:
Democrat: Paul Cunningham
Republican: Jennifer Rawson

Ward 4:
Democrat: Shirley Scott
Republican: Tyler Vogt

Vote wisely!

And for those interested in knowing how many ballots were mailed (as of 8/22/11 per Tucson City Elections) in this first time vote-by-mail election:

Democrats: 99,662
Republicans: 57,357
Libertarians: 1,999
Greens: 1549

Total: 160,567
These figures include the Independents who had to request a specific party ballot.

That’s all folks: the deadline is past for filing by any other person desiring to become a write-in candidate for Mayor of the City of Tucson or for Council seats in Wards 1, 2, and 4. *

Update 7/22/11 late afternoon per Tucson City Clerk’s website: Last minute Republican filed for Mayor: Construction worker Daryl A. Peterson, so stay tuned. And Green Beryl Baker filed as a write-in candidate for the Ward 1 City Council seat, which she ran for before in 2007. She got 26.62% of the vote then compared to Regina Romero’s 72.86%.

Remember that the City of Tucson has changed this year to vote- by- mail, where ballots will be mailed to registered voters on August 10, with the actual primary election being on August 30. Absolute deadline to drop off your ballot is 7 p.m. on August 30. (Voter registration cut off date is August 1, so there’s still time to register). The primary election ballots MUST be in the possession of the city personnel by 7 p.m. on August 30 — so mark your ballot & mail early.

7 locations will be open on August 30 for voters to:

• Drop off your ‘voted’ vote-by-mail ballot, or
• Bring your vote-by-mail ballot, cast the ballot in person and drop it in the ballot box, or
• Receive and vote a vote-by-mail replacement ballot

Voting Locations Days of Operation/ Hours of Operation for both the primary & general:
Randolph Golf Complex
600 S. Alvernon Way
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Quincie Douglas Library
1585 E. 36th Street
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Clements Center
8155 E. Poinciana Drive
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox
Church
1145 E. Ft. Lowell Road
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Udall Park Recreation Center
7200 E. Tanque Verde Road
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Valencia Branch Library
202 W. Valencia Road
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Tucson City Clerk Elections
Center
800 E. 12th Street
August 11 – August 29, 2011
8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri

August 30, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

October 20 – November 7, 2011
8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri

November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

As to who’s running, refer to my previous blog which lists the campaign websites of almost all the candidates, including 3 write-ins – click here.

There is now two Republican Mayoral write-in candidates Rick Grinnell and Daryl Peterson, plus three Democratic ones, David Karr, Joseph Maher, Jr., and Rich Kessler. The latter was listed on the City of Tucson’s webpage as of 7/15/11, but I don’t have any information on him to date, except that he is “retired.” ^

There is only one write-in Council candidate. Green Party candidate Beryl Baker has filed as a write-in to challenge the winner of the Ward 1 Democratic primary, either incumbent Romero or challenger Flores. I believe that Baker only needs to get 3 Green Party write-in votes to qualify for the General election.

And for more info on City of Tucson’s Elections, go to their website:
http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/gov/elections. *I’ve been awaiting the Tucson City Clerk’s updating of their 2011 candidate listing or an email reply about this deadline being past.

^Kessler has withdrawn from this race (updated 8/5/11).