Tucson Citizen and The Arizona Republic

The Arizona Republic and Tucson Citizen

Russ Pennell, coming off a Sweet 16 appearance in his only year at Arizona, will become the new men’s basketball coach at Grand Canyon University.

Grand Canyon informed current coach Dan Nichols on Wednesday about the decision to bring in Pennell.

Pennell declined comment to the Tucson Citizen. A news conference is set for 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Grand Canyon.

The 47-year-old Pennell, who took over for Lute Olson before the start of last season on an interim basis, has agreed in principle to a long-term deal.

Pennell will take over a Division II program that went 13-14 in Nichols’ only season. Pennell guided UA to a 21-14 record and kept alive the Wildcats’ streak of 25 NCAA Tournament bids.

Grand Canyon is petitioning to become Division I in basketball.

The school also plans to build a 6,000-seat basketball arena. The school likely would move up from Division II after next season, but it would have to go through a four-year probation period before becoming eligible for the NCAA Tournament.

Pennell formerly was an assistant coach under Rob Evans at Arizona State and ran the Premier Basketball Academy in Gilbert for elementary and high school players.

During the Final Four, which Pennell attended in Detroit, he told the Tucson Citizen that he had a few options.

He will become the second former UA head coach to guide Grand Canyon.

Ben Lindsey coached the Antelopes from 1965-81, taking them to a NAIA national title before being named the UA coach for the 1982-83 season. He went 4-24, 1-17 in Pac-10 play, and was fired after one season. UA then hired Olson.

Nichols came to Grand Canyon after spending seven seasons as head coach at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.

GRAND CANYON COACHES

Year(s) Coach Record

1949-51 Howard Mansfield 2-19

1951-60 Dave Brazell 112-85

1960-61 Don Reed 12-10

1961-65 Dave Brazell 39-49

1965-81 Ben Lindsey 317-137

1981-83 Jay Arnote 40-19

1983-86 John Shumate 58-33

1986-88 Paul Westphal 63-18

1988-90 Bill Westphal 51-15

1990-04 Leighton McCrary 217-177

2004-08 Scott Mossman 65-47

2008-09 Dan Nichols 13-14

2009- Russ Pennell -

Citizen Staff Writer

A business security guard’s report of hearing shots about 8:15 p.m. in the 3600 block of East Golf Links Road lead Tucson police officers to a critically wounded man.

The man, identified as a 27-year old, died shortly after arrival at a hospital, said police spokesman Sgt. Mark Robinson.

The victim’s name is being withheld until family can be found and told of his death.

Tucson Citizen

news@tucsoncitizen.com

Citizen Staff Report

Tucson Citizen

news@tucsoncitizen.com

The Tucson Citizen’s editorial pages received the top award among large newspapers in the state from the Arizona Newspapers Association.

The association’s Better Newspaper Contest judge said the Citizen “won for its outstanding effort to involve its readers in the conversation, for successfully blending its online and print efforts and for a nice, clean and compact presentation.”

In all, the Tucson Citizen and its staff won eight first-place awards in the annual contest.

Receiving firsts were:

• Anthony Gimino for his coverage of the University of Arizona’s softball team’s trip to the College World Series.

• Geoff Grammer, for his story on the lack of women high school team coaches.

• Anne T. Denogean for her tongue-in-cheek column about the presidential primary.

• Jim Wyckoff, for his headline “Vick scrambles as posse flees.”

• Francisco Medina, for a news photograph of a family’s rescue from floodwaters.

• Gabrielle Fimbres, for her story on a badly battered child who is now grown up.

• The Citizen’s special section on the 2007 football season.

The paper also won third place among large newspapers in the state for best use of photography and for reporting and news writing excellence.

The Tucson Citizen swept two categories: sports team or sports beat coverage and news photography.

Earning second-place awards were:

Photographers P.K. Weis and Medina; reporters Steve Rivera, Renée Schafer Horton and Sheryl Kornman; Gimino; and copy editor Keith Busch, who died in January.

Earning thirds were:

Reporters Polly Higgins and B. Poole; columnists Billie Stanton and Ryn Gargulinski; photographers Renee Bracamonte, Val Cañez and Medina; and Busch.

Statewide, the East Valley Tribune and Payson Roundup took the awards for 2008 Arizona Newspaper of the Year among large and small papers, respectively. Those awards are based on honors won in the Excellence in Advertising Contest added together with winning entries from the Better Newspapers Contest.

Nick Oza of The Arizona Republic and Owen Martin of West Valley View were chosen the ANA Photographers of the Year. Brady McCombs of the Arizona Daily Star and Thelma Grimes of the San Pedro Valley News-Sun and Vail Sun were selected as ANA Journalists of the Year.

This year, 63 newspapers and 12 high schools entered the Better Newspapers Contest.

Tucson Citizen and The Arizona Republic
IN BRIEF

Tucson Citizen and The Arizona Republic

Consumer financial stresses aren’t showing signs of abating as Tucson-area bankruptcy filings in August climbed 34 percent above the number filed a year ago.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tucson recorded 352 filings in August as consumers struggled with housing woes, job losses and other problems.

U.S. filings rose 29 percent in August to 96,413, hitting the highest total in nearly three years, the American Bankruptcy Institute and National Bankruptcy Research Center reported.

Tucson’s job-growth engine has slipped into reverse. The local economy had 6,000 fewer jobs last month than in July 2007, according to latest figures from the Department of Economic Security.

Also, housing prices here are weak.

The median price of resale homes in Tucson dipped in June, to $188,726 from $195,000 in May, and foreclosure sales accounted for 17 percent of all resales in June, according the Southern Arizona Housing Market Letter,

“You’re seeing this domino effect,” Phoenix bankruptcy attorney Diane L. Drain said.

The list, she said, now includes subcontractors hurt by the housing slump, the upper echelon stretched too thin and homeowners caught by a surprise freeze in their home-equity lines of credit.

“Unemployment, medical problems and divorces still drive many bankruptcies, as before,” Drain said. “But, now, you’re seeing problems with real-estate people, investors and others.”

Three-quarters of Tucson-area filings are Chapter 7s, which offer a fresh start to people who qualify.

Most of the rest are Chapter 13 procedures built around debt-repayment plans.

The Tucson bankruptcy court includes filings from Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties. Nearly 90 percent of all Arizona filings are in Pima and Pinal counties.

Citizen Staff Writer

See and do

Spend your Labor Day weekend in cool, scenic Bisbee, which celebrates the 44th annual Brewery Gulch Daze on Sunday.

Events, running 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Brewery Avenue, include the Miz Old Biz contest, Belt Sander races and waiter/waitress relay races.

There’s also a pancake breakfast (7:30-11 a.m.), pet parade (10 a.m.) and kiddie carnival games – all to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Bisbee.

If it’s anything like Bisbee’s Fourth of July celebration, small-town fun is guaranteed.

Get a low-key start to the weekend Saturday at the weekly farmers market.

Held in Vista Park in the Warren District from 8 a.m.-noon, the market features local produce and crafts.

Cost

Free admission, but charges for food and some activities.

Where to eat

After the Fourth of July holiday a lot of Bisbee restaurants close until September (reopening dates vary.) So call ahead. A list of eateries is on the Bisbee Visitor Center’s Web site, www.discover bisbee.com.

If it’s open and you want to splurge, head to Cafe Roka, 35 Main St. (www.caferoka.com). It is open only for dinner and requires reservations. Call 520-432-5153.

Otherwise, you can count on Bisbee Coffee Co., which roasts its own beans, for top-rate espresso beverages. It’s at 2 Copper Queen Plaza (520-432-7879) and is open 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

Kid-friendly?

The kiddie carnival and pet parade are no-brainers, but with the former mining town’s steep terrain, you may be working out more than usual carrying the kids or pushing the stroller.

By the way

Take a detour to Sonoita on the way home and catch some of the action at the 93rd Sonoita Labor Day Rodeo.

Events start at 2 p.m. daily (Saturday-Monday) and include wild horse racing, barrel racing and a children’s rodeo all at the Sonoita Fairgrounds (www.sonoitafairgrounds .com)

The drive

It takes about two hours to go the about 95 miles. Take Interstate 10 east toward El Paso to Exit 303 (Benson/Douglas). Take state Route 80 about 48 miles through St. David and Tombstone.

To learn more

520-432-3554, www.discoverbisbee.com

Citizen Staff Writer

Tucson Citizen

news@tucsoncitizen.com

The University of Arizona’s solar car and team are ready for the challenge – the American Solar Challenge.

The solar car competition is a 2,400-mile road trip that starts July 12 in Plano, Texas, and ends July 22 in Calgary, Alberta. UA students designed and built a solar-powered Drifter 2.0.

“Recently, we’ve been in the shop up to 80 hours a week,” said Oliver Stickroth, mechanical lead of the solar car team. “We are inventing new things every day and solving problems on our own, so it’s a great experience to use the skills we’ve learned.”

Team advisers Phil Davis and Harland Goertz agreed.

“We’ve done a lot of research and learned a lot about alignment and tire pressure since the last race” two years ago, said Goertz, a UA associate at the Arizona Institute for Solar Energy. The institute, also called AzRISE, has adopted the solar car project.

Drifter 2.0 is registered with the Arizona Department of Transportation as a convertible. The top comes off for entry and exit from the vehicle.

Final qualifying for the competition will be July 6-11 in Cresson, Texas. The trials ensure all entered cars can perform, are safe and can endure the same obstacles everyone faces on the road: potholes, rough surfaces, wind and rain.

A UA team won the 2001 Stock Class event, but failed to make the field in 2005.

Citizen Staff Report

Tucson Citizen

As a sign of respect for Officer Erik Hite, who was shot Sunday and died Monday, Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup has ordered all flags in Tucson to be lowered to half-staff until Hite’s funeral is held.

The funeral date has not yet been set.

Citizen Staff Writer

Tucson Citizen

Memorial Day did not end Monday.

About 150 people attended the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Memorial Day ceremony Friday to remember those who died in U.S. wars.

Keynote speaker was retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Keith B. Connolly.

The Lady Phantom Color Guard from American Legion Post 109 provided pomp, and cupcakes sporting U.S. flags provided the sweetness for the ceremony at 3601 S. Sixth Avenue.

Citizen Staff Writer
NATIONAL CHAMPS FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Catalina Foothills High School’s chess team won the national championship of the U.S. Chess Federation for the second straight year last month in Atlanta. The Citizen reported on the win when it happened, but didn’t have a photo to show at the time. Here are the young men and women who blasted the competition with their wits and calm. How did the team achieve such a victory?

More than 1,200 students from across the country competed in the tournament, which had seven rounds. Each competitor played seven games and each game could last up to four hours. While 10 Catalina Foothills students went to Georgia, only seven competed in the championship section, and only the top four scores for each team were used to decide the national winner.

Seniors Vaishnav Aradhyula and Landon Brownell each scored 5.5 points out of 7. Freshman Kevin Zhang had 4.5 and both senior Victor Yee and sophomore Eli Alster had 4 points.

Tucson Citizen

GIVE US YOUR NOMINEES

Teams from all sports are welcome. With your nomination, include contact information for coaches and all players’ proper identifications. Send to familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com or Tucson Citizen, 4850 S. Park Ave., Tucson AZ 85714. Please include your name, phone number and age.

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Countrywide Financial Corp., the nation’s largest mortgage lender, sought to reassure investors Tuesday, declaring it has ample capital, access to cash and is well-positioned to benefit from the financial turmoil rocking the mortgage sector.

The company’s statement came amid rumors the Calabasas, Calif.-based company could be looking to seek bankruptcy protection and as its stock tumbled at one point more than 15 percent.

The Associated Press

Citizen Staff Report

Tucson Citizen

Tucson is slated to lose more manufacturing.

Texas Instruments Inc. on Monday announced it will consolidate its manufacturing operations in Texas, eliminating about 300 jobs here. That’s about half the total work force in Tucson.

However, Tucson will retain about 300 higher wage engineering and development jobs at the electronics plant near the airport.

Over the next two years, TI will consolidate its Tucson manufacturing operations into its Sherman, Texas, facility. The Sherman facility has more room for manufacturing today and room for expansion, said Gail Chandler, company spokeswoman. It costs less to manufacture there because of reduced overhead costs, she said.

The TI Tucson site, 6730 S. Tucson Blvd., will remain a long-term product design center and will continue to employ about 300 people, the company said.

“There a possibility that the process development operations here could grow as we grow our analog chip business,” Chandler wrote in an e-mail.

Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities also viewed the remaining jobs as positive news: “It shows Tucson still offers the company institutional knowledge. And keeping higher skilled, higher wage jobs is part of our economic blueprint,” said Laura Shaw, senior vice president of corporate and community affairs.

Semiconductor production here is expected to stop by the end of 2009. About 200 of the jobs will be transferred to Texas.

The first layoffs will occur in the middle of next year, the company said, but most won’t be laid off until mid 2009. Layoffs will include separation pay, extended insurance benefits and job-search assistance.

TI will incur total restructuring charges of about $35 million, distributed across the consolidation period. TI expects to achieve annual savings of about $20 million when completed.

Texas Instruments bought Tucson-based Burr-Brown Corp. in August 2000, in a deal valued at $7.6 billion,. Peak employment here was about 1,300 before the sale.

Citizen Staff Writer
IN BRIEF

If you filed for an extension, it’s time to quit procrastinating and get your 2006 income taxes done.

The deadline to file the tax return is Oct. 15.

About 213,500 Arizonans still need to file.

“Don’t wait until the last minute to file your tax return. If you start now, you can make sure your return is accurate and that you’ve claimed all the credits and deductions available to you,” said Bill Brunson, an Internal Revenue Service spokesman.

An estimated 9.9 million taxpayers filed for an extension to submit their tax return this year. The extension is additional time to file a tax return, not extra time to pay.

More information is available at irs.gov.

Tucson Citizen

Citizen Staff Report
IN BRIEF

Eleven Tucson-based companies made the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States.

There were more than 100 companies from Arizona in the list.

Here is the Tucson contingent, with rank, then company name:

856 simpleview

1,031 Native Tele-Data Solutions

1,511 Auction Systems Auctioneers & Appraisers

1,487 hydroGEOPHYSICS

2,397 Tucson Flooring Concepts (listed as Aztec Flooring)

2,409 CyraCom International

3,837 Farwest Pump

4,412 Buffalo Exchange

4,599 First Magnus (recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy)

4,758 Cathey’s Sewing and Vacuum

4,972 Tucson Embedded Systems

The list measures revenue growth from 2003 through 2006. To qualify, companies had to be U.S.-based and privately held, independent – not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies – and had at least $200,000 in revenue in 2003, $2 million in 2006.

Citizen Staff Report

Tucson Citizen
news@tucsoncitizen.com

Afni Inc. announced Thursday morning it is expanding in Tucson, creating another 350 jobs and building a call center

The new 53,000 square-foot center will be on the southeast corner of West River Road and North La Cholla Boulevard.

The expansion will boost Afni’s employee ranks to 1,850 from its current 1,500.

“Ten years ago, Afni management opened a contact center in Tucson as our first expansion site. Today, this new building and expansion will further strengthen our commitment to Tucson and allow Afni to continue to provide world-class service to our clients,” said Bruce F. Griffin, Afni’s chairman and CEO.

The company also has a call center at 7810 E. Escalante Road.

About 500 employees will move from the current Afni Northwest Tucson center at 333 E. Wetmore Road to the new location. The new center is expected to employ 700.

The company also plans to expand its Southeast center by 150 jobs.

Afni does outsourcing of office functions for other companies, such as credit collections and insurance services.

Afni’s new center will be part of Riverside Crossing, a mixed-use building site.

Diamond Ventures is developing the first phase of the 30-acre Riverside Crossing site. The center is scheduled to have a bank, professional and medical offices, restaurants and stores, apartments and a hotel.

Citizen Staff Writer
RealFAST LOCAL NEWS

While the Mars Lander took off without a hitch on Saturday, work has just begun for member of the University of Arizona team.

Saturday’s launch was “the first step in the long journey to the surface of Mars,” said Peter Smith, a UA astronomer who is the lead scientist on the mission.

“We certainly are excited about launching, but we are still concerned about our actual landing, the most difficult step of this mission,” Smith said.

As the spacecraft cruises to Mars, the next nine months will be busy for Smith and the Tucson-based Phoenix team, as they prepare for landing May 25, 2008 and subsequent surface science operations.

“We will be simulating landing operations and landing sequences. We will have four surface operations training sessions, and we may add a couple more if we get nervous,” Smith said. “Entry, descent and landing is our primary focus, to make sure can get safely to the surface. We are going to simulate that over and over and over.”

Tucson Citizen