Cyclists riding on the north side of the Rillito River on The Loop.

Advocate for all kinds of bicycle riders at the Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC). Advise local policy makers on transportation, recreation, and safety issues for bicyclists. The County seeks volunteers who live in unincorporated Pima County to serve on the BAC.

 
The BAC advises City and County government staff and elected officials on bike projects throughout the region. Members attend a two-hour meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Typically, the BAC meets 10 months of the year. Volunteers can also join subcommittees that focus on specific issues like bike facilities, education, enforcement, and a few others.

 
Established in 1987, this committee is the oldest joint committee that includes representatives from the County, City of Tucson, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, University of Arizona, and the Towns of Marana, Oro Valley and Sahuarita. The BAC has been very successful in helping develop innovative bike projects and bike safety education programs.

 
Due in part to BAC’s efforts, the League of American Bicyclists awarded Gold to the eastern Pima County-Tucson region in 2008 and 2012; and Outside Magazine ranks Tucson as the top “bike town” in the United States.

 
Interested in taking action to keep Pima County and Tucson at the top of national bike lists? Please contact Matt Zoll at 243-BIKE (2453) or Matthew.Zoll@pima.gov.

 
For more information about Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee, visit: http://biketucson.pima.gov/

Take a deep breath. How much do you know about the air you are breathing? This week has been designated Air Quality Awareness Week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to highlight the importance of air quality to our health.  Check out the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware for in-depth information

Interesting air-related facts and tips:

• Pima County has good air quality about 300 days a year.
• Pima County Department of Environmental Quality monitors air quality from 18 different monitoring stations located throughout eastern Pima County.
• The amount of life-sustaining air surrounding our planet is limited. If the Earth were an apple, the depth of the atmosphere would be similar to the apple’s skin
• Air is made of about 78 percent nitrogen.
• On average, we breathe about 3,000 gallons of air a day.
• We take about 20,000 breaths a day.
• Air pollution affects the health of those with cardiovascular disease, not just people with lung disease, children, and the elderly.
• Most of the air pollution in Pima County is caused by motor vehicle use.
• Every 41 miles you drive puts one pound of air pollution into the air.
• We drive about 22,000,000 miles every day in eastern Pima County.
• Emissions are highest when a vehicle is started “cold” and after it sits for more than an hour. If you combine errands into one trip, you can reduce cold starts and help keep the air healthy.
• Properly inflated tires last longer, reduce drag, and save gasoline. Check your tires once a month and add air when needed.

Find up to the hour local air pollution data at the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality’s

www.AirInfoNow.org website.  Sign up to receive air quality advisories via email at www.deq.pima.gov.

When Ellie Beaubien received a citation from Pima Animal Care Center for having a rooster in an urban environment, it set her on a career path she never anticipated.

Just out of high school, she brought the rooster in to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, saw a “we’re hiring” notice, and has been working with animals ever since.

Now, as the first full-time staff member at Pima Animal Care Center dedicated solely to adoptions, her whole focus will be on helping pets find their new homes, both in the Silverbell adoption center and at off-site events, such as baseball games, home shows, fairs and storefronts.

Both are key, she said. While there are more adoptions in a given day at the shelter, the off-site events are important for exposure and as a reminder that the adoption center at 4000 N. Silverbell has great options when it’s time to adopt another pet.

With the shelter doing a few off-site adoption events a month, her goal is to increase that over the near short-term to once a week, with an eventual goal of doing seven.

Beaubien is not new to Pima Animal Care Center, serving as the shelter supervisor since 2009. It’s a tough job, and that experience is fueling her in the new role, she said. “The motivation that I have to save more is really a driving force for me,” she said. “I won’t stop.”

The owner of two pitbulls, Beaubien said there’s a reason she likes the challenge of her job. “There’s nothing stagnant about this environment. There’s something new and exciting every day.”

Over her desk is a placard reading, “Dwell in possibility.”

“The possibilities really are endless, so why not embrace them?” she asks.

There are two ways to help Beaubien reach her goals. If you have a business or an upcoming event and would be willing to share some space with some of our adorable pets for a day, she’d love to speak with you. Ditto if you have some time to help volunteer at those events. Give her a jingle at 243-5962 if you can assist.

As we observe National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), the Pima County Health Department would like to recognize local child care providers who have scored between 95-100 percent on their first immunization data report, which is a record of children immunized within their centers.

Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death. They not only help protect vaccinated individuals, but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

Young children rely on the champions in their lives to keep them safe and healthy. Those champions may include parents who keep a record of their child’s vaccinations and ask at each doctor appointment whether their child is up-to-date on immunizations. Those champions may also be doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals who share scientifically-accurate, up-to-date information about vaccines with parents. During this week, communities across the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia celebrate these CDC Childhood Immunization Champions.

“We would like to recognize the childhood immunization champions here in Pima County child care programs who are working hard to ensure a safe and healthy environment in which children can thrive and grow,” said Dr. Francisco García, Public Health Director.

On the following page is a list of local child care providers who have achieved between 95-100 percent rate of immunization within the center on their first immunization data report.

For more information about National Infant Immunization Week, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html.

You may never have a treat in absolute peace again.

A lint roller may now be part of your morning routine.

Kneading paws or assorted vocal stylings may replace your alarm clock.

If you ever move something heavy, rest assured that a particular little furball may develop a pitch-perfect knack for getting in the way.

And you may on occasion find yourself stumped that a seemingly interminable game of ball is so powerful in its allure to your furry friend.

Naturally, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

And that’s why Pima Animal Care Center would like to give a big shout-out on National Pet Parents Day for all you do to provide warm, stable homes for your four-legged little buddies.

Pets give so much back in return, from encouraging physical activity to counteracting isolation. They may even provide some health benefits, including decreasing blood pressure. For a more comprehensive list of potential benefits, please visit http://pets.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-pets-improve-your-health.

Want to be a Pet Parent? We’d love to help you find your match. We’ll be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on National Pet Parents Day at 4000 N. Silverbell Road.

The Pima County Health Department is currently contacting 174 dental patients who were seen at the T Dental Clinic at 3662 W. Ina Road in Marana between January and July of 2010 because they may have been exposed to blood borne diseases like Hepatitis of HIV. This is a precautionary measure and at this time, no cases of transmission of disease have been identified.

The Health Department is working to contact all patients who may have been exposed, which appears to be limited to a pool of 174 individuals based on dental records. However, if you were a patient of the T Dental Clinic between the time of January and July 2010 and have not yet been contacted, please call us at 520-243-7808 for specific guidance.

“At this time, we are trying to help provide residents with sufficient information so they can take the appropriate steps to feel secure about their health. The only individuals at risk for infection are those who were seen at T Dental Clinic during a very specific period of time,” said Dr. Francisco Garcia, Public Health Director. “Although medical and dental offices are not regulated by the County Health Department, we believe it is important to inform the public about this possible health risk.”

The potential exposure may have been the result of improperly installed dental equipment, but at this time, there is no evidence that patients were exposed to Hepatitis B, Hepatits C, or HIV. However, the Health Department strongly recommends the people who have been contacted make an appointment with their primary care physician to test for these diseases. Patients of the T Dental Clinic who have questions or may need a referral on where to get tested are advised to speak with Health Department staff by calling (520) 243-7808 from 8 am. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Pima County Health Department has partnered with the Arizona Department of Health Services to look into the incident and contact patients of the dental office. The T Dental Clinic is no longer in practice, closing operations around the time of July 2010.

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Recent changes in one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards will most likely reduce the number of days that the air in Pima County is categorized as “good” on the Air Quality Index. The changes are based on EPA’s review of thousands of studies and make the air quality standard for fine particulate matter (2.5 microns or less in size) more protective of public health.

Exposure to fine particulate pollution, also known as PM_2.5, can cause premature death and harmful cardiovascular effects such as heart attacks and strokes. In addition, particulate pollution causes haze and obscures mountain views. PM_2.5 can be emitted directly from a variety of sources, including gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles, smokestacks, fires, power plants, and industrial processes.

“Last year under the old standard, there were 361 days classified as ‘good’ days for PM_2.5. With the new standard, some of those good air days will become ‘moderate,’ said Beth Gorman, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality’s (PDEQ) Clean Air Program Manager. “It is not that there is more pollution in our air now; rather it is that the new, stricter standards will provide a warning at the lower, more protective level where air pollution amounts could be harmful to our health,” Gorman continued.  PDEQ estimates that there may be about a nine percent decrease in the number of “good” air quality days with the new standard. (See graphs in slideshow above.)

The Air Quality Index (AQI) converts air pollution concentrations to a number on a scale from 0 to 500, where “Good” is 0-50, “Moderate” is 51-100, and “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” is 101-150. “Even with this change to make the standard more stringent, the majority of our days will still be classified as ‘good’ for all the air pollutants we monitor. This is especially beneficial in a community such as ours where there are many people at risk when air pollution levels are elevated,” Gorman said.

PDEQ monitors fine particulate matter at six different monitoring locations throughout eastern Pima County.  Up-to-the-hour air quality information can be obtained at www.AirInfoNow.org. Additional information regarding the EPA’s decision to revise the Air Quality Standard for PM_2.5 and the recently issued formula forthe Air Quality Index can be found at http://www.epa.gov/pm/actions.html#dec12

Summer is coming. That means we will be seeing an average of 85 animals coming to our shelter every day, with some days topping 100.

There are many ways that community members can help us in our mission to reduce the numbers of homeless animals and help those in our shelters have a second chance at finding a loving household.

• Consider a rescue pet when it’s time to add a pet to your household. Many of our pets are perfectly healthy, well-socialized animals whose owners might have underestimated the responsibility that comes with owning a pet, or experienced life changes that prevented them from caring for their pet. Not only will you help save a life, but you’ll get a great bargain on a new pet that will be spayed or neutered and will go home with a rabies shot, a microchip and a license.
• License your pet. It’s the law. But it’s also the best way to make sure we can reunite you with your pets if they get lost.
• Donate. Supplying food, medical assistance, staff time, gasoline, utilities and other services costs an average of $17 per animal per day. Donations are accepted online for your convenience and you may designate your donation to help us with specific needs, such as spay/neuter services, adoptions, or community outreach.
• Volunteer. We couldn’t offer the services we do without the dedicated volunteers who assist families in finding the right pet and help our animals get exercise and socialization. We have 45-minute Open Houses coming up Thursday, April 25, and Saturday, April 27, where you will get all the information you need on how you can help animals in this community. For more information, call 243-5920.
• Share the word about Pima Animal Care Center. If you have friends or family members looking for a new pet, send them to our adoption center,4000 N. Silverbell Road, to see if we have the right addition to their household.

High quality, accessible healthcare and positive health outcomes should be available to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, income and geography.

With that goal not yet realized, Pima County Public Health Director Francisco García will serve on a national roundtable later this month designed to address persistent disparities in U.S. healthcare.

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has invited experts in health and social sciences to discuss how to best deliver on the promise of the Affordable Care Act to make health equity a reality for diverse patients, and particularly for racial and ethnic minorities.

“There are many complexities involved in addressing these historic gaps, but the implementation of the new health care law really provides a critical opportunity to do things differently,” Dr. García said. “As the health insurance marketplace is transformed in the coming years, and as we place an increasing focus on population-based preventive care and chronic disease management, we really have to redouble our efforts to eliminate these inequities. I look forward to the dialogue.”

Participants, who will gather in Connecticut for the intensive session, will focus on the development of programs and strategies to reduce disparities, including consumer engagement, public/private partnerships and the expansion of coverage.

Dr. Garcia’s clinical, research and policy expertise was cited as one of the reasons he was asked to sit on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force earlier this year, which is an independent panel composed largely of primary care providers with expertise in prevention, evidence-based medicine and primary care.

Dr. García specializes in women’s reproductive health and practices at the University of Arizona Medical Center – South Campus, and holds a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Garcia recently sat down with Arizona Public Media to talk about health priorities. Please visit https://media.azpm.org/master/video/2013/4/9/qrhd/040913_public_health_director.mp4