Posted December 13, 2013
Karin's Note: Friday, December 13, 2013
-Ward 3 Events
-Upcoming Area Neighborhood and Coalition Meeting(s)
-Citywide Events
-Did You Know?
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Dear Tucsonans,
The next meeting of Mayor and Council will be on Tuesday, December 17. You can view the agenda and materials at this link: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/clerks/mcdocs. I will be visiting my family in Michigan, but have reviewed the items and provided my thoughts to staff and colleagues as appropriate and look forward to picking up on our work together when I return from the winter wonderland (I am trying to think positive about the frigid cold, I mean, brisk and refreshing time ahead).
I continue to advocate for a forum on CPS here in Tucson, which will likely take place after the first of the new year. I applaud the Arizona Daily Star for publishing such an in-depth series of articles on the range of issues and perspectives relevant to CPS. As I said at the forum held in Phoenix last week, though many factors clearly affect the health and well-being of families, parents and children, when CPS gets involved I believe the full focus and resources of that entity should be centered on and follow the children involved. Their long term security of course intersects with that of their parents and their foster or kin caregivers; but unless Child Protective Services zeroes in on helping children survive, recover, and ultimately thrive I fear they will continue to be lost in the shuffle of systems, broader service plans, and complex social issues. I will keep you posted as this dialogue and critical state-level work progresses.
I also want to welcome Matt Kopec to the Ward 3 staff. He started work this week and we are excited to have him. Matt is a Tucson native, a graduate of UA, and an active, enthusiastic community member. We're lucky to have him and I hope you will help us make him feel at home in Ward 3.
Below you’ll find information and event details my staff and I hope will be of some interest to you. Have a good holiday season here or wherever your travels may take you!
Warm regards,
Karin
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Ward 3 Events:
-Buy Local Month - through December 25. “When you gift, do it like a Localist.” Local First Arizona invites you to begin the holiday shopping season right here in Tucson. Check out the website: http://www.localfirstaz.com/ Think Local, Buy Local, Be Local!
-63rd Annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights – Saturday, December 14 through the 28. Drive thru nights are December 17, 27 and 28. This festival is one of the longest running of its kind in the country. Event is 100% community funded, made possible by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Cox Communications, Jim Click Automotive Team, F&N Enterprises and Sturgeon Electric. The residents of Winterhaven ask that you bring a can of food to be donated to the Southern Arizona Community Food Bank. Last year 33,905 pounds of food and over $20,000 were contributed by people enjoying the light show! More info: http://winterhavenfestival.org/
-Holiday Schoolz-Out Program – Friday, December 20 to Friday, January 3, 2014. 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Department hosts this annual event. Children ages 5-11 will be busy making crafts and playing games. $2/child/day (lunch and snacks not provided). In Ward 3, call the Marty Birdman Center (2526 N. Castro) at 791-5950 or Donna Liggins Center (2169 N. 6th Avenue) at 791-3247 to register your child.
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Upcoming Neighborhood and Coalition Meeting(s):
- Cabrini NA – Tuesday, December 17 at 6:00 p.m. Vineyard Church, 3150 E. Ft. Lowell
-Samos NA – Tuesday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m. Salpointe High School, 1545 E. Copper
-Jefferson Park NA – Wednesday, December 18 at 6:00 p.m. Ward 3 Council Office, 1510 E. Grant Road
-Flowing Wells NA – Thursday, December 19 at 6:00 p.m. Ellie Towne Community Center, 1670 W. Ruthrauff
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Citywide Events:
- 4th Avenue Winter Street Fair – Friday through Sunday, December 13 – 15. 10:00 a.m. to dusk daily. On 4th Avenue between 9th Street and University Boulevard. This free, semi-annual event offers 400 arts and crafts vendors, 35 food booth, performances and demonstrations. For more information (including parking!): http://www.fourthavenue.org/general-information/
- 30th Annual Chicanos Por La Cause Los Ninos Christmas Party – Saturday, December 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way. Free to the community this event has a visit from Santa, toys and candy-filled stockings. Made possible with donations from Cox Communications, State Farm, Univision, Blue Cross and others.
- Recycle Your Christmas Tree – December 26 through January 12, 2014. Locations are open 7 days a week during daylight hours. In Ward 3 you may take your tree to: Rillito Race Track, 4502 N. 1st Avenue or to Silverbell Road, northeast of Goret. There will be signs indicating where your trees should be placed. In addition, the City of Tucson will have wood chips available for pick-up at Udall Park, Randolph Golf Course and the Los Reales Landfill. Bring a container and take home some free wood chips for your garden. For more information: 791-5000.
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Did You Know...?
…that Woods Memorial Library hosts a bilingual story time each month? From 11:00 – 11:45 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month? Come and hear stories and sing songs in both Spanish and English!
…that Watershed Management Group is offering grant funding for schools to participate in WMG’s Schoolyard Water Conservation Education Program in 2014? Is your school interested in creating an outdoor classroom, harvesting rainwater, and creating native habitat? WMG will select 4–6 schools in the Tucson and Phoenix regions to participate in the program with up to $4,000 per school to cover project costs. As part of the application process, at least one school representative is required to attend the School Grant Workshop. The school representative should be the teacher applying; school administrators and parent volunteers are invited to attend as well. These workshops will cover details about the application and grant funding along with a baseline training in water harvesting and urban wildlife habitat. The next workshop is on January 9, 2014 from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. To register: https://watershedmg.org/civicrm/event/info?id=313&reset=1
Contact Joaquin Murrieta-Saldivar, Schoolyard Program Coordinator, at jmurrieta@watershedmg.org, with any questions.
…that the Humane Society of Southern Arizona has a donor who will pay for all spay/neuter surgeries for feral cats? Contact Sandy at 327-6088 X 0.