|
Date: 11/14/2022
Topics in This Issue:
-
Blenman Elm Butterfly Garden Dedication – Singing and Signing
-
Plastic Blocks
-
Ward Redistricting
-
African American Museum of Southern Arizona
-
Reid Park Holiday Craft Fair
-
Zoo Lights
-
Holiday Ice Rink Downtown
-
TPD, Fentanyl and Narcotics in the Community
-
Home Sharing Event
-
Home Buying Event
-
Migrant Needs
-
Small Business Support from Barstool
-
Senior Olympics
-
COVID
Blenman Elm Butterfly Garden Dedication – Singing and Signing
I’m opening with this review of the dedication of the Blenman Elm pocket park because it was such a cool event that your neighborhood will want to replicate it. They had food trucks, artisans, and lots of good people strolling through the area throughout the event, and what put it over the top for me was being joined by one of the UA ladies who was doing American Sign Language signing for some of the hard of hearing residents who came to the event. In the photo she’s signing some of the lyrics to Elton John’s Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.
Whenever I’m in meetings where somebody is doing ASL my attention is always on them. In fact, sneaking peaks at her resulted in me missing some chords in another one of the Elton John songs we did - ”we” because she was totally engaged and sharing in the music.
Stop by the garden – Treat and Waverly – it's a great example of GSI at work, and it’s a great example of partnerships that included the neighbors, Tucson Water, Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Eco Sense, our Parks staff and some nudging from the ward office. Thanks to all who had a role in bringing it to a great conclusion.
Plastic Blocks
When we began this pilot project, we of course had no idea whether or not it would catch on, and to what degree it would. We set what we all considered to be a reachable goal of 20 tons collected in 5 months. The local media gave the program a little coverage, but mostly this has been a word-of-mouth process. Even with that, we exceeded the 20-ton goal 2 months ahead of schedule. I put this chart together to show how each week has gone to get us over that total. We (you) are averaging 1.54 tons of plastic tossed into the roll-off per week. It is a clear sign that we need to find a way to continue and expand the program. Those conversations are going on right now.
Chart with tonnage history
I think the saying ‘got a tiger by the tail’ fits with what we’re seeing in this project.
This graphic shows our current program status – over 23 tons now, and still with a month and a half to go.
Each week we get questions from people about unique materials they’re asking about contributing. Most are fine – some aren’t. We appreciate you checking before bringing it over. I’m in the process of chasing down an answer on whether filament from 3D printers can be used, or plates used in printing logos on packages. So much of what we touch is plastic or a plastic derivative. That’s one reason this program is so important.
Last week, Mari asked if the political signs cluttering our intersections can be used. Some can and some can’t. The majority are fine. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Foam core signs look like this.
They’re solid on the inside – foam. They CANNOT be used in this program. But the vast majority of the signs you see are simply corrugated plastic – like this:
The corrugated plastic signs are fine to use in this program. The metal stands they’re on are NOT ok. They’re not plastic and will contaminate the load. They will also damage the shredder if somehow they slip past and into the production end. But yes, the signs themselves are fine. The blue strips you see in these blocks used to be corrugated plastic signs.
Please keep in mind that the signs belong to individual campaigns. You’re not supposed to help yourself and begin removing them. The candidates involved might want them for a future campaign – which in some cases is not good news. But if you have permission, please feel free to add them to the roll-off.
Our holiday tree party is coming on Saturday, December 3rd. We’ll begin around 10am and the tree should be completed by early afternoon. The UA Compost Cats will also be joining us out in front of the ward office throughout the event. They’ll have free bags of the compost they’ve been producing in partnership with the city. Come by and grab some. ByFusion will have samples of some of their merchandise. Good timing for holiday gifts. Mostly though we’ll join forces with any of you who’d like to take part and put up our tree. The process will show you just how easy the ByBlocks are to work with. We regularly get people asking about different projects they’d like to use them with. This hands-on activity will be a helpful demonstration.
 |
Most of you have heard of Transformers. The kids’ toy that changes from one form into another. After the holidays we’ll be ‘transforming’ our holiday tree into a raised planter – also to be located in front of the ward 6 office. I’m working with city staff right now on choosing some native, low-water plants to fill it with. Doing so will show the versatility of the product. What will not happen is we will not be tossing the ‘tree’ into the landfill.
A few weeks ago, I had a piece on Sprouts Grocery Stores no longer offering paper bags, but instead transitioning to plastic ones. The lady who had brought that to my attention sent Sprouts a note expressing her displeasure. In fairness to Sprouts I’m going to share their full response:
SPROUTS’ RESPONSE - Thank you for reaching out to us. We certainly understand your concerns regarding single-use plastic and paper bags. To improve upon our sustainability efforts and demonstrate more care for the planet, we're excited to share that Sprouts will be transitioning to a 100% reusable bag program in 2023. As we prepare for this transition, we'll be moving through our existing inventory of single-use paper and single-use plastic grocery bags. As a result, paper bags will not be available at most locations by the end of 2022.
Through our shared commitment to the environment, last year, our stores recycled more than 1 million pounds of plastic bags and our customers used more than 11 million reusable bags at checkout! We encourage our customers to continue bringing in reusable bags whenever possible to help eliminate the need for single-use paper or plastic bags.
I have reached out to Sprouts asking them to partner in the plastic program we’re running. I have yet to hear back. They’d join several businesses that are already taking part.
Our newest partner is our friends across the street at The Loft. I met with their director Peg Johnson last week and explained what we’re doing. She immediately connected me with several of her operations staff. We’re working out the logistics right now. So, the next time you’re at the Loft you don’t have to feel guilty about buying a beer from their concessions stand and leaving a plastic cup behind after the show.
We’re still handing out clear plastic bags at the ward office along with the informational flyers. And you’re of course welcome to use your own.
Ward Redistricting
This Thursday at 5:30 is the final public hearing that’ll be held to get your input on redrawing the city council ward boundaries. During last week’s citizen commission meeting, they continued the conversation about moving Feldman’s, North University, San Carlos, Vista del Monte, and Oak Flower from ward 6 into ward 3. There are of course neighborhoods in other parts of the city being discussed for moving, but my focus is on preserving the relationships we’ve had with ward 6 neighbors the best way we can.
This is the link to the city clerk’s redistricting website.
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/clerks/2022-city-redistricting
The meeting this Thursday will be held in person at city council chambers. We are to get a final recommendation from the commission by the end of November. So, if you’ve got thoughts on which ward you’d like representing you please be sure to let the clerk’s office know.
African American Museum of Southern Arizona
The folks who are establishing the AAMSAZ are on the verge of formally opening their doors to the public. No hard date has been set, but two things are happening, both of which signal that they’re close to cutting the ribbon. One is that on December 1st, they’ll begin to offer visits by appointment. And the other good sign is that they’re actively recruiting for volunteers to work in the museum. The volunteers will serve in 2 to 4-hour slots. The museum staff is providing onsite training for the work.
If you’re interested in getting signed up to volunteer or would like more information on the visits by appointment, please email the museum staff here: email
...some holiday stuff
Reid Park Holiday Craft Fair
COVID really played Grinch with lots of holiday activities. The Craft Fair in Reid Park was one of those. It’s back though and will include food trucks, all the arts and crafts you’ve come to know, and music will be a part of the activities as well.
This is a 2-day event being held the weekend after Thanksgiving. They’ll have artisans and craft workers from all over the region selling their holiday wares. They expect over 140 of them representing areas throughout the southwest. And there will be a variety of food truck options. I’d love to see you stop by around the noon hour on Saturday. They’ve invited me to play some guitar and share some music. If you know the tunes, come and sing along.
The event will be held in the open area just over the hill from the amphitheater. It’ll run from 9am until 4pm on both days. They’ll have tables for you to sit and take a break while munching the food truck goodies and sharing in some songs. Hundreds of people attend this event, so it’ll be great to have it back in full swing like it was pre-COVID.
Zoo Lights
On another enjoyable Reid Park note, the zoo is gearing up for another Zoo Lights month of activity during December. Now’s the time to start planning at your end.
The event will kick off on Friday evening, December 2nd. They’ll also have the show open on the 3rd. You can go after helping us put up our ward 6 plastic holiday tree. Following that there’ll be plenty more opportunities throughout December up until the 30th.
This is a totally family-friendly experience at the zoo that includes thousands of lights, light shows, falling snow, photo-opportunities, and maybe even some time with Santa. Food, hot cocoa, and other holiday cheer are also a part of the event.
Become a zoo member and get discounts on this and all other zoo events. Tickets are now available at the zoo website – www.reidparkzoo.org.
Holiday Ice Rink Downtown
If you have bulked up a little at the food and drink available at those other holiday events, you can burn off some of those calories at the TCC holiday ice rink. The rink will open on Sunday, November 20th and will stay open through Sunday, January 8th. We’re grateful to the Rio Nuevo board for their big support of this activity.
The rink will run by sessions – each will start at a designated time, and you’ll skate for 90 minutes before letting the next group onto the ice. The ice rink will be located at 260 S. Church – in front of the TCC box office where you found it last year. You can buy tickets online and reserve your spot in a session. Ice skates are included with your reservation. They’ll have them in sizes ranging from 8 to 15. You need to bring your own socks. If you haven’t skated before, trust me that you’ll want extra thick socks. That’s both to keep your toes warm and to give you some stability inside the skates. Wobbly ankles are not a good thing when trying to navigate ice skates.
If you have not skated before you’ll be happy to note that the Pima Pain Center is also a co-sponsor of the ice rink. I’m not sure if they’ll have representatives on-site, but you’ll know where to call if you end up with some bunged-up knees – or whatever. Get your tickets at this link:
Tucson Holiday Ice website/tickets
TPD, Fentanyl and Narcotics in the Community
Last week, the NYTimes ran a guest editorial related to Fentanyl and how easy – and dangerous – it is to find. Our young people are largely falling victim. Maia Szalavitz is one of the Times’ opinion writers. She covers addiction and public policy. In her piece, Maia related the story of two 15-year-old LA girls, both of whom OD’d on fentanyl. One of them died. They had purchased what they thought were prescription opioid pills. Most overdose deaths occur with adults. Teen use of opioids has dropped in recent years – but fatalities among youth have doubled.
Maia writes that if those LA girls had taken something like Percocet – which is what they thought they were buying – even an extremely high dose pill is not likely to have been fatal. Street fentanyl can be hundreds of times stronger than the oxycodone found in Percocet. That is the reason for the exponential increase in the risk of drug experimentation – by our youth, or by anyone.
Please join us on Wednesday the 16th at 6pm for our TPD-led meeting on street drugs and fentanyl in particular. The meeting will be in person and via Zoom, with the in-person piece being held here in the ward 6 office. It’s a significantly important topic so we hope you can carve out the time to take part.
Please use this link if you choose to sign in remotely.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84500776343?pwd=cnNIek9aTjZqL2x1cTV2Wk1FNHdQUT09
Meeting ID: 845 0077 6343
Passcode: @Ward6
Home Sharing Event
It is no surprise to anybody that the housing market is going crazy. Rents are largely unaffordable and interest rates are rising, making new home loans unreachable for many people. There are two home-related events coming that you should know about if you’re thinking of checking into the residential market.
 |
|
I have written about Home Sharing in the past. The two women who really sparked the movement in Tucson – Sharon and Deb – live a couple of blocks from me. Their team is hosting an informational session here at the ward office on Thursday afternoon, November 17th. Their event will run from 1pm until 2:30pm in our community room. |
Home sharing is where two or more people agree to live under the same roof, combine resources and make a go of home ownership as a team. It’s especially important to seniors right now, many of whom are on fixed incomes, and some of whom may have health needs that cannot take second place in financial priorities to paying an escalating rent. Home sharing is an option you might want to consider.
Please pre-register for this event by emailing www.tucsonhomesharing.org, or by calling 520.965.4017. The event is free and full of important information.
Home Buying Event
The other home-related event is being held out at the Reid Park Zoo – at the entry. Attendees will get free admission to the zoo during the event.
The city, county, and the Tucson Association of Realtors are joining forces to present this informational ‘housing conference’ during which you’ll be able to get all of your home-ownership questions answered. The event will be held on Friday, November 18th from 1:30pm until 4pm, and then on Saturday, November 19th from 9:30am until 1pm. There will be information related to various kinds of financial assistance, reverse mortgages, a step-by-step guide to how you walk through the home-buying experience and much more. The information is being offered for free – it won’t drive your interest rates down, but it will provide information on ways you might mitigate some of the costs you’ll be absorbing during the home-buying process.
There’s no need to pre-register for this event. This flyer has all of the information on it.
Migrant Needs
Last Thursday, Nadia and I met 2 of the Alitas Welcome Center volunteers out in back of the ward office and traded them space in their cars – they were dropping off plastics, and they filled the newly open space with donations many of you have been bringing by for the migrant families. Alitas would not work without the huge support they continue to get from community volunteers – and it would not work without the huge support they continue to get through your donations. It might not be nightly news since we’re still submerged in the election reports, but hundreds of new families arrive daily. And none of them arrives with anything but the few belongings that have survived their lengthy trek across Mexico.
Our part of the Alitas collection is the personal hygiene products – listed in part below – and things to keep kids occupied during travel. We appreciate the giving spirit that so many continue to display.
New and unopened underwear (men’s and women’s and children’s,) new socks, personal hygiene products. That’s shampoo, sunscreen, lotion, toothpaste, feminine products, soap – that sort of thing. New children’s toys.
NO CLOTHING PLEASE. Just the items listed. We’re located at 3202 E. 1st Street – across Speedway from the Loft. Our office is open until 1pm every weekday. We appreciate the responsiveness of the community.
 |
|
We are still collecting new and unused winter blankets. These are going to be distributed to the various refugee groups who are here in Tucson. Those will be Afghani families, Ukrainian families, and groups who have arrived largely from other Middle Eastern nations. |
We will be working through the Tucson Muslim Alliance to get these distributed. This effort will continue through the end of the year to be sure we’re doing our part to help our new residents stay warm as the temperatures begin to drop.
Of course, the Community Food Bank collection box at our front entry is being filled and emptied pretty regularly. Especially as we approach the holidays the CFB is stretched thin in terms of what they are being called on to provide in support of the community. Your donations are an important part of meeting the growing needs.
All non-perishable foods are in need – particularly those you’ll think of around Thanksgiving. We recognize that making trips to the ward office with things for all of these groups is an added chore in your day. Having interacted with families represented by each of those for whom we’re gathering items I can say that the gratitude expressed makes that extra effort worth it.
Thank you to all of you who are helping meet these ongoing needs in the community.
Finally, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson are preparing to do their annual Thanksgiving dinner service. They actually host several Thanksgiving meal events at various locations around the community. And they can use a hand at each site. If you can volunteer your service in support of the Boys & Girls Club events, please review the list of options in this chart and reach out to their organizer. I know any assistance will be very much appreciated.
Small Business Support from Barstool
 |
|
Reminder – Barstool Fund is going to distribute $1M in grants to local businesses that are still trying to get on their feet after COVID. The grants will range from $25K up to $50K. The applications must be in by December 15th. Winners will be announced ahead of the bowl game at the end of the year. |
Please use this link to apply. www.barstool.link/AZBowlFund
The funds can be to help reimburse businesses for added costs for compliance with regulations during COVID, staffing needs, revenue losses – Barstool wants to infuse $1M into the local economy to help local businesses stay open and healthy as we hopefully put COVID behind us.
Senior Olympics
This added reminder to get on the Parks website to sign up for the 2023 Senior Olympics. The events will be held at a variety of sites around the city between January 7th and 28th. Included will be everything from running to bowling to pickleball, archery, golf, and more. You’ve got to be at least 50 years of age to enter.
This is the 38th year of the Senior Olympics. Promoting lifelong fitness is the primary goal, but the opportunity to test yourself against both yourself and others is a benefit. And the community spirit surrounding these events is great. Applications must be in by the end of Friday, December 30th. You can do that through these links:
Event Website Registration
COVID
It was the worst week for new COVID infections in both Pima County and statewide that we’ve seen since early September. Add to that the cases of the flu, colds, and other respiratory infections and it’s clear that masking up and social distancing needs to be reinforced. In the ward office, we’ve had 5 people sick with varying ailments. If you have a meeting scheduled in the ward office and you’re experiencing any symptoms, please call and reschedule. And we are recommending that groups using our facility self-regulate and ask attendees to wear a mask. We have them available all the time on the table by our office entryway.
Here’s the update to the COVID table I’ve been keeping. The fall surge appears to be happening right on schedule.
The virus is still taking peoples’ lives. In Arizona there were 40 COVID fatalities last week. Seven of those took place in Pima County. Statewide we’re right at 32,000 fatalities due to COVID since this began. There’s a lot of letting our guard down that’s way premature.
Here’s the flu infection map I had in last week’s newsletter. It was generally ok, but was trending in a bad direction.
That trend continued this past week. Now look at the impacts the flu is having across the nation. Flu vaccines are readily available, and they’re free. So are COVID vaccines. Less than ¾ of the Arizona population is fully vaccinated against COVID.
Here’s the statewide COVID count map by county. Pima County is headed for 300,000 cases. That’s roughly 1/3 of our population.
Sincerely,
Steve Kozachik
Council Member, Ward 6
ward6@tucsonaz.gov
City of Tucson Resources
|
