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Letter from
Council Member Fimbres
Dear Friends,
The 2024-2025 school year is in full swing. I want to wish our students and our teachers the best of luck this school year. I know you will all be successful. Education is the Key to Success!
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I want to kindly remind everyone to please take extra precautions when driving around a school zone. Be mindful of all:
- Posted signs
- Speed limits
- Crossing guards
- School buses
- Children walking to & from school
Our teachers, students, and parents deserve a safe commute to and from school. I know that with your help we can achieve this.
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As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions/concerns you may have. My staff will be more than happy to assist you. We can be reached at (520) 791-4231, or you can send us an email at ward5@tucsonaz.gov.
Sincerely,
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 Your Ward 5 Council Member
Ward 5 Welcomes CUPBOP - Korean BBQ!
 On Tuesday, July 23, my staff and I attended the celebration of the grand opening of CUPBOP – Korean BBQ In a Cup. The turnout was amazing!
Cupbop has been serving “A Steaming Cup of Wow!!” since 2013, and this is its 6th location in Tucson!
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I want to give a huge thank you to the Tucson Metro Chamber for inviting us to this great event.
I also want to wish Kevin Santiago, the owner of this franchise, the best of luck. Cupbop – Korean BBQ In a Cup is located at 3470 S. Kino Pkwy.
The Ward 5 Renaissance continues!
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Farewell Captain Petersen!
We had a wonderful time at Captain Mickey Petersen’s Farewell Luncheon on Thursday, July 25.
We want to thank Captain Petersen for his hard work and dedication as our Operations Division South Captain, and we wish him the best of luck on his new assignment at Police Headquarters. He will be missed!
Environmental and General Services Department HHW/Shredding Event
The City of Tucson's Environmental and General Services Department is hosting its monthly Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event on Saturday, September 14, from 8 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., at IBEW at 750 S. Tucson Blvd. City residents can drop off HHW, electronic waste, paper documents for shredding (limit three boxes), recyclables, and glass bottles and jars at no charge. Unknown chemicals will not be accepted.
The event is free for City of Tucson residents with proof of address. Residents from Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, and unincorporated Pima County will be charged a $10 fee to drop off materials. EGSD hosts HHW collection events on the second Saturday of each month in different areas across Tucson.
HHW Accepted Materials List
HHW Schedule and Details
Environmental and General Services Department (EGSD)
 
Welcome Mikel Oglesby!
New General Manager of Sun Tran
Mikel Oglesby has three decades of transportation industry experience. He has an extensive background, developed through his leadership roles in small to large agencies across the United States. Mr. Oglesby's transit knowledge spans both operational and administrative having developed in-depth knowledge of fixed-route and paratransit bus service delivery, light and heavy rail service and maintenance, ferry service, taxicab regulation, financial planning and budgeting, information systems, as well as government and community affairs.
Mr. Oglesby met his three-year agreement to support the role of Executive Director of Transit for the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT). In this role, he has responsibility for both the Detroit Department of Transportation and the Detroit People Mover (DPM) and is responsible for improving coordination with regional partners, including SMART and the Q Line. Hired to be a change agent, Mr. Oglesby is tasked to make Detroit Transportation a premier public transit provider.
Mr. Oglesby began his transit career working for the fourth largest multi-modal agency in public transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), rising to the position of Assistant General Manager. The oldest subway system in the country came with its challenges, most notably, aging infrastructure and equipment. It is at the MBTA that he garnered experience in all facets of passenger commuter service, providing over one million passenger trips daily.
From Boston, Mr. Oglesby relocated to California to serve as the General Manager of Sunline Transit Agency. It is here that he built his reputation as a nationally recognized leader in alternative fuel technology and became known as an innovator in the field of green energy with the development and deployment of the first hydrogen-powered American Fuel Cell Bus of its kind. In addition, he created a one-of-a-kind Hydrogen Learning Center through solid public/private partnerships while providing high-quality public transportation services to the Coachella Valley.
Before his appointment with DDOT, Mr. Oglesby served as the Deputy Executive Director at the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA). His day-to-day management activities included oversight of operations, finance, information technology, engineering & construction, planning & capital development, administration, procurement, marketing, customer service, and human resources. Mr. Oglesby was instrumental in the transition of Operations, Maintenance, and Dispatch to a single contractor - Herzog.
Mr. Oglesby is a continuous improvement strategist and advocate for organizational and employee development. He holds a B.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
I want to give a warm welcome to Mr. Oglesby to the Sun Tran Team and the City of Tucson!
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Ward 5 Business Spotlight: Che Café
 Tucson is home to many delicious cuisines including, of course, Mexican, Chinese, and even Argentine. With all these delicious foods, it is not surprising that Tucson was named a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO.
As mentioned, Tucson is also home to delicious Argentine cuisine. A banner with the words “Che Cafe Empanadas Argentinas” caught the attention of Council Aide Gabriel Holguin on his commute to work one day. He contacted the owners, Jon and Dante Hessling, who kindly accepted an invitation to have a conversation with him about Che Cafe.
The story of Che Cafe started three years ago in Houston, Texas, where Jon and his husband, Dante, are originally from. Jon mentioned that he and Dante had been realtors for 27 years. Jon recalled his mother’s passing, and when that happened, their daughter suggested they sell everything in Houston and open Che Café in Tucson, to which both Jon and Dante agreed, and it opened in 2022.
However, it was a difficult process for both, as they were not sure what part of Tucson was best for business. They rented a location on Broadway, but it did not work out. After obtaining assistance from a realtor, they were able to find a location on E. Irvington Rd. & S. Campbell Ave. They both mentioned that business was initially slow, until a woman came in and ordered three empanadas. Once she received her order, she went outside, parted them in the middle, and began to take pictures of them. She informed them that she was with Tucson Foodie and wanted to do a report on Che Café. The report came out on December 14. What followed next was a surge of people at Che, wanting to get their hands on the empanadas. Jon said that he began to get worried because it got to the point where they could not feed everyone. They were also invited to Tucson Meet Yourself. From that point, Che Café received customers from Oro Valley, Green Valley, Benson, Catalina Foothills and even Phoenix.
Dante is from Salta, Argentina, and the recipes for the empanadas are from his mother and sister. He stated that Salta is regarded as having the best Argentine empanadas. Jon echoed his statement by stating that even people from Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, believe this to be true.
Unfortunately, the high costs of having a physical location began to overwhelm both Jon and Dante, and they made the difficult decision to close their location at Irvington and Campbell. However, this has not stopped them from pursuing their dreams, and they are in the process of obtaining a food truck so that they can continue serving their delicious empanadas to our community. In the meantime, they are focused on providing catering services. In fact, Jon mentioned that he had just delivered 100 empanadas to a customer prior to him and Dante meeting Gabriel. “Folks are saying our products work” Jon stated, and this proves to be true.
When asked what advice they had for anyone who is considering opening a restaurant, Jon said “go for it, but plan out your finances” adding that there are huge financial and emotional benefits to being a business owner. Dante said that you can overcome any troubles with positivity.
If you would like to place an order for catering, you can call (520) 479-9666 or visit www.checafeusa.com.
We want to thank Jon and Dante for sharing their incredible story with us. We wish them continued success with Che Cafe.
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Upcoming Neighborhood Association Meetings
Neighborhood: Fairgrounds
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: La Mariposa Park
(301 East Aviation Dr.)
Neighborhood: South Park
Date: Monday, September 9, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Quincie Douglas Recreation (1575 East 36th Street)
Neighborhood: Sunnyside
Date: Monday, September 16, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Quincie Douglas Recreation (1575 East 36th Street)
Neighborhood: Pueblo Gardens
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Quincie Douglas Center (1575 East 36th Street)
Neighborhood: Las Vistas
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Quincie Douglas Recreation Center (1575 East 36th Street)
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Upcoming Mayor and Council Meetings
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Study Session: 2:00 PM
Regular Meeting: 5:30 PM
Location: Mayor and Council Chambers
City Hall, 1st Floor.
255 West Alameda Street
Tucson, Arizona 85701
Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Study Session: 2:00 PM
Regular Meeting: 5:30 PM
Location: Mayor and Council Chambers
City Hall, 1st Floor.
255 West Alameda Street
Tucson, Arizona 85701
(Doors open 30 minutes before start time)
You can also watch the Mayor & Council Meetings on the City of Tucson’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@cityoftucson/live
Congratulations Judy Leone!
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On Friday, August 9, I had the opportunity to present Judy Leone with a certificate in recognition of her 51 years of service to Sun Tran. She is a great example of commitment and dedication.
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At the August 7 Mayor & Council Meeting, Mayor Regina Romero presented her with a City of Tucson Copper Letter in recognition of her service.
Way to go, Judy! We are immensely grateful for your dedication to the members of our community.
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A Park with a Deep Southside History
 Rudy Garcia Park, once known as “Rodeo Park” is deeply embedded in Tucson’s Southside, reflecting the area's vibrant rodeo culture, particularly through its location and proximity to the historic Tucson Rodeo, one of the oldest in the United States. The park serves as a vital community space, featuring facilities for Little League baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, football, and a playground for children.
The exact founding date of the park traces back to 1965, when Mr. Rudy Garcia, the Southside Little League President, along with about 200 parents, began transforming a 28-acre city-owned lot into sports fields. The City of Tucson’s Parks and Recreation Director Gene Reid contributed by planting many of the trees that now grace the park.
Prior to being renamed Rudy Garcia Park, the area was officially designated as Joe Garagiola Park on April 5, 1982. This name change was approved by two members of the city council and it was announced by Mayor Lew Murphy. The park was named in honor of Joe Garagiola, a former catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, who had developed a connection to Arizona through spring training and lent his name to a Tucson golfing event he hosted.
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Tucson Clean and Beautiful RAINwork Mini-Grant
Now Open for Applications!
We're excited to share that Tucson Clean and Beautiful’s RAINwork mini-grant is now open for applications! We'd like to invite you to explore this opportunity to learn about Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) and its benefits in the neighborhoods. This grant specifically targets neighborhoods with a tree equity score of 80 or lower, as outlined on the Tree Equity | City of Tucson Climate Action Hub website (https://climateaction.tucsonaz.gov/pages/milliontrees-tree-equity). If you are interested in learning more about the mini-grant and application process, please contact Tucson Clean and Beautiful at GSIMG@tucsoncleanandbeautiful.org.
¡Estamos emocionados de anunciar que el RAINwork mini-grant de Tucson Clean and Beautiful ya está aceptando aplicantes! Te invitamos a explorar esta oportunidad para aprender sobre la Infraestructura Verde para el Manejo de Aguas Pluviales (GSI) y sus beneficios en los vecindarios. Estos fondos serán principalmente dirigidos a vecindarios con un puntaje de 80 puntos o menor de acuerdo al sitio web de Tree Equity | City of Tucson Climate Action Hub (https://climateaction.tucsonaz.gov/pages/milliontrees-tree-equity). Si estás interesado/a en obtener más información sobre nuestro mini-grant y el proceso de solicitud, por favor contacte a Tucson Clean and Beautiful por correo a GSIMG@tucsoncleanandbeautiful.org. ¡Esperamos tu contacto!
   
2023-24 Women’s Basketball ranked No. 7 in WBCA Two-Year College Academic Top 25 Honor Roll
 Photo courtesy of Pima Community College
The Pima Community College women’s basketball program added another academic accolade to its 2023-24 accomplishments.
- The Aztecs were ranked No. 7 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association 2023-24 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls for Two-Year Colleges with a 3.478 GPA.
- The Aztecs had nine total student-athletes on the NJCAA All-Academic individual teams; six were listed on the First Team with a 4.0 GPA.
Great job, ladies! We are immensely proud of the work you have done to make our city shine.
The Aztecs begin the 2024-25 season in November with scrimmage being played in October. You can see the 2024-25 schedule on https://pimaaztecs.com/landing/index or https://pimaaztecs.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/schedule
Important City Contacts
STAY INFORMED!
Check out our other
information outlets
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/ward-5
Like/Follow us on Facebook: Ward 5 City of Tucson
WARD 5 OFFICE
4300 S. Park Ave.
Tucson, Arizona 85714
Phone: (520) 791-4231
Fax: (520) 791-3188
Ward5@tucsonaz.gov
WARD 5 STAFF
Lupita Robles-Chief of Staff
Mary Kuchar-Council Aide
Gabriel Holguin – Council Aide
Cindy Gonzales – Council Aide
Lita Reyes - Council Staff Assistant
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