|
|
Protecting, Enhancing the Santa Cruz River
Mayor and Council will decide next week whether to support a grassroots proposal for a Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge. The resolution asks Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland to create the refuge. It was jointly submitted by Council Member Lane Santa Cruz and me because the river flows through both of our Wards.
Santa Cruz Ruver Urban Wildlife Refuge Logo, Designed by Artist Maxie Adler
This federal designation would establish a boundary along the Santa Cruz River from Mexico to the Pinal County border north of us. Within this urban refuge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may accept donations of land or purchase suitable sites from willing donors. It is expected there will be cooperative projects and co-stewardship agreements with private and public landowners.
In protecting the life-sustaining waters of the Santa Cruz, the refuge will provide vital habitat for endangered species like Gila topminnows and longfin dace, fish that have begun to swim free after decades of absence. The river corridor is a vital migration corridor and north-south flyway for hundreds of bird species and nesting habitat for the endangered Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
As envisioned, the urban refuge will become a “string of pearls” of protected places, boosting equitable outdoor access and environmental education opportunities for the hundreds of thousands of people who live along the Santa Cruz River. It will also benefit and grow our outdoor tourism economy.
A coalition of tribal leaders, neighbors, wildlife enthusiasts, scientists, environmental educators, and others collaborated for two years to develop the widely supported proposal in a process that included much public participation. Their incredible work is well-represented at the website, https://santacruzriver.org/.
|
|
|
Not very long ago, the Public Safety Communications Department (PSCD), which primarily consists of the call takers for 911 and 311, was having difficulties retaining employees.
A 911 call taker
While we all know that Police and Fire engage with some difficult experiences while in the line of duty, we may sometime forget that there is a human being taking every 911 call that comes in, and the things they encounter can be deeply disturbing. The average 911 call taker receives 130 calls per shift, and they can range from the quick and easy to complex and taxing to absolutely tragic.
911 Calls by Ward
Part of the difficulty of this job is that calls come in one after the other, and require precision decision making from the call takers, regardless of what they have just dealt with in the previous call. In recent years, the department leadership recognized that they were having problems retaining employees. They could hire new people, but those people were not staying for long. This inspired a period of deep listening to employees about what made their jobs so difficult, and a series of innovations to help people be able to cope better with the difficulties.
PSCD brought on an in house clinician who talks to call takers who have dealt with heavy calls. Now, potentially traumatic calls are not expected to be taken back to back. Rather, the workflow allows for a call taker to talk to a professional after a call that is especially emotionally taxing. Call takers are also given health breaks where they can go outside, visit an in-house gym, and do other things to relieve the stress of the calls they take.
These innovations have been wildly successful and have seen the retention rate improve dramatically since implementing these changes.
Currently, the Wildcat Inn - the City owned transitional housing - has about 44 kids. The shelter currently focuses on families with children and four different school buses pick up and drop off there. It's fully fenced for safety and the front office has snacks, books, and art supplies on hand. But in the beginning it was mostly singles and couples. Until Baby Alice arrived, the first baby to be born at Wildcat Inn.
Bona, former owner and current staff at Wildcat Inn, feeding Baby Alice.
Housing First staff Allison Chappell and Sonya Palmer first met Lisa and Cole, Baby Alice’s parents, while checking in on another client that had been recently housed. Lisa was pregnant and the couple was staying on the couch with nowhere to go. Staff knew that the couple might not be allowed to bring the baby home if they didn’t have their own place and worked to get them into Wildcat ahead of their due date.
Sonya holding Baby Alice and Brandi holding Wildcat Baby #2!
From the beginning, the community and staff at Wildcat were very supportive of Lisa and Cole and their new little baby. Alice brought so much joy to everyone and quickly became the most treasured and loved individual on property. Sonya would check on the couple to ensure they were staying on top of their requirements to the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) and for their own goals of housing and employment.
As many parents can identify with, the first few months were very challenging and Sonya noticed they were struggling. Then DCS started doing home visits and on one of the visits they informed Sonya that at least one of the parents needed to be clean and sober or they would need to remove the baby. The parents continued to struggle, and DCS removed the baby a few months after she'd come home.
Sonya remembers that day vividly. She got a phone call after just leaving her shift at Wildcat letting her know that DCS had arrived with a car seat. Sonya had become very close with Lisa and Cole who had no family support, and they had discussed this possibility. They asked her to take Baby Alice while they worked to get her back, and Sonya said yes. It took months, a legal process, and moments of uncertainty, but Alice came home to Sonya and her partner Rosa and their kids and grandkids.
Baby Alice’s First Birthday celebrated at Wildcat Inn.
Baby Alice became a part of the Palmer family, loving and being loved by the multi-generational household. She also continued to be her parent’s daughter. Sonya ensured they continued to see each other through scheduled video calls, photos, and in person when appropriate. And she continued to be a part of the Wildcat family. Baby Alice had her first birthday party under the ramada at the Wildcat Inn.
Sonya's son Javonte and Baby Alice saying bye on her last day with the Palmer family.
It didn’t happen overnight and it was not easy, but Lisa and Cole did manage to get their feet back on solid ground. They started taking classes and engaging in programs. Lisa is a vet and qualified for veteran housing so they were able to move out of the Wildcat and into their own apartment. After a little over a year, Baby Alice was reunited with her parents. She now has a baby brother named Cole and Papa Cole just graduated from Navy Basic Training.
Cole in his Navy blues after graduating.
This story really is one of both community care and relational care. Brandi Champion, Director of Housing First, shared this story internally as an example of the impact that true hands-on case management can have on people’s lives. And while fostering a baby truly goes above and beyond, it speaks to the relationship Sonya was able to develop with Lisa and Cole. Sonya’s goal was always to support them in establishing stable housing. And they have that now. The path to get there took many turns and Sonya was with them the whole way.
This type of work is difficult to accurately report and compensate for. How do you bill these kinds of hours? What bucket of funding does a birthday cake come out of?* With the overlapping impacts of the housing and opioid crisis paired with budget shortfalls and austerity positions, everyone wants a traceable impact per dollar. While that is reasonable, and we adhere to all the strict reporting and spending, I am so grateful to everyone at Wildcat Inn who provided support to Lisa and Cole in the ways they needed it.
*For the official record, the cake was purchased with personal funds.
|
|
 ELOISE/A848087
Age: 8 years
Qualities:
Sweet senior husky Eloise is a dainty, mild-mannered lady whose favorite things include leisurely walks, tasty treats, and time with friends. This easygoing gal is a true pleasure to be around and has quickly endeared herself to staff and volunteers at PACC. Eloise is currently receiving treatment through PACC for heartworm disease and would love a quiet foster or pre-adoptive home where she can recover!
Fee:
Eloise has a $0 adoption fee. A $20 license fee applies to adult dogs. Adoption includes spay or neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, microchip, and a free vet visit.
Contact:
Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Rd.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12pm - 7pm.
Wednesday 1:30-7pm. Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5pm.
|
|
|
Keeling Neighborhood Association Meeting
Monday 9/23, 7 - 8:30 pm
Cornerstone Fellowship Church, 2902 N. Geronimo Ave.
Bronx Park Neighborhood Association Meeting
Tuesday 9/24, 6 - 7 pm
Amethyst Room - CC Building
Pima Community College Downtown Campus
1255 N. Stone Ave.
Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association Meeting
Wednesday 9/25, 6 - 7 pm
1510 E. Grant Rd.
The Ward 3 office is open at 1510 E. Grant Rd. from
9 am -1 pm, Monday through Friday. Staff will answer phone messages, emails and requests for meetings by the next business day. Leave your message at 520-791-4711 or email ward3@tucsonaz.gov.
|
|
SURVEY FOR 1ST AVE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The City of Tucson, in partnership with Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority, is improving 1st Avenue from River Road to Grant Road. A survey is now available to gather community input on the priorities for this area. The public is invited to visit the project website to take the survey, leave a comment on the interactive map, or sign up for the email list.
The 1st Avenue Improvement Project will modernize the corridor using a Complete Streets framework to enhance safety for all users, improve roadway conditions, and provide greater comfort and accessibility for pedestrians, transit riders, and bicyclists. The project includes a new bridge over the Rillito River, pavement reconstruction, continuous and accessible sidewalks, enhanced bicycle facilities, safety improvements, drainage improvements, upgraded traffic signals, lighting, and landscaping.
 The 1st Avenue Project is very early in the development process. The project started with a Needs Assessment to better understand the existing conditions in the corridor. Based on community input and the findings of the Needs Assessment, the City of Tucson and the RTA decided to move forward with the four-lane improvement. The Needs Assessment and results of the community survey are available on the project website.
BICAS Art Mart on Friday, September 20th, 6 - 9 PM
 From jewelry-making to painting, ceramics, and everything in between, the bicycle accessibility nonprofit BICAS is preparing for Art Mart at Dark — an artisan market and celebration of our Tucson artist community! This event will be held on Friday, September 20th, from 6 PM to 9 PM, in the BICAS yard and parking lot, where flood lights and pixie lights will shine upon a diversity of art. The poster artist is Zena Carves, a local printmaker who has exhibited her art at previous BICAS Art Mart events. Live music will be DJ’d by Hella Fitzgerald. Delicious Mexican food will be served up by Amelia and Hugo’s. The event’s light and sound sponsor is In Phase Entertainment.
BICAS, 2001 N 7th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 (Shop Phone: 520-628-7950)
More about the BICAS Art Mart: https://bicas.org/art/artmart/
BICAS Art: https://bicas.org/art
BICAS Art on IG: @bicasart BICAS Art on FB: BICAS Art
Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1155081198930579/?ref=newsfeed
Volunteers Needed for Tree Planting at Rio Vista Natural Resource Park on September 21 from 8-11 AM
Join us for a tree planting event to increase the shade and diversity of native, Sonoran Desert plants at Rio Vista Natural Resource Park. Volunteers will learn about native plants, planting techniques paired with rain basins, and help with the restoration of the park. The event will be led by Strategic Habitat Enhancements, a local native plant restoration business, with assistance from Watershed Management Group, a local environmental non-profit. We will meet at the main parking area of the park entrance at the north end of Tucson Blvd., just north of Prince Rd. The area that this planting will focus on is around the parking lot, bathroom, and ramada locations. Please wear closed-toed shoes, long pants, sun protection, bring a refillable water bottle, and be prepared to get your hands dirty. Gloves and tools will be provided.
When: Saturday, Sept. 21, 8-11 a.m.
Location: Rio Vista Natural Resource Park, 3974 N Tucson Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716
Food 4 Life– Food Distribution Saturday September 21 at 8 am
Pool admission remains free.
To find a pool near you, visit the Parks and Recreation website.
UPDATE: Sweetwater Wetlands Controlled Burn Postponed
 Due to some scheduling conflicts, the Sweetwater Wetland burn that was originally scheduled for September 17th, will be postponed. When a new date is set, we will ensure that the public is made aware of the information. A new date is in the works to be secured in the early part of October.
Sonoran Institute Hosts the Santa Cruz River Dragonfly Festival During September
|
Are you looking for a fun way to learn about dragonflies and connect with the Santa Cruz River? Sonoran Institute and partners are hosting the Santa Cruz River Dragonfly Festival during the month of September. You can attend fun presentations in person or virtually, get crafty, and hunt for dragonflies on your own or as part of a guided tour. There are options for everyone!
Questions about this year's Dragonfly Festival? Email Claire Zugmeyer at czugmeyer@sonoraninstitute.org or call 520-290-0828 extension 2 to leave a voicemail.
|
|
Plan Tucson upcoming Working Sessions and Community Forums
 Updated Working Sessions and Community Forums Details:
-
Feedback Session 1: Existing Conditions and Neighborhoods
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 9-11 a.m.
Sentinel Building, 320 N Commerce Park Loop
-
Feedback Session 2: Values, Goals, and Policies
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 9-11 a.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING
-
Feedback Session 3: Future Growth Scenario Map
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Ward 2, 7820 E Broadway Blvd
-
Feedback Session 4: Implementation
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2-4 p.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING
-
**NEW** Feedback Community Forum: Preliminary Draft Feedback
Thursday, Oct. 17, 5 - 7 p.m.
Donna Liggins Center, 2160 N 6th Ave 85705
-
*NEW** Revisions Community Forum: Preliminary Draft Revisions
Saturday, Nov. 9, 9 - 11 a.m.
Ward 2, 7820 E Broadway Blvd
-
**UPDATED** PRELIMINARY DRAFT REVISIONS
NEW DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 5-7 p.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING
Community events play a vital role in spreading the word. The Plan Tucson Team will be attending several upcoming events to ensure the community has the latest information about the Plan Tucson update. Please review the schedule below and let us know if there are any additional events staff should consider attending.
Community Events
Thank you for your continued support in planning the future of Tucson. The ongoing community feedback and dialogue is appreciated!
If you are interested in participating in a Working Session or Community Forum, please register using the button below:
Donna Liggins Family Fun Night Friday, September 27 from 6-8 pm
Dodge Flower & Doolen-Fruitvale Tree Planting on Saturday, September 28 From 9 AM-11 AM!
Join Tucson Clean and Beautiful to plant trees in Dodge Flower and Doolen-Fruitvale Neighborhoods
Click here for more information. [tucsoncleanandbeautiful.us7.list-manage.com]
We will be meeting at Lighthouse Church: 2568 N Palo Verde Ave, Tucson, AZ 85716.
Balboa Heights Neighborhood Association End of Summer Splash Bash September 28
Start a Business in Tucson Starting September 30 | Emprende en Tucson Empezando el 30 de Septiembre
 Come and learn how to start your business with the City!
¡Ven y aprende cómo comenzar tu negocio con la Ciudad!
By City of Tucson, Office of Economic Initiatives
195 W Irvington Rd Building 15 Tucson, AZ 85714
About this event:
Our Business Navigator Team will be hosting training sessions on steps to start a business in Tucson. These sessions will take place every other Monday and there will be two options to choose from, in:
Spanish from 12pm - 1pm or
English from 1pm - 2pm.
We Care Tucson Robotics Camp For Kids From 10 am-3 pm October 10
Volunteers, Donations, Services Needed For HOPE In The Park, A Resource Fair For Unsheltered Individuals And Families On October 11 From 9 AM- 2 PM
The City of Tucson and Tucson Homeless Connect will hold Hope in the Park, a day-long resource fair which will provide various resources for unsheltered individuals and families. Hope in the Park will be held at Rudy Garcia Park, 5001 S. Nogales Highway, southeast corner with Irvington Road, Friday Oct. 11 from 9 AM to 2 PM.
This event will help individuals obtain services in health screening, behavioral health, VA benefits, food, shelter/housing, legal assistance, clothing, haircuts, animal care, and more. Volunteers, donations and services are needed.
To ensure a successful resource fair, service providers, donations and volunteers are greatly needed.
Potential donations include bicycles, solar cell phone charging stations, gift cards, tents, sleeping bags, and money. Service providers are needed to offer their agencies’ services to the unsheltered community.
Homeless Connect and MDOT are seeking 300 volunteers for a range of tasks: setup from 7-8:30 AM, registration and guides from 8 AM to 1 PM, general work from 9 AM to 2 PM, and cleanup from 1-3 PM. Volunteers can sign up here: http://www.tucsonhomelessconnect.org/volunteer.html
For more information contact Britni Hall at Tucsonhomelessconnectcharity@gmail.com
Pima ABECC Looking For Volunteers
 Email Montserrat Caballero for for more info: mcaballero1@pima.edu
Team Up To Clean Up Community Celebration Saturday October 26 From 8-10 AM
Cyclovia Tucson on October 27th, From 9 am - 3 pm
 Living Streets Alliance is delighted to announce their 21st event which will take place on Sunday, October 27th, from 9 AM to 3 PM!
The Fall route will bridge Downtown and the City of South Tucson along 2.25 miles of car-free, carefree streets. Walk, bike, play, connect—during Cyclovia, the streets are yours!
Ready, Set, REC! in September
Grocery Sharing at Tucson Food Share - 2500 N. Stone Ave.
Groceries are shared Mondays 4:30 - 6 pm, Thursdays 6 - 7:30 pm, and Saturdays from 8 - 9:30am. https://tucsonfoodshare.org/ has more information about volunteering, donating, or requesting delivery.
|
|
|
|
|
