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NewsNet 5-7-13

newsnet - May 12, 9:56 pm

DETECTIVE WORK BY TPD COLD CASE UNIT LEADS TO ARREST IN 1976 HOMICIDE - After more than 37 years, the man suspected of killing Ms. Donna Smith in March of 1976 has been arrested. Smith, then 20 years old, was found dead at her south side residence on March 19, 1979. TPD homicide detectives then identified Smith's live-in boyfriend, Bruce McCullough, as the suspect of the homicide, but could not locate him. The case, which has been the subject of multiple cold case reviews, yielded new information in January of this year. Detectives discovered McCullough had been living in California under a false identity, but had recently begun using his real name. On May 2, he was arrested and jailed in San Diego on a charge of First Degree Murder. He is currently awaiting extradition to Arizona. Read the media release from TPD here. Story from KOLD/KMSB here. Story from the Star here. Story from the San Francisco Chronicle here. CITY EXPLORING ITS OPTIONS TO RECOVER LATE FEES FROM STREETCAR MANUFACTURER - Oregon Ironworks, the company manufacturing Tucson's streetcar vehicles, is behind schedule. Under their contract with the City, Tucson is owed $250 per day on the late vehicles, of which there are currently three. Among City officials' options are deducting the fees from its progress payments to Oregon Ironworks, collecting the fees after the project is finished, and allowing the company to pay off some fees by including warranties and spare parts for maintenance. Story from KOLD/KMSB here, story from the Star here.

BUSINESS INCENTIVES IN ACTION: CADENCE AND PLAZA CENTRO RETAIL PROJECTS - In an item on today's Study Session agenda, staff is recommending M&C move forward with the approval process for business incentive applications submitted by Capstone Development Partners, developer of The Cadence, and OT Alegria LLC, developer of Plaza Centro Retail. The two properties, located at Congress Street's eastern gateway next to the 4th Avenue underpass, are seeking the Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) incentive and a HUD 108 loan, respectively. The Cadence is a mixed-use student housing and retail complex expected to accommodate 196 units, targeted to an older, more mature student population. Plaza Centro Retail consists of almost 20,000 square feet of retail space, to be developed as restaurants, bars and stores. Read the M&C memo here. Download the incentive Application for Plaza Centro Retail (HUD 108) here. Download the incentive Application for The Cadence (GPLET) here.

AGENDA SPOTLIGHT: PARKWISE FINANCIAL FORECAST, EQUIPMENT UPGRADES, AND RATES - ParkWise is asking M&C to authorize funding for upgrades to its on-street metering and off-street access and revenue control systems, and to adopt a new schedule of rates and fees, at today's Study Session. Additionally, ParkWise will present a five-year financial forecast which shows a replenishment of its reserve to approximately $2 million by the end of FY2018. Read the M&C memo here. Download the ParkWise five-year financial forecast slide presentation here.

TUCSON 12: CYCLOVIA 2013 - Twice last month, sections of City streets closed for Cyclovia Tucson, an annual free event celebrating cyclists, walkers, joggers, skaters and all other forms of people-powered movement. Tucson 12's cameras were there to capture it.

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NewsNet 5-6-13

newsnet - May 11, 3:19 pm

AGENDA SPOTLIGHT: TENTATIVE ADOPTION OF FISCAL YEAR 2014 BUDGET - Tentative adoption of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget is scheduled for tomorrows M&C Regular Session. The combined operating and capital budget scheduled for tentative adoption is $1,271,886,620, an increase of $2,482,000 over the recommended budget amount of $1,269,404,620. The increase is the result of a revised forecast of sales tax revenue adding $1.9M to the general fund budget, plus $582K in increased transit revenue due to the sale of advertising on buses and an increase in Sun Van fares. Read the M&C memo here.

TUCSON'S VICTORY IN MAYORS WATER CHALLENGE MEANS IMPROVED IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR LOCAL PARK - Last week, Tucson placed first in its city division during the Wyland Foundation's National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation. The first place finish is thanks in part to residents pledging 38,829,430 gallons and $1,620,720 to conserve water, in addition to pledging to reduce waste in the landfill by 959,198 pounds. Residents who pledged have also been entered into a drawing to win a Toyota Prius and other prizes. As an added bonus, one of the challenges sponsors, Rain Bird, will also be donating equipment to help irrigate Toumey Park in Tucson. From KOLD/KMSB.

SIXTH AVENUE TO BECOME TWO-WAY STREET - Work will begin later this month on a project to convert about two miles of Sixth Avenue to two-way traffic. The project includes new traffic signals at Sixth Avenue and Speedway, and at Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street. There will also be new signs, smoother pavement and new striping. Between Sixth Street and Speedway, Sixth Avenue will have two northbound lanes and one southbound lane, with parking on both sides of the street. There will be markings for cars to share the road with cyclists. From the Star.

DAVIS-MONTHAN RELEASES ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR 2012 - The 355th Comptroller Squadron of the United States Air Force has published its annual Economic Impact Analysis for Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (DM). The analysis addresses military and civilian personnel employed at the base; annual payroll; construction expenditures, services and procurement of materials; and estimated number and dollar value of indirect jobs created by the DM AFB presence. According to the analysis, DM's economic impact on the local community is $1.1 billion ($1.6 billion including retiree data). In addition, DM employed 3,332 civilians, and created approximately 4,687 jobs in FY2012. From DM.

TEMP JOB OPPORTUNITY: MAINTENANCE WORKERS FOR PARKS, GOLF - The Parks & Rec Department seeks to fill multiple temporary maintenance positions. Duties to include waste collection, landscaping, and other parks maintenance tasks. Requires a valid, unrestricted drivers license. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday. Reas the COT job posting here.

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Karin's Note: Friday, May 10, 2013

ward3 - May 10, 1:21 pm

Karin's Note: Friday, May 10, 2013

-Karin’s Note

-Ward 3 Events

-Upcoming Area Neighborhood and Coalition Meeting(s)

-Citywide Events

-Did You Know?

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2013 Pavement Preservation Program: Neighborhood Slurry Seal

transportation - May 7, 5:33 pm

On Wednesday, May 8, 2013, Granite Construction Co., under contract with the City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT), will apply slurry seal to all the residential streets in the following neighborhoods:

May 8, 2013 - Country Club Road to the west, Alvernon Way to the east, Pima Street to the north and Speedway Boulevard to the south.

May 15, 2013 - Swan Road to the west, Craycroft Road to the east, Fifth Street to north and Broadway to the south.

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NewsNet 5-3-13

newsnet - May 6, 12:40 pm

TUCSON TOPS COMPETITION IN WATER CONSERVATION CHALLENGE – Tucson was among five US cities honored today for residents' commitment to water-saving choices as part of the second annual National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation. Separated into five population categories, the winning cities are Denver; Tucson, Ariz.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Bremerton, Wash. and Laguna Beach, Calif. Residents in all 50 states made more than 44,000 online pledges to save water, use less energy and reduce pollution in four categories – home, yard, community and life – with potential cost savings of more than $30.6 million. At a May 10 event in Denver, Hancock will draw the grand prize winner of a new Prius c from the pool of winning cities' participants, who are also eligible to win hundreds of water-saving fixtures and gift certificates to Lowe's stores. A $1,000 Lowe's Shopping Spree will also be chosen from among the entire pool of U.S. participants.

AGENDA SPOTLIGHT: CREATING THE BOND PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE – A proposed resolution has been placed on the M&C Regular Session agenda for next Tuesday to create the City of Tucson’s first bond project advisory committee. This committee will have the purpose of proposing projects to the Mayor and Council and the Pima County Bond Advisory Committee, as well as to monitor the implementation of the specific projects. Read the M&C memo here.

STREET REPAIR SPOTLIGHT: SATURDAY NIGHT MICROSURFACING – Microsurfacing, a cold-mix pavement repair technology designed to remedy a broad range of pavement problems, will be performed Saturday night through Sunday morning on three different sections of City roadways: southbound Craycroft road approaching Golf Links, northbound Kolb approaching Grant, and both directions of Speedway between Campbell and Alvernon. The work is part of the Fiscal Year 2013 Mayor and Council approved Pavement Preservation Program, a one-year, $20 million street rehabilitation program to resurface arterial, collector and residential streets. The funding was made available by restructuring the Fiscal Year 2013 Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF) debt, the increase of HURF revenue and General Fund money. Read the news release from TDOT here. Read more about microsurfacing here.

JOB OPPORTUNITY: PARKS & REC SUPERINTENDENT – The Parks and Recreation Department is seeking a consummate professional who demonstrates leadership and teamwork in all aspects of parks and recreation programming and facility operation. Duties to include employee supervision and coordinating human resource actions, implementation of policies and programs, assistance with planning and budgeting, management of parks facilities, and more. Required qualifications include six months of vocational, administrative or technical training in parks & rec or a related field, and five years of supervisory experience in an appropriate field. Salary range $53,213 - $89,410. Position closes Monday, May 6. Read the COT job posting here.

AGENCIES TO CONDUCT DUI CHECKPOINTS THROUGHOUT CINCO DE MAYO WEEKEND – Starting tonight, the Southern Arizona DUI Task Force will be conducting sobriety checkpoints throughout the Tucson metro region. The task force consists of officers from the Tucson Police Department, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, and other local agencies. Officials are not releasing information about the location of checkpoints, but say they will be in busy areas. From KOLD/KMSB.

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NewsNet 5-2-13

newsnet - May 6, 12:33 pm

ANNOUNCING CAMP FURY 2013 - The Tucson Fire Department and Tucson Police Department are proud to partner with Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona for this year's Camp Fury. The Camp is a five-day, four-night long resident camp in which girls entering 9th through 12th grade can train alongside firefighters and law enforcement personnel to learn search and rescue skills, crime scene investigative techniques, perform physical fitness drills, and more. In January, University High School Junior Erica Yee was recognized by Mayor Jonathan Rothschild for saving the life of a classmate last fall, using skills she learned at Camp Fury. Read the announcement from Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona here.

TOWN HALLS SET FOR PROPOSED 2014 WATER RATES AND FEES - In the upcoming weeks, Tucson Water will host four town halls to present three options for proposed fiscal year 2014 water rates and fees that have been recommended by the Citizens Water Advisory Committee (CWAC). Rate changes could result in an estimated increase from $2.91 to $3.68 in the monthly water bill for the average residential customer in a single family home. A public hearing is scheduled during the Tuesday, May 21, Mayor and Council meeting. Following the hearing, Mayor and Council are expected to vote on adopting a new water rate schedule. Read the news release from Tucson Water here.

ADOT ACCELERATES PLAN TO REBUILD AJO/I-19 INTERCHANGE BY THREE YEARS, WILL NOW START IN 2015 - At the urging of business stakeholders, an $86M improvement project along Interstate 19 that includes a new interchange at Ajo Way, new ramps at Irvington, freeway sound walls and a new bridge across the Santa Cruz has been split into two phases in order to speed construction of the interchange. Mayor and Council and City of Tucson Intergovernmental Relations Staff also worked with ADOT and requested speeding up this project. The first phase of the project, originally slated to start in 2018, is now expected to start in 2015. From the Star.

MENLO PARK REVITALIZATION CELEBRATION NEXT SATURDAY - Neighborhood residents, officials from the City of Tucson and Pima County, and community partners will gather next Saturday morning at the Menlo Park Plaza to celebrate the Menlo Park Neighborhood Revitalization Project. The project includes new park amenities, transportation improvements, safety improvements, and environmental sustainability improvements. The project was paid for with funding from a combination of county bonds, city bonds, CDBG, Back to Basics, and other funding sources. Read the news release from Parks & Rec here.

SECOND CYCLOVIA ATTRACTS AN ESTIMATED 15,000 - An estimated 15,000 cyclists and pedestrians took to Tucson's midtown streets on Sunday for April's second Cyclovia event, an annual celebration in which a course along city streets is opened exclusively to cyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motorized forms of transportation. More than nine Tucson neighborhoods and two regional jurisdictions - the City of Tucson and Pima County - hosted Cyclovia's new route. From KOLD/KMSB.

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Tree Dedication at Michael Perry Park

ward4 - May 6, 10:49 am

Tree Dedication at Michael Perry Park

Friday, May 10 – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., 8700 Arbor St.

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2013 Pavement Preservation Program: Microsurfacing

transportation - May 3, 10:34 am

Intermountain Slurry Seal, under contract with the City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT), will microsurface three different sections of City roadways on Saturday night, May 4, 2013, through Sunday, May 5, 2013. The work will take place from 7 p.m. Saturday through 8 a.m. on Sunday. This work is part of the City of Tucson’s 2013 Pavement Preservation Program.

Crews will microsurface a short section of southbound Craycroft Road approaching Golf Links Road. One southbound travel lane will remain open during this work.

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