Bike In A Box

Dear Family, Friends, and Business Associates:

Christmas is just a few weeks away, and with today's continued economy struggles and increase in family needs for the less privileged, your financial help is needed.

The 4th Annual Bike In A Box event to benefit under-privileged children with a new bicycle and safety helmet will occur on Sunday, December 16, 2012. However, in order to purchase the 500 bicycles, we need to raise $25,000.00. Your contributions are tax deductible so please consider one on the levels of sponsoring bicycles for this worth cause. Please download the attached contribution form to sponsor a bicycle or other levels of sponsorship listed.

We will be live in studio on The John C. Scott Show on Thursday, November 29th and Friday, November 30th, KVOI - 1030 AM radio for a two-day event. You can listen to the program on your computer, just click on the upper right hand corner "Listen" link at:www.kvoi.com and call in your pledge or just mail it in.

Call: (520) 790-2040

Thursday, November 29th

Time: 4 to 5 PM

Call: (520) 790-2040

Friday, November 30th

Time: 4 to 5 PM

For information on this years event, please visit our website at www.LugoCharities.com

"Years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I made a contribution to the life of a child." author, Forest Witcraft.

It will be a challenge to secure the funds this year, but with your help, I am confident that we will again meet our goal of raising the $25,000.00 to purchase the bicycles.

Merry Christmas,

Jesse Lugo

Lugo Charities Inc.

Bike In A Box

Cherrybell Post Office Update

We have received some good news from our federal lobbyists about the Cherrybell Post Office.

It had been announced on several different occasions by the Postal Service that Cherrybell was scheduled to close by February 2013.

Thanks to Congressman Barber, Grijalva, the Mayor and Council advocacy, Tracy Tucker and our federal lobbyists, businesspeople such as George Kalil of Kalil bottling and all concerned citizens who have spoken out on this issue, the Postal Service have pushed the date back to May 2014.

This gives more time for federal legislative action on the postal system and for Cherrybell.

Our efforts will continue to Tucson and Southern Arizona’s postal processing center open for the 1.8 million citizens and 23,197 businesses it serves.  This is a victory in this long battle which has not reached its conclusion.

Happy Thanksgiving

Councilmember Richard Fimbres and his staff wants to wish everyone a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.  The Ward 5 Council Office will be closed for Thanksgiving and on Friday, November 23.

The Thanksgiving Day holiday will be observed on Thursday, November 22, 2012. Residential and commercial trash and recycling will not be collected on Thursday. All City of Tucson residential and customers with regular Thursday or Friday service will have their trash and recycling collection delayed by one day. Holiday collection schedules are available online at www.tucsonaz.gov/esd The Los Reales Landfill and the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility will be closed. City offices will be closed on Thursday, November 22, 2012, however, customers may leave a message for Environmental Services Customer Service at 791-3171 or submit a service request at www.tucsonaz.gov/esd and they will be contacted no later than the next business day. Customer Service will be available on Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. of the holiday week.

Trash Pick Up - Veterans Day Holiday

The Veterans Day holiday will be observed on Monday, November 12, 2012.  Residential and commercial trash and recycling will not be collected on Monday. All City of Tucson residential and commercial customers will have their trash and recycling service delayed by one day during the holiday week. Holiday collection schedules are available online at www.tucsonaz.gov/esd

The Los Reales Landfill will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 12, 2012.

City offices will be closed on Monday, November 12, 2012, however, customers may leave a message for Environmental Services Customer Service at 791-3171 or submit a service request at www.tucsonaz.gov/esd and they will be contacted no later than the next business day. Customer Service will be available on Saturday, November 17, 2012 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Ward 5 Newsletter - October

http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/files/ward5/October_2012_Newsletter.pdf

TUCSON PRESENTA RESOLUCION EN APOYO AL ACUERDO DEL TOMATE

El Regidor del Distrito 5, Richard Fimbres a presentado una resolución para la consideración del Alcalde y los Regidores de la ciudad para pronunciarse en apoyo del Acuerdo a la Suspensión del Tomate.

El Regidor Fimbres solicitó se incluyera en la orden del día, después de la reciente visita a Tucson del Gobernador de Sinaloa, Mario López Valdez. Las conversaciones entre el Gobernador y la Ciudad de Tucson incluyeron el Acuerdo de la Suspensión del Tomate y las potenciales ramificaciones económicas de este acuerdo, que ha existido por 16 años entre los Estados Unidos y Mexico.

El Departamento de Comercio de Estados Unidos,  hizo oficial la intención de rescindir el acuerdo,

el 2 de octubre, por medio de la publicación de un aviso de intención en el Registro Federal. El Departamento tiene nueve meses antes de tomar una decisión final.

“El Comercio de México con Estados Unidos y Arizona es muy importante, y si este acuerdo se rescinde, el precio de mercancías y productos comestibles, no solamente el tomate,  subirán de precio  a través del aumento de aranceles.” Señaló el Regidor Richard Fimbres.

“ La Industria del Tomate aporta $3.5 billones anuales para ambos países y es un negocio de un billón de dólares para la economía del comercio de Tucson, el Sur de Arizona y para todo el estado. Continuó Fimbres, diciendo “Los consumidores han dependido de este acuerdo  para asegurarse que los tomates son una parte integral de su dieta.”

El Regidor Fimbres afirmó que, “En el 2011, sólo el Estado de Arizona importó más de $6.2 billones en productos y mercancía procedente de México.” “Si este contrato es suspendido o revocado, dañará la economía de ambos lados de la frontera, situación que no podemos darnos el lujo en estos tiempos económicos.”

“Más de 110,000 empleos dependen  del comercio con México”, comentó Fimbres, citando información proporcionada por el Departamento de Comercio de Estados Unidos y el Buro de Censo de Estados Unidos. “Es importante que todos tomemos medidas para proteger estos empleos.”

Los Senadores de Arizona Jon Kyl y John McCain, así como el Congresista Raúl Grijalva, Ed Pastor, Ron Barbe, Paul Gosar y Ben Quayle han escrito cartas en apoyo del acuerdo al Departamento de Comercio de los Estados Unidos. El Alcalde de Tucson Jonathan Rothschild también ha escrito  una carta dirigida al Departamento de Estados Unidos, instando a defender el acuerdo.

“Este no es un asunto partidista, sino de economía”, dijo Fimbres. “No podemos darle la espalda a la economía global actual, hay mucho en juego y demasiado que perder si este acuerdo no continua.”

Este memorándum estará en la agenda de la sesión del cabildo, del 7 de noviembre, para su discusión y consideración de acción.

THIRD PHASE OF DETENTION BASIN PROJECT DEDICATED, COUNCILMEMBER FIMBRES SALUTES NEIGHBORS AND CITY STAFF

The dedication of the Arroyo Chico Detention Basin Project took place on Friday, November 2, 2012.

This was the third phase of an effort which started with the construction of the Randolph South Detention Basins in 1996 and the Cherry Field Detention Basins in 2008.

The City of Tucson, Pima County Regional Flood Control District, Tucson Unified School District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Los Angeles District worked to complete these three projects in part to help the neighborhoods in these respective areas deal with flooding issues that had occurred previously, resulting in flood damage to some houses while forcing most homeowners to purchase expensive flood insurance for being in a flood plain.

Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres expressed his appreciation for the work and effort on these projects by the governmental entities.   He is glad the Arroyo Chico Detention Basin Project is done and hopes it meets its goals of helping with the rainwater and alleviates potential flooding problems that averaged more than $3.0-million a year.

Fimbres went on to express his appreciation of City staff involved with the project and for those neighbors and neighborhoods who have worked on these projects and took part in the City of Tucson Citizen Advisory Committee’s which had been set up, so that those most affected would have a voice over these projects.  The first being the Park Avenue Detention Basin for which in 1998, came up with the 18 points approved by the Tucson Mayor and Council in 1998.

“Thanks to these neighborhoods, from Broadmoor to Barrio San Antonio, Miles to Barrio Anita and El Presidio to Dunbar, other voices had been a part of this process, from the initial discussions by the City of Tucson Mayor and Council in the early 1990’s, through its completion,” Councilmember Fimbres said.  “Sometimes there were delays, but it was the neighbors and neighborhood associations, through their activism and their participation on advisory committees kept the projects intentions focused, something I salute them all for their commitment and for speaking out when needed.

Councilmember Fimbres went on to acknowledge his predecessor in the office, Steve Leal and his staff, for their work on the Arroyo Chico Detention Basin Project, as well as for the second phase – the Cherry Field Detention Basin.  “Councilmember Leal and his staff, including Mary Fimbres and Abe Marques are to be commended for their commitment to bettering the neighborhoods and businesses in the area with the efforts for Arroyo Chico and for the Cherry Fields Detention Basins.”

Fimbres also thanked the Army Corps of Engineers for their work and the federal government for providing funding for the Arroyo Chico Detention Basin, as well as for the Randolph South and Cherry Field Detention Basin Projects.