Your Neighborhood News - March 31,   2016
Visit your websites:    jeffersonpark.info and  grantroadcoalition.com
BROADWAY COALITION ASKS YOU TO CONSIDER...
The Broadway Coalition asks for the community's help to preserve their historic residences and businesses!  You may read the research on which they base the need to NOT widen Broadway: 

Les Pierce's research on the studies which show that Broadway widening is unnecessary:

The critical meeting is April 5, Mayor and Council meeting.  If you are of like mind, the  coalition would like you to sign the petition to support the Broadway Coalition before April 5:
YOUR GRANT ROAD COALITION
Jefferson Park, SAMOS, Catalina Vista, and Campbell Grant
GRANT ROAD COALITION UPDATE:   The Coalition is advocating for buffering and a linear park along Grant Road to protect the historic neighborhood:  So far:

1) August 2015: neighbors met with all council members and the Mayor.  As a result, the R-1, NR-1 zoning will remain along Grant - No commercial overlay for the central segments;

2) Summer 2015:  Friends of Jefferson Park, Inc. funded the coalition website   grantroadcoalition.com
3) March 2016: A 31-page proposal was completed which cites the many city documents promising neighborhood buffers and proposed a linear parkway as a solution;
4)  April 2016:  Every council member and the mayor have been visited and have been presented with the proposal;
5)  April 2016: The coalition engages the RTA and city about funding possibilities. The coalition researches grant opportunities.
SPEAK POSSIBILITIES TO POWER
The message so far is that the city must re-align and cobble together remnant lots into sale-able parcels. Those parcels would go to developers who may decide to attempt to rezone- a scary possibility.    
It is possible to honor all the promises to respect neighborhoods and to create a linear park for all of Tucson.  
It is probable only if we all work together. 

This is the last, best, effort to create a bike, walking, landscaped corridor buffer here for the urban core.  It is the only voice for buffers and mitigation.  You can read the proposal and support the Grant Road Coalition work by signing your support at grantroadcoalition.com  a nd by attending the next meeting: . 
Tuesday, April 26, 6 pm,  Grant Road Coalition Central Segments , WARD III office, 1510 E Grant Rd 
WALK/BIKE THE JEFFERSON PARK HISTORY LOOP
Print your own map with historic informtion on 8.5 x 11 (legal) paper
EAST LOOP - Campbell-Lester-Mountain-Edison
This loop is 1 and 3/4 miles and takes you by the former sites of the Polo village, Polo field, and tells you about the first fiesta de los Vaqueros east of Jefferson park.
To print a copy click here.  Be sure to put legal paper in your printer!
WEST LOOP - Mountain -Lester-Park-Edison
This loop is 1 and 1/3 miles and takes you by the former homestead sites of Annie Lester and some of her still- standing bungalows and into the area which used to be "tent city".  To print a copy click here.  Be sure to put legal paper in your printer!
PARK AVENUE is under construction beginning mid April.  The bikeway and pedestrian amenities are beginning there as a result of a 5-neighborhood Enhancement Grant.  
LEND A HAND FOR SENIORS
VOLUNTEERS FOR:
* Canteen *   Driving seniors *    Grant writing *  Yard work *  Home repairs (like ramps!)
*  Website maintenance/data entry *  Recruiting volunteers *    Board members
* Soliciting donations/yard sales
 
Can you leverage your skills to help seniors for a few hours a week? Contact Coordinator Michelle Brubaker at  (520) 248-6882 or    info@lahseniorhelp.org
GREEN COLUMN
Special Plant Exchange at Jeff Park Quarterly Meeting!
SPECIAL QUARTERLY MEETING - APRIL 27, 6pm at WARD III
It's SPRING! Bring your extra seedlings, vegetables or flowers, your succulent shoots, your use-able pots and exchange them for others or just give 'em away.  It's a friendly swap time!  We thank our local Sprouts Farmers Market for donating a $30 gift certificate and a plant to raffle. Refreshments will be served.  
Join your neighborhood Green Committee - Labor with your Neighbor
Members of the Green Committee will be working in the neighborhood.  Several projects are being considered: another water retention basin on Vine, cleaning the right-of-ways in front of homes (that little strip before the curb) and buffel grass eradication.  If you see folks our working stop and say "Hi".  Questions call Joan Hall 990-8054 or e-mail    joanchall@yahoo.com 
Illegal Dumping - Neighborhood Information Meeting
Edison Alley February 2016
ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  Please join us on Wednesday, April 6 for a W3NA Program on the problem of Illegal Dumping.  It will be held at the Ward 3 Office located at 1510 E Grant Rd, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.  The presenters include:
Michael Ortega, City Manager OR Albert Elias, Assistant City Manager, 
Andrew Quigley, Director of Environmental Services
Michael Wyneken, Interim Code Enforcement Administrator

They have been requested to discuss changes in City departments, as well as to address the issue of Illegal Dumping and what can be done about it.

Hate those weeds?  Can't torch 'em in the city
Just a quick follow-up to the topic of torching weeds. I spoke to someone at Tucson Fire Dept today. It is illegal to torch weeds in the city and they suggest calling 911 if someone is torching weeds. It IS legal in the county.
(Thanks Chad)
TPD Community Resource Officer 
police_badge.jpg
"Hi everyone! It has come to my attention there could possibly be a scam going on in Tucson involving so called contractors that are working for Cox Cable, GE or TEP. In the past, people have told home owners they work for a company and ask the homeowner to watch them in the backyard while they take measurements or something while other people come into the home and take their belongings. Recently a person named Raul Santa Maria contacted some residences and told them he was there to install a security system. The home owner did some checks and could not find record of this person working for a company who he said he was working for. If this should happen to you PLEASE call the company and verify who they are and ask for a company ID. And of course, if you can't contact the company or if it seems a little suspicious then PLEASE call Tucson Police...  Officer Duenas

A pertinent comment from a Vista del Monte resident:
I am a Cox technician, we will never ask to enter your home or Yard without a work order that YOU initiate. Do not trust anyone you did not have scheduled, and even then, demand to see proper ID.

March 23, posted on the neighborhood social media site  Nextdoor : Thank you Garden Vista
UPCOMING NEARBY EVENTS
Friday, Saturday, Sunday April 1, 2, and 3, 10 AM to 4 PM -- FOURTH AVENUE STREET FAIR  

Friday, Saturday, Sunday April 8, 9, and 10, varying hours -- SPRING FLING on the UA Mall. 
http://springfling.arizona.edu/ . Please note that this event involves fencing and complete closure of the UA Mall to through traffic, whether by motor vehicle, bicycle, or foot. Because this event involves considerable equipment set-up and tear-down, traffic disruptions are possible during the entire period from Monday, April 4 through Tuesday April 12.

Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9 -- RINCON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE. Location is 1607 E.10th St., which is east of Cherry.

Saturday April 9th from 8am - 2pm  
Sunshine Mile Merchants Association is putting on their very first Pop-up Market to highlight the local artisans and vendors available along our stretch of Broadway Boulevard, Sunshine Mile Plaza (the food truck spot) - 2419 E. B roadway
Website: 
Some vendor highlights: 

Sunday April 10 offers several options: 
BLENMAN-ELM HOME AND GARDEN TOUR 12:30 to 5 PM. Tickets are $10, available at Grace St. Paul Church, 2331 E. Adams, starting at 12:15. This tour will feature music and food trucks. More info at https://blenmanelm.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/the-blenman-elm-2016-home-tour/
SAM HUGHES GARDEN TOUR 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for Sam Hughes NA members. Children accompanied by an adult are free. Start at 700 N Wilson Ave. (south of 3rd St., between Campbell and Tucson Blvd.). This tour will provide an opportunity to donate to the Food Bank. More info at https://nextdoor.com/events/az/tucson/sam-hughes-neighborhood-garden-tour-2016-546886. Both tours are on the CYCLOVIA route http://www.cycloviatucson.org/.

2016 Annual Meeting - Strengthening Public Participation 
 April 30, 2016, 12:00 - 3:00 PM TRRG
Ward 6 Office, 3202 E. First St.  Community Room and East Room
(Thank you, Diana Lett, Feldman Neighborhood)
Potholes...
See full descriptions of process and contact information at  http://www.jeffersonpark.info/code-enforcement.html
NSN -
A website for Neighborhoods
Crime Stats and  Code Violations listed by neighborhood
What is a code violation...?
What is a code violation...and whom do I call? Click here for a downloadable information sheet approved by the City Code Enforcement Division.
A site listing all the neighborhoods in Tucson, and important things affecting them.
City Code Violations in Jefferson Park  C ode violations such as weeds, garbage, abandoned vehicles, etc.
Police Incident reports for Jefferson Park  the 80 most recent incidents are reported here.
HELP TUCSON GET A GRIP ON GRAFFITI - The swift reporting and abatement of graffiti discourages future vandalism, so when you see graffiti report it immediately. Graffiti Protective Coatings and the City of Tucson have a smartphone application for reporting graffiti. MyTucson is a free download on the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android. You can also report graffiti by emailing   graffiti@tucsonaz.gov, or calling (520)792-2489 and choosing option 1. 
City of Tucson apps:  http://1.usa.gov/1vknBch
Watch a University of Arizona PSA about the app:  http://bit.ly/JLX8TO
BANNER CONSTRUCTION 
AND INFO PHONE
To learn about construction updates, 
Banner has a web-site:
To see the newest site and the webcam of the construction go to:  http://bumct-expansion.com/

For any issues or concerns,
call (520) 268-9575.
It's that time of year again!  Take a chance and help your neighborhood. You can't win if you don't play.
Once again, the Friends of Jefferson Park, Inc. are selling chances on the Jim Click raffle.  This year a 2016 Ford Mustang! Twenty-five dollars apiece, or five tickets for $100.00.  There were only 4,300 of these cars made.  The drawing is December 2016.  One hundred percent of the ticket sales benefit the neighborhood projects. 
If you wish to buy or can sell some of the tickets:
Area # 5 Joanne  Osuna, 798-3602 cricket16@cox.net 
Area #  1 Jeanne Calhoun, 293-2246 
Area #  6 Louie Werthmuller, 390-9044     
Area #2 Joan Daniels, 300-1980
GET ON THE LIST SERVE!
To sign up for the neighborhood list serve:
send a blank email to jeffersonparktucson+subscribe@googlegroups.com
 or send a request for an invitation to joanchall@yahoo.com


JPNA   MEETING
FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH
6:00 pm, 
Ward III office 
1 510 E. Grant Rd 
Renew your voluntary membership of $15.   Membership form
Pay dues on-line with paypal. Click   
HERE.
FRIEN DS MEETING
FOURTH MONDAY OF THE MONTH
6:00 pm,  Ward III office
1510 E. Grant Rd. 
NEIGHBORHOOD  REPRESENTATIVES
Area #1 - Jeanne Calhoun
Area #2
Open
Area #5 - Chad Lehrman
Area #6 - Chad Waits
GRANT ROAD 
COALITION MEETINGS
April 26 ,  May 24 
(Tuesdays)
6:00 pm * Ward 3 Office
All neighbors are welcome to attend.  If you value what the Coalition is doing please sign the support form on the website. 
Description of procedures for reporting an unruly gathering
U of A
Good Neighbor Program
24 hr hot line
520-282-3649
Report problems
concerns

City web-site with plans and meeting dates.
LEND-A-HAND  
Senior services 55+
Doctor appts, errands, yard work etc.  
Call Michelle at 
248-6882
Joan Daniels, co-editor                                   Joanne Osuna, co-editor
jdchama@msn.com3 23-2165                       cricket16@cox.net, 798-3602