Carolyn Classen

Carolyn Sugiyama Classen, a life long Democrat, was born & raised in the State of Hawaii, was a Legislative Aide for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye on Capitol Hill, and practiced law for a while. In Tucson she worked as a tribal staff attorney for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and later was the Interim Executive Director of the now defunct Domestic Violence Commission. In 2008 she became a “My Tucson” guest columnist for the Tucson Citizen newspaper, then continued blogging for Tucsoncitizen.com for over four and a half years. Her blogsite was entitled “Carolyn’s Community” about community events and some political news, until Gannett Publishing shut down the site on January 31, 2014. She started with Blog for Arizona on Feb. 11, 2014. Part time she sat as a Hearing Officer in Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts Small Claims Division since April, 2005 for 15 years. She is married to University of Arizona Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen, a native of Germany. They have one son, who lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and daughter. She is also the Editor of the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition website, www.southernazjapan.org (since Jan. 2013).

Time to take National Mayor’s Water Pledge in month of April

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Did you know that in 2013 Tucson ranked #1 (and won) in the National Mayor’s Challenge  for Water Conservation?  Someone named Ivan M. in Tucson received the grand prize of a 2013 Toyota Prius car.  Others won lots of great prizes.  There are 5 city categories based on population, and Tucson won in the 300,000 to 599,999 category. Last year we placed #2.

Tucson has been 1st, 2nd, and 2nd in the previous years of the National Mayor’s Challenge. 

So, all you have to do is pledge to conserve water in the month of April and see where we end up in 2016.  Here’s the website for the Wyland Foundation water pledge:

http://www.mywaterpledge.com/campaign/national-campaign

There’s a link on the top for “City Standings” so you can see how Tucson, Arizona is doing. We are currently again in 2nd place, behind Aurora, Colorado.  One year we lost out to Corpus Christi, Texas.  Tell your family & friends to pledge too.

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Earth Day moving to Himmel Park

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This year the Tucson Earth Day celebration will be on April 10,2016 and not at Reid Park, but at Himmel Park. “Fun and Engaging Exhibits at the Himmel Park Activity Hub: Decorate your bike and engage in fun hands-on activities while getting smarter about renewable energy, land and water conservation, native plants, invasive species, air quality, … Read more

NEW midtown route for Spring Cyclovia Tucson

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Get our your bikes, trikes, wagons, strollers, skates, skateboards, hiking boots, etc. to enjoy the springtime at the Spring Cyclovia (care free, car free) event on April 10. Starting off at Himmel Park, you can ride/walk your way through lovely Sam Hughes Neighborhood, across Campbell to Rincon Heights Neighborhood, then south to the Miles Neighborhood, … Read more

Sam Hughes Neighborhood Garden tour (and more!) on April 10

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Busy busy busy weekend  with Spring Fling over at the UA Mall, the Sam Hughes neighbors to the east of Campbell Ave. are having their garden tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday April 10.

SamHughesgardentour

Take the two mile round trip walk through 8 private residences, 2 public properties, a demonstration site for the “first in the nation” neighborhood phenology trail and the Children’s Gardens at Sam Hughes Elementary School.

Begin your Sunday afternoon stroll /GARDEN TOUR at Sam Hughes Elementary School, the heart of our vibrant community at 700 N. Wilson Ave. Buy your ticket ($10 per person) the day of the tour from 10 am to 2 pm. SHNA members pay only $5 (with certificate of membership), and children free with paid adult.

And to top it off, in the same neighborhood at Himmel Park will be Earth Day, and starting from there over to the Lost Barrio on Park Ave, will be car free Spring Cyclovia Tucson (both 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). So drop by the neighborhood and enjoy all these festivities.  More at: www.samhughes.org.

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