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).

Reading by Linda Valdez, author of “Crossing the Line: A Marriage Across Borders”

February 17, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

Linda Valdez, author of “Crossing the Line: A Marriage Across Borders” (Texas Christian University, 2015, $22.95). “Not a typical immigration story, Crossing the Line is told by a middle-class American woman who fell in love with the son of an impoverished family from rural Mexico, a man who crossed the border illegally to be with her. … Read more

Asian Pacific American Studies Conference at UA

February 22, 2016February 16, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

“Join us for the first ever APA Studies Conference at the University of Arizona. For many years, faculty, staff, students, and community leaders have been discussing the need for an APA Studies Program at the UA. This year, APASA & partners are proud to bring this conference to the Tucson community. Students, staff, faculty, and community members are invited to participate in interactive workshops, listen to guest speakers from & beyond the UA, and engage in a discussion that will help form what an APA Studies program would look like in Tucson. Breakfast & lunch are provided. Space is limited. Don’t miss it! Special thanks to our sponsors: Pima Community College, Asian American Faculty Staff & Alumni Association, UA East Asian Studies Department, & UA Ana & Adalberto Guerrero Student Center.”

CESAR E. CHAVEZ BUILDING, RM 205

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2016

8:00AM – 2:00PM

Hosted by the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs (APASA) at UA.

PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert (half Korean) will be the luncheon speaker.

“Lee D. Lambert has been Chancellor of Pima Community College since July 1, 2013. He formerly served as President of Shoreline Community College and was on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). In 2015, Chancellor Lambert received a national leadership award from Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education and was named “Man of the Year” by the Pan Asian Community Alliance in Tucson. He has a Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law and has taught classes on Law, Civil Rights and Social Justice, and Employment Law at The Evergreen State College.”

Find “True romance”on Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

VALENTINE’S DAY SCREENING TRUE ROMANCE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 AT 7:30PM | REGULAR ADMISSION PRICES | 35MM PRINT!at Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Tucson “This Valentine’s Day, celebrate the wonders of bulletproof love with the Quentin Tarantino-scripted “lovers on the run” action classic, True Romance, starring Patricia Arquette and Christian Slater, on the big screen in 35mm! Under … Read more

Former car dealer Steve Christy announces for District 4 Pima County Supervisor – updated

July 18, 2016February 12, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

Last Friday Feb. 5, 2016 long term Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll (served since May, 1997), a Republican, announced that he would not be running for re-election. He already was facing opposition in the August 30, 2016 Republican primary from Navy veteran Marla Closen who announced last summer. Press release (below) from Republican businessman Steve … Read more

Ride a miniature train at free Open House of Gadsden Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum

February 12, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

Recently my husband and I visited the Toy Train Museum in Tucson (formally known as the Gadsden Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum) which is open for free on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Their next open house is on Valentine’s Day Feb. 14, 2016.

The Museum has 8 fantastic train layouts (including one outdoors). You will be amazed at the intricacy of the train layouts, with miniature trains, bridges, houses, people, waterfalls, cars, trucks, trees, etc.

Outside you can even ride (for free) their GPD 7 1/2″ miniature train which seats about 10 passengers (ages 9 to 99), along with the conductor and driver. It goes around the perimeter of their property twice on over 800 feet of tracks, and the conductor even punches your ticket before you start your train ride.

There’s also a large yellow caboose on the property, built in 1944 in Denver, Colorado, which you can climb inside. Photo below from their website.