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).

Shamisen concert at Yume Japanese Gardens on February 15

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Posted by Carolyn Sugiyama Classen As the Editor of the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition (SAJCC formed last year), I publicize some of our cultural events here in Tucson. Coming up is an exciting concert event on Saturday, February 15, featuring Japan-born, now  Canadian resident Aki Takahashi, along with Kyle Abbott (founder of Bachido.com). “Aki … Read more

Republican Pima County Supervisors to host town halls

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Posted by Carolyn Classen   District 4 Republican Supervisor Ray Carroll is hosting a town hall on Feb. 13, 6 to 7 p.m. at the Kirk-Bear Canyon branch library. Supervisor Carroll was first appointed to his seat in May, 1997 and was elected in 1998, 2000, 2004, 2008. Email: district4@pima.gov, 520-724-8094, website: http://webcms.pima.gov/government/board_of_supervisors/supervisor_raymond_carroll_district_4/ He will … Read more

Poverty panel hosted by Neal Conan at the Fox Theater tomorrow

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Posted by Carolyn Sugiyama Classen  From Community Foundation of Southern Arizona: “Tucson’s poverty rates remained among the nation’s highest last year, with one in five living below the poverty threshold. Although Pima County’s poverty rate held steady in 2012 at 20 percent, the poverty rate among children was 29 percent. Many elderly, veterans, and single … Read more

R.I.P. Tucsoncitizen.com and greetings to Blog for Arizona

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  Posted by Carolyn Classen It was like a sudden death attack on January 31, 2014 when Gannett Publishing shut down the online Tucsoncitizen.com.  There was no warning to our paid Administrator /Sports Editor Anthony Gimino or us twenty-some bloggers/citizen journalists.  It just happened and all we got was a curt email from Jessie Menard … Read more