Search Results for: regina romero

Ballots mailed in Tucson City Council election today – return your ballot!

by

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

VoteThe City of Tucson votes by all-mail balloting (there is an early voting location for those of you who want to vote in-person). The ballots are being mailed to all registered voters in the City of Tucson beginning today. It should take you less than five minutes to mark your ballot, sign and date the affidavit envelope, and return your ballot by return mail. So quick and easy . . . you have no excuses!

2013 City of Tucson Election:

· Thursday, October 17: Ballots mailed to registered voters.

· Friday, October 18–Tuesday, November 5: Voting Location Open at Tucson City Clerk Elections Center, 800 E. 12th St. October 18-November 4, open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. November 5, open 6:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

· Thursday, October 31: Last day to mail your ballot to ensure it is received by the City Clerk’s Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5.

· Tuesday, November 5: Election Day. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Your choices for Tucson City Council are pretty clear — reelect the incumbent council members:

Ward 3 – Karin Uhlich (D) incumbent

Ward 5 – Richard Fimbres (D) Incumbent

Ward 6 – Steve Kozachik (D) Incumbent

There are two noncontroversial propositions on the ballot. Council member Regina Romero's office provided this explanation of the ballot measures:

MAS Redux: Tucson Weekly & MalintZINE Dare to Tell the ‘Rest of the Story’

by


Domestic violence_20b10e08caby Pamela Powers Hannley

Sexism and sexual violence cross all ethnic, racial, and class boundaries. This story focuses on the struggle against misogyny and sexual violence in Tucson’s Chicano community.

For years, the Tucson Weekly’s Mari Herreras has covered multiple aspects of the rise and fall of Mexican American Studies (MAS)– the chaining, the chanting, the demonstrations, the fundraising, the controversies, the personalities– but A Broken Community, the cover story of the July 18 issue, was one of the more fascinating stories about the evolution of MAS.

Maybe it’s because I gave up reading the Three Sonorans blog years ago, but I haven’t heard or read much about MAS since the former director of the program, Sean Arce, was charged with domestic violence back in December 2012.

At the time, the silence surrounding the Arce’s charges and what happened between him and his wife that night in December at La Cocina was deafening. As I wrote, “Bloggers who regularly post ‘news’ stories every time Arce catches a cold are mute, and none of the mainstream media have touched his story.”

A handful women bloggers wrote about the Arce story– most notably, a relatively new blog, MalintZINE. “Dear Sean”, a moving essay about machismo and sexism in the MAS movement, was one of the first few posts on this blog, and at the time, the author(s) was/were anonymous to the general public, myself included.

Herreras’ TW story updates us on this thread.

Rape and Violence

Without naming many names, Herreras gives us the back story on sexism, sexual abuse charges, and fallen idols in the MAS program, with accounts dating back to 2011 (more than a year before the December 2012 Arce incident). At the core of the story is former MAS spokesperson and former cover girl for the Precious Knowledgemovie Leilani Clark and the womyn of MalintZINE. In the early heyday of the MAS protests, Clark was everywhere. I heard her speak with poise and fire  about the MAS struggle at multiple events, and then… poof… she disappeared from the scene.  She was everywhere, and then, nowhere. (I’m sure I’m not the only one who wondered what happened to her.) 

To find out, follow the jump.

Arrests, deportations, protests: Is Tucson an immigrant-friendly city or not?

by

On Sunday, Tucson Police and the Border Patrol arrested Rene Meza Huertha, in front of his wife and children, and arrested activist Raúl Alcaráz Ochoa, who was trying to prevent the arrest of Huertha. This action by TPD is in direct violation of the City Council's vote in August 2012– making Tucson an "immigrant friendly" city. From the Arizona Daily Star…

"We don't want people to feel fear when traveling to work, to school, to the store," [City Councilwoman Regina] Romero said before the meeting. "We also don't want people to be afraid to call the police to report a crime."

She said a conversation now will begin among the city, immigrant communities, businesses, the Tucson Police Department and others about how to make the city more welcoming.

Activists are calling for a protest and press conference today, Monday, February 18 at 4 p.m., outside of TPD. 

On a related note, the American Friends Service Committee, Border Links, Derechos Humanos, and other immigrant supporters, including the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, will hold a press conference and protest of Operation Streamline on Tuesday, February 19, at 12:30 at the Federal Courthouse. The Operation Streamline action leads up to a Congressional hearing on this policy on February 22 in DC. Details and background on both of these actions after the jump.

Pima Dems elect Jorgensen, party slate by acclamation at reorg meeting

by

Jogenson007-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

The Pima County Democratic Party elected a slate of new officers— including Don Jorgensen as chair– by acclamation at Saturday's reorganization meeting. The whole election took about 30 minutes.

Although there were rumors about wild card candidates (from the business friendly Latinos who took over Legislative District 3) running against the suggested slate and although the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) met with progressive precinct committee (PsC) people to encourage them to run for statewide or county offices, there were no surprises on Saturday. (The progressive faction and the business friendly Latino faction are represented on the Executive Committee and on the State Committee, making both groups more diverse in multiple ways.)  

Nearly 150 voting PCs attended the reorganization meeting at Amphi High School; 51 were needed for quorum.

Chair Jeff Rogers– who led the local party with a strong hand through two, often-contentious terms– called the meeting to order and ran it. He started by congratulating the Dem foot soldiers for helping to elect President Barack Obama and a Democratic majority of Congressional seats– Ron Barber, Raul Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, Kyrsten Sinema, and Ed Pastor.

Arizona State Senator Steve Farley nominated Jorgensen (pictured at left), a candidate who he said "has blue blood, in a good way".

In a short speech after his speedy, uncontested election, Jorgensen– dressed in the Dem Party Chair "uniform" of blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a blue blazer– came across as smart, friendly, inclusive, and spot-on with the issues that reflect Democratic values.

"I know that it is wrong to have more laws to regulate a woman's vagina, than assault weapons; more laws that support prisons more than public education; and laws that allow you to be pulled over because of the color of your skin," Jorgensen said, alluding to multiple right-wing bills passed in recent years by the Arizona Legislature.

"We need to work smarter and speak louder," Jorgensen continued. "We are not going to be complacent as we were in 2010. The work starts tomorrow." More about the elections after the jump.

Analysis & commentary: TUSD deseg plan, MAS, & beyond

by


Mas-logoby Pamela Powers Hannley

The first of three public forums on the Tucson Unified School District's (TUSD) proposed desegregation plan took place on Monday night. 

Fellow BfAZ blogger Dave Safier posted a very detailed first-person account of the forum here this morning, and today's Arizona Daily Star's also offered a thorough account that overlaps somewhat with Safier's but also includes other facts. (KGUN 9 video here.)

Safier writes from the viewpoint– as he admits– of commentator who has "expended thousands of words trying to explain the value of the MAS program". The Star reporter gives a newsier account of the meeting and offers some more basic background.

Why a third article? Here, I offer here some history, a broader analysis of the issues, and a call for action. Read more after the jump.