Jacome Plaza

Spare some change? for the homeless

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Last Wednesday I stumbled upon a green/blue parking meter outside the Joel D. Valdez Main library (101 N. Stone Ave.), not a regular parking meter but one that collects donation$ for homeless programs.  Just missed the press conference about Tucson Change Movement (in association with the Community Foundation of So AZ), a new program that is setting up about 20 of these colorful meters around downtown, the modern streetcar line and 4th Avenue, I took these photos to inform our readers. And I put in a quarter, just to test it and it read that I had paid for “12 minutes” just like  regular (gray) City of Tucson parking meters on the streets.

So, if you have spare change, drop it in this meter when you visit the main library, or other locations around town.  More info at www.tucsonchange.org. You can also insert a credit card for any amount of a donation. Hopefully we will hear back later how successful this new program is.

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Women’s March in Tucson: “This is what Democracy looks like” (updated photos)

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The estimate of the huge Women’s March in Tucson crowd that gathered this morning at Armory Park on S. 6th Avenue and marched to Jacome Plaza (in front of the Joel D. Valdez library) was about 15,000.  Lots of very creative signs went by, carried by people of all ages, children, elderly, even people with crutches and walkers…gay, straight, multi-racial, many with dogs, wagons, etc.  Every few blocks people were chanting “This is what Democracy looks like”.  Here’s some photos of today’s crowd.

Large crowd gathering at Armory Park, photo courtesy of George Girard
Crowd at Armory Park, courtesy of Kristel Foster
Women’s March proceeding west on Congress Street to Stone Avenue, photo courtesy of George Girard

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Time for Tucson Meet Yourself

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It’s that time again for the huge, annual folklife festival downtown at Jacome Plaza and at El Presidio Park. All TMY program info about this upcoming festival (Friday to Sunday, October 9 to 11) is online here: http://www.tucsonmeetyourself.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/150924_TMYProgram_FINAL_SM.pdf As a Sansei (3rd generation Japanese American) I promote Japanese cultural activities at our website, www.southernazjapan.org (where I am … Read more

Aidswalk Arizona/Tucson on Oct. 11

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2015 marks the 27th Annual AIDSWALK Tucson, a fundraiser for the programs and services of the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation. We can’t do any of this without the generous support of our walkers, their furry friends, our sponsors, and donors. And of course, the dedication of 300 volunteers who help to make this event possible! … Read more