April 11, 2011 - School of Journalism

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1976 ~ 35 Years of Service ~ 2011
INDEPENDIENTE
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April 8 / 8 de abril 2011
Agencies and Community Residents
Insist Border is Safe and Protected
By Karina Salazar
Three generations of Sotos have
lived in Nogales, Sonora, and have
watched the border change and
evolve. Marta Soto remembers
crossing from Sonora to Arizona as
a kid in the back of her parent’s
pick-up truck. Even once in
Arizona, from the rear window she
had a clear snapshot of the vibrant
curio shops along the streets and
the colorful homes slowly crawling up the hillsides above the
curved flatlands of Sonora. Now
45 years old and a new resident of
Nogales, Ariz., the view is
obstructed by fear and politics.
Like other border residents and
law enforcement agencies, Soto
continues to declare that the border
is safer than it’s ever been. And
they are backed up by cold hard
facts.
“The wall has changed, and
the security has changed,” said
Soto, who moves back and forth
daily between Arizona and
Sonora. “But it’s not this dangerous, violent place people have
said it is. With a 10-foot metal
wall and national troops around,
it’s a bit different.”
The Arizona-Sonora border
runs through the desert and mountain lands from the western
Chihuahua state by New Mexico to
Photo By Frank Brun
The border fence that separates the U.S. and Mexico looms in the distance in Nogales, Ariz.
west of Nogales, Ariz. Since its
establishment as a result of the
Gadsden Purchase of 1853, the
divider between the two countries
has transformed from open land, to
chain-link fences, to metal fences
and barbed wire, and now to 10-
Abortion Bill Redefining
Women’s ‘Informed Consent’
By Marissa Freireich
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill on
April 2 that will require a woman’s
informed consent prior to an abortion. The law will go into effect
later this year.
HB 2416 states that women
must have “voluntary and
informed consent” before having
an abortion. This will require the
woman to confirm in writing that
she had an ultrasound at least one
hour prior to the procedure and
was given the choice to view the
image, have the image explained to
her and hear the baby’s heartbeat.
“It would just give her a chance
to consider what she’s seeing,”
said Sen. Nancy Barto, R-District
7, the bill’s sponsor in the Senate.
The bill passed with a vote of
18-10 in the Senate on March 30
and a vote of 40-18 in the House
on Feb. 28.
The goal of the bill is to protect
women’s health and safety by
making sure they are fully educated and will not make a choice they
regret, said Rep. Kimberly Yee, RDistrict 10, the bill’s sponsor in the
House.
Barto agreed. “It’s a consequence you can’t take back,” she
said. “It’s one of those choices
that’s life and death—literally.”
However, Planned Parenthood
already performs ultrasounds to
determine the gestational age of
the fetus, said Michelle Steinberg,
public policy manager and lobbyist
for Planned Parenthood Arizona.
“All [the bill] will do is make
patients wait in the waiting room
an extra hour,” she said. “It’s just
making life more difficult for the
patient.”
Opponents worry that it will
restrict medical abortions, or abortion by pill, to the same standards
as surgical abortions. This will
require medical abortions to be
administered in a surgical center
by a doctor.
Currently, highly-trained nurse
practitioners can perform abortions
at Planned Parenthood clinics,
which are fully licensed by the
Department of Health Services,
Steinberg explained. Under the
new guidelines to be applied to
medical abortions, the abortion pill
will only be available to women at
three Planned Parenthood clinics
in Phoenix and Tucson.
“You do not need a surgery center to hand a woman a pill,” said
Steinberg, who worries the bills
will limit rural women’s access to
abortion.
Opponents of the legislation
include Rep. Matt Heinz, D-District
‘Abortion’/See Page 6
foot metal pylons dug deep into the
ground.
The evolution of the border
wall and its surrounding communities has experienced its greatest
changes within the last decade,
largely because of the ongoing
drug violence in Mexico and a spiraling fear in the U.S. of spillover
bloodshed and unfettered migration.
Since the murder of a rancher in
Cochise County in March 2010,
the claim that the border is flooded
in blood and violence has intensified.
In a speech to the Senate in
2010, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
said, “The government’s failure to
secure the border has led to violence—the worst I have ever
seen.”
In a local television interview
in July 2010, Gov. Jan Brewer
said, “Our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the
desert either buried or just lying
out there that have been beheaded.”
Soto disagrees. “It’s not what
everyone is making it out to be,”
she said. “Our communities are
as safe as they’ve ever been.”
Local police agree. “I keep
telling people that the rhetoric,
what you hear, that we’re dodging
bullets, is just not happening,” said
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony
Estrada.
A new study about the drug violence in Mexico from the TransBorder Institute shows that 84 percent of drug-related homicides in
2010 occurred in four states: Baja
California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa and
Guerrero.
Sonora is one of the border
states that is least affected by the
drug violence, according to figures
‘Border Protection’/See Page 6
Pima County Fair Begins
By Britain Muhl
The 2011 Pima County Fair
Centennial Celebration will run
April 14-24 at the Pima County
Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton
Road. New attractions include an
underwater sea exhibit, Hunter
Jumper horse shows, mind reading
and performances from artists like
Boyz II Men, Neon Trees and Los
Tigres del Norte.
Ticket Prices:
General Admission: $8
Children ages 6–10: $2
(5 and under are free)
Parking: $5
Fair admission includes all concerts
and a select number of shows. Free
shows include the sea lions, sharks,
NASA space exhibits, science center,
agricultural center, baboons, hypnotists, fire dancers, freak show, bird
show and petting zoo. Carnival rides,
food and beverages cost extra.
Making the Fair Affordable:
Kids can get a free carnival ride
coupon by reading books and bringing a “Read and Ride Report” form
(found at www.pimacountyfair.com)
to guest services.
Buy pre-sale tickets at Fry's grocery stores weekdays until April 13
and you can get 10 rides for $10 (savings of 70 percent on carnival ride
tickets).
Photo provided by the Pima County Fair.
April 18: $2 admission and $2
parking
April 19: $2 rides and games
starting at 3 p.m., $2 food items
from 4-6 p.m.
April 20: Free admission from 123 p.m. with any Wendy’s combo
meal receipt
April 21: Free admission from
12-3 p.m. with two cans of food
April 22: $2 admission with any
military ID.
April 14, 20, 21: Dr. Pepper
Wristband Days and $1 games.
Bring in an unopened 20 ounce
bottle of Dr. Pepper or Diet Dr.
Pepper and receive a $5 discount
toward a $25 wristband for unlimited rides on the Tucson Weekly
Carnival.
There will be a total of seven concerts
on the Budweiser Main Stage, each
included with fair admission.
Neon Trees: April 14, 8 p.m.
Anberlin: April 15, 8 p.m.
Cheap Trick: April 16, 8 p.m.
Boyz II Men: April 17, 7:30
p.m.
Foghat: April 20, 7:30 p.m.
Michael Salgado: April 22, 8
p.m.
Easton Corbin: April 23, 8
p.m.
Los Tigres del Norte: April 24,
7:30 p.m.
For more information visit
www.pimacountyfair.com or
call 762-3247.
EL INDEPENDIENTE
Page / Página 2
April 8, 2011 / 8 de abril 2011
Fundraiser to Benefit Boys and Girls Club
Stewart Boot Co.
Sticks to Good
Old Ways
By Karissa Nowakowski
Tucson’s disadvantaged youth will
benefit from the Boys and Girls
Clubs of Tucson’s 10th annual The
Event coming up April 17.
The Event offers an evening of
food, wine and spirits from 48
restaurants, a chance to win raffled
prizes and live entertainment.
More than 1,500 people are
expected to attend and help raise
about $150,000.
The funds go toward the operational expenses of six clubhouses
in the city.
The clubhouses provide programs that build character and
teach life skills and opportunities
for education development. They
are equipped with traditional
games which also build leadership
skills, said Ann Torrez, their special events and fund development
manager.
One of the oldest south side
clubhouses is the Roy Drachman
Clubhouse, 5901 S. Santa Clara
Ave. Membership was down at this
facility because there wasn’t
enough money for sports, which is
a huge magnet for the older children, said Jarrett Croft, interim
club director.
With the support of the Rollin’
for Niños Foundation and funding
from The Event, the basketball
league was re-implemented this
year. The Event provides money to
pay for the league’s staff.
“[It is one of] our most important programs to get the kids in and
keep them activated in the system,” Torrez said. She also
explained how it provides a safe
Wondering how boots are made
by hand? Check out photojournalist Casey Sapio's slideshow
on 'ol fashioned bootmakin'at
Stewart Boot Co. Inc.
Buddy’s Bazaar
Photo
place for teenagers who may
engage in high-risk behavior.
Croft said that being involved
with the club and having a place to
stay means a lot to a majority of
the kids.
“For most of these kids, they
would be home alone,” Torrez
said. “For some of these kids,
they don’t know where they will
be sleeping tonight. They don’t
necessarily have a consistent
home or a consistent place where
EL
INDEPENDIENTE
South Tucson’s Bilingual Newspaper
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www.elindenews.com
UA School of Journalism
Phone: 621-3618
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Adviser
Maggy Zanger
Graphics and Layout Adviser
John deDios
News Editor
Distribution Manager
Cassandra Weinman
Brian Frett
Spanish Editor
Copy Editors
Karina Salazar
Karissa Nowakowski
Alex Gendreau
Elma Delic
Design Chief
Lara Schnoll
Photo Editor
Jessica Hale
Community Events Editor
Corinne O’Donoghue
Photographers
Casey Sapio
Frank Brun
Stephen Varga
Britain Muhl
Marisa Bernal
News Room Manager
Designers
Tammy Stephens
Yael Schusterman
Samantha Ferrell
Stephen Varga
Copy Chief
Marissa Freireich
Web Manager
Paul Ingram
Web Producer
Carolyn Gitomer
By
Marisa Bernal
Lizzette Burrola, 8, plays foosball in the game room of the Roy Drachman Clubhouse.
Translators
Coordinator: Ana Cecilia Morales
Ana Cecilia Barragán
Zandra García
Juan Marroquín
Translation and Interpretation
Department
of Spanish and Portuguese
and Mexican American Studies
they go after school, so this is
their mainstay.”
This year The Event’s co-chairs
are Barbara DeFazio and Richard
Bolanos. This is the seventh annual The Event that DeFazio has been
involved in because she “wants to
help our youth in anyway” she can.
“They are our future,” DeFazio
said. “And we need to provide our
kids with positive experiences and
life skills that will better serve our
community in years to come.”
The Event
April 17
La Encantada
2905 E. Skyline Drive
6-9 p.m.
Tickets $150
Dress is “smart casual”
Call 573-3533 or visit
theeventtucson.com
The event at Walter Douglas
Elementary School provides
attendees with all the fresh produce they can carry. Check out
multimedia journalist Britain
Muhl's slideshow on website!
VISIT US ONLINE
WWW.ELINDENEWS.COM
La oficina de registro electoral concluye
con las investigaciones del sur de Tucson
Escrito por Elma Delic
Traducido por Ana Cecilia
Barragán
La oficina de registro de votantes
del condado de Pima, Pima County
Recorder’s Office, termino la
investigación en el sur de la ciudad
de Tucson tras recibir una queja
verbal de un votante en donde
supuestamente se le marcó incorrectamente la boleta electoral el
pasado 23 de febrero. La oficina de
registro de votantes está conduciendo más investigaciones
sobre las acusaciones.
Un memorándum de Christopher Roads, oficial delegado del
registro, dirigido hacia F. Ann
Rodríguez, la oficial principal del
condado decía, “que un gran
número de votantes habían reportado no haber recibido instrucciones de cómo llenar o enviar por
correspondencia la boleta electoral
anticipada”.
De acuerdo al memorándum, el
candidato para el ayuntamiento de
la ciudad del sur de Tucson (South
Tucson City Council candidate),
Paul Díaz, fue el que presentó la
demanda.
“El Sr. Díaz reportó haber
recibido información acerca de
irregularidades en las votaciones
que ocurrieron en tres diferentes
ubicaciones, una en un domicilio
familiar y las otras dos en un complejo de viviendas públicas”,
comunicó Roads a Rodríguez en el
memorándum.
Los complejos de vivienda
pública están ubicados en 420 E.
28th St y en 411 E. 29th St.
De acuerdo con Roads, Díaz
afirmó que el candidato al ayuntamiento del sur Tucson, John
García, “les había llevado regalos
en forma de comida y artículos
personales a los residentes y se
había llevado las boletas electorales o que les habían dado
instrucciones de cómo marcar las
boletas electorales”.
Según Roads, todos los
votantes que votarían anticipadamente fueron contactados en la
420 E. 28th St. e indicaron que
ningún candidato se había comunicado con ellos y que nadie les
había dado instrucciones. Algunas
de los votantes en la ubicación de
la 411 E. 29th St. dijeron que
García se había comunicado con
“
Mientras que nuestras investigaciones sobre el asunto
ya concluyeron, la oficina del
fiscal del condado sigue
investigando y nosotros
continuaremos ayudando en
su investigación según sea
necesario.
”
– Christopher Roads
Oficial delgado del registro
ellos para ver si necesitaban ayuda,
de acuerdo al memorándum.
“Ninguno de los votantes que
reportaron que el Sr. García se
había comunicado con ellos
reportó algún tipo de conducta
inapropiada al marcar o asistirlos
con el manejo de sus boletas electorales”, dijo Roads.
En el memorándum, Angelita
Lujan, votante del sur de Tucson,
indicó que recibió ayuda con su
boleta electoral y que se le había
dicho por cuál candidato votar.
“La Sra. Lujan informó al
equipo que no sabía nada sobre las
elecciones del sur de Tucson o de
sus candidatos y que no le había
dicho a la persona como marcar la
boleta”, dijo Roads.
A Lujan se le dio la oportunidad
de volver a votar y negó saber que
su boleta electoral sería descalificada, dijo Roads.
De acuerdo al comunicado,
Isabel Moreno reside la vivienda
unifamiliar y recibió ayuda de
Shirley Villegas. Isabel no recordó
si Villegas le había dado instrucciones de cómo llenar la boleta y
aceptó una nueva boleta de reemplazo.
“Mientras que nuestras investigaciones sobre el asunto ya concluyeron, la oficina del fiscal del
condado sigue investigando y
nosotros continuaremos ayudando
en su investigación según sea
necesario”, dijo Roads en el memorándum.
Amelia Craig Cramer, funcionaria de información al público
de la oficina del fiscal del condado
Pima, dijo no poder hacer comentarios debido a que la investigación
sigue en pie.
Debido a que esto tiene que ver
con las elecciones la oficina no
hará ningún comentario hasta que
se tomen medidas.
Díaz y García junto con
Ildefonso A. Green, Miguel E.
Rojas, Manuel Romero III y Mary
H. Soltero participaran en la elección eliminatoria para el ayuntamiento del sur de Tucson el 17 de
mayo.
Para votar vaya a la biblioteca
pública de Sam Lena South
Tucson, a la oficina de correo en el
sur de Tucson o a la oficina del
registro municipal del sur de
Tucson, South Tucson City Clerk.
EL INDEPENDIENTE
April 8 / 8 de abril 2011
Page / Página 3
New Wild Lands Policy Changes Land Use
By Corinne O’Donoghue
A new order from the U.S.
Department of the Interior
Secretary Ken Salazar makes it
easier to deem land near Tucson a
wilderness area, which may
restrict motorized access and new
mining claims.
The new order requires the
Bureau of Land Management to
review designated lands and possibly classify them as protected
wilderness areas.
This policy reverses a 2003
decision that halted the Bureau of
Land Management’s ability to create new wilderness areas.
According to the BLM, “This
order merely restores balance to
the management of public lands.”
As a consequence, the BLM
will review the wilderness status of
12.2 million acres in Arizona.
“Currently what is happening is
the BLM is going through planning to determine uses of various
public lands and seeing if that land
has wilderness characteristics,”
said Carrie Templin, public affairs
specialist at the BLM.
“As part of the planning
process, the BLM must determine
whether which portions of land
would be suitable for potential
wilderness designation,” Templin
says.
The new order will allow the
BLM to evaluate an area of wilderness and then request that
Congress protect it under the
Wilderness Act. Only through
Congress can lands be designated
as wilderness, Templin said.
Not all land can become a
wilderness area. The Wilderness
Act only applies to land affected
solely by forces of nature where
human impact is minimal or there
are opportunities of solitude or
“unconfined recreation.” The area
should have at least 5,000 acres
and have ecological, geological,
scientific or historical value.
Although this policy will move
the BLM in a positive direction, it
has stirred up debate among trail
“
The BLM must determine
whether which portions of land
would be suitable for potential
wilderness designation.
”
– Carrie Templin
BLM Public Affairs Specialist
riders and off-road motorized vehicle owners.
Jeff Gursh, the executive director of the Arizona Off-Highway
Vehicle Coalition and Arizona
Trail Riders, said the main problem is with the definitions of what
motorized vehicles really are.
“When you say you are going to
create something as wilderness and
you are going to ban motorized
vehicles, that is not just an ATV or
motorcycle,” Gursh said.
This includes trucks towing
horses and cars with mountain
bikes. Anything with a motor is
banned, Gursh said.
“Mostly this policy is just identifying wilderness characteristics
in order to apply to all land use
decisions with the BLM,” said
Kristen Lenhardt, public affairs
specialist at the BLM Tucson field
office.
BLM has a draft management
plan for the Ironwood Forest
National Monument currently
under review. However, this will
not include the large parts of
Silverbell and West Silverbell
mountains, including Ragged Top.
“Actually going out and doing
these inventories will help us move
along and move us to a different
genre of how we decide to manage
these different types of areas,”
Lenhardt said.
She added that this policy is
another tool that will help in the
analyzing of wilderness characteristics as part of the BLM’s land
decisions.
To Gursh, this policy will not
only affect the industry of offhighway vehicle use, but also state
tourism as well.
“We really depend on tourism,
so unless you are a marathon runner, odds are you will never be able
to see any of the wilderness once it
is designated that way, because
you cannot get to it,” Gursh said.
Other motorized vehicle organizations also agree that if this policy is enacted, their businesses and
community may be drastically
changed.
“This policy is a scary thing,”
said Dennis Stadel, president of
Photo
By
stePhen Varga
A view of Ironwood Forest National Monument. A new order from the
Department of the Interior will require the Bureau of Land Management to
review lands for possible protection.
the Arizona ATV Riders. Stadel
doesn’t want to see the federal
government take the land away
from riders. The Arizona ATV
Riders is organizing a voting
block. “If you vote for this, we are
going to vote your ass out,” Stadel
said.
“There are over 400,000 of us
in Arizona and we are all against
it,” Stadel said. “That is how
strong we are.”
Inquiry of South Tucson Ballots Moves to County Attorney
By Elma Delic
The Pima County Recorder’s
Office has completed its investigation of the city of South Tucson
after a voter alleged in a verbal
complaint on Feb. 23 that ballots
were improperly marked. The Pima
County Attorney’s Office is investigating the allegations further.
A memorandum from Chief
Deputy Recorder Christopher
Roads to County Recorder F. Ann
Rodriguez said, “Overwhelmingly
the voters reported that they did not
receive assistance in marking or
mailing their early ballots.”
South Tucson City Council candidate Paul Diaz filed the complaint,
according to the memorandum.
“Mr. Diaz reported that he had
received information of voting
irregularities occurring at three
addresses, one single family home
and two public housing complexes,” Roads said to Rodriguez in the
memorandum.
The public housing complexes
are located at 420 E. 28th St. and at
411 E. 29th St.
According to Roads, Diaz stated
that South Tucson city council candidate John Garcia, “had taken gifts
of food and personal supplies to the
residents and had collected their
early ballots or provided assistance
in marking their ballots.”
All of the early voters who were
contacted at 420 E. 28th St. indicated that they had not been contacted
by any candidate and were not
given assistance, according to
Roads. Some early voters at the 411
E. 29th St. location said that they
had been contacted by Garcia to see
if they needed help, according to
the memorandum.
“None of the voters who reported that they had been contacted by
Mr. Garcia reported any improper
conduct in marking or handling of
their early ballots,” Roads said.
In the memorandum, Angelita
Lujan, a South Tucson voter, indicated that she received help on her
ballot and was told which candidate
to vote for.
“Ms. Lujan advised the team
that she did not know anything
about the South Tucson election
issues or candidates and that she did
not tell the person how to mark the
ballot,” Roads said.
Lujan was given an opportunity
to revote and denied knowing her
ballot would be disqualified, Roads
said.
Isabel Moreno is a resident in
the single-family house and
received help from Shirley
Villegas, according to the memorandum. Moreno could not recall if
she had received instructions about
who to vote for from Villegas, and
Moreno accepted a replacement
ballot.
“While our review of this matter
is completed, the county attorney’s
office investigation is ongoing and
we will continue to assist in their
investigation as needed,” Roads
said in the memorandum.
Amelia Craig Cramer, public
information officer for the Pima
County Attorney’s Office, said she
was unable to comment because of
the ongoing investigation.
Given that this pertains to elections, until any action is taken, their
office will not comment.
Diaz and Garcia, along with
Ildefonso A. Green, Miguel E.
Rojas, Manuel Romero III and
Mary H. Soltero, will participate in
a runoff election for South Tucson
City Council on May 17.
To vote, go to the Sam LenaSouth Tucson Branch Library, the
South Tucson Station Post Office or
the South Tucson City Clerk.
La legislación de Arizona se doblega ante la presión de comerciantes
Escrito por Paul Ingram
Traducido por Ana Cecilia Barragán
El 18 de marzo el senado de Arizona rechazó
5 leyes nuevas de inmigración, doblegándose
ante la presión que ejercieron los comerciantes en el estado. Este cambio inesperado
refleja las nuevas prioridades económicas de
un estado que se ha ganado la reputación de
ser muy severo en cuanto asuntos de inmigración ilegal.
Desde la aprobación de la controversial SB
1070 el año pasado, el estado se ha visto bombardeado por boicots, tales como el que
impulsó el gobernador de San Francisco
Gavin Newsom, el del estado mexicano de
Sonora así como también el del propio representante de Arizona, Raúl Grijalva.
Una investigación conducida en noviembre por el centro de estudios progresivos,
Center for American Progress, en Washington
D.C, concluyó que en el 2010 Arizona perdió
hasta $150 millones de dólares en turismo,
incluyendo $45 millones de dólares sólo en el
sector hotelero.
“Nadie se imaginó la reacción nacional e
internacional de esta ley, pero ahora que ya
tenemos esta experiencia sabemos que este
tipo de medidas pueden ocasionar daños
económicos”, dijo Garrick Taylor portavoz de
la cámara de comercio e industria de Arizona,
quien aproxima que las pérdidas del comercio
turístico están entre los $15 y $150 millones
de dólares.
El voto fue una reprimenda hacia el presidente del senado estatal Russell Pearce quien
ha apoyado incondicionalmente las nuevas
medidas de inmigración, incluyendo la SB
1070.
Se envió una carta colectiva al senado del
estado, escrita por más de 60 comerciantes
con la ayuda de la Cámara de Comercio en
Arizona, en la cual se sostuvo que las nuevas
leyes son innecesarias afirmando, “estamos al
tanto que estados como Arizona anhelan liderar una solución a la falta de acción del gobierno federal en cuanto a la inmigración,
creemos firmemente que no es lo más adecuado para la Legislación pasar más leyes de
inmigración, incluyendo cualquier medida
que ponga en manos del estado la determinación de la ciudadanía”.
La carta también señala que la gobernadora Jan Brewer designó $250,000 para reparar
la reputación del estado, tras la SB 1070.
Algunos republicanos del estado se
reunieron con la minoría de demócratas, para
rechazar estos proyectos de ley, los cuales
están diseñados para desafiar las leyes de ciudadanía establecidas por la decima-cuarta
Foto
Por
Paul ingraM
Zapatos viejos, simbolizando aquellos abandonados por migrantes cruzando los desiertos,
se muestran en el simulacro de la frontera en
UA.
enmienda, así como también exigir a las agencias estatales y comercios que reporten o
hagan cumplir las leyes migratorias.
El proyecto de ley ómnibus incluía medidas
tales como:
Requerir a los hospitales determinar la situación
migratoria de los pacientes.
Limitar el registro de vehículos a residentes
legales.
Hacer delictivo el que un inmigrante ilegal con-
duzca en el estado.
Requerir a estudiantes universitarios o de nivel
de colegio comunitario que comprueben su
situación migratoria.
Obligar a las autoridades de viviendas públicas
a desalojar inmediatamente a todos y cada uno de
los residentes si se encuentra entre ellos uno que no
sea residente legal.
Una de las medidas hubiera requerido a los
padres que demostraran prueba de ciudadanía
antes de matricular a sus hijos en escuelas
públicas, mientras que otras requerían a las
escuelas que contaran el número de inmigrantes ilegales en cada salón de clases.
Todas estas medidas fueron rechazadas.
De acuerdo con la oficina de turismo en
Arizona, durante el 2009 el estado atrajo a
más de 35 millones de visitantes lo que equivale a más de $16 mil millones en el estado.
Un análisis realizado por el Pew Hispanic
Center señala que los inmigrantes ilegales son
el 3.7 por ciento de la población de los
Estados Unidos, lo cual constituye 11.2 millones de personas. Basado en la encuesta del
censo de los Estados Unidos, Census Bereau’s
Current Populations Survey, ésta cifra básicamente no ha cambiado desde el año pasado
cuando el centro calculó que 11.1 millones de
inmigrantes ilegales vivían y trabajaban en los
Estados Unidos.
EL INDEPENDIENTE
Page / Página 4
April 8 / 8 de abril 2011
South Side Artist Opens New Gallery
By Alex Gendreau
Clay blocks lay around David
Fiore-McMahon’s studio south of
downtown Tucson. In six weeks
time, they too will become a part of
his latest endeavor, his own gallery.
JuJu, Fiore-McMahon’s wife, sits
in the corner glazing a new art
piece.
“I taught her how to glaze,”
Firore-McMahon says of JuJu, who
is a school administrator by trade.
Gary Nixon, Fiore-McMahon’s
assistant, rolls out clay pieces. He
was never a part of the art scene
either before Fiore-McMahon
engaged him.
Fiore-McMahon didn’t plan on
being an artist either. Nor did he
think that his artwork would land
him an art space on upscale Gallery
Row in the Foothills of Tucson.
But, as luck would have it, he
did.
His gallery, at 3001 E. Sunrise
Drive, is a place people can go to
purchase his pieces.
“It’s like I have an office,” he
says.
His true space, the studio where
he creates his art, is nothing like his
gallery. The ceilings are high. Clay
and water slosh on the floor as they
drop from the large tables holding
massive blocks of unfinished
ceramics. Music is blasting from
speakers. JuJu wears earphones to
block out the noise.
“I say, ‘I work downtown, my
gallery is uptown,’” FioreMcMahon says. “I love being down
here on a daily basis. This is my
real home base. This is like the
industrial insides of Fiore gallery.
If you peel back the shiny exterior,
you will find the barrio.”
The local artist found a love for
art at an early age. Originally from
the East Coast, Fiore-McMahon
first moved to Tucson when he was
12 and has been in and out of the
city for the past 30 years.
“When I first arrived I had been
Photo
By
alex gendreau
David Fiore-McMahon works on his latest piece at his studio south of downtown Tucson.
living in western Massachusetts.
When I came here it was like landing on another planet,” FioreMcMahon says. “Everything is so
beautiful and I just gravitated
toward it.”
Fiore-McMahon picked up his
first pen knife when he was five
years old. With it, he carved animal
figures out of small blocks of
wood. From there, his love for art
grew.
In college, he studied guitar.
Then, he spent two years working
at a hotel desk, had a stint as a tour
guide in Mexico and traveled from
Spain to India before he landed a
job in La Jolla, Calif. at a gallery
selling art.
“I was a very timid person. I
loved art but never felt like I could
make a living and that I could
never measure up to my heroes,” he
says. “When I got into sales I realized there is a whole business asso-
“
I love being down here
on a daily basis. This is
my real home base.
This is like the industrial insides of Fiore
gallery. If you peel
back the shiny exterior,
you will find the barrio.
– David
Fiore-McMahon
”
ciated with this, and you don’t have
to be a da Vinci or a Raphael to
build a career.”
One day, Fiore-McMahon took
the plunge and walked away from
selling art. He opened his own tile
business and made tile murals for
swimming pools and interior
design. He worked his way up the
fine art chain, eventually creating
elaborate ceramic pieces to sell at
art shows and in private homes.
Even with the artistic progress, he
never had a space to call his own.
On Jan. 1, Fiore-McMahon and
JuJu saw a “for rent” sign hanging
at a gallery in the Foothills.
“I blew it off for a few days
thinking, ‘oh it’s a pipe dream,’” he
says.
Then he took the plunge.
“It’s probably the most bold
decision I have ever taken in my
life,” he says. “It has turned out to
be a really good decision. But it
could all come crashing down
tomorrow.”
Fiore-McMahon’s art isn’t created uptown; he likes working
south of downtown.
His studio is tucked away in a
community that is a hodgepodge of
local artists and businesses. Next
door sits Le Caves, a bakery that
has been around since 1935, that
Fiore-McMahon says gets him
through work. Santa Cruz Church
stands tall across the street. Artists
and a coffee roaster occupy studios
in his building.
Fiore-McMahon says that he
feels a link between the barrio and
his artwork.
“This is a much more earthy,
artistic environment,” he says.
“There are lots of artists here and I
can connect to people on a more
genuine artistic level.”
Tucson’s influence appears in
the colors and shapes of FioreMcMahon’s work. The deep
oranges and reds that make up his
glaze reflect the Sonoran desert
sunsets. The giant clay blocks piece
together to make massive mountain
formations just like the Santa
Catalina mountain range, which
looms over Tucson. He pulls from
old Arizona Highways magazines
in order to get the scenery just
right. A black and white copy of the
magazine’s photo sits above the
unfinished piece he is working on.
He has traveled around the
world, living in 40 different homes,
but is drawn to the desert.
“My inspiration is the desert,
that is what I am trying to get
across in my artwork,” he says.
“The more I produce art, the more
research I have to do, the more I
fall in love with it.”
The gallery opening is a change
in Fiore-McMahon’s art career. But
this isn’t the end, he said.
“I feel very lucky to have
arrived at this point,” he says.
Art might not be his calling forever. However, the gallery is a transition into refining his craft.
“I’m still here,” he says. “I’ve
taken lots of chances. Some of
them work, some of them don’t.
You come back to your center, your
core and keep working, keep building and start over if you have to.”
Tech Program a Success, Drop-out Rate Falls
By Jessica Hale
With a need to decrease dropout
levels and bring technology-based
education to students, Sunnyside
Unified School District has created
an innovative program that addresses both issues.
SUSD introduced netbooks for
students in 2007 through Project
Graduation: The Digital Advantage, in response to a 63 percent
graduation rate. As a result of the
high dropout rate, a Johns Hopkins
University Study labeled SUSD a
“dropout factory.”
“Project Graduation focuses on
achieving the four A’s: academics,
attendance, extracurricular activity
and attitude,” said Monique Soria,
director of public relations for
SUSD. “Freshman students are
encouraged to meet those standards, and those who do receive a
netbook laptop computer.”
While netbooks serve a function
similar to a normal laptop, they are
smaller than average and double as
textbooks for students. Students are
still able to access the web, use programs like Microsoft Office and
are able to lighten the loads on their
backs by having access to required
texts on their computers.
In just two years, more than
1,500 students earned laptops.
SUSD saw their statistics improve
dramatically. The number of graduates increased from 505 students in
2007 to 821 in 2010.
The success of the program has
not gone unnoticed. SUSD’s gov-
erning board was awarded a 2011
Magna Award by the American
School Board Journal and Sodexo
School Services, which honors
governing boards for “outstanding
programs that advance student
learning and encourage community
involvement in schools.”
SUSD Governing Board President, Louis C. Gonzales, is confident the program will continue to
promote useful skills to allow students to go further in their educational and professional pursuits.
“People think that we are just
giving laptops away, but we’re
not,” Gonzales said. “These students have earned them.”
The success of Project Graduation and the advantages of
using netbooks paved the way for
the extension of the program to students down to the fifth grade, and
to some teachers and parents.
In 2010, more than 1,400 fifthgraders received netbooks. Teachers
received 1,075 netbooks and 150
laptops were made available for students and parents to use at home.
In addition, teachers are now
able to work better and more efficiently with students on a case-bycase basis. With the incorporation
of netbooks, fifth-graders have an
outlet for constant communication
with teachers.
“A lot of the students here are
learning English as their second
language, and sometimes when students need help, their parents don’t
understand how to help them,”
Gonzales said. “These laptops are
helping with that barrier because
they are able to go online and contact their teacher for help.”
While some have voiced concerns about the use of taxpayers’
money for laptops when school
budgets are so tight, Gonzales said
that funding comes from donations,
vendors, businesses and other sponsors, which costs taxpayers little.
Despite the state’s weak economy, SUSD Superintendent Manuel
L. Isquierdo raised $1.6 million in
seven months for the netbook program.
With the four-year program in
its third year, the district is seeking
more funding and is researching
ways to ensure the program continues to provide for students in the
future.
SUSD is working on a marketing plan to sell the program to other
districts. Project Graduation will
choose eight other school districts
across the nation that are also considered “dropout factories” to purchase the program in attempt to
increase their graduation rates and
change their statistics.
The districts chosen by SUSD
to participate will be charged a fee
for all of the information regarding
the initial study. This fee will
include the program proposal and
execution plan, technical support
and a guide that includes timelines,
experiences and actions that SUSD
is confident, if followed correctly,
will ensure success.
“The board will do everything
in its power to make sure this pro-
Photo Courtesy
oF
Misti nowak
The Sunnyside School District implemented the pilot program Digital Explorers
that encourages students to do well in school and graduate.
gram keeps running,” Gonzales
said. “This program enhances students’ ability to learn, and this is
just the beginning.”
The netbooks bring visual and
audible supplements to the classroom and allows students to see
and understand history, writing,
research and even the technology
itself, in ways they might not have
been able to before.
Gonzales said not only has he
witnessed these results as an overseer of the program but also as a
grandparent to a fifth-grader benefiting from the program.
“Grandpa,” Gonzales’ grandson
said. “I can go anywhere in the
world with my laptop.”
The ability to use technology
properly has become an essential
job skill, and SUSD is determined
to make sure students and faculty
are building these skills.
“The feedback has been very
positive for the most part,”
Gonzales said.
“Teachers, parents and students
alike are all benefiting from the
doors that have been opened. Of
course there are ups and downs, but
it’s a learning experience for everyone involved.”
This program encourages students to realize the importance of
graduation, take advantage of the
technology both at school and
home and most importantly
become invested in their education.
“Kids are not afraid to be educated,” Gonzales said. “They just
want to enjoy it.”
EL INDEPENDIENTE
April 8 / 8 de abril 2011
Page / Página 5
Sonoran Frank Melds American Tradition
By Cassandra Weinman
A
slight breeze blows scents
of sizzling onions and
bacon around the tiny vanside grill. Sunday patrons of Ruiz
Hot-Dogs sit comfortably in plastic
chairs chatting and sampling the
tiny cart’s selection.
“We’ve come more than a dozen
times since we discovered this
place,” says Nancie Gamble, a
Tucson resident, after taking a bite
from her specially prepared
Sonoran hot dog. “It’s delicious!”
Found in stands and restaurants
throughout Arizona, the Sonoran
hot dog is a Southwestern twist on
an American classic.
Wrapped in bacon and cooked
over a grill, the Sonoran-style hot
dog, or Estilo Sonora hot dog, typically comes loaded with beans,
onions, tomatoes and a variety of
condiments all served inside a soft
bun and garnished with a roasted
jalapeño. Even laden with toppings
and cooked to order, the price of
each hot dog is usually less than $5.
With patrons in Tucson as well
as Phoenix, Nogales and Douglas
clamoring for the inexpensive treat,
the Sonoran hot dog has moved out
of the push cart and into mainstream culture.
Gary Nabhan, a food historian
and head of Sabores Sin Fronteras,
or Flavors Without Borders, said the
movement toward mainstream is a
result of decades of food exchange
across U.S.-Mexico lines.
“With more than 200 Sonoran
hot dog places in Tucson now, [it’s]
a good reminder that a lot of the
food
that
we
eat,
from
chimichangas to tortilla chips to
things as common as hot dogs,
have come from a cross-cultural
collaboration across the border,”
Nabhan says.
Nabhan says that the Sonoran
hot dog, initially appearing in
Arizona during the ‘80s, was first
served at baseball games and circuses in Mexico.
“
The goal isn’t a perfectly authentic Sonoran hot dog... we serve food
in a different way and keep asking for something new.
- Gary Nabhan
“It became a food for students
after evening games of soccer and
baseball,” he says. “When restaurants were closed, they’d show up
and get food from street vendors.
The street vendor tradition, alive
and well in Mexico, [has] enriched
our American food system with a
lot of street foods.”
Nabhan says the warm reception of the Sonoran hot dog and its
subsequent popularization has not
detracted from the dish’s individuality. Unlike some diners who prefer only “authentic” cuisine, he
argues that bringing Mexicaninspired dishes into American culture is beneficial for everyone.
“The goal isn’t a perfectly
authentic Sornoran hot dog; the
goal is to continue innovation so
that we serve food in a different
way and keep asking for something
new,” he says. “Everyone makes
the hot dog a different way. The
reminder is that our food traditions
continue to change and evolve and
we’re always in a place where there
are new discoveries being presented.”
With Tucson restaurants like El
Güero Canelo moving away from
the typical Sonoran hot dog stands
and into full-scale restaurants,
many businesses are looking to
capitalize on the success of the
Sonoran hot dog.
Tom Amberger, vice president of
marketing for Wienerschnitzel, says
that after introducing the Sonoran
hot dog to their Tucson stores in
September of 2010, the response has
been nothing but positive.
Although not served cart-side
like other Sonoran hot dogs,
Photo
By
Amberger says the Wienerschnitzel
version offers all of the delicious
flavors of the original.
“It is an authentic Sonoran Dog
like the ones street vendors around
Tucson feature: a bacon-wrapped
hot dog topped with pinto beans,
diced jalapeños, salsa ranchera,
chopped tomatoes, diced onions,
mayo and mustard on a steamed
bolillo roll,” he said. “It’s fantastic.”
If you’re looking for a more traditional experience, Ruiz Hot-Dogs
on South Sixth Avenue and East
22nd Street offers an authentic
cart-side meal where the Sonoran
hot dog is the main focus.
“We see people from Argentina,
Jamaica, Hawaii,” says Reggie
Dominguez, who helps run the
stand. “There are people in shuttles coming down here asking
”
to taste our hot dogs.”
Owned and run by the Maciel
family, the brothers behind the
stand have been slinging dogs for
more than six years. Their first
location near 12th Avenue and
Oklahoma Street was such a success they opened up their second
stand on Sixth two years ago.
When asked what sets Ruiz HotDogs apart from other local vendors,
Dominguez credits quality ingredients and a special Sinaloan style bun,
which is coated in butter and lightly
cooked on the grill.
“Everybody’s hot dogs are different,” Dominguez says. “[But]
the bread is what makes the difference. Other places, they don’t
toast
their
bread. We made ours special by
toasting it, giving it a better taste
and better look.”
Dominguez adds that the stand
goes through more than 200 hot
dogs each day and that regular customers are part of what makes the
experience less mainstreamed and
more unique.
He says that although one day
the Maciels hope to expand their
carts into a bigger venture, they
will never forget their company’s
simple roots.
“Hopefully, in time we’ll be
able to do a restaurant, but we’ll
never take our good taste away
from it,” he says. “This is how people know us and that’s how we’re
going to stay.”
alex gendreau
A customer waits for his Sonoran hot
dog at El Manantial Hot Dog Stand.
A Long Way From Home, Peru Meets Tucson
By Marisa Bernal
“Watch out!” Peter “Pedro”
Gonzvar yells while flipping raw
beef in a flaming pan. Flames
engulf the pink meat and green veggies while the soft crackle of the
juices entice the customers.
One by one, Gonzvar meticulously places the entrees among
mounds of spices and rice and
watches them head out to the dining room of Don Pedro’s Peruvian
Bistro.
Gonzvar, 50, opened the bistro
on the corner of Sixth Avenue and
44th Street in September 2010 and
has been enjoying his little piece of
Peru ever since.
“I look at the restaurant as having fun,” Gonzvar says with a grin.
“I enjoy when I am there and it is
busy. I enjoy it 100 percent.”
The bistro is the product of
almost a year of crafty and detailed
planning.
“Before I started I had to visualize everything and that’s why it
took me so long,” Gonzvar says. “I
had to see it in my mind first before
I could complete it. It took me a
year to plan every single detail
from the designing part to the
toothpicks.”
Gonzvar is originally from
Lima, Peru, and landed in the U.S.
in the 1980s.
“I left [Peru] to pursue my
career here,” Gonzvar says. “That
was what I always wanted since I
was in high school: to study in the
U.S.”
Since the opening of the restaurant, Gonzvar has not had the
chance to visit his home country.
“I miss things in places that I
used to visit when I was a child,
like the beach and all the museums,” Gonzvar says with a thick
Peruvian accent. “I haven’t had
time to go back, but I want to so
bad.”
After getting a bachelor’s
degree from Arizona State
University in electrical and computer engineering, Gonzvar pursued his passion for cooking.
“I learned to cook from my
mom,” Gonzvar says. “I used to
watch her a lot growing up in Peru.
Then when I moved here I lived by
myself and had to put it in practice,
and eventually I started creating
my own dishes.”
His menu now consists of traditional Peruvian dishes as well as
original creations.
“It is only one of two Peruvian
restaurants in all of Tucson,” says
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, PR and
marketing manager for Don
Pedro’s. “[Peter] takes traditional
dishes and has modernized the
entire thing to where it speaks to
native Peruvians and everyone
else.”
A popular dish made by
Gonzvar himself is Saltado de
Verduras con Pollo, a mix of
sautéed vegetables and chicken.
“I am able to say that I made
that,” Gonzvar says. “It’s a traditional dish but the flavor is totally
different, it’s my own.”
Gonzvar is very particular about
his food maintaining the authentic
Peruvian taste.
“There are a lot of ingredients in
Peruvian food that we don’t see
here so we have to import a lot of
the products from Peru,” Gonzvar
says. “We are able to buy some
things locally but it’s not the same
quality.”
Gonzvar imports items like the
purple corn for the Chicha Morada
beverage, a sweet purple Peruvian
drink. He imports regular corn as
well.
“The corn here is like a baby
corn,” says Gonzvar. “Our corn is
really big and much sweeter and
has more texture. You can’t find
that here.”
Although it costs a lot to import
products, Gonzvar maintains reasonable prices on all of his menu
items with a typical dish at Don
Pedro’s costing between $6 and
$15.
Now, the trendy bistro provides
not only authentic Peruvian dishes,
but also a unique Peruvian atmosphere that is still a work in
progress.
Soft Spanish music lends an
authentic ambiance to the brightly
lit restaurant and a sign saying “Yo
♥ Mi Perú” hangs next to the
aroma-filled kitchen.
Photo
By
Marisa Bernal
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi puts away dishes and utensils in the kitchen of Don
Pedro’s Peruvian Bistro.
Resting on the tables are red and
yellow bottles, similar to ketchup
and mustard bottles, and toasted
corn kernels in a tiny white dish.
The toasted corn, Cancha, is a
pre-meal snack much like the
Mexican chips and salsa. The red
bottles hold Chiltepin chili sauce, a
savory Peruvian spice, and the yellow bottles hold a creamy yellow
dressing of Aji Amarillo spice.
Gonzvar plans to introduce literature on the tables to inform customers about many of of the unique
Peruvian items they are experiencing.
“I want them to be able to read
and know exactly what they are
eating because these things are
unique and organic,” Gonzvar says.
As for the restaurant as a whole,
Gonzvar plans to expand his business elsewhere in Tucson, like the
east side or the University of
Arizona/downtown area.
Because it is a family-owned
business, Gonzvar enjoys spending
time with his wife and children in
the restaurant.
“This is giving me the opportunity to be with my family more,”
Gonzvar says. “We can be together
and I enjoy what I am doing and
that’s the point of the restaurant.”
EL INDEPENDIENTE
Page / Página 6
April 8, 2011 / 8 de abril 2011
Despite Changing Border, Surrounding State Senate Rejects
Communities Remain Just as Secure Immigration Omnibus Bill
federal and local agencies that work
together.
The increase in personnel and
new technology has significantly
improved the safety of residents and
the detection of illegal activity on the
border, according to the Alliance to
Combat Transnational Threats, a
group of federal, state and local law
enforcement agencies including
Border Patrol, Immigration and
Enforcement,
Drug
Customs
Enforcement Administration, as well
as Pima and Santa Cruz County
Sheriffs.
“The community is very, very
safe,” Estrada said. “You can’t
walk one block without coming
across a border patrol agent, a
police officer or the sheriffs departPhoto By Frank Brun
ment.”
Marta Soto looks toward the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Ariz., during one
The number of Border Patrol
of her many transits between the two countries.
personnel on the border is now
greater than at any time in its history. The number of agents has dou‘Border Protection’ Continued from Page 1
bled from approximately 10,000 in
compiled by the Mexican govern- more than 15 percent from 2008 2004 to more than 20,700 in 2010.
Although the number of law
ment. Sonora’s 495 killings in to 2009.
personnel
has
As politicians keep pushing for enforcement
2010 showed an increase from the
last three years but were substan- more military to “secure the bor- increased and the border wall gets
tially lower than the 4,427 in der,” a poll conducted by the taller and more impenetrable, Soto
Chihuahua, the 1,815 in Sinaloa Border Network for Human Rights said that not much has changed
in Texas found that more than 87 about crossing the line since she
and the 1,209 in Tamaulipas.
“There are hotspots with the percent of people living along the was kid—except for longer lines
and an obstructed view.
same dangers you’ll encounter U.S.-Mexico border feel safe.
“It’s noticeable that both nations
“In Arizona, compare it to other
anywhere else,” Estrada said. “I
think I would be reliable in saying states and cities, and the violence is are taking the proper precautions and
that the city and county is relative- relatively low and the community is strategies to keep us safe. It’s apparly safe. This violence is among relatively calm,” Soto said. “Is there ent through the extent of security
going to be smuggling of undocu- you go through when crossing,”
individual cartels.”
Crime statistics from the FBI mented people? Yes. Are drugs Soto said.
“Although I may not be able
confirm that the drug violence going to penetrate the border? Yes.
to sneak candy and clothing to
occurring in Sonora is not spilling But the community is calm.”
The southern border in Arizona is my friends on the other side
over in Arizona.
In fact, violent crime rates in as safe as it ever has been, said through the diamond holes in the
Arizona have decreased in the last Department of Homeland Security metal border fence like I used to
four years. Violent crime rate per Secretary Janet Napolitano in a when I was a teenager, both
100,000 people dropped seven Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Nogaleses continue to be one
percent from 2007 to 2008 and in April 2010, crediting the many united and safe community.”
Gov. Brewer Signs Abortion Bill
‘Abortion’ Continued from Page 1
29, a doctor, who fears this reduced
access could have negative consequences.
“If you delay care like that, you
could end up forcing patients to
have riskier procedures,” he said,
which could include the need for a
surgical abortion instead of a medical abortion.
However, supporters argue
that because of the adverse
reactions many women who
take the abortion pill experience, a doctor should supervise
the procedure.
“What it will do is now put
them under the same standard
of care,” Yee said of medical
and surgical abortions.
Sponsors of the legislation
assert that women in rural areas
should have the same medical
protections as women in urban
areas.
“If a woman has the need for
another medical procedure, she
doesn’t think twice about going
into a larger city to get it,”
Barto said.
A different part of the law
will prohibit the use of
telemedicine to perform an
abortion, a practice which is
not currently used in Arizona.
Another bill dealing with
public funding of abortion was
passed by the Senate on April
5, and now waits for the governor’s signature.
HB 2384 would prevent organizations that provide, pay for, promote, provide coverage of or pro-
vide referrals for abortions from
qualifying for the working poor tax
credit, which provides reimbursement for contributions to qualified,
charitable organizations that serve
the working poor.
The bill would affect tax credits
on donations to clinics such as
Planned
Parenthood,
which
receives about 15 percent of its
income from individual contributions, 20 percent from grants and
institutions and the rest from
healthcare revenue, according to
Steinberg.
“I think it’s a shame our
donors will not be able to take
advantage of the incentive,”
Steinberg said. “[The legislature
is] discriminating against Planned
Parenthood for the services we
provide.”
Heinz agreed emphasizing
Planned Parenthood provides services such as family planning,
screenings for sexually transmitted infections and vasectomies.
“I’m concerned that [the legislature is] taking away health
care options and health care
choices, not just for the women
of our community but men as
well,” he said.
About 90 percent of Planned
Parenthood’s work is prevention,
while about 10 percent is abortions,
according to Steinberg.
It is already against the law
to use public funds or tax
monies for abortion procedures, unless the procedure is
necessary to save the mother’s
life. The bill’s sponsors view
the working poor tax credit as a
loophole.
“They’re free to raise money
for any purpose that they wish
privately,” Barto said. “The
issue is taxpayer funding that
goes to an organization that
provides services for abortion.”
The reason for this concern,
according to Barto, is that any
money donated to an organization
for non-abortion services, such as
preventative care, frees up other
money that can be used to fund
abortions.
The other part of HB 2384
would prohibit public funds,
including college tuition money,
from being used for abortion training.
Heinz is concerned that if the
obstetrics and gynecology program at the University of Arizona
is unable to offer opportunities
for abortion training, it could
lose its national accreditation,
which could result in about 200
residents losing their program.
“These are procedures that
OB/GYN residents need to have
the opportunity to perform, regardless of politics,” Heinz said.
But according to Barto,
accreditation requirements do not
require schools to provide abortion training if there are legal
restrictions or moral or religious
reasons.
The Office of Public Affairs at
the Arizona Health Sciences Center
at the University of Arizona issued
a statement saying they are unsure
of how significantly the proposed
legislation would affect their programs.
By Paul Ingram
The Arizona Senate rejected five
new immigration bills on March
18, bowing to the pressure of businesses in the state. In a state that
has gained a harsh reputation for
illegal immigration issues, this
sudden turnabout reflects new economic priorities.
Since last year’s passing of the
controversial SB 1070, the state
has been hammered by boycotts,
including one prompted by former
San Francisco Mayor Gavin
Newsom, as well as the Mexican
state of Sonora, and Arizona’s own
Rep. Raul Grijalva.
A November study by the
Center for American Progress, a
Washington D.C.-based progressive think tank, concluded that
Arizona had lost as much as $150
million in tourism dollars in 2010,
including $45 million in the hotel
sector alone.
“No one saw the national and
international reaction to the bill,
but now that we have that experience, we know these kinds of
measures can cause economic damage,” said Garrick Taylor,
spokesman for the Arizona
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, who said estimates of lost
tourism business ranged from $15
million to $150 million.
The vote was a rebuke to State
Senate President Russell Pearce, a
staunch force behind the new
immigration measures including
SB 1070, who sponsored many of
the measures.
An open letter written by more
than 60 businesses with the help of
the Arizona Chamber of Commerce
was sent to the State Senate arguing
that the new bills were unnecessary
stating, “While we recognize the
desire for states like Arizona to fill
the leadership vacuum left by federal inaction on immigration, we
strongly believe it is unwise for the
Legislature to pass any additional
immigration legislation, including
any measures leaving the determi-
nation of citizenship to the state.”
The letter also noted that Gov.
Jan Brewer had directed $250,000
to repair the state’s reputation in
the wake of SB 1070.
Some state Republicans joined
with the minority Democrats,
refusing to approve the bills,
which were designed to challenge
the rules of citizenship laid down
by the 14th Amendment, as well as
to require state agencies and businesses to report or otherwise
enforce immigration law.
The omnibus bill included several measures to:
- Require hospitals to determine
the citizenship status of patients.
- Restrict vehicle registration to
legal residents.
- Make it a crime for an illegal
immigrant to drive in the state.
- Require students at state universities and community colleges
to prove residency status.
- Mandate that public housing
authorities immediately evict any
and all residents if one person is
not a legal resident.
A related measure would have
required parents to provide proof
of citizenship before enrolling
their children in public schools,
and another would have required
schools to count the number of
illegal immigrants in the classroom.
All of these measures were
defeated in the Senate.
According to the Arizona
Tourism Office, the state drew
more than 35 million visitors in
2009, bringing more than $16 billion to the state.
Analysis by the Pew Hispanic
Center notes that unauthorized
immigrants are 3.7 percent of the
US population, comprising 11.2
million people. Based on the U.S.
Census
Bureau’s
Current
Population Survey, this number is
“virtually unchanged” from the
year before when the center estimated that 11.1 million illegal
aliens lived and worked in the
United States.
Pending Legislation
SB 1495 — State Guard
Creates a special Arizona state
guard, separate from the state’s
National Guard units that could be
called up “for any other reason
the governor considered to be
necessary.”
Passed by the Senate, remains
in the House.
SCR1035 — “English Only”
A proposal to amend Arizona’s
constitution making English the
official language for government
business.
Passed by the senate, remains
in the house.
SB 1393 and SB 1394 —
“Freedom to Breathe”
Two sister bills that challenge the
EPA’s ability to regulate production of greenhouse gases in the
state. The EPA was granted the
ability to regulate greenhouse
gases in a 2007 Supreme Court
decision.
SB 1467 — Firearms on
Campus
This bill prohibits universities,
community colleges, high
schools from banning firearms
on campus. Schools may ban
weapons inside classrooms, but
cannot do so for “right-of-ways”
like streets or outdoor spaces.
This bill has passed in the
Senate and is now in the House.
SB 1201 — Firearms Omnibus
Pushed by Arizona’s Citizen
Defense League, the bill would
allow firearms inside of all government-run facilities and many
public events. Places could still
ban firearms but only if they post a
sign, provide firearm lockers, and
have armed security and metal
detectors.
The bill would also hamper
Shannon’s Law—a law banning
the firing of weapons inside city
limits—by altering requirements
for prosecution. Also, citizens
could sue if they were illegally
stopped from carrying their
weapon into a public place and if
the suit is successful, the law
would allow for the seizure of a
municipal vehicle if the government doesn’t pay damages within
72 hours.
SCR 1006 — Border Security
Approves the “Restore our
Border” plan, which includes hiring 3,000 more Border Patrol
officers, the deployment of military units, the implementation of
a new electronic survelliance program, felony prosecution for all
immigration detainees, a streamlined process for recovery of
damages.
Pushed by the Arizona Cattle
Growers’ Association, the plan is
currently in the House.
EL INDEPENDIENTE
April 8 / 8 de abril 2011
Page / Página 7
Pueblo Optimists Make Difference for Kids
By Stephen Varga
For some families, providing everyday necessities for children can be a
difficult thing. But one local group is
aiming to change that.
For more than 20 years, the
Pueblo Optimist Club has been
supporting South Tucson children
with warm meals, clothes and
school supplies.
“Our motto is ‘bringing out the
best in kids,’ and we try to do that
here everyday,” says club member
Esthermarie Hillman. “We strive to
make South Tucson a better place.”
Based out of Pueblo Magnet
High School and comprised of
about 80 local members, the club
aims to help kids stay on track and
stay in school by providing them
with essentials for their wellbeing.
Besides their club in South
Tucson, Optimist International
works globally with more than
2,900 chapters. Hillman, who in
the past has served as president of
the Tucson chapter, is in line to
become the next regional vice
president of the Optimists in the
west, where she will oversee the
operations of clubs in states from
Alaska to Arizona. But she says
she won’t forget her home city.
“My heart and soul will always
be down here with the people of
Tucson,” she says.
Hillman says last year the club
collected and handed out more
than 800 backpacks stuffed with
supplies to a number of schools
across the South Tucson area,
including Mission View, Ochoa,
and Maldonado. The club also
hosted events at Oktoberfest last
fall at Hi Corbett Field and giftwrapping parties on Black Friday,
the day after Thanksgiving, to raise
money.
“We raise donations and collect
items like pens, pencils, paper,
protractors—things like that they
need in class—and put them all in
backpacks to distribute,” says Ed
Lopez, program chairman for the
Optimists.
“Essentially we get wish lists
from schools who need these things,
and it’s our job to go out there and
collect them,” he says as he stands in
front of a huge pile of almost 50
boxes filled with school supplies.
The club also collects easy-toobtain food items like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to give to
kids of the community, as well as
hygiene items such as toothbrushes
and toothpaste.
The Optimists also sponsor ice
cream programs at local schools,
where kids are awarded the frozen
treats for good behavior and outstanding academic performance.
“It’s a fun little way for us to
promote these kids to try hard and
do well in school,” says club member Jose Ortiz.
Lopez collects and stores many
of these items and delivers them
out of his own store, a small t-shirt
embroidery shop called the Gizmo
Factory that he owns and operates
with his wife of 45 years.
What some may consider a
chore Lopez considers a pleasure,
as he has been working with the
club on and off for about 15 years.
“Just seeing the joy in those little faces makes it all worth it to
me,” he says.
Hillman says her favorite time
of year is the Christmas season
when the club gets to help a large
group of families pay for food,
clothing and useful items like pots
and pans.
“Every year at Christmas we
help out about 35 families in South
Tucson with their expenses that,
without us, they wouldn’t likely be
able to afford,” Hillman says.
“We basically shop year round
for this stuff,” she says. “If I see a
bunch of cheap shirts or sweatshirts I’ll buy them up and we’ll
send them out in a U-Haul truck
we rent. Everyone is appreciative
and we’re happy to do it.”
The optimists are always looking for help, Hillman says. Ed
Canett, club member and district
executive of the Boy Scouts of
America, agrees.
“The desire to help others is
always there for youths and their
parents,” he says. “It’s just a matter
of getting them to actually go out
and volunteer.”
To learn more about volunteering with the club or to make a
donation, contact Hillman at 9910100 or attend one of the club’s
weekly meetings held Thursday
mornings at 7 a.m. at Micha’s
Restaurant, 2908 S. Fourth Ave.
Manageable Solutions Available April Events Aim to
to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle Combat Sexual Abuse
By Carolyn Gitomer
By Samantha Ferrell
With obesity rates of more than 33
percent in the Latino community,
local schools and groups are taking
steps to help people live healthier
and longer.
The annual F as in Fat: How
Obesity Threatens America’s
Future 2010 report by the Trust for
America’s Health ranks Arizona as
the 29th most obese state in the
country. The adult racial breakdown of the report states that there
is an obesity rate of 33.4 percent
among Latinos, 32.5 percent
among blacks and 23.3 percent
among whites.
Eating healthy can be affordable
and time-efficient if one knows
where to shop and how to maintain
a healthy lifestyle.
Hana Abdulaziz Feeney, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at a
South Tucson private office located
at 9117 E. Calle Cascada St., said
food environment and food marketing are bigger issues than obesity.
“Marketing is directed to take
attention away from looking at
what is actually in products,” said
Feeney. “For example, frosted
cereals have health claims on their
boxes that do not correspond to the
ingredients. So much low quality
food is being pushed on consumers.”
Time efficiency also plays a
huge factor in the lack of eating
healthy. Feeney suggests a simple
solution.
“Plan meals on the weekends
and shop accordingly,” she said.
“Check sales and coupons and plan
meals around that. It should take 30
minutes at most.”
Matt Ryan, manager of Desert
Sports and Fitness, understands
that everyone is on different schedules, but advises regular exercise
and portion control to maintain a
healthy lifestyle.
“Consistency and portion control are very important,” Ryan said.
“You should be eating five meals
the size of snacks throughout a 12hour day.”
Jamie Elliott, nutritionist for
Sunnyside Unified School District,
said students are always given a
designated time for lunch in their
schedules and that the Arizona
Department of Education works to
April is Sexual Violence Awareness
and Prevention Month and everyone has an opportunity to learn and
do more to prevent sexual assault
in the Tucson community.
If you’re looking to do more,
you can contact the Southern
Arizona Center Against Sexual
Assault (SACASA) or Su Voz Vale
(Your Voice Counts), their affiliate
program for the south side of
Tucson.
SACASA works toward ending
sexual assault by hosting training
classes and providing outreach to
assault victims. Su Voz Vale aims
to reduce violence and the impact
of violence specifically on the
Latino/Chicano community.
Although SACASA does not
Photo
By
Britain Muhl
focus specifically on sexual violence in the LGBT community,
their programs teach that bullying
and name-calling are behaviors
that can easily lead to sexual
harassment, said Rowan Frost, the
program supervisor for the
Community Prevention, Education
and Outreach Program.
“Sexual harassment is bullying,” Frost said. “The intent to
harm or injure someone still exists
…We should interrupt this behavior every time.”
The classes they offer discuss
teaching
children
physical
boundaries at a young age in
order to prevent sexual abuse,
how to respond to someone who
“comes out” as a victim of sexual abuse and what resources are
available to victims.
The Food Conspiracy Cooperative Grocery on Fourth Avenue offers a colorful
array of fresh fruits.
control calories by making meals
with properly-sized portions for
students.
“Salad bars for students from
kindergarten to 12th grade are also
always available because it serves
as an easy way to get students’ fiber
higher,” Elliott said.
Elliott said it is easy to shop for
healthy foods on a budget and that
some of the healthiest foods in
stores are the least expensive.
Feeney agreed. “The most common misconception is that health
foods are expensive when really
indulgencies are more expensive,”
she said. “Pinto beans and any kind
of dry beans are really inexpensive
and healthy.”
Casa Maria Soup Kitchen tries
to provide nutritious food for people in need, though Brian Flagg, a
daily volunteer, admits that it can
be difficult to achieve because they
are dependent on donations.
“The soups make up for the
more unhealthy options here
because they are filled with vegetables and balances out some of the
white sugar or white flour,” he said.
According to Flagg, “food
stamps are a joke” because of how
difficult it is to obtain them under
the welfare reform that President
Bill Clinton established in 1996.
This reform added many restrictions on federal cash assistance for
low-income citizens.
“Food stamps and general assistance are things of the past and
even if you have food stamps they
do not last longer than three years,”
Flagg said. “More people are
depending on places like Casa
Maria because of this.”
Flagg recommends shopping for
groceries at Food City because the
South Sixth Avenue store provides
good sales, tends to give back to
the community and employs many
people from South Tucson.
Ryan and Feeney pointed out
that no healthy diet will be successful without exercise.
In South Tucson, a membership
to Desert Sports and Fitness ranges
from $25 to $32 per month. Ryan
ensures that the staff is wellinformed and willing to share with
members easy ways to balance
nutrition with exercise.
There are many alternatives for
productive workouts besides joining a gym, said Marni Mendelsohn,
a yoga instructor at the University
of Arizona. Mendelsohn recommends searching YouTube for
workout videos.
“Simply running or jogging in
parks and hiking can make huge
difference and work out many muscles at once,” Mendelsohn said.
“Just make sure to do things at your
own pace.”
April 12: 5:30-8:30 p.m.,
Armory Park: Take Back the
Night
This youth-led movement is meant
to spark conversation about sexual
violence and to invite the community to become part of the solution. More information available
at www.takebackthenight.org.
April 13: 5-7 p.m., Fluxx Studio
and Galley, 414 E. Ninth St.:
“Hey Baby! Art Opposing
Sexual Violence”
High school students enrolled in
SACASA’s Peer Educator program will facilitate discussions
with the community.
April 15: National Day of
Silence In response to anti-LGBT
bullying, harassment and suicides,
participate in a day of silence.
More information can be found at
www.dayofsilence.org.
April 19: 12-2 p.m., Joel D.
Valdez Main Library, 101 N.
Stone Ave: Movie screening of
“Liberty and Justice…For All”
This movie discusses U-Visas,
which are available to certain victims of violent crimes.
April 20: 4 p.m., Epic Café, 745
N. Fourth Ave.: “Hey Baby!”
reception.
This event was inspired by the
decision by the Italian Supreme
Court to overturn a rape charge
because the victim was wearing
tight jeans. Wear jeans to support
rape victims and to raise awareness of sexual violence.
April 20: Dine Out for Safety
Participating restaurants will
donate up to 20 percent of their
proceeds to ending violence in our
community. Find out which
restaurants are supporting this
cause at www.dineoutforsafety.
com/tucson.
April 27: 4:30-6 p.m., Sam
Lena-South Tucson Branch
Library, “Hey Baby! Art
Opposing Sexual Violence”
This exhibit will be on display at
the library from April 24-29. There
will be a community discussion
and the opportunity to meet the
artists from 5-5:30 p.m.
April 29: 5-7 p.m., Sam LenaSouth Tucson Branch Library:
Movie screening of “Desde las
Sombras”
This Spanish movie discusses
signs of child abuse and is intended for parents.
?
Page / Página 8
EL INDEPENDIENTE
April 8, 2011 / 8 de abril 2011
qUé PaSa?
Fourth Avenue Street Fair
By Corinne O’Donoghue
Traducido por Juan Marroquín
April 8 - 10
Glass Festival
Philabaum Glass Studio and
Gallery and Sonoran Glass Art
Academy are hosting glass-making demonstrations by artists from
the United States, Mexico, South
America and Central America. The
festival will also feature a Fire and
Feast event on Sunday, but space
is limited. Sonoran Glass Art
Academy is located at 633 W. 18th
St. Tickets are $10 per person for
a 3-day pass. Reserve your tickets
www.sonoranglass.org/events/tucsonglassfestival.html or call 8847814.
El 17 de abril
El gran prix del Old
Pueblo
La carrera de ciclismo gran prix
del Old Pueblo de Jim Click se llevará a cabo en el centro de Tucson
y es gratis para los espectadores.
El gran prix atrae atletas profesionales y aficionados de todo el
país. La carrera comienza a las
12:30 p.m. La carrera para niños
empieza a las 3:25 de la tarde.
Para más información, visite oldpueblograndprix.com.
April 14 – 24
Pima County Fair
The Pima County Fair, presented
by the Southwestern Fair
Commission, Inc. is celebrating its
100th year with the Centennial
Celebration. The fair will be held
at the Pima County Fairgrounds at
11300 S. Houghton Rd. See story
page 1.
Del 26 de abril al 30 de abril
La conferencia de
Mariachi
April 15 – August 28
Tucson Padres
Enjoy baseball games with the
family. The Tucson Padres, a
Triple-A baseball team affiliate of
the San Diego Padres, will be
playing 68 home games at
Tucson’s Kino Stadium, 2500 E.
Ajo Way. The home opener will be
April 15. The full game schedule
can be found at www.tucsonpadres.com, or call 434-1367.
April 16
Earth Day
The Tucson Earth Day Festival
and Parade will feature environmentally themed exhibits, performances and more. The festival
begins at 9 a.m. and the parade
begins at 10 a.m. at Reid Park,
900 S. Randolph Way. Admission
is free. Visit www.tucsonearthday.org or call 206-8814 for more
information.
April 16 - 24
National Park Week
The U.S. National Park Service is
celebrating the national parks with
free admission to more than 100
parks during the week to promote
a connection between people and
the environment. Admission is free
for all ages. Visit the website for
more information regarding park
events and locations at
www.nps.gov/npweek/.
April 17
Old Pueblo Grand Prix
The Jim Click Old Pueblo Grand
Prix cycling race will be in downtown Tucson and is free to spectators. The Grand Prix attracts professional and amateur athletes
from around the country. The
races start at 12:30 p.m. The kid’s
race is at 3:25 p.m. Visit oldpueblograndprix.com.
los parques nacionales con
entradas gratuitas a más de 100
parques durante la semana para
promover una conexión entre las
personas y el medio ambiente.
Las entradas son gratuitas para
todas las edades. Visite el sitio
Web www.nps.gov/npweek/ para
más información con respecto a
eventos y ubicaciones de los parques.
Photo
By
Marisa Bernal
Cha Cha the Clown entertains kids with balloon animals at the Fourth Avenue Street Fair.
April 26 - 30
Mariachi Conference
The La Frontera Tucson
International Mariachi Conference
will feature performances by
musicians and dancers from
around the county. The conference
will feature different events that
cater to everyone. Ticket prices
and locations vary so be sure to
look online at www.tucsonmariachi.org/events.php or call 8383908.
April 30
Gran Pachanga
Borderlands Theater is celebrating
their 25th anniversary. Come celebrate and support live theater. This
event will take place at 6 p.m., at
Mercado San Augustine, 100 S.
Avenida del Convento, Suite 200.
Cost is $60 per person or $100 for
two and $500 for a table. Visit
www.borderlandstheater.org or call
882-7406.
May 1
Fitness Fiesta
The Tucson Heart Group Cinco de
Mayo 10K Fitness Fiesta is
Tucson’s largest. It starts at 7 a.m.
with a 10K run or walk and a 2mile “fun run” or walk starts at
7:05 a.m. Prices vary but students
18 and under, $10 or $35 on race
day. The event will be located at
Cholla High School at 2001 W.
Starr Pass Blvd. To register online
or for more information, visit
www.azroadrunners.org/races/detai
l/cinco.
Del 8 al 10 de abril
El festival de vidrio
El estudio y galería de vidrio
Philabaum y la academia de arte
en vidrio de Sonora (Philabaum
Glass Studio and Gallery and
Sonoran Glass Art Academy por
sus nombres en inglés) presentarán
demostraciones sobre la elaboración de vidrio por artistas de los
Estados Unidos, México,
Sudamérica y Centroamérica. El
domingo, el festival también
incluirá un evento de Fuego y
Festín, pero el espacio será limitado. La Academia de Arte en vidrio
de Sonora está ubicada en 633 W.
18th St. Las entradas cuestan $10
por persona para una entrada de 3
días. Reserve sus entradas en
www.sonoranglass.org/events/tucsonglassfestival.html o llame al
884-7814.
Del 14 de abril al 24 de abril
El Festival del
Condado de Pima
El Festival del Condado de Pima,
presentado por la Comisión de
Festivales del Sudoeste, Inc. celebrará su aniversario de 100 años
con la Celebración del Centenario.
Este festival se llevará a cabo en
las Ferias del Condado de Pima en
11300 S. Houghton Rd. Vaya a la
página 1 para leer más.
Del 15 de abril al 28 de
agosto
Los Padres de Tucson
Disfrute de partidos de béisbol con
la familia. Los Tucson Padres, un
equipo de béisbol Triple-A afiliado
con los San Diego Padres, jugará
68 partidos en casa, en el estadio
Kino (Tucson’s Kino Stadium por
su nombre en inglés) en 2500 E.
Ajo Way. El partido de apertura en
casa se llevará a cabo el 15 de
abril. El horario completo de partidos se encuentra en www.tucsonpadres.com o también puede llamar al 434-1367
La Conferencia del mariachi
internacional de Tucson, La
Frontera contará con presentaciones de músicos y bailarines de
mariachi de todo el país. La conferencia contará con diferentes
eventos para todos los gustos. Los
precios de entrada y las ubicaciones varían, por lo que debe
asegúrese de visitar primero el
sitio Web o llamar para recibir
más información. Visite
www.tucsonmariachi.org/events.
php o llame al 838-3908 para más
información.
El 30 de abril
Borderlands Gran
Pachanga
El Teatro Borderlands
(Borderlands Theater por su nombre en inglés) está celebrando sus
25 años de aniversario. Venga a
celebrar y apoyar el teatro en vivo.
Este evento tendrá lugar a las 6
p.m., en el Mercado San
Augustine, 100 S. Avenida del
Convento, Suite 200. El costo es
de $60 por persona o $100 por dos
y $500 por mesa. Para más información visite www.borderlandstheater.org o llame al 882-7406.
El 16 de abril
El Día de la Tierra
El festival y desfile del Día de la
Tierra contará con exhibiciones
temáticas sobre el medio ambiente, presentaciones y más. El festival comienza a las 9 de la
mañana y el desfile a las 10 de la
mañana en el Reid Park, 900 S.
Randolph Way. La entrada es gratuita. Visite la página www.tucsonearthday.org o llame al 206-8814
para recibir más información.
Del 16 de abril al 24 de abril
La semana nacional
de los parques
El Servicio Nacional de Parques
de los Estados Unidos celebrará
1 de mayo
Fitness Fiesta
Los 10 Kilómetros del Cinco de
Mayo del Fitness Fiesta del Grupo
Tucson Heart es la carrera de 10
kilómetros más grande de Tucson.
Comienza a las 7 a.m. con una
carrera o caminata de 10K y a las
7:05 a.m. empiezan 2 millas de
caminar o “correr por diversión”.
Los precios varían pero las
entradas para estudiantes menores
de 18 años cuestan $10 al comprarlas antes del 22 de abril o $35
el día de la carrera. El evento tendrá lugar en Cholla High School
en 2001 W. Starr Pass Blvd. Para
inscribirse en línea o para recibir
más información, visite
www.azroadrunners.org/races/detai
l/cinco.