Rest Well My Friend
On April 22 I left the Southside to attend the 100th Arizona Town Hall in Tucson Arizona. This was the 50th anniversary of the Arizona Town Hall. The event had a historic feel to it, this being Arizona’s centennial year. From their website (www.aztownhall.org): “Arizona Town Hall is a private, nonprofit civic organization created in >> Read More…
Lucky to Have the Southside
When I was growing up in a small town in Western New York, we were taught to respect the police, the sheriff and his deputies and the New York State Troopers, but not too much. There was an undercurrent of disdain that could not help but seep into any instruction about law enforcement especially from >> Read More…
Time to Make Something Happen
My knee went bad. I have heard this complaint so often as I have grown older. Sometimes folks can point to a war injury or, these days, more likely, an athletic injury: maybe they where a high school star or played some college ball. It could be that minute in the NFL (or other pro >> Read More…
Adding Sunlight to City’s Planning Process
The weather in the Southside is fabulous. Time to find a restaurant with a patio, sit outside, listen to the birds, enjoy a daytime beverage (for me a Jack and Coke), have a sandwich or salad and watch all the folks from all over the Valley who have found us out, and are doing the >> Read More…
See You at The Legion
Last month I said Greg’s 11th Annual Catfish Fry was going to be held at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center on South Central. Twenty-three days before the event was scheduled, we decided to change venues. This was not an easy decision and resulted in panic on my part, but the rest of >> Read More…
The Accidental Community Celebration
It is December in the Southside and time for the Catfish Fry. This is an accidental celebration that occurs the last Friday before Christmas unless that date is Christmas Eve. The origins of the Catfish Fry go back to the mid 1990s when my friend Judge Pamela Gutierrez purchased a home from me—when I worked >> Read More…
Making the Southside an Arts Destination
For years the largest auditorium in the Phoenix Union High School District was at South Mountain High School. It still is. It has a little over 1,300 seats– more than twice the size of the largest performance hall at the Tempe Center for the Arts. The Tom and Janet Ikeda Theatre at the Mesa Arts >> Read More…
Six Tips for Healthy Running
Running strengthens your muscles, reduces stress and enhances your overall cardiovascular health. However, if done incorrectly, running can lead to common and painful knee injuries such as meniscal tears, ACL ruptures and arthritis. “Running injuries are quite common,” said Phillip Bennion, M.D., avid runner and orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at St. Luke’s Medical >> Read More…
Civic Engagement and Our Future
On April 8, 2011, a diverse group of interested citizens, community leaders and South Mountain Community College Faculty gathered with experts in planning, transportation, education, leadership, public safely, media, community image and civic engagement from across the Valley to have a community conversation billed “Villages in Transition III.” This day-long symposium was hosted by the >> Read More…
Take Charge of Your Heart: What Women Need to Know
Being a woman means you can take pleasure in a beautiful pair of heels or finding the perfect handbag to match your favorite dress. However, it also means you have some unique health concerns—particularly where your heart is concerned. “Taking action against heart disease early on can make a big difference,” says Robert C. >> Read More…
