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PICTURE ROCKS DIGEST |
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| Volume 5, Number 5 |
June,
2007 |
Welcome to the Picture
Rocks Digest,
a free newsletter about issues and events in the community. The print
version of this all-volunteer
publication is distributed at area businesses and community sites. The
electronic version is available online at
www.citizensforpicturerocks.org and via email. If you have calendar
events or news items, or if you would like to be added to our email
list, please contact us at PictureRocksDigest@comcast.net.
The Picture Rocks Digest is a publication of Citizens for Picture
Rocks, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c) (4) civic organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community. Citizens
for Picture Rocks meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Picture Rocks Community Center, 5615 N.
Sanders Road. Meetings are free and open to the public. The next meeting is June 19, 2007. Everyone is welcome
to attend — membership not required, but highly recommended!
PICTURE ROCKS COMMUNITY POOL
NOW OPEN FOR FUN!
Picture Rocks residents got to take their first dip in their new community pool
following a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony held May 19 at Picture Rocks Park. About 100 people attended the sunny
grand opening and were greeted by Pima County
Parks and Recreation staff handing out Hawaiian leis to the sounds island-themed music.
Boy Scout Troop 218 presented the flags and led the Pledge of
Allegiance
Supervisor Sharon Bronson, State Rep. Jennifer Burns,
Community Center Coordinator Wanda Crawford, Citizens for Picture Rocks President Tom Allen and County
Administrator Chuck Huckelberry were among those who participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Picture
Rocks Community Pool
Members of Boy Scout Troop 218 presented the colors. Pima County
Supervisor Sharon Bronson,
State Representative Jennifer Burns,
and Citizens for Picture Rocks President Tom Allen were among those who remarked on the success of the long-awaited
project. Artist Caryl Clement introduced her interactive sculptures and explained that each has a secret button, which
when pushed, plays words and sounds suggested by local students.
Artist Caryl Clement with one of the three interactive
sculptures in the pool area
The pool was constructed by Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and
Recreation. Burns Wald-Hopkins Architects designed the 4,250 square foot pool with a zero-depth edge and a four-foot
depth for safe swimming and play. The project also includes a splash pad with water toys, shade cabanas, large
colorful umbrellas and a turf picnic area with trees. The pool was funded by 2004 Pima County Bonds.
After
the official ceremonies, members of the Picture Rocks
Intermediate School Student Council and dozens of others enjoyed a free swim in the new pool at Picture Rocks
Park. The pool officially opened Memorial Day weekend.
Following the
ceremonies, the pool was opened for free swimming.
PICTURE ROCKS POOL SCHEDULE
Open Swim: Mon-Thur 1-6
pm, Sat & Sun 1-5 pm
Family Swim: Sat - Sun 5:15-7 pm
Adults Only Open Swim: Mon & Wed,
Noon-1 pm
Adult Water Aerobics: Tues & Thurs, Noon-1 pm
Swimming Lessons: call 682-8465 for
schedule
Cost: 50 cents for children 17 & under; $1.50 for adults 18 &over;
$1.00 per family for
Family Swim.
Passes available. Lessons: $20.
Pool closed Fridays.
SHERIFF'S DEPT. HONORS OUTSTANDING SERVICE
At a luncheon held at the Tucson
Mountain Station on May 22, District Commander Lt. Scott Martin and Capt. Chris Nanos recognized several people
for their outstanding service to the Pima County Sheriff's Department.
Bill Klukosky, a Sheriff's Auxiliary
Volunteer, was presented plaques in honor of his volunteer work with the Sheriff's Department, totaling more than
10,000 hours over a 10-year period. Klukosky, a long-time resident of Picture Rocks and a member of the Avra Water
Co-op Board of Directors, volunteers three days a week at the Tucson Mountain office.
Bill Klukosky, a
Sheriff's Auxiliary Volunteer who has contributed over 10,000 hours of service, was one of several who were honored
at a luncheon at the PCSD Tucson Mountain District station last month.
Pima County Deputy Ted Robles was given an award in recognition of his eight years of outstanding
service, much of it in Picture Rocks.
Deputy Ted Robles was honored for his service
Also recognized for volunteer service were Picture Rocks residents Greg
and Diane Mattison, recent graduates of SAV training who now assist PCSD at the local office and other locations as
needed.
CITIZENS FOR PICTURE ROCKS
Regular Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, June 19, 7:00 p.m.
Picture Rocks Community Center
5615 N. Sanders Road
Free and Open to the Public
Featuring Special Guest:
Debbie Trimble, Picture Rocks Fire Dept.
Topic: Fire safety in the drought
VICTIM WITNESS PROGRAM
MOSTLY FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
Speaking at the May 15 Citizens for Picture Rocks Meeting, Ron Orantia from the
Pima County Victim Witness Program said that
most of the program's resources were going to help victims of violent crime, including traffic accidents, rather than
property crime.
Crisis counseling and court advocates are available to assist victims in enforcing
their rights (see April 2007 Picture Rocks Digest). The Victim Witness Program, operating out of the Pima County
Attorney's office, was begun in 1975; it took until 1991 to get Victim's Rights enacted into law. For more information,
including volunteer training opportunities, call 740-5525.
IF YOU WANT HELP, HELP YOURSELF!
By Jim Pethe
The other day I saw the Fire Department ambulance and truck turn north on my
narrow dirt road. Being a
Community Emergency Response Team member, I
thought I would follow and see what was going on. I stayed out of the way while they looked for an address, turning
around and around again for about 20 minutes. Finally I flagged them down. The house they were looking for was about
¼ mile off the road with no house number sign to identify it. The house the Fire Department was looking for was one of
about a dozen on that side of the road.
As it turned out, it was not a life or death call, but the lesson was clear: if you
want help from 9-1-1, you have to help yourself first so they can find you. And it’s also the law. You need to have
house numbers at the entrance from the road and on the house if more than 50 feet from the road. The numbers should
be on a permanent structure like a post, with the numbers at least three feet off the ground, and made of a hard, durable
material. Numbers should be at least three inches tall; six inches is better. Help yourself; the life you save may be your
own!
ORTIZ COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
Located at 12635 W. Rudasill Road, just west of Sanders Road, Ortize Community
Health Center is a satellite of the Marana Health Center It offers
Family Practice, sports and school physicals, immunizations, Well Woman exams and Well Child checkups.
Strep, pregnancy and TB skin
test restuls are usually back within 48 hours.
On Thursdays the Ortiz Community Health Center hosts the WIC
program, a nutrition education and supplemental food program for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or six
months postpartum, and infants and children.
Dr. Ahmed Babar, the primary physician, graduated medical college in
1998 in Karachi and did his residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Barnabas Hospital in New York in 2005, when he was
Board certified.
Most health plans are accepted, including AHCCCS, Kids Care and most
HMO and PPO plans. Fees are on a sliding scale.
Office hours are 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Mondays, and 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday through
Friday. For an appointment, call 682-3777.
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK TRAIL PLANS
As part of its comprehensive general management plan-in-progress, Saguaro
National Park will be holding an informational "open house" at Picture Rocks Intermediate School, 5875 N. Sanders Road,
on Wednesday, June 27, 4-7 p.m.
The Park is proposing two alternative trail plans, including parking lots, trail
re-routing, signage and new trails, which will be displayed at the open house.
Comments are due by July 28,
and can be made at the open house; by mail to Superintendent Sarah Craighead, Saguaro National Park, 3693 S. Old
Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730; or by clicking here.
SHORT TAKES
Get Connected Picture Rocks! A Guide to
Services and Businesses in Our Community is now available, printed with a grant from
PRO Neighborhoods and support from local businesses. The Guide
is available at the Picture Rocks Community Center and at various businesses and offices throughout the area. The Guide
is free, and with 178 listings, it should be useful for long-time neighbors as well as newcomers. Watch for it soon on our
website.
2008 County Bonds: CPR Secretary Kaitlin Meadows is attending a series
of meetings to advocate for Picture Rocks receiving a fair share of projects in a
proposed bond vote next year. On the table are Community Center
and Park expansions, skateboard and BMX track, a library, and a building that could be leased as a post office. Since
many communities are competing for funds, the final decision has yet to be made.
Adopt-A-Road Date Change: The Citizens for Picture Rocks Coordinating
Committee approved a suggestion to change the twice-a-year roadway cleanup dates to the first Saturday in April and
the last Saturday in October to avoid the worst of the heat. Volunteers always welcome!
Sheriff's Auxiliary Volunteers will make fingerprinting available at Picture Rocks Intermediate School. Details to
be announced.
Citizens for Picture Rocks Meetings will open a half-hour early, at 6:30 p.m., for iced tea and social time where
neighbors can get to know one another better, starting in July. At 7 p.m. participants will hear from guest speakers over
the summer: Tuesday, June 19, Debbie Trimble from the Picture Rocks Fire Department on fire safety in the drought; July
17 will feature a speaker on handling monsoon emergencies and safety, and August 21 will hear from a representative of
Northwest Medical Center. President Tom Allen reminds us that all neighbors are welcome; the meetings are free, and start
at 7 p.m. at the Picture Rocks Community Center, 5615 N. Sanders Road.
Who's a Member? It hasn't been an issue yet, but might be one day. Just who is a member of Citizens for
Picture Rocks? To clarify who is who when voting may take place at our meetings, a new Application will be distributed.
Members with voting rights either pay $50 a year or $5 per meeting dues, or volunteer at least one hour a month on
community improvement activities. Meetings are always open to non-members from our community.
The Picture Rocks Digest is written by Albert Lannon (email:
bluemoon@dakotacom.net; phone: 622-3561).
Additional materials and formatting by Karen Zopf. Distribution of the print version is thanks to Jim Pethe.
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