TECHNOLOGY

Mesa gang unit buys gang

Coplink, a system initially developed by the University of Arizona’s artificial intelligence lab that helps law enforcement track data and other information about gangs and other organized activities has added the East Valley Gang and Crime Information Fusion Center in Mesa.

The software and hardware suite is being marketed by Knowledge Computing Corp., 7750 E. Broadway, Suite 100.

Developed with funding from the he National Institute of Justice and the National Science Foundation in 1997, the first commercial applications started with the Tucson Police Department five years ago and now, also includes other law enforcement agencies in Pima and Maricopa counties.

Using known or partial facts from an ongoing investigation, a search using Coplink can produce qualified leads in seconds that previously took days or weeks.

Coplink is in use by 600 jurisdictions in more than 20 states.

BIOSCIENCES

BIO5 researchers get grant

to help find super cleaners

Investigators at the University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute received a $2.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation for the study of biosurfactants, which are molecules produced by bacteria that reside in the region of space where two phases of matter, such as a solid and a liquid, connect.

Surfactants are used in household and industrial cleaners, personal care products, and various manufacturing processes including food processing and the production of plastics, paints, coatings, textiles, pulp and paper, and agricultural products. It is a multi-billion dollar industry and growing.

Research applications could include bioremediation of metal and oil contaminated sites, additives to pharmaceutical preparations such as skin creams and therapeutic ointments, use as anti-microbial dispersants, and more environmentally friendly detergents and cleaning agents.

Raina Maier, of BIO 5 said research will be conducted to find out how biosurfactants "can be harnessed for the benefit of industry, biotechnology and medicine."

SMALL BUSINESS

Small Business Administration

seeks nominations for honors

The U.S. Small Business Administration is looking for nominations of small businesses to be recognized for their contributions to the American economy and society.

Each state selects its own winners from nominations, which then go on to compete regionally and nationally.

Nominations are being sought in the following categories:

ân¶ Small business person of the year

ân¶ Financial services champion of the year

ân¶ Home-based business champion of the year

ân¶ Minority small business champion of the year

ân¶ Small business exporter of the year

ân¶ SBA young entrepreneur of the year

ân¶ Veteran small business champion of the year

ân¶ Women in business champion of the year

ân¶ SBA family-owned small business of the year

The deadline for nominations is Nov. 3. Applications are online at www.sba.gov/az, click on "2008 Small Business Nomination Application and Guidelines." for forms and further details. Or call (520) 620-7042. Nominations may be turned at Small Business Administration’s Tucson office in the DeConcini U.S. Courthouse, 405 W. Congress St., Suite 1807, to the attention of Stephen Hart.

A tribute will be held in Phoenix in April for Arizona’s winners.

FINANCIAL

Compass Bank starts new

online business bank service

Compass Bank has launched a three-tiered Web-based online business banking service.

The features are designed for business owners who want enhanced online access to their account information, such as the ability to control employee access; issue online tax, stop and wire payments; make loan payments and receive account alerts. The level of access a business owner needs determines which of the three tiers of service they choose.

Information about the service, called Compass BusinessClass Online, is at www.compassbank.com/business/online.

RETAIL

Spring Chicks shoe stores

are now Z-CoiL franchises

Spring Chicks shoe stores are now part of the Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear franchise chain.

Engineered specifically to relieve foot, leg, and back pain, Z-CoiL footwear features a unique conical-coil steel spring under the heel, which the company says absorbs up to 50 percent of the impact from walking or running according to studies by Sandia and Los Alamos Laboratories.

The two stores, 4630 E. Grant Road and 5040 N. Oracle Road, are owned by Mary Ageton.

CULTURAL/RECREATION

Tohono O’Odham open

unique Tubac trading post

The Tohono O’Odham Nation has opened Tohono Village Trading Post art gallery and gift shop in Tubac.

The trading post, at 10 Camino Otero, offers a "one-of-a-kind" experience connecting Native American artists with buyers for their work along with an authentic view of Native American experience and culture.

The shop offers baskets, jewelry, pottery, and paintings as well as Native American cultural demonstrations including basket dancers, music, and food.

HEALTHCARE

Northwest Med Center joins

UA fast-track nurse program

To address a shortage of nurces, Northwest Medical Center has joined the University of Arizona College of Nursing on a 14-month accelerated bachelor’s program for nurses.

Carondelet Health Network, Tucson Medical Center and University Medical Center already partner in the program.

Each partnering hospital provides financial support for individuals with proven academic records who wish to enter the program. After graduation, the students then have a two-year commitment to work at their sponsoring hospital.

So far, 235 nurses have graduated from the program. With the addition of Northwest Medical Center, the next class, starting in January, will enroll 96 students.

GOVERNMENT

Three state lawmakers

oppose Rosemont Mine

Three state lawmakers whose district includes the proposed Rosemont Mine in the Santa Ritas, have come out in opposition to the mine and are asking the Coronado National Forest supervisor to recommend an independent review of current data.

State Sen. Tim Bee, who is Senate president, and Reps. Jonathan Paton and Marian McClure, all Republicans, say they are concerned about how the operation could impact the land, residents of the surrounding property and the quality of the water supply.

"We are concerned about the noise, air and water pollution in addition to increased truck traffic on our local highways," Bee said in a news release announcing the opposition.

The three are asking the Coronado National Forest supervisor to recommend that an independent mining and geological consulting firm be allowed to analyze all the current data relevant to the proposed mine.

EDUCATION

Univ. of Phoenix gets OK

to offer first Ph.D. degrees

The University of Phoenix has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer Ph.D. degrees in industrial/organizational psychology and higher education administration. These are the University of Phoenix’s first Ph.D. degree offerings.

University of Phoenix Southern Arizona has two campus locations in Tucson, 300 S. Craycroft Road and 555 E. River Road, and in Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista and Nogales.

Partnership seeks grant to

become logistics center

Innovation Frontier Arizona has applied for a three-year $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for curriculum development, training, workforce development to position Southern Arizona as a transportation and logistics center.

Innovation Frontier Arizona is a partnership of local workforce boards, educational institutions, economic development entities and other organizations in southern Arizona working to develop the workforce talent our region needs to compete in the global economy.

Qwest customers can donate

1% of their bills to schools

Residential customers of Qwest Communications can donate 1 percent of their phone bill payment to to help a public school district.

The program is being launched to Qwest’s online billing and automatic bill-page service, which the customer must sign up to receive in order to donate. The program is being offered in 14 states served by Qwest.

To enroll in the program, go online to www.qwest.com/onepercent.

NONPROFITS

Community Foundation names

achievement award finalists

The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona has named 12 companies as finalists in its fourth annual Achievement Awards for impact and innovation.

The finalists for impact are:

ân¶ Small organizations: Flowing Wells Neighborhood Association and Community Coalition, Junior Achievement of Arizona, and Teen Outreach Pregnancy Services.

ân¶ Large organizations: Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, Southern Arizona Legal Aid and St. Elizabeth’s Health Center.

The finalists for innovation are:

ân¶ Small organizations: Borderlands Theater, Chamber Music PLUS Inc. and International Sonoran Desert Alliance.

ân¶ Large organizations: Community Food Bank, Our Family Services and YWCA of Tucson.

The award winners will be named at a luncheon Nov. 15 at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way. Each winner will receive $5,000.

Tickets for the luncheon are $50 per person or $500 for a table of 10. To make reservations, e-mail Marie-Claire Péron Strang at mcpstrang@cfsoaz.org or call (520) 770-0800, ext. 127.

Nonprofits receive first gifts

from Social Venture Partners

Social Venture Partners Greater Tucson gave its first gifts of $75,000 each to Voices: Community Stories Past and Present and Literacy Volunteers of Tucson.

The nonprofits will use the money for capacity-building over the next three years. Both organizations will also receive time and expertise from Social Venture Partners in planning, marketing and communications, information technology, human resources, financial management, fund development, leadership development and legal affairs.

Social Venture Partners was launched in October 2006 by Helaine Levy, executive director of Diamond Family Philanthropies, and Steve Alley, CEO and president of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. It uses a venture capital model to affect positive social change. Community literacy was selected as the focus for the group’s first investments.

Stephanie Sklar, is the executive director of Social Venture Partners.

Blake Foundation now

part of Easter Seals

The Blake Foundation is now a national affiliate of Easter Seals.

Under its new name, the Easter Seals Blake Foundation, the nonprofit organization says it will receive increased funding that will go toward expanding programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. Last year, the Blake Foundation service nearly 10,000 clients and their families.

Founded in 1950 as the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Southern Arizona, the name was changed in 1993 to honor one of its founders, Danny Blake, who had cerebral palsy, and to recognize the agency’s expanding mission. It is headquartered at 5704 E. Grant Road and offers services at 16 locations around Southern Arizona.

Golf tourney to benefit

military at Skyline CC

Skyline Country Club, 5200 E. Saint Andrews Drive, will hold its second annual "Tee It Up for the Troops" charity golf event Nov. 17 to benefit local fallen and disabled military members and their families.

Last year’s event raised $21,155.

Someone from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will be added to each foursome for a modified five-person scramble. The event begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m., golf starting at 9 a.m., followed by lunch. The cost is $125 per person, except for invited military who participate at no cost.

For information, call Skyline at (520) 299-1111 or e-mail mail@skylinecountryclub.com.

EVENTS

Doing business in eastern

Europe is topic for forum

Doinig business in countries of the former Soviet Union and central and eastern Europe is the topic of the 14th annual Commonwealth of Independent States and Central-Eastern Europe Business Forum put on by the University of Arizona’s Department of Russian and Slavic Studies.

The forum provides up-to-date analysis of political, economic, and legal aspects of doing business in the countries, focusing on on Russia, Romania, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Serbia.

The forum will be at the Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites, 5151 E. Grant Road. It starts with an evening reception Nov. 1, and then continues from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2 and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 3. The cost is $155.

To register, contact Roza Simkhovich at roza@dakotacom.net or (520) 298-6599.

KUDOS

UMC Cancer Clinic wins

two architecture awards

The Peter and Paula Fasseas Cancer Clinic at University Medical Center North received two healthcare architecture awards.

The 82,000 square-foot facility, at 3838 N Campbell Ave., was designed by CO Architects in Los Angeles and won an award for excellence from Modern Healthcare magazine.

It also received a citation of merit from the Center for Health Design.

Both awards had praise for the clinic’s healing garden, a spot for patients to relax and meditate

National Bank wins two

customer service awards

National Bank of Arizona was honored for its overall banking services and for its cash management services in the western region, by Greenwich Associates, a financial consultant and research firm.

National Bank was one of 22 banks among 600 eligible firms the research firm covers in its Business Banking program.

Newspaper group honors

State Supreme Court

The Arizona Supreme Court was given the Freedom of Information Award by the Arizona Newspaper Association for the court’s openness and accountability.

The newspaper association gives the award each year to recognize those who work with the media to provide requested information in a timely manner.

HealthSouth Tucson wins

corporate excellence prize

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson, 2650 N. Wyatt Drive, received the Outstanding Performance in Clinical Excellence Award from its parent corporation. It was one of five hospitals in HealthSouth’s 90-hospital network to receive the award, which is based on clinical performance over the past four quarters.