NEW IN TOWN
Wal-Mart opening 81 stores, including Tucson Market
 Tucson businessman/philanthropist Bill Estes Jr., left, joins in a ribbon-cutting to open Estes Way at the entrance to Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. Estes is joined by Brian Johnson, managing director of the resort, and Estes’ wife, Shirley. The resort, which Estes developed, named the street for Estes to honor the work he has done for the community. Estes Homebuilding had almost 10 percent of the Tucson new home building market when the company was sold in 1998 to what is now KB Home. The company had been founded in 1946 by Estes’ father Bill Estes Sr. Estes continues to run The Estes Co., whose developments include Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. Estes is also active in civic causes, especially education. |
Tucson’s fourth Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, 5500 E. 22nd St., was one of 73 new stores the retailing giant held grand openings for across the country last week. All totaled, the company says it is opening 81 new stores in 30 states in March.
The new Neighborhood Market, on the southeast corner of East 22nd Street and Craycroft Road, opened March 4 as part of a revitalization project of a shopping center.
BIOSCIENCES
Cancer Center gets grant for colorectal research
The Arizona Cancer Center received a $2.8 million grant to study effects of the chemical element selenium and vitamin E against colorectal cancer in men.
The money will be given over five years and will help researchers continue in a clinical trial studying the effects of the two substances on prostate cancer. There is also indirect evidence supporting a preventive role for selenium against colorectal cancer.
There are 35,584 participants across the U.S. participating in the study, including 216 men at the Arizona Cancer Center and 100 in the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. Dr. Frederick Ahmann, a professor of medicine, is supervising the study at the Arizona Cancer Center.
TRANSPORTATION
Ryan Airfield plan is subject of open house
An open house to review proposed alternatives to the master plan for Ryan Airfield will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 19 in the conference room of the airport’s administration building, 9698 W. Ajo Way.
The general aviation airport is operated by the Tucson Airport Authority.
Airport parking to get automated pay systems
Tucson International Airport parking lot customers will be able to use automated exit lanes and pay-on-foot machines starting later this year as part of a $1.47 million upgrade now underway.
Millennium 3 Technologies is doing the upgrade work under a contract awarded by the Tucson Airport Authority. It includes installation of pay-on-foot machines in front of the airport terminal and in the parking garage east of the terminal. The parking lots and the garage will also get automated exit lanes allowing people to pay by credit card.
The improvements are due to be completed by October.
ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS
Ellington’s orchestra to perform at Fox Theatre
The musical acoustics at the restored Fox Tucson Theatre will be given a workout at 7 p.m. Thursday (March 13) when the Duke Ellington Orchestra performs there.
Ellington, who died in 1974, was credited with numerous innovations in jazz throughout his career that started in 1919.
The Fox Tucson Theatre, which had its heydays as a movie theatre in the 1930s and 1940s, and was never really used as a performing arts theatre, although there had been plans to do so.
"The history of the Fox lends itself to big bands; we hope this is the start to an annual big band spring concert," said Herb Stratford, executive director of the Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation.
Ticket prices are $22, $32 or $77 for a loveseat ticket for two. Tickets are on sale online at http://www.foxtusontheatre.org or through the Fox box office at (520) 547-3040.
GOVERNMENT
House OKs accountability bill for state agencies
A bill to reinstate a committee that would review whether state agencies are instituting duplicative or onerous rules and policies was approved last week by the state House of Representatives on a 36-19 vote.
The bill (HB 2235) seeks to reinstate the Administrative Rules Oversight Committee, an 11-member committee established in 1995 but eliminated three years later. The committee received complaints concerning rules and substantive policy statements by state agencies and could conduct hearings but acted only in an advisory capacity to state agencies, Attorney General’s office and the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council.
Members of the reinstated committee would be made up of five members appointed by the speaker of the House, five appointed by president of the Senate and one appointed by the governor.
"Every day businesses in Arizona get caught in the red tape of complying with government regulations," said Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Business complaints top Attorney General’s list
Business opportunities and business services suckered in the two biggest categories for among the more than 22,000 consumer complaints filed last year with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
Used car sales and auto repairs held on to their typical high numbers.
The three biggest growth areas for complaints concerned cable and satellite television, prize notifications and mortgage lending.
Attorney General Terry Goddard announced the list last week to kick off Arizona Consumer Protection Month, which is March. During 2007, more than 46,000 calls came into his office’s Consumer Information and Complaints United, from which the formal complaints were filed.
The top 15 complaints for 2007 concerned:
1. Business opportunities
2. Business services (taxis, talent agents, florists, nanny services, telegrams)
3. Used car sales
4. Debt collections
5. Automobile repairs
6. Telemarketing
7. Cable and satellite TV
8. Prize notifications (by mail only)
9. Internet auctions
10. Mortgage lending
11. Mobile phone services
12. Real estate rentals
13. Credit cards
14. New car sales
15. Advertising
The phone number for Goddard’s Tucson office is (520) 628-6504.
POLITICS
McCain stresses his support for free trade
A day after Arizona’s U.S. Sen. John McCain formally clinched the Republican presidential nomination, he stressed his support for free trade and the free market in a speech in Dallas.
McCain took aim at Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama emphasizing his support for free trade in making the United States competitive in the world marketplace.
"I will leave it to my opponent to argue that we should abrogate trade treaties and pretend the global economy will go away," McCain said in the speech.
McCain surpassed the necessary count of 1,191 delegates to get the nomination with his March 4 primary victories in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont. His last remaining challenger, Mike Huckabee, formally conceded.
EDUCATION
UA to provide content for degrees in China
The University of Arizona signed an agreement to provide all of the intellectual content for certain degree programs at Nanjing International University, being built in China.
The agreement with the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education is to serve as the primary academic service provider for the new university, which is expected to reach an enrollment of 10,000 students within its first 10 years of operation.
Eventually students in China will be given the opportunity to receive a degree in certain majors from the UA.
The UA did not reveal any details of compensation under the agreement.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for students in China and for our faculty," Robert Shelton, president of the UA, said in a statement. "Our agreement with NIU allows our faculty to deliver educational content from a world-class public research university in an important part of the world, and students the opportunity to enjoy a UA experience thousands of miles away from Tucson."
Pima College-NAU team for bachelor degrees
Pima Community College and Northern Arizona University are partnering for a bachelor degree program.
The 90/30 program allows Pima Community College students to transfer up to 90 college credits to NAU toward specific bachelor’s degree programs. Students transferring to the program can apply about 50 percent more community college credits toward their bachelor’s degrees than under current two-year transfer degree programs.
Degrees are being offered in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis on public manager or humanities.
Pima Community College began offering 90/30 degrees through Indiana University in 2006. The NAU program is the first in-state offering.
Pima College offers new avionics courses
Pima Community College is launching a new program in avionics, covering the electrical and computer systems that control and guide aircraft.
The avionics program is designed to meet a growing local demand for aerospace technicians skilled in navigational, control and communications systems.
Pima will offer three avionics certificate programs and an associate’s degree. The certificates are intended for training for immediate employment in the industry or to recertify avionics installers.
College officials say employment in the aerospace industry in Pima County is expected to increase by 20 percent over the next five years. The classes take place at Pima Community College’s Aviation Technology Center, 7211 S. Park Ave. at Tucson International Airport.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Job fair for veterans to be held March 21
A job fair especially for military veterans will be held March 21 at the Southern VA Health Care System Hospital at which about 30 employers say they will be ready to hire professional entry-level job seekers in the areas of construction, manufacturing, law enforcment and security, technology, health care, food service and distribution, government, retail and transportation.
The free job fair is being put on by the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Veteran Employment Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Jackson Employment Center.
It will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the auditorium of the hospital, 3601 S. Sixth Ave.
ASSOCIATIONS
Business communicators seek Cactus Quill entries
The Tucson chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators has put out its call for entries for the seventh Annual Cactus Quill Awards recognizing best practices and media in Southern Arizona.
The competition is open to anyone involved in business communications. Categories are community relations, media relations, multi-audience communications, new brand communications, electronic and digital communities, audiovisual, publications, writing, publication design, other graphic design and photography.
Details and applications can be downloaded from the oganization’s website http://www.iabctucson.com/pdf/CQCallforEntries2008.pdf. A reduced-fee early deadline for entries is March 21, the final deadline is March 28. The awards will be handed out June 5.
NONPROFITS
Junior Achievement seeks memorabilia of its history
Junior Achievement is looking for help collecting memorabilia and photos from its 50 years in Tucson.
"We want people to share their stories and photos of Junior Achievement with us," says Rita Weatherholt, executive director of Junior Achievement of Arizona’s southern district. "Maybe you were a student or instructor."
She said several moves and changes over JA’s history caused it to lose much of its tangible memories and mementoes.
Send photos, videos, and memories of Junior Achievement of Tucson to Weatherholt by e-mail at ritaw@jaaz.com, or in the postal mail to Junior Achievement, 2919 E. Broadway, Suite 230, Tucson 85716. Contact JA at (520) 792-2000, Ext. 101.
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