MANUFACTURING

KLA Tencor on track to close plant this month

As it continues to downsize, KLA Tencor officials say they remain on track to close the Tucson plant by the end of this month.

On Nov. 18, the semiconductor producer announced it would eliminate another 15 percent of its workforce, or 900 jobs, by June.

KLA Tencor, acquired ADE Corp. and its plant 3470 E. Universal Way, in 2006. The 60,000 square-foot Tucson plant had 20 employees.

TECHNOLOGY

UA Science and Tech Park management offices move

The management offices for the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park have moved.

The offices are now in Suite 1750, a 2,000 square-feet office on the first floor of Building 9070, the newest building at the Tech Park, 9070 S. Rita Road.

The management offices include Campus Research Corporation, Research Park Development Corporation and Arizona Research Park Authority.

There’s no change to the office’s phone number, (520) 382-2480, or main e-mail address, uastp@uatechpark.org.

WATER

City offers hands-on water harvesting workshops

A series of free hands-on water harvesting workshops is being offered by the city of Tucson to show different techniques can be used at homes and businesses to help reduce demand from Tucson Water, which estimates 45 percent of its water is currently being used for outdoor purposes.

The city’s goal is to cut outdoor usage in half.

The workshops will take place at the city’s Ward 1 office, 940 W. Alameda St., from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. on the following Saturdays:

• Dec. 6: Shaping basic earthworks and planting native vegetation.

• Jan. 10: Installing gutters and rainwater cisterns (tentative).

• Jan. 24: Integrating rainwater harvesting into parking lot design (tentative).

The workshops can handle a limited number of participants, so the city is asking for people to make reservations. Contact Lisa Shipek at lisa@watershedmg.org or (520) 396-3266. Information about the workshops is online at www.watershedmg.org.

RETAIL

Bedmart opens expanded Green Valley store

Bedmart has opened an expanded location to serve Green Valley at 18805 S. Frontage Road.

The store was expanded to 4,200 square feet, from 2,940 square feet. Tucson-based Bedmart has been in business 20 years and now has 28 locations across the state.

AGRICULTURE/RANCHING

Eurofresh produce is focus of new website

Eurofresh Farms launched a new corporate website — www.eurofresh.com — showcasing the Willcox-based company’s line of greenhouse-grown tomatoes and cucumbers for trade customers and consumers.

The website was created by DMA Solutions Inc., Irving, Texas.

HEALTH CARE

Pima College, Carondelet expand nursing program

Pima Community College and Carondelet Health Network have signed an agreement to add two 30-person cohorts of classes to the existing six.

The college, which has a similar agreement with Tucson Medical Center for five cohorts of classes, is using the contracts to increase the number of nurses in the face of a nursing shortage.

There are currently almost 500 nursing students attending Pima Community College, with 105 of them participating in the existing hospital contracts. Students participating under the hospital contracts do so without any additional cost to the college.

EDUCATION

UA pharmacy students win first place award

Four University of Arizona College of Pharmacy students earned first place in a competition by the National Community Pharmacists Association.

Second-year pharmacy students Lauren Bartoli, Katie Schiraldi, David Jacobson and MaiHuong Nguyen developed the plan that included specifications for a buyout of an actual pharmacy in Payson. It included working with the current owner to make building modifications and expanding existing services. They developed the plan in an elective course titled "Concepts in Pharmacy Business: Entrepreneurship." The first-place prize was $6,000, half of which benefits the College of Pharmacy and the other goes to the student chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association. The four students also win a free trip to the association’s 2009 conference in Puerto Rico.

The UA team eclipsed 29 others in the Pruitt-Schutte Business Plan Competition, held in Tampa, Fla.

Social Venture organization to help child literacy effort

Social Venture Partners Greater Tucson, or SVP Partners, announced its latest social investment is $75,000 to Make Way for Books.

The money will be used to help build capacity in the program over the next three years. Make Way for Books will also receive time and expertise from SVP Partners in the areas of planning, marketing and communications, information technology, human resources, financial management, fund development, board and staff leadership development, program design and evaluation, and legal affairs.

"SVP selected community literacy as its investment focus because it is an area where the SVP model can have a significant impact," said Peter Spear, chair of the investment committee and founding partner.

Make Way for Books readies children up to 5 years old living in limited resource areas for success in school by providing new books to child care centers, training parents and childcare providers in how to read to children, and instilling a love of reading.

NONPROFITS

Nonprofits serving kids sought for Trico grants

Nonprofit groups serving children are invited to apply for up to $10,000 in Power Grants to be awarded by Trico Electric Cooperative.

The funding focus for the 2009 grants is providing food and basic needs for chidren and youth. Qualified nonprofits operating in Trico service areas are encouraged to apply.

The deadline for applications is 3 p.m. Dec. 5. Applications will be evaluated on a competitive basis with grants awarded for a single year in amounts up to $10,000. Grant recipients will be notified in February.

Grant guidelines and applications can be downloaded from Trico’s website at www.trico.coop. Specific questions should be directed to Romi Carrell Wittman, communications services director, at rwittman@trico.coop or (520) 744-2944, ext. 1362.

‘Long Haul’ drive seeks to help three nonprofits

"The Long Haul" is the name of a Dec. 6 collection drive organized by Long Realty.

Long is partnering with the Community Food Bank, Goodwill Tucson and the Humane Society of Southern Arizona to collect new or gently used clothing and household goods, non-perishable foods and pet food and/or pet supplies.

A donation drive-through will be open from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Long’s office, 6410 E. Tanque Verde Road. Anyone who wants to donate but can’t make it to the drive-through, or has larger items, can contact Laurie Hassey at (520) 404-4663.