Jo Holt filed her 2014 candidacy today for the Arizona State Senate, representing Legislative District 11 on the Democratic ticket.  Jo identifies herself as a moderate pragmatist who will represent the people of her district regardless of their political affiliation, and who will maintain a presence in their local communities.

Flanked by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, and numerous stakeholders that included AARP Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer today signed historic legislation that will restore and expand Medicaid coverage for thousands of vulnerable Arizonans. 

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) is proposing revisions to Pima County Code (PCC) Title 13 (Solid Waste) and the County's fee schedule relating to Pima County’s landfills and transfer stations. The public is invited to attend a public meeting on June 25, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. in the Bud Walker Community Center at 290 5th St. in Ajo, Arizona or a public hearing on August 6, 2013, at, or after, 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room, located at 130 W. Congress St., 1st floor, Tucson, Arizona.

When the community was asked to identify priorities to take to voters in a potential November 2014 Pima County bond election, the result was approximately $1.3 billion worth of projects.

Do you have treasured childhood memories of spending time outdoors with your parents or grandparents? Take the time to share this experience with your own grandchildren. Pack a lunch, put on some sunscreen and take them on your own hiking or fishing adventure.

(BPT) - Two-time Super Bowl Champion, Kendall Simmons, is one of almost 26 million people in the United States living with diabetes.[1] Diagnosed after his NFL rookie season in 2003, Kendall was in unfamiliar territory.

(BPT) - Every woman knows that in the world of fashion, there’s no such thing as “one size fits all.” Yet for decades, American women have seemingly accepted the “one size fits all” approach when it comes to dealing with reproductive health issues. This one-size approach has meant that each year, thousands of women undergo hysterectomies that they may not need.

 Governor Jan Brewer today highlighted Arizona’s participation in ongoing wildfire suppression efforts in Colorado and New Mexico.

Pima Community College is on schedule to pay the last of its long-term bond debt next fiscal year after the PCC Governing Board voted Wednesday to approve property tax rates for fiscal year 2013-14.

Before ending the 151-day session on Thursday, the Arizona Legislature made it where constituents to have to start paying taxes on what they buy from catalogs and on the World Wide Web.

PHOENIX -- Rolling handily over most Republicans, the state House voted early today for an $8.8 billion spending plan, including an extensive expansion of the state's Medicaid program.

(NAPSI)—A group of seniors with imagination and initiative recently demonstrated how committed volunteers can make a difference in a community.

(NAPSI)—Even though I spend my days in front of the camera, I am still a busy mom of two, always on the lookout for the same things most moms are—new, smart resources to help my family thrive and simplify our everyday routine.

Phoenix – With overwhelming bipartisan support from Arizona’s election community, legislation to correct issues that arose during the 2012 general election needs to be approved by the Legislature.

Pet  Adopt-a-thon  Month is an initiative developed by North Shore Animal League America that brings together international pet shelter and rescue communities in order to raise awareness about the plight of homeless pets worldwide and to find them loving and permanent homes. The 2012 Pet Adopt-a-thon included nearly 3,000 participating animal shelter and rescue groups in 50 states (plus Puerto Rico and DC) and 10 countries, resulting in more than 30,000 shelter pets being placed in permanent homes. 

 

The Hermitage will kick off their June adopt-a-thon month with their ”Black and Tan” special.  For the first four weekends of the month, any black cat and tan tabby cat can be adopted together for just $40.00.

 

Next, June 24 through 30 is the “9 Lives for $9.00” special.  Any lucky cat over 9 months of age can go home with a new family for just $9.00.

 

Finally, to find homes for the many playful and adorable kittens, The Hermitage is hosting a “Kitten Shower” June 29 and 30 in which the adoption fee for one kitten will be $15.00 and just $25 for two kittens.

 

Executive Director Joe Sprague says, “The staff at The Hermitage is excited about our June adoption specials and we look forward to assisting each adopter with finding the perfect match for their living situation.  All cats and kittens are spayed or neutered and vaccinated to ensure their optimum health.”

 

For more information, contact Executive Director, Joe Sprague at 520-344-7288.

 

**Note: The Hermitage will begin new adoption hours June 3. They are:Monday thru Tuesday – closed; Wednesday thru Friday - open 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm; Saturday thru Sunday - 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm.

 

(NewsUSA) - Seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty has seen his fair share of races throughout his career. Yet, little could prepare him for the sight he'd see as nearly hundreds of people turned out for the Undy 5000 Track Walk benefitting the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA).

More convenience. More customization. More connectivity. That’s what buyers will find in the New Arizona Living Collection, a collection of next-generation home designs Maracay Homes unveiled recently. The result of more than $4 million in investment and two-plus years of research and market observation, the 46 entirely new floor plans – organized into eight separate series – address the unique needs, preferences and lifestyles of the post-recession Arizona homebuyer.

When employees have good health and personal fulfillment, those whom they serve are happier too. That’s a key part of the culture at Splendido, a member of the Mather LifeWays family, an award-winning not-for-profit organization founded in 1941. Developing a fulfilled workforce pays off for this leader in the senior care industry, with retention of long-term employees, high employee satisfaction, and national recognition for its services to older adults. 

Although there are several town-owned parks in Oro Valley, Rancho Vistoso is no slouch in the parks department!

For many Tucson children, hunger doesn’t take a summer break.

The towns of Oro Valley and Marana are each in the beginning stages of conducting employee market surveys that will compare the compensation of staff to surrounding communities – a process both municipalities hope will help with employee attraction and retention.

Common Core is the current administration’s attempt to federalize K-12 education with a one size fits all curriculum.  The takeover is occurring in violation of the Constitution and federal law.  It is essentially the nationalization of compulsory education.

I think that those of us here in southern Arizona know more about immigration than most. We have seen the effect that it has on communities and businesses. That is why I am relieved that the immigration bill was constructed by the Gang of eight, which has two Arizona Senators on it. Senators Flake and McCain have visited our border cities and heard from leaders on the issue. I am confident that this bill will not only address our insecure border, but will also update our country’s current legal immigration system. Marana is home to some great tech and engineering companies, and I’m sure giving them the ability to recruit and keep the world’s best is something they look forward to.

Whether you had parents that were distant or parents that were overbearing, we all likely dreamed about running away from home while growing up. These unrealistic fantasies likely involved hitting the road with one or two good friends and building a safe haven somewhere in the wildness. Naturally, we all quickly woke up from this daydream, realizing that we’d never make it on our own. “The Kings of Summer” exists in an offbeat world fueled by our youthful daydreams. The end product is funny and quirky, but also wise and nostalgic with something meaningful to say about coming of age.