Oro Valley Councilman Mike Zinkin is looking to clear his name after comments made earlier this month by Mayor Satish Hiremath regarding the councilman’s town-funded trip to the Congressional City Conference for the National League of Cities in Washington D.C.

For the third consecutive year, the Town of Oro Valley has earned the “Playful City USA” designation from national non-profit KaBOOM! Presented by The Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program advocating for local policies that increase play opportunities for children and is a key platform in combating the play deficit.

In his usual fashion, Oro Valley Mayor Satish Hiremath allowed each member of council to speak first when it came to last Wednesday’s discussion over the town’s tentative budget adoption.

Fifth graders from Oro Valley and surrounding areas no doubt had a lot to talk about on their bus ride back to class from the town’s fifth-annual Drug Awareness Day, held at Riverfront Park on Friday.

Runners, walkers, and wheelchair racers from all 50 states and three different countries flocked to scenic Oro Valley on March 24 for what proved to be another very successful year at the 9th annual Arizona Distance Classic. 

“Regional collaboration is what happens when you think outside the box…By creating and taking advantage of opportunities for partnership, we have learned to extend our resources while redefining success and financial stability.”

This Friday, from 5 to 10 p.m., the Town of Oro Valley will host a Community Pool Party in honor of the Aquatic Center Grand Opening. The free festivities will include admission, giveaways, games and prize drawings, music and the Tucson Food Truck Roundup.

To Arizona Distance Classic Race Director David Babner, who has seen and organized his fair share of races around the country, there is just something special about Oro Valley.

On behalf of the Town Council, it is our pleasure to welcome you to Oro Valley. Oro Valley is rich in history and natural beauty and we cannot think of a better location to hold your national event. Our community has a reputation as a haven for hikers, cyclists and wildlife enthusiasts.

Cash mobs are about to hit Oro Valley and (hopefully) change the way people view local businesses. That's the aim of this new phenomenon, which is spreading across the country.Similar to flash mobs, cash mobs organize customers to spend money at businesses to support their community.

Bloomberg Businessweek has named Oro Valley the best place to raise kids in Arizona, based on a study entitled, "America's Best Places to Raise Kids 2013."

Based on the concept of flash mobs – groups that meet at predetermined, public locations to perform choreographed dances – Oro Valley is soon to introduce its Cash Mob program, and though vastly different in purpose, dancing is not discouraged. 

Coinciding with the retirement of former Parks and Recreation Director Ainsley Legner, the Town of Oro Valley has officially hired Kristy Diaz-Trahan to take over the position. The former Recreation Services Division Manager in the City of Albuquerque, Diaz-Trahan began work on Feb. 4.

Following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in which 20 children and six staff members were killed by a lone gunman, state and federal lawmakers began discussions on how to better protect America’s students.

The Oro Valley council voted 6-1 on Wednesday night to fund $2.1 million in contingency reserve funds to underground utility lines along Oracle and Tangerine roads in a three-project proposal brought forth by Tucson Electric Power several months ago.

It was a near-empty council chamber by 10:20 p.m., but it was about that time the last item on the Jan. 16 agenda was addressed – and it proved to be one that sparked some heated rhetoric between the members of the Oro Valley Town Council.

Oro Valley residents are saying no to above ground utility lines that could be erected along the town’s scenic corridor on Oracle Road, despite the fact the decision could come with a hefty price tag to the contingency reserve fund.

By the end of this year, the Town of Oro Valley will have added another hi-tech business to Innovation Park.