Wednesday, August 29, 2018
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the then-Pac-8 adding two vagabond programs, Arizona and Arizona State, to its conference.
Those schools, which previously played in the Western Athletic Conference, formally joined the conference in 1978.
The move, which centered on the renegotiation of television rights with NBC, allowed both schools to move up to the echelon of college athletics.
A fascinating interview done by longtime San Jose Mercury News columnist Jon Wilner and former Conference Commissioner Tom Hansen (found here) pores through the details of the move.
The talk, which is certainly worth the 30 minutes it takes, covers a litany of topics, including how the two Arizona programs were picked and Hansen's quest to pilfer the University of Texas from the Southwest Conference in the 1990s.
It's worth noting that a major reason both schools joined the conference centered around its stake in the annual Rose Bowl Game, which the Wildcats have never played in.
It's also interesting to note that ASU was a tough sell when the conference first came calling, thanks to their ties with the local Fiesta Bowl and their strong standing within the WAC at the time.
Both teams will do their darndest to be the conference's representative in the Rose Bowl when their seasons kick off this Saturday.
No one knows whether either will make it to Pasadena, but the chat about the Pac-12 and its path to the Conference of Champions is well worth your time nonetheless.
Those schools, which previously played in the Western Athletic Conference, formally joined the conference in 1978.
The move, which centered on the renegotiation of television rights with NBC, allowed both schools to move up to the echelon of college athletics.
A fascinating interview done by longtime San Jose Mercury News columnist Jon Wilner and former Conference Commissioner Tom Hansen (found here) pores through the details of the move.
The talk, which is certainly worth the 30 minutes it takes, covers a litany of topics, including how the two Arizona programs were picked and Hansen's quest to pilfer the University of Texas from the Southwest Conference in the 1990s.
It's worth noting that a major reason both schools joined the conference centered around its stake in the annual Rose Bowl Game, which the Wildcats have never played in.
It's also interesting to note that ASU was a tough sell when the conference first came calling, thanks to their ties with the local Fiesta Bowl and their strong standing within the WAC at the time.
Both teams will do their darndest to be the conference's representative in the Rose Bowl when their seasons kick off this Saturday.
No one knows whether either will make it to Pasadena, but the chat about the Pac-12 and its path to the Conference of Champions is well worth your time nonetheless.
Tags: The University of Arizona , Pac-12 Conference , Jon Wilner , Tucson , Tempe , Arizona State University , Tom Hansen , Arizona , University of Southern California , Image
He's rich as a lord, and as powerful. All worldly pleasures are his at the snap of a finger. People know they must follow his commands to the letter or suffer the consequences. He strides through the world with the feeling that everything is supposed to go his way. "The earth and the fullness thereof are mine," says this lord among men.
Now and then, he makes a show of caring for others, though compared to his own sense of self worth, he cares little for the welfare of others and even less for people in his employ, whose purpose in life, he is certain, is to make the world a better place for him to live. If someone is injured — especially if he is somehow to blame — he might have a hireling deliver a gold coin as a token of his concern. And he likes to make a public display of bestowing money on people and organizations who, unlike him, devote their lives to making the world a better place for others.
Once, when his carriage careened through the city streets and killed a child . . .
Wait. What? A carriage? A child?
Did you think I was talking about the multibillionaires walking among us who devote their lives to stepping over others to increase their wealth, then give a few million dollars to worthy causes to ease their consciences, to make them feel like they're part of the solution, not the problem? No, I was talking about "Monseigneur," a rich and powerful lord in Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities.
After taking his morning chocolate, Monseigneur ordered his carriage driver to race through the streets with "furious recklessness" and "an inhuman abandonment of consideration not easy to be understood in these days."
The carriage struck a child. Monseigneur tossed the father of the dead child a gold coin while thinking, "It is extraordinary to me . . . that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your children." When a man in the crowd offered wise, world-weary condolences the child's father, Monseigneur said to him, "You are a philosopher, you there," and tossed him a gold coin as well. Then he went on his way.
We can tell ourselves the ways of today's rich-as-lords plutocrats are different from those of the lords who lived before the French Revolution. Dickens, pen dipped in acid, tells his readers living 70 years later that Monseigneur's ways are "not easy to be understood in these days." We can believe the same.
Now and then, he makes a show of caring for others, though compared to his own sense of self worth, he cares little for the welfare of others and even less for people in his employ, whose purpose in life, he is certain, is to make the world a better place for him to live. If someone is injured — especially if he is somehow to blame — he might have a hireling deliver a gold coin as a token of his concern. And he likes to make a public display of bestowing money on people and organizations who, unlike him, devote their lives to making the world a better place for others.
Once, when his carriage careened through the city streets and killed a child . . .
Wait. What? A carriage? A child?
Did you think I was talking about the multibillionaires walking among us who devote their lives to stepping over others to increase their wealth, then give a few million dollars to worthy causes to ease their consciences, to make them feel like they're part of the solution, not the problem? No, I was talking about "Monseigneur," a rich and powerful lord in Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities.
After taking his morning chocolate, Monseigneur ordered his carriage driver to race through the streets with "furious recklessness" and "an inhuman abandonment of consideration not easy to be understood in these days."
The carriage struck a child. Monseigneur tossed the father of the dead child a gold coin while thinking, "It is extraordinary to me . . . that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your children." When a man in the crowd offered wise, world-weary condolences the child's father, Monseigneur said to him, "You are a philosopher, you there," and tossed him a gold coin as well. Then he went on his way.
We can tell ourselves the ways of today's rich-as-lords plutocrats are different from those of the lords who lived before the French Revolution. Dickens, pen dipped in acid, tells his readers living 70 years later that Monseigneur's ways are "not easy to be understood in these days." We can believe the same.
Tags: WINNERS TAKE ALL: The Elite Charade of Changing the World , Anand Giridharadas , Income inequality , A Tale of Two Cities. , Image
Tucson Police Department is changing their guidelines on how officers are required to store guns when off duty, highlighting how other law enforcement departments match up.
The new guidelines, being adopted this week, say that officers “shall ensure that all firearms and ammunition are locked or safely secured while in their homes, vehicles, or any other area under their control in a manner that will keep the firearms inaccessible to others who should not be allowed to access them.”
The guidelines also say that off-duty officers can’t leave their firearms in a vehicle for more than 10 consecutive hours and that no unauthorized person may handle an officer’s department-issued firearm. And perhaps the most significant part, the new rules add that “negligent storage of a firearm could result in criminal and civil liability.”
TPD’s previous rules around gun storage simply said: “Members shall not damage, abuse or lose any department property entrusted to them….Items such as firearms, identification cards, key cards, badges, and radios require a greater degree of care. Officers shall evaluate what arrangement best ensures the safety of the community under the given circumstances.”
Tucson City Councilmember Steve Kozachik asked the department to look at their rules after he heard the story of a woman whose daughter committed suicide with an officer’s duty weapon.
In the summer of 2009, Rebecca Sturman’s daughter, 22-year-old Chelsie Raidiger, was living with her boyfriend, an Oro Valley police officer, when she used his gun to shoot herself in the heart.
According to Tucson Weekly archives, at the time, OVPD’s policy on securing duty weapons was this: “Members of the department shall at all times handle and safeguard firearms and other weapons consistent with department training. Officers shall be responsible for the security of their weapons. Weapons shall not be left unattended in public view.”
After her daughter’s death, Sturman was pushing for OVPD and other local departments to strengthen their rules around safe firearm storage but says local officials told her it would never happen. She says seeing law enforcement strengthen their firearm storage rules is a huge success.
“I just hoped for that change, so other people don’t have to experience this,” she said. “Had those laws been in place, maybe she’d still be here.”
It wasn’t until 2012 that OVPD started looking at making a change and in 2015 that they implemented new rules, according to Lt. Curtiss Hicks. The current policy, which Hicks says has had slight changes since the 2015 update, is almost identical to the first part of TPD’s policy, that officers are required to lock and secure their firearms and ammunition and not allow access to unauthorized individuals.
OVPD’s rule includes the part about negligent storage could result in civil liability, but leaves out the part about criminal liability. Hicks says this is just legal jargon created by the policy management software that creates their general rules.
As far as how an officer locks up their firearm, Hicks says that is left up to the officer’s discretion. TPD also leaves it up to an officer’s discretion, but suggests a firearm safe, lock box, trigger or camber lock, or workplace locker in the new general rules.
The rules around off-duty firearm storage at other local law enforcement agencies is more vague. The Sheriff Department’s only rules that could relate to off-duty firearm storage simply state: “Department members shall be responsible for: The care, cleaning, and security of personal and Department firearms and associated items issued to them,” as well as “Firearms shall not be unnecessarily drawn, displayed, or carelessly handled at any time.”
Marana’s orders include that all firearms “shall be handled and stored safely and securely, both on and off duty,” as well as being kept out of view, out of the reach of children and secured in a safe location.
Kozachik echoes Sturman’s call for more specific rules on storage requirements and consequences in case of negligence. But MPD Public Information Officer Chriswell Scott says the force’s rules and regulations are sufficient just as they are.
TPD Chief of Staff Michael Silva says the department had been looking into changing their general orders for some time, actually since the OVPD incident. TPD’s in-house lawyers with the Pima County Attorney’s office conferred with colleagues throughout the state to decide on the new rules.
Silva said while there haven’t been any negligence that would result in criminal liability at TPD, they’ve noted such instances in other parts of the country.
“There’s a world of possible scenarios, some that could be pretty terrible,” he said. “Even though a remote possibility, if the wrong set of circumstances could take place, it could be a criminal liability.”
Silva says TPD is always looking to update policies to stay current. He noted that other policies TPD looked at varied widely, with some jurisdictions leaving the issue of safe gun storage pretty open.
Sturman just hopes that if something like what happened to her daughter ever happens again, the officer responsible for the gun is held accountable.
“Him leaving his gun fully loaded with her, and going out of town, wasn’t for her to have,” she said. “You need to be held responsible. You need to be held accountable for your actions.”
The new guidelines, being adopted this week, say that officers “shall ensure that all firearms and ammunition are locked or safely secured while in their homes, vehicles, or any other area under their control in a manner that will keep the firearms inaccessible to others who should not be allowed to access them.”
The guidelines also say that off-duty officers can’t leave their firearms in a vehicle for more than 10 consecutive hours and that no unauthorized person may handle an officer’s department-issued firearm. And perhaps the most significant part, the new rules add that “negligent storage of a firearm could result in criminal and civil liability.”
TPD’s previous rules around gun storage simply said: “Members shall not damage, abuse or lose any department property entrusted to them….Items such as firearms, identification cards, key cards, badges, and radios require a greater degree of care. Officers shall evaluate what arrangement best ensures the safety of the community under the given circumstances.”
Tucson City Councilmember Steve Kozachik asked the department to look at their rules after he heard the story of a woman whose daughter committed suicide with an officer’s duty weapon.
In the summer of 2009, Rebecca Sturman’s daughter, 22-year-old Chelsie Raidiger, was living with her boyfriend, an Oro Valley police officer, when she used his gun to shoot herself in the heart.
According to Tucson Weekly archives, at the time, OVPD’s policy on securing duty weapons was this: “Members of the department shall at all times handle and safeguard firearms and other weapons consistent with department training. Officers shall be responsible for the security of their weapons. Weapons shall not be left unattended in public view.”
After her daughter’s death, Sturman was pushing for OVPD and other local departments to strengthen their rules around safe firearm storage but says local officials told her it would never happen. She says seeing law enforcement strengthen their firearm storage rules is a huge success.
“I just hoped for that change, so other people don’t have to experience this,” she said. “Had those laws been in place, maybe she’d still be here.”
It wasn’t until 2012 that OVPD started looking at making a change and in 2015 that they implemented new rules, according to Lt. Curtiss Hicks. The current policy, which Hicks says has had slight changes since the 2015 update, is almost identical to the first part of TPD’s policy, that officers are required to lock and secure their firearms and ammunition and not allow access to unauthorized individuals.
OVPD’s rule includes the part about negligent storage could result in civil liability, but leaves out the part about criminal liability. Hicks says this is just legal jargon created by the policy management software that creates their general rules.
As far as how an officer locks up their firearm, Hicks says that is left up to the officer’s discretion. TPD also leaves it up to an officer’s discretion, but suggests a firearm safe, lock box, trigger or camber lock, or workplace locker in the new general rules.
The rules around off-duty firearm storage at other local law enforcement agencies is more vague. The Sheriff Department’s only rules that could relate to off-duty firearm storage simply state: “Department members shall be responsible for: The care, cleaning, and security of personal and Department firearms and associated items issued to them,” as well as “Firearms shall not be unnecessarily drawn, displayed, or carelessly handled at any time.”
Marana’s orders include that all firearms “shall be handled and stored safely and securely, both on and off duty,” as well as being kept out of view, out of the reach of children and secured in a safe location.
Kozachik echoes Sturman’s call for more specific rules on storage requirements and consequences in case of negligence. But MPD Public Information Officer Chriswell Scott says the force’s rules and regulations are sufficient just as they are.
TPD Chief of Staff Michael Silva says the department had been looking into changing their general orders for some time, actually since the OVPD incident. TPD’s in-house lawyers with the Pima County Attorney’s office conferred with colleagues throughout the state to decide on the new rules.
Silva said while there haven’t been any negligence that would result in criminal liability at TPD, they’ve noted such instances in other parts of the country.
“There’s a world of possible scenarios, some that could be pretty terrible,” he said. “Even though a remote possibility, if the wrong set of circumstances could take place, it could be a criminal liability.”
Silva says TPD is always looking to update policies to stay current. He noted that other policies TPD looked at varied widely, with some jurisdictions leaving the issue of safe gun storage pretty open.
Sturman just hopes that if something like what happened to her daughter ever happens again, the officer responsible for the gun is held accountable.
“Him leaving his gun fully loaded with her, and going out of town, wasn’t for her to have,” she said. “You need to be held responsible. You need to be held accountable for your actions.”
Tags: gun safety , regulations , police , safety , gun laws , rules , TPD , Tucson City Council , Image
On Monday, Sept. 3, Risas Dental and Braces will host a Labor of Love Day event where they offer free dental services in Tucson. This is the 7th year of hosting this event and it will take place from 8 a.m. to noon.
Patients can select from basic teeth cleaning, cavity filling, tooth extraction and complete exams with x-rays. Music, fun activities and breakfast for those in line will be available at the event. Appointments are not accepted. The first 100 patients in line before 8 a.m. will be guaranteed free services.
Tags: dentist , tucson , free , services , risas , appointment , Image
Find more Claytoonz here.
Tags: comic , cartoon , politics , storyboard , chaos , Image
Ladies Night at Cobra Arcade Bar. Peach, Samus, Bayonetta, Yuna: what do all these names have in common? (Other than the fact that you'd probably disappoint your parents by recognizing them.) They're all badass video game heroines! And Cobra Arcade Bar is celebrating ladies both digital and analog by giving out free tokens to ladies all night. And not just this Wednesday, but every Wednesday! Now all that money you're saving on gaming can go into game fuel (alcohol). 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29. 63 E. Congress. No cover charge. 21+. Details here.
The Swingin' Utters. For the last quarter century, The Swingin' Utters have been burping up two-minute working-class anthems on punks and shucks across the globe. Not exactly The Clash or Sham 69, more Flogging Molly and a touch of Op Ivy. See, The Swingin' Utters pair Celtic gusto with Santa Cruz grit. The resulting catalogue is well worth drinking, smoking and bruising in the pit to celebrate—consequences be damned. After a seven-year hiatus, frontman Johnny Bonnel came back, um, swinging, spitting and sometimes even crooning his way into the next generation's heart, with three new long-players and the, dare we say, killer single, "Undertaker, Under Take." Bonnel's gotten a touch more kinder/gentler with tunes like the acoustic folkie "Glass House," but he's managed to age with the same verve and authenticity that keeps classics like "Pills & Smoke" in our heads, "Some think I'm angry and mean, hell I'm only 18." With The Endless Pursuit, Lost in Society, and Bordertown Devils on Wednesday, August 29. 191 Toole. Doors at 7 p.m. $13-15. 21+. Details here.
Game Night at Casa Marana. What better way to celebrate the midpoint of the week than with beer and giant Jenga? Starting at 5 p.m. Casa Marana will bust out the games, including Cornhole and chess. You are also welcome to bring games from home to play while you enjoy a cold one and munch on food from Caroles Up In Smoke BBQ food truck. Details here.
Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.
The Swingin' Utters. For the last quarter century, The Swingin' Utters have been burping up two-minute working-class anthems on punks and shucks across the globe. Not exactly The Clash or Sham 69, more Flogging Molly and a touch of Op Ivy. See, The Swingin' Utters pair Celtic gusto with Santa Cruz grit. The resulting catalogue is well worth drinking, smoking and bruising in the pit to celebrate—consequences be damned. After a seven-year hiatus, frontman Johnny Bonnel came back, um, swinging, spitting and sometimes even crooning his way into the next generation's heart, with three new long-players and the, dare we say, killer single, "Undertaker, Under Take." Bonnel's gotten a touch more kinder/gentler with tunes like the acoustic folkie "Glass House," but he's managed to age with the same verve and authenticity that keeps classics like "Pills & Smoke" in our heads, "Some think I'm angry and mean, hell I'm only 18." With The Endless Pursuit, Lost in Society, and Bordertown Devils on Wednesday, August 29. 191 Toole. Doors at 7 p.m. $13-15. 21+. Details here.
Game Night at Casa Marana. What better way to celebrate the midpoint of the week than with beer and giant Jenga? Starting at 5 p.m. Casa Marana will bust out the games, including Cornhole and chess. You are also welcome to bring games from home to play while you enjoy a cold one and munch on food from Caroles Up In Smoke BBQ food truck. Details here.
Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.
Tags: things to do , fun in general , events , Wednesday , Image
The race for Arizona governor is now between Democrat David Garcia and Republican incumbent Doug Ducey.
Garcia defeated state Sen. Steve Farley and Southern Arizona YWCA CEO Kelly Fryer for the Democratic nomination. While votes remain to be counted, Garcia had 48 percent of the vote to Farley's 34 percent and Fryer's 16 percent as of press time.
“Turnout was everything.” Garcia said after the results came in. “It’s the No. 1 thing our campaign works on, because when we get together, we win, and that’s what we saw tonight.”
A military veteran and a professor at Arizona State University, Garcia previously ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2014. His campaign involved fighting for “working families and against a rigged economy.” Other key points of his campaign are public school funding and sustainable resources.
“It is hard,” Farley said, before cutting his words short in a teary speech after the results came in. “I would have loved to been your nominee, but I was honored to be your candidate. This has been a long road, but there’s no better place than Arizona for a non-stop road trip.”
Only an hour before the votes started pouring in, Farley took the stage at the Pima County Democrats election party with Fryer to call for unity among the Democratic party.
Fryer said she wears with pride a label given to her by the media: “Take-no-prisoners leftist.”
“Take no prisoners this November,” she said. “People are ready for Democrats to be real and Democrats to fight for justice and opportunity for every single person in Arizona.”
Farley, who served as assistant minority leader in the Arizona Senate, banked his campaign on improving infrastructure and public transit, also focusing on working across party lines.
“The voters decided that they wanted to go in another direction,” Farley said to a crowd after voting results placed him in second behind Garcia. “But I am excited for the opportunity of us all uniting to take Doug Ducey down.”
Garcia shared Farley’s view for the future.
“I have tremendous respect for Farley and Fryer,” Garcia said. “We made a commitment between the three of us, that regardless of the outcome of the votes, we will come together to make change.”
Fryer, the most left-leaning of the Democratic candidates, traveled many miles across the state during her campaign. She focused on issues such as gun control, environmental protection, racial injustice and the separation of church and state, with the slogan: “This is not a campaign, this is an uprising!”
“The truth is, if any of us won, we’d stand a chance against Ducey,” Garcia said. “The big picture is winning in November.”
Garcia defeated state Sen. Steve Farley and Southern Arizona YWCA CEO Kelly Fryer for the Democratic nomination. While votes remain to be counted, Garcia had 48 percent of the vote to Farley's 34 percent and Fryer's 16 percent as of press time.
“Turnout was everything.” Garcia said after the results came in. “It’s the No. 1 thing our campaign works on, because when we get together, we win, and that’s what we saw tonight.”
A military veteran and a professor at Arizona State University, Garcia previously ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2014. His campaign involved fighting for “working families and against a rigged economy.” Other key points of his campaign are public school funding and sustainable resources.
“It is hard,” Farley said, before cutting his words short in a teary speech after the results came in. “I would have loved to been your nominee, but I was honored to be your candidate. This has been a long road, but there’s no better place than Arizona for a non-stop road trip.”
Photo by Jeff Gardner
Steve Farley thanks voters after coming in second place for the Democratic primary
Only an hour before the votes started pouring in, Farley took the stage at the Pima County Democrats election party with Fryer to call for unity among the Democratic party.
Fryer said she wears with pride a label given to her by the media: “Take-no-prisoners leftist.”
“Take no prisoners this November,” she said. “People are ready for Democrats to be real and Democrats to fight for justice and opportunity for every single person in Arizona.”
Farley, who served as assistant minority leader in the Arizona Senate, banked his campaign on improving infrastructure and public transit, also focusing on working across party lines.
“The voters decided that they wanted to go in another direction,” Farley said to a crowd after voting results placed him in second behind Garcia. “But I am excited for the opportunity of us all uniting to take Doug Ducey down.”
Garcia shared Farley’s view for the future.
“I have tremendous respect for Farley and Fryer,” Garcia said. “We made a commitment between the three of us, that regardless of the outcome of the votes, we will come together to make change.”
Fryer, the most left-leaning of the Democratic candidates, traveled many miles across the state during her campaign. She focused on issues such as gun control, environmental protection, racial injustice and the separation of church and state, with the slogan: “This is not a campaign, this is an uprising!”
“The truth is, if any of us won, we’d stand a chance against Ducey,” Garcia said. “The big picture is winning in November.”
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Tonight the lobby of the Viscount Suites midtown hotel erupted with chants of "Lea! Lea! Lea!" as Republican Congressional District 2 candidate Lea Marquez Peterson hosted a primary election watch party. She and more 100 supporters spent the next few hours watching poll numbers trickle in on the Arizona Secretary of State's website.
But as of 11 p.m., only 17 percent of the precincts have reported results. Marquez Peterson leads her primary for the open seat left behind by Rep. Martha McSally (who just won her primary for U.S. Senate) with about 33 percent, while her opponent Brandon Martin trails closely behind with 29 percent. With an unknown number of ballots still remaining to be counted, the race is too close to call but Peterson is the favorite to win. Candidates Casey Welch and Brandon Martin are trailing behind at 22 percent and 16 percent, respectively.
At her watch party, Peterson said she was confident the race would go her way and she's ready face Ann Kirkpatrick, who won the Democratic primary by 6,305 votes.
"This is going to be a huge battle to keep CD2 Republican and pro business," said Marquez Peterson, who is president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "I understand the economy of Cochise County, Pima County and what it's going to take to really revitalize and to work with businesses throughout the region, and [Kirkpatrick] doesn't because she's from Flagstaff."
Her plan if she wins tonight: "We've got a whole group of folks that are knocking on doors and making phone calls and that's what we did every day through the primary, and we're going to be doing that in the general, assuming I win tonight. That starts early tomorrow morning."
But as of 11 p.m., only 17 percent of the precincts have reported results. Marquez Peterson leads her primary for the open seat left behind by Rep. Martha McSally (who just won her primary for U.S. Senate) with about 33 percent, while her opponent Brandon Martin trails closely behind with 29 percent. With an unknown number of ballots still remaining to be counted, the race is too close to call but Peterson is the favorite to win. Candidates Casey Welch and Brandon Martin are trailing behind at 22 percent and 16 percent, respectively.
At her watch party, Peterson said she was confident the race would go her way and she's ready face Ann Kirkpatrick, who won the Democratic primary by 6,305 votes.
"This is going to be a huge battle to keep CD2 Republican and pro business," said Marquez Peterson, who is president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "I understand the economy of Cochise County, Pima County and what it's going to take to really revitalize and to work with businesses throughout the region, and [Kirkpatrick] doesn't because she's from Flagstaff."
Her plan if she wins tonight: "We've got a whole group of folks that are knocking on doors and making phone calls and that's what we did every day through the primary, and we're going to be doing that in the general, assuming I win tonight. That starts early tomorrow morning."
Oro Valley Mayor Satish Hiremath: "For me, life goes on. Actually, my life gets better."
Challenger Joe Winfield defeated Mayor Satish Hiremath. With some votes still outstanding, Winfield was leading Hiremath by roughly 1,800 votes.
Winfield says he always knew he would walk away with a victory, though he was surprised at the margin.
“It’s six months of canvassing and going door-to-door, talking with the community,” he said. “I never came away from the canvassing thinking that the community wasn’t looking for a change.”
Over the course of that six months, Winfield said he found residents looking for a new direction for its Town Council, and said he is excited to lead the charge in that new direction.
“The community spoke,” Hiremath said. “They wanted a new direction, and it will be interesting to see what that direction is.”
Hiremath said that he sent an email to the Winfield campaign to congratulate him and wish all the new members of council well on their upcoming time in office.
Though he was disappointed in the election results, Hiremath expressed optimism for his own circumstances.
“It is what it is,” he said.” For me, life goes on. Actually, my life gets better.”
Though several thousand voters did not cast ballots in his favor, Winfield said he would be a mayor for all town residents.
Incumbent council members Mary Snider, Lou Waters and Joe Hornat were also trailing challengers Melanie Barrett, Josh Nicolson and Joyce Jones-Ivey—all of whom are running for the first time.
Each of the challenging candidates holds a lead.
• Melanie Barrett: 6,208 votes (20.04 percent)
• Joyce Jones-Ivey: 5,927 votes (19.13 percent)
• Josh Nicolson: 5,707 (18.42 percent)
• Mary Snider: 4,776 (15.41 percent)
• Lou Waters: 4,270 votes (13.78 percent)
• Joe Hornat: 4,095 votes (13.22 percent)
Winfield also expressed happiness in seeing challenging Town Council candidates Melanie Barrett, Josh Nicolson and Joyce Jones-Ivey win seats on the dais.
“I am just so pleased, I’m thrilled,” he said. “I think—not to overstate it—I think it’s such a good direction for the town.”
Oro Valley residents were also asked to vote on Prop. 462, or “Home Rule.” The council placed the Local Alternative Expenditures Limitation on the ballot as a regular course of action. The limitation allows the town to set its own expenditure limit for the town budget. Prop. 462 appears to have passed: 6,513 "Yes" votes against 3,101 "No" votes.
Meanwhile, in Marana, the incumbents all appear to have hung onto their seats.
Town Council members Patti Comerford, Herb Kai, John Officer and Jon Post were holding leads against challengers Mace Bravin, Jeff Gray and Jack Neubeck.
Savanah Modesitt
Incumbents Pamela Powers Hannley and Randy Friese go to the general in the LD 10 House.
Incumbents Pamela Powers Hannley and Randy Friese took the stage at the Pima County Democratic election party. They easily won over newcomer JP Martin, who got about 12 percent of the vote. Powers Hannley and Friese split the rest of the votes almost equally, with Freise getting a few percentage points more.
Freise said he's honored but reminded the excited crowd that they still have the general ahead of them.
"I’m ready for the work with all of your help,” he said.
In the general, they will face Republican Ana Henderson.
"We are going to beat Henderson," Powers Hannley said. "We beat her before, and we will beat her again.”
Interns Savanah Modesitt and Daniel Young-Miller contributed to this post.
