EL More than Mosaics - School of Journalism
Transcription
EL More than Mosaics - School of Journalism
EL INDEPENDIENTE 1976 ~ 32 Years of Service ~ 2008 South Tucson’s Bilingual Newspaper Free/gratis Hispanic Vote Counts October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 More than Mosaics 15 or less 25 - 50 Information from the U.S. Census Bureau. ILLUSTRATION BY 50 plus Protecting Perritos Should South Tucson place restrictions on what to feed greyhounds, and how long they can be caged? The voters will decide. MICHAEL K. RICH 15 or 25 INSIDE By Michael K. Rich ‘Hispanic Vote’/see page 6 PHOTO BY COLLEEN KEEFE ...see page 4 Hay niños que necesitan familias Una familia y sus hijos adoptivos. Las Artes student Patrick Corella admires one of his mosaics made in the school’s design studio. Las Artes Offers GED Students Skills and Pride By Leila Abu-Saada support himself financially. “It just clicked in my head,” he says. “I was tired of looking for jobs all the time and not getting one job because I didn’t have an education.” Corella wasn’t enticed by an education, rather he was drawn to money and wanted a job instead of a diploma, an ideal that his two older brothers and sisters also had—neither of Corella’s siblings have high BY COLLEEN KEEFE Patrick Corella stands proudly next to his tiled skulls. In honor of Day of the Dead, he has painted different skull faces on four tiles in shades of bright greens and deep reds. The white skulls with tangled flower wreaths winding through their faces seem to stare back at him. Corella created the tiles for the eight-week art portion of his classes at Las Artes Art and Education Center. But this is not his favorite work. That title goes to his personal mosaic of the Virgin Mary, with the words, “shed too many tears” next to the name of Las Artes student Patrick Corella his brother and RIP. Corella’s brother was shot designed three different skull faces and killed last year on St. for the Day of the Dead. Patrick’s Day in gang violence. Corella was almost headed school diplomas and only one of his sisters received her GED. down that path himself. “We all wanted to have At 13 he was kicked out of his house for using drugs and things for ourselves,” he says. partying. He dropped out of “So we wanted money.” Seeing the tile work of stuboth Catalina and Rincon High Schools by his sophomore year. dents from Las Artes Art and “I was ditching, I didn’t care Education Center splashed about responsibility. I went and across South Tucson, Corella got high with my friends, just was spurred to change his path. wanted to be apart of the He needed to go back to school and Las Artes was his destinacrowd,” says Corella. The gang influences that tion. “This is the last stop for plagued Catalina High School almost had Corella hooked. He many of these students and they says though he was not official- know it,” says Michael Gates, ly in a gang, he did associate Las Artes Art and Education case manager. “This is the best with various members. “I hanged around with them game in town.” To enroll at Las Artes, stuand represented them pretty dents must be between the ages much,” says Corella. It became clear for the now of 16 and 21. They must also take an 19-year-old that without a diploma he would not be able to assessment test to determine PHOTO The 2008 election cycle promises to be one of change. The country will emerge with new faces at both the state and national level, and one demographic will have an increased impact from years past. A record 11.9 million HispanicAmericans are expected to vote in this year’s presidential elections, according to the New Democratic Network, a progressive think tank and advocacy group. This number represents a staggering 59 percent increase from 2004. One place that growth is evident is Arizona. During the 2000 presidential election, the Hispanic vote accounted for 15 percent of the Arizona’s turnout. 247,000 votes were cast out of 304,000 registered Hispanic voters. Fast forward to 2008, and the number of registered Hispanic voters has risen to 673,000, according the Arizona Recorder’s Office. “To say that Hispanics are going to have an impact on the vote is an understatement,” said John Garcia, a professor of political science American specializing in Minority Politics at the University of Arizona. Several years ago the percentage of Hispanics registered compared to that of all other racial groups was low, Garcia said. But thanks to “get out to vote campaigns,” that number has increased. Arizona Democrats hope that the influx of Hispanic voters, an increasingly negative view of President Bush and the actions of Republicans like Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio will help the Democratic Party return to power in both state and national offices. “I think Hispanics are just as tired of the Republican policies as the rest of America, and we will see that this election cycle,” said Emily DeRose, spokesperson for the Arizona Democratic Party. In 2006, 69 percent of Hispanic voters backed Democratic candidates nationwide, while 30 percent voted Republican. That was a shift from the 2004 elections, when Republican candidates drew 40 percent Hispanic support and Democrats received 59 percent, according to exit poll data assembled by NDN. A recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center concluded that Hispanics are leaning toward Democratic Presidential candidate their educational placement at the school. The lowest level a student can place is at the BE-1 or fifth grade level. Corella enrolled in March 2007 and placed into the BE-1 course. “I felt dumb,” he says. “I felt like where have I been? Have I been hiding under a rock?” At the BE-1 level, students like Corella are enrolled at Las Artes for 32 weeks. Each level of classes are eight weeks. After BE-1 students advance to BE-2 and the art portion of the curriculum, they then move into GED preparation before the test. Students at Las Artes also get paid each week for each level of classes. BE-1 classes pay $50 and BE-2 classes garner $75. Some students will receive a bonus of up to $450 after completion of the GED portion. “It’s a motivation factor,” says Gates. “It’s like a work environment and their families need the money.” The art portion of the curriculum serves as work-study where students learn valuable time maintenance skills, teamwork and respect. “It’s more like a work place than a school,” says Gates. “You have to be respectful, no tolerance for drug use and attendance is given a lot of weight.” The academic courses at Las Artes are rigorous. According to Gates, students attend class for 30 hours a week. But classes are small with about 15 students, and the school will only hold 60 students at a time which allows teachers and students more oneon-one time. The smaller atmosphere and more personal teaching method works for Corella. ‘Artes’/see page 6 ...vea página 2 City Threatens Funding Cut for Tourism Promotion By Ashley Villarreal The Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau, facing a possible 25 percent cut in city funding, argues it is one of few agencies actually generating revenue for the city and wants their budget spared the axe. With a possible $51 million budget deficit, the Tucson city government is considering slashing the funding of all outside agencies by at least 10 percent. The visitors bureau would be happy if that were all it was cut. MTCVB has found support from some council members. Regina Romero and Rodney Glassman wrote to Mayor Bob Walkup and City Manager Mike Hein, to encourage the council to rethink the visitors bureau funding cut. “One reason we asked the city manager to consider cutting it to 10 percent,” Romero said, “is that everybody is receiving a 10 percent cut, and this would be a disservice because the MTCVB helps bring people to the region and (into the) city.” Romero said she understands funding must be limited to offset the city’s budget deficit but points out that the bureau “helps spur economic development.” Promotion of the city’s tourism ‘Tourism’/see page 6 EL INDEPENDIENTE Page / Página 2 October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 Se buscan: padres de acogida o adoptivos BY PHOTO Marc Anthony tenía menos de un mes de edad cuando padeció una fractura de cráneo y una apoplejía y lo colocaron con los Servicios de Protección al Menor (Child Protective Services). Actualmente, el menor de cuatro años, ríe y juega con sus padres Brian y Verónica Imblum. Anthony esperó más de dos años para tener una familia propia, a lo mejor por los efectos potencialmente prolongados de sus lesiones. “En cuanto lo vimos, dijimos ‘vamos a hacerlo’ y si algo pasa más adelante, lo afrontaremos”, dijo Brian. Hasta el momento, todo está bien. Y todo está bien para Annabel y Damian, de 4 y 5 años respectivamente. A estos alegres hermanos les gusta pasear en bicicleta y ver caricaturas, disfrutando al pasar tiempo con sus padres de acogida Manuel y Lorraine Fimbres y sus hijos mayores, Vanessa, Jessica y Manuel en el rancho de la familia. A ellos les gusta jugar, especialmente con los becerros y los gatitos. La vida no siempre fue así para Annabel y Damian. Hace un par de años los Servicios de Protección al Menor los apartaron de su madre biológica. “Cuando llegaron con nosotros era como una cultura diferente”, dijo Lorraine. “Damian y Annabel no sabían COLLEEN KEEFE Por Colleen Keefe Traducido por Alejandra Torres Annabel y Damian (en frente) con los Fimbres, su familia adoptado. nada”, agregó Manuel. “Comían de la basura. Parece como que vivían en armarios. Los días eran noches para ellos, y las noches eran días”. La historia de Annabel y Damian tiene un final feliz, pero no todos los niños son tan afortunados. En Arizona, alrededor de 4.362 niños vivieron en situación de crianza temporal desde octubre del 2007 hasta marzo del 2008, según el Informe de Protección al Menor (Child Welfare Report). De ese EL INDEPENDIENTE South Tucson’s Bilingual Newspaper El Independiente encourages letters from all its readers, but reserves the right to edit correspondence for grammar, style, clarity and length. UA Journalism P.O. Box 210158B Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: 621-3618 [email protected] Adviser Maggy Zanger Graphics and Layout Adviser John deDios Managing Editor Photographers Ari Wasserman Colleen Keefe Gerald R. Zimmer III Ashley Villarreal Tanya Radisavljevic Tess Martinez News Editor Claire Conrad Spanish Editor Ashley Villarreal Design Chief Designers Matthew Garcia Summer Watterson Tess Martinez Photo Editor Jenny Mayer Community Events Editor Tanya Radisavljevic News Room Manager David Rodriguez Copy Chief Leila Abu-Saada Reporters Elena Cruz Colleen Keefe Tess Martinez Jenny Mayer Dana Pfeiffer Tanya Radisavljevic Michael K. Rich David Rodriguez Leila Abu-Saada Summer Watterson Ari Wasserman Copy Editors Translators Dana Pfeiffer Colleen Keefe Rob Zimmer Gemma Figueroa Alejandra Torres Nabil Hourieh Anders T. Peterson ernesto almaya Translation and Interpretation Department of Spanish and Portuguese and Mexican American Studies total, 618 niños están en centros residenciales de tratamiento, albergues, centros de detención u hospitales. Eso deja un restante de 959 niños que viven en hogares de acogida mientras esperan por padres de acogida o adoptivos. El entorno ideal para los niños es “aquel que tenga el ambiente más familiar”, según la división del Departamento de Seguridad Económica de los Servicios para la Juventud y la Familia (Youth and Family Services). Un objetivo adicional es mantener a los niños apegados a sus vecindarios y culturas. El número de niños apartados de sus casas en el sur de Tucsón excede el número de casas de acogida disponibles en las inmediaciones, según Ángela Martínez, una especialista de reclutamiento del cuidado de crianza temporal del distrito II del Departamento de Seguridad Económica de los servicios para la Juventud y la Familia. “Para un niño en esa área, aumenta la probabilidad de que tenga que dejar su escuela, vecindario, comunidad, iglesia, sus amigos, cualesquiera personas que sean un apoyo o recursos que ellos puedan tener y, probablemente de igual importancia, perder el vínculo con su cultura”, explica Martínez. Usualmente los niños son apartados debido al abuso, la negligencia, al abuso de una sustancia o del alcohol, al abuso sexual o la enfermedad mental del padre, según Nancy Larison, directora asociada del Centro de Adopción de San Nicolás de Bari (St. Nicolas of Myra Adoption Center). Hay 13 agencias en el condado de Pima que proveen cuidado de crianza temporal. Algunas de ellas, tal como San Nicolás, también fungen como agencias de adopción. “Trabajamos con niños de edad escolar que han experimentado un trastorno terrible en sus vidas”, dijo Larison. “Ellos tienden a tener problemas de conducta como consecuencia del historial traumático que tienen”. Esto hace que sea más difícil colocarlos en casas de acogida o adopción. Los padres con experiencia, los que están a punto de convertirse en ‘padres cuyos hijos ya abandonaron el nido’ y no se lo toman personalmente cuando surgen problemas de conducta, están bien capacitados para este tipo de crianza, dice Larison. Los Fimbres, cuyos hijos mayores tienen 21, 19 y 17 años, son padres con experiencia y este es exactamente el tipo de crianza que les dan a Annabel y Damian, dice Joanna Marroquín, un reclutador de recursos de familias de acogida para la Asociación de Niños de Arizona (Arizona Children’s Association). Cuando Annabel y Damian llegaron a la casa de los Fimbres no sabían hablar, pero han recibido terapia para el habla y ahora son bilingües. Ahora comen con una cuchara y un tenedor, se levantan por las mañanas y tienen una hora de acostarse regular. Annabel asiste al programa educativo Head Start y Damian está en preescolar. La necesidad de casas de acogida o adopción es especialmente alta para grupos de hermanos y adolescentes. Martínez, la especialista de reclutamiento del Departamento de Seguridad Económica, observa que en hogares abusivos o negligentes, los hermanos y las hermanas a menudo se cuidan el uno al otro Es traumático cuando son apartados de su hogar y sus padres, y de la situación empeora cuando son separados. Ella agrega que es muy raro que aparten a sólo un niño del grupo de hermanos. Los adolescentes también tienen necesidades únicas porque muchos han estado en el sistema por algún tiempo y les resulta difícil tener confianza y formar lazos. “Están en la cúspide para llegar a la edad adulta y si no se integran a una familia cuando salgan del sistema, no van a tener a nadie a quien recurrir”, dice Martínez. “Muchas personas, cuando piensan en cuidado de crianza temporal, piensan en bebés y niños pequeños. El cuidado de crianza temporal incluye a niños, adolescentes, grupos de hermanos y grupos grandes de hermanos”. Entonces, ¿quiénes son las personas adecuadas para el cuidado de crianza temporal o la adopción? “Las familias normales no proveen cuidados de crianza temporal”, dijo Rick Simpson, director de ministerios comunitarios en la Agencia Cristiana de Cuidado Familiar (Christian Family Care Agency). “No buscamos familias normales”. Simpson dijo que busca padres que reconozcan que ellos no pueden hacer esto solos. Van a necesitar solicitar ayuda por parte de la familia, los amigos, los miembros de la iglesia y su trabajador a cargo de la adopción o del cuidado de crianza temporal. “Las personas solitarias no logran entrar en este negocio”, advierte Simpson. Y según Martínez, el Departamento de Seguridad Económica va a seguir por este camino. A través de la Iniciativa de Familia a Familia (Family to Family Initiative), la agencia trabajará con las familias para crear una infraestructura fuerte para la mejora de la comunidad, relacionándose con líderes, iglesias y negocios y pidiéndoles su ayuda y apoyo para las familias de cuidado de crianza temporal. Por ejemplo, iglesias cercanas podrían ofrecer grupos de apoyo para padres de acogida mientras sus hijos asisten a actividades especiales organizadas por voluntarios comunitarios. No todos pueden ser padres de acogida o adoptivos. Esto requiere dedicación emocional y una serie de habilidades inusuales dijo Simpson. “Las personas que tienen vocación, soportan el dolor con entereza”, el dijo. “Ésta es su vocación”. En cuanto a Annabel y Damian, este verano se hicieron miembros oficiales de la familia Fimbres. Su adopción se concretó el 4 de agosto. Información de orientación Las familias y los individuos interesados en convertirse en padres de acogida o adoptivos pueden obtener información adicional al asistir a una orientación. Para inscribirse, llame al 1-877-KIDS-NEED-U Las orientaciones se llevan a cabo en: Emmanuel Baptist Church 1825 N. Alvernon Way 14 de octubre de 2008 11 de noviembre de 2008 7 p.m. Arizona Children’s Association 800 S. Eighth Ave. Edificio 13 28 de octubre de 2008 25 de noviembre de 2008 Al mediodía Centro de Información sobre Adopción El Centro de Información sobre Adopción (Adoption Information Center) es una instalación a la que el público puede acudir para aprender sobre el proceso de adopción y sobre algunos niños de Arizona que esperan su adopción. El centro, dirigido por las Familias de Arizona para los Niños (Arizona Families For Children) produce el Libro de Intercambio para la Adopción en Arizona (Arizona Adoption Exchange Book), una colección de fotos y descripciones de niños necesitados de un hogar. El libro actualmente tiene 79 niños e incluye nueve grupos de hermanos. El personal y los voluntarios del centro ofrecen apoyo educativo a familias que esperan adoptar y las ayuda a relacionarse con las agencias de Arizona que tienen niños. El Centro de Información sobre Adopción está ubicado en el 1011 N. Craycroft Road y lo puede contactar llamando al 327-3324. EL INDEPENDIENTE October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 Page / Página 3 BY When Desert View head coach Jim Monaco decided to take the job as the leader of the Desert View football program before last season, he had three goals. The first was to increase the participation numbers. Monaco’s mission was to get as many kids involved in the football program as possible, whether it be at the varsity, junior varsity or freshman level. The second was to keep all the kids eligible. It is of utmost importance that players involved with the Desert View football program also live up to their academic requirements. The final goal was to create better men out of all his players. While football is a game, Monaco came to the realization that it is more useful as a steppingstone toward life lessons rather than just taking it at face value. There was no mention of the word “winning.” “If you look at wins and just wins, you are done,” Monaco said. “You need to look at kids graduating, putting young kids into college and bettering their lives. And once you can build that type of self-esteem, then the wins will come.” Despite not making the 4A-I state playoffs since 1996, Monaco already made a monstrous impact on the Desert View program and it came in the form of getting players into college. Desert View missed the playoffs yet again last season, but Monaco had six of his players sign national letters of intent to play college football. Monaco, who used to coach at Pima Community College, got on the phone with old colleagues and rivals which drew interest in his program. Though other teams were snagging the headlines in terms of playoff success, Monaco’s team sent the most players to college in Southern Arizona. Four players went to play at Mesa Community College, one went to Fort Hays State (Kansas), and the other went to Wabash (Ind.). “What good is football if a kid doesn’t learn how to play it or go on to (the next level of) school, or help mold his life? It is nothing. It can’t just be a sport, it has to be a life skill,” Monaco said. “So at this place, that’s what we have made football — a life skill.” Being a former police officer in both Boston and Tucson, Monaco knows how to get his point across. Visually, he is the typical football coach. Monaco wears a tight T-shirt on a muscular build and a whistle gently dangles off of his neck. The look is just about right. Catch a glimpse of any Desert View game or practice and Monaco can be seen getting in players’ faces, raising his voice — flat out wearing his emotions on his sleeve. Monaco said this may be because of his Italian background, but his colleagues see it differently. “He is a yeller and a screamer, and a lot of people are actually attracted by that,” said Daniel Linden III, offensive coordinator of the Desert View varsity squad. “He is passionate and he truly cares, and I think once the kids see that, they latch on to him and go for the ride.” There is no secret, however, that an ultimate goal of coaching is winning and Monaco doesn’t stray away from that concept. The coach will tell you all day that grades and integrity are far more important than winning a game, but perception of the program and the kids who play in it are also something Monaco holds dear to himself. But with the achievement of the aforementioned goals, winning has started to come. Monaco finally has all three squads —varsity, junior varsity and freshman — fully fielded for the first time in six years and the total PHOTO By Ari Wasserman GERALD R. ZIMMER III Desert View Coach Cares About More Than Winning Jim Monaco, Desert View head football coach, teaches his defensive ends how to get around blockers as his team practices on a baseball field on the school’s campus. number of kids in the program increased from 85 to 125. That being said, only six players in the entire program are flirting with ineligibility after 14 fell below the required “C” last year, because the lessons taught at practice are helping the kids on and off the field. His goals have been accomplished. “You can be good on talent alone,” Monaco said. “But without passion and character, you are going to back down. When I got this job I believed in character, intelligence and passion. I would take that any day of the week over just talent.” Jose Alguna, a junior defensive tackle on the varsity squad said he takes every lesson received from Monaco seriously. “I had two different coaches my freshman and sophomore year, but when (Monaco) came I immediately noticed a difference,” Alguna said. “His intensity just rubs off on us during games and practice. It makes us want to always get better.” “He helps us with off the field stuff too,” Alguna added. “He talks about integrity and hard work. If you work hard and have it in your heart and the ambition, you can accomplish anything on and off the field.” Before Monaco’s arrival, Desert View football was always an afterthought. Opposing teams felt they could walk in and cruise to a victory — and they did. After not being close to playoff contention in what seemed like forever, last season Desert View barely missed the postseason with a 4-6 record. This season the Jaguars are 2-3, but with a few extra breaks, it could have easily been 4-1. The program, both academically and competitively, has turned around in Monaco’s short time as the head coach. “I think teams really need to prepare for us now. We are not just a bland offense and defense, and I think scheme-wise we have added some good things,” Monaco said. “But if I am going to be proud about something, it’s that I helped put six kids in college, because they did the work. I just made calls.” “Wins will come,” Monaco said. PHOTO COURTESY OF A C PRODUCTION The Primavera Foundation… 25 Years and Counting Actors perform a dramatic piece of Voices of Success and Struggles, based on the lives of several people who have recieved services from Primavera. By David Rodriguez It’s been a big year for the Primavera Foundation. The group has started new programs, is helping more people than ever and in October celebrated a milestone – 25 years serving the needs of Tucson’s poor and disenfranchised. Primavera Foundation began in 1984 to help the homeless and has since expanded its programs to include job training and transitional housing. Last year alone, Primavera served more than 10,000 people in various programs at 12 different locations around Tucson, according to Peggy Hutchison, executive director of Primavera. One of their newest programs is “Safe Start,” which finds housing for recently released prisoners who do not have a history of violence or sex offenses. “The program was started because we know the difficulty of getting back on your feet,” said Reneé Bibby, marketing coordinator of Primavera. “We also know that surrounding them with a positive atmosphere will help them. They won’t fall back into their old habits.” Bibby said that in addition to locating safe and affordable housing, they also provide educational and financial programs for the former prisoners. Shelters run by Primavera are open year-round for both men and women and case managers are on hand to refer people as needed. Case managers help form a plan that aids people in finding jobs and shows them how to save money. She said it’s an ongoing process, and the case managers keep in contact with everyone they assist. Primavera focuses their work on providing services for people who may not be able to find help elsewhere. And with the downward spiral of the U.S. economy, they expect more people will need assistance. “We focus on starting programs that are not addressed in other communities and we know we can help,” said Hutchison. Because Primavera is a nonprofit organization, some of their projects are funded by grants from federal and state governments, but local fundraising is a year-round effort. One of the biggest fundraising events this year was Primavera’s 25th celebration in October which was held at the Tucson Convention Center Leo Rich Theater. More than 300 people attended and the event brought in an estimated $110,000. The Community Gratitude Campaign, which is Primavera’s ongoing gift campaign honoring the 25th anniversary, raised an additional $36,000, according to Bibby. Both Bibby and Hutchison say one of the major challenges for the organization is dispelling the stereotype of homeless people and poverty-stricken families. “Not everyone out there is lazy and are bums,” Bibby said. “Many want to work and earn a living and once again contribute to society.” Hutchison agrees. “There are some incredibly gifted people out there who have many assets and we want to support them,” said Hutchison. She said they helped 99 families purchase their first home and 283 with rental assistance. They are able to provide all this assistance because of the many employees and volunteers. “I’ve never worked with a staff with so much passion for what they do and that really makes a difference,” said Bibby. “I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to work in an environment like this, where we all have the same mission and goals in mind.” For more information on Primavera, call 623-5111 or visit their Web site, www.primavera.org. Primavera’s major highlights, the last 25 years: 1984: Gordon Packard and Nancy Bissell form the Primavera Foundation 1987: The men’s shelter opens, despite community criticism 1990: The innovative Primavera Building Program starts, which offers affordable housing 1996: Casa Paloma, a transitional housing for women, opens 1998: Primavera Works starts, a job placement program to hire temp or temp-to-hire basis 2001: The Jim and Vicki Click Primavera Builders Training Center opens 2005: The U.S. Department of Labor gives Primavera a grant to begin the Safe Start program, which helps recently released prisoners 2007: Primavera endowment hits $1 million EL INDEPENDIENTE Page / Página 4 “ “Para presentar una demanda, debería estar firmada” –Steve Chucri de la Asociación de Restaurantes de Arizona ” trabajadores que están legalmente en los Estados Unidos. La propuesta también eliminará el sistema de “avisos anónimos” que permite que cualquier persona demande anónimamente a negocios que emplean a inmigrantes ilegales. “Para presentar una demanda, debería estar firmada”, dice Steve Chucri, de la Asociación de Restaurantes de Arizona. Pero los adversarios de la propuesta 202 dicen que la iniciativa fue escrita por los empleadores de los trabajadores indocumentados, que los pagándoles menos del salario mínimo. Además, dicen que las alegaciones de que los empleados perderían sus licencias de negocio después de hacer todo lo posible para seguir las leyes son una exageración. Hasta la fecha, ningún negocio ha sido acusado bajo la ley, que fue aprobada en enero, y los adversarios dicen que el proyecto de ley hará lo opuesto de lo que estaba previsto. “Algunos de los miembros de la industria agrícola y de comida rápida no quieren verificar el estatus de sus empleados”, comentó el antiguo congresista republicano del estado, Randy Graf. “Están acostumbrados al viejo sistema, que consistía en un guiño y nunca se les hacían preguntas”, dice Graf. Where to Vote Find your polling place online by searching on the city’s webpage: www.ci.tucson.az.us/polls/poll_for m.php Or find it though the Pima County Recorder’s office: www.recorder.pima.gov/poll_sea rch.aspx South Tucson voters will be asked to vote on a change to the city code pertaining to the treatment of dogs in the municipality. Proposition 401, the Tucson Dog Protection Act, will make it illegal to feed a dog certain types of raw meat, ban the use of anabolic steroids and mandate that dogs may spend a maximum of 18 hours a day in a specific sized cage. The measure, while applicable to all dogs in South Tucson, was mainly intended to regulate the care of dogs at the Tucson Greyhound Park, said Susan Via, chair of the Tucson Dog Protection initiative. The track houses an estimated 400 to 500 dogs, said Tom Taylor, CEO of the Tucson Greyhound Park. The animals at the Tucson Greyhound Park are kept in good conditions that are in line with current law, Taylor said. The first change to the code regards feeding dogs “4D meat,” or meat from diseased, dying, dead or disabled animals. Via argues that this meat has been shown to cause gastrointestinal diseases in animals that can potentially spread to handlers. Cooking 4D meat would reduce the risk of human and animal disease. There have been no incidents of illness at the park due to meat and this type of meat is suitable for a dog’s digestive system, said Taylor. The meat also represents a small portion of the animals’ diet, only about a pound a day, added Taylor. TANYA RADISAVLJEVIC La Propuesta 202, también conocida como “Alto al empleo de inmigrantes ilegales,” trata de aclarar el lenguaje en las leyes existentes sobre la responsabilidad de los empleadores al emplear trabajadores indocumentados. Los partidarios de la propuesta dicen que las leyes estatales existentes podrían cerrar negocios que, aparte de esto, llevan a cabo actividades legales, y que hacen todo lo que pueden por emplear By Claire Conrad BY Por Tess Martinez Traducido por Nabil Hourieh Proposition 401: The Tucson Dog Protection Act PHOTO Prop. 202: ¿quiéns son responsables para empleo de ilegales? October 24/ 24 de octubre 2008 Proposition 401 is aimed at the racing dogs at Tucson Greyhound Park, 2601 S. 3rd Ave. The second change mandates that dogs must be able to run free from their cages at least six hours of every day. Keeping the dogs in small cages does not allow them time to socialize, Via said. The dogs at the park are let out four times a day, according to Taylor, which is in line with industry-wide dog park regulations. The time they are allowed out is short, usually only to relieve themselves, Via said. The third change concerns anabolic steroids, which are used at dog tracks to prevent females from going into heat. Proponents of the proposition state that the dogs can simply be separated by gender when they go into heat, as they used to be in racing before steroid use, Via said. If the proposition passes, Taylor said, the track would have no problem cooking the meat and allowing the dogs out for the mandated six hours. But banning steroids would cause chaos. Separating the animals, he said, would not be effective. “If you live within two houses of a dog in heat, your dog would know it,” Taylor said. “If I had 250 females in heat, every dog in Tucson would be in my back gate.” The track maintains that they treat the dogs as athletes. “If it was helping the dogs we’d do it,” Taylor said. “It’s like a stock car racer, you think it’d help him to put bad fuel in his car?” But according to Via, supporters of the proposition, which includes over 100 veterinarians, argue that the track should reinvest some of their profits into better treatment of the dogs. Ultimately, it’s up to South Tucson voters to decide. Propuesta 401 para la protección de perros Por Claire Conrad Traducido por Nabil Hourieh Los votantes del sur de Tucsón serán llamados a votar sobre un cambio en el código de la ciudad relativo al tratamiento de perros del municipio. La Propuesta 401, o el Proyecto de Ley para la Protección de Perros en Tucsón, ilegalizará la alimentación de perros con ciertos tipos de carne cruda, prohibirá el uso de esteroides anabólicos y obligará que los perros pasen un máximo de 18 horas al día en una jaula de dimensiones predeterminadas. Esta medida se tomó para regula0r el cuidado de los perros del Tucson Greyhound Park (Canódromo de Tucsón) y se aplicará a todos los perros del sur de Tucsón, dice Susan Via, la presidenta de la Iniciativa para la protección de los perros de Tucsón. Tom Taylor, consejero delegado del Tucson Greyhound Park, comenta que en las perreras del parque hay alrededor de 400 a 500 perros. Estos se encuentran en buenas condiciones que cumplen con las leyes actuales, dice Taylor. El primer cambio del código referencia la alimentación de perros con “carne 4D”, o de animales moribundos, incapacitados o enfermos. Via argumenta que se ha demostrado que este tipo de carne causa enfermedades gastrointestinales en los animales y que potencialmente pueden ser transmitidas a las personas con las que mantienen contacto. Por el momento no se han dado casos de enfermedad y Taylor afirma que la carne que se suministra es adecuada para el sistema digestivo de los perros. Taylor tambien dice que la carne representa una parte reducida de la dieta del animal, aproximadamente una libra al día. Asimismo, Taylor hace hincapié en que la carne representa una parte reducida de ladieta del animal, aproximadamente una libra al día. El segundo cambio hace alusión a que los perros puedan correr en libertad al menos seis horas diarias, ya que el enjaulamiento impide que puedan socializar, dice Via. Según Taylor, los perros del parque se sueltan cuatro veces al día atendiendo a una práctica colectiva de los canódromos, pero Susan Via asegura que el tiempo que los dejan salir es breve y únicamente para dejarlos orinar. La tercera modificación hace alusión a los esteroides anabólicos que se usan en los canódromos para evitar que las hembras entren en celo. En este sentido se propone que en épocas de celo, los animales sean separados por género como se venía haciendo antes del uso de esteroides, dice Via. Si esta propuesta fuera aceptada, Taylor dice, los trabajadores de los canódromos no tendrían problemas en cocinar la carne y permitir la salida de los perros durante seis horas. Pero Taylor afirma que prohibir el uso de esteroides causará el caos. Separar a los animales no sería efectivo ya que, afirma, “Si vives a dos casas de un perro en celo, tu perro lo sabrá” y “Si yo tuviera 250 hembras en celo, todo los perros de Tucsón estarían en mi portón de atrás”. El canódromo mantiene que los perros son tratados como atletas y que, en palabras de Taylor, “Si fuera beneficioso para los perros, lo haríamos”. “Es como un piloto de carros de carreras: ¿cree que le ayudaría poner gasolina de mala calidad en su auto?” el dice. Según Via, los partidarios de esta propuesta, entre los que se incluyen más de 100 veterinarios, argumentan que los canódromos deberían reinvertir alguna de sus ganancias en tratar mejor a los animales. En estos momentos, la decisión está en las manos de los votantes del sur de Tucsón. Propuesta 105: gana la mayoría Por Tess Martinez Traducido por Nabil Hourieh Propuesta 105 requerirá que más de la mitad de todos los votantes registrados tengan que votar para de iniciativas relacionadas con gastos del estado o con impuestos. Los adversarios argumentan que la iniciativa no representará a los votantes que no votan, porque contarán como votos en contra de la iniciativa. “Estamos en contra de la propuesta porque, esencialmente, les pide a los votantes que se eliminen a sí mismos en iniciativas que requieren cualquier tipo de financiación”, dice Steve Arnquist, de la Liga de Votantes Conservadores de Arizona. Arnquist añadió que si se adopta la propuesta, será casi imposible adoptar iniciativas relacionadas con impuestos o gastos obligatorios, porque, por lo general, hay una baja asistencia de votantes. Según Arnquist, la liga considera que un 65% de de votantes es bueno, y que el 23% de los votantes deja en blanco la sección de la boleta con las propuestas. “Es una de las peores propuestas que he visto”, dice Arnquist. Pero partidarios de la propuesta, que incluyen a la Agencia Agrícola de Arizona y la Asociación de Restaurantes de Arizona, argumentan que hasta dos tercios de los ingresos del estado están sujetos a gastos obligatorios que han sido establecidos por iniciativas similares, basadas en el número de votantes. Además, la legislatura es incapaz de desviar tales fondos porque hacerlo supondrá el cambio de los resultados del voto de los ciudadanos de Arizona. “Es relativamente fácil incluir una iniciativa en la votación”, dice Joe Siggs, de la Agencia Agrícola de Arizona. “¿Es justo que un 25% de los votantes puedan imponer un impuesto en el 100% de la población?” dice Siggs. “Es preocupante que tengamos que poner algo así en la votación”. EL INDEPENDIENTE October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 Page / Página 5 Danielle Cariglio and David Machado walk a stretch of neighborhoods, knocking on voters’ doors and leaving flyers on Prop 200. Proposition 200: Pushed by Payday Businesses Los prestamistas del día de pago procuran mantenerse en el negocio Por Summer Watterson Traducido por Anders T. Peterson BY GERALD R. ZIMMER III By Summer Watterson PHOTO La Propuesta 200, conocida como la iniciativa la reforma del préstamo del día de pago, incluye algo más que la reforma que anuncian los proponentes. Un voto de “sí” cambiaría los reglamentos de la industria de los préstamos del día de pago, mientras que un voto de “no” eliminaría la industria. La propuesta, que está financiada por los miembros de la industria, pretende que los prestamistas del día de pago sigan haciendo negocios, al revocar una exención del los códigos estatales de Arizona que recibieron los prestamistas del día pago. Ese código limita la cantidad que las instituciones financieras pueden cobrar a un 36% o menos de la tasa de porcentaje anual de los préstamos. Stan Barnes, director de la campaña del Sí para 200 (“Yes on 200”), dice que la reforma en la iniciativa sería beneficiosa para los consumidores, al reducir las tarifas y al mismo tiempo, conservarndo al mismo tiempo esta opción de préstamo. Kelly Griffith, subdirectora del Centro del Suroeste para la Integridad Económica (Southwest Center for Economic Integrity, SCEI) —una de las principales oponentes a la iniciativa, dice que los prestamistas del día de pago tienen la opción de reducir sus tasas de interés al 36% o menos en el 2010 si no quieren perder el negocio. “Si no pueden conseguir ganancias al 36% o menos, eso mismo es señal de que algo está mal”, dice Griffith. El SCEI calcula que las actuales tasas de interés anuales de la mayoría de los prestamistas del día de pago son superiores al 400%. Barnes dice que esos números engañan, porque por naturaleza los préstamos no son anuales, sino que más bien por un par de semanas. El porcentaje que cobran muchos locales de préstamo es de $15 por cada $100 prestados, pero con los reglamentos actuales en estos locales de préstamo, se puede prorrogar un préstamo, o renovarlo, tres veces, con otro cargo de $15 en cada BY In Hispanic communities with historically low voter participation rates, one organization is sending out volunteers to educate registered voters on the importance of going to the polls. Mi Familia Vota (My Family Votes), a voter mobilization effort based in Arizona and Colorado, is knocking on doors of people who are registered to vote but haven’t participated much in recent elections. Their goal is to encourage the Hispanic community to cast their ballots on Nov. 4. “We’ve knocked on thousands of doors and talked to a couple hundred people,” said Amy McQuillen, lead organizer for Mi Familia Vota in Tucson. “We’re out there seven days a week.” Each year, both on foot and by phone, Mi Familia volunteers focus on a key ballot proposition that will affect Hispanic voters to motivate them to get involved. This year the organization chose Proposition 200, the payday loan reform initiative, because it targets people with fewer resources and those unfamiliar with state laws. “We are non-partisan as far as candidates go,” McQuillen said. “All that is important is that they vote.” But the organization also hopes to convince voters to “take a vote on a proposition that affects the Latino and many other communities.” McQuillen added that the more voters know about different measures that affect them, the more likely they are to vote. Volunteer Hector Espriu, a student at Pima Community College studying sociology, said he gets to talk with voters on a day-to-day basis about voting and Prop 200. “Most people don’t really know about it, but they’re pretty receptive,” Espriu said. “When we’re there we just give up information and then they can make up their own mind.” McQuillen said the majority of people she has met know less about the proposition, but at least something about payday loans. “If it’s not their family, it’s someone they know or another family with a payday loan, and there’s always a story about it,” she said. “They say ‘we don’t like it, but we’ve borrowed.’” David Machado, an interdisciplinary studies major at the University of Arizona, said canvassing for voters is not the most glamorous job but it gives back to the community. “I guess I just see it as if you get more Latinos out there voting, a lot of the politicians will have to cater to the Latinos’ needs, and they’ll see that they are a big part of voting and deciding the vote,” he said. Machado said if a demographic is not voting as a community, then politicians are more prone to ignoring that community’s needs. “I figure if a lot of Latinos go out there then they’re going to start seeing the numbers and be like ‘oh wow, you know, we really need to start hitting the Latino community,’” he said. Espriu said meeting with voters firsthand has been a unique experience and what Mi Familia Vota does is help raise political awareness, especially during a time when most information comes from a barrage of mailings and TV advertisements. “When we talk it’s face to face,” Espriu said. “I think that it’s way more productive.” More information about Mi Familia Vota can be found at www.mifamiliavota.net. PHOTO By Ashley Villarreal ASHLEY VILLARREAL Mi Familia Vota Hits the Streets to Get Out the Vote Money Mart, en la esquina del Avenida 12 y Calle Irvington por el oeste, es una tienda del día de pago que puede cerrar si pasan Propuesta 200. instancia, lo cual resultaría en un cargo de interés del 60% si se extiende el préstamo al monto máximo. Griffith dice que el problema es que mucha gente que solicita préstamos el día de pago no puede devolver el dinero en la fecha límite. El SCEI preparó un informe en el el 2003; que demostrómostraba que el 31% de la gente tardaba una a dos semanas en pagar su préstamo, el 17% pagó al cabo de tres o cuatro semanas, el 17% tardó de siete a ocho semanas y el 15% necesitó nueve o más semanas para pagar su préstamo. “La probabilidad de que tengan la cantidad completa cuando cobren su próximo cheque? Ees muy baja o nada”, dice Griffith. El estudio también descubrió que en el 2003, la gente en el Condado Pima pagó $20 millones en cargos de préstamos de día de pago. Barnes argumenta que SCEI debería completar un estudio sobre la cantidad de dinero que sale del Condado Pima en cargos por cantidades impagadas a los bancos nacionales. Una de las reformas incluidas en la iniciativa impediría que los clientes prorroguen los préstamos. Sin embargo, si la Propuesta 200 se aprueba, la gente tendría la opción de sacar un nuevo préstamo un día después de pagar el primero. Barnes dice que la cláusula de “no renovación” (“no rollover”) haría que se cobre un máximo del 15% sobre un préstamo, lo cual es más barato que tener que pagar por un cheque sin fondos o un cargo para reestablecer los servicios públicos. “La gente está tratando de evitar otras opciones más costosas cuando van a una tienda de préstamos del día de pago”, dice Barnes. “El argumento a favor del ciclo de deudas no se entiende cuando se compara con las reformas de la Propuesta 200”. Otra reforma en la iniciativa incluye requerir a los prestamistas del día de pago que ofrezcan a los clientes que no pueden pagar sus préstamos un plan para pagar sin ningún cargo. La propuesta también impediría que la gente obtuviera préstamos en más de un local al requerir que los prestamistas establezcan una base de datos de la industria, y requeriría que los prestamistas nacionales de Internet sigan las leyes estatales de Arizona relacionadas con los préstamos del día de pago. “Todo el tema (de las reformas) es una ilusión”, dice Griffith. “La estructura del producto es engañosa”. “Ellos (la oposición a la Propuesta 200) creen que la gente es demasiado tonta para tomar una decisión racional”, dice Barnes, “lo cual es un insulto”. Proposition 200, known as the payday loan reform initiative, includes more than the reform’s proponents advertise. A “yes” vote would change regulations on the payday loan industry while a “no” vote would eliminate the industry. The proposition, which is funded by members of the industry, attempts to keep payday lenders in business by repealing an exemption payday lenders received to the Arizona state codes. That code limits financial institutions to charging 36 percent or less APR on loans. Stan Barnes, chairman of the “Yes on 200” campaign, says the reforms in the initiative would make the payday loan industry better for consumers by lowering fees while preserving this type of loan option. Kelly Griffith, deputy director for Southwest Center for Economic Integrity—one of the main opponents to the initiative—says payday lenders have the option of lowering their interest rates to 36 percent or less in 2010 if they don’t want to go out of business. “If you can’t make a profit at 36 percent or less, there’s something wrong right there,” Griffith says. The SCEI calculates the current annual interest rates of most payday lenders at more than 400 percent. Barnes says those numbers are deceiving because by nature the loans are not annual but rather a couple of weeks. The fee at many loan sites is $15 per $100 borrowed, but with the current regulations on payday loan sites, a loan can be extended, or “rolled over,” three times with another $15 fee each time, which could end up equaling a 60 percent interest rate if a loan is extended the maximum amount. Griffith says the problem is many people who take out payday loans can’t pay them back by the due date. The SCEI produced a report in 2003 that showed 31 percent of people took one to two weeks to pay back their loan, 17 percent paid within three to four weeks, another 17 percent took seven to eight weeks and 15 percent needed nine or more weeks to pay back their loan. “What are the chances you’ll have the full amount by your next paycheck? Slim to none,” Griffith says. The study also found that in 2003, people in Pima County paid $20 million in payday loan fees. Barnes argues the SCEI should complete a study on how much money leaves Pima County in overdraft fees to national banks. One of the reforms included in the initiative would prevent cus- The point of these reforms is smoke and mirrors. Payday loans are structured as deceptive. - Kelly Griffith, deputy director for Southwest Center for Economic Integrity tomers from extending their loans. However, if Proposition 200 is passed people would have the option of taking out a new loan one day after they pay back the first one. Barnes says the “no rollover” clause would make 15 percent the maximum charged on one loan, which he argues is cheaper than bouncing a check or a fee to reinstate utility services. “People are trying to avoid other more costly options when they go into a payday loan store,” Barnes says. “The cycle of debt argument falls when held up against 200 reforms.” Another reform in the initiative includes requiring payday lenders to offer customers who can’t pay back their loans repayment plans at no additional fee. The proposition would also stop people from taking out loans at more than one location by requiring the lenders to set up an industry database and it would require that national internet lenders follow Arizona state laws regarding payday loans. “The whole point (of the reforms) is smoke and mirrors,” Griffith says. “The product is structured as deceptive.” “They (the opposition to proposition 200) believe people are too dumb to make a rational decision,” Barnes says, “which is an insult.” EL INDEPENDIENTE October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 Page / Página 6 Tucson Visitors Bureau Faces Disproportionate Funding Cut Las Artes helps students get GEDs ‘Tourism’ Continued from page 1 ASHLEY VILLARREAL ‘Artes’ Continued from page 1 BY ing agency, Centro Oficial de Visitantes de Tucson (Official Center for Tucson Visitors) in Hermosillo, Son., to provide services for Mexican business investors who may be enticed to set up shop in Tucson. The office will begin by hiring lawyers and accountants to help investors set up bank accounts and acquire tax ID numbers to start new businesses in the United States. “We want there to be one-window ready for them because it’s an unfamiliar process,” said Garcia. “We want to make it easy for them to streamline.” In addition, Lourdes Monteverde, the director at El Centro de Visitantes de Tucson, said their agency in Hermosillo is working to fund a new shuttle service from Mexico to bring visitors to medical centers in Tucson. A packaged weekend trip, for example, is in the works that will give discounted wellness exams for women at Tucson Medical Center. “We’re trying not only to get them to go to Tucson, but to stay there and spend more time and have medical services and personal services like going to a spa,” Monteverde said. Shawn Page, administrator for international services and relations PHOTO sector should receive more and not less money for its efforts, she said. Felipe Garcia, vice president for community affairs at MTCVB, said the cuts come at a time when advertising efforts should increase, not decrease. He points out that other cities are now investing more in tourism promotion because of the dollars visitors bring into a city. “We have to compete with more cities with more funding for marketing tourism.” Advertising efforts are critical at a time when the U.S. dollar is now the lowest it has been to the peso since 2002. Mexican shoppers have an incentive to spend money in the United States, Garcia said. Tourism is a revenue-producing vehicle that brings in over $2.3 billion in revenue to Tucson from not only sales tax, but a bed tax collection paid when tourists stay at area hotels, said Garcia. Since 2005, the visitors bureau has been marketing hotel stays, casino trips, and concert packages and is further expanding promotion beyond typical tourist venues. In upcoming months, MTCVB has plans to offer new promotions for Mexican businesses and medical patients, Garcia said. The visitors bureau has been working with its Mexican partner- Patty Burger, an employee at the bureau’s Tucson Visitor Center, shows Todd Bender, a German native, a map of the city and calendar of upcoming events. at the hospital, said TMC has consistently advertised to this “untapped market” with the potential to have “a cascade effect on Tucson’s economy.” The future of these new projects is uncertain with the bureau’s budget threatened. “Ten percent is a challenge,” Garcia said. “But 25 percent would be critical. We would have to cut some marketing programs and several of our community contributions.” But cutting services in the Hermosillo office would be the last the agency would consider, Garcia said. Deputy City Manager Mike Lechter said he understands council member appeals to the 25 percent cut, but the city must make compromises to deal with its deficit. “We are doing things we wouldn’t have contemplated years ago,” but as far as re-evaluating the cut, Lechter said, “there’s always room for negotiation.” Coveted Hispanic Vote Crucial, Especially in General Election ‘Hispanic Vote’ Continued from page 1 Barack Obama at a rate of three to one. But the surge in Democratic votes may not affect Arizona. “This is McCain’s home state and it will be very difficult for Obama to overtake him in it,” Garcia said. He sees the number of Hispanics voting for McCain to be in the 40 percent range. McCain has name recognition and Hispanics are familiar with him. However, some members of the Democratic Party say a win in the presidential election in Arizona is possible. “If you look at the primary results, McCain only pulled 47 percent of the vote amongst his own party,” said DeRose. “I think he may be more vulnerable here than some people think..” Democrats are optimistic that Arizona may lean toward Obama in the presidential election, they are confident that they will gain seats in both U.S. Congress and the State Legislature. “Where there is not that name recognition, Hispanics are going to be more likely to vote for the Democratic candidate,” Garcia said. However, state GOP members are hoping that the success of Presidential Candidate John McCain in Arizona will trickle down the ticket. “We believe we have qualified candidates up and down the ticket and should win some of those battles,” said Sean McCaffrey, executive director for the Arizona Republican Party. All eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election this year. Currently, Democrats and Republicans each hold four seats. “Right now we have three of the top ten congressional battles occurring in the state of Arizona,” McCaffrey said. Those battles are U.S. Congressional Districts 1, 5 and 8. Congressional District 1 has a majority of Democratic voters, 16 percent of which are Hispanic. Republican incumbent Rick Renzi is not running for re-election so the battle is tight between candidates Republican Sydney Hay and Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick. “Many of the people who live in this district are low income families who need representation at the national level. I am the person to give them that representation,” Kirkpatrick said. She said the same problems facing Hispanics are those facing all people in the district. In Congressional District 5, GOP member David Schweikert is taking on Democratic incumbent Harry Mitchell. The district includes the northeastern suburbs of Phoenix, where Hispanics make up 13.3 percent of the population. Hispanic voters could also impact Congressional District 8, where former Republican State Senate President Tim Bee is challenging Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords. The district is 18 percent Hispanic and only has a 6 percent difference between the number of registered Democrats and Republicans. The district includes Cochise County and portions of Santa Cruz and Pima Counties. Republicans hold a slight edge in the number of registered voters and Hispanics make up 18.2 percent of the population in the area. “ This is McCain’s home state and it will be very difficult for Obama to overtake him in it. –John Garcia UA Political Science department ” “A lot of people in the area are not happy with the job Giffords has done, but she is a very polished politician and it may be difficult to overtake her,” McCaffrey said. In Congressional District 4, 57 percent Hispanic, Republican Don Karg is challenging Democrat Ed Pastor, who has represented the district since 1991. Congressional District 7 has the second highest Hispanic population, at 50 percent. Republican Joseph Sweeney is challenging Democrat Raul Grijalva, who has represented the Congressional District 7 since 2003. State Level The national elections are not the only race in which Hispanic voters may play a new role. Arizona Legislative Districts 23 through 30 make up southern Arizona, and with one exception, District 30, all of these districts have Hispanic populations of greater than 20 percent. If Democrats want to regain a majority in the State Legislature, these will be key battles areas. Currently in these eight Legislative Districts there are 19 Democrats and five members of the GOP. In Arizona there are 13 Democrats and 17 Republicans in the State Senate and 27 Democrats and 33 Republicans in the House. Four incumbents, Rep. Jennifer Burns (R- District 25), Rep. Pete Rios (D-District 23), Rep. Marian McClure (R-District 30) and Sen. Tim Bee (R-District 30), have decided not to run for re-election this year or have decided to run for a different position. Legislative District 25 spans almost all of Cochise County and extends to parts of Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Maricopa Counties. It also includes the border towns of Douglas and Nogales. There are 28,910 registered Republicans, 38,337 Democrats and 24,474 independents, with Hispanic residents representing 43 percent. “We have lost our incumbent in the district, so it may be difficult to get that seat back in such a heavy Democrat area,” McCaffrey said. He said that Republicans should do well in Districts 29 and 30. Democratic incumbents Tom Prezelski and Linda Lopez will be up against Republican Juan Ciscomani in District 29 for state House. “He is a very promising candidate, he has gotten volunteers from all the parties and is running a privately funded campaign,” McCaffrey said. District 30 includes eastern Tucson, Green Valley and Sierra Vista. It is home to about 44,200 Republicans, 31,300 Democrats and is about 13 percent Hispanic. “Although this has been historically a Republican district we feel we can make take at least one seat,” DeRose said. This district has undergone a major shuffle of the legislative team, with one incumbent deciding to run for the Arizona Corporation Commission, another deciding to run in the U.S. Congressional race and the third attempting to make the transition from state House to state Senate. The candidates for state Senate in District 30 are former state House member Republican Jonathan Paton who will face off against Democrat Georgett Valle. Three candidates are vying for two empty state House seats in the district. They are Democrat Andrea Delasandro and Republicans David Gowan and Frank Antenori. The deciding factor in this district is whether the independent voters sway Republican or Democrat, McCaffrey said. No matter who Hispanics vote for, McCaffrey said it may be some time before the winners of these races are know. “Because of the large amount of mail-in votes, the closeness of the presidential race and some counties not electronically transmitting votes, we may not have the results of the election on the state level for two to three weeks,” McCaffrey said. “The way they talk to you, the way that they push you to strive for everything, that’s what I like about this place,” he says. Apart from the traditional classrooms is the large studio that occupies Las Artes. It is the workshop for the current art class of 1519 students. Every wall, shelf and floor space in the studio is covered in past mosaics or current projects destined to be displayed in Arizona cities including South Tucson, Sahuarita and Catalina. The diversity of projects is vast. At any time, the students could be working on a number of commissioned projects for public buildings, libraries, events or signs. These works have created respect and notoriety among many communities. Past projects include wall mosaics of Native American dancers displayed at the Tohono O’odham Reservation and Day of the Dead inspired tiles displayed at the Tucson Children Museum. “We’ve had people come in here and ask, ‘this is where this art comes from?’” says Art Instructor Saul Ortega. The current class of art students is working on a 24 x 4 ft. wall mosaic for the Pima County Animal Care Center to be completed in 24 weeks. The design was created in collaboration with the instructors and students. “We let them know that some of the art work is going to be in the public 20, 30 years, so that encourages them,” says Ortega. A former airbrush artist, Ortega has been with Las Artes for more than six years. He roams the studio assisting students, motivating some to keep focused and instructing others how to safely handle the equipment. According to Ortega, every student is assigned a role in producing a public mosaic but students also create a personal mosaic to give away to a person of their choosing. Students handle saws, cut materials and have access to the five kilns in the studio. “We do silk screening, glazing…a lot of them are really interested in the techniques we use,” says Ortega. He is quick to point out that students don’t need previous art experience to be successful in the art class. “We’re not teaching them to be tile setters. We’re teaching them to work with other students, following instructions, being on time. These are the same things you’ll see in the real world,” says Ortega. These skills will help students like Corella follow their goals. Corella’s hope is to find a job specifically with Parks & Recreation where he can receive benefits. On Oct. 17, Corella graduated. He is the first male in his family to do so. “ I always told myself, I could do it,” he says. “I wasn’t going to fail again.” Excited isn’t a big enough word for Corella when describing his graduation. “I’m stoked. That’s all I keep telling people is that I’m stoked.” he says proudly. “I’m happy.” Coming soon! ELI NDENE WS.COM EL INDEPENDIENTE October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 Page / Página 7 Youth On Their Own Get Guidance, Mentoring Bilingual Employment Service Expanding By Matthew Garcia BY GERALD R. ZIMMER III By Dana Pfeiffer PHOTO Last school year, 133 high school students received a diploma with support from a local organization dedicated to helping Tucson teens graduate. Youth On Their Own (YOTO), a nonprofit organization, was created at Amphitheater High School in 1986. Since its start it has helped more than 9,000 homeless youth graduate by providing financial support, academic guidance, mentoring and by helping with basic needs like food and clothing. “The help that you don’t have from parents, they are there to help you,” says Philip Barreras, a recent graduate who joined YOTO after dropping out of Pueblo High School. At age 16, Barreras was homeless after his relationship with his mother deteriorated. As she went through her second divorce, Barreras found himself hopping around the homes of friends and relatives while trying to maintain his job at Discount Tire. He eventually attended Pima Vocational High School where a counselor told him about YOTO. He decided to take advantage of their offerings. A high school diploma later, Barreras is preparing for barber school and entertaining the thought of a psychology degree from the University of Arizona. Last school year, YOTO served 578 students like Barreras, an increase in 21 students from the year before. The organization receives students from every social and ethnic background in the city, says Gina Babunovic the communications and development director for YOTO. As the number of students has increased, the percentages of every minority group and Caucasian students has risen slightly. Although the percentage of Hispanic students decreased by 7 percent they still make up about half of the students in the program. Students who come into the program are displaced from their Gloria Damian,14, a freshman at Flowing Wells High School and member of Youth On Their Own, takes food from shelves at the program office. homes for various reasons, Babunovic. But the most common are parents who use drugs or the absence of a parent or guardian altogether. YOTO wants people to understand that many homeless students want to succeed, but they are challenged by negative situations at home that make survival a full-time effort—often to the loss of their education. “The community doesn’t understand the number of students that are in this situation,” Babunovic says. “They are not kids under the bridge.” Many of the young people in the program live with friends or relatives. Some are always on the move and even resort to sleeping in public places when they have no where to go for the night. YOTO assists students who are in grades 8 to 12 or until they are 21 (or 22 for students with disabilities). Before YOTO accepts young people into the program, they must show they are enrolled in a public, charter or alternative school so the program has an indication that educational success is a priority. Students receive a $125 stipend per month if their school attendance and performance is adequate. They also get food, clothing, hygiene kits, school supplies, furniture and even computers. Mary Gruensfelder-Cox, executive director of YOTO says, the hardest job for them is identifying students who need help. Most of the time, they appear to be average students who don’t draw attention to themselves until they drop out. YOTO spent all of 2007 addressing this challenge by educating nurses, coaches, security guards and food service workers about how to identify potential troubled students and how to direct them to the program. YOTO is also looking to improve services for teens once they enter the program. They hope that a Facebook account or an interactive Web site will promote communication among students as well as with YOTO staff. YOTO’s new bond with Touch Point Connection will provide one-on-one coaching to students by volunteers who are screened and professionally trained to mentor. In the program, students will meet with their coaches once a week, and after graduation the coaches will help students make a successful transition to a job or higher education. YOTO is looking for coaches who could make the one-year commitment and Gruensfelder-Cox would specifically like to see more Hispanic men and men in general in the program. Barreras encourages teens to make use of this life changing resource. “If there is an opportunity for help, why not take it,” he says. La juventud por su propia cuenta obtiene tutoria Por Matthew Garcia Traducido por Anders T. Peterson El pasado año escolar, 133 estudiantes de la secundaria recibieron un diploma, gracias al apoyo de una organización local que se dedica a ayudar a los adolescentes de Tucsón a graduarse. La juventud por su propia cuenta (Youth On Their Own, YOTO), una organización sin ánimo de lucro, fue creada en Amphitheater High School en 1986. Desde su comienzo han ayudado a más de 9.000 jóvenes sin hogar a graduarse de la secundaria, al brindarles apoyo financiero, orientación académica, asesoría y ayudándoles con las necesidades básicas como alimento y ropa. “La ayuda que no recibes de los padres, allí están ellos para ayudarte”, dice Philip Barreras, un graduado reciente de la secundaria, que se unió a YOTO después de abandonar Pueblo High School. A los 16 años de edad, Barreras no tenía hogar después de que se deteriorara la relación con su madre. Mientras ella se divorciaba por segunda vez, Barreras pasaba de casa en casa de sus amigos y parientes mientras trataba de mantener su trabajo en Discount Tire. Finalmente asistió a la Pima Vocational High School donde un asesor le contó sobre YOTO y decidió aprovechar esa oportunidad. Un diploma de secundaria después, Barreras se está preparando para la escuela de peluquería y pensando en un diploma de psicología de la Universidad de Arizona. El pasado año escolar YOTO ayudó a 578 estudiantes como Barreras, un aumento de 21 estudiantes sobre el año anterior. La organización recibe a estudiantes de cualquier área social y étnica en la ciudad, dice Gina Babunovic, la directora de comunicaciones y desarrollo de YOTO. A medida que el número de estudiantes aumentó, los porcentajes de cada grupo de minoría así como también estudiantes caucásicos aumentaron levemente. Aunque el porcentaje de estudiantes hispanos disminuyó en un siete por ciento, todavía constituyen más o menos la mitad de los estudiantes del programa. Los estudiantes que entran en el programa están fuera de sus hogares por muchas razones, dice Babunovic. Pero en general, las razones más comunes son padres que usan drogas o la ausencia de un padre o un tutor. YOTO quiere que la gente entienda que muchos estudiantes sin hogar quieren tener éxito, pero enfrentan situaciones negativas en sus casas que hacen que el sobrevivir sea un esfuerzo de tiempo completo, y que a menudo, supone la pérdida de su educación. “La comunidad no entiende el número de estudiantes que se encuentra en esta situación”, dice Babunovic. “No son niños que vivan debajo de los puentes.” Muchas de las personas jóvenes en el programa viven con sus amigos o parientes. Algunos siempre se están mudando e incluso se conforman con dormir en lugares públicos cuando no tienen a dónde ir a pasar la noche. YOTO ayuda a estudiantes en los grados 8-12 o hasta que tengan 21 años (o 22 para estudiantes con discapacidades). Antes de que YOTO acepte gente joven en el programa, los cadidatos deben demostrar que están matriculados en una escuela pública o alternativa, de manera que YOTO tenga pruebas de que el éxito académico es una de sus metas. Los estudiantes reciben una remuneración de $125 por mes si su asistencia y desempeño académico son adecuados. También reciben alimento, ropa, botiquines higiénicos, artículos escolares, muebles e incluso computadoras. Mary Gruensfelder-Cox, la directora ejecutiva de YOTO, dice que el trabajo más difícil para ellos es identificar a los estudiantes que necesitan ayuda. La mayoría del tiempo, parecen ser estudiantes comunes que no llaman la atención sobre sí mismos hasta que abandonan sus estudios. YOTO dedicó todo el 2007 a tratar de solucionar esta situación, educando a enfermeras, entrenadores, guardia de seguridad y trabajadores de la cocina sobre cómo identificar a los estudiantes que pudieran tener problemas y cómo referirlos a YOTO. YOTO también está tratando de mejorar sus servicios para adolescentes una vez que ingresan en el programa. Esperan que una cuenta en Facebook o un sitio Web interactivo promueva la comunicación entre los estudiantes, así como entre el personal de YOTO. El nuevo vínculo de YOTO con Touch Point Connection brindará capacitación personalizada a los estudiantes, por medio de voluntarios seleccionados y profesionalmente capacitados para asesorar. En el programa, los estudiantes se reunirán con sus capacitadores una vez por semana y después de la graduación éstos ayudarán a los estudiantes a hacer una transición exitosa a un trabajo o a educación superior. YOTO está buscando capacitadores que puedan comprometerse por un año, y a Gruensfelder-Cox le gustaría específicamente ver a más hombres hispanos, y más hombres en general en el programa. Barreras anima a los adolescentes a aprovechar este recurso que cambia vidas. “Si hay una oportunidad de ayuda, por qué no tomarla”, dice él. Rory Mendoza’s professional life has come full circle. He moved back to Tucson from Phoenix in 2002, started a business and is now heading north again to expand his company that is one of only two bilingual employment agencies in the nation. Bilingual Employment Services opened its doors at 3508 N. Seventh St. in 2005, after Mendoza followed his instincts. “I saw the need for bilingual individuals was at an all-time high,” Mendoza says. “And I saw that these individuals needed opportunities for employment and there was no one else providing this service. I started doing the research and came up with the concept.” After months of working various construction jobs while researching, he opened up shop. It was an instant success. Within a year, he placed 100 people in permanent positions and about five people per week in temporary positions. “Seventy percent of the time, people are placed the next day,” says Ruby Romero, Mendoza’s executive assistant. “Just give it a day.” Romero adds that since the economic downturn, business has increased because more people are looking for temporary employment after being laid off. There are numerous positions to be filled, from construction to reception to cell phone kiosks at Park Place and Tucson Malls. The positions, which pay $10 an hour, turn into full-time jobs 50 percent of the time, Romero says. “If you do well in your job and they [the client] see that you’re working hard, they don’t want to lose you,” Romero says. Bilingual Employment Services makes sure that employees meet the standards that clients require. The company drug tests and conducts state and national criminal background checks on all employees. They also verify that employees are legal to work in the United States. The company also provides affordable classes. All employees are required to pass an English proficiency test. Resume building, interviewing skills and computer classes are available for a small fee ranging from $5 to $25. Mendoza says his move to Phoenix is the first phase of franchising. He hopes to open offices in California, Nevada, Texas and New Mexico by the end of 2009. He says that since his move north, he hasn’t “had a chance to breathe, the demand is just so high everywhere.” He points out that “When you pick up the phone for any service industry, it says ‘press one for English, two for Spanish.’” “There’s no one else doing what I’m doing, and the success rate for placing bilingual individuals is always going to be hot, considering that we are in the Southwest.” Coming soon! ELI NDENE WS.COM ? Page / Página 8 By Tanya Radisavljevic Traducido por ernesto amaya EL INDEPENDIENTE QUÉ PASA? October 24 / 24 de octubre 2008 los Nauhi Ollin Aztec Dancers. Cada baile cuenta una historia diferente, que comparte la historia y la cultura de este pueblo indígena. El ingreso es gratuito. Las presentaciones tendrán lugar los viernes, sábados y domingos a las 2 y las 4 p.m. Si desea más información, llame al 623-5787. Oct. 31 Howlin’ Halloween Come and enjoy the Halloween festivities hosted by Tucson Parks and Recreation, with costume parades, trick-or-treat bags, a haunted house and free giveaways for the entire family. Admission is free and food will be sold. The event will take place at 4825 S. Sixth Ave. from 6:30 to 9 p.m. For more information, call 791-5909. 6 de nov. Música para el alma Venga y disfrute de este acto cultural en el cuarto concierto anual “Música para el alma”. Actuarán una gran variedad de grupos que incluyen desde músicos indígenas americanos a grupos budistas, para celebrar la diversidad de la música en Tucsón. El concierto será en el Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. Los boletos cuestan $20 y están disponibles en línea en www.icstucson.org. Si desea más información, llame al 297-2738, extensión 209. Oct. 27 Livin’ la Vida Verde! Go green, and enjoy this festival to help make the world greener. This festival includes family activities, music, food and ideas on how to save the earth. Learn how to contribute to conservation and improving environmental issues. At Mission Manor Park, 6100 S. 12th Ave., from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Admission is free and anyone is welcome. For trip planning assistance, call 792-9222. 1 de nov. Día de los Muertos From top, left: The Mariachi Brillante Juvenil band plays at Tucson Meet Yourself, Oct. 12. Lowrider Show & Shine Car show displays rides with the Suavecitos and Tucson's Finest Car Clubs. Danna Teoc dances with Antonio Corrales along with the Ritmos Latinos Dancers. Marco Quiroz, 14, plays the trumpet along with the rest of the Mariachi Brillante Juvenil band. Venga y disfrute de los espectáculos de iluminación, música y comida en la celebración de este año de una antigua costumbre mexicana, el Día de los Muertos. Las festividades tendrán lugar en los patios y las galerías del Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave, a las 5 p.m. Animamos a los participantes a traer flores y fotos para añadirlas al altar comunitario. Si desea una lista completa de eventos, visite www.allsoulprocession.org. El ingreso es gratuito y abierto al público. Si desea más información, llame al 616-2687. Photos by Jenny Mayer 25 de nov. Nov. 5 – 16 Picasso at the Lapin Agile Tucson Meet Yourself Sit back, relax and enjoy an exciting and hilarious performance of Steve Martin’s play “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” The play is a fantasy story based on when Albert Einstein met Pablo Picasso. The performance will be held at Pima Community College Center For the Arts Black Box Theatre located at 2202 W. Anklam Road. Show times are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information, call 206-6986. Día de Acción de Gracias en el Barrio Oct. 31- Nov. 2 Tolteca Tlacuilo Celebrate El Día de los Muertos at Old Town Artisans, 186 N. Meyer Ave., with a dance performed by the Nahui Ollin Aztec Dancers. Sharing the history and culture of their native people, each dance tells a different story. Free admission. Performances will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. For more information, call 623-5787. Nov. 6 Music for the Soul Come and enjoy a cultural experience at the fourth annual “Music for the Soul” inter-faith concert. Performing groups range from Native American musicians to Buddhist groups in celebration of the diversity of music in Tucson. The concert is at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. Tickets are $20 for general admission and available online at www.icstucson.org. For more information, call 297-2738, extension 209. Nov. 1 Día De Los Muertos Come and enjoy light displays, music and food at this year’s celebration of an ancient Mexican custom, Día de los Muertos. The festivities will take place in the courtyards and galleries at the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., at 5 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring flowers and pictures to add to the community altar. For a full list of events, visit w w w. a l l s o u l s p r o c e s s i o n . o rg . Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call 616-2687. Valencia Branch Library 202 W. Valencia Road Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Nov. 25 For more information, go to www.library.pima.gov. Thanksgiving in the Barrio Join in on the 11th annual Thanksgiving in the Barrio dinner. Enjoy live entertainment, a resource fair and a fun zone for the children. Dinner is free and will be held at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, 101 W. Irvington Rd. The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, call 294-7620. Ongoing Bilingual Story Time For Families Every week bilingual story time for families with children from infancy to preschool is held at the following libraries: Sam Lena South Tucson Branch 1607 S. Sixth Ave. Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Quincie Douglas Branch 1585 E. 36th St. Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. mundo más ecológico. Este festival incluye actividades familiares, música, comida e ideas sobre cómo salvar la tierra. Aprenda cómo puede contribuir a la conservación de energía y la mejora del medio ambiente. En Mission Manor Park, 6100 S. 12th Ave., de las 12:30 a las 5 p.m. El ingreso es gratuito y todos son bienvenidos. Para planear su viaje, llame al 792-9222. 5-16 de nov. Únase a la undécima cena del Día de Acción de Gracias en el Barrio. Disfrute de actuacipnes en vivo, una feria de recursos y una zona infantil de juegos. La cena es gratuita y tendrá lugar en El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, situado en 101 W. Irvington Rd. El evento se celebrará de las 11:30 a.m. hasta las 3:30 p.m. Si desea más información, llame al 294-7620. En curso Todas las semanas Picasso en el Lapin 31 de oct. Cuento bilingüe para la Agile Festival de la víspera familia del día de Todos los Siéntese, relájese y disfrute de una presentación emocionante e hila- La Hora Semanal de lectura de Santos rante de la obra de Steve Martin, cuentos bilingües para familias con Vengan y disfruten de las festividades de la víspera del día de Todos los Santos presentadas por Tucson Parks and Recreation, con desfiles de disfraces, bolsas de dulces, una casa embrujada y regalos para toda la familia. El ingreso es gratuito y se venderá comida. El evento tendrá lugar en 4825 S. 6th Ave., desde las 6:30 hasta las 9:30 p.m. Si desea más información, llame al 791-5909. 27 de oct. ¡Viviendor Verde! la Vida Sea más ecológico, y disfrute con este festival para ayudar a hacer el “Picasso at the Lapin Agile”. La obra es una historia de ficción basada en el encuentro entre Albert Einstein y Pablo Picasso. La actuación tendrá lugar en el Black Box Theatre de Pima Community College Center For the Arts, situado en 2202 W. Anklam Road. Las horas de actuación son de jueves a sábado, a las 7:30 p.m., y los domingos a las 2 p.m. Los boletos cuestan $15. Si desea más información, llame al 206-6986. niños pequeños hasta edad preescolar tiene lugar en las siguientes bibliotecas: 31 oct. – 2 de nov. Tolteca Tlacuilo Quincie Douglas Branch 1585 E. 36th St. Los miércoles a las 11:00 a.m. Celebre el Día de los Muertos en Old Town Artisans, 186 N. Meyer Ave., con un baile presentado por Si desea más información, visita www.library.pima.gov. Sam Lena South Tucson Branch 1607 S. Sixth Ave. Los jueves a las 10:30 a.m. Valencia Branch Library 202 W. Valencia Road Los martes a las 6:30 p.m. Los jueves a las 10:30 a.m. y las 6:30 p.m.