Act Now: Say No to Culture Wars, PEVL Purge & Anti Sex-Ed Bills

As the session drags on, things are getting weirder at our state legislature. A few examples: 1) On the same day, in what felt like the biggest "I'm not a racist" flex ever, Michelle Udall (R-25) sponsored a surprise amendment to fine teachers $5,000 for discussing "controversial" issues like racism in the classroom, and also bucked her party's leadership to advance in-state tuition for "Dreamers" (undocumented youth). 2) When the PEVL purge bill failed the Senate last month, Kelly Townsend (R-16) said she voted against it because she wouldn't support any voting rights attacks until the Senate's so-called "audit" concluded. [...]

By Melinda Iyer|2021-05-09T18:31:50-07:00May 9th, 2021|Arizona, Children & Families, Elections, Local Activism, Uncategorized|

Donate Your Excess Fruit to Fight Hunger

Do you want to be a part of the movement to stop food waste? We can start in our own backyards! Help Iskashitaa Refugee Network harvest fresh, local produce for redistribution right back to our own community including the Interfaith Community Services (ICS) food bank, shelters, schools, and refugee families. We are looking for individuals that can help us coordinate harvests within their neighborhoods where citrus may be going to waste. Talk to your neighbors and advertise through listservs, NextDoor App, What’s App groups, bulletins, or hand out flyers and arrange for Iskashitaa to come harvest multiple properties for a [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-03-30T18:56:52-07:00March 30th, 2021|Local Activism|

Use Request to Speak to Stop Dangerous Bills in the State Legislature

By Deb Bonjouklian. This is your Request to Speak (RTS) “Cheat Sheet” for the week of February 1st, 2021. Melinda Iyer, Editor of AZ Legislature Weekly Update Bills that are in committees of the state Legislature can be commented on via Request To Speak. The time period to make your RTS is from the moment a bill is assigned to an Agenda plus five days before it actually is heard in Committee. February 1st is the deadline for new bills to be introduced in the Senate. Next Monday, February 8th is the deadline for bills introduced in the [...]

By Deb Bonjouklian|2021-02-03T10:31:47-07:00February 2nd, 2021|Endorsements, Local Activism|

Democrats, Hoist Your Flag on Inauguration Day

Larry Bodine, a loyal Democrat who proudly flies the American Flag. It's time for Democrats to reclaim the American Flag as our symbol of democracy. We all saw the dangerous mob that disrupted the US Senate from accepting the Electoral College vote. Armed goons took over the US Capitol by force -- waving the American Flag as they tried to destroy democracy. Those right-wing anarchists have no right to use our flag. On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2021, Democrats should proudly hoist their flags and demonstrate what it means to be a real American. We vote, we meet, and [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-01-18T16:34:49-07:00January 18th, 2021|Local Activism|

Stop Talking About Homelessness and Start Doing Something About It

Driving through the streets of Tucson, it's impossible to miss the people experiencing homelessness here in Tucson. Whether panhandling on a traffic island at a dangerous intersection, sleeping on a piece of cardboard behind a bus stop, pushing an old shopping cart across a parking lot, or any number of miserable-looking activities, our homeless brothers and sisters are down on their luck. In 2019, there were 1,372 people who identified as homeless. However, the number has likely grown (and was probably higher in 2019 too, because that particular demographic is hard to pin down) due to the COVID-19 pandemic [...]

By Ellen Parrish|2020-12-21T18:56:20-07:00December 21st, 2020|Local Activism, Tucson|

Bonnie Heidler Heads New Leadership Team for Pima Dems

Bonnie Heidler Hundreds of Pima County Democratic Party (PDCP) committee persons decisively elected Bonnie Heidler as the new county party Chair. She is the former chair of LD10 Democrats, a successful fundraiser and organization builder. The vote affirmed the groundbreaking work of outgoing PCDP chair Alison Jones, who nominated Heidler. With Jones’ leadership, Democrats won a resounding victory in Pima County in 2020, winning 5 of 6 countywide offices and 4 of 5 county supervisor positions. Heidler said, “I have a team to lead PCDP into the future. It is young, experienced, and skilled. I am honored to [...]

By Larry Bodine|2020-12-19T17:08:19-07:00December 19th, 2020|Elections, Local Activism, Local Candidates and Electeds|

Save the Heart of Reid Park

Many people in Tucson didn’t know that the Reid Park Zoo plans to expand its tiger habitat west of the zoo and destroy Reid Park’s lovely south pond (with ducks and turtles) and Barnum Hill with its waterfalls and streams. This expansion is slated to occur in February 2021 and AZ Daily Star columnist Timothy Steller recently wrote about it on Dec. 13, pages B 1 and B5 entitled “Zoo expansion at Reid Park colonizes irreplaceable hill, pond” and online here: This south pond and the adjoining hill have been open to the public for decades, enjoyed by countless families, [...]

By Carolyn Classen|2020-12-13T15:42:07-07:00December 13th, 2020|Local Activism|

Get Your ByeDon Hats and T-Shirts and Support DGT

Double R Promotions of Tucson is selling ByeDon hats and T-shirts. With every sale, the company will donate $5 to DGT. The sale is organized by Ron Reyna, a member of the Tucson Commission Small Minority and Women-Owned Business. Hats or T-shirts are $20 each. Shirt sizes are small through XXL. Order by sending an email to DGT Board Member Susie Anderson at susiesono@aol.com. Specify: Whether you want a hat or T-shirt (or both) State your T-shirt size Include your land address, phone, and email You will be billed by Double R Promotions.

By Larry Bodine|2020-10-09T15:54:47-07:00October 9th, 2020|Local Activism|

SEE: Chad Campbell on Vote “YES” on Prop. 207 to Legalize Marijuana

Chad Campbell is the Chair of Smart and Safe Arizona, which is leading the campaign in support of Proposition 207. At the DGT meeting on Sept. 28, 2020, he spoke in favor of this ballot initiative to legalize the possession and use of marijuana for persons who are at least 21 years old, enact a tax on marijuana sales, and require the state Department of Health and Human Services to develop rules to regulate marijuana businesses.What the Smart & Safe Act DoesIn a smart, safe, and responsible way, the initiative legalizes the sale, possession, and consumption of one ounce of [...]

By Larry Bodine|2020-09-30T16:55:15-07:00September 30th, 2020|Arizona, Economics, Local Activism|

Thinking About Volunteering? Democrat Nathan Bacall says, “DO IT”

"Do it!" says Nathan Bacall to Democrats thinking about campaigning actively. Nathan is a precinct committeeman, First VP of LD9 Democrats, and member of the LD9 Communications Team. "What do you think about phone banking? Or non-contact literature drops? This is a big thing I see happening now. I've always found that the LDs are very welcoming. Starting out as a volunteer will lead to more opportunities, just like it did for me." Today, Nathan is the re-election campaign manager for Dustin Williams, the Superintendent of Pima County Schools. In fact, it was at an LD 9meeting that [...]

By Larry Bodine|2020-09-29T17:37:00-07:00September 29th, 2020|Arizona, Local Activism|