South Tucson's El Independiente, 1979-02-09

              South Tucson's
EI Independiente
S. Sixth Ave. cleanup underway
Unsafe, unsavory
businesses targeted
SCENE OF THE CRACKDOWN - The 1500 block on the west side of South Sixth
Avenue is quieter today after an official crackdown against prostitution and
drunkenness. The action came after two deaths in the area - a murder on the
grounds of the nearby Ochoa Elementary School and the gas asphyxiation of a
guest at the Close - Inn Motel. Photo by Steve Gress
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News/Page 3
In the past, they say, their voices of
protest have been ignored, but after two
angry meetings residents of South Tucson
are getting the crackdown they have been
asking for.
Parents of the children attending Ochoa
Elementary School were at the center of
meetings held Jan. 30 and Feb. 6 to
protest widespread prostitution,
drunkenness and violence that endangers
youngsters of the area. The first meeting
was spurred after the body of Beulah
Barbara Ignacio was found on the Ichoa
playground. She had been tortured and
murdered, South Tucson police said.
As a result of the meetings teams of
inspectors and investigators are moving
down South Sixth Avenue in perhaps the
toughest crackdown the area has seen.
The parents say this time they will not let
up. Another parents meeting has been
called for Feb. 13 at Ochoa to review the
results of the crackdown and discuss plans
Results promised angry Ochoa parents
for future action.
In addition, Fernando Fajardo, an
attorney for Southern Arizona Legal Aid,
has been assigned to assist the Ochoa
Parents Board, a citizen's group. Estella
Caballero, board president, said, "We're
going to explore legal steps we can take.
Our parents are very active now."
At the Jan. 30 meeting, a day after the
murder victim was discovered, some 250
South Tucson residents met at Ochoa with
civic and police officials and represen-tatives
from Tucson Unified School
District One. The tone of the meeting was
hostile.
"Money is the issue that keeps that
street alive...people who own those
ratholes are loaded," declared Maria
Valenzuela, 320 E. 29th St., mother of a
nine.year.old Ochos student.
During the meeting public officials
expressed their solidarity with the
parents and outlined actions to be taken,
BY JOANN SHEPERD
Staff Writer
An intesive cleanup of motels, bars and
other businesses along a notorious strip of
South Sixth Avenue is underway
following the brutal murder of a woman
and another death caused by a faulty
heater in a motel room.
The two deaths occurred within a block
of the classrooms in Ochoa Elementary
School at 101 W. 25th St. The nude and
mutilated body of Beulah Barbara Ignacio,
45, was found by two Ochoa teachers on
the school's playground the morning of
Jan. 29. Richard Camacho, 24, died in his
room at the Close-Inn Motel, 1521 5. Sixth
Ave., of acute carbon monoxide in-toxication.
Fire department investigators
said Camacho, whose body was found Jan.
26, was the victim of a faulty gas heater.
Camacho had been living at the Close-Inn
for a week.
The murder of Ignacio spurred South
Tucson residents to an angry attack
against officials responsible for policing
the South Sixth Avenue strip that has
been known as a hangout for prostitutes
drunks and drug pushers.
Police, who believe Ignacio moved into
South Tucson about six months, ago, are
continuing the investigation of the
slaying. There have been no arrests up to
Feb. 8.
Teams of inspectors from the South
Tucson Fire Department, Pima County
Health Department sod Tucson Gas &
Electric Company moved into the area
because of the complaints of South Tucson
residents. The inspectors found more than
182 violations of health codes, including
leaky gas lines, and ordered the closing of
gas supply to the Close-Inn Motel where
Camacho had died, Danny's Hideaway
including a meeting with the Arizona
Liquor Department. But the audience
was more receptive to Rev. John Fife of
Southsïde Presbyterian Church, 305 W.
23rd St., who said,"The residents of
South Tucson will be the ones to miste
change. The liquor board has been in the
pocket of the liquor industry for years.
We need an aroused citizenry fo get
something done."
Valenzuela set the tone for the meeting
when she asked, "Why does it take a
killing to get people here? For so many
years we've tried to get people to say,
'Look, we don't have money, but we
count.'
And Richard Kaffenberger, South
Tucson's city manager, admitted, "There
has not been that kind of acceptance of the
will of the people here." He was referring
to the protest over the number of liquor
licenses in the area.
Haul Grijalva, who heads the District
S. Tucson
wall art
at center
La Familia/Pgs. 4-5
Joe's Shoeshine Parlor and the Cananea
Pool Hall. All are located on the west side
of the 155th block of South Sixth Ave.
The owner of the Close-Inn Motel,
Chester Glass, told reporters that he will
raze both the main section and annex of
his motel and sell-out.
Investigators alan discovered drug
papraphernalia at some of the locations
along the string.
Bill Aibright, South Tucson patrolman,
said he found syringes, heroin, marijuana,
pilla and weapns, some hidden, but some
is plain sight.
Charles R. Kalak, South Tucson's in-terim
police chief, said that the inspectors
will probably "go right down the road,"
inspecting other businesses for violations.
Kalak said that the police department as
well as a full-time agent from the
Department of Public Safety, is at work
running down leads on the murder of
Ignacio. But Kalak said that since the
official crackdown that there has been an
exodus from the area and there are only
"a few stragglers, a few prostitutes left."
Kalak said South Tucson police have
devised a long-range plan to deal with
prostitution in the area, but he refused to
elaborate, saying, "If I talk about it, than
the plans wouldn't be effective."
South Tucson police are working in
cooperation with the task force of in-spectors.
"We'll see what the task force
can come up with, and well back them up
if needed," Kalak said.
South Tucson Building and Fire In-spector
Paul F. Hernanden said some
"real bad gas leaks" were found at the
Close-Inn. Richard Kaffenberger, South
Tucson city manager, said inspectors
found numerous health violations in the
(Continued on page 6]
One School Board, said, "We are in the
business of children, of protecting
children and parents. If the problem is
going to be resolved, it will be because so
many people are here. Until we have a
sane, healthy learning environment in this
school, meetings like this have to go on."
There were about 100 people at last
Tuesday's meeting with members of the
state liquor board in attendance. Many
Shuth Tucson residents expressed their
feeling that most of the problems of the
area are related directly to the number of
liquor licenses in the area. In countering
the complaints that his board is
unresponsive to South Tucson's particular
situation, Lloyd Robertson, the state
liquor control superintendent, said thst
the board, with three members, does not
have a broad enough base to represent the
entire state. He said, "Give me something
(Continued on page 6]
Vol III, Number 6 Published by he journalism department of the Úniversity of Arizona February 9, 1979