El Independiente

              GRATIS/FREE
Program approves millions for
downtown improvements
By JENNICA BLANKE
The Weed and Seed Program approved several mil-lion
dollars to renovate part of downtown South Tucson.
At the April 13 meeting, at Mission View Elementary
school, about 50 parents, teachers, police and residents
showcd their support for the renovation plan.
Corky Poster from Poster Frost Assocïatcs, Inc., pre-sented
an update on the planning and design for the ren-ovations
that will total about $2.7 million.
The money for the pro-ject
will come from a Puna
County Bond Program that is
put into use by a public vote.
The bonds are repaid by
taxes.
The construction will
consist of improvements on
the Los Artes Youth Arts and
Learning Center, the Sam
Lena Library incinding a
new learning and resource
center and a new pedestrian
overpass.
"This will he a big addi-lion
to that part of the neigh-borhood,
it will include more
offices and three new class-rooms
in the Los Artes
Center," Poster said.
Poster Frost Associates
is halfway through the design process. They are doing it
in two different stages so the slndents will still have a
place logo during construction.
They are planning to allow the students to stay In one
area while the other is under constrnction.
Poster said the project will probably start construc-tion
in the fall of this year and from that point will take
about eight or nine months to linish.
That sets the anticipated completion for around this
lime next year. At this point in the design, there are still Iwo
different plans the company is working on for the library.
They are debating between building the learning cen-ter
separate from the existing library struclnre or making
the library twice its current stze.
Poster said the company thinks having the center as one
large building would he heller than two separate buildings.
"The staff would he forced to run two separate cen-ters
and run hack and forth between the two," Poster said.
See DOWNTOWN on 3
"This will be a
big addition to
that part of the
neighborhood,
it will include
more offices
and three new
classrooms in
the Los Artes
Center"
Corky Poster
Ponter Frost
Asnociales
City's
eateries
may soon
be only
area
restaurants
to allow
smoking
Signs of domestic violence Pueblo tennis duo loses in state tournament
SOUTH TUCSON'S ENGLISH/SPANISH NEWSPAPER
el independiente
ce',
1999
South Tucson aims for renovation
By SUSAN CARROLL
After the City of Tucson banned patrons from
lighting np in restaurants, the South Tucson City
Council scents lo be wafling away from plans for an
ordinance.
There are "no immediate plitns" lo pat the
smoking han lin the Sonlh Tucson City Conncil's
agenda, said Mayor Shirley Villegas.
The City of Tucson April 12 banned lighting up
in restaurants starling Oct. I , requiring that eateries
install a separate ventilation system for smoking
sCctiofls.
In response to restaurant owners' concern that
the han will affect business, the council allowed a
trial period that will allow companies that lose rev-enue
a year from the beginning of the han to permit
smoking again.
South Tucson will remain unaffected by the
city's ban or any action taken by the Pima County
Board of Supervisors because il is an incorporated
i/Jars urjrsxtci gins/ic
Construction has already started ana $2.5 million project to improve the sheets of South Tucson. The area currently under construc-tion
is bordered by 40th Street on the north, 29th Street on the south, Sixth Avenue on the west, and Second Avenue on the east.
Construction underway to improve streets
By HOLLY SHINN
'l'he residential streel,s of South
Tucson are receiving a $2.5 million
facelift.
Construction is underway on
road improvements that will
improve the appearance of the city
and make streets niore pleasant to
use. Southern Arizona Paving and
Construction has around 40 people a
day working on the project.
"They are replacing dilapidated
curbs and sidewalks plus milling the
streets," said Public Works Director
Richard Salaz. He explained that
milling involves removing the top 2
inches of asphalt and putting down a
new layer.
The sidewalk ramps currently in
place present a safely concern.
Rozzo Bene, the project super-intendent
for Southern Arizona
Paving, said that most of the ramps
don't comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
"They are too steep and not
wide enough," he said. "Now, they'll
be safer."
city, said Pinia County administrator Chuck
Huckelberry.
Supervisors arc preparing a similar han to pre-sent
to the Pirna County Board of Health, which
mast itiake a ruling on the effects of second-hand
smoking before an ordinance would lake effect.
With abont 20 reslanrants in South Tucson, the
l-square-mile city would likely he liard his because
of its "heavy concentration" of eateries, said Ri/h
l,amaster, executive Director of the Arizona
Restaurant Association,
South Tncson City Council Member Paul Diaz
said he had no plan to bring the option of a ban
before the council, hut would likely vote in favor of
someone else's motion,
"I'm not sure if anyhimdy is going to start a
motion on that," he said,
Diaz, a non-smoker, said he supports a volun-tary
movement by restaurants to go smoke free. Mi
Nidilo Cafe, 1813 S,4th Ave., banned smoking vol-
Salaz said South Tucson has a
small percentage of disabled resi-dents,
hut that accessible ramps
would help the elderly as well.
The concrete work will be com-pleted
first, and then lIte paving can
begin. By choosing a PAG 2 mix
asphalt instead of rubberized
asphalt, the city saved $25l),000.
"That money is allowing us to
chip seal the alleyways. Chip sealing
reduces dust pollution and cuts
See CONSTRUCTION on 3
S. Tucson City Council has no plans to ban smoking
unmanly Jan. I, 1999, said owner Erucst, Lopez.
"We like it. We love it," Lopez said. "I see a
day coaiing when if a restaurant is ni/n-smoking,
it's not gi,ing lo stay in business."
Li/pez said belore the restaurant went smoke
free, the staff took special efforts to inform cus-miners
of the change in policy about six months
before it took effect.
"1 myself have nothing against steckers," he
said. "Butin my place imf business, I wouldn't allow
it anynmorc."
Gilbert Mariscal, part_owner of Micha's
Restaurant, 2908 S. 4th Ave., said his establish-mnent
caters mostly to smokers on weekdays and
has smoking section separate from the nain
restaurant.
"The majority mf peuple who li'equenl the
restaurant are non-smokers," Mariscal said. "A ban
most likely wumuld not alfect us because we're
always packed."