Non-profit group helps veterans in job hunt

by Eugene Scott - Sept. 18, 2012 02:31 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Unemployment numbers for veterans appear to be declining, but leaders in Phoenix's veterans community say the challenges unemployed vets face persist.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently gave the Phoenix-based non-profit group Arizona Women's Education and Employment a $255,000 grant to help homeless veterans find work. The grant also will benefit veterans who have criminal histories.

"Our interest is to help them face whatever those challenges are and learn how to present themselves well to employers as qualified individuals that will fulfill that work ethic employers look for," said Marie Sullivan, AWEE president and CEO.

The grant will allow the group, which was founded in 1981, to provide on-the-job training and job search and placement assistance. The Labor Department awarded more than $20 million nationwide to groups that help veterans find work.

Brad Bridwell, co-chairman of the Phoenix Military Veterans Commission, said all veterans have employable skills, but they may struggle to translate what they did in the military to employable skills in the civilian marketplace. Explaining long employment gaps between jobs and finding employers sensitive to the personal challenges that some vets experience are not easy, he said.

In 2011, the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services estimated there were 1,000 to 1,500 homeless veterans in Maricopa County on any given night.

Many don't have steady jobs.

The national unemployment rate for veterans was 6.6 percent as of August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national unemployment rate for all people is 8.3 percent nationally. Unemployment in Arizona also is at 8.3 percent.

Bridwell said that five years ago he could find work for a veteran within a month. It now takes about half a year.

"Those who are the least competitive in an open market are the ones who are most damaged by this economic downturn," he said. "They cannot compete with the other applicants with more stable work history and perhaps higher skill sets."

Gender differences

The grant will go to support 100 homeless or formerly incarcerated veterans seeking work.

Despite the non-profit's name, Arizona Women's Education and Employment work with veterans hasn't been limited to women.

"The majority of the vets who are homeless and incarcerated are men," she said. At least a fifth of those the grant will help will be women, Sullivan said.

AWEE officials haven't been able to serve male veterans as much as they would like.

"One of the obstacles of us serving male veterans is that they just assume we're not going to be able to help them because we have 'women' in our name," Sullivan said.

And women don't always find the group because they don't know it helps veterans.

"Part of our goal is to reach out and say we're here for you (although) we don't have 'veterans' in our name," Sullivan said.

Despite the relatively small numbers of veteran women, when compared with men, AWEE leaders said the challenges women veterans face sometimes require more attention.

"When we look at the statistics, women have higher rates of poverty," she said. "They struggle more, as veterans, with sexual-assault issues or just harassment at large, so we pay extra attention to that."

Building relationships

Finding work may not always be easy, but it is often less difficult than many veterans realize, Sullivan said.

"Veterans do not leverage the amount of resources that are available to them," she said. "Those who are homeless or incarcerated are extra cautious about who they are going to talk to."

The group will emphasize mentoring for veterans, and the funds will go to train mentors on the specific challenges homeless vets face.

"Through our other programs, we've strengthened our mentoring program, and we've seen better results overall," Sullivan said.

Mentors must know how to respond to the challenges that can come with working with people with post-traumatic stress disorder and related disorders, Sullivan said.

"One day an individual could be very eager and the next day, very intimidated and not follow through appropriately," she said. "We want to ensure that our mentors receive appropriate and proper training for issues such as that."

Hard work

Craig Leighton, 56, works in the fitness center at Phoenix College and got connected with AWEE with the help of Central Arizona Shelter Services.

Leighton enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1974 and served in multiple countries as a photographer. After his military stint, he eventually found himself homeless and incarcerated.

"I went there and knew if I was to stay out of prison I needed help and fast. So I went to the Sunnyslope office of AWEE, and the rest is a lot of hard work on my part as well as theirs," the Phoenix resident said.

Leighton said he likely could not have landed his job without the assistance of AWEE. They provided access to computers and other tools, transportation for job interviews and even clothing.

"And the big thing is counseling and support," he said. "Keep in mind they stress that I had to take the steps and do the work. Nothing is done for you."

Leighton is studying digital media in college and hopes to use his skills to help others in his situation in the future.

"Coming out of prison, you have a choice: Go back to your old behavior or start over on the right path," he said. "AWEE is what saved my life."

19 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/14/20120914phoenix-non-profit-group-helps-veterans-job-hunt.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

08.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Phoenix still in League of Arizona Cities and Towns

by Dustin Gardiner - Sept. 19, 2012 09:47 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Phoenix council members voted Wednesday night to renew membership in the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, but several said the influential association needs to be more transparent and improve relations with its largest member city.

The vote came three weeks after the council blocked payment of dues to the league, a move that shocked Valley municipal leaders. Phoenix Councilman Tom Simplot said the city's misgivings should be a "wake-up call" for the association.

"As the largest city in the state of Arizona, we need special consideration," Simplot said as he motioned to approve membership. "There needs to be better transparency."

Phoenix's spat with the league boiled down to a few primary concerns for council members: the $142,250 cost of membership and accusations that the league has not been transparent and has pushed an inappropriate agenda.

The league, a lobbying and education group, represents 91 cities and towns throughout the state. Proponents of the vote to renew membership have said that if Phoenix withdraws from the league, it would send the wrong message about regional cooperation.

Council members were once again split 5-4 over the issue, this time a majority voting to reaffirm membership. The minority appeared to support a motion by Councilman Sal DiCiccio to table the vote until the league would agree to abide by the Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law.

Ken Strobeck, executive director of the league, told the council that the organization is already required to adhere to state law in both areas. He said the league does not take any positions without direction from the mayors serving on its executive committee, which includes Phoenix's Greg Stanton.

Stanton, who voted to renew membership, said the league helps cities speak with a united voice to rural state lawmakers, who have an outsize influence and might pass bills that hurt Phoenix financially.

"I think the city made the right decision tonight," Stanton said after the meeting. "The league of cities is ... not a nameless, faceless bureaucracy."

DiCiccio and Councilman Jim Waring reiterated concerns Wednesday that the league has taken on an inappropriate role at the Legislature. They accused the league of hiding results of a poll in the spring that indicated Maricopa County residents largely supported a bill to move city elections to even years.

Strobeck said the poll wasn't intended to be released but was made available after DiCiccio requested it. The league and many cities have opposed consolidated elections, calling it an attack on local control.

20 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/18/20120918phoenix-still-league-arizona-cities-towns.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

07.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Parker, Sinema press economic prescriptions for District 9

by Rebekah L. Sanders - Sept. 19, 2012 09:55 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Standing in front of heavy equipment at a small business in industrial Phoenix, Republican congressional candidate Vernon Parker promised to push for changes in Washington to help companies hire workers if voters in District 9 elect him.

Parker was visiting Arizona Hi-Lift as part of a "Road to Prosperity" tour he is taking of businesses to talk about creating jobs. Though two of Parker's visits were in the swing district, his west Phoenix stop on Tuesday landed him in Democrat U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor's district. Parker's campaign says policies in Congress affect all businesses, no matter the district.

Parker and his District 9 Democratic opponent, Kyrsten Sinema, are courting voters concerned about the economy in pursuit of the newly created toss-up seat, which covers north-central Phoenix, part of Paradise Valley, south Scottsdale, Tempe, west Mesa, west Chandler and Ahwatukee Foothills.

Sinema also touts ideas for spurring job growth. She released a detailed, 12-point plan during her primary bid, which she won Aug. 28.

While Parker and Sinema agree that families and small businesses need help, they offer differing opinions on what the government should do, reflecting the partisan debate taking place in the presidential election, as Arizona's 8.3 percent unemployment rate hovers near the national rate of 8.1 percent.

Parker, following the GOP platform, advocates lower taxes, fewer federal regulations and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Sinema, taking cues from Democratic talking points, calls for raising taxes on the wealthy, offering tax breaks for technology research and investing in infrastructure.

Business groups echo Parker's call for cutting red tape.

Farrell Quinlan, Arizona director for the National Federation for Independent Business and a former Republican lobbyist, said that some regulations are important but that others merely make doing business harder. He said that although states and cities also make regulations, it's the federal rules that have ballooned.

"We could regulate ourselves right out of any recovery from this recession," Quinlan said.

But critics say regulations are essential to protecting health, worker safety and the environment. Washington Post fact-checkers note that the Obama's administration has issued fewer regulations in the first three years than the same period under President George W. Bush. However, the number of "economically significant" rules increased under President Barack Obama.

Parker, flanked by Arizona Hi-Lift owner Doug Click and Republican state Treasurer Doug Ducey, blamed the sluggish recovery on "uncertainty" caused by regulations.

"There are certain things that get under my skin," Parker said. "When you have a regulatory system that is uncertain, coupled with the highest corporate income tax in the world, jobs are fleeing America and they are going overseas. When I get to Congress, I am going to work with both parties to ensure that we bring jobs back to America and that we preserve small businesses such as this."

Parker added that the federal deficit and Obama's health-care reforms stifle job growth.

The economy has improved since Obama took office. Since the worst of the crash, about 4.6 million jobs have been created and the pace of private-sector job creation is now greater than the pace in either of Bush's terms, according to the New York Times.

Republicans say that the recovery has not been fast enough and that their approach will lead to greater job growth. Democrats say that the country is on track but that it is taking time to come back after such a steep recession.

Though Parker plans to add detail to his proposals after the job tour, his basic plan is to reduce the corporate income tax, implement a small-business tax deduction and reduce the lowest tax rates for individuals. He wants to replace the health-care law with "private-sector initiatives" such as risk pools and buying insurance across state lines.

Parker wants Congress to vote on all federal regulations and to implement a moratorium on federal agencies creating new regulations during the transition between presidential administrations.

Sinema's plan addresses taxes and regulations but in different ways.

She believes the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire for Americans making more than $250,000 a year. She calls for eliminating tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas, increasing federal loans to small businesses, offering tax incentives for companies to invest in research and spending more on infrastructure.

On regulations, Sinema advocates a streamlined federal website so businesses can apply for permits in one place.

Quinlan said that doesn't solve the problem of burdensome regulations. "A better-fitting and streamlined straitjacket is still a straitjacket," he said.

Sinema argues that she is pushing for "common sense" solutions to help struggling families and small businesses rather than benefiting corporations.

Sinema spokesman Justin Unga said Sinema's plan would "create good-paying, high-tech jobs here in Arizona" while keeping "taxes low for 98 percent of Americans."

20 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/17/20120917parker-sinema-press-economic-prescriptions-district-9.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

07.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Q&A with Phoenix Police Chief Garcia: Officers prepared to enforce SB 1070

by JJ Hensley - Sept. 19, 2012 09:41 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Phoenix Police Chief Daniel V. Garcia's message has been the same since he took the department's top job in May: The city's officers will treat residents with dignity and respect while engaging in "policing with a purpose."

The enforcement of a controversial provision of Senate Bill 1070 will not change that, Garcia said, noting that officers will still need reasonable suspicion to contact someone -- and even more reasonable suspicion to contact federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents regarding the status of someone they have detained.

That suspicion cannot be built on language or ethnicity alone, Garcia said. But those may be among a number of factors outlined in training offered to police throughout the state or in Garcia's department.

Question: What changes will enforcement of this provision of SB 1070 bring?

Answer: The Phoenix Police Department has been preparing for this since July 2010. We've prepared for this for a long, long time. I don't think you're going to see mass arrests or anything like that in the city of Phoenix. The fact is we're still going to treat people with dignity and respect.

Q: What is out there that would prevent an officer from overstepping the line?

A: Reasonable suspicion is the key on both categories (contacting suspects and contacting ICE). I break it up into two categories because the first thing you have to have is reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred -- a "Part One" offense. In other words, burglary, robbery, theft, something in that category, or a violation of traffic code. You have to have that before you get to reasonable suspicion whether someone is here illegally or not, and I think people tend to forget that. They kind of brush it off, as if we're going to go straight to asking people about whether they're here (legally) or not, and that's not true.

Q: How could one of those traffic stops unfold?

A: You have to have reasonable suspicion in relation that a crime has occurred -- state law, county law, city law, federal law for that matter. We make a traffic stop, the individual does not have presumptive ID, a good driver's license, anything that signifies that he's documented and in our country (legally). At that point, if we have reasonable suspicion now -- based on other categories as well as facts and circumstances that lead us to believe that this individual is not here legally -- then, at that point we can address the other aspect of reasonable suspicion that they're here undocumented. At that point, we have an obligation to contact ICE and determine whether they're documented or not. Let me be clear about this: There's a big question as to how long we can detain somebody. To me, it's no longer than you would on a traffic stop on any other case. We'll make an attempt to contact ICE, and if we're successful, they'll give us the information we need. If not, we'll let the individual go. If we don't get an answer from ICE, we have no obligation but to let them go, or, in fact, if we contact ICE and they're not here illegally, then of course we're going to let them go. We are going to enforce the law, but we're going to do it with dignity and respect, and we're going to do it within the parameters of the law.

Q: What assurances can you offer to people out there who are afraid?

A: If you don't have a drivers license, don't drive. We're going to treat everybody with dignity and respect. We're going to follow our policing principles in relation to ensuring that we're policing with a purpose: Reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred, reasonable suspicion that will lead us to someone (who) is here illegally.

Q: What about officers who want ID from passengers during traffic stops?

A: The only person who has to have a driver's license in a vehicle is the driver. That doesn't prevent an officer from having a conversation with other people in the car. That does not prohibit us from doing that. But again, those other individuals do not have to have any kind of identification on them whatsoever. As far as I'm concerned, he can't at that point -- he has no reasonable suspicion.

Q: What instruction or policy if any is there on officers asking passengers for identification and using that to develop reasonable suspicion that they are in the country illegally?

A: An officer has a responsibility first and foremost with a driver of the vehicle. They either have a license or they don't. Based on reasonable suspicion of a crime, you're going to make your stop.

The second thing is, you're going to have to have reasonable suspicion that this person is here illegally. That's all pertaining to the driver. There's nothing that prohibits a police officer from having a conversation with the other occupants of the car, and I'm just talking a general conversation. I'm not talking about an investigative process. Now, as far as pushing that and taking it to another level in relations to a process of investigating someone being here undocumented, no, I don't support that.

Q: The law seems to allow for an officer who feels strongly about this law and is zealous about enforcement to ask everyone for ID and develop reasonable suspicion from there.

A: If an officer makes a determination that the driver is here and is undocumented, that opens the door for the other people in the vehicle, as well. There is a process where we have a lot of people transporting illegal aliens. That would open that. If the driver is here legally, then I don't think you have a position to ask anyone anything else.

Q: You mentioned traffic enforcement. We've seen other agencies target areas where day laborers gather as a traffic-enforcement issue. Do you anticipate that?

A: In relation to that type of activity, I believe very strongly that, right now, anytime you make that kind of a traffic stop, you're not going to be dealing most of the time with someone who is undocumented. You're going to be dealing with someone who is trying to get day labor. The driver of that vehicle is probably going to have identification.

Q: What is the reaction from ICE these days?

A: Sometimes, we get a response, and sometimes, we're not able to make contact with them. I can't be held responsible for ICE's actions or inaction.

Q: What instructions have you given officers on situations where there's no state law violation and ICE won't respond?

A: If ICE refuses to respond, then they're free to let go whoever they stop.

Q: On stop length ... do you expect to have a way to gauge that? Are you looking at a way to see if there are officers who are excessively stopping people?

A: All our traffic stops have a start time and end time. It's the officer coming on the air designating a traffic stop, and we'll review those stops, as well.

Q: Do you anticipate doing more of those reviews?

A: We're always looking at it as part of our management and supervision of our officers.

20 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/19/20120919phoenix-police-chief-garcia-prepared-enforce-sb-1070.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

07.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Incomes, poverty rise in Phoenix

by Ronald J. Hansen - Sept. 19, 2012 11:25 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Household incomes in Phoenix rose last year, but poverty also increased as housing values, health-insurance coverage and preschool enrollment tumbled in the city at the same time, newly available Census Bureau data show.

Taken as a whole, the key indicators suggest the city continued to struggle to escape the grip of the economic downturn. Figures for Arizona also show a state that often lags the nation.

Median household income in Phoenix reached $43,960 in 2011. That was $6,500 below the national average and in the middle of the 25 most-populous cities in the country by that measure, according to the Census Bureau's latest American Community Survey.

In Arizona, median household incomes fell 2.9 percent, adjusted for inflation, to $46,709. That's a steeper decline than the 1.3 percent drop in income nationally. For the U.S., median income fell to $50,502.

Median Phoenix incomes grew $1,700 from the 2010 estimate without adjusting for inflation.

While median income appears to have climbed, insurance coverage fell.

An estimated 22.7 percent of Phoenix residents lacked health coverage in 2011. By comparison, 15.1 percent were uninsured nationally.

In 2010, 22.1 percent of Phoenix residents were uninsured. As the city's overall population estimate grew by about 24,000 in 2011, its uninsured population grew by 13,000.

Arizona was one of five states where insurance coverage grew last year because of public programs rather than private insurance. This was driven partly by an increase in coverage for adults between 19 and 26 years old, the Census Bureau reported.

Median home values in Phoenix came in at $137,500 for 2011. Nationally, homes were worth $173,600. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated Phoenix homes were worth $158,600.

The estimated number of vacant housing units in the city fell from nearly 90,000 in 2010 to fewer than 86,000 last year.

The percentage of Phoenix families living in poverty grew from 17.5 percent in 2010 to 18.4 percent last year. Statewide, poverty jumped from 17.4 percent of Arizonans to 19 percent last year. Nationally, 15.9 percent lived below the poverty line in 2011, an increase of 0.6 percentage point from 2010.

In education, 27 percent of preschool-age children were enrolled in school compared with 47 percent for the nation. A year earlier, 32 percent of Phoenix children were enrolled in preschool.

20 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/19/20120919phoenix-incomes-poverty-rise-last-year.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

06.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Details released in Phoenix officer's sex-abuse case

by Cecilia Chan - Sept. 18, 2012 08:21 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

A 14-year-old boy told authorities he felt pressured to perform sex with a former Phoenix officer accused of molesting him and another boy, a police report released this week show.

The heavily redacted 97-page police investigation detailed the sexual encounters between Christopher J. Wilson and the two boys, age 14 and 17. The Arizona Republic does not identify sexual-assault victims.

Wilson, 43, resigned from the Phoenix Police Department shortly after his Aug. 7 arrest. He was a detective assigned as a liaison to the Valley's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The mother of the 14-year-old learned of the assault after going through her son's text messages on Aug. 4 and contacted the Avondale Police Department later that Saturday.

The 14-year-old's mother took him to a care facility whose name was redacted in the police report. A patient-care manager there contacted Phoenix police on Aug. 7 about a boy who had reported a sexual assault by a police detective in July and "didn't know how to deal with it."

The same day, Avondale police contacted Phoenix police.

The 14-year-old met Wilson through his friendship with the 17-year-old, authorities say.

The 17-year-old knew Wilson though work and what started off as a professional relationship turned physical several months later, the report said.

The 17-year-old and Wilson had two sexual encounters, the last one involving the 14-year-old in the older boy's apartment, police said.

Wilson had given money and purchased items for the 17-year-old, including suits for work, the report said.

After the July assault, which occurred after the three went out to eat, Wilson told the two boys not to tell anyone or he "could lose his job," police said.

The 17-year-old told police he was uncomfortable with the relationship with Wilson. However, he was reluctant to go to the police when he was contacted by the 14-year-old's mother, the report said.

The older youth was concerned that ensuing publicity would harm his future career, the report said. He later did go to the police and has indicated his willingness to testify against Wilson.

During the police interrogation, Wilson said what happened was not planned and "wasn't forced."

When asked if he thought he committed a crime, Wilson responded, "I know what I've done. I know I made a bad decision," the report said.

He was then asked if he wanted to write a letter of apology, to which Wilson replied, "No, no, I'm a good man."

Wilson also told police that there were no other underage victims.

Wilson is being held without bail on 10 counts of sexual conduct with a minor. An initial pretrial conference was set for Oct. 8.

19 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/18/20120918phoenix-officer-sex-abuse-case.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

10.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Activists will turn parking spaces into public spaces

by Dustin Gardiner - Sept. 19, 2012 08:40 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Parks and pedestrian spaces, not parking.

That's the mantra of Phoenix community activists who on Friday morning will literally take over parking spaces in downtown and turn them into temporary parks and hangouts.

In what has become an annual rite, participants put quarters into city parking meters to "reclaim" the spaces for people. AstroTurf, potted plants, lawn chairs, umbrellas and other decor are used to transform each stall into a mini urban oasis.

"Think big," organizer Stacey Champion said in an e-mail. "Think creative. Bring your french press and a hibachi."

The event, dubbed PARK(ing) Day, is part of a one-day, international effort to promote green, public spaces. The intention is to get people to rethink how cities use their streets and public rights-of-way, and spark conversations about environmental sustainability.

Participants will take over Phoenix parking spaces from 7 to 10 a.m. They will gather in two downtown locations that have yet to be announced.

This year's PARK(ing) Day is expected to include live music, art, yoga and karaoke. Information: facebook.com/ParkingDayPHX.

19 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/17/20120917activists-will-turn-parking-spaces-into-public-spaces.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

10.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Quicker city permit process could be model in SE Valley

by Gary Nelson, Dianna Náñez and Amy B Wang - Sept. 19, 2012 09:17 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com

A new Phoenix permitting-process model with efficiencies suggested by Phoenix Councilman Sal DiCiccio could become a model for the Southeast Valley region.

DiCiccio is pushing a new system that in many cases boils the permitting process to a day or less. The program is called self-certification.

Southeast Valley permit figures

After a period of training, the design professionals are entitled to walk into Phoenix City Hall with a set of self-certified plans and walk out all but immediately with their building permits.

The program, DiCiccio said, sprang from the deliberations of a 125-member committee representing such diverse groups as unions, builders, city staffers and the libertarian Goldwater Institute.

DiCiccio organized the panel along with Phoenix Councilman Tom Simplot, even though the two differ on political philosophies.

The aim, DiCiccio said, was "to make the city of Phoenix literally the best in the country when it comes to job creation."

Government, he believes, is too cumbersome in approving construction permits.

So far, he said, 115 professionals are entitled to use the expedited process, and other individuals or companies can go through them if they want quick permit approvals.

Not all projects are eligible, however. Buildings taller than 75 feet, steep-slope projects and potentially hazardous land uses still must have full vetting by city staffers. Otherwise, every commercial and residential project in Phoenix can hit the fast track.

Further, DiCiccio said, the professionals undergo rigid scrutiny their first few times through the process.

"If they fail three times they can't do business in the city of Phoenix under this model for three years," DiCiccio said.

Similarly, a recent call from an irate entrepreneur struggling with Tempe's development department prompted a Tempe councilman to push for a permitting-process review. Councilman Joel Navarro said he wants to know if more can be done to make opening a business in Tempe easier.

Navarro said he is open to a new Phoenix permitting-process model, and efficiencies being suggested by DiCiccio.

"If there's a way to make things better for a business, especially in this economy," he said. "why wouldn't we look at it?"

In Chandler, starting this fall, certain businesses could be eligible for a pilot program that will allow an expedited permitting process, modeling the Phoenix program.

"It's a novel approach, but I think it addresses an old challenge," said Chandler building official Dave Nakagawara.

Navarro said he has heard from business owners frustrated with permitting delays. A recent call from Julian Wright, who is opening his third restaurant downtown, was the last straw.

Wright said he was tired of bickering with the city development-plan checkers and decided it was time to appeal to reasonable council members for help.

Among the problems, Wright said, was the city's concern that the lighting in front of his restaurant was not bright enough. Navarro checked it out for himself.

Not only was the lighting sufficient, Navarro said, but he had to shake his head in disbelief when he noticed that one of the city's newer brighter street lights is posted directly in front of Wright's new business, the Handlebar Tempe.

"That's the hold up? Come on," Navarro said.

Navarro said Tempe must acknowledge that the tough economy calls for more efficiencies, lower permitting fees and a speedier permitting process.

"It's just not business friendly,'' Navarro said. "We've lost businesses that have gone to other cities and they really wanted to be in Tempe."

According to Wright, "The permitting process in the city of Tempe, in my experience is extremely inefficient. However, there ... have been folks at the higher level who have gotten involved ... when I have run into a problem."

Despite his concerns, Wright said he has plenty of positive feedback for administrators in the development department. He singled out deputy community development director Michael Williams, who Wright said has intervened on behalf of his businesses.

"The plan checkers are the ones who cause me to pull my hair out," Wright said. "They interpret (city building and safety) codes to the nth degree without any flexibility."

Chandler hopes to start with a few projects, using those professionals who are already self-certified with Phoenix. The process tends to place a greater responsibility on architects and design professionals to "get their ducks in a row ahead of time," resulting in time saved when the city needs to review plans, Nakagawara said.

"The higher quality of product that comes in for review, the faster you can turn it around," he said.

However, Nakagawara stressed that in most cases, the amount of time spent from start to finish will be about the same for developers and others seeking construction permits. After all, there are few shortcuts to be made when it comes to planning for new construction or for building renovations.

"It might change the balance of where that time is spent, but the overall time that's spent is going to be comparable," Nakagawara said.

In Chandler's pilot program, the expedited permitting process would be for "non-hazardous" projects only, such as existing retail stores that need to be converted for different use.

Mike Perry, principal architect with Whitneybell Perry Inc., has worked on various developments in Chandler for about 30 years, and said the existing process works fairly smoothly.

"My experience has been positive on all aspects, from the rezoning process to the process that you go through the planning commission and then the permitting process," Perry said. "Maybe it's just because I've been here so long and done so many projects here."

Perry is a self-certified architect with Phoenix. He feels self-certification could be a positive addition to Chandler's permitting options but said he has not yet chosen the self-certification process for larger projects in Phoenix.

"I think it's going to work really well on smaller projects: single-family homes, tenant improvements, smaller custom homes," Perry said. "For the larger projects, I'm not totally sure."

20 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/17/20120917ahwatukee-quicker-city-permit-process-could-model.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

09.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

To our readers: Southeast Valley constantly changing

by Paul Maryniak - Sept. 18, 2012 11:06 PM
Southeast Valley Communities editor

The evolution of the Southeast Valley since I moved here from Philadelphia in 1999 has been nothing short of astonishing.

Mesa is popping with the vitality of its arts center and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Gilbert is home to four hospitals, a regional mall and burgeoning high-tech center.

Buoyed by Intel, Chandler exudes a vibe that beckons all generations. And while Ahwatukee Foothills, Queen Creek and Apache Junction don't have the same resources, each has taken steps to help make the area vibrant.

From our Mesa office, we've charted these developments and more in our Community newspapers, The Arizona Republic, and community sites on azcentral.com. We continue to pay unparalleled attention to the area's local governments, school districts, neighborhoods, businesses and people.

Most of us live in the region and cover the good and the bad with the commitment you would expect from a good neighbor, as demonstrated by today's Valley & State story on Tempe's move to edit public comment out of its public- access channel.

We'll continue to demonstrate that dedication.

E-mail: paul.maryniak@arizonarepublic.com.

19 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/10/15/20121015southeast-valley-constantly-changing.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

07.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chandler getting 2nd KatyBug Faye Boutique

Sept. 18, 2012 10:46 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com

A women's boutique, KatyBug Faye Boutique and Trunk Show, will open a second shop, in Casa Paloma, at 56th Street and Ray Road.

Doors open at 10 a.m. on Friday, and the first 50 shoppers will receive a $10 gift card to use that day. Throughout the weekend, the boutique, 7131 W. Ray Road, Suite 39, in Chandler, will offer raffle giveaways and special promotions.

Nearly two years after owner Lisa Looney opened her first shop in south Chandler, KatyBug Faye has built a strong following and gained a reputation for offering fashionable and on-trend styles at a reasonable price.

Among the shop's popular items are designer denim, colorful dresses and accessories.

Looney said she had been wanting to expand for some time, and she wanted her second location to be near Ahwatukee, home to many of her customers.

"As a locally owned boutique, we have the ability to easily customize our offerings to meet the demands of our new customers," Looney said in a news release.

Looney, along with her teenage daughter, launched the business from her home nearly two years ago, planning to sell her limited collection of fashion finds only at private parties. But as party bookings quickly increased from once a quarter to several each week, Looney saw the potential to bring something to the community that was missing: a boutique filled with one-of-a-kind, trendy styles.

Among the brands she features are Miss Me, L.A. Idol and Sugar Lips. She also has an online store.

The new KatyBug Faye boutique will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Information: www.katybugfaye.com.

19 Sep, 2012

-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2012/09/17/20120917chandler-2nd-katybug-faye-boutique-casa-paloma.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com

11.26 | 0 komentar | Read More