The state of Arizona disciplines Miss Anna’s Complete Child Care on Grant Road in Tucson. A young girl was seriously injured there last month. This child-care center has had several violations in the past, has had to pay a fine and is now operating under a six month provisional license status. There are only a few centers in the state that are on provisional status and the concern is that Miss Anna’s center will not be able to meet even minimum standards.

Many residents in Tucson have concerns about the new rules and landfill fees on uncovered loads. This new policy requires that all loads be covered with a tarp that is secured at all four corners with exceptions for large appliances and tires. Many are questioning the sealed heavy duty garbage bags and think that they should be sufficient without the need for the additional tarp. The residents are concerned that this new policy will encourage people to just leave the garbage on the sides of the road rather than be subject to a fee for not having a quality tarp covering them. This new rule was to keep garbage from blowing out of the trucks and onto the roadway causing debris and hazards to other travelers but some think that this fee of $10 seems a bit stiff for those bringing in just a few bags of garbage without a tarp.

A Federal Grant of $2.5 million has been awarded to the University of Arizona to study the Brazilian Rain Forest. The grant includes the endowment for work in the Brazilian Rain forest as well as at Biosphere 2 here in Tucson. This project is under a National Science Foundation program hoping to better understand the obstacles involved in this international environmental problem that can result from the immense destruction of the rainforest.

Raytheon will be kept busy with a $25.5 Million U.S. Navy Grant that it was awarded to modify the work on 29 Standard Missile-3 Block IA Missiles. Most of this work will take place right here in Tucson hoping for completion in the summer of 2008 and will also include additional parts for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program. Nine of the missiles are to be used for the Foreign Military Sales Program.

It appears that it will cost close to 30% more for Thanksgiving dinner in Tucson this year.

According to the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey Tucson’s costs are higher than the national average. Turkeys in Tucson are going to cost close to $1.40 a pound in Arizona when the same birds were around $1.00 last year. The turkey production industry in the state is even smaller this year as well since Young’s Farm located near Dewey, closed it’s doors. Turkeys are not alone given that all food items have increased in price along with gasoline used to produce and deliver products to markets.

The Four Pima County Landfills in the Tucson area are now requiring that all loads of trash be covered by tarps secured at all four corners. These landfills include one in Ajo, a construction material one on Ina, one in Sahuarita and one on Tangerine Road. There are also two transfer stations in Catalina and Ryan Airfield. The exceptions will be for very large appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves as well as items like tires. The concern is that items of trash can fly out of vehicles causing damage to other vehicles and litter the landscapes as well. This new law is to go into effect on Sunday and if tarps are not used properly, and additional $10 fine will be collected.

The city of Tucson has increased its dog fines an extra $50. This fine applies to dogs without a leash except on private property and at six specific park locations designated for dogs in the city limits. It is also illegal to sell animals at any city park, sidewalk or swap meet in Tucson. The city council has raised these fines from $50 to $100 for the first offense, $100 to $150 for the second offense and $150 to $200 for additional violations.

The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol was busy this past weekend seizing 4.5 tons of pot. There were also six illegal invaders picked up who had histories of criminal activities. The marijuana weighing almost 3,000 pounds was confiscated inside the two stolen vehicles that were found, one from Phoenix and the other from San Diego. Another vehicle apprehended on Saturday morning contained over 650 pounds of marijuana and the person inside the vehicle fled to Mexico. These two large seizures as well as several smaller ones netted over 9,100 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of well over $5 million.

Tucson City and Pima County leaders are taking a hard look at the regional water issue after the defeat of Proposition 200. They are trying to develop a proposal for a proper study of the water situation in the area. The proposition that would have cut off new water connections when growth surpasses dependable water supply and limits city use of reclaimed water was defeated, but officials realize that this is of great concern to the citizens.

Last week Tucson Police Department stated that they didn’t plan on calling immigration officials to churches or schools when criminal activity was suspected. They did not want the responsibility of finding out if these suspects were in this country illegally. This has caused great controversy. Many of the citizens of Tucson think that because problems have rapidly increased with the illegal invaders into this country, Tucson Police should now be checking to see if any suspect is breaking the law by entering this country illegally. The policy prohibits the police officers from stopping people simply because they could be illegal entrants as well, because it is thought that this would create racial profiling. Many of the citizens of Tucson still believe this should be a duty held by our police force and that the officers should be trained on how to handle these situations properly, like the officers who trained in the 287 (g) program in Maricopa County. The protesters think that we need to enforce, not ignore, the zero tolerance for illegals laws of this country and no longer be caught up in what is thought to be political correctness.