In early January Private Security and Tucson Police will join forces to make the downtown area much safer. Downtown’s private security will no longer need to call 911 to be in touch with Tucson Police. This partnership has given Tucson Police Department two-way radios that are tuned to the same frequency that the purple-shirted security team uses as they patrol downtown Tucson on foot and in golf carts. The on duty officers will have the radios and will be alerted to any disturbances or questionable behavior the ‘purple shirts’ encounter. Tucson police are excited about joining forces since they think this will just add to the eyes and ears of the police force.

There are new plans in Arizona that not only affect the employer sanctions law which has passed, but also limit babies’ rights to citizenship when born in this country without at least one parent who entered the U. S. legally. There is also a campaign to expand the crime of trespassing to cover Anyone in this country without authorization including requiring proof of legal presence in the U. S. in order to register a vehicle or gain title to it. Undocumented workers should also be denied workers’ compensation benefits if injured on the job and another proposal is to allow police officers to check immigration status when questionable. There appears to be some evidence that the new employer sanctions law is already working in Phoenix and Tucson since some Mexican nationals who usually return to Mexico during the Christmas holiday have indicated that they may not return to this country because it will be hard to work for the current wages without receiving the many benefits they are accustomed to now that it will be known that they are breaking the laws.

Pima County workers forms are being checked to see if valid documents are in place to work in the United States. The new sanctions law goes into effect Tuesday and holds employers liable for employees hired before January 1 2008 as well. This new law makes employers responsible for using the federal government’s E-Verify system which links employers with Customs and Immigration Enforcement Records as well as Social Security. Violations punish a business by suspending its business license for up to 10 days with the first offense and if a second violation is given, the business could permanently lose it’s license. This law is thought to be necessary to hold businesses accountable for those they hire. More information can be found at www.pcao.pima.gov.

Businesses throughout the state of Arizona including such cities as Phoenix and Tucson that admit to breaking the federal immigration laws should not be able to disagree with the law without requiring that their identity be known. This is what one of the lawsuits against this new law is stating. The new law goes into effect on Tuesday January 1 allowing state business licenses or permits to be suspended or revoked if they are hiring illegal workers. The attorney for those who wish to question this law wants to keep the identities of the business owners protected since he has concern for their safety. The thinking is that the main reason the businesses don’t want the public aware of their employment violations is because of the embarrassment to them and the fact that law enforcement agencies would be aware of such business tactics and would investigate them and enforce the law. The lawsuit states that this is not something the state should be in control of doing but should be left up to the federal government where it’s duty should be to check the legal status of the workers.

The state of Arizona has increased it’s population by 1.2 million in the past decade per U.S. Census Bureau. On July 1, 2007 the recorded population was 6,338,755 which is up 23 percent from April 2000 with 2.8 percent (over 173,000) increase in just one year from July 2006 to July 2007. This is quite an increase since the national average is only 7.2 percent during that entire time period. Due to the state’s growth, Arizona may easily get a ninth congressional seat after the 2010 census and maybe even more if this rate of increase continues. Much of this is due to babies being born in this state. The only state that has a higher rate of birth is Texas. Much of the population explosion in Tucson and Phoenix are from other countries which appear to be close to one of every 5 and it is not known if these people are legal residents.

The city of Tucson will not pick up Christmas trees with it’s regular trash service this year. It has a dozen recycling sites that are available. Drop off your trees at these recycling centers that will open today at noon and remain open seven days a week during daylight hours until January 13 unless otherwise mentioned.

1. Cross Point Community Church, 7901 S. Rita Road Tucson Arizona

2. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, recycling center (base access required) Tucson Arizona

3. Golf Links Sports Park, northwest of Craycroft and Golf Links Roads Tucson Arizona

4. Los Reales Landfill, 5300 E. Los Reales Road Tucson Arizona

5. Marana Regional Airport, 11700 W. Avra Valley Road Marana Arizona

6. Oro Valley lot, “Naranja Town site,” 660 W. Naranja Drive Oro Valley Arizona

7. Pima County’s Ina Road Landfill, 5301 W. Ina Road, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday Tucson Arizona

8. Rillito Race Track, 4502 N. First Ave., east end of lot Tucson Arizona

9. Sahuarita Landfill, 16605 S. La Cañada Drive, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Thursday through Sunday Sahuarita Arizona

10. Tangerine Landfill, 10220 W. Tangerine Road, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tucson Arizona

11. Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. Sixth Ave. Tucson Arizona

12. Udall Park, southeast corner of East Tanque Verde and North Sabino Canyon roads, behind the baseball fields Tucson Arizona

Some families have found the need to cut many corners in their grocery budget this year in Tucson. Many are buying less expensive products that are more filling than nutritious including hot dogs, ground beef, beans, pasta and potatoes. The U. S. Department of Agriculture confirms that the annual food costs have gone up around 2.5 percent over the past 10 years and yet it reports an increase to 4 percent for this year believed due to the rise in costs in commodity prices which include corn, dairy, soybeans and wheat. More people are looking for sales and find that cooking at home, even though still thought to be a bit less costly than eating out, may soon be just as expensive. The cost of food, as well as that of gasoline, utilities and more, is making it extremely difficult for the people of Tucson as well as the rest of the nation. Many, too, are suffering from lost jobs with no income right now. The food bank has seen a demand with a 25 percent increase this year. It appears that there is no relief in site. Unfortunately, analysts predict another 4 percent increase next year as well.

There will be an abundance of planets, satellites, space debris, the space station and stars in Tucson Skies this year with Mars and the vanishing comet Holmes as well. Mars is very close now, is the most noticeable except for our moon and is as close as it will be until 2016. During the holidays we will enjoy an almost full moon with Mars and the Orion nebula close to it. So keep your eyes to the heavens and enjoy the sites.

There is a push afoot for a true shift in water usage for this region. The city of Tucson and Pima County officials are trying to find ways for more water sources, whether from desalinization, farmers selling water rights or from groundwater in remote areas. County officials are also interested in using more effluent wastewater. The real concern is how to have enough water to sustain the area in a severe drought, at what cost and who will pay.

The new employer sanctions law will go into effect on January 1 as planned. U.S. District Court Judge Neil Wake turned down an appeal by businesses as well as other groups to stop the state of Arizona from implementing the law on the first of the year. Opposing groups are trying to prove that this law that makes it illegal to knowingly hire workers who are in this state unlawfully, unconstitutional. Businesses in Tucson, Phoenix as well as all over the state could find their business licenses suspended or withdrawn if they were to hire these workers. This ruling is said to have already had an effect on the number of illegal workers in the state and that they are already leaving.