Bits and Pieces

Historic Preservation: "What Me Worry?"

The Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Beer and Bacon bash at Steam Pump Ranch this fall.  It is Saturday, November 1.

Seems to us and to one our readers that Oro Valley has strayed from restoring the ranch for historic purposes to allowing it to be used for commercial events.  We were concerned when the council majority voted to allow liquor sales at the ranch. We were told that they were talking about wine tasting events.  Looks like we're now past that.

That same reader noted that historic preservation has not even been mentioned by people participating in the general plan update process. "So, given that historic preservation is near or at the bottom of the public's priorities, it can't be surprising that elected officials would be unresponsive to the issue."

Historic Preservation: "What Me Worry?"
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Retailer "Table Talk" Now In Oro Valley

Table Talk, a retailer of kitchen items, has opened at Oracle and McGee.  This is their third location. "Table Talk at Home’s 6,500-square-foot store is about 30 percent full of inventory now and will be fully stocked by October, when the winter visitors return, he said. The store will have an official grand opening celebration then, but it’s open now. If customers are looking for something specific, it can be special-ordered."
(Source)
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Kudos To The OVPD

"Counterfeit Fraud Arrests

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (June 9, 2014) - On June 6, 2014 Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) patrol units were called to the Target store located in the 10000 block of North Oracle in reference to counterfeit money being used to purchase items at the store. It was reported that three African-American males entered the store and purchased nearly $600 worth of merchandise with counterfeit twenty dollar bills. Target personnel contacted the other Target stores to inform them of the illegal activity. Within 45 minutes of the incident in Oro Valley the same three suspects were observed at the Target store in Marana attempting to exchange the items purchased in the Oro Valley store for cash. The OVPD Community Action Team (CAT) contacted the three suspects as they left the Marana Target. The investigation revealed the male suspects were traveling through town and were staying at a local hotel. A search warrant was obtained and, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service, the warrant was served on the hotel room. Items used to make counterfeit monies were seized and a fourth suspect was taken into custody at the hotel.

All four suspects were booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center. Billy Hamilton, Akeem Johnson, and Ronnie Ringo were all charged with 9 counts of forgery, fraud schemes and organized retail theft. ichael Hamilton was charged with 14 counts of forgery and fraud schemes."(Source Oro Valley Police Department Press Release
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Three Sent To Hospital After Rancho Vistoso Crash

A rollover at Rancho Vistoso Drive and Innovation Drive sent 3 to the hospital this week. (KGUN9 Report)
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Motorcyclist in June 5 collision dies from injuries

Oro Valley, Arizona (June 10, 2014) – A motorcyclist involved in a June 5, 2014 collision has died from his injuries. On June 5, 2014 at approximately 2 p.m., the Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) responded to the intersection of La Cañada and Lambert Lane in reference to a multi-vehicle collision. There were two trucks and one motorcyclist involved in the collision. The operator of the motorcycle suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to University of Arizona Trauma Center. On June 9, 2014, OVPD was notified that the motorcycle driver had succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. He has been identified as 58-year-old Ronald Kimball of Catalina. The investigation is ongoing. (Source: Oro Valley Police Department)
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OVPD Chief Sharp named to National Traffic Advisory Group

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (June 9, 2014) - The Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) is pleased to announce that Chief Daniel G. Sharp has been named as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) representative to the Traffic Incident Management Technical Advisory Group for the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO). AASHTO's mission is to advocate transportation-related policies and provide technical services to support states in their efforts to efficiently and safely move people and goods.

Joseph Farrow, Commissioner, California Highway Patrol, and IACP Highway Safety Committee chair, stated, "I have known Chief Dan Sharp, of the Oro Valley Police Department, for many years and have collaborated with him on many issues related to traffic incident management. As the chair of IACP's Traffic Incident Management subcommittee, Dan has demonstrated his commitment to local and national issues, and will be a valuable addition to the AASHTO's Traffic Incident Management Technical Advisory Committee."

Jennifer Toth, Deputy Director for Transportation for Arizona Department of Transportation, stated, "Chief Sharp has demonstrated tremendous leadership in the advancement of traffic safety, both here in Arizona and nationally. He will play a critical role in the development of strategies and programs designed to improve traffic incident management and reducing vehicle crashes." (Source: Oro Valley Police Department)
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