Bits and Pieces

Pusch Ridge Course lives on!

The Oro Valley Town Council approved the continued operation of the nine-hole Pusch Ridge golf course last night. The course had been on a three-year probationary period after reopening. The purpose of the probationary period was to determine if the course could be a financially viable entity. The three neighborhood associations that live around the course, the group Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf, town staff and Indigo Golf worked tirelessly together to build course use. They were successful in their efforts.

Centennial Mission to be restarted in about three weeks

The around the world Centennial Mission has been delayed. Oro Valley resident Tim Tarris returned home yesterday. He and co pilot Buchanan Bleeker made it to Lima Peru in their single engine Cesna. Then, after a four day delay, and with the inability to get overflight clearances from some South American countries, they elected to return. They plan to restart their trip in about three weeks.

Town seeks your input on planned Naranja Drive Multi-Use Path

"The Town of Oro Valley and Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will hold an in-person open house Tuesday, Feb. 13, to share information and seek public input on design concepts for a new multi-use path to be constructed along the north side of Naranja Drive between La Cañada Drive and First Avenue. Your public comments will help develop and evaluate design concepts and identify the preferred path alignment as part of the project assessment process." (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

Oro Valley launches "50 Businesses For 50 Years" Campaign

"To help celebrate the Town of Oro Valley’s 50th Anniversary this year, the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce has partnered with 50 local businesses for a special shop local campaign, which officially [launched] on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Throughout the year, fifty Oro Valley businesses will be highlighted for a period of two weeks. During that time, shoppers are encouraged to visit and support the highlighted business and enter the raffle. At the end of the two weeks, a winner will be announced from each business’s raffle box. To view the “50 Businesses for 50 Years” calendar and program details, visit orovalleychamber.com." (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

Oro Valley seeks participants for 50th anniversary celebration

"In April 2024, the Town of Oro Valley proudly marks its golden milestone, celebrating 50 years of history, growth and community — and you’re invited to be a part of it. Oro Valley's 50th Anniversary is a momentous occasion, and your participation and support will make it truly unforgettable." Opportunities to participate include:

• Participating in the April 6 parade (Entry Form)
• Showcasing your talents at the community celebration at Kreigh Park on April 13...Fireworks at 9:30pm (Entry Form)
• Sponsoring events
• Sharing your memories

(Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

Tarris Begins "Round The World Trip"

Update

Tarris and Bleeker left Sunday from Goodyear Airport, landing in Cancun after a 9 hour non stop trip. They experienced refueling and "paperwork" delays in Cancun on Monday. Early this morning they left for Peru. Click on the panel at right to get the latest on where they are.

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Oro Valley resident Tim Tarris is on his way around the world…
Oro Valley resident, Tim Tarris, is on a trip around the world. But it is no vacation. He is flying in a 1974 Cessna 210L Turbo Centurion. Together with co-pilot Buchanan Bleeker, this single-engine plane will carry them around the world. They have adapted the plane to accommodate fuel tanks, modern radios, and navigation equipment so there are only two seats. As Tim told us, he will be shoulder to shoulder with his co-pilot every flying hour.

...honoring the first “flight around the world” 

Tarris left Sunday from Goodyear Airport on a trip to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1924 first “flight around the globe". Four planes each with a pilot and mechanic flew west to east, starting in California and ending in Seattle; having visited 22 countries and four continents. All were in the northern hemisphere.

The planes were single-engine. The cockpits were open. The crews had lots of downtime and logistical support. Three of the four planes accomplished this feat in 175 days. This was a national effort. It was a race to be first. Others were also trying to be the first.(Watch a video of the 1924 Flight).

Flight Plan

The commemorative Centennial Flight: Seven continents, 34,000 miles in 35 days

The route will take Bleeker and Tarris to 16 countries. They will be flying south to South America and Antartica and then east to take advantage of the prevailing winds (See panel). The route has been planned so they can avoid any of the craziness going on in the world. For example, they will fly no closer than 250 miles south of Gaza.

This is no luxury flight 

They will fly from eight to nine hours a day, from point to point, stopping for rest, food, fuel, and any necessary maintenance. They will sleep in local accommodations close to their plane. Tarris told us that their accommodations '…will be nothing fancy. We're not on a sightseeing tour.' Skyplan Services is handling logistics. Their onboard food? Energy bars. Rest facilities? None!

Track their progress 

The crew plans to provide updates and pictures on their Web and Facebook pages. We will monitor those and update you as we learn more. In the meantime, we have created a panel at right called: “Where's Tim”. Click on it anytime to see their progress.
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About Tim Tarris

Tim Tarris is a 35 year resident Oro Valley. He and his wife Vicki live in the original section of the town. He is a retired Air Force and UPS pilot with over 30,000 hours of flying experience. Commemorating a major event is nothing new to Tarris. In 2019, he was a crew member that flew a WWII paratrooper airplane to Europe to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy.

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More info: KGUN9 Report

Bits and Pieces

Zinkin steps back

Former council member and community activist Mike Zinkin has decided to step back from Oro Valley politics. He will not be running for council in August.  "Since 2005, I've been actively involved in Oro Valley affairs, and now it's time for me to step back and allow new voices to emerge as vigilant observers."  Mike does plan to continue his focus on the massive waste of water that Town uses to irrigate two parks and a golf course. "I will continue to critique the excessive misuse of Oro Valley's drinkable water. This waste is avoidable."  (Source: Email to LOVE)

No end in sight for Town's waste of drinking water

At the moment, it seems that the town council is not focused on this drinking water waste. They're not going to consider extending the reclaimed water system to these southern areas of the town.  We think they're waiting to see what the State is going to do regarding purification of this water and its reintroduction in the drinking water system. In the meantime, over the years (and there will be many of them), the town is going to continue to waste many millions of gallons of drinking water. "With the end of 2023, it's clear that throughout the year, the Town squandered 74,275,000 gallons of our drinking water on their properties. To put this in perspective, this amount could have supplied over 10,600 homes, considering the average household's monthly usage of 7,000 gallons. For comparison, the Canada Hills Community Association comprises about 3,100 homes." (Source: Zinkin Email to LOVE)

Tarris' "Centennial" Trip begins Sunday

Oro Valley resident Tim Tarris and Buchanan Bleeker are on their way around the world in a single engine plane, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first flight around the world. Love will follow the 32 plus day event. Read more about Tim's exciting adventure Tuesday.

Firefighters endorse Murphy for Council

The North Tucson Firefigthers union has endorsed Mary Murphy for town council. They note in their January 20 letter: "You have proven to put public safety at the top of your priority list, and we thank you. Your advocacy for and the understanding of public safety issues is commendable. We believe your experience and authentic desire to better your community makes you a strong candidate for this position. Additionally, your commitment to making sure our town is safe has been unwavering. We look forward to working with you in the needs of the community." (Source: January 20 letter to Mary Murphy)

50th Anniversary Celebration in progress

"The Town of Oro Valley proudly announces its upcoming 50th Anniversary on April 15, 2024. The Town invites residents to join in a year-long celebration filled with exciting events and collaborations with local businesses as we reflect on half a century of history, growth and community.  From community events to historical and arts exhibits, a diverse range of activities has been planned, including a 50th Anniversary Parade on April 6 and a special community celebration on April 13."  Learn more here. (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)