Bits and Pieces

Horn Launches "Unsung Hero" Podcast

Oro Valley resident Jim Horn has a new podcast called: "Oro Valley's Unsung Heroes." Jim interviewed Oro Valley Police Officer Alex Carillo, whom we covered yesterday in LOVE, in his first podcast. 

Horn intends future podcasts. "The Oro Valley Podcast will continue to do a series on the unsung heroes in Oro Valley. The series will feature those first responders that have helped to save lives in our community that would have otherwise been lost. The first responders devotion to duty and commitment to help our citizens is often overlooked. The Unsung Hero Series will highlight those achievements."

Hardy roundabout closed April 20 and 21

The town will be closing the Hardy and Northern Ave roundabout on April 20 and 21 for surface treatments. This is midweek so be sure to use an alternate route those days.

Did you know?

Oro Valley Police are involved in the building development review process. They provide recommendations about how projects can be designed to deter or prevent crime. (Source: 2020 Oro Valley Police Annual Report)

Shaffer Dry Cleaning Closing

Shaffer Dry Cleaning is closing its Rooney Ranch store on April 21. They told us that there was simply not enough business to justify keeping the location. We suspect their business is a victim of the pandemic. People stayed home. They didn’t need to dress to travel to work. Thus, less laundry to be cleaned. Shaffer offers a “door to door” service by calling 520-318-3538 or visiting shafferdrycleaning.com to sign up.

Bits and Pieces

Oro Valley bans local gathering places from operating as such
Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield banned food establishments from serving food or drink on premises until at least March 31. This proclamation amends the proclamation issued Tuesday. It can be extended beyond March 31.

Food establishments can provide drive thru or in store pickup of orders. We have included the proclamation in the paned that follows.

In addition, any establishment were people could possibly congregate, such as gyms, theaters, bingo halls, and indoor and outdoor performance venues are to be closed. (source)

These actions put Oro Valley in line with actions taken yesterday by Pima County (View that here)

Winfield Emergency Proclamation Amendment

Lights finally out at Ironwood Ridge Fields
The lights in the ballfields at Ironwood Ridge High School ("IRHS") were burning bright the other night even though the school is closed. Eric Klein emailed the Amphi School District questioning why the lights were still on.

Klein is not the only one concerned about the lights. Another reader wrote us: "We can see those lights from our backyard and patio and we're not that close to IRHS."

That writer alerted us to another lighting challenge. This one concerns the new lights on La Cholla. "Last night they also turned
on  the new street lights at La Cholla and Glover. They are so bright. It's like lighting up a football field. It's such overkill! "

Questions nationally about roundabout crash safety
The Wall Street Journal published an article last week on the downside of roundabouts. "Roundabouts have proliferated around the U.S. in recent years, arriving in some areas of the Midwest and West for the first time. Yet even years after some are installed, driver confusion persists. And with confusion comes fender-benders."

The article states that more fatalities and injuries happen at traffic lights. This is because people "run the red lights."  The article asserts that there are less crippling crashes on two lane roundabouts, like the roundabout Oro Valley has at LaCanada and Moore Road. Roundabout crashes occur because not all drivers understand that a car in the inside lane will cross into the outside lane to exit the roundabout.

Baby wipes clog the sewer system
Do not flush wipes into the sewer system. According to Pima County, wipes clog pipes. They can cause sanitary sewer overflows. Instead, dispose of the wipe in trash can. Just another inconvenience.

Bits and Pieces

Three council candidates to date
There are three seats open in this August's election for town council.

To date, there are three candidates: Incumbents Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon; and former council member Bill Garner.

Garner served on council from 2008 through 2016. Rodman has served on council since 2012. Solomon was appointed to council in 2010 to fill a vacancy. He lost a reelection bid in 2012. He returned to council in 2016.

The candidates must submit petitions that contain 463 signatures of Oro Valley residents who are registered voters. The petitions must be submitted by 5PM on April 5 in order for the candidate to be on the August ballot.

Not everyone can negotiate a roundabout
A car traveling south on Northern took out the turn arrow sign on the roundabout at Northern and Hardy.

Our guess is the the vehicle entered the intersection at too high a speed, hit the berm and then the sign. This is a picture of the artistry!

Best to go slow.
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HSL to lease Pusch Ridge Course October 1
Last week, the Oro Valley Town Council voted to approve the lease of the 9-hole Pusch Ridge course to HSL, the original owner of the property and the operator of the El Conquistador Resort. The lease will be effective on October 1. The agreement gives HSL the option of using, at their cost, the course manager the town selects in the now ongoing selection process.

Update March 1: Coronoavirus and Oro Valley-Get the latest here
While national media and some national political figures try to use the Cornoavirus as a political panic weapon, we thought those of us locally might want some real facts. Because, like it or not, we do live in the greater bubble of human life.

As of March 1:

• There have been about 87,500 cases reported worldwide
• 79 cases in the US
• 4 cases in Mexico
• 3,000 deaths worldwide
• One death in the in the US
• No deaths in Mexico
• One case in Tempe. That person has recovered.

We have added a link in the top right corner of this page.

Click on the picture to get the most current numbers courtesy of Johns Hopkins Medical Center. The cite data is updated as the Center gets information. So, the date is as real-time as one can get.

The virus has had an impact on the worldwide economy. The Chinese government closed some production facilities to reduce the spread of the virus. Those closings caused disruption to the supply chains of the many companies that get products from China. Those factories are now opening. According to Apple's Cooke, they are now at 80% and ramping up quickly.

The US stock market has reacted, anticipating supply shortages. According to Merrill Lynch, the market has overreacted because of algorithms used to drive computer training. "Today’s marketplace is comprised of traditional fundamental investors who have longer time horizons and those that primarily rely on machines and algorithms to capture short-term trends or rebalance portfolios. The latter has grown in prominence in the last decade with execution of orders on the stock market dominated by algorithmic traders."  (Source)
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Bits and Pieces

Don't Run The Red
A 2019 AAA Foundation Survey found that more people are being killed by red light runners than ever before. "More than two people are killed every day on U.S. roads by impatient and reckless drivers blowing through red lights."

That fact has been noted by Oro Valley Public Works Director and Engineer Paul Keesler. Speaking on Jim Horn's Oro Valley Podcast last week, Keesler said that intersection safety will be a key focus area in 2020.

"We have to get people to obey the traffic control because the T-Bone accident is one of the most dangerous." Keesler is going to study the most dangerous Oro Valley intersections to try to determine what is causing the accidents.  There was one of these last Friday at Oro Valley's most dangerous intersection: Magee and Oracle.

Residents note property tax increase
Oro Valley residents are becoming aware that there are consequences for voter approval of the Golder Ranch Bond. Posting on NextDoor, a resident seemed astounded to learn that taxes are going up. The resident learned this when they were notified of the need for increased property tax escrow by their bank. Send thank notes to the Golder Ranch Fire District.

Ironwood Ridge Lights On... Nobody There

Ironwood Ridge HS...
Lights burn bright at night
The lights are on in the ball fields at Ironwood Ridge well into the evening. It's a time when the fields are not being used. The neighbors are annoyed.

According to one: "Nobody is in sight anywhere on campus and the parking lot is empty. Why [is Amphi School District] allowing taxpayer money to be wasted while ruining our night skies in Oro Valley by leaving these lights on until 9:00 PM, M-F, regardless of actual use?" We referred the writer to Council Member Joyce-Ivey. She is the council liaison to the Amphi School District. Joyce plans to look in to it.

Traffic proceeds nicely at Moore and LaCanada

Roundabout works well
The roundabout at Moore Road and La Canada seems to work quite well. This a according to Paul Keesler during an interview last week on Jim Horn's Oro Valley Podcast.

Keesler invested considerable time determining ways to make sure that drivers approach the intersection cautiously and at low speed.

Horn noted that the roundabout works well for bicyclists. We took a look at it Wednesday. Indeed, it does work well.

Light installation at Naranja and La Canada

Town installs turn lights at Naranja and La Canada
This week, the town added a protected left turn arrow at the intersection of Naranja and La Canada. The line of traffic traveling northbound was back to the Frys Shopping Center.

Here's a look at the work.

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Have something interesting for us to know? Just get in touch and we'll highlight it for you in LOVE.

LOVE's Roundabout Primer

Moore-LaCanada Roundabout Is Open For Business
The Town Of Oro Valley has opened the Moore and LaCanada roundabout. It's different than the roundabout at Northern Ave and Hardy Road. It’s a two lane roundabout. The other one is a one lane roundabout.

The town has posted a special video on how to use the two-laner. It's worth watching.

A one minute video primer
We’ve traveled the Northern Ave roundabout many times. We’ve seen all kinds of crazy things happen there. We can only imagine what  might happen at our new one.

So, we thought we would augment the town’s video with on of our own. It's a one minute primer. In it, we emphasize those things that we have seen people do that are simply wrong.

We wish you safe driving, especially in this very busy holiday season.
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Bits and Pieces

Property taxes to increase
Oro Valley and county residents voted themselves a property tax increase earlier this month. Voters approved both propositions 466 (Amphi Schools spending override) and 477 (Golder Ranch Fire District Bonds) by 58% and 54% respectively. We surmise that the robust economy we are experiencing played a major role in voter generosity.

Roundabout opens November 22
Good news for those who frequent the Moore and LaCanada intersection. The roundabout is on schedule to open midday on the 22nd.  Watch the video on the roundabout here.

Captain Jeff's "Belly Bomber"

The Belly Bomber

Captain Jeff's "Belly Bomber" is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Riverfront Park parking lot. "We feature Sabrett hot dogs, all the way from Bronx New York..Special order." Jack told me. They are setup starting at 3pm and will stay open "...until it gets too cold or people quit buying."

According to the Sabrett website: "...every New Yorker knows the name Sabrett® because it sprouts from the blue and yellow umbrellas atop vendor carts seen on almost every corner of the city. "

They are permitted by the Pima County Health Department and have passed inspection from GRFD.

Jack served 23 years in the Air Force and retired to Oro Valley with his wife Becky. The live in Rancho Visoso.

Housing market cools
... just a little The housing market cooled down a bit in October, according to the Long Realty report.

“Year-to-date home sales outpace last year by 5%. “In the Oro Valley area, October 2019 active inventory was 181, a 34% decrease from October 2018. There were 73 closings in October 2019, a 12% decrease from October 2018. Year-to-date 2019 there were 824 closings, a 5% increase from year-to-date 2018. Months of Inventory was 2.5, down from 3.3 in October 2018. Median price of sold homes was $325,000 for the month of October 2019, up 10% from October 2018. The Oro Valley area had 72 new properties under contract in October 2019, down 1% from October 2018.”

It’s a seller’s market for homes priced at less than $700,000.
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Bits and Pieces

LaCanada, Moore Roundabout Completed Soon
The Roundabout at Moore and LaCanada is scheduled to be competed before Thanksgiving, providing relief to those who travel in the area. The town is providing education on it. Watch the KGUN9 report here.

We saw a car trying to take a left turn into the roundabout on Northern Ave. This is almost a physically impossible thing to do. All you really need to know is that you enter right when it is safe to do so.

Pima County Sheriff caught shoplifting
35 year old Ryan Fuller, a now suspended Pima County Sheriff, was arrested for shophlifting at WalMart. Read the Daily Star report here.

Folk Concert Tomorrow
There is a folk concert at Steam Pump Ranch tomorrow. It starts at 10:30.  Learn more about the SAACA concert series here.

“Special note: Ride your bike or walk to the Heirloom Farmers Market via the shared use path on a Second Saturday at Steam Pump Ranch and receive $1 coupon to use at Steam Pump Ranch Artisan and Commerce Corral vendors (offer limited to the first 20). Pick up your coupon at the Parks and Recreation booth.” (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Relations)