Tucson Chamber scholarship fundraiser/ribbon cutting… Twin Palms Car Wash, Detail & Oil Center, located at 837 W. Irvington Rd., is dedicated to serving the children of our community. From now until Sunday, June 24, 30% of all proceeds generated will go towards the Chamber’s Scholarship Fund. Chamber members will receive special pricing on oil changes including oil filter for only $25, a complete exterior hand wax for only $10 and the $12 car wash will be discounted to $10. Come out and support the Chamber and our children!

Town Hall is off and running… In most B3 (Building Bridges to Business) interviews, the findings from both manufacturers and retailers point to a lack of community planning as a major concern. Businesses that give high marks to city/county services such as fire protection and police routinely rate “community planning” as almost non-existent. Even with the somewhat negative press that the Town Hall has received from a few reporters, many of the more pressing issues in this community are suddenly on the front burner because of the effort. The Chamber has volunteered to help get two issues off the ground: workforce development and adult literacy promotion. In partnering with the Workforce Investment Board for “workforce issues” and the Community Center for “adult literacy,” the Chamber hopes to bring the right people together to tackle two of the twelve Town Hall issues that affect our community. This is our opportunity—in fact it’s everybody’s opportunity—to get involved and play a hand in resolving our toughest problems. We can all work to make a difference, and we strongly urge everyone to get involved and be part of the solution.

I-10 ramp closures to be finalized this weekend… The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) continues to prepare for the two-and-a-half year widening of I-10. It is imperative that all businesses and residents are aware of the effects that the closures will have on their commuting patterns and the rest of their daily lives. Click here to view the most recent traffic alert detailing all of the current and upcoming closures to the frontage roads, cross-streets and the Interstate itself. Also, ADOT is tentatively scheduling several bridge demolitions that will take place after the I-10 ramps close between Prince Road and 29th Street. Each bridge demolition is scheduled to begin on consecutive Fridays at 10 p.m. and last through Sunday. During this time, a full weekend road closure of the specific arterial roads under I-10 will be required. This is necessary for the safety of the traveling public as well as the workers involved with the removal. The contractor will be working 24 hours a day during this period to re-open the road as soon as possible. Following each bridge demolition, lane restrictions on the arterial roads may be in effect. The demolitions will be done with an excavator equipped with a combination of a hammer and shear to remove the structures. For safety purposes, no one will be allowed in the demolition area with the exception of the contractor. The first two demolitions will be: 1) July 6 – Grant Road Bridge (west side of I-10); 2) July 13 – Speedway Boulevard Bridge (west side of I-10). In addition, the 18th Street pedestrian underpass is closed for the duration of the project and Granada Avenue/Clark Street is closed until a traffic signal can be installed to ensure safety.

4th Avenue construction alert… The first phase of construction for the 4th Avenue Reconstruction Project has begun. This transportation improvement project will necessitate multiple closures and restrictions that will impact pedestrian, vehicle and bicycle travel. Beginning Monday, June 25, numerous traffic impacts will be felt, including the following: 1) The 4th Avenue Underpass will be closed to vehicular traffic. Pedestrians will be able to continue using the underpass until July 23. 4th Avenue businesses can be reached by using 6th Street. 2) Congress Street between North Toole Avenue and 5th Avenue will be closed. This closure is expected to be in place through the end of the year. 3) Westbound Broadway traffic, between Barraza-Aviation Parkway and 5th Avenue, will share travel lanes with eastbound Broadway. At 5th Avenue, westbound Broadway traffic will be redirected onto Congress Street. This traffic detour is scheduled to be in place through December 2007. 4) Left turn movements from east or westbound Broadway onto 5th Avenue will not be allowed. 5) Toole Avenue between 4th Avenue and Broadway will be closed through the end of the year. ACCESS TO BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA WILL BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians: please be cautious, obey all posted construction signage and reduced speed limits and remember to share the road. Click here to view a map designed to help the traveling public. For more information about all of the traffic impacts, visit www.4thavenueunderpass.info. Know Your Way Downtown during construction!

DM airman asks for assistance from Tucson businesses… Chief Brian Joseph, a member of our Davis Monthan and Tucson community who is currently deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, recently sent the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee the following letter:

“Need your support…

“If you could, we need pencils, pens, paper, blankets and children’s clothing for the local Afghan people.

“This is not only a mission of mercy, but it will actually save American lives.

“In the past … our group would deliver the items listed above to the Afghan people who lived outside our base (Kandahar). In-turn, the Afghan children would tell us where the Taliban were hiding and where they were planting IEDs. We would then send out our special forces and EOD to neutralize the threat. However, our supplies have dried-up and as a result our people who go outside the wire are at a higher risk.

“Now for the businesses who donate, we take pictures of our Airmen giving the supplies they send us to the Afghan people. Businesses then use these pictures on their websites or print them and hang them in their offices showing support for the troops (Airmen).”

Two drop-off points have been set up to receive donations of these items. Please send or drop off items to either: 1) Robb Blythe, Williams Centre Courtyard, 201 S. Williams Blvd., 745-6000 or 2) Shirley Wilka, Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 465 W. St. Mary’s Rd., 792-2250 ext. 132. The first shipment to Kandahar will be made on June 29.

MTCVB celebrates 25 years in Tucson… Thursday night at the Hilton El Conquistador, a gala event celebrating the Metropolitan Tucson Convention Visitors Bureau’s twenty-fifth anniversary was held. With more than 500 guests in attendance and Dana Cooper emceeing, the proceedings included a video highlighting 25 years of achievements in tourism, a congratulatory speech from Mayor Bob Walkup and a presentation of the incoming and outgoing board of directors by MTCVB chair Sally Simmons. At the end of the event, Executive Director Jonathan Walker presented awards to 25 inaugural MTCVB Partners.