ASU researcher outlines strategies to curb urban heat island (downtown Phoenix cited)
[Source: EurekaAlert] – Protect yourself from the summer sun is good advice to children who want to play outside on a hot summer day and it is good advice to cities as a way to mitigate the phenomenon known as urban heat island. For children, a hat, long sleeves and sun block provide protection. For … Read more
Proposed tax zones could benefit Phoenix Coyotes and Suns arenas
[Source: Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal] – A measure put forward at the Arizona Legislature would allow the city of Glendale to create a special tax district to help the Phoenix Coyotes and Jobing.com Arena. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-Phoenix, also could allow the city of Phoenix to establish a similar tax … Read more
Downtown Phoenix summer camp for kids to help build engaged citizens
[Source: Arizona State University] – Parents who would like to help their children develop interpersonal and leadership skills while learning how to be engaged in their local communities have a new opportunity this summer. Arizona State University’s Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership (CCEL) is launching a Civic Engagement Summer Camp that will bring civic … Read more
City agrees to buy/raze downtown Phoenix Ramada Inn for ASU expansion
[Source: Jahna Berry, Arizona Republic] – The same week that Phoenix leaders imposed a 2 percent food tax to prevent layoffs and painful cuts to city services, City Council members agreed to spend $6 million to buy a vacant motel so Arizona State University can expand its downtown campus. The city plans to buy the … Read more
Baseline Haiku: South Mountain Flower Garden
One of the last flower growers of Japanese descent on Baseline Road, where in the old days of Phoenix you could know it was spring by driving Baseline and seeing row upon row of flowers. Development encroaches in the film; in reality it closed several years ago and soon will be housed over.
Viewpoint: The urban future isn’t all about population booms
[Source: Froma Harrop, Providence Journal] – Sunbelt-and-sprawl advocate Joel Kotkin wrote two years ago that the future of American urbanism wasn’t in the “elite cities,” such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, but in “younger, more affordable and less self-regarding places.” He named (his order) Houston, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas and … Read more
