Tucson NewsNet Daily Digest - A Service of the City of Tucson

CITY OF TUCSON AWARDED $2M GRANT TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE - Tucson Mayor Regina Romero announced last week that the City of Tucson is receiving a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to help the Tucson Police Department (TPD) reduce gun crimes and other serious violence. This grant is part of a $100 million investment, funded in part through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed last year by the U.S. Senate. The highly competitive national grant provides funding to expand TPD's existing gun violence prevention efforts and develop new programs with community partners affected by violence. The grant also builds on the collective problem-solving infrastructure already in place at TPD through the Place Network Investigations Board and the creation of the Special Services and Innovation Bureau, with specialized units addressing mental health, substance misuse, houselessness, and violent crime reduction.
Read the announcement from the Department of Justice

TUCSON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE AWAY TOYS THIS MONTH - The Tucson Police Department (TPD), in partnership with Toys for Tots, will be holding its second annual TPD Toy Giveaway on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This community drive-thru event will be held in the Geico parking lot, 3050 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Way. More than 15,000 toys will be given away, so help spread the word to get the toys to as many community children as possible. Registration is not required. TPD is also looking for volunteers to help with the toy distribution. For additional information, contact [email protected] or (520) 837-7727.
View the flyer (English and Spanish)

ACTIVATE YOUR COMMUTE TRANSPORTATION FAIR THIS MONTH - Transportation is the single-largest source of air pollution and greenhouse gases. Learn about the ways you can create a more fulfilling commute that also helps protect community health and the planet during the Activate Your Commute Transportation Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m.-12:50 p.m., at the the Public Works Building (Conference Room C), 201 N. Stone Ave. There will be an open house, workshops, a discussion about Tugo Bikeshare, and tips to keep smart and safe while commuting on your bike.
Read more
View the flyer

TEAM UP TO CLEAN UP THIS WEEK AT MANUEL HERRERA JR. PARK - Join the City of Tucson and Tucson Clean and Beautiful this Friday, Oct. 7, from 8-10 a.m., for the next cleanup event. Find staff at the park pavilion, ready with supplies to help clean up the park perimeter, 12th Avenue between West Calle Alvord to West Bilby Road, and the nearby wash. Connect with staff from the Department of Transportation and Mobility, who will be on-site helping to host the cleanup. The Reid Park Zoo education team will kickoff the cleanup with an important message on healthy habitats for our wildlife. Native species, like box turtles and chuckwallas, need healthy habitats in order to survive. We can help our native species by putting trash in its proper place and helping to clean spaces that are used by both people and animals. Join this month's cleanup to meet these two species in person and learn more about how they survive in our desert and play a role in immediately affecting the future survival of their species by cleaning the park.
RSVP
Full schedule

CYCLOVIA TUCSON STILL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS - Cyclovia Tucson is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 30, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and volunteers are needed to help make it another success. The open streets event temporarily repurposes our public streets to be more inclusive of all people. Walk, bike, roll, or scoot along the car-free route in the Thrive in the 05 area. Whether you have two hours or more to spare, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved before, during, and after the big event. Those opportunities range from organizing and inventorying materials, updating the online store, preparing fundraising mailings, and making sure everything is ready for the big day. During the event, volunteers are needed at the intersections, for managing other volunteers, and then helping wrap up the event. If you're interested in helping, follow the volunteer link below. Cyclovia Tucson is a program of the Living Streets Alliance, with support from the City of Tucson's Thrive in the 05, Arizona Complete Health, and more.
Cyclovia volunteer opportunities and route
Cyclovia Tucson information