The last couple of days have been historic here in Arizona. Yesterday, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona issued a landmark ruling. In the case Nelda Majors, et al. vs. Tom Horne, et al., the Court struck down Arizona's state laws and amendment to the state constitution that define marriage as between one man and one woman ( Read more... )

Tomorrow is a big day here in Tucson. Sun Link (Tucson's Modern Streetcar) will officially start public service after more than three years of planning and construction. For those of us involved with Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc., it's one part of our mission accomplished. Old Pueblo Trolley was founded in 1983 by local Tucsonans who wanted to see ( Read more... )

For those of us here in the USA, it's Independence Day and time to remember what it is that makes us the country we are. 236 years of being an independent nation of self governing citizens for whom, certain basic rights are enshrined in the foundations of our government-life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To be sure, it hasn't always been ( Read more... )

As the centennial of the sinking of the RMS Titanic approaches, have we really made any meaningful changes that answer the problems that cost 1500 lives on that cold April night? That said, there were true changes-24 hour radio watch, shifting of the shipping lanes to the south and mandatory lifeboat capacity for all passengers and crew ( Read more... )

On this day in 1912, President William Howard Taft signed the papers that admitted Arizona as the 48th state in the Union. Huzzah!

235 years of independence? Who would have thought that we would make it this far? Especially in the dark days of the Civil War? With our determination and good fortune, our country emerged from that test of fire stronger and more determined than any nation up to that time, that the will of the people would rule. We the People are the government of ( Read more... )

Well, I've been putting off certain housekeeping tasks and now it is time for me to get them done. These specific tasks aren't that bad but will take time. Specifically, I need to document my valuable possessions for insurance purposes and I am doing that with my digital video camera. I should have started on this long ago but never got to it. Why ( Read more... )

This month hasn't been very good on the fire front. We're nothing more than one large tinderbox-waiting for any source of ignition to start a fire. There was a BIG fire in mid-town Tucson last night that hit home for me. As a Director of Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc., I was not happy to hear that a section of our bus yard burned in that fire. Out of ( Read more... )

As a railroader, I have always taken an interest in railroad grade crossing safety. I have been directly involved in two collisions myself and know the toll that those collisions take on railroad men and women. Naturally, I'm interested in anything that might improve railroad crossing safety. Everyone has seen railroad crossing signals, but none ( Read more... )

March 25, 1911: On this date, America changed forever. The results of that change are with us to this day-a living memorial to the 146 employees of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company who perished in the fire at the Asch Building at 245 Greene Street in New York City. Shock and horror turned to outrage when the following investigations revealed the ( Read more... )