January 25, 2011

How Far has Phoenix Transportation Come since 1974?

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Well, not very far. We may, in fact, have taken a few steps backwards. While I was doing some research for another article I’m writing, I ran into a very telling story written by Pam Hait called “Transportation” in the August 1974 Phoenix Magazine. Below are two excerpts from it that I found fascinating: “Bicycle paths also made giant strides as Scottsdale, Tempe and Phoenix all initiated bike-only paths and lanes. Cities now request that developers build adequate room for bicycle paths into their subdivision plans. Bikers converged on Phoenix City Hall this year, and made the most of…

January 24, 2011

Car Free Stories: The Virtue of the Bell and the Hazards of Intersections

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet This is the second installment in my Car Free Stories series. Check out the first here. Recently I got a bell for my bike and what a transformative experience it’s been! Before, when people were in front of me on a sidewalk, I yelled (respectfully), “excuse me! excuse me!”. Nine times out of ten this wouldn’t work and I’d just have to slow down and wait for an opportunity to pass the seemingly deaf pedestrian. Now that I have a bell, I’ll ring it once and the astute ones will hear it and get out of the way. I…

January 19, 2011

Will Native American, Hispanic Cultures Be Included in the Arizona Centennial?

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Today’s post is the third and final installment of my interview with the Executive Director of the Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation, Karen Churchard. If you missed them, make sure to read part I and part II of the interview. In today’s post, we find out how the Native American and Hispanic populations will be recognized and included in the Centennial, how we can all participate, and finally why the Centennial is coming at such a good time. Blooming Rock: How are the tribal communities going to be included in the Centennial? Karen Churchard: On Centennial Way, we’re doing a…

January 18, 2011

What the City of Phoenix is Doing for the Centennial

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Today’s post is part II of my interview with Karen Churchard, the Executive Director of the Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation regarding what the State is planning this year and next for our Centennial. If you missed part I, make sure to catch it here. I’ll be posting the third and final segment of the interview tomorrow. Today’s installment is about the events that we can expect to see this year in anticipation of the Centennial and also how the City of Phoenix, specifically, is planning to participate. Blooming Rock: What are some of the things that are happening now…

January 17, 2011

Arizona Centennial Plans for Washington Street

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Arizona’s birthday is just around the corner. On February 14, our state will be turning 99. Next year, we’ll be celebrating a huge birthday, the Centennial. With the down economy, all the bad press our state has been getting for SB1070 and most recently the shocking attacks in Tucson, many say that the Centennial is coming at a bad time. But Karen Churchard, the Executive Director of the Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation, says it’s perfect timing. She believes that this is indeed the perfect time to celebrate the Arizona we love through Centennial celebrations which are already underway. I…

January 12, 2011

Play It Again…and Again

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet I’ve been in the middle of reshuffling my office, making it more comfortable so I will actually work in there. Up until now, the office has really been a magnet for random storage. It also housed our workout equipment, including our elliptical trainer. Today, we successfully resold our elliptical trainer to a buyer for Play It Again Sports, who saw our ad on craigslist. Play It Again will in turn resell it to somebody out there who’s made a new years resolution to exercise more this year. When my husband Paul and I were first engaged, we were looking…

January 11, 2011

Maricopa County’s Green Government Collaboration and Transportation Initiatives

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Yesterday, I posted the first half of my interview with Jonce Walker, the Sustainability Manager at Maricopa County and the author of the latest Green Government Program. Today, read how the County collaborates with other municipalities and within its various departments, what specific transportation measures the County is taking to go green, and what other cities and counties can learn from Maricopa County’s success. Blooming Rock: What are some of the coordination efforts you’re undertaking with other agencies and municipalities to implement the Green Government program? For example, I noticed you have tree planting as one of your measures…

January 10, 2011

Maricopa County’s Sustainability Manager Talks about the Green Government Program

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Did you know that Maricopa County has a Sustainability Manager and has adopted a Green Government Program? I didn’t either. Once I met the Sustainability Manager, Jonce Walker, and he told me about their Green Government Program, I was very impressed with what the County has been able to accomplish in a few short years in regards to sustainability. I interviewed Jonce and asked him about the program he’s been instrumental in creating and implementing. Below is part I of our interview, touching on Jonce’s role in the County, the general characteristics of the Green Government Program, its triple…

January 05, 2011

The Musical Instrument Museum – A Great Cultural Treasure in Phoenix

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) has been in the news a lot lately. In fact, it was featured on NPR today. Last week I had the pleasure of personally visiting the Musical Instrument Museum with my out of town family and I absolutely loved it. The building and the surrounding landscaping are fantastic, but that’s not why I love this museum. I love this museum because it celebrates, respects and cherishes every culture in the world in a state that can easily be considered a little xenophobic after the passage of SB 1070. Having a varied cultural background myself,…

January 04, 2011

Phoenix, State of the Ride 2010: From Soleri to CVS, a Dialog

by: JohnRomeo Alpha

Tweet Today’s post is by John Romeo Alpha, a fellow bike enthusiast and a blogger. I absolutely love JRA’s blog One Speed:Go! John Romeo Alpha currently commutes by bicycle every day, and has been a Phoenix resident for more than 20 years. He is passionate about all types of bicycling, and is always looking for new and interesting ways to connect canal, path, road and mountain on two wheels. He chronicles his thoughts and explorations on his blog, One Speed: Go! On a sunny day between Christmas and New Years, JRA is meeting up with Tommy, a once-fit friend who…