Wednesday, December 18

Tag: Pima Community College

News

Bonds away, PCC pays for expansion

By KYLE KERSEY Coming on the heels of exceptional credit ratings from Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service, two of the big three credit rating agencies in the country, Pima Community College issued revenue bonds for the funding of the Centers of Excellence Projects on Jan. 16. Fitch awarded Pima the default rating of AA and the revenue bonds at AA - both with a stable outlook - Moody awarded Pima an equivalent rating. According to Moody’s, “The Aa3 reflects Pima County Community College District's (PCC or the district) excellent strategic positioning given its prominent role as a low-cost provider of higher education and vocational training in the increasingly economically vibrant Tucson, Arizona, metropolitan area.” The revenue bonds are to generate no more than $65 million, wit...
Ducey submits a water and flight plan
News

Ducey submits a water and flight plan

Potential return of state funds to Pima Community College Story and photos by JOE GIDDENS   Doug Ducey won his second term for governor in November over Democrat challenger David Garcia by nearly 15 points.  Ducey was inaugurated for his second term on Jan. 7 and presented with the State of the State Address from Phoen on Jan. 14. He took his message the next day to the Tucson Convention Center for the State of the State luncheon presented by the Tucson Metro Chamber.   “I told him, it was a good speech, a bipartisan speech, and I hope that he can accomplish, at least part of what he wants to; his action with regard to gun safety in schools is commendable,” Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said.  Drought Ducey opened his State of the State by making water and the drought his fi...
The lost art of sports card collecting
Sports

The lost art of sports card collecting

By KYLE McDANIEL   The world of sports card collecting is an ever-shrinking market, as more and more children have less interest in them.   Matt Mortenson from Mountain View Sports, a sports collectible shop at Speedway Boulevard and Wilmot Road spoke about his thoughts on card collecting today.   “The biggest factor I think is kids have phones, iPads and so many other avenues besides cards, so it’s not as cool as it was when I was a kid,” he said.   With the increased awareness about how some sports will leave you with health issues later on in life, parents are enrolling their children in other activities.   Over the last seven years, children ages 6 to 12 that participated in team sports was about 56 percent, according to the Aspen Institute, an edu...
Sports

Back-to-Back canceled games wake up bats

By Kyle McDaniel   The scheduled game at Paradise Valley Community College on Feb. 21 was cancelled and will be made up on Feb. 28 in Phoenix, the first pitch is 1 p.m.   The scheduled game vs GateWay CC on Feb. 23 was also cancelled and the date of the make up game will be announced later.   Feb. 26 (H): Game 1: PCC 14, Scottsdale CC 1 F/5   It looks like the back to back cancellations woke the Aztecs bats up, as they scored a combined 14 runs in the first three innings.   Multiple players played a key role in the demolition of the Artichokes, but the main architects were sophomore Maria Vanezza Caldera and freshman Hope Adams. Caldera finished 2 for 4 with two RBI’s, while Adams went 1 for 3, but her one hit was massive, because it was a three run ho...
Aztecs wrap up best season in school history
Sports

Aztecs wrap up best season in school history

By KYLE MCDANIEL   The Aztecs are on to the NJCAA District I Semifinals against Laramie County Community College, and will be playing that game at their home stadium Kino Sports Complex. If they win that game, they will play in the NJCAA District I finals the next night. With a win there, they would be headed to Nationals in Daytona, Florida starting November 12.   Oct 27 NJCAA Region I, Division I Finals vs. Chandler-Gilbert CC 0, PCC 2   Thanks to sophomore Hugo Kametani’s second half brace the Aztecs won their fourth NJCAA Region I, Division I in the last five years. The game was a defensive battle especially in the first half when both teams were committing a lot of fouls.   Helping Pima to another shutout victory was freshman defender Martin Cardenas who...
Kametani named ACCAC player of the year
Sports

Kametani named ACCAC player of the year

BY KYLE MCDANIEL   Sophomore and team captain Hugo Kametani helped the Aztecs this season record their best regular season in team history. He finished the regular season with 22 goals and 5 assists. He also was recently awarded the ACCAC/Region 1 Player of the Year award and was selected first team All-ACCAC/NJCAA Region I. Since he is playing like the world is on fire I felt it would be great to get his story and get to know him.   He is from Kashima, Japan which is a coastal city roughly in the middle of the country, and is roughly 57 miles from Tokyo. Which of course means his favorite soccer team is the Kashima Antlers, who play in the J-League, which is Japan’s top division. They are also one of the most successful teams in Japan’s history.   Japan is quite a d...
Male Sexual Assault can be an issue, too
Opinion

Male Sexual Assault can be an issue, too

BY KYLE MCDANIEL   According to www.nsvrc.org/statistics, only 9 percent of rape and sexual assault victims are male, which is a telling fact. I read and hear all the time that women are afraid to speak up, but it is a hundred times worse for males, because males look at sex differently.   If I reported that I was raped, my friends would be laughing hysterically. They would say things like, “Dude, you got to have sex with a woman, why you complaining?” but if you didn’t want to and they forced you into it, that is sexual assault.   The definition of sexual assault according to criminal.findlaw.com, is any crime in which the offender subjects the victim to sexual touching that is unwanted and offensive.   It doesn’t help that a lot of the crime shows on networ...
The Beginning of the End by Kyle McDaniel
Opinion

The Beginning of the End by Kyle McDaniel

By Kyle McDaniel   As you can tell there will be a reason for the writing of this article as it stems from a personal experience of mine, an experience that had everything you would need to create an Oscar winning film.   One day I noticed an employee who I thought was absolutely gorgeous, crying her eyes out and the gentleman I am, I decided to hand her a note that read, smile you’re beautiful. Later that night I asked her to dinner, she said yes and gave me her number.   It’s the night of the dinner and I got all dressed up to go, I picked her up and we enjoyed a wonderful meal, just talking, getting to know each other. Then when it’s time to take her home, she states “Can you take me to Josh’s house?”, of course I said yes, it is the first night anything her heart d...
Letter from the editor- Felony disenfranchisement
Opinion

Letter from the editor- Felony disenfranchisement

By NORA THOMPSON Could you imagine having to pay $700 to register to vote?  No one would do it. Voting, a civil right available to most U.S. reidents, suddenly would become a luxury.  This is a devastating reality for 221,000 people in Arizona. Just as Manny Mejias said during the Restore Your Vote press conference on Oct. 3: It’s like bringing back the poll tax.  America has a long history of voter suppression. It’s unfortunately a racist system that we live under, especially when, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections, 60.9 percent of inmates are non-white.  I got involved with Restore Your Vote Arizona, a project of the Campaign Legal Center. It’s a two-month campaign that’s focused on helping people with prior felony convictions get their rights returned. It’s current...
Aztec’s fighting for a playoff berth
Sports

Aztec’s fighting for a playoff berth

By KYLE MCDANIEL   Pima has 3 games left in the season, two at home. The Aztecs will need to use this home field advantage to help secure a spot in the NJCAA Region I, Division I playoffs, because only the top six make it. Pima’s next game is away to the number 9 team in the country Phoenix College.   Oct. 13 vs. Mesa CC 0, PCC 1   The Aztecs won their second game in a row thanks to a second half goal from sophomore Tayler Rinehart, who was assisted by freshman Gabriela Molina. With this win over the Thunderbirds, Pima moved into 4th place in the ACCAC standings. Pima after this game now have 25 goals on the season, with sophomore Kylee Martin leading the way with 5. They’ve also had 11 different players score, which is good and bad.   Oct. 9 vs. South Mount...