"Free Bike Lights" a Success!

Our two "Free Bike Light" events were very successful — thanks primarily to Madelyn Cook who was the organizer. Thank You, Madelyn!

SHNA received free lights from GABA (Greater Arizona Bicycling Association) and the University of Arizona Parking and Transportation Dept. We thank both organizations!

We (the neighborhood) also contributed lights. Alex Cook made a superb sign that

announced our "Give-away Event." And, with the assistance of U of A students who are

members of Phi Delta Theta (they brought a very helpful shade structure), we set up shop on the corner of 3^rd St and Wilson, next to Sam Hughes Elementary School. On two

afternoons we gave away about 60 lights. We still have about 25; we'll plan to give those away during the next semester. 

It was an interesting event: quite a few bicyclists (with ear buds) road past us, seemingly oblivious. Some had lights on their bikes, and some did not. But others stopped and were very grateful to receive a light. Several said that they had been meaning to get a light but hadn't quite gotten around to it. 

Obviously, we can't solve the problem of bicycles (and now E-bikes, etc.) without lights on the 3rd St. Bike Path, but we took a good step in that direction.

Gayle Hartmann

PS: A big THANK YOU!  

I am very grateful for the significant help SHNA president, Gayle Hartmann, provided. She guided me through this project with suggestions on who to contact and how. She secured donations of over 4 dozen bike lights, steered me toward volunteer help from the AZ Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and helped with the 2 sessions of light handouts.  I could not have succeeded without her! Thank YOU, Gayle!

Madelyn Cook

Zero Waste Collection Event -- Nov 7

The City of Tucson's Environmental Services Department in partnership with community organizations is hosting a Zero Waste Collection event on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The event will be held in the parking lot of the Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway Blvd. from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Good news for the Eegee's fans!

You may have noticed the Eegee's at the corner of Speedway and Tucson closed. The reason for the closure is that the lease expired. But Eegee's will still be in the neighborhood. It is moving down the street to the Blake's Lotaburger location at Speedway and Treat. Good news for the Eegee's fans. (Not such good news for the Blake's fans.)

Tuk Tuk Thai

In other restaurant news, Tuk Tuk Thai recently opened on the NE corner of Speedway and Tucson. A pro-tip for anyone with a gluten intolerance, not only is Tuk Tuk Thai delicious, it offers a wide range of GF options.

Spooky Hughes!

A big thanks to all the neighbors who decorated and handed out candy. It was another busy Halloween in Sam Hughes.

SHNA 2027 dues - still just $20!

Just a friendly reminder that SHNA 2027 dues are coming up!

SHNA works hard for our neighborhood on so many important issues, including TEP, Himmel Park, trash and weed removal, safety, traffic control, and much more. And all for just $20 a year! What a bargain!

Pay now and enjoy that endorphin rush from checking one more thing off your to-do list early! 😄

You can pay online at samhughes.org, mail your dues to:

SHNA

PO Box 42931

Tucson, AZ 85733

Or simply use the link below. Thanks for supporting our neighborhood!

Balancing Safety and Compassion

Many neighbors have noticed an increase in the number of unhoused people staying in Himmel Park. This is a complicated issue, as we try to balance safety and compassion. Many of our unhoused neighbors are simply going about their day without causing any problems. Others are struggling with addiction or physical and mental health challenges.

Everyone is welcome to use the park during the day, but overnight sleeping is prohibited. Some residents want the existing law enforced, while others favor a more live-and-let-live approach. I think we can all agree that the safety and well-being of all our neighbors, both housed and unhoused, is important.

What You Can Do

Immediate safety concerns: If you witness or experience an immediate threat to someone's safety, call 911. This includes threatening behavior such as being followed or harassed.

Contact the Community Services Officers (CSOs): Two CSOs are assigned to Himmel Park and are the best contacts for non-emergency park concerns:

• Alyssa Beltran: alyssa.beltran@tucsonaz.gov
• Diego Reyes: diego.reyes@tucsonaz.gov

In response to neighborhood concerns, the Tucson Police Department (TPD) has increased the frequency of CSO visits to the park and has also arranged for a Zebra Unit to visit. A Zebra Unit is a specialized proactive team assigned to a patrol division, focused on addressing ongoing crime and quality-of-life issues in our community.

Homeless Encampment Reporting Tool: Report any homeless encampments you see using the City's Homeless Encampment Protocol. This lets the city know where resources are needed.

Call 311: For non-emergency community issues, call 311 or use the 311 website. Tucson 311 handles non-emergency city concerns, including potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, and code violations.

Neighborhood Watch: Are you interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch group for your block (or couple of blocks)? The purpose of a neighborhood watch is to promote community safety by encouraging residents to look out for one another, report suspicious activity to law enforcement, deter crime, and build a stronger sense of trust and cooperation among neighbors.

First steps would be:

1. Talk with your neighbors. Are 50% or more interested? This number is important as 50% or more neighbors need to sign on to become a formal Neighborhood Watch.
2. Click here to learn more about the process of creating a formal neighborhood watch, including the recommended home security measures.
3. Reach out to CSO Ramon Silvas (ramon.silvas@tucsonaz.gov). He is the Neighborhood Watch coordinator for Sam Hughes.

What else? If you want to connect our unhoused neighbors to much-needed services, a great place to start is the Ward 6 Chill Space (3202 E 1st St). See below for more information on that.

Ward 6 Chill Space

From Ward 6 Oct 2 newsletter

Hello from The Chill Space! We wrapped up our official “Cooling Center Season” earlier this week. Thank you to all who donated, shared, and chilled with us this summer! We consider our work this summer a true success – particular in preventing serious heat-related emergencies. We couldn't have done it without this space and opportunity from CM Schubert and this office, as well as all the community support. 

Here are some of our cooling center closing numbers:  

• Total visits: 2,250 (We had a goal of 2,200 and we exceeded it!)  
• Total unique visitors: 300 (We are incredibly proud of how many “regulars” appreciated and trusted our space enough to return frequently.) 
• Total showers provided: 874 (This number represents what was far and away our most popular service. People were so grateful for the opportunity to get clean, cool off and experience more dignity in a real bathroom.) 
• Highest temperature recorded: 110 (On Wednesday, August 26th) 
• Highest number of visitors in one day: 49 on Thursday, August 27th (The last full week of August, one of the hottest of the summer, had us averaging more than 40 visitors every day.) 

What does the future look like?  

We have exciting news to share - The Chill Space will be continuing all year! Due to the program's success - and the passion for change from the wonderful Ward 6 staff - we get to keep rolling. For the month of October, the Chill Space will be briefly closed while we regroup and set up our new structure. We will re-open on November 2nd Chill Space as a resource and shower center. (Yes - our shower program was a HUGE success, so we will be continuing to provide showers throughout the year!)  

We will also plan to stack on-site resources so people can access multiple services from different community agencies and shower in one visit. We will provide a more detailed update as we get closer to our re-opening! 

Tucson Community Tennis Program - Pottery Sale

It's time for the 12th annual pottery sale fundraiser benefiting the Tucson Community Tennis Program. This program provides in-school, summer, and Saturday tennis lessons for over 800 under-served Tucson students. More than 50 kids participate in the Saturday tennis clinic held at Pueblo High School. 

100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Saturday Clinics allowing TCTP to extend those clinics an extra five Saturdays. The Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club has again graciously agreed to host this event and non- members are welcome. Bowls, plates, chip & dip combos, garlic keepers, planters and more will be available for purchase. 

Saturday, November 7th

9:00-12:00

Tucson Racquet & Fitness Club

4001 N. Country Club, 85716

(520) 795-6960

News and notes from our university neighbor

For ongoing exhibits & tours; other sporting events; concerts; speakers - please

see the University Calendar.

Home Football Games

• vs TCU Fri, Nov 6 – Kickoff at 8:15pm
• vs Utah, Sat, Nov 14 – Kickoff TBD
• Last home game for the season: vs ASU, Sat Nov 28 – Kickoff TBD

Arts & Culture

• Route 66: The Main Street of America – Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 7:00PM at The University of Arizona, Centennial Hall
• Animality Book Club – Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Center for Creative Photography
• Arizona Illustrated – Thriving in the Desert – Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Center for Public Media
• Fall for Dance – November 12–22, 2026 at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre (Presented by Arizona Arts, featuring choreography by guest artists and faculty)

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U of A Neighborhood Hot line to report concerns regarding U of A: (520) 282-3649

U of A Emergency Alerts: Register for UAlert messages at UAlert Services . You can add your contact information to receive text and email messages. For information regarding Office of Public Safety, including the Campus Incidents Page.

Karen L Sanson, Office of Government & Community Relations

SHNA Monthly Board Meeting

November 16th @ 7pm

Ward 6 Office (3202 E 1st St)

and online (samhughes.org)

SHNA is looking for volunteers

SHNA works on a wide variety of projects.

Newsletter * Himmel Park * Home Tour

Weeding projects throughout the neighborhood * Board of Directors

Please contact us at info@samhughes.org to volunteer, or if you would like to pursue something new with SHNA’s support.

Emergency: 911

Non-Emergency: 520-791-4444 (Monday to Friday; 8:00 am to 6:00 pm)

Contact for Midtown substation:

Lobby hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

1100 S Alvernon Way, Tucson AZ 85711

Front lobby phone: 520-791-4253

Homeless Outreach Team:

To Report a Homeless Camp, use online reporting tool or call 311.

For crime data in Tucson, visit https://policeanalysis.tucsonaz.gov/