Posts Tagged ‘Add new tag’

Tucson Hosts World’s Largest Gem and Mineral Show…

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

More than 100,000 people who sell or trade gems and minerals have begun descending upon Tucson for the world’s largest Gem and Mineral show. 

With more than 6,000 dealers spread throughout the city, Tucson will become a mecca for the international world to examine specimens, gemstones, and jewelry.  It has been called “the swap meet to millionaires and billionaires, those connoisseurs of minerals” by Mark Candee, curatorial specialist at the  University of Arizona Mineral Museum.

There will be 44 shows ongoing in Tucson motels and hotels, and tents are now going up to house the huge shows such as the shows off of I-10 on the Frontage Road, the Tucson Electric Park show, and the show off of Palo Verde called the Holodome. 

This show began 56 years ago in a Quonset hut at the Rodeo Fairgrounds and has grown to become vast contributor to Tucson’s economy,  bringing  more than 150 million into local  business coffers.  “It is our Christmas” said Candee. 

The original show with 10 to 12 dealers was put on by a volunteer organization to showcase mining and minerals from the Bisbee-Tombstone area.  Since then, internationally renown museums and private collectors vie for the privilege of being represented at the “Main Show” , held at the Tucson Convention Center downtown, February 11 through 14.

 Many shows are “wholesale only” and appropriate documentation must be shown including tax exempt status information.  Gemologists and jewelers from throughout six continents converge on these shows to purchase millions of dollars in gems and minerals for their respective companies, such as Tiffany’s.

But the general public can attend many shows – and if a person began the first day and tried to see every show within the three week period, looking ten hours a day, that person would not see everything!  Tailgate shows spring up throughout the city, and locals feel that electrical excitement when gem show comes to town, 

Shuttle services are avaialbe throughout town transporting people from one show to another which helps with traffic movement.  The Tucson Convention and Visitor’s Bureau can answer many questions about the Gem Show.  Googling “Tucson Gem and Mineral Show” brings up a myriad of websites.

Perhaps the highest compliement paid is that Munich Show in Germany, which is Europe’s largest show, strives to be known as “The Tucson Show of Europe”.

Resources:

The Official Guide to the Main Show :   http://www.tgms.org/

The Tucson Show Guide:    http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/tsg/

The Pueblo Show:  http://pueblogemshow.com/

JOGS Show:     http://www.jogsshow.com/

Gem and Mineral Show You Tube Videos:  http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Tucson+Gem+and+Mineral+Show&FORM=VDRE#

The NEW IMPROVED Tucson Diet!

Friday, January 1st, 2010

My friend Jennie and I went to an early dinner last night at Texas Roadhouse to celebrate the end of 2009. By all signs, 2009 was not the best year.  We both bogged down in all the economic jargon, the poor real estate market, the March dive of the stock market, the rhetoric of another “Great Depresssion,” and the profound sadness of people losing homes while we worked harder to try and accomplish loan modifications and/or short sales. 

What better way to drown these sorrows than in a huge baked potato swimming in sour cream and butter?  And a little steak as a side dish.  It signified the year…soft, mushy, without much substance, but full of caloric content with which to burden us further (with fat).

After that metaphor, I looked to 2010…the new year, the new decade, the new moon, the blue moon.  What could be more prophetic of a fabulous new year?  And so I count my blessings, of which there is an abundance, and write in my gratitude journal every morning, so grateful I live here.

How fortunate I am to live in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.  For anyone with resolutions, this is the place to be!  The temperature today is in the low 70’s, sunny, warm, perfect weather for a great hike into the Tucson Mountains or any surrounding trail.  Perhaps a trip to Sabino Canyon is in order, or a ride up the Catalina Highway to 8,000 feet above sea level into the pines and perhaps a bit of snow to Mount Lemmon.  Or take the children for a beautiful day at Sonora Desert Museum and marvel at all the life which abounds in the here in the desert.

Of course many people resolve during the new year to get fit, to loose weight, to become less sedentary… and if that is on your agenda, Tucson is your place!  The city has lots of walkways which are flat and many have rest benches along the pathway.  I have heard people say they were never so healthy as when they lived in Tucson! 

The vitamin D is abundant…necessary for strong bones…and Tucson is a bike friendly city.  In fact, Lance Armstrong was just here with his team practicing…and we are home to the internationally famous El Tour de Tucson.  There are lots of three wheelers out there which provide better exercise than a golf cart and recumbent bikes are becoming more popular.

So making the calculation of 3500 calories equals one pound, I figure I could loose 50 pounds this year if I use Tucson’s natural resources and walk one hour a day…up and down the Greasewood path or wherever, all while enjoying the changing scenery from winter, spring, summer, and fall. 

 I could start a new diet called “Move to Tucson and Loose 50 pounds in a year!”  Just follow these easy directions … “and wait…there’s more!  Sunshine included at no cost to you!  Beautiful mountain views and if you act now, we’ll even give you better health and flexibility!”  Now who could go wrong with that?

So long 2009!  So long baked potato swimming with sour cream and butter…Hello 2010!  I welcome you with open arms and gratitude!  And now, I bid adieu to see what’s new along the Greaswood path, soak up some Vitamin D, and get rid of at least 300 calories of that decadent baked potato!

George Zoritch…Remembering

Friday, November 6th, 2009

    Life is full of things we promise ourselves we are going to do, or promise others, and so is the case with George Zoritch to whom I promised a roast lamb dinner…and never delivered.

    I first met the acclaimed ballet dancer after I had ordered  “Ballet Russes” from Netflix.   I watched it with fascination; the graceful movements of the participants of the Ballet Russes, and the difficulties they endured with long hours, low pay, but profound love for their craft.  These were the days when people performed for the love of performing, not for exhorbitant salaries. 

   George was interviewed on the documentary and from the locale and his dialogue, I thought I knew where he lived.  So checking sources, I found I was correct, less than a mile from my home.  

     With a friend, I excitedly went to purchase a huge bouquet of flowers … as a thank you to this gentleman who had brought me pleasure just watching “Ballet Russes”.  And I realized what a magnificient career he had and the pleasure he has brought to thousands of others.

    We approached the wrought iron gate and rang the bell, and some time later, a wiry gentleman appeared and I knew instinctively he was George Zoritch.  Bewildered, he wondered why this woman and friend were standing at his gate with flowers and he graciously invited us in where we sat and chatted for a long period of time.

    Regaling us with stories of his career, telling us he still did his exercises every morning in bed before he rises, talking about his days at the Unversity of Arizona, and his impressions of people with whom he danced, George enthralled us.

     We looked at awards and memorabilia, and fixed the flowers in a vase for him.   And he brought out his recording, “Ballet Mystique Behind the Glamour of the Ballet Russe”  A Memoir by George Zoritch.  It is “the piano music performed during the barre and centre exercises by Vladimir Kudryavtsev, the Concertmaster” of the Bolshoi Ballet, according to the accompanying insert.  It also includes thirty one  compositions by Semeon Gravilovitch Zoritch who “founded Classical Ballet at the Place in St. Petersburg Russia” according to another insert.  This gentleman was George’s Great Grandfather who founded Classical Ballet at the Palce in St. Petersburg, Russia.

     The Premier Danseur was a protege of Mr. Leonide Massine, “who created 11 leading roles for him”.  As George told us stories, his eyes danced obviously in delightful memory.  He talked about his relationship with George Balanchine, the leading ballerinas with whom he partnered, his life in Europe, and his coming to America and dancing here. 

    I saw George at the post office one day mailing his letters and we all remarked upon his photo stamp, a replica of the famous photo “Le Spectre de la Rose”.  Truly I am grateful the little Russian boy, born in Moscow in 1917, graced this world with the beauty of his movements and dance interpretations.  We are all richer for this creatively unique life.

Resources:  http://www.GeorgeZoritch.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballets_Russes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Zoritch

Videos of George Zoritch:  http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=Geroge+Zoritch&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=xmf0SpmqFZSusgOi-s0R&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CBwQqwQwAw#

New York Times Obituary http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/d/deaths_obituaries/index.html

Six Months of Real Estate Statistics – Part 1

Monday, July 13th, 2009

    Our real estate market here in Tucson is beginning to show signs of life, although it is predicted there is a great deal of “shadow inventory”.   This is inventory held by the banks from foreclosures, and has not yet been put on the market.  Short sales and foreclosures continue to be prevalent.  People who do not have to sell their homes are staying put for another year or so.

   Tucson is considered a distressed area and appraisals are often coming in low.  Money is available for people with good credit scores – both FHA financing with 3.5% down, and conventional loans.  For veterans, VA loans are available and anyone PCSing to Davis Monthan Air Force Base for a tour should definitely consider a VA loan to purchase a home. 

    The areas which seem to be hit the most are the master planned communities. These are the areas which grew rapidly and the areas where new home subdividers/builders had relationships with lenders such as Countrywide and offered zero down loans, option arms, 80/20 loans with the 20% being adjustable. These are the areas where “creative financing” reigned supreme.

    People flocked when builders held lotteries for lots, potential homeowners camped out to get a lot.   It was a feeding frenzy.   The media lapped it up.  These too were the areas where prices jumped thousands of dollars in a week during the heyday of the boom.   Prices changed from morning to evening.  I had a client with a price point of $140,000 and we went to a new home subdivision, and when we walked out, I said “let’s look at a resale”.  And now these are the areas where homeowners are experiencing negative equity, where foreclosures are rampant, and where people are walking away.   My client is just about even in his resale home.

    Homeowners are not the only ones hurt in this market.   Subdividers and home builders are also feeling the pain.  People considering a new home should check with the Arizona Department of Real Estate to make sure the builder is not in financial distress.

    If possible, any earnest money deposit should be put in a neutral escrow.  If the house for some reason is not finished or does not close escrow, the home buyer can petition the escrow company through his or her real estate agent, to have the earnest money returned.  Generally the earnest money in a new home subdivision, goes to the builder and is used as working capital.  If the builder goes under, the buyer loses the earnest money.  It is prudent to remember that with new home construction, real estate agents have difficulty altering the builder contracts which are written by a bevy of contract attorneys.  Err on the side of caution…and if the builder balks, walk away!  Don’t forget, builders are hungry these days and if they feel the financial position is sound, a neutral escrow should be fine.

   These are not times to try and save on a real estate commission, especially if you do not know how to navigate the desert.  Sign a buyer’s broker agreement and agree to pay your agent whatever percentage if it is not being paid by the seller.   Find yourself a good real estate agent who knows what is transpiring and who is not afraid to holler in your behalf.  You need representation, especially in this market.  Remember a California dollar and a New York dollar are not the same as a Tucson dollar.  They may be worth the same amount, but they don’t buy the same goods and services!

Call me at 520-884-7201, leave a message if there is no answer.  If you need a good agent in any other part of the country, I can help you with that too.  You can also e mail me at terry@terrybishop.com

    There are all kinds of bargains out there…I sold a two bedroom, two bath townhouse for $37,000!  This is rare, but possible.  I sold a townhouse in the Catalina Foothills for $275,000 which would have sold for $450,000 a few years ago…but patience was the price…it took nearly five months to close escrow.  This is a buyer’s market, but only if you know the pitfalls, the time frames, and the costs.  Rely upon your Realtor.

 

 Resources:

Arizona Department of Real Estate:

 http://www.re.state.az.us/INFO_FOR/CONSUMERS.html

 http://159.87.254.2/publicdatabase/SearchDevelopments.aspx

 

Tomorrow:  Numbers

 

  Rather than trying to give each month since January 2009 a blog page, I am going to attempt to try and combine all six months so that you, the reader, can discern some type of trend.  This may take a few blogging days.

Tucson Medical Scene…University Medical Center

Sunday, December 7th, 2008

   University Medical Center, or UMC as it is called in Tucson, is the teaching hospital for the University of Arizona.  It is also home to one of the best nursing colleges in the nation, University of Arizona School of Nursing as well as the School of Pharmacy.   It is the largest research hospital in Arizona for the School of Nursing, the School of Medicine, and the School of Pharmacy.

      UMC is the major Level 1 trauma hospital for southern Arizona and  takes patients from all of Southern Arizona, western New Mexico, and Northern Mexico.  It ranks as a top hospital for patient survival and shortness of stay.  It also participates in the Southern Arizona telemedicine program which helps to save lives daily.

     Home of Cardio-West, UMC is the site of the first FDA approved artificial heart.  The cardiology department houses the Sarver Heart Center which is involved in research designed to pinpoint stroke and heart attack causes and prevention.  UMC has been named one of the top 100 hospitals in the United States for cardiovascular care.

    Transplant surgery is a speciality of UMC and includes simultaneous heart and lung transplants as well as heart transplants and lung transplants.  Liver transplants, kindney and pancreas transplants as well as intestine transplants and islet cell transplants for diabetic patients are among the procedures offered at UMC.

  Currently under construction is the Diamond Children’s Medical Center which will be a model for pediatric care.  The Steele Children’s Research Center currently has more than 100 research projects in progress which benefit the pediatric patient.

    UMC also has a variety of community outreach programs as well as health and wellness programs.  Programs can be accessed at http://www.azumc.com/body.cfm?id=31&action=list

   UMC is a 355 bed facility located at 1501 North Cambell Avenue in the center of the city between Grant and Speedway.  It is a non profit hosptial and also supports the Cancer Center which will be discussed tomorrow. 

    For addiitional information about University Medical Center including job opportunities, check the resources listed below.

Unversity Medical Center:

             http://www.azumc.com/body.cfm?id=20

Desert Health tips – Information about living in the desert:

            http://www.azumc.com/body.cfm?id=42

Nursing, Medical School, and Pharmacology Research:

           http://www.azumc.com/body.cfm?id=22

University Medical Center Job Opportunities:

           http://www.umcarizona.org/body.cfm?id=583

October Statistics….Average Sales Price UP!

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

      The average sales price of homes rose from $217,397 in September to $226,435 in October, an increase of more than $9,000.  By comparison, the average home price in October 2007 was $259,557, representing an annual decrease of 12.76%.

  The number of homes sold during October  (823) decreased by 111 units from September  (934) while the sales volume decreased by 8.22% from $203,048,605 in September to $186,456,109 in October.   This is a reduction of more than $16,500,000.   

    It is believed many potential home buyers stayed on the sidelines during September and October waiting until November 4 when the Presidential election would be decided by the American public.  Constant political rhetoric about the economy for all levels of political races, put the “economy” front and center in the minds of potential home buyers, and that factor, combined with the swings in the stock market, put a damper on home buying.

    Once November 5 came, the day after the election, there appeared to be more interest by buyers looking at homes.  We are swinging into holiday season, a time of the year when buyers and sellers tend to put their plans on hold until after the first of the new year.  But with the new programs announced by the Government regarding re-working existing home loans, additional inventory may be taken off the market and help stabilize the market.

     We are also now entering the period of time when winter visitors arrive in sunny Tucson,  and many look at purchasing second homes tp get away from the snow and sleet of the northern states.   Canadians are also buyers in this market.

     Pending contract decrease by 9.69% to 755 units from 836 in September and the active listings increased by 1.65% to 7,988 from 7,858.  Inventory has decreased by 1,325 units from last year.  New listings decreased by 7 units from 2,039 in September to 2,032 in October. 

    The median sales prices of homes sold in October decreased only $500 to $180,000 from $180,500 in September.  In October 2007, the median sales price was $30,000 more at $210,000.

    The following is a breakout by zip code of active listings and those sold within each area.  A full 13 page breakout of these numbers is available by clicking on the “Resource” below.               

       
Zip Code # Active Listings # Sold Listings % of Active Listings 
               Sold
       
85601 12 1 8.33%
       
85614 387 27 6.98%
       
85619 15 0 0.00%
       
85629 232 46 19.83%
       
85641 388 29 7.47%
       
85653 215 22 10.23%
       
85658 176 10 5.68%
       
85701 51 3 5.88%
       
85704 231 17 7.36%
       
85705 217 13 5.99%
       
85706 383 58 15.14%
       
85710 296 30 10.14%
       
85711 202 26 12.87%
       
85712 195 25 12.82%
       
85713 341 29 8.50%
       
85714 59 8 13.56%
       
85715 175 18 10.29%
       
85716 195 14 7.18%
       
85718 437 32 7.32%
       
85719 216 17 7.87%
       
85730 200 30 15.00%
       
85735 111 9 8.11%
       
85736 63 5 7.94%
       
85737 286 33 11.54%
       
85739 242 17 7.02%
       
85741 168 29 17.26%
       
85742 284 29 10.21%
       
85743 348 40 11.49%
       
85745 289 33 11.42%
       
85746 272 38 13.97%
       
85747 198 25 12.63%
       
85748 125 22 17.60%
       
85749 232 12 5.17%
       
85750 326 21 6.44%
       
85755 285 31 10.88%
       
85757 136 24 17.65%
       
       
       
Average number of homes sold of Active     367.78%
       Listings   10.22%
       

                           

Resources:

Tucson Association of Realtors – October Statistics, In Depth Report

http://www.tucsonrealtors.org/tar-v2/stats_october.pdf

 

Tucson Medical Scene…Northwest Hospital

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

   Northwest Hospital, located at 6200 North La Cholla Boulevard, serves the northwest area of town and is a part of the Community Health System, Inc.   Northwest opened Northwest Medical Center at 1551 East Tangerine three years ago and is opening Urgent Care Centers throughout the north and northwest areas of Tucson to serve this fast growing area of Tucson.  This area previously had no acute care hospital or medical facilities and yet had the greater proportion of retired people who lived in Saddlebrook as well as Oro Valley.

   Northwest has opened Urgent Care Centers at Ina and Shannon Roads;  Rancho Vistoso and Oracle which services the Rancho Vistoso/Sun City areas as well as Saddlebrook; Silverbell near Continenatal Reserve Loop which serves Del Webb’s Sunflower active adult community as well as the master planned community of Continental Ranch.  The latest Urgent Care center. La Paloma, serves the Catalina Foothills and is located at 4001 East Sunrise Drive and was opened within the past few months.

    As an acute care hospital, Northwest utilizes Genus MD, an interactive internet based online information systems about patients so that relevant medical information can be easily accessed including medications taken, allergies, medical history, or other patient information which may impact acute care.

    Northwest Hospital provides the primary services including Cardiac surgery and Rehab, Oncology, Orthopedics including knee and hip replacement, gastroenterology and nuclear science.  The Women’s Center is well known in Tucson because it caters to the special needs and problems of women and offers support groups, pre natal classes, the birthing center and support for mothers, as well as diagnostic imaging for women of all ages.

     The newly expanded Northwest Hosptial facilities supports more than 500 physicians with 30 different specialities.   Job vacancies are posted on the website which is listed below.

 

    Resources:

http://www.northwestmedicalcenter.com/inpatient_svcs.html

http://www.northwestmedicalcenter.com/

Urgent Care Centers:

http://www.northwestmedicalcenter.com/LaPaloma.php

http://www.northwestmedicalcenter.com/urgent_care.html

Tommorrow:  Northwest Medical Center Oro Valley

Tucson Medical Scene…Carondelet Hospitals – St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s

Thursday, September 18th, 2008

      Carondelet has three hospitals within Tucson and one in Nogales, Arizona;  St. Mary’s, St. Joseph’s, and Tucson Heart Hospital and in Nogales, Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital.

      St. Mary’s Hospital is located on the west side of town, west of I-10 at 1601 St. Mary’s Road.  The 402 bed hospital is at the intersection of Silverbell and St. Mary’s Road.  It’s origins were as a tuberculosis hospital established in 1880, but now the hospital  focuses on heart and vascular care, orthopedics and rehabilitation and general surgery.  It is a non profit hospital as is all of the Carondelet facilities, and employs in excess of 1500 people.

      The newly renovated emergency room has been expanded to care for more patients. St. Mary’s  is a certified Diabetes Care Center, provides Dialysis, Hemodialysis, and Lithotripsy.  St.  Mary’s is also part of the LIfeline Emergency Response Helicopter Program and patients are flown in from all of Southern Arizona.

     St. Mary’s works with the University of Arizona Nursing School and the accelerated BSN Program.  The hospital has been the recipient of several awards including:

  • “2007 Gold Medal “Sustained Performance Award” for excellence in the delivery of cardiovascular care to our patients awarded by the American Heart Association
  • 2005 Top Performer for care of stroke patients by American Heart Association
  • Named by Solucient Institute as one of 100 Top Hospitals in the nation (2003, 2004)
  • Recognized as “Well Workplace” by the Wellness Council of Arizona
  • Diabetes Center accredited by the American Diabetes Association
  • Fabulous 50 Nurses of Tucson (approximately 40-50% of the 50 are Carondelet Nurses)
  • Hospice – leader in national Compassionate Care of Dying consortium “

according to the website which is cited below.

ST. JOSEPH’s HOSPITAL:

       Across town on the East Side is St. Joseph’s Hospital, located at 350 North Wilmot, between Broadway and Speedway.  This 374 bed hospital has a new Neurological Center which is state of the art.  It includes a brain and spine tumor center, facilities for seizure disorder, and an aphasia program.  Rooms are available for family members and the Center is drawing national attention.

    St. Joseph’s, founded in 1961,  also has an extensive neonatal unit as well as a Women’s Pavilion.  The hospital is also recognized for it’s Regional  Eye Center.  Like it’s sister hospital, St. Joseph’s has also been the recipient of many awards including:

         ‘Named by Solucient as one of 100 Top Hospitals in the nation (2002, 2003)

  • Recognized and honored as “Well Workplace” by the Wellness Council of Arizona
  • Diabetes Center accredited by the American Diabetes Association
  • Sole accredited Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab Program in Arizona
  • Fabulous 50 Nurses of Tucson (approximately 40-50% of the 50 are CHN Nurses)
  • 2005 Arizona Nurses Association Employer Excellence Award
  • 2005 Corporate “Champion of Heart” Award from American Heart Association ‘

according to the website.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:

       Both hospitals are continuouly seeking qualified candidates for career opportunities.   A link to application forms for all of Carondelet facilities is listed in the resources below.

St. Mary’s Hosptial Website:

http://www.carondelet.org/information/csm.aspx

St. Mary’s Hospital Job Opportunities:

http://www.carondelet.org/career/apply.aspx

St. Joseph’s Hospital Website:

http://www.carondelet.org/information/csj.aspx

St. Joseph’s Hospital Job Opportunities:

http://www.carondelet.org/career/index.aspx

St. Joseph’s Neurological Unit:

 http://www.insidearizonabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=815