ElIndeNews.com

Versión Español

Pawnshops provide people collateral loans, money in exchange for personal property that can be retrieved after paying the loan with interest.

Due to the current economy people needing money and are turning to pawnshops as a way of snagging fast cash. The basic idea of pawnshops is to loan people money.

"We have noticed a change in our business because of the economy. People are in difficult times and need money," says Juan Atondo, an employee of EZ Money Pawn at 3030 South Sixth Ave.

"I've pawned items a couple of times. I've pawned televisions and game systems," says customer Rosalina Viramontes.

Viramontes explains, "It's a difficult time right now. The economy is bad and the holidays are coming up. It's a good way to get instant cash."

What is happening with a growing pawn business in South Tucson is occurring nationally, according to the Associated Press. The National Pawnbrokers Association says its members are reporting record growth as a result of persistently high unemployment, coupled with soaring gold and metal prices.

Versión Español

Perla Lozada, 18, reads out loud, slowly but surely enunciating every syllable, “What is the author saying when they talk about ‘threads so slight and sticky?”

Lozada is a student in Stacey Lang’s ESL night class at PPEP Tech, 1840 East Benson Highway. She is one of several who are studying hard to learn the English language.

Stacey Lang, who has been teaching at PPEP Tech for two years, says that the majority are motivated to learn in order “to get a job and to go to college.”

 

Versión Español

For the past 41 years, Miracle on 31^st Street has been making sure the less fortunate are not forgotten during the holiday season. This year the Christmas celebration will be held at Tucson Electric Park on Saturday Dec. 24 at 10 a.m.

The non-profit makes sure no child is without a present during the holidays by distributing toys to underprivileged children whose families cannot afford to put gifts under their tree.

Ramon Gonzales, who has been referred to as the Southside’s Santa Claus, is the driving force behind the organization. The event began more than 40 years ago at Gonzales’  31^st Street home in South Tucson where he held a holiday party with gifts and food for his nieces and nephews.

The first year he spent $125 to throw the celebration for about 15 kids. It slowly grew each year and children from all over the community came out to celebrate on 31^st Street. It now has grown to bring out more than 9,000 children.

   Versión Español

Does basketball bring excitement to South Tucson?

Ask a couple of local high school coaches and they will attest that interest is building in the South Tucson community.

Both La Cholla and Pueblo High School have each welcomed a new coach this year and both have high hopes to put basketball back on the map.

Version Español

Frank Heredia doesn’t just paint cars. He doesn’t just repair body panels, nor does he just do framework. Heredia makes art. He takes cars, sometimes crumpled from wrecks and in dire need of repair, and turns them into eye-catching beauties.

His shop, Frank’s Auto Refinishing, located on Fourth Avenue just south of 31st Street, has been a mainstay in South Tucson for 20 years. Heredia’s experience goes much further back than that, however.

Versíon Español

More than 500 families in South Tucson should experience lower utility costs this winter thanks to the Tucson Urban League.

By helping residents make their homes more energy efficient the League’s weatherization and home repair programs thrives due to a boost in funding over the last four years.

Weatherization entails modifying the home’s energy consumption, whether it’s installing weather stripping or even replacing entire heating and cooling systems.

The average American spends more than $1,300 annually on utility bills, but weatherization changes to a home can help to save more than $300 per year.

The program geared toward low-income families offers a free diagnostic assessment for a home to determine what are the most cost effective repairs to make.

Versíon Español

A child sits in the center of the one-room building. He white-knuckles the elevated chair as people lining the walls watch with a curious look on their faces, as though they are wondering, “how is this going to end up looking?”

Other kids play in the corner with action figures, anxiously waiting their turn in the seat that will change how they appear.

Buzzing fills the air as Chris Perez’s hair clippers fly furiously around the child’s head. The South Tucson barber makes a cut here, a trim there, some fading at the bottom and a defined hairline on the forehead and Perez’s job is complete.

Version espanol

Ronald A. Wilson, 43, was nominated as Chief Magistrate over the city of South Tucson on March 3, 2002.  From his Sixth Avenue office, he recounts the exact date because it was such a milestone for him.

“I was the first African-American presiding judge in my position in the state of Arizona,” Wilson said.  “It was a great honor and a huge achievement, and it speaks volumes about the city of South Tucson and the people who appointed me.”

Versíon Español

The next month could be a stressful time for South Tucson students.

Those who took the AIMS test in October must wait until December for results that will determine if they graduate or have to wait until next spring to retake the test.

The AIMS test was developed by Arizona teachers and is required by state and federal law. Students are required to score at least a "meets" on all areas of the AIMS in order to graduate.

During the fall only juniors and seniors who have not met the standards or are trying to exceed the standards take the exam. In the spring sophomores will take the exam for the first time.

Versión Español

Ask Ramón Recién why business in his shuttle company, with services mostly to Nogales, Douglas and Phoenix, has gone down, you might expect to hear it is due to drug violence or increased vigilance by the Border Patrol. The actual answer is a little more obvious than that.

“It’s the economic crisis,” says Recién.

Versión Español

In theory, neon's life expectancy is forever. In South Tucson, it's fading.

Neon lights and signs were introduced to Tucson in the 1940s. Streets were highly concentrated with the bright signs, popular for advertising motels and restaurants, along the U.S. 80 and U.S, 89 routes. In the 1960s and 80s, people started looking at the earlier design as out dated. Today, neon signs have just become a frustrating responsibility for some businesses in South Tucson.

Versión Español

With the decline of greyhound racing nationwide, the Tucson Greyhound Park is fighting to survive.
The park was established in 1944 just around the same time that South Tucson became a city.

Tom Taylor is the CEO and general manager of the Tucson Greyhound Park and has been there for almost 15 years.

"We used to be the only place you could gamble other than Las Vegas," Taylor said. "Now Arizona has 27 Indian casinos and only three live tracks."