Per my previous comment about reporting important policy issues to you. Here are some things that most people miss, or that polluters are happy when the public misses. 

Solar for All. As part of the ground-breaking Inflation Reduction Act, Arizona will get $156 million that can be used to improve access to rooftop and neighborhood-scale solar generation for all Arizonans. The Solar for All Arizonans program plans to deploy just over 61 MW of new solar resources throughout the state, benefitting thousands of low-income families, renters, and rural and Tribal communities. The innovative Solar for All Arizonans program will provide numerous benefits for families throughout Arizona, including over $164 million in bill savings for participating families. Additionally, over 300 rural households will benefit from solar plus battery systems for their homes, protecting them from electricity service disruption.

The Climate Commission. There is a direct tie between the Arizona Corporation Commission, power companies and climate change generally and public health specifically. It probably seems obvious to my readers, but polls show that most people don’t see this connection. In fact several hundred thousand voters don’t vote all the way down the ballot where the Corporation Commission candidates are listed. If more people knew that the Corporation Commission really is the “climate commission”, I know they would vote in those elections. See this great article from the Arizona Public Health Association for examples of how the Corporation Commission affect you very directly.

Phoenix Air Quality. While Gila, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, were given an “F” for air quality from the American Lung Association in their annual report last month, our public utilities are pushing forward with plans to build as much as 4,000 megawatts of new dirty methane gas power plants. Most of these plants are, or will be, in areas that are failing to meet clean air standards already, or are populated by marginalized communities. 84% of Arizonans live in areas with unhealthy air. A combination of renewable energy, batteries and utility-funded home energy efficiency incentives could clean the air.

Former mayor, famed champion of historic properties in Arizona, and long-time fighter of dark money, Terry Goddard is announcing the opening of the Monroe Street Abbey. The new location will be an indoor/outdoor event space, which will activate a corner that has been sitting empty for decades.

Congratulations to everyone involved. From their public announcements of the opening:

Build in 1929, the Abbey is listed on the National Register of Historic Properties.  In 1984, a huge fire destroyed the roof, but courageous fire fighting saved the rest of the building.  Eventually the wall supports were removed, and the building was prepared for demolition. 

Fortunately, Housing Opportunity Center, an Arizona not for profit corporation, secured a short-term loan from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and put the property into escrow just hours before demolition was to start.  Since that day, there have been many plans for the restoration and adaptive reuse of this landmark. 

But the ideas always come back to a Garden in a Ruin, a new purpose literally rising from the ashes of the old.  The current plan combines the best of the prior suggestions, a mix of food and beverage services within stately walls, private events and public functions for our enjoyment in an environment unique in Arizona and the Southwest.

The Courtyard:  The centerpiece of the Abbey was the church’s sanctuary, a room that could seat as many as 1,400 congregants on the main floor and the steeply slopped balcony.  The fire brought down the beautiful, high pitched Spanish tile roof and made the large inside room an outside garden. Designed more as a performance theater, what is now the Courtyard had a formal proscenium arch and a double curtain over two stories high.  This stage area was lit from above and designed for choral performance.  Even without a roof, the acoustics in the Courtyard are excellent. 

The Abbey Café: The former Chapel forms a unique space for a full service restaurant where diners can enjoy the quiet breezeway between the Abbey and the apartments next door or take their food and drink in the Abbey Courtyard.  2,500 square feed with kitchen and two designated restrooms.  The Bell Tower: The tower space on the first and second floors provides the chance for a coffee and a sweet or a light refreshment with a unique view of the City on one side and the Abbey Courtyard on the other.