HOLIDAY SHOPPING FORECAST THIS WEEK

posted by Lucy Valencia

Black Friday, the manic shopping day after Thanksgiving, is just around the corner. This frenzied day marks the kick-off for the holiday shopping season and a one-day peak in sales for retail stores.

Tucson is expecting a mass of international shoppers from Mexico to help boost sales. According to the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, visitors from Mexico spend about $940 million in Pima County.

Nationwide, shoppers spend nearly half of a trillion dollars during this time—an estimated 19 percent of annual retail sales, according to the National Retail Federation. That helps explain why it's called Black Friday; it's when many retail businesses see their operations go into the black for the year.

In the recent recession, the one-day specials of Black Friday were followed by lousy sales throughout the rest of the holiday season.

In Arizona, improvement has been seen in sales over the last two years. The number of people who shopped the weekend after Thanksgiving increased from 195 million in 2009 to 212 million in 2010.

What are Tucson retailers and national chains expecting this holiday season? Tune in this Friday, to find out more when Arizona Week's host Michael Chihak interviews retail and economic experts to discuss what they expect the forecast to be for 2011’s holiday season.

We’ll speak with Felipe Garcia, MTCVB’s vice president of Mexico marketing and community affairs, about the economic boost Mexican shoppers provide.

We’ll also interview international marketing expert Martha Van Gelder about the retailing shopping season. A former growth developer for companies such as Walt Disney, Gelder now serves as the new director of the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing at the University of Arizona.

PREVIEW OF FRIDAY'S PROGRAM: OCTOBER JOBS

posted by Melanie Huonker

The Arizona Department of Administration will release its October jobs report Thursday at a 10 a.m. press conference in Phoenix.

The report is expected to show if there will be a temporary increase in retail sector jobs in preparation for the holiday season. For the past year, the jobs report demonstrated an upward look for Arizona.

In September, the Arizona Republic reported, the state unemployment rate fell to 9.1 percent, dropping two-tenths of a point to match the U.S. rate. Arizona added 26,100 jobs.

The hiring of school employees at the beginning of the school year helped the state add 19,600 public sector jobs. The private sector added 4,100 jobs. This marked the first month since 2006 that Arizona added rather than eliminated private sector jobs.

Another section that saw gains was construction, which added 3,700 jobs. That's a 6.3% increase from August.

However, according to the Phoenix Business Journal, the September jobs reports showed that Phoenix had a 155 percent growth in the number of people out of work, compared with four years earlier, an increase of 104,000.

Furthermore, according to the Arizona Republic, professional services in finance and business lost jobs, each dropping 1,500.

What will the jobs report look like for October? What will it mean for Arizona’s economic outlook?

Friday’s program will break down the numbers in the report to identify if it’s the right growth to meet Arizona’s needs.

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM

posted by Lucy Valencia

The federal Veterans Day holiday is only about a week away.

Though it often feels as if this is a nation can half-forget that its sons and daughters are in combat when most of us are busy with our daily lives, Veterans Day calls the entire country to stop and honor those who have fought for our freedom.

On Friday, the 11th day of the 11th month, the U.S. pays homage to all veterans who have served our country in past and current conflicts.

We remember in the same way that the families of soldiers, sailors, Marines and aviators always remember one thing—war can never be erased. And war can never be forgotten. Not even for a single second.

But how are our communities helping those who have returned from war? How have those who risked their own lives coped with residing in American daily life? How are we honoring those who lost their lives fighting for freedom?

Arizona Week's Michael Chihak spoke with Commander of the Order of the Purple Heart, David Alegria, last week to discuss the importance of the Purple Heart and how his life forever changed once he had been at war.

Vietnam veteran Dan Ross and Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Abel Moreno will be interviewed side-by-side this Wednesday to discuss some of the issues local veterans face.

Arizona Week will also be interviewing Cathi Starr, the Regional Manager for the Arizona Department of Veteran Services in Tucson and Air Force Veteran from the Gulf War era. Starr has worked with veterans and their families to help them receive their benefits for more than a decade.

Tune in on Friday to hear more on what these brave veterans share with us for the special Veterans Day program.

FRIDAY FULL HOUSE: REDISTRICTING EXPERTISE

posted by Michael Chihak

Arizona is setting the tone for its political future, at least for the next decade. And so far, that tone is one of rancor and bitterness.

It is all about how nine congressional and 30 legislative district boundaries are drawn. The Arizona Constitution puts that task in the hands of the Independent Redistricting Commission, with an emphasis on "independent."

However, it's been anything but independent, with both Democratic and Republican officeholders and partisans trying to influence the outcomes.

The latest effort, of course, was Tuesday's ouster of commission chair Colleen Mathis on a vote by all 21 Republicans in the state Senate. That followed Republican Gov. Jan Brewer's declaration that Mathis had violated the state Open Meeting Law and committed "gross negligence" in the drawing of district lines.

To summarize the week's events and look ahead to what could happen next, Arizona Week on Friday is gathering several experts.

First, Arizona Week reporter intern Melanie Huonker will review the news events of the week.

Following her, Arizona State University political scientist Jennifer Steen will look at how the process is working constitutionally and where it may end up.

Finally, journalists who have been covering the issues will comment and analyze what happened, where the situation is now and what might occur. Joining us will be the Arizona Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl, the Arizona Capitol Times' Evan Wyloge and Arizona Public Media's Christopher Conover.

Watch Friday at 8:30 pm MSTY on PBS-HD-6 or at azweek.com.

REDISTRICTING TRUTH: HE SAID, SHE SAID

posted by Michael Chihak

The independent chairwoman and two Democratic members of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission have denied any wrongdoing in relation to the state Constitution and the Open Meeting Law.

One Republican commissioner reiterated his claim that the chairwoman offered him a quid pro quo in exchange for his vote to hire Strategic Telemetry as the commission's mapping consultant.

Chairwoman Colleen Mathis said in her written response to Gov. Jan Brewer's demand that commissioners explain why their actions aren't illegal that she sought unanimous consensus on Strategic Telemetry. She denied offering a quid pro quo, and she concluded her letter by saying, "I certify under penalty of perjury that my response to all questions and requests are true and correct."

Republican Commissioner Richard Stertz said in his letter, "Chairwoman Mathis confirmed that if I were to vote with her in regards to the selection of Strategic Telemetry, she would provide a favorable vote for me in the future."

Democratic Commissioners Jose Herrera and Linda McNulty in their letters denied any wrongdoing. The letter from Republican Commissioner Scott Freeman was not made available Monday morning by the commission's spokesman.

TRYING TO CHANGE LEGISLATIVE MINDS

posted by Michael Chihak

Arizona's public education community is taking a new look at how it approaches the state Legislature for school budgeting.

The Arizona Capitol Times this week reported that the Arizona Education Association plans to tie job creation and the economy to education funding.

The tie won't be tenuous. The two go hand in hand and have for a long time. The Arizona Board of Regents, among others, have pushed that approach consistently over the years.

But for the education association, it's a new message, one with pragmatism. ut will it resonate?

Capitol Times reporter Caitlin Coakley Beckner quotes association President Andrew Morrill as saying, "We're trying to send the message, which is true, that a properly funded school system can be and has been shown to be an economic driver for the state."

Beckner will appear on the journalists' panel of Friday's Arizona Week to discuss the story and the legislative issues with educational funding.