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May 3, 2023
DESERT TIMES
INSIDE
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Health BBL cosmetic surgery is a dangerous costmetic surgery
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Sports Meet Jaelen Collins, Athlete of the Week
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The Voice of Southwest Tucson
Volume 36 • Number 4
Cell tower opposition leads to proposal denial BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Staff
D
an Hartke was visiting his sister when a neighbor approached him, asking if they knew of the cell tower proposed next door to the sister’s Three Points home. This was the first either Hartke or his sister had heard of it, and it was scheduled to be approved the following week. “I assure you, had my sister gotten any mail saying anything about this, we would have tried to deal with it a lot sooner,” Hartke said. “For the last 10 days, it’s been a massive rat race on my behalf to try and notify people.” Hartke spent the weekend of April 14 to April 16 on West Scotland Street speaking to residents and handing out information regarding the cell tower. After distributing over 60 letters, he dis-
covered no resident he spoke to was aware of it. On April 18, the siblings and other concerned community members attended the Pima County Board of Supervisors for a public hearing on the cell tower, proposed by applicant Vertical Bridge LLC. After many residents came forward with their concerns, Supervisor Sharon Bronson motioned to deny the proposal, following a unanimous vote from council in agreement. Hartke has worked in Tucson for over 25 years as a real estate broker, and explained how a cell tower in a residential area is likely to devalue the properties near it. “I can tell you from experience, it does,” Hartke noted. “Every time a potential buyer comes on the street, the first thing they’re going to see is that cell tower. It would affect property values in the whole area, and there are a lot of houses back there.”
The 110-foot cell tower is a project between Vertical Bridge, a private communications infrastructure company, and the phone service T-Mobile. On Jan. 17, Vertical Bridge requested a Type III Conditional Use Permit through the Ivan R. and Margery A. Wolverton Revocable Living Trust. The Wolvertons had lived in the Three Points neighborhood for years before their home burnt down in early January. Known for “Dead Man” (1995), “Shadowhunter” (1993) and “Tombstone” (1993), the married actors have a long history in western films. The 90-year-old couple agreed to the trust, allowing Vertical Bridge to propose the cell tower on their property. Due to a telecommunications federal mandate, Pima County staff has had to balance fill-
see CELLPHONE TOWER page 4
African diaspora dance studio at Silverbell Flex Center BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Staff
Y
arrow King found African diaspora dance as a way to express her free spirit, and to maintain her physical and mental health. Now, she’s creating her dance studio on Silverbell Road to teach it. “I believe movement is medicine,” King said. “I’ve been a long-time student and teacher of these modalities and they work so well together for strengthening, and also for tap-
NOW OPEN!
ping into the innate joy of moving in these bodies.” INjoy Movement will open this summer as a studio of Pilates and dance for the body and soul. King will teach Brazilian, Cuban and other forms created through the African diaspora. Her business is the newest addition to the Silverbell Flex Center, leased and operated through real estate agency Larsen Baker. From massage therapy to stock brokerage, King has dipped into
see YARROW KING page 5
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Yarrow King found African diaspora dance as a way to express her free spirit and to maintain physical and mental health. (Special to Desert Times)
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