The Clark Report
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News, Culture and the Big 4-oh
March 2011
In This Issue
CenPho Referral Network
March Get Your PHX
In Other Market News...
CenPho Community
Redistricting News
CenPho Charity Referral Network

Last month I told you about my effort to support local charities. If you send me a referral, which results in a home sale, I'll make a contribution to your favorite charity.

Well, we are taking that one step further. We have created the CenPho Charity Referral Network. Everybody in the Network handles their contributions differently, but all of the following businesses are doing roughly the same thing: supporting charity with a referral.

We've started a Facebook Fan Page because. (Let's face it, if you don't have a Facebook page you might as well set up a lemonade stand in a cave at the bottom of Loch Ness.)

You can see a list of all of our members there. Alternatively, here is a brief list.

Founding Members:
Ken Clark - REALTOR�
Monika Woolsey - After the Diet Network

Members:
Heidi and Doug Abrahamson - Phoenix Metro Retro
Christine Cassano - Graphic Design
Matthew Fritz - Sutra Midtown Yoga
Dallas Gold - Funds Transfer Alliance
Bogi Lateiner - 180˚ Automotive
Jenny Poon - Business Co-working Space
Derek Welte - Web Design + Development

So, please, support a local business. Support a local charity.

March Get Your PHX:
Modified Arts is Modified

Modified Arts

The goal of Get Your PHX is to show up, en masse, to support those who pioneer new restaurants, stores, bars and event spaces. We want to provide them a boost as they put their sweat, tears and wealth on the line to make life great downtown. Plus, we want to provide a chance for you to meet others like you, who want to get the most out of Phoenix.


Thanks again to Rum Bar owners Dwayne Allen and Danielle Leoni for proving that you can have a great time and learn a little something, too. Special thanks to Danny Fajardo of Young's Market, who showed us how to find delicate flavors and aromas in very fine rum.

Rum. It's not just for frat boys anymore.

On to March!!

Kimber Lanning, long-time owner of Modified Arts (and our fearless leader in the world of arts, local business and speaking truth to power), is has stepped back from Modified to focus on her many other endeavors.

So, hang the "under new management" sign and meet Director Kim Larkin and Associate Director Adam Murray. Kim and Adam moved to Phoenix in 2008; from Pittsburgh, but originally from Salt Lake City. Kim got to know Kimber soon after moving to Phoenix and Adam volunteered doing sound for event at Modified. Kim and Adam will tell us about the transition, changes to Modified and what is coming next.

Kim and Adam will present the latest installation, a collaboration with the Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art's, Ted Decker. Come see the work of Brazilian artist Laerte Ramos in Arma Branca. A coinciding exhibition, Source Code, will reintroduce Jon Haddock's Isometric Screenshots to Phoenix after ten years of exhibition nationwide. 


So, while Modified Arts is not a new business, it is a flagship space downtown.  Yet, we want to support Kim and Adam in their new adventure.

Keep an eye on our Facebook Fan Page for updates. As you know, there are always surprises.

 
March Get Your PHX
Thursday, March 24th from 5:30 to 8:30.
Modified Arts
407 E. Roosevelt
Phoenix, 85004  Map here

Please RSVP to me via email or through Facebook so I can get an accurate count.   
In Other Market News...

The Beginnings of Recovery

Remember Econ 101? When the supply of something goes down, prices go up.    


The End of Cheap Money
Back in October of 2009, the Federal Housing Administration decided that about 90 percent of condos were no longer fit for FHA loans. So, I've been helping folks buy very impressive but inexpensive condos under $100,000 (some under $50,000). Only they had to buy with cash. This seems to be changing. I'm hearing that some of those super cheap condos are now available with traditional loans.

The Good New and Bad News from 2010
So, what does a one percent increase in interest rates actually mean for a $100,000 purchase? See here.

Wall Street Journal in Recovery

The Wall Street Journal is predicting housing recover in 2011. And you know how prone they are to hyperbole... 


Rent My House (Still)
I know this cool cat who has a wonderful house for rent, starting in April. Check it out here.




CenPho Community

Cultivating a Green Infrastructure

The nice folks at the City of Phoenix who put together the latest shade plan are putting on a set of discussions on cultivating green infrastructure at their Regional Tree & Shade Summit. You might recall my missive on urban gardening.  We let so much potential growth infrastructure go to waste. Part of this event will cover how we can plan for an benefit from more green canopies and smarter urban landscaping. 


Melrose Street Fair
Forget the debate about reversable lanes on 7th Ave. Just close down the street for a day and see how it goes. I plan to be at this. Say hi if you see me. I'll be the one walking my dog, junked up on coffee from Copper Star.

Melrose Street Fair 


26 Blocks Makes it to the iPad
Y'all might recall our Get Your PHX event last year at the College of Medicine last June. Where we highlighted the new 26 Blocks installation. I'm thrilled to see that 26 Blocks is now an iPad App. Thanks to the help of Phoenix Community Alliance. Well done!

Blight Buster Training
Want to improve property values and keep the baddies out of your neighborhood? Start by fighting blight at the Blight Buster Training on March 8th. We are fighting blight at our condo complex and it has made a huge difference.

Look for more recent posts on www.GetYourPHX.com.

 
Redistricting Update

The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission has chosen its fifth and final member, independent Colleen Mathis. I'm not certain whether she should get congratulated or consoled. But, she signed up for it, not me.

But you can have all of the best commissioners in the world. If the public does not demand competitive districts and protection for minority voters, we will end up with the same problem we had 10 years ago --gerrymandered districts that only serve narrow political interests.

Keep an eye on the process with us and join us. Please track us on our Facebook Fan Page.

Free Mapping Software

We did a YouTube video of our on-line mapping tool. Because, you know, if you don't do a YouTube video about something it might as well not exist.

Have a look here. The video is just over 3 minutes long and explains everything you need to know. That's just about as long a Moammar Kadafi has left in power.

Software

We need your help.


1) Please go to www.azredistricting.com.
2) Sign up to for our workshops.
3) Organize a screening of Gerrymandering, the movie.
4) Make a contribution so that we can finish building the software.

We can't do it without your help!

Final Words, Compliance and Other Legal Stuff

As always, I respect your right not to be bothered with annoying spam email. If you would like to be removed from my email list, just let me know. Thanks!


Sincerely,
 
Ken Clark

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