CULTURE • SCIENCE • IDEAS
AUGUST 2019 • HIGH TIMES IN YAVAPAI • ANNIE ALEXANDER'S PAPER ART• OPEN SPACE • PEACEBUILDERS •JAZZ SUMMIT • TACOS & DONUTS • MORE
IN S IDE
Serving the Prescott region with local perspectives on culture, science and ideas since Barack Obama had black hair. Publisher: John Duncan Managing Editor: Ed Mickens Copy Editor: Abby Brill Design: Steven Ayres Graphics: Sylvia Wauters Contact us! 5ensesMag@gmail.com 928-421-1123; 5ensesMag.com All content ©2019 4am Productions
Cover Art by Joseph Paul. Solo Exhibit August 1-October 30, Center for Spiritual Living, 3755 Willow Creek Road, Prescott
7 Jazz Summit 9 Things to Do in August 10 Open Space and the Human Habitat 11 Peacebuilders Mark Hiroshima Bombing 12 Artist: Amy Alexander 14 News from the Wilds 16 Eating Out: The Donut Hole 18 Perceivings by Alan Dean Foster 19 What's Up? Bode's Galaxy 20 On the Shelves: Book Tips 23 Bird of the Month: Canyon Towhee
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3•5enses
Vol. 7 No. 8 • August 2019
4 Marijuana War Nears End
5enses • 4
Marijuana War Nears End in Yavapai County
I
by Toni Denis
n the 1971 movie Billy Jack, shot in Prescott, a half-Navajo martial-arts expert fights the redneck sheriffand his pals on the lawn ofthe Yavapai County Courthouse,
defending hippie-ish students from his Freedom School against local discrimination and violence. Although the film glorifies violence while preaching peace, it throws into sharp reliefhow distrust and anger can be instilled toward anyone who has a different culture or lifestyle in a small Arizona town. In the 2010s it isn’t much ofa stretch to say the campaign launched by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk against marijuana users, even those with legal access for medical purposes, fits into the “small town, small minds” image projected by this B-film. She drew the line against any marijuana use years ago, despite a movement toward legalization that has continued to gain nationwide momentum over the past nine years. The state Supreme Court threw out her harsh interpretation ofthe law on May 28, in which she extrapolated that concentrates weren’t covered under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act of2010. All convictions ofmedical-marijuana patients for use ofextracts can now be vacated, though those charged will have to hire attorneys to be de-victimized.
A 2018 Gallup poll found that 66% of Americans support legalization ofadult use ofmarijuana.
stores. Walgreens, CVS and Ulta Beauty offer their own brands. In June the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board accepted the use of CBD for officers. States that have Tom Laughlin on the Square as Billy Jack, 1 971 legalized marijuana are seeing fewer problems overall than before legalization. Most importantly, the economic boon ($2.75 billion in California alone) has been staggering in its scope. All the money that once flowed into the illegal market is now being captured in legitimate businesses, benefiting the states through taxes and licensing fees. Money from the industry also goes into education and drug prevention, which has helped to reduce marijuana use by underage consumers as well. Arizona Catches Up
In Arizona alone, medical patients bought 61 tons ofmarijuana products in 2018, a 42% increase over the previous year. According to state health-department statistics, Arizona is the third-largest medicinal While AZ Attorney General Mark Brnovich initially backed Polk in cannabis market in the US. The number oflicensed cardholders increased the case, he stepped out when he realized which way the political winds to more than 200,000 for the first time last year, and those numbers are were blowing. Brnovich has since advocated passage ofthe S AFE Banking expected to continue to rise. Act to allow for legal use ofthe banking system by marijuana businesses. This year the Arizona state legislature, which had bought into the deAt the end ofJuly the Arizona Dispensaries Association intends to monization ofmarijuana in the past, finally passed a testing bill to ensure have a fully crafted initiative filed, and begin the petition drive to put it on the purity ofproducts for medical patients, after ignoring the issue for the 2020 ballot. nine years. Arizona was the last state with legal medical marijuana to ensure product safety, including testing by third-party laboratories for mold, Steady Shift to Acceptance contamination and chemical residues. Part ofthe ADA’s confidence in the proposition’s chances has to do Anti-pot campaigns are losing throughout the US as statistics bear with internal polling, and part with national polling. Last year was a waout what marijuana advocates have been saying all along: cannabis is safer tershed for national marijuana support. A 2018 Gallup poll found that than alcohol and should be regulated rather than banned. Keeping can66% ofAmericans support legalization ofadult use ofmarijuana. That’s a nabis illegal also encourages the black market to operate and proliferate, 20% increase over a decade ago, up 50% since 1969. offering other more harmful drugs, like fentanyl. The shift toward acceptance ofmarijuana has been steady, triggered The sign ofthe times is best reflected in how medical marijuana has by a number offactors. Legalization ofmedical marijuana answered many become mainstream since legalization. Ofthe 50 states, 33 have medicalquestions for those concerned about how it would work and related legal marijuana laws in place. Following legalization in Colorado and Califorissues. Objective, fact-based answers filtering in have allayed many fears nia ofrecreational adult-use marijuana, another nine states approved such about its impact on society and children. laws, including heavily populated Illinois, for a total ofeleven. Many exIn addition, anecdotal evidence about health benefits has led to the pect that next year Arizona will join those ranks, along with Florida, New widespread availability ofhemp-based CBD oil, now so popular and Mexico, New York and Ohio. That doesn’t include states that have legalpraised for health benefits that it is available in many grocery and drug ized CBD only or decriminalized pot.
Even though change is coming, medical-marijuana users still need to be careful in Yavapai County. The state’s Department ofHealth Services warns cardholders not to let their cards expire despite the pending legal change. A new Arizona law will establish an electroniconly patient-registration system that will require renewal every two years rather than annually. The current cost is $150 per year, $75 for patients in the S NAP program. The Department ofHealth Services expects to have the new system available by August 27.
The Arizona chapter ofthe National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) warns patients to conceal marijuana-based medicines after purchase in the glove box or trunk, so police are not tempted to search their vehicles because ofprofiling, for example by following dispensary patrons and pulling them over for a bad taillight. Until Polk disavows her anti-pot crusade, no medical-marijuana user is safe from county police harassment.
… but the County Attorney Has a Pot Problem You might call Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk the Carry Nation ofpot-prohibition in Arizona.
When the Court finally ruled on May 28, it found that the law Carry Nation (often spelled ‘Carrie’) clearly meant to include concenfought for alcohol prohibition, literally trates, even ifit didn’t explicitly wielding a hatchet to smash up bars and use that word. It simply states bottles ofliquor. Banning alcohol in 1919, that the law applies to “the dried however, created a whole new set ofprob- flowers ofthe marijuana plant, lems, including job losses, state tax losses, and any mixture or preparation government corruption, organized crime thereof.” and a proliferation ofspeakeasies. That was small comfort to the In short, it failed miserably. marijuana patients arrested over Rodney Jones served 30 months. Unlike Carry Nation, Polk doesn’t the past five and a halfyears. wield a hatchet against dispensaries, but Rodney Jones, then 22, served she has done far worse — she has wielded two and halfyears in prison for possessing legally purchased hashish oil, a the law against medical-marijuana patients concentrated form ofmarijuana, missing the birth ofhis first child and Carry Nation in service to her moralizing stance against facing a lifetime felony record. made a big noise. pot. The director ofa government departIn the wake ofthe Supreme Court ruling, the County Attorney ment with an $8 million budget and over webpage includes a notification for those arrested for concentrates to 100 employees, the legal weight she carries has fallen like a bludgeon on consult with their attorneys about having their cases vacated. Even a misthose who have violated her position on pot. demeanor drug conviction causes many to be disqualified for jobs and reEasily the most polarizing figure in the anti-marijuana movement in jected for apartment rentals. the state since medical-marijuana legalization in 2010, Polk has made its Any illegal possession ofmarijuana in Arizona can be charged as a opposition her mission, even imprisoning a medical-marijuana user for felony, though it’s often pled down to a misdemeanor with forced rehab possessing a concentrate legally purchased at a state dispensary. classes, costly fines and probation as punishment. Those charged after Jones, including a dispensary employee, have taken plea deals to avoid Big Bang Theory prison for a Class 4 felony — the same charge as for possession of With the arrest ofRodney Jones ofChino Valley in 2013, Polk defentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times cided to interpret the law to mean that concentrates, which constitute the stronger than heroin. At least six other cases ofmedical-marijuana pamajority ofmedical-marijuana products sold (tinctures, ointments, edibles, tients arrested for possession ofconcentrates have been publicized, invape cartridges, wax and shatter), do not fall within the definition ofthe cluding two for CBD products with little to no THC in them. A review of language ofthe Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. In a written filing to the cases by the Phoenix New Times showed that 90 people in 2017 were state Supreme Court, which was considering the Jones appeal, Polk com- charged with possession ofconcentrates in Yavapai County, though many pared cannabis extracts to “explosives” and claimed that “chemicals” in had additional charges. plants aren’t really parts ofplants, they’re “entirely different substances.” A After the Supreme Court handed down the Jones case ruling, a petiPhoenix New Times story had a field day with Polk’s assertion, calling it tion popped up on Change.org urging Polk to resign from office. That, of her “Big Bang theory.” course, has not happened.
5•5enses
Yavapai Resists?
5enses • 6
Marijuana War Nears End
Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk
from p. 5
Opiods fund anti-pot battle
Polk’s anti-marijuana crusade has been conducted within the scope of her roles both as county attorney and as director ofthe anti-drug nonprofit MATFORCE (Yavapai County Substance Abuse Coalition), set up in 2006 to combat methamphetamine abuse. Since then Polk also began chairing a group opposed to marijuana legalization, Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, which brought in over $5 million to oppose Prop 205 in 2016. Polk even secured the group $50,000 ofYavapai County RICO funds — taxpayer money — to oppose 205. But that was peanuts compared to the donation by one ofthe most controversial supporters of the group, the opioid-producing behemoth Insys Therapeutics, whose product fentanyl kills about 60,000 people every year. Insys gave halfa million dollars to oppose legalization ofmarijuana by adults. Considering that opioids are proven to be the most addictive and problematic drugs, and meth use is on the upswing, one might ask what fuels Polk’s drive to crush marijuana users. Oxycontin and fentanyl are far more dangerous pain treatments. But Polk had no problem with accepting the manufacturers’ money to kill a pot initiative. Cities like Prescott have begun suing Insys, Purdue Pharma, Alargan and the family that owns Purdue Pharma for the opioid crisis in their communities. Reviving Reefer Madness
Having attended one ofher “Marijuana Harmless: Think Again” conferences, I can personally attest to the slanted stories, biased scientific studies and scare tactics employed to promote Polk’s anti-pot stance. While most agree with the group’s central mission ofeducating adults, teachers and children as to why minors should refrain from marijuana use, which could have in impact on developing brains, much ofwhat is discussed at the conference falls into the category ofsensationalism on the level ofthe 1936 film Reefer Madness. Two mothers who have been speaking regularly at Polk’s conferences for years talk about how smoking marijuana made their sons commit suicide. To call pot the cause ofmental illness stretches credibility, but even worse is Polk’s eagerness to exploit grieving parents and ignore underlying issues like PTSD and depression to further her crusade. The argument that marijuana is a gateway drug and thus should be banned, too, falls apart when examined, particularly since one ofthe effects oflegalization has been to reduce the use ofmarijuana by teenagers, probably because it short-circuits illegal pot sales in many areas. The young people dying ofopioid overdoses, primarily from fentanyl in Yavapai County, make the anti-pot argument ring hollow — kids now have easier access to pills imported from Mexico than pot. Mikel Weisser, the Arizona director ofNORML, predicts that Polk will be involved again in the campaign against adult-use legalization in 2020, but he expects backlash from the Jones case to hurt that effort. “That case, to my mind, showed flaws in the judicial system in the state and showed that Polk was out for punitive measures and not for the good ofthe state,” Weisser said. “To me that was the turning point. We
were told (cannabis) had no medicinal value and was dangerous, and that has been shown to be untrue, that it is amazing medicine. The Jones case drew attention to it and got the issue out ofthe ghetto ofpeople who were directly experiencing it, and got it into the mainstream.” Demitri Downing, founder and director ofthe Marijuana Industry Trade Asso- The AZSupreme Court threw out ciation in Arizona, Polk’s harsh interpretation ofthe thinks the initiative medical-marijuana law. will pass with over 90% ofthe vote, based on polling. He said he hopes Polk will realize that working with the industry to promote education would be a far more positive use offunding than continuing to push disinformation and a public policy that most citizens no longer believe in. “Yavapai County has been the epicenter ofcontroversy in all ofthe state because ofSheila Polk’s aggressive position that prohibition needs to be defended at all costs,” Downing said. “Unfortunately for her and people who are serious about marijuana policy, this leads to a waste ofresources. I prosecuted bootlegging and consumption ofalcohol in tribal lands … and it wasn’t stopping the problem. Ifyou really want to stop the problem you would educate people and focus on tax and regulations. By not participating in an intelligent way for marijuana policy, her office is just wasting taxpayer money.” Carry Nation died before the 18th Amendment passed. The upheaval it wreaked on American society led to repeal 14 years later, in 1933. Polk is invested in fighting the long-lost drug war, so she will go on prosecuting dealers and distributors and keeping the county jail and state prisons filled. But at least Arizona marijuana users, who statistically are more likely to be prosecuted ifthey are young, low-income or minority, will find some measure ofvindication and peace ofmind if, or when, adult-use legalization passes. Toni Denis, a journalist based in Prescott, is an editor/writer for her own
company, Seeflection.com, and a correspondent for Weedmaps, a marijuana app with 4.5 million users.
Next month in 5enses: More on cannabis and its evolving culture
Love jazz? Love the sound ofa big band? Your opportunity to indulge is coming this month when the Prescott Jazz Summit convenes for its 19th year, a festival that celebrates the sound, the lessons, even the gustatory pleasures ofone of America’s greatest art forms.
Opening night is Friday, August 23, 7pm at the historic Elks Theatre. Jazz professionals from around the country will carry the audience through a remarkable tour ofthe history ofjazz, from New Orleans roots, through the sounds ofKansas City and Memphis, and into the cool sophistication ofthe Big Apple. Expect the raucous. Expect the blue. But don’t expect to sit still. Saturday August 24 gets more hands-on when the venue shifts to Prescott High School and its Ruth Street Theatre. Free workshops and student performances fill the halls from 10am to 2pm. Hear budding jazz performers strut their stuff, then watch established professionals join them, with tips and lessons on topics from improvisation to the history ofjazz. The day caps offwhen the pros gather as the Jazz Summit All-Star Big Band at 7:30. The program? Big bands, ofcourse! Expect swing. Sunday August 25 gets more intimate (but no less lively) as the locale moves back downtown to those upstairs rooms at the Elks Theatre Performing Arts Center. The Jazz Brunch is 10am-2pm (that’s the gustatory part, catered appropriately by El Gato Azul). Musicians mingle, converse and, ofcourse, play. Ifthe brunch is too early for you, the festivities continue at 5pm with an all-out All-Star Jam Session to close the weekend. You can still get your El Gato fix, too. “My favorite part ofthe Summit,” says festival director Mike Vax, “is the interaction between the musicians and the audience at the brunch and the jam. It’s a rare opportunity to meet and share” in the true spirit ofjazz. Vax adds that proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the educational outreach efforts ofFriends ofBig Band Jazz, funding classes, scholarships, instruments and free performances. “We are working to encourage young musicians to become great jazz players, while cultivating new audiences, and new fans, for jazz music.”
Tickets for the concerts range from $18-30. The brunch and jam sessions run $55 and $35, respectively, and seating is limited. Various combo discounts are available. Details at prescottjazzsummit.net, or 928-8302462. For a free preview ofwhat the Prescott Jazz Summit has to offer, some ofthe musicians will be appearing at 6pm on Tuesday, August 20 on Courthouse Plaza in Prescott as part ofthe city’s free, open-air Summer Concert Series. Bring your own seats. But don’t expect to sit still.
7•5enses
Prescott Jazz Summit Returns Aug. 23-25
5enses • 8
Gershwin and LeAnn to Narnia — YCPAC Opens with a Catchy September by Michael Grady The Yavapai College Performing Arts Center opens its 2019-20 season just after Labor Day. It’s a varied, 24-show season ranges from Clint Black to flyin’ canines to Gilbert and Sullivan. But September is YCPAC’s opening number, and it's upbeat and versatile, with something to interest everybody.
Matt Baker: A Rhapsody of Gershwin (Sept. 7)
As part ofMatt Baker &The Trio, this award-winning, Australianborn keyboard phenom turned plenty ofheads back in 2016, when he opened the YCPAC Cabaret Series and performed in the Verde Valley. Now he’s back. A Rhapsody ofGershwin brings Baker together with three preeminent New York jazz musicians for a powerful new interpretation ofGeorge Gershwin’s work, from the iconic Rhapsody in Blue to unforgettable Gershwin favorites like The Man ILove, Embraceable You, IGot Rhythm and Summertime. As part ofthe YCPAC intimate Cabaret Series, your general-admission ticket includes seating at a table onstage, appetizers, desserts, coffee/tea and a cash bar. LeAnn Rimes (Sept. 8)
Since becoming the youngest recipient ofa Grammy Award, LeAnn Rimes has further honed her ballad-friendly voice and racked up a stunning resume: 16 albums, chart-topping hits like How Do ILive?, another
Grammy, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and two Academy ofCountry Music awards. She has won praise for her decades ofwork in support of human rights, and fostered an acting career along the way. The concert promises to be vintage LeAnn: a no-frills acoustic show, a set list heavy with pop-country hits, sung by an artist with both feet on the ground and a voice that reaches into your heart. An Evening with C.S. Lewis (Sept. 21)
Author C.S. Lewis was the fertile imagination who created The Chronicles ofNarnia and friend to other literary greats like J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis’s thoughts on life’s meaning led him to become one ofChristianity’s most devoted and articulate voices. Actor David Payne takes you to an extraordinary range ofplaces, from Lewis’s poor Belfast roots to the hallowed halls ofOxford, to the magical worlds ofNarnia and Middle Earth, to a contemplation ofthe Divine. Payne’s artistry and Lewis’s history combine to give audiences laughter, ideas and tears. Tickets for all three events are on sale at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St. in Prescott, with season-ticket packages, individual tickets and gift certificates. For tickets or more information call (928) 776-2000 or visit ycpac.com.
9•5enses
Things to Do in August Talks & presentations
Living History Adventure
• Saturday, Aug 10: Take a peek back at territorial Prescott through activities like period gardening, cooking, handcrafts, blacksmithing, printshop work, more. Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-4453122 Nature, health, & outdoors Jay's Bird Barn bird walks
• 7-11am, dates vary: Local, guided bird walks with Jay's Bird Barn, 1046 Willow Creek Rd #113, 928-443-5900, JaysBirdBarn.Com; RSVP
Prescott Audubon bird walk • 8am Aug 10: Monthly bird walk, Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550, HighlandsCenter.Org, PrescottAudubon.Org Groups & games Prescott Indivisible
• 6-7:30pm Aug 3: Monthly meeting of nonpartisan group promoting a progressive and inclusive agenda in support ofhuman rights and the environment. Granite Peak Unitarian Congregation Education Center, 882 Sunset Ave., 928-443-8854 Modern Board Gaming • 4-8pm Aug 7 and 21: Play modern, European-style board games with Prescott Area Boardgamers. Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500, Prescott.Library.Info Citizen's Water Advocacy Group • 10am-noon Aug 3: Monthly meeting. Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation building, 882 Sunset Ave., 928-445-4218, Cwagaz.org LAN party • 10am-10pm Aug 3: Play multiplayer computer games like Killing Floor, Rocket League, Counterstrike, and Tribes. Monthly Prescott PC Gamers Group event. Step One Coffee House, 6719 E. Second St., Ste. C, Prescott Valley, Ppcgg.com, $10 Death Cafe • 5:30pm Aug 8: Gather for cake, tea and discussion on death with host Dani LaVoire. Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000, PeregrineBookCompany.Com Prescott Computer Society • 1-3pm Aug 10: Monthly meeting. Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928777-1500, Prescott.Library.Infoz PFLAG Support Night • 6:30pm Aug 16: Monthly support night for
LGBTQ+ community and those who love and support them. First Congregational Church, 216 E. Gurley St. NAZGEM Support 7pm Aug 23: Monthly support group meeting for members ofthe transgender and beyond gender binaries community as well as family, friends, and youth. Granite Peak Unitarian Congregation Education Center, 882 Sunset Ave., facebook.com/LgbtqYavapai Professional Writers ofPrescott • 6pm Aug 28: monthly meeting. Prescott Valley Public Library, 7401 E. Civic Circle, 928-864-8642 Performing arts
ButiFULL 211 N. Granite St., 928-848-4767, Butifull.com Hotel Vendome 230 S. Cortez St., 928-7760900 Huckeba Art Gallery 227 W. Gurley St., 928-445-3848, Huckeba-Art-Quest.com Ian Russell Gallery 130 S. Montezuma St., 928-445-7009, IanRussellArt.com Kriegers • 5pm Margo and Brian Messenger Album Release Party; 110 S. Montezuma St. Ste. F, 928-778-4900 Mountain Artists Guild, 228 N. Alarcon St., 928-445-2510, MountainArtistsGuild.Org Natural History Institute, 126 N Marina St, Margo and Brain Messenger Info@naturalhistoryinstitute.org .928-863• 7pm Aug 15 and 17, Hassayampa Inn, 122 E 3232 Gurley St Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery 208 N. Arizona Philharmonic Marina St., 928-445-3286, PCA-AZ.net • 3pm Aug 25: American Sources features Aaron Random Art 214 N. McCormick St., 928-308Copland, Leonard Bernstein and George 7355, RandomArt.biz Walker. YC Art Gallery, 1100 E. Sheldon St., Sam Hill Warehouse 232 N. Granite St., 928928-445-7300, azphil.org 350-2341, PrescottCollegeArtGallery.org DragTime Goté Gallery 702 W. Gurley St., • 7 and 9pm Aug 30-31 : A Drag Show at PCA Sean 928-445-2233, SeanGote.com Stage Too, hosts Gigi DeMilo and DD Alexander feature Beverly Chills, Drag Queen 'Tis Art Center & Gallery • Aug 16-Sep 14 on the mezzanine: "The Superstars ofPhoenix.Tickets: Winds ofCreativity," mixed-media works by DragTime.brownpapertickets.com Anne Legge and Denise Dekemperon. Visual arts • Aug 22-Sep 24 main gallery: "Black and 4th Friday Art Walk White with a Splash ofColor 2019" by • 5-7pm Aug 23: Monthly art walk includes Prescott-area artists. 105 S. Cortez St., 928artist receptions, openings, and 775-0223, TisArtGallery.com demonstrations at more than a dozen Thumb Butte Distillery, 400 N. Washington galleries. ArtThe4th.com. Participants: Ave., 928-443-8498, Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery ThumbButteDistillery.Com • 5-8pm Aug 23-Sep25: Guest artist John Flinn Van Gogh's Ear 156 S. Montezuma St., presents "Pictographs: Hand-crafted shards of 928-776-1080, VGEGallery.com an imagined past, inspired by the real one." Weir Gallery 110 S. Montezuma St. Suite 1, 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717, ScotAWeir.com, 307-371-1910 ArtsPrescott.com Yavapai College Art Gallery 1100 E. Sheldon Art2 120 W. Gurley St., 928-499-4428, St., 928-445-7300, YC.edu ArtSquaredPrescott.com
5enses • 10
Open Space and the Human Habitat Perspective by Chuck Budinger
M
ost people think that land, water, air, and even wildlife habitat are worth preserving. But saving these elements is not sufficient
Photo by Kenyon Spears
mental health. This may be a concept to consider, given the number ofalcohol and drug rehabilitation centers that have chosen Prescott as a place to operate. Mental health has been connected to physical wellbeing by several other studies. By developing a human community around natural resource zones, it is possible that the cost of health care will decrease and rehabilitation from addiction will be better able to succeed. Urban landscapes do not
provide this hope or claim. In connection with mental health, open space in habitat or natural resource zones provides recreational opportunities: hiking, biking, riding, swimming and other sports. Another activity that can only come from to sustain a habitat like ours — the human habitat. habitat preservation is a passive one: bird-watching. This generates a conWater needs soil and vegetation to interact with, to preserve its qual- siderable economic boost to the local economy with very little resourceity and availability. Air needs trees to filter out degrading impacts from maintenance cost. our lifestyle. These combine to form habitats for wildlife: birds, frogs, deer, Prescott needs to accept and adhere to those elements ofwildlife corand predators such as coyotes, snakes, and raptors. Habitat for wildlife is ridors already in the General Plan. The developer makes a decision to habitat for us. bring land into the city limits or keep it in the county. Either way, the deHabitat is far more important to the economy and health ofthe com- veloper must conform to the wishes ofthe community. Rarely does a demunity than initially suspected. Many studies have shown that developveloperSaturn ignoreinbuilding codes,as paving requirements natural color seen by requirements, Cassini in Julylighting 2008, courtesy NASA ment costs the community money. Once developers create their or foundation codes. Ifthese are legitimate standards to follow to attain communities, citizens have to pay to perpetuate that development: upthe "right� to build in the city, then adherence to provisions for open space grading and maintaining sewer, drinking and stormwater lines; providing and wildlife corridors are also part ofthe right to build in the city. fire and police protection and education for those moving into the new Along with mixed-use development requirements, consideration of community; road maintenance and expansion. Basically, government ser- community values and traffic flow, the General Plan includes protecting vices grow exponentially after the initial development is complete. the environment, open space and wildlife habitat. The objective ofthe Open space and wildlife habitat carry none ofthese costs. They mitig- growth-management segment ofthe General Plan relies on open space, ate human impacts to the environment and sustain resource regeneration parks and recreation, and wildlife habitat to achieve this objective (Part at no cost. For example, a floodplain is a far more efficient system to con- 6.2.3). This process provides the best use ofprivate property for growth trol flooding from storms than the construction ofdikes, flood barriers or management and economic development. concrete channels. Many cities across the country are buying back homes The City needs to look ahead and really plan a means to perpetuate and businesses in floodplains because it is cheaper to remove them than to natural resource development for the community, for our mental and fight nature. physical health, and for preservation ofour most essential ofnatural reBy expanding natural spaces, we preserve our water resources. Water source, water. This strategy will in turn sustain the economic benefits of flowing through a floodplain, whether at base-flow stage or flood stage, open space and wildlife corridors. allows it to be stored in the sediment, eventually percolating into the unIt can only turn into a win-win situation for the City, developers, and derlying bedrock fractures. Once in the fractures, it is stored, ready for us the residents ofcentral Yavapai County. to use. Or it will migrate towards Watson or Willow Lake and eventually to the sand aquifers ofthe Little Chino for future use. Chuck Budinger has been a member ofthe Mayor's Vision 2050 Committee for Water, and ofthe Watershed Improvement Council sponsored by the City In addition to the economic costs, other studies have shown that the Prescott Creeks, and sits on an advisory committee ofthe County Planning preservation and restoration ofhabitat (open space) improves community and Organization promoting wildlife habitat and preservation.
Peacebuilders Mark Hiroshima Perspective by Marion Pack
D
uring the US nuclear buildup in the 1950s, northern Arizona was in the pathway offallout from above- and belowground nuclear testing in southern Nevada.
Melanie Jacobson, a Prescott resident, is one ofthose whose family was affected. Both her mother and her grandmother were “downwinders,” a term given to those who were in the path ofthe prevailing winds that carried nuclear radiation. On August 6 Melanie will be one ofthe people who will share their stories ofgrowing up with ‘the Bomb’ at an event at the Prescott Public Library called Hiroshima/Nagasaki Never Again: Stories from the Nuclear Age. The event is hosted by Prescott Peacebuilders in remembrance ofthe 74th anniversary ofthe atomic bombing ofHiroshima, Japan, and the dropping ofa second bomb on Nagasaki three days later. Approximately The A-Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima 200,000 people died immediately from the blast, and untold thousands have died since from radiation exposure. The long-term health effects in Japan are not unlike the effects on Americans who were subjected to radioactive fallout from nuclear-bomb testing here. All ofus who grew up inJessica the Nuclear Ebarb Age were deeply affected, and we carry those memories. What were you and your family — or your grandparents — doing during the Cuban Missile Crisis? Do you, or do they, remember when Strontium 90 was showing up in both mother’s and cow’s milk, resulting from US nuclear testing? How about school “duck-and-cover” air-raid drills? Did anyone you know build a bomb shelter in their backyard? Did they — or you — have nuclear nightmares? These, along with others, are the stories that will be shared at the Peacebuilders event. Something truly amazing happened in the ‘90s. When the Berlin Wall came down and the US’s superpower adversary the Soviet Union disintegrated, so did many people’s concerns about nuclear war. Yet we are still living with thousands ofnuclear weapons. In many ways the world is less stable now than when most nuclear weapons were controlled by the US and Soviet Union. At that time there were only five nations with nuclear weapons. Now there are nine countries known to have arsenals ofnuclear weapons: Russia, the US, France, China, the UK, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea. The two nations where the majority ofthe concern has been focused are North Korea and Iran, which is thought to be working to achieve nuclear-weapons capability. The buildup ofnuclear weapons by the US has hardly been noticed. In its 2019 annual report on the state ofnuclear weapons, The Bulletin ofthe Atomic Scientists called the US abandonment ofthe Iran nuclear deal and its announced withdrawal from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty “grave steps towards a complete dismantlement ofthe global arms control process.” In his fiscal 2020 budget proposal President Trump requested a whopping $16.5 billion for nuclear-weapons activities. That’s 8.3% above the FY2019-enacted level designed to meet the Administration's goal ofmodernizing the nation's nuclear-weapons stockpile and infrastructure (source: National Nuclear Security Administration). Both China and Russia are carrying on similar upgrading and modernization oftheir nuclear weapons. We are moving in the wrong direction! Now is the time to speak up. All this money is being spent on weapons that can never be used. It’s time to reflect on the message ofthe 1983 movie War Games, in which the computer Joshua says, “Strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game ofchess?” Join Prescott Peacebuilders on Tuesday, August 6, 5-6:30pm in the Founders Suite ofthe Prescott Public Library for Hiroshima/Nagasaki Never Again: Stories from the Nuclear Age. Marion Pack has been a community and political organizer for peace and justice causes for over 35 years.
11•5enses
Never Again:
5enses • 12
Between Heaven and Earth
The Paper is the Art: The Private Forest
I
by Abby Brill, art photos by Christopher Marchetti
n a lovely old house surrounded by tall flowers, smack in the heart ofPrescott, lies a hidden treasure.
Reluctant to follow the muse
At around age 50 Annie started a twelve-step program she named Artists Anonymous, aimed at people who sought to overcome their fear offailure and judgment, their fear of success (oh yes, that’s a thing), and their nagging tendency toward procrastination. She still sees people from that group occasionally who, like her, are grateful to have helped each other follow their artistic muses. “I moved to Arizona because Arizona is all about texture. Go to Hawaii, and it’s shape. Go back East, and it’s green and linear because ofthe trees.” She loves what she calls the “blue light” and the clarity ofthe atmosphere here. When she came to Prescott Annie bought an old house and completely renovated it. Behind the house is a tiny one-room cottage she calls the Sky House, which she has always rented. Her first renter, a young student from Prescott College, was teaching simple paper-making classes for kids. Annie, always curious, went
The sole occupant is very private, quietly producing very fine art there for years right under our noses. She produces most ofher work outside in her driveway, next to the tiny studio where she stores her tools and supplies. Local artists know Annie, but few get the opportunity to experience her work. I first met Annie Alexander in 2015, when I wandered into the YCPAC gallery, where she had a one-woman show. I was stunned. I went back. Then I went back again. And again. Annie practices the somewhat rare and deeply under-appreciated art ofpaper-making. This show consisted oflong panels she had created, many ofwhich hung from the ceiling in a loose cluster that one could walk through. She called it “the Forest.”The panels were tex“Imoved to Arizona because tured, with swathes ofcolor and Arizona is all about texture.” bits ofvarious things like flower petals, glitter, shredded money and cicada wings. This mastery along to observe and was immediately ofthe elements ofgesture, color hooked. She got all the books she and subtle pattern design were could lay her hands on from the libso obvious to me that I couldn’t rary and started taking courses. She believe I had not yet heard of ruined a bunch ofblenders desiccating Photo by Abby Brill her as one ofPrescott’s finest cloth, and eventually bought a beater artists. machine, which tears fiber in a watery Annie grew up on the East Coast and can trace her solution until the milky fibrils ofunbound cellulose are usartistic proclivities back several generations. Some ofher able for making paper. She now makes finely crafted paper earliest memories are ofplaying with paints, mixing them in sheets up to four feet wide and eight feet long, using and wondering at the resulting mélanges. While Annie various sieves. was still quite young, her mother pronounced that she Paper can be made ofany substance containing cellulose, would become an artist. So, headstrong and independent, or plant-based fiber. Annie scours Prescott’s many thrift Annie veered offin any direction other than what her shops for linen tablecloths. Linen is made from flax, a marmother had predicted. She worked for a time at real estate, velously strong fiber highly valued in paper-making. She has graphic design and farming, and became a mother. She al- used blue-jean fabric often, but particularly favors using ways saw artists as “other,” super-smart, philosophical, native plants as sources ofcellulose. She is currently working loftier than most average humans, and never could imawith leaves from irises. First she puts them in a bucket of gine herselfwith such a title. water to rot, called “retting” in the paper-making trade.
Retting kills the lignin, after which the fibers are cooked in caustic soda to release the cellulose. When her dog died, she needed to mourn, so she went out and harvested some dogbane from the riparian area near the creek. Dogbane was used by Native Americans for cordage because ofits strength and resistance to rot. She made paper from it and put it in the framed picture ofher dog. It hangs in a place ofhonor in her kitchen. In addition to paper, Annie makes artist books. Most ofus have no idea what this refers to, but many ofus have seen them at some point in our lives. Artist books are bound volumes that are also sequential sculptures. You have to open them to fully experience them. Children’s books When the Sea Washes Up on the Grassy Shore can be artist books: think ofpop-out pages that have moving parts. But this medium can ascend into the realms ofpoetry and color, gesture and sequential unfolding. Artist books are not commonly available to the general public, but colleges and libraries often have collections that can be visited and appreciated, ifyou know to ask. The Kerr Library in Phoenix has one ofthe best artist-book collections in the country. A Poem for Granite Creek
Annie is a master artist-book creator, and has made 75 such pieces. She showed me one based on a poem she wrote about Granite Creek. Small and elegant, the drawn-out process ofputting just a small part ofthe poem on each page, plus the fine texture and quality ofthe paper made from grasses harvested from the creek, deepen the reader’s experience ofthe poem. The book opens up as one long, pleated sheet, with many trees that pop up as it unfolds, all ofdifferent papers, and tiny creatures hidden beneath the trees. Artist books aren’t just for reading; they offer complex, multifaceted experiences.
13•5enses
ofAnnie Alexander Another book she made was about the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died in the Yarnell Hill fire in 2013. It is a “star book,” opening into a 360-degree star with images ofthe lost firefighters. Annie has created a life full ofbeauty and purpose. She makes books in winter and paper in summer. She gardens. Her home is surrounded in the warmer months by a profusion offlowers and laden fruit trees. Those fortunate enough to know her find refuge in her back yard. Her house is a gallery, all white-walled and displaying her latest work everywhere. Her hanging panels ofhandcrafted paper are so restful. Annie shared with me the three pillars ofwhat she sees as an artist’s life: 1) Artists never “know how to.” 2) You have to show up. 3) There are no mistakes. Add a deep connection to the natural world. “The reason nature is so encouraging is because it doesn’t have an ego. It just is. You just have to be with it.” All ofAnnie’s beautiful pieces are for sale, but she has wearied ofmarketing and shows. She has created a catalog, and has all her work carefully organized in hope that her children will one day donate the collection to an institution that can curate it. As she gets older, paper-making becomes harder. She plans on making her beloved artist books until she dies, but won’t be able to keep up the paper-making production indefinitely. So she’s building up paper inventory now. She describes herselfas “not very social.” But ifyou’re lucky enough to enter her space, you will experience the depth and passion ofone who can justifiably call herselfan artist. Annie Alexander is a treasure. Meet her if you can. You will be glad ofit. Abby Brill, peregrinacious polyglot and
potter, social justice activist and sometimes writer, has lived in Prescott for nearly ten years.
Rain Dance, January 2018
5enses • 14
News from the Wilds
by Ty Fitzmorris
A
ugust susurrates with showers, woven into the cacophony ofresonant thunder and the assonance ofcicada song.
Sometimes a monsoon storm will be large enough to sustain into the evening, though these systems are much smaller than winter storms, and dissipate easily.
In the high heat ofsummer, monsoon rains turn the land to emerald, and it seems as though living things are everywhere. Many mammals are teaching their young to forage in this time of plenty, while young birds are on longer and longer forays away from their parents. Ectothermic animals, such as lizards and snakes, whose body temperatures are tied closely to ambient temperatures, are at their most active now, chasing insect and rodent prey. Insects, from minute leafhoppers to massive saturn moths, enter their time ofgreatest abundance. Most woody plants bear their seeds during this season, including Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) and all seven ofour oak species. Many herbaceous (non-woody) plants are growing and flowering now, most of which are specialist monsoon plants that did not appear in the spring. It's the time ofplenty for many birds and mammals, as insects ofall types proliferate, from giant moths to enormous strange and beautiful beetles. August marks the beginning ofthe time ofgiants. Massive moths with wingspans offour to six inches and larger, such as the sphinx moth, saturn moth and the massive black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata, which can have an eight-inch wingspan), fly for miles searching for mates.
The twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) patrols the monsoon creeks and pools for flies and other small insects.
Grant’s Hercules beetles (Dynastes granti), rhinoceros beetles (Xyloryctes jamaicensis) and longhorn oak borers (Enaphalodes hispicornis) bumble to porch and street lights. The Grand Western flood plain cicada ( Tibicen cultriformis) flies in large numbers, providing many species with food, while all eight ofour preying mantid species appear. The proliferation of giants happens now because their bodies need more time to mature, and have timed their metamorphism into adult form for this resource-rich time ofthe year, when both food and egg-laying sites are abundant. During the day, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies and damselflies are at their most prolific during the monsoonal season. Many butterfly species fly only during this time ofyear. Damsels and dragons are groups notably absent during spring, though they are virtually everywhere now. Our flagship monsoon butterfly is the Arizona sister (Adelpha eulalia), which glides over riparian clearings near oak stands. Look also for buckeyes, queens, monarchs, and pipevine and two-tailed swallowtails. Ty Fitzmorris is an itinerant and often distractible naturalist who lives in
Prescott and is Curator ofInsects at the Natural History Institute. He can be reached at Ty@PeregrineBookCompany.com
Skyward • 9th: Conjunction ofMoon and Jupiter • 12th: Along with the conjunction ofMoon and Saturn, the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks after midnight. This is one ofthe year’s brightest and most dazzling meteor showers, with up to 60 meteors per minute. These are dust particles left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, a very large comet that swings through our solar system every 133 years. It last appeared in 1992. The average velocity ofPerseid meteors is 39 miles per second, much faster than those oflast month’s showers. This year the nearly full Moon will wash out all but the brightest meteors, which will still be visible, and will appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus. • 15th: Full Moon at 5:30am • 30th: New Moon at 3:37am
High Mountains • Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) nurse their young. Their roosts are often in caves or cavities in trees, but sometimes they roost communally in buildings. Amazingly, every night a nursing mother can eat up to 110% ofher body weight in insects, many ofwhich are pests ofhumans. • The leaves ofsome deciduous trees growing in riparian drainages, such as box elder (Acer negundo), begin changing color. The reason for this early change is partly that these creekside trees have exhausted their accessible nitrogen, and partly that high-elevation creeks act as ‘cold-air drainages:’ cooler, heavier air flows down them, creating colder environments than in adjacent uplands. • Convergent lady beetles (Hippodamia convergens) gather in the tens of thousands in crevices in rocks and plants in the high mountains.
Grasslands • Yellow and white species ofevening primrose (Oenothera spp. ) flower exuberantly, visited by white-lined sphinx moths (Hyles lineata), which are often mistaken for small hummingbirds. • Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) begin their great seasonal flowering here in the Southwest, where they are native. Look for ‘longhorn’ Melissodes bees, as well as iridescent green Agapostemon and Augochlora bees, foraging on their flowers. • Purple and white-flowered nightshades (Solanum spp. ) bloom. Example: Mint Wash Trail, #345
Rivers, Lakes, and Streams • All our creeks run exuberantly, often overspilling their banks. • Our annual explosion ofcicadas brings ear-shattering noise. Our speExample: Dandrea Trail, #285 cies, Tibicen cultriformis, is only found in the Mogollon Highlands. These live for several years underground, feeding on tree roots, and only appear Ponderosa Pine Forests • Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is in flower. This is one ofthe most stor- at the very ends oftheir lives, when they stop feeding, grow wings, and call to attract mates. ied ofour plants, and has been used as a medicinal by many cultures, • Scarlet cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and bright yellow monkey dating reliably back to the Neanderthals. In ancient Greek lore yarrow flower (Mimulus guttatus) bloom, drawing two-tailed swallowtails to appeared from the scrapings ofAchilles’ spear (hence the genus name), their nectar. was used to heal Telephus’ wound, and has since been used for • Snails become active in streamside vegetation. Arizona is home to everything from immune support to wound treatment to smallpox.* more than 200 species ofsnails, most ofthem largely unstudied. • Golden columbine (Aquilegia crysantha) flowers by cooler mountain streamsides, while sedges bear their seeds and Wright’s deervetch (Lotus • Swallows and bats abound near creeks, consuming large amounts of wrightii) continues to flower. Other flowers include scarlet gilia (Ipomop- insects, mainly flies and small moths. • Many species ofdragonflies and damselflies hawk over the water, sis aggregata), scruffy clover (Dalea albiflora), silverstem lupine (Lupinus patrolling territories. Look for dancer, bluet and rubyspot damsels, argenteus), wild geranium (Geranium caespitosum), and many others. spiketail, saddlebag and skimmer dragons, and especially the massive giExample: Aspen Creek Trail, #48 ant darner (Anax walsinghami), which has up to a 5.5” wingspan and is the largest dragonfly in the US. Pine-Oak Woodlands Example: BellTrail, #13 • Many different types of“June beetles” fly now. Our most distinctive species is the ten-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata), ofthe scarab Deserts/Chaparral family, which is often drawn to porch lights. • Oaks ofall species bear their acorns, providing the largest overall food • Prickly pears (Opuntia spp. ) bear their spiny fruits, providing food for many species, including humans. crop ofthe year for mammals and birds, notably the acorn woodpecker. • As coyote gourd (Cucurbita palmata) and other squashes flower, native Example: Miller Creek Trail, #367 Xenoglossa and Peponapis bees begin pollinating them and sleeping in the flowers in the afternoon. Look for the flowers ofany ofthe squashes Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands or gourds once they have closed in the afternoon, and pull them open • Sacred datura (Datura wrightii) flowers exuberantly in the evenings. gently to look for these bees. They are extremely gentle and will not These large, white trumpet-flowers glow at dusk, attracting moths and bats. This species is rumored to have hallucinogenic properties, a piece of sting unless harassed. • Paloverdes and mesquites bear their seeds now, as do Southwestern terrible misinformation resulting in many poisonings and sometimes coral beans (Erythrina flabelliformis), the poisonous seeds ofwhich are permanent blindness. No part ofdatura should ever be ingested. sometimes used for jewelry. • Our several species ofbrickellbush (Brickellia spp. ) begin flowering. Example: Algonquin Trail, #225 These inconspicuous flowers are not often seen, but their extraordinary aroma suffuses the dusk air. Arizona is home to more than two dozen consult with a trained professional before ingesting any part ofa species ofBrickellia, several ofwhich have been found to be very effect- *Always wild plant. This information is not intended to encourage the attempted use ive in the treatment ofcertain types ofdiabetes. ofany part ofa plant, either for nutritive or medicinal purposes. Example: Juniper Springs Trail, #2
15•5enses
A very briefsurvey ofwhat’s happening in the wilds
5enses • 16
That Great Little Mexican Place in PV? It’s More Than a Donut Hole.
D
Eating Out by Carlos de Gonzalez
o you like great food with a unique atmosphere and menu variety?
Then you’re in luck, because the Donut Hole has that, and more. Located at 8582 E. Frontage Road in Prescott Valley, near Navajo Drive and Highway 69, they feature an interesting variety oftasty treats, ranging from special salsas, street tacos and, you guessed it, donuts! Salvador Guerrero had the idea to open a donut shop in 2003, and it’s grown since then. Not long after, he wanted to include other pastries on the menu. Then in 2012, they decided to offer Mexican bread, which is now offered in up to 15 different varieties. Continued success prompted acquiring another building in 2015. Business flourished even further and they last expanded, still using their original location, in November of2017. Assisting in this venture is his son Oscar Guerrero and Oscar’s wife, Alma Guerrero. Leslie Orozco, granddaughter ofSalvador, has more recently come on board to help out as well, and has garnered further business. Inside they have full table service as well as counter service for any tempting treats to take home. They are open Sunday-Saturday 6am-9pm, so there is plenty of time to get in one’s fill ofdelectable food. They offer several different types ofdonuts, ranging from raspberry filled, glazed and peanut toppings to churros, which, take it from me, are amazing! Not to mention the cakes of tres leches (three milks) are phenomenal. Dive into some burritos or tortas while you’re there, too. My personal favorite is the Cuban torta, a delightful combination ofham, pickles, cheese, veggies and a few other savory ingredients. (I don’t want to spoil it before you try it!) Otherwise, ask Leslie about their torta milanesas — absolutely wonderful and full ofdynamic flavor. As ifthat’s not enough, they also serve up some great coffee, Mexican Coca-Cola products, Jarritos-brand sodas, and more! Their full menu is available anytime you dine in, and everyone in the front speaks English and Spanish. Have an event? Contact them for your catering needs too! They’ve helped sponsor meals for groups like the Prescott Valley Fire Department and a Prescott Valley Little League team. They have achieved all ofthis mostly from their neighbors spreading the word, so pass it on!
Carlos de Gonzalez is a Prescott resident, known by some as a martial arts
instructor, a podcaster and, by many, a harmonica player and blues enthusiast.
Ud. gusta la buena comida con un Q ueambiente único y variedad de menú?
Entonces está de suerte, porque el agujero de buñuelo tiene eso, y más. Ubicados en 8582 E. Frontage Road en Prescott Valley, cerca de Navajo Drive y Highway 69, cuentan con una interesante variedad de deliciosas golosinas; que van desde salsas especiales, tacos callejeros, y lo has adivinado rosquillas! Salvador Guerrero, tuvo la idea de abrir una tienda de donuts en 2003, y ha crecido desde entonces. No mucho después, quiso incluir otros pasteles en el menú. Luego, en 2012, decidieron ofrecer pan mexicano, que ahora es de hasta 15 variedades diferentes. El éxito continuo motivó la adquisición de otro edificio en 2015. Los negocios florecieron aún más y se expandieron por última vez, aún utilizando su ubicación original, en noviembre de 2017. Asistiendo a esta empresa está su hijo, Oscar Guerrero y la esposa de Oscar, Alma Guerrero. Leslie Orozco, la nieta de Salvador, más recientemente, también se unió a bordo para ayudar, y ha ganado más negocios. En el interior, tienen servicio de mesa completo, así como servicio de mostrador para cualquier tentativa golosinas para llevar a casa. Están abiertos de domingo a sábado, de 6:00 am a 9:00 pm, por lo que hay mucho tiempo para llenarse de comida deliciosa. Ofrecen varios tipos diferentes de donas, que van desde rellenos de frambuesa, glaseados, ingredientes de maní ... y churros, que, ¡tómenlo en cuenta, son increíbles! Por no hablar de los pasteles de "tres leches" (tres leches) son fenomenales. Sumérgete en algunos burritos o tortas mientras estás allí también. Mi favorito personal es la torta cubana; una deliciosa combinación de jamón, pepinillos, queso, verduras y algunos otros ingredientes sabrosos (¡no querrás estropearlo antes de probarlo)! De lo contrario, pregúntele a Leslie sobre su torta milanesas, absolutamente maravillosa y llena de sabor dinámico. Como si eso no fuera suficiente, también sirven un excelente café, productos mexicanos de Coca-Cola, sodas de la marca Jarritos, ¡y más! Su menú completo está disponible en cualquier momento que cene y todos en el frente hablan inglés y español. ¿Ud. tiene un evento? Póngase en contacto con ellos para sus necesidades de catering también! Incluso han ayudado a patrocinar algunas comidas, desde el departamento de bomberos de Prescott Valley hasta una pequeña liga local de Prescott Valley. Han logrado todo esto de la mayoría de sus vecinos, difundiendo el mensaje, así que pásenlo!
5enses • 18
Your Dealer and Mine Perceivings by Alan Dean Foster
A
s far back as I can remember, drugs have always been advertised on TV.
I’m talking as far back as the ‘50s breathe. More serious side-effects can include and ‘60s. Everything seemed so an inability to drive, much simpler back then: television itself, the ailments described, and the walk, sleep, or vote for Donald Trump. drugs required to treat them. Alka“Women who are pregnant should not take Xtushi due to the posSeltzer (hi, Speedy!). Pepto-Bismol. sibility ofgiving birth prematurely, forever retaining your pregnancy Aspirin. weight gain, a risk ofbirth defects including but not limited to giving As society has grown more birth to a child with no limbs, no neck, a head that swivels uncontrollably complex, so has television, and so have the medications advertised. As like the girl in The Exorcist, one who might vote for a Trump offspring for the ailments themselves, you have for president, or a rising desire to kill your husband, the latter condition which may already exist and therefore be exacerbated. to be a combination physician/ “Men should be wary oftaking Xtushi because it may cause drowsibiochemist to even begin to understand them. And the names for today’s medications! Where do they get these names? It’s as ifsomeone blew up ness when watching sporting events, enhance the chance ofgetting your a Scrabble set and just combined the surviving tiles. Merlacept. Canarex. wife or girlfriend or someone you met on the street pregnant, stimulate you to buy that sports car you always wanted but could never afford, or Xinofler. (For some inexplicable reason, pharmaceutical companies are cause the loss ofwhatever hair you have remaining, which is inevitably a especially enamored ofdrugs that begin with the letter ‘X.’ Xanax lot less than the guy in the commercial. Also, your dick may fall off. In doubles down on this.) rare instances, death may occur.” Actually, none ofthose first three is an And lastly, in that same gentle, clear, actual drug (I hope). I just made them up “More serious side-ef f ects can soothing voice, “Ask your doctor about to give you some idea ofthe linguistic contortions drug manufacturers seem to include an inability to drive, walk, using Xtushi.” Ask my doctor? Then what the hell go through when naming their products. sleep, or vote for Donald Trump.” do I need a doctor for? Clearly Xtushi is In tandem with the number ofdrugs the greatest thing for my particular conadvertised on TV, the commercials have dition since the Balm ofGilead. Also, ifI have a specific condition as similarly evolved, and not necessarily in a good way. When it comes to difficult to pronounce as the drug that promises to treat it, shouldn’t my illness, ofany kind, I appreciate a straightforward pitch. Got diarrhea? doctor know about it? Take Imodium. Sore throat? Try our cough drops. Me: “Hey doc, have you heard about this drug Xtushi for my flagrant Instead, we get this: elbow problem?” Doctor: “Why, no, I haven’t. Is it something new?” The Setting: a beautiful, tranquil, impossibly scenic beach. A perMe (voice rising): “How the hell should I know? What am I paying fectly healthy-looking couple (wait — isn’t this supposed to be an ad for you for?” medicine, which implies some kind ofsickness?) are strolling on the These days, you need to be your own plumber, electrician, computer sand, the sun illuminating their blemish-free faces. Depending on their ages, a couple ofchildren may be playing at the water’s edge. Or maybe a expert. But your own doctor? They say that nobody knows your body better than you. Well, I don’t know my own body nearly that well. It’s an dog, cavorting along the surfline (you never see a cat in these commercials. Cats are too smart to participate, and have too much pride). Occa- alien world full ofbone, blood, muscle, hair, lymph, organs, nerves, nails, sionally the couple glance lovingly at one another. Real lovingly, ifit’s an and ifany ofit starts misbehaving, I want a doctor who can not only explain what’s wrong, but knows how to treat it. I don’t want to have to rely ad for an ED drug. (You didn’t see those in the ‘50s.) Then, after the on a television commercial to make it all “easy.” main plug for the drug, you hear a soothing voice in the background, But I sure miss Speedy. usually a woman, while stunning visuals distract from what she's saying. “Certain side-effects may occur while taking Xtushi. You may experience chills, fever, muscle aches, shakes, excessive bleeding, explosive diarrhea, an uncontrollable urge to dance to ‘Uptown Funk,’ or occasional Prescott resident Alan Dean Foster is the author ofmore than 120 books. loss ofsight, hearing, the ability to think clearly, walk in a straight line, or Follow him at AlanDeanFoster.com.
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19•5enses
Ursa Major and Bode’s Galaxy
What's Up? by Adam England
ossibly the most recognizable constellation in the US is the Big Dipper.
In the northern hemisphere we can always look northward, find the big spoon in the sky, and follow the two end stars in a near straight line to the North Star, Polaris. In North America we call it the Big Dipper, but in the UK it has long been known as the Plough for its visual similarity to the farmer’s equipment. These seven stars form a portion ofthe larger ancient constellation Ursa Major, the Bear. The symbology ofthe bear spans continents and millennia, with cultures around the world visualizing the pattern in the sky as the great animal. Roman mythology tells ofthe king ofthe gods, Jupiter, lusting after a woman, Callisto. Callisto had a son, Arcas, and Jupiter’s wife Juno was jealous, thinking the son was from her husband. Juno turned Callisto into a bear. Arcas was hunting and nearly shot Callisto, not knowing it was his mother, but Jupiter intervened just in time and turned Arcas into a bear also, placing him in the heavens with her. This is how Ursa Major (the Big Bear) and Ursa Minor (the Little Bear) came to be eternal neighbors in the stars. In North America, the Lakota, Iroquois, Wampanoag and Wasco-Wishram peoples all named the constellation in their native tongues for the word “bear,” seeing the metaphoric resemblance when they connected the dots in the sky.
Bode's Galaxy by JeffStillman, StillmanImaging.com
Offto the upper right ofthe bowl ofthe Dipper is a face-on galaxy, first discovered in 1774 by Johann Bode and consequently named Bode’s Galaxy. It was added to the Messier catalog in 1779 as M81. It’s about halfthe size ofour Milky Way at 90,000 light years across, and since it’s only 12 million light years distant, it is regularly studied and photographed by both professional and amateur astronomers alike. The extremely active galactic center ofthis spiral galaxy houses a supermassive black hole — again, just like our Milky Way — and affords great viewing with either binoculars or telescope on a clear night. Local insurance broker Adam England moonlights as an amateur astronomer, writer, and interplanetary conquest consultant. Follow his rants and exploits on Twitter @AZSalesman or on Facebook @AenglandLM.
5enses • 20
On the Shelves
Room to Dream
by Peregrine Book Company staff In Love with the World
by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Helen Tworkov I absolutely loved this book, one ofthe most direct explorations ofwhat it means to be enlightened while living in the human form. It is a memoir ofa monk's escape from his monastery to self-imposed homelessness to find his true home in the world. We follow Yongey's journey toward freedom, and experience the deep peace and generous love that is there for all. — Maria Fierce Fairy Tales
by Nikita Gill This book is awesome and amazing and oh so good! Ifyou do nothing else for the rest ofyour life, just read this book, I promise you won't regret it. With a wonderful blend of poetry and fairy tales, Nikita Gill delves into themes like love, feminism, abuse, betrayal and mental illness. It is empowering and hopeful, showing victims becoming survivors and villains humanized. — Sienna
by David Lynch and Kristine Mckenna In this hybrid autobiography ofone of Hollywood's most surreal directors, Mckenna interviews family and friends closest to Lynch in each chapter, while Lynch comments on the interview in the next. One ofthe most interesting autobiographies on creativity and relationships. — Joe
The Sirens of Titan
by Kurt Vonnegut This is my favorite Vonnegut, a combination ofwitty SF and heartfelt insight on the human condition, and even the meaning oflove. — David Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered
by Karen Kilgariff& Georgia Hardstark The authors share their personal stories and dole out hard-won advice, all the while remaining open and thoughtful, bringing their own acid humor to tough topics. Just about anyone can relate to or sympathize with their stories. — Susannah
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Bird ofthe Month: Canyon Towhee by Russ Chappell
With long legs, a chubby, dusty brown body, and rusty brown beneath a long tail, this large ground sparrow
generally scuttles through the underbrush, using a double-scratch technique to expose seeds, sorrel, chickweed, pigweed and lupine. Their diet also includes elderberry, poison oak and invertebrates like grasshoppers, insects, millipedes, snails, and spiders, and they are attracted to feeders stocked with milo (sorghum), millet, blackoil sunflower seeds and rolled oats. Canyon towhee range from the southcentral US to southern Mexico and are attracted to desert grasslands with dense shrubs, rocky terrain, dry watercourses with mesquite, and dry, scrubby areas. They were previously recognized, along with the California towhee, as “brown towhees.� However, recent mitochondrial DNA testing offemale genetic lines resulted in their redesignation as a unique species. Both adult genders are about ten inches in length and weigh close to ten ounces. With wingspans ofaround 11.5", they move along the ground more than they fly, and when they do, it is slowly and for short distances. Canyon towhees are monogamous, often forming lifelong pair bonds, and during breeding season the male courts his mate with brilliant songs from atop short shrubs and cacti. Vocalizations range from a dull, repeated chirp (similar to a titmouse) to cheerful songs. The female constructs a bulky, four-inch diameter, three-inch deep nest using grass and plant stems, lining it with fine grasses, horsehair and sometimes pieces ofcloth. Supported by strong branches, nests are positioned against the trunks ofjuniper, pinyon pine, sagebrush, cholla cactus, yucca and elderberry, and are shaded and well hidden. There are normally two broods per year, with two to six bluish-white to pearl-gray eggs, spotted with brown, black or purple, about an inch long and 0.8" wide. Still widespread and common, surveys indicate declining populations in recent decades, especially due to domestic and feral cat attacks. With several recent eBird sighting at Willow and Watson Lakes, Fain Park, Thumb Butte, the Embry-Riddle Trail and local feeders, canyon towhees are definitely in our area, so watch for this large sparrow and add it to your 2019 Big List! The Prescott Audubon Society is an official chapter ofthe National Audubon Society. Check it out online at PrescottAudubon.org.