Desert Times - February 2023

DESERT TIMES

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

INSIDE INSIDE

Glass Menagerie: A true love letter | Page 8

Health

Sports injuries can be reduced | Page 9

Sports Oscars inspire this semi-tough sports movie quiz | Page 10

Hobbs talks education and water protection

BY KATYA MENDOZA Tucson Local Media

Arizona’s governor-elect Katie Hobbs presented an encore state of the state address at the Tucson Convention Center, Tuesday, Jan. 10.

Hobbs outlined her top priorities, including investment in public education, lowering costs, securing the state’s water future and tackling the affordable housing crisis.

“The people of Arizona have directed us to find solutions to these issues,” Hobbs said.

A self-proclaimed believer in the “power of prosperity,” Hobbs said her administration was committed to building a thriving and dynamic foundation for businesses and the people who make them run, also noting cutting edge companies moving to the state, offering healthy business environments and a top-tier workforce. “Companies have record job openings but far too many Arizona residents can’t afford increased rent,” she said.

The governor also called out the state’s failure

encore state of the state address on Tuesday, Jan 10, at the Tucson Convention Center (Kevin Van Rensselaer/Tucson Metro Chamber/Contributor)

to adequately invest in public education, which has resulted in high teacher vacancy rates.

“One in four teachers leave Arizona schools each year, the highest rate in the nation,” she said, calling the state’s problem not with K-12 schools, but a “retention crisis.”

Hobbs called upon legislators to override the Aggregate Expenditure Limit, which limits how much K-12 schools are allowed to spend annually.

In response, Hobbs stated that she will launch an education retention task force to develop a framework and make recommendations to improve class sizes, resources, working conditions and other factors that would put the state’s education system on a path toward finding solutions and retaining educators.

Addressing Arizona’s per-pupil funding approach, Hobbs said that her tentative budget will redirect $68.6 million to all schools across the state, also asking for transparency of schools that accept public dollars by participating in the auditor general’s annual school

Treasures abound at Colors of the Stone

BY KAREN SCHAFFNER Tucson Local Media

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show season goes beyond Downtown.

Casino Del Sol hosts Colors of the Stone, To Bead True Blue and artisan workshops and sales.

“This is a one-of-a-kind experience where you can come and shop for all types of gems, gemstones, beads and jewelry direct from the artisans and tradespeople,” said Casey Kennerson, the show manager. “We have

something for everyone.”

Among the vendors is 7Hands Design, run by Lindy Lopez and Erandeny Torres-Simmons, where each piece of clothing they sell is original.

“It’s the way we cut but also the quality of the materials that we use,” Lopez said.

Lopez, who has been making her own clothes since before she was a teen, creates the pieces, while Torres-Simmons also drafts the patterns. They use fabric—mostly indigo fabric—that they have sourced from around the world.

“I have traders who I’ve worked with from Africa for almost 30 years now,” Lopez said.

“I actually go to Mexico or Guatemala to purchase any of the fabrics we use from there and occasionally go to Asia as well. We’ve worked with people for years.”

The fabric used in any one garment may be vintage, new or antique. Additionally, the fabric supports local artisans, so no big manufacturers. Using traditional yardage, panels and other unique fabric pieces to construct

LA HERRADURA

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs presented an

FEBRUARY 2023

DESERT TIMES

e Desert Times is published the rst week of every month and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout south Tucson. To nd out where you can pick up a free copy of the Desert Times, please visit www.TucsonLocalMedia.com

STAFF

ADMINISTRATION

Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher

Michael Hiatt, Vice President

Claudine Sowards, Accounting claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, Executive Editor christina@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Karen Scha ner, Sta Reporter kscha ner@timepublications.com

Hope Peters, Sta Reporter hpeter@timespublications.com

PRODUCTION

Shannon Mead, Production/Design Supervisor, smead@timespublications.com

Ruth Carlton, Graphic Designer rcarlton@timespublications.com

CIRCULATION

Aaron Kolodny, Circulation Director, aaron@phoenix.org

Brian Juhl, Distribution Manager, brian@timeslocalmedia.com

NATIONAL ADVERTISING

Zac Reynolds, Director of National Advertising Zac@TimesPublications.com

ADVERTISING

TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com

Kristin Chester, Account Executive kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Candace Murray, Account Executive candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Gary Tackett, Account Executive gtackett@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Tyler Vondrak, Account Executive tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Leah Pittman, Account Executive lpittman@tucsonlocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL & AD CONTENT

The

ARTS

Hot Picks

Wednesday, Feb. 1, ongoing

The African American Museum of Southern Arizona has opened its doors at the UA campus. Co-founded by Beverly and Bob Elliott, the museum presents a cultural and educational experience through items of significance and intentional storytelling to preserve African American and Black life, culture and history in Southern Arizona. Located in Room 244 of the Student Union Memorial Center, the museum has free admission. Until regular hours are established, interested visitors can schedule an appointment by emailing aamuseumofsouthernaz@gmail.com. Visit aamsaz. org for more information. African American Museum of Southern Arizona, 4511 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 255-2.

Wednesday, Feb. 1, to Saturday, May 20

It’s been a long journey for Willem de Koonig’s “Woman-Ochre,” since its theft in 1985 from the University of Arizona Museum of Art. Over three decades later,

it has returned home, and it’s on display through May. Tickets for “Restored: The Return of Woman-Ochre” are $8 general admission; $6 seniors 65-plus and groups of 10 or more; and free for students with ID, museum members, UA faculty, sta , military personnel, AAM members, visitors with a SNAP card or Tribal ID, and children. For more information about other ongoing exhibits, visit artmuseum.arizona.edu. The University of Arizona Museum of Art, 1031 N. Olive Road.

Wednesday, Feb. 1, to Saturday, April 8

The Tucson Desert Art Museum presents its “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues/En los barrios y las grandes ligas” Wednesday, Feb. 1, to Saturday, April 8. Organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Museum of American History, this exhibit examines the sport and how Latinos have helped shape what it is today. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 students/children, and free for active military. For more information about permanent and ongoing exhibitions, visit tucsondart.org. Tucson Desert Art Museum, 7000 E. Tanque Verde Road.

Thursday, Feb. 2

BY KATYA MENDOZA

bring snacks, drinks and chairs. Park admission is $7 per vehicle, for up to four adults. For a lineup of other programs and events at the park, visit azstateparks.com. Catalina State Park, 1150 N. Oracle Road.

Friday, Feb. 3

Arizona Arts Live and Tucson Desert Song Festival present, “Dreamers: Brooklyn Rider with Magos Herrera,” at Centennial Hall on Friday, Feb. 3. Discover a new world of classical music where tradition meets invention. This performance brings together Grammy-nominated artists whose work represents the capacity to dream. The show starts at 8 p.m. For more information about tickets, the show or Arizona Arts Live, visit arizonaartslive.com. Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard.

Friday, Feb. 3, to Sunday, Feb. 5

The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block extends its hours and “pay-whatyou-wish” admission from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, for “First Thursdays.” Explore the feature exhibit, “Enduring Legacies: The James T. Bialac Indigenous Art Collection,” including featured art and gallery activities led by Ami Dalal and Laila Halaby, a cash bar and more. Limited tickets are available and patrons are asked to reserve them in advance. For more information about First Thursday and other upcoming events at the TMA, visit tucsonmuseumofart.org. Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 N. Main Avenue.

LIVE MUSIC

Saturday, Feb. 4

Catalina State Park’s Music in the Mountain Series carries on at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. Enjoy a vibrant, live performance by the local five-piece band, The Vinyl Grooves, who will perform a medley of ’60s hits and ’70s favorites. The group will also bring along go-go dancers. Attendees are welcome to

The annual Gem and Jam Festival returns during the world-renowned Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase, starting Friday, Feb. 3. More than a music festival, three-day event brings together prominent national and international names in the jam and electronic music stratosphere, high-end gallery installations, creative workshops and visual artists. For more information about ticket pricing, visit gemandjamfestival.com. Gem and Jam Festival, Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Wednesday, Feb. 21, to Thursday, Feb. 12

The world-renowned winter Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase begins Saturday, Jan. 28. Attracting nearly 65,000 visitors from around the globe each year at over 48 locations throughout the city, the showcase invites guests to enjoy rare gems, minerals and fossils. Shows begin anywhere between 8 and 10 a.m. lasting through 6 to 8 p.m. daily. For a full guide visit, visittucson.org.

Saturday, Feb. 4

The Oro Valley Historical Society invites guests to the Pusch House Museum’s “Arizona: The 48th State of the Union” presentation from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 4. Discover the Grand Canyon State’s journey from territory to statehood. Res-

Job Fair

LOCAL MARKETS

Saturday, Feb. 4

ervations are not required, visitors can sign up at the Oro Valley Historical Society booth at the south end of the farmers market. There is a $5 suggested donation. For more information about ongoing tours, museum hours and events, visit ovhistory.org. Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle.

Saturday, Feb. 4, to Sunday, April 2

Support your local farmers, ranches and small food purveyors o ering their seasonal produce, farm-fresh eggs, meats and other goods at the Oro Valley Farmers Market on Saturday, Feb. 4. Operating every Saturday, year-round at the Historic Steam Pump Ranch, the farmers market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendance is free, but money is required for shopping. For more information about the Oro Valley Farmers Market or other Heirloom Farmers Markets, visit heirloomfm.org. Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road.

Saturday, Feb. 4, and Sunday, Feb. 5

Huzzah! The 35th annual Arizona Renaissance Festival returns Saturday, Feb. 4. The medieval amusement has a 16-stage theater, a 50-acre circus, arts and crafts fair, jousting tournament and feast. Mingle with over 2,000 characters in costume and don’t forget to eat a giant roasted turkey leg. Eat, drink and be merry, for there is so much to see and do. Tickets are $33 for adults, $21 for children ages 5 to 12, (children 4 and younger are free) if purchased in advance at Bashas’ or Food City statewide. For a full list of activities and schedule of events, visit arizona.renfestinfo.com. Arizona Renaissance Festival, 12601 E. U.S. Highway 60 Gold Canyon.

The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) presents the La Encantada Winter Fine Art Market from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5. The openair market brings locally designed arts and fashion, metalwork and other handmade artisanal goods. Admission is free to attend. For a list of vendors and artists, visit saaca.org. La Encantada Shopping Center, 2905 E. Skyline Drive. 

THE PLACE TO BE — THE ARTISTS TO SEE

MICHAEL CAVANAUGH THE MUSIC OF BILLY JOEL & ELTON JOHN 1/28

SAN JOSE TAIKO 2/2

High-energy fun that embraces the culture and artistry of Japanese drumming.

IMPROBABLE ASCENT 1/29

MAUREEN BECK, PARACLIMBER

Ticket includes pre-show reception, post show Q & A, and a special gift!

CELEBRATING ELVIS PRESLEY’S RECORDS FROM SUN STUDIOS HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN & TYLER HILTON 2/17

STILL THE ONE: PABLO CRUISE & ORLEANS 2/18

GARY MULLEN & THE WORKS ONE NIGHTOF QUEEN 2/28

JOHN PIZZARELLI & CATHERINE RUSSELL

SALUTE BILLIE HOLIDAY & FRANK SINATRA BILLIE & BLUE EYES 3/4

40+ SHOWS NOW ON SALE A CAPPELLA COUNRY BAND HOME FREE 2/23

district spending report.

Hobbs mentioned the overwhelming caseload of school counselors throughout the state, who provide services for over 700 kids on average. “That is the highest ratio in the nation and nearly three times the recommended standard,” she said. “We must do better.”

The governor also called for investment in state community colleges and dual enrollment programs statewide to offer students opportunities to earn college credits or get a good paying job and the expansion of the Arizona Promise Scholarship program, which made college more affordable for over 4,000 families last year. Hobbs proposes an additional funding capacity for over 10,000 students and allocating $40 million to create a Promise for DREAMers Scholarship program.

“We need to work together to ensure Arizona’s higher education opportunities are the best in the nation and put individuals on the path to future prosperity,” Hobbs said, taking the opportu-

GEMS from page 1

their clothing, each piece will turn out different from any other.

“What we have is one-of-a-kind pieces,” Lopez said. “Everything is made with beads and fabric, and we never repeat using the exact same thing because what we’re working with is all handmade, so it’s never exactly the same.”

The seams on all the clothing are finished so no hanging threads, and great care is taken to see that fabric panels, in fact all the seams, are sewn securely. Sizes range from extra small up to 3X. Lopez said she is a plus-size designer; she has a true sense of how to design to fit properly. Cost runs from $60 to $400.

Partnered with the clothing they sell is jewelry, which Lopez has designed and constructed to complement outfits. She uses a combination of pearls, metal and stones and likes to take a world view of her work.

“I like to mix things together,” she said. “The pieces that I make are often a combination of stones that may be from Africa with some handmade beads that come from Tibet.”

These pieces run from $40 to $600 and more.

Woodstock, New York-based Voices of

nity to state the flip side of prosperity is the high cost of housing.

The Hobbs administration shared its support for the $150 million investment into the Housing Trust Fund as well as signing an executive order reinstating Community Council on Homelessness and Housing, which coordinates state and local agencies and helps identify solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing affordability as well as offering support to those struggling with the rising costs of everyday items and services.

Hobbs’ budget also sets aside $50 million for a state-level, child tax credit for families who earn less than $40,000 a year to help pay for basic necessities and exempt diapers and feminine hygiene products from the state’s sales tax.

“These everyday items add up and we can and should help provide this relief to individuals and families who too often must choose between paying their bills or paying for the things they need to be healthy,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs, whose stance on immigration includes working with local law en-

forcement, nonprofits and community leaders, has also invited Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to visit the border and meet with community leaders.

In addition to protecting reproductive freedom for her constituents, Hobbs shared that her budget would match the federal Title X money that the state receives to provide reproductive health services and family planning medication, about $12 million to impact low-income women.

The governor brought home her speech regarding the protection of the state’s most precious resource, being water and how bipartisan solutions are crucial.

Earlier this month, the Colorado River Tier 2 mandatory water cuts went into effect, reducing Arizona’s water allotment by about 21% this year.

“This should be a wake-up call for all of us,” Hobbs said. Arizona will face the largest cut, 592,000 acre-feet of water.

Hobbs plans to reestablish the Governor’s Energy Office and relaunch the Governor’s Office of Resiliency to focus on water, energy and land-use solutions.

the Stones is bringing its selection of energy-clearing selenite, among other stones.

Owners Carole White and Mary Cameron have an interesting point of view when it comes to their goodies. It begins with resonance frequency and quartz.

“Most of the stones that we’re handling have some amount of silica dioxide, or quartz, in it,” White said. “When we refer to quartz as a mineral, it’s what

Additionally, the office will collaborate with local organizations, tribal governments, universities and various state departments.

The administration also plans to issue an executive order to launch the Governor’s Water Policy Council to “modernize and expand” the Arizona Groundwater Management Act, Hobbs said. Her budget, which was released Friday, Jan. 13, included “targeted investments” such as a one-time $333 million general fund deposit into the Long-Term Water Augmentation Fund and other investments spanning across fiscal years 2024 to 2025.

Hobbs hopes to allocate funds to rural communities to set up Active Management Areas, a program to help “balance” and recharge the state’s water table.

“These challenges will not be easy,” Hobbs said. “Nor will the other issues we need to confront, including fixing prisons, improving accessibility for all Arizonans, lowering childcare costs, supporting veterans, protecting older and vulnerable Arizonans and so much more.”

Hobbs’ budget can be found at azgovernor.gov 

Voices of the Stones boasts a selection of finished sterling rings. (Voices of the Stones/ Submitted)

is in computer chips and quartz watches. It oscillates at a very specific frequency, and that’s what creates binary code and it’s also what keeps time. When you think of it like this, the quartz is amplifying and recording energy. It receives energy as well as giving you energy.

“That’s why people talk about clearing their stones so that as we release the heaviness that keeps us from our joy and our happiness and our heart energy, that energy doesn’t hang around on the stone; people like to clear that. There’s a lot of different techniques for clearing them but one is using another stone

called selenite. I sell a lot of selenite.” White has been selling crystals for 35 years, so she and Cameron are knowledgeable about what they offer. They can tell you “whether something’s real or it’s dyed or where the stone came from, what the energy of it is,” White said. They have stones, rocks, finished beads, cabochons and carved figures.

“It’s all about having really good stone at a good price and about keeping a very bright, clear energetic quality to them as well,” White said. “That’s what sets most of the stones apart.”

At Voices of the Stones, you will also find old turquoise beads you won’t find anywhere else. The collection is 20 years old, so it has hard-to-find American turquoise beads and shapes, and higher-quality Chinese turquoise “that just is not available anymore,” White said.

“My partner, Mary, she’s been curating that; we know the cutters that the material came from originally, so it’s backed up with good knowledge about what the material is.”

Even if you don’t make jewelry, stop by to take a peek at the elements that make up the jewelry we wear.

“Our booth is for people who are mak-

ing jewelry or making cabochons into jewelry, and there’s a lot that’s not finished jewelry,” White said. “We have a nice collection of finished rings and sterling chains and some finished pendants.”

Check out Voices’ website, voicesofthestones.com, to see a more complete list of the stones and crystals that they sell.

Artisan workshops

Besides the market — both wholesale and retail — the Colors of the Stone will teach guests to make jewelry. Look for a class in how to use silver clay — a clay that reveals the silver inside when you burn off the dross. Learn how to make rings, pendants or artisan brushes. There are also classes in wire weaving, making stud earrings or beading.

Colors of the Stone will also boast gems and rare pieces for connoisseurs and gal-

leries, gemstones and jewelry tools and supplies for designers, ready and handmade jewelry, crystals and accessories. There will also be plenty of beads, such as lampwork, antique and raku beads. Also available will be tribal textiles. 

Colors of the Stone, along with To Bead True Blue and artisan workshops

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, to Saturday, Feb. 4

WHERE: Casino Del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson

COST: Free; parking and shuttle services from Downtown and the Gem Mall/Holidome are free, too

INFO: colorsofthestone.com

Sports injuries can be reduced

BY MIA SMITT Tucson Local Media Columnist

The country watched in horror as Damar Hamlin was resuscitated on the football field.

The 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety suffered a cardiac arrest after being tackled by a player on the Cleveland Browns. Continued speculation runs through the media as to the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, but one reasonable conclusion is that he experienced “commodio cordis” (a Latin term for heart disruption), a rare interruption of heart rhythm after a blow to the chest at a precise time in the heart’s electrical conduction cycle. This will cause the heart ventricles to beat erratically then stop beating. Though very rare, these types of injuries are most common in baseball players getting full impact of a baseball hitting the chest. Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes is the only football player to die while playing. He, too, suffered a cardiac arrest after running across the field, but the cause was never determined. This occurred 50 years ago when medical technology was not as sophisticated as it is now.

Christian Eriksen suffered a similar collapse during a soccer match in Denmark in 2020 and was successfully resuscitated. He returned to the game a year later after getting an implantable defibrillator.

Concussion injuries are traumatic brain injuries that can be mild or severe. Their subsequent disease states have dominated the research into sports injuries. It has been well documented that depression, suicides, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and early dementia can follow concussions. Not only famous football players and boxers but

high school and college players can suffer severe problems after a concussion injury.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15% of U.S. high school students reported one or more sports- or recreation-related concussion injuries in 2019. No sport is without some risks, but football is certainly one of the most physically violent games, even at young ages. Pre-play physical evaluations will identify (and hopefully eliminate from play) those with existing cardiac, organ or skeletal conditions. But concussions cannot be predicted; they can only be prevented and recognized for early intervention. Falls, brutal impacts, overexertion, dehydration, lacerations and poor sports maneuvers leading to bodily damage are other serious factors that can cause sports injuries.

The psychological impact of the traumatic event can be felt not only by the player but the coaches, family and spectators, too. Football, a popular sport attracting players of all ages, may not be the riskiest for head injuries but has the highest numbers of such injuries when compared to other sports.

(Actually, rugby is highest and football second in players 18 and older. Rugby is highest, ice hockey is second, and then football in players younger than 18 years.) In the United States, football is the most dangerous sport for children ages 5 to 14, and basketball has the highest number of injuries in players 15 to 24 years. Sports-related concussions usually resolve within a few weeks, but more persistent symptoms continue in 10% to 15% of those injured.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was formed back in 1906 after 19 players died on the football field. Brian Hainline, current chief medical officer for the NCAA, has instituted several

SPORTS &RECREATION

EXTRA POINT WITH

Oscars inspire this semitough sports movie quiz

With the Academy Award nominations having been announced yesterday, we’d like to give you a quiz concerning the glorious intersection of Oscar-winning and/or nominated movies and sports. Take this quiz, but don’t look down at the bottom, because that’s where the answers are. Let’s see how you do.

1. We’ll start with an easy one. What three sports movies won the Academy Award for Best Picture? (Hint: None of the three movies involved football, base ball, basketball or hockey. And one was a true story about a guy named Harold Abrahams.)

2. Name an actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying an athlete.

3. Now name an actress who won Best Actress for portraying an ath lete.

4. True or False: “Hoosiers” is the only basketball movie ever nominated for Best Picture.

5. Name a movie about auto racing that was nominated for Best Picture.

6. At least three Best Picture nominees involve football, at least peripherally. Can you name two of them? One had a Best Actress Oscar winner in it.

9. Which “Rocky” movie made the most money?

10. Named the most-recent baseball movie to be nominated for Best Picture. It came out in 2011 also had nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

7. This 1979 film won the Oscar for Best Screenplay and was a surprise nominee for Best Picture. It involves a unique character named Dave Stohler. Can you name it?

8. When Haing Ngor won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “The Killing Fields” in 1984, another Asian actor, playing a coach in a much-beloved cult classic of a sports movie, was also nominated in that category. Name the actor and the film.

ANSWERS:

1. The original “Rocky” won Best Picture (and deserved it). The other two are “Million Dollar Baby” and “Chariots of Fire” (about Olympic sprinter Harold Abrahams).

2. Robert DeNiro won Best Actor for portraying Jake LaMotta in “Raging Bull.” (I would have also accepted Wallace Beery, who played the title role in 1930’s “The Champ.”) Beery tied for Best Actor with Fredric March in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” He plays a broken-down ex-boxer trying to find a way to make his young son proud of him. Really schmaltzy. And no, I won’t accept Russell Crowe in “Gladiator.”

3. Hillary Swank won her second Oscar for portraying a doomed boxer in “Million Dollar Baby.”

4. That would be false. No basketball movie has ever been nominated for Best Picture. This really bothers me because I think that “Hoosiers” is one of the two or three best sports movies of all time. It definitely deserved to be nominated.

5. The excellent “Ford v. Ferrari” received a Best Picture nomination just a couple years ago. If you said “Days of Thunder” starring Tom Cruise, you’re a very sad person.

6. “The Blind Side” starred Academy Award-winning Best Actress Sandra

TOM DANEHY

Athlete of the Week: Davia Henry

Seven seconds. That’s less time than a champion bull rider stays on a frantically bucking beast. It’s about the amount of time for a basketball player to catch the inbounds pass and dribble it past half court. That’s also how long it took Davia Henry to pin her opponent in the semifinal match at the Flowing Wells Invitational on Jan. 14.

The ref said “Wrestle!” Then, in quick succession, it was: Grab. Pull. Push. Throw. Land upon. Lean. Exert. Pin! All in 7 seconds.

The funny thing was that directly after the mini-match, she said that she was nervous before the competition. Nervous about what? That you were going to permanently damage the poor kid from the other school?

“No, I’m always nervous before a competition. I take my opponents seriously, and I never want to underestimate them.”

When she speaks, you can hear the slightest Jamaican lilt in her voice. She was born in Jamaica, but she has been in the United States long enough for the accent to mostly fade. “I want to get rid of (the accent). I don’t want to be known for the way I talk.”

She says that she really likes her English class and enjoys both reading and writing. After high school, she would like to go into the military to help pay for her school. “Maybe the National Guard,” she said. “That way, I can stay in Arizona. I really love Arizona.”

She made it to state last year in wrestling, but didn’t make it to the medal stand. She lost her elimination match on points but didn’t get pinned. Her goal this year is to get past the elimination rounds and get to the point where she is standing up there with a medal around her neck.

Earlier this season, she took first place in the prestigious Prescott Invitational. “I had a really good meet up in Prescott,” she said, somewhat sheepishly. “My coaches were happy.”

With wrestling for girls still a relatively new sport, it is sometimes difficult to find opponents in matches (girls will often have to wrestle outside of the weight class just to get in a match or two). With several schools only having a handful of athletes on the entire squad, it’s even harder to find people with whom to practice.

In that matter, Henry considers herself lucky. “Me and (fellow Tiger wrestler) Makayla (Roebuck), we both want to make it to the (state medal stand). Obviously, we would both like to win the state championship in our weights, but if we can’t do that, we want to make it to the finals.”

She and Roebuck are wrestling partners in practice. Henry wrestles in the 185-pound class, while Roebuck is in the 145-pound class.

“Makayla is super strong. I know that I outweigh her, but she is hard to move around and try to pin. We really push each other hard in practice.” 

pins her finals opponent in 10 seconds to win

Submitted)

Davia Henry

the Flowing Wells Invitational. (Davia Henry/

policies to increase player safety. There was a significant drop in head injuries after spearing (a tackle with the top of the head and body splayed like a spear) was outlawed in 1976. Equipment and protective gear have improved in many sports and proper coaching for safer body mechanics is better taught.

Overall, sports-related injuries have decreased, but according to the National Safety Council 3.2 million people in the United States were treated

OSCAR QUIZ

from page 13

Bullock. “Jerry McGuire” had Best Supporting Actor winner Cuba Gooding Jr. And 1978’s “Heaven Can Wait” with Warren Beatty has the absolute worst ending of any romantic comedy — ever! And I love romantic comedies. I’m the president of the Man Crush on Hugh Grant Club.

7. The movie is “Breaking Away,” about a recent high school graduate in Bloomington, Indiana, who fancies himself to be a famous Italian bicycle

in emergency departments for sports and recreational equipment injuries. It is essential for sports leagues, from children’s programs to the professionals, to keep safety ahead of everything else. Winning is great, but not at the cost of a players’ health and well-being. Some parents push and some coaches skirt the regulations to achieve certain goals, but is this what we want for our society, a win at all costs? The allure of fame and fortune can be a strong draw, but there are risks even when safety and prevention and good sense

racer. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies of any kind, not just sports. It stars Dennis Christopher as Stohler, one of four friends who recently graduated from high school in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana. The other three are played by a ridiculously young Dennis Quaid; equally young Daniel Stern (who is unfortunately known as the taller of the Wet Bandits in “Home Alone”); and Jackie Earle Haley, who has always looked old.

Barbara Barrie was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as

COMMUNITY YARD SALES

are in play.

Hamlin appears to be recovering from his heart attack on the field. Many people worldwide are praying and wishing him well. Hopefully we will learn from this to prevent similar tragedies. Hopefully, too, continued research into concussions will lead us to a more thorough evaluation of such injuries and perhaps a change in some sports to prevent their occurrence.

There is risk in many activities. Caution, safety measures, proper equipment and education about what you want

Dave’s mom, and Paul Dooley steals the movie as Dave’s long-suffering dad. In one scene, Dooley, angry that Dave has renamed the family cat Fellini, explodes, “It’s all them ‘ini’ foods … zucchini … and linguine … and fettucine. I want some American food, dammit! I want French fries!”

The American Film Institute lists “Breaking Away” as No. 8 of the Most Inspirational Movies of All Time. It is also on the AFI list of the all-time greatest sports movies (also at No. 8).

In case you’re wondering, that list

to do are all necessary for any sport or recreational undertaking. Helmets have reduced bicycle injuries exponentially. Proper shoes help prevent foot injuries in runners. Body padding lessens injury in falls and contact sports. Proper nutrition and rest are essential.

Sports — professional, school and recreational--all have a place in our society. Preventing injury behooves us all.

Mia Smitt is a long-time nurse practitioner. She writes a regular column for Tucson Local Media. 

has “Raging Bull” at No. 1, followed by “Rocky,” “The Pride of the Yankees,” “Hoosiers,” “Bull Durham,” “The Hustler,” “Caddyshack,” “Breaking Away,” “National Velvet” and “Jerry McGuire.”

8. Pat Morita was Oscar nominated for his role as Mr. Miyagi in “The Karate Kid.”

9. That would be “Rocky IV,” where he fights the steroid monster, Ivan Drago. That’s followed in order by “Rocky III,” the original “Rocky,” and “Rocky II.” 10. “Moneyball” with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. 

38 Noun phrase that’s present perfect indicative?

41 M.L.B. All-Star Anderson 42 Slightly burned

Content of some pads 45 Owl’s sound

46 She used the Force multiple times in “The Last Jedi”

47 They help you find your routes

49 Luxurious and expensive

50 Film technique for revealing a character’s psychological state

53 Attraction for a bargain hunter

56 Baby cheetah

25 Set of books that may have an invented language

28 Milk source

29 “One heart,” “two hearts,” “three hearts,” etc.

30 Chef’s creation

33 The Big Easy, by another ickname

34 Pu n, for one

35 Wraps that might have sauce on them

57 Sportscaster Adams who hosted “Good Morning Football”

58 Neutrogena competitor

59 Hindi or Hebrew

61 Ritual pile

62 Big name in streaming

63 Stomach

64 Word with image or language

65 Castle fortress

66 Empty ___

67 Bit of trickery

DOWN

1 “You bought it? It’s yours”

2 Option for high-temperature cooking

3 Dance section of a 33-Across brass-band parade

4 Chamber oriented so that those who face it also face Jerusalem

5 Ethiopia’s capital, informally

6 Wild ride?

7 The Sixers, on scoreboards

8 ___ Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler

9 Pop bottles, perhaps

10 Creamy South Asian drink

11 Event for journalists, informally

12 Reddish brown

13 Muppet known for singing duets with “Sesame Street” guests

14 Easter confection

22 A ways away

24 Entice

26 “A true warrior, like ___, shows his strength in hot water” (Chinese proverb)

27 Adherent to the Five K’s

31 Pass words?

32 Many factory workers carry them

34 Mutual ___

35 Big ___ (“the moon and the stars,” e.g.)

36 Blended style of facial makeup

38 Dresses in

39 They can be red or read

40 Hit HBO show whose main character worked at the nonprofit We Got Y’all

43 Cry to a horse

45 Big inits. in sports theater

47 Actress Jena of 2001’s “Donnie Darko”

48 Atonement for a mistake

49 Go in (for)

51 Not drunk?

52 Part of LGBTQ+

53 Pennsylvania city or county

54 Sunburn soother

55 Tend to a Zen garden, say

60 Stomach

61 Popular beer, informally

HOROSCOPE

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Guess what, Lamb? You’re about to experience a new perspective on a situation you long regarded quite di erently. What you learn could open up more opportunities later.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The Bold Bovine is tempted to charge into a new venture. But it might be best to take things one step at a time so that you know just where you are at any given point.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) It’s a good time to go on that fun getaway you’ve been planning. You’ll return refreshed, ready, and, yes, even eager to tackle the new challenge that awaits you.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The Moon Child loves to fantasize about magical happenings in the early part of the week. But the sensible Crab gets down to serious business by week’s end.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) What goes around comes around for those lucky Leos and Leonas whose acts of generosity could be repaid with opportunities to expand into new and exciting areas of interest.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

Your concern about your job responsibilities is commendable. But it’s time for you to take some quiet moments to share with someone who has really missed being with you.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Aspects favor getting out and meeting

new people. And, as a bonus, you might nd that some of your newly made friends could o er important business contacts.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You might take pride in wanting to do everything yourself. But now’s a good time to ask family members to help with a demanding personal situation.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Pay more attention to the possibilities that could come with a workplace change. It could show you the way to make that long-sought turn on your career path.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Your need to succeed might overwhelm obligations to your loved ones. Ease up on that workload and into some well-deserved time with family and friends.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Love rules for amorous Aquarians who can make good use of their ability to communicate feelings. Don’t be surprised if they’re reciprocated in kind.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Fishing for compliments? No doubt, you probably earned them. But it’s best to let others believe they were the ones who uncovered the treasure you really are.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your good work ows from an open, generous heart. Nothing makes you happier than to see others happy as well 

BAPTIST

Join Us For Sunday Service: English-10:30 AM

In Person: 15501 W Ajo Hwy Online: https://facebook.com/ serenitybaptistaz/videos/ Youth: Weds @ 6:00PM Office Hrs: 9am to 1 pm Mon to Fri (Except Holidays) connect@serenitybaptist.church https://serenitybaptist.church 520.822.2026