Summer Aguirre, Brian Box Brown, Rob Brezsny, Tom Danehy, Connor Dziawura, Dave Gil de Rubio, Laura Latzko, Andy Mosier, Linda Ray, Will Shortz, Jen Sorensen
PRODUCTION
Courtney Oldham, Production/Design Supervisor, production@timeslocalmedia.com
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DANEHY
WHO WOULD DIE FOR A DOUGHNUT?
By Tom Danehy Tucson Weekly Columnist
Igenerally support government, especially the local kind. I sincerely believe that many people who work in government at least try to do their jobs — most of the time — as best they can. However, every now and then, my Pollyanna-ish view of the world is severely tested. To wit: A few years ago, before the pandemic, a building was going up on the south side of River Road, a couple hundred yards west of La Cholla. I have to admit that, like just about every other male who grew up doing as Billy Joel once sang, “…ate a lot of late-night drive-in food…,” I was wondering what kind of food place it would be, perchance to satisfy my hunger or, more probably, just tempt the crap out of me.
In that stretch of River from La Can-
ada to Thornydale, there’s already a Whataburger, Burger King, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Panda Express, Subway, Firehouse Subs, Freddy’s, and the Queen Mother of Them All, Popeyes Chicken. (There’s also a Sprouts for those who want to cleanse their palate and then go out and get a different kind of fries.)
After a while, the building took shape and then revealed itself to be a Dunkin’ Donuts. Those who have had the misfortune of having seen me in person would understandably assume that I would be doing cartwheels (the mental kind) at the prospect of a donut place appearing along a route that I take from time to time. But the truth is that I’m not big on doughnuts (I’m mostly a chips and salsa guy) and I have never tasted coffee in my entire life.
(It’s true.) So a Dunkin’ Donuts gets a giant shrug from me.
Then, the pandemic hit, and the building just sat there — for weeks and then months and then years. Every now and then I would drive by and see some activity, maybe a pickup truck or two parked nearby with guys doing some wiring or maybe a little work on the building’s exterior.
A few months ago, the signs of activity picked up. They put the “DD” logos up on the wall and lights were on inside and out.
But then came the bad stuff. Many, many weeks ago, traffic barricades went up on River, with the flashing arrow machine squeezing traffic down from two lanes to one. The stuff was done right. For people driving east on River there are signs well in advance, warning people that the right lane will disappear and that all traffic will have to get over into the left lane and stay there until right before La Cholla.
rage with two guys out of their cars throwing blows, a car up on the median, and a bunch of those barricades twisted and destroyed (obviously having been struck by horrible drivers). Every single time, there are jackass drivers speeding up in the right-hand lane, driving dangerously fast just so they can squeeze in ahead of one or two cars.
Now that Orange Grove is closed at I-10, there is a ton of new traffic on River as people try to get on the interstate at Ruthrauff. Often times in the morning, traffic is backed up from La Cholla all the way to Shannon. And work on the doughnut place appears to have stopped.
So, I called the county to ask a simple question: When traffic is diverted to help with a private project, is there a time limit for the work to be completed?
It was unbelievable. It was like they were all different versions of Chauncey Gardiner from “Being There,” each one more oblivious and idiotic than the one before. I got transferred and put on hold and told, “Gee, I don’t know.”
Those aforementioned signs have to be well in advance because River Road should probably be known as River Autobahn. A member of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told me that that stretch of River Road is one of the worst places for speeding in the entire Tucson metropolitan area. With a posted speed limit of 45 (40 at night), people often drive 60 mph or sometimes much faster in that area.
Then I saw some workers and bulldozers working, apparently digging out a stretch that would become a driveway into the doughnut place’s as-yet unbuilt parking lot. I at first thought, “Well, this is cool. People from New England won’t be forced to drink Starbucks anymore.”
But that was in February and the barricades are still up. Even though I don’t drive it every day, I have seen two serious fender benders, a dangerous case of road
Finally, one person told me that there are stipulations in contracts for the work to be done in a certain amount of time. (I personally think it could have been done in less than a week.) But then they told me that there has been a shortage of certain materials and maybe the company is waiting for them to come in.
Well then, I asked, “Why not just take the barricades down and let traffic flow normally and then put them back up when the stuff comes in?”
“Well, that would require…”
What, work?!
Something bad is going to happen there, mark my word. And even I, at my advanced age and weight, wouldn’t want to die for a doughnut.
AMPHITHEATER TEACHER WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
By Laura Latzko Tucson Weekly Contributor
Special education math teacher
Marian Johnson was named the University of Arizona Online’s and Arizona Athletics’ Teacher of the Year, prizes that were open to Southern Arizona instructors.
The nine finalists were announced in October and were recognized during a UA basketball game.
Amphitheater’s principal chose Johnson as this year’s nominee.
“I do work hard, but you don’t always expect to be recognized for your work. So, it was really lovely to be nominated,” Johnson said.
Johnson teaches special education geometry and algebra, and she has helped grow the programs.
“When I first came in, our students were doing worksheets every day. To go from that to doing the same curriculum as everyone else, that has been one of my biggest accomplishments,” Johnson said.
She said she makes math relatable to students with different learning styles, whether it be through group projects, videos, hands-on activities and real-life scenarios.
“A lot of students with learning disabilities don’t necessarily learn by reading out of a book and seeing examples,” Johnson said.
“It has to be something more tactile and more visual. So, I try to have opportunities for them to use those other parts of their brains to figure it out and to remember it.”
She tries to show her students that math is accessible to them.
“By the time they reach high school, a lot of our kids in special ed have just decided, ‘I can’t do it. It’s too hard.’ So, it’s my place to get them to realize they can do it. I love watching that confidence build in them while they have me as a teacher,” Johnson said.
Johnson is also an advocate who helps special education students to work toward goals for after high school.
“I help them apply to colleges. I help them to fill out their FAFSA forms. I talk to them about what they want to do out of high school, and we discuss options for that. Sometimes, that happens with students within my classroom. We
MARIAN JOHNSON (CENTER) WITH UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA MASCOTS WILMA AND WILBUR WILDCAT. (PHOTO BY REBECCA SASNETT)
might have a conversation, and I can give them ideas,” Johnson said.
Johnson has also been a co-teacher in an oceanography and forensics class in the past.
“I was teaching with the regular gened teacher, so I could provide special education support within that classroom,” Johnson said.
BRINGING STUDENTS TOGETHER
Amphitheater is a unified school, which means that it offers clubs and sports for people of various abilities.
Johnson is her school’s Special Olympics head of delegation and its cheerleading coach. She also helps to coach Special Olympics track and tennis teams.
She pushed to bring Special Olympics to the school, and Amphitheater has been recognized by the Special Olympics national organization as a Unified Champion School.
“We have always had the feeling on campus that if you’re a student here, we’re all a family and belong...This is
just another way to show that to the world,” Johnson said.
“One great thing about our campus is we have kids from so many different backgrounds, so many different cultures and so many different abilities. They’re all able to come together and be one unit. It’s one of the best parts about being here.”
Over the years, the school’s participation in the Special Olympics has grown from two athletes competing in track and tennis at the start to now include bowling, basketball, track and field, bocce, cheerleading and tennis.
Last year, the school’s basketball team won the AIA Silver Division State Competition.
Johnson heads her school’s Post Graduation, a safe-sober overnight event for graduating seniors. This is held throughout the district.
To raise money for the event, area high schools hold fundraisers such as the Oro Valley Cup Golf Tournament and the Guns and Hoses Kickball Tournament. Johnson is on the committees for both tournaments.
She is also co-sponsor for the
school’s gardening club and sponsor for the ukulele club, along with assisting with pep club activities.
Johnson started learning the ukulele in 2020 so that she could sponsor the club. Johnson is learning along with her students.
“I don’t pretend to know everything about the ukulele. When we start a new song, we muddle through it and get through it together. It works out very well,” Johnson said.
Johnson is helping to set up a unified esports club, which like the gardening and ukulele club will be open to gened and special-education students.
Along with her other activities, Johnson oversees ACT and SAT testing on the school’s campus.
She has been on the hiring committees for Amphitheater’s principal and one of its assistant principals, as well as interview committees for departmental positions.
Johnson said her busy schedule is fulfilling, even though she is sometimes tired.
“I come to school, and I’m going and going. Even on the weekends, I’m doing things. It’s a very crazy schedule, but it’s worth it. There are days that I’m exhausted, but at the end I can look back and say that was cool what happened. There’s not a lot of rest, but it’s worth it in the end,” Johnson said.
Working as a clerk and secretary helped Johnson to get familiar with the school’s policies, procedures and equipment.
A mentor for teachers, she helps to train others on the computer systems.
LIFELONG DREAM
In her life, Johnson has had a range
of jobs. She has taught picture framing at Pima Community College, done masonry work one summer in high school and delivered food on roller skates as a car hop.
Before becoming a special education math teacher in fall 2011, Johnson worked as a clerk and secretary at Amphitheater High School. An Arizona native, she also attended Amphitheater middle and high schools and Holaway Elementary.
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology and a Bachelor of Science degree in geoscience from the University of Arizona.
While in college, she was a part of the Society of Earth Science Students. Through this group, she took a field trip to the Mohave Desert to study fault/earthquake activity, walked the Pinacate volcano fields in Mexico and visit the Painted Desert and Death Valley.
Johnson earned her teaching certificate from Pima Community College as part of the Grow Your Own program. She had always had an interest in math but had decided to pursue geoscience and anthropology in college instead. Later in life, her path became clear.
“When I was going to college, I was a math major. My senior year, I was like, ‘I can only be a teacher or go into computer science,’ so I changed my degree. And now, I’m a math teacher. So, it’s so funny that I tried to divert myself but I came back to it because it’s what I was meant to do,” Johnson said.
“Math has always been a subject I’ve enjoyed and done well in. I really get a lot out of sharing that with my students.”
SOUTHERN ARIZONA CAT RESCUE EXPANDS WITH CAT LOUNGE
By Summer Aguirre Tucson Weekly Staff
Many felines in the community have found their forever homes through Southern Arizona Cat Rescue, and soon the rescue will be able to assist even more with the addition of its first physical location: Hunter’s Kitten Lounge.
The Southern Arizona Cat Rescue (SACR) team hopes to open the lounge this year to help the home-based foster rescue group with its mission to save the at-risk cat population throughout Tucson, Oro Valley and Sahuarita. Within this location, SACR will be able to help find homes for local cats of all ages and educate people about over-
population and special needs pets.
“It means so much (to open the lounge). I’m only one of four people on the Southern Arizona Cat Rescue team — my friends and I own it, and it’s been just really surreal getting so much support from the community and that everybody thinks it’s a really good idea,” said Melissa Lesinsky, SACR director.
SACR was launched in October 2019 by Lesinsky and her cat-loving friends Kim Fioccoprile, Alex Byler and Cortney Adams.
Over the past three-plus years, SACR has helped nearly 2,000 cats find their forever homes, with around 630 of those felines adopted out in 2022 alone.
SACR is expecting to adopt out an additional 300 cats a year with the addition of Hunter’s Kitten Lounge, which will have around 15 cats living at the lounge at a time, ranging from 12 weeks old and older.
“(A physical location) will allow us to save so many more lives and to really focus on not only neonates, but also focus on teenagers and adult cats,” Lesinsky said. “We can really expand and utilize our platform to find all age groups homes.”
The rescue is currently 100% volunteer run and operates through foster homes, which are families who temporarily house pets up for adoption, so the animals become adjusted to a home environment. Foster families through SACR are encouraged to be a part of medical decisions, choosing a permanent family and the
entire foster process to make them feel like the cat is theirs.
Since the rescue’s inception, Lesinsky said it has been “a whirlwind.” The SACR team has gone from participating
SURPRISE YOUR MOM
SOUTHERN ARIZONA CAT RESCUE’S KITTEN LOUNGE IS NAMED IN HONOR OF FOUNDER MELISSA LESINSKY’S CAT, HUNTER, WHO DIED LAST YEAR.
(SOUTHERN ARIZONA CAT RESCUE/SUBMITTED)
in adoptions at Tractor Supply Co., to becoming a PetSmart charity hosting adoptions in the pet store’s designated rooms.
The rescue has also expanded to hosting kitten yoga every other month at Barefoot Studio and rescuing cats from high-kill shelters in lower-income areas alongside other rescue partners.
FIRST BRICK-AND-MORTAR LOCATION
To grow their services, the SACR team is searching for a space over 1,000 square feet located near the UA to site Hunter’s Kitten Lounge.
Their goal is for Hunter’s Kitten Lounge to be a nontraditional rescue setting, with a warm, cozy living-room style space complete with a big couch and pillows.
Unlike a traditional shelter, the team’s vision is for visitors and cats alike to casually hang out together, helping feline residents become accustomed to a regular home environment for an easier transition to adoption. Potential adoptees will also be able to better connect with the cats, gauge their personalities and determine whether the animal would fit into their lifestyle.
“We always wanted to open up a physical location, but we didn’t want it to be like a shelter with cats in cages because that goes completely against what we always do. We have 100% foster homes, so cats are running free and they experience vacuums, dogs, brooms, loud noises, all that good stuff,” Lesinsky said.
“So, we thought, what better way to open up a physical location and have people be able to physically come meet
cats without a shelter environment?”
The personable setting of the lounge will also allow for those unable to own a cat the opportunity to enjoy the company of felines without any obligation to bring them home — ideal for those who have allergic family members, children whose parents don’t want a pet or UA students who live in dorms.
“You get to love on them, snuggle them and everything, and then you can go home,” Lesinsky said. “So this isn’t just for adoption, this is also for the socialization of the cats and socialization of people.”
The team wants to empty shelters as much as possible and have a range of feline personalities, all while ensuring its residents are comfortable and that the space does not become overpopulated.
SAVING MEDICAL, SPECIAL NEEDS CATS
While featuring many different types of cats, Hunter’s Kitten Lounge will emphasize the inclusion of special and medical needs cats and the public’s exposure to them.
This objective was inspired by Lesinsky’s late cat Hunter, who died last year at 3.5 years old from an infection he had had since he was a kitten. The lounge was named in his honor.
Hunter “left a little legacy with everybody,” said Lesinsky, as he gave many foster parents the opportunity to learn how to dress wounds, change diapers and become comfortable around special needs pets.
“I’m really hoping that Hunter’s story can inspire people to also adopt special
LA SONORA DINAMITA
CON VILMA DIAZ
SISTER JOSÉ WOMEN’S CENTER WELCOMES NEW CEO
By Veronica Kuffel Tucson Local Media Staff
Jean Fedigan opened a shelter in a small house for women experiencing homelessness, believing it would be sufficient to aid the crisis in 2009. As the guest numbers increased, she was surprised.
“We see few on the street, but there are many, many more that remain hidden, abused, frightened and hungry,” Fedigan said. “That to me is unconscionable, we should not let any of it happen to anyone.”
Fedigan is the founder of the Sister José Women’s Center and has spent 14 years maintaining it for women throughout the city. At 75 years old, she said it’s time to pass the torch and step
into a new role as chief mission officer, allowing her to be more present within the center. Previous chief operating officer Nicola Hartmann will be the nonprofit’s second chief executive officer.
Hartmann has worked for The Sister José Women’s Center for a year and a half and understood the importance of continuing Fedigan’s mission. This year alone, the nonprofit has seen a 42% increase in the women it serves, many displaced through eviction and rising rent. It’s a number Hartmann noted with a mix of pride and devastation; more people served at the center means more underserved by the community.
“Homeless women are hidden on
our streets, and we get to know them because we see them,” Hartmann said. “I wanted to be part of how we could continue to serve them, to honor Jean’s legacy but to keep taking the organization to the next level.”
Fedigan’s new position will connect her more closely with the center’s guests and the community. The position will be part-time and allow Fedigan to connect with organizations and agencies for broader outreach.
In her time as CEO, Fedigan grew the women’s center to a staff of 30 and ex-
panded their offerings to 42 overnight guests and up to 70 during the day. She spread her message of kindness and understanding, especially to those on the margins of society. Hartmann intends to continue this work and dedication while growing the center and its services.
“She’s very good with business and a woman of integrity and faith, and she
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check to the address below.
NICOLA HARTMANN
SISTER JOSÉ WOMEN’S CENTER.
needs,” she said. “We have so many special needs in the community that are just sitting in foster homes, waiting to find a house and waiting to find a forever home. They’re so easy to take care of and they just blend into your routine so easily.”
In tandem with special needs pet education, SACR’s team hopes to help increase adoptions in Tucson by teaching others about the overpopulation of stray cats in the area.
FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT SACR’S EFFORTS
Lesinsky looks forward to the additional opportunities that Hunter’s Kitten Lounge will introduce. At present, the SACR team is concentrating on fundraising to assist their search for a lounge location.
“We’re so excited to get the lounge up and running, getting donations toward the lounge is going to be a big part of it because it’s going to allow us to open faster,” she said.
Those interested in supporting Hunt-
er’s Kitten Lounge can donate through SACR’s website or GoFundMe. There are also wish lists on Chewy and Amazon for those who would like to donate pet supplies.
The rescue is also happy to receive donations of gently used supplies and toys.
“Right now we don’t have any opportunities to physically volunteer with us other than actually fostering tasks,” Lesinsky said. “But once the lounge is open, we’re going to have many more volunteer opportunities to come in and help out.”
Donations for Hunter’s Kitten Lounge can be mailed to Southern Arizona Cat Rescue, P.O. Box 65791, Tucson, AZ 85728.
For more information about the rescue, call 520-200-1643, email adoption@sacatrescue.org or visit sacatrescue.org
CURRENTS
BODY PRODUCTS ARE A PASSION PROJECT FOR COUPLE
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tucson Weekly Staff
When Alyssa Voice was mourning her father four and a half years ago, she researched how to make body butters at home to ease her mind. It was so successful that she thought she would share her products with the public. That flourished into Tucson-based Old Pueblo Bath & Body Essentials, which also produces handmade artisan soaps, lotions, sugar scrubs, beard oil and beard wash.
Among the scents are absinthe, autumn harvest, apricot freesia, Asian pear and lily, black raspberry vanilla, cactus and sea salt, calla lily, cherry merlot, cinnamon spiced vanilla, citrus
and agave, coconut milk sorbet, cranberry, ginger and lime, and fresh peach and poppy.
“We’re known for our lotions,” said her husband, William Voice.
“My wife makes a really fantastic lotion with natural ingredients in it. I was doing a show and these two ladies tried our lotion. They got all the way to Park mall, one turned to her friend and said, ‘My hands are really soft.’ They went straight back here to get lotion.”
The origins are twofold. Besides easing Alyssa’s mind, the couple wanted to bring quality soaps and lotions to people at a reasonable price.
“There are so many products out there
filled with chemicals that you can’t even pronounce and are bad for your skin,” William said.
“We set out to change that. Fast forward to now, and we have a growing business always striving to bring our customers the best in products, ingredients and customer service.”
The products are sold on their website oldpueblobathandbodyessentials. com, and at farmers markets.
“We do craft fairs and street fairs all over here, in Tucson, in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sedona and Pinetop,” he
PAGE 13
4, 2023–OCTOBER 20, 2024
Popol Vuh is an important Maya story that narrates events that happened before the first sunrise. Today, communities recognize that it has much to teach us about creation, resilience, and relationships. Opening on May 4th, this exhibition brings together works of art and stories connected to the Popol Vuh, including a newly commissioned work by artist Justin Favela and a portfolio by Guatemalan Modern artist Carlos Mérida.
WILLIAM VOICE, PICTURED, AND HIS WIFE, ALYSSA, CO-FOUNDED OLD PUEBLO BATH & BODY ESSENTIALS, WHICH THEY SELL AT FARMERS MARKETS, STREET FAIRS AND ONLINE. (NOELLE HARO-GOMEZ/CONTRIBUTOR)
(Clockwise from top left): Justin Favela, Estampas del Popol Vuh after Carlos Mérida photo by Michael Palma Mir, Museo del Barrio; Maya, Vessel with Supernatural Beings (Wayo’ob), 600–900 A.D., Guatemala, Clay, polychrome slip. Collection of the Tucson Museum of Art. Museum Purchase. 1980.12; Carlos Mérida, Plate nine from Popol Vuh portfolio, 1943, color lithograph. Collection of the Tucson Museum of Art. Gift of Amy Adams. 2021.5.2.9; Photo of Justin Favela by Mikayla Whitmore
has the heart,” Fedigan noted. “You cannot work with a population that needs so much without the heart to do it. She relies on that heart to allow herself to reach out and understand, to touch and work with the women.”
Hartman plans to add 15 beds to the center, along with spaces to include more services to guests. She noted nights when they had to turn people away because the women’s center could not house them and how hard it was in the winter.
As their numbers continue to increase, the two leaders understand the center will need to grow with it. Hartmann stated her predecessor’s legacy is always at the front of her mind during any major decisions. If the women’s center cannot provide compassion and care to all of its guests, its work is in-
PROJECT FROM PAGE 12
says. “This summer is our first out-ofstate show.”
Recently, the Voices sold their products at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and donated part of their proceeds to Air Force veterans.
They also sell their products wholesale to clients in town and out of the area. Old Pueblo Bath & Body Essentials are available at The Food Conspiracy Co-Op at 412 N. Fourth Avenue, Tucson; and Johnny Gibson’s Downtown Market, 11 S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished,” she says.
“I’m really proud of the soap and the lotion that I make. It’s mine. The recipes are mine. It’s something that’s unique to me that I’ve done over time. I’ve done a lot of research A lot of thought has gone
complete.
“What Jean created was the center of love, and none of this would be here without her tenacity and determination,” Hartmann said. “Every woman who comes in is treated with dignity and respect. Whenever I think about the growth and things we have to do, I keep that in mind.”
Named in honor of Sister José Hobday, the center was created by Fedigan to carry on the Franciscan nun’s dedication to help the poor and vulnerable. In 14 years and counting, she has helped thousands of displaced women in the greater Tucson area.
“I have an absolute belief that community makes a difference in how we help one another,” Fedigan said. “Until we stand with these people, with these women, and listen to them, then we will always have homelessness.”
into everything that I make. For me, it’s a creative outlet. Making soap, for me, brings out my creativity and it’s like art for me.
“It makes me feel good when people come and spend their hard-earned money on something that I’ve made.
It’s really satisfying.”
Old Pueblo Bath & Body Essentials
oldpueblobathandbodyessentials.com
HIRING NURSES
HIRING NURSES
and
Medicare rates us a Top Home Health Agency in Arizona Our nurses are
ratio means no burn out. Make your own schedule. 520-546-4141 • pcatucson.com Feel free to call or stop in.
By Linda Ray Tucson Weekly Columnist
WOMEN’S FAST PITCH SOFTBALL
Women ages 15 and older may register for fast-pitch softball either with a team or as free agents. There is a competitive league and a recreational league. League play is from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays from May 30 to July 25. A team coach or manager can register online at ezeereg.com. Individuals can find a link to a free agent list at tucsonaz.gov. Registration through Monday, May 15, ezeereg.com, $400 per team, play 6 p.m. Tuesdays, May 30 to July 5, Lincoln Regional Park, 4325 S. Pantano Road
INVISIBLE THEATRE:
“SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS”
“Small Mouth Sounds” traces the experiences of six highly dissimilar personalities at a woodsy retreat from the bustle and noise of their city lives. Humor and compassion lace the scenes as characters face down demons and strive against inward challenges. Tucson playwright, author and poet Susan Cummings Miller shares her own experiences with “Silent Retreat,” and discusses how the practice’s methods can inform a theatrical production after the performance on Thursday, April 27. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, to Friday, April 28, and 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Various dates and times through Sunday, April 30, Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Avenue, invisibletheatre.com, $40
“ISRAEL AT 75” FESTIVAL
Celebrate Israel’s statehood with a festival of fun and cultural experiences. Ya’acov’s Tent in the Desert approximates a Bedouin tent for lounging and enjoying mint tea, strong coffee, sweets, Mizrahi music and sheshbesh boards. There’s also a Kosher pizza truck, shave ice and an Israeli-style birthday party with Israeli games. The Israeli band, Yemen Blues, blends traditional Yemenite music with jazz and funk. Kids will enjoy bounce houses, Dunk Tank Trivia, and arts and crafts. There’s lots more,
AGAVE HERITAGE FESTIVAL
With everything else going on in the Agave Heritage Festival, it would be easy to overlook this unique, fascinating and family-friendly event about why we are celebrating agave in the first place. For weeks, Mission Garden has solicited Tucsonans for agave from their own gardens. This Saturday, volunteers create and fire (to harden) a pit to roast the community’s agave in the ancient way of civilizations here before us. We can also watch artisans make twine and weave objects with agave fibers. Saturday, April 29, after the agave has roasted for two days, we can see if we like eating it. We can also learn about Hohokam agave cultivation and important Mescalero traditions around the agave. Exhibitors will include Desert Forager, Billion Agave Agroforestry Project and Bat Conservation International. 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29, Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Lane, missiongarden.org/events, $5 suggested donation
ARTS EXPRESS: “RAGTIME”
The celebrated musical based on E.L. Doctorow’s “Ragtime” tells a timeless story of cultural collisions and their damage to our fragile social fabric. Set in New York City, it portrays intersections among the lives of an immigrant family, a wealthy uptown family and a family in Harlem at the turn of the last century. The depth of the characters sustain the intricate weave of the story. The improbability of their connections makes the intensity of the outcomes all the more powerful.
Various times, Friday through Sunday, through Sunday, May 7, Arts Express, Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway Boulevard, Suite 214, arts-express.org, tickets start at $35
MADARAS GALLERY: “THE SCULPTURE SHOW”
An exhibit of metal and wood sculptures continues through May 10. Featured artists are Brian Bystedt, Al Glann, Dan Rehurek, Mark Boskovich, Matthew Barany and Jammey Huggins. The gallery is offering 10% off on selected items. Boskovich is known for his work with old-growth wood downed by environmental factors. Bystedt’s work features archaeological designs on rock. Glann creates small-scale abstract metal sculptures. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, through Wednesday, May 10, Madaras Gallery, 3035 N. Swan Road, madaras.com, free
“Tucson Opry” series features longtime Tucson balladeer Ted Ramirez and The Ronstadt trio (Johnny, Jeanne and Bill), hosted by local folk music heroes Chris Brashear and Peter McLaughlin. Ramirez’s sets mix original songs with Mexican and American folk songs. He weaves them together with stories from history and the heart. Ramirez is the Southwestern heir to the troubadour tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 30, Hotel Congress Plaza, 311 E. Congress Street, hotelcongress.com, $15 advance, $20 day of the show
PIMA COUNTY FAIR: LABERINTO (LABYRINTH)
Sunday’s your last chance to experience the 60 carnival rides on the midway, the pens full of award-winning livestock, the buildings full of commercial exhibits, handmade items, collectibles and festive baked goods. Sunday’s concert puts a bow on it all with the corridos, rancheras, boleros and cumbia of Ciudad Obregón favorites, Grupo Laberinto. Admission’s free with your fair ticket if you’re good with festival standing or bleacher seating, if available. Better seats are guaranteed with a $20 upgrade.
7:30 p.m. concert, 11 a.m. fairgrounds, Sunday, April 30, Pima County Fair, 11300 S. Houghton Road, pimacountyfair.com, fair entry $11 or, Sunday only, free until noon with three cans of food, parking $7.
NA MIRA: “SUBROSA”
including lectures.
Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 30, Tucson Jewish Community Campus, 3800 E. River Road, tucsonjcc.org/ israel75, free
DESERT MUSEUM GALA
The museum’s annual Desert Gala helps fund conservation and education work to protect the natural systems of the Sonoran Desert region. The guests’ experience alone could be worth the
price of admission. They promised “culinary delicacies, craft libations and upclose visits with some famous animal residents.”
4 p.m. Sunday, April 30, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, desertmuseum.org, tickets start at $350 for individuals.
“TUCSON OPRY” FEATURING TEODORO “TED” RAMIREZ
The “Agave Edition” of the popular
Na Mira’s immersive moving-image installations emerge from intuitive processes no one learns in art school. MOCA commissioned this installation, part of a series Mira is creating to revitalize and carry forward an interpretation of mid-century Korean history first explored by the murdered Korean artist, author and visionary Theresa Hak Kyung Cha. Mira integrates films, radio transmissions and the color red to interpret her own Korean ancestry. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, through Sunday, Oct. 22, Museum of Contemporary Art, 265 S. Church Avenue, moca-tucson.org, $7, free third Thursdays
CULTURES CONVERGE IN THE MUSICAL THEATRE ADAPTATION OF “RAGTIME.” (DANIEL QUINONES/CONTRIBUTOR)
BRIAN BYSTEDT’S METAL WORK “ODYSSEY” IS AT MADARAS GALLERY. (MADARAS GALLERY/ SUBMITTED)
SMOKE RISES FROM THE PIT WHERE AGAVE IS ROASTED FOR THE AGAVE HERITAGE FESTIVAL. (MISSION GARDEN/SUBMITTED)
LAUGHING STOCK
ROBERT MAC: ONE LAUGH LEADS TO ANOTHER
By Linda Ray Tucson Weekly Columnist
Imagine working a Rubik’s cube. You see the colored squares pass each other again and again as they make their way to the solution, smooth and tight in a satisfying conclusion.
Any Robert Mac set is a lot like that. In the end, we realize how it all comes together, with every move a smart one and not a piece out of place. The most fun of all is that we never see it coming.
“I try to make jokes easy for people to figure out,” Mac said. And they are, albeit unpredictable and often involving hilarious callbacks. “When I started, the people I watched wrote jokes, and the jokes connected to each other.”
When Mac started, he was living in Tucson, where he was raised, and attending the UA. A friend took him along to an open mic at Laff’s Comedy Caffe. Mac had written a couple of jokes but was too self-conscious to take the stage, so his friend got up and told the jokes. When people laughed, Mac was envious. The next week, he went up at the mic, and before long he was a regular.
Those first jokes were influenced by his long appreciation of Steve Martin’s comedy and that of Steven Wright, the first comedian he saw perform live. Like them, he works to make jokes “short, pithy and to the point” and he presents his comedy in the manner of dumb guy who thinks he’s smart.
Mac has synopsized his comedy philosophy and writing process into a humorous series of 31, 60-second tips, one for each day of National Humor Month. The collection can be found on his YouTube page under the playlist title, “April is National Humor Month.”
As an example, Mac mentioned the episode, “Keep Your Writing Lean, which he noted can apply to any type of writing. “If you’re writing an ad campaign, a movie, a joke, a book, a birthday card, you get rid of the fat.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Mac disdains the long setups common to the conversational or storytelling comedy currently in vogue. He also finds them disappointingly solipsistic. In his own material he finds ways to introduce risky topics, like race and immigration, by looking at them in an uncommon way.
no one else is going to have,” he said. “But after doing this for a long time, your brain changes and you develop a new perspective. I’ve been writing jokes for 30 years. All comedy is about looking at things from a different point of view.”
When he’s not touring, Mac lives in the Washington, D.C., area, where his clean comedy creates opportunities for corporate work. Clients are drawn to him based on two specials he performed for Dry Bar Comedy.
Dry Bar has produced more than 300 specials featuring comedians doing clean sets. Now a popular streaming service, the project took its name from its beginnings in a Utah entertainment venue that didn’t serve liquor.
“A lot of people have seen my Dry Bar specials. I have two different (ones) and I’ve broken them into smaller clips that I post on different platforms.” Dry Bar fans are among the many that Mac converses with regularly
31ST ARiZONA INTeRNATiONAL
“When we personally have to change how we relate to a thing it’s going to be something of interest to me,” Mac said. “I’m trying to talk about things that are important to me in a way that’s entertaining and, hopefully, informative or educational, so people can walk away learning something, but laughing at the same time.
“I think when I write jokes, I have to look for an angle that
MUSIC
PSYCHEDELIC FURS’ ROCKY ROAD TO NEW ALBUM
By Dave Gil de Rubio Tucson Weekly Contributor
Made of Rain” was officially 29 years in the making as the follow-up to the Psychedelic Furs’ seventh studio album, 1991’s “World Outside,” before it arrived in 2020. During that time, grunge, rap-rock and a number of other music scenes arose and petered out, five American presidents served, and the internet turned the music industry — and the world — inside out.
And while Furs founding members/ siblings singer Richard and bassist Tim Butler spent most of the ’90s on hiatus making music as Love Spit Love, they resurrected their original group in 2001. When asked why it took so long for the band to record its eighth studio effort, younger sibling Tim offered a rather straightforward answer.
“When we got back together, we were talking about doing a new album, but we were a bit gun shy about coming up with an album that could stand up alongside ‘Forever Now’ or ‘Talk Talk Talk,’” Butler said, referencing the group’s 1982 and 1981 albums respectively. “We had what we considered good songs and had a band that was really playing well together. We figured the time was right — and it was.”
The two-week recording session ran
from after Christmas 2019 into January/ February 2020. And then the pandemic hit, forcing the Furs to shut down like the rest of the world. For the bass-playing British ex-pat, it meant heading home to his family in Kentucky, despite plans for hitting the road for an extended jaunt.
“When the new album came out, we’d planned to do a big tour with new material and everyone was gearing up for that,” Butler said. “And then the whole world shut down and it was a big disappointment. (The album) was supposed to be released early (in 2020) because we thought COVID-19 was going to be under control, which of course it wasn’t. It was a day-to-day sort of thing. You weren’t sure what was going to be shut down next. It was pretty nerve-wracking to watch the news and see how many people got (COVID-19) that day. It was probably a bad thing to watch the news every day glued to the governor’s four o’clock news conference. So, the tour came down to (being staged) in 2022, having not played for around two years. We’re really excited to go out and play the new album.”
The waiting paid off. Produced by Richard Fortus, formerly of Love Spit Love and currently part of Guns N’ Roses, “Made of Rain” seamlessly slides in
alongside the likes of “Forever Now” (1982) and “Mirror Moves” (1984). Richard Butler’s measured baritone sets the tone in nuggets ranging from the irresistible baroque new wave ear worm “Hide the Medicine” and melancholy swooning of “Stars” to hypnotically surreal opener “The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll” and the sinewy “Come All Ye Faithful,” both paced by longtime saxophonist Mars Williams.
It’s a long way from when the Butler brothers formed a band after seeing the Sex Pistols play London’s famed 100 Club on Oxford Street.
“We were so blown away by that Sex Pistols show that Richard and I were talking one night about if we had a band, what it would be like,” Butler recalled. “So, then he said we should form a band and I told him I couldn’t play anything. He asked what I wanted to play and since I had recently been blown away seeing John Burnel play with The Stranglers, I said bass. So, he said I should save up for a bass, and we would form a band. And the psychedelic part of it was because at that time, there were bands with names like the Sex Pistols, Venus and the Razor Blades and The Clash. They were all putting down the psychedelic bands and we wanted a name that showed more of our influences. Also, people would see our name on a marquee and wonder what the hell a psychedelic fur was and would want to check it out.”
After the Psychedelic Furs released their self-titled debut in 1980, it wouldn’t be long before their art rock sensibilities found them at the forefront of the
emerging new wave movement alongside peers like Echo and The Bunnymen, The Cure and Siouxsie and The Banshees. A healthy presence on MTV and filmmaker John Hughes’ decision to use the band’s 1981 UK hit “Pretty in Pink” for his 1986 film of the same name helped bolster the band’s popularity as they continued achieving mainstream success in their British homeland with hits like “The Ghost in You,” “Heaven” and “Love My Way.”
Fast forward to the present, and with former David Bowie/Bruce Springsteen drummer Zach Alford on board to keep time for the Furs, Butler the bassist is eager to bring his band’s recent material to the masses.
“We’re all very excited to play for people, so expect a very excited band,” he said with a laugh. “With the final release of an album that sounds current, despite not having done a record since 1991’s ‘World Outside,’ shows we still have something to say musically. It’s really exciting to finally be getting out there playing new songs — not just for us, but for the audience, who have loyally been coming out to see us since we got back together. Now we’ve got a new album to play for them.”
MUSIC TREVOR ROSEN IS LIVING THE DREAM WITH OLD DOMINION
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tucson Local Media Staff
Country’s Old Dominion received its eighth consecutive nomination for ACM Group of the Year, something it’s won five years in a row. To multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Trevor Rosen, it never gets old.
“I just found out,” said Rosen, the morning of the announcement.
“It feels great. I never thought I’d be sitting here talking about winning it five years in a row. Every year, you get more and more thankful. In the beginning, it’s shock. Then you win a few and you’re like, ‘What’s happening.’ I just feel thankful that it’s turned into a situation where we start talking about longevity. It feels good to be recognized. Whether we win or not, it feels good to be in the category.”
Old Dominion will bring its award-winning ways to the AVA Amphitheater on Friday, April 28. The show is expected to be one of Old Dominion’s
first since lead singer Matthew Ramsey fractured his pelvis in three spots in an ATV crash.
“I can’t wait to play shows again, honestly,” Rosen said. “Tucson should be the first one back.”
Old Dominion is revving up to release a new full-length album later this year, and five of the songs have already hit streaming: “Memory Lane,” “Ain’t Got a Worry,” “Freedom Like You,” “I Should Have Married You” and “Easier Said with Rum.”
“This has been some of my favorite stuff, honestly,” Rosen said. “With writing in general and going into the studio, you always feel like, ‘Is there anything left to say?’ It’s always amazing to me when we have new things to say. This is the most excited I’ve been in a long time.
“With ‘Easier Said with Rum,’ there’s
LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR
By Connor Dziawura Tucson Local Media Staff
APRIL 27
24kGOLDN
Pima County Fair, 8 p.m., $20
Devin the Dude
191 Toole, 8:30 p.m., $25
George Clanton
Club Congress, 7:30 p.m., $23-$26
Hank Topless
LaCo Tucson, 6:30 p.m., free
Marty Stuart and His Famous Superlatives
Fox Tucson Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $38.50-$63.50
The Plot in You
The Rock, 7 p.m., $25
APRIL 28
Authority Zero
The Rock, 7 p.m., $20
The Cream of Clapton band
Fox Tucson Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $32.50-$52.50
Dirty Heads
Pima County Fair, 8 p.m., $20
Greg Morton and Jim Stanley
LaCo Tucson, 5:30 p.m., free
Insound and Flow_
191 Toole, 8 p.m., $10
Old Dominion
Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater, 8 p.m., $36-$350
Los Rakas
Hotel Congress Plaza, 9 p.m., $10-$18
APRIL 29
Jordan Davis
Pima County Fair, 8 p.m., $20
Melissa Etheridge
Fox Tucson Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $20-$97.50
The Psychedelic Furs
Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $39.50
APRIL 30
Laberinto
Pima County Fair, 7:30 p.m., $20
Mik and the Funky Brunch
LaCo Tucson, 11 a.m., free
Thelma and the Sleaze
191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12
MELISSA ETHERIDGE SHARES HER JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tucson Local Media Staff
On Melissa Etheridge’s Instagram, her bio reads “mother, rockstar, activist” in that order.
The sweet sentiment is courtesy of her son, Beckett, when he was in his mid-teens.
“What’s really sweet about that is — about 10 years ago or whenever I first joined Instagram — it was my son Beckett who signed me up,” she says about the bio.
“We were in the car, and he said, ‘You have to be on Instagram.’ He wrote that description and he put ‘mother’ first. He was probably 14 or 15.”
He died of causes related to opioid addiction at age 21 in 2020. In response to Beckett’s death, the musician started the Etheridge
Foundation, which supports new scientific research into the causes and effects of opioid addiction. It partners with and supports organizations who delve into “new ways of understanding and treating underlying mental health issues in conjunction with drug addiction, to seek treatment outside pharmaceutical norms, and to find new answers and relief for those suffering from the devastating effects of addiction.”
This year, she’s filming a documentary about the U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, in her home state of Kansas, and performing a concert at a women’s prison.
“I’ve been trying to do that for years, and it finally came through,” she says about the concert. “I think my town is really unique that, within a 20-mile radius, there are five prisons. When I was a kid, those were the first places I ever played. I’ve been wanting to come back and do it.”
Opioid addiction has led to an uptick in crime and family estrangement.
“So many mothers are behind bars because of it,” she says. “I want to highlight that for sure.”
nothing like the magic of sitting down with nothing and then somebody has a great idea. Four or five hours later, you have songs you’re proud of. After all this time and success, I wonder if I’m ever going to make up another great song. I have this little inner fear that maybe I’ve written all the good songs I’ve ever wanted to write.”
Since breaking onto the scene, however, Old Dominion has reached No. 1 eight times at country radio, scored more than 1 billion on-demand streams, earned multiple platinum and gold single certifications and headlined arenas and amphitheaters around the globe.
“Memory Lane,” was the No. 1 most-added song at country radio for the first two consecutive add weeks of 2023. This hasn’t been accomplished at the start of a new calendar year since Taylor Swift did it in 2010.
This is something that Rosen never imagined. He grew up in suburban Detroit and attended Gabriel Richard Catholic High School in Riverview,
ETHERIDGE FROM PAGE 18
A force
Etheridge has been a force since she released her self-titled debut record in 1998. She won two Grammys for Best Female Rock Performance; a songwriter of the year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards; and a best song win at the 2007 Academy Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” Her smoky vocals and confessional lyrics are found in hits like “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window.” In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer. Yet, she appeared on the 2005 Grammy telecast to sing “Piece of My Heart” in honor of Janis Joplin. She supports the use of medicinal cannabis.
October 2022 saw Melissa’s return to the theater with her one-woman show, “My Window – A Journey Through Life.” It premiered at New World Stages in October 2022 and will move to Broadway in 2023.
When Etheridge comes to Arizona to play the Fox Tucson Theatre on Saturday, April 29, she guarantees she’ll play the hits, travel into deep tracks and “play the guitar like crazy.” The show will fea-
Michigan. He played hockey in the AAA league, a semester at Northern Michigan University and three years at University of Michigan-Dearborn. His goal was to play professionally, but music was always in his life.
“I picked up a guitar in high school and had a little rock band in the Detroit area,” Rosen said.
“I always loved music and I felt, after hockey was done, or during hockey, I always wanted to be a rock star. I loved the magic of writing songs. It was always a mystery to me how people made up songs that weren’t already written. The creation of the music is amazing. It’s like a dream.”
Old Dominion
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, April 28
WHERE: AVA Amphitheater at Casino del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $45 INFO: casinodelsol.com
ture a couple tracks from “My Window.”
“The show was off Broadway, and it went really well,” she says. “We’re going on Broadway this year. It’s my life. It is a fun, sexy musical look at my life. I always dreamed about this, and these are the dreams coming true.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking, but I have all the control over it. This is the story as I wish to tell it. It’s very, very cathartic and very healing for me.”
“My Window” introduced the song “Juliet,” and it will feature a cover she preferred to keep under wraps for now.
“(‘Juliet’) is one song that I’ve never recorded that was early, early in my career,” Etheridge says. “It would have been on the first album, but it referred to a lesbian bar and I wasn’t ready to do that. It’s in the show. There’s a cover that I used to do back before I was discovered when I was playing bars. I’ll leave that open there.”
Melissa Etheridge
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29
WHERE: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, Tucson
COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: foxtucson.com
on all the social media.
“It’s always nice when someone reaches out and says, ‘Hey, we really like your stuff. You’re funny.’ So, of course, I’m going to maintain those relationships when I have people who want to be fans.”
In 2022, Mac returned to Tucson for his third full-length special, “Mac to School.” It was produced in the theater of his alma mater, Salpointe High School. He’s looking forward to coming back for four shows at Laff’s Comedy Caffe on May 5 and May 6. “It’s great,” he said, “but it is overwhelming because I get a rush of nostalgia and emotions and literally dozens and dozens of people reach out.”
Robert Mac, La ’s Comedy Ca e, 2900 E. Broadway Boulevard. 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, May 5 and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, la stucson.com, $15, $20 preferred seating
“PAWS FOR LAUGHTER”
LA comedian Anthony Desamito headlines a benefit for El Jefe Cat Lounge at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Bumsted’s, 1003 N. Stone Avenue. Desamito was featured in the 2018 film “Out on Stage.” Rounding out the lineup are Nate Beck, Nic, Ana Montañez and Jessie Sweeney. The benefit, “Paws for Laughter,” is being produced by Priscilla Fernandez and Mo Urban, who head up the team that hosts the Lady Ha Ha open mic at Bumsted’s every Tuesday. Tickets are $10 at the door or via eventcreate.com/e/ladyhaha.
CHRIS HAUGHTON & FRIENDS
Clean comedian Chris Haughton re-
introduces comedy to Hotel McCoy, 720 W. Silverlake Road, hotelmccoy.com, free, 7 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Stephanie Lyonga headlines the show, which also features Matt Ziemak, Roxy Merari and Kenny Shade. Known for its energy and passion, Haughton’s comedy is informed by his service in the Air Force at Davis Monthan AFB, and life as a family man.
MORE COMEDY THIS WEEK
La ’s Comedy Ca e, 2900 E. Broadway Boulevard. 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, laffstucson.com, $15, $20 preferred seating. Jason Russell: Expect a clean show with unforgettable character impressions.
Tucson Improv Movement/TIM Comedy Theatre, 414 E. Ninth Street, tucsonimprov.com/theater, 9 p.m. Friday, April 28, $7, New Headliner Standup Comedy Show, with headliner Rebecca Fox, Rory Monserrat, Chris Quinn and Nic.
Tucson Improv Movement/TIM Comedy Theatre, 414 E. Ninth Street, tucsonimprov.com, $7 each show, $10 for both shows, same night, free jam and open mic; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27, “Cage Match;” 8:30 p.m. Open Mic.; 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, Improv Jam; 7:30 p.m. “The Soapbox;” 9 p.m. Headliner Stand Up; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, “Improv Throwdown;” 9 p.m. “LOL and Order.”
Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E. Speedway Boulevard, unscrewedtheatre.org, $8, live or remote, $5 kids. 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, Family-Friendly Improv; 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 29, Family Friendly Improv; 9 p.m. Keep Tucson Sketchy, live sketch show with musical guests.
CANNABIS REVIEWS
By Tucson Weekly Sta
22 RED PERSONALS .5G PRE-ROLL SEVEN PACK
22 Red’s latest addition to the Arizona market is its Personals line of 1/2 gram pre-rolls that come in seven packs.
First impression
The packaging is very nice. With the on-brand red and black themes, it has a slick appearance while also being convenient. It’s got a protective lock on the paper packaging that is easy enough for an adult to manage without losing your mind, with five pressure points to push to get the thing open. Simply press on the two boxes on the back and slide out the bottom for easy access to your
pre-rolls. It offers a level of protection around kids.
I received two different types of the personals. The Shred 22 Sativa Dominant pack, which is a Sour Diesel Strain, and the So-Delicious Indica Dominant pack that is a Gelato 42 strain.
SHRED 22
Strain: Sour Diesel (Sativa Dominant)
THC: 26.13%
Total Cannabinoids: 30.41%
Package Weight: 3.5 grams
Opening the pack releases a dank aroma typical of the Sour Diesel strain. The pre-rolls are very nicely packed, and the ends are tucked and not twisted, which
is always a nice thing to see. Seems with the tuck it just lights so much easier and evenly. The flower was really fresh, which as any pre-roll enthusiast knows, is a nice treat as sometimes you can get some stale flower on other brands. It smoked really easily, and that dank aroma translated right into a really pleasant taste while smoking. The .5 gram size makes for a perfect personal session but also enough there for a puffpuff-pass session with friends. I really like the size as it’s small enough for a quick session and seems like the bigger joints can sometimes get that burnt taste half through. This size was flavor country from first puff to last.
The effects of this sativa dominant were really pleasant. It wasn’t overbearing at all. Even with a larger dose, there was
a feeling of euphoria along with some energy but not to the point of that weird anxiety energy you can get sometimes from Sativa strains.
For a 26.13% it is very user friendly, and I would say this is the perfect party pack. You can bring out and share with aficionados and the occasional smoker and not worry about putting someone into the couch for two hours. The effects lasted for me about an hour and didn’t have any groggy aftereffects or fatigue. Beyond the party, I could see taking one of these downs on a nice hike or while waiting on the third tee box golfing or really any outdoor/social activity.
SO DELICIOUS
Strain: Gelato 42 (Indica Dominant) THC: 25.38%
Total Cannabinoids: 28.77% Package Weight: 3.5 grams
Opening this pack had much more of a fruity aroma than the Sour Diesel. While being typically a sativa and hybrid strain smoker, I preferred the taste of the Gelato 42. It has a nice fruity taste that matches its aroma. It’s enough so that on first puff I actually blurted out, “Oh that’s really nice.”
Being an indica dominant, the first time I tried it I had plans for catching up on a couple shows after the session. The Gelato 42 definitely delivered but not nearly as much of a “put you in the couch” vibe you can get from some indica dominant strains. This was a very pleasant experience. It didn’t necessarily have the energy punch that the Sour Diesel had. It definitely wasn’t a zoneout high by any means. A nice euphoria mixed with a wave of relaxation in the best way possible. The effects lasted a little over an hour for me and I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of groggy with this one and no brain drain. While I was able to easily fall asleep
after the session this one also is in the category of being a party stick as well. The nice mix of relaxation and euphoria with it makes for maybe a more seasoned smoker at a social event but still won’t force any partaker into an early exit. I really liked this one and coming from a sativa and hybrid smoker this looks like one of my go-to indicas moving forward for the later evening sesh.
Overall, I think these are very nice additions to the pre-roll market. The seven pack along with the .5 gram per sizing is perfect to throw in a camping bag, backpack, or golf bag to be there when you want them. With the seven, there’s plenty to share and you could even dish out a pre-roll each to the circle of friends. The packaging is slick and sturdy, so they won’t get crushed. For the convenience and experience, I’d highly recommend giving these a try.
Where to Buy:
• NatureMed
• Botanica
• Earth’s Healing North & South
• Downtown Dispensary
• D2 Dispensary
DRIP OILS
Go to dripoils.com to find a dispensary near you carrying Drip products
The Drip Oils Premium Distillate Disposable Vape is a convenient and easy-to-use vaping device that features high-quality distillate and comes in three strains: Mimosa, Watermelon Kush and King Louis XIII. The distillate used in these vapes is pure and potent, providing a smooth and flavorful experience with each puff.
The disposable design of the device makes it an excellent option for those who are always on the go. The device is easy to use and doesn’t require any additional setup, making it perfect for beginners or those who want a hassle-free vaping experience.
The Mimosa strain is known for its energizing and uplifting effects, while
the Watermelon Kush provides a relaxing and mellow experience. The King Louis XIII strain, on the other hand, is known for its powerful and sedative effects, making it a good option for those looking for a strong and potent strain. Overall, the Drip Oils Premium Distillate Disposable Vape is a high-quality and convenient option for those who want to enjoy the benefits of vaping without the hassle of a traditional vaping setup. One of my favorite products reviewed this year.
KUSHY PUNCH GUMMIES MADE WITH DRIP OIL
Size: 100 milligrams (10 gummies at 10 milligrams each)
Flavors:
• Kiwi Breeze (Sativa)
• Blue Raspberry (Hybrid)
• Peach Mango (Indica)
Kushy Punch is a reputable brand in the cannabis industry known for its high-quality and potent products. The
edibles made with Drip Oil are designed to provide a fast-acting and long-lasting experience, thanks to the use of high-quality cannabis oil in their production. With the collaboration of the two brands, we have an elite edible option launching in Arizona.
The Blue Raspberry flavor had a pleasant taste and a balanced high due to the hybrid strain used in its production. It left me feeling uplifted and euphoric with a sense of relaxation and pain relief.
The Kiwi Breeze flavor has a sweet and fruity taste with a cerebral high that can boost creativity and focus. It left me feeling energized and alert with a reduction in anxiety and stress after about 30 minutes. My favorite of the three.
The Peach Mango flavor has a sweet and tropical taste with a potent body high. After about 30 minutes, the relaxing effects came on. A nice calm feeling
overall for the high and I became sleepy after about an hour of taking a 10 milligram dose.
I’d recommend these to anyone looking for a quality edible experience made with some of the best oils on the market from Drip. Flavors are great and highs are consistent with amount dosed.
COMICS
By Brian Box Brown
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19)
According to a study by Newsweek magazine, 58% of us yearn to experience spiritual growth; 33% report having had a mystical or spiritual experience; 20% of us say we have had a revelation from God in the last year; and 13% have been in the presence of an angel. Given the astrological omens currently in play for you Aries, I suspect you will exceed all those percentages in the coming weeks. I hope you will make excellent use of your sacred encounters. What two areas of your life could most benefit from a dose of divine assistance or intervention? There’s never been a better time than now to seek a Deus ex machina. (More info: https://tinyurl.com/GodIntercession)
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20)
After the fall of the Roman Empire, political cohesion in its old territories was scarce for hundreds of years. Then a leader named Charlemagne (747–814) came along and united much of what we now call Western Europe. He was unusual in many respects. For example, he sought to master the arts of reading and writing. Most other rulers of his time regarded those as paltry skills that were beneath
their dignity. I mention this fact, Taurus, because I suspect it’s a propitious time to consider learning things you have previously regarded as unnecessary or irrelevant or outside your purview. What might these abilities be?
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20)
I’m turning this horoscope over to Nigerian poet Ijeoma Umebinyuo. She has three messages that are just what you need to hear right now. 1. “Start now. Start where you are. Start with fear. Start with pain. Start with doubt. Start with hands shaking. Start with voice trembling but start. Start and don’t stop. Start where you are, with what you have.” 2. “You must let the pain visit. You must allow it to teach you. But you must not allow it to overstay.” 3. “Write a poem for your 14-year-old self. Forgive her. Heal her. Free her.”
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22)
Historical records tell us that Chinese Emperor Hungwu (1328–1398) periodically dealt with overwhelming amounts of decision-making. During one ten-day phase of his reign, for example, he was
called on to approve 1,660 documents concerning 3,391 separate issues. Based on my interpretation of the planetary omens, I suspect you may soon be called on to deal with a similar outpouring. This might tempt you toward over-stressed reactions like irritation and self-medication. But I hope you’ll strive to handle it all with dignity and grace. In fact, that’s what I predict you will do. In my estimation, you will be able to summon the extra poise and patience to manage the intensity.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22)
Is it even possible for us humans to live without fear—if even for short grace periods? Could you or I or anyone else somehow manage to celebrate, say, 72 hours of freedom from all worries and anxieties and trepidations? I suspect the answer is no. We may aspire to declare our independence from dread, but 200,000 years of evolution ensures that our brains are hard-wired to be ever-alert for danger. Having provided that perspective, however, I will speculate that if anyone could approach a state of utter dauntlessness, it will be you Leos in the next three weeks. This may be as close as you will ever come to an extended phase of bold, plucky audacity.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22)
“Dear Sunny Bright Cheery Upbeat Astrologer: You give us too many sunny, bright, cheery, upbeat predictions. They lift my mood when I first read them, but later I’m like, “What the hell?” Because yeah, they come true, but they usually cause some complications I didn’t foresee. Maybe you should try offering predictions that bum me out, since then I won’t have to deal with making such big adjustments. —Virgo Who is Weary of Rosy Hopeful Chirpy Horoscopes.” Dear Virgo: You have alluded to a key truth about reality: Good changes often require as much modification and adaptation as challenging changes. Another truth: One of my specialties is helping my readers manage those good changes. And by the way: I predict the next two weeks will deliver a wealth of interesting and buoyant changes.
LIBRA
(SEPT. 23-OCT. 22)
Poet Pablo Neruda wrote, “Let us look for secret things somewhere in the world on the blue shores of silence.” That might serve as a good motto for you in the coming weeks. By my astrological reckoning, you’ll be wise to go in quest for what’s secret, concealed, and buried. You will generate fortuitous karma by smoking out hidden agendas and investigating the rest of the story beneath the apparent story. Be politely pushy, Libra. Charmingly but aggressively find the missing information and the shrouded rationales. Dig as deep as you need to go to explore the truth’s roots.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)
We’ve all done things that make perfect sense to us, though they might look nonsensical or inexplicable to an outside observer. Keep this fact in your aware-
ness during the next two weeks, Scorpio. Just as you wouldn’t want to be judged by uninformed people who don’t know the context of your actions, you should extend this same courtesy to others, especially now. At least some of what may appear nonsensical or inexplicable will be serving a valuable purpose. Be slow to judge. Be inclined to offer the benefit of the doubt.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21)
I completely understand if you feel some outrage about the lack of passion and excellence you see in the world around you. You have a right to be impatient with the laziness and carelessness of others. But I hope you will find ways to express your disapproval constructively. The best approach will be to keep criticism to a minimum and instead focus on generating improvements. For the sake of your mental health, I suggest you transmute your anger into creativity. You now have an enhanced power to reshape the environments and situations you are part of so they work better for everyone.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)
In the 17th century, renowned Capricorn church leader James Ussher announced he had discovered when the world had been created. It was at 6 p.m. on Oct. 22 in the year 4004 BCE. From this spectacularly wrong extrapolation, we might conclude that not all Capricorns are paragons of logic and sound analysis 100 percent of the time. I say we regard this as a liberating thought for you in the coming weeks. According to my analysis, it will be a favorable time to indulge in wild dreams, outlandish fantasies, and imaginative speculations. Have fun, dear Capricorn, as you wander out in the places that singer Tom Petty referred to as “The Great Wide Open.”
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)
We often evaluate prospects quantitatively: how big a portion do we get, how much does something cost, how many social media friends can we add? Quantity does matter in some cases, but on other occasions may be trumped by quality. A few close, trustworthy friends may matter more than hundreds of Instagram friends we barely know. A potential house may be spacious and affordable, but be in a location we wouldn’t enjoy living in. Your project in the coming weeks, Aquarius, is to examine areas of your life that you evaluate quantitatively and determine whether there are qualitative aspects neglected in your calculations.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20)
“Dear Dr. Astrology: Help! I want to know which way to go. Should I do the good thing or the right thing? Should I be kind and sympathetic at the risk of ignoring my selfish needs? Or should I be a pushy stickler for what’s fair and true, even if I look like a preachy grouch? Why is it so arduous to have integrity? —Pinched Pisces.” Dear Pisces: Can you figure out how to be half-good and half-right? Half-self-interested and half-generous? I suspect that will generate the most gracious, constructive results.
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ACROSS
1 Whom Abraham nearly sacrificed
6 Softball stat
9 Concrete example?
Sykes of “The Upshaws”
14 Something to toss but not throw away
15 Org. in 2016’s “Hidden Figures”
16 What smoke coming out of the ears may signal in a cartoon
17 Investments that can’t be recovered
19 Pedometer unit
20 [Correct!]
21 Cheri once of “S.N.L.”
22 Back-exposing top
24 Show, briefly
26 First exit: Milk containers • Second exit: Rebounded, in billiards • Third exit: Wheeled (away)
27 Tuna that’s often seared
28 “Later!”
30 Creative, in a way
32 Dapper ___, iconic hip-hop couturier
33 Stick with a soft tip 34 -speak
35 Dinosaur bone preserver 37 John ___
39 June gift recipient 42 Blight victim
45 Some history listings
48 Thousandth of a gig
50 One going to court
52 The Powerpuff girls, e.g.
53 Dude
54 First exit: Salad bar bowlful • Second exit: French watchmaker • Third exit: Thanksgiving role
55 Ticket specification
57 English king called “the Great”
59 Maker of the 2600 game console
61 Hard-boiled film genre 63 Bun
64 Skip a round
66 Funny O’Donnell
67 Pretzel feature
68 Has a role
69 Big sportswear brand
70 Knights, e.g.
71 French beverage 72 Chinwags DOWN
1 Cry after getting fooled
2 Top of the holiday season?
3 Name derived from the Greek for “messenger”
Second exit: Addition signs? • Third exit: Checking the IDs of
