Foothills News 08/09/2023

Volume 13 • Number 16 August 9, 2023

Beat the heat with Kona Ice | Page 6

Oro Valley has a new Urgent Care | Page 7

Stay the night with Chicago | Page 8

www.tucsonlocalmedia.com

UA student interns lead dementia program

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tucson Local Media Staff

Dr. Sharon Arkin wants what is best for UA students and people who have mild to moderate dementia.

She helms the Elder Rehab program at Desert Sports and Fitness, a private gym that specializes in programs for seniors.

Elder Rehab matches its memory-challenged participants with trained UA student interns and volunteers. The students provide their respective partners with 20 twice-weekly, two-hour sessions per semester. Each session consists of an hour of physical exercise and an hour of language and memory stimulation activities.

Formerly located at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, the research-based program is starting its second year at Desert Sports and Fitness at

See ARKIN Page 4

Foothills grad pursues journalism

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tucson Local Media Staff

Meena Venkataramanan, who graduated from Catalina Foothills High School in 2017, just wrapped up a stint working for the Washington Post in Washington, D.C.

She said if it wasn’t for her alma mater, she wouldn’t have been prepared for a job like this.

“I feel like Foothills allowed me to be independent and encourage me to take the initiative in pursuing my passions,” Venkataramanan said.

“When I was at Foothills, I was on the

Meena Venkataramanan, who graduated from Harvard and Cambridge, is headed to Brown this fall. (Meena Venkataramanan/Submitted)

speech and debate team. That kindled my interest in a lot of social topics and issues. I also was able to do a lot relating to the social sciences there. That was really a steppingstone to what I’m doing now.”

She was bitten by the journalism bug as an undergraduate at Harvard, as she didn’t have experience with it at Catalina Foothills. There, she focused on politics and law. Venkataramanan joined the staff of the Harvard Political Review and realized she was passionate about journalism itself — not just the issues she was covering. Among her internships was a spot at the

See MEENA Page 5

Dr. Sharon Arkin founded the Elder Rehab program. (Inset) For the Elder Rehab program, UA interns are paired with those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. (Dr. Sharon Arkin/Submitted)

FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Hot Picks

BY LINDA RAY Tucson Local Media Staff

Southeast Arizona Birding Festival

AUG. 9 TO AUG. 13

Field trips, presentations, events, lectures, a nature expo — it’s like SXSW for bird lovers. All day, every day, shoulder to shoulder with folks whose passion for birding may be even greater than your own, your binoculars may fix on more species here than anywhere else in the Southwest. The fest’s website offers tips on how to prepare, including descriptions of Arizona’s “Specialty Birds” and their habitats.

Headquarters is the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Tucson-Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way, Tucson, $30, various times, tucsonaudubon.org/festival

“Surfapalooza” Summer Party AUG. 12

Hotel Congress’ Summer Party on the Plaza series continues with an Arizona surf-twang band ruckus. The lineup includes the “bad girl” band the Surfbroads, Tucson’s legendary Shrimp Chaperone, The Furys and Your Best Friend’s Band. Magically, Hotel Congress will have a swimming pool for a day, and it promises a Hawaiian-style pig roast.

Plaza Stage, Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, 6 p.m., $10, 21 and older, hotelcongress.com

Sing with the Saguaros!

AUG. 12

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How lucky that we live in the Sonoran Desert! It’s the only place on Earth where Saguaros grow naturally. The Desert Museum invites us to sing about them and their habitat with Mr. Nature and other local musicians. Educator Michelle Miner will have a guest spot. Outdoors, visitors can tour the Cactus Garden, enjoy a local brew and shop for succulents at a plant sale. Kids will love the Packrat Playhouse. Warden Oasis Theater, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, 6 to 9 p.m., $29.95, $19.95 for kids, desertmuseum.org

Little River Band

AUG. 12

Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey called

them “the best singing band in the world.” Through the ’70s and ’80s, they regularly topped the charts and earned a mint’s worth of multi-platinum. The sound is the same now even without anyone from the 1975 lineup in the group anymore, but personnel changes have been pretty common throughout their long career. Among their dozens of hits, we are guessing “Take It Easy on Me” is the one most popular on karaoke night, even among folks otherwise unfamiliar with the band.

Diamond Center, Desert Diamond Sahuarita, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, 8 p.m., tickets start at $30, ddcaz.com/events

CatVideoFest 2023

AUG. 12, AUG. 13 AND AUG. 17

The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter and Sanctuary will benefit from this unmissable event for cat videos lovers — and aren’t we all? Will Braden, creator of the “Henri, le Chat Noir” videos, curated this collection into a feature-length film. Numbering 100 in all, these are the most hilarious, tender, playful and otherwise engrossing cat videos he found across all the apps that feature them. Food trucks will be on hand for the Saturday and Sunday screenings.

The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Boulevard, 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 and Sunday, Aug. 13, and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, $10, loftcinema.org

Hunks Show!

AUG. 13

If you didn’t watch all three “Magic Mike” movies for their thought-provoking storylines, or if you were among those whose favorite scene in “Barbie” was the Kens’ production number on the beach, or if you just happen to love the cut of a cowboy’s jeans, this show is for you. We hear there might be pirates, too. Dare you not to blush!

The Maverick, 6622 E. Tanque Verde Road, Tucson, 8 to 10 p.m., tickets start at $21.95, hunkstheshow.com

Reveille Men’s Chorus New Member Recruitment

AUG. 14

Reveille’s motto is “Changing Lives Through Music.” The practice of singing

in community can be life changing all by itself, but in Reveille the support is intentional and the music sublime. Popular drag queen Lucinda Holiday will help them recruit new members at this meetand-greet event. Apply via the website below. Those who join may find themselves in the cast of the chorus’ spring performance of “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert.”

The Jackrabbit Lounge, 2000 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, 5 to 8 p.m., free admission, reveillemenschorus.org

Movies on the Lawn: “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” AUG. 19

Join the Oro Valley Community & Recreation Center for a top-notch film. “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” is shown on Aug. 19.

Oro Valley Community & Recreation Center, 10555 N. La Canada Drive, Oro Valley, free, 7:30 to 9 p.m., orovalleyaz.gov

Swim With a Mermaid AUG. 26

Mermaid Odette just loves Hotel McCoy’s saltwater pool. She’s been holding forth there every other Saturday, talking to kids about ocean conservation, creativity and following their dreams. Find her there on Saturday, Aug. 26. She expects to spend the intervening weekend in Bisbee, where in lieu of their annual Return of the Mermaids on Fourth Avenue, Tucson’s mermaid cohort will descend upon Bisbee’s annual Pirate Weekend. It’s high time someone taught those pirates some manners.

Hotel McCoy, 720 W. Silverlake Road, Tucson, free admission, 6 to 8 p.m., hotelmccoy.com, themermaidodette.com

Ongoing

events

Cool Summer Nights TO AUG. 26

Every Saturday night, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum celebrates summer with families.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, tickets start at $20, free for members, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 520-8331380, desertmuseum.org

from Page 1

2480 N. Pantano Road, Tucson.

“I got the idea of using students when I was studying in Chicago and my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s,” she says.

“I had to go out of town to do an internship. I advertised for a part-time companion for my mother, who was in assisted living. Her memory was lousy, but she was still very social. The student I met became her companion for almost three years.”

With Elder Rehab, students are not paid but earn academic credit and/ or volunteer service credit. That gives them a competitive edge when applying for medical school and other health care graduate programs.

The program is based on Arkin’s post-graduate research project, Alzheimer Rehab by Students, at the then-Center for Neurogenic Communication Disorders at the UA’s Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences between 1996 and 2001. The research demonstrated that sustained exercise and cognitive stimulation administered by undergraduate

students slowed cognitive decline, as compared to a nontreated historical control group, and improved physical fitness and mood.

When Arkin rolled out the program, she renamed it out of necessity.

“We didn’t want people in the program to have to walk around advertising that they have Alzheimer’s,” she says. “They don’t say the word, like it used to be with cancer. There’s a little stigma attached.”

For six years prior to the pandemic-dictated closure, Arkin conducted a community nonresearch adaptation of the program at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, first as a volunteer, later as a part-time contractor.

It flourished with 25 to 35 persons with dementia per semester having twice-weekly, two-hour, one-to-one exercise and cognitive stimulation sessions with their assigned student partner.

Since the pandemic waned, the Elder Rehab has been operating on a smaller scale at Desert Sports and Fitness. Arkin’s goal is to find a permanent home for Elder Rehab so it will continue beyond her lifetime, she

says.

“It’s a magical connection,” she adds about the students and participants.

“The family members get support and the person with dementia — we call them participants, not patients — get this tremendous attention.”

To participate, applicants must be 60 or older (younger is otherwise qualified); have disabling memory problems; be willing to participate; be unable to travel independently; have reliable transportation to and from the gym; have the consent of a family member or guardian; continent of urine and bowel, if reminded regularly (pads or Depends OK); and ambulatory/able to transfer from wheelchair (cane or walker OK).

Cost is $399 per semester, which comes to $10 per hour, plus the cost of a one-hour fitness assessment by a certified personal trainer, at a cost of $85.

The fitness assessment will not take place until a free cognitive assessment by Arkin has determined the applicant can handle and enjoys the activities and a suitable student partner is identified.

YOUTH

Student Chronicles

BY TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA STAFF

Lainie Reese Radomsky and Quinn B. Teller , both of Tucson, made the honor roll at The University of Wyoming for the 2023 spring semester. The honor rolls consist of regularly enrolled undergraduates above freshman standing who earned a 3.4 or better grade-point average, and freshmen who have earned a 3.25 or better grade-point average. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours taken for letter grades. The University of Wyoming provides undergraduate and graduate programs to 11,100 students from all 50 states and 78 countries. Info: uwyo.edu

Lucia Iurino , the daughter of John Iurino and Joni Wallace of Tucson, was named to the spring 2023 semester dean’s list at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. The dean’s list recognizes students with a semester grade point average of 3.75 or higher on a 4-point scale. Info: wp.stolaf.edu

Josh Tofel of Tucson was named to the dean’s list at Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina, for the spring semester 2023. To be named to the dean’s list, a student must maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher for the semester.

Info: andersonuniversity.edu

Cat Alvarado and Zach Bates of Tucson were named to the spring 2023 dean’s list at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The dean’s list recognizes undergraduate students in Pacific’s colleges of arts and sciences, business and education who earn a grade-point average of at least 3.70 and complete 12 or more graded credit hours.

Pacific University serves more than 3,600 students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, optometry and health professions. Info: pacific.edu

Heather Scollick of Marana was named to the Hollins University

“No one fails the assessment,” Arkin says. “Its purpose is to create an exercise routine for the student to follow that is customized to the participant’s level of fitness. Session times will be determined by negotiation between each student and his or her partner’s caregiver. They can be on any two nonconsecutive days of the week.

“They create a customized routine that will be administered by a student, who is being trained with their partner. It’s five-star service for almost $10 an hour. Where can you get that kind of treatment?”

For further information or to request an application form, contact Arkin at 520-603-2912 or sharonmerlearkin@gmail.com.

Early August/mid-August is a crucial time for the program. It’s when students return to UA and must commit to an internship or volunteer service program. So, Arkin is looking immediately for participants.

“It’s easy to recruit students,” she says. “There are internship advisers in every department. But if we don’t have a partner for them, I can’t provide that experience for them.”

spring 2023 dean’s list. To attain this distinction, students must earn at least a 3.5 average on a 4.0 grading scale at the Roanoke, Virginia, university. Info: hollins.edu

Caroline Mays of Marana was named to the University of Mississippi’s spring 2023 dean’s honor roll. Majoring in journalism at the School of Journalism and New Media, Mays needed to earn a 3.50 to 3.74 semester grade point average to make the dean’s honor roll. She could not be on academic probation during the semester. Info: oldmiss.edu

MEENA from Page 1

Washington Post, where she was eventually hired as a contractor.

“I really liked it,” said Venkataramanan, who earned a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge, where she studied as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. “I focused mainly on race and identity and, so, specifically on Asian American communities. I enjoyed writing for them and working on these important stories.”

Last February, she traveled along the I-40 in Texas to study the trend of Punjabi immigrants opening dhabas — Indian restaurants — along U.S. highways. That is a reflection of drivers, she determined. “The trucking industry is increasingly

Punjabi,” she said. “That was really cool. It involved a lot of in-person reporting and travel and telling the stories of these people who aren’t getting that much mainstream attention.

“The story came out in May. It did really well. It got so much attention, and readers all around the country and world were responding to it in a positive way.”

This fall, Venkataramanan will head to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, to earn her Ph.D. in English. Her goal is to become a professor, but continue her “public-facing work as an intellectual writing for general audience publications and other outlets like magazines.”

Dog Days of Summer TO SEPT. 30

Guests can take their dogs to Tucson Botanical Gardens through Sept. 30. Imagine the smells they’ll enjoy and the fun of exploring new trails, most shaded by the gardens’ old-growth trees. No doubt they’d also welcome a bite from whatever you order from Edna’s Eatery on site. It’s run by Westward Look Resort

Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, tickets start at $15 with discounts available, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., tucsonbotanical.org

Biosphere 2 DAILY

We may have experienced an earlier iteration of the Biosphere as something like a passive “zoo” of biomes, but now the focus is on climate change and sustainability research. Interdisciplinary scientists from all over are finding ways to “increase resilience and sustainability of Earth systems

and human quality of life.” Ecosystems under glass include the world’s largest controlled tropical rain forest, desert, savanna, mangrove and ocean biomes. Eye-popping fact: 7.2 million cubic feet are sealed within 6,500 windows. Those systems have now seen 30 years of evolution.

Biosphere 2, 32540 S. Biosphere Road, Tucson, $25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., biosphere2.org

Heirloom Farmers Market

SATURDAYS IN AUGUST

Fresh fruits and veggies deliver the cool on these summer days. Find all your favorite local produce for a dessert, a salad or a slaw and stock up on pork, beef and eggs from nearby farms and ranches. The Heirloom folks now operate all five of the biggest farmers markets hereabouts. In this Oro Valley event, food vendors and artisans spread their wares among the historic structures and gardens of Steam Pump Ranch.

Historic Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley, free admission, 8 a.m. to noon, heirloomfm.org

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

Tucson, AZ - When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with anti-depressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness and numbness.

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “BandAid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

(above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition

Arrowhead Physical Medicine in Tuscon, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. This ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling.

It’s completely painless!

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!

Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.

The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less them 95% nerve damage, there is hope!

Thankfully, Tuscon is the birthplace of a brand new facility that sheds light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage

Arrowhead Physical Medicine begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage – a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

Arrowhead Physical Medicine will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until August 31st, 2023. Call (520) 934-0130 to make an appointment.

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (520) 934-0130...NOW!!

We are extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

HOT PICKS from Page 2

Beat the heat with Kona Ice’s new franchise

BY COLE JANUSZEWSKI Tucson Local Media Staff

Adam Draves is offering a respite from the 100-plus-degree heat. Set to the soundtrack of tropical tunes, Draves serves more than 20 flavors of shaved ice while he cruises through Tucson in his Kona Ice of Pantano Wash truck.

Guests can taste 10 flavors on the truck’s Flavorwave, a self-service dispensing system that allows for full customization. “The shaved ice is much different than the snow cones that I was used to as a kid, where you had to bite it with your teeth and it wasn’t very much of a treat,” he said. “This new shaved ice is really finely shaved. The flavors have been really well developed and it’s a nice treat to have.”

Founded in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle in Florence, Kentucky. A U.S. Air

Force veteran who served as an aircraft mechanic for 10 years, Draves said he heard about the opportunity from another service member while deployed in Afghanistan. He said he liked the idea of being his own boss while working with the Air Force.

Things changed once the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in early 2020. Draves returned to the states and began teaching people to get their airframe and powerplant license to work on civilian aircraft. However, he said, “It wasn’t his thing,” and instead switched careers to open his Kona Ice franchise.

“I was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force for over 10 years,” Draves said. “With Kona Ice, I can use my problem solving and consumer relations skills daily. I look forward to working with and helping people all while serving up delicious, shaved ice, right in time for the summer heat.”

Draves said he was originally nervous about the decision. However, he said

Kona Ice’s transparent process made it easy. He said he went through a series of interviews before going to Kentucky to pick up his truck and go through Kona College — where he was taught how to run the vehicle.

Kona Ice gives back to each community it serves. Since inception, Kona Ice donated more than $135 million to neighborhood schools, organizations and teams. Today, Kona Ice has grown to more than 1,400 mobile units that serve 49 states. Since April, Draves has become a sponsor for the Wildcat Youth Football League and gives 20% back from what he makes at their events. In fact, he said he does

this at all school events as “it benefits everybody involved.”

In fact, involvement with the community is important to Draves as he said the best part of his new career is meeting people within the community.

“I was always surrounded by the same people day in and day out working on aircraft in the military,” he said. “I wasn’t meeting too many people out there. Interacting and meeting with people have been the best part of my new career. I’ve never had a person come up in a bad mood to get shaved ice. So the best part is working with happy people.”

“Adam shares our commitment to giving back,” Lamb added. “He has always been very passionate about his community and wants to have a positive influence, whether it’s providing new textbooks, sports uniforms or, simply, a smile. We are proud to have him on-board. Together, we are excited to make a difference in the lives of those around us.”

Kona Ice of Pantano Wash 520-234-7625

adraves@kona-ice.com kona-ice.com

Tony Lamb is proud to have Adam Draves on the Kona Ice team, saying, “He has always been very passionate about his community and wants to have a positive influence.”

Kona Ice is serving over 20 flavors of shaved ice to beat the 100-plus-degree heat this summer, 10 of which are included on the truck’s Flavorwave, a self-service dispenser allowing for full customization.

Nurse practitioners bring care back home to OV

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tucson Local Media Staff

Providing quality and compassionate care to the residents in Oro Valley is important to hometown nurse practitioners, Beth Brown and Brittany Overton, who opened Oro Valley Urgent Care at Steam Pump Ranch on March 18.

“Beth and I were raised in Oro Valley, and we’re raising our kids here,” Overton said. “This is our hometown and our community. We are the only locally owned and operated urgent care in Oro Valley. Our goal is to provide care for people like they are family.”

The native Tucsonans acknowledged there is a shortage of primary care providers, making it often difficult to get an appointment.

“If a person has a UTI, cold symptoms, a sprain or fracture they cannot wait several weeks to a month to be seen by their primary care provider and that is where we come in,” said Brown, a Mountain View High School graduate. “There are simply not enough providers to go around in our area and there is a need for urgent care treatment — injuries, common colds, infections, lacerations.” They also evaluate and test for strep, mono and COVID-19, and offer in-house medications, thereby bypassing pharmacies. The facility has X-ray capabilities on site and the handpicked staff can splint broken bones.

“If you don’t have a primary care provider, it’s very difficult to get into a specialist or get that process started without

Beth

Brown and Brittany Overton opened Oro Valley Urgent Care at Steam Pump Ranch on March 18. (Oro Valley Urgent Care/Submitted)

a trip to the ER,” Brown said. “We’re able to provide referrals, as appropriate, to help bridge the gap between keeping people out of the ER and fulfilling primary care needs of a more urgent manner.”

Brown’s specialty has been urgent care since 2017, the year after she graduated with honors as a family nurse practitioner. However, she started her career in 2007 as a labor and delivery nurse, later working in the perioperative setting as a recovery room nurse.

“I really like helping people and advocating for them,” Brown said.

“Brittany and I have both worked as bedside nurses, held hands with patients and helped them navigate their health

needs. We had years of firsthand experience working with patients prior to

returning to school to become a nurse practitioner.”

A Canyon Del Oro High School graduate, Overton began her health care journey in 2010, working as an ICU nurse for six years. During that time, she studied to become a family nurse practitioner. She, too, graduated with honors in 2016 and has specialized in Urgent Care since then.

“I am dedicated to practicing medicine using a holistic, evidence-based approach with a focus on patient advocacy, preventative care and overall well-being,” Overton said. “We are caring, compassionate and take our time with patients. It is our pleasure to serve our local community to provide the best health care possible.”

Oro Valley Urgent Care 11015 N. Oracle Road, Suite 121, Oro Valley 520-314-5334 ovurgentcare.com

Contact Christina Fuoco-Karasinski at christina@timeslocalmedia.com

Chicago invites fans to ‘stay the night’

BY LAURA LATZKO Tucson Local Media Staff

For Chicago trumpet and flugelhorn player Lee Loughnane, Arizona shows are like homecoming gigs.

Formed in Chicago in 1967, the iconic band will return to the Grand Canyon State to perform in Tucson on Aug. 15, Prescott Valley on Aug. 16 and Phoenix on Aug. 18.

The band has been on the road annually for the last 56 years, taking a break for 15 months due to the pandemic. A Sedona resident since 2010, Loughnane says the band members sacrifice their personal life to entertain the masses.

“It is problematic not to be able to spend the time that most people get to spend with their families at home. To do what we do for a living, we have to take our music to the audiences,” Loughnane says.

In five decades, Chicago has sold more than 100 million copies of its 38 albums. Blending jazz, R&B, classical and pop, the hits include “You’re the Inspiration,” “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” “Saturday in the Park” and “25 or 6 to 4.”

Loughnane says Chicago fans can expect to hear songs from various decades, starting with “Introduction” from their first album.

“It’s a pretty well-rounded show,” he says. “It covers everything we have done and are doing.”

Loughnane is one of the three original members; he joins vocalist Robert Lamm and trombonist James Pankow. More than 50 years ago, they were the first nonclassical group to perform at Carnegie Hall six nights in a row.

The group was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014 and awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2020. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Loughnane says the group’s sound has evolved over the years as players change.

“The guys who have left for whatever reason, when they were replaced, it’s always been with somebody who is a good musician,” he says.

“They’ve grown up with the music as we did when we were playing it and writing it. They grew up listening to it. They have always fit in very nicely as members of the band by bringing their own personality to the same music they grew up with.”

When it started, the group had no idea it would be around 50 years later.

“It never happens. This is an anomaly. This is something that is pretty much impossible to do. We’re just living it,” Loughnane says.

On Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, Chicago will film shows at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City for a special called “Chicago & Friends.” It will be available for global distribution airing in late December.

Chicago will perform their biggest hits with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, Robin Thicke and Chris Daughtry.

In celebration of the 55th anniversary of their double-platinum album, “Chicago Transit Authority,” they will play songs from the album both nights, along with other greatest hits.

To have longevity like Chicago, it takes luck, consistency, dedication and hard work, Loughnane says.

“You have to keep yourself ready to play shows and be excited about playing the shows,” he adds.

“For us, that’s the reason that we are out there, the 22 or so hours that we are traveling, staying in a hotel or getting ready for the next venue. You have a lot of alone time, even if you sit down and eat with the other guys. Most of the time you are by yourself. You have to enjoy life and figure out how to spend quality time with yourself.”

He fills his days working out at hotels and playing music.

“I have my horn with me all the time,” he says.

“So, I always wake up in the morning or afternoon and start practicing, getting ready for the show. And get some food, a walk around the area, reacquaint yourself where you are because the night before, we were 400 or 500 miles away in a different city. Then, we traveled overnight to get to the next place, and by the time we get there, you wake up from the bus ride, check in to the hotel, go to sleep again and sleep as many hours as you can to keep yourself together. Then, you get up and start practicing and preparing for the next show.”

Although he mainly performs on flugelhorn and trumpet, he has played other instruments for performances and albums.

“I play a little guitar, background vocals

mainly, a couple of lead vocals,” he adds. “I play a little bit of keyboard, mainly to write songs on guitar and keyboard. I’ve played guitar onstage with the band a few times. And I was playing the Moog synthesizer for a number of years during the ‘Chicago 17’ and ‘Chicago 18’ tours. I was playing a lot of bass parts during that time. … We don’t hire other people to come in and do background vocals for us. We do everything in-house, everything.”

Chicago

WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15

WHERE: Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Avenue, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $65 INFO: tucsonmusichall.org

WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16

WHERE: Findlay Toyota Center, 3201 N. Main Street, Prescott Valley COST: Tickets start at $46 INFO: findlaytoyotacenter.com

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18

WHERE: Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix PRICE: Tickets start at $68 INFO: 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre. com, chicagotheband.com

Chicago features three original members and several new musicians who grew up listening to the band. (Submitted)

Know the symptoms of heat-related illness

BY DR. MARK ZAETTA

Tucson’s blistering 110-plus-degree temperatures are upon us with little relief in sight, and it is imperative we address the potential health risks associated with extreme heat. Pima County reported 28 deaths from extreme heat in 2022.

Despite the alarming statistics, heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Certain groups are at greatest risk for heat-related illness including infants and young children, adults 65 and older, those taking certain medications, people with certain medical conditions and people who are obese.

It is important to know that elevated body temperature from heat-related exposure is different from fever caused by infection or illness.

Some of the most common heat-related illnesses and their warning signs are as follows:

Heat stroke is a potentially life-threatening emergency and is the most serious heat-related illness. This occurs when the body is unable to control its temperature and the sweating mechanism fails. This condition can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided. Body temperature can rise to 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.

Symptoms of heat stroke can include high body temperature, typically 103

Dr. Mark Zaetta is an internal medicine specialist in Tucson with Optum Arizona. (Optum/Submitted)

degrees Fahrenheit or higher; losing consciousness or passing out; dizziness; nausea, confusion or headache; hot, red, dry or damp skin or profuse sweating. If you observe someone exhibiting signs of heat stroke, call 911 immediately. Move them to a cooler place and help lower their body temperature quickly with cool water if possible.

Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. It is most likely to occur in elderly people, people with high blood pressure and those who work or exercise in a hot

environment. Symptoms can include heavy sweating, cold and clammy skin; nausea or vomiting; fast or weak pulse; dizziness and headache; tiredness or weakness; and muscle cramps. If you observe someone who may be suffering from heat exhaustion, get medical help right away if symptoms are severe, worsening or not improving. Pregnant women and people with underlying medical conditions should touch base with their health care provider. It is also important to note heat exhaustion could be a continuum to heat stroke, since both conditions share similar symptoms.

Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms (typically in the abdomen, arms or legs) that may occur with strenuous activity. People who sweat a lot during activity are more prone to heat cramps as sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture which can cause painful cramps. Symptoms include heavy

sweating during intense exercise and muscle pains or spasms. If you or someone you observe is suffering from heat cramps, stop physical activity and move to a cool place, wait for cramps to dissipate before doing any activity, and drink water or a sports drink. If symptoms are severe or persist or if you have a heart condition or other medical conditions, medical evaluation may be needed. Heat rash is skin irritation caused by excessive sweating. Look for red clusters of small blisters that look like pimples on the skin, typically on the neck, chest, groin or in elbow creases.

If you think you or someone you observe is suffering from heat rash, stay in a cool, dry place, and keep the rash dry. Use of powder may help soothe discomfort.

Dr. Mark Zaetta is an internal medicine specialist in Tucson with Optum Arizona.

Enrich your family with another culture. Now you can host a high school exchange student (girl or boy) from Belgium, France, Germany, Ukraine, Scandinavia, Spain, Japan, Italy or other countries. Single parents, as well as couples with or without children, may host. Contact us ASAP for more information or to select your student.

Giorgio from Italy, 16 yrs. Loves to play baseball and spend time with his dogs. Giorgio also plays the guitar, and his dream is to join

Arthritis, mental health go hand in hand

BY MIA SMITT Tucson Local Media Columnist

We tend to think of arthritis and mental health issues as quite separate entities, but they are intimately connected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20% of people with an arthritis disease also have diagnosed anxiety symptoms while only 11% of those who do not have arthritis have anxiety. Over 58 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with an arthritis illness. Twice as many people with arthritis have depression than those without the arthritis illness. According to an analysis by the CDC in 2018, approximately 10 million arthritis sufferers report depression and/or anxiety symptoms, and these symptoms were more common in younger adults aged 18 to 44.

There are many different types of

arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks the lining of joints, causing pain, swelling, stiffness and often loss of function. It usually affects both sides of the body, mostly the hands, knees, feet and ankles.

Ankylosing spondylitis causes inflammation of the joints and ligaments of the spine, causing pain and stiffness mostly in the back and hips. The causes are uncertain, but it could be a genetic predisposition.

knees. This is intensely painful and usually appears suddenly.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is another chronic autoimmune disease that can affect the whole body, causing inflammation and tissue damage. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by a buildup of serum urates that form crystals around joints mostly in toes and

Juvenile arthritis is also known as pediatric rheumatic disease. This term includes inflammatory and rheumatic diseases that affect about 300,000 children and teens in the United States. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is another chronic inflammatory auto immune disease that affects joints and the connective tissue that attaches tendons and ligaments to bones, causing pain and inflammation in joints. It is often coupled with psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition that causes scaly red patches.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, the most common type of arthritis. According to the CDC, it affects over 32.5 million adults in the United States. Inflammation, swelling and tissue breakdown cause pain, most often in the hands, knees, hips, neck, back and feet.

Fibromyalgia is often included in the list of arthritis maladies. It is a chronic pain disorder encompassing most of the body and people with this illness are thought to have a heightened pain perception.

Any kind of arthritis is associated with a negative impact on mental health, and this can mimic a double-stranded downward spiral; mental health and arthritis diseases are intimately linked in that when the disease flares, mental health can be compromised and when mental health deteriorates, arthritis symptoms often worsen as well. Pain can make anxiety and depression worse, and emotional distress can increase the sensation of pain.

But there are other factors that lead to both increased mental and physical distress and a decline in health. Lifestyle plays a huge role, and we need to be aware of how we can cope and help others. People with arthritis often have a generalized fatigue that accompanies pain and limited mobility due to joint stiffness and inflammation.

People are unable to get out much

and can become socially isolated. The ensuing loneliness is another cause of depression and anxiety. We know physical exercise of any kind and socialization have significant impacts on emotions and mood. Without physical activity or social contacts, both anxiety and disease can worsen.

An interesting study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology (December 2016), examined C Reactive Protein (CRP) levels in people who had depression. CRP is a protein produced when the body experiences inflammation. It is often part of the diagnostic criteria for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. The theory of mental and physical health being conjoined is further understood. Patients with anxiety and depression may not respond as well to arthritis treatment or may not follow treatment prescriptions. Pain is subjective and what is mild may be experienced as severe in someone else.

This does not mean the person feeling more intense pain is weak or exaggerating. Our bodies and emotions react differently to the same stimuli. Mental health treatment in conjunction with corporeal therapies should be explored whenever someone with an arthritis illness also feels anxious or depressed. Treating anxiety and depression can change the perception of pain and limited mobility and optimize health.

Arthritis diseases are painful and often incapacitating at times. Clinicians must make the effort to treat the whole person and recognize a possible link between the arthritis and a patient’s mental health. All patients should be screened for anxiety and depression. Appropriate treatment plans and counseling referrals should accompany lifestyle suggestions along with medications. Local support groups may encourage socialization and improve a patient’s ability to cope. Arthritis and mental health should be recognized and addressed at every visit if health care provider truly provides whole person care.

Mia Smitt is a longtime nurse practitioner. She writes a regular column for Tucson Local Media.

Wildcats basketball headed to Israel, UAE

BY JAMES LOTTS

Tucson Local Media Staff

The UA men’s basketball team will visit Israel and the UAE for a 10-day trip in August hosted by the nonprofit Athletes for Israel.

Athletes for Israel looks to combat antisemitism and fight for inclusivity through the voices of professional and college athletes. Daniel Posner, the CEO and founder of Athletes for Israel, said the trips to Israel help to educate people about the country.

“Really, the goal of Athletes for Israel is not just to inspire and change the minds of players, of people that come, but it’s really to amplify their experience to hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of others who’ve never experienced Israel or may not ever have an opportunity to go to Israel,” Posner said.

The Tucson Jewish Community Center staff wanted to get involved with the Aug. 9 to Aug. 20 trip when they learned of it, so they contributed as a sponsor. Todd Rockoff, the JCC’s president and CEO, said he hopes to use the Weintraub Israel Center as a resource to help educate the coaches and athletes before they go to Israel.

The Weintraub Israel Center is a joint project between Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona and the JCC to bring some of the culture of Israel to Tucson.

“Our hope is that through the Israel center, we will have an opportunity to interact with both Coach (Tommy) Lloyd and the players before they go to just kind of set the stage alongside what Athletes for Israel will be doing,” Rockoff said.

Abbii Cook, director of the Weintraub Israel Center, said they provide the players and coaches with background so they understand the scheduled activities and places they will visit.

“We want to give the athletes and the coaches a lens to look through the experience and to have some basic knowledge before they get there, and some tools to be able to kind of think critically about things they’re seeing and hearing,” Cook said.

Pelle Larsson and the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team will be going to Israel and Abu Dhabi to play international competition and visit each country beginning on Aug. 9 with Athletes for Israel. (Mike Christy/Contributor)

Oumar Ballo and the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team are headed to Israel and Abu Dhabi to play international competition and visit each country beginning on Aug. 9 with Athletes for Israel. (Mike Christy/Contributor)

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Edited by Will Shortz

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The Wildcats will travel throughout Israel, visiting the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Tel Aviv and the Yad Vashem, which is the Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem.

Additionally, the team will play a game against Israel’s national team. One of the other highlights of the trip will be flying from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to visit the United Arab Emirates.

Posner said the trip would be in support of The Abraham Accords, a set of treaties signed in 2020 that normalized relations between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco

“It’s our view that we’d like to help support those efforts and peace in the Middle East,” Posner said.

“It’s fantastic that a number of Arab countries have said, ‘We want to have peace with Israel; we want a relationship with Israel.’ Prior to this, you wouldn’t be able to fly directly from Israel to the UAE. In fact, you couldn’t even make a phone call from Israel to the UAE — and we are flying from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi.”

The team will visit The Grand Mosque and The Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. Posner said the team will also play two games while in Abu Dhabi, as well as a chance to meet Steve Kerr and the USA men’s basketball team.

Tommy Lloyd, the UA Men’s Basketball head coach, said he was excited for the competition in Israel and Abu Dhabi and thrilled his team can experience this.

“I’m looking forward, for one, just the life experience for our guys,” Lloyd said in a press conference.

“I don’t know if any of you guys have ever been to Israel, but if you haven’t, you have to go — amazing. I haven’t been to Abu Dhabi, I’ve been to Dubai, and I’ve heard great things about Abu Dhabi. It’s an extremely unique place and I think for our guys to go there and get the experience will be something they’ll remember more than the games for the rest of their life.”

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