EXPLORER The Voice of Marana, Oro Valley and Northwest Tucson
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Back on Stage
Local musicians finally get to perform the songs released in 2020 to a live audience | Page 13
INSIDE
Marana Mayor Ed Honea and Town Manager Terry Rozema break ground alongside Roche employees at the expanded Roche Tissue Diagnostics facility on Tangerine Road. The new facility will strengthen Roche’s presence in the northwest and create more collaboration between their Marana and Oro Valley locations. Read more below.
Gov. Race
Hobbs, Lake join race | Page 4
Sun Corridor
‘Pivot Playbook’ to bounce back economy | Page 9 Comparing spiritualities in an uncertain time | Page 14 $
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A Roche Breaks Ground on Marana Expansion Photo by Jeff Gardner
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Shooting in Catalina leaves two dead
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outhern Marana continues to grow as the international healthcare company Roche plans to double its footprint on Tangerine Road. On Tuesday, June 1, Roche broke ground on a 60,000 square foot facility, direct-
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ly next to its current facility of the same size. The facility is operated by Roche Tissue Diagnostics, formerly Ventana Medical Systems, which is headquartered in Oro Valley, and is expected to complete construction in mid-2022. “This further solidifies Roche’s commitment to this area,” said Jill German, head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics. “Last
year, cancer patients along with many other types of diseases suffered because getting to a hospital and having testing was very difficult during COVID, and yet we still touched the lives of 27 million patients around the world. And that’s something this site helps us continue to do.”
long-simmering neighborhood feud turned deadly in the Catalina area on Friday, June 4, leading to two deaths, including the shooter, according to the Pima County Sheriff ’s Department. Jose Carlos Valdez, 60, was shot and killed, and deputies later found the apparent shooter, Benjamin Jacinto, 72, dead of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The Pima County Sheriff ’s Office offered the following details: Deputies responded to a 911 call from a woman who said her children had been shot by a neighbor near the intersection of Coronado Sunset Drive and Coronado View Road. See SHOOTING, P19
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
EXPLORER
The Explorer and Marana News is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the Northwest Tucson. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of the Explorer and Marana News please visit www. TucsonLocalMedia.com
STAFF ADMINISTRATION Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher Michael Hiatt, Vice President Jaime Hood, General Manager, Ext. 12 jaime@tucsonlocalmedia.com Claudine Sowards, Accounting, Ext. 13 claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com Sheryl Kocher, Receptionist, Ext. 10 sheryl@tucsonlocalmedia.com EDITORIAL Jim Nintzel, Executive Editor, Ext. 38 jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com Jeff Gardner, Managing Editor Ext. 43, jeff@tucsonlocalmedia.com Christina Duran Staff Reporter, Ext. 42, christinad@tucsonlocalmedia.com PRODUCTION Courtney Oldham, Production Manger, tucsonproduction@timespublications.com Ryan Dyson, Graphic Designer, Ext. 26 ryand@tucsonlocalmedia.com Emily Filener, Graphic Designer, Ext. 28, emilyf@tucsonlocalmedia.com CIRCULATION Alex Carrasco, Circulation, Ext. 17 alexc@tucsonlocalmedia.com ADVERTISING TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com Kristin Chester, Account Executive, Ext. 25 kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Lisa Hopper, Account Executive, Ext. 39 Lisa@tucsonlocalmedia.com Candace Murray, Account Executive, Ext. 24, candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com Tyler Vondrak, Account Executive, Ext. 27 tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com EDITORIAL & AD CONTENT The Explorer and Marana News expresses its opinion in the editorial. Opinions expressed in guest commentaries, perspectives, cartoons or letters to the editor are those of the author. The content and claims of any advertisement are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Tucson Local Media assumes no responsibility for the claims or content of any advertisement. Publisher has the right to edit for size or refuse any advertisement at his or her discretion. 7225 N. Mona Lisa Road, Ste. 125 Tucson, Arizona 85741 PHONE: (520) 797-4384
Hot Picks
Encompassing Arizona. Did you know that Tohono Chul’s Exhibits Program has worked with more Arizona artists than any other organization in the state since the program began in 1985? If you haven’t had a chance to check out this exhibit yet, don’t miss it. And even if you have, come check it out again. Encompassing Arizona is a rotating invitational exhibition that presents a wide variety of artworks from established and emerging artists all across the state. If you find something you can’t leave without, you can feel good knowing that half of all sales proceeds help fund programs at Tohono Chul. Tohono Chul Main Gallery, 7366 Paseo Del Norte. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. $15 GA, with discounts for seniors, military, students and kids.
Round Up at the Ranch 5K. The Town of Oro Valley is encouraging you to get back out there! Now you’re probably thinking “A 5K in June in Arizona?” Luckily, this three-mile walk/run takes place from 6 to 10 a.m., so you can enjoy the outdoors when the temperature is tolerable. This race will take place along the multiuse path, beginning at Steam Pump Ranch and go toward Catalina State Park. Proceeds from this race benefit the OV’s Youth Recreation Scholarship Fund. Sunday, June 13 at Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road. Visit orovalleyaz.gov for more information, or call Parks and Recreation at
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(520) 229-5050. Cool Saturday Nights in June at the Desert Museum. Strolling through the Desert Museum is always a treat, even if you have to do it in 100-degree heat. But doing it NOT in 110-degree heat is even more of a treat. On Saturday nights in June, the Desert Museum is open until 9 p.m., so you can hang out with soaring bats, splashing beavers and glowing scorpions. If you come at the right time, you might even get to catch one of those stunning sunsets that makes you think living in the desert isn’t so bad after all. Bring a flashlight to explore, and add a beer or wine tasting if you’re feeling fancy. 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 12. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road. $23.95 GA, with discounts for youth, seniors, military and Arizona/Sonora residents.
5-DAY WEATHER WEDNESDAY
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Residents at Shepherd Hills enjoy our gardens filled with a variety of fruit trees and flowering plants. During the warmer seasons, birds and butterflies are a common sight in our tranquil oasis. Residents can participate in the Shepherd Hills Gardening Program at any level they are comfortable with. Whether you still enjoy planting and tending the garden or simply enjoy a quiet stroll along the garden pathways, Shepherd Hills is full with beautiful outdoor spaces.
Perfect Location
Our location is just far enough removed from daily traffic and noise while still being conveniently located. Situated in the peaceful Harold Bell Wright Neighborhood, our residents enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and the green spaces provided at the Harold Bell Wright Park. Also, we are nearby to amenities and services such as restaurants, shops, banks, and the medical facilities. Shepherd Hill’s location blends the quiet surroundings of a rural neighborhood with all the convenience of living in the city.
Gathering Places The centerpiece of our inner courtyard is our signature gazebo. Large enough to accommodate gatherings for morning coffee with friends and family or a tranquil place to sit and reflect.
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Arizona secretary of state, former TV anchor and others join 2022 governor race R K Cronkite News
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andidates are lining up to become Arizona’s next governor in 2022, when Republican Doug Ducey terms out under state law. Last week, two prominent women joined the race: Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who has gained national prominence defending the state’s 2020 election, wants to be the Democratic candidate, and former news anchor Kari Lake, who resigned from Fox 10 in March, wants to represent the Republican Party. They joined Republican hopefuls Kimberly Yee and Karrin Taylor Robson, and Democrat Marco Lopez. Although Republicans are running on former President Donald Trump’s policies, Hobbs is addressing unfounded allegations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election
repeatedly pushed by Trump and many state Republicans. Hobbs has denounced the so-called audit organized by Arizona state senators to review the 2020 presidential election ballots, and told CNN she thinks “this whole thing is a joke.” “In 2020, against all odds, in the middle of a pandemic, we proved that democracy works,” Hobbs said in a video announcing her campaign. “It’s been my job and life’s work to make government work for the people of Arizona. That’s why I’m running.” Among gubernatorial candidates, Hobbs was at the top of the power rankings by OH Predictive Insights, a market research firm in Phoenix, even before officially announcing her candidacy. The rankings are based on an online survey of 935 registered Arizona voters conducted the first week of May. The survey presented respondents with 40
notable Arizonans to rate, regardless of whether they are actually running for office. In her campaign announcement, Hobbs noted her efforts to expand Medicaid for seniors and implement the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act in 2018, which offered increased access to treatment and opioid overdose countermeasures, such as Naloxone. As governor, Hobbs promised she would protect survivors of abuse, rebuild the postCOVID-19 economy, invest in health care and education and “ensure that your race, gender or ZIP code does not dictate your destiny.” Lake announced her political ambitions on Tuesday. In her campaign video, Lake pledged to tackle homelessness, synthetic drug use, Arizona’s “out of control border,” and other issues if elected.
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“I’ve earned the trust of Arizonans across our state by bringing the real story into your living room night after night,” she said, calling for an “Arizona First” approach to governance, mimicking Trump’s “America First” motto. “Arizona history suggests that Arizona voters look kindly on television broadcasters,” said Jason Rose, a political consultant who has worked for Ducey, former Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and former U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth. The “history” Rose is referring to is Hayworth, who was a local sports reporter for the CBS affiliate in Phoenix before serving in Congress from 1995 to 2007, representing the East Valley. But there are different types of star power and name recognition when it comes to the ballot box in Arizona: Hayworth wasn’t able to unseat Sen. John McCain in the 2010 primary. Notably, in OH Predictive Insights’ power rankings, Jack McCain, son of former Sen. John McCain, followed Hobbs at second place on the list. He has not announced a run for any office. Lake resonates “with the base of a Republican Party still very much defined by former President Donald Trump,”
The Arizona Republic said this week, noting that she has recently attended events sponsored by groups who contend the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Lake isn’t the only Republican to use an “Arizona First” tagline. Yee, who is state treasurer and the first Asian American to be elected to a statewide office in Arizona, promised to focus on border control and security in a video released May 17. “Washington is simply not going to protect Arizona,” she said in the video, adding D.C. is “refusing to enforce the law, opening our state to drug cartels, violence and human traffickers.” Yee, who also praised Trump’s economic policies and attacked the “corrupt press and socialist ideals,” is ranked third in OH Predictive Insights’ power rankings. Lopez, former mayor of Nogales, announced his candidacy for governor in March, making him the first Democrat to enter the race. His campaign video primarily focused on rebuilding Arizona’s economy, and criticizing policies implemented by Ducey, who was first elected in 2014. “State leaders failed us as coronavirus cost us lives and hammered our
economy,” he said in the video.“And our Legislature is run by extremists promoting bizarre conspiracy theories instead of actually getting things done for you, the people.” Lopez promised more investment in education, more technology and manufacturing jobs, and greater access to health care for Arizonans. Like Yee, Lopez mentioned growing up as a child of immigrants and small business owners. He also put emphasis on his work as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection chief of staff during the Obama administration. Robson, a member of the Arizona Board of Regents, also announced her candidacy for governor in mid-May, promising to fight “the radical Biden-Harris agenda.” In her campaign video, Robson pledged to travel the state and hear from Arizona communities about their needs. The Board of Regents oversees the three state universities of Arizona. Robson has served on the board since 2017. On the OH Predictive Insights power ranking, Robson came in 18th and Lopez came in 20th. Cronkite News reporter Tina Giuliano contributed to this report.
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
Architectural mockup courtesy of Roche Tissue Diagnostics
A mockup of Roche Tissue Diagnostics’ expanded facility on Tangerine Road, expected to be completed in mid-2022.
Roche: Second 60,000 square foot facility on Tangerine Road Continued from P1
Roche announced they plan to move some of their manufacturing and employees from their Oro Valley campus to their expanded Marana facility upon completion. This can include moving up to 150 existing employees to the new location, and expanding the employee base at both facilities. In total, Roche employs more than 1,700 workers in the greater Tucson area. “This project also is a big win for us as a business and for the Tucson metropolitan area as a global community for us,” said Himanshu Parikh, vice president of global operations at Roche Tissue Diagnostics. “It becomes a good community
partnership between businesses, because by allowing us to expand and continue to expand in this region, it also helps the community and in general the bioscience community in Southern Arizona.” Roche Tissue Diagnostics develops more than 250 diagnostic tests and associated instruments for cancer, including specialized stains for tissue samples that allow researchers to detect various biomarkers for cancers. “With this new expanded facility, our goal is to move some instrument manufacturing production over here, so this becomes a one-stop-shop,” Parikh said. “When we do that, it will allow us to expand our instrument manufacturing
footprint in the Oro Valley campus and this is where the major growth of business is taking place. So we can continue to meet the growing demand of business over the years.” German says that because Roche Tissue Diagnostics works under highly validated processes, the most important thing is that when manufacturing is moved from one location to the next, it continues to work in the same way so agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration can be assured of quality. With this expanded facility, Roche says they will have more lab space to further develop their reagents and devices in the northwest area. “They work hand-inhand, you can’t have one
without the other,” German said. “The importance of both can’t be understated. We’re really excited that this allows for the continued growth of our business and our ability to serve patients.” The growing facility is located near the Gladden Farms community in Marana, which has seen
many homes built in recent years. Marana mayor Ed Honea remarked on the growth in the area, saying how that section of Tangerine Road is continually developing. “This is a huge employment base, it’s a tax base, it’s a building that provides a service that helps people all
around the world, and that service can be provided in the area,” Honea said. “We’re thrilled we have the infrastructure… If you want to come to our community, provide a clean service, employ people, and nobody complains about you and be a good neighbor, we are absolutely thrilled.”
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Health Director: Those Who’ve Already Had COVID Should Still Get Vaccinated J G Tucson Local Media
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n discussions about that ever-elusive herd immunity, the COVID-resistant population is divided between those who are vaccinated and those who’ve achieved a “natural immunity” by becoming infected with the virus. Either way, the immunity stems from the human body creating antibodies against COVID. So the question naturally emerges: If someone has already become infected and then recovered from COVID, do they still need to receive a vaccine? After all, shouldn’t their body already have those valuable antibodies? As with many elements surrounding the pandemic, more research is required to reach a definitive answer. Pima County Health Director Theresa Cullen acknowledges it’s a controversial topic, but recommends those who’ve
already had COVID to still get vaccinated for the simple reason she says that the number of antibodies the body produces postCOVID can vary widely, and thus, the strength of a person’s immunity can vary as well. “Because COVID really hasn’t been around that long, there’s a lot of unknowns. If you look at what people like the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control are saying, even though we believe 90% to 99% of people who get a symptomatic disease develop some kind of antibodies, the amount of antibodies is unpredictable,” Cullen said. “It seems to be clear that people who were significantly ill develop a stronger antibody response than people who were either asymptomatic or very mildly ill. And that’s an important factor, because the recommendation that you get immunized would depend on a
high level of antibodies. The problem is, no one really knows what a high level is.” Because of the difficulty of tracing asymptomatic cases, estimates of their prevalence vary. Reports estimate that anywhere from 20% to 60% of COVID cases are asymptomatic, and state that the majority of COVID is spread is due to these asymptomatic cases. However, data does show that those asymptomatic people most likely did not develop a significant antibody response. “Because of our inability to know on an individual basis what your response has been, we recommend immunization for people post-COVID,” Cullen said. “It’s a risk/benefit, and the risks with acquiring immunity from the vaccine are very minimal… I think the word I’d use is ‘enough.’ We know that you should get some natural immunity, but do you have enough
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natural immunity to prevent you from getting sick again? The point is to get enough immunity in your system that if you get exposed, your memory T cells are going to stop it.” Cullen herself contracted COVID in December, and still got vaccinated as well. Cullen also serves as a clinical associate professor in the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine. She is a 25-year veteran of the US Public Health Service’s Commissioned Corps, and previously volunteered to establish and operate a medical unit during the Ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015 in Sierra Leone. Cullen says you can speculate the immune reaction from COVID cases in the state by combining the number of people who’ve contracted COVID (nearly 1 million in Arizona) with the number of people who’ve been vaccinated (nearly 3 million). With these numbers combined, we approach the low end of population estimates for herd immunity, but we’re not seeing that halt in cases, which may indicate naturalized immunity is not sufficient (as well as the fact vaccines are not perfect). “For us from a public health perspective, it’s a fine line. We want to encourage vaccination independent of previous ill-
ness or infection,” Cullen said. “From a population perspective, we can’t reassure individuals what their current antibody status is, even if they had an infection—and because of the variants.” Another question is the longevity of immunity. Again, research is still being conducted, but experts estimate vaccines can remain effective for up to eight months. And a study in The Lancet (“Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection according to baseline antibody status in staff and residents of 100 long-term care facilities”) found that residents in long-term care facilities had antibodies “associated with substantially reduced risk of reinfection... for up to 10 months after primary infection.” There is discussion as to whether those who’ve had COVID need both vaccine shots, or just one, because they likely already have some immunity. Cullen points to her work fighting a hepatitis A epidemic in the 1990s. That hepatitis vaccine also required two shots. And while Cullen said they were able to almost entirely stop transmission of that epidemic after only one shot, health workers still gave two shots to ensure immunity. “I don’t want to encourage people to only get one shot, but I think the more
people we can immunize with only one shot, the more likely we are to stop the transmission,” Cullen said. “And there is no indication that the vaccine side effects are any different for people who’ve already had [COVID]. Now there are individual reports of people that have had COVID, and then get the vaccine and report that they feel like they have COVID again, usually for 12 to 24 hours. But the problem with that is there are people who get the shot who’ve never been known to have COVID and they report those same kinds of symptoms.” According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, daily COVID cases have been at a low plateau since early March, averaging about 700 new cases in the state per day. Compare this to December and January, which had more than 5,000 new cases per day in the state. “It’s really a scientific miracle in some ways, with what’s happened with COVID, because of the rapidity with which we developed the vaccine, produced, released it and immunized people,” Cullen said. “None of us have ever seen anything like his before, to go from scratch. But the key thing to halt the pandemic, we need to continue to get people immunized.”
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E’ N Gardner Steps Up as Managing Editor J G Tucson Local Media
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he only constant is change. That, and the fact June is unreasonably hot around these parts. I’ve enjoyed writing about our little corner of the world for a few years now, first as a staff reporter for Tucson Local Media and then as an associate editor. Now, I’m lucky enough to step up as managing editor to share even more stories about Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana and beyond. We have plenty in the
book this week, including news of the gubernatorial race, our local sports column and local music. International pharmaceutical company Roche, and their local affiliate Roche Tissue Diagnos-
tics, also broke ground on a massive new expansion in Marana just off of Tangerine Road, which will strengthen the relationship between their Oro Valley and Marana locations. But perhaps most importantly, we have a few stories that really do show things are getting back to normal: a report from southwestern economic agency Sun Corridor about how our economy is bouncing back from the pandemic, and news that COVID cases are continuing to stay low in Pima County and throughout the state. Just in time for us to
TOWN OF ORO VALLEY
get out into the world and then promptly head for shade. In other news, Tucson Local Media’s annual pets special edition is coming up! Late last year, I got my first pet in years, a black shepherd mix with some incredibly pointy ears adopted from Pima Animal Care Center. She quickly has become a member of the family, and I get the feeling I’m not alone in becoming a little obsessed with my pet. So if you want to show off just how cute (or impressively ugly or wacky) your cat, dog, rep-
tile, bird or anything else is, Tuesday, June 22. The song of the week is please enter our Cutest Pet and Ugliest Pet contests “St. Elmo’s Fire” by Brian Eno. by sending pictures and a Jeff Gardner description over to jeff@ Managing Editor tucsonlocalmedia.com by
Send us pictures of your pets by June 22!
Generously sponsored by Lisa Bayless | Realtor | Long Realty
LAUNCHING FROM
NARANJA PARK, 9 PM NO ONSITE SPECTATORS ALLOWED
July 4th
FIREWORKS SHOW
Due to ongoing COVID-19 precautions, the Town of Oro Valley will not be holding an in-person July 4th event this year. Though we may not be able to celebrate in one location, we can still gather as a community under the same sky.
NEW
With larger shells this year,
the show can be seen from more areas of town!
Please plan to enjoy the fireworks from your backyard or other locations.
For details, visit: www.orovalleyaz.gov
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
VOICES GUEST COMMENTARY
ORO VALLEY NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO GROW, RESPONSIBLY Don Cox
Special to Tucson Local Media
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aving the honor of serving on the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) for 10-plus years, I was intimately involved with much of the development you see in Oro Valley today. Back in 2000, when I attended my first P&Z meeting, I didn’t have a clue about the relationship
between commercial property and residential property and what needed to be done to make the two compatible. I also did not know the effect of development (or lack thereof) on the Town budget. I didn’t know about state shared revenue, or construction tax. I did know that people/residents generated sales tax. I also knew that there were only two gas stations in Oro Valley and other than a very small space in what is
now Fry’s at La Cañada and Lambert Lane, you had to go out of town to rent a video (to Thornydale and Cortero Farms Road to be exact). I learned quickly from a great and dedicated Oro Valley planning staff. So let’s take a look at what has happened since that time. Our census in 2000 was 32,017. In 2010 it was 41,011. That’s a 28% increase. Our 2020 census is reported to be 47,502. Our population has
grown 48.4% since 2000. I don’t think that rate of growth will continue but growth will continue. How was it possible for Oro Valley to absorb 15,000plus people? Well some of it was through well vetted annexations. For the remainder, the answer is pretty simple. We planned for and developed an appropriate amount of our useable land. This development was the result of General Plan Amendments and re-zonings where necessary. And several were necessary. And every one of those developments went through the very strict Oro Valley process, were the subject of several public input meetings, received a positive recommendation from the citizens serving on the Planning and Zoning Commissions at the time (except one) and were approved by the Town Councils. The Town Councils also approved three major apartment complexes mostly with unanimous votes. And in every case where an apartment complex was built, commercial development has sprung up around them. And speaking of commercial development, 45% of the budgeted revenue in the Oro Valley FY20/21 budget comes from state shared revenue and sales taxes. Both of those line items are driven by population. The more people we have, the greater slice of the state shared revenue pie we receive and sales taxes flow in as a result of the population density around commercial centers. Picture, if you will, what Oro Valley would look like today if we hadn’t grown responsibly. Those 15,000-plus people would be living in oth-
er communities. The revenue generated by those residents would be in the general fund of some other government. We wouldn’t have a Naranja Park, Aquatic Center, Community Center or Oro Valley Marketplace. Our streets would be like Tucson and Pima County. And most importantly you and I would be paying the taxes that would have been generated by those 15,000 folks. The cost of government does not go down. Responsible development
is the life blood of any community. Oro Valley is no exception. We need to continue to annex, build and grow. And we need community leaders who recognize that fact of municipal life. Want to see your opinion in the paper? Send your letter to the editor to jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com. Submission does not guarantee print. Limit your letter to 350 words. Guest commentaries should be limited to 600 words.
READER PHOTO OF THE WEEK Reader Kevin Corr managed to get an awesome shot of this great horned owl perched in a tree in his back yard. Send your photos to readerphotos@ tucsonlocalmedia.com. Include your name, contact information and details about the photo, including who took it, where it was taken and the subject. Not all photos can be printed. See other photos online at www.tucsonlocalmedia.com.
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Sun Corridor: Infrastructure, workforce development, and talent recruitment key to economic development C D Tucson Local Media
With Southern Arizona’s economy forecasted for a strong and quick recovery post-pandemic, business leaders have created a plan to capitalize on that recovery. Sun Corridor, a coalition of the region’s leaders in the private, nonprofit, government and academic sectors, last week announced the Pivot Playbook, a formal action plan assembled by the COVID-19 Recovery & Response Steering Committee to identify strategies and address five focus areas that would make those forecasts come true. “While we were getting all those great rankings and experts were telling us that Southern Arizona was poised for a strong recovery, no one here thought that it would just happen on its own,” said Chair of Sun Corridor and TMC Healthcare CEO Judy Rich. “We knew that we had an opportunity in front of us, that a lot of other communities didn’t have. It was up to us to get ourselves ready and give our attention to all the things that we were hearing were
going to be important for a strong recovery.” Rich said they reached out to business leaders in Sun Corridor to prepare for the future, after Moody’s Analytics released a report last May, ranking Tucson among the top 10 best cities poised for a strong post-coronavirus recovery. “The study said that regions like ours are going to be attractive in the emerging economy, because of our wide open spaces, and our low population density. The analysts say that people are going to want to spread out, because of the COVID virus and Southern Arizona is a perfect place to do that,” said Rich. She also noted the Site Selectors Guild, a group who finds the best locations for businesses to move or expand to, predicted their clients are looking for midsize cities, like Tucson for the same reasons provided by Moody’s. Prior to the pandemic, especially since 2016, Tucson had seen a plethora of companies moving or expanding into the area, but everything changed with the pandemic, said CEO of Sun Corridor Joe Snell.
“When the pandemic hit, we saw an overnight change. We needed to adjust to, not only the new reality the pandemic created, but look at the future and hopefully make some major adjustments,” said Snell. As the pandemic began to affect the economy, Snell said Sun Corridor spent a lot of time understanding what site selection looked like for influencers or site selectors. “What’s their new reality?” asked Snell. “We spent a lot of time really looking at those new drivers and sitting back and determining whether we can meet those demands.” Their early investments in virtual capabilities, like drone footage, their quick and aggressive response in their sales and marketing, and the recovery plan put them in a good spot, said Snell.
THE “PIVOT PLAY BOOK” In order to make the plan a success, the Steering Committee, chaired by Steve Eggen and made up of a group of business leaders,
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identified five focus areas: company recruitment, talent recruitment and retention, workforce development and training, shovel-ready and real estate offerings, and tourism recovery. For Snell, the ability to recruit companies is a reflection of market competitiveness, making it an important area of focus. “If we’re proficient recruiting companies, it means the entire business community is competitive with other markets,” said Snell. “I like to look at it as an analogy of playing hockey, through this process we want to make sure that we’re not just hitting where the hockey puck is, but we’re skating to where we anticipate it will be.” Two-thirds of site selectors surveyed by Sun Corridor, said COVID-19 considerations like population density, the community’s pandemic response, the workforce’s digital and technical skills, remote work incentives and access to a community affect their decision to locate. According to Snell, one of Southern Arizona’s biggest strengths is its ability to address the international supply chain changes
at the ORO
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brought on by the pandemic as companies faced problems in the supply chain with China slowed down. He said Southern Arizona is geographically in a good spot where goods and services move through the area and could capture distribution and logistics jobs. Further, the region has a “talent pipeline” with nationally recognized universities like the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, as well as a strong community college system. However, the region faces challenges with the perception of the region’s business climate, as site selectors surveyed provided moderate ratings and indicated lack of knowledge of the region, recognizing Phoenix, but not Tucson. In order to address these challenges, Snell said they reevaluated the targeted industries previously identified 15 years ago. Travel and hospitality took a toll due to the pandemic and sectors like transportation and logistics, and bioscience innovation experienced growth. Further, the plan stated a need to prioritize roads and infrastructure, as site selectors frequently cite it
as a critical area of focus. According to the Playbook, good road conditions means having the infrastructure to handle demand and improving its people-moving capability, but also aesthetically enhancing the roads to add more appeal to Tucson. “We’ve got to come together and make that a high priority because these logistics companies, they need healthy roads to move product and people,” said Snell. Over the last couple of years, Arizona has done well, said Snell, but now “we’ve been a victim of our own success.” The demand for industrial space continues despite the pandemic, with Sun Corridor reporting an increase in new project leads. According to the plan, industrial facilities make up 82% of new project real estate requirements in the inquiries Sun Corridor received. However, Arizona faces a shortage of buildings 100,000 square feet and above and the few industrial spaces 200,000 square feet still available have limitations, requiring significant See SUN CORRIDOR, P10
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Sun Corridor: Manufacturing facilities make up 65% of new project real estate requirements Continued from P9 development to meet potential user requirements. Snell suggests encouraging greater development in the community to invest in Tucson and build more spec buildings. The plan also suggests recruiting private developers and investors to invest in properties in the same way companies are recruited to locate to the area. Due to the pandemic, companies should also adjust how they approach incentives to the new landscape. “We’ve been operating on a really old model for about 40 years of dealing with incentives for primary companies. We’ve got to take into account going forward the remote worker, the technical worker. Do they need daycare? So we need to real-
ly rehaul the whole system,” ple with the right skills and said Snell. training into the future, said Horvath. After a year of Zoom TALENT calls and remote work, the RECRUITMENT workforce’s work considerAND WORKFORCE ations have changed. In their DEVELOPMENT 2020 Talent Wars Report, CRUCIAL TO FUTURE Development Counsellors International (DCI), a place The Steering Commit- branding firm, found 75% of tee also identified talent respondents surveyed said recruitment and retention they would prefer to either as a critical area of focus work from home full-time for Southern Arizona. In or at least some of the time. the site selection process, They also reported 82% of having readily available workers said they would talent, meaning and avail- be willing to undergo addiable workforce, is the num- tional training or education ber one factor, said Chief to shift career paths. Talent Human Resources Officer also seeks out companies at TMC HealthCare Alex and jobs that value inclusion and diversity, rating the Horvath. The second factor is the importance of diversity polability for individuals to icies in a company 7 out 10. “They will decide where grow and provide talent, while third is ensuring that they want to work, where a pipeline of talent exists to they want to live, where they create an abundance of peo- want to play and they’re able, then, to make that work for a community,” said Horvath. While Tucson and Southern Arizona are poised to make a post-pandemic recovery due to the region’s attributes, Horvath recommends promoting the wide open spaces, quality of life and relatively low cost of living that attract talent. As part of the plan, Sun Corridor created ThriveInTucson. com, a “one-stop shop” of Tucson’s resources and information to promote the region’s best attributes to talent. Horvath said they are also focusing on dual-career couples, because “it’s important for us when one individual has a role here, for
the second to be able to also accomplish the same.” Beyond recruiting talent, the Steering Committee highlighted the importance of workforce development and training, which was important pre-pandemic and even more so after. “What the pandemic has done is exacerbated and accelerated the need around workforce development,” said Pima Community College CEO Lee Lambert. “It’s really about equipping people with the right skills for the right opportunities that are out there in our community. So you have a lot of opportunities in the community, but we don’t have that strategic plan that starts to transition folks from an old world into the new world.” Prior to the pandemic, governments and institutions explored the impact of industry 4.0, the current trend of automation through innovations in mobile technology, the cloud, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. Those technological changes are predicted to cause a displacement or disruption of workers. If automation adoption is rapid, about one-third of American workers may need to change occupations and acquire new skills by 2030, according to the Pivot Playbook. Research conducted by the University of Arizona reported that 42.5% of all jobs in Pima County are at risk for being disrupted or displaced by automation over the next decade. Fur-
ther, the jobs most at risk of automation were the same jobs with a concentration of low-wage workers most impacted by the pandemic. Lambert said this trend is a driver for the need to address the skill gap through upskilling or reskilling. The community’s skill gap is a mismatch in the skills required by a job and the skills of the workforce, which could be addressed through upskilling, teaching new skills for the talent’s current position or reskilling, preparing workers for a new role. According to the National Skills Coalition Skills Mismatch Analysis, Arizona has more workers with a highschool equivalency alone at 22% than the 17% required in the labor market. In Arizona, almost half of Arizonans between the ages of 25 and 64 hold a postsecondary degree with disparities in education for Hispanics, Black/African Americans and Native Americans, according to Achieve60AZ. In order to address these challenges, the plan supports the establishment of a regional version of the Technology and Innovation Workforce Development Fund, recommended by the Arizona Reskilling and Recovery Network. They suggest the fund could be established through the county and municipality budgets, business and industry sponsorship or a combination of these and more. Lambert said providing and upscaling mi-
cro-pathways or stackable credentials is another key recommendation. “We’re all accustomed to thinking about going off to college and going on to get a degree, but when you start thinking about it from a workforce development perspective you realize it’s not just about getting a degree. It’s really about getting the skills,” said Lambert. He also suggests working with their K-12 partners to strengthen and expand on career technical education, especially in high schools, and increasing work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities “so that you’re actually going from your theory to actually being able to apply that theory, you know, in a practical way.”
LARGER FACILITIES NEEDED Aside from workforce development, the region faces a challenge in providing facilities for new project leads. Manufacturing facilities make up 65% of new project real estate requirements, but companies face barriers when moving into the region, because of statewide shortage of facilities with 200,000 or more square feet and limitations of existing facilities. When looking for locations for companies, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said they first look at who owns the land and then identify constraints, like military
protection zones, floodplains or areas where they would like to preserve and protect the environment. The plan highlights the need for more shovel-ready inventory of 50 acres or more in the market. “You have to have all the components of infrastructure to make a property really shovel ready, which means you can have a road to it, you can have a sewer to it, even have the electric utility, but if you don’t have the water, it’s not shovel ready,” said Huckelberry. “The companies that relocate here or expand here, really want to be in business no later than 18 to 24 months after they make a decision. So it’s really important that we have all of those components of infrastructure in, to make the land available for their purposes.” After offering a good inventory of shovel-ready land for new or expanding companies, Huckelberry said the region needs to identify gaps that would prohibit the use of shovel-ready land, like access to transportation, and invest to fill those gaps. Once they have closed the gaps, Sun Corri-
dor would then market the shovel-ready sites to new or existing companies. Finally, the Pivot Playbook plans to address tourism recovery after the pandemic devastated the region’s travel and tourism industry. Visit Tucson President Brent DeRaad reported about an 80% drop in overall tourism and travel, for the first few months, but it leveled off at around a 40% to 50% drop off. He said the drop amounts to a loss of about 3 million visitors overnight, with direct visitor spending down by about a billion dollars. At the heart of addressing these losses, DeRaad said, “How do we make a better Tucson, each and every day? I think that’s really the umbrella under which our recommendations fall.” The goal is to return to 2019 figures, what DeRaad calls “the pinnacle of tourism in Tucson” at $2.6 billion in direct travel spending. DeRaad said reopening businesses and helping businesses reopen as the city and county have done by allocating federal funds is part of
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
Courtesy photo
Sun Corridor has created ThriveInTucson.com, a “one-stop shop” of Tucson’s resources and information to promote the region’s best attributes to talent. addressing the challenge of tourism recovery. Additionally as businesses reopen, he said they need to look at how to get employees to return and work with the community to address those issues. The plan recommends not only reopening businesses, but also the borders between Mexico and Cana-
da to bring back visitors. “You’ve still been able to fly back and forth between the countries but it’s really just been kind of looked at as non essential travel,” said DeRaad. “Well for us it’s essential and we need to make sure that we get those leisure travelers coming back.” In order to increase flights, DeRaad encouraged
people in the community to fly out of Tucson International Airport, which lost about 95% of its commercial air service due to cancellations. In 2021, they report air service and passenger recovery levels at about 45% of 2019 levels, with around 3,600 travelers per day, as opposed to some days last year where passenger activi-
ty was fewer than 1,000 travelers per day. He also suggests supporting travel and tourism marketing and the report recommends increased vaccinations to reach herd immunity by 2021 for the tourism industry’s recovery. The next steps from the strategic plan would be its implementation in order to address those areas of focus. “We have our work cut out for us, but we now have a plan,” said DeRaad. “We’re going to work together to do that as a community and as a region, and I think great days are ahead for Tucson.” President of Raytheon Missiles and Defense Wesley Kremer said the region has an opportunity to make a great comeback. “The pivot playbook is an unprecedented effort for an unprecedented time,” Kremer said. “The COVID-19 pandemic affected all of us. Lives were lost. Jobs were lost. Some families will never be the same. But with every difficult time comes opportunity and Southern Arizona has an opportunity that can change our community for the better, for years to come.”
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Tech Talk: Space bucks and robots surgeons
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ith a major research university right in our backyard, a strong military presence and innovative companies throughout the metro region, there’s often a plethora of interesting science and technology news to be found in Southern Arizona. Here’s a breakdown of the most interesting recent developments.
Space Gift. The University of Arizona has received gifts of $1.5 million and $500,000 to advance their space initiatives, which will be used on the OSIRIS-REx mission and Giant Magellan Telescope. The larger donation will be used to purchase
a secondary ion mass spectrometer, which can analyze surfaces by projecting an ion beam and then collecting and analyzing the ejected secondary ions. (Ions are particles such as an atom or molecule that have a net electric charge due to losing or gaining an electron.) The secondary ion mass spectrometer will be used to analyze samples returned from the OSIRIS-REx mission, a NASA mission led by UA that, if successful, will be the first American space mission to return a sample from the surface of an asteroid. In 2020, the OSIRISREx spacecraft successfully captured a sample of rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu, and is currently making the multi-million-mile journey back to Earth. The
spacecraft is expected to return in September 2023. A primary goal of analyzing the samples will be to answer questions about the early solar system, such as the origin of water on our planet and the formation of terrestrial bodies. The secondary ion mass spectrometer allows investigation on the nanometer scale, and can analyze the recovered samples without destroying them. Data collected from mass spectrometry includes information like the chemical composition of materials. The $500,000 gift will be used to further UA’s involvement in the Giant Magellan Telescope project, a large telescope currently under production that will be housed in Chile’s Atacama Desert and is expected
to be 10 times as strong as the Hubble Space Telescope. Mirrors for the telescope are being constructed at UA’s Steward Observatory Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. The donor has asked to remain anonymous. “I am immensely grateful for this donor’s vision and support of space science exploration at the University of Arizona,” said UA president Robert C. Robbins in a prepared statement. “One of the most thrilling aspects of both of these projects is realizing how many members of our faculty and staff, as well as our students, are contributing to their success. It is incredible to have a graduate continue engaging with the university and supporting these missions.”
Robotic Surgery. Banner – University Medicine Tucson is now offering “port robotic partial nephrectomies,” a type of robot-assisted kidney cancer surgery that can treat complex kidney cancers through one small incision. The surgery utilizes the da Vinci SP Single Port Surgical System, which has three, multi-jointed, wristed instruments and an HD camera, all of which emerge from a small tube to center around the surgery area. According to Intuitive, the company behind the robot, the system has 360-degrees of anatomical access and surgeons control the fully articulating instruments and camera. The surgery robot will be used with Dr. Benjamin Lee, a leading authority on robotic treatment of renal cell carcinoma. According to Lee, the goal of the surgery is
to remove the kidney cancer, while preserving 50-75% of the remaining kidney, which decreases the risk of renal failure. Because of the small incision required, surgeries moving forward are expected to involve less pain and scarring, have a quicker recovery time, and reduce the need for dialysis post-surgery. The previous technology, the da Vinci Xi robot, took up to six incisions to dock the robotic arms and complete the kidney surgery. According to Lee, in the past, the options were open surgery through a foot-long incision that often required removing a rib. Previous approaches required four-to-five-month expected recovery time and a four-to-five-day hospital stay. Now, that time has been reduced to a two-to-threeweek recovery time and an overnight stay.
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Local band Sweet Ghosts finally gets to celebrate the release of ‘An Endless Blue’ J G Tucson Local Media
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nless we’re in the middle of the monsoon, it’s rare for a Tucson concert to get rained out. It’s almost unheard of for a show to get rained out twice. But for folk outfit Sweet Ghosts, the lucky number might just be five. Their latest album, An Endless Blue, released more than a year ago at this point, but they’re hoping a June 16 show will be the chance to finally perform the album live, after being delayed twice due to weather and twice due to COVID. For a lesser collection of songs, the towel may have already been thrown in—but An Endless Blue is worth celebrating. “There was almost a kind of awe that it kept happening again, especially the rain-outs. The COVID ones at least were on us for cancelling because it didn’t make sense to play a show, but the rain-outs were baffling, because it doesn’t rain here,” said Ryan Alfred, who fronts Sweet Ghosts alongside Katherine Byrnes. “So it goes.” Although recorded before the pandemic, An Endless Blue is a prescient album in many ways, com-
ing from a place of uncertainty and an attempt to make sense of things larger than one’s self. Released in the infamous March 2020, the band even dedicated all of the album’s proceeds toward the Tucson Musicians COVID-19 Relief fund. But with stages repopulating, it’s time for Hotel Congress attendees to finally hear live performances of An Endless Blue’s vast, heartfelt songs. “Now we’re in this weird wishy-washy period where there are gigs, but not a ton. We’re all trying to figure out how to cobble together a living in a world that is sort of half-open,” Alfred said, who also works as production manager at Hotel Congress. A simpler album may have stayed in the year it was recorded or released, but An Endless Blue, with its varied sounds, shifting layers and open interpretations, seemed to change its meaning as the pandemic took over and then shrank away. (Aspects even seem a little too prophetic, including a recurring lyric of “What were we waiting for?”) Reflecting its open and vibrant blue-sky artwork, the album opens with a delicate piano passage, empowered by sweeping strings and ambience be-
Photo by Taylor Noel Photography
fore Alfred and Byrnes step forward with their signature vocal harmonies. The truly sweet title track sets the themes of wide-open spaces and connection. “A lot of the lyrics, and even the moods and environments I was aiming to interpret, there was an intentional drive to be in a calmer place, sort of as a reaction to not being calm myself,” Alfred said. “There was a lot of wondering about the world and how I relate to the world and how we relate to each other.” With such a gorgeous opening, listeners could be content with the chamber folk style throughout, but the sky contains clouds and thunder as well. The track “Back to Tucson” is a bona fide desert blues anthem, while “Crusher” is a darkly distorted soundscape. But
it all comes together with a theme of trying to understand, but at the same time acknowledging that some things aren’t able to be understood. “I often feel adrift and go through periods where I feel loved by my friends and family, and periods where I feel alienated or angry, and trying to get better about not placing too much emphasis on
those feelings. And I think 2020 was just one long exercise in surfing those waves between having periods of loneliness and seeing friends. But even then it was often out in a park and only feeling connection for a few hours,” Alfred said. While Alfred and Byrnes’ interplay takes center stage, the beauty of the record is also due to a variety of local musicians. An Endless Blue was recorded in early 2018 at Landmark Studios by Steven Lee Tracy. Those recording sessions included Ben Nisbet and Emily Nolan on violin, Sarah Toy on viola and Luciana Gallo on cello. Other local musicians, including Angelo Versace on piano, Gabriel Sullivan on bass, Winston Watson on drums, Mike Moynihan on horns, and Karima Walker with her signature experimental ambience also added to the project.
Sweet Ghosts An Endless Blue 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 16 Hotel Congress outdoor stage 311 E. Congress Street $12 (All previously purchased tickets will be honored) hotelcongress.com If this sounds like a large ensemble, it’s because it is. And their collaboration shines large and bright, even when the tone takes a somber turn. “I really only enjoy recording music for Sweet Ghosts with a full ensemble. That particular music, the way I conceive of it, has so much ebb and flow to it See SWEET GHOSTS, P15
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Religion educator pens ‘A Theology for the Rest of Us’ J G Tucson Local Media
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here are questions that have answers, questions without answers, and questions that just lead to more questions. In his new book, “A Theology for the Rest of Us,” local writer Arthur Yavelberg tackles all these types of questions in the hopes of providing some religious illumination in these uncertain times. Now that’s not to say the book aims to convince anyone of anything, but by examining various religions’ insights on topics like free will, the identity of the creator, and why evil exists, Yavelberg
provides a map for spiritual awareness. Yavelberg, who has worked as a teacher of history and comparative religion, as well as the head of Tucson Hebrew Academy, describes the book as “the sum total of his religious theological insight over a lifetime.” But for a book that gathers sources as diverse as the Bible, Buddhist teachings, Dostoevsky’s novels, the Koran and even The Terminator, it’s condensed down to a surprisingly easy-to-read 100 pages. As Yavelberg states in the book’s opening, “We may never reach absolute certainty, but we are rea-
sonably confident that we can make enough progress to make a difference in living our day-to-day lives.” When did you first get the idea to write this, and what research was involved? I’ll say it semi-facetiously, I was probably around 10 years old when I started watching King of Kings with Jeffrey Hunter, which I believe was the first major Hollywood movie to have an actor play Jesus, and Kung Fu with David Carradine. So even back then I was interested in different religions, and the resiliency of dealing with different
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crises. I didn’t have any formal religious background, but… one thing led to another and I went to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, and it was right across the street from Union Theological Seminary in the Upper West Side of Manhattan and got even more interested. And over time, I became a history teacher, and whenever I would teach, I would always take the position as if I was a member of the group I was teaching about. So this book is a formalization of things I had been thinking about since I was a kid. Courtesy photo
How did your time as the head of school at the Tucson Hebrew Academy influence your writing of this book? There are different types of Jewish day schools. There are the Orthodox schools, there are Solomon Schechter schools that are conservative-oriented, and there are reform day schools, too. But the Tucson Hebrew Academy is a community day school, which means it is open to Jews of any persuasion. Now, some of that is pure practical demographics, because there aren’t enough Jews of any particular sect in Tucson for each school. So as a community day school, which even has an accepting admissions policy concerning non-Jewish students, it was very natural for me to be flexible in respecting
a number of different traditions and families. It had the advantage of having people talk to each other and understand a sense of consensus and community.... There’s a more open dialogue, and a sense that even if we don’t fully agree, at least we all understand we’re here with the best of intentions and can work out something that can be doable for all of us. And I think that’s the spirit of the book.
I think so. The Jewish equivalent is the Ein Sof, and in Christianity they talk about Christ’s consciousness, and in Taoism they talk about the tao. In other words, whatever identity is attached to the deity, there seems to be an underlying mystery. Obviously there are fundamentalists in any religion that say “our way is the only way,” and the monotheistic religions are probably the worst in that regard. But I think there is also the understanding that “our way is our way” and the divine mystery is such that it manifests itself differently in different cultures, and in ways that those cultures can understand.
In the book, you mention the concept of “Brahman” in Hinduism, which teaches there is an ultimate underlying reality, and that all religions can be different paths to the same answer. Do you Data shows growing believe all religions are striving for the same end irreligion for each subsequent generation. Do goal? you think this is because
younger people are less interested in these questions, or are growing frustrated with organized religion? I saw some poll that said for the first time since the statistics were kept, fewer than 50% of the American population is affiliated with a traditional religion, but more than like 80% is interested in spirituality. So it’s not that they’re not interested in religion, but formalized religion is deteriorating in terms of support. I personally think it’s because formalized, traditional structures are more interested in preserving their authority and their structures than meeting the needs of individuals who are pursuing these things.... The way it’s framed is always the same: “How can we get people back into the synagogues and churches and mosques?” Invariably, the attitude comes out that “We know what’s right and good, and people are basically lazy and not willing to do what needs to be done in order to do God’s work.” But people don’t go to restaurants to be told what food to eat. They go to restaurants because they know what their appetites
Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
get people to give themselves permission to think about and question things they’ve learned and come up with their own conclusions. People are skeptical these days because they feel authorities are selling something, they want them to vote a certain way or join their group. The purpose of the book is that I don’t want anything, I want you to think for yourselves. People like me, who haven’t had epiphanies, have lots of questions and can be kind of embarrassed and intimidated about talking about them openly. But when we don’t talk about them openly, we don’t get the opportunity to share our experiences and our questions. So I’m not preaching anything, For the book in gener- I just want people to acal, is there a goal of convincing the readers of anything? are and what food they like to eat. They might ask a waiter for a recommendation, but they don’t go to be told what their order is going to be. People might get indignant and say they know what is correct, but look at the numbers: People are voting with their feet… When Pompei erupted in Italy, there are stories of Roman soldiers who were at their post and died being engulfed by the lava because they were so disciplined that even a flow of lava didn’t make them leave their posts. I think religious authorities are doing the same thing. They’re sticking to their ways and people are finding other sources to meet their spiritual needs.
Absolutely not. When I first broached the book to the publisher, they came out with the cover and everything, but the title was Theology for the Rest of Us, and I said “No, it’s ‘A’ Theology for the Rest of Us. In other words, it’s just one of many possible ways of looking at theology. The purpose of the book is to
knowledge that they have their own questions, there are a number of answers out there, and they should feel free to pick and choose what resonates. As long as they’re thinking about the process, they’re furthering their own spiritual journey. As the Buddha said, “Be ye lamps unto yourselves.”
“A Theology for the Rest of Us” is available from MSI Press at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and more. Yavelberg will be hosting a book signing at the Barnes & Noble at the Foothills Mall at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 19.
Sweet Ghosts Continued from P13
that proves really hard for me to maintain a vision for it while building it one step at a time,” Alfred said. “That’s why we did this last one with all six of us in a room playing the songs together, that way we could hear it as it was coming together and quickly identify if things were boring or beautiful.” Alfred says the album’s title and inspiration references those unfathomable spaces, such as endless skies or great oceans and one’s own inconsequentiality in the face of them. There is also a running theme of a relationship intermingled with this, such as the opening lyrics to the song “Things We Can’t Unsay”: “In a storm of angry words / All that we have made is blown away / Fickle is the wind, and the calm will come again / But not all wreckage is remade.” “In my own life, I understand better what’s really important to me, but it surprisingly makes me less sure about how I understand people and how
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I feel like I should move through this world,” Alfred said. “I think a lot of the lyrics on that record came from that place of wanting to acknowledge that and feel comfortable with it.” As An Endless Blue is more than a year old, Sweet Ghosts do have some material for a new album. Alfred says nothing definite is planned, but “it will come.” The pandemic and social distancing especially complicated this musical style, which often saw six musicians performing in the studio at once. “That’s not to say all music must be made that way, I recorded [A Sudden Rush of Noise] completely alone and enjoyed every moment of it. But for the music with the Sweet Ghosts name, that batch of ideas is so much about communication, and improvisation not in the song forms but in how the performers interpret them. That’s really what makes that music breathe to me.” In the meantime, we can be glad shows are being booked again, and we’re slowly headed Back to Tucson.
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
Aspiring to New ‘Heights’: Emotional, upbeat film recalls old Hollywood Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tucson Local Media
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n the Heights stars Olga Merediz and Jimmy Smits say their musical masterpiece is the perfect anecdote to a rough 18 months. “It’s balanced with emotional and deep moments, but there’s a lot of happiness and joy,” says Merediz, who plays the matriarch Abuela Claudia. “The musical numbers are just right. The music cuts right through to you and Jon Chu has done an amazing, amazing job with his incredible visuals. I think people are really going to resonate with the characters and I think people are really going to enjoy it.” With a wide smile, Smits says, “ditto,” but takes it a step
Courtesy Photo
further. “We’ve also had to reckon with a lot of social issues in the past year and a half,” says Smits, who plays Kevin Rosario, a father who butts heads with his ambitious daughter.
“We’re hoping that this film provides joy. Musicals tend to be uplifting and inspirational, but the universal themes resonate very strongly. I think this film is something all audiences will be able to grasp.”
Set to hit screens on Friday, June 11, In the Heights fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music and lyrics with director Chu’s lively eye for storytelling. Chu also directed 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians. The film takes viewers to the streets of Washington Heights, where the scent of Cafecito caliente hangs in the air outside of the 181st Street subway stop. Led by bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos, A Star is Born), the tight-knit, multicultural community shares its dreams and wishes with each other— in the hopes of paving a way out, while maintaining its ties to Washington Heights. “I hope people recognize themselves and see themselves and feel proud,” Merediz says. Smith adds viewers mustn’t live in Washington Heights to feel for the characters. “I’m sure you had your nanas, your grandmothers and that,” he says. “The city might be different, and the cultural specificity might be a little different, but the feelings of community and family, and how the generation who comes here from another place has expectations for their (children and grandchildren) are all the same. Those are universal things.” Merediz starred as Abuela Claudia on the stage version of In the Heights. She’s excited to spread her character’s word among the mass of movie lovers. “I wanted to give Claudia the platform she deserves,” says Merediz, referring to her character’s age. “She’s a character who is overlooked in our society. It’s just such
Courtesy Photo
a youth-oriented society. It gives me such pleasure to give her that platform.” She explains she enjoyed translating the stage version for film, although it was a little challenging. “The difference is, on stage, you’re delivering to the last row and you’re doing things chronologically. In a film, everything is very internal, and you shoot out of sequence. That is a challenge for an actor to keep your place, to where you are to keep that flow and that intensity of the moment in the song. It was definitely challenging, but I was up for the challenge. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” In the Heights will be available in cinemas and on HBO Max. Smits and Merediz say, although it’s available to watch at home, In the Heights is worthy of a trip to the movie theater. “The film has to be seen in the cinema,” Merediz says. “These huge numbers are epic, and they need the biggest screen you have. I
know in the past year we were in lockdown. We didn’t have a choice. I think it’s a good idea to have the option to see it in the movies and also at home, if you don’t have the ability to go to the cinema. I hope people see it in the theater.” The singing and dancing numbers can translate to a cellphone or computer, but Smits agrees — go to the cinema. “Jon’s chosen to give these visual flourishes to old Hollywood,” he adds. “It takes your breath away. He really did such a great job. I hope we bring richness, light and happiness to their (cinema-goers’) lives. After the horrible year that we’ve had, people are ready for a film like this.”
“IN THE HEIGHTS” Opens Friday, June 11, in theaters and HBO Max
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HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis
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“All Things Considered” airer 4 Sloth, e.g. 7 Wasn’t a smooth talker? 13 Singer Grande, to fans 14 “___ soon?” 15 Vanquish 16 Price of a horror film? 18 Expand to 800% 19 Big online site for uploading photos and memes 20 Antique 22 Word accompanying a lightning bolt 23 Spanish direction 24 Spanish royal 25 Balance 28 King in the “Jungle Book” films 30 Be quietly angry 32 “The Good ___” 35 Soap opera, e.g. 37 Where It. is found
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floor
40 This puzzle’s theme 42 Word with science or
chocolate
43 Like Antarctica among all
the continents
45 Historic enemy of the
Iroquois
46 Poorly made 48 YouTube statistics 50 Put an edge on 51 Had the reins 52 On 55 Rearward 57 “Take ___” 58 Separates into groups that
don’t communicate
60 “Turandot” composer 63 Shakespeare character who
says “I kiss’d thee ere I kill’d thee” 65 They may come with bows and whistles 66 Handle
Know Us, Know Your Community
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Secure in yourself, you don’t seek status. In every life, there is something that’s enviable to others. Though some lives sport this more obviously than others. This week, you’ll be inclined to hide anything that others might be jealous of -- a wise instinct, as the wrong kind of attention won’t benefit you in the least.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Things that appear to happen all at once are really the result of a long buildup of culminating measures. In this light, what do you think the current trends will eventually produce? Expert powers of projection are on the cosmic tap this week. Guess what’s coming. Adjust your actions to aim at the future you want.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). If you could see the bonding agent that makes relationships strong, then you would notice the “glue” applied in tiny drops -- brief moments of trust that, over time, build up to a quantity to connect people in points of solidarity. Don’t doubt the power of small positive interactions. They count. They are, in fact, everything.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re turning out good work as fast as you can. Don’t disparage your progress. To accept your natural pacing as a starting point (instead of comparing yourself to those going faster) is an attitude that will carry you far. Self-encouragement is like the high-energy music that makes a workout easier.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You want to get your project done, and you have everything you need now -- except time. In this case, time can be made. It can be carved out, claimed and protected. Unless you get intentional and proactive about this, it won’t happen. You may even need to become somewhat ferocious. Your project is worth it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The journey between novice and mastery crosses through a large field of mediocrity. It’s nothing too treacherous, just tall grass and gopher holes. The main thing is not to lie down and rest, and certainly don’t set up camp. March on. You’ll know you’re out of mediocrity when the terrain is more difficult and the views grand.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Growth is happening whether you recognize it or not. You’re in the process of change. As any insect inside a chrysalis knows, what’s occurring doesn’t feel the least bit miraculous. Instead, it’s experienced as messy, cramped and uncomfortable. Nonetheless, on the other side of this will be a wondrous flight. Onward!
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It’s as though you’re chasing a result that doesn’t want to be caught. You reach and, like a startled animal, it runs. So stop putting energy into the chase and start putting it into different methods of getting stronger and faster. Likely this has to do with building a habit -- becoming mighty through repetition.
Crossword Puzzle Answers
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Blue-skinned race in “Avatar” 2 Like the two 40-Across in the grid for this answer 3 Telephones 4 Binaural 5 Accelerator bit 6 Infamy 7 Bird of myth 8 DreamWorks’s first animated film 9 Like the two 40-Across in the grid for this answer 10 Person pulling the strings? 11 Fish with tiny scales 12 “Dr.” who co-founded Death Row Records 15 Wyoming town named for a frontiersman 17 Tonkatsu, in Japanese cuisine 21 Bad look 26 “Black Panther” princess/ superhero 27 Cut short 29 Loan-sharking 30 Fry in a shallow pan 31 Common street name in the Northeast 32 Language in which “Thank you very much” is “Diolch yn fawr iawn” 33 Where I-15 meets I-86 34 Like the two 40-Across in the grid for this answer 36 Inverted 39 Like the two 40-Across in the grid for this answer 41 Closest pal 44 Like the two 40-Across in the grid for this answer 47 Military alert system 49 Tiny purchase for a plumber 51 ___ Lane 53 Skateboarding maneuver 54 Classic name for a parrot 56 Tucker out 59 Only 60 Chest muscle, for short 61 57-Across, en español 62 Homer’s neighbor 64 Big airport inits. 1
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DOWN
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SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Nothing limits a view like a limited viewpoint. As fond as you are of reasonableness, today’s scene will make you wonder if you might be better off imposing unrealistic expectations on an area of your life. This will shake things up. Tomorrow will be different from today because you dared to see it differently.
E D E R L E
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TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The action plays out before you, and participation is optional. You can take control or lend support. You can be a spectator or do much less as you move right along. Remember your power to choose. Many a scene will try and seduce you into thinking that participation is mandatory, which is not the case.
C O D Y
black
T E R S E
by Stephen Colbert
S H U R I
67 Indisposed 68 Like the word “truthiness,”
P U P P E T E E R
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Just when you think you know yourself, a new circumstance gives you an exciting glimpse into levels of your personality to be revealed in the next 10 weeks. You may feel somewhat lost. Every option is a road you’ve never been down to a destination uncertain -- disconcerting and yet you’ll love where you land.
N P R A R I V I N C I M G U E S T L W I F E E D I T L A B S H O D H O N E A F P U C C E N C O C O I N
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ARIES (March 21-April 19). The moment you wake up -- the one between unconsciousness and the first thought of the day -- exists in a holy stillness, an invigorated silence of pure potential, waiting to embrace you any time you want to slip back in. Why quest for it? Not venturing out can help you find what is always with you.
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SPORTS EXTRA POINT WITH TOM DANEHY &RECREATION Remembering James Dugan and a tale of racial injustice from the ’60s T D
Tucson Local Media
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eing a high-school coach, I get regular emails from the Arizona Interscholastic Association, including complete minutes from their Executive Board Meetings (which I actually read). Don’t envy me. A lot of the items are on the boring (but necessary) side—illegal transfers, coaches yelling at refs, schools trying to gain an advantage by dropping down to a lower classification. A couple items were on the sad side. The once-mighty Flowing Wells softball program, the winner of multiple state championships not that long ago, canceled its 2021 season. Immaculate Heart, where I coached two state high jump champions (and if you’ve ever seen me, you’ll know that I wasn’t demonstrating the technique myself) a few years back, canceled its entire track program. And then there was this: “LETTER FROM FLAGSTAFF HIGH SCHOOL – JAMES DUGAN Tony Cullen, Principal,
as well as Jeannine Brandel, Athletic Director at Flagstaff High School, discussed the request from Flagstaff regarding James Dugan and rescinding his 10-game suspension.” I’ve seen lots of suspension notices and appeals, but this one caught my eye. I’m glad it did, because the suspension that was being appealed dates back 57 years. On a January night in 1964, Flagstaff High’s boys’ basketball team was in Prescott for a game with its archrivals. James Dugan was the best player on the floor that night. In fact, he was the best player on the floor every night. In his previous game, he had torched Winslow High for 54 points, which is STILL the school record. As a prep, Dugan was named to different All-American teams in football, basketball, and baseball. When a list of the Top 100 Arizona highschool athletes of the 20th Century was released, Dugan was in the Top 10. Flagstaff, while remote, was a college town and more cosmopolitan than other Northern Arizona towns. The sports teams at Flagstaff High were completely integrated, with a
significant number of African-Americans, Native Americans and Latinos on the rosters. It was two months after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the country was in turmoil. The Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum and within the next 18 months, President Lyndon Johnson would push the Civil Rights Bill and the Voting Rights Act through Congress. But for James Dugan and other Black kids, Flagstaff was something of an oasis. And if he liked his hometown, his hometown LOVED him. He was probably the most well-known and best-liked person in town. But the game wasn’t in Flagstaff; it was in Prescott. And if Flagstaff was a 1960s model of diversity, Prescott was whiter than the British Royal Family (well, until recently). Not surprisingly, there were starkly different accounts of what happened that night, what led up to the incident that changed James Dugan’s life. It was a nasty game, rough and often dirty. The Prescott players grabbed Dugan’s jersey, fouled a little bit extra hard, and, according
to most reports, joined in with a significant number of people in the stands in hurling racial epithets at Dugan. Late in the game, Dugan was assessed his fifth foul. As he began to leave the floor, he suddenly turned and punched Prescott player Randy Emmett in the face, breaking Emmett’s jaw. Dugan and several witnesses said that, after having been called the N-word dozens of times during the game by Prescott fans and players, the breaking point came when Emmett spit in Dugan’s face. The gym had to be cleared so that Flagstaff could finish off the close win. Despite a police escort for the visiting team, all of the windows were
broken out of the Flagstaff bus by rocks thrown by Prescott fans. Not surprisingly, the Prescott players swore that none of them had said anything improper and that any use of the N-word came from a small group of rowdy fans. The daily papers from the two towns had wildly differing accounts of what happened. A few days later, Dugan again traveled to Prescott, this time to visit Emmett in the hospital. There is no record of what transpired during that meeting, but somewhat tellingly, Emmett’s family declined to press charges. The people in Prescott went in another direction. They appealed to the AIA for Dugan to be punished.
The AIA met in secret, invited no witnesses, took no testimony, and then issued a 10-game suspension, effectively ending Dugan’s senior year and high-school career. The Flagstaff School Board and the City Council both expressed outrage at both the decision and the manner at which it had been determined. The suspension stood. Earlier this year, a petition was circulated through Flagstaff, asking that the AIA produce a symbolic reversal of its generations-old injustice. But… “On a motion made, seconded and carried, the Executive Board DENIED the request from Flagstaff High School to rescind the 10-game suspension.”
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Health teams work to overcome vaccine hesitancy Shooting with lottery tickets, free meals and zoo admission Continued from P1
C D Tucson Local Media
T
his past weekend, the Reid Park Zoo offered free tickets for people who came by to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Casino del Sol gave away $20 gift cards to its restaurants for those who would get jabbed. And Pima County has started giving out scratcher lottery tickets worth up to $10,000 at some vaccination clinics. It’s all part of new efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy as demand for the vaccine shot decreases and large-scale distribution sites such as the staterun clinic on the UA mall shut down. “Those events helped boost the vaccinations at those sites, and we will continue to provide extra motivation for people to get their shots and protect our community,” said Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen. “We’re grateful to our partners for making this happen at a fun summer event for the family.” The efforts are part of the National Month of Action, which President Joe Biden announced last week. The administration called it an “all-of-America sprint” to reach the goal of vaccinating 70% of U.S. adults with at least one shot by July 4. According to data from the CDC, 58.1% of Arizona
Courtesy Arizona Department of Health Services
Daily COVID deaths in Arizona have been at a low plateau under 20 per day since mid March. residents age 18 and older had received at least one dose of the vaccine as of last Friday, June 4. Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ said she hopes that state hits that 70% goal, but vaccine hesitancy and decreased demand makes that harder. “We know that there’s a lot of misperceptions out there about the vaccine,” Christ said last week at a press briefing. “We know that there’s a lot of people who are hesitant and want to see others who have taken the vaccine and see how it turns out for them before they get it. So we’re going to continue to work. We would love to hit that 70% goal by July 4, but we’re
going to continue working whether we get that or not.” Prior to the pandemic, Arizona already had pockets of vaccine hesitancy as one of the few states that allows personal exemptions for vaccinations. “We’ve been seeing declining vaccination rates in Arizona, so that may play a role in it,” Christ said. “A lot of Arizonans are independent. They want to make these decisions on their own. We’re working on getting that information out and answering individual questions the best that we can.” Christ said at the State Farm Stadium POD back at the end of March peaked at around 169,000 doses in a week, to about 13,000
doses last week and around 20,000 to 50,000 doses the previous weeks. With significant drops in vaccine demand, the state is shuttering their state vaccination PODs and shifting their efforts to pop-up events. The University of Arizona POD will close on June 25. Through the One Community Initiative, state and local health departments have been partnering with faith-based organizations to increase vaccine equity, holding telephone town halls and door-to-door outreach. Christ said they are looking at geographical areas that have higher rates of COVID-19 and outcomes of hospitalization or
death, but also at various populations where they have identified lower vaccination rates, including veterans, Black adult men, and men between the ages of 18 and 30 who “may not be impacted by COVID-19 but have lower vaccination rates.” With a stabilization of COVID-19 cases and a steady decline in the rate of transmission since the end of April to 44 cases per 100,000 individuals for the week of May 23, Christ said she hoped the state would not face another spike in cases despite the unknowns of COVID-19 and potential variants. “What we would hope is that, even if we got a significant number of cases, that our vulnerable populations have been significantly immunized and that would prevent potentially hospitalizations and deaths. So it’s hard to predict,” said Christ. “We do have a significant number of Arizonans vaccinated. It’s not as high as we would like, but we also know that some people will have some immunity. We don’t know how long it lasts but if they’ve recently been infected with COVID, they may have a level of protection, and people haven’t gone completely back to normal, which I think also slows some of that transmission. But it’s always something that we’re on the watch for.”
On their way to the scene, deputies were flagged down and stopped to render aid to two adult male shooting victims before paramedics from the Golder Ranch Fire Department arrived on the scene. The men were transported to a hospital and were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. When deputies arrived at the residence where the shooting took place, they learned that a third shooting victim might be inside. They entered the house and discovered Jacinto. As they spoke with him, they learned he matched the description of the shooter. Jacinto ducked behind a wall and fired multiple gunshots. Deputies retreated from the home to create a containment perimeter. While they were securing the area, they discovered the body of Valdez, who had been shot dead. SWAT team members, along with a bomb squad, send a robot into the home to search for Jacinto. The robot’s footage showed that Jacinto was dead of an evident self-inflicted gunshot wound. A subsequent investigation revealed the neighbors had been engaged in a long-running feud.
www.tucsonlocalmedia.com Your online source for news in the Northwest
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021
WORSHIP GUIDE
CATHOLIC
FELLOWSHIP
LUTHERAN
THE GATE CHURCH
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Reach Up, Reach In, Reach Out! Casual atmosphere. • Sat 6 PM Cowboy Church • Sun 11:30 AM Contemporary Service Lead Pastor David Willard
Reconciliation: T-F at 7:30 AM, Sat at 2-3:30 PM and by appointment.
9000 W Avra Valley Rd, Marana www.thegatechurch.com
LUTHERAN Saturday Vigil: 4 PM Sunday: 7 AM* and 9 AM 11 AM Bilingual (4th Sunday is Spanish Mass) 5 PM
Saturday: 5-5:30 PM Sunday: 10-10:45 AM
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church 2727 W. Tangerine Road Oro Valley, AZ 85742 520.469.7835 www.stmarkov.com
Saturday: 4:00 PM Vigil Mass Sunday: 7:00 AM 8:30 AM Masks required 10:00 AM 11:30 AM
LUTHERAN SANTA CATALINA PARISH
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8650 North Shannon Rd, Tucson 85742 (520) 297-7357 church@seastucson.org † www.seastucson.org 8650 North Rd, Tucson 85742 Office Hours: Mon. -Shannon Fri. 8am-12:30pm & 1:15pm-4:30pm (520) 297-7357 Closed Saturday & Sunday church@seastucson.org Due to Covid-19, the Parish Office will †bewww.seastucson.org closing to the public for walk-ins Office Hours: Mon. - Fri.email 8am-12:30pm 1:15pm-4:30pm until further notice. Please or call and&we will assist you. Closed Saturday & Sunday Due to Covid-19, the Parish Office will be closing to the public for walk-ins until further notice. Please email or call and we will assist you.
Daily Mass - online & in person Monday - Friday: 8:15am Daily Mass - online & in person Monday - Friday: 8:15am Watch Online
seastucson.org Watch Online YouTube.com/SEASTucson seastucson.org FB.me/ChurchSEAS YouTube.com/SEASTucson FB.me/ChurchSEAS
Weekend Masses Weekend Saturday:Masses 5pm
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Communion Distribution Communion Distribution Sunday 8-8:30am & 12pm-12:30pm Sunday 8-8:30am9:15am & 12pm-12:30pm Monday-Friday: - 9:30am Monday-Friday: 9:15am - 9:30am
St. St. Elizabeth Elizabeth Ann Ann Seton Seton Catholic Catholic School School Daily in-person in-person instruction instruction Daily Pre-K – 8th Grade www.school.seastucson.org † (520) 797 - SEAS
METHODIST
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
11575 N. 1st Ave. Oro Valley, AZ 85737 (520) 575-9901 Welcome to Resurrection Lutheran! Come join us every Sunday for worship!
OUR DOORS ARE OPEN! Oro Valley Location
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METHODIST
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VISTA DE LA MONTAÑA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Please joinWorship us for for In-Person Vista Church Sunday at 10 amand Please join us LIVE! Online service Children’s Sunday School Live Streamed Worship Service Sunday @ 10am @ 10:00am at 10:15 am after the children’s www.vistaumc.org www.vistaumc.org time in the church service or watch anytime using the the previor watch anytime using ous broadcast button! previous broadcast Adult Sunday School –button! 11:15 am Please visit our website and/ 3001 E. Miravista Catalina or VistaUMC onLane, Facebook for Facebookfor viewing and daily updates updates on our our viewing on Locatedand on daily Oracle Rd. between Sunday services. services. Sunday
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TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 866-459-5480. (M-F 8am-6pm ET) (AzCAN)
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GF and Son Contractor
Family Business 25 yrs. BBB Member & licensed. Specialize in all types of(New/Old) Roof repairs, Coating, Rotten Wood, Fascia Boards, Remodeling & Additions, Permit plans. Now Accepting Credit cards Gary or Chase 520-742-1953
NETWORK ADS NEED NEW FLOORING? Call Empire Today® to schedule a FREE in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring. Call Today! 877-591-3539 (AzCAN) DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 866-932-4184 (AzCAN)
Never Pay For Covered Home Repairs Again! Complete Care Home Warranty COVERS ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE. $200.00 OFF 2 FREE Months! 1-877-565-0239 (AzCAN)
Call 520-797-4384 to learn more about advertising
LONG DISTANCE MOVING: White-Glove Service from America’s Top Movers. Fully insured and bonded. Let us take the stress out of your out of state move. FREE QUOTES! Call: 877-706-1204 (AzCAN)
Classifieds are now in color!
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Are you at risk for stroke or cardiovascular disease? Screenings are easy, painless and non-invasive.
Call Life Line Screening at 855-575-6793 Special Offer for Readers 5 screening package for $149
A Smarter Way to Power Your Home. Power your home, save money and be prepared for utility power outages with the PWRcell, a solar + battery storage system.
REQUEST A FREE QUOTE!
ACT NOW
TO RECEIVE
A $300 SPECIAL OFFER!*
(844) 730-0219
$0 DOWN FINANCING OPTIONS!** *Offer value when purchased at retail. **Financing available through authorized Generac partners. Solar panels sold separately.
Call 520-797-4384
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Explorer and Marana News, June 9, 2021