Marana News 09/06/2023

www.Maranaweeklynews.com

BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Contributor

arana Unified School District has become a Marzano High Reliability School, joining roughly 600 schools across the country. The district certified not one but all 17 schools under its jurisdiction.

BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Contributor

ana’s Kitchen was recently the first restaurant to receive the new Taste of Marana Standout Restaurant Award, which will recognize the best dining experiences the town has to offer.

Looking back at the restaurant’s success, owner Javier Teran and his team were beyond words.

“It’s a surreal moment for us,” Teran said. “It’s an honor and it’s such a beautiful award, we’re

“When you look at 17 different schools and communities committing to this work and committing to this idea of continued improvement, I think that says a lot about MUSD,” Superintendent Dan Streeter said. “It says a lot about who we are today and who we want to be going forward.”

After evaluating the recent school year,

Nana’s Kitchen owner Javier Teran holds the first Taste of Marana Standout Award while his mother, Maria “Nana” Hernandez, holds their certificate. (Stefanie Boe/Submitted)

Tuesday, September 12

Thursday, October 5

Tuesday, October 10

Friday, November 3

Thursday, November 9

Friday, December 1

Thursday, December 7

Wednesday,

WARNING!

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

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

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

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

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

(above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

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

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

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

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

It’s completely painless!

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

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

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

Hot Picks

BY LINDA RAY Tucson Local Media Contributor

Broadway in Tucson: “Aladdin” TO SEPT. 10

With this staging of “Aladdin,” Broadway in Tucson celebrates 30 years since Disney’s animated Aladdin first found the magic lamp. The stage play was produced by the same team that brought us “The Lion King” and the music is by Tony and Academy Award winner Alan Menken. For anyone unfamiliar with the story, it’s boy-meets-girl magic with sets involving mountains of glittering treasure and goofy sidekicks and a villain you will love to hiss. But mind the cobra. Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, tickets start at $40, various times, broadwayintucson.com

“Drinking Local: A Toast to the Southwest” TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

Tucson, $12, $6 children, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., https://bit.ly/41TaXqH

Hunger Walk

September is Hunger Action Month — a great reason to take a healthy, 1-mile walk with family and friends to benefit Tucson’s Community Food bank. You’ll be helping provide meals, stock pantries, grow gardens in back yards and at schools and train people to find new jobs in kitchens. You’ll also help raise awareness. Arizona has the 14th highest rate of childhood hunger in the U.S. with 1 in 6 kids at risk.

Sam Lena Park, 3400 S. Country Club Road, Tucson, $25, $10 youth ages 6 to 11, 8 a.m., communityfoodbank. org/hungerwalk/

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 nd out where you can pick up a free copy of the Explorer and Marana News, go to www.TucsonLocalMedia.com

STAFF

ADMINISTRATION

Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher

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EDITORIAL

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

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

PRODUCTION

Courtney Oldham Production/Design Supervisor production@timeslocalmedia.com

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CIRCULATION

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ADVERTISING

TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com

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Leah Pittman, Account Executive lpittman@tucsonlocalmedia.com

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EDITORIAL

5-DAY WEATHER

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

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage

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

Arrowhead Physical Medicine will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until September 30th, 2023. Call (520) 934-0130 to make an appointment.

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

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

Local brews are nothing new in Southern Arizona. An exhibit now featured at the Arizona History Museum traces the history and community impact of Southern Arizona brewers, distillers and vintners. Artifacts include the original bar from Tombstone’s Birdcage Theatre, the original copper still from Tucson Distiller Whiskey del Bac and artifacts of the soil scientist whose research led to the establishment of Sonoita’s first winery. Admission includes all museum exhibits.

Arizona History Museum, 949 E. Second Street,

The First Revolution: Mexico’s War of Independence

SEPT. 9

This is the perfect junket for anyone who still thinks Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican independence. Historian Alex La Pierre tells how that really went down in a war with Spain from 1810 to 1821. It was Sept. 16 when Spain backed down. May 5 just celebrates Mexico’s 1862 victory over the Second French Empire at the battle of Puebla. Bet somebody a cerveza on May 5. Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, 1 Burruel Street, Tubac, $15, 10 a.m., tubacpresidio.org

Keb’ Mo

SEPT. 12

In a rock ‘n’ roll world, Keb’ Mo won five Grammy awards for taking us back in time, evoking the sounds of sweltering southern summers, the bayous, the barns with the paint peeling. At a time when punk bands were borrowing that retro sound and morphing it to new decibel levels, Keb’ Mo’s sensibilities picked it up where it lay and carried it forward and made it a party,

all the way to Carnegie Hall. Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, Tucson, tickets start at $20, 7:30 p.m., foxtucson.com

Odyssey Storytelling: “Arms & Legs”

SEPT. 7

The mission of the nonprofit StoryArts Group, parent of Odyssey Storytelling, is to “create, support, preserve, promote and celebrate” the art of storytelling. That’s no mean feat in the age of the IM. Stories, told on cave walls or around a fire, were the origin of history, biography, journalism and arguably, community. Odyssey Storytelling keeps them going with monthly performances of the best stories submitted around a specific prompt. This month, we will laugh and cry through whatever “Arms & Legs,” inspires.

The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress Street, Tucson, $15, 7 p.m., odysseystorytelling.com

6th Annual Lantern Festival SEPT. 9

Tucson Dancers

Line Dance

New Beginner Class

Starting mid September

All ages will find something to enjoy at this event meant to carry messages of hope, love, happiness and peace out to the universe. The tradition of sending lit kites to the sky originated centuries ago in Asia to honor ancestors in the first month of the lunar new year. The Benson festival honors all ages, cultures and traditions, encouraging visitors to celebrate and remember their own ancestors and traditions. Games, music, dancing, artisans and food and beverage vendors round out the fun. Kids will love the free face-painting, a climbing wall and lots of inflatables.

Oro Valley Area Tuesdays, Late Afternoon.

San Pedro Golf Course, 926 N. Madison Avenue, Benson, tickets start at $17, 3 to 8 p.m.,

The Lantern Festival - Benson, Arizona on Facebook

Lana Wilson, Instructor

Over 30 years experience

For more information: 520-308-5705, keedance1@gmail.com

Tucson Jazz Festival: Keiko Matsui SEPT. 12

Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder are among fans of this pianist, welcome in concert halls around the world for her style, both musical and personal. Her dream, she says, is “to increase harmony on this planet” through her music. She’s often characterized as soft-spoken, but she is known as a dynamo on piano. With her touring combo, she’ll perform music from her just-released album, “Euphoria.”

The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, Tucson, tickets start at $38.50, 8 p.m., tucsonjazzfestival.org

News Briefs

BY TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA STAFF

Damaged ramada is down

A three-piece ramada used by Heirloom Farmers Market at Oro Valley’s historic Steam Pump Ranch has been demolished in the aftermath of a July act of vandalism that heavily damaged the wood shade structure.

The ramada, equipped with an electric system and water lines for cooling mist above shoppers and vendors, was slammed by someone driving a white pickup truck overnight July 20. Oro Valley Police continue to investigate the incident.

Crews have removed the entire ramada; all that remains are brick pavers.

Meanwhile, the Oro Valley Farmers Market goes on, with vendors setting up under shade and pop-up tents within Steam Pump Ranch. Summer hours remain in place; it is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday at the Oracle Road site, which is 10901 North Oracle Road.

Town staff is working with the Heirloom Farmers Markets, the Pima County Office of Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation, and the Oro Valley Historical Society to “discuss replacement options” for the ramada “that meet the theme and integrity of the property,” a town spokesperson said.

Discussions are in “the very early stages,” the spokesperson continued. There are no cost estimates, nor concepts of “what a new structure will look like, at this time,” she concluded.

Monsoon damage focus for two OV departments

in particular an Aug. 16 cloudburst that dropped heavy rain and felled trees and limbs in the vicinity of Oro Valley’s Naranja Park, pushed the town’s public works and parks and recreation departments to embark on a two-week cleanup campaign.

Oro Valley’s primary goal “is to keep the public safe by ensuring public roadways and town properties are safe,” an Aug. 22 town release said. “Immediately after the storms, public works crews have been on-scene in the evenings to clear roadways of debris and downed trees to ensure a safe commute for motorists.

“Staff is also prioritizing other areas that could potentially impact public safety, such as hanging tree limbs or other hazards. Once those areas have been cleared, staff will then focus efforts on removing debris and fallen trees in other public spaces, to include town-owned golf courses,” the release continued.

Clean-up may be completed in early September, “weather permitting,” the release said. Redirection of staff to the cleanup effort may delay regularly scheduled right-of-way maintenance, it added. Naranja Park took a significant hit Aug. 16, when several inches of rain fell in less than 40 minutes, resulting in sheet flow and a 40-foot-wide stream across sports fields under construction.

“The storm did delay work, as crews had to wait until conditions dried up,” a spokesperson said. “However, it will not have a substantial impact to the overall project. We are still on track to meet our goal of opening the park in Spring 2024.”

Anyone who sees a downed tree in the road, or a tree on power lines, is asked to call 911, or call the public works department at 520-229-4850.

AGING WELL

Personal Training O ers a Path for Pursuing Fitness Goals

Sometimes, even regular visits to the gym aren’t enough to keep you on track or help you reach a specific fitness goal. That’s where personal training can help.

Todd Lutz, the spa and fitness manager at Splendido, a Life Plan Community for those 55 and better in Oro Valley, sees a growing popularity among residents for working with a personal trainer. “Working with a trainer keeps you accountable,” says Todd, “but the real benefit is the trainer’s expertise in guiding you through a specific, safe, challenging regimen that focuses on what you want to achieve.”

Let’s Get Personal

People typically hire a personal trainer for a series of one-on-one workout sessions.

“Professional trainers know the ins and outs of exercise science,” explains Todd. “We can help people progress in areas of cardiovascular endurance, core strength, or agility—focusing on the areas they are targeting.” The

client sets their goals and the trainer comes up with a plan to help them achieve it.

“Personal training is a good option for people who might have realized they need to change up what they’ve been doing on their own. We see new people sign up for shortterm training—but we also have some dedicated clients,” says Todd. Residents pay a fee for each personal training session.

Florence Ja e worked with a personal trainer for several years before she moved to Splendido 11 years ago, so she knows how e ective it can be. After a hip replacement, she decided to build up her strength. “I was inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” she says. “For the last few years, I’ve been meeting with Todd once a week, and I’ve definitely seen some improvement.”

Resident Kathy Simkins describes herself as “a strong advocate” of personal training; she relies on weekly sessions to increase her strength and correct her movements. “What I like about personal

weight machines. Compared to weight machines that use iron for say, leg lifts or bicep curls, with compressed air, you can move at a constant speed and reduce your risk for injury. “The compressed air equipment is highly adaptable and focuses on power and speed as well as strength,” explains Todd. Unlike iron weights, compressed air lets you move faster throughout your movement; you use the same rate of motion while lifting and lowering a weight or raising and lowering a leg lift, which helps improve neuromuscular speed.

teen minutes or half an hour.

High-tech fitness equipment: Splendido stocks its fitness center with versatile Therabody-brand wellness tech tools that residents can use to enhance their workwork outs. “Our massage guns and wave rollers have di erent functions, but generally, they reset the body to allow it to move more naturally, and they provide greater range of motion, so you can perform at a higher level and get more out of your workout,” explains Todd.

training is that it keeps me from relying on bad habits and using compensatory muscles that may cause injury,” she says. “It’s nice to have someone assess you as you exercise; that’s how I learn and practice movements that support my musculature. Also, it’s like I have a partner to play with—Gina cheers me on. On days I work out with her, I feel jazzed and powerful, and just really good about myself.”

Exercise

Options Galore

In addition to personal training, Splendido residents can choose from in-person fitness classes and a fully equipped fitness center including indoor and outdoor pools. Some unique options include:

Compressed air machines: Splendido’s fitness center features compressed air equipment rather than traditional

Circuit training: Residents can sign up for circuit training, a fast-paced, intensive workout that involves cycling through multiple types of exercise in order to work di erent muscle groups. For example, you might rotate among stations that involve weights, floorwork like lunges or pushups, exercise bands or balls, and cardio equipment, spending about a minute at each station and quickly rotating around them for fiffif

All of the above fitness resources—high-tech as well as high-touch—have been selected to address the goals and desires of Splendido residents. “Everyone’s wellness journey is unique, and we provide an array of options to support people, no matter what they’d like to achieve,” says Todd.

Interested in learning more about Splendido? For floor plans, photos, and information on upcoming events, visit splendidotucson.com.

Splendido fitness instructor Gina Rhine focuses on resident Florence Ja e’s individual goals in a personal training session.

ICS asks neighbors to ‘stuff the truck’

BY KAREN SCHAFFNER

Tucson Local Media Sta

The 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is approaching. The memories will never go away, but AmeriCorps is trying to build something good with the 9/11 Day of Service.

In recognition of the day, the Interfaith Community Service food banks are asking residents to stuff their truck with food Saturday, Sept. 9, to Monday, Sept. 11.

All donations go to the ICS food bank, which has four distribution points throughout Tucson.

This is the second year ICS has hosted this event. Last year’s Stuff the Truck event was quite successful, and the organization is hoping for that again.

“We look at what’s needed in the community, and we provide people with an

opportunity to give,” said Tom McKinney, CEO of Interfaith Community Service.

In giving, “we pay recognition to all the medical personnel, the police, all those folks who either help us every day or were helpful back in those days.”

McKinney said the need is great in the community as there has been a “significant climb in the number of people who come to ICS.”

ICS offers more than food. The staff helps people find jobs, deliver food, and aid with rent and utility bills.

In other words, “whatever we can do to keep people stable and self-sufficient,” McKinney said.

For this drive, ICS is asking for peanut butter; any kind of canned meat; meals in a pop-top can, such as chili or ravioli; canned pasta sauce but nothing in a glass jar; boxed baking mixes; canned fruit and vegetables and even cat or dog food.

Because the bus is refrigerated, ICS is taking donations of perishable food as well, like fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, milk, butter, or frozen items.

There is also a need for diapers and adult incontinence briefs or adult underwear, any kind of hygiene product such as toothpaste and toothbrushes, wipes and women’s products.

ICS formed 39 years ago when a few Tucson faith communities merged resources to have a broader reach. Today, there are 118 faith communities involved and 1,300 volunteers to keep the food bank going.

The ICS food bank is open mornings Monday through Friday. Clients must register and may come to collect a big box of food once a month, with a smaller box inbetween. There are collection sites across the city and in Phoenix. They’re digitally connected, so it’s known if some-

one comes more than once.

On any given day, they serve 110 to 120 clients in a three-hour period. Volunteers serve as runners, loaders and packers.

As it looks to the future, ICS hopes to add another time in the afternoon and another day at sites across the city.

For today, though, McKinney considers his clients and knows no one is immune to needing help.

“We all think that poverty and homelessness, all that is somebody else. Those poor people, they must have done something wrong,” he said. “The reality is some people are in this predicament because of one life event that we’re all one step away from. It’s an accident. It’s some type of crisis. It’s all of us. We’re blessed to be where we are and we’re blessed to be able to give, because we never know when we’re going

see STUFF page 9

MONDAY-SATURDAY 6:30AM - 6:30PM

to need somebody.”

The truck will be available to receive donations at the following times and locations:

Saturday, Sept. 9

8 to 10 a.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2002 N. Greasewood Road, Tucson

8 to 11 a.m., ICS Northwest Food Bank, 2820 W. Ina Road, Tucson

11 a.m. to 1 pm., Greater Faith Church, 431 Plumer Avenue, Tucson

Sunday, Sept. 10

7:30 to 10 a.m. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 3738 N. Old Sabino Canyon Road, Tucson

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 7570 Thornydale Road, Tucson

Monday, Sept. 11

11 a.m. to 7 p.m., ICS Northwest Food Bank, 2820 W. Ina Road, Tucson

For information, email tcarlson@icstucson.org or visit, tcarlson@ icstucson.org/911.

MOVING THE POWER OF

Volunteer loaders Wallace Kleindienst, left, and David Casillas prepare to put groceries in a client’s car. Clients get a color-coded card placed in their windshields, which tell loaders how much the client may receive, depending on family size and age. (ICS/Submitted)

Movement energizes us, makes us stronger, and nurtures our souls. In other words, keeping moving is the key to good health—whatever your age.

Residents at Villa Hermosa senior living community enjoy the signature Zest fitness program Cardio, Strength & Balance™, created to promote the core elements of good health—no matter one’s age, fitness level, or goals.

Join us at our upcoming event to learn more or call to schedule your personalized tour.

Zest Cardio Drumming Class

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH • 1:00PM

Join us as we drum our way to fitness with instructor Jennifer Spencer during an exhilarating Cardio Drumming Class. Using drumsticks and exercise balls, we’ll get our hearts pumping and our bodies moving for a fun full-body workout. To RSVP for you and a friend, call 520.704.6491.

Director offers update on Marana’s future

BY JASON ANGELL Town of Marana Development Services Director

What’s going up in Marana?

That’s one of the most frequent questions the town of Marana development services department receives, and it’s no surprise. As the fastest-growing community in Southern Arizona, we’ve seen quite a bit of change in recent years. You want to know what’s coming to Marana, and we have several ways for you to keep up to date on developments.

One way is by visiting maranaaz.gov and clicking “current projects” under our “services” tab. This will take you to a directory and interactive map of all the latest commercial new builds, commercial remodels, residential, land use, business licenses, community improvements, and transportation projects. Here, you can review the plans,

applicant information, and project status.

Development services staff is working with GIS staff to improve how we display projects at various stages. Our current system only allows projects to remain on the website for approximately 60 days, which doesn’t always line up with when a project actually breaks ground. In the coming months we plan to unveil a new look that will allow individuals to track projects that are in review while also monitor projects that are under construction.

Second, check out the “Real Talk with the Town of Marana” podcast, available on all podcast streaming sites. Each episode answers a resident question. I’ve had discussions with Town Manager Terry Rozema on a variety of topics, including a tour of the latest developments, storage facilities, the Amazon facility on Silverbell Road, annexation, and diverse and affordable housing.

By subscribing to the podcast, not only will you get to listen in on in-depth discussions on certain projects, you’ll also get to learn about other aspects of local government, including road improvements, public safety, recreation, history, and more.

The development services department is dedicated to providing five-star service for a thriving community, and that means implementing processes that work for our customers. This includes online applications, online payments, and GIS integration to automate reviews based on location for floodplain, fire and utility services. We also have plan review integration, which combines comment markups from all reviewers.

This October, we begin the integration of our new permitting software. This new permitting software will allow us to better serve our customers in a variety of ways. Customers will now be able to complete their online application

and attach all supporting documents without having to request a link to upload documents or send several emails to complete their submittal.

At the same time, applicable fees will instantly populate and will allow the applicant to pay their fees online and at the time of submittal. All this and a whole lot more will allow our team to become more efficient while saving our customers precious time and money.

While we’re at the very beginning of this process, we are excited to embark on this endeavor over the next eighteen months, knowing that the end result will bring us closer to achieving five-star service.

Marana is a destination for many families and businesses, and we’re proud to be part of an organizationwide effort to make Marana a trailblazing community that raises the bar for the best quality of life.

Samantha Fish turns rock on its head with ‘Faster’

BY AARON IRONS Tucson Local Media Contributor

When it comes to guitar-slinging sorcery with style, Samantha Fish is in a class all her own. The multi-award-winning, Missouri-born performer has made a career out of boldly inhabiting the intersections of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. With her 2021 album, “Faster,” Fish sweetened the deal with bold splashes of pop, funk, and even a killer dose of Kansas City hip-hop. Always the musical adventurer, Fish recently teamed up with Texas six-string maestro Jesse Dayton on a full-length album of original material titled “Death Wish Blues,” which arrived on May 19. Fish and Dayton spent the summer playing shows together, but now Fish is back on the road. She’ll open for Buddy Guy on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the AVA Amphitheater.

The set figures to feature a good cross

section of songs from across what is now a lengthy and successful career.

You flirted with some of these sounds on the album “Kill or Be Kind,” but stylistically, you really changed jackets on “Faster.” Tell me about the shift and working with Martin Kierszenbaum.

SF: It’s funny you bring up that we were flirting with those sounds on “Kill or Be Kind” because I think I was definitely inching toward something like that. Those songs had very melodic-based hooks, kind of like blues foundations, but with pop hooks. Martin took that and just elevated it. He's an incredible pop producer. He’s done some of my favorite pop acts. He produced Lady Gaga’s “The Fame,” which I think is an amazing album.

It was something I had definitely been flirting with prior to that, but (we were) just taking the blues and seeing if we

could collide it with another genre in a way that made for massive hooks and catchy songs that people could feel and dance to. Comin' out of the pandemic with a record like that — out of a time that wasn’t really fun at all — coming out with something that was so energetic got me up and going, and that was what I wanted to do for everybody else.

When I was writing “Faster,” it was kicking off the pandemic and we were all in the dark not really knowing how things were going to go or how long it was going to last. Like everybody else, I fell into this depression state, and I was writing a lot of darker stuff. But when I started working with Martin, he had such a positive, enthusiastic energy about him, it was hard to not feel optimistic about the art and what I could do with it. That was a massive gift that Martin gave to me, which was a boost of positivity at a time when I didn't really have a lot of that going on.

With the different experimentation that you've done with your last few albums, is being pigeonholed as a blues guitarist a concern for you?

SF: Really, since the “Wild Heart” record, every record has been a little conceptualized — a different theme sonically. “Chills & Fever,” we took it to a different era with brass. We went to Detroit and did a lot of soul songs from the ’50s and ’60s. We remade them in a contemporary way with urgent guitars and this band called the Detroit Cobras, which was a rock band that does a lot of those R&B covers, too.

After that, I did “Belle of the West” and further on with “Kill or Be Kind,” so I’ve always felt like an album is an opportunity to reinvent yourself and to flip the narrative on its head a little bit. People

see FISH page 12

Being sick is hard enough. So we’re making it a little easier to get care, when and where you need it, with the opening of Northwest Urgent Care at Tangerine. Whether you’re under the weather and need walk-in care from a provider or you’ve had a minor injury that needs urgent attention, our new location is close to you with the same quick, convenient care you’re used to from Northwest Healthcare.

Walk-in or schedule online. Just scan the QR code.

get an idea of exactly who you are and exactly what you’re going to be doing next, but as an artist, it feels good to be able to have the freedom to change and go wherever the art pulls you to. At the end of the day, that’s what’s driving the bus and I’m just trying to chase it down and write good songs.

“Loud,” the collaboration with rapper Tech N9ne on “Faster”... Initially, I would not have thought so, but that really comes across as one of the most organic tracks on the album. It's a wonderful amalgamation of styles starting with that ’50s, dreamy pop intro, and then you just kick it into high gear with the metal fuzz and the hip-hop ties it all together. Whose idea was that?

SF: This idea scared me so bad! Me and Martin, we first met up in Kansas City to co-write, and Tech lent us one of his writing spaces. They have a big complex out there with Strange Music, and Martin just flippantly tossed the idea out like, “Hey, what if we get Tech on one of these songs?” I just laughed like, ‘He would never in a million years! He’s not gonna say yes!’ Martin’s like, ‘I think he will.’ So, he asked him and Tech was down — I was

“We just want to see how it goes. Pick out a few songs that you feel like encompass the aesthetic and the vibe and the inspiration of what you’re trying to do.”

We picked Magic Sam’s “Feelin’ Good,” which is this burning blues number. Jesse played me this live version of him doing it in Belgium and it was just blow-yourhair-back good. I brought in a Townes Van Zandt song (“I’ll Be Here in the Morning”) because Jesse’s an amazing outlaw country musician, and I wanted to really showcase us singing together in a delicate fashion.

“Brand New Cadillac”... We wanted to do something that mixed punk, rock, blues, and all our different styles together for this specific project. We tried to choose songs carefully that would express that. I didn’t know that it would go over so well, but the label loved it and wanted to put it out as an EP, so it’s a cherry on top.

Did you originally plan to make a fulllength original album?

shocked! I’ve been aware of him since I was a kid. There were massive billboards erected all over Kansas City with Tech on them. He’s a hero and a legend — not just in Kansas City but around the world. He’s one of the best in the game. It tickled the Kansas City kid in me. He just killed it, man — he killed his portion of that song! We got to perform it together one time live in Kansas City. That really was my head nod to Kansas City and my people there. I knew that they would love that, and I think it was a good opportunity to say, “We like to mix these genres. This all belongs together. Music is universal. We can mix rap and R&B and rock ‘n’ roll and blues and country and it works!”

It was a writing session that brought you and Jesse Dayton together as well. On the EP that preceded the “Death Wish Blues” album, “The Stardust Sessions,” you do a cover of Vince Taylor’s “Brand New Cadillac.” How did you come to record that particular song?

SF: Initially, I’d seen (Jesse) in January of last year and we had talked about doing this project together. He came in for a writing session and toward the end of the writing session, my manager called us both and said, “I booked a studio. You guys figure out a couple songs that you want to throw down.” It was low pressure.

SF: Yeah! The idea was always to make an album. We ended up going early in the fall, late summer up to Woodstock to work with Jon Spencer from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Hitmakers, Boss Hog. He produced the album. We wrote 12 original songs together and that was always the intention. This is a different kind of thing for both of us because we’re both front people. It’s finding our voice on the guitar that’s sonically separate from one another but also supportive because you’re cast off into this role of rhythm guitar player at times. It’s been a fun challenge for both of us to dynamically figure out how to build songs and support them together.

Normally, I’m just trying to get the band to sing backing vocals! Now, I’m the backing vocalist on some of these songs–and it’s hard, man! But it’s been fun. It’s going to be a unique journey together.

Buddy Guy w/Samantha Fish

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9

WHERE: Casino Del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson

COST: Tickets start at $25

INFO: casinodelsol.com

Samantha Fish opens for Buddy Guy at the AVA Amphitheater on Saturday, Sept. 9.

(Daniel Sands/Contributor)

Company sends stigma up in smoke

BY KAREN SCHAFFNER Tucson Local Media Sta

Michael Verdugo — one of the most mellow folks anyone could ever hope to meet — is in a fight. It’s not about fisticuffs, though. He’s using his company’s name to combat prejudice.

“I created the name to fight the stigma, to bring cannabis and Tucson together because the cannabis hatred in Tucson and Arizona was strong when I was growing up, but I know cannabis brings a lot of people together,” the 32-year-old said. “There’s more to cannabis than ‘weed.’ ‘Weed’ is something I feel has a stigma; it looks bad.”

What’s the name? It’s 420 inthe 520, pronounced 4:20 in the 5-2-oh.

A true local company, its logo boasts a saguaro cactus with cannabis leaves blooming from the ends of the arms. That’s Verdugo’s design and the seed from which the company grew. For his regular income, Verdugo is employed at a local dispensary, working with plants and waste management.

For his own company, however, he designs and manufactures a line of accessories that accompany cannabis use. To get his product on the shelves of local outlets, Verdugo sought out local artists, for example, a pipe made by glass artist Eli Andrews.

“He actually blew a pipe, and we sandblasted it (with the company signature),” Verdugo said.

For a different delivery method,

customers may also purchase a water pipe etched with the company logo and signature.

Customers may find Verdugo’s merchandise at Glass Geeks, 4695 N. Oracle Road, Suite 110, Tucson. In fact, you will find any number of glass pipes, water pipes and other accessories made by local artists that are true works of art, with prices that speak to the work involved in their creations. Verdugo’s line is competitively priced.

The company began organically.

“It started off as a hobby and I didn’t see it as becoming anything more, and with support it became a business,” Verdugo said.

Now there are lots of items sporting the saguaro logo, such as the usual stuff: embroidered baseball caps, hoodies and T-shirts. Then there are grinders with key scrapers and lighters. Of note is an odorproof stash bag, with a loud, double-Velcro closure so no one can quietly sneak in and take what isn’t theirs.

“We’ve been working on getting a different variety of accessories,” Verdugo said. “We try to (offer) a quality product that’s going to last.”

Customers range in age, Verdugo said, from teens to those even into their 80s. No one is more surprised by the success of 420 inthe 520 than Verdugo himself.

“As it has taken off, I am very surprised,” he said. “I never believed that it would go as strongly as it is, but the support keeps it going.”

Now that Verdugo and his company

have a foothold in Tucson, he is hoping to expand. He has found an audience and with that audience, opportunity.

“I’m focusing on trying to have something established where I can get this in many different locations, and be stable enough to keep reaching the audience it’s attracting. The audience reaction has been really positive, and it’s opening more doors and networking opportunities,” Verdugo said. “I want it to be recognized

throughout the nation. I know that Tucson is only growing stronger; the culture is only growing stronger; the local support is only growing stronger. Right now, doing what I’m doing I feel I can only go up so it could reach other cities, other states.”

inthe 520 facebook.com/420inthe520/

Join sta and your neighbors in this free, interactive and award-winning opportunity to learn about local government and help shape the community’s vision for the next 10-years!

Classes held from 6 to 8 p.m. twice a week Oct. 10 - Oct. 30 (Register by Oct. 1)

For details or to register, visit www.orovalleyaz.gov or scan the QR code. Questions? Please contact jancona@orovalleyaz.gov or (520)229-5062.

TOWN OF ORO VALLEY

Michael Verdugo is the brains behind 420 inthe 520. He designed the logo which proved to be the seed that grew the company.. (Karen Scha ner/Sta )

607th ACS installs radio system on Mount Lemmon

BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS JAKOB HAMBRIGHT 56th Fighter Wing Public A airs

Airmen from the 607th Air Control Squadron recently traveled to Mount Lemmon to install a new remote radio site.

e radio site, installed in partnership with the 162nd Wing, Morris Air National Guard Base, and the U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground, Fort Huachuca, widens the training scope of command-and-control students at the 607th ACS, as well as expands radio coverage across southeast Arizona.

“ e additional coverage will be benecial for the 607th’s students,” said 1st Lt. John Paul Luke, 607th ACS ground radar system

o cer in charge. “ ey will be able to perform more ground controlled intercepts in areas of Arizona where we have had issues in the past.”

e radio site covers four airspaces across Arizona, allowing 607th ACS students to conduct more live training missions across new terrains.

“With the increased number of live missions that our battle management operator students complete, the 607th is able to make sure that we send out quali ed and welltrained operators out into the Air Force,” Luke said.

e 607th ACS supports the 56th Fighter Wing by providing ground radar coverage and support, while also being the premiere formal training unit for command-and-control operators across the U.S. Air Force.

Dr. Brian Martin

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Gregory Hubof, left, and U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jonathan Nabicht, right, 607th Air Control Squadron radio frequency transmission systems technicians, mount a radio system Aug. 1 at Mount Lemmon. The new radio site allows for the 607th ACS to use more airspace to effectively train its command-and-control students.

(Airman 1st Class Jakob Hambright/U.S. Air Force Photo)

VISUAL ARTS

BY MARGARET REGAN Tucson Local Media Contributor

Aer Tucson’s hottest July since 1895, and the simmering days of August, it’s about time to get out of your home air conditioning and get into the wonderful art galleries and museums in the city.

Coming up, there is a multitude of visual art, dance, theater, music, and poetry ready to be enjoyed. e long-running Arizona Biennial at the Tucson Museum of Art luckily is still up. MOCA has a new partnership with Tohono O’Odham Community College. And exciting new arts venues have popped up all over in historic Barrio Viejo. Even the old Teatro Carmen on Meyer Street is nally being restored. Also of interest, new arts leaders have come to town. e Tucson Museum of Art brought in a new director, Nora Diedrich, the former director of the Newport Art Museum in Rhode Island. e UA Museum of Art elevated Olivia Miller — she who brought back the missing Willem de Kooning’s “Woman Ochre.” Now Miller has the top job as director and curator. Across the street, at the Center for Creative Photography, Todd Tubutis, came from the Art Museum of West Virginia University, to take over the directorship of the CCP. But there’s more than one new face at this renowned photography museum and archive: Emilia Mickevicius. A er a stint at the prized San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, this young scholar brings her youthful expertise and energy to Tucson.

DOWNTOWN

Tucson Museum of Art

If you haven’t seen the Arizona Biennial 2023 yet, get yourself to the Tucson Museum of Art. e show has been up since April and is coming down on Oct. 1. Every two years, the museum has a juried exhibition of artists exclusively from Arizona. is year, 56 artists ll the main gallery with wildly di erent images. Guest curator, Taina Caragol, from the National Portrait Gallery in D.C., specializes in Latinx and Latin American art. But she has created a show with all kinds of work. Take, for ex-

ample, two Tucson artists, lydia see, who experiments with old family photos, and George Strasburger, a realist oil painter. lydia see’s piece, “Let no one say we were not here,” expresses grief for those who died during COVID-19 time. She made an installation lled with small family photos in black and white. ey show babies in arms, brides and grooms, and old aunties holding hands. But she defaces many of these images of happy family and friends by erasing gures with white-out. ose who have died of COVID-19 are no longer in the frames. see will be lecturing about her work at 5:30 p.m. ursday, Sept. 7.

Strasburger describes himself as an “old-

school realist.” His painting “ e Stone rowers” is a lovely oil, with delicate desert colors, from pale blue skies to sandy beige. Five people, despite the beauty of the painting, are preparing to throw stones, in “a timeless act of aggression and desperation,” he says. Chief curator, Julie Sasse, noted, “Not only can he paint like a master, his themes resonate with deep emotion and narrative.”

Sasse’s other favorites include Ann Morton, a ber artist; Heather Green, a poet and environmentalist; Kate Breakey, master of photography; and David Taylor, whose extraordinary photos document the horrors of what we do to migrants in the Arizona deserts.

MOCA: Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson

MOCA is back open a er a summer hiatus. On Sept. 21, they resume their regular third- ursday special events, with the galleries open for free, food trucks, and a conversation on what we can do for the Sonoran Desert, guided by poetry, dance, and music.

e popular installation, Cecilia Vicuña’s “Sonoran Quipu,” continues through Oct. 1. Her piece a, “sprawling sculpture composed of found materials,” has inspired a new show by four collaborators, in a partnership with Tohono O’odham Community College. On ursday, Sept. 14, the extension will open at the college, which is an hour’s drive west of Tucson at milepost 125 in Sells. e big fall exhibition, “Magma and

Jessica James Lansdon; “Untitled (Garden),” 2023. (Tucson Museum of Art/Submitted)

DANCE

BY MARGARET REGAN

Tucson Local Media Contributor

Balanchine is coming to Tucson twice this fall! George Balanchine, of course, has been dead for many years, but world-wide he’s still the top ballet choreographer. And two Tucson troupes are doing his pieces in the same month no less. In November, both Ballet Tucson and the UA School of Dance are performing one of Balanchine’s most beloved and di cult pieces, “Serenade,” with music by Tchaikovsky. Ballet Tucson is doing another Balanchine, “Divertimento No. 15,” with music from Mozart. UA School of Dance is doing just the one Balanchine, but no worries. ey also will be dancing a work by the late Martha Graham, the extraordinary modern dancer and choreographer. ey will be performing her “Diversion of Angels.”

Tucson used to have small modern companies all around town, and they are missed, but it’s exciting to see these two local ensembles thriving. And, not too shabby, the UA’s

Arizona Arts Live is bringing in Parsons Dance, a famed modern troupe. Here’s the run-down of the fall season for dance lovers.

UA School of Dance

e rst performance is the annual Jazz in AZ/One Act, One Hour, danced by UA faculty and guests at the Stevie Eller Dance eatre. Oct. 3 to Oct. 6.

Next up is the big show with the legendary pieces by Martha Graham and George Balanchine. Amazingly, the dancers will perform the two works in a challenging run of 10 shows over two weekends, Nov. 8 to Nov. 12 and Nov. 15 to Nov. 19. If that’s not exciting enough, the UA is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Stevie Eller Dance eatre.

To round out the fall, “Flow/Student Spotlight” showcases UA student choreographers. Nov. 29 to Dec. 2. For tickets, call 520-621-3341.

see DANCE page 18

UA alumna, Megan Garcia, shown here with Luke Romanzi, will dance with Parsons Dance at Centennial Hall on Sunday, Nov. 5. (Parsons Dance/Submitted)

CELEBRATE

PUBLIC HEALTH + PUBLIC ART

Join us at one of five ART + WELLNESS FAIRS to celebrate community-driven art installations throughout Pima County! Enjoy local art and FREE health resources!

SUNDAY, SEPT. 24 @ 2 p.m.

Green Valley Community

Performance & Art Center

SATURDAY, SEPT. 30 @ 10 a.m.

Ann Day Community Park

SUNDAY, OCT. 8 @ 2 p.m.

Winston-Reynolds Manzanita Park

SUNDAY, OCT. 15 @ 2 p.m.

Madge Utterback Middle School

SATURDAY, OCT. 28 @ 10 a.m.

Ajo Plaza

Scan the QR code for more details!

UA Arizona Arts Live

For UA’s Homecoming Weekend, Arizona Arts Live brings Parsons Dance to Centennial Hall. Two alumni who studied at the School of Dance, Megan Garcia and Christian Paris Blue, are now members of this distinguished company. ey will be performing that night and the current crop of student dancers will surely be there to cheer them on. Founded in 1985, this New York-based troupe is one of the great modern dance ensembles. ey have performed in more than 445 cities on ve continents, in storied venues the likes of the Sydney Opera House.

Nov. 5. $39-$69 at Ticketmaster and the Centennial Hall Box O ce.

Ballet Tucson

Ballet Tucson begins its fall, as usual, with “ e Footprints” competition at the Fox Tucson eatre Downtown. To nurture new talents, each year some company dancers are invited to choreograph their own dance works and their colleagues perform them. When dancing ends, the audience at this popular show takes a vote to choose their favorite piece. e winner gets to have their dance performed again, in the Spring concert in March.

7 p.m. Sept. 28. Tickets are $30. e fall concert, bookended by two Balanchine dances, is the season highlight. e opening piece is “Divertimento No. 15,” graced with music by Mozart, and the closer, “Serenade” with music by Tchaikovsky. In between these extraordinary pieces is a Ballet Tucson premiere. “Klein Perspectives” by Andrea Schermoly is a pas de deux set to the music of Bach and Vivaldi. A modern composer, Olafur Arnalds, has added his own music to the score in a suite adapted from Chopin. Choreographer Schermoly was trained in South Africa and has been making dances for the Louisville Ballet since 2018. e dancers will perform these works four times over the weekend of Nov. 17 to Nov. 19 at the Leo Rich eater. Tickets are $30 to $50 at Ticketmaster and the TCC Box O ce.

In December (as always!) comes Ballet Tucson’s “Nutcracker.” This year, the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall is the place to see Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen and other old friends — not to mention the Christmas tree that rises to the rafters and spectacular costumes in Christmas colors. For the second year, Ballet Tucson partners with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra so that patrons can hear the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky live.

Dec. 21 to Dec. 23. $30 to $100 on Ticketmaster and the TCC Box O ce. DANCE from page 16

UA School of Dance rehearses for the Martha Graham ballet “Diversion of Angels.” (UA School of Dance/Submitted)

100+ ARTISTS

PERFORMING ON STAGES ALL OVER DOWNTOWN TUCSON!

PLUS, TJF JAZZ JAM, CENTURY ROOM LATE-NIGHTS, and the DOWNTOWN JAZZ FIESTA!

2SAXY GRACE KELLY + LEO P • LEWIS NASH & THE SOUL JAZZ ALL-STARS • CALEXICO WITH TSO • BOSSA NOVA WAVE- KEN PEPLOWSKI & DIEGO FIGUEIREDO

SEAN MASON QUARTET • DELBERT ANDERSON QUARTET • MICHAEL ZENÓN..AND MORE!

ISAIAH J. THOMPSON • BILL CANTOS • MELANIE SCHOLTZ & AARON RIMBUI • LINDA MAY HAN OH • THE BLACK MARKET TRUST • LIZZY & THE TRIGGERMEN

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

BY BANNON CLARK Tucson Local Media Sta

Tucson arts organizations are preparing their fall seasons with a good, solid mix of comedy, drama, new works and familiar tales.

While some organizations are still working on the upcoming season and have not yet made announcements, others are ready to share all that they are working on.

Arizona Rose Theatre

4500 N. Oracle Road, Suite 329

520-888-0509

arizonarosetheatre.com

A hilariously tipsy twist on the classic Bard. Introducing “Drunk Shakespeare,” Sept. 7 to Jan. 7

Arizona Theatre Company

343 S. Scott Avenue

520-884-8210 atc.org

The romantic comedy unfolds. “Barefoot in the Park,” Sept. 23 to Oct. 13

Holiday magic with Dickens’ classic tale. “Scrooge! The Musical,” Nov. 7 to Dec. 2

Broadway in Tucson Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard 520-903-2929 broadwayintucson.com

• Disney magic takes the stage. “Aladdin,” through Sept. 10

• Hilarious and irreverent. “The Book of Mormon,” Sept. 15 to Sept. 17

• Electrifying journey of triumph. “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” Oct. 3 to Oct.

8

• Tempting tunes and drama. “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” Nov. 28 to Dec. 3

see THEATER page 22

Jake Letts, Ben Chavez, Adi Roy and Colt Prattes on the national tour of “Disney’s Aladdin.” (Deen van Meer/Contributor)

OCTOBER 14, 2023–FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Presenting nearly 2,000 years of textile arts in the Andes, this exhibition explores the role of woven works in navigating social relationships and processes of memory.

Additional programs, events, and resources related to CUMBI can be found at TucsonMuseumofArt.org.

CUMBI: Textiles, Society, and Memory in Andean South America is accompanied by a full-color catalogue available for purchase at the Museum Store.

CUMBI: Textiles, Society, and Memory in Andean South America is made possible through the generous support of the Carl & Marilynn oma Foundation and is presented by Kit and Dan Kimball with additional support from the Latin American Art Patrons, Kathi and Doug Sanders, and Bonnie Wehle.

Carolyn Castaño, Ruana & Mantel, 2023, watercolor on paper, acrylic, appliqués, and mixed media on canvas. Courtesy of the Artist and Walter Maciel Gallery. Photo: Amy L. Tierney / Thrive Images.

The Laramie Project

Gaslight eatre

7010 E. Broadway Boulevard 520-886-9428 thegaslighttheatre.com

• A magical adventure unfolds. “Harry Potter & e Sorcerer’s Secret,” through Nov. 5

• Heartwarming holiday tale. “A Smalltown Christmas,” Nov. 9 to Jan. 7

Rogue eatre

300 E. University Boulevard, Suite 150 520-551-2053 theroguetheatre.org

• A tale of love and longing. "”Heartbreak House,” Sept. 7 to Sept. 24

• Sci- journey of discovery. “ e Le Hand of Darkness,” Nov. 2 to Nov. 19

Invisible eatre

1400 N. First Avenue 520-884-0672 invisibletheatre.com

A culinary love story. “I Love to Eat (A Love Story with Food),” Sept. 7 to Sept. 9; Sept. 13 to Sept. 17

Live eatre Workshop

3322 E. Fort Lowell Road 520-327-4242 livetheatreworkshop.org

A tale of transformation. “Hir,” Sept. 7 to Sept. 24

Scoundrel & Scamp

738 N. Fi h Avenue, Suite 131 520-448-3300 scoundrelandscamp.org

Time-traveling adventure. “A Wrinkle of Time,” Oct. 26 to Nov. 12

University of Arizona, School of eatre, Film & Television

1025 N. Olive Road, Suite 239 520-621-7008 theatre.arizona.edu

• A poignant journey. “ e Laramie Project,” Oct. 7 to Oct. 22

• Satirical hilarity. “ e anksgiving Play,” Oct. 8 to Oct. 22

• Musical masterpiece. “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Nov. 12 to Dec. 3

Linda Ronstadt Music Hall 260 S. Church Avenue, Tucson 520-791-4101 tucsonmusichall.org

• A celebration of Mexican independence. “Mexican Independence Day Concert,” Sept. 15

• Melodic elegance. “Symphony Showcase,” Sept. 17

• Artistic brilliance. “Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition,” Sept. 22 to Sept. 24

• Iconic and nostalgic adventure. “Raiders of the Lost Ark In Concert,” Oct. 14 and Oct. 15

• Enchanting melodies of Rome. “Pines and Fountains of Rome,” Oct. 20 and Oct. 22

• Captivating compositions. “Ravel and Dvořák,” Nov. 10 and Nov. 12

• Musical tapestry of Scotland’s beauty. “Scottish Fantasy,” Dec. 1 and Dec. 3

• Festive enchantment. “Holiday Magic with Cirque de la Symphonie,” Dec. 9 and Dec. 10

• Timeless holiday magic. Ballet Tucson’s “ e Nutcracker,” Dec. 21 to Dec. 23

Marcus M. Martin as Genie, Adi Roy as Aladdin and company in national tour of “Disney’s Aladdin.” (Deen

Larissa FastHorse Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Lyrics by Tim Rice

by Stephen Sondheim

by Hugh Wheeler

Pearls: Oceans Rise and Fall Like Meteorites,” by Keioui Keijaun omas, opens Oct. 20. In her rst solo appearance in a museum, omas explores identity, climate catastrophe, and imaginary new landscapes in a show that features video, sculpture, performance, and what she calls “community-generated programming.”

Closes in February

Blue Lotus Arts Collective

Blue Lotus wowed Tucson last spring at the opening of this rst gallery in town devoted to Black artists. On opening night, a huge crowd lled the gallery, housed in the old Pioneer Hotel building, and spilled out onto Pennington Street. e work of the eight Black artists that were shown that night is still on view until the end of September. e artists include Tucson’s Willie Bonner and Allison Miller.

Dynamic board president Laura Pendleton-Miller has announced a new solo show that opens Nov. 3. e artist, Nikesha Breeze, paints haunting images of Black men and women, some that seem set in the days of slavery and some that seem timeless. “Grandfather,” is a loving portrait of a white-bearded man, while “ e Lynching” is a horrifying image of a young man whose body is still hanging down from a tree. She has exhibited internationally and nationally and has won all kinds of prizes. An upcoming work of hers will be a permanent installation in Montgomery, Alabama, at

e Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration.

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop

Raices, a Latino cooperative gallery that invites everyone, is opening the fall with “Mezcla,” Spanish for “mixture.” e variety of works by 56 artists include paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, mixed-media, and photographs. e show will be up until Oct. 7, with regular gallery hours 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Contreras Gallery and Jewelry

Eight painters will show their work in a new show that opens on Sept. 2 and runs through Oct. 28.

Steinfeld Warehouse Community Arts Center

e old Downtown warehouse is lled with small galleries. ey include Untitled, Seven-Legged Spider Gallery, and Steinfeld Gallery and Studios. You never know just which ones will be open for their regular Art Walks, but give it a try on the rst Saturday of every month from 4 to 9 p.m.

From 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 7, Seven-Legged Gallery will hold its annual Clothing and Fabric Swap, “Time to Clean Out the Closet and Get Ready for the Season!”

On Sept. 18, Untitled Gallery will start

up its regular life drawing classes held on the rst and third Mondays from 6 to 9 p.m. Member Inna Rohr says the gallery hopes to reopen on Oct. 6. Stay tuned.

WEST SIDE

Pima Community College West

Artist Louis Carlos Bernal was a beloved teacher of photography at Pima County Community College. e extraordinary photos that he created beautifully documented the lives and memories of Mexican Americans in Tucson, Douglas, and other towns in southern Arizona. He died in 1993 but his work comes back to life in an exhibition this fall at the gallery named in his honor.

In a wonderful twist, the gallery has invited Patricia Preciado Martin, a renowned writer and local historian, to be part of the show. Her books about Tucson go as far back as the early 1900s; now her written work will be alongside Bernal’s photos. Martin will give a lecture at 6 p.m. Sept. 13, in Recital Hall, on the PCC campus. e show started on Sept. 5 and closes Oct. 6. Next year, we can look forward to a retrospective of Bernal’s photographs at the Center of Creative Photography. e next show at Pima, “Women in Nature,” is an all- photography exhibition with work by Alejandra Platt-Torres, Maya Goded, and Bremner Benedict. Goded and Benedict will pair up for a lecture on Nov. 1. Runs Oct. 3 to Dec.8.

Pima Community College Desert Vista Art Gallery

Jason Stone was an Air Force rescue specialist whose job was to save soldiers amid the horror of the Vietnam War. He is also a photographer and he documented what he saw. Now the PCC Desert Vista campus southwest of town is showing “Photography of the Vietnam War,” Stone’s black and white photos. rough Jan. 26.

BARRIO VIEJO

Etherton Gallery

You may not know the name Dan Budnik, but he was a Tucson photojournalist who made powerful images of the civil rights movement. He also photographed great American artists, the likes of Georgia O’Keefe, Willem de Kooning and Jas-

per Johns. Budnik died in 2020. In homage, Terry Etherton organized a show of his work from the 1950s to the 1970s. is must-see show was up much of the summer, but it will close Sept. 16. e big show opening up the fall season is Alice Briggs’ “El Sueño de Razón/ e Sleep of Reason.” Briggs is a mighty artist who for years has made horrifying pictures of the troubles in Ciudad Juarez — images of kidnappers, murderers and the dead. Most of her work is sgra ti on panel, a scratch technique that goes back to the Renaissance. A handful are mixed media. All are dark, in shades of black and gray, with a few splashes of color. Sept. 19 to Nov. 25. A second artist, Kitty Brophy, has an unusual set of works that she calls “In the Cases: Sketchbook Drawings.” Brophy now lives in Tucson, but she spent a wild time in the 1970s and 1980s in the art and fashion scene in New York’s East Village. Her nine re-engine red prints each bear one of her poems. One, called “Man,” has 19 lines of witty wordplay from Man to Manhandle to Manatee. In contrast, the poem, “ e Book of Female Don’ts,” is a long weary list of admonitions: Don’t frown you will get wrinkles; Don’t tell your story; Don’t break the rules.

Since 2021, when Terry Etherton moved his gallery from Fi h Avenue to Convent Street, other gallerists have joined the fun in the neighborhood. Here’s a sampling.

Andrew Smith Gallery

Next door to Etherton, the Andrew Smith Gallery also shows highly regarded photographs. e upcoming exhibition, “Signs of Sovereignty,” is the wonderful work of Zig Jackson. A native of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribal nations, Jackson took black and white photos all over the remote West with beautiful landscapes of open space. He photographed highway signs marking the entrances to Indian reservations. ese pictures are strong reminders that these lands belong to Native Americans. Each and every tribe has its reservation name on its sign (Fort Belkap, Picuris), but the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation at Four Corners goes much farther. Its sign has a list of rules for outsiders (Liquor and Firearms Strictly Prohibited; Salesmen Must Have Permission of the Tribal Council). Another set of photographs is of signs for roadside attractions that sell moccasins,

Louis Carlos Bernal, Untitled [Frank Escalante], Gelatin Silver B/W Print

jewelry and other souvenirs that lure tourists. Ironically, many of these shoppers likely know little of contemporary Native life. Photographer Patrick Nagatani, who taught Jackson at the University of New Mexico, shows interesting images, meshing junky old cars with real archaeological sites. Open from Sept. 23 to Nov. 25.

Decode Gallery

Decode Gallery, one of the other new galleries on Convent Street, is planning a show called “Grayscale.” e interesting twist is that artists are invited to send in their work beforehand and the gallery will choose their favorite pieces for exhibition. Oct. 14 to Nov. 4.

Studio Light Space

Studio Light Space, also on Convent Street, is showing works all through September by Ben Dallas with an opening reception on Sept. 23. Closes Sept. 30.

Bahti Indian Arts

Bahti Indian Arts is well-known for its exquisite Native arts: Navajo textiles; Hopi fetishes; Tohono O’Odham baskets; and Pueblo silver jewelry. Mark Bahti has had galleries in the Tucson Foothills and Santa Fe. e big news now is that these treasures are also on display here in the barrio. Like Dr. Seuss, you can say that you saw it on Convent Street.

FIVE POINTS

Philabaum Glass Gallery

Everyone is excited about Barrio Viejo right now, but nearby Five Points is another happening place. You can easily walk from Convent Street to Stone and South Sixth to nd restaurants, murals, shops, ve new arches, and a statue of Cesar Chavez. And Five Points is the home of the beloved Tucson arts landmark, the Philabaum Glass Gallery. Alison Harvey, who took over Philabaum several years ago, says it’s going great. Her next show, “Boundless,” stars four out-of-town glass artists.

Joseph Enszo, from Portland (which, by the way, is a great place for glass art), is bringing multiple glass bowls in shimmering colors of blue, gold, and a delicious pur-

ple. And that’s only a few of the hues. e duo Bengt Hokanson and Trefny Dix from Long Island say they use a combination of Italian and Swedish techniques to make their sculptures in glass. To me, the vessels have a shape that reminds me of Ottoman domes and mosques.

John Geci of Bakersville, North Carolina, prefers “rich colors and a few well-placed stripes.” A piece he calls “Twisty Eclipse Bowl” is a masterpiece of beautiful but quiet blues in motion.

Oct. 14 to Jan. 20

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Center for Creative Photography

e Center for Creative Photography has brought out one of its greatest treasures: the works of W. Eugene Smith, one of the most revered photojournalists of the twentieth century. He’s known especially for his work in Life Magazine and for Magnum. e CCP has selected 45 photos from ve of his series: World War II; Nurse Midwife; Jazz Lo ; Hitachi Corporation; and Minamata. Smith mostly lived in New York, but when he was 58, in 1977, the UA invited him to move to Tucson to teach photography and organize his huge archive. His stay was short. He died less than a year later, but his works were saved.

Closes March 2.

Also of interest, in November, the CCP will open Studio CCP, a new event space for workshops, talks, and screenings for the university and the community.

UA Museum of Art

An interesting show of 30 weavings and paintings by Marlowe Katoney, a member of the Diné/Navajo nation, is the highlight of the fall. He lives in Winslow. Katoney learned to weave from his grandmother in 2010 and since then he has been making textiles that are both traditional and contemporary. A er studying painting at the UA, he now makes extraordinary hybrid works. One weaving in the show, “Tucson-Memento,” has a modern image of a young man rapping in a desert landscape alongside traditional Native motifs of birds and plants.

Oct 14 to March 23.

irty artists hailing from Tucson, El Paso and Albuquerque were invited to create art prints for the exhibition “Desert Triangle Print Carpeta.” e works have been

up all summer and will run until Dec. 21.

“ e Vault Show: Sta Picks” is already up. e museum’s workers had the opportunity to select their favorite art from the permanent collection and put them on the walls.

Closes on Sept. 30.

Arizona State Museum

“Weaving Has a Heartbeat” has been a two-year project for Indigenous interns to work with elder traditional weavers. Much of their work is online, which allows more people to see what they’ve been doing, but ASM has posted photographs and a colorful rug in a small gallery at the museum.

“Aliento a Tequila/ e Spirit of Tequila” arrives on Nov. 14. Joel Salcido, a photographer from El Paso, has shot images of barrel rooms, agave elds and commercial distilleries alongside artisanal shops. Don’t ask me if you can get a sip!

Closes Jan. 6.

Rombach Gallery

e Rombach Gallery at the UA School of Fine Arts is exhibiting “Para Seguir Ad-

elante: Stories of Migration.” Four artists have documented the travails of migrants: photographers Lisa Elmaleh, Moysés Zuñiga Santiago and Anahí González Terán, and painter Luis Sotero.

e show runs from Sept. 14 to Sept. 29, but there will be a community roundtable on Sept. 21, to be hosted by Elmaleh, Isabel Garcia, founder of Derechos Humanos, and Raquel Rubio Goldsmith, retired UA professor of Mexican American Studies.

MIDTOWN

Everybody Gallery

Housed in a cheerful old-time bungalow on Grant Road, Everybody Gallery will show two Tucson-born artists. Nika Kaiser will have a new video installation. Informed by her upbringing in the Sonoran borderlands, she writes that her work draws on folklore, future ecologies, and a lineage of Jewish diaspora.

Adán de la Garza, who now lives in Denver, also makes videos. But this time around, he is showing his photographs from the last

“Large Black Sail” by Hokanson Dix. (Philabaum Glass Gallery/Submitted)

Concerts in the Courtyard are back in Marana

BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Contributor

As Marana continues to grow, the town looks for ways to bring the community together despite its lack of infrastructure. According to Special Events Supervisor Shelby Scheer, one way to do that is through the arts.

Namely, introducing more live music opportunities to the area.

“Our sta wants to make sure we’re bringing something to the stage that residents of Marana and people across the region can enjoy…” Scheer explained. “... at they can’t have access to easily because there’s not a lot of musical venues out here.”

Since Fall 2021, Scheer and Marana Parks & Recreation have hosted Concerts in the Courtyard, a live music series at the Marana Municipal Complex and near the future downtown site.

e rst concert coming up on Sept. 21 will open the fall season with Hispanic Heritage Night, featuring Latin-rock fusion band Xplosion and Hispanic-owned food trucks.

“It’s to really showcase this facility, using it in a nontraditional way for an arts opportunity,” Scheer said. “ e actual courtyard itself is like a band shell, it has the perfect insulation and sound projection all built into one facility.”

e town invites folks across Marana and beyond to enjoy a diverse range of music every third ursday of the month in the fall and spring.

Along with talented regional artists, Scheer and her team utilize the courtyard for food trucks and other events for participants to enjoy.

“ ere’s a lot of space in the courtyard for

other activities,” Scheer said. “It’s de nitely a big family get-together, and depending on the night… there can be a lot going on in addition to the band on the stage.”

Each concert in the courtyard brings a different genre of music. Parks and recreation used last year’s rst full season as a proving ground to learn what worked and tweak what didn’t.

is year, the department will expand its themed-night concept and promote the series for more community engagement.

Part of that commitment will include the return of popular themes, including the Halloween Treat Trail in October, the Marana PD anksgiving food drive in November and free pictures with Santa for December.

“ at’s kind of our little homage to what we learned,” Scheer noted. “ e Courtyard is a venue and platform for community engagement.”

Scheer also wanted to make the series as regionally oriented as possible. With her connections to the music industry, the supervisor prioritized local bands for the concert

series. e town covers each band’s fee so the public could attend for free.

e season’s schedule is catered to each night’s theme, and this includes both live music acts and food truck o erings.

“ e food trucks are selected a lot of times in theme with a concert night,” Scheer said. “ e rst concert in September that’s opening our season is Hispanic Heritage Night… all the food trucks that night are Hispanic-owned businesses.”

According to the parks and recreation supervisor, Concerts in the Courtyard started as a way to ll a hole in Marana arts programming, especially a er the pandemic. She wanted to bring live music back to the community and support artists struggling to nd work.

Another major focus was promoting the Downtown Marana development. Scheer’s team partnered with the Tourism and Economic Development department to create a campaign that enticed residents to visit the area and see its progress.

“With all of the growth and development

projected over the next ve years, it was important that we market (the concerts) as a dinner and show in downtown Marana,” Scheer said. “It could potentially become concerts that happen along the main street as it develops.”

For now, the Concerts in the Courtyard series will continue to ll the gaps in the town’s live music scene. It’s one of the many Parks & Recreation programs that have in uenced the department’s award-winning reputation.

Scheer sees the recognition as a strong motivator to continue developing events catered to the community. e live music series will have concerts once a month in its upcoming 2023-24 season, providing an opportunity for participants to set up lawn chairs and blankets, buy a meal and enjoy a show.

“ e way these free public concert series become popular is when they’re ingrained in the community mindset,” Scheer noted. “I hope that it continues to become part of the fabric of the community, that people can rely on it being on the third ursday of every month.”

For more information about town of Marana concerts, movies and signature events, visit maranaaz.gov/events.

Concerts in the CourtyardHispanic Heritage Night w/ Xplosion

WHEN: 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21 (and every third Thursday)

WHERE: 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana

COST: Free INFO: maranaaz.gov

The new season of Concerts in the Courtyard will bring back fan-favorite artists and bands like Mr. Boogie Woogie. (JD Fitzgerald Photography/Submitted)

SEPT

9 Cirque Inextremiste: EXIT

BEYOND WONDER

Experience Unexpected

Discover the best artists from around the world this fall. You won’t always know what to expect. And that’s the point.

25-28 Michael Mwenso

Community Listening

SEPT 30-NOV 5 Los Trompos

12 Nano Stern Sings Victor Jara

21 Las Cafeteras: Hasta La Muerte

26 Manual Cinema: Frankenstein

28 Amal Walks Across America

28 David Cross: Worst Daddy in the World Tour

OCT 4-10 TenWest Festival

5 Parsons Dance NOV

Bonnie Schock is the brains behind the theatre

BY KAREN SCHAFFNER Tucson Local Media Sta

Putting together the new fall and spring lineup for the Fox Tucson Theatre is no easy task.

For programmer and Executive Director Bonnie Schock, it's like putting together a giant puzzle — except the pieces are always in motion.

“There are so many different aspects of how the puzzle comes together and who the players are involved in all of that,” she said. “It’s a complicated business.”

The Fox’s 2023-24 has something for everyone — and that’s Schock’s goal. From finding the artists to booking them, creating contracts and finally getting them in front of an audience, this is her world.

Schock works in a neat, spacious, upstairs office in a building adjacent to the theater itself. She looks out of tall windows to a brick outer wall of the actual Fox building. From where she sits, she can still see the sun, but more importantly she can see the semis that bring in the larger acts.

The Fox Tucson Theatre opened April 11, 1930, as a dual vaudeville/movie house. (Emily Pratt/Contributor)

Sometimes artists reach out to her, but most of the time, it’s Schock who initiates the conversation.

“It’s a combination of a lot of different things, but it’s all based on relationships,” Schock said.

She likes to book far in advance.

“We try to have stuff confirmed a minimum of four to five months out; I like more time,” she added.

If Schock had her way, she’d book a year out, primarily for advertising purposes. To fill the 1,164 seats, tickets must go on sale fairly far in advance.

“Six weeks before a show you’re out there pushing and selling,” she said. “You really need three months.”

The Fox features a dozen different series or categories of acts, among them are four categories of “listening room” (country and Americana; jazz; singer-songwriter; and rhythm, blues, soul and gospel).

“Global journeys” includes a Merry-Achi Christmas featuring the Mariachi Sol De México de José Hernández. The Ten Tenors, Greatest Hits Live also falls into this category.

“Picture palace” is a movie category. An example is “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert,” which pairs a screening of the animated film with live musicians and

turntables onstage.

Planned for Spanish-language events is Los Amantes Perfecto. There are more catgories: fine vintages, outburst comedy, family and youth, and regional artists and community events.

Schock keeps these categories in mind when she’s finding acts.

“We’re looking for different types of things that fit what we believe to be our role in the community,” Schock says. “We have a range of different things.”

Looking at the schedule, Schock was indeed busy last year. She just hired an assistant programmer.

After acts are booked and they’ve arrived, they have to sleep and eat somewhere. Schock says a full-time staff member takes care of the artists.

“That ranges from their transportation needs while they’re here, to where is the bus going to park, to where does the bus driver sleep during the day when the show is loading in, because they’re going to leave and drive the bus at night,” Schock says.

“There’s food and catering and hotels. It depends on the contract. We could make the arrangements or the artist sleeps on the bus.”

LIVE MUSIC

BY BANNON CLARK Tucson Local Media Sta

With fall and winter right around the corner, prepare for musical fun in Tucson. You have a chance to enjoy an array of performances this season. Here's a sneak peek into what's in store for eager ears.

• Known for his dry wit and observational humor. Nate Bargatze, Sept. 7, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

• Numerous worship songs and hits for those interested in Christian music. Chris Tomlin, Sept. 8, Tucson Arena, tucsonmusichall.org

• Recognized for bass-heavy tracks and energetic performances. Marauda, Sept. 8, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Celebrates emo and pop-punk music with guest DJs and live bands. Emo Night Brooklyn, Sept. 8, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Blues rock artist with soulful vocals and masterful guitar skills. Eric Johanson, Sept. 10, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Known for her emotive and melodic jazz performances. Keiko Matsui, Sept. 12, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Tucson Folk Fest Presents Songwriter Roundtable, Sept. 12, e Century Room

• Known for their in uential contributions to metal. Max & Iggor Cavalera, Sept. 14, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Unique and theatrical approach to alt-country. Roselit Bone, Sept. 14, Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Intense metalcore. Decayer, Sept. 14, e Rock, rocktucson.com

• Energetic live rock shows. Foxy Shazam, Sept. 15, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Honors Johnny Cash through live performances. e Man In Black: A Tribute To Johnny Cash, Sept. 15, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Blending humor and rock elements into live shows. Bored Teachers, Sept. 15, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Recognized for heavy drops and dynamic sets in bass music. Subtronics, Sept. 16, e Slaughter House, slaughterhousetucson.com

• Celebrates and recognizes achievements in the local hip-hop scene. Second Tucson HipHop Awards Show, Sept. 16, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Innovative soundscapes in electronic and ambient music. Tangerine Dream, Sept. 17,

Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Laidback yet powerful musical approach in reggae and rock. Mike Pinto, Sept. 17, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Atmospheric and immersive sonic experiences in dark synth. Troller, Sept. 18, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Unique sound blending rock, folk and experimental elements in indie rock. Modest Mouse, Sept. 19, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre. com

• Rich history of hits and intricate musical arrangements in classic rock. Kansas, Sept. 19, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Men at Work lead singer. Colin Hay, Sept. 19, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

• Dynamic and energetic stage presence in hip-hop. Prof, Sept. 19, 191 Toole

• Continues the legacy of Texas blues with blues guitar and vocals. Jimmie Vaughan, Sept. 20, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Traditional sound with modern edge in blues. GA-20, Sept. 20, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

• Radio-friendly hits and diverse sound in rock. Daughtry, Sept. 21, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Raw and honest approach to storytelling in country singer-songwriting. Cody Jinks, Sept. 21, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Pushing boundaries in sound and performance in experimental art. Kurt Travis, Sept. 21, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• High-energy live presence in rock ‘n’ roll. Dash Rip Rock, Sept. 21, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Humor and engaging stage personality in comedy. Hannah Berner, Sept. 21, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Blend of rock and country in uences in southern rock. e Steel Woods, Sept. 22, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Comedic versatility and lively performances in stand-up comedy. Matteo Lane, Sept. 22, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• A rock band known for their energetic live performances, Sweeping Promises, Sept. 23, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Join the Gasolina Party and dance the night away to its energetic live performance. Sept. 23, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Shadow & the rill, Sept. 23, e Rock, rocktucson.com

• Generationals and Ramesh, Sept. 24, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Hip-hop and rap artists who combine their talents for an unforgettable live performance, Tyga, YG and Saweetie, Sept. 28, Tucson Arena, tucsonmusichall.org

• Cowgirl Clue, Kumo 99 and glixen, Sept. 28, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Calabrese, Sept. 28, 191 Toole, 191toole. com

• A music festival featuring various metal artists, creating a vibrant atmosphere, Metal Fest 26, Sept. 29, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Carlos Ballarta, Sept. 30, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Alice.km and NGHTFVR, Sept. 30, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• e Tallest Man on Earth, Oct. 1, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• AJJ, Sad Park, and Foot Ox, Oct. 1, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Geo Tate, Oct. 3, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Josh Ritter and Sarah Harmer, Oct. 4, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Trish Toledo, Oct. 4, Hotel Congress Plaza,

hotelcongress.com

• Cradle of Filth, DevilDriver, Ill Niño, Black Satellite, and Savage Existence, Oct. 5, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Experience Trey Kennedy, Oct. 5, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Immerse yourself in Asking Alexandria, Oct. 6, e Rock, rocktucson.com • e Happy Fits and Hot Freaks, Oct. 6, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Tommy Castro & e Painkillers, accompanied by Deanna Bogart, Oct. 6, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

• e Black Angels and e Dandy Warhols, Oct. 7, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Fear Factory, Lions at the Gate and e Stands. Oct. 7, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Milly, Oct. 8, Club Congress, hotelcongress. com

• Suicide Silence, Oct. 10, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Cheap Trick, Oct. 11, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Neil Frances and Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, Oct. 11, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Carnifex, Signs of the Swarm, To the Grave, and e Last Ten Seconds of Life, Oct. 11, e Rock, rocktucson.com

• Country artist Flatland Cavalry, Oct. 12, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Dexter and e Moonrocks, Oct. 12, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Saliva and Drowning Pool, Oct. 13, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Luna Luna, Michael Seyer, and fearofmakingout. Oct. 13, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Randy Rainbow, Oct. 13, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Disco beats with Gimme Gimme Disco and Ritt Momney. Oct. 13, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Parmalee, Oct. 14, Desert Diamond Casino, ddcaz.com

• anos Petrelis, Oct. 14, Tucson Arena, tucsonmusichall.org

• Female Gaze and Hookie, Oct. 14, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

• Emo Nite, Oct. 14, 191 Toole

• Hairball, Oct. 15, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Mike Dimes and Dro Kenji, Oct. 15, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Oct. 17, 191 Toole,

Get the Led Out. (Fox Tucson Theatre/Submitted)

$20 Fox Fan Seats

Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash 9/15

Craig Ferguson 10/8 Tickets Going Fast!

Pat Metheny 10/24

The Mighty Wurlitzer accompanies “Metropolis” (1929) featuring Cameron Carpenter 11/3

10/20

An Evening with Chris Botti 10/19

An Evening with Amy SedarisModerated by Mark McLemore 11/12

As We Speak: Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, & Edgar Meye featuring Rakesh Chaurasia 11/11

Michael Carbonaro: Lies On Stage 9/17

Popovich Comedy Pet Theater 10/6

Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken

Paula Poundstone 10/28

Keb’ Mo’ Band 9/12

TUCSON POPS ORCHESTRA

191toole.com

• Djunah, Oct. 17, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Chris Botti, Oct. 19, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Jawny, Oct. 20, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Ruben Studdard and Clay Aitken, Oct. 20, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Alice Cooper, Oct. 21, AVA Amphitheater, casinodelsol.com

• Mapache, Oct. 21, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Comedian Roy Wood Jr., Oct. 22, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

SEPTEMBER

D eMees t er Outdoor

2023 FALL CONCERT SERIES

10, 17, 24

Center -

eid

There is no charge to come to our 2023 concerts. Donations are highly encouraged.

• Subhumans and Fea, Oct. 23, e Rock, rocktucson.com

• Pat Metheny, Oct. 24, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Little Miss Nasty and Sizzy Rocket, Oct. 24, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Steve Miller Band and Dave Mason, Oct. 25, Tucson Arena, tucsonmusichall.org

• Gipsy Kings, Oct. 25, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

• KennyHoopla and Groupthink, Oct. 25, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Julieta Venegas, Oct. 26, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Amigo the Devil, Tejon Street Corner ieves, and David Ramirez, Oct. 27, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Mustard Service and Sitting on Stacy, Oct. 27, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• e Band of Heathens and e Watson Twins, Oct. 28, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

• Casting Crowns, Oct. 29, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

• Vance Gilbert, Oct. 29, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Rittz, Oct. 31, e Rock, rocktucson. com

• Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Amulets, Nov. 1, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Chelcie Lynn, Nov. 2, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Brujeria, Piñata Protest and No/Más, Nov. 3, e Rock, rocktucson.com

• Cameron Carpenter, Nov. 3, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games, featuring Traveler (Scott Je ers), Nov. 3 to Nov. 5, Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games, tucsoncelticfestival.org

• Billy Ra oul, Nov. 4, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown, Nov. 4, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Plini, Strawberry Girls and Standards, Nov. 5, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• St. Paul and e Broken Bones, accompanied by Maggie Rose, Nov. 6, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Black Jacket Symphony, Nov. 6, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Nov. 7, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Noah Gundersen and Zander Hawley, Nov. 7, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Liz Phair and Blondshell, Nov. 8, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Wishbone Ash, Nov. 8, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Drive-By Truckers and Early James at Hotel Congress Plaza, Nov. 9, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

• Rodney Crowell, Nov. 10, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Dusk Music Festival 2023, featuring DJ Snake, 311, Coin, Bad Suns, Seven Lions, Neil Frances, Shiba San, and Young Rising Sons, Nov. 10 to Nov. 11, Jácome Plaza, vividseats.com

• Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Nov. 11, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Harlis Sweetwater Band, Nov. 11, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

• e Walters, Nov. 13, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Becca Mancari, Nov. 13, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

• A Giant Dog, Nov. 16, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Iration, Artikal Sound System, and Cydeways, Nov. 17, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• idontknowje ery, Black Smurf, and Mikey Rotten, Nov. 17, e Rock, rocktucson.com

• Drake White and William Clark Green, Nov. 18, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Durand Jones, Nov. 18, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

• Comedian James “Murr” Murray, Nov. 18, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

• Lindsey Stirling, Nov. 22, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

• Autopsy, Exodus, Darkest Hour, and Undeath, Nov. 26, Encore, encoretucson.com

• Jake Shimabukuro, Nov. 26, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, and One Step Closer, Nov. 27, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Enjambre, Dec. 5, 191 Toole, 191toole. com

• e Musical Box, Dec. 5, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Jerry Douglas, Dec. 6, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Tommy Emmanuel, Dec. 6, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Roger Clyne & e Peacemakers, Dec. 9, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• e Midtown Men, Dec. 9, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Rick Spring eld, Dec. 14, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

• Canadian Brass, Dec. 16, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Pink Martini, Dec. 17, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Squirrel Nut Zippers, Dec. 23, Fox Tucson eatre, foxtucson.com

• Blue Öyster Cult, Dec. 28, Rialto eatre, rialtotheatre.com

Las Azaleas, above, are inspired by Selena, Natalia Lafourcade, Rocio Durcal and Maria Grever. (Fox Tucson Theatre/Submitted)

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Couple to open region’s 1st canine social club

BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Contributor

Robert and Frankie Lemer were walking their pets one day when an unleashed dog attacked their youngest pup, Macy. A er a visit to the pet hospital, the couple realized the lack of safe, controlled spaces for dogs to play in Southern Arizona.

ey decided to open Dogs of Tucson, the region’s rst canine social club and indoor dog park.

“ e inspiration was Macy, and creating a safe space where she could learn to play with dogs,” Frankie explained. “I kind of jokingly say, these are going to be all of Macy’s friends.”

Macy became the company’s o cial founding member, welcoming committee and most importantly, the chief “barketing” manager. It was her experience that guided the mission of Dogs of Tucson and likewise, the core values of its “Bark Park.”

“Our goal with this whole thing is to provide a safe place for dogs to play, but we’re also looking to build a big dog-loving community,” Frankie explained. “We want to have a lot of fun with our forever friends.”

Dogs of Tucson is a professionally monitored indoor dog park, day care and educational facility for members and their furry friends. e center is o ering spots for its founding membership and hoping to open by the end of the year.

At the heart of Robert and Frankie’s business is the Bark Park, allowing dogs and their owners to play with other fur families in a private environment. e park o ers spaces for active play and quiet breaks in a year-round, climate-controlled facility.

“It was important to be a place that these dog lovers could enjoy with their dogs, no matter what the weather,” Frankie said. “If it’s raining, if it’s cold or hot, we have a nice dry indoor area where you can come play.”

To become a member, every dog needs to be vaccinated and pass a standard “social test.” is starts with an interview process to get a sense of the animal and its history, looking out for things like resource guarding, herding, fear or anxiety.

If the dog doesn’t pass the initial interview, Dogs of Tucson o ers a Park

Readiness Course to train and prepare the dog to become a member of the park.

“We’re looking for dogs who truly want to be social and really like the idea of being around other dogs and humans,” Frankie said.

While dogs play, the facility will have an extra set of eyes through its o cial “ru erees.”

According to Frankie, the “ru erees” are similar to lifeguards at a pool, monitoring the park to ensure all dogs are safe and things don’t get too out of control.

“ ey are watching for play that might escalate into something else,” Frankie noted. “ ese individuals… are already trained in dog behavior and have experience detecting the signs that our fur friends aren’t happy or at ease.”

Along with the Bark Park, Dogs of Tucson will have quiet rooms available for dogs and owners to take a break, equipped with couches, books and games for both to enjoy.

e facility will also have a swag and resale shop through e Barkery, along with areas for hosting events and meetings.

Frankie and her husband wanted Dogs of Tucson to be the ultimate dog lover community, where owners and their pets could mingle and learn from each other.

“We believe every dog needs to have a safe place to play and be a dog,” Frankie said. “We also want to make sure we’re helping people become better dog owners as they learn how to play and interact with each other in the same place.”

For a limited time, their founding membership is available to the rst 100 dogs that sign up. e package o ers a two-year membership with two months o , and dogs will have a custom painting and plaque displayed on the center’s membership wall.

Frankie and Robert want to make Dogs of Tucson an asset to the region’s canine community and hope to expand the Bark Park to multiple locations. For now, they’re excited to open a place for Macy and dogs like her to have some fur-friendly fun.

Owners Frankie and Robert prepare to launch Dogs of Tucson, the first canine social club in Northwest Tucson. (Frankie Lemer/Submitted)

Athlete of the Week: Shanise Bustamante

BY TOM DANEHY Tucson Local Media Columnist

If it’s around Labor Day, it’s volleyball in the afternoon for Amphi High senior Shanise Bustamante. It’s her fourth year on the varsity squad and she has been named First Team All-Region Setter the past two years. When she was a sophomore, she helped lead a senior-laden team into the state tournament. There are seven seniors on this year’s team and, as team captain, she is hoping to get back to the postseason. But if it’s volleyball in the afternoon, it’s also basketball in the morning. She shows up an hour before school starts to get in some shooting and ball-handling. And some days she’s up at 5:30 to get in a workout at a local gym.

Around Halloween, when volleyball season is finishing, a lot of players (especially those who are perennial all-region picks) just transition into club volleyball. “I’ve never played club. I love volleyball, but the thought of playing one sport year-round makes me…” She shudders. It’s on to basketball, where she will be a starter for the third straight year and team captain for the second season. As a sophomore, a friend talked her into trying out for basketball. Within a couple days, she was on the varsity, making a mark with her defensive intensity. A few games into

the season, the coach removed a 6-footer from the starting lineup and replaced her with the 5-foot-1 Bustamante. The team went on to win 10 of its last 12 games, winning the region championship in the process, and advancing to state for the first time this century. Her defensive intensity earned her postseason accolades in the past two years.

When it gets to be around New Year’s Day, basketball season is in full swing, but in the morning, before school, she’s on the tennis court, getting a head start on one of her spring sports. When she was a sophomore, the plan was for her to play the new sport of beach volleyball. But then, her basketball coach (who also coaches tennis) suggested that she give tennis a try.

Not surprisingly, she took to it instantly. Despite never having touched a tennis racquet before, she went 10-3 in singles and 10-2 in doubles. She and her doubles partner just missed going to state, which, in country club sports like tennis and golf (where kids at other schools have private coaches and, in some cases, even tennis courts in their backyards), is a ridiculously difficult proposition. She’s hoping that she and her doubles partner can reach the state tournament this year.

By Easter, the spring sports will be in full swing. She will practice tennis in

the morning and beach in the afternoon (she’s the No. 1 player and team captain on the beach team). She’ll then play as many games in both sports as the schedule will allow.

When asked about next year, she sighs. “I’d like to play something in college, but I’m kind of short. If I don’t, at least I’ll know I did everything I could while I was in high school.

Shanise Bustamante is a multisport athlete. (Shanise Bustamante/Submitted)

We’ve come a long way

BY TOM DANEHY

Tucson Local Media Columnist

A few quick hits as the

Nebraska

The most amazing thing that could possibly happen this entire fall has already happened. Last week, perennial national volleyball power Nebraska played a home match in front of 92,000 people! It is the largest crowd ever to witness a women’s sports event live, edging out a soccer game in some country where people actually take that sport seriously. Nebraska has long been a power in the sport, having won five national championships and making it to the NCAAs every year. Their home games are played in an arena that seats 8,000 and has been

sold out, every game, for years.

When the crazy idea came up to play a game in the football stadium, initial estimates were that they could draw a decent crowd, one in the tens of thousands. Nobody thought that they could creep up on a hundred thousand. Not only that, the thing sold out in three days, with adult tickets going for $25 a pop. Copycat events are being discussed at other places. Perhaps a South Carolina-LSU women’s basketball game or an Oklahoma softball game in the football stadium where the Sooners play.

Whatever happens, I think it’s great. Even if cynics dismiss the events as gimmicks, it would still be cool to have 80,000 people show up for a gimmick.

A first

Marana High played its first girls flag

football game. If you love offensive football, well…it was the first girls flag football game. The Tigers won the defensive struggle by the score of 2-0.

Marana scored the game’s only points when rusher Namie Singer got to Casa Grande quarterback Sarah Mountz in the end zone for a safety with 49 seconds left in the first quarter. Somehow, that score held up the rest of the way.

Unlike tackle football, the flag teams will play a 12-game regular-season schedule, often playing two games a week. Marana will actually play three games in a four-day period next month when they take on Marana Mountain View, Dobson, and Tolleson on Oct. 2, Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, respectively.

demanded that the United States send their best. The first time that happened, in 1992, the Dream Team from the United States beat other nations by 60 or 70 points. But now, in international basketball, it’s wide open. (The last five MVP awards in the NBA have gone to foreign players.)

On the downside, after Spain beat England for the Women’s World Cup, Spain coach Luis Rubiales grabbed star player Jenni Hermoso by the head with both hands and kissed her on the mouth. The coach tried to play it off as post-victory enthusiasm, but to a whole lot of people, it looked like sexual assault.

The AIA has sanctioned the sport, but the Marana schools are the only ones that will be playing the sport this year in the Tucson area, The Amphi schools (Amphi, Canyon Del Oro, and Ironwood Ridge) are expected to take up the sport next year.

Disappointing play

Here’s how far things have come…and how far we still have to go. The recently completed Women’s World Cup was disappointing because the two-time defending champions from the United States didn’t even come close to a threepeat. They barely beat Vietnam, then had two lame ties in the rest of pool play. When they got to the knockout round, they played better, but had to go to penalty kicks, where they chocked away their chances.

Then, the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, poured gasoline on the fire when addressing the discrepancy between the pay for men and women who represent their countries in the World Cup. In 2019, women earned about eight cents compared to the dollar that men earned. After protests and court cases, things got somewhat better, but women still only earn about one-fourth what their male counterparts make. And this isn’t a WNBA type thing where pay should be based on business income. These are people representing their country on the world stage.

What was encouraging was that several other countries appear to have made great strides on the world stage, so it’s no longer going to be the United States and the Seven Dwarfs.

A similar thing has happened in men’s basketball over the past quarter century. There was a time that the United States would only send amateur college kids to play in the Olympics and that was almost-always enough to guarantee a championship. But then, somewhat surprisingly, the rest of the world basically

And what does the head of FIFA say? Infantino said, “Women should pick the right battles to convince us, men, what we have to do” about equality issues in international soccer. He continued, “Just keep pushing, push the doors, keep dreaming…”

We’ve come far, but we still have a long way to go.

The Hawks keep it real

Copper Creek Elementary School held its annual Hawk Walk (the school mascot is a hawk) on Aug. 25 in the athletic field behind the school. All the students from kindergarten through fifth grade gathered in the school’s courtyard, where they met Clifford the Big Red Dog and Pete the Cat, among others. The Hawks cheerleading squad showed up to lead the kids in some rousing cheers. The best part, however, was the students’ annual collection. They were sent home with envelopes and in just 10 days raised more than $12,000. Those who brought in the most money were sent to the

messy zone to turn two teachers — this year Akela White and principal Stephanie Hillig — into human sundaes. They endured chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup, whipped cream, soda and other assorted sweets being dumped on them.

The Golder Ranch Fire District turned out to provide needed water relief from the hot sun. Firefighter Wes Clausen pointed a fire hose upward, turned it on and kids ran through the spray. This is organizer and parent Kim Evans favorite event of the year. “When you look out you don’t see any sad faces,” she said. “You only see smiles from ear to ear.” Photos are by staff reporter Karen Schaffner.

Mason Bridges, Akeyla White, Stephanie Hillig and Ava Bridges keep things chaotic in the messy zone.

Daniel Dempsey and William Quintero watch an escaped balloon while they enjoy a push-up popsicle.

Teacher Akeyla White gets drenched by Mason Larrison and Mason Pecharich

Mike, left, and Bennett Holbrook pose for pictures during Hawk Walk.

Clifford the Big Red Dog stopped by for a visit during Hawk Walk celebrations.

COVID-19 is still with us

BY MIA SMITT Tucson Local Media Columnist

Many of us have become complacent and rather blasé about COVID-19. It was a rough couple of years of illness, masks, lockdowns, and interrupted supply chains. We have vaccines and antivirals so is the worry over?

Unfortunately, not.

Though we are looking at an endemic, rather than pandemic infection, this Sars CoV-2 aka COVID-19 is still active around the world. The newest variant, EG.5, is aptly nicknamed Eris after the Greek goddess of strife and discord. This subvariant is the prevailing strain in The United States and is infecting more people than any other since the original Omicron.

I write this after testing positive myself last night. I checked only because I have

some mild cold symptoms, congestion and cough, and have community activities this week so just wanted to make sure I was OK to be out and about.

Eris is not proving to be as severe as previous strains, but it appears to be more transmissible despite vaccines and

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previous infections (personally, I’ve received four vaccines and had COVID-19 last year, also with minimal symptoms). This strain seems to elude some of our established antibodies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), EG.5 was the cause of 20.6% of cases of COVID-19 in the United States by the third week in August, more than any other strain at this time. This figure is probably low, considering how many people do not get sick enough to seek medical care and test at home.

The CDC also noted a 14.3% increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations, but this is still lower than the last three summers. Summer surges occur probably because more people are traveling, according to Dr. Scott Roberts, infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Medicine. Here in Tucson, an emergency physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital I spoke with has not seen much increase but anticipates a Fall surge.

can safely assume you are no longer contagious.

(Another strain making headway is FL 1.5.2, nicknamed Fornax, the Roman goddess of baking; she made sure the oven did not get hot enough to burn the bread so maybe she prevents debilitating fevers?)

The next COVID-19 booster is expected this Fall and while it will not be an exact match for EG.5, it will be close. Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax are all developing a vaccine aimed at Omicron XBB1.5, similar to the EG.5. Moderna’s early trials show that it will target EG.5.

“COVID-19 will probably be similar to the flu, where the strain mutates slightly every year and we develop a vaccine before we know exactly which variants will be circulating several months out,” Roberts said.

“It’s always an educated guess based on what’s around at the time.” It is still important to get vaccinated to decrease both risk of getting sick and lessening symptoms if you do get sick.

E

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“I am not aware of data that suggests EG.5 leads to worse cases of COVID-19 compared to prior variants,” said Roberts, but he observed that this variant is spreading faster than any other circulating strain right now.

EG.5 is a descendent of the original Omicron variant and not that much different except for a new mutation in its “spike protein.” This spike protein allows the virus to enter cells and possibly evade some of the immunity that a person gains after vaccination or infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers EG.5 a “variant of interest” indicating that it should be monitored more closely because of the mutations that could make it more severe or more contagious.

Anticipating exposure to COVID-19, flu, and RSV has led to fears of a “tripledemic.” The newest COVID-19 vaccine is coming, this season’s flu vaccine is available and the newest vaccine for RSV is available to those most vulnerable—infants, pregnant women, and seniors over 65.

So, keep your masks handy, avoid crowds if possible, wash your hands often and thoroughly, and get vaccinated. COVID-19 is still out there, and it behooves us to just be aware.

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

Symptoms are similar to those from other Omicron strains. Cold symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, and cough are common and more often mild. People over 65, those with chronic illness, and people with a weaker immune system are at higher risk of serious illness such as pneumonia. If you are positive, you should isolate and retest after five days. If there are two negative tests you

humbled by it. It makes us feel we’re doing something that matters to the community.”

The award is a new initiative from Discover Marana and the town’s Restaurant Task Force to highlight exceptional dining experiences throughout Marana. Nana’s Kitchen is the first of up to 10 local restaurants the department hopes to feature by August 2024.

Teran credited the award to his dedicated staff, passionate family and, most importantly, his mother, Maria Hernandez, more commonly known as Nana.

“The most important person to give credit to is my mom, Nana,” Teran said. “Without her recipes and without her cooking, this wouldn’t have come about.”

By extension, Teran thanked the Marana community for supporting the restaurant and its award-winning service throughout the years.

“We try to make everyone feel like they’re a part of the family,” Teran said. “Who knew 15 years (after opening) I would have a much larger extended family than my own.”

Nana’s Kitchen is no stranger to awards. In the last two years, the restaurant won People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice for the World’s Best Margarita Championships of 2022 and 2023.

This is thanks in no small part to Teran’s brother, Marco, the mastermind behind Nana’s bar and the creator of its signature drinks.

The team’s hard work and dedication to

Crafted by local artist, Trevor O’Tool, the Taste of Marana Standout Award recognizes Nana’s Kitchen as its first recipient.

(Stefanie Boe/Submitted)

the community also caught the attention of the new Restaurant Task Force, who decided to nominate them for the first award. As one of its members, tourism manager Stefanie Boe is on a mission to amplify local restaurants and their accomplishments.

“When we started hearing those stories, we wanted to share them,” Boe said. “So many people have told us we don’t have restaurants in Marana, and we’re working to myth bust and support what we have here while we try to bring in

even more options.”

The Restaurant Task Force is a collection of community leaders who are on a mission to promote Marana’s dining scene. They developed the Taste of Marana Award to advocate for restaurants across the community that make an impact with food and engagement.

According to Boe, this marketing strategy will help boost them into the public eye and offer them exposure when they need it most.

“Our small business owners are trying to do it all,” Boe said. “If we can help amplify their stories, and help people discover what’s in their own backyard, it’s going to be such a successful program.”

Teran and his team are working hard to provide fresh, delicious and reasonably-priced food to their customers. But the owner explained how a push from the community could go a long way.

“It’s hard and scary to say... we want to expand, we just don’t have that foot out the door yet,” Teran said. “The timing couldn’t have been better with the town scouting us and presenting the award to us.”

Boe sees opportunities to expand the food scene as the task force awards more restaurants. Inspired by festivals like Taste of Chicago, the tourism manager hopes to allow future winners a chance to showcase their best meals to the community.

For now, the task force will focus on supporting the town’s local restaurants and promoting them to the region.

“It’s a great thing the town is trying to do, recognizing restaurants and

supporting local because it’s tough out there,” Teran noted. “Without the support of the community, this restaurant would not have happened.”

While the first Taste of Marana Award was nominated by the Restaurant Task Force, the group will select up to 10 standouts through public recommendations.

The Discover Marana webpage allows community members to nominate local restaurants for any reason, including previous recognition or positive experiences from customers.

However restaurants are chosen, the Taste of Marana awards will honor those that stand out among the rest.

“At the end of the day, we want to make sure people know about the great local gems that we have in the community,” Boe said. “When family and friends come to visit from out of town, you’re taking them to a place right here in Marana that you’re proud to bring them to.”

Nana’s Kitchen 8225 N. Courtney Page Way, Suite 129, Marana 520-395-2508

mexicanfoodtucson.com

Taste of Marana Standout Award Nominations

discovermarana.org/blog/tasteofmarana

Taking nominations for 2023-24 awards season

all MUSD schools earned a Marzano Resources Level 1 certification, distinguishing each with a High Reliability rating. The district will work towards the next four levels to establish its schools as some of the best in the country.

Marzano Resources is a national assessment agency that evaluates schools for their high achievement rates in curriculum and learning environment.

“It’s a comprehensive approach to school improvement,” Streeter explained. “The framework is designed to help schools and districts create a culture of continuous improvement, and increase effectiveness by focusing on research-based practices.”

The agency also evaluates schools for Effective Teaching in Every Classroom, Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, Standards-Referenced Reporting and Competency-Based Education (Levels 2-5).

MUSD received its first-level certification, which identifies a safe, supportive and collaborative culture within each school. Streeter and the district’s leaders saw Marzano Resources as a post-pandemic opportunity to improve student achievement.

“We felt that the High Reliability Schools framework really allowed us to begin this pursuit, but to do it in a very deliberate and intentional manner…” Street explained. “... by evaluating what our practices were and whether or not

those were research-based in high-performing schools."

The district began its work through an orientation process among its leaders. A Marzano coach joined each team to guide and evaluate their progress throughout the school year.

MUSD schools then answered a self-assessment to see where they believed the schools were within the Marzano framework.

“Through that evaluation, what we noticed was we had everything we needed,” Streeter said. “Everything required to support students and staff was already in

appropriately acknowledged

• The fiscal, operational, and technological resources of the school are managed in a way that directly supports teachers.

Representatives from Marzano Resources visited with leadership teams and assessed each school's implementation of the framework. Based on the external review, each school was awarded the Level 1 certification.

Streeter explained how impressed he was with the work of his staff, the trust of parents and the growth of MUSD students along the way.

“It speaks to the commitment that has been made across the entire district,” Streeter said. “Regardless of what neighborhood you live in within MUSD, you know that your child’s school is going through a rigorous process of self-analysis, external review and continuous improvement.”

place at MUSD, they were just being implemented inconsistently.”

Next came data from students, staff and parents, collected in surveys throughout the year. From there, each school developed an action plan to develop better resources and practices.

“We got on this prove it/improve it cycle,” Streeter noted. “When you think about each of the principles, what we told our schools was they either needed to prove they’re doing it right or improve it.”

To receive certification, all MUSD Schools had to meet the following indicators:

• Teachers and staff perceive the school environment as safe and orderly

• Students, parents, and the community perceive the school environment as safe and orderly

• Teachers have formal roles in the decision-making process regarding school initiatives

• Teacher teams and collaborative groups regularly interact to address common issues regarding curriculum, assessment, instruction, and the achievement of all students

• Teachers and staff have formal ways to provide input regarding the optimal functioning of the school

• Students, parents, and the community have formal ways to provide input regarding optimal functioning of the school

• The success of the whole school, as well as individuals within the school, is

In the last few years, MUSD has seen evidence of its improvement efforts in data-driven numbers.

The district used student achievement data from 2018-19, the last full school year pre-pandemic, to compare to their Marzano results. 12 out of 16 Marana schools have increased student accountability scores since 2018 (Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 was not built yet).

The four schools that haven’t demonstrated improvements from 2019 were already operating at high performance and were able to maintain their ratings. Eight schools experienced double-digit improvement scores.

“When 12 of 16 schools have increased student achievement (through) a worldwide pandemic… I think that speaks volumes to the work our educational community is engaged in,” Streeter said.

MUSD schools will work to maintain their Level 1 status while progressing towards High Reliability Level 2. Each school now has a dedicated instructional coach, reading specialist and literacy lead to assist in achievement efforts.

The district hopes to bring all Marana schools to Level 5, along with only four other schools in the nation.

“We want to get to this place where people view MUSD as a national model of educational excellence, based on student achievement, our culture and our innovative practices,” Streeter said. “It’s a big goal, and we’re lucky. We have the right people and we’re in the right community to do it.”

All MUSD schools are now Marzano High Reliability Level 1 certified, providing safe, supportive and collaborative cultures for students. (Alli Benjamin/Submitted) To

Marana

have

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Fascinating social prospects come along this week. Those who are curious about you in the ways you most appreciate are excellent people to know and trust. When someone asks you good questions, it's a sign of their intelligence and their capacity for creating a strong relationship with you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

You have many kinds of love to give, and you'll be generous and versatile with them this week. Whether it's compassion, friendship, fandom, romance or other, you give freely without requiring they love you back, pay it forward or even be gracious receivers. You simply give, and the more you give, the happier you are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Good writing is rewriting. Good business is adapting to the customer's needs. Good relationships change and grow. You're stuck on an issue. The problem isn't where you're at; it's a few steps back. Undo a bit of work and start again and you'll see what has to happen.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21)

You can be right in front of a thing and not see it if your eyes are closed. The same applies to your third eye. All the information you need to make your future better is before you. You only need to be open to receiving it. Declare your intention to improve out loud and a rm your awareness. You're wide awake.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

1 Directive for the board

28

10 No big shot

13 Popular pubs for college grads

15 Finger-point?

53 Octave follower in a Petrarchan sonnet

54 Many a prof

“O fairest beauty, do not fear ___ fly!”: “Henry VI, Part I”

16 Footwear with a sturdy toe

17 Something about you

18 “Suitable for all ages” rating

19 Non-beef steak option

20 Pass quickly

22 Spots

Santa’s coat?

45 Shirley of “Goldfinger”

24 Young point of one’s life

27 Some damning legal evidence

Sugar substitute? 39 Novelist Jean

30 Enter gradually

50 Dunne of classic screwball comedies 51 Might 52 “Yeah, def” 53 See 33-Across

56 “Springtime With ___” (2004 Disney adaptation)

Like some humor and chocolate

57 Quaint word whose syllables rhyme with consecutive numbers

46 Had a date, maybe 47 Pal of Scooby-Doo

58 Staying vigilant

Noggin

62 Logo, o en

63 Sign to turn back

64 Top ___

Three -way intersection

65 Something wonderful, with “the” Down

Company connection inits.

14 Ones spreading the gospel through rap music or graffiti 15 Big export of Ecuador and Nigeria 21 Story line 23 Went quickly

25 Start of many colonial titles

26 Actress de Ma eo of “The Sopranos”

28 Go quickly

29 Mares, e.g.

30 Valley where David fought Goliath

31 Characteristic of a wild time or a coming decline

32 Onetime capital of the sovereign Republic of Texas 36 Santa’s coat? 38 Sugar substitute?

Novelist Jean

You're socially astute and you have the makings of a great leader. Knowing that people behave as they do, not as you believe they should, you think about the dynamic you would like to create and then work backward, imagining what you could communicate to inspire the sorts of behaviors you'd like to engage.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

The right plan can really concentrate your energy and help you take the next step and the next. But it's not just the plan itself; it's the way it ts into your life. It has to be visible to be e ective. To build some accountability into the design, let other people know about it, too.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

To tie your happiness to what someone else does or doesn't do for you puts your mood at the whim of uncontrollable forces. You'll nd a less precarious route to happiness, one that's not dependent on circumstance but rather on your ability to react in the curious, amused, energized or other way that keeps your energy high.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

In romantic comedies, two characters clash in the beginning and end up in love. In reality, such con icts don't bode well for happy relationships. This week brings compatible people together for business and fun, so there's no need to waste time with the ones who don't hit it o from the start.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

You're happy to defer to another person who feels very securely in charge. You're also fully aware that feeling in charge isn't (SET ITAL) being (END ITAL) in charge. You hold a fascinating kind of power -- the power that comes with making others feel powerful as they give you just what you want. Is it manipulation or just diplomacy? Does it matter?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

It will take an extra e ort to stick to your plan for yourself. The key here is not to give yourself too much time to ponder or wander. Pretend like you're a robot, program yourself, then go. Get the tedious tasks over with rst so you can move on to the more human aspects of your week, which will bring you immense satisfaction.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Con dent in your own identity, there is no need to pursue social standing. The yardstick of society is too limited to measure what is meaningful, lasting or beautiful to you. It only measures what's popular. Assess outcomes by your own standards, or better yet, move through the week unselfconsciously for the sheer joy of being you. Across

33 With 53-Down, article of close-fi ing a ire

1 Flits

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay

34 State that many are in when they visit a national park

35 Chairs, for instance

37 Condition treated in speech therapy

40 Neighbor of the patellar tendon, in brief

41 ___ gun (sci-fi weapon)

43 Gives a rude awakening

44 “Until next time!”

48 Fatal a raction?

49 “Need a ___?”

2 Fruit popular in salads, but not fruit salads

3 Light encouragement

4 “Just stop talking!”

5 Home to Sicily’s Castello di Lombardia

6 “Ni-i-ice!”

7 Alternative to Lunesta or Quviviq

8 “Saint” elsewhere

9 Self-care essential?

10 It’s played with a few strings 11 Art of cu ing cards? 12 Move le

“O fairest beauty, do not fear ___ fly!”: “Henry VI, Part I” 45 Shirley of “Goldfinger”

Had a date, maybe

Pal of Scooby-Doo

Dunne of classic screwball comedies 51 Might

“Yeah, def” 53 See 33-Across

some humor and chocolate

Noggin

Three-way intersection

Company connection inits.

There are many things you want and few that you need. Recognizing the di erence between those categories makes you aware of options you wouldn't be able to see if you thought everything was a need or everything was a want. The clever way you take care of yourself this week will be nothing short of inspired.

PUZZLE BY KAMERON AUSTIN COLLINS

Worship Guide

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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.

GF and Son Contractor

Family Business 25 yrs. BBB

Now Accepting Credit cards

Gary or Chase 520-742-1953

Member & licensed. Specialize in all types of(New/Old) Roof repairs, Coating, Rotten Wood, Fascia Boards, Remodeling & Additions, Permit plans.

Family Business 25 yrs. BBB

Now Accepting Credit cards

Gary or Chase 520-742-1953

GF and Son Contractor

Family Business 25 yrs. BBB

Now Accepting Credit cards

Gary or Chase 520-742-1953

Rotten Wood, Fascia Boards, Remodeling & Additions, Permit plans. Now Accepting Credit cards Gary or Chase 520-742-1953

Member & licensed. Specialize in all types of(New/Old) Roof repairs, Coating, Rotten Wood, Fascia Boards, Remodeling & Additions, Permit plans.

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

Now Accepting Credit cards

Gary or Chase 520-742-1953