Tucson Weekly April 14, 2022 by Times Media Group

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APRIL 14, 2022

APRIL 14, 2022 | VOL. 37, NO. 15

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STAFF

CONTENTS SONORAN EXPLORIN’

Solving problems you didn’t know you had at the SAHBA Home & Garden Show

CURRENTS

Critics doubt the Biden Administration is ready for the fallout from ending Title 42

TUCSON SALVAGE

Blood is thicker than aguas dulces

SPECIAL SECTION

ADMINISTRATION Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher Michael Hiatt, Vice President

EDITOR’S NOTE

Tyler Vondrak, Associate Publisher, tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Going To Pot WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL 4/20 ISSUE celebrating our city’s cannabis culture. We’ve got a 32-page special section chock full of stories, marijuana product reviews and the results of this year’s Cannabis Bowl, our annual reader survey of the best dispensaries, flower strains, edibles and so much more. There’s little doubt that recreational cannabis is a big deal; as our regular Tucson Weedly columnist David Abbott notes, Arizonans spent more than $1.4 billion on weed and associated products last year. (Well, legally spent, anyway—there’s no telling what’s happening on the black market.) Given that our society hasn’t collapsed in states that have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, it’s past time for the federal government to end national prohibition and allow cannabis companies to operate like the beer, wine and liquor industry. (The only potential downside being that Big Weed will buy our our indie operators and put an end to the creative efforts they are making, particularly on the edible side of things.) Besides all the weed stories, we’ve got some other stuff in the book: Emily Sacia and Alexia Stanbridge of Cronkite News Service look at the Biden Administration’s decision to lift Title 42, the Trump-era restrictions that made

Claudine Sowards, Accounting, claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com

it easier to boot asylum seekers back across the Mexican border; UA School of Journalism Don Bolles Fellow Gloria Gomez reports on a new state law that will protect religious organizations from discrimination lawsuits if they don’t want Jews or LGBT individuals adopting children in their care; Sonoran Explorin’ columnist Emily Dieckman takes in the SAHBA Home Show; Tucson Salvage columnist Brian Smith introduces you to the owner of a southside taco shop; Chow correspondent Matt Russell grabs a drink at Fourth Avenue cocktail lounge Portal; UA Journalism School intern Jillian Bartsch looks at how a group of local artists are working to improve a mural at a local elementary school; XOXO columnist Xavier Omar Otero tells you where to rock this week; and there’s plenty more in this fat edition of Tucson Weekly, so settle in and start turning the pages. Jim Nintzel Executive Editor Hear Nintz talk about how to have some fun in this burg at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday mornings during the world-famous Frank Show on KLPX, 96.1 FM.

EDITORIAL Jim Nintzel, Executive Editor, jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com Jeff Gardner, Managing Editor, jeff@tucsonlocalmedia.com Alexandra Pere, Staff Reporter, apere@timespublications.com Nicole Feltman, Staff Reporter, nfeltman@timespublications.com Contributors: David Abbott, Rob Brezsny, Max Cannon, Rand Carlson, Tom Danehy, Emily Dieckman, Bob Grimm, Andy Mosier, Linda Ray, Margaret Regan, Will Shortz, Jen Sorensen, Clay Jones, Dan Savage PRODUCTION Courtney Oldham, Production Manager, tucsonproduction@timespublications.com Ryan Dyson, Graphic Designer, ryand@tucsonlocalmedia.com CIRCULATION Aaron Kolodny, Circulation, aaron@timeslocalmedia.com ADVERTISING TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com Gary Tackett, Account Executive, gtackett@tucsonlocalmedia.com Kristin Chester, Account Executive, kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Candace Murray, Account Executive, candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING Zac Reynolds Director of National Advertising Zac@TimesPublications.com Tucson Weekly® is published every Thursday by Times Media Group at 7225 N. Mona Lisa Rd., Ste. 125, Tucson, Arizona. Address all editorial, business and production correspondence to: Tucson Weekly, 7225 N. Mona Lisa Rd., Ste. 125, Tucson, Arizona 85741. Phone: (520) 797-4384, FAX (520) 575-8891. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN). The Tucson Weekly® and Best of Tucson® are registered trademarks of Times Media Group. Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement at his or her discretion.

RANDOM SHOTS By Rand Carlson

It’s the 4/20 special! Cannabis Bowl results, product reviews, marijuana news from throughout the state, and more

ARTS & CULTURE

An all-woman design team brings Mozart’s divisive opera to the 21st Century

Cover by: Ryan “Danger is My Business” Dyson

Copyright: The entire contents of Tucson Weekly are Copyright Times Media Group No portion may be reproduced in whole or part by any means without the express written permission of the Publisher, Tucson Weekly, 7225 N. Mona Lisa Rd., Ste. 125, Tucson, AZ 85741.

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APRIL 14, 2022

SONORAN EXPLORIN’

SOLVING PROBLEMS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU HAD

I meet an undercover chef and learn about all the things I’m doing wrong at the SAHBA Home Show this so appealing. Because there’s so many bright, shiny products there to help you start living your life right, and they’re all gathered in one convention center. I can’t wait to dive in. AT THE SOUTHERN ARIZONA HOME I catch the tail end of a presentation by a Builders Association Home & Garden show woman named Jennifer, who is smartly and last weekend, I learned how many things nicely telling us about how to get our lives are wrong with my house, and myself, that organized. She tells us to keep an eye on our I didn’t realize. I am cleaning the floors spending habits, especially at dollar stores, wrong, cooking my food wrong, washing my windows wrong, and organizing my life because “Americans nickel and dime themselves into debt and bankruptcy every day.” wrong. Should I get a non-surgical facelift using “NASA technology?” Do I need an air This is so depressing that I get up and leave, weaving my way through displays of luxury purifier? A sauna? It hadn’t occurred to me to worry about my hearing, but since they’re spas and past a $17,000 sewing machine. I’m drawn in by a man wearing a Billy offering free hearing tests, maybe I should Mays style headset and telling a group of get it checked. But it’s the WAY they tell you you’ve been seated people, “The broccoli tastes like brocliving your life wrong that makes events like coli. The carrot tastes like carrot.” It makes By Emily Dieckman tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

PHOTO BY EMILY DIECKMAN

me think of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka gesturing at flavored wallpaper and saying, “The snozzberries taste like snozzberries.” The man, Chef Rob, is doing a demo of Professional Platinum Cooking Systems, subtitled: simply the finest cookware on the planet. He is masterful. He is calling us “you guys” and asking obvious questions, like, “How many of you guys like to keep a clean kitchen at home?” and “How many weeks

are in a year, guys?” and “How many of you guys like free stuff?” He tells us about how the pans he is using are dishwasher safe, but then says, “I don’t have a dishwasher. Well, I do have a dishwasher, but he hates it when I call him ‘the dishwasher.’ Everybody give Jason a round of applause.” Jason, who is washing the dishes, gives us a little wave as he dries a knife. He has a very genuine smile, even though he is sort

APRIL 14, 2022

of being treated like the Igor of this operation for comic effect. Chef Rob is talking about “the latest science” while Jason hands out brochures and pens to people who want them. Chef Rob says and he’s going to tell us how much this cookware costs very shortly. But wait! First, he has us all do an exercise where we calculate how much money we spend eating out each year because we are all pigs. It is a lot of money. He calls on people and teases them gently when they share numbers like $6,800, or “almost $8,000.” The point is that if we would all stop eating at Chili’s twice a week, we could afford the cookware, no problem. And we would all be healthier. He hopes he is opening our eyes to the significance of what he’s saying. And we will find out how much it costs very shortly. I realize I’ve been watching this presentation for at least 15 minutes and I have a feeling “shortly” is relative, so I take a lap around the convention center. I see a few disinterested teenagers selling kitchen counters, and a watch a guy demonstrate a mesmerizingly versatile showerhead. There’s a man in a custom-made Elvis suit selling smokers and hot sauce, and elderly couples trying out mattresses. A

passerby tells his friend “This is wild,” and, whatever he may be talking about, I agree. I wander back to the cookware booth, where Jason asks me if I’m sure I don’t want a brochure. I tell him I’m just here for the Weekly, but that I’m enjoying watching, and I’m fascinated by Chef Rob’s ability to keep people’s attention. Jason agrees Chef Rob is great at what he does—he’s been doing it for years—and tells me he’s on the tail end of a two-hour presentation. Two hours! They do seven per weekend at these shows, usually aiming to bring in between $50,000 and $60,000 over three days, for which they earn a generous commission. I’m delighted to find that they take turns doing the presentations. Knife-drying, brochure-distributing Jason is also actually Chef Jason! And when Jason is doing the cooking, Rob is doing the dishwashing. It’s weirdly comforting to think about: If you want to be the showboaty chef some days, you’ve got to be the dishwasher on other days. The point is to handle the dishwasher days with grace—and, in this case, keep that commission in perspective. “I don’t mind when he calls me the dishwasher,” Jason smiles. “I’m the highest-paid dishwasher you’ll meet.”

SORENSEN

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CURRENTS

PHOTO BY JERRY GLASER/CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

Migrants head back to Mexico after being encountered by Border Patrol agents near Sasabe in March 2020, under a COVID-19 policy that the Biden administration is keeping from the Trump administration. But the Supreme Court said Biden cannot end the Trump administration’s ”remain in Mexico” policy that automatically turned back asylum seekers.

BORDER BURDEN

Critics doubt Biden administration ready for fallout from ending Title 42

ing last week that Title 42 should never have been used to turn away migrants at the border in the first place, and that its end is “long overdue.” “Title 42 is not an immigration policy,” FOR IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES, said Vanessa Cárdenas, deputy director the end to Title 42 couldn’t come soon for America’s Voice, which advocates enough, but critics warned this week that it’s coming too soon and will “open for migrants. “It is a public health policy the floodgates” to migrants at the south- that was used by the Trump administration to deter immigrants from coming ern border. into the country.” “When Title 42 goes away, not only The policy was implemented in is it going to make our job somehow March 2020 as a public health measure even more impossible to do, it creates to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and this potential for all these people to has since been invoked to more than 1.7 now request asylum, regardless of the million migrants. But the Centers for legitimacy of their claims,” said Jon Anfinsen, president of National Border Disease Control and Prevention, which initially called for the rule, said last week Patrol Council’s Del Rio sector. that it is no longer needed to protect the “Which is going to bog down an public health. already broken system,” Anfinsen said The Biden administration, which has during a conference call Monday organized by House Republicans with other been under pressure from immigration groups to end the practice, subsequently Border Patrol union leaders. But advocates disagree, with one say- announced that it would lift Title 42 on By Emily Sacia and Alexia Stanbridge Cronkite News

May 23, a delay requested by the CDC to let it ramp up a mandatory vaccination program for migrants. But the move comes as the border is seeing record numbers of migrants, according to Customs and Border Protection data. Of the 838,685 migrants encountered at the southern border from October through February, just over 52% have been expelled under Title 42, or 437,763 so far in fiscal 2022. Opponents of the administration’s move said those numbers are likely to increase once Title 42 is lifted. The Department of Homeland Security does not have the policies, personnel or facilities to handle the now, much less an increase, say critics like Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, who called ending Title 42 a “reckless decision.” “I’m calling upon (Homeland Security) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to call and make this statement to his boss, Joe Biden, that you cannot stop Title 42,” Biggs said last week at a Capitol news conference, backed by former directors of CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The statutory claim is communicable disease,” Biggs said of the rationale behind Title 42. “That doesn’t just mean COVID, that means other diseases that come across and you can’t let CDC give this away.” Union officials told lawmakers that Border Patrol agents could be encountering up to 12,000 migrants a day by the end of May and as many as 18,000 a day in later months. But the administration insists it is taking steps that will allow it to handle the thousands of asylum-seeking migrants who are showing up now, as well as any increases. Among the steps unveiled last week by DHS are plans to shift officers to border hot spots as needed, to expand a COVID-19 vaccination program for migrants that began last week and to cut the time it takes to process an asylum claim from years to months. The plan includes $375 million to hire officials to expedite claims processing, and more than $1 billion to build “soft-sided facilities” to detain migrants as well as transport and treat them.

Still, Anfinsen told GOP lawmakers he is not confident that DHS can deliver on its promises. “Nobody has told us what this plan is,” he said. “DHS of course released a statement recently claiming that they have this comprehensive whole of government approach … but that whole-government approach apparently doesn’t include telling us what the plan is.” Anfinsen said many Border Patrol agents are already working mandatory overtime, do not have the resources they need and get tied up with administrative tasks that keep them from patrolling the border. While agents say Title 42 has helped, immigration advocates say it has done so at the expense of migrants who are often exposed to disease, violence and extortion when they are turned away at the border. “It is really hard for us to have any sympathy for the Border Patrol, knowing that they’ve constructed these policies that have led to the deaths of thousands of people,” said Jason De León, the executive director of the Colibrí Center for Human Rights. Even with the end of Title 42, migrants will still be processed by border officials under Title 8. The policy places migrants seeking asylum into removal proceedings until they can establish a legal basis to remain in the U.S., such as proof that their lives would be in danger if they were returned to their home countries. Advocates like Cárdenas said they are confident that public and private organizations will be able to handle any influx of migrants after Title 42 ends. “The reality is that we can manage our border … right now we might have an uptick in the border, that is not unusual,” Cárdenas said. “So while I understand their concern, I think that we have the strategies that can be implemented to be able to do this in an efficient manner.” For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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was rejected from the necessary foster parent training required to adopt, and a Catholic mother in South Carolina was told she couldn’t be a foster because she isn’t Protestant. Prospective parents from minority religions aren’t the only ones likely to be discriminated New law shields religious foster, adoption agencies from discrimination lawsuits against. The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ rights advocacy group, warned that Arizona don’t currently deal with any reperBy Gloria Gomez cussions for operating in ways consistent with LGBTQ applicants also stand to lose, to the Arizona Mirror detriment of LGBTQ kids seeking affirming their religious views—and instead of prohomes. tecting them, the measure gives them broad FAITH-BASED ADOPTION AND “In Arizona, #SB1399 would impose barriers license to discriminate against sorely needed foster care agencies in the state who make to LGBTQ families looking to foster or adopt… foster care applicants. decisions based on their religious views are The governor, who was adopted as a child, has The Anti-Defamation League, an internanow free to do so without any threat of lawsuits thanks to a new law signed this week, and op- tional civil rights organization, expressed con- said he doesn’t want to make it harder for kids ponents say that could hurt foster kids across cern that the law could have a chilling effect in to find forever families,” the group tweeted, just two days before Ducey signed the bill. the Jewish community. the state. Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative “We need more foster families in Arizona, The new law, which Gov. Doug Ducey Christian lobbying group with a long history signed last week, protects foster and adoption and Jewish families who previously were of advancing anti-LGBTQ legislation, was in agencies from religious discrimination, absolv- interested in being foster parents may be staunch support of the bill. It described the law discouraged now from signing up, for fear of ing them of how they provide—or deny—seron its website as protecting organizations with being denied service because of their religion,” vices in line with their religious beliefs, and establishes the right of foster parents to use their said Tammy Gillies, director of the ADL’s San a “historical or religious view of human sexuality” from being forced to consent to modern Diego Regional Office. own religion to raise children in their care. There are as many as four kids in the state’s views. A provision in the new law also protects The legislation, Senate Bill 1399, was chamfoster parents who use their own religion to foster care system for every licensed family. pioned by a powerful Christian anti-LGBTQ Gillies noted this shortage won’t be helped by raise children placed in their care, but state organization as a preemptive shield for law already prohibits discriminating against faith-based agencies in Arizona after agencies enacting legislation that causes families not to seek licensure because of fears they will be foster parents for their religion. Adding to that in other states had been forced to abide by turned away, as has resulted from similar laws protection, children advocacy groups say, only non-discrimination statutes. in other states. In Tennessee, a Jewish couple opens the door for them to force their religion Critics argue that faith-based agencies in

CURRENTS

LORD HAVE MERCY

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on foster kids—nearly half of whom will be reunited with biological families. “A long held tenet of foster care is support, encouragement and respect for biological families’ cultures and religious practices,” said Virginia Watahomigie, in an email to the Arizona Mirror. Watahomigie, executive director of the Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth, said she is concerned the provision will introduce further trauma in foster children’s already difficult experience. Children’s Action Alliance Policy Director Molly Dunn echoed this, saying that foster kids themselves have legal protections for their own religious practices in place that would be violated by the new law. Dunn said the alliance will work to ensure foster children are being placed with families that are safe and affirming of their religion, gender identity and sexual orientation through administrative advocacy with the Department of Child Safety, and will make sure to document instances where children’s rights aren’t being respected by foster parents. SB1399 goes into effect 90 days after the close of the legislative session. Gloria Gomez is the University of Arizona School of Journalism Don Bolles Fellow. This article was originally published by the Arizona Mirror, an online nonprofit news agency.

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Story & photos by Brian Smith

Blood is Thicker than Aguas Dulces A BLUE AND ORANGE 737 JET ascends from Tucson International, still low enough to read the Southwest Airlines logo, and Emilio says, “Staffing is really hard. It’s like no one wants to work.” A dust-devil twists up and vanishes into the South Nogales Highway traffic, and he continues, almost shouting to compete with the jet, now searing directly overhead, “I don’t get it. How do people earn money and get by now?” Maybe they’re living in a noisy alternate reality of Roblox, Crypto and Insta reels? Not this guy. Yes, with a cheeky wink he nicked the name of his eatery (and a few dish titles) from his fave kid TV sitcom, the hugely popular Latin American show El Chavo Del Ocho, which centered on a precocious street orphan who resided inside a whiskey barrel, and those in his vecindad. But, as Emilio adds, he “wanted to build something real … from nothing.” This is 25-year-old Emilio Soto, standing in the shade outside his small, bright yellow-and-red colored Deliciocho restaurant. He wears an Adidas ballcap, a COVID mask conceals a coifed beard,

and the surrounding Desert Retreat Mobile Home and RV park sits just off right his shoulder. It’s on a roadway beset with gravel and dust, railroad tracks, well-traversed desert, dotted with ramshackle abodes and historic storefronts. To a casual eye, Deliciocho is perhaps little more than a fiercely hued tortas and raspados stand. It is, as one wetlipped customer, Anna Marie, noted, “in no man’s land.” But up-close reveals an eatery (walk-up window, no wait staff) built on love, self-belief, family, and a kid whose fascination for food and dessert creation — and business — wouldn’t allow him to sit still in an earlier dental-hygiene career path, much less break his back in the hot Arizona sun like his grandfather. Anna-Marie says she’s traveled all over the world in the military, a self-proclaimed fan of food. She tells Emilio she’s bringing everyone she knows to this place and how she can taste “the real. And I know, I’m a Mexican!” Deliciocho opened a year ago, centered in a pandemic. “I remember the first customer,” Emilio says. “Wow, then

Emilio Soto: Starting something real from nothing.

the third …” Yet business has been good. He is already thinking of opening another. Tucson-born Emilio talks about growing up on the southside, a half-mile from his restaurant, names the streets where his parents grew up in this “tight-knit community,” how they met and fell in love at 18. Catholic church every Sunday. Now mom works alongside her son, masked, all youthful energy, and she’s a kind of silent partner in the business, matched savings with Emilio’s to launch Deliciocho. EMILIO’S BLUE-GREY EYES SEEM to withdraw at any negative narration of life in the real world. Dude’s a positive,

unjaded guy, with a slightly weighted air of responsibility about him. Speaks clear, concise Spanish and English, and after a few conversations, Emilio steps beyond the host/customer relationship and a smart, self-reflective kid emerges, one whose family’s well-being, its attendant traditions, and personal self-reliance, are matching poles he holds dear. If such things could be whittled down to actual flavors, as simple as that idea may seem, you could taste it in the foods and desserts served here. No joke. Emilio’s the eldest of four children, the youngest in eighth grade. He grew up more on the side of what passes for typical, a gamer (“not hard-core, my parents got me PlayStation when I was probably

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5”). At Hollander K-8 school, he was placed in the advance GATE program for accelerated learners. “It was mainly bilingual kids” where he learned more about the racism his Mexican antecedents faced arriving stateside than he ever faced himself, which only deepened an appreciation for his family roots. At Tucson’s Sunnyside High School, he says he was never sidetracked into drugs or booze, “never really dabbled much with it. I never went out much, I would go to football games. I do drink. I mean, you see the families at the fiestas,” he laughs, “it really is a party culture.” He talks a lot about personal grounding, learning to delicately balance convictions at a tender age. “My grandma’s super-hardcore Catholic,” he says. “There’s things that religion teaches you in terms of values, even morals, in school not so much. I think you have to have school and religion together to open your way of thinking.” Emilio describes his father as “a good provider, often working two fulltime jobs. One who knows a bit about many different things, and is gifted with a head for business. Says dad’s true occupation is

the hustle, and Emilio often worked with him, beginning at age 15. “He’s always thinking what’s next. He’d get bored and move on. Name it, kids’ jumping castles, contract work in homes, used cars, landscaping, a successful raspados shop and a cellphone business...” His father’s dad, a landscaper, arrived here from Mexico with his wife in 1974, and years later always told Emilio, “You’re going to be one of the nice guys. Working in the office with a tie with air-conditioning. I want you having an education. Do something that’s not backbreaking in the hot sun.” Emilio adds, “I wanted to make my father and my grandfather proud. My father is an inspiration, for him to be so successful … I don’t know if he ever graduated high school. But he wanted college for me, for sure. I learned business working with him. He’s still teaching me that stuff.” Well, the post-high school dental college wasn’t cuttin’ it. (But the upside, he says, is he met his wife Brianda there, and thus far they’ve produced a 2-yearold son, Maxemiliano.) Ensconced in a “gray area, between school and not

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knowing what to do,” Emilio worked with dad, saved coin. “I researched crypto, but, man, there’s no service offered, I guess if you only want to get rich, it’s OK. It seems selfish. I like proving myself for myself, but also creating something for others to enjoy.’ After a pause, he adds, “I’m already rich in family. And I have these beautiful memories. Little things, like how we used to go to the lake on the weekends. I only want to do well enough to take my family on vacation, to create those memories. I want to pass down what was passed down to me.” Deliciocho began the day Emilio’s dad drove by the location, saw the for-lease sign after a previous eatery vacated. Emilio made the call. He and his mother wanted to buy it but the building tied in with the trailer park. The kitchen was here, the grill, it was a pretty easy, cost-effective set up and lease. Initially Emilio was going for a raspados shop, like the one his father owned, “a little snack place for after dinner. But I really wanted to cook and create.” See, Emilio is a food autodidact, a student of flavors and cuisine, and people.

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(He listens to customer stories, is a big fan of podcasts featuring everyday folk.) Without him knowing, and I only pointed this out days later, our conversations reveal he’s also a quiet apprentice of life, of business, of work, of love. “I’m really just a street chef,” he laughs. He learned to cook, how to make the food taste the way it does in his head, by testing, by trial-and-error, traveling to Mexico, restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles, tasting, tasting, tasting. “I will say I’m very good at taking things on,” he says. “It started young. My grandmother lived next door, and she was always working in the kitchen, the traditional Mexican dishes. I took it in.” The familiarity and fusion of family and food is his first association with work. Hard edges get shaved off if the effort is in your blood. But the red-tape business operation stuff provided headaches. City inspections, health and fire, and license hoops through which he leapt made for sleepless nights. “At first starting a business, I have my son and my wife, was hard. The headaches were always there, the uncertainty is what CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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TUCSON SALVAGE

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keeps you up at night. The personal stuff, will it succeed, what if it doesn’t? You don’t know until you’re in it.” EMILIO SITS AT ONE OF SEVEN round tables in the shaded cinderblock patio, the dining area in front of Deliciocho. (An additional clean line of grounded stools and a bar table face South Nogales Highway, where customers sometimes come to specifically watch jets fly low overhead to and from nearby Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Tucson International.) Aromas of cilantro and simmering frijoles recall a dinnertime living room in a house you wish was yours, and Emilio’s mother, Carina Soto, works the register at the order window. The sun fades, the red and white string lights glow on, and those are upheld by poles placed in metal-strapped wooden whiskey barrels, another meticulous finger-pistol to “El Chavo.” (One churro dessert here even comes in a hand-held souvenir barrel). He talks of new fatherhood, his wife,

the house they’re searching to buy. And there are no subjunctive moods in Emilio’s Deliciocho conversation. No “I wish I had this.” It’s more like, we created this and this is what happened. He’s not yet jaundiced by business, the staffing, payroll, taxes, and uses his food as launchpad for, as he says, “creativity. Man, I have too much to go for right now.” Even the colorful menu placards on the exterior wall, all in Spanish, are his own design, kind of Japanese too, as eater Anna-Marie points out. The menu is fluid, constantly shifting and updating, integrating elements of other cultures, and he says that anything vegetarian and vegan can be created. Emilio gets up, busses a table and returns. What’s essential here, to this story, is the food. Each serving gives off unusual brightness, all homecooked-y with care and respect for the food itself, little tributes to the chosen strawberries or the whole beans or Mexican street corn— from the tacos to the tortas, the wraps and custom ramen, to the raspados and desserts with churros made from scratch. The food stays in recall for days, filled as it is of traditions, new secrets and

newer discoveries. Daily fresh tortillas come from El Triunfo Bakery, which sits a few steps away, run by a guy Emilio’s father grew up with. Emilio’s diminutive grandmother, Carmen Soto, into her 70s, doesn’t speak a lick of English, is in the kitchen now making brillas using her family recipe handed down from Mexico. (Street buzz already suggests that her specialty is one of the best in the Southwest.) More, Emilio just launched his own line of dulces enchilados, a chilito candy, or a spicy treat rooted in a long history of Mexican candies sold by street vendors, already raging stateside in South Texas, and the Southwest. It’s his own recipe, packaged and sold, and available at Deliciocho. The brand is called Del Mercado, launched this day on Instagram (@del_mercado_dulces). As Emilio well knows from debuting Deliciocho, social media is manna from heaven for food startups. He holds his Mexican heritage in high regard, in life, in business. “That’s why I started the brand Del Mercado, it’s Hispanic culture. It’s so very personal, like when I would go to Mexico, the towns, the centro de la ciudad, all the

crafts and street food.” Days later, and with gusto, Emilio chats family, as if family and only family confirms his own work in the world. There is his tough great-grandmother, who died at 93, her smoking and drinking beer, and so many family yarns—the mother’s side tracks back to Sinaloa, Sonora on the father’s side, the hardnosed work-ethic in the family’s DNA. “It’s a must-do mindset,” he says, “there are families to support. There’s no giving up.” He nods toward the kitchen to his grandmother and mother, the family traces and steps that led to Deliciocho. “To think all of it would lead up to them being here with me.” He pauses, “I’ve had a lot of great teachers. Even the name Deliciocho reminds me of my grandfather. We would lay down and watch the show together. He loved it. It’s the memories. No matter what I do, I do things to honor him, to honor my family.” Deliciocho is located at 6308 S. Nogales Highway #4, Tucson; 520-2942600.

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FAST TIMES AND TUCSON’S HIGH

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Dr. Heather Moroso celebrates grand opening of new South Tucson clinic - Page 17

A mom with a medical marijuana card defeats state officials who put her on a child-abuse registry, but an appeal is possible - Page 21

HAPPY 4/20! WITH THE INTERNATIONAL stoner holiday of 4/20 coming up next week, there’s a whole bunch of celebrating on the horizon. Once again, the Weedly is here with a special section to commemorate the cannabis community. Our regular Weedly correspondent, David Abbott, has three stories in this week’s issue. He talks to a woman who ended up on the Department of Child Services child-abuser registry because she used cannabis to fight off a serious medical condition that left her nauseous throughout her pregnancy. Despite the fact that she had a medical card, she had to engage in a lengthy court battle to get herself off the list, even though her son is healthy and happy. And now state officials may take the court fight all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court. Abbott also tours Dr. Heather Moroso’s new cannabis-friendly medical center in South Tucson and looks at tax revenues to conclude that Arizonans spent—

New business offers infused dinner parties - Page 26 checks notes—a staggering $1.4 billion on marijuana products last year. Meanwhile, staff writer Nicole Feltman introduces you to Meaghan Gould, who is launching a business catering cannabis-infused private dinners; our staff teamed up to share some of our favorite spots to cure the munchies; our Tucson Weekly Test Department sampled a number of products you’ll find on dispensary shelves; and, last but not least, we have the results of our Cannabis Bowl, determined by you, the Tucson Weedly readers. Be sure to peruse our advertisers this week to find out where you can find the best of the plentiful deals in the dispensaries this week. Go have a bong hit of fresh bud and sit back to read all about it. Jim Nintzel Executive Editor

Sampling a variety of cannabis products on the shelves of your local dispensary - Page 27

Arizonans spent more than $1.4 billion on cannabis in 2021 - Page 33

Tucson Weekly readers’ favorite dispensaries, edibles, doctors and more - Page 35

15 places to cure your 4/20 munchies - Page 39

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OPEN INVITATION

Dr. Heather Moroso celebrates grand opening of new South Tucson clinic

By David Abbott tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

HEATHER MOROSO, ONE OF Tucson’s top cannabis doctors, started work on a new community wellness center just as most of the world was shutting down thanks to the COVID outbreak in early 2020. More than two years later, she celebrated with the grand opening of the Moroso Medical Center on April 1. Moroso, who has won multiple awards from Weekly’s annual Cannabis Bowl, has survived both the pandemic and a crash in the medical marijuana certification business. Now she’s ready to fully dedicate herself to her new endeavor. The Moroso Medical Center is located in South Tucson at the intersection of East 33rd Street and Fourth Avenue, the former site of Antonio’s, a historic tavern that was reportedly the last bar in a one-mile-square city that at one time had as many as 50 drinking establishments. Now the building is a naturopathic

COURTESY PHOTO

wellness center and cannabis-friendly space for new patients and those who made the move with Moroso from the Speedway location, where she practiced for five years. “What we’re excited to do is create a cannabis-friendly space,” Moroso says. “It’s not like a hookah lounge where people smoke weed all day, but if they attend a class, people can choose to medicate if they want.” The building has a large, open and airy main space filled with art Moroso has collected over the years. She’s incorporated features of the old tavern, such as the bar top that supported generations of elbows and many glasses of beer. She is still settling in, but Moroso is planning to expand her offerings to include a variety of classes from creating DIY home-made edibles to grow-yourown workshops to soil classes. Moroso will also offer a variety of yoga classes, both inside and behind the building, which has become a friendly place for her patients to gather for classes and other events. In addition to her clinical work, she will also offer alternative types of care, from acupuncture to naturopathic consultation, massage and nutritional advice. She plans to bring back her “custom Apothecary shop,” that will use as much from the on-site garden as possible for products like the Chiltepin CBD icy-hot, as well as other lotions and potions processed with an in-house herbal still. On top of all that, visitors will be able to enjoy smoothies created in the building’s large kitchen. The entire project has been a community effort through an extensive support group that planned and executed the project, including the “ethnobotanical” garden that will provide fresh food and medicinal plants for various projects,

COURTESY PHOTO

“My gratitude runs deep,” Dr. Heather Moroso said. “I always say it’s a cockle-warmer, because even the event was with people who I’ve known since I started this, from musicians to people cooking food. It was definitely a team effort, even though my name is up front.”

classes and Moroso’s own line of products. Moroso has relied on the help of friends to build and decorate interior and exterior spaces, often using the barter system to provide work and materials. “All the work was done by volunteers and trade with friends,” she says. “Just setting up the space was done by just pooling resources. I did pay people but it was also a lot of friends, blood, sweat and tears and my own biceps.” Even the grand opening was a communal event, with her friends Miss Olivia & the Interlopers and hip hop band Jivin’ Scientists providing an evening of live music. Local artist Jessica Gonzales, whose works graces nearly every wall in the building, worked on murals during the event. “My gratitude runs deep,” Moroso says. “I always say it’s a cockle warmer, because even the event was with

people who I’ve known since I started this, from musicians to people cooking food. It was definitely a team effort, even though my name is up front.” The project came at a strange time for the world and the Arizona medical marijuana program. As if the pandemic’s shutdown wasn’t enough, Moroso set out on her venture in the wake of the Arizona Department of Health Services’ move to two-year MMJ certifications, which essentially halved the business of certificate providers throughout the state. “I would say we’re not quite to where we were before, but we’re a whole lot closer,” she says. “I think it’s really wonderful that people see the benefit of keeping their medical card versus just going with recreational.” Not only does a medical certificate

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OPEN INVITATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

allow cardholders to possess more cannabis (2.5 ounces of flower versus one ounce), but they can also purchase and possess higher-dosage edibles. Medical patients also generally pay less for their weed through a reduced tax rate that doesn’t include the 16% sales tax that adult-use recreational customers pay. Moroso has been in Tucson since 1992, moving here from Seattle to attend the University of Arizona, where she earned a degree in ecology and environmental biology. She then went on to achieve her NMD from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2002. She has served the community for many years, treating and serving HIV/ AIDS patients through volunteer work with the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation. She worked for El Rio/ Special Immunology Associates from 2004-2009. She has served on the boards of Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, Wingspan’s Health & Wellness Advisory Board and the Pima County

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Consortium Membership Committee. She currently serves on the board of the Southern Arizona Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance. In 2007, she founded the nonprofit Positively Beautiful, an organization that helps HIV/AIDS patients with their self-esteem as their bodies succumb to the ravages of the disease. Ultimately, the new space is a reflection of Moroso, from her down-to-earth outlook on life to the community she has built throughout her 30 years in Tucson. That’s also what keeps her working more or less solo, despite offers of partnership from outside her clinic. “I don’t think people necessarily share the same vision,” she says. “Sometimes, maybe I don’t even know exactly what my vision is. My place is kind of weird and funky and it’s me, which I think works.” The Moroso Medical Center is at 2231 S. Fourth Ave. For information on classes or getting a medical marijuana certificate, go to morosomedicalcenter. com or call 275-1449. Check out Moroso Medical Center on Facebook, at www. facebook.com/morosomedicalcenter.

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CANNABIS CONUNDRUM

A mom with a medical marijuana card defeats state officials who put her on a child-abuse registry, but an appeal is possible But DCS and the AG’s office have until April 30 to make a final appeal. “At first, I was super excited about it,” said Lindsay Ridgell, the woman who took on DCS. “But now, the more people A WOMAN WHO WAS PUT ON THE are talking about it, the reality of the fact Arizona Department of Child Services that they might make an appeal is on Child Abuse Central Registry because my mind.” she used cannabis while pregnant Ridgell’s story began in September thought she had finally defeated state 2018 when she became pregnant with officials in the Arizona Court of Appeals, but the Arizona Attorney Gener- her first child, Silas, whose last name is being withheld by request. At the al’s Office may still take the case to the time, she was a DCS employee and Arizona Supreme Court. had worked as an investigator for the The case that garnered national department for 18 months, performing attention last summer concluded on in-home case management. March 30. Should the verdict stand, it The pregnancy was rough on Ridgell, would represent a big win for cannabis who suffered from a condition known as enforcement and could serve to rein in the state’s pursuit of parents who legally hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which is marked by severe nausea and vomiting use medical marijuana. By David Abbott tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

throughout pregnancy. HG is a potentially debilitating condition that can lead to severe weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration and cause long-term health issues for both the mother and the baby. Her doctors prescribed a number of medications to treat the resulting anxiety, nausea and insomnia, but Ridgell was only able to find relief through cannabis. During her pregnancy, Ridgell was hospitalized twice, receiving additional prescriptions from her OBGYN for medications. In May 2019, she gave birth to her son. There were medical issues with Silas from the beginning and after he was transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for evaluation, blood tests found

he had several prescription drugs in his system, including Buspar and Benadryl, prescribed to Ridgell by her doctors. His blood also tested positive for marijuana. The child was immediately diagnosed with intrauterine addictive drug exposure, which was reported to DCS. At the end of May 2019, DCS informed the new mother that she was being placed on the registry. As a result, Ridgell’s life was turned on its head. She had trouble finding employment and her life has been in limbo as the cases made their way through the courts. “She became pregnant, went to renew her card and told her qualifying CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

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CANNABIS CONUNDRUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

physician that she was pregnant,” said Scottsdale attorney Julie Gunnigle, who defended Ridgell in the appeal. “HG is a very severe form of nausea, where you basically throw up for nine months. It was literally only cannabis that saved her kid’s life because one in three pregnancies end up with a miscarriage when you have HG.” In February 2020, an administrative law judge found that most of DCS’s evidence was “double hearsay,” and “was not the kind of evidence on which a reasonable person would rely.” The ALJ directed DCS to amend its previous finding as “unsubstantiated,” thereby removing Ridgell from the registry. But DCS refused to comply, claiming Ridgell had neglected the child by exposing him prenatally to cannabis that “was not the result of a medical

treatment administered to the mother or the newborn infant by a health professional.” A judicial review of the case in Maricopa County Superior Court upheld the DCS decision, which led Ridgell and Gunnigle to take the case to the Arizona Court of Appeals to determine “whether the administrative action was illegal, arbitrary, capricious, or involved an abuse of discretion.” Ridgell, who has suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for the past 12 years, received her medical marijuana certification in 2010 as part of the first wave of medical patients in the state. “I was one of the original cardholders,” she said. “I’ve had it since we didn’t have dispensaries or anywhere you could legally purchase your medication. It’s the only thing that really helps me.” Records were not clear as to how much knowledge Ridgell’s OBGYN and other doctors had about her cannabis use, although when she renewed

her MMJ certification she informed her qualifying physician that she was pregnant. Yet two courts found the laws established and memorialized in the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act of 2010 to be decisive and the DCS director erred in putting her on the registry. “I think it’s really important that people understand what this ruling means and how wasteful DCS, and by extension the Attorney General’s office, has been in even pursuing cases like this,” Gunnigle said. Judge Randall M. Howe, who oversaw the appeal, agreed and in his findings ordered DCS to remove Ridgell from the registry. In his decision, Howe wrote, “marijuana use authorized under AMMA ‘must be considered the equivalent of the use of any other medication under the direction of a physician.’ Thus, by definition, using marijuana under AMMA is medical treatment ‘administered’ to Ridgell by a health profession-

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al. Taking marijuana as [her qualifying doctor] authorized is the same as taking any other medication ‘under the direction of a physician.’ Contrary to the [DCS’s] findings otherwise, whether any of Ridgell’s other doctors knew she was taking medical marijuana for her chronic nausea—and any dispute about that fact—is irrelevant.” According to Gunnigle, who is running as a Democrat for Maricopa County Attorney in a special election to replace Allister Adel (who resigned last month), the ACLU recently completed a public records request that found some “startling facts” about appeals related to the registry. From 2016 to September 2021, there were 1,423 cases where parents requested hearings for being placed on the registry. Of those hearings, the most common outcome was failure to appear. Of the cases heard, only “50 or CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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CANNABIS CONUNDRUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

60” went to a hearing and the majority of them ended with “credible findings of neglect,” although Gunnigle believes that is because the deck is stacked in favor of DCS. “People understood that they could request a hearing but didn’t understand how to get good legal representation, or the process scared them off,” Gunnigle said. “So, many of them failed to appear for their hearings.” Cannabis advocates watching this case believe it sets precedence to interpret the AMMA in favor of patients, but Sonia Martinez, the Phoenix attorney who initially represented Ridgell, thinks the matter is not settled. Martinez is working on a similar case, one she believes is more clearcut than Ridgell’s, but on Monday she was informed to prepare to defend it, even though she thought it would be suspended in the wake of the Ridgell decision. “DCS does not think that [the Ridgell] ruling is what it is,” Martinez said. “My take is essentially if you have your medical marijuana card, you’re essentially protected, but DCS, at least according to their response, doesn’t think so. It’s frustrating for me as an attorney.” Gunnigle believes the fear of being placed on the child-abuse registry could lead women, particularly women in underserved communities, to forgo prenatal care, leading to a “public health nightmare,” endangering the lives of both the mothers and their unborn children. “I’m glad Lindsay took this case,” she said. “To my knowledge, this is the first instance where there is a Court of Appeals win on a central neglect registry case in a very long time. This is the first case to interpret the immunity portions of AMMA.” Should the AG take the case to the state Supreme Court, it would be up to the court’s discretion on whether to

hear it. Gunnigle says there is a high bar for it to advance, but nothing is guaranteed. “I imagine there’s a lot of attorneying going on right now behind the scenes,” she said. “It’s very rare that people announce they’re taking cases to the Supreme Court. I know, that happens in the movies, but that doesn’t happen in real life.” As to Ridgell, who is not even sure she has been removed from the registry, she and her family are nervously awaiting the April 30 appeal deadline so she can pick up the pieces of her life and move on. Her son is healthy and will celebrate his third birthday next month. She hopes to become more active in advocacy for people who are put on the registry, but her career at DCS is definitely over. “I’m not sure I could ever go back to work for DCS, just morally, now that I’ve had a kid,” she said. “Everything’s different, and their policies and procedures are not something I feel like I could work with.”

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CANNABIS CATERING New business offers infused dinner parties

and euphoric high. “You’re not too high at any point, but it’s more of like, ‘Oh I am feeling it for sure’,” said Gould. Gould also set up a deal with Uber to A TUCSON WOMAN IS PUTTING get guests a ride to and from the venue her love of cannabis together with her to encourage them to not drive under party planning skills to create marijuathe influence. na-infused dinner parties. Gould is happy that weed is becomMeaghan Gould, aka Meaghie Jane, threw her first party in February at a pri- ing more socially acceptable because vate residence in the Catalina Foothills. she felt like it was always presented to “In Tucson we do have that cannabis her as a “gateway drug.” She recalls the warnings: “If you smoke weed you are community,” Gould said. Guests were greeted by an elaborate- going to get addicted to heroin. I feel like that was kind of instilled, especially ly set table and a bar cart with weed, a in freshman and sophomore year of grinder and a bong with fresh water. They were invited to pour themselves a high school,” she said. Born and raised in Tucson, Gould drink or roll up a joint before enjoying attended Salpointe High School. She the sativa-infused appetizer of roasted vegetables alongside a long cheese-and- started smoking weed when she was 16 years old and once got busted for it at fruit board. school, leading to a five-day suspension. After enjoying the appetizers, the But it didn’t dampen her enthusiasm guests went outside to catch the sunset and take a few photos. When they came for cannabis. In fact, she liked it so much back inside, the sound of Justin Beiber’s that during a smoking sesh, a fellow “Peaches” flooded the room along with smoker gave her the nickname Meaghie Jane. It wasn’t long before the nickname a citrusy and earthy smell from the second course, a white fish with a green caught on and the whole school started goddess sauce and a cabbage radicchio calling her Meaghie Jane, which she has now turned into a brand name for her salad with an infused dressing. fledgling business. The chef finished the meal with a “I feel like I know this is what I am blood orange creme brulee to go along supposed to be doing so there is no with an orange CBD oil. To infuse the food, Gould crafted her other route,” she said. “It is just a matter of time and sticking it out.” own extracts that she made from the She is currently hosting dinner parties Abundant Organics brand. She likes to at private residences, promoting her use a sativa for a more happy, bubbly, By Nicole Feltman nfeltman@tucsonlocalmedia.com

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started making her own oils by baking her flower and mixing it with coconut oil. She experimented with incorporating cannabis into cooking and learned how to properly dose her meals while accounting for how the oil affected the flavor profiles. She is currently looking to collaborate with dispensaries for 4/20 events, and hopes to have her own strain of weed in the future. “Everyone in the community is looking for all the same things. It’s competitive but everyone wants the same goal of making weed normal and socially acceptable,” she said. As a young entrepreneur, Meaghie is experiencing challenges starting up her business, but with help from her silent partner and business mentor, she is moving forward. She hopes to have her own cannabis cafe in the future, COURTESY PHOTO citing the eastside Harambe Cafe as an “As a country evolving and letting go of the inspiration. War on Drugs, a new scene for cannabis is She is happy that weed is losing its going to eventually happen and I hope to be a part of that,” Meaghan Gould said. stigma. “As a country evolving and letting go of the War on Drugs, a new scene for cannabis is going to eventually happen brand, and getting her name out into and I hope to be a part of that,” the industry. she said. “The industry in general is super welcoming and supportive of people trying If you are looking to book an dinner to get in because, you know, as long as event in the future, check out Meaghie you’re passionate about it, people are Jane’s instagram @meaghiejane like ‘yeah let’s collaborate and let’s do things together’,” she said. Gould graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 with her Bachelors in Science and Psychology and a minor in General Science. She was particularly interested in cognitive neuroscience and the study of the mind. After graduating, she realized that she was really interested in event planning. After hosting a friendsgiving with 30 of her friends one year, she became aware of how much she really loved setting up events. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Gould took her experience working as a server at several local spots, including Blanco Tacos and Tequila, Sauce Pizza and Wine, and Zinburger, and decided to create a career that combines food, COURTESY PHOTO cannabis and party planning. A cannabis catering cart! About a year ago, Meaghie Jane

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HIGH SPIRITS

Sampling a variety of cannabis products on the shelves of your local dispensary By the Tucson Weekly Test Department tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com Botanica Flower. Flower has come a long way from the days when we were separating stems and seeds from the Mexican weed we used to score from our dealer back in the ’90s. We tried out Botanica’s house-grown blueberry strain, a gorgeous fresh bud that had a light, fruity aroma right out of the pack. After just a few smooth hits, we felt that uplifting high that kept us happy and relaxed for more than a hour. It was a wonderful head and body high that we’d recommend as a way to add a boost to your evening or weekend, although it’s probably not one for the workplace, especially if you’re handling heavy machinery.

Earth Extracts Sugar Wax. The Earth’s Healing live resin terp sugar is a jar of golden granules of THCA crystals made from house-grown Unkle Cherry flower that is frozen immediately after harvest to preserve terpenes. The soft consistency makes it easy to scoop out your dose. As with similar concentrates, it’s a potent concoction with a sweet taste. iLava Entourage Dablicator. As much as we enjoy extracts, they can sure be a sticky mess to smoke. iLava’s nifty Dablicator removes a lot of that hassle by putting the concentrate in a pen-like device. You twist the pen so that a white button emerges from one end. You then point the other end onto your dab rig or COURTESY PHOTO

Earth’s Healing’s Unkle Cherry. CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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Exp. 4-20-22

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Earth’s Healing’s Shatter.

HIGH SPIRITS

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preferred smoking device and push the button. Voila! A neat little drop emerges, no muss, no fuss. We found it was also handy for adding a drop to our our flower to make a little homemade moon rock. The technology aside, the quality of the extract is, well, high, and it will give you the lift you’re after. Earth Extracts Shatter. Crafted by the gang at Earth’s Healing, this sticky shatter was made from cured whole nugget flower. Wrapped in a wax paper, it’s easy to peel off a dose for whatever rig you’re using to smoke it. And let us assure you: It will get you high. Be careful about dosage if you have anything else you need to get done, as a little dab will most definitely do you. iLava Entourage Gummies. These tasty treats come in a variety of flavors and strains, but they are all delicious. Crafted by the crew at Downtown Dispensary/D2, the gummies are solid but soft, like Jujyfruit candies, and the fruit flavor overwhelms any trace of THC. Each box contains 10 10mg gummies, which is a solid dose for cannabis enthusiasts. If it’s daytime, you’ll want to try the Entourage Day formula, a

sativa cocktail of 5mg THC, 5 mg delta 8 THC, 5mg CBD and 5mg CBG that will give you a mild buzz without taking you out of commission. In the evening, you might try Entourage Twilight, a hybrid that will help you let go of the day’s stress that includes CBG, CDB and CBD. And when it’s time for bed, try out Entourage Night, an indica variety with 10mg THC, 5mg CBN and 5mg CBG that helped our review get a deep sleep without a groggy hangover in the morning. iLava Delta 8 Clarity Cartridge, Green Quack Strain. If you’re looking for a mild cannabis buzz without the cloudy mind or giggles that sometimes accompanies the use of cannabis, Delta 8 Clarity is the way to go. This smooth smoke will leave you relaxed without making you high as a kite—which can be a challenge with today’s potent flower strains. Botanica Citrus Desert Cartridge. Some cartridges just don’t seem to have the same uplift as flower, but Botanica’s citrus desert cart definitely gets you into the zone. With a hint of citrus flavor, the smooth smoke is ideal for a night out when you don’t want the foggy high or an edible but you do want to be discreet when you’re drawing a hit. Dynamite shit.

APRIL 14, 2022

Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center Releaf Brand Flower. We sampled several potent strains from Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center, including Darth Vader (indica, 31.17% THC), Gorilla Glue #4 (hybrid, 21.79% THC), MF Cookiez (indica 24.8% THC) and Face Off OG (Indica 21.23% THC). All of the strains were really nice and the indicas hit slightly different. The personal fave: Gorilla Glue #4. As a hybrid, it felt really nice with a strong sense of euphoria and healthy blend of body and head highs, but it was still easy to get things done around the house. The Darth Vader strain checked all the boxes. A phenomenal taste that also was the perfect blend of body and relaxation for an evening toke. The drowsiness you’d expect from a higher THC percentage wasn’t really there and the strength was nice that you were able to get desired results from a pinch. A very special strain they are putting out. All the buds were dressed to impress with a nice amount of crystallization and texture. These dense buds, cured to perfection, are the type you can take out and impress a friend with. Desert Bloom Releaf Brand Vape Cartridge, Sunset Runtz Live Resin (Indica, 89.44% THC). Live resin really seems to be the way to go for the new generation of vape cartridges. The Sunset Runtz greats you with a nice

fruity taste from the terps upon first pull and, depending on your tolerance, that may be all you need. The relaxing vibe you’d expect from an indica without an overpowering drowsiness. A solid vape cart for those looking to expand into the strong vape cartridges, given that it’s a staggering 89.44% THC. Desert Bloom High School S.H. Sugar Wax (Hybrid, 82.17% THC). At 82.17% it’s not the highest concentrate on the market, but it definitely does the job. This hybrid is a great option for those looking to get into the wonderful world of concentrates as well as seasoned dabbers alike. The perk of the sugar wax is just how easy it is to handle and dose. Sticky enough to grab while also not so sticky that you’ll be dealing with strings as you try to pull the right amount. Our reviewer sampled with a nectar collector and it greeted him with an immediate sense of euphoria while also leaning into a more body than head high. Nice balance you’d expect from a quality hybrid strain such as High School S.H. Definitely worth a try for every smoker that’s looking for a quick and easy way to dose. Sublime Live Resin Wax Concentrate (Hybrid, 63% THC). We got a nice, clean lift from a single rip of Sublime live resin wax concentrate and spent a recent afternoon buzzing with energy,

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clarity and high spirits. That evening, we upped the ante, mixing a pebble’s worth into our after-dinner joint. It might have been too much. Our head was foggy, our fingers turned into hotdogs and it took two hours to write this review. And we can’t even remember what we were going to say about it! We recommend caution, even for the tetrahydrocannabinol-tolerant. Cannabliss Broad Spectrum Sour Gummies. From the great culinary minds at Halo Infusions comes a brand new offering from Cannabliss. Their Broad Spectrum Sour Gummies greet you with an amazing flavor upon first chew. There is a nice amount of balance between the sour and sweet that makes for an enjoyable flavor profile—so much so that you almost want to eat the whole bag in a sitting. But at 10MG per gummy, these edibles are consistent and easy to dose. To get the full experience. We started with 1 gummy then gradually over the next couple hours ate a total of 3. The first 10MG gives a nice subtle feeling you’d expect from that dosage

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Cannabliss THC Gummies.

and took about 35-45 minutes to come on. The second came around after the first initial effects came on and puts you in a real nice spot: body forward with a touch of a head high. It wasn’t until the 30MG where we felt it on all fronts. By the third hour, after ingesting 30MG total toward the end day, we hit the pillow and went right to bed. All in all, great experience and keeps with the trend of what we expect from the Halo Infusion kitchens. These Sour Gummies will be released for sale soon, so keep your eyes peeled and make sure to ask your favorite budtender for availability.

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BILLION-DOLLAR BUD

Arizonans spent more than $1.4 billion on cannabis in 2021

By David Abbott tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

IN THE FIRST YEAR THAT Arizona adults could legally buy cannabis, they spent slightly more than $1.4 billion on marijuana. According to the Arizona Department of Revenue, the recreational market brought in nearly $650 million, despite sales beginning on Jan. 22, 2021. The well-established medical market that has been in existence for a decade recorded $758 million in sales in 2021, according to ADOR. December 2021 saw recreational sales top medical for only the second time, with the adult-use market notching nearly $67.2 million in sales compared to $53.5 million on the medical side. And December marked the third month in a row that recreational marijuana sales set a record for the burgeoning industry, beating out the $64 million sold in November. A year ago, recreational sales began with just $11.4 million in the final 10 days of January 2021. Harvest Health Inc., now owned by Florida-based Trulieve Cannabis Corp, was the only dispensary prepared for sales that weren’t expected to begin until March or April. At the time, Harvest and its 15 dispensary licenses was owned by Tempe native Steve White, who contributed $1.8 million to the 2020 campaign to pass Proposition 207, which legalized recreational cannabis in Arizona. But other dispensaries rushed to open once adult-use sales were legal, and they quickly caught up to medical cannabis sales. At the close of 2021, recreational sales contributed more than $104.1 million in

excise tax, while sales taxes brought in another $113.5 million in tax revenue. When the $63.5 million in medical marijuana sales taxes are included, cannabis sales in Arizona added nearly $218 million to state coffers in 2021. The state collects 16% in excise tax on recreational sales in addition to the standard sales tax; medical patients pay just the sales tax. Local jurisdictions charge an additional 2% or so for all marijuana sales. Proposition 207, approved by voters in 2020, legalized adult use of cannaCOURTESY PHOTO bis and specified public use for taxes collected on recreational sales. OneDecember 2021 saw recreational sales top medical for only the second time, with the third is dedicated to community college adult-use market notching nearly $67.2 million in sales compared to $53.5 million on the medical side. and provisional community college districts; 31% to public safety (police, fire departments, fire districts, first responders); 25% to the Arizona Highway User Revenue Fund, and 10% to the justice reinvestment fund, dedicated to providing public health services, counseling, job training and other social services for communities that have been adversely affected and disproportionately impacted by marijuana arrests and criminalization. Headset, a data and analytics provider for the cannabis industry, reported the following highlights of the cannabis year 2021, including: • In February, total market sales grew 39% compared to January. In March, total market sales grew 29.6%. • The sales breakdown for 2021 reported that cannabis flower accounted for roughly 47% of all Arizona cannabis sales in 2021. Vapor pens accounted for around 23.7%.

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Best Delivery Service Earth’s Healing 78 W. River Road (520) 253-7198 2075 E. Benson Highway (520) 373-5779 earthshealing.org Even before the pandemic, Earth’s Healing’s delivery service was on point. If you’re feeling too lazy (or too high) to drive, the friendly staff will bring your bud to you, as long as you call your order in early enough to make the daily cut. If you’re spending between $40 and $100, you’ll pay a flat $10 fee. If your order is between $101 and $200, you’ll pay a mere $5. And if your order is above $200, it’s free. With the way gas prices are climbing, you might be saving money with this service.

READER RECOMMENDED

Downtown Dispensary/D2 221 E. Sixth St. (520) 838-0492

thedowntowndispensary.com 7105 E. 22nd St. (520) 214-3232 d2dispensary.com Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center 8060 E. 22nd St. (520) 886-1760 Dbloomtucson.com

Best Certification Center Tumbleweeds Health Center 4826 E. Broadway Blvd. (520) 838-4430 tumbleweedshealthcenter.com Tumbleweeds Health Center isn’t just a place to get your medical card, although it’s our readers’ favorite spot to do just that. Since they opened Tumbleweeds more than a decade ago, owners Dana Rae Zygmunt and Kim A. Williams have made it their mission to educate the public about the many medical benefits of cannabis. If you’re got questions, they’ve got answers.

READER RECOMMENDED

Dr. Reeferalz Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center 4120 E. Speedway Blvd. (520) 623-0420 Drreeferalz.com Natural Healing Care Center 2231 E. Speedway Blvd. (520) 323-0069 Naturalhealingcarecenter.com

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Best Medical Marijuana Doc

READER RECOMMENDED

Heather Moroso

4826 E. Broadway Blvd.

Moroso Medical Center

(520) 838-4430

2231 S. Fourth Ave.

tumbleweedshealthcenter.com

(520) 275-1449

Dr. Shonna Christian

morosomedicalcenter.com

Dr. Reeferalz Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center

Dr. Heather Moroso once again tops this category, to no great surprise. She’s been working with cannabis patients ever since voters legalized medical marijuana more than a decade ago and is well known for her compassionate work with HIV/AIDS patients. Be sure to check out her new clinic, the Moroso Medical Center, in South Tucson, where she’s given the old Antonio’s tavern a total makeover. You’ll not only have the opportunity to get certified for a medical marijuana card, but you’ll also have the chance to take classes, socialize with your fellow cannabis enthusiasts, learn more about healthy lifestyles and enjoy a smoothie. (See “Open Invitation,” Page 17, for details.)

Dr. Alicia Miller

Tumbleweeds Health Center

4120 E. Speedway Blvd. (520) 623-0420 Drreeferalz.com

Best Waiting Room Earth’s Healing 78 W. River Road

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(520) 253-7198

4220 E. Speedway Blvd. 1525 N. Park Ave.

Halo Cannabis

Best Pre-Roll

(520) 447-7463

7710 S. Wilmot Road

theprimeleaf.com

(520) 664-2251

Earth’s Healing

thegreenhalo.com

2075 E. Benson Highway (520) 373-5779 earthshealing.org Between the pandemic and the advent of recreational sales, the comfy couches at Earth’s Healing have gone away, but our readers still fondly remember being able to lounge in comfort while waiting for an order. Still, Earth’s Healing remains the top spot when you’re waiting for your name to be called and we love the makeover they’ve done at the Benson Highway location.

READER RECOMMENDED

Halo Cannabis

7710 S. Wilmot Road (520) 664-2251 thegreenhalo.com Prime Leaf

READER RECOMMENDED

Best Customer Service Earth’s Healing 78 W. River Road

Prime Leaf 4220 E. Speedway Blvd 1525 N. Park Ave. (520) 447-7463 theprimeleaf.com

(520) 253-7198 2075 E. Benson Highway (520) 373-5779 earthshealing.org The Earth’s Healing budtenders know how to take care of their patients—and they prove it on a daily basis. You can dodge the line by ordering ahead of time online and if you don’t want to drive to the store, they will even deliver for you. What more can you ask for?

Best New Patient Special Earth’s Healing 78 W. River Road (520) 253-7198 2075 E. Benson Highway (520) 373-5779 earthshealing.org If you’re a new medical patient, there’s the fun of exploring the specials you’re eligible for when you visit dispensaries. Let’s face it: Free weed is the best weed. At Earth’s Healing, new patients have the choice of four specials: A free onegram pre-roll; a free 100-mg edible; a free 500 mg Earthvape; or a buy-one/ get-one deal on a $25 eighth of an ounce. Plus, on your second visit, you get a free pre-roll. Now that’s a way to earn return visits.

READER RECOMMENDED

Halo Cannabis

7710 S. Wilmot Road (520) 664-2251 thegreenhalo.com NatureMed 5390 E. Ina Road (520) 620-9123 naturemedaz.com

78 W. River Road (520) 253-7198 2075 E. Benson Highway (520) 373-5779 earthshealing.org If you’re looking for a tasty pre-roll to pass around to enjoy that sense of community that comes with sharing a joint, Earth’s Healing has fine options made from fresh bud. Measuring out at a gram, it’s surely enough to spark joy in your life.

READER RECOMMENDED

Halo Cannabis

7710 S. Wilmot Road (520) 664-2251 thegreenhalo.com NatureMed 5390 E. Ina Road (520) 620-9123 naturemedaz.com

Best Soft-Drink Edible Pure & Simple (Halo Infusions) Halo Infusions’ Pure & Simple brand offers several delicious options of dosed drinks, including a hibiscus citrus juice blend and a prickly lemonade juice blend, as well as an apple juice and an orange juice. All 8-ounce servings come with 100mg of THC, meaning that just a sip will be enough to start the morning on a high note. Unless you’re a cannabis veteran, you won’t want to drink the entire thing in one sitting. Check your local dispensary to see if they carry Pure & Simple.

READER RECOMMENDED

Baked Bros Keef

APRIL 14, 2022

Best THC Brownie Aunt Ellie’s Aunt Ellie cooks up everything from a 25mg “daily dose” brownie (though we have to say that 25mg seems like more than a daily dose for most people) to the 500mg ultra mega brownie, which is enough doses to keep us high for a month or two. They are all baked locally and the chocolate pairs surprisingly well with the minor undertones of cannabis. Delicious and one of best values for your bud bucks.

READER RECOMMENDED

Sublime Amy & Al’s

READER RECOMMENDED

Wyld Sublime

Best THC Topical iLava Touch We have friends who swear by the pain-relieving effects they get from iLava Touch, a blend of THC, CBD and other essential oils such as mango ginger and blue tansy. Developed by the team at Downtown Dispensary/D2, the topical gel has a wonderful scent and can help with everything from arthritis pain to a bad back.

READER RECOMMENDED

Best Craft Baked Edible Sublime Sublime infuses a wide line of edibles, including chocolate bars, hard candy (don’t miss the Phoenix prickly pear for some authentic Arizona flavor), spicy Southwest pretzels and a chili-limon popcorn. We sure miss the lemon tea cake they used to make, but their line remains as potent and tasty as well.

READER RECOMMENDED

Aunt Ellie’s Amy & Al’s

Best Candy THC Edible Ogeez! If you like gummies, you should try out Ogeez! They have a wonderful chewy texture and are available in a variety of fruity flavors, including raspberry orange, blackberries and cream, and watermelon. Mostly, they come in 10mg doses in packs of 10, but medical patients are eligible to pick up a pack of 10 30mg gummies. Pro tip: Medical patients can find them for 30% off on Saturdays at both Prime Leaf locations.

Sublime Chronic Health

Best Indica Concentrate Earth Extracts Cannabis concentrates have a few advantages over fresh bud: They don’t create stinky weed clouds when you smoke it and you can get high AF. Our readers give this year’s prize to the concentrates at Earth’s Extracts, the house brand of Earth’s Healing. The extract comes in various forms that range from a sticky sheet of shatter to tiny little crystals of live resin terp sugar. Whichever direction you do, you’ll enjoy the buzz.

READER RECOMMENDED

Halo Cannabis C-Rex

Best Sativa Concentrate Earth Extracts Our readers not only loved the Earth’s Extracts indica concentrate, but they CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

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also voted the Earth’s Healing house brand as the best sativa concentrate.

READER RECOMMENDED

C-Rex Halo Cannabis

Best Hybrid Concentrate Earth Extracts And it’s the trifecta for Earth Extracts as they also win for the best hybrid concentrate. Whether they are crafting this from cured whole nugget flower or fresh frozen bud (to preserve as many terpenes as possible), the Earth Extracts team knows how to get the best out of the plant.

READER RECOMMENDED

Halo Cannabis C-Rex

Best Sativa Vape Cartridge C-Rex C-Rex creates its cannabis extract without the use of solvents, which sounds like a step forward to us. The team uses fresh-frozen bud, ice water, heat and pressure to squeeze out that THC and create a range of products, including the cartridges our readers love.

READER RECOMMENDED

Earth Extracts iLava

READER RECOMMENDED

C-Rex iLava

Best Hybrid Vape Cartridge iLava iLava, the house brand of Downtown Dispensary/D2, is one of the finest vape cartridges on the local market. Made with their signature extract, the cartridge delivers a mild buzz while allowing the user to remain discreet.

READER RECOMMENDED

Best Indica Vape Cartridge

Earthvape C-Rex

Earth Extracts

Best CBD Vape Cartridge

Earth Extracts continues its dominance of the 2022 Cannabis Bowl with yet another win for their splendid concentrate. We can only say congrats for winning so many of our readers’ hearts (and lungs).

Earthvape And yet another win for Earth’s Healing for their CBD vape cartridge. If you don’t enjoy the cloudy effects of THC but are still seeking relief from pain, CBD might just be the thing for you.

READER RECOMMENDED

C-Rex Stiiizy

Best Indica Flower Halo Cannabis 7710 S. Wilmot Road (520) 664-2251 thegreenhalo.com

Congrats to Halo Cannabis for winning the coveted Best Flower award in both the indica and sativa categories. This is quality cannabis that will taste fresh and deliver the high you’re seeking.

READER RECOMMENDED

Mohave Sunday Goods

Best Hybrid Flower The Pharm The Pharm boasts that it grows “sunsoaked cannabis” at its Willcox farm— and that sounds like a great Pharm-totable experience to us. Whether you’re looking for flower for your pipe, a preroll to share with friends, or a distillate, check your local dispensary to see if they are carrying Pharm.

READER RECOMMENDED

Halo Cannabis Sublime

Best Sativa Flower

Best CBD Flower

Halo Cannabis

5460 E. Speedway Blvd.

7710 S. Wilmot Road (520) 664-2251 thegreenhalo.com Halo Cannabis has a grow right on the edge of Tucson, so you know the bud is going to be fresh. They offer an ever-changing lineup of sativa strains as they crossbreed to reach that elusive perfect buzz.

READER RECOMMENDED

Sunday Goods Sublime

Healthful Flowers (520) 279-1819 healthfulflowers.com We’re learning a lot more about the benefits of CBD, so more people are experimenting with it, especially since it doesn’t carry the same (happily vanishing) stigma of cannabis. Healthful Flowers carries a wide variety of CBD strains and a knowledgeable staff to help you navigate your option.

READER RECOMMENDED

Tierra Grow CBD Wellness

APRIL 14, 2022

Munchies! Munchies! HUNGER GAMES

15 places to cure your 4/20 munchies

By Staff Report tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

spicy gushers, spicy mango pieces, spicy Sour Patch Kids, and even spicy Starburst. And if those don’t sound up your alley, Tanna’s also sells spicy rim dip, so you can take their flavors to whatever food or drink you desire. Sometimes the munchies mean you’re looking for a classic snack, but other times, you’re looking for a wild combination of flavors that you’ve never had before. And in those situations, Tanna’s Botannas is the place to go. 4426 S. Sixth Ave. (520) 445-5875. tannasbotannas.com

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Caruso’s. 434 N. Fourth Ave. (520) 624-5765. carusositalian.com

Frog & Firkin. A standout among the University Boulevard scene, Frog & Firkin has almost everything we could hope for in a pub, especially when it comes to the food. Make the place one stop on a University tour, or select it as your destination all its own, either way, there is plenty here to satisfy some cravings. We appreciate how the food feels equal parts fancy and indulgent, such as their steak salad with grilled Arte Bella. We all know weed makes you more cre- tenderloin and bleu cheese crumbles, their nacho platter overflowing with toppings, multiple selections ative and hungry, so wouldn’t it be nice if there was a place to combine the two? Fourth Ave’s Arte Bella cap- of specialty fries, and about a dozen burgers to choose italizes on the combo by being “Tucson’s original puff from. But if there’s one thing on the Frog & Firkin menu we want to shout out as a munchies delicacy, and paint.” Here, you can grab food and drinks while it’s their “Amazeballs Truffle Mac & Cheese,’’ with four participating in a variety of painting classes, all with different cheeses, truffle oil, bacon and butter crumbs. a 4/20 twist. Just imagine how vibrant and creative those acrylics and watercolors will turn out when you Just another reason we Firkin love this place. 874 E. have a bit of extra inspiration in you; you can vape and University Blvd. (520) 623-7507. frogandfirkin.com. dab inside the venue, and you can light fire to flower CONTINUED ON PAGE 41 products on their patio. And if you forget anything, there’s a smoke shop just next door. But don’t let all that distract from their food, including quesadillas, nachos, bowls, desserts, plus happy hour specials and a Taco Tuesday. There are a lot of options on Fourth Ave., but Arte Bella stands out with a special combination. 340 N. Fourth Ave. (520) 526-2588. artebellaon4th. com

FUN FACT: SCIENTISTS WITH THE SOCIETY for the Study of Ingestive Behavior conducted a 2018 study that showed that dosing lab mice with cannabis vapor triggered hunger hormones and shifted portions of the brain to “hungry mode.” But you don’t have to be a scientist to know that weed enhances your appetite. You just need to dose yourself with cannabis vapor and—trust us on this one—your stomach is gonna start grumbling and food Caruso’s. One of Tucson’s oldest family restaurants is going to taste realllllly good. is also one of its tastiest. Italian food, cheese and big Given that stoner holiday 4/20 is right around the servings all go hand in hand, and we have a hard time corner, we picked out some of our favorite spots to thinking of something that sounds more appealing satisfy that weed-sparked appetite. when the munchies hit. There are plenty of options for good dining at Fourth Ave’s Caruso’s, but we’re Tanna’s Botannas. All you need to know is right especially drawn to their specialty lasagne, made with there on the sign: Fire snacks. When you’re in a homemade noodles, layered with a cheese-meat sauce, munchies mood, what more could you want than and “baked in a blanket of cheese.” Options for these some spicy, savory snacks of the Southwestern style? Tanna’s crafts up some unique munchies by combin- range from chicken to meatball to vegetarian. All we can say is thank you for continuing to do what you do, ing classic candies with a roasty kick. We’re talking

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APRIL 14, 2022

A Firkin Good Time Since 2001

y, Thirst Got the ? ies h c n u m

Great Beer & Delicious Food! 874 East University Blvd 520 623 7507 FROGANDFIRKIN.COM Sunday-Thursday 11:00am - 1:00am, Friday-Saturday 11:00am - 2:00am

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Little Love Burger. A newcomer to the Congress restaurant scene, the gang at Little Love Burger has already made a name for themselves thanks to their natural angus beef (or vegetarian) burgers covered in specialty toppings. Their selections range from the classic to a BBQ burger with swiss and cheddar and bacon, to the overflowing chili and mustard burger. They even give you the option to craft your own burger by selecting any of their toppings, for the picky stoner. On a recent trip in, we were head-over-heels about their “All Spiced Up” burger, which comes topped with pepper jack, jalapeno, slaw, black pepper bacon, tomato and spicy ketchup. It takes a special burger joint to fill the hole that Diablo Burger left in our hearts, but Little Love Burger definitely fits the bill. 312 E. Congress St. (520) 849-5908. littleloveburger.com Scented Leaf. Maybe you’re feeling a bit more mellow when the munchies hit, and you don’t exactly want to dive into a pile of greasy food. For the more reflective in the audience, either of Scented Leaf’s locations may do the trick. With more of a flavor focus after you indulge, fancy teas taste all the more refreshing and multi-layered. Dig into the Scented Leaf’s loose-leaf teas from around the world and experience some wild flavor combinations! If a

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM 41

simple mint tea isn’t quite your thing, they also have Banana Chocolate Cake tea, Blueberry Bliss, Pomegranate Razz, Spicy Pear and much more. 943 E. University Blvd. suite 165, and 308 E. Congress St. (520) 624-2930. thescentedleaf.com Tumerico. Even if you’re not among the “meat is murder” crowd, you’re going to love this Latin-inspired vegetarian eatery with plenty of Vegan options and generous portions that include “all the powers”: beans, rice and veggies. The jackfruit carnitas will fool you into thinking you’re eating pork, although you should listen when they warn you it’s gonna be spicy. Plus, you can add CBD to your drinks. Soooo good. 2526 E. Sixth St. (520) 240-6947. 402 E. Fourth Ave. (520) 392-0224. tumerico.com The Screamery. I scream, you scream, we all scream for the Sreamery’s ice cream. With all the standard flavors plus exotic options such as Ooey Gooey Buttercake and Sweet Cream Honeycomb, you’e going to find the cold sweetness your tongue is seeking. Or enjoy a shake, banana split or ice cream nachos. 50 S. Houghton Road. (520) 721-5299. 2545 E. Speedway Blvd. (520) 777-3080. 250 E. Congress St. (520) 207-7486. 5920 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive. (520) 328-8145. thescreamery.com

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! n a i l Ita ONLINE

s ’ ER D t OR a R h

TINE

carusoitalian.com 520.624.5765 6000+ sq. ft. Outdoor Dining Room

eno

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

APRIL 14, 2022

Come and try our CBD Infused Tacos and Relleno

PLANT BASED KITCHEN

Tumerico on 4th Ave. 4th Ave Location 402 E 4thst. Corner of 4th Avenue & 4th Street 520-392-0224

“It’s all about food, serving the community by healing through food. Food is home. Food is family.”

Three locations Tumerico Cafe 6th St location 2526 E. 6th Street 520-240-6947

La Chaiteria 1002 W Congress St Open Daily for Takeout or Delivery 520-400-7127

LATIN KITCHEN&BAR

www.tumerico.com www.lachaiteria.com

MUNCH ON THIS! “Try Our Porked Fries and Dirty Tachos!”

500 N 4TH AV ,

TUCSON, 85705 520.207.6970 | LO4TH.COM

HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY 11AM - 10PM SUNDAY 11AM-5PM

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Tucson Tamale Company. If you haven’t tried a vegetable curry tamale from Tucson Tamale Company, you’ve missed out on one of the finest food fusions in Southern Arizona. When Tucson Tamale owners Shari and Todd Martin decided to experiment with what a tamale could be, they created some astounding options wrapped up in a cork husk. There’s a reason these guys sell millions of these tamales every year—because they’re great! 7286 N. Oracle Road. (520) 403-1888. 7159 E. Tanque Verde Road. (520) 298-8404. tucsontamale.com

workout routine treat yo’self to a little piece of joy. I mean, it’s just one day! We also recommend a side of tater tots for a crunchy texture. 500 N. Fourth Ave. (520) 207-6970. Lo4th.com ANELLO Pizzeria. Say you’re high. You end up in downtown Tucson. You’re not really sure if you should be out in public, but you know you’re looking for a pizza, as it’s a classic way to combat the munchies. ANELLO’s limited menu makes it easy for readers to choose their toppings and they excel at what they make. If you’re craving something sweet afterward, ANELLO’s offers delicious tarts like their blue corn lemon and pecan honey tarts. 222 E. Sixth St. annelo.space

Dessert Case at Hotel Congress. If your sweet tooth is activated by cannabis, you’ll want to gaze into the revolving dessert case at Hotel Congress, where house-baked delights twirl all day long. Whether you’re looking for a slice of pie or cake, a tart of some kind or just a cookie, you’ll find something here to activate your taste buds. Of course, the entrees aren’t bad, either. 311 E. Congress St. (520) 622-8848. Hotelcongress.com

Nico’s Burritos. The munchies can hit at any time, so thank goodness we have Nico’s, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can’t go wrong with a bacon, egg, potato and cheese breakfast burrito, with the green salsa and a large horchata. We’re not advising you to drive while high, but there is a drive-thru window if you don’t feel like being out in public. And everything on the menu is under $12. Multiple locations. ordernicosmexicanfood.com

Amy’s Donuts. If you’re really looking for a sugar rush to accompany that head rush, Amy’s Donuts will deliver. With options such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, and Cookie Monster, you know these donuts are fresh baked for the freshly baked. 101 E. Fort Lowell Road. (520) 647-2481. amysdonuts.com

Cheba Hut. Is any list of spots to stave off the munchies complete without Cheba Hut? This is where the subs are toasted and so are you. These guys lean into that stoner culture, with loaded not’chos and krispy fruity pebble bars wrapped in marshmallow gooeyness. Enjoy a “Cottonmouth Cure” such as Kool-Aid. Open until 10 p.m., with a full bar, seating for days, and the option for online or pick-up ordering. Cheba Hut is the ultimate stoner fantasy. 446 N Campbell Ave. (520) 495-4719. chebahut.com

Lindy’s on 4th. Sometimes, you want a cheeseburger. Sometimes you want mac ’n’ cheese. And sometimes, you want both! Luckily, Lindy’s has both in a single meal, the mac ’n’ cheeseburger. This calorie-packed sandwich is the kind of decadence you deserve as a treat once in a while. If you’re celebrating 4/20, forget about that summer

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM 43

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APRIL 14, 2022

CHOW

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM 45

SHEPHERD HILLS SENIOR LIVING

LOOKING FOR A GREAT PLACE FOR MOM AND DAD?

ENTER FREELY

Surrender to the inevitable at Fourth Ave’s Portal By Matt Russell tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

WITH MASK MANDATES EXPIRING and many of us rightfully dragging our Zoom apps into the recycle bin, local businesses across Southern Arizona are celebrating what it means to be social again. At Portal, an intimate cocktail bar located at 220 N. Fourth Ave., they are taking the idea of social rather seriously and that is a real boon for bar manager Breya Zur. “My team and I are a lot happier now that our guests can see our faces again,” said Zur. “Being social means that we can display our emotions while serving them, like giving vibes out and getting them back, and if our guests can see how proud we are of something that we have created, it gives them a special feeling of what hospitality is all about.” This concept also extends to Zur’s cocktail menu, with a section devoted to the communal connection. Its occupants are what she calls “social bowls,” with nary a mention of distancing, which are cocktails intended to serve several “participants” that are presented to them in large vessels handmade by a local potter. I guess it is a mark of maturity when you advance from simple patron to full-on participant in a cocktail encounter. One expression of Portal’s social story is the Swamp Thing, made with Midori melon liqueur, passionfruit, soda, Prosecco, and a purple Hawaiian yam known as ube that has the flavor profile of sugar cookies. “This one has a social throwback vibe, especially with the Midori, that will put you right into a Studio 54 kind of mood,” she said. Another social sipper is the Jupiter Bowl, with gin, coconut rum, Falernum, orgeat, passionfruit, hibiscus, lime, and pineapple. Before it is presented to participants, the drink

COURTESY PHOTO

is set on fire and sprinkled with cinnamon to produce a finishing spark. “This is a fruity and floral cocktail that definitely gives off those big tiki and summer fun vibes,” she said. This sounds great to me. I will just have to remember to pack the cinnamon on my next trip to Maui. These social bowls are designed to be enjoyed by three or more, served with individual straws matching the number of participants who will be sharing in their consumption. And to take them to even greater heights, CBD oil can be added, in either 17 mg or 34 mg doses, which Zur says may help to relieve muscle pain, soreness, and headaches. For those who would rather fly solo, Portal features an impressive line-up of cocktails made and served through more conventional means. Categories include Quickies, Porch Pounders, Nightcaps, Modern Classics, and Portal Cocktails. Select beers, wines, spirits, and snacks are also available. Guests are reportedly encouraged to “surrender to the inevitable” when they walk through Portal’s doors. So, what does that mean to Breya Zur? “For me, it means go ahead and give in, decide that you are going to have a good night,” she said. “If you are feeling anxious or stressed out about something, let it out and let it go.” The pandemic served up anxiety and stress in spades, and it is good to know there is a place in town built on the importance of letting it all go. A place where the concept of social is part of its signature, where you can be a true participant in the culture they have created, and where a group of friends can simultaneously plunge their straws into a single cocktail and sip together in the spirit of solidarity. Contact Matt Russell, whose day job is CEO of Russell Public Communications, at mrussell@russellpublic.com. Russell is also the publisher of OnTheMenuLive.com as well as the host of the Friday Weekend Watch segment on the “Buckmaster Show” on KVOI 1030 AM.

Assisted Living and Memory Care Sometimes we can use a helping hand. Assisted living at Shepard Hills Senior Care offers older adults amazing personal services of bathing, dressing, medications, laundry, meal preparation and daily living activities to name a few. We tailor a plan that honors your loved one’s needs and preferences ---and you can enjoy greater peace of mind. With comfortable living space, scheduled transportation, home cooked meals and round the clock assistance along with life enriching activities, they will wonder why they didn’t call sooner.

Location Location Location!

Our location is just far enough removed from daily traffic and noise while still being conveniently located. Situated in the peaceful Harold Bell Wright Neighborhood, our residents enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and the green spaces provided at the Harold Bell Wright Park. The centerpiece of our inner courtyard is our signature gazebo. Large enough to accommodate gatherings for morning coffee with friends and family or a tranquil place to sit and reflect.

Near by amenities

Also, we are nearby to amenities and services such as restaurants, shops, banks, and the medical facilities. Shepherd Hill’s location blends the quiet surroundings of a rural neighborhood with all the convenience of living in the city.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PERSONALIZED SERVICES AND AMENITIES CALL Edward 520-358-0643 or Martina 520-543-2947 6447-6451 East Shepherd Hills Tucson, AZ 85710

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TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

APRIL 14, 2022

Conversation: Rick Joy and Claudia Kappl Joy. Award-winning architect Rick Joy and lighting designer Claudia Kappl Joy will be honored at MOCA Tucson’s 2022 gala later this month. But before the big celebration, they’ll be hosting this intimate conversation about their decades-long practice and major achievements. Tucson-based Rick Joy has been around since 1993 and done projects all over the world, and Rick and Claudia are known for their approach to architecture which connects sites with their surroundings and the culture of the landscape. 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24. MOCA Tucson, 265 S. Church Ave. $10, or free for MOCA members. High Fidelity. When I get dumped, my life does start getting pretty musical, because I really up my scream-singingin-the-car and ballads-in-the-shower sessions. But it would be way better if things after a breakup were an actual musical. Enter this show. Based on the popular novel by Nick Hornby, with lyrics by Amanda Green, music by Tom Kitt and book by David Lindsay-Abaire, this show tells the story of a man named Rob trying to figure out where his relationship went wrong and learn how to win back his ex, Laura. It’s a tribute to geek culture with a rock ’n’ roll score that will carry you through whatever you’ve got going on. 7:30 p.m. showings Thursdays through Sundays from April 14 to 24. Tornabene Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Road. $24 adults, $15 students. Troubadour Thursdays: Birds and Arrows. Fox Theatre executive director Bonnie Schock says Troubador Thursdays are the perfect recipe: “Tucson food, outdoor seating, tunes drifting in the breeze!” This weekly musical patio tour welcomed us all out of hibernation last spring, and the Fox Theatre and Downtown Tucson Partnership are coming together to offer it on Thursdays through April once again. This week, Andrea and Pete Connolly of Birds and Arrows are bringing their tunes ranging from personal ballads to psychedelic rock. They play at the Monica from 5 to 5:25 p.m., at Batch/1055 Brewing from 5:30 to 5:55 p.m., The Delta from 6:05 to 6:30 p.m., Charro Steak and Del Rey from 6:40 to 7:25 p.m. and Perche’ No from 7:35 to 8 p.m.

Taste of Tucson. This event has a Build Your Own Michelada Bar and a Build Your Own Margarita Bar. I feel like maybe that’s all I need to write? If you’re still not sold, though, you’ll also want to know there’s more than 20 food vendors, more than 100 shopping vendors and live music. We know that Tucson is full of tasty food, and I’m always happy to celebrate that. VIP gates open at 11 a.m. and general admission gates open at noon. Saturday, April 16. Tucson Expo Center, 3750 E. Irvington Road.

by Emily Dieckman Easter ExtravaganZOO. Happy Easter! Come celebrate with the animals at Reid Park Zoo this weekend. The morning starts with an Easter egg hunt at 7:30, including an age-specific zone so everyone can have fun. After the hunt, kids can turn in their eggs for a treat bag. And there are special prizes for those who find the golden dinosaur eggs or the big teal egg! At 8:30, there’s a breakfast in the event garden and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny! Perhaps best of all, you can also watch the zoo animals enjoy their Easter treats. 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 16, and Sunday, April 17. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court. $40 adults, $30 kids, $25 for kids under 2. $5 off for Zoo members. Egg Hunt at PACC. If you truly want to make your child’s dreams come true this Easter, take them to the animal shelter for a day full of free egg hunts AND adoptable pets. Imagine their faces if they go home with a boatload of candy and a new sweet li’l dog. But even if you just want to check out some family-friendly animals to get a sense of what kind of pet might be a good pet for your family, or you just want to let your kids pet a dog even if you’re not planning to get one, or even if you just want to come for the egg hunt, all are welcome. They’ll also have kids activities throughout the day. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 16. PACC, 4000 N. Silverbell Road. Free.

Secrets of a Soccer Mom. Soccer moms always have the best secrets, don’t they? The Invisible Theatre is closing out is 50th anniversary season with this show by Kathleen Clark, directed by Nancy Davis Booth. When three women reluctantly participate in a mothers vs. sons soccer game, their initial plan is to let the kids win. But then things get competitive, and they decide they want to score, to recapture their youthful good humor, and to gain a better understanding of themselves and their families along the way. Wednesday, April 20 through Sunday, May 1. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. except for 2 p.m. shows on Sunday, April 24, Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1. Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Avenue. $40, with discounts for groups, seniors, active military and students. Friends of Pima Library Members-Only Book Sale. Another month, another book sale! Whether you’re looking for Pulitzer Prize winners and best sellers, vintage books, kids’ books or more, you’ll find something at this book sale. If you’re not already a member of Friends of the Pima Library, you can pick up a membership right at the book sale for just 20 bucks, which will grant you access to all the members-only book sales through the year! Masks are required for all customers. Be sure to check out the organization’s YouTube channel as well, where staff members read children’s books every week! 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16. 2230 N. Country Club Road. 30th Arizona International Film Festival. The oldest film celebration in Arizona runs from April 20 to April 30 at venues throughout town, including the Screening Room, the Mercado Annex and Hotel Congress. It kicks off this Wednesday at the Fox with the world premiere of Canyon Del Muerto! It’s the story of North America’s first female archaeologist, Ann Axtell Morris, and her work with the Navajo tribe back in the 1920s to uncover evidence of the Anasazi Basketmakers—the continent’s earliest civilization. The Navajo Nation provided exclusive and unprecedented access to archaeological sites for the movie—some of which have never been filmed! 7:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street. Wednesday, April 20. $13.64.

APRIL 14, 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

PHOTO COURTESY ALLISON MILLER

FRESH COAT

Alley Cat Murals are restoring a mural at Roskruge K-8 Bilingual School By Jillian Bartsch tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com A GROUP OF LOCAL ARTISTS IS WORKING TO ADD character to public spaces all throughout the city. Alley Cat Murals focuses on restoring historic murals that they feel sentimental about and reviving community spaces. A new project with Roskruge Bilingual K-8 School in the Tucson Unified School District is just that. Allison Miller runs Alley Cat Murals and works with three lead artists: Racheal Rios, Robbie Lee Harris and Adelynn Olea. “Primarily our focus is restoration, beautification and making art accessible to the entire community,” Miller said. Before Miller worked with Alley Cat Murals, she found her passion for murals while she was a student at Tucson High School. Miller had a student job where she learned how to paint murals and do commercial art, which sparked her interest in murals. The view outside of Miller’s art class at Tucson High School was Roskruge’s wall. “I always thought that mural looks a little unfinished and just asking for somebody to paint on top of it or add it, so it’s been a project stewing inside me year after year,” Miller said. Olea also feels sentimental about Roskruge’s wall since she went to school there. Olea explained that she always noticed the wall was blank but originally it didn’t mean anything to her until she found her passion for art a couple of years ago. Miller called Roskruge and got in contact with TUSD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo. He thought the mural was a good idea, which led to the group being able to move forward on the project. Their first step for the project was to survey the community and get feedback on the mural. They learned the most people wanted to keep the current mural and add to it. They also heard from the community to involve students, especially students in the art class at Roskruge.

The students at Roskruge’s art class produced some art sketches and ideas for Alley Cat Murals to incorporate in their design. Recently, Miller picked up some of the sketches from students. The next step for the project is for Miller to meet with the lead artists to come up with design options that incorporate the student sketches. An idea they have right now is to grid the wall and assign each student their own square from the grid. That way the students can work on something small so they don’t feel overwhelmed. “When they finish their square and they get to step back, they will be able to see that it became a part of that huge mural,” Olea said. “They will be able to say ‘I have done something’ and be able to see their cohesion with each other to make this mural happen.” The organization is looking to coordinate a few paint days in late April or beginning of May. Miller explained that once they start the mural, they should have it finished quickly, especially with the help of the community during paint days. “One of the biggest murals in town is Protecting Pollinators and we did it with TEP and the Desert Museum and it is huge,” Miller says. “We did it in six days because 120 people came out among those six days and just powerhoused through it.” She explained that with this project, the community survey highlighted the culture that the community wants to see. “That’s why we pick the muralists we picked because they have Indigenous roots, they have a tie to the school.” Miller said, “Adelynn was a middle school student there and went to Tucson High. We really care about these institutions not just for the glory of the wall, but because they developed us personally as artists.” Miller also explained that there is a cultural element to this mural and why they selected the muralists they did. “We do want more opportunities to go to women,” Miller said. “We do want more opportunities to go to people of color and that is what the team is made of at this point.” The group is also working to raise funds for this project through their GoFundMe page., which has exceeded its goal of $7,000. Miller started with Alley Cat Murals after working at nonprofits and trying to incorporate her love for murals. Miller started as a volunteer coordinator and worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Desert Museum. “They were all very generous in planning community projects around my desire to paint murals, so a lot of murals in town are associated with the Desert Museum or the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation,” Miller said. Miller continues to be an avid volunteer and has done a few restoration pieces to revive historic murals. Miller decided to take a different approach with Alley Cat Murals by promoting some of her favorite muralists who were not getting enough space. “I think sometimes space can be monopolized by some of the more prevalent artists, so I really look to highlight some up-and-comers that need space and that’s kind of what we’re doing here,” Miller said.

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ARTS & CULTURE

ARIZONA OPERA REIMAGINES MOZART, MINUS THE MISOGYNY An all-woman design team brings Mozart’s divisive opera into the 21st century

By Emily Dieckman tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

who believes that women are never truly faithful, they decide to test the women’s loyalty. So Ferrando and Guglielmo pretend to be called off to war, but then COSÌ FAN TUTTE IS ITALIAN FOR disguise themselves as Albanians (of all “Women are like that,” more or less. And things) and attempt to woo one anoththat’s not meant in a good way. It’s like er’s fiancées. Very mature and cool! The the 18th-century equivalent of that thing women do fall for the disguises and the where men let out a long breath and say, wooing, because they are so gullible and exasperated, “Women.” fickle. Because they’re women, and così In a nutshell, the plot of this 1790 Mo- fan tutte. “In 2022, that’s not an awesome story zart opera, being performed by Arizona Opera this weekend in Tucson, is about to tell,” says E. Loren Meeker, who is ditwo engaged couples: Ferrando and recting the Arizona Opera’s production. Dorabella, and Guglielmo and Fiordili- She set out to find a better way to tell it. First, she looked at ways to reintergi. Egged on by their pal Don Alfonso,

TIM TRUMBLE PHOTOGRAPHY

pret the source material. She started by looking at the subtitle of the show: La scuola degli amanti. This translates to “The School for Lovers.” Not, “the school for dumb, vulnerable women,” but for all lovers. Because everyone has something to learn when it comes to love, not

least of all insecure men who dress up as Albanians to test their fiancées. She also considered how, when the show came out, arranged marriages were common among the wealthy. So the couples we meet at the beginning of the show might not have loved each other

APRIL 14, 2022

Così fan tutte Presented by Arizona Opera 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 16; 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 17 Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $30 to $125. The show is in Italian and features English supertitles over the stage. Visit azopera.org for tickets and more information.

anyway. “While the intention of Don Alfonso was to ruin those relationships, what if what happens is these lovers go on this crazy journey together, and what they actually discover is what their hearts want, and what they as young individuals would like to choose for themselves?” she asks. Another important part of reinterpreting the piece, for Meeker, was working with a strong team. She started reaching out to different designers to get opinions on what could be done differently. She found the people with the most interesting ideas had one thing in common. “It was all women who were willing to reimaging what the piece could be, and get excited by what the piece could be,” she says. When it comes to having a knack for reimagining old works for new audiences, it seems women are like that. So, not by design, but just by the nature of who had the best ideas, the show’s design team ended up being all women. Scenic designer Laura Hawkes said this is exceedingly rare in the world of opera. In fact, it is only the second time Arizona Opera has had an all-female design team-led production to the stage in its 51 years of existence (and the first was just last year). But a roomful of strong women was full of ideas about how to bring a story she describes as “plagued with misogyny” into the 21st century—without changing the signature dark humor and beautiful music of the original Mozart piece. “We kept trying to figure out a way: ‘How do we crack this piece open and

TIM TRUMBLE PHOTOGRAPHY

make it modern?’” Hawkes says. “I think the whole country, and the whole world, is grappling with, ‘How do you inherit a history and acknowledge that history and find a way forward that feels resonant today?’” Hawkes designed a set that is a large rococo ballroom with intricate, period-appropriate detailing. But the whole ballroom is surrounded by a literal stark white frame. It’s designed to give the audience the sense that they’re watching the show through a window, or looking back into the past. In Act I, when the characters are behaving more traditionally, everything stays inside the frame. As they evolve, things start to spill over. “My intention is it’s like a museum piece,” she says. “It’s off limits at the start. We’re just viewing this perfect little symmetry world. And as the world breaks down, and all kinds of things happen in that ballroom that kind of throw a little chaos into the situation.” Meeker says another unique feature of the show is that, as the characters and plot evolve, so too do their costumes, moving from period clothing all the way through to modern dress “We start in rococo, and by the end of the piece, we’re in, like, 2022 wedding looks, so the women are in pants,’ she says. “I hope that visual motivation allows the audience and the characters to have a journey together.”

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APRIL 14, 2022

By Xavier Omar Otero tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS… THURSDAY, APRIL 14 Once upon a time, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, there emerged a mythic band from the UK: Led Zeppelin. For 27 years, ZoSo have provided a ticket to board a time machine back to an era in rock history that defined glamor and excess. The attention to detail is impressive. Yet, it’s more than verisimilitude. It’s the musicianship—from guitarist John McDaniel’s spot-on rendition of Jimmy Page’s complex solo on “The Song Remains the Same” to drummer Bevan Davies’ savage barehanded drum pounding, as the mighty John Bonham once did, during “Moby Dick.” Although Zoso are not the real deal, they come crashing down with the fury of Thor’s hammer. ZoSo: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. At Rialto Theater. Local AC-DC tribute The Jack open… Fox Tucson Theatre presents Troubadour Thursdays. Birds and Arrows are next to take the stroll, cooing their mellifluous birdsong, scattering bite sized morsels at downtown eatery patios along the way. See foxtucson.com for details… Delivering their unique blend of reggae/rock/ Latin/funk and soul, Los Streetlight Curb Players teams up with roots reggae/dub/ rockers ZeeCeeKeely. At Club Congress… “Ride the tide and trust the knowing.” Keli Carpenter and the Big Dream return. At Tap & Bottle Downtown… Phoenix-based Live Music on the Patio from 11:30 2pm

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singer-songwriter (frontman for Fayuca) Gabo Fayuca blends “acoustic reggae with a sultry bilingual twist.” With Randy Vega. At Chicago Bar… A new trio of old vets (Steve Grams, Gary Mackender and Lex Browning) are dropping the top and taking their sweet ride out for another spin around the block. The Tirebiters. At House of Bards… Psych trance, tech trance enthusiast, enter the Trance Vortex. Local DJs spin. At The Rock… Finding common interest in hyper noisy ’90s guitars, well-crafted lyrics, and a love for country music, Asheville, North Carolina country-gazers Wednesday effectively combine sadness and humor. Flanked by Mute Swan and Commoner. At Groundworks…

delic jam bands, prog rock, and jazz with EDM dance beats, The Bennu promises to take listeners on an galactic journey. At Hotel Congress Plaza. Followed by El Tambó. DJ Humblelianess presides over Tucson’s longest running Latinx baile sin fronteras… This acoustic duo—composed of Mark Anthony Febbo and Oscar Fuentes—perform Ameri-Mexicana for the betterment of the human soul. FebboFuentes. At Saint Charles Tavern… From NYC, virtuoso saxophonist Will Anderson performs the music of Duke Ellington. Followed by a descent into the haze with Morani Sanders Quartet. Late Night. At The Century Room…

FRIDAY, APRIL 15

Kind of like a smooth smoky whisky. Gangstagrass combine authentic bluegrass and rap to form a new genre. In theory an unholy alliance, one that will likely find purists scratching their heads in disbelief, yet despite that disparity, in actual practice this musical marriage is starting to make sense. Rolling Stone says of the band’s reinterpretation of Woodie Guthrie’s classic, “If this land is yours, it’s certainly ours. With its processed banjo, record scratches, and verses that address some of Guthrie’s historical blind spots (“Assume the land is yours, but also take the blame/For native blood spilled/Tribes that fell ill”), Gangstagrass offer a most welcome renovation of the folkie national anthem.” At 191 Toole… With live (in some cases rare) performances by Giant Sand, Sidewinders, River Roses, Fish Karma, Chuck Wagon and the Wheels, Naked Prey, Caitlin von Schmidt, Gila Bend, Billy Sedlmayr, and Wayback Machine and screenings of director Maggie Smith’s documentary film The Whole Enchilada: The History of Desert Rock. (A film

Inspired by the new wave of British heavy metal, from their inception in the SF Bay Area (1983), Testament quickly rose to become one of the most popular and influential bands of the thrash metal scene. Their latest release, Titans of Creation (2020), is a continuum of conviction. Vocalist Chuck Billy—of the Pomo Tribe of Northern California—tells The Rockpit, “When we started working on the record, I was still in ancient alien mode. The first song we wrote was “Children Of The Next Level” about the Heaven’s Gate cult. Some of the songs have a real Egyptian or Eastern sound, [like] “Code Of Hammurabi” or “Ishtar’s Gate.” Next thing you know we started writing about serial killers and mass suicides and cult stuff.” On “The Healers” Billy describes his own experience with medicine men, the elders of the earth, and how they helped him heal from past illness. Testament. The Bay Strikes Back Tour. With Exodus and Death Angel. At Rialto Theater… Commingling the improvisational spirit of psyche-

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SATURDAY, APRIL 16

premiere and book/album release event). At Hotel Congress Plaza… Later, DJs Bex & Halsero flood the dancefloor with hot jams, outdoors. Posi & Walters The Don man the decks inside the club. At Hotel Congress… Be prepared to dance with abandon. Connie Brannock’s Little House of Funk play “Sonoran Soul” music. At Monterey Court… “Goin’ a million miles an hour/ Headed out to where the down boys go.” Robert Mason (lead singer of Warrant) performs with Tucson hard rocker’s Drop D. The Women Warriors* Benefit Concert (assisting female veterans adjust to civilian life). At Encore … Family fun. Playing music from the British Invasion. Kinda Kinks entertain outdoors. At Plaza Palomino… A vital part of Tucson’s jazz scene and one of the leaders of the award-winning Tucson Jazz Institute, Scott Black & Tucson Hard Bop Quartet pay homage to the great Blue Note recording artists of the 1950s and ’60s. At The Century Room… SUNDAY, APRIL 17 “These are the words that are old as the hills/Cooked on a diet of mushrooms and pills/One man’s crime is another man’s thrill and we’re gone.” Crafting melodies with near-childlike wonderment, on Everything Was Beautiful (2022) founding member Jason Pierce (aka J Spaceman) embarked on an epic journey. Recorded in 11 different studios, Pierce played 16 instruments and employed over 30 musicians including string and brass sections, choirs, finger bells and chimes from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Probing into his artistic process—the endless layers, the year-long mixing sessions and painstaking details taken by someone so famously unconfident—in an interview with journalist Andy Capper, Pierce offers insight. “Yeah, but I

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shoguntucson.com

APRIL 14, 2022

like what I do. There’s a line from Jonathan Meades [English writer/filmmaker] that’s about having all the attributes to being an artist. ‘Paranoia, vanity, selfishness, egotism, sycophancy, resentment, moral nullity and more idiot than idiot savant.’” There you have it. English space rockers Spiritualized. At Hotel Congress Plaza… Trumpeter John Black hosts Jazz Jam session. At The Century Room… MONDAY, APRIL 18 Must be seen to be believed. With the release of their debut EP Sex is a Machine that Likes to Dance (2007) these “Hogtown” transplants, with tongue-in-cheek humor, were Poised To Dominate. Costumed with a sci-fi twist (their faces and real names remain unknown), while possessing Over The Top musical chops, these intergalactic discofied-electronic funksters interpret “the sound of the future as imagined in the 1980s.” New & Improved, TWRP (formerly known as Tupper Ware Remix Party) produce a furious heat in their funky-as-all-hell “Fusion Reactor.” At 191 Toole… Last Night’s Makeup Party presents Club Whutever, a Monday night dance party featuring residents: DJs alice.km, Hot Leather Disco, and PC Party. At Tap Room Patio… TUESDAY, APRIL 19 Utilizing traditional Mongolian throat singing, war cries and instrumentation—the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), and tumur khuur (jaw harp)—The HU is a Mongolian folk rock/ heavy metal band. The band’s name is the root word for human being. Their (2020) reinterpretation of Metallica’s “Sad But True”

has pricked up ears with its captivating sound. In an interview with NME, Galbadrakh “Gala” Tsendbaatar commented, “Like millions of people around the world, Metallica has been a huge influence and inspiration for us. It is a great honor to show them our respect by recording a version [of the song] in our language and style.” The Hu. Black Thunder Tour. At Rialto Theater… Before reaching consensus, these English psychedelic blues rockers once considered calling themselves “Sweet ’n’ Sour Rock ’n’ Roll.” Imagine? Formed in London (1966)—consisting of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce—Cream was an immediate chemical reaction, becoming the blueprint for super groups to follow. Five decades later, Kofi Baker (Ginger Baker’s son) and Will Johns (Eric Clapton’s nephew), with a shared DNA, not only pay tribute to the music of Cream but are keeping it alive. The Music of Cream perform the band’s landmark album Disraeli Gears (1967) in its entirety, in company with Clapton Classics. At Fox Tucson Theatre… Milk Crater (music blog) aptly describes this SoCal reggae superband. “Pump the car stereo, hang your feet out of the passenger window and hop on the feel-good express.” Featuring members of Fishbone, The Ole’s, Seedless, and Phat Reggae Dub, Rebel ShakeDown. At Chicago Bar… All in the family. When not touring the world as longtime members of Steve Earle’s band the Dukes and Duchesses, this L.A. by way of Texas, husband-and-wife alt-country duo make inspired albums of their own. No Time for Love Songs (2020), their fourth release—recorded at legendary Sunset Sound Recorders with Shooter Jennings—explores the emotional challenges of a morally compromised era, and reflects the experiences that the

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pair has accumulated in their travels. The Mastersons. With The Whitmore Sisters. At Hotel Congress Plaza… WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 While sequestered during the pandemic, this band of Kentucky punk rockers wanted to write something different. The result: A Tear in the Fabric of Life (2021), a six-song concept EP that tells the story of a road trip gone wrong; a car accident, a tragic death, survivors’ guilt, and a reunion in death. Brutal. Knocked Loose. At Encore… Steeped in their city’s rich musical history, these San Francisco rock & rollers bear the weighty torch of their predecessors and the lofty idea that rock ‘n roll can move a new generation. Tall order. The Stone Foxes bring Gold (2020), their new EP. With Brand New Trash. At 191 Toole… In a joint venture, The Prime Leaf and Tucson Hop Shop present Beers & Buds IV. The Bennu add a pinch of “Indica Sativa” to the festivities. At Tucson Hop Shop… Waging a War in My Pen. With his trademark woozy, mumbly flows and personal rhymes over abstract, lo-fi production, experimental hip hop artist Michael Jordan Bonema (aka MIKE) has

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set off seismic waves throughout the hip hop underground. He has been described as hip hop’s newest “wunderkind” and was tapped as one of the most important figures in contemporary hip-hop by the likes of Pitchfork, The Fader and The New Yorker. Not too shabby for a 23 year old. Earth’s Healing present a two-stage extravaganza to celebrate 4/20 featuring MIKE, Na-Kel Smith, Mercury, PSYPIRITUAL, Top Dead Center and a DJ set by Fat Tony. At Hotel Congress… On the horizon: Earth, Wind & Fire. April 22. At AVA Amphitheater… J Balvin. April 22. At Tucson Convention Center… All That Remains. April 22. At Encore… Kristin Chonowith. April 22. At Fox Tucson Theatre… The Regrettes. April 23. At Rialto Theater… Built To Spill. April 23. At 191 Toole… Keith Secola. April 23. At Monterey Court… The Brian Jonestown Massacre with Mercury Rev. April 25. At Rialto Theater… And, the Pima County Fair brings The Village People, Scotty McCreery, A.B.Quintanilla, TI, Mammoth WVH, and more… Until next week, XOXO…

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Park for using compassion and humor to “take the stigma out of these infections.” It’s a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone, but I would especially recommend it to you, CLAP!

SAVAGE LOVE CLAP BACK

By Dan Savage, mail@savagelove.net

Bisexual female in an open/monogamish relationship with a heterosexual male. My partner and I have some friends in the swinging lifestyle that invite us to parties and group sex events. They recently picked up gonorrhea at a hotel takeover and did not find out until after hosting 20 people at a sex party. So, the group is now dealing with a gonorrhea outbreak—mostly oral infections, as we are all very diligent about condom usage for PIV. We are being treated, but I am pretty upset. The thing that bothers me most is how nonchalant they are being about the situation! One person even called this an “inconvenience” and compared it to “the common cold.” (WTF?) While some STIs are easily treated, gonorrhea is treatment-resistant and something like herpes, HPV or HIV would obviously be a very big deal and permanent. They don’t plan to retest after getting their shots and are already planning group sex events in the next few weeks, which I find concerning. I don’t think I’m comfortable engaging with their group if they are not going to take things like an STI outbreak more seriously. So, my questions are: 1. My test came back negative (my partner was positive) but shouldn’t they ALL retest after treatment? Especially if it is an STI known to be antibiotic resistant? 2. Am I overreacting or being unfair to our friends? Is this just part of the swinging lifestyle territory that we all have to accept? 3. If we decide to not engage with the group because of their attitude towards STIs, how do we get back into the lifestyle? We are afraid we will lose access to events and people in the scene, as these friends have introduced us to everyone we know in the scene and have gotten us access to all the events we’ve been to before. —Completely Lost About Panicking 1. “Gonorrhea in the throat is the most difficult to treat,” said Dr. Ina Park. “So, folks that have oral sex and end up with gonorrhea of the throat should get a repeat test in two weeks and abstain from oral sex in the meantime. For rectal and genital infections, the cure rates for gonorrhea are still so high that routine retesting after treatment isn’t recommended.” Dr. Park is a Professor in the Department of Family Community Medicine at the University of California: San Francisco, CLAP, and also serves as a Medical Consultant for the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while she thinks your sex friends who aren’t getting a follow-up test after being

treated for oral gonorrhea are making a mistake, she explained that you’re wrong about gonorrhea. “Gonorrhea can still be easily treated with a single injection of an antibiotic called ceftriaxone, and there is almost no resistance to that drug in North America,” said Dr. Park. Which is not to say gonorrhea is no big deal or that things couldn’t get worse. “Those of us in the business of STI research do worry about an outbreak of multidrug resistant gonorrhea, but luckily it hasn’t yet happened,” said Dr. Park. “The bad news is that over half of the gonorrhea strains circulating in the US are resistant to at least one class of antibiotics, and onein-five are resistant to two or more classes of antibiotics. We currently only have one antibiotic in the U.S. that can reliably treat gonorrhea. But there is one new antibiotic in late-stage clinical trials, although nothing is immediately available if standard treatment fails.” Which it hasn’t, CLAP, at least not yet. So, that means you and partner and all your sex friends—if you get treated and tested again in two weeks—can emerge from this experience gonorrhea-free. 2. Your friends are underreacting—gonorrhea shouldn’t be compared to the common cold—but you’re overreacting. While contracting an STI isn’t anyone’s goal at a sex party, whenever you’re having sex outside the bounds of a committed and sexually exclusive relationship, CLAP, you’re running the risk of contracting or spreading an STI. And since people in monogamous relationships cheat, there’s no guarantee you won’t contract an STI in a committed and sexually-exclusive-in-theory-but-not-in-practice relationship either. The only way to eliminate your risk of contracting an STI is to never have sex with anyone ever again, CLAP, including your partner. If the pleasures of attending sex parties aren’t worth the increased risk of contracting an STI, you shouldn’t attend sex parties. You could still have an open relationship, CLAP, but you’ll have to be a lot choosier and make the other people you fuck jump through a lot of hoops. You can ask all prospective new partners to get screened for STIs, provide you with proof of their negative tests, and then refrain from fucking anyone else for a few weeks before meeting up with you. Not everyone is going to wanna jump through those hoops, CLAP, which means you and your partner will have fewer opportunities to fuck other people. I regret to inform you that the people you wanna fuck could lie to you about abstain-

ing from fucking other people after testing and before meeting up to fuck you a few weeks later, just like people in monogamous relationships sometimes lie. So, to ensure your other partners aren’t fucking other people during that time, CLAP, you’ll have to lock them in your basement. 3. Swapping hosts—going to sex parties and swinger events organized by people who haven’t already given you gonorrhea—isn’t the magic amulet you seem to think it is. Anyone who regularly goes to sex parties to fuck 20 other people is going to be exposed to HPV on a regular basis and is essentially volunteering to be exposed to and very likely contract herpes. (If you aren’t already vaccinated against HPV, get vaccinated.) If you’re using condoms religiously and correctly, and there’s no man-on-man action at these parties (and there usually isn’t at events organized by and for opposite-sex couples), your risk of contracting HIV is very, very low. You can reduce your risk of contracting gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia orally by using condoms and latex barriers for cunnilingus and anilingus, but STIs that are passed through skin-to-skin contact are almost unavoidable when 20 people pile into a living room with a dozen mattresses spread out on the floor. If you can’t live with those risks or you’re going to fall to pieces if or when you contract another STI, CLAP, sex parties aren’t for you. Follow Dr. Ina Park on Instagram @ InaParkMD. And, hey, it’s STI Awareness Week! I can’t think of a better way to mark STI Awareness Week than reading Dr. Park’s memoir Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising History of STDs, which is out now in paperback. The New York Times called Dr. Park’s memoir “joyful and funny,” and praised

I just moved to New York and moved in with a friend from college. He’s gay, I’m a straight woman, we’re both in our 20s. The apartment is small, and I often overhear him having sex. (I assume he’s overhearing me having sex, too.) And again and again, I’ve heard guys call my roommate a “faggot” during sex: “You like that cock, faggot?” Do gay men just say these sorts of things to each other? I asked him about it and he shrugged and said, “I love it,” and immediately changed the subject. I’ll take him at his word: He loves it. But why would he love it? I don’t get it. —Concerned Over Name-Calling Eroding Roommate’s Necessary Esteem Daily It’s not yours to get, CONCERNED, but I’ll try to explain… aWhen one gay man pulls his cock out of the mouth of his boyfriend or his husband or his Grindr hookup and says, “You’re such a faggot,” it’s not an insult. Like a vaccine with a tiny (and inactive) trace of a deadly virus in it, the word faggot—in the context of two out gay men having consensual sex—obviously has traces of a deeply harmful insult embedded in it. But instead of being terrorized or diminished by the insult, those two gay men are in a sense boosting their immunity to it. Because the word “faggot” not only can’t hurt us when we’re alone together, but it is also ours to use, ours to play with, and ours to enjoy. At that moment, CONCERNED, the word “faggot” is not an insult. It’s an affirmation. That said, not all gay men enjoy degrading dirty talk, and the fact that some gay men get off on tossing the word “faggot” around during sex does not give straight people license to use it. But if you’re hearing the f-word every time your roommate has a guy over, CONCERNED, you can rest assured: it’s not happening by accident. The men calling your roommate a faggot when they’re fucking his face aren’t suddenly blurting that word out. They’re saying it at your roommate’s request. questions@savagelove.net Listen to Dan on the Savage Lovecast. Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage. Columns, podcasts, books, merch and more at www.savage.love.

APRIL 14, 2022

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

By Rob Brezsny. Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY HOROSCOPE 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700 $1.99 per minute. 18 and over. Touchtone phone required.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I have lived my life according to this principle: If I’m afraid of it, then I must do it.” Aries author Erica Jong said that. Since I’m not an Aries myself, her aspiration is too strong for me to embrace. Sometimes I just don’t have the courage, willpower, and boldness to do what I fear. But since you decided to be born as an Aries in this incarnation, I assume you are more like Erica Jong than me. And so it’s your birthright and sacred duty to share her perspective. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to carry out another phase of this lifelong assignment. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Sometimes suffering is just suffering,” writes novelist Kate Jacobs. “It doesn’t make you stronger. It doesn’t build character.” Now is your special time to shed suffering that fits this description, Taurus. You are authorized to annul your relationship with it and ramble on toward the future without it. Please keep in mind that you’re under no obligation to feel sorry for the source of the suffering. You owe it nothing. Your energy should be devoted to liberating yourself so you can plan your rebirth with aplomb. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I am very much afraid of definitions, and yet one is almost forced to make them,” wrote painter Robert Delaunay (1885–1941). “One must take care, too, not to be inhibited by them,” he concluded. He was speaking of the art he created, which kept evolving. In his early years, he considered his work to be NeoImpressionist. Later he described himself as a “heretic of Cubism,” and during other periods he dabbled with surrealism and abstract art. Ultimately, he created his own artistic category, which he called Orphism. Everything I just said about Delaunay can serve you well in the coming months, Gemini. I think you’ll be wise to accept definitions for yourself, while at the same time not being overly bound by them. That should ultimately lead you, later this year, to craft your own unique personal definition. CANCER (June 21-July 22): As a postgraduate student in astronomy, Cancerian-born Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered radio pulsars in 1967. Her supervisor, who initially dismissed her breakthrough, was awarded the Nobel Prize for her work in 1974—and she wasn’t! Nevertheless, she persisted. Eventually, she became a renowned astronomer who championed the efforts of minority researchers. Among the 25 prestigious awards and honors she has received is a $3 million prize. I urge you to aspire to her level of perseverance in the coming months. It may not entirely pay off until 2023, but it will pay off.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards,” wrote author Oscar Wilde. Let’s make that your motto for the next six weeks. If life could be symbolized by a game of poker, you would have the equivalent of at least a pair of jacks and a pair of queens. You may even have a full house, like three 10s and two kings. Therefore, as Wilde advised, there’s no need for you to scrimp, cheat, tell white lies, or pretend. Your best strategy will be to be bold, forthright, and honest as you make your moves. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “In all the land, there is only one you, possibly two, but seldom more than 16,” said comedian and actor Amy Sedaris. She was making a sardonic joke about the possibility that none of us may be quite as unique as we imagine ourselves to be. But I’d like to mess with her joke and give it a positive tweak. If what Sedaris says is true, then it’s likely that we all have soul twins somewhere in the world. It means that there are numerous people who share many of our perspectives and proclivities; that we might find cohorts who see us for who we really are. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Virgo, because I suspect the coming months will be an excellent time for meeting and playing with such people. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A team of biologists unearthed a fascinating discovery in Costa Rica. When the group planted a single tree in pastureland that had no trees, biodiversity increased dramatically. For example, in one area, there were no bird species before the tree and 80 species after the tree. I suspect you can create a similar change in the coming weeks. A small addition, even just one new element, could generate significant benefits. One of those perks might be an increase in the diversity you engage with. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Smallpox has been eliminated thanks to vaccination, but it was once among the most feared diseases. Over the course of many centuries, it maimed or killed hundreds of millions of people. For 35 percent of those who contracted it, it was fatal. As for the survivors, their skin had permanent scars from the blisters that erupted. As disfiguring as those wounds were, they were evidence that a person was immune from future infections. That’s why employers were more likely to hire them as workers. Their pockmarks gave them an advantage. I believe this is a useful metaphor for you. In the coming weeks, you will have an advantage because of one of your apparent liabilities or imperfections or “scars.” Don’t be shy about using your unusual asset.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian author Pearl Cleage sets the tone for the future I hope you’ll seek in the coming weeks. The Black feminist activist writes, “We danced too wild, and we sang too long, and we hugged too hard, and we kissed too sweet, and howled just as loud as we wanted to howl.” Are you interested in exploring such blithe extravagance, Sagittarius? Do you have any curiosity about how you might surpass your previous records for rowdy pleasure? I hope you will follow Cleage’s lead in your own inimitable style. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I can never rest from tenderness,” wrote author Virginia Woolf. I won’t ask you to be as intense as her, Capricorn. I won’t urge you to be constantly driven to feel and express your tenderness. But I hope you will be focused on doing so in the coming weeks. Why? Because the astrological omens suggest it will be “in your self-interest to find a way to be very tender.” (That’s a quote by aphorist Jenny Holzer.) For inspiration, consider trying this experiment proposed by Yoko Ono: “Try to say nothing negative about anybody: a) for three days; b) for 45 days; c) for three months.” AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I gamble everything to be what I am,” wrote Puerto Rican feminist and activist poet Julia de Burgos, born under the sign of Aquarius. Her gambles weren’t always successful. At one point, she was fired from her job as a writer for a radio show because of her progressive political beliefs. On the other

Comics

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hand, many of her gambles worked well. She earned awards and recognition for her five books of poetry and garnered high praise from superstar poet Pablo Neruda. I offer her as your role model, Aquarius. The rest of 2022 will be a fertile time to gamble everything to be what you are. Here’s a further suggestion: Gamble everything to become what you don’t yet know you must become. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean jazz saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman was a trailblazer. He created the genre known as free jazz, which messed with conventional jazz ideas about tempos, melodies, and harmonies. In the course of his career, he won a Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and MacArthur Fellowship “genius” grant. He was a technical virtuoso, but there was more to his success, too. Among his top priorities were emotional intensity and playful abandon and pure joy. That’s why, on some of his recordings, he didn’t hire famous jazz drummers, but instead had his son, who was still a child, play the drum parts. I suggest you apply an approach like Coleman’s to your own upcoming efforts. Homework: What’s the hardest thing for you to do that you also get satisfaction from doing? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

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Edited by Will Shortz ACROSS “Mad Men” milieu, informally 6 Slammin’ Sammy ___ 10 331/3, 45 and 78, for short 14 Sorceress who turned Odysseus’ men into pigs 15 Exam that qualifies one for a National Merit Scholarship 16 First name of Time’s 2021 Person of the Year 17 Equestrian is wanted to …/ Experience needed: conducting 19 Smooth over, in a way 20 Prankster’s projectile 21 Parches 22 Dummy, in Canadian slang 23 Baseball pitcher is wanted to … / Experience needed: negotiating 26 Scintilla 27 Hearing disorder remedy? 28 Movement that began with Stonewall, informally 30 It begins “again” 33 Build 35 Words of begrudging agreement 36 Washington, but not Washington, D.C. (yet!) 38 Tied up 39 “No hard feelings” 41 Número de días en una semana 42 Exclaim 43 End of a trip? 45 Biathletes do it 1

46 Carpenter is wanted to

…/ Experience needed: flying 51 Places where you might ask for the Wi-Fi password 53 Draws the short straw 54 Yours: It. 55 Drop it! 56 Change careers, or a hint to this puzzle’s theme 58 Kicked oneself over 59 What’s picked up in a hurry? 60 Basic skateboard trick 61 Online crafts marketplace 62 Member of the “ScoobyDoo” gang 63 Shirts named for a sport

DOWN

Showed some character? 2 Somber song 3 Actress Sonia of “Moon Over Parador” 4 “Nous sommes ___!” 5 Youngest person to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (2020) 6 Cocktail made with sparkling wine 7 Willow used in basketweaving 8 Cause for pity 9 Dug in 10 Collector’s item? 11 DC Comics supervillain 12 Museum curator is wanted to … / Experience needed: freestyle dancing 1

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Mortimer ___, ventriloquy dummy of old TV 18 Brit’s bottom 22 Casual greetings 24 Chill 25 Danny who played Walter Mitty 29 Latin for “lust” 30 Plant on a farm … or animal on a farm 31 Nurse is wanted to … / Experience needed: philanthropy 32 Alarms 33 Bud 34 Human organ with its own immune system

36 Kind of food or music 37

All-out military conflict

40 Steals, slangily 41

Grinder vendor

43 Checked out 44 In ___ verba (verbatim) 45 Alarm 47

“Neat”

48 Volcanic vestige 49 Politician Marco 50 Just what the doctor

ordered

52 Swirl in a toilet bowl, say 56 Burn notice? 57

“Hustlers” co-star, informally

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