Tucson Weekly Jan, 6 2022 by Times Media Group

CURRENTS: YOUR 2022 ROAD CONSTRUCTION GUIDE

JANUARY 6 - 12, 2022 • TUCSONWEEKLY.COM • FREE

Special

Local researchers are exploring whether the drug ketamine can aid in healing psychological wounds By Alexandra Pere ARTS: Back in the Big Top

TUCSON WEEDLY: Big Weed Is on the Move

SONORAN EXPLORIN’: NYE in Bisbee

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JANUARY 6, 2022

JANUARY 6, 2022 | VOL. 37, NO. 1

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STAFF

CONTENTS CURRENTS

A roundup of road construction projects to expect (and avoid) in 2022

SONORAN EXPLORIN’

Puddle splashing, bar hopping and year-end ruminating in an old mining town

FEATURE

Local researchers are exploring whether ketamine can aid in psychotherapy

ARTS & CULTURE

ADMINISTRATION Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher Michael Hiatt, Vice President Jaime Hood, General Manager, jaime@tucsonlocalmedia.com

11 Years Later

Tyler Vondrak, Associate Publisher, tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com

ON A CRISP JANUARY MORNING 11 years ago, Tucson experienced a terrible horror when a gunman opened fire at Gabby Giffords’ Congress on Your Corner event, killing six people: U.S. District Court Judge John Roll, congressional staffer Gabe Zimmerman, 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green and retirees Dorothy “Dot” Morris, Phyllis Schneck and Dorwan Stoddard. Thirteen other people were wounded in the shooting, including Giffords herself, who miraculously survived being shot through the head. Lots has changed in the decade-plus since, including the election of Giffords’ husband, former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly to the U.S. Senate. But not nearly enough has happened to reduce gun violence in our country. And our politics have become much more polarized, as the failed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol one year ago demonstrated. Survivors of the shooting along with family members of those who were killed will join with others at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday, Jan. 8, at the new January 8th memorial adjacent to the Old Pima County Courthouse, 115 N. Church Ave. At 10:10 a.m., the moment of the shooting, a bell will be rung to honor each of the victims of the gunman. Speakers will include Mayor Regina Romero, Acting Pima

County Administrator Jan Lesher and former congressman Ron Barber, who was shot twice during the rampage. You’re welcome to join. In this week’s issue, staff reporter Alexandra Pere digs into the new research on ketamine, a powerful psychedelic drug that shows promise in the treatment of PTSD and depression. It’s a fascinating story. Elsewhere in the issue: We bring you the latest on COVID numbers as the Omicron surge hits Arizona; round up the transportation projects you’re likely to see in the region this year; share the experience of Bisbee on New Year’s Eve; profile a domestic abuse survivor whose new show of paintings reflect her recovery; give you a glimpse of the Zoppe Family Circus’ return to the Big Top; examine how Big Weed is consolidating local independent dispensaries; and bring you plenty of other stories to help you launch into 2022. Happy new year, everyone! May it be filled with good health and good fortune. Jim Nintzel Executive Editor Hear Nintz talk about all things Tucson Weekly at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays during the world-famous Frank Show on 96.1 FM, KLPX.

RANDOM SHOTS By Rand Carlson

Claudine Sowards, Accounting, claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com Sheryl Kocher, Receptionist, sheryl@tucsonlocalmedia.com 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 Emily Filener, Graphic Designer, emilyf@tucsonlocalmedia.com CIRCULATION Alex Carrasco, Circulation, alexc@tucsonlocalmedia.com ADVERTISING TLMSales@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.

Artist explores her recovery from domestic violence in a show of paintings at &gallery

TUCSON WEEDLY

The wild west of indie weed dispensaries may be giving way to corporate consolidation

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CURRENTS

NEW WAVE

Arizona COVID cases rising swiftly in wake of holidays

By Nicole Feltman nfeltman@tucsonlocalmedia.com

WITH HOLIDAY GATHERINGS NOW over, health experts are bracing for a new wave of COVID patients as the Delta variant wave begins to subside and the Omicron wave begins to build. More than 7,200 new cases were reported on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday, Jan. 4. Jessica Rigler, an assistant director with Arizona Department of Health Services who oversees the Division of Public Health Preparedness, said that Arizona began seeing a spike in COVID cases starting two days after Christmas, “with more than 7,000 and even 8,000-plus cases on days for which we’d expect to have the majority of results reported.” Rigler said that was likely undercounting the number of positive cases, especially since many people are using home test kits and not reporting the numbers to health officials. “There is still much to learn about Omicron, but there is growing evidence that cases and hospitalizations may not correlate as strongly as other surges,” Rigler wrote on the ADHS website. “But don’t bet your health on that.” Rigler urged Arizonans to get vaccinated, get a flu shot, wear face masks, keep a physical distance from those outside your household, stay at home if you get sick and get tested. She also said that the state is working to provide additional nurses to Arizona hospitals, which are stretched thin. Last week, officials with Banner Health announced they were operat-

ing at higher than 100% capacity as a result of both COVID-19 as well as medical cases unrelated to the novel coronavirus. Emergency rooms were strained for resources. Roughly 40% percent of those in the ICU were COVID-19 patients and 90% of those COVID-19 patients had not been vaccinated against COVID. Half of the patients on ventilators had tested positive for COVID-19. Dr. Majorie Bessel, Banner’s chief clinical doctor, said there had been a pause in providing monoclonal antibodies, a treatment that helps in the early stages of COVID infection to prevent serious illness. Bessell said Banner was expected to resume limited treatments this week once more Sotrovimab was available. Bessel also said Banner would have a limited supply of the oral treatment Paxlovid, which has reduced the need for hospitalization of COVID patients, for people who meet criteria and are at the highest risk of hospitalization. Banner physicians and providers will evaluate whether a patient qualifies for Paxlovid, although Bessel warned that even a high-risk patient might not qualify. If a patient tests positive for COVID-19, it will most likely be the Omicron variant because, according to Bessel, Arizona is at a “tipping point” between the Delta and the more transmissible Omicron variant. Bessel said she expected the Omicron variant to “likely” displace Delta in January in the United States and the new variant will affect even those who have had previous infections or who have been vaccinated, especially those who don’t have their booster shot. Early evidence suggests that the Omicron variant might produce less

JANUARY 6, 2022

severe disease, but because it is more transmissible, it could still cause havoc in hospital capacity even if only a small percentage requires hospitalization, according to Bessel. Bessel pleaded with the public to remember that healthcare workers are exhausted after two years of battling the pandemic. The limited staff is stretched thin even though Banner continues to bring in external contracted labor. Bessel recommended reducing the strain on emergency rooms by taking non-life-threatening illness and injuries to urgent care, primary healthcare clinics or scheduling virtual visits to meet medical needs. Bessel predicted increased cases and increased hospitalizations in the weeks to come. Bessel suggests for Arizonans to continue to wear a mask inside of public indoor spaces or when around other people, get vaccinated and a booster shot, stay home if you feel

sick and are experiencing COVID-19, cold, or flu symptoms, quarantine if you test positive and seek medical care if you’re experiencing a high fever, shortness of breath or other life-threatening symptoms. The Banner Health website includes a symptom checker that can help you figure out what level of care you might need. There is also a blog that provides step-by-step guidance on selecting appropriate levels of care. In late December, the CDC changed its recommended quarantine policy. After five days of being diagnosed with COVID-19, if the patient feels healthy enough to engage in day to day activities, they may do so but should remain masked around other people for another five days. As of Tuesday, Jan. 4, a total of 24,509 Arizonans had died after contracting COVID, including 3,206 people in Pima County. ■

CLAYTOONZ

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January 2022. The project includes a new six-lane landscaped roadway with improvements for drainage, street lighting, bikes lanes, sidewalks, bus pullouts and new traffic signals at Rita Road. Several major projects will begin in 2022. The ongoing Grant Road Improvement Project, which is expanding Grant Road to six lanes, will begin work from Palo Verde Boulevard to Venice Place. Transportation planners expect to begin this project in the summer 2020, with an estimated duration of 18-24 months. Construction includes improvements in two new travel lanes, new and wider sidewalks, more crosswalks with signals, improved bicycle lanes, and enhanced landscaping. The 22nd Street Improvement Project BANDIT RIVEREDGE will start work between Kino Parkway to The Broadway expansion will include bus pullouts, buffered bike lanes, sidewalks, and Tucson Boulevard in spring/summer of landscaping, along with a new underground storm system. 2022. This phase of the project includes a new bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and widening the road from two to three lanes in each direction, along with a separated pedestrian and bicycle bridge. Broadway is nearly done but Grant Road is just getting started again: Looking at the A project to widen Silverbell Road to a region’s 2022 transportation agenda four-lane divided desert parkway between El Camino del Cerro to Goret Road is By Nicole Feltman lanes in each direction. The project will set to begin in fall 2022. The project will nfeltman@tucsonlocalmedia.com include bus pullouts, buffered bike lanes, include landscaped median islands, bike sidewalks, and landscaping, along with lanes, new sidewalks, upgraded drainage a new underground storm system. A systems, traffic signal improvements and AS WE MOVE INTO 2022, THERE ARE BikeHAWK installation will be at Treat art elements. plenty of orange cones and detour signs and Broadway to better help pedestrians Through the voter-approved Tucson warning of road construction across the and bicyclists cross the busy road. City Delivers Better Streets, multiple arterial community. The Arizona Department of transportation planners say the project and residential roads through the city of Transportation will continue long-awaitwill be complete in February 2022. Tucson have been repaved and revamped. ed improvements along Oracle Road, Meanwhile, the nearby Downtown Those roads include Sixth Avenue, Westalong with multiple freeway projects. The Links, which will run alongside the Union gate Townhouses, and Hiawatha Hills and widening of Broadway Boulevard between Pacific tracks from the Broadway and Teresa Terrace. downtown and Country Club Road is Barraza-Aviation Parkway intersection Arterial roads that still need to be nearly complete, while a new phase of the to St. Mary’s Road, is in its third phase repaved and revamped include Main Grant Road widening is set to begin in of construction with a completion date Avenue and Granada Avenue. Construcmidtown. Pima County will be conducting of mid-2023. On the horizon: The Sixth tion for Main Avenue began in November multiple million-dollar projects to widen Street and Seventh Avenue intersection 2021. Reconstruction of Granada Avenue Houghton Road and Kolb Road, among is estimated to reopen by March 2022. is expected to begin in February 2022. other projects. Here is a more in depth Construction crews are currently working Planned road improvements for arterial look of what you can expect from Tucson to connect to the existing underground roads expected to begin in 2022 include: construction in 2022. box culvert and will also replace curbs and • Fort Lowell Road, from Country Club sidewalks, repave the intersection, and Road to Alvernon Way. CITY OF TUCSON construct the bridge over Sixth Avenue, • Glenn Street, from Alvernon Way to south of Seventh Street. Swan Road WORK IS NEARLY FINISHED ON Construction on Houghton Road • Grant Road, from Venice Place to one of the city’s longest-awaited projects: between Valencia Road and Mary Ann Beverly Avenue the widening of Broadway Boulevard Cleveland Way, which began in Septem• Wilmot Road, from Grant Road to between Euclid to Country Club to six ber of 2020, is expected to be done in Pima Street

CURRENTS

ASPHALT JUNGLE

• Grant Road, from Craycroft Road to Wilmot Road • Silverbell Road, from Saint Mary’s Road to Congress Street • Camino Seco, from Golf Links Road to Irvington Road • Pantano Road, from Broadway to 22nd Street • Bear Canyon Road, from Bear Paw Place to Tanque Verde Road • Broadway from Houghton Road to Tanque Verde Lane • 22nd Street, from Houghton Road to Melpomene Way • Melpomene Way, from 22nd Street to Calle Catalina • Sabino Canyon Road, Acoma Place Residential roads in various neighborhoods are also being repaired. ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF Transportation is managing work on State Route 77, better known as Oracle Road. Last year, ADOT began a $34 million SR-77 improvement project on Oracle Road from Oro Valley’s Calle Concordia to Tucson’s Miracle Mile and on Miracle Mile from Oracle to I-10, with an estimated 2023 completion date. Improvements include repaving the 10-mile segment, adding ADA-compliant sidewalks, building new dual left turn lanes at Oracle and Magee, adding LED lighting, and improving drainage and signals. In 2021, the state completed work between Calle Concordia and Magee Road and along Miracle Mile; this year, work will continue in between those points. On the freeways: ADOT finished construction on the I-10 and Ruthrauff Road interchange in 2021. This $129 million reconstruction project consisted of adding one lane in each direction of the highway and building a new bridge to carry traffic on Ruthrauff Road/El Camino del Cerro over I-10 and the railroad tracks. Another interchange reconstruction project was completed in 2021 at I-10’s Houghton Road exit. This $24.4 million project improvements included widening Houghton from two to six lanes, updating entrance and exit ramps, and improving access for pedestrians and cyclists. Moving into 2022, there will be reconstruction on I-10 between Ina and

JANUARY 6, 2022

Ruthrauff roads. Improvements include adding one lane along with an auxiliary lane in each direction, as well as adding dual-lane entrance and exit ramps at Orange Grove and Sunset roads. Pavement rehabilitation will be done on I-10 between Ajo Way and Rita Road. Pavement preservation work will be done on I-10 from Tangerine to Ina Road, On I-19 , pavement preservation will take place from Valencia Road to Ajo Way and from Pima Mine to Papago roads. PIMA COUNTY PIMA COUNTY IS WRAPPING UP some long-planned projects this year. A $30 million project of widening Houghton Road approximately three miles from Interstate 10 south past the Pima County Fairgrounds to Pantano High School is already underway, with an estimated completion date of December 2022. The project will reconstruct the current two-lane roadway to a divided four-lane section. This spring, the Pima County Department of Transportation is wrapping up a $19.5 million project on Kolb Road from

SORENSEN

Sabino Canyon to Sunrise Drive, transforming roughly 1.9 miles of Kolb Road from a two-lane roadway to a three-lane roadway. There will also be a roundabout installed at the intersection of Territory and Kolb roads. Through a $3 million project, the intersection of Sahuarita Road and Wilmot Road will be installing a traffic signal and will be widening its roadways for both right and left turning lanes. There will also be an installation of parallel drainage channels to push storm water west. This project should wrap in the spring of 2022. The Pima County Department of Transportation will be working with the Arizona Department of Transportation to design a roadway that connects Sunset Road from I-10 to River Road. This $34 million project is currently in the design phase, with construction projected to begin in October 2022. MARANA THROUGH THE COURSE OF 2021, Marana has completed many projects, including improvements to streets in

the Adonis subdivision to create better drainage, pavement preservation work in 50 subdivisions and rehabilitating large arterials such as Cortaro Road, Thornydale Road, Costco Drive and Avra Valley Road. Moving forward into the fiscal year of 2022, eight subdivisions and 10 arterial roadways will be preserved. Rehabilitation projects include Twin Peaks Road from Saguaro Bloom Road to Sanders Road, as well as Grier Road and Silverbell Road north of Twin Peaks Road. Construction to look out for include the Silverbell Road Sidewalk Infill, which is in its second phase. New concrete sidewalks will be placed alongside the eastbound side of Silverbell Road from Carefree Way to Cortaro Road. Modifications will be made at the intersection of Silverbell and Cortaro roads. Also on the agenda: Reconstruction of Lon Adams Road between Grier Road and Barnett Road, including improvements to public water and sewer systems, storm water drainage, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting, landscaping and new paving. Construction will begin in the first

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

quarter of 2022 at the intersection of Mountain Stone Pine and Douglas Fir roads, including an area to the west of the intersection. The intersection will be stabilized through repaving, curb and sidewalk replacement, and the leveling of mailboxes. Projects that are planning to be complete within 2022 to 2023 include the widening of Tangerine Road and both Twin Peaks Road and Rattlesnake Pass. The town of Marana is also designing a roundabout intersection improvement at Twin Peaks and Sandario roads. ORO VALLEY ORO VALLEY DOESN’T HAVE major transportation projects on the horizon in 2022, although the town will continue with its Pavement Preservation Program and ADOT will continue with work along Oracle Road, as noted above. In addition, ADOT will do a pavement preservation project Oracle Road from Calle Concordia to Tangerine Road and on SaddleBrooke Drive. ■

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JANUARY 6, 2022

turtleneck sweater, I can’t help but wonder for a moment why I’m bothering.) We’re laughing and excited as we head back out to the uneven streets. Colorful twinkly lights overhead reflect in rain puddles on the ground and make me think of how some things are so highly anticipated that their endings provoke sadness. When I was a kid, for Puddle splashing, bar hopping and year-end ruminating in an old mining town example, I used to cry in the final hours of Christmas. New Year’s Eve, in which the ending is the whole point, is a relief. Two of our party go dancing at St. of an existing structure to work for a By Emily Dieckman Elmo’s while the rest of us sit down for new era, is a good one. It’s an attitude I tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com more drinks and snacks at the Quarry, should work on developing too. Rathnext door. When I get a text that says, er than try to build a new, better self “omg you’re missing Backstreet Boys,” from scratch at the end of each year, I ALWAYS GET EXCITED ABOUT THE I know it’s time to stop messing around I’m going to need to work with what new year because I know when the I’ve got. I will never be the Ritz Carlton and get to where the dancing is. clock strikes midnight, I will have a We ring in the new year back at St. of humans, but maybe I can have, and clean slate and be a more successful, Elmo’s, where it is now crowded enough build, features some people will appreintelligent and overall better person. Immediately. That has not happened ciate—like a skylight, or a silly little door that I mask up on the dance floor, screaming the chorus of “Raspberry Beto me in any of the 27 other New Year’s built just to cover up the water heater. Eves I’ve celebrated in my life, but I’m Staying in this cozy, quirky hotel feels ret” and “Celebrate” through the fabric. nothing if not hopeful, and I knew this like a fitting way to say goodbye to a My peacoat is thrown to the wayside year would be my year. (OK, it wasn’t. year that, by many accounts, was better so people can see my New Year’s Eve But I still had fun.) than the one before it, but which still felt dress, if not the lower half of my face. We rang in 2021 on a Zoom call with topsy turvy and strange. Change often So it is, mask on, coat off, hopes high friends, so this year, we wanted to do comes in footsteps, not leaps. something outside the house. An invite The night begins at St. Elmo’s, a bar from friends to spend the night in Biswhose walls are covered in sassy signs bee seemed like just the ticket. I’ve been that say things like “Hangovers Inbefore, but I think we all know cities stalled and Serviced” and “Drunk Peotransform on New Year’s Eve. In the day- ple Crossing: Beware.” We order drinks time, the Bisbee I know is antique stores and try to work out the mathematics of whether we have time to order French and art galleries and eclectic dining. fries before our reservation at the tapas On New Year’s Eve, it is dive bars and restaurant is ready. I offer to call and dancing and lively streets. place the order, but someone brings up We’re staying at Gym Club Suites, the alarming fact that the menu for the which was originally built in 1903 as a place for Bisbee residents to “recreate,” place we’re about to call does not list any prices, but rather, reads “Call for a according to the hotel website. In the quote.” A quote??? For French fries??? 1980s, the spaces were renovated into Seems like bad news to me. I’m not apartments with bathrooms and kitchens, in a delightfully bizarre layout. Our trying to enter the new year in debt group has three suites between us, and over potatoes. We end up holding out all of them feel a little bit like an enthu- for tapas at Café Cornucopia, which is the right decision. There, we devour siastic child was sharing design input cheese boards and tapenade, and drink with the architect. If you got to help sangria that tastes like Christmas. design hotel suites when you were 7 Back at the hotel for a brief intermisyears old, wouldn’t you want them each to have multiple levels, for the closets sion, some of the women change into to make perfect hideouts for games of cute outfits for midnight. It can’t hurt hide-and-go-seek, and to be able to call to be wearing a dress when my 2022 other rooms via intercom? It’s like a transformation sets in, right? (Though, delightful clubhouse. since I’m wearing the same large This concept, of renovating the bones peacoat over the dress as I was over my

SONORAN EXPLORIN’

NEW YEAR’S EVE IN THE PUDDLES AND BARS OF BISBEE

COURTESY PHOTO

and expectations… tempered, that we enter 2022. I am not immediately a better, more successful person. But I’m reminded there is always time to become one. ■

JANUARY 6, 2022

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

SPECIAL K Local researchers are exploring whether the drug ketamine can aid in healing psychological wounds By Alexandra Pere apere@tucsonlocalmedia.com SCOTT RAIKKONEN WAS DIAGNOSED

with post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder after returning to civilian life. Raikkonen was on active duty for the United States Army for 12 years, working on intelligence operations in Korea and Afghanistan. The transition from military life to civilian life was difficult for him. “You go from this structured life where everything is laid out for you, you know; where you’re supposed to be, at what time, and what uniform, and exactly what you’re doing that day, to now it’s not so structured,” Raikkonen said. Without structure, veterans like Raikkonen have more time to reflect on their service. Memories of traumatic events and the loss of camaraderie that once surrounded them often lead to a decline in mental health. This is reflected in data from the 2021 National Vetaran Suicide Prevention Report, showing suicide rates for veterans in 2019 were 52.3% greater than non-veteran US adults. Raikkonen said he went to the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive health services and was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD and depression. Thoughts of suicide and death are often associated with depression. “They kept handing me medications and when one didn’t work, they would add another one to it,” Raikkonen said. “It was getting to a point where I was about ready to kind of give up and so I

stopped taking it.” Raikkonen’s mental health disorders were treatment-resistant—a common problem among people who suffer from depression. More than 300 million people of all ages are estimated to suffer from depression globally and a third of that population is considered treatment-resistant, meaning they don’t respond to typical antidepressants. The two main types of medications available for people with depression include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These medications come with a lot of side effects and aren’t guaranteed to help with symptoms of depression. Raikkonen said a friend convinced him to start researching other treatment modalities, which led to his discovery of ketamine treatment. Although originally synthesized as an anesthetic, ketamine has been garnering psychiatric interest for the treatment of anxiety and depression in the last two decades. Ketamine’s creation can be traced back to 1965 when phencyclidine (PCP) was discontinued as an anesthetic for people undergoing surgery. PCP was causing side effects, so it was replaced with a new short-life derivative: ketamine. In the first clinical trial of ketamine, patients recounted feeling altered consciousness and euphoria. In 1970, ketamine was fully approved for anesthetic use by the FDA. Ketamine got a bad rep in the ’70s after the public became aware of its

euphoric effects. The drug was heavily abused outside of the operating room (and still is), but out of this came a theory that ketamine helped with symptoms of depression, spurring scientific research. According to Yale researchers, ketamine triggers glutamate production. Glutamate forms new neural connections, which can lead to the development of more positive thoughts and behaviors. This has never been recorded as an effect of other antidepressants on the market. The research convinced Raikkonen to receive treatment at Ketamine Wellness Centers, which is owned by Delic Corp., a psychedelic wellness corporation. Delic has two Ketamine Wellness Centers in Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa and Tucson) and another Phoenix-based ketamine clinic called Ketamine Infusion Centers. Delic’s Hero Program helps cover some treatment costs for veterans. Raikkonen said he met with clinical administrators to create a unique treatment plan for his mental health. “I would 100% recommend this to any veterans,” Raikkonen said. “So many of my friends come home from the war, but then they lose the battle at home, you know what I mean? I’ve had quite a few that don’t make it back and within a couple of years’ time, they’ve committed suicide. Some of them were on the traditional medical treatments.” Raikkonen didn’t experience the same side effects as traditional drugs. He didn’t feel lethargic and suicidal thoughts were absent. He said it was a 180-degree switch from the antidepres-

sants he tried before. The integration of ketamine into his mental health treatment inspired Raikkonen to pursue a career at the Ketamine Wellness Centers. Raikkonen now works for the Ketamine Wellness Centers location in Phoenix-Mesa as director of human resources. His main job duties involve job recruitment. Ketamine Wellness Centers is rapidly expanding to multiple states. Its expansion is a reflection of the growing popularity of ketamine in the United States and, more specifically, in Tucson. TUCSON HAS BECOME A HUB FOR

the national research movement around psychedelics. As covered in my podcast series, The Psychedelic Renaissance, Southern Arizonans are growing more interested in alternative medicines to treat mental health disorders. Last September, local therapists and counselors gathered for the Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy Symposium hosted by Tucson Counseling Associates and Cathexis. This event brought together mental health professionals all over Tucson to present on psychedelics and their integration with therapy. Kate Kincaid, founder of Tucson Counseling Associates, said there’s a difference between psychedelic integration and psychedelic-assisted therapy. “When it says assisted, that means the client is ingesting a substance during the psychotherapy, and integration is just talking about their experiences,” Kincaid said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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SPECIAL K

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Kincaid founded Tucson Counseling Associates in 2015 as a private practice, but quickly realized she needed more counselors to meet demand. Her practice now has 15 people on staff and a waiting list for each therapist. Kincaid’s speakers discussed multiple psychedelics currently undergoing research, but the focus was on ketamine because it’s a legal drug that’s approved for use in animals and humans. Psychedelics such as MDMA (ecstasy), LSD and peyote are considered Schedule 1 drugs under federal law. Schedule 1 drugs are defined as having no medical use and a high potential for abuse. With growing scientific research into all of these psychedelics, their federal status could change in the future. Kincaid presented on harm reduction in regards to psychedelics. She said she’s worried about the “psychedelic gold rush” happening right now.

With new books like How To Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, psychedelic research all over the country, and documentaries like Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, Americans are flocking to psychedelics for answers. “I do worry about the speed at which the field is growing because I think these are really potent medicines,” Kincaid said. During the presentation, she said the national conversation around psychedelics focuses heavily on presenting them as magical drugs. Psychedelics, including ketamine, are intense medications and Kincaid said she’s had patients who were retraumatized by their psychedelic experience. She advised the audience to have informed conversations with their patients before they undergo a psychedelic treatment. Educate them on the risks, but remain open to their interests. “We have people come to us who already have therapists because they don’t want to be judged,” Kincaid said during the presentation.

Kincaid also advised the audience to not direct the patient during therapy, but to allow them to guide the conversation around their psychedelic experience. “It is important to talk about those experiences and show how to reframe it, so it wasn’t a bad experience, it was a difficult experience,” Kincaid said. Tucson Counseling Associates is not approved to administer ketamine on-site, but they applied to become a trial location for MDMA, which is also in research trials for the treatment of PTSD. Kincaid’s practice is focused on psychedelic integrated therapy, but Tucson COURTESY PHOTO is home to psychedelic-assisted therapy “I’ve had buddies of mine that had treatlocations as well. ments in the past say ‘I opened up and was able to talk about things I hadn’t been able to talk about before,” Scott Raikkonen said.

NURSE PRACTITIONER JENNIFER

Montjoy is a doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona and founder of Resilience Behavioral Health Solutions in Tucson. Montjoy specializes in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and is currently researching ketamine-assist-

ed psychotherapy outcomes in chronic PTSD. Her dissertation also explores psychospiritual, or self-transcendence, as a measure in clinical work for psychedelics.

JANUARY 6, 2022

COURTESY PHOTO

A patient receives a treatment consultation about ketamine from a medical practitioner.

Montjoy was drawn to the research on ketamine before opening her own practice here in Tucson. She felt the integration of ketamine with therapy was a more holistic approach to mental health than traditional treatment methods. Traditional anti-depressants merely put a Band-Aid on the symptoms of mental health disorders, according to Montjoy. On the flip side, ketamine-assisted therapy could provide the space for patients to address deeper aspects of mental health by quieting regions of their brains. “There are some conditions where it’s so severe that even with the psychotherapy, they’re not able to make progress, they’re stuck,” Montjoy said. “If we can get the prefrontal cortex to take a timeout, it enables this receptiveness that’s not present with things like treatment-resistant depression, chronic PTSD, really severe anxiety and panic disorders.” The prefrontal cortex is an area of the brain predominantly controlling how people function and plan. With the prefrontal cortex quieted during ketamine treatment, other parts of the brain are active. Montjoy’s practice is unique because she prefers to induce the psychedelic effect of ketamine for her patients. Instead of administering ketamine through an IV, like most clinics, Montjoy does an intramuscular method. IV

clinics tend to administer ketamine over a long period of time to sideline intense psychedelic experiences. “I use a very small needle, and it’s usually administered in the deltoid, which is that muscle right below the shoulder joint,” Montjoy said. “It takes literally a second, there’s no tubing, it’s not as invasive, and you’re not attached or connected to anything.” This method ties into her research on self-transcendence. By introducing the psychedelic effect, Montjoy also hopes to understand if ketamine can heal spirituality. This is a new complex research topic that looks at psychology and psychiatry through a spiritual lens. Although ketamine is becoming a breakthrough therapy for treatment-resistant mental health disorders, Montjoy stressed that ketamine is not a magical drug and should be used with other mental health practices like therapy. “The therapy is really the key, the medicine is a tool,” Montjoy said. Montjoy is excited to be a part of the growing research into psychedelics and what it means for psychology and psychiatry. She said the field of psychiatry was stagnating. “We’re getting back to the roots of mental health care, which was a marriage of psychology and psychiatry,” Montjoy said. ■

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Editor’s Note: While we are delighted to see Tucsonans once again gathering for fun events, we are also aware that variants are in widespread circulation. Please consider getting vaccinated against COVID if you haven’t yet. The Mercado Flea. Now that the holiday shopping season has drawn to a close, I hope you’ll join me in breathing a sigh of relief. Now that we’re not trying to find the perfect gift for our moms, dads, aunts, uncles, friends, coworkers, grandmothers, dog sitters, neighbors, hairstylists, neighbors’ dogs, boss’s dog’s hairstylists and so on, we can just… shop to shop. And wandering through the Mercado Flea, where nearly 50 vendors sell antique, vintage and collectible items, is the perfect way to remember what it’s like to shop and stroll without feeling frantic. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9. Parking lots and sidewalks on Avenida Del Convento between Congress and Cushing Streets. HUB Superfood Ice Cream Truck Tour. If you resolved to eat healthier this year, HUB Ice Cream has got you covered with a new line of ice cream featuring healthy and pretty unexpected ingredients. There’s “Guac This Way” with avocado and local desert honey, “Chocolate-Corn Pinhole” with indigenous corn, “Berry Fit” with acai, “Pretty in Pink” with prickly pear cactus, and “Golden Milk” with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and coconut milk. Those last three are even vegan! This weekend, their vintage ice cream truck will be stopping around town at places like the Food Conspiracy Co-op, the Tumamoc trailhead and Sabino Canyon. See the HUB Facebook page for up-to-date info on where to get your healthy ice cream fix. Saturday, Jan. 8, and Sunday, Jan. 9. Friends of the Pima County Public Library Members Only Book Sale. Oh, used book sales. What a treat you are. At this one, look through records, videos, audiobooks and more than 70 categories of carefully curated books until you have too many to carry or until you remember how many unread books you already have at home (whichever comes first). This is a members-only sale, but membership is just 20 bucks, can be bought at the door, and is a great way to support the library. Plus, it will get you into the group’s book sales for the rest of the year! 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8. Friends of the Pima County

Public Library Book Barn, 2230 N. Country Club Road. $20 for membership, free entry for members. Rich De Mont: Elemental Monuments. A new year means a new artist exhibiting over at Tohono Chul, and you’re in for a treat with DeMont’s large scale watercolors. He uses a combination of dots, marks and strokes in exaggerated colors. The work is reminiscent of Monet in the way it comes together in a full picture when viewed from a few feet away, but swirls in mosaic abstraction when seen up close. He’s most inspired by nature, and his beautiful depictions of Sonoran Desert landscapes will no doubt leave you feeling inspired too. Opens Monday, Jan. 10. Tohono Chul Entry Gallery, 7366 Paseo del Norte. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $15 GA, $13 seniors/military/students, $6 kids 5 to 12.

by Emily Dieckman Zoppé Family Circus. The circus is such a weird and wonderful and completely unique form of entertainment. If you’re still shaking off the cobwebs of 2021, a visit to the circus might be just the reset you need as we begin a new year. The Zoppé family is back in Tucson for the 11th year in a row for this two-and-a-half-week run of their show “La Vita Nuova” (A New Life). See entertainment on the Russian bar (where balance beam meets trampoline), acrobatics, sword balancing, Nino the Clown and plenty more. And after last year’s adapted drive-in show, this year they’re back in the circus tent. Shows are at various times from Thursday, Jan. 13, through Sunday, Jan. 23, at 221 S. Avenida del Convento. $25+. Rumors. This 1988 play by Neil Simon is a modern comedy classic, and Live Theatre Workshop is delivering it to Tucson to get us laughing this month. It’s the story of a farcical dinner party gone terribly wrong—starting with the host shooting himself (just a flesh wound, though!) As people gather for the anniversary dinner party, the man’s lawyer and wife try to get their story straight, but find themselves in a web of confusions and miscommunications that just keeps getting worse. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays from Jan. 6 to Feb. 12. On Feb. 12, there is a matinee in place of an evening show. Live Theatre Workshop, 3322 E. Fort Lowell Road. $23 GA, $21 military/senior/student, $15 Thursdays and previews.

Cat Trivia Night. Did you know cats are believed to be the only mammals who don’t taste sweetness? Or that they have whiskers on the backs of their front legs? Be sure to brush up on your feline facts before heading to El Jefe Cat Lounge for a night full of trivia—spent in the company of 30 beautiful kitties. The event is 18+, and those 21 and over are welcome to BYOB. Grab a friend, grab some booze and grab all the cat knowledge you got to take out the competition (and snuggle with some cute kitties). 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7. El Jefe Cat Lounge, 3025 N. Campbell Ave., Ste. 141. Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. We love a film fest! And we also love that the hosts of this festival have decided to keep things virtual for another year in order to protect the community. This fest lasts more than a month, and aims to inspire Jewish values, life and learning to honor the rich history and bright future of Judaism. Most films have a 72-hour window in which you must start watching. Then, once you start, you have 72 hours to complete the film (if you need to pause it and come back, for example). This week, they’re showing The Crossing, The Good Traitor and On Broadway. Both festival passes and individual film tickets are sold per household. A festival pass (12 feature length-films, a mini series, six shorts and all post-film program) is $120. Individual event tickets are $12. Visit tucsonfilm.eventive.org for more info. Tucson Roadrunners vs. Colorado Eagles. Come support our local hockey team at one of their two home games this weekend! On Saturday evening, there’s a “Whiskey and Wings” event, where you can sample whiskeys and wings from different vendors before the game. The $49 ticket also includes the game itself. And on Sunday afternoon, kick off the winter games at an exclusive pregame event with former Olympic athletes! From swimming and softball to track & field and ice hockey, it’s a chance to hang with some of the greats! 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9. Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. Game tickets start at $15, with different prices for special events.

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Cynthia Naugle, who will take ownerThe 30 paintings on display show how her technique and subject matter progresses ship of the gallery in late January, said in with each piece. In earlier works, her color a culture that obsesses over true crime, choices are very dark with abstract subject there isn’t enough light shed on survivors or victims. On a recent afternoon at the matter. But as she recovers, color returns gallery, she told Trask that her story was to her work. “Color was the most ambitious because “very important.” “I think it’s important to acknowledge color represented my outlook on life,” honesty in the art world,” Naugle said. Trask said. Trask jokes that the opening reception “Your art is beautiful but it’s not safe.” In fact, Naugle said she would be is her fifth birthday party; the fall from five stories killed her old self, but she has been putting a trigger warning on the show due to its subject matter, drawing an excited reborn in a new life filled with exciting “Yes!” from Trask. Naugle responded with opportunities. cheerful laughter. “I’ve been so blessed meeting people,” Although she doesn’t view herself as a Trask says, “and what I say to myself now role model, Trask hopes telling her story is like, ‘You’re fucking dope.’ I am good will give others the tools she never had. enough.” The reception will include a live musical She wants anyone who may be in a similar situation to know there is always someone performance by Tommy Will, scheduled “TROPHY” BY VAI TRASK. there for you. to start around 9 p.m. “We need you and I know you feel like “He’s bringing in the music and that’s you got nothing, but trust, you got an initially why I got into all of this,” Trask army,” Trask said. ■ says. “I moved to Los Angeles, I could write about music, I could tell you about Artist explores her recovery from domestic violence in a show of paintings at &gallery &gallery is located at 419 N. 4th Ave. it, I could tell you what I think of it, but I didn’t make it so to be able to have him as Visit andgallery.art for more information. an agent for this other dimension of my By Alexandra Pere geries here in Tucson, where she moved to artwork is more than a blessing.” apere@tucsonlocalmedia.com recover with the help of her mother. Welcome Trask is giving the world a glimpse into winter & her experience as a domestic violence gem show VAI TRASK WAS AMAZED THAT SHE survivor through her art exhibition (UN) Vegetarian & Vegan Entrees * A Sanctuary in the City visitors lived through it. DEAD, a five-year retrospective of the ALL YOU CARE TO EAT BUFFET Trask had earned an undergraduate de- murdered woman, which will be on display Happy New Year 2022! gree in cultural anthropology and political at &gallery, 419 N. Fourth Ave, from Jan. 11:30am to 2:30pm for Lunch Wed -Sat science from the University of Arizona 8 to Jan. 24. The exhibit opens with a re5pm to 8pm for Dinner, Tues - Sat before heading to Los Angeles to pursue ception from 6 to 10 p.m. on this Saturday, 11am to 2:30pm for Sunday Brunch her dream. She wanted to write about Jan. 8. Closed Mondays / Tuesday is “India Night” music and own a record label. “It is an experience, it is intense beLunch is $9.95, Dinner & Brunch $11.95 for a delicious 14-course meal w/ salad bar “I was into a lot of hip hop, a lot of cause it is honest,” she said. “Beauty out of Student & Senior discounts apply prog-rock, very unorthodox, fringe unchaos.” Dine In or Take Out - Spacious Patio Dining 711 E. Blacklidge Dr. • 520-792-0630 derground experimental, electronic Lo-Fi Trask found herself drawn to painting See complete menu at govindasoftucson.com E. of 1st Ave., 2 Blocks S. of Ft. Lowell types,” Trask said. and mixed media, taking inspiration from Trask finds beauty in the darkest of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter known places, inspiration among the broken, the for her autobiographical work that incorwrecked and the wasted. Along the way, porates surrealist elements. Many of Kahshe met the wrong romantic partner. lo’s paintings explore her own experience Japanese Restaurant “I found myself, you know, in a very of chronic pain caused by a bus accident & Sushi Bar violent domestic partnership,” Trask said. when she was 18. Daily Specials Half Price Rolls Five years ago, her abuser pushed her “I really do feel as if I had an opportuni$6 Sake Bombs All Day out of a five-story window, putting her in a ty to step into one of Frida’s shoes during coma. It was a surprise she survived. The her recovery using painting as a tool for 5036 N Oracle Road same could not be said for her unborn 888-6646 evolution, for healing, for a reckoning, for baby. Trask lost her pregnancy in the self conservation, preservation,” Trask M-F 11:30am to 2:30pm assault. & 5pm to 10pm said. “And as my art progressed, so did my Sat 12pm to 10pm Her fall was five years ago and she healing.” shoguntucson.com Sun 12pm to 9pm continues to undergo reconstructive surTrask’s recovery is evident in the show.

ARTS & CULTURE

RISING FROM THE FALL

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JANUARY 6, 2022

Disa Carneol; and sword balancing by German Rodogell. Ringmaster Mace Perlman will moderate the lively Zoppé Family Circus returns with in-person shows performances. Zoppé and Prince are particularly excited about the performance of their contortionist. “The best thing for me is to watch By Alexandra Pere “You can see somebody go over their the performers be filled back up again apere@tucsonlocalmedia.com head or twist the leg around and that’s with what they love about performing great, but he does it with such class and and I’m proud that they were able to such elegance,” Zoppé said. ZOPPÉ: AN ITALIAN FAMILY CIRCUS continue to perform last year, but they Prince said the contortionist pushes returns to Tucson for its 11th year at the were missing something,” said Jeanette the bounds of the human body while Prince, circus co-producer and marketMercado District, bringing new acts to incorporating artistic skills from his ing director. perform under the Big Top tent. classical ballet training. In honor of the Big Top return during Circus director Giovanni Zoppé said The newest addition to the Zoppé returning to the Big Top “feels like we’re a global pandemic, the tour has been family, 8-month-old Ilario Fabrizio named La Vita Nuova (A New Life). home again, back where we are supLuigino Zoppé, may also make an ap“As a ringmaster says at the beginposed to be.” pearance at the Big Top performances When COVID first swept the nation, ning of the show, this is a new life for during pre-show or the finale. all of us,” Zoppé said. “We’re all trying the circus adapted their show into a “As soon as he hears the music for the to navigate through this brand-new life finale and we walk in the ring, I reach drive-in experience. The audience had a full view of circus performances while that we all have.” my arms out to grab him and he smiles The circus will run for a limited time staying isolated in their vehicles. This is his biggest mug,” Zoppé said. just one of many adaptations the circus in January 2022 at the Mercado District. Opening night is Thursday, Jan. 13, at This year’s performances will feature 7 pm. has gone through during its 178-year run. Although the drive-in was success- acts such as the Russian Bar act with Go to Zoppe.net to purchase tickets Mikhail & Alexel Drozdov and Illya ful in reaching audiences, performers and learn more about Zoppé’s Circus Alikov; swinging trapeze acrobatics by are excited to return to the tent.

UNDER THE BIG TOP AGAIN

Zoppe Family Circus 100 S. Avenida del Convento Various times, Thursday, Jan. 13 through Sunday, Jan. 23 Kids 3 to 13, $25; adults 13 and up, $35; ringside kids 3 to 12, $40; ringside adult, $50 Masks strongly recommended

history. You can also purchase tickets from the mercadodistrict.com website. Masks are strongly recommended. The circus will be offering short minishows on Fridays at 10 a.m. The minishows are one hour, as opposed to the full two-hour shows. ■

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(à la Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra) with the fiery energy of gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt to land upon a sound that sits just as comfortably beside a gypsy campfire or stageside at a slick metropolitan nightBy Xavier Omar Otero club. These five virtuosic, globetrotting tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com musicians have banded together to capitalize on a rich musical parentage, adding their own intricate vocal harFeeding the beast within. This week: Mike Zito, Sunfish, TWRP, Luna 13, The monies and a dash of Rat Pack-style comedic flair to their onstage antics. The Black Market Trust, Green Buddha, Narek Arutyunian & Steven Beck, Mean Black Market Trust perform timeless Streets, Electric Feels anniversary soirée works from the great American songbook and their latest album, Land of the and more. Please be aware: Thanks to Sea and Sun (2020). At Hotel Congress the Omicron variant, COVID cases are (plaza)... “Altar bound, hypnotized, spiking in Arizona, with more breaksweet freedom whispered in my ear.” through cases in people who are vaccinated or who have had the virus before. Offering a refreshing take on contemporary jam band music, Colorado’s The Be cautious in indoor spaces, mask up Runaway Grooms escape not-so-holy and get vaccinated or a booster shot. matrimony. At House of Bards… Offering up a blend of twang, blues and roadhouse with a sand-strewn desert twist, Sonoran Roadhouse—featuring guitarist/songwriter Mike Hebert, drummer/ singer Bruce Halper and bassist JohnTHURSDAY, JAN. 6 ny Zapp—make their stage debut at MotoSonora Brewing Company… “The Their hometown rag (Salt Lake City Clark Kent of country music,” fiddler Weekly) opined, “It is unclear what the extraordinaire Billy Shaw Jr. leads his hell kind of band they think they are… ace band into hijinks and adventure. Clearly they do ‘Whatever’ they want. Somehow, it works.” Generating quite a At The Maverick… Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Anna Warr, Giant Blue buzz since exploding onto SLC’s indie put forth jazz-rock and blues propelled rock scene. As with any fresh catch, by a monster horn and rhythm secSunfish are best caught live. At House tion. At Monterey Court… Hometown of Bards. With Noah Martin and heroine Linda Ronstadt had this to say: Tonight’s Sunshine… “Liz and Pete. Lovely, fresh harmonies and a secret cache of original songs.“ FRIDAY, JAN. 7 When combined, their voices blossom to tug firmly on the heartstrings. Liz The Lucinate crew: Kill Phil, Chris & Pete explore material old and new. Tiano, Split_The_Adam, Kool Arrow, At Hotel McCoy… Van Hagar? Not for and The Captain drop the needle on these guys. Mean Streets is a tribute vinyl grooves to keep the party lit. EDM to David Lee Roth-era Van Halen. Night: Birthday Bash edition. At Encore. At Encore… KXCI 91.3 FM’s favorite Commemorating six years on the night- crew of crate-digging EDM/electronic club scene. Cheers… End the workweek DJs—Alex Kinney, Chris Miranda, with Eugene Boronow Trio performing Shelby Athouguia and Toby Roberts original music with a mellow vibe. At —celebrate a milestone. Exploring Hotel McCoy… cutting-edge sounds from the underground every Friday night on the airwaves. Electric Feel: 12th Anniversary SATURDAY, JAN. 8 Party. At 191 Toole. Proceeds to benefit KXCI education fund… Experience the The Black Market Trust Intermixes the heartbeat of the Earth through taiko. sounds of legendary American crooners

MARK YOUR CALENDARS…

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The Black Market Trust perform timeless works from the great American songbook and their latest album, on Jan. 8.

The ancient art of Japanese drumming (taiko) has existed for more than 2,000 years; using the rhythm produced by this barrel-shaped drum to co-exist in the universe through the synergy of our human heartbeats. Pursuing a peaceful world, Japanese folk artist Ken Koshio transcends borders through the healing power of ancient sounds and music. A Taiko Drumming Performance. At Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson…

SUNDAY, JAN. 9 Rising from the darkest quarters of the subterranean Los Angeles scene (during the 2010s), Luna 13 welds together abrasive synths, concussive drums, grinding metallic guitars and bass pumped through massive amplification (that far exceeds normal decibel levels) to create a disorienting cacophony that summons unseen forces and compels bodies to move. Initiating a new covenant between black metal, bass-heavy electronica and industrial antagonism, they have created a new genre that’s delivered with a dominant theatrical bent begrimed with occult imagery (studded black masks, pentagrams, and devil goat horns). Keyboardist Doc Luna asserts: “We’re one of the darkest bass projects on the planet.” The duo’s debut The Hollywood Ripper (2015) with references to infamous females who met untimely deaths—Emily

Rose, Marilyn Monroe, and Elisa Lam (whose body was found in the rooftop cistern of a downtown L.A. hotel)—further stoked a fascination with dark lore. “An artist has to create. It’s spiritual therapy that is a necessity. Dark art is the most fulfilling aspect of [the band’s] life,” says vocalist Lilith Bathory. Seeking to spread their devilish delights, Luna 13 feed “The Beast Within.” At House of Bards… The Washington Post says Narek Arutyunian is an artist who “reaches passionate depths with seemingly effortless technical prowess and beguiling sensitivity.” Clarinetist Narek Arutyunian and pianist Steven Beck perform a program that features works by Leonard Bernstein, Carl Maria von Weber, Johannes Brahms and Paul Schönfeld. At Leo Rich Theater… From 1975’s groundbreaking self-titled album (also known as The White Album) to 2003’s Say You Will, Mirage carefully reproduces the look and sound of one of the most beloved bands of all time: Fleetwood Mac. At The Gaslight Music Hall (Oro Valley)… Formed in 2004, core members Charles Pitts and Jeff Daniels set out to form a band that would “stand the test of time and enable them to grow as songwriters and performers.” Black Cat Bones serve up modern blues. Congress Cookout. At Hotel Congress (plaza)… CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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XOXO

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TUESDAY, JAN. 11 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-incheek 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 disco-fied-electronic funksters interpret “the sound of the future as imagined in the 1980s.” TWRP (formerly known as Tupper Ware Remix Party) produce a furious heat in their funkyas-all-hell “Fusion Reactor.” At 191 Toole… Witchy, ’60s inspired dream poppers Hannah Yeun Band, icy synth-wave duo Glacier.wav, and the indescribable Ex-Cowboy pass the baton. At Hotel Congress (plaza)… With its off-beat rhythms and tight vocal harmonies, this tradition-based string band music developed in the Appalachian Mountains during the 1940s. It’s a Bluegrass Jamboree with Canyon Currents and Cadillac Mountain. At The Gaslight Music Hall (Oro Valley)…

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12 In harmony with the cover art to Resurrection (2021)— an expressionist painting by Seoul-based artist, Yool Kim—Mike Zito’s latest album captures the feeling of soul and light (and ultimately rebirth) at the end of a long struggle. “I am excited for people to hear [these] songs, stories, and sonic waves of electric guitar that convey darkness before the dawn,” enthuses a now so-

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Parisian-turned-Tucsonan jazz guitarist Naim Amor is performing music off his new album on Jan. 13 at Hotel Congress.

ber Zito. “I am once again excited about love and life and music.” St. Louis blues-rock guitarist Mike Zito shakes off the Quarantine Blues. At 191 Toole… Traveling long and far to finally arrive on Earth, Golden Boots, Anchorbaby, Los Chicks and Kulululu perform sublime feats of interpretive skill. At Hotel Congress (plaza)… Honing his particular brand of high-octane Americana and outlaw country in the rough and tumble honky-tonks of California, Mark Insley & the Broken Angels—guitarist Damon Barnaby, bassist Duane Hollis, and drummer Ernie Mendoza—perform songs from his latest album Ten Cent Redemption (2020). At Monterey Court…

THURSDAY, JAN. 13 From the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Green Buddha’s signature “No Coast” reggae sound has been described as “a green salad of the freshest ingredients from Colorado, Southern California and New Orleans.” An olio of funky reggae, rock and soul, dub and ska, with a ladleful of piquant Creole flavor. Green Buddha play tracks from Small Town (2018), their debut album. At Chicago Bar. With an opening set by singer-songwriter Randy Vega… Joe Novelli & the Cloud Walls—Gabe Sullivan on drums and bassist Geoff Hidalgo—perform swampy, blues influenced, slide guitar-driven Americana and rock ’n’ roll. Live & Free. At Tap & Bottle (downtown)… Backed by bassist Thøger Lund, drummer Casey Hadland, and Ben Nisbet on guitar, plus special guest Stephen Dorocke (Handsome Family) on lap steel, Parisian guitarist magnifiqué Naïm Amor presents a concert featuring original material from his forthcoming album. At Hotel Congress (plaza)… Until next week, XOXO…

JANUARY 6, 2022

BIG WEED

The wild west of indie weed dispensaries may be giving way to corporate consolidation By David Abbott tucsoneditor@tucsonlocalmedia.com THE FREE-THE-WEED PEOPLE warned us (and they may have been right) about the scary specter of Big Weed casting a cold, capitalistic pall over people simply enjoying nature by casually smoking pot. At the end of 2021, the first full year of legalized adult-use, recreational weed in Arizona, a number of acquisitions occurred in December

that offer a possible harbinger of what’s to come as an industry in its infancy experiences an explosion of growth. On Dec. 28, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. announced the purchase of Tucson’s PurpleMed Healing Center, which has been rebranded as Harvest House of Cannabis. On that same day, Curaleaf announced its takeover of Bloom Dispensaries for a reported $211 million in cash, adding four retail locations in Tucson, Phoenix, Peoria

and Sedona, to its stables. According to a press release announcing the deal, Bloom’s expected profits for 2021 will be in the neighborhood of $66 million. When the transaction is completed, Curaleaf will have expanded its holdings with dispensaries serving cities totaling more than 2.3 million in population, as well as millions of tourists every year, adding sizable production capacity (i.e. grow facilities) for the multi-state operator. Earlier in the month, Curaleaf announced the impending addition of Tryke Companies (operating as Reef Dispensaries) and Natural Remedy Patient Center, LLC (Natural Remedy, located in Safford). In total, the deals will increase Curaleaf’s holdings to 16 dispensaries in Arizona and 128 nationwide, according to the press release. Curaleaf paid a reported $286 million for Tryke and $13 million in cash and stock options for Safford’s Natural Remedy license. The company says it will be relocated to Scotts-

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dale as a “flagship 9,000 square foot dispensary,” to become “one of just five in the city.” The Tryke deal, “a bid to increase [Curaleaf’s] presence in Nevada, Arizona and Utah,” should be completed later this month, while Natural Remedy is expected to be completed later this year. Curaleaf reported it will continue to operate the Safford dispensary until the new Scottsdale digs are ready sometime in mid-2022, so for Weedly readers in Safford it would be a good idea to stock up, because your access to legal weed in the future is not assured. The dispensary formerly known as PurpleMed, now Harvest House of Cannabis, opened on Dec. 29. A press release announcing the sale stated that, “Consideration paid for the acquisition was deemed immaterial,” and Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers lauded the purchase. “Trulieve is excited to expand our footprint in Tucson and add a CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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second location in the state’s second largest market,” she stated. “We look forward to serving patients and customers at both of our Tucson-area locations and building strong relationships in the community.” Trulieve-affiliated dispensary locations in Arizona include Avondale, Casa Grande, Chandler, Cottonwood, Glendale, Guadalupe, Lake Havasu, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson, in addition to 10 other states, “with leading market positions in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania.” Trulieve made its entry into the Arizona market last February, after Harvest monopolized the recreational market for two weeks in the wake of the surprise Arizona Department of Health Services announcement of the beginning of adult-use sales. The $2.1 billion acquisition of Harvest created the largest marijuana

company in the U.S., with a combined 149 dispensaries. Additionally, the Trulieve deal means the Florida-based mega-weed-company now owns 17 dispensaries in Arizona. Of the 127 active licenses in the state, Trulieve and Curaleaf own 33 plus the means of production for the businesses. According to Sam Richard, executive director of the Arizona Dispensary Association, the consolidations taking place represent the maturation of an industry that is still in it’s “BC years,” and the Arizona market is still diverse when compared to the beer industry. “We’re fewer than 90 years from the 21st Amendment for alcohol, but we’re still in the BC years of cannabis prohibition,” Richard said, pointing out that alcohol prohibition lasted 12 years, while marijuana prohibition, which has been ongoing since alcohol prohibition, is still federally illegal.

While Trulieve and Curaleaf now combine to own about one in four of Arizona’s dispensaries, Richard said the weed industry is “exponentially more diversified” than beer manufacturing and distribution. According to the National Beer Wholesalers Association, more than 80% of the beer sold in 2020 in the U.S. came from five brewers, with the top three, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors and Constellation Brands (Corona and Modelo) capturing 71% of the market. “There’s not a lot of diversification in other industries,” Richard said. ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE Trulieve/Curaleaf acquisitions is the relative size of the deals. While $2.1 billion might seem like a lot (from the Weedly’s perspective, it is a lot), that number dwarfs what is seen by many industry watchdogs as Pfizer’s subtle entry into the cannabis business. Earlier in December, the drug

manufacturing behemoth shelled out a whopping $6.7 billion (with a “B”) to acquire Arena Pharma, a company that has a cannabis-based treatment for irritable bowel syndrome under development. “Trulieve looks small compared to the money Pfizer just spent,” Richard said. “We’re not used to seeing that kind of money, so it’s important to zoom out a little bit.” He added that with legalization comes a commercial aspect that will play out according to the rules businesses in the U.S. operate under. In the long run though, legal operators are going to tailor operations and products that appeal to adultuse customers and also serve their patients, he said. “As the industry matures, it will undoubtedly experience growing pains,” Richard concluded. “But Arizona operators know that there are more than 300,000 medical patients and they won’t just abandon them.” ■

JANUARY 6, 2022

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SAVAGE LOVE VAXXED AND CONFUSED

By Dan Savage, mail@savagelove.net

My boyfriend is male, I am female, and we’ve been together almost three years. We live alone in separate homes, but spend about three or four nights a week together. We’re both fully vaxxed and boosted, and we mask in public, etc. On the Monday before Christmas, I started feeling mild symptoms but tested negative. My boyfriend felt fine, and we spent a few nights together that week. On the morning of Christmas Eve, I take a second at-home test and it’s positive. So, I cancelled plans to see a friend that afternoon and spoke to my boyfriend. Our Christmas Eve plans involved dinner with some of his family members. An hour later he calls and says he tested negative and that he thinks the best thing would be for me to isolate alone on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. He was still planning to go see his family. I burst into tears. He’d already been exposed and if his foremost concern was protecting his family, the logical thing to do would be to minimize contact with them, not me. I couldn’t believe he was going to leave me at home alone over Christmas when we’d already had so much close contact that week. And he knows that spending holidays together as a couple is important to me! He called me back, we argued, and then he offered to have me come over to his house to sleep in the guestroom. Once I’m there, he changes his mind, and we wind up sharing his bed. The next morning, I want to clear the air and he tells me that he was angry about my behavior. He thinks I was being selfish and risked further exposing him. I am really confused and hurt by the way everything has unfolded. Which one of us is being an asshole here? —Flamingly Upset Couple Knows Conflict Over Virus Is Dumb “I’m not going to assign the title of ‘asshole’ to either the letter writer, or her boyfriend,” said Dr. Stacy De-Lin, M.D., a board-certified physician who shares sound science about COVID-19 on her invaluable Instagram account. “But there is a clear public health answer to this question: the writer should have isolated away from her boyfriend as soon as she knew she was positive, and her boyfriend, having known he had a significant exposure, should not have attended any family gatherings.” While Dr. De-Lin doesn’t feel comfortable assigning the title of “asshole” to either of you, FUCKCOVID, I’m gonna go ahead and cut the asshole in half here—in a display of Solomonic wisdom—and award the title of “asshole” to both of you. But you shouldn’t feel too bad about that, FUCKCOVID, seeing as this never-ending pandemic is bringing out the asshole in all of us.

“In addition to addressing public health, we also need to address the incredible mental health toll that nearly two years of a pandemic has taken on all of us,” said Dr. De-Lin. “Many of us longed to see our families and friends and were devastated when those plans were once again upended this year. Furthermore, the guidance on rapid testing, as well as the guidance on what vaccinated folks can and can’t do, has been constantly changing. So, it’s no wonder that her boyfriend still wanted to find a way to see his family and thought he could do so safely, and that the writer didn’t want to be alone on Christmas when I’m sure she was already feeling so isolated.” And to put things in perspective, FUCKCOVID, it’s not like you punched a flight attendant or said, “Let’s Go, Brandon!” to Joe and Jill Biden on Christmas Eve. All you did was get upset. And you were right about one thing: If your boyfriend was gonna see anyone on Christmas Eve, it should’ve been you. Considering how much time you’d spent together after you became symptomatic (but before testing positive), you could reasonably argue that if you were going to expose him, you’d already exposed him. So, in the spirit of harm reduction, he could’ve and should’ve cancelled his plans with his family and spent the holiday with you instead. And that’s what he did, right? So, as much as the suggestion that you spend Christmas alone may have upset you, you didn’t spend Christmas alone, right? So, maybe give your asshole boyfriend some credit for that? All that said, your boyfriend could reasonably argue that you could’ve and should’ve isolated yourself at the onset of your symptoms and not spent multiple nights with him before you predictably tested positive. But if you were to let go of your anger about him suggesting you spend Christmas alone, maybe that would inspire him to let go of his anger about not seeing his family. Because at the end of the day, FUCKCOVID, it was same desire for human contact that prompted you to put your

boyfriend at risk (by hanging out with him after the onset of symptoms) and prompted your boyfriend to contemplate putting his family at risk (by hanging out with them after a significant exposure). So, recognizing your mutual assholery, maybe—in the spirit of the holiday—you two can forgive each other and move the fuck on. While I had Dr. De-Lin on the line, I asked her for some advice for all of us—all us assholes—on getting through the next wave of this seemingly-never-ending pandemic. “We have ways that we can prevent the spread of the Omicron variant: get vaccinated and boosted, isolate when positive or after a high-risk exposure, wear masks in indoor settings, and keep gatherings outdoors,” said Dr. De-Lin. “The COVID Omicron variant is not only significantly more infectious than any variant we’ve seen so far, but it’s also coming at the worst possible time: the holiday season. So, it’s running rampant through the country and the world, and hospitals are already at the breaking point, making it more important than ever to avoid catching and spreading the virus.” And as difficult as it might seem right now—and it seems mighty difficult—taking the long view will help us get through this. “It’s important to remember that this wave, and the pandemic itself, will get much better, and we will be able to gather with our families and friends again in the ways that we used to, without fear,” said Dr. DeLin. “In the meantime, I hope that the letter writer and her boyfriend, and all of us, can be patient and forgiving with each other in these challenging times.” Follow Dr. Stacy De-Lin on Instagram @ stacydelin_md. In the mid to late 1980s when I was a toddler, my father had an affair. For some reason, he confessed to my mother in the early 1990s. She was furious, and they separated for two years. My sister and I stayed with our mom during the week, and we shared a room in our father’s two-bedroom apartment on the weekends. During this time my mother frequently and loudly badmouthed him and would call him “the man in the apartment.” After two years they got back together, probably “for the kids,” but my mom constantly held the infidelity over my father’s

head. My sister and I were aware of the former mistress’s name, as my mother would bring her up whenever we passed by a motel or at other random moments. She still refers to my father as “the man in the apartment.” I hated this and I thought we all would have been better off had they just divorced. Their histrionics (her histrionics) and some incredibly punitive nuns instilled in me, a heterosexual male, the idea that boys are stupid and bad, and girls are mean and inflict punishment. I developed shame about being male coupled with a resentment of women, issues I’m still working through. Now my parents are well into their 70s and my mother has actually gotten worse. My mother somehow found his former mistress online and uses her photo as her screensaver. She brings up the affair constantly and bullies my father about it daily. This has been going on for 30 years! Right now, I’m out of town for the holidays with my mom and my sister and my dad told me he might move out before she returns. Is this salvageable? Should I insist he stay? For the first half of my life (I’m nearly 40), I was firmly on “Team Mom.” That has radically shifted in recent years. My dad can be a real jackass, but he has carried this cross for too long and doesn’t deserve this. —Sad And Disappointed Seeing Ongoing Nightmare “The victim of the affair is not always the victim of the marriage,” as famed psychotherapist and author Esther Perel says, and your parents’ marriage may be the best single example of a marriage where the cheater is (or became) the victim. Yes, SADSON, your dad wronged your mom when he had that affair 30 years ago. (An affair he should’ve kept his mouth shut about.) But if your mom couldn’t bring herself to forgive your dad and/or couldn’t stop punishing him—or, worse yet, if she only took him back so she could punish every day for the rest of his life—then your mom long ago ceded the moral high ground to your dad. Someone who can’t forgive infidelity in a reasonable period of time (like, say, during a two-year separation) has no business taking a cheating spouse back. And someone who can’t resist involving their children in a long, vindictive, self-pitying campaign to destroy their cheating spouse has no business having children in the first place. Your dad should move out, your mom should get a mental health assessment, and you and your sister should stop—finally—allowing your mother to abuse you like this. P.S. I hope there were other women. questions@savagelove.net Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage. Columns, podcasts, books, merch and more at www.savage.love.

JANUARY 6, 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): The coming months will be an excellent time for you to explore the art of Soulful Bragging. Do you deserve any of the titles below? If so, feel free to use them liberally throughout 2022. 1. Practical Idealist with Flexible Strategies. 2. Genius of Interesting Intimacy. 3. Jaunty Healer with Boisterous Knowledge of the Soul’s Ways. 4. Free-Wheeling Joker Who Makes People Laugh for Righteous and Healing Reasons. 5. Skillful Struggler. 6. Empathy Master with a Specialty in Creative Compassion. 7. Playful Reservoir of Smart Eros. 8. Purveyor of Feisty Wisdom and Cute Boldness. 9. Crafty JoySummoner. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Most people who use tobacco products are at risk of having shorter life spans than they might have otherwise had. Smoking is detrimental to health. Those who smoke in their twenties and thirties may cut 10 years off their longevity. But here’s some good news: If you kick your tobacco habit before age 40, you will regain most of those 10 years. I bring this to your attention because I’d like it to serve as a motivational tale for you in 2022. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you will have more power than ever before to escape any harmful addictions and compulsions you have—and begin reclaiming your full vitality. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In May 1974, the Grateful Dead introduced a new wrinkle to their live musical performances. Playing at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, they amplified their music through a “Wall of Sound”: 604 speakers piled high, together channeling 26,000 watts of energy. Had any band ever treated their fans to a louder volume and crisper tones? I’d like to make this breakthrough event one of your top metaphors for 2022. According to my analysis, it will be a great year for you to boost your signal. I invite you to distribute your message with maximum confidence and clarity. Show the world who you are with all the buoyant flair you can rouse. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Philosopher Emil Cioran said he despised wise philosophers. Why? Because they practice prudent equanimity, which he regarded as empty and sterile. In Cioran’s view, these deep thinkers avoid strong feelings so they can live in cool safety, free from life’s nerve-wracking paradoxes. I agree with him that such a state is undesirable. However, Cioran contrasted it with the lives of the normal people he admired, who are “full of irreconcilable contradictions” and who “suffer from limitless anxiety.” My question for Cioran: Are there no other options between those two extremes? And

my answer: Of course there are! And you can be proof of that in 2022, Cancerian. I expect you’ll be full of deep feelings, eager for new experiences, and infused with a lust for life—with less anxiety and fewer irreconcilable contradictions than ever before. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In 1838, 29-year-old naturalist Charles Darwin was early in his career. He had not developed his theory of evolution, and was not yet a superstar of science. He began ruminating about the possibility of proposing marriage to his cousin Emma Wedgwood. If married, he wrote: “constant companion and a friend in old age; the charms of music and female chit-chat—good things for one’s health.” If not married: “no children; no one to care for one in old age; less money for books, loss of time, and a duty to work for money.” I bring this to your attention, Leo, because I suspect that in 2022, you may be tempted and inspired to deeply interweave your fate with the fates of interesting characters. A spouse or partner or collaborator? Could be. Maybe a beloved animal or spirit guide? Have fun making your list of pros and cons! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): What were your favorite toys when you were a child? Now would be a good time to retrieve fond memories of them, and even acquire modern versions so you can revive the joy they gave you. In my astrological analysis, you’ll be wise to invite your inner child to play a bigger role in your life as you engage in a wide range of playtime activities. So yes, consider the possibility of buying yourself crayons, Legos, dolls and puppets, video games, squirt guns, roller skates, yo-yos, jump ropes and board games. And don’t neglect the pleasures of blanket forts, cardboard boxes, mud pies and plain old sticks. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In his novel The Story of a Marriage, Andrew Sean Greer asks, “Does love always form, like a pearl, around the hardened bits of life?” My answer would be, “No, not always, but when it does, it’s often extra sweet and enduring.” One of my wishes and predictions for you in 2022, Libra, is that love will form around your hardened bits. For best results, be open to the possibility that difficulty can blossom into grace. Look for opportunities that are seeded by strenuous work. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “It is worth living long enough to outlast whatever sense of grievance you may acquire.” Author Marilynne Robinson wrote that, and I recommend her thought as one of your uplifting meditations in 2022. According to my reading of the astrological omens, the

coming months will be a favorable time to dismantle and dissolve as many old grievances as you can. This could and should be the year you liberate yourself from psychic grunge—for the sake of your own mental, physical, and spiritual health as much as for the sake of others’. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some critics view author Diana Wynne Jones as a genius in her chosen field: fantasy novels for children and young adults. She had a generous spirit, asserting, “I have this very strong feeling that everybody is probably a genius at something; it’s just a question of finding this.” If you are still unsure what your unique genius consists of, Sagittarius, I believe 2022 will show you in detailed glory. And if you do already know, the coming months will be a time when you dramatically deepen your ability to access and express your genius. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn biologist Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote a meditative book about moss. It was her response to questions she had been wondering about: Why has this inconspicuous plant persevered for 350 million years? While so many other species have gone extinct, why has moss had staying power through all the Earth’s climate changes and upheavals? And what lessons does its success have for us? Here are Kimmerer’s conclusions: Moss teaches us the value “of being small, of giving more than you take, of working with natural law, sticking together.” In accordance with astrological

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omens in 2022, Capricorn, I believe moss should be your role model. (Kimmerer’s book is Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses.) AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Joyce Carol Oates has been very successful and has won several major awards. But she describes her job as arduous and time-consuming. “I work very slowly,” she testifies. “It’s like building a ladder, where you’re building your own ladder rung by rung, and you’re climbing the ladder. It’s not the best way to build a ladder, but I don’t know any other way.” I wouldn’t always recommend her approach for you, Aquarius, but I will in 2022. As long as you’re willing to accept gradual, incremental progress, you’ll get a lot of fine work done. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I’ve selected a quote for you to use as one of your guiding principles in 2022. I urge you to undertake a specific action in the next 24 hours that will prove you mean to take it seriously. Here’s the wisdom articulated by Piscean rabbi and philosopher Marc-Alain Ouaknin: “People must break with the illusion that their lives have already been written and their paths already determined.” It’s reinvention time, dear Pisces. Homework: What’s the most important thing for you to get rid of in 2022? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

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