Tucson Weekly, Nov. 12, 2020 by Tucson Weekly

KELLY WINS SENATE SEAT

NOV. 12 - 18, 2020 • TUCSONWEEKLY.COM • FREE

COVID Is Out of Control Again

• TUSD Calls Off Classes

• Weed is Gonna Be Legal

• Ballet Tucson Pops Up

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

NOV. 12, 2020

NOV. 12, 2020 | VOL. 35, NO. 46

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STAFF

CONTENTS

CURRENTS

Election Roundup: President, Senate, Pima County line offices and more

COVID cases rapidly rising in Arizona, again

CITY WEEK

What to do this week, around town and from your home!

ARTS AND CULTURE

ADMINISTRATION Jason Joseph, President/Publisher jjoseph@azlocalmedia.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

Jaime Hood, General Manager, Ext. 12 jaime@tucsonlocalmedia.com

The Dust Settles

I CAN’T SAY I EVER EXPECTED TO SEE Arizona elect two Democrats to the U.S. Senate in my lifetime. But after last week, that’s where we stand, as former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly won his campaign against appointed U.S. Sen. Martha McSally. He’ll join Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in Washington, who also defeated McSally. Meanwhile, McSally will go down in history as the candidate who lost both of Arizona’s Senate seats to Democrats. Given that it had been three decades since a Democrat had won a Senate seat in Arizona, that’s quite an accomplishment. Although all the votes have yet to be counted in Arizona, it also appears as if Democrat Joe Biden is going to win Arizona’s 11 Electoral College votes. If Biden’s lead holds, then it’ll be the first time a Democrat has won here since Bill Clinton took the Grand Canyon State in 1996. But Republicans are holding onto control of the Arizona Legislature and will control the Arizona Corporation Commission going into the new year, so while Arizona might be a shade of purple, it ain’t blue yet. And with redistricting on the horizon and a Democrat in the White House, Democrats may see this

Casey Anderson, Ad Director/ Associate Publisher, Ext. 22 casey@tucsonlocalmedia.com Claudine Sowards, Accounting, Ext. 13 claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com

as a high-water mark for a while. Elsewhere in the book: Arizona’s COVID cases are skyrocketing again. Staff reporter Nicole Ludden brings you the latest on Pima County’s numbers and explains why the Tucson Unified School District postponed plans to return to the classroom this week; columnist Tom Danehy reflects on the election; Cannabis 520 columnist David Abbott looks at the impact of the passage of Prop 207, which will legalize recreational use of marijuana by adults; arts writer Margaret Regan looks at Ballet Tucson’s new series of pop-up performances; calendar editor Emily Dieckman looks at some safe ways to have fun outside of reading a book or watching Netflix; and there’s our usual collection of columns, cartoons and puzzles to keep you busy. — Jim Nintzel Executive Editor Hear Nintz talk about the latest on the outbreak and other news at 8:30 Wednesday mornings on The Frank Show on KLPX, 91.1 FM.

RANDOM SHOTS By Rand Carlson

Ballet Tucson returns with a series of outdoor shows

Sheryl Kocher, Receptionist, Ext. 10 sheryl@tucsonlocalmedia.com EDITORIAL Jim Nintzel, Executive Editor, Ext. 38 jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com Austin Counts, Managing Editor, Ext. 36 austin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Jeff Gardner, Associate Editor, Ext. 43 jeff@tucsonlocalmedia.com Mike Truelsen, Web Editor, Ext. 35 mike@tucsonlocalmedia.com Nicole Ludden, Staff Reporter, Ext. 42 nicolel@tucsonlocalmedia.com Contributors: Lee Allen, Rob Brezsny, Max Cannon, Rand Carlson, Tom Danehy, Emily Dieckman, Bob Grimm, Andy Mosier, Xavier Omar Otero, Linda Ray, Margaret Regan, David Safier, Will Shortz, Jen Sorensen, Eric Swedlund PRODUCTION David Abbott, Production Manager, Ext. 18 david@tucsonlocalmedia.com Ryan Dyson, Graphic Designer, Ext. 26 ryand@tucsonlocalmedia.com Emily Filener, Graphic Designer, Ext. 29 emilyf@tucsonlocalmedia.com CIRCULATION Alex Carrasco, Circulation, Ext. 17, alexc@tucsonlocalmedia.com ADVERTISING Kristin Chester, Account Executive, Ext. 25 kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Candace Murray, Account Executive, Ext. 24 candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com Lisa Hopper, Account Executive Ext. 39 lisa@tucsonlocalmedia.com Tyler Vondrak, Account Executive, Ext. 27 tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING VMG Advertising, (888) 278-9866 or (212) 475-2529 Tucson Weekly® is published every Thursday by 13 Street Media 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. First Class subscriptions, mailed in an envelope, cost $112 yearly/53 issues. Sorry, no refunds on subscriptions. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN). The Tucson Weekly® and Best of Tucson® are registered trademarks of 10/13 Communications. Back issues of the Tucson Weekly are available for $1 each plus postage for the current year. Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement at his or her discretion.

MMJ

Prop. 207 passes. What does recreational marijuana mean for Arizona and Tucson?

Cover design by Ryan Dyson. Cover photos of Kelly and McSally by Gage Skidmore.

Copyright: The entire contents of Tucson Weekly are Copyright © 2019 by Thirteenth Street Media. 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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NOV. 12, 2020

CURRENTS

JIM NINTZEL

Mark Kelly and family celebrating at Hotel Congress on Election Night.

PURPLE REIGN Democrats didn’t get a blue wave in Arizona, but they did win a U.S. Senate seat and won most of the races in Pima County By Jim Nintzel jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com WITH A SIGNIFICANT LEAD IN THE race for U.S. Senate over Republican Martha McSally, Democrat Mark Kelly took the outdoor stage at Hotel Congress on Election Night. While Kelly stopped short of claiming victory, he did say he expected to go to Washington as a U.S. senator. “This doesn’t feel like a typical election night, and this hasn’t been a typical year,” Kelly said. “That’s why tonight isn’t about celebrating. Tonight is about getting to work.” Before bringing out his wife, former Southern Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, and his two daughters, Kelly talked about his admiration for the late Sen. John McCain. “It’s not often that we get to meet our heroes, and it’s even less often that you ever get to call them a friend. I got to do that with Senator McCain. And it meant

so much to me,” Kelly said. “Now, Senator McCain and I—we did not agree on everything. But I had such admiration for how he approached the responsibility of serving in this very Senate seat.” Kelly said the nation needed to focus on combatting the coronavirus, improving infrastructure and improving access to health care A week later, on Tuesday, Nov. 10, the former NASA astronaut’s victory over McSally was assured. With an estimated fewer than 70,000 ballots left to count, Kelly had won nearly 51 percent of the vote and was leading McSally by more than 83,000 votes. McSally had not conceded as of press time. Both her official U.S. Senate and campaign Twitter accounts had been silent since Election Day. McSally’s defeat is her second loss in two years for the U.S. Senate. In 2018, the former A-10 pilot and Southern Arizona congresswoman lost to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema but was later appointed

to the Senate to complete the term of McCain, who died in 2017. The election capped a highly contentious battle between Kelly and McSally, with Kelly focusing on the need for an independent voice from Arizona in the Senate and McSally arguing that the former U.S. Navy combat pilot was a “Trojan horse” who would usher in a new age of socialism in the country. Because the race is to complete McCain’s term, Kelly will have to run for reelection in 2022. Kelly’s win might not have heralded a blue wave across the entire state, but Arizona definitely took on a purple hue. Democrat Joe Biden was holding a slim 14,000-vote lead over Republican President Donald Trump with fewer than 70,000 votes left to count and Democrats won nearly every office in Pima County. On the congressional level, Dems won five seats statewide, while Republicans won four, keeping the current balance of power. But Republicans held onto control of the Arizona Legislature despite a major campaign by Democrats to flip one or both chambers and look to be on track to win two of the three seats up for grabs on the Arizona Corporation Commission. PIMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

against GOP challenger Gabby Saucedo Mercer. In District 4, incumbent GOP Supervisor Steve Christy is likely to be the sole Republican on the Board of Supervisors after he won 54% of the vote against Democratic challenger Steve Diamond. In District 5, in the race for the open seat previously held by the late Supervisor Richard Elias, Democrat Adelita Grijalva defeated Republican Fernando Gonzales with 74% of the vote. PIMA COUNTY LINE OFFICES IN A REMATCH OF THE 2016 RACE, Democratic challenger Chris Nanos was leading Republican Sheriff Mark Napier, the candidate he lost to four years ago. Nanos was leading by just over 1 percentage point and was ahead by 5,379 votes as of Monday, Nov. 9. In the race for County Recorder, Democrat Gabriella Cázares-Kelly had 59% of the vote against Republican Benny White. After trailing on Election Night, Republican Treasurer Beth Ford pulled ahead of Democrat Brian Bickel by less than 1 percentage point or 3,146 votes as of Monday morning. Democrat Suzanne Droubie had won 58% of the vote against Republican Jo Ann Sabbagh in the race for County Assessor.

IN PIMA COUNTY, THE BIGGEST upset of the night was for the District 1 seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors. With nearly all of Pima County’s votes counted, Democrat Rex Scott was leading in the race to replace the retiring Supervisor Ally Miller on the Board of Supes. Scott, a former school administrator, was holding a slim lead of just over 1 percentage point (or 1,854 votes) over Republican Steve Spain. If Scott’s lead holds up, it would be the first time a Democrat has held the District 1 seat since the 1970s. It would also mean four out of five seats on the Board of Supervisors will be held by Democrats next year. In District 2, Democrat Matt Heinz, who defeated longtime Supervisor Ramon Valadez in the August primary, easily dispatched Republican Anthony COURTESY PHOTO Sizer, winning 68% of the vote. Gabriella Cázares-Kelly is the first Native In District 3, Democrat Sharon American to win countywide in Pima Bronson won a seventh term on the County. board after she captured 58% of the vote

NOV. 12, 2020

COURTESY PHOTOS

Democrat Rex Scott is leading Republican Steve Spain in the race for the District 1 seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.

After winning a three-way primary race in August, Democrat Laura Conover was unopposed in the contest to replace Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall, who is stepping down after six terms. County School Superintendent Dustin Williams was also unopposed in his bid for a second term. CONGRESS AMONG THE THREE SOUTHERN ARIZONA congressional seats, Democrats all won reelection. In the sprawling Congressional District 1, which includes Oro Valley and Marana as well as Flagstaff, Northern Arizona reservations and much of rural Eastern Arizona, Democratic incumbent Tom O’Halleran defeated Republican challenger Tiffany Shedd by roughly 4 percentage points. In Congressional District 2, Democratic Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick was defeating Republican challenger Martin Brandon by nearly 12 percentage points. In Congressional District 3, Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva clobbered Republican challenger Daniel Wood by 30 percentage points. This is the last year that candidates will run under the existing congressional district boundaries. The Independent Redistricting Commission will draw new districts before the 2022 election. ARIZONA LEGISLATURE WHILE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL of winning one or both chambers of the Arizona Legislature, Democratic candidates prevailed in races in Tucson. In Legislative District 9, which includes the Catalina Foothills, central Tucson and the Casas Adobes area, Democratic state Rep. Pamela Powers-Hannley and Democratic state Rep. Randy Friese both won 37% of the vote against GOP challenger Brendan Lyons, who had 27%. Meanwhile, state Sen. Victoria Steele was unopposed.

In Legislative District 10, the Democratic slate of state Rep. Domingo DeGrazia and political newcomer Stephanie Stahl Hamilton both won roughly 29% of the vote against the Republican slate of Michael Hicks (with 22%) and Mabelle Gummere (with 20%). Meanwhile, state Rep. Kirsten Engel had 59% of the vote against GOP challenger Justine Wadsack. However, Republicans won in Legislative District 11, which includes Oro Valley and Marana as well Pinal County precincts and the town of Maricopa, In the race for two House seats, Republican state Rep. Bret Roberts and Republican state Rep. Mark Finchem had roughly 34% of the vote against Democratic challenger Felipe Perez, who had 31%. In the race for Senate, Republican incumbent Vince Leach led Democratic challenger JoAnna Mendoza with 54% of the vote. ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION WITH THREE SEATS UP FOR THE GRABS ON THE Arizona Corporation Commission, one Democrat and two Republicans were in the lead. Coming out on top was Democrat Anna Tovar, a former state lawmaker who had captured 1,432,993 votes as of Tuesday morning. In second place was Republican Lea Marquez Peterson, the former president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Peterson, who was appointed to the ACC by Gov. Doug Ducey after she lost a 2018 campaign for Congress in Southern Arizona, had 1,429,788 votes. James “Jim” O’Connor was in third place with 1,413,585 votes. TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD IN THE RACE FOR THREE SEATS ON THE TUCSON Unified School District Governing Board, the top vote getters were Natalie Luna Rose, Sadie Shaw and Ravi GrivoisShah. ■

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

NOV. 12, 2020

CURRENTS

SEASONAL SPIKE

COVID rapidly spreading in AZ as holidays approach By Nicole Ludden nicolel@tucsonlocalmedia.com AS CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE state continue to spread at the fastest rate since June, public health professionals and hospital staff are already preparing for another COVID-19 surge in Arizona. Although metrics tracking the spread of the virus waned after summer, recent state and county-wide data are showing increased positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the virus. On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Arizona reported 3,434 new cases, the highest single-day jump since July 25. Within the first nine days of November, the state is averaging 1,528 new cases a day. As of Tuesday, Nov. 10, Pima County had reported 31,013 COVID-19 cases of the 259,699 cases statewide. A total of 661 people had died after contracting the virus in Pima County.

The county has a coronavirus positivity rating of 7.4%—a rate of 5% is a good indicator the spread of the virus is under control. “I think people thought there was light at the end of the tunnel and now this is happening again,” said Pima County Public Health Director Theresa Cullen. “We had that horrible time in the middle of the summer then we came back down. At our lowest, we were down to 400 [cases a week], but now we’re going back up. I’m hoping we are not going to go back as high as we were in the summer, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Statewide hospitalizations for COVID-19 cases have increased in recent weeks and reached 1,232 hospitalizations on Nov. 8, the highest reported total since Aug. 14, according to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). Gordon Carr, the chief medical officer for clinical outcomes at Banner University Medical Center Tucson and South, says the

hospitals he works at are receiving more COVID-19 patients, and medical staff is preparing. “We are starting to see an uptrend in patients requiring hospitalizations for COVID-19. I think it’s important that all of us are prepared for things to get worse before they get better,” Carr said. “If we look at current trends in terms of new cases, and if we look at the increasing reproductive rate of COVID-19 in our state and in our county right now, we are expecting to see more hospitalizations.” Dr. Clifford Martin, an infectious disease specialist at the Tucson Medical Center (TMC), said at a press conference Thursday that a month ago, the hospital had one to two COVID-19 patients, and as of last week, they have 50. “What I think has happened is that, as happens in any long term effort, people started letting their guards down. We all are feeling fatigued, and as a result, we’re seeing the predictable increase again,” Martin said. COVID-19 CASES COMING FROM SCHOOLS, INSTITUTIONS AND THE COMMUNITY One of Cullen’s main concerns is the

danger of transmission in large gatherings amid holidays like Halloween. The University of Arizona’s percent positivity rate for COVID-19 was 1.1% from Oct. 23 through Nov. 1, an increase from the 0.6% rate the university reported the previous 10-day period. Cullen says although “we have not seen the impact yet” from Halloween parties that occurred over the holiday weekend, the hundreds. A coronavirus case spike hit the University of Arizona in mid-September causing a voluntary 14-day self-quarantine, and cases relatively declined after. Now that COVID-19 cases are surging again, Cullen doesn’t believe university students are solely to blame. Many schools have reopened for hybrid learning and are reporting positive student COVID-19 cases. Furthermore, Cullen said there’s also “an institution that’s having an outbreak, and that’s contributing over 100 to 150 cases in the last week.” “I think the university is contributing, but I think it’s the general community that is contributing more,” she said. “We have K-12 schools that are contributing, we have the institution that’s contributing. The university is contributing, but the numbers at the university overall are not that high.”

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HOSPITALS GEAR UP FOR A SURGE ALTHOUGH CASE COUNTS ARE increasing statewide, Ducey doesn’t plan on imposing new safety restrictions to prevent further spread of COVID-19, and said at an Oct. 29 press conference, “the mitigation that we’ve put out, the plan we put into effect, remains in effect.” Regardless of the governor’s mitigation plans, hospitals across Tucson are gearing up for a COVID-19 surge they say they’re already seeing. According to Carr, both of the Banner University Medical Centers in Tucson say they are adequately staffed, have enough ventilators to meet the current demand and aren’t currently concerned about their ICU bed capacity, although they are meticulously monitoring these conditions. Banner receives many patients from the “Arizona Surge Line,” a system established by ADHS in April that all Arizona hospitals participate in. The centralized system prevents one hospital from becoming overwhelmed by facilitating COVID-19 patient admission and transfer. Hospitals can call the surge line to transfer a patient to a different facility that may provide a more appropriate level of care. “Surge capacity is the ability to take care

PHOTO BY PIMA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

of a significant, sudden influx of patients, and it really boils down to three key elements: staff, structure and stuff,” Carr said. “So at Banner Health, just like at large health systems across the country, we have teams working across our system on a daily basis to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to have the staff, the physical capacity and the equipment we needed to serve our communities.” TMC also receives many patients from the surge line, and although they feel

prepared right now, the upcoming influx of cases is of constant concern to hospital staff—especially with the chaos of the summer surge fresh on their minds. Martin says TMC has more capacity to administer COVID-19 tests and said, “we’re not in the absolute dire shortage of personal protective equipment that we were back at the beginning of the year.” “We definitely have much more capacity from an operational standpoint to deal with those issues. It is true, however, that within

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the last week, we’re starting to test that capacity a little bit,” Martin said. “This week, with the increases in cases that we’re seeing in the community, and the increase in cases that we’re seeing in the hospital, we’re preemptively starting to have discussions about how we might use that differently if we continue to see this uptick.” Both TMC and Tucson’s Banner hospitals are planning for a surge, and after the influx of cases that ensued in the summer, they feel more prepared this time around. “I do think that we have learned a lot in the hospital about how to care for the patients, how to intervene earlier, and so our length of stay is lower, our ability to manage these patients has been fine-tuned. We’re still having people die from this disease, but not the way we did,” said Judy Rich, TMC’s president and chief executive officer. “A lot of learning over these last several months and a lot of respect for the disease and how easily it’s transmitted, but we’re not really predicting that we’re going to get into the kinds of severe, sudden impact we saw in July.” Carr agrees hospitals will be more prepared this time around, but he stresses this is not a reason to become complacent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

NOV. 12, 2020

JEFF GARDNER

OFF COURSE

Citing the rapid spread of coronavirus, TUSD postpones the start of in-classroom instruction until January By Nicole Ludden nicolel@tucsonlocalmedia.com AS A KEY METRIC TRACKING THE SPREAD OF coronavirus in Pima County is likely to shift to substantial spread this week, the Tucson Unified School District will not open as planned this Thursday, Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo announced in a letter to the district’s families Friday, Oct. 6. “In my briefings this week with the Pima County Health Department leadership team, I was informed that our county will be in a state of widespread community transmission of COVID-19 at the time of our planned opening,” Trujillo said in the letter. “Out of an abundance of caution, our leadership team has made a commitment to only initiate ‘hybrid’ instruction when Pima County is in a state of moderate transmission or better.”

The district approved a Nov. 12 reopening date in a hybrid model at an Oct. 27 governing board meeting when Pima County Public Health Director Theresa Cullen said the county had, at the time, met the health department’s three guidelines for opening in a hybrid model: two weeks with new case rates below 100 per 100,000, two weeks of percent positivity below 7 percent and hospital visits for COVID-19 illness below 10 percent. Pima County reported 1,207 new cases the week of Oct. 25-31, which will likely put it in the “substantial spread” category for a two-week decline in cases when the county’s progress report is updated this Thursday. In a Facebook post, TUSD Governing Board Member Adelita Grijalva said in-person classes will resume in January 2021. Last week, Cullen predicted the metric tracking a twoweek decline in cases—a key benchmark the state based its school reopening guidelines on—would likely move to substantial spread. “We’re showing numbers of 900 to 1,000 [per week], which means on the dashboard, that first disease measure is more than 100 cases per hundred thousand, puts us into the red, which is accelerated transmission. My guess, even though that number’s not 1,000 yet for week 44, I think I’m expecting it will hit that,” she said. Now that the health department’s data reports show more than 1,000 cases reported for week 44, or Oct. 25-31, Cullen’s prediction will likely come true. The health department’s Communications Manager Aaron Pacheco said it won’t be officially announced if the metric is in the red until the department updates it progress report by 5 p.m. Thursday, but said in an email, “We expect that when the report is updated this Thursday, the changes Dr. Cullen described will be reflected.” Although TUSD has made a commitment to only reopen schools for in-person learning when county metrics indicate moderate transmission or better, it’s not clear if other districts will follow suit. Many have already reopened in hybrid models, and are reporting coronavirus cases among students and staff.

A recent change in the Arizona Department of Health Services’ (ADHS) school reopening benchmarks could further complicate the COVID-19 data schools must consider when deciding to open. ADHS’ guidelines for schools to safely reopen, which are the same as the countywide benchmarks, have recently changed to say schools should “start preparing for virtual learning” when all three of these benchmarks are in the “substantial” category for community spread. Before, their guidelines suggested schools should consider moving to remote learning when “one or more” of these benchmarks are in the red. At a press conference on Oct. 29, Gov. Doug Ducey said the change was made at the request of “public education leaders and public health officials.” However, both the Arizona School Administrators and the Arizona School Boards Association released a joint statement saying “neither ASA nor ASBA were included in discussions on the recent decision by DHS to change these recommendations regarding transitioning from hybrid to virtual instruction.” Although TUSD decided to pull the plug on reopening when one metric was in the red, all schools are no longer required to do so. However, Cullen insists the Pima County Health Department is giving specified guidance to school districts based on the nine metrics in the county’s COVID-19 progress report, and not solely the three state benchmarks. “I think there could be a time when the health department might recommend that we move from hybrid back, even if not all three of the disease markers are red. All we do with the schools is we’re a recommending body, the school districts make their own decision,” Cullen said last week. “Pima County never went solely with the state guidance, for us, that’s why we had the nine instead of the three.” That time of recommending schools move to remote learning has come, and after discussions with county health officials revealing Pima County has moved to substantial spread for a two-week decline in cases, Trujillo decided to follow the guidance. “I have committed to honoring the expertise of the Pima County Health Department by utilizing their data to guide our decision making regarding the re-opening of our schools, programs and extra-curricular activities,” Trujillo said in his letter to families. “It is in this spirit that I have made the difficult decision to not open the Tucson Unified School District for Hybrid Learning starting Thursday, Nov. 12.” In the letter, the superintendent said the current remote instructional model will remain unchanged, and “On Campus Learning Spaces” will continue to be available for “at-risk students, as well as any families that would like their children to be on campus.” In a Nov. 4 Pima County health update video, Cullen noted the “significant increase” in the county’s cases and encouraged avoiding “crowded, close and confined areas.” “We are worried, we need everyone’s cooperation,” Cullen said. “We know there is respiratory transmission of this disease. We need you to work with us to try to, once again, help us stop this accelerated transmission phase we are now in.” ■

NOV. 12, 2020

DANEHY TOM SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE ELECTION By Tom Danehy, tucsonweekly@tucsonlocalmedia.com

SORENSEN

I’M SITTING HERE TWO OR THREE days after the election (I’ve lost count). The main issue is still in doubt, so I’m not even going to mention the counting, the Supreme Court, or the fake claims of voter fraud. Just give us a winner so 48% of us can go away pissed off. Wink, wink. • The state of Oregon passed a measure on Tuesday that basically decriminalizes possession of small amounts of Oxycodone, methamphetamines, cocaine and heroin. Well, that’s great. You can now get legally stoned 19 different ways in Oregon, but you still have to put down a deposit to buy a can of soda. • Arizona’s Let’s All Get High ballot measure passed by a 60-40 margin. I wouldn’t care at all if people would do that stuff to their damaged heart’s delight and NOT get behind the wheel of a car. Unfortunately, they do that very thing in ridiculously high numbers (unavoidable pun). Alas, that’s not the way that it works. • We’re now going to have more impaired driver crashes, more injuries, more deaths. That’s because when the stoner decides to drive while stoned, HE’S STONED!! He doesn’t have to worry about

getting busted for being high. There’s just that tiny, insignificant matter of perhaps wiping out a family of four. • Here’s how you know that you’re in The Party of Dumbasses. Armed Republican protesters stormed the vote-counting facility in Phoenix, chanting “Count the votes,” while in other parts of the country, other Trumpists chanted “Stop counting the votes.” All the while, their feckless leader, the Dumbass In Charge, screamed “Stop the voting!” • Closer to home, Democrat Rex Scott appears to have pulled off a minor upset when he beat Republican Steve Spain in the contest to replace Ally Miller, who is stepping down and heading out on a quest to find her freakin’ mind. It’s weird, because driving around in Oro Valley and Marana, I saw tons of Spain signs and very few from his opponent. Scott’s signs had his name on them, while Spain’s had a name and the candidate’s picture. I have to wonder whether facial hair on a candidate (like Spain) has a negative impact on some potential voters, especially with a candidate who’s a relative newcomer to the political scene and about

Heya Jeff, to the left is the template for the Sorensen (note spelling) that we have in the InDesign library. It makes sense to have it the same size/dimensions as Tom Tomorrow, so I’ll adjust after we get this thing to press. Just want to ensure that we’re consistent! Stellar work amigo!

whom people don’t know very much. • Again at press time, the margin in the Arizona Congressional District 6 race is razor thin. Incumbent Republican David Schweikert holds a slim lead over Democratic challenger Dr. Hiral Tipirneni. Schweikert is in a very-safe Republican district, but he found himself in a dogfight after the House of Representatives released a 2,900-page report detailing Schweikert’s financial misdeeds, campaign-finance law violations, and ethics violations. (In the current political climate, you really have to screw up bad to get hit with an ethics violation charge.) The House Ethics Committee found that Schweikert had more than $300,000 in erroneous or undisclosed transactions and had illegally used campaign funds for everything from meals to babysitting. The House panel said “Representative Schweikert made vague and misleading statements that allowed him to evade the statute of limitations for the most egregious violations of campaign finance laws. Efforts like the ones that Representative Schweikert undertook to delay and impede the…investigation were not only highly detrimental to the Committee’s work and reputation of the House, they were themselves sanctionable misconduct.” Since this is Congress, the committee came down hard. They sent Schweikert to bed without supper and then let him keep

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his seat. One might think that such conduct would prompt the voters in his neglected district to throw the bum out. But this is Scottsdale; Schweikert is white and Tiperneni isn’t. Advantage: Crooked Bum. • Former Somebody Martha McSally is the living example of Steve Martin’s fictional book, How I Turned a Million in Real Estate Into $100 Cash. The war hero/ fighter pilot/trailblazer had found a nice safe Congressional District in Southern Arizona, one that she probably could have represented for as long as she felt like being in Congress. But she got greedy (or overly ambitious), hitched her wagon to the wrong whores (I’m sorry, horse), and within a span of two short years, lost to not one, but two, Democrats! In statewide races! In Arizona! That should be hard to do, but she made it look easy. • One last thing: The weekend before the election, several hundred cars were gathered at the Tucson Mall for a proTrump rally. The tRump-licker on the radio said, “Nine hundred cars gather at the Tucson Mall. The media ignores it, but what does it mean?” I’m sorry, it really should be noteworthy, but because of the boorish and sometimes racist way these people act, all it means to me is that the Clampetts have finally figured out how to use the internet. ■

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NOV. 12, 2020

Mozart Wind Serenade. Enjoy a performance by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra from the comfort of your own home this Friday afternoon. This is the first of Mozart’s wind serenades, and is quintessentially him. He once wrote a letter to his father telling the funny story of how the musicians snuck up beneath his bedroom window and played the piece’s opening fanfare and startled him as he was getting ready for bed. Have a more peaceful experience of the song in this free, virtual showing. 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. Free, but donations gratefully appreciated!

Zoo to You Virtual Animal Encounters. The Reid Park Zoo is open for business, with plenty of safety protocols in place. But if you’re missing the animals and still not quite ready to head back in person, these 10-15 minute virtual encounters might be just the animal fix you need. You get a chance to meet an ambassador animal in these sessions hosted by the zoo’s education department. Henry Porter at the Gaslight. Did you catch What better way to break up the midmorning dolthis sidesplitting spoof at the Gaslight back when it debuted in 2015? If you did, you know drums than with a little virtual visit from an armadillo or a cockatoo? Program capacity is limited, so make sure to register in adhow great it would be to have a chance to watch the original cast perform it again. If vance! 11 a.m. on Thursdays and Sundays. Donations are greatly appreciated.

St. Philip’s Plaza Market. Strolling through a farmer’s market on a weekend morning is perhaps one of life’s simplest pleasures. And, since they’re a good way to stay outside and maintain social distancing, visits to the farmers market feel more important than ever. Come support local cooks and bakers, knitters, jewelry makers, plant aficionados and much more. It’s probably time to start thinking about holiday shopping anyway. And what’s holiday shopping without getting a little something for yourself as well? See you there! 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. St. Philip’s Plaza, 4280 N. Campbell Ave.

you didn’t, then now is the perfect chance! The story follows Henry Porter, who discovers one day that he is not actually a normal young man, but a wizard! He heads to Frogwaits Magical Academy and enters a world full of magic, danger and friendship. Purchase a “view” of the show that you can watch over and over throughout November with the whole family. Purchase on the Gaslight website for $20 and laugh your way through the rest of the month.

Drags for Paws. Maybe this year is finally starting to look up: This event combines a fantastic drag show with a chance to support the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. Fifteen amazing performers will be strutting their stuff in a night hosted by Freddy Prinze Charming and Felicia Minor, and produced by Miss Nature. Come on in for the live performance at the Screening Room, where face masks, sanitization and temperature checks are required to keep everyone safe. And then, kick back and forget your troubles for a few hours. Or stream the event live for free! 7 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. $20.

Drylands and Baskets: A ClimateLore Conversation. ClimateLore is a series of talks hosted by the Southwest Folk Alliance that explores the way ecological shifts affect cultural practices surrounding human relationships with nature. In this virtual session, hear stories of resilience amid the increasingly drier and hotter conditions in Arizona. Speakers include Alice Manuel, a basket weaver in the Onk Akimel O’odham tradition; Terrol Dew Johnson, a Tohono O’odham contemporary basket weaver and sculptor; Dr. Michael Kotuwa Johnson, a member of the Hopi Tribe and a traditional drylands farmer; and Dr. Daniel Ferguson, an environmental sciences professor at the UA. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. Free. Register: https:// bit.ly/climatelore

Rocky Horror picture Show Movie Experience. Really, any time you watch Rocky Horror, it’s a capital-E Experience, right? But this is a real cool one to celebrate the 45th anniversary! El Toro Flicks is doing a screening of the original unedited movie with a live shadow cast and—of course—plenty of audience participation. Be sure to enter the costume contest, and don’t miss the chance to do a socially distanced meet-and-greet with Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors himself)! Be sure to do plenty of vocal warmups so you can sing along and shout all the classic jokes at the screen. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and movie starts at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. 131 S. Linda Ave. $55 GA, $100 VIP pass. Barry Bostwick meet & greet ticket is separate, $60. tablelist.com/e/16ec0738f83bdf36

Cat-Man and Kid Sparrow. It’s not just a comedy, and it’s not just an original musical, but it’s also a show performed at Live Theatre Workshop’s outdoor drive-in stage. What better combo could there be? The show tells the story of our two heroes, who are about to be launched into outer space by their arch nemesis, Dogg Dastardly. Will they escape and save the city of Metroville before it’s too late? Only one way to find out! Wear masks and tailgate or enjoy from the warmth of your car. Don’t forget to preorder snacks! 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14. 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15. 3322 E. Fort Lowell Road. $25 per car.

Taco Tuesdays at Hotel Congress. We started off this month with an incredibly stressful Tuesday, so doctor’s orders are to spend Tuesdays chowing down on tacos while enjoying performances by local musicians for the rest of the year. This series is sponsored by Rhythm and Roots, and takes place on the Hotel Congress outdoor plaza, with CDC safety protocols in effect. This week, the Kiko Jácome Band takes the stage, with their mix of original and classic tunes they like to call “Desert Rock and Soul.” It’s a mix of blues, rock and folk with some Southwestern and Latin flair — perfect for your Taco Tuesday. Doors at 6:30 p.m./show at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17. Hotel Congress Outdoor Plaza, 311 E. Congress St. $8 donation at the door supports the music.

by Emily Dieckman Evenings at Yume: Obon Floating Lanterns. This year has certainly been surreal. But hopefully you’ve been able to find some peaceful, magical moments along the way as well. If you haven’t, this night is perfect for you. Well, this night sounds pretty perfect for everyone. Stroll through Japanese gardens after dark while Japanese folk melodies play in the background, taking in the glow of lanterns and candlelight. Perhaps the best part is that you can purchase a floating lantern of your own at the door and launch it on the koi pond, in honor of those who have departed your life. Admission is limited and time slots are one hour each, to ensure social distancing for visitors. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 14. Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson, 2130 N. Alvernon Way. $16 adults, $5 kids under 15 and $10 for members.

The Cultures of Chocolate. They say you are what you eat. And, since you’ve likely been chowing down on leftover Halloween candy, and maybe even gearing up for the upcoming holidays, over the past few weeks, consider this two-part workshop hosted by the UA an opportunity to learn more about who you are and where you come from. A group of professors will be going over everything from chocolate’s natural origins and spread around the world, the magico-religious significance of cacao to ancient Mesoamerican cultures and modern refinement processes for chocolate. Registered participants also have the option to purchase boxes of chocolate to do tastings along with the class. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. Via Zoom. $50 for the class, $40 for the optional box of chocolate.

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NOV. 12, 2020

ARTS & CULTURE

POP-UP PERFORMANCES Ballet Tucson returns for a series of quick outdoor shows By Margaret Regan tucsonweekly@tucsonlocalmedia.com

ON A CRISP NIGHT LAST WEEK AT the Tucson Botanical Gardens, the autumn plants were shimmering in the light of a half moon. Lamps were lit throughout the nighttime garden and the cheerful chatter from a wedding party wafted through the trees. Elsewhere, startling Calavera Catrina statues, installed here and there along the paths in honor of Días de los Muertos, grinned their skeletal teeth at passersby. But most surprising on this magical night were the live dancers twirling and leaping under the stars. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in March, the dancers of Tucson Ballet were doing what they’re meant to do: dance. Outside. The mini-concert, just 20 minutes long, opened with a solo for Jenna Johnson, the troupe’s revered prima ballerina. Dressed in black sneakers (toe shoes wouldn’t do on the stone floor), black tights and T, and the inevitable black mask across her face, Johnson was grace itself as she moved her limbs, her torso, her head. The modern choreography, by her husband, Daniel Precup, the company’s ballet master, was set to snippets of famous ballet scores. Giving a nod to both contemporary dance and to traditional ballet, the work was not only an ode to dance, but an ode to joy in these tough times. The short pop-up concert was just the first of five outdoor shows the company will perform over the next month and a half, all

of them in popular outdoor venues. “I’m very excited to have this opportunity for our dancers and to share their wonderful energy and the beauty of this art with our audience through these new Pop Up Performances,” Chieko Imada, the troupe’s associate artistic director, said in an email. “I hope that this offering to our Tucson community will enable us to explore more engagement opportunities in the future.” Next up is the Tucson Museum of Art, this Sunday, Nov. 15. Dancing on the museum’s patio, the performers will repeat the works that debuted at the Botanical Gardens last week, including skeleton dances evoking the Day of the Dead. The three December pop-up shows shift away from Day of the Dead and into to holiday mood, complete with a taste of the Nutcracker. Alas, the popular Christmas ballet will not be performed this year, but fans will get to see an outtake: Johnson will dance the ballet’s beloved Sugar Plum Fairy solo. Other holiday pieces will feature the advanced student dancers of Ballet Tucson 2. These seasonal shows will be played out at Reid Park Zoo, Dec. 5, during the Zoo Lights festival; at Tucson Botanical Gardens, Dec. 12; and at St. Philip’s Plaza Farmers Market, Dec. 20. The company last performed in early March, in the annual Dance and Desert show, on the weekend when arts venues in Tucson were shuttering en masse. Then in August, the fall season was cancelled. No season opening concert, no Nutcracker at Christmas. Dancers scattered. The troupe’s finances were dire. But in a happy turn, a successful fund-

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raising campaign brought in $100,000. They needed then, says artistic director Mary Beth Cabana, to get the company back out into the community. With most indoor performing venues still shut down, the company came up with the idea of doing short, “very informal performances” outdoors, she says. COVID experts advise events to be moved outside, the better for performers and audiences to escape the virus’s respiratory droplets. And Tucson, blessed with moderate fall weather, is ideal for outdoor performances. The city also has plenty of iconic outdoor venues. In a win-win, Ballet Tucson partnered with other nonprofits—the museum, the garden, the zoo and St. Philip’s—that likewise are navigating hard pandemic times. The Pop Up shows benefit all of them. “It has been great to have the time to develop new community partnerships,” Cabana says. It’s a trend that could continue even when COVID-19 is controlled, whenever that happens. For now, the Pop Up Performances are a bright spot for dancers and audiences alike. The numbers of concert-goers is being kept low to allow for social distancing. At last week’s concert there were some 30 chairs, widely spread, and about 50 people, some of them standing, other sitting on rocks. The show sold out, and some dance lovers had to be turned away. Just nine dancers were on the program. The show might have been informal, but the dancing was a delight. Chieko and Precup get credit for the choreography. Casey Myrick, a company dancer who dazzled in a Christopher Wheeldon piece last winter, played a lively skeleton in one of the Días de los Muertos pieces. He cavorted with three young dancers from the company’s school, all of them dressed in colorful Mexican costumes—and masks. The piece, choreographed by Imada, was a nice companion to the giant Calavera

Ballet Tucson Pop Up Performances Series Mini-dance concerts 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 Outdoors in the patio of Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave. Online tickets $12 adults; $10 seniors 65 and up; $7 students and youths 13 to 17; free for members and kids 12 and under. Reserve tickets for time period of shows. tucsonmuseumofart.org Walk-up tickets may be available, but reservations in advance are recommended. Masks and social distancing required. 624-2333 Ballet Tucson has scheduled three outdoor Holiday Pop Up mini-dance concerts in December: Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court; 6:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, during the Zoo Lights festival. reidparkzoo.org Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, 6:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. Tucsonbotanical.org St. Philip’s Plaza Farmers Market, 4280 N. Campbell Rd. 11:30 a.m. and noon Sunday Dec. 20. Free. EXTRA: La Calavera Catrina exhibition is on view at the Tucson Botanical Gardens through Nov. 29.

Catrina statues nearby. Myrick also did a dashing solo Aztec dance. A second Day of the Dead dance featured exuberant dancers Jennifer Martin and Laura Schultz in rainbow skirts; a jazz piece provided a solo for Kelsey Minzenmeyer, another standout dancer; the grand finale was a wicked tango duet for Precup and Johnson. The whole thing, short as it was, was a pleasure both for the people in the seats and the people catapulting through the air. Myric perfectly summed up the mutual elation. “I am so happy to be performing in these pop-ups,” he said. “Art is so vital to our community and during these times, particularly so.” ■

NOV. 12, 2020

Medical Marijuana

SMOKING THE OPPOSITION Arizona one of five states to pass marijuana initiatives in 2020 By David Abbott david@tucsonlocalmedia.com ON ELECTION NIGHT 2020 Arizonans joined four other states to pass some form of cannabis legalization, when citizens voted in favor of the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, Prop 207, which legalized the recreational use of marijuana for persons over the age of 21. Citizens of Arizona joined with voters in New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota to approve measures legalizing recreational marijuana, while Mississippi approved the use of medical marijuana for people with “debilitating conditions.” Smart and Safe passed, with nearly

60% voting in favor. As of Monday, Nov. 9, the measure was leading in Maricopa County by nearly 422,000 votes and in Pima County, it was leading by more than 129,000 votes. “It appears the vast majority of Arizonans and Americans admit the War on Drugs has been a complete failure,” said Steve White, founder and CEO of Harvest Enterprises, Inc., which supported the measure with nearly $1.5 million in donations. “When you put a significant amount of time and money into the hands of other people, it’s scary. I’m thankful that 60% of Arizonans made the right choice.” Once the final votes are certified, marijuana possession for persons over the age

of 21 will be legal, although the rules regulating commercial retail likely won’t be in place before March and expungement of low-level marijuana-related convictions will begin in July. A 16% excise tax will be imposed on the sale of recreational cannabis, which is expected to generate $250 million in annual revenues to be dispersed for programs including law enforcement, school funding and administration of the program through the Arizona Department of Health Services. AZDHS, or any successor agency to that department, will oversee the medical marijuana program and has been given the task of writing policy within the guidelines of the measure. Under the new law, individuals can grow up to six plants for personal use, with severe penalties for anyone caught selling cannabis on the black market. Municipalities will also have control over whether there are recreational retail shops within their jurisdictions, although

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they are not allowed to ban sales where a medical marijuana dispensary exists. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Town Council of Oro Valley unanimously approved an emergency declaration to update the town’s policies regarding recreational use and sales within its jurisdiction. The declaration bans single-use marijuana establishments, marijuana sales on town property, use of the drug in public places and open spaces (such as town parks). It also bans facilities that test the potency or contamination and door-to-door sales. Prop 207 restricts jurisdictions from applying stricter standards on recreational marijuana than what’s currently applied to medical marijuana. The current system for those with MMJ certifications will remain in place for cardholders, who can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana with no restrictions on THC CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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SMOKING THE OPPOSITION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

content in edibles. “We are ecstatic to see Arizona enter the 21st century by the passage of Proposition 207,” said Southern Arizona NORML Executive Director Mike Robinette. “The prohibition of marijuana has had an incredibly deleterious effect on the lives of countless Arizonans and has disproportionately affected our communities of color. Proposition 207 rights these historic wrongs and allows Arizonan adults to fully exercise their freedom to consume marijuana responsibly without any fear of prosecution. The state-controlled market created by Proposition 207 will serve to defund the illicit market in Arizona and curtail drug cartel activity while generating up to $300 million dollars a year in new revenue for our state.” But not everyone is happy with the results of the election. In a statement released late Tuesday, Nov. 3, Lisa James, chair of Arizonans for Health and Public Safety, called the passage of 207 a “deceit-propelled marijuana measure” claiming an “unelected group of wealthy marijuana insiders wrote the rules for their new industry and almost

single-handedly financed the proposition with one goal in mind; they get rich while Arizonans pay the price.” “It is a sad day, not just because Arizona, especially Arizona’s children, will suffer the consequences of legalizing recreational marijuana—but also because Prop 207 was borne out of deceit and self-interest. The marijuana industry misled voters in order to pass this self-serving measure.” James further stated that “going forward, parents especially must be on guard to protect their children from the dangers of widespread availability of marijuana…The successful passage of Prop 207 sends a dangerous message to others who would exploit Arizona voters in an effort to line their own pockets. Prop 207 may have won, but Arizonans lost.” In 2016, Proposition 205, the Taxation and Regulation of Marijuana Act, lost by a margin of 51% to 49%. With the passage of Smart and Safe, Arizona joins 15 states, two territories and Washington, D.C., which have all legalized marijuana for recreational use, while 34 states and two more territories allow medical marijuana. ■ Managing Editor Austin Counts contributed to this report.

TUCSON AREA DISPENSARIES Botanica. 6205 N. Travel Center Drive 395-0230; botanica.us Open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center. 8060 E. 22nd St., Ste. 108 886-1760; dbloomtucson.com Open: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily Offering delivery Downtown Dispensary. 221 E. 6th St., Ste. 105 838-0492; thedowntowndispensary.com Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily D2 Dispensary. 7105 E 22nd St. 214-3232; d2dispensary.com/ Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily Earth’s Healing. Two locations: North: 78 W. River Road 395-1432 South: 2075 E. Benson Highway 373-5779 earthshealing.org Open: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Offering delivery The Green Halo. 7710 S. Wilmot Road 664-2251; thegreenhalo.org Open: Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to

8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Hana Green Valley. 1732 W. Duval Commerce Point Place 289-8030 Open: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harvest of Tucson . 2734 East Grant Road 314-9420; askme@harvestinc.com; Harvestofaz. com Open: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily Nature Med. 5390 W. Ina Road 620-9123; naturemedinc.com Open: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily The Prime Leaf Two locations: 4220 E. Speedway Blvd. 1525 N. Park Ave. 44-PRIME; theprimeleaf.com Open: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Speedway location closed Wednesday; Park Ave. location closed Tuesday. Southern Arizona Integrated Therapies. 112 S. Kolb Road 886-1003; medicalmarijuanaoftucson.com Open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily

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TUCSONWEEKLY.COM

NOV. 12, 2020

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): “Love can’t always do work,” wrote novelist Iris Murdoch. “Sometimes it just has to look into the darkness.” From what I can tell, you’ve been doing that recently: looking into the darkness for love’s sake. That’s a good thing! You have been the beneficiary of the blessings that come through the contemplation of mysteries and enigmas. You’ve been recalibrating your capacity to feel love and tenderness in the midst of uncertainty. I suspect that it will soon be time to shift course, however. You’re almost ready to engage in the intimate work that has been made possible by your time looking into the darkness. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Barbara Kingsolver says, “Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.” That’s always valuable advice, but it’ll be especially useful to keep in mind during the coming weeks. You’re probably going to feel more pressure than usual to tell others what they wish you would tell them; you may experience some guilt or worry about being different from their expectations of you. Here’s the good news: I’m pretty certain you can be true to yourself without seeming like a jerk to anyone or damaging your long-term interests. So you might as well say and do exactly what’s real and genuine. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks,” wrote playwright Tennessee Williams. I think that’s a poetic but accurate description of the feat you’ve been working on lately, Gemini. You’re gently smashing through stony obstructions. You’ve been calling on your irrepressible will to enjoy life as you have outsmarted the rugged, jagged difficulties. You’re relying on beauty and love to power your efforts to escape a seemingly no-win situation. Congratulations! Keep up the good work!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian rapper Vince Staples says, “I feel like it’s impossible to be completely yourself.” Why? Because ideally we’re always outgrowing who we have become; we’re moving beyond the successes we have already achieved. There is no final, whole, ideal “self” to inhabit and express—only more and more of our selfness to create. Staples suggests we’d get bored if we reached a mythical point where we had figured out exactly who we are and embodied it with utter purity. We always have a mandate to transform into a new version of our mystery. Sounds like fun! Everything I just said, Cancerian, is an empowering meditation for you right now. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “I am my own sanctuary and I can be reborn as many times as I choose throughout my life.” Singer-songwriter Lady Gaga said that, and now I offer it to you to use as your motto. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, it’s a fabulous time to be your own sanctuary. I invite you to rebirth yourself at least twice between now and the end of November. What’s the first step you’ll take to get started? VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The National Football League is a giant socialist enterprise. It earns billions of dollars of revenue, and shares it equally with each of its 32 teams. So the team in Green Bay, Wisconsin, population 105,000, receives the same payout as the team in Chicago, population 2.7 million. I advocate a comparable approach for you in the coming weeks. Just for now, distribute your blessings and attention and favors as evenly as possible, showing no favoritism toward a particular child or friend or pet or loved one or influence. Be an impartial observer, as well. Try to restrain biases and preferential treatment as you act with even-handed fair-mindedness. Don’t worry: You can eventually go back to being a subjective partisan if you want. For the foreseeable

SAVAGE LOVE FOUR PLAY

By Dan Savage, mail@savagelove.net

Why are threesomes much more accepted in the popular imagination than foursomes? I was just googling “finding foursomes” and the first result is an article about threesomes that takes for granted that people are looking for MFF. That is a form of heteronormativity, right? I am not judging threesomes, of course, but asking why foursomes are perceived as more taboo. Would be interested in knowing more about what you think about this or if you have any resource to recommend as I am approaching this now with my partner for the first time. —Willing To Foursome PS: Love what you do with your work.

I don’t think the popular imagination has conspired against foursomes or that foursomes area really that much more taboo than threesomes, WTF. Rather, I think threesomes are easier to arrange than foursomes and the popular imagination reflects that fact. Think about it: Finding two people who wanna fuck each other is hard. Finding three people who all wanna fuck each other—Person A wants to fuck Person B and Person C, Person B wants to fuck Person A and Person C, Person C wants to fuck Person A and Person B—is harder still. Adding a Person D to the mix makes the wannafuckmath infinitely more complicated.

future, your well-being requires cordial neutrality. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Who is to decide between ‘Let it be’ and ‘Force it’?” asked Libran author Katherine Mansfield. I mention this because you’re now hanging out in the limbo zone between “Let it be” and “Force it.” But very soon— I’m sure you’ll have a clear intuition about when— you’ll figure out how to make a decisive move that synthesizes the two. You will find a way to include elements of both “Let it be” and “Force it.” SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I hold a beast, an angel, and a madman in me,” wrote Scorpio poet Dylan Thomas (1914–1953) in a letter to a friend. That sounds like a lot of energy to manage! And he didn’t always do a good job at it—although he did at times tap into his primal wellspring to create some interesting poetry. I’m going to use Thomas’s words in your horoscope, because I think that in the coming weeks you can be a subtle, refined, and mature blend of a beast, angel, and madperson. Be your wisest wild self, dear Scorpio! SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Activist and author Rebecca Solnit writes, “The grounds of my hope have always been that history is wilder than our imagination of it and that the unexpected shows up far more regularly than we ever dream.” In my astrological estimation, her grounds for hope should also be yours in the coming weeks. The future is more wide-open than you might think. The apparent limitations of the past are at least temporarily suspended and irrelevant. Your fate is purged of some of your old conditioning and the inertia of tradition. I encourage you to make a break for freedom. Head in the direction of the Beautiful Unknown. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa doesn’t stand straight, but tilts at an angle. Why? The soil it was built on is soft on one side. So the marble-and-limestone structure began to tip even before it was finished. That’s the weird news. The good news is that the tower has remained standing for more than eight centu-

Which is not to say everybody fucks everybody during a threesome, of course, but at the very least everyone involved has to at least be okay with fucking in very close proximity to everyone else involved. And while complicated to arrange and often emotionally tricky, WTF, threesomes aren’t really that taboo. According to research into sexual fantasies done by Dr. Justin Lehmiller, it’s the single most common sexual fantasy. More than 90% of men and nearly 90% of women fantasize about having a threesome, according to Dr. Lehmiller’s research; according to other research, roughly one-in-five people have actually participated in at least one threesome. (Full discloser/cumblebrag: I lost my virginity in a MMF threesome.) Threesomes are heteronormative by

ries—and has stayed intact even though four major earthquakes have rolled through the area. Why? A research team of engineers determined it’s because of the soft foundation soil, which prevents the tower from resonating violently with the temblors. So the very factor that makes it odd is what keeps it strong. Is there a comparable phenomenon in your life? I believe there is. Now is a good time to acknowledge this blessing—and enhance your use of it. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Even if you tend to pay more attention to what’s going wrong than what’s going right, I ask you to change your attitude for the next three weeks. Even if you believe that cynicism is an intelligent perspective and a positive attitude is a wasteful indulgence, I encourage you to suspend those beliefs. As an experiment—and in accordance with astrological potentials—I invite you to adopt the words of activist Helen Keller as your keynote: “Every optimist moves along with progress and hastens it, while every pessimist would keep the world at a standstill. The consequence of pessimism in the life of a nation is the same as in the life of the individual. Pessimism kills the instinct that urges people to struggle against poverty, ignorance and crime, and dries up all the fountains of joy in the world.” PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Researchers in the UK found that 62 percent of the adult population brags that they’ve read classic books that they have not in fact read. Why? Mostly to impress others. George Orwell’s 1984 is the top-rated book for fake claims, followed by Tolstoy’s War and Peace, James Joyce’s Ulysses, and the Bible. I hope you won’t engage in anything like that type of behavior during the weeks ahead. In my opinion, it’s even more crucial than usual for you to be honest and authentic about who you are and what you do. Lying about it might seem to be to your advantage in the short run, but I guarantee it won’t be. ■ Homework: What’s the one thing you have never said to your best friend that you really should say? FreeWillAstrology.com

design, e.g. they were arranged to fulfill a straight man’s standard-issue MFF fantasy, but judging from my mail just as many MFF threesomes are arranged to fulfill the same-sex desires of often-but-not-always-newly-out bisexual women who already have husbands or boyfriends—less heteronormative and more bisupportive/biexplorative. (My mail isn’t scientific evidence, I realize, but it’s what I’ve got.) And for the record I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a heteronormative threesome. Straight guys should be allowed to have and be allowed to realize their sexual fantasies without being shamed, just like everyone else, so long as they’re realizing them with consenting adult partners. And while straight guys have historically done most of the judging and shaming of non-straight/non-guys over the entire

NOV. 12, 2020

possible again—than on dating apps. Where do I go from here? My parents voted for Trump in 2016 and again in 2020. I’m a lesbian. My partner and I have been together for nearly 20 years. My parents have always been supportive, we have a great relationship. But I can’t reconcile their vote for this piece of trash. They’re not even pro-life or religious. I genuinely don’t understand. —What The Fuck Do I Do Now?

course of human history, the corrective isn’t to heap shame on straight guys with off-the-rack sexual fantasies. It’s to demand that no one should be shamed for their sexual fantasies and we demonstrate our commitment to that principle by not shaming anyone—not even straight guys—who seek to realize their sexual fantasies with other consenting adults. And finally, WTF, there is one place where foursomes are far less taboo and could even described as standard: the organized and mostly straight and often supremely heteronormative swingers’ scene. If you and your partner are of the opposite sex and are interested in or willing to settle for strictly heterosexual sex where men are concerned, you might find more luck arranging foursomes at swingers’ parties—once those parties are

COVID SPIKING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

“We all learned a lot from the summer surge. Our doctors, nurses and other clinical professionals learned a lot in terms of how to care for these patients... All of those lessons will serve us very well in the next surge,” Carr said. “But it’s really critical to understand that no matter how well prepared we are, a key element in getting through the next wave is going to be for our community to maintain a very high level of non-pharmacologic interventions that we’ve been talking about.” As an insider to the painful reality

My dad voted for George W. Bush in 2004. Bush’s campaign was pushing anti-gay marriage ballot initiatives across the country in the hopes that bigots would turn out in huge numbers and put his incompetent ass back in the White House. The fact that the then-president of the United States—the worst one we thought we’d see in our lifetimes—was waging a demagogic campaign against one of his own children didn’t stop my dad from voting for him. For a second time. I didn’t stop talking to my father. While I believe we have to confront family members about their bigotries and that there have to be social consequences when people vote for racism and fascism and oligarchy and corruption and disease and death, WTFDIDN, I don’t think cutting off contact with non-toxic/non-QAnon parents or family members is the answer. Where there’s evidence of cognitive dissonance—and a family member voting for someone seeking to harm people they love is certainly evidence of cognitive dissonance—there’s also an opportunity. So I would urge you to express your displea-

of COVID-19 within the hospital walls, Martin believes the general public may not understand the dire consequences the pandemic has caused. “There’s a tendency, if you are not in the hospital, to look around and wonder what the big deal is because you don’t see the impact of the disease on the streets other than businesses being affected and people staying home. Then you come into the hospital and you see what it’s like in a month to go from an ICU that had no COVID patients to 50. And you recognize that if we don’t make a change today, and that exponential curve increases...we are going to be in a crisis.”

sure to your parents and demand better from them and to keep bringing it up. While text messages from strangers and robocalls often fail to move people, appeals to conscience—sometimes angry ones—from family members often work. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last few months whose parents voted for Trump in 2016 but voted for Biden this year. I wish I could say my dad was one of them. Maybe next time. There are elections coming up in 2022 and there’s a high likelihood we will see a Trump on the ballot in 2024. (There are two special elections in Georgia in January that will determine who controls the U.S. Senate!) The parents who disappointed you and endangered our Democracy in this election are likelier to come around before the next election if you demand answers from them now. I’d like to think I am pretty open and understanding to a lot of things. I met a hot guy at my job who says he has a fetish for ass. In a sexting session, I learned he was not only obsessed with my ass, but me playing with his too. He later revealed there was only one other woman he felt comfortable sharing his gay fantasies. Everything involved ass play, sucking dildos or DP. (Eyebrow raised.) I asked him if he was curious about gay sex and he said no. In no way does he want a man, he said, and everything he wanted done to him he wanted a woman to do. We’ve had several sexting sessions and it always shifts to me dominating him or a gay sex fantasy. I really want to be open but he is making this very hard. —Questioning Unusual Exceptionally Erotic Relationship

Cullen expects the surge in cases to continue given the upcoming holiday season and the likelihood of travel and large gatherings. She said while the health department recommends people stay home and avoid large gatherings, Cullen realizes many won’t abide by those guidelines. “I think we have to, as the health department, be creative and recognize that it’s one thing to say you should all stay home and not have family gatherings and there’s another recognition that isn’t very realistic,” Cullen said. “So we need to figure out how we can keep people safe in an unsafe environment.” Those on the frontline of the battle

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This would be easier if you were clear—clear with yourself—about what you want and what’s possible. If you want a long-term relationship that doesn’t revolve around ass play and you couldn’t possibly enjoy a casual sexual adventure with a hot guy who isn’t a good potential long-term partner… then you should stop sexting with him. But if you’re up for a crazy, ass-centered sexual adventure with a hot guy that won’t lead to anything serious or long-term… then get yourself a strap-on dildo and order this not gay guy to get on his not gay knees and suck your not gay dick. I suspect you feel tense after sexting with this guy because you’re left thinking, “My God, what am I signing up for here?” The animating assumption being that “going there” means getting stuck there. But if you told yourself you were only signing up for a crazy night or a crazy weekend instead with this ass-obsessed dude and not a lifetime with him, you would most likely feel a lot less nervous about this connection. In other words, QUEER, being open to playing with this guy doesn’t mean you have to be open to dating him, much less marrying him. But, again, if having a sexual adventure with someone who isn’t a potential long-term partner isn’t something you could see yourself doing and enjoying, QUEER, stop responding to this guy’s sext messages. mail@savagelove.net Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage. On the Lovecast, Dan consults a rabbi. www.savagelovecast.com ■

against COVID-19 implore the public to continue following safety measures like mask-wearing, social distancing and frequent hand washing and sanitization. “Exponentially, there’s a portion of patients that are going to die from this and other phenomena as well, so we’re continuing to push the message that, despite what you see around you, everyone is at risk,” Martin said. “Even if you’re not at risk of getting it yourself, you have a responsibility as a community member and a citizen to not spread it further, because eventually, someone you love will get it and be adversely impacted.” ■

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