January 11, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Club Rancho Sahuarita
Try your luck at a night of Bingo every 2nd and 4th Tuesday. The cost is $2 per card, or $5 for (3) cards, $12 for (7) cards, and $15 for (9) cards. A total of seven Bingo games are played. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., residents can purchase Bingo cards between 6:00 – 6:30 p.m., and doors close promptly at 6:30 p.m. to begin games. This event is open to residents only. Residents must be 18 years or older to participate. Registration is required.
January 15, 2022 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location: Sahuarita Lake Park
Give the gift of life by donating at one of our many Blood Drives held throughout the year. To register for a specific blood drive, please call 1-800-733-2767 or log on to redcrossblood.org and enter the Sponsor Code as: Rancho. Remember identification is required to donate at all blood drives.
January 15, 2022 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Club Rancho Sahuarita
It’s National Strawberry Ice Cream Day and that means a free ice cream giveaway! Stop by Club Rancho Sahuarita for a free scoop of strawberry ice cream – plus toppings! The Events team will be set-up indoors in the La Villita Lounge (*while supplies last).
Release Date: January 15, 2022
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Runtime:
Directed by: Simon Kinberg
Starring: Penelope Cruz, Sebastian Stan, Diane Kruger, Marion Cotillard, Lupita Nyong'o, Jessica Chastain Genre: Action, Thiller
When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown will need to join forces with rival badass German agent Marie, former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah, and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng, who is tracking their every move.
Source: www.movieinsider.com
Release Date: January 21, 2022
MPAA Rating: PG Runtime: 1h 30m
Directed by: Sean McNamara
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Sean McNamara, Bingbing Fan, Laura Harrington, Benjamin Walker, Julie Andrews Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
King Louis XIV's (Brosnan) quest for immortality leads him to capture a mermaid's (Fan) life force, but his immovable will is challenged when his long-hidden illegitimate daughter (Scodelario) forms a bond with the magical creature.
Release Date: January 28, 2022
MPAA Rating: PG-13 Runtime:
Directed
Starring:
Genre: Action, Drama, Horror
Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder, and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. What at first appears to be a radical success soon reveals itself to be a remedy potentially worse than the disease.
During these cold winter months sometimes our furry family members can suffer from dry itchy skin and that’s never an easy thing to fix without good information and a helping hand. We can help from anything to a vet prescribed shampoo bath every week, to a monthly medicated shampoo and deep conditioner, or even a oatmeal deep conditioning bath. Haircuts are always very important because depending on the hair type your pets might need longer hair to help with cold weather, or if you have a double coated dog you’ll want to stay on top of removing the undercoat that’s dead and
ready to come out so that our in home heaters don’t over heat them. If you need any help figuring out what would be best for your family members feel free to stop by and chat with us (520)405-0077, or stop by 15990 S Rancho Sahuarita Blvd., Sahuarita, AZ, 85629 suite 150, we’d love to help! Mention this article to receive free $10 teeth-brushing! Remember to google what holiday treats are dangerous for dogs before giving them anything. Have a great winter and happy holidays to all!
It’s that time of year, when we gather our W-2s, 1099s and all the other forms and documents we need to file our taxes. However, it’s also busy season for tax scammers. How can you avoid being scammed?
Your chief defense, of course, is to recognize a scam. Here are some of the most common ones:
• Tax-related identity theft – Some thieves might try to steal your personal information and file a tax return in your name, hoping to claim your refund. Always guard your personal data, especially your Social Security number (SSN). You can also apply to the IRS for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). To succeed in their efforts, identity thieves would have to know your unique IP PIN in addition to your SSN and other information. And watch for signs that your identity has been compromised, such as the IRS rejecting your online return, saying that a tax return associated with your SSN has already been filed. If this happens, you can file IRS Form 14039 – Identity Theft Affidavit.
• “Ghost” tax preparers – These individuals aren’t supernatural, but their actions can be pretty scary. A ghost preparer may finish your tax return but won’t sign it or provide a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PITN). This is a huge red flag, possibly indicating any number of bad actions, such as using fake information to generate a larger refund, and then charging you a fee based on that refund, or even worse, outright stealing the fee you’ve paid and then disappearing. Don’t sign your return until your preparer has also signed it and included their PTIN. And check your own return to make sure everything seems correct. To find a reputable tax preparer, ask your friends and relatives for referrals.
• “Phishing” emails claiming to be from IRS – You might receive emails that claim to be from the IRS but that come from scammers. These “phishing” emails might contain messages saying, “Your account or tax return is locked or restricted,” or, “You’re eligible to receive a tax refund.” Or the subject line of the email might contain a phrase such as “Automatic Income Tax Reminder” or “Electronic Tax Return Reminder.” These emails may contain links to a website that appears to be that of the IRS, but if you follow these links, you will be asked to open files that contain malware, which could give the scammer remote access to your computer and your personal information. But the IRS does not send unsolicited emails to taxpayers, it won’t discuss tax account information with you via email, and it won’t use emails to solicit sensitive financial and personal information.
• Threatening phone calls – Tax scammers may call you, posing as IRS employees and demanding payment for back taxes, penalties or fees that you don’t owe. In reality, the
IRS won’t call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail. Furthermore, the IRS will neither require that you pay your taxes a certain way, such as with a prepaid debit card, nor ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
It’s unfortunate that tax scammers are hard at work, but by staying vigilant and getting professional help if you need it, you can help protect yourself from being scammed – this year and every year.
The holiday season is one filled with the spirit of giving, and is filled with plenty of opportunities to help others. Residents of Sahuarita take advantage of those opportunities in a big way each year, giving of their time and resources to help those in need in a variety of ways. After the challenges of the past two years, many are in need of extra help now more than ever.
In Rancho Sahuarita, residents had the opportunity all season long to help a deserving local organization, Grace Retreat Foster Care and Adoption Services. Grace Retreat's mission is “to provide an environment where children are valued, loved and safe by placing them in the care of families who are respected, supported, and educated.” It was founded in 2015 by Christina Palma, a foster and adoptive parent.
Hailey Houser of Grace Retreat shared: “We stive to help families succeed at providing our children with the best home possible. Our agency prides itself on offering the highest-quality support for foster families. Foster Care is the primary program that Grace Retreat focuses on. We constantly devote our time, passion, and energy into making the program an exceptional one.”
She continued: “Being a successful foster parent requires a village of support behind you. The toy drive at Rancho Sahuarita not only lets the children in our homes have an amazing holiday experience but also shows our foster parents that the community supports them. The donations we received are greatly appreciated by the Grace Retreat staff, families and children.”
This year, when presented with the opportunity to help this organization, Lifestyle Director Venessa McAdams says she didn’t hesitate. “Consistently each year, our residents always go above and beyond in their generosity, and this year was no exception. Being able to help an organization that has such a direct and profound impact on families is so important. So, we are glad to have been able to host the drive, and so grateful to our residents who participated.” Through efforts throughout the month of December and at the “Brunch with Santa and Toy Drive” event in December, nearly 200 new toys were collected.
Residents in Rancho Resort also give kindly to those in need each year, through the efforts of various drives and resident clubs. This year alone, at the community’s December Drive for the Sahuarita Food Bank, an incredible $7725 in monetary donations was collected. Sahuarita Food Bank Manager, Carlos Valles, said in a message to the community’s residents, “Thank you for being a tremendous supporter of the Sahuarita Food Bank and Community Resource Center. The residents of Rancho Resort are always very generous, and I want to personally thank everyone for their support.”
One of the resident clubs, the Sassy Sewers, also made and donated 30 cuddle pillows, 21 quilts and 24 crocheted blankets to the Ronald McDonald House. Residents also collectively donated over 80 toys for Toys for Tots.
Other collections and drives throughout Sahuarita gave area residents the opportunity to give back, such as collections at many local businesses and at churches throughout town. Despite the lingering challenges of the pandemic, the generosity of the residents of Sahuarita is undoubtable, and part of what makes the community such a special place.
Consistently each year, our residents always go above and beyond in their generosity, and this year was no exception.
Pasta! According to Italians, there are more than 400 known pasta shapes. Wow, this is mind blowing! Of all the pasta to choose from, spaghetti is by far the most popular and most frequently cooked worldwide. There is no surprise that January 4th has been selected as National Spaghetti Day.
1st century B.C. is when the oldest recorded documentation of pasta
Quintus Horatius Flaccus, referring to sheets of dough as lagana. Jumping to the 12th century, Sicily began its production of Spaghetti. In 1870, the combination of tomato juice and spaghetti was printed for the first time in Italian chef Francesco Leonardi’s cookbook, “L’Apicio moderno”. Moving on into the 20th century, spaghetti evolved to a more American style, being prepared with basil and or oregano.
• While preparing your spaghetti it is said that if you throw a noodle on the wall, if it sticks your pasta is perfect and ready to serve.
• Host a spaghetti around the world party. Spaghetti does not just have to be served topped with a tomato based marinara sauce. You can take spaghetti to a whole different level with inspirations of Chinese or Indian or hispanic flavors.
• Try your hand at homemade spaghetti. You may just surprise yourself and love it.
JANUARY 2 - NEW MOON. The Moon will be located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 18:35 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
JANUARY 3, 4 - QUADRANTIDS METEOR SHOWER. The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, which was discovered in 2003. The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The thin, crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
JANUARY 7 - MERCURY AT GREATEST EASTERN ELONGATION. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 19.2 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time
Pasta can be very sophisticated or extremely messy. If you have seen young children indulge in this great meal, they are literally wearing it before the meal is done. As adults you try to be a bit more put together while eating this pasta. Many cut the noodles to get a clean bite, or the most common way is to use your fork and twirl the pasta.
There are so many ways spaghetti has changed over the centuries, as far as just having spaghetti noodles and a basic tomato based marinara sauce. Many add meat such as shrimp, sausage, and or beef. You can have your spaghetti with a white cream sauce, or a meat based sauce.
Have you ever gone outside of the box and created your own version of spaghetti? Spaghetti is a fairly cheap, easy and quick meal. It is filling and very much so enjoyed here in America. It is said that Americans consume more than 6 billion pounds of pasta a year. In comparison, about 63% of Italians said they eat pasta either everyday or almost every day.
On Tuesday January 4, 2022, celebrate National Spaghetti Day.
to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
JANUARY 17 - FULL MOON. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 23:51 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Wolf Moon because this was the time of year when hungry wolf packs howled outside their camps. This moon has also been known as the Old Moon and the Moon After Yule.
Length: 0.8 miles
Type: Out & Back
Elevation Gain: 49ft Difficulty: Easy
What a great way to get the kids out into the fresh air. We are so very lucky to live in Arizona, especially Southern Arizona. During our winter months we can spend all day outside. It’s not too hot or cold. There is a pretty simple hike located in the Tucson Mountains just west of Saguaro National Park. This hike is great for all ages. Once you reach the end of the trail, you will have great views of Avra Valley and Picacho Peak. This is a fairly quick hike, so pack a lunch and spend some time taking in the views of our beautiful state.
This trail is located off of Bajada Loop Drive, 3.5 miles north of the visitor center on the west side of Saguaro National Park. You’ll see a sign that says ‘View Trail’ next to a parking area which marks the trailhead.
Garnets are the modern birthstone for January.
The word garnet comes from the Greek word "granatum" which means "pomegranate seed", reflecting the shape and color of the crystals.
Like many other stones, garnets come in many colors, however, the most common colors are those of a reddish orange. It is said that the blue garnet is a very rare stone that up until the late
1900s was only found in Bekily, Madagascar. The odds of finding a Crystallized blue garnet is 1,000 to one.
During the Middle Ages, garnet was used as a remedy for the plague, or the Black Death, and inflammatory disease. Like the Ruby, the garnet warned its owner of approaching danger and trouble by changing color.
This toner is extremely beneficial for the extra nourishment required during the winter months. While the enzyme papain in papaya prevents sun damage and photoaging, honey nourishes and moisturizes the skin. Additionally, cucumber soothes inflamed and irritated skin, whereas rose water lightens the skin and reduces blemishes.
1 cup diced papaya, ½ cup cucumber zest, 3 tbsp honey, ½ cup rose water
Put all the ingredients in a blender and make a smooth mixture of it. Pour it in a spray container. Spritz it on washed face thrice a day and refrigerate the remaining for future use. Use your fingertips to gradually tap the facial muscles and neck muscles and rub the toner into the skin.
Garnets are given on the 2nd and 6th anniversary.
Next time you browse a jewelry store take a look at the garnet section and take note of the different colors that are available.
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• 2 ½ to 3 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 can Cream of mushroom Soup (10 ¾ ounces)
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup (10
¾ ounces)
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 8 oz can Mushrooms, or fresh
• ½ cup Water
• ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Chives (chopped)
• Few dashes of Paprika
• Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish or similar size. Place chicken breast in the baking dish in a single layer- lightly salt and pepper. In a medium size bowl mix soups, sour cream, onion powder, mushrooms, chives and water. Next, evenly pour over top of the chicken and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Bake on the middle rack, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until chicken is cooked thoroughly and internal temperature reaches 165-170 degrees. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the breasts. Serve with a side of you favorite veggies, rice or noodles.
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage (or ground chicken, turkey or beef), browned*
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder (or chicken)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth -- I use low sodium)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed and dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 36 ounces evaporated milk or half and half
• 12 ounce packet three cheese tortellini (I used dried not fresh; choose any flavour you like)
• 5 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup milk
Place the browned sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, beef bouillon powder, salt, and broth in a 6-quart / litre slow cooker bowl. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
Uncover and skim any fat that is sitting on the top of the soup with a spoon; discard. Stir in the cornstarch mixture with the evaporated milk (or half and half or cream). Add the tortellini and mix well. Cover again and cook on HIGH heat setting for a further 45 minutes until the soup has thickened, and the tortellini is soft and cooked through.
Add in the spinach, pressing the leaves down to completely submerge into the liquid. Cover again for a further 5-10 minutes until the leaves have wilted.
Pour in milk in 1/3 cup increments, as needed, to reach your desired thickness and consistency (I needed 1 cup); taste test and season with extra salt ONLY if needed, and pepper to suit your tastes. Serve with crusty warmed bread
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. smoked kielbasa
• sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz. bowtie pasta, uncooked
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup fresh green onions, sliced thinly
Heat olive oil in a large deep saute pan over medium high heat. Add kielbasa and diced onions and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add minced garlic and let cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Pour in chicken stock, diced tomatoes, cream, and bowtie pasta and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is fully cooked. Remove from heat and add cheddar cheese to the pan. Cover and let sit until the cheese melts. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.
The housing market across most of the country, including in Sahuarita, remained very strong in 2021, despite tight inventory, increasing prices and some lingering challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic. Local market interest driven by buyers looking to relocate, low interest rates and the comparative affordability to other markets, coupled with the desirability of amenities, proved important to buyers, as Rancho Sahuarita showed consistent and strong pace through most of the year, (and especially during the early spring and into the summer sales season).
2021 posted the strongest year of new home sales in the community since 2008. The average closing price for new homes at the end of October was also the community’s highest on record! The community’s neighborhood of Entrada Del Rio led these strong sales, and continues to grow as families move into homes from Richmond American Homes, Meritage Homes, and KB Home. Lennar sold out at the end of the year.
Amy McReynolds, President of KB Home’s Tucson division commented, “Last year, we debuted our Entrada Del Rio community in highly desirable Rancho Sahuarita. The new community enjoyed instant success as buyers gravitated to our personalized, new homes as well as the master-plan’s resort-style amenities. KB Home has been building in Rancho Sahuarita for 20 years as we understand that this thriving sub-market attracts home shoppers looking for a unique lifestyle that blends word-class amenities, award winning schools and premier shopping dining and entertainment at an affordable price. We look forward to the road ahead and continuing our success story at Rancho Sahuarita.”
Pre-sales have begun in Rancho Sahuarita's next phase of development at Entrada La Coraza, with homes from long-time builder, Richmond American Homes. The new neighborhood is located south of Sahuarita Rd., on both sides of Rancho Sahuarita Blvd. south of Wrightson Ridge K8 school and future commercial development in the Sahuarita Town Center. The builder will offer a new set of one and two-story floorplans on its 80 homesites, ranging from 1,560 - 2,600 square feet. In early spring, Centex will also open in Entrada La Coraza, offering four single-family one and two-story
designs on 64 home sites that will range from 1,353 – 2,197 square feet. The new neighborhood is 144 lots in total, and will be followed by future development in Entrada Del Pueblo (which is slated to open in late 2022).
2021 was also a very strong year for sales of existing homes. For the first 11 months of the year, the average closing resale price in Rancho Sahuarita increased to $295,000, as compared to $239,000 for the same period last year (an increase of just over 23%!) As of the end of November, the community had 538 sales of resale homes, which compares to 432 for the first 11 months of 2020. The price per square foot also showed impressive gains, and was $142.10, compared to $116.00 for the same period last year. As of the end of November 2021, there was roughly a 2-month supply of active listings, through during the peak summer months the community reported closer to a 1-month supply. Furthermore, no sales of distressed properties occurred through the end of November in 2021.
Chris Patterson, Office Manager and Branch Manager for the Long Realty office located in the Rancho Sahuarita Marketplace, reflected on the greater Sahuarita market over this past year sharing: “2021 was a very good real estate market for the Sahuarita area. The combination of low interest rates and high buyer demand accelerated the rate of appreciation beyond the typical 3-5% per year. The median price of homes increased from $255,900 to $318,000. Average Days on Market was 17 with multiple offers being presented for each listing.”
Chinese
