Tucson Weekly 12.22.22

The

ADMINISTRATION

Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher

Michael Hiatt, Vice President

Tyler Vondrak, Associate Publisher, tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Claudine Sowards, Accounting, claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL

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

Hope Peters, Staff Reporter, hpeter@timespublications.com

Katya Mendoza, Staff Reporter, kmendoza@timespublications.com

Karen Schaffner, Staff Reporter, kschaffner@timespublications.com

Contributors: Brian Box Brown, Rob Brezsny, Max Cannon, Rand Carlson, Tom Danehy, Clay Jones, Ryan Knappenberger, Laura Latzko. Andy Mosier, Xavier Otero,Dan Perkins, Linda Ray, Will Shortz, Jen Sorensen

PRODUCTION

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CIRCULATION

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Brian Juhl, Distribution Manager, brian@timeslocalmedia.com

ADVERTISING

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Candace Murray, Account Executive, candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Leah Pittman, Account Executive, lpittman@timespublications.com

DANEHY

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

By Tom Danehy Tucson Weekly Columnist

IN ANNO DOMINI 2022, THESE WERE a few of my favorite things.

Remember, I’m not saying that these are the best. Seriously, who is to say that something was the best? They’re just my favorites.

Favorite books: Man, I read some grim books this year. They were good, but grim! First, there was “Facing The Mountain” by Daniel James Brown. Subtitled “A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II,” it tells the story of the legendary 442nd Infantry Regiment, the all-Asian group who fought in Europe. Often lauded as the most-decorated regiment in the entire war, it was also misused by white commanders who threw the troops into impossible situations, sacrificing thousands to win combat glory.

The book starts with the war breaking

out and the shameful internment of loyal Americans who just happened to be of Japanese ancestry. After forcing them into places like Manzanar where they had to struggle to survive the elements and the lack of food, the government finally came around and asked, “Hey, would you like to fight for your country?” Amazingly, many said yes.

There are some almost comical moments tracing the bitter rivalry between the Japanese Americans from Hawaii and those from the Mainland. There was some serious dislike, but it faded away once they entered actual combat.

The stories are gut-wrenching, but also uplifting, like that of Daniel Inouye, who went on to become a U.S. senator when his home island became a state.

I also liked (and dreaded finishing) “The Mosquito Bowl” by Buzz Bissinger.

The author of the legendary sports book “Friday Night Lights” tells the true story of a football game played on Christmas Eve on the island of Guadalcanal, shortly before the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. Before the war, many of the players had been All-Conference or even All-American at such places as Wisconsin, Cornell, Purdue or Yale.

The first half of the book chronicles the gridiron exploits of some of the players. College football was enormously popular at the time and many of the players were household names. But after the game, they joined forces in the attack on Okinawa, the bloodiest battle of World War II.

The tales of bravery, sacrifice and loss are powerfully emotional.

Finally, I recommend “Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo and the Road to the Atomic Bomb” by James M. Scott. This book, yet another on World War II, is just as grim as the others, but is useful for the person who gets backed into a corner with the argument that the United States is forever stained in history for having used atomic weapons.

What many people don’t know is that five months before the atom bombs were dropped, the United States firebombed Tokyo, where many people were living in houses made of paper and

cardboard. More people died that night in Tokyo than died in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Many died when the force of the conflagration sucked the oxygen out of their lungs. Others dove in the river that flows through Tokyo and were boiled alive, but, at least they weren’t irradiated.

Favorite movie: “Glass Onion.” I’m still not ready to go back into a crowded theater, but my extended family has rented out an entire theater to watch a film. (The cost is almost shockingly reasonable.) We went to see “Glass Onion” with rather low expectations. There was no way that it was going to be as intricate and entertaining as the original “Knives Out,” but it comes darn close.

The dumbasses at Netflix yanked it from the theaters and put it on their streaming service way too soon. A leaked memo from a Netflix board meeting claimed that theaters are now “a distraction.” Idiots.

Favorite TV show: I enjoyed the stuff that won awards, like “Succession,” “Abbott Elementary” and “Hacks.” (Jean Smart is wonderful in “Hacks;” a well-deserved Emmy.)

Meanwhile, I hated season one of “White Lotus.” Remember the rule: If you want to punch every single character in

SORENSEN

UA COMPOST CATS INVITES TUCSON TO MEDIATE FOOD WASTE

By Katya Mendoza Tucson Weekly Staff

THE UA’S OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY

Compost Cats invites the public to help combat food waste this holiday season and join its Bucket Program.

Each year, millions of tons of waste enter Tucson’s landfills. About 40% of that waste is compostable organic materials, including produce scraps, plant trimmings and coffee grounds and other common household items.

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as plant trimmings and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.

Since its founding in 2011, the Compost Cats have diverted more than 20

million pounds of food waste from local landfills. It’s the only organization in Southern Arizona that accepts large volumes of food scraps, manure, brush and other landscaping materials. In 2014, the organization partnered with the city of Tucson Environmental Services to collect more food scraps from across town, working with over 100 local businesses, diverting over 1 million pounds of waste.

Four years later, Compost Cats transitioned from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Cooperative Extension to the Office of Sustainability. Since then, it has been working with the university to strengthen its public

education, research and outreach efforts.

“We provide all of this community engagement to be more meaningful and impactful, changing the community behavior to divert food waste,” said Dr. Ilse Rojas-Hamilton, Compost Cats’ program manager.

Rojas-Hamilton, who joined the Of-

fice of Sustainability in July 2019, brought 12 years of experience in interdisciplinary research, environmental consulting, outreach and education programs development and mentorship.

In January 2021, she helped open a

1 APY=Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Promotional APY applies to new share certificates opened at any OneAZ location with funds coming from a source other than OneAZ Credit Union (i.e.: New Money). This account is subject to a fixed rate. Minimum opening deposit of $2,000 required. Promotional rate is a fixed rate and subject to change or end without notice. Penalties for early withdrawal may apply. At maturity, your promotional rate certificate will mature at the closest term at the current rate unless you request other options during the grace period at maturity. Membership requirements are applicable, for membership eligibility, visit OneAZcu.com/Membership. Insured by NCUA.

THE UA COMMUNITY GARDEN IS LOCATED AT 1400 E. MABEL STREET IN TUCSON. (KATYA MENDOZA/STAFF)

the face, the show sucks! No damn way I’m watching season two.

And I’ve recently been watching “Tulsa King,” starring Sylvester Stallone as a former mob boss who did 25 years for a murder he didn’t commit. When he gets out, expecting to be treated with the utmost respect, he is instead exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, by an extremely depleted and bitter Mafia hierarchy. It’s an odd mix of fish-out-of-water humor and gritty violence with a surprisingly nuanced performance by Stallone. It comes from Taylor Sheridan, who wrote the great movies “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River.” “Tulsa” is worth

a look.

Favorite day of 2022: Nov. 8. Like a whole lot of people, I was terrified that the haters would show up in greater numbers than the lovers of democracy. But as the evening went on, my smile got bigger and bigger and bigger. Fetterman over Oz, Warnock over Walker, Kelly over Masters. Then, the one I hadn’t even dared to dream about…Hobbs over Lake! Later would come Masto over Laxalt and Warnock over Walker, for reals this time.

Ever since that night, I have delighted in the whininess and the embarrassing grasping at straws by the losers. Have Maricopa County run a do-over election? You guys are so entertaining!

compost operation with the city of Tucson Environmental Services at the Los Reales Sustainability Campus, formerly known as the Los Reales Landfill. The regional facility is the only active landfill managed and owned by the city.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Rojas-Hamilton said Compost Cats works to educate the campus and the community at its demonstration sites and workshops. In the past year, it has reached out to more than 6,000 people, including K-12 students, through projects like the UA Community Garden.

“We deliver experiential learning and hands-on education,” Rojas-Hamilton said, noting that school children who visit the garden love to see the worms.

“A lot of my work is with education and making demonstration sites to teach people about what we do and things we can do specifically in Tucson to live more sustainably as a community,” said Isabelle Young, a student Compost Cats specialist and a senior studying art and visual culture education with teaching emphasis.

“I really love being involved with kids and master gardeners programs, it feels like we’re really making a difference,” Young said.

She started working with Compost Cats in 2021 and became familiar with the program’s UA Community Garden during her work with Students for Sustainability.

A popular service, Compost Cats’ Bucket Program is a paid residential compost collection program that provides participants with 2- or 5-gallon buckets and a list of compostable items. After participants fill their buckets or containers, they can drop off their food scraps to the Community Garden at 1400 E. Mabel Street. There, student compost specialists weigh the food waste and check for contamination before turning it into compost.

Visitors and campus affiliates take household items like bread, flower arrangements and watermelon to the Community Garden. Jackson said that the Bucket Program has reached close to 400 participants.

“We have services Monday through Saturday,” Rojas-Hamilton said. “We have drop-off (sites) at three different

locations across town to make them more accessible.” The program is free for students, but all users must pay a one-time $20 to $30 onboarding fee.

“If compost is done right, it doesn’t stink,” Young said. It needs a good ratio of carbon and nitrogen sources, Rojas-Hamilton added.

Compost takes three to five months to complete and be usable, Young explained, adding it requires the same commitment as having a pet.

Brandon Green is a junior studying microbiology who has served as the Cats’ compost systems team lead for four months. He regularly visits the garden to check on and activate the compost stages.

“You really become a part of the sustainability community in town,” Green said. “You get to see big projects people are working on and it’s really inspiring to be at the center of it because we are making a difference.”

Compost Cats coordinator Kenzie Jackson added, “When we onboard participants, we give them a rundown of everything that is and isn’t compostable.”

Jackson earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resources with an emphasis on conservation biology in May 2021 from the UA. He worked for Cooper Center for Environmental Learning’s outreach team, providing hands-on, research-based programs in environmental education.

FOOD CYCLE

Compost Cats’ Food Cycle team lead Jose Angel Garcia said 15 Tucson businesses compost with it.

The commercial program provides

A COMPOST CATS BUCKET

MENDOZA/STAFF)

companies with designated containers that city workers take to the Los Reales Sustainability Campus. Compost Cats donates compost to Tucson Community Gardens, which has about 22 refugee and community gardens across the city, to Bucket Program members, local gardeners, schools and anybody else who might need compost, he said.

Garcia is a graduating senior studying interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in economy and industry, with a minor in Spanish. He’ll work for the city after graduation.

Some of the businesses who participate in the food recycle program include local coffee shops such as Raging Sage Coffee Roasters, Starbucks at the UA Bookstore and other restaurants on campus, Hotel Congress and the 3000 Club - Home of Market on the Move, which rescues produce from purveyors in Nogales, Arizona, and more recently the federal prison.

Composting helps prevent the generation of harmful greenhouse gasses such as methane and carbon dioxide, which trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the global climate crisis. According to the Yale School of the Environment, “Many scientists say that regenerative agricultural practices can turn back the carbon block, reducing atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and increasing resil-

ience to floods and drought.”

“A lot of households that join us reduce about 20% of their household waste,” Garcia said. “It’s also very accessible for people that might not have the space at home.”

In addition to the diversion of food waste interception and diversion, the organization’s scope of work includes initiatives to combat food insecurity in Southern Arizona. According to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, as of 2019 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic), almost 19% of Tucson’s population lived in poverty and 15.4% of the community was food insecure.

Food insecurity defined by Healthy People 2030 is, “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” 13.8 million households were food insecure at some point of 2020.

Compost Cats has been increasingly involved in the redistribution of still-edible foods to groups such as the University of Arizona Campus Pantry and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona through such programs.

The UA Student Union packs its uneaten food into tight containers that are donated to the Campus Pantry to be distributed among food insecure students on campus, Rojas-Hamilton said.

(LEFT)

PROGRAM PARTICIPANT SHOWS HIS 2-GALLON COMPOST BUCKET THAT IS READY FOR DROP-OFF AT THE UA COMMUNITY GARDEN IN TUCSON. (BELOW) JUNIOR AND COMPOST CATS COMPOST SYSTEMS TEAM LEAD BRANDON GREEN PREPARES TO STIR THE THERMOPHILIC OR HIGH-TEMPERATURE COMPOST PHASE AT THE UA COMMUNITY GARDEN IN TUCSON. (KATYA

Anyone affiliated with the UA can access the Campus Pantry.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

On its social media, the Compost Cats host a series called, “Compost Misconceptions.” One example is that citrus can upset the pH balance for worms. In backyard systems, the peels do take longer to break down because their fat cells are resistant to decomposition. They break down perfectly in commercial facilities, Jackson said. They are also natural deterrents to unwanted animals and give off nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that assist with breakdown.

“There’s a really big misconception about bioplastics,” Jackson said. Items like plastic bags or forks may market themselves as compostable, but in reality these items call for bioreactors that reach up to 300 degrees.

“While no at home systems get that high, ours gets to like 160, 170,” she said. “It does what we like to call greenwashing. In reality it’s just going to the landfill.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The amount of household food waste spikes during the holidays, according to Jackson.

Social media campaigns such as “Food Storage Fridays,” educate the public on how to properly store food or create new recipes using leftovers.

“There are certain foods that if you store next to each other, the chemicals released make them decompose faster,” Jackson said.

Even making small strides to store fruits and vegetables at proper temperatures can make a difference. Jackson said the Compost Cats include links for more information about the science behind composting.

While all landfills do have lifespans, many are reaching capacity. Oftentimes, they are located in or near marginalized communities who can then suffer disproportionate negative impacts on public health, safety and environmental quality.

By diverting a portion of the current organic inputs entering local landfills, Compost Cats is helping them from filling as quickly, significantly extending the lives of existing landfills.

Through waste diversion and materials cycling, Compost Cats continues to fight for environmental justice, ensuring equitable access to natural resources and improving wellness for all.

“It’s a really gratifying way to connect not just to the people of Tucson but also to the land, history and the future,” Young said.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’ BALLET

Ballet Tucson and The Tucson Symphony team up for the traditionally sweetest dream of the season, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet. Need to be reminded of its ageless charm? Spend a moment watching the video snippets on the website. They’re drenched in delight. The ballet is all the lovelier for knowing that the courtier who commissioned the music intended it to portray a horror story. The nutcracker was a seven-headed monster, and Clara was trapped forever with her dolls. Yet now it’s a Christmas confection. The metaphors write themselves.

Times vary, Thursday, Dec. 22 through Saturday, Dec. 24, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Avenue, ticketmaster.com, ballettucson.org, tickets start at $24

TUCSON TEASE: ‘HOLIDAY STRIPTACULAR’

Tucson is turning into an entertainment mecca. Our reputation is growing as a jazz hub. Our comedy scene is burgeoning with as many as a dozen shows, mics and national acts performing every week. And now we have three strip tease promoters staging regular shows in respected and sizeable venues. Tucson Tease is one of the newest. This weekend they promise a festive evening of burlesque and drag inspired by the holidays.

8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, Temple of Music and Art Cabaret, 330 S. Scott Avenue, eventbrite.com, tickets start at $25.

CENTURY ROOM

WINE-TASTING SERIES

This series of December Wednesday tastings has already explored Mexican wines and Arizona wines from Sonoita and Willcox. It will close out next Wednesday with wines from “Baja Arizona.” So, Elgin, maybe? There’s a cluster of wineries near there, west and a little northwest of Elgin. It’s a lovely drive in the spring or fall, and besides the wineries there’s at least one historic ranch to visit. Arizona Winery Tours is a good option if you don’t want to drink and drive. But it’s cold out, and a tasting of Baja Arizona wines should bring the sun.

by Linda Ray

‘YULETIDE AT OLD TUCSON: HOLIDAYS THE OLD WEST WAY’

Imagine a 19th century production of “A Christmas Carol” as interpreted by Old Tucson’s civic theater company. The immersive experience brings that scenario to comedic life while, elsewhere, the town sheriff foils a bank robbery and the town’s kooky inventor generates enough electricity to light the Christmas tree. Santa Claus, a winter visitor, is happy to sit for a professional photo with the kids, and a luminaria-lined path leans to the old mission, decorated for the season as celebrated in Mexico.

4 to 10 p.m. nightly through Saturday, Dec. 24, Old Tucson, 201 Kinney Road, yuletideaz.com, tickets start at $40.

REID PARK ZOO: ‘ZOO LIGHTS’ ENCORE

The animals are asleep, and Santa needs to get back to the North Pole after Dec. 23, but the zoo is still alive with lights and magic. Kids love jumping through a game of rings lit over the ground, and walking through the falling snow on the way for a hot cocoa. All the lighting displays are mesmerizing, but we can also enjoy a new perspective on the zoo’s thoughtful landscape that we don’t notice otherwise.

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday Dec. 22, Friday, Dec. 23 and Monday, Dec. 26 through Friday, Dec. 30, Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court, reidparkzoo.org, $12 adults, $10 seniors, $8 children

6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, The Century Room, Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, $30

FLANDRAU PLANETARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER: ‘SEASON OF LIGHT’

The planetarium’s dome takes us on a journey through a 360-degree experience across cultures and through history. Festivals of light everywhere celebrate renewal around the time of the Winter Solstice. As we see the days get shorter and the temperatures getting colder, people across nations and cultures celebrate with lights, from Hanukkah candles to Christmas tree ornaments, that represent the light to come after the dark.

2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, UA Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, 1601 E. University Boulevard, $9, $7 children

CHRISTMAS EXPRESS AT MARANA FARM

You can still catch the last train through all the Christmas lights and decorations at Marana Farm. Kids can giggle and wiggle through all the evergreens, snowmen, reindeer and other icons of the holiday season while riding along on a very narrowgauge railroad track. Santa will be waiting to hear their Christmas wishes. The Red Barn Grill is open for dinner. For snacks there are churros and hot chocolate. Admission includes the Playland Area.

5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, and Friday, Dec. 23, Marana Pumpkin Patch, 14950 N. Trico Road, $20, maranapumpkinpatch.com

LA ENCANTADA’S ENCHANTED SNOWFALL AND CAROLING

Let it snow! Santa will visit from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., but the big fun is the gusting of an Enchanted Snowfall from 6 to 6:15 p.m. and from 6:45 to 7 p.m. In between and afterward The Yuletones will sing Christmas songs and the shoppers can sing along. Organizers also promise a giant Christmas tree and hot chocolate for kids.

6 to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, and Friday, Dec. 23, La Encantada Shopping Center, 2905 E. Skyline Drive, free, laencantadashoppingcenter.com

SOMETIMES SUCCESS

By Linda Ray Tucson Weekly Columnist

ALEX ELKIN LOOKS JUST LIKE

Hagrid. He says he’s heard that before. He reminds us, though, that Hagrid is Warner Brothers. His aspect is more Disney.

His first job out of high school was as a Disneyland cruise skipper. He had that job for two years until he, and they, agreed it was time to part amicably. “It taught me a lot,” Elkin said, “about not getting upset when people don’t laugh at your jokes. It was very helpful for my standup career.”

By then, his career path already had been set at a talent show in high school when he was 14. “I wrote a little act, and

I went out and tried it, and it worked. I ended up winning the thing. It tricked me into believing I could do this for a living. So that’s what I’ve been pursuing ever since. I started in ’94, so we’re going on 29 years in March.”

Elkin grew up in a little Southern California town known as San Dimas. At the time no one knew its portent for his future. In 1989, San Dimas would become the backdrop for the iconic “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”

He remembers a lot of comedy at home. “My dad’s side of the family was Jewish. Humor is always prized, I think, in that culture. We’d watch specials and

I’d listen to the old comedy records that my dad had.

“We loved Steve Martin and George Carlin and Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor, the big ones that really kind of launched standup comedy for what it is today. I just remember sitting around loving those things. I couldn’t get enough of them. I just remember admiring people who could make people laugh.

“I always wanted to make people laugh, ever since I was a little kid. And I got it early on. It came easy to me. Even when I didn’t want it to be amusing, it still came out that way. Sometimes I would get in trouble for it in school, but it got me through a lot of sticky situations.

“I didn’t even realize it was a possibility for a career until I got into high school. I started doing open mics as soon as I graduated, even underage.”

Asked about the cultural changes he’s seen in comedy in recent years, Elkin draws a fine line.

“I can work a Mormon church and I can do a biker bar. That just comes with experience,” he said. But as far as political correctness and people being offended? I don’t want to water down comedy just because people’s panties are in a bunch.”

However, he added, “It’s not about offending people on purpose. It’s about taking a mirror to society, holding it up to them and going, ‘Hey, look at our foibles, and look at how stupid we can be.’

“There (are) comics out there that

want to try rape jokes and they want to try abortion jokes and maybe they want to push an edge, but my opinion is, that punchline better be absolute fire every time and (never) miss. It had better be so fantastic that people are rolling over in the aisles about how funny that joke was, versus the consternation it’s going to cause if people (focus on) the premise. “

Much as he’s loved making people laugh, and impossible as it is for him not to, Aiken hadn’t reckoned on the effects of a comedy career on life in general.

“When I first started doing comedy, I thought I wanted to be a star,” he said. “I thought I wanted to be, you know, in films and television and have my name in lights.

“And as I got older and started having kids (two boys, one girl) and I started seeing what that fame did to other people, I decided I still want to do standup, because that’s what I love, (but) I wanted to . . . bring the family with me.

“And we’ve been able to achieve that goal.”

He described their first cross-country trip when the family was able to stay in hotels and see the sights, pay for gas and meals, and still come out a few dollars ahead from getting paid for doing shows.

Now, he said, his boys are “turning

ALEX ELKIN RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR AT LAFF’S. (ALEX ELKIN/SUBMITTED)

LAUGHING STOCK FROM PAGE 12

into functioning adults,” and he’s able to keep his daughter in ballet shoes, but most importantly he can arrange his schedule to be home for ball games and recitals.

“I love making people laugh but I don’t want to be famous. It’s a fine line, but I’ve been able to walk it really well, because, as you can see, nobody’s heard of me, but I’m making a living at standup comedy.

“You’re not going to find me at a Hot Topic or in a Target, but man, that bootleg copy of my mixtape is going around and people are digging it.

“I couldn’t be happier.”

FOR THE KIDS!

‘A PIRATE’S CHRISTMAS’

Do mom a favor and get the little ones out of the house for a while on Christmas Eve day. Unscrewed Theatre has been performing special Sunday shows for kids throughout December. You can catch the last one at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 24. This is not a show to sit quietly and watch. The “Elves Gone Bad” ensemble makes space for everyone to get into the act with games, costumes and lots of pretending.

1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, Unscrewed Theatre, 4500 E. Speedway Boulevard, Suite 39, $5, unscrewedtheater.org

day, Dec. 29. Rounding out the show will be Tucson favorite Roxy Merrari, who will be celebrating a birthday, Kyle Verville, Chris Whitney, Steven Black and Chris Quinn, host of the Screening Room’s Tuesday night open mic.

Hewlett’s long list of credits includes a send-up travel and cooking video series called, aptly, Road Kills. He invites us on his journey through the mysteries of his life, questioning why all this stuff happens to him. Does it relate to his misspent youth as the offspring of a drama teacher and a postal worker? “I’ve worked hard to achieve this little,” he says. We can relate.

7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, House of Bards, 4915 E. Speedway Boulevard, $10, eventbrite.com

open mic. Thursday, Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m. “Harold Epsilon” and “Harold Zeta”; 8:30 p.m. Cage Match. Friday, Dec. 23, 6:30 p.m. Improv Jam; 7:30 p.m., “The Soapbox;” 9 p.m. Stand Up Showcase.

Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E. Speedway Boulevard, unscrewedtheatre.org,

$8, live or remote, $5 kids. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, Family-Friendly Improv; Saturday, Dec. 24, 1 p.m., Elves Gone Bad kids’ show, “A Pirate’s Christmas;” 7:30 p.m. Family Friendly Improv; 9 p.m., Uncensored Improv Comedy with NBOJU and The Big Daddies.

JAY HEWLETT HEADLINES AT HOUSE OF BARDS. (JAY HEWLETT/ SUBMITTED)

RYAN GOODCASE: A GHOST’S CHRISTMAS?

RYAN GOODCASE LAUGHS WITH GHOSTS AT CHUCKLEHEADS. (RYAN GOODCASE/ SUBMITTED)

JAY HEWLETT AT HOUSE OF BARDS

Cory Lytle’s popular Tuesday open mic has spun off several new local comics since he launched it amid COVID-19 restrictions. The moment was like “Kismet;” House of Bards has an outside stage. Since then, the venue’s ambitions have matched his own. Recently he started booking veteran national touring comics into the mix.

Jay Hewlett heads up the bill on Thurs-

You don’t have to spend Christmas weekend alone. There may still be a few haunted Air B&Bs left in Bisbee. If you’d like some flesh-and-blood companionship, too, you can find it at Chuckleheads. Ryan Goodcase is coming through and there will be a crowd to laugh with.

Quiet and awkward, Goodcase observes smartly and delivers dryly. In 2019 he became the youngest person to win the World Series of Comedy, and after winning the 45th San Francisco International Comedy Competition in 2021, he began performing as a paid regular in a string of clubs across the country. 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, Chuckleheads, 41 Brewery Avenue, Bisbee, $15, chuckleheadsaz.com

MORE COMEDY THIS WEEK

Tucson Improv Movement/TIM Comedy Theatre, 414 E. Ninth Street. tucsonimprov.com, $7 each show, $10 for both shows, same night, free jam and

CLAYTOONZ By Clay Jones

Rarely seen United States coins up for grabs in Arizona -zip codes determine who gets them

“The vaults at Federated Mint are going empty,” said Laura A. Lynne, Director of Coin and Currency for Federated Mint.

That’s because a decision by Federated Mint to release rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued coins, some worth up to 50 times their face value, means unsearched Vault Bags loaded with U. S. Gov’t issued coins dating back to the 1800’s are now being handed over to U.S. residents who find

the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication.

“But don’t thank the Government. As Director of Coin and Currency for Federated Mint, I get paid to inform and educate the general public regarding U.S. coins. Ever since the decision by Federated Mint to release rarely seen Gov’t issued coins to the general public — I’m being asked how much are the unsearched Vault Bags worth? The

answer is, there’s no way to tell. Coin values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees, but we do know this. Each unsearched bag weighs nearly 3 pounds and is known to contain rarely seen Morgan Silver Dollars and these coins alone could be worth $40 - $325 in collector value each according to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins. So there’s no telling what you’ll find until you search through

all the coins. But you better believe at just $980 these unsearched Vault Bags are a steal,” said Lynne.

“These are not ordinary coins you find in your pocket change. These are rarely seen silver, scarce, collectible and non-circulating U.S. coins dating back to the 1800’s so we won’t be surprised if thousands of U.S. residents claim as many as they can get their

New Ye 's Guide

New Ye 's Guide

Fans feel free during Zona Libre’s shows

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tucson Weekly Sta

MUSIC IS HIRAM PEREZ’S LIFE.

As the saxophonist/music director of the Zona Libre Band, he brings joy to fans with music that crisscrosses genres. The Zona Libre Band will ring in the New Year at Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue, performing Latin dance music — salsa, merengue, bachata — and American pop and country.

“I enjoy playing music at a really high level,” Perez said. “Salsa music is very demanding music. You need a certain set of skills. I love being able to inspire the guys in my group and make them better and vice versa. Really, it’s all about the crowd and the people. It ultimately comes down to them. Without them, there’s nothing for us. We would have no one to play for. I just like seeing the happiness and joy that we bring to them.”

The $30 general admission tickets include the balloon drop, sparkling wine toast, party favors, late-night menudo or posole ticket from the kitchen and a free photo from the NYE-themed picture booth. VIP and reserved seating are available, and the kitchen will be open from 9 to 11:30 p.m.

Brother John’s is a favorite spot for the Zona Libre Band, having played there for the last six years.

“On New Year’s Eve, we’ll be playing mostly Latin, but we will be doing a little bit of pop and country. It’s a longer night for us and we’ll have a wider demographic than we’re used to having on Friday,” he said.

“It’s great to see people out there dancing and having a good time. Whatever they’re going through, they can just hang out, check out live music and, for a few hours, they’re not thinking about their problems at home or whatever they’re going through.”

Perez and Zona Libre will enter a new phase of their career in 2023. They’ll release their debut album digitally and on CD. The musicians have been working

at Allusion Studios in Tucson with engineer Jim Pavett.

“The album is a combination of arrangements of classic songs and some original songs that have been written by the members of the group,” he said.

“It’ll feature di erent styles of music to complement what we play live. Recording is very tedious work, but we’re just trying to get it right. Our sound engineer has been very patient with us. I’m using a good friend of ours from LA, Rene Camacho, who’s a national recording artist.”

The two performed Dec. 21 at the Century Room while Camacho was in town from LA.

A Nogales native, Perez is a longtime musician, who started playing violin in kindergarten and then saxophone in the fourth grade. He moved to Tucson in junior high and that’s where he met most of the musicians he plays with today.

Perez studied music at the UA and subsequently joined Carnival Cruise Line and the Ringling Bros. orchestra

as a saxophone player. He returned to Tucson and eventually founded the Zona Libre Band.

“This is the proudest I’ve ever been,” he said. “The musicians have a great work ethic and they read music really well, which makes my life a lot easier.”

Perez admitted he’s been bitten by the studio bug now. Playing covers is fun, but he’s been doing it for so long that original music is calling his name.

“Hopefully, this will open some new avenues for us and we can play festivals and really see what happens,” he said.

“I’m still really happy and I feel fortunate that I can play music in any capacity. As a full-time musician, it brings me a lot more joy and satisfaction to play original music I’ve written, or my colleagues have written. I’d like to travel a little more with the music of the band and have other people hear what Tucson, Arizona, has to o er. There are a lot of great musicians here in town. The live music scene is thriving. If all musicians do good, I do good. We’re here to support each other.”

Zona Libre Band

WHEN: 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue, 1801 N. Stone Avenue, Tucson COST: $30 in advance; $35 at the door; all ages INFO: 520-867-6787, brotherjohnsbbq.com

ZONA LIBRE BAND HEADLINES BROTHER JOHN’S BEER, BOURBON AND BARBECUE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE. (HIRAM PEREZ/SUBMITTED)

HIRAM PEREZ

BELOW MARKET 2%

New Ye 's Guide

Celebrate around Tucson this New Year’s Eve

By Laura Latzko Tucson Local Media Contributor

NEW YEAR’S EVE AND DAY CAN BE A time of celebration, reflection and resolutions. These events in and around Tucson were designed to bring merriment, laughter, music, exercise and joy. Consider one of these events to ring in the New Year.

RICK BRAUN’S NEW YEAR’S EVE

Each year, jazz trumpeter Rick Braun holds a star-studded two-day New Year’s Eve celebration with live music, a gourmet meal, beverage and appetizer stations, a champagne toast, dancing and a charity golf tournament. Braun will host the “Last Dance”-themed night and will be joined by musicians Richard Elliot, Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, Chris Walker and Rebecca Jade. This year, the event will benefit the Autism Training Program at Marshall University. Formal or cocktail party attire is encouraged, and guests are asked to not wear jeans or T-shirts.

WHEN: Golf Tournament and Start the Party Early Optional Events Friday,

December 30. New Year’s Eve show is 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort and Spa, 3800 W. Starr Pass Boulevard, Tucson

PRICE: Tickets for New Year’s Eve start at $231. Proof of vaccination with booster required within 24 hours of ticket purchase

INFO: rickbraunnewyearseve.com

MISS OLIVIA’S NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION

Good food, live music and time with friends can make New Year’s Eve a spe-

cial occasion. Miss Olivia’s New Year’s Eve Celebration o ers a five-course meal, live and DJed music, dancing, a candy table and a themed photo booth. The energy will remain with live music from Chalako, an eclectic Latin band with blues, rock, pop, jazz, Tejano, cumbia and salsa vibes, and the soulful blues/rock/soul group Miss Olivia and the Interlopers. DJ Kadetree will also look to get partygoers dancing. There will be a variety of food options, including vegetarian items, sliders, cookies, Banh Mi and hors d’oeuvres. Attendees will receive swag bags with items

from local businesses such as Pop-Cycle, Barrio Bread and St. Charles Tavern. Guests can ring in the New Year with a champagne toast on the rooftop patio or in the outdoor courtyard. Semi-formal attire is encouraged.

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: Sea of Glass Center for The Arts, 330 E. Seventh Street, Tucson

PRICE: Tickets start at $75

INFO: eventbrite.com

MONTEREY COURT NYE GALA

Sometimes, New Year’s Eve can be special because of the experience. During Monterey Court’s NYE Gala, partygoers have a chance to ring in the new year at a historic motor court from the 1930s, which has been turned into a live music venue, artist enclave and restaurant. Throughout the evening, the Coolers, an eight-piece R&B/blues/ soul band, will perform. Attendees can purchase food a la carte or choose a prix-fixe dinner with soup or salad, an appetizer, an entrée, a dessert and after-dinner co ee. The dinner comes

MISS OLIVIA AND THE INTERLOPERS WILL PERFORM DURING MISS OLIVIA’S NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION. (REX SCOFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY/CONTRIBUTOR)

JAZZ TRUMPET PLAYER RICK BRAUN HOSTS A STAR-STUDDED NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION IN TUCSON.

with party favors and a complimentary champagne toast. An East Coast New Year’s toast will be held at 10 p.m.

WHEN: 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: Monterey Court, 505 W. Miracle Mile, Tucson

PRICE: $20 general admission, $60 for dinner and entertainment

INFO: 520-207-2429, montereycourtaz.com

ALEX ELKIN AT LAFFS COMEDY CAFÉ

Laughter has become even more important these days in taking people away from their troubles and giving them shared experiences with others. On New Year’s Eve at La s Comedy Café, comedian Alex Elkin will headline two shows. The comedian started doing comedy in 2016 after winning the San Francisco Comedy Competition. He also won the Hard Rock Casino’s 2018 Comedy Cage Match and has traveled to Iraq and Syria to bring laughter to the troops. He has appeared on Netflix’s “Trinkets,” the NBC show “Grimm” and E!’s “The Simple Life.” During the late show, there will be a midnight countdown.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: La s Comedy Café, 2900 E. Broadway Boulevard, Tucson

COST: Visit website for information

INFO: 520-323-8669, la stucson.com

HOT COCOA 5K RUN/ WALK

The holidays can be a time of indulgence. Those who want to start their New Year’s resolutions o on the right foot can get out and be active during the Hot Cocoa 5K Run/Walk. The professionally timed run/walk was designed for people of all ages. It takes participants on a loop through Steam Pump Ranch, on

a shared-use path along Oracle Road, past Pusch View Lane and back around. The top female and male runners will receive $50 gift cards to Fleet Feet. There will be age group categories, broken down from 0 to 4 to 85 and older. First- through third-place winners in each category will receive medals. Kids will get “good job” medals. After the race, families can enjoy a steaming cup of cocoa and snacks like fruit, granola bars and fruit bars. Proceeds from the race benefit Oro Valley’s Round-Up for Youth recreation scholarship program.

WHEN and WHERE: Packet pickup: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, December 31. Fleet Feet, 7607 N. Oracle Road, Suite 121, Oro Valley. Race day number pickup and registration: Starts 9:30 p.m. Run/walk starts 11:23 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1. Steam Pump Ranch. 10901 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley PRICE: $30 before race day, $35 day of

race, children 12 and under free with paying adult.

INFO: orovalleyaz.gov

LIGHTS UP! A FESTIVAL OF ILLUMINATION

The chance to see lights doesn’t end

with Christmas. Visitors can see the Tucson Botanical Gardens’ new lights show Lights Up! A Festival of Illumination through Sunday, Jan. 15. The display will be open on New Year’s Eve and Day and will o er six themed zones. Guests will feel in the holiday spirit when they go experience 50-foot light tunnel, choreographed cypress trees, giant chandeliers adorned with luminarias and a spiral luminaria tree. The botanical gardens are decorated with a million lights, spread out throughout the trees.

WHEN: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Four timeslots at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. six days a week through Sunday, Jan. 15.

WHERE: Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson

PRICE: $30 for nonmember adults 18 and older, $28 for nonmember children 4 to 17, $28 for adult members, $26 for child members, free for children under 4

INFO: 520-326-9686, tucsonbotanical.org

ROARING ’20S NYE ON CONGRESS

There’s just something about the 1920s that still has an intrigue. During

Hotel Congress’ Roaring ’20s NYE on Congress Prohibition-era jazz party, patrons will feel like they have been taken back to a time of flappers. The event will start with solo ragtime music on the piano, followed by 1920s music

from the seven-piece Original Wildcat Jazz Band. Guests will hear a cornet, a trombone, a banjo, a bass, the piano, the drums and a clarinet. At 10 p.m., there will be a New York champagne toast. Guests are encouraged to dress in period attire or black tie.

WHEN: Doors open 7 p.m. Sets at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: Century Room, Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, Tucson

PRICE: $50, which includes the champagne toast

INFO: hotelcongress.com/family/ century-room

NYE PARTY AT HACIENDA DEL SOL GUEST RANCH

There’s no better way to ring in the New Year than with dinner, dessert, dancing and drinks. During the NYE Party at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch,

THE ORIGINAL WILDCAT JAZZ BAND WILL PERFORM IN THE CENTURY ROOM AT HOTEL CONGRESS DURING THE ROARING ’20S NYE ON CONGRESS PARTY. (ORIGINAL WILDCAT JAZZ BAND/SUBMITTED)

guests can enjoy a dinner buffet, which comes with salad, seafood, antipasto, vegetarian and pasta options. There will also be a dessert buffet with options such as blueberry lemon opera cake, mimosa cake truffles and chocolate raspberry bubbly fudge. Connie Brannock and the Little House of Funk will keep up the energy, playing R&B favorites sure to get listeners dancing. The night will end with a champagne toast with party favors. The night is open to those 21 and older.

WHEN: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch, 5501 N. Hacienda del Sol Road, Tucson

PRICE: $125 for buffet, dinner, dessert and dancing; $35 for dessert and dancing

INFO: 520-526-9345, haciendadelsol. com.

DURING ITS LIGHTSUP! A FESTIVAL OF ILLUMINATION, THE TUCSON BOTANICAL GARDENS WILL FEATURE GIANT CHANDELIERS ADORNED WITH LUMINARIAS. (TUCSON BOTANICAL GARDENS/SUBMITTED)

AS PART OF ITS LIGHTSUP! A FESTIVAL OF ILLUMINATION, THE TUCSON BOTANICAL GARDENS WILL HAVE DECORATED IRONWOOD TREES.

Miss Olivia is throwing a party — with a purpose

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tucson Weekly Sta

MISS OLIVIA & THE INTERLOPERS

are throwing a party, but they’re thinking of others through it.

Dubbed “Love is Love,” the New Year’s Eve celebration is set for 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at Sea of Glass Center for the Arts. It will feature five food courses, champagne toast, candy table, tarot readings, photo booth, a local goodie bag and a rooftop patio.

Singer Olivia Reardon said the key is supporting local acts like opener Chalako — an eclectic Tucson band with elements of rock, blues, jazz, Tejano, cumbia and salsa — and Old Pueblo nonprofits.

“It’s our first venture that’s totally a Miss Olivia & the Interlopers production,” she said.

“We are trying to make sure that, while we’re having a platform for ourselves, that we allow and give space for other people here in town. We always say in Tucson, we take care of each other. With this show, we’re allowing nonprofits to put any information out that they would like.”

Besides the goodie bags, the event will see other charities and organizations disseminating information at tables.

But music isn’t taking a backseat. The

soulful Miss Olivia & the Interlopers — the 2021 and 2022 Tucson Weekly Best Musical Act — will hit the stage.

“We’re a mixtape,” she said about their varied set. “We stick true to that. It’s a party so we’re going to try to do party songs and dance songs.”

The 5-year-old band is anchored by Reardon and bassist David Hostetler, both of whom draw from influences like Erykah Badu, Led Zeppelin, The Black Crowes, Je Buckley, St. Vincent, Lake Street Dive and Durand Jones.

“We’re learning a bunch of new songs for this event—both covers and originals,” Hostetler said. “It’s a fun opportunity for us to play with people we don’t normally get to play with.”

After the show, Miss Olivia & the Interlopers will take a break from performing to write new material. They’ll emerge Saturday, Jan. 21, to play the Bisbee Grand Hotel, and again Friday, April 21, to Saturday, April 29, to hit Banditos’ stage in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.

“I like to think we have a fun, great show,” Reardon said. “I like to think we’re great musicians and we try our best to wear our hearts on our sleeve when we’re performing. I think it translates. We’re literally giving it our all.

“I think that’s what every musician does. It’s the give and take with the audience. It’s easy to give it your all when you’re getting it back. It’s a fun experience.”

Miss Olivia & the Interlopers w/Chalako

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, 330 E. Seventh Street, Tucson

COST: $75

INFO: eventbrite. com, theseaofglass.org, missoliviaandtheinterlopers.com

LIVE, MISS OLIVIA & THE INTERLOPERS CHANNEL THE LIKES OF ERYKAH BADU, LED ZEPPELIN, THE BLACK CROWES, JEFF BUCKLEY, ST. VINCENT, LAKE STREET DIVE AND DURAND JONES. (REX SCOFIELD/CONTRIBUTOR)

good or above before the bags are securely sealed and the dates and

(Continued from previous page)

hands on. That’s because after the bags were loaded with nearly 3 pounds of Gov’t issued coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks were never searched to determine collector values and the bags were securely sealed. That means there’s no telling what you’ll find until you search all the coins,” said Lynne.

The only thing U.S. residents who find their zip code printed in today’s publication need to do is call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the 48-hour deadline ends.

This is very important. After the Vault Bags were loaded with over 200 Gov’t issued coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks were never searched to determine collector values. The Vault Bag fee has been set for $1,500 for residents who miss the 48-hour deadline, but for those U.S. residents

who beat the 48-hour deadline the Vault Bag fee is just $980 as long as they call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the deadline ends.

“Remember this, we cannot stop collectors from buying up all the unsearched bags of coins they can get in this special advertising announcement. And you better believe with each bag being loaded with nearly 3 pounds of Gov’t issued coins we’re guessing they’re going to go quick,” said Lynne.

The phone lines will be ringing off the hook beginning at precisely 8:30 a.m. this morning. That’s because each unsearched Vault Bag is loaded with the rarely seen coins pictured left and highly sought after collector coins dating clear back to the 1800’s including iconic Morgan Silver Dollars, a historic Peace Silver Dollar, stunning Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars, the collectible Silver Eisenhower Dollars, spectacular Silver Liberty Head Half and Quarter Dollars, rarely seen Silver Franklin Half Dollars, high demand President

are

searched by Federated Mint to determine collector value. If you find the first three digits of your zip code listed, call 1-800-869-3164 EXT.UV33369 immediately.

Kennedy Silver Half Dollars, beautiful Silver Standing Liberty Quarter Dollars, American Bicentennial Quarters, rare Liberty V Nickels, one cent Historic Wheat Coins including 1943 “Steel Cents”, one of the beautiful Winged Liberty Head Dimes, scarce Indian Head one cent U.S. coins and the last ever minted Buffalo Nickels.

“With all these collectible Gov’t Issued coins up for grabs we’re going to do our best to answer all the calls,” said Lynne.

Thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the U.S. Gov’t issued coins. That means U.S. residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication can claim the unsearched bags of money for themselves and keep all the U.S. Gov’t issued coins found inside.

If you find the first three digits of your zip code listed, call 1-800-869-3164 EXT.UV33369 immediately. Just be sure to call before the deadline ends 48 hours from today’s publication date. ■

FEDERATED MINT, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. FEDERATED MINT, PO BOX 36449, CANTON, OH 44735 ©2022 FEDERATED MINT

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ISSUED COINS SEALED IN EACH BAG:

Silver Liberty Head 1892-1915

■ UNSEARCHED: Pictured above are the unsearched Vault Bags being handed over to Arizona residents who call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the 48-hour deadline ends. And here’s the best part. Each Vault Bag is loaded with over 200 Gov’t issued coins, including all the coins pictured in today’s publication, some dating back to the 1800’s and worth up to 50 times their face value. Each coin is verified to meet a minimum collector grade of very

mint marks

never

By Xavier Otero Tucson Weekly Contributor

MARK YOUR CALENDARS…

THURSDAY, DEC. 22

Born in Miami, David Archuleta grew up in Salt Lake City, spending his childhood home-schooled. A devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — an organization which recently stated that LGBTQ+ individuals are entitled to rights while at the same time affirming its belief that same-sex relationships are a sin — from a young age Archuleta felt torn. “I always felt like my feelings were different. Growing up in a religious household, the idea was, ‘Oh, this is not right.’ I was ashamed to feel that way.” In 2008, the baby-faced singer captured hearts on “American Idol,” launching a wildly successful pop career. Nevertheless, remaining true to his faith, in 2012, he went on a two-year hiatus to serve as a missionary in Chile. But it was in 2021 — after abruptly calling off his engagement with his then fiancée — that Archuleta had a moment of divine intervention. “When I had that prayer, God just said, ‘David, you know I trust you, right? I want you to post about what you’re going through right now.’ It became clear what I needed to say.” Without delay Archuleta announced his identification with the LGBTQ+ community on social media. “I felt liberated.” Yet, suppressing his sexuality for so many years had taken a toll. At his lowest, he contemplated suicide because of the church’s doctrine. Today, Archuleta, who now identifies as queer, is still healing. “I just had to take a step away. It hurts me because my religion was everything for me. But you get to a point where you realize there are some things not right here.” Embracing his higher self, Archuleta said, “I am finally learning what it’s like to actually love myself.” David Archuleta: The More the Merrier Christmas Tour promises an unforgettable yuletide experience at the Rialto Theatre … With a penchant for woodwinds and brass, the Rosano Brothers shift effortlessly from unscripted melodic lines — reminiscent of those popularized during the jazz age of the early 1900s — to disciplined and cultivated techniques, intrinsic to classical music. Becoming the vessel through which song flows, their performances are often hallmarked by the unpredictable, whimsical, if not downright quirky, facilitated by their command over a range of

instruments: Cornet, piano, clarinet, baritone sax, melodica, guitar, and percussion. The Rosano Brothers present A Christmas Extravaganza at Tap & Bottle Downtown… Showcasing some of Tucson’s finest experimental artists — KRYGE, Gus Tomizuka, Skullfolk, Ennaytch, Zack Hansen and R.A Sanchez — for an uncanny evening filled with liminal ambient washes, jarring walls of noise, distortions and resultant visual manifestations. Desert Drone: An immersion in noise, drone, experimental and ambient music presents Drone Mass at Club Congress… “The culture that is house music continues to amaze and inspire me.” Arizona raised, California made, DJ Pretty Slick generates gamma waves of heat on the dance floor at Hotel Congress Plaza… Whisking her love of musical theater, jazz, cabaret and a jigger or two of rock into a potent holiday cocktail, vocalist Liz Cracchiolo — backed by pianist Khris Dodge, bassist Evan Arredondo and trapsman Pete Swan — presents A Jazzy Christmas at The Century Room…

FRIDAY, DEC. 23

In observation of the winter solstice, Americana/ rock singer-songwriter Amber Norgaard & Friends — guitarists Doug Floyd and Joe Ferguson, fiddler Seth Murzyn, drummer Casey Hadland and bassist Jay Trapp — return to the Monterey Court for their annual Holiday Show… On the first of two nights, trumpeter and vocalist Tony Frank & Friends locomote through sets of jazz, Latin, blues and more at Pastiche Modern Eatery… After a three-year hiatus, Rendezvous — a collective of Tucson-raised musicians whose eclectic repertoire encompasses material from Anderson Paak to The Mars Volta — returns with an annual holiday show at the Hotel Congress Plaza… With flair, passion and authenticity, Nossa Bossa Nova — vocalist Theresa Levy, saxophonist Brice Winston, pianist Richard Katz, double bassist Alejandro Canelos and guitarist Mike Levy — performs songs from its 2020 album “Jazz Christmas Italiano” at The Century Room… DJ Humblelianess — La Reina of Tucson’s legendary Latino dance party sin fronteras — presides over El Tambó on the plaza at Hotel Congress. While resident DJ HumpHouse leads generation cool with an old school twist indoors at Club Congress… Forged in the fires of Midwestern open mic nights — sandwiching Cole Porter between Pulp and D’Angelo songs — Josh-

24 REASONS TO GO OUT FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER

By Linda Ray Tucson Weekly Columnist

CHRISTMAS DINNER! MOMS, DADS,

aunts, uncles and kids of all ages gather around a table covered with everyone’s favorite holiday dishes—green beans, two kinds of potatoes, pickled beets, stuffing. Try both the pumpkin and pecan pie. Everyone’s filled with the spirit of Christmas!

Or not.

Many’s the Christmas that my tiny family has gathered joyfully around a glass of wine, a plate of Moo Shu Pork and our choice of three more entrees at a favorite Chinese restaurant. Now it’s closed and we’re looking for something new. How about you?

1. ARIZONA SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

Celebrate the holiday with all your desert-creature kin and eat voraciously from the amazing spread put out by the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. For $79 ($35 kids through 10), choose dry brined prime rib, a whole roasted chicken or vegetarian lentil loaf each with sides, chipotle pumpkin risotto, pan-fried green beans amandine, shrimp cocktail and mini peach and brie tarts. Almost everything is labeled gluten-free. The complete menu is at desertmuseum. org. Seatings are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations are required via 520883-3046. Museum admission is also required for each guest.

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson 520-883-2702, desertmuseum.org

2. BASHAS’

“Arizona’s hometown grocer” has us covered if we really want to honor the traditions of the season but would rather spend Christmas Day in our pajamas. Tim in the deli department of the Camp Lowell store gave us the lowdown. Six to eight servings of rib roast is $99, ham or turkey is $69, and you get scalloped

potatoes, green beans, spiced apples, mashed sweet potatoes, a dozen dinner rolls and your choice of pumpkin or apple pie. Tim’s urgent tip: Order and pick it up right now. It will keep. Bashas’, 3275 N. Swan Road, Tucson, 520-323-5820, bashas.com/locations

3. CIELOS

A comedian friend jokes about how weird it is to see people at a buffet with their plates piled high. “You can go back,” she reminds us. That’s a good thing because you can’t stop at just one trip to chef Miguel Heredia’s spread at Cielos. It runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and costs $62, $25 for age 12 and younger. Choose from five mimosas followed by, for instance, deviled eggs, Christmas tamales, action stations for spiral ham and prime rib, green chile casserole, Southwest corn chowder and shrimp displayed on a carved ice tower. Lodge on the Desert, 306 N. Alvernon Way, 520-320-2014, lodgeonthedesert.com/cielos.php

4. THE CUP

The Cup is keeping it simple and delicious with tasty, creative and moderately priced plated options. From 4 to 8 p.m., guests can choose bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin roulette stuffed with dried blueberries, wilted arugula, and goat cheese served with sweet potato gratin, sautéed green beans, poached apple and currant chutney with balsamic demi for $34; or butter braised diver scallops, warm roasted beet slaw, agave glazed roasted carrot and parsnips, and pistachio gremolata for $38; or beef wellington, mushroom duxelles, puff pastry, braised collard greens and roasted red bell pepper coulis for $36. Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, 520-622-8848, hotelcongress.com

5. DENNY’S

How about a Family Pack of chicken strips and fries with three dipping sauces for $29.99? Or get four cheeseburgers and fries for $32.99. The chicken-fried dinner is $10.59 and includes a choice of sides. We recommend red-skinned potatoes and vegetable medley, but because it’s Christmas, you may want to go with the beer-battered onion rings. Or you can live it up with the straightup bourbon steak with sides for $16.99. Google “Denny’s Tucson” and choose the closest location. They do takeout and delivery services, too. Denny’s, multiple locations, 520- 623-8249, dennys.com

6. GOLD

With seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 and 5 p.m., Gold has created dinner parties that won’t be tripping over each other. Entrees will be plated, and sides are family style. All the rest will be on display for grazing. Try the pickled pumpkin white balsamic at the salad bar; the smoked, salt-crusted prime rib or stuffed acorn squash for entrees, and maybe the dark chocolate bread pudding for dessert. It’s all $88, $44 for kids ages 5 through 12. Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa, 245 E. Ina Road, 1-800-722-2500, westwardlook.com/dining/lookout

7. GOLDEN DRAGON

The Monterey Village Golden Dragon is closed. The Sunrise location is open only for takeout, but North Oracle Road will still be a great place for Christmas dinner. Celebrate the goodness on the regular menu and try something new to

mark the occasion. How about a family dinner? Three options range from $17.95 to $19.95 per person. They all start with a traditional soup and appetizers, then proceed through a different choice of entrée.

Golden Dragon, 6433 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, 520-297-1862, goldendragontucson.com/

8. GOVINDA’S

Music on Govinda’s lovely treelined, south-facing patio will be the soundtrack of the vegetarian afternoon, weather permitting. From noon to 5 p.m., guests can stuff themselves with creative vegetarian and wheat-free options for $19.95, $9.95 for kids 4 to 12 years old. Menu items include organic millet loaf, lentil croquettes, whipped yam and cauliflower, garden vegetable soup, stir-fry pasta, spring rolls, a salad bar and apple berry crisp. Kids will love visiting Govinda’s exotic birds and the koi pond’s waterfalls and fountains. Govinda’s, 711 E. Blacklidge Drive, 520-792-0630

9. GREAT WALL CHINA

Great Wall’s extensive menu is made for adventure. Tucked among traditional preparations are dishes with a more modern twist. For a Christmas gathering, Peking duck is the perfect choice at $42.99. We’d start, though, with honey walnut crystal strimp, $15.99, because it sounds like Christmas candy. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Great Wall China, 2445 S. Craycroft Road, Tucson, 520-514-8888, greatwallchinesetucson.com/

10. THE GRILL

Chef Devin Pinto is adding holiday favorites to The Grill’s always beautifully displayed buffet options, including prime rib, shrimp, pasta, cheeses, smoked salmon, roasted vegetables, eggs benedict, omelets and, of course, waffles. Remember, you can go back. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; $85, $45 kids ages 6 to 12.

Hacienda del Sol, 5501 N. Hacienda del Sol Road, Tucson 520-529-3500, haciendadelsol.com

11. GUADALAJARA GRILL

They won’t take reservations for fewer than eight people but they’re the only Guadalajara Grill that will be open for the holiday. It’s fun to start with that huge and delicious salt-rimmed margarita and the yummy guacamole with bottomless chips. The $17.95 combination plate allows guests to choose any three menu items to sample, with rice and beans included. Or try the plato bandera, a dish inspired by the Mexican flag. It’s three enchiladas with sauces that are red, green and white, just like Christmas.

Guadalajara Grill, 5955 Arizona Pavilions Drive, 520-296-4221, guadalajaraoriginalgrill.com

12. HILTON EL CONQUISTADOR

It’s amusing, and makes perfect sense, that the sweets are listed first in the online menu. The “North Pole Sweet Treats” section looks like a culinary “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.” Will it be, for instance, bourbon pecan tarts? Eggnog cheesecake with gingerbread crumble? Chocolate fondue? Inviting main course options include lobster posole, lemon-crusted corvina seabass, stuffed butternut squash, ham, lamb and prime rib. There are gluten-free and vegan options throughout. It’s $89, $28 for kids, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hilton El Conquistador, 10000 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, 520-544-5000, hiltonelconquistador.com

13. JUN DYNASTY

Tucsonans may debate where to find the best Chinese food, but Jun Dynasty is always near the top. And when we’re hungry for Szechuan, specifically, it’s no contest. The three lead chefs were born

and began their careers in Guangzhou, Tinjian and Szechuan, China. Christmas is just Sunday, here, so the hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you can expect Jun’s usual level of attentive service. Reservations are required and they’re going fast.

Jun Dynasty, 2933 E. Grant Road, 520881-0778, jundynasty.com

14. EL MEZQUITE GRILL AND TAQUERÍA

From the kitchen that brought us Sonoran baklava (mesquite-smoked pistachio and walnut and bathed in local mesquite honey and Tucson-distilled Whiskey Del Bac), we might not expect grandma’s traditional Christmas dinner. The regular menu, which is also available, is among our town’s best examples of using traditional Sonoran ingredients. But a special, $29 plated Christmas dinner sounds right out Norman Rockwell. There’s: roast turkey (dark or white meat) with a garlic and orange rub and cranberry glaze; herbed butter Hasselback Yukon Gold potato, green bean casserole, turkey gravy and rolls. Chef Carlos Ochoa goes rogue, though, with a dessert surprise: berry clafoutis.

Doubletree by Hilton, 280 S. Church Avenue, 520-372-7100, elmezquitetucson.com/

15. OMAR’S HI-WAY CHEF RESTAURANT

If you haven’t eaten at the TTT, this will be a gift. The food is great; ask any trucker. Christmas dinner begins at 11 a.m., they tell us, and “goes until it runs out.” The $15.99 special begins with a choice of salad or Omar’s holidays-only asparagus-crab soup. The main course is ham steak with pineapple glaze, yams and a choice of white potato (baked, fries, hashbrowns). We recommend the Mile High Pie for dessert.

Triple T Truck Stop, 5451 E. Benson Highway, Tucson, 520-574-0961

16. PIAZZA GAVI

In the holiday frenzy, it’s nice to find some things the same. Gavi offers its regular hours, the same reliably well prepared and delicious menu and especially the same lovely list of special entrées for children. It’s tempting to make a meal out of appetizers, like the butter garlic or spicy garlic shrimp ($18) or the bruschetta a la caprese ($14). A lot

of folks come just for the two dozen pasta options. But spaghetti marinara also comes with the chicken, pork and beef entrees, ranging from $29 to $34. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Piazza Gavi, 5415 N. Kolb Road, 520-577-1099, gavicucina.com/

17. PY STEAKHOUSE

This menu! Tucson foodies have followed chef Ryan Clark around for a decade and this Christmas menu says it all about why. It’s $75 and available Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, but reserve now. Options include: jumbo lump crab cakes with smoked jalapeño aioli, charred red pepper preserves, radish and crispy blue corn; winter squash bisque, burnt agave, cranberry compote, pecans; jumbo diver scallops with confit parsnip risotto, crunchy parsnip and pistachio; bacon – del Bac vinegar aged vinegar agrodolce or winter squash risotto nixtamalized dulces de calabaza, parmigiano reggiano, pecans, pomegranate seeds…it goes on like that for days. Optional wine-pairing is available. Casino Del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson, 520-324-9350, casinodelsol.com

18. RA SUSHI BAR RESTAURANT

Something about a mango ceviche taco (lobster, octopus, whitefish and shrimp mixed with mango, avocado, jalapeños, cilantro, shallots and citrus vinaigrette) or lobster filet mignon roll (tempura and avocado rolled and topped with seared filet mignon, creamy wasabi sauce, green onions and red bell peppers) just says “Christmas” to us. When RA does drama and fun, the results are memorable, but the chefs still respect the light hand that makes magic of even their sashimi. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant, La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Drive, Suite 289, Tucson, 520-615-3970, rasushi.com

19. SHER E PUNJAB

From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Christmas Day we can stuff ourselves with the

same carefully prepared and delicious Indian dishes that have made Sher e Punjab a hit with Indian food “authenticists” and, especially, vegetarians. There’s the classic buffet to fill up on, but you can also order from the menu plated specialties like the crunchy fried items in the Sher e Punjab sampler and the exotic khazan-e-tandoori lamb entrée.

Sher e Punjab, 853 E. Grant Road, Tucson, 520-624-9393, sherepunjabtucson.com

20. SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE

Sullivan’s maintains the classic traditions that have defined fine-dining since the mid-20th century. The ambience is clubby, but welcoming, and the service is among the best in town. The best deals here are the $48, prix-fixe menu options, each including salad or soup (try the shrimp and lobster bisque); entrees of steak, chicken or salmon; several mouthwatering mashed-potato preparations, and dessert. They had us at bananas foster bread pudding. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 1785 E. River Road, Tucson, 520-299-4275, Sullivanssteakhouse.com

21. TAKAMATSU

There will be none of their popular happy hour deals, and hours have been trimmed to 4 to 9 p.m. But the menu will be all the same hard choices. At the high end is the Kalbi, a dish of 3-inch cut beef short ribs for $44.99, but most other entrees are in the low $20s. We’d take any of the bulgogi options or the ginger sesame marinated pork belly. Don’t forget the ice cream tempura for dessert. Reservations are strongly recommended.

ua McCormack is not your typical singer-songwriter. Now, finding himself in the Sonoran Desert, McCormack performs at R Bar…

SATURDAY, DEC. 24

In a special Christmas show with a distinctly New Orleans flavor, vocalist Britney Chauntae and trumpeter James Williams — with bassist Colin McIlrath and Josh Sailor behind the trap kit — present A New Orleans Christmas at The Century Room…

SUNDAY, DEC. 25

Nada mucho. Enjoy the holiday.

MONDAY, DEC. 26

Embracing the spirit of spontaneity, Club Whutever finds DJs Bonus and PC Party spinning tracks to please their heart’s desire at Club Congress…

TUESDAY, DEC. 27

Conceived in the late 1980s, The Wooden Ball is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Chris Holiman. The

Wooden Ball is a semi-acoustic showcase for local artists, many of whom typically perform amplified, to render their songs unplugged. This year’s lineup features Eugene Boronow, Penelope Monroy, Barnaby and the Butcher, River Roses, A Broken Horse, Steff and The Articles and Howe Gelb performing 20-minute stripped-down sets. The 30th annual Wooden Ball unfolds at Club Congress…

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28

A graduate of Berklee School of Music’s synthesis program, Ryan Alfred may be best known for his work with Calexico and Sweet Ghosts. His latest piece, “We Are Made of Time,” is described as “a fully improvised exercise in spontaneous composition, a tightrope act of electronic, vocal, and acoustic elements recorded and processed live without a net of pre-recorded material.”

Ryan Alfred performs at Club Congress.

Ryan David Green and Jillian Bessett add appreciably to the evening’s entertainment…

Until next week, XOXO…

Takamatsu, 5532 E. Speedway Boulevard, 520-512-0800, takatucson.net

22. TASTE OF AGAVE

An $8 cranberry margarita with a green salted rim is the spirit of the season, unless you’re feeling more like the green “Grinch” Midori made with guava juice. For starters, we’d recommend the seasonal butternut squash soup. Then comes the hard part. Will it be roasted turkey or ham, red snapper Veracruz, prime rib, chicken with poblano cream, steak Diana or pork tenderloin? The price is right, from $28 to $35. We’d finish with the festive raspberry mousse tulip with berries. Your entrée includes sides and dessert.

Desert Diamond Casino, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, 1-866-332-9467, ddcaz.com/Sahuarita

23. TUK TUK THAI

Tuk Tuk lays claim to the best Thai street food in town, and at its prices it feels like a steal. Two shrimp summer

rolls are $6.95. Soup and curry orders (including pumpkin curry chicken!) all serve three for around $17, and a spicy crispy chicken basil entrée is just $13.95. The most expensive item on the menu is the gluten-free khao pad puu for $18.55, with blue crab meat, fried rice with egg, red onion, garlic, tomatoes and Chinese broccoli. Only the Campbell Avenue location is open. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tuk Tuk Thai, 2990 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 130, 520-777-7888

24. Z MANSION

Best known as a wedding venue, the Z Mansion serves as many as 300 homeless adults and children every Sunday, including Christmas. You can’t donate a thing, but they always need volunteers. Just arrive by 8 a.m.; you should be finished by 11:30 a.m. Look around and see where they host their weekly first-aid clinic, give pets checkups and provide shoes and clothing. And chat with some of our homeless neighbors. It could make your Christmas Day.

Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Avenue, 520-907-9057, workship.org/serve

CANNABIS SALES SOAR, BUT DON’T THREATEN ARIZONA’S 5 CS YET

By Ryan Knappenberger Cronkite News

SALES OF MARIJUANA IN ARIZONA

soared to $1.6 billion in 2021, just one year after recreational pot was legalized in the state, making Arizona second only to California for retail sales that year, according to an industry research group.

But while retail sales of cannabis are strong, the crop is far from being added to the traditional “5 Cs” of Arizona’s economy, experts say, as production still trails far behind other states.

They say cannabis could become a

strong part of the state’s economy in the next few years, but the industry will first have to overcome barriers to growth nationwide that include limited trade and restrictions on financing for a crop that is still illegal on the federal level.

“We don’t see SWAT teams busting in the doors of dispensaries,” said Aaron Smith, CEO of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “But we do have problems with not being able to take tax deductions like a normal industry, or

being able to have interstate commerce, which really creates a barrier to entry for a lot of folks.”

But for now, at least, the industry appears to be growing in Arizona.

Marijuana sales brought in $221.3 million in taxes in 2021, according to the Arizona Department of Revenue, and sales in 2022 were on pace to eclipse that number, with $196.4 million in taxes in the first nine months of the year. That’s an average of just under $22 million in excise taxes a month for 2022.

Cultivation and production of cannabis as a crop, however, are not about to rival the 5 Cs: cattle, cotton, copper, citrus and climate.

Alexis Villacis Aveiga, an assistant professor at the Morrison School of Agribusiness at Arizona State University, said that in order for cannabis to rival the rest of the 5 Cs, the state would need to see a much larger expansion of agricultural production.

But Arizona’s climate makes it diffi-

cult to grow cannabis, he said, and while greenhouses can help address that issue, Arizona has a lot of catching up to do with other states.

“For example, we have 35,000 square feet of indoors cannabis and hemp,” Aveiga said. “In California there are over 4 million square feet, Colorado has over 2 million and Kentucky has around

A VENDOR MAKES CHANGE FOR CANNABIS SALE AT A LOS ANGELES MARKETPLACE IN THIS PHOTO FROM 2020, WHEN ARIZONA VOTERS LEGALIZED RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA. SINCE THEN, CANNABIS SALES IN ARIZONA HAVE SURGED TO AN ESTIMATED $1.6 BILLION, SECOND ONLY TO CALIFORNIA, BUT PRODUCTION IN THE STATE STILL LAGS. (RICHARD VOGEL/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK)

200,000.

“So Arizona is pretty small compared to other states,” he said.

Dave DeWalt, the Arizona statistician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said in an email that the state had about 129,000 acres of cotton in production in

2021, worth about $156 million, and that cattle brought in $754 million that year. There were 10,031 acres of citrus in the state in 2017, the most recent year for which USDA has data available.

Acreage for cannabis production was not readily available, but the Arizona Department of Agriculture measures the production of hemp — a type of cannabis plant that contains 0.3% or less of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive component of the plant that gives users a high.

Hemp cannot be used to get high, but can be used to create things like rope, paper, paint, beer, medicine and more.

The department said Arizona had 155. 5 acres of industrial hemp growing in fields at the end of 2021, and 11,558 square feet planted indoors.

Aveiga said current state regulations make hemp less attractive as a crop, since farmers can only sell their harvest if it is below the 0.3% limit for THC. Otherwise, it counts as marijuana, which requires a separate license to grow and sell.

Smith, of the NCIA, said it’s not just farmers: Businesses trying to sell medi-

cal and recreational marijuana face legal hurdles that other businesses don’t. He said regulations for cannabis make it difficult for small businesses to deduct expenses and find banks to work with. That means some operators cannot take credit cards for purchases and in some cases cannot place cash in checking accounts.

“It just serves nobody’s interest to have the industry operate in cash or you do not have access to these services,” Smith said.

Despite all the current hurdles, Smith said Arizona has been a pioneering purple state in terms of cannabis regulation and has shown just how popular legalization can be.

“Cannabis is used across demographics, boomers and millennials and Gen Z, people over 21 are using responsibly and we’re glad to see that,” Smith said. “Arizona law is by and large working well.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700 $1.99 per minute. 18 and

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19)

Aries author Eric G. Wilson has written a book that I might typically recommend to 40 percent of the Aries tribe. But in 2023, I will raise that to 80 percent of you. The title is “How to Be Weird: An Off-Kilter Guide to Living a One-of-aKind Life.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, it will make sense for you to stop making sense on a semi-regular basis. Cheerfully rebelling against the status quo should be one of your most rewarding hobbies. The best way to educate and entertain yourself will be to ask yourself, “What is the most original and imaginative thing I can do right now?

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20)

One of your potential superpowers is cultivating links between the spiritual and physical worlds. If you develop this talent, you illuminate the ways that eternity permeates the everyday routine. You weave together the sacred and the mundane so they synergize each other. You understand how practical matters may be infused with archetypal energies and epic themes. I hope you will be doing a lot of this playful work in 2023, Taurus. Many of us non-Bulls would love you to teach us more about these mysteries.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20)

Here are fun and useful projects for you to cultivate in 2023: 1. Initiate interesting trends. Don’t follow mediocre trends. 2. Exert buoyant leadership in the groups you are part of. 3. Practice the art of enhancing your concentration by relaxing. 4. Every Sunday at noon, renew your vow to not deceive or lie to yourself during the coming week. 5. Make it your goal to be a fabulous communicator, not just an average one. 6. Cultivate your ability to discern what people are hiding or pretending about.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22)

In 2023, I hope you will refine and deepen your relationship with your gut instinct. I will be ecstatic if you learn more about the differences between your lucid intuition and the worry mongering that your pesky demons rustle up. If you at-

tend to these matters—and life will conspire to help you if you do—your rhythm will become dramatically more secure and stable. Your guidance system will serve you better than it ever has. A caveat: Seeking perfection in honing these skills is not necessary. Just do the best you can.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22)

Psychiatrist and author Irvin Yalom wrote, “The question of meaning in life is, as the Buddha thought, not edifying.

One must immerse oneself into the river of life and let the question drift away.” But Holocaust survivor and philosopher Viktor Frankl had a radically different view.

He said that a sense of meaning is the single most important thing. That’s what sustains and nourishes us through the years: the feeling that our life has a meaning and that any particular experience has a meaning. I share Frankl’s perspective, and I advise you to adopt his approach throughout 2023. You will have unprecedented opportunities to see and know the overarching plan of your destiny, which has been only partially visible to you in the past. You will be regularly blessed with insights about your purpose here on earth.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22)

As a young woman, Virgo-born Ingeborg Rapoport (1912–2017) studied medicine at the University of Hamburg in Germany. But in 1938, the Nazis refused to let her defend her PhD thesis and get her medical degree because of her Jewish ancestry. Seventy-seven years later, she was finally given a chance to finish what she had started. Success! The dean of the school said, “She was absolutely brilliant. Her specific knowledge about the latest developments in medicine was unbelievable.” I expect comparable developments for you in 2023, Virgo. You will receive defining opportunities or invitations that have not been possible before. Postponed breakthroughs and

resolutions will become achievable.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22)

Of the 2,200+ humans quoted in a 21st-century edition of “Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations,” 164 are women—a mere seven percent! At least that’s more than the four females represented in 1855’s first edition. Let’s take this atrocious injustice as our provocation for your horoscope. In accordance with astrological omens, one of your assignments in 2023 will be to make personal efforts to equalize power among the genders. Your well-being will thrive as you work to create a misogyny-free future. Here are possible actions: If you’re a woman or nonbinary person, be extra bold and brave as you say what you genuinely think and feel and mean. If you’re a man, foster your skills at listening to women and nonbinary people. Give them abundant space and welcome to speak their truths. It will be in your ultimate interest to do so!

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)

To prepare you for 2023, I’m offering you wisdom from mythologist Michael Meade. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios will be most likely to extract riches from it. Meade writes: “Becoming a genuine individual requires learning the oppositions within oneself. Those who fail or refuse to face the oppositions within have no choice but to find enemies to project upon. ‘Enemy’ simply means ‘not-friend’; unless a person deals with the not-friend within, they require enemies around them.”

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21)

“I will always be as difficult as necessary to achieve the best,” declared Sagittarian opera singer Maria Callas (1923–1977). Many critics say she was indeed one of the 20th century’s best. The consensus is that she was also a temperamental prima donna. Impresario Rudolf Bing said she was a trial to work with “because she was so much more intelligent. Other artists, you could get around. But Callas you could not get around. She knew exactly what she wanted and why she wanted it.” In accordance with astrological omens,

Sagittarius, I authorize you, in your quest for success in 2023, to be as “difficult” as Callas was, in the sense of knowing exactly what you want. But please—so as to not undermine your success—don’t lapse into diva-like behavior.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)

To inspire your self-inquiry in 2023, I have chosen a passage from Herman Hesse’s fairy tale, “A Dream Sequence.” It will provide guidance as you dive further than ever before into the precious mysteries in your inner depths. Hesse addressed his “good ardent darkness, the warm cradle of the soul, and lost homeland.” He asked them to open up for him. He wanted them to be fully available to his conscious mind. Hesse said this to his soul: “Just feel your way, soul, just wander about, burrow into the full bath of innocent twilight drives!”

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)

Cardiovascular surgeon Michael DeBakey lived till age 99. He almost died at 97, but was able to capitalize on an invention that he himself had created years before: a polymer resin that could repair or replace aging blood vessels. Surgeons used his technology to return him to health. I am predicting that in 2023, you, too, will derive a number of benefits from your actions in the past. Things you made, projects you nurtured, and ideas you initiated will prove valuable to you as you encounter the challenges and opportunities of the future.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20)

I decided to divine the state of your financial karma. To begin, I swirled a $10 bill through the flame rising from a green candle. Then I sought cosmic auguries in the burn patterns on the bill. The oracle provided bad news and good news. The bad news is that you live on a planet where one-fifth of the population owns much more than four-fifths of the wealth. The good news is that in 2023, you will be in decent shape to move closer to the elite one-fifth. Amazingly, the oracle also suggests that your ability to get richer quicker will increase in direct proportion to your integrity and generosity.

By Rob Brezsny. Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY HOROSCOPE

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