Desert Times, Oct. 6, 2021

www.tucsonlocalmedia.com

Oct. 6 2021

DESERT TIMES The Voice of Southwest Tucson

Volume  • Number 

Breast Cancer Awareness

Oct. How 7, 2020one local support group is providing community

during a time of isolation | Special Section

INSIDE

ACROSS THE POND

Mask Mandates

Local schools reject extension | Page 6

Mission Garden

Still growing despite drought and deluge | Page 9

Happenings

Events around town this month | Page 10

Three London artists are bringing fresh new art to Pima Community College’s Bernal Gallery in the exhibit “Egress.”

Pictured here is “Tossed” by artist George Little.

Developer withdraws plans for Picture Rocks RV park after backlash Jeff Gardner Tucson Local Media

P Town honors motorcycle club for child Courtesy photo

abuse prevention efforts Colleen Forsyth

Special to Tucson Local Media

T

he Marana Town Council declared September “Guardians of the Children Month.”

“Guardians of the Children” is a nonprofit organization led by motorcycle riders who come

together to enjoy the open road and help residents learn about the resources available to prevent child abuse.

The ‘Wild West’ chapter of the national organization has about 60 members and serves Pima County and the surrounding area. The chapter’s goal is to recognize and react to child abuse. The chapter works with

the public to educate them on the signs of child abuse. Their website mission page states that they “serve as advocates to provide strength and stability to families in crisis and be an answer to the prayer of an abused child or teen for courage, support and protection.”

icket signs reading “No RVs!” have been replaced with a sign reading “Hallelujah” after plans for a 200lot RV park in Picture Rocks were scrapped due to substantial community opposition.

T and T Engineering, which submitted the plans for an RV park on an undeveloped parcel less than a mile from the Saguaro National Park border, withdrew their plans in the wake of a community meeting that overflowed with dissension.

On Tuesday, Sept. 14, more than 100 residents filled the Picture Rocks Community Center to voice their opposition to the proposed RV park on 75 acres near Saguaro National Park West. The RV park would have been located on Tula Lane, between Picture Rocks and Rudasill roads.

See MOTORCYCLE, P4

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See RV PARK, P8

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Desert Times

The Desert Times is published the first week of every month and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout south Tucson. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of the Desert Times, please visit www.TucsonLocalMedia.com

STAFF ADMINISTRATION Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher Michael Hiatt, Vice President Jaime Hood, General Manager jaime@tucsonlocalmedia.com Claudine Sowards, Accounting claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com Sheryl Kocher, Receptionist sheryl@tucsonlocalmedia.com EDITORIAL Jim Nintzel, Executive Editor jimn@tucsonlocalmedia.com Jeff Gardner, Managing Editor jeff@tucsonlocalmedia.com Mike Truelsen, Web Editor mike@tucsonlocalmedia.com Alexandra Pere, Staff Reporter apere@tucsonlocalmedia.com PRODUCTION Courtney Oldham, Production Manager, tucsonproduction@timespublications.com Ryan Dyson Graphic Designer ryand@tucsonlocalmedia.com Emily Filener, Graphic Designer emilyf@tucsonlocalmedia.com CIRCULATION Alex Carrasco, Circulation alexc@tucsonlocalmedia.com ADVERTISING TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com Kristin Chester, Account Executive kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com Lisa Hopper, Account Executive lisa@tucsonlocalmedia.com Candace Murray, Account Executive candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com Tyler Vondrak, Account Executive tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING Zac Reynolds, Director of National Advertising Zac@TimesPublications.com EDITORIAL & AD CONTENT The Desert Times expresses its opinion in the editorial. Opinions expressed in guest commentaries, perspectives, cartoons or letters to the editor are those of the author. The content and claims of any advertisement are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Tucson Local Media assumes no responsibility for the claims or content of any advertisement. Publisher has the right to edit for size or refuse any advertisement at his or her discretion.

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

Desert Times, October 2021

Desert To-Dos ZOOcson 2021. Reid Park Zoo is bringing back one of their largest events with food, entertainment and auctions.

This year’s gala is inspired by the zoo’s new African wild dog pack. It benefits the zoo, and you get to learn all about exocit animals. Everyone’s a winner. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8. 3400 Zoo Court. reidparkzoo.org Yume Japanese Gardens Reopens. This year, which has so far been about three decades long, but simultaneously 14 seconds long, has felt weird. We could all use some Zen energy and a little bit of a mental reset, which is why we’re so excited for this reopening! And in tandem with the tiniest, most hopeful glimmer of cooler weather on the horizon? Wonderful. Come on down to stroll through the serene gardens at Yume. If you’re really looking for a treat, sign up for their Path to Emotional Healing Program, where you’ll learn to reflect on your own stories to enable yourself to thrive. Yume Japanese Gardens is located at 2130 N. Alvernon Way. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. $13 GA, $10 seniors, $9 students/military, $6 kids 3 to 15.

osophical, musical and recommended for adults and older teens. Red Herring Puppets is putting on this grownup puppet slam for two weekends only, and we do not recommend missing it. The show is a series of short vignettes performed by talented local puppeteers, and you’ll get a chance to see a variety of puppet styles putting on several types of performances.

7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1, 2, 8 and 9. Red Herring Puppets, Tucson Mall, 4500 N. Oracle Road (upper level between Macy’s and Forever 21). $12 for reservations.

Día de los Muertos at Tohono Chul. Modern celebrations of this holiday, which recognizes and celebrates death, are a rich and beautiful part of Tucson’s cultural heritage. This exhibit features 61 works from 42 different Arizona artists, who bring the spirit of the holiday to life in works with both personal and universal meaning. Manuel Fontes, who studied fine art photography at Phoenix College and earned his BA and MA in ecological anthropology from ASU, is joining Tohono Chul’s team as co-curator for the exhibit. His art has been shown in 11 Tohono Chul exhibitions since 2015. On display through Nov. 8 at Tohono Chul, 7366 Paseo del Norte.

Galleries open 9 a.m. to 5 Puppet Cabaret. Ev- p.m. daily. $15 adult entry, eryone knows that the best $13 seniors/military, $6 kids puppet shows aren’t just ages 5 to 12. funny: They’re also phil-

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Desert Times, October 2021

Motorcycle: “Guardians of the Children” Continued from P1

Motorcycle riders pick a road name that has personal meaning. Members of the Wild West chapter use their road names when interacting with ‘Guardians of the Children’ missions. This is to protect the friends and family of members, as much as the kids think it is cool. The president of the Wild West chapter, Hillbilly, has a personal passion for helping children.

“For us it’s families first, jobs second and the mission third so we can always make sure we have it together to be there for

the kids when they need us,” Hillbilly said. “We want to make sure when there is a child in need, we can do anything to help them. We have stood with them when they have to testify in court, and we have checked under the bed at night to make sure the boogeyman isn’t there.

Whatever it is they need, we will be there for them.”

Wild West members deliver anti-bullying messages in local schools and offer aid to children and families in crisis.

Members make a time commitment to the children they help. That can range from a few hours each month to daily assistance depending on

the situation. Full members must have access to a motorcycle. Supporting members are not required to have motorcycle access.

All members must have a background check before being approved to join.

The Wild West chapter eventually hopes to install friendship benches in Marana schools. These benches are where a child can go to sit when feeling sad. Other children on the playground will know that when someone sits there, they need a friend. It’s one more way children can ask for the help they need and expand their support circle.

Marana regularly works with local groups that help

the community. Over his 19 years in office, Mayor Ed Honea has looked for opportunities to help support the town. He is excited about the partnership with the ‘Guardians of the Children.’

“We are always looking for people to help our community,” Honea said.

“These are motorcycle enthusiasts who want to help children. They have a mission to help young people stay safe. We are honored to have that group of people in our community.”

For more information Courtesy photo check out the Town of Marana’s website or the Wild Members of the motorcycle nonprofit Guardians of the Children, who work West Chapter’s website. to prevent child abuse.

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Desert Times, October 

Telehealth to serve large healthcare role, even after pandemic Jeff Gardner Tucson Local Media

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side from the obvious threats of COVID, the world faced several side effects from sheltering at home and social distancing, such as the loneliness from isolation. However, technology provided several workarounds to the isolation, and has resulted in a permanent shift in the healthcare industry that will endure even after the pandemic subsides for good.

Telehealth or telemedicine, when a patient speaks to a healthcare professional via technology, is nothing new.

But the demand and necessity of social distancing has resulted in the remodeling of entire hospital networks. Across the world, hospitals now have entire staffs dedicated to telehealth, and some patients

even prefer it to their standard doctor’s visits.

Prior to COVID, MHC Healthcare in Marana had a small telehealth program mainly used for two patient groups: behavioral health patients who were in residential treatment facilities out of town, and for substance abuse treatment to further develop a network of support. However, these constituted less than 1% of their overall business, according to Jon Reardon, chief behavioral health officer for MHC Healthcare.

“In March 2020 when the Governor declared a state of emergency, we sprang into action. We worked with training departments and designated time. Because at that point only essential workers would be out and about, and our immediate concern was the continuity of care for the patient population. We had to bridge

that gap,” Reardon said. “It went from 0 to 60 in no time at all. By the next week, our staff was actively providing telehealth services, and by the following month in April, we were providing as much service delivery as we had previously, all via telehealth.”

Aside from rapidly expanding their system by purchasing new webcams and laptops for staff, MHC Healthcare also had to introduce the system to many patients and employees. While Reardon admits there was a learning curve, he says patients also saw some unexpected benefits, such as not having to worry about childcare, transportation or commute time for their appointments.

“The willingness of the state of Arizona to temporarily allow us to provide services via telephone as well as audio/

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video did allow us to bridge more gaps,” Reardon said.

“There were some folks who, regardless of how much effort you put in to provide training, were really going to struggle.

It might be because of a lack of knowledge or access to technology, and the ability for us to have a telephonic code set as well as audio/video, allowed us to provide care that we otherwise would have struggled with.”

Telehealth was also especially important in Reardon’s field of behavioral health.

With primary care doctors, patients may only visit the hospital for an annual wellness check or when they’re feeling sick. But behavioral health is often based around continual treatment courses.

“Before COVID hit, there was an understandable reluctance to using telehealth. It

seemed new or awkward. The traditional model is you get to know your doctor and get that service directly,” Reardon said.

“But what we found out is you can get the majority of that work via telehealth, and still establish very effective relationships. It really was pushed by necessity, but once they tried this out, it was a positive experience.”

At their peak, MHC saw more than 80% of their behavioral health services conducted via telehealth. This has since dropped down to around 50%, with a slight increase since the Delta variant began spreading.

Of course, there are many hospital procedures that can’t be conducted via telehealth. But telehealth can still benefit these by freeing up time and hospital space for those who do need to go in for surgeries and more precise consultations.

According to Banner Health CEO Sarah Frost,

from March 2020 through March 2021, 27% of Banner University Medicine Tucson’s ambulatory visits were via telehealth, with most online visit volumes coinciding with COVID-19 surges. This was of particular success in Banner’s Tucson locations, as Banner University Medicine Tucson accounted for 44% of all telehealth visits across the entire Banner Health system, which spans six states.

“We’ve always thought about this and wanted to address those gaps in care. Obviously when the pandemic hit it maximized demand, but even going forward we are seeing this is a very effective way to deliver service,” Reardon said. “For most populations, it is as efficient as face-to-face, and in fact it is a form of face-to-face, just through a screen. We believe it’s here to stay.”

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Desert Times, October 2021

Marana School District rejects extending mask mandate in classrooms Alexandra Pere Tucson Local Media

T

he Marana Unified School District Governing Board ended their special meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 29 with no action on requiring face masks on Marana school campuses.

Board member John Lewandowski called the Sept. 29 emergency meeting on the previous day and planned to make a motion for the institution of a mask mandate.

Marana school campuses have gone to mask-optional status since their previous mandate ended on Sept 29.

New data from a recently released study by the CDC, co-authored with Pima County, showed K-12 schools without mask requirements were 3.5 times more likely to experience a COVID outbreak. Data was taken from 999 public schools in Pima and Maricopa County.

Boardmember Hunter Holt surprised the Board on Wednesday by making a motion to relinquish the authority to institute a mask mandate to Superintendent Dr. Dan Streeter.

“My motion is to give Dr. Streeter sole authority to implement and remove

any sort of mask mandate from here on out,” Holt said.

Holt said he trusted Streeter to make the proper decision. He also said that COVID case numbers have improved in Marana. The Arizona Department of Health Services has recorded a slow decrease of overall COVID cases in Pima County since the August surge. Pima County K-12 schools are still considered to have high transmissibility, according to ADHS. “This is really ridiculous, John called this meeting so the five of us could vote on reimpos-

ing a mask mandate and now Hunter has come in from left field and has thrown this curveball,” Boardmember Tom Carlson said, “Obviously, Dr. Streeter doesn’t know what to say on this.”

Streeter seemed confused by the surprise motion and recommended the Board vote no. The motion to give Streeter mandate authority failed without enough votes.

Lewandowski then asked the board to extend the mask mandate, but the motion died for the lack of a second so the proposal of an extended mask mandate failed.

Marana Unified School

District will remain mask-optional unless the board decides otherwise.

“I was very disappointed,” Lewandowski said after the meeting. “I thought I was doing what was in the best interest of kids and staff for safety.”

Lewandowski pledged to ask Board President Dr. Maribel Lopez to revisit the subject at a future meeting but said she could choose not to include it.

Other nearby districts, including Flowing Wells, Amphitheater and TUSD, chose to continue with indoor mask requirements.

Amphitheater Superintendent Todd Jaeger

said the district would continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Pima County Health Department and require masks.

Senate Bill 1819 was passed with a variety of non-budget-related provisions, including the prohibition on mask mandates. Judge Cooper said these provisions were not pertinent to the budget and therefore unconstitutional in her ruling on Sept 27. This ruling came two days before the laws were scheduled to go into effect on Sept 29.

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Desert Times, October 

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Desert Times, October 2021

RV Park: Picture Rocks protests Continued from P1

The Planning and Zoning meeting came after Pima County Development Services recommended approval of the RV park’s initial plans for rezoning.

Neighbors and concerned residents crowded inside the Community Center with picket signs like “No No No to Rezone” and “No RVs!” The residents’ main concerns included the environmental impact of an RV park, crowding of the small adjacent streets, and noise and light pollution.

Firstly, residents brought up the potential environmental impacts of a 200 RV park in rural Picture Rocks. While T and T Engineering said the parcel has been assured a 100-year water supply by Avra Valley Water, they may need a retention pond to deal with all the park’s waste. In addition, the rezoning would also require setting aside two thirds of the lot as open space to be able to continue.

T and T Engineering argued the plan had set this amount aside, but room between the RVs was also considered open space, to the audience’s dissent.

In the public Planning and Zoning Commission staff report, Saguaro National Park chief of science Jeff Conn stated that three areas of focus for the park are light pollution, noise pollution and invasive species.

Residents also expressed concern about large RVs maneuvering the small, rural roads of Picture Rocks, with one resident shout-

Photo by Jeff Gardner

Picture Rocks residents gather in the community center to oppose the RV park near Saguaro National Park West. ing, “It’s going to take an RV park to get our roads fixed?” Of particular concern is the winding Picture Rocks Road, which snakes through the National Park, connecting Ina Road with the Picture Rocks area. The property owner argued that they’d tell the potential RV visitors to take the easier Sandario and Rudasill roads. But residents said visitors would likely just follow their GPS, which would take them on the shorter, more precarious route.

Finally, the crowd also worried about the population that may come to the park, referring to them as “transients.” Concerns ranged from RVs being abandoned to pets getting out to visitors walking through neighboring properties to get to Saguaro National Park. The landlord aimed to avoid these by marketing the park as a

“luxury” park, and only allowing RVs built within the past decade.

Local residents stated they were not against any and all development on the property. Alternate suggestions included subdividing the parcel, building a community park or simply building out the 48 houses without the need for rezoning.

“This would be a disaster to the wildlife and the community. I’ve never seen people go to an RV park that is so far off the interstate,” said Bob Musgrave, who lives near the proposed park. “The housing market is so lively in Tucson, and it makes me wonder why they’d give up 50 housing lots to turn them into 200 RV lots. That doesn’t make sense to me.”

After the cancelled plans, the lot is still zoned and planned for 48 residential lots.

Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

Tucson Cancer Conquerors provide community and direction

The Northwest’s Newspaper

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

Breast Cancer Awareness month:

Screening, survival and support

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very October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all of our papers in the Tucson Local Media group—The Explorer, Marana News, Foothills News, Desert Times, Inside Tucson Business and Tucson Weekly—bring a special focus to a disease that will affect nearly 6,000 Arizona women and their families in 2021.

Fortunately, the treatment for breast cancer has come a long way, although the American Cancer Society estimates the cancer will kill nearly 900 women this year.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, being treated for cancer has been even more challenging than usual. Contributor Emily Dieckman talks with women who had to be extra-cautious during chemotherapy because the procedure takes such a toll on their immune system. Plus, at times, they couldn’t bring family to the appointments for sup-

To do list: Self-Check Get Mammogram Shop at Goose

Courtesy photo

port. But they nonetheless found help thanks to Cancer Conquerors, a support group that lets women share their stories and work out to rebuild their strength.

As one cancer survivor in the group explains, “Without a group like this, especially during this time, I mean, where you do you get the answers? How do you get perspective? How do you see someone who’s been through it, and they’re doing great, and they’re happy? And they’re happier than they were before because they’re more grateful from everything they’ve been through?”

Another important key to fighting breast cancer is early detection through screening. But with the novel coronavirus outbreak, many people have put off those screenings.

This March, the National Cancer Institute reported that the pandemic initially led to sharp decreases in the use

of recommended cancer screening tests, and due to cancer’s generally slow growth, the impact of the pandemic on overall cancer deaths will not be clear for many years.

In these pages, Carol Roder of the American Cancer Society explains why it’s so important to catch the disease early and start treatment.

Finally, Tucson Local Media health columnist Mia Smitt examines the different kinds of breast cancer as well as various treatment options. She even shares an inspriring story about how it’s never too late or hopeless to recover from the disease.

While it’s easy to put off medical appointments, especially during a pandemic, be sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor for a breast cancer screening if you’ve put it off. It could make the difference in your survival.

Jim Nintzel Executive Editor

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

Cancer and COVID: ‘Two Things That Can Kill Me’ Breast cancer patients face treatment and isolation and amid the pandemic Emily Dieckman

Special to Tucson Local Media

T

he doctor said it was probably nothing.

Fatty tissue, if anything. Nina Shelton said she’d like to get a mammogram anyway. The lump didn’t feel like nothing to her, and it didn’t feel normal. She passed the time waiting for her mammogram results with fastidious, furious researching. It was March 2020, and COVID-19 had turned the world into a whirlwind of case infection updates, while also making it feel

eerily still.

Shelton had just moved to Tucson a few months earlier, so she didn’t have anyone to bring to her appointment with her. She dialed her sister and brought her to the appointment on speaker phone. She’d researched so much that her cancer diagnosis didn’t come as a surprise, but her bad news felt almost like screaming into a void. She wrote later that, though it felt selfish to say so, it was almost like COVID-19 stole her thunder.

“I felt a little selfish thinking that, but at the same time, I just thought,

‘This is a big deal.’ And my friends and family were so sympathetic and comforting from miles away,” she says. “But it was at the same time thousands of people were dying at a daily rate, and people were in panic mode and wearing masks.

It felt like it just diminished my issue a little bit.”

Shelton is the first to acknowledge that, in a lot of ways, she was fortunate.

The pandemic made it easy for her to work from home with her suppressed immune system, since almost everyone in her office was working from home as well. She had a friend drive

out to stay with her for the first two weeks of chemotherapy, and then her sister came to visit. In another sense, it was just good she’d noticed the lump at all. Institutions across the country are publishing research showing that the number of people coming in for routine annual screenings, including mammograms, declined during the pandemic.

But, in another sense, having cancer during a pandemic meant facing a unique sort of isolation.

Shelton didn’t have family in town, but even if she did, they wouldn’t be allowed to accompany her to appointments. Sometimes she would go into work, masked up and sitting far from her coworkers, just to be around other people. Some of her coworkers would bring her meals, or check in on her periodically. It meant a lot.

“I think a lot of people were experiencing loneliness, and the sting, was, I think, a little bit lessened because a lot of people were experiencing it,” she said.

“There were people going through their own trauma with their own pandemic issues and they were stepping up to help me in the ways that they could. It was always this back and forth of feeling incredibly grateful and feeling a little pity and anger.”

At the same time that

she felt steeped in loneliness, cancer also became something of a constant companion, living with her, telling her what to do and feel, trying to control her. And Shelton felt compelled to learn everything she could about this new shadow following her everywhere. When she read stories about how people with the same diagnosis as her had fared, she says it felt almost like looking up the exes of a person she was now dating.

“Is cancer still affecting them? Has he left? Have they gotten over cancer?” she wondered.

She says one of her biggest tools to fight against the cancer, and against the potential for inadequate medical care, was using her voice. So, when her doctor told her the lump was probably benign fatty tissue, she insisted on a test.

When she was having lung problems during chemotherapy, doctors thought it might be COVID-19, or maybe allergies. Shelton suspected she had a temporary, rare condition in which the chemotherapy was attacking her lungs.

Her doctors said it was unlikely, but Shelton insisted on a test. She was right.

“I had to learn to be more vocal about my care,” she says. “I had to learn to be a bigger advocate. That was trial and error: When do I listen to my doctor

and where do I push back?

But when I spoke up, I pushed back [about the initial mammogram], that literally saved my life.”

Lisa Yiu: “It was very scary.”

Lisa Yiu’s particular flavor of struggle was closer to denial. She felt a breast lump in the shower in November 2020, and mentioned it to her husband, even though she was sure it would be fine. She ate healthily, she’d been exercising regularly since she was a teenager and she only drank the occasional glass of wine at dinner. Still, her husband wanted her to get it looked at right away. She got the call that it was cancer on Thanksgiving Day. She kept asking herself—and she keeps asking herself—what she did wrong? Was it the hysterectomy she’d had in her 40s? Or the stress from the pandemic? Was it that she’d been drinking a little more than usual (adding a martini into the dinner rotation here and there) to cope with the stress? She’d been on a safari in Africa in early 2020, and arrived home to self-quarantine and COVID-19 chaos. The months of stay-at-home orders threw the whole world out of whack.

See Cancer Conquerors, P5

Cancer Conquerors

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

Photo courtesy Tucson Cancer Conquerors

Cancer Conquerors founder and president Liz Amli (second from left) with Dawn Messer, Ken Harvey, Mary SpecioBoyer and Deb Helig .

Continued from P4

“I didn’t think about doing health visits, mammograms,” she says. “All I could think about was, ‘Do I have enough toilet paper? Am I stocked up on canned foods?’”

After they found the cancer, and as the pandemic raged on, Yiu started chemotherapy, and having a weak immune system made social distancing more critical than ever. Now, she says, it felt like there were two things that could kill her: cancer and COVID-19. Going to the store felt dangerous, because other people felt dangerous, like potential sources of infection.

“My husband couldn’t go to appointments with me, my parents couldn’t go to appointments with me,” she says. “I was really in this alone. It was very scary.”

When vaccinations started rolling out, she was relieved, and her doctor recommended she get one, but it was nerve wracking. How would her weakened immune system respond? Would the vaccine affect the effectiveness of her chemotherapy?

There weren’t yet studies on how the vaccine affected cancer patients, though University of Arizona Health Sciences released one last week that found the Pfizer vaccine is less effective for patients actively undergoing chemotherapy. The first round wasn’t bad, but the second shot had her down for four days—after the week she was already down due to chemotherapy.

Now, she’s on the upand-up, having recently got her booster shot and finished with her treatments. She’s trying to exercise every day, and en-

joying that she now finds herself craving organic vegetables. As she watches her daughter in her first year of college at the University of Arizona, she’s filled with hope for the future.

Tucson Cancer Conquerors Shelton, Yiu and dozens of other cancer survivors can be found most Saturday mornings at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park, exercising with Tucson Cancer Conquerors, a local nonprofit established in 2014 and dedicated to empowering cancer survivors by promoting healthy survivorship.

Liz Almli, the organization’s president and one of its founders, is a physician.

When she went through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment more than 14 years ago, she says she

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

had a large support network and plenty of resources. But after her treatment was over, she felt unsure about what to do next.

“I remember getting in my car kind of sitting there in the silence thinking, ‘Now what? Do I just wait for it to come back?’” she says. “At least when you’re going through treatment, you’re there every other week. You know you’re doing something to kill the cancer. But when you stop treatment, you feel like you’re waiting for it to come back, and I needed to have a way to do something proactive. And what can you do? Exercise, nutrition, education.”

The group started as a small group of survivors getting together to exercise at the park, but has grown into an organization of more than 100 cancer survivors and “buddies,” who come along for support.

They’ve got a book club, a gardening group, retreats and monthly birthday dinners. As Almli likes to

put it, they’re not a “sit-inthe-circle-with-a-tissuebox” kind of group.

“TCC is just such a beautiful thing,” Shelton says. “They were such a godsend for me…. You’ve got this whole group of people who understand you in a way none of your friends or family do.”

On Saturday mornings, there are three separate workout groups: The “Get Fit” classes, led by certified personal trainers, are suitable for all levels and take into consideration the healing process of cancer patients. There’s also a “Get Started” group with lower impact exercises, and a third group of people who walk around the park together. Almli, decked out in a TCC shirt, hat and even socks, explains that they encourage people to change walking partners every 10 minutes, so they can get to know more of their fellow survivors.

On Saturday morning, the workouts are all winding down, and we smile

and wave at Shelton as she comes back with the walking group. Most everyone is chatty and high-spirited as they begin making their way over to a plaza area near the butterfly sanctuary for morning coffee and announcements.

A woman named Jennifer Moulton, another breast cancer survivor, bounds up to Almli and says she’s thinking about bringing a new person to the group – a friend of a friend who was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

They’d met up at Starbucks last week to talk, and Moulton even offered to show the woman how her own reconstructed breasts looked.

“I’ve never met you before—you’re a friend of a friend, and that makes you a friend of mine,” she says. “Let’s go in the bathroom, lock the door.

I stripped down. I’m like you can touch ’em, you can look at ’em. Side view, under view.”

Shelton and Almli laugh along knowingly.

This fearless sharing of experiences is very much in the spirit of the group, because many of the members recall what it was like to feel clueless and scared at the beginning of their own journeys. Now that they’re further along, they’re happy to tell others a little bit about what they can expect. Almli says its’s not uncommon for people at meetings to ask, “Is anyone here willing to show me their scars?” or, “Is anyone here with implants willing to show me what they look like?” At least a few women raise their hands yes for the offer.

“Without a group like Photo courtesy Tucson Cancer Conquerors this, especially during this time, I mean, where you Dawn Messer and Jean Thomas found support with Tucson Cancer Conquerors. do you get the answers?”

Yiu says. “How do you get perspective? How do you count themselves in the strengthened her relationsee someone who’s been camp of people who are ship with her siblings. through it, and they’re now more grateful for “I’m not going to be doing great, and they’re the little things. Yiu jokes here forever,” Yiu tells her happy? And they’re hap- that when her arms get daughter sometimes. “But pier than they were be- sore during a workout, I’m going to be here for a fore because they’re more she remembers she’s lucky long time. We can enjoy grateful from everything to have arms at all. Shel- what we have, and just be they’ve been through?” ton says the isolation of happy—pandemic or not, Shelton and Yiu both the pandemic and cancer cancer or not.”

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

Health & Wellness: Breast cancer can affect anyone at any age Mia Smitt

Special to Tucson Local Media

O

ctober is breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to raise both awareness and money for research and treatment. Many organizations participate with fund raising activities such as the Susan G. Komen march, the Association of Flight Attendants “get your pink on,” and Avon cosmetics “Pink Yourself.”

Even the National Football League has its “A Critical Catch –Annual Screening” and Dick’s Sporting Goods decorates its stores in pink and donates $250,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation every year.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women (skin cancer is first). While the vast majority of those who develop breast cancer are women, this disease also can affect men. The most recent stats available, from 2017, show that 42,000 women and 510 men died of breast cancer that year. It is estimated that there will be 284,200 new cases diagnosed this year.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 12% of women in the United States (that’s one in eight) will develop breast cancer during their lifetimes. One in 800 men, .12%, will be diagnosed. While most breast cancer occurs in women over age 55, young women are not immune and 12% occur in women under 45.

So what is cancer? It is the rapid growth of abnormal cells when the DNA in normal cells somehow

becomes damaged. Sometimes the body can destroy these aberrant cells, but more often they proliferate and divide more quickly than healthy cells. They form a mass or lump and can spread to other parts of the body invading healthy tissue. There are several types of breast cancer depending on where it is located in the breast.

• Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is an early form of breast cancer. The abnormal cells inside a milk duct have not spread to other parts of the breast or adjacent lymph nodes. Treatment may include surgery and radiation therapy.

• Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer and starts in those cells that line a milk duct.

Cancer cells break through the duct wall and spread in to adjoining breast tissue and can then spread to other parts of the body though the bloodstream or lymph system.

• Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) starts in the milk producing glands, or lobules. This too can spread to other parts of the body.

Of interest is that this form of breast cancer will affect both breasts in about 20% of women.

What can be confusing is Lobular Carcinoma in Situ.

This is not actually cancer but the precursor and is often found on biopsy or imaging studies other than mammograms for another suspicious lump or mass.

There are other, less common, breast cancers also.

Treatment of invasive breast cancers will depend

on the type and “stage” of the cancer—how advanced it is and where it may have spread. Different surgeries include lumpectomy (just tumor removal), mastectomy (breast removal) and lymph node removal. Radiation treatment may be an external beam to target either just the cancer site or the entire breast. Systemic treatments include chemotherapy, anticancer drugs that may be given as intravenous medication on a scheduled basis or an oral pill taken daily depending on the particular cancer.

Hormonal therapy is used when the cancer cells have receptors for estrogen or progesterone (a receptor is a site on a cell surface that can bind with a particular substance). Hormone blockers help prevent cancer growth and may be taken for many years.

Then there is “targeted therapy” which kills cancer cells by interfering with specific proteins in the cell that promote growth. Research has opened new avenues for successful treatment and continues to explore ways to treat breast cancer.

The five-year survival rates are approximately 99% for localized disease (breast tissue only), 86% for regional involvement (cancer affecting nearby lymph nodes) and 28% for distant reach (a farther spread such as to bones, lungs and liver). But these statistics change with improved treatment and should be individualized.

There are breast cancer symptoms that warrant evaluation. A lump that is

new and not associated with the menstrual cycle (but not all breast lumps are cancer!), changes in the appearance of the nipple, any change or puckering of breast skin, any nipple discharge, and changes in the size or appearance of a breast compared to the other need to be evaluated. Breast pain is NOT a common symptom of cancer.

Breast cancer cannot be prevented but there are ways to reduce the risk of any cancers. Not smoking, physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight and eating vegetables and fruits every day are healthy lifestyle choices.

As with many other illnesses, screening is essential. Monthly self breast

exam is recommended by some organizations and health care providers but has not been found to be as effective as clinical exams.

Routine mammograms, ultrasound imaging, and MRIs can detect the smallest cancers for earlier treatment. Screening rates vary by state, with Rhode Island taking the prize at 87% and Alaska the worst at 67.3%, as reported by the National Cancer Society. Arizona’s screening rate was 71%, not bad but we can do better.

Unfortunately the COVID pandemic halted or delayed many screening exams (and treatment) for numerous people and health care institutions across the country.

Hopefully we can get back on track in 2022.

If I may share a personal note: My dear grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 99. Yes, 99! She had a total mastectomy followed by oral chemotherapy, tolerated both and lived alone until she was 102. She had no cognitive decline when she died (not from breast cancer) just before her 104th birthday. So don’t let age stop you from following up on any suspicious symptoms and enjoying good health.

Mia Smitt is a nurse practitioner with a specialty in family practice. She recently retired and settled in Tucson. She is originally from San Francisco.

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

Guest Commentary: Cancer screening saves lives Carol Roder

Special to Tucson Local Media

T

he American Cancer Society is urging women to talk to their doctors about the time and breast cancer screening that is best for them.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, elective medical procedures, including cancer screenings, were largely put on hold to prioritize urgent needs and reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare settings. One consequence of this has been a substantial decline in cancer screening. According to ACS Senior Development Manager Denis Cournoyer, “Health care facilities are providing cancer screening during the pandemic with many safety precautions in place so now, more than ever, it’s time to get back on track with screenings.”

For the American Cancer Society, the end of breast cancer begins with research. ACS’s research program has played a role in many of the prevention, screening, and treatment advances that help save lives from breast cancer today.

“Breast cancer mortality has declined in recent decades—31% between 1991 and 2018—due in

part to progress in screening technologies and an increase in screening services like mammograms.

That translates to approximately 3.2 million cancer deaths averted during that timeframe,” reports Cournoyer.

In Arizona, it is estimated that 5,850 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021; about 900 will die of the disease. Breast cancer is sometimes found after symptoms appear, but many women with breast cancer have no symptoms.

This is why regular breast cancer screening is so important.

Finding breast cancer early and getting state-ofthe-art cancer treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from breast cancer. Breast cancer that’s found early, when it’s small and has not spread, is easier to treat successfully. Getting regular screening tests is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early. The American Cancer Society has screening guidelines for women at average risk of breast cancer, and for those at high risk for breast cancer.

The ACS guidelines are for women at average risk for breast cancer.

For screening purposes, a woman is considered to be at average risk if she doesn’t have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong fam-

ily history of breast cancer, or a genetic mutation known to increase risk of breast cancer (such as in a BRCA gene) and has not had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30. (See below for guidelines for women at high risk.)

• Women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year.

• Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.

• Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.

Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live at least 10 more years.

• All women should understand what to expect when getting a mammogram for breast cancer screening—what the test can and cannot do.

The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. We invest in lifesaving research, provide 24/7 information and support, and work to ensure that individuals in every community have access to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. For more information, visit cancer.org.

Carol Roder is with the American Cancer Society’s South Region.

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Breast Cancer Awareness 2021

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Desert Times, October 2021

Mission Garden still growing, despite weather and world extremes Jeff Gardner Tucson Local Media

B

eing one of the longest continually inhabited and farmed areas in North America, it should come as no surprise Mission Garden on the flanks of Sentinel Peak was wellpoised to survive both pandemic and drought.

Mission Garden is one of the main projects of the nonprofit Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace, which works to preserve and restore the “cultural heritages and historic landscapes” of Tucson’s origin: the Tohono O’odham settlement at the base of Sentinel Peak, where valley natives have practiced agriculture for more than 3,000 years.

Today, Mission Garden serves as a “living agricultural museum,” comprising multiple garden plots that exhibit early agriculture and heirloom crops. The volunteer-supported Garden also regularly hosts community events, including gardening classes, fruit and vegetable festivals, roundtable

discussions, and cooking demonstrations.

Of course, most of these came to an abrupt halt in spring 2020 with the onset of the pandemic. However, Mission Garden staff says they handled the social distancing better than many, thanks to the nature of gardens. While they did suspend large community events, Mission Garden never closed their regular visitor hours.

“We’re fortunate we have a large outdoor setting where people can volunteer safely,” said Kendall Kroesen, outreach coordinator for Mission Garden. “We were getting people who were cooped up and looking to get out of the house, or maybe couldn’t volunteer at other locations. It really helped us get through the almost rainless summer of 2020, which was a tough time for the garden.”

Almost concurrent with the first COVID wave, Tucson sweltered under record-breaking heat; July and then August 2020 were the hottest months ever recorded in Tucson. Pair this with the second-driest monsoon

on record, and 2020 was a formidable year for local agriculture.

However, Kroesen credits the dedicated community and agriculture practices like drip irrigation with getting Mission Garden through last summer. In fact, Mission Garden saw more than 200 different volunteers throughout 2020, which is more than their average number of volunteers during a normal year.

“It’s also a combination of being on the historic floodplain and good gardening practices,” Kroesen said. “Our staff and volunteers have done a great job getting plants in the ground; a lot of tree roots reach down and break up the soil. And even areas we don’t plan to plant yet, we cover with a thick wood chip mulch, which creates an insulating layer above the soil, keeping it cooler, moister, and creates more soil microbes and insects. That alone helps the soil.”

In addition, Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace received pandemic benefits as a non-profit, including a Capacity-Building Grant in fall

2020 from the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. This capacity-building grant was aimed at creating and streamlining sustainable systems for garden operations to allow more time and energy for staff and volunteers to devote to garden work and outreach activities. Kroesen says this type of financial support was especially important due to the reduction in donations throughout the pandemic.

While Mission Garden is one of the main projects of Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace, it’s only part of a larger proposed mission and garden complex. Parts of the historic Mercado District, mission and garden area fell into decay during the 1800s and 1900s, and were only set up for archeological work and reconstruction following Rio Nuevo legislation approved

by Tucson voters in 1999.

Plans for a larger “Tucson Origins Heritage Park” were conceptualized in 2003 and work began. However, economic downturns in 2008 resulted in only parts of the originally planned Mission

Photo by Heath Hoch

Mission Garden grows a variety of native plants at their lot near A-Mountain as part of their goal to preserve and restore the “cultural heritages and historic landscapes” of Tucson’s origin.

Garden being completed.

“Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace has always had the dual mission of recreating this historic garden, and also advocating for creating the entire Tucson Origins Heritage Park. The garden was designed as just one component of that park,” Kroesen said.

“We came through 2020 in reasonable shape, but going into this year we still were not hosting large public events until about June for a garlic festival and mesquite milling events.”

For one of their largest recent events, Mission Garden hosted the Arizona Pomegranate Festival on Saturday, Sept. 18, which featured food tastings, art exhibits, speakers, and produce sales from the garden’s dozens of pomegranate trees.

In a reversal of last summer, just as visitor traffic began to pick up, so did the rains. Monsoon 2021 ranks as Tucson’s third-rainiest monsoon on record, Continued on P15

10

Desert Times, October 2021

EN INGS HAPP EN

Visit www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/livenup/calendar to submit your free calendar listing.

For event advertising, contact us (520) 797-4384 or tlmsales@tucsonlocalmedia.com

THEATER FRIDAY, OCT. 8

• Bring the entire family to Marana Laughs for clean, family-friendly comedy featuring “An Intimate Evening with Paul Green.”Details: 7:30 p.m.; Coyote Trail Stage, 8000 N. Silverbell Road; $10$20, $30/family; maranalaughs.com.

couple retraces their steps to discover their younger selves. Details: 7:30 p.m.

Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; Live Theatre Workshop, 3322 E. Fort Lowell Rd.; $15-$20; 327-4242.

THURSDAY TO SUNDAY, OCT. 14-17

• Share magical moments filled with breathtaking ice skating, beloved Disney FRIDAY TO SATURDAY, OCT. 8-9 songs and characters with inspiring • See a variety of puppet styles with acts stories at Disney on Ice Dream Big. that span comedic, musical, philosophi- Details: 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m., cal and satirical recommended for adults 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. and older teens at Puppet Cabaret: A Sunday; Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Grownup Puppet Slam presented by Ave.; ticketmaster.com.

Red Herring Puppets. Details: 7:30 p.m.; Tucson Mall, 4500 N. Oracle Rd.; Suite TUESDAY TO SUNDAY 421; $12; redherringpuppets.com.

THROUGH OCT. 16 • Catch a performance of the delightful THURSDAY TO SUNDAY award-winning musical My 80-YearTHROUGH OCT. 9 Old Boyfriend about the magic that • Catch a performance of the time-trav- happens when we throw aside our eling Irish love story Bloomsday danc- fears and cross generational barriers ing backwards through time as an older based on the true story of a Broadway

performer. Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday; Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave.; $40-$73; arizonatheatre.org.

WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THROUGH NOV. 7

• Comedy comes alive at the spoof Frankenstein with the classic story of a scientist who brings his experiment to life. Details: 7 p.m.Wednesday-Thursday, 6 and 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 and 6 p.m. Sunday; GaslightTheatre, 7010 E. Broadway Blvd.; $21.95-$23.95; $13.95 children; 886-9428 or thegaslighttheatre.com.

WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY, NOV. 17-DEC. 5

• It’s not too early to get tickets for the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Hamilton that created a revolutionary moment in theatre featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway. Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8

MUSIC

presenting Till Eulenspiegel ReWorked featuring artist in residence Martin Kuuskmann and bassoonist Tõnu Kõrvits. Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; Tucson Symphony Center, 2175 N. 6th Ave.; $16; 882-8585.

• Hear your favorite rock and roll tunes from Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins to Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles with Alex Mack and his red-hot band at Rockin’ the Night Away. Details: 6 p.m.; Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road; $31; 529-1000 or gaslightmusichall.com.

• Journey back to the greatest hits of 50 years ago at Class of 71 featuring Crystal Stark and Alex Mack singing all the chart toppers of the day. Details: 6 p.m.; Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road; $31; 529-1000 or gaslightmusichall.com.

pm. Saturday; 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday; UA Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd.; broadwayintucson.com.

THURSDAY, OCT. 7

FRIDAY, OCT. 8

• Take a fun-filled visit back to those formative days when Baby Boomers were discovering how good rock and roll could really be at the Rockin’ Me Baby Dance Party with Five Way Street.

Details: 7 p.m.; Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road; $20; 529-1000 or gaslightmusichall.com.

• Celebrate 50 years of music with the Grammy-winning Americana group Asleep at the Wheel performing original songs as well as a fresh new lineup. Details: 7:30 p.m.; FoxTheatre, 17W. Congress St.; $28-$48; foxtucson.com.

• Listen to award-winning, long-time country favorite Midland. Details: 8 p.m.; Casino del Sol AVA Amphitheater, 5655W.Valencia Road; $25-$75; casinodelsol.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 9

• Listen to the music of a multi-genre band and its funky contemporaries at You’re the One, A Tribute to Blood, Sweat & Tears. Details: 6 p.m.; Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road; $27; 529-1000 or gaslightmusichall.com.

• Enjoy the award-winning John Coinman Band at the Outdoor Plaza of Hotel Congress. Details: 7:30 p.m.; 311 E. Congress St.; $20-$24; 622-8848 or rhythmandroots.org.

•Take a musical tour of classic songs with VOYAGER – The Rockin’Tribute to Journey featuring extraordinary musicians and vocalists who have toured nationally and internationally. Details: 7:30 p.m.; DesertView Performing Arts Center, 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive; $30; 825-2818.

SATURDAY TO SUNDAY, OCT. 9-10

• Enjoy the Tucson Symphony Orchestra

SUNDAY, OCT. 10

SUNDAYS, OCT. 10, 17 AND 24

• Treat yourself to the Sundays in the Garden Fall Concert Series with local artists featuring folkloric music from Latin America and the Caribbean by Grupo Riken this week. Details: 1:30-3 p.m.; Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte; included with $15 park admission; 742-6455.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 13

• Enjoy a great tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by The PettyBreakers. Details: 6 p.m.; Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road; $27; 529-1000 or gaslightmusichall.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS FRIDAY, OCT. 8

• Don’t miss the popular gala ZOOcson featuring local restaurants, auctions, animal ambassador presentations and live music by Jovert. Details: 6 p.m.; Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Ct.; $130, $110 members; 791-4204 or reidparkzoo.org.

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY, OCT. 8-10

• Don’t miss everyone’s favorite festival Tucson Meet Yourself - Reconnect featuring oral history, dance, musical performances, authentic multi-cultural food and more. Details: 11 a.m-10 p.m.

Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; downtown Tucson; free admission; 6214046 or tucsonmeetyourself.org.

SATURDAY, OCT. 9

• Help raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson and Southern Arizona at the Big Luau Gala Dinner and

Auction. Details: 5:30 p.m.; Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Dr.; $175; soazbigs.org.

CLASSES & PROGRAMS FRIDAY, OCT. 8

• Learn how to create a haven for butterflies outside your door with tips from Noelle Johnson ‘AZ Plant Lady’ at the online Botanical Gardens class Butterfly Gardening in the Desert.

Details: 10 a.m.-noon; Zoom link provided; $30, discount for members; tucsonbotanical.org.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 13

• Explore the fascinating new science of compassion at the UA College of Social & Behavioral Sciences lecture series featuring “Are Our Brains Wired for Compassion?”this week. Details: 6 p.m.; Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.; free but pre-registration required; sbsdowntown.arizona.edu.

THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 5

• Check out the 12th annual Tucson Humanities Festival presented by the UA College of Humanities themed storytelling featuring author Walter Isaacson appearing at Centennial Hall on Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. Details: various days, times and locations (some online); humanitiesfestival.arizona.edu.

CHILDREN FRIDAY, OCT. 8

• Bring the entire family to the Halloween-themed fun and spooky Monster Mash featuring jumping castles, crafts, a maze and scavenger hunt. Details: 5-8 p.m.; Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road; $5, free 3 and under; orovalleyaz.gov.

SATURDAYS, OCT. 9, 16, 23 AND 30

• Take a creepy Haunted Hayride uniquely themed to Arizona’s haunts, scary stories and spooky lore. Details: 7-9:30 p.m.; Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road; $5, free 3 and under (tickets must be purchased in advance); PlayOV.com.

11

Desert Times, October 

Three London artists bring fresh new art to PCC’s Bernal Gallery Margaret Regan

Special to Tucson Local Media

W

ay back in 2019, in the carefree days before the pandemic, David Andres flew all the way to London to see art.

Traveling with members of the Contemporary Art Society of the Tucson Museum of Art, Andres scoured art studios all over the old town and hit gold in the warehouses of south London. He met a trio of talented young Brits who had studied at the prestigious Royal College of Art and exhibited their work abroad.

Andres invited all three –– Alice Browne, George Little and Anthony Banks –– to display their work in faraway Arizona at the Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery at Pima College West.

Andres, the gallery’s respected curator, lined up an exhibition for the UK artists to be mounted in the 20202021 school year. That didn’t happen, of course; the pandemic forced the gallery to go dark for a year and a half.

But there are silver linings. The three artists all used the lockdown year to do intense work, laboring

alone in their studios and creating whole new suites of art. And now they have the honor of reopening the gallery with art shipped overseas from England. Each of the artists made works on paper, richly layered in a raft of materials, from oil and acrylic to gouache and charcoal to pen and pencil and wax.

Their fresh work, made in a historic time of sorrow, is like the proverbial balm in Gilead.

When you walk into the radiant white gallery, the first things you notice are George Little’s out- of-this world colors. Andres sees in them the glorious hues of Matisse – red, orange, blue, green and white. Interestingly, Little’s work is more like that of the modernists of the early 20th century – Matisse included -- than the contemporary artists of today.

Little grew up in London in a family of chefs and restaurateurs. He spent plenty of time clearing tables and washing dishes, eventually worked as a chef and bartender. In these new paintings, he uses his beautiful colors to conjure up plates, tables, menus and

Pastors Daniel J. Valasakos and Craig T. Larson Saturday Evening Worship 5:00 PM Sunday Morning Worship 8:00AM & 10:30AM (with Holy Communion) Adult Forum 9:15AM Bible Study - Thursdays 10:00AM

520-883-0627

4520 West Ajo Way Tucson, AZ 85746 Office Hours: Mon - Thurs 8:30am - 3:00pm

even leftovers.

At first glance, these restaurant-inspired paintings seem to be pure abstractions, made of appealing shapes and curves and lines. “Tossed,” for instance, is a cheery medley of small irregular forms colored in green and red and orange.

But Little manages to make his work both abstract and figurative: squint at the ebullient “Tossed,” and you’ll see it’s also a portrait of a salad.

Likewise, “Menus” is a cascade of white shapes, embedded in abstract curves and lines, framed by rich colors. Those white shapes are also a set of restaurant menus.

Little’s inventive new suite also conjures up the loneliness of the pandemic.

In all the clutter of his painted restaurant, there is not a single human being.

Alice Browne’s gripping paintings are more solemn than Little’s. A few of her pieces are colored in pretty pinks and sky blue, but others are somber and even scary. A fetid yellow here, a midnight purple there, give an ominous backdrop to painted ropes, arrows and chain link.

In her artist statement, Browne says, “There is no perfection, no truth; instead, I hope to make works … that embrace the mutability and failings of human experience.”

The painting “Sebastian,” Browne’s contemporary version of the story of St. Sebastian, seems to fulfill this sorrowful goal. The work is covered in square patches of that unhealthy yellow, and dangerous tree branches vault across the scene. In the middle of this troubling work is a human hand, and a host of arrows piercing flesh.

The martyr St. Sebastian, of course, was regularly painted by artists of the Renaissance; they showed him nearly naked and shot through with arrows. The artist’s version makes the saint almost invisible; in 2021 this Sebastian is just a suffering everyman.

Much bigger arrows fly across the midnight purple of “Untitled.” In another piece, another batch of arrows sails past the moon and above a treacherous chain link fence. Its chilling title? “Portent.”

But there is some relief.

In the painting “Portal,” a

Egress – Works on Paper by George Little, Alice Browne and Anthony Banks Through Oct. 8 Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery at Pima College West, 2202 W. Anklam Rd. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday -Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.

Free 520-206-6942, www.pima. edu/cfa-gallery.

Masks required indoors

Courtesy photo

“Tossed” by George Little

doorway to a house that’s a pleasant pink and blue, seems to offer a shelter from the doom.

Of the three artists, Anthony Banks is engaged with nature and the outdoors.

His 12 works are full of birds and boats and the land around the sea. But these pieces of familiar subjects are by no means saccharin.

“Fruit Bowl and Coastline” is an abstraction that boldly breaks the images into quickly dashed outlines. “Sailing Boat” is more a collection of colorful curving boards than a portrait of

a seaworthy dinghy.

Banks has perhaps the most interesting layering technique. He does a lot of collaging and he prefers a long “slow layering” of his paper. He welcomes accidental mistakes, he writes, and waits “for the works to finish themselves, for marks and paint to accumulate, for the dust to settle.”

The result is a marvelous, muted texture that reminds me old-fashioned prints in children’s books. The aviary in “British Birds and Finches” nearly disappears in luminous pale green, and the lovely “Heron under Willow,” a mixture of deep navy, golden tan and white, turns into a guessing game of find the beautiful bird.

OCTOBER 2021

October 2nd; 5:00PM: Blessing of the Animals October 9th 5:00PM:Service with the Sky’s October 9th; 9AM-4PM: Mt. Zion Craft Bazaar October 30th & 31st: REFORMATION Weekend (WEAR RED!)

Visit us on website for Zoom link: mountzionelca.com

Saturday, October 2nd, 5:00 PM

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HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis

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2 Nurse, as a beer 3 They can rate up to 350,000

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ACROSS Fire proof?

4 Midsection section, informally 7 Bad break 14 Pop singer known for performing in a faceobscuring wig 15 Sch. whose campus contains Washington Square Park 16 Core 17 “Lookout” signal, in brief 18 “Come now, it’ll be OK” 20 Carmichael who composed “Heart and Soul” 22 Letter after pi 23 Wallet items 24 Body feature for roughly 90% of people 25 McKellen who played Gandalf 26 Online help page, for short 28 Young newt

29 Health class subj.

30 Slip past 33 Anybody home?

35 This, in Spanish 36 Farm cry

Put numbers on the board 38 “Wowza!”

39 Nickname for the Miami Dolphins, with “the” 40 Certain recyclable 41 U.K. honour 42 ___ Stardust, alter ego of David Bowie 43 Rose Granger-Weasley, to Harry Potter 44 Word on either side of “à” 45 Rose of rock 46 Bench with a back 47 Main ingredient in the Japanese dish tamagoyaki 48 Requirements 51 Easy ___ 37

Know Us, Know Your Community

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on the Scoville scale 4“Nevertheless … look at our current situation” 5 Party invite inits.

6 Grass-roots group focused on addressing climate change 7 Difficult to understand 8 G.I. entertainers 9 The Spartans of the N.C.A.A. 10 Letters on the “3” button 11 Performer known as the “King of Latin Pop” 12 Performed very well on 13 “I’m game” 19 Exclamation upon seeing this puzzle 21 Priceless keepsakes?

26 Mo. during which the N.B.A. All-Star Game is usually played 27 Good as new 31 “Shoot!”

32 Website with much customdesigned jewelry 33 Channel owned by Disney 34 Dark purple fruit 42 Most out there 49 Hunky-dory 50 Comedian Wanda 51 Open ___ (plan to pay later) 52 Like the majority of Iraqis and Bahrainis 56 Pull-up muscle, for short 57 Soft murmur

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You hold many beliefs you’re not aware of. These beliefs come part and parcel with being a person born in a particular place and time. Not all of them are true. This week presents you with a new awareness. Something will rub against a belief, offering you the chance to challenge and replace it with an improvement.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Trust can be a blanket term signaling submission. You trust someone ... but trust them to do (SET ITAL)what?(END ITAL) It is more valuable to know someone enough to predict their character; it takes time and is worth it. The nuances of relationships matter now, as there’s something in flux. The deciding moment will change everything.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Maybe it’s bad luck to believe in bad luck. This week, try striking the word “luck” from your thinking altogether.

There are actions and reactions, causes and effects, light and shadows. None of it is positive, negative, only useful to a particular goal or not applicable. Think in terms of “for me” and “not for me.”

Crossword Puzzle Answers

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DOWN 1 Japan’s largest beer brand

L E T S

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U M D S S E O U F

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GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Metaphorically, this crosswalk of life you’re trying to use doesn’t seem to be responding to the button.

The sign is stuck on “don’t walk” and it’s not changing anytime soon. So, don’t wait for the signal to give you permission. Instead of going when you’re told, go when you see your break and it’s safe.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’ll work with creative people who specialize in different areas from yours. Even so, do not hand over a job and walk away expecting stunning results.

The magic ingredient is your vision. Your encouragement will help others reach new heights or expand their territory.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Long ago, you learned the success equation. You show up, then deliver what you agreed to in the expected time frame. These aren’t easy rules, but they are simple, and you live by them this week. Someone new will learn what you’re all about. You’ll build your credibility and later bank on it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Don’t let the tensed-out energy get to you. Your easygoing style will attract to you the exact people you need to keep things running smoothly. Some will have a different style, but don’t let anyone’s intensity deter you. Consider it instead to be a yin to your yang.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Before you act on your idea, give it a go through different filters. Pump the notion through your heart.

Send it up to our higher wisdom. Float it to your mentor, team and partner ... Ideas need multiple influences; they need to be checked for soundness! Ultimately, your action will be golden and confidently executed.

S I P O N

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Message often written in large letters 61 Suffix with Gator 62 Actress Angela of “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” 63Weed 64The “S” of iOS: Abbr.

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SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). What you see is never all that is. Magic shows are built on this premise, and so is drama, branding, dating and, to some extent, your approach to the week. You’ll show the world enough to hook them into what you’re doing while somehow keeping your mystery alive.

D A N G

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Many are going for the same goal as you. Don’t be deterred! The like-minded make the journey easier. People are testing out a variety of methods, so you can see what’s working and avoid the bad fits.

Besides, competition brings out the best in you. You’ll be energized by the challenges of this week.

A C A I

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F A E L B L F I X E D

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Hope as “Painless” Potter

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It’s a week to communicate yourself large. Keep friends informed about what you want and what you’re doing because they can help you. Also, tell people you don’t know. And while you’re at it, give a shoutout to all the unseen forces of nature and heaven, the mystical deities and anyone else you can think of.

A T A B

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ARIES (March 21-April 19). It is on brand for you to give your all. Anything less and people take notice. In one activity in particular, bringing your best attention to the situation feels like a challenge. It’s better to stop entirely and figure out the problem than to bring a distracted version of yourself. It’s not selfish to ask, “What’s in it for me?”

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Desert Times, October 

Worship Guide BAPTIST

LUTHERAN

LUTHERAN

DESERT TIMES

520.797.4384

Classifieds@tucsonlocalmedia.com METHODIST

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Casas Adobes Congregational Church An Open and Affirming Congregation of the UCC

Changing the world through Christ, by caring for all people

Worship with us!

SUNDAY

8:30 & 10 a.m. in person 10 a.m. online umcstmarks.org/live-worship 1431 W. Magee Rd. (520-297-2062) www.umcstmarks.org

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!

Join Us for In-Person and Online Worship Services www.caucc.org/welcome/worship 520.297.1181 | info@caucc.org | 6801 N. Oracle Road

Get the word out!

Reserve Ad space in your local Worship Directory Call 520-797-4384 CATHOLIC

Reconciliation: T-F at 7:30 AM, Sat at 3-3:45 PM and by appointment.

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CATHOLIC

LUTHERAN

y Return to communit

RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST CATHOLIC CHURCH 2727 W. Tangerine Road Oro Valley, AZ 85742 520.469.7835 www.stmarkov.com SATURDAY: 4:00 PM Vigil Mass SUNDAY: 7:00 AM 8:30 AM Masks required 10:00 AM 11:30 AM

UPCOMING EVENTS

Trunk or Treat

& hAUNTED hOUSE OctOber 30th, 5:00-8:30PM

Welcome Back Fall Fair NOVEMBER 13TH, NOON-4PM

11575 N. 1st Ave. Oro Valley, AZ 85737 (520) 575-9901 Welcome to Resurrection Lutheran!

Come join us every Saturday evening or on Sunday for worship!

Oro Valley Location 5:00 pm Saturday evening Worship

7:45 am and 9:15 am Traditional Worship and our 10:45 am Contemporary Worship SaddleBrooke Location

SaddleBrooke 9:00 am Worship HOA1 Clubhouse Vermilion Room.

Online worship available anytime to fit your schedule.

Check our website for more information

www.orovalley.org

OUR DOORS ARE OPEN!

Classifieds 14

Desert Times, October 

METHODIST

Methodist

VISTA DE LA MONTAÑA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Please joinWorship us for for In-Person Vista Sunday at 10Church amand Please join us LIVE! Online service Children’s Sunday School Live Streamed Worship Service Sunday @ 10am @ 10:00am at 10:15www.vistaumc.org am after the children’ s www.vistaumc.org time inanytime the church service or watch using the the previor watch anytime using ous broadcast previous broadcast Adult Sunday Schoolbutton!

–button!

11:15 am Please visit our website and/ 3001 E. MiravistaonLane, Catalina or VistaUMC Facebook for Facebookfor viewing and daily updates updates on our our viewing on Locatedand on daily Oracle Rd. between Sunday services. services.

Sunday Wilds Rd. & Golder Ranch Rd.

Service Directory The Place “To Find” Everything You Need AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING

CONTRACTORS Contractor

$CASH$

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to learn more about advertising in any of Tucson Local media’s six newspapers:

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Landscaping

AZ Grand Canyon Landscaping Most popular landscaping services we offer: Tree Trimming, Weeding, Mowing, Junk Removal Services and more…

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520.797.4384 Classifieds@tucsonlocalmedia.com

AUTO SERVICES

For ALL unwanted Cars, Trucks & SUVs Call or text anytime for quote

(520) 825-1985 www.vistaumc.org

DESERT TIMES

Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed Monthly Maintenance Low Prices Call today for a FREE ESTIMATE!

(520) 622-8167 or (520) 286-1319

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Desert Times, October 

Service Directory The Place “To Find” Everything You Need

DESERT TIMES

520.797.4384

Classifieds@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Road work at Saguaro Natl. Park this month Alexandra Pere

LANDSCAPE/MAINTENANCE

Tucson Local Media

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Know Us, Know Your Community

V

isitors to Saguaro National Park West can expect to see scenic road closures from Oct. 4 to Oct. 30 for new construction.

Access to Bajada Loop Drive from the Hugh Norris Trail Head to Golden Gate Road will be closed from Oct. 4 to Oct. 15. After those improvements have been finished, the Bajada Loop and its amenities such as the Sus Picnic Area, Hugh Norris Trailhead, Valley View Overlook Trail, Bajada Wash Trail, and all of Golden Gate Road (Signal Hill, Ez-Kim-In-Zin, Sendero Esperanza) will be closed from Oct. 16

to Oct. 30.

“This will help ensure the safety of the crew working on the one-lane road, as well as any visitor who may not be aware of the closure notice,” Saguaro’s Facility Manager Richard Goepfrich said.

All traffic to these locations will be prohibited, including pedestrians and bicyclists. Park officials say there will be heavy machinery in these areas and will be dangerous for all traffic.

Large construction vehicles will need to use the entire one-lane road for easy transportation.

Visit https://www.nps. gov/sagu/planyourvisit/conditions.htm for updates on construction.

Mission Garden Continued from P9 dumping more than a foot of rain across the Tucson area since mid-June. While the deluge was mostly a welcome site for drought-stricken Arizona, it also resulted in a fair share of property damage, flash floods and swift water rescues. But again, Mission Garden endured and came through stronger.

“We have garden and orchard areas that are sunken down a bit below our pathways, which results in a good amount of rainwater harvesting. At times over the past 10 years, there have been times when rainfall caused those areas to fill up with standing water because it can’t soak

in fast enough. But this year, because of the gardening work and soil cultivation we’ve done here, the soil has become much spongier and the rainwater really infiltrates better,” Kroesen said. “The soils here, as they are on the entire floodplain of the Santa Cruz River, are better than in most parts of town because they are sedimentary soils laid down by river water and canals. They’re finer silts and clays. We have an advantage as compared to the foothills.

But that’s also the work that Mission Garden staff and volunteers have done to improve the soil.”

For more information, visit www.missiongarden.org

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Desert Times, October 