EXPLORER
August 10, 2022
INSIDE INSIDE
Shaun Gray is mightyyyymouse
| Pages 6 Election results
Primary election results are in
| Page 8
Salpointe
BY KAREN SCHAFFNER Tucson Local Media
Two years ago, Kathleen Hernandez decided she wanted to do more in her community, so the retiree joined the Oro Valley Police Department. Well, not exactly the police force, but she became involved by taking the police department’s Citizen Academy, a 12-week course that teaches what Oro Valley’s thin blue line does when you see them driving down the street. She learned about what to do in the event she encounters an active shooter and hostage negotiations, but her favorite?
“Everybody usually says K-9, for me it was SWAT,” Hernandez said. “And the drones. Drones are my second.”
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tucson Local Media
In its 20 years serving Oro Valley, the public library has housed two decades of memories.
District 1 County Supervisor Rex Scott recalled watching students and dignitaries making their way through the library’s community room.
“Part of my career as an administrator was spent as an assistant principal at Ironwood Ridge High School,” Scott said.
“I know a lot of kids in the nighthawk community made use of the library’s resources when
they were preparing reports or projects.”
He fondly recalled former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hosting a meeting at the library.
“She had spent the whole day in Cochise County and had to drive all the way up to Oro Valley for this meeting. She was still energetic, and focused on and connected with every person in that room.”
Oro Valley residents can share their memories of their public library during its 20th anniversary celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday,
Twice a year, the Oro Valley Police Department opens its station’s doors to 24 residents to give them a fairly in-depth look at what police do on the job. “Students” gather from 6 to 9 p.m. one night a week, usually Tuesday, for 13 weeks to learn about how criminal investigations are conducted and the first thing police do when they are called to the scene of an accident. They learn about police psychology and Internal Affairs. More than anything, however, they learn one very important fact about their local police.
“It helps the community understand who we are as human beings,” Oro Valley Community Resource Police Officer Mike Klein-
The new Supersonic Bundle. It’s kind of a big deal.
Get Unlimited Internet with Gig speed and supersonic WiFi with a two-year Internet rate guarantee. Plus, no annual contract and no equipment fees. You’ll even get a free Flex 4K streaming box. And if that’s not incredible enough, it’s all just $50 a month when you add Xfinity Mobile with Unlimited data. Kaboom.
distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the Northwest Tucson. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of the Explorer and Marana News, go to www.TucsonLocalMedia.com
STAFF
ADMINISTRATION
Hot Picks
TEEN PAINT NIGHT
Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher
ple Annie’s renowned Green Chili Roast to pick yourself some delicious hot peppers. Buy a 50-pound bag of freshpicked hearty green chilies
This teens-only painting class is a great chance to be outdoors while creating a masterpiece. Instruction is included with registration, along with an 11-by-14 canvas and painting supplies. Maeve Huffmon will be instructing this week’s class. Parents can accompany their teens as well. From 6 to 8 p.m. this Friday, Aug. 12, at the Marana Heritage River Park Barn, 12375 N Heritage Park Drive. Register ahead at maranaaz.gov.
kschaffner@timepublications.com
Hope Peters, Staff Reporter hpeter@timespublications.com
Katya Mendoza, Staff Reporter, kmendoza@timespublications.com
PRODUCTION
Courtney Oldham, Production Manager, tucsonproduction@timespublications.com
Jay Banbury, Graphic Designer jbanbury@timeslocalmedia.com
CIRCULATION
Aaron Kolodny, Circulation Director, aaron@phoenix.org
Brian Juhl, Distribution Manager, brian@timeslocalmedia.com
ADVERTISING
TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com
Gary Tackett, Account Executive, gtackett@tucsonlocalmedia.com
Kristin Chester, Account Executive kristin@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
served from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. The Chili Roast starts the weekend of Saturday, Aug. 13, and Sunday, Aug. 14. Located at the Apple Annie’s Produce Farm, 6405 W. Williams Road. The produce farm is open every day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
RANGER LED HIKE
The National Park Service leads Ranger Hikes every Wednesday at the Chiricahua National Monument. Starting at 9 a.m., the Hike begins at the Park Visitor Center where the Ranger will then lead the group on a two- to four-mile hike. The trails will be easy or moderate and hiking boots are highly suggested. Bringing water and a snack is a must-have. All ages are welcome to join the hike. The hikes are educational too, offering opportunities to learn more about the plants, trees, wildlife and history of the Chiricahua Mountains. The hikes will be running Wednesday, Aug. 10, and Wednesday, Aug. 17.
GUADALAJARA’S GRILL’S FESTIVALS
Local restaurant chain Guadalajara’s Grill is celebrating 20 years since opening its first location in Tucson. The chain is promoting a series of weekend festivals to give back to communities that bolstered their success. This week’s festival is from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Broadway location, 4901 E. Broadway Boulevard. The festival is free to the public and will host music, food and vendors.
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA BIRDING FESTIVAL
From Wednesday, Aug. 10, to Sunday, Aug. 14, the Tucson Audubon Society is sponsoring a plethora of bird-centric events at Reid Park. Festival headquarters are at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tucson-Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way. From 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, families are invited to attend the Family Birding Day event. The family event is free, but register ahead of time at tucsonaudubon.org/newsevents/southeast-arizona-birding-festival/.
5-DAY WEATHER
Aug. 17.
The event begins with harpist Rebecca Reinhard Foreman performing from 11 a.m. to noon as coffee, tea and pastries are served.
Families, children and teens can participate in the 20th anniversary crafternoon from 1 to 3 p.m., followed by the Cynthia Hilts Jazz Trio, set to hit the stage from 3 to 4 p.m. Cake, snacks and refreshments round out the day.
“During the day, dignitaries will share what the library has meant to them,” said Amber Mathewson, the library’s director. “We love to have a chance to celebrate. Things getting better with COVID is a cause for celebration as well.”
Mathewson watched the facility change hands from the town to the county.
“I’ve been with the library system for 31 years, but the director for the past five years,” she said.
“I helped to transition the Oro Valley Public Library. They had been an affiliated library for about 10 years before they were fully integrated into this library system. It was a privilege working with the staff, working with the employees of the town of Oro Valley transition to Pima County.”
The library’s infrastructure has seen its fair share of changes as well.
“We didn’t have our computer system up and going for books,” Mathewson said.
“We had all of our inventory on microfilm and those would be updated quarterly. Guests would search on microfilm and hope the books were on the shelf. So much of what we do now can be done electronically inside and outside of the library.”
She said patrons consider the library important, along with their home and work, for a social or private setting.
“They can read and research, but also attend programs, relax, study or learn a new skill,” she said.
“It’s really a fun place.”
Scott agreed.
“Shortly after I became a supervisor, one
Prepare for Power Outages & Save Money
of my staff members and I had a meeting with our two representatives to the library advisory committee on that outdoor patio at the Oro Valley Library,” he said.
“As a career educator, I’m somebody who’s a great advocate for their libraries and their roles in the community.”
Oro Valley Public Library’s 20th Anniversary Celebration WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17
WHERE: Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Drive, Oro Valley COST: Free INFO: 520-594-5580, library.pima.gov
berg said. “We’re human behind the badge.”
The first night, Kleinberg said, Mayor Joe Winfield gives a talk, and Chief of Police Kara Riley discusses her background and how she leads the department. Public Information Officer Mike Duran also gives a talk, and students get an identification card, which is worn on a lanyard. Then it’s on to the nuts and bolts of police work.
Participation in the academy is free but there is an application process and a certain amount of vetting.
“You apply online, that gets sent to me,” Kleinberg said. “At that point I do a minimal background check to ensure that (students) are going to be welcome into our buildings. Obviously, they’re going to be touching a lot of police equipment and we want to ensure that we’re not going to have any issues.”
Kleinberg said an applicant can be declined if they have been arrested for, or convicted of, a domestic violence charge. However, applicants with a nonviolent conviction could be accepted to attend. Kleinberg said he takes it on a case by case basis.
“People make mistakes; people also change,” he said. “As long as they can show a good progression of change, we can work on doing our best to get them into the academy.”
The next series begins on Aug. 30 at the Oro Valley Marketplace, but that session is full. The academy fills up fast, Kleinberg said. However, he is taking applications for next year’s academy, which he expects will start in February. Also, if someone decides to drop out of August’s program, applicants on a waiting list will be selected. Kleinberg accepts applications all year long. Hernandez had only good things to say about the academy.
“If you’re interested in your community it’s a fabulous course to take,” Hernandez said. She added if people decide to participate
Oro Valley Community Resource Officer
Mike Kleinberg and Oro Valley Resident Kathleen Hernandez inspect a bit of the equipment that could be demonstrated in Citizen Academy.
(Photo by Karen Schaffner)
in the academy and are 50 or older, they can count on receiving a pitch to join the Citizens Volunteer Assistance Program. It’s an organization that aids the police with fingerprinting, search and rescue, and Citizen’s Academy.
“If I ever knew a police officer before, it’s probably because I got pulled over,” Hernandez said. “After Citizen Academy, I know 20, 30 different officers in different fields within the police department. It’s a whole different view. It’s not cop shows.”
To apply, visit orovalleyaz.gov, or call Kleinberg at 520-229-5080.
WARNING! PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!
Tucson, AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.
The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious
As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves
cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.
The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.
Thankfully, Tucson is the birthplace of a brand-new facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.
Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:
1. Finding the underlying cause
2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)
3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition
Arrowhead Physical Medicine in Tucson, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. Th is groundbreaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:
1. Increases blood flow
2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves
3. Improves brain-based pain
The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling.
It’s completely painless!
THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!
Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.
The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope!
Arrowhead Physical Medicine begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage – a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.
Arrowhead Physical Medicine will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until October 31st, 2022. Call (520) 934-0130 to make an appointment
Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 c allers YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (520) 934-0130 NOW!!
We are extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Oro Valley’s own mighty mouse rises to the top with 1.7 million TikTok followers
BY HOPE PETERS
Tucson Local Media
Oro Valley’s own Shaun Gray has achieved many goals living in Oro Valley for more than fifteen years. Known as mightyyyymouse by his TikTok and Instagram followers, Gray has an extensive work history in Oro Valley.
Gray, 34, was born in northwest Tucson (Marana) but moved to Oro Valley at age 15. After high school, Gray obtained three degrees and a final degree in nursing.
“I am a certified (OV) police officer and certified firefighter, I went through the fire academy so I am both,” Gray said. “And I just got my nursing degree.”
Gray was an OV police officer for four years, but he always wanted to be a nurse. His 20-week mental health training with OVPD and his law enforcement phlebotomy (a procedure using a needle to extract blood from a vein) for the DUI unit cemented his decision to go to nursing school. He said the in-depth police department mental health training is unique to the Tucson area police departments.
“Tucson is one of the biggest mental health advocates, (in the state),” he said, “It (the OV police department mental health training) is pretty much statewide. We always had interdepartmental training.”
“Being an officer takes a certain type of person and it was a fun job,” he explained his move to nursing. “But I always said, God had a plan for me. I am a very spiritual, religious person so I believe in that. For a career, I always wanted to be a nurse.”
Gray recently graduated from nursing school and must now take his state exam to be a licensed registered nurse.
“It was hard, actually really hard to go to nursing school during COVID and having COVID,” he explained. “When I had COVID it was… not when it first came out, but when it had left its first full wave. My whole family got it.”
Gray, a father of two young daughters, said he had to take care of his family and himself and go to school while also doing homework. It was a difficult time, but he did it.
“Nursing is something you have to do a lot of hands-on stuff, you can’t do it virtually,” Gray said. “They (the school) tried for a semester. They did the best they could, but nursing school is very hard on top of that.”
The mental health training at OVPD and his psychology studies from nursing school
have been a jumping off point for his TikTok platform.
“I have been through a lot of stuff in my life,” he said. “And I learned that nowadays, I look forward to stuff I can learn from. That is where I get most of my content that I post (on TikTok).”
“For someone like you and I, when we are speaking, with a sane mind, we can have a conversation,” He said. “I can tell you, that’s not ok to do, you should look into doing this, here’s some advice, and you’d listen to it,” he explained. “For someone that has a mental health crisis, they can’t comprehend that, they can’t. … You need to find ways to be able to communicate it and to be able to use the science beforehand.”
Gray first went on TikTok to discuss his own social anxiety.
“I first got on TikTok because I was suffering from anxiety. I post things I have gone through, stuff I have been through that I know about and learned from.” Gray said.
“So I had anxiety, social anxiety, such as talking in front of people. So, I learned to confront it, to face the fear I would start with TikTok,” Gray explained. “To do dancing, to
viral video on social media with over a million views.
"So I started to think, is this the content I should be doing? Is this what I should be concentrating on,” he asked. “So I did and it just blew up.”
He started with the “Hard Hitting Quotes You Didn’t Know You Needed’’ series, posting 38 of them.
“Then people started to follow me and like me and the fan base, I don’t like to say fan base, the community of people who started following me, grew,” he said.
For upcoming projects and new posts, Gray is starting new videos, called “Bless A Stranger” videos.
“I have merchandise I am trying to sell that I’m not profiting from. I take a certain amount of money, $100 or couple, go right up to a stranger, walk up to them, and I give them a note card with an inspirational message and it will have the money in it,” he said. “They don’t know who I am, I don’t know them. Just one act of kindness that most people don’t get.”
Gray calls himself a one act of kindness product. He said he had a stranger change his life in one act of kindness.
do something I don’t know how to do.”
He said he knew he would look silly, but to his surprise he gathered quite a following on his platform. Also, Gray often references his greatest inspiration, his grandfather, in his videos.
“He was just one of those people, when you look at him and you talk to him,” he said. “My goodness, that’s a wise person! He just had that impact on me.”
Grays said his grandfather taught him any “knowledge you have learned from life that you don’t share with people is wasted, is wasted knowledge.”
After his first successful TikTok posts, Gray looked for more to share with the TikTok community.
“I started to look deeper in myself,” Gray said. “I thought I would make a couple of posts, like motivational stuff, inspiring stuff, stuff or quotes like that would help.”
It definitely helped increase his following. Gray saw a substantial surge of 230,000 community followers in the first posts that grew to a whopping 1.3 million followers in three months after his new posts.
“It just blew up,” Gray said. “I had my first
“I was a teenager in a grocery store. I was having a real bad day, but not acting irate or anything,” he said. “I was walking out and an older man, maybe in his 70s said, ‘Hey young man, are you doing okay?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I am fine.’ He said, ‘Good, keep your head up, you have a long life ahead of you, don’t give up.'"
Gray said the exchange changed his life. “People don’t understand it, how one simple unselfish act of kindness can seriously change someone’s life,” he said. “And the way I want to do it… I want to just drop it and leave it. I don’t want credit for it. … 'oh that’s such a nice thing you did'… It is more about them being blessed."
He said, “I have the platform, I believe in using it for a purpose, for everyone. I have the platform for a reason. I’m using the platform for bettering the world rather than bettering myself. It is paying it forward, blessing a stranger…just out of nowhere.”
Gray’s advice for others wanting to start up a social media platform.
“Every single person possesses one elite trait that they have, that no one else has. Use your social media for that… Teach people how to do it. Be an example. Whatever tools you have, be yourself and never lose who you are. If you do it for the right reason, it is so rewarding.”
Gray celebrates Father’s Day with his two youngest daughters. (mightyyymouse Instagram)
Roark’s rusted relics resonate with nostalgia
BY BRIDGETTE M. REDMAN
Tucson Local Media
The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures wasn’t open for very long when its director and curators were invited to Jim Roark’s house to see his collection.
It was 2010 and they were immediately impressed.
“It was just a packed studio filled with so many pieces,” said Lisa Hastreiter-Lamb, the previous executive director of the museum and the curator of Roark’s latest exhibition, “Jim Roark’s Metal Monsters.” The exhibition runs through Sept. 11.
She was also impressed because he was doing something different than most model builders, something that was not a trend at the time though it has since started to grow in popularity. His miniatures — a large collection of model cars — were not pristine, shiny recreations of their larger cousins in brand-new condition. Rather, his models were weathered, beaten-up, rusted, the ghosts of their former selves.
“Jim loved cars, but he had taken a very different approach to think about these cars, as if time passed,” Hastreiter-Lamb said. She said he thought about what the cars that aren’t on the road anymore would look like if they were left in a field or a garage, if no one took care of them and they were forgotten. They would become weathered, worn, rusted-out and dilapidated. “He decided that was going to be his approach to creating the models,” she said.
They were impressed then with the quality of the workmanship and held a large exhibition of his work in 2011 with 45-50 pieces on display. Hastreiter-Lamb said it was their first real, temporary exhibit where they brought in pieces from outside their collection. While the event was exciting, the museum was still very new and not a lot of people were yet aware of them. They didn’t get the crowds that Hastreit-
er-Lamb felt the show deserved.
However, they kept in touch with Roark over the years and he would stop by every so often. Then, his wife passed away and he decided he needed to downsize. He contacted Hastreiter-Lamb and said he would like to donate some pieces to the museum.
“We were just thrilled to be able to have a gift from him,” Hastreiter-Lamb said. “We went over and selected some pieces from what he had remaining. Our intention was that some would go into the collection and others we would use for purposes to support the museum through sales.”
From those selections, which they received about the time the pandemic was
beginning, they put together an exhibit which is now on display. It is a scaled-down exhibit from what they did before with only seven pieces.
“It’s quite a nice sampling of the work that he does,” Hastreiter-Lamb said.
Roark’s father introduced him to model building. He was a fan of building old-
time model ships and got his son involved even before he could read plans. The young Roark started making model cars, trucks, ships and military miniatures. Having an affinity for art, he studied advertising design at The Art Center College
see ROARK page 12
Left: “Skeleton in the Desert” is a model of an early 1920s Ford Station Wagon made in a 1:24 scale and on display at the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures. Right: On display at the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, “Junk Yard Jewel” features a 1:24 scale model of a 1960s Chevy Pickup. (TMTM/Michael Muscarello)
Incumbents projected to win primary elections
Marana and Oro Valley incumbents for Town Council and Mayor lead the pack in
BY KAREN SCHAFFNER
Tucson Local Media
Marana and Oro Valley Town Council members and candidates received the unofficial tally from the Tuesday, Aug. 2, primary election, as of Monday, Aug. 8.
Four seats were open with a field of seven candidates vying for Marana Town Council positions. Four incumbents ran for reelection, while three new candidates ran together with hopes of securing three seats. According to the Pima County Elections Department, incumbent Herb Kai was in the lead with 7,208, 15.96% of the total votes. With only 135 votes fewer than Kai, incumbent Jon Post garnered 7,073, 15.66% of voters. A third incumbent, Patti Comerford, received 6,785 votes, 15.02%. Incumbent John Officer followed with 6,375 votes, 14.11%
Newcomer Patrick Cavanaugh, who went house to house to gather enough signatures to get on the ballot with running mates Tim Kosse and Mark Johnson, received 6,326 or 14% of the votes. Candidates Johnson and Kosse came in with 6,107 (13.52%) and
5,298 (11.73%) votes, respectively. The count falls under the auspices of the Pima County Office of the Recorder, and staff there said it will probably be next week before they officially announce the results, meaning the numbers could change by the
time the final count is announced.
The new Marana Town Council will most likely be seated in November.
In Oro Valley, where the mayoral and three town council seats were open, as of the morning of Monday, Aug. 8, incumbent Mayor Joe Winfield had a lead of 8,729 votes (50.97%) over challenger Danny Sharp, who had 8,398 votes (49.03%).
Vice mayor Melanie Barrett received 9,142 votes (19.59%). Incumbents Joyce Jones-Ivey and Josh Nicolson came in with 8,506 (18.23%) and 7,989 votes (17.12%), respectively. The three challengers were Charlie Hurt with 7,219 votes (15.47%); Bill Rodman received 6,933 (14.86%) and Joe Erceg received 6,867 votes (14.72%).
The new Oro Valley Town Council and mayor will most likely be seated in November.
Vote counts and information about local elections may be found at https://results.arizona.vote/#/featured/32/11.
Man arrested for arson in connection to the Salpointe Fire
BY KATYA MENDOZA
Tucson Local Media
The Tucson Police Department announced an arrest over the weekend of 26-year-old Forrest Harris in connection to the Salpointe Catholic Fire that occurred on Sunday, July 17.
TPD responded to a call on Saturday, July 30, over a dispute about a dog, near North Country Club Road and East Grant Road and were able to identify and locate Harris due to an internal “stop and arrest.” A stop and arrest means there is enough probable cause to make an arrest.
After interviews, TPD found further probable cause to arrest Harris and officially charged him with arson of an occupied structure, and booked him into the Pima County Jail. He was also charged with third-degree burglary and criminal damage.
Left: The two-alarm fire that occurred at Salpointe Catholic High School on Sunday, July 17, destroyed six classrooms in the 700 English wing. The classrooms will be temporarily replaced by high-quality modular units when school resumes on Tuesday, Aug. 15. Right: TPD officials identified 26-year-old Forrest Harris responsible for starting the fire at Salpointe Catholic High School on Sunday, July 17. Harris was also charged with third-degree burglary and criminal damage. (Courtesy, Tucson Police Department)
for TPD said. Investigators handed over evidence and samples to TPD’s arson investigator who was able to make the arrest, Colaianni said. The fire, which began in the attic space in the 700 English wing on the southeast corner of campus, destroyed six classrooms and will have to be rebuilt.
On July 21, school officials announced in a press release the first day of school would be postponed by one week “in order to guarantee a safe and fully operational campus.”
“When the students come back on Aug. 15, all of the classrooms will be functional with the exception of six classrooms and held in high quality modular units that will (temporarily) work as our classrooms,” said Jennifer Harris, director of advancement at Salpointe Catholic High School.
“Our investigators did a lot of work to
Based on forensic evidence collected by Tucson Fire Department investigators at the fire scene, blood DNA connected Harris to the fire, according to Sergeant Richard Gradillas, spokesman for TPD.
identify various ignition sources and sent off samples to labs to analyze where that fire might have started,” Michael Colaianni, spokesman
The high school is going through the restoration process of smoke, water and electrical damages found throughout the 300 and 400 wings on the northeast side of campus and estimates the damages to be in the millions of dollars.
“Fun Home” promises to move audiences with gamut of emotions
BY BRIDGETTE M. REDMAN Tucson Local Media
Musical theater has the power to so deeply resonate, to reflect experiences so intimately, it can charge the audience’s emotions and leave them forever changed.
That has been the experience many people have had with “Fun Home,” the 2015 Tony award winner for “Best Musical.” Some of the songs became anthems for lesbians, another expressed the heartbreak of letting a life waste away one day at a time, others spoke to every daughter who struggled to understand her father.
It was a musical that spoke volumes to Tyler Wright and Dennis Tamblyn, the director and producer of the production coming to Tucson Aug. 6 to Aug. 14. The Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company (SAPAC) presents “Fun Home” at the Scoundrel and Scamp stage, 738 N. Fifth Avenue #131. “Fun Home,” with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron, is based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. It is the story of
her coming to terms with her childhood, her father’s suicide and the discovery of her own sexuality. Her deeply troubled and brilliant father, Bruce Bechdel, was a closeted gay man who was an English teacher, the owner and manager of a funeral home (which they called “the Fun Home,” thus the title) and a passionate interior designer and house restorer.
When Wright saw the performance of “Ring of Keys” at the 2015 Tony Awards, he was then a closeted gay man in a marriage to a woman and the father of children.
“It was very, very emotional for me personally,” Wright said. “My wife and I knew that I was gay, but that was the choice I had made to live.”
When he came out a few years ago, he and his wife decided to divorce.
“In the long run, she has been very supportive, but at the time, when the musical came out, it hit really, really close to home,” Wright said. “It was something I was kind of scared to immerse myself in because I had such an emotional reaction to the Tony performance.”
However, the show kept coming back to him, and Bruce’s storyline in particular re-
verberated powerfully in his life.
“I’ve always seen the story of Bruce Bechdel as kind of a parallel universe of what my life could have been if I’d been born in another time or in other circumstances,” Wright said. “As different as Bruce and I’s story is, there are some obvious similarities.”
It was why he was willing to direct the show when Tamblyn approached him. As the two are good friends, Tamblyn knew Wright’s story and gave him an out, saying he would totally understand if the show would trigger him, but that he could also see it being very cathartic.
Tamblyn said “Fun Home” complemented the rest of the shows they’ve been doing and he was attracted to the innovative storytelling and the cast size. But, like Wright, he identified deeply with this musical as a gay man who recently left the closet.
“The show really is one that just speaks to people,” Tamblyn said. “It’s not (just) a story of coming out or being gay or being a lesbian or anything. It is such a human story. It gets a lot of credit because it does see things through a lesbian character at its core — and that’s great. I’m totally excited that that repre-
sentation is happening. But at the same time, there’s so much else going on with this show.”
Wright says the opportunity to direct “Fun Home” came at a great time for him. He points out he’s at a different stage in his life and is much more at peace with his identity.
“It’s actually really great to work on this piece and to kind of look back at all of those things in my journey and the journey of the characters in the show,” Wright said. “Several years ago, triggering might have been appropriate. Now, it’s been a joyful celebration for me.”
The show doesn’t shy away from dealing with complicated topics nor does it rely on easy answers. Wright says he’s encouraging the cast to embrace the complexity of the show and the characters, especially when it comes to the three Alisons — the young child, the college freshman and the adult, middle-aged woman who is reflecting on it all.
“It’s very easy on the surface to look (at Bruce) and say, boy, that guy was a monster and a predator,” Wright said. “Which, he was. But what I really love about this is no-
Include pharmacy benefit managers in drug pricing reform GUEST COMMENTARY
BY SHARON JOSEPH Executive Director Lupus Foundation of Southern Arizona
As someone who works closely with the patient community, I feel it is my responsibility to monitor the actions in Congress when it comes to drug pricing. Most often, I am left disappointed that various pieces of legislation that would have a real and tremendous impact on the patient community ends up dying on the vine due to the bitter partisanship in our current Congress.
Opportunity after opportunity to receive real savings at the pharmacy counter for those who need it the most have been missed, despite the many promises made by our elected officials every campaign season.
Lupus is a very expensive condition to treat. New treatments have an annual cost between $30,000 and $40,000. While the new treatments have had tremendous benefits to those with lupus, it has forced many
patients to skip doses or delay prescription refills. These are choices no patient, whether one with lupus or any other chronic disease, should have to make.
So, it’s refreshing to see there may be another way to tackle high out-of-pocket costs for our patients, and it is through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In early June, the FTC announced it would launch investigations into major pharmacy benefit managers and their business practices. This has been a long time coming, as Congress has repeatedly called on them to take a closer look at these institutions and the role they play in the final cost of a prescription medication.
Explaining the role of pharmacy benefit managers is about as easy as explaining quantum physics to many of us, but it essentially boils down to this: pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) basically serve as the middlemen between your insurance company’s drug plan and the drug manufacturer. Now comes the confusing part.
The role PBMs play is something of an enigma. As the online publication Fierce Healthcare put it, “the role (of PBMs) can’t be quantified, at least not for the public, because PBMs are secretive about their price negotiations with pharma companies.” That should be an enormous red flag, and it’s great to see the FTC agrees.
Many of the tactics PBMs employ range from questionable to highly suspect, but of particular concern to the patient side of this issue is the topic of drug rebates. These are the rebates, or coupons, a manufacturer provides to discount the list price of a drug. The intention of them is to obviously lower the price for the consumer, but the problem is PBMs often get in the way with its web of administrative and authorization hurdles, and the result is the discount is never properly passed through to the consumer.
It will be fascinating to see what the FTC finds in their investigation into PBMs, but we shouldn’t be relying on them alone to fix
this issue. As Congress continues to work throughout the summer on drug pricing bills, I hope our elected officials, especially our very own influential U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, will work parallel to the FTC and demand action on PBMs through legislation or as part of the drug pricing reconciliation bill. Of course we know the answer to lower drug prices doesn’t rest with PBMs alone, and it will take all those in the prescription drug supply chain to come to the table in order to make tangible progress. But the FTC launching this investigation should serve as a call-to-action for Congress. The message of the FTC is clear: The solution to high drug costs is out there. We just need to work to find it.
A Tucson resident, Sharon Joseph is the board president at the Lupus Foundation of Southern Arizona (LFSA). LFSA’s mission is to provide support, education and partnership to those affected by lupus, while promoting the development and enhancement of health and social welfare at the local level.
PLAN YOUR DREAM VACATION – FREE DATE CHANGES
BY ALEXANDRA PERE
Tucson Local Media
MUSIC
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16
Shakey Graves performs at the Rialto Theatre with Abraham Alexander. Graves, a.k.a Alejandro Rose-Garcia, is touring post the 10th anniversary of the debut album that changed his life, “Roll the Bones.” Rose-Garcia has gathered millions of listens to his music since this album was released in 2011. Rose-Garcia rereleased the album with 15 additional tracks in 2021. Details: Doors open 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16. All ages show. $30 to $48. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street.
THEATER
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Have a blast at Gaslight Theatre this week at the new musical comedy “Ghostblasters.” As guessed, the storyline is a fun spin on the blockbuster “Ghostbusters” movie. A team of eccentric scientists band together to stop ghosts and spirits from infesting New York City. This play will be running into August. Details: Shows run 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E Broadway Boulevard. Tickets are $27 for adults, $15 for children (2 to 12), and $25 for students, military, and seniors. Thegaslighttheatre.com
HOME from page 9
body is all one thing. People are very, very complex. And Alison explores in this work that there were really good things about this relationship. He was her father and she loved him.” As he leads the cast in really digging into the characters, Wright said he was very careful in selecting each actor — people he said are Broadway-level talents with amazing voices. They are people he knew he could trust to create a safe space in rehearsal, one where there was an environment of consent and trust. He has shared his story and actors have all brought in their stories — things that resonate with them about the story.
HAPP ENINGS EN
Visit www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/livenup/calendar to submit your free calendar listing.
SPECIAL EVENTS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Tombstone is hosting a weekend of festivities celebrating Doc Holliday, or John Henry Holliday, the iconic gambler and gunfighter. Holliday is best known for his role in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral on Oct. 26, 1881. Visitors can expect a Doc Holliday Look-a-Like competition, Peach Pie Eating contest, Tombstone Movie Trivia and street entertainment. Details: From 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, and Saturday, Aug. 13. Tombstone, 311 E Allen Street Tombstone, Arizona.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Head down to Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens & Galleries’ summer series, Chillin’ at the Chul, on Friday, Aug. 12, or Saturday, Aug. 13. The botanical gardens are offering visitors a chance to cool down on the grounds after hours. It is free of admission from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy live music by Diluvio on Friday or Sophia Rankin and The Sound on Saturday. The Garden Bistro will be open for service, offering light bites and refreshments such as Sonoran hot dogs and prickly pear margaritas. The series runs Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 3. Details: From 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, and Saturday, Aug. 13. Tohono Chul, 7366 N. Paseo Del Norte. tohonochul.org
His stage manager, who had intimacy training, worked with the cast about the importance of checking in with their scene partner about how they are feeling emotionally and physically and making sure consent happens every single time and at every rehearsal.
Wright said they’ve delved deeply into comparing Bruce’s self-loathing and the way he tried to hide who he is with Alison’s embracing of her identity early in college.
Wright refered to the song, “I’m Changing My Major to Joan” Alison sings after her first sexual experience.
“If you’d taken a picture of me (in rehearsal), I had this grin from ear to ear because it’s just such a beautiful, universal,
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Cool Summer Nights at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum are the best way to beat the heat. Plants and animals come to life in the desert at night. Details: 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. General admission $24.95, seniors are $22.95 (65+), youth $13.95 (ages 3-12), children under three and Desert Museum members are free. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N Kinney Road.
ARTS
Open until Saturday, September 10
Take a weekend trip to Bisbee for a day of art, specifically portrait art, at the Artemizia Foundation Annex. This Bisbee treasure is unveiling a new exhibit featuring world-renowned fine art photographer Martin Schoeller. Martin specializes in portraits and his work has appeared in well-known magazines such as Time, GQ, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and much more! Large-scale portraits will be available at the annex. Details: the Annex is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 24 Main Street; open to all; artemiziafoundation.org/annex
FOR KIDS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12
TEEN Paint Night is a great chance to be outdoors while creating a masterpiece. Instruction is included with registration,
lovely moment that is so bubbly and happy,” Wright said. “And it’s compared right before that with this scene between Bruce and his yard guy that is very uncomfortable and very hard. I’ve leaned into trying to show the difference in circumstances and the difference is between shame and secrecy and the opposite of that being pride, openness and authenticity.”
The production incorporates some of the actual drawings from the graphic novel into the design of the set. At key moments, they’ll show drawings that illustrate such things as maps and the drawings each of the Alisons made.
While “Fun Home” does deal with some heavy topics and has heartbreaking mo-
along with an 11-by-14 canvas and painting supplies. Maeve Huffmon will be instructing this week’s class. Parents can accompany their teens as well. Details: From 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12. Marana Heritage River Park Barn, 12375 N Heritage Park Drive. Maranaaz.gov
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10 AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
The Loft Cinema’s Studio Ghibli Summer Fest continues with Princess Mononoke. Watch the classic Ghibli film on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. with subtitles and dubbed audio on Saturday at 2 p.m. Details: Wednesday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 13. The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Boulevard. General admission is $10, and Loft members and children (12 and under) are $8. loftcinema.org
LOCAL MARKETS
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Come to the Oro Valley Farmers Market at the historic Steam Pump Ranch on Saturday, Aug. 13, to support your local farmers, ranches and small food purveyors offering their seasonal produce, farm-fresh eggs, meats and other goods. Operating every Saturday, year round, the farmers market runs from 8 a.m. to noon. Attendance is free, but money is required for shopping. Steam Pump Ranch is located at 10901 N. Oracle Road. For more information about the Oro Valley Farmer’s Market or other Heirloom Farmers Markets visit, heirloomfm.org
ments, both Wright and Tamblyn stressed the show is not depressing and people will have a good time at the theater.
“The great thing about this musical is that it has so many fun moments — light moments and laughs,” Wright said. “It’s a very well-balanced show. It’s not just your LGBT suicide story. It’s a human story that people will connect to.”
“You’re not going to leave the theater down and depressed,” Tamblyn added. “You’re going to feel empowerment and like you’re not alone. Everyone can relate to different moments in this show. It is a healing journey. And the end, the last trio, is so moving and hopeful and inspiring.”
FUN
Phone and Internet Discounts
Available to CenturyLink Customers
The Arizona Corporation Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $18.47 per month and business services are $35.00 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request.
CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/ month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.
CenturyLink also participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households with a discount on broadband service. The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.
For both programs, a household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs.
If you live in a CenturyLink service area, visit https://www. centurylink.com/aboutus/community/community-development/ lifeline.html for additional information about applying for these programs or call 1-800-201-4099 with questions.
of Design in Pasadena, where he earned a Bachelor of Professional Arts in 1963. He studied fine art, architecture, graphic design and offset printing.
For 30 years, he worked as a graphic designer, printer, engineer and creative designer. But he never gave up building miniature models.
In the 1980s, his modeling took a turn.
According to the museum’s biography, Roark asked himself, “What would this car look like if it had been abandoned in the desert for the past 30 years, full of grease, dirt, dust, rust, broken windows, flat tires and lots of dents?”
To answer his question, he started making models using a process he described as building the kit backward, “planning all the way to destroy it and see how it would look all bright, shiny and new and then make it dirty, abused and distressed.”
He spent hundreds of hours on these rusted relics, figuring out how to make the decay as authentic and realistic as possible. He worked with 1:24 scale plastic model kits and aged the contents with paint and homemade rust. He also used 1:32 scale die-cast model cars and tore them apart to antique them with paint and other materials until they were in a dilapidated state.
“He had a little jar that he showed us of rust that he was making,” Hastreiter-Lamb said. “He made rust to apply to the vehicle, so he was trying to be really authentic. He talked about how he took parts out of the kit and didn’t use them all. He came up with his own replacement parts, particularly for the glass because he had to have it shattered in certain ways. It was really fascinating to see that approach, which was so different and unique from what you typically see with model-built or scratch-built cars.”
He retired from one career in 1992 to focus on creating these weathered models. In addition to the cars, he created the landscape in which the vehicles have been abandoned.
Hastreiter-Lamb has watched how his work resonates with visitors to the museum, something she thinks is a combination of nostalgia and a response to everything people have been through recently.
“When you see something like that which was a prized possession, something that is iconically American, and then it’s presented in a way that it’s been sort of forgotten and lost, it’s perishing — I think we can all relate to that,” Hastreiter-Lamb said. “We always think of ourselves as being on top of
the world. America has been through a lot of troubled times recently, so I think we’re probably kind of reacting to that.”
Guests often talk about how much they remember cars similar to those in the exhibit and how much they are in awe of the work.
Another feature of the exhibition Hastreiter-Lamb highlights is how it serves as a reminder that there are many talented people in Tucson making art for local museums and galleries.
“We have nationally recognized artisans here,” Hastreiter-Lamb said. “There are so many great things about Tucson. I’m glad that we are another unique aspect that contributes to the community. There are only a few museums of miniatures in the country and not too many more in the world that are strictly dedicated to this type of arts.”
If you go
What: Jim Roark’s Metal Monsters
Where: The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, 4455 E. Camp Lowell Drive, Tucson
When: Now through Sept. 11, Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: Free with membership; $11.50, seniors and military $9.50, students and youth $8
https://theminitimemachine.org/
1953 Ford Detail: Jim Roark pays painstaking attention to detail on this 1:24 scale model of a 1953 Ford two-door hardtop. (TMTM/Michael Muscarello)
UA ranked top programs in water resources, worldwide
KATYA MENDOZA
Tucson Local Media
The University of Arizona received top rankings for their academic research programs in water resources on July 20, earning No. 2 nationally and No. 6 globally in Shanghai Rankings’ 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
The independent higher education and intelligence consultancy organization, which has been the official publisher of the Academic Ranking of World Universities since 2009, scores over 5,000 global universities across 54 subjects in five categories based on the amount of published research papers in top journals, international collaboration and faculty who have achieved excellence.
“We have, for many decades, attracted scholars of water associated with arid regions because we are an arid region and we have so many rich places to do that kind of research as well as supporting faculty here at the University,” said Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell, senior vice president for research and innovation.
The UA has over 200 faculty members whose research strength is some aspect of water.
Thomas Meixner, professor and department head of hydrology and atmospheric sciences at the UA said one of the key reasons for the rankings were the “depth and breadth” of expertise in the area of water and water resources investigations at the university.
“The expertise in water extends across multiple colleges, lots of different departments, research centers (and) research programs,” Meixner said. “I always think of the department as a hub.”
“Water is a very complicated world, meaning it’s not just the science of understanding where it is and where it comes from, and the technology of how to get it from one place to another, but the legal ramifications of the way we do water ownership and water rights,” Cantwell said.
“A variety of organizations in the university work broadly with local, state and federal agencies on issues related to water resources, water availability and water quality,” Meixner said.
“From an institutional perspective, the most important thing is that we are partnered with the state of Arizona and the residents of Arizona and a lot of what we do is working with not just our southern Arizona community, but all of the state,” Cantwell said.
In September 2021, the university established the Indigenous Resilience Center in the Arizona Institute for Resilient Environments and Societies, to develop and support Indigenous students, faculty and staff in facilitating UA efforts in climate and environmental research. The program, which is run by Karletta Chief, associate professor and extension specialist in the UA department of environmental science, looks to improve Native nations’ resilience around water in arid lands and bring indigenous knowledge of water management to the public.
“We created this center to allow us to take all of the water work that we do at the university, but really partner with the Native nations (and) let them lead us into areas that they want us to help them with,” Cantwell said.
The University’s various outreach efforts which communicate to people the importance of groundwater and how limited water resources are, including presentations to grades K-12 and other organizations about water resources challenges such as availability, conservation and climate change.
“We really are an international hub of water resources research, in sort of all of the dimensions,” Meixner said. “If the state has water problems or the West has water problems, we’re a good place to refer to for knowledge about the nature of those problems and how to solve them.”
“We have to embrace complexity, which is why all (of) these interdisciplinary (departments) are fabulous,” Cantwell said. “They are not afraid of complexity.”
The University of Arizona Institutes for Resilience: Solutions for Environment and Societies (AIRES) program coordinates interdisciplinary projects across the university that structure solutions-focused research. AIRES professor Zach Guido’s research includes the role of weather and climate information in decision-making and more. (Courtesy Zach Guido, assistant research professor at the Arizona Institutes for Resilience: Solutions for Environment and Societies and School of Natural Resources and Environment)
Casino Del Sol’s tailgating burger championship
BY HOPE PETERS
Tucson Local Media
Think you have the best home recipe burger in town? Submit your recipes to Casino Del Sol executive chef Ryan Clark for the upcoming Casino Del Sol Bowl Tailgate Championship.
Chef Clark will judge and choose the winning burger recipe each week prior to the University of Arizona men’s football first six home games played at the UA stadium.
“We have been doing this type of championship for about three years,” Clark said. “But this is the first time we have been doing the submissions prior to the games.”
He explained that in past years, he would go out to the tailgating section on the UA Main Campus mall lawn to try tailgate dishes. Clark would announce the winner by bringing them onto the football field. Then, he would make the burger live on the field. However, due to sound and video issues, they will do things differently this year.
“I can’t wait for this year’s Sol Bowl Tailgate Championship,” Clark said. “Each year we see so many creative and unique recipes. It’s so much fun to see what people come up with, and there’s no better way to celebrate the kickoff of the football season.”
Tailgate cooks can submit their burger recipes now through Aug. 12, to compete in this year’s championship.
Each week, prior to the home game, Clark will choose a winning burger rec-
ipe from the submissions, recreate it, and showcase it with an in-game presentation on the jumbotron screen.
Winners will be named the Sol Bowl tailgate champion weekly and receive an official Chef Works chef’s apron and $350 in gift cards from Casino Del Sol and local food purveyors, such as the Heirloom Farmers Market. Each weekly winner will be entered to win the grand prize, a Komado Joe Charcoal Grill. In addition, the named Grand Champion will be invited to the UA vs. Arizona State home football game on Nov. 25. At the game, there will be an on-field presentation where the grand
prize winner will be selected and crowned the 2022 Sol Bowl Tailgate champion.
“For the grand prize winner, at Arizona’s last home game,” Clark explained, “all the weekly winners will come on the field and they will announce the grand champion.”
When asked what would make a great burger, Clark said, “A fun, creative burger should have a great sauce.”
He said they had creative sauces made with more ethnic ingredients like yogurt, mint or harissa seasoning. Clark did warn not to season the meat prior to mixing it together because it could be overworked, making a tough burger. However, he said to
make sure to season the outside and be creative with the outside seasonings or rubs. “Also, use high-quality ingredients,” Clark said. “Fresh ingredients, so they are healthy and taste good.”
Tailgate cooks are encouraged to submit entries online beginning now through Aug. 12 at casinodelsol.com/ solbowl. Entrants must be 21 or older, must submit an original tailgate burger recipe, use a charcoal grill, and the recipe must serve four.
Casino Del Sol executive chef Ryan Clark visits the tailgating section on the UA Main Campus mall lawn. (Casino Del Sol/Submitted)
In remembrance of Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully SPORTS &RECREATION EXTRA POINT WITH TOM DANEHY
BY TOM DANEHY
Tucson Local Media
It’s not often somebody gets to do what they love and do it better than anybody else… for more than 60 years. And no, I’m not talking about Queen Elizabeth II, who, despite the sometimes unflattering portrayal thereof on “The Crown,” has pretty much been nailing it since the early 1950s. Rather, we note with a touch of sadness and a giant silo full of admiration and great memories the passing at age 94 of longtime Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully. When I was a kid growing up in Southern California, baseball was the coolest. It was cooler than football or basketball. It was a constant topic of conversation and, for many, a way of life. Nowadays, it’s not even close to football and basketball and it’s barely cooler than hockey. Much of baseball’s painful decline is self-inflicted (strikes and lockouts and steroids), but when it was good, it was great.
The Dodgers had some incredible stars, including the pitching duo of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. The latter was my pitching hero, mostly because he was
friends with my high school coach and would stop by our practices every now and then. I also loved the fact that Drysdale, who (along with Robert Redford) had gone to a rival high school of ours, was a fierce competitor. When a signal came from the bench to issue an intentional walk to the upcoming batter, Drysdale drilled the batter in the back with his first pitch.
When his manager later asked why he had done it, Drysdale replied, “I saved myself three pitches.”
I remember when Scully told that story during a game with only the slightest hint of mischief in his voice. I think we all knew that despite the hitters (Tommy Davis, whose 153 runs batted in and .346 batting average in 1962 still stand as all-time team records) and the base stealers (Maury Wills’ incredible 104 steals) and the aforementioned pitchers (Koufax threw four no-hitters, including a perfect game), Scully was the most-beloved Dodger.
Scully was a painter of pictures, a teller of tales. He was the face of the Dodgers and the voice of the Dodgers. But, if you listened closely enough, he wasn’t a homer for the Dodgers. He just told his listening
audience what was going on, on the field. He did it with a calm voice that rarely got loud and, in that voice, you could just hear his love of the game and, in the process, you found yourself sharing that love.
My father, who was never much of a sports fan, would drive around LA, almost never turning on the car radio. He preferred to read the news, and he never wanted to listen to music. But when the Dodgers game was on, so was my dad’s radio. He swore Scully’s voice helped make him a better, safer driver, one who was less likely to speed or get angry when some jerk cut in front of him.
I remember writing a piece for my high school newspaper about how when I was a little kid and I had an actual bedtime, I would lie in bed with a clunky transistor radio under my pillow, listening to Scully call a game. I’m sure at the time I thought it was really clever, when talking about the radio-pillow-ear strata, to conclude, “I guess you can say that it left an impression on me.”
When I first came to Arizona to go to college and play ball, I was thrilled to find the Dodgers’ games were broadcast on one
of the two local radio stations in the tiny border town of Douglas. I guess when I was young and stupid, I assumed Dodgermania extended northward to Bakersfield, after which it gave way to love of the San Francisco Giants, and eastward to about Blythe, which for someone growing up in LA, was about the end of the world.
Scully kept me from getting homesick those first few weeks of college. I would leave my dorm room and go out and sit in my car to listen to Dodgers games. He was a master at what he did, and there will never be anyone better.
One of my favorite things was, even as he was calling the game, he could slip in a folksy tale just for pure, heavenly entertainment. He once told a story about a student who asked a teacher, “What’s the most amazing invention of all time?”
The teacher thought for a minute, then answered, “The thermos.”
The student was taken aback and asked, “Why the thermos?”
“Well,” came the response, “a thermos can keep hot things hot and cold things cold.” After a pause, he concluded, “But how does it know?!”
AGING WELL Table Tennis Serves Up a Score of Health Benefits
Looking for a new sport to enjoy with family and friends of all ages, indoors or out, that offers a good workout and lots of fun?
A growing number of residents at Splendido, a Life Plan Community for those 55 and better in Oro Valley, are putting a new spin on recreation, playing rousing games of table tennis.
Resident Kathy Cotton has grown the number of players by adding a beginners’ hour on Saturday mornings, followed by intermediate play. A weekly Skills Workshops for advanced players focuses on a specific area like improving your serve or your backhand.
Resident Shelley Ann Lipowich is an avid player who used to be a certified table tennis coach. “I’ve been playing since I was old enough to reach the table,” she says. “I enjoy playing, and I enjoy coaching others. It’s fun to see people’s skills growing. Some of us are real athletes who played tennis or badminton, and others are striving. We’re all having a great time!”
All are welcome to join a weekend game—as are fam-
ily members and other visitors—no matter what their skill level. “There’s plenty of teamwork, footwork and balance, and certainly joy, too,” says Shelley. “You’ll hear a lot of laughter, and that really is the best medicine.”
Playing table tennis offers a surprising array of benefits for your health. It can provide aerobic exercise without the joint wear-and-tear and the risk of injury that can come with other sports (like tennis).
Research has shown the following:
Physical Benefits
In addition to building your general stamina, speed, and agility, table tennis imparts these special health benefits:
1. Quicker reflexes: The fastpaced play and short distances of the game exercise both gross and fine muscle movement.
2. Steadier balance: Continually practicing quick changes in direction improves your sense of balance.
3. Burns calories: An active
game of table tennis can burn calories and provide a good moderate workout.
Cognitive Benefits
1. Sharper mental acuity: Eye-hand coordination may seem like a physical skill, but it is actually a complex cognitive ability, according to science. Any game that involves this type of coordination has been shown to stimulate alertness and concentra-
tion, and develop better mental acuity.
2. Better brain health: The combination of physical play, eye-hand coordination, calculating angles and speed, planning and strategy all add up to “the world’s best brain sport,” according to Dr. Daniel Amen, a renowned psychiatrist and brain imaging expert.
3. Mental agility: Keeping
score, as well as keeping track of change of serve and change of sides is also a real test of cognitive abilities.
Social Benefits
Interacting with others is vital to our health; enjoying a variety of one-on-one, small group, and larger group interactions results in social wellness. Social activity is linked to better mental and cognitive health, likely because inter-
acting with others keeps us engaged, thinking about new things, remembering, and generally using our brains.
“Table tennis is mind, body, and spirit,” Shelley says. “They’re all very much a part of the game.”
Interested in learning more about Splendido? For floor plans, photos, and information on upcoming events, visit splendidotucson.com.
Splendido residents enjoy improving their table tennis skills and are reaping a number of benefits from playing the sport.
Health: the edible thistle
BY MIA SMITT Tucson Local Media
Cynara cardunculus var scolymus, aka artichokes, have a history of health benefits that go back to ancient times. We have been eating these nutrient-dense edible flowers of a thistle-like plant in the sunflower family for more than 3,000 years. Its English name comes from the Arabic “al-khurshuf,” which means thistle, which eventually became the Italian articiocco, which ultimately became artichoke. The plant is native to the Mediterranean area and grows three to 5 feet tall. It fell out of favor and common use for over 100 years after the fall of the Roman Empire but became popular again toward the end of the Middle Ages when Catherine de Medici brought the artichoke from her native Italy to France when she married King Henry II. From France, the plant was transported to England where the word “artichoke” first appeared in written English records during the 15th century. French, English and Italian explorers brought the artichoke to the New World. Today, the artichoke is most popular in the United States, with France and Italy close behind. One hundred percent of the United States artichoke crop is produced in California.
Artichokes have been used medicinally for centuries. They were thought to be an effective aphrodisiac. The hearts and leaves were boiled and used as blood cleansers, to detoxify the liver and to improve bile production. They were also used as diuretics, deodorants and as a breath freshener.
Today we are learning more about the health benefits of this vegetable. We know it is rich in phytochemicals and research is underway to determine the role they play in disease prevention. There is also research into two compounds found in the leaves of the artichoke, cynarin and silymarin. Their antioxidant properties may help regenerate healthy liver tissue. They have been shown to improve digestion and they may play a role in controlling blood pressure. There are studies underway to see if artichokes may help control blood glucose levels and lower cholesterol levels, thereby helping prevent cardiovascular disease. And test tube and animal studies have shown artichoke extract impaired some cancers’ growth.
Artichokes are rich in nutrients essen-
tial to good health. They are 85% water, 12% carbohydrates, 3% protein and 0% fats. One 60 calorie serving (one medium choke, cooked) supplies 25% of the recommended daily value (RDV) of vitamin C, 27% of folate, 9% of phosphorous, 10% of potassium, 5% of vitamin B6, 6% of calcium and 9% of iron. Of particular note is it also provides 19% of the RDV of magnesium, of which most adults do not get enough on a daily basis. This vital mineral is necessary for temperature regulation, the release of stored energy from muscles and bone building. It also has strong anti-inflammatory properties. An artichoke also provides four grams of protein, six grams of carbohydrates, and no fat or cholesterol. There are only 70 milligrams of sodium per serving, 3% of the RDV. Artichokes are also very fiber rich, with 7 grams of fiber per serving.
They can be steamed, baked or boiled, and served with olive oil and garlic or butter. The flesh of the leaves and the hearts are edible. Many people cook them and serve cold with a bit of mayonnaise. Approximately 75% of the artichoke crop is sold fresh, but 25% is processed as frozen or canned hearts and crowns. (The frozen quarters sold at Trader Joe’s are an inexpensive and flavorful addition to roasted and sautéed meals.)
Castroville, California, is the artichoke capital of the United States. The first artichokes were planted in 1922 when they were taken to California by Italian immigrants. Andrew Molera planted an acre of artichokes on his ranch in Castroville and in 1922 Angelo del Chiaro leased 150 acres from Molera and expanded the crop. By 1926, 12,000 acres were planted. Now, 100 years later, 4,900 acres are planted. In 2021, 22,960,000 pounds were produced and the crop was valued at 57.5 million dollars (a 10% drop from the previous year due to poor weather conditions).
Festivals celebrating this ancient vegetable have been held since 1960 with growing popularity and attendance. This year’s fest was held at the Monterey County fairgrounds on June 11 and June 12. (Marilyn Monroe was crowned the first Artichoke Queen in 1948, even before the yearly celebrations were started.)
Artichokes pack a bang of healthful nutrients for your buck and taste great, so pick some up today.
65 Gumbo ingredient
66 Many indoor tennis facilities have them
67 Super Down
1 Much of sparring
2 Best four-of-a-kind
3 “Seems likely …”
4 Knowledge
5 ___ Rabbit
6 New beginning
7 Plains people
8 Be a chatterbox
9 Whichever
10 “Gosh dang it!”
11 Den
12 Typesetting unit
13 Unlikely Christmas present in Hawaii
18 Editorial slant?: Abbr.
22 Vessel that may be portaged
24 Next-best option
Actress Sonia
Range for yodelers
“Ailment” for the
Appeared in syndication, say
Fad item of the 1990s
Creatures that can be both pets and pests
Fig. with two hyphens
Hallucinatory experience
Jaguar spot, for example
Worker with books, for short 25 Brand so named because it limits ultraviolet light
28 Big name in shampoo
30 Country band, for short?
31 It requires a tap to get started 34 Santa ___, Calif.
Big hot dog?
37 Land on Lake Victoria
39 Gave for a while 40 Certain Kentucky racer
44 Small-arms runner of years past?
45 Poetic preposition
46 Land bridge between Africa and Asia
47 Welling up
48 Recovers from a bender, with “up”
49 Key that works to exit but not enter
50 Habitually
53 Touchdown figs.
55 Smidge
58 There’s a bridge near the top of it
59 Pulling a rabbit out of a hat, e.g. … which happens three times in this puzzle
62 Something stored in an upright position on a plane
63 Person with talent 64 50-50
ARIES (March 21-April 19). It would seem nothing gets accomplished without discipline, yet when you feel driven to do something, it never even occurs to you that you need it. Being interested and craving answers and results renders discipline unnecessary. This week, you will be propelled by your desire to know what happens next.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). At times, it will feel as though you're tasked to obey illogical orders. A level of stress may come with this service, though fortunately so. You'll become acquainted with your own preferences. To learn your displeasure is useful in steering toward your joy. Roads are built by ruling out everything that's not the road.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It's not easy being so handy to others, but it's fulfilling. Expectations emerge as you go about your week. There will be people to please, troubles to avoid, conventions to obey and an endless stream of actions to take. Each night, you'll hit the pillow knowing you did your best and became a little sharper for the effort.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). When they are having fun, so are you. Shared enjoyment multiplies. On the flip side, there are those who put a damper on experiences you would usually enjoy. You can't control the opinions and behaviors of others, but if it's your party, you can control the guest list. Now, just think of your life as your party.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The trouble with an experience has nothing to do with the experience itself. The problem has to do with something keeping you from giving undivided attention to the moment. What's stopping you for giving your thoughts and efforts to the task at hand? It's likely you can make your life simpler to make it better.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It's nice to know you have options, but the power comes from actually exercising them. Try new things. Don't be afraid of the work, and don't back down from inconvenience. Change is often quite inconvenient indeed, but it will be worth it. What's needed now isn't the feeling of freedom; it's the actual freedom.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You wouldn't necessarily call this week's job fun, but it's a lot more fun than what will happen if it goes undone. So, you'll dig in and handle it like a boss. This week, someone powerful will recognize your work — and more notably, the stellar attitude with which you approach it — with keen interest.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). In a sea of people, certain individuals stand out to you. It's as though neon-lit arrows are pointing you in their direction. Break the ice, and you'll find out your lives have followed a parallel path. There are many connections to explore, and you can take your time. Quality relationships will come together slowly.
26 Certain evergreen
27 Singer Michael known as the “King of Christmas”
28 Fuddy-duddy
29 ___ Rabbit
31 Tempting, as an offer
32 ___ Rabbit
33 Kind of vote
35 Term of address in colonial India
36 Pot seeds?
38 Hoover rival
41 The Chiffons’ “___ Fine Day”
42 It ’s a beauty in its setting 43 ___ Chapel
47 What drivers do to cars at Car and Driver
48 “Buh-bye!”
50 Not sucked in by
51 Go off in two directions
52 Leader overthrown by a revolution
54 Takes steps
56 Big name in PCs
57 Fashion inits.
59 Hopping ___
60 What “syne” means in “Auld Lang Syne”
61 Increase the speed of
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Fun involves an element of risk. If you're playing it too safe, you're not playing at all. You could turn your frolicsome interests into an art form. Keep in mind artistry is diminished when there are telltale signs of the labor involved. You'll be rewarded for the work you do to make it look like it's no work at all.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). A rhythm that's settled into your days has a way of obligating you to it. You may not even realize how deep a groove this has become. This week is your moment to question the obligation. Is it aligned with your greater goals? If so, celebrate. If not, seize your lucky stars; here comes the opportunity to change it up.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It's hard to say who benefits you more — your supporters or your opposition. Those who are on your side give you the power of numbers and validation. Those who are against you give you the means for strength, sharpness and clarity. You'll learn just what you need to overcome to succeed.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You'll want to give others the plan, make it easy for them, spell out the details and communicate literally and clearly. Your impulse isn't wrong, but does it leave room for imagination? If you preconceive the limitations of others, they will become your own. Magical collaborations will take place in spaces of trust.
COWBOY CHURCH
Cristian Cowboy Ministries Cowboy Church
Sunday August 21st
At the Robertson Horse sale barn, Benson, AZ. @10 am For more info. Contact: Ccbm777@aol.com
NETWORK ADS
NETWORK ADS
DIRECTVStream-The BestofLive&On-DemandOnAllYourFavoriteScreens.CHOICE Package,$84.99/mofor12 months.Streamon20 devicesinyourhomeat once.HBOMaxincluded for3mos(w/CHOICE Packageorhigher.)Noannualcontract,nohidden fees!Somerestrictionsapply.CallIVS1-877-8410507(AzCAN)
DISHNetwork.$64.99for 190Channels! Blazing FastInternet,$19.99/mo. (whereavailable.)Switch & GetaFREE$100VisaGift Card.FREEVoice Remote.FREEHD DVR.FREEStreamingon ALLDevices.Calltoday! 1-855-722-2290(AzCAN)
TheGeneracPWRcell,a solarplusbatterystorage system.SAVEmoney,reduceyourrelianceonthe grid,prepareforpower outagesandpoweryour home.Fullinstallationservicesavailable.$0Down FinancingOption.RequestaFREE,noobligation,quotetoday. Call1-844-730-0219
WANTEDOLDSPORTSCARS/CONVERTIBLES: Porsche,Mercedes,Jaguar,Triumph/MG,Ferrari, Corvette&others!1973& OLDER!ANYcondition! TOP$$PAID!Call/Text: Mike520-977-1110.Ibring trailer&cash!(AzCAN)
IBuyRecordCollections LargeorSmall.Rock, Jazz,Blues,Soundtracks etc. $Cash$ andIwill cometoyou. Call520-389-8668 (Textonly)559-355-5935 LocalCompany
