New Improved Walmarts
Area Walmarts remodel to give a better shopping experience
| Page 6
Luxury Childcare
Give your kids the best while you get a break: luxury childcare experience opening soon | Page 10
Oro Valley PD receives accreditation
BY KATYA MENDOZA
The Oro Valley Police Department received accreditation from the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police on Sept. 15.
The certification comes from the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, a program that seeks to provide law enforcement agencies within the state a way to demonstrate their meeting of industry standards and best practices.
“After a lengthy process and successful review of every aspect of the Oro Valley Police Department, I’m proud we are able to join the distinguished list of police agencies in Arizona that have made a commitment to excellence in policing,” said Lt. John Teachout, executive officer who oversaw the accreditation process for the department.
“It helps us have an outside look at us and show us what we can do better,” added Darren Wright, Oro Valley Police Department spokesman.
Tucson first in line to see the new documentary, “Lute” | Page 15
Sometimes, he said, reasons for improvement can be missed during self-evaluations. Agencies who seek accreditation are required to examine elements of their operations. The Oro Valley Police Department complied to over 170 standards to demonstrate their commitment to the law enforcement profession.
Police Chief Kara M. Riley and Teachout accepted the certification on the department’s behalf. It is the agency’s first accreditation.
“The Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program provides reassurance to our community that OVPD uses the best practices in the law enforcement profession,” Riley said. “I am so grateful to all the members of OVPD for their hard work in making this accreditation possible.”
Chief Kara M. Riley, left, and Lt. John Teachout accept a certificate of accreditation from the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program on Sept. 15 at the Oro Valley Police Department. (Oro Valley Police Department/Courtesy)
Riley, served as a department commander for more than three years prior to her appointment as the chief in February 2020.
Portrait gallery gala honors women over 50
BY SUMMER AGUIRRE Tucson Local Media
Local women older than 50 will be honored by the unveiling of an empowering project celebrating their stories and wisdom.
The first Wise Women: 50 Over 50 Experience is coming to Tucson, thanks to Michelle Beaumont Owens, owner of Artifact Photography Studio. As the project’s photographer, stylist and interviewer, her vision is to spotlight 50 local women over the age
see WISE WOMEN page 5
Chef Carlotta Flores and styleographer Michelle Owens pose for a quick capture together during the project's 50th photoshoot.
The Explorer and Marana News is published every Wednesday and 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
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RECURRING WEEKLY
The Arizona History Museum continues its compelling exhibition, “Los Desconocidos: The Migrant Quilt Project,” until February. The exhibit features a collection of handmade quilts memorializing migrants who have died seeking refuge in the United States, including the names of those who have been identified as “desconocido” for the unknown. For information about museum hours and ticket pricing visit, arizonahistoricalsociety.org. The Arizona Historical Society, Arizona History Museum, 949 E. Second Street.
LIVE MUSIC
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
Oro Valley Parks & Rec. continues its free Friday Night Concerts series at Steam Pump Ranch from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Listen to the modern-blues sound of the Black Cat Bones band and enjoy a variety of food trucks, nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Outside alcohol is not permitted. The Friday night concert series takes place every first and last Friday of every month until November. To check the lineup, visit orovalleyaz. gov. Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road.
on Friday, Sept. 30. Enjoy music from Grammy-winning vocalist Melinda Salcido, Maria Paula Mazon, Mariachi Estrella Juvenil, performances by Compañia de Danza Folklorica Arizona and the emcee, Jose Ronstadt. General admission is $25, VIP tickets can be made by reservation only for $75, which includes admission, a tequila tasting and dinner. For more information call 520-404-3742 or 520-631-4351, or goallevents.com. Historic Pima County Courthouse, 115 N. Church Avenue.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
The Music in the Mountain Series returns to Catalina State Park at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. Enjoy a live performance by the local Mother Cody Band, who will play a variety of folk, rock and blues music as the sun goes down. Attendees
5-DAY WEATHER
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:
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
Mariachi Sonido de Mexico celebrates its 25th anniversary at the Historic Pima County Courthouse
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.
Physical Medicine
BY TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA STAFF
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN SEEKS CHOIR DIRECTOR
The Resurrection Lutheran Church (11575 N. First Avenue) has an opening for a handbell and children/youth choir director. This person will lead choirs at rehearsals and when scheduled to perform at services and special events. Bachelor’s in music preferred or musical education and experience sufficient. This is a paid, part-time, 10-month position. For more information, call 520-575-9901.
TEEN CHARGED WITH FLIGHT FROM IMMIGRATION CHECKPOINT
Oblin Jeremias Redondo-Lopez, 18, of Honduras, was arrested Sept. 20 and charged by criminal complaint with highspeed flight from an immigration checkpoint and illegal entry into the United States. Redondo-Lopez had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric J. Markovich.
On Sept. 20, a gold 2002 Buick Rendezvous drove through the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on West Arivaca Road near Amado. The vehicle did not slow down or stop as required by the speed bumps, signage and Arizona Department of Transportation regulations.
Instead, the vehicle fled the checkpoint with agents in pursuit. The driver contin-
News Briefs
ued onto Interstate 10 traveling at an estimated 110 miles per hour in a 75-mileper-hour zone when he was stopped by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department on Interstate 10 near Picacho Peak. The driver was identified as Redondo-Lopez.
A conviction for high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
TUCSON MAN CHARGED WITH MAKING FALSE STATEMENT
Josue Lopez Quintana, 25, of Tucson was charged by criminal complaint for making a false statement to law enforcement. Quintana had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric J. Markovich.
On Aug. 25, following a mass shooting in Tucson, that resulted in the death of four individuals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) initiated an investigation into the acquisition of a firearm used in the shooting.
According to the complaint, ATF determined that the firearm’s lower receiver was purchased at a federal firearms licensee in Tucson by Quintana in November 2021.
Quintana allegedly completed a form at the FFL stating that he was the true purchaser of the lower receiver, and that he was not acquiring the lower receiver on behalf of another person. On Aug. 26, federal agents interviewed Quintana about the purchase, during which Quintana allegedly made false statements about the purchase of the lower re-
ceiver.
A conviction for making a false statement to law enforcement carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Tucson Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
MAN, 21, PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULTING OFFICER
Cesar Alejandro Avendano-Soto, 21, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury on Sept. 16. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 6 before U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash.
On March 24, 2020, at the DeConcini Port of Entry, Avendano-Soto struggled with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. During the struggle, Avendano-Soto intentionally threw the officer to the ground resulting in physical injury to the officer.
A conviction for assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
DIAPER NEED AWARENESS WEEK DECLARED IN MARANA
Marana’s mayor and town council have declared Sept. 24 to Oct. 2 as “Diaper Need Awareness Week.”
The proclamation reads that national surveys and research studies report 1 in 3 families struggle with diaper needs and 48% delay changing a diaper to extend their
supply. Children go through six to 12 diapers each day during the two to three years they are in diapers.
ORO VALLEY’S PARKS AND REC GUIDE AVAILABLE
The town of Oro Valley released its Fall 2022 Parks and Recreation Program Guide online at https://bit.ly/OVPRProgramGuide
The guide includes details on Oro Valley’s 2022 fall break camp options as well as upcoming community events, activities and facility information.
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR THE FALL 2022 COMMUNITY ACADEMY
Those wanting to know more about the community are invited to register for Oro Valley’s Fall 2022 Community Academy. The program helps residents understand the town’s governance, finances, development, zoning, parks and roadways.
The registration deadline is Oct. 1. Community Academy is twice a week in October, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Oro Valley Town Hall, 11000 N. La Cañada Drive. Participants are encouraged to attend in person, but there is an option to attend remote. The topics are:
• An overview of town governance, Oct. 6
• 2026 General Plan, Oct. 11
• Zoning 101 and Development Review, Oct. 13
• Town finances and economic development, Oct. 18
• Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Oct. 20
• Town water resource planning, Oct. 25
• Town roadways and public safety, Oct. 27
• Planning and zoning commission meeting, Nov. 1 (optional)
Graduation is open to those who attend at least half of the classes.
They celebrate with dinner and recognition at the Nov. 2 town council meeting. Info: Jeanna Ancona at jancona@orovalleyaz.gov or 520-229-5062.
Melissa Perillo, left, is a RN, and a rescue palliative caregiver for aging dogs. Dr. Nicole Myers is an acupuncturist and owner of A Peek Within PLLC and co-founder of Violet Leaf Skincare.
WISE WOMEN from page 1
of 50 and recognize their experience, individuality and power through a collection of creative portraits.
The gallery of their photographs will be unveiled at the Wise Women: 50 Over 50 Portrait Gala from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, alongside the release of a portrait magazine featuring each participant’s individual story.
“Women at our age are stepping into our own power, and we’re doing things in our community and in our personal lives to really change the lives of people around us,” Owens said.
“I wanted to capture that and really shine a spotlight on these women and talk about the amazing things that they are doing, and also find out what their aspirations are, what’s left on their bucket list, and what else they would like to accomplish in the second half of their lives.”
The Wise Women: 50 Over 50 Portrait Gala will be held at Savoy Opera House at 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road in Tucson. Portraits will be illuminated and displayed on easels with the women in attendance to mingle and chat.
The event will feature a buffet dinner, dessert and a no-host bar with cocktails, wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages.
Entertainment includes dance music by DJ Jonas Hunter and magic by master illusionist Rodney Housley. There will also be a special raffle for a makeover, photoshoot and portrait portfolio with Owens valued at $1,200.
Tickets to the gala are available on
eventbrite.com.
The Wise Women: 50 Over 50 Experience is one of many events across the world influenced by Forbes Magazine’s 2021 national list spearheaded by Mika Brzezinski, Morning Joe co-host. It highlighted 50 influential women over the age of 50 who defy the idea that their golden years are behind them.
Owens was inspired to undertake a project in Tucson by her own life-changing experience opening her photography studio when she was 50. When photographing other women in their 50s and older, she met many in the midst of dramatically changing their lives and wanted to explore that common theme.
Through networking and many referrals, she gathered women from all over Southern Arizona, including Tucson, Oro Valley, Vail, Benson and Bisbee. One participant is Carlotta Flores, chef of the El Charro Restaurant Group in Tucson, who was on Forbes’ 2021 Vision List.
Owens began photoshoots in January 2020, with the final interview wrapping up in September 2022.
“There’s this myth that once we’re over 50, we’re kind of over the hill,” she said. “These women are fun. They are making differences in our communities. Some of them have started nonprofit organizations, others are working on their own businesses. Some are retired and are taking up art projects and doing other things with their free time.
“I really wanted to show the vibrancy of these
Walmart investing millions in area stores
BY TOM LEYDE
Tucson Local Media
Walmart stores in the Tucson area have undergone, or are about to undergo, extensive remodeling.
The company is investing more than $33 million nationwide to make its stores more convenient for its customers and its staff.
On Sept. 16, the Oro Valley Walmart at 2150 E. Tangerine Road held a grand reopening following its remodeling. The store also awarded $6,000 in grants to local groups. The Tucson Walmart at 8640 E. Broadway Boulevard, will have its grand reopening on Sept. 30.
This year, the Walmart Foundation has awarded almost $32 million in community grants statewide, said Rick Velasco, Walmart marketing manager for Southern Arizona. Why all the remodeling projects now?
“One of the things we do really well is listening to our customers and associates, giving them more options and continuing to help people save money and save time,”
Velasco said.
Velasco, who has worked for Walmart for 17 years, said four Tucson-area stores were remodeled in 2021 as part of the company’s nationwide transformation. He said he’s most excited about the West Valencia Road large store remodel. This year, Velasco said, eight stores will be remodeled.
At the Oro Valley store, he said, the remodeling began with the floor. Old floor tiles were removed, and a concrete look created. Restrooms were remodeled and a mothers’ room added. Signage was updated and new shopping carts were brought in.
The store also expanded its pharmacy consultation room, its liquor department, its apparel department, its online pickup and delivery, its photo lab and its pet department. The deli department, fitting rooms and paint counter were redone. Also, a dollar value shop was added.
Velasco added that more self-checkouts were added as well as new products in some departments. “A lot of it (remodeling) centered on people saving time,” he said.
Among the time-saving improvements is in the automotive department. In the past, Velasco said, shoppers had to look through books to find auto parts. Now, shoppers can scan in a part’s QR code on their smart phone and purchase it online. The app also provides information about new products and sales.
Walmart’s communications director, Lauren Willis, said, “We’re trying to help people navigate the store. The app can help people navigate.”
“We’re giving our customers more options on how to shop and that’s definitely helped,” Velasco added.
Say a guest is looking for a child stroller, Willis said. A shopper can push the QR code for each stroller available and see which one they like. They can then buy the stroller online and have it delivered to their home.
Another side to the remodeling program, Willis said, is a community mural program. Each remodeled store will get a mural incorporating elements of that community. A mural will soon go up at the Oro Valley Walmart. It was created by 19-year-old Millie Reynolds,
the daughter of a store associate.
“One of the things that we’re proud of,” Velasco said, “is the number of associates that are coming to work for us is growing. There’s a clear path for people that want to work for Walmart.”
These are the eight Walmart stores that have been or will be remodeled this year:
• Walmart Neighborhood Market, 2565 E. Commerce Center Place. Reopened on March 11.
• Walmart Supercenter, 7150 E. Speedway Boulevard. Reopened on May 13.
• Walmart Neighborhood Market, 831 E. Fort Lowell Road. Reopened on Aug. 19.
• Walmart Neighborhood Market, 2550 S. Kolb Road. Reopened on Sept. 2.
• Walmart Supercenter, 2150 E. Tangerine Road. Reopened on Sept. 16.
• Walmart Neighborhood Market, 8640 E. Broadway Boulevard. Set to reopen on Sept. 30.
• Walmart Neighborhood Market, 2823 W. Valencia Road. Set to reopen on Oct. 14. •Walmart Supercenter, 7635 N. La Cholla Boulevard. Set to reopen on Nov. 18.
Authors describe their friendship journey in new book
BY HOPE PETERS Tucson Local Media
Some want to dance, but these women just want to write.
It’s clear with their website, writerswrites.com
Authors Jackie Collins, Diana Kinared and Sally Showalter set off on a journey spanning 24 years, and they published their book “Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets” on September 6 on Atmosphere Press.
“We met at a six-week workshop by Rita Magdaleno, who is a well-known poet here in town,” Showalter said. “The workshop had to do with writing stories from family photos.”
“We would take the photos to class and look at them,” said Kinared, who lives in Oro Valley. “And then we made up stories about them.”
Magdaleno wrote a book of poetry on her research and family photos.
“At the end of the class, Rita really encouraged us to form a writers group,”
Their friendship spans more than two decades, Jackie Collins, left, Diana Kinared and Sally Showalter. They finished their long journey together, with the September 6 publication of their book, “Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets.” (Jackie Collins/Submitted)
Showalter said. Magdaleno told them if they wanted to
form a writer’s group to give her their contact information to share.
“That’s how we got each other’s names,” Kinared adds.
Kinared and Showalter met at the workshop, on November 12, 1997; and that date has since been celebrated annually.
Collins joined the group in 1999 and that kickstarted their long, tedious journey to finish the book.
“When we first started (the book) in 2005, I was 45,” Showalter said. “And Diana was 52. When we picked it up again in 2009, I was 58 and Diana was 65.” Collins was 59 years old at that time.
Fast forward to 2017 and the authors, a bit older, continue to write the book with the same passion they had in 2005.
In 2005, the authors worked on the book weekly at each other’s homes. In January 2009, they moved their weekly meetings to the Oro Valley Library. That fall, Collins moved to Colorado, halting the collaboration until 2017 when they could get together on Zoom. Showalter said they really
see TELLING TALES page 8
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For more than two decades, authors Jackie Collins, not pictured, Diana Kinared, left, and Sally Showalter tell their journey and encourage others to write in their recently published book, “Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets.” (Noelle Haro-Gomez/Contributor)
TELLING TALES
from page 7
worked their “fingernails off” to get the book finished.
The book starts with how the trio met.
“The first chapter is how we met and how we got together,” Kinared said. “Because we didn’t have any goals at the time, other than just getting together and writing…and eating.”
They started by giving each other prompts to help those participating in the writers’ group.
and individually and shared those lessons with each other. We learned the art of critiquing to provide support for each other’s developing ideas. We hope you enjoy our writing journey as much as we enjoyed putting our discoveries on the page.”
Chapter two discusses their courage to step it up and their quest in taking semester classes and doing workshops.
“What’s in here is our story, but interwoven are things we learned,” Kinared said. “So, we have prompts in there and then we have what we wrote to those prompts.”
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Marana Unified currently has
“One person in the group would say, ‘This is the prompt for next week,’” Kinared explained. “So, we would all write to that to share next week and also we would write our own stuff. And if we needed feedback, we’d say, ‘This is what I’ve been working on, can I share this with you.’”
Showalter added, “Then we would make copies and pass them around for the next week, then next week we would talk about it, and say, 'I like this part; this is what I thought was missing, something I’d like to know more about.'”
The book pulls back the curtain on a quarter-century bond between three women whose first love is writing. In “Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets,” Collins, Kinared and Showalter provide a treasure trove for writers at any stage. This unique collection is at once a how-to guide for conducting a successful writers’ workshop; a meticulously organized catalog of writing prompts, and an exquisite array of stories and essaid from each.
They describe it eloquently on their website: “Herein is the arc of our journey as a writers’ group. Our narrative is spiced with glimpses of the things we learned as we explored the craft of storytelling, character development, poetry, memoir, and freeing our minds to follow inspiration. We ventured away from our desks to explore diverse styles with teachers in various places throughout the west from Washington State to Mexico. We attended classes as a group
Showalter adds, “We have a narrative that threads the whole story together, in and out. Our narrative, our thoughts, critiquing, our experiences that we have and the different things we have learned from our instructors, so we have a lot. The narrative is the thread to the book that weaves it together. In between are the prompts, our writing from it, our discussion about it; we discuss our fears and challenges.”
Collins recounts the book’s journey.
“During COVID, we met every week on Zoom, once a week, two times a week, even three times a week,” Collins said.
“And the Zooms would last for a couple hours, because we had to go through the manuscript with each other. So, we would help critique it together, so yes, we did a lot of Zooming.”
Collins made trips down from Colorado to Tucson before the pandemic hit, as well. Their only deadlines were per chapter.
“We would work and work,” Collins said. “You’d think when I came down and I would see them, that we would do something else. We did not. We would be exhausted, maybe go out and get a hamburger.”
To meet them in person, the authors will have a table/booth set up at the Tucson Festival of Books, Where Words and Imagination Come to Life, held on Saturday, March 4, at the University of Arizona Campus.
“Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets” https://writerswrites.com/our-book/
women and how much more we all are ready to give and are giving at this time in our lives.”
The 50 Over 50 Experience is not a “cookie cutter project.” To capture their true selves, Owens allowed each woman to drive her photoshoot and explore different sides of her character through clothing, makeup and accessories.
The resulting gallery features a unique representation of each woman. Some incorporated their pets, careers, hobbies or meaningful treasures into their portraits. Others requested their photos to be enhanced with digital art — one woman even portrayed a phoenix rising from flames.
“There are layers of meaning in these photographs that make them deeply personal to these women, and I think that will also show and exhibit,” Owens said. “I think viewers will be able to see that and pick up on it.”
She also said she believes that the photographs are “legacy images” for the women, and that the following generations in their families will be able to feel connected and see their personalities.
“I want to capture images that we put time, effort and attention to detail into and so they do stand the test of time and they
are a part of our legacy that we leave behind,” said Owens.
The project received rave reviews from its participants, which were accompanied by significant interest in Owens tackling another 50 Over 50 collection of local women. As a result, she is pondering the idea of transforming it into an annual event.
She plans to create a group offering outings, get-togethers and other events throughout the year as opportunities for women over 50 to connect and build a community. Owens hopes that the group will attract a younger crowd to attend, as she feels that they would benefit from socializing with accomplished, driven women.
FREE
Wise Women: 50 Over 50 Portrait Gala
WHEN: 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13
WHERE: Savoy Opera House, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $45 INFO: the50over50experience.com
Health Seminar
Jan Froeschle, left, is a ballroom dancer and healthy lifestyle advocate. Podcast host Jennifer Davis-Paige of Boom Goddess Radio is an on-air host at 3:30 p.m. Sundays on KXCI.
Luxury child care center to open second location
BY KATYA MENDOZA
Drop-off child care center, Timeless Play, is preparing to open a second location at the Oro Valley Marketplace early next year.
Nannies from the award-winning Trusting Connections placement agency and sitter service are behind Timeless Play, which provides parents and caregivers flexible child care services by the hour.
Co-founder Rosalind Prather, said families are having a hard time finding nannies and inflation on top of the pandemic has hit the child care industry hard.
“I genuinely think there’s a crisis right now,” Prather said. “We’re far past the point of demand.”
Referencing the pandemic, Prather said that parents have had to quit their jobs due to an inability to find child care and many day cares and preschools have about yearlong waitlists.
“People (who) previously wouldn’t have considered having a private nanny because
they wanted to go the day care route are now doing just that because they simply can’t get in and they have to pay a really high price,” Prather said.
Nanny placement on average, Prather said, can take about six to eight weeks. Parents-to-be find themselves looking for child care options before their baby is born.
“We work with all different kinds of families and they’re just looking for safe, reliable care,” Prather said.
Prather and her business partner and co-founder, Caroline Wesnitzer, were 24 years old when they launched Trusting Connections in 2011, when Prather became pregnant with her first child. “It happened simultaneously,” she said. The two were professional nannies in college and have been best friends since 1997.
Trusting Connections has been successful. In May 2015, they opened a second location in Southlake, Texas, and in April 2018, a third location in Phoenix, and in March 2021, came Timeless Play, the drop-off play experience for children ages 1 to 12.
This year, Trusting Connections on track
to be a $2 million business.
“Less than 5% of businesses that generate half a million a year in sales,” Prather said. “Less than 5% of those are owned by women.
“We have a unique model, most agencies just refer candidates to families and have that placement model. We have an entire sitter service, about 150 employees, and those centers are employed by our agency (Trusting Connections) to provide temporary part-time care for our (clients).
Timeless Play allows parents to drop off their children for up to four hours during business hours. From there, “play experts,” offer quality attention to children in small groups.
“Kids have really forgotten how to play,” Prather said.
Timeless Play takes an alternative approach toward playtime, sans batteries. From old-school wooden toys to board games and puzzles, “play experts” interact with children using “nutrient-rich” activities.
“We want to be the place that parents think about when they are in their des-
perate moments and really need a break, because we believe that parenting should come with a tribe,” Prather said.
Trusting Connections and Timeless Play aims to serve as “sanity savers,” according to their social media, placing parents’ mental health at the forefront.
The new Oro Valley Marketplace location will have space for 26 kids, compared to the Campbell and River location, which hosts 17. They expect to begin hiring later this fall, interested applicants should keep a lookout on their website.
“We’re looking for people who are kids at heart, who are creative, who are fun, imaginative and just really have a passion for being with kids,” Prather said.
Trusting Connections
Timeless Play
4425 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson timeless-play.com.
Registration is not required, but encouraged.
LIVEN UP Manchester Orchestra face the angel of death
BY XAVIER OMAR OTERO
Tucson Local Media
The members of Manchester Orchestra were barely out of high school when they debuted with 2006’s “I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child.” With inky songs centered around deeply personal, Southern gothic-style lyrics silhouetted against a compelling post-hardcore rock sound — the brain trust of childhood friends and primary songwriters, singer/guitarist Andy Hull and guitarist/keyboardist Robert McDowell — their star began to ascend. Now with the addition of drummer Tim Very and bassist Andy Prince, Georgia’s Manchester Orchestra returns with “The Million Masks of God.” The album’s title derives from “Gold Leaves,” an early poem by
G. K. Chesterton that details the narrator’s shifting relationship with God as he ages. Exploring themes of birth, death, religion and what may lie beyond, “The Million Masks of God” is the band’s most ambitious work. The tracking for the album took place at Echo Mountain Recording studios in Asheville, North Carolina.
“There is something about being up there, in the mountains, in this beautiful old church converted into a studio,” McDowell said.
McDowell had just returned from the United Kingdom, having completed dates at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London and the Manchester Academy. He was enjoying a few days at home with family in Atlanta.
“It was great. We played some of our best
Manchester Orchestra is, from left, drummer Tim Very, bassist Andy Prince, vocalist/guitarist Andy Hull and guitarist/keyboardist Robert McDowell. (Manchester Orchestra/Submitted) see MANCHESTER page 12
shows ever,” McDowell enthused.
Native to the suburbs of Atlanta — singer Andy Hull and McDowell now live short miles from the homes where they grew up — it was a fey music from 4,000 miles away that would inspire the band’s name.
“Andy and I had gone through different phases, musically. But, it was The Smiths and Morrissey and everything that came out of Manchester that really resonated with him,” McDowell adds. “We are not from a hip city. But this city shaped who we are.
“I met Andy when I was 14 and he was 16. We went to high school together. We immediately understood each other and the chase to create something great.”
McDowell grew up in a musical household. His father was a singer and songwriter who encouraged his son to discover the passion behind music above all else.
A lesson that has served McDowell well.
“It was when I used my dad’s 1980s Tascam (four-track cassette recorder) with my cousins, recording music for the first time, that opened my eyes. ‘This is limitless,’ I thought. You can play music. But if you create music, it unlocks this whole new world.”
After 18 years of existence as a band, it
may be that Saraswati — the Hindu goddess of creativity, music, art and wisdom — continues to whisper in their ear.
“You know if it was cash. I think we probably would have made different decisions a long time ago,” McDowell stated. “I obsess over the next thing and what can be. Andy and I are good and bad for each other. We love to chase what we can’t see yet.”
Written and recorded over four years, Manchester Orchestra’s latest album, “The Million Masks of God” — described as a “loose story of a man’s encounter with the angel of death as he’s shown various scenes from his life” — began to coalesce as McDowell’s father’s cancer worsened.
“We were writing it during his final two years. Three months before we went into the studio to record is when he passed away.”
The fictional intent behind the album changed, at that point.
“It shifted the mood of where you’re at as a band,” McDowell said, reflectively.
“It was a muse, rather than a central point. But, that album is not the way it is without that event, unfortunately.”
From Manchester Orchestra’s earliest works — “I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child” and “Mean Everything to Nothing” — McDowell’s father was always privy to their demos and
rough mixes as the songs began to unfold.
“There is inspiration and ways that you can use creativity to process grief,” McDowell reflected. “My dad was a musician. He would have wanted it to have not gone to waste.”
Hull hopes that the album is a work of healing.
Akin to swimming “A Black Mile to the Surface” to ultimately arrive in the light.
Raised in The Bible Belt, the four members of Manchester Orchestra were socialized in religious homes. Hull’s father and grandfather were pastors.
Yet, McDowell and Hull have stated unequivocally that Manchester Orchestra is not a Christian band. McDowell reflects, “But as people, we want to find God. It’s in the core of our DNA. It’s something that we will always be chasing.”
As the tour winds its way through North America, Manchester Orchestra audiences can expect to see a concert that draws from “The Million Masks of God” and its predecessor, “A Black Mile to the Surface” and other works.
“That’s one thing I love. We are able to pull from songs that are 15-plus years old. It’s exhausting for everyone if we just play loud bangers. So, we treat a concert like a movie where you have different emotions.”
After six studio albums, with forays into different musical styles — the rougher edges of punk and emo, dance rhythms, and softer sounds, folk music and dream pop — McDowell is speculative about the future.
“Rather than defining ourselves and putting ourselves into a corner. We will leave it a little blurry. Aim for the moon and see where we land,” McDowell said. “We want to figure out a new thing. We want to keep pushing in a new direction, while using the tools we have acquired in our tool belt. I wish I had the answer for you. That would make my life a lot less stressful. But we’ve got it figured out.”
Keeping “both feet on the floor,” the Manchester Orchestra is set to “Let It Storm.”
Manchester Orchestra w/Petey and Creeks
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2
McDowell says, “Last week, after the London shows, we started to kind of put our heads together to figure out what it’s going to be. We are not sure, yet. Our goal at this point is to play songs that the crowd will enjoy. But that we also enjoy playing.
WHERE: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, Tucson
COST: Tickets start at $30 INFO: 520-740-1000, rialtotheatre.com
Stretch Zone keeps people in true form
BY TOM LEYDE Tucson Local Media
Stretching wakes up the body, putting muscles and joints in alignment for unfettered movement.
That's what Stretch Zone in Oro Valley is all about. At the new business, practitioners put people through a stretching workout while customers lie on a low table. The stretching method is said to relieve stiffness and soreness, enhance athletic performance and increase and maintain range of motion.
Stretch Zone, at 7352 N. Oracle Road, was founded by Chris Duda as a franchise business. He owns the Oro Valley business as well as two more in North Carolina, and he plans to open more.
Duda, who has a master’s degree in business from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, was a soccer player in college and competed in triathlons and ultra marathons. He also suffered from back pain.
One day while studying for his master’s degree he received a flier about a place that provided stretching services to relieve pain. He signed up for a membership and got relief from sciatica.
Duda then decided it would be a good business to start and opened his first shop in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his fiancée.
“It was very well received and doing well,” Duda said. “I think it comes down to having a good team. You can see the results right away, but it takes some time.”
He later opened a second store in North Carolina before opening the Oro Valley business on Aug. 1.
There are two types of stretching, Duda points out: active and passive. Active stretching is the type athletes and others do before performing. Passive stretching is when clients lie on a table and allow another person to stretch for them. That’s what Stretch Zone offers.
It’s mostly neuromuscular stretching without pain and or discomfort, Duda said. Passive stretching, he explained, helps reprogram the brain and initiate muscle memory.
Stretch Zone has five practitioners who assist clients. They are certified in the same way massage therapists are certified. All have previous training in stretching and kinesiology, Duda said. They stretch people by manipulating the customer’s body and with therapy straps.
“Someone can walk better and feel better
(after a session) said Andrew Trizuto, general manager at Stretch Zone. “That really keeps the job rewarding.”
The business can work with anyone age 14 and older, including golfers, bicyclists and runners. Stretch Zone can work with sports teams as well.
People can come in for a complimentary 30-minute stretching session to see if the service works for them. If it does, Stretch Zone can set up three-month programs of regular stretching sessions.
“The practitioners do all the work. All you have to do is breathe,” Duda said.
How many sessions are needed depends on the person. “Some can do it once a week, others need consistent stretching two to three times a week,” Duda said.
He said the service is relatively affordable for the average person. Sometimes, Duda said, a person’s health savings account or flexible health spending account can be used to pay for sessions.
Ashley Gauthier, a practitioner at Stretch One in Oro Valley, works on Oro Valley firefighter Scott Laux at the new business on North Oracle Road. (Tom Leyde/Contributor)
are welcome to bring snacks, drinks and chairs. Park admission is $7 per vehicle for up to four adults. For a lineup of other programs and events at the park, visit azstateparks.com. Catalina State Park, 1150 N. Oracle Road.
SPECIAL EVENTS
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens and Galleries presents its free autumn series, Brewin’ at the Chul, starting Saturday, Oct. 1, to Saturday, Nov. 26. From 5 to 9 p.m., visitors get the chance to roam the grounds after hours as well as order from a delectable rotating food menu that includes beers, brats and more from the Garden Bistro. This Saturday, enjoy live music by local singer/guitarist Jacob Acosta. For a full list of performers throughout the series and the menu, visit tohonochul.org. Tohono Chul, 7366 N. Paseo Del Norte.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1, TO SUNDAY, OCT. 2
Take the scenic route up through Mount Lemmon and visit the Ski Valley for Oktoberfest’s second-to-last weekend on Saturday, Oct. 1, to Sunday, Oct. 2. Enjoy authentic German food, activities, dancing and music from the local John Prokop Band from noon to 4:30 p.m. The Sky Ride should be available, and the Iron Door restaurant will be open regular hours. No dogs allowed. For more information about Oktoberfest, visit skithelemmon.com. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley in Coronado National Forest, 10300 Ski Run Road.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1, TO SUNDAY, OCT. 2
Snakes, turtles, bugs, oh my! The 21st annual Tucson Reptile Amphibian Show and Sale is happening at the Tucson Expo Cen-
ter from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. Bring the family and a camera and check out some of the most exotic and venomous reptiles. Meet breeders and reptile enthusiasts from across the country, too. Admission is cash only at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6 to 12, free for children 5 and younger. Masks are recommended. To see the list of vendors, visit tucsonreptileshow.com. Tucson Expo Center, 3750 E. Irvington Road.
TUCSON PRIDE FESTIVAL WEEKEND
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
Formed in 1976 by the Tucson Lesbian and Gay Alliance, the Tucson Pride Festival Weekend kicks off downtown at Armory Park on Friday, Sept. 30. Join the Pride Parade from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., registration is required. Email information@tucsonpride. org for more information. Armory Park, 220 S. Fifth Avenue.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
The Tucson Pride Festival begins at Georges DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. Celebrate Tucson Pride’s 45th anniversary and OUTober Fest 2022. To purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com. Prices vary from $5 to $15. Reid Park, DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, 900 S. Randolph Way.
SUNDAY, OCT. 2
HighWire Tucson presents the Tucson Pride Drag Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 2, to close out Tucson Pride Weekend festivities.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., enjoy a buffet-style brunch featuring prime rib, ham, desert bar and more. Brunch will also be serving sensational performances by Allonna Dee,
Trouble and Onika Grande. Brunch tickets cost $39, proceeds will be donated to Tucson Pride. Under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, visit eventbrite.com. HighWire, 14 S. Arizona Avenue.
LOCAL MARKETS
SATURDAY, OCT. 1, TO SUNDAY, OCT. 2
SAACA brings the Oro Valley Fall Artisan Market and over 100 vendors to the Oro Valley Marketplace for two days only featuring some of the Southwest’s finest artists and artisans offering handcrafted products. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy interactive fall art stations and demonstrations and a variety of food options. The festival has free admission. For a full list of artists, visit saaca.org. Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road.
CLASSES AND PROGRAMS
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
The town of Marana Parks and Rec. hosts an all-ages gardening class at the Heritage River Park Community Garden on Saturday, Oct. 1. From 9 to 10:30 a.m., learn how to grow cool-season plants by an instructor at the Marana community garden plots (37 and 38). This is a three-session community event. To register, visit anc.apm.activecommunities.com. Fees are $30 for residents, $37.50 for nonresidents. Heritage River Park Community Garden, 12375 N. Heritage Park Drive.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
Take a late-morning guided horseback ride with Tucson Mountain Stables at the Tortolita Preserve Trailhead from 10 a.m. to noon. For almost 10 miles, wander in
and out of washes and soak in the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Horses will be provided, pets are not permitted. Registration is required. To register, visit anc. apm.activecommunities.com. Fees cost $85 for residents, $106.25 for nonresidents. Tortolita Preserve Trailhead, 6250 W. Moore Road.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1, TO SATURDAY, OCT. 20
This October, the Sonoran Glass School hosts its annual Pumpkin Fiesta starting Saturday, Oct. 1. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. SGS offers its popular Make Your Own Pumpkin Experience where participants can pick colors and design elements and work with SGS artists to create their own glass pumpkin. This event is $115 per pumpkin, reservations are required. Proceeds from the program support SGS and its youth education programming. For more information, visit sonoranglass.org. Sonoran Glass School, 633 W. 19th Street.
(BEAR DOWN) SPORTS
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
UA Men’s Basketball hosts its Red and Blue Game on Friday, Sept. 30, at McKale Center. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on the PAC 12 Network. Visit arizonawildcats.evenue.net/tickets. McKale Memorial Center, 1721 E. Enke Drive.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
The CU Boulder Buffs visit the UA Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 1. Kick off begins at 6:30 p.m. Head to campus earlier for tailgating or grab some grub on University Avenue before the game. Tickets start at $5. Visit arizonawildcats. evenue.net/tickets. Arizona Stadium, 1 N. Championship Drive.
Tucson, UA get first screening of film ‘Lute’
BY HOPE PETERS Tucson Local Media
Lute,” a documentary by Podium Pictures honoring the legacy of legendary UA men’s basketball coach, Lute Olson, will hold its world premiere at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Centennial Hall.
Shown ahead of the annual UA Red-Blue Game, the film is a definitive documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker/producer Brett Rapkin, a UA alum, that celebrates Olson on the 25th anniversary of the Cats’ 1997 national championship.
Olson’s career with the Wildcats spanned decades and racked up four Final Four appearances, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 11 Pac-10 titles, aside from the 1997 national championship. Olson became one of the greatest coaches in college basketball, compiling a 781-280 career record and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.
“The history of Arizona basketball is so rich,” Rapkin said. “And there are so many NBA stars and great people who have come out of the Arizona basketball program. It is always a great opportunity to tell a story that is about somebody building something from the ground up.”
Rapkin explained when Olson arrived in Tucson, the team had its worst season; they won four games.
“What a lot of people don’t know is he
came from the University of Iowa where he had gone to the final four,” Rapkin said. “So, he already had some success”
In the early 1980s, Olson quickly rebuilt the basketball program from the ground up, making appearances at the 1988 and 1994 NCAA Final Four. The scrappy 1997 team was led by future NBA players Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Miles Simon, Olson’s 1997 championship Wildcat team was nicknamed the “Cardiac Cats” — with cause.
“They really won in dramatic fashion,” Rapkin said. “A significant portion of this film details their tournament run in 1997.
Every game would give you a heart attack, right down to the national tournament where they won in overtime.”
This documentary weaves the arc of Olson’s coaching career with a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the building of the 1997 national championship team and its unlikely run through March Madness.
The film features interviews from the likes of Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, Bibby, Terry (an executive producer of the documentary), Kenny Lofton, Andre Iguodala, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye and is narrated by former Wildcat player and NBA star, Luke Walton. Walton, Rapkin added, was hesitant about narrating.
“He said, ‘You should ask Richard (Jefferson), he likes the sound of his own voice a lot more than I do,’” Rapkin recalled.
Former UA Men’s basketball player Gilbert Arenas, left, shares his story with director Brett Rapkin of his 1999 to 2001 seasons under the tutelage of Lute Olson. (Podium Pictures/Courtesy)
Study: Coffee can lead to impulsive shopping
BY MIA SMITT
Tucson Local Media
How often do we stop for coffee either before or during a shopping expedition? While out with friends it is often customary to meet for coffee before hitting the mall or specialty shops. Maybe a caffeine lift prior to car or furniture shopping sounds good. This might not be such a good thing for our wallets. A recent study published in the June 11 issue of The Journal of Marketing looked at how caffeine might influence customer spending.
“Caffeine is one of the most powerful stimulants that is both legal and widely available,” the researchers noted. Coffee is our biggest source of caffeine with tea and sodas coming in second and third. We are drinking more coffee, both at home and at the ubiquitous artisan coffee shops that serve it in very large quantities.
It is estimated that between 85% and 90% of Americans drink at least one caffeinated
beverage every day. Chocolate, kola nuts, yerba mate, foods made with coffee (such as the Italian dessert tiramisu) energy drinks, and even some chewing gums contain caffeine but usually in smaller amounts. We also find caffeine in some prescription medications, and it is a popular headache remedy because it constricts blood vessels, lessening the pain.
This marketing study found that people who drank a caffeinated beverage before shopping bought more things and spent more money than they might have if they had foregone the drink.
Of interest is that this caffeine effect is strong for more self-indulgent products such as scented candles and room fragrances than such rudimentary items like paper towels and kitchen utensils. This can easily be extrapolated to spending on a fancy blouse rather than a plain T-shirt or the candy apple red car instead of standard beige, or even a trip to a fancy resort when the original plan may have been a few days
at a three-star hotel.
Caffeine is a stimulant and can create a state of alertness and activation. A “positive hedonic state” is excitement and more energized activity. This can boost the perception of some things and makes them seem more promising such as chocolate candy and how good you might look in that fancy blouse. Caffeine can also cause a “negative hedonic state” which is anxiety and nervousness but usually in far greater quantities than 200 mg.
The study looked at the effects of caffeine intake from 30 to 100 mg because most caffeinated beverages fall into this range. The research team set up an espresso station near the entrances of two different retail stores in France and outside a department store in Spain. Upon entering these stores, half of the shoppers were given a complimentary cup of coffee containing caffeine (intake was 30 to 100 mg) and the other half given decaf or water.
“We found that the caffeine group spent significantly more money and bought a higher number of items than those who
LUTE
from page 15
Rapkin said he reponded with, “‘Come on Luke, you sound like Tom Petty. You’ll be great.’”
Terry and the UA athletic department introduced former Wildcat and NBA star players to Rapkin to help with the documentary.
“For the players, when they found out this was happening…there is so much love for Lute and for Bobbi (Olson’s wife who died January 2001 of cancer),” Rapkin explained. “They wanted to participate.”
The film was primarily funded through a donation for the project by former UA alum and executive producer Andrew Braccia and his wife, Kirsten
“Kirsten and I are thrilled to play a small role in helping to bring Lute’s story to life,” Braccia said. “Lute’s lasting impact on his family, his players, the University of Arizona community and the game of college basketball will forever be cherished.”
Rapkin said the story cannot be told without Bobbi, Olson’s high school sweetheart.
“Bobbi is a huge part of this story,” he said. “You can’t tell this story about Lute’s era with Arizona basketball, without including Bobbi, she was such a pivotal figure.”
drank the decaf or water,” reported the researchers. The caffeine group also bought more enjoyable items such as scented candles and there was little to no difference in the more utilitarian purchases. An interesting finding was that this spending was seen in people who drank a little over two cups or less but not in the heavy coffee drinkers. This was not a health-oriented study but it certainly impacts our health and decision making. Retailers are certainly looking for ways to enhance consumer spending and perhaps we need to be alert to triggers that impact our behaviors. Just be aware that when you might have a coffee and chocolate cake for lunch, your shopping experience may change. And perhaps there are other such triggers such as music which can enhance a shopping experience or detract from it. Enjoy the coffee and evaluate for yourself the marketing research conclusion!
Mia Smitt is a longtime nurse practitioner. She writes a regular column for Tucson Local Media.
One of the biggest challenges of making this document, Rapkin said, was taking four decades of the coach’s story and condensing it into a one-hour film.
“One of the themes we really tried to instill, most people don’t know this but, Lute lost both his brother and his father in farming accidents, when he was young,” Rapkin explained. “So, I think building a family atmosphere was something that he was trying to do to regain that sense of family.”
The film took about two years to make, Rapkin explained. He said the seed was planted right after the coach’s death in August 2020.
“There has never been an ESPN ‘30 for 30’ or an HBO sports documentary about this story of this man, of (him) building a perennial contender in this desert town,” he said.
“Lute” sneak peek screening WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30
WHERE: Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson COST: $15 students; $20 alums; $30 general admission; $500 VIP. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit the Lute Olson Endowment for Excellence in Men’s Basketball INFO: ticketmaster.com
EXTRA POINT WITH TOM DANEHY SPORTS &RECREATION
The consequences of success in high school sports
BY TOM DANEHY
Tucson Local Media
After just two weeks into the high school football season, the six Northwest-area schools are an anemic combined 5-7 as teams look to enter conference play this week and next. Having played only two games each, only two of the schools — Marana and Canyon Del Oro — were still undefeated. That is, until Marana beat CDO 40-37 on Sept. 23. Now, there is only one unbeaten squad with seven games to go in the regular season. Besides the two unbeatens, Flowing Wells is 1-1, while Ironwood Ridge, Amphi, and Mountain View (three schools that have state championship hardware in
their trophy cases) are all 0-2.
Pusch Ridge Christian, which, through circumstance and happenstance, has turned itself into a football factory, dominating smaller 3A schools, is a separate case and we’ll look at the powerful Lions at a later date.
Last year, Ironwood Ridge and Canyon Del Oro made late-season runs to squeeze into the state tournament, while Marana, which had gotten off to a blazing start only to fade down the stretch, just missed making the playoffs. Unless there is a significant — and surprising — turnaround, it looks as though the Northwest will have only two teams — and maybe fewer than that — in the postseason.
Interesting note: For at least a decade,
the Salpointe Catholic Lancers have been the Beast of Tucson, drawing players from all over Pima County to put together one of the top programs in the state. (Do you think that All-American running back Bijan Robinson might have had an impact on the Charger program if he had gone to his neighborhood school, Cholla?)
Salpointe won the state championship in 2013 and reached the title game three other times since. Their dominance of Southern Arizona football has been unquestioned. But then a funny thing happened.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association, which has the unenviable job of running (and, all too often, policing) high school sports in Arizona, decided that enough was enough. The AIA moved Salpointe and its
Phoenix doppelganger, Scottsdale Saguaro, from the 4A ranks up to 6A, the highest level. The two schools had made a mockery of 4A football for the past decade and the upward bump was pretty much welcomed by everybody in the state, except them.
Not surprisingly, the folks at Salpointe were livid. They made the understandable argument that their program was being punished for its excellence. The administration is probably also concerned that its other athletic programs that have feasted on lesser 4A competition, winning numerous state championships in the process, will be next.
The football team has also been placed
POINT page18
FALL FESTIVAL PREVIEW
Athlete of the Week: Karma Royal
BY TOM DANEHY Tucson Local Media
Asuperb all-around athlete at Amphi High School goes by the name of Karma Royal. And yes, that’s really her name. I know that it sounds like the 32nd flavor at Baskin-Robbins or maybe a name that a stage mom came up with to try to get her daughter to do a tap-dance routine on “I Really Believe That My Kid Has Talent” on cable TV. But no, that’s her name.
Amphi is the third and final stop in her meandering high-school career. She started at Flowing Wells and was a part of the powerhouse basketball program. She enjoyed Flowing Wells but left for personal reasons. She then went to Marana, where several close friends and relatives helped her make the transition.
“Marana was great, but transportation was a nightmare,” she recalled.
Everyone who has ever been to Marana High School even once is nodding their
Free Concert
head. Her mom was finishing up nursing school and it was tough even getting Karma to school, let alone to and from all the practices. She made the varsity basketball team, but “varsity teams tend to have more practices than the lower teams and sometimes the practices are last-minute or at really weird times. It just didn’t work out.”
Midway through her junior year, she settled in at Amphi and it has been great for her and the Panther athletic program. She could have been a part of the region championship girls’ basketball team, but she chose to wrestle instead. “Wrestling was new and exciting,” she said. “My cousin, Makayla, is a star wrestler at Marana. She inspired me.”
In the spring, she made the varsity beach volleyball team, but that wasn’t enough. She and one of her beach volleyball teammates started showing up at Amphi two hours before the 9 start of school to play tennis with members of the school’s tennis team. Tennis in the morning, volleyball in the afternoon.
They both made the tennis team, but beach volleyball had precedence if there were any scheduling conflicts.
“I just like to play,” she said. “I like to play everything.”
She’s an excellent student (she’s taking calculus II this semester) and wants to go to college, but is (at this relatively late date) still undecided as to where and to study what. “I’ll figure it out.”
This season, she is the starting outside hitter on the Panther volleyball team. Then, she plans on fighting for a starting spot on the basketball team. (She played with the team during summer basketball leagues and was an integral part of the seven-player rotation.) In the spring, she wants to play tennis and beach volleyball.
“Last (school) year, the only teams from Amphi to go to State were girls’ basketball and girls’ volleyball,” she explained. The girls’ tennis team sent kids to state, but they didn’t go as a team. “This year, I want to go to state in everything.”
EXTRA POINT from page 17
in the 6A East Valley Region and will be doing a lot of traveling.
Since opening in 1950, Salpointe had chosen to “play up,” using its built-in recruiting edge (via the in-town Catholic middle schools) to compete at the highest level in the state and often doing quite well. Then, sometime early this century, Salpointe chose to drop down to 4A and the school’s athletic success just exploded. Lancer teams have won state titles in nearly all boys and girls sports in the past decade.
An athletic director whose teams compete against Salpointe and therefore wished to remain unnamed, said, “I don’t begrudge them their championships, but the simple fact is that they don’t belong in the 4A. They’ve got great coaches and good kids and they don’t cheat or anything. Good for them for winning (state championships). They should just be doing it at a higher level.”
Apparently, that’s the prevailing sentiment at the AIA, as well. The organization is tasked with promoting fair and as-equal-
as-possible competition and its executive members do their best not to overreact or think in the short term. The decision to move Saguaro and Salpointe up was probably years in the making.
Three games into the season, the Lancers are in unfamiliar territory — a losing record of 0-1. They started the season with back-to-back trips to the Phoenix area and they have two more such trips to go this season. It probably would have been better to bump Salpointe up to 5A, across the board, allowing the teams to stay in Southern Arizona while competing against somewhat-bigger schools.
Saguaro also started its season off with a loss, albeit to an out-of-state foe. They then squeaked by Queen Creek, 13-8, to get back to .500.
Salpointe’s second loss was to perennial 6A power Basha. After the 46-14 Bears win, members of the Basha community and a couple sycophants in the Valley media started crowing about how this was “big-boy football.”
It’s going to be interesting to see how Salpointe’s football responds the rest of the way.
Amphi is the third and final stop in Karma Royal’s meandering high-school career.
(Karma Royal/Submitted)
Nail polish layer
Lead-in to bottle or batter
Goose vis-à-vis Maverick, in “Top Gun”
Place for a stud
Basic camera setting
Sneak attack
Insultingly small
Approach gradually
conveyances
Crowns and scepters, collectively
Merely implied
Ladybug,
Production company that’s its founder’s name spelled
One of six in this
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your most powerful mode is always going to come from an integrated state of mind in which you accept your weaknesses and strengths alike. To compensate would take energy and probably draw attention to the very flaw you'd rather hide. So instead, you'll be upfront, honest and beautiful in your vulnerability.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You don't feel entirely secure in the way things are, and your vision of the future is hazy, too. But if there's one thing you can count on, it's your ability to elevate any situation. You'll lift the adequate to stellar. You'll put a brilliant spin on the subpar and wind up with something uniquely great. Your attitude makes it so.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Being in a position to keep up appearances can be excellent if the way you want people to see you also happens to be the best version of who you really are. Would you do the same thing if it was just for you and there was no one else to impress? The answer will guide you to your next winning move.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Serving the needs of others is truly one of the most fulfilling things you can do with your time. But it isn't always so easy to find the ones who need precisely what you offer. It's time to look outside of your immediate circle. New opportunities will give you the confidence to let go of situations that aren't the right fit.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You can't always regulate your thoughts as closely as you would like to. Some ideas pop to mind willy-nilly and without rhyme or reason. You will, however, feel in total control of the way you value your thoughts. You'll brush off negativity and give a high value to useful ideas, which will keep you on a successful track.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). People will miss the mark with you, and when they don't treat you right, it seems humiliating to have to ask them to. Try modeling instead. Keep in mind that the behavior you'd prefer isn't a universally known standard. But with your patient and consistent modeling, it could become well known in your world at least.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It's a busy time! Events are both many and much! Everything seems important, and maybe it is. Prioritizing becomes a challenge. Where should you focus? The timeworn adages will ring true, like, "safety first" and "blood runs thicker than water." Also, the ever-useful "measure twice, cut once" could save the day.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Social situations can be nerve-wracking. Though you've often made a winning impression, you'd still like to be more consistent in the way you show up, summoning charisma on command. Before you go out, you'll think ahead so you can get yourself into the right mood, and you'll plan and practice what you'll say.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). This week, you'll become a master at setting the mood, instead of responding to the one that was already in the room when you got there. The way you feel will shift the way you're acting, which will dictate the response you get, demonstrating time and again that, without a doubt, your feelings matter.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Those with a limited perspective may say confusing things as though they are stating obvious facts. They assume their inner world experience is the one everyone experiences. Their terrible communication isn't your fault, but to come to an understanding, you'll need to work patiently and without judgment.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You like your relationships the way you like your vocabulary -- clearly defined. You'll stick your neck out emotionally to find out how the other person sees things. Loosen up on your interpretations. Leave room for poetry. Complexity, contradiction and uncertainty can exist inside profoundly loving ties.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Because you're attractive, extra energy will be directed your way. This is a chance to make something interesting happen, but not every interesting thing should. The decision to ignore someone or engage with them can alter destiny. Use your truly prescient imagination to envision the future of your decisions.
COWBOY CHURCH
Most service advertisers have an ROC# or “Not a licensed contractor” in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law.
Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers. What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) www.azleg.gov/ars/ 32/01165.htm is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words “not a licensed contractor” in the advertisement.
Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company.
Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman’s exception.
Reference: http://www.azroc.g ov/invest/licensed_ by_law.html
As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a businesses ROC
