Marana Police Department hosts National Night Out

The Marana Police Department strives to create positive relationships with local businesses and residents. Their hope is that every interaction with the public is a positive one. National Night Out is an opportunity for the Police Department to work hand in hand with local businesses to provide a fun and informative event for the public, allowing interaction between the public, local businesses, and law enforcement. 

National Night Out with the Marana Police Department will be held in front of the Target located at 3901 W. Ina Road on Friday, October 6th from 6pm to 8pm. The Marana Police Department will be on hand along with community partners Target, Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, Northwest Fire, Marana Animal Services, and the Marana Prevention Alliance.

“This is a great way for the residents of Marana to come out and interact with the Marana Police Department,” said Officer David Danielson of the Marana Police Department’s Community Resource Unit. 

The event will have four law enforcement demonstrations from Marana Police Department K9 Unit, MPD Motors, the Arizona Search and Recovery K9, and the Marana Police Explorers. The Pima County SWAT Unit will be on hand, and there will be a Child ID fingerprinting booth, as well as giveaways by Target, Starbucks, and Chick-Fil-A.

Pump It Up will also be on hand with games and giveaways for the kids as well.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods and communities safer, more caring places to live. The goal is to use National Night Out to enhance the relationship between the Marana Police Department and the Marana residents and business owners to bring back a true sense of community. 

For more information contact Officer David Danielson at 520-382-2051 or ddanielson@MARANAAZ.GOV.

Cotton Festival Blog #4: Mutton Busting and Rodeo

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At the heart of the Cotton Festival is rodeo. From adult demonstrations to young riders and ropers, the best that Marana has to offer will be on display during the Marana Cotton Festival. The University of Arizona Rodeo Club will put on team roping and barrel racing demonstrations during the event.  

Even the youngest and least experienced in rodeo have a chance to participate in several events. For the thrill-seekers there is Mutton Busting, where well-padded children ages 4-6 ride on the back of sheep and try to hold on as long as they can.  With the child on-board, the sheep will race into the arena, creating a bumpy, exhilarating ride.

Children wear helmets with safety cages as well as padded vests, and the sheep are chosen based upon the age and weight of the child to help ensure both are as safe as possible.

The cost of the event is $20 and you must pre-register your rider at https://marcatoapp.com/forms/cottonfestival/muttonbustin/new

The event is fun for both the riders as well as the spectators, and is a highlight of the Cotton Festival. It is a great introduction to the sport of rodeo and a fun way to experience livestock in in a different setting than many children are accustomed.

Not sure if Mutton Busting is right for your child? Then the Boot Scramble is another fun way to participate in the events. The Boot Scramble is a race where children have to find their boot in a big pile, put it on, then race back to the finish line.

There is far more to the Marana Cotton Festival than just rodeo events. There are free carnival rides, music from the Marana Community Choir and Blue Monsoon, food trucks, petting zoos, two beer gardens, and the giant cotton pile which is more fun for the kids than you can imagine. Admission and most of the festivities are free, though there are costs for food and drinks.

Spotlight on Schools: MUSD expands school safety program

The Marana district has expanded our school safety program through a recently awarded Arizona Department of Education School Safety Program grant, which provides for the following:

• Marana Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO) at Marana Middle School, full time.
• A Pima County Juvenile Probation Officer (JPO) at Tortolita Middle School, full time.
• A Pima County Juvenile Probation Officer (JPO) serving at both Quail Run Elementary/ Thornydale Elementary.
• A Juvenile Probation Officer (JPO) serving at both Roadrunner Elementary/Picture Rocks Elementary.
• In addition, through continued partnerships with the Pima County Sheriff’s and Marana Police Department, Mountain View, Tortolita Middle, and Marana High each have a full time SRO.  

The intent of the School Safety Program grant is to place SROs and JPOs on school grounds to contribute to safe school environments that are conducive to teaching and learning. Their presence on campuses further enhance and support the current school safety program as the officer works hand in hand with school administration to enhance a safe learning environment.

SROs/JPOs maintain a visible presence on campus; serve as an available resource to the school community; deter delinquent behaviors; and provide students and staff with Law-Related Education (LRE) instruction and training. The goal of LRE is to prepare students for responsible citizenship by promoting the development of those characteristics that lead to healthy behavior.  

Marana News: Possible changes to Sun Shuttle could have impacts

Danyelle Khmara of the Marana News wrote a story on the proposed changes to bus routes on Marana. 

Sun Shuttle service is proposing changes to three routes in Marana due to low ridership. The changes won’t leave anyone without access to public transportation, but could make it more costly and time-consuming for the select few who use those routes.

Sun Shuttle rider and Town of Marana employee Kurt Schmidt rides the 413, and said it’s always struggled to be on time because it gets caught up at its southern leg by Regency Plaza. 

Schmidt prefers riding the bus to driving. He said gives him a little down time in his busy day to read. He thinks the proposed changes may have some good outcomes but also some problems, namely making public transportation harder for some low-income residents.

“The Sun Shuttle routes that serve the Town of Marana are pretty important for people who don’t have the ability to get from point A to B without public transportation,” he said.

Read the rest of the stories, including how the routes would be altered and/or eliminated at the Marana News.

Wastewater expansion project on target

The Town of Marana is in the process of expanding their North Marana Wastewater Facility with two major projects.

The existing facility, which the town took over from the Pima County in 2013, can currently treat up to 500,000 gallons per day. With the recent connecting of the Saguaro Bloom subdivision to the sewer system, it is close to maxing out what the facility in its current configuration can handle.

For North Marana to continue to grow, an expansion had to occur. The expansion to the facility will allow it to treat a total of 1.5 million gallons per day and can handle up to 10,000 new homes or businesses in the area. Marana Utilities Director John Kmiec said the expansion was expected with how fast the area was growing. “In the wastewater world that is a normal planning timeline,” said Kmiec. “The town always knew they were going to have to expand this plant as our planning numbers in the housing and commercial development increased in northern Marana.”

The facility was already equipped to accommodate future expansion and was one of the reasons the town fought to take over the facility. Although they knew expansion was going to happen sooner rather than later, expanding upon the existing infrastructure was always a preferred option over having to build a new wastewater facility from scratch.

The current treatment lagoon utilizes biolac treatment, which uses bacteria, aeration and other processes to treat wastewater. At the end of the process the town sees treated water that exceeds most standards, but their hope is the new expansion will provide an even cleaner final product, in a more efficient manner.

The expansion will utilize an activated sludge process, which also uses bacteria and biological matter to break down waste and help purify the water. The newer process will utilize two separate aeration basins that can each treat up to 750,000 gallons per day. The design will also allow further expansion, with room for additional aeration basins and clarifiers.

This portion of the project began in March 2017 and is expected to be completed in August 2018. It is currently 35 percent complete. The new expansion will not only be more efficient, but the new system will give them more flexibility in treating water and should give them a better final product.

The water from the new process will be pure enough that they will be able to use it in the recharge basins that will help the town get 100% of the recharge credits from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

The second and concurrent part of the expansion process is construction of three new recharge basins, as well as pond features and a recreation area. That part of the project is over 55 percent complete.

The entire project is on track and on-schedule.

Cotton Festival Blog No. 3: Meet Buzz

Marana’s Signature Events are all about bringing the community together. They are about giving the Town’s residents a unique, fun experience and about working hand in hand with our community partners. This year’s Cotton Festival will give us the opportunity to combine both.

Our emcee for the event is Kiim 99.5 DJ Buzz Jackson. Not only does he represent Kiim FM and the Cumulus family of radio stations who are a important partner in our event, but Buzz is a resident of Marana.

Buzz has lived in Marana since moving to Southern Arizona 16 years ago and has remained a presence in the community. He has been involved in the Town’s Holiday Festival and Fourth of July Star Spangled Spectacular and is excited about the Cotton Festival.

 “Anything I can do to expand my involvement is something that I look forward to,” Buzz said. “Being a part of the community and bringing my family to these events is a lot of fun.”

At Kiim 99.5 Buzz plays all of our country favorites, but tries to add a little fun to every broadcast. He must be doing something right as he has won air personality of the year awards from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. His broadcasts are also heard on many of Westwood One's country stations across America every day.

Buzz has also embraced Marana. He likes to ride his bike on The Loop and can be seen walking Wrangler the Dog in the neighborhood. He is excited to interact with the Marana community at the Cotton Festival.

 “These people are my neighbors,” he said. “It is great to share these events with them and be a part of them with them.”

The Cotton Festival is not possible without our community partners. This year the event is presented by Comcast, in partnership with Core Construction.

Ina Road Update: 09/18

The Arizona Department of Transportation has provided another update on the Ina Interchange Project. According to Tom Herrman a Public Information Officer for ADOT the project remains on schedule.

“The schedule is holding still,” Herrman said. “Long-term plans remain on track.”

The girders are in place for the eastbound lanes of the Ina Road bridge over I-10. By doing the project in this fashion, there will be no need to disrupt traffic to build the bridges

The girders for the westbound lanes will be coming in the next few weeks. Workers are in the process of pouring the cement for the support columns and once complete the framework for the girders can be put in place.

 Once that portion of the bridge is complete, the next big aspect of the project will be moving the I-10 traffic. Currently the eastbound traffic is using the old westbound lanes, and westbound traffic is using the frontage road. In late December or early January, eastbound traffic will move to the newly build eastbound lanes. After that transition is complete, the westbound traffic will move to the new eastbound lanes – with a safe divider between them.

“We’ll have both directions on the new eastbound lanes, using shoulders and narrower lanes, three lanes in each direction,” Herrman said.

Once traffic is complete re-routed, the destruction of the old westbound lanes and construction of the permanent new westbound lanes can begin. The demolition of the old westbound lanes is also necessary before the middle portion of the Ina Road bridge can be completed as the high way was raised in that area.

Aerial View of Ina Interchange Project

HawkView Aerial Services took to the skies with their drone to get some great shots of the Ina Interchange Project, which they posted on their Facebook page.

Hawkview is an imaging service providing aerial video and photography using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's), commonly known as drones.

Marana represented at El Tour de Tucson press conference

For the third consecutive year the Town of Marana is sponsoring the El Tour de Tucson Perimeter Bike Race. It also marks the second year that the Town is hosting their own 28-mile segment of the race.

It is the 35th edition of the race, which according to race organizer Richard DeBernardis is the “longest running bicycle event in the state of Arizona.”

The annual press conference was held at the Mexican Consulate and DeBernardis said the idea is to make the race not only the pride of Tucson and Arizona, but Mexico as well.

“This is going to be the start of a long, great relationship,” DeBernardis said.

The race traditionally honors a person or persons who have contributed to the sport of cycling, philanthropy, or other positive endeavors. This year they honored Lila and Totten Warfield, who have been volunteering for 33 years and have celebrated over 70 years of marriage.

The Town of Marana shared the stage with race sponsors and community partners including Casino Del Sol, Easter Seals/Blake Foundation, Pima County Department of Transportation, and Tucson Medical Center.

“I want to express my excitement for this year’s El Tour De Tucson, and particularly for Marana’s 28-mile segment starting at the Marana Heritage River Park located in the heart of our Gladden Farms community,” said the Town of Marana’s Communications Manager Vickie Hathaway.” For the second year in a row, cyclists will see amazing views of the Tucson Mountain range, as well as discover Marana’s scenic open spaces as they ride toward the finish line."

Last year Marana welcomed over 350 racers to the Marana leg. The Marana leg boasts the shortest distance of any leg of the El Tour and was a major draw.

“Our shorter distance makes participating in the El Tour De Tucson more attractive for both younger and older riders, making it the perfect family experience for those seeking a less rigorous option, or for those wanting to test the waters for their first ride,” Hathaway said.

Marana’s proximity to Interstate-10, the Pima County Shared Use Path, and several great areas to ride, has allowed them to position themselves as a perfect “El Detour” before, after, and during the El Tour.

“Venture north onto Dove Mountain Blvd and take in the beauty of the Tortolita Mountains for your next training ride,” Hathaway said. “Enjoy music, food trucks and entertainment at our 28-mile Marana start, and celebrate your big finish by quenching your thirst with a locally brewed craft beer. Whether you’re a rider, spectator, or visitor, there are many things to do in Marana to prepare for and celebrate the race.”

Hathaway encouraged people to see DiscoverMarana.org/ElDeTour for hotel, restaurant, and after-party information.

Make Marana your El Detour from the El Tour

It does not matter if you are riding the full length of the El Tour de Tucson, taking advantage of the Marana start to the race, or just watching the cyclists ride by. Make Marana your El Detour before, after, and during the race.

With access to the Pima County Shared Use path, Tangerine Road and Silverbell Road, Marana has a number of great places to stay, eat, drink, train, and celebrate that are accessible by bike. 

Loop

The Pima County Shared Use Path, affectionately known as “The Loop”, is a great way for cyclists to get all over town. Although construction has cut off the southern portion of The Loop from the northern portion, there are still plenty of great places to bike in both directions.

After a training ride on the southern portion of the Loop or as the home to a post-Tour after party, the Catalina Brewing Company is a place to check out.

Catalina Brewing Company is no stranger to cyclists. In fact, they cater to them. Heck, their moniker is “We Bike, We Brew.” The brewery already has a mountain bicycling theme, and then embrace “the incredible outdoor spirit that exists in the Arizona Southwest.”

The Catalina Brewing Company considers themselves a small (nano) craft brewery, and they manufacture and distribute a variety of craft beers designed and created from local ingredients with the southern Arizona market in mind. Their local-inspired brews range from the unique and popular Mesquite Agave to their lighter prickly pear fruit infused La Rosa de Catalina as well as seasonal favorites such as Mesquite Smoked Pecan Dopplebock and Teacher's Aid Scottish Ale.

They are also cyclist friendly. They’re accessible off the shared-use path, making them a perfect destination for those who like to cycle and enjoy a craft beer.  

Marana is becoming a haven for craft beer, with Dove Mountain and Button Breweries coming to town, and the recently opened Growler’s.

Cortaro/Silverbell Road

With the Loop affected by construction, Silverbell Road is a great way to bike from the Marana area to Tucson. The road twists and turns with several hills, making a great training ride. Add a variety of desert scenery, and you have a uniquely Southern Arizona opportunity.

Between Silverbell and the adjacent Cortaro corridor, there are a variety of places to eat, drink and stay.

From local Mexican restaurants and historical steak houses, to familiar national chains, this area of Marana has just about any type of food you can want.  

Nothing tastes better after a long ride than a cold, creamy ice cream cone, especially when that ice cream is made with all-natural ingredients. If that sounds good to you, then the Screamery would make a great destination.

The Screamery’s goal is to not only provide the best tasting hand-crafted ice cream to people, but to make it the old fashioned way using simple natural ingredients. Not only does it taste great, but it fits into the lifestyle of those who care what they put into their bodies.

If you make your way down to the Ina/Thornydale and still want some ice cream made from fresh, all natural ingredients, then check out La Garrafa. They serve Nieves de Garrafa, traditional ice cream from central Mexico. They make everything fresh in house, and don’t rely on a lot of extra sugar and fat, keeping the flavors fresh and pure.

Dove Mountain

hether you live, stay or train on Dove Mountain, there are plenty of things to do in and near the area. The mountain itself is perfect for both intense training rides and leisurely joy rides. From the back of one’s bike they can see the statuesque Saguaros, the great views and, more than likely, a desert critter or two.

A quick ride down Dove Mountain Boulevard. will lead you to Twin Peaks Road and a straight shot to Marana’s Tucson Premium Outlets. There, you can just get your morning coffee fix at Starbucks or do some serious shopping. The Premium Outlets feature all your favorite brands, but with the 25-65% savings that outlet shopping can provide. Deals like these are sure to please casual shoppers all the way to the most diehard shop-a-holics.

Looking for a good cup of coffee or tea on Dove Mountain? Then Savaya is your place. Savaya features a prominent green coffee roaster that is used weekly to roast coffees from around the world, giving true coffee lovers a wide variety of flavors to choose from.

Savaya invites their patrons to sit back, relax and spread out with the cup of joe. They have a mesquite wood bar, covered outdoor seating and even a children’s playground patio area.

MPD honors those who gave their lives on 9/11

September 11 is a solemn day for most Americans, but it is even more so for the men and women who serve as first responders in our community. Members of the Marana Police Department did their part to remember the terrorist attacks on September 11.

12 Marana Police Officers ventured to Arizona Stadium on the campus of the University of Arizona to participate in the 6th annual 9/11 Memorial Tower Challenge. Several hundred participants from various organizations climbed 2,071 stairs within the football stadium.

The number of steps represent the 110 floors and 2,071 steps that were in the Twin Towers.

Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema gave the Invocation at the Tower Challenge. 

The event is not only a way to honor the fallen, but is also a fundraiser for local charities. The previous five years of the vent saw it raise more than $100,000.

Current MPD Officer Dan Rowan was a member of the NYFD on September 11. He ventured back to New York this week to meet up with other current and former firefighters and honor his fallen comrades. Tucson News Now did a profile on Officer Rowan. 

"It's almost like I've never left them," Rowan told Tucson News Now during a phone call. "That's what's so great about this department. You come in, the tears are flowing. There's no handshakes, it's kisses and hugs. That's what the brotherhood and sisterhood is all about. It's all about love for what we do. We put our lives on the line, every second of the day. When I put the badge on now and I get in my car, I'm a police officer, a fireman, and an EMS technician. It feels great, and I love it to death."

For the full story on Officer Rowan, go to Tucson News Now’s website.

PD honored as Dispose-A-Med Program continues to grow

The Marana Police Department has worked hard with their community partners to conduct Dispose-A-Med Events, which have been successful in getting unused prescription drugs off the street.

The program had one of their best outings last month when 569 pounds of drugs were collected in a two-hour period. Because of this great community effort, one of MPD’s officers was given an award at Tuesday’s Marana Town Council meeting.

Nancy Lyngby, president of the Marana – Foothills Optimist Club, recognized Marana Police Officer David Danielson by presenting him with a certificate for his service to Marana. He was specifically recognized for the Dispose-A-Med program and for “Bringing Out The Best in Kids.”

“He has been absolutely fabulous to work worth,” said Lyngby.

Danielson recently began overseeing the program, inheriting an already successful model from prior officers Lori Shepherd, Steve Johnson and Kevin Litton and trying to keep building it bigger and bigger.

“They laid the foundation for this program and provided me the tools for me to make sure that this goes forward in the right direction,” Danielson said.

Previous events were averaging between 120-150 pounds of drugs collected and the idea was to expand it. Between Marana Police, the Optimist Club and other community partners they worked hard to expand coverage of the event, utilizing the media and social media accounts. The exposure worked, as they collected almost 600 pounds of drugs.

Now their goal is to get 1,000 pounds at their October 14 event. So far this year they have collected over 1,200 pounds and still have additional events in October and December.

Lyngby praised Danielson’s ability to motivate volunteers, while Danielson praised the hard work of the Marana Police Department’s volunteers, the VIP’s.

“I have not seen this many volunteers show up to do a dispose a med in years and that is a real testament to him,” Lyngby said.

Marana’s two final Dispose-A-Meds will be Saturday, October 14 and Saturday, December 9 in front of the Target at Ina and Thornydale from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Discounts for early registration for Marana stage of El Tour

Early registration is now underway for the Town of Marana’s 28-mile segment of the El Tour de Tucson. Cyclists who wish to participate in the segment can act now for discounted entry fees.

Marana debuted the 28-mile segment last year and it was an instant hit. More than 350 riders participated in the 2016 El Tour in the Town of Marana. The third year of the Town of Marana’s partnership with the El Tour de Tucson promises to be even more popular.

The shorter distance proved to be an attraction for both younger and older riders, as well as riders experiencing their first El Tour de Tucson. At just28-miles the Marana stage appeals to those who want to participate in the race, but find the longer distances too daunting.

Starting in the heart of the Town of Marana at Heritage River Park, cyclists travel south through the Gladden Farms area to downtown Tucson along the base of the Tucson Mountains with awesome views of the Catalina and Rincon Mountain ranges. It will provide great views of Marana’s scenic open spaces.

The special early bird pricing is in effect from now until October 31. Riders 15 and over are just $125, while those 14 and under are just $44.

After October 31 the rate climbs to $175.

The special rates are only available through the Marana Segment webpage: http://www.perimeterbicycling.com/el-tour-de-tucson/register-marana/

Tucson Local Media: Traipsing through the Tortolitas

Area residents will have the opportunity to explore the Tortolita Mountains in the coming months through guided hikes offered by the Town of Marana. The mountains, which overlook the town, are rich in southwest wildlife, crested saguaros, fluttering hummingbirds and, soon, hikers of all ages, sizes and experience levels.

The free, guided hikes are on the first Saturday of every month, September through April. The first hike was a hike on the Lower Javelina Trail this past Saturday, Sept. 2.

Bob Stinson, outdoor recreation coordinator for the Town of Marana, will typically guide the hikes. In general, he said he likes to start off the program with easier hikes, and gradually increase length and elevation gain through the season. He also takes potential storms and increasing heat toward the end of the program into account.

To read the rest of this story go to Tucson Local Media's website.

Marana Chamber wins award, celebrates anniversary

It has been a big year for the Marana Chamber of Commerce. They are in the midst of their 30th anniversary celebration and earlier this week they were awarded the Best Chamber of Commerce in the 2017 Arizona Daily Star/Tucson.com Readers’ Choice Awards.

The award recognized the chamber for their hard work and dedication to growing the economy in the Town of Marana. The Town and Chamber have been partners since the start. According to current Marana Chamber President and CEO Ed Stolmaker, then Mayro Billy Schisler approached Phyllis M. Farenga about starting the chamber.

In a column he wrote for Tucson Local Media, Stolmaker explained that the early marketing materials were basic and low-budget.

“A yellow and blue bumper sticker sported a large ‘Marana’ with an up arrow on the N and read ‘We’re really growing places!’,” Stolmaker wrote. “The first business card for what was then called the Greater Marana/Avra Valley Chamber of Commerce featured a rising sun.

“An early map of the area given to members and visitors was hand-drawn,” Stolmaker added. “By contrast, today’s Official Chamber Map is a professionally-produced slick, full-color foldout full of pictures, information and advertising. It is updated and distributed annually.”

Today the Chamber has over 550 members and is adding new ones every month. As Marana grows, the chamber grows.

The Town partners with the Chamber to run the Marana Visitor Center, which also serves as the Chamber’s office, as well as other services like business retention. The Marana Town Council approve to extend the partnership for the 2018 Fiscal Year at a June council meeting.

“We have a strong partnership and many, many successes in working with the Marana Chamber of Commerce over the years,” said Marana Town Manager Gilbert Davidson.

The Town and Chamber work side by side on the annual State of the Town, and this year they have worked hard to help businesses affected by the Ina Interchange Project, including two business walks to help determine the needs of those area businesses.

“The agreement between the town and the chamber makes a lot of sense for both of us,” said Stolmaker. “It is a good partnership, we have a great relationship and I look forward to working with them in 2017 and 2018.” 

The role of the Chamber has evolved over the 30 years. Initially they ran some of the town’s events and did much of the town marketing. Stolmaker said slowly it evolved into what it is today, a way to attract and retain businesses in the area, and grown the local economy. Not that they have completely abandoned events, in addition to partnering on the State of the Town, the chamber has their annual golf tournament, the ever evolving Marana Earth Festival, and all of their weekly, monthly, and quarterly events.

In July the Chamber held their annual luncheon and they were able to recognize several members who had been there from the start: Marana Unified School District, Marana Health Center, CalPortland–Rillito Plant, the Town of Marana, Trico Electric Cooperative, Inc., Comcast Business, Hensley Beverage Company, The Planning Center, and Marana Stockyards and Livestock Market, Inc.

Notes from Neptune ready to regale Marana

The Town of Marana is excited to welcome Notes from Neptune as the next band in our Free Music In Marana Concert Series. The Phoenix-based band is making the trip down I-10 for the show and is excited to perform in front of the Marana audience.

They will take the stage at 7:00 p.m. at Crossroads at Silverbell Regional Park. Ciao Down will be selling their hand crafted pizza and Italian Sodas starting at 6:30 p.m., making dinner and dancing a Saturday night option.

Notes from Neptune is often described as a musical journey. The band is comprised of Scott, a nylon string guitarist and Thomas, a saxophonist. Both have amazing vocals. Their performances are a combination of a mellow acoustic groove combined with Thomas’ gritty, soulful vocals. Throw in the cool jazz feel of Thomas’ saxophone and their great vocal harmonies and you have a very unique, engaging musical act.  Fans of theirs have described them as “genuine, soulful, joyful, and classy.”

Their set list is a versatile one. They will take you back in time with classic rock covers of Pink Floyd and The Doors, and they bring out the Motown soul in you with Bill Withers and James Brown. They like to go modern with a little John Mayer and Gnarls Barkley and even swing the jazz a bit with their impression of Michael Buble and Louie Armstrong. Then there are their originals. With Thomas’ saxophone they can easily transition from 1980’s pop to 60’s and 70’s R&B to cool jazz, while their tight vocal harmonies can breathe new life into familiar favorites. Some songs will get your toes tapping, while others will soothe the soul.

Both Scott and Thomas are phenomenal musicians having each played for over 20 years. They started this trip together a little over a year ago and see a bright future ahead.

Cotton Festival Blog No. 2: Chili Bowl

While we are always trying to make improvements to all our Signature Events, we also like to keep them rooted in tradition. That is true of the Cotton Festival, which harkens back to Marana’s agrarian roots, and tries to have a small time carnival feel, while simultaneously providing visitors a first class event.

Even though the festival is nearly two months away, we are conducting weekly meetings to work out all the little details to make your Cotton Festival experience the best we can. From parking to food to the beer garden, we are planning to have everything run as smooth as possible to make the night a success.

Our goal is to take the things that work, and see if we can make them better. One of those things is the chili cook-off. It has been a good event, but the idea was to expand it, and so this year the cook-off has become the Chili Bowl.

The winner of the Chili Bowl earns the title of Marana’s Favorite Chili, which is one coveted championship, but more importantly, the proceeds go to a great cause. We already have several organizations fine-tuning their secret recipes to try and take home the championship. We hear that even several weeks out they are testing recipes, perfecting spice blends, and answering the important questions like “how hot is too hot?” and “beans or no beans?”

Right now groups like Avra Valley Fire, Northwest Fire, the Marana High School Culinary Arts team, Firehouse Subs, Highlands Grille and the Marana Chamber of Commerce have all indicated that they wish to compete, but there are still openings for those who think their chili is the best in Marana. The only catch is you must have access to a commercial kitchen and be able to produce 5 gallons of the good stuff, and be able to serve it at 135 degrees.

For those who don’t cook chili but want to eat chili, they can pay $5 to be a judge and sample all the great offerings. The funds raised by the sampling fee will go to benefit the Community Food Bank in Marana.

The contest will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as a taster’s choice award.

What’s better than eating some great chili or eating some great chili to benefit a great cause? The whole event is part of the fun of the Cotton Festival.

For more information on the Chili Bowl contact Marsha Johnson at 520-334-7109 or e-mail at marshajx6@gmail.com.

ADOT: Ina Road Interchange Project 6-month update

The Ina Road Interchange Project is officially 6 months old. The Arizona Department of Transportation provided an update on the project.

Six months in, signs of progress abound at an Arizona Department of Transportation project creating a modern traffic interchange at Ina Road and Interstate 10 and more efficient traffic flow through a growing area.

Crews recently poured concrete to create a deck for the first of two new bridges carrying Ina Road over the Santa Cruz River just west of I-10.

With supports in place on the west side of I-10, drivers soon will see the first girders set for a bridge that will carry Ina Road over Interstate 10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The former interchange configuration had local traffic passing under I-10 and waiting as several dozen trains crossed Ina Road each day.

“Those are important milestones in this project,” said Dan Casmer, ADOT’s resident engineer for the project. “Our teams have done a great job staying on schedule despite the extreme heat earlier this summer and the heavy monsoon rains.”

Crews are now more than halfway toward completing work on the west side of I-10, which also includes building new lanes for eastbound I-10 and laying a new frontage road. To allow this work, eastbound I-10 traffic has shifted to the former westbound lanes, and westbound I-10 traffic is using what had been the westbound frontage road.

Beginning in early 2018, crews will move to the east side of the freeway. They will remove the remaining I-10 bridge, create new freeway lanes and a new frontage road and complete the Ina Road bridge. Drivers already can see rebar towers that will become bridge supports on the east side of I-10.

At the same time, crews will move traffic to the new bridge over the Santa Cruz River, remove the existing bridge and build a new one in its place.

When work is complete in early 2019, both I-10 and Ina Road will be wider to handle increasing traffic in the area, capacity on the Santa Cruz River bridges will double and drivers no longer will have to wait for trains that run east of I-10.

ADOT is overseeing the $128 million project, which is funded by the Federal Highway Administration, the Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority. The town of Marana is contributing $7.9 million toward the cost of the new bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

Ina Road is closed at I-10, but ADOT will continue to maintain access to area businesses throughout the project.

Eastbound I-10 drivers can use the Cortaro or Orange Grove exits. For westbound drivers, the Orange Grove exit remains closed, and drivers should consider exiting at Sunset or Cortaro roads.

For project information, visit azdot.gov/InaTI.

For more information on the project, including traffic and construction updates, as well as business specials in the area, check out our

Marana Police formally welcomes new officers

On Wednesday afternoon the Marana Police Department held a badge pinning and swearing in ceremony for their five latest recruits. The ceremony has become a tradition within the department and is a way of welcoming the new officers, as well as their families, into the department.

“We really have a great organization,” Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema said. “We have great people here.”

The ceremony is a way to formally welcome the latest hires to the department, many who have been on the job for several months. Each of the five newest officers were introduced by the chief and then had their badges pinned on by friends, spouses, and family members. Following the badge pinning, the five officers were then sworn in by Marana Town Magistrate Laine Sklar.

Chief Rozema stressed that all five officers had the one key ingredient to becoming a Marana Police Officer: the desire to help people.

“This profession is way too important to be a job,” Rozema said. “We want to hire people who want to come into this profession to help people.”

Rozema explained that they look for people who not only say they want to help people, but who have actually demonstrated that they have a “dedication for helping people” outside of police work.

The five officers came from a varied background, some were fresh from the academy, while some had previous police experience.

Ciao Down ready to feed Marana music lovers

The Town of Marana likes their Free Concerts and Free Movies in the Park series to be a full experience. In addition to fun movies and great music, we like to invite unique food trucks to fill out the evening. For this week’s Notes From Neptune Concert on Saturday, September 2 we are thrilled to introduce Ciao Down as one of our latest food truck vendors.

Not only does Ciao Down served fantastic pizza and Italian Sodas, but owner Paul Reyes has lived in Marana for over two decades, as well as working at a local resort. Or as Reyes says, his pizza may be new to Marana, but he is not.

“We are excited to bring signature flavors to Marana,” Reyes said.

The Ciao Down pizza truck is a key to the pizza itself. All of their pizzas are made on board their truck in our double deck 900 degree electric ovens.

“Having such high temperatures means we can go from dough to plate in under 2 minutes,” Reyes explained.  

The truck is also designed so that customers can actually see the Ciao Down crew making their pizza. They call it their “open concept kitchen” that leaves all of the mystery out of the pizza making process.

Their Italian sodas are handcrafted and available in hundreds of different flavor combinations, making it a near certainty that you will be able to find just the right style for your pallet.

Most of Ciao Down’s pizzas have their five-cheese mix and fresh ingredients. You can find traditional pizzas like supreme, pineapple, and peperoni, but also have their unique Prickly Pear Jalepeno Pizza, which includes cream cheese stuffed peppers, bacon, and Ciao Down’s prickly pear bacon jam.

Ciao Down is a true family affair. Reyes and his wife opened the truck as a way to spend more time with his daughter, and he admits his inspiration as a chef comes from his father, a great chef in his own right who also works on the truck.

“Without him the whole thing would not taste as great as it does today,” Reyes said.

Ciao Down will be at Crossroads at Silverbell Park beginning at 6:30 p.m. and Notes from Neptune hit the stage at 7:00, giving you plenty of time to indulge in some pizza and Italian Sodas before or during the show.