Cotton Festival Photo Gallery

This year’s Marana Cotton Festival was the biggest yet. With more rides, more food trucks, and an exciting rodeo, there was plenty to do for a variety of interests and ages Relive this past weekend’s Cotton Festival with this photo gallery.

Photos by JD Fitzgerald Photography

Iconic airship visits Marana Regional Airport

The Goodyear Wingfoot 2 touched down at the Marana Regional Airport on Tuesday on part of its journey from Akron, OH to Long Beach, CA. The airship will remain in Marana overnight before departing on Wednesday morning.

The Wingfoot left Deming, NM early Tuesday morning and thanks to a 25 knot push, traversed the 200 miles in about three hours. On Wednesday the craft will fly to Blythe, CA and then touch home in Long Beach on Thursday. The airship is currently housed at the Long Beach Air Port, but will soon make its permanent home in nearby Carson, CA.

The Wingfoot 2 is one of three newer airships employed by Goodyear Tire, and celebrated its one-year birthday last week. The two other airships are based in Florida and Ohio.

The crew of the Wingfoot 2 was in Ohio for further training on the newer craft. Four of the pilots flew in from Deming, while the rest had to drive in with other members of the ground crew. Waiting for the Wingfoot two were two semis. One semi carries fuel, while the other has a hydraulic mast, which they secure the aircraft to. A van with a large trailer and a pick-up truck were also on hand.

Once the airship landed, it took about 40 minutes to fully stabilize the craft and secure it. According to the crew a lot of care has to go into balancing the liquid and gas that inflate the Wingfoot 2. Temperature and elevation create variables which must be accounted for to ensure the craft is safely docked.

More commonly known as the Goodyear Blimp, the Wingfoot 2 is actually a zeppelin. Unlike a blimp, a zeppelin has a rigid internal structure that provides a framework to help it maintain its shape. While similar, a blimp has no framework and maintains its shape solely from the gases that help it take to the sky.

The controls of the Wingfoot 2 are not dissimilar to conventional aircraft, though takeoff and landing are more similar to the V-22 Osprey, which has rotors that tilt to allow it to take off and land more like a helicopter than an airplane. The props on the Wingfoot 2 also tilt to aid in landing and takeoff.

The Goodyear Wingfoot airships are used for a variety of marketing and commercial opportunities. They are commonly seen flying over sporting events and have their own cameras and technicians on the ground who can send the signals to the television networks covering the game.

According to Marana Regional Airport Director Steve Miller, this is not the first time one of the Goodyear airships has docked at the airport. They have also played host to the MetLife Blimp.

Cotton Festival sees great growth

The bright lights of the carnival rides and food trucks illuminate a spot of desert surrounded by a cotton field on one side and a burgeoning housing development on the other. For one night out of the year, this land goes from a tranquil community park with small gardening plots to a traditional country fair with flashing lights, raucous music, and children’s laughter.

This third edition of the Marana Cotton Festival was the biggest yet, with attendance more than double from the year before, but built on the same old fashioned fun it was based upon. 

The heart of the Marana Cotton Festival celebrates the farming and rodeo roots of the Town. Marana’s history is of soil-covered hands and dusty boots, a municipality formed by area farmers over forty years ago. On event day, nearly the whole community came out to experience Marana’s rodeo and agricultural heritage.

Rodeo once again ruled the day. The event opened with a rodeo that showcased demonstrations by experienced rodeo competitors, but also saw young children getting their boots dusty for the first time in the Mutton Busting, Boot Scramble, Stick Horse Barrel Racing activities. Throughout the festival you could hear their times being announced, and those who wanted a closer view were treated to the rodeo traditions that have been going on in the area for hundreds of years.

Few events bring a smile to the crowd’s faces as Mutton Bustin’. For many, the smiles on their faces might suggest this was just the beginning of their lifelong affiliation with the sport. Soon the sheep may be exchanged for horses, and for a few, even bulls. 

The Cotton Festival featured carnival rides and two musical acts, but the loudest sound of the day was probably at the cotton pile. After watching a pair of John Deere mechanical cotton pickers rumble through the fields to harvest the crop, the hauls were dumped into a hay bale pen for the children to play in. There were squeals of delight and loud laughter for hours as children scooped up the fluffy cotton and threw it at each other, at themselves, or up in the air to watch it float down to earth. Children ran, jumped, and played together in the cotton from the time the yield was dumped until the last rides were shut down five hours later. 

What is a carnival without carnival rides? Whirling and spinning rides were a huge attraction. Their neon lights lit up the Marana Cotton Festival sky, serving as a beacon for miles around. Reds and blues and greens flashed and streaked against the ebony night sky, while the yelps of their riders let all those around them know about the thrill seeking fun to be had.

The smell of popcorn, barbecue and desserts filled the air as food trucks and vendors served their wares. Fresh popped kettle corn, mounds of curly fries, and deep fried desserts were served side by side with mouth-watering meatballs, delicate French pastries, and piping hot gourmet pizza. There was something for every taste and craving. 

The steak fry and Chili Bowl chili cook-off provided good food for great causes, and the beer gardens provided refreshment on a perfect night. 

Cheerleaders and youth soccer teams patrolled the grounds, reminding people to check out the carnival games. Even Trixie the Goat tried on her finest tutu and tiara to tell people about the great fun at the 4-H Club fundraiser. 

The Marana Community Choir showed off their beautiful voices and sweet harmonies before giving way to Blue Monsoon who quickly got the dance floor moving with their take on country favorites and rock and roll classics. Small children and couples put on their dancing boots and moved to the music. 

Perfect weather made for a perfect evening as the Town came together. The third annual Cotton Festival was the biggest yet, growing just as the town is growing, but like Marana, its growing size did not take away from the small town, country feel.

Tucson Local Media: Marana Chamber News

Each month Marana Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Ed Stolmaker provides a column for Tucson Local Media. This month he wrote about positive economic news in Marana, as well as the Chamber's Earth Festival and Pinal County's economic boom. 

Marana continues to enjoy rapid growth. Curt Woody, director of economic development and tourism, told business leaders attending our recent community and regional update that 77 single family housing permits were issued in August. The town is on pace to see construction of 800 to 840 single family homes in 2017. Woody told the audience it’s  “the highest we’ve ever had in the five years I’ve been with the town.” 

Most of the growth continues to be in northern Marana in the area around Gladden Farms and neighboring developments. There is also growth in eastern Marana, around Dove Mountain. The Saguaro Bloom addition of southern Marana also is benefitting from strong growth.

Woody also reported strong interest from potential developers in building retail establishments and restaurants in the area east of the Twin Peaks interchange with Interstate 10, in the area of Tucson Premium Outlets.

Interest in building in Marana is understandable, considering the town’s proximity to Pinal County. Pinal is poised to receive billions of dollars worth of planned, and potential, commercial and manufacturing development.

Read the rest of the article at TucsonLocalMedia.com.

Marana News: Cotton Festival preview

The Marana News previewed this weekend's Cotton Festival:

Monique Hagberg walks through a dry patch of ground nestled between a large swath of cotton and the constant hum of a housing development. 

This sleepy patch of agrarian land, known as Marana Heritage River Park—with its bountiful Arizona cottonwoods and lush green grass, will soon transform into the entertainment epicenter of the town. Thousands of spectators are expected to pour through the park’s dirt-crusted entrance this Saturday for the town’s third annual Cotton Festival. 

Hagberg, who is tasked with organizing the event for the town, estimates that upwards of 4,000 people will be there for this year’s event—up from last year’s 3,000. 

Attendees will have the chance to participate in a number of events, from a chili cook-off under the park’s ramada benefitting the Marana Food Bank to carnival rides and a rodeo exhibition hosted by the University of Arizona rodeo team. 

The best part, according to Hagberg, is the event’s price tag, or lack thereof. 

“The reason we do our events in the town is really to give our residents something that they can invest in, and something they can come out and enjoy,” she said. “We really make a point of making our events as free as possible. For instance, for this event, the only thing that you pay for is the food, and the beer if you want to participate in that.” 

Read the rest of the story at the Marana News. 

Green Valley News: MPD helps shorthanded Sahuarita

The Green Valley News wrote a story about the Marana Police Department lending a hand to the Sahuarita Police Department as they go through some job turnover. 

The recent departure of two of the Sahuarita Police Department’s three records clerks has prompted Chief John Noland to reach out to the Marana Police Department for assistance. Seven police officers have also left the department this year; the department has 46 sworn positions.

Starting this weekend, four Marana records clerks will work remotely to help the police department process reports, traffic citations and warnings, Noland said. The departments use the same records management system.

One records clerk resigned and another retired at the end of September. Since then, Noland said he has promoted a third clerk to a supervisory position within the records department and received permission to add a position.

The Marana clerks and an administrative service officer will continue to help out until the open positions are filled, Noland said. Background checks are underway for three potential hires.

Read the full story at the Green Valley News

Police recruitment orientation meeting

The Marana Police Department will be holding an Applicant Orientation for individuals that might be interested in the Police Recruit process. All candidates will have the opportunity to meet with Town of Marana Police Officers to obtain further information and ask questions about the position and the process.

The orientation is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Town of Marana Municipal Complex located at 11555 W Civic Center Drive, Marana, AZ 85653. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers. This is an optional orientation. Registration or RSVP is not required.

The Town will be hiring a number of new police officers over the next year and are working on building an eligibility list for the future vacancies. MPD is looking for both current officers looking to make a lateral move, as well as police officer recruits who are new to the profession. 

If you are interested in working for an agency that strives to be the most well respected and highly regarded police department in Arizona, then you should apply to become a Police Officer with the Town of Marana. The Marana Police team is proud and honored to serve the community and maintain an unwavering dedication to ensure the safety and security of every person who lives or visits our Town.

The Marana Police Department is comprised of 118 full time team members (87 commissioned officers and 31 civilians) and nearly 50 volunteers, providing safety and security to more than 40,000 residents over 127 square miles. These dedicated men and women work together as a team to ensure our residents and visitors receive unparalleled police services.

Marana in the Media: Jump training at Marana Regional Airport

The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's website had a story on the Marana Regional Airport being used for jump training. 

The 68th Rescue Squadron held jump upgrade training at the Marana Regional Airport in Marana, Ariz., this week.

Jump phase is important to get pararescuemen comfortable and competent on a canopy enabling them to land in a given drop zone with precision.

“Jumping is one of the more difficult things we do and the more that we can practice our canopy work the better we will be in high stress situations,” said SSgt Derek, 68th RQS pararescue instructor. “This course helps students get to a point where they can go to a team and continue to progress as a group.”

It is imperative that training, qualifications and capabilities of pararescuemen are extensive because they are the only Department of Defense forces specifically postured to conduct full spectrum personnel recovery.

“This is a main way for us to get to injured personnel or isolated personnel in a timely manner and provide treatment in the quickest time possible,” Said TSgt Dustin, 68th RQS pararescue instructor.

The jump training spans over several weeks and is in conducted in multiple regions across the U.S.

See the story, including a photo gallery, on the Davis-Monthan website. 

Spotlight on Schools: MUSD's Castro wins Liasion of the Year

Marana Unified School District's Marisa Castro, Students in Transition Specialist,  was awarded Liaison of the Year by the Arizona Housing Coalition for her "exemplary efforts in assisting our District’s homeless students."

Castro was recognized at the Awards of Excellence Luncheon, at the Annual Statewide Conference on Ending Homelessness, on October 3rd, 2017.

Castro goes above and beyond for each of her students and their families, and her community. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities as a Homeless School Liaison, Marisa has worked collaboratively with outside partners throughout Pima County to bring resources directly to families within Marana Unified School District boundaries. Castro also held a leadership role on the local host committee for the 2015 National Homeless Education Conference, which was held in Phoenix.

Announcement from MUSD's Facebook Page

Marana in the Media: Marana budget in good shape

Danyelle Khmara of the Marana News re-capped the Town's 2017 fiscal year budget.

While larger and older Pima County municipalities struggle to stay afloat, Marana’s preliminary year-end budget shows the town is riding high, with $2.04 million in the black. The town even did slightly better than its neighbors in Oro Valley, who ended the year with a $1.9 million surplus in their general budget.

Marana ended fiscal year 2017 collecting $42.8 million in revenue, 104 percent of the budgeted amount. The $1.6 million surplus was largely due to revenue from licenses, fees and permits, one of the town’s big three revenue sources.

That revenue stream continued its upward trend of 8.3 percent yearly, and finished at 120 percent of the anticipated budget, or $4.8 million in revenue. Single-family residential permits are a large part of that fund. Marana budgeted for 550 permits but ended the year with 687—23 percent higher than the previous fiscal year. 

The first quarter of fiscal year 2018 has already seen 188 single-family residential permits, exceeding the upward yearly trend.

Read the rest of the story in the Marana News.

Test yourself at the Wild Burro Dirt Dash

The sport of trail running is gaining popularity. The sport is not unlike cross country, but cranked up a notch. Marana Parks and Rec will be hosting their first trail run when they put on the Wild Burro Dirt Dash on Sunday, October 22.

The race is a a grueling 18.1 K on a one-of-a-kind single-track course. If you can handle it, this race will force you through massive elevation gains, extreme downhills, and many technical sections. Endurance levels are guaranteed to be pushed while immersing you in beautiful desert views that do not disappoint. 

Whether you are an experienced runner or hiker, or have partaken in trail running, this is a great way to experience Marana's Tortolita Trail system like never before.

Why is trail running becoming so popular? For one thing there are fewer injuries. Although the terrain can change, and there are elevation changes, the running surfaces are actually softer than asphalt or concrete.

Many runners find trail running to be more mentally relaxing. Being out in nature and away from civilization can be a great way to reduce stress. This is one reason these hiking trails have become so popular. The concept is the same, though you’ll be running these trails and trying to win a race. Many trail runners also love the fact that they are getting off the road ans away from all of that car exhaust and pollution.

Just like Marana’s road races, there is electronic timing, a race big, and finish line snacks, but new to this event is a custom participation metal featuring our Wild Burro mascot.

Space is limited as this event is exclusively for the first 250 registered participants. Register. Gear Up. Lets Go!

Check-in: 7:30 AM
Race Time: 9 AM
Early Reg: $40 (expires Oct. 1) / Late Reg: $45

Town of Marana introduces Marana Pets App

Town of Marana unveiled the Marana Pets app at a press conference Tuesday, October 10. Members of the media and Town staff learned more about Marana Animal Services and what the new app can do to for the Marana community. 

The Town of Marana established the Marana Animal Services Division in July to bring increased customer service to the Marana pet owners. The creation of the Marana Pets App is the latest way the Town is serving both our two-legged and four-legged residents.

"The Marana Pets is not the first original app created by Town of Marana staff," said Vickie Hathaway, Town of Marana Communications Director. "Our Technology Services department has also worked with our special events team to create the Marana Events app, and with Engineering and Development Services to created the Project Ina app. Both of those apps provide innovative ways for our residents to engage with our staff, and the new Marana Pets app is no different. But it does provide one additional opportunity, and that is to leverage the power of our community to reunite pets with their families."

"The primary objective of the app is to reunite Marana's pets with their owners should they wind up lost," said Marana Technology Manager Brian Stein, who headed up the team that designed the app. "The app is designed to harness the powers of community, to allow citizens to engage with one another to help with the reunification process."

The app is designed to reunite pet owners with their lost pets and will allow people who lose or find animals to post pictures and information, facilitating a quick reunification. Marana Animal Services Animal Control Officers will also be using the app to share any found animals. The app along with the Town's website and social media, are all tools to help lost pets in the Town limits find their way back home. 

"Social Media has been a great avenue for us," said the Town of Marana's Community Development and Neighborhood Services Director Lisa Shafer. "So this is that one next step that we are going to take."

Shafer noted that in the first three months of Marana's Animal Services division in operation, nearly 40 percent of strays picked up by the Town's animal control officers have been reunified with their families immediately, without having to be taken to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, the Town's partner for sheltering.

Social media and microchips have both been effective ways for the the unification process and the Town offers free microchip clinics.

"With the microchip clinics, as well as this app we are going to see this high rate of return with our animals just skyrocket," Shafer said.

National Night out a success

The Marana Police Department made an effort to expand their National Night Out event, and the decision was a success. On Friday, October 6, MPD and their community partners took over a good portion of the parking lot of the Target at Ina and Thornydale to put on the event which allowed the public and law enforcement officers to interact.

At one point during a Police Explorers exhibition it appeared as if there were at least 300 people in attendance and Marana Police Department representatives reported that there were steady crowd throughout the entire event.

“The turnout was great,” said Officer David Danielson of the Marana Police Department’s Community Resource Unit. “We did not know what to expect, but people just kept coming.”

Many of those in attendance were families, and it proved to be a great opportunity to not only meet many of the men and women who serve with the Marana Police Department, but to see many of the vehicles and equipment that they use to keep Marana safe.

On display from the Marana Police Department were several squad cars, the SUV used by K9, and the Crime Scene Unit Van. Pima County SWAT had an armored vehicle open to view, while Northwest Fire had a few vehicles on hand to look at.

The Marana Police Department performed three demonstrations. The department’s motor officers showed off their motorcycle driving skills, while the K9 unit showed off the great training that one of the department’s police dog has undergone, including the apprehension of a well-padded mock suspect. One of the spectators had a service dog, who barked encouragement to his fellow German Shepherd during the demonstration.

The Town of Marana’s Parks and Rec Department and the Animal Services Division were on hand to promote events and hand out goodies to the kids, while community and business partners also had plenty of giveaways for the kids and their parents.

Last year’s event drew about 35 people with less activities, so the Marana Police Department took a creative approach and decided to expand the event in hopes of making it more enticing to the community. The move paid off as a full parking lot and long lines at neighboring restaurants showed just popular the evening was.

Marana named one of the most successful cities in Arizona

Marana was named the sixth most successful city in Arizona by career planning website Zippia. The website formulated their findings based upon criteria used by the U.S. Census Bureau in their American Community Survey.

The criteria used in Zippia’s poll was Poverty Level, Median Household Income, and Unemployment Rate.

The company admits that success is a subjective term, they felt set criteria could help define what makes a successful city.

“Here at Zippia, we like things that we can neatly measure and then expound upon,” they explained in a press release. “So yes, with the Power of Math, we have determined the unarguable, totally objective 10 most successful cities in Arizona.”

Zippia looked at all 59 communities with 5,000 or more residents and then ranked each city in the three categories on a scale of 1 to 59. The community with the lowest overall score was deemed the most successful.

Marana was bolstered by the second lowest poverty rate in the state. At 4.2 percent they trailed only Litchfield Park. The Town was also sixth in median income at $74,817 and 14th out of 59 in unemployment rate at 7.3 percent.

Of the communities ranked in the top-10, Marana had the third highest population, trailing only Chandler and Gilbert.

The full list and article can be found here.

School Spotlight: MUSD awarded school safety grant

The Marana News had a nice write-up on the Marana School District receiving a $278,000 safety grant. 

The Marana Unified School District recently received a little more than $278,000 in grant funding from The Arizona Department of Education for the School Safety Program, which provides additional school resource officers and juvenile probation officers to schools in the district. The grant period is from this August to June 2020.

The district received the competitive, three-year grant for the second time, the first time being in the 2014/2015 school year, when $177,000 was awarded to provide SROs for Marana Middle School and Marana High School. The new grant will continue to provide for an SRO at Marana Middle School. In addition, it will also provide for one Pima County JPO at Tortolita Middle School, one Pima County JPO to serve both Quail Run Elementary and Thornydale Elementary and one JPO to serve both Roadrunner Elementary and Picture Rocks Elementary. 

Through continued partnerships with Pima County Sheriff’s and the Marana Police Department, full-time SROs are provided for Mountain View High School, Tortolita Middle School and Marana High School.

“Schools highly appreciate working hand in hand with local law enforcement,” said Tamara Crawley, director of public relations for the district. “It enhances the safety message occurring on campus, and allows students to build relationships with officers.”

To read the rest of the story go to the Marana News website. 

Try to defeat the best at Marana Game Day

This weekend marks the return of the Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament, the largest event of its kind in the area. Bragging rights are at stake to crown the Cornhole Champions of Marana, and arguably the greatest Cornhole teams in Pima County.

The Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament is Saturday, October 7, 2017 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Quarry Pines Golf Course. The cost is just $30 per two-person team, or $40 on the day of. There are prizes for the top-three teams, as well as other side games, food, beverages, and television showing college football.

Better yet, the top team wins $300, with the next two teams winning $200 and $100 respectively.

The sport of Cornhole is one with a glorious, if not properly documented past. Much of the history of the sport is little more than myth. There is not recorded evidence of Big Joe Peckinpah’s perfect game at the 1924 Iowa State Fair and Pig Roast. Video footage of Team USA’s dramatic come-from-behind win at the 1956 World Cup in Rio De Janeiro has been lost and who doesn’t remember the infamous “Wonderful World of Disney Bowl” when the final three throws of the 1978 National Championships were interrupted when ABC switched from coverage to a showing of “Escape From Witch Mountain” on Wonderful World of Disney. No one saw Daniel De La Cruz win the title on the final throw, edging three-time national champion Marcus McGilicutty.

No team has been the subject to more lore, misinformation, and rumor than the Cornelius-Hollister twins. Wilber and Constantine Cornelius-Hollister were once at the top of the Cornhole world, but soon dropped off the map after the infamous collapse at the 1997 Cornhole-A-Palooza and were never heard from again…that is, until now. The Cornelius-Hollister twins have announced they will return to action at Marana Game Day, ending a 20-year exile from the sport that made them almost famous.

Who can forget that fateful day in the spring of 1997? The greatest team in the word appeared to be on their way to their third straight Cornhole-A-Palooza title. They were on one of the greatest rolls in the history of the sport. They were on their way to the grand slam. They had already won Cornhole Mania ’97, Bag Bowl XXVI, and Uncle Jimmy’s BBQ Games and Antique Tractor Show, and just needed to take home another Cornhole-A-Palooza title.

Holding a three-point lead with one throw left, the Cornelius-Hollister twins seemed to win it all when the final throw by Brazilian national champ came up short, earning just a single point. All the Cornelius-Hollister twins needed to do was intentionally miss the board and they would win. An overconfident Wilber Cornelius-Hollister threw his bag straight up in the air and began the celebration. Normally beanbags do not bounce, but on this day his did. The bag landed a good four-feet in front of the board, but bounced straight at the board, knocking the three bags on the board off, and then skidding off to the side. To this day physicists cannot figure out how it happened, but all those in attendance agree that it did. Instead of winning the Grand Slam of Cornhole, the Cornelius-Hollister twins were now the subject of the most heartbreaking loss in sports history.

As rain began falling at the Dubuque, Iowa auxiliary fairgrounds, no trophies were hoisted. No legacies were made. What looked to be a coronation, was instead a funeral. There was no grand slam. There were no legends made.

The last image was of a devastated Wilber Cornelius-Hollister sitting slumped in the muddy parking lot of the fairgrounds. He would give up the sport, and would not be seen again.

His brother Constantine tried to go on with other partners, but a series of injuries and a PED scandal, the use of corn syrup “to be one with the corn”, led to his retirement in 1998. Saddled with Gingivitis of the Small Intestine and a knee murmur, Constantine left the sport, though he did coach Trinidad and Tobago to a third place finish in the Pan-Caribbean Games in 2001.

On the September 15, the Cornelius-Hollister twins made it official, holding a press conference to announce their return. Though no media members attended, they did release a press release announcing that they had “unfinished business” and would return to the sport. Constantine had undergone experimental treatments to cure the intestinal gingivitis and had kicked his corn syrup addiction. Wilbur did not reveal his whereabouts for the past 20 years although said he had to undergo intense psycho-therapy, as well as lose a considerable amount of weight “to get back into throwing shape.”

“We are dedicated to resurrecting our careers and taking the sport of Cornhole to the next level,” they said in their release.

To try to beat the Cornelius-Hollister twins, or to make your own equally inaccurate memories, sign up for Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament. Early registration is still underway.

Editor’s note: There are no Cornelius-Hollister twins, at least none that we know of. Nor, sadly, is there really a Cornhole-A-Palooza, Cornhole Mania, or Bag Bowl that we know of. What is real is that the Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament is a lot of fun, and if you are not registered, you should be.

Editor’s note Pt. 2: As far as we know corn syrup is not a Performance Enhancer for Cornhole or any other sport.

Marana News: MHC Healthcare celebrates 60 years

The Marana News wrote a re-cap from last week's MHC Healthcare Foundation’s 60th anniversary last Friday.

Clint Kuntz told a crowd of hundreds at the MHC Healthcare Foundation’s 60th anniversary last Friday that the organization started from a “little hut.” Now, MHC provides “healthcare with a heart” to about 45,000 patients at 15 sites across Pima County.

With its flagship, the Marana Main Health Center, the organization prides itself on being affordable to everyone and won’t turn anyone away, regardless of ability to pay for care. The gala’s keynote speaker Dr. Zubin Damania, aka ZDoggMD, fit right in.

Damania became an internet sensation after he started posting music videos on YouTube in which he parodied popular songs with his own lyrics. He entered the stage at the Ritz rapping, while one of his videos played on two big screens.

“You don’t usually see that performed in business casual,” he said as the song concluded. 

He also moonlights as a comedian, and his sensitive yet blunt humor around healthcare was not lost on the MHC crowd. He opened by talking about when someone first becomes a doctor.

“We’re idealistic,” he said. “We’re incredibly Disney. We barely curse.” 

Read the rest of the story on the Marana News.

Santa Cruz River workshops looking for input

A number of Marana residents participated in a recent Santa Cruz River survey conducted by the Sonoran Institute. The survey yielded a number of insightful responses, and they already have big plans to use the information.

They are hosting a trio of workshops in the coming weeks to finish their research and start making recommendations to Pima County Regional Flood Control. As you took the survey, you may have noticed that some of the survey questions were kept at a very high level. Now in our workshops they will explore some of these questions further, exposing more nuance. They are also like your help identifying the preferred balance between opposing management trade-offs and will provide paper maps for your recreational improvements ideas. 

They hope to cover a lot of ground, and anyone can attend, even those who have taken the survey already. Each workshop will focus on a different segment of the river. Click the link for more info and to register: www.sonoraninstitute.org/events/santa-cruz-workshops

Date & Time
River Reach
Workshop Location

October 10, 6pm
Grant – Ina
Ellie Towne Flowing Wells CC

October 12, 6pm
Avra Valley – Trico
Marana Municipal Center, 2nd floor

October18, 6pm
Ina – Avra Valley
Wheeler Abbott Taft Jr Library

More on the workshops:

Your voice is an important part of the Santa Cruz River!

Have you ever thought that your regular route on the Loop trail could use a drinking fountain? Would you rather see new flowing reaches of the river or protect the currently flowing & vegetated areas? Do you feel that erosion needs to be taken more seriously on your local stretch of the Santa Cruz? We want to hear all of your ideas, big and smallThis series of FREE workshops is a venue for sharing your experiences and ideas about the Santa Cruz River. Your input will be used in the upcoming management plan for part of the Santa Cruz River. You will help us ensure that the river remains a vital and thriving resource in our community.

How will I influence the future of the Santa Cruz River?

The Santa Cruz River Improvements Workshop and Survey is an opportunity to share your river management preferences and to share ideas for improvement projects. Your input will be used by Pima County as they develop a management plan for the stretch of river between Grant and Trico Road. This includes the flowing section that begins near Sweetwater Drive.

This management plan guides the future of our river in two ways, and you can influence them both.

The plan will describe goals and outline ways for reaching those goals. You help identify which areas need special attention by telling us what you like about the river and your values.

The Plan will also identify and prioritize river improvements related to flood safety, erosion, and recreation. Projects can include things that enhance your experience on the river, such as additional signage, restrooms, drinking fountains and anything else you come up with. Pima County wants to know your suggestions for improvement projects.

What will these workshops be like?

Come prepared to think in broad and fine scales & to share your experiences! As a workshop attendee, you’ll give your input in three highly interactive ways. First, you’ll watch a short video and tell us what information is new and exciting to you. Second, you’ll identify the preferred solution to realistic management scenarios. Finally, you’ll use maps to record suggestions for improvement projects along the river.

NOTE: There will be three workshops, each one focused on a subset of the management area. You can attend more than one workshop. If you know someone that might like to participate, but can’t attend a workshop please share our online survey.

Marana News: Marana reappoints town magistrate

This story appears in the September 27 edition of the Marana News.

Marana Town Council unanimously voted to reappoint Magistrate Laine Sklar to  another two-year term on Sept. 19.

At 35 years old, Sklar has already served two years as Marana’s only judge, after nine years as a town prosecutor. She saw the position as a “new intellectual challenge,” she said. As judge, it’s important to her that people leave her courtroom feeling they’ve been treated fairly.

“No matter how a case turns out, if the individual feels that somebody truly listened to their side of the story, they leave with a little bit more satisfaction,” she said.

To read the full story pick up a copy of the Marana News or visit their website. 

Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament returns

Cornhole has been an integral part of several of the Town of Marana’s events, including last year’s Marana Game Day dedicated to it. The Game Day Cornhole Tournament is back on Saturday, October 7 for a second year and should be bigger and better than last year’s.

The tournament is a chance to see how you stack up in the community of cornhole players in this traditional tailgate favorite.

Pride not enough to motivate you? How about some cash prizes? I also wanted to see if we could push the cash prizes? $300 for first, $200 second and $100 third place.

This year the event is moving to the Quarry Pines Golf Course and we are partnering with them to put on the tournament. This partnership means you will be able to purchase beer and food on site during the event. Texas Roadhouse will be providing dinner at 5 PM for all participants.

What’s game day without the games? In addition to cornhole you will be able to keep track of your favorite college football team by watching college football on the televisions at Quarry Pines.

In addition to the tournament, there will be other side games including a long toss competition, best out of 10 contest, and enter our raffle for fabulous prizes and your shot at 1 million dollars. Note: There is a $5 entry fee for all side games and the raffle that is separate from your tournament activity fee.

The Tournament is open to those 18 and the entry fee is $30 per team from now until October 6. Day of registration climbs to $40. Act fast, there are only 50 slots available and they will fill up fast.

• Price:   Activity Fee: $30.00, from Aug 1, 2017 - Oct 6, 2017
• Event Day Registration: $40.00, from Oct 7, 2017 - Oct 10, 2017
• Ages:   18 and up
• Gender:           Coed
• Registration Dates:     Standard registration opens: Aug 1, 2017 8am
• Last day for standard registration: Oct. 7, 2017 9am
• Last day for Internet registration: Oct. 6, 2017 4pm

Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament is back!! Come see how you stack up in the community of cornhole players.

NEW to the event this fall we will be partnering with Quarry Pines to put on the tournament. You will be able to purchase beer and food on site during the event. Texas Roadhouse will be providing dinner at 5 PM for all participants. Be sure to keep track of your favorite college football team by watching college football on the T.V.'s at Quarry Pines.

Side Games: You will want to be sure to bring cash with you. We will have a long toss competition, best out of 10 contest and enter our raffle for fabulous prizes and your shot at 1 million dollars!!

$5 entry fee for all side games and raffle