TownCrier_OctNov_201..

October / November
S e rv i n g
Call to Action in
Sierra Morado
By Sonja Melton
the
C ivano
and
S ie r r a M or a d o
By Pam Bateman
N
Civano Neighbors
5198 S Civano Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85747
THE TOWN CRIER
PRESORTED
STANDARD
US POSTAGE PAID
TUCSON AZ
PERMIT NO. 500
−Continued on page six
neighborhood s
Civano Community School Expansion
ever underestimate the power of a
small group of committed people
to change the world. In fact, it is the
only thing that ever has.
−Margaret Mead
In the last edition of The Town
Crier, I tried to instigate a call to
action by sharing my story of
frustration regarding the vandalism
in the Sierra Morado pool. I
tried to parallel the importance
of community to prevent such
negative events from occurring.
That call was heard, and people
could relate. I had over fifteen
residents e-mail me, interested in
getting more involved and coming
together to make Sierra Morado an
even better place to live.
Two weeks after the paper
came out, we came together at a
local business to meet, introduce
ourselves, and talk about our
concerns and visions for the
neighborhood we call home. The
biggest concern that surfaced was
the seemingly outward disrespect
for the community by some people.
This disrespect can manifest in
broken bottles at the pool, garbage
and graffiti in the parks, overgrown
weeds in people’s yards (hey, we
have all had those busy months,
where we didn’t have the time),
and even crime.
We tried to get past just venting
about the above issues, and looked
2010
The roof goes up over the new pavilion
Photo by Susan Call
New Middle School in progress
Photo by Susan Call
A
s you can all see, the new school
kitchen, pavilion, and middle
school are all going up quickly.
The projected move-in date for the new
buildings is early January. It looks like we
are on schedule for that time frame.
Our school will finally be the K-8 school
that we have been working toward for
the past five years. Our name is Civano
Community School, with a K-5 building
and a 6-8 building, but one school,
one philosophy, and one community.
There will be ten staff members and
approximately 110 students, when we are
full.
The new kitchen will provide lunch for
the 120 members of our school community
on most days of the week. We have a
committee of parents and staff working
on getting locally-grown organic farmers
to help supply the meat and produce.
We also plan to grow some of our own
produce as we expand our school garden.
Our pavilion, as it is being called, is a
performance space, classroom space, and
community-time area. I am sure we’ll find
lots of uses for it once it is finished. We
are turning our current little kitchen into
a small library to help us hold all of the
books that we have; we are nearly out of
room in the classrooms!
That’s it for now. We will be having
a grand opening event for the school
families and our wonderful neighbors.
Stay tuned for more information on dates
and times.
Fair
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Inside This Issue:
•Civano Community School Expansion..... 1
•Sierra Morado Call to Action...................... 1
•Civano Community Garden........................ 3
•Houghton Corridar Public Art Update. .... 3
•Civano Arts & Crafts Fair............................ 4
•Dia de Los Muertos de Civano................... 8
and much more....
Dated Material
Page Two
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
The Town Crier is the
newspaper of our
neighborhood association,
Civano Neighbors, and we
print over 1300 copies. We
publish six regular issues per
year. Anyone may contribute
articles. Contact the editor for
publication information. All
other general inquiries should
be addressed to the Association
Spokesperson, Simmons
Buntin, at (520) 722-5977.
Editor:
Susan M. Call
(520) 886-2281
smcall7@cox.net
Production Manager
Sheila McGinnis
(520) 749-9717
tcads@civanoneighbors.com
Publication Layout:
Vivi Tornero
(520) 405-4223
vivitornero@gmail.com
Advertising Manager:
Pat Canady
(520) 975-7447
ads@civanoneighbors.com
Contributors this issue:
Pam Bateman, Rich and Ann
Bates, Nina Borgia-Aberle,
Simmons Buntin, Susan Call,,
Sonia Melton, Beth Morgan,
Tim Siemsen, Bob Small, José
Tornero, Vivi Tornero, Jerry and
Ada Walker, Ardis C. Whalen,,
The City of Tucson, Tucson Fire
Department, Pima County
Health Department, Tucson
Medical Center.
Photos this issue:
Nina Borgia-Aberle, Susan Call,
Blessing Hancock, Beth Morgan,
Al Nichols, Teresa Taylor
Civano Neighbors Leadership Team:
Spokesperson:
Simmons Buntin,
(520) 722-5977
simmons@civanoneighbors.com
Treasurer: Ada Walker
At-Large Members:
Todd Craig
Sherri Gillette
Jeff Monger
Penny Pederson
Vivi Tornero
Working Group Chairs:
Aging in Community: Sharlene
Gillette
<
& neighborhood spokesperson
A Regular Column by Civano’s Resident Reconteur & Rabble-Rouser, Simmons Buntin
O
Hold That Thought
nce again it’s my pleasure
to thank the neighbors of
Civano and Sierra Morado for
allowing me the privilege of serving
as your neighborhood association
spokesperson over the last two years.
My term ends at our November 18
annual meeting, and as with my
inaugural session that ended six years
ago, I am not running for reelection. I
look forward, however, to continuing
to lend a hand to the neighborhood
association and our community as we
move forward.
This seems, then, a good opportunity
for reflection, though not so much
about what we’ve accomplished over
the last year or more. We have an
annual report for that, which you’ll
see in the next issue. Rather, I’d like
to build from my holiday season
wish list (you may recall it as the
controversial series that lamented
some of the design choices in both
our neighborhoods) and end with a
new list of observations, concerns,
wishes, and suggestions. If you’d like
to respond, I encourage you to do so
on the community discussion forum
at forum.civanoneighbors.com or by
email at simmons@civanoneighbors.
com. In fact, I hope you do.
I’ll begin with some observations:
Though the experiment lasted a
solid year, in the end Café D’Auria,
located in the Civano neighborhood
center, did not make enough money to
stay in business. The reasons behind
the business’s demise could perhaps
fill this column—high price, uneven
service, and a fluctuating “theme”
seem to me the big three—but I think
the café’s lack of success points to a
larger challenge for a community like
Civano, specifically. Namely, we are a
different sort of folk, by and large. For
a service-oriented business to succeed
in the neighborhood center, which is to
say off the beaten path, it must really
cater to neighbors. I do not mean to
unfairly criticize Lorenzo D’Auria
and his family. They all worked very
hard and meant well, and the food
was delicious. I don’t mean to criticize
anyone, but rather to recognize that
Civano is unique not only in design
but also in residency. The lesson
here—that we are a hard-to-please
bunch, perhaps?—applies on a larger
scale than just the neighborhood
center, too, and results, I believe, in
a simple question with a complex
answer: What do we want our
community to be?
Hold your answer, for I’ll return to
that question in the end.
Another observation: If you’ve
skirted the roads and paths between
Civano and Sierra Morado over the
last two months you’ve noticed the
construction at the Civano Community
School and, across Drexel, the new
Civano Middle School. With the larger
Senita Valley Elementary School and
Rincon Vista Middle School just south
of Sierra Morado, it may be easy
to lose sight of what an incredible
resource the Civano charter schools
are. Founded a decade ago by Pam
Bateman, Civano’s first neighbor and
the schoolmarm still, both the K-5
and grades 6-8 schools are based on
the expeditionary learning model.
That means hands-on learning geared
to teach kids to think
rather than simply
to take tests. Turns
out the former helps
on the latter, but
academics aside, and
the commercial area
aside for that matter,
I can’t help but think
that the schools are
the real heart of our
neighborhoods. Once
the middle school
is complete and
the addition to the
community school is up and running,
including a commercial kitchen and
multipurpose room, the initial K-8
vision will be realized. What can they
help our community become? Hold
that thought, too…
On to concerns, where I’ll start and
end with a single, overarching issue:
communication. That’s a word that
seems to evoke the best and worst in
us. I think first of the online discussion
forum, where we’ve implemented
guidelines to help channel positive
discussions—people must use their real
names and attacks and “flaming” are
prohibited, for example. Yet it seems
I get a complaint, as one of the forum
admins, about a post or the person
who posts, nearly every week. Beyond
asking people to play nice, I find
myself fluctuating between whether
people should be allowed to play at all
and whether we should even bother
with moderators, letting folks go at it.
The answer lies somewhere between,
so far at least, with the conclusion
by the Civano Neighbors leadership
team that the forum provides far more
good than bad. But communication is
broader than the website, and while we
have some good tools—the Town Crier
and mailbox bulletin boards in Civano,
for example—it seems to me we need
more, especially in Sierra Morado,
where the HOA doesn’t appear to
communicate regularly with residents.
But there are efforts afoot by neighbors,
I know, who ask: How can we help
build community? Hold that thought,
will you?
On to the wishes: I wish we did
have an airy café, or ice cream shop,
or yogurt stand, or taco stand,
some place we could gather over
light fair, with free wifi, a patio,
homemade iced tea. Would it have to
be at the neighborhood center? The
Valero “corner store” on Drexel and
Houghton is the closest thing, but that
is decidedly what I do not have in
mind. I also continue to wish that the
vandalism that plagues pools and other
amenities in both Civano and Sierra
Morado would cease. It makes me ask:
is there a community-wide solution at
hand? Though the HOAs don’t work
−Continued on page six
Civano Legacy: Rick Hanson
Commercial Areas: Simmons
Buntin
Communication: Craig Geiger
Education: Jeff Monger
Environment: Al Nichols
Merchandise Manager: Geno
DeCarlo and Diane Strzesak
Safety: Tim Siemsen
Town Crier Editor: Susan Call
Town Crier Production
Manager: Sheila McGinnis
Town Crier Publication
Designer: ViviTornero
“The City of Tucson, its officers and employees, its Community Services Department and all other offices neither agrees nor disagrees with the views expressed or implied
in this communication or any referenced websites and are not therefore responsible. The distribution requester is solely responsible. La ciudad de Tucson, sus oficiales
y empleados, su Departamento de Servicios Comunitarios y el resto de las oficinas ni esta de acuerdo o desacuerdo con las opiniónes expresadas o implicadas en estas
comunicaciones o cualquiera referencia sitios web y no es responsable por lo tanto. El solicitante de la distribución es solamente responsable.”
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Houghton Road Corridor
Public Art Master Planning Update
Nina Borgia-Aberle
I
Public Art Master Plan Overview:
n January 2010, artists Nina Borgia-Aberle, Blessing Hancock, and Stephen Grede began
collaborating with the City of Tucson Department of Transportation project manager, Consultant
Design Team members, Ward II and Ward IV Citizens Design Review Committee members, and
the general public. The purpose of the collaboration was to develop a Public Art Master Plan for the
Houghton Road Corridor between I-10 and Tanque Verde Boulevard. As planning artists, they are
working to identify opportunities for public art along the entire corridor, including a menu of potential
art elements and locations. They have been developing themes and art applications that will enhance
how the community experiences the roadway as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
As artists, they are
interested in learning what is
unique about the Houghton
Corridor neighborhoods and
community from historical,
environmental, and cultural
perspectives. Did you know
there are two prehistoric
village sites along the Tanque
Verde and Agua Caliente
Washes near Houghton? Did
you know that in the 1950s
it cost $1,000 a mile to pave
Old Spanish Trail or that the
Union Pacific Railway was
a stagecoach route before it
was a railroad route? The
planning artists learned
this from the residents at
community meetings.
Their recommendations
will be gathered into a
document that will act as a
guideline for the selection
of project artists in the
future. As various phases
of the corridor project
are constructed, project
artists will be chosen to
create public art at specific
locations. The planning
artists are very interested
in your feedback, so please
read about the feedback
opportunities at the end of
this article.
Houghton Corridor Pedestrian Rail Design:
• The roadway design plans for the Irvington-to-Valencia segment are nearing 100%
completion. The call to artists for a project artist for the Irvington-to-Valencia segment
went out in May and through a competitive process the artist team of Joe O’Connell,
Blessing Hancock, and Nina Borgia-Aberle was chosen. The artists are in the beginning
phase of their planning process and will be looking for feedback from the community.
The Houghton Roadway Design is unique in that it has a “greenway” that will be
constructed along the east side of the road with the project. The greenway is a pedestrian
and bike trail that includes a ten to twelve-foot paved path with an additional unpaved
ten-foot path in select locations. The width may vary according to location with a width
of 50 feet at the widest point. This landscaped park/trail on Houghton Road (and in
the Irvington-to-Valencia segment) will provide additional pedestrian and bicycle
opportunities for the area. It will also provide additional right of way for artwork.
Nina, Joe, and Blessing are enthusiastic about creating art for this project. Here are a few
comments from previous discussions with Civano community members:
• The concept of “biota” (all plant and animal life in a given area) could be a potential
theme
• This is a child/family/pet/friendly neighborhood
• This community understands that the flora and fauna existed first and humans should be
sensitive to that fact
• Art in the greenway could act as gathering places for groups both large and small
• Art in the greenway could provide meditative spaces for individuals
• Art in the greenway could provide stations; some informational, others with a great view,
others interactive Include artwork that utilizes solar technology in some way.
• This is a bike-friendly neighborhood; make art that is friendly to cyclists
Nina attended a Civano Neighbors meeting in March, where a discussion arose concerning
the aesthetic shortfalls of the City of Tucson standard pedestrian rail design. That discussion
led to a recommendation by the planning artists that the City of Tucson hire an artist to
create a new standard rail design specifically for the Houghon Road Corridor. Through
a competitive process using the Tucson Pima Arts Council artist roster three artists were
interviewed, and artist Joe O’Connell was hired to work on this project. It has been a
challenging task for Joe because the rail design parameters include very stringent budget,
safety, ad fabrication constraints.
Joe has met with the team and the community (including a
hands-on workshop at Civano in June) and has developed
several potential pedestrian rail designs. The rail will ultimately
give the Houghton corridor a sense of continuity and a unique
look that will enhance the aesthetics of the roadway. This is a
first for Tucson; it is very exciting for the artist planners to watch
their recommendations become reality.
What Is Happening In Your Neighborhood:Joe, Nina and
Blessing are interested in your comments and feedback,
and have developed some questions specifically for the
Irvington-to-Valencia project. Please visit the Houghton
Road website for more information about the public art
planning and the Irvington-to-Valencia project art. Please fill
out an art questionnaire online. If you prefer, you can mail
your opinions and comments to Melissa Benton, the public
involvement planner. Website: www.houghtonroad.info/art
Melissa Benton, Gordley Design Group, 2540 N. Tucson Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-327-6077 or melissa@gordleydesign.com
Page Three
Resources for the Civano
Community Garden
F
By Tim Siemsen
or all of you who survived
the hot and sweaty
summer, who nursed your
gardens through the boiling
sun, garden critters, and bugs,
congratulations. To those of you
who are awaiting the cooler
temperatures, it’s time to get
your fall garden ready.
This is the best time of the
year to sow seeds and plant
starts that will provide your
family with cool-weather
vegetables until it freezes; plus
if you are brave enough to visit
the garden late in the evening
on those rare but frigid nights
to cover your plots, you’ll have
veggies all winter.
We are looking forward to
planting beets, carrots, radishes,
Swiss chard, peas, and broccoli.
I’m sure by the time we’re
selecting plants and seeds
we’ll add additional varieties.
Since we’re relatively new to
gardening in the Southwest,
we’ve found a number of great
resources that we’d like to share.
We buy seeds at a number of
locations in Tucson. One of our
favorites is Native Seeds, which
has moved to a new location
on Campbell at Ft. Lowell.
This summer we have had
great success with the Tohono
O’Odham Common Melon and
Lemon Basil.
Our most frequented nursery
for advice and to check out
the demonstration gardens is
Civano Nursery. Its grape arbor
did really well this year. Have
you had a chance to visit and
pick a grape or two to taste?
Everyone there is very willing
to assist in plant selection and
to share planting tricks of the
trade. This spring we added
a Civano Nursery galvanized
steel trough to our east patio so
that we could have Al Nichols’
tomatoes and fresh herbs just
outside the kitchen and dining
room door.
Other places to find seeds
and starter plants are the many
farmers markets in the Pima
County area. There you will be
sure to find organic selections
of herbs, tomatoes, and other
vegetables in both seeds and
plants. If they grow and harvest
their own seeds to sell, they
will have planting instructions
similar to those we picked up
this spring from Westwind
Seeds and Gardenscapes.
For garden information or to rent garden plots, contact Sharlene Gillette
at 235-0346 or shar5595a@cox.net.
Page Four
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
He Said, She Said: Get Low
by Richard & Ann Bates
T
rust me. Those are
difficult words to
say, and frequently to
follow, but in the case of this
month’s film review, I want
to say TRUST ME, big time!
The film is Get Low, a first
by Aaron Schneider, based
on short stories of the late
1930s in Tennessee. Now
when I say trust me, let me
begin by saying the name
Robert Duvall, and if that
isn’t enough, how about
Bill Murray along with the
always remarkable, but
seldom seen, Sissy Spacek?
This is such a joyful,
articulate, and detailed
film of character, setting,
and exposition that it often
feels like you are intruding
into the “real lives” of the
characters. There are no
car crashes, no blood, no
violence, or language issues,
but a tenderness into these
peoples’ lives that wins the
viewer over and turns into a
riveting experience.
A bit of the story: The start
is a house fire and a person,
who we cannot recognize,
He Said:
escapes. Foreshadowing:
Felix Breazeale (Robert
Duvall), a true hermit living
in the woods, comes into
a local town one day, and
wants to stage a funeral, his
funeral, before his death, in
order to hear the stories of
the people.
He has been a curmudgeon
and we do not know his
history, other than he has
a reputation that makes
people run. No one will
have his story, until Buddy
(Lucas Black), a young
assistant at the funeral
home run by Frank (Bill
Murray), comes to his aid,
having empathy for Felix.
From there it is literally a
three-ring circus in staging
the funeral complete with
drivers, fashion consultants,
and promoters of a contest
who might win Felix’s 300
acres upon his real death.
Here is where the humor
and dead pan manner of
Bill Murray come into play;
he is truly remarkable and
never better. The Lucas
Black character speaks
Civano
Movie Group
Forming
with his gestures and eyes,
with grace, warmth, and
understanding.
Sissy Spacek provides a
glimpse back into the early
days of Felix, the mystery of
the burning house, and the
death of Felix’s one and only
true love. Here is where you
need to see the story as it
unfolds as there is a mystery
at the core supplied with a
great deal of humor, and the
real issue is how the truth
can be liberating.
This is a film that works on
many different levels which
is filmed in a warm sepia
tone that exudes mood and
timing.
Now, by the time you read
this, Get Low may have left
the El Con Theater, but do
check out the second-run
houses or put it into your
Netflix queue. This is a film
of such grace, style, and
gentleness that it will last
far beyond the final screen
credits. I do believe this is an
Oscar contender.
Trust me!
O
She Said:
nce in a while a
movie comes along
that places images
in your mind that will be
there for a very long time.
In Get Low starring Robert
Duvall and Sissy Spacek
you will find such a movie.
Duvall’s performance
as a hermit dwelling on
the outskirts of a small
community provides such
a movie. With the opening
scene of a home engulfed
in flames, you enter a story
of the good and evil that
exist in the main character
played by Duvall. The
movie simply starts there,
with no credits given. From the use of small
boys drawn by the ritual
challenge to throw stones
at the hermit’s house, to the
town bully who is seeking
an opportunity to prove his
dominance by chasing the
old man from town, to the
returning sweetheart and
the needy undertaker (well
played by Bill Murray), the
filmmaker carefully draws
us into the town’s image
of the old man and the real
person struggling to be free
of the past that haunts him.
Duvall shines in this
movie. His action and
movement, his shortness of
breath, and the struggle to
even communicate are all
carefully done. Each gesture
adds to the portrait of
a man deeply conflicted. As
the truth of the past comes
to light, the sad joy, or joyful
sadness, of the movie’s end
moved all of us in my small
group to sniffling, then tears.
Of the movies seen this year
I would put this one into
Academy Award contention
in the months to come.
Get Low: (2009)
A movie spun out of
equal parts folk tale, fable
and real-life legend about
the mysterious, 1930s
Tennessee hermit who
famously threw his own
rollicking funeral party...
while he was still alive.
Civano Annual
Art and Craft Fair − EXPLORE Civano!
T
By Mare Smith
C
he Civano Annual Art & Craft Fair will take place on Saturday, November 6,
from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the area where Civano Boulevard meets Seven
Generations Way. The Theme for the 2010 Art & Craft Fair is EXPLORE
Civano and will include Civano business booths in addition to the art and craft booths
to showcase the many talents of Civano Residents.
You are invited to join with Civano
neighbors for the following films, with
discussions afterwards:
This fair of Civano artists,
craftspeople, businesses,
and schools will benefit the
new Civano Middle School,
especially the Art/Media
Rooms, currently under
construction across from the
Community School, along
Drexel Road.
Vendor spaces are available
through Judyth Willis, 3985099, at a cost of $15. Contact
her for an application and
to pay the fee. Applications
must be received by October
20 to guarantee a space.
omfort food. Soul food. Food is a
way of life in more than just basic
nourishment. It is also a celebration of life,
events, friends, and family. The same can
be found and experienced in films that use
food as a background for telling the story.
November 1: from Mexico, Like Water for
Chocolate (Alfonso Arau)
December 2: from the United States, The
Big Night (Stanley Tucci)
January 3: from China, Eat, Drink, Man,
Woman (Ang Lee)
February 17: from Denmark, Babette’s Feast
(Gabriel Axel)
March 17: from France, Chocolat (Lasse
Hallstrom)
These films will be shown in the Civano
Activity Center at 7 p.m., and you are
urged to bring a beverage of choice.
Discussion of the film will follow each
showing, over cuisine at a local restaurant
as an optional enhancement of the film and
at a date to be determined by participants.
Restaurants are suggested, and can
definitely be changed:
Guadalajara Grill (Like Water for Chocolate)
Viro’s (The Big Night)
Great Wall (Eat, Drink, Man, Woman)
Le Delice (Babette’s Feast)
Ghini’s (Chocolat)
For any questions, you may contact Rich
Bates, at rabatestucson@msn.com.
Sponsors are also being
sought to help defray the
expenses of promoting
this fair, and Mare Smith
should be contacted for
more information about this,
at 296-5428.
So far, sponsors include:
The Civano Bed and
Breakfast, The Inn at Civano,
Sun Styles Specialty Printing,
Doucette Communities, and
Long Real Estate Civano
Realtors (tba). Please call to
be included in this list.
This is the fifth year of
the fair, and each year it
just gets better and more
fun. Plan to spend some
of your day admiring
the works created here
in our community, while
supporting our local
artists and schools. Kids’
activities, crafts, and facepainting will be featured
for the children along with
school beverage booths and
Local Food Vendors, all
benefiting the schools at the
same time.
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
The Call of the Open Road:
Underground Gardens of Baldasare Forestiere
R
oad-tripping has
become my favorite
vacation choice, and
it seems to be popular once
again among the general
public. With the downturn
in the economy and the
challenges of air travel, it is
no wonder that more and
more folks are returning to
the highway for summer
trips—and all this despite
rising gasoline prices.
Americans, it seems, just
won’t stay put.
By Susan Call
winter. Baldasare installed
pipes to bring in water, and he
even made a peep hole so he
could see from his living room
to screen visitors at the front
entrance to his underground
home. A number of rooms
have doors, and some had
glass to cover the overhead
skylights, in order to keep in
winter warmth. It is easy to
imagine living in this place.
During the course of his
digging, naturally Baldasare
was farming as well. He grew
several kinds of citrus trees,
So last summer I took
grapevines,
my Prius and headed to
and many
California where I had a
vegetables.
grand time with friends.
Being Italian, it
On my way home I visited
One of the sunken planters with
was inevitable
the most amazing place in
citrus trees
that he made
Fresno, on the east side of
- Photograph by Susan Call
wine, which
the Central Valley. This was
he shared
the home and garden of
of the land was
with friends,
Baldasare Forestiere, who immigrated
sold, but about
or traded for
from Italy in 1891.
five acres remain.
other foods he
The place is
He first arrived in Boston, where he
could not grow.
still managed
worked digging subway tunnels for
He was such
by the family
a number of years. Growing tired of
an amazing
as a museum,
the cold, he learned about California,
Bathtub/garden room for the home gardener
and it has been
- Photograph by Susan Call under adverse
and in 1905 followed its lure to
recognized by
return to his passion of gardening.
circumstances
the state of California as a registered
He came from a Sicilian family of
that I can only wonder how much he
historical landmark. Check it out at
citrus growers, and that was what he
might have accomplished had he been
www.undergroundgardens.com.
planned to do in the West. However,
able to start out in good soil. As it was,
he quickly discovered that the best
he created an incredible place, using
One of the most remarkable rooms,
land near the coast was beyond his
only hand tools, and inventing devices
two levels below ground, was a dining
means, so instead he bought eighty
to assist his work.
room, with an overhead aquarium.
acres near the Sierra Mountains in
This was a glass bowl, inserted in the
He is remembered as a self-taught
Fresno. Then reality struck, when he
floor of the room above, with fish in
designer, engineer, architect, sculptor,
first stuck in a shovel and discovered
it, and covered by a flat piece of glass.
and builder. He may even be thought
that the ground was hardpan, or as we
When viewed from below, it must
of as a horticulturist and ecologist.
say in Tucson, caliche. This cementhave been like being inside a fish tank.
It is fitting that his legacy is this
like substance seemed the end to his
Now, alas, it is empty. Another space
“Underground Garden,” which, while
dreams.
holds the bathtub he used, in a garden- not a forest, does approximate an
While eking out a living by digging
like courtyard, complete with stream
orchard. What name could be more
ditches and trenches for other
and plants nearby.
appropriate for the man who planted
local farmers, he sweated through
trees below the surface of the earth
a summer there; the temperature
than Baldasare Forestiere?
Some of the rooms have fireplaces,
approached 123˚, it was said. Having
because it does cool down there in the
spent time underground in Boston,
he knew it was cooler below the
surface, and having nothing better to
do in his evenings after work, he took
up his pick and shovel, and began
digging. Soon he had an underground
room. As time went on, he created
several connected rooms; and being
a gardener at heart, he soon began
trying to plant citrus trees below the
surface, with openings above them for
sunlight.
My brother, who lives not too far
from there, had told me about this
underground garden and living space
a number of years ago. I had plenty
of time for my imagination to conjure
up an image of the place, but let me
tell you, this did not do justice to the
reality. Baldasare Forestiere worked
for forty years, digging out rooms for
living as well as courtyards for plants,
working on his grand scheme of an
underground resort. He had achieved
more than fifty rooms, complete with
a “motorway” to bring automobiles
down to the entrance, when he was
stopped by illness. Most unfortunately,
he died of pneumonia in 1946, the
resort unfinished, leaving the property
to his brother. Subsequently some
Page Five
Gardening
Tips
By Mel Taylor Shipley
G
ardening in Tucson
can be very rewarding,
and the best part about it
is anyone can do it. From
toddler to senior, it really
can be a lifelong joy. Here in
our neighborhood we have a
host of talented and creative
gardeners—people who have
fabricated their own trellises,
tiled their porches, or even
made their own patio chairs.
Another great thing that
happens around here in
Civano is the sharing of
garden harvest. I have
heard about the lime dropoff, where a nice neighbor
actually hand-picked and
bagged her limes and brought
them to various homes
throughout Civano. Even at
the community school, many
mornings you will see herbs
or vegetables laid out to
share.
If you experience trouble
with a leak, or need a repair,
there are always neighbors
to help, whether they are
professionals, or just because
they’ve learned from
experience.Gardening brings
people together.
This year we have had our
usual high temperatures
which may have dampened
a little of that outdoor
enthusiasm for planting.
Now, with temperatures
dropping, it is a good time to
consider refurbishing your
garden for the upcoming
family holidays.
Be sure to check your
irrigation system for leaks
now and throughout the year.
An increase in your water bill
could be an indication of a
leak which, of course, could
be indoors or out, depending
on your water system.
−Continued on page six
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Page Six
Hold That Thought
Civano in Style
−Continued from page two
together, surely neighbors
can.
and further build bonds
between neighbors!
Let’s end with a few
brief suggestions. First, I
suggest that we post here,
or online, or in person all
the wonderful gatherings
that are taking place that
many folks don’t know
about: forthcoming soup
suppers and, I hope, the
resurgence of the Civano
Speakers Series; Sunday
picnics at Mary Webber
Park (and parks in Sierra
Morado?); Friday evening
wine parties; dinners for
eight; toddler playgroups;
book clubs. There are several
wonderful ongoing activities
that more residents should
know about. Likewise, I
suggest you look into the
Civano resource exchange,
and that we start one in
Sierra Morado. What’s that,
you ask? It’s the brainchild
of Civano resident Jerry
Wheeler: an online resource
where people can go to
borrow equipment and
services. Need to borrow a
ladder, electric chainsaw,
or roll-away bed? Need
a ride to the airport or
small business help?
Many neighbors offer their
services and equipment,
and you can access it at
www.civanoneighbors.
com/neighbors/exchange.
Contact me at simmons@
civanoneighbors.com if you
need the password. What a
great way to save resources
What, then, do we want
our community to be?
A distinct neighborhood
with a sense of place and
businesses tailored to our
passionate, discerning
residency? A neighborhood
in which education of
both children and adults
is at the core of how
we define ourselves
and how we interact? A
neighborhood in which
people communicate in a
friendly and constructive
manner, where they involve
the community in their
concerns and solutions,
where they strive to
work with rather than
against their neighbors?
A neighborhood with
comfortable places to
gather and fun events
for which to assemble: a
place where neighbors are
welcome and encouraged
to participate, to lend a
hand or a tool, to share in
our mutual experience of
building this community?
Hold that thought? In
recognizing that we are in
fact pretty close, certainly
don’t hold but instead share
your thoughts with your
neighbors. We don’t know
where all conversations
will lead, but at least we’re
having the conversations—
and that fundamentally is
what community is all about.
W
atch out New York,
Paris, and Milan!
Tucson is taking fashion
to the next level, thanks to
several residents living in
Civano.
by Eleanor Leon. Elizabeth
Albert, the producer for
Tucson Fashion Week,
presented her line, Siobhan.
Metro Park, a Los Angelesbased specialty chain
store, Razorz Edge, a local
and one major retailer
showcasing their work for
six hours on the runway.
The event benefited
Skrappy’s Youth Center in
Tucson.
collections.
runway show, but also
utilized six Civano residents
as models in the show.
Those residents were Ali
Bateman, Kristine Bennett,
Erika Colombi, Hannah
Curry, Molly Garrison, and
Yekatherina Bruner,
Stephanie Pickett.
fashion stylist
and owner of
Ali modeled for
YK Studio in
Sapphire Cordial,
Civano, was
and Kristine
the runway
modeled for Banana
and model
Republic. Erika and
coordinator
Hannah modeled
for the first
for Banana Republic
annual Tucson
and Silvia Bours.
Fashion Week,
Molly also modeled
held September
for Silvia Bours,
24th and 25th.
and Stephanie
The outdoor
modeled for
event was held
Banana Republic.
Pictured are (from left to right) Stephanie Pickett, Hannah
in downtown
Erika and Hannah
Curry,
Erika
Colombi,
Kristine
Bennett
and
Molly
Garrison
Tucson, on
- Photograph by Teresa Taylor also performed
a blockeda contemporary
off street at
dance routine to
boutique and international
197 E. Toole.
kick
off
the
runway show at
retailer, and Banana
It featured nine local
Tucson
Fashion
Week.
Republic also presented their
designers, two boutiques,
The local designers who
highlighted the show were
RUMb by Ashley Marie
Sanders, Perseus A by
Melanie Lockwood, Sapphire
Cordial by Jamaica Cole,
Seven Bells by Diana Deaver,
Sass Knuckles by Shannon
Stephens, Backstitch Betty
by Sandra Pope, and Silvia
Bours and La Fashionista
Aging In Community—Special Meeting
A meeting to update volunteers and provide information to the
community is being held at the home of Sharlene Gillette, 10451 E.
Sixto Moline Lane, on Wednesday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m.
The presentation will include: “Collecting Stuff?” (humorous
solutions), and “A Family Looks at Dementia.” Please plan to attend
for your own knowledge, and to consider becoming a volunteer in
this neighborhood group.
EXPLORE Civano!
at the Fifth Annual Fall
Arts &Fine Crafts Fair
To Benefit The New Civano Middle School; Art Room
Saturday, November 6
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Located at the intersection of
Seven Generations and Civano Blvd
Featuring artworks created by Civano residents:
Paintings • Sculpture • Photography • Artisan Crafts
Stained Glass • Metalwork • Jewelry • Handmade Paper • Ceramics
Civano businesses, and much, much, more...
Also featuring:
Kids activities, Crafts, Face painting, Books by local authors
Bake sale items presented by Civano Parents Association
Civano T-shirts, mugs, visors, caps, & more.
Sponsors include: The Civano Bed and Breakfast, The Inn at Civano,
Sun Styles Specialty Printing, Doucette Communities and Long Real Estate Civano Realtors(TBA)
Beverages Available for purchase from Civano Middle School
Lunch Available from Local Food Vendors
For more information contact:
Judyth Willis • 398-5099 judytha@cox.net
or check the online calendar at www.civanoneighbors.com
By Teresa Taylor
The atmosphere at the
event was very energetic, and
featured a 72-foot runway,
professional lighting, and
music. An estimated 500
people attended the event.
“We are hoping that this
will be the platform for local
designers to show what
they can do, and to prove to
the rest of the country that
Tucson does have a very
active fashion community,”
said Yekatherina.
Yekatherina not only
helped coordinate the
Erika said she participated
in Tucson Fashion Week to
show support of a friend
and neighbor. “Yeka is very
talented at what she does,
and I felt honored to be asked
to showcase her work. And it
didn’t hurt that I got to model
my favorite clothes from
Banana Republic,” she said.
For more information
about YK Studio or Tucson
Fashion Week, please email
Yekatherina Bruner at
ykbruner@gmail.com, or visit
www.ykstudioonline.com, or
www.tucsonfashionweek.com.
A Call To Action in Sierra Morado −Continued from page one
for ways that we could
begin to bring people into
the community and be
more proactive instead
of reactive in dealing
with various situations.
We discussed the idea
of alarms on the fence at
the pool. We saw a need
for signs dictating pool
hours at the community
center. We discussed a
desire for neighborhood
watches and dialogued
about how we might get
more people interested in
such a group. We shared
frustrations regarding
the lack of control and
voice we have in some
pretty major decisions
made in relationship to our
neighborhood.
We knew we needed to
start somewhere; we know
we need to crawl before
we can walk. We planned a
successful “Meet-N-Greet”
in the spirit of Halloween
at our main park. The
turnout was motivating.
We had games for the kids,
and snacks to help bring
us together. We hope this
is the start of a really great
thing. We hope you will
join us, and are looking for
any and all participation
and ideas. Look for us
to plan neighborhood
cleanup events, potlucks,
and other get-togethers. If
you see a group of friendly
looking folks, enjoying an
activity, it just might be
us. Come join! We want
to be proud of where we
live. We know we can’t do
it alone, but we know we
can do it!
Please e-mail me at
meltons79@gmail.com to be
added to our e-mail list, and
become even more involved
in your community.
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Snake and Toad Avoidance
W
ith all of the
construction of
roads, homes, and
schools in our area, many
animals have been displaced
and are searching for new
territories. For some of us
the sight of a snake, toad,
or frogs, or even a Gila
monster, is quite a thrill.
However, for others, one of
these animals may represent
a large veterinary bill if a pet
gets too close.
One recent Saturday
morning, I observed Steve
Reaves as he was checking
John Ward’s dog, Honey,
to determine if a previous
snake avoidance training
had been successful. Steve
operates one of several
snake avoidance training
programs here in Tucson.
I found him at Adobe
Veterinary Hospital on
Tanque Verde Road, where
he provides his service two
weekends a month.
Not surprisingly, Steve
likes snakes. He pointed out
that snakes are critical to
our environmental system.
For example, in Texas where
rattlesnake round-ups
are common, there have
been higher incidents of
the hantavirus infection
and bubonic plague in
recent years due to greater
numbers of rodents.
In fact, snakes are relatively
docile creatures whose
main job in life is finding
food. When we encounter
these animals, our actions
or reactions can usually
determine the outcome.
Unless we step on or harass
a snake of any kind, it will
usually continue its task or
move on its way. However,
dogs, especially those whose
ancestors were trained to dig
into holes after their quarry,
often do not wait patiently
while a snake moves on.
For that reason you may
want to consider spending
a relatively minor sum as a
preventative measure.
Some snake avoidance
involves training the dog
to avoid the scent, sight,
or sound of a rattlesnake.
However, rattlesnakes do
not always rattle before they
strike. For this reason Steve
emphasizes training by
scent. He uses snakes who
are not defanged, but who
are contained in doublescreened cages and who are
placed strategically. The dog
wears a static shock collar
(or e-collar, for electronic
collar). The dog is walked
around in the area until he
sees or smells the snake at
which point he is given a
brief, mild but unpleasant
shock.
The dog is taken around
several times to see if he
reacts when he approaches
the reptile. Steve then has
the owner and dog return
in a few weeks to make sure
the lesson has been effective.
Steve has extensive
experience with rattlesnakes.
He has worked with them
since 1993. He is licensed
with Arizona Game and Fish
Department as a Wildlife
Service Provider, and he
collects rattlesnake venom
for antivenin that is used
in medical treatment of
rattlesnake bites. He also
performs snake wrangling
for film crews, and conducts
educational presentations for
non-profit organizations. He
is also available for humane
rattlesnake removal for a
$25 fee (the easy ones; if it is
more difficult, such as under
a house or garage, there may
be an additional charge).
In addition to rattlesnake
avoidance training, Steve also
trains dogs to avoid toads.
The Sonoran Desert toad
(Bufo alvarius) is the largest
toad in the United States,
and is common in southern
Arizona. This toad is olive
green to brown with smooth
but lumpy skin. While they
eat invertebrates, lizards,
small mammals, and other
amphibians, (but not dogs),
they also secrete a toxic
substance that, if ingested,
can seriously harm a pet.
If your dog does come in
contact with a toad, you
should immediately flush
the dog’s mouth with a
garden hose, rinsing across
the tongue (from the side)
with the dog’s head lowered
to avoid potential drowning.
Camping at the Whitetail Campground near Mount Lemmon, Santa Catalina Mountains.
Heart rock on the Sunset Trail.
- Photo by Simmons Buntin
John with his dog, Honey, approaching a snake.
Note the dog’s posture.
- Photograph by Beth Morgan
In the event that your pet
is struck by a rattlesnake,
there is no treatment you can
do at home. You must get
your dog to a veterinarian
immediately. While some
bites may be dry (no
venom delivered), the time
wasted in determining this
possibility may be crucial to
your pet’s health.
Civano Community School
Fall Camping Trip 2010
Looking for bears, or deer, or squirrels, even, from the summit of our hike.
- Photo by Simmons Buntin
Page Seven
Honey is not fond of toads.
- Photograph by Beth Morgan
Then take your pet to a
veterinarian for a check-up.
For further information,
contact Steve Reaves,
at Tucson Rattlesnake
Removal, at 678-5884,
TucsonRATTLESNAKEremoval.com; or Karyn Garvin
and Associates at 790-3647,
garvinspetplaza.com, and
click on the pet training
feature.
A good way to avoid
encounters with toads and
rattlesnakes is to check
your pet’s outside area
frequently, especially after
summer rain storms. Check
in the wintertime as well, as
rattlesnakes in our area do
not hibernate, and they may
be encountered on warm
winter days. Also remember
to carry a flashlight at night
year round, and always keep
your dog on a leash.
And remember
to pick up after
your pets! We all
appreciate it!
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Page Eight
El Dia De Los Muertos de Civano
The Day of the Dead—Civano Style
W
By Vivi Tornero
hen my husband and I first met, we thought it would
be fun to re-create many traditions of our mutual
Mexican culture. One of these traditions is to celebrate “El
Dia De Los Muertos,” The Day of the Dead.
Carmen Miranda - Acrylic on illustration
board, one of six work in a series
depicting the humorous aspects of the
celebration. - Artwork by Vivi Tornero
We celebrate by constructing an altar to honor our
family members and loved ones who have passed
before us. We do this in a fun, festive way, while
taking a moment to reflect on the things we have to
be grateful for today and by honoring our ancestors
for their hard work and courage. Our dia de los
The Day of the Dead Altar is Set up Yearly at the Tornero home in
Civano.
- Photograph by José Tornero
muertos altar consists of: crafts, photos, artwork,
food, and icons. All items have a story of their own to
Tornero taken at past celebrations in México and Tucson will
tell and are placed on the altar for a purpose.
also be displayed. Additionally, iconic art is also used.
1. Crafts: Whenever we find a humorous day
4. Icons: Religious icons contribute to the effect. We use
of the dead art craft that represents something of
traditional
votive candles and artworks which were crafted
personal significance, we'll include it on our altar next
to the other elements we've collected over the years— especially for us by Jose’s very talented mother, Aida WestphalCouret. Materials used include metal, wood, glass, and paper
all with their own interesting story and importance.
maché.
2. Photos: We surround the altar with photos
5. Food: We offer treats to the souls by placing tamales, mole,
of iconic personalities, ancestors, family members,
friends, and pets who have passed before us. On the and pan de muerto on the altar. Since moving to Tucson, we
construct the altar outside so we had to modify our menu. We
actual Day of the Dead (Nov. 2), we celebrate their
now offer wrapped items in order to discourage wildlife from
upsetting our display.
lives with a toast after reading aloud a humorous
rhyme we have written about them.
Our altar is a fun tradition that helps us keep our loved ones in our
3. Artwork: A series of artworks by Vivi Torneo
include Bride and Groom, Bikers, Carmen Miranda,
Granny, Mermaid, and more. Photographs by José
October Garden Tips: Sow wildflower seeds, plant
seasonal annuals, and remove damaged citrus fruit. Overseed lawn, plant cool season vegetables, reduce watering
cycle, and perform any repairs. Plant herbs. Save water
inside and out. Check for leaky faucets, or irrigation
systems. Make sure your front garden entrance is safe for
trick-or-treat time!
November Garden Tips: Get ready for the holidays by
planting winter color. Check your irrigation system, and
adjust as needed. Pick and enjoy citrus; harvest pumpkins,
fertilize vegetables. Seal the roof, enjoy the cooler weather,
and have some pumpkin pie. Happy Thanksgiving!
hearts and minds. The crafts, pictures, treats, and icons help us celebrate
and re-connect to our roots. Our home is located at 10527 E Cerulean
Way. This year our altar will be open for viewing November 2 – 10 from
10 am to 4 pm. We look forward to seeing you. - José & Viviana (Vivi)
Gardening Tips −Continued from page five
If you have just moved into
the neighborhood, the timer
on your irrigation clock may
not be set at an appropriate
watering duration for the
season or the plant selection.
Don’t be fooled into thinking
drought-tolerant plants don’t
need water the first year, or
after, for that matter.
Lifestyles really can dictate
the kind of garden we have
or want to have. For example,
do we really have time to
hand-water our vegetable
patch, or should we install an
irrigation system? Or maybe
we might want to rent a plot
in the community gardens, if
space is an issue. Whatever
the particular garden concern,
the garden is meant to be a
place of retreat, something to
enjoy. It is worth spending the
time to create a garden that
you enjoy.
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Page Nine
5
Poetry Reading by Marsha Kroll
2007 Bucks County Poet Laureate
by Heather O’Connor
K
eep your eyes open, and
check the neighborhood
bulletin boards and forum
for a visit and reading by
the poet laureate of Bucks
County, Pennsylvania.
Marsha Kroll plans to visit
us later this season and do a
reading for about 20 minutes
and then take questions from
the audience. Afterwards
there will be an “open mike”
where people will be invited
to read a couple of their
poems. All are invited.
Marsha Kroll is a
Philadelphia area poet
who grew up, off and on,
in Florida, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania, and who, until
2007, lived for four years at
Lake St. Catherine in Wells,
Vermont. The recipient of
an MFA in creative writing,
Marsha received her graduate
degree from Vermont College
(now Vermont College of Fine
Arts). She is also a former
contributing editor to Hunger
Mountain: The Vermont College
of Fine Arts Journal of Arts and
Letters, and the 2007 Bucks
County, Pennsylvania, Poet
Laureate.
Marsha’s poems have
appeared in or are
forthcoming in various issues
of 5 A.M., Cimarron Review,
Hayden’s Ferry Review, Mad
Poets Review, Quercus Review,
Paterson Literary Review,
Schuylkill Valley Journal,
Whiskey Island Magazine, and
U.S.1 Worksheets. She’s also
been honored with a number
of awards for her work,
including an Honorable
Mention and an Editor’s
Choice Award from the Allen
Ginsberg Awards series and
2nd Prize from the Mad Poets
Poetry Contest.
In addition, Marsha has
been a featured reader at
poetry venues from Vermont
to Florida, including Caffe
Lena in Saratoga Springs,
New York, Briggs Carriage
in Brandon, Vermont,
Princeton New Jersey Public
Library, as part of the U.S.
1 Invites series, Penn State,
Abington, Pennsylvania, and
Kelly Writer’s house at the
University of Pennsylvania.
Her chapbook, Modeling
with Miss America, was
published by Finishing Line
Press. Marsha’s full-length
manuscript titled Perpetual
Spin and a new chapbook
manuscript, On Men and Cars,
are currently looking for
publishers.
How Champagne Is Made
By Jerry and Ada Walker
T
he word champagne
comes from the region
in northeast France where
it is made. If it doesn’t
come from this region,
it is not champagne.
Three grapes are used to
make champagne: Pinot
Noir, Pinot Meunier, and
Chardonnay, two red grapes
and one white. Champagne
is a blended wine.
The method for making
champagne goes back almost
300 years. Grapes are gently
and quickly crushed, so that
the juice does not take on the
color of the skins. Each grape
is fermented in a separate
vat. Yeast is added, which
slowly reacts with the sugar
in the grapes to produce
alcohol. After fermenting for
six months, the grapes are
mixed to produce blended
wine, and then placed in
bottles. More yeast and
sugar are added before the
bottles are capped. At this
stage, the juice is just wine,
not champagne with its tiny,
unique bubbles.
The wine will now ferment
in the bottles for about three
weeks, but the bottles are
sealed so that carbon dioxide
cannot escape. This is what
forms the bubbles. During this
period the yeast uses up all
the sugar and then dies. The
dead yeast, called lees, is left
in the bottles, and the bottles
are stored for two years at
53.6° F.
The riddlers now go to
work turning the bottles, 1/8
turn each day until the bottles
are upside down. This process
is known as riddling, and
allows the lees to end up in
the necks of the bottles. After
three weeks of turning, the
bottles are carried to a brine
bath at 10° F and plunged
in head-first. The liquid in
the bottle neck immediately
freezes, trapping the lees.
The caps are then removed
from the bottles and the
pressure of the carbon
dioxide forces the frozen lees
out of the bottles, leaving
behind clear, bubbling
champagne. The bottles are
then swiftly corked and
wired down to hold the corks
in place.
After more than two years
of TLC, voila! Champagne.
Don’t forget: your
champagne should be served
at 45° F.
P
hotos from the "Vail Meet Yourself--Between the Tracks,"
an event billed as A Song of the Rails, featuring the world's
shortest parade, on September 18. It was sponsored by the
Voices of Vail, and presented a brief history of the Union Pacific
Railroad through this area.
- Photos by Al Nichols
Page Ten
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
War as Entertainment: For Real—An Editorial
T
ogether we watched Kathryn
Bigelow’s Academy Award-winning
movie, The Hurt Locker. This was
no “feel good” movie. At the start of the
film these words flashed on the screen: The
rush of battle is a potent and often lethal
addiction, for war is a drug.
(From Chris Hedges’ book, War is a Force
that Gives Us Meaning, a 2002 New York
Times best-seller.) All but the last four
words disappear, and we were left staring
at “war is a drug.” The film goes on to
prove it.
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant William James
is a bomb disposal expert in Baghdad,
2004. He is there as a replacement for
Staff Sergeant Thompson, a character we
watched getting blown up by a radiocontrolled, 155mm improvised explosive
device (IED). The movie follows Sergeant
William James, an intense, reckless antihero, for a month. We get an intimate look
into the high-pressure lives of the urban
soldiers charged with the dangerous job of
defusing bombs. It is not the typical action
and male-bonding war film; this film
reveals why many do what they do. They
do it for the stillness followed by the rush,
the jolt of adrenaline. War is a drug.
Sergeant William James is hooked on
war. At the end of his tour he goes home
to his wife and son. He is bored; he prefers
life in Iraq to life with his family. He
By Ardi C. Whalen
explains to his son that when young, we
want many things, but as we grow older,
the list narrows and narrows. For him the
list contains but one word: war. He signs
up for another year of bomb disposal.
For us this film was not a rush at all;
it was a downer. At least we could tell
ourselves as we watched people getting
blown up, This is just a movie and the
characters are not really getting killed, they
are just acting.
Things are about to change, come spring
2011. Inspired by The Hurt Locker, and
with permission from the U.S. Navy,
G4, the cable cannel known for gaming
and tech subjects, will air ten one-hour
episodes of Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan.
Fully embedded camera crews will be
following a Navy Explosive Ordinance
Disposal (EOD) unit throughout
Afghanistan over the course of several
months. Although the special agreement
is with the Navy, the military “will not
have creative control.” The show is
aimed at the network’s “young male
demographic, combining technology
and good old-fashioned blowing
stuff up.” (Check out http://livefeed.
hollywoodreporter.com/2010/08/g4hurt-locker-reality[show.html. Does this
smack of “recruitment” to you?)
Viewers may get a lot more than a
“good old-fashioned blowing stuff up.”
The potential exists for deadly causalities
to be filmed and then televised. We won’t
be seeing actors who are able to get up
and dust themselves off after being “hurt”
or “killed.” This is for real, and dead is
dead.
Imagine sitting in your living room,
watching TV, perhaps snacking on
popcorn, when all of a sudden you see a
loved one injured or killed right before
your eyes. You stare in horror at what is
entertaining others in other living rooms.
It could happen.
Is that any way to satisfy our society’s
addiction to violence? If it is, we are
no better than people of the nineteenth
century who rushed to public hangings,
preferably group hangings. Journalist
and newspaper editor William Edwin
Adams in Memoirs, 1832-1906, wrote
about reaction to a public hanging: “They
were laughing and shouting and jostling
each other as they hurried along—a great
stream of gaol-birds [jail-birds]. Whence
had they come? Enquiries elicited the
information that they had just been
enjoying an execution—fresh from the
teaching of the gallows. Similar spectacles
drew similar crowds to the county gaols
all over the country.”
As long as we continue to feed our
addiction to violence—to war—peace will
remain an impossible dream.
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Native Seeds/SEARCH:
Ensuring Native Agricultural Diversity in the Southwest
N
By Bob Small
ative Seeds/SEARCH was founded in 1983 as a result of requests from Native Americans on
the Tohono O’odham reservation near Tucson who wished to grow traditional crops but could
not locate seeds. Since that time, we have become a major regional seed bank and a leader in the
heirloom seed movement. Our seed bank is a unique resource for both traditional and modern agriculture,
and houses varieties that may have genes which code for traits such as drought tolerance and resistances
to diseases, insects, alkaline soils, high temperatures, and other stresses typical of desert environments.
Many of the collections are rare or endangered; more than 90% of these crops are not being systematically
preserved elsewhere. They represent an irreplaceable “genetic library” from which to draw to ensure
sustainable, environmentally safe agriculture in the future.
While we have had many exciting developments
over the last couple of years, our most notable
accomplishment is the construction of our new
Agricultural Conservation Center, a facility
dedicated to the preservation of the rich
agricultural biodiversity of the arid Southwest.
Our “mini-Svalbard” facility (at River & Alvernon)
houses over 1,800 varieties of crop seeds, a
processing lab for germination testing and research
activities, and ample space to accommodate our
fantastic staff and volunteer corps.
Recent work has also included roundtables in
Native American communities regarding local
agricultural biodiversity. Major themes common
to all the communities we visited include the
need for training and skills-building in basic
gardening and small-scale farming, seed saving,
and preserving traditional knowledge. We are
pursuing resources that will allow us to provide
the training identified by native communities
as critically important for creating
sustainable agriculture, increasing food
security, and maintaining access to
culturally-significant crops. wood. Native Seeds/SEARCH offers products
unique to the region and hard to find elsewhere:
traditional agricultural seeds, foods, crafts, books,
and other local products. Food products include
baking mixes, chile powders, corn products, grains
and meals, herbs and teas, salsas, and other sauces.
Sales from the retail store support the Native
Seeds/SEARCH conservation programs like its
seed bank, Conservation Farm, and Free Seed
program for Native Americans in the Southwest.
It’s a great place to find those unique holiday
gifts. The new store is located at 3061 N. Campbell
Avenue.
Whether you enjoy growing food, eating food,
celebrating the culture of our region, protecting
biodiversity, or all of these, please join us! We
welcome you as a member, donor, volunteer, or
customer of our seeds and other products. Visit us
on the web at www.nativeseeds.org.
The staff and board have recently been
discussing our potential work in the
area of “Participatory Plant Breeding”
(PPB). PPB is a strategy in which
farmers and researchers work together
in farmer’s fields, to identify and select
for crop traits of interest (increased
yield, resistance to insects/diseases,
quick maturity, etc.). The goal is that
crop diversity is conserved. Every time
gardeners and farmers cultivate a crop
and save its seed, they are selecting and
thus contributing to the evolutionary
process of adaptation, because crops
continue to evolve and change through
time, constantly becoming better
adapted to prevailing environmental
conditions. The relevancy to the work
of Native Seeds/SEARCH is that seed
banks provide a safety net against total
loss of a particular crop.
Anyone walking into the Native Seed
store will be moved by the fusion of
smells of chile powders, foods, soaps,
and crafts made from native fibers and
Native Seeds/SEARCH
Southwestern Endangered Aridland Resources Clearing House
We’re Moving!
Please visit us at 3061 N. Campbell Ave*
In-Store Coupon
Members receive 15% discount
Non-members receive 10% discount
Only valid after February 27, 2010 *
*
Visit www.nativeseeds.org for Grand Opening details
No other discounts apply
Page Eleven
Harvest Fest at Native
Seeds/SEARCH
Conservation Farm
T
he public is invited to Native Seeds/
SEARCH’s annual Harvest Fest celebration
on Saturday, October 16. The event, held at the
Native Seeds/SEARCH Conservation Farm
in Patagonia, is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Farm
tours will be offered at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. In
addition to the tours, people may help harvest
beans and enjoy live music. The event is free
and open to the public.
Participants should wear sturdy, close-toed
shoes, and bring a potluck lunch to share;
drinks, cups, plates, and eating utensils will be
provided.
From Tucson take I-10 east for 25 miles, exit
at Highway 83, the Sonoita/Patagonia exit.
Continue south for 25 miles. In the town of
Sonoita, turn west toward Patagonia onto
Highway 82. After 12 miles, look for the green
“Patagonia” sign. Take the next left on to San
Antonio Road. The sign above the entrance
reads Red Mountain Ranch. Drive across the
wash. The large, green barn will be on the
right. Volunteers will direct you where to park.
Civano Neighbors Neighborhood Association • The Town Crier
Page Twelve
business announcements
beginning about 9:30. For
more information, or to
volunteer to help, call Craig
Geiger at 305-4576.
Check the Civano
Neighbors website at
www.civanoneighbors.
com for up-to-date
information about
community gatherings
and events.
Coffee, Tea, and Chat: Our
morning neighborhood
coffee now meets Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday
from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. at the
Civano Activity Center and is
sponsored by Civano friends
and neighbors. Please come
and enjoy the friendly banter.
For information or to help,
call Ron Canady at 975-0658.
Civano Neighbors Welcome
Breakfast: November 6
and December 4. This
friendly event is sponsored
by the Civano Neighbors
neighborhood association, at
the Civano Activity Center,
8:30 to 10:30 a.m. the first
Saturday of the month to
welcome newcomers. Join us
for coffee and donuts, good
conversation, and to learn
about what’s happening
around Civano—including
Other Saturday Morning
Coffees are held at the
Civano Activity Center from
8:30 to 10:00 a.m. Everyone
is welcome. Please call
Ann Edwards at 886-8540
for information and/or to
volunteer to host a Saturday
morning coffee. It’s an easy
way to meet other residents of
Civano.
Civano Farmers & Artisan
Market – Sundays, 10:00 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m., at the Civano
Nursery; featuring handmade
and homemade crafts,
jewelry, artwork, homemade
foods, local produce (organic/
pesticide-free; seasonal, when
available), gifts, and more.
Support your community and
local small businesses. For
more information, contact
Eric at the Civano Nursery,
546-9200.
Sunday Soup Supper and
Potluck: This neighborhood
event started up again
on September 19 at the
Civano Activity Center. It
is held every month (except
December) on the third
Sunday, at 5:30 p.m. Soups
are provided and people
contribute salads and
desserts. Please call Suzanne
Trevino for more information,
296-2656. The next potluck
supper is October 17, with
game playing, including
Bunco, after supper. The
November 21 supper will be
followed by a talk on Heifer
International.
Clubs and Activities:
Civano Teen Night is held on
the second and fourth Fridays
of each month from 7:00 to 9:00
p.m. at the Civano Activity
Center. Learn more at www.
CivanoNeighbors.com/teens.
Civano Book Club meets
the second Monday of every
month in the Civano Activity
Center at 7:00 p.m. Call Ardi
Whalen at 885-8211 or Suzanne
Trevino at 296-2656 for more
information.
Civano Bridge Club & Potluck
meets once a month on the
third Monday, starting at 3 p.m.
For more information, contact
Suzanne Trevino at 296-2656.
5301 S. Houghton Road
Tucson, Arizona 85747
Civano Craft Club meets the
third Saturday of each month
from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at
the Civano Activity Center.
Contact Karen Simms at
jsandks4@aol.com for more
information.
Civano Cycling Club:
Anyone interested in cycling,
road or mountain, please
call Mark Levine at 886-8825
or email to msmsl@msn.
com. Mark has been riding
here in Tucson since 1994.
He is a member of G.A.B.A.
(Greater Arizona Bicycling
Association) and has been
a ride leader many times.
This is a great way to make
new friends and shed some
pounds at the same time.
Civano Movie Group: An
informal group to watch a
movie, with a discussion
to follow. First meeting is
November 1, at 7 p.m. with
Like Water for Chocolate being
shown. For details, see article
elsewhere in The Town Crier,
and check out the Civano
Neighbors website.
Civano Tykes: Do you
have an infant or other
kid who’s too young for
Fashionable
Gardening
520 546-9200
By Mel Shipley ACNP
Civano Nursery is a local family business
We pride ourselves in growing plants that work.
Our Garden Professionals will help you create that
outdoor room we like to call the garden.
Green Waste
Removal Service
Did you know that we can
now remove your green
waste and instead of just
going to the local dump, it
will be turned into mulch at
our T.E.P. soil facility.
Civano Residents only.
Fees applies
ARTISAN FAIR
Oct 23rd Sat 8:30-4 p.m.
Oct 24th Sun 10 - 4 p.m.
DOG SHOW
Nov 6th Sat 1:00 p.m.
Call (520) 546-9200 for more info
IT’S WHAT WE DO
LANDSCAPE
PACKAGES
You pick - We plant
Free design service at
Civano Nursery
Pick the right plant
Design a garden
Share our knowledge
Make it easy
Show you how
Deliver & plant it
Join us on Facebook
www.civanonursery.net
Dogs and Gardens
Many dogs, especially young ones
have a reputation for being hard on
gardens. They crash through planting
beds chasing butterflies, dig holes in
flower beds and pee on shrubs, grass
and perennials.
However, if you make your garden petfriendly and put some effort into
training, your dog can become a great
garden companion. To keep dogs out
of garden beds and other special parts
of your yard, create a separate place
for dogs to play. For our climate it is
essential to pick a shaded area with a
water source. This area could be
delineated with a decorative fence. If
possible try to leave a gap between
your fence and garden plots to allow
for dogs who like to run alongside
fences.
If a separate dog area is not possible
try building raised beds for vegetables,
ornamentals and other garden plants
using troughs, timbers, bricks or
stone. It is not uncommon for dogs
to investigate and trot around
plants. To minimize potential
damage, start by planting sturdy
plants that can withstand doggie
play. Teach your dog to potty in one
area and always try always to pick it up
soon after. Everyone loves a lawn and
chances are it’s your dog leaving burn
marks on your grass. Try to douse the
area with a hose to dilute the effects
soon after the dog urinates.
If you have a digger type dog, you
could give your dog their own sandbox
or other acceptable digging area.
Remember dogs are pack animals and
need social interaction, walk your dog
vigorously at least twice daily.
Exercise has mental as well as
physical benefits
school? Would you like to
get him or her connected in
the neighborhood? Join the
Civano Tykes group. We
have play dates, storytime,
swimming times, mom’s
night out, kids’ stuff swaps,
and other special events. We
share pictures and resources
with each other. For more
information, check out http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/
CivanoTykes and request
to join. Or contact Roberta
Graham at 203-7105 or
robertajgraham@gmail.com.
Dinners for Six or Eight:
This is a great way to meet
your neighbors and share a
delightful meal. New groups
are forming now. A vegetarian
group is a possibility too.
Call Nancy Clark at 290-1256
if you are interested in being
part of a group.
Poker Nights: Low
stakes, men and women,
every second and fourth
Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in
the Civano Activity Center.
For information, call Ron
Canady at 975-0658.
Directory Update We are
always interested in keeping
the resident directory on the
Civano Neighbors website
up-to-date. Visit http://
www.civanoneighbors.
com/secure/directory.htm
(password-protected) and
review your information. If
your name is not listed in
the directory but you would
like it to be, or if you need to
have a change made, please
take a few moments to submit
your information via the web
form. We use this information
to mail out the Town Crier
as well as the occasional
important neighborhood
announcements. For
password, email simmons@
civanoneighbors.com.
Aging in Community: AIC
now owns the following
equipment: wheelchairs,
walkers, shower benches,
canes, crutches, and a
commode, all available for
short-term borrowing. Call
Sharlene Gillette at 235-0346.
Other residents also have
some additional equipment;
just ask.
Volunteer Help Needed—
Always! We’re a great bunch
of people to work with.
The Town Crier needs
reporters and writers, as
well as readers. We would
very much appreciate more
contributors to The Town
Crier, especially from Sierra
Morado and from the youth
of our neighborhood. For
more information and for
article guidelines, contact the
editor, Susan Call, at smcall7@
cox.net or 886-2281. The Town
Crier serves 1,300 homes and
growing in Civano, Sierra
Morado, and beyond. The
deadline for the next edition
is November 15, 2010.