August 26th, 2008
Tohono Chul Park has been listed as one of the 
Ten Great Botanical Gardens in the world
The Tohono Chul Park Fall Concert Series presented by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona will consist of four shows beginning on Thursday, September 18. Each will have its own flavor, but all will celebrate the soundscapes of the western United States. The performers are Kip Calahan on September 18, Bobby Ronstadt on October 2, William Eaton Ensemble on October 16 and Dolan Ellis on October 30. Seats for each show are $10 for members and $18 for the general public. Order online or call 520-742- 6455 ext. 0
Tohono Chul Website>>
Filed under: What's New in Tucson
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August 25th, 2008
Sun Tran seeks express-route input 
Long-awaited express-bus service is supposed to start running to the Rita Ranch area next year, but first Sun Tran wants to hear from potential riders.
Oro Valley residents will also get a bump in service early next year.
The transit company has scheduled meetings to hear what Rita Ranch and Oro Valley residents think about three new express routes.
The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday at the Oro Valley Town Hall complex, 11000 N. La Canada Drive. The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The second meeting is scheduled for Sept. 9 at Desert Sky Middle School, 9850 E. Rankin Loop, also from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
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Filed under: Family Matters, Getting Settled, Transportation
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August 24th, 2008
Foliage flourishes on Aspen Draw — The forest high in the Catalina Mountains is a midsummer festival of ferns, wildflowers and fungi.
You can sample the scenery with a hike on the Aspen Draw Trail, which climbs in sylvan splendor at altitudes between 8,200 and 8,900 feet.
Thick clumps of bracken ferns — some emerald green, and others almost silvery in slanting sunlight — flank parts of the trail.
Vibrant yellow columbine flowers sing summer near a trickling watercourse.
Fungi, in the form of reddish-brown mushrooms, decorate some tree trunks and grassy hollows along the route.
The trail, which begins near Mount Lemmon Ski Valley, is popular with hikers looking for a little alpine interlude on hot desert days.
Covering 1.7 switchbacking miles and gaining about 700 vertical feet, the path leads through forests of fir and aspen — home to many bird species and other wildlife.
A hike up the trail and back down makes a pleasant and fairly easy 3.4-mile round-trip trek. Hikers seeking more mileage can connect with other nearby routes, including the Aspen Trail, Mint Springs Trail and Wilderness of Rocks Trail.
Get to the trailhead
Take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway ($5-per-vehicle fee) and follow the highway past Milepost 24 to a turnoff for Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. Continue to Ski Valley and park. Then walk about 20 yards down the south side of the highway from the ski area parking lot and watch for a trail leading downhill. Follow it for 0.2 of a mile down the side of the hill and across a small watercourse to the signed start of the Aspen Draw Trail.
By Doug Kreutz
Arizona Daily Star
Filed under: Day Trips & Tours, Outdoor Activities, Sports
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August 23rd, 2008
The mission of the festival is to educate, engage, encourage and empower Tucsonans towards sustainable change and to foster local communities and relationships.
Saturday October 25, 2008 10am ~ 3pm
Powered by the sun!
Family Activities ~ Music ~ Local & Organic Food
Ideas to save money, conserve, & be green!
Learn to….Harvest Rainwater ~ Plant a simple garden ~ Compost, & much more!
Special Performances by ~
Flam Chen ~ The Dambe Project ~ Freddie Terry the Singing Beekeeper ~
Titan Valley Warheads ~ Storyteller Gil Payette for more info>>
Filed under: Arts & Entertainment, Becoming A Tucsonan, Outdoor Activities, Tucson's Environment, What's New in Tucson
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August 22nd, 2008
From small backyard rain harvesting to large scale conservation projects along the river basin. This website has tons of information to get you started with your own water management system.
Water is an integral part of everyone’s life. Managing water resources is an issue of global importance, and communities are increasingly seeking means to protect and conserve their watershed. Go to Website>>
Filed under: Home Improvement, Tucson's Environment, Utilities
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August 21st, 2008
My family and I have been going to the Blue Willow for maybe…30 years!! We are so glad to see an article in the paper today about this fun, casual restaurant.
Not only does it have tasty food but, when you wait til the last minute and you’re going to need a nice, quick gift & a great card….(one of Tucson’s best selection of greeting cards) remember to drop by here. They have a wonderful, eclectic collection of gifts for adults and children.
Here’s the article:
By Gerald M. Gay
ggay@azstarnet.com
Tucson, Arizona 08.21.2008
We were first-timers to this popular Tucson restaurant and had heard good things about its breakfast menu.
Read the Entire Article>>
Filed under: Becoming A Tucsonan, Health & Lifestyle, Tucson Restaurants
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August 20th, 2008
We were watching a Lacrosse Scrimmage Wednesday the 13th at Udall Park and half the time we were really watching the incredible lightning strikes coming slowly into town from behind Mt Lemmon…wishing we had our camera. Now Tucson Newspapers are having this contest. So, dig up your photos and here’s a chance to win $100!
Got a spark for a good lightning photo? Don’t hide it on your hard drive! Upload it to azstarnet.com for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate.
Earlier this year, the National Weather Service redefined the monsoon season; instead of computing it by dew point, the season now lasts from June 15 to Sept. 30. We’ll use that date range for our contest. We’ll take photo submissions from June 15 until Aug. 31, and then allow voting until Sept. 30. Contest Rules>>
Filed under: Outdoor Activities, Things That Make You Go Hmmmm?, What's New in Tucson
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August 19th, 2008
TUCSON HOT SPOTS…or should we say, COOL SPOTS. In our summer weather, going to the movies is a favorite thing to do. If you have never visited the Loft, you really should. We have seen some great movies here that never make it to the ‘Big Screen’ theatres…
Catch films, festivals at Loft.
The Loft Cinema, a short bike ride from campus, is the city’s longtime hot spot for independent and foreign films. It boasts the biggest screen in Tucson and is also the only theater that sells beer and wine.
The nonprofit theater has two screens, one in the main theater and a smaller one in the funky upstairs theater, which has couches down in front.
The Loft regularly brings in directors and actors to introduce their films and talk to the audience. Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Waters, Crispin Glover and Ismail Merchant have all dropped by the Loft in recent years.
For more info>>
Filed under: Arts & Entertainment, Cultural, Family Matters, Local Attractions
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August 18th, 2008
JUST A 5-6 HOUR DRIVE NORTH OF TUCSON AND WHAT A SIGHT! 
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona’s premier attraction, is that great chasm up north that was carved over millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau. The views from the rim are simply awe-inspiring.
Get all the info you need to visit Arizona’s Natural Wonder. Get Info>>
Filed under: Day Trips & Tours, Outdoor Activities
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August 17th, 2008
It’s that time again!
Vehicles loaded with clothes, electronics and other dorm-room essentials took over the University of Arizona campus Wednesday as roughly 2,000 students moved in for the start of the fall semester.
In all, the UA expects to have about 6,000 students living on campus by the time classes begin on Monday, UA spokesman Johnny Cruz said.
Though officials won’t know for several weeks the exact numbers, the incoming freshman class is expected to be larger than last year’s, continuing a growth trend that has pushed overall enrollment past 37,000, Cruz said.
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Filed under: Education, Family Matters, Getting Settled, Moving Reseources
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