Marana Unwrapped

I’m relatively new to Tucson, having lived in Marana for less than 3 years. But the “growth” and “progress” I’ve seen in this short amount of time is amazing!

It makes me wonder how much we’re losing while we’re gaining. Habitat for wildlife is the most obvious loss, but it may not matter much to you if you’re not an animal. If you encounter a pack of javelinas in your backyard, mountain lions next door, or “killer bees” right outside your front door, suddenly the loss of habitat makes a difference in your life too.

Sometimes what’s being lost isn’t nature. At the corner of Silverbell and Ina there’s a historical house that’s scheduled to be demolished to make way for Silverbell Crossroads, a retail property. The house is estimated to have been built in the early 1900’s.

We’re also losing our views of what’s left of the natural world. Condominiums will be built on Silverbell Rd. across from Continental Ranch, possibly blocking mountain vistas for current residents.

At the same time, I’m looking forward to the new library on Silverbell Rd. and Cortaro. I use a lot of gas, which affects the environment (and my pocketbook) driving out to the Nanini branch.

What do you think? When is growth good, a necessary evil, or just plain bad?

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Photo credit: Petite Paws Exotics

Here’s a pop quiz. What is Arizona’s state mammal?

I know I had no idea, and never would have even looked it up if I hadn’t seen one tonight. The ringtail, a mammal in the same family (procyonid) as the coati and the more familiar raccoon, is the state mammal. As the picture shows, it has obvious rings on its long, bushy tail, and looks like a fox or a cat.

Tonight I happened to be looking into the sky, and noticed what I thought was a cat sitting on an outside windowsill of my friend’s apartment. I wondered how a cat could get up to the 2nd floor, and I was a little concerned for the poor creature. It moved and started to climb the wall. Cats don’t climb walls that well without falling, which this animal didn’t. Instead, it climbed up to a vent protruding out of the wall, stuck its head and front feet in, and pulled out something with its mouth.

My daughter and I watched in awe as it started to crunch on its prey. Feathers fell, and I realized it was eating a bird.

Anyway, it was a very interesting find, right here in our own backyard (near Cortaro and Silverbell).

From what I’ve read, it’s rare to actually see one. Ringtails are nocturnal and use their big eyes and fox-like ears to hunt at night.

According to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s site,

“Ringtails are strictly nocturnal animals, using their large eyes and keen sense of smell to locate prey. They are excellent climbers and leapers, using their long tails for balance as they negotiate steep canyon walls or trees with equal ease. The ringtails have semi-retractable claws and can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees, allowing them to descend cliffs face first.

They den in niches in rock walls, boulder piles, or hollow trees. Ringtails are solitary, only pairing up for a few days of mating in April. The 2 to 4 kits are born in June. By fall the young can hunt for themselves and soon disperse.

Though fierce little fighters, ringtails fall prey to great horned owls, bobcats, and coyotes. When frightened, they emit a musky odor from anal scent glands.”

As soon as I get a chance, I’ll post the pictures of the ringtail that I took tonight.

Have you seen a ringtail or any other wild animals here in Marana?

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The Town of Marana is looking to fill its recently vacant council member position.

What qualifications do you need? You just have to be interested in helping the community. The staff at the Town of Marana keeps council members informed so they can make wise decisions.

What does a council member do? From the Town of Marana website, “The Marana Town Council is a seven-member governing body that makes policy for the Town and directs the allocation of resources through the fiscal budget. They are a non-partisan body elected by Town of Marana residents, including direct elections for the position of Mayor…. Council seats are paid, part-time positions, but many Council members hold other jobs or are retired.”

Because the vacancy is due to the resignation of Tim Escobedo, the Town can appoint someone to complete the unexpired term that ends on March 2009. Normally it would be an elected position.

So if you’ve always wanted to have your hand in running a town, this is the job for you. You don’t even have to do an election campaign.

Submit a letter of interest, your resume, and any other document you feel would be helpful. You have until January 18 at 5 p.m. to submit the materials to: Marana Town Clerk, 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, AZ, 85653.

Good luck!

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Miracle’s Inc. is having their 7th annual Christmas party this Saturday, December 22.

After sponsoring a toy drive this past weekend, the non-profit group will be giving every child who attends a toy or gift certificate (depending on their age).

This children’s Christmas party is free, and there’ll be games, free food, entertainment, free raffles for the kids, and even a jumping castle.

It’s going to be held at the Ora Mae Harn park starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Decermber 22, 2007.

Don’t miss out on the fun, and tell us what you thought about it after you go! 

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If you’re a nature lover, you’ll be pleased to find there are many birds that love Marana and Tucson. You don’t have to go anywhere special to find birds in the winter. They’re often as close as your own backyard.

Some of the most common birds include the Mourning Dove, Great-Tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch, and Gila Woodpecker.

Being from the midwest, I’m used to seeing a lot of American Crows, and was disappointed to find that they aren’t around here. But there are plenty of Common Ravens (see the picture above). Today I saw a lot of them, along with some small blackbirds I didn’t identify, hanging out in some fields in Marana off of I-10. Ravens are one of my favorite birds. Listen for their deep croaking calls.

Red-tailed Hawks are some common wintering hawks, and keep your eyes (and ears) open for birds that are just passing through on their way further south.

What are some of your favorite birding spots in Marana?

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Tower Theatres in the Arizona Pavilions is open, and it seems like it’ll be a success. The sneak preview on December 6 was interesting. The parking lot was pretty full, a few radio stations were out front, and they collected lots of unwrapped toys and canned food for the price of admission.

If you’re used to the Foothills theater, you’ll definitely find the lobby area rather small. I guess you could call it cozy. The arcade was also small, but this is in comparison to the large arcade next to the Foothills theater.

The Tower Theatres’ website is up and running, so you’ll be able to purchase tickets online.

I do have one small critique. I asked some of the staff what a certain movie was about, but no one really knew. I think it wouldn’t hurt if the staff were given a synopsis of the movies that were showing. Not that I can’t look it up online in the future, but opening night didn’t publicize the movies ahead of time. A small point, but something they might want to consider.

My biggest concern is traffic safety. I’ve always felt that the curving road makes it difficult to see when you’re exiting onto Arizona Pavilions Drive, but there wasn’t a lot of traffic anyway. That’s going to change with the theater, In-N-Out, Chili’s, and Panda Express.

It might be a good idea for the town to add another traffic light, or maybe several speed bumps. And perhaps they need to move any bushes or trees that make it difficult to see around the corners. I’d also like to see more stop signs within the theater’s parking lot. Safety first!

Have you been to Tower Theatres? Tell us about your experience.

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The Winterhaven community is known for its spectacular holiday lights display. I definitely plan to take my daughter again this year.

But this got me thinking. Are there any Marana neighborhoods that can give Winterhaven a run for its money?

Let me know where the Marana holiday lights are, so I can share it with everyone else.

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The Arizona Pavilions shopping center is getting a new movie theater this week. Tower Theatres will open on Friday, December 7. They’ll be charging only $1 for food and drinks, and will offer free video games all week for their grand opening.

I’m pretty excited. I don’t go to the movies much, but I like the idea of not having to drive all the way to Foothills Mall. And I always like to play video games.

If you want to get a sneak peek, for the cost of 2 canned goods or an unwrapped toy, the theater will be open on Thursday, December 6 from 5:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. You’ll get to see a free movie with free refreshments, and you’ll meet some new people if you want.

If I find out which movie is showing on Thursday (or if you let me know), I’ll share it with you soon.

I’m amazed at how much Marana has changed in the two years I’ve been here. You can look forward to more about new venues in town and nearby.

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Tucson is unbearably hot in the summer, and it can get quite cool in the winter. So what’s a parent to do with bored children?

My daughter has a great time at My Gym, which has structured programs for babies, toddlers, and young children (up to age 13). She gets to play, run, jump, scream, and learn about fitness at the same time. The staff is great too, and they make sure to learn your child’s name.

Even better, they just started a new membership plan. Even though each child signs up for one class a week, the child can go to several classes during the week (calling ahead to be sure it isn’t full). Plus, there’s a few days that have an hour of free play.

If you have children, definitely check out My Gym. But be careful. If you take your child once, she may want to go back all the time. My Gym is located at 7366 N. Oracle Rd.

Have you had a chance to visit? What did you and your child think?

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Did you know Marana has its own farm? It is dubbed, appropriately, The Marana Farm.

The Marana Farm opened in September 2007, and its products will eventually be available for purchase at the farm and local farmers’ markets.

All kinds of produce will be grown on this 10-acre farm, which uses organic growing methods. The farm is in the Gladden Farms area, in the northwest part of town.

Feel like helping out? This will be a great volunteer project for the whole family, so be sure to visit their website for more information.

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