Marana Unwrapped

I’m the mother of a toddler, so I know how difficult it can be to get the car seat just right. Recently we had to buy an extra seat for her grandparents’ new car, and it wasn’t a fun task. One car seat was too tall, so the driver couldn’t see out the rear window safely. Another seemed okay, but I couldn’t tighten it properly.

Even with all my precautions (I read the manual cover-to-cover, practically memorizing it), I can never be sure I’ve done it exactly right.

If you’re a parent or grandparent who has to deal with a car seat on a daily basis, you might be happy to know you can get help. For free.

The Marana Police Department has Child Passenger Safety Inspection Stations to get you up to speed on car safety. A nationally certified technician will teach you about safe installation and harness adjusting.

For more information, email Dianne VanHorn at dvanhorn@marana.com, or call 520-382-2049. All you have to do is call to make an appointment, and don’t forget to bring your car seat and your baby.

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Have you always wanted to learn Spanish, take a workout class, or even teach your dog to avoid rattlesnakes? Maybe you want to learn self-defense, guitar playing, or CPR.

The Town of Marana has it all, and maybe even a little more. There are classes for children as young as 9 months old, and plenty of classes for adults. Each class is in a different location, so make sure it’s convenient for you.

A full listing of the special interest classes is available on the Town of Marana website. Hurry before classes fill up.

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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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Is there a dangerous intersection near your house? Are there streetlights that don’t work? Maybe traffic lights are unreasonably short.

Or perhaps you think everything’s great.

Whatever your concern (or compliment), the Town of Marana wants to hear about it. Their Citizen Request Tracker is a simple online tool, allowing you to fill out a quick form to send your feedback. If you create an account with an email address and password, you’ll be able to login to check on your request. You can even send your feedback as an anonymous user, so there’s no reason not to be heard.

I haven’t yet made a request, but a person is supposed to respond to you pretty quickly. If you try it, let us know how well it works.

The Town of Marana website is full of information. If you get a chance, take a look around. But if you don’t have time to find everything, don’t worry. I’ll be showcasing its features bit-by-bit.

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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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The apparently long-awaited opening of the northwest-side’s In-N-Out Burger has finally arrived.

Traffic signs went up a couple of days in advance, warning drivers there might be delays on the November 15 opening.

I had never tried In-N-Out Burger, but after waiting about a week for the lines to die down, I finally tried it.

I was quite impressed.

The company pays its workers well (starting at $9.50/hour), their hamburgers aren’t frozen, their fries are cut on-site (you can watch them cut the potato before dropping it in the fryer), and their ingredients are great (no trans fats and no preservatives).

The company is privately-owned, so the managers are employees (rather than franchise owners).

My 2-year-old even had a great time, getting stickers from the cashier, and eating outside under the umbrella-covered table.

I’ll definitely be a regular, as long as it stays as clean and comfortable as it is during these early days.

In-N-Out Burger is in the Arizona Pavilions, on Cortaro Road, just west of I-10. It’s just one of the many new restaurants and businesses in the quickly-growing shopping center.

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