It may not look like much right now, but Kitt Peak Observatory has frequently updated photos of the sun that you can view online as Venus does whatever its going to do in front of it today. It may not look like much then either, but at least you can say you didn't miss this apparently-once-in-a-lifetime event.

(Note: The above video was filmed before Dos Manos Farm's owner knew the operation would be taking a forced break for the summer.)

Dos Manos Farm, the local-agriculture project started earlier this year by local-food advocate and all around decent guy Noel Patterson, has been bulldozed. But Patterson is already looking at other opportunities that would allow him to continue his mission to make more local food available in and around Tucson.

Patterson said yesterday that the land he was farming at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona's Marana Heritage Farm was taken back by the City of Marana and that work has begun to turn it into a parking lot for nearby development. Patterson wanted to make it very clear that the action was expected and that the deal was amicable for all parties involved.

But Patterson - who is more dedicated to the local-food movement than just about anybody I've come across - is already looking at a variety of options that would allow him to continue on with Dos Manos Farm, albeit in a new location he hopes will be closer to Tucson. He's also wants to start offering workshops on everything from bee-keeping to raising chickens for meat and eggs.

The last of the produce from the first Dos Manos Farm will be available at the farmers' market this Saturday at Maynards Market and Kitchen. Patterson said he is relatively sure he will be back at the market before long with produce, honey and eggs from other projects he has going.

For those who want to keep up on what Patterson is up to - and if you're into the local-food movement, he's the guy to watch - you can keep up with him on Facebook over here.

Meet Jared McKinley. More accurately, meet Jared McKinley's alter ego Kitty Katt McKinley, which he uses when producing and promoting some of this city's more creative and memorable events through Powhaus Productions and his new company MEOWmeow Productions.

McKinley also happens to be an amazing gardener who has founded a new group called the Arid Land Homesteaders League. The organization's website is an excellent blend of good writing and an ever-growing selection of do-it-yourself food-production tips. You can read all about it right here.

When he's not in the garden or organizing parties - his underwear party hits Hotel Congress on Saturday, June 16 - he waits tables at Hub Restaurant and Ice Creamery and brews aerated compost tea for Merlin Organics. He took a moment this week to discuss the Arid Land Homesteaders League:

TW: Tell me a little about the Arid Land Homesteaders League. How is it different from your previous entity, Tucson Urban Gardener.

JM: This all started on accident. I am living in a rental. I am also fairly poor. I thought I was going to move until about a half a year ago when I decided to stay in this house. I started a garden, late in the season, and started writing about it. I am a writer, so it was natural. I revived this old blog I used to lazily maintain years ago when I was working for Dr. Andrew Weil. My writing on the subject started to really develop and the audience exploded. So that encouraged me to expand on the whole thing. The interest is very much there and so I am continuing to feed that interest.

The Range is receiving word that Arizona Senate President Steve Pierce has removed attorney Jodi Bain and political gadfly Rick Grinnell from the Rio Nuevo Board. We're told that Fletcher McCusker, who has been spearheading downtown redevelopment efforts and chairing the Fox Theatre's board of director, will replace one of them.

Under Bain's leadership, the Rio Nuevo Board had come under increasing criticism for preferring to fight with the city of Tucson and run up legal bills rather than investing in downtown revitalization.

Most recently, the board filed a new $25 million claim against the city of Tucson, blowing up a mediation process that had been going on for months.

More details to come.

ETA: We're hearing that local developer Chris Sheafe will also be joining the Rio Nuevo Board.

There are two more vacancies on the board: Speaker of the House Andy Tobin has to find a replacement for former state lawmaker Jonathan Paton, who stepped down to focus on his congressional run this year, and Gov. Jan Brewer needs to name a replacement for Carlotta Flores, the owner of El Charro Restaurant who has also left the board.

I still don't understand how someone has the time to assemble these things, but Barack Obama meets Carly Rae Jepsen in the viral video hit of the week, which does have the added benefit of accelerating the point at which we're sick of "Call Me Maybe."

Calexico have a new label (ANTI-, an offshoot of punk label Epitaph, which has a pretty consistently great release schedule, including a Glen Hansard solo record coming up soon and a totally great Kelly Hogan record coming out today) for their first non-soundtrack full-length album since 2008's Carried to Dust. "Para" is the first single, and while it has a lot of the classic Calexico feel, there are some new things going on with this song as well.

You can see Joey and Jacob of Calexico on Saturday night at the Ron Barber Get Out the Vote event at the Rialto, headlined by Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta.

• Keith Perfetti
• Cesar Rubio speaks to the audience with his dance troupe behind him during ConDanza's first show.

Tucson has a number of dance companies and ConDanza has just opened a studio downtown. ConDanza is a contemporary ballet group, that was started by Cesar Rubio in 2010, formerly of the University of Arizona Danhttp://dance.arizona.edu/ce Department. While their first official show is not set until the seventh of June, they held their first informal show opening their new studio next to Borderlands Brewery.

• Keith Perfetti
• David Maurice performs a solo during ConDanza's inaugural performance.

• Keith Perfetti

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  • Keith Perfetti
  • ConDanza's dancers perform to a crowd of mostly friends and family.

• Keith Perfetti

Local astrologer Juliana Rose Teal has written about the major astrological events taking place this year in 2012: An Astrological Perspective.

She writes, "I describe three major astrological events that take place this year, and what these events mean when happening in each of the 12 houses in a birth chart. The three events are: The Uranus/Pluto square (which means that these two planets are forming a 90 degree angle to each other in the sky, which is a stressful angle), the Venus/Sun (transit), and the Sun aligning with the Galactic Center in December."

In reference to the today's Venus transit, she writes: "Venus represents what we are drawn to in relationships, and the qualities we find important and attractive in relationships. Venus also represents our values. The Sun is who we are at the core of our being and we spent a life time working on incorporating the positive traits of our Sun sign into our personality. When these two planets meet in the sky, I believe that we will be given the opportunity to become aware of who we are within our relationships, and if we are bringing our true self into our relationships. The energy of this eclipse also provides with the ability to bring balance within our relationships as well."

For more information, visit www.hawkflightastrology.com.

Once there was just vodka, and then there were a bunch of different Stolis, and now it's just gone totally artificial flavoring nuts, as if the largely flavorless drink is the hard liquor version of a Jelly Belly. 360 Vodka is among the worst offenders, now offering up a Glazed Donut flavor, which absolutely does not sound like something people should have any desire to drink, even sorority girls who enjoy novelty and intoxication fueled by sweetness.

For the waistline-conscious, donut devotees can save some calories while still enjoying the flavor of their favorite hole-some treat. Compared to the pant-splitting 250 calories packed into the average donut, 360 Glazed Donut has a mere 80 calories (per 1.0 ounce shot).

"Confectionery flavors are one of the hottest trends in mixology and we're thrilled to introduce this innovative and quintessentially American flavor to our collection of eco-friendly flavored vodkas," says Vic Morrison, Vice-President of Marketing for The Earth Friendly Distilling Company.

With a collection of twelve flavored vodkas, including the multiple award-winning and consumer favourite 360 Double Chocolate, the Earth Friendly Distilling Company is celebrated for perfecting innovative vodka flavors and sparking cocktail creativity among consumers and mixologists alike.

Fresh batches of 360 Glazed Donut have already been shipped to retailers across the country and are ready to be served on the rocks, as a dessert course, or in decadently indulgent cocktails.

Does this sound like the absolute worst drink ever concocted? I say yes.

Apple Fritter Martini

1 ½ oz 360 Glazed Donut

3 oz Apple juice

1 tsp Maple syrup

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed with sugar and cinnamon. Garnish with an apple slice.

From PR Newswire (share this quote)

If you have $15.99 and a disregard for your tastebuds, you can probably find Glazed Donut Vodka somewhere in town.

On Tuesday, June 5, at approximately 3:04 p.m., the planet Venus will begin crossing the face of the sun. The most recent transit of Venus was in 2004. The next one will take place in 2117. Venus will be passing between the sun and the Earth, and from our vantage point, Venus will look like a small dot traveling across the sun. But don't view this with the naked eye. You must use special equipment.

Here is a list of special events to celebrate the transit.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive
Time: 3-5:30 p.m.
How much: Free and open to the public
Details: Guided by astronomy professionals, guests will look through specialized H-alpha telescopes at the Sun. The event will also include: live video feeds from NASA and Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, lectures from cultural astronomer Richard Poss and astronomer/child author Steve Kortenkamp, kids’ activities and complimentary solar-filter viewing cards. The event will be followed by a Transit of Venus happy hour in the Cascade lounge at 5:30 p.m., featuring Chasing Venus sauvignon blanc.

University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2, 32540 S Biosphere Road
Time: 3pm – 6pm
How much: Free and open to the public.
Details: Guests will enjoy live telescope viewing of the Sun and Venus transit along with presentations by local astronomers about the importance of this event. This event is supported by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association and the University of Arizona College of Science.
More information: More information at http://www.b2science.org..

University of Arizona, presented by Flandrau Science Center and Kuiper Space Sciences:
Time: 3pm – 8pm
How much: Free and open to the public.
Details: Viewing of the Sun and Venus Transit on the UA mall and activities for kids and adults inside the Flandrau Science Center and Kuiper Space Sciences Building, as well as live video feeds of the transit from observatories all over the world, and presentations by University of Arizona astronomers. Additional night sky viewing will follow the Venus Transit at the Flandrau Science Center. Activities will be supported by staff and volunteers from the University of Arizona College of Science, the Planetary Science Institute, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.
More information: Get all the details at http://flandrau.org.