Hi, I’m Kilo!

I am a 3-year-old boy who is waiting for my fur-ever home! I have a playful pup who hopes to find a home with lots of dog toys! I am very smart and already know how to sit!

If you have any kids or dogs currently living in your home please bring them to HSSA Main Campus at 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd. to meet me! You can also give an adoptions counselor a call for more information at 520-327-6088 x173.

Lots of Love,
Kilo (846657)

Kevin McDonald, co-founder of the legendary Kids in the Hall, emailed that he’d always wanted to visit Tucson, and asked if Tucson Improv Movement (TIM) might allow him to host a show and a workshop. As a matter of fact, TIM founder and owner Justin Lukasewicz thought that was a swell idea and, on the spot, gave one of the world’s best-known sketch comedy artists the headline slot in Tucson Comedy Arts Festival 3, Nov. 8-11.

Responding to its growing reputation, this year’s fest branches out from TIM’s 50-seat black box theatre to include the Flycatcher, home of the event’s standup comedy components; the Sea of Glass, where McDonald performs with students from his day-long, sketch-writing workshop, and 191 Toole, where a solo performance by McDonald will cap the festival at 8 p.m., Saturday.

Most of the action, though, is at TIM Comedy Theatre, 239 E. 7th street, where 30 improv teams  gather from Tucson, Phoenix, Chicago and Los Angeles, to perform a dozen showcases over the three days. Daytime workshops there cover skills for short form, long form and sketch techniques for ensemble and solo improvisers.

TCAF has something for everyone, including children and Spanish-language speakers. Visit tucsonimprov.com/tcaf for the full schedule and to register all the events. Except for McDonald’s, shows are $25 for a full festival pass, or $5 each, and workshops are $50. Some scholarships may be available.

Unique and recommended among the improv performers are Mary Catherine Curran’s solo sketch One Woman Space Jam; the Spanish language team, Cómo Se Dice; the hip-hop and rap team, Third Beats; Slideshow Fairy Tales, a unique solo comedy performance that you should Google; From the Top, a team that improvises an entire musical in 25 minutes; the all-female team, The Riveters; The Soapbox, featuring Kevin McDonald inspiring TIM’s top improvisers with anecdotes from his life; Phoenix-based veterans, Galapagos; and FOMP (Friends of Make Pretends), a show for children with lots of audience participation and stage time. 

We’re also looking forward to stand-up sets by Chicagoan Dame Grant; Tucson ex-pat Ben Dietzel, now of L.A.; local favorite, Josiah Osego; and, from Phoenix, Matt Storrs’ popular game show for stand-up comedians, The Storrs Objection.
The performer we’re most looking forward to seeing is Brooke Hartnett, because the Tucson comedy scene misses her. An alumna of the UA’s Charles Darwin Experience, a stand-up comedian and a TIM company member, she moved to Chicago to study improv and pursue a comedy writing career.

She says she misses the food and the low cost of living, but, “Chicago’s a really lovely city and a good place to work on comedy without the pressure of L.A. and New York. I’d like to teach improv one day, but I’m realistically more likely to make money acting or writing or directing film.” 

Hartnett’s Chicago team, Kill Phil, performs late Friday night, but she’ll be busy much of the rest  of the festival reuniting with besties in the top TIM ensembles she left behind: The Riveters, The Travelling Thornberries, Party Barf, and her duo team with Clare Shelly, Kitten Spit, a past crowd favorite.
It was Hartnett who encouraged TCAF workshop presenter Mary Catherine Curran to sign on for TCAF3. Hartnett had studied with Curran at iO Chicago. Curran, in turn, suggested her friend Alex Carday, an alumnus of the UA’s Charles Darwin Experience, and a current member of the nationally recognized short-form improv company, Comedy Sportz, in Chicago.

Carday’s workshop covers short form game techniques. Curran’s covers making strong emotional choices in scenes, but she also offers a personalized workshop for improvisers interested in solo  performance. How is that different from stand-up? “It's character-driven, and it's more personal, more, I think, an art,” Curran says. “I think mostly standup is based on creating or forming a joke, and you’re yourself most of the time. Solo improv is like a sketch show. It’s tightly scripted, and each piece is separated by blackouts or transitions.”

José  Gonzales, a co-founder of Phoenix’s Torch Theater, a ten-year-old school and  performance space for independent improv teams, will teach workshops on enhancing scenes by working with imaginary objects. His techniques help improvisers create and perform within environments they create in an audience’s imagination. Gonzales also will perform a set with his 14-year-old team, Galapagos, which has toured all over North America and Europe.

While hosting its third comedy festival, TIM also celebrates five years in business. Lukasewicz says, "It's been amazing to see (TIM) sprout up from nothing. My two goals with TIM were to create high quality, fast-paced shows and to have a supportive, inclusive community. At the fifth anniversary show … the quality and support were amazing. I am lucky to get those sorts of moments on a regular basis.”

The current issue of the Weekly has a response to my Guest Opinion about UA's libertarian-leaning Center for the Philosophy of Freedom and the high school course it created. It's written by Michael McKenna, the  current director of the "Freedom Center." I braced myself for a serious tongue lashing. Instead I found some serious quibbles with what I wrote along with information which either confirmed or added to the facts and ideas I presented.

I plan to post about McKenna's response in depth next week, but now I want to focus on my favorite part of his opinion piece, where he writes about how little respect I have for high school students and teachers.

Safier and those who find [David] Schmidtz's course so outrageous should consider just how much they infantilize high school students and how little faith they apparently have in the intelligence of high school teachers. Advanced high school students with an interest in enrolling in challenging college courses can be a pretty tough audience. And most high school teachers offering such courses do have minds of their own—even if they do get the chance to be trained by Schmidtz in how to teach the course.

I don't know if McKenna has taken the time to look into my work history even though I refer to it regularly in my posts. He may or may not know I am a retired public high school teacher who has taught thousands of high school students and worked closely with hundreds of high school teachers. I'm pretty sure most of my colleagues and former students would be surprised to hear that I held them in little regard, especially my students who know I encouraged them to think independently and deeply respected their intelligence and potential.

Reading McKenna's paragraph above, I have to wonder if he has much respect for the power of education to shape minds and the power of teachers to change students' perceptions of the world. Why did he choose to be a professor, I wonder. Why "profess" if you don't believe what you say will have much impact on the people you profess to?

There’s a hell of a football game slated under the blinding lights and towering mecca that is the L.A. Coliseum Saturday night.

That contest pits the upstart prodigal sons of Tucson against the mighty Trojans of the University of Southern California, in a battle for Pac 12 South supremacy.

The Wildcats, who suddenly find themselves ranked 23rd in the latest AP poll, at 6-2 this season, have a chance to pick up their fifth straight win, a feat last accomplished in 2014—the year the Wildcats went 10-4 and won their lone division title since the conference added a championship game in 2012.

The Wildcats’ resurgence has come about largely thanks to the jaw-dropping talent exhibited by sophomore quarterback Khalil Tate, who’s accounted for 784 passing yards, 926 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in four games since supplanting Brandon Dawkins as the team's starter.

Tate is the first player in Pac 10/12 history to win the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week award four times, and has asserted himself as a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate.

Saturday’s matchup is scheduled to kickoff at 7:45 p.m. on ESPN, meaning you won’t have to dig too deep to watch Tate and company take on the Trojans.

There’s plenty to talk about ahead of Saturday’s contest, but I’ve synthesized it all into three main points for your reading pleasure:

1. Can Arizona finally slay the mighty Trojans? The Wildcats last won a game at the Coliseum in 2009, when I was a senior in high school. That game, a 21-17 Arizona triumph, was a matchup of an 8-3 USC squad against a 7-4 Arizona team, led by former Eagles and Rams quarterback Nick Foles. The winning score was a 36-yard pass from the blonde-haired Californian, hitting wide receiver Juron Criner in the end zone to give the Wildcats a four-point lead. How long ago was that game, you ask? Both coaches—in Arizona’s Mike Stoops and USC’s Pete Carroll—have long since left their respective schools, with Stoops getting axed in 2011, while Carroll left to coach the Seattle Seahawks, winning Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

2. Khalil Tate fever sweeps the nation: Tate, as mentioned above, has been a revelation since his first action of the year against Colorado on Oct. 7. The Inglewood, California native, who went to Serra High School in Gardena (which is 10.7 miles from USC’s campus, according to Google Maps), will certainly be looking for blood against USC coach Clay Helton and company. A little background here: Helton and his staff recruited Tate out of high school two years ago, but told him he didn’t have the chops to play quarterback in the Pac 12, which drove him to Tucson. It’ll be interesting to see whether USC’s rush defense will be up to the task, under coordinator Clancy Pendergast, to shut down the 6 foot 2 inch dynamo, two weeks removed from a 35-point shellacking at the hands of Notre Dame—where the Fighting Irish slashed the Men of Troy’s front line to the tune of 377 rushing yards (41 more than USC mustered as a whole). Tate, along with freshman running back JJ Taylor, fresh off a career-best 152 rushing yards against Washington State last Saturday, will look to help Tate carve up the Trojans defense; it’ll be interesting to see if the duo is successful.

3. Desert Swarm 2.0 in the Old Pueblo? The Arizona defense under second-year coordinator Marcel Yates has been a revelation this year, ranking fourth in rush defense (147.2) and first in interceptions (14) in the conference. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that the team’s resurgence on the defensive side of the ball has been driven by a handful of freshmen and sophomores, including freshman Colin Schooler, who has two interceptions and 47 tackles this year. Fellow freshman linebacker Tony Fields II is the team’s leading tackler, with 58 stops this year, and is second on the team with 3.5 sacks this season. Perhaps the most impressive freshman so far has been Kylan Wilborn, who has a team-leading five sacks and seven tackles for a loss for the team this season. This might be the best group of defensive talent to grace the sidelines of Arizona Stadium since the Desert Swarm days of the early 1990s, so they warrant your attention come Saturday night for sure.

How to watch: Arizona will kick off against USC from the LA Coliseum at 7:45 p.m., with ESPN airing it live.

How to bet: Las Vegas has USC as a 7-point favorite, as of Friday afternoon, with ESPN’s
matchup predictor giving USC a 74.8 percent chance of winning.

Get to tastin', Tucsonans!

Gelato Festival Tucson 2017. Get ready for a lot o’ gelato, and a lot o’ authentic Italian artisanal gelato to boot. Gelato’s a huge deal over in Italy, but is starting to gain popularity in the U.S., and the benevolent Gelato Festival America is taking on the noble mission of raising awareness of the neat, sweet treat from across the pond. Try flavors from some of the world’s best gelato artisans, and learn how to make you own as well. To quote Gwen Stefani: Go Gelato! G-E-L-A-T-O Fest! 2 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3 and noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 5. La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Drive. $13.50-$40.

Murder Mystery Dinner. Let the games begin, and let the Game of Thrones begin first and foremost. Damascus Road Tucson presents this event, billed as a coronation for Queen Cersei, and everyone from Lord Marana to Lady South Tucson is invited. (Everyone is invited). Rincon Market will cater a formal dinner, so that guests will be plenty fueled up for part two of the evening: solving a mysterious murder (cue spooky music). Dress formally, but also dress ready to solve some crimes. 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. University of Arizona, Institute of the Environment, ENR2 Building, 1064 E. Lowell St. $20.

Grit and determination. They can go a long way if you hope to change the world. Especially when you're the Koch Brothers and you have $97 billion to back up your grit and determination.

Ninety-seven billion. That's the combined worth of Charles and David Koch. Separately, they share sixth place on the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans, but as a two-headed monster peddling their influence to make the country more conservative, libertarian and pollution-friendly (they're in the oil business, after all), they the top the list.

[Frightening side note: If you combine the fortunes of the three richest Waltons, the family that gave us Wal-Mart and spends hundreds of millions pushing educational privatization, their total worth comes to $115 billion, $18 billion more than the Kochs.]

Seeing as how I recently wrote a guest column in The Weekly's print edition about University of Arizona's Center for the Philosophy of Freedom, aka the "Freedom Center," and I plan to continue writing on the topic, and seeing as how the Kochs furnished nearly $2 million to help start the Center, I want to take a look at a Politico article which came out a couple days ago, How the Kochs are trying to shake up public schools, one state at a time. It begins:

With school choice efforts stalled in Washington, the billionaire Koch brothers’ network is engaged in state-by-state battles with teachers’ unions, politicians and parent groups to push for public funding of private and charter schools.

The privatization/"education reform" crowd has a lock on the White House and the Department of Education, and it's got either a majority of Congress or close to it, but if that isn't enough (and it doesn't look like it is, the education agenda is stalled), there's always Charles and David Koch to put their billions to work. And let's not forget Ed Sec Betsy DeVos's well-funded American Federation for Children, which she had to step back from when she got her position in Trump's cabinet. It pours money into state and local races to help elect candidates who support educational "choice." Hundreds of thousands of AFC dollars have found their way into the coffers of "choice"-friendly candidates for Arizona's legislature.

The Politico article is mainly about the Kochs' Libre Initiative which, according to the article, is "under the umbrella of the Charles and David Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity." It's in eleven states including Arizona, targeting the Hispanic population with its pro-charters-and-vouchers, anti-public-schools agenda.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

For a Good Cause

A 2nd Act. Listen to female cancer survivors share their stories–about their cancer, yes, but more importantly, about how they’ve chosen to live their lives after cancer and make a difference for other survivors. Founder Judy Pearson is a breast cancer survivor herself, but said it was important to her to include survivors of all kinds of cancer. Only women are featured in the show, however, because she’s found that men and women heal differently. “Women are happy to show mastectomy scars and talk about dry vaginas in a group,” she said. “Men don’t wanna do that.” You might cry, you’ll probably laugh, and you’ll definitely feel inspired. 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. Berger Center for the Performing Arts, 1200 W. Speedway. $22 (proceeds go toward 2nd Act programs, including micro grants for survivors!)

2nd Annual Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer. You “think pinked” your way through October, but you might not have realized that September was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Take this opportunity to “feel the teal” and raise awareness of the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The Tucson chapter’s goal is to raise $30,000 for ovarian cancer awareness and research, and they’re well on their way, so even if you can’t walk or run, donate! 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. UA Mall, 1303 E. University Blvd. Pre-registration: $15 for kids 6 to 11 and survivors, $25 for ages 12 and up, $45 virtual walkers. Day of: $20 kids ages 6 to 11, $15 survivors and $40 for ages 12 and up.

The Gray & White Fete. Put this on your calendar now, or, much like the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, you’ll be late! You’ll be late! For a very important date! The Center for Neurosciences Foundation in Tucson is holding this annual fundraiser for their mobile neuroscience lab The Brain Bus, and in the process, they’re transforming the downtown Bates Mansion into a magical wonderland. We could all use some time in a magical wonderland right about now, but add dinner, dancing, music, magic and the chance to support a good cause? Down the rabbit hole we go! 7 p.m. to midnight. Friday, Nov. 3. Bates Mansion, 283 N. Stone Ave. $100.

Dogtoberfest for Handi-Dogs. Just reading the name of this event is enough to make you realize that there should be a dog version of every holiday. Chrismutt? New Year’s Dog? Ind-pant-dence Day? Well… we have time to work on the names, and in the mean time, just head over to this canine carnival. Pups can paint pictures, enter costume and trick contests and run obstacle courses where they can even be clocked by radar guns. This year, they're also introducing the Dogtini Lounge, where dogs can enjoy their own special beverage selections. Humans can enjoy live music, food, a beer garden, raffles, a vendor fair and a huge selection of excellent dogs to feast their eyes upon, and maybe even pet. Proceeds benefit Handi-Dogs, a local nonprofit which helps people train service, therapy and emotional support dogs. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. The Gregory School, 3231 N. Craycroft Road. $5, and free for dogs and kids 12 and under.

Shopping

Introducing the Cow Store. It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: a curated collection and one stop shop for all of the paintings of cows Diana Madaras has ever done. The Madaras Gallery crew has corralled all the cattle into an online cow store, where you can peruse prints, canvases, housewares and other moo-tiful cow adorned products. To celebrate, the gallery is throwing a party with special offers, drinks and some alfalfa to munch on (just kidding, they’ll have human treats.) 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2. Madaras Gallery, 3035 N. Swan Road. Free.