While many people are preparing for the worst as fears of COVID-19 grip the nation (and Pima County), a Tucsonan is highlighting the silver lining: cheap travel and hotels deals.

"I'm looking on the bright side of this whole thing going on right now," said local entrepreneur Aric Mussman. "It's like treasure hunting.'

Mussman set up a Facebook page called The Coronavirus Travel Club, dedicated to posting flight and hotel deals across the globe, around 4 p.m. on Wednesday. In less than 24 hours, Mussman's page now has over 400 members and is steadily continuing to grow.

"A lot of my friends travel so there was a lot of people who were posting travel deals but there wasn't a place to post them together," Mussman said during a phone interview from Los Angeles International Airport before boarding a flight to Hawaii. "I figured I would start this group where we could all post the deals we found."

"Deals on flights from Phoenix to New York only $86 round trip", reads one post. Another one boasts round-trip fare to Oahu, Hawaii from Sky Harbor Airport for only $50. Mussman said he's noticing many of the people posting work for airlines and hotels and are encouraging people to travel by offering cheap deals. He believes the travel industry is in survival mode at the moment.

"There's a whole bunch of people who are fearful of coronavirus. Then you have another subset of people who are fearful about losing their jobs because they're in industries that revolve around traveling," Mussman said. "When I checked into my hotel in L.A. last night, the woman at the front desk said there used to be five people checking-in guests. Now she's the only one."

Mussman said the threat of coronavirus (as well as the precautionary measures) is going too far. While he said he doesn't want to minimize the situation because people have compromised immune systems, Mussman doesn't want to be confined to his home unnecessarily.

"I'm 39 years old and I'm in great shape," Mussman said. "I'll be careful around my grandma but in the meantime, why should I be locked in my house?" 

Mussman said he already takes precautions to avoid getting sick while he travels, like wiping down his seat and tray with a disinfectant wipe before sitting down and religiously uses hand sanitizer abroad. "It's standard stuff. I don't want to get the flu when I travel, either," he said.

"I'm completely not worried whatsoever about traveling," Mussman said. "There's probably a better chance of me getting (coronavirus) in Tucson than in Hawaii. But if it happens, it happens."

You can check out The Coronavirus Travel Club here.

On Wednesday, March 11, Governor Doug Ducey issued a Declaration of Emergency, as well as an executive order, to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Arizona.


The executive order :

 - Requires insurance companies and health plans to cover out of network providers, including out of plan laboratories and telemedicine providers.

 - Waives all copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for consumers related to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and decreases co-pays for telemedicine visits.

 - Implements consumer protections, including prohibiting price-gouging on COVID-19 of diagnosis and treatment-related services.

 - Requires symptom checks of healthcare workers and visitors at skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.

Are you looking to expand the natural environment in and around your house? Look no further than Tohono Chul’s upcoming Spring Plant Sale, held Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22.

The sale will include an extensive offering of both standard and unusual, native, cold-hardy and arid-adapted plants. More than 12,000 species of cacti, succulents, trees, shrubs and flowers will be available for purchase.

Find the sale on the eastern end of the property in the “Propagation Area,” located at 7211 N. Northern Ave. The sale is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Members can attend a preview event Wednesday, March 18 from noon to 6 p.m.

Sports

Tucson Roadrunners vs. San Diego Gulls. It's desert bird vs. seabird at this week's two hockey events, where our home team faces off against San Diego. On Tuesday, March 10, get your tickets for the discounted price of $12 with the promo code "Tuesday." Perhaps even better is Wednesday, March 11, which is $2 hot dog night! There's nothing like a hot dog to complement the excitement of a sporting event. There are also special senior and group discounts for the Wednesday game. If you've never been to a Roadrunners game, why not make this the week? The weather is (dare we say it) starting to warm up, so the rink offers a nice cool spot to hang out, and hockey games are exciting even if you don't know what's going on. 7 p.m. both nights. Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. Normal Wednesday night prices are $13 to $61.

Culture

Beaded Histories: Intergenerational Knowledge and Northern Plains Beadwork. In honor of Women's History Month, the Arizona State Museum is hosting this talk by Jessa Rae Growing Thunder, a PhD student at UC Davis who comes from the Fort Peck Dakoda/Nakoda tribes of Notheastern Montana. She'll be speaking about her work as a quill and beadwork artist along with how Indigenous women have encrypted histories into their beadwork for generations. This free talk is followed by a reception and a special beadwork exhibit. 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10. Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) 103 on the UA campus, 1100 James E Rogers Way. Free.

Music

PCC Chorale & College Singers Spring Concert. You know spring has arrived when the spring concerts start happening! At this production, several vocal groups at PCC will perform. The mixed voice Chorale will be singing songs including Ruth E. Scham's "Snow is Falling" and the classic "Over the Rainbow," while the select mixed-voice a cappella choir College Singers will be singing pieces including the hymn "This is my Father's World" and Kim A. Arnesen's "Even When He Is Silent." Then, both groups come together to sing more pieces, including "Auld Lang Syne" and Reese Norris' "Paper Crane." 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10. PCC Center for the Arts Proscenium Theater, West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road. $5 to $6.

Orville Peck rides high into Rialto Theatre. Once you get past the fringed Lone Ranger mask, no other conclusion can be drawn: This Canadian musician can croon with the best of them. "The mask exists as a point of discussion," he told the New York Times. On "Dead of Night," this masked crooner eerily channels the ghost of Roy Orbison, as he sings a lonesome hymn to the "incredibly talented women" at the Chicken Ranch brothel: Where the West is still wild. "Stark, hollow town, Carson city lights/Baby, let's get high/Spend a Johnny's cash, hitch another ride/We laugh until we cry." Recently appearing on the cover of British GQ, enigmatic country singer Orville Peck rides high into Rialto Theatre.

Tinsley Ellis at 191 Toole. Before discovering "King of the Blues" BB King, guitarist's guitarist Tinsley Ellis' youthful ears were captivated by the roar of the British Invasion and Southern rockers. Ellis, a "bona fide, worldwide guitar hero," is at 191 Toole.

The Carnivaleros Trio. The motley crew that oversee this zydeco-tinged, accordion-fueled Tex-Mexican bacchanal on occasion splinter off. The Carnivaleros Trio occupy second Tuesdays at Tucson Hop Shop.

Movies

The Mask You Live In (Free screening). This documentary follows the lives of a handful of boys as they struggle to balance their personal lives with "America's narrow definition of masculinity." Directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who directed the other against-the-grain documentaries The Great American Lie and Miss Representation, The Mask You Live In examines the danger of a culture ignoring boys' troubles and needs by simply telling them to "man up." This screening is a rental of The Loft Cinema, presented by Child & Family Resources. Following the film, there will be presentations about free youth local workshops, curriculum training and conference opportunities. 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 10. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Free.

Ghost. For their Tuesday Night Classics series, Harkins Theatres is screening one of the most successful box office films, and certainly one of the most successful films where Whoopi Goldberg speaks with ghosts. Directed by Jerry Zucker (who also directed Airplane!), this 1990 drama follows the ghost of a man working with a psychic to save his still-living lover. 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10. 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz & 5755 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive. $5.

When first laying eyes upon, “Ye Olde Pub”, one immediately realizes why the World War II-era aircraft is also known as, “The Flying Fortress”. This B-17 bomber aircraft is massively intimidating. Its metallic exterior walls and dull olive-green paint make it look like a prop out of an old black and white film. But this is no prop, and this is no movie. I was about to board this aircraft and fly.

Normally, this isn’t something I’m comfortable with. I didn't actually work on or fly in aircraft, and despite having been around them during my past career in the Air Force, it wasn’t a part of my duties to be on them. And I was okay with that, seeing as how I wasn’t a fan of flying - or heights.

But this was different. This was history. It’s not something I would normally have a chance to do, and probably won't have a chance again. This coming weekend is the last time the B-17 is available for public flights. There are only eight left able to fly (out of 12,431 originally constructed). Luckily, you also have a shot to experience history.

This is all thanks to The Liberty Foundation. They travel the country with a variety of historic aircraft to honor American veterans and to educate the public on the high cost of freedom. This weekend, March 14 and 15, they’ve brought along “Ye Olde Pub” to the Tucson International Airport for public flights and education, and I’d been invited for a pre-event flight.

Monday morning I was nervous but mostly excited. I day-dreamt about what it would be like boarding and then flying in such an aircraft. I really didn’t know what to expect. Little did I know that hours later I would have the rush of a lifetime.

Walking towards the hangar I started to get butterflies. After walking into a clean and modern waiting room we listened to the preflight speech giving all of us a safety briefing. The aircraft is old and wasn't meant for comfort. There are certain things you need to pay attention to while you're on, because you won't be able to hear much once you're in the air. Got it. Copy all.

We exited the main building and headed toward the plane. I tried to make myself small as I crawled in so as not to hit my head, and found a seat on some red seat webbing. After strapping in, I was already pumped. Any fear I had beforehand was washed away by the sheer magnitude of historic significance.

The engines came to life, starting with a sputter before coming to a roar. I held on while looking through the gunning window, imagining the 18-year-old who may have sat there almost 80 years before. Once we got to altitude we were able to unbuckle and crawl around the aircraft. From the radio room to the nose, everything was amazing. To think of how many young people not only flew in these, but also gave their lives, was awe-inspiring.

The flight felt fast, and though we had been in the air for about 15 minutes, it was time to touch back down. I was grateful that I was able to have such an amazing experience.

Though this plane was built in 1945, the original “Ye Olde Pub” from 1943 was a working plane during World War II and has a great historic story on its own. Now it remains as a symbol and teaching instrument, traveling the nation to tell its story and give people a first-hand look at the skies from the perspective of our forefathers.

You can get your chance to see and fly on the B-17 this weekend, March 14 and 15. For more information or to donate to the cause, go to www.libertyfoundation.org.

It's that time of year again when local group Positively Beautiful gives women living with H.I.V/ AIDS a free day of beauty to celebrate International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8. The event is open to any woman living with the illness.

"I remember one of the years this woman had not had her hair cut in years...much less her hair cut, colored and styled, with makeup and nails for something like 15 years," said Dr. Heather Moroso, founder of Positively Beautiful. "When she looked in the mirror after, she looked at me and said 'I feel beautiful again,' and that's really what it's all about."

The event's founder, Moroso, said she wanted to establish something that would help "overcome the effects of (H.I.V.) medication" and empower women to feel their best.

"It's not so much about a day of pampering as it is a day of empowerment," Moroso said. "H.I.V medication causes side effects such as sunken cheeks and discoloration of skin."

Moroso started Positively Beautiful in 2008 to help out the community she worked with since graduating medical school. After seeing the side effects from the medication first-hand, she said, she wanted to do something positive for the women.

"There's a look from the medication, you know," Moroso said. "Some days you don't feel good about yourself. All of us got through it. You feel fat one day and one day you don't. These are all things we can change within ourselves."

This year's event will be held at Shear Glamour located at 5714 E. 22nd Street. While they will accept walk-ins, the organization does recommend setting up an appointment before Sunday. For more information or to schedule, please call Moroso Medical Center at 520-495-4054. 

It's a book chat, not a book club, so basically you select your own book and join us for a conversation about books, books, and more books (you may want to invest in a new bookshelf!).

Here's the lineup!

March 28
#ReadBlack: Read Black Women
Not sure what books to read? We've got your covered! Check out this book list.

June 27
#ReadBlack: Read Black Pride

September 26
#ReadBlack: Read Afro-Latinx

December 19
#ReadBlack: Read New Black Books

Don't forget to follow Kindred on Facebook for fascinating articles, book lists, and community information celebrating the Black experience in Pima County, and beyond.

The Tucson City Council approved a six-month extension to the city's e-scooter pilot program after a 6-1 vote at last night's study session. The program, which started last September and was scheduled to end next week on March 12, will be extended through September 12.

"I would like to consider a motion that we expand the pilot program and continue getting data," Mayor Regina Romero said during last night's study session. "Correct the behavior of users, make it safer and much more accessible in other areas of the city."

Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik was the council's lone vote to end the program stating, "I'm 100 percent opposed to continuing this pilot program."

The majority of e-scooter trips happen in his area. Nearly 80 percent of rides take place in central Tucson's Ward 6. Kozachik cites issues ranging from safety to being cost effective for the city in the long run. 

"We've generated $74,000 from (the program) and $16,000 of that has gone into painting stickers on Fourth Avenue sidewalks," Kozachik said before the mayor's motion. "You can build...what...a quarter-mile of a protected bike lane with the kind of revenue we're bringing in with this thing?"

Ward 4 Councilwoman Nikki Lee said she was "very sensitive to Steve's situation," considering Ward 6 has the majority of the program's e-scooters and sees most of the issues. Lee said Ward 4 was open to taking on more e-scooters if it would help Tucsonans get to transit stops. Only 59 e-scooter trips were taken in Ward 4 during the first six months of the program, according to the city's e-scooter evaluation report.

"If there are opportunity zones that are identified, our office would really appreciate being involved," Lee said. "I just wanted to point out, Steve, that I'm very compassionate to your situation."

After Lee's comments, Kozachik offered a substitute motion to end the program before the vote took place. He was unable to get a second on the motion.

Check out our analysis of the city's e-scooter report here. 

 



 

Next week, Summit Hut will host its Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival, three days of films that range from thought-provoking mountain movies to outdoor adventures.

Summit Hut will donate a portion of the ticket sales to local nonprofits, and this year they asked Tucson to help them pick two deserving organizations to benefit from the festival.

There are five nonprofits in the running: Cooper Center for Environmental Learning, Girls on Outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, Sky Island Alliance and Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports.

The two nonprofits selected will each receive a $2,000 Banff Grant to be awarded during the festival on Friday, March 6.

The deadline to vote is tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 28 by midnight.

You can vote once online, and also vote in person at one of Summit Hut's two locations once per day.

To vote, visit their website here.

Currently, Girls on Outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science and Cooper Center for Environmental Learning are in the lead.

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival takes place at the Fox Theatre from March 5 through 7. General admission is $15 each night and VIP tickets are available for $60 per night. VIP tickets include admission for two people, a loge loveseat, early entry and complementary appetizers and drinks during a VIP reception held by Marmot, Mountain Hardwear and Summit Hut before each show.

To see the lineup, purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.summithut.com/pages/banff-mountain-film-festival/

Whether you're Team Thin Mints or Team Samoas, don't miss your chance to stock up on your favorite Girl Scouts' cookies during the National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, starting today and ending this Sunday, March 1.

The event happens nationally every year as a way to recognize the positive impact of the Girl Scouts Cookie Program for young women in the scouts. The cookie program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world and teaches girls important skills like goal-setting and business ethics.

Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona troops will be at various locations in town on Friday and Saturday selling cookies, and you can buy a box or four to support them.

Here's where you can find cookies:

2/28
4 -7 p.m. at Safeway, 1940 E Broadway Blvd.

4-7 p.m. at Circle K, 3128 N 1st Ave.

4 -7 p.m. at Safeway, 9125 E Tanque Verde

4:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Walgreens, 525 W Valencia Rd.

2/29
8 -10 a.m. at Circle K, 4685 E Valencia Rd.

8 -10 a.m. at Walmart, 455 E. Wetmore Rd.

Noon-2 p.m. at Safeway, 10380 E Broadway Blvd.

1 -3 p.m. at Fry's ,2001 E. Irvington Rd.

3:30 -5:50 p.m. at Walmart, 8640 E Broadway Blvd.

6 - 8 p.m. at Bookmans, East 6230 E Speedway

Troop Walkabout: (2/29) 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Girl Scouts will pull a wagon with cookies to sell around the Highland Ranch Neighborhood at Ironwood Hill(Grant) /Greasewood area.