The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH) has released its 2018 list of the top-20 noisiest toys. Noisy toys are categorized as any toy that reaches a sound level of 85 decibel or higher consistently.

On a more serious note, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 85 dB is the maximum volume a child should be exposed to for no more than eight hours. Sounds louder than 100 dB can damage hearing in less than 15 minutes. So, be kind to both parents and children alike, avoid these toys this holiday season.

The Noisiest Toys:
1. Black and Decker Junior Leaf Blower, 113.8 dB, ages 3+
2. Marvel Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet Electronic Fist, 108.5 dB, ages 5+
3. My Little Pony Singing Rainbow Dash, 108.4 dB, ages 3+
4. VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Minnie Convertible, 107 dB, ages 1-5
5. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Bladebuilders Electronic Riot Baton, 106.3 dB, ages 4+
6. B.toys Woofer Hound Dog Guitar, 106.2 dB, ages 2+
7. Marvel Avengers Infinity War Mission Tech Iron Man, 106.1 dB, ages 4+
8. Fisher-Price Sing & Learn Music Player, 105.6 dB, ages 6 months-3 years
9. Fisher-Price Bright Beats Spin & Crawl Tumble Ball, 104 dB, ages 9 months+
10. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy's Busy Activity Home 103.7 dB, ages 6 months-36 months
11. B. toys Meowsic Keyboard, 103.4 dB, ages 2+
12. B. toys YouTurns Steering Wheel, 103.3 dB, ages 1-5
13. Fisher-Price Rock 'n Sort Snail Pail, 103 dB, ages 6 months+
14. Marvel Black Panther Slash & Strike Erik Killmonger Figure, 101.6 dB, ages 4+
15. VTech Pull and Discover Activity Elephant, 100.3 dB, ages 1-3
16. Fisher-Price Shimmer & Shine Tummy Rubs Nazboo, 100.7 dB, ages 3+
17. VTech Drill & Learn Toolbox, 99 dB, ages 2-5
18. Spider-Man Homecoming Super Sense Spider-Man, 99 dB, ages 5+
19. VTech Sort & Discover Drum, 98.8 dB, ages 6 months-36 months
20. Playskool Friends Sesame Street Tickle Me Elmo, 90 dB, ages 18 months-4 years

Conversely, if you like the parents of the kids you're buying for:

Safe toys list:
Driven Micro Fire Truck, small, 85 dB, age 4+
Transformers Bumblebee Greatest Hits FX, 85 dB, ages 5+
VTech Care for Me Learning Carrier, 85 dB, ages 9 months-36 months
Nella the Princess Knight Transforming, 85 dB, ages 3+
Duck Tales 7" plush Huey, 85 dB, newborn+
Disney's Doc McStuffins Baby Take Care of Me Nursery Pal, 85 dB, age 3+
Peppa Pig Princess n' Oink plush, 82 dB, ages 18 months+
Fisher-Price Smart Stages plush, 82 dB, ages 6 months-36 months
Hasbro furReal Snifflin' Sawyer, 79 dB, ages 4+
Leap Frog My Pal Scout plush 75 dB, ages 6 months-36 months

“Super Safe” Toys:
VTech Drop & Go Dump Truck 66 dB ages 6 months-36 months
Fisher-Price Sweet Sounds Bunny 62 dB ages newborn+

Tucson Marathon Events will take place on Dec. 8 from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and include the Holualoa Tucson Marathon, the Tucson Medical Center Marathon Relay and the Damascus Bakeries Half Marathon.

Happening annually since 1995, the event has grown from 800 participants to over 4,000. Last year 48 states and 5 foreign countries were represented.

The Boston Marathon qualifying race is USATF Certified. Also, according to organizers, it is one of the prettiest courses in the country and one of the easiest to run a personal best because of the cool temperatures of a Tucson winter.

The town of Oracle hosts the starting line and the course goes through the Sonoran Desert on paved roads and finishes at the Golder Ranch Fire Station in Catalina.

A portion of the proceeds benefit local school sports programs and other youth groups. If you are not going to run, you can also volunteer your time and get a free marathon t-shirt. The sponsors include Holualoa, Gatorade Endurance, CLIF Bar, Damascus Bakeries, Hilton, Kalil Bottling Company, Doctor Bob Studios, Magic Stuff, First American Traders, Culligan, Athlon Physical Therapy, Whole Foods Market and Fleet Feet Sports.

Find out more about the event here.

Sam Lena-South Tucson and Flowing Wells Libraries are set to reopen this week after being closed for renovations.

New changes added to the Sam Lena-South Tucson Library include a large children's room with a creative youth space for teens, new study rooms and community rooms, an upgraded service desk and new curbside book drop-off. The library will reopen on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 9 a.m, and is located at 1607 S. Sixth Avenue.

The Flowing Wells library has expanded to nearly three times its original size. The newly renovated library will include a large multipurpose room, a children's programming room, three new study rooms, an outdoor patio with wifi access, spaces for teens and children and a family restroom.

The Flowing Wells library will reopen Monday, Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. and is located on 1730 W. Wetmore Road.

Both libraries will have updated collections, furniture and public use computers.

Join the reopening celebration with Pima County Public Library. For more information, visit the library website or call (520) 791-4010. 

Fans of The Music Man will have to wait a little longer for the show to open in Tucson. Technical issues have caused the Arizona Theatre Company to cancel the first preview of the show, initially scheduled for Dec. 1.

“We are truly sorry for any inconvenience this may cause our ticket holders,” said ATC Managing Director Billy Russo. “We have no doubt this will be a sensational production, and want to do our very best to support it with the resources it needs. Right now, the most valuable one is time. Unfortunately, with large-scale musicals, situations like this frequently occur.”

Preview performances scheduled for Dec. 2 to 6 will go on as planned. Ticket holders for the opening show will be offered seats at later performances. 

For questions call the ATC box office at 520 622 2823. 

Reveille Men's Chorus Holiday Show. It's that lovely time of year where local performance groups are putting on holiday performances, just in time to ease all your holiday stress. The local men's chorus production this year is the "Island of Misfit Toys," which tells the story of a group of misfits who learn to accept themselves—and others—for exactly who they are. But it's not just wholesome and heartwarming. With barbershop, pop, opera, holiday and uncategorizable numbers, it's also a show that will leave you thoroughly impressed. 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1. 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, and Sunday, Dec. 2. Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. $20, or free for youth 23 and under. Details Here.

Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 3. When Sergei Rachmaninoff was 24, his Symphony No. 1 was  critically received, and it sent him into a four-year depression during which the pianist, composer and conductor—who started playing piano at age 4—didn't do much at all. The fact that he went on to compose this gorgeous symphony, one which he himself truly believed was good, is enough to make anyone feel hopeful. This evening at the Tucson Symphony Orchestra also features Khachaturian's Concerto-Rhapsody for Cello, with soloist Nicholas Mariscal, and the world premiere of In the Kingdom of Bells, by Scott Ordway. TSO commissioned the piece from Ordway, who is known for pairing artistic disciplines with humanistic themes. 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30. And 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $21 to $86. Details Here.

Menace II Society. Part of Lower Arizona's bi-monthly "On the Reel" presentation dedicated to culture, The Screening Room is showing this 1993 drama film. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Menace II Society examines the life of a young black man hoping to escape the town he grew up in for hopes of a better life. Featuring a movie discussion with the audience. 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. 127 E. Congress St. $7. Details Here.

Sugar Plum Tea 2018. Supporting Ballet Tucson means supporting their annual production of The Nutcracker, which means you definitely want to support Ballet Tucson. And they're making it super fun to do: At this tea, there's live holiday music, a silent auction, delicious treats and characters from The Nutcracker in attendance. You can get some holiday shopping done at their boutique full of gifts and stocking stuffers, and even enjoy a performance by the dancers. Singer and saxophonist Jeff Haskell and singer Katherine Byrnes are providing entertainment, and so is harpist (and graduate of both Julliard and the UA) Christine Vivona. 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1. Marriott University Park Hotel, 880 E. Second St. $75. Details Here.

The Music Man. If you know anything about The Music Man, you know the music man really isn't a music man at all—he's a con artist who rolls into River City, Iowa one summer with a plan to con the townspeople. More specifically, he offers to train young boys in the town to play instruments and form bands, then skips town with the money. He's done it plenty of times before, but this time is different, because there's a cute little boy with a lisp, a barbershop quartet and—as there is in most any musical—a love story. There's also these really great gossip townsfolk called the "Pickalittle Ladies" who are an awful lot like a flock of birds. Don't miss Arizona Theatre Company's production of this show. Sunday, Dec.2 through Sunday, Dec. 30. With shows at either 2 p.m., 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. $46 to $76. Details Here

St. Philip's Plaza Farmers Market. This local market took a little hiatus for the summer, but this fall it opened up with more variety, extended hours and live entertainment. Whether you're there to buy handcrafted pottery, local baked goods, a new plant, some fantastic spice blends, artisan jewelry or tonight's dinner, you can now do it to the beat of the live music, and for longer! (Don't worry, admission is still totally free). St. Philip's Plaza is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon anyway, but throw in the opportunity to support local art, get some holiday shopping in and treat yourself to a snack? You'd be a fool to miss it. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. St. Philip's Plaza, 4280 N. Campbell Ave. Details Here.

Cultivate Tucson: Holiday 2018 Pop-Up Market. Hooray small businesses! Hooray local art! Hooray holiday shopping! Don't miss another chance to buy goods from Tucson's independent designers, makers and shops. It's located in the All Saints Building, which used to be a Catholic school, so it will be hallways full of community interactions, classrooms full of vendors where you can learn all about local artists' methods, and a courtyard with even more vendors. If you had a good experience in Catholic school, relive it at this event. If you had a bad experience in Catholic school, reclaim it at this event. We'd cultiv-hate for you to miss this cultiv-great event. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. 415 S. Sixth Ave. Free. Details Here.

Asteroid Ahoy! It's not just the holiday season in Tucson—it's asteroid arrival season, because the UA-led NASA OSIRIS-REx mission is reaching a major milestone this Monday when it arrives at the asteroid Bennu. To celebrate, the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium is hosting a whole weekend of festivities, including a presentation at 2 p.m. on Saturday by Bashar Rizk, the guy in charge of the mission's cameras; and a 2 p.m. Sunday talk by Dante Lauretta, the mission's principal investigator. Both presentations will be followed by a screening of the fulldome planetarium show "Asteroid: Mission Extreme." There's also hands-on activities and a board game signing by Lauretta (who designs board games in addition to leading NASA missions). 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, and Sunday, Dec. 2. Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, 1601 E. University Blvd. $4 GA, free science presentations and regular price for the planetarium shows: $8 adults and $6 kids. Details Here.

La Fiesta de Tumacacori. Do you ever think about how many different cultures have lived in and influenced Southern Arizona? Because it's a lot, and it's actually kind of overwhelming to think about. But at this event, it's fun to think about, because it involves Native American, Mexican and Southwest food, crafts and performances. There's demonstrations on everything from paper flower-making to tortilla-making to O'odham basket weaving! There's piñatas, games and prizes! There are dozens of nonprofit organizations selling food and hand-crafted items! There's nonstop entertainment! And there's a procession Sunday morning. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. Tumacacori National Historical Park, 1891 E. Frontage Road, Tumacacori. Free. Details Here.

Orchestra Concerts at PCC. Pima Community College students and other adults in the Tucson community are coming together to perform this repertoire of classical music under the direction of Alexander Tentser. Tentser immigrated to the U.S. from the Ukraine back in 1990, earned his doctorate in musical arts at the UA and has been performing, educating and conducting ever since. The PCC's orchestra aims to educate the community about orchestral music and provide musicians with an opportunity to perform in a group setting. Take advantage of this fantastic (and affordable!) opportunity to not only learn a little bit about classical music, but to spend an evening with peaceful music in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle. 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. Proscenium Theatre, 2202 W. Anklam Road. $6, or $5 for students/seniors/military/PCC employees and groups. Details Here.

2018 Jingle Bell Run. Some things in life are unexplainable but true, and this is one of them: It's
easier to run a 5K wearing a Santa hat, with jingle bells tied to your shoes, than it is to run a 5K without being decked out in Christmas gear. It might be that the holiday spirit makes you feel a little bit lighter, or it might be that the rhythm of the jingle bells keeps you going, or it might just be magic. You'll feel even better running this race knowing you're raising funds and awareness to cure arthritis—America's number one cause of disability. 100 percent of your registration fee and fundraising efforts go to the Arthritis Foundation. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. Gene C. Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way. $20 to $35. Details Here.

Mini Cactus Bowls & Prickly Pear Margaritas. Do you like margaritas? Have you ever had a prickly pear margarita? Green Things will give you the chance to try it (if you haven't already) during their workshop dedicated to making your very own mini cactus bowl. Recipes will also be available to take home. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. 3384 E. River Road. $5 (plus cost of supplies). Details Here.

Rillito Park Farmers Market. Sometimes it's hard to find time for Christmas shopping because life's other responsibilities get in the way. How are you supposed to do laundry, cook dinner AND find the perfect gift for Aunt Mabel? Farmers markets can help you kill at least two birds with one stone, because you can get some of your grocery shopping done while you also pick out holiday treats and gifts from small local businesses that will be well-loved by the ones you love. Plus, the live music and the treats you can buy for yourself on the spot make for a shopping experience that's low on stress and high on fun. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. Rillito Park Food Pavilion, 4502 N. First Ave. Details Here.

Brew Lights. The Reid Park Zoo and Craft Tucson are joining forces to provide "the hoppiest  holiday event in southern Arizona." Brew Lights will allow you to enjoy your favorite local craft beer while admiring the thousands of twinkling lights and lighted animal displays. Food from Taste Catering and more fun activities will also be available in this family-friendly event. Prices vary depending on what you want to do. 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. 3400 E. Zoo Court. Details Here.

Cat Mountain Station Winter Art Fest. If you feel like you've exhausted all of your options for Christmas shopping in central/east-of-the-freeway Tucson (you probably haven't—the options are practically endless, and you should see our holiday gift guide for a tiny sampling of them), then try heading over to Cat Mountain Station for this event. Fine arts, crafts, jewelry, iron works and photography abound, and you'll be crossing names off of your "to-buy-for" list left and right. Cat Mountain is where it's at mountain. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. Cat Mountain Station, 2740 S. Kinney Road. Details Here.

Arizona National Guard Muster. This rally honors not only the service and sacrifice of all Arizona veterans, but the 100-year anniversary of the end of WWI. Highlights include military static displays, a flyover by the Arizona National Guard, and the "muster"—a tradition dating back almost 400 years to when America's first colonial militia assembled. Arizona National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen will muster in formation on the field for review by Mag. Gen. Michael T. McGuire. And there's plenty else to enjoy too, including a car & motorcycle show, the 108th Army Band, tons of vendors and a children's play area. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium 2500 E. Ajo Way. Free. Details Here.

Sips for SaveTheSaveable.com Drink wine and save animals? Yes please. Help prevent unnecessary shelter deaths in this wine sipping event hosted by No Kill County, with a portion of the event fee going to the Save the Saveable campaign. If you end up buying three or more wine bottles, Arizona Wine Collective will also donate a portion of your purchase to the cause. 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. 4280 N. Campbell Road. #155. +21, $25. Details Here.

Rio Bravo (with special guests). Turner Classic Movies announced Tucson as the winner of the second "Bring TCM to your Hometown contest." As so, TCM will host a free screening of Rio Bravo at the Fox Theatre on in celebration of the 60th anniversary of its filming in Tucson. Star of the film and iconic actress Angie Dickinson will join TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz for a special introduction and for a meet and greet with fans. Dickinson, who worked alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin, plays Feathers in the movie. Hosted by TCM Backlot and Fox Tucson Theatre. 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. 17 W. Congress St. Free. Reserve online. Details Here.

The Incredibles 2 Drive-in. The Cactus Drive-In Theatre is back! Hop in your car and head down to the Tanque Verde Swap Meet's northwest lot for a screening of this Pixar sequel. This screening is to help the Cactus Drive-In afford land, a full-sized screen, and other equipment for a permanent drive-in movie theater. Vendors for food, drinks, and snacks will be on site. 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. 4100 S Palo Verde Road. $15 per vehicle. Details Here.

Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.

Events compiled by Brianna Lewis, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Start your engines because the 11th annual Red Sleigh Toy Run will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 9 a.m.

The run, which thankfully doesn't involve any actual running, will take place at S & S Motorsports and registration is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

At the end of the run, lunch will be served at Lindy’s where winners will be drawn for the 50/50 raffle and other prizes.

The ride costs $25 per rider and $5 per passenger including lunch. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for the sled.

For over a decade, the Red Sleigh Toy Run has teamed up with local businesses, school districts, community members and bikers to bring Christmas to Tucson children in their time of need. They are a non-profit 501c3 organization that delivers toys and other essentials to the doors of children and their families on motorcycles. Bike riders of all ages are welcome to join and change a life this holiday season.

One Dec. 15, they will be hosting another Toy Run to the children of Patagonia. Bring an unwrapped toy and the ride is free.

Sponsors include S & S Motorsports, Lindy’s, Saguaro Desert Landscaping LLC., Arizona Awards and Engraving, American Legion, Tucson Rough Riders and Lawler Team NOVA Home Loans.

The gifts collected will be distributed to more than 1,000 children in Tucson. 

Moth Diversity on Mount Lemmon. This might not be something you've ever thought about before, but moth diversity on Mount Lemmon is a fascinating subject—both in and of itself and as a microcosm for biodiversity in general. The Santa Catalinas are one of the world's most biologically diverse regions, and as seasons shift from extreme heat to monsoons to the cold of winter, this diversity can shift. Cristina Francois, a PhD candidate in insect science at the UA, will talk about how biodiversity can change over space and time by talking about moth communities in particular. Face it: The pull of Mount Lemmon for Tucsonans is just as strong as the pull of light for moths, so flit on up there and check out this workshop. 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. Summerhaven Community Center. 12949 N. Sabino Canyon Park, Mount Lemmon. Details Here.

SNOOPY!!! Talking about Snoopy is the sort of thing that gets most people so excited that putting three explanation points after his name is almost a little redundant—the excitement is inherent in the name. But when we're talking about the title to a musical sequel to the beloved Peanuts comic strip, full of all the wit and warmth of the source material, plus the music and magic of this new medium, those three exclamation points might just be called for. It's a show about children, so kids will love it, but the '70s music and the nostalgia factor will have adults groovin' just as much (if not more). Thursday, Nov. 29 through Saturday, Dec. 29. 7 p.m. previews on Thursday, Nov. 29 and Friday, Nov. 30. Shows 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Saturday matinee on Dec. 29 at 3 p.m., instead of evening show. Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. $12 adults, $10 kids.

Wind River. Join the UA’s Women & Gender Resource Center for an analysis of this 2017 murder mystery. Debuting at the Sundance Film Festival, this movie examines the investigation of a missing person on a Native American Reservation. Part of the WGRC Critical Film Series. 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. Gallagher Theatre. 1303 E University Blvd. Free for all, including popcorn! Details Here.

Teaching in Arizona. This documentary follows three Tucson educators in order to show what it’s like to be a teacher in Arizona today. The screening is at Los Niños Elementary, where one of the movie’s subjects, Tia Begay, works. Hosted by the Tucson Values Teachers nonprofit. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. 5445 S. Alvernon Way. Details Here.

Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.

Events compiled by Brianna Lewis, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy that identifies the top 100 organizations that Americans are most willing to support named the University of Arizona number 92.

UA was among only 41 universities and was the only university in Arizona on the list released Oct. 30.

The Chronicle calculated $215.6 million on cash support, money and stock received as gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations at UA in 2017.

The UA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manages UA fundraising, has helped produce more than $3 billion in private funding since it began 60 years ago.

UA is one of 20 public colleges to appear on the list and twenty-one private colleges have made the Chronicle’s list including Harvard at No. 4 and Stanford University and Cornell University in the top 10 as well.

Top 10 for Cash Support:
United Way Worldwide: $3,260,274,867
Salvation Army: $1,467,750,000
ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Hospital: $1,314,189,700
Harvard: $1,283,739,766
Mayo Clinic: $1,140,619,378
Stanford: $1,110,664,853
Boys & Girls Clubs of America: $909,035,450
Compassion International: $819,417,089
Cornell: $743,502,739
Lutheran Services in America: $731,566,533

Data retrieved here.

Pima Animal Care Center is throwing a party to give thanks to the community for making their new buildings possible and supporting the lifesaving work they do.

Because of voters who approved proposition 415 in 2014, PACC now runs a modern animal care facility that saves many lives.

Party with the Pets will be on Dec. 2 to from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include behind the scenes tours every hour throughout the event, activities for kids, music, giveaways, adoptions specials, a dedication ceremony and more!

The dedication ceremony will take place from noon to 1 p.m. with speakers including PACC Director Kristen Auerbach, Pima County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Elías, County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, Oro Valley Council member Rhonda Piña, Friends of PACC Chair Tammi Barrick and PACC advocate Laura O'Brien. There will also be a celebratory cake.

All day activities include a petting zoo with PACC puppies and kittens with farm animals from local rescue partners, glitter tattoos of a favorite animal, painting a river rock for PACC Rocks Project, making treats for the shelter pets, making enrichment toys for the pets, an interactive NRPR’s Urban Wildlife Exhibit to teach you how to coexist with wildlife in an urban setting, Canine Fun Camp, Dog Play Groups and Pima County Public Library Bookmobile where kids can get a free book and sign up to read to PACC cats.

The scheduled events, activities and demonstrations include PACC trivia for a chance to win prizes from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., shopping for Fido and Fifi at 1:45 p.m. where you have to get everything for your pet at the store without breaking the bank, Cat Clicker Training from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn how to get your cat to give you a high-five and PACC Saved Me testimonials hourly to meet some of the “top save” pets and hear their story.

There will be information booths from PACC Volunteer, Animal Protection Services, Friends of PACC, PetSmart, Sheriff’s Department Crisis K-9's and Primavera Foundation. 

Three high school students who were in summer internships with the UA Bioinformatics Laboratory will leave high school being published scientific authors.

Usually only college students and graduates have the opportunity to be co-authors in scientific published work, but Liam Wilson, Wesley Chiu and Minsu Pumarejo each were able to complete a summer data science internship in a bioinformatics lab in the Center for Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Yves Lussier, director of the Center for Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics and associate director of informatics at the BIO5 Institute, taught the three high school students in the bioinformatics lab. In just 48 hours, the interns were mentored on how to analyze medical studies and cross-reference their findings.

Wesley Chiu is a senior at Basis Tucson North High School and initially had an interest in biology. After the internship, Chiu said he learned more about databases, querying and their connection to the real world application.

"We have don't a lot of programing in class, but this has really opened my eyes to the possibility of integrating programming to solving problems affecting humanity right now," Chiu said.

Though the internship, the three students participated in a four year computational biology project that analyzed 'junk DNA,' an area of the DNA that does not produce proteins and where diseases can derive from. These regions of the DNA are still not completely understood and account for 97 percent of the human genome.

UA researchers analyzed the shared molecular mechanisms between diseases and found 398 new links among approximately 16,000 potential combinations.

The continuous work of Dr. Li and Dr. Lussier in this study has the potential to contribute new solutions of preventive and treatment plans for diseases, lowering healthcare costs and can decrease mortality rates for patients.