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In today’s newsletter:

đŸȘ§ Benson residents are fighting a proposed aluminum smelter near the San Pedro River, urging Attorney General Kris Mayes to block the project — a fight that echoes Tucson’s opposition to the Project Blue data center. Read about it.

đŸŽ¶ Tucson mariachi legend Alfredo “Dr. V” Valenzuela is celebrating 50 years of teaching young performers — a legacy that started with one guitar in a third-grade classroom and now spans thousands of students and two new lifetime awards. Read more here.

đŸ–ïž Molina Yazzie’s family is still searching for answers years after her death was ruled an accident without a full investigation — a story that shows the gaps Indigenous families face in seeking justice. Read more here.

Featured stories

In Benson, a fight over an aluminum plant echoes Tucson’s Project Blue

Ashlyn Bloom traded Tucson for the quiet life in Benson — ranch chores and walks outside. Now she’s using TikTok to sound the alarm about an aluminum recycling plant in [
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“The music got into my heart,” Mariachi legend Dr. V on 50 years of educating Tucson’s youngest performers

To celebrate one of his third-grade students at Mission View Elementary School, teacher Alfredo Valenzuela — now mariachi legend, Dr. V — brought his guitar for a birthday serenade. The [
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“We’re going to have to do it ourselves:” Molina Yazzie’s case highlights gaps in death investigations in Indigenous communities

In many Indigenous families, someone holds the honor of being the best breadmaker. No recipe, no measuring – just hands and muscle memory. For Katrina Yazzie, that person was her [
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Celebrate Pride Month with the Pride author talk on Saturday, Oct. 25 at Murphy-Wilmot Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road. Tucson poet TC Tolbert will read his work, sign books and conduct a Q and A from 3 – 4:30 p.m. 

Time to vote in Tucson. Drop your ballot in the mail no later than Tuesday, Oct. 28. Prefer to vote in person? Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. See voter guides at azluminaria.org/voting.

Get a free memory screening on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the Oro Valley Public Library 1305 W. Naranja Dr., from noon to 2 p.m. or at Quincie Douglas Library, 1585 E. 36th St. on Friday, Nov. 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The 5-10 minute non-diagnostic screening by certified options counselors from the Pima Council on Aging can identify whether further evaluation is needed. Register here or call 520-790-7573, extension 1739. Walk-ins are welcome, but those with appointments will be seen first.

Participate in the Indigenous Literacy Project, a free three-part series of professional learning events for PreK-12 educators committed to supporting Native American students. Two virtual events: an Indigenous Author’s Panel on Wednesday, Nov. 5 and a webinar on Nov. 19. Register here.

Tucson Village Farm’s Tunes Under the Moon concert is Friday, Nov. 7 from 5-9 p.m. Bring picnic blankets or lawn chairs and listen to music under the stars. Tickets are $16 with add-on options like food and merch. The event at 2201 E. Roger Road is a fundraiser for Tucson Village Farm’s 4-H Healthy Living Ambassador’s Program.

Experience the landscape jaguars roam on a guided hike on Dec. 6 through Borderlands Wildlife Preserve with experts from the Northern Jaguar Project and the Watershed Restoration Program. Register before the hike fills up. Details. Catch up on Arizona Luminaria’s reporting about jaguars here.

Mission Garden has expanded its hours. As outdoor temperatures decrease, opportunities at the garden increase. The garden is now open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 946 W. Mission Lane.

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