Features – Page 7

Peak show at Picacho: Ostrich by day, ‘Lion’ by night

18Feb

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features, Stomping Grounds

Peak show at Picacho: Ostrich by day, ‘Lion’ by night

Story and photo by DALTON GRIJALVA As you drive West on I-10 toward Phoenix, you might want to check out Exit 219, which will take you to Picacho Peak. The area is home to beautiful hikes and is the site of the smallest battle that took place during the Civil War. It’s also a great spot for Valentine’s Day. First, start off things slowly and stop at the Rooster-Cogburn Ostrich Ranch, a slightly exotic petting zoo of sorts. The farm located all the way to the left: Just keep going even if you see dead-end signs. You pay $12 total, which is a steal for what you get to do. The cashier will give you two cups. One cup is full of green feed pellets for the larger animals as well as a stick with parakeet food on it. I was lucky enough to snag a picture of kissing ones. When you meander...

Gem and Jam Festival Returns to Pima Fairgrounds Jan. 2020

7Jan

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Arts & Entertainment, Stomping Grounds

Gem and Jam Festival Returns to Pima Fairgrounds Jan. 2020

By ELLIANA KOPUT After their 2019 hiatus, Gem and Jam Festival returns to the Pima County Fairgrounds Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2020. Encapsulating a collective experience of music, visual arts, gemstones, camping and workshops, this festival is a grassroots staple in the Southwest. The festival takes place during the Tucson Gem and Mineral show, which has several events taking place around town between Jan. 20 and Feb. 21. Gem and Jam harbors a lineup of local, national and international talent, consisting primarily of jam bands and electronic artists. Tucson’s own, Soulular juxtaposes an indescribable array of wholesome downtempo beats, vortexual grooves, drum and bass and spacey dubs. Having played at festivals like Oregon Eclipse, Shambhala and June Jam, it’s a pleasure to welcom...

12Dec

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Digital film czar Dakota Pollard set to graduate

By CELINA MORENO Being a good student can be fairly easy. However, the stress of classes, working and making sure you can survive can be very stressful. Dakota Pollard, 22, juggles all three with pretty much no issue. Pollard is a person with many skills. From time management to workload management, he also is skilled in retouching and color correction, presentation and animation design, screenwriting, musical instruments and landscaping. According to his resume, his hobbies include film, animation, playing the drums and spending free time hanging out with his friends and family. Pollard is about to graduate in December from Pima Community College with an associate degree in Digital Film and Animation. Of course, it surely isn’t just drawing and coloring; there’s coding, 2D anim...

21Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Kombucha’s health claims overhyped

By ELLIANA KOPUT As the ecological well-being of the earth we know and love continues to suffer, so inversely grows our individual will to start living mindfully. In considering the implications of poor environmental health, many are taking rides in the bandwagon down food trend lane. On this issue’s analysis of current food fads, let us take a moment to consider the current craze among the streets, sheets and community college cafeterias ... kombucha tea. When analyzing the facts, it is clear that kombucha is not worth the hype. It is, however, a tasty substitute for soda or other popular drinks. Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage known to contain active cultures and bacteria. The beverage produces probiotic benefits, bacteria eradication and antioxidant uptake. Basically, kombu...

21Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

The Top 50 Greatest Things about Pima

Photo and story by JOE GIDDENS We conclude our the best-of-Pima list in honor of Pima’s 50th anniversary in no particular order. 41. Culinary careers Pima’s culinary program at the Desert Vista campus offers a variety of options for Tucson’s aspiring master chefs to receive their education. The college offers a Culinary Arts associate degree that goes beyond providing hand-on cooking by giving students a foundation in financial budget and management. “My attendance at Pima Community College allowed me to interact with some of the best chefs and instructors in the Southwest,” culinary alumni Jonathan Revies said. “I feel that I received a well-rounded education in the various aspects of food and its production. Pima takes great pride in offering the finest aspects of culinary education...

Immerse yourself with art and music at Dusk Music Festival

7Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Arts & Entertainment, Stomping Grounds

Immerse yourself with art and music at Dusk Music Festival

By ELLIANA KOPUT Dusk Music Festival will return Nov. 10 and 11 to Tucson at Armory Park. The gates will open at 2 p.m. both days, and the event will end at 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday. The eclectic music lineup is primarily a combination of electronic, indie and pop music. General admission two-day passes can be purchased for $109 plus fees. Single-day passes are $59 plus fees. For information on VIP passes, or to make a purchase, go to https://wl.seetickets.us/RelentlessBeats/Dusk2019 To avoid online service fees, all Bookman’s locations are selling hard copy tickets as well. Here’s a look at the following acts that will perform at the two-day festival. SATURDAY DJ and producer Kaskade is one of the biggest names in EDM. His music encompasses a wide array of house,...

24Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Stomping Grounds

Hop into east side’s Hop Street Lounge

By JOSHUA SHAVER From the outside, Hop Street Lounge looks like a smaller bar. But once I walked in, I saw a really big, clean bar. Impressive. There’s a lot of room for people to lounge around, socialize and feel comfortable while drinking a variety of alcoholic beverages. Hop Street opened about six months ago. It has seen an influx of people that are there to play various games and drink craft beers. The very clean bar and new equipment give off a comfortable vibe. I loved the setting and the lighting of the bar, which gives off a smooth and chill environment. The eight TVs that Hop Street features is a bonus for people who want to drink and watch sports. The owner of the bar, Damien Jenkins, talked about opening his first bar. “It was an exciting risk that has paid off due t...

Basketball Diaries: Instructor takes two for the team

24Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Basketball Diaries: Instructor takes two for the team

By JERRY H. GILL Young people today may not realize that those of us who are now old-timers were once young people. As such, we often committed many foibles of our own. I clearly remember two instances when I was involved in making something of a fool of myself only to have it turn out for the good. I played basketball all through my youth. When I was in high school, I played on the junior varsity team, and one of our games ended in a tie. As the varsity teams were eager to get their game under way, our game was decided by “sudden death.” That meant whichever team scored first would be the winner. At the beginning of the overtime period, the ball came directly to ...

Spiritual puzzle creator and student publishes book

24Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Spiritual puzzle creator and student publishes book

Story and photo By ELLIANA KOPUT Shelly Emerson, a Pima Community College student, offers the gift of spiritual reminder through optimism, critical thinking, and creativity. As Emerson put it: Romans 12:6 tells us, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Her book “Spiritual Mazes & Puzzles” was released in February 2017. The book contains handcrafted mazes with deep scriptural ties. Each puzzle takes the participant on a journey through a biblical lesson, some with multiple starts or endings and some with none at all. Emerson has been a follower of God her whole life. Growing up in Minnesota, she experienced symptoms of epilepsy throughout her childhood. She received a formal diagnosis in 1971. “I remember after I had a seizure, my mom said ... d...

Veteran writing instructor was born to teach

17Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features

Veteran writing instructor was born to teach

Story and photo by ELLIANA KOPUT Mic Denfeld is a writing instructor at Pima Community College’s West Campus. She’s one of the oldest, most experienced, most lively and compassionate faculty members. She is held near and dear to the hearts of many. Denfeld leads her classes through a series of assignments that aim to encourage metacognition and personal growth. I sat down to discuss with her to discuss her experiences and inspirations. Q: How long have you been teaching at Pima and in what area of study? A: “I teach Writing 101. I’ve been at Pima 27 years. I was a teacher for most of it and a dean for a couple of years. I can even tell you the date… from ‘91 to ‘91, but I always come back to the classroom.” Q: What inspired you to become a writing teacher? A: “I just wanted t...