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    Water Woes XVII-Disaster Looming
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jun 15
    • 1 min

    Water Woes XVII-Disaster Looming

    The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) issued a press release in response to yesterday's Senate Committee on Energy and Natural...
    382 views
    Tortolita Wild Horses & More
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jun 5
    • 1 min

    Tortolita Wild Horses & More

    TA Members Kit Nidever and Joe Thomas hiked the Ridgeline Trail on May 31 and saw a herd of wild horses. See photo by Kit above. A herd...
    286 views
    TA Tidbits # 38-Strong Arm & TP Update
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jun 1
    • 1 min

    TA Tidbits # 38-Strong Arm & TP Update

    The Mighty Strong-Arm Strong-Arm was host to another Great Horned Owlet this Spring which has now fledged the nest and is hopefully doing...
    216 views
    May Day! May Day! May Day!
    Mark L. Johnson
    • May 1
    • 1 min

    May Day! May Day! May Day!

    The Conjunction Moon, Jupiter & Venus line up early Wednesday (4/27/22) morning over the Tortolita Preserve. Good things come in...
    182 views
    Sunrise Service
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Apr 17
    • 1 min

    Sunrise Service

    Hiked the Upper Javelina to Wild Mustang to Wild Burro to Alamo Springs Spur Loop Trails early this morning. A nice 9-mile, peaceful...
    281 views
    TA Tidbits # 36-Tortolita Red & TP Update
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Apr 6
    • 1 min

    TA Tidbits # 36-Tortolita Red & TP Update

    Tortolita Red Ocotillo Blooming & Pyrruloxia (Desert Cardinal) TA has been working closely with Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) and...
    356 views
    Trail Sights & Sounds
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Mar 27
    • 1 min

    Trail Sights & Sounds

    Hiked the Wild Burro to Alamo Springs Loop Trail this morning. Stopped for a rest at the top of the Wild Burro Trail and quietly listened...
    352 views
    Zoom Or Bloom?
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Mar 13
    • 1 min

    Zoom Or Bloom?

    Coulter's Lupine-Upper Javelina Trail Tired of COVID-19 Zoom calls? Time to get out for a hike and see the wildflowers. The Bloom has...
    194 views
    Freedom!
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Mar 6
    • 1 min

    Freedom!

    Strong-Arm Saguaro At Daylight Went for a 7.5 mile hike in the Tortolita Preserve (TP) this morning. I had to. The events in Europe are...
    263 views
    TA Tidbits #35 Petitions, Owls & New Water Agency
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Feb 26
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits #35 Petitions, Owls & New Water Agency

    Town Council Candidates Need More Signed Petitions Thanks to everyone who have signed the Non-Partisan Nomination Petitions for Patrick...
    355 views
    TA Tidbits #34 Petitions & More
    Tortolita Alliance
    • Feb 16
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits #34 Petitions & More

    Meet The Change4Marana Candidates-Sign Petitions Patrick Cavanaugh, Mark Johnson and Tim Kosse are running for Marana Town Council as the...
    276 views
    Mark 4 Marana Town Council Campaign
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Feb 6
    • 2 min

    Mark 4 Marana Town Council Campaign

    I first came to Marana in 1976 on a cross county RV adventure during my senior year in college. Having grown up in a coastal environment...
    625 views
    Water Woes XIV-Pause On DAWS
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Feb 2
    • 2 min

    Water Woes XIV-Pause On DAWS

    The following serves as an update to the previously reported Marana Water Designated Assured Water Supply (DAWS) analysis. Remember DAWS...
    181 views
    TA Tidbits #33 Elections & Reflections
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jan 30
    • 1 min

    TA Tidbits #33 Elections & Reflections

    Wild Burro-Alamo Springs Spur Hike (1/30/22) Wild Burro Upper Valley At Dawn Desert Spoon Making A Comeback Chuparosa-First Spring Wild...
    286 views
    TP West & The Mound
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jan 12
    • 1 min

    TP West & The Mound

    Tortolita Preserve West Looking North & East Toward Dove Mountain From The Mound Happy New Year! Hiked the western portion of the...
    325 views
    TA Tidbits #32-2021 Wrap Up
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Dec 18, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits #32-2021 Wrap Up

    Night Watch Great Horned Owl keeps watch over the Tortolita Preserve! Tortolita Preserve-Trail Counter Update The Marana Parks &...
    311 views
    TA Tidbits #31 BioBlitz & More
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Dec 4, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits #31 BioBlitz & More

    Tortolita Preserve-Natural Resource Survey (BioBlitz) TA met with representatives from Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR), Arizona Game &...
    262 views
    Dove Mountain Development Status November 2021
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Nov 17, 2021
    • 3 min

    Dove Mountain Development Status November 2021

    Tortolita Preserve At Sunrise Dove Mountain Development 101 In June 2021, TA published a Dove Mountain Development Status blog that...
    1,253 views
    The Case Of The Missing HCP
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Nov 14, 2021
    • 3 min

    The Case Of The Missing HCP

    Another Marana mystery is solved! This time its about wildlife and habitat. What the heck is an HCP? HCP is the acronym for Habitat...
    329 views
    Water Woes X  No Status Quo
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Nov 10, 2021
    • 3 min

    Water Woes X No Status Quo

    Drought Status Tortolita Alliance (TA) attended the Local Drought Impact Group (LDIG) Meeting via Microsoft Team on 11/10/21. LDIG is a...
    229 views
    TA Tidbits #30 Grass, Planes & Trails
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Nov 4, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits #30 Grass, Planes & Trails

    "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I---I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."--Robert Frost Just back...
    278 views
    TA Alert!  Night Flight
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Oct 21, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! Night Flight

    Tortolita Alliance (TA) has heard recently from several residents in the Dove Mountain area about planes circling and buzzing at very...
    678 views
    Trailblazers!
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Oct 21, 2021
    • 1 min

    Trailblazers!

    (L to R) Thom Rossa (TA Director), Dave Barker (TA Secretary), Chris Garrow (Trail Maintenance Crew Member), Mary Grodman (Natural...
    245 views
    TA Tidbits # 29  Gone-Soon
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Oct 17, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits # 29 Gone-Soon

    Monsoon 2021 Remnants-Wild Burro Wash Monsoon season is gone ("Gone-Soon"). If Marana passes the half-cent sales tax, some of your hard...
    311 views
    TA Alert!  Santa Cruz River Cleanup No. 2 At Ina Road Bridge Canceled
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Oct 12, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! Santa Cruz River Cleanup No. 2 At Ina Road Bridge Canceled

    Tortolita Alliance and Tucson Clean & Beautiful have canceled the Santa Cruz River Cleanup at the Ina Road Bridge Location on October 23,...
    91 views
    TA Tidbits # 28  Save The Happy Habitat
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Oct 10, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Tidbits # 28 Save The Happy Habitat

    Tortolita Mountains Photo by Nancy Major Huge Sonoran Desert Tortoise Found In Tortolita Preserve Marenis Kansfield (TA member) came upon...
    271 views
    Santa Cruz River Clean Up No. 2
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Oct 2, 2021
    • 1 min

    Santa Cruz River Clean Up No. 2

    Tucson Clean & Beautiful and other agencies/groups are sponsoring a Santa Cruz River Cleanup on October 23. For the second time this...
    116 views
    Saguaro Destruction-Part 2
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Sep 26, 2021
    • 1 min

    Saguaro Destruction-Part 2

    Bulldozer Topples Beautiful Saguaro Saguaro Reserve-Dove Mountain Photograph published with photographer's permission Marana Response To...
    495 views
    TA Alert!  Chopper Activity Dove Mountain
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Sep 25, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! Chopper Activity Dove Mountain

    You may have heard a helicopter buzzing Dove Mountain early this morning (midnight to 1 AM) and again currently (7:30 AM). Marana PD...
    638 views
    Saguaro Destruction
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Sep 19, 2021
    • 1 min

    Saguaro Destruction

    Several TA Members have reported the destruction of older saguaros at the Saguaro Reserve Subdivision (173 homes) now being mass graded...
    940 views
    Green Going Brown
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Sep 12, 2021
    • 1 min

    Green Going Brown

    Hiked the Tortolita Preserve (TP) Big Loop early this morning. Only a few weeks after the end of the monsoonal rains and the undergrowth...
    222 views
    Marana Sales Tax Increase Considerations
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Sep 3, 2021
    • 2 min

    Marana Sales Tax Increase Considerations

    Marana has two remaining Sales Tax Increase Public Meetings on Thursday, 9/9/21 at 6:00 PM at the Dove Mountain Stem School and on...
    190 views
    TA Alert!  Marana Town Council-Call For Candidates
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Sep 1, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! Marana Town Council-Call For Candidates

    Marana 2022 Town Council Election-Call For Candidates The Marana Town Council will have four openings for the August 2022 election with...
    191 views
    Water Woes IX-Water Study Session Report Part B
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 28, 2021
    • 3 min

    Water Woes IX-Water Study Session Report Part B

    Water Is The Sustenance Of Life In Part A we reported that Marana Water has 2,804 acre-feet (AF) of water remaining in its Designated...
    218 views
    Water Woes VIII-Water Study Session Report Part A
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 26, 2021
    • 2 min

    Water Woes VIII-Water Study Session Report Part A

    Hope you had the opportunity to attend or watch (video stream) the Water Study Session on Tuesday. Jing Luo, Marana's new Water...
    211 views
    Water & Flower Power
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 22, 2021
    • 1 min

    Water & Flower Power

    Alamo Springs Trail-Chest High Grass Hiked the Wild Burro & Alamo Springs Trail this morning. The Wild Burro Wash was flowing strong...
    286 views
    TA Alert!  Water Study Session
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 19, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Alert! Water Study Session

    Marana Water Study Session Marana will be holding a Water Study Session in the Town Council Chambers on Tuesday, August 24 at 6:00 PM. ...
    141 views
    Aye-R-Land
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 18, 2021
    • 1 min

    Aye-R-Land

    Upper Javelina Trail Looking East Hiked the Upper Javelina Trail on Sunday and it looks like Ireland up there--emerald green! Below is a...
    210 views
    Lush-Us
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 17, 2021
    • 1 min

    Lush-Us

    Tortolita Preserve Wash After Summer Monsoonal Rains August 2021 On Sunday, I hiked the Tortolita Preserve (TP) with three TA members who...
    279 views
    TA Alert! Interstate 11 Opposition To West Option
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 13, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! Interstate 11 Opposition To West Option

    Tortolita Alliance (TA) received word yesterday that the comment period for the Interstate 11 (I-11) Final Environmental Impact Statement...
    365 views
    Marana Housing Chat
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 11, 2021
    • 3 min

    Marana Housing Chat

    TA attended the Marana Town Council Housing Study Session (8/10/21). Click on the Button to View the Study Session PowerPoint. The...
    250 views
    TA Alert!  Study Up
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Aug 6, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! Study Up

    Sunset-West Hyannisport, MA I took this photo a few days ago a short distance from my boyhood home on Cape Cod, MA. This is a beautiful...
    210 views
    Water Woes VII-Water Poker
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jul 29, 2021
    • 2 min

    Water Woes VII-Water Poker

    Thanks to the many Tortolita Alliance (TA) members who wrote letters and attended last night's Marana Planning Commission meeting...
    309 views
    TA Alert!  Road Noise! I-11
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jul 27, 2021
    • 2 min

    TA Alert! Road Noise! I-11

    The Tortolita Alliance (TA) is collaborating with the Coalition For Sonoran Desert Protection (CSDP) and other environmental groups in...
    550 views
    Water Woes VI-ARIDIFICATION
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jul 25, 2021
    • 3 min

    Water Woes VI-ARIDIFICATION

    Aridification is the process whereby a region becomes increasingly drier (arid) over a long period of time. Climate change and the...
    246 views
    TA Alert! More Rooftops & H2O?
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jul 22, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Alert! More Rooftops & H2O?

    Camino De Oeste 34 Marana Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, July 28 at 6:30 in the Town Council Chambers...
    686 views
    Water Woes V-Tidal Wave
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jul 12, 2021
    • 2 min

    Water Woes V-Tidal Wave

    There has been a tidal wave of significant news in the Arizona water world. Here is the skinny. ADWR Tells Pinal County No More...
    356 views
    Swimming In Taxes
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jul 8, 2021
    • 2 min

    Swimming In Taxes

    Marana is planning to raise the sales tax to fund a proposed Community Center and Aquatic Center. TA has remained neutral regarding the...
    263 views
    TA Tidbits #24  Julio & More
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jun 27, 2021
    • 1 min

    TA Tidbits #24 Julio & More

    Hiked the Wild Burro Trail very early this morning and ran into Julio the Gila Monster. Click on the video below to see him moving out!...
    219 views
    Water Woes IV-Plan For Worst Case
    Mark L. Johnson
    • Jun 25, 2021
    • 4 min

    Water Woes IV-Plan For Worst Case

    Salton Sea-Imperial County, California-2018 Over the last four months there have been at least three studies released regarding the...
    322 views

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