The Mesa Chamber of Commerce presented its fifth annual Mesa Has Heart Gala, recognizing businesses, nonprofits and individuals for community impact. Awards covered multiple categories, including student, teacher and professor honors supported by scholarships and grants from program sponsor Carreon Payments.
· Carl BrownTucsonThe Pima County primary is set for July 21 with early voting underway and a mail ballot request deadline of July 14. Candidates across Legislative Districts 17 and 20, several municipal races and local mayoral contests are campaigning on water policy, housing, education and public safety.
· Carl BrownPhoenixPhoenix-area libraries report rising summer reading participation as a dinosaur-themed program called “Unearth a Story” draws families with costumes, events and prize incentives. Library staff say the program, which awards points for minutes read and event attendance, has helped re-engage children and increase circulation and registrations compared with recent years.
· Anne RadmoreTucsonMargaret Joan “Jo” Bain, 84, of Clarkdale, died June 17, 2026. A devoted volunteer, committed reader and longtime vegetarian, she is remembered for her years of community service, extended backpacking trips and her care for older pets.
· Carl BrownFrederick “Fred” Duarte, a Tucson native and longtime tire industry employee, died July 3, 2026, at age 69. Visitation is scheduled for July 15 at Martinez Funeral Chapels in Tucson; he is survived by his wife Rhonda, three children, numerous grandchildren, stepchildren and siblings.
A trio of friends turned a shared passion for antiques and design into Gather a Vintage Market, a brick-building shop in Tucson’s Lost Barrio that becomes a curated marketplace four days each month. Owners Simon Carson, Lorri Boffo and Timothy Reynolds rotate roles to transform the space into themed vignettes of vintage furniture, home decor and artwork that draw shoppers back for new discoveries each month.
Greta Ruekgauer draws on a childhood spent roaming the New Mexico desert and the landscapes of southern Arizona to create block-printed designs on thrifted clothing. Working under the label Stubbornworn, she launched the project in January 2026 and sells upcycled pieces that celebrate cowgirls, bison and mustangs.
