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Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, is photographed collecting lunar samples at Station no. 1 during the first Apollo 16 extravehicular activity at the Descartes landing site. This picture, looking eastward, was taken by Astronaut John W. Young, commander. Duke is standing at the rim of Plum crater, which is 40 meters in diameter and 10 meters deep. The parked Lunar Roving Vehicle can be seen in the left background.

Geoff Notkin on the past - and future - of space exploration.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Mexican rock stars sing out about immigration; and a party to celebrate the "The Queen of the Night" at Tohono Chul.
Water creeps along the Santa Cruz riverbed on the release day of a project aiming to create a perennial flow in a section of the river near downtown, June 24, 2019.

Santa Cruz River project means coordination between water infrastructure managers

New water released into the Santa Cruz River means the city and county are working together on issues like flooding and wastewater.
Two Gila Topminnows.

500 Gila Topminnows make a splash at The Mission Garden

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Author Kimi Eisele on "The Lightest Object in the Universe"; singer Natalie Douglas returns to Tucson with the songs of Nat King Cole; and "A Love Letter to the Library" about MegaMania.
Water flows north of Cushing Street in the Santa Cruz River, midway through the first week of a project aiming to create a perennial flow in a section of the river, June 27, 2019.

Initial flow for Santa Cruz River project goes beyond expectations

The project pumping reclaimed water into a section of river near downtown saw water reach farther downriver than predicted.
Archie is a big brown bat, and has been taken care of by Bob & Debbie Beucher since being rescued more than sixteen years ago.

Bat night at the Mission Garden

Also: A new facility in Nogales, Sonora to help migrants following the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy; and strangers find common ground with "One Small Step".
The view from the Oracle Ridge Trail looking north. The landscape would have been much the same as what Sara Lemmon saw on her journey up the mountain, except of course Biosphere II would not have been in the background.

Arizona Spotlight for May 30th, 2019

Also: Climbing Mt. Lemmon in the footsteps of Sara Plummer Lemmon; TIHAN celebrates 25 years of helping Tucson's HIV-positive community live better; and an artist who finds creative satisfaction in millions of tiny hand drawn lines.
Sara Plummer Lemmon, age 44, a few months before she climbed to the summit of the Santa Catalina Mountains. / Photo by Wynne Brown. Original at the University and Jepson Herbaria Archives, University of California, Berkeley.

Walking in the footsteps of Sara Plummer Lemmon

The story of a botanist and artist who had a mountain named after her.
One of a series of illustrations depicting planned facilities at Bike Ranch Tucson.

'Bike Ranch' Proposed Across From Saguaro National Park East

The Pima County Board of Supervisors will vote later this month whether to approve the development in the park's buffer zone.
A Waste Management recycling bin.

Tucson May Temporarily Stop Recycling Glass and Newspapers

Officials pointed to a sharp rise in financial losses due to global changes to the markets.
Semba's due date is in the spring of 2020

Elephant Birth on the Horizon at Reid Park Zoo

29-year-old Semba to give birth to her fourth calf in spring 2020.
The main cast of "American Mariachi" at the start of the play, still learning the ropes.

Music from the Heart in "American Mariachi"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: How NAMI and the Mission Garden are growing wellness in Tucson; and author Alice Hatcher reads her "Love Letter to My Library"
Radiant Gesture (2013) Joanna Frueh, photographed by Frances Murray, from "Unapologetic Beauty"

Discovering "Unapologetic Beauty"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: An artist finds her dream job in the wilderness; and, part 2 of a discussion on "The Insect Apocalypse".
Tucson Water

Tucson Water Filters Out Firefighting Chemicals

The director said the solution used existing filters to reduce perfluorinated compounds.
Author, poet and regular NPR commentator Kwame Alexander.

Kwame Alexander's Love Affair with Words

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Charles J. Babbitt's new guide for birding in Arizona; and, what's happening to planet Earth's insects?
Volunteers work at the nonprofit-run Mission Garden with downtown Tucson's skyline in the background, November 2018.

Author Sees Food Systems as a Way to Unite People

Tucson resident says communities across the country are joining forces for the common good.
Photo By: Aliscella, age 10, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson.

Tucson Youth Put National Parks in Focus

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Visit the Center for Compassion Studies; NASA pioneer Dee O'Hara interview; Adiba Nelson talks "From Period to Postpartum"; holiday traditions old and new.

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