NEW IN TOWN

12-screen Tower Theatres

Tower Theatres, a 12-screen multiplex showing first-run features opens Friday (Dec. 7) at 8031 N. Business Park Drive off Cortaro Road west of Interstate 10 in Marana.

The complex is locally-owned by the same company that operates Grand Cinemas, which operates three second-run theater complexes: Crossroads and Oracle View in Tucson and Chandler Cinemas in Chandler. The Tower Theatres will be the company’s first first-run movie theater complex. It is also the first movie theatre complex in Marana.

The company says everything from the parking lot to the auditoriums are designed with the latest of innovations. The theatres will have ticketing kiosks and online ticketing, a video game room, stadium-style seating with each seat a rocker and 48 inches of legroom, which they say is the most on the business.

Tower Theatres’ website is http://www.mytowertheatres.com. The phone number is (520) 579-0500.

State-of-art dialysis center

opens first of four locations

Fresenius Medical Care North America, operator of the nation’s largest network of dialysis clinics, has opened the first of four planned, Tucson area state-of-the-art treatment centers.

Fresenius Medical Care Northwest Tucson Dialysis Center, 6261 N. La Cholla Blvd., is across from Northwest Hospital. The 9,000-square-foot center features 20 dialysis stations with the capacity to treat up to 120 patients; entertainment systems with individual, flat-screen cable TVs and headsets; reclining, heated chairs with massage features; an emergency back-up electrical generator to help ensure non-stop operations during natural disasters and power outages; and an online charting system and touchscreen monitors at each dialysis station so clinical staff can securely enter, access and track critical treatment data immediately, at the point-of-care.

The center is Medicare-certified. The phone number is (520) 297-1490.

Fresenius Medical Care North America is a subsidiary of the German company Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. It operates more than 1,600 dialysis facilities across the United States.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

Toy train hobbyists

to hold holiday meet

The Gadsden-Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum will hold its first Santa Claus Toy Train Show Dec. 8

The toy train meet is designed to encourage people who might interested in developing their interests in toy trains as a hobby. It also gives families an opportunity to see toy trains operating in a variety of layouts.

The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the event center in the Quality Inn, 1365 W. Grant Raod. Admission tickets are $5 each, children under 13 are free with an adult.

Forecast: Snow Fridays and

Saturdays through Dec. 22

It’s snowing once again in the Catalina Foothills every Friday and Saturday evening through Dec. 22.

This is the third year, La Encantada shopping center, 2905 E. Skyline Drive, has put on the shows in its courtyard. The 15-minute shows use artificial snow.

On each Friday and Saturday there are two show, at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Between the two shows, Tucson Desert Harmony Group performs holiday music and hot chocolate is served by Bluepoint Kitchen & Bar.

SMALL BUSINESS

High deductible health plan

offered to small businesses

The Arizona Small Business Association and CIGNA are now offering a high deductible health plan for small businesses that lowers premiums by 20 percent.

ASBA emphasizes this is not a "lite" plan or one that lowers rates by avoiding mandated coverage or cutting service levels.

But as a High Deductible Health Plan, it qualifies subscribers for the tax benefits of a Health Savings Account.

"It’s phenomenal," said Joan Koerber-Walker, chief executive officer of ASBA. "When the national average is increases of 11 percent to 15 percent, we have a better pan than ever before with lower costs. At a time when Healthcare Group of Arizona has a moratorium and can not take in new small businesses this is a much needed boon for Arizona’s small business community."

More information is available on ASBA’s website – http://www.ASBA.com – and click on the benefits section.

HEALTHCARE

Humana adds two more

Medicare plan options

Humana is making two more Medicare supplement plans available to Pima County residents as of Thursday (Nov., 15).

Medicare-eligible seniors can now enroll in the Humana Gold Plus HMO or the local Humana Choice PPO plan. These plans offer more affordable alternatives to original Medicare or a Medicare supplement plan, according to Humana.

The new plans include money-saving features, including discounts on routine vision, dental and hearing care, complimentary and alternative medicine. The plans also include access to Humana’s 24-hour nurse support service, HumanaFirst, and a member assistance program to provide seniors with additional support services and guidance.

The new plans, approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, are in addition to the previously available regional PPO, private-fee-for-service and Part D prescription drug plans.

POLITICS

Kyl looks to move up

Senate leadership ranks

U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., is looking to move up the Senate leadership ranks following last week’s announcement by U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., that he will leave office at the end of this month.

Lott, minority whip, is the No. 2 ranking Republican in the Senate behind Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Within hours, a spokesman for Kyl announced the Arizona senator’s intention to seek the post. He is currently Republican conference chair, the party’s No. 3 leadership position in the Senate.

Others who say they’re interested in moving up in senate Republican leadership positions include Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, both Texas; Lamar Alexander, Tennessee; and freshman John Thune, South Dakota.

Senate Republicans were expected to pick their new leaders as soon as this week.

State lawmakers question Arizona-Sonora agreement

Two state lawmakers are questioning the legality of a joint marketing and business recruitment agreement between the Arizona Department of Commerce and the state of Sonora’s Economic Development Secretariat to conduct joint marketing and business recruitment.

Sen. Karen Johnson and Rep. Russell Pearce, both Mesa Republicans, point to clauses in the U.S. Constitution that say Congress, not a state government, has the authority to make agreements with foreign governments.

The two state governments signed the agreement Nov. 16 creating the Arizona-Sonora Economic Opportunities Regional Partnership.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Tucson unemployment

inches up to 3.5 percent

Unemployment in Tucson and statewide inched up slightly in October but remains below the national average of 4.7 percent, a number that was unchanged from September.

The unemployement rate in the Tucson area was 3.5 percent, up from 3.2 percent in September, according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security. That mirrors the state-wide increase to 3.5 percent, from 3.3 percent.

ENVIRONMENT

‘Green’ firms and groups

sought for state directory

The Arizona Department of Commerce is looking for businesses to include in an updated state environmental industry directory to be released next year.

The directory is used by Arizona Department of Commerce officials at state, national and international conventions and conferences.

The department is looking for companies and organizations in the following industry categories:

ân¶ Sustainable systems

ân¶ Renewable energy

ân¶ Alternate fuels

ân¶ Recycling

ân¶ Green building

ân¶ Nonprofits

Submission forms are available by contacting Verily Keenan, environmental manager at the state Department of Commerce, at envdir@azcommerce.com or (602) 771-1172. The deadline to submit information is Friday (Dec. 7).