Green Valley, AZ

GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. - As temperatures rise in Arizona, more rattlesnakes are out and about. A woman in Green Valley was bitten this week outside her own home, but what happened next was quite unusual.

The Green Valley Fire District says that this is one of the busiest rattlesnake seasons it has ever seen. First responders take around 15 to 20 calls per day to remove and relocate snakes and Gila monsters.

"We’re talking probably a good 2.5-3 foot snake," said L.T. Pratt with Green Valley Fire.

On Wednesday morning, crews were called after learning an elderly woman had been bitten on her right foot by a rattlesnake.

The snake was apparently hiding in a decorative pot just outside of her gate, and that there was no coiling up of this snake, no rattling, but the snake just bit her," Pratt said.

Elderly woman treated for rattlesnake bite at Southern Arizona hospital

With warmer weather, more rattlesnakes are out and about, and a woman in Southern Arizona found that out the hard way. However, the rattlesnake that bit the woman also played a role in the woman's treatment. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett reports.

Paramedics rushed her to Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, but crews also rounded up the snake and brought it to the hospital.

"Of course the crews having that equipment on scene were able to capture that snake, box it up, and then with our communication with the receiving hospital, the physician had asked that we bring the snake in for tests," Pratt said.

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A Scottsdale family was in for quite the surprise, after they called for help to remove what they first thought was one single rattlesnake from their front porch.

Bryan Hughes, owner of Rattlesnake Solutions, has been out tracking snakes south of Phoenix. Their crews are also busy getting about 20 calls a day.

"You can call a professional to come and remove it," Hughes said. "More important than removing that snake is to figure out why that snake is there to begin with so you can prevent the next one."

On Friday, his team found a few rattlesnakes in Scottsdale hiding in the drainpipe of a church.

For this next three weeks, the snakes will be very active, Hughes says, but they'll become more nocturnal as the Valley reaches the triple digits.

"They also have a lot to do right now," Hughes said. As soon as the temperatures really get stable in the triple digits it's going to be too hot, so right now they have to eat, they have to mate, they have to move they got all this stuff, so that makes them cross trails cross backyards, cross roadways and that’s why you will see them."

If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, firefighters say you should call 911. Don't touch or handle the snake, and if you're bitten on the hand or foot, remove shoes and any jewelry because swelling will start almost immediately.

Pastor Craig Larson will be installed at Desert Hills Lutheran Church in Green Valley on Sunday, 12/4/2022 at 3pm. Bishop Hutterer will be preaching. Reception to follow.

Rostered ministers are invited to process, color of the day will be blue.

Rostered ministers who will be taking part in the procession are asked to confirm with Mary McNichols, Director of Congregation Support, at 520 648-1633 or mcnichols@dhlc.org.

A coffee and cookie reception will be held following the ceremony in our Lokken Fellowship Hall at Desert Hills Lutheran Church, 2150 S Camino Del Sol, Green Valley, AZ 85622.

Pastor Craig Larson was born in Minot, North Dakota; graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN; and attended Luther Northwestern Seminary (now Luther Seminary) in St. Paul, MN. He was part of the first ELCA graduating class in 1988. Pastor Craig’s first call was to a two-point parish in North Dakota, St. Olaf of Rural Turtle Lake and Our Saviors of Mercer. He served there for five years. Listening to God’s call, he came to Arizona to serve at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Lake Havasu City for eight years. Pastor Craig was then called to be a Mission Redeveloper of Trinity Lutheran Church in southeast Tucson for five years. His most recent call was at Mount Zion Lutheran Church in west Tucson for the last 15 years.

Pastor Craig and his wife, Suzanne, are looking forward to joining Desert Hills Lutheran Church and getting to know the congregation. They have been married for over 16 wonderful years and have resided in the Tucson area together. They have two daughters who also call Arizona home which allows for a short drive to visit. Their oldest daughter, Andria, and her husband, Thomas, live in Mesa with granddaughters, Paige and Natalie. Pastor Craig always has fun spending time with them, and the little ones keep him on his toes. Pastor Craig and Suzanne enjoy vintage shopping with their youngest daughter, Monica. Monica keeps them busy with home improvement projects at her home in central Phoenix.

In their down time, Pastor Craig and Suzanne enjoy road trips through the Southwest and discovering the best local spots in each town that they visit. His mom and sisters still live in North Dakota along with their families. When he visits home, they enjoy the North Dakota State Fair, and every few years, they travel to Minot for the Scandinavian Festival, Hostfest. Pastor Craig is a lifetime Minnesota Vikings fan. (Some years are easier to be a fan than others.)

Pastor Craig looks “forward to us all continuing our faith journey and looking for the adventures that await us in serving our Lord!”

Arizona cannabis space is thriving. As more dispensaries enter the scene, we’ll help connect you with the best shops in the state.

After all, your dispensary experiences should not only be efficient but enjoyable. From the moment you step through the door to the second you leave, you should feel nothing but satisfied with your purchase and pleased with the shop’s customer service.

For Arizonans in search of the best dispensaries, we’ve got you covered. Actually, Hana Dispensaries have you covered. These shops in Phoenix and Green Valley take pride in helping beginners, medical patients, and seasoned users access products that make a difference.

Read on to learn more about Hana Dispensaries and a few product recommendations at both locations.

About Hana Dispensaries

Hana Dispensaries are all about convenience. In 2015, the brand became one of the first licensed medical dispensaries. Today, Hana serves both medical patients and recreational users from two easy-accessible locations in Arizona:

The team at Hana takes pride in being an Arizona original while sharing top-rated cannabis products with patients and casual users alike.

With a profound passion for the natural benefits of cannabis, Hana Dispensaries are where quality and education combine. The budtenders are eager to answer your questions to ensure your experience with cannabis is exactly how you desire.

The shops are contemporary and clean, kept together by the friendly and knowledgeable staff. Their team knows each product like the back of their hand to ensure you find something worthwhile for your specific situation.

Expect ample parking, easy-to-find locations, and the utmost convenience you could possibly receive from a dispensary. See below for some product recommendations at Hana’s two Arizona dispensaries.

Your Favorite Products Await

GMO Cookies Shake: Do you prefer the convenient, already-ground nature of shake? No grinding needed. Get right into the action with this GMO Cookies Shake from Hana Meds, available at Hana Dispensaries. It’s a hefty Indica strain with an impressive THC content of 28.19%, making for a total cannabinoid content of 33.92%. Get yours today and experience the finest of the dispensary’s in-house brand, Hana Meds.

King Louis XIII [1000mg]: Available in 500mg and 1000mg, this King Louis XIII Vape Cartridge is brought to you by DRIP Oils + Extracts, and it’s a heavy hitter. This premium distillate vape cartridge features a generous THC content of 96%. Needless to say, it’s one of the strongest available options at Hana Dispensaries, so why wait? Experience potency, purity, and flavor in one sleek cartridge.

Amy & Al’s Snickerdoodle Cookie: It doesn’t get much tastier (and stronger) than this delicious Snickerdoodle Cookie from Amy & Al’s, available at Hana Dispensaries. It contains hybrid genetics from medical-grade cannabis, and the entire cookie contains 100mg THC. Just ensure you’re careful with the dosing, as this sweet, innocent cookie has more than what meets the eye.

For more products and information about Hana Dispensaries, visit their website at hanadispensaries.com.

The Green Valley Fire Department said the man was bitten during an effort to move the Gila monster from the roadway.

GREEN VALLEY, Ariz — On Tuesday, a 74-year-old man was bitten by a Gila monster, leaving him in critical condition.

Firefighters arrived around 9 a.m. to the 100 block of South Paseo Tierra, after receiving a report of an animal bite.

At the scene, they discovered the man had been bitten on both hands.

According to the Green Valley Fire Department, the man was bitten during an effort to move the Gila monster from the roadway and save it from oncoming traffic.

The man was transported to Banner-University Medical Center in Tucson for treatment, and the latest information we have says he is still in critical condition.

According to the AZ Desert Museum, Gila monsters are one of only two venomous lizards in the world. Their bite is rarely deadly to humans, but it can cause extreme pain and other symptoms such as edema, bleeding, nausea, and vomiting.

It’s important to remember that Gila monsters are protected by law, so if you see one, leave it alone. If it’s in danger and might need to be relocated, call Arizona Game and Fish at (602) 942-3000.

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The Santa Cruz Regional Valley Hospital closed down last week, after years of financial struggles. Located 30 miles south of Tucson, it was Green Valley’s only hospital.

The closure occurred after TMC HealthCare, a large healthcare provider in southern Arizona, backed out of acquiring the hospital last month.

TMC Health worked with the hospital on the acquisition for seven months before it decided to back out of the deal.

“After careful due diligence, the decision was made to not proceed with the acquisition of the hospital," said TMC Health in a statement. "We are working closely with management at Santa Cruz to identify appropriate placements for as many employees as possible. We continue to explore opportunities to provide needed medical services to the Green Valley community.”

According to the Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital's website, the 7-year-old hospital ceased all services at 12 p.m. Thursday. The 49-bed facility served Green Valley, Sahuarita, Nogales, Rio Rico, Tubac, Amado, Patagonia and Sonoita.

On June 20, a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice was issued stating that 315 employees would be affected by the closure.

WARN requires “employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of covered plant closings and covered mass layoffs,” according to the state’s Department of Economic Security website.

Closure was caused by a 'perfect storm' of events

Pima County District 4 Supervisor Steve Christy said there was a “perfect storm” of factors that contributed to the closing of the hospital from debt to lack of patients.

Christy said many residents chose to go to Tucson with its state-of-the-art medical facilities, and Sahuarita, which neighbors Green Valley and has an 18-bed medical center that opened in 2020.

Even residents in communities as far south as the border town of Nogales often preferred to travel to Tucson, said Olivia Ainza-Kramer, president of the Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce.

“For Nogales and Rio Rico, our hospital is Holy Cross hospital, the services ... are very good and very good staff except that it's a small hospital. Whenever they (people) needed to be treated for something else that they couldn't treat here, they would be transferred to Tucson,” she said.

Representatives from the Carondelet Network, which runs Holy Cross did not respond to requests for comment.

The Arizona Daily Star reported on July 2, the hospital’s former CEO Stephen Harris said only about 15% of the people living in Green Valley used the hospital.

Another issue facing the Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital was mounting debt. The Daily Star’s article reported the hospital fell behind on repaying Medicare payments advanced to keep the hospital open during the pandemic.

Christy noted that with the recent downturn of the economy, the frequent change in leadership of the hospital, and the medical complex's complicated ownership structure, the decision of TMC Health to back out of the deal was no surprise.

According to Pima County GIS maps, multiple entities own different buildings and the land the hospital sits on.

Christy said the plan for TMC Health to take over the hospital was one last effort at saving the institution after years of financial issues and ownership changes. He called the closure “gut-wrenching” after the deal fell through.

Hospital has a turbulent past

The Arizona Republic reported in May 2020, that in 2018 Lateral Investment Management took over ownership and gave the hospital its current name after it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Arizona gave Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital one-time funding of $3.6 million from the COVID-19 Crisis Contingency and Safety Net Fund in May 2020 after hospital leaders said they were on the brink of closure due to a drop in revenue during the first months of the pandemic.

Hospital leaders told The Daily Star the hospital, which leaders estimated cost $79 million to build, had experienced “turmoil and financial mismanagement” in its early days.

Before the facility was built the area did not have a hospital or emergency room, and residents had to travel about 30 minutes by car to get to an ER.

“It’s very sad because in 2015 it opened with such high hopes and great expectations,” Christy said. “It’s a beautiful facility. I think it's indicative of what many rural hospitals are experiencing right now.”

Christy said there has been no talk about what will become of the complex that housed the hospital.

Hospital administrators could not be reached for comment.

Coverage of southern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America in association with The Republic.