Casas Adobes Plaza is an upscale shopping mall located in the southwest corner of North Oracle Road and East Ina Road in Casas Adobes, Arizona (United States), just northwest of Tucson. The attempted assassination of Representative Gabby Giffords, and the murder of chief judge for the U.S. District Court for Arizona, John Roll on January 8, 2011 occurred just across North Oracle Road from Casas Adobes Plaza at the La Toscana Village.
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On January 8, 2011, United States representative Gabby Giffords and 18 others were shot during a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, Arizona, in the Tucson metropolitan area. Six people were killed, including federal District Court chief judge John Roll; Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords's staffers; and a nine-year-old girl, Christina Taylor Green. Giffords was holding a meeting called "Congress on Your Corner" in the parking lot of a Safeway store when Jared Lee Loughner drew a pistol and shot her in the head at point-blank range before proceeding to fire on others. In addition to Giffords and the six deceased, twelve others were shot. News reports identified the target of the attack to be Giffords, a Democrat representing Arizona's 8th congressional district. Giffords's medical condition was initially described as "critical".
Loughner, a 22-year-old Tucson man who was fixated on Giffords, was arrested at the scene. Federal prosecutors filed five charges against him, including the attempted assassination of a member of Congress and the assassination of a federal judge. Loughner previously had been arrested on a minor drug charge and had been suspended by his college for disruptive behavior. Court filings included handwritten notes by Loughner indicating he planned to assassinate Giffords. Loughner did not cooperate with authorities, invoking his right to remain silent. He was held without bail and indicted on 49 counts. In January 2012, Loughner was found by a federal judge to be incompetent to stand trial based on two medical evaluations, which diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. On August 7, Loughner had another hearing in which he was judged competent. He pleaded guilty to 19 counts, and in November 2012 was sentenced to life in prison.
Following the shooting, American and international politicians expressed grief and condemnations. Gun control advocates pushed for increased restrictions on the sale of firearms and ammunition, specifically high-capacity magazines. Some commentators criticized the use of harsh political rhetoric in the U.S., with a number blaming the political right wing for the shooting. In particular, Sarah Palin was criticized for a poster by her political action committee that featured stylized crosshairs on an electoral map that included Giffords. Palin rejected claims that she bore any responsibility for the shooting. President Barack Obama led a nationally televised memorial service on January 12, and other memorials took place.
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Tohono Chul is a botanical garden, nature preserve, and cultural museum located in Casas Adobes, a suburb of Tucson, Arizona. The words "tohono chul" translate as "desert corner" and are borrowed from the language of the Tohono O’odham, the indigenous people of southern Arizona. The mission of Tohono Chul is to connect people with the nature, art and culture of the Sonoran Desert region and to "inspir[e] wise stewardship of the natural world".
The 49-acre site itself offers a setting for Tohono Chul's regional focus. Overlooking the Santa Catalina Mountains, the park is located in a natural desert habitat within existing migratory tracks of several species of native fauna. Thirty-eight species of birds make their permanent home in the park while another 57 migrant species visit seasonally, and a variety of reptiles and mammals, from Gila monsters to bobcats, may be spotted on the grounds.
In 2008, Travel+Leisure Magazine named Tohono Chul one of the Great Botanical Gardens of the World.
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Immaculate Heart High School is a private Catholic school in Oro Valley, Arizona. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson. The high school is part of a larger campus that includes an elementary and middle school. However, the high school is governed by a Board of Managers consisting of community leaders and business people along with a president and principal. The elementary and middle schools are governed by a different president and principal and are independent of the IHHS Board of Managers. All three campuses are the focus and mission of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The school bills itself as a small, close-knit campus with a focus on college preparatory curriculum.
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The Tucson Arizona Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, just north of Tucson. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 6, 2012, during general conference. The temple is the sixth in Arizona, following those in Mesa, Snowflake, Gila Valley, Gilbert, and Phoenix.
The temple is 38,216 square feet, located on a 7.4-acre site, with a dome topped with a statue of the angel Moroni. This temple was designed by FFKR Architects, using an Art Deco style. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on October 17, 2015, conducted by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who was then in the First Presidency.
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Pusch Ridge Christian Academy is a private Christian school located in northwest Tucson, Arizona, on a 40 acres campus. Pusch Ridge Christian Academy is a ministry of Catalina Foothills Church, PCA. The school is accredited by ACSI.