Talk of the Town: Return of the killer shower curtain’ or ‘It’s curtains for you!’

For years after seeing “Psycho,” I worried about Norman Bates coming through the shower curtain to get me. Now, it seems the shower curtain itself is the crazy killer.

That “new shower curtain smell” might be giving off toxic chemicals linked to serious health problems, according to “Volatile Vinyl: The New Shower Curtain’s Chemical Smell,” a study whose results were released last week.

A national environmental group, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, based in Falls Church, Va., analyzed the reasons why new vinyl shower curtains smell the way they do.

The researchers tested five brand-name curtains and liners sold at major retailers nationwide, including Bed Bath & Beyond, Kmart, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart and found they contained high concentrations of phthalates, chemical substances used to make plastics soft and flexible, and varying amounts of organotins, which are compounds based on tin and hydrocarbons.

Studies have linked such chemicals to damage to the liver and the central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems.

Hmmm? What to do? Shower at your own risk or hose yourself down outside and ignore what the neighbors think about seeing you in the buff.

Norman Bates scares me more. I still plan a mode of escape if he just happens to be in my bathroom someday.

Well done to the Knights of Columbus of our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church who completed a very successful food drive earlier this spring.

Mary Jane Goodrick, Green Valley Community Food Bank branch manager, thanked the group for once again sponsoring and highlighting the Food Bank by hosting the semi-annual food drive at the church.

Goodrick said that for every $1 donated by the Knights, the Food Bank was able to distribute $9 worth of food—enough for about four meals which equals approximately 5.12 pounds.

The Food Bank recorded 4,085 pounds of food and $2,847.70 in monetary donations from the Knights.

In fact, the Our Lady of the Valley Knights of Columbus Spring Food Drive will provide 14,582 meals for a total of 18,665 pounds.

“A brighter tomorrow is everything to a person who is struggling today,” Goodrick said in a thank-you letter to the Knights. “Some or clients are hard-working people who have fallen on hard times. Some are seniors who never had the chance to save for retirement because they were caring for their families.”

“Regardless of what led these people to ask for food assistance, it’s a difficult thing to request,” Goodrick added. “With partners like you, we will meet the need.”

Thanks to Knights of Columbus spokesperson Eldred Faller for this story.

A kitty finds a golden home thanks to the Green Valley Animal League and the Green Valley News.

Purr-C Purrington, a golden yellow tabby was a golden anniversary gift that Green Valley residents Char and Bruce Purrington gave to each other recently. The Purringtons' 50th is June 21.

Purr-C came into their lives, Char said, via an article and picture in the Green Valley News. The Animal League of Green Valley wrote the article and quoted Purr-C’s former owner who had to move out of state. “Purr-C is a puppy cat,” the couple says. “He is very vocal and shows his affections and moods with his tail. He loves to head bump his humans and loves to drink water from a faucet. He loves affection, toys, catnip and to cuddle.”

How did the Purringtons decide on such a unique golden anniversary gift to each other?

“Ironically we had begun to weed out our closet and were planning to donate the items to the Animal League at the request of our neighbor,” Char said. “We were both very distracted by the article heralding the name Purr-C, taking us back to the days of our last cat, Perky Purrington.”

On the day they delivered their donations, the adoption service was closed but they managed to walk past Purr-C’s cage.

The cat was sleeping, so Char whispered Purr-C’s name. He meowed and went right to Bruce, she said.

The Purringtons went home and immediately called the Animal League, leaving a voice mail to hold Purr-C for them. They got the call at 9 a.m. the next morning saying that the cat was still available.

They dashed over, completed the paperwork, and drove to Wal-Mart to buy the cat stuff! He came with a packet of food and his toys.

“He’s a little guy, 1-1/2 years old and weighs about nine pounds. He’s neutered and his shots are up to date,” Char says.

“Purr-C has more than lived up to the qualities his owner described and has won our hearts a million times over.”

Keep reading the Green Valley News for more Animal League announcements regarding animal adoption and visit the League’s Web site at www.talgv.org.

Another one of Green Valley’s own movers and shakers is serving once again as 2008-09 president of the Theatre Arts Advisory Board of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona. This will be his third term.

damon Patton, of Pueblo Estates, (Yes, it is a lower case “d” in his first name) has served on the theater board, a group of 25 volunteers from all walks of life, for more than five years, so he is very dedicated to the UA’s theater program.

While a student at the University of Kansas, Patton worked for the college theater in the box office. Before retiring, he became active with theater and community opera in the Minneapolis area and served on a community theater board for approximately seven years.

Prior to retiring in 1998, Patton worked in the computer field and consulting work, spending 13 years of his career in Italy, just outside of Milan.

He moved to Green Valley in 1997, but continued to work from his home for one more year before throwing in the towel. After teaching at Pima Community College for a couple of semesters, Patton was impressed with the talent at the UA theater, eventually getting on the board.

One of the main functions of the theater board, Patton said, is to raise money for the students and publicize the shows.

This year, the Arizona Repertory Theatre has a rich lineup of shows including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” “Company,” “Medea,” “Leading Ladies.” and “The Music Man.”

Patton says one of the most important programs for the students is the professional Showcase of Talent featuring students of the School of Theatre Arts Arizona Repertory Theatre, sponsored by the School of Theatre Arts Advisory Board. The Showcase, one of the few programs of its kind in the U.S., provides junior and senior acting and musical theater majors an opportunity to audition for and interview with industry professionals. These potential employers also interview and review portfolios of junior and senior dramaturgy and design/technology majors.

While some of our students secure employment through this process, all receive the invaluable experience of interacting with working professionals, Patton says.

Showcase of Talent 2008 will once again be the centerpiece for a special fundraising event that will benefit the School of Theatre Arts and the Showcase of Talent Endowment and Fund. This is an opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow before they reach Broadway!

“Some of our graduates are Broadway bound,” Patton says. “Even the students working behind the scenes are getting good jobs in the theater after being spotted in the Showcase.”

Patton invites everyone to see the UA productions for themselves and experience the talent. For more information about the UA Theatre Department, go to www.uatheatre.org.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740