Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - Fencing is being installed around Santa Rita Park ahead of a major renovation project that is set to begin Thursday, April 24.
The park has been a popular area for the homeless in the Tucson community to gather
and its closure leaves questions about where they will go
13 News talked to Unhoused Neighbors, a local non-profit that aims to help the unsheltered in the area
The group said it is going to continue helping people in the area
“We have communicated with them that we will still be holding events and services very close to the park and in that area,” said Unhoused Neighbors founder Amina Tollin
Tollin said the homeless who call Santa Rita Park home will be looking for somewhere else to stay nearby during the park’s renovation
they’ll stay in the area or filter into washes and other residential areas that aren’t necessarily safe for them to be in,” Tollin said
The city of Tucson told 13 News it prepared for this by informing the unhoused about the project and shared resources they can take advantage of back in January
we’ve made sure it’s very clear to folks what resources they have available
but they cannot be in the park during construction,” said Tucson Parks and Recreation Director Lara Hamwey
The city also said the improvements will make the park more active and should reduce safety concerns that have long impacted the area
“Aging infrastructure as well as homeless individuals who have been at the park
but the park has not been a very active park because of that,” said Hamwey
“Investing in amenities that the community is going to enjoy by default will make it an active park and should reduce a lot of the safety concerns.”
While Tollin doesn’t have any issues with improving the park
she does feel more could have been done to help the unsheltered before fencing was put up
“There were no people there helping them move their stuff or giving them vouchers,” Tollin said
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Tucson held a groundbreaking Thursday for $8 million in improvements to Santa Rita Park — an East 22nd street park that has long been known for its large encampment of unhoused people
The city of South Tucson Housing Authority opened 45 units on its affordable housing waitlist earlier this month, earlier reported by KGUN9
Being just a few blocks south of Santa Rita Park
Director Irma Gonzalez said they had the timing of the park closing in the back of their minds
“We tried to make a date for the opening of the waitlist to correlate with that need
because there will be more need now due to the closing of the park,” she said
Earlier this week they already had 500 applicants
“The reason we're opening the waitlist is to help all the community members
anyone that has suffered any violence of domestic abuse
and those are the eligible members,” Gonzalez said
Fencing went up around the park earlier this week
The project includes construction of a splash pad and playground
more than 300 new trees and shrubs and new restrooms
The majority of renovations are funded by voter-approved Proposition 407 bond funds
The project is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2026
2025 at 10:28 am CDTExpandSamra Morris is winemaker at Alma Rosa
(Photo provided by Lena Britt Photography)
where the Pacific Ocean sends its fog charging inland through a rare transverse mountain range
Yet both speak the same language of obsession
intuition and unrelenting pursuit of beauty through the vine
sometimes infuriating and always illuminating
She returns every year to a plot that breaks her heart and builds it again: Caracol
a 2.5-acre block planted in a 360-degree spiral atop a knoll in the estate’s hills
Just a randomized pinot noir jigsaw puzzle kissed by fog
not knowing which clone was planted where,” Morris said
“It’s like field blending before the harvest even begins.”
The site demands granular attention with individualized picking zones
relentless sampling and a patience-testing growing season
The 2021 Alma Rosa Caracol Pinot Noir ($90)
is a masterclass in texture: bright acidity
who has seven vintages under her belt in the Sta
Alma Rosa's El Jabali Estate Vineyard is in California
“But Caracol and El Jabali demand all my attention
winemaker Matt Dees carries the same devotion to place
After hours of tasting and blending the 2024 wines from the barrel
we opened our conversation talking about basketball for 10 straight minutes
but the lyrics come from everywhere: sports
“Young wines aren’t supposed to be expressive if done correctly,” Dees said
The 2022 The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir ($50) is layered
as red fruit brightness gives way to earth
spice and a blood orange finish that haunts
The 2022 Chardonnay ($50) is a tequila-lime
with Meyer lemon and stone fruit notes kissed by just a touch of oak
One truck hauling six bins from Radian Vineyard spun out on a muddy road and was trapped for five days
“We started fermenting in the back of the truck,” Dees said
“The difference between that fruit and what made it in
From Alma Rosa’s spiraling Caracol to The Hilt’s steep
Rita Hills remains a place of extremes: cold
And that’s why it attracts artists like Morris and Dees
Their wines are not just about terroir; they’re about personality
They’re shaped as much by chaos as they are by chemistry
As the vines stretch toward their next vintage
blooming with creativity and always moving toward something beautiful
touring and collecting in the wine world for several years
Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2022 ($108): An absolute stunner
Grown at the edge of the appellation in Dave Phinney’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Vineyard
the wine had cherry and sandalwood with an exotic spice note loaded onto the nose
an earthy note and hints of spring violets on the finish
It’s a site so extreme that parts of it aren’t in the appellation
It sits right on the edge of where vines can grow
excitement and nervous tension are all over the wine
Peace of Mind: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction is planned Saturday
which will benefit both One Mind and the Mental Wellness Center of Santa Barbara
covers the ruggedly beautiful terrain of the estate’s vineyards
and over the years has raised more than $955,000
“We do the walk – pour the wines for the attendees – and it really is a lot of fun,” winemaker Samra Morris said
Visit almarosawinery.com/peace-of-mind to register or donate.
Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTUCSON
(13 News) - Construction officially began on a nearly $8 million revitalization project at Santa Rita Park
marking a significant milestone since the project’s approval under Proposition 407 in 2018
City officials and community members gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at the park at E
“This investment is an investment in a sense of community for the residents
the ability to walk to your neighborhood park and enjoy a splash pad
to play on a new playground,” said Lara Hamwey
City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Director
“It’s going to give the neighbors an ability to connect and a retaking of their park in a way that they’ve not been able to use it previously.”
The extensive renovation includes construction of a new splash pad
and the planting of over 300 trees and shrubs
3rd Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets will be permanently closed to traffic and incorporated into the park space
City officials have conducted outreach since January to connect unhoused individuals who had been staying in the park with appropriate resources and alternative shelter options
The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2026
residents are encouraged to use nearby Reid
the minor inconveniences from construction are nothing compared to the sense of safety his family will now feel
especially after an unhoused individual broke into his home
scared the hell out of our dogs and he filtered through the park,” Vanderpool said
“I was kind of pleased to see that the park was closed because it gives us a breather.”
City leaders say they hope these changes will also lead to long-term safety for the surrounding neighborhoods
so they have to have ownership of this park,” Mayor Regina Romero said
and movies in the park-- the more active it is
I think the more accessible for neighbors and families in the area.”
Updates on construction progress and more details about the project can be found at the Tucson Delivers website
(KGUN) — In a heart-pounding roadside emergency
a dispatcher with the Santa Rita Fire District helped deliver a baby over the phone
turning a frantic 911 call into a story of calm
has now become a highlight of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
Darby Cech, a communications specialist and acting supervisor at the Valley Emergency Communication Center (VECC)
A couple en route from Green Valley to a Tucson hospital found themselves caught in the middle of active labor
“We got a 911 call for a woman who had gone into labor,” Cech recalled
Cech calmly instructed the father to pull over and began walking him through the delivery over the phone
the baby was born right there on the side of the road
and I couldn’t hear the baby crying anymore,” said Cech
“I advised him to pat the baby’s back and feet
When I heard the baby cry again and he said her face was turning pink
Santa Rita Fire units arrived shortly after to provide care and transport
both mother and baby were healthy and without complications
Cech was awarded a stork pin—a rare honor given to dispatchers who assist in childbirth before emergency crews arrive
The dramatic delivery has drawn attention not just for the miracle it represents but also as a reminder of the critical
behind-the-scenes role dispatchers play in emergencies
“I was definitely a little overwhelmed,” Cech admitted
“But this is what I love about the job—helping people in these moments.”
The event serves as a powerful tribute to public safety telecommunicators during their national recognition week
dispatchers like Darby Cech truly are the calm in the chaos
Deputy Chief of Santa Rita Fire District and supervisor at VECC
says that “voices behind the microphone” like Darby deserve wide recognition and has been working to show appreciation to these often overlooked individuals
This includes having all new firefighter recruits spend time with dispatchers to learn what they do throughout the day and appreciate the difficulties of the job
so everyone in the organization can understand each other’s important role in the public safety pipeline
This includes having dispatchers join ride-alongs and run calls
“One of my primary objectives is to pull back the veil that exists between dispatch and those in the field,” he said
They’re wide-eyed because they had no idea.”
have preconceived notions about dispatches that aren’t true
“Once you get an idea of what the workflow
you start to understand and appreciate what they’re doing.”
Since dispatchers communicate over the phone
“You and I having this conversation right now
that hits on closed-loop communication,” he said
“Some of those things are missing for the telecommunicator
yet they still have a way to connect with that calling party and show compassion.”
Moore says he’s particularly proud of Darby and her ability to stay calm under pressure
“My smile was sore from smiling so big,” he said
While Moore appreciates having a week dedicated to his force of dispatchers
he thinks there should be more widespread appreciation throughout the year
but we want to continue that recognition,” he said
“The bottom line is they’re good at their job.”
who serves as Community Relations Director for Drexel Heights and the Santa Rita Fire District
agrees that the workforce deserves more recognition
“The public actually doesn’t get to see what they’re doing on this side,” Gonska said
“We have some of the best dispatchers in the area
It’s important that we recognize them because they’re the ones that are taking all the information
dealing with the public first and disseminating that information to the firefighters and medics.”
Report a typo
DUBLIN, CA — An Oakland man held for murder at Santa Rita Jail is being charged with killing his cellmate, 37-year-old Elias Angel Rivera
the Alameda County Sheriff's Office announced Friday
deputies responded to Rivera's cell after his cellmate activated the emergency call button
the sheriff's office said in a news release
Deputies found Rivera unresponsive with visible injuries
They arranged to have Rivera transported to a local hospital for treatment
A hospital physician pronounced him dead at 1:11 a.m
the Alameda County Sheriff's Office named Paula Faaui
Faaui was arrested in connection with the Aug. 20, 2023 death of Julian Carillo-Garcia, 31, in Oakland, according to reports. Faaui was charged with shooting and killing him after a robbery gone wrong, according to The San Francisco Chronicle
Rivera was arrested by the California Highway Patrol on May 21
At the time, he was on probation and driving with a suspended license after a prior DUI conviction, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Bay Area News Group
While driving his car the wrong way on Highway 27
he allegedly killed 30-year-old Heidi Gerrish and injured her partner
Rivera is the first person to die at Santa Rita Jail in 2025, and the 72nd person to die at Santa Rita Jail since 2014, according to records reviewed by KTVU
Patch reached out to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office for more information
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Residents of Regency at Santa Rita Ranch enjoy access to world-class amenities
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and various common spaces for social gatherings
a dedicated Lifestyle Director curates social events and activities for residents
The community is conveniently located less than 35 miles from downtown Austin and just minutes from entertainment
Regency at Santa Rita Ranch is part of the award-winning Santa Rita Ranch master plan
including Community of the Year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin and the Austin Business Journal
Home buyers will experience one-stop shopping at the Toll Brothers Design Studio
The state-of-the-art Design Studio allows home buyers to choose from a wide array of selections to personalize their dream home with the assistance of Toll Brothers professional Design Consultants
Toll Brothers Regency active-adult communities across the United States are planned with the active lifestyles of their residents in mind
Each community offers exquisitely designed homes with an array of luxury resort-style amenities
and social events available for residents 55 years of age or older
For more information on Regency at Santa Rita Ranch and Toll Brothers communities throughout Austin, call (833) 405-8655 or visit RegencyatSantaRitaRanch.com
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Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Senior Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | ameck@tollbrothers.com
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc5bfa38-272c-4ad6-862f-dbc2697a0e0b
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/97368a99-5f4e-4384-965a-b6a6f494ec65
Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)
A teenager who with two friends is accused of shooting and killing one man and injuring three teenagers at Santa Rita Park in October 2023 pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing on Friday
is charged with murder in the first degree
Hernandez and his two friends, Dominic Ethan Baker-Alires, 20, and Justin Lee Maez, 18, are accused of shooting and killing Rodney Bellino, 47, and injuring three teenagers on Oct
met the victims at Santa Rita Park in Durango for a presumed one-on-one fistfight
But when the trio arrived in a black Dodge Charger
they immediately opened fire with an AR-15 platform rifle and pistols
Baker-Alires was sentenced last week to 45 years in prison for the murder of Bellino and the assault against the teenage victims
At his sentencing hearing
victims and witnesses recounted the terror and turmoil the ambush-style shooting caused them
Victim Damian Wiebe said he was shot and inflicted with a tennis ball-sized hole in his back
crippling him and costing him months of relearning how to walk
Sixth Judicial District Judge Suzanne Carlson set Hernandez’s trial to begin July 14
Defense attorneys for Hernandez asked Carlson for a two-week trial period
Sixth Judicial District Attorney Sean Murray said he anticipates the trial to last up to seven business days
Murray and deputy district attorneys Vance Davis and Miles Dudley are prosecuting the case against Hernandez
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2025 at 11:33 am PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Rivera's death is the first Santa Rita Jail inmate death of 2025
CA — A 37-year-old Santa Rita Jail inmate died Tuesday
according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office
an Oakland man arrested in May 2022 on suspicion of murder
Jail staff have informed his family and are investigating the death
they have notified the District Attorney's Office and are submitting a report to the California Attorney General's Office
Maurice Monk was found dead in his Santa Rita Jail cell after staff had not checked on him in at least three days
Alameda County DA Pamela Price is charging nearly a dozen deputies and staffers with negligence in his death
In the wake of the recall of Alameda County DA Pamela Price, her office is suddenly handing out consequences in the 2021 death of Santa Rita Jail prisoner Maurice Monk
the three-year anniversary of which is this Friday
who was jailed on charges stemming from not wearing a mask on AC Transit in October 2021
was dead in his jail cell for at least three days
He was found alongside piles of uneaten food
Monk even had the words "Alameda County" permanently stained on his chest from his jail-issued t-shirt
as his bodily fluids covered him post-mortem
Now KTVU reports that Price has charged nine deputies and two jail medical staffers with counts of felony dependent adult abuse and neglect in regards to Monk’s death
Three of those individuals are also facing felony charges of falsifying documents
seven of them are still employed by the sheriff's department but on paid administrative leave
the Alameda County Sheriff does not feel the charges are justified
"Today is undeniably a difficult day and brings forth a range of emotions and concerns," Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez said in a statement to KTVU
But Sanchez added she was "deeply disappointed by District Attorney Price’s decision to pursue charges
I will continue to support our staff throughout this challenging process."
KTVU reported last November that Monk’s family had been awarded a $7 million settlement
The deputies facing charges are Ross Burruel
The medical staffers are Alameda County forensic behavioral health psychiatrist Dr
Neal Edwards and nurse David Everett Donoho of the third-party for-profit prison group Wellpath
it is unclear whether Price’s successor will carry through with the charges
That’s because it’s unclear who that successor will be
Price remains in office until Alameda County certifies its election tallies (no later than December 5
and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors is tasked with appointing a new interim DA
Related: Man Jailed for Not Wearing a Mask Dies in Custody, Family Sues Alameda County [Joe]
Image: Jesstess87 via Wikimedia Commons
The overall $250 million sale of the Oakland Coliseum is being held up by East Bay elected officials
who seem to want to do more due diligence on deals they’ve already agreed to
But the City of Oakland is getting stiffed on payments because of it
A female employee at the Ocean Beach Safeway was brutally attacked on Sunday; whooping cough is on the rise in the Bay Area; and Intel has brought back free coffee and tea for workers to "boost morale."
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A lead plane circles high overhead of the Box Fire
near Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson on Feb
Multiple agencies are battling a brush fire in Box Canyon
The fire is estimated to be between 5 and 10 acres
according to a Facebook post from Green Valley Fire District
Fuel for the fire is considered to be low to moderate
Pima County Sheriff's deputies are assisting in traffic control efforts
saying that the intersection of Box Canyon Road
Whitehouse Canyon Road and Madera Canyon Road has been shut down due to the fire
Contact reporter Caitlin Schmidt at cschmidt@tucson.com or 573-4191
Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter
Blaze at 40,000 acres; hundreds of homes remain under pre-evacuation orders
Knob Hill Fire started shortly before noon Saturday
but the greatest chances will be Wednesday
Critics say it would allow a big development to rise near the San Pedro River
while also not protecting Lake Mead on the Colorado
The owner is "exploring alternatives" for the site
and city officials hope it doesn't remain a vacant lot
It's been a whole week since former Arizona Wildcat Nick Foles led the Philadelphia Eagles over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Supe…
but the Wildcats may not want the path that comes with it
The small department has been asked starting next month to shift from four-member crews to three person crews
Twenty-three eating establishments failed January inspections by the Pima County Health Department
Sixteen passed follow-up inspections and s…
A man convicted in absentia for a homicide in Tucson 14 years ago has been sentenced to life in prison.Tucson TV station KOLD reports that 60-…
(AP) — Six British friends boarded a sightseeing helicopter outside Las Vegas on their way to one of the busiest and noisiest…
PHOENIX — An immigrant man with five children and a pregnant wife said Monday he was granted a last-minute stay of deportation after he sought…
PHOENIX— Phoenix police say 16-year-old male high school student has been arrested after being found in possession of a loaded handgun on campus
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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — After the city of Tucson cleared out and closed Santa Rita Park Wednesday morning, the park stayed closed for two days for cleaning
The city says they closed and cleaned to "preserve public health
as noticed by the department and our Outreach Teams."
As the yellow tape surrounding Santa Rita came down
returned.Ramon Moreno says he's been living at Santa Rita for over a decade and has found community there
and we try to keep the peace here in the park," he said
you’ve got everyone else in this park that’s like family.”
"I’m not going to let them destroy our home," he said
housed neighbors around the park told KGUN 9 they want the park cleared
Many say they feel unsafe with the many encampments in Santa Rita and wish they had a clean park for their neighborhood
Nine Alameda County sheriff's deputies and a pair of civilian Santa Rita Jail employees are facing charges related to the 2021 death of inmate Maurice Monk
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price's office filed the charges late Friday accusing all the defendants of felony dependent adult abuse
three of the deputies -- Robinderpal Singh Hayer
Troy Hershel White and Syear Osmani -- are each also facing a single charge of falsification of an official document by an officer
the other deputies charged by Price include Donall Rowe
Also charged were Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services' Dr
who had mental health and other health care needs
after apparently being dead for at least 72 hours
He was in jail after an arrest about a month earlier on suspicion of disorderly conduct for allegedly refusing to get off an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit bus and failing to appear on a misdemeanor warrant for another alleged altercation on a bus
Monk's family lawyers said multiple jail guards and medical staff from Wellpath saw him lying face-down in a puddle of bodily fluids for days but failed to provide aid
His family settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Alameda County for $7 million
From a manager at a Safeway grocery store near Sabino Canyon seven years ago to serving as a defensive analyst at Notre Dame heading into a national title game
Bryce Dempsey’s journey may seem hard to fathom
but he does not see it that way because of the effort involved
“Coaching for me is second nature,” Dempsey said in a phone interview from South Bend
“It’s something your passionate about
You’re trying to help those around you achieve their goals
“You’re just trying to teach and help those guys achieve the small goals
because the big ones are going to come as they go on
That’s how I view opportunities like this at Notre Dame.”
a junior tight end on Santa Rita High School’s team that made it to the state championship game in 2009
will be part of the national championship game with the Fighting Irish on Monday night against Ohio State and Salpointe graduate Lathan Ransom at Atlanta (5:30 p.m.
When his college career concluded at Valparaiso in 2014
Dempsey wanted to coach but was uncertain of which path to immediately take after earning a degree in education with a focus on special education
I knew I wanted to get into coaching,” Dempsey said
and kind of throughout my time at Valparaiso
I ended up thinking I want to do college coaching
“I like the recruiting aspect and just being around football all day
a lot of coaches in Tucson who ended up being teachers
because that’s what I ended up getting my degree in
but I just kind of fell in love with the whole 24/7 coaching life.”
The transition from Valparaiso after earning his degree in 2015 to his first college coaching position in 2018 at Mercyhurst University (an NCAA Division II program at the time in Erie
Pa.) included a three-year gap of returning to Tucson to live and sort out his plans
That’s when he became a manager at Safeway
an offensive lineman in the same Class of 2011 at Santa Rita
was the offensive line coach at Sahuaro High School under head coach Scott McKee at the time
Sainz’s football history with Dempsey dates to their days in Tucson Youth Football
“Bryce was just about the team and would do anything he had to to help his teammates get better,” stated Sainz
who is returning to his head coaching role at Catalina Foothills High School this fall
He has worked extremely hard to get where he is and deserves all the successes he earns in his career going forward.”
Dempsey’s brother Cole Sterns was a safety and two-time captain for McKee with the Cougars who graduated in 2014 and played at Northern Arizona and SMU
His sister Brielle Sterns is a Class of 2017 standout at Sahuaro who played volleyball and went on to play at New Mexico State before ending her collegiate career at Texas Tech as a track and field athlete
I would go out to Sahuaro with Coach McKee and Danny and help out as a volunteer coach,” Dempsey said about his time back in Tucson after his Valparaiso days
can you get the young guys together and kind of warm them up before we’re finishing this game
Just get them warmed up and kind of get going
Once you’re an athlete and you fall in love with the sport
you just want to be around it and do whatever you can.”
Dempsey received the first break of his coaching career
He received a call from Valparaiso defensive coordinator Ernest Moore
who asked him if he wanted to return to coach the safeties
“At the beginning of August that year
I moved up to Valpo and was there for the 2018 season
just coaching the safeties and doing various other things — laundry
whatever miscellaneous kind of things need to get done
just so I could be around and make little extra money,” he said
A contact alerted him to a job opening at Mercyhurst in 2019
He first worked as the outside linebackers coach that season and later became the defensive line and special teams coordinator before taking on the defensive coordinator role in the 2022 and 2023 seasons
His opportunity to join Notre Dame as a defensive analyst was generated by a text message from Mercyhurst offensive coordinator Eric Acciani
unusual story that happens in the coaching world,” Dempsey said
“I was in a meeting with the defense
(Acciani) had been coaching at several different places and knew a lot of people
He texted I think 20 minutes into the meeting
I had it saved but it hadn’t really been updated
It had that I coordinated in 2022 and it had enough information that if you looked at it
you know I’d been coaching for a while
He forgot he communicated with Acciani until his fiancée (now wife) asked him how his day went when they were at home later that night
“I called (Acciani) and he told me he sent my resume to Notre Dame because they had an opening,” he said
I didn’t even proofread it.’ That’s what opened the door.”
The resume and his interview with Notre Dame and its coaches closed the door
Dempsey mentioned his first impression of Marcus Freeman is what people see of Notre Dame’s young coach on television — personable
“All of our coaches are like that,” Dempsey said
“If you’ve seen any interviews or anything they’ve done on Twitter or any social media
who they are in those interviews is who they are as a person
They really want to get to know you as a person
That’s one thing coach Coach Free did with me
He sat down with me and got to know me as a person
‘Who’s this guy that I have here
Dempsey is at the outset of a special career having already been a defensive coordinator at a Division II program (that is now Division I) and as one of four football analysts at the most storied program in the nation
I want to get back into a role of being a position coach,” Dempsey said
“I’m in no rush to get back to being a coordinator or a level like that
I’d love to stay here as long as possible
If something else came up that could fit my life and my wife — and now we have a little boy that’s one and a half — if it fits the family aspect as well
I’m really just enjoying the ride and the process of what we’re aspiring for on Monday
and then kind of evaluating what comes up after that.”
Dempsey’s work with the defense includes reporting to defensive coordinator Al Golden and the position coaches
He has integrated the system with the incoming freshmen
He has engaged in small group meetings with the young players and veterans
“And all the scouting is through us and our scouting department,” Dempsey said
everything’s broken down for them with a full scouting report
“They can come in and just get right to work on what they need to and have any questions they have answered.”
Dempsey communicates with Golden and defensive backs coach Mike Mickens about plays via the tablets on the field of what was scouted that week
The impetus of his desire to coach occurred when he was a junior on that Santa Rita team that reached the state championship game under legendary Jeff Scurran
That team in 2009 that finished 11-3 included 18 players — nearly all the starters — who were selected to the all-region first and second teams
Future NFL linebacker Blake Martinez was a sophomore on that team before transferring to CDO to conclude his high school career
Cam Gaddis was a senior defensive back who went on to play with Pima College and later with the Tucson Sugar Skulls
Santa Rita also advanced to the state title game a year earlier under Scurran
whose top assistants were his former standouts at Sabino — Kevin Amidan (offensive/defensive line) and Santos Olague (running backs)
“I really learned a lot about football playing for Santa Rita at that time,” Dempsey said
I’d say what got me into wanting to be a high school coach at first
and then I’ve kind of changed my trajectory
“He was the offensive line and defensive line coach
and that’s why I ended up getting my degree in special ed is because of him
He cared and that was the coolest thing ever.”
and the people who inspired him along the way
have put Dempsey in a position to earn a national championship with the Fighting Irish on Monday
“I’d be lying if I say it’s just another game,” Dempsey said
“But we’ve done our best to approach every game like that
Not being in a conference and having that early loss to Northern Illinois (in the second week of the season)
“That’s what really got us kind of geared up and ready for the postseason
because the same thing is the case — if you lose to Indiana
We’ve just approached it as let’s go through the same process and we should stay consistent in who we are
I feel confident in that and feel good about Monday.”
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He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District
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