TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) — It's almost that time of the year. Get ready for the City of Tucson to be busier than usual, as the 2025 Tucson Gem Show is rolling into town.

The 2025 Tucson Gem show is getting set up as we speak.

It will not be long until the Old Pueblo is filled with precious gems and fossils.

"We can confirm 52 shows for the winter, gem, mineral and fossil showcase matching the record that was set in 2020," said Jane Roxbury from Visit Tucson.

The gem, mineral and fossil showcase is just one of the many stops you can make as part of this year's show.

Visit Tucson says they've learned a lot through an economic study about the thousands that come to the Old Pueblo for this annual event.

"We measured 42 states and 42 countries represented," Roxbury said.

That includes the show owners, the vendors and the buyers.

"And there are people here looking for rocks, minerals, fossils the items that started it all, the miners are here. The folks who dug them up, the collectors, the sellers," Roxbury said.

And all of those people have to eat while they're here. Peggy Starr works at Café 54 in downtown Tucson.

"We generally see a slight increase in business. We get a lot of friendly out of town people they want to know more about what we do here," Starr said.

Which means there's always someone behind the cash register.

"You can definitely tell there's more people downtown during the gem show so I'm assuming it's helping everybody," Starr said.

And gone are the days when you can only buy gems during this one time of the year.

"There are dozens of warehouses that are permanent gem and mineral structures in the mineral and fossil district, they're open year round," Roxbury said.

The Tucson gem show begins January 18, 2025 and will last through February 16, 2025.

For more information on the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, click here.

For more information on the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Shows, click here.

For a one stop shop of all the shows going on, click here.

Sometimes when Missael Montijo looks out the window at Taqueria Juanitos, he realizes he’s looked out this particular window for almost his whole life.

The bright purple building on Grant Road is home for him.

Since he was 16 years old, Montijo has worked at Taqueria Juanitos, landing a job a year after they opened. Now at 42 years old, he’s still in the kitchen, crafting delectable tacos stuffed with flavorful beef or pork.

His love for Taqueria Juanitos was even passed down to his son, Issael, who cooks right by his side, learning all the ins and outs of making the juiciest cabeza you’ve ever tasted.

The same can be said for Monica Suazo.

Some of Suazo’s earliest memories are sitting at the counter. When her parents couldn’t get a babysitter, she’d go to the restaurant with them, chatting with all the customers that’d walk through the door.

From the moment you step foot in Taqueria Juanitos, located at 708 W. Grant Road, you can feel the love everyone has for the bright purple building. With some of the best tacos in the city, you can taste the love in the food too.

All that love starts with Antonia Mendoza.

Back in 1987, Mendoza and her family opened a food truck in California, offering a few different types of tacos for those who wanted to give a new truck a try. Mendoza had learned how to cook from her mother, who taught her how to master traditional Michoacán dishes.

The little food truck suddenly began to grow, getting more popular thanks to their combination of authentic Michoacán recipes and the style of street food seen in California.

Taqueria Juanitos was outgrowing their food truck, so they moved to the next step: opening their first brick-and-mortar. Just like their truck, they continued to see hungry customers line up for tacos.

After spending 11 years in California, Mendoza and her family moved to Tucson. Thankfully, their illustrious food and recipes made the move with them.

In 1997, Taqueria Juanitos opened in Tucson, continuing the legacy of serving up tacos that make so many customers come back for more.

“Trabajamos muy duro con mucho amor,” Mendoza said, which translates to: “We work very hard with a lot of love.”

Over the next 28 years, Taqueria Juanitos grew its little family. Montijo joined the staff and learned how to cook from Mendoza, mastering the same recipes Mendoza’s mother once taught her.

Mendoza even had a family of her own, who also became apart of Taqueria Juanitos at a young age. Suazo, Mendoza’s daughter, fondly remembers working there with her siblings, seeing firsthand all the work it takes to run a restaurant.

Just like they once outgrew their truck, in 2024, Taqueria Juanitos began to outgrow their spot on Grant Road.

So, they made their home a little bigger.

In 2024, Taqueria Juanitos got a makeover: a bigger kitchen and a bigger dining area so no one has to stuff tacos in their mouth while standing up anymore. The walls are all painted bright colors, matching the multi-colored chairs at each table.

One of the rooms has a Virgin Mary painted on the wall, just like it had before the renovation. In the other room, giant orange, purple and pink flowers cover the wall along with vibrant monarch butterflies, courtesy local muralist The Desert Pen.

“We had to work in the food truck outside for three months and prep at a commissary kitchen,” Suazo said. “It was really tough for those three months, but we all agree that it was worth it,” Suazo said with a smile on her face.

You feel like you’re at Disneyland while you wait in the roped line, anxiously waiting your turn to order. When you finally get to the counter, there’s nothing on your mind except the juicy, flavorful cabeza you’re about to inhale.

To make their beloved cabeza tacos, Issael first starts off by putting the beef cheek into a giant pot along with seasonings and water. It then cooks together for the next 16 hours, cooking very slowly to get tender and juicy.

Throughout the 16-hour process, Issael also makes sure to get rid of the fat. That way, you’re left with a lean beef rather than chunks of fatty, mushy meat. It’s that extra step that really puts this taco over the top.

When they finally call your number, you get the honor of looking at a perfect plate of tacos. Double corn tortillas stuffed with cabeza and topped with chopped onions and cilantro cover the red checkered lining on the plate. Your tacos are also accompanied by limes, slices of radishes and two salsas to dunk your meal in.

From the first bite, you can taste the labor of love that went into making it. The meat has a rich, juicy flavor to it, nice and tender without having a layer of fat coat your mouth. The best part: you don’t have to worry about the taco breaking apart due to the juices — it’s double-wrapped!

With a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of the red salsa on top, it is the perfect cabeza taco. In fact, it is my favorite cabeza taco I’ve ever had.

And cabeza isn't the only thing on the menu made with love. Their al pastor and carnitas are also fan-favorites, each just as tasty as the last. So next time you’re craving tacos, I’d drive straight to the purple building, where you can taste the love and history in each mouthwatering bite.

Become a #ThisIsTucson member! Your contribution helps our team bring you stories that keep you connected to the community. Become a member today.

Jamie Donnelly is the food writer for #ThisIsTucson. Contact her via e-mail at [email protected]

Editor's note: This story was originally published in January 2022.

The back of Tania’s 33 is like if what lurked behind the Wizard of Oz’s green curtain was actually amazing. Past the plastic flaps that separate the front and back of house, behind the horseshoe-shaped grill, steam table and fry bay that produce most of the items on their prodigious menu, you’ll find a narrow hallway lined with stock pot stoves.

You may never have seen burners like these before: rather than the smaller, waist-height gas stoves you may associate with commercial kitchens, these are made of cast iron and hover low to the ground, so that the 80-quart pots are at arm’s reach.

This hallway is the domain of Rudy Lira III, whose grandmother founded Tania’s in the '70s. He grew up watching his parents cook for their community and now runs their bulk foods program, responsible for the wide array of soups and stews at the west-side institution. Tania’s has been slinging menudo at 614 N. Grande Ave. for nearly four decades.

On a Thursday morning, four of the eight burners are cooking menudo. Rudy got to work at 5 a.m. (as he does every day) so customers can order the soup fresh when the restaurant opens at 7 a.m. “We’re chasing our own tails,” he said. “As soon as one pot gets low, we have to start another one.”

One of the 80-quart pots, which could fit an elementary schooler in the fetal position, is full of birria and covered in armfuls of spices waiting to be stirred. Another is full of barbacoa. The crowning pot, perhaps the largest one in the kitchen, is the 200-quart they use to cook the hominy that goes into their menudo and is ground into masa for their tamales.

“The recipe for menudo is quite simple,” said Rudy Jr., Rudy III’s father and co-owner of Tania’s. “You can’t really change it that much, except refusing to cut corners. We don’t add any water to our menudo to make the broth last longer. Our menudo is three-quarters meat and hominy, one-quarter broth.” In other words, they don’t skimp on the good stuff.

What can make menudo polarizing is the tripe, the stomach lining of a cow. People who love tripe like the gelatinous texture, its whisper of funkiness. People who don’t love tripe probably dislike it for the same reasons. It’s a mild, nutritious cut of meat, which takes on the flavors of its fellow ingredients, whether in menudo or other dishes like phở or andouille.

While there are technically four types of tripe — one for each chamber of the cow’s stomach — to my relatively untrained eye, Tania’s menudo seems to mainly use rumen, or blanket tripe, from the first stomach of the cow. One side of the rumen might have sea-kelp-beds of papillae, which allow the cow’s stomach more surface area to absorb nutrients. One or both sides might be smooth.

Red and white menudo are each more popular in different regions. “Here, our orders for white menudo outnumber red 10:1,” Rudy Jr. said. “But in New Mexico, people might never have even heard of white menudo before.” He explained that white menudo, which is pretty much only tripe, garlic and hominy, is culturally specific to the Sonoran region. “But some people think it should be all meat and no hominy,” he said.

Rudy III prefers red for the spice. “There’s a little more room for personal flair with red menudo than white. Each person has their own unique blend of spices,” he said.

While the recipes for menudo might be relatively simple, what makes it a special occasion food is time. The four-hour minimum to concentrate the flavors and get the tripe to the right texture means many restaurants only serve menudo on the weekends. Tania’s prides themselves on making it every day of the week.

“In the food service industry, you do the work for others as much as yourself,” said Rudy III.

Location: 614 N. Grande Ave.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday | 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday-Monday

For more information, check out their website.

What a tax ban means for Arizona renters and cities

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - As of Jan. 1, renters in Arizona will no longer pay a rental tax.

If you’ve never heard of a rental tax, chances are, you didn’t have to pay it. The city of Tucson does not tax residential rentals, so there’s no change for people who live in the city limits.

But it will impact some smaller cities and towns, and not everyone is happy the ‘transaction privilege tax” has been banned in the state.

The cities and towns collecting residential rental tax will lose revenue. In southern Arizona, those include South Tucson, Douglas, Sahuarita, and Sierra Vista.

”We’re looking at a loss of probably $564,000,” said Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa.

For many renters, it’s a New Year’s gift to pay one to four percent less because of a ban on transaction privilege taxes. For most, that’s around $5 to $20 that won’t be tacked onto their monthly rent anymore.

“Anything will help. I’m a single dad and these are my little girls anything helps the pockets right now I appreciate it,” said renter Richard Estrada.

Gov. Katie Hobbs signed the law to help fight inflation and rising housing costs. While that means some families will have a little more for groceries or gas, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns said it hurts the big picture.

”We’re talking about public safety, police and fire, we’re talking about parks, libraries, quality of life services such as senior and youth centers,” said Tom Savage, Legislative Director for League of Arizona Cities and Towns.

Sierra Vista’s city manager started preparing last year, so McCaa said they won’t be cutting services - but would have been able to provide more if the tax stayed legal. The way the mayor sees it, that one percent may not have meant a lot to renters - but it paid off big for the city.

“So if you’re paying $800 in rent, $8 goes to rental tax,” McCaa said.

Then, there’s South Tucson, where Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela told 13 News, “We lost roughly $80,000 a year, impacting our ability to ensure safe and affordable housing. This is part of a larger problem: the state is undermining local control, even though we know what our community needs best,” Valenzuela said.

Until now, Arizona cities and towns, like Sierra Vista and South Tucson, collectively took in about $230 million a year from these taxes. At this point, the state has no plan to make up for the losses.

Savage agrees, there is a bigger problem with housing - that can’t be solved with a few dollars a month.

”Really the only two options is to increase local taxes or cut services and potentially cut jobs,” Savage said.

But McCaa remains optimistic.

”Our constituents, the renters, are the ones taking the hit, as well as the cities. If we could sit down with our legislators and our senators to show them a way forward, I know we could up with a good solution,” McCaa said.

The lawmakers who wrote the law say, cities need to find other funding sources that don’t cost residents.

This tax only applies to leases of more than 30 days. You do not need to do anything to get it taken off your rent. Landlords must drop it automatically. If you still see it itemized on your bill, talk to your landlord. If you still need help, you can contact the Arizona Department of Revenue.

Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold

Copyright 2025 13 News. All rights reserved.

What is the best internet provider in Tucson?

CNET ranks Xfinity as the best internet provider in Tucson, offering a variety of plans to suit different needs. Options range from an affordable $20 per month plan to high-speed packages with download speeds up to 1,200Mbps. While fiber internet is gaining traction, its availability in Tucson is still limited. Providers like Quantum Fiber offer cutting-edge speeds, but cable and fixed wireless options from Xfinity, T-Mobile, Verizon and CenturyLink are more accessible throughout the city.

Quantum Fiber leads with an 8,000Mbps plan for $150 per month, but availability is sparse. Alternatively, Cox Communications offers a 2-gig plan at the same price. For those prioritizing budget-friendly options, Xfinity’s 150Mbps plan at just $20 per month is hard to beat.

Best internet in Tucson, Arizona

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Tucson

Cheap internet options in Tucson

The average starting price for internet service in Tucson is about $47 per month. Most providers offer a $50 monthly plan, but one provider offers plans even lower than that.

Xfinity offers the cheapest plan you’ll find in Tucson with its $20-per-month plan for download speeds of 150Mbps. Or if you need more speed, Xfinity Connect costs $35 monthly and reaches speeds up to 300Mbps.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Tucson

The best internet deals and top promotions in Tucson depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Tucson internet providers, such as Xfinity and Cox, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Quantum Fiber and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Tucson broadband?

In the most recent Tucson speed tests, Xfinity came out on top in expected download speeds, with Cox just behind. In the most recent Ookla data of the entire US, Tucson came in at number 76 overall in median download speed. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Quantum Fiber, Cox Communications, Verizon and Xfinity all offer high-speed gigabit plans in Tucson, with Quantum offering the fastest speeds -- 8,000Mbps for $150 per month. However, most areas will get up to a maximum of 940Mbps speeds.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What's a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Tucson

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike with the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

Though the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Tucson?

Though we rate Xfinity as the best bet in Tucson, your address will dictate which ISP is best for you. The speeds and providers vary throughout the city and the surrounding areas, so you’ll have to plug in your location to find your best options.

Internet providers in Tucson FAQ

Fiber internet is available to just over 13% of Tucson households, mainly through Quantum Fiber. Prices range from $45 to $150 monthly, and speed plans offered include 200 and 8,000Mbps.

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Xfinity offers the cheapest internet in Tucson with its Connect plan. For $20 per month, customers can get 150Mbps download speeds.

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CenturyLink and Xfinity are both really solid options for your internet service. In Tucson, CenturyLink runs DSL and fiber, while Xfinity runs cable. Typically, we’d rate CenturyLink over Xfinity, but that’s only when you can get CenturyLink’s fiber plans. If you can’t get fiber service from CenturyLink (or its sibling brand, Quantum Fiber), we’d pick Xfinity over CenturyLink for Tucson residents.

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