Named for plentiful berries that grew there, the community of Strawberry should perhaps now be better known for a different treat — empanadas.

State of play: Kim Brennan opened PIEbar five years ago on Highway 260 in the small unincorporated town north of Payson, and business is booming.

• The menu, which started with five varieties, now boasts 30 different homemade sweet and savory hand pies.
• PIEbar also sells tiny fruit pastries called blossoms, whole pies, cocktails and other beverages.

Flashback: The COVID-19 pandemic wasn't an ideal time to start a restaurant, Brennan said, but she'd already finished renovations and ordered all of her equipment, so she decided to move forward.

• But PIEbar was "a hit right away," and because empanadas were packaged to go and there was little person-to-person contact, it was able to thrive. Since then, "we've grown and grown."

Zoom in: PIEbar's origins go back decades, when an 18-year-old Brennan moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for a hotel job.

• Brennan spent six years in Mexico, where she fell in love with empanadas — thanks to a woman who sold two trays a day starting at 6am. Miss that window and you were out of luck by 6:30am.

Between the lines: If you're looking for recommendations, they're right there on the menu — empanadas are listed in order of popularity.

• The top sellers on the savory side are the Mountain Man, made with sausage, potatoes, gravy and cheese; chicken pot pie; and the Mountain Mamma, with spinach, garlic, mushrooms, bacon, Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
• On the sweet side, customers gravitate toward the apple dulce de leche, lemon bar and peach.
• Brennan's personal favorites are the Mountain Mamma, the artichoke dip and the pineapple upside-down.

My thought bubble: I discovered PIEbar during a recent family trip to Strawberry and Pine, and I'm hooked.

• My favorites were the Mountain Man, a spicy breakfast treat; the picadillo beef, with onions, potatoes, green chiles and cilantro; and the bananas Foster.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is close to securing additional land in Arizona to create an "independent gigafab cluster," chairman and CEO CC Wei announced on an earnings call yesterday morning.

Why it matters: The new land will allow TSMC to execute its $165 billion vision for Phoenix and cement the Valley as an unequivocal semiconductor hub.

The latest: Wei said "strong AI-related demand" is driving TSMC to speed up its Arizona expansion and roll out advanced process technologies sooner.

• The new piece of land, which he said would be "nearby" the current Phoenix facility, will support TSMC's current expansion plans and provide more flexibility to respond to expected AI growth, he said.

Flashback: The company earlier this year announced it would expand its Arizona footprint to include a total of six fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a research and development center.

• When complete, it will constitute a "gigafab cluster," Wei said.

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No Kings protest organizers expect millions to gather across the nation to voice their opposition to President Trump tomorrow, including dozens of planned protests in Arizona.

State of play: A protest at the Arizona Capitol from 11am-1pm is one of nearly two dozen planned in the Phoenix area, according to the No Kings website.

• More than 2,500 events were planned across all 50 states as of Monday, organizers said.

Why it matters: The latest round of protests comes amid growing frustration about the ongoing government shutdown and widespread opposition to Trump's military crackdown on Democratic-led cities across America.

🍄 Experts are warning people to remove mushrooms that have popped up in lawns following recent rain, which can cause vomiting and dehydration if consumed. (12 News)

👀 Tucson is launching a new Safe City Initiative aimed at curbing homelessness and public drug use. The initiative will expand community court and create task forces to guide the city on policies on using law enforcement to "pressure" people into drug recovery and improve safety on public transportation. (AZcentral)

📱 Two Arizona Young Republican leaders are resisting calls to resign after a Politico article revealed offensive text messages between officials from chapters across the country. (Arizona Mirror)

🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.

Desert Pulse at Desert Botanical Garden Oct 11 to May 11: A multi-sensory art exhibit by ScanLAB Projects, invites visitors into the visual and emotional energy of the Sonoran Desert. Through photography, motion, and sound, it reveals new ways of seeing and deepens appreciation for our vibrant ecosystem.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

The Arizona Science Center's planetarium underwent a massive renovation and reopens tomorrow as the Dorrance DOME — one of the most advanced digital domes in the world.

The big picture: The refreshed planetarium represents a new era for the Science Center, which interim president and CEO Tammy Stewart said will "inspire learners of all ages to explore science in ways that are immersive, interactive and unforgettable."

Zoom in: The dome is similar to the Las Vegas Sphere but much more intimate (there are about 200 seats). It will launch with four daily shows:

• "Orbital": A space voyage narrated by astronauts.
• "Black Hole: First Picture": A look at how scientists captured the first image of a black hole.
• "Astronomy Tour: Arizona": A live planetarium show that explores Arizona's astronomy history.
• "Inside Pop Art": An "immersive, technicolor trip" through the evolution of pop art.

By the numbers: The 60-foot dome has 8K LED technology that's 100 times the brightness of a traditional projection.

What's next: The dome is a blank canvas with endless potential for creating new shows and experiences, Dorrance DOME experiences and planetarium director Alec Warren said, adding there are opportunities for non-science programming, like immersive concerts and art shows.

• Already, the Science Center has announced after-hours yoga classes under the dome and musical screenings featuring cinematic displays to match the tunes of Taylor Swift and "K-Pop Demon Hunters."

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