Tucson Weekly

Writer's Block: John Clausen

Alexandra Newman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:40 -0700

Local author and freelance writer John Clausen debuts his first novel, a witty mystery called Big Hungry. Released last fall, the book is published by Hukilau.…

Who's Your Farmer?

Michelle Weiss — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:00:41 -0700

This weekend, enjoy a photography and video showcase created by the Youth Farm Project. The event will be a fun mix of art, food and "youth power."

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona's Youth Farm Project said in a press release:

The Youth Farm Project works to engage youth in the food they eat and to foster the consideration of how what they eat affects their health, community, and the planet.…
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Steve Leal: 'Tucson Deserves a National Search for PCC Chancellor'

Mari Herreras — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:25:44 -0700

Former Tucson City Councilman Steve Leal takes a different look at what is currently happening at Pima Community College and the agenda being presented to the governing board at tonight's meeting to place Suzanne Miles in that position:

Very good story in the morning daily regarding the sweetheart deal that Pima Community College Chancellor Roy Flores and the Pima Community College Board of Governors gave Flores' high school buddy, Mr. Crnokrak.

Interesting, the paper did a freedom of information request on a Thursday regarding the contract, and on Friday, Flores said he was resigning.…
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"Necessary Targets" Protests War and Violence Against Women

Alexandra Newman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:37 -0700

Necessary Targets, presented by UA’s Arizona Repertory Theatre opens tonight. The play is directed by Kevin Black and written by feminist author Eve Ensler, known for her play The Vagina Monologues.…

Republican Martha McSally Set To Join CD8 Race Tomorrow

Jim Nintzel — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:45:45 -0700

We mentioned last week that former Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot Martha McSally was considering jumping into the April 17 GOP primary for the special election to complete the term of Gabrielle Giffords, who resigned from Congress on Jan. 25.

McSally is preparing to announce her entrance into the Congressional District 8 race tomorrow afternoon at Zinburger's Grant Road location, according to Sam Stone, her communications director.…

Gift of Gab Coming to Congress

Dan Gibson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:33 -0700

One of my favorite rappers ever, Gift of Gab, probably most famous for his time in Blackalicious, is coming to Club Congress on March 4th. He has a new solo album, The Next Logical Progression, coming out on March 27th, so I imagine he'll performing some of that material as a preview, but whatever this guy does is amazing to me, so I'll be there along for the ride.…

Critter of the Week [Cat Edition]: Gage

Dan Gibson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:25 -0700

Gage - #713252 — 8 Years Old — Domestic Long Hair — Male

“Is that a tuna sandwich in your hand? May I please have a bite?” Gage loves food… a little too much, actually.…
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Don't Rush to Prune!

Marylee M. Pangman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:21 -0700

Tucson has finally had some warmer days which has confused our plants. Some of our shrubs and trees are starting to put out new growth.…

Old Footage of Disneyland Is My New Happy Place

Dan Gibson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:39 -0700

I'm not exactly sure what's so fascinating about this found footage of Disneyland from 1957, especially since I generally don't find myself nostalgic for time periods that I wasn't alive for, but the next time I'm having a rough day, I might just watch these baby boomers ride the Astro-Jets.

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Presidential Candidate Sarah Gonzales: Occupying, Hashtagging

Dan Gibson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:04 -0700

Sarah Gonzales, your only female option on the Arizona Presidential Preference Primary Republican ballot, has an ad online for her candidacy, and she smartly incorporates buzzy elements people might care about, including the word "occupy", a hashtag reference, immigration, and a beer.

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AIDS Ribbon Tucson Needs Your Help at Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Mari Herreras — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:01:56 -0700

AIDS Ribbon Tucson could use your help tonight. About 15 volunteers are needed to help carry the large beauty during a procession at an event sponsored by the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) and the UofA Black Alumni Club to mark National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, tonight, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the UA Vine Annex, 1125 N.Vine Ave.

The event is the 12th year for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - a national HIV/AIDS testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeting African Americans.…

UA Has New President (Probably)

Mari Herreras — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:32:57 -0700

According to a UA press release, the nation-wide search for a new president is over. The Arizona Board of Regents named Ann Weaver Hart president and her formal introduction to the UA campus is Monday, Feb. 13.…

RIP, Nello Ferrara

Dan Gibson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:20 -0700

Nello Ferrara, who died at the age of 93 near Chicago on Friday, wasn't just the man behind Lemonheads and Atomic Fireballs, but also just seemed incredibly cool, based on his obituary in the Chicago Sun-Times:

In his free time, Mr. Ferrara enjoyed playing cards and golfing at Ridgemoor Country Club. But his lifelong passion was singing.…
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Prop 8: 'The Constitution Does Not Allow Laws of This Sort'

Mari Herreras — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:07 -0700

Forget about coffee this morning, the great news about the federal appeals court decision today that struck down California's Prop 8 could be enough to make you think sanity has entered the picture again. OK, I just remembered we live in Arizona.…

New: Brewd

Adam Borowitz — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:48 -0700

The new café Brewd is open at 39 N. Sixth Ave, right across from the Ronstadt Transit Center. The coffee served there is roasted by Tucson's own Adventure Coffee Roasters and we hear the scones aren't bad, either.…

RE:GENERATION Makes Old Music New Again

Alexandra Newman — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:00:37 -0700

It’s not uncommon today to hear songs on the radio that seem to have taken a song that was popular in years passed and remixed it into something new. The film RE:GENERATION documents five popular DJs — DJ Premier, Mark Ronson, Skrillex, Pretty Lights, and The Crystal Method — as they target beloved music genres like classical and jazz and collaborate with famous artists to create new sounds and “discover how our musical past is influencing the future.”

Download the entire soundtrack for free and buy tickets to see the film when it hits Tucson's Harkins Spectrum theatres on Feb. 16 at regenerationmusicproject.com

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So, Madonna's Coming to Phoenix

Dan Gibson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:15 -0700

While the idea of buying tickets in February for a show in October is a little strange to me, I guess Madonna has been savvy in limiting how often she tours in order to make her shows events, so her show on October 16th in Phoenix at the US Airways Center seems significant somehow. However, it's possible her halftime show at the Super Bowl wasn't the best advertisement for the tour, unless you prefer Cirque du Soleil acrobatics to the actual sound of the human voice performed live.…

The New Sir Veza's Taco Garage Is Open

Adam Borowitz — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:56:32 -0700

The culinary world snickered when Ray Flores said he was opening a garage-themed taco shop at exactly the same moment the recession had the entire country collectively soiling its economic trousers. Sir Veza's Taco Garage ended up being a hit though, enabling Flores to open another Tucson location and a super-high-profile spot at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.…

Fred Eaglesmith at Plaza Palomino

C. Elliott — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0700

Fred Eaglesmith performed, as part of the Rhythm and Roots concert series founded and promoted by the late Jonathan Holden, at Plaza Palomino, Saturday, February 6.

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Baldenegro: Demand a Public Apology from Michael Hicks

Mari Herreras — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:59 -0700

Salomón Baldenegro Sr. recently shared his perspective on an interview Tucson Unified School District board member Michael Hicks did on the Garrett Lewis A.M. show on KNSR 97.1 in which Hicks lied about where he was during the school board meeting on April 26, 2011. This is the school board meeting in which the student group UNIDOS took over the dais and prevented the school board meeting from continuing.…

PCC's Chancellor Search: 'Miles Qualified, But National Search Needed'

Mari Herreras — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:44 -0700

This morning at 10 a.m., Pima Community College faculty received an e-mail from the PCC Education Association's Scott Collins regarding the selection of the college's next chancellor in reaction to PCC Chancellor Roy Flores' recent announcement he's stepping down the end of the year and a recent story in the morning daily about Provost Suzanne Miles stepping in to take his place without much input:

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Ron Barber Expected To Enter the Race To Finish Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' Term

Jim Nintzel — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:18 -0700

It appears increasingly likely that Ron Barber, who has served as the district director for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords since her election in 2006, will enter the race to finish out her term in Congressional District 8.

"I would be shocked if we didn’t hear an announcement soon that Barber is running for the interim position and that Team Giffords doesn’t endorse him in that run," says Jeff Rogers, chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party.…

Ready to Fight Jan Walker and ALEC for Arizona?

Mari Herreras — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:11 -0700

If there's anything lucky about Jan Brewer's plan to dismantle unions in Arizona is that she and her friends are including fire and police (public safety unions) — and perhaps that's what it is going to take to fight this latest attack on labor and get other Arizonans to pay attention.

Her proposed "reforms" would make it illegal for government bodies to collectively bargain; make it illegal for government bodies to collectively bargain with employee groups; end the practice of automatic payroll deductions for union dues; and ban compensation of public employees for union work.…

MMJ, Meet Your New Nemesis - Amanda Reeve

J.M. Smith — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:50 -0700

Medical marijuana has a lot of enemies in Arizona — the close vote on the law's passage in 2010 and the ensuing legal battles are evidence enough of that — but a legislator from a suburban legislative district north of Phoenix might be emerging as a particularly wrongheaded foe.

State Rep. Amanda Reeve, who serves at the behest of the residents of heavily Republican LD 6 at the northern edge of Phoenix, recently introduced two bills that would restrict the use of MMJ.…

Bon Iver Coming to Tucson

Dan Gibson — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:12:23 -0700

Fresh off his spat with the people behind the Grammys and a performance on Saturday Night Live this weekend (above), Justin Vernon will bring his group Bon Iver back to Tucson on April 23rd at AVA. ~~Ticket information is still to come.~~ Sort of a weird place for an indie act of his sort, but then again, Bon Iver is far more popular than when they played the Rialto in 2009.…