KXCI Responds to The Skinny
KXCI and the Tucson Weekly are celebrating 20 years of success as Tucson's alternative media. KXCI has always been supportive of the Weekly. The Skinny ("More KXCI Static," March 4), however, is full of factual errors and speculation about KXCI. We are obliged to clear up a few misrepresentations.First, the claim that "sufficient signatures (have been collected for) a bylaw referendum" is premature. More than 100 petitions must be thrown out because the signers falsely declared they were KXCI members. Other signers have contacted KXCI requesting their signatures be withdrawn and claim to have been misled, confusing the "KXCI Democracy Initiative" petition with KXCI and the Democracy Now program. Certification of signatures cannot be taken lightly; the board must follow our bylaws and valid election procedures. In addition, KXCI bylaws require that the people proposing an initiative pay all costs. The initiative representatives have repeatedly refused to pay. One can only wonder why they object to independent signature certification. The only thing delaying this election is the initiative's refusal to follow the rules.
Second, our attorney Gary Wolf was not hired for "'a specific research project' investigating (Bill) Risner." Mr. Wolf is an expert in nonprofit law, specifically bylaws. He has formed, advised or served on more than 35 nonprofit boards of directors. The KXCI board retained Mr. Wolf for his advice on issues related to our bylaws and corporate governance.
Finally, there has been no breach of fiduciary duty by the board, as The Skinny and Bill Risner's letter claim. The current staff, volunteers and board are doing their best to serve the interests of all KXCI members and listeners. The Skinny's one-sided approach to this issue does them, the station and the Tucson Weekly a disservice.
Larry Bruce
KXCI General Manager
Pima Courts Respond to The Skinny
Judging from what appeared in the March 11 column known as The Skinny ("Judge Not"), members of your staff are not aware of the selection and performance review processes for commissioners and judges pro-tem currently serving the public at Pima County Superior Court. The statement that commissioners never face any sort of ballot or merit selection process is not accurate.The process for the appointment of a judge pro-tem or a commissioner is very similar to the merit selection process used for the appointment of retained judges in Pima and Maricopa counties. Before a commissioner or judge pro-tem is appointed to the bench by the presiding judge, they submit an application to a committee consisting of attorneys, lay persons and judges who review their qualifications for the position. The committee also conducts interviews with the applicants prior to recommending at least three for each vacant position on the bench. When the presiding judge receives the recommendations, those candidates are interviewed in much the same manner as the governor interviews candidates for retained judgeships in Pima and Maricopa counties. Following those one-on-one interviews, the presiding judge appoints the person most qualified to fill the open position on the bench.
Once a judge pro-tem or commissioner is appointed to the bench, they undergo a judicial performance review every two years similar to the review conducted for retained judges appointed by the governor. The performance of each judge pro-tem and commissioner is assessed through the use of surveys, which are distributed to attorneys, jurors, litigants and members of the court staff. Responses to questions asked on those surveys are discussed with each judge pro-tem and commissioner by conference teams comprised of a retained judge, an attorney and a public member. During these meetings, suggestions are made to the judge pro-tem or commissioner regarding ways in which they can improve their performance on the bench. The results of judicial performance reviews for judges pro-tem and commissioners are available for review by the public upon request.
While these judicial officers do not face a public vote in order to be retained in office, they do serve at the pleasure of the presiding judge for Pima County.
David S. Ricker
Community Relations Coordinator
How Exactly Do You Reward a Suicide Bomber?
I guess there is no fool like an ignorant liberal.Your heroine in this article ("Inside Iraq," TQ&A, Feb. 26) never mentions the 300,000 bodies Saddam left behind, gassed citizens, tongues cut out, children's prisons, rewards to suicide bombers killing civilians in Israel or other countless abuses by Saddam. And gee, Robin Fasano never really saw the country, did she, never having left Baghdad?
And wasn't everybody she met so squishy nice? I guess some Martians are the ones blowing up not only Americans, but innocent Iraqi civilians trying to get on with their lives.
She said everyone in Iraq treated her well--not realizing that the Iraqis who value their new freedom would anyway, and the terrorist sympathizers she stayed with did out of recognition of her utility as another useful idiot tool. Gee, and she's from Massachusetts. There's a shocker.
Stop being an idiot yourself and think about things before you print them blindly.
Bill Fello
You 'Weekly' Folks Are a Bunch of Whiners
What incredible timing! The release of "The Second Annual Rant Issue" (Feb. 26) coincides with the release of Western Upper Nile Weekly's "Second Annual Rant Issue," published in Southern Sudan! Their rants?Lines at the relief clinic so damn long! Like two weeks long!
The rebel mercenaries that rape my 12-year-old.
The government troops that rape my 12-year-old.
Those darn 12-year-old kids with machine guns that rule our town with an iron fist.
The family cow looks like a walking corpse, dammit.
The religious police cut off my hands! Jerks!
The public beheadings make traffic a living hell in our neighborhood.
The well is freaking dry, dammit! Screw the drought!
Could it be that some of us in Tucson are, dare I say, whiners?
Ian Rees
That MVD Rant Was a Cliché-Ridden Snoozer
A rant about the MVD, ho-hum. When will this tired cliché finally be put to rest? What next? The agony of waiting in the doctor's office? The woman in the express lane with 27 items in her shopping cart?Aside from the fact that MVD rants are boring and predictable, I have found my Arizona MVD experiences to be quite painless. Of the seven U.S. states that I have lived in, there is no cheaper driver's license fee than that of Arizona, and the automobile registration fees are quite reasonable.
Death, taxes and lines at the MVD: These are simply certainties of life.
Alicia Reeves
High Schooler to Danehy: Grow Up!
As an aspiring journalist in high school, I was appalled to read Tom Danehy's column ("Columnist Commentary," Feb. 19) protecting his teen-columnist son, Alexander. His son must be very embarrassed to have his dad react in such a childish manner.Tom advised his son to "shrug off hate mail." If Tom characterized the response to his son's article as "hate mail," then he has some pretty thin skin.
If Tom's son has received such an outstanding history education in Amphi's Honors Academy, what is Alexander doing listening to his dad, who is filled with seething hatred and rage, instead of his teachers at Amphi? I'm not taking sides on the Civil War issue, but I'm concerned with Tom having to defend his son.
Imagine that: A grown man full of seething hate and rage, fighting the battles for his son and teaching his son intolerance. I bet Tom feels like a big man sticking up for his son.
Sandra M. Molina
Immaculate Heart High School
Class of 2006
Winterhaven Oozes Greed
I found the word "greed" unwritten many times in the Winterhaven article ("Lawn and Order," Feb. 19).The majority of the residents and board members apparently do not care to learn what it is to live more simply with desert life. Rather, "residence as investment" seems to be the primary priority. This is a great loss, which has been repeated many times in the human history of living in deserts, and it is a real tragedy when the majority imposes its will on people who, in good heart, are on a path of learning to live in agreement with desert life.
After reading the article, the outside artificial winter lights will never look the same.
Carter Rose
James DiGiovanna: Double His Pay!
A quick note to say that I "discovered" James DiGiovanna's "The Gore of Christ" (March 4) on Google News today. It is, by far, the pithiest review of this movie that I've read to date (and that includes the one written by Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal).In fact, I decided to read a few more reviews from Mr. DiGiovanna and I have to tell you, his writing most likely exceeds the talent of those whose films he reviews. I don't know how you compensate this man, but please, consider doubling his salary--or at the very least, his expense account at the local bar.
I've bookmarked your paper's Web site and have already forwarded this review onto six friends and family. Oh, and to my priest.
Please thank Mr. DiGiovanna for all of us in cyberspace who've traipsed across this review. He's saved us all $9 and a couple of hours. Multiply that by the number of hits your site gets, and you'll understand what I now refer to as: the Power of DiGiovanna ®.
Craig Olofson
Los Gatos, Calif.
James DiGiovanna: Going to Hell!
Do you ever read what is published in your publication? I think not! The recent review of The Passion of the Christ was absolutely awful. Read it, and I dare you to e-mail me and tell me what in this review might be objectionable to two billion Christians!Kern L. Barrow
