

Cover Story
SCAM ALERT! These six con jobs cost Arizonans millions of dollars every year
Tucson Weekly spoke with law enforcement officials on the local, state and federal levels. Here’s a brief look at the top six scams at work in the state today.
25 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: March 15 to 17
TMA Spring Art Market & Flower Festival. Home is where the art is, right? And this weekend, the art is definitely down at TMA, where more than 100 unique and local artists will be showcasing their pottery, jewelry, fine art, glass, textiles and gift items. Florists and nurseries will be offering up living art as…
XOXO: Where to Rock This Weekend: March 15 to 17
This band of Los Angeles “bad boys from heaven,” shortly after releasing their debut album Less Religion More Sex, felt it prudent to announce that they were parting ways with their bassist following allegations of sexual misconduct. Cherry Pools behave badly at 191 Toole. TiLLie opens the show. Details here. “Is this thing on?” Featuring…
Laughing Stock: Literally Something For Everyone
Son of Phoenix Makes Good Phoenician-gone-good Michael Longfellow heads a bill that includes frequent local headliners at the next Brew Ha Ha Showcase at Borderlands Brewing Company at 8 p.m. Monday, March 18. Raised in Phoenix, Longfellow formerly appeared regularly at Tempe Improv standup shows. Now he lives the comedy life in L.A, where he’s…
SXSW Q&A: Small Time Napoleon
Louisville, KY-based band Small Time Napoleon is headed to SXSW with a couple of guitars, a stand-up bass, a drumset and lots of accolades from their home state in tow. With influences ranging Tom Waits to Elvis Costello and Paul Simon, the band serves up a unique mix of sounds they like to describe as “jazz-ish.”…
Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Thursday, March 14
Fiesta Sonora Show. Did you know there’s a Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild? Now that you do, can you think of anything lovelier? If you’ve tried watercolor, you know how difficult and unforgiving it can be, but if you’re good at it, or you know someone who is, you know how stunning the results are when…
XOXO: Where to Rock Thursday, March 14
Rumor has it that British electronic music producer/DJ Chris Lake’s show at Gentle Ben’s has sold out. Details here. Spektrum: QG Dance Party—DJ Mijito and Vamp Feline spin goth/darkwave/industrial/techno—at R Bar. With a special performance by Lav Andula. Details here. The Oro Valley Concert Series brings together Sabra Faulk and Amber Norgaard. Whisking together country,…
Everything Must Go: The Final Days of Tucson’s Last Kmart
Sounds echo much more when the shelves are empty. And for a place like Tucson’s final Kmart, only days from closing for good, echoes are abundant.
SXSW Q&A: Trupa Trupa
Polish quartet Trupa Trupa recently signed to Sup Pop Records, and are kicking off their world tour with several SXSW performances. Their alt rock/post hardcore songs sound upbeat but feel philosophical (the press release says, “just beneath the surface of Trupa Trupa’s bright and indelible songs, there is a world teeming with nihilistic considerations, slyly dark…
SXSW Q&A: Moonlover
Moonlover is the recording project of Quang Dinh, a DIY multi-instrumentalist from Melbourne (formerly the bassist of the band Little Red.) His debut album, Thou Shall Be Free, from last year was created over nine months of DIY rockin’ and rollin’ in Dinh’s bedroom studio. Dinh also produces delightfully wacky music videos for the band,…
The Latest College Admission Scandal? Yawn.
Some parents paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, even millions of dollars, to bribe and cheat their children’s way into big name colleges. That means an equal number of deserving students were denied admission. Fifty people have been named in the scandal so far. And that’s supposed to be a big deal? The college admissions scandal…
GIVEAWAY: UA Baseball Tickets!
We want to take you out to the ballgame for free! Here is your chance to win tickets to Arizona’s next three games on us. On Friday the Wildcats take on Utah with a follow-up game on Sunday. On Tuesday, New Mexico State is in town. Enter for your chance to win a free pair…
Arizona Bowl Moving to New Year’s Eve
A downtown power outage couldn’t suck the energy from the confines of the Hotel Congress Tuesday afternoon. Football fans flocked to the hotel in anticipation to hear from organizers of the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Executive director Kim Adair delivered the big news of the day: the bowl will be held on New Year’s…
Claytoon of the Day: Lottascamma U
Find more Claytoonz here.
Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Wednesday March, 13
Art Talks. Art Talks at the Tucson Museum of Art takes place every Wednesday and is a free addition to museum admission. Come join in on the talk. This week’s talk is all about the painting “Ellie Eigen – The Kiss: Before and After – Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.” The talk takes place from…
XOXO: Where to Rock Wednesday, March 13
Honing their skills in The Big Easy, this roots rocking octet are known for giving an energetic live performance. The Revivalists bring the Take Good Care Tour to the Rialto Theatre. Influenced by the sound of his father’s pedal steel, Nashville singer-songwriter Rayland Baxter kicks off the night. Details here. You can never be sure…
PCC Joins Program for Free Access to Cultural Events
Longtime Tucson residents Russ and Mac Perlich saw a dire need for access to the arts in Arizona schools. But instead of bringing arts and culture to the classroom, they found a way to get students out to experience it in the real world. Launched in 2011, Russ and Mac Perlich started Act One, a non-profit…
All Bets Are On: Breaking Down Arizona’s Pac-12 Tournament Odds
The Arizona Wildcats are heading to Sin City to face off against USC in the opening round of the Pac-12 Conference Tournament on Wednesday. Co-hosts Christopher Boan and Tyler Vondrak break down the team’s chances, both against the Trojans and in the tournament at-large, during this week’s episode of All Bets Are On. The duo…
Claytoon of the Day: Fox News’ Tuck & Roll
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SXSW Q&A: ORI
Editor’s Note: A few of the Tucson Weekly family are in Austin this week for the annual South by Southwest Conference and Music Festival. They will be bringing us a taste of Texas throughout the week, so keep an eye out for artist profiles and blogs letting those of us stuck in Tucson live vicariously through…
Sean Miller Previews Arizona’s Pac-12 Tournament Opener Against USC
The University of Arizona mens basketball team finds itself in an unfamiliar predicament this week, playing four games in as many days on the Las Vegas Strip. The Wildcats (17-14, 8-10) begin their quest for a second-straight Pac-12 conference tournament championship at noon on Wednesday, against the USC Trojans (15-16, 8-10). Arizona will have to…
T.H.R.E.A.T. Watch: Trump Unbound
It’s been awhile since I’ve written one of these THREAT (Trump Human Rights Erosion And Termination) Watch posts, which I began writing a week after Trump’s election. It’s definitely time for another one. Not because Trump has done anything unusually outrageous or frightening lately. He hasn’t. He’s been steadily outrageous and frightening in word and deed…
Four Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Tuesday, March 12
Richard III. Ah, Richard III. Shakespeare’s second-longest play, after Hamlet. The one where the line “the winter of our discontent” came from. The one with Shakespeare’s most notorious villain! The Duke of York, who is just about as ugly on the inside as he is on the outside, conspires and kills his way to the…
XOXO: Where to Rock Tuesday, March 12
From Monterrey, Mexico, born out of improvisation, Pirámides bring their ambient electronic psychedelia to Club Congress. Con The Trees and Mesquite. Details here. A night of EBM, shoegaze and fiery rock and roll, to rattle the bones and shake the pews, awaits. With Karger Traum, Shaki Tavi and NCNS at Owls Club. Details here. Frontman…
Tucson Remembers Karl Eller
The UA’s Eller College of Management is a household name across Arizona, and its namesake Karl Eller is remembered by many after his passing on Sunday, March 10. “Karl Eller was a true pillar of this community and an inspiration to the many people whose lives were positively impacted by his generosity, dedication and Wildcat…
UA Planetary Scientist to Study Unopened Moon Samples
Astronauts in the Apollo Program not only walked on the moon, but they also collected samples to bring back to Earth. Now, one UA planetary scientist will be among the first to study these previously unopened samples. Jessica Barnes is starting at the UA next semester as an assistant professor at the Lunar and Planetary…
Claytoon of the Day: Who’s Your Deity?
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Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Monday, March 11
Richard III. Ah, Richard III. Shakespeare’s second-longest play, after Hamlet. The one where the line “the winter of our discontent” came from. The one with Shakespeare’s most notorious villain! The Duke of York, who is just about as ugly on the inside as he is on the outside, conspires and kills his way to the…
XOXO: Where to Rock Monday, March 11
Bambi and Cole met on a basketball court. Six months later, the two married under a blanket of smoke emanating from a forest fire. Reptaliens create lo-fi dreamscapes at Club Congress. With Lano and Like Diamonds. Details here. The eight songs on Oh, Evolution (Burger Records) are as alluring as a catchy beat from a…
XOXO: Where to Rock this Weekend March 8-10, 2019
Comprised of indie folk-rockers Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst, Better Oblivion Community Center will be holding meetings across the United States and Europe. They welcome you to experience a healing sound bath. Live in concert at the Rialto Theatre. Sloppy Jane and Christian Lee Hutson lend their support. Details here. As a member of the…
Here are the Arizona Artists Performing at SXSW
Mute Swan Tucson Regardless of the venue size, these Tucson shoegazers are sure to fill the room with their dreamy vocals, punchy drums and massive guitars. Winners of the Tucson Weekly’s Best Rock Band in Best of Tucson 2017, Mute Swan have carved their niche by combining a classic dream pop formula with psychedelic synthesizers,…
All Bets Are On: Christopher Boan and Tyler Vondrak Break Down Arizona-ASU Basketball, LSU Scandal
Co-hosts Christopher Boan and Tyler Vondrak are back in town and have plenty to cover in this week’s installment of All Bets Are On. The duo cover a gamut of sports-related topics, ranging from Saturday’s Arizona-Arizona State basketball game to the Yahoo! Sports story on LSU basketball coach Will Wade. The pair conclude this week’s…
25 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: March 8 to 10
Chili & Chocolate Festival. The age old question: Is chili chocolate spicy and sweet, or sweet and spicy? Maybe it doesn’t matter when you’re 10 handfuls deep and can’t taste anything anymore. The Christ Community Church is hosting their fundraiser, with multiple chili and chocolate items where you get to taste samples and vote for…
Oro Valley Murder Suspect Held on $10 Million Cash Bond
Court records show that Trevor and Laurie Draegeth were involved in an argument the night before the latter was found dead in their Oro Valley home. When Oro Valley Police Department Officers arrived at the Draegeth home on East Brearley Drive the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 12, Laurie was found face up in her bed…
Claytoon of the Day: Eat Your Conspiracy
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City Week
Events to keep you busy around Tucson this week.
Reel Indie
Films to see at Tucson’s local indie theaters this week
Dance Smorgasbord: Ballet Tucson
For the third time, Ballet Tucson has scored with the Balanchine Trust, winning permission to dance one of George Balanchine’s revered neoclassical ballets.
From Volunteer to Star
Last year, artist and UA student Zco—aka Zach Cohan—was a volunteer at the Tucson Hip Hop Festival. This year, he’s performing on its rap stage.
Know Your Product: Brian Jabas Smith
Brian Jabas Smith pioneered the Know Your Product column in the Weekly during his time here editing the Music section. In a literary twist, we asked him to write about five of the many books that altered the course of his life.
XOXO
Where to rock in Tucson this week
Mommy Fearest: Greta
Isabelle Huppert goes gonzo bonkers in director Neil Jordan’s latest, a silly, standard psycho stalker cinematic run-through
Know Your Product: Reptaliens
Reptaliens describes themselves as “low-fi chameleon dreamscapes of abstract expressionism and surrealism.” But what does that mean?
Check, Please
Arizona Congressional delegation voted along party lines last week as Democrats pushed one of their top priorities through the House, advancing a bill to strengthen background checks on gun transfers.
Non-Nuclear Option
Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s bill enacting a permanent ban on uranium mining drew praise this week from Havasupai leaders and criticism from the mining industry
Medical MJ: Smoked Out
A national bill to end cannabis prohibition has entered the Senate’s consideration with a host of 2020 Democratic presidential candidate hopefuls signing on as cosponsors
Police Dispatch: Lowbrow Usage, High-Level Use
Caught with weed at school, a tongue-tied teen couldn’t quantify aspects of his marijuana habit to a police officer
Police Dispatch: If It’s Got to Be Justified, It’s Got to Be Tide
A casual but conscientious clothing thief also shoplifted enough name-brand laundry soap to keep his spoils unsoiled
Editor’s Note: Scam Alert
This week, staff reporter Kathleen Kunz exposes some of the scams happening in our community.
The Skinny
The RNC says Mark Kelly needs to let Arizonans know where he stands. Does the same go for Martha McSally?
Guest Opinion: #MeTucson
It wasn’t until I stood face-to-face with a raging Pima County sheriff’s deputy after a domestic violence call for help in 2011 that I realized my enamored relationship with the Old Pueblo was in serious trouble
Rising Above: Proof Pizza and Pasta
Proof is the new Italian inspired baby of Grant Kreuger, who just happens to be the proud papa of Union and Reforma as well.
Quick Bites
Places to grab a bite to eat around Tucson this week.






