Cover Story
Sustainable Scoops
Food trucks are all the rage in the culinary world—and they’re no longer limited to hot dogs and tacos. All you have to do is turn your television to the Food Network to see that from Los Angeles to New York, local and gourmet creations are being dished out to the hungry masses from mobile…
23rd Annual NamJam at Kino Sports Park
The 23rd Annual NamJam, a benefit car show, chili cook-off, and concert, is back again on Saturday, March 26 at Kino Sports Park, 2500 E. Ajo Way. The event benefits Vietnam vets, with all proceeds going toward transitional homeless Veterans shelters, their families, various Veteran programs and the community. The car show and chili cook-off…
Another Perspective on SXSW
Here are some random impressions and memories from SXSW 2011. This thing is so big and multi-faceted that it’s really hard to get your head around more than a fraction of it. In addition to the live shows there are bunches of panel discussions, day parties, films, a trade-interactive show, a poster show and way…
Why Do They Still Let Pat Buchanan on Television?
Turns out it was those pesky women that convinced Obama to intervene in Libya, with their “emotional arguments” about trying to prevent mass genocide.
McCain’s Libyan Flip Flop
Salon’s Justin Elliot points out that Sen. John McCain has a very selective memory: Speaking on CBS’ “The Early Show” today, McCain twice cited the fact that Moammar Gadhafi has “American blood on his hands” as a reason the U.S. should try to oust the dictator. McCain specifically referred to the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, which…
RIP, Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor died at the age of 79 in Los Angeles this morning. Probably the best tribute that can be offered to Taylor is to look back on an outstanding film career, which TCM is doing on April 10th. The schedule, includes a stretch from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to Giant which is…
The Legislature Finds Something Else to Tinker With
Right now, counties determine their own boundaries for supervisor districts. Seemingly, that’s been working so far, but this is the golden age of Arizona Legislature micromanagement, so why not set up another committee? Even better, why not set up committees that likely benefit Republicans well into the future? State Sen. Lori Klein, late of the…
Mini-Dorms: Uhlich vs. Koz
Ward 3 Councilwoman Karin Uhlich responds to Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik’s recent letter to us regarding the city’s new stance on mini-dorms: Councilman Kozachik recently wrote to ask “what changed” in response to the City Zoning Administrator’s finding that minidorm operators violate zoning laws by leasing group dwellings which are explicitly prohibited in R1…
Farley Report: GOP Budget Cuts Are “Disastrous For Most Arizonans”
The latest bulletin from Rep. Steve Farley: Thank you to the 1,700 fellow Southern Arizonans who received CPR and first aid training from the Red Cross last Saturday as part of Gabrielle Giffords’ Save A Life Saturday. What a wonderful response to a terrible tragedy — because of your commitment, our community is now safer.…
Japan Disaster Relief Concert
In wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, many professional musicians in Tucson are getting together a concert to raise money for disaster relief. Organized by Laura and Toru Tanagawa, Emma Noël Votapek, and Keitaro Harada, all of the artists participating in the show are donating their time. Additionally, 100% of the…
Planned Parenthood Video: ‘I Have Sex’
There are quite a few Planned Parenthood support videos wading through the Internets lately. However, this one, I like:
SunZia Transmission-Line Update
In early March, we wrote about SB 1547, sponsored by state Sen. Al Melvin. (See “No Power to the People,” March 3.) This is a bill that would make it easier for an energy company to put up transmission lines throughout Arizona, including sensitive areas near the San Pedro River, by getting rid of a…
UA Students Rally Against $235 Million in Cuts
According to the Arizona Students’ Association, students at all three Arizona university campuses plan to rally tomorrow, Wednesday, March 23, against the state Senate’s plan to cut university funding by $235 million—including $92 million from the UA. The rally at the UA takes place at 11:30 a.m. at the Alumni Plaza (in front of the…
Instead of Immigrants, Why Not Scapegoat Chupacabras?
During discussions on immigration reform, people desperate to prove we are living in desperate times often turn to FAIR, aka the Federation for American Immigration Reform. The acronym that sounds downright saintly, so how can they be wrong? The organization has a lot of fans, many of whom love to comment on The Range to…
Melvin’s Nuke Bill Passes, Blows Off AZ Republic
Looks like TW isn’t the only publication getting the cold shoulder from Sen. Al Melvin: BTW, Atomic Al’s bill to have a nuclear waste dump in Arizona that funds schools passed the Senate today.
Legendary DJ Mixmaster Mike Coming to Town
I have a long-standing dislike for Blink-182, so it’s a little strange to think of drummer Travis Barker as a legend, but regardless of that, seeing the announcement of a April 20th show called Higher Education (sigh) at Club Congress was exciting if only because Mixmaster Mike is coming to town. Mixmaster Mike might be…
Your New Love of Quinoa Takes It Away From the People Who Grow It
An interesting article in the New York Times this weekend about how quinoa’s recent popularity in the United States has made the product outside of what Bolivians, who lived off quinoa for centuries, can afford: Now demand for quinoa (pronounced KEE-no-ah) is soaring in rich countries, as American and European consumers discover the “lost crop”…
Go See Tom Horne Explain His Position on Ethnic Studies Tonight
Should be an exciting evening at the School of Law tonight. AG Tom Horne will address the University of Arizona Latino Law students to discuss HB 2281, Ethnic Studies Law, on Tuesday, March 22 at 5:45 p.m. at the University of Arizona College of Law, Ares Auditorium, Room 164. Horne will be on a panel.…
Melvin’s Response to Klein Letter Controversy
From the Arizona Guardian twitter feed:
Big Love Takes a Bow
[Note from TW Web Producer Dan Gibson: Reader Gregory Heathco sent in a eulogy for the HBO series Big Love, which ended on Sunday. Since The Range’s regular TV columnist, Jordan Green, is on a not-really-at-all deserved vacation this week, Gregory provides a nice perspective on a show that ran for quite a while, but…
RIP, Loleatta Holloway
It’s a shame that Loleatta Holloway wasn’t a bigger star; her first label, Aware, went out of business, and most of her hits were for Gold Mind and Salsoul, labels that did well in dance circles, but didn’t have much success in the pop realm. Still, whether you’ve heard of Holloway or not, in the…
They Found the Guy Who Wrote the Letter Sen. Klein Read
Now the question is whether anyone the things he described actually happened or not, or even if Tony Hill has actually taught a class in Glendale, like he claimed: Tony Hill said an unusually disheartening day of substitute teaching Glendale middle-school students spurred him to write a letter to Senate President Russell Pearce. He didn’t…
Heinz: “I Worked Hard for the Caucus”
Rep. Matt Heinz, who represents the southside Legislative District 29, stepped down yesterday from his post as minority whip. In his brief resignation letter, Heinz said that he was stepping down “to devote more of my time to the legislative process.” Heinz added that he would “continue to focus my efforts on developing the best,…
Jan Brewer Doesn’t Like the Senate’s Budget
Gov. Brewer addressed the budget working its way through the Legislature in the most reasonable way possible, an editorial in the Arizona Republic. Apparently, she was for substantial cuts, but not to the scale that the Senate proposed. Last week, the state Senate took those cuts and added another $536 million – cuts to schools,…
The Goal of Other States: Not to Be Arizona
This isn’t depressing at all. Political, civilian and religious leaders demonstrated in Illinois under the slogan “No to hate” after the legislative assembly rejected 10 anti-immigrant bills attempting to duplicate Arizona’s controversial law SB1070, a measure seeking to criminalize undocumented migrants. “Defeating these bills is a great victory for Illinois amid the growing anti-immigrant atmosphere…
Cheap Eats: Tucson Originals Gift Certificate Sale Tomorrow
Tomorrow is the day when foodies get up early to score incredible deals at their favorite independent and locally owned restaurants via the Tucson Originals gift-certificate sale. Many restaurants sell out fast, so you have to act quick. The gift certs are good for dining in only, and cannot be used to purchase alcohol. There’s…
Bush Trial Underway
Dave Ricker brings us a dispatch from the trial of Jason Bush: Trial started Friday for the alleged shooter in the May 30, 2009, home invasion in Arivaca that left a father and daughter dead and a mother injured, and it appears it will be a short one. The first day of wrenching testimony sounded…
Heinz Resigns as House Minority Whip
Tucson Rep. Matt Heinz is stepping down from his position as minority whip in the Arizona House of Representatives. The resignation letter: In order to devote more of my time to the legislative process, I regret that it has become necessary for me to resign my leadership position effective immediately. Unconstrained, I will continue to…
Tonight: Why Not Wye Oak?
I caught a great set by Wye Oak at the Mohawk at SXSW. They’re playing tonight at Solar Culture if you can get out on a Monday. (I’d be there, but I need a day or two to recover from Austin.) Details here.
The Next Twilight Movie Sounds Like No Fun Whatsoever
I have to admit that I haven’t done a great job keeping up with the whole Twilight phenomenon, but I’m glad to hear the makers of the final film in series are keeping it real with all the incredibly disgusting details from the book. Twihards, rejoice. Robert Pattinson tells Total Film that the scene where…
My Favorite Tumblr Site of the Hour: Fiddy’s Biddies
The premise is simple: women hit on 50 Cent via Twitter. 50 Cent flirts back. Fiddy’s Biddies follows up and adds the photo of the person doing the initial flirting. Brilliant.
Koz & Mini-Dorms
Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik is concerned about the city’s latest maneuver in the fight against mini-dorms. He sent us this missive today: The “Determination” by the Zoning Administrator related to Jefferson Park ‘mini-dorms’ stated “The Goodman Development does not meet the intent or purpose of the R-1 zone.” My question of the people who…
This Week in Terrible Bills in the Arizona Legislature
A few of the highlightslowlights from this week in the Arizona Legislature as collected by Craig McDermott from Random Musings: – Finance will meet on Thursday at 9 a.m. in SHR1. On the agenda: a striker to HB2289, titled “county supervisorial district redistricting committee” (no text available as yet, but keep an eye out for…
Finally, A Cooking Show for My Active Drinking Lifestyle
There are moments in this video where I’m wondering if the Justin Bieber lookalike hosting “My Drunk Kitchen” isn’t just faking her drunkenness, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. I’m just happy she didn’t set her apartment on fire. [Urlesque]
Linda Ray’s Dispatches From SXSW: The Hungry Kids From Hungary Campaign Continues
Sure, it’s probably not the easiest thing to get a band from Brisbane to play Tucson, but it needs to happen.
If a 400 Pound Guy Can Run a Marathon, I Could Maybe Get Off My Couch
Former American sumo champion Kelly Gneiting completed the Los Angeles Marathon yesterday – a race that sent a number of runners to the hospital with hypothermia – his second marathon. After slowly but steadily working his way through a 26.2-mile course drenched by driving rain, mammoth distance runner Kelly Gneiting finished Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon…
New: Bushi Traditional Japanese and Asian Cuisine
Kampai Sushi at 4689 E. Speedway Blvd. is now Bushi Traditional Japanese and Asian Cuisine. Master sushi chef Shunichi Funakoshiya has crafted a nice selection of sushi rolls, noodle dishes and other Asian offerings for the restaurant, and there’s a good wine list and numerous sake cocktails to choose from as well. The restaurant is…
Linda Ray Reporting From SXSW: Volume 3
The Autumn Defense perform at SXSW in Austin.
Picture This: Moonlight Serenade
SAMANTHA SAIS The sun sets on the north side of Tucson after yet another beautiful day in the Old Pueblo. Tucson continues to have beautiful weather while other parts of the country are seeing snow.
Acoustic Version of “Friday” Somehow More Terrible Than the Original
The Rebecca Black “Reclaim-Her-Public-Image-She’s-Just-A-Kid-Why-Are-You-So-Mean?” project is in full effect, with the teenager performing her now famous ode to a day of the week with a simpler, Autotune-less backdrop on Good Morning America. Verdict: still terrible, and a little less fun than the heavily polished version. As a palate cleanser, the reigning champion in the field…
Sound Strike at SXSW
So I’m too busy doing research here at SXSW to tell you much about the Sound Strike panel right now, but fortunately Martin Cizmar of Phoenix New Times has a wrap-up of how it went yesterday: Tucson Weekly’s calender editor, Linda Ray, was the first person in the audience to speak, becoming emotional as she…
Shameless Attempt to Get More Comic Book Fan Traffic
Entertainment Weekly has the first look at Adrianne Palicki, formerly of Friday Night Lights, as Wonder Woman, from the forthcoming TV series from David E. Kelley. From my days watching the Superfriends, I seem to remember her wearing red boots, but the boots aren’t really what they seem to be highlighting with this costume.
Horne: Ethnic Studies Supporters = Thuggish Mob
When you’re Tom Horne, and a blogger shoots video of you being followed and surrounded by chanting protesters—many of whom are students protesting anti-immigrant legislation—should you ignore the video, and move on to your important work as state Attorney General? No. You issue a press release on your website describing the protesters as a thuggish…
Ruling: Mini-Dorms Are Not Single Family Residences
It’s not too farfetched to call today’s ruling by the city of Tucson’s zoning administrator potentially historic; after all it concerns Michael Goodman and mini-dorms, a powerful combination and a growing epidemic in neighborhoods north of the UA. Zoning Administrator Craig Gross issued a ruling today in favor of the Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association’s Request…
Is This Why My Facebook Page Keeps Playing the National Anthem?
The U.S. military has plans to use social-networking sites to spread pro-American propaganda, according to a British newspaper. The really freaky part is that the plans call for operatives to pose as normal people while spreading the message: The project has been likened by web experts to China’s attempts to control and restrict free speech…
Finally, Daryl Hall’s Hair in Infographic Form
Talent, songwriting ability, live shows: these are all factors that are generally considered when we think about musicians and their impact on the rock era. However, when you really get down to it, isn’t hair the biggest factor? Coolio? Mediocre rapper, but managed to grab a few hits just because of the quality of his…
Good News of the Day: Missing Vail Girl Found
From the Pima County Sheriff’s Office: On March 18, 2011, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Ashley Kingsbury and Jordan Anthony were located in Texas. A bank teller in Galveston recognized them and contacted the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Galveston Police conducted a search and located them together on a local beach. Both are in the custody…
Northwest-Side GLBT Bar Getting New Name, New Look
The Coyote Moon Pub, located at 915 W. Prince Road, will next month become Pulse Tucson. Here’s the press release: Coming April 2011: The all new Pulse Tucson, a brand new venue for the GLBT community. Pulse Tucson, formally The Coyote Moon Pub, will bring a stunning, brand new vision to nightlife in Southern Arizona.…
Writer Urrea on Ethnic Studies
If you missed going to the Save Ethnic Studies fundraiser hosted by writer Luis Alberto Urrea at Maynards on Sunday, March 13, you missed a fantastic evening ,which included Urrea reading a poem from his book Vatos. Lucky for you (and for those who attended and want another peek): Daniel Buckley got it on film…
Linda Ray Reporting From SXSW, Volume 2
Linda Ray gives us a sense of what the streets of Austin are like during SXSW.
If You’re Unlucky Enough to Have to Work Today, Here’s the Game
This year, you can watch all of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament games online (although with a lot of Coke Zero ads interspersed), so as long as you have a computer, you can kill your productivity around 11:45 today. NCAAMMOD3.embedImage(“http://i.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa/release/sites/default/themes/ncaa/images/devkit/mm300x250.jpg”, 300, 250, “Round 2, Game 11: ARIZ @ MEM – Mar 18 (2pm EDT)”, 211,…
Sierra Club: State Budget Destroys State Parks, Puts Entire AZ Water System at Risk
There’s plenty to hate in the budget that the Arizona Senate passed last week, with local Sens. Al Melvin and Frank Antenori voting in favor. Sandy Bahr of the Sierra Club runs down the environmental consequences, including the damage to the state parks and to managing Arizona’s fragile water supply: Hello all! Things deteriorated considerably…
I Miss When Team Rap Songs Seemed Like a Good Idea
While this Harvey Mason Jr. written “song” was wildly popular among my friends riding the school bus in 1988, it doesn’t seem to hold up that well, but it is still amusing, if only to note that Steve Kerr doesn’t look all that different now.
They Did the Right Thing, So Say Thanks
It’s easy, courtesy of Border Action Network, and your mother taught you to always say thank you—so send a computer generated thank-you note to the Arizona senators who voted against five immigration bills yesterday: Nancy Barto, Adam Driggs, Linda Gray, Leah Landrum Taylor, Linda Lopez, Kyrsten Sinema, Steve Gallardo, John McComish, Steve Yarbrough, Frank Antenori,…
County Administrator Responds
We did not hear back from Chuck Huckelberry by the press time for this week’s story about Pima County retirees’ health insurance, “Health Matters.” However, the Pima County administrator was able to respond to our questions by e-mail yesterday. When asked for comment on the age-discrimination investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office, Huckelberry wrote…
Torturous Beauty Devices: The Blood We Shed for Looks
Spring weather has sprung in Tucson, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to break out the torturous beauty devices. Photo Ryn Gargulinski Beautification and torture devices can be one in the same. Winter’s colder weather has afforded us the privacy of long pants and jackets that allow our body hair to grow…
Hey Baby! Art Opposing Sexual Violence: Seeking Submissions
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and in conjunction with that, youth at the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA) are looking for submissions for a new exhibition series. Hey Baby! Art Opposing Sexual Violence is an exhibition series that uses art to oppose sexual violence while creating discussion. The art will be displayed…
Tucson Weekly TV: Secrets of Tucson Bartenders, Craft Liquor Edition
To go with our article on microdistilling in this week’s Yum! section, Hotel Congress bar manager Aaron DeFeo shows us how to make one of their cocktails featuring craft whiskey.
A Reminder About Save a Life Saturday
Save a Life Saturday is this week. You can still sign up for free CPR classes at the Red Cross of Southern Arizona website.
Today’s Food Truck Factoid
D and D Island Grill JA—an awesome Jamaican food truck you can read about here —has shaved a “D” of its name and relocated to the corner of Grant Road and Sixth Avenue. The food truck is now parked in the same block as Taco Fish and Molcas. If you like tender, succulent meat, you’ve…
This Kids’ Video Is Not Making Me Feel Better About Japanese Meltdowns
I don’t speak much Japanese best as I can tell, the nuclear power plant in Japan has a stomach ache, and his feces are the nuclear waste, but doctors are trying to limit the number of his farts with a diaper. All I know is that I’m confused and scared.
Arizona CEOs Ask Russell Pearce: ‘How Much More Can We Take?’
On Tuesday, more than 60 Arizona CEOs responded to the news of more immigration legislation going through the Legislature with a letter to Senate President Russell Pearce. In a press release on the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce website, “the letter’s purpose was to voice concerns over the unintended consequences to Arizona’s brand and economy…
A Simulation of the Japanese Radiation Plume
Is it just me, or does this simulation clearly show that the radiation plume is heading right for us? I guess the other question I have is: Should I start hiding under my desk now, or wait until the sirens to start wailing? (Actually, the story next to the simulation says any radiation would be…
News You Can Use From the Star: NCAA Edition
Information you can also learn from Patrick Finley’s NCAA Tournament wrap-up today: There’s only one team with a peacock as a mascot, and a few players have kind of funny names. Then again, I posted a photo of a really expensive dog yesterday, so maybe I shouldn’t criticize.
Get Your Irish (Dance) On
Adding to Mari Herreras’ blog entry below, viewers can actually see Michael Flatley on the big screen starting today. Lord of the Dance in RealD3D (Not Rated) is now showing at El Con 20 and Park Place 20. The film will have a one-week run. Showtimes are: El Con 20: Thu-Wed 11:30, 2:05, 4:35, 7:05,…
SB 1621, Featuring the Stick-It-to Sheriff-Dupnik Clause
A lot has been said about the 13 budget bills making their way through the Arizona Legislature this week—and there’s quite a bit that could concern Southern Arizonans, including deep cuts to education and health care. But last night’s bill covering funding for public safety had a strange clause in it, even by current legislative…
Journal Keeps 104.9 After All—for the New ESPN Tucson
The Journal Broadcast Group, which owns and operates the only FM news/talk station in the market, is now hoping the success of that model will carry over to sports: Journal is simulcasting its sports station KFFN AM 1490 on 104.9 FM. Furthermore, it has changed its image from The Fan to ESPN Tucson. “We’re very…
Linda Ray Reporting from SXSW, Volume 1
Peter Blackstock shares Howe Gelb’s history of Giant Sand told via SXSW experiences. The work is published in the SXSW Scrapbook, celebrating the conference’s 25th anniversary. Blackstock was given the job of archivist when the conference was founded—an appointment that was either unusually far-sighted or a grandiose jest. The scrapbook catalogs the conference’s first quarter…
‘Senate Education Budget Violates Prop. 100 Public Trust’
If you decided to protect your sanity and not watch the Arizona Senate debate the budget bills last night, the good nonpartisan folks at the Arizona Education Network stayed up late for an evening of live blogging. To get an idea of what happened, visit their blog here. The Arizona Education Network also issued a…
Happy St. Patrick’s Day With Michael Flatley
Remember a time not long ago when it seemed everyone wanted to be Irish? If you don’t, I’m happy to help you remember that time when Aunt Hilde just couldn’t get enough of Michael Flatley and the whole Lord of the Dance phenomenon. There also seemed to be a surge in Irish dance schools across…
Beowulf Alley Announces 2011-2012 Season
Beowulf Alley’s 2011-2012 offerings include a little Shakespeare, an adaptation of a Nobel Prize-winner and more. Here’s the list: Rough Crossingby Oscar and Tony Award-winning Tom Stoppardfrom an original play by Ferenc MolnarDirected by Dave SewellSeptember 8—October 2, 2011 Aboard the Italian Castle bound for New York are a quirky assemblage of show business egos,…
I Appreciate the Effort, Sen. Gallardo
Apparently, there is no manner in which the Republicans running the legislature will consider funding transplant coverage, but at least Sen. Steve Gallardo made an effort to embarrass the majority over their apparent hypocrisy in receiving health and dental insurance for what’s supposed to be a part-time job. Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, wanted to make…
Coca-Cola Freestyle, You Are Awesome
So I hear these Coca Cola Freestyle machines have been installed at a couple of locations around town, but the only one that I’ve been able to verify is the one currently up and running at El Taco Tote at 1340 N. Wilmot Road. Did I mention these things serve 106 kinds of soda? This…
Plant a Garden With Chef Janos Wilder This Weekend
You’re invited to help Janos Wilder and the staff from Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails expand the community garden at the Children’s Museum Tucson at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 19. Wilder and his staff will be planting all sorts of vegetables from Native Seeds/SEARCH, including native watermelon, beans, corn, peppers and others. When the vegetables are…
Four Threads
In the third book of her Sarah Burke series, Elizabeth Gunn juggles four different plots. In one, our heroine receives a call about a box of bones found near 17th Street Market here in Tucson. In another, Burke and her partners must uncover the truth behind an apparent murder/suicide that has left a well-known married…
Sharon Van Etten: Epic (Ba Da Bing)
Heartbreak can make prisoners of songwriters, trapping them in a whirlpool of doubt and misery. And whatever good intentions or poetic talent that existed at a song’s inception can get swept away as the hard edges of truth are worn down by self-pity. Rarely can a songwriter tackle heartbreak with the sort of commanding embrace…
Music Therapy
Ron Barber didn’t need much convincing when he was invited to bring his family onstage with Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Alice Cooper and more than a dozen other musicians to sing “Teach Your Children” at the end of the Thursday, March 10, benefit concert at the Tucson Convention Center. “There was no hesitation…
Top Ten in Books
Antigone Books best-sellers for the week ending March 11, 2011
Wye Oak: Civilian (Merge)
With their third album, the Baltimore-based team of vocalist and guitarist Jenn Wasner and drummer-keyboards player Andy Stack creates a dramatic dynamic, challenging the conventions of folk rock. They’re capable of both packing emotional punch in quiet acoustic settings and unleashing full-on guitar freak-outs. The music on Civilian resembles the many personalities and episodes of…
The Skinny
Senate President Russell Pearce wants to give the public a whole day to review the budget … Arizona’s hospitals come up with a way to save people on AHCCCS—but will lawmakers support the plan? … The Pima County Democratic Party doesn’t like one Ward 1 Democrat … and more!
Culinary Criticism
During a panel focusing on food writing at last weekend’s Tucson Festival of Books, I watched from the audience as the former editor of a renowned food magazine trashed my writing—specifically, last week’s review of Janos Wilder’s Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails. She complained that the writing—like the writing in many other daily and weekly newspapers,…
¡Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: Why is it que cada vez that I talk to a Hispanic (not many Mexicans in New York yet), it seems that they have a fantasma that they think lives in their house? I know that Carlos Mencia has used this in his material, but I wonder if la raza is more liable…
Media Watch
TV stations approach autopsy info in different ways
Danehy
It has been an interesting few weeks, to say the least, for Tucsonan Sohaib Fellah. Consider the weekend he had at the end of February. He spent Saturday afternoon at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale watching the Amphi High School boys’ basketball team he helps coach win the school’s first-ever state championship in that sport. The…
Health Matters
Nobody has yet been able to convince any of the three Democratic members of the Pima County Board of Supervisors to change their votes, cast last April, which dropped more than 600 retirees from the county insurance plan. Now those retirees hope that the state Attorney General’s Office can make a difference. In April, the…
Serraglio
When I told Tucson permaculture guru Brad Lancaster that I was headed to Adelaide, South Australia, this month to visit my long-lost half-brother, his eyes lit up, and he quickly responded that the place was a global hotspot for rainwater-harvesting. I was aware that South Australia is the driest state on the driest inhabited continent,…
Defense or Danger?
When Robert Rosinski first held a gun during boot camp, he didn’t feel completely comfortable. But after a four-year tour of duty in Iraq, Rosinski—a sophomore at the UA studying civil engineering—now thinks of guns as empowering tools for safety, not things to be feared. “They aren’t evil dragons,” said Rosinski, president and founder of…
Mailbag
Perhaps SB 1339 Could Have Some Positive Aspects; Transmission-Line Project Has No Legit ‘Renewable Energy’ Claims; Events Like the Street Fair and Club Crawl® Have Merit Despite Downsides; Views on Our State Leaders; Correction
Center of the Community
As war engulfed much of the world 70 years ago, the Southern Pacific Railroad decided to enlarge and improve its passenger depot. The station was originally built in 1907, and by the spring of 1941, the station was considered outdated and too small. In addition to numerous passenger trains serving Tucson daily, more than 410,000…
Thirst Unquenched
Battle: Los Angeles is an alien-invasion movie that’s about as interesting as a game of Battleship between two pensive eighth-graders playing for the first time. Featuring an alien species that looks like giant carpenter ants and a lead performance hammier than a hog farm, the movie is nothing more than a big cinematic cheat. The…
A Chinese Constant
In February 1968, when Lotus Garden opened its doors for business, there wasn’t much to be found near the intersection of Speedway Boulevard and Wilmot Road. “We were the farthest-east restaurant in Tucson,” said Darryl Wong, today the chef and owner of his family’s Lotus Garden Chinese restaurant. “Where Speedway and Wilmot ended is where…
African Options
Zemam’s Ethiopian Cuisine opened in a small house on Broadway Boulevard in 1994. It would take almost 17 years for Tucson to get another restaurant, Café Desta, which serves Ethiopian staples like injera (flatbread) and doro wat (chicken stew). Café Desta, at 758 S. Stone Ave., opened Dec. 1, 2010, and happiness is key here—both…
Top Ten in Movies
Casa Video’s top rentals for the week ending March 13, 2011
Microdistilling!
In foodie culture, there’s a pervasive thought that smaller is better. The independent butcher is turning out better steaks than the guy working behind the glass at Safeway. The grower with a tiny farm, handpicking tomatoes and selling them at a farmers’ market, has a better product than what’s produced at the large commercial farm.…
Weekly Wide Web
Reddit Deals With Death … Maybe; The week on The Range; Comment of the week; Best of WWW; and more!
Comedy of Errors
A strange thing happens when John C. Reilly walks into Cedar Rapids: Nothing else onscreen is really worth paying attention to anymore. Reilly, an Oscar nominee for Chicago and one of the most reliable character actors going since Boogie Nights, has been scoring in comedies since Talladega Nights, so it’s no surprise that he’s up…
Before Organic Was Cool
Food Conspiracy Co-op appears to be reaping some hefty benefits from the organic roots it put down more than four decades ago. The co-op last month celebrated 40 years in the grocery business with vegan cake and organic milk all around. But when the celebration was over, it was back to work for the people…
Police Dispatch
Some words on the nature of this column
Now Showing at Home
Jackass 3 (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital Copy); The Times of Harvey Milk (Blu-ray); Love and Other Drugs; Sharktopus
The Saintly Dr. O’Leary
Early in October 1983, three months into a bitter strike at the Phelps Dodge copper mine in Morenci, and days after the rampaging San Francisco River washed away 600 miners’ houses in nearby Clifton, Dr. Jorge O’Leary was called to the hospital emergency room. “A little girl had a 103.5 fever,” O’Leary says. “This little…
Soft-Rock Apocalypse
Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Bejar has interesting ideas about what constitutes aggressive lyrics and what makes for a compelling vocal performance in the studio. That’s probably because everything Bejar touches is interesting, whether it’s his contributions to Vancouver indie-pop supergroup The New Pornographers (which includes American alt-country chanteuse and former Tucsonan Neko Case), or his involvement…
25 Years of Learning
The Children’s Museum Tucson is turning 25—and there is certainly a lot to celebrate. “Silver is a big deal,” said Peggy Solís, community relations and marketing director at the museum. The folks at the museum are throwing a big block party on Saturday, March 19. There will be a rock wall, a jumping castle, a…
Soundbites
In Austin’s orbit; Three shows, multiple bands, $8 each; Short takes; On the bandwagon
City Week
“Meet Tucson’s Pioneers” Cemetery Tour; Oro Valley Arts in the Park Fine Art and Jazz Festival; Urban Assault Ride 2011; Elemental Artistry’s Spring Equinox Community Celebration
Top Ten in Music
Zia Records’ top sales for the week ending March 14, 2011
T Q&A
Wesley Weisheit is one of those guys who’s hard to fit into a box—and if you did, the box would have to have some wheels. He’s a 48-year-old Tucsonan who feels more confident on a bicycle than his own two feet. He has years of machining experience, and even helped develop parts used in UA-related…
Nine Questions
Michael M. Hojjatie is a partner in locally operated Forbidden Records and Forbidden Magazine, run by a small contingency of heavy-metal fanatics whose motto is “Supporting the True Underground.” Michael’s heavy-metal collection can certainly give anybody else’s a run for their money. Be sure to check out www.forbidden-magazine.com and www.forbidden-records.com. What was the first concert…
Love and Laughs Online
Those of you who saw last year’s Second City show at the Arizona Theatre Company, The Second City Does Arizona, or Close but No Saguaro, may have already secured your tickets to the completely new Second City show breezing through town next week. How could you miss a chance to see the world premiere of…
Live
If this all-star benefit concert had simply been about raising money and generating good cheer, it might not have been as moving as it was. However, many unforgettable moments gave the show richness that defied genre or era. Only the worst cynic could have remained unaffected by the compassionate vibe. Proceeds will benefit the Fund…
Classic Backstage Musical
Kiss Me, Kate begins with an industrial-looking lamp standing at center stage, its bare bulb shining in the darkness. If you’re familiar with theater lore, you’ll know this is a “ghost light,” which is traditionally left onstage while a theater is empty. It’s a fitting symbol for an old-fashioned musical that revels in the backstage…
Telekinesis: 12 Desperate Straight Lines (Merge)
Some sequels don’t suffer for being retreads of their predecessors. Evil Dead 2 is basically the same movie as The Evil Dead, just slightly goofier. On 12 Desperate Straight Lines, Michael Benjamin Lerner—our Bruce Campbell, if you will—picks up exactly where he left things on 2009’s Telekinesis! The first words of album opener “You Turn…
Want to Meet Some Republicans Running for Mayor?
Then head to the Miller Library on Golf Links tonight! From the Tucson Citizen: Eastside Republican Meeting with Mayoral Candidates Shaun McClusky and Ron Asta, and Ward 4 Council candidate Tyler Vogt Miller-Golf Links Branch Library — Community Room9640 E Golf Links Road (east of Harrison Road)When: Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 6:30 PM Shaun McClusky,…
Al Sharpton Gives Sarah Palin Advice on Being Taken Seriously
Rev. Sharpton actually had some solid advice for Sarah Palin on how to be a more significant voice in the political conversation on Morning Joe, but the very nature of the conversation is a little strange. Surely, Sharpton gets the irony, right? [Mediaite]
Tucson Together Hopes for Successful Charity Game
The Tucson Together fund will hopefully get a big boost from the March 25 charity game in Tucson between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers, says Bill Carnegie, chairman of the committee board of Tucson Together. Tucson Together, Major League Baseball and the Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority teamed up to create the…
Picture This: Festival of Book Ends
ANGELO SAMORA-VARGAS Tucsonans came in droves to the emptied-out university campus for the annual festival. Vendors, readers, authors, journalists flood the UA campus in this photo taken on the first day. The Third annual Tucson Festival of Books came to a close after thousands of Tucsonans came out to participate in book signings, workshops, panels,…
