Cover Story
Saving, Fighting, Lawyering
Standing in the middle of Convent Avenue between Cushing and 17th streets, that Joni Mitchell song about paving over paradise for a parking lot comes to mind as I view the Tucson Convention Center to the north and a colorful street of historic Territorial-era rowhouses and adobe homes stretching south—the remnants of a larger neighborhood…
Word Odyssey: Don’t “Bogart” That Eponym, My Friend
Eponyms are names that have become immortalized in well known words, such as syphilis, sadism and masochism. We’ll get to those, but let’s start with a favorite, bogart, which is slang for hogging something, like a medical marijuana joint at a party, instead of passing it on. As movie buffs will guess, bogart comes from…
Word Odyssey: For Geek Pride Day, Some Hi-Tech Terms
May 25th is Geek Pride Day. And why not; everyone else has a day, even fools. So, to honor the day, and feed your inner geek, I thought it might be the proper occasion to explore some hi-tech terms. Let’s start with hi-tech itself. For that I need to begin with technology, which is a…
Word Odyssey: Giving the “Devil” His Due
Last week’s Word Odyssey was on the origins of God, so this week I’m giving the devil his due. I’m going to start with that mysterious character Lucifer. We think of Lucifer as an archangel, God’s right hand man, who got too big for his britches so God cast him down—and who we now identify…
Grijalva Calls on FCC to Preserve Net Neutrality
Congressman Raul Grijalva joined his fellow members of the Progressive Congressional Caucus today in calling for the FCC to establish rules that allow for net neutrality. The press release from Grijalva: Ahead of tomorrow’s Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) meeting to propose new Internet speed and pricing policies, Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva…
The Anatomy of Godzilla
We are counting down the days until Godzilla hits theaters. Ignoring the fact that Godzilla is a (fictional) giant mutant Godzillasaurus kaiju, what the hell is a “Godzilla” anyway? Well, Fandango and their nerdy PR machine concocted a Godzilla infographic to educate and feed our love for the jolly green giant. Catch Godzilla in theaters…
Sugar Stains and Adrian & the Sickness! at The District this Friday
The District Tavern has had some eclectic free shows as of late, and this Friday will be no exception. Local all girl punk band Sugar Stains and special guest from Austin, TX., Adrian & The Sickness! will be performing around 9 p.m. at the District, 260 E Congress St. The time isn’t listed anywhere, so I called…
Cat Saves Boy From Getting Mauled by Dog
This has to be a parent’s second or third worst nightmare. Roger Triantafilo’s son was attacked by a dog roaming the neighborhood. Luckily, Triantafilo was able to capture the incident on multiple surveillance cameras. The madly violent canine grabbed the boy by the leg while he was riding his bike. But the family cat attacked…
Who You Callin’ A Barbarian?
Image courtesy of shutterstock.com UPDATE: Huppenthal’s “Barbarian at the gates” comment gets multiple derisive tweets from conservative Michelle Malkin (“So you think we’re ‘barbarians at the gate?’ You ain’t heard nothing yet, pal.”). Hupp’s primary opponent Diane Douglas chimed in with tweets of her own (“Yesterday my opponent called us ‘barbarians’ for wanting to #StopCommonCore…
Judge Denies City Motion for New Trial in Rollings Barrio Viejo Case
Last week’s cover story on the legal dispute between the Rollings family and the City of Tucson on the damage caused by leaky water mains in the Barrio Viejo historic district mentioned that the City of Tucson had filed a motion for a new trail. Yesterday, Pima County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Bergin denied the…
Newark Mayor’s Race Is A Referendum On “Education Reform”
Image courtesy of shutterstock.com Newark, New Jersey, is about as distant from Tucson as a place can be, so writing about today’s mayoral election in Newark on a Tucson blog may seem a bit strange. But the race is one of the many battles between those who believe in the “education reform” movement, for philosophical,…
Buffalo Exchange Closing Downtown Store
When it rains, it pours, Tucson. The Range has learned that the downtown Buffalo Exchange location on East Congress Street will close on Friday, May 16. “I just can’t do it anymore,” said Buffalo Exchange co-founder and President, Kerstin Block. “I don’t think consumers are coming downtown to shop,” Block said. “Downtown has become this destination for…
Poutine Coming to 4th Avenue in August
Watch out Zany Beaver, a new restaurant specializing in poutine is coming to Fourth Avenue. The Range discovered a new restaurant that may be opening in August called US Fries. The slogan on the website reads in red, white and blue: “It’s Not Poutine, It’s a Meal!” The majority restaurant owner Thomas E. Jones told…
Betty Blue’s Junk Shop to Close on May 28
Sad news from Midtown, Kim Kysar announced on Facebook that her vintage boutique Betty Blue’s Junk will be closing due to some “unexpected health concerns.” The official word from Facebook: We are sad to announce the shop will be closing due to the owner’s need to focus on some unexpected health concerns. We will be open…
Southside Presbyterian to Offer Sanctuary to Daniel Noyoy Ruiz
Tonight at 5:30 p.m., Southside Presbyterian Church, 317 W 23rd Street (10th Ave. and 23rd St.), will welcome Daniel Noyoy Ruiz with sanctuary. Ruiz is scheduled to be deported by ICE to Mexico at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14. If deported he will be separated from his wife and son. From Southside: On Tuesday,…
Spoiler Alert: Sarah Baker Kills it in Episode 3 of ‘Louie’
We are no stranger to the dating world. Single folks are resorting to online dating like Plenty of Fish and OKCupid, but the photos and information given isn’t always what it seems. I’d like to think a good majority of our readers are single, uncomfortable with their bodies, and love to watch FX’s Louie. The…
Zack Snyder Gives First Glimpse of The Batman Costume and Batmobile
Yesterday, Zack Snyder teased the rear end of the Batmobile and promised to deliver a better look the following day. Not only did he deliver, but he also gave us a glimpse of the suit Ben Affleck might wear in the ‘Man of Steel’ sequel. The suit obviously influenced by Frank Miller’s 1986 four-issue mini…
The First ‘Constantine’ Trailer is Promising
Here’s another comic book television show, but it’s not that cringeworthy. The horror comic book series Hellblazer has been adapted into a supernatural drama by NBC. I have to admit that watching Matt Ryan in this latest Constantine trailer almost makes me forget Keanu Reeves’ performance in Francis Lawrence’s film in 2005. Considering the source material was created by some…
TUSD’s Strategic Planning Continues
Back in February, TUSD convened its first district-wide Strategic Planning meeting, to begin the process of creating a 5 year plan. I was invited to participate in the all-day meeting as a member of the community, not as a blogger, and I wrote about my experiences that day from the point of view of a…
Results of Tucson High Survey Show Security and Discipline Remain an Issue
According to a Tucson Weekly source close to a group of Tucson Magnet High School employees who went public in March regarding a six month request for an investigation into wrongful conduct and discrimination (See “Too Little, Too Late,” March 13, 2014), the investigation is done. However, those employees have yet to receive a copy…
‘Game of Thrones’ Trivia Night to Benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Photo courtesy of the Rotaract Club of Tucson. It’s time to test your Game of Thrones knowledge for a worthy cause. The local Rotaract Club is hosting its annual charity night to help fund educational programs for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI aims to help friends and families with loved ones that have…
Zack Snyder Teases Batmobile for ‘Batman Vs Superman’ A.K.A. ‘Justice League’
Zack Snyder, director of the Man of Steel sequel, tweeted a photo of the rear end of Batman’s wheels Monday morning. Could be time to pull the tarp…Tomorrow? http://t.co/Nmm0QqWYYH pic.twitter.com/E6iKluZNDj— ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) May 12, 2014 The Batmobile looks heavily influenced by the Christopher Nolan trilogy, but front seems to narrows down like the Batman Forever…
DeConcini No Longer on Private Prison Company Board of Directors
After two years of putting pressure on Dennis DeConcini to resign from private prison firm Corrections Corporation of America’s board of directors, the American Friends Service Committee and other organizations behind the effort announced this morning that the former senator may have resigned. According to an AFSC press release, CCA filed a notification with the…
Southwest Terror Fest 2014 Lineup Announced
Southwest Terror Fest announced some big changes and popular acts to this year’s event on its Facebook page Monday morning. The annual heavy metal celebration will take place from Thursday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 19, at The Rialto and The District Tavern. Originally, SWTF has historically taken place at The Rock. Los Angeles bands…
Fresh Memories of Tom Jones
Seventies heartthrob and Welsh national hero Tom Jones visited his charisma upon the Rialto Theatre last week. Swoons happened. C. Elliott brings us documentary photos of the concert that asked the question, “Did someone really throw their chonies on the stage?” Plus: epic 70s jacket!
Happy Fourth Second Saturdays: Help Out at the ’80s Music Video Sing Along at Screening Room
Second Saturdays Downtown gets going tonight at 5 p.m. and this month happens to mark the event’s four year anniversary—what’s proven to be a popular and important revival of what those stricken with Moldy Pueblo love remember as Downtown Saturday Nights. Lot’s of great entertainment tonight, like Tucson’s Japanese ensemble drumming group, Odaiko Sonoran; Tucson…
AZ Illustrated Politics: Koz vs. Cop Union, Bus Fares, Parking Tix & More
On last night’s AZ Illustrated Politics: City Councilman Steve Kozachik, local biz advocate Miguel Ortega and Arizona Daily Star political reporter Joe Ferguson talk about the city budget, Steve K’s squabble with the police union, the future of Broadway Boulevard, the ongoing debate over bus fares, the challenges of the light rail system, the fight…
Cathy Rivers Named KXCI’s Program Director
Local music fixture Cathy Rivers will be taking on some more responsibilities at the 91.3 KXCI offices. The longtime Tucson resident has accepted the program director position, according to an email from KXCI General Manager Randy Peterson. “One of our goals was to reposition the duties of a program director back under one person,” Peterson said in…
Loft Film Fest is Now Accepting Submissions
Attention independent filmmakers of the world: The Loft Cinema is currently accepting submissions for the 5th annual Loft Film Fest. This year’s festival will take place on October 16 through October 19. Here’s your chance to send in your short, feature films, or documentaries played among some of the eclectic films from all over the globe. Each year keeps…
Tonight, Get Your Strange On, Your Sonoran Strange
If you didn’t have a chance to see Adam Cooper-Terán and Logan Phillips of Verbo•bala’s Sonoran Stage last night or in previous productions, please, please go see it tonight. Adam and Logan are leaving us to take the production to Germany, so a chance to see this beautiful poem staged and doing what it does…
The Abbey’s Open Again
After what was likely a rough 24 hours or so for Brian Metzger, he sent out a press release this afternoon announcing that the Abbey will be open tonight: After an unexpected interruption to our regular service, we are thrilled to announce that we are OPEN today as of 4 p.m. for regular hours. My…
Old ’97s Rev the Rialto
C. Elliott gives us a look at the Old ’97s show at the Rialto Theatre on Tuesday, May 6.
Poor Oversight Cited in Texas Ammonium Nitrate Blast Mirrored in Arizona
PHOENIX — One year after a fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people, injured hundreds and devastated the town of West, Texas, significant questions remain about the safety and security of hazardous chemical storage facilities across the U.S. and in Arizona. The 2013 explosion at West Chemical and Fertilizer Co. “should never have occurred,” the U.S.…
My Response To The Post By The Head Of BASIS Tucson
Earlier this week I gave Julia Toews, the Head of BASIS Tucson, an opportunity to write a post on The Range stating her views about her school. Mainly, she was responding to a post I wrote which maintained that BASIS has a highly selective student body. I found Toews’ argument that BASIS does not have…
Prom Body & Friends to Play Free Show at Hotel Congress Tonight
Here’s some good news if you like free music and concerts. Prom Body is planning on embarking on a summer tour along the west coast, but they need a van for this ambitious journey. So, there will be a quasi-fundraiser to help raise some dinero for the aspiring four-man-band tonight at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St.…
Attention Ladies: Antonio Sabato Jr. Will Be at Casino Del Sol Saturday
If you’re wondering why it’s been hotter than a Calvin Klein model lately, I might have an explanation. I’m not a meteorologist but I think it has something to do with Antonio Sabato Jr.’s presence within our metropolitan area. The General Hospital actor is currently filming his new special Fix it and Finish it (which you…
Tom Walbank’s Got (A Book About) the Blues
In 1990 Tom Walbank found himself, like so many bluesmen of lore do, at a crossroads. An aspiring cartoonist, he was immersed in the Scottish zine culture, with his eye on a career in comics. But he loved playing blues, too. “I decided I would have to concentrate on one,” Walbank says from his home…
Word Odyssey: Hallelujah! The Origins of “God”
Hallelujah! Today’s Word Odyssey topic is the origins of God. Well, not really the origins of God, but rather the word God. But even that is a complicated matter. Let’s start with hallelujah. That means praise be to Yahweh, from Hebrew “hillel”, which is a song of praise, and Yahweh, the name of the god…
Cinema Showdown: Early Tarantino and The Story of Alice Cooper Edition
Summer is fast approaching, and summer means outdoor screenings. Tonight kicks off the 15th season of Cinema La Placita, the series that shows classic films outdoors in downtown Tucson. Tonight’s classic is the 1934 comedy whodunnit The Thin Man, based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and starring William Powell and…
The Abbey Closed? What on Earth Is Happening?
In “I’d much rather report on places opening than places closing” news, KVOA’s website has a photo from the front door of Brian Metzger’s northeast side restaurant The Abbey, which says the space has been seized by Ventura-Pacific Development. UPDATE: I just talked to Brian Metzger, who referred to the situation as resulting from “an accounting and bookkeeping…
Mike Rowe Gets Naked to Inspire More Truckers
Television personality and pitchman Mike Rowe poses an interesting question: What would the world look like without trucks in it? Rowe says there’s a serious shortage of automotive and diesel technicians. So, Rowe’s work innative foundation is offering skilled technician scholarships. You should apply so the Dirty Jobs guy can put his fucking clothes on.…
Armed Services Committee Keeps A-10 Flying—For Now
Congressman Ron Barber offered a successful amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act yesterday to prevent the Defense Department from retiring the A-10 in fiscal year 2015. Earlier this week, Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon had proposed allowing the A-10 to be parked at the Air Force boneyard so it could be called back…
UA to offer Nation’s First Bachelor of Arts in Law
While the rest of the world is handing out Bachelor of Arts in Law degrees, the University of Arizona will finally catch the United States up to speed. The James E. Rogers College of Law at the UA will be the first university to offer a Bachelor of Arts, according UA News. This is a…
Minting a Legend
Judy Hibbert Retirement Party 4 p.m., Wednesday, May 14 The Mint Cocktails 3540 E. Grant Road 881-9169; facebook.com/TheMintCocktails The Mint is one of Tucson’s most venerable bars, having served drinks to thirsty Tucsonans since 1934. And while the bar has moved around a few times, going from downtown to midtown to its current location on…
Ask A Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I’m a pocha and my husband is a gabacho (by the way, we loved your explanation in your book on why Mexicans and Irish get along so well—it really explained a lot about our marriage). We had the rehearsal dinner for our wedding catered by one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Two guests…
Found Photographer
How could it be that she took so many photos in her lifetime—more than 100,000, according to her archivist—and nobody ever saw what Vivian Maier was able to do with a camera? How is it possible that over the course of almost half a century her work didn’t even accidentally see the light of day?…
All Aboard
National Train Day 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 10 Historic Train Depot 400 N. Toole Ave. 623-2223; tucsonhistoricdepot.org Anyone who has spent time downtown or lives near Interstate 10 as it heads north to Phoenix is well aware that trains still roll through Tucson. But there’s far more to the country’s oldest form…
Local and Likeable
I love the idea of the restaurant-market combo, and the Five Points neighborhood, which is ripe for gentrification with the growth of businesses downtown, has a new eatery at which you can both enjoy a locally sourced brunch or lunch and take home some fresh produce. Five Points Market & Restaurant is the newest addition…
Editor’s Note
Understandably, there were some concerns that with the sale of the Weekly to 10/13 Communications that big changes would be coming. I am here to tell you that it’s true: We increased the font size on some of the articles this week. This is mostly a temporary fix to the issue of our new two-and-a-quarter…
Everything Under the Big Top
Tucson Variety Society 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10 Cirque Roots 17 E. Toole Ave. 480-433-0597; facebook.com/z.a.armstrong1 The dedication that comes with being an acrobat, a juggler or a comedian can prompt people to go to great lengths to perfect their craft. But there’s one thing no amount of effort can help with, and that’s a…
Danehy
In November of 2003, President George W. Bush secretly flew to Iraq to serve Thanksgiving dinner to American troops. I thought it was cool as hell. Some of my Democratic friends sniffed and dismissed it as a stunt. I remember thinking that even if it was completely a stunt, it was still cool as hell.…
Student Cinema
They have each created a window through which they will step into the future. Composed of inspiration, frustration and collaboration, each window opens only outward. Once stepped through, it offers no means of return. We are invited to share the rather public-yet-intimate launching of lives through windows of their own creation as 15 students studying…
Serraglio
Let’s play the “race card” game. You know this game—it was invented by racists and right-wingers who seek to rationalize or cover up singular acts of racism, racist tendencies and the institutionalized racism that still plagues our society in this supposedly post-racial era. It starts like this: I call out a Racist Old Troglodyte (ROT)…
Pressing Reset
We wanted to start a Latin rock ‘n’ roll band,” recalls James Peters, drummer and co-founder of Tucson’s long-running Latin rock ‘n’ roll band, the Jons. The year was 1999. Peters and singer/trumpet player Jon Villa were both 21 and had moved to Tucson from their hometown of Nogales. Longtime friends and fans of one…
Media Watch
BOOK DOCUMENTS HISTORY OF TUCSON RADIO As a young lad growing up in Tucson, Russ Jackson, along with the other members of his Blenman Elementary School fifth-grade class, visited the KTUC radio studios near Broadway and Tyndall to participate in a Thanksgiving special. That was in 1945. “I fell in love with the business at…
Soundbites
HERE IN THE REAL WORLD When Plush sold, probably a few people shared my concern about what would happen to the space as a live music venue. The number of shows by touring acts seemed to diminish in the last year anyhow, replaced by more karaoke nights and comedy. Not that there’s anything wrong with…
Police Dispatch
ALL HOURS ARE VISITING HOURS (FOR METH HEADS) FOOTHILLS AREA APRIL 5, 4:34 A.M. A man who was detained after he tried to enter a medical facility at 4 a.m.—and then started yelling that a loved one had been kidnapped by meth dealers and terrorists—turned out to be a meth user himself, a Pima County…
Up in the Air
Everywhere you look in Under the Violet Sky, you see rapturous depictions of the Southwest’s beauties in hyped-up colors: blood-red sunsets, clouds shot through with lightning and cacti flaming orange. And, yes, skies in every shade of lavender and blue. So it’s a little surprising that in this Etherton exhibition by local powerhouses Gail Marcus-Orlen,…
Heinz and Health
Tucson’s Dr. Matt Heinz, who was an Arizona state representative for two terms starting in 2009, is currently working at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in Washington, D.C., as director of provider outreach. He is an internal medicine physician and also works at Tucson Medical Center, where he returns twice a month…
Saber Tooth Songs
When the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger released their 2010 debut album, Acoustic Sessions, many listeners were captivated by the quiet charm of the folk-pop tunes written and performed by Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. As was an enthusiastic audience in early 2011 at Club Congress, where the duo performed live. But one…
Female Trouble
Last week’s skirmish in the battle between Congressman Ron Barber (D-CD2) and Republican challenger Martha McSally focused on the War on Women. The War on Women was the catchphrase that captured the many things that Republicans said during the 2012 campaign that drove women in the direction of Democrats. Missouri GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin…
Live
Mik Garrison and Scott Kerr, The Flycatcher, Sunday, May 4 Here’s the thing about death: You can’t take it back. Some religions say you go on to an afterlife and others say you reincarnate. Some believe in an amorphous state where the dead still exist in some unearthly, yet still detectable, presence. The cold, hard…
The Skinny
LONELY AT THE TOP The Skinny reported last week that Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller had a new chief of staff, Jeannie Davis Haldersen, to replace Jennifer Coyle, who abruptly resigned about a month ago. Haldersen’s appearance on the 11th floor of the downtown county building isn’t likely to ease the growing tensions between Miller…
Man Bites Dog: Man Bites Dog
The overly distorted bass guitar that kicks off “Violent Thoughts” on Tucson hardcore punk stalwarts Man Bites Dog’s self-titled debut, as abrasive as it is, is not indicative of how low this band will plunge into self-disgust. The lyrics are impenetrable but the sentiment isn’t. You don’t need to make out the words because the…
Primer
WHO IS HE? Younger listeners might most easily recognize 67-year-old Loudon Wainwright III as the father of musical artists Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche. Older fans may know him as the scion of a privileged family from Westchester County, New York. (Wainwright’s dad was a celebrated columnist and editor for Life magazine.)…
Frat Feud
Here’s a shocker: Old School, that funny frat comedy starring Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn, a frat comedy that proudly stands alongside Animal House as a genre best, is already 11 years old. ELEVEN … YEARS … OLD. So, yes, the world is plenty ripe for a new, quality frat comedy. And it gets a…
Nine Questions
Matt Sams might have only purchased Tucson’s oldest comic shop Fantasy Comics a year ago from Tom Struck, but the 41-year-old has a long history with the story, shopping at Fantasy since he was 7 years old. Don’t let Sams’ stoic demeanor fool you; he’s a big teddy with a heart of gold. The husband…
Sports
Interstate 10 was much busier than I’d expected on Sunday as I was driving through Tucson, but after looking around, I realized why: The snowbird migration was in its final stages. Flocks of Lincoln Town Cars and Cadillacs with license plates from the upper Midwest were driving almost in formation (i.e., 62 mph in a…
DVD Roundup
Eastbound & Down: Season 4 Retired pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) breaks into the world of sports-talk TV, becomes a superstar asshole all over again and makes a new enemy (Ken Marino). Is it too late for the world to finally recognize the genius of KFP? Yes. (HBO) Goodbye World A cyber-attack takes down the…
Engagement Entertainment
Arizona’s branch of the American Friends Service Committee has spent the past 33 years working to raise awareness of the state’s prison overpopulation problem while also trying to help create alternatives to mass incarceration. There have been successes and failures over the years, but the mission hasn’t changed, AFSC Arizona program director Caroline Isaacs said.…
Donation Dilemmas
Last week, the Largest Newspaper in the State of Arizona did a story about medical marijuana scofflaws who skirt the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act and sell cannabis on the Internets. They’re legit patients and caregivers, but they kind of took interpretation of the law into their own hands, massaged it around with a little urban…
Noshing Around
Call Your Mama Your mom gave you the gift of life, so on Mother’s Day the least you can do is give her the gift of good eats. Here’s a roundup of Mother’s Day offerings at local restaurants. Union Public House, 4340 N. Campbell Ave. Mother’s Day specials include a roasted, dry-aged N.Y. strip and…
Now on Shelves
The Devil on Eighty-Five By Clark LohrBarZF Press $12.95; 270 pages; crime fiction As Clark Lohr points out in the material accompanying this new indie-published novel, fiction can be a vehicle for examining society. “The American crime novel,” he writes, is “sociological,” with deep literary roots. And he addresses social issues in The Devil on…
