Cover Story
Never Mind Donald Trump!
Here’s the deal: Some of these local races have a whole lot more impact on your life than the president does.
Best of Tucson: The Closest Races So Far
We’re just about half way done with the second round of Best of Tucson voting. While (technically) every category is still anybody’s game (well, any of the finalists), some races really are incredibly close. These are the most competitive categories in each section: Best Art Classes Interestingly, this category was pretty quiet in Round 1. Now…
Diamondbacks Ticket Giveaway
Stock up on snacks and get ready for a mini road trip because you’re going to Phoenix! The Phillies are stopping by to play the Diamondbacks next week, and you (and a friend) could be there. The game starts at 6:40 p.m. at Chase Field (401 E. Jefferson Street in Phoenix) on Tuesday, June 28.…
Casa Video Top 10
Rent some movies, drink some iced tea and pretend it isn’t hot enough to bake cookies in your car. Zootopia Deadpool Hail Caesar! London Has Fallen 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 10 Cloverfield Lane The Revenant The Hateful Eight Hello, My Name is Dorris The Intern
Navigating Priorities in the Wake of the Shooting at Pulse in Orlando
A small group of attendees gathered at the Water of Life Sanctuary last Saturday to honor the lives of those lost on June 12 in Orlando, one of multiple prayer vigils held in Tucson last week. Candles were passed at the door and Amazing Grace was sung from the pulpit, while the faces of the…
On Camps, Traffic and Reporting in the Middle East for the First Time
I’ve come to believe that drivers in Beirut are all in on a giant game of Chicken that the rest of the world hasn’t really caught onto yet. Just how close can one get to the other drivers on the road before a vehicular accident is inevitable? Or worse, scratch the paint on the Mercedes.…
Fun Featured Fox Films
In partner with the Hansen Film Institute, the Fox Tucson Theatre will be showing classic films throughout the Summer as part of their Summer 2016 Film Series. Fox chose films they feel are an exemplary contribution to the art of film making, which feature layers of story lines, emotion, depth and phenomenal sound effects and…
National Education Policy Center: Class Size and Money Both Matter in Education
The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), out of the School of Education at the University of Colorado, Boulder, just put out two short research papers that conclude, class size matters, and money in education matters. I believe the papers are right on both counts, but as always when I site research, whether I agree or not,…
Cinema Clips: Dark Horse
Whether or not you agree in principle with the notion of racehorses, this is a moving documentary about a group of people in Wales who decide to finance one. They eventually succeed with the birth of their horse, Dream Alliance, a gangly youngster who grows up to be a solid jumper. Through interviews and archive…
County Supe Ally Miller Walks Out of Board Meeting as Pressure Builds on Her Slow Response To Releasing Public Records
Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller walked out of a heated board meeting today as her delays in responding to public-records requests were being discussed. “I have an urgent appointment I need to get to,” Miller said. “I thought we’d be done by now.” After Miller’s departure, the board voted for a new records policy that…
An Undocumented Immigrant from England Wanted to Kill Donald Trump
An undocumented immigrant from England planned to kill presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Monday in Las Vegas. Michael Steven Sandford, 20 (some reports say he is 19), tried to take a policeman’s gun so he could shoot Trump. According to the BBC, he had been planning to end Trump’s…
Cinema Clips: Finding Dory
This sequel to Finding Nemo goes a little darker than its predecessor, with Ellen DeGeneres returning as the voice of Dory, the lovable fish with short-term memory loss issues. An event triggers a memory of family in her little brain, and she sets off on a journey to find her mom and dad (voiced by…
Border Patrol Gets a New Boss in Effort to Fight Agency’s Abuse, Corruption
In an effort to suppress ongoing Border Patrol abuse and corruption, the federal immigration agency has a new boss: Mark Morgan, a senior FBI official who leads the bureau’s training division. It will be the first time in 92 years that an “outsider” heads the troubled Border Patrol, according to an article on the Los…
Prepare to Eat, the Downtown Food Truck Rally is Upon Us
Back away from whatever leftovers you we’re planning on eating for lunch, grab your wallet and head downtown for breakfast or lunch—or both. The Downtown Food Truck Rally is Tuesday, June 21 from 10:30 am to 1:30 p.m at Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Tucson’s best food trucks will be lined…
Ducey ‘Next Step’ Watch: Day 32. A No-More-Funding Side Step
Finally, something to report in the continuing Ducey “Next Step” Watch. His Classrooms First Initiative Council will be meeting June 21 to discuss “school funding proposals.” Note the word “new” is missing from the phrase “school funding proposals.” This isn’t about proposals for new funding. It’s about ways to shift around existing dollars. That bears repeating.…
Staying Engaged on World Refugee Day
Although the forced migration crisis seems a world away on Mediterranean shores, our borderland home is just as crucial an area for refugee and migrant rights. Having seen just a piece of the international crisis in the Middle East this past month, it is apparent that the scope of this problem is constantly evolving and…
Organ Pipe Desert: A Collection of Water Tanks to Save Lives and Migrants’ Belongings Left Behind
Every summer, as temperatures rise to the three digits, there are concerns for the thousands of migrants crossing through the remote areas of the Sonoran Desert. The Arizona Republic reports that 17 bodies have been recovered for the month of June and a total of 48 migrants have been found dead since the beginning of…
Grandma Tony’s Pizza Giveaway
It’s more than 100 degrees outside, making it officially too hot to turn on the oven—but you can still have pizza at home. Grandma Tony’s Pizza & Wings new Oro Valley location (13005 N. Oracle Road) has gifted us a few certificates for carry out pizzas. Want one? Enter here: Fill out my online form. var…
Caterpillar Concerns: You Should Also Look into the Manufacturer’s Unwelcomed Presence in Gaza Strip, West Bank
I recently wrote about a Menlo Park Neighborhood Association meeting I attended a couple of weeks ago, where Menlo residents and Rio Nuevo Board representatives discussed mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar’s regional headquarter’s upcoming move to West Side Tucson. Much of the city is celebrating the fact that Caterpillar chose the Old Pueblo over others like…
P.D. Needs a Home
Hi, I’m P.D.! I’ve been living at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona since February and I’m so ready to find my forever home! I’ve gotten along well my kennel mates, enjoy play time and love going out for my walks! I’m 1.5 years old and am completely house broken, plus I know how to…
Transform Mesquite Pods into Tasty Flour at the 14th Annual Mesquite Milling and Wild Foods Fiesta
Looking out on the Tucson streets, it may feel a bit like the city has become a dead zone. While pedestrians have taken shelter from the heat inside, now is actually a very interesting time in the region agriculturally, as some of the most unique native plants are now ready to harvest. Pre-monsoon harvests include…
Pima County Supe Ally Miller Starts Releasing Records Ahead of Discussion at Next Week’s Board Meeting
Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller has finally started to cough up the public records originally sought by the Tucson Sentinel and Arizona Daily Star related to the bizarre case of her former communications staffer, Timothy DesJarlais, and his efforts to masquerade as a reporter and launch an online newspaper while in her employ. If you’ve…
Casa Video Top 10
This weekend is supposed to be hellishly hot and I’m not going outside. Stock up on some movies, blend a margarita and settle in for a weekend away from the sun. Zootopia Deadpool 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Hail, Caesar! The Revenant Zoolander 2 Gods of Egypt How to be Single Race The…
K12 Inc. Not Happy With Report on Virtual School Failings
K12 Inc. was quick to respond to the report put out by a few charter school organizations saying virtual schools should be better regulated, which I posted about yesterday. Unfair! the press release complained. Based on old data! We’ve changed our ways! Well, not so much. The publicly traded corporation is still using the for-profit…
In Defense of Marijuana: Parents of Medical Weed Patient in Prison Fear for His Life
I met Kyle Catlin almost one year ago. As I’m writing this, he sits in protective custody at the Marana Community Correctional Facility, afraid for his life after an inmate recently jumped him and then threatened to kill him for being “a snitch.” The inmate split Kyle’s lip open. The inmate now sits in solitary…
Tucson, Meet My Latest Guatemalan Music Obsession: Ishto Juevez
During days of anxiety, stress and confussion, I have found Guatemalan (represent) songwriter and artist Ishto Juevez gives me a great dose of chill pill. I first heard of his majestic existence from my cousin, Ana Isabel. She is a connoisseur of all-things art and music in Guatemala. She caught Ishto Juevez a few years…
It’s Been 4 Years Since Hundreds of Thousands of Young Immigrants Got Deferred Action
It’s been four years since hundreds of thousands of young immigrants, who were brought to the U.S. as children, received a relief from the Obama administration that granted them a work permit and permission to remain in the country without fearing deportation. On June 15, 2012, President Barack Obama issued Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,…
Charter Groups Want More Regulations for Virtual Charter Schools
Now this is an interesting development. Some prominent charter school organizations have published a report advocating stricter regulations to improve the performance of virtual charter schools, also known as on-line schools. This isn’t an entirely new development. Charter school organizations have been trying to weed out poorly performing schools from the charter ranks, and this…
Get Ready For Bloom Night
Tucson as a whole calms down in the summer, with many desert rats retreating to their homes and whiling away the hours watching movies and spooning swamp coolers. Tohono Chul (7366 N Paseo Del Norte) has a different experience. Every summer thousands of Tucsonans visit the gardens at Tohono Chul to catch a glimpse of…
Updated: McCain Says He “Misspoke” When He Blamed Obama for Orlando Massacre
AP reports this afternoon that Arizona Senator John McCain, who facing challenges both from the right (mostly from former state lawmaker Kelli Ward) and the left (Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick) as he seeks his sixth Senate term, said that President Barack Obama is “directly responsible” for the Orlando massacre: Republican Sen. John McCain said Thursday that…
B-Sides: Jess Williamson
Austin-based musician and photographer Jess Williamson will offer up her enchanting voice.
Police Dispatch
A woman blatantly harassed her ex-boyfriend—to the point of stalking him at his father’s house and refusing to leave—yet was indignantly surprised when he so much as mentioned involving law enforcement.
This Bud’s for You
The Bloom medical marijuana dispensary, which has outlets across the state, has a local operation on Oracle Road across from the Tucson Mall. It’s easy to find and offers plenty of parking.
Learning Curve
Some things are best learned through trial and error. Others, not so much. Wood turning, with its reliance on obscure tools and heavy machinery, likely falls into the latter camp, but that didn’t stop local artist Jon Mavko from giving it a go.
ScreamOrama
Cinematic slaughterhouse
Brew at the Zoo
Enjoy craft beers, live music, games, pub-style food and animal encounters.
Story Slam
Share your origin story
Juneteenth Festival
Celebrate the day America truly became the land of the free at Tucson’s 46th annual Juneteenth Festival on Saturday
Editor’s Note
Perhaps this will turn the tide. Perhaps something will grow from this.
J Without K: J’s Chicken and Waffles
Those waffles? Sweet, fluffy heavenly discs that captured butter and syrup like they knew it was good for them.
Reality Check
Over the last several months the Acting Innocent Theatre Company has produced a season of three shows that tackled some heavy-duty issues.
B-Sides: Wax Idols
Being a woman in any insular male-centric community is rough and tourmates Wax Idols and King Woman know this all too well.
Caterpillar Concerns
Some residents of the historic west side neighborhood Menlo Park are worried about gentrification, hikes in property taxes and rental rates and environmental degradation, as well as questions of the benefit of supporting a project that won’t generate sales-tax revenues.
Into the Wild: Dana Falconberry
Explaining her intentions to often-confused park rangers, Falconberry’s tour came together both as an appropriate tribute to the centennial year of the National Park Service and a way to make the performances memorable for both her and audiences.
B-Sides: Arts for All Hearts Benefit
Live local music in support of arts education for children.
Police Dispatch
As part of a very sad family situation, a grown woman caused a horrible public argument with her mom on the very eve of Mother’s Day—an argument so horrible that she was arrested for it.
Dust Devil
Born in the desert, raised where the world bleeds white. The desert called me, compulsion in my bones.
The Fright Stuff
Wan has tapped into something interesting with this franchise. Two films in, it’s showing some decent durability and originality. It’s also pretty scary.
The Skinny
Why on earth did Ally Miller fall for her aide’s ridiculous stories and when will she apologize? Legal win against the state allows the county to reduce property taxes in the upcoming year
Tucson Fashion Week Preview
Watch seven designers compete for a chance to work with Richie Rich on Thursday.
