Tucson Weekly contributor Michael Marizco filed this story Friday, July 30, on his website BorderReporter. Read his entire story and other news here.

UPDATE: A good friend in Sasabe, Ariz., tells me the Americans closed the port of entry there early citing bad weather …

That port is only open until 8 p.m., and they closed at about 7:30, she says, but the unexpected closure leaves about 20 people stranded in Sasabe tonight. It’s a town with a population of 25 people, it’s not like there’s a hotel for them to drive to and Tucson’s an hour away. I could be wrong but I’ve never heard of the Americans closing the port because of weather conditions; frankly, I wonder if it wasn’t because of the fight last night in Saric pero quien sabe.

• Skid Severson

Happy Lammas. Today is the first of three Pagan harvest festivals. The holiday is also called Lughnasadh. Now wouldn't it be great if we were all pagans and we could pronounce Lughnasadh? Well, how about just for a night in Bisbee—tonight, at 8:30 p.m. at Hot Licks, 37 Ok Street? It's Pagan Holiday, a night of free music. Scooters are encouraged, and the music is swell, especially from our favorite creepy Tucson family, the Mission Creeps.

Scooters: Meet-up and ride thru the downtown Bisbee, 7 p.m. at Hotlicks. The venue will provide special designated scooter parking for the evening.

If it's possible to do requests tonight at the Tucson Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance fundraiser and membership drive at Plush, 340 E. Sixth Ave., at 8 p.m., If so, I'm going to ask Naim Amor to consider "Different Drum."

The showcase features some incredible local folks taking on tunes by Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Nicks. Tucson Weekly music editor Stephen Seigel talked about this show in his column this week, and gave plenty of good reasons to go and support the T.A.M.H.A. Emergency Relief fund, which helps Tucson artists with healthcare resources.

Expect the Nicks and Ronstadt "Cactus Fight" to include: Tom Walbank, Emilie Marchand & Tasha Bundy, The Tryst, Ricky Gelb, Winston and Marcela Watson, Determined Luddites, Mariachi Luz De Luna, Naim Amor, Maggie Golston and Chris Black.

All donations at the door go to the relief fund, and $5 provides you with a T.A.M.H.A. membership.

Do you love Tucson? I mean, do you really love Tucson?

Excuse the Gordo's reference, but really, do you love Tucson?

Prove it. Tucson turns 235 on Aug. 20, but don't wait until that grand day. Besides walking the dog in the wee cool hours of the early morning before the temp hits 100, or enjoying your employer's air conditioning, we need more excuses to leave house. Tucson's birthday is celebrated throughout August, and it's the best time to show it some love.

During election season and the ongoing idoiocy of SB 1070 and people like Russell Pearce, who really don't represent Tucson, it's also a good time to remember that we are all Tucsonenses.

Tomorrow, Sunday, Aug. 1, it begins with breakfast at the Mission Garden gates near A Mountain. City of Tucson birthday organizers have a website here, where you can check out the schedule (new events are added every week) and also get involved and create your own birthday celebration. Neighborhood block party?

Organizers sent out this press release to kick off the frenzy:

The Friends of Tucson's Birthplace will launch this year's month-long birthday celebration on Sunday, August 1, with breakfast and a dedication of the Mission Garden gates beginning at 8:30 a.m. The gates were built and donated by Lloyd Construction and mark completion of the first phase of development for the interpretive center. Plans for the completed project include demonstration gardens interpreting eras of agricultural practices on the site dating back 4,000 years to the first-known corn production along the Santa Cruz River at the base of “A” Mountain.

To reach the site, exit I-10 at Congress and head west to Grande (which turns into Mission). Head south on Grande just past Mission Lane to park in a vacant dirt lot.

We can't wait to see how Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will turn tonight's CD8 Republican debate soundbites into attack-tweets.

Luckily, we don't have to wait long. The debate started at 6 p.m. tonight KUAZ Channel 6. Check out @giffords2010.

The Associated Press reports that Gov. Jan Brewer is considering changing SB 1070:

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is asking legislators to consider whether they should change the state's immigration law in response to a judge's ruling blocking parts of it.

Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman confirms that the governor called top legislative leaders to broach the possibility of changing provisions of the law on Thursday, a day after U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton issued a preliminary injunction.

Senseman says the possibility of having legislators meet in special session to consider changing the law is merely being explored. He says Brewer is still pressing ahead with her appeal of Bolton's order.

Senate President Bob Burns says he'd need to know a lot more before he supports holding a special session.

The Rialto Theatre first hired Joe Pagac to put up a mural on the eastside of the theatre in October 2009 for the Calexico concert after last year's All Souls Procession. Since then, Pagac has provided downtown with a visual feast of art that also happens to promote the bands that are going to play at the nonprofit venue.

Well, evidently someone downtown doesn't like art.

The Rialto Theatre was served with a notice of violation by the city of Tucson for having a sign without a permit.

According to Doug Biggers, Rialto's executive director (and former publisher of the Tucson Weekly), considering the murals have been going up consistently since last October, he's amazed that it took a year for someone to decide the concert palace is in violation of city code.

"Why, now, they decide to tell us we are in violation is anyone's guess," Biggers responded by e-mail. "... We have been told that we can put together an appeal and present it to the City's SCAB (Sign Code Advisory Board) and ask for some kind of variance. ... From what I've been told by the city official in charge of the process, it requires quite a bit of effort, and we have our hands full right now just keeping the Rialto's doors open (because of the SB 1070 boycott and economic recession)."

Biggers said he's directed Pagac to paint a "pure mural" rather than paint over the existing concert murals to celebrate the venue's "nine decades of cultural history and the free expression of ideas. He's painting it as I type, and it should be done by Sunday."

"Of course, what we'd love is for the City Council to pass an immediate emergency resolution that the Rialto Theatre's murals are a beloved and creative addition to downtown's aesthetic environment," but Biggers knows from experience that could be a great challenge.

The Range called Glenn Moyer, a planner with the City of Tucson, for comment regarding the violation. We will update if he calls back. The Range was told that someone made a complaint to the city that the murals were in violation of the city code. Of course, we're left wondering what asshat just didn't like those beautiful murals.

And we're also left wondering why Tucson just doesn't seem to ever get it.

The violation notice is here: violation__1_.pdf

The Wine Depot holds a tasting of Juliusspital wines from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, July 31. Juliusspital has been in operation since 1576, and I'll bet they've got the whole wine-making thing nailed by now. The tasting will feature everything from a 2006 Juliusspital Silvaner to a 2008 Juliusspital Bürgstädter Mainhölle Pinot Noir, and it’s free. RSVP is required. Call or visit their website to RSVP or for more information.

CataVinos features tastings of French wines from 4 to 8 p.m., Friday through Sunday, July 30 through Aug. 1. $10 buys tastes of six wines, and the tasting on Sunday features a performance by Chuck Aubrey.

Down at Hotel Congress they’re holding a tasting of their new reserve beer selection from 5 to7 p.m., Saturday, July 31. Expect tastes of ales, lambics and rare brews from Belgium, France, Spain, and America for $15.

In related news, the rooms at Hotel Congress are now air-conditioned, and officials are holding an informal unveiling of the new and cooler (and, in some cases, redecorated) rooms at 7 p.m., tonight, Friday, July 30. It coincides with the hotel's Christmas in July celebration, and there will be music, drinking, a snow machine and mistletoe. Admission is a donation to the Tucson Community Food Bank.

Have you tried the Hooligan Punch at Lindy’s on Fourth yet? We have not, either, but if owner Lindy Reilly had anything to do with the recipe, there’s a good chance that it will kick your ass. We’ve seen it perched up on a shelf looking splendid with its flavor-infused liquor and fruit chunks, but we stick with the Pabst on draft.

Janos Wilder’s most recent signature drink is the 135 South Sixth Gin (that, incidentally, is the address of his up-and-coming restaurant Downtown Kitchen and Cocktails), which is made with muddled cucumber and basil, cardamon simple syrup and homemade ginger beer. Sounds refreshing, and it better be for $9.

And then there's Harvest Restaurant, which is currently ruling the happy-hour scene by offering deep discounts on drinks and appetizers from 3 to 6 p.m., every day. The eatery’s commitment to local and organic foods extends to the cocktails, which contain items like local honey and organic apple slices. Trust us: These cocktails are worth the paltry sum Harvest charges for them during happy hour.

Sun Tran is warning people that a bus strike is possible on Monday (Aug. 2):

Sun Tran drivers and mechanics of Teamsters Union 104 are under contract to work until midnight, Saturday, July 31. Sun Tran management and union representatives are continuing to negotiate the terms of a new contract. If an agreement cannot be reached, union members may go on strike as early as Monday, August 2.

Emil Franzi, a million-word Weekly contributor and longtime local political pundit, has penned an op-ed for the Explorer about the good-old American mudslinging down in CD8.

The GOP candidates in CD8 are currently exchanging attacks via handouts at joint appearances, principally from Jesse Kelly whomping Jonathan Paton and Paton whacking back. Paton used one I found so shaky that I verified its authenticity directly with him. He said he was responding to Kelly's hits and was tired of hearing about having been a lobbyist. Bet J.D. Hayworth is, too.

I reviewed a batch of Kelly material illustrating a series of Paton votes in the State Legislature on tort reform, school choice, the state budget, and others that Kelly claims prove Paton isn't really a conservative. While there's wiggle room on some, Kelly's point is that he is to the right of Paton. Paton's response tries to infer that he is to the right of Kelly.

You can read the whole thing here.

Hat tip to the Giffords campaign, who will be voting Jesse Kelly in the Republican primary.