Cover Stories
The People’s Weed
In an ideal weed-topia, all marijuana advocates work together to accomplish the ultimate dream: abolishing prohibition. But because the world is an imperfect place, several groups in Arizona have split up into at least half a dozen initiatives with similar but different demands
Tucson Weedly’s Cannabis Bowl
A little over a month ago, we put a call out to all Tucson area medical marijuana patients and asked you to participate in our first Cannabis Bowl—a best of reader choice of products, people and places in our local medical marijuana universe.
Pima Anima Care Center is Lowering Adoption Fees to Make Room For Newly Rescued Cats and Dogs
It’s been a busy month for Pima Animal Care Center, and not just becase Spring always means new stray cats and dogs: In the last three weeks, the shelter has taken in nearly 100 animals from instances of hoarding cases and one puppy mill. PACC is getting crowded. As a result, the shelter is dropping…
Check Out the List of Brewers Turning Up for the First Ever Baja Beer Festival
Local craft beer is a pretty great thing, but 200 craft beers is really something else and you’ll find just that at the first Baja Beer Festival. The completely locally organized event will feature more than 50 breweries, showing off their creative brews alongside food vendors and live music. Here’s the local beer makers that…
It’s Time Once Again to Take a Look at This Year’s “Best High Schools” List
It’s that time of year again, when U.S. News & World Report declares which are the best high schools in the nation. As usual, BASIS charter schools did great, taking Number 2 (BASIS Scottsdale), Number 3 (BASIS Tucson North) and Number 6 (BASIS Oro Valley). TUSD’s University High was ranked Number 24. So, BASIS schools…
Independent Redistricting Commission Wins Another Round at U.S. Supreme Court
Ever since Arizona Republicans realized they couldn’t control the Independent Redistricting Commission, they have worked to undermine and discredit it with arguments that Democrats were gerrymandering the districts. Traditionally, gerrymandering means that Democrats are rigging the system so that they win the elections. But when you look at the maps, it’s pretty hard to say…
Win Tickets to the Pima County Fair
We’re in the final stretch, fair fanatics: The Pima County Fair is in town through this Sunday, April 24. Enter here to win tickets to the event! Fill out my online form. var w15ebhk11mgurum;(function(d, t) { var s = d.createElement(t), options = { ‘userName’:’itzdigital’, ‘formHash’:’w15ebhk11mgurum’, ‘autoResize’:true, ‘height’:’473′, ‘async’:true, ‘host’:’wufoo.com’, ‘header’:’show’, ‘ssl’:true}; s.src = (‘https:’ ==…
Harriet Tubman Will Appear on the $20 Bill (Eventually)
Move over Andrew Jackson, abolitionist Harriet Tubman is going to be the new face of the $20 bill—making her the first woman prominently featured on U.S paper currency. Unfortunately, we’ve got some waiting to do: The designs won’t be made public until 2020, and will likely take more time to make it into circulation. Last…
Cinema Clips: The Jungle Book
Jon Favreau’s delightful and funny take on the Rudyard Kipling’s tale of a boy raised by wolves is an all around winner. Kids and adults will love the talking and sporadically singing animals, while adults and some of the cooler kids will like the movie references and clever Easter eggs. The story is pretty simple:…
McCain Says He’ll Skip This Year’s GOP Convention
Sen. John McCain doesn’t want to go to Cleveland for his summer vacation. The Hill reports: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is facing perhaps the toughest reelection race of his career, will skip the Republican presidential nominating convention in Cleveland in July. McCain says he will be focusing instead on his own race against Democratic…
Council Votes To Move Forward With Broadway Expansion
With a pair of 5-1 votes, the Tucson City Council voted to move forward with a plan to widen Broadway Boulevard to six lanes between downtown and Country Club Road. The decisions allow the city to move forward with acquiring more property along the corridor to make room for the expansion, as well as to…
Is the AZ Legislature Planning to Give $5 Million to Koch Brothers-Backed “Economic Freedom Centers”?
This is incredible. Last year, the state budget cut $99 million from our three state universities. This year, among the possible scenarios for the state budget is an extra $5 million for the university’s three “economic freedom centers.” Whoever inserted that item into the budget isn’t talking. No one will admit they know how it…
UA Prof Spike Peterson to Discuss Why Marriage is Racist
Revolutionary Grounds continues their “Ideas for Change” series tomorrow night with a discussion on whether or not marriage is racist. UA professor V. Spike Peterson, who is “critical of most things conventional,” according to the event’s Facebook page, will debunk why an institution as seemingly sweet as marriage is actually pretty sour. Peterson will…
Donate to Victims of Earthquakes in Ecuador and Japan at Yume Japanese Garden Vigil and Concert
The devastating 7-plus magnitude earthquakes in Ecuador and Japan in the last week have left thousands upon thousands missing, injured and displaced and hundreds more dead. According to AP, more than 400 people are estimated to be dead following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the country on Saturday, April 16. The Ecuadorian president Rafael…
Congressional Candidate Victoria Steele Has a New Campaign Team
The Weekly reported yesterday that Democrat Victoria Steele, who is facing fellow former state lawmaker Matt Heinz in the August Democratic primary that will decide who faces Republican Congresswoman Martha McSally in the November general election, had a lousy fundraising quarter and could be losing her campaign manager. We heard back to Team Steele after…
We’ve Still Got Tickets to the Pima County Fair
Fans of fried food, petting zoos and carnival rides, pay attention: You’ve got one week/weekend of county fair possibilities ahead of you. The fair is in town through this Sunday, April 24 and we’re giving away tickets good for any day. Find event details here and enter to win tickets below: Fill out my online…
Best of Tucson: Tell Me Where to Take Art Classes
Tucson art people, you need to show up to the Best of Tucson digital party. Last year we go TONS of comments from upset readers who wanted to know why their favorite educational art institutions didn’t make it to the finals. Well, I’ll tell you why: the Best Art Classes category is being a little…
US Rep. McSally Has Another Big Fundraising Quarter, While Dem Victoria Steele Has Another Terrible One
Southern Arizona Congresswoman Martha McSally had another titanic fundraising quarter, bringing in nearly $853,000. McSally’s fundraising machine is an astonishing thing to watch in action: Even before she was elected, she was one of the best congressional fundraisers in the country. She raises so much money that her accountants can barely keep track of all…
The AZ Legislature Has the Court System By the Short Hairs
Here’s the primary reason—not the only reason, but the primary one—why I’m planning to hold my nose and vote yes on Prop 123, then hate myself in the morning. It’s either pass the proposition or not see any more money for our schools any time in the foreseeable future. Some people who plan to vote…
Betty Boop Needs a Home
Hi I’m Betty Boop! I’m a 2 year old little cutie looking for a home! I’m a really sweet little girl who loves people, playing and treats! I need a home where I can get a lot of fun exercise time and would do well with positive reinforcement training! I’m very smart and willing to…
Cinema Clips: Mr. Right
Yes, this is another one of those hitman comedies. There are many, too many to recount here, so I’ll just get to the point. This one is pretty good because it has Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick in it. Actually, it’s only good because it has Rockwell and Kendrick in it. Kendrick plays a woman…
Streets For People: Protest Against Broadway Improvement Project (SLIDESHOW)
Hundreds of protestors against the current Broadway Improvement Project gathered at the Sunshine Mile on Sunday, April 17. After musical performances and speeches, the group walked along a portion of the targeted area to Treat Avenue and repeated crossed Broadway Boulevard using the lighted pedestrian crosswalk while carrying signs bearing the slogan “streets for people.”…
Spectrum: A Theatrical Stilt Dance & Acrobatic Spectacle (SLIDESHOW)
Cirque Roots puts on the second of four showings of Spectrum: a Theatrical Stilt Dance & Acrobatic Spectacle at their studio on Friday, April 15. Dancer Erin Christine Deo opened the performance accompanied by Vasanta Weiss on vocals and the harmonium followed by Cirque Roots performers Jennifer Coughlan, Stephanie Cortes, Zoë Anderson, Brittany Briley and…
Zona Politics: AZ House Speaker Gowan’s Disastrous Plan To Require Background Checks for Reporters; Recreational Weed Initiative; Cruz’s Plan To Snatch Trump’s AZ Delegates and Much More
April 17th, 2016 from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo. On this week’s lively episode of Zona Politics: Political strategists Rodd McLeod and Barrett Marson talk about Arizona House Speaker David Gowan’s abandoned plan to force reporters to undergo background checks if they wanted access to the floor of the House of Representatives; Gowan’s…
Busy Season At Old Main
With the UA’s spring commencement ceremonies rapidly approaching, it’s rare to pass by the iconic Old Main building without seeing a photo session in progress. Today, 90 AVID students from Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas, Nev. pose for a group photo on the stair case. The students, chaperoned by 10 parent and teacher…
The Lizards Have Returned
Now that the warm weather is here to stay, Tucson’s lizards are reemerging and are back to their usual habits of sunbathing on rocks and scurrying across sidewalks ahead of passerby. This lizard was found scrambling around outside of the Arizona State Museum on Friday, April 15 and struck a brief pose.
Cicero, Roman Statesman and Orator: Born, 106 BC. Alive, 1965 AD?
It’s always wise to remember, if a quote is too perfect to be true, it probably isn’t. Examples abound on Facebook and in viral emails. And occasionally you can find an example in the Star’s Letters to the Editor. The Star’s editorial staff should have caught this one, and if they decided to publish it anyway,…
Foals Bring What Went Down to Rialto Theatre
Acclaimed English rock band Foals had planned on taking a rest after wrapping up 18 months of relentless touring for 2013’s Holy Fire album. But, riding on musical high, the band couldn’t quiet the new ideas that came when they tried taking it easy. So off to the studio Foals went, just to try a…
Arizona Republican Leaders Don’t Care About Kids: In Their Own Words
State budget time is drawing near, and since a budget is a statement of the values of those who create it, we’ll learn once again what Gov. Ducey, the Republican legislative leadership and the vast majority of Republican legislators value. When I was on The Buckmaster Show Wednesday, I said, “Republicans don’t care about kids.”…
Win Tickets to the Wildcat Baseball Game on Friday
Hey there, baseball fans. Our Wildcats are playing Stanford this Friday, April 15 at 6 p.m. Want tickets? Enter below. We’ll call the winner at noon, and they’ll back to pick the tickets up by 5 p.m. Good luck! Fill out my online form. var w4y8ml21k3eu04;(function(d, t) { var s = d.createElement(t), options = { ‘userName’:’itzdigital’,…
Earth Views
Jody Forster is a consummate master of old-school photography.
Ghost Story
Hilary Bettis is a busy woman
Danehy
It may seem counterintuitive, but despite Tom being a well-informed/know-it-all/blowhard, he really enjoys it when someone can change his mind about an issue.
T Q&A
Gavin Troy is a downtown-based artist who moved to Tucson after he graduated from ASU back in the good ol’ days—the ’90s. He says he definitely prefers life in the Old Pueblo.
Media Watch
News/talk FM KQTH 104.1 has abandoned its morning drive news wheel and returned local talk host Jon Justice to the slot he occupied for a number of years.
Use Your Noodle: Fresco Pizzeria
While Fresco didn’t offer anything near a mind-blowing experience on any front, it really isn’t a bad spot by any means.
Employment Issues
Arizona voters legalized medical marijuana a few years ago, but employers are still adjusting to how these new laws affect how they handle their employees.
Climate Justice Forum
Make your voice heard this Saturday.
What, Us Worry?
Another marijuana recall for pesticides adds new questions for some. Is my dispensary using pesticides? Should the state order testing? Would unnecessary testing raise prices? Is the Arizona MMJ industry already doing the right things? Are some pesticides needed?
Circus Arts on Display
Join the Cirque Roots Studio for a performance of theatrical stilt dance and acrobatics
Editor’s Note
In this week’s Skinny, our scribe Jim Nintzel describes Arizona House Speaker David Gowan as dumber than a bag of hammers, or sack or backpack … or whatever.
Calling All Poets!
The annual Tucson Poetry Festival is returning to Tucson for the 33rd time this weekend with three days packed full of events to suit any style.
Dust Devil
Most times, unadorned, thorny-personalitied, she hangs back, friendless, uncared-for, cruddy (almost
Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
Rock your psychedelic side at the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
Souvenirs from Space
Have you ever wanted to go hunt for meteorites?
Noche Española
Help raise money for the Junior League of Tucson
Police Dispatch
A man seemed relatively content to be living in jail for awhile after walked out on his tab at an Applebee’s restaurant.
Country Roads: Laura and the Killed Men
Looking down the list of titles on their debut full-length album, Laura and the Killed Men see a map of the places that inspired the songs.
Police Dispatch
A regular Circle K customer escaped legal punishment after wielding a homemade ax in the convenience store’s parking lot.
Doing Her Thing: Ann Wilson
Ann Wilson, the dramatic soprano who, along with her sister Nancy Wilson, fronts the legendary rock band Heart, has been behind the mic since the early 70s. She’s played arenas worldwide, and was inducted, alongside her band mates, into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
Peace In
Cruz Verdugo says that according to statistics, he should have grown up an angry and violent person.
B-Sides: Tax Day Soiree
Several of Tucson’s music scene facets are colliding on Friday, April 15 to put on a fundraising concert event, which includes live record cutting demos, new local releases and more.
The Skinny
House Speaker David Gowan was a nitwit way before it was cool.
B-Sides: Wooden Tooth Moving
Saturday, April 16 is a big day for the little local record store Wooden Tooth Records, and there are three reasons why.
B-Sides: Rock and Roe
Alright, now that I have your attention, let’s talk about women’s reproductive health.
Sterling as Serling
Writer-director Jeff Nichols has named his latest film about a boy with special powers running from a Texas cult Midnight Special. To me, the name alone is a stroke of genius.
