Cover Story
A Pima-Shaped Hole
Since 1969, Pima Community College has been a resource for Tucsonans trying to better themselves. Today, the college’s online courses and six campuses let students fit education into their already hectic lives. Pima offers people who have been out of school for years an opportunity to re-acclimate to the world of academics and provides a…
BASIS and University High Are Top U.S. High Schools, Which Means . . .?
U.S. News & World Report just published its yearly national high school rankings, and once again, BASIS Tucson and University High scored very well, 5th and 7th respectively. The question is, what do those rankings mean? First, they mean that much-maligned TUSD has a high school in the national top ten, earning the district bragging…
For the Love of History: So Lovely Our State Legislature
From the Arizona Republic’s Laurie Roberts on Republican Sen. Gail Griffin sticking it to the Arizona Historical Society: A routine proposal to extend the life of the Arizona Historical Society for another 10 years has been slashed to two years, a move that the state historian says could be “a death knell” to the agency…
Tonight Junot Diaz Talks to Tucson (Hoping Diaz is a Cuandero)
One last reminder, Tucson, author Junot Diaz will be at the Tucson Fox Theatre tonight, and I was pleasantly reminded that the evening, while a suggested $15 admission/donation ($25 for special VIP reserved seating), is pay-what-you-can. Hey, not only is this an interesting week at Weekly World Central, but it is technically the week before…
Tumblr Blog Highlights Terrible 1-Star Amazon Movie Reviews
Everyone’s a critic, and the internet is full of ignorant trolls that love to voice their unwanted opinions. Someone started a Tumblr page that takes pretentious quotes from “credible” reviewers and replaces them with hilarious one-star Amazon user reviews. So, be careful what you say on the Internet because it might come back to haunt…
In D.C., The Cowboy-Indian Alliance Protests the Keystone XL Pipeline
Photo by David Safier I was in D.C. Tuesday walking toward the National Mall when I saw a group of Native Americans on horseback. Other people were milling around, Native Americans and Anglos, talking among themselves and to members of the press. I was at the staging area for a march of the Cowboy And…
Noemi: Another Sad Border Story
The border is full of sad stories, but this latest about 12-year-old Noemi Alvarez Quillay could be the saddest in a long, long time. Like many, those who’ve crossed successfully and those who’ve died in the desert, she was trying to cross the border to her family during a long trek from Ecuador and then…
CoLab Innovation Talk on Journalism
CoLab Workspace’s next monthly Innovation Talk will be Wednesday, April 23 from 12 to 1 p.m. The topic of discussion will be “innovations in journalism: investigative reporting and transparency in the era of new media.” The panel includes the Arizona Daily Star’s Tim Steller, Tucson Sentinel’s Dylan Smith and the Tucson Weekly’s Henry Barajas and…
Georgetown Cop on Paid Leave for Tripping High School Students
Rohan Gupta recorded some high school students storm a football field after the girl’s Vandegrift High School soccer team won their first state championship ever over the weekend. While the 15-year-old high school student was filming, Georgetown officer George Bermudez was caught tripping one male, missed a female on the field and shoved male off…
Local Gay Organization and Harvey Milk Foundation to Host Inaugural Diversity Breakfast
The U.S. Postal Service unveiled its latest stamp featuring the first openly gay elected official in the United States, Harvey Milk. The forever stamp will feature Daniel Nicoletta’s photo of Milk in front his camera store in San Francisco, and the colors of the gay pride flag in a vertical strip on the top left…
Talking Comics: ‘Silver Surfer’ Numero Uno
This week Cynthia and Bobby reviewed Marvel Now! Silver Surfer #1. Spidey writer Dan Slott is bringing the intergalactic space hippie is back! He’s making amends for being a herald of Galactus and doing it in the fantastic art style by Mike and Laura Allred. Follow Heroes and Villains on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Meb Keflezighi Wins Boston Marathon
Meb Keflezighi has won the Boston Marathon men’s title. Keflezighi is the first American athlete to win the world’s oldest annual race in 31 years. The 37-year-old olympic runner’s time was 2:08.37. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);…
Video: Tucson Airshow 2014
More than 100,000 Tucsonans showed up to the 2014 Thunder and Lightning over Arizona show. Our videographer Alan Davis infiltrated the base and uncovered what was really going on. Davis used his dashing good looks and dreamy eyes to extract all the information you need to know about the air show. He’s the Abercrombie &…
Cheech & Chong Break the 4/20 Code
Cheech & Chong's History of 420 from CheechAndChong Do you want to know why you’re getting really high right now? So do we. Cheech and Chong have all the answers to all your questions, including the origin of 4/20. It’s far out, man.
Meteorite-Like Fireball Explodes over Russia
The universe must have a special place in its black hole for Russia. The Daily Mirror has reported a meteorite-like flare was seen exploding in the Murmansk sky around 2:19 a.m. Saturday, April 19. The footage was caught on various vehicle dash cams, but It’s unclear if the “meteor” crashed on Earth. No injuries and damage has been…
5 TPD Officers Fatally Shoot Suspected Bank Burglar
Five Tucson Police Officers shot and killed suspected bank robber Santiago Avila at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 145 E. 22nd St. on Friday, April 18. Here is the official press release from TPD: On April 17, 2014 at 1:37 p.m., officers from Operations Division Downtown responded to a report of an armed robbery…
Best Baseball Interview of The Week
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Munenori Kawasaki is a renaissance man. The 32-year-old Japanese professional baseball player is learning English and Spanish, so what better time to practice than a pre-game interview? Kawasaki talked about the weather, practicing English with his teammates and how exciting it is to play for the Blue Jays instead of slumming…
Cinema Showdown: Sayonara Crossroads and John Cusack Works At A Record Store Edition
There’s a lot of changing of the guard going on in Tucson right now; some for the better, and some for the worse. Crossroads cinema, 4811 E. Grant Rd., is not exempt. On Sunday, April 20, the theater is closing their doors. After much revamping, Roadhouse Cinemas will open this fall at that spot. Remember…
20 Tucson Female Artists Featured at Thunder Canyon
The Tucson Contemporary Women’s Art Collective is highlighting 20 local professional female artists and their work will be on display until Friday, May 16, at Thunder Canyon Brewery 220 E Broadway. There will be a special reception at Thunder Canyon from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 19. Our goal is to amplify each…
A Junot Díaz Seven-Day Countdown
The Colbert ReportGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Colbert Report on Facebook Yesterday, we ran an interview with author Junot Díaz, who’ll be at the Fox Theatre from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23. This was made possible thanks to the Tucson Pima Arts Council and Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry. $15…
Tucson Weekly to Be Sold to 10/13 Communications
Today, it was announced in a meeting that Wick Communications, the company that has owned the Tucson Weekly since 2000, has sold it (along with Inside Tucson Business) to 10/13 Communications, the owner of The Explorer, the East Valley Tribune and other publications. In the words of the press release I was handed, “Terms of…
Wednesday Night Out Part 1: Foster the People at the Rialto Theatre
Tucson Weekly rock photographer C. Elliott was working hard for you last night, which, we remind you, was the day after your taxes were due, 2014. In a few hours, we’ll bring you Joe Ely at Hotel Congress, where, we confess, we were sorry to miss young T. Mills. From the looks of the line…
D.C. Hunger Striker (and UA Student) on the Strike and Missing Her Mother
Immigration reform activists Naira Zapata and Jose Valdez and UA student Cynthia Diaz were part of the first round of Washington, DC hunger strikers calling to end deportations and for immigration reform. They’re part of the strike ended last weekend after fasting for five days, no food and drinking only water. However, the DRM Action…
Gabrielle Giffords: “I am Looking to a Safer Future”
Op-ed by former US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in yesterday’s USA Today on her and husband Mark Kelly’s continued work with their organization, Americans for Responsible Solutions, and their continued work for comprehensive gun reform legislation: One year ago Thursday, the United States Senate failed us. It was last April — mere months after the senseless…
Word Odyssey: Peeping Tom and Other Creeps
Today I’m going to get creepy. There are many words for creepy guys, probably for good reason. One of the all-time favorites is Peeping Tom. It’s a great story. Long ago in 11th century England, the Earl of Mercia laid oppressive taxes on his subjects. Naturally, they complained. He did nothing. At least not until…
Last Chance for Celtic Craic
The Celtic Fiddle Festival concert Thursday night at Berger is practically the last gasp of this year’s long Irish season (that is, if you don’t count the ceili dance at O’Malley’s at 6:30 p.m., April 25). Celtic Fiddle Festival is actually the name of a band, a troupe of three fiddlers and one guitarist who…
Hero of the Week: Bode Beirdneau
While the news is usually focused on hate, corruption, and crime, not all is lost. While your favorite athlete spent the weekend injecting more steroids than you could pay for with a year’s salary, or as his publicist says, “living in the gym, for the team and for the fans,” an everyday hero was at…
Voucher Money Being Socked Away? Who Coulda Guessed?
Get ready for an unshocking shocker. Parents who are taking advantage of the “Vouchers on Steroids” Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) are stashing away lots of money. They’re not using it right now; they’re saving it for some educational purpose to be named later. Anyone who’s surprised by this turn of events hasn’t been paying attention.…
AC/DC Isn’t Retiring, Yet
AC/DC isn’t retiring, yet. The Telegraph spoke with Aussie rock band’s lead singer Brian Johnson about the rumors surrounding the band’s retirement. Johnson says the band intends on collaborating next month in Vancouver. “We’re going to pick up some guitars, have a plonk, and see if anybody has got any tunes or ideas. If anything…
Art in Ambiguity
The stage is a large, empty room, white brick exposed, old windows cracked open, pipes exposed, fluorescent lighting. It’s the kind of room used by the cast and crew of a play in rehearsal, or for auditions. Other than a table set up for use as a desk, it contains very little, except a simple…
Relocated and Alive
When Toxic Ranch Records announced the imminent closing of its longtime retail space on Sixth Street just off Fourth Avenue last fall, owner Bill Sassenberger told the Weekly that it was most likely the end of this underground institution as a physical store. But the outpouring from the music community—equal parts solidarity and fondness—plus an…
Worth the Wait
The rock band Bear Hands may be heralded as part of the creative independent-music scene in Brooklyn, but when the time came to make their sophomore album, Distraction, they left the metropolis for a while. “A lot of this album was done at my parents’ house, outside the city, just to get away from the…
Not Exactly Surprising
On a party line vote last week, the Arizona Senate gave final approval to a bill that would allow surprise inspections of the state’s abortion clinics. The vote was the final step for House Bill 2284, which passed the House of Representatives on March 3. Gov. Jan Brewer had taken no action on the legislation…
Scarlett and Scots
Under the Skin is one of those movies lots of people will be afraid to say they don’t like. But they will be more afraid of saying they don’t get it. The trouble is, there’s just not that much to get. Kubrickian in tone and complemented by one of the best, most ethereal musical scores…
Sports
Tucson’s relationship with professional sports can best be described as … dysfunctional. In the 20 years I’ve lived around these parts, there are few things I’ve seen Southern Arizonans take for granted more than our many forays into pro sports. Whether it be spring training or minor league baseball, low-level ice hockey or anything else…
Nine Questions
Weekly music and film writer Casey Dewey is the official local Tucson scene cartographer. You might have seen Dewey on Access Tucson in the early ’90s or read his work in outlets like Network Awesome. Dewey, a Tucson native, also hosts “Deep Red Radio” on 91.3 KXCI FM every Tuesday from 2:30 to 5 a.m,…
Police Dispatch
BAD HABITS WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN SAN XAVIER BEAT MARCH 11, 3:55 P.M. A man’s habit of urinating outdoors and exposing his penis to the world was finally curbed when a revolted neighbor alerted law enforcement, according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report. A woman reported that her next-door neighbor had recently relieved…
Live
Crown the Empire, Scorned Embrace, One After the Other, Look to the Sky, Message to the Masses, The Rock, Monday, April 14 Let’s begin with headliner Crown the Empire’s set. The Dallas, Texas metal band were the last to play, but for the most part they fulfilled the attempts of all the bands that played…
Editor’s Note
Welcome to one of the least read parts of the Tucson Weekly, the editor’s note! We recently did a reader survey for the company that sells national advertising for us (you might have seen the giant full-page ads in the paper) and while I might disagree with the results due to the methodology (the survey…
Maryland and More
Editor’s Note: Mr. Smith has gone from blinking to finger tapping, although he remains in the nether region of semi-function. Although he can now move two fingers on his right hand, he is still unable to breathe or eat on his own. Dick Cheney remains at his side, watching the numerous medical monitors for signs…
True TV
Clone Wars Community Thursday, April 17 (NBC) Season Finale: One of the best and definitely most out-there seasons of Community has also been its least-watched—it’s almost as if creator Dan Harmon took his second chance with NBC as a challenge: “You think it was weird before? Suck on this!” And yet, even with Season 5’s…
Maryland and More
Editor’s Note: Mr. Smith has gone from blinking to finger tapping, although he remains in the nether region of semi-function. Although he can now move two fingers on his right hand, he is still unable to breathe or eat on his own. Dick Cheney remains at his side, watching the numerous medical monitors for signs…
Second Volume, Same as the First
Have you ever been in a social situation where somebody of obvious intelligence—but lacking manners—is droning on about some esoteric, profound-to-them bullshit to the point where you would rather stick a Darth Vader figure in your eye than listen to them speak a second further? That’s how I’ve felt watching both chapters of Lars von…
Ask A Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I like reading your articles—they are funny, sad, insightful, crude, serious and even a little provocative and antagonizing at times. One thing I find a little antagonizing is the use of the term “Latino” as a synonym only for “Hispanic”; certainly yours is not the only forum in which these two terms are…
Step-Ahead Sports Bar
Sometimes it’s difficult not to judge a place by its outward appearance, location or previous tenant; but as with all things in life, going in with an open mind is of utmost importance for the overall enjoyment of the experience. Throwbacks, at Prince Road and First Avenue, is housed in a former Famous Sam’s, and…
Danehy
Just a few items worth mentioning: • Heather Childers is Fox News’ Generic Blonde No. 117. (If you watch Fox News for any period of time, you learn that a whole lotta white people really do look alike.) Anyway, after the University of Connecticut won the NCAA men’s basketball championship last week, Childers announced on…
Noshing Around
Tasting Tucson Agustín Kitchen and Slow Food Southern Arizona present the second annual Local Food and Beverage Tasting on April 27th from 5 to 7 p.m. at Agustín Kitchen, 100 S. Avenida Del Convento, with live music, raffles and giveaways, plus tastings from some of the best local supporters in Southern Arizona, including Acacia Real…
Levine
There’s no debating the fact that Tucson has an overabundance of talented musicians. You can’t walk down the street without bumping into one. Pop, rock (and its various sub-genres), blues, classical, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, folk, country, and all sorts of Latin styles are well represented here. For my money, with few exceptions, there’s no other…
Opting Out
South Tucson’s Ochoa Elementary community has faced the threat of school closure twice in the span of six years, as well as a cut in funding and 50 percent of its staff this year compared to last, which is why Cesar Aguirre’s daughters opt out from all standardized tests, not just the state-required AIMS. The…
Media Watch
104.1 DUMPS TRUTH, ADDS NEWS BLOCK, MOVES JUSTICE It’s no longer The Truth. It’s no longer “Right Talk for Tucson.” But it is more local, and it will hope to use that local appeal to improve its standing against the nation’s top talker. KQTH 104.1 FM, the market’s lone news/talk FM, will on Monday follow…
Created in Crete
A chance meeting in the Greek isles gave Grouplove its storybook beginning, but the band’s second album is built from nothing but hard work. The Los Angeles-based indie-pop group still carries the buoyant exuberance that made breakthrough single “Tongue Tied” an inescapable hit, but Grouplove’s sophomore album, Spreading Rumors, branches out in several directions. It’s…
Katterwaul: Gimmie Fever!
Former Kiss & The Tells singer Brittany Katter’s recording debut under the name Katterwaul, Gimmie Fever!, is an extraordinary and affecting album. Recorded in North Carolina with drummer Tyler Hosskinson, Katter shows off her numerous talents: fantastic songwriting that evokes the rawest of blues, a remarkably soulful voice, and the serrated edges of her guitar…
A Fall to Break: Disaster, Destruction, and After
Joshua Levine Disaster, Destruction, and After, A Fall to Break’s fourth album since 2010, is in many ways a breakthrough for the Tucson based quintet. It’s their first album to use an outside producer, but more notably, the band seems more confident and comfortable pursuing their own stylistic identity than on previous efforts, resulting in…
Soundbites
FULL GROWN Casey Neill’s name might not necessarily ring a bell down here in the Southwest, but in Portland, Oregon, he’s somewhat of a big deal, playing a Brit-influenced form of folk punk for around two decades now that likely fits well among the earnest apt-to-protest crowd—he does have a song called “Dancing on The…
Sweet Ghosts: Certain Truths
A madwoman offers a curse in the form of a prayer in the opening song of this debut album. The snow-cold alienation in which she abides haunts the song, “Detroit,” as it limns remnants of the once-great city’s abandoned culture. In its extended outro, Katherine Byrne’s voice haunts itself with tracks fading in and out,…
T Q&A
Former Tucsonan Tom Zoellner’s latest book is Train: Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World—from the Trans-Siberian to the Southwest Chief. Zoellner told the Weekly that he set out “to create an entertaining, fast-moving, concise explanation and journey as to how this glorious and accidental invention presented a radical shift in the way that…
The Skinny
DEMOCRATS RETURN FIRE IN CONGRESSIONAL RACES The House Majority PAC, which supports Democratic congressional candidates, is responding to the LIBRE Initiative’s recent TV ads criticizing U.S. Reps. Ron Barber (D-CD2) and Ann Kirkpatrick (D-CD1) with a $365,000 ad buy targeting Barber’s likely Republican opponent, Martha McSally, and Andy Tobin, the speaker of the Arizona House…
Dresses and Drama
Any American woman under 40 who says she’s never dressed as Madonna is either lying or Amish.” “I’ve never really known for sure which of those two people I am—the girl who almost doesn’t get asked to the prom or the girl who gets to go with the really cute guy. Every time I thought…
Five Questions: Junot Díaz
©Nina Shubin In late March, still high from the Festival of Books, Weekly World Central, well, squealed all girly like when the Tucson Pima Arts Counciil and the Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry announced Junot Díaz was coming to the Moldy Pueblo. The author of This Is How You Lose Her, Drown and The Brief Wondrous…
