Cover Story
The Fall Arts Preview
What do William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens have in common with Agnes de Mille, Merce Cunningham and John Cage? The answer is simple: These artistic notables, all of them among the dearly departed, will have their work performed or exhibited or improvised upon in Tucson this fall. Austen inspired Emma at Arizona Theatre…
It Ain’t Free Groceries For a Year, But It’s Better Than Nothing
There’s suddenly a reason to go out of your way to find a metered parking spot at the University of Arizona. That is, besides visiting the campus on lunch break to take in the … scenery. Little more than a year after installing solar-powered parking pay stations, the UA’s Parking and Transportation Services office says…
Talking Comics: First X-Men Edition
More comics should be about killing Nazis, and thankfully, it appears First X-Men delivers on that concept. In fact, shouldn’t we be suspicious of any comic that doesn’t involve dead Nazis? Something to think about. Also, Eric and Arnie almost wear matching shirts this week, in case you’re keeping track of these things at home.
McSally Poll: Trailing Barber By 5 Percentage Points
Congressional District 2 Republican candidate Martha McSally, who is widely favored to win next week’s GOP primary, has released a poll showing that she trails Democratic Congressman Ron Barber by 5 percentage points in the November general election. The survey of 400 likely general-election voters, conducted by OnMessage Inc. on Aug. 7-8, showed that Barber…
Mexico’s Supreme Court: “All 31 States Must Recognize Same-Sex Marriages”
They still have work on a few issues regarding adoptions and such, but this is good news: Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that all 31 states must recognize same-sex marriages performed in the capital, though its decision does not force those states to begin marrying gay couples in their territory. In a 9-2 decision, the…
Curiosity Mars Rover Is on the Move at Bradbury Landing
NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Curiosity rover has done a test drive around its landing site in Gale Crater, which has been named Bradbury Landing in honor of the late Ray Bradbury, author of The Martian Chronicles. Here’s an update from the Mars Science Laboratory website: This 360-degree panorama shows evidence of a successful first test drive for…
Tucson’s Cell Service Isn’t The Worst In U.S.; It’s Sixth-Worst
In an effort to look at “how wireless technology is affecting our lives” (Short answer: People can now find their news/smut/news about smut anywhere they want), Time has partnered with OpenSignalMaps to find which cities have the spottiest cell service in America. Our fair pueblo came in sixth-worst, surprising only because it wasn’t in the…
Play Ball: Padres Back in Town for Final Homestand
Jim Nintzel The final homestand of the Tucson Padres’ season begins tonight against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Provided that it’s not too damp to play ball, the first pitch will be 7:05 p.m. It’s also Social Media night, so check out the Padres’ Facebook page before 1 p.m. today to get free box seats.…
A Rosemont Warning
If you don’t already have tickets to tomorrow night’s screening of investigative reporter John Dougherty’s Cyanide Beach, you’re out of luck: There are no more tickets left to the 23-minute film about the environmental disaster left behind from an Italian gold mine, which was operated by some of the key players with Augusta Resource Corp.,…
Let’s Laugh at How Ridiculous Beloit College’s “Mindset List” Is
Every year, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., puts out a “mindset list” for its professors — a set of reference points for instructors to have some idea of what references to avoid when talking to their freshmen about cultural matters. A few of the items on the list are interesting to note (and will make…
Fun With Dirt
Anyone who makes a regular trip through the Interstate 10/Interstate 19 interchange as part of their morning or evening commute has probably noticed the ever-increasing mound of smoothed-out dirt that is forming just west of where the freeways collide. Or, maybe you’re not like me, and you keep your eyes on the road. Anyways, this…
TUSD Town Halls Off to Rocky Start?
Monday, Aug. 20, was the first in a series of three Tucson Unified School District town hall meetings, and going by comments and criticism offered by those who spoke, the town halls may be off to a rocky start. For example, in attendance at Sahuaro High School was South Tucson Mayor Jennifer Eckstrom, who questioned…
Twitter Asks Presidential Debate Moderator to #AskAboutGuns
There’s been an interesting Tucson-related blip on Twitter today in the wake of last week’s announcement that PBS Newshour’s Jim Lehrer would be moderating the first presidential debate on Oct. 3. @newshour Since Tucson, more than 60 mass shootings have devastated American communities. Pls #askaboutguns Mr Lehrer— Melissa Reifler (@mreifler) August 21, 2012 This is…
In Two Weeks, Everyone In Philly Will Love Nick Foles
Two weeks after that, they’ll probably be calling for his head and throwing batteries at Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid. But the fact of the matter is that last night, former University of Arizona quarterback and current Eagle Nick Foles showed the nation that he might, eventually, be kind of a big deal. Sure, it’s…
Odd Numbers With a Little Twist
Long walls and square pots can add to the linear look of a back yard wall. Two Squared We typically design in odd numbers—there is probably some psychological reason for this, but we know it works. These two pots just did not seem right against this wall. I added a third pot—round in shape—and twisted…
Gotten Your Tucson Culinary Festival Tickets Yet?
The Tucson Culinary Festival isn’t until October, but tickets are available now. The festival is taking place at new venues this year, which should freshen things up a bit. The festival is broken into three events: The World Margarita Championship, the Reserve Tasting and the Grand Tasting. The margarita championship takes place in the courtyard…
Carroll vs. Collins: The Nastiest Primary Race in Pima County
Commenters at the Arizona Daily Independent express a narrow definition of what a real Republican is. At last week’s Pima County Republican Club luncheon, Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash was explaining why he is supporting Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll over challenger Sean Collins in next week’s Republican primary. “I don’t agree with Ray on…
How Cell Towers Are Hidden In Plain Sight Here
Image pulled from Imgur, via Reddit I’ve seen a number of false-tree cell towers back up in Phoenix (that palm tree with the vertical frond doesn’t fool me), but the photo above is something new to me. Seen here and on Reddit’s front page, the very mention of Tucson brought haters of the region out…
Barber Vs. Heinz: The Arizona Public Media Forum
Congressman Ron Barber faces off against his challenger in next week’s Democratic primary, state Rep. Matt Heinz, on the set of Arizona Illustrated. Sparks don’t really fly until the final few minutes, when the Heinz criticizes Barber’s vote in support of a bill that would allow the Department of Homeland Security to waive environmental laws…
Tapas Fusion Is Open
Check out this tapas menu at the new Tapas Fusion restaurant at 2970 N. Campbell Ave. The lunch menu is no slouch, either. Plenty of Spanish, Peruvian and other flavors to keep things interesting, and although we haven’t seen the portions, the prices seem pretty fair. Call 647-2418 for reservations or more information.
Beowulf Alley Is Closed ‘Til Aug, 31, At Least
David Mendez Seen at Beowulf Alley’s front door on Aug. 20 Looks as if Downtown Tucson’s Beowulf Alley Theatre Company will be closing its doors for a few weeks, at least. My call to the folks at BATC went unanswered as of this writing, so I’ll follow back with them and get that news up…
Go Support Puppets Amongus This Coming Weekend
If you’ve ever been to a local event where there were big, extraordinary puppets, and you thought to yourself, “Who the hell took that much time to make big, extraordinary puppets?”, the answer is Puppets Amongus. The puppet troupe has been invited to showcase its stuff at the World Puppet Carnival (yes, there is such…
Phyllis Diller Is Dead at 95
Oh man, that laugh. From the Associated Press: LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phyllis Diller, the housewife turned humorist who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle, died Monday morning in her Los Angeles home at age 95. “She died peacefully in her sleep and with a smile…
Tonight at the Loft: H.P. Lovecraft Double Feature!
The Loft brings you some chilling cinema based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft tonight with a double feature of Whisperer in the Darkness and The Call of Cthulhu. Both movies were created by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. Salon reviews Whisperer in the Darkness: Nicely paced and decently acted — there’s no question that…
Check Out Exo Roast Co.
People who know a lot more about coffee than I do say the newish Exo Roast Co. has the best espresso in town. That’s no small distinction, either, being that we have a number of excellent coffee roasters across the city. The roaster and coffee shop, located at 403 N. Sixth Ave., imports green coffee…
The Salsa and Tequila Challenge Is This Weekend
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance’s annual Salsa/Tequila Challenge takes place this Saturday, Aug. 25, at La Encantada. The Salsa Culinary Challenge starts at 5 p.m., and nearly 20 restaurants have signed up. Tickets are $20, which includes massive samplings and performances by Ballet Folklorico La Paloma and Tesoro. Beer costs extra, but will…
Look! James DiGiovanna Wrote a Movie Review!
As regular readers know, James DiGiovanna is the Weekly’s former film critic who won so many awards that he was the consensus pick as the best film critic in an Arizona newspaper. But a year or two ago, the selfish bastard retired his reviewing pen to focus on his “career.” He wanted to do something…
July Was the Hottest Month on Record in the Lower 48. Ever.
Image courtesy of earthobservatory.nasa.gov If you thought, between sudden rain showers, this July was insanely hot this year, you’d have something in common with climate scientists. That chart up top is heatmap of last month’s temperature anomalies compared to the combined average July temps from 1951 through 1980. The conclusion? Things have been getting pretty…
TUSD School Master Plan Town Hall Meetings Start Today
If you have a kiddo in a Tucson Unified School District school, chances are they came home last Wednesday with a handout advertising the TUSD School Master Plan Town Hall meetings, which start today, Monday, Aug. 20. TUSD also sent out a press release. The point of the meetings is to get public input to…
On 8/21, Shake Your AZZ With Nicky Da B at Club Congress
In another case of something amazing rolling across my Facebook feed, I present to you Nicky Da B’s “Hot Potato Style”: Fact: I was hypnotized by the Conan O’Brien-esque mouth superimpositions the whole damn time. The evening’s show, brought to you by MEOWmeow Productions, will feature Nicky Da B, Rusty Lazer and Tucson’s very own…
‘Critical Habitat’ for Jaguars Part of Proptection Proposal
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday formally proposed 838,232 acres as “critical habitat” for endangered jaguars in southern Arizona and New Mexico. From the Center: “Jaguars once roamed across the United States, from California to Louisiana, but have been virtually extinct here since the 1950s,” said…
Shred Your Other Plans and Go See the Split Livers
Did Stephen Seigel rave enough about this show in Soundbites this week? I think not! The Bad Livers and Split Lip Rayfield were two of my can’t-miss, top-rad favorites of the ’90s. That wasn’t just because I left every show with a smile on my face and exhausted from the sheer energy, but also because…
Jack’s Original Barbecue Is Closing Today
Yet another Tucson restaurant institution is closing, folks. This time, it’s Jack’s Original Barbecue, originally owned and operated under Jack and Laura Banks from 1950 to 1992, when Jack retired and sold the business. The current owners, Greg and Steve Baccardo, along with their father, Larry, purchased the restaurant a few years later from its…
Political Roundtable: The Ryan Pick, Ray Carroll vs. Sean Collins, UA Highrise Troubles & More
City Councilman Steve Kozachik, Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash and Pima County Democratic Party Chairman Jef Rogers stop by Arizona Public Media’s Political Roundtable to talk about how Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan will affect the presidential race and Southern Arizona congressional races, handicap the GOP primaries for the Pima County Board of Supervisors, weigh the…
So … Is Arizona Ceding to Federal Authority, or Not?
From the Associated Press: A federal judge has barred Arizona from rejecting federal voter-registration forms on the grounds that the applicants haven’t provided proof of citizenship as required by a voter-approved state law. Wednesday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver is a response to an April ruling by an appeals court. The 9th U.S.…
Happy Birthday, Tucson! Here’s How to Celebrate
A storied child of Tucson’s 5,000-year history turns 237 on Monday: El Presidio de San Agustín de Tucsón was established on August 20, 1775. Lots of fun is planned to celebrate the event. The complete schedule is on the Pima County Website, and it’s not too late to add your own party. Here are some…
Throw Your Money at This: Nano Cache
So how about this Nano Cache Kickstarter? A project out of Tucson’s Cybernetic Research Laboratories, a machining and engineering company just off of Aviation Highway and Alvernon Way, has been ridiculously successful with their travel-sized capsule container Kickstarter project. (For the uninitiated, Kickstarter is one of the original crowd-funding websites—users post projects and ask other…
Mark Your Calendars: KXCI Celebrates 1972 on Aug. 25
Forty years ago, The Godfather was packing them in at theaters; Neil Young released Harvest; and gas cost 35 cents a gallon. You can relive more of the good things from 1972 through KXCI 91.3 FM’s concert celebration of that year at the Rialto Theatre on Saturday, Aug. 25. When KXCI celebrated the 40th anniversary…
Nate Silver: Flake Likely to Beat Carmona
Polling guru Nate Silver of The New York Times has released his initial rankings of the U.S. Senate races. He’s putting Arizona in the likely GOP column, giving (likely) GOP nominee Jeff Flake a 75 percent chance of beating Democrat Richard Carmona.
Curiosity Update: My Favorite Martian Photos
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Curiosity snapped this shot of its separated heat shield during its descent onto Mars The Mars Curiosity team took to Reddit to discuss the latest on the mission yesterday. Talking Points Memo has the takeaways: NASA scientists have been understandably proud of performing the most accurate landing of an unmanned robotic spacecraft yet, with…
Political Roundtable Tonight: The Ryan Pick, Brewer’s Immigration Order, County Primaries & More
Tonight on Arizona Public Media’s Political Roundtable: City Councilman Steve Kozachik, Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash and Pima County Democratic Party Chairman Jeff Rogers talk about Paul Ryan joining Mitt Romney on the GOP presidential ticket, the thickening mud in the primary races for the Pima County Board of Supervisors, the pros and cons of…
US Senate Debate: Flake vs. Cardon and Two Other Guys
Phoenix PBS affiliate KAET-TV hosts a debate with the four Republicans running in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate. The Carmona campaign pounces on an immigration moment with this press release: Anyone who watched tonight’s GOP debate would have seen Congressman Jeff Flake make a laughably false statement about his position on immigration reform. Flake…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Michael McKisson/Tucson Velo Ever wondered how to ride a bike your kids? Check out our guide to get started. It’s time to start voting for the Tucson Velo Summer Photo Contest winner. Check out all the images here and vote for your three favorites. A formerly popular bike ride put on by one of Tucson’s…
We Need TP!
What parents linger over the cradle dreaming of the day their child will create performance art with toilet paper? Tucson homeless shelters and others in need have the parents of the TP Wranglers to thank that their kids evolved out of diapers and into adults concerned for an essential but seldom cogitate- over requirement of…
CNN Tells The World What We Already Knew: Scott & Co. Among Best New U.S. Bars
From the article at CNN Eatocracy: This place isn’t brand new (it opened in the summer of 2010), but for Meehan it’s a terrific recent discovery. “Basically, it’s an elite NYC bar in the middle of Arizona,” he says. It’s small, and tucked in next to a restaurant. The seasonal menu features drinks like the…
Grijalva: “Gov. Brewer Is Fighting Yesterday’s Battles on Behalf of an Outdated Agenda Few People Agree With”
Nick Martin at Talking Points Memo suggests that Gov. Jan Brewer’s executive order regarding DREAM Act kids might not have much impact: Brewer, who signed Arizona’s harsh immigration law known as SB 1070 and who has butted heads with Obama on immigration multiple times, said her executive order was a direct response to the president’s…
Never Mind About Those Screening Room Films This Weekend
Due to incorrect information that we received, we included a list of films to be shown at the Screening Room in today’s paper. The following films will not be shown on the dates indicated: Meek’s Cutoff 8/16The Red House 8/17Rolling Stones: Some Girls 8/17 A representative from the Screening Room has confirmed the following: Double…
Elections Integrity Folks Go Back to Court
Election integrity activists headed back to court on Monday to ask Pima County Superior Court Judge Kyle Bryson for another trial to look at alleged election fraud, asking for “prospective relief,” meaning changes to the current election methods used in Pima County. Check out their video, if you care.
See Chris Bliss Tonight!
If you’ve been following the intense competition among local comics taking place on Thursday nights at Laff’s, be aware that everyone’s taking the night off to get schooled. YouTube’s star comic satirist and Tonight Show frequent giest Chris Bliss is in town for four shows, Friday and Saturday and 8 and 10:30 p.m. But tonight,…
UA’s Marching Band Does Radiohead—Again
Just saw this video from the Pride of Arizona roll across my Facebook feed, and I’m already into it. If you’re unfamiliar with the tune, it’s Radiohead’s 15 Step, off of their In Rainbows album. For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time that the Pride (tagline: “The World’s First Alternative Music Marching Band”)…
Australia Finds a Way to Make Smoking More Unappealing, US To Follow
The Australian government has decided that tobacco companies have no right to brand the products that they produce, legislating that all cigarettes must be sold in boxes with the same font over a dark background. This ruling comes out of the High Court of Australia after the dismissal of a lawsuit by four tobacco companies…
Heinz Produces New TV Ad; Barber Raises $288K in the Last Month
State Rep. Matt Heinz has produced a low-budget TV commercial designed to call attention to Congressman Ron Barber’s vote to allow the Department of Homeland Security to waive environmental laws within 100 miles of the border. You can read more on the race between Heinz and Barber, including Barber’s reasons for voting for the bill,…
It’s Official: Martha McSally Is ‘On the Radar’ as a ‘Young Gun’
What does it mean that Congressional District 2 is “On the Radar” as a “Young Gun”? Read below, but in summary, it means she’s likely to get more dough and love from the national Republican types in her likely race against Ron Barber. Washington —- The National Republican Congressional Committee today announced Martha McSally as…
Javier Sicilia’s Peace Caravan Arrives in Tucson Today
It shouldn’t be hard for Mexican poet Javier Sicilia to convince US citizens that there’s something wrong with our country’s war on drugs—a war that has claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Mexicans. It shouldn’t be hard, but Sicilia has spent more than a year leading a movement in his country to bring changes…
Go Support Young Folks’ Films on Friday
This just in, from some Tucson Weekly readers. Note the gratutious kiss-up effort at the end: WHO: All Short Film Fans! WHAT: Short Film (20 min) by local director Rio Finnegan and Donny Tran WHEN: 7 p.m., Friday August 17th WHERE: Temple of Music and Art Talented up and coming local filmmakers Rio Finnegan and…
Carol Burnett Coming to Tucson
Being an aging, cranky editor-type, I rarely get excited about visiting performers. But I am excited about this one. UApresents just announced the great Carol Burnett will be coming to town on Saturday, Jan. 26. Tickets will go on sale Monday, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m.
Danehy
Knowing full well that it might get me permanently barred from the warm, fuzzy wing of the Liberal Club, I must say this about the Marist College building in downtown Tucson: 1. Not all old buildings are automatically historic. 2. Not all historic buildings are automatically deserving of preservation. The place is a dump, and…
Nine Questions
Christopher O’Gorman could be called a lifer. Over the years, he has fronted bands including The Year of Acceleration and the Static Session. His current group, Caught on Film, can be seen along with the Early Black at Sky Bar on Saturday, Aug. 18. What was the first concert you attended? Kiss! It was without…
Top Ten in Movies
1. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax Universal 2. Get the Gringo 20th Century Fox 3. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Sony 4. Lockout Sony 5. Friends With Kids Lionsgate 6. Casa de Mi Padre Lionsgate 7. The Three Stooges 20th Century Fox 8. Hatfields and McCoys Sony 9. Bel Ami Sony 10. Silent House Universal
Mailbag
Put something at Valencia and Kolb already!; Let’s not argue about Tic-Tacs
Live
Last year’s film Drive, the neon noir boiler starring Ryan Gosling, may have stalled at the box office, but its visual appeal, the tough-but-golden-hearted leading man, and the arresting synth-pop-laden soundtrack have made a lasting impression. Just ask the young man standing front and center at Club Congress, decked out in a replica of Gosling’s…
City Week
The ladies of roller derby; Telling the story of Harry Potter in science form; Classical Indian music; Poetry in poster form
Police Dispatch
Juggalos and naked men gone wild
Coming of Age
For her fourth studio album, Brandi Carlile didn’t want to deal with genre names or the rules that come with them. Carlile and her band mates and co-writers, Tim and Phil Hanseroth, had been tagged as folk or country artists since their 2005 debut, but found the stylistic expectations to be increasingly burdensome. Despite steadily…
Guest Opinion
The Air Force has just released the draft environmental assessment of its plan to expand the National Air Guard training program that brings U.S. and foreign jets to Tucson. It is asking for public comments by Sept. 14. Unfortunately, the Air Force has refused to hold public meetings. The expansion of Operation Snowbird, based at…
Bobby Womack: The Bravest Man in the Universe (XL)
For his latest comeback—and first album of new material in 18 years—this R&B titan of the 1960s and ’70s went to England. The album was co-produced by Damon Albarn (of Gorillaz and Blur fame) and XL Records honcho Richard Russell. After more than 50 years in the music business, and coping on and off with…
Media Watch
The Cowboys come to Tucson radio; Media people and their new jobs; More layoffs at Lee Enterprise
Sasha Go Hard: Do You Know Who I Am? (Self-Released)
Young rapper/vocalists like Rye Rye and Azealia Banks epitomize a post-millennial sass that’s all about eclecticism. They experiment with genres (Baltimore club, house, dance pop, rap) and collaborate with producers from different corners of the music industry (Ikonika, AraabMuzik, Bangladesh, RedOne). Chicago’s Sasha Go Hard, on the other hand, is a solidly old-school rapper with…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Readers: The Mexican is currently smuggling mescal out of Oaxaca and into hipster bars nationwide, and thus is giving you two oldies-but-goodies. I do want to give a shout-out to Olympic silver-medalist Leo Manzano, a former undocumented immigrant who’s turning out to be the greatest American long-distance runner since the legendary Jim Ryun. Take…
Church Key: The New Travel Plan (Self-Released)
The jarring blast of guitar feedback that opens local four-piece Church Key’s debut EP, The New Travel Plan, is something of a trick: There is nothing on this record that wasn’t planned. Throughout these five songs, the meticulous structures and musicianship are evocative of math rock—minus most of the math. As the guitars and bass…
Pro Post-Mortem
Midtown’s Doolen-Fruitvale neighborhood has its rougher edges—burglaries, poverty, copious graffiti—but a touch of serenity has taken root here on Flower Street, where Lorraine Barker stands before a gently flowing straw-bale wall, in the soothing shade of a dense mesquite. Called the Flower Street Gateway, this micropark sits alongside a planned bike route, and the roughly…
Blaming the Feds
On Aug. 6, Arizona Attorney Generalissimo Tom Horne hovered his foot yet again over the medical-marijuana brakes when he issued an opinion that part of our state MMJ law is pre-empted by federal law. He didn’t slam his foot down (yet), but he made it clear that he thinks the state’s authorization of growing and…
Simply Successful
La Madrina is one of those places that has stood the test of time—but it is so well-hidden that you’ve probably driven past it without even realizing that it’s there. Tucked between a home-goods store and a nail salon (why so many nail salons are next to restaurants, I’ll never know), this tiny pizza joint…
Campsite Killer
Camping in the Southern Arizona wilderness has some inherent dangers, ranging from the elements to the animals. The heat, the cold, the storms, the rattlers—they can pose a deadly risk. Add in the notoriety of the area being a busy smuggling corridor, and the risks of heading into the mountains for a solitary weekend of…
The Skinny
Mitt Romney picks Paul Ryan as his veep candidate—and then runs from the Ryan budget plan … Southern Arizona Republicans also run from the Ryan budget plan … Why are right-wing ideologues backing a Tucson Democrat in the Aug. 28 primary? … and more!
Walk or Take Sun Tran!
On the morning of Thursday, Aug. 2, Enrique Garcia was eager to start the new school year. He rushed out the door to wait for his school bus in the Drexel Heights neighborhood. Thirty minutes passed, and no school bus came. Garcia said he found some change and got on a Sun Tran bus—where he…
Weekly Wide Web
By the time this issue hits the streets, I’ll have left my job here as Web Producer (and to recap last week’s column, I’m aware that no one cares), so it’s a perfect time to recap my favorite posts (in no particular order) to The Range: • “Strange Euro-American Family Band Sings Anti-Bed Wetting Track,”…
Two of Three
All three of the Democrats running in one of Tucson’s few competitive legislative districts say they can beat the Republicans in November and tip the scales of state government—but only two of them will survive the primary election. Democratic voters in the Aug. 28 primary for the newly drawn Legislative District 10 have a choice…
Critical Affection
I don’t mean to disparage the whole of Corpus as being ‘ghetto,’ because that connotes a certain socioeconomic status,” a character in this new story collection tells his mom. “It’s just that there’s a culture here which is such that one can’t be challenged or even stimulated intellectually. There’s no art, no progress toward it…
Top Ten in Books
1. A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1 George R.R. Martin, Bantam ($9.99) 2. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation Seamus Heaney, W.W. Norton ($13.95) 3. 1984 George Orwell, Signet ($9.99) 4. The City of Ember Jeanne DuPrau, Yearling ($6.99) 5. The Cold Dish: A Walt Longmire Mystery Craig Johnson, Penguin…
T Q&A
Javier Durán, a UA professor of Spanish and border studies, is the director of the UA’s Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry. The program started a year and a half ago to bring fine arts, humanities, social sciences and behavioral sciences faculty and departments together to support interdisciplinary projects and research. Another goal is to present those…
Noshing Around
Vero Amore is moving; More local beer and restaurants; All the mac and cheese you can imagine
Soundbites
Birds & Batteries return to town; Alt-country stars team up; Nostalgia shows; and more!
Now Showing at Home
Grosse Pointe Blank (Blu-ray); High Fidelity (Blu-ray); High Noon (Blu-ray)
Editor’s Note
One of the things that makes the Tucson Weekly so strong (we are the reigning non-daily Arizona Newspaper of the Year, thank you very much) is the fact that we have so many veteran writers and reporters. Jim Nintzel, Leo W. Banks, Tim Vanderpool, Tom Danehy and Margaret Regan have all been scribes for the…
Arizona in Clay
Ceramics—the art of contorting clay into both art and functional wares—has been popular in the Southwest for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. You can see how artists are interpreting 21st-century experiences through ceramics at Tohono Chul Park’s Contemporary Ceramics exhibit, located in the park’s main gallery through Oct. 21. Curator Ben Johnson said that…
Jonesing for Jason
When Universal decided to forge ahead with the Bourne franchise after Matt Damon, aka Jason Bourne, decided to call it quits, they were most assuredly looking for a glorious changing of the guard—something akin to when Daniel Craig took over for Pierce Brosnan as 007. Instead, what they got with The Bourne Legacy is something…
Downing
Last year, I did my traditional monsoon review in September, which is when we finally got a totally satisfying rain in my part of town after a cruel and unusual two-month-long tease by the weather gods. This year, there’s no point in waiting: Monsoon 2012 has rocked. Is rocking. Shows every sign of continuing to…
Top Ten in Music
1. Al Foul Keep the Motor Running (self-released) 2. Ghosts Behind the Sun: Splendor, Enigma and Death: Mondo Memphis, Volume 1 (book) Tav Falco (Creation) 3. Justin Valdez Deuce-Seven Off Suit (Los Muertos) 4. Young Flesh Required: Growing Up With the Sex Pistols (book) Alan G. Parker with Mick O’Shea (Soundcheck) 5. The Deadbeats Kill…
People in the Palace
In February 2007, the Orlando Business Journal published an article about time-share mogul David Siegel, who was touting a new construction project in central Florida. The article, headlined “Siegel on a tear with time-share expansions,” discussed in great detail Siegel’s track record and included a forecast that was just as bright: “Industry experts predict success…
Brewer Bans Benefits for Deferred Action DREAMers
Governor Jan Brewer just issued an executive order banning illegal immigrants applying for permits under the federal government’s Deferred Action program. The order cites concerns that the estimated 80,000 Deferred Action recipients would put “significant and lasting” strain on the state’s budget and public benefits systems. The young immigrants eligible for the Deferred Action program…
Everything You Love Is Closing, So Love Something New
Rocco’s Little Chicago image by Will Ferguson The closure of The Safehouse last week is just the latest in a line of popular, somewhat-beloved local places suddenly shuttering up. In the last year, we’ve lost Grill, Zachary’s, Colors and Cactus Moon, among others. Each has their share of mourners, but let’s be honest: We can…
Undocumented Youth in Action Talks “Deferred Action” to “Own the DREAM”
Tonight at 5 p.m., Undocumented Youth in Action will be holding a press conference at the John A. Valenzuela Youth Center, at 1550 S. Sixth Ave. UYiA is an organization dedicated to assisting and advocating for young immigrants that would be eligible to earn citizenship under the DREAM Act. Today marks the first day that…
There’s Burlesque at HoCo Tonight!
I can’t say that the preview video below is work-safe; I can’t say that I understand how they’re going to squeeze their act onto the Proscenium stage of Club Congress; and I can’t say that I’ve had that much interest in going to burlesque before tonight. But The Body Show, from Super Happy Funtime Burlesque,…
Joe the Plumber Would Build a Fence, Send Military to Border
2008 political prop and current candidate for U.S. Congress (no, really) Joe the Plumber has lived up to snowbird stereotypes by coming in from the Midwest and yelling about things. Mr. Plumber (real name: Sam Wurzelbacher) gained notoriety in 2008 for challenging then-candidate Barack Obama’s views, and subsequently flipped that fame into a primary victory…
State Senate Candidate: Off With Their Heads! Or Maybe Not.
Arizona Senate hopeful and first-time GOP candidate Tyler Mott says he probably should have taken a deep breath before telling Facebook what was on his mind last August. At the time, he was thinking about hanging President Obama. After the president’s decision last year to review, and in most cases stop, deportations of illegal immigrants…
