Cover Story
Semillas Mariachi
Standing in the middle of the Stanford University football field, David Ruiz wondered what he was doing there, his trumpet in his hands ready to perform. The stands were quiet, with the exception of occasional coughing, and for a moment he had to remind himself, “You know how to play,” and then a set of…
Antigone Books Best-Sellers
Here are Antigone Books’ best-sellers for the week ending Aug. 22, 2014. More info at antigonebooks.com. 1. Writing from the Senses: 59 Exercises to Ignite Creativity and Revitalize Your Writing Laura Deutsch ($14.95) 2. A Tale for the Time Being Ruth Ozecki ($16) 3. Spider Woman’s Daughter: A Leaphorn & Chee Novel Anne Hillerman ($9.99)…
Don’t Worry, Christians, Kirk Cameron’s Here to Save Christmas
While I grew up with Christian movies that were never going to get near an actual movie theater instead relegated to VHS tapes shown at Friday youth group nights (still love you, Thief in the Night), the recent successes of God’s Not Dead ($62 million at the box office on a $2 million budget), Fireproof…
Local GoFundMe Campaign for Black Lives Matter Ride to Help Send Five Tucsonans to Ferguson
A local group of African-American students, artists and community representatives kicked off a GoFundMe campaign on Friday, Aug. 22 to raise funds to send five people to Ferguson, Missouri as part of a national effort called the Black Lives Matter Ride done in conjunction with the National Weekend of Action. So far $1,940 has been…
Listen to Ty Segall on Marc Maron’s ‘WTF Podcast’ Before You See Him at Club Congress
You really have to hand it to the bookers for their valiant efforts to bring some top notch musical performers as of late. You can’t miss the Ty Segall show at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 3 at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. The opening acts are Wand and local favorite Prom Body. Segall debut…
Gov Race: Ducey vs. DuVal
While they are still counting some votes around the state, Arizona Treasurer and former Cold Stone Creamery CEO Doug Ducey won big in yesterday’s GOP gubernatorial primary, capturing 36 percent of the vote in a six-way contest. He was well ahead of second-place finisher Scott Smith, who nabbed 22 percent of the vote, and third-place…
Bloggers Flex Their Muscle In The Huppenthal Primary
Huppenthal went down in his primary, big time, to an unknown challenger, Diane Douglas. He might have lost anyway — Douglas has the right wing of the party sewn up, and they’re dependable primary voters — but there’s no question the size of his defeat can be attributed to Falcon 9 and Thucydides, Huppenthal’s online…
Carlton Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Carlton Reference no. 786396 – 2.5 Years Old – Chihuahua Mix – Male Carlton is a demure and dapper little gentleman searching for a quiet, stable home. This special champ was transferred to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona from another shelter for a second chance. Before that,…
Democrats Stand Together at Primary Night’s Unity Party
With the State Superintendent of Public Instruction race serving as the single primary for blue candidates, the Pima County Democratic Party spent Tuesday night showing support for their fellow candidates. Before the speeches kicked off at the JunXion Bar, Pima County Democratic Party Chairman Don Jorgensen spoke to the strength of the party throughout the…
Associated Press Calls GOP Governor Primary for Ducey
[center] The Associated Press calls Az Republican Gubernatorial primary for Doug Ducey #azvotes #havasuvote #duceyvsduval — Today's News Herald (@havasunews) August 27, 2014
Primary Election Results (So Far)
Republican Primary CD1 (326 of 327 Precincts Reporting) Gary Kiehne 15,054 34.85% Adam Kwasman 12,372 28.64% Andy Tobin …
Most Of The Left And Some Of The Right Agree: Police Are Over-Militarized
When I wrote the post, Militarizing Cities, Criminalizing Schools, following the first few days of protests in Ferguson, one commenter said it was an “extremely biased column against law enforcement.” Another said I had a “Ward and June on ‘Leave It To Beaver'” mentality (I kinda liked that one). I wrote a similar column in…
Donald Glover Cast as Miles Morales in ‘Spider-Man’ Cartoon
Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, will play Spider-Man. This is a huge win for meaningless, failed Internet campaigns and fans of the comic book series, Ultimate Spider-Man. From USA Today: USA Today reports the actor will voice the character next year in an episode of Disney XD’s animated “Ultimate Spider-Man,” which in its upcoming third…
Billy Crystal’s Tribute to Robin Williams at the Emmys
Billy Crystal was given the honor to the give a touching tribute for the legendary Robin Williams on the Primetime Emmy Awards Monday night. He told a couple of touching stories about their time working together, and how they celebrated family functions like birthday parties and bar mitzvahs. USA Today transcribed Crystal’s story from the Mets…
AZ AG Finds No Substance To Supervisor Miller’s Allegations
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has cleared four members of the Pima County Board of Supervisors of charges that they violated the state’s open-meeting law. Republican Supervisor Ally Miller charged that the other four members of the Board of Supervisors secretly planned a vote to move $872,000 in road-repair funding from her District 1 streets…
Local Comedian Walt Maxam Passes Away at 67
Tucson lost one her funniest and kindest souls over the weekend. Walter Edward Maxam Jr. passed away on Saturday. Aug. 23. The Vietnam veteran fought a tough struggle against cancer. Maxam has been telling jokes all over the southwest for the last 15 years. The 67-year-old comedian would perform regularly for local law enforcement, charities and…
McCain Giving Up on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
After unsuccessfully trying to push comprehensive immigration reform, U.S. Sen. John McCain is rejoining the “build-the-dang-fence” crowd. During an appearance on Phoenix’s Sunday Square-Off, McCain said he believes that the border must be secured before any other immigration legislation can pass. Brahm Resnik reports: Sen. John McCain is retreating from the goals he set for…
Dine With George Takei and Fred DuVal in Scottsdale Toinght
Good news for you Trekkies, George Takei is in Arizona. Unfortunately, he’s in Scottsdale. Takei will be a special guest at a dinner to support Democratic Governor candidate Fred DuVal. The legendary Star Trek icon has been very vocal about his dissatisfaction with our elected officials and their decision making this year, and he made…
Salon Article Nails The “Education Reform” Movement
When Michelle Rhee, ex-Superintendent of D.C. schools and serial prevaricator (which is a much nicer word than “liar”), decided to leave Students First, the education reform/privatization group she founded, it opened the journalistic floodgates. Dozens of pieces have been written about her and the health of the reform/privatization movement (It’s very healthy, and well funded.…
Here’s a GIF of the Singer of Future Islands Dancing
I said ages ago that I thought the Future Islands show would be a quick sell-out, which turned out to be wrong, since there are apparently a few tickets left for tonight’s show at 191 Toole (complete with new temporary bar for the 21 and over set), but hey, here’s a GIF of frontman Samuel…
Prince Announces He Will Bestow Two Albums in September
This could be the best news of 2014. The Purple One held a press conference at Lianna La Havas’ house and announced he’s debuting two albums in late next month, according to Gigwise. Plectrum Electrum, first album with his band 3RDEYEGIRL, and Art Official Age will release on CD/MP3 on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Here’s the tracklist for Art Official…
Mark Your Calendars: Nowhere Man & Whiskey Girl Benefit/Remembrance Set for December 6
Yes, it’s still August, so planning ahead for an event in December takes a level of mental focus I’m personally not capable of, but the lineup for the second annual “Celebration of the Lives, Loves and Music of Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl” is starting to form and it already looks like a can’t…
Demolition Begins On Former Downtown Performance Center/Mat Bevel Spaces
Matt McCoy The DPC entrance wall, circa 1994. Demolition will begin today on three Arizona Department of Transportation-owned warehouses on Stone and 6th St. which are better known to the community as the former homes of the Downtown Performance Center (DPC) and the Mat Bevel Institute, as the removal of these beloved iconic properties represents…
Here’s a Chance to Laugh At/With the Tucson Weekly’s Editor
Somehow, in my second improv group appearance of the month, I’ll be performing with the quite funny folks of Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed this Saturday night at their newish theater on Speedway next to Fronimo’s (3244 E. Speedway Blvd). There will be two shows for your enjoyment: a 7:30 p.m. family-friendly show and then…
‘Last Comic Standing’ Finalist Aida Rodriguez is Performing at SoHo on Saturday
Aida Rodriguez started her career backwards. “Actually, my first show was in Arizona at The Orpheum Theatre. I did a five minute set before I tried the bit at an open mic,” Rodriguez said. “It wasn’t until my second set when I was humbled because I bombed.” The mother of two is the midst of…
Witness The Cutest Baby Elephant at The Reid Park Zoo
Some of us at Tucson Weekly HQ are a little baby crazy at the moment. We know it’s not Dan or Mari, so that leaves Jim and myself. I’m keeping tabs on the Reid Park Zoo Facebook page for up-to-date videos and photos of Tucson’s most adorable elephant calf. I’m available for babysitting just incase…
Buckmaster Show Callers Were A Wee Bit Upset With Me
All I did was say, when I was a guest on the Buckmaster Show, that Republican legislators and Governor Brewer should be ashamed of themselves for refusing to give the $317 million to our schools mandated by law, even though a judge says they have to — right now. Then I said something about them…
Did Arne Duncan Really Say, “Testing Is Sucking The Oxygen Out Of The Room”?
The answer to the headline’s question — Did Arne Duncan Really Say, “Testing Is Sucking The Oxygen Out Of The Room”? — is no, he didn’t really say that. What he really said was, “I believe testing issues today are sucking the oxygen out of the room in a lot of schools.” There’s a Grand…
The Return of AbFab: Big Screen and Star-Studded
Jennifer Saunders told the Mirror recently that those lovable alcoholic fashion comedy queens will be back in an “Absolutely Fabulous” movie and she plans to have every past guest star reprise their roles. Rejoice. From the Mirror: Jennifer Saunders is planning a star-studded cast for the Absolutely Fabulous movie and some very big stars could…
Pot Luck and Meet-up with Tucson Rio Yaqui Delegates
The Global Justice Center will host a pot luck fundraiser for the Tucson Rio Yaqui delegates who plan to travel to Mexico to visit Yaqui leaders who have created a blockade fro Rio Yaqui to Hermosillo to defend their water rights from what they consider the Sonora, Mexican government’s attempt to divert water from the…
Schools, Society And Snake Oil Salesmen
Image courtesy of shutterstock.com A few days ago I wrote a post, Arizona’s Economic/Education Divide, about the undeniable correlation between the state grade schools in Arizona receive and the family incomes of the students who go there. I’ve hammered away at the connection between family income and school achievement for years and will continue to…
The First Elephant Calf Born at Reid Park Zoo is Finally Here
Do you remember that elephant baby shower a month ago? The Reid Park announced that Semba finally gave birth to her third calf last night on Tucson’s 239th birthday. The calf has yet to be named or weighed yet, according to Reid Park Zoo. From our friends at Explorer News: Reid Park Zoo announces that Semba,…
Anticipating the Onslaught of Students, City Shutting Down 4th Ave Underpass Thursday to Sunday
JAMES HUDSON In anticipation of heavy traffic flow with the return of University of Arizona students this weekend, the City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT) has announced it will temporarily shut down southbound traffic through the 4th Avenue Underpass at 9th Street starting today at 7:00 p.m. The lane will be closed off from…
UA’s Liverman: “I wanted to turn my students into change agents”
In yesterday’s The Washington Post, UA professor Diana Liverman, co-director of the UA’s Institute of the Environment, perfectly describes how many parents feel when talking to their children about climate change, except Liverman’s op-ed is about how she was teaching her college students. Liverman, a member of the Op-Ed Public Voices fellowship and a current…
Salsa and Tequila Challenge Just In …
Our courageous editor Dan Gibson braved the elements on Saturday, Aug. 16 to participate as a judge in the Salsa and Tequila Challenge. He reported back to the office many delicious tequila cocktails, as well as unique paleta and food offerings. He was pretty happy, and it wasn’t just the tequila that was making that…
And in Response, Tucson Creates a Bill Murray Day
OK, so one can dream, but maybe just putting it out there our city leaders can make it happen—Bill Murray visits Tucson. It worked for the Toronto International Film Festival. We have film festivals. We have fraternity parties he can unexpectedly visit. We have a street car he can ride and stops along the way…
Huppenthal’s Press Conference Has Nothing To Do With The Primary (He Said, Trying To Keep A Straight Face)
John Huppenthal’s Wednesday press conference got wide coverage, but maybe not the kind he was hoping for. Playing the Illegal Immigrant Card a few days before a primary which he could lose to a previously little known candidate sounds a bit, um, calculated. The press generally agreed. Howard Fischer, who covers the goings on at…
Dead or Alive
Dating is hard enough. Dating while one of you slowly turns into a full blown, flesh-eating zombie is next to impossible, something the quirky horror comedy “Life After Beth” hilariously explores. The film starts with a brief glimpse of Beth Slocum (Aubrey Plaza) as she hikes alone. Shortly thereafter, we find out Beth is dead,…
Juice and Stuff
Eating lunch out on the Campbell Avenue corridor doesn’t have to be a diet-ruining guilt trip anymore, with the addition of Goodness Juice Bar and Fresh Food on the northeast corner of Campbell and Water Street in the former Umi Star space. The menu is focused on sandwiches, salads, wraps and bowls—with all-day breakfast falling…
Editor’s Note
It had been a week or so since I received an angry email (Facebook comments, Twitter mentions, sure, but email was strangely silent), but on Sunday, a to-be-left-unnamed-but-thankfully-loyal reader came through for me with a gem about our listings. Yes, the listings have gone through some changes in recent months—one week we ran out of…
Noshing Around
A MIGHTY FINE DINE Tucson culinary godfather Janos Wilder returned to the Tuc’s downtown in the summer of 2010 when he opened up DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails. Some say he led the renaissance that has made our three skyscraper-having area of town the place to be. A James Beard Award winner, Wilder is now presenting…
Police Dispatch
TASED BUT UNFAZED EAST BENSON HIGHWAY JULY 23, 7:40 P.M. A lone, aggressive cowboy-type clad in black assaulted a truck-stop waitress with a coffee mug and was later Tased by a sheriff’s deputy—but he was blasé about both incidents, saying things could’ve been much worse, according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report. Deputies responded to…
Ice Cream Dream
A man and his passion for something can be a powerful motivator. Take Kenny Sarnoski II. He and his wife, Linda, a young couple with school age children, had day jobs. Kenny was a sub-contractor with Architectural Openings Inc., his father’s glass company, and Linda, a marketing coordinator at a large software company. Their family…
Judgment Day
Republican voters in Congressional District 1 are going to have to choose among three candidates in next week’s primary election to find a nominee to challenge Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick. State Rep. Andy Tobin is an experienced politician who rose to the position of Speaker of the Arizona House of Representative. Tobin, who enjoys…
Nine on the Line
Slobby Robby Slobby Robby. The name says it all. The lifetime Tucsonan is a real character. He is owner of Generation Cool, 404 N. Fourth Ave., an ’80s and ’90s themed boutique and arcade, where his snack bar doles out free pizza every Saturday night to loyal customers. He is definitely known for eating more…
The Skinny
Dash for Cash McSally outraises Barber again; Three challengers to Kirkpatrick struggle to bring in dollars Republican challenger Martha McSally has once again topped Congressman Ron Barber in a fundraising report. The latest numbers, filed ahead of next week’s Aug. 26 primary election, shows that between the end of June and Aug. 6, McSally raised…
Robotic Soul and Real Feelings
The American pop and rock landscape of the early and mid-2010s is shaping up to be very reminiscent to the 1980s, where there is no particular stylistic dominance of any subgenre, compared to the commercial breakthroughs of both alternative-rock and gangsta rap in the 1990s, for instance. Several striking parallels can be drawn between the…
The Skinny
Dash for Cash McSally outraises Barber again; Three challengers to Kirkpatrick struggle to bring in dollars Republican challenger Martha McSally has once again topped Congressman Ron Barber in a fundraising report. The latest numbers, filed ahead of next week’s Aug. 26 primary election, shows that between the end of June and Aug. 6, McSally raised…
Primer
WHO ARE THEY Galactic, at its core, is a New Orleans-based jazz/funk/R&B band that draws primarily from its hometown’s rich history of music traditions. Debuting in 1996 with “Coolin’ Off” (Capricorn), the group, comprised of Theryl deClouet (vocals), Jeff Raines (guitar), Robert Mercurio (bass), Stanton Moore (drums), and saxophonists Ben Ellman and Jason Mingledorff, became…
Danehy
Next week, some Republican voters (and a handful of selfish Independents) are going to determine who will square off against Democrat Fred DuVal in the November general election for Governor of Arizona. The primary campaign has been an especially nasty one, with a torrent of out-of-state money funding some of the stupidest attack ads of…
Live
Upon the conclusion of Spray Paint’s earth-rattling performance, I immediately headed to the restroom and actually vomited. This Austin trio is recommended for fans of Big Black, Gang of Four, The Fall, Metal Machine Music, scraping, thudding, clanging, psychosis, screeching, industrial plants, scrap yards and death. Obviously, physical calamities are a welcome and natural reaction…
Media Watch
There are a lot of moving parts in radio syndication these days, and as such it’s not unusual to occasionally come across a tweak to the station lineup. Conservative news/talker KNST AM 790 found itself in that position after Andy Dean’s Aug. 8 show. “Andy Dean stepped down as host of ‘America Now’ to focus full-time on…
Nine Questions
Emo music will never die thanks to desert rats like Cord Boyd. Boyd is the co-owner of Gary’s Place (formerly TLMS), and plays bass for a Tucson melodic gloom band, Help Me Sleep. You can find the 21-year-old folding “Doctor Who” T-shirts, and hustling Devil Wears Prada vinyl at Hot Topic in the Tucson Mall.…
Soundbites
ALL YOU’RE WAITING FOR Yes, we have an entire music feature this week about Future Islands, the headliners of a show at 191 Toole on Monday, Aug. 25, but can we take a second to talk about Operators, the Dan Boeckner-fronted analog synth dance-pop act that’s opening up? Boeckner’s been in all the bands—Wolf Parade,…
Dolan Ellis in Concert
“I write the songs but not for fame. My songs belong to the sun and rain. Forget my face, forget my name. Just call me The Balladeer.” Those lyrics, written by Arizona’s Official State Balladeer, Dolan Ellis, are just a sample of lyrics in one of the hundreds of songs he has created since being…
Dispensary Dilligence
For those who have tried The Downtown Dispensary, there doesn’t seem to be any other choice. That was certainly the case with now-General Manager Jay Zimmermann, who before seeking employment was one of the first 1,000 medical marijuana cardholding patients in the state. While riding his bike, Zimmermann was the victim of a hit and…
Miniatures on Fire
There will be a fire of sorts at the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures starting on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The fire will burn through Nov. 2, but there’s no cause for alarm. The flame will be a figurative part of the new exhibit “Fire! A Glimpse of Fire History in Miniature.” Housed within the…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Readers: The Mexican just got married to a chica caliente, so he’s taken her on a honeymoon to the motherland so she can learn the proper art of tortilla-making. In the meanwhile, I offer this Best Of edition, because I plan to do all of my work this week en la cama—ZING! Dear Mexican:…
Prickly Pear Festival
You may have tasted prickly pear candy and lemonade, but how about prickly pear beer? You will have that chance during the free Prickly Pear Festival on Saturday, Aug. 23, as Borderlands Brewing Co. offers small samples to taste. The Prickly Pear Festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m., at Holiday Inn, 4550…
Goldsmith Takes a Bow
After 28 years, Barclay Goldsmith is stepping down as the producing director of Borderlands Theatre, the company with a uniquely Tucson identity which he helped create and which he has helped shepherd through the ups and downs of a not-for-profit theater. But he wants to be clear. He may be taking a bow for the…
Girlfriend in a Coma
Chloë Grace Moretz is at that awkward stage. She became a star as an adolescent and teenage roles have had trouble fitting her. So great and shocking and funny as Hit-Girl in “Kick-Ass,” it just didn’t fly three years later in the sequel. That moment had passed her by. She was terrific at 13 in…
Cinema Showdown
DEEP BREATH I am almost certainly the wrong person to write about this, since I’ve never seen an episode and don’t get the references to scarves and police boxes, etc., but hey, it’s a big week for people who own TARDIS-emblazoned merchandise as the eighth season of the rebooted “Doctor Who” series, now with Peter…
