Cover Story
GRILL 1994-2011
This July saw a seismic shift to the downtown landscape; after years upon years of construction and delays, the rollout of the long-foretold Modern Streetcar finally came to pass, officially opening the latest chapter of downtown Tucson’s history. In decades past, the consensus was that downtown wasn’t so much a nighttime destination as it was…
Listen to Michael Cera’s New Album ‘True That’
Michael Cera dropped a subtle and folksy surprise on us today. The 26-year-old actor and singer song writer debuted his latest album titled True That on Bandcamp. Cera is no stranger when it comes to making music. He drummed in The Long Wait and did some vocals for Weezer. Who can forget Scott Pilgrim vs.…
Best Campaign Ad Of This (Or Any Other?) Season
What else is there to say about Dwain, who’s running for “Sekretary of Freedum,” that his slogan doesn’t say already: “I Am For Being Against No Freedum!” The only problem I can see is, Dwain makes other “Freedum” candidates look good by comparison.
Race, Class, Bookishness And Kindergarteners
Image courtesy of shutterstock.com It’s a decade-old study about the relationship between books in the home and student achievement, but the study is new to me and every bit as relevant now as it was then, especially right now at the beginning of the school year. The study looked at the difference between black and…
Snoots Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Snoots 9 Years Old – Labrador Retriever – Female Reference no.: 788331 Don’t you want to give Snoots a great big, Labalicious hug? This darling people-pleaser is searching for a cozy retirement where she can spend as much time as possible with family. Snoots bonds close to her…
Casa Video Can Fill Your Growler Now, Which Is Kind of Amazing
If your interests include interesting movies and Arizona beer, life has gotten a little bit better now that Casa Video has added a growler-filling station complete with three Arizona beers to choose from. Bring in your glass, stainless steel or ceramic properly-labeled jug and take home some of the state’s finest craft beer with your…
Zapatista Revolution Moves Slowly at Home, but Global Appeal Endures
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Chiapas, Mexico – Their everyday presence is almost unnoticeable in this picturesque tourist destination they took over in an armed revolution 20 years ago. But the Zapatista movement endures quietly, nonviolently and defiantly outside of the big city in five zones they call “caracoles” – snails – symbolic of a…
2nd Annual Seed & Sow Dinner at Zona 78
I hope you’re hungry for locally sourced food and booze. Kevin Fink and Edible Baja Arizona are hosting the second annual Seed & Sow dinner this Wednesday, Aug. 13 and Thursday, Aug. 14 at Zona 78, 7301 E. Tanque Verde Road. Paul Leathers, Zona 78 Manager of the Tanque Verde location, says he and the staff…
Robin Williams Found Dead at Age 63
KRON 4 has reported that Robin Williams passed away on Monday. The legendary actor, voice actor and comedian was found dead inside his residence in Tiburon, CA. Investigators suspect that Williams committed suicide, but the investigation is ongoing. From KRON: An investigation into the cause, manner, and circumstances of the death is currently underway by the Investigations…
Gary Kiehne Gets Biggest Endorsement of Them All
Theodore Roosevelt once said “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” I think Republican Congressional candidate Gary Kiehne took that quote a bit too seriously. Reddit users got a hold of Kiehne’s latest flyer for his campaign, and the horse steals the show. Did Kiehne just not see the giant horse…
The AZ Daily Star, Jonah Goldberg and the Curse of Deadlines
It’s always tricky to opine on topical matters and hope that nothing changes before your words see print—a lesson the conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg learned the hard way last week, when a column criticizing President Barack Obama for failing to act to stop an impending massacre of Kurds in Iraq went online last Thursday shortly…
Here’s The Most Unpredictable Fight You Will See All Day
We don’t condone violence, so don’t get any funny ideas. I found this obscure fight on Reddit, and I was bit underwhelmed until the one-minute mark. I don’t know who won this match, but the video is titled “The coolest fight in the world” for a reason.
Gentry Stein Wins 2014 World Yo-Yo Championship
Yo-Yo is one of the very few sports that Americans have stolen, and damn near perfected it. Take 18-year-old Gentry Stein from Chico, CA., for example. He won the 2014 World Yo-Yo Championship over the weekend. No one — not even Japanese world Champ Takeshi Matsuura — could handle the heat Stein was dishing out. …
Body Identified After Fatal Train Accident Downtown
Robert E. Cole, 56, was struck by a train near North Seventh Avenue and East Seventh Street early Friday morning, according to a press release from Tucson Police. Officers from Operations Division Downtown arrived at the intersection around 5:26 a.m., and discovered that Cole deceased at the scene. Detectives from the Traffic Investigations unit have…
Oddie Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Oddie, a 5-year-old, male, Shar Pei Mix Reference no.: 787395 Oddie is so excited about life – and eager to start a new one in a forever home! This fantastic boy was left behind in an apartment when his guardian moved out. Thankfully, the roommate made sure Oddie…
Prom Body’s Music Video for ‘Do What You Do’ is Totally NSFW
Prom Body released another music video, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if some crazy church group protests their next show. Prom Body Front man Michael Fay collaborated with Patrick Foley of the Carne and Queso Collective to make this gnarly music video for a track off the band’s…
Attention Arts Organizations! We Want Your Schedules
The Tucson Weekly is gearing up for our arts coverage for the fall and spring seasons. We would love to hear from you and receive your upcoming schedules. Here’s how to get us the information: For possible inclusion in our fall arts preview next month, send press releases to Margaret Regan, mregan@tucsonweekly.com, no later than…
Cactus Drive-In Theater Kickstarter: Let’s Bring Back a Drive-In
Back in 2010 when we mourned the closure and then demolition of Tucson’s last drive-in, the De Anza, Tucson artist Charlie Spillar was there with a group of volunteers who saved components of the drive-in’s giant screen with the idea to use them for a new nonprofit drive-in project they coined the Cactus Drive-In, the…
Cafe 54 Tangible Transformations Art Show
An artist reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, for Tangible Transformations, an exhibit that celebrates artists in recovery. The event features live music, a wearable art fashion show, performance art, refreshments and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Café 54 Art Foundation. Cafe 54 is located at 54 E. Pennington…
Op-ed: My Pick For Arizona Superintendent Of Public Instruction: David Garcia
A few things before I begin. First, this isn’t an official endorsement from the Weekly. David Garcia is my personal pick for Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. Second, I’ve supported Garcia since early in his campaign and held a fundraiser for him at my home. However, I’ve taken the time to learn about the positions…
The Final Slate: TUSD School Board Candidates
H/T to Blog for Arizona’s Carolyn Classen on the nine people who met Wednesday’s 5 p.m. filing deadline for Tucson Unified School District’s governing board. The candidates for the Nov. 4 election, including incumbents Adelita Grijalva and Michael Hicks, according to Classen: Rene Bernal , applied software engineer at Honeywell, political newcomer Debe Campos-Fleenor, owner…
It’s Black Jesus Night, Much to the Dismay of the People You’d Expect to be Dismayed
Tonight’s a night I’ve been awaiting for awhile – which might say something about the general excitement of my life in general, but whatever – the premiere of Black Jesus on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The show, from Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder, is basically what the title promises: a show about Black Jesus, and as…
Chris Bianco Talks Tucson on Eater
The Weekly clearly has pizza on its mind (no joke, I could really go for a slice right now), but regardless, it’s worth noting that food mega-blog Eater ran an interview with Chris Bianco yesterday in honor of his two weeks-ish of being open here in Tucson. He talks quite a bit about what it’s…
Howard Salmon Left Us This Morning
Tucson artist and friend to many of us (and former Phantom Limbs drummer) Howard Salmon died early this morning, finally succumbing to the brain cancer he fought so hard for almost two years. The funeral is this Sunday, Aug. 10, at Temple Emanu-El, 225 N Country Club Road, 10 a.m. followed by a burial service…
Free Pizza at Pionic
Tucson loves pizza. I think there’s more pizza establishments than Walgreens and Circle K gas stations combined. Pionic Pizza and Pasta has offered an insane deal on their Facebook page. You can print a coupon that will grant you a free pizza with unlimited toppings when you like their page. Don’t wait because offer is…
Kinda NFSW: Does Anyone Have Time for 15 Minute Climax
Well, according to this post, Foria, a personal marijuana lubricant developed to enhance female pleasure, is only available to medical MJ folks in California. So no alleged 15-minute climax for Arizonana, who frankly could probably use ’em. But how, exactly does a “stoned vagina” feel? From Foira’s website blog: I’m going to get to explaining…
Give Some Love to CandyStrike’s GoFundMe Campaign
Our Weekly World Central fashion spirit guide, CandyStrike’s Elizabeth Denneau, has a GoFundMe campaign that’s about $700 away from the $1,700 goal. Denneau, from her Toole Avenue warehouse boutique and studio, makes clothes for everyone (but those of the plus-size arena appreciate her creative spirit and great style). She’s been given the opportunity to pitch…
Center for Biological Diversity Keeps Up Fight for Santa Rita Wildlife
According to the Center for Biological Diversity’s Randy Serraglio (yes, that Serraglio, a past Tucson Weekly contributor and columnist), the Tucson-based organization sent a letter yesterday urging U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to “again take an in-depth look at how the proposed Rosemont copper mine in southern Arizona will affect endangered species, including jaguars, ocelots…
Arizona DREAMer Andiola Gets in King’s Face
The video of Arizona DREAMer Erika Andiola with Cesar Vargas confronting Iowa Rep. Steve King—with Sen. Rand Paul running away is having a great run on the internets. And of course, making those in Arizona familiar with Andiola’s work on behalf of immigration reform particularly proud. When King asked Andiola is she understands the English…
Business Dispute
As the Aug. 26 primary approaches, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey is facing new questions about his ownership of Cold Stone Creamery. Both attorney Christine Jones and former Mesa mayor Scott Smith, who are considered the closest competitors to front-runner Ducey, have been raising questions about a dispute that arose after Ducey’s sale of the…
Guest Commentary
A few weeks ago, a child was born at Tucson’s University of Arizona Medical Center. The mother is a migrant from Guatemala, fleeing abject poverty and physical abuse. She joins hundreds of others who have been dropped at our local Greyhound Bus station by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with the instruction that they find…
House Rockin’ Blues Review
El Casino Ballroom will be a rockin’ on Friday, Aug. 8, when blues legend Lazy Lester comes to town as part of KXCI 91.3 FM radio’s House Rockin’ Blues Review. Lester previously performed at El Casino Ballroom in the 1980s as part of the original KXCI House Rockin’ series. Now, at age 81, the Louisiana-born…
Live
Steff and the Articles, the Electric Blankets, Sorry About the Garden; Club Congress, Saturday, Aug. 2 Several months ago, while conversing with an employee of what was then called Plush (now Flycatcher—if you don’t know, now you know), I was treated to a story about a then-recent Plush show which featured three bands who had…
The Skinny
Border Skirmish House of Representatives scrambles to pass border bill, local candidates spar over whether it was serious effort to resolve crisis As most Skinny readers know, there’s been a bit of a crisis on the border with unaccompanied minors fleeing gang violence and other troubles in Central America and crossing into the United States…
C’est Tucson
Two Días de los Muertos skeletons are speeding past Picacho Peak on a red motorcycle. La Llorona is wailing for her children on the banks of the Santa Cruz. A bowler-hatted René Magritte has been transplanted to the Catalinas. Welcome to Tucson, the art exhibition. Ten local artists were recruited by Contreras Gallery to create…
Media Watch
A YEAR AFTER SITTON’S DEATH, BUEHLER-GARCIA MAINTAINS PART OF RADIO LEGACY When Dave Sitton died last August at the age of 58, his sudden passing sent shockwaves through the place he called home, the place he dedicated countless hours through community service endeavors. Sitton was known to most for his broadcasting acumen—he was the long-time…
Ask A Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I’m a handsome exemplar of the bronce race living in the motherland. I’m dating a beautiful and wonderful gringuita who is soon taking a trip over the border from the U.S. to Mexico for the first time to visit me, and my pinche big family. There are a couple of things that worry…
That’s Not Relevant
You probably sent your friend an emoji today without even realizing it. Emoji is a Japanese word—”e” meaning picture and “moji” meaning character image. The smileys on your phone are examples. Emoji art can get pretty creative, going way beyond simple emotional faces. Tucson artist/rapper Isaiah Toothtaker (the Weekly profiled him on March 21, 2013)…
Get a Job
Last week I ended with a note that legal cannabis sales between patients is exactly the kind of law we need to open up the marijuana business to the little guy. That might be true, but for the little guy, there is no shortage of jobs to be had in the biz. All you have…
Bird and Wildlife Festival
Prepare to be amazed by nature. So reads the brochure for the upcoming Bird and Wildlife Festival, held Aug. 13 to 17 at Riverpark Inn, 350 S. Freeway. (That’s west of Interstate 10 and south of Cushing Street.) The festival has a plethora of activities, including full- and half-day field trips, workshops, a nature expo…
Isaiah Toothtaker: Your Majesty
Your Majesty finds Isaiah Toothtaker relaxed—cruising over hazy, laid-back summertime productions from Meaty Ogre. At this point, Toothtaker raps like he has nothing left to prove. And maybe he doesn’t. He’s fully established as a musician and tattoo artist, and his first book of drawings has just been published by Spork Press (more on that…
Police Dispatch
PROFANITY INANITY FOOTHILLS AREA JULY 13, 10:22 P.M. A woman was caught yelling odd expletives late at night outside the residence of a random man she’d harassed in the past, according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report. Upon the arrival of a sheriff’s deputy, the man said the woman was still loitering outside, having…
An Artist’s Progress
At the beginning of Sam Beam’s recording career, the name Iron & Wine held a mysterious duality. A dozen years later, viewing the progression of Beam’s career from spare and intimate lo-fi solo recordings to the major-label orchestral sound that incorporates jazz, R&B, pop and African influences, the captivating yin-and-yang of the name Iron &…
Trophies
We won’t know whether we won first, second or third until mid-September, but the finalists were announced for the third and final awards we participate in each year, the Arizona Newspaper Association Better Newspaper awards, and the Weekly did well, with Mari Herreras set to pick up four awards and Jim Nintzel nominated for Journalist…
Meet B L A C K I E
B L A C K I E is the alter ego of 27-year old Michael LaCour, a Houston-based artist whose closest contemporary would be the “thrash-rap” of the recently disbanded Death Grips. With his just-released Imagine Yourself in a Free and Natural World, LaCour seems to have transcended any debt to hip-hop, with a record…
Old-School Ambience
There’s nothing that completes a neighborhood quite like a quirky, unique eatery that blends in well with the surrounding area—and if that establishment happens to serve drinks, all the better. Sometimes the “old standbys” get a little bit forgotten with the excitement of new restaurant and bar openings, but it almost always pays to remember…
Nine on The Line
William Kovacs is co-owner of Prep & Pastry as well as the guy behind the marketing for the popular cafe. William (aka “Billy”) has also signed on to be the creative director of tech-marketing firm Injected Media and an ambassador for the UA’s Tech Launch Arizona, a program that uses shared knowledge bases, networks, and backgrounds to…
Noshing Around
POCO AND MOMS DOS The folks behind Poco and Moms are working on opening their second location. The new, New Mexican favorite is going in at the old Amber spot in the ever-so-appropriately named Sante Fe Square at 7000 E. Tanque Verde to be exact. Given this place consistently has lines outside of its Kolb…
Growing Up
Boyhood is one of the few films that manages to succeed because of the “how” behind its execution. In most cases, the more a movie reminds you that what you’re watching is fake, the more the reality of its unreality creeps into your head. The classic example is seeing a boom mic drop into the…
Soundbites
NON-ZERO POSSIBILITY There are certainly a bunch of good shows this week (hey, Iron & Wine!), but hey, it seems like the most notable show might be the Antemasque concert at the Rock. I’m not sure when this show got added to the Rock’s calendar, but I’m sure I scanned over it a few times…
Into the Unanswerable
A scientist is forced to question his own beliefs about spirituality and reincarnation after a one-night stand in I Origins, a solid second feature effort from writer-director Mike Cahill (Another Earth). Cahill did himself a big favor by casting Michael Pitt, who is perfect for the role of Ian, a biologist fascinated with eyes. Ian…
Danehy
It’s been more than three weeks since the end of the World Cup. I’m not going to hate on it. It was pretty exciting, except for, you know, most of the games. Like the majority of American sports fans, I find the period between the end of the NBA playoffs and the start of football…
Cinema Showdown!
A little bit of Tucson’s cinematic history is coming alive this Thursday, Aug. 7 over at the Loft Cinema. The Loft is screening Howard Hawks’ 1966 Western El Dorado, filmed at Old Tucson Studios, starring John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Ed Asner and a young ‘n’ wily James Caan. The Duke plays gunslinger Cole Thornton; Mitchum…
Sarah Palin on Doug Ducey: “Right On!”
A whole bunch of endorsements in the Republican primary are rolling out this week: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez of the Arizona Republic/AZCentral/WhateverTheyCAllThemselvesTheseDays brings us the news that Gov. Jan Brewer will be endorsing Scott Smith at the Chicago Cubs newish spring-training facility, which was one of Scott’s wins when served as mayor of Mesa. Meanwhile, Arizona…
Chris Pratt Raps ‘Forgot About Dre’ on Whoolywood
Chris Pratt, aka Star Lord, was a guest on DJ Whoo Kid’s Whoolywood Shuffle show, and he was very candid about his cloudy pot smoking past. I don’t know which is cooler: the fact that he lived in a van in Hawaii and smoked weed everyday, or that he knows all the words to Dr. Dre’s The…
