Cover Story
Give. Do. Local.
Our annual gift guide, with a twist.
Operation Streamline: ’10 Years of Criminalizing Immigrants, Mass Incarceration for Profit’
“We have rights under the Constitution that must be kept meaningful…migration should not be a criminal act!” said long-time immigration rights advocate Isabel Garcia to a group of people at the skirts of the Evo A. DeConcini Federal Courthouse. “It is shameful that we treat people this way, that we jail them…migration is at an…
Arizonans Say, Spend the Surplus on Public Schools, Teacher Pay
What should Arizona do with the current state budget surplus? In a poll taken last week by Strategies 360, the number one answer was “Invest in public schools” with 72 percent. Number two was “Increase public school teacher pay” with 69 percent. Law enforcement and border security came in third and fourth, followed by funding for…
‘Will You Escape?’ Adds New Mystery, Satisfying Ending
We spent the evening at @willyouescape, Tucson's first live escape room. We made it out with 25 seconds on the clock. Phew. #willyouescape #liveescaperooms #realtucson A photo posted by Tucson Weekly (@tucsonweekly) on Dec 11, 2015 at 5:48pm PST Last time we checked in with Nicolette Cusick, she had just opened Will You Escape?, Tucson’s first live…
UA Scientist: Lightsaber Duels Are Very Improbable
UA Associate Professor Jason Jones doesn’t think light sabers are very practical: Jones, an associate professor in the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences and head of the Jones Research Group, knows a thing or two about lasers. And although he is a “Star Wars” fan who received a toy lightsaber for his birthday,…
A New Twist in the Death of Granite Mountain Hotshots During 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire
Journalist John Dougherty’s Investigative MEDIA organization uncovers a strange wrinkle in the investigation of the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire in which 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters lost their lives: Key evidence that could explain why the Granite Mountain Hotshots moved from a safe location into a treacherous box canyon where 19 men died on June…
Cinema Clips: Krampus
Horror fans have had a good year in 2015. It Follows, We are Still Here, Bone Tomahawk, Ash vs Evil Dead all did a lot of good for genre lovers. While director Michael Dougherty’s Krampus isn’t quite up to the level of those I just mentioned, it does do the Christmas horror subgenre proud in…
Tucson Can Now Incarcerate People in Santa Cruz County Jail and Is Going to Save Money Doing It
People sentenced to jail for more than 10 days by the Tucson City Court now face serving their time in Nogales, as a tactic by the City of Tucson to reduce jail costs. Last night, the City Council unanimously approved a one-year agreement between the city and Santa Cruz County that says Tucson will get…
Tucson Supports ‘Death With Dignity,’ Urges Legislature to Legalize It in AZ
The City of Tucson has joined the “death with dignity” movement, and is asking the Arizona Legislature to craft a state law that will allow terminally ill adults to decide when and how they will die. In a “memorial” the council members unanimously passed Tuesday night, they ask lawmakers to consider enacting a statute similar…
Design Flaws of the Death Star
A UA space sciences engineer looks at the design flaws of the original Death Star: “First of all, the scale of what we’re able to build in real life versus ‘Star Wars’ is completely different,” says Roberto Furfaro, an assistant professor in the UA’s College of Engineering and director of the Space Systems Engineering Lab.…
Save the Date: Iskashitaa and Borderlands Brewing Team Up on Gleaned Date Beer
After gleaning hundreds of pounds of dates last fall, Iskashitaa Refugee Network put their bounty to use by teaming up with Borderlands Brewing Co. (119 E. Toole Ave.) to create a unique new brew with local dates at the forefront. On Thursday, Dec. 17 local beer lovers can get their first taste of Borderlands’ Harvest…
CEO of Hudbay Minerals Resigns, Parent Company of Rosemont Copper Facing Financial Woes
The Rosemont Mine Truth website looks at big changes at Hudbay Minerals, the parent company of Rosemont Copper, the company that wants to build a massive open-pit mine the Santa Rita Mountains: Garofalo’s surprise resignation announced at the close of trading on Friday, Dec. 4 stunned investors and the company’s stock dropped 14 percent over…
Cinema Clips: Brooklyn
1950’s Brooklyn is sumptuously captured in John Crowley’s wonderful story of an Irish immigrant trying to choose between two lands. Saoirse Ronan is pure delight as Eilis, who gets a job in New York and quickly falls in love with blue-collar worker Tony (Emory Cohen), a charming Yankees fan with eyes set on marriage. When…
DOJ: Law Enforcement Should Stop Violating Rights of Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault Victims
The Department of Justice issued new guidance to law enforcement agencies today, pointing out that certain police responses to domestic violence and sexual assault complaints violate victims’ civil rights. These suggestions document the “systematic failure” of police departments in Maricopa County in Arizona, New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Missoula, Montana, to properly investigate domestic abuse…
McSally: Obama Admin Continuing With “Weak and Ineffective Military Approach” To ISIS
President Barack Obama today talked to the press about efforts against ISIS after meeting with military leaders at the Pentagon. USA Today reports: President Obama said he’s dispatching Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to the Middle East to help secure more help to fight the Islamic State, promising that his administration is “moving forward with…
Former State Lawmaker Clinco Appointed to Pima College Board
Former state lawmaker Demion Clinco is the newest board member at Pima Community College. Pima County School Superintendent Linda Arzoumanian appointed Clinco to the District 2 seat formerly held by David Longoria, who resigned in October. Clinco, who now serves as president and executive director of the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation, told The Skinny that…
Happening Now: Tucson Clergy Interrupts Controversial Immigration Enforcement Proceeding Operation Streamline
A group of Tucson’s clergy interrupted Operation Streamline in federal court this afternoon in what seems to be an on-going protest against the criminal immigration proceedings. “Tu no eres culpable, esta corte es culpable,” “You are not guilty, this court is guilty,” said Southside Presbyterian Church’s the Rev. Alison Harrington roughly 15 minutes after Operation…
Cinema Clips: Trumbo
The Hollywood blacklisting that led to the imprisonment of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo was a travesty, and it’s high time somebody made a movie about it. Director Jay Roach eschews his comedy-making skin for this riveting look into the tribulations Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) and fellow artists faced during the Red Scare early days of the Cold…
Zoey Needs a Home
Hi I’m Zoey! Doesn’t my home look fun? I live in MEOWTROPOLIS with a couple other cool cats! We all love to play and snuggle. When you’re looking to adopt a kitty don’t forget about us and don’t be shy to ask to meet us! I’ve been available for adoption for two months now and…
Grijalva Hails Paris Climate Agreement
Congressman Raul Grijalva hailed the climate agreement reached over the weekend in Paris. His statement to the press: Today’s agreement is more than a legislative or diplomatic milestone. I sincerely hope and believe that it’s the beginning of a new phase in human history. I join the people of Southern Arizona in sharing my heartfelt…
A Call For More Financial Accountability From Charter Schools
The National Education Policy Center just published a research brief, The Business of Charter Schooling: Understanding the Policies that Charter Operators Use for Financial Benefit. The word “brief” is probably misleading, since this detailed, informative work is 56 pages long. The two college education profs who wrote it, Bruce Baker of Rutgers University and Gary Miron of…
Into the Mild: Journal From a Refugee Camp, Week Zero
Athens, Greece – December 2015 Last week, I left the US for six months of exploring Europe and Africa. My first stop is on Lesbos Island in Greece, working and living at a refugee camp. This is the first part of a weekly journal that I’ll write while staying at the camp. Dec. 4- Sometimes,…
Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel: McLeod and Paton Look Ahead to 2016
ZonaPol12-11-15_fin from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo. On this week’s episode of Zona Politics: Democratic strategist Rodd McLeod and former state lawmaker Jonathan Paton debate Gov. Doug Ducey’s proposal to dig into the state land trust to fund schools over the next decade; weigh whether the Democrats can knock out Congressman Martha McSally;…
Margaret Regan’s ‘Detained and Deported’ Makes the List of Southwest Books of the Year
Longtime Tucson Weekly contributor Margaret Regan’s newest book, Detained and Deported: Stories of Immigrant Families Under Fire, has made the list of the Southwest Books of the Year, compiled by Pima County Public Library. Regan’s book, which was excerpted in the Tucson Weekly earlier this year, has won acclaim for examining the lives of undocumented…
Catch Documentary on Rosemont Mine on TV This Sunday
Investigative journalist John Dougherty’s documentary about Hudbay Minerals, the new owners of the proposed Rosemont Copper mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, will be coming to your living room this weekend. Flin Flon Flim Flam, which explores Hudbay’s history in its native Canada, as well as its operations in Latin America, will show at 4…
Casa Video Top 10
Oh man, is it the weekend already? We’ve had a busy week with restaurant protests, restrictions on what we can offer Tucson’s homeless and new local album releases. Get out and do something cool, finish up your holiday shopping (don’t worry, we made a list for you) and then maybe pick up a recently released flick…
Small Planet Bakery Closes After More Than 40 Years of Artisan Bread in Tucson
After four decades in the same location serving up over 20 different varieties of bread, Small Planet Bakery is closing its doors. The historic building that houses the bakery at 411 N. Seventh Ave. is to be demolished as a part of the Aviation Extension Freeway. While many have taken up the torch around town…
Tucson Becomes the First UNESCO-Designated Creative City of Gastronomy in the U.S.
It’s official: Tucson is indeed a world capital of gastronomy. UNESCO announced their 2015 additions to the Creative Cities Network, and after the second year applying, Tucson’s application to be recognized as a gastronomic site was approved. As hashed out in last week’s Tucson Weekly cover story, Tucson’s application for the honor hinged largely on…
The Three Fronts of the Arizona Education Budget Battles
It’s beginning to look a lot like three-dimensional chess. Arizona’s education funding battles are being worked out by a complex mix of players utilizing a variety of plans and strategies, and they’re interacting with one another up, down and sideways on the chess board. While lots of interest groups are participants, basically there are three…
No More Monkey Business
If you’ve been dreaming about having a monkey around the house, you’d better get one today. Carrie Jung of Phoenix’s KJZZ reports: Keeping primates, like baboons and other monkeys, as pets will be illegal in Arizona starting Saturday. The regulation was recently passed by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Officials say the main reason…
Protesters Swarm Mexican Restaurant Illegal Pete’s Opening Night: ‘Racists Enter Here’ (SLIDESHOW)
The now-infamous Mexican fast food restaurant Illegal Pete’s opened Thursday evening despite protests and a petition, which gathered close to 3,000 signatures demanding the owner to “change the name or shut it down.” Community members are outraged over the use of the word “illegal.” Critics argue the use of “illegal” in the name of a Mexican…
Dems Hit McSally on Her Opposition To Blocking “No-Fly” Terror Suspects From Obtaining Guns
In this week’s print edition, I wrote about the political fight over whether suspected terrorists on the no-fly list should be able to purchase guns. Democrats say that if someone is on the no-fly list shouldn’t be able to get guns; Republicans say the list has errors and doesn’t have clear guidelines about how names…
ACLU to Federal Court: AZ Law Banning ‘Race & Sex Selection’ Abortions Stigmatizes Women of Color
The American Civil Liberties Union was in federal court Wednesday to challenge an Arizona law that bans so-called “race and sex selection” abortions. The civil rights organization says the statute intentionally targets and “stigmatizes” women of color, because there is the assumption that they want an abortion based on these reasons. The ACLU filed a…
Rough Day? Watch Donald Trump Dodge a Bald Eagle
Time Magazine has a special treat for us today. Last year, in a photoshoot for the magazine Donald Trump posed with a bald eagle. It went very well. The eagle’s name is Uncle Sam, and I love him.
Season 2 of ‘Serial’ Started Today
Attention everyone with desk jobs, mindlessly staring into their computers and helplessly waiting for 5 p.m.: Season 2 of Serial started today, and Episode 1 is online now. After much speculation it turns out, yes, Season 2 is going to focus on Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. solider who was held prisoner by the Taliban for five…
The New Federal Education Law Could Be Good, Bad or Nothing Much for Arizona
Bipartisanship in Washington. That alone is something to marvel at, regardless of what the Republicans and Democrats are agreeing on. The House and Senate passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which will replace Bush’s No Child Left Behind, by huge margins. Congresspeople of both political stripes like it. Teachers unions like it. Lots of people…
Pleasure Activist
The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is this Thursday, Dec. 17.
Danehy
Please note: This column may have words or phrases that some people might deem politically incorrect. So, if you’re prone to swooning and/or are a college student, you’d best not read it. Back in my high-school days, one of my best friends went by the name of Nippy. He was a light-skinned African-American gentleman whom…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: Mexicans always reference the Reconquista. However, I think you should be invading Spain instead. The Spanish did to the Native Americans in Mexico what the whites did to the Native Americans in America. In fact, we treated them better. We gave them reservations, they pay no taxes, they have the right to gambling,…
Editor’s Note
Talking to kids about guns is tough. And important.
Dust Devil
Zen stones we balance in the arroyo mostly seco.
A Tucson Classic
This year’s 4th Avenue Street Fair promises to be as big and bold as the years before with more than 400 street vendors taking over the art centre of the city.
Police Dispatch
A drunk man on horseback shouldn’t have gotten back in the saddle after falling off his steed and allegedly screaming some very offensive things at a female neighbor.
Celebrate the Holigays
Come join the city’s only queer crafting space, Fluxx Studio and Gallery.
Police Dispatch
The world received more evidence that a certain feline Japanese cartoon character—first marketed toward pre-adolescent girls—is now popular with a much broader audience when law enforcement found a Hello Kitty wallet concealing what appeared to be heroin paraphernalia.
Open Mic
Calling all writers, readers and comedians for a Tucson Spoken Word Open Mic at the Screening Room.
Flight Risks
Last week’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, California by a husband-and-wife terrorist team has put new focus on an effort by congressional Democrats to block people on the nation’s “no-fly” list from acquiring firearms.
Get Served
Is dancing more your style of stage performance than spoken word? Come see some of Tucson’s best local dance crews square off in Prelude Arizona’s Urban Style Dance Competition Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Fox Theater (17 W. Congress St.). This 2-vs-2-style dance battle will feature 32 teams vying to be the best crew in…
For Pete’s Sake
These days, when Pete Turner is questioned about the true meaning of his restaurant’s name—Illegal Pete’s—he mostly thinks about his father.
Two Cities, One Gift
This weekend, Tucson’s two biggest Nutcracker productions go toe to toe.
The Skinny
Does Arizona’s senior senator have reason to worry next year? A judge rejects GOP claim that last month’s city election was illegitimate. Documentary on Rosemont Mine parent company gets TV airing this weekend
Singing Scrapbook
A middle-aged woman, Sue (Beth Devries) clutches a suitcase in an attic populated with boxes and other attic-appropriate paraphernalia
Media Watch
UA prof analyzes ISIS media approach, Star hires football beat writer and Lotus producer drives for charity
Nun Sense
It’s Sister Jaguar, and don’t you forget it!
Stranger Than Fiction: Cavanaugh
Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti are in the middle of a heated argument
Knead to Know
“You really need to invest in the community if you want to see a positive outcome,” baker Don Guerra says.
B-Sides: Bell Witch
“Suffocation, A Burial,” “Judgement [sic], In Fire,” “Suffocation, A Drowning,” “Judgement [still sic], In Air:” these are the names of the four songs Seattle’s Bell Witch put out in April 2015 to follow up their 2012 release of Longing.
B-Sides: The Surfbroads
Check out one of the Old Pueblo’s newest musical additions this Sunday.
B-Sides: Miss Lana Rebel and Kevin Michael Mayfield
Tucson’s very own folk duo, Miss Lana Rebel & Kevin Michael Mayfield, is getting ready to put out a new album, and you can help them celebrate by heading to Club Congress
