Cover Story
South Tucson: The Pueblo Within the Problems
As South Tucson struggles at every level, establishing a foundation for dignified living conditions is key to see the city improve economically.
Cinema Clips: A War
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, writer-director Tobias Lindholm has delivered a mixed bag war drama. The first half is actually quite good as Claus (Pilou Asbaek), a soldier from Denmark stationed in Afghanistan tries to lead a tired troop on patrols while his wife Maria (Tuva Novotny) holds things together…
Casa Video Top 10
Well, it’s Oscar weekend. Are you boycotting the telecast because of the white-washing issue? Eagerly looking at the nominations and making predictions? Feeling completely behind schedule because apparently it’s already March next week—and who has time to watch all of 2015’s big deal movies, anyway? Whatever you’re feelin’ right now, we’re here (just like every…
Cinema Clips: Ip Man 3
Ip Man was an actual real-life figure who trained many in the martial arts of Wing Chun, including Bruce Lee. Donnie Yen plays Ip Man in this fantastical take on the his life, a film that utilizes a few of the details from Ip Man’s biography, but then goes crazy. Early in the movie, Ip…
‘Damn Daniel’ is a Lame Meme
About a week ago, the Internet unearthed its latest meme—the ever-popular, always annoying “Damn Daniel” Vine. Most viral videos are at least a little funny, but “Damn Daniel” is not. Daniel Lara, the Vine’s namesake, wears white Vans, but that’s about all he does. The line, “Damn, Daniel, back at it again in the white…
Study: Excessive Administrative Expenses at Charter Schools Cost Taxpayers $128 Million Per Year
An exhaustive new study by the Grand Canyon Institute and Arizonans for Charter School Accountability concludes that many charter schools spend far more on administrative costs per student than school districts. The higher costs amount to $128 million a year. To arrive at their conclusions, the researchers looked at every Arizona charter school and school district’s finances…
City Council Supports Making It Easier for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries to Expand
It’s going to get a lot easier for medical marijuana dispensaries in Tucson to expand thanks to three zoning amendments the City Council passed Tuesday evening. Here’s the good news: Outdoor cultivation of medical weed is now allowed in industrial zones in accordance with state law. The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act says that outdoor growing is…
Cinema Clips: Where to Invade Next
What starts as a fairly interesting film about how foreign countries feed and teach their children goes off the rails and loses any sense of focus in this, the latest junk food documentary from goofball Michael Moore. The premise for this one has a flag toting Moore representing America “invading” other countries and threatening to…
Sandra Day O’Connor: Fill the Supreme Court Vacancy
Former Supreme Court Justice and class act Sandra Day O’Connor told Fox 10 News in Phoenix that Senate Republicans should stop with the business of blocking any appointment to fill the Scalia vacancy on the Supreme Court. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake became the latest Republican to say he would not even consider hearing from any…
Report: Criminal Justice System Discriminates and Fails the LGBT Community
It’s a sad well-proven fact that the criminal justice system overwhelmingly targets low-income individuals and people of color. But the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community also faces disproportionate discrimination and incarceration rates. This issue worsens with LGBT people of color and those living in poverty. As a new report points out, A gay teen…
A Note About Our Comments Policy
Commenting sections on the internet are notoriously unpleasant and we’re sad to report that our website is no exception. We’ve recently seen an influx in the types of comments deemed unwelcome on our website and we need to address the issue. Let’s start here: our Comments Policy is always posted on our website. Here’s a…
Catch the Oscar Nominated Shorts on Thursday
It’s award season which interests me for just about two reasons: We can watch (and rewatch) the Hamilton cast’s performance at the Grammys and the Oscar nominated animated shorts are showing in theaters. Oh, you want to see the live action shorts? Forget about it, those were last week and they’re not the important ones anyway. These…
A Look at the Vouchers-For-Everyone (aka Vouchers on Steroids) Legislation. Is it Really for Everyone?
“You get a private school voucher! You get a private school voucher! You get a private school voucher!” (h/t Oprah). That’s what the bill passed by the Arizona Senate sounds like to most people’s ears. If the bill becomes law, in a few years every child in the state will be eligible to receive an…
New York GOP Lawmaker: If You’re on Food Stamps Don’t You Dare Eat Steak, Lobster or Cake
A Republican lawmaker in New York wants to prohibit food stamp recipients from using the federal aid to buy steak or lobster at the grocery store. Because apparently people living in poverty shouldn’t be allowed to eat either of said items? How dare they. The bill introduced in the New York Legislature by state Sen.…
Reid Park Zoo Invites You to Run for [Their] Money
On Saturday, March 5, Fit Fest Tucson will take over the Reid Park Zoo for a night of good ol’ fashioned community involvement. The fest will not only raise money for important Zoo endeavors, but also general fitness awareness in the Old Pueblo. Licensed and certified fitness instructors from across Arizona will teach a laundry list…
Borderland Fuzz Fiesta Hits 191 Toole This Weekend
In its second year, Tucson’s Borderland Fuzz Fiesta will present some of the top names in stoner and psych rock. Organized by Wayne and Joseph Rudell of Fuzz Evil, the two-night Borderland Fuzz Fiesta brings 16 bands (four from Arizona bands and 12 from out of state) to 191 Toole this weekend, with doors opening…
Into the Mild: Day One in a Nairobi Slum
Mathare Slum, Nairobi, Kenya – January 2016 Summer. Finally. I grew up in Death Valley and don’t do well with cold. Seeing 2016 on my calendar means that I’d been on the road for 18 months now, shifting between hemispheres every six months and staying in perpetual winter. 18 months of cold nights and stuffy…
Young Immigrant Launches Online Fundraiser to Help with Costs After Father’s Death
Josue Saldivar says the love he has for his father is what keeps him strong through these tough emotional and financial times. His dad, Saul, passed away on Valentine’s Day after a months-long battle with cancer. Ever since Saul was admitted into a hospital in Albuquerque—where Josue’s mom and younger sisters still live—Josue became the…
Harper Lee’s Mixed Legacy
I taught To Kill a Mockingbird many times, and every time I reread it, I choked up. It’s a wonderful, evocative piece of literature. As for the movie, forget about it. I lost it over and over as I watched; it’s almost unbearably poignant during the last half hour. I would probably have a similar…
Don’t Miss Tonight’s Climate Change Talk
If you want to learn more the health impacts of climate change, head on down to Centennial Hall to see tonight’s installment in the UA College of Science spring lecture series, Earth Transformed. Tonight’s speaker is Kacey Ernst, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health,…
Deadline: Register Today If You Want To Vote in the Presidential Primary
Today is the deadline to make sure that you’re registered as a Democrat or a Republican in order to vote in next month’s presidential primary election. Unlike other primaries in Arizona, independents can’t just pick a side when they request a ballot. You can register online here or find a location to do it in…
Native American ASU Student Calls Out John McCain on Oak Flat
This week will mark the one-year anniversary of the occupation of Oak Flat by members of the Apache Stronghold and allies in the political battle to protect the sacred Native American land. A reminder from the Tucson Weekly article “Repeal the Deal:” In the fall of 2014, Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake (along…
Nora Needs a Home
Hi I’m Nora! I am 7 years old and such a sweet girl! When you adopt a senior pet you can expect lower adoption fees and less mess than if you were to bring a puppy home! I’m even crate trained! If you’re looking to adopt a sweet and smart girl please come to 3450 N.…
Culture of Life, Culture of Death
Much of the political activity in our country has moved from Washington, D.C. to the states. Intuitively, it seems easier to get a bill passed one time that covers the nation, and it used to be that way, but now the shorter road is to pick off states one or a few at a time…
The Donald Trump/Game of Thrones Mashup You Never Knew You Needed
For the campaign is dark and full of terrors. Pure genius.
10th Annual Gem and Jam Music Festival (SLIDESHOW)
On the weekend of Feb. 12-14, the Gem and Jam Festival took over the Slaughterhouse grounds at 1102 W. Grant Rd. and presented hundreds of concert-goers with a diverse array of musical performers, live artists and vendors for the 10th year in a row in conjunction with the world famous Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.…
Zona Politics: McCain’s Opposition To Filling Supreme Court Vacancy, Congressional Race Updates & More
February 21st, 2016 from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo. On this week’s episode of Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel: Former state lawmaker Jonathan Paton and Democratic strategist Rodd McLeod size up Sen. John McCain’s opposition to allowing President Barack Obama to appoint a new Supreme Court justice; break down the latest in Southern…
“School Choice Is the Answer!” (What Is the Question?)
If the question is, “How do we give parents greater flexibility in selecting schools for their children?” there’s one clear answer: School Choice. But if the question is, “How can we improve the quality of education in America?” we probably need to look elsewhere. School choice doesn’t seem to lead to increased school achievement, based…
John C. Scott Now Working on County Attorney LaWall Re-Elect Campaign
Longtime radio talk-show host John C. Scott’s latest gig came to an end with the collapse of PowerTalk 1210’s on-air experiment in local programming. We miss having Scott telling us not only what’s going on, but what’s coming off over our backyard fence. But it didn’t talk long for Scott to land on his feet:…
Muslim Community Center Hosts Discussion with Female Member of Afghani Parliament
The Muslim Community Center (5100 N. Kevy Place) of Tucson is welcoming Dr. Shinkai Karokhail, a feminist and one of the few female members of the Afghan parliament. “Karokhail had to battle the prejudices of Afghan society to get where she is today, namely that women should not hold public office,” said reporters Sylvain Lepetit…
Book of Mormon Ticket Holders: You’re Just as Lucky as You Think You Are to See This Sold Out Show
I was thinking about The Book of Mormon, which had bowled me over the night before in Tucson, when I looked into the sky in La Jolla, Calif., and damned if I didn’t see a glowing golden statue that looked a whole lot like the angel Moroni. It couldn’t be, I thought, freaking out a…
Casa Video Top 10
I don’t know how the first weeks of 2016 have treated you, but some of us are feeling a little overwhelmed. Some of us need to spend some time relaxing at home, watching some movies and eating some popcorn we’ve spiced up with heart-shaped seasoning (aren’t stock photos strange). And, hey, even if you’re doing…
Republicans Take Credit For Giving Back What They Took Away
Here’s a great tip for folks who want to look like generous parents in their friends’ eyes without spending a dime. Go into your children’s room and take away a few of their most expensive toys. Then when Christmas rolls around, wrap up the toys and give them back to your kids. Be sure to…
Fully Developed: Lake Street Dive
As Lake Street Dive releases its major label debut, the band is thankful for all the years it got to exist on its own little island, apart from trends and outside the mainstream eye.
Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulet!
Enjoy a night of New Orleans themed music and meeting masked strangers, all for a good cause!
B-Sides: Eric Schlappi
Tucson’s experimental music scene is going strong and at the vanguard is Eric Schlappi.
Support Tucson’s Hispanic Artists
Tres Artistas reception, held Friday, Feb. 19 from 5 to 7p.m., will feature three prestigious Hispanic gallery artists.
B-Sides: TKMA Bob Dylan Benefit
Help keep the Tucson Folk Festival alive while listening to local musicians interpret the works of Bob Dylan.
Police Dispatch
A drunk driver might have escaped arrest had he not ostentatiously advertised his crime before he even got on the road (fortunately for his own and others’ safety).
B-Sides: Ritual 1 Year
You can officially call the alt-goth-industrial-witch house dance night at Surly Wench
Sands of Time: Giant Sand
Howe Gelb is bemused by reactions to Pitchfork’s announcement last week that he’s ending the 30-year career of Giant Sand.
Police Dispatch
After paying for his meal (but before completing it), a diner at a local restaurant not only didn’t tip the counter person…. but blatantly stole the scant money already in the tip jar.
T Q&A
Gary Setzer is a local abstract interdisciplinary artist who says his works are “pretty weird.” An Ohio native, he taught for several years at Bowling Green University, but moved to the Old Pueblo nine years ago to, instead, create wonky, thought-provoking performance video art pieces and teach at the UA.
Bite Fright
Kacey Ernst, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, studies how climate change is affecting human health, including recent concerns about the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
Local Genius Talk
Learn about the efforts to preserve the Tohono O’odham language at Tucson’s Museum of Contemporary Art
Tucson Salvage
Maybe the very first thing you notice is the voice. It’s a velvety, sometimes hypnotic talk-swoon that gently lifts, and then, as if guided by some Mort Shuman melody, dips into the nether regions of the human larynx, where its bass notes resonate throughout the cavernous room, before quickly lifting again.
Get ‘Off the Vine’
Get a taste of Arizona’s wine industry at the 2016 Off the Vine Arizona Wine Festival, held Saturday, Feb. 21, from noon until 5 p.m. at the Historic Steam Pump Ranch.
The Skinny
Sen. McCain joins those who want to block Obama from appointing a replace for Scalia and Congressman Grijalva endorses Steele in CD2 primary, but national Dems abandon the race against McSally
Past as Prologue
What’s going on at Etherton Gallery?
Media Watch
UA men’s basketball coach Sean Miller is a lot like the guy from the Enterprise Car Rental commercial. He’s maybe not so much a control freak, but a control enthusiast.
Bum Deal
There’s a stage full of talent in the Invisible Theatre’s world premiere of Deelmayker, by Tucsonan Warren Bodow, but the problem is with the play. Unfortunately, it’s a clunky mess.
Danehy
There are times late at night, when a man is flipping through the channels, contemplating his existence and occasionally cursing Philo Farnsworth for having invented the time-sucking television device in the first place.
Sad Second
A bad film sticks in the craw a bit more when somebody capable of genius delivers it.
Editor’s Note
Let’s hope the candidates who come forward to replace Ray Carroll keeps in mind that serving Pima County means having to rise above tea-party political platitudes.
Southside Snacks: Rincon Tarasco a la Michoacana
Elotes el Frida has been my main hang for snacking in South Tucson for a while.
Dust Devil
He groped the folds of his toga in search of his diminishing member.
Giddy up, Cowboys
The annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros returns from Feb. 20 to Feb. 28 at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds.
