Cover Story
Slobby’s Sneak Peek: Tucson’s Guru of Gaudy Vintage Returns With Resale Footwear Shop On Fourth Avenue
If you ask internationally known vintage goods dealer Robert “Slobby Robby” Hall, reselling high-end streetwear sneakers is a lot like being a luxury used car salesman. The Netflix star is opening his newest concept on Saturday, Feb. 27, Generation Cool Sneaks, next to his flagship ’90s retro store Generation Cool. “It’s no different than next…
Movie Roundup: Two Animated Movies…One Great, One Not So Great
There are two high-profile animated movies in theaters right now, and both of them also have streaming options. One of those movies is a total piece of garbage, the other is a heartwarming, rousing adventure that is very much worth the money you will plunk down to either see it in a theater or rent…
Tucson Musicians Pull Together to Honor the Music of the Legendary Al Foul
Al Foul with a compilation album after the rockabilly musician recently announced his throat cancer diagnosis. Al Foul: A Tribute to the One and Only features 28 of Tucson’s finest troubadours, from Calexico’s Joey Burns to burlesque performer/singer Lola Torch, performing tracks spanning the musician’s multi-decade career. Its official release is Friday, March 5, through…
Inhaled smoke could raise risks of COVID-19 for firefighters, expert warns
PHOENIX – More than 10.3 million acres of land were scorched by wildfires nationwide in 2020. Firefighters battling the harrowing flames often work shifts that exceed 24 hours, and they stay in close quarters in remote locations for weeks at a time, offering a prime opportunity for COVID-19 to spread. In addition, firefighters in urban…
Tucson Mayor Romero Wants ‘Immediate Pause’ On Zoo Expansion
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero is calling for “an immediate pause” to Reid Park Zoo’s planned expansion that would take over the South Pond and Barnum Hill area. The controversial zoo expansion was to begin this month. But Romero said the community outcry after the plans were unveiled has led her to believe more time is…
Ducey Issues Executive Order Requiring Schools to Offer In-Person Classes by March 15
Gov. Doug Ducey issued an Executive Order on Wednesday requiring schools to return to in-person, teacher-led instruction by March 15, or after Spring Break. This comes as 12 of Arizona’s 15 counties, including Pima, are “in phases where all schools are safe to open.” This includes district and charter schools. The majority of Arizona counties…
Masks can come off for high school winter playoffs, spring sports, AIA board votes
PHOENIX – High school athletes will not be required to wear masks during spring sports competition and neither will winter sports athletes during playoffs, the Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board voted Tuesday The decision comes after the Sports Medicine Advisory committee recommended removing the mask mandate for outdoor spring sports. The only exception is for…
Loft Cinema streaming MC Escher documentary
The latest in their at-home streaming opportunities, The Loft Cinema is showing the documentary M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity (2019), about the famous Dutch illustrator known for his mathematical and mind-bending artwork. According to the Loft, the documentary is equal parts history, psychology, and psychedelia, and provides an eye-opening portrait of Escher through his own…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Wednesday, March 3: Pima County continues fight with state over testing funds; Pop-up vax clinics open to reach minority residents; Here’s how to set up appointments, COVID tests
With 1,284 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 820,000 as of Wednesday, March 3, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 257 new cases today, has seen 109,941 of the state’s 819,954 confirmed cases. With 29 new deaths reported today,…
GAO: Pentagon estimates of border duty costs, impact were unreliable
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon did not have reliable estimates for the cost of its work supporting Homeland Security efforts on the southwestern border and did not assess the impact of those efforts on military readiness, a new report says. The report by the Government Accountability Office also chided the Defense Department for failing to fully…
Nursing Homes See 82% COVID Decline Since Vaccine Rollout
Nursing home COVID cases have declined since vaccines began to be administered in mid-December, according to a report released Tuesday by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living. Nursing homes in the US have seen the lowest number of new COVID cases since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services started tracking…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Tuesday, March 2: New cases continue decline; State death toll tops 16K; More vaccine on the way; Here’s how to set up appointments, COVID tests
With 849 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 818,000 as of Tuesday, March 2, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 83 new cases today, has seen 109,684 of the state’s 818,670 confirmed cases. With 81 new deaths reported today, a total…
House OKs bill to ban mining on 1 million acres around Grand Canyon
WASHINGTON – The House voted to permanently ban new mining claims on more than 1 million acres around Grand Canyon National Park, with supporters calling protection of the landmark canyon a “moral issue.” The bill would make permanent a current mining moratorium that is scheduled to run through 2032. Supporters said a permanent ban is needed…
Miranda Schubert Announces Challenge to Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik
Looks like Councilman Steve Kozachik has a challenger in this year’s Democratic primary. Miranda Schubert, an academic advisor at the University of Arizona who has also served as a DJ on KXCI community radio and hosted a feminist-oriented live talk show at Club Congress, announced today that she was challenging the two-term councilman in the…
More Vaccine Appointments Scheduled To Begin Sunday at UA
Additional vaccine appointments beginning Sunday for the University of Arizona POD will be made available soon, said UA President Dr. Robert C. Robbins at a press conference this morning. Robbins asks the public to continue to check for appointments and reminded the public that the number of appointments available is directly proportional to the number…
Arizona Department of Corrections fined $1.1 million for neglecting health care benchmarks
PHOENIX – For the second time since 2019, the Arizona Department of Corrections has been found in contempt for its failure to follow health care guidelines designed to protect prisoners. In a ruling issued Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver fined the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry $1.1 million for neglecting health care guidelines…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Monday, March 1: New cases continue decline, health officials may soon loosen restrictions; Vaccine supplies limited but here’s how to set up appointments, COVID tests
With 1,039 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 818,000 as of Monday, March 1, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 113 new cases today, has seen 109,601 of the state’s 817,821 confirmed cases. A total of 15,971 Arizonans have…
Pause on leasing public land for oil and gas extraction draws mixed reaction
PHOENIX – Land, and specifically what to do with land, has been among the most divisive topics in U.S. history since the arrival of European settlers in 1492. More than 500 years later, little has changed. On Jan. 20, the Biden administration ordered a 60-day pause on new oil and gas leases on federal lands…
Pima County Justice of the Peace Fired ‘Warning Shot’ at Alleged Stalker
In a quaint, affluent neighborhood near the Catalina Foothills, weeks of harassment against a Pima County judge culminated in the justice of the peace firing his handgun as a warning shot to the perpetrator, who was once a plaintiff in his courtroom. Judge Adam Watters, the justice of the peace for Precinct 1, fired a…
On the rise: Expensive youth sports clubs have deepened the economic divide
PHOENIX – Krystle Mann, a stay-at-home mother to three sons, makes and sells cornbread and jam to pay for new baseball gear and help cover club fees – approximately $1,500 per year. Her older son, Sam, 12, plays for the AZ Diamond Dawgs in Queen Creek, while her middle son, Tommy, 11, plays for both…
For LGBTQ seniors, COVID-19 worsens an epidemic of loneliness
PHOENIX – Reminders to stay connected and reach out to loved ones have been constant during the pandemic. However, as shutdowns and quarantines continued, the safety precautions worsened a long-term issue for LGBTQ seniors – loneliness. It’s a feeling Lavina Tomer, executive director of Southern Arizona Senior Pride in Tucson, knows all too well. “In…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, Feb. 26: New cases continue decline; Vaccine supplies limited but here’s how to set up appointments, COVID tests
With 1,621 new cases reported today, the number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases reached 814,528 as of Friday, Feb. 26, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 185 new cases today, has 109,137 of the state’s cases. With 83 new deaths reported today, a total of 15,897 Arizonans have…
House passes LGBTQ rights bill; critics say it tramples religious rights
WASHINGTON – The House voted Thursday to expand civil rights protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy, a move supporters said will grant those groups “the full equality under the law they deserve.” But critics of the Equality Act blasted it as a measure that will trample on religious freedom and individual rights, and…
Guest Perspective: We Are Working Together for Unemployed Arizonans
This past year the pandemic has subjected our economy to massive, unprecedented challenges in nearly every sector. We’ve heard from countless constituents who struggled after losing their jobs due to the pandemic and the associated government restrictions on businesses. Hundreds of thousands of hard-working Arizonans have been affected, and nearly one-half million people have applied…
Rumor of the Week: Biden Administration Considering Tucson Mayor Romero for HUD Position
The Weekly is hearing persistent rumors that the Biden administration considering Tucson Mayor Regina Romero for a position as a deputy secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Nathaniel Sigal, a senior policy advisor to Romero, neither denied nor confirmed the rumor when asked about it. “It would be an honor to even be considered for…
Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Thursday, Feb. 25: Pima County death toll tops 2,200; School districts look to expand on-campus options; New cases continue decline; Vaccine supplies limited but here’s how to set up appointments, COVID tests
With 939 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases closed in on 813,000 as of Thursday, Feb. 25, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Pima County, which reported 180 new cases today, has seen 108,952 of the state’s 812,907 confirmed cases. With 121 new deaths reported today,…
Oro Valley State Lawmaker Played Big Role in Trump Effort to Overturn Biden Win
As violent insurrectionists invaded the U.S. Capitol in attempts to stop the certification of the electoral college results, one Arizona lawmaker was present for the fallout. On the day “Stop the Steal” rioters breached the Capitol in a rally that resulted in five deaths, State Rep. Mark Finchem tweeted a photo of Trump-flag adorning rioters…
American DNA: Tucson Museum of Art Spotlights Willie Bonner During Black History Month
The Tucson Museum of Art recently highlighted local multi-media artist Willie Bonner, whose work has appeared in the museum multiple times. Bonner’s art, which includes paintings and sculptures, serves as an “allegory of what it means to be Black in postmodern America.” This is accomplished in works such as “Cotton” (2018), which was Bonner’s contribution…
Native Americana: David Huckfelt Deconstructs the ‘Cowboys and Indians’ Mythos On Room Enough, Time Enough
As folk singer David Huckfelt neared completion on his second solo album in March 2020, the year’s chaos was hardly hinted at—but change had already greeted him in the form of his newborn son. As if he needed additional inspiration (Huckfelt already had an extensive catalog with his folk rock band The Pines, and had…
Editor’s Note: Hello and Goodbye Again
It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that staff reporter Nicole Ludden, who has been doing outstanding work covering COVID-19 and a wide variety of other stories for us since September of last year, is leaving the Weekly to seek new adventures. Nicole is one of the very best young reporters it’s ever been…
Tucson Salvage: Quick Tripping Into Tin Men, Rusted Axles and Weathered Rocking Horses
It is not easy talking to folks during a pandemic. The old woman lives in a singlewide and I’ve seen her a few times on different days relaxing on a lumpy couch, in mesquite shade outside her place. Her comfort there, near The Outlaw Saloon, shows a view looking south at another trailer, and beyond…
Lobby Hobby: Arizona NORML Goes to Phoenix To Advocate for Good Marijuana Bills
Now that adult-use recreational marijuana has been legalized and we inhale the smoke of freedom, we might take for granted how regulation comes about. But when the sausage of cannabis laws is being made, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is there watching the grinder, advocating for constituent-friendly legislation and against laws…
