Cover Story
Blogislature 2012
The most conservative Legislature in Arizona’s history has one more session to complete its agenda. Conservatives have made major inroads in recent years: They’ve reduced “dependency” on government—by doing things like eliminating KidsCare, which provided health insurance to children in families earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. They’ve taken away health-insurance…
The Project White House Beer Summit Somewhat Less Official Tonight
The good news: Borderlands Brewing will be open from 4 to 7 pm tonight, with MaFooCo serving Korean tacos and such, beer on tap, and live music. The not so good news: The previously announced Project White House Beer Summit is not happening in an official sense this evening. Some presidential candidates will still be…
Republican Candidate to Drink With Liberals
From her Facebook page If you’re interested in meeting CD8/CD2 Republican candidate Martha McSally, on Sunday you’ll have an opportunity to do so in an unlikely place: the Drinking Liberally gathering at The Shanty. The event kicks off at 6 pm and, at very least, McSally is finding a way to separate herself from her…
Talking Comics: Venom and Helping Kids
Sure, they talk about comics at some point, but what’s really important is that Eric and Arnie discuss their store’s very cool comic book charity event this month, where they take comics (and money that they use to buy comics) to the kids down at Diamond Children’s Hospital. Sick kids would certainly be cheered up…
Let’s Watch This Laura Marling Video
It’s a little strange setting up posts today knowing that no one will likely care about anything I do today because our readership is still gripped with Martha Vasquez fever, but if you happen to see this, take a moment to watch this quite good music video for Laura Marling’s “All My Rage”. Marling comes…
EPA Objects To Key Permit for Rosemont Mine
The Environmental Protection Agency has let the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers know that it has a problem with the impact of the Rosemont Mine on local waterways. “At this time, we respectfully reaffirm our objections on the basis that permit approval will have substantial and unacceptable impacts to ‘aquatic resources of national importance’ (ARNI),…
Time to Prune Your Potted Annuals
In order to encourage our annuals and blooming perennials to provide us with an abundant show through May, it is a good idea to do some selective pruning in Mid-February and March. You are free to prune back alyssum and lobelia but be warned that if we get a freeze before they fill back out…
Arizona Makes the Legislature Hall of Shame
Esquire’s Charles P. Pierce doesn’t think too highly of Lori Klein and her Republican comrades in the Arizona Legislature: Our last stop is in Arizona, which seems bound and determined to vote itself back to the Stone Age, one law at a time. Not only would this bill get dozens of books chucked out of…
First Pinkberry in Arizona Opens Today at the UA
Zachary Vito The product. This Valentine’s Day, you can not only tell your special someone how much you “heart” them, but how much you “tart” them. (Please excuse my attempt at punnery.) On Monday evening, Pinkberry held a two-hour “soft” opening for its new location at the University of Arizona’s Student Union Memorial Center. Guests…
Tiger Woods Coming To Tucson; Unrelated: Local Strip Clubs Hiring For Temporary Positions
Tiger Woods made it official on Tuesday when he announced on his personal website that he would be playing next week in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana’s Dove Mountain enclave. Woods’ presence at the event will likely mean local TV stations and daily newspapers will have to double…
Lambchop Are Coming to Tucson. You Should Be Excited.
It’s actually a little bit of a challenge keeping up with all the shows coming to town that have been announced in the last few weeks (Ralph Stanley at the Rialto! Perfume Genius at Solar Culture!), so most people will have to pace themselves a bit. I can only swindle so many people into watching…
Police Report: Martha Vazquez Banned From Tucson Mall, Park Place After Alleged Shoplifting
According to a Tucson Police Department report filed Saturday, Feb. 11, Martha Vazquez was cited for shoplifting at the Dillard’s in the Tucson Mall after a security guard saw her on a surveillance camera conceal a $338 Eileen Fisher jacket in a sweater she wore to the department store. When the security guard went through…
Bon Iver Now At TCC Arena
Grammy-approved Best New Artist Bon Iver will be performing at the Tucson Convention Center instead of AVA on April 23. Feist opens the show. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the TCC Box Office, Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 800-745-3000. Details here.
Strange Mail: Masks and Paper Heart Edition
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Range received a letter by the world’s greatest lover himself: Don Juan DeMarco. Not only does the letter speak of his romanticism, but was also accompanied by a felt mask and dozens of colorful paper hearts that nearly spilled out all over our desk. His valentine to us:…
Valentine’s Day Suggestions From Stefon
Ok, this is a year old, but it’s still amusing. When will a Tucson club get its own coked-up Gremlin named Gizblow?
Tucson Physician Announces Plan To Challenge Grijalva
Dr. J. Manuel “Manny” Arreguin: “America is like a very unhealthy patient. We need to treat the whole patient, not just manage problems.” Congressman Raul Grijalva has picked up a third opponent in the Democratic primary in the new Congressional District 3. Dr. J. Manuel “Manny” Arreguin sent The Range a press release announcing he…
Young the Giant Plays the Rialto
Young the Giant doesn’t necessarily make me think “indie rock band.” Their music sounds like it draws from classic rock influences with a modern twist. It would be worth it to see this band on Wednesday, as frontman Sameer Gadhia’s strong vocals sound even better live than on the studio recordings. Concert tickets for Young…
Vazquez Departs KVOA; Sources Say She Was Involved in a Shoplifting Incident
Martha Vazquez stepped down from KVOA Channel 4 today. According to sources, her resignation follows a weekend shoplifting incident at the Tucson Mall. Vazquez was the anchor of KVOA’s 4 p.m. weekday newscast and had spent nearly 26 years with the organization.
Make Someone You Like Conversation Hearts
Photo by Flickr user Flare I don’t know if the recipe for “homemade conversation hearts” on Serious Eats does something to make the resulting candy not taste like food colored enhanced chalk, but think of how impressed your Valentine’s Day date will be when you pull out a Ziploc bag with somewhat oddly shaped candy…
We Know Why Facebook Makes You Sad
It looks like there’s a tipping point, when the happy awesome things that your friends are posting starting getting to you, making you sad that your life is a colossal disappointment. That tipping point is at 354 friends: Among the group who read updates, the study revealed that having 354 Facebook friends seemed to be…
Twitter Asks “Who Is Paul McCartney?”; Rest of World Weeps
No, seriously. Paul McCartney performed twice on the Grammys last night and the youth of this world have no idea who he is and posted so on Twitter last night, causing “who is Paul McCartney” to be a trending topic. But this really was a thing that happened — you can check out Buzzfeed for…
Let’s Go See a Movie About Plastic Bags
The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection is hosting a free screening of the documentary Bag It on Saturday, February 18th from 10 to 1:45am at the Loft Cinema. Since the City of Tucson has had some discussion about banning plastic bags or trying to find a way to reduce the number used in the city…
Time is Running Out to Win Brad Garrett Tickets
Brad Garrett is scheduled to take the stage at Casino del Sol this Sunday, February 19, so you should probably get your tickets now. However, we do still have two tickets to give away to one lucky Tucson Weekly reader. Just go to our contest page and enter before Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 5 pm.…
Project White House: A Message From Charles Skelley
As part of our extensive Arizona Presidential Preference Primary coverage, we’ve offered Republican and Green candidates on the ballot the opportunity to speak directly to the voter, unedited. Today, Republican Charles Skelley discusses his proposal for a campaign excise fee, partially in the third person: THE US NEEDS AN “EXCISE” FEE ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS…
Introducing Foodie the Kid
One of my favorite new Tucson food bloggers is Foodie the Kid, better known as 13-year-old Miles Chandler. He’s knocked out more restaurant reviews in a few short months than most local food bloggers do in a year, and his writing is direct and fun to read. He’s also apprenticed at food truck Planet of…
Frost Gelato Tries to Set a World Record, Sort Of
An uninspired internet search has not determined if Frost Gelato’s attempt to set the world record for the most expensive sorbet will be legit. I did discover that a place in Thailand called Mezzaluna has already made a sorbet with Cristal, but maybe Cristal is cheaper in Thailand. From a press release put out by…
State Sen. Paula Aboud To Announce Congressional District 2 Campaign
State Sen. Paula Aboud is set to announce plans to run for the new Congressional District 2 this year. Aboud, who has reached her term limit in the Arizona Senate, tells The Range she will make a formal announcement on Monday, Feb. 13. Aboud joins Democrat Matt Heinz, a state representative and physician, in seeking…
Your Valentine’s Day Plans Involve Waffles
While the idea of non-alcoholic champagne is offensive to me, it’s nice to have a diverse number of options regarding Valentine’s Day. I should be able to serve my romantic dining duties and get smothered hash browns. No news yet on whether any Tucson locations will participating, but I’ll keep you updated.
RIP, Whitney Houston
Crazy news today, as her publicist announced that Whitney Houston is dead at the age of 48. No real details yet, but Houston has largely been an enigma in recent years, falling far from her heights as one of the world’s biggest recording artists (she sold over 55 million albums in her career). I still…
Chomsky Occupies Centennial Hall
Zachary Vito Noam Chomsky, a renowned activist and philosopher, speaks in front of a packed crowd at UA’s Centennial Hall. Chomsky lamented the state of the educational system. Commentary by Britain Eakin The American education system is under attack. That’s according to Dr. Noam Chomsky, who told a packed house at Centennial Hall Wednesday evening…
A Very Good Idea: The Neighborhood Chef
There is a wonderful melding of art and cuisine happening in Tucson. When I spoke to David Aguirre of Dinnerware Artspace last year he said the creativity of many local artists extended beyond the studio and into the kitchen, and he saw it as a great way to help artists supplement their income while developing…
Political Roundtable: Ron Barber vs. the Crowded GOP Field in CD8 Special Election, Higher Ed Reform (and Guns) at the AZ Legislature & More!
This week on Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable: Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers and GOP strategist Sam Stone talk about the race to finish Gabby’s term, the ongoing battle between Pima County and Marana, and the latest at the Arizona Legislature, including higher reform (aka guns on campus and mandatory fees for students). Plus,…
The View From Downtown Tucson
Jim Nintzel Lots and lots and lots of stuff happening downtown this weekend, including rides ($4!) on this Ferris Wheel, captured in Hipstamatic form by Jim Nintzel.
Project White House 2012: From the Mind of Simon Bollander
We love democracy, so we’re offering Arizona Presidential Primary candidates the opportunity to share their views here on The Range. Today, we’re sharing the unedited perspective of Simon Bollander, Republican candidate for President. Simon Bollander the adminstrator of Worlds Masterminds is extremely upset in the way our Country is managed. You will not believe this…
Pima County Supervisor Faces First Challenger in 13 Years
Tricia McInroy Republican Ray Carroll was appointed Pima County District 4 Supervisor in 1997 and was elected in 1998. In the 13 years Carroll’s been in office he’s been reelected every election in 2000, 2004 and 2008 — all without opposition. Until now. According to the Quail Creek Republican Club newsletter, Carroll’s challenger for the…
New Oxygen Bar Opens Downtown
A new oxygen bar and tea room called Breathe, Drink & Design has opened at 416 N. Seventh Ave. St., right down the street from Che’s Lounge. The place serves tea and oxygen for two for $20, and the oxygen is apparently infused with various scents. Facebook tells us more: Our O2, or in lay-man’s…
Noam Chomsky at Centennial Hall
Zachary Vito Noam Chomsky speaks on the importance of education in society at Centennial Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. Noam Chomsky gave a free lecture at the UA’s Centennial Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 8, about the importance of education in our society and explored the the controversy surrounding ethnic studies in Tucson. Some more…
The Navy Is Naming a Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Although there’s apparently a bit of controversy (these type of ships are generally named after cities), Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced today that a new Littoral Combat Ship set to be built in Mobile, Alabama will be named for Gabrielle Giffords: “Giffords and the ship’s sponsor, Roxanna Green, are sources of great inspiration and represent…
Political Roundtable Tonight: The Race To Finish Gabby’s Term, Battles Between Marana and Pima County & Firearms on Campus
Tonight on the Arizona Illustrated Political Roundtable: Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers and Republican strategist Sam Stone stop by the studio talk about Ron Barber’s entry into the race to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ congressional term, the crowded GOP field in CD8, the ongoing battles between Marana and Pima County over a sewer plant…
You Should Go to the Youth Farm Project Event on Saturday
This is one of the greatest flyers I’ve seen in a while. I decided to focus on this awesome flyer after writing a full page about how the kids in the Youth Farm Project are heroes for trying to make America stronger and better. I really do believe that, but I didn’t want to scare…
Kyl: “There Is Not Exactly Romney-Mania Right Now”
In the wake of Rick Santorum’s three-state sweep earlier this week, Sen. Jon Kyl tells Politico that “there is not exactly Romney-mania right now”: Kyl, who like DeMint has not endorsed in the 2012 race, launched into a sharp critique Wednesday on the matter, saying Romney’s support for indexing the minimum wage to inflation is…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Bicycling Magazine’s gear editor, Andrew Bernstein, tweeted this photo from Mt. Lemmon. Editors from Bicycling Magazine picked Tucson to test bikes for their annual gear guide. Check out why they picked Tucson and what they are up to. Check out this jaw dropping video of road bike riders doing tricks. Ever wonder what the 24…
Tucson Solicitor Sinks to New Low Selling Girl Scout Cookies
Photo Ryn Gargulinski/Sticker by Emilyscookies00 The evidence Please note column update at bottom of post Random pizza menus jammed in the doorjamb and satellite TV offers dangling from the doorknob are bad. But one Tucson solicitor sank to an even lower low by sticking a permanent sticker in the middle of an otherwise pristine front…
Mini-Dingoes Don’t Eat Babies, Do They?
Sure, they’re cute now, but at some point, they’ll get together and team up against humanity. Enjoy their adorableness while it lasts. [HT: The Awl]
Project White House 2012: Kip Dean Speaks!
As part of our series “Let’s run YouTube video on the blog featuring the Project White House candidates”, here’s a clip from Kip Dean, who explains why he’s running for president, filmed at the Borderland Brewing/Project White House beer summit.
AutoTuned Bon Iver Jams With The Roots
While it didn’t make it on air, Jimmy Fallon house band The Roots and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver rocked out a eight-plus minute long version of “Perth” from his latest album. It is quite pretty, albeit your opinion might be determined by your feelings about AutoTune. Bon Iver is coming to AVA Amphitheater with…
Local Tattoo Shop Makes Greatest Ad of All Time
Full disclosure: I once managed a soccer team with an unicorn in its logo, so perhaps I’m biased, but this ad for Tucson tattoo shop Magic Fun Store, which I don’t think will ever appear anywhere other than online, might be the greatest single thing on YouTube ever. Kind of makes me want to get…
This Is Not How to Propose
I get what Pizza Hut is doing with this $10,010 proposal package (and I’m helping, I suppose, by writing about it), but what’s frightening is that someone will probably actually take them up on the offer. So, if you’re not terribly bright, don’t understand women at all, and have a little over $10k to burn,…
Congressional Candidate Ron Barber: “I’m Really Concerned, As Most People Are, About What’s Going On in Washington”
JD Fitzgerald Ron Barber and Gabrielle Giffords met with rancher Warner Glenn shortly before Giffords resigned from Congress Ron Barber made it official this morning: He’s going to run as a Democrat in the June 12 special election to complete the term of Gabrielle Giffords in Southern Arizona’s Congressional District 8. “It took me a…
Talking Comics: Secret Avengers Edition
New Talking Comics drinking game: line up some shots and drink one every time Eric frames a sentence with “Yeah [pronoun] did” or “Yeah [pronoun] is”. Also, they discuss Secret Avengers, in which Captain America sounds sort of like Bill O’Reilly.
Ron Barber: “While There Will Never Be Anyone Who Can Fill Congresswoman Giffords’ Shoes, I Look Forward To Continuing Her Legacy of Putting Problem-Solving Before Politics”
Jim Nintzel Ron Barber announces his campaign to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ congressional term. The press release: Today, Southern Arizonan and former Gabrielle Giffords District Director Ron Barber announced his candidacy for Congress in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. Barber pledged to continue Gabrielle Giffords’ legacy of working across the aisle to solve problems for the people…
Beach-Themed Bar Fini’s Landing Almost Ready to Set Sail
The new beach-themed bar Fini’s Landing is shaping up nicely at 5689 N. Swan Road. It even has a cool boat-shaped bar with decent views of the nearby mountains. You can check that out on Facebook, if you’re into that sort of thing. This place is a project by two guys who left the Hut…
Alliance Fund Hits Half-Million in Cumulative Giving to LGBT Projects
The LGBT&S Alliance Fund, a special project from the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, hit a half-million in cumulative giving this year to Tucson-area LGBT projects. A total of $42,000 went to projects in Southern Arizona last month. The grants were given at a ceremony mid-January and the the recipients were chosen as part of…
Ron Barber To Announce Plans To Seek To Complete Giffords’ Term Today
Ron Barber, the longtime district director for Gabrielle Giffords’ Congressional District 8 office, is expected to announce plans to enter the race to complete her term today. Details to follow, but for background, see this week’s Skinny column: As our print deadline closes in, it appears likely that Ron Barber, who has served as the…
Before Statehood
In the mid-1820s, an enthusiastic young Kentuckian by the name of James O. Pattie traveled into the Arizona wilderness. The remote region was still part of Mexico, and Pattie headed into its unknown byways with his father and some other men to trap beaver. They hoped to make a fortune selling the fur to entrepreneurs…
Ruthie Foster: Let It Burn (Blue Corn)
In the hands of some jazz, soul and blues vocalists—Cassandra Wilson and Bettye LaVette among them—classic-rock tunes are becoming the new standards. On her terrific new album, singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster brings her signature blend of folk, blues, soul and gospel to the party. But she has help. Producer John Chelew has been behind the boards…
Prehistoric Past
I visited Stonehenge for the first time a little more than a year ago, and as I strolled around the ancient monument, I overheard an elderly American gentleman grumble to his companion that “this was a long way to go just to see a bunch of rocks.” Since my visit, I’ve spent more time thinking…
Bills Buzz
A lot of things are happening with Arizona’s medical-marijuana program—judges are ruling right and left in federal and state court; a humbled Will Humble is moving ahead with dispensary applications at the Department of Health Services; and Gov. Jan has leaped off her MMJ high horse for the time being and moved on to eating…
Top Ten in Books
1. The Gardener’s Guide to Cactus: The 100 Best Paddles, Barrels, Columns, and Globes Scott Calhoun, Timber ($24.95) 2. The Glamour of Being Real Joanna Frueh, ErneRené ($10) 3. The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($8.99) 4. Anthropologies: A Family Memoir Beth Alvarado, University of Iowa ($19.95) 5. The Tiger’s Wife: A Novel Tea Obreht,…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: Six generations of my family have been born and raised in Brownsville, Texas. Everyone speaks Spanish most of the time. Right now, almost every Republican in the state is trying to redistrict Texas so that the bumper crop of Mexican-American candidates are kept from coming up. They passed voter-ID laws recently, and you…
Mailbag
People like to discuss the Rosemont Mine; Danehy needs to get serious
Teens on Film
There’s a good movie and a great idea buried in the stagey muck that clogs up Chronicle, the latest entry in the found-footage craze. There are so many of these found-footage movies now that I feel like I’m writing about them every week. A film about three high school kids finding some kind of meteor…
Nobody Is Talking
Robert Varela doesn’t need to look far to be reminded of the way-too-short life of his son Ricardo. When looking at his oldest daughter, Roseanne, he sees someone who, like Ricardo, strived to use a good education to make it in life. “Those two had plans together,” Robert said. “You couldn’t separate those two. They…
Top Ten in Movies
1. Drive Sony 2. In Time 20th Century Fox 3. The Ides of March Sony 4. 50/50 Summit 5. Moneyball Sony 6. Contagion Warner Bros. 7. The Thing Universal 8. Real Steel Walt Disney 9. Killer Elite Universal 10. Dream House Universal
Top Ten in Music
1. Apathy for the Devil: A ’70s Memoir (book) Nick Kent (Da Capo) 2. Boogie Nazis Boogie Nazis (self-released) 3. Al Foul Live at Tucson Roller Derby, Vol. 1 (self-released) 4. Skinnerbox The Playhouse (Bobok/Toxic Shock) 5. The Fall Ersatz G.B. (Cherry Red) 6. Al Perry for President (T-shirt) 7. Andrew Collberg “Dirty Wind” 7…
The Skinny
Ron Barber gets closer to a run to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ term … Is a new Republican face emerging to challenge the GOP boys in the CD 8 race? … Raúl Grijlava picks up some primary competition … and more!
Philosophy Over Memory
Choreographer Pina Bausch became a major figure in modern dance in the 1970s. Establishing Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, she engaged in intense and constant collaboration with her performers for the development of each piece. The esteemed director Wim Wenders approached Bausch to work together on a documentary a few years ago. Two days before they…
Police Dispatch
Unsolicited underwear; spit happens
Now Showing at Home
Malcolm X (Blu-ray); Drive (Blu-ray); To Kill a Mockingbird: 50th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
Sacrifice Zone
Relentless traffic clogs Euclid Avenue, passing a church, a bank and a cluster of old houses that survive as refugees from the UA’s endless expansion. In Tucson’s rush to plant high-density housing near the planned modern streetcar line, and under white-hot pressure from big developers, even those old dwellings may soon feel the ax. The…
Use Your Noodle
Don’t let the Stone Avenue address fool you: Pho 1 is not on Stone Avenue. The sign sits squarely on the corner of Stone and Sahuaro Street, but this quaint restaurant is really on Sahuaro, about two doors east of Stone. The outside appearance is a bit deceiving as well. The building looks small, but…
Weekly Wide Web
There probably aren’t many people who are excited about the barrage of political ads that will inevitably jam up the media channels during election season. I find them sort of interesting, but that’s partially because we spend quite a bit of time (willingly) talking about local politics here at Weekly World Central, so I’m clearly…
Media Watch
BOB becomes i97.5; Garret Lewis gets a new gig
Noshing Around
Boutique chocolates; A sort of gastropub; A new bar on Fourth Avenue; and more!
Happy Hour Politics
Seven presidential candidates gathered last Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the first Project White House 2012 Beer Summit, and rather than slinging mud or questioning each other’s conservative credentials, the genial contenders mingled with one another and chatted with potential voters. As food trucks Animal Farm and MaFooCo served burgers and Korean tacos, the candidates talked…
Unusual Inspirations
Putting together a new CD doesn’t usually involve trips to the lumberyard. But for Chris Black’s Drunk at the Funeral, the lumberyard was just the beginning. Fed up with the generic plastic world of CDs, Black wanted to give his new piano-and-percussion album a distinctly handcrafted feel. So Black teamed with Drew Burk of Spork…
Editor’s Note
I understand classic conservatism. I understand classic liberalism. I even understand classic libertarianism. But I do not understand this Arizona Legislature. As we do every year, we’re following the legislation being churned out in Phoenix—and while there’s some good stuff (like a bill to ban texting while driving, which seems like a total no-brainer), there’s…
No. 48!
After Arizona voters in late 1911 approved an amendment removing a contentious judicial-recall provision from the proposed state Constitution, speculation quickly spread that Arizona would achieve statehood in 1912 on Lincoln’s birthday, Feb. 12. But several factors intervened to result in Arizona becoming a Valentine’s Day state instead. The official counting of the results from…
Soundbites
A new venue downtown; Funding the folk festival; Digital Leather comes home; and more!
Danehy
Feb. 18, 2017 Dear Grandpa: Our assignment in class today is to write a letter to somebody famous or important, so, naturally, I chose you. I mean, there aren’t many kids who can say that they attend a school named for one of their relatives. I like it here at the Al Melvin Secular Charter…
Celebrating 100
Arizona is celebrating 100 years of statehood on Feb. 14, and because a centennial only comes along once a century, 2nd Saturdays Downtown and other organizations have joined forces to put on a show worthy of the event. From Friday, Feb. 10, through Sunday, Feb. 12, Tucson’s downtown will be packed with musicians, street performers,…
A Better Place Awaits
Alzheimer’s is an insidious disease. At its worst, it can rob an individual of not only memories and faculties, but also a livelihood, relationships and a complete sense of self. At its best, with support of family and friends, it can be managed (to an extent), affording its victims opportunities to make the most of…
Messina
For Tucsonan Winona Smith, the adage “you get what you pay for” doesn’t ring true. The idea that something free is less-valuable than something expensive doesn’t cut it for her, either. Smith is a co-coordinator of Tucson Time Traders, Tucson’s local time bank. As defined at tucson.timebanks.org, a time bank is a group of people…
City Week
Fort Lowell Day; An intimate evening; A guitar wiz; A tie cutting anniversary
Nine Questions
London-born Stephen Wrentmore, the associate artistic director at Arizona Theatre Company, is directing Simon Levy’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, which runs Feb. 25 through March 17 at the Temple of Music and Art. “In England, we have a similar quiz called Desert Island Discs,” he says, “and I have been preparing these responses for…
TQ&A
Chris Leon says he was a rough kid who left home at the age of 20 to start over in Seattle. He hung out with poets, DJs, MCs and other artists who helped him look at the world differently—but what ultimately changed his life was his aunt, who, when he was in his mid-30s, insisted…
Live
Within the past couple of weeks, Tucson has had the pleasure of hosting a few events that successfully meshed visual arts and music—and due to the overwhelmingly positive crowd responses, it seems to be a trend worthy of being continued. Last weekend, the Rialto Theatre hosted the Sonoran Glass Art Academy’s 10th Annual Flame Off,…
Sketch This!
Actors are always delighted when they’re working, but Cecily Strong thinks her gig beats them all. “There’s nothing better than having a job where you’re laughing every day, and you’re making your co-workers laugh and other people laugh,” she says. She’s one of five cast members of the Second City’s Laugh Out Loud Tour, which…
Dr. Dog: Be the Void (Anti-)
Dr. Dog manages to take a step back toward a more- eclectic, ramshackle sound without losing any of the magnetic catchiness of its last studio record. What most characterizes Be the Void is the joyful, live spontaneity that bounds from song to song. More adventurous and experimental than the band’s ANTI- debut, 2010’s Shame, it’s…
Go for “Flow”
Sassy NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre is converting its modern-dance repertory into jukebox fare. Serious dances will get a pop-song treatment at For the Love of Water, a Valentine’s-themed concert and fundraiser on Friday night, Feb. 10. Erika Farkvam’s dance about Emily Dickinson’s letter-writing habit, solemnly performed to cello music in the Dickinson concert last November,…
Breathe Owl Breathe: The Listeners/These Train Tracks (Rad)
I don’t normally go gaga for precious, family-friendly concepts like a 7-inch vinyl record accompanied by a homemade, hand-printed-from-woodblocks children’s book. But Michigan indie-folk trio Breathe Owl Breathe, led by part-time author Micah Middaugh, has crafted an exceptional release that deserves attention. The book in question tells the tale of a blind burrower (mole) and…
Benny Benassi Tickets on Sale Now
The popular electro house DJ, Benny Benassi is heading to the Tucson Arena Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets for Benassi’s concert went on sale on the University of Arizona mall yesterday, and if you’re around those parts, someone will gladly take your money from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets are also available…
Citizens United Endorses Jesse Kelly in Special Election
Republican Jesse Kelly picks up the key endorsement—and $10,000—from Citizens United in the special election to complete the term of Gabrielle Giffords, who resigned from Congress on Jan. 25. The release from Citizens United: Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF), the affiliated PAC of Citizens United, issued the following statement endorsing combat veteran Jesse Kelly…
PCC Chancellor Dr. Roy Flores to Take Medical Leave
In light of tonight’s controversial meeting of the Pima Community College’s governing board to vote on naming Suzanne Miles chancellor of the college (replacing Roy Flores), this press release from the college doesn’t come as much of a surprise: Tucson, AZ — Pima Community College Chancellor Dr. Roy Flores is taking medical leave, effective Feb.…
“Necessary Targets” Protests War and Violence Against Women
Necessary Targets, presented by UA’s Arizona Repertory Theatre opens tonight. The play is directed by Kevin Black and written by feminist author Eve Ensler, known for her play The Vagina Monologues. Patrick McArdle Zlata (Michelle Luz) remembers a better Bosnia before the Yugoslavian Civil War and JS (Georgia Harrison) listens with empathy during a quiet…
Don’t Rush to Prune!
Tucson has finally had some warmer days which has confused our plants. Some of our shrubs and trees are starting to put out new growth. This does not mean it is time to prune. Our last average frost is March 15th. If you prune now, you will expose tender unprotected stems to a possible freeze…
