Cover Story
Spring Arts Preview
The Tucson Museum of Art has this art season’s biggest get: Ai Weiwei, the brightest contemporary art star today.
Cinema Clips: The Finest Hours
In 1952, an oil tanker called the Pendleton split in two during a blizzard off the coast of Cape Cod. All eight crewmembers who were in the stern at the time the boat broke in two perished. Thirty-three men initially survived in the bobbing bow section of the ship, mere hours away from certain death.…
Fun New App: Confessions of a Kitty Collecting Addict
Whether you’re a fan of cats or a general fan of adorable animations, I have a game for you. Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector is a Japanese cat game that has been sweeping through our iPhones in the cutest and most relaxing way. The app, rated number 104 on the Apple App Store free top charts,…
Time to Write Out Your Captain Mal/Wash Fantasies
Con Man Fanfiction Contest Launch Video from Con Man Web Series on Vimeo. Ages ago, we talked about Con Man—Alan Tudyk’s long overdue Firefly spinoff/replacement/bandage. Tudyk and Nathan Fillion raised cash for the project through Indiegogo. Obviously, people were excited, all kinds of cash was raised and fan bonuses were added as the money came…
Cinema Clips: Kung Fu Panda 3
Jack Black returns as the voice of Po in this decent second sequel in the saga of the Panda warrior and his warrior cronies. This time out, Po encounters his long lost dad Li (the warm growl of Bryan Cranston), who takes him to the land of the pandas so that he can learn the…
This Week in Music: Porches, Foxes, Lucinda Williams and DIIV
There’s a lot going on this week in music. Lucinda Williams adds to her grizzly folk repertoire, Foxes drops more crappy dance pop, DIIV dives further into an emotional abyss and Porches opens more “dark, damp curtains.” DIIV—Is the Is Are (Feb. 5) DIIV puts out infectiously wavey, dream-poppy tracks, which is why it’s no surprise…
Facebook Deletes Medical Marijuana Dispensary Pages Claiming Site Doesn’t Allow Material Condoning Drug Use
At least a handful of medical marijuana dispensaries in Tucson realized their Facebook pages had been deleted today by the social media site, according to the Daily Haze. Facebook claims they banned the pages because the company does not allow any material that “condones drug use.” The Haze spoke to Tucson’s Earth’s Healing’s marketing director, Florence…
Do This: Design Guru Talks Design at Tucson Art Museum
Ron Radziner, FAIA and design principal of Marmol Radziner, will host a talk Thursday, Feb. 4 at the Tucson Museum of Art as part of the UA College of Architecture’s “Craft” lecture series. Radziner, who took on architectural projects for celebrities and designers including Tom Ford, Demi Moore and Oliver Peoples, will speak about craft’s…
Celebrate Mardi Gras with Jambalaya, Gumbo, Crawfish and more at The Parish or Kingfisher
You’re probably not going to be able to fly all the way out to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a taste of Creole cooking right here in the Old Pueblo. Both The Parish and Kingfisher are offering special menu events on Tuesday, Feb. 9, serving…
New Bill Bulks Up Arizona’s “Vouchers on Steroids” (aka Empowerment Scholarship Accounts) Program
Want your child’s private school tuition subsidized by the state? Want your child’s home schooling subsidized by the state, with the added bonus of a heap of money left over to help pay for college? You can do that right now by signing up for one of those Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, aka Vouchers on Steroids,…
It’s About Time: UN Committee Says Abortion is a Human Right
Pro-choice supporters, feminists and generally good people everywhere are rejoicing a little extra today. Why? Because a UN committee declared abortion a human right. According to Mic.com, a woman from Peru called “K.L.” filed a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee after the Peruvian government wouldn’t allow her to get a “medically indicated” abortion back…
Let’s Watch This Rare Video of a Jaguar Roaming the Santa Rita Mountains
The only wild jaguar in the U.S. lives in the Santa Rita Mountains outside Tucson. We’ve been waiting to see live footage of him, and it’s our lucky day today: environmental groups have released a rare video of the jaguar, named El Jefe, roaming the Santa Ritas. The Center for Biological Diversity and Conservation CATalyst,…
Is Pima County Supe Ray Carroll Calling It Quits?
Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll is the talk of the town this week as Green Valley News editor Dan Shearer writes that the five-term Republican may be ready to call it quits. Carroll’s career on the Board of Supervisors began when he was appointed to the District 4 seat way back in 1997. Carroll, who…
Legal Theft III: Civil Forfeiture Victim Loses Motion for Legal Complaint Against Tucson Police
Ron Johnson, the founder of the 420 Social Club on Fourth Avenue, finally got his day in front of a judge this week to decide if a complaint he filed, bringing much-needed local attention to the controversial law enforcement practice of civil forfeiture, had legal standing. After his one-hour testimony Monday afternoon, a Pima County…
Ducey, the Koch Brothers and Education Funding
With Gov. Ducey back in Phoenix after traveling to Palm Springs to kiss the rings of his dark money benefactors Charles and David Koch—”Geez, guys, I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done to help me get elected, and I need to know what you want me to do next.”—it’s a good time to…
Beyonce Accused of Cultural Appropriation, Reflects Millennial Cultural Mores
Last Friday, Jan. 29, Coldplay released a new music video for their song, “Hymn for the Weekend.” In more important news, said video features Beyoncé. Beyhive members everywhere rejoice. As a long-time Beyoncé fan myself, I too rejoiced. I was elated to learn Bey would make her first video appearance since “Feeling Myself” with Nicki…
Katie Haverly, Jillian and the Giants Add Submissions to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest
Last week, Carlos Arzate & The Kind Souls came out with a new video filmed in the Bowen Stone House for the song “No More” for consideration in NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, in which bands and performers independently produce and submit live performances with the hope of being included in the popular online video series.…
Caesar Needs a Home
Hi again! I’m Caesar! I am a three year old boy who has lived at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona for over three months! I like to play a lot and love to go for walks. Do you like to hike, run, jog? Me too! Come adopt me and we can spend forever together…
What’s Climate Change Going To Do to the Food Supply?
The UA College of Science Spring Lecture Series on climate change continues tonight with a talk by David Battisti, the Tamaki Endowed Chair and professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington. Here’s what he’s going to be talking about: By the end of the century, the season averaged growing temperature will very likely…
PETA: Vegan Men Are Better in Bed Than Meat Eaters
Disclaimer: If you feel uncomfortable about sex scenes, don’t watch the video. No nudity, just a lot of moving and moaning! The secret for men to have longer erections—and a better sex life overall—is to go vegan, according to animal rights group PETA. PETA ‘s commercial proposal for Super Bowl Sunday—which is no different than…
Savor Food & Wine Festival Brings 30 Restaurants and More to the Tucson Botanical Garden
The Savor Food & Wine Festival is back for its third year to bring another full day of southern Arizona’s leading food, wine, beer and spirits makers together to present their wares. In addition to 30 restaurants, a dozen wineries and breweries, three distilleries and several other food and beverage vendors, the festival will be…
Upcoming ‘Selma’ Screening and Discussion
Looking for a some meaningful discussion next weekend? Come see the Oscar-nominated 2014 film, “Selma,” at the The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd., on Saturday Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. as a part of the Journalism on Screen series. There will be a question and answer period after the film with journalist and…
Zona Politics: Trouble for JTEDs, the Prez Race & John McCain’s Challenges
January 31st, 2016 from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo. On this week’s episode of Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel: Alan Storm, CEO and superintendent of the Pima County Joint Technical Education District, talks about why lawmakers need to reverse an upcoming $30 million budget cut or the JTEDs are going to go out…
Online Campaign Brings Real Voices to ‘Sex Sells’ Advertising
A powerful online campaign is collecting examples of blatant objectification of women and reminding us all what “sex sells” advertising is really saying. The campaign, championed by the hashtag #WomenNotObjects, was started in an attempt to fight sexism in advertising by woman-led, New York, advertising agency Badger and Winters. Their viral campaign video features real…
Sunset Mag: Bisbee Among the Best Communities in the West
Sunset Magazine has put Bisbee on the list of the best communities in the West: The main approach to Bisbee, southeastern Arizona’s mining town turned arts colony, is through a tunnel in a mountain. Once you pop out on the other side, you’ve entered a funky Shangri-la, a free-spirited community marked by a tangle of…
Arizona Is Back on Comedy Central Thanks to Dumb High School Kids & Their Racist Stunt
The Nightly Show with Larry WilmoreGet More: The Nightly Show Full Episodes,The Nightly Show on Facebook,The Nightly Show Video Archive The dumb Phoenix-area kids who spelled out the N-word on their T-shirts got the attention of the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, although he gives them credit for “using asterisks to spell out hateful words.”…
Should Charter Schools Be Held to Desegregation Standards?
Today’s post in honor of School Choice Week: State proposals and lawsuits in Minnesota look at charter schools and desegregation. In general, segregation has increased in our public schools over the last few decades around the country, but charter schools tend to be more segregated than district schools. Should this be considered a civil rights…
Director Katharine Martinez Announces Retirement from Center for Creative Photography
Just two weeks after chief curator Josh Chuang’s resignation became effective on Jan. 15, the Center for Creative Photography’s director, Dr. Katharine Martinez, announced her retirement. Her last official day is this Saturday, Jan. 30. Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, UA senior vice president for research and discovery, announced the unexpected retirement Tuesday in a terse…
Temptations Singer Brings Songs and Experience to Fox Theater
Local bigwigs are working to revive an influential part of Tucson history with the upcoming Tucson Forum events. The Fox Theater, 17 W. Congress, will be hosting Mr. Dennis Edwards, lead singer from The Temptations, on Sunday, Jan. 31 for a free armchair discussion. The discussion, focusing on Edwards’ experiences in the music business during the…
Proposal to Limit Filming of Law Enforcement Agents Dies
The Republican state lawmaker who wanted to prohibit people from video recording law enforcement agents up-close officially killed the controversial proposal. The bill by state Sen. John Kavanagh would have made it a crime to film cops without their consent within 20 feet of “law enforcement activity.” A first violation could have meant $300 in…
Study: Tennessee’s Charter-Heavy “Achievement School District” Schools Do Worse Than District-Run Turnaround Schools
Today’s post in honor of School Choice Week: A Tennessee experiment in improving low-performing schools using a state run, charter-heavy “Achievement School District” (ASD) and a district-run school turnaround model (iZone). Recent research indicates the ASD schools had no overall effect while students in the iZone schools showed measurable improvement. Tennessee received $500 million in…
Girl Scout Cookies and Craft Beer Join Forces at Tap & Bottle and Borderlands
Back for another round, the Tucson Girls Pint Out crew is pairing up cookies with craft beer to benefit the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. From 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 31, Tucson’s female beer crew will be serving up six brews with the cookies you know and love from the little…
B-Sides: Childbirth
The opening track to Childbirth’s 2015 release Women’s Rights is 39 seconds of chanting the words ‘childbirth’ and ‘women’s rights’ over and over again.
Editor’s Note
Gratitude, right? That’s supposed to be the key to happiness.
The Struggle Continues
As it’s been the tradition for several years, the 2016 legislative session began with nearly a handful of proposals hoping to burn down the state’s medical marijuana industry.
Dust Devil
What Happened to America
Pleasure Activist
Have you, or anyone you know, experienced a painful stinging or burning sensation as a result of using a crappy rubber jelly type dildo?
Police Dispatch
An unknown vandal used a variety of white, squishy bathroom products to draw male genitalia and scrawl offensive words all over the driveway of an eastside resident.
TQ&A
Grateful HeARTS, a free jewelry making workshop for local veterans
Capitol Contender
Tom O’Halleran served in the Arizona Legislature as a Republican, but he’s jumped to the Democratic Party as he seeks the chance to replace Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick in Arizona’s Congressional District 1.
Permission to Eat
María spent last Thursday morning calling the Pima County Health Department to discuss what options there are for an individual to prepare food and hand it out to Tucson’s homeless residents.
The Skinny
Unless the state acts soon, Arizona’s successful career and tech ed programs look doomed
Letter to the Editor
I have concerns about the shameful action taken by the Mayor and City Council to ban the homeless from downtown Tucson.
Letter to the Editor
Congrats to Supv of the 4th district Ray Carroll and our Board of supervisor for spending $80,000 to pay for a “trail canopy” so by the off chance someone on that remote trail should be under it when a train comes over them, and by chance, something should come loose, like a rock, they will…
Let’s Be Real: Dominick’s Real Italian
If anything, Dominick’s cannoli was a small consolation at the end of a generally flavorless meal.
Letters to the Editor
Medical Aid Needed for Terminally Ill This is another letter relative to Arizona’s struggle for legislation allowing medical aid in dying for the terminally ill, but from a different angle. It pertains to the listlessness (the kindest word for now) of our local medical community in getting involved with this issue which has a lot…
Give into Motown Temptation at Fox
The Fox Tucson Theatre will celebrate Tucson Urban League’s 45th anniversary in tempting style with The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards.
Tucson Salvage
Back in the 1980s, when Woody Woodpecker was a student bused to Catalina High School, his nickname was “Twelve Pack.” He was considered a legend.
Stargaze with the Semi-Pros
The Arizona Amateur Astronomy Association will answer any and all star-related questions at their Star Party
Krazy Kaufman
Anomalisa takes a rather mundane day in the life of rich businessman Michael Stone (voiced by David Thewlis) and somehow turns it into a wondrously imaginative movie.
Emo-Punk Oasis
191 Toole hosts Free Throw and Young & Heartless’ winter 2016 tour this Friday.
Sweet Escape: Fort Worth
It takes rock ‘n’ roll lifers to make a punk anthem out of the maxim that youth is wasted on the young.
Pose with your Pup
Do a downward dog with your dog at Sky Bar on Sunday, Jan. 31 at their Pups and Poses yoga class
Bed Head: Prom Body
A simple workout, one that he’d done thousands of times, put Mike Fay on his back for two months.
Sculpture Festival
The annual Tucson Sculpture Festival kicks off Saturday.
B-Sides: Bobby Rush
It’s no question that Bobby Rush is a blues legend. Having played the same stages as Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Etta James, Rush came up with the best of them
August Love
To say Arizona Theatre Company’s production of August Wilson’s Fences is powerful is to understate its depth and breadth. It’s a good old-fashioned American play with a linear story told by solidly constructed characters.
B-Sides: Jabee
Oklahoma City-based underground rapper Jabee has definitely caught the attention of some big names in the game.
