Cover Story
His Name Is Max Thunder
In 2009, both Carlee Hill and Christopher Johnson could have died. Carlee was 23, and she thrived at the center of Tucson’s downtown life. She was a waitress at the Grill, the funky fixture on Congress Street. She sang in a band. When she was 14, she’d gotten her own show on KXCI FM 91.3.…
Clues Unlimited Considers Closing
E-books and deep discounts at big-box stores may be sounding the death knell for yet another locally owned book stores. Clues Unlimited, which has specialized in the sale of mystery books since it opened 14 years ago, may close at the end of the year, says owner Christine Burke. “I feel like I’m fighting against…
Mullet Mourning
Iran bans the mullet in order to free itself of ‘decadent’ Western hairstyles: Jaleh Khodayar, who’s in charge of the government- backed Modesty and Veil Festival, explains that the styles “are inspired by Iranians’ complexion, culture and religion, and Islamic law.” It’s not all good news for fans of the short back and sides, however:…
Tucson’s Everyday People: Grandmother Returns, a Ghost Story by Eddie Gallego
Grandmother ReturnsBy Blair Kurland Another unearthly visit recounted by storyteller Eddie Gallego.
See The Candidates! Local Clean Elections Debates Begin This Week
The Clean Elections Primary Election debates are coming up quick for Southern Arizona’s legislative candidates. Wednesday, July 7: See Terri Proud and Wade McLean battle it out in the LD26 (north Tucson and Oro Valley) GOP House of Representatives debate. The only other candidate in the race, Rep. Vic Williams, is running a traditionally-funded campaign…
More Trouble for Rosemont Mine: The Dangers to Beardless Chinch Weed
The Center for Biological Diversity comes up with two new ways to slow down the Rosemont Mine: Seeking endangered status for Bartram stonecrop and beardless chinch weed. The press release: Today the Center for Biological Diversity filed an Endangered Species Act listing petition seeking protection for two rare Arizona plant species. The plants occur in…
Brewer’s Border Conference Conundrum
The New York Times looks at how SB 1070 is upending relations between Arizona and Mexico, especially when it comes to an annual get-together between border governors: Ms. Brewer happens by rotation to be the chairwoman and host of this year’s conference, scheduled for September at a resort in Phoenix. But after all six Mexican…
SB 1070 Reaction: Grijalva vs. Arpaio
Congressman Raul Grijalva takes on Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on CNN. BTW: Grijalva will visit Arizona Illustrated’s Friday Roundtable this week. The show airs at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 6.
Frog Boil University
Mother Jones’ take on Beck University: The forthcoming institution o’learnin’, appropriately titled Beck University, will “explore the concepts of Faith, Hope and Charity and show you how they influence America’s past, her present and most importantly her future.” Its faculty features such luminaries as a free-market economist whose degree is in psychology and a Texas…
Happy Birthday, Frida
“They are so damn ‘intellectual’ and rotten that I can’t stand them anymore. … I (would) rather sit on the floor in the market of Toluca and sell tortillas, than have anything to do with those ‘artistic’ bitches of Paris” —Frida Kahlo on Andre Breton and the European surrealists.
Tucson’s Everyday People: More Scary Tales With Eddie Gallego at the Old Town Artisans
The Lady in the Mirror with Eddie Gallegoby Blair Kurland At the northwest corner of the Old Town Artisans is a ghostly patron. Here a short story about her with Eddie Gallego. Part 2 of 6.
Feds Vs. AZ on SB 1070: Reax From Giffords, Kelly and Vogt
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords: I am disappointed with the federal lawsuit against SB 1070 for the same reason I was disappointed when this bill became law: Neither will do anything to make Arizona’s border communities more secure. Both the law and the lawsuit challenging the law are unnecessary distractions. Arizonans want our nation to control its…
Grijalva Encourages Musicians to Come to AZ to Fight SB 1070
Congressman Raul Grijalva, who has urged conventions to boycott Arizona, is now working with local musicians, including Joey Burns of Calexico and David Slutes of the Sand Rubies, to counter the Sound Strike effort to persuade musicians to boycott Arizona. Grijalva is supporting Viva Arizona—Artists In Action, a new organization formed to encourage musicians to…
SB 1070 Lawsuit Reaction: Kyl and McCain
U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl release a joint statement on the lawsuit against SB 1070: It is far too premature for the Obama Administration to challenge the legality of this new law since it has not yet been enforced. Most legal experts believe such a “facial challenge” to the statute would be very…
Feds File Suit Against SB 1070
As expected, the U.S. Justice Department has filed suit to challenge SB 1070, Arizona’s new immigration law. Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva’s response: This is exactly the right time for our federal government to send a message about the importance of fairness and equality under the law. I join many others in thanking the president for…
Today’s the Day: Feds To Sue Over SB 1070?
CNN reports: The Justice Department is expected to file a legal challenge Tuesday against Arizona’s controversial immigration law, according to an administration official. During a recent interview with CNN’s John King, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said that, if the Obama Justice Department winds up suing her state over the law, she’ll go to court. Administration…
Your Last Chance To See “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” at The Loft
If you haven’t yet seen The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo at the Loft Cinema, you’d better hurry. The run ends Thursday. Details here. We’d rate the mystery thriller as one of favorite flicks of the year—and we’re usually not all that patient with subtitles. TW critic James DiGiovonna gave it high marks as well:…
Nonsense About Kidnappings In Phoenix
In yesterday’s interview on This Week, U.S. Sen. John McCain repeated his claim about Phoenix being the No. 2 spot in the world for kidnappings. That claim has been debunked by the gang at PolitiFact.com: True, “Kidnapping capital” is a headline-grabbing label. But so far, we’ve seen no evidence that it’s accurate, or even close.…
Dougherty: No Robocalls!
U.S. Senate candidate John Dougherty, who is facing former Tucson City Council member Rodney Glassman, former state lawmaker Cathy Eden and labor organizer Randy Parraz in the Democratic primary, says you won’t be getting any robocalls from him: John Dougherty, Arizona Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, is speaking out against “robocalls.” The automated phone calls…
Friday Roundtable: Immigration, City Sales Tax & Buz Mills, Big Spender
A little delayed because of Independence Day (and let’s face it, it’s not like you were visiting our site on your holiday weekend), but here’s last Friday’s Roundtable segment from Arizona Illustrated.Topics include whether the city should seek a new sales tax, the big spending by gubernatorial candidate Buz Mills and, of course, immigration.
Friday Roundtable: Democrat Randy Parraz Interview
Democrat Randy Parraz, who is in a four-way race against former Tucson City Council member Rodney Glassman, investigative journalist John Dougherty and former state lawmaker Cathy Eden in the run for U.S. Sen. John McCain’s seat, visits Arizona Illustrated’s Friday Roundtable.
McCain on Afghanistan: “Now Is the Time to Continue This Mission”
John McCain appears on ABC News’ This Week to talk about the Afghanistan war and immigration reform. No surprise: He wants the border secure before moving forward on fixing the nation’s broken immigration system. Kudos to host Jake Tapper for reminding him that a few years back, McCain flat-out said he didn’t think a fence…
Coming Soon: Flavor of India
The owners of Gandhi Cuisine of India are opening a new restaurant in Oro Valley. Flavor of India is expected to open in about two months at 12112 N. Rancho Vistoso Blvd., said Mukhtiar Singh, who owns Gandhi Cuisine of India at 150 W. Fort Lowell Road with his brothers, Sandhu and Tarsem Singh. The…
Tucson’s Everyday People: Old Time Artisans Ghosts Stories with Eddie Gallego 1 of 6
In this six-part series of videos by UA School of Journalism Blair Kurland, Old Time Artisans resident storyteller Eddie Gallego recounts spooky tales of unearthly happenings at the old downtown shop. The Stake in the Desk Here’s a short piece by Blair Kurland. From a rich past comes a haunting present—or at least that’s what…
Democratic Double: LD26 Dems Way Ahead in Fundraising
The latest campaign finance reports show Democratic legislative candidates Cheryl Cage and Representative Nancy Young Wright cleaning up in swing District 26. Senate candidate Cheryl Cage raised roughly $38,000—or more than double what her Republican contender, state Sen. Al Melvin, pulled in for the same period. Democrat Cheryl Cage But Melvin isn’t worried. He says…
CD8: Paton’s New Ad
Republican Jonathan Paton, who is one of five candidates in the GOP primary that will decide who challenges Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Congressional District 8, unveils a new Web ad.
E-mail of the Day (Thus Far)
From: Jack FrazerSent: Monday, July 05, 2010 9:39 AMTo: Jimmy BoegleSubject: stupid you are like all media only print a little truth when you state no automatic citizenship forpeople born in the u.s.a . what he is talking about are the wetbacks that come up here to have a baby then claim there citizenship you…
Republican Jim Deakin: “Getting Politics Out of Health Care Will Reduce Costs”
Republican Jim Deakin, who has joined J.D. Hayworth in challenging U.S. Sen. John McCain in the GOP primary, stops by Arizona Illustrated to chat with Bill Buckmaster. He says he’d filibuster Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court until the border is secure.
Conor Oberst Responds to Charlie Levy’s Letter Regarding SB 1070 Boycott
We recently reported on an open letter that Arizona concert promoter Charlie Levy, of Stateside Presents, wrote to artists who are boycotting performing in our state in order to protest SB 1070, Gov. Jan Brewer and the state Legislature’s ass-backwards attempt to fix the immigration problem. In that letter, Levy wrote, “By not performing in…
Charlie Cook: “For Democrats, the House Is, At Best, Teetering on the Edge”
More bad news for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who represents a swing district in Southern Arizona’s CD8. Charlie Cook of The Cook Report analyzes the latest polls: Among all voters, there has been a significant swing since 2008 when Democrats took their new majority won in 2006 to an even higher level. But when you home…
CD8: Republicans Respond to RNC Chair’s Comments on Afghanistan
Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has come under fire for comments yesterday about Afghanistan: Keep in mind again, federal candidates, [Afghanistan] was a war of Obama’s choosing. This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in. … It was the president who was trying to be cute by half…
God Bless The Loft: Independent Day “Team America” Sing-Along!
The Loft Cinema presents its annual Independence Day Team America sing-along on Sunday, July 4. What better way to celebrate our nation’s birthday? Details here.
Is the Economy on the Rebound?
Arizona Illustrated anchor Bill Buckmaster talks about the slightly rebounding Arizona economy with Marshall Vest, director of the Economic and Business Research Center at Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, and Dennis Hoffman, Ph.D., an economics professor and director of the L. William Seidman Research Institute at the W.P. Carey School of…
Bodies … The Exhibition Offers Special
Admission for Bodies … The Exhibition will be reduced from Friday, July 2, to Monday, July 5, in honor of Independence Day. Regular admission is $22. Ticket prices for the weekend are: $17.76 for adults 13-64$14 children 4-12$18 adults 55 and olderFree for military with IDFree for children younger than 4Audio tours $5 Bodies ……
Rasmussen: Brewer Leads Goddard
Rasmussen has new numbers on the Arizona governor’s race. She’s out ahead of Goddard: Brewer, the runaway leader in her own party’s primary contest, is now leading Goddard, the unchallenged Democratic candidate for governor, by 18 points in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the governor’s race. Fifty-three percent (53%) of Likely Voters in…
Cage Campaign: We’re Raising More Dough Than Melvin
Cheryl Cage—who narrowly lost to Al Melvin for the Legislative District 26 seat two years ago—sent a news release today that says she’s raking in the dough: LD 26 SENATE CANDIDATE CHERYL CAGE OUT RAISES INCUMBENT AL MELVIN Rises to top fundraiser in Southern Arizona legislative races Tucson, AZ — Arizona State Senate candidate Cheryl…
Stone River Boys: Love on the Dial (Cow Island)
Former Hacienda Brothers/Paladins ace Dave Gonzalez has bounced back from the sudden passing in 2008 of fellow Hacienda Brother Chris Gaffney with a new Austin-based combo, Stone River Boys. On their debut CD, Love on the Dial, the Boys are working from essentially the same playbook as the Brothers: a seamless blend of immaculately played…
Mailbag
Open the Borders; Legalize Drugs; Celebrate Diversity!
Born Ruffians: Say It (Paper Bag/Warp)
For 43 minutes and 21 seconds, the Violent Femmes set fermented teenage desire in amber on their first album. Born Ruffians pick up that polished gem and play skipping stones with it. Their latest, Say It, charts the trajectory of that stone from palm to riverbed. Luke LaLonde’s hyena-yelp delivery on tracks like “Sole Brother”…
Police Dispatch
Die, Marriage, Die!; A Perfect 10
Top Ten in Books
Antigone Books best-sellers for the week
Weekly Wide Web
A typical teacher will lecture to a couple dozen students each day. Sal Khan, who lectures to about 70,000 students each day, is not your typical teacher. His classroom is a YouTube page. At YouTube.com/khanacademy, you can find more than 1,500 of his instructional videos on math, probability, statistics and basically any other subject that’s…
Delights Old and New
There’s a very funny episode of Everybody Loves Raymond in which braciole is the star of the show. Braciole is beef, usually an inexpensive cut, stuffed with all manner of good things and then rolled before being slow-cooked in a red sauce. It’s a home-cooked meal; every decent Italian cook has his/her own recipe—but you…
Antidote to Stupid
Normally, this is a space for happy thoughts. I make exciting announcements or point out really cool articles in the newspaper—stuff like that. But this week, I can’t muster happy thoughts. I am cranky, surly and more than a little grouchy. Why? Well, because stupidity pisses me off, and there’s a whole lot of stupidity…
Now Showing at Home
Don McKay (Blu-ray); Green Zone (Blu-ray); Darkman (Blu-ray);
City Week
New Findings by Ian K. Millard; The Fireside Chats With FDR; “Page to the Stage: The Outrageous New Play Festival Series”; Old Fashioned Independence Day
Flying and ‘Falling’
Tucson is becoming so overrun by great writers that you can’t swing a Norton college textbook anthology without hitting a gifted contemporary poet. The small-press community continues to publish the living, breathing, satisfying verse that many of us complain about not being able to find. Sure, you have to dig a bit, but bards definitely…
Street Art Live!
If you’ve been to one art opening, you’ve pretty much been to them all: Art connoisseurs marvel over what is being displayed, while repetitive music blares in the background. However, the opening of Fragment Gallery’s new graffiti/street-art show, Post No Bills, will not offer the same old thing. Instead, it will include three talented artists…
Not Just Steel Guitars
I’m anxiously awaiting a phone call from Barry Flanagan. He’s the New Jersey kid who, almost 30 years ago, migrated halfway across the world to pursue his dream of studying Hawaiian music and slack-key guitar. Inspired by Gabby Pahinui, the grand master of this art form, Flanagan and Hapa—the duo which released its first album…
Messina
It’s a common scene at summer camp: Sweaty little bodies coated with Coppertone line up on the blacktop and await the start of a game. Other kids run gleefully into the woods to play tag. In a quiet cabin nearby, small groups of children gather to make crafts. However, in sun-baked Tucson, summer camp looks…
New Reinterpretations
I might want to hate Mates of State if I didn’t find them so adorable. The happily married, impossibly good-looking and successful duo Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel make charming, melodic and seemingly effortless pop-rock music on their own terms. It’s joyful, danceable and has substance. They also find time to balance a 13-year-old career…
Guest Opinion
One of the most pervasive taunts from the anti-immigrant mob is: “What part of illegal don’t you understand?” Over and over again, people declare that their ancestors came to the United States “legally.” If you are the descendant of immigrants, as most of us are, how do you know the status of your grandparents or…
Media Watch
Antenori: KUAT’s Friday Roundtable leans to the left
Live
Monster Pussy, Logan Greene and the Bricks, The Gentlemen of Monster Island
Interpreting the Revolution
Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9 is a gem of a script. British playwright Churchill fearlessly grabs huge hunks of history, social custom and sacred cows, and with delicious glee, hurls them against a wall, where they stick and bleed together to create a crazy, mixed-up new world order. Last weekend, Live Theatre Workshop revealed an intelligent…
The Skinny
Congressional District 8 Republican candidate Jesse Kelly doesn’t like the BP “shakedown” … U.S. Sen. John McCain still has the support of half of Arizona’s Republicans … Gov. Jan Brewer surges in the GOP gubernatorial race, even if she can’t get her facts straight … and more!
Nine Questions
Aaron DeFeo
Saguaros Revisited
When pioneering photographer Timothy O’Sullivan was roaming Arizona in 1871, he made an image that forever after influenced Arizona photography. His “Cereus Giganteus,” taken on the government Wheeler Expedition, is the first photograph of a saguaro anybody knows of. Terry Etherton, an expert in historical photography, says he’s been on a “quest for years” to…
Soundbites
Celebrating Jake; Red, white and tunes; A congressional trio; On the bandwagon
Danehy
I will not be the first nor the last to state this, but as a lifelong Democrat of a fairly liberal bent, I feel that, thus far, the Obama administration kinda stinks out loud. It’s almost stunning how disappointing the whole bunch has been. Most people I’ve talked to are amazed that Obama has managed…
Top Ten in Movies
Casa Video’s top rentals for the week
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Readers: The Arizona pendejas have emboldened hundreds of Know Nothings in the past week to boast to the Mexican that they’re not racist if they support SB 1070, because, according to them, they believe in the law, and they have no problems with immigrants as long as they’re legal. Nosotros los buenos know that…
An Ill Wind
There’s an old lady who farts a lot in the new Adam Sandler flick, Grown Ups. She farts a lot. And she doesn’t just stand there and let it rip like most old-lady caricatures in movies. For starters, she performs the old “fart and blame the dog” trick, which is always a knee-slapper. She also…
Bump in the Road
There are two speed humps on Bell Avenue, a quiet, tree-lined street in central Tucson’s Garden District Neighborhood. But only one of those humps, measuring some 20 feet from stem to stern, has become a bone of bitter contention. The dust-up began in 2008, after resident Brad Holland gathered petition signatures from more than the…
T Q&A
Dan Twelker
Downward Spiral
Over the past few decades, salesman Ben Kalmen (Michael Douglas) sold a lot of cars, brokered a lot of shaky business deals and engaged in a lot of infidelity. He also managed to sell himself on the idea that he’s a far younger and wealthier man than the bottomed-out 60-year-old staring back at him in…
Equality Revoked
The last time the state of Arizona seemed even remotely forward-thinking was in the fall of 2008, when then-Gov. Janet Napolitano approved benefits for all domestic partners of state employees. It was a different time, before Arizona was known for SB 1070, the banning of ethnic studies and state Sen. Russell Pearce’s quest to dismantle…
Top Ten in Music
Toxic Ranch Records top sales for the week ending June 25, 2010 1. Monster Pussy 24-Hour Party Pussies! 7″ EP (Bloat) 2. The Fisters Hell Arizona (self-released) 3. Raw Power After Your Brain (Toxic Shock) 4. Hummingbird of Death/Sidetracked Split 6″ vinyl (Cowabunga) 5. The Fall Your Future Our Clutter (Domino) 6. MDC/Restarts Mobocracy (Rodent…
Too Many Meetings?
The back-and-forth between the city of Tucson and the Regional Transportation Authority over roadway-project funding is starting to resemble last week’s record-breaking Wimbledon tennis match. However, that Wimbledon match took three days to decide—while this series of volleys may take three months to resolve. Gary Hayes, the RTA’s executive director, began the tussle with a…
Wolf Parade: Expo 86 (Sub Pop)
Loose, fun and muscular, Wolf Parade’s third album, Expo 86, may be a high point in an already soaring career. The band has spoken about primarily recording the album live and without overdubs, and that immediacy is both the most prominent and satisfying component of the album. From the opening art-boogie of Spencer Krug’s “Cloud…
Noshing Around
Hot Rod Café; Mall Food; Celebrity Vegetables; Panda Buffet; Maynards Market Wine Club
Immigration Policy the Wong Way (Sorry)
In The Arizona Republic, Barry Wong talks up a proposal he wants to bring up if chosen by voters to return to the Arizona Corporation Commission: If you’re an illegal immigrant living in Arizona … no power, water, natural-gas or phone service for you. The Range is tired of this anti-immigration campaign strategy. Wong made…
Stephen Colbert and United Farmworkers Union: There’s Plenty of Farm Labor Available for America’s Unemployed
Stephen Colbert and the president of United Farmworkers of America are challenging unemployed Americans and anti-immigrant folks to take the jobs often done by undocumented immigrants. Farmworkers are tired of being blamed by politicians and anti-immigrant activists for taking work that should go to Americans and dragging down the economy, said Arturo Rodriguez, the president…
