Cover Story
Zombie State
Zombies are all the bloodthirsty rage these days. The walking dead have escaped our movie theaters and are now stalking our video games and shuffling down our streets for Zombie Walks. They’ve even infiltrated the pages of Pride and Prejudice, with Mr. Darcy fighting off hordes of flesh-eating ghouls. And increasingly, they seem to be…
Paton Mileage Money, Part Deux
After the publication of the July 15 Skinny item on Jonathan Paton’s state Senate campaign reimbursements, the state Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Clean Elections Commission that those former campaign dollars were used as a personal fund. Paton said he decided to reimburse himself $8,350 in mileage expenses to wrap up his state…
Dumbest Boycott Idea Yet: Tucson International Mariachi Conference
So far, “Boycott Arizona—Boycott the Tucson International Mariachi Conference!,” a new page on Facebook, has only 28 members. Still, the idea of boycotting the conference makes me wonder if the people behind the idea understand who benefits from the annual event, and that this is Baja Arizona, not Maricopa County. If you’re on Facebook, consider…
Welcome to New Mexico
Despite the recent SB 1070 injunction, scared migrants are flocking to New Mexico. Read the story here. New Mexico is an attractive alternative, for several reasons beyond its proximity next door to Arizona. New Mexico, unlike Arizona, issues driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants who live there and have ID cards from the Mexican consulate. (Indeed,…
Congratulations, Lambda Legal and State Employees
Between vacations and Judge Susan Bolton’s recent SB 1070 decision, another important judicial decision was made in Arizona—and, no, this isn’t an example of “judicial activism.” Like Bolton’s decision on SB 1070, U.S. District Court Judge John W. Sedwick made the right and legal ruling when he granted Lambda Legal’s request for a preliminary injuction…
Rialto Mural Update: ‘An Exuberant Celebration’
See The Skinny later this week for more details regarding the notice of violation given to the Rialto Theatre by the city of Tucson regarding the murals that promote concerts at the venue. A press release today from the Rialto Theatre Foundation explains Joe Pagac’s new mural: RIALTO THEATRE RESPONDS TO SIGN CODE VIOLATION REGARDING…
Glassman Leads Hayworth in Latest Rasmussen Poll
The latest Rasmussen poll says that if J.D. Hayworth beats John McCain in the U.S. Senate Republican primary (which isn’t likely), former Tucson City Council member Rodney Glassman has a chance in the general election. The latest numbers show Glassman ahead, 43 percentage points to Hayworth’s 38 percent, in an extremely hypothetical match up. Of…
New Rialto Mural Goes Up, Time-Lapse Style
What goes into making those murals on the sides of Bookmans and the Rialto Theatre? Here’s a time-lapse video artist Joe Pagac shot of his latest one on the side of the Rialto. He started painting this one in light of the city of Tucson’s recent stink about the murals violating the sign code, despite…
Terri Proud’s Lack of Primary Motivation
State House candidate Terri Proud is asking primary election voters to give her a shot at a seat in Legislative District 26—even though Proud has never voted in a primary election, according to the Pima County Recorder’s Office voter database. Republican Terri Proud “My focus was mainly on the general (election),” she says. “It’s not…
Mr. An and Casino del Sol to Open New Restaurant
Casino del Sol is teaming up with local restaurateur Kwang C. An to open a new Asian eatery at the casino. The new eatery, An Del Sol, will seat 250 and serve sushi and contemporary Asian cuisine. It is expected to open the first week of October. An currently owns and operates Mr. An’s Teppan…
NeoCon Cash
Just when you thought they were gone forever, former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld are popping up in Arizona—on the pages of Legislative District 30 Representative Ted Vogt’s campaign finance statements. Rep. Ted Vogt Vogt—a law student at the University of Arizona who was appointed to fill Frank Antenori’s…
JaxKitchen Owners Opening The Abbey Eat + Drink
The owners of jaxKitchen are opening a new restaurant on the southeast corner of Kolb Road and Sunrise Drive. The Abbey Eat + Drink is expected to open in mid-October, said Brian Metzger, who runs jaxKitchen with his wife, Sandy. It will occupy the space formerly held by La Taverna di Gavi and Cold Stone…
National Night Out Celebration
The Mountain view Neighborhood is celebrating National Night Out tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 3. For more info on National Night Out, click here. From a press release: WHEN: Tuesday, August 3, 2010, 6:30-9:00 p.m.WHERE: Mountain Avenue, between Ft. Lowell & Prince All along Mountain Avenue, between Prince & Ft. Lowell, neighbors will find activities, outreach, food,…
Vote for Kartchner Caverns in National Contest
Arizonans are urged to vote for Kartchner Caverns to win $100,000. From a press release: Arizonans have an opportunity to help their State Parks win $100,000 by participating online with the “Live Positively, America’s Favorite Park Program” being coordinated by Coca-Cola. The “America is Your Park” program was launched today and encourages everyone to vote…
Lady Gaga Speaks Out Against SB 1070—and Musicians Boycotting Arizona
Lady Gaga took a few moments to slam SB 1070 at Saturday’s concert in Phoenix, according to a New York Daily News dispatch: “We have to be active. We have to protest. . . . I will yell and I will scream louder,” the 24-year-old pop sensation told the sold-out audience at the US Airways…
Update: Tiki Tim’s Grill
Timothy Stevens e-mailed us today with an update on his up-and-coming Tiki Tim’s Grill: This giant aluminum Twinkie is the whole enchilada! The “giant aluminum Twinkie” Stevens is referring to is the 1970s Airstream trailer he converted into Tiki Tim’s Grill. It is expected to open as early as this weekend at the Hut (305…
ParkWise Offers Free Parking to Bus-Pass Holders
This just in from ParkWise, the city of Tucson’s parking arm, regarding the bus strike that is underway: ParkWise announces an alternative for bus riders affected by the disruption of transportation services due to the strike by Sun Tran. ParkWise is opening two parking lots to temporarily provide free parking to current bus pass holders…
Tonight! Spillapalooza: Help the Center for Biological Diversity Fight BP
Since the Gulf oil spill, the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity has been making like difficult for BP, as well as Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Tonight, Sunday, Aug. 1, is the Spillapalooza at The Hut. Spillapalooza is a concert to benefit the center’s Gulf Disaster Fund and a good way for you to get involved…
“The Nation” on McCain’s Last Stand
Marc Cooper of The Nation brings us a sad history of the McCain campaign that’s worth a read. McCain hasn’t had a serious primary challenger since his maiden Congressional race, in 1982, and he’s never had a serious Democratic rival. Even in his earlier, more “maverick” incarnation, being out of sync with the state’s hardline…
Sasabe Port of Entry Closed
Tucson Weekly contributor Michael Marizco filed this story Friday, July 30, on his website BorderReporter. Read his entire story and other news here. UPDATE: A good friend in Sasabe, Ariz., tells me the Americans closed the port of entry there early citing bad weather … That port is only open until 8 p.m., and they…
Happy Lammas: Celebrate Tonight With the Mission Creeps
Skid Severson Happy Lammas. Today is the first of three Pagan harvest festivals. The holiday is also called Lughnasadh. Now wouldn’t it be great if we were all pagans and we could pronounce Lughnasadh? Well, how about just for a night in Bisbee—tonight, at 8:30 p.m. at Hot Licks, 37 Ok Street? It’s Pagan Holiday,…
Tonight: Ronstadt/Nicks ‘Cactus Fight’ to Help Local Artists
If it’s possible to do requests tonight at the Tucson Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance fundraiser and membership drive at Plush, 340 E. Sixth Ave., at 8 p.m., If so, I’m going to ask Naim Amor to consider “Different Drum.” The showcase features some incredible local folks taking on tunes by Linda Ronstadt and Stevie…
Tucson Birthday Time
Do you love Tucson? I mean, do you really love Tucson? Excuse the Gordo’s reference, but really, do you love Tucson? Prove it. Tucson turns 235 on Aug. 20, but don’t wait until that grand day. Besides walking the dog in the wee cool hours of the early morning before the temp hits 100, or…
Giffords Live Tweeting CD8 Republican Debate
We can’t wait to see how Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will turn tonight’s CD8 Republican debate soundbites into attack-tweets. Luckily, we don’t have to wait long. The debate started at 6 p.m. tonight KUAZ Channel 6. Check out @giffords2010.
Gov. Jan Brewer Considers Changing SB 1070
The Associated Press reports that Gov. Jan Brewer is considering changing SB 1070: PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is asking legislators to consider whether they should change the state’s immigration law in response to a judge’s ruling blocking parts of it. Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman confirms that the governor called top legislative leaders to…
City to Rialto: Tear Down That Mural
The Rialto Theatre first hired Joe Pagac to put up a mural on the eastside of the theatre in October 2009 for the Calexico concert after last year’s All Souls Procession. Since then, Pagac has provided downtown with a visual feast of art that also happens to promote the bands that are going to play…
Tastings and Other Ways to Wet the Whistle
The Wine Depot holds a tasting of Juliusspital wines from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, July 31. Juliusspital has been in operation since 1576, and I’ll bet they’ve got the whole wine-making thing nailed by now. The tasting will feature everything from a 2006 Juliusspital Silvaner to a 2008 Juliusspital Bürgstädter Mainhölle Pinot Noir, and…
Bus Strike Possible on Monday
Sun Tran is warning people that a bus strike is possible on Monday (Aug. 2): Sun Tran drivers and mechanics of Teamsters Union 104 are under contract to work until midnight, Saturday, July 31. Sun Tran management and union representatives are continuing to negotiate the terms of a new contract. If an agreement cannot be…
The Nasty Boys of CD8
Emil Franzi, a million-word Weekly contributor and longtime local political pundit, has penned an op-ed for the Explorer about the good-old American mudslinging down in CD8. The GOP candidates in CD8 are currently exchanging attacks via handouts at joint appearances, principally from Jesse Kelly whomping Jonathan Paton and Paton whacking back. Paton used one I…
‘Specter of Arizona Immigration Law Slowly Drains Economy’
While it’s been easy for pro-SB 1070 folks to make things up (i.e. rampant beheadings) in order to blame illegal immigrants on everything that ails us, when it comes to Arizona’s economy, I hope they are ready to blame themselves. Check out this CNN report on the Phoenix economy here. “For sale” signs in English…
NCAA Announces UA Punishments
The NCAA today announced the results of its investigation into wrongdoing by the UA men’s basketball program. The punishments aren’t all that much worse than the self-sanctions already put in place by the UA—in other words, there’s no ban on postseason play—but the loss of scholarships and recruiting time will hurt. And vacating wins always…
Vince Rabago Qualifies for Clean Elections
In this week’s Tucson Weekly’s endorsements, we went with Felecia Rotellini as the Democratic candidate to support for Attorney General. One reason: As of the print deadline, Democrat and former AG Vince Rabago hadn’t qualified for Clean Elections funding, “which makes us worried that he doesn’t have the organization to compete statewide,” we said. However,…
Hector Acuna: Dress Like an Alien and How to Blend In
The Phoenix New Times’ art blog Jackalope Ranch recently published Tucson Weekly contributor and former art director Hector Acuna’s take on how to dress like an illegal immigrant, along with handy tips on how to blend in. Acuna is a Phoenix-based designer, art direction consultant and illustator. Costume and descriptions by Hector Acuna
City Week
Monsoon Jamboree; Milagros; Out in the Silence showing; HarvestFest 2010
Kromko’s Comeback?
Former state lawmaker John Kromko is trying to end a political losing streak that started when he left the Arizona Legislature back in 1992 to run for the Pima County Board of Supervisors. He was banned from running for office in Pima County for five years for improperly filing campaign-finance reports after a failed justice…
Feel the Heat
Sports-bar-type establishments are generally good for a greasy burger, a plethora of unimaginative fried foods, and big, cheap, cold beers. They’re great for game day, but they’re not at the top of my list on the culinary side of things. However, Diablos Sports Bar and Grill (occupying the spot at Craycroft and Golf Links roads…
Eric Who?
If you’re a huge Eric Cantona fan, you’re not going to want to miss Looking for Eric, which may be the best Eric Cantona-oriented movie of the last five years. If, like the vast majority of the human race, you’ve never heard of Eric Cantona, and wouldn’t care about him even if you did know…
Weekly Wide Web
Two weeks ago, who would’ve predicted that a U.S. Department of Agriculture bureaucrat would become the center of the race debate? If you’ve tuned into the news in the past few days, you’ve undoubtedly heard the name Shirley Sherrod. It all started with the July 19 post “Video Proof: The NAACP Awards Racism-2010” that conservative…
Noshing Around
Empire Pizza and Pub; Prickly Pears; The Meat Man; Local-Food Fair; Update: Downtown Monkey Burger
T Q&A
Scotty Lulu
Never Satisfied
For singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ariel Pink, making music generally has been a process of “biting off more than I can chew.” “For me, all the confidence was there before there was anything in the way of skill,” Pink confided during a recent interview. “Sometimes I got feedback that was critical, but I always thought it…
Silly Shakespeare
Clowning around can be hard work. It takes a mastery of specific physical skills, like pratfalls; it requires an impeccable sense of timing; and it takes a willingness to commit to broad strokes that, if not well-executed, can land one face-down in the muck—and not in an intentionally comic way. In other words, it means…
Soundbites
Help your local artists; For the gulf; On the bandwagon
Nature of Modernity
A mad scientist in the movie Metropolis, complete with frizzled white hair and a demonic look, plans to change the course of humankind. “I have created a machine in the image of man that never tires or makes a mistake!” he shouts soundlessly. (His words are written on the screen during the silent movie.) The…
Top Ten in Music
Zia Records top sales for the week ending July 25, 2010
Nothing Lasts Forever
Astronomers used to think that at some point down the road, our expanding universe would possibly grind to a halt due to gravity’s possessive ways, and undergo a colossal cave-in, crushing all matter like a cosmic trash compactor. These days, there aren’t quite as many proponents of the Big Crunch hypothesis, because it appears the…
Nine Questions
Jason Repko
Top Ten in Books
Antigone Books best-sellers for the week ending July 23, 2010
Live
Robert Plant and the Band of Joy; Bettye LaVette
Top Ten in Movies
Casa Video’s top rentals for the week ending July 25, 2010
Setting Sun: Fantasurreal (Young Love)
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Gary Levitt, who plays most of the instruments on the latest full-length CD from his project Setting Sun, is adept at contrasts. His music bounces around stylistically, and it nervily touches on acoustic psychedelia, folky synth-pop and chamber-group shoegaze. It sounds like spacey heartland rock or an old-timey string band using electronics for…
Political Push
Early primary-election voting is underway as of July 29—and that means the Tucson Weekly’s political push is also underway. This week’s issue includes our endorsements in contested races of importance to Southern Arizona; check them out here (unless you’re afraid of zombies). A good chunk of our Currents section this week is also dedicated to…
The Tangelos: Greatest Hits (Self-Released)
Titling your debut album Greatest Hits could be considered either the height of arrogance or an ironic joke. I’m guessing the fact that The Tangelos have named their CD Greatest Hits—when it contains music that harkens to old-school (and decidedly Old Pueblo) musical values of melody, groove and quality playing—is a savvy, self-deprecating move. There’s…
Danehy
As we’re coming up on August, I’ll do some housecleaning. I once wrote that August is the cruelest month, what with the heat and humidity both having been around for months, and nothing but baseball on TV. Well, several dozen poetry geeks sent me links to the T.S. Eliot poem “The Waste Land,” perhaps best…
Thieves Like Us: Again and Again (Shelflife)
The music of Thieves Like Us is saturated with the unmistakable sounds of new wave—specifically, synth sounds straight out of Joy Division, New Order and The Cure’s sound banks. Again and Again, Thieves Like Us’ aptly named sophomore album, sustains chord after chord of repetitive electronic meditations on love, but the redundant and derivative nature…
Messina
“Good luck, Tucson; you’ll need it.” This is part of a comment left at TucsonWeekly.com by an out-of-state reader regarding Tom Danehy’s July 15 column, “Tucson Used to Have an Identity; Now It Has an Identity Crisis.” The reader states that she and her husband were considering retiring to Tucson, but decided against it. Liberalism,…
¡Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: As an old gringo who calls himself a gringo (not a gabacho), I study Mexican culture and ask myself, “Where have I seen this before?” The answer invariably is: 1950s America. Current Mexican culture in the U.S. is about 50 years behind current American culture. Back in the 1950s, Americans had large families,…
Guest Commentary
I rent homes, mostly to illegal Mexican immigrants. This is the first time in 20 years I’ve allowed myself to tell that to anyone but my friends. I write this anonymously to protect both my tenants and me from legal prosecution—or should I say “persecution”? I’m sure I represent a huge group of silenced employers,…
On the Edge
Judi Maikoff worked for 25 years as a registered nurse, until she could no longer nurse herself through a bipolar disorder. She spent several chaotic years after that, careening from paralyzing depressions to giddy, exhausting highs. Then Maikoff found an anti-psychotic drug called Abilify. “I was able to live my life normally,” she says, “get…
Police Dispatch
Knee jerk; The devil made them do it
Power and Growth
Two Tucson-area state legislators who have reached their term limits are competing in the Democratic Arizona Corporation Commission primary with a former ACC member from Phoenix. The top two vote-getters will earn spots on the November general-election ballot. David Bradley served in the Arizona House from District 28 for eight years and has been CEO…
Now Showing at Home
Operation: Endgame; Lock Up (Blu-ray); Johnny Handsome (Blu-ray)
The Skinny
CD 8 candidates talk abortion … Al Melvin agrees to debate … Could a Republican take the “safe” LD 26 Senate seat?
Cruel and Unusual
Dinner for Schmucks isn’t a total clunker; it’s got some decent laughs thanks to its two main stars, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, who do the best they can with the material they’ve been handed. Unfortunately, that material is marred by large stretches of uncomfortable humor. There are moments of true inspiration; alas, those moments…
Cele’s Legacy
It’s almost August—and August is the time to celebrate the birth of Tucson, with dozens of events for people to enjoy. The fifth-annual month-long celebration of Tucson’s Birthday, however, will be bittersweet—because while we’re celebrating the birth of our city, we’ll also be honoring the woman who started it all. Cele Peterson, the birthday-month founder…
Media Watch
Tucsoncitizen.com continues to evolve
Now Showing at Home
Operation Endgame; Lock Up (Blu-ray); Johnny Handsom (Blu-ray)
In Arizona, We’d Call Her a Criminal
You can call her a zedonk or a zedonkey, but in Arizona, the newborn hybrid of a donkey and a zebra born in Georgia would be illegal. Of course, if she was born at the Reid Park Zoo, I bet we’d see a Tea Party rally against hybrids. It’s just the perfect way to turn…
Vote Now: 2010 Wheelies
There’s still time to vote for your fav Tucson Roller Derby rollergirl for the 2010 Wheelies. Go here, and vote for the best ass, best legs, best tats, favorite rollergirl, meanest and sweetest, best move, best team, and of course, best triple threat – pivot, blocker and jammer.
Sherrod Media Mess
On Monday, July 26, Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism published a report on how newspapers and TV news handled the video release on Agriculture Department staffer Shirley Sherrod. You can read it here. Ironically, one message that emerges from the debris of the Sherrod episode is something Breitbart wrote as the first…
Brewer: SB 1070 Ain’t Over Till It’s Over
Nearly every Arizona politician has something to say over today’s ruling on SB 1070, in which a judge barred some of the more controversial bits. Now Governor Jan Brewer is chiming in on the decision over the state’s controversial immigration law, parts of which will go into effect tomorrow: “I am disappointed by Judge Susan…
More Comments on SB 1070 Ruling
As the afternoon wears on, more and more politicians are submitting statements concerning SB 1070, which a federal judge blocked several parts of earlier today. Here’s the latest spin: Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall: “Prior to this decision my Office had engaged in significant planning and training for the implementation of S.B. 1070 and stood…
Gov. Jan Brewer Wastes No Time, Uses SB 1070 Ruling As Fundraising Tactic
Huffington Post reports that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has already turned today’s ruling on SB 1070 into a fundraising tactic for the Republican Governors Association: “In order to best continue the fight for our immigration law, we must step up and expand our efforts,” says an email from “Gov. Brewer” that arrived in our inbox…
Helicopter Crash at Glenn Street and Park Avenue
I used to live in this neighborhood. Yikes. Three people were in the helicopter, and one is reported dead.
‘Sighs of Relief and Celebration Resound in Arizona’
Border Action Network, a membership-based organization that combines grassroots community organizing, leadership development, litigation and policy advocacy for immigrants and border communities in Southern Arizona, issued a statement today in reaction to Judge Susan Bolton’s partial block on 1070: This morning Judge Bolton announced her decision on the motions requesting a preliminary injunction to enjoin…
Giffords Releases Statement on SB1070 Ruling
Representative Gabrielle Giffords says today’s ruling imposing a partial injunction against SB 1070 by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton is “an affirmation of the fact that the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws is the responsibility of federal government.” She also took the opportunity to push for her $701 million in emergency border security funds.…
Border Funds Back in Play
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords had some strong words for the U.S. Senate last week, after they knocked down her bill, the Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which would allot an extra $701 million to fortify the border. “Southern Arizonans should be appalled that the United States Senate said ‘no’ to supporting the troops on the…
Calexico to Headline Free Voter Registration Concert!
Mark your calendars!On Aug. 27, Calexico, along with Salvador Duran, Miniature Tigers, Sand Rubies, Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta and more will perform at a Viva Arizona immigration rally and voter registration concert in Phoenix. In order to get in free, you must pledge to vote on Nov. 2. Find more concert details here. To…
