Cover Stories
Four 4 One!
After 12 years of representing Pima County’s northwest side, Republican county Supervisor Ann Day is stepping down. The race to replace her has brought out four Republican candidates: state lawmaker Vic Williams, longtime GOP insider Mike Hellon, Tea Party activist Ally Miller and conservative Stuart McDaniel. All four have different but overlapping constituencies they can…
It Comes Together
Tucson’s resident icon of musical unpredictability, Howe Gelb, is back in a big way with a new CD and an expanded version of his shape-shifting, several-decades-running band, Giant Sand. Now dubbed Giant Giant Sand, and sporting no less than 12 players spread over two continents, Gelb and Giant Giant Sand have produced what might be…
Let’s Talk About “You Don’t Know Jack”
The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show (which has earned the prized endorsement of The Range previously) has a great interview with Steve Heinrich, the head writer and some other stuff at Jellyvision, the company behind You Don’t Know Jack. I recognize, again, that it’s possible I’m the only person who cares about an extensive discussion…
Gas Prices (in Photo Form) on the Road to California
On a holiday road trip to California, I took some snapshots of some of the gas stations along the way to see the differences in gas from here in Tucson, which was $3.28 at the Shell gas station on Valencia Road and 12th Avenue, to Whittier. And here is a trip to Southern California in…
Coming Soon: Tapas Fusion
A new restaurant called Tapas Fusion is setting up on the north end of the Albertson’s shopping center at 2970 N. Campbell Ave., where Elle Wine Bistro used to be. We hear it will serve tapas and food from around the world with an emphasis on infusing those dishes with South American flavors. That sounds…
Talking Comics: Mars Attacks Edition
I’m still bitter that I spent several hours of my life watching Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks, so I’m a tough sell on this comic of the same name, but hey, maybe Eric and Arnie of Heroes and Villains can convince otherwise.
This Heat Calls for a Sparkroot Popsicle
The hip little coffee bar and restaurant Sparkroot at 245 E. Congress St. is doing its part to combat the summer heat with its new line of homemade ice-pops. Sparkroot employee Julie Asis dropped us an e-mail last week with a description of the unique frozen treats: I put them on the menu because they…
This Week’s Tucson In Style Recap
Michael McKisson/Tucson In Style Will the man above be the next national mustache champion? Read more to find out. We check in with the very stylish owner of the new Tap and Bottle. Check it out and learn more about Tap and Bottle. Mt Lemmon offers Tucsonans a respite from the heat, but with a…
There’s a New Menu at Noble Hops Gastropub
Noble Hops Gastropub is such an ambitious and interesting restaurant. It currently serves more than 175 different beers – 28 of those are available on tap – and executive chef Angel Fabian’s newly revamped menu boasts a sweeping array of items ranging from shrimp satay to gourmet hamburgers. There are plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free…
Let’s Watch Calexico With the Austrian Symphony Orchestra
In advance of the upcoming release of Algiers, Calexico performed with the Austrian Symphony Orchestra in Vienna a few weeks back. We could tell you how great it the show is, but you really gotta see it for yourself. Check out the livestream on FM4 while you can—it’s only up for few more days. And…
What Will Happen at TUSD Meeting Tonight?
The Tucson Unified School District meets tonight for a regular meeting. Folks behind the Freedom Summer project are organizing another action in support of Mexican-American studies in front of the school administration building starting at 5:30 p.m. and continuing during the meeting. At last week’s special meeting on Monday, July 2, the group kicked off…
Here’s Why the Art Was Removed From the Streetcar Fences
From Michael Graham, City of Tucson Public Information Officer, responding to an email I sent to Maximiliano Torres, the point person for City of Tucson Modern Streetcar Project Business Outreach: The Federal Transit Administration project security and safety requirements include visibility into and out of, as well as around a construction site. Allowing objects, posters,…
Bummer of the Day: Art Comes Down From Congress Fences
As far as I’m concerned, the modern streetcar construction on Fourth Ave. and Congress hasn’t been nearly as troublesome as I would have imagined. By and large, you can still get to where you want to go without too much hassle, the community has rallied around merchants in the area, and it’ll be over sooner…
It’s Official: Jesse Kelly Is Leaving Southern Arizona To Work for Citizens United
As we told Range readers last week, Citizens United has hired former congressional candidate Jesse Kelly as a director of development. The press release: Citizens United President David N. Bossie issued the following statement on the hiring of former Congressional candidate Jesse Kelly as the new Director of Development at Citizens United. In this position,…
Tohono Chul Park’s New Tohono Chul Garden Bistro Is Open
What used to be called the Tohono Chul Park Tearoom is now the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro and a new management team is running it. The food sounds quite good, too, especially if you’re into fresh seasonal fare. From the Garden Bistro website: Each dish is plated to look as lovely as the gardens surrounding…
Soon All the Media Will Be Owned by the Internet
Full disclosure: I worked for Buzzmedia after they bought Idolator from Gawker. Eventually, they killed the freelance budget ending my time on the site, then later restarted the website, firing my boss, and turning the site into a shitty Justin Bieber obsessed fan blog. I wasn’t thrilled by that turn of events, but that’s life,…
Mall Food: O’ My Buns Is Open at Park Place Mall
The new take-out restaurant O’ My Buns is open at Park Place Mall at 5870 E. Broadway Blvd. It sells affordable and slightly-sweet buns in a variety of flavors, coffee and tea. From a press release: O’My Buns is owned and operated by James Shin, who notes that although popular in other parts of the…
You Should Probably Buy the Frank Ocean Album Right Now
Last week, the internet was abuzz with avant-R&B star Frank Ocean’s apparent coming out letter on his Tumblr page, but in a lot of ways, it seems like trying to define the guy’s sexuality based on a mini-memoir about a specific time in his life might be short-sighted. The guy is still certainly a mystery…
Wil Cardon’s Illegal Worker Problem
Congressman Jeff Flake has rolled out a new TV ad hammering his opponent in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, Wil Cardon, over charges that Cardon’s Subway stores hired illegal workers. The Arizona Republic broke the story Sunday. An excerpt from the in-depth article: In the case of immigration, some of Cardon’s business interests have…
Here’s a Summer Mixtape for Your Enjoyment
Summer 2012 Mix by Themjeans on Mixcloud You might remember LA based DJ Them Jeans from his show at Club Congress last September, but having seen him then isn’t necessarily a prerequisite to enjoy his summer mixtape, collecting an of-the-moment selection of breezy, occasionally tropical, electronic tracks from artists such as Tanlines, Clams Casino and…
4-D Movie Theaters Sound Like a Curse on Humanity
The desire to create a truly immersive movie-going experience in nothing particularly new (a movie theater in 1929 tried spraying perfume during a film and John Waters added Odorama, a scratch and sniff card to showings of Polyester in 1982, among many other smell-based cinema gimmicks), but now, movie theater owners looking for a way…
In Which I Make an Attempt to Abuse My Limited Influence to Get a Poster
This probably won’t work, but if somehow this very funny poster, which will apparently be available at San Diego’s Comic-Con, from one of my favorite shows, Bob’s Burgers, ended up on my desk, I’d be a very happy fellow. If that doesn’t work out (and it won’t), it’s still hilarious. The advice on mouth-to-mouth is…
Let’s Read an Elmore Leonard Story Vaguely About Immigration
From the July/August issue of the Atlantic, a new short story by Elmore Leonard is online for your reading enjoyment: The day Victor turned twenty he rode three bulls, big ones, a good 1,800 pounds each—Cyclone, Spanish Fly, and Bulldozer—rode all their bucks and twists, Victor’s free hand waving the air until the buzzer honked…
Orangutans Smoking?
I couldn’t believe it when I first read it in the the Guardian but yet, this is an orangutan with a bad addiction. Tori, the 15-year-old orangutan has been smoking cigarettes at the Indonesian zoo for a decade as a result of people throwing them in her cage over the years. Visitors continuously would throw…
Rumblings About the Urban Belly
There are details beginning to emerge about a new Tucson restaurant called Urban Belly. The place doesn’t have a location yet, but the chefs and other people backing the place are beginning work on what they will be serving, describing it in an e-mail like this: Our cuisine can be called nostalgic, elevated, comfort food.…
Thank You, io9, for Being Amazing Today
I generally have mixed feelings about the internet, especially on days when I get a lecture from a commenter to “do a little research on what Islam” because my “worship of ‘diversity’ blinds” me to the real truth, but then there’s something like io9’s extensive look at the video for Billy Ocean’s “Loverboy,” which somehow…
Revitalizing Detroit … With Zombies?
Most people would agree that Detroit is not the prettiest city in the U.S. Abandoned buildings litter sections the city, making it look a little post-apocalyptic in places. This dismal landscape is the perfect scene for a zombie-infested area. I’d thought this after I saw “I Am Legend” years ago, and it looks like I’m…
Congrats to FC Tucson
While it seemed that most Tucson sports fans were sent a little adrift by the back-to-back disappointments of the U of A football and basketball seasons, things are really turning around lately between the NCAA baseball championship and now, FC Tucson making the playoffs in their first season in one of American professional soccer’s minor…
Zachary’s Pizza Is Closing
From the Zachary’s Pizza Facebook page This is the saddest Tucson food news I’ve ever announced, but the world must know: Zachary’s Pizza at 1028 E. Sixth St. is closing at the end of the month. An employee verified the closure when I called to check what I hoped was just a rumor. I once…
Political Roundtable: The Cunningham Report, TUSD’s School Construction Plan & The Upcoming Races of 2012
Why not add Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable to your Sunday news show viewing? Pima County Republican Party chairwoman Carolyn Cox, Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers and former state lawmaker Pete Hershberger talk about a report determining that Tucson Councilman Paul Cunningham sexually harassed city employees, a TUSD proposal to close small TUSD schools…
Fifty Shades of Product Tie-Ins
video platform video management video solutions video player Well, I guess we should have seen this coming: boutique hotels are offering Fifty Shades of Grey packages, although I would imagine you’d need to bring your own controlling multi-millionaire carrying along a sex contract. The saddest part of this video for me is when there’s a…
We Should Collectively Be Paying More Attention to E-40
I have no idea what I was doing on June 1st that was so important that I missed Bay Area rap legend E-40 at DV8 (there’s a very strange YouTube video recapping the show with a SkyNet reference around the 5:25 mark, of all things), but I will make an effort to catch his (likely…
Here’s a Giant Giant Sand Video to Go With This Week’s Music Feature
Giant Giant Sand – Forever And A Day from fire records on Vimeo. Thanks to the website for the German version of Rolling Stone, here’s the music video for “Forever and a Day” from the new Giant Giant Sand album, Tucson. As you might suspect, our city is featured prominently in the video. As you…
Today in “Other States Also Have Dumb Legislators” News
Valarie Hodges from her campaign webpage Wait, there are other religions other than Christianity? What? I’m just as surprised as you are, Louisiana Representative Valarie Hodges. Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Watson, says she had no idea that Gov. Bobby Jindal’s overhaul of the state’s educational system might mean taxpayer support of Muslim schools. “I actually support…
A Bunch of Changes Coming to 89.1 FM This Weekend
The press release from Arizona Public Media announcing the changes coming to the weekend programming on 89.1 contained a sentence that, while grammatically problematic, brightened my entire existence: Whad’Ya Know will no long be carried. I suppose there must be Whad’Ya Know fans in town, considering the show has been on Tucson’s airwaves for years,…
It’s Time for the Final Round of TAMMIES Voting
A bunch of you participated in the first round of TAMMIES balloting, helping to determine the finalists (along with our pool of local music experts), and now the final ballot is online for your voting pleasure. It’s up to you to pick the musicians and bands that will receive this city’s highest music honor on…
Sure, Tina Fey Rapping. Why Not?
From Childish Gambino’s (a.k.a. Donald Glover, Community star and former writer/actor on 30 Rock) newest mixtape, Royalty, here’s Tina Fey’s outro for “Real Estate.”
Extremes in Chinese Education System May Be Changing
In the United States, we have the SAT exam. In China, there’s the gaokao exam. In other countries, I’m sure they have their own system of determining the aptitude of their students. The difference between the U.S. and China, however, is how we use those exam scores and the headlines this educational system in China…
Bisbee’s Urban Art
My friends and I were feeling stir-crazy last week and decided to escape to Bisbee for the weekend. While I was expecting it to be the quaint, mining town that it is (in some ways), I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of urban art I encountered there.
No, Michael Hicks Wasn’t Assaulted
You know him as the man who went on Comedy Central and told our secret that burritos have a magical super power and that he knows all about Rosa Clarks. But this morning, local right-wing media want you to know something else about Tucson Unified School District board member Michael Hicks — he was assaulted…
When Fireworks Go Wrong-ish
In San Diego last night, a glitch turned one of the nation’s largest fireworks shows into a very short spectacle of a lot of stuff exploding at once. At least we know what that looks like now, right?
The Skinny
Congressman Ron Barber pisses off more Democrats with his Fast and Furious vote … Jesse Kelly lands a job in D.C. and becomes the politician he never wanted to be … GOP candidates for the Board of Supes face tough financial times … and more!
Outside of a Circle K
Irene Zamora’s family has gone through more than its share of tragedy over the past nine years. But the most recent tragedy has yet to come with any sort of closure, leaving numerous brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and cousins with a wound that cannot seem to heal. “We’ve gone through a lot,” said Zamora. “It’s…
Now Showing at Home
Born on the Fourth of July (Blu-ray); Gray’s Anatomy (Blu-ray); Pink Floyd: The Story of Wish You Were Here (Blu-ray)
Weekly Wide Web
Due to the rapidly changing nature of information technology, it shouldn’t surprise anyone when a heavily lauded innovation winds up as a relative flop—and after the hype over QR codes, with claims that we’d spend hours each day scanning them to get information delivered to us on our phones, I’m actually sort of happy to…
Disenfranchising 101
Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Secretary of State Ken Detzner have been pushing to scrub that state’s voter rolls of alleged “noncitizens” who don’t have the right to vote. Their strategy is bizarrely flawed, has swept legally registered voters up in its net, and has been declared a violation of federal voting laws by the…
Science Time!
Want to learn more about the universe we live in? People can paint a planet, make a comet, hunt for meteorites, peer through telescopes and do other fun things while learning at Science Downtown’s Family Day on Saturday, July 7. The University of Arizona’s Astronomy Club, the UA’s Women in Science and Engineering program, the…
Jeff Lorber Fusion: Galaxy (Heads Up)
Throughout his 35-year recording career, jazz keyboardist Jeff Lorber has consistently defied those who would lazily slap him with the “smooth jazz” label. With and without his group, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, he has played electric, groove-based jazz infused with elements of funk, R&B, pop, Latin and rock music. This is the second album by…
Editor’s Note
Ever since issue No. 1 of the Tucson Weekly way back on Feb. 22, 1984, Matt Groening’s comic “Life in Hell” has been a part of the paper. Through changes in printers, editors, owners and economic cycles, it’s been one constant in our pages. However, that run is coming to an end after next week’s…
City Week
Unique takes on art; Solo acoustic show at 17th Street Market; A teacher shows off her work; Chasing the chicken
Willie Nelson: Heroes (Legacy)
With Willie Nelson taking on so many collaborators, Heroes is inevitably scattered—and cynics might say it’s merely a vehicle to boost his son Lukas’ career—but it strikes gold again and again. Opener “A Horse Called Music” is a beautiful duet with Merle Haggard, classic country at its best, with a soft harmonica riding alongside those…
Danehy
Next Wednesday, July 11, out at Casino del Sol’s Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater, the most successful American band of all time that isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will take the stage. Chicago, which still features some of the core members after more than 40 uninterrupted years of recording and touring, has…
Time for Silliness
The Gaslight Theatre is dependable for a number of things: certified silliness, great energy from talented performers, fun parodies, music we know and love, family-friendly entertainment and a lot of bang for the buck. Yes, the shows are formulaic and predictable—you don’t go to the Gaslight in search of thought-provoking, soul-enriching theater—and that’s just fine.…
King Tuff: King Tuff (Sub Pop)
The name King Tuff functions as shorthand for the music itself: It’s an air of nobility clad in well-worn denim. In other words, it’s rock ‘n’ roll performed as though it’s the only thing in the world that matters. Kyle Thomas is the titular King Tuff, a Vermont longhair whose past musical projects have spanned…
Serraglio
Consider the following as an open letter to newly elected U.S. Rep. Ron Barber. Congratulations on your hard-fought victory, Ron. The many Arizonans who made the grassroots push that carried you over the top should be proud of a job well done. We owe you a debt of gratitude for standing against Jesse Kelly, a…
TQ&A
Juanita Molina is the new director of the Border Action Network, and she continues to work as the director of Humane Borders. The dual roles signal an operational agreement between the two organizations rather than a merger. BAN continues to advocate for undocumented immigrants, while Humane Borders focuses on providing water at stations throughout the…
Beyond Medical
Not so long ago, it wasn’t cool to want pot legal. Back in the ’70s, when the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, emerged, if you backed legalization, you were pretty much viewed as a loser, a hippie dropout, some kind of craazzzzy tambourine player who donned scarves, ate LSD and…
Police Dispatch
Horses and hoses; Exchanging X-rated action for an Xbox.
Preserving a Tradition
On an overcast day in 2011, in the flatlands west of the Chiricahuas, a little girl climbed into a paddock. Ashley Riggs may have been small and young, but it was up to her to paint the mark of her family’s Crossed J Ranch onto the back of a calf. Her face intent, her fair…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: Suppose the United States government and the American public were as progressive and conscious of our country’s true self-interests as are, for example, those in many European countries. Suppose this had been true in the decades immediately following World War II, when northern and western Europe subsidized the development of Southern European nations,…
Media Watch
Changes at AZPM; Savannah Guthrie gets a promotion; and more!
Fish Flop
The oysters were fresh, smooth—and unappetizingly served at room temperature. That, in a nutshell (or perhaps a lukewarm oyster shell), describes our experiences at Mariscos Mi Mazatlan, a restaurant on 22nd Street that opened a few months ago. There is a lot to like at Mariscos Mi Mazatlan. The seafood and other ingredients seem fresh;…
Our Endless Folly
There’s an adage that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. Well, we sure as hell don’t read history in this state, and we’ll be studying even less in the future now that we’ve gutted our education system. But before it’s too late, read Thomas E. Sheridan’s newly revised (and by turns…
Noshing Around
Another burger joint comes to Tucson; Beer and wine on Sixth Ave.; Pizza!; Dizzy G returns
Live
You would think that being old enough to order from the senior citizens’ menu would slow you down some. Thankfully, nobody told Jonathan Richman that. The bard of Boston, with Tucson’s own venerable drummer Tommy Larkins, regaled the audience packing the courtyard of La Cocina for 90 minutes straight. La Cocina cleared out the tables…
Top Ten in Books
1. Fifty Shades of Grey E.L. James, Vintage ($15.95) 2. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson Robert A. Caro, Knopf ($35) 3. The Cold Dish: A Walt Longmire Mystery Craig Johnson, Penguin ($15) 4. Cold Wind C.J. Box, Berkley ($9.99) 5. Clockwork Angel Cassandra Clare, Margaret K. McElderry ($10.99) 6. State of…
Not That Amazing
In 1954, congressional subcommittees convened to discuss the growing alarm over juvenile delinquency in the U.S. There were special hearings devoted to comic books—three days of testimony about the content in more-graphic comics and the impact the industry as a whole might have on teenagers. From that, comic-book publishers adopted something called the Comics Code…
Nine Questions
Kevin William Lee is a bartender, musician and standup comedian. Originally from Scranton, Pa. (a fact which is featured prominently in his comedy), Lee has been living in Tucson for about seven years. As a musician, Lee has played drums for such bands as the Swim, Four Five Six and Birds of India. As a…
Guest Commentary
The Pima County Public Library deserves much praise for the access to meeting rooms and Internet terminals that it offers the public, not to mention the many literary and educational events that it hosts. Sadly, however, it is not so deserving of praise in regard to its book collection—that mainstay of a library. According to…
Top Ten in Movies
1. 21 Jump Street Sony 2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Warner Bros. 3. Safe House Universal 4. The Artist Weinstein 5. Wrath of the Titans Warner Bros. 6. Wanderlust Universal 7. Mirror Mirror Relativity 8. Project X Warner Bros. 9. John Carter Disney 10. Act of Valor Relativity
Top Ten in Music
1. Ceremony Covers (Bridge Nine) 2. Henry and Glenn Forever and Ever (book) Igloo Tornado (Microcosm) 3. Hoax Hoax 7″ (Deranged) 4. Sex Prisoner Sex Prisoner 7″ (To Live a Lie) 5. Project X Straight Edge Revenge 7″ (Bridge Nine) 6. Make a Zine! When Words and Graphics Collide (book) Joe Biel (Microcosm) 7. The…
Mailbag
Positives from the Access Tucson changes; Remembering John Gatty; Social promotion and Fife Symington
Grin and Bear It
Peter Brady look-alike Seth MacFarlane makes a fine feature directorial debut with Ted, the story of a man, his teddy bear, and that bear’s propensity for smoking weed, banging hookers and uttering profanities. MacFarlane lends his voice to Ted, a standard-looking teddy bear blessed with the ability to speak and screw after his owner, John…
Soundbites
Afghan Whig inspired rock; Al Foul; Older guys can still rock; and more!
Expensive Care
In any other world, Rudy would be king, albeit a king of small and shaggy lineage. After all, he has his own cushy bed, fine food and water, and a beefy air-conditioning unit pumping cold air overhead. But in this world, Rudy is just another shelter dog, although a very lucky one, indeed. Lying in…
Report Verifies the Bad Stuff We Thought Paul Cunningham Did, Probably Actually Happened
No big surprises in the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs report released today on Paul Cunningham’s behavior in San Diego while on a TREO-sponsored trip. A few highlights: “A total of fifteen witnesses were interviewed that had been identified as either having personal knowledge of, or had witnessed the comments made by Councilmember Cunningham of…
