GOP budget plan derails amid fighting between the Senate and House
A $15.6 billion budget that Republicans crafted won approval in the House Appropriations Committee only to come to a screeching halt in the Senate, where GOP leaders accused top House Republicans of breaking a deal to advance unrelated bills. More than 4 hours after the Senate Appropriations Committee took an unexpected recess after considering a…
Bowers: Trump efforts to overturn election devolved to ‘tragic parody’
WASHINGTON – Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers told lawmakers investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection Tuesday about the Trump campaign’s persistent, and increasingly questionable, efforts to pressure state officials into overturning the 2020 elections. But Bowers testified that he repeatedly rebuffed Trump campaign officials, who he said were never able to produce evidence for the claims…
Breakfast event to benefit Single Mom Scholars program
Interfaith Community Services will host the in-person fundraiser of “Rise – A celebration of Empowered Women” at Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites, 5151 E Grant Road, on Saturday, June 25, to support the Single Mom Scholars program. The Interfaith Community Services (ICS) breakfast fundraiser begins at 10 a.m. and features speaker Tiffany Nakatani, founder and…
$15 billion Republican budget will be considered Tuesday morning, as shutdown looms
With the state only 10 days away from the end of the fiscal year, Republican leaders on Monday released a proposal for a state budget they hope will garner bipartisan support and avert a government shutdown. Lawmakers are set to meet first thing Tuesday morning to consider the bills in committee. If they win approval…
High school graduation will be tied to learning about the evils of communism
High school students in Arizona will soon have to learn how communism and totalitarianism conflict with the American “principles of freedom and democracy” before they can graduate. House Bill 2008, signed into law Friday by Gov. Doug Ducey, directs the State Board of Education to update its high school social studies academic standards to include…
A decade of DACA helped thousands in Arizona; advocates say more needed
WASHINGTON – It wasn’t a great job – dishwasher – but Mario Montoya was happy because it was his first job and because he needed money for the prom. But Montoya was happy for another reason, too: The undocumented Mesa resident was only able to work because he was one of the first beneficiaries of…
Dreamer drama: Arizona man hopes play about his life drives DACA discussion
NEW YORK – Tony Valdovinos is sitting outside New World Stages, a performing arts complex in Manhattan where his life story has been taking center stage in the musical “¡Americano!” for weeks now. The former Arizona resident is talking about the need to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program – what he calls…
Former Dept of Corrections officer sentenced to 30 months for smuggling
Former Arizona Department of Corrections Officer Juan Carlos Rubio, 26, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release, according to a U.S. Attorney’s District of Arizona Office press release. In early 2020, Rubio, a Tucson resident, colluded with smugglers to bring three firearms and 500 AK-type rifle magazines into Mexico…
Don Guerra reflects on his win as Outstanding Baker in the James Beard Awards
Don Guerra, the founder of Barrio Bread, took home the Outstanding Baker Award at the James Beard Awards in Chicago on Monday, June 13. But Guerra says he doesn’t plan to rest on this particularly noteworthy laurel. Instead, he looks at the award as another ingredient in his recipe for success. “It feels surreal right…
Sweet and Sour: Two new products from Canna Confections deliver a smooth high
The gang at Canna Confections stays busy! Canna Confections falls under the umbrella of Halo Infusions, which is also the parent of such brands as Pure & Simple (infused juices), Cannabliss (medicated snacks) Aunt Ellie’s (those amazing brownies and related baked goods) and Chronic Health (a collection of tinctures and topicals). If you’ve tried any…
Supreme Court rejects Arizona’s attempt to defend ‘public charge’ rule
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed Arizona’s attempt to defend a Trump-era “public charge” that would have made it harder for immigrants to gain permanent residency, after the Biden administration refused to defend the policy. Wednesday’s decision means that lower court rulings that had blocked the public charge rule will stand, an action…
XOXO: Mark Your Calendars
Mark your calendars… Thursday, June 16 Down at the Twist and Shout. Fresh faced and still in high school, this singer-songwriter found her voice on the Washington D.C. folk scene, during the late 1970s. A demo tape recorded with guitarist John Jennings found its way to Columbia Records execs and led to a recording contract,…
FDA outside advisers recommend Pfizer, Moderna COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Parents of children under 5 are one step closer to vaccinating their young kids against COVID-19 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s outside vaccine panel recommended emergency use authorizations of two COVID-19 vaccines Wednesday. The 21-person Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the FDA approve emergency use…
Drawing a Line: UA Confluencenter of Creative Inquiry working to humanize border issues through art
Tucson’s location lends itself to being a mosaic of cultural diversity, but mass media often portrays this bustling crossroads of religion, heritage, identity, food and art as a violent location. “I feel like the biggest misinterpretation is that it’s unsafe and dangerous,” said Melissa Brown-Dominguez, an administrative associate at the University of Arizona who also…
Who Ya Gonna Call?: Ghostbblasters rescue Gaslight Theater; crazy cat ladies visit a brewery, and who›s crazy anyway?
Villainous vapors don’t stand a chance against the sagacious, singing scientists of Gaslight theater’s Ghostblasters. They have light sabers! The production, and it’s Friends-themed olio, run through Sunday, Aug. 28, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 6 and 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 3 and 6 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are from $17 for a seat…
Soft Sell: Mattstagraham has released his sophomore album after TikTok hit
Matt Graham rolled up to practice in what he called his “Beetlejuice” outfit. He began to pull out his guitars and lavender guitar cabinet out of his black BMW to set up for practice. He’s really into lavender lately. “I’ve just never seen anyone with a lavender cab before and I really wanted one so…
City Week: Weekly Picks
Brew at the Zoo 2022. The cool thing about going to the zoo is that you get to walk around and see all kinds of different animals and habitats. The less cool thing about the zoo is that you don’t usually get to sip on a broad selection of lagers, ales and hard ciders while you…
Master of the Loaf
Big congrats to Barrio Bread owner Don Guerra, who won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker earlier this week. Guerra uses local heritage grains in his one-of-a-kind loaves. “All of my creations are rooted in my passion for producing superior baked goods that tell the story of Tucson,” Guerra said in a prepared statement…
Danehy: My Life As a Coach
As I have mentioned, oh, a couple hundred thousand times, I coach high-school sports. Of all the things that I do in my life, it’s the thing that pays the least and pays off the most. It allows me to remain competitive long after my body stopped being so, plus I get to meet new…
German Knight in Arizona: Why one UA professor chose the copper state
A German knight calls this desert his home. Dr. Albrecht Classen, distinguished professor of German and director of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Arizona, began his career far from the desert sands. Hailing from Northern Hesse in central Germany, his life took a fascination with the pre-modern, the tales of knights and quests, and…
Bullet Points: Arizona’s senators part of group behind ‘commonsense’ gun-reform bill
Arizona’s senators were part of bipartisan group that unveiled a compromise gun-reform proposal which is weaker than just-passed House legislation but might have the votes needed to get past a Senate filibuster. Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema joined eight other Democrats and 10 Republicans who released the plan Sunday. It would help states…
Growing Concern: Advocates hope endangered status for wildflower helps save San Pedro, too
Federal officials this week declared the Arizona eryngo, a rare wildflower, an endangered species, a move advocates hope will also help boost efforts to save the San Pedro River where the plant is found. The action Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service follows years of efforts by conservation groups to save the eryngo,…
