Cover Story
Election 2012
Brace yourself, Tucson: The politicians are loose upon the land. Congressman Raúl Grijalva is once again fighting for his political life. We’ve got a battle for control of the Pima County Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Clarence Dupnik is up against five GOP challengers. Congressman Jeff Flake has to beat a wealthy upstart challenger before he…
Hey, Beach House Are Coming to Town!
The Rialto Theatre has announced a few quite possibly great shows this week (Dr. Dog and Head and the Heart, back to back on October 1st and 2nd), but I think the Beach House concert scheduled for September 24th seems particularly notable. The group’s latest album, Bloom, is among the best reviewed albums of the…
If You’re Not a Green and Voted for Charlie Manolakis, Raise Your Hand
A completely sincere question: if you’re among the over 3713 voters who cast a ballot for Charlie Manolakis who are not also a registered members of the Green Party (there were 808 Greens in CD 8 according to the Secretary of State and as of nowish, 4521 people voted for Manolakis), why did you make…
A Casual Night of Jazz Music
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and you like jazz music, try the Eighth Annual Jazz Under the Stars event this Saturday hosted by the Dove of Peace Lutheran Church. Now, the concert is not an evangelical event, so you can enjoy the music without the concern of having a Bible pushed…
There’s a Trailer for “Django Unchained”
This will be difficult for some of you to believe, but the forthcoming Quentin Tarentino film is a star-studded ultra-violent, yet strangely witty affair. Still, if anyone makes a film with a James Brown song in the soundtrack involving a slave getting his revenge against early American racism, I’m in.
Frank Antenori’s Feelings Are Still Hurt Over Rio Nuevo
After complaints that Grinnell and Bain didn’t accomplish anything, new Rio Nuevo board meets and accomplishes…NOTHING!— Frank Antenori (@FrankAntenori) June 13, 2012 I take that back, they did damage the reputation of all involved and found out that the Rio Nuevo District is broke. Time to end the agony.— Frank Antenori (@FrankAntenori) June 13, 2012…
Matt Heinz: “I Want To Reaffirm My Candidacy for Arizona’s Newly Drawn 2nd Congressional District”
State Rep. Matt Heinz announced this morning on his website that he would continue his challenge to Ron Barber in the August Democratic primary for Congressional District 2, despite Barber’s big win yesterday. Judging from what I heard from Democrats gathered at Barber’s victory party last night, Heinz will face a lot of pressure from…
Ron Barber Everywhere: Photos from Last Night
Photos by Keith Perfetti
The Dems Hold On: Ron Barber Defeats Jesse Kelly for the Congressional District 8 Seat
Joie Horwitz Congressman-elect Ron Barber was joined on Election Night by an elated Gabrielle Giffords. Democrat Ron Barber held a commanding lead over Republican Jesse Kelly in Tuesday’s special election to complete the term of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. As of 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday night, the former Giffords aide led her former political nemesis by…
Congressional District 8 Special Election: Barber Beats Kelly
Turnout percentage (counted so far): 45.5 percent; 47 of 352 precincts partially reporting, 304 complete Jesse Kelly (R): 84,995 votes, 45.08 percent Ron Barber (D): 98,590 votes, 52.29 percent Charlie Manolakis (G): 4,386 votes, 2.33 percent Note: Pinal, Cochise and Santa Cruz county precincts have reported being completely in. Only Pima County precincts remain.
CD 8 Reax: GOP Congressional Committee Chairman
This just in… National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX) released the following statement regarding the results of the special election in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District: “Special elections are unique, and the tragic turn of events that led to this one are no exception. No one wanted this election to happen, or to see…
Giffords, Kelly Take the Stage With Congressman-Elect Barber
Jim Nintzel reports Barber is about to speak at his gathering at the Marriott University Park. Details to follow.
A Variety of Republicans, a Variety of Reactions
At the Viscount Suite gathering for Jesse Kelly, Congressional District 1 candidate Jonathan Paton—who was upset by Kelly in the Congressional District 8 primary two years ago—showed up to offer Kelly his support. “It’s disappointing, but the numbers still aren’t clear. Of course, I want Jesse to win. That’s why I’m here tonight,” Paton told…
Kelly Supporters Not Giving Up
The party for Jesse Kelly’s election at the Viscount Suite started off as an upbeat gathering, and for the most part remained so as more and more numbers came in showing that Democrat Ron Barber had a healthy lead. When Mari Herreras spoke to several Kelly supporters waiting for more results, they were hesitant to…
Mariachis and a Festive Atmosphere at the Dems’ Gathering
Jim Nintzel says the atmosphere is festive at the Marriott University Park, where Dems had gathered to watch the Congressional District 8 results come in. Ron Barber currently holds an 8-point lead over Republican Jesse Kelly. Jeff Rogers, the chair of the Pima County Democratic Party, was close to declaring victory. “I’d like to think…
The CD 8 Special Election: What to Expect
Sometime after 8 p.m., the first batch of results in the Congressional District 8 special election will be released. It’s gonna be a big batch, as those first results will include the huge number of mailed ballots that have already been returned. If the contest between Ron Barber and Jesse Kelly is a route, as…
Adventures in Selling Bibles and Bad Ideas
As found on Tony Jones’ blog on the website Patheos, Christian publisher Zondervan might be stretching their need to find new ways to sell the same book a bit: If you love puppies, you will love this Bible! Inside you will find 12 color pages of adorable puppy photos with inspirational thoughts that will encourage…
CD8: Jesse Kelly’s Greatest Hits
While you’re waiting for election results, you can enjoy a collection of Jesse Kelly’s greatest hits, courtesy of the Arizona Democratic Party. Polls are open until 7 p.m. Find yours here. Results should start coming in shortly after 8 p.m. and we’ll let you know what’s what.
Beer Tastings at Cup Cafe
The Cup Café, the nice little restaurant with the penny-tiled floor inside the Hotel Congress, has launched a series of beer-tastings to help Tucson make it through the scorching summer. The tastings take place from 5 to 6 p.m. on selected Saturdays through August. This week’s event features beers by Dave’s Electric Brewery, Prescott Brewing…
Let’s Listen to Music the Young Howe Gelb Liked
Music site The Quietus usually asks musicians to talk about their thirteen favorite albums, but for the Howe Gelb edition, they mix it up a bit with the Giant (Giant) Sand frontman discussing his favorite albums between ages 12 and 16, including this take on the Uriah Heap album Demons & Wizards: Then it might…
The New Tucson Style Blog Is, Well, Rather Stylish
Michael McKisson, who readers of the Range may know from his weekly posts about Tucson’s cycling scene, has partnered up with Julie Reed to start new blog called Tucson Style. It covers various aspects of Tucson fashion through interviews, photos and musings on local style at large. Take a look.
Mexican Youth Take Media to Task During Mexico’s Elections
While not all organizers agree with the term Mexican Spring to describe the changes taking place right now, it’s an exciting time for activists and students who’ve taken to the streets in a series of actions on mainstream media coverage of the country’s presidential elections — specifically how politicians have bought favorable coverage. The general…
A Terrible Day for New Orleans Journalism
While we and our alt-weekly brethren take our shots at the mainstream media, I think we generally wish the best for our journalist comrades, just that their corporate overlords would encourage them to do better work actually serving their communities. Considering that, the New Orleans Times-Picayune’s massive layoffs today as part of their plan to…
Breaking CD 8 Election News: Grandpa Hank to Appear at Kelly Party Tonight
Courtesy of Jesse Kelly’s extended campaign ad appearance on the Jon Justice show this morning, we found out that Grandpa Hank, made famous by his cameo in several Kelly TV spots, will be at the Viscount Suites tonight as part of the Republican candidate’s election night party. Kelly assured Justice’s audience that there would be…
The Food Truck Pod at Civano Nursery
A small selection of food trucks has established a semi-permanent location at Civano Nursery at 5301 S. Houghton Road, selling everything from wild-salmon burgers to Cuban-inspired fare on a regular basis. The trucks set up around 11 a.m., Thursday through Sunday. This week it looks like Dragoon Cafe, Jamie’s Bitchen Kitchen and Guero Loco’s Bubba…
There’s a New Tallest Man on Earth Album
At 5’7”, Kristian Matsson can hardly be considered tall. The Swedish songwriter has often been compared to Bob Dylan, and rightfully so. His songs are relatively simple, extremely folksy, and his lyrics are made of heavy stuff, much like many of Dylan’s works. However, Matsson’s vocal range is, let’s say, a bit broader than the…
Mark Kelly: “Gabby Has Tucson Running Through Her Blood”
C. Elliott Tomorrow’s special election has brought Gabby Giffords back to Tucson this week. Giffords and her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, flew into Tucson this weekend to attend the get-out-the-vote concert and rally for Democrat Ron Barber, who is facing Republican Jesse Kelly in the June 12 special election to complete Giffords’ term. Giffords…
Here’s a Summertime Mixtape for Your Enjoyment
Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com DJ Jazzy Jeff knows a little bit about summertime music, adjusting the bass and letting the Alpine blast, etc. etc., so for the third year in a row, he’s teamed up with fellow DJ, Mick Boogie, to collect a bunch of smooth tracks to enjoy during our…
You Know What Arizona Needs? More Political References to Shooting Stuff
No particular surprise that Ron Gould, a state legislator whose laptop has a giant “Don’t Trend on Me” sticker on its case, is campaigning for Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District by appealing to the Tea Party crowd with his new TV ad, but the second I saw Gould loading up his trap, I sighed. Some things…
It’s Semi-Official: Theater Is Dead
It might be a coincidence, but the broadcast of the Tony Awards on CBS had their lowest ratings in 21 years just one day before one Broadway producer announced that she was moving forward with a terrible idea: Producer Dianne Fraser has acquired stage rights to Gilligan’s Island: The Musical, and she plans to launch…
Get Out the Vote Concert for Ron Barber, June 9, 2012
Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta headlined a Get Out the Vote concert supporting Ron Barber at the Rialto Theatre on June 9th, 2012.
Public Opinions on the Modern Streetcar Construction
I spent time down on Fourth Avenue asking employees of area businesses and the members of the general public their thoughts on the current construction of the modern streetcar. The general consensus: nobody likes it.
Poll: Barber Headed To Victory Over Kelly in Tomorrow’s Special Election
Public Policy Polling predicts a blowout for Democrat Ron Barber in tomorrow’s special election to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ seat: Democrats are headed for a victory in tomorrow’s special election to replace Gabby Giffords in the House, but the relevance of the result in Arizona to much of anything else appears limited. Democrat Ron Barber leads…
Political Roundtable: CD8 Hits Final Stretch, Rio Nuevo Shake-Up, Cunningham’s Problems & More!
In case you missed it: Last night’s Political Roundtable! Pima County Republican Chairwoman Carolyn Cox, Pima County Democratic Chairman Jeff Rogers and Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik visit Arizona Illustrated to talk about the week in review, including the closing arguments in the race between Republican Jesse Kelly and Democrat Ron Barber; the shake-up on…
A Reminder: The Concert for Ron Barber Is Tomorrow Night
You’ll need to go to Ron Barber’s campaign website to sign up for a volunteer shift to get in, but if you’re willing to help out the Tucson Weekly’s endorsed candidate in the CD 8 special election, you can see an excellent show at the Rialto tomorrow night, featuring Sergio Mendoza y la Orkestra, some…
Caffe’ Milano Closing for Summer Vacation June 14
If you are looking for authentic Italian cuisine downtown, be sure to visit Caffe’ Milano before it closes for a month. Starting on Thursday, June 14, the restaurant will be closed and will reopen on Wednesday, July 18. The owners return to Italy each summer to find new recipes and to visit family. Caffe’ Milano…
Writer’s Block: Loretta Kantor
Arizona author Loretta Kantor, originally from the Bronx, NY, has written a story of personal triumph in the aftermath of the Vietnam War entitled Private War, Personal Victory: Footnote to the Vietnam War. (Windy Acre, 199 pages, $18, available on Amazon.) Kantor and her husband moved to Tucson in 1980. They now reside in Hereford.…
Coming Next: Gabby PAC
Gabby Giffords, who will be at downtown’s Rialto Theatre for a get-out-the-vote rally and concert on Saturday night to help former aide Ron Barber in his campaign against Republican Jesse Kelly in the June 12 special election that will determine who finishes Giffords’ congressional term, made an appearance earlier this week in Beverly Hills. HuffPo…
Is Nineteen Too Young to Get Married?
So I got on my computer this morning, another casual Wednesday perusing the Internet and usual news websites I check on the daily, in addition to checking my Facebook for the first time today [but not the last], I came across something interesting. Several of my friend’s statuses said something along the lines of “Why…
You Should Adopt a Pet This Weekend
I often feel overwhelmed by the number of animals out there awaiting adoption; we got our beloved dog, Django, from a shelter, but we can’t really take on another pet at the moment for a few reasons. However, the shelter community has really done a great job creating easy opportunities, complete with what are essentially…
Political Roundtable Tonight: CD8 Race Hits Final Stretch, Rio Nuevo Shake-Up, City Hall Update & More
Tonight on Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable: We’ll talk about the closing arguments in next week’s special election between Democrat Ron Barber and Republican Jesse Kelly to finish Gabby Giffords’ congressional term, examine the shake-up on the Rio Nuevo board, look at the Tucson City Council’s move toward a code of conduct for council members in…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
View Repaving of Campbell in a larger map Construction started this week on Campbell Ave. north of River Road, which is getting new pavement and bike lanes. except for one gap. Find out why 430 feet might not get the improvements and learn when the project will be complete. We visit the San Diego area…
Critter of the Week: Meet Dono
UPDATE: Dono has been adopted, but there are plenty of pets that would love to become part of your family at the Humane Society. Dono is destined for greatness! This giant hunk of love is the world’s best dog. When his previous family surrendered him to the HSSA with heavy hearts, they explained that he…
This Is What Some of the Weekly Staff Did Last Night
It might not be immediately apparent from the terrible camera phone shot, but that’s Michael Bolton eating barbecue at Slows in Detroit. Three Weekly staffers are on the road this weekend for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia conference, but it won’t get much better than eating a table away from a multi-platinum singer.
Where Your Bike is Most Likely to be Stolen on UA Campus
As bike thefts on the University of Arizona campus decrease with each passing year, it’s good to know where your bike is most in danger. In the Arizona Daily Star, Elliot Montgomery, a recent graduate of UA, took the time and effort to determine which places on campus you are most likely to get your…
Looking Past a Stereotype and Into Someone’s Life
In the Chronicle of Higher Education, there was a feature story written by Brad Wolverton that gave insight to the life of a college athlete. Although he falls under the stereotype of a “dumb jock” with a surprisingly low GPA and never having a desire to do well in school, I learned that not every…
A Few Restaurant Closings Around Town
I am not sure what is up with chef Steven Schultz’s The New Red Sky and Luna Bar up at 2990 N. Swan Road, in Plaza Palomino. The notification on the place’s website says it’s closed for several weeks for customer’s “safety and comfort” during construction. But it’s said that for far longer than several…
CD8: Barber’s Raise, Kelly’s Stimulus & Scarpinato’s Preoccupation With Refunds
The Arizona Republic reports that Democrat Ron Barber received a $43,000-a-year raise when working in Gabrielle Giffords’ congressional office: The Democrat running to replace former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords saw his annual salary raised from about $70,000 to about $100,000 a year after becoming her district director in Giffords’ first term in office. His new…
Padres Back in Town for Fun-Filled Homestand
Jim Nintzel The Tucson Padres return to Tucson tonight to launch a four-game series against the Reno Aces. It’s also Thirsty Thursday, which means you can get yourself a 16-oz. beer—or soft drinks—for just $1.50. And if you like mixing adult beverages with baseball, tomorrow night’s Kino Krawl is for you: $15 gets you a…
Pima County Attorney Retaliation Case Addendum
This week’s dead-tree issue includes an interesting story on a long-time employee of the Pima County Attorney’s Office who filed a whistle-blower retaliation complaint against her employer. Lee Walter claims that she was disciplined after formally complaining and requesting an investigation that alleged unethical behaviors took place during an attorney interview process last year. Walter…
Roll Acosta : This Dreamt Existence (Self-released)
Having honed the band’s acoustic pop sound on two EPs, Tucson’s Roll Acosta delivers a well-executed debut record, with 10 catchy, sweeping songs built from moments of rising and falling drama. Singer/guitarist Jacob Acosta, violinist/mandolinist Kevin Frederick and drummer André Gressieux turned to indie-pop wizard John Vanderslice for recording and production. The songs on This…
Friend to the End
Vanessa Romero had plans—plans for herself, and plans for those she cared about. The 18-year-old single mother was going to finish school, join the Army, raise her child and help give her ailing mother the gift of life. But all of that went away on a June night in 2010, when Romero left her southside…
Live
One of the few still-relevant groups from the alternative-rock renaissance of the 1990s, Jane’s Addiction, roared into town last week and crammed an arena-size show into this genteel theater. The band, which began in the 1980s, arrived to the strains of Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine,” and they immediately walloped the audience with the…
City Week
Hyper-realism on display; Aladdin minus Robin Williams; Desert animals, after dark; You can see magic, you can have anything your heart desires
Nine Questions
Ernesto Gardner, who passed away on May 5, was a first-rate comedian and a dedicated, loyal friend. He was also one of Tucson’s finest drummers. Self-taught from the age of 11, Ernie showed astonishing talent, which made him sought after by countless local bands. On recordings by Mala Vita, La Cerca, the Red Switch and…
Police Dispatch
By the hammer of Thor!; Anger with cars
Top Ten in Music
1. Summerdog 1978-1982 (self-released) 2. Bryan Dean Trio Sobriety Checkpoint (self-released) 3. Pablo Peregrina Traveling Shoes (self-released) 4. The Mollys Live at El Casino Ballroom (self-released) 5. Mitzi Cowell 33 (self-released) 6. The Missing Parts Sueños (self-released) 7. Marvin Todacheenie Southwestern Dreams Live (self-released) 8. Eric Mellen Band Arizona Twang (self-released) 9. Ron Pandy Truth…
Now Showing at Home
The Gold Rush (Blu-ray); The Outlaw Josey Wales (Blu-ray); Goon (Blu-ray)
Soundbites
Music for Ron Barber; Los Lobos beats the Sound Strike; The Indigo Girls go way past “Galileo”; and more!
TQ&A
Christopher Kroh has been a Tucson taxi driver since 1996. He said he’s seen the business change from a decent way of making a living to a nickel-and-dime job that is in need of change. Kroh has started the Tucson Hacks Association, “hack” being a term for a cab driver. The association started meeting last…
Celtic Crooners
Claire Mann and Aaron Jones may be just a duo, but the much-lauded Celtic musicians can fill a stage with sound. Both sing, and both are serious multi-instrumentalists. Mann plays fiddle, flute and tin whistle, while Jones performs on guitar, bass, cittern and bouzouki. “The thing with any duo is there’s a synergy to it,”…
Media Watch
Sean Mooney returns to town
Food, Beer and a Race
Pizza and burgers go hand in hand with a nice cold beer—and when the food is good; the service is friendly; and there are plenty of TVs for watching sporting events, it’s a winning combination. Yes, Jalopy’s Grillville, at Oracle Road and Limberlost Drive, has all of the necessary components. But restaurants are often about…
The Skinny
Voters finally get to choose between Ron Barber and Jesse Kelly … Gabby Giffords comes back to Tucson for a get-out-the-vote concert … Paul Cunningham may be too sexy for the Tucson City Council … and much more!
Editor’s Note
As those of us at Weekly World Central were zooming toward our Tuesday press deadline, we received word that state Senate President Steve Pierce had removed two appointees—Rick Grinnell and chairwoman Jodi Bain—from the Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District. Pierce deserves a hearty round of applause for this move. Under Bain’s “leadership”—she’s been the chairperson…
Noshing Around
A man, his garden and a blog; A new restaurant; Food via bicycle; and more!
Cabaret Nights
Thanks to the Invisible Theatre, it won’t just be rib eyes on the grill that are sizzling this summer. For four weeks, beginning June 13, the group’s Sizzling Summer Sounds series will present eight different shows featuring musical entertainment in a classy cabaret setting at the Arizona Inn. IT developed the series years ago, but…
Danehy
For those of you who think that I unfairly pick on the Arizona Interscholastic Association for what I consider to be a disastrous “reorganization” plan, you’ll love this. The AIA took a reasonable concern—that of rising transportation costs—and used it to gut a system that had worked splendidly for several decades, creating in its place…
With the Flow
Clyde Eddy must have been missing the war. He seems to have been one of those lost, dissatisfied former soldiers that Hemingway wrote about: a man who couldn’t adjust to the everyday after spending his youth flying over France, photographing the enemy in his trenches, and listening to the bombs. It’s really the only way…
The More Things Change …
Etcetera, the late-night branch of Live Theatre Workshop, has had several incarnations. As Michael Martinez, LTW’s new executive director, says, “It’s kind of lived up to its name.” Throughout the permutations, the eclectic late-night company has been a home for art that does not quite fit in elsewhere. Etcetera “supports new art and brings something…
Serraglio
The dust usually settles around Tucson this time of year. Wild spring winds diminish; snowbirds retreat to temperate regions; summer vacationers flee; university students join the exodus (or sink into a state of summer torpor); and our beloved burg settles in for a long, sleepy bake. Not this year. Amid fallout from the grinding gears…
Top Ten in Books
1. Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy E.L. James, Vintage ($15.95) 2. Catching Fire Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($17.99) 3. Explosive Eighteen Janet Evanovich, Bantam ($8.99) 4. Mockingjay Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($17.99) 5. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail Cheryl Strayed, Knopf ($25.95) 6. In One Person:…
Diverse Night of Dance
With reality dance shows like Dance Moms gaining in popularity, it seems like the American public has never been more fascinated by the world of dance. While these TV shows are undeniably entertaining, it’s often because of the catty drama and squabbles among dancers (or their mothers)—not the actual dancing. So if you like dance…
Guest Commentary
My track record doesn’t suggest a deadbeat. I have paid $100,000 in child support, and owe another $17,000, on which I pay state-mandated 10 percent annual interest. Nor does it suggest fleeing responsibility. I have lived in Tucson since getting my first job in 1978. I have no history of evading authorities, debts or obligations.…
Chest-Bursting Fun
OK, fellow geeks, you can exhale: Prometheus is a very good movie. For years, director Ridley Scott has been teasing fans about returning to the land of the xenomorph and the fierce franchise he started in 1979 with his masterpiece Alien. There was talk about a sequel with Sigourney Weaver in which earthlings would go…
Weekly Wide Web
This might be surprising to those who follow my pop-culture-obsessed posts on The Range, but the Gibson family recently made the decision to get rid of cable. While this has made it slightly more difficult to watch some of the television shows we enjoy, it hasn’t been the awful morass of boredom that I had…
Animal Magnetism
These massive animated movies kind of run together after a while. They generally include inanimate objects or animals in unfamiliar places (Finding Nemo quite literally used the fish-out-of-water scenario); they’re all in 3-D now; and they usually have familiar names in the voice cast. So unless the film is something incredibly daring like Up or…
Helpful Herb
If you’ve ever been depressed or have lived with someone who is depressed, you know it sucks—and not just a little bit. Depression really, really sucks a lot in ways that make people lose their jobs and wish they were dead. It seeps out from the hearts and souls of sufferers to affect everyone around…
Top Ten in Movies
1. The Grey Universal 2. This Means War 20th Century Fox 3. Man on a Ledge Summit 4. Chronicle 20th Century Fox 5. We Need to Talk About Kevin Oscilloscope 6. The Woman in Black Sony 7. The Secret World of Arrietty Buena Vista 8. Red Tails 20th Century Fox 9. Coriolanus Anchor Bay 10.…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I work construction here in Texas. The mojados at work call me “Chicano” (which really angers me) to make fun of me, and I reply to them by saying, “¡México, bien por su gente!” This usually leads to debates over the Hispanic population becoming the majority in this beautiful country (U.S.) of ours.…
Broken Records
Lee Walter has had an unblemished record over almost 30 years with the Pima County Attorney’s Office, so when she received a disciplinary letter in December 2011, she concluded that it came in retaliation for whistle-blowing. Walter, who works as the civil division operations manager and supervises all non-legal staff in the county attorney’s civil…
Sinphonics: Ghost Note Anthems (Self-released)
Tucson hard-rock band Sinphonics has been kicking around town since 2005, winning a few battles of the bands along the way and releasing a debut disc in ’07. The group had another album ready to go in 2010, but according to a press release, it was shelved due to a protracted struggle to find a…
Broadway Performance
Mark Homan, vice president of the Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association, dreads the idea of widening Broadway Boulevard to eight lanes between downtown and County Club Road. He fears the loss of businesses along the corridor. He worries about pedestrians crossing such a wide stretch of roadway. He doesn’t want to see historic buildings bulldozed. “Whatever…
Fixers: We’ll Be the Moon (Mercury)
Fixers are an Oxford-based quintet making what could easily be identified as dream pop or shoegaze. They’re on the jaunty end of that spectrum. There’s nothing dark or moody about their debut, We’ll Be the Moon, which can be, oddly enough, a bit of a drag. One shouldn’t knock a band for being in a…
Pawn Job
To unearth the roots of his anger, Darius Gemmel doesn’t need the help of a shrink. He just needs to look a few feet away, where his laptop computer gathers dust. It was on April 29, 2011, that Gemmel’s midtown home was ransacked; among the things stolen was his MacBook Pro. As it happens, Gemmel…
Let’s Watch the Trailer for ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’
Get More: Nina Dobrev, Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, 2012 Movie Awards, New Movies “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is without a doubt in my top five list of favorite books read in high school. It spread like wildfire among my group of friends, and I’m pretty sure it’s the only novel (besides the Harry…
Henry Darrow and ‘The High Chaparral’
Old Tucson may be closed for the summer, but you can get a glimpse of its past in the book Henry Darrow: Lightning in the Bottle by Jan Pippins and Henry Darrow. (BearManor Media, 392 pages, $24.95) Henry Darrow, born Enrique Tomás Delgado, played Manolito Montoya in the western The High Chaparral. The show, about…
You Didn’t See “Hot Rod” and You Ruined Andy Samberg’s Career
While I don’t think I’ve enjoyed an Adam Sandler movie since The Wedding Singer (I also liked Funny People and Punch Drunk Love, but those don’t really seem like they count, since they lacked the David Spade cameos I generally expect from Sandler films), so I’m admittedly not the target audience for That’s My Boy,…
Remembering Ray Bradbury’s Tucson Years
The New York Times notes the passing of Ray Bradbury at age 91: By many estimations Mr. Bradbury was the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream. His name would appear near the top of any list of major science-fiction writers of the 20th century, beside those of Isaac Asimov,…
Jesse Kelly: Let Students Loan Rates Increase Now, Deal With Them Later
Republican Jesse Kelly, who is facing Democrat Ron Barber in next week’s special election to finish the congressional term of Gabby Giffords, talked with Chuck Todd of NBC News today. The Barber campaign pounces on some of Kelly’s statements: This morning on national television, Jesse Kelly continued his assault on middle class families. When asked…
