Cover Story
Lofty Visions
One day in the middle of October, Peggy Johnson was standing in a dusty former auto-repair shop just east of the Loft Cinema that was in the process of being transformed into a new movie theater. There was still plenty of work to be done, but the new screening room was definitely starting to take…
‘New York Times’ Food Review Straight-Up Eviscerates Guy Fieri Restaurant
I know that we at the Weekly tend to be as honest as possible when it comes to restaurant reviews, resulting in occasional hurt feelings from some folks, but man, the New York Times’ Pete Wells completely brutalized the Times Square restaurant of celebrity chef/television host/hedgehog-lookalike Guy Fieri, Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar. An excerpt…
Recreational Marijuana Slope Getting Slipperier
Perhaps emboldened by the voters of Washington and Colorado, lawmakers in Rhode Island and Maine announced today that they will introduce legislation to make pot legal there for recreational users. Rhode Island Rep. Edith Ajello and Maine Rep. Diane Russell made the joint announcement through the Marijuana Policy Project, a non-profit advocacy group. “We are…
Talking Comics: All-New X-Men!
This week Eric and Cynthia (who we’re pretty sure is a full-fledged mutant) discuss the stellar All-New X-Men #1 ! You should pick one up! And, if you’re reading this on Wednesday (11/14), you should go down to Heroes and Villains’ All-New X-Men #1 Release Party and get a FREE sketch by one of eight…
From the Narcosphere: A Return of the ‘Devil’s Cartel’?
For a border perspective that comes from Tucson, I always recommend our amazing Tim Vanderpool, but not all border issues, especially those on the U.S.’s failed war on drugs, are best viewed from a Tucson lens. For a wider perspective, there are none better than Narco News’ Bill Conroy. He’s been prolific as of late,…
9Q+1: Ed Nossem
Ed Nossem has played guitar and bass in a variety of Tucson bands since 1990, including Grimble Wedge, Worm, and the Distortionists. He is currently playing with Fish Karma, who is releasing a new 7-inch at 9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 16, at the District Tavern, 260 E. Congress St. Admission is free. What is the…
Time to Spread Thanksgiving Cheer
In the past year the food bank has experienced a 10 percent increase in requests for help than the previous 12 months. But you—yes you, right there!—can help out on this Thursday, Nov. 15. The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is hosting their annual “Thanksgiving on the Mayflower” event at the Sprouts (formerly known…
CD2 Update: Barber Leads McSally by 654 Votes
With Cochise County reporting yesterday’s vote tally, Congressman Ron Barber has seen his lead over GOP challenger Martha McSally sink to 654 votes. It’s unknown how many more early and provisional ballots Cochise County has to count. More coverage of the vote-counting escapades here. Find the latest official tally here. More on the race in…
Elmo-Gate Update: Accuser of Puppeteer Kevin Clash Recants Story
Kevin Clash, the longtime puppeteer of Sesame Street sensation and constantly in-demand red monster puppet Elmo, has been cleared of accusations that he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage boy after the accuser recanted. The accuser, who is now 24 and remains unidentified, had this to say, according to the New York Times’s…
Country Thunder Announces 2013 Lineup
Country Thunder, the annual country music festival that takes place in Florence, Ariz., each spring (there’s a companion festival, also called Country Thunder, each summer in Twin Lakes, Wisc.), has announced its lineup for the 2013 edition, which runs from Thursday, April 11, through Sunday, April 14. This year’s headliners include Lady Antebellum, Toby Keith,…
CD2 Update: Barber Leads McSally By 829 Votes
With Pima County wrapping up another batch of early ballots today, Congressman Ron Barber has moved to a lead of 829 votes over Republican challenger Martha McSally. Cochise County is expected to deliver a new report of early-ballot votes later today. In the meantime, The Range has a better understanding of the outcome of today’s…
Secretary of State Bennett Wants More Financial Disclosure on Campaign Funding
Secretary of State Ken Bennett says that he wants more disclosure of who is funding political campaigns in Arizona, according to Howie Fischer of Arizona Capitol Media: Bennett said his experience with Arizona elections in this and prior years convinces him more transparency in funding sources is needed. He said existing state laws focus largely…
Seattle PD Has Released Guide To Newly-Legalized Pot In Seattle; Includes Lord of the Rings Reference
I’m not a fan of marijuana or marijuana culture in general (I mean, have you ever noticed that heavy stoners all develop the same laugh? Once you hear it, you can never un-hear it. Sorry for ruining your friendships), but I do appreciate the legalization of marijuana I mean, when you’ve got something that can…
CD2 Update: Questioned Cochise County Ballots Will Be Counted
Breaking news out of Cochise County: We’re told that the provisional ballots that GOP attorneys sought to block from being counted will be counted. As we understand it, both parties reached a mutual agreement that was approved by the court. Details to follow as we get them.
Watch Out for Possible Firestarter on UA Campus
The UA Police Department just issued a campus watch for an alleged arsonist: fireinvestigatioanadoc.pdf Fire Investigation Since October 20th, 2012, The University of Arizona Police Department has responded to four separate fires that have occurred at the Pueblo De La Cienega Residence Hall, located at 621 N. Highland Avenue. UAPD detectives are actively investigating these…
CD2 Update: Republicans Go to Cochise County Court To Block Counting of Provisional Ballots in Latino Precincts
As Congressman Ron Barber and GOP challenger Martha McSally continue to battle for every vote in a race that Barber leads by just 512 votes, attorneys were in Cochise County court today in an effort to block the counting of provisional ballots in a predominantly Latino precinct. Barber’s campaign manager, Jessica Floyd, said it was…
Stephen Colbert Exposed Super PACs As Bottomless Money Pits, Killed a Ham
Say what you will about Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert, the Colbert Report and his cohorts over at The Daily Show, but his work satirizing the existence of Super PACs and political ads this election cycle (and “supporting” Herman Cain) was fantastic. But now, with the election over, the Colbert Super PAC known as Americans for…
Want More Evidence that Mexican-American Studies Works?
Remember all those times when any evidence presented to support TUSD’s Mexican-American studies just never seemed enough? Despite teachers, professors and students pointing out graduation rates, better AIMS test scores, overall improvement in other classes and more kids going on to college, it still didn’t convince detractors. Even after the Cambium Audit, commissioned by state…
Borderlands Brewing Company’s Big Expansion
If you like beer and you haven’t been to Borderlands Brewing Company you are quickly becoming a minority. The microbrewery has been teeming with customers since opening its doors last year thanks in part to great live music and special events, but mainly because the beer is fresh and good. The brewery at 119 E.…
Time to Celebrate that Women’s Vote with Blues-Punk Band Shilpa Ray
When it came to reproductive rights, it was one hell of an election year. So, let’s celebrate the woman vote with a video from Brooklyn blues-punk band Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers: “Nocturnal Emissions.” Enjoy, Foster Friess. If you don’t like it, put an aspirin between your…
93rd Annual Veteran’s Day Parade in Tucson
The 93rd Annual Veteran’s Day Parade was held on Monday, November 12, 2012 in Tucson. Noelle Haro-Gomez Catalina High School Air Force Junior ROTC marches downtown in The Veterans Day Parade. Noelle Haro-Gomez Isa Van Kuiken waves her flag as the parade goes by. Noelle Haro-Gomez 93rd Annual Veteran’s Day Parade. Noelle Haro-Gomez Noelle Haro-Gomez…
CD2 Update: Barber Leads McSally by 512 Votes
With a new report from Cochise County, Congressman Ron Barber lost a bit of the margin he picked up in Pima County earlier today, but he still leads GOP challenger Martha McSally by 512 votes. But for a second night in a row, McSally did not retake the lead after Cochise County reported its count.…
‘Sesame Street’ Elmo Puppeteer Taking Leave of Absence Following “Inappropriate Relationship” Allegations
Something new to file in the “destruction of innocence” category: Puppeteer of the beloved “Elmo” character on Sesame Street Kevin Clash is taking a “leave of absence” from the show in the wake of accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a then-16-year-old boy. From Yahoo! News, via the Associated Press: Sesame Workshop said puppeteer Kevin…
Ron Barber and John Hammond From “Jurassic Park”: Separated at Birth?
They’re like twin brothers of completely disparate ages! Seriously, the resemblance is uncanny Representative, and current CD2 candidate Ron Barber looks so similar to Richard Attenborough in these photos that it’s silly. If Barber ends up pulling through in this race, let’s hope he doesn’t attempt to pull funding toward a dinosaur-themed park full of…
See The Sea and Cake Tonight at Congress
Hey, why not go see The Sea and Cake tonight at Club Congress? Here’s what Spin has to say about them: Much like their namesake, Chicago post-rock quartet the Sea and Cake have created music that combines a subtle sweetness with an impossibly cool beachside vibe, thanks to a mix of electronic sounds, Krautrock styles,…
City Road Bond Package Now Winning by 82 Votes
Another close race as Pima County continues to count those early ballots: Prop 409, the city of Tucson’s road-bond measure, is now passing by 82 votes. Current tally stands at Yes: 65,679; No: 65,597. Pima County won’t be counting any more votes today. Here’s the latest status, per Pima County spokeswoman Rhonda Bodfield: Pima County…
‘Weekly’ Editor Jimmy Boegle Leaving Paper at End of Year, Heading to the Coachella Valley
For Jimmy Boegle, opportunity has come knocking again. After nearly 10 years as editor of the Tucson Weekly, Boegle has decided it’s time to pursue a venture of his own: He’s launching an alternative news source in Southern California’s Coachella Valley. “There are more than 400,000 people in the Coachella Valley,” Boegle said. “There are…
CD2 Update: Ron Barber Extends His Lead Over Martha McSally, But Just Barely
Ron Barber’s lead over Martha McSally has increased to 698 votes, from yesterday’s lead of 330 votes. We’ll keep things updated as new totals come in. To track the counts on your own, check out the unofficial results here. For an archive of our updates updating you on the updates of the CD2 race, check…
In Honor of Veteran’s Day: Dogs Welcoming Their Soldiers Home
Of course, yesterday was Veterans Day, as is every November 11. But, considering that Veterans Day is currently being observed across the country today in federal (and banking) insitutions, who are we to deny our soldiers another day of remembrance and thanks? I can’t think of a better way to do that than to watch…
Feeling Hope Caravan: Mothers Searching for their Children on the Migrant Route
Waging Nonviolence’s Marta Molina shared another one of her beautiful stories with us. The Mexico City-based reporter wrote about mothers from Central America who recently organized the Freeing Hope caravan that traveled from Oct. 15-Nov. 3 through El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. As a border community, it’s a story we are already familiar…
CD2 Update: Barber Leads McSally by 330 Votes
As of Sunday night, Congressman Ron Barber leads Republican challenger Martha McSally by 330 votes, following a report of new vote totals from Cochise County. Pima County did not count votes today. This was the first time that Cochise County has delivered a new vote count without McSally taking the lead back from Barber in…
Loft Film Fest Continues: “John Dies at the End” Tonight!
Seeing legendary producer/director Roger Corman at the Loft last night was great. He seemed to be a delightful gentleman who truly loves making movies. I enjoyed Death Race 2000 last night, but for me, the real thrill was seeing Corman’s Masque of the Red Death on the big screen this morning. I have fond memories…
Special Delivery: TUSD Desegregation Plan Goes Public
On Friday, Nov. 9, around 6:30 p.m., after almost 10 months of meetings, negotiations and several extensions, a proposed desegregation plan for Tucson Unified School District was released by the U.S. District Court-appointed special master Willis Hawley. If you want to go straight to the plan, here you go: Unitary_Status_Plan_12-11-09.pdf The 84-page document begins with…
CD2 Update: Barber Leads McSally by 289 Votes
An update to last night’s post on the see-sawing race between Congressman Ron Barber and Republican challenger Martha McSally: The Arizona Secretary of State is reporting that Barber, as of Sunday morning, leads McSally by 289 votes. More coverage of the vote-counting saga here.
CD2 Update: Barber Moves Ahead of McSally by 223 Votes
Another CD update for you today: Pima County’s latest tabulation puts Congressman Ron Barber 223 votes ahead of GOP challenger Martha McSally. Still more vote-counting to come tomorrow. We’ll bring you more details as they become available. Here’s our previous coverage of the back-and-forth race as early ballots have been counted. UPDATED: Here’s the latest…
CD2 Update: McSally Moves Ahead of Barber by 430 Votes
In case you’re wondering about that CD2 race: After Cochise County counted a new batch of early ballots this afternoon, GOP challenger Martha McSally moved ahead of Congressman Ron Barber by 430 votes. The tally, as of 5:30 Saturday afternoon, stood at 126,785 for McSally and 126,355 for Barber. We don’t have an exact count…
CD2 Update: McSally Leads Barber by 36 Votes
GOP challenger Martha McSally has once again taken the lead over Congressman Ron Barber—this time, by 36 votes. McSally has 125,223; Barber has 125,187. That’s McSally with 49.92 percent of the vote and Barber with 49.90 percent. A congressional election doesn’t get much closer than this, folks. Every time Pima County runs through a batch…
Loft Film Fest Continues: Roger Corman in Person Tonight!
The Loft Film Fest continues today with all kinds of great picture shows, including an appearance by legendary director Roger Corman tonight. The Range made it over to the Loft last night for the very first film projected on the new Screen 3. Peggy and her crew have done an astounding job of transforming the…
Political Roundtable: Election Autopsy Edition
On Arizona Public Media’s Political Roundtable last night: Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers, Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries, Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik and political strategist Sam Stone had a lively conversation about Tuesday’s election.
CD2 Update: Ron Barber Has, Once Again, Overtaken Martha McSally
With the newest tabulation of votes, updated at 2:43 today, Ron Barber is again in the lead against his Republican opponent Martha McSally. The latest numbers show him to have 123,650 votes to McSally’s 123,064 an advantage of only 584 votes. Barber does, however, appear to be gaining the most ground in Pima County. With…
Get WILD This Weekend at Catalina State Park
In case coffee crawls aren’t your thing, perhaps you’d be interested in wandering through the wilds of Catalina State Park this weekend? Considering the lovely weather we’ve been experiencing, which is forecast to last throughout the weekend, maybe a walk on the WILD side wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Enter WILDConnection, this weekend’s huge event…
Check Out Wilko’s Weekend Brunch, Starting Tomorrow
If you follow Wilko on Facebook, you may have heard the news already: they’re fully launching their new weekend brunch menu, starting tomorrow after what we can assume was a successful soft launch last weekend. The brunch menu is said to have 15 new entrees, priced between 9 and 20 dollars, along with 15 new…
I Am Not Embarrassed to Admit That This Event Scares Me
Despite being a dude who likes dudes, I did NOT get the part of the gay gene involving musicals. While there are exceptions—good Broadway shows and compelling narratives can win me over—I generally just shake my head at musicals. Walking down the street during a sad moment and blurting into a warble about one’s feelings?…
Help Fund Billy Sedlmayr’s Solo Debut!
We’ve talked a bit about local legend Billy Sedlmayr’s forthcoming solo debut previously in a piece by Eric Swedlund last month. Well, it’s getting to be crunch time for his Kickstarter project, folks. The project is less than halfway to its goal of $10,000, with 7 days left before it closes. If you’ve got an…
La Mesa Tortillas on West Grant Road Has Closed
The La Mesa Tortillas location at 2112 W. Grant Road, which has been turning out killer tortillas and a small menu of lunch items for about three years, is closed. The sign in the window says the other La Mesa Tortillas location, at 7131 E. Broadway Blvd., remains open. The store’s website says the third…
Turkeyless Thanksgiving Feasts
If you absolutely must gnaw on the carcass of a dead turkey on Thanksgiving, stop reading this … now. If you’re either a vegetarian or just into trying new things, however, we’ve got a couple of interesting alternatives for you to consider. The first is the annual all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving feast at Govinda’s at 711 E.…
We’ve Got Two Pairs of Tickets to This Weekend’s NASCAR Action in Phoenix—Who Wants ‘Em?
Tucson NASCAR fans, we’ve got two pairs of tickets to this weekend’s action at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. If you want to watch a bunch of people in technological marvels drive really, really, incredibly fast, here’s your opportunity. The first two folks to send an email to dmendez@tucsonweekly.com with the subject line “TW NASCAR…
Maybe Voter Fraud Isn’t That Easy To Pull Off
An amusing post-election dispatch from Talking Points Memo: Two Republicans in separate states were taken into police custody during the past week for allegedly attempting to test how easy it would be to commit voter fraud. In Nevada, 56-year-old Roxanne Rubin, a Republican, was arrested on Nov. 2 for allegedly trying to vote twice, the…
Reminder to Tucson Java Fanatics: Tucson’s Coffee Crawl is Tomorrow
Why yes, we at Weekly World Central are indeed jazzed about the opportunity to wander the streets of Tucson, tasting some of the city’s best coffee. Tomorrow, Nov. 10, coffee shops from Downtown Tucson to the University area out to the Campbell Ave. corridor are going to be opening their doors to caffeine fans, offering…
Hotel Congress’s Whiskey Weekend Sounds Like My Kind Of Weekend
Literally nothing sounds better to me than an evening of hanging around comfortably, sipping whiskey with friends—and Hotel Congress’s Whiskey Weekend, set to happen one month from now, sounds like it could be the very best thing I could possibly do with my time and money that weekend. From HotelCongress.com: Whatever your pleasure, Jack, Jim…
Pima County Vote Counting Update: All Early Ballots Now Ready for Tabulation
Rhonda Bodfield of the Pima County Communications Office has sent out a dispatch to let us know what’s happening with the vote count: Pima County finished counting 14,184 ballots Thursday, Nov. 8, as elections officials work to finalize results. Roughly 53,000 ballots remain, out of the approximately 55,000 early ballots dropped off at the polls…
Dispatch From Crazyland: Gabby Mercer Believes She Can Still Win
From the “Math You Do As A Republican To Make Yourself Feel Better” Desk: Republican Gabby Mercer fired off a press release this afternoon declaring that she would not concede in her race against Congressman Raul Grijalva because she only trails him by 1,117 votes. Says Mercer, in a press release: “This was my first…
CD2 Update: McSally Takes Lead Back From Barber
Talk about a see-saw: GOP challenger Martha McSally has taken the lead back from Congressman Ron Barber in the race for Congressional District 2. McSally now leads the race by 81 votes, 119,617 to 119,536. An hour ago, Barber had a lead of 582 votes. The Range is assuming the new votes came from Cochise…
9Q+1: Joe Pagac
Joe Pagac Joe Pagac is a local artist best known for his revolving murals on the side of the Rialto Theatre. He also raises chickens, sews his own parachute pants and spends his free time designing as-of-yet unsuccessful perpetual motion machines. What was the first concert you ever saw? Wyclef Jean at Centennial Hall during…
CD2 Update: Barber Takes The Lead Over McSally
With the latest tally of votes in Pima County, Congressman Ron Barber has taken the lead over GOP challenger Martha McSally. Barber now leads by 582 votes, 118,546 to 117,964. Yesterday, Barber trailed McSally by 426 votes. There are a lot of votes to count, however. This race is far from finished.
American Teen To Move To Australia For Its Male, Christian President; Unaware Their Leader Is Literally None of Those Things
18-year-old Kristen Neel of Georgia doesn’t like that Barack Obama was reelected. That’s fine. What’s also fine is that she said something so literally, factually wrong that it hurts. But most at least have the sense to not broadcast their inability to do research. From Austrailia’s Courier Mail: Clearly disappointed with the election result, 18-year-old…
Your Thursday Afternoon Vote Tabulation Update
The Range is still awaiting new numbers in the Congressional District 2 race between Congressman Ron Barber and GOP challenger Martha McSally. As of yesterday, McSally was leading Barber by 426 votes. Pima County was scheduled to count 8,000 ballots this afternoon, according to Election Director Brad Nelson. We’ll bring you those as soon as…
Things You May Have Missed: Puerto Rico May Soon Be the 51st State
Tuesday was a pretty busy day for just about everyone that didn’t pop a few Ambien to sleep through the stress of wall-to-wall election coverage, so you’d be forgiven for missing this little bit of news. But on Voting Day, Puerto Ricans voted in favor of statehood for the first time in their history. From…
Your Thursday Afternoon Time-Sink: Jam With Chrome
Hey, look at all these things I don’t know how to make sound good! Now, this isn’t as music-related as it is awesome, but it’s related to using your computer to jam out rhythms and melodies, so we’ll roll with it. This is Jam With Chrome, just one of many Chrome Experiments, which are described…
Loft Film Fest Begins Tonight With “A Royal Affair”
The Weekly has a big cover story on the third annual Loft Film Festival, which begins tonight with A Royal Affair, which was a big winner at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. Loft programming director Jeff Yanc had this to say about A Royal Affair: This is the Danish Oscar submission this year. It’s an…
New: NRG Blends
If you’ve noticed an eerie blue light shining out of a space at 1122 E. Sixth Street, that would be the new NRG Blends smoothie/sports drink shop. The concept: Smoothies that enrich your system with supplements and mega-vitamin therapy to bring about superior performance in academics and sport. There’s more on the shop right here.…
Mark Kelly to Jared Loughner: “You Tried To Create For All of Us a World As Dark and Evil As Your Own. But Know This, And Remember It Always: You Failed”
Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords addressed Jared Loughner directly at his sentencing hearing this morning. Here are Kelly’s comments, as prepared for delivery: Mr. Loughner, for the first and last time, you are going to hear directly from Gabby and me about what you took away on January 8th, 2011 and, just as important, what…
Mark Kelly Speaks for Gabrielle Giffords at Jared Loughner Sentencing
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly,, today addressed her would-be assassin Jared Loughner during his sentencing for the crimes he committed on Jan. 8, 2011. That day, Loughner killed six people, including U.S. District Judge John Roll and Giffords staffer Gabe Zimmerman, and wounded 13 others, including current U.S. Rep. Ron Barber…
Former Rep. Daniel Patterson Announces He’s Dem. Again; Crowd Goes ‘Meh’
Former Arizona Representative Daniel Patterson, who resigned in the wake of an ethics investigation following accusations of domestic violence which he was later acquitted of, just couldn’t stay away. According to his Twitter page today, he’s seen the error of his ways and has switched his party registration back to Democrat from Independent. I’m back…
Enough About Politics: Let’s Talk About Beer and Duck Pizza!
With most of the political season behind us we now turn to more important matters: Filling our bellies with beer and food. What luck! Loews Ventana Canyon Resort is planning a beer-paired dinner featuring a striking assortment of barbecue-inspired things like grilled-duck pizza made with aged Gouda and habanero barbecue-spiced marmalade, steak, smoked pig cheeks…
Those Mystical, Magical Three TUSD Seats: Kristel, Stegeman and Juarez
According to the Pima County Elections Department results page, updated around 3:50 p.m. yesterday, these are the current results in the Tucson Unified School Board elections: BAKARI, MENELIK 5,470 2.15% CAMPOS-FLEENOR, DEBE 22,710 8.93% COTTON, DON 20,269 7.97% CUEVAS, MIGUEL 23,388 9.20% ELLINWOOD, RALPH E. 17,873 7.03% FOSTER, KRISTEL ANN 33,197 13.05% HUNNICUTT, JOHN A.…
Editor’s Note
Now that the election is over (at least I hope it’s over by the time you read this), we can safely look toward the (gulp!) holiday season. Next week, we’ll offer you our holiday Gift Guide, featuring all sorts of locally produced gift ideas, available at independently owned stores. We’ll also share some tips on…
Evoke Rather Than Explain
This is a very intriguing play. The Night Heron, by English playwright Jez Butterworth, is now onstage at the Rogue Theatre. The troupe has invested its talents and resources in the strange tale, and its efforts result in an enigmatic but compelling piece of theater. It’s not an easy piece, and it would be a…
Danehy
Back in the early days of the Tucson Weekly, I wrote a first-person thing as I sat on the couch and watched election results come in. As always, the election was held on a Tuesday, but through the further bending of some (back-then) often-bent rules, the piece made that week’s paper and was, therefore, relatively…
Everything Old Is New
Architect Anne Rysdale, 92, is on the phone from Bradenton, Fla. She’s patiently answering questions about her long career—until she’s asked if she’s enjoying her retirement. “Who retired?” she exclaims indignantly. “What is that ugly rumor?” In fact, Rysdale, a prolific architect of Tucson’s postwar boom, has never stopped working. “I still do small jobs…
Downing
Why do women wear high heels? I am female, and yet I’ve always been baffled by the way so many women out and out fetishize shoes that hurt, are hard to walk in and over time actually cause injury. (Ever seen a photo of Posh Spice’s bunions? Oh. My. God.) I always found the only…
New Points of View
King of the Dead, Joseph Nassise’s second novel in the Jeremiah Hunt series, is a fun and fast-paced read that never lacks plot or action. Instead of creating a separate world, Nassise instead uses the familiarity of our own world and imposes the supernatural on that familiarity. What results is an imaginative and gripping work…
Guest Commentary
Our reliance on plastic bags is both good and bad. They are simultaneously a boon because they’re convenient, and an anathema because they degrade the environment. The options to reduce plastic-bag usage that the Tucson City Council is considering are (a) to try to educate Tucsonans over the next two years and thus reduce bag use…
Top Ten in Books
1. Judgment Call: A Brady Novel of Suspense J.A. Jance, HarperCollins ($25.99) 2. Cloud Atlas: A Novel David Mitchell, Random House ($15) 3. As I Lay Dying William Faulkner, Vintage ($14) 4. Finale (Hush, Hush) Becca Fitzpatrick, Simon and Schuster ($19.99) 5. A Discovery of Witches: A Novel Deborah Harkness, Penguin ($16) 6. Beautiful Redemption…
Mixed Mandate
In a surprise Election Day twist, GOP challenger Martha McSally held a narrow lead over Congressman Ron Barber in a race that remained too close to call on Wednesday. McSally was ahead of Barber by 1,312 votes, according to the figures from the Arizona Secretary of State at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. But Pima County…
The Price of Polio
It was probably the departed HBO series Deadwood that garnered him the first steady attention of his career, but John Hawkes has been in show business since the mid-’80s, mostly with one-off TV appearances and the kind of indie films that make other indie films look like blockbusters. Out of nowhere, his impressive work in…
Taxing Questions
Arizonans will be paying less in sales taxes next year, as a bid to extend the one-cent sales tax passed by voters in 2010 overwhelmingly failed at the ballot. Proposition 204, the Quality Education and Jobs Act, was rejected by 64.9 percent of the voters as of 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. State Sen.-elect Steve Farley…
Turbulent ‘Flight’
A reckless alcoholic who happens to really know how to fly a plane gets a rather strange and romantic screen treatment in director Robert Zemeckis’ uneven but entertaining Flight. As airline-pilot Whip Whitaker—who likes vodka, beer, cocaine, cough syrup and flight attendants to excess—Denzel Washington delivers a typically great performance. The movie is excellent in…
The Skinny
A California election watchdog notes that an Arizona nonprofit was “laundering” big bucks in Cali elections … That same nonprofit was spending big bucks in Arizona to knock down the sales-tax prop … Dark money continues to flow in Pima County elections … and more!
Now Showing at Home
Two of the year’s best films come home, while Pixar’s latest animated adventure finds its way to your Blu-ray player
Police Dispatch
Stumbling into a safe place; a man lets it all hang out; a lovers’ quarrel descends into mastication
No Fries, No Problem
Down by Weekly World Central, off East Valencia Road near the Tucson International Airport, the quick-lunch restaurant selection is a bit dismal. Sure, there are a handful of national fast-food joints that all pretty much taste the same, and a few local sandwich joints. But really, how many burgers and sandwiches can one person eat?…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: When are the racial minorities going to give up la causa ? We have a black man for el presidente, and as a white middle-aged male, I couldn’t be happier. I have been hearing all my life about how oppressed the racial minorities have been and what needs to be done with society…
Weekly Wide Web
This time of year always tends to bring about mixed emotions for me. My birthday falls during the first week of November, leading to a celebration that includes both fantastic whiskey and discount Halloween candy. However, the party is often followed by a tinge of emptiness—both because the Halloween candy is gone, and because there’s…
Noshing Around
Anthony’s in the Catalinas offers lunch; Pie Zanno’s sets up shop; a second Taco Giro is coming soon; Goodbye to the Buffet’s Miss Peggy; and more!
Ellie Goulding, Halcyon (Interscope)
When the pop charts are largely dominated by plasticine constructs like Katy Perry and bargain “street divas” like Pink, Ellie Goulding is a true bright spot. Some pop connoisseurs want to spend their time listening to music that’s more adult-minded than the perfectly adorable but juvenile songs of Carly Rae Jepsen or Taylor Swift (whose…
Sonoran Squeeze
Scoring drugs in Mexico just isn’t what it used to be. At least that’s the word from Javier Navarro, who’s passing this unusually warm afternoon at the counter of the Diamond Farmacia. His tiny store sits on the hushed Plaza Pesqueira, across from a dentist’s office and just south of the Mexico line in Nogales,…
Keeping It Fresh
In the process of creating the songs on The Sea and Cake’s latest album, Runner, songwriter and bandleader Sam Prekop initially turned away from guitar and began the songwriting process with experimental sketches on synthesizer and sequencer. The original synth tracks didn’t always make it to the final recordings of songs, but that’s how they…
Black Cat Bones, Too Far Gone (Self-Released)
With this release, Black Cat Bones makes a strong case to be recognized as Tucson’s quintessential blues-rock band. Wearing influences like Johnny Winter, Savoy Brown and Stevie Ray Vaughan on its metaphorical sleeve, Too Far Gone evokes aural images of all these artists and more through nine originals. Original band-member and vocalist Charles Pitts, who…
Soundbites
Daniel Johnston comes to Club Congress; Mr. Gnome returns to Plush; and so much more!
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Between the Ditches (Side One Dummy)
Burly, gruff and a lightning-struck freak on the slide guitar, Josh “The Reverend” Peyton is an adherent to the country-blues of yore. His barnstorming trio, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, is electrifying onstage—but the band’s rough-hewn recordings haven’t quite matched the show. However, the band nails it on Between the Ditches, a well-crafted album…
Coming Attractions
Jeff Yanc, program director at the Loft Cinema, talked with the Weekly about some of the highlights of the third annual Loft Film Festival, which features 40-plus films and appearances by filmmakers Carlos Reygadas, Roger Corman and Don Coscarelli. Here are Yanc’s comments, slightly edited for clarity: POST TENEBRAS LUX Director Carlos Reygadas won the…
Top Ten in Music
1. Kendrick Lamar Good Kid: M.A.A.D. City (Aftermath) 2. Neil Young and Crazy Horse Psychedelic Pill (Reprise) 3. Meek Mill Dreams and Nightmares (Warner Bros.) 4. All Time Low Don’t Panic (Hopeless) 5. Parkway Drive Atlas (Epitaph) 6. Black Country Communion Afterglow (J&R Adventures) 7. Cradle of Filth The Manticore and Other Horrors (Nuclear Blast…
A Peek at the Process
Wander Tucson’s art scene with the Fall Open Studio Tour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 10 and 11.
Nine Questions
Joe Pagac is a local artist best known for his revolving murals on the side of the Rialto Theatre. He also raises chickens, sews his own parachute pants and spends his free time designing so-far unsuccessful perpetual-motion machines. What was the first concert you ever saw? Wyclef Jean at Centennial Hall during his Carnival days.…
City Week
An evening of improv with “Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed”; get fit to be tied at Exotica; a (possibly) more psychedelic take on Alice in Wonderland; and get your geek on at TusCon 39.
Live
Musical gimmicks are a sign of a lack of imagination and/or talent, right? They signify little bastions of fleeting trendiness, right? As a whole, Acorn Bcorn, Orca Team, The Eeries and Bradford Trojan mostly played vintage miniature instruments that looked like toys; two of them had members playing multiple instruments at once. So … were…
T Q&A
Stephanie Koskinen and other members of Tucson’s Finnish-American Club will finally see their hard work planning FinnFest USA 2012 pay off. For more than 30 years, the annual festival has been held in different states, although mostly in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, where there are large Finnish-American populations. This year’s festival runs from Thursday,…
Top Ten in Cinema
1. The Campaign Warner Bros. 2. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter 20th Century Fox 3. Moonrise Kingdom Universal 4. Prometheus 20th Century Fox 5. Magic Mike Warner Bros. 6. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Universal 7. The Raven 20th Century Fox 8. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted Paramount 9. Safety Not Guaranteed…
Media Watch
Upheaval from Journal Broadcasting; KIIM is the tops in Tucson; KWFM just keeps leaving presents on Schuster’s doorstep.
Hard Times Come Again
David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross has a timely focus: Its real estate salesmen, squeezed by tight finances and demanding bosses, turn to ever-more dubious tactics in an effort to keep their jobs. The increasingly desperate characters in this ensemble play are foul-mouthed racists—but you feel for them as they anxiously try to unload property in…
By the Numbers
I’ve been thinking about a lot of numbers this week—heart rates, survival rates, ejection fractions, likelihoods of various disasters—so I thought it might be a good time to reflect on the Arizona medical marijuana numbers. I touched on some of the latest figures a couple of weeks ago, but it’s been a while since I’ve…
CD2: Barber Closes Gap As Pima County Counts More Votes
Congressman Ron Barber has closed some of the gap with GOP challenger Martha McSally after Pima County election officials ran a batch of early ballots through the machine. Barber trailed by 1,312 votes this morning; he now trails by 426, according to the Secretary of State’s website.Here’s a breakdown of the early ballots left to…
John Doe is coming to the Bisbee Royale
John Doe There’s been a bit of a musical ruckus going on in Bisbee of late. It’s happening at the Bisbee Royale, a new music venue that opened a few months back in a historic 1918 building that once housed a Baptist church. Me, I’m fast becoming enough of a curmudgeon that I prefer not…
Democrats Celebrate President’s Victory
Josh Morgan Roxana Vasquez Roxana Vasquez Pima County Democrats errupted in applause and cheers when NBC projected President Barack Obama would win re-election. The early projection sent the already rowdy crowd to a near frenzy with rock music blaring. Josh Morgan Josh Morgan Josh Morgan Noelle Haro-Gomez Josh Morgan Noelle Haro-Gomez Roxana Vasquez
