Cover Story
Censored Stories
In an age of blogs, tweets, hacks and piles of beans spilled by WikiLeaks, the notion of media censorship may seem dated—but the stories that Project Censored calls attention to this year serve as a reminder that mainstream media outlets favoring the superficial over the substantive don’t give us all of the information we need.…
Early Ballots Drop Today: Game On in City Elections
So we’ve had some time to digest the Global Strategy Group poll showing Democrat Jonathan Rothschild leading Republican Rick Grinnell by 17 percentage points. The survey, done over Oct. 10-12, showed that 49 percent of 400 likely voters back Rothschild, while 32 percent support Grinnell and 4 percent support Green Mary DeCamp. Margin of error:…
Launch the Loop
image Whether you walk, run or ride a bike (or a horse!) there is enough room for everyone on the connected 23-mile path that connects the Santa Cruz and Rillito river parks. Launch the Loop is an event aimed at celebrating this connection and the organizers are inviting everyone out to enjoy it! Check out…
Forget It, Let’s Go Ahead and Mine the Moon
Apparently, it’s first come, first served for the riches of the moon, so former-Microsoft and currently very rich dude Naveen Jain is going to figure out to get up there and start digging: NASA, which ended America’s space shuttle program in June, says it wants to privatize spaceflight. Naveen Jain, co-founder and chairman of Moon…
Finally, a Christmas Song Incorporating the Word “Shawty”
If you’ve ever thought that Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” would sound better as a song ostensibly about Christmas, then today’s your lucky day, as Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” hits the internet! Nice try, Bieber, but the greatest Christmas song ever is still Quad City DJ’s (ft. 69 Boyz and K-Nock) “What You Want For Christmas”:
A New Seafood Restaurant at Mercado San Agustin
The people at Mercado San Agustin say a new restaurant focusing on seafood and dishes made with local produce is opening there soon. Agustin, the restaurant, will be a “Mediterranean style grill modeled after the bistros and brasseries of Europe,” writes Glen Stosius, who is a partner in the group that operates Mercado San Agustin.…
Occupying the Tucson City Council Meeting
Kellie Mejdrich The crowd cheers about comments said at the Oct. 18 council meeting. Members of Occupy Tucson came to address the council to get their citations waived or reduced. Mayor and council chambers were crammed to capacity Tuesday night as Occupy Tucson temporarily occupied the Oct. 18 council meeting to protest citations given for…
There’s Good and Bad Falling Satellite News
First, the bad news: another satellite is going to return to earth sometime around Friday, with the possibility that it will hit somewhere in the United States. The German space agency estimates there’s a 1 in 2000 chance that the resulting space debris will hit someone. The good news? According to Professor Heiner Klinkrad of…
No Worries, Shaun McClusky: Occupy Tucson Doesn’t Stink
Sorry to disappoint you, Shaun McClusky, but there were no hippies stinking up Armory Park the first weekend of Occupy Tucson. Maybe once I smelled patchouli, but that could have been me. Before I explain to you what took place the first few days at Occupy Tucson, I need to let everyone else know that…
How to Spot the Dirty, Filthy Liars in Your Life
Men lie about themselves, women lie to protect their friends. Married people lie to their spouses moreless than non-married people lie to who they’re dating. When gorillas learn to communicate, they start to lie. College kids lie to their parents in one out of every five interactions. We’re all screwed, I guess, but expert Pamela…
Need a Halloween Mixtape?
“Brentabousko”, a guy on the internet, made a “A Rock N Roll Halloween Playlist” for the upcoming holiday. There’s stuff by the Misfits and Bauhaus, as one might expect, but also some surprises from Black Lips, Violent Femmes and Gun Club. If you’re looking for something to blast in your house while ignoring the kids…
Jotly Might Not Be a Real App, But I Want It
While it seems like there’s a new app to rate something or other every day, what I really need is one app where I can rate everything, so I can delete the rest. Bring me Jotly! The name ends in -ly, so it must be great! [Alex Cornell/Laughing Squid]
Enhancing Your Home with Potted Gardens – Step 2
Less is More When you are planning your potted garden, keep in mind that often “less is more.” You want to make sure you follow my suggestion that I gave you last week with using the biggest pots that fit in the area you are placing them. We highly recommend that you do not plant…
Baby Bears Like Fresh Produce
I really don’t understand why they took the bear out of the produce section. Isn’t an added bit of adorableness for your customers worth some loss of product? I don’t understand you, Alaskans, and I never will. [The Awl]
Tucson Republicans Might Want to Figure Out a Way Not to Lose (Quickly)
As a follow-up to yesterday’s news that Jonathan Rothschild is leading Rick Grinnell, more results from the same poll were released by the Pima County Democratic Party today. Guess what? It looks like the three Democrats up for re-election should all win handily and Tucsonans still generally like Democrats and dislike Republicans. Also, the sun…
The “Luz de Vida” Compliation is Available Today
We’ll have a lot more about the “Luz de Vida” project in this week’s issue, but just so you know, the album is now available in stores, via the Fort Lowell Records site, or via Amazon and iTunes. You could always wait until Saturday night’s show and get the vinyl (or a download code) with…
Cornel West and Tavis Smiley Disagree With Bill O’Reilly in GIF Form
Bill O’Reilly must be really conflicted. He likes to play the populist, sticking up for the regular guy, but he can’t go on Fox News and stick up for Occupy Wall Street. Quite the conundrum for the guy. The entire pointless conversation is worth it for Cornel West and Tavis Smiley’s amused outrage, however. If…
So, Paula Deen Has a Lip Balm
It comes in five flavors, and yes, one of those flavors is butter. Of course. I have a love/hate relationship with Paula Deen, but seeing her face next to the slogan “Put a little South on your mouth!” isn’t going to separate me from my $1.99. [Holly Bailey]
Congrats, Ladies! Your Days of Discrimination Are Over!
You might remember Robert Bork from his weird beard and failed attempt to become a Supreme Court justice, but he’s back in 2011 as the co-chair of Mitt Romney’s “Justice Advisory Committee,” whatever that means. Still as wacky and controversial as ever, if you enjoy curbs on non-political free speech and think women probably should…
Last Night’s “Debate”
JOHN DE DIOS Last nights debate featured all nine candidates running for office this year, according to News 4’s Lupita Murillo, the moderator. Last night’s debate for mayoral and city council seats featured all nine candidates running for office this year. Lupita Murillo, a News 4 reporter, served as a moderator and kept audience questions…
The Year of Sean Getzwiller, Tucson Poker Professional [UPDATED]
Sean Getzwiller is not a household name when it comes to professional poker. But if the Tucsonan continues to run as good as he has in 2011, that’s not going to be the case for long. Getzwiller placed 43rd at the World Series of Poker Europe’s Main Event, a 10,000-euro no-limit Texas Hold’Em tournament currently…
Today in Products You Were Probably Better Off Not Knowing About
Available in packs of three for $12 and with one of the more amusing FAQ sections in recent memory, introducing Masque, “a paper-thin, gel strip that dissolves on your tongue and completely disguises the taste of semen during oral sex for up to fifteen amazing minutes”: How does it work? Masque is partially comprised of…
Will the Chimichanga Be Arizona’s Official State Food?
When I talked to Ray Flores from El Charro restaurants a month or so ago I told him of my efforts to get a state food designated for Arizona. He said it was a great idea, and that he’d been kicking around the idea of trying to get the chimichanga named the state food. We…
Maybe You Can’t Make People Straight After All
The Daily Beast ran an interesting article this weekend on John Smid, who previously ran Love in Action, a controversial “ex-gay” organization in Memphis (somewhat similar to some of the counseling work done by Marcus Bachmann), who has turned from his previous position that homosexuality is something to be cured: Last week, John Smid, the…
Breaking Demo Poll: Rothschild Leads Grinnell by 17 Points in Tucson Mayor’s Race
Just ahead of tonight’s big mayor and council debate, Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers has released a Global Strategy Group poll showing Democrat Jonathan Rothschild leading Republican Rick Grinnell by 17 percentage points. The survey, done over Oct. 10-12, shows that 49 percent of 400 likely voters back Rochschild, while 32 percent support…
Royalty Comes to Gila Bend, Probably for the First/Last Time Ever
Look out ladies of desolate southwest Maricopa County! The prince that’s still single is coming to town and he might be looking for snacks and beverages during his stay! . Sure it’s for military training, but Tucson lost out to Gila Bend to get a royal visit? I blame Rio Nuevo. Decisions, decisions. Where shall…
KFC Clearly No Longer Cares; Throws Bacon on Everything
Like most meat-eaters, I like bacon a lot, but I think KFC adding the pork delight to their “Famous Bowls” probably should bring America’s obsession with the ingredient, right? It’s like hearing your favorite song in a commercial for an SUV; you still like the song, but it’s never quite the same again. Related, “a…
Baby Elephant Sets New Adorability Record
Things have been a little tense in the comment section of The Range lately, so I offer this peace offering. Who doesn’t love baby elephants? I imagine someone will end up finding a way to compare the elephant’s inability to walk to Obama’s failed economic policies, but for now, I’m just going to enjoy the…
World Class Scrabble Players Might Cheat Just Like People on Words With Friends
Cheaters are the scourge of word-based competitions, and although Ed Martin might be innocent this time, it’s time to crack down hard on those skirting the rules of fair play. I’m looking at you, Words With Friends cheaters! England’s Ed Martin was accused of hiding a letter ‘G’ during a match. A Thai player wanted…
Ladies’ Night Out Fondue-raiser
The Melting Pot, the fondue restaurant at the Foothills Mall, is holding a fundraiser next week for the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Southern Arizona. The Ladies’ Night Out Fondue-raiser on Wednesday, Oct. 26, will feature a three-course meal, complimentary mini-manicures, raffles and other things. It costs $29 per person, and proceeds benefit the Susan…
Get to the Galleries: Tucson Rocks
Something really exceptional has descended upon Tucson. It’s a group of exhibits called Tucson Rocks, it aims to “Celebrate the Art of Rock & Roll”, and as far as I’ve seen, it is wildly successful in it’s mission. Lynn Goldsmith Let’s start with Etherton Gallery. A side note – one should always start with Etherton…
Mark Your Calendar: Empty Bowls Luncheon
More than two dozen local restaurants are expected to participate in the Empty Bowl Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 3, and all of the money made goes to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. A handmade ceramic soup bowl made by a member of the Southern Arizona Clay Artists is included in the $10 to…
‘Tucson Weekly’ Named Non-Daily Newspaper of the Year in Arizona Newspapers Association Contest
The Tucson Weekly was named the non-daily Newspaper of the Year in the Arizona Newspapers Association’s annual Better Newspapers Contest. The Sierra Vista Herald—which, like the Weekly, is owned by Wick Communications—won Newspaper of the Year honors in the daily-newspaper category. Newspaper of the Year awards are determined via a points system, combining honors won…
TW’s Herreras Named Wingspan Community Ally of the Year
Tucson Weekly staff writer Mari Herreras has been named the winner of this year’s Community Ally Award by Wingspan. Herreras covers the LGBT community for the Weekly—including this week’s cover story, “The Bi Life,” for the Weekly’s latest thrice-yearly Pride section. Other award winners announced today by Tucson LGBT community center Wingspan: Alex Lopez and…
Considering Tucson’s Underground Supper Clubs
In this day and age of homogenized media, food and so much else there seems to be a craving for things that are personal. I’m not saying mass production or anything is necessarily bad, but I am saying that there’s a growing number of people who want experiences that don’t come from factories or strip…
Political Roundtable: Storm Brewing in Mayor’s Race, Redistricting Fight and Rio Nuevo Ruckus with Special Guest Steve Kozachik
It’s another feisty edition of Political Roundtable as City Councilman Steve Kozachik takes on the Rio Nuevo Board, Jonathan Paton predicts that the GOP is going to bring the pain the mayor’s race and Paul Eckerstrom takes on Attorney General Tom Horne over redistricting.
TPD’s Villaseñor : Extra Police Scheduled for Occupied Tucson
At a 4:15 p.m. press conference today, Chief Roberto Villaseñor and Tucson Parks and Recreation director Fred Grey explained how the city has communicated with members of Occupied Tucson and how TPD may or may not respond if demonstrators decide to stay at the park past its 10:30 p.m. closing time tomorrow. We reported earlier…
Idiot Boksen – You Are Not a Man, You’re a MAAAYAAAAWWWWNNN.
(For anyone not getting the reference in the title, here’s this.) I was watching Monday Night Football early this week (Monday, to be exact), when a promo came on for Tim Allen’s new sitcom, Last Man Standing, which is pretty much Home Improvement, except with girls instead of boys. Anyway, in this promo, Tim Allen…
Buck and Lil’s BBQ Is Moving
There’s been some speculation that Buck and Lil’s BBQ at 5121 E. Grant Road had closed, but the restaurant’s website indicates that it’s just relocating. We’re trying to get in touch with the owners, but haven’t had any luck yet. We’ll let you know when we learn more.
What to Listen to This Week: Weekend Edition
For the second half of our weekly tribute to music our writers like, we have tracks by the Sun City Girls, Crooked Fingers, Matthew Sweet, and Algodón Egipcio. Linda RayMatthew Sweet, “Girlfriend” Every once in a while I get a craving for the opening guitar work on this song. I am sure I have listened…
Pizza Gone, Sushi and Frozen Yogurt Coming In
Pizza Plus #1, the all-you-can-eat joint at 914 E. Speedway Blvd., has closed, but a look inside the building shows that work is already underway to prep the place for a new tenant. We’re not sure who that is, but we walked around to the other restaurants in the neighborhood and chatted with the employees.…
Occupy Tucson Starts Saturday, 9 a.m., Armory Park
Mari Herreras talks Occupy Tucson on the Steve Leal show by TucsonWeekly Maybe Occupy Tucson will start tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 15) like the Occupy Wall Street mother ship did with just a handful of people taking over Zuccotti Park in NYC’s Financial District eventually growing into thousands. During the Steve Leal Show on Thursday, Oct.…
Chait: “The Republicans’ Real American Jobs Act Is Neither Real nor a Jobs Act. It Is American, Though”
New York magazine’s Jonathan Chait laughs at Sen. John McCain’s “Real American Jobs Act””: The premise of Obama’s proposal was that the two parties couldn’t agree on their long-term vision of government, but the economic emergency was too severe to wait until the election to settle it, so they should act immediately on short-term ideas…
Cannabis Club Raid a Total Buzz Kill
A raid Oct. 12 on a Phoenix cannabis club is raising hackles on both sides of the medical marijuana fence and has sparked a media-borne spat between state Attorney General Tom Horne and Allan Sobol, the operator of the busted for-profit 2811 Club. In dueling news releases, Horne and Sobol flung a few phrases at…
Political Roundtable: The Mayor’s Race, Redistricting and a Special Guest Star: City Councilman Steve Kozachik
Tonight on the Political Roundtable: We’ll be talking about the mayor’s race, the latest on redistricting, and Rio Nuevo. Plus, we’ll welcome our first special guest to the Roundtable: Ward 6 City Councilman Steve Kozachik will come for a visit. Tune in at 6:30 p.m. on KUAT-TV’s Channel 6 to see our panel of Arizona…
Casa Maria Goes All Solar And Stuff
There was a low rumble among the guys at the Casa Maria soup kitchen when I arrived for my early-morning shift a few weeks back. John, a homeless guy from Seattle who helps out every morning, was the first to mention the new solar panels. As the morning went on others cracked little jokes here…
Mayoral Debate: Rothschild vs. Grinnell vs. DeCamp
The candidates for mayor of Tucson met for a debate yesterday at Arizona Public Media’s studio.
“Treat Yo Self Day” Might Be Best Idea Ever
Thanks to Parks and Recreation last night for introducing me to “Treat Yo Self Day”, a celebration that will become a new Gibson family tradition once we have enough money to actually buy things. Here’s the wonderful festivity in action:
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Trader Joe’s and their pumpkins makes it hard to shop by bicycle. One Tucson Trader Joe’s employee insinuates bicyclists’ money is less valuable than motorists money, so it doesn’t matter if they can’t park their bikes. The manager of the store apologizes. Go for a ride with a legend! Mountain-bike pioneer Gary Fisher will be…
New Bar: The Parish
Game on Sports Grille at 6453 N. Oracle Road is no more and a new bar called the Parish is shaping up there. The word is that Travis Peters, formerly of the Cup Cafe at Hotel Congress, is involved. There is also word of gumbo being served via somebody who used to either own or…
Pima County Republican Party Needs to Work on Phone Skills
Just got my second phone call of the political season. Last night, it was Jennifer Rawson politely asking for my vote. Today, I got someone significantly less prepared and professional. My best recollection of the conversation: ME: Hello?CALLER: Yes, um, well…can I speak to…I’m calling to conduct a political survey.ME: Ok. CALLER: If the election…
Make a Difference Day Oct. 22: More Funky Pockets of Charm Coming to Tucson Along Toole Avenue
Photo Ryn Gargulinski Funky pockets of charm are a big part of what makes Tucson fun. Fourth Avenue’s welded trash cans. Murals and metal art peppered around downtown. A revamping of Toole Avenue, complete with new trees, new plants and gads of new art. The sprucing-up festivities, officially known as the Toole Avenue Streetcape Project,…
If You Like Peanut Butter, Stock Up Now
Peanut butter prices are going up already, but it looks like it’s going to get far worse, which is unfortunate, since the spread is generally one of the cheaper forms of protein for the less wealthy. The Week Magazine breaks down the numbers behind the shortage: 3.46 billion Pounds of peanuts that will be harvested…
Critter of the Week: Winston the Poodle
You should probably head to the Humane Society right now to adopt this dog. He’s far too adorable to be available for long. Little Winston is such a sweetheart! One look in his eyes and your heart will melt for this charming little 4-year-old poodle mix. Since he hitched a ride with a good Samaritan…
What to Listen to This Week: Thursday Edition
Four songs today, and (at least) three tomorrow in our series of recommendations from our music writers, featuring tracks by Sleep, a cover of Rebecca Black’s viral hit, the Four Flops, and Teddybears. Jarret KeeneSleep, “Stillborn” Keesh, has it really been 20 years since the mighty band Sleep, led by Matt Pike (High on Fire),…
Why I Like This Bar at Union Public House
Jason Anderson is a smart architect and designer. He’s also one of the owners of the new restaurant Union Public House at St. Philip’s Plaza. These things appear to be working well together. Consider, for instance, this stainless steel bar that was just installed at the restaurant. Anderson has said it will include both built-in…
The Rio Nuevo Board Fires Back at the City, Kozachik
From our sister publication, Inside Tucson Business: The Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facility District Board has issued a statement saying the Tucson City Council and city officials have been dishonest in statements about the board and the ongoing dispute over the Tucson Convention Center. In a Thursday news release with the headline, “Attacks on the new…
If Live Near DM and You Hear an Explosion Today, Don’t Freak Out
Just so we avoid a day’s worth of panic (again), we wanted to pass the news on that Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will be conducting a series of ten “emergency controlled detonations” today between 1 and 4 p.m., according to their Facebook page.
Have Questions About Occupy Tucson?
Our very own Mari Herreras will be on the Steve Leal show on the Jolt (1330 AM) talking to Craig Barber from Occupy Tucson at noon today. The show streams online via the Jolt’s website, if you don’t happen to be next to an AM radio at the moment (and who is?). If you’d like…
The Home Den Is Reopening
We’ve just gotten word that The Home Den at 2607 N. First Ave. is reopening. What more does one need to know? If you ever hung out at the Home Den you know what the place is about (read: hardcore boozing). Back in the day it was tradition to start out at the Golden Nugget…
I Wish I Could Win Some Badges
Girl Scouts of America Science of Happiness badge The Girl Scouts have revamped their badge system for the first time in twenty-five years and they’ve made an effort, seemingly to provide more real world skill sets to the program (and stuff related to cookie sales, obviously): There are badges that haven’t changed much — in…
Not Many Tickets Left for the Santa Cruz Heritage Dinner
The Santa Cruz Heritage Dinner sounds like a fun way to check out some of the different local-food projects going on around town. It’s a three-course progressive dinner that starts at an urban farm and finishes at a “restaurant in a historic building,” although we’re not sure what that restaurant is. The event – which…
Going Green
Sometimes a musical is so good that it brings you to your knees. In the case of Merritt David Janes, who plays the small-statured Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical, being brought to his knees was part of the job description. “I kneel in this contraption that makes me look like I’m 3 feet tall,”…
Series of Missteps
While it’s not fair to assume that every remake only takes shape for the money, some are more obvious cash grabs than others. Consider the fact that the makers of Footloose have commissioned cover versions of the songs from one of the best-selling soundtracks of all-time. But they only wanted remakes of the big hits,…
Mailbag
The peril of planes; Agreeing with Danehy; A correction
Editor’s Note
The Arizona Daily Star made news in local-media circles last week when the paper shifted several of its top reporters into different beats. (You can read more about those moves in Media Watch.) While on the surface, some of the Star’s moves seem disconcerting—for example, the shuffling seems to have left the newspaper without a…
Top Ten in Movies
1. Bridesmaids Universal 2. Fast Five Universal 3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon DreamWorks 4. Thor Paramount 5. Scream 4 Weinstein/Anchor Bay 6. Buck MPI 7. Set Up Lionsgate 8. Hesher Lionsgate 9. The Presence Lionsgate 10. Meek’s Cutoff Oscilloscope
Boxing That Bores
Big Hollywood knows that people love movies in which robots kick the oil out of each other. The Transformers films are raking it in—so it would stand to reason that other robot-fight movies would follow. Directed by Shawn Levy, Real Steel presents a near-future world in which robots have replaced humans in the boxing ring.…
Crossing the Lines
The Independent Redistricting Commission last week released a draft map of Arizona’s nine congressional districts—and the Republican response was swift, scathing and coordinated. Gov. Jan Brewer said the map was “simply gerrymandering at its worst” that had produced “a congressional map that is every Democrat’s dream.” U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl released a…
Now Showing at Home
Pulp Fiction (Blu-ray); Red State; The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (3-Disc Special Edition) (Blu-ray)
Clash of the Egos
A push to recall two members of the Oro Valley Town Council was abandoned last month, yet the group behind the effort is still claiming victory. “As far as I’m concerned, we achieved a major part of our goal,” said Connie Culver, whose OroValleyRecall.com group had targeted freshman council members Joe Hornat and Mary Snider.…
Filling and Fine
At the top of the tall Three and a Half Brothers Café sign, it says: “Cookin’ like Dad used to.” Yeah, that sounds about right. When I think of Dad’s cookin’, I think of hearty, workmanlike fare: You’ll like it, and it’ll fill you up, but it won’t wow you—and that indeed describes Three and…
Tucson Pride Parade Slideshow
Photographer Tim Glass captured the action of the Oct. 8, 2011 Tucson Pride Parade.
Unspeakable Filth
People wore gas masks when they entered Teresa Wuterich’s home. Cat feces were so deep that people helping her clean feared tripping into the filth. Furniture had to be cut from the carpet, thanks to hardened layers of excrement. The house was nearly condemned. All said, some 40 felines were removed from that home on…
Noshing Around
A familiar looking burger place on Valencia; Tucson Culinary Festival; Aaron DeFeo moves from Congress to Casino del Sol; and more!
Nine Questions
Dave Carroll is a mild-mannered couch potato by day, and the kitchen boss at the Surly Wench Pub by night. He also keeps busy by booking and promoting shows with the Church of Rock Revelations and playing guitar in local bands Inoculara and Black Titan. He moved to Tucson in the summer of 1999 and…
The Skinny
How the new legislative map deals with Southern Arizona … Democratic mayoral candidate Jonathan Rothschild bags a bunch of new endorsements, while Republican Rick Grinnell gets two … two upcoming mayoral debates … and more!
From the Ground Up
Adam Granduciel describes his home studio as a playground for haphazard things. In his tinkerer’s shop, with a minimalist analog setup, Granduciel labors to create an ethereal batch of sounds, experimenting with combinations. It’s only after he’s accumulated a solid bed of sounds, often from mere snippets, that Granduciel starts seeing the outline of a…
Live
Kris Kristofferson is the sort of performer who gets a standing ovation just for showing up. That’s exactly how the near-capacity audience last Thursday greeted this legendary singer-songwriter when he strolled out onto the Fox Tucson Theatre stage. Then he proceeded to perform about 90 minutes of songs from throughout his career, accompanying himself on…
The Bi Life
The baton-wielding cops who showed up at the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June 28, 1969, were shocked when patrons—tired and angry about a series of raids and arrests—decided to fight back. Sylvia Rivera was one of the first people to throw bottles and rocks with other transsexuals, queers, gays and lesbians. Rivera,…
Soundbites
Last chance to apply for The Great Cover-Up; Blues and Heritage Festival; Judas Priest says farewell; and more!
Top Ten in Music
1. Fast Five (DVD) Universal 2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (DVD) DreamWorks 3. New Found Glory Radiosurgery (Epitaph) 4. Foster the People Torches (Columbia) 5. Adele 21 (XL) 6. J Cole Cole World: The Sideline Story (Roc Nation/Columbia) 7. Wayne Static Pighammer (Dirthouse) 8. Feist Metals (Interscope) 9. Lil Wayne Tha Carter IV (Cash…
Same but Different
Tucson has been home to a pride festival since 1977, and every year, it’s been a little bit different, and a little bit the same. This year, the entertainment will be largely the same (which is good). That is, many—or even most—performers in the lineup have played at the festival before, including Flagstaff rock band…
The Lion’s Den
Teens shouldn’t smoke marijuana, but they do. And now that we have medical marijuana, it behooves us to find ways to keep the stuff out of the greedy little hands of our youth (if you’ve had teenagers, you know they have greedy little hands) in the same way that we keep them from picking pills…
TQ&A
Longtime Tucson resident Ernie Freuler is a veteran of public-access TV. In 1985, he worked with Jim Farias on Arizona Gay, and now he’s back with OutWest. Freuler hosts the show, while his friend Ray RedSpider works behind the scenes and does an editorial segment called “Grin and Bear It.” The show is aired twice…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Readers: The Mexican doesn’t want to take this week off, but needs to, because it’s his mother periódico’s “Best Of” issue, and the Mexican is tasked with eating a thousand tacos in the search for the best one in Orange County. I’ll return next week, more panzón than ever; meanwhile, enjoy these oldies but…
Cult Concerns
What do you get when you mix a Lisbeth Salander type with a David Karesh/Warren Jeffs hybrid? One ticked-off girl with a gun. A cultish religious showman. An aging guy with a taste for young women and Old Testament epithets. A cataclysmic showdown. Darrell James’ Nazareth Child. Nazareth Child is Arizonan James’ first full-length work…
Lindsey Buckingham: Seeds We Sow (Buckingham)
Sounding reflective and emotionally raw, Lindsey Buckingham takes a bigger turn toward folk music on his latest solo effort. The album leads off with its strongest song, the title track, which is a gorgeous showcase for Buckingham’s signature voice and virtuoso guitar style. Fast picking and a mournful wail blend together into a song as…
Top Ten in Books
1. The Son of Neptune: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 2 Rick Riordan, Disney-Hyperion ($19.99) 2. Heat Rises Richard Castle, Hyperion ($20.79, sale) 3. The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead Max Brooks, Three Rivers ($13.95) 4. The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($8.99) 5. The Night Circus Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday ($26.95)…
Naïm Amor: Soundtracks Vol. IV (Amormusic)
The French-born musician and composer Naïm Amor, a longtime Tucsonan, is a member of many bands of varying styles. In his solo recordings, though, Amor has written elegant, gripping music for movie soundtracks that sometimes don’t yet exist. Amor’s latest, the fourth in a series, is a haunting series of 16 instrumentals from his score…
Downing
Death may make cowards of us all—I wouldn’t know. What I do know is that this recession is making economists of us all. It’s an interesting phenomenon, how understanding of a subject spreads through a society. Our leaders pay endless lip-service to the virtues of education, but the voting populace they’d really love to have…
City Week
TransFormations; Shopping for a cause; Tucson Meet Yourself; Chairs for Charity
Feist: Metals (Cherrytree/Interscope)
How many times do you play a record all the way through, waiting for a song to distinguish itself? Because for the past two weeks, I’ve been waiting for a song, any song, on Metals to rise up out of the album’s polite, coffeehouse, Lilith Fair cooing and become noticeable. In lots of ways, Metals…
Comedy of Deception
I saw Live Theatre Workshop’s production of Larry Shue’s The Foreigner on a preview night, and was warned—in person and in the program—that two of the actors had been replaced in recent weeks. Since The Foreigner is a fast-paced farce—a comedy of deceptions and misunderstandings that depends on confident comic deliveries by the actors—this kind…
Guest Commentary
Alabama may have the toughest immigration law on the books, but the crops are rotting; the classrooms are empty; and the state is bound to lose out on significant sales-tax revenues from the undocumented immigrants who have fled to other states. Attrition through enforcement has its unintended consequences. In Ryn Gargulinski’s Oct. 6 opinion piece,…
Police Dispatch
Fighting over Alfredo; A very dirty house
Can’t Do It Alone
It can never be said that Tucson’s smaller, mostly amateur theaters lack chutzpah. The da Vinci Players of Studio Connections demonstrated this in spades when they opened the musical Chicago last week. With book by Fred Ebb (who also wrote the lyrics) and Bob Fosse, and music by John Kander, Chicago runs for only one…
Weekly Wide Web
It’s not uncommon to see angry comments on some of our articles at TucsonWeekly.com. Strange and remarkably vitriolic moments pop up all the time, and generally die down relatively quickly. However, it can be a little disconcerting when the comments section takes on a life of its own—which happened with a post on The Range…
Media Watch
The Star shuffles beats; Mega to become the Groove?; and more!
Diverse Arts
Just north of Hermosillo, Amalia Reyes discovered a roadside shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. “It’s beautiful,” Reyes says. It’s painted turquoise, one of her favorite colors, and adorning the altar are masses of small flowers, made of cut and folded paper. Reyes and her godmother, Irene Sanchez, were experienced flower-makers when they first…
Danehy
The Rincon Heights Neighborhood in Tucson is due south of the University of Arizona football stadium and can be located from the International Space Station at night simply by spotting the gigantic block-letter “A” that blasts photons from the back of the UA’s new $6 million scoreboard/mega-video-screen/deafness-inducer. Not surprisingly, the Rincon Heights folks are none…
Parker Leaving ‘In the House’
Glenn Parker announced on his afternoon show on Wednesday, Oct. 12, that he’ll be leaving In the House, the local sports-talk show broadcast weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m., next week. Parker founded the program along with Dean Greenberg. When Greenberg left, Kevin Woodman stepped in as co-host. Parker, Woodman and Rob Lantz have hosted…
‘Blogging in Baku’: Jailed Azeri Activist to Speak at UA Oct. 13
Under his blog name of Emin Milli, Emin Abdullayev of Azerbaijan embodies how online social mediaare changing political protest and challenging oppression around the globe. Milli will discuss blogging as activism in Azerbaijan on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m. in Chavez 111. A Q&A will follow at the end of the free talk, entitled…
Idiot Boksen – (LAUGHTER)
Since the early ’80s, Thursday night’s Must See TV lineup has been NBC’s cornerstone. The best comedies in history have aired in that time block: The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Friends, Frasier, Scrubs, Will & Grace…the list is long. NBC is a long way from the halcyon days of Seinfeld and Friends. It currently ranks…
