Cover Stories
Transgender Life, Love and Health
“I never wanted to be a transgender activist, but then opportunities would show up,” he says, thinking back to being asked to talk about Jenner on a local TV broadcast. “I said yes, because I figured if I go I can at least control what’s being said. I almost feel obligated. If I don’t go…
Pride, Not Prejudice
Every October, Tucson Pride’s annual festivities get bigger and better since they first happened almost four decades ago, and 2015 is no exception.
Equal Access
It’s Monday afternoon and Kurtzman’s already seen a 16-year-old in the slow process of transitioning to male. The other day she and one of El Rio’s senior clinical pharmacists had a one-hour consultation with a trans teen interested in cross-gender hormones.
Quick Bites: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Tucson’s Latin American food scene took a major hit when Don Pedro’s Peruvian bistro shuttered its South Tucson location in July. Rather than throwing in the towel, though, owner Peter Gonzvar got to work converting his Peruvian restaurant into a food truck. You can get the first tastes of Don Pedro’s new mobile digs on…
AZ Ed Funding News Update
Education funding proposals are making news, if not progress. Doug Ducey is touting his plan to take $325 million a year from the state land trust. He held a telephone town hall in Peoria (One of his grandiose statements was trashed in an AZ Republic fact check). And his office put out a video which could…
R Bar’s New Menu Has Wine Charts, Which Is Great If You’re Not a Sommelier
Look, I enjoy wine, but I will say learning about beer, spirits and cocktails came first for me. With every glass, I learn more and more, but I still have a long way to go. Honestly, wine is intimidating and always has been for me. It felt like wine geeks were a stuffier sort that…
Cinema Clips: Coming Home
Zhang Yimou is one of the world’s greatest filmmakers. He’s probably best known for directing the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, but his films—“Hero,” “House of the Flying Daggers” and “Raise the Red Lantern,” among many others—are essential viewing. His latest effort, which re-teams him with longtime muse, Gong Li, is some heavy duty…
Women Make Up Growing Portion of Leadership Positions in Marijuana Industry
The marijuana industry is beginning to show more respect for women. By that, the publication Marijuana Business Daily means less wet T-shirt contests at medical marijuana dispensaries, as well as fewer ads of half-naked women with bongs, and more, way more, top executive positions in the weed economy. A recent survey by the magazine says…
Fact Checking Doug Ducey and Andrew Morrill
The AZ Republic ran two education-related fact checks Tuesday, one on a statement by Gov. Doug Ducey and another on a statement by Arizona Education Association president Andrew Morrill. Ducey’s statement was rated No stars: Unsupported. Morrill’s statement was rated four stars: True. I have to admit, Ducey’s statement is more misleading than wrong. The Republic gave him…
Song By Song: Carlos Arzate Explains the Sonoran Soul of Got Me Wrong
The Tucson Weekly profiled singer-songwriter Carlos Arzate in September for the official release of Got Me Wrong, his debut album with The Kind Souls. Arzate and his bandmates blend folk, soul, country, blues, rock and gospel into a sound he’s termed “Sonoran soul.” The album is produced by Ryan Alfred, who also serves as bandleader…
Teacher Shortages: Things Are Bad All Over
Tim Steller wrote a good column Saturday, Underpaid and disrespected, Arizona’s teachers flee. Arizona teachers are leaving the profession altogether, he wrote, or leaving the state for greener—as in higher-salaried—states. It’s worth a read, in part because of Steller’s support for Ed Supe Diane Douglas’ education funding proposal which is the only one among those currently…
Bruce Needs a Home
Hi friends! I’m Bruce and I’m looking for my forever home! I love playing in the yard at HSSA and know how to sit for treats! Fetch and tug of war are my two favorite games. Come stop by the Main Campus and check me out, I’m here with a bunch of other cuties too…
A Taste of Tucson Meet Yourself (SLIDESHOW)
Tucson Meet Yourself 2015 came and went, offering insight into the cultural diversity in the Old Pueblo. With food, music, dance, arts and crafts, attendees could peek into something a little different than what they’re used to and take a mini vacation without ever leaving the city limits. Here are some of the sights of…
Zona Politics: Rosemont Mine Update and Loft Film Fest Preview
Zona Politics Eps.44 from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo. On this week’s episode of Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel: Investigative journalist John Dougherty talks about the latest with the Rosemont Mine project and discuss his new film about Rosemont’s parent company, Hubby Minerals. Then Peggy Johnson and Jeff Yanc from the Loft Cinema…
Bernie Fills the Reid Park Performance Center
Bernie Sanders came to town Friday night, and Tucson showed up. More than an hour before the event began, a line of supporters snaked around Reid Park waiting to get into the outdoor performance center. How many were there? Thousands. A Friday night TV news report said 5,000. Isabel Garcia told the crowd they numbered…
Casks and Cooks to Showcase Beer and Fireside Eats Once Again at Loews Ventana Canyon
You know, Casks and Cooks is more than just a beer-paired dinner event. It’s more like a mini food festival. With four different chefs and four different stations featuring three different Tucson breweries, there’s more to this event than just sitting down at a table and having dishes placed in front of you in sequence…
Ohio and Arizona Don’t Make Charters Look Good
Ohio just passed a law to increase monitoring of charter schools, and for good reason. After years of reports ranging from financial mismanagement to poor academic outcomes among Ohio charters, pressure has been building from charter critics and advocates alike to overhaul how the entire sector is monitored. The bill requires much more in-depth financial…
UPDATED: Border Patrol Agent Charged With Second Degree Murder of Mexican Teen Pleads Not Guilty
The mother of José Antonio Elena Rodriguez—a 16-year-old Mexico native who was killed by a Border Patrol agent three years ago during a cross-border shooting—says it was difficult to see the agent’s face in court this morning and not be able to scream at him. The agent, Lonnie Swartz, attended his arraignment hearing this morning…
Bernie Sanders Will Be at Reid Park This Evening
Zona Politics Eps.35 from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo. Bernie Sanders will be talking about income equality, climate change, single-payer health insurance, free college education and the like when he appears at 7 p.m. tonight at Reid Park. The crowd will be big so get there early. Doors open at 6 and Sanders…
Farm to Table Gourmet Picnic Brings Top Chefs Together for Mission Garden Fundraiser
While there’s pretty much always something remarkable growing within the adobe walls of the Mission Garden, Sunday, Oct. 18 will bring a uniquely Sonoran culinary tradition to life at the base of A Mountain. The Farm to Table Gourmet Picnic will be an opportunity for local gourmands to sample heritage flora cooked up by some…
Come Party With Us
You may have noticed that our beloved blog has been a little slow over the last few days. We are frantically finishing up this year’s Best of Tucson® issue and, well, blogging takes second priority for a while. The good news is: We’re almost done! You’ll be able to see the winners in the paper…
Catch Award Winning Gina Chavez at UA for Hispanic Heritage Month
You know it’s October when all of the sudden your weekend schedule becomes so jam packed with options that it’s darn near impossible to decide what event to attend. Friday already has Tucson Meet Yourself and Bernie Sanders’ rally at Reid Park, among many other events, so excuse me for adding to the tough decision…
Wicked witches of the southwest
Adventure into the whimsical land at Valley of the Moon with their Halloween show.
Police Dispatch
A laser pointer was the last straw for a local woman having problems with her neighbor—who also apparently liked to jump in front of the woman’s slow-moving car—according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report.
Pumpkin Season
Don’t be scared to enter the Great Pumpkin Race this Sunday
Tea Party Favors
It was big week on the abortion rights front as Cecile Richards testified in front of the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 29, as part of a GOP-led investigation into Planned Parenthood in the wake of sting videos that purport to show that Planned Parenthood was selling fetal tissue to researchers.
Oh, Snap!
Rap battles not your thing, but you still want to see someone get roasted so hard their ass will be smoldering for a week?
Family Reunion
There are not many things we do in our jobs or in our lives that have the unique combination of being super fun and exciting but also have this level of depth, impact and meaning.
Have you met yourself?
Explore the diverse cultures of Tucson’s unique border identity with Tucson Meet Yourself this weekend.
The Skinny
State officials estimate Arizona is facing a $62 billion shortfall in transportation funding, Gowan, Babeu join the race for Congressional District 1.
Architecture Galore
The three architects who did the most to bring modernism to Tucson were Art Brown, William Wilde and Nicholas Sakellar.
Media Watch
KOLD nabs new news director, KMSB latest to snipe about satellite deal, Cumulus hopes for new vibe with CEO replacement
Laughing Gas
As surely as there was a young boy with a strange tattoo on his forehead destined to become a wizard—and in the process rounded up millions of fans of all ages—it was just as surely foreordained that the goofy, good-natured gang at the Gaslight Theatre would grab the story and work its own magic thereupon.
Danehy
In our democracy, there are few things more potentially destructive than a bureaucracy without any oversight. One of the biggest problems with such an entity is that the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is considered heresy. To the bureaucrat, everything is broken and in need of fixing. Constantly.
Film Fiesta(s)
There’s almost more film coming to Tucson in October than you can get your arms around. Almost.
Kind of Naked: Father John Misty
Finding the right words and right sentiments for “I Love You Honeybear,” the title song on his second Father John Misty record, Josh Tillman was able to push through his own mythologizing on love.
Pop Pusher: San Fermin
They probably wouldn’t, but if San Fermin covered Taylor Swift’s 1989 it could be pleasing listening.
B-Sides: Jose Gonzalez
You might have become familiar with Swedish singer-songwriter José González earlier this year when he joined forces with the Old Pueblo’s own Calexico on a two-part music video series for “Falling From the Sky.” I
B-Sides: Desert Beats, The Rifle, CJ Renner
Spend your Saturday night listening to a line-up of all local music
News21: America’s Weed Rush
Research on marijuana’s potential for medicinal use has been hampered for years by federal restrictions, even though nearly half of the states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana in some form.
Pleasure Activist
Where discussing one’s sexual orientation as straight, gay, or lesbian is interpreted as sharing an aspect of one’s identity, coming “out” as bisexual is frequently perceived as “over-sharing.”
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Paisa: Good for you for sticking for the old-school ranchero look—too bad your generation doesn’t care to look like a square.
Kababeque: Curry College
While Kababeque may not be drawing any longtime, obsessed customers away from the well-loved Sher-E-Punjab off of Grant Road, consider that this spot is fighting the good fight: offering the diners of tomorrow a glimpse into something other than dining halls and food courts.
Editor’s Note
Mari says she’s of the belief that no matter what your identity, everyone should celebrate Pride.
B-Sides: The Jons, The Amy Mendoza Band, Sock!Fight, Stevie Stardust
Flycatcher is offering up some more unique experiences in their series of cover shows this month.
Dust Devil
They met in the shade of his favorite mesquite tre
Freaky and Fantastic
Eight different Tucson film festivals come together this weekend Oct. 8-10 to bring you the holy grail of local film celebrations: The Tucson Festival of Films.
Sorry for the Omission
Pima Community College’s student newspaper is awesome and we forgot to tell you about them.
