Cover Story
Etch-a-Sketch Election
It’s the Southern Arizona rematch that has everyone talking: Can Democratic Congressman Ron Barber survive a second round with Republican challenger Martha McSally, a retired A-10 pilot who nearly beat him last time? Washington political forecasters Stu Rothenberg and Charlie Cook both call the race a toss up. The Fix blog at the Washington Post…
Political Galaxy Makes for Easy Voting
The United States has one of the lowest voter turnouts when it comes to national elections as compared to other established democracies. The percentage of 18-to-24-year-olds who are actually turning out for voting and registration is especially low with only 41.2 percent of the demographic present in the 2012 Presidential Election. 72 percent of those 65 and…
PCC Theatre Arts Presents Stuart Little
Pima Community College Theatre Arts presents the family theatre adventure Stuart Little Pima Community College Theatre Arts launches its 2014-2015 Season with the exciting family production, STUART LITTLE, adapted by Joseph Robinette, based on the book by the renowned children’s author E.B. White. Directed by Mickey Nugent. Kids and adults alike will be captivated by…
Let’s Go See Zammuto Thursday Night
You might remember the indie-electronic-collage-folk act The Books from the illustrious decade of the 00s. Well, you might remember them if you’re the type of person who reads Pitchfork everyday, they weren’t exceptionally famous in the larger sense of music notoriety, but they were a duo making unique and interesting music – speaking of Pitchfork,…
The Republic Endorses Garcia. Douglas Ducks Yet Another Debate
The Arizona Republic didn’t simply endorse David Garcia for Superintendent of Public Instruction. It called him a “great choice” in its headline. The endorsement could hardly be more glowing. David Garcia has the experience, temperament and vision to be a great superintendent of public instruction. He invested his career in education and — unlike some…
McSally Says She Wants To Close “Stalker Gap,” Giffords’ Gun-Safety Group Takes Down Ad
After Republican congressional candidate Martha McSally announced today that she supported changing federal gun laws to include those who are convicted of misdemeanor stalking on the list of prohibited possessors, Gabby Giffords’ political action committee, Americans for Responsible Solutions, said it would be ending the run of a controversial TV ad one day early. Pia…
Get in on the Final Sanar Pop-Up Dinner of 2014
SANAR is a pop-up restaurant* that throws beautiful dinners around town. The SANAR team consists of Dave Valencia of Agustin, Brian Smith of Acacia and Bri Grateron of La Paloma. The crew is throwing their final pop-up dinner of 2014 on October 6, this time held at Reilly Pizza and Drink. We are talking ten…
Nightfall Returns to Old Tucson
Zombies and ghouls will be ready to scare visitors at Old Tucson from Friday, Sept. 26 through Friday, Oct. 31. Show titles include The Reaping (an extraterrestrial storage and research facility), Monster’s Kitchen (a reality-show style cooking competition) and Magic of the Macabre (with John Shryock and Mari Lynn). There’s also an iron door mine,…
Phoenix’s Gilman’s Latest Video Focuses on Sanctuary Movement
Phoenix videographer Dennis Gilman has outdone himself again, this time with a particularly informative and moving piece on the Sanctuary Movement and Luis Lopez-Acabal, a Guatamalan man who recently took refuge in the University Presbyterian Church. The video covers Tucson’s history in the movement, and features John Fife, retired pastor of Tucson’s Southside Presbyterian Church.…
Learn How to Camp With the Family
The Arizona Family Campout Program is one-weekend designed for families who have little or no experience camping. The program will provide tents, sleeping mats and shared meals and introduce families to camping at an Arizona State Park. Throughout the weekend families will work with a Camp Coordinator and other families to learn how to set-up…
Cuddlr Wanted? Ah Yes, App for That … Sigh
Cuddlr: because sometimes you just want a cuddle. from Charlie Williams on Vimeo. I guess when you are in need of human interaction, it takes more than the produce section of Fry’s to make the world feel like a better place. And for those without dogs or unnaturally affectionate cats … well, maybe this makes…
“Gabby Giffords Gets Mean”? No, Not Really
Politico reporter Alex Isenstadt went hard after Gabby Giffords this morning, running a story about the drama behind the “Stalker Gap” ad her PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions, is currently running in the CD2 race. Gabby Giffords, irreproachable figure of sympathy, has fashioned an improbable new role for herself this election year: ruthless attack dog.…
Let’s Go See the David Bowie Documentary Tuesday Night
I think I’ve mentioned in a dozen times now, but I’m super excited for the David Bowie is documentary showing tomorrow night at the Loft. I’ve actually had a screener for the film for a few weeks, but I haven’t wanted to watch it on my sad not-terribly-large work monitor, because I feel like I’d…
A Comment To Commenters About Commenting
My posts get lots of comments, and I read them all, sometimes more than once (OK, I admit, if a commenter writes a short book, I may stop in the middle). I enjoy the heated discussion that goes on in the comments section, and I expect and appreciate comments from people who disagree with me.…
My Picks For The TUSD School Board: Adelita Grijalva And Jen Darland
Before I get into my choices for the TUSD school board, I want to make sure readers understand that these are my own personal picks. They’re not official endorsements from the Tucson Weekly. I’m going to begin the discussion of my support for Adelita Grijalva and Jen Darland by looking at the way school boards…
Volunteer on National Public Lands Day
On Saturday, Sept. 27, the 21st annual National Public Lands Day takes place. It is a one-day volunteer effort for public lands. Last year, more than 175,000 volunteers and visitors celebrated at 2,237 public land sites in the 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. Volunteers: Collected an estimated 23,000 pounds of invasive plants Built and…
Savannah Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Savannah Reference No. 778001, 2 Years Old, Doberman Mix, Female Savannah is a beautiful, elegant sweetheart who loves to make you smile. It’s hard to believe that Savannah was found as an emaciated stray in March and has been patiently waiting for a home at the Humane Society…
Jim Nintzel Wins ‘Journalist of the Year,” Mari Herreras ‘Best News Story,’ Among Other Awards
Jim Nintzel asking the hard questions The Arizona Newspaper Association had the annual meeting last night, handing out the Better Newspaper Awards for excellence in state-wide journalism. A solid showing for the Weekly, highlighted by Jim Nintzel’s deserving win for Journalist of the the Year in the non-daily category. In our non-daily circulation greater than…
Ducey’s Education Blunder During The Debate
I’m still working my way through the education discussion at the Thursday night debate between Fred DuVal and Doug Ducey in Tucson. Here’s the biggest educational gaffe of the night, made by Ducey. It’s one of those classic “When I was a boy” blunders. He was talking about how today’s schools in Arizona and across…
The Return of the Great Sandbags
If you’re left with plenty of those free or otherwise Odile-inspired sandbags, the City of Tucson is happy to take them back: HOW TO DISPOSE OF SANDBAGS – Residents who no longer want to keep sandbags distributed earlier this week, in preparation of severe weather, can return the bags to the parking lot of the…
Tonight: Marica Ball and Terrence Simien Bring Boogie on the Bayou Tour to Rialto
If you have two feet, then the show at the Rialto (318 E. Congress St.) tonight, Friday, Sept. 19 is going to make them happy, with maybe the only things missing is a newspaper-lined table piled with crayfish, potatoes and corn; and a hurricane poured in a tall glass. Doors open at 7 p.m. and…
Tucson Peoples’ Climate March and Activities
In solidarity with the New York City Peoples’ Climate March, Occupy Tucson organized a Tucson Peoples’ Climate March, with workshops on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Sam Lena Library in South Tucson at 1606 S. Sixth Avenue and the Global Justice Center, 225 E 26th St. Library workshop schedule: 9 a.m. – Resilient Communities -…
DuVal: Forgive The College Debt Of People Who Go Into Teaching
Lots of talk about education at the Thursday night debate between Fred DuVal and Doug Ducey in Tucson. It was scattered throughout the 90 minute forum. I’m working my way through the tape I made of the event, but I want to spotlight the boldest educational proposal of the night. It came from DuVal, about…
Closing Weekend: The Tale of Seller’s “JAGUAR!” is the Perfect Way to Explain What Happend to Macho B
Andres Volovsek While watching a recent matinee of “JAGUAR!,” the Latina Dance Theater Project’s production at ZUZI! Theater at the Historic YWCA, I’m struck that maybe the only way to tell this story, this complicated mess of a true story about the death of the jaguar named Macho B, is in a magical realism style,…
Ode To Doug Ducey
The day after the DuVal/Ducey debate in Tucson seems like a good time to air this. Ann-Eve Pedersen, parent of a TUSD student, president of the Arizona Education Network and my co-host on Education: The Rest of the Story, put together a segment “thanking” Doug Ducey for helping to put Arizona near the bottom of…
Celebrate United Nations International Day of Peace
Local volunteers with Words of Peace Global and the Loft Cinema present a free screening of “Peacemakers: Jeremy Gilley in Conversation with Prem Rawat” at 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 21. The Loft Cinema is located at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. In addition, The Culture of Peace Alliance presents several events to mark United Nations International…
Ditch Your Car on Monday for a Prize
On Monday, Sept. 22, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and Pima Association of Governments’ Sun Rideshare Program present Car Free Tucson Day. Participants can register for an opportunity to win a Kindle or $100 gift card. Details below: If trying public transit, including the Sun Link streetcar, for a car-free day, information and trip planning…
A Seven-Foot-Tall Sad Singing Clown Is Coming to 191 Toole
If you’ve been on YouTube since October of last year, you’ve almost certainly seen and heard Puddles of Puddles Pity Party. He’s the giant white-faced clown who sang Lorde’s “Royals” with the Postmodern Jukebox and racked up over 8 million views in the process. And, outside of the uniqueness of his appearance, Puddles’ Tom Jones-like…
Here Are the Trailers for This Weekend’s Underground Film Festival Options
If you’re into movies, whether that’s emotional dramas, thrillers, comedies, documentaries or anything on a screen, if you take a few minutes to look through the schedule for the Arizona Underground Film Festival (opening Friday and running through Saturday, Sept. 27), you’re bound to be impressed by the selections this year at the newly revamped…
Traditional Irish Music at the Berger
BEOGA with Tir Conaill Dancers perform on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd. Beoga is one of Ireland’s top traditional bands and returns after releasing their 10th anniversary CD Live at 10. They have five members and two are keyboardists or accordion players, giving the band a unique sound, in…
Riley Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Riley, reference no. 788874, 11 Months Old, Pit Bull Mix, Male It’s hard to imagine a dog more darling than Riley. And this outgoing youngster has a precious personality to match! Riley is full of charm and would be delighted to fill your life with a little more…
Royal Madness at Himmel Park…Well, OK, “King Lear”
Shakespeare returns to the park tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 19 with “King Lear.” OK, here’s part for the CliffsNotes summary on the story of another one of those quirky British kings: King Lear opens with a conversation between the earls of Kent and Gloucester, in which the audience learns that Gloucester has two sons: Edgar, who…
Congratulations, AZPM (And Former TW Intern, Mariana Dale)
Congratulations, Arizona Public Media, on the recent announcement that our local PBS station received a record 23 Emmy nominations—the most in the nonprofit category’s history from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Rocky Mountain chapter. And big congratulatory hugs to former Tucson Weekly intern Mariana Dale, who worked on an Emmy-nominated segment. From…
Surplus Military Hardware For Schools? Seriously?
This headline in Education Week kinda caught my eye: School Police in Los Angeles Will Give Up Grenade Launchers. That’s nice, I thought, the school district giving up its grenade launchers. Not much call for those in schools. Then the article continues: But school police there plan to keep other supplies received from the federal…
Odile’s Visit Was Sprinkly and Brief: What Would Pat Robertson Say?
So this morning, the weather people came clean … On KVOA New 4 Tucson’s Facebook page, Jeff Beamish tried to explain it all away with science: Meteorologist Jeff Beamish here. Yep, we were wrong Tucson & we’re not afraid to admit it. For transparency’s sake, here’s an explanation of what happened… Odile’s remnants took an…
Case Libre Needs A Little Help from its Friends
Those good literary-minded people we like so much over at Casa Libre, need a bit of our help … not a lot, just a little. Executive Director Kristen Nelson made an announcement today that $2,500 is needed by Wednesday, Oct. 1 due to some the late arrival of some expected grant funds, along with some…
UA President Hart to Speak at Town Hall Today on Never Settle
If you aren’t able to attend a town hall tomorrow with UA President Ann Weaver Hart, AZPM will be livestreaming the discussion here. According to an announcement on UA@Work, today, Thursday, Sept. 18 town hall is from noon to 1 p.m. in Old Main’s Silver and Sage room on the building’s second level. Hart will…
Cinema Showdown
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD There are approximately one hundred films showing over the course of this forthcoming week at the Loft (two nights of “The Wrath of Khan,” a week of “The Zero Theorem” and “To Be Takei,” two more Tarantino flicks, etc.), but the highlight of this week in Tucson film for…
Editor’s Note
I wrote about this in Cinema Showdown, but I’m really excited for the David Bowie documentary coming to the Loft this week. I’m a sucker for anything about the musician, but I think what impresses me most about his four-plus decades in the spotlight is his constant reinvention and meticulous attention to the visual aspect…
Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit
In Terry Gilliam’s latest “The Zero Theorem,” Christoph Waltz plays a computer hacker “crunching entities” on a mission to prove that mankind essentially came from nothing and goes back to nothing. I won’t be so harsh as to say Gilliam’s movie adds up to nothing in the end, but it most certainly loses its way…
Police Dispatch
COULD’VE BEEN WORSE IF HE HAD UNDERSTOOD NORTH LA CHOLLA BOULEVARD AUG. 16, 4:02 A.M. A man getting off drugs went berserk in the hospital when he misheard and/or misunderstood the word “catheter,” a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report stated. Sheriff’s deputies responded to Northwest Hospital, 6200 N. La Cholla Blvd.,where a 24-year-old male was reportedly…
Identity Crisis
In the years I’ve been writing Chow reviews for the Weekly, I’ve often written about restaurants with an identity crisis—places that are aiming to please everyone by trying to be a little bit of everything, which generally results in the opposite: you don’t specialize in anything, so you’re a jack-of-all-trades, master of none, and you…
Arizona Wanted
It’s not as if the odds of Sue Sisley being reinstated as a professor at the UA are in her favor, but the psychiatrist hopes that part of her study testing marijuana’s effectiveness in treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, will at the very least remain in Arizona. Right now, if any chance exists, it’s…
Noshing Around
A Word to the Wise Foodie FOOD is the topic of this year’s Downtown Lecture Series sponsored by the UA College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Starting on Wednesday, Oct. 15 and running through Wednesday, Nov. 12, the free lectures will center on the cultural, social, historical and future aspects of the food choices we…
The Skinny
Girl Power Women could make the difference in the close contest between Congressman Ron Barber and Republican challenger Martha McSally It’s not exactly news that today’s Republican Party has some problems with the ladies. A recent survey of female voters by two GOP groups that was leaked to Politico last month showed that women think…
Nine on the Line
Janos Wilder, owner of Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, is a man who needs no introduction. A James Beard – Best Chef in the Southwest award winner, he is Tucson’s Culinary Godfather, and a personal idol of mine. Janos’ DTK+C and seven of its downtown brethren are throwing a Downtown Chef’s Table Dinner on Sunday, Oct.…
Danehy
When I started writing this column, the temperature was 108 degrees outside. I was going to try to make the point that it no longer mattered how hot it was; it was football season. For decades, that first Saturday of college football signaled the long-awaited change. While it would officially still be summer for another…
Excited and Experienced
The story of the Temenos Quartet goes back decades, to individual meetings, newly struck friendships and on-and-off-again musical collaborations. But the true connection—the essence of the quartet’s “Music for the New Timeline” —had to wait until 2014, when the right paths crossed at the right time for everybody. “I’ve played in a lot of musical…
A Band Inside a Band
“I’m from Madison, Wisconsin,” says 32-year old Laura Kepner-Adney as she talks about the highlight-filled musical path to her newest project, Laura and the Killed Men. A formally trained choral and jazz singer who has busked with strangers in New Zealand, performs with the folky Silver Thread Trio and rock ‘n’ rollers the Cordials—Kepner-Adney’s only…
Celebrating Tucson Beer
Who doesn’t like a trophy, and Tucson’s craft brewers are getting their finest beverages together to compete for the third annual Tucson Beer Cup at Hotel Congress’ Born and Brewed event on Friday, Sept. 19. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door for the always popular events which also grants the ticketholder the…
Soundbites
CAT WITH 2 HEADS! We may not have the super exciting big-name concerts this week that we’ve had in recent weeks (apologies to those who consider the Anybody Killa show at the Rock a big-name concert), but still a lot to choose from. An interesting double-bill of sorts at the Rialto on Thursday, Sept. 25…
Arizona Underground Film Festival
Arizona’s only cult film festival is back with some amazing screenings from Friday, Sept. 19 through Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. The festival’s first offering on Friday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. sounds particularly perfect to those at Weekly World Central: “Killers,” an action, gore-filled “thriller between a serial…
Get Your Literature On
It’s one of those great literature nights in Tucson with two special events to help kick off the season. The first is the Tucson Youth Poetry Slam at Bentley’s House of Coffee and Tea, 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. This is the fourth season and a great chance for…
Art for All Souls
While many a Tucsonan may think the annual All Souls procession magically brings together more than 100,000 of the cavalera-clad, well, they’d neglect to keep in mind the months of work it takes to make it all happen. Besides the more than 250 volunteers preparing for the Procession of Little Angels on Nov. 8 and…
Stop Soldier Suicide Awareness Event
About 50 other cities across the country are participating in a Stop Soldier Suicide awareness event–creating cemetery displays with 22 white crosses to represent the 22 military veterans lost to suicide every day. In Tucson, this takes place Thursday, Sept. 18, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Armory Park. Organizers hope the project raises…
Tele Novella: “Cosmic Dial Tone”
Austin, TX.’s Tele Novella provides an engaging, modernized take on ’60s uptown girl groups and baroque pop. On the quartet’s debut Lolipop Records EP “Cosmic Dial Tone,” the songs, performance and production all coalesce into a decidedly non-retro pop product. Though singer Natalie Ribbons, with her deep, smoky voice and ultra clear phrasing, is certainly…
Family Told Flatly
Well. This is awkward. All over town theaters are opening their first plays of the new season. Productions are “curtains-up”-like weeds after the monsoon rains. Anticipation abounds, especially for those groups that we count on for their general excellence. What have they baked in the desert oven which they will now serve to us who…
Nine Questions
Amanda Shauger, KXCI’s long-time community engagement director, says one of the cool things about her job at Tucson’s community radio station is that the small staff get an opportunity to do a little bit of everything and she jokes she’s like a utility infielder—community outreach in the northwest and foothills area and leading the Amplify…
Performing for the Photo
Jo Ann Callis is not a photographer who simply records the world as it goes by. Instead, the California artist creates fantastical worlds of her own, putting people in “sets” she’s sculpted or painted, and bathing them in light. In one of her so-called “fabricated photographs,” Callis turned an ordinary room into a stage by…
Live
If there’s any chance of justice prevailing in the world, Brittany Katter assuming her rightful place as a rock ‘n’ roll superstar wouldn’t be a bad place to start. Katterwaul—Brittany and her loose conglomerate of back up players—eerily channel that nebulous heart and soul that makes the greatest rock music seem like a perfectly rational…
Media Watch
There was a time, during the lengthy period when terrestrial radio cornered the market on introducing music to the masses, where cities would benefit on a regular basis from concerts sponsored by corresponding radio formats. The top-40 station would promote live performances by pop acts; country and rock would do the same. But in Tucson,…
Education and Certification
Tumbleweeds Health Center owners Dana Zygmunt and Kim Williams have long known the benefits of medical marijuana, so when Arizona voters passed Proposition 203 in 2012, the duo decided against moving to Colorado to open their marijuana health facility, instead staying right here in Tucson. On Sept. 11, 2011, Zygmunt and Williams opened Tumbleweeds, 5315…
Talent, Wasted
A decade ago, “Arrested Development” accelerated the evolution of the sitcom by light years. The single-camera, location-heavy ensemble comedy is everywhere these days, and there’s no question the show was a big inspiration to those that followed it. Even though not many people watched “Arrested Development” at the time, the series launched or re-launched several…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: A very close friend of mine is supposed to become a U.S. citizen. He was brought here by his parents when he was nine and has been illegal since then. When the laws changed, he went through a lot of hoops and it really didn’t look good for a long while—especially since he…
