Cover Story
The Fall Arts Preview
The Mat Bevel arts warehouse on Stone went down last week in a blaze of rubble and bricks, but its crazy kinetic sculptures have found temporary refuge in the Tucson Museum of Art. The museum’s upper galleries are shimmering with shiny sculptures shaped from TV sets, bedframes, bicycles, curling curves of wire and even crutches.…
Roosevelts Documentary To Air on KUAT
Ken Burns’ The Roosevelts: An Intimate History is a seven-night, 14-episode documentary that premieres on Sunday, September 14 at 8 p.m. THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY chronicles the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics. It is the first time in a major…
Duke Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents: Duke – #782406 – 5 Years Old – Miniature Pinscher Mix – Male “Oh boy, I can hardly wait!” Duke gets so excited at the thought of a forever home. This special little guy is the perfect companion for someone looking for an easygoing gentleman with lots of…
Living Christmas Trees for Arizonans
An offer from the Arbor Day Foundation: Everyone from Arizona who joins the Arbor Day Foundation in September will receive 10 free Arizona cypress trees as part of the Foundation’s Trees for America program. Through Trees for America, everyone is encouraged to plant trees that will benefit the environment and improve the quality-of-life. With one…
Finally, We Learn Why Starbucks Baristas Always Screw Up Your Name
Considering that the coffee shop seems to be a haven for the liberal arts major (and literally anyone else who wants to make a living by writing, eroding their souls a bit more with every keystroke), it’s no surprise that the writerly class tends to gravitate toward the place where they’ve spent so much of…
UA Students Not That Happy About Daily Wildcat Rape Column
It turns out that not everyone thought UA student Rob Monteleone’s recent op-ed in the Arizona Daily Wildcat was sensible. Students Promoting Empowerment and Consent (SPEAC), F.O.R.C.E., The Men’s Project, UA Campus Health Service’s Oasis Program Against Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence and the UA Women’s Resource Center have organized a rally from 11 a.m.…
TUSD Board Member Mark Stegeman Changes His Registration To Independent
It was just a matter of time. TUSD school board member Mark Stegeman, who had his Precinct Committeeman status with the Democratic Party taken away because he actively supported Republican candidates (it’s a violation of the bylaws) has declared himself an Independent. From his Facebook page: I have changed my voter registration status to Independent.…
Happy Birthday, Bob Ellis
Observer staff and Scott Blades from TIHAN present Robert Ellis, Observer editor-in-chief and founder, with the organization’s 2013 Stonewall Award. The gathering on Sunday, Sept. 7 at IBT’s to celebrate the 90th birthday of Observer Weekly founder and editor-in-chief Bob Ellis wasn’t only an opportunity for the 38-year-old LGBT newspaper’s staff to celebrate the life…
State Schools Chief Candidate David Garcia Lands Arizona Chamber Of Commerce Endorsement
Add one more big endorsement for David Garcia, Democratic candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction: The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. That’s on top of the endorsements Garcia received from three former Ed Supes: two Republican, one Democrat. I called the earlier endorsements possible game changers, since under most circumstances, Republican superintendents could be…
A Slow Motion Implosion At K12 Inc.
K12 Inc., the for profit, publicly traded online charter school corporation, has been going through some rough times lately, and it looks like times are going to get even rougher. Let’s forget about the achievement of K12 Inc. students (generally lousy), the schools’ “churn rate” (about a third of its students leave every year) and…
CD1 Air War Update: A Battle Over Education
The latest Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad in Congressional District 1 takes aim at GOP candidate Andy Tobin on the topic of education, focusing on the enormous cuts to education in Arizona since Jan Brewer became governor in 2009. It’s a theme that the DCCC has been pushing since Tobin was finally able to declare…
Etherton Gallery’s First Exhibition of the 2014-15 Season
Etherton Gallery is having a grand re-opening after water damage to the roof of the historic building caused the gallery to close for a month. Information about their next exhibition below: Etherton Gallery is pleased to present the first exhibition of the 2014-15 season, Without and Within, featuring a selection of recent work by photographers…
Those French Guys Are Seemingly Going to Get Away With Their Squirrel-Kicking Crimes
Bummer of the day: the park ranger heading up the investigation of that guy who (apparently) kicked a squirrel into the Grand Canyon says that the investigation has hit a dead end. In case you missed the video (it’s online, even though YouTube took it down, but I’m not linking it), here’s what happened: two…
Great Cover-Up Fame Awaits You, Promising Local Musician!
Hands down, the Great Cover-Up is one of my favorite reoccurring events here in town. First of all, it raises money for a great cause – the Southern Arizona Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance, which helps local artists in their time of generally uninsured or underinsured medical needs. Secondly, it’s just a ton of fun…
Here’s Your Chance to Be the UA Basketball Announcer
Courtesy Arizona Athletics If you have an interesting voice, are fine with plugging Jimmy John’s and love U of A basketball, here’s your chance to be a part of what should be an exciting season for the men’s team. From the Arizona Athletics website: The University of Arizona Department of the Intercollegiate Athletics is currently…
Let’s Watch “Enemy of the Reich” on PBS Tonight
A quality double-header of documentaries on KUAT tonight, starting with a tribute to Robin Williams at 8 p.m. and followed – on an entirely different note – the story of World War II hero Noor Inayat Khan. From the documentary’s press release: In August of 1943, the last surviving clandestine radio operator in Paris desperately…
Antigone Books Best-sellers
Here are Antigone Books best-sellers for the week ending Sept. 5: 1. Mood Indigo Boris Vian ($14) 2. Spider Woman’s Daughter: A Leaphorn & Chee Novel Anne Hillerman ($9.99) 3. Ninja Red Riding Hood Corey Rosen Schwartz ($16.99) 4. The Mindfulness Revolution: Leading Psychologists, Scientists, Artists, and Meditation Teachers on the Power of Mindfulness in…
Free Admission at the Mini Time Machine Museum
The Mini Museum Celebrates its fifth anniversary with free admission this month. The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures will be celebrating its fifth anniversary by offering free admission and twenty-percent off memberships during the month of September 2014. General admission to the Museum is regularly nine dollars. The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures is…
Rio Nuevo Board to Pay $100,000 for a Beach Boys Concert
The very mention of the words “Rio Nuevo” tends to raise up a certain amount of bile in people’s throats here in town, which isn’t entirely fair to the most recent version of the board (release 3.0, more or less) considering Fletcher McCusker and company are generally trying to clean up the mess left behind…
Grijalva: Obama’s Decision to Delay Exec Action on Immigration Leaves “Those Who Looked to Him for Hope Feeling Alone, Ignored and Used”
President Barack Obama announced this weekend that any executive action to address immigration policy would wait until after the election. Slate reports: It’s official: President Obama is putting politics first. As officials started hinting last week, Obama has decided to delay taking his promised executive action on immigration reform until after the November elections. In…
Tonight’s Your Chance to See “The Dog” (or “Stripped to Kill”) at the Loft
If you’re into documentaries or love the film “Dog Day Afternoon,” you’ll want to catch “The Dog” tonight at the Loft: Here’s what I wrote in Cinema Showdown this week: Also at the Loft this week, an one-off screening of “The Dog,” a documentary about John Wojtowicz, the real-life inspiration behind the character played by…
Let’s Go See Mini Mansions for Free at Congress Tonight
Seeing a show on a Monday night is a little rough for me with the Weekly’s production schedule, but hey, a free concert by a great band at Congress tonight might be enough to get me to be a little grumpier at work tomorrow morning. Mini Mansions are in the midst of a run opening…
Are “The Facts” And “The Truth” The Same Thing?
In a column in The Arizona Republic, EJ Montini makes a point that needs to be repeated every election season, just so people don’t forget. You can use facts to distort the truth. Political campaigns do it all the time. Montini is writing about the ad being run against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred DuVal stating…
Hungry Like the Wolf?
OK, some of us may have fonder memories of 80s music than others, but for the non-haters out there, check out “Duran Duran: Unstaged” at: Tucson Spectrum 18, 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. The iconic British rock band…
Deuce Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Deuce – #784057 – 6 Years Old – Pit Bull Mix – Male Nobody does fun like Deuce! This goofy playmate gets a kick out of chewing on toys and going for adventures. He’s active, outgoing and always interested in learning new things. Deuce will need a very…
This Only Makes Us Love Ichiro More
The video of the Ichiro Suzuki interview with Bob Costas was in 2007, so I think it’s time for something from the Japanese baseball superstar … in Spanish. Love this Wall Street Journal report on Ichiro’s use of Spanish on the baseball field: Ramon Santiago, the veteran shortstop of the Cincinnati Reds, recalls being startled…
Another (Not-So-)Proud Arizona Moment on How Women Can Prevent Their Own Rapes
Just when you thought it was safe to continue to blame crazy on Arizona state legislators whenever we make the Daily Show or national news, along comes an opinion piece in the Arizona Daily Wildcat and the national venue is feminist blog Jezebel. In the opinion section of the student-run newspaper comes a piece by…
Congratulations, Luis Alberto Urrea for Winning the Paul Engle Prize
Congratulations to author Luis Alberto Urrea, named the third recipient of the Paul Engle Prize. A Tucson favorite and a champion of TUSD’s Mexican-American studies program, will receive a work of art and $10,000. Teresita would be proud. H/T Iowa City Press Citizen: Author Luis Alberto Urrea has been named the third recipient of the…
Stegeman Carried Petitions For Campos-Fleenor and Hicks In TUSD Board Race
This is a follow-up to my Wednesday post, Strange Political Bedfellows In The TUSD Board Election, about board member Mark Stegeman’s connection to Debe Campos-Fleenor’s campaign for a seat on the board, as well as his probable connection to Michael Hicks’ campaign. Stegeman is a Democrat. Campos-Fleenor and Hicks are Republicans. Since I wrote that…
Oh Gosh, Stryper Is Coming to AVA!
To Hell with the devil, but to heaven with their teased and Aquanetted hair. Sure, the headliner for the Desert Rocks Septemberfest at AVA is technically Extreme, playing their best-selling 1990 album Pornograffitti (you know, the one with “More Than Words” on it?) in its entirety, plus the rest of their hits: And it’s cool…
Here’s How Those Immigrant Kids Are Going to Invade America
The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,Daily Show Video Archive Yes, the Minutemen (still a thing, who knew?) are starting a project called “Operation Normandy” to keep the “Trojan horse” of immigrant children on the other side of our border. The Daily Show took things from there last night.
Brink Media’s Video Remembrance of Charles Bowden
The folks at Brink Media posted this video remembrance this morning of author Charles Bowden: In Remembrance of Charles Bowden. from Brink on Vimeo. Much, much more on Bowden and his legacy in next week’s issue.
Introducing the STRADA Company
There are an impressive number of artists—and arts organizations—in Tucson: theaters for performing artists, galleries, dance companies, musicians and orchestras. But according to Michael Fenlason, who is one of the founding members of the STRADA Company, a new arts venture—or adventure, is a more accurate description from this observer’s point of view—these groups, established or…
David Garcia Endorsed By Three Past Education Superintendents: 2 Republicans, 1 Democrat
If there are such things as endorsement game changers, these three endorsements qualify. As Jim Nintzel posted on the Range the other day, David Garcia, Democratic candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, put out a media release saying he received endorsements from three past Superintendents: Republican Lisa Graham Keegan, Republican Jaime Molera and Democrat Carolyn…
Tucsonan Christine Brecht Kicked Off ‘Big Brother’ in Sixth Place
Bummer for Tucson reality show fans as Christine Brecht, 23-year-old barista, was evicted from the Big Brother house tonight in a 3-0 vote. If you can make any sense of the rules of this show (I’ve watched this season on and off and I have no idea what’s happening at any given point), Brecht is…
There’s a Silly App to Help You Text Tacos Now
Thanks to the fine folks at Eater, we were made aware of Taco Text, an app by Austin developers XOXCO that does exactly what you’d expect: helps you text an image of a taco (regular, breakfast [it’s made by Austinites, after all], fish and mystery) to your friends, co-workers and family. It’s free, thankfully, so…
Narco News’ Bill Conroy Pays Amazing Respect to Charles Bowden (Read it Now)
While folks along our border area are mourning the passing of Charles Bowden, why would it surprise any of us that those good people at Narco News are mourning his passing just as much, if not more. Writer Bill Conroy explains why Bowden’s voice remains a loud and important voice, and leaves an authentic journalism…
Number of LGBT Homeless Youth Growing due to Family Rejection
It isn’t a new problem, but in this age of marriage equality and growing progress, it’s surprising that the number of LGBT youth being kicked out of their homes is actually growing. An estimated 40 percent of LGBT homeless youth leave home because of family rejection. This story in the recent Rolling Stone gets to…
Orr, Friese Talk Gun Laws, Women’s Rights at Only Debate for LD9
Southern Arizona’s Legislative District 9 is one of the most competitive in the state. Although it leans slightly Democratic, the district—which includes the Catalina Foothills, north-central Tucson and the Casas Adobes area—is now represented by Republican Ethan Orr and Democrat Victoria Steele in the Arizona House of Representatives. But Democrats hope to knock Orr out…
Neko Case Pays Tribute to Songwriter Cyril Barrett
On last night’s Late NIght with David Letterman, Neko Case, performing with the New Pornographers, paid tribute to the late songwriter Cyril Barrett, who made Tucson home for the last eight years. Editor Dan Gibson notes Barrett’s passing in this week’s Soundbites, mentioning that memorial is planned for the performer who recently passed away. The…
RIP, Chuck
Author Charles Bowden died Saturday, Aug. 30, at his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was 69. Bowden had been feeling poorly in recent weeks and had been visiting doctors, who were trying to get to the bottom of what ailed him, according to Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll, a good friend of Bowden.…
Dead Heat
Two polls released since last Tuesday’s primary election show a competitive race for governor between Republican Doug Ducey and Democrat Fred DuVal. Both the left-leaning Public Policy Polling and the right leaning Rasmussen Reports had the race as a dead heat. The surveys were taken just as Ducey, the former Cold Stone Creamery CEO who…
Police Dispatch
EAST AJO WAY AUG. 7, 6:54 P.M. A drunk man defecated on a public walkway early one evening, completely exposing himself to countless cars driving by, a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report stated. According to dispatch, a random man “went poop on the sidewalk” at the busy intersection of Ajo and Randolph ways. When sheriff’s…
The Skinny
With the primary wrapped up (in most cases), the general election matchups are set Last week’s primary winnowed the field and set up the candidates for the Nov. 4 general election. Arizona Treasurer Doug Ducey outpaced the other five Republicans in the GOP race for governor, so he’ll be facing Democrat Fred DuVal, Libertarian Barry…
Danehy
I spoke with former State Senator Frank Antenori last week. Actually, that’s not entirely true. He spoke to me—really fast and for what seemed like a really long time without a break. I wonder if Army Special Forces training is like what the Navy SEALs get, because he can go a long time without taking…
The Therapist and the Twist
A husband and wife (Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss) struggling in their relationship visit a retreat on the advice of their therapist (Ted Danson), and they make a startling discovery in one of the guest houses. That discovery results in something that is beautifully clever when it comes to addressing the problems that plague many…
Media Watch
After a summer hiatus, AZPM launches the revamped “Arizona Illustrated” this Sunday evening at 6:30. For 30 years, the show acted as a lynchpin of local news programming and covered a variety of topics on a nightly basis. Once long-time host Bill Buckmaster departed, the show maintained a nightly format, but morphed into theme-related efforts…
Cinema Showdown
YOU CAN TRUST MELANIE TO BE MELANIE The Quentin Tarantino retrospective kicks off this week at the Loft and yes, “Pulp Fiction” screens on Saturday, Sept. 6, and yes, it’s one of the most influential movies of the last few decades, but the highlight this week is “Jackie Brown,” starring Pam Grier, Robert Forester, Robert…
Off the Road
Tacos should really be a food group unto themselves—and there are plenty of places in Tucson that can fulfill that niche, some better than others. Seis Kitchen and Catering, part of the Mercado San Agustin, does great tacos, as well as their other Mexican food offerings. Seis, which began life as a food truck, is…
City Week
Illegal Utopia: Michoacan in Tucson In Spring 2014, Mexican-born Tucson artist Martin Quintanilla put out a call to artists for a binational show on the theme of artistic freedom in times of political oppression. The result was “Illegal Utopia,” shown at Acj Pátzcuaro, a state-run gallery in Patzcuaro, Michoacan. More than 25 artists from Arizona…
Noshing Around
PROPER AMOUNT OF WINE Proper, 300 E. Congress St., is hosting a multi-course wine-paired dinner featuring Willcox-based Carlson Creek Vineyards and winemaker Robert Carlson III, on Sept. 4. This event is an interactive one, allowing guests to learn more about food/wine pairings, as well as upcoming releases to the Carlson Creek wine catalogue. For more…
City Week
Illegal Utopia: Michoacan in Tucson In Spring 2014, Mexican-born Tucson artist Martin Quintanilla put out a call to artists for a binational show on the theme of artistic freedom in times of political oppression. The result was “Illegal Utopia,” shown at Acj Pátzcuaro, a state-run gallery in Patzcuaro, Michoacan. More than 25 artists from Arizona…
“Low-Key and Collaborative”
The psychedelic dream pop of Haunted Summer came into the world at Halloween, masked as another band. For a special covers show in 2012 at the The Echo in Los Angeles, John Seasons put together a band to play a set of Animal Collective songs. Joining the new band, among others, was Bridgette Moody, a…
Separated at Birth
Elvis Presley entered the world about a half-hour after his twin brother, Jesse, was stillborn. Among the many Elvis conspiracies that emerged after his death in 1977 were whispers (and a least one book) alleging that Jesse had lived through the birth but was given to a richer family because the Presley parents couldn’t afford…
Soundbites
RIP, CYRIL BARRETT Not too much in the way of details as I’m writing this, but Cyril Barrett, a songwriter who had spent the last eight years or so here in Tucson, performing with members of the Giant Sand circle and others, passed away over the weekend. We’ll have more on his music and life…
Real and Simple and True
When inspiration struck the Record Company, it came from an old vinyl record. Naturally. The bluesy, roots-rock trio of Chris Vos (guitar, harmonica), Alex Stiff (bass) and Marc Cazorla (drums) formed two years ago in Los Angeles, taking their cues from the direct and timeless music they’d always loved. Vos, from Wisconsin, and East Coast-transplants…
Live
After spectacular opening sets by locals Whispering Wires and Lenguas Largas tourmates White Night, Lenguas Largas casually took the stage with a usual set opener, “I’m Goat,” from their 2011 self-titled debut LP. The band had returned home just hours before they performed and it’s likely they were exhausted. But aside from Isaac Reyes’ slightly…
Small-Town Feeling
It’s no mystery that word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, and when it comes to the medical marijuana industry, more and more cardholders are saying The Prime Leaf is the place to be. Patients enter the spacious, well-lit lobby of 4120 E. Speedway where they are greeted and seated. Local art lines the…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I’m from the southeastern U.S. and people think that all people from there are dumb (and, in many, cases correctly—see Bush, G.W.). Is there a similar place in Mexico where other Mexicans think these people are in-bred mouth breathers? Swanee Señor Dear Gabacho: Jalisco. I am a health researcher, and at my job…
Editor’s Note
I have to admit that in general, I’m not so much an “art” guy. It’s not that I don’t enjoy visual or performance art when I experience it—I generally do—but so much of my cultural life has been dedicated to popular music, so when there’s been a choice between a gallery opening and a show…
