You don't turn 100 every day, so a big congrats to Hotel Congress for hitting the century mark. Home to landmarks like Club Congress and the Cup Café, Congress has become a cultural centerpiece in Tucson. You never know who you're likely to see when you pop in for breakfast: Is that a U.S. senator? An indie rock star? A renowned artist?
Congress is sharing the birthday celebration with a few other local institutions that are hiting milestones of their own, including the Rialto Theatre, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Arizona Public Media. They're all having one big fiesta on Sunday, Nov. 24. Associate editor Jeff Gardner has the details on Page 4.
While we're on the topic of celebrating: The holiday season has arrived, so the elves on our staff have assembled Holidaze, a 12-page pullout in the middle of the book that includes a calendar of everything from Winterhaven to the annual downtown Parade of Lights, alongside a guide to fun local shops where you might find the perfect gift for a special someone.
I'm delighted to welcome Ernesto Portillo Jr., former columnist at the morning daily, to our pages with a look at a new graphic novel by former Tucson Weekly web editor Henry Barajas. In La Voz de M.A.Y.O.: TATA RAMBO, Barajas (along with illustrator J. Gonzo) tells the story of his great-grandfather, Ramon Jaurique, a WWII vet who worked to help the Pascua Yaqui gain federal recognition.
Elsewhere in this week's issue: Wissam Melhem of Cronkite News reports from Washington about Congressman Raúl Grijalva's effort to require more oversight of the National Guard troops on the U.S.-Mexico border; columnist Tom Danehy has ideas about movies you could make in Tucson; arts writer Margaret Regan reviews the show of historic photography at the UA Center for Creative Photography; Gretchen Wirges of Taming of the Review says The Last Night of Ballyhoo is a bit of a misstep; Chow columnist Mark Whittaker has high praise for the eastside's Salsa Verde; movie critic Bob Grimm enjoys going for a spin with Ford v Ferrari; music contributor Brett Callwood bounces around with Big Freedia; contributor Austin Counts previews the upcoming AZ Plant Medicine Conference; and there's plenty more to amuse and delight you in our pages.
See you at Hotel Congress!
— Jim Nintzel Executive Editor
Hear Nintz talk about how to best have fun this weekend on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. during The Frank Show on KLPX, 96.1 FM. Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel airs at 4 p.m. Sundays on KXCI, 91.3 FM.
