Your Election HQ

If you don't really care about the upcoming primary election, then two things:

1. Shame on you!

2. Just entirely skip this week's Currents section.

You see, we have five stories in the ol' news hole this week, and all five of them are election-related. The lead piece is especially worth noting: For the first time in Weekly history, we've commissioned a series of honest-to-goodness scientific polls. Our Wick Communications sister newspapers in Southern Arizona have joined us in hiring Arizona Opinion's Margaret Kenski to do three polls focusing on the Congressional District 8 race. The results of the first poll can be found on Page 11; the second and third polls will take place after the primary, during the lead-up to the general election.

As for our other coverage, Dave Devine takes a look at the District 29 and District 30 House primaries, while Tim Vanderpool examines the District 28 House primary. Finally, Jim Nintzel returns to CD8 territory to find out where all the candidates stand on stem-cell research and evolution. Their answers are certainly revealing; you can find that story on Page 15.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Other highlights from this week's issue include James Reel's review of Broadway in Tucson's The Lion King, James DiGiovanna's take on Snakes on Plane, and our cover story essay, by renowned New Orleans writer Jason Berry, on the warnings we need to heed from Hurricane Katrina.

If you can't find something interesting to peruse in this issue, I suggest you check yourself for a pulse. For those of you whose hearts are, in fact, still beating ... enjoy.