Tucson Weekly

State Sen. Paula Aboud To Announce Congressional District 2 Campaign

Jim Nintzel — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:15:45 -0700

State Sen. Paula Aboud is set to announce plans to run for the new Congressional District 2 this year.

Aboud, who has reached her term limit in the Arizona Senate, tells The Range she will make a formal announcement on Monday, Feb. 13.…

Your Valentine's Day Plans Involve Waffles

Dan Gibson — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:00:38 -0700

While the idea of non-alcoholic champagne is offensive to me, it's nice to have a diverse number of options regarding Valentine's Day. I should be able to serve my romantic dining duties and get smothered hash browns.…

RIP, Whitney Houston

Dan Gibson — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:26:32 -0700

Crazy news today, as her publicist announced that Whitney Houston is dead at the age of 48. No real details yet, but Houston has largely been an enigma in recent years, falling far from her heights as one of the world's biggest recording artists (she sold over 55 million albums in her career).…

Chomsky Occupies Centennial Hall

John deDios — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:47:12 -0700

Commentary by Britain Eakin

The American education system is under attack. That’s according to Dr. Noam Chomsky, who told a packed house at Centennial Hall Wednesday evening that American education has been intentionally designed to create a passive, apathetic public riddled with debt.…

A Very Good Idea: The Neighborhood Chef

Adam Borowitz — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:22 -0700

There is a wonderful melding of art and cuisine happening in Tucson.

When I spoke to David Aguirre of Dinnerware Artspace last year he said the creativity of many local artists extended beyond the studio and into the kitchen, and he saw it as a great way to help artists supplement their income while developing another creative talent.…

Political Roundtable: Ron Barber vs. the Crowded GOP Field in CD8 Special Election, Higher Ed Reform (and Guns) at the AZ Legislature & More!

Jim Nintzel — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:09:45 -0700

This week on Arizona Illustrated's Political Roundtable: Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers and GOP strategist Sam Stone talk about the race to finish Gabby's term, the ongoing battle between Pima County and Marana, and the latest at the Arizona Legislature, including higher reform (aka guns on campus and mandatory fees for students). Plus, an interview with Pima County Bond Advisory Committee chairman Larry Hecker about proposed legislation to give suburbs veto power over county bonds.…

The View From Downtown Tucson

Dan Gibson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:58:01 -0700

Lots and lots and lots of stuff happening downtown this weekend, including rides ($4!) on this Ferris Wheel, captured in Hipstamatic form by Jim Nintzel.

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Project White House 2012: From the Mind of Simon Bollander

Dan Gibson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:04 -0700

We love democracy, so we're offering Arizona Presidential Primary candidates the opportunity to share their views here on The Range. Today, we're sharing the unedited perspective of Simon Bollander, Republican candidate for President.…

Pima County Supervisor Faces First Challenger in 13 Years

Mari Herreras — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:45:46 -0700

Republican Ray Carroll was appointed Pima County District 4 Supervisor in 1997 and was elected in 1998. In the 13 years Carroll's been in office he's been reelected every election in 2000, 2004 and 2008 — all without opposition.…

New Oxygen Bar Opens Downtown

Adam Borowitz — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:22 -0700

A new oxygen bar and tea room called Breathe, Drink & Design has opened at 416 N. Seventh ~~Ave.~~ St., right down the street from Che's Lounge. The place serves tea and oxygen for two for $20, and the oxygen is apparently infused with various scents.…

Noam Chomsky at Centennial Hall

Zachary Vito — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:31 -0700

Noam Chomsky gave a free lecture at the UA's Centennial Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 8, about the importance of education in our society and explored the the controversy surrounding ethnic studies in Tucson.

Some more photos from the event, below the cut:

…

The Navy Is Naming a Ship for Gabrielle Giffords

Dan Gibson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:11:14 -0700

Although there's apparently a bit of controversy (these type of ships are generally named after cities), Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced today that a new Littoral Combat Ship set to be built in Mobile, Alabama will be named for Gabrielle Giffords:

“Giffords and the ship’s sponsor, Roxanna Green, are sources of great inspiration and represent the Navy and Marine Corps qualities of overcoming, adapting and coming out victorious despite great challenges," Mabus said...

The Navy is building 55 LCS ships.…
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Political Roundtable Tonight: The Race To Finish Gabby's Term, Battles Between Marana and Pima County & Firearms on Campus

Jim Nintzel — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:03 -0700

Tonight on the Arizona Illustrated Political Roundtable: Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers and Republican strategist Sam Stone stop by the studio talk about Ron Barber's entry into the race to complete Gabrielle Giffords' congressional term, the crowded GOP field in CD8, the ongoing battles between Marana and Pima County over a sewer plant and some the latest bills at the Arizona Legislature, including looser restrictions on guns and tighter restrictions on abortion. Tune in at 6:30 on KUAT-TV, Channel 6.…

You Should Go to the Youth Farm Project Event on Saturday

Adam Borowitz — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:18 -0700

This is one of the greatest flyers I’ve seen in a while. I decided to focus on this awesome flyer after writing a full page about how the kids in the Youth Farm Project are heroes for trying to make America stronger and better.…

Kyl: "There Is Not Exactly Romney-Mania Right Now"

Jim Nintzel — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00:35 -0700

In the wake of Rick Santorum's three-state sweep earlier this week, Sen. Jon Kyl tells Politico that “there is not exactly Romney-mania right now”:

Kyl, who like DeMint has not endorsed in the 2012 race, launched into a sharp critique Wednesday on the matter, saying Romney’s support for indexing the minimum wage to inflation is something that “every conservative knows [is] a bad idea.”

And that’s the crux of the concern over Romney — that he’s simply not conservative by instinct and therefore has inherent difficulties with the right.

“People instinctively can sense how fervently you believe in things by the way you talk about them, by what you choose to talk about,” Kyl said.…
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This Week in Tucson Bicycling

Michael McKisson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:00:29 -0700

Editors from Bicycling Magazine picked Tucson to test bikes for their annual gear guide. Check out why they picked Tucson and what they are up to.

Check out this jaw dropping video of road bike riders doing tricks.…

Tucson Solicitor Sinks to New Low Selling Girl Scout Cookies

Ryn Gargulinski — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:47 -0700

Please note column update at bottom of post

Random pizza menus jammed in the doorjamb and satellite TV offers dangling from the doorknob are bad. But one Tucson solicitor sank to an even lower low by sticking a permanent sticker in the middle of an otherwise pristine front door.…

Mini-Dingoes Don't Eat Babies, Do They?

Dan Gibson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:10 -0700

Sure, they're cute now, but at some point, they'll get together and team up against humanity. Enjoy their adorableness while it lasts.…

Project White House 2012: Kip Dean Speaks!

Dan Gibson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:16 -0700

As part of our series "Let's run YouTube video on the blog featuring the Project White House candidates", here's a clip from Kip Dean, who explains why he's running for president, filmed at the Borderland Brewing/Project White House beer summit.

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AutoTuned Bon Iver Jams With The Roots

Dan Gibson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:44 -0700

While it didn't make it on air, Jimmy Fallon house band The Roots and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver rocked out a eight-plus minute long version of "Perth" from his latest album. It is quite pretty, albeit your opinion might be determined by your feelings about AutoTune.…

Local Tattoo Shop Makes Greatest Ad of All Time

Dan Gibson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:39 -0700

Full disclosure: I once managed a soccer team with an unicorn in its logo, so perhaps I'm biased, but this ad for Tucson tattoo shop Magic Fun Store, which I don't think will ever appear anywhere other than online, might be the greatest single thing on YouTube ever. Kind of makes me want to get a tattoo, although I will not be getting the one seen at the end of the video.…

This Is Not How to Propose

Dan Gibson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:16 -0700

I get what Pizza Hut is doing with this $10,010 proposal package (and I'm helping, I suppose, by writing about it), but what's frightening is that someone will probably actually take them up on the offer. So, if you're not terribly bright, don't understand women at all, and have a little over $10k to burn, email Pizza Hut now!

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Congressional Candidate Ron Barber: "I'm Really Concerned, As Most People Are, About What's Going On in Washington"

Jim Nintzel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:07:19 -0700

Ron Barber made it official this morning: He’s going to run as a Democrat in the June 12 special election to complete the term of Gabrielle Giffords in Southern Arizona's Congressional District 8.

"It took me a little while to wrap my head around the idea, but now that I have, I'm going full bore,” says Barber, who has served as district director for Giffords’ office since she was first elected in 2006.…

Talking Comics: Secret Avengers Edition

Dan Gibson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:30:01 -0700

New Talking Comics drinking game: line up some shots and drink one every time Eric frames a sentence with "Yeah [pronoun] did" or "Yeah [pronoun] is".

Also, they discuss Secret Avengers, in which Captain America sounds sort of like Bill O'Reilly.…

Ron Barber: "While There Will Never Be Anyone Who Can Fill Congresswoman Giffords' Shoes, I Look Forward To Continuing Her Legacy of Putting Problem-Solving Before Politics"

Jim Nintzel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:47 -0700

Ron Barber announces his campaign to complete Gabrielle Giffords' congressional term. The press release:

Today, Southern Arizonan and former Gabrielle Giffords District Director Ron Barber announced his candidacy for Congress in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.…
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