The Douglas Tea Party has released a list of endorsements for the 2010 election.

Their picks include:

— J.D. Hayworth for U.S. Senate.

— Jesse Kelly, their "Knight on Capitol Hill," in Congressional District 8.

— "Warrior queen" Gov. Jan Brewer.

— Tom "guarding us from the long reach of the Federal Government" Horne for Arizona Attorney General.

In Legislative District 25 Senate Republican primary, they're pulling for property-rights activist Gail Griffin over Huachuca City Town Council member and retired Army Master Sergeant Craig Smith. They're also backing incumbent Rep. David Stevens and Willcox Tea Party organizer Peggy Judd in the LD25 House race.

My family, including my 75-year-old mom, love the Loft's Tucson International Children's Film Festival—now in its fourth year. We missed the opening weekend due to vacation, but plan to catch up this week.

The festival continues through Sunday, Aug. 1. Every day this week you can see a movie, 10 a.m., for free. We're also happy Mrs. Tiggy Winkle's Toy's staff is back hosting and bringing special prizes.

See you Sunday for The Neverending Story. They don't mention any special contests for this one, but there's a guy who works at an undisclosed Circle K I frequent who happens to look like the Luck Dragon. I'd love to bring him.

Oh, and here's a little thing I found on what happened to the Neverending Story kids and other cast members.

Remaining schedule:

Wednesday, July 28: THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD (1995, 96 mins., rated PG), with free copies of the book for those in attendance (while supplies last)!

According to a Border Action Network press release, community organizations are hosting a "peaceful, educational event" against SB 1070 Thursday, July 29, downtown at Presidio Park, 160 W. Alameda St., from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

In peaceful protest of SB1070's implementation on Thursday, July 29th, community organizations in Southern Arizona have organized a variety of events spanning the downtown area. At Presidio Park, the "Knowledge is Power" event is designed to provide a place for families to both express their concerns about 1070 while also learning how they can get involved in challenging the law after the 29th.

The event includes live music from Tucson artists, including Kevin Pakulis, Salvador Duran, Amo Chip and Pablo & Friends, a children's art project that will be delivered to Governor Brewer, moments of silence, and open mic segments for members of the community to speak about the concerns and frustrations with the new law. In addition, community leaders and business owners will give brief presentations throughout the day on the five strategies being used to fight SB1070 including legal action, civic participation, and community education.

"After the dust settles from events on the 29th, our communities need to continue to push for change in Arizona and an end to 1070," said Clarisa Flores, a Human Rights Promoter with Border Action. "Thursday's event will give families the tools they need to get their families and communities informed and involved to make that change."

Former state lawmaker Jonathan Paton got a nod from The Arizona Republic editorial board today, calling him "a strong candidate who can mount a credible campaign against Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords."

They weren't so kind to his Republican challengers.

Paton's closest rival in the Republican primary is Jesse Kelly, a Marine Corps combat veteran who offers a hard-right edge and blames the ills of the nations on "liberalism" and President Barack Obama. He offers simplistic sound bites that suggest little depth of thought.

Brian Miller, a major in the Air Force Reserve and A-10 fighter pilot, has a textbook understanding of political theory and an admirably independent spirit, but he needs more real-world experience. He has a future in politics but isn't ready for this job.

Also running is Jay Quick, who has not participated in campaign events and shows little interest in engaging in this race.

Paton is a solid candidate who could make the November election a real contest.

Read the whole thing here.

Yesterday's border coverage from the Los Angeles Times doesn't involve beheadings or kidnappings, but climate change.

Read it here:

Climbing temperatures are expected to raise sea levels and increase droughts, floods, heat waves and wildfires.

Now, scientists are predicting another consequence of climate change: mass migration to the United States.

Between 1.4 million and 6.7 million Mexicans could migrate to the U.S. by 2080 as climate change reduces crop yields and agricultural production in Mexico, according to a study published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The number could amount to 10% of the current population of Mexicans ages 15 to 65.

I was hoping it could all end up like that fabulous movie with Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal, The Day After Tomorrow, about a climatologist who rescues his son in New York, "which is being taken over by a new ice age."

In that movie, most of North America heads south of the border, including the U.S. government.

While we'd like to think he'll celebrate by wearing pink underwear, when SB 1070 goes into effect on Thursday, July 29, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will celebrate with raids and arrests:

It's good to know where U.S. Attorney of Arizona Dennis Burke stands, since his civil rights division will prosecute racial-profiling complaints if SB 1070 becomes law. Read today's Arizona Republic story here:

Burke calls the law "unconstitutional, unworkable, unfunded and confusing." He agrees that the federal government needs to do more to combat illegal immigration. But he said SB 1070 is the wrong way for Arizona to respond and instead touts his office's efforts.

He said there was a time when the office had to turn down cases that dealt with less than 500 pounds of marijuana or illegal immigrants without serious felony records trying to come back into the U.S. Not anymore, Burke said. He said he has added 11 prosecutors to the Tucson office in the past year to allow for more prosecution of border-enforcement and immigration cases.

He said his office has improved its relationship with Mexico, increasing the number of crime suspects extradited to the U.S., working more with Mexican officials on joint investigations and training Mexican prosecutors to better prosecute their own criminals. He said his office has also started paying more attention to the guns and money traveling from the U.S. to Mexico instead of just targeting drugs and people being trafficked in the opposite direction.

"We've been confiscating millions of dollars in ways we haven't done before," Burke said. "That, more than anything, takes out a drug cartel."

Former state lawmaker Jonathan Paton, who is competing against Jesse Kelly, Brian Miller and Jay Quick in the Aug. 24 GOP primary that will decide who faces Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in November, has the endorsement of Sen. Jon Kyl.

I wrote a few months ago about how Kelly courted Kyl and John McCain before Paton entered the race. Read about it here.

Here's the release from Paton's campaign:

Jonathan Paton is proud to announce that he has received the support and endorsement of United States Sen. Jon Kyl.

"Jonathan Paton has a proven record of fighting for lower taxes and smaller government," Kyl said. "I know he will also fight to secure the border and stop job-killing cap-and-trade legislation, as well as repeal Obamacare and replace it with commonsense conservative solutions to reduce Arizonans' health-care costs."

"I am humbled by Sen. Kyl's endorsement of my campaign," Paton said. "He's been a role model for me throughout my life and career. His support for my campaign gives me confidence we will prevail. Sen. Kyl is a strong champion of our conservative values in the Senate. I look forward to working with him to secure our borders, stop Obamacare and reduce government spending."

Jonathan Paton, a Republican, was born and raised in Southern Arizona. Now a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, Jonathan served in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. In the state Legislature, Jonathan helped pass the largest tax cut in state history, the largest cut to government spending in state history, Arizona's new immigration law and he wrote the nation's first law to crackdown on human smuggling.

For the record: Paton also supported massive increases in state spending before he supported the largest cut in state spending.

Former Tucson City Council Member Rodney Glassman is leading his three opponents with 15 percent voter support in the Arizona Democratic primary senate race, according to a new Rasmussen poll.

However, almost half of the voters surveyed remain undecided, meaning anybody could still prevail.

The other three candidates are close behind: ex-State Representative Cathy Eden with 11% support, followed by labor organizer Randy Parraz at 10% and investigative reporter John Dougherty at seven percent (7%).

Ten percent (10%) of likely primary voters favor some other candidate in the race, and 47% are undecided. Fifty percent (50%) or more don’t know enough about any of the primary hopefuls to express any kind of opinion about them, favorable or unfavorable.

Congresswoman Giffords sends news on Congress canceling cash for border security.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and two colleagues from southwest border states are urging House leaders to restore $701 million in border security funds that were stripped from an appropriations bill last week by the Senate.

“This funding is essential to maintain safe communities on the border and crack down on drug smuggling and other border crime,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. “We strongly urge you to work with the Senate to reinstate this funding.”

Signing the letter with Giffords are U.S. Reps. Ciro D. Rodriguez of Texas and Harry Teague of New Mexico.

Giffords will speak about border security funding tomorrow morning on the floor of the House. Her remarks are expected to take place between 10 and 10:30 a.m., Arizona time.