Investigative reporter John Dougherty, who is one of four Democrats competing for the chance to run for U.S. Sen. John McCain's seat in November, is going on walkabout through Sunday.

Here's the press release:

John Dougherty, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Thursday takes his campaign to the streets as part of his climate-defying “Taking the Heat Tour.”

Featuring the “Main Street Express” — which consists of John and his hiking gear backed up by his customized 1978 Bluebird bus, the Strayhound — the trek will start at 7 a.m. Thursday Aug. 19 at the entrance to Lost Dutchman State Park (at Highway 88 & Apache Trail).

The Main Street Express will proceed through Apache Junction down Main Street, and west to Mesa and Tempe along Apache Boulevard, culminating Sunday Aug. 22 in Phoenix.

Dougherty plans to walk 10 miles a day, meeting voters along the way. He will send out frequent

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was the subject of The Word last night after he made the suggestion that the Border Patrol could do a better job at protecting America's borders if the agents began patrolling Mexico.

It appears that Arizonans Working Together, an independent expenditure committee, is readying another salvo against Republican Jesse Kelly in Congressional District 8.

A new FEC report notes the committee has spent more than $43,000 in recent days in printing and mailing costs. Our bet: It's reinforcing stories about Don Kelly Construction's government contracts and the funding of those jobs with earmark and stimulus dollars.

3D Fest-Drum.Dance.Didge ... Heal will take place this weekend in Prescott at Watson Lake Park. Music and dance performances, workshops, a bazaar and a food court will be offered, as will more than 20 hours of modern and traditional world music.

Details from a press release:

PRESCOTT, ARIZONA — Endless Breath Entertainment LLC presents the 1st annual 3DFest - Drum.Dance.Didge...Heal! at Watson Lake Park to take place over 3 nights and 2 days, August 20, 21, and 22, in 2010. The festival, will feature more than 20 hours of modern and traditional world music and dance performances and over 50 group drum, dance, didgeridoo, and sound healing workshops delivered by local, national, and international rhythm and dance artists. Participants can drum, dance, play and listen to music from African, Brazilian, Cuban, Middle-Eastern, Aboriginal, Indian, Asian, Native-American cultures and more. Classes will take place for all ages and skill levels, including an Interactive Youth Area.

The festival will kick-off Friday with Reggae Night, featuring Native American Reggae Goddess, and sound healer, Tchiya Amet and the Light House Band from Mendocino County, California. Other acts and performances will include Indian and Middle-Eastern style music, trance and ambient didgeridoo, Japanese Taiko drumming, didgeridoo funk fusion, Reggae/Jungle dance music, and a lively fire performance. Friday Night Only Tickets will be sold for $10 each, although all 3 nights are included in the $55 Weekend Pass.

The Arizona Republic reports that a private investigator was tailing the Colorado attorney who is investigating bar complaints about Republican Andrew Thomas, who is running for Arizona attorney general.

Colorado attorney John Gleason on Wednesday confirmed that he was tailed during his trips to Phoenix to work the case. Gleason also said that he had received a letter from Sheriff Joe Arpaio, expressing that the sheriff was "concerned about the nature of our investigation."

Interim County Attorney Rick Romley confirmed to The Republic earlier this month that Gleason was tailed by private investigators.

"We had information that the Colorado attorneys that were looking into the Thomas bar complaint have been followed by private investigators, " Romley said. "We turned it over to the FBI."

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office became involved in the matter weeks ago, The Republic has learned. Federal officials are conducting an abuse-of-power investigation into Arpaio and others.

The Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond for a comment.

"In spite of the difficulty, we are conducting the investigation the court asked us to conduct," Gleason said. "It has no impact on the investigation."

Dennis Wilenchik, whose law firm is representing Aubuchon, said private investigators were hired to follow Gleason early in his investigation.

Wilenchik, whose colleague is working Aubuchon's case, said the private investigators were hired to figure out who Gleason was talking to, where he was staying, and the nature of Gleason's investigation.

Democrat Terry Goddard has debuted his first TV in his race to unseat Gov. Jan Brewer.

Goddard also took Brewer to task over the ongoing push to privatize the state's prison system with a press release today:

A report published today by FORTUNE magazine takes to task the plan by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to privatize nearly the entire Arizona state prison system.

In light of the July 30th escape of three violent offenders from a privately run prison facility in Kingman, Ariz., the Governor is taking heat for her 2009 push to privatize 10 of the State's 11 prisons. In addition, recent reports have surfaced that two of Brewer's closest senior advisors have business ties to private prison contractor Corrections Corporation of America (CCA)-a likely beneficiary of the action-sparking further scrutiny of Brewer's decision to move forward with the plan. [KPHO-TV, July 22, 2010]

Beyond the questions of security, FORTUNE reporter D.M. Levine cites concerns that the private facilities may ultimately cost Arizona taxpayers more than those run by the State Department of Corrections:

"Despite claims from companies like CCA, the jury seems to be out on whether private prisons end up saving governments money. An audit by the accounting firm MAXIMUS conducted for Arizona compared the cost of public and private corrections facilities in 2007 and found that, on average, private facilities ended up saving the state $5.49 per inmate per day.

But more recently, an internal Arizona Department of Corrections report released in February 2010, found that, in 2009, those savings narrowed to around $2.75 per inmate per day, and in certain instances, private facilities were found to cost even more per day than public ones."

The piece goes on to point out that "private prisons also lack the incentive to help prepare inmates to return to society, leading to a higher rate of

Before we get into the nitty gritty of what's going on at the newish Salud Oyster Bar and Grill at 1825 W. Valencia Road, we have to tell you specifically about the oyster bar that should be up and running before long.

Manager Jesus Bonilla Jr. says the eatery is dedicating a portion of its sizeable bar to the shucking and serving of fresh oysters. "You'll be able to come in and sit down, and they'll pull the oysters right out of the ice and shuck them for you right there," he said. "Eventually, we'll carry four or five kinds of oysters from all over the world."

The restaurant also serves scallops, calamari, crab legs and other sea food. Mexican food and American classics such as ribs, burgers and steaks are also available.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday through Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday through Sunday. Happy hour - which features 25 percent off appetizers - takes place from 4 to 7 p.m., Sunday through Thursday.

Call 889-2800 for more information.

It's mid-August in Tucson, and just the time for a beach fix. Alas the waves are miles away, but we can dream.

Here's a taste of the new Hawaii Five-O with cool theme song in tact.

From the press release:

David Rajter, Field producer for X-Ray Earth said “When we were first developing the program Biosphere 2 was at the top of the list as a location that we must shoot at. As far as technology there is nothing else like Biosphere 2 on earth, in terms of scale, diversity and the type of science that is done here. After nearly 20 years it is uniquely suited to help us better understand our changing planet. "

The rest of the press release is after the jump:

Fainting goats from Washington state, with a message still applicable in crazy Arizona: