• A new place called Public Bar is going in here.

It appears a new bar called Public Bar is setting up shop where the motorcycle shop Knucklehead Alley used to be at 63 E. Congress St. I noticed a liquor license application had been filed for the address the other day, so I headed down there today to check it out.

The tell-tale green sign announcing the pending liquor license is there in the window, and workers were busy tearing out the interior today. A sprinkler was also going off inside and soaking the poor guys trying to control the flood, so I didn't stop to ask them if they knew anything about the place.

Conversations with other people in the neighborhood lead us to believe the place is a project by some of the people associated with the nearby Sapphire nightclub. That's strictly hearsay for now though.

I love to see more and more businesses showing up Downtown. I don't know enough about logistics to comment on how many businesses that area can support, and sometimes I get a little nostalgic for when it was just the Chicago Store, Grill and a few bars and shops down there, but that doesn't detract from how impressive it is to watch individual business owners transform the area.

It's hard to understand how this happened or whether the person running Celeb Boutique's Twitter feed is making a wildly inappropriate joke (the winking emoticon makes it seem like they know what they're doing), but either way, today isn't the day.

UPDATE: The company pulled the tweet and apologized.

I find this chalkboard at Elliott's on Congress at 135 E. Congress St. very impressive. I will be returning at my next earliest convenience to try these flavor-infused vodka cocktails. I hear the food is killer, too. That is all.

Pima County paved two roads that are sure to be incredibly popular with bicyclists. Check out videos of the new routes and read about some of the potentially dangerous issues.

The first portion of the streetcar route opened this week and there isn't much room for cyclists to safely ride. See what it looks like.

Former colleagues of Tucson's new transportation director say Tucson cyclists and pedestrians are in good hands. See what they said about him.

Do you have some bicycle-themed photos? Check out how to submit them to the Tucson Velo photo contest.

The Fix is a new restaurant that's going in at Main Gate Square The theme? Macaroni-and-cheese, and lots of it.

There will be Alfredo mac-and-cheese, jalapeno-popper mac-and-cheese and a taco version. Varieties with bacon, bratwurst, various vegetables and other things will also be available.

Also on the menu: Sandwiches - including one that is basically a big scoop of homemade mac-and-cheese between two pieces of bread - salads, appetizers, beer and dessert.

The restaurant is going in where Sultan Palace used to be. The sign on the door says the grand opening is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 14.

About three years ago, I stood in front of Teatro Carmen heading toward the main stage at what was the first Festival en el Barrio. With the marvel called the Tucson Convention Center behind me, I rushed to the stage as Calexico started their set with Salvador Duran and Sergio Mendoza, and all the other Tucson music people we love.

Later that night, I wrote about the festival's success and how I hoped for one thing — that as Calexico's Joey Burns sang into the mic somehow a long-needed exorcism took place. I thought of the destruction that occurred downtown in the name of renewal more than 40 years ago. Despite neighborhood activists gathering 10,000 signatures, most of the old neighborhood — the stores, the Spanish-language movie theater, and homes of my mother's childhood — was knocked down to make way for TCC, the Pima County government complex and other buildings.

As a soon-to-be former resident of the old neighborhood turned to leave he or she obviously put a curse on downtown and Tucson. It worked. That's progress - a progress so successful, years later people are still pissed and we are still dealing with the problem of redevelopment and just about everyone in Tucson flinches when they hear or read the word consultant. Sorry about that.

But perhaps this Saturday's "An Evening in Celebration of Mario Suarez: Tucson's Original Chicano," is the real-deal exorcism I've wished for. Perhaps it's also another way to continue to reclaim Tucson's history — especially at a time we've watched the destruction of Tucson Unified School District's Mexican-American studies program and the ongoing fight to bring it back.

Since our story on Arizonans for a Brighter Future’s bogus claims broke yesterday, we’ve heard from a variety of people with theories as to who might be behind the mysterious non-profit organization, whose backers fear the consequences of allowing their identities to become public.

We've got a few weeks before we get any information back from Delaware, where the group incorporated for some unknown reason, so we thought we might as well ask around and see if anyone wants to ’fess up about being involved.

Several folks have suggested that Joe Higgins, a radio talk-show host and columnist for Inside Tucson Business (which, like the Weekly, is published by Wick Communications), might have a hand in it.

A few weeks back, when we were first looking into Arizonans for a Brighter Future, we asked Higgins if he knew who was behind the organization.

“I don’t know,” said Higgins. “I’d love to find out.”

If you're in the mood for an outdoor movie tonight, Raiders of the Lost Ark is playing at Cinema La Placita. As summer popcorn fun goes, it doesn't get much better than that. It starts at 7:30 p.m. at downtown's La Placita complex and will only set you back $3. (And the popcorn is free!). Details here.

• Jim Nintzel

The Tucson Padres wrap up the current homestand tonight against the Reno Aces tonight. First pitch is 7:05 at Kino Stadium, but if you want to get there early for Thirsty Thursday's cheap beer and soft drinks, the gates open at 6 p.m. Details on the ballgame here.

• San Diego Zoo
• Connie (center) and Shaba (left)

The subject of a great deal of controversy last year, Connie, one of the two elephants sent to San Diego as part of the preparations for the new elephant exhibit at the Reid Park Zoo, was euthanized today.

From the San Diego Zoo's blog on Connie's health:

Since her arrival in San Diego in February 2012, veterinarians, technicians, keepers, and managers have worked extensively with Connie to manage her health concerns. We saw improvements, but this time the response was not the same. Over the last couple of weeks, her condition continued to deteriorate and severely affect her quality of life. She was drinking about 1.5 gallons of water when she needs 75 gallons daily to live. Connie’s immune and organ systems simply were not keeping up with her disease. This morning, we made the heartbreaking decision to euthanize her when it became apparent that Connie would be unable to sustain herself. We know many of you will share in our loss as we say goodbye to Connie and hope that you know she will be greatly missed.

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild released a comment on Connie's passing in a press release:

"I was saddened to learn of Connie's passing today, both for Connie and for Shaba, her companion," said Mayor Rothschild. "I am confident that Connie received the best of care at San Diego's geriatric elephant facility. We knew this day would come. Connie was elderly, and that was why this facility was chosen. It is sad that it has come so soon."