On Arizona Public Media's Political Roundtable this week: Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik, Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries, Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers and Republican strategist Sam Stone talked about some of the lessons of the 2012 election and kicked around ideas about how the GOP should be address its growing problem with Latino voters. And in a bonus segment, state lawmakers Steve Farley, Bruce Wheeler and Victoria Steele joined Arizona Capitol Times reporter Hank Stephenson to talk about the upcoming legislative session and how the state will go about implementing the Affordable Care Act.

Arizona Week host Michael Chihak dug into the politics on immigration last night. It's going to be an interesting legislative session as Republicans try to figure out how to quit alienating Latinos while holding onto their base, isn't it?

My faith in humanity has now been dashed, folks.

Kevin Clash, famous for being the puppeteer behind "Sesame Street"'s Elmo, has resigned after a second accusation of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a young boy has come to light.

From the website of the second accuser's lawyer, hermanlaw.com:

· When CECIL SINGLETON, the victim in this case, was just fifteen years old, he called a gay chat line seeking friends. In this chat room, KEVIN CLASH, internationally known puppeteer and voice actor for the widely recognized Sesame Street character Elmo, began communicating with CECIL SINGLETON.

· During these telephone calls, KEVIN CLASH persuaded, induced, coerced or enticed CECIL SINGLETON to meet him for sexual encounters.
· KEVIN CLASH groomed CECIL and gained his trust by, among other things, taking him to nice dinners and giving him money.

· On numerous occasions over a period of years, KEVIN CLASH engaged CECIL SINGLETON in sexual activity. This sexual activity began when CECIL SINGLETON was fifteen years old.

The victim’s attorney, Jeff Herman, said: “According to our lawsuit, Kevin Clash preyed on vulnerable teenage boys, like Cecil Singleton, to satisfy his depraved sexual interests. By coming forward now, Cecil hopes to spare the lives of others like him and to begin his own healing process."

I'm getting tired of writing this one-word statement, but...

Sigh.

This is, of course, the second accusation against Clash (hence the term "Elmogate"), with the first coming from an on, then off, then on-again accusation from now-23-year-old male model Sheldon Stevens.

And thus ends my interest in the documentary following Clash's life, Being Elmo.

As one of the final acts of his Presidency, Mexico's Felipe Calderon has introduced legislation to finally make the official name of Mexico, uh..."Mexico."

According to this story from CNN.com, and history books in general, Mexico has officially gone by the name of the "United Mexican States" since originally winning its independence from Spain in 1821.

From CNN.com:

In announcing his decision to propose officially changing his country's name, Calderon said Thursday the name United Mexican States was originally taken because back in 1824 the United States of America was an example of democracy and liberty for the new independent nations in the Americas.

"It's time that we Mexicans retake the beauty and simplicity of our motherland's name: Mexico. (It's) a name that we use when chanting or singing, a name that identifies us throughout the world and that makes us proud," Calderon said.

Of course, as CNN notes, the Mexican legislature might be more concerned with such moderately important issues such as national security, the economy, or the drug war that they've been struggling with during the entirety of Calderon's presidency. Y'know, the little things.

[CNN.com - After nearly 200 years, Mexico may make the name official]

If you're looking to add a little something (or someone) special to your family this weekend during your shopping adventures, consider heading out to Pima Animal Care, where they're offering a special $10 adoption fee for all animals, which includes microchips, sterilization and vaccination.

According to PAC, licensing for dogs older than three months of age is $15, so the most that adoption of any animal will cost is $25.

The special lasts from today, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Nov. 25. Visit Pima Animal Care at www.pimaanimalcare.org.

Now, I didn't experience this level of chaos and obnoxiousness last night as I ventured out with my family for Black Friday/Darkest Timeline Thursday shopping—the Walmart that I spent too much of my life at last night didn't get all that violent last night, for instance—but from what I've seen, there's been a fair amount of rowdiness at America's shopping centers over the past 24 hours.

This supercut of Black Friday violence has it all: brawling, stampeding, yelling, general camera-whoring; basically, it's everything that you might want to watch on the internet and not experience in person.

Thankfully, Black Friday is nearly over. If you're still thinking about heading out tonight to take advantage of a few deals, do yourself a favor and be careful—you don't want to end up as part of next year's supercut of madness.

The hits just keep on coming for fans of NBC's "Community." First, the show was postponed by the network shortly before its original Oct. 19 season premiere, initially indefinitely, resulting in this fantastic video explaining the postponement—and why its fans shouldn't be so heartbroken:

Well, there's something new for Greendaleans to be upset about—maybe, kinda.

Real-life curmudgeon Chevy Chase, who portrays community college-attending curmudgeon Pierce Hawthorne, has decided to quit the show, for apparently no reason other than the fact that he doesn't much like what he is doing, according to an interview with Huffington Post U.K.:

• From the Chef's Kitchen and Catering Facebook page.

The food truck Chef’s Kitchen and Catering makes its debut next Friday, Nov. 30, outside the Tucson Federal Credit Union on the corner of Speedway Boulevard and Alvernon Way.

Chris Cryderman, the main man behind the operation, says he recently moved back to Tucson after stints in Detroit and Colorado. He originally intended to put his more than 40 years of culinary experience to work by opening a small deli, but after negotiations with the potential landlord soured he turned his sites to opening a food truck instead.

We have been following the “nanobrewery”, Ten Fifty-Five, for a while now patiently waiting to see what they brew up. Well per their Facebook page they are finishing up brewing some test batches, and have received their Certificate of Occupancy to boot.

I spoke with them on the phone and told me they are planning to run a few more test batches, and do some sample tasting events over the next month. They are shooting for a grand opening sometime shortly after the first of the year. The time is ticking on when we can start drinking the goods and I for one, am watching the clock intently.

Tuesday afternoon, Sylvia Campoy warned the Tucson Unified School District board members by e-mail that their special meeting that evening at Catalina Magnet High School to decide what schools to consider for closure and consolidation was in "clear violation of Arizona Open Meeting Law as well a violation of TUSD policies."

Campoy is concerned because the materials the board members needed to help them make a decision were not in the board packet made available for public review — 24 hours before the board meeting.

"It would seem impossible at this point NOT to utilize the materials you received last evening in your study/review and decision-making of the issue. It would be somewhat like attempting to squeeze the toothpaste back into the tube- simply impossible," Campoy wrote.

"The Board agenda packet, both by title and practice is, in fact, a functional part of the Board agenda; it contains specific information about each matter/agenda item, exclusive of executive session agenda items. The agenda Board packet is made available to the public the day before the Board meeting; usually in the afternoon for the purpose of notifying the public twenty-four hours prior to the Board Meeting. This allows members of the public to review the Board agenda packet and learn the specifics about the agenda items which are listed on the Board agenda. Based on the specifics found on each matter, members of the public are availed the opportunity to make inquiry and/or express their opinion about any listed Board agenda item(s) prior to any discussion, consideration or action taken by the Board."

This isn't the first time Campoy, a former TUSD teacher, former TUSD governing board member and former director of the city of Tucson's Equal Opportunity Program, has warned the governing board of previous meeting violations.

This summer on June 2, 2012, Campoy also let state Attorney General Tom Horne know about past alleged violations in an investigation request, but because it is, well, Horne, she also asked the state’s top attorney to recuse his office from the investigation.

One of the two meetings brought up in the complaint pertains to the Jan. 10, 2012 Mexican-American studies action, and Campoy brought up the obvious conflict — that Horne is the state’s anti-Mexican-American studies law champion and creator.

“Your strong position pertaining to the TUSD Mexican American Studies Department and courses is renowned both at the state and national level,” Campoy wrote to Horne.

“In order to ensure that there is a thorough and impartial investigation conducted into the allegations I have outlined, I respectfully request that your office recuse itself from conducting the investigation and that my complaint be immediately forwarded to the Pima County Attorney for investigation.”