Local bands Dream Sick, The Pork Torta and Union Pacific's Zach Vito are playing a free Christmas show at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St.

• Image courtesy of the Facebook event page.

Honestly, what else do you have to do tomorrow? Everything is closed. You know your family members are going to slip into food comas while watching It's a Wonderful Life, again. Here's your chance to be the cool relative and show your family visiting you from out of town how we do it in the "dirty south."

The Dysfunctional Christmas show starts at 9 p.m. Click here for more information.

Hermitage No- Kill Cat Shelter just announced that through the Food for People's Pets program, it can provide pet food assistance to seniors, low-income or unemployed pet owners who can't afford food or cat litter.

Right now, knowing how people are stretching those budgets and love their beasts, too, this sounds like a great ideas. From the Hermitage press release:

"It's important that we do everything we can to help responsible, loving pet owners from having to surrender their pet or let their pet go hungry because of unfortunate circumstances," said Joe Sprague, Executive Director of The Hermitage. "There are pets that belong to the homeless as well, so we want to make sure those pets don't go hungry."

Pet owners must fill out an application and meet certain criteria to prove they need assistance. The "Food for People's Pets" program is part of The Hermitage's latest efforts to better serve the Tucson community and southern Arizona.

"With individual economic hardship at an all-time high, we're trying to boost our community outreach efforts and provide this free service to as many people in need as possible," said Lee Bucyk, marketing and media contact for the Hermitage. "Our pet pantry is loaded with not only cat food and litter, but dog food as well."

The pet food for the Hermitage's program is sourced from individual donors as well as branded pet food manufacturers. "We receive generous donations of food by large manufacturers such as Halo, Purina, Hills and Royal Canin," Bucyk said. "This past week we received over 800 pounds of Spots Stew as part of the Halo Holiday Kibbles Drop and in two weeks we're due to receive 5,000 cans of Friskies courtesy of Purina."

The Hermitage No-Kill Shelter accepts donations of food from individuals and manufacturers. If you'd like to donate, visit the shelter at 5278 E. 21st street during business hours, Monday-Friday 10 AM to 7 PM, Saturday-Sunday Noon- 5 PM. You can also find more information online regarding "Food for People's Pets."

The Arizona Cardinals (that professional football team up in Phoenix that Tucsonans generally ignore, because it's Phoenix, bleugh) beat the Seattle Seahawks in what was a thrilling clash of the best defenses in professional football last Sunday.

Washington State legislator Joe Fitzgibbon was a bit peeved about the whole thing, as most football fans are prone to be after their favorite team loses to a rival:

Seriously Rep @joefitzgibbon ?! This type of tweet doesn't represent the 12th Man. I'd hope 4 better from a State Rep pic.twitter.com/arNAMgG7HY
— Zach Brown (@ZB206) December 23, 2013

Representative Fitzgibbon deleted the tweet and reissued another statement:

Upset re hawks loss, and failure of smart immigration reform—shouldn't have conflated the 2 though. Happy holidays, better for both in '14
— Joe Fitzgibbon (@joefitzgibbon) December 23, 2013

After getting flack from various news sites, the disgruntled Washington Representative issued an apology (to Arizona) on Facebook:

Local comedian David Claire Parsons was one of the many that graduated from the University of Arizona last weekend. Parsons is going back to the Midwest at the end of this month, and he will be missed (by few). You might be asking yourself, "Is this the same David Claire Parsons that wrote and drew that offensive comic for the Daily Wildcat?" The one and only. He's a really nice guy that made one simple mistake, and we will never let him forget it.

D.C. (that's what we call him for short) has been doing stand up comedy in this city for years, and all his fellow comedians are throwing him a goodbye roast. Keep in mind, Parsons asked for this. He's actually a good guy and a fine joke writer.

Two people apparently robbed the oddly placed M Passion Adult Boutique next to Picacho Peak early this morning, then following a high speed chase with Pinal County sheriffs, one of the alleged robbers was killed and the other wounded.

Numerous media outlets have reported on the incident, which began around 6:30 a.m. when the suspects allegedly tied up—no word on if this was done with rope or in-store novelty items—the female store clerk and then swiped cash from the register and made off with the store's safe.

About 10 minutes after the robbery, a Pinal deputy collided with the suspects' vehicle along Arizona Highway 87 near Eloy. The suspects allegedly shot at the deputy, who returned fire, according to a Sheriff's department spokesman.

One suspect was dead on scene, the other air-lifted with a leg wound, according to reports.

We just received word that The Pizza Underground, Macaulay Culkin's new band, will be making an appearance on Monday, March 10 at 191 Toole (the space that once hosted the latest location for Skrappy's), 191 E. Toole Ave.

• Photo courtesy of the Stateside Tucson Presents Facebook event page.

The band hasn't released an album or a single song, but that isn't stopping them from booking shows across the nation. The good people at Noisey interviewed the band and released their first (offical) music video earlier today:

Today, my over-coffee-morning conversation with my special someone was about how difficult the holidays are for many of us. Sometimes in the middle of the post Thanksgiving frenzy of making tamales and special work deadlines, we forget why invitations are difficult for some or why invitations are needed for others.

Not everyone, for a variety of circumstances, has that Norman Rockwell family that pulls together each winter. But there are also those societal pressures that make it difficult, too. I guess I just want to say in this oh so public way, that I hope everyone who is lonely or in pain, that this week hurries along and that you find comfort this season at the movies, with friends or catching up on the last season of Doctor Who or finally watching The Wire (like I am).

• My mom's tamales ... not offered by Southside, but equally delish. Hug your mom.

If you didn't make tamales this year, forgot to order some or want to support a great group of people in our city, I suggest you order them now from the Southside Presbyterian Church's Southside Worker Center.

Email your order [email protected] or call 955-8165. Pick up your orders on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m.

We love this Primavera Foundation video on South Tucson that is making its way over the internets this morning. One of the featured Southsiders is Cesar Aguirre. Aguirre was one of the local heroes that was highlighted in last week's cover story. Enjoy!

Do you have four quarters and know how to operate a joystick?

There will be a Ms. PAC-MAN tournament from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4 at Generation Cool, 404 N. Fourth Ave. The Facebook event page says the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be rewarded with gift cards and prizes. It's free to enter, so bring your coin purse.

• Photo from shutterstock.com