The Arizona Sate Senate is debating legislation that would rid Arizona of the Common Core standards. A Senate committee said yes to HB 2190 a couple of weeks ago. 

The committee passed the bill with an amendment allowing the state Board of Education to collaborate with the Arizona Education Standards Steering Committee (committee would be established if the bill gets the green light) in adopting new standards and redeveloping new assessments.

If it becomes law, the state would go back to the standards that were in place in 2010, while new ones are established. The board and committee would have until Aug. 1, 2017 to re-work the standards for English language arts, American history, science and math.

Opponents of the bill, which is sponsored by Oro Valley Republican state Rep. Mark Finchem, say the state has already spent tons of money establishing Common Core in the classrooms, and that ditching those for new ones would cost another few million dollars. But people who hate the standards, including Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas, say they are too federally-driven. 

Last week, Gov. Doug Ducey said Arizona doesn't need to get rid of Common Core. While he isn't a fan, he asked the Board of Education to conduct a thorough review of the language arts and math standards to better adapt them to Arizona. 

He asked for the involvement of parents, students and teachers from around the state.

"We can learn from others, but at the end of the day the standards need to come from Arizona and they need to help us achieve our objectives," Ducey told the board. "And in any instance during your review, you find situations where Arizona standards can outperform the ones already adopted, I ask you to replace them."

The Senate previously trashed two other anti-Common Core bills—SB 1305 and SB 1458.

Last year, efforts to kill the standards failed, including a bill that was vetoed by then-Gov. Jan Brewer.

More than 40 states have adopted Common Core. 

I learned today from local drummer Winston Watson that Ernie Menehune, Hawaii's suntanned Irishman, has died. I haven't tracked down the details, but Menehune was in his early 90s.

Menehune was inducted into the Tucson Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Gene Armstrong profiled him:

Ernie Menehune has been performing music of all styles—including country, pop, big-band jazz and Irish music—but he is most famous for his elaborate Polynesian revues, including a big band, a chorus of singers and dancers. He has been professional entertainer in excess of a half-century, and a fixture in the Tucson music community for more than 30 years.

At 84, Menehune looks about 20 years younger with his deep tan, white teeth, sparkling eyes, Hawaiian shirt and puka-shell necklace. He arrives at an interview driving a massive red-and-silver sport van.

"My kids want me to give up the show and all that, but I say no, because I still enjoy it," he says. "The day I walk on that stage because it's just work, just a job to make money, that's the day I quit."

Billed for years as "Hawaii's Suntanned Irishman," he was a huge nightclub draw in the 1960s and '70s throughout the Western United States, playing the supper club circuit—everywhere from Caesars Palace to Tucson's once-glamorous-but-now-in-ruins Spanish Trail, on Interstate 10.

I was lucky enough to see Menehune perform a few times at the Airport Lounge, Ye Olde Lantern and the Tucson Polynesian Club at Tucson Meet Yourself. He was always charming, hysterical and fun to talk with.

I first heard of Menehune when my friend Peter Gilstrap came to Tucson to interview him for the Phoenix New Times.

Gilstrap's whole profile is worth a read, but here's how he described Menehune's act:

So let's say it's some Phoenix evening in the late Fifties. We enter a club with the Menehune name on the sign outside, score a nice table, the candle is winking through its bamboo holder, the drinks have been delivered. What happens?

Ernie smiles and squints from 1996 all the way back. "The lights would be off, and I would come out with a conch shell. I'd blow the conch shell, there'd be a drum roll, and then—'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present Hawaii's Suntanned Irishman, Ernie Menehune and his Polynesian revue!'—Ta da da. The girls would come out with the gourds and the skirts and the whole thing, very flashy. Then it would calm down to a happy medium, music, singing, jokes, then POW again and we'd go out. I used to do the flaming-knife dance as a finale. That was fun, fun, fun."

From the late Fifties well into the Sixties and Seventies, fun for the Menehune nightclub tribe reigned supreme. Bookings were constant, and Ernie added Anglo aspects to his act when necessary.

"I saw that after the floor show was over, they always had a house band for dancing. So I decided to capture both ends—all that Tony Bennett, Eddie Fisher type of music was in—so I started rehearsing my band with that type of music so that people wouldn't get tired of Hawaiian music all night long. We'd have country, rock, everything. We did all that Aquarius stuff."

Zona Politics Eps.23 from Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel on Vimeo.

On this week's Zona Politics with Jim Nintzel: Attorney Jeff Rogers and occasional radio host Shaun McClusky talk about the city's plans to widen Broadway between downtown and Country Club Road, a proposed Tucson crowd-control ordinance, the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Congresswoman Martha McSally's latest border-security bill, the rush to pass bills before the end of the legislative session and much more. Tune in online here or watch us at the special time of 8 a.m. this Sunday on KGUN-9.

The New York Times reported earlier this week on a crucial detail in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement now being hammered out. The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision would allow foreign companies to sue over the United States over regulatory policies that hurt the corporations' bottom line. From NYT:

An ambitious 12-nation trade accord pushed by President Obama would allow foreign corporations to sue the United States government for actions that undermine their investment “expectations” and hurt their business, according to a classified document.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership — a cornerstone of Mr. Obama’s remaining economic agenda — would grant broad powers to multinational companies operating in North America, South America and Asia. Under the accord, still under negotiation but nearing completion, companies and investors would be empowered to challenge regulations, rules, government actions and court rulings — federal, state or local — before tribunals organized under the World Bank or the United Nations.

Backers of the emerging trade accord, which is supported by a wide variety of business groups and favored by most Republicans, say that it is in line with previous agreements that contain similar provisions. But critics, including many Democrats in Congress, argue that the planned deal widens the opening for multinationals to sue in the United States and elsewhere, giving greater priority to protecting corporate interests than promoting free trade and competition that benefits consumers.

Southern Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) joined with his Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Keith Ellison (D-MN) today to criticize the "investment chapter" provision:

“The text of the Investment Chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership validates concerns repeatedly raised by the Progressive Caucus about one of the biggest trade deals in history. Expanding ISDS increases foreign corporations’ ability to challenge U.S. policies outside of the U.S. court system, and demand monetary compensation for the loss of their ‘expected future profits.’ This erodes the power of Congress to establish vital health and environmental protections that protect consumers.

“The United States is leading a global race to the bottom that isn’t good for families anywhere. Good trade deals should not expose our consumer protections to legal attacks by foreign corporations.”

Retired astronaut Mark Kelly writes about his twin brother Scott's launch for a year-long stay aboard the International Space Station:

He's off the planet — and on his way to the International Space Station.

Earlier today, I watched as my brother, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, and two Russian cosmonauts launched to space aboard a Soyuz rocket. They left from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, the oldest space launch facility in the world. They went from zero to 17,500 miles per hour in about 12 minutes.

After docking with the space station, opening the hatch, and floating out of their capsule and into the space station — which is about the size of a four-bedroom house — Scott will settle in for his yearlong mission.

Gabby watched with the NASA team at Johnson Space Center's Mission Control.

Listen up, carboloaders. The European-style bread bakery chain, Breadsmith, is opening its first western outpost and it just so happens to be in Oro Valley. With 43 locations in the midwest and east coast, owners Jan and Mike Kruziki are excited to bring Breadsmith the farthest west its ever been.

The Breadsmith name and recipes have been known since 1993 to represent old-fashioned, hand-shaped bread making technique, with the original owner learning traditions from bakers across Europe. Now, over 20 years later, the bakery has over 300 bread recipes at its disposal at any given time,  meaning the Kruzikis have a lot to choose from when it comes to their day-to-day bread line-up.

You can expect loaves of French peasant, rye, sourdough, whole wheat and more, along with baguettes. Jan says the plan is to carry core varieties every day and rotate out specials to keep the line-up interesting for bakery regulars. The spot will also offer a sizable selection of rolls and pastries as well. All of that doughy goodness is baked in the store's Italian-made four-deck over outfitted with hearth stones. 

Although these recipes were formulated in a much more humid climate, the Kruzikis said they haven't run into issues yet in the arid Arizona climate because their store is temperature controlled and their oven operates on steam injection. However, should those issues arise, they're ready to tweak recipes to ensure a crunchy crust and a soft inside. 

Without preservatives or artificial additives, Oro Valley's Breadsmith will only sell freshly baked daily  bread and what's left over will go to local food banks.
Although Mike worked for years as a programmer and software analyst in the Midwest, eventually retiring early and moving to Tucson with Jan, he says he's excited to get back to work at a craft that allows him to make something more tangible. 

"There's a lot of engineer burn out in the corporate field," he says. "You just want to get out there and actually do something hands on and meet people."

Along with their 24-year-old son Jake, who worked at other Breadsmith locations to learn every position in the store, the couple is excited to bring fresh bread to their neck of the woods.

"There really wasn't a bakery in Oro Valley," Jan says. 

Breadsmith, located at 10355 N. La Cañada Dr., will celebrate its grand opening on Tuesday, March 31 at 7 a.m. After that, the bakery will be open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

As the League of United Latin American Citizens, Council 1057 kicked off the Cesar Chavez Holiday weekend by hosting their 26th Annual Youth Leadership Conference at Pima Community College's West Campus we must not forget the legacy left by him such as his determination to improve the quality of life for all.

He was an educator, environmentalist and a civil rights leader. One of his most famous saying was "We can not seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own."

For the past 26 years LULAC Council 1057, in partnership with the Southern Arizona Institute of Leadership have been actively involved in our community providing educational assistance to our youth and motivating them to realize education is the key to success and that their number one goal should be to graduate. Education is a great equalizer.

Latino's are now the largest racial and ethnic population, affecting the cultural and political landscape and changing the way America does business. The presence and influence of Latinos has increased significantly in the United States through remarkable growth over the past 20 years. But according to recent polls, Latinos in the United States see education as the most important issue facing their community. Over 50% of Latinos equate sending their children to college with achieving the American dream. I thank LULAC and all the organizations that work hard to educate our youth and to get them to obtain their diplomas and college degrees.

Latino's have a rich heritage of educational innovation and achievement. The Spaniards established two universities in Lima and Mexico in 1541, and a total of seven universities in the new world before Harvard opened its doors. I believe Cesar Chavez, would tell us today that we need to recover their spirit and create our own renaissance in education. He said, "It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. it is an awesome opportunity."

On this first holiday, I want to thank my colleagues on the Council and the many organizations who supported the Council’s vote for the Cesar Chavez holiday in 2014. His selfless dedication for farm worker and worker rights, economic justice, civil rights, environmental justice, peace, nonviolence, empowerment of the poor and disenfranchised, is a monumental legacy that will inspire all and the generations to come. What is most important is that remembering and honoring Cesar Chavez inspires more people to become involved in all the causes which continue his extraordinary legacy.

(Editor's Note: Richard Fimbres is Vice Mayor in Ward 5 – City of Tucson)

The Pima County Attorney’s Office will not press charges against the five Flowing Wells students arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, according to a press release.

According to the release, the office conducted a comprehensive review of the investigation and determined there was insufficient evidence to file formal charges against the students, who were arrested on March 18.

The Pima County Attorney's Office determined that the evidence collected during the investigation was insufficient to establish that there was an actual, concrete agreement between the students that a murder would take place. The office said that the students discussed ways that a fellow student might be killed. There was, however, no agreement on how they intended to carry out the killing, and no details (who would carry out the killing, when it would happen or where it was to take place) had been discussed. The release says there was no evidence a consensus was reached about actually carrying out a plan to commit the murder.

The students admitted to having conversations about a murder, but that the discussions had “no serious intention to act” and the conversations were hypothetical in nature.

One of the Flowing Wells students was in possession of a knife when he was arrested, but claimed that he regularly carried the knife to school. The country attorney’s office is evaluating whether charges may be filed against that student for bringing the weapon to school.

Downtown has a new gallery dedicated to the works of Jeff Ferst. The Artful Living Gallery and Studio, located on the northeast corner of Stone Avenue and Broadway Boulevard, quietly opened its doors a couple weeks ago, luring curious passersby with bright works.

Ferst says he's always been attracted to vibrant color in art and it was the desert's bright color palette that drew him to move from Canada to Arizona in the first place. 

"In general, I'm inspired by where we live—the desert," Ferst says. "The lights and colors here made me feel more at home."

His pieces that are currently hanging in the new gallery space are primarily works of bright desert sunset landscape, which benefit from the splashes of light coming in from the space's large open windows. However, Ferst also has a few abstract pieces hanging as well.

"I've always had a love of abstraction. I put the same energy and emotion into those pieces as I do a landscape piece," he says. "It's about my interaction with the environment. It's like telling a story."


As a painter primarily, Ferst has found a way to make his work more accessible in a line of "licensed merchandise," as he puts it. That includes silk scarves, pillows, rugs, yoga mats, flip flops and mugs, which he thinks will do well in their new downtown setup. In fact, Ferst thinks he will enjoy being downtown more than his previous midtown studio, as well.

"I decided that I really wanted to be downtown," he says. "I missed the interaction during the day."

One of the main benefits of Ferst's new gallery is that his studio is also on site. That means on any given day you can walk past on Stone and see him at work through those large windows. 

You can see both Ferst's landscape and abstract pieces at his gallery now at the Artful Living Gallery and Studio. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. or until 4 p.m. November through April. You can also make an appointment for another time by calling 203-7004.

Fareed Zakaria has a terrific column in the Washington Post, Why America’s obsession with STEM education is dangerous (STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Zakaria is not a technophobe or a Luddite. He just understands that an overemphasis on science/tech education can rob students of other kinds of learning that both enrich their lives and encourage creativity — the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that leads to innovative ideas and bold entrepreneurship.

Zakaria knows the Asian educational model, which leads to high test scores people like to use against our methods of schooling, first hand.

Americans should be careful before they try to mimic Asian educational systems, which are oriented around memorization and test-taking. I went through that kind of system. It has its strengths, but it’s not conducive to thinking, problem solving or creativity. That’s why most Asian countries, from Singapore to South Korea to India, are trying to add features of a liberal education to their systems. Jack Ma, the founder of China’s Internet behemoth Alibaba, recently hypothesized in a speech that the Chinese are not as innovative as Westerners because China’s educational system, which teaches the basics very well, does not nourish a student’s complete intelligence, allowing her to range freely, experiment and enjoy herself while learning.