A former KOLD 13 crime reporter and his journalist wife pled guilty to a misdemeanor endangerment charges.

Both Som and Krystin Lisaius had previously pled not guilty to charges of possession of a dangerous drug, drug paraphernalia and child abuse after being indicted on June 9.

The couple will have a sentencing hearing on Oct. 3.

Trouble first began for the couple around 11 a.m. Sunday, May 15, when the couple took their 4-month-old child to the Oro Valley Hospital, fearing for her wellbeing. After the infant girl was evaluated by hospital staff, the couple refused to allow nurses to perform a blood draw on the child. Sometime later, the parents left with the child against medical advice but agreed to have her transferred to Banner University Medical Center for further evaluation.

Cocaine was eventually found in the child’s system, and both parents admitted to having used the drug just the previous night at a barbecue they were hosting at their home. Krystin Lisaius also admitted to a UMC social worker to recently breastfeeding the child and both parents later tested positive for the drug.

During the course of investigation, Som Lisaius told Oro Valley Police Department detectives that evening that he and his wife hosted a barbecue at their home for a birthday celebration, including family and friends. Som Lisaius eventually admitted that he used cocaine that night, and also used the drug “every six weeks or so.” He also said that he has witnessed his wife using cocaine since having their child.

If you're into the idea of the desert on your taste buds, then bottoms up!

You may be familiar with Good Oak Bar, 316 E. Congress Street., an alcoholic hangout that prides itself on serving local beer, wine and regional whiskey.

This weekend, the downtown bar will putting Terroir on Tap and serving a collection of beer with ingredients native to the Sonoran desert. Stop by anytime Sept. 2-10 to give it a try.

So, what is terroir? Well, it’s usually used in the wine world, but essentially terroir involves influences from a region's environment and puts it in the alcoholic beverage—in this case the environment of the Sonoran desert and locally grown fruits and veggies.

Here's a little bit about the event from Luke Anable, Good Oak's manager:

Beginning Thursday the 2nd of the September, Good Oak will feature draft beers from five breweries which they feel capture an aspect of the Sonoran desert through the use of native souring yeasts and local ingredients - a ‘terroir tap take over’ for the Labor Day weekend. We are especially excited to have the acclaimed Flagstaff brewery Wanderlust participating in the event as they typically don’t distribute their beer in Tucson due to their small production scale, providing us with a unique opportunity to share these unique high desert brews with the Tucson public.

We will have custom mini growlers for guests who want to enjoy these rare beers at home. Brewers will be stopping in throughout the weekend to pour and discuss their beer.

               

via GIPHY

Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas are one of the better father-son teams the movies have seen in a long time in this charmer from writer-director Chad Hartigan. Christmas plays Morris, a thirteen year-old American living in Germany because his dad Curtis (Robinson) has a job there as a soccer coach.

Morris is learning German, trying to make friends, and developing a crush on older girl Katrin (Lina Keller). He’s dealing with the kind of crap you would expect a black American to be dealing with in an all white city.

The dynamic between Robinson (easily his best performance) and Christmas makes it seem like these guys are really father and son. They compliment each other perfectly, and it’s refreshing to see a father and son talk and deal the way they do in this movie. The relationship between Morris and the somewhat troublesome Katrin is also refreshing in that it never seems false.

The movie should get Christmas some more roles in the future, while taking Robinson into new, more dramatic territories, because he’s beyond good.

It’s a solid coming-of-age story in an unexpected and unpredictable locale, with a cast of characters (including Carla Juri of Wetlands as Morris’ tutor) that scores across the board. This is one of the summer’s great surprises

(Streaming on iTunes and Amazon.com during limited theatrical release).

A photo posted by Stray Dogs Grill (@straydogstucson) on Aug 21, 2016 at 9:08pm PDT

Many people say that a picture speaks a thousand words. And, as I stare longingly at Stray Dogs Instagram account, I can definitely relate. As the age of Instagram has taken over life as we know it, I constantly find myself scrolling through the popular page on my feed to see what is out there. As a lover of fashion myself, I always thought that a great pair of shoes would be the only thing I would be lusting after. Who knew that I could have so many feeling about a picture of food. 

As social media has grown, different items of food have taken the spotlight. We all remember the cronut, circa 2013, that swept the nation with its perfect combination of croissant and doughnut. Or, the health craze that flooded the last two years with pressed juices and kale smoothies. But now in 2016, it is time for a different cuisine to take the stage, and this one might a little familiar.

It is something that we have all had growing up, that just seemed like just another sweet treat. But, for some reason this year, there is much more to a milkshake then most of us could ever imagine.

Can we build the wall now, while trump is in Mexico?

— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) August 31, 2016

This ought to be good: Ahead of a Phoenix speech today in which he is supposed to explain what kinder, gentler immigration policy he has finally landed on (for now), Republican president candidate Donald Trump is taking an impromptu trip to Mexico.

Jonathan Chait has a good laugh at the impulsive lunacy:

The Trump campaign appears to have convinced itself that the candidate will face not merely a polite reception but will win actual policy concessions for his lunatic agenda, reports Politico:

“Trump realized this would be a brilliant time to do it and is trying to pull it together last minute,” according another person close to the campaign who has been briefed by a campaign staffer. “Would be a major power play. It’s like he’s already negotiating on behalf of America.” The person suggested that the meeting could, for example, allow Trump to agree to deport only criminals if the Mexican president offered some sort of concession in return.

Sure, it makes tons of sense for Mexico’s president to offer up concessions to somebody who is not the sitting president, has a low probability of ever becoming president, continually changes his own stances, does not understand public policy in general, and is also probably the most hated person in Mexico since James K. Polk.

Can't wait to see how this goes—as well as the speech tonight. I'm sure it will move the needle on Team Trump's Latino support.

Despite what Breitbart News would have you believe, Sen. John McCain easily squashed GOP challenger Kelli Ward, a former state lawmaker from Lake Havasu who hoped that her Tea Party bona fides and can-do spirit would help her upset the five-term veteran.

McCain was crushing Ward, 52 percent to 38 percent.

McCain's win sets the stage for what even he calls the toughest challenge of his long career: Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick, whose sprawling congressional district has allowed her to build up both decent statewide name ID and a legit fundraising base. 

In his victory speech, McCain told the crowd: "Tonight, you have given me a chance to continue serving America. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now, let’s go win one more time."

Kirkpatrick stuck with one of the central messages of her campaign—"John McCain has changed"—in her prepared statement after the polls closed.

“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to represent my lifelong home of Arizona, and I will never waver in the fight to keep our communities safe, stand up for our veterans, protect Social Security and Medicare, and create good-paying jobs for hardworking families," Kirkpatrick said. "John McCain has changed after 33 years in Washington and no longer puts Arizonans above his own self-interest and his political career. There are enormous stakes in this election, and I look forward to a spirited campaign that offers voters a clear choice for the future of our state and who will best represent them in the U.S. Senate.”

McCain's full victory speech:

Thank you. I’m humbled by and grateful for our success tonight and for the honor to be the Arizona Republican Party’s nominee for election to the United States Senate.

Thank you to the interns who sacrificed their evenings and weekends to make our campaign stronger. Thank you to the many coalitions – Latinos, Iranians, Asian Americans, and countless others – who worked tirelessly to advocate for me. To our veterans, your support is more meaningful than you know. Thank you, all of you, for everything.

In the competitive legislative House races tonight:

• Rosanna Galbadon and Daniel Hernandez lead the race for two House seats in Legislative District 2, which runs along the Santa Cruz River from downtown Tucson to Nogales. Aaron Baumann is running third.

While the district is Democratic-leaning on paper, Republican John Christopher Ackerley won a House seat two years ago in an upset victory. Now Ackerley will have to see if he can hang onto the seat in a presidential election year.

• In Legislative District 9, challenger Pamela Powers Hannley was knocking out incumbent Rep. Matt Kopec, who was appointed to the LD9 seat earlier this year by the Pima County Board of Supervisors.

Powers Hannley, who said she'd be sending back $1,000 of the Clean Elections public financing she got for her campaign, said she often won over voters she talked to with her left-leaning politics. "Sometimes all is have to say is that I'm a progressive," she told TW correspondent Nick Meyers tonight.

Kopec was disappointed in the results but said he "ran the program I wanted to."

Rep. Randy Friese, who is wrapping his first term, was outpolling both of them in the race for two House seats.

Friese and Powers Hannley will face Republican Ana Henderson, a business owner and political newcomer, in the November election. She has already qualified for Clean Elections funding.

LD9, which includes central Tucson, the Catalina Foothills and the Casas Adobes area, is one of Arizona's most competitive legislative districts and elected a Republican, Ethan Orr, for one term as recently as 2012. 

• In Legislative District 10, incumbent Rep. Stefanie Mach and UA law prof Kirsten Engel were leading political activist Courtney Frogge in the race for two House seats. State Rep. Bruce Wheeler did not seek reelection.

Engel said the other candidates pushed her to be the best she could be and credited her strong showing to the her focus on education and environment . "I picked the right issues to focus on, the issues I can best represent," said Engel, a former environmental lawyer with the Sierra Club and the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. 

Frogge said she was a team player and would support the other Democrats, "no matter what the outcome," and said she'd remain engaged with the Democratic Party.

Mach said "the real battle for me is the general election." 

LD10, which includes central and eastern Tucson, is also one of the most competitive in the state. Republican Todd Clodfelter, who has run for the seat previously, has already qualified for Clean Elections funding.

There are plenty of ballots left to be counted, but Matt Heinz has the lead in the race that will determine the Democrat who will take on Republican Congresswoman Martha McSally in CD2 this November. Heinz, who raised significantly more money than Victoria Steele and ran a traditional campaign versus Steele's low-budget, grassroots effort, has 53 percent of the vote and a lead of 2,886 votes, as of the last time we were able to access the Secretary of State's very buggy website. (Those damn Russian hackers sure have screwed that up tonight.)

Heinz told TW correspondent Nick Meyers he was feeling good after campaigning for the last 13 months. "There's a lot of excitement and a positive vibe here." 

Steele said watching the results come in was nerve-wracking but she was ready to support Heinz if he came out on top. "If he wins, I'll support him. If I win, I know he'll support me. We have grown-up races in the Democratic Party."

McSally, a rising star in the GOP, has more than $2 million on hand and the advantage of incumbency, but the district is one of the most competitive in the nation and Democrats hope that an anti-Trump wave could yet sink McSally. Recognizing the danger that Trump poses despite her advantages, McSally has said that she won't endorse the GOP nominee and won't reveal who she plans to vote for in November.

Over in CD1, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is leading a crowded field, with Wendy Rogers coming in second place. Rogers had hammered Babeu about allegations that he had been aware of abuse that was taking place at a school where he served as an administrator and had landed the support of two of Babeu's sisters. 

Expect that story to be amplified as the DCCC and other groups start spending TV dollars in support of Democrat Tom O'Halleran, who served in the Arizona Legislature as a moderate Republican and who switched parties to seek the congressional seat.

O'Halleran himself was talking about ethics before he went to bed on Election Night.

“Now that the primary is over, it's time for a real conversation about how we can improve the ethical climate in Congress," O'Halleran said in a prepared statement. "Over the next few weeks, I will visit every corner of our district to lead that conversation. I've released a ten-point ethics plan, and it stands in sharp contrast to Paul Babeu, who has been caught repeatedly abusing his power, and using the public’s money for his own personal and political gain.”

DCCC Chair Ben Ray Luján echoed the theme of ethics in his prepared statement on the race. 

“Democrats have proven cycle after cycle that we know how to win this critical district," Lujan said. "As a former police officer, business owner, and public servant, Tom O’Halleran brought members of both parties together to improve Arizona schools and fully fund all-day kindergarten. Now he’s running with a concrete ethics plan that stands in stark contrast to any of the embattled Republicans that will emerge from their divisive primary. We’re confident that Tom will run a winning campaign based on the issues that matter to hardworking Arizonans.”

The district, which includes Oro Valley and Marana as well as most of eastern rural Arizona, Flagstaff and the Navajo reservation, remains one of the most competitive in the nation, although Ann Kirkpatrick won it twice as a moderate Dem. To get an idea of what the polls are showing, watch to see whether the NRCC starts spending money here.

For now, the NRCC is behind Babeu. NRCC Chair Greg Walden had this to say in a prepared statement: “Congratulations to Sheriff Paul Babeu on his primary victory. Paul has dedicated himself to serving Arizona as both a lawman and member of the Army National Guard, keeping America safe at home and abroad. I am confident voters will recognize Paul’s experienced leadership and service to his community, and send him to fight for them in Washington this November.”

So it's an unusual trifecta coming out of the Republican primary for Arizona Corporation Commission: Incumbent Bob Burns is leading the pack. Burns, a former Senate president, has led the way in trying to uncover how much mega-utility APS is secretly spending on Corporation Commission races, given that the Corporation Commission is the body that regulates APS. 

Coming in second is Andy Tobin, the former House speaker who was appointed to the commission by Gov. Doug Ducey when another commissioner was forced off the commission for a pretty blatant conflict of interest. Tobin has led the charge to try to stop Burns from getting to the bottom of the APS' efforts to keep commissioners in its pocket.

All of this gets back to the war between the utilities and rooftop-solar companies and advocates that's got the commission tied up in knots.

Coming in third at the moment is Boyd Dunn, a former Chandler mayor who has steered clear of all that controversy so far.

Not making the cut for the three seats are too former state lawmakers, Rick Gray and Al Melvin. Many Southern Arizonans remember Cap'n Al from the good old days when he kicked around the poor and championed nuclear waste as a Southern Arizona lawmaker. Sorry you won't be able to fulfill that dream of the SaddleBrooke repository, Al! 

Two Democrats are also in the hunt for the three seats in November: Bill Mundell, who previously served on the commission as a Republican, and Tom Chabin. Look for them and their allies in the solar industry to shine a light on APS' unsavory efforts to kneecap the rooftop solar biz as well as the push for higher rates. (If you're not already familiar with the phrases "dark money," "demand charges" and "regulatory capture," get ready to learn all about it.)

Looks like Republican Mark Napier, a former Tucson Police officer who now works as an UA parking administrator, will be facing off against Democrat Chris Nanos in the race for sheriff in November. Napier has a big lead over Terry Staton in the GOP primary.

Pima County Assessor Bill Staples is cruising to reelection against former employee Brian Johnson.

Dustin Williams has a big lead over Mike Gordy in the race for Pima County Superintend of Schools in the Democratic primary. He'll face Republican Margaret Burkholder, a school teacher who recently made an unsuccessful run for Tucson City Council last year, in November. Gordy fesses up to TW correspondent Nick Meyers: "I'm a little disappointed in the results, but I don't think I ran as good a campaign as I could have."

Former state lawmaker Paula Aboud has a big lead over attorney Jeff Rogers in the race for Justice of the Peace. Rogers had the legal experience and had kept as high a profile as any Pima County Party chair, but Aboud had the name ID that came with serving in the state Legislature.

Former state lawmaker Charlene Pesquiera is way out ahead in the three-way race for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4.