NBC affiliate KVOA announced to staff the hiring of two news anchors, both with ties to Tucson. Allison Alexander has been nabbed as the station's noon and 4 pm news anchor, replacing Martha Vazquez, who resigned following a shoplifting incident. Alexander worked for KGUN from 2002 to 2004 and more recently as fill-in morning anchor for KTVK in Phoenix. Alexander also boasts anchor stints with WLNE in Providence and WOIO in Cleveland. Her first day at KVOA is March 19.

Rebecca Taylor has accepted the weekend news anchor position. Taylor worked in that slot before, and also had stints in Phoenix and KMSB FOX 11. Taylor left Tucson in 2010 to move to Nashville. Her first day back at KVOA will be March 21.

The ad, with its hilarity and appeal to my love for a bargain, had me sold. I was typed in "dollarshaveclub.com" and then nothing. Just a thought for companies hoping to catch viral video gold with their ad...make sure your web host can handle the traffic spike if you happen to find success. Still, the ad's fun to watch.

Selections from Jon Justice's Facebook fan page:

Unoriginal and crass! Way to go, Best of Tucson™ winner Jon!

Yes, by watching this video from the Colbert Report, you will be exposed to the voice and opinions of Rush Limbaugh again, but I think Stephen Colbert's comments make that inconvenience worthwhile.

Meanwhile, while the number of advertisers fleeing Limbaugh's show has hit eleven, he did find someone willing to sponsor his opinions:

At least one advertiser stepped forward Monday to acknowledge increasing its ad spending on the Limbaugh program. A spokesman for Winning Our Future, a “super PAC” backing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s presidential bid, said the group purchased more airtime.

“He apologized, and we’re satisfied,” said spokesman Rick Tyler, who said the group began advertising with the program two weeks ago.

It's an exciting time to be a music fan here in Tucson, with an intimidating number of bands coming through town over the next few months. Two of those forthcoming acts have new videos out, Grammy winning mopsters Bon Iver (TCC Arena, Apr. 3), with the above video for "Towers", and chipper Australian/English indie-popsters Allo Darlin' (Club Congress, May 4), with "Capricornia" below. Enjoy!

A sincere thank you to Chris Wagganer's YouTube page for reminding me of WREX Records on Sixth Street. No joke, if someone will reprint their t-shirts, I would gladly buy one (maybe two).

• From the KGUN webpage

KGUN has announced that Kimberly Romo is leaving its morning news program. According to an internal memo, Romo, who has been behind the anchor desk at the ABC affiliate for the last five years, will pursue other opportunities. Her final day is March 9.

According to a Tucson Police Department report filed Saturday, Feb. 11, Martha Vazquez was cited for shoplifting at the Dillard's in the Tucson Mall after a security guard saw her on a surveillance camera conceal a $338 Eileen Fisher jacket in a sweater she wore to the department store.

When the security guard went through her belongings, he also found a pair of $30 Kenneth Cole earrings she hadn't purchased.

Read the report for yourself right here: Martha_Vazquez_Police_Report.pdf

It appears the incident cost Vazquez her job as 4 p.m. news anchor at KVOA Channel 4. In the police report, Vazquez told the cop she understood her rights. She said didn't intend to steal the jacket and earrings at first, "but I did and I have no excuses for it." Then she admitted she could have purchased them with her credit card.

Vazquez was released, and was told she's no longer allowed back at Dillard's, as well as Tucson and Park Place malls.

Martha Vazquez stepped down from KVOA Channel 4 today.

According to sources, her resignation follows a weekend shoplifting incident at the Tucson Mall.

Vazquez was the anchor of KVOA's 4 p.m. weekday newscast and had spent nearly 26 years with the organization.

• Zachary Vito
• Noam Chomsky, a renowned activist and philosopher, speaks in front of a packed crowd at UA's Centennial Hall. Chomsky lamented the state of the educational system.

The American education system is under attack. That’s according to Dr. Noam Chomsky, who told a packed house at Centennial Hall Wednesday evening that American education has been intentionally designed to create a passive, apathetic public riddled with debt.

Chomsky’s lecture provoked some timely questions, particularly in considering who and what education is for. Chomsky argued, quite convincingly, that the educational system is moving us away from valuing the greater common good, and toward support of the corporate state.

The bigger question he posed centers around what this means for our collective national future, as public education becomes more rigid and less affordable.