Monday, January 7, 2019
courtesy
Speed Dating Event for All Singles Ages 40s & 50s. Well... why not? If you're single and ready to mingle, but want to try something besides online dating or hitting the bar scene or starting to go to church again just so you can possibly run into someone nice, then why not try speed dating? You meet live people, you don't exchange any information unless you want to, and—because it's SPEED dating—if a conversation with someone goes horribly, you're not stuck with them for the whole excruciating night. 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 7. Playground Bar & Lounge, 278 E. Congress St. $32. Details here.
Space Mutiny. For their recurring Mondo Mondays series, The Loft Cinema is showing a sci-fi flick as inspired and unique as its name suggests. Directed by the choreographer for the Star Wars Holiday Special, this B-movie is a cheesy mish-mash of lasers, spaceships, nonsensical dialogue, baffling plot choices and everything else you could hope for. 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 7. 3233 East Speedway Boulevard. $4. Details here.
Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.
Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.
Tags: things to do , do this , fun in general , science , beer , speed dating , playground , movies , film , Image , Video
Friday, January 4, 2019
Judging from the complaints I heard during the election season, sending people unsolicited text messages about political campaigns isn't the best way to persuade voters to support you.
Nonetheless, the National Republican Congressional Committee made a point of spending money to text an unknown number of constituents in Arizona's Congressional District 2 to let them know that newly elected Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick voted for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. The NRCC press release:
Today, as House Democrats went back on their promises to constituents and elected Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, the NRCC launched its first paid campaign ads of the cycle.
Immediately after the Speaker vote, voters in districts across the country received text messages, paid for by the NRCC, informing them that with their first vote as a member of Congress, their Democrat Representative has already sold them out to the radical left and voted to hand the Speaker’s gavel to Nancy Pelosi. Today’s vote sets the tone for what voters can expect from congressional Democrats as the party continues to follow their radical base and march to the left on everything from immigration to taxes to national security.
We don't know why the NRCC would boast about this effort, but if what we can expect from the NRCC is spam text messages, we suspect the GOP's reputation in Southern Arizona is going to continue to decline.
Editor's note: We gave sales rep Tyler Vondrak a hypothetical $100 to wager on this weekend's NFL games. We'll check back in on Monday to see whether his beautiful baby can afford a new pair of shoes.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Line: Texans -1
Pick: Colts + 1
Bet: $40 to win $38.10
Love the Colts in this game. The Texans' one-dimensional offense is going to lead to a first-round exit. Without a running game outside of Watson scrambling, the Colts will be able to focus on limiting the damage Watson’s favorite weapon will be able to do. From there, Andrew Luck, with plenty of time behind that offensive line, should be able to tear apart the Texans' secondary. Could this be the year the Colts finally get there revenge on the Pats? Quite possibly.
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys
Line: Cowboys -2
Pick: Seahawks +2
Bet: $20 to win $18.18
This game could really go either way. Both teams have a bit of Jekyll and Hyde in them. At the end of the day, I’ll take the postseason experience of Wilson and Carroll over Prescott and Garrett, even if I don’t love it. Seahawks win straight up but I’ll take the 2-point insurance as well.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Line: Texans -1
Pick: Colts + 1
Bet: $40 to win $38.10
Love the Colts in this game. The Texans' one-dimensional offense is going to lead to a first-round exit. Without a running game outside of Watson scrambling, the Colts will be able to focus on limiting the damage Watson’s favorite weapon will be able to do. From there, Andrew Luck, with plenty of time behind that offensive line, should be able to tear apart the Texans' secondary. Could this be the year the Colts finally get there revenge on the Pats? Quite possibly.
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys
Line: Cowboys -2
Pick: Seahawks +2
Bet: $20 to win $18.18
This game could really go either way. Both teams have a bit of Jekyll and Hyde in them. At the end of the day, I’ll take the postseason experience of Wilson and Carroll over Prescott and Garrett, even if I don’t love it. Seahawks win straight up but I’ll take the 2-point insurance as well.
Tags: sports , NFL , football , wager , bets , who's gonna win?? , Image
Let's see, what are the most important education issues facing the legislature this year? Fulfilling its promise to continue raising teacher salaries is definitely on the list. So is increasing charter school transparency and oversight to weed out rampant corruption and profiteering. And decreasing teacher shortages. And decreasing class sizes. And increasing education budgets so old buses can be replaced, old schools can be maintained and old textbooks and technology can be updated. And let's not forget ridding the state of its destructive English Immersion model for ELL students.
Other problems could be addressed as well, like, say, updating the Department of Education's computer data systems and fully funding the oversight and management of the ESA voucher program (Yes, those are important).
Any more? I know I've left stuff out, like increasing access to preschool and who knows what else. In a state that has shortchanged its children for so long, the list is almost endless.
But I know one issue that doesn't even make the top one hundred: getting politics out of the classroom.
So what has the media talked about nonstop for weeks? A proposed bill to get politics out of the classroom.
Yes, such a bill has been proposed. Yes, it would be a travesty if it passed. But no, it doesn't deserve all the attention it's been getting. (And yes, I'm fully aware that I'm giving it more attention by writing about it.)
Giving that much press coverage to a non-story uses up all the oxygen in the room. Substantive educational issues struggle to get the media attention they deserve.
Tags: Arizona schools. Teacher salaries. State budget. Politics in the classroom. RedforEd. , Image
It was the best of times, followed by the worst of times for the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday night.
The Wildcats (10-4, 1-0), used an explosive first half and suffocating defense to thwart the Colorado Buffaloes in the team's Pac-12 opener, 64-56.
Freshman guard Brandon Williams led all scorers from the home side with 14 points, dishing out 6 assists in 33 minutes of action.
His passing helped the Wildcats jump out to a 39-25 lead at the half, scoring 9 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the opening 20 minutes, with three assists to his name.
The biggest jolt the 'Cats received came from freshman Devonaire Doutrive, who scored a season-high 8 points, on 3-of-5 shooting.
Coach Sean Miller praised the freshman for his energy, helping the Wildcats overcome a dismal second half performance to beat the Buffaloes.
"As we watched him grow and practice really from the onset, I thought there could be a period of time where he could become important to our team because his style is so much different than everybody else," Miller said. "He's an offensive rebounder, he's a tremendous athlete, he had a couple turnovers which is expected playing that many minutes as a young player when you haven't earlier."
Miller's squad was forced to start four guards, in Williams, Brandon Randolph, Dylan Smith and Emmanuel Akot, after guard Justin Coleman dislocated his shoulder in practice on Monday.
The two Brandons did their part to pulse the offense, with Randolph adding 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
Miller had a measured view of his team's performance on Thursday, praising the team's first 20 minutes, while deeming the squad's 25-point, 9-for-27 offensive output in the latter half a disappointment.
"It's hard to feel great about everything just because the last 16 minutes we did not play well," Miller said, "and some of that had to do with Colorado certainly but I'm glad that we played as well as we did in the first half to give us the lead."
For Williams, Arizona's ability to overcome its self-inflicted issues in the second half bodes well for their conference championship aspirations in the Pac-12.
The freshman, alluding to Arizona State's second half collapse in their 10-point home loss to Utah on Thursday, said he's confident the road to the title still runs through Tucson.
"It's up for grabs. I think everybody sees that," Williams said. "I'm not going to name teams, but we've got to be ready every game. "
That championship quest continues at noon on Saturday, when Utah visits McKale. The team's game will be carried on the Pac-12 Network.
Miller expects a 40-minute battle from the Utes, who enter with a 7-6 record, but with the gust of confidence that comes from beating a conference title contender on the road.
"Well anytime a team wins the road game previous to the game that you played in they feel good, they're confident," Miller said. "For us, we don't have a large margin for error, we have to play well, we have to play hard and we have to be healthy."
The Wildcats (10-4, 1-0), used an explosive first half and suffocating defense to thwart the Colorado Buffaloes in the team's Pac-12 opener, 64-56.
Freshman guard Brandon Williams led all scorers from the home side with 14 points, dishing out 6 assists in 33 minutes of action.
His passing helped the Wildcats jump out to a 39-25 lead at the half, scoring 9 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the opening 20 minutes, with three assists to his name.
The biggest jolt the 'Cats received came from freshman Devonaire Doutrive, who scored a season-high 8 points, on 3-of-5 shooting.
Coach Sean Miller praised the freshman for his energy, helping the Wildcats overcome a dismal second half performance to beat the Buffaloes.
"As we watched him grow and practice really from the onset, I thought there could be a period of time where he could become important to our team because his style is so much different than everybody else," Miller said. "He's an offensive rebounder, he's a tremendous athlete, he had a couple turnovers which is expected playing that many minutes as a young player when you haven't earlier."
Miller's squad was forced to start four guards, in Williams, Brandon Randolph, Dylan Smith and Emmanuel Akot, after guard Justin Coleman dislocated his shoulder in practice on Monday.
The two Brandons did their part to pulse the offense, with Randolph adding 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
Miller had a measured view of his team's performance on Thursday, praising the team's first 20 minutes, while deeming the squad's 25-point, 9-for-27 offensive output in the latter half a disappointment.
"It's hard to feel great about everything just because the last 16 minutes we did not play well," Miller said, "and some of that had to do with Colorado certainly but I'm glad that we played as well as we did in the first half to give us the lead."
For Williams, Arizona's ability to overcome its self-inflicted issues in the second half bodes well for their conference championship aspirations in the Pac-12.
The freshman, alluding to Arizona State's second half collapse in their 10-point home loss to Utah on Thursday, said he's confident the road to the title still runs through Tucson.
"It's up for grabs. I think everybody sees that," Williams said. "I'm not going to name teams, but we've got to be ready every game. "
That championship quest continues at noon on Saturday, when Utah visits McKale. The team's game will be carried on the Pac-12 Network.
Miller expects a 40-minute battle from the Utes, who enter with a 7-6 record, but with the gust of confidence that comes from beating a conference title contender on the road.
"Well anytime a team wins the road game previous to the game that you played in they feel good, they're confident," Miller said. "For us, we don't have a large margin for error, we have to play well, we have to play hard and we have to be healthy."
Tags: Arizona Wildcats , Justin Coleman , Brandon Williams , Brandon Randolph , Colorado Buffaloes , Sean Miller , Tad Boyle , Pac-12 , McKale Center , Image
After seven cases involving the illegal shooting of wildlife last month, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking the public to be more aware of such incidents and report any suspicious activity.
The incidents, two in Sierra Vista and the rest in the greater Tucson area, involved wildlife being either dead on arrival for treatment, or euthanized. The animals included two Cooper’s hawks, two javelina, a great horned owl, a red-tailed hawk and a raven.
“These cases involving birds are violations of state and federal law, and the javelina case is against state law,” said Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of Game and Fish in Tucson, in a release. “BB and pellet guns are not legal means of hazing away nuisance wildlife. In addition, youngsters need to be taught that wildlife is not to be used for target practice.”
According AZGFD, the maximum penalty for a felony violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act is a $250,000 fine and two years in prison.
To report suspicious activity or suspected violations to Operation Game Thief, call 800-352-0700.
Tags: safety , crime , animals , nature , protected , BB guns , pellet guns , javelina , hawks , owls , Image
Find more Claytoonz here.
Tags: comics , cartoons , politics , Claytoonz , congress , women , diversity , change , Image
Nieuwjaarsreceptie: New Year's Get Together. No, that wasn't a typo in the event title. The Dutch Eatery is getting ready for a traditional Dutch new year's celebration with special foods, drink and costumes. (As it turns out, a Dutch new year's costume is to just wear orange.) Featuring live music from Austin Hoffman and drink specials, it's time to get nieuwjaarsreceptie-tacular. 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. 943 E. University Blvd. Details here.
Brewstillery Tour. So you want to learn more about your town's local brewing scene, but you have no one to go with? Fear not! Tucson Food Tours, the first walking culinary tour in Tucson (and certainly the first walking "brewstillery" tour in Tucson, as far as we're aware), is taking you behind the scenes of Tucson's brewery scene. You'll sample local beers as well as a few local bites. 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Meet at East Congress Street and Fifth Avenue. $59. 21+ Details here.
Fifth Annual "Over and Back" Gates Pass. Ride On Cycling is ringing in the new year with a celebratory bike loop ride up and over Gates Pass, a scenic tour through McCain Loop, and then back over Gates Pass. The ride concludes at Batch Cafe & Bar where there will be coffee, whiskey, donuts and more. Ride On Cycling will be collecting a $20 per participant donation in support of Tucson's very own El Grupo Youth Cycling. 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6. 118 E. Congress St. Details here.
Dark Moon Labyrinth. The Web of Life Labyrinth Tucson and the Web of Life Intuitive Shamanic Animists explain the reasoning behind this event simply: "Each month, when the moon is dark, we need light." Sure we're only five days into the new year, but that doesn't mean you don't have a little bit of darkness in your life you'd like to banish, something you'd like to reflect on, or a problem you'd like to let go of. So take a walk through the light in the middle of all the darkness, and find the inner light to help carry you through. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. 2016 E. Broadway Blvd. Donations accepted ($5 to $20 requested). Details here.
St. Philip's Market. The first Saturday of the year calls for your first trip to a local market of the year (unless you hit up one of those Friday markets). Whether you're looking for handmade pasta, handmade pottery, handmade jewelry or handmade dessert, you're going to find what you need at this market, and you're going to support small local businesses while you're at it. Plus, you'll be surrounded by gorgeous architecture, cobblestone entryways and the shelter of eucalyptus trees and sycamores. Would you believe you can get into this thing for free? 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. St. Philip's Plaza, 4280 N. Campbell Ave. Details here.
Azul Mexicano. If you haven't been down to Tubac to check out this exhibit by abstract artist Jimena Coronado, this is your last chance! Her work is all vibrant colors and good vibes—so good, in fact, that it's been exhibited at more than a dozen places, including in Spain and Mexico. Start your new year off right by immersing yourself in some beauty and supporting a Sonoran artist, courtesy of the Consulate General of Mexico, the Tubac Center of the Arts and the Cultural Arts Committee of Nogales. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Through Sunday, Jan. 6. Tubac Center for the Arts, 9 Plaza Road, Tubac. Free. Details here.
BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS. Tiny Town is presenting an exhibition of books throughout the month by authors like Will Arnold, Maria Lee, Brendan Page and Erika Spreiser. So don't miss the exhibition, but also try not to miss the opening reception this week. Can you think of a more pleasant way to spend a Friday evening than celebrating books with fellow book lovers and book makers over at one of Fourth Avenue's cutest shops? We'd be hard-pressed. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Tiny Town Surplus, 408 N. Fourth Ave. Details here.
Gallery Chat with Tani Sanchez. Head on over to the Jewish History Museum to hear this associate professor of Africana Studies at the UA talk about a tough, important topic: the absence of representation and recorded history of African-Americans in Tucson. Sanchez spent several years working as an editor, broadcast journalist and media information specialist, and is also the first president of the Tucson chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. Also, she has a doctorate in comparative cultural and literary studies. This woman knows what she's talking about, and we'd all do well to listen to what she's saying. 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Jewish History Museum, 564 S. Stone Ave. Free. Details here.
West African Dance with Denise Bey. If your New Year's resolution was to get movin', it's worth trying out a few different ways of moving until you find one you really like. Maybe you've tried running, Pilates classes or playing tennis and have found none of them are for you. But you probably haven't tried a West African dance class, right? Let dance instructor Denise Bey show you the ropes, and then you can decide if traditional African-inspired movement and interpretive dance are for you. Hey, it's a new year—the perfect time to be open to new experiences. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Movement Culture, 435 E. Ninth St. $10 cash, $12 with credit card. Details here.
Envision Your Year! Maybe you meant to take some time at the end of 2018 to reflect on everything that's happened and everything you hope for in the new year, but didn't get around to it. Never fear! It's never too late to start moving forward with intention. Lyndi Rivers will guide a class through some Yin and flow yoga to get your creative juices flowing, and offer journaling activities throughout so you can figure out exactly what it is you want this year. Then everyone is going to make vision boards! You're encouraged to bring a journal, magazines, images or art supplies to use on your board, but those items aren't required. Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6. Tucson Yoga, 150 S. Fourth Ave. $60, or $42 for Tucson Yoga members. Details here.
14th Annual Grease Collection & Recycling Event. OK, so maybe this isn't the most fun event you can attend this weekend, but it's one of those things you probably should, because you've been putting it off and you have a big old bucket of old cooking grease and oil sitting under your sink that you don't know what to do with. You can't pour it down the drain, because it'll clog your pipes. And you could throw it away, but why not bring it to one of five collection sites around town so it can be converted into biodiesel? 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. O'Rielly Chevrolet, 6160 E. Broadway. Pima Community College West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road. Tucson City Council Ward 3 Office, 1510 E. Grant Road. Pima Community College Northwest Campus, 7600 N. Shannon Road. Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way. Details here.
Three Wishes Puppet Show with Gwen Ray. What would you do with three wishes (assuming, as the old caveat goes, that you aren't allowed to wish for more wishes?) World peace? A new car? The willpower to stay strong in your New Year's Resolution? In this kid-friendly puppet show, puppets Ralph and Ruby of Gwen Ray's Hanuman Puppet Theatre decide what they'd do with theirs. And we don't want to spoil too much of it, but the fun-filled show has a bit of an environmental twist. It might just give you an idea of what to wish for if you ever get a chance to make three real wishes. 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Free. Details here.
Jeff Foxworthy at the Desert Diamond Casino–Sahuarita. If you live anywhere near Wilmot and Pima, then you've known Jeff Foxworthy was coming to town since, like, 2015. Because that's how long it seems like that billboard has been up. But in honor of the King of Rednecks himself coming to town, here are the punchlines to a few of his "You Might Be a Redneck If" jokes: "If you've ever raked leaves in your kitchen." "If you prefer car keys to Q-tips." "If you have ever spray-painted your girlfriend's name on an overpass." "If you were shooting pool when any of your kids were born." If you answered "no" to all of these, you're not necessarily home clear—you still might be a redneck. Best to have Jeff Foxworthy clear it up for you in person. 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, 7350 S. Nogales Hwy. $81+. Details here.
Classic Car Show. You can always count on Little Anthony's for some classic family fun. You can especially count on Little Anthony's every other Saturday, when their parking lot becomes a colorful, chrome-y wonderland of classic cruisers. If you don't like cars, you'll still enjoy the delicious food and great music. And, actually, even if you don't like cars, you'll be able to find a car that you'll find interesting in some way—even if it's just the color of the paint or what's hanging from the rearview mirror. Finding the wackiest combinations of upholstery, tires and frame is half the fun of any car show. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Little Anthony's Diner, 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. Details here.
The RunAround Tucson. No, this event doesn't involve you not answering the city's calls. It's a relay race on the Loop! Form a team of two to eight people to run a total of 53.8 miles. The individual leg lengths range from 4.85 miles to 8.6 miles, and there will be water at every exchange station. But if you form a team of fewer than eight, your runs will obviously be longer. If you do have fewer than two people, be sure to still check in at every exchange. There are prizes for fastest all-male team, fastest all-female team and fastest co-ed team; best dressed team; and best team name. On your marks, get set, go! 6 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Brandi Fenton Park, 3482 E. River Road. $45 in advance or $55 on race day. Details here.
Let My People Go: South Dakotans Stop Predatory Lending. In South Dakota, predatory lending interest rates once reached a staggering 574 percent, but after passing Initiated Measure 21, rates capped at 36 percent. This half-hour documentary released by the Center for Responsible Lending depicts how the people of South Dakota fought to cap these interest rates against predatory payday loans. This rental of The Loft Cinema, presented by The Center for Economic Integrity, is free admission. 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6. 3233 East Speedway Boulevard. Free. Details here.
Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. Featuring 20 films over two weeks, this year's Tucson International Jewish Film Festival spans genre and nationality. While there are too many films to list and describe, a few standouts this year are: The Driver Is Red, an award-winning animated short film about a secret agent; A Quiet Heart, a drama about a secular woman living in fanatically religious modern-day Jerusalem; and Bye Bye Germany, a drama/comedy about Holocaust survivors trying to raise money to get to America. The Tucson International Jewish Film Festival runs from Jan. 6 to Jan. 20, and includes screenings at multiple venues around town. Details here.
Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.
Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.
Brewstillery Tour. So you want to learn more about your town's local brewing scene, but you have no one to go with? Fear not! Tucson Food Tours, the first walking culinary tour in Tucson (and certainly the first walking "brewstillery" tour in Tucson, as far as we're aware), is taking you behind the scenes of Tucson's brewery scene. You'll sample local beers as well as a few local bites. 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Meet at East Congress Street and Fifth Avenue. $59. 21+ Details here.
Fifth Annual "Over and Back" Gates Pass. Ride On Cycling is ringing in the new year with a celebratory bike loop ride up and over Gates Pass, a scenic tour through McCain Loop, and then back over Gates Pass. The ride concludes at Batch Cafe & Bar where there will be coffee, whiskey, donuts and more. Ride On Cycling will be collecting a $20 per participant donation in support of Tucson's very own El Grupo Youth Cycling. 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6. 118 E. Congress St. Details here.
Dark Moon Labyrinth. The Web of Life Labyrinth Tucson and the Web of Life Intuitive Shamanic Animists explain the reasoning behind this event simply: "Each month, when the moon is dark, we need light." Sure we're only five days into the new year, but that doesn't mean you don't have a little bit of darkness in your life you'd like to banish, something you'd like to reflect on, or a problem you'd like to let go of. So take a walk through the light in the middle of all the darkness, and find the inner light to help carry you through. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. 2016 E. Broadway Blvd. Donations accepted ($5 to $20 requested). Details here.
Courtesy Photo
Azul Mexicano. If you haven't been down to Tubac to check out this exhibit by abstract artist Jimena Coronado, this is your last chance! Her work is all vibrant colors and good vibes—so good, in fact, that it's been exhibited at more than a dozen places, including in Spain and Mexico. Start your new year off right by immersing yourself in some beauty and supporting a Sonoran artist, courtesy of the Consulate General of Mexico, the Tubac Center of the Arts and the Cultural Arts Committee of Nogales. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Through Sunday, Jan. 6. Tubac Center for the Arts, 9 Plaza Road, Tubac. Free. Details here.
BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS. Tiny Town is presenting an exhibition of books throughout the month by authors like Will Arnold, Maria Lee, Brendan Page and Erika Spreiser. So don't miss the exhibition, but also try not to miss the opening reception this week. Can you think of a more pleasant way to spend a Friday evening than celebrating books with fellow book lovers and book makers over at one of Fourth Avenue's cutest shops? We'd be hard-pressed. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Tiny Town Surplus, 408 N. Fourth Ave. Details here.
Gallery Chat with Tani Sanchez. Head on over to the Jewish History Museum to hear this associate professor of Africana Studies at the UA talk about a tough, important topic: the absence of representation and recorded history of African-Americans in Tucson. Sanchez spent several years working as an editor, broadcast journalist and media information specialist, and is also the first president of the Tucson chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. Also, she has a doctorate in comparative cultural and literary studies. This woman knows what she's talking about, and we'd all do well to listen to what she's saying. 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Jewish History Museum, 564 S. Stone Ave. Free. Details here.
West African Dance with Denise Bey. If your New Year's resolution was to get movin', it's worth trying out a few different ways of moving until you find one you really like. Maybe you've tried running, Pilates classes or playing tennis and have found none of them are for you. But you probably haven't tried a West African dance class, right? Let dance instructor Denise Bey show you the ropes, and then you can decide if traditional African-inspired movement and interpretive dance are for you. Hey, it's a new year—the perfect time to be open to new experiences. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Movement Culture, 435 E. Ninth St. $10 cash, $12 with credit card. Details here.
Envision Your Year! Maybe you meant to take some time at the end of 2018 to reflect on everything that's happened and everything you hope for in the new year, but didn't get around to it. Never fear! It's never too late to start moving forward with intention. Lyndi Rivers will guide a class through some Yin and flow yoga to get your creative juices flowing, and offer journaling activities throughout so you can figure out exactly what it is you want this year. Then everyone is going to make vision boards! You're encouraged to bring a journal, magazines, images or art supplies to use on your board, but those items aren't required. Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6. Tucson Yoga, 150 S. Fourth Ave. $60, or $42 for Tucson Yoga members. Details here.
14th Annual Grease Collection & Recycling Event. OK, so maybe this isn't the most fun event you can attend this weekend, but it's one of those things you probably should, because you've been putting it off and you have a big old bucket of old cooking grease and oil sitting under your sink that you don't know what to do with. You can't pour it down the drain, because it'll clog your pipes. And you could throw it away, but why not bring it to one of five collection sites around town so it can be converted into biodiesel? 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. O'Rielly Chevrolet, 6160 E. Broadway. Pima Community College West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road. Tucson City Council Ward 3 Office, 1510 E. Grant Road. Pima Community College Northwest Campus, 7600 N. Shannon Road. Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way. Details here.
Three Wishes Puppet Show with Gwen Ray. What would you do with three wishes (assuming, as the old caveat goes, that you aren't allowed to wish for more wishes?) World peace? A new car? The willpower to stay strong in your New Year's Resolution? In this kid-friendly puppet show, puppets Ralph and Ruby of Gwen Ray's Hanuman Puppet Theatre decide what they'd do with theirs. And we don't want to spoil too much of it, but the fun-filled show has a bit of an environmental twist. It might just give you an idea of what to wish for if you ever get a chance to make three real wishes. 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Free. Details here.
Jeff Foxworthy at the Desert Diamond Casino–Sahuarita. If you live anywhere near Wilmot and Pima, then you've known Jeff Foxworthy was coming to town since, like, 2015. Because that's how long it seems like that billboard has been up. But in honor of the King of Rednecks himself coming to town, here are the punchlines to a few of his "You Might Be a Redneck If" jokes: "If you've ever raked leaves in your kitchen." "If you prefer car keys to Q-tips." "If you have ever spray-painted your girlfriend's name on an overpass." "If you were shooting pool when any of your kids were born." If you answered "no" to all of these, you're not necessarily home clear—you still might be a redneck. Best to have Jeff Foxworthy clear it up for you in person. 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, 7350 S. Nogales Hwy. $81+. Details here.
Classic Car Show. You can always count on Little Anthony's for some classic family fun. You can especially count on Little Anthony's every other Saturday, when their parking lot becomes a colorful, chrome-y wonderland of classic cruisers. If you don't like cars, you'll still enjoy the delicious food and great music. And, actually, even if you don't like cars, you'll be able to find a car that you'll find interesting in some way—even if it's just the color of the paint or what's hanging from the rearview mirror. Finding the wackiest combinations of upholstery, tires and frame is half the fun of any car show. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5. Little Anthony's Diner, 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. Details here.
Courtesy Photo
Let My People Go: South Dakotans Stop Predatory Lending. In South Dakota, predatory lending interest rates once reached a staggering 574 percent, but after passing Initiated Measure 21, rates capped at 36 percent. This half-hour documentary released by the Center for Responsible Lending depicts how the people of South Dakota fought to cap these interest rates against predatory payday loans. This rental of The Loft Cinema, presented by The Center for Economic Integrity, is free admission. 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6. 3233 East Speedway Boulevard. Free. Details here.
Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. Featuring 20 films over two weeks, this year's Tucson International Jewish Film Festival spans genre and nationality. While there are too many films to list and describe, a few standouts this year are: The Driver Is Red, an award-winning animated short film about a secret agent; A Quiet Heart, a drama about a secular woman living in fanatically religious modern-day Jerusalem; and Bye Bye Germany, a drama/comedy about Holocaust survivors trying to raise money to get to America. The Tucson International Jewish Film Festival runs from Jan. 6 to Jan. 20, and includes screenings at multiple venues around town. Details here.
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Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.
Tags: things to do , Tucson events , weekend , happenings , Jan 4-6 , Friday , Saturday , Sunday , fundays , Image
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Yvonne Ervin
In 1979, Ervin attended Illinois State University. Then, in 1981, the University of Arizona where she completed a double major in journalism and music performance. After graduation, she made Tucson her home.
In a touching homage to Ervin, filmmaker Bret Primack said, “She was a doer not a talker.” And achieve, she did.
For the past 30 years, Ervin worked as a journalist/editor/producer for radio and print media publishing articles, writing columns and liner notes, producing programming and interviewing jazz legends for KUAZ-FM, Tucson Weekly, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Citizen, Hot House Jazz, Down Beat and Music Hound’s Guide to Jazz, as well as RCA, Capri and Doubletime records. Thirty of Ervin’s interviews are archived at the Library of Congress.
A charismatic stage presence, Ervin emceed and interviewed jazz greats on stage at the Monterey, Montreux, Tanglewood and Telluride jazz festivals.
In 1989, Ervin became the founding executive director of the Tucson Jazz Society—working as a volunteer for eight years before becoming the organization’s first paid employee—erecting the structure from the ground up, brick by painstaking brick, into the largest jazz society in the country. Beginning her reign as “The Queen of Jazz in Tucson.”
She produced Jazz on the Border: The Charles Mingus Project and organized Primavera, the world's longest-running women’s jazz festival. Bitches Brew, her all-female ensemble in which she played saxophone, often performed. She served as the executive director of the Western Jazz Presenters Network—a coalition of 45 jazz festivals and venues in the West—and The Mid-Atlantic Arts Alliance. Ervin served as vice president of the Jazz Journalists Association and the American Federation of Jazz Societies—representing the jazz industry on the International Association of Jazz Educators Board. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hired her to write the curriculum to train new jazz presenters for a National Endowment for the Arts funded program.
The Tucson Jazz Music Foundation has established the Yvonne Ervin Jazz Music Memorial Scholarship for Girls. tjmfdn.org/scholarships
As a certified fundraising executive, Ervin, worked in New York City for a dozen years as executive director of the Candie's Foundation. After returning to Tucson in 2011, she was director of development for the University of Arizona’s Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry and marketing director for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Arizona Dance Theatre.
Impressive as such, this is in no way a comprehensive list of Yvonne Ervin’s accomplishments.
After being approached by Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Elliot Glicksman, Esq., in 2015, she launched the Tucson Jazz Festival. A labor of love.
Primack expands, “She loved the music and the people who played it. She cared and helped people. She was a hero.” From the festival’s inaugural concert—which saw such diverse artists as Burt Bacharach and the Robert Glasper Experiment to this year’s lineup which includes Bobby McFerrin, Pink Martini and Trombone Shorty—Ervin led a one-woman crusade to bring world-class jazz to Tucson.
Yvonne Cerise Ervin left this world on Wednesday, Dec 26, 2018. She had been hospitalized since October with hepatitis A. Following liver transplant surgery she succumbed to a heart attack. She was 59 years old.
Tags: Yvonne Ervin , In Memoriam , Tucson Jazz Festival , Tucson Jazz Society , Jazz , Music , Concerts , Live Music , RIP , XOXO , Image
