Month: March 2020

Algiers soundtrack the apocalypse on “There is No Year”
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion

Algiers soundtrack the apocalypse on “There is No Year”

By KYLE KERSEY “There is No Year” begins where “The Underside of Power” left off: Franklin James Fisher powerfully performing poetry atop a flurry of synthesizer and drum machine. “We’re reaching out in order to get shot down / while the world around us just implodes,” he remarks, a theme that will be explored for the remainder of the record. But before we get into all that, some context is in order for who these guys are and why you should care. One of the most politically charged bands of the last decade, Algiers’ first two albums blended Motown soul and hardcore punk with overtly political themes of revolution and social discontent with the status quo. It’s music for those who create playlists consisting of Marvin Gaye, TL Barrett, Death Grips, Rage Against the Machine, The Stooges’ “R...
Coach Nicki’s legacy continues off the mound
Sports

Coach Nicki’s legacy continues off the mound

Story and photos by COREY McMULLEN Family person, workaholic, mentor and loyal friend.  These are different ways to describe Aztec softball pitching coach Nicki Johnson.  Born and raised in Tucson and a former Aztec herself, Johnson played for the Aztecs in 2003-2005, winning a NJCAA junior college World Series. During the World Series run, the Aztecs took on and beat the University of Arizona Wildcats. Johnson started playing softball when she was 6 in Bobby Sox, now referred to as Baja.  Around age 10, Johnson joined her first club softball team. Johnson started taking pitching seriously when she was 12 years old. Her coach’s uncle came from California and started coaching her, and that’s when it really started to take off.  “He’s been a real inspiration to me, Coach Mando was d...
This Pima party was out of this world
News

This Pima party was out of this world

Astronomy enthusiasts and some of Pima’s telescopes dot a parking lot Feb. 15 at East Campus, when the Amateur Astronomy Association hosted a Star Party. Story and photo by DALTON GRIJALVA On Feb. 15, amatuer atronomers, enthusiasts and students gravitated toward Pima Community College’s East Campus for a free star party. “Pima’s best kept secret,” said John Zumbrennen, Pima’s one and only astronomy specialist.  The event brought in a diverse crowd of 160 to 200 kids, teachers and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association. The association hosts 225 star parties per year. For this event, seven to eight telescopes were used. I arrived just before the sunset and participated in the sun viewing. The sun can be viewed through a telescope, though the most interesting part was viewing it fro...
Sports

Longtime Aztecs track coach fired

By COREY McMULLEN  On Feb. 6, Greg Wenneborg was dismissed from his duties as the Pima Community College Aztecs team’s head track and field coach.  Supporters of the team have set out for answers, and it seems the college doesn’t want to respond just yet. Wenneborg was at PCC for 15 years, and his profile has yet to be removed from Pimaathletics.com as of March 3.  Many of the athletes have taken to social media to get the message out asking for their coach back. Some hypothesize that this is the first move the college is making to cut the track and field program completely, like the school did last season with football. Current and former track and field athletes have reached out to Pima Athletic Director Jim Monaco, but they don’t appear to have been given any answers.  The Aztec P...
Fourth Avenue Street Fair
Features

Fourth Avenue Street Fair

Street sign at North Fourth Avenue And East Seventh Street. Story and photo by DALTON GRIJALVA Fourth Avenue is home to Tucson’s lively scene, whether you’re a broke college student trying to drink away your debt or trying to eat until your stomach bursts.  Fourth is also home to a wonderful street fair. From aromas to artisans, the biannual Fourth Avenue Street Fair has everything you could ever imagine The spring fair will be held from 10 a.m. to dusk March 20-22. It will span from Eighth Street to University Boulevard. For 50 years, all of Fourth Avenue has been host to vendors of many different backgrounds and live performances.  My experiences with the fair have been extremely positive. If you have ever attended Second Saturday, where vendors set up food trucks and other fun ev...
Arts & Entertainment

Worst of the worst, rated by Razzies

By ANGEL CANEZ The 40th anniversary of the Golden Raspberry Awards is soon upon us to award the worst Tinseltown has offered.  2019’s list of losers includes: “A Madea Family Funeral,” marking Tyler Perry’s fourth Razzie  nomination; John Travolta’s star turn in “The Fanatic”; horror thriller “The Haunting of Sharon Tate” starring Hillary Duff; PTSD-addled super soldier John Rambo in “Rambo: Last Blood”; and finally, “Cats.”  “THE FANATIC” I started my weekend of darkness with “The Fanatic.” The film marks Fred Durst’s -- the lead singer of Limp Bizkit -- directorial debut and the movie was as bad as his music. John Travolta, in poor taste, plays an ice cream-loving superfan with autism-turned-scary stalker of his favorite action hero Hunter Dunbar. Trovolta’s character doesn’t even ha...
Lambert continues to rack up miles for Pima
News

Lambert continues to rack up miles for Pima

By JOE GIDDENS In 2019, the chancellor took 39 trips totaling $50,392.48. So far, in 2020, he has spent $10,214.94. Pima Community College has suspended international travel except to Canada and Mexico until further notice according to an all employee email on March 3.  International travel by Pima employees is a fairly common occurrence for example between May and the end of 2019, Pima Chancellor Lee Lambert spent $29,882.22 on domestic and international travel.  This brought his total expenditure on travel for 2019 to $50,392.48 for a total of 39 trips. The Pima Board of Governors also voted in February to make Lambert’s automobile allowance $2000 a month.  Since Jan. 1, Lambert has been on seven business trips at the cost of $10,214.25. Most of that amount comes from attending the C...