Aztec Press – Page 5

Album review: Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

9Dec

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Album review: Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

By Dalton Grijalva 2020 has been a year of trials and tribulations, but throughout the terrible year there’s been small glimpses of greatness. Enter the beautiful baritone voice of Chris Stapleton. "Starting Over" is the fourth studio album released by Stapleton, the multi award winning face of country music. The cover art may be simple with only a white cover and Chris’s name and title on the corner, but the complexities and storytelling in the album is some of his finest since his debut album, "Traveler". The starting track is fittingly titled "Starting Over," a very wholesome song about going somewhere with the person you love finding a new destination together. It’s a great song for beginning a road trip. Chris’s baritone voice is at its best when he uses a raspy tone on blues songs...

8Dec

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

The NBA tests positive

Photo by Keith Allison By Kyler Van Vliet Last week, the NBA stated that 48 players have tested positive for COVID-19. With the season coming to a start later in December, the NBA tested 546 of its players between Nov. 24 and 30 after players returned to their respective team markets. 9% of the players tested positive. However, in the league’s preseason guidance to teams sent late last week, they made it clear that some positive test results were to be expected. Any player with a confirmed positive test is isolated until cleared by rules established by the league and National Basketball Players Association, in accordance with CDC guidance. The league's health and safety protocols for this season say that anyone with a positive test in this ‘pre-camp phase’, “must receive medical clear...

2Dec

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Opinion

Column: Fortitude for the season

Photo by Gabby Orcutt By Kevin Hartung Seems like there is extraordinarily little to be thankful for this year. COVID is still with us. The election has sparked more contentious actions. Unemployment has left families with few resources to sweeten the Christmas season. Businesses are attempting to recoup losses after a devastating lockdown and a population left in short supply of expendable capital. Even Hollywood is generating entertainment in a restrictive environment despite theater chains closing their doors. One might claim that there is little rationale for celebration. Yet, the holiday season is just around the corner, and Americans are not defined by their politics. We are not shaped by our sufferings. We find the reserves to survive and to commemorate the season. As always when ...

2Dec

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

News

Pima Community College projected to help 600 underemployed southern Arizonans find work

By Lanissa Patterson Pima Community College was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Education Design Lab’s (EDL) Community College Growth Engine Fund. The EDL is a nonprofit organization that is granting $100,000 to fund higher education in community colleges and provide micro-pathways to find work in the industry. “In brief [micro-pathways] are shorter bursts or periods of training that are sometimes taken through credit coursework but sometimes they are taken in a noncredit format,” said Ian Roark, Vice President of Workforce Development and Strategic Partnerships. PCC was one of six colleges that were selected for the Growth Engine Fund. The College is projected to help 600 underemployed southern Arizonans find work in key economic sectors. “The areas that we selected for the...

24Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Making sense of the Suns draft

Photo by Alexander Jonesi By Kyler Van Vliet The 2020 NBA draft has come and gone. Besides the league consensus top three picks in Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, there were no other standout draftees, thus leaving teams uneasy in who to draft. Many drafted simply based off of player interviews, such as the Chicago Bulls picking college benchman Patrick Williams at pick 4. The Phoenix Suns were one of many teams that left fans confused based off their first round draft pick, drafting big man Jalen Smith from Maryland. Smith, 20, played two seasons for the Terrapins, averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. I too was confused by the pick as I was certain they would draft a guard like Kira Lewis who would have been a great scorer off the bench and cou...

Before the sun sets on his career, Chris Paul will try to elevate Phoenix

21Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

News, Sports

Before the sun sets on his career, Chris Paul will try to elevate Phoenix

Photo by Tim Shelby By: Kyler Van Vliet With the NBA off-season shortened up to fit the altered 2021 season timeline, the trade moratorium was lifted this Monday on November 16. Many teams were quick to jump all in and start flipping assets in order to elevate their teams, and the Phoenix Suns were not late to the ball. The Suns traded for the Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. The trade consisted of the Suns sending Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre Jr., two other young players and a future first-round pick to the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder. After reestablishing himself as one of the best point guards in the league this past season it was no surprise that his former team, the Thunder, were going to capitalize on other team’s desire to acquire Paul via trade. Before the moratorium wa...

15Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Opinion

Column: Mandate on toxic politics

By Kevin Hartung Taking the White House is a victory, holding the Senate and adding to the House number is also a win. Neither side generated a landslide victory indicating that a state of contention continues to exist in our country. We the people have found our voice. What played out in this election was ridding the government of venomous politicians and divisive actions. Voters are done with the antagonistic poison that exists in Washington, D.C. Clearly, the win was not a mandate for repealing legislation, but a directive to replace the antagonistic, revengeful discord among our elected officials. This may have been the highest turnout for an election since 1900, but it was not the repudiation hoped for or predicted. Past landslide elections have signaled shifts that carried America ...

Q&A with Los Angeles Charges wide receiver and Pima alum Jeff Cotton

15Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features, Sports

Q&A with Los Angeles Charges wide receiver and Pima alum Jeff Cotton

Photo by Andy Morales (All Sports Tucson) By Troy Hutchison Millions of kids grow up dreaming of playing in the NFL and becoming stars like their favorite players that they see on television. However, chances of achieving this are slim, as according to the NCAA, only 3.8 percent of college football players make it to the next level. Former Mountain View and Pima Community College (PCC) player Jeff Cotton is closer to making that dream a reality as a practice squad player for the Los Angeles Chargers. While at PCC he was coached by current Athletic Director (AD) Jim Monaco from 2015 to 2017 before the football program got shut down in 2018. Cotton then moved on to Idaho for his final two years of college football, where he established himself as a top target racking in 1,141 yards on 137 ...

Column: Blending opposing forces in humanity

13Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Opinion

Column: Blending opposing forces in humanity

By Kevin Hartung Although not the only one, John F. Kennedy once said, “We recognize that what unites us is greater than what divides us…” This was true of both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Both held individual visions for the United States and the nation needed both men. Theirs was not a close friendship but was a viable working relationship. We must stay motivated by our collective loyalties to begin the task of cohesive unification of opposing forces. An exceptional article on April 21, 2020, in the Saturday Evening Post by Nicholas Christakis on our connections is summarized in the following observation. There is evidence that we all carry in the genes of our brains a blueprint, a history of evolution, that shaped us as social beings. As social animals, we are equipped w...

12Nov

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Devin Booker wants out of Phoenix?

Photo by Keith Allison By Kyler Van Vliet With the NBA finals coming to a close in October and the 2021 NBA season aiming at a late December start, it leaves fans with a fairly short offseason window to fantasize about unrealistic trade inquisitions and drool over the latest rumors surrounding the league. The latest rumor involvesDevin Booker, shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns.. On November 3rd, Ryen Russillo appeared on the Bill Simmons Podcast and stated that Booker wanted out of Phoenix. “The worst-kept secret in the league is Booker already wants out of there,” said Russillo. But does he really? Booker just came off of his best season with the Suns after ending the season with a record of 34-39 and going 8-0 in the NBA bubble, almost securing them a playoff berth. The Suns thems...