Statesman or Henchman?

United States Senator John McCain is live on KTUC-AM talk radio in Tucson. He’s speaking with a caller named Rosemary, an elderly woman who’s deeply concerned about the proliferation of nuclear weapons. “You make some excellent points, Rosemary, and I wish that everybody were as concerned about the issue as…

USING SLEDGEHAMMERS TO SWAT FLIES

Six months ago, Cheryl Johnson’s 2-year-old son fell into a shallow fish pond in her fianc’s backyard. Little Benjamin was retrieved within seconds–before he swallowed any water–wet, but otherwise fine. Johnson is now charged with two felony counts of child abuse, and is scheduled for trial in late April. Just…

USING SLEDGEHAMMERS TO SWAT FLIES

Six months ago, Cheryl Johnson’s 2-year-old son fell into a shallow fish pond in her fianc’s backyard. Little Benjamin was retrieved within seconds–before he swallowed any water–wet, but otherwise fine. Johnson is now charged with two felony counts of child abuse, and is scheduled for trial in late April. Just…

THREE ON YOUR SIDETV NEWS TRIO NABS COVETED BILL CLOSE AWARDS

Channel 10 news anchor June Thomson is a Bill Close Award winner. Named after the former Channel 10 museum piece, the award is periodically bestowed by New Times on local newscasters who go below and beside the call of duty. Thomson claims the trophy for the keen insight she exhibited…

THREE ON YOUR SIDETV NEWS TRIO NABS COVETED BILL CLOSE AWARDS

Channel 10 news anchor June Thomson is a Bill Close Award winner. Named after the former Channel 10 museum piece, the award is periodically bestowed by New Times on local newscasters who go below and beside the call of duty. Thomson claims the trophy for the keen insight she exhibited…

ONLY THE ROTTEN SMELL IS REAL

J. Fife Symington III will go down in state history as a hypocrite of outrageous proportions. He is a sanctimonious charlatan, an absurd mountebank and a poseur. Oh, yes, he’s also a fake and a phony. Aside from this rather considerable list of personal foibles, I see no reason Symington…

Pressure Point

It’s a long walk from Jurez to Nogales, especially if you have to trudge along in Miguel Perenza’s tattered old tennis shoes. The canvas is torn and ragged, exposing the raw, blistered skin within. The thin soles are filled with holes, and laces are only a memory. But still, Perenza–a…

THE SPAN OF AN INJUSTICE

Fences and guard dogs surround Jerry Span’s house on Fillmore Street, an effort to keep the rotting, increasingly destitute neighborhood that surrounds him at bay. The house has been sheathed in scaffolding as Span tries to restore what was once his family’s grand downtown home, a place were he, his…

THE SPAN OF AN INJUSTICE

Fences and guard dogs surround Jerry Span’s house on Fillmore Street, an effort to keep the rotting, increasingly destitute neighborhood that surrounds him at bay. The house has been sheathed in scaffolding as Span tries to restore what was once his family’s grand downtown home, a place were he, his…

PRESSURE POINT

It’s a long walk from Jurez to Nogales, especially if you have to trudge along in Miguel Perenza’s tattered old tennis shoes. The canvas is torn and ragged, exposing the raw, blistered skin within. The thin soles are filled with holes, and laces are only a memory. But still, Perenza–a…

PICKING UP THE PIECES OF CHARTER

Dean Brewer says he feels much better these days. The 40-year-old former owner of Charter Title Agency, which was seized by the state last October after $8 million turned up missing, has plenty of reasons to feel upbeat. Topping the list is his ability, so far, to escape an indictment…

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS TV PICTURE?

When a New Times writer defected to the Arizona Republic, he failed to clean his desk thoroughly enough. Dave Walker cleared out last week, but he left behind his marching orders from Republic/Gazette executive editor John Oppedahl. Read em and weep. THE FOLLOWING WILL BE PRINTED ON R/G LETTERHEAD; delete…

PICKING UP THE PIECES OF CHARTER

Dean Brewer says he feels much better these days. The 40-year-old former owner of Charter Title Agency, which was seized by the state last October after $8 million turned up missing, has plenty of reasons to feel upbeat. Topping the list is his ability, so far, to escape an indictment…

What’s Wrong With This TV Picture?

When a New Times writer defected to the Arizona Republic, he failed to clean his desk thoroughly enough. Dave Walker cleared out last week, but he left behind his marching orders from Republic/Gazette executive editor John Oppedahl. Read em and weep. THE FOLLOWING WILL BE PRINTED ON R/G LETTERHEAD; delete…

SHAQ’S FLACKS ARE WAY OFF TRACK

Last Sunday, Marv Albert, the television announcer with the lamentable toupee, pronounced the collapse of Charles Barkley as an NBA force even before the start of the game between Phoenix and Orlando. Unfortunately for Albert, he was quite wrong. Charles Barkley turns out to be alive and well. Albert’s moaning…

SHAQ’S FLACKS ARE WAY OFF TRACK

Last Sunday, Marv Albert, the television announcer with the lamentable toupee, pronounced the collapse of Charles Barkley as an NBA force even before the start of the game between Phoenix and Orlando. Unfortunately for Albert, he was quite wrong. Charles Barkley turns out to be alive and well. Albert’s moaning…

THE LOUD POETS SOCIETY

Brian Flatgard is loose and goofy, wearing an earnest grin and a backward baseball cap over hair that free falls to his shoulders. He lifts a hand-bound book of poems as he steps to the microphone and lets fly: “Thanksgiving yum yum,” he reads in an accent as flat as…

THE LOUD POETS SOCIETY

Brian Flatgard is loose and goofy, wearing an earnest grin and a backward baseball cap over hair that free falls to his shoulders. He lifts a hand-bound book of poems as he steps to the microphone and lets fly: “Thanksgiving yum yum,” he reads in an accent as flat as…