All Entries in the "Arts/Entertainment" Category

Awards honor student artists

By MEGGIE COSTELLO-KESSLER

A feeling of excitement and anticipation greeted visitors entering the Louis Bernal Art Gallery on April 11.

The Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition would soon present awards to Pima Community College students whose work had been accepted for display in the West Campus gallery.

Many people circled the room, examining the student finalists’ artwork and preparing for the winners to be announced.

“I like it. It’s very creative, different and unique,” said jewelry winner Alexandra Queen as she examined fellow students’ work.

Finalist Adam Bucholz was very excited, despite not having won an award.

“I’ve been trying to get some stuff into an art gallery, to throw myself into the art community,” Bucholz said. “Even if people don’t buy it, I don’t care. I want people to see it.”

Shorty after 1 p.m., gallery director David Andres called the attendants to gather for the ceremony.

He introduced the jurors — Ben Johnson, Hannah Glasston and Ellen McMahon — and thanked event sponsors for their $2,600 worth of award gifts.

Awards went first to 14 students in “honors” categories, then to 14 students in “best of” categories. (See list of winners below.)

“I was pleased,” Larry Gotkin said after winning three categories, including best of show.  “It’s nice to be recognized for your work.”

The free exhibit will be on display through May 4.

2012 award winners

Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition

“Best of” categories:
Best of Show: Larry Gotkin – “Horned Hawk”
Best of 3D: Larry Gotkin – “Horned Hawk”
Best of 2D: Rebecca Flores – “Shelby and Blonde”
Best of Ceramics: Tasha Barthelemy – “Smokey Form”
Best of Drawing: Ivan Hill – “Personal Politics”
Best of Fibers: Deb Weinman – “Star Basket”
Best of Jewelry: Sharon Bertrand – “Blowing Petals”
Best of Metals: Larry Gotkin – “Birda Kukri”
Best of Mixed Media: Peter Van Peenen – “Ad Horse”
Best of Painting: Cott Marios – “Pabst Rabbit”
Best of Digital Photography: Leftrick Herd – “Gotcha”
Best of Photography: Larry Gaurano – “Ice Melt”
Best of Printmaking: Marika Szabo – “Corporate Creed”
Best of Sculpture: Gene Bunger – “Arachnotes”

“Honors” categories:
Honors Drawing: Molly Bryson – “Murder Mystery”
Honors Fibers: Ann Peterson – “Plaid Pack”
Honors Fibers: Susan Woodbury – “Bonnie Brae”
Honors Jewelry: Alexandra Queen – “Bermuda Triangle Halter”
Honors Metals: Derek Lookingbill – “Campfire Tri-pod”
Honors Mixed Media: Marika Szabo – “Magic Squares”
Honors Painting: Diane Dale – “Aunty Mame”
Honors Photography: Martin Gutierrez – “Dad Zoll, Joe Zoll, Ryan Zoll”
Honors Photography: Jo Kubran – “Wigwam Motel”
Honors Photography and Century Award: Kiki Nelson – “The Secret Garden”
Honors Photography: Doug Rautenkranz – “After the Rain: Ambiguous”
Honors Printmaking: Penny Batelli – “Whirl”
Honors Sculpture: Elizabeth Ledezma – “Day Dream”
Honors Sculpture: Ann Peterson – “Grin”

Best of Show winner Larry Gotkin shows his "Horned Hawk" art. Photo by Meggie Costello-Kessler.

Division dean Robert Simpson, left, and curator David Andres announce awards at the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition. Photo courtesy of Lee Whitney.

Arizona landscape inspires designer

By THOMAS F. JOHNSON

Arizona video game designer Shane Lacey Hensley has created games ranging from the Weird War series to the Savage Worlds universal system.

Hensley has also worked on “City of Heroes” and “City of Villains,” the massive multiplayer online role playing games, and on “Dungeons and Dragons.”

However, many gamers would say his most notable achievement is “Deadlands,” a tabletop RPG that blends the Wild West with a Faustian brand of fantasy. It throws in a bit of steampunk for good measure.

It’s the flagship game of his company, Pinnacle Games. The original game was the basis for his Savage Worlds system

Hensley said in an email interview that his biggest design influence, along with “Dungeons and Dragons,” was a relatively obscure game called “TORG.”

“It really showed how non-combat characters could be effective in combat and opened up the door to players having a little more control over their fate,” he said.

Before “Deadlands,” Hensley did some early work on “Dungeons and Dragons.” What is he most proud of from those days? “Probably ‘City by the Silt Sea,’ for Dark Sun. It was my first complete boxed set.”

Hensley said the difference between designing for video games and for tabletop RPGs is providing what the audience wants.

“In ‘City of Villains,’ it was about trying to find ways for your character to be proactive in his acts of villainy,” he said.

“In RPGs, you’re tailoring more toward personal progression and trying to find ways to provide memorable moments,” he added.

“I can think of a number of personal and convention adventures where someone got lucky, rolled a huge number and took down a big bad guy in the nick of time.”

Hensley said there is a possibility that “Deadlands” will spin off into other media. A “Deadlands” comic is currently for sale, and there was a now-cancelled “Deadlands” MMORPG in the works.

“We’ve had options for ‘Deadlands’ movies and TV shows practically since it started in 1996, but so far no studio has green-lighted any of the scripts or presentations we or our various agents have made,” he said.

Hensley proudly mentioned that Pinnacle recently released “The Last Sons,” a Plot Point campaign for Deadlands in which a player’s posse gets involved in the Deadwood/Sioux war.

“We also have John Goff’s great ‘Blood Drive’ trilogy on the way soon,” Hensley said. “There are a number of other books that are really close to being discussed and released but as we haven’t yet, I’ll need to keep the lid on them just a bit longer.”

Of all his video game work, Hansley said he is most proud of working on the “Deadlands” Massive Multiplayer Online RPG.

“[It] had a lot of great ideas behind it, thanks to a very creative team,” he said. “The final demo we did was a shooter-style battle in Kansas in the middle of a tornado.”

Regrets include designing a version of “Deadlands” for the “Dungeons and Dragons” rule set. Even though his company was dual-statting, writing rules for both systems at the same time, fans thought Pinnacle was abandoning its system.

“It wasn’t a good fit for us,” Hensley said. “I wasn’t savvy enough to really transform it into our own thing.”

His favorite non-Deadlands Savage Worlds games are “50 Fathoms” and “Evernight,” though Hensley said he liked every setting designed for the system. “If I didn’t, we wouldn’t have published them.”

Hensley said his favorite game not produced by Pinnacle is “Warhammer,” a popular fantasy war game. He owns a large army of Dark Elves.

The designer moved to Arizona about six years ago, and said the state’s history and landscape influence his work.

“The desert is very inspiring to me,” he said. “You can’t go down to Tombstone or Bisbee or Jerome without getting dozens of ideas for new adventures.”

Game designer Shane Lacey Hensley visits the famed Tombstone cemetery. Photo courtesy of Shane Lacey Hensley.

FOODIE FINDS: Cereal Boxx

By MIKI JENNINGS

Tucked away just off University Boulevard, the Cereal Boxx has been giving University of Arizona students and University wanderers a quiet nook for breakfast since 2007.

The menu is loaded with sweet breakfast fare: cereal, oatmeal, parfaits and Belgian waffles. It also offers more savory items such as scrambled egg wraps and bagel sandwiches with lox and cream cheese.

Drinks include smoothies and a full-service espresso bar for those who need caffeine in the morning.

Cereal Boxx has a large assortment of cereals and an even larger selection of toppings.

With cereal choices like Kix, Lucky Charms, Cap’n Crunch and Life, there is something to strike just about anyone’s fancy.

Customers can create their own breakfast bowls, perhaps mixing Reese’s Puffs or Cocoa Krispies with Nutella or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Want something a tad more healthful? Try Kashi or Special K with strawberries, blueberries or bananas.

Health-conscious breakers of fast will also appreciate menu items like oatmeal topped with fruit and parfaits with fruit, creamy yogurt and granola.

Outside of breakfast, the folks at Cereal Boxx introduced a full lunch menu late last year. They now serve paninis, soup and loaded baked potatoes. Varieties include chicken and buffalo sauce, chorizo and salsa, chicken and ranch and cheddar and broccoli.

FYI

The Cereal Boxx

Address: 943 E. University Blvd., Suite 101

Phone: 622-2699

Website: thecerealboxx.com

Hours:

Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Sat-Sun, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

A Cereal Boxx employee restocks cereal cannisters at the popular university-area cafe. Photo by Miki Jennings.

G&L Import offers cornucopia of exotic items

By THOMAS F. JOHNSON

G&L Import is a truly unique shopping destination that every Tucsonan should explore.

Foreign brands line the shelves of this large Asian market. Oriental pottery, fans and incense appear at the front. Oddly-shaped fruits adorn the produce section. The deeper in you go, the more wondrously exotic the items get.

The produce section contains staples such as peas, tomatoes and carrots mixed in with oddities like bitter melons, fuzzy melons, lychees and longans. The latter two fruits are delicious, and a must-buy.

It gets more interesting from there.

Each item carried is distinctly skewed toward Asian cuisine, with one aisle dedicated to tea alone. Various dumplings fill an entire freezer.

The store carries so many exotic sauces that the lone Western brand, Hunts Barbecue, seemed wildly out of place.

Aisles are organized by type of staple, such as confections, starch, beans, sugar and Asian spices. They’re also organized by country of origin.

The market sells cookware, furniture and tacky Western knick knacks. More unusual trinkets include scrolls, ceramic stamps, small Buddha and Bhudai statues, cash swords for Chinese exorcisms and hell money (fake money meant to be burned so the departed can use it in the afterlife).

There’s a large, $2,000 stone statue that would not look out of place in some ancient temple.

The dessert aisle contains pineapple cake, egg crackers, cookie balls, apple pudding and mochi (rice flour dumplings with a sweet filling).

Vinegar bags that resemble Capri Sun drinks list flavors such as apple, grape, peach and plum. I didn’t try one, so cannot judge the taste.

The staff was courteous, even as I walked around the store scribbling notes on the giant bags of MSG for sale. Staffers seemed slightly bemused when I mentioned plans to write an article.

The store’s out-of-the-ordinary selection may leave some browsers asking, “What am I supposed to do with a giant jug of banana sauce?”

But G&L Import is perfect for anyone seeking ingredients for out-there recipes. You know, the ones that make us ask, “Where am I supposed to find a jar of hoisin sauce?”

FYI

G&L Import

Address: 4828 E. 22nd St.

Phone: 790-9016

PCC students Mike Lambert and Andrew Westhoven shop at G&L with Lambert's daughter, Mariah.

‘Jam Session’ spotlights jazz ambassadors

‘Jam Session’ spotlights jazz ambassadors

By NINA ELLIOTT

A traveling photo exhibit with more than 100 images of legendary jazz musicians is on display through May 25 at Downtown Campus.

The free exhibit is in the second-floor lobby of the Campus Center Building.

“Jam Session: America’s Jam Ambassadors Embrace the World” depicts musicians selected by the U.S. State Department to serve as roving cultural ambassadors from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Featured musicians include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughn and Dave Brubeck.

The photographs chronicle a federal initiative to promote a positive view of the United States during the Cold War. The musicians toured areas such as the Middle East, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and North Africa.

“Not only is jazz an exhilarating form of music, but it is also a living piece of our culture and history — nationally and locally in Tucson,” said Patricia Houston, academic dean at Downtown Campus.

“The Jam Session exhibit traces the musical art form through its cultural, artistic and even historical and political impact on the world and now we can connect it right back to Tucson and our own rich jazz traditions here,” Houston said. “We are delighted to be able to offer this glimpse of history to our students and the local community.”

The exhibition has toured 35 countries, and will head to Beijing, China, when it leaves PCC.

Tucson sponsors are PCC, the Tucson Jazz Society and the Meridian International Center, a partner of the U.S. Department of State. An opening reception on April 17 featured the PCC Jazz Ensemble.

FYI

“Jam Session: America’s Jam Ambassadors Embrace the World”

When: Through May 25, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays

Where: Downtown Campus, Campus Center building, second-floor lobby

Admission: Free

Details: 206-4500

Details: 206-4500

Lucille Armstrong films Louis Armstrong in Giza, Egypt, in 1961. Courtesy of Louis Armstrong House Museum

BEST BETS: To crawl or not to crawl?

 By KYLE WASSON

LIVE MUSIC

April 21-22: Club Crawl, presented by Tucson Weekly. Tucson’s live/local downtown music festival. $8 in advance/$10 day of festival, 21+. Details: clubcrawl.ning.com.

Twice a year I’m forced to choose between locking myself inside or joining the Club Crawl slop fest. Perhaps that’s a little harsh. Let’s start over.

If you’re looking for a an eclectic evening with more than 25 live stages gracing eight miles of Fourth Avenue and downtown, plus booze everywhere, then get your crawl on.

Past live music experiences have been awesome. However, the crowd can quickly become obnoxious. It’s a music festival, but people go for the drinks.

The music makes the festival. It’s the only place you can see belly dancers at a café, then stroll a mile to reggae street side, only to end up on a bar rooftop with a local DJ.

Venues include Cushing Street Bar, La Cocina, Rialto Theatre, Club Congress and even Chocolate Iguana, and everywhere in between.

My favorites this spring are the Project, a funky jazz and hip-hop collective with a mean live performance.

After a few beers, you could catch country-rock dudes the Wyatts. And by a few, I mean a lot.

You can buy tickets at any Zia Records location for $8 in advance. It costs $10 at the gates the day of the festival.

April 23: Bon Iver with Feist at the TCC Arena, 290 S. Church St. $30-$40 general admission, all ages. Details: rialtotheatre.com.

I bought my tickets in January. Besides Radiohead, Bon Iver has been one of the only bright spots of the semester.

Bon Iver (Bone-ee-VEHR) means “good winter” in French, but don’t let the name fool you. Front man Justin Vernon and the folk-based collective have survived winter and will melt the TCC on April 23.

Vernon put Bon Iver on the map after its first release, “For Emma, Forever Ago.” Through all of the indie band haze making its way down the West Coast, Bon Iver shines through with a pure sense of live performance.

In hours of streaming YouTube footage, I’ve seen Vernon and company play venues ranging from churches to a living room, cafés to sold-out arenas. No matter the size of the crowd, Bon Iver brings everyone closer with each strum.

The collective reached its highest point after winning two Grammys this year. Since then, the boys from Wisconsin have ditched their cabin lives for playing packed houses from Atlanta to Australia.

If you didn’t make it to Club Crawl (or you survived) and don’t mind dropping $40 for a ticket, this will be an awesome night filled with great music.

Feist will open. From what I’ve heard of her work with Broken Social Scene, she should be equally as enthralling.

Arts Briefs

Upcoming Jazz Improv and concert

Pima Community College performing arts department is presenting the PCC Jazz Improv Combos in concert on April 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Proscenium Theater.
Under the direction of Pima jazz instructor Mike Kuhn, two small jazz improvisation groups will perform pieces inspired by the Great American Songbook.
Each group will contain a rhythm section, horns and a vocalist.
Also under the direction of Kuhn, PCC music presents the Jazz Ensemble in concert on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Proscenium Theater.
This 18-piece big band will perform jazz selections from various styles and jazz musicians, such as Miles Davis.
The concert will spotlight several solo improvisation roles, including lead trombonist Roger Wallace performing his own original piece “Double-Wide Blues.”
The concerts are open to the public. Tickets are $6 with discounts available and can be purchased at West Campus’ Center for the Arts box office.
For more information, visit pima.edu/cfa.

Gershwin spring concert

On May 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Pima’s Proscenium Theater, the PCC Wind Ensemble will be presenting a Gershwin Spectacular spring concert.
Under the direction of Mark Nelson, the ensemble will play several Gershwin selections in addition to pieces by John Krance, E.E. Bagley and Larry Daehn.
The concert will spotlight Pima faculty member Eileen Perry Schwartz performing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”
The concert is open to the public. Tickets are $6 with discounts available and can be purchased at West Campus’ Center for the Arts box office. For more information, visit pima.edu/cfa.

-Compiled by
Megyn Fitzgerald

Horoscope

By STEVE CHOICE

Taurus (April 20-May 20)
I apologize for betting you about eating the fake grass in your Easter basket, Taurus. I didn’t think you’d actually do it. On the bright side, I got a funny Facebook status out of it.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)
Ease up on the cologne, Gemini. Your smell alone is about as strong as the odor in an enclosed basement at a frat party. These tears you see? Not tears of joy.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Congrats on becoming my summer intern, Cancer. One thing to remember – my dry cleaning isn’t just going to pick itself up. Welcome aboard, and easy on the starch.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
I’ve got to be honest, Leo — you bore me to tears. I guess the upside is that you can’t literally bore someone to death. No murder convictions in your future.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept.22)
I just don’t think she’s that into you, Virgo. I was kind of tipped off when she poured red wine all over her favorite white dress just to have an excuse to go home. But I’m pretty sure she’ll be out later, if you want to keep striking out with her.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You and I make a great team, Libra. With me to doing all the thinking and you to carrying the luggage, I really think we could go places

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
You know those toy chimps that incessantly bang on their cymbals, Scorpio? That’s how I think of you. I mean that as a compliment. Those things always bring a smile to my face.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
So you’re going up the river for five to seven, huh, Sagittarius? Well, look at the bright side – you’ll come out of prison ripped and not too many people will dare mess with you.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Capricorn, now that you’ve blathered on about your crackpot political views for the last 30 minutes, I was wondering if you could possibly go straight to hell?

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
You say, “Sometimes I feel like you just don’t care that much.” Aquarius, it’s not that I don’t totally care about your concerns. It’s that I don’t care at all.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Sorry I told everyone about that dream you had about the woman you’ve got a first date with on Saturday, Pisces. The good news is that now she knows how you truly feel.

Aries (March 21-April 19)
I want to wish you and your family the very best that this life has to offer, Aries. Know that I’d do anything to help you, now and forever. Don’t ever forget — you make the world shine.

By the Numbers

Earth Day factoids:

2 million

Number of hybrid electric vehicles sold in the United States between 2009 and 2011

50

Percentage of adults who claim to turn off the lights when leaving a room

1,600

Pounds of garbage the average American generates each year

100

Number of gallons of water the average American uses per day

1

Percentage of global CO2 emissions caused by leaving appliances plugged in

88

Pounds of plastic thrown away each year by the average American family

14 billion

Pounds of trash dumped into the ocean each year

20

Pounds of carbon dioxide that 1 gallon of fuel releases into the air

5 million

Tons of oil that end up in the ocean each year

Compiled by Aimee Ziegler

Sources:

Cleanair.org, Planet Pals, Wikipedia, Reader’s Digest

Student art on display through May 4

By MEGGIE COSTELLO-KESSLER

An exhibit featuring the art of Pima Community College students will be held at the West Campus Center for the Arts, 2202 W. Anklam Rd., April 2 through May 4.

The artwork of students from all PCC campuses will be featured in the Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery for public viewing.

The Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery will present the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition with a reception and awards ceremony April 11 from noon to 3 p.m. The awards ceremony will begin at 1 p.m.

Jurors for this year’s exhibition include Ellen McMahon, art professor at the University of Arizona, Hannah Glasston, director of Etherton Gallery and Ben Johnson, director and curator of Tohono Chul Park Gallery.

The event is free and all are welcome to attend.  For more information, visit pima.edu/cfa or call David Andres, 206-6942.

Larry Gaurano/ Aztec Press

PCC instructor releases first album

By MIKI JENNINGS

After three days of attempting to play saxophone in sixth grade, Pima Community College communications instructor Marisa Michaels decided that it wasn’t the instrument for her.
She didn’t give up on music, and picked up the drums instead.
“I’ve always been interested in making noise,” Michaels said.
She plays in the band the Wayward Saints with local musicians Johnny Row, lead vocals and guitar, and John Moses, bass.
Michaels met her band mates through Craigslist and they’ve been playing together ever since.
She has played with about five other bands before this one.
Michaels moved to Tucson in June when her husband was hired as a professor at the University of Arizona. She started teaching communications at West Campus for the Fall 2011 semester.
Before that, she taught communications at the University of San Francisco. Michaels grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and earned her doctorate while she lived there. It’s also where she found teaching in the first place.
“I got started in grad school and really liked it,” Michaels said. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”
To Michaels, the best thing about being a teacher is the variety of people she gets to work with. So far, Pima seems to be a good fit for her.
“That’s something I like about Pima,” Michaels said. “They’re a very enthusiastic student body. I’ve always enjoyed working with them.”
With teaching as her day job and music as a hobby, she said she couldn’t live without one or the other.
“I love academics but I also need something to escape my daily work,” she said.
“It’s easy for me to make the balance work.”
The band will hold a CD release party April 18 at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St.
Their album is a six-song EP, titled “Sinner’s Communion.”
Those interested in the band’s music can check it out at www.reverbnation.com/waywardsaints.
CDs are available at 17th Street Market and through the band’s record label, Orangutwang Records.

FYI
CD sales
When: Monday-Saturday:
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 17th Street Market, 840 E. 17th St.
Details: 792-2588

The Wayward Saints plan a CD release party at Plush on April 18. Photo by Erik Lyons.

Author to lead writing workshop April 13-15

By NINA ELLIOTT

Mary Sojourner, a radical environmental activist, acclaimed Southwest author and commentator for NPR, will be continuing a writer’s workshop series with “(w)Rite: A Workshop in Deep Writing and Craft” from Friday, April 13, to Sunday, April 15.
Sojourner began connecting with books at a very young age in New York.
In her memoir, “Solace: Rituals of Light and Desire,” she said that upon being able to read she looked to the shelf of books and felt she wasn’t alone.
“As soon as I could write, I began writing poems and little stories. The work felt magical to me,” she said.
Even as a child she felt the need to form external inspirations and express her internal experiences, “inside me out to the page.”
Sojourner was inspired to live in the Southwest and become an environmental activist from reading Edward Abbey’s “Monkey Wrench Gang” in 1983 while on a trip.
“By the time I stepped off the train, I knew I wanted to move to Flagstaff, write and fight for the Western earth,” she said.
The bulk of Sojourner’s work is based on her love of the Southwest as chronicled in her book “Bonelight: Ruin And Grace In The New Southwest.”
Sojourner continues to be politically active and is, in her words, “a member of and an advocate for the working poor.”
She continues to participate in various types of protest, including but not limited to, “peace demos, ‘Occupy [movements],’ civil disobedience, blocking a road at the Grand Canyon, picketing corporate bookstores, prayer circles and ceremonies.”
This workshop will focus on writers who are blocked and want to publish personal work.
Sojourner will provide tools to include in the creative thought process that will keep generating fresh ideas.
Sojourner is adept at publishing personal work.
“She Bets Her Life” was a personal account of her gambling addiction and recovery through a women’s support group.
“I learned long ago that we are often hurt by our secrets,” she said.

FYI
‘(w)Rite: A Workshop in Deep Writing and Craft

When: April 13-15
Where: Pima Community College West Campus, J-101
Cost: $136. Register in advance
Details: Meg Files, 206-6084 or mfiles@pima.edu.

Photo courtesy of Mary Sojourner

ARTS BRIEFS

April 5 recital spotlights tuba

Pima Community College music instructor Mark Nelson will present an eclectic range of music written and arranged for tuba in a recital on April 5 at 7 p.m. in the West Campus Center for the Arts Recital Hall.

Works include three Edward Elgar compositions arranged for tuba and piano by Ralph Sauer, and a trio for tuba, euphonium and piano called “Three Florida Orchids” featuring Kelly Thomas on euphonium and Marie Sierra on piano.

The program also includes the “Carson Cooman Sonata” for tuba and piano, a sonata by G.F. Telemann transcribed for tuba and piano, “Impromptu” for tuba and piano and the whimsical “Concertino” for tuba and piano.

Tickets cost $6, with discounts available. For more information, contact the box office at 206-6986 or visit pima.edu/cfa.

-By Andria Skanse

Larry Gaurano/ Aztec Press

Film Festival opens April 13

The 2012 Arizona International Film Festival will run April 13-29, with films playing at the Crossroads Festival, Reel Arts 6, Screening Room and other Tucson theaters.

More than 100 films from 18 countries will be part of the festival. The featured films come from a variety of categories including youth films, documentaries, animated shorts, comedies and drama.

Titles from the IndieYouth category include “Textbook Messaging” by German Torres, “Echoes of Exxon” by Lauren Lindberg, “A Sticky Note Situation” by Sarai Salas and “The Moment I Said It” by Reina Rouzaud.

Opening night will take place at the Crossroads Festival theater, with films playing on all six screens. Mimes, musicians and jugglers will perform.

Crossroads Festival and Reel Arts 6 are located in the same building at 4811 E. Grant Road. Call 327-7067 for additional information.

The Screening Room is located at 127 E. Congress St. Call 882-0204 for additional information.

For further details about the festival, visit filmfestivalarizona.com.

-By Miki Jennings

Spring Festivals

By VANESSA AVILA

It’s starting to get hot out, but that’s no excuse to skip these spring festivals.
They’re sure to keep you entertained and remind you that Tucson has more to offer than scorching weather.

Festival en el Barrio
April 7
Festival en el Barrio will feature Calexico, Grupo Fantasma and Megafaun on April 7 from 2-8 p.m.
There will be two stages as well as crafts and food. The festival will be held in the streets of El Presidio neighborhood near the Tucson Museum of Art, 166 W. Alameda St.
Tickets are available at the Rialto box office and Bookmans.
For more information, visit barriofestival.com.

Spring Fling
April 12-15
Associated Students of the University of Arizona’s Spring Fling is back again from April 12-15.
The carnival is the largest student-run carnival in the nation, providing more than 25 rides and games. At least 20 different food booths offer a wide variety ranging from corn dogs to crab puffs.
Spring Fling is organized and planned by student directors and UA student volunteers to bring fun and excitement to the Tucson community, while raising money for their clubs and organizations.
Admission is $5 each day, and free with CatCard or military ID. Parking is $5. Ride ticket prices vary.
The Spring Fling will be held at Rillito Downs, First Avenue at River Road. There will be a free UA shuttle for transportation.
Visit springfling.arizona.edu/Spring_Fling or call 621-5610 for more information. 


Arizona International Film Festival
April 13-29
More than 100 films representing 18 countries will be featured in Arizona’s longest running film festival, April 13-29.
The films will be featured at venues such as Reel Arts 6, The Screening Room, Crossroads Festival, Desert View Theatre and other theaters throughout Southern Arizona.
For a schedule of films and more information, visit filmfestivalarizona.com or call 882-0204.

Chalk Art Festival
April 14-15
Southern Arizona Arts and cultural Alliance will present a kaleidoscope of colors at Park Place Mall.
Professional and amateur artists, students, children and attendees will all participate in the festival to collaborate on colorful works of art.
The Chalk Art Festival will also feature a kid zone, where children ages 3-12 will be able to create their own chalk art.
The event will take place at Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information call 797-3959 or visit saaca.org.

By the Numbers: Tuition

$12,804
Estimated average cost for undergraduate tuition, room and board at public institutions during the 2009-10 school year.

$32,184
Estimated average cost for undergraduate tuition, room and board at private institutions during the 2009-10 school year.
Sources: nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76

3
College costs will triple by the time a baby born today matriculates in college.
Source: http://www.thedaily.com/page/2012/01/09/010912-news-college-costs-1-5/

$58,334
Current annual cost of America’s most expensive college.
Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/americas-most-expensive-colleges-070000708.html

38
Percent increase for annual tuition and fees at Arizona State University in a two-year period. The increase from $4,971 in 2007-08 to $6,844 in 2009-10 put ASU in the top 14 universities for largest increase.
Source: http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2011/06/arizona-universities-cited-in-national-report-for-fast-increasing-tuition-rates/

$17
Increase in credit hour rate that ASU is proposing for undergraduate students for the 2012-13 school year. The university is proposing an $18 increase for graduate students.
Source: https://students.asu.edu/tuitionandfees

22
Percentage increase in 2011 that the Arizona Board of Regents voted to raise tuition and fees at the University of Arizona. The rate was $10,027 for in-state freshmen undergraduates.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/07/arizona-universities-face_n_845957.html

15
Percentage increase that the Arizona Board of Regents voted to raise tuition and fees at Northern Arizona University in 2011. The rate was $8,824 for in-state freshmen undergraduates.
Source: http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/bumps/2012/2_20_12/tuition.html

$5
Increase per credit hour for Pima Community College in-state tuition, effective in Fall 2012. The college says the rate will remain among the lowest of Arizona community colleges.
Source: http://pima.edu/press-room/news-releases/2012/210203-bog.html

0
Proposed increase for in-state tuition for the 2012-13 school year at the University of Arizona.
Source: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/education/college/ua-seeks-small-increases-in-tuition-for-new-students/article_f45c43da-5f3f-11e1-b9f1-0019bb2963f4.html

Compiled by Edwina Francisco