It's time for the 6th Annual Celebration of Music and Culture Charity Event, a multi-genre showcase that hosts a variety of professional musicians. It will be hosted at the TCC Leo Rich Theater on Sunday, September 30, 2012, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $40.

The event's proceeds will support the Tucson Musicians Museum Mentor Program for Youth. TMM's Mentor Program will give the guidance of a qualified professional musician to youth who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford this service. TMM would like to develop sustained youth/mentor relationships and reach out to as many young people as possible. It will be the support of the community that helps to make this program successful for Tucson's youth.

The evening will include live performances by this year's inductees, free appetizers, a cash bar, a silent auction, and a ceremony for this year's inductees, including Brian, David and Howard Bromberg.

For more information, including ticket info and a full list of inductees and performers, see below the jump.

The photo above was left on a bike a the University of Arizona. It's good advice if you want to see your bike when you come back from your class. For more tips on keeping your bike and finding if it is stolen, read this.

Arizona is the newest state to get a high school mountain biking league. Find out what that means and when the first race will be.

Check out the cool ride and walk that will check out local architecture around Tucson with guides who are architects. Find out where and when you can join the ride or walk.

For the last five years the Pima Association of Governments has been counting bicyclists and pedestrians in October. They need volunteers however. Find out how you can help.

Before we jump in, let's give some praise to Valerie Cavazos at KGUN Channel 9 for her series on the Rose Hamway retaliation case and the Tucson Unified School District special education issues she's unearthed in the process. So far, Cavazos at KGUN and Weekly World Central are the only Tucson media outlets to dig a little deeper.

If you haven't had a chance, take a look at Cavazos' work on the KGUN website under Education Watch. And you can get to our work here. A third Weekly story with a parent interview runs this week, followed by an additional parent story and a story on the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights' process.

So let's get to the matter at hand with a question: With this body of work out there on the Hamway story, what is the point of a recent KOLD piece on TUSD's "Exceptional Education" department that not once mentions the issues raised by the school psychologist in her complaint?

While it's true, not every special ed student or parent in TUSD has had the same experiences as the 14 parents Hamway helped during her short time in the district, this story only takes a small look at a program, a couple of parents, and makes the district's program seem like a sought-after gem it must keep hidden.

The truth on special education, its successes and its difficulties is somewhere in between both stories. Nonetheless, Hamway's issues should be alarming, because there are other schools and many other kids who didn't have a Hamway intervene on their behalf or help parents' file much-needed OCR complaints.

Point is, Hamway isn't an anomaly.

Homicide Survivors, a nonprofit organization operated in conjunction with the Pima County Attorney's Office, is holding a safety fair and candlelight vigil Saturday in conjunction with the annual National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is being held at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Ave., and begins at 3 p.m. with the safety fair. The memorial is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m., and anyone who has lost a loved one to homicide is encouraged to attend.

The safety fair will include information provided by the attorney's office, the Pima County Sheriff's Department, 88-CRIME, Tu Nidito, and the Southern Arizona Mental Health Center, among others.

For more information call 740-5729 or go to the Homicide Survivors Web site.

• Beans and rice! It's what's for dinner (and lunch).

What is freedom? Is it the right to think what you want, say what you want, sleep with who you want? Does it include eating what you want or participating in social activities? And how is any of this related to the fact that I am fucking starving and about to jump ship on this ridiculous $4 a day food challenge?

What I've realized is that without the freedom to eat what you want you are often ostracized from social activities. No lunches out. No after-work beers or appetizers. No pitching in for the coffee run while your coworkers chirp and skip down the hallway with fists full of money. You couldn't even afford to have somebody over for supper on this budget, unless your dinner date was o.k. with noodles and butter. Instead, you end up alone with a Tupperware of beans and rice like some sort of a leper. I wish I was kidding, but it actually feels a little bit like that. Food in this culture is as much about socializing as anything else, and if you don't have the cash for it, you don't get to play. It's as simple as that.

And, honestly, $20 a week doesn't really buy anything. Sure, I've got pancake mix, but I couldn't afford syrup. The jalapenos I bought are wilted - I'm totally eating them tonight anyway - and it takes three hours to cook the beans so I have something to put on the tortillas. The bananas are browning; the garlic is holding up pretty well. Technically I still have 70 cents left in my budget, so I guess I could actually afford a tomato for the top of my bean tacos, but it would cost me $2 in gas to go to the store. Being poor sucks. Period. Actually, exclamation mark.

How did it become like this? People freak out if you even hint at taking their guns away, yet families can have their ability to nourish themselves snagged away by tragedy and poverty and nobody gives a shit but a few non-profits and programs like SNAP, which nurse them along on an endless wave of just-getting-by. It's a shame. I'm all for the idea of people working hard to get what they want, but forcing people to live on this budget is wrong. It's like a war of attrition against the poor, but what if the poor lose? I keep wondering if these are the sort of "entitlement" programs the Republicans keep talking about, because I just don't feel very entitled right now.

Anyway, I've got beans to soak and minutes to count until this whole ordeal is over. It's only been four days. To all of the people struggling to get by, please know that, in my own very small way, I get it right now. You deserve better. That is all.

Here's your cheerful Weekly World Central reminder: The U.S. Air Force extended the Operation Snowbird public comment period to Oct. 4. Last time Weekly World Central wrote up about the project — the draft environmental assessment for the National Air Guard training program bringing U.S. and foreign jets to Tucson, the public comment period first ended Sept. 14.

From the Robin Gomez guest commentary in our Aug. 16 issue:

The expansion of Operation Snowbird, based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, would increase the number of flights from 1,190 to 2,256 a year. Night training flights would be allowed. Strangely, the assessment (which can be found in PDF form at www.dm.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120730-035.pdf) concludes that the expansion will have no significant impact on the surrounding community.

The fundamental deficiency of the assessment is its failure to explain how the total number of Operation Snowbird flights can be almost doubled and yet have no significant effect on the surrounding human environment. Residents who live under the current Snowbird flight paths, as well as simple common sense, tell us this can't be true.
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.—The U.S. Air Force is extending the public comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment concerning Operation Snowbird here until Oct. 4.

From the Air Force:

This additional 20-day extension allows citizens more time to analyze the proposal to implement National Guard Training Plan 60-1 supporting Operation Snowbird. The public comment period began July 31, 2012.

The Air Force also has provided a Spanish translation of the draft Finding of No Significant Impact as a convenience for bilingual community members.

The draft EA, including the translated draft FONSI, has been placed at the following local libraries:

Quincie Douglas Library, 1585 East 36th Street, Tucson, Ariz. 85713, and
Salazar-Ajo Library, 33 West Plaza Street, Ajo, Ariz. 85621.

Eckstrom-Columbus Branch Library, 4355 East Calle Aurora, Tucson, Ariz., 85711 (NOTE: the Eckstrom-Columbus Branch Library has moved to a temporary location, which is slated to be open to the public starting Sept. 24)

The Spanish translation of the draft FONSI and the draft 2007 data collection site visit report are also available online at http://www.dm.af.mil/library/operationsnowbirdenvironmentalassessment.asp.

The English translation is the official document of record. The translated draft FONSI is provided for convenience.

Please contact 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs at 520-228-3406 with any questions.

Gordon - #731111 — 1.5 Years Old — Shar Pei Mix — Male

Meet Mr. Cool! Gordon is a suave Shar Pei mix who is feeling at the top of his game now that he has a bright future ahead of him. Found as a hot and hungry stray, Gordon was rescued by a kind commuter and delivered to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona for a second chance. Although his past remains a mystery, Gordon loves playing with people and other dogs. He would make an excellent addition to an active family and picks up on training fast. Let Gordon charm you today. You won’t regret it!

Watch Gordon in the video below:

Come meet Gordon! He is currently living at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd. The Humane Society is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The phone number is 327-6088.

The folks at the Living Streets Alliance are doing Kidical Mass Tucson on Saturday, Oct. 6. It's a kid and family friendly bike ride on the city streets that starts at 10 a.m. near the Himmel Park Library goes to the UA, loops Old Main and returns to Himmel Park for an ice cream social and treats.

There's a second Kidical Mass in the works on Oct. 27. Press release from organizers:

With the support of many partners and sponsors, including El Grupo Youth Cycling, Pima County and City of Tucson Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs, Performance Bicycles, Outdoor Nation, and Merrell, Living Streets Alliance will present a second Kidical Mass ride on Saturday, October 27th at 10:00 am beginning and ending at the Tucson Children’s Museum!

Kidical Mass began in 2008 in Eugene, Oregon, organized by Shane Rhodes, who wanted to see more families excited about using their bikes. Since it’s inception, the movement has spread to communities across the globe all in the name of having fun - on a bike - with kids!

Families will practice pedaling with the kiddos during these short, leisurely, rides. Participants are encouraged to bring their helmets, however a limited supply of children’s helmets will be provided for FREE courtesy of the City of Tucson Bicycle and Pedestrian Program. Families can also decorate their bikes in advance for increased visibility and for fun! All kids will receive stickers and “Kidical Mass Tucson” temporary tattoos.

This is a family-friendly, law-abiding ride designed to bring families together and ride safely as a group. Ride leaders and sweepers will be present to assist in making sure no one is left behind, but all parents are asked to take responsibility for their children on the road for the safety of all.

Kidical Mass is hosted by the local non-profit organization, Living Streets Alliance whose mission is to “promote healthy communities by empowering people to transform our streets into vibrant places for walking, bicycling, socializing, and play.” LSA is improving access for active modes of transportation in the region through outreach, education, advocacy and research.

Well, "national crisis" in the sense that the NFL has made an agreement with its referees, folding them back into the games and showing the replacement refs the door.

But with that said, it's time to get back to what matters — and who better to remind us of what that is than Dr. Ruth Westheimer?

With real refs back halftime can once again be for taking care of sexual frustrations instead of venting about ref frustrations

— Dr. Ruth Westheimer (@AskDrRuth) September 27, 2012

Indeed. So let's remember what halftime is really all about, folks — sexytime with the person who is putting up with you and your complaints about how Wes Welker has ruined your fantasy football team.

A bit more checking - and a tip from Tucson Weekly contributor Eric "Swede" Swedlund - has shed a bit more light on what's going into several spaces in the vicinity of 300 E. Congress St., where those science exhibits have been held for the past year or two.

Liquor license applications have now been filed for three different establishments in that area. A place called Proper is apparently going in at 300 E. Congress. Another place called Diablo Burger is going in at 312 E. Congress St. and a bar called Good Oak Bar is slated for the space at 316 E. Congress St.

Ummm ... wow? Three new places in addition to Lulu's Shake Shoppe, which opens in mid-October, and the new restaurant Saint House that's going in where Sharks Bar used to be. Vaudeville Cabaret is also being converted into a new bar and live-music venue called Voodoo Jack's and let us not forget about the new bar JunXion and the yet-to-be-named restaurant at 50 E. Broadway Blvd. also opening in the area.