Arizona Daily Star

PHOENIX — Arizonans will not get to vote this year on making major changes in the  Empowerment Scholarship Account program, commonly known as vouchers, because an initiative will fall short of enough valid signatures. In a ruling Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court spelled out the method that must be used to determine if there are enough valid signatures on the petitions. Strictly speaking, the order does not knock Proposition 212 off the ballot.

If Karl Marx put on a red MAGA hat and promised a tax cut, MAGAs would vote for him. Biggs is playing a shell game with voters, proposing to cut one tax and increase another. It’s going to bite him. 30 years of Republican majority in AZ legislature proves they can't manage 5th grade math. Biggs blamed Hobbs for the budget shortfall of $2b. But it was the Ducey flat tax that tanked the coffers, hitting Hobbs in 2024. 70% of the cuts went to those earning more than $200k.

Is anyone else tired of reading about the intricate distinctions among capitalism, democratic socialism, socialism and communism? If so let’s address raw politics. The official platform of the Democratic Socialist of America calls for abolishing the Senate, abolishing the Electoral College, and replacing the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress. I think this is a bad idea.

When The Band decided to call it quits in 1976, they called up a few good friends to join them for a farewell concert in the historic Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Band itself was underrated, says longtime Tucson concert promoter and musician David Slutes. But their friends? That was another story entirely. Tucson musicians staged the first recreation of The Band’s “The Last Waltz” in 2016 at Fox Tucson Theatre.

When Marana High School senior football standout Sean Roebuck was seriously injured in a car accident last week, I couldn't help but think about the tragedies involving two high-profile Tucson-area football players that brought so much heartbreak. Marana's Sean Roebuck (5) breaks through the arm tackle of Canyon del Oro's Diego Torres (20) on a run up the middle in the first quarter, Sept. 19, 2025, in Tucson.

A new study has ranked Arizona as one of the worst states to move to for two years in a row, largely due to what it calls a poor quality of life. The study conducted by Consumer Affairs analyzed the best states to move to in the United States, putting Arizona at the bottom of the list.

When I think of boutique shopping, I don't usually think of bargain hunting. So when I stopped by El Be Goods Boutique for this week's $25 Challenge, I wasn't sure how many things I'd actually find within budget. El Be Goods Boutique in the Mercado District is filled with thoughtfully curated gifts, home goods, accessories and locally made products. Turns out, there were plenty of options.

Some of Tucson’s most celebrated chefs, including a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist, a two-time Tucson Iron Chef and chef ambassadors with the Tucson City of Gastronomy, will turn to the desert as their pantry for the second annual Desert Magic at Tohono Chul Park on Aug. 29. The event, presented by Tucson Foodie, connects the dots between wellness and food.

It’s not likely that Tab Benoit will have a big rig when he pulls his “Soul of the Swamp” Tour into Fox Tucson Theatre Friday, Aug. 21. The Delta bluesman travels light: An amp, cords and his well-worn 1972 Fender Telecaster Thinline. That’s all the four-time Grammy-nominated artist needs to take his audiences to his native Louisiana bayou, a place where the blues are gritty and raw, and to conjure the swampland and all its colors.

The votes are in, and the finalists have been chosen! From favorite local restaurants and shops to trusted service providers, health care professionals and places to play, these businesses and individuals rose to the top in this year’s voting. Browse the nominees below by category and see which Tucson-area favorites made the list.