Month: December 2019

Sports

Mens Soccer season comes to an end

By COREY MCMULLEN The Aztecs’ soccer season came to an end in November, finishing with a 15-4-2 record (12-3-1 regular season) and being ranked sixth in the nation. The Aztecs were bounced in the second round of the regional tournament by Arizona Western. The game came down to penalty kicks, where the Aztecs fell to Arizona Western 6-5. Thinking the season was over for the Aztecs, the team received one of the four at large bids for the NJCAA Division I National tournament in Tyler, Texas. The Tournament started Nov. 18 and went through Nov. 23. The Aztecs entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed. This was the Aztecs’ third straight year to the NJCAA tournament and their sixth appearance in nine years. In their second-chance game, the Aztecs fell 1-0 to Eastern Florida State in double o...
Sports

Women’s Basketball wins 3 of 5. Mens continue to underwhelm

By COREY MCMULLEN Women’s Basketball Pima Community College women’s basketball team continues to roll, winning 3 of its last 5, including a big win over Scottsdale. The Aztecs are currently ranked No. 11. Dec. 9: PCC 72, Arizona Western 67 The Aztecs defeated the Matadors (Division I) 72-67. The Aztecs trailed 30-28 at halftime but opened the third quarter on a 16-5 run in almost seven minutes to take a 44-35 lead. The Aztecs outscored the Matadors 29-11 in the quarter to take a 57-41 advantage. The Aztecs were outscored 26-15 in the final period. Sophomore point guard Alyssa Perez stole the inbound pass and was fouled. She drained her free throws to put the game away. Dec. 7: PCC 83, Scottsdale Community College 70 The Aztecs bounced back with a big win over the Scottsdale Community C...
‘AP’-style basketball at Pima
Sports

‘AP’-style basketball at Pima

Story by COREY MCMULLEN Photos by JOE GIDDENS For most teams, losing a leading scorer is a setback.      With Pima’s all-time scoring leader Jacqulynn Nakai gone, the Aztecs were without a point guard unless you asked head coach Todd Holthaus, who knew he had someone ready to take over. That person is Aztecs’ point guard Alyssa “AP” Perez. Perez, entering her sophomore season for the Aztecs, has been the leader the Aztecs needed for this year’s young squad, which is returning only four players from last year’s No. 5-ranked team. Perez started playing basketball in the seventh grade. She wanted to try it out because her dad played in high school and they would go play at the park. Perez, an only child, was born and raised in Tucson. In her free time, Perez and her family love to go to...
‘Born to Rap’: The Game’s last album
Arts & Entertainment

‘Born to Rap’: The Game’s last album

By COREY MCMULLEN We were first introduced to Jayceon Taylor, better known by his stage name “The Game,” in 2004.  Brought to us as a member from hip-hop group G-Unit, The Game dropped his debut solo album in 2005 with “The Documentary.” For the past 15 years, he’s given us hits such as “Hate It or Love It,” “Old English” and “My Life.” The Game has been consistent for the last 15 years, and for him to say “Born to Rap” is his final album feels like we’re losing one of the last artists from the non-mumble rap eras. He’s truly one of hip hop’s all-time greats,  leaving a lasting impression on the industry. It’s hurting me that “Born to Rap” is the swan song of The Game’s amazing career. Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s undeniable that he has been one of hip-hop’s greats throughout the 2...
News

No cuts to Pima sports programs – yet

By JOE GIDDENS No additional sports programs will be cut for the next three semesters at Pima Community College, according to Athletics Director Jim Monaco at a Dec. 9 press conference at the District Office.  However, major changes for the Pima Community College Athletics Department are on the horizon.  New sports also may be entering the college. Monaco and campus president Morgan Phillips are discussing bringing competitive video gaming “esports” to Pima as well as lacrosse and beach volleyball. The golf, tennis, track and cross country programs may be terminated to make up for a potential budget shortfall that may reach $200,000. “If enrollment doesn’t increase it means there would be cuts,” Monaco said. “With the money we’re bringing in right now, we’re just covering shortfalls.” ...
Digital film czar Dakota Pollard set to graduate
Features

Digital film czar Dakota Pollard set to graduate

By CELINA MORENO  Being a good student can be fairly easy.  However, the stress of classes, working and making sure you can survive can be very stressful. Dakota Pollard, 22, juggles all three with pretty much no issue.  Pollard is a person with many skills. From time management to workload management, he also is skilled in retouching and color correction, presentation and animation design, screenwriting, musical instruments and landscaping.  According to his resume, his hobbies include film, animation, playing the drums and spending free time hanging out with his friends and family.  Pollard is about to graduate in December from Pima Community College with an associate degree in Digital Film and Animation.  Of course, it surely isn’t just drawing and coloring; there’s coding, 2D anim...
Trump lays out 2020 Arizona strategy
News

Trump lays out 2020 Arizona strategy

Story and photo  by JOE GIDDENS While impeachment proceedings were going on in Washington, locally President Trump’s campaign manager Brad Parscale and daughter-in-law Lara Trump held a rally Nov. 21 at the Hotel Tucson City Center in support of the embattled president going into the 2020 election. Trump won the state by 3.5 points in 2016 in the former conservative bastion, but 2018 has seen several Democrats win statewide offices for the first time in nearly a decade.  The event hit all the Trump signature platform planks of his 2016 campaign and administration: fanning resentment against migrants, Trump’s outsider status and his campaign’s infrastructure to bypass media and political establishments.  Parscale opened with his concerns about Democrat presidential candidates running on ...
Letter from the Editor- You don’t know Jackson
Opinion

Letter from the Editor- You don’t know Jackson

By JOE GIDDENS  To steal a line from Bill Hicks: “We always kill the good guys and let the demons run amok. Gandhi: murdered Jesus: murdered Andrew Jackson… wounded.”    Turns out that perhaps the only thing our seventh president enjoyed more than ethnic cleansing of indigenous people was violence against individuals who wronged him. Over his too long of a life, he engaged in possibly over 100 duels.  On May 30, 1806, the future president squared off against a fellow plantation and horse enthusiastm, Charles Dickinson, in Logan, Kentucky. Gambling wagers and insulting of wives led to Jackson taking a bullet to the chest and a lifetime of chronic pain from the wound. Jackson, with his hand over the wound, returned fire, killing Dickinson. Dickinson’s life ended with a kill-death ratio of...
The Regina Romero Era begins
News

The Regina Romero Era begins

Disclosure the writer was paid to canvas for Regina Romero in the primary Story and photos By JOE GIDDENS A 144-year drought was broken on Dec. 2 with Regina Romero’s inauguration as mayor of the city of Tucson.  Romero is Tucson’s first Latina mayor and the first Hispanic to hold the office since Estevan Ochoa’s term ended on May 1, 1876. “There’s a lot of responsibility because there’s never been a ‘woman mayor’ leading a town like Tucson and I think a lot of people will be observing,” said Romero in Spanish during the Dec. 2 press conference. “I’ve been in politics for over 24 years, so I know it's difficult for women to be in positions as leaders.” City council positions also were changed at the ceremony in the Leo Rich Theater before a full house of attendees.         L...