Hey all
I've been in Tucson, AZ. for just over three months now. All is well despite the extreme weather. I've been covering the Tucson Unified School District, which isn't used to aggressive reporters, and have so far dug up serious problems in student transportation, class room management and questionable financial decisions. In my third week I was able to cover EZLN spokesman Subcomandante Marcos' visit to Sonora, Mexico (where the federales pulled me over...) and am currently working on a piece about how California inmates are now getting shipped to a private prison in AZ. to alleviate CDCR overcrowding.
I've kept a close eye on my previous workplace, The Monterey County Herald, and all the changes that have taken place following the demise of Knight-Ridder and Dean Singleton's move to pick up all their Nor-Cal papers.
Musically, I traded in my telecaster and punk rock for a jarana and son jarocho. I found a maestro who's originally from East LA and is teaching me how to play jarocho, Mexican folk music from the state of Veracruz (What's jarocho? It's the traditional stuff at the end of Los Lobos' recording of La Bamba...) My maestro and his wife, head of UA's women's studies department, have really taken me in and shown me around town, including introducing me to members of the Yaqui/Pascua community (the indigenous of the Sonoran desert).
This years IRE convention is in Phoenix, so I hope to see some of ya'll there. Conversely, I'll be in San Jose for this year's NAHJ convention.
desde la frontera,
george
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