Karen Bartunek

The Arizona Republic • 26th September 2024

5 environmental activists arrested at Trump campaign office in Phoenix face trespassing charges

Five out-of-state climate activists face trespassing charges in Phoenix after they were arrested during a sit-in demonstration at a campaign office for former President Donald Trump.The five people were all in their 20s and from Idaho, Missouri and North Carolina. They were in Phoenix for a training with the Sunrise Movement, an environmental activist group that supports the Green New Deal. The activists were joined in the office Monday by three others who recorded the event but weren't arrested...

Arizona Republic • 23rd September 2024

'It hurts': Family, friends gather to honor Preston Lord on day he would have turned 17

(This story was updated to add new information and to add a photo or video.)

"He would have been 17 today."

That refrain was repeated by family and friends who gathered to honor Preston Lord whose birthday — Sept. 23 — was dubbed "Preston Lord Day" by Chandler to honor the teenager who was killed in a violent attack.

Lord died of traumatic brain injuries after being beaten in a gang attack on Oct. 28 during a Halloween party in suburban Queen Creek. His death tied to a gang known as the "Gilb...

Arizona Republic • 19th September 2024

Glendale woman sentenced in Phoenix Sky Harbor assault on TSA agent who said 'she bit my hair'

A Glendale woman who was arrested after assaulting a TSA agent at Sky Harbor Airport in April 2023 was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.

Ma’Kiah Cherae Coleman, 20, was sentenced to four months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release for assault. Previously, she pled guilty to assaulting and inflicting bodily injury on a federal officer.

On April 25, 2023, Coleman assaulted a Transportation Security Administration agent at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport by g...

Arizona Republic • 14th September 2024

Super scooper planes boost containment efforts in Siphon Fire

An air fleet has increased the chances of combating the Siphon Fire, which continues to burn in the Superstition Mountains.

The fire, which ignited Tuesday at about 1 p.m., has burned 15,786 acres with 0% containment as of Friday afternoon.

The rugged terrain has made it challenging for ground crews to access much of the affected area.

The deployment of "super scoopers" brought hope for containment, according to several social media posts from officials, including Pinal County Government and...

Blaze • 9th August 2024

Inside The Rooster Club - Blaze Radio

The Rooster Club: the early bird gets the (tequila) worm.
Well, ok, maybe not an actual tequila worm, but the early bird does get its choice of bar beverages, breakfast, and an earful of live music.
And for those who really arrive early enough…a barstool.
The Rooster Club, an annual event hosted by Dana Armstrong, owner of the Dirty Drummer Bar, regularly pulls in a large crowd at 6:00 A.M. on the dot.
Sunday was no exception, patrons lined up in front of The Dirty Drummer Bar bright and early. No one amongst the familial, jam-packed crowd seemed to mi...

Tucson Weekly • 25th April 2024

Tucson’s Nicest Bartender: ‘Tiger’ keeps spirits alive at the Tap Room

Tom Ziegler has not bartended for about a year at the Tap Room, but he’s omnipresent.



“Honestly, people don’t think that he’s left,” said Richard Oseran, Hotel Congress owner.



The longtime Hotel Congress/Tap Room bartender, known affectionately as “Tiger,” is the stuff of local legend. As the story goes, a young lady came in to have a drink. She sat next to a larger gentleman who invited her to have a drink with him. It didn’t take long before he’d decided to have his way...

The Foothills Focus • 24th April 2024

Water gives North Phoenix couple purpose

Burt Eastburn and his dog, Cocoa, frequently visit water sources around the Sonoran Desert since he retired.So, when his wife, Lorley, saw an Arizona Department of Environmental Quality ad mentioning a “citizen scientist,” she wasn’t quite sure what it was — but she figured it was a match for Burt.The ad read, “Would you be willing to get water, test it, and be a citizen scientist for the state?” she recalled.“I said, ‘What is that?’ I didn’t know what it was. But I knew that Burt, born and rais...

Los Angeles Downtown News - The Voice of Downtown • 11th March 2024

Check Mate: LA’s ‘Coach Q’ makes chess cool

Dylan Quercia — or “Coach Q” — is the queen of the LA chess scene.

The bi-identifying, queer chess instructor teaches kids around Los Angeles how to play chess, combining competitive strategy with lessons in tolerance.

Quercia found that his name was hard for some students to pronounce. He shortened it to “Q” with the added benefit that it could stand for two other facets of his person.

“There’s a lot of interaction in competitive space in chess, so the ‘Q’ being for ‘queen’ and ‘queer’ is a

The Foothills Focus • 22nd February 2024

Las Migas unveils new members, new sounds

Las Migas violinist Laura Pacios believes in the power of women and music.

“When we were little, it was not that common to see women on the stage playing with a band. For us, it’s important to travel with this,” Pacios said.

Las Migas will bring its mélange of American bluegrass and traditional flamenco melodies to the Musical Instrument Museum on Friday, Feb. 23. The show will serve as an introduction to new members and sounds.

The four female musicians who make up the Spain-based act — foun

Argonaut News • 15th February 2024

UnHoused: Santa Monica: New exhibit takes an honest look at Santa Monica’s housing history

A new exhibit at the Santa Monica History Museum is giving visitors a glimpse into the city’s housing market. The James Rojas and John Kamp interactive element is part of a larger exhibition that takes a look at the history of housing in Santa Monica — tracing its story from humble beginnings to its status as a cosmopolitan beach hotspot.

“UnHoused: A History of Housing in Santa Monica” explores topics that span the city’s growth, including workforce expansion, the introduction of rent control