Featuring the best tweets this week by, among others, Mark Kelly, Kristin Anderson, Laurie Roberts, Steve Nash, Colton Shone, Jay Tibshraeny, Monti Carlo, Sen. John McCain, Jose Canseco, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Nicole Crites.
By Mike Saucier (@MikeTheSauce)
Thanks to the Rose Law Group Reporter for printing the debut “TwitterZona” column and thanks for your responses, readers. If you have suggestions for lively Arizona accounts to follow, message @MikeTheSauce.
First up this week: Kind words for the late Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever continued to appear in Twitter feeds across Arizona.
The Rose Law Group (@roselawgroup) tweeted a photo of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio addressing press at the Dever memorial: “@RealSheriffJoe at Sheriff Dever memorial. Talks to media about a ‘true border sheriff’ pic.twitter.com/9zOPHPLY”
Martha McSally (@McSallyCongress) tweeted: “Just returned from an amazing memorial service in Sierra Vista for Sheriff Larry Dever. It was a wonderful… http://fb.me/2ahjdq4Ne “
And from Arizona Sunshine Tours (@kinjockity): “RIP and Thank you for your service Sheriff Larry Dever…to Cochise County, AZ and the nation… #Tombstone http://fb.me/2aNzTF0iu”
You have to glimpse the apocalyptic pic of a haboob about to swallow downtown Phoenix. It was captured by photographer Daniel Bryant from his balcony in 2011 but tweeted this week by Arizona News (@ArizonaNewsnet), which linked to MSN.com. But more noteworthy is that the photo got the attention of National Geographic, under the category of “Weather Gone Wild,” alongside other stunning meteorological-related images. http://bit.ly/NB5jmh
A photo of Mark Kelly (@ShuttleCDRKelly) and wife Gabby Giffords watching the Space Shuttle Endeavour over Tucson was retweeted 750+ times and favorited by 325+ followers. Hard not to see why: pic.twitter.com/L7Fdev2x
Kristin Anderson (@KristinFox10), anchor of Fox 10 AZ morning, cannot contain her joy over running into hoops legend Julius Erving, aka Dr. J. Tweeted Kristin: “OMG OMG OMG I JUST RAN INTO DR. J, for realz!! Such an inspiration!!!!! Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!#NBA #LEGEND #WOWZERS”
And, of course, her Twitpic with the former Philadelphia ’76er great: pic.twitter.com/9fEZ2dm9
Since we’re talking basketball, MVP point guard Steve Nash (@SteveNash) reminded everyone of his unfortunate departure from the Suns to the Los Angeles Lakers with this tweet to his 1.1 million+ followers on Wednesday: “Last few days in Arizona.”
To the oft-icky intersection of media and politics, Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts (@LaurieRoberts) and House Speaker Andy Tobin (@Andy_Tobin) had some Twitter words for each another over jobs coming to Arizona from California. The back and forth included this tweet from Roberts: “I don’t hate Republicans, @Andy_Tobin, not even the kooks. I, for one, am thrilled that you’re bringing us more $9- and $10-an-hour jobs.”
Good to know she doesn’t hate “even the kooks.”
Passer-through Fraser Cartmell (@Frasertri) is a multiple Ironman champion from Scotland, an elite athlete in a sport of people committed to self-torture, and he’s spending time training in Jerome and Sedona. He tweeted: “A pic from midway up the 20k climb behind the little town of Jerome here in AZ. Stunning views up there from 7000ft.” http://pic.twitter.com/RCVgEtA0
Baseball journeyman Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) referenced his 2011 stint as player/manager with the Yuma Scorpions earlier this week, tweeting to his 483,000+ followers: “I heard @astros are looking for a manager. I have managed before with Yuma scorpions. That’s a job”
And speaking of baseball, Diamondbacks top spokesman Josh Rawitch (@joshrawitch) tweeted well-deserved appreciation for Tyler Graham, 28, drafted in the 19th round of the 2006 amateur draft: “After more than 2,100 minor league plate appearances, Tyler ‘Moonlight’ Graham gets his first big league PA. Very cool for him!”
Apropos of nothing and only mentionable because it caught the attention of a local reporter, there were tweets about UFO sightings (stay with me on this) here this week. Within the hour over the weekend, Colton Shone (@ColtonShone), a CBS 5 AZ reporter, and a UFO sightings account tweeted about lights in the sky. Shone tweeted: “Anyone seeing strange lights in the sky in the Gilbert area?”
Around the same time, Ufo Sightings (@Ufos_Sightings) tweeted: “Mufon: UFO Sighting in Mesa, Arizona on September 22nd 2012 – 4 UFO lights in the South sky.:.bit.ly/SkpXbD Ovni ufo sightings”
Mufon is the Mutual UFO Network witness reporting database. The Examiner ran the story soon after: “Arizona Witness Reports Bright Lights Surrounding ‘Burning Aircraft’: http://exm.nr/SriqI6
Sonu Munshi (@smunshi), who covers Glendale for the Arizona Republic, tweeted throughout the meeting this week at which Glendale administrators proposed job cuts if voters okay a measure to repeal a sales tax hike. Other proposed cuts include city festivals. Munshi tweetported (should be a word if it isn’t already): “Phoenix resident who gets business from Glendale festivals as a vendor urges city to retain them. Else ‘it would be like canceling Santa.’”
Capturing in under 140 characters the universal sentiment of being overwhelmed by email glut upon returning from vacation was Ruben Hidalgo (@RubenAHidalgo), a senior news producer at 3TV, who tweeted: “Vacation almost over. Time to get back into work mode! (checks email: 3400 new messages) Better make coffee.”
Kendra Syburg (@KendraSyburg), a student at ASU, tweeted out some truth about traffic: “The theory of catching one red light on Scottsdale means your catch them all actually NEVER FAILS… #cmonpeople #gottabesomewhere”
There was some news within the news industry this week. AZ Central (@azcentral) summed it up with this tweet and link: “BREAKING: Founders of Phoenix New Times selling company and leaving journalism. http://bit.ly/RUObUy “
These are turbulent times for newspapers, especially as they try to find the right formula in terms of what to offer readers online and in print. Along those lines, the East Valley Tribune (@EVTrib) took a major swipe at the Republic for its website’s new paywall, summed up in this tweet and also in the linked video promo and text: “News junkie monkey hates newspaper boxes that take your money but stay locked – and he hates paywalls too http://evtnow.com/45f #FreeTheNews”
“We believe the news should be free – 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” it declared on its website. It’s a clever way to needle your competition but the Republic is certainly not alone in putting up a paywall. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and Chicago Sun Times, among others, have done so. The Republic may be betting on 2012 as being the year that a critical mass of readers will be willing to pay for some of their news online. You can “free the news” but the news isn’t free when it comes to producing it.
Also, changes appear to be afoot at AZ Magazine (@AZ_Magazine), which teasingly tweeted: “Big changes are coming soon! We will tweet the announcement in the next few weeks. :)”
Chandler’s mayor, Jay Tibshraeny (@jaytibshraeny), had the ultimate Arizona experience this week and tweeted about it to his 760 followers: “I got bit by a scorpion this a.m. First time this has happened and I am a native of the area.”
CBS 5 morning news anchor and reporter Nicole Crites (@nicolecrites) crystallized the randomness of the Twitterverse in this tweet to her 2,400+ followers: “Eew. &unexpected. This is why twitter is funny: @usweekly: Goldie Hawn admits she once used daughter Kate Hudson‘s stripper pole”
The “baby keg stand” photo which surfaced during the week left Tweeters and news outlets shocked. But a question emerged whether folks were overreacting. The photo was apparently sent to the website thedirty.com by an Arizona State student, shows a child in diapers being held up by an adult, with the nozzle to a keg of beer in his mouth. It was taken at the tailgating scene outside the stadium before Saturday’s ASU game.
Kim Schriner (@Fox10webgal), a senior web producer at Fox 10, tweeted: “#ASU Baby #keg stand: Child abuse or photo op? #fox10az @nikrichie @KristinFox10 http://bit.ly/Rf7pHw”
Josh Lederman (@joshledermanAP), an Associated Press reporter in Washington, D.C., tweeted about U.S. Senate candidate Richard Carmona’s new ad, which has some action scenes. “I’ve now seen it all. New #AZSen ad shows @carmonaforAZ rappelling from a helicopter http://youtu.be/6sRIJWgSlSA”
Howard Fineman (@howardfineman), editorial director of The Huffington Post, made a snapshot assessment of Arizona politics in this tweet to his 45,000+ followers: “Watch Arizona: Dem Senate candidate moving up fast; Obama is gaining. Latinos are key, of course, as are Gabby G and Dem candidate Carmona.”
Real Clear Politics has changed its assessment of the Arizona Senate race between GOP Rep. Jeff Flake and Democrat Richard Carmona to a toss-up. The race originally leaned Republican.
The Cardinals kept their dream season going with an impressive win over the Eagles on Sunday. Republic sports columnist Dan Bickley (@danbickley), who on Aug. 21 wrote a column headlined, “The Arizona Cardinals’ Kevin Kolb Signing Is Turning Into a Great Organizational Failure,” tweeted: “That said, Kolb has every reason to dislike me and my harsh criticism. But he’s been mature and professional. Respect that a lot” Bickley then linked to his story. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/20120821arizona-cardinals-kevin-kolb-signing-turning-into-great-organizational-failure.html
The love for the Cards poured in after the impressive win.
Senator John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain): “To state the obvious, the AZ #Cardinals are for real!”
Matt McAllister (@KNIXMatt), co-Host of The Ben and Matt Show on 102.5 KNIX: “So fired up about our undefeated Arizona Cardinals!! As @DHallDbacks likes to say, ‘Why Not Us?’”
Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) of ESPN tweeted to his 634,000+ followers: “The Arizona Cardinals are LEGIT.”
Jody Jackson (@Jody_Jackson), reporter and anchor for Fox Sports Arizona, tweeted: “Thank you Tony Dungy for giving the #AZCardinals defense the props they deserve. Great TEAM win as well #PHIvsAZ”
The upcoming Phoenix appearance of comedian Bill Maher has been the cause for some anticipatory tweets.
Randy Cordova (@Randy_Cordova), entertainment and events reporter for the Republic, tweeted his interview with Maher, whose show is Saturday night: “What will @govbrewer think of @billmaher thoughts on our state? He’s at @ComericaTheatre this week & is hilarious. http://tinyurl.com/9kbsqkj”
Sheriff Joe Arpaio (@RealSheriffJoe) weighed in too, tweeting: “Comedien Bill Maher here on Sat..allowed him in Tent City to tape shows in 90s…now will he rip into me during his act like George Lopez ??”
Next up is radio personality “Monti” Carlo (@MC3Monti), who joined the on-air staff of My103.9 KEXX-FM in June, according to @phxbizjournal. The “ivory-skinned, ruby-lipped sweetheart,” as described by the Phoenix New Times, is a contestant on Fox’s “Master Chef” and has worked as a stand-up comic.
She tweeted to her 12,500+ followers her genuine excitement about an invite to cook from Bill Cosby: “OHMYHOLYCRAZYTALKBATMAN!!! Bill Cosby wants me to cook for him when he’s in Phoenix February 14th at the Mesa Arts Center!!! THIS IS BEYOND!”
Last, never least, is Courtney Childress (@CourtChildress), whose Twitter bio reads, “Director of Communications @azfoothillsmag, ASU Alum, journalist at heart, sports lover, and Diet Pepsi addict.” She summed up the sentiment of many welcoming a seasonal change after a scorching summer: “This is why I love AZ… The weather is perfect right now!”
Republican strategist Nathan Sproul (@NathanSproul), who heads the Arizona-based national political consulting firm Lincoln Strategy Group, is making headlines. His firm has been hired to register Republican voters in battleground states. Now election officials in Florida are probing “hundreds” of cases of suspected voter fraud by his firm, according to NBC News. Sproul strongly defended his company’s conduct, saying it has rigorous “quality controls” and blamed the alleged fraud on the actions of a few “bad apples.”
Earlier in the week, before this hit the news wires, Sproul tweeted: “Pollsters who base their samples off 2008 exits, should look at these Voter Registration #’s. This isn’t 08 anymore. http://ow.ly/dYFH3”
