By Mike Saucier
@MikeTheSauce
The year’s first full week did not disappoint. Major flu scare. An inflamed guns debate and armed posses at schools. Jodi Arias trial madness.
Let’s start with the flu.
KVTK’s Jared Dillingham sent out this scary tweet: “AZ hospitals overflowing with flu & respiratory virus patients. Beds full at several ERs. CDC expected to label flu in AZ ‘widespread’”
Brahm Resnick of 12 News followed up later with the confirmation and a hashtag which rings true (it’s not too late to get immunized!):
“#AZ flu activity upgraded to “widespread.” http://1.usa.gov/ZLVMha #NotTooLateToGetAShot”
When it rains here, it pours on Twitter. Since it’s so rare, it’s a big deal. Here are just a couple of samples. Journalist and Fountain Hills writer Ryan Winslett: “These rare days when Arizona looks so much like Seattle put a big ole smile on my face.”
Lin Sue Cooney of 12 News: “It’s raining… not pouring… but raining… hooray.”
Christian Palmer of the Goldwater Institute tweeted:
“AZ Rep. publishes salary of departing spokeswoman for Tom Horne ($105K). In other news, AG’s office to drown in 105,000 incoming resumes.”
And then also tweeted:
“Applicants must speak English, be able to say, ‘We don’t comment on pending investigations,’ and, ‘I’ll get back to you on that.’”
Ouch.
State Senator Al Melvin tweet would make federal land preservationist Theodore Roosevelt cringe in his grave: “#azright In 2012, Gov Brewer vetoed my bill, patterned after UT’s bill, to acquire all Forest Service & BLM land in AZ. I’ll run it again.!!”
Daily Sun reporter Joe Ferguson live tweeted the Flagstaff City Council meeting and sent out some colorful gems such as this: “Many opposed to Az Snowbowl are suggesting that the color of the artificial snow at the ski area is yellow bc it is made w/ reclaimed water.”
The Phoenix trial of Jodi Arias, accused of killing 30-year-old businessman and motivational speaker Travis Alexander in 2008 in Mesa has captivated Arizona and rest of the country. Live tweets poured from the trial this week and experts weighed in, including several on CNN by Rose Law Group founder Jordan Rose. Tweets mostly focused on Arias and her demeanor in the courtroom, such as this one from Sue H, a “Birdgang Die hard Arizona Cardinals fan and general sports junkie… computer geek, photography nerd,” who tweeted:
“Is it just me or does #JodiArias look like she’s falling asleep? It’s not like you’re on trial for murder or anything… #smh”
Speaking of the Rose Law Group, Ryan Hurley, who heads the firm’s medical marijuana unit, tweeted the following and an article link about the Arizona appellate court ruling in the Yuma County sheriff marijuana seizure case: “People have spoken (3x), the Appeals Courts have spoken (2x now) AZ #MMJ is valid & must move fwd. AZ leg take note! http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Ariz-ruling-orders-return-of-medical-marijuana-4183745.php?cmpid=twitter …”
TWEET OF THE WEEK
The Tweet of the Week comes from Cale Ottens of the Republic, who shared his story about a photo that went viral. While performing a C-section, Dr. Allan Sawyer of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale saw the infant’s hand “and when he touched her palm, she immediately wrapped her fingers around his,” the Republic wrote. The girl’s father caught the moment on his camera and it became a viral sensation.
“I’ve delivered about 9,000 babies and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture like that before,” the doctor told the paper.
Ottens tweeted: “#Love at first grasp: Photo of #Peoria girl’s birth a hit on #SocialMedia | VIDEO & STORY: http://www.azcentral.com/community/peoria/articles/20130102peoria-girl-birth-photo-viral-social-media.html …”
THE TWEETWEEK IN SPORTS
Twitter and the sports world could not be a better combination. Athletes are active tweeters, sometimes a bit too active. Exhibit A would be Darnell Dockett of the Cardinals. He was watching the BCS championship, during which the camera focused on Katherine Webb, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron‘s model girlfriend (and Miss Alabama).
He tweeted:
“@_KatherineWebb aye u going to king of diamonds Monday after game?”
“– Aye @_KatherineWebb hit me (240) 464-xxxx when game over, lets go to wing stop then King of diamond,”
And then followed it later with this tweet and pic:
“Aye babe I know I know. @_KatherineWebb ill be there shortly!”
The exchange, if you want to read it, even made USA Today. Somewhere, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is shaking his head and wishing Twitter was never invented.
SHOUTOUTS AND SHAMELESS PLUGS
Joe Johnston of Gilbert (“Idea guy and business person in Gilbert, AZ with interests in food, wine, vespas, design, the christian life, the sport of business, travel, people’s giftedness”) tweeted: “support local artists.”
I couldn’t agree more. And who better to support than Brian Chartrand of Phoenix, a singer/songwriter/producer/guitar player who tweeted: “Each month in 2013, I am donating 90% of the revenue of The Voce Project to a different AZ non-profit. Help me… http://fb.me/28FaH9ubV”
Fox 10 storyteller Kristen Keogh tweeted a shoutout to Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park: “We got to see Winter at @wwZooAndAqua so precious!!!”
JUST RANDOM
Anchor of Fox 10 AZ Morning Kristin Anderson tweeted: “It will smell like nacho cheese in my car for a very long time. #hotmess”
Adam Longo of CBS 5 tweeted about a fruit swap: “Picked off the lemon tree in my yard. @HeatherMooreCBS promised a grapefruit trade. You better pay up!”
Diante Garrett of the Suns shared the following: “I like sleeping wit a lot of pillows..”
Johnjay Van Es of the Johnjay and Rich Show: “Dutch ‘Dad! Can u play dodgeball w us?!’ Me ‘yes, In a minute’ Dutch ‘are u done pooping?’ Me: no! Kemp ‘dad are u done pooping? #nopeace”
Bella of Phoenix: “Rolled over on my remote last night, accidentally changed the channel to a Spanish speaking station, and dreamt in Spanish all night!”
Funnyman Stephen Colbert referenced Arizona in a tweet this week with: “The University of Arizona is offering a Minor in Hip-Hop. And if you go on to grad school, you can get your Doctorate in Dre.”
Mike Olbinski of Phoenix, whose Twitter bio reads, “I chase storm. I shoot wedding. I love wife and two kids. Gronk,” tweeted a beauty of a photo: “Amazing sunset tonight as the “arctic blast” moves in. #azwx #vscocam #thebigchillaz
“Arizona IP, Business & Social Media Attorney, Blogger, Co-founder of Improv AZ, Trekkie, Singer, Runner, Insomniac” Ruth Carter asked Phoenix Mayor Stanton a crucial question in this tweet:
“@MayorStanton Will you being joining @ImprovAZ for the 2013 No Pants Light Rail Ride? on.fb.me/VuzXgx”
We don’t know the answer for now but we do know that the mayor did some running (with pants) this week. Mayor Stanton tweeted: “A race to the finish @ #FitPHX kickoff with @Daniel4Phoenix and @mistyhyman It’s time to get #FitPHX!”
(TwitterZona is a column about Arizona tweets from movers and shakers in government, the sports world, newsrooms, public relations, the commentariat, business and enterprise, entertainment, the restaurant and nightlife scene, and arenas in between. Tweet selection is based on whether it is funny, clever, timely, insightful, provocative, sweet, moving, uplifting, or if it was an apt way of commenting on the issue of the moment. It was conceived by and written by Phoenix resident Mike Saucier, @MikeTheSauce, a former newspaper reporter and editor in Massachusetts and New York City and a former spokesman for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the New York City Department of Correction. Email: msaucier@gmail.com)
