One of the greatest challenges Tucsonans face each winter and late summer:  Potholes.

The moment it rains it seems the potholes breed like rabbits.  They are everywhere.

We've all had that moment.  You're driving down your favorite street and WHAM!  It feels like you've hit a brick wall.  I actually blew a tire hitting one a few years ago at Navajo and Oracle and I was only driving 25 miles per hour.  More recently I hit a smaller one on Roger a block west of Campbell.  I still had that "Holy crap! What did I just do to my car?" feeling.

I've always wondered what to do when I spot one.  I ran across a phone number for the Tucson Department of Transportation where they take "pothole reports".  (520) 791-3154.  You have to call during business hours though.  Apparently no one wants to take a pothole report in the middle of the night.

Here's what you may not know:  It is possible if your car is damaged by hitting a pothole to get compensated from the city of Tucson.  But there's a catch:  The pothole must have been reported to the city and city crews must fail to fix it within two weeks of when it is initially reported.  If your car was damaged from hitting a pothole you can call (520) 791-4728 (the Tucson Risk Management Division of the Tucson Finance Department).  They'll let you know within four weeks if taxpayers will be paying for your car's damage.

Pot-holy crap!

Arizona is a fantastic place to live.  Our fair state has one of the fastest growing populations in America.  I think AZ is number one for a number of reasons.

Unfortunately, we're #1 for something that isn't so cool:  Identity theft.

Arizona is #1 for identity theft for the fourth straight year.  That's quite a streak.

This hasn't seemed to ignited the masses.  When Arizona won the men's basketball national championship in 1997 to become #1 there was rioting on 4th Avenue.  And that was only one in a row.  We are #1 for identity theft for four years in a row and there hasn't even been a parade or cake or anything.

A collective goal we can have as a state in 2008 is to be #1 in something else besides identity theft.  Like lottery winners.  We can all appreciate an effort to be #1 for that!

I'm feeling sad for Lute and Christine Olson.

Lute is one of Tucson's most famous citizens.  He's been the head coach of one of America's most successful men's college basketball teams for years.  There are people that would probably like to know often he urinates.  That's how big of a celebrity he is.

Late in 2007 he took time off of his job as Arizona men's basketball coach to deal with his personal life.  Everybody in Tucson wanted to know what was going on.  The university was kind and let him have the time off and didn't disclose much of anything except that it was for a "personal matter".

Then.... (start playing the theme from "2000 A Space Odyssey")... the news broke of divorce papers filed.  He wanted to get a divorce from wife Christine.  We all learned of what potentially was the "personal matter".

I'm probably not telling you something you don't already know.  But this is new:  Friday Christine filed a response.  She thinks the marriage is salvagable.  She has asked the judge to stay the divorce or transfer it to conciliation court.  And for the court to review the enforceability of their prenuptual agreement.

Is this my business or anyone else's for that matter?  When you are a celebrity of the stature of Lute Olson it becomes everyone's business.  Just ask Britney Spears!  Unfortunately, in Lute and Christine's case they are nice people who are having relationship problems like many of us have.  The fact that it has a public side to it doesn't help.

Best wishes to both of them.

It's exciting when Tucson makes worldwide news.  Our incredible city should be in the spotlight every day.  Although there are exceptions.

This falls in the exception category:

Kumari Fulbright was crowned Miss Pima County 2005, Miss Desert 2006, and was a U of A law student working for U.S. District Court Judge Raner Collins as a law clerk.  She sounds like a star, right?

Kumari, a proud Tucsonan, did something stupid. 

Kumari and three men tied up a 24 year old man (apparently an ex-boyfriend) when they used plastic cable ties and duct tape on him on December 8.  They kidnapped him and held him against his will at two places on the northside and midtown. The four suspects threatened the guy’s life, intimidated him with pistols and stole his wallet, cell phone, briefcase, and about $600.

(Terrible dye job by the way!)

Kumari apparently bit him with her teeth, scared him with a butcher knife and threatened to kill him. The drama eventually ended when the guy took away Kumari’s gun and it fired. He then ran out of the house and screamed for help.  Later Tucson Police checked his injuries and ended up believing his story and she was arrested soon after along with the three idiot guys who helped her.

This picture is when Kumari was at her best as a beauty queen:

And here's is Kumari's mugshot (which has been EVERYWHERE the last few weeks):

I vote that we get a new face of Tucson in the news.  Anyone with me?

If you want to vote in the Arizona primary election on February 5 today is the last day you can register to vote.

Here's where you can go online to register:

www.servicearizona.com  --  As of 3 p.m. this afternoon word is the site is working but it's slow due to high traffic.  Hopefully if you are going to register while you're at work you can multitask or just be a little patient.

You can also download a voter registration form at http://www.azsos.gov/election/forms/VoterRegistrationForm.pdf and mail it.  You have to fill it out, sign it, and mail it today and it will make the voter registration cutoff.

You can also pick up forms at the Pima county recorder's office, a library near you, a DMV office near you, Tucson city and town hall offices and the Tucson City Council ward offices.

One thing to note:  If you have previously registered as an Independent you won't get to vote in the Arizona Primary Election.  You have to designate being a Republican or Democrat in Arizona to vote in the Primary.  So if you want to support a candidate in the Primary you might want to reregister today so you can make your voice heard!

Today is one of those days where I realize why living in Southern Arizona is hard to beat.

I'm a cold weather wimp.

The temperature is in the 50's and I came to work today wearing a heavy leather jacket, gloves, warm beanie cap, and sweater.  People in the midwest, north, and east would probably laugh at me.  A record breaking warm January day there probably equals a cold day here.

I'm realizing that if I ever did consider moving from Tucson I'd end up being picky.  I can't imagine living in a city like Chicago now.  I'd have to bundle up like the youngest son on "A Christmas Story" just to go outside.

I already can't wait until summer!

I'm worried about having enough to eat when I'm on the west side.

I was driving through the intersection of River & Oracle over the weekend and noticed that TGI Friday's was permanently closed.  The signs have been removed from the outside of the building and it's now dark.  I've hung out there on many occasions and I'm disappointed it's no longer open.

I'm still getting over the loss of Krispy Kreme Donuts at Oracle and Auto Mall Drive (although Chick-Fil-A's opening does soften that a bit).  Baggin's on Oracle a block south of Roger closed last fall (I spent a lot of money there too) and you could have knocked me over with a feather when Whataburger at Oracle & Roger closed late last summer.  It was open 24 hours and a Whataburger at 3 a.m. was the best ever.  Bistro Zin at Campbell & River closed last fall as well (which had some of the best desserts ever) although they have reopened as Zin Burger.

I live in that area and am now hoping that equal or better replacements are coming in the future.