Speaking Out

A couple blurbs o' information this week ...

· Welcome to our fifth annual Rant Issue! We sincerely hope you enjoy what may be the final incarnation of The Rant Issue; check it out.

Last year, as you may recall, we invited readers to write in with their rants, and we included a select number of those in the issue. This year, we didn't do that; instead, we're offering you a chance to rant on our blog. If you have a pet peeve, something that gets your goat or are just generally cranky, log on to blog.tucsonweekly.com--and rant away!

· For those of you still interested in the proposed mine in the Santa Ritas (and I would hope that's all of you): This Saturday, Feb. 24, Rep. Raúl Grijalva will hold a congressional field hearing. "Our National Forests at Risk: The 1872 Mining Law and Its Impact on Arizona's Santa Rita Mountains" will start at 10 a.m. in the Pima County Board of Supervisors hearing room at 130 W. Congress St.

Word on the street is that Augusta Resource Corporation and other interests will have loads of people present to speak out in favor of the mine. If you want to speak out on behalf of the environment, we encourage you to show up early--at 9 a.m. or before--to get a seat.

Remember, just because Pima County officially objected to the proposed Rosemont Valley mine, it does not mean the proposal's dead; far from it. It's up to the feds to decide whether the mine will ultimately happen or not.