Bill Buckmaster, talk show host on KUAT Channel 6, had his final two shows on Friday, December 17. Back on October 4 I reported that Buckmaster had decided to leave Arizona Public Media & KUAT Channel 6, after 23 years there as a talk show host.

Joining him on the final Friday Roundtable were Tucson Weekly’s Investigative reporter Jim Nintzel, Arizona Daily Star’s Opinion Writer Sarah Garrecht Gassen, and Dan Shearer, Editor of the Green Valley News and Sahuarita Sun. Click here for their final episode together discussing the top political and community issues of 2010.

the final Friday Roundtable on KUAT (L to R: Shearer, Gassen, Nintzel, & host Buckmaster)

Prior to the Friday Roundtable this group of journalists interviewed District 4 Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll, who has served in that position since 1997. Carroll answered questions about Pima County finances, Tucson Padres baseball, the 2010 Census & redistricting, the town of Vail, the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, Rosemont Mine, a new sewer plant, Hell’s Angels, and Raytheon. Watch it here.

Buckmaster has joined KJLL “The Jolt” 1330 AM Radio, and will still be concentrating on political issues and interviews of politicians/community leaders. His new one-hour M to F radio show begins 9 a.m. on January 3, 2011, with a re-broadcast at 7 to 8 p.m.

Tucsoncitizen.com Editor Mark Evans also wrote on October 4 about Buckmaster taking his dulcet voice to radio (click here). Evans appeared several times on the Friday Roundtable as well.

Three debates are scheduled between 2 term Democratic CD 8 Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her two challengers, Republican Jesse Kelly (project manager for family contracting business) and Libertarian Dr. Steve Stoltz (an engineer at Raytheon). The events are listed below, followed by the candidates’ campaign websites & photos.

1) AZ-08 General Election Debate hosted by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA) in partnership with KUAT and Cox Communications. Panel of Journalists to question the candidates: Christopher Conover, Arizona Public Media; Dan Shearer, Green Valley News & Sun; Jim Nintzel (Tucson Weekly), and Emily Fritze of ASUA.

Monday, October 18, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.)

University of Arizona – Student Union, 3rd Floor Grand Ballroom, 1303 E. University Blvd.

Arizona Public Media will air the Arizona Congressional District 8 Debate live at 7PM on PBS-HD Channel 6, NPR-KUAZ 89.1FM/1550AM, and online at http://ondemand.azpm.org

2) AZ-08 General Election Debate hosted by the Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, October 20, 5:30 p.m.

Buena High School Performing Arts Center

5225 E. Buena School Road, Sierra Vista, AZ

3) AZ-08 General Election Debate on KUAT’s Arizona Illustrated (www.azpm.org)

Friday, October 22, 6:00 p.m.

The debate will air Friday evening for one hour as part of the regularly scheduled Arizona Illustrated program on KUAT Channel 6.

CAMPAIGN WEBSITES:

Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords (D): www.gabriellegiffords.com

Jesse Kelly (R), www.votejessekelly.com

Dr. Steve Stoltz (L): www.stevestoltzforcongress.com

CD 8 registered voters at time of 8/24/10 primary:
Democrats 139,982, Libertarians 2826, Republicans 157,327, Greens 832, Others 120,772 for a total of 421,739 registered voters. Update of # of voters for General Election not available online from Sec. of State’s website.

CD 8 encompasses all of Cochise county, and parts of Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties (see wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona%27s_8th_congressional_district)

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

Jesse Kelly

Steve Stoltz