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Nastassja Bolivar of Nicaragua won the last season of Univision's "Nuestra Belleza Latina."

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Calling all hot Latina chicas.

Univision Network is heading to Phoenix for its nationwide open auditions tour for the upcoming season of "Nuestra Belleza Latina," a reality show/beauty competition.

The open casting call is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday (January 28) at La Curacao, 7815 W. Thomas Road.

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Image: Jamie Peachey

Christopher Quaratino, a member of the Lutz family that got chased out a creepy-looking house in Amityville, New York 25 years ago, will read a spooky story during a live Web cast at 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 30.

​Christopher Quaratino, who was 7 when he lived in the home made famous by his parents' stories of a demonic haunting, has a spooky story to share.

We profiled the 43-year-old Phoenix man in this week's edition of New Times and mentioned his plans to tell the story in a live Webcast at 6 p.m. this Sunday. What our article didn't say is that Quaratino told us his story after we promised not to be spoilers and reveal it before he did. Since we're one of the biggest skeptics on the planet, we're not about to endorse the truth of his tale -- though Quaratino says it's based on actual, recent events in his life that involve the paranormal.

But we can tell you truthfully that we found his macabre story entertaining. Whether it's worth the five bucks he's charging -- well, he promises it'll be "creepy or your money back."

As our article on him this week described, Quaratino downplays the Amityville story told in the books and movies, yet maintains a quiet intensity about the supernatural, and how he thinks it's affected him. The air-conditioner repairman has spent nearly his whole life under the shadow of a haunted-house story he didn't create and never appreciated.

Now he's trying to get out his version of the "truth" of the matter, and hopes to complete a book or movie in the near future.

Here are a few other "A-H" tidbits on our mind today:

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Jackie Kallen and Michelle Rosado sit ringside during Friday Night Fights II.

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Michelle Rosado pulled off another successful boxing bash Friday with an action-packed card that included local super-bantam-weights Alexis "Beaver" Santiago and Emilio "Milo-Time" Colon-Garcia.

The fighters added victories to their records, and it was a needed win for Santiago, who'd lost against Randy "El Matador" Caballero (12-0, 7 KOs) earlier this month in Indio, California.

Jackie Kallen, the famed first lady of boxing, was sitting ringside with Rosado as amateur and professional boxers entered the ring at Madison Events Center during Friday Night Fights II.

The fighters certainly kept the audience on their toes.

"She's a good girl and I'm going to help her as much as I can," Kallen tells New Times about Rosado. "It's an honor that she wants to follow in my footsteps. I'm going to guide her every step of the way. She reminds me of me 30 years ago."

Rosado, one of a few female boxing promoters across the country, is president of Face to Face Events. Read more about her story in New Times' "Raging Babe."

www.cfactcampus.org

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Phoenix New Times walked away with 14 first-place awards last night at the state Press Club's 2010 Best Journalism in Arizona contest -- including for the paper's comprehensive national immigration series, "Amongst U.S."

Overall, the newspaper received 40 awards for work during 2010.

Sarah Fenske, a former New Times staff writer and columnist who now is managing editor of this publication's sister paper in St. Louis, was named first-runner-up for the Virg Hill Journalist of the Year Award, and New Times art director Peter Storch was first-runner-up for Designer of the Year.

"Tater Tot"

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Storch also won a first place in Cover Design, sharing the honor with  assistant art director John Walters and photographer Jamie Peachey, for work on "Tater Tot," the cover image for a feature on now-Congressman Ben Quayle. The judge said: "The image says it all. Love the restraint here. Not that many publications have that kind of discipline."

Storch and Walters also won a second place in the category for "This Bud's for You" for a feature about medical marijuana.

Fenske came in second for the  Don Schellie Award for Column Writing and third for the Don Bolles Award for Investigative Reporting for her piece, "Mr. Big Stuff," about the nepotism, cronyism, and turmoil in the Maricopa County Housing Authority.

Michael Lacey, Monica Alonzo, and Stephen Lemons won first place in the Project, Explanatory Writing and Public Service Journalism category for the series examining the U.S. government's failed immigration policy and what it has wrought. 

"A deeply sourced series that tells the stories of what happens to Latino immigrants in America and those trying to come here," the judges wrote. "The strength of this undertaking is its humanity - this is no retelling of events based on official records. These reporters are at the border, in Mexico, in the courtroom, in jail, in the health center, in people's homes. These stories paint a picture that is compelling, heartbreaking, infuriating - and all too real."

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Got the hots for hot-rods and low-riders? Then you may want to put the Peoria Fire Department's "Fire It Up" car show on your list for next weekend.

Vehicle enthusiast and firefighter Mark Barbee hosts the event this Sunday, April 19, at the Peoria Sports Complex (see press release below). The show comes up a couple times a year to raise money for the Peoria Firefighter's Charities, a group that has it's heart in the right spot (even if it's apostrophe isn't).

We convinced Barbee to send these shots from the last show:

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The producers of "Supernanny" and "It's Me or the Dog" are looking for a few bad teens to star in an upcoming reality show in which kids trade in their parents for "The World's Strictest Parents."

If you hear the call of show biz, strut on down to the Desert Ridge Marketplace, 21001 North Tatum Boulevard, this Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the open casting call.

Sounding somewhat reminiscent of "Wife Swap," the show -- if the name is any indication -- intends to pit off-the-wall teens against a regiment of control freaks. A Business Journal press release rehash says this morning the producers want to find:

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When he's not voting for public art or voting against a recommendation to make horse-tripping illegal, Claude Mattox likes to jam out with his classic rock band, the Screamin' Javelinas.

The Phoenix City Councilman has been playing at city and charity events for the last few years, and his band is scheduled to perform at the city's light rail opening party this coming Saturday afternoon from 12:30 to 2:30 at the Montebello and 19th Avenue station, near Christown Spectrum Mall.

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By Clay McNear

Before we look forward, a quick look back . . .

ASU vs. Stanford in Tempe, September 6

This game was supposed to be a lot closer than the end result, a 41-17 thumping of the Cardinal by senior QB Rudy Carpenter (pictured) and crew. After years of being the Pac-10’s dead bird, Jim Harbaugh’s Big Red Bird is purportedly on the rise, and a Week One win over Oregon State had a lot of prognosticators thinking . . . well, suffice to say they’re not thinking that so much anymore, certainly not with SU due to pay a not-in-my-house call on a tough Texas Christian University team on Saturday the 13th.

On ASU’s side of the ball, every non-deluded Sun Devil fan was way leery of the Stanford game. Despite being in Coach Dennis Erickson’s second year – historically, his teams have kicked major posterior in Year Two – the Devils kinda sorta stunk up the joint in their season debut against Northern Arizona. Stanford? Christ, those brainiacs beat USC and Cal last year. A fumble here, a silly bounce there, and 2-0/1-0 ASU’s suddenly looking at 1-1/0-1, with the sole W being a semi-shaky W over the big-whoopin’-deal NAU Lumberjacks.

Was Stanford not quite as good as billed, or is ASU better?

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By Jonathan McNamara

Friday: Gunnin' for that #1 Spot
Director Adam Yauch's documentary about NYC's Rucker Park hits theaters this weekend. See local b-ball hero Jerryd Bayless and seven other players looking for a shot at the NBA go head-to-head in a dramatic basketball showdown.

For more information, read "Baseline Killers" by Jay Bennett.

Saturday: Heaven and Hell Backyard Wrestling Presents Red, White and Pain

Assuming you're not already headed off to the Can't Stop the Serenity showings at Chandler Cinemas, you may want to take in some backyard wrestling. Nothing says summer fun like an old-fashioned beat down. Be sure to bring your own chair. You never know when you might need to clock someone.

For more information, read "Rabid Test" by Benjamin Leatherman.

Sunday: Asses of Evil at Cell Block Venue

Celebrate the lord's day with a gutter punk throw down courtesy of local thrash-masters Asses of Evil. Don't forget to be careful when you're attaching the safety pins to your ripped up jacket. Yipe!

For more information, read "Hard, Fast, Raw and Obnoxious..." by Niki D'Andrea

Did you forget? The official day of appreciation for the man who gave you life is a mere two days away. Show him you love him by taking him to one of these father-friendly events this weekend.

Zap! Vintage Video Games

X-boxes are for cowards. Sixteen buttons? I only need one. Show your gaming prowess at Zap! Vintage Video Games. This exhibit of playable classic arcade gaming is sure to get your Father's day weekend off to a good start. If nothing else, we're betting Pops has a story or two about his electronic achievements he's love to share. Did I ever tell you about the time I beat Pong, son?

Zap! Vintage Video Games opens Saturday June 14 at the McCullough-Price House in Chandler and will run through September 6. The exhibit is closed on Mondays.

For more information about Zap! Vintage Video Games, read "Remembering Dig Dug by Julie Peterson.

Phoenix ConGames 2008

If you've never forgiven dear-old Dad for rubbing all those board game victories in your face this weekend is your chance to seek revenge. Phoenix ConGames 2008 has a hotel's worth of various kinds of gaming. From table top, miniature-based exercises in combat to a costumed Texas Hold 'em tourney there's bound to be something you can play that'll give you the chance to kick your dad's ass.

Phoenix ConGames actually opened yesterday and will run through this Sunday at the Mesa Convention Center.

For more information about Phoenix ConGames read Final Fantasy by Jose Gonzalez.

Sevendust at The Marquee

So Dad's a music lover is he? Fulfill his every head-banging, horns-raising wish this weekend as Sevendust rocks the Marquee tonight. Digital Summer will be opening up the show. No, snatching a Digital Summer sticker and handing it to your Dad does not qualify as a good Father's Day gift.

Check the event write-up for more information.