BISBEE WIRE #101
- fred
- Oct 10
- 26 min read
editor: fred miller October 10, 2025 #101/October 2025 Hello, Lotsa stuff going on as fall comes tumbling in. The events listed below will give you a idea of the breath of what is happening in our small lil city. KBRP is kicking off our membership fund drive October 26-30 with live music in our lot next to the studio at 400 Arizona. And then for the next five days on the air. We hope you will join us. Many businesses have supported us through donations of gift certificates to be used in a drawing every day for peeps that sign up as members or donate some dough. The Grand Finale drawing will be on Friday/31 9:00 on KBRP weekly magazine show where current members and new members will be all in the mix to have your names drawn. If you choose to look, it is clear that there are attacks on free speech and outlets that promote diverse opinions. Too numerous to mention, the trump administration is going full bore to stifle corporate platforms and public information. While it hasn't hit KBRP yet, it won't be long before the public community supported information stations will be in the cross hairs. We depend on community support, individuals, and a few foundation grants to keep the lights on, the rent paid, the equipment in shape. We are all volunteers with the exception of our part time office manager, the productive and wonderous Liz Vann. We would love to get enough dough to pay her full time so she can assume the title, she already does the work!, of station manager. Need a 5 or 10 grand tax break? We will soon add a new show with Shar Poirer and Robert Cohn, former reporters from the Herald Review. Ms. Poirer and Mr. Cohn, have developed sources through their long journalism career that will result in some interesting programs. Many of you have been with KBRP for the last many years, up and downs, lotsa volunteers and no volunteers. We hope you will stick with us and bring your friends along because we are on the road to become an information station with robust local reporting, public affairs, and tons of local music. All is good here on Hazzard St. Got new shingles put on the roof, the dog needs a bath, Anita continues to improve weekly, the yard looks beautiful, and I continue to appear on Mike Thornton's KBRP magazine on Fridays at 9-11. Give a listen. fred ...............AROUND TOWN................ THE COUNCIL (FYI...The city council meets 1st and 34d Tuesdays at 7:00 at city hall. The agenda and background to agenda items is posted on the city's website on the Thursday prior to the meeting. Here) The residual effects of the visitor center manger quitting continues to reverberate. In an article in the Bisbee Observer last week, Mayor Ken Budge was quoted saying that some contracts signed by the former manager should have come before the council because they were over the $5000 limit that is imposed for purchases. Additionally several invoices were submitted in June (end of the fiscal year) for spends that were several months previous. And there is a $50,000 visitor center budget overrun. City Manager Steve Pauken has been missing in action. Several questions arise as to a lack of public acknowledgment of supervisory control. He has made no public comments, nor was he quoted in this or a previous article. His response at the August /5 council meeting, councilperson Schumacher asked why the billboard fee of over $10K was in accounts payable and hadn't come to council for approval, Pauken said (direct quote): "That's co-op advertising which is under state contract, and state contract pricing is exempt from competitive bidding." That information was not correct. In the light of the revelations, this week's council meeting agenda item 3 was for the council to vote whether the city should negotiate a contract with Bisbee Forward for city tourism marketing. (you can see the discussion here on youtube starting at 13.08) Speaking in favor of the agenda item was Kelly Galligan who spoke about the lack of oversight allowing several payments over $5000 not going to the council. I also spoke inf favor noting that money was available for marketing if a portion of the $400,000 allocated for capital improvement was moved to advertising. Steve Ball of Bisbee Forward gave an updated presentation illustrating the problems with the current marketing and suggesting how Bisbee Forward would proceed to bring people to visit our city. He also introduced an 'Ambassador Program' in which local business could sign up to distribute visitor-related information and become a source for people that are already in town visiting. There would be flags in front of the businesses to indicate they were Ambassadors. And this would be a transition away from a visitor center. That did not sit well with the mayor. There was vigorous discussion with the mayor seemingly suggesting a process that would include another meeting with the council who would give their opinion, and then the city attorney would take that into consideration and draft a contract and maybe it could be done by the next meeting and maybe not. Councilperson Mel Sowid gave an impassioned answer, “We did not know what we were doing. We have a mess here, and now we're not going to obstruct you from finishing and doing this job, Okay? Actually, we repurpose money all the time between (departments),” Sowid said. “There’s no money involved, so there should be no reason for this to be delayed. We did a terrible job. We have a mess. Taxpayer money is gone and here we are trying to question and create obstacles. We don’t have any obstacles.” He urged the council to move forward. There was significant back and forth between Ball and the mayor with Ball urging getting thing moving and sitting down with the attorney and drafting a contract and mayor Budge holding to his views about involving the council first. The agenda item was eventually passed unanimously. After thinking about this a bit, it is clear that working out agreements for city services is not the mayor's job; it is the city manager's responsibility. It is unclear why mayor Budge has taken this on himself. Why doesn't Mr. Pauken sit down with reps from Bisbee Forward and work out a contract that allows control of the money flow to reside with the council, the implementation of a marketing plan with Bisbee Forward, and overall oversight with the council? That is his job. The cumbersome process outlined at the council meeting will not expedite anything. This does not have to be difficult if the mayor would step back and the city manger step up, and let the process move forward. An interesting facebook discussion about the meeting and responses is here xxxxxxxxxxxx In another city of Bisbee issue, the Palestine Committee is requesting a clarification from the city attorney and council for the legal decision to pull an agenda item critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The city attorney cited no legal precedent for the withdrawal of the agenda item. The committee claims, (without knowledge of the actual reason) that the petition did not violate the boycott/divestment law (that prohibits state entities from contracting with companies that boycott Israel) and they cite prior instances of AZ cities passing resolutions of conscience. There has been no response from the city in the past two weeks. ++++++++++ FREE SUBSCRIPTION You can get a free sub to Fourth Estates newsletter. It is one of a number of newsletters that strives to provide background for many of the issues in Arizona. It's solid info based on a reporters' diligence procuring docs through FOIA requests. I asked if they would extend a free trial period to Wire readers, Dillon Rosenblatt,-the main guy, generously has done so. Go to this site; https://fourthestate48.substack.com/bisbeewire 12(6.5%). It will give you a 30-day free trial on an annual subscription ($70/year) — cancel anytime. It's an easy way for you to sample the newsletter and see if it is for you. I've sourced their info (raw docs, summaries, investigations) in previous issues and recently subscribed. ++++++++++ PROWL TAKES A BREAK The Prowl Motorcycle Show has decided to take a break from doing the main event in Bisbee for 2026. According to a fb post they are using this time to rethink, refine and come back stronger. Their goal has always been to celebrate the everyday chopper/vintage motorcycle enthusiast and put the regular rider at the center of the show. There are still plans to throw several Prowl parties throughout AZ in 2026. On facebook, there is significant discussion about the Prowl decision.There have been some prowl goers that have posted critical comments about the city; the city for not working with them or putting obstacles in their way. On the other hand there have been complaints about the event because of failure to keep one lane of traffic open on the gulch, asking residents for an entrance fee as they tried getting to their homes, and noise, lots noise. The mayor has said that all events are treated equally and have to meet certain specified requirements. Their event permit has had unanimous approval by the council each year. Prowl organizers are local people and the event draws riders from throughout Arizona and other states. ++++++++++ HOME TOUR NEEDS YOU! If you'll be in town on Thanksgiving weekend and you're looking to get more connected in the community, the Bisbee Woman's Club is seeking volunteer docents for their annual Home Tour (this year in the Warren area). Docents work a three-hour shift and receive a free ticket ($20 value) good for either day of the tour. Lots more scoop and contact info here Anita and I will be the docent for a house on Black Knob that I used to own and never had the dough nor vision to do what has been done. ++++++++++ READ THE FINE PRINT AT SAFEWAY Safeway's offer of $20 coupon if you get a flu shot is a bait and switch. You have to buy $200 in purchases to get $20 off. Whattadeal! What you get is this: "...10% off on a single grocery purchase of qualifying items up to $200 (up to $20 total value). $40 minimum purchase required. Must provide HIPAA Marketing Consent to confirm eligibility and receive pharmacy rewards. Must have a loyalty account." ++++++++++ FLU AND COVID SHOTS AVAILABLE AT COPPER QUEEN CLINIC First come...Thursday 9-11 and 1-3. (I suggest the afternoon) ++++++++++ OBAMACARE PREMIUM TO INCREASE 40%- REPUBLICANS F U 2 U If not extended, about 400,000 people in Arizona who buy their insurance in the Affordable Care Act marketplace will see premiums rise sharply next year. The subsidies for the Act are due to expire at the end of this year and will not be renewed as part of trump’s Butt Ugly Bill (TBUB). The Urban Institute projects that in 2026, the average premium paid by individuals or households with incomes below 250% of the federal poverty level (250% of the federal poverty level is $39,125 for an individual) would be $919, up from $169. Republicans’ refusal to extend the subsidies and stop cuts to Medicaid is the reason there will be a government shutdown Sept 30. ++++++++++ PLANNED PARENTHOOD TO STOP SERVICES TO ACCESS PATIENTS Arizonans enrolled in AHCCCS, the state’s Medicaid program, will no longer be able to visit their local Planned Parenthood clinic for an STI test or a cancer screening starting October 1. The organization’s decision to stop accepting Medicaid coverage comes as a provision in President Donald Trump’s fiscal plan barring abortion providers from receiving Medicaid funding, for any service not just abortion, goes into effect Wednesday. The prohibition sets a one-year ban on Medicaid funding for any nonprofit health care providers who perform abortions and received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023. (Arizona Mirror 9/30) ++++++++++ NEW HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE A friend is leaving county employment and setting up a lil business. Here is a blurb for her services. "Need a house cleaner, house or animal sitter, yard maintenance? Tired of cleaning your own Airbnb? Sick of looking at your cluttered closet and need help organizing? Need a one-time cleanup after remodel or staging for a home sale? Email chorechamps@yahoo.com for quick turnaround and reasonable rates. Local ladies with references and years of experience." ++++++++++ BISBEE MEDIA MENTIONS Fun weekend https://saddlebagnotes.com/arts-and-leisure/article_4217afbe-eefc-498f-a784-ed793a71e424.html ...........EVENTS............. (compiled from various sources including TWIB) Oct 9-12 …Plein Air Festival. Sign up now! If you see those people sitting outside in front of an easel, it's underway. Each year artists come to paint Old Bisbee and the surrounding area’s historic architecture, sprawling staircases, charming streets, industrial mining remnants, and colorful homes set amidst the scenic Mule Mountains to compete for $800 in prizes. You can sell your pieces too! For more info go here October 11…The American Legion is hosting the 1st Annual Chili Cookoff on October 11th from 5:00 to 7:00. Enter your best Chili for a $5 fee and win bragging rights and $50 if it is voted the best. Come be a judge, sample 10 chili's and cast your vote for $6. Call 520.366.4558 to reserve your entry spot. October 18…‘We Say No Kings’ Big demo in SV, Douglas and Bisbee. More info here, including resources. Sign up here.for SV . October 18…Bisbee 1000, The Great Stair Climb…A 5k that feels like a 10k, more info go here October 18…”The Shoe Must Go On”, Chimeral 27 Gallery, 27 Main, 5-8 pm. Footwear displayed in many medium, experimental music, poetry reading. More info go here October 23…Pie & Sky, Constellations above Bisbee. A monthly meet to gaze at stars with telescopes provided and some astronomy experts to assist. 7-9 pm, 519 W. Melody Lane @ the Library annex. October 24… Art Auction, 5:00 to 7:00 at David Rose’s Lowell Art Garage on Erie St.. Copper Queen Community Hospital Foundation's annual fundraiser. Free. Art from famous artists of Ireland as well as the U.S., and local. Includes oil, watercolor, pen and ink, as well as fiber arts, glass art, and Ironwood carvings. Silent auction. Admission is free, all proceeds go to the hospital. October 25 …B.R.A.T.S. Bisbee Rolling Arts Transport Society Build your own BRAT! One of the most funnest events of the year. More info go here October 26…Live in the Lot, KBRP membership fund drive kickoff. Lotsa music, beverages, and snacks. Help build the station to provide more news and local music to the community. Drawings for gift certs-if you sign up! 400 Arizona Street 3-5 pm. October 27-31 KBRP on air membership fund drive with drawings for gift certificates each day! November 1…Mariachi Festival, more info go here November 7-11…BURNERELLA…more info go here November 7-9…Sidepony Save the date cause music be in the air all over Bisbee. For 14 years it has always been a free gig and one of the best in the west for seeing new bands and old faves. Bands will be announced in the coming weeks. In the past there has been anywhere from 75-100 bands jammin in more than 20 venues in town. Stay tunes and check in periodically. And every year they can use volunteers to help with logistics. To join the team go to the website and click on submissions/volunteers. More info go here November 14…Pit Fire! 2-9 pm at Cochise College. Live music, get a bowl-get some soup, fireworks and more. Free November 15…The First Annual BizBee Adult/Team Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Friends of the Copper Queen Library, for the benefit of free library programming, will take place at Central School Project, 43 Howell Avenue in Old Bisbee. Doors will open at 5:30 for food, beverage, and pre-show entertainment in the Bee-Stro; show starts at 6:30 in the Theater. Admission is $20. Food and beverage tickets will be available at the event. (I’ll be pouring! Come by and knock a greet.) More info go here. For tix go here November 21…ReMake Art show 6-8:30 reception more go info here November 28, 29…Home Tour & Art Auction 10-4. More info go here I very much appreciate people who have supported the Wire with some bucks. Thank you. If you find it useful and would like to donate to offset the cost of news subscriptions, use the QR code for Zelle with my email bisbeewire@gmail.com or send a check made out to fred miller, 39 Hazzard, 85603. Thank you.
..............COCHISE COUNTY............... JAIL DISTRICT ELECTION NOVEMBER 4; VOTE YES…holding my nose Crapola! We need a new jail; prisoners, workers, and visitors have said it really sucks for many reasons: too small, unsafe, leaky, no med ward, too old, bad wiring, and more. The crux of the matter is that the need is very real, no one disputes it. There now is a new election scheduled for November with early voting beginning this week. And… …that is why I will be voting yes, my ballot goes in Monday, and suggest you do too. Procrastination will not help; the supes may or may get better, the next election might be better, and on and on. But... ...the need will not go away, despite the machinations around the formation of a jail district. I've looked away from the legal fighting that has been a diversion in this election and focused on what a new jail actually brings. Safe and secure conditions for the people working there, humane treatment of prisoners, modern communications with the outside, access to the courts, centralized booking, and a location in Bisbee that will ensure that we remain the county seat and that the courts stay here.(Muy importante!) That is what a new jail will bring. and... ...of course my vote is purely selfish. I want good digs when I and many others, are tossed into the hoosegow for poking fun at the bloated, greedy, leering, senescent guy with verbal diarrhea. Just to be clear…. ….in the last aborted election, I urged a No vote because the funding mechanism was discriminatory for low-income people. A sales tax is regressive in that it takes a larger percentage of income from low-income people than from medium and high-income people. According to the 2020 census, 17.1% of Cochise County residents live in poverty. And still… ….that remains a big concern. Then… … two new supes were elected. Fired the former private attorney, hired a new private attorney, and set a new election. It also revealed … …that these supes, like to spend our taxpayer money on lawyers. Almost like alms to those poor private attorneys. But once again… …in the new election, property taxes were excluded from consideration either wholly or partly. I believe that was a mistake stemming from fears that property owners would vote down a jail because it would raise their taxes. It’s true, they would, if had to bear the total cost, but it coulda been structured so that the actual raise would have been modest. Sigh, but I gotta suck it up cause my funding ain't gonna happen. And then… …the whole posse went on the road, holding meetings in almost every community in the county to sell a yes vote on the jail district. They emphasized the tweaks to the last election which are, if passed, the bond issue would not cover daily maintenance, the jail will be built in Bisbee, inactive voters would be included, and drop boxes would be available in addition to mailed ballots. And then... ...a loud voice was heard at the meetings, the guy who successfully sued to stop the election last year, LaChance, who has seemingly reneged on the settlement he signed, and has been bad mouthing the new election urging a no vote. And then… …the supes are mulling whether to sue LaChance, who, in all fairness, seems to be a dogmatic know-it-all, pro hand count, agitator… And then… …the election began (early votes to military), ...and then... ....two people sued to stop the elections. and the latest... ...the supes are now threatening to sue the two that are suing them and the county to stop the election. The complainers pose two complaint about two issues that have already been legally decided; the requirements for petitions to be gathered hold the election (part of a settlement when the previous election was voided, which stated that petitions were not needed), and that 60% of voters are needed to pass a tax. (A judge already decided that it did not apply to special districts such as schools or jails; the law pertained to statewide elections put on the ballot by the lege.) So, there is that which led to… …Another private attorney hired at more cost to the taxpayers to apparently quash the two people suing to stop the election. The guy is “a heavy hitter” according to news releases. Oh boy. And that… …is where it stands yesterday. But today/Friday/10/10... ...the men filed a motion for dismissal with prejudice (cannot be refiled) this morning. ...But then... ....The judge dismissed the lawsuit Friday afternoon so no suit. Seems like the election will go on. Regardless however … ....there will be people of goodwill who disagree about the election citing all the noise around it, the questionable spends from the already accumulated funds, the almost daily activity of the supes , or the antics of the anti-jail/hand count every ballot/unable to abide by court decisions agitators, or all those attorneys paid by taxpayers.… …But after much is said but not done, it remains, at base, a new jail is badly needed to protect workers, prisoners, visitors... ...And that is why I am voting YES. ......... THESE POINTS HAVE BEEN RAISED AGAINST THE JAIL DISTRICT Ali Morse, an ardent county watchdog, is voting against tthe jail district.These are some of her reasons. Read your jail tax phamphlet.... Five arguments AGAINST the jail tax, three of which were written by the aforementioned plaintiffs (LaChance, Groover, and Dickinson), are included in the publicity pamphlet about the upcoming election that was mailed to you (pages 17-19). Note that there are only two arguments FOR the jail tax—one from Sheriff Mark Dannels and the other from Board Chair Frank Antenori. No other voters appear to be in favor of the renewed tax except these two. The new board has not spent any jail tax revenue, however: 1) They have already paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars to Chinn Planning and consultant Phil Bourdon since January of this year. 2) They also approved a contract for $385,000 with Vanir Construction in August, well after the tax was terminated and the revenue was supposed to be sequestered and held by the county treasurer. All of these monies were spent by the current board without knowing the outcome of this upcoming election—whether the public would actually approve the jail tax again or not. Increased sales tax is unfair to low-income households that struggle with high inflationary costs of food, gas, housing, and non-food items. Douglas already pays 9.9% which goes up to 10.4% with the proposed .5% jail district tax. Higher sales tax drives high-ticket purchases (passenger vehicles, tractors, RVs, etc) out of Cochise County. This is particularly harmful to dealerships in Sierra Vista, not far from the competitive Tucson market. Since two-thirds of inmates have mental health and/or substance abuse problems, more resources would be better directed towards prevention and recovery services.……….... VOTING INFORMATION Cochise County is providing the following information and resources for voters ahead of the Tuesday, November 4 Election. In-Person Early Voting • Started on Wednesday, October 8, until October 31. • Primary location & hours: Cochise County Recorder’s Office, 1415 Melody Lane, Building B, Bisbee, AZ 85603, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday–Friday. • Saturday early voting: October 11 and October 18 at two locations: o Cochise County Recorder’s Office (address above), and o Sierra Vista Foothills Service Center, 4001 E. Foothills Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 • Any registered voter can vote early between these dates. Please bring valid identification. Early Ballots by Mail • Voters on the Active Early Voter List (AEVL) had ballots mailed on October 8. Voter Tools & Registration Status • Check your registration status and access statewide voter tools at: https://my.arizona.vote/ Ballot Tracking (BallotTrax) • Arizona voters may sign up for BallotTrax, a notification service from the Arizona Secretary of State that provides updates on the location and status of your ballot. Register here: https://trackmyballot.azsos.gov/voter ++++++++++ SUPE CROSBY GOES TO TRIAL OCTOBER 30 MAYBE…. Cochise County Supervisor Tom Crosby is scheduled to stand trial on two Class 5 felony charges related to election interference, starting Oct. 30 with Judge Suzanne Marwil in Maricopa County Superior Court. Crosby's trial is slated to run through Nov. 13, according to a court order issued last Monday morning. Ten jurors will be initially empaneled but only eight will take part in deliberations. (It was also confirmed during the hearing that if Crosby were amenable to a plea deal to avoid trial, then the Arizona Attorney General's Office would agree to nothing lower than an undesignated Class 6 felony. A felony conviction would effectively force him from office.) However, his attorney has asked the judge for a continuance because of his medical condition, an inguinal hernia. That request has not been decided. Crosby’s legal strategy continues to be throwing cow pies at the court to see if any stick. So far no dice and his hands are stanky. On Friday 10/3, five motions were rejected by judge Marwil. All pertained to limiting evidence or expert witnesses. Crosby wanted Lisa Marr former CC elections officer, now the state election director, Kori Lorick, the former state elections director, as well as a special investigator struck from the witness list. The AG’s office attorney made a successful argument to the judge that these people were doing their job and were not expert at all. They were needed to talk about the context of which Crosby committed the felonies. Go here for the Herald Review article. And here ++++++++++S SUPE ANTENORI REVEALS HIS BIGOTRY Anne Borowiec, a local attorney, was appointed to be new full-time superior court judge pro tempore this week by a 2-1 vote of the county supes. In the run-up to her appointment, supe Antenori fulminated about how her appointment would go against his fundamental principles as her and her firm are democrats! Not the first time has he whined about democrats, a couple days earlier he accused AG Mayes of declaring war on the county and attacking other county officials -a thinly veiled reference to supe Crosby who the AG charged with two felonies. Clearly, supe Antenori has forgotten that he represents some 35-40,000 residents of his district, not just the narrow minded bigots who share his views. (Bigot: a person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic toward a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group) INFLATION WATCH...PRICES UP, CONTENTS DOWN There are signs that lower and middle-income households are feeling most of the burden of rising price pressures, according to a monthly survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Expectations for consumer price increases one year ahead jumped to 3.4% in September from 3.2% in the prior month. The increase was most significant for households earning less than $50,000, and for consumers with at most a high school education. (Bloomberg) ………. PACKAGE CONTENTS DECREASE Food conglomerates alarmed at the rise in obesity are doing their part by shrinking the contents of their products, so consumers don’t eat as much. Those health-conscious corporations, Rigggghtt. In addition to food rising 2.7% over the same time last year, to keep their profit margins, several food conglomerates are shrinking what is in the same size packaging but keeping the price the same. Some examples:
........ 29% That’s the proportion of borrowers—or 5.4 million people—who were delinquent on their student loans in June, meaning they haven’t made a payment in 90 days or more. The number is near a high, as most borrowers say they prioritize their mortgage and auto payments before their student loans. Bloomberg ....... CREDIT CARD DEBT In the second quarter of 2025, the serious delinquency rate (90+ days past due) for credit card debt was largely stable, holding at 6.93%—a slight decrease from 7.18% in the second quarter of 2024. Other data show a 30-day-plus delinquency rate of 3.05% for all commercial banks, unchanged from the previous quarter. However, some data from the first quarter of 2025 did show credit card delinquency reaching a historic high for the previous 12 years. ++++++++++ ................ PRICE INCREASES FROM AUGUST 2024 TO AUGUST 2025 (Consumer Price Index) Grocery Roasted coffee +21.7% Raw Beef Steaks +16.6% Eggs +10.9% Apples + 9.6% Candy/gum +8.1% Bacon +7.2% Frozen juices +7.1% Frozen fish/seafood +6.7% Bananas +6.6% Non-Food Auto repair +15% Audi equipment +12.2% College textbooks +12.2% Furniture +9.5% Delivery services +8.2% Cigarettes +7.7% Jewelry +6.9% Vet services +6.4% Tax return prep +6.4% Females dresses +6.2% Tampons +10% Used cars +6.% Hardware, tools +5.8% ................EVERYTHING ELSE................ ARIZONA HAS FILED 26 LAWSUITS AGAINST THE trump ADMINISTRATION "... because of the work of Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat elected in 2022 who has said she will stand up to Trump when he oversteps his authority. Mayes and her fellow Democratic prosecutors around the nation have become their party's primary check on what they see as a president that is a threat to democracy." Excerpted from an article here ++++++++++S THE ARTIST’S RESISTANCE….A TOUCHING STATUE DISPLAY A statue of President Trump skipping hand-in-hand with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has returned to D.C.'s National Mall, over a week after it was abruptly removed in the pre-dawn hours. “In honor of friendship month, we celebrate the long-standing bond between President Donald J. Trump and his closest friend Jeffrey Epstein,” reads a plaque on the base of the sculpture, which is titled Best Friends Forever, which for one day stood across the street from the Capitol Building, overlooking the lawn of the National Mall. The re-installed statue, in the same place, has been renamed to Why Can’t We Be Friends? by the group called The Secret Handshake. They have been responsible for two other statues installed on the Mall. The 12-foot-high sculpture depicting U.S. president and convicted sexual abuser Donald Trump, skipping and holding hands with his late friend, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, disappeared from the National Mall in Washington, D.C., less than 24 hours after installation. And then it was patched up and re-installed less than a week later and will remain until Oct. 6, according to a new permit.
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ARIZONA SCHOOLS LAST IN EVERYTHING
“The Grand Canyon State was ranked dead last for public school funding, 49th for student performance and 47th for school safety. The state’s colleges and universities fared comparatively better, ranking 35th in the nation. Contributing to Arizona’s poor rankings were its crowded classrooms, with an average student to teacher ratio of 23-to-1, along with its worst-in-the-nation 78% high school graduation rate.”
The article went on to talk about the impact of ESA voucher program, now around $1 billion.
Go here for the entire article in the Arizona Mirror.
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VOODOO SCIENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Trumpie recently announced his medical diagnosis about autism.
He spoke at length about how Tylenol is a possible cause of autism and that pregnant women shouldn’t take it. Of course there was inadequate and spurious research to back the contention.
(Unfortunately he didn’t mention his own sad situation that diet coke causes verbal diarrhea.)
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ESA VOUCHERS....WHERE YOUR BUCKS GO
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RESOURCES
Another resource is Postcards to Voters (postcardstovoters.org). PtV postcards are cheaper to mail than letters, and it is structured in the sense that they give you a set message (3 sentences) to write based upon what the individual campaign approves as the message. No hard thinking about what to write but you can get quite creative with format and color on your cards! Campaigns must contact the founder (Tony the Democrat) to participate, and Tony/PtV org. has lists of addresses of Dem affiliated voters to which one can write for a variety of national, state, and local elections. It's a "get out the vote" effort to already registered Democrats. Go to the PtV website to sign up. (A nod to JD for this blurb)
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VOTER REGISTRATION STATS; DEMS TRAIL REPUBS & INDIES
The recently elected chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, Charlene Fernandez and the chair of the Cochise County Democratic Party has their work cut out for them. Although this is an odd off year, with a couple of significant elections (CD-7 & jail district) these registration stats are dismal news for them. Repubs continue to have a significant advantage overall. However, voters continue to flee both parties with increases in independent registrations, statewide, as well as not renewing registrations at all.
In Congressional District 7, (includes Bisbee and along the border past Yuma and catches bit of six counties) there has been a loss of 4000+ registered voters since the first of the year.
In Congressional District 6, (includes some of Pima, most of Cochise, and bits of 3 other counties) there has been a loss of about 600+ voters.
Statewide, as of July 2025 there were a total of 4,470,621 voters registered.
Dems… 1,270,307 28.41% loss -188,09 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Repubs…1,597,705 35.74% loss -5.704 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Indepnd…1,525,855 34.13%gain +26,847 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
No Labels…39,804 0.78%
Libertarian…31,905 0.71%
Green…5,045 0.11%
In Cochise County, as of July 2025 there were a total of 82,763 voters registered.
Dems… 18,873 22.8% loss of -262 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Repubs…33,442 40.4% gain +30 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Indepnt …28,924 34.9% gain +25 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
No Labels…682 0.82% gain +155 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Libertarian…660 0.79% gain +15 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Green…91 0.10% gain +2 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
In CD-7 as of July 1 2025 there was a total of 439,596 registered voters in the district.
Dems…174,992 39.8% loss -3191 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Repub…91,979, 20.9% loss -975 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Independ…166,373 37.8% gain +1973 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
No Labels…3,995 0.9% gain +582 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Libertarian… 2969 0.67% gain +77 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Green…726 0.1% gain +35 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
In CD-6 as of July 1 2025 there was a total of 553,178 total registered.
Dems…165,346 29.8%% loss -1794 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Repub…198,378 35.8% loss-596 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Independent…180,624 32.6% gain +2314 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
No Labels…4,160 0.75% gain +498 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Libertarian…3,967 0.71% gain +53 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
Green…703 0.12% gain +49 voters from 1/1/25 to 7/1/25
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ARE IMMIGRANTS ELIGIBLE FOR GOV ASSISTANCE
Mostly not unless they they have a green card. Tell and show this chart to those stoopid repugnicans talking about why they shut down the government putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of losing much.
.............. WORD...............
This series of articles talks about how the written word is written with an implement. It excludes keyboards.
Although many of us, including me, do most of our writing on computer keyboards, or if luddite inclined, typewriters, most of us, including me, use pens, pencils, and erasers occasionally during the day. This deep dive on pens, pencils, and erasers can add to your moments of quiet aesthetic satisfaction of doing a task with a tool that feels just right.
THE PAPERMATE INVESTIGATION
This investigation into Papermate pens, once a favorite, now not so much, was instigated by Ralph Nader, who thought that the Papermate pen he had used for years had been drying out and the quality had diminished. The article is a deep dive into the mechanics of ink pens, including the fill capacity, a paper’s absorbency, the change in plastic manufacturing, and how that affected the efficacy of pens. Basically, A history of manufacturing changes. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/ralph-nader-pens-drying-out/
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A SHORT HISTORY OF ERASERS
Erasers drying out? Not erasing? Leaving smudges? This article has the reasons. Just for your info, rubber is no longer used in pencil erasers! And a tip; don’t leave your pencils in the sun! Go here for everything you didn’t know about erasers/pencils. And the bonus of what are the best pencils.
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THE BEST BALL POINT PENS
I like the feel of a pen in my fingers, the glide across the paper, the no-smudge ink and the intrinsic satisfaction of using an instrument that feels good in use. This article on pens may be just what you need to get that small satisfaction that brightens your day.
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PICKING ON OLD PEOPLE
(groaners)
"If you want to know how old a woman is, ask her sister-in-law." (Eva Gabor)
"Old age comes at a bad time." (Ed Sullivan)
"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened." (Stevie Wonder)
"Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Once you are aboard, there is nothing you can do about it." (Golda Meir)
"The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened. (Mark Twain)
"I'm at that age where my back goes out more than I do." (Phyllis Diller)
"Nice to be here? At my age, it's nice to be anywhere." (George Burns)
"First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up; then, you forget to pull your zipper down." (Rob Reiner)
"Old people shouldn't eat healthy foods. They need all the preservatives they can get" (Bob Hope)
"It's like you trade the virility of the body for the agility of the spirit." (Ed Sullivan)
"The years between 55 and 75 are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down." (T.S Elliot)
"At age 20, we worry about what others think of us.. at age 40, we don't care what they think of us... at age 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of us at all." (Ann Landers)
"The important thing to remember is that I'm probably going to forget." (Martin Scorsese)
"The older I get, the better I used to be." (Lee Trevino)
"Everything seems to slow down with age, except the time it takes cake and ice cream to reach your hips." (Elizabeth Taylor)
"You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks." (Dennis Quaid)
"Looking fifty is great — if you're sixty." (Joan Rivers)
"Time may be a great Healer, but it's a lousy Beautician." (Zsa Zsa Gabor)
“Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, totally used up and worn out, shouting 'Man, what a ride!' " (Hunter Thompson)