BISBEE WIRE #112/Amy for Mayor/Obfuscation/lingering stank/houses sold/buildings not sold/primaries/events/word/and lots more
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- 23 min read
editor: fred miller May 31 ,2026 #112/May 2026 |
Hello, I've detailed some things that are going on you should know about. And yeah, I know this stuff is detailed and sometimes confusing and sometimes boring to even those of us who follow city affairs closely but the bottom line is that there has to be accurate information relayed promptly and transparently to the public in order that we understand what the administration and the council are doing, as well as an opportunity to speak our opinions in some kind of forum where we get more than 3 minutes to comment. We need to know if they are spending out money wisely, before it is spent. And that is not happening. Proposals to treat the bed tax as a slush fund rather than for marketing, continue to pop up with the latest-moving $100,000 of bed tax money out of the capital improvement fund to give to Bisbee Bikeways. The money generated by overnight visitors, i.e. the bed tax, had been taken and put in a 'visitor center capital improvement fund'. The total sum for this fiscal year was supposed to be $400,000, in $33,333 increments every month. Some of it, about $160,000 I think, was returned to the general fund because of a mistake in allocation. One would think that by the end of June there would be about $240k in the visitor center capital improvement fund'. But now there is no longer a visitor center capital improvement fund in the budget but there is a contribution to the capital improvement fund from the bed tax. Of $108k. Where is the dough? It really seems like the shell game or three card monte. It's a raid on the bed tax monies. I went to the last council meeting hopeful that finally discussions about marketing, tourism, bed tax could finally be resolved and the city could move forward. Silly me. A resolution put forth by councilpersons Karen Schumacher and Mel Sowid that transferred the money that was taken from the bed tax and put in a 'visitor center capital improvement' fund, be returned to the bed tax fund. Instead of being a straight-forward discussion and then a vote to transfer the approximately $140k+, it became a mind-boggling discussion of using that money to fund a $1 million shortfall in the Bisbee Bikeways project. The resolution failed and the money would stay in the now disappeared visitor center capital improvement fund. But wait! Here it pops up on Tuesday's 6/2 agenda #11 Discussion and Possible Approval of Resolution R-26-17; Authorizing the use and transfer of funds in the amount of $100,000.00 from Capital Improvement, originally Bed Tax funds, to be used for the Shared Use Path Lavender Pit East Segment, if necessary. Voters approved two different ballot measures in the past decade that specified the bed tax money be used for marketing to increase overnight visitation. Very specific. In fact here is the wording of the 2020 ballot measure that passed by 500 votes, about 53% of votes cast:
The mayor and council cannot use that money for anything else. By law. And yet there they are, blithely going to vote on moving that money to another project only tangentially related to tourism. Councilpersons Cline, Skinner, Damon, Reynolds (who has resigned), and the mayor, seemed to think this was a pot of money that could be used if they just slapped a 'tourism' label on it as councilperson Sowid mentioned. And the city attorney in the last meeting wrongly stated that it can be used for many different things. Nope. Not when the voters speak about how money is mandated to be used. What is most worrisome is that the council in their votes and discussion are leaving the City exposed to a slam dunk lawsuit against them for spending money on something other than approved by voters . The history of the bed tax is that it has been utilized to prop up the visitor center using more than 66%+ of the bed tax fund, while less than 30% of the budget has been spent on advertising attracting overnight visitors. We can see the results of that.
A second agenda item last meeting dealt with the city rescinding a previous RFP and issuing a new one. Little was said about making a mistake on the initial one (issuing a RFP for a DMO that had to be a non-profit and awarding it to a for-profit). The mayor referenced receiving a letter about the RFP., but didn't say who from nor what it was about. (I submitted a public records request in to seek any correspondence with any state agency about the RFP/DMO and received the letter sent to the City from the AZ Office of Tourism, that a DMO had to be a non-profit.) The mayor and the city attorney Joe Estes who had stated in response to a councilperson Skinner's question about the legality of the RFP at an earlier May council meeting that he was absolutely certain that the RFP was legally sound and the award was legally justified, were both wrong. Yet they did not pull the RFP. The frustrating thing about this is that the city was on notice from several people, including myself, that the award for the RFP was not legal. Talk about fearful of admitting a mistake. That mistake has resulted in the city issuing a new RFP for DMO Services which will allow ad agencies to put in bids. This several month process to get marketing services for the city has been sloppy. An RFP was issued before hammering out the process; how the mechanics of oversight, reporting, and personnel, would work, whether for a DMO or marketing company. And it remains unclear even thought another RFP was issued. Not a word. In a third mistake at this same 5/19 meeting, the council accepted Lori Reynolds resignation. In discussing her resignation, the mayor said that he “wanted to mention that whoever takes this it will be a full two year appointment and it will almost like being elected. It will be a longer appointment than I’ve ever done.” That is incorrect. Lori was appointed to fill the remainder of Leslie John's term which ends in December of 2026. So whomever is appointed by the council will only serve until December, because that is the unexpired term. A new term begins in December. But a new term that hasn't yet begun can't be vacant, as they implied. But the interim city manager Ashlee Cornonado had put out a request for letters of interest for the Ward 1 position stating incorrectly that “The individual selected by the Council will serve the remainder of the vacant two-year term, or until December 5, 2028, created by the resignation of Ward 1 Councilmember Lori Reynolds.” There was also a type suggesting it was Ward II instead of Ward I. And that was before a write in candidate applied before the deadline. I sent a letter asking for corrections of the notice and reposting it with the correct length of term. That was done. Another anomaly for Tuesday's meeting is an executive session scheduled:
On February 3, the council selected the Duffy Group to begin a search for a new city manager. But a contract was never signed (that I could find), and there was no further word until this agenda item. There had been no listing of the city manager position. To keep it a secret that there was a decision not to use a search company? There has not been one word about what is going on. Is that good governance? And what about a courtesy of the next mayor and Ward 1 councilmember to have a say in who will be the city manager that they might be working with. Couldn't this wait until at least the end of July? It's no wonder the natives are getting restless... fred NOTE! The Wire emails are often long and may be "clipped". Click on "View entire message" or similar wording at the end of these emails so you don't miss any pearls of wisdom, bon mots, wisecracks, bum steers, jibes, oneliners, drollery, wordplay and, of course, useful information. ...............AROUND TOWN................ THE PRIMARY CAMPAIGN In a late entry, Cooper Raphael has entered the Ward 1 primary as a write-in candidate. Likely her name will not be on the ballot, but there will be a space to write it in. She filed her paperwork in the late afternoon on the last day possible for a write-in. Cooper is one of the forces behind Bisbee Firewise. She would make a fine councilperson. >>>>> The KBRP hosted Journalist' Mayoral Forum on June 22 at Sweet Hall at St. Johns. Doors open at 5:00, 5:30-7:30. Laura Swan/Observer, Matt/Hickman/Herald Review, Shar Poirer/KBRP with Mike Thornton moderating. It will be on the stations' youtube channel as well as on the radio and streaming. Catch it if you can. On June 12 at the Boys and Girls Club, 405 Arizona, a candidate forum from 4-6 pm. I'm unclear who the sponsor is. This Friday at 10:00-11 on kbrpradio.com or 96.1, Ward II candidates Terry Priestly and Cynthia Conroy will be on the show. >>>>>> I support Amy Burkert for Mayor of Bisbee (https://www.amyburkertformayor.com/) . I think she is the right person for these interesting and challenging times. She is young, energetic, and clear-eyed about the many opportunities and long term problems facing Bisbee. It is clear from my comments above that I welcome a mayor that has some sound ideas for moving forward, a background with numbers, listens well, and pledges accessibility, cooperation with residents, and realistic goals. I really recommend that you go to one these 'coffee with Amy' sessions and see/hear for yourself. She be funny too! This is her schedule. June 2nd - Earl’s Cafe June 9th - Guadalajara June 16th - Warren Peace Cafe June 23rd - Allen & Co. Coffee Shop June 30th - Burger King July 7th - Warren Peace Cafe July 14th - Bisbee Coffee Company >>>> I support Terry Priestly for Ward II for some of the same reasons as with Ms. Burkert. I like his thoughtful posts and conversations. He's a straight shooter and knows he doesn't know everything. Also an eager learner. Councilperson is a tough job and there is a lot of on-the-job learning. >>>> The totally totally biased, vote this way Primary Cheat Sheet for your reading and voting guidance will be out sometime before June 24. Now in its' 16th year-maybe?, the Cheat Sheet began as a few humble notes to fellow workers at Cafe Roka in an effort to sway their votes to people I thought would be the best in office. That was after the whiskey and beer didn't work. ++++++++++ THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING BISBEE The census released annual population estimates last week and the numbers do not bode well for Bisbee. These stats are for the past six years and show a decline of 64 residents overall. While it sounds like a small number, it is important because at least some of the State Shared Revenue is population based. When there are fewer people in one city and more people in another, a larger portion of the SSR is going to the growing city, and a lesser amount to the shrinking city. (SSR is comprised of four taxes collected by the State that make up the shared revenues distributed to cities and towns: State sales tax or Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT), State income tax via Urban Revenue Sharing (URS), Vehicle License Tax (VLT), and the Highway Users Revenue Fund (HURF) An nuanced explanation of State Shared Revenue is here.) Bisbee 4924...2020 4963...2021 5007...2022 4992...2023 4992...2024 4860...2025 Other Cochise County cities population growth or loss figures for the past five years: Benson +121 Douglas -499 Sierra Vista -403 Tombstone +70 Wilcox -45 In Pima County, Marana leads population growth adding 15k residents. Pinal county remains the fastest growing county in Arizona with four cities in the top ten population growth. (The census takes place every 10 years with actual counting of the US population. In the intervening years, they estimate population figures using extrapolated methods. That is what these figure are from.) ++++++++++ CITY SEEKS ART The City of Bisbee is looking for a logo design for a new program called Not A Drop To Waste that will focus on water conversation. They are looking for artist submissions, opens April 25, deadline is May 25. Go here for details. ++++++++++ THE BISBEE BLOOMERS SEEK GARDEN DOCENTS The Bisbee Bloomers are currently planning this year's tour, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 5,2026 from 10 AM - 4 PM. If you are interested in being a docent in one of the gardens, shifts are available. Docent shifts are either 10 AM - 1 PM or 1 PM - 4 PM. It's really a cool thing to do and it's a fine way to spend a couple hours. Go here for more info and to volunteer. +++++++++ AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY OF BISBEE The intent of Environmental Leadership is to Explore the science, politics, and economics behind environmental issues through the lens of environmental justice. They were here interviewing people and investigating three years ago. The full report is here. This is an introduction to their report. "The 2024 program explored the "Bisbee Effect." Unlike other mining towns, Bisbee defied the "resource curse" and transformed into a thriving and flourishing community. To understand how Bisbee overcame the resource curse, we interviewed residents of Bisbee who moved to the town during its most vulnerable period, when the mine closed in the 1970s (see audio archive for interviews). We found that the town attracted a creative class that was drawn to the area by well-preserved infrastructure, affordable private property, cultural tolerance, and prospect of living among like-minded people. We referred to this as “The Bisbee Effect.” ++++++++++ CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION! Visit this site regularly to double-check you are still registered. You will need your AZ Driver’s license OR the last 4 digits of your social security #. my.arizona.vote If you think you’re on AEVL check that, too. This is also the place to request a ballot-by-mail. You must be registered by June 22 to vote in the July 21 Primary Election (Thanks to AM for this and the following tip) ++++++++++ COUNTY PULLS DOUGH FROM COUNTY TOURISM COUNCIL The county supes voted to stop paying $34k to the Cochise County Tourism and Economic Council, which was established by the county supes. Huh? Supe Gomez, Bisbee's rep on the board, said the county was not getting enough value. The council, set up in 2019, includes contributions from several cities to jointly market all of the county. I made the same point to our council during budget hearing last month. Bisbee does not get enough value for the $15,000 we put into the council. And that's been true historically when joint marketing efforts with the county were done. However the mayor and council, in the current tentative budget, continue to put $15k into the council without any real metrics evaluating how effective that is. ++++++++++ IT'S OFFICIAL, REPUGNICANS PULL GRANT FOR BISBEE LIBRARY The republicans on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture stripped $649,330 in requested funding for the Copper Queen Library in Bisbee, Arizona, from the FY2027 Agriculture Appropriations bill because the library hosted drag events in 2019 and 2024. Purpose of Funds: The requested money was intended for structural maintenance and repairs, including fixing roofs and restoring floors. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who submitted the request, said that out of over 500 projects submitted to the subcommittee, the Copper Queen Library was one of only two rejected. Grijalva stated "House Republicans just ripped $650,000 away from the Copper Queen Library in Bisbee — money meant for basic repairs — because the library hosted two drag shows. This library hosts HUNDREDS of community events a year. Punishing an entire community over culture war nonsense is pathetic...." Link to video statement from Representative Grijalva here https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BCrLPq4Hn/ (from Coolfmlive online) ++++++++++ A BLOG FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHERS Dina Herrington has created a blog and website for first responders but with interest for anyone. View it here. The busy woman has also co-authored two books, GLP-1 Beyond Weight Loss, and Pain Management, Ketamine Protocols. ++++++++++ TOMATOES PRICE JUICED Tomatoes, the botanical fruit and culinary vegetable, essential for salsa, pasta sauce, fresh salads, and much more has become a most expensive buy, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' just-released Consumer Price Index. Some restaurant owners in Tucson were paying as much as $100 a box two weeks ago. While the price is hovering in the $30-$40 range now, it's far from the $20 in January. A tariff of 17.09% is paid on most tomatoes coming into the country from Mexico which supplies about 70% of the fresh tomatoes sold in the US. The report showed that fresh vegetables as a whole in April also rose 1.7% from March, with tomatoes far outpacing citrus, which jumped 3.1% since March. Lettuce, meanwhile, saw the most significant month-over-month price decrease, dropping 4.9%. Higher food costs played a significant role in pushing the inflation rate to 3.8%, up from March's 3.3%, with skyrocketing fuel costs driving most of the increase, according to the report released last Tuesday. Average gas prices late last week shot to $4.53 a gallon nationwide and $4.84 in the Tucson area, according to AAA. ++++++++++ ARMY BORDER OPERATIONS CHANGINGThe 1st Armored Division will assume command of Joint Task Force – Southern Border, from the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Huachucha. In an announcement noting the change, it was stated that Joint Task Force – Southern Border primarily assists with enhanced detection and monitoring activities under an authority granted in March 2025. That authority allows service members to conduct mobile, ground-based monitoring missions using military tactical vehicles and foot patrols across the approximately 1,954-mile southern border. Traditionally the main difference lies in their primary equipment and method of deployment: the 1st Armored Division is a heavy mechanized unit relying on tanks and heavy armor while the 101st Airborne is a highly mobile air assault unit that deploys helicopters and drones. ++++++++++ BISBEE MEDIA MENTIONSJudy Perryhttps://www.artbeatmagazine.com/the-bisbee-zone-and-a-lady-who-paints-it/Cheap Houseshttps://www.aol.com/15-best-small-towns-want-110500656.htmlLabor Warhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B3-D9UEyg0Library grant rescindedhttps://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/77988-arizona-congresswoman-adelita-s-grijalva-blasts-house-republicans-for-politicizing-funding-stripping-650-000-in-support-for-bisbee-library-over-drag-events-held-in-2019-and-2024Lavender pithttps://farmonaut.com/mining/lavender-pit-bisbee-az-7-ways-mining-shaped-landMovieshttps://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/2026/05/14/western-movie-film-sets-arizona/89741142007/NPRhttps://tv.azpm.org/p/eps/2023/5/7/215887-episode-929/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRvEn9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeWV2htM0zFvy1oOnhf0cHQxKtUoJmRglt8P-6JGYXRR8t32H7inUWKSAhh9g_aem_sG3OLNujPfKmeeyR_j1VGQShort visual about the Deportationhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/80927029245303Far Out Bisbeehttps://faroutmagazine.co.uk/bisbee-americas-last-remaining-counterculture-town/Mineral exploration near Bisbeehttps://businessfocusmagazine.com/2026/05/26/the-architect-of-intrepid-how-mark-morabito-built-a-district-scale-copper-company/17 most charming small towns in the UShttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-small-towns-united-statesPortugal of the Desert'https://www.thetravel.com/skip-sedona-arizonas-portugal-of-the-desert-summers-charming-hidden-getaway/ ..............EVENTS............... June 5 & First Fridays every month...5-6:30 CQ Library Device Advice, Computer Tutor and for entire Library calendar go here.June 12...Bisbee Candidate Forum, 4-6, Boys & Girls Club 405 ArizonaJune 16...Historic Highway 80, CQ Library 5:30, talk with Mike Anderson. historian June 19-21... Pride Events, downtown OB, Copper Queen HotelJune 22...KBRP hosts a Journalists Candidate Forum, 5:30-7:30, St. John's Hall, 19 Sowles with journalists Laura Swan/Bisbee Observer, Matt Hickman/Herald Review, and Shar Poirer/KBRP with Mike Thornton of KBRP Friday morning magazine moderating. Live youtube streaming and audio.On the radio at 96.1, streaming at http://kbrpradio.com, and https://www.youtube.com/@KBRPBisbeeRadioJuly 4...Coaster Races on Tombstone Canyon 7-9 ish, 4th Parade about 11 ish on Bisbee Rd to Arizona St. and much more with fireworks at dusk over Vista Park.August 8 - 10 ...Bisbee Pirate Weekend https://www.bisbeepirateweekend.com/August 30...Bisbee Bloomers Garden Tour ...............BISBEE ECONOMY............ A REAL LIFE WONDER WOMAN-DANIELLE IS THE BEST! Danielle Bouchever has made an impact on every single residents' life without us even knowing about it. In the past several years she has written grants for the City of Bisbee, for Step Up Naco/Bisbee, CQCH and more. She is a very self-effacing person, sticks to her business, and gets on with it. Because of that she ofttimes does not get the credit she deserves and the more, shall we charitably say, loquacious individuals, step forward to claim her work. I was astounded by how much she has done, this is a summation. Thank You Danielle! SUMMARY Awarded / Completed Grants (Federal): ~$16.5M+ in federal awards Pending Federal Pipeline: ~$39M+ in active federal requests Total Portfolio (all organizations, all stages): $40M+ in grants, donations & leveraged investment Organizations Served: City of Bisbee, CQCH, SUBN, WCHF Funding Sources: USDA, FEMA/DEMA, HRSA, ADOT, NAD Bank, WIFA, SBRC, ADEQ, CDS (Congressional Directed Spending via Sens. Kelly, Gallego & Rep. Grijalva), and regional/private funders City of Bisbee $620,000 2026 Fire Engine (match $209,980) $829,980 $2,732,400 2026-28 Wastewater plant (match tbd) tbd $253,500 2026-28 Wastewater plant (match covered) $491,750 $6,000,000 2025/26 Water infrastructure (reopened) $133,000 2024 glass recycle (match tbd) $133,000 $1,400,000 2024 Moon Cyn bridge (match tbd) $1,400,000 $291,225 2024-26 City Hall solar (match $160,002) $451,227 $49,923 2021 Fire dept (match $2,496) $52,419 $8,000,000 2026 Sewer Laterals (pending) $1,500,000 2027 Wastewater plant (pending) $196,200 Water tender (on hold/congress appr) $145,631 Fire fighter staff (on hold/congress appr) $649,330 Library renovation (denied, congress appr) Copper Queen Community Hospital $2,915,000 2027 surgical expansion (pending) $325,000 CT Imaging equip (pending) $1,000,000 2022 (match of $891,679) total $1,891,679 $10,000,000 2022 (match $8,310,000) $18,310,000 $300,198 2024 (match 10%) $333,553 More $1,000,000 + low income housing, regional grants, donations $3,000,000+Haiti schools, clinics, & more $1,000,000+ CQCH Healthcare regional grants/donations ++++++++++ COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS FOR SALE There are 24 commercial buildings for sale via various listings throughout Bisbee. Of those, 14 are in the OB downtown area, roughly 15% of the biz district. (Internet listings marked active from LoopNet, ReMax, Tierra Antigua, Eliza Adams Realty, Agave) 2 Naco Rd (fmr art gallery)…$495,000 2 Main St. (convention center)…$1,695,000 14 Main (fmr Cornucopia café)…$699,000 20 Main (Letson Loft Hotel)…$2,350,000 40 Main…$499,000 41 Main(former Desert Diva)..$450,000 61 Main (Grand Hotel)…$1,900,000 72-78 Main (Outlaw Taco bldg.) …$995,000 79 Main (former ART furniture)…$625,000 (has been sold) 105 Tombstone Cyn (Badassery bldg.) $695,000 500 Tombstone Cyn…$850,000 37-39 OK st (fmr Hot Licks)…$995,000 31 Subway (Allen coffee bldg.)…$435,000 11 Howell Ave (Copper Queen Hotel)…$9,000,000 317 Arizona St. (Warren hotel)…$499,000 412 Arizona St. (Copper Pig bldg.)…$387,000 203 Bisbee Rd unit A…$305,000 203 Bisbee Rd unit B…$325,000 200 Vista…$624,900 219 Douglas…$375,000 97 Center (Ballpark Brewing)…$350,000 11 Hwy 92 (Dollar General)…$1,892,000 954 Hwy 92 (Bisbee realty)…$299,000 1326 Hwy 92 (fmr gun shop)…$100,000 ++++++++++ SALES TAXES (taxes are for two months prior, spending in February) The stats for April were excellent. When looked at compared to the previous month, it is clear that high season has begun. It is very similar to last year at the same time. BUILDING PERMITS There were 33 residential permits totaling $348,588, a bit down from previous months. However commercial permits were$763,584 for 8 permits. That included work on the Old High School.
..............COCHISE COUNTY................ RECORD REQUEST FOR JAIL REPORT SPIRALS INTO SUIT AND OUTSIDE ATTORNEYSThe background...David Morgan, a reporter and monitor/watchdog of county actions, filed a public records request asking for a report about county jail conditions. The report about the CC jail,issued in 2021 by the National Institute of Jail Operations, was used as the basis for the campaign to build a new jail. and then......the county refused to release the report to Morgan and before Morgan took any legal action, Sheriff Mark Dannels then sued to have the report not released citing security concerns. so the legal issue is......stifling public inquiries by suing a person who has requested a public records request, (rather than the person requested info suing for denial of said info.) because they didn't have to give out information. Quite unusual.and then.......the suit was voluntarily dismissed. and two versions of the report were release, both heavily redacted (ala Jeffery Epstein files)...and then......the election was held, the jail bond was passed...and then......Morgan filed a suit against the county asking for attorney fees $60k, and other legal sanctions $10k, about $70 g's total. And then......the supes went into exec session this week with the county legal staff and came out with a 2-0 vote (Crosby didn't vote for an undisclosed reason) to seek outside legal help......and then Morgan's attorney also offered to settle for $150k and maybe an unredacted report....on top of this... the county hired another second attorney to help out....and......the county's insurance pool will not cover two other legal actions against the county. One involving a suit by the people who own Ramsey Canyon Inn over the county attempting to stop loud parties, and another tone involving supe Crosby trying to get $300k from the county to defend against two felony charges against him for not okaying election results....whew! This legal stuff is exhausting !++++++++++ COUNTY WANTS YOUR OPINION ON BUILDING CODES Cochise County Development Services is seeking public feedback on proposed updates to the county's building codes through an online survey that runs through June 15, 2026. The survey, available at https://cp2045.cochise.az.gov/, takes three to five minutes to complete and targets residents, property owners, builders, contractors, developers and design professionals in unincorporated areas of the county, according to the department. Participants can review supporting materials on the project website, including summaries of proposed updates and staff analysis comparing current and proposed codes. The survey does not require technical knowledge and allows participants to skip questions. ++++++++++ FORT HUACHUCA ADDS ANOTHER DRONE RESEARCH PROJECT The Fort has been chosen as a testing ground for yet another drone project, this one involving anit-drone tactics using freque18ncy disrupting equipment-lasers and microwaves-to test defenses. One of five bases chosen by the pentagon, the Fort continues as the most important location for drone research. It is the world’s largest UAS training center, training ~2,000 soldiers annually in 12+ programs for operation, repair, and intelligence. The Iran war is revealing the woeful lack of preparedness by the Hegseth-led Pentagon for asymmetrical warfare that uses drones as an important tactic. ...............THE LEGE & THE STATE................ THE STANK FROM THE LEGE LINGERS One of the 60+ Gail Griffin (r-19) bills sponsored bills, HB2758 would allow a New York-based investment fund to drain and sell 26 billion gallons of groundwater from La Paz county aquifers. This would destroy the only state law protecting groundwater for those that rely on it, and would devastate a community where county supervisors are pleading for more state water regulation. The bill passed the House with some bipartisan support (see our Feb. 23 "Hall of Shame"), Awaits a Senate floor vote. OPPOSE. (Griffin at 81, has been in office since 2011 as a senator and rep shuffling between the two, subverting the intent of bring new people into the lege. A long time supporter of water and land rights for corporations, she is a prime example of why legislators should be bill-limited as to how many they are allowed to submit as well as being age-limited in term of a ceiling age limit on legislators.) Consuelo Hernandez (d-21) voted for the odious bill when it was passed in the House. Hernandez recently owed the state $18,000+ intest in unpaid fines for late filing of financial campaign reports. She paid $24k to settle. Ms. Hernandez, whose huge signs have sprung up like mushrooms in Bisbee, has helped candidates that are running for her co-representative, Stefanie Stahl-Hamilton's seat. Not sure why but fyi. Her sister Alma Hernandez (d-19) who also voted for the bill and who also owed big money for the same offense. She has not yet paid the debt. When their brother Daniel Hernandez was running for office, he too, was charged late fees. The centrist democratic family doesn't like disclosing who is paying the freight for their campaigns. ++++++++++ YOU ARE PAYING OF A REPUBLICAN VACATION IN DCWhile there is no state budget being discussed publicly, repubs are beatin feet to DC in June and taking much of May off too! At the invitation of the Trump White House, Arizona Republican lawmakers are planning a trip to Washington D.C. in mid-June — just two weeks before the deadline to finalize a new state budget. The three-day trip will be paid out of legislative budgets, which are funded by taxpayer dollars. It is at the invitation of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and will focus on what the state can do to promote President Trump’s priorities. Of course trump's priorities are...trump .++++++++++ AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT FINDS SHAKY 'RITHMATIC' MISTAKES AT DEPT. OF EDUCATIONIn a report released last week, the auditor general found the Department of Education’s oversight of the voucher program, formally called Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, to be lacking. Auditors described a risk-based auditing process from ADE that was haphazard, continually changing and that lacked concrete instructions for employees. Those processes resulted in automatic approval of explicitly unallowed purchases for things like amusement park and airline tickets, hotel stays and meals, according to the audit report. Go here for the full article This points to the importance of getting your signature on the Protect Education Act petition. This act will reform the dept. of ed by putting policies about spending and transparency for vouchers in place. ...............EVERYTHING ELSE................ ++++++++++ ON LAND...CHEAPER RENTAL CARS One of the best ways to save money is to use AutoSlash for auto rentals. This is but one of many tips they have. How it works: Instead of automatically booking your pickup time to be on the hour — say, 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. — ask for a second quote for the half hour before or after your original time — 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. Why it works: Certain car rental brands will price their rentals lower on the half hour than on the hour. The rental companies are constantly re-shopping each other’s rates and adjusting their pricing to try to get a leg up on the competition. They know that some portion of customers will choose to pick up and/or drop off on the half-hour, and in those cases, by offering lower prices, they will win more business. So the next time you need a rental car, ask us for two quotes — one on the hour and one on the half hour. It won’t cost you a dime to put in the extra quote request and you might just save a bundle.Another freebie It doesn't cost anything to join a rental car loyalty program and it could help get lower prices or upgrades. For more hacks, go here. ++++++++++ IN THE AIR...FLIGHTY APP FOR AIR TRAVEL Say you want to see if there is disruption at the airport you are flying in or out of. Go here and you can see the status of the airport you are flying into or out of. And if you want more info... "...Over the past two years, Flighty has started using air traffic control data and machine learning to predict late-aircraft delays up to 6 hours before the airlines acknowledge them, potentially letting you know that those incremental 30-minute delay announcements are actually going to be a multi-hour delay. It also ranks connections as relaxed, normal, tight, or risky, so you can prepare for a cross-airport dash. Last year, Flighty added Live Activity support to CarPlay, so those making airport pickups can have the latest information on-screen while driving. Most recently, Flighty introduced Airport Intelligence, which uses AI to process a range of data—disruptions, extreme weather, traffic jams, low staffing, or closed airspace—and combines it with live flight tracking to provide an explanation of conditions at every airport in the world. Airport Intelligence powers notifications for individual flights—mine are all on time at the moment, and I hope they stay that way!—and you can track disruptions at your favorite airports if you or a family member is a frequent flyer." from Tidbits ++++++++++ IN YOUR MIND...AI There is an astounding number of articles, vids, podcasts, and conversations about AI uses, explanations, data centers, and more. This is just a few I've found interesting. What is clear is that all AI companies should be nationalized. They are modern day robbers, taking our information without permission, repackaging it and selling it. More later about how it would work. ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AI A technical explanation...Go here for the way to differentiate Artificial Intelligence models ABOUT THE PROBLEMS, DUMBING DOWN, AND HOMOGENEITY OF WRITING Go here for the 404 Media article ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WORK A balanced discussions about the larger implications of AI I have seen/heard. Jon Stewart show. ABOUT WIRED MAGAZINE One of many that track the astounding ascent in most facets of our lives. Go here ABOUT A TAKEDOWN CLOSER TO HOME: SONORAN INSTITUTE DESTROYS DATA CENTER ARGUMENT An interesting takedown of a purportedly 'scientific' document by the free market Goldwater Institute. Although somewhat technical, it is a good example of how some industries and their symps, try to mislead and confuse issues around their use. "The Goldwater Institute published a document titled “The Data Center Debate: Fact vs. Fiction.” It is a two-page advocacy guide organized as seven questions and answers, each designed to preemptively characterize civic concerns about hyperscale data center development as misinformation. It is worth reading carefully, not because its conclusions are correct, but because it is an unusually clear example of how industry-aligned advocacy constructs its arguments. Understanding the document’s rhetorical architecture is useful for anyone trying to engage seriously with data center development policy in Arizona."Go here for the full report ++++++++++ QUICK GUIDE TO RESEARCHING CAMPAIGN DONATIONSArizona State & Local Elections
Federal & Congressional Elections
++++++++++ STOP AD TRACKING ON YOUR IPHONE You can opt out of app tracking across every app you download by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and toggling off Allow Apps to Request to Track. This means any app that tries to ask for your permission will be automatically blocked from asking and informed that you have requested not to be tracked. Go here for the full article. ++++++++++ STATES' USE OF WIND AND SOLAR CONTINUE TO GROW Disregard the crap from the white house, most states are ramping up solar and wind to lessen dependence of fossil fuels. Iowa, S. Dakota get more than 60% of their energy from renewables. New Mexico 59%. Even the repugnican troglodytes on the AZ corporation commission haven't been able to stop the growth from 15% a few years ago to about 20% currently. (another reason to get em out of there!) Go here for the article ++++++++++ HOW MUCH DOES THE IRAN WAR COST YOU? A university is keeping track of how much the trump war is costing you. For gasoline it is about $336.74 per US household . Go here for the running total .............. WORD............... MOTHER'S DAY ADVICEAll people bring joy: some by coming, some by going!Eat less, taste more Better to wear out than rust out. Everything passes and everything fades away, except memories Don’t push the river Never pass up an opportunity to pee. Always make new mistakes Why be like everyone else? This too shall pass. The day starts the night before. There is no fail. You either win or you learn. You can’t eat prestige. Always be kinder than you feel. No one is born a mother. It’s on-the-job training. See the light in others. Treat them as if that’s all you see. Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig loves it. It’s never too late to start your day over. Twere no sadder words than should have, could have or would have. Don’t put your crazy on the front porch. Always leave the kitchen cleaner than you found it.’ Put your brain in gear before engaging the mouth. If you can’t say anything nice ... sit next to me. If you don’t go, you won’t have the story to tell. Time wounds all heels. The way to a friend’s house is never far. |
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