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    • Dec 29, 2019
    • 10 min read

BISBEE WIRE #21

Editor: Fred Miller     December 16, 2019    #21 December 2019


Hello,

The Animal control ordinance was pulled from the agenda. Instead a workshop will be held in January to discuss. There was a controversy about the method that the City chose to deal with feral cats, and many people were concerned it (criminalizing feeding cats) was the wrong approach. According to the Humane Society of Arizona and the US, feeding bans are not the best way to deal with 'community cats' and do not solve the problem. In a letter sent to the Mayor and Council the Humane Society advocates a policy of trap-spay-neuter (TNR) that has been proven to be effective in many communities. TNR has been tried in Brewery Gulch with good success according to Kelly Galligan, prez of the Friends of the Bisbee Animal Shelter, and Gretchen Baer who endured a cat problem next door to her for years before TNR was used. So, shouldn't the City of Bisbee adopt a proven successful method rather than a punitive and likely unenforceable reg? As in all cases, let your councilperson know your thoughts about feral cats and... cat houses. (Ahhh jeez! Shame on me! I really tried but couldn't stop myself for sneaking it in right here at the end...I couldn't pass it up...could you?)

Another controversy has begun over limiting the number of parked vintage cars on Erie St. in Lowell. Read about it here: https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/bisbee/end-of-the-road-vintage-cars-on-erie-street-could/article_bec841cc-1d07-11ea-a30d-6be6913dcc33.html

It seems that trying to update older regs on the City's books leads to controversy. Noise, parking, rights of way, animals....all have some folks seething. Perhaps it would be best to step back from those things and maybe revisit them in a year or so while getting a better  perspective on what is important such as potholes/roads, short term rentals, tourism, maintenance, and budgets. And lobbying for significant reform for public safety pension system.... and speaking of which... ...the Public Safety Pension Fund fired their chief in July  for sexual harassment, and an article in the AZ Republic in November detailed big spending by the PSPRS staff on resorts, meetings, and dinners. And that is  our money they are spending...while Bisbee continues to pay 1/5 of the general budget into that fund. It is fuckin disgustin! The leaders of the police and fire unions have been loath to say anything bad about the years of mismanagement. The same as to legislators and politicians. As a union guy, it really pains me to see how union officers turn blind eyes to mismanagement and reform while trying desperately to keep the status quo, no matter how much it harms cities. PSPRS has gotta be changed and soon. The only realistic remedy is for all new public safety hires pay into to ASRS, and PSPRS wither away protecting existing pensions with a dedicated funding source such as part of a gas tax hike.

I am in Tucson with the lovely Anita getting fluffed and buffed and calmed down after all the ranting.

fred

CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY DECEMBER 17, 2019  7:00 CITY HALL   915 S. TOVREAVILLE

Background here: http://www.bisbeeaz.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12172019-323 Of Interest:  #4 The presentation of tourism and marketing efforts by Cat, Dog, Mouse Media that has the contract to do same. #6 The Cochise County Tourism Council is now named Cochise County Tourism and Economic Council, this item is a MOU with the County for payment-formerly made to CCTC-to the new entity as well as spelling out the terms of the agreement. #7 Directs staff to get an agreement together with A. Hopper for initial phase of rebuilding City Hall.

Agenda INVOCATION:                                                                             PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE MAYOR’S PROCLAMATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: CALL TO THE PUBLIC  THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE DISCUSSED, CONSIDERED AND/OR DECIDED UPON AT THIS MEETING:

GENERAL BUSINESS: 1.        ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:  Subject to availability of funds 2.        Approval of the Consent Agenda              A.     Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Session of Mayor and Council held on November 19, 2019 at 7:00 pm.   B.      Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Session of Mayor and Council held on December 3, 2019 at 7:00 pm. C.      Approval of the Appointment of Richard Duchene to the Transit Advisory Committee.  D.     Approval of the Appointment of Kathleen Sandoval to the Transit Advisory Committee. E.      Approval of a Park, Facility, and Right-of-Way Use permit for the Chicken Committee Parade from the Iron Man to Brewery Gulch on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 from 11:30pm to 12:00am; Rachel Sky, applicant.  F.      Approval of a Liquor License Application for Old Bisbee Brewing Company and Distillery located at 200 Brewery Avenue, Bisbee; Victor Winquist, Applicant.  

OLD BUSINESS 3.        Discussion and Possible Approval of Ordinance O-19-09; Dissolving the iBisbee Committee.  David M. Smith, Council Liaison to the iBisbee Committee NEW BUSINESS 4.        Presentation by Dog Cat Mouse Media on the Tourism and Marketing Efforts. Theresa Coleman, City Manager 5.        Discussion and Possible Approval of an Amendment to the Agreement for the sale and purchase of Reclaimed Water between the City of Bisbee and Freeport-McMoRan. Jesus Haro, Public Works Director 6.        Discussion and Possible Approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement supporting Cochise County Tourism & Economic Council, an Economic Development Initiative. Theresa Coleman, City Manager 7.        Consideration and Direction to prepare an Agreement with Albert N. Hopper, Jr. Architect for Architectural and Engineering Services. 8.        City Manager's Report: ·         Repurposing Solar Panels ·         Sewer Shutoff Notice ·         Visitor Center Realignment ·         Out to Bid for Ambulance Billing COUNCIL COMMENTS OR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM SUGGESTIONS: (Council members may suggest topics for future meeting agendas, but Council will not here discuss, deliberate or take any action on these topics.): ·         Councilmember Cline would like to thank staff and wish everyone a safe & happy holiday.


BISBEE/COCHISE

Temporary Closure of Royale Theater from the Board of Directors Due to the roof damage that BRP’s Royale Theater received from the last few storms, we will be cancelling all of our December events. The combination of wind, hail and rain caused multiple leaks, which has led to substantial internal water damage. Portions of the theater ceiling have come loose, and as a result the space is unsafe for occupancy. We are currently working with our insurance company so that we can get the appropriate monetary reimbursement to not only fix our roof but also repair the damage that has occurred inside. We appreciate the community’s patience while we navigate through the process of making an insurance claim. We will still have our members’ meeting December 21st in the Blue Moon Café, which is not compromised at this time. The members’ meeting with potluck refreshments will be at 6 PM, and the public is welcome to join after 7 for music and festivities. Our goal is to be back up and running with movies and concerts after the New Year. Please check the BRP website for updates on the repairs. ..........................

Cafe Roka holiday hours begin Thursday/19 and the restaurant is open every night through the 31st cept Xmas night 5-9 pm. Music on Friday and Sundays.


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The Bisbee Foundation is contemplating hosting a workshop for board members of non-profit organizations. Letters went out to 40 organizations seeking if they would be interested. Replies are due in January 1 and depending on the level of interest a workshop scheduled in March or April. If you are a board member and are interested in learning the fiscal, legal, and ethical guidelines of what it means to be responsible for an organization, send a short note bisbeefoundation1@gmail.com.

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Douglas/Agua Prieta Border Crossing Construction https://www.newsbreakapp.com/n/0Na5cPMT?s=a99&pd=038HsA3F   

                                            

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Cochise College Spring Catalog of Lifelong learning: Feed your Head! Classes  in arts, cooking, nature, history, woodworking and lots more. https://www.flipsnack.com/cochisecollegecenter4lifelonglearning/spring-2020-schedule/full-view.html ..........................

This is an in-depth look at major water use in the State with explanatory text about the companies. All are out of state owners and all of the seven arrived in Arizona in 2012 or after and already own about 15% of arable land. The legislature sits on their hands while the water table goes down and small owners are forced to move for lack of water. Really eyeopening-good read.

"But well drilling records show these farms own more than 700 wells and collectively have drilled more than 200 wells deeper than 1,000 feet, allowing them to draw down aquifers more quickly and dry up shallower wells.

Combined, the seven companies own, farm or control more than 130,000 acres across the state. Though not all of that land is irrigated, if it were, it would equal nearly 15 percent of the harvested cropland in Arizona, as tallied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

and.... "Riverview produces the majority of the food for its cattle on its properties, growing wheat, silage corn and alfalfa. Records show the company has 420 wells. More than 90 of these wells are drilled to depths of more than 1,000 feet. Its deepest well is nearly 2,500 feet deep." ......................



TECH

IMPORTANT!!!! CHECK HERE FOR SECURITY BREECHES https://monitor.firefox.com In his site, set up by Firefox, plug in your email address and it will tell you how many time your data has been stolen, who did it, and what to do about it. Most often it seems email and password info is stolen, but sometimes it is physical addresses, credit cards, and personal info. Stolen his means usually this means that your information has been stolen from a website you visited and gave info. Use this site to learn what kind of passwords to use if you do not use a password manager... https://monitor.firefox.com/security-tips#strong-passwords For instance I monitor several email addresses caferoka@gmail has been breached and info stolen five times (PDL-a data aggregator (11/19); verifications.io-a data aggregator (3/19); apollo.io-a data aggregator; (2018); dropbox.com (2016); Linkedin.com (2016) coppercityinn@gmail.com has been breached info stolen once (info stolen from ticketfly.com 3/18) A website data breach happens when cyber criminals steal, copy, or expose personal information from online accounts. It’s usually a result of hackers finding a weak spot in the website’s security. Breaches can also happen when account information gets leaked by accident. Don't use the same Passwords-Change your Passwords if breached- Get a Password Manager go here for a review of various software: https://www.cnet.com/news/best-password-managers-for-2019/

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ONLINE PRIVACY IS DISAPPEARING Fingerprinting is something relatively new and much harder to block. Here's how: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/10/31/think-youre-anonymous-online-third-popular-websites-are-fingerprinting-you/?arc404=true


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A few of the many new iphone features from CNET https://www.cnet.com/how-to/ios-13-2-best-hidden-features-we-can-find-iphone-ipad/?ftag=CAD4dc88c8&bhid=24867379272108267615610596432948 iPhones only... Best way to charge your phone If you normally charge overnight while you sleep, Optimized Battery Charging will keep your iPhone's battery at 80% for most of the night, finishing off the last 20% of charge right before your alarm goes off.To use the new features, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and turn it on. Search your iPhone with your voice Anywhere you find a search bar in Apple's own apps, you'll notice there's now a microphone on the far-right side. Tap on the new icon to enter your search query by voice, instead of having to type it out. Apps like Settings, Mail, Messages and the Today View are just a few examples of where you can find the new voice search option. Remove location data from photos You can now strip location information from a photo when you share it directly from the Photos app. Select a photo (or photos) you want to share in thePhotos app then tap on Options at the top of the screen and turn off Location under the section labeled Include.

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HOW TO DEAL WITH HUGE TECH COMPANIES Andrew Yang has some interesting ideas of dealing with and regulating companies using your data. https://www.yang2020.com/blog/regulating-technology-firms-in-the-21st-century/?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_technology202 @@@@@@@@@@@@


WAR TECHNOLOGY Drones are not confined to boring speakers. this article talks about swarming drones now in use and the rise of this new technology. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/dec/04/are-drone-swarms-the-future-of-aerial-warfare?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlVUy0xOTEyMDQ%3D&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&CMP=GTUS_email


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POLITICS HOW CORPORATIONS AVOID TAXES Stock options are an important tax strategy for not paying taxes. This article details how it is done. https://itep.org/new-report-from-itep-explores-the-stock-options-tax-dodge/

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IMPEACHMENT....WHAT IT IS Confused about impeachment? This summary will help. https://popular.info/p/damning

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PETE BUTTIGIEG: THE RISE OF THE INNOCUOUS This article details the emptiness of PB's attack on free university for everyone. It also shows how some proposals by PB are designed to attract donors. https://popular.info/p/the-democratic-free-for-all?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo0NzkwODIsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE4NDU5OCwiXyI6Ik5TcVpNIiwiaWF0IjoxNTc1MjkzNTg5LCJleHAiOjE1NzUyOTcxODksImlzcyI6InB1Yi0xNjY0Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.Yo0i1jhvTVr91Go93PPywlwJ9pRROE5Q9yO4p_hT-wI


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Save Our Schools Advocacy Workshops These folks have some tools to help us stave off the big push for charter schools that will happen at the state lege. Sign up here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/SaveOurSchoolsArizona/events/?ref=page_internal

SPORTS

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EVERYTHING ELSE

The Housing Market

By 2037, one quarter of the entire U.S. housing stock — 21 million homes — will be vacated by seniors. This isn’t a faraway problem either: about nine million residences will hit the market between 2017 and 2027 as the baby boomer generation ages out of independent living by choice or by, well, inevitability. For perspective on what 21 million homes being injected back into the market will do, only half of that number was built in the run-up bubble to the housing crisis, and in the past decade just seven million homes hit the market. The generations that aim to buy those homes — which are often in undesirable areas for active workers — are less well-off than their parents and even smaller.

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HANGING ON TO HOMES A new analysis from the real estate brokerage firm Redfin shows the typical homeowner in the United States now stays in their house for 13 years. That’s five years more than they did in 2010. This lack of movement, especially among aging baby boomers, has creating inventory shortages and pushed up prices. According to Redfin and the housing data firm CoreLogic, Salt Lake City, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas are the cities with the longest median homeowner stays, all more than two decades. [Wall Street Journal]

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ONE COMPANY WITH LOTSA NAMES MAKES ALL EYEGLASSES This long read about eye glasses, frames, eyesight, and industry consolidation is remarkable .


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SAFER COSMETICS GUIDE The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a science based organization dedicated to exposing the use of toxic chemicals in the environment including the house and personal products and advocating for cleaner products. This guide will help illuminate the problems with some of the stuff we put on our body. https://act.ewg.org/onlineactions/qRKdI-XRb0-5uhcms39oQg2?emci=224ef487-d216-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&emdi=b1295c10-c319-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=770512&contactdata=upvcFEzJegOODh%2fXI2%2fcrWdP7%2fCRZorjcygj5IEupLy%2fyND7MwJgffIgf8BX1MFieHjK2Y%2bYLnqjJQCxRqr05fpYB6QF4KSkjn4%2bHOCUAdqAeqcIYgkZ%2fZpjRpxIuQbA4wQQWLSD9J9nQJkDr%2fshNuolAJk0wdKgd5EnZJInNfmHG6oArYwUlbcqBQJpMni3&sourceid=1018244

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SOME SPEC TAPDANCING-GOTTA SEE IT

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Hello, This is a special edition of the Wire. Unbeknownst to many readers, we get a flood of anonymous emails that detail goings on in the very bowels of the city and behind the facade of businesses.

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