editor: fred miller December 20, 2023 #64/November 23
Hello,
I've had surgery interruptus! My surgery was cancelled on Friday December 8, three days before an L1-L5 decompression and fusion, was scheduled. Unitedhealhcare, I was told, would not cover a few of the procedures the surgeon was going to use. From Nov. 7 to November 27 there was no action and no communication from UHC on the surgeon's request for insuring the procedures. As of 12/4 it continued to be pending, this despite exhortations from the surgeon's secretary and myself to expedite it because of the looming surgery date. I spent 5 hours talking to six people, only one of which had access to the clinical requested procedures and that person said the request was pending!
We had made arrangements for Anita to be in Tucson for five days while I was in the hospital and our son was flying in from Detroit for a couple weeks to help her take care of me post-hospital. And all the many little life changing things that precedes a surgery having a several month recovery; stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs and vitamins that now causes my arthritis flares, get the yardwork done, get the house in order, reschedule appointments, practice safe ways to maneuver as my back heals (the hospital offers a 'spine camp' teaching how to avoid the BLT-bending/lifting/twisting, and lots more.
I have been pissed, morose, and whiny for several days for the major disruption and abrupt cancellation, but mostly because I have been powerless in the situation. UHC did not communicate with me-they still haven't, even when it was clear they had not prioritized a decision, even when they knew it would have to be cancelled, they said nothing.
I have written emails to the CEO, and will write more letters, but bottom line is, they didn't give a damn.
(I just got word they have approved the procedures and my new surgery date is January 19th.)
On a cheerier note, it is never too early to start election prognosticating....My own prez ticket this year is Gavin Newsom for prez with Biden as vice prez. Give the dems the legislative/policy experience and contacts of Biden in the background with the energy, looks, and chops of the large state governor. Newson pictured next to Trump would look like young, healthy, articulate, and handsome next to old, obese, bad hair, and mumblecore. But alas methinks the dems aren't bright enough to go that route. However I am going to start a bandwagon, if interested write letters....
Cochise County supervisors continue to be in the news. Read below for the indictments. I almost wish it was for good ole financial corruption instead of a steady stream of anti-democratic shenanigans.
And instead of a rant about the commercialization of the emotional content of holidays, I leave you with this lil ditty from Tom Leher's Xmas
fred
................AROUND TOWN................
Friends of Copper Queen Library will hold their annual holiday party at the on December 21 at the Library Annex 519 w. Melody Lane. 6-8 pm. GOAR PARK LUNCHES @ VISTA PARK Goar Park Lunches will be at the Saturday Market this week, and every week through December 23rd. Zoe O'Reilly- Board Secretary will have a table with information on how to volunteer, donate and will be collecting non perishable food items, dry goods, sanitary items and accepting monetary donations. Please help us fill up our food pantry this winter!!! ********** POLL WORKERS NEEDED, $120 A DAY During a county supervisor work session Elections Director Tim Mattix said they still need about 150 poll workers. Pay is about $120 a day, about 12 -14 hours per day. You can choose which elections to work. There are some requirements. If you can do it, Go here for info and application. ********** ROADSIDE PICK UP Join the Bisbee Friends of the Earth for a highway cleanup on Monday, January 8, 2024 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. Meet at the entrance to Tovreaville, the transfer station, to sign volunteer forms and get safety vests and bags. A few grabbers to loan out will be avialble, bring your own if you have one. We will clean milepost 353-354 both sides of highway 92. ********** LOOK AT OLD STUFF FOR FREE! The Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum will be free to Bisbee residents through December 23rd. Happy holidays!! **********
BISBEE MEDIA MENTIONS Cafe Roka https://www.visitarizona.com/like-a-local/arizonas-best-hidden-food-experiences/ ....... https://www.phoenixmag.com/2023/11/22/3-new-spots-in-bisbee-to-visit-this-winter/ .......... Classic Rock Couture https://www.kgun9.com/news/community-inspired-journalism/midtown-news/classic-rock-couture-expanding-to-tucson ........ https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/arizona/bisbee/?fbclid=IwAR1u9uQVv_W2CUVxDFIrGyLyOYeY4z02sFl5sCxxc6wl_JRTqvuh_CHXRxg....... ............ Step up Naco/Bisbee https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2023/12/13/218465-bisbee-housing-program-aims-to-renovate-and-sell-homes-at-20-below-market-value-to-address-housing-shortage/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email ............ Le Cornucopia https://womensjournal.com/gretchen-bonaduce-le-cornucopia-cafe-in-bisbee-arizona-rated-in-the-top-10-percent-of-the-world-for-lunch-by-tripadvisor/?fbclid=IwAR0YjZ_sCyV5C2_QTNkO7T86p2Spm9memsDcjwY2aKLARcXFAmDTAnYoRxI ********** SCIENCE CAFE NIGHT LIFE Join Us for Pie & Sky on December 21st from 6-8pm All Bake Sale proceeds go toThe High School InternContinuing Education Fund. **********
PHOTOS FROM DISCO INFURNO https://www.facebook.com/karen.schumacher.7/posts/pfbid03327nYpT7bTnoVxZhrbftiycky5K2iNp19D698gGAFmzqQyrcduuQhLU9thy4DuXSl?notif_id=1701617501907148¬if_t=notify_me&ref=notif ********** YOGAAAAAAADonna Burke will be offering yoga classes every Sunday from 9:00-10:15 AM at Red Shoes salon beginning 12/31/23. They will be suitable for all levels including no experience. Mats and props provided, or bring your own. $12 per class or $10 if paying for 5 classes in advance. Vini (therapeutic), Hatha (mindful movement) and Yin (extended holds) inspired with Yoga Nidra (guided meditation) at the end of each class. She is a Certified Yoga Therapist, IAYT and Certified iRest Teacher, iRest(R) ********** POST AN EVENT STATEWIDE! You are welcome to post your 2024 major event(s) on AOT's consumer website, VisitArizona.com. To do so, go to VisitArizona.com/events. Underneath the large image on the top is a button, "submit events." Click and fill in all the information as completely as possible. If you would like to include an image, images need to be a minimum of 300 x 300 and a maximum of 2200 x 2200, or anything in between. Once you have submitted the event, it takes up to 48 hours to approve your event and for it to go live. Events should be open to the public and be of interest to a broader audience than the local community. ********* LUKEVILLE BORDER CROSSING CLOSED INDEFINITELY There has been no announced timeline for reopening of the Lukeville port of entry, the main border crossing to Rocky Point/Puerto Penasco. The result is hours of extra travel time to get to the popular spot in Mexico. Border Patrol officer were redirected to other areas to help process the hundreds of migrants crossing at other points. The closure has had a devastating effect on both sides of the border, with some businesses closing or barely getting by. Gov. Hobbes has ordered the national guard to the area for backup.
..............BISBEE ECONOMY................
Rosalie Butler has died. She owned and operated Bisbee Realty with her husband, then herself after he passed. The influential realor was a board member of Copper Queen Hospital, past president of the now defuncty Bisbee Chamber of Commerce, and a lifetime member of the Bisbee Women's Club. ********** FYI.....STRIKE IT RICH IN BISBEE According to a few out of town realtors, Bisbee is on the cusp. "The town’s real estate market is showing potential for appreciation.” *********** HOUSE SALES Thirteen houses sold in November for more than $3 million. The second best month since June/22. Ten sales evenly spread between Warren and Old Bisbee with three sales in San Jose. Of note is that only four of the houses received their original amount, the remainder less. ADDRESS ORIGINAL/LIST/SELL 68 Cochise Row $59,900/$45,000/$42,000 2215 S. Bowers $125,000/$115,000/$75,000 1417 S. Calle De Gardenias $99,900/$80,900/$87,500 9 Cochise Row $203,000/$189,000/$183,000 6 Temby Av. $200,000 526 B Tombstone $205,000/$205,000/$210,000 12 Navajo Trail $249,000/$235,000/$218,000 204 Hereford Rd $249,000 (sold $162k 6/20) 503 Campbell $259,000 (sold $119,500 9/2017) 405 Powell $297,000/$292,000/$284,000 (sold for $185k in May/2021) 101 A Brewery $350,000/$340,000/$321,250 (sold $60,000 5/2016 301 Curve $385,000 (sold for $365k in July 2020) 79B Main $449,000/$449,000/$447,000 BUILDING PERMITS There were 31 residential building permits for $471,069 and eight commercial permits worth $125,235. This was the second lowest of the past 12 months. Of note is that although the number of residential permits have been generally been consistent over the past several years, 25-35 a month, the cost of the materials and work done has risen considerably for similar permits. SALES TAX (these figures represent actual sales two months prior. All figures are unadjusted for inflation) The 5% bed tax sales were the second highest in the past 18 months coming in at $28,645. Restaurant/Bar sales were down from the past month, but similar to several month previous. Retail sales ($95,168) dropped below $100k for the first time in seven months. And food for home consumption taxes ($42,335) also were the lowest in seven months. Internet sales taxes at $24,490 remained in the $20k-$25k range that has held steady since November/2021. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION Cochise Chess (non-profit) 513 Bisbee Rdd Nicholas Mueller
.............COCHISE COUNTY................
SUPES CROSBY AND JUDD INDICTED! The two supervisors have been charged by AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes, with felony offenses of conspiring to delay the counting of the county's votes and interfering with the ability of Arizona's top election official, the secretary of state, to complete the statewide counting (because they refused to ‘certify’ the canvass of the election They are due to be arraigned on December 21: Count 1….Conspiracy Count 2…Interference with an election officer Both are class 5 felonies…. A conviction comes with fines and usually between 6 months and 2.5 years in prison as per Arizona Statutes ARS. §13-1003 ARS §16-1004(A). WHAT IS AN ARRAIGNMENT? If someone is charged with a felony case, the first hearing that will be conducted in the Superior Court is called an arraignment. At the arraignment, the Judge will advise the defendant of their various rights; to remain silent, right to an attorney, to have a trial, and to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. The Judge will then tell a defendant what they're charged with in the indictment or the felony information. After the charges are read, the Judge will ask the defendant how they plead. The Court will then set the matter in the felony case for what's called a Case Management Hearing. The Court will then set the matter in the felony case for what's called a Case Management Hearing. <><> COUNTY TAXPAYERS NOT ON THE HOOK FOR SUPES LEGAL FEES According to several articles, Taxpayers won't be covering the bill to defend two Cochise County supervisors charged last week with interfering in the 2022 election.Supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd are on the hook for their own legal costs, said Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre. "They will be responsible for covering any fines the court might order and personally hiring and paying their attorneys." Crosby's attorney is Dennis Wilenchik, Judd's is Kurt Altman. CROSBY AND JUDD USING CHRISTIAN FUNDING SITE TO GET THEIR DEFENSE DOUGH Both indicted supervisors are using GiveSendGo, the 'Leader in Freedom Fundraising' to raise funds. Supervisor Judd has a plaintive plea on the site about why she is raising money. "I have done everything I can to support my constituents and their right to have transparent and accurate elections in their districts. And I have been indicted for it. I have my first court date a few days before Christmas—it’s scary and uncomfortable for this grandmother of 19. Add to this that I am also possibly spending my last Christmas with my very ill husband of 42 years. " She has raised less than $2,000 so far. "Supervisor Crosby, a double dipper of taxpayer money-pension from the border patrol and supervisor salary-takes the high road and suggests "If my legal adversary is successful in defeating me, it will intimidate other AZ County Supervisors into falling in line with the globalist plans of compromised elections, and forced use of voting machines." He has raised $4,544. The GiveSendGo site was profiled in Rolling Stone mag a few months ago. They detail that the company, founded as a way of funding christian missionaries, is also the place of choice for white nationalists and extremists seeking funds. The founders of the site have made big dough. <><> FEEBLE SUPPORT FROM BEYOND the RIGHT FIELD BLEACHERS That hotbed of rationality, the Maricopa repub party has issued not only support for Judd/Crosby, but called on the legislature to initiate impeaching the AG. Also a couple supes in Mojave county looking a ways to support J/C because it is 'overreach' and taking away county officials responsibility. Maybe a donnybrook shaping up rather than a kurfuffle. <><> WHAT YOU CAN DO Citizens Engagement Beyond Voting are taking an active interest in Cochise County. Sign up help out. CEBV has focused on the legislature with the truly informative weekly Lyer report that tracks legislation and who is doing what to the beleagured voters of Arizona. <><>
VOTE CENTERS APPROVED Eighteen vote centers were approved by two supes, English and Judd. Crosby voted against this seemingly because there are machine tabulators. The double dipper (border patrol pension and county salary) clearly prefers to spend taxpayer money on hand counting of votes. <><> ELECTIONS MANAGER WANTED! Hired by Bob Bartelsmeyer just a few months ago, former CC Elections Manager Dawn Chaouchi has left her post and Elections Director Tim Mattix is seeking a replacement. Hiring range $65-$70k. bennies. Go here for the job listing. <><> NEVADA THIRD STATE TO CHARGE FALSE 'ELECTOR DELEGATES' This is the local link to Nevada charges... The former head of the Cochise County republican party, Robert Montgomery, may be getting twitchy...The AZ attorney general is looking into charging false electors, of which Montgomery is one. He, along with that several others in Arizona, signed a document that was sent to Congress with a false avowal that they constituted Arizona’s official vote in the Electoral College for the 2020 election. Go Kris Mayes! According to this WaPo article about Nevada: "The felony charges facing each elector are offering a false instrument for filing, a category C felony, and uttering a forged instrument, a category D felony. The first carries a penalty of one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The penalty for the second is one to four years and a fine of up to $5,000. "...the charges stem from the false electors’ actions in December 2020, when they submitted a “false instrument” titled “Certificate of the Votes of the 2020 Electors from Nevada” to the president of the U.S. Senate; the archivist of the United States; the Nevada Secretary of State; and the United States District Court for the District of Nevada." <><> JAIL TAX FOES REQUEST STAY OF IMPLEMENTATION Jail tax protesters have filed an appeal to the AZ Court of Appeals to stay the collection of a .5% county tax to fund a new jail while it is being further litigated. Collection of the tax is set to begin on Jan. 1. The appeal will likely not be heard until February 24 or later. They claim that if the tax begins collection and the appeals court rules in their favor, it will be difficult to refund the tax money to residents. They have also asked the court for an oral hearing before Jan. 1 on the matter. However there is no decision on the motion. The election was run by then acting elections director David Stevens who is also the county Recorder. Mr. Stevens has been at involved in a number of election-related problems, as well as a $1 million grant that was terminated because of his failure to adhere to deadlines. The original lawsuit was dismissed by CC Superior Court Judge David Thorn. His decision is being appealed. The original suit had several complaints:
The county election board of 2022 was not re-appointed in 2023 and hence had no standing to be involved in the election.
A 2022 law that was in place mandating that an initiative or referendum that enacts a new tax had to receive 60% of the vote to pass. A dispute whether a ‘question' asking voters for a new tax was the same of different than an initiative. Also whether the law covered only state initiatives or was inclusive of counties. The new jail ‘question’ passed by 750 votes.
A dispute over ‘active’ voters and ‘eligible’ voters and who should have been sent publicity pamphlets and ballots.
The County Attorney’s office is defending the Supes and the County Jail District.
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ANTI-DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS FACE POSSIBLE DISBARMENT
And this from Arizona Agenda summarizing a KJZZ report...It’s not looking good for Lake’s ethically challenged lawyers, Brian Blehm, Kurt Olsen and Andrew Parker. Blehm and Olsen face bar complaints for claiming that it was an "undisputed fact" that tens of thousands of ballots were fraudulently injected into the system in the 2022 election, among other lies, while Olsen and Parker face a complaint for representing Lake and Mark Finchem in their attempt to outlaw vote tabulation machines. The State Bar found probable cause to move forward with the complaints against them, a big step towards some kind of formal discipline, be that a reprimand or disbarment.
Blehm represented Cochise County, actually only Crosby/Judd voted for him, in the vote canvass debacle. He has lost continuously representing election deniers and their ilk.
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TURMOIL AT CHIRICAHUA COMMUNITY HEALTH
A former CFO of Chiricahua Community Health Centers has alleged in a lawsuit that there are financial mismanagement at the successful rural healthcare company. Additionally there seems to be financial stresses, including an audit, that have caused the CEO to issue financial belt tightening measures. Go here for a full explanation of the firing, lawsuit, and explanation of possible financial difficulties.
...............THE LEGE & THE STATE................
REPORTS DETAIL ALARMING WATER USE PROJECTIONS IN FIVE RURAL AREAS
The series of reports from Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) about various management areas is bleak. Of the five rural areas charted for projected problems, the Wilcox basin shows the most demand-agriculture-far exceeding groundwater supply.
The annual reports, mandated by law, are the first comprehensive survey of groundwater supply and use.
Reporter Tony Davis of the Arizona Star has a succinct summary of the individual reports. An excerpt from the article : "Biggest future water loser. Almost certainly, it will be the Willcox Basin. About halfway between the states of Rhode Island and Delaware in size, it contains enough unused state and private land for agricultural water demand to more than double between now and 2075, the report said.
If farmland does double, the basin's aquifer could lose up to 13.7 million acre-feet of groundwater by 2075. Under lesser growth projections made in the report, based on factors such as long-term climate heating and future conservation practices, the basin will lose 7.6 million to 7.8 million acre-feet by 2075."
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$1 BILLION IN DOPE SALES
From an article in the AZ Mirror
"So far in 2023, medical cannabis sales overall totaled $267 million and Arizonans have bought nearly $797 million in recreational marijuana, for a total year-to-date of almost $1.1 billion through September. Since January 2021, when recreational sales began, the cannabis industry has generated more than $4 billion, with about $2.5 billion coming from recreational sales."
"...The excise tax on adult-use marijuana sales has yielded about $174.5 million so far in 2023. In 2021, recreational cannabis generated $32.9 million for eleven months of sales, and in 2022 that number jumped to $132.8 million. Since the program launched, the state has collected more than $391 million in marijuana excise taxes."
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BISBEE LETTER TO THE AZ STAR EDITOR ABOUT REPUBS/ABORTION
Today's republican party supports policies that can only be described as sadistic. A woman with an unviable pregnancy must, in their view, carry a dead or dying fetus to the bitter end, even if it makes the mother extremely ill or even kills her. An overwhelming majority rejects such cruelty, yet the GOP is intent on forcing it on us anyway. I used to wonder why the republicans would force such policies in spite of majority opposition, but I've come to the conclusion that the republicans are forcing it precisely because of majority opposition. This is a test- to see how much they can force an unwilling public to accept. If they can force us to accept such cruelty regarding abortion rights, what else can they force us to accept? If they prevail in this, don't think they'll stop there.Marian Weaver, Bisbee
...............EVERYTHING ELSE................
WHO OWNS THE WEST? This article from High Country News illustrates how much land is owned by so few people. Henry Singleton/1.1 milllion acres; Reed family/1.66 million acres; Emmerson family/2.4 million acres; John Malone/2.2 million acres; Ted Turner/2 million acres. Countries as well as foreign companies own millions of acres. The Church of Latter Day Saints/Mormons own 2.3 million acres in the US-one of the top five largest private land owner. That includes some 167 parcels in Maricopa county registered under several subsidiaries.(The catholic church owns 177 millions acres of land) <><> THOSE WILY CORPORATIONS; SAME PACKAGING, REDUCED CONTENTS! Product price increases can take a couple of forms, a raise in price, or a more stealthy reduction in contents. These are a few products that have decreased the amount while retaining the size of the product. (courtesy of Mouseprint a consumer oriented price tracking online mag with a charmingly archaic 3 column website. ) Huggies wipes 768 to 702 sheets Ultra Downey fabric softner 51 to 44 oz Pepperidge farm goldfish carton 30 to 27.3 M&M’s peanuts sharing size 10.70 to 10.05 Stacy’s Pita Chips 18 to 16 oz Tide Oxi 154 to 146 oz Charmin Ultra Soft 366 sheets to 336 (with scalloped edges!) Arm & Hammer free n clear detergent 189 to 140 oz Nutri Source Dog Food 30lb to 26 lbs Campbell Home Style Soups 18.6 to 16.1 ozs (with new packaging) <><> MORE AVARICIOUS CORPORATIONS; CORPORATE TAKEOVER OF SEED GERMINATION An article dealing with the demise of public plant breeding. Corporate control of plant seeds, (academic and land grant college plant/seed breeders) More articles in the New Lede:
Exposure to that chemical and to the larger class of manmade substances that are commonly known as “forever” chemicals because of their persistence in the environment.
Methane from Manure on a large scale
Bees & Pesticides continue to be a problem
20 years and still no regulation for chromium 6 , the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical.
<><> TURN OFF TV TRACKING This article will show you how to turn off tracking, "automated content recognition,” on your TV the software on smart TVs that tracks what you’re watching. <><>
GOVERNMENT COMIC BOOKS THROUGH THE YEARS Tanks, soldiers, homosexuals, smokey the bear, and lots more in this article that covers the government use of comic books as a prime communication mechanism. First noted in Beautiful Public Data https://www.beautifulpublicdata.com/government-comic-books/?ref=beautiful-public-data-newsletter <><> THE MANY USES FOR BAKING SODA Do away with those modern products that don't work so well. Some of the best cleaning can be done with baking soda. And vinegar. <><> THE CAUSE OF MORNING SICKNESS The study confirms prior research that had pointed to the hormone, called GDF15. The researchers found that the amount of hormone circulating in a woman’s blood during pregnancy — as well as her exposure to it before pregnancy — drives the severity of her symptoms. <><>
ORDER FREE AT HOME COVID TESTS https://special.usps.com/testkits
............... WORD...............
Knewledge.......All that stuff you're forgotten
Lugeubrious....Wallowing in misery and going downhill fast
Cerebrawl........A battle of wits
Plodcast...........a boring online interview
Suburbane.......Not quite suave
Procrastimate....Someone who encourages your tardiness
Nanarchy..........Grandma rules the roost
Tunesia............Inability to remember a tune you once knew
Lyeperbole.......Greatly exaggerate lie
Puber...............Ride service for adolescents
Deafinitely........Definitive statement of the hard of hearing
Pregret............Knowing you'll later wish you hadn't
Herbibore.........someone that can't stop talking about their diet