BISBEE WIRE #94

editor: fred miller           May 31,  2025          #94/May 2025

Hello,It was a consequential weekend for me. Memorial day has been a time to remember those who have served and died so that our freedoms live. I don't take that lightly. I'm a vet. I'm one of the many millions of men and women that put some amount of years in one of the military services, in my case almost four in the Navy. Although many of our governments have done terrible things to others-inside and out of our country-during our history, all in the name of the People, and I have directly and indirectly opposed many government actions the past 60 years, in spite of that it doesn't negate the many wonderful accomplishments that have been done for the US and the world peoples. The good people have overcome the bad. At my core, I love this country.     So it cuts deep when a day, that is singled out for remembrance of service is represented by a money grubbing self obsessed president wearing a fuckin baseball cap, mangling the English language while whining about his perceived enemies while ostensibly paying tribute to dead veterans-'the suckers' as he has called them.   It becomes clearer every day that is incumbent to fiercely resist this administration and remake our country for the benefit of the huge majority of us. We hosted Anita's family for her birthday last weekend. A very enjoyable small party and a dinner at the Copper Pig with lots of hanging out time. Three kids,their spouses, two grandkids and one great grandkid  came from Detroit, Snoqualmie/Wa, and Colorado to show their love and respect for her.  I'm fortunate. Not only did I a get to live with a wonderful strong beautiful woman, I married into a family of doers who pitch in to work to do what has to be done.  After they left we slept for two days. fred

        ...............AROUND TOWN................        

MINING MUSEUM FREE TO RESIDENTS IN JUNE

Continuing a long time tradition, admission to the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum will be free to residents during June. The current exhibit features an truly stunning array of Turquoise jewelry, loaned from a personal collection, that were created by American Indian artists. Well worth your time.

+++++++++NO KINGS!  DAY OF RESISTANCE JUNE 14THA couple of events to get out your signs with witty slogans, round up some friends and go to:Sierra Vista Veterans Memorial Park9 – 10:30am Fry Blvd sidewalk3105 E Fry BlvdorBisbee Pride Parade10 am  form up at Iron Man statue by the courthouseDemocrats will be parading with blue & rainbow flagsRepublicans will be hiding...in the closet?++++++++FEEDLOT PROPOSAL FOR MCNEAL DRAWS HEAT

A local rancher with ties to Sonora, Mexico has applied for a special use permit to establish a 1050 acre (1.64 sq. mile) feedlot near hwy. 191/Davis Rd. Ramón Bojórquez informed his neighbors through a letter about his intent. (It's the law to inform people adjacent to a proposed special use.)    His proposal has drawn stiff opposition. There is a public meeting June 14 at 10 am either at the Friends Southwest Center Meeting House in McNeal or McNeal Elementary School, site to be determined next week.    Two local reporters have done in-depth stories on this feedlot proposal in the last week:

  Beau Hodai has an investigative piece in Cochise Regional News, which can be accessed by clicking HERE. His substack is worthy of your reading and financial support.

   Shar Porier has also covered the issue for the Sierra Vista Herald Review. A pdf of the article “Cattle Feedlot Proposed in McNeal Draws Early Opposition,” is HERE. (information taken from the Quaker Friends newsletter)

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LE CORNUCOPIA

Although Le Cornucopia Café  has lost their space at the Sierra Vista library, they continue to thrive in Bisbee. Owner Gretchen Bonaduce continues to look for a new SV space, but has put it on a back burner while she focuses more on the Bisbee location.

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DESERT DIVA DESERTS BISBEE FOR SILVER CITY

Vanessa Seranno of Desert Diva Hats has moved her business to Silver City NM now called Siverado Hats. The building housing the former hat store at 41 Main is up for sale.++++++++++++

BISBEE MEDIA MENTIONSDot'shttps://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2025/05/22/15-hidden-gem-restaurants-that-arizonans-say-you-must-try/83766850007/?utm_source=a

road triphttps://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/arizona/road-trips/2025/05/17/memorial-day-weekend-arizona-road-trips-2025/83651554007/?utm_source=azcentral-

arts

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/best-small-towns-in-the-us-for-art-lovers

++++++++++LETSON LOFTThe Letson Loft has reopened. It was the first building to reopen after the devastating Valentine’s night fire that destroyed two other buildings as well as severely damage the hotel. Just 13 months after the fire, the $3.5 million dollar reconstruction and remodel has been completed. The work was done by prime contractor Mike Albin, the owner of the Legion Bar, and subcontractor Tyler Bradberry of Old Bisbee Enterprises. The hotel was opened in 2006 by owners Steve and Marijane Relth and Tom and Susan Firth .+++++++++WALKING TOURA good way to see some of the history of Bisbee is to take historian Boyd Nicholl’s ‘The Stepping Back in Time Walking Tour’. It will take you through the streets of Bisbee while sharing the community’s history. The tour starts at the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum building stairs each Saturday at 2:00 pm and is limited to 12 guests. https://bit.ly/BMHMWalkingTours++++++++++New pickleball courts in Vista Park will be opening in June. Six courts will be available on the site of one of the two tennis courts that were established by Fred Corrin, former educator & tennis coach. The other court will remain for tennis.++++++++++NEW SHOW AT ARTEMIZIA Experience the unique artistry of Michele Mikesell, a Filipino American artist whose work transcends borders and cultures. The show opened last Saturday and runs through June 22. Artemizia Gallery 818 Tombstone Canyon.+++++++++++NACO HERITAGE ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES FELLOWSHIP AWARDEES

Twelve people were selected for the 2025-2026 Naco Heritage Alliance Fellowship awardees. Included in the group was the lustrous Gretchen Baer! Applicants were encouraged to propose projects that promote sustainability, foster meaningful connections with the local community, and integrate the arts and knowledge sharing in ways that support the long-term vitality of Camp Naco. To find out more about the projects, visit

https://www.campnacoaz.org/fellowship and click on a person. 

+++++++++++DARK SKIES SHED LIGHTThe Bisbee Dark Sky Community designation has been receiving attention on a state and national level.  Arizona Department of Tourism featured Bisbee as as the poster child for the Dark Sky movement  in Arizona and sent out information to over 2200 travel agents and commercial entities. A Dark Skies rep was also interviewed on Channel 12 in Phoenix that was followed  by a Wisconsin NPR affiliate interview about bringing Dark Skies to their area.   Bisbee Dark Skies, working with the Bisbee Sustainability Council, has begun phase 2 of their efforts to, over a period of time,  replace/convert street lights in Bisbee that are Dark Skies compliant LEDs. When completed there will be a 30% reduction in electricity usage along with reduced fees to the city/tax payers.  They soon will bring this before the city council for approval.   Bisbee Dark Skies is also working on a instructional program to help homeowners voluntarily make their own homes dark skies compliant (lights shielded and down facing). These types of lights are available at hardware stores at standard pricing.  ++++++++VOLUNTEERINGThere are many Bisbee non-profit organizations that need volunteers to help provide services to our community. A short list of many organizations:+Dark Skies needs  help with administrative tasks involved with running the organization and Vista market. Contact info@bisbeedarkskies.com+Cochise Harm Reduction could use volunteers to help in the kitchen preparing meals.+Goar Park lunches can always use kitchen help+KBRP has needed work for programming, engineering, event plannning, and admin tasks. BisbeeKBRP@gmail.com +Casa de la Luz hospice is in need of compassionate, dedicated volunteers to help support patients and families during one of life’s most important journeys.. No medical experience is needed—just a kind heart and a willingness to be present. Bisbee, Douglas, Sierra Vista, Benson For more information call 520 263-3400.++++++++++

HERALD REVIEW READER ADVISORY BOARD

I have been a member of the Herald Review Reader Advisory Board for several years. New members are welcome.  Editor, Matt Hickman, holds a Reader Advisory Board meeting the first Wednesday of every month. You can join other subscribers to share your thoughts on how coverage is going, what topics interest you, and have some snacks! Our next meeting is June 4, at 5:00 p.m. at the Herald/Review office.

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SMALL BUSINESS & NON-PROFIT WORKSHOPSThe Center for Healthy Nonprofits has a pair of  expertise-sharing events on deck for June, with 'Ask an Expert: Sustained Collaboration - What It Is and How To Do It!' in-person on CF Campus and presented by Christine M. Thompson, Director of Arizona Together for Impact on June 5th, along with an online iteration of the Center's Marketing & Communications Roundtable series entitled, 'The Brand That Got You Here Won’t Get You There – A Mini Brand Clarity Workshop', presented by Raechel Larsen, Director of Modern Day Branding Bar via Zoom on June 10th. Go here for more info.+++++++++++WOMEN'S CLUB GRANT AWARDS

Bisbee Woman's Club has announced the recipients of this year's Community Grants. The Club distributed $7,400 from monies raised during the Annual Home Tour.

Bisbee Bikeways- Administrative costs

Bisbee Community Chorus- 2 week Music Camp for children

Bisbee Radio Project- Community events

Bisbee Rotary Club- Handbags for Hope

Bisbee Science Lab- Summer Camp Scholarships

Calliope Women's Music Festival- Mother's Day

Central School Project- MAKE Youth Arts Program

Cochise Chess- Free Chess sets and clocks

Dolly Parton Library- Free books for children under age 5

Friends of Bisbee Pool- Lifeguard salaries

Studio Mariposa- Free painting classes

Project Wildlife Bisbee- Website development+++++++++TUCSON PATIOS AND MURALSFor an extensive list of dining outside in Tucson go here

For an extensive list of murals in Tucson go here

CITY OF BISBEE NEWS

BISBEE POPULATION DROPS BELOW 5000 The Census Bureau has released their yearly update on estimated population changes for all cities over 5000 people throughout the country. Last year Bisbee had 5011 people, this year 4957    During the this decade Bisbee population has fluctuated;2020/4919; 2021/4959; 2022/5005;2023/5011;2024/4957   To look up any place in the US to view demographics go here Arizona has gained about 400,000+people in the past four years, an increase of 5.9%. The state total is 7,582,384. Tolleson in Maricopa has seen the most increase...........HALLELUJAH FOR EMPLOYEES! NEW CITY HALL OPENAfter suffering through six city managers in the past decade, seven years after a fire destroyed their place of work, and three moves into different city hall quarters, the new city hall is finally open at 118 Arizona St. Residents are fortunate to have such good CoB employees.    The total cost of the building was about $4 millions, of which $2 million came from history on the previous structure. A combination of city funding sources was used to finance the remainder. As yet the total cost for the building and contents has not been publicized.   The new building has several spacious offices,a conference room, bathrooms on the first and second floor, and a council meeting room with a good sound system and 60+ seats for the public. The new building was designed by the late Albert Hopper and mimics many features and appearance of the former hq of the Calumet and Arizona mining company. The city of Bisbee had bought the structure in 2000. A fire destroyed the entire structure save the entrance way which was incorporated into the new building. ..........WARD 1 COUNCIL MEETWard 1 Councilpeople, Leslie Johns and Karen Schumacher, with guest speaker Cooper Raphael  of Firewise, held a ward meeting on Sunday attended by about 50 people. There was substantial discussion about a new fire suppression system and the difficulty of getting a $60+ million grant the to pay for it. Residents were urged to participate and stay informed about city affairs. Hopefully other councilpeople will hold meetings in their Wards...........BISBEE GETS A STREET SWEEPERAfter a long delay because of the unique building specifications-think narrow streets-a street sweeper has arrived in Bisbee, a couple years after being ordered. ..........THE POOLThe pool has opened!. Go to the city’s website for more info..........BISBEE DETECTIVE NAMED YEAR’S TOP COP IN THE COUNTYBisbee Police Department Det. Esmerelda Mendoza received the Medal of Valor award as Cochise County’s Top Cop.     Mendoza was nominated by Bisbee Police Chief Timothy Cox for her 154 investigations, solving a homicide, two sexual assaults, and four fraud cases, with her nomination noting her high success rate, leadership skills, and networking with the public.   Local, County, State, and Federal law enforcement nominees are recognized for exceptional performance during the year. Detective Mendoza bested 10 other nominees................LIBRARY SCHEDULECopper Queen Library education and wellness events for adults and kids: https://www.bisbeeaz.gov/2351/Events..........CITY OF BISBEE COMMITTEE OPENINGS

• Bisbee Arts Commission - 1 Vacancy 

• Building Advisory Board of Appeals - 4 Vacancies

• Board of Adjustment - 1 Vacancy  

• Civil Service Commission - 1 Vacancy 

• Planning & Zoning Commission - 1 Vacancy

• Transit Advisory Committee - 3 Vacancies (Bisbee Citizen / Local Disability Community / Local Business)

If interested in the openings of the Boards, Commissions and Committees listed above, Please fill out a Board/ Commission/ Committee Membership Application Form and file the Application with the City Clerk's Office or email it to the City Clerk Ashlee Coronado or the Deputy City Clerk Nina Williams. 

          BISBEE ECONOMY        

The budget for the city of Bisbee, like all budgets, is an educated guesstimate of what revenue and spending will be in the years. The draft of the FY 25-26 budget was formed through was a series of public meetings in April (not many 'public'  showed up). The draft budget, $10,510,310,  about $350k less than last year, will be presented to the council June 3 for approval; this conforms to a schedule mandated by the State of AZ. Go here for the draft budget.   It is unfortunate so few people take the time to scrutinize the draft because this is how the city will spend our money; it is whatever planning the city is doing for the next year. When actually looked at like that, questions come up. For instance there is $400,000 in the visitor center budget for 'capital improvements' that supposedly, although not announced, will be for a new visitor center at 28 Main. Is that the best use of the visitor center fund?    By law, they cannot exceed the amount of the budget. And departments cannot add new spending over which has been budgeted. However there can, and will be, transfers within departments as unanticipated needs occur in some areas with less spending in others.     If you would like to keep track of what is happening currently....The city is now operating in FY24/25 until July 1. To keep the council and residents informed of what is happening with finances, the city treasurer Keri Bagley, issues a monthly report detailing how spending/revenue matches the budget.   Money does not come into the city in a steady flow, it often comes in chunks at different times of the year, for instance property taxes come in May and June. So for any particular month the income may be more or less than projected. For instance, revenue-the amount of money the city is earning through various endeavors, is a bit higher, $35k,  than projected for April. From the report..."in April revenue is actually at 82% or about $102,000 short of expectations. Upcoming Property Tax Revenue will make up this difference."   And the report talks about specific departmental spending compared to budgeted. Of particular interest to me is the Visitor Center budget and spending.    "Visitor Center: Bed Tax Revenue is at 144% of projections or $158,000 more than what was anticipated or this point in the year and fund balance is now at about $463,000. Expenses are at 94% leaving a net revenue over expense of about $130,000. Expenses are about $28,000 ahead of budget projections for this point in the year. Although there’s enough revenue to cover this, all funds are required to stay below what was budgeted."............Airb&b, the company, has kicked off  a huge makeover. An article in Wired mag talks about the transformation of a company that initially was a booker of overnight rentals that now is adding ‘experiences’ and ‘services’. The website and app has been redesigned  featuring specific cities where in addition to a rental you can book an experience. For instance, if going to Flagstaff you may book any one of 30 experiences such as a cultural tour or creating personalized sipping chocolate. And you can book, depending on availability in a particular city, yoga, hair, makeup, private chef, photo shoots, and more. Airb&b wants to curate your trip.   Airb&b has spend huge amounts of money for lobbying and attorneys to fend off attempts at more local control. They have been successful in Arizona. The rep. lege has not allowed any legislation allowing more local control to even come up for a vote. ++++++++++HOUSE SALESAddress                  OLP         LP         SP 111 B St.                192,500 185,000 185,000305 Shattuck St.     199,000 199,000 195,000306 Shattuck St.      205,000 202,500 202,000107 D ST                 $215,000612 Hoatson Ave      255,000 225,000 219,000401 Bisbee Rd          265,000 255,000 250,000603 Arizona             279,000 269,000 259,000311 Clawson St.       298,000 298,000 284,000302A Ohara  Ave      475,000 459,000 400,0001426 S Foudy Rd      885,000 829,000 829,000........BUILDING PERMITSApril totals,  715,575 , were the lowest in six years with roughly the same number of permits each year. But still a hefty sum is being spent to remodel, rennovate, and replace worn infrastructure in residents. Commercial permits continue to lag but there is some work being done the past few years in April in contast to the dark years during the pandemic.  ...........SALES TAXES (I've been mistaken. In the past I assumed that TPT totals from ADOR were two months in the past, however they are only one month previous. So for April, this report is for March actual spending. Businesses report March sales tax to ADOR and they issue their monthly report based on the from submitted by businesses.) Bed taxes were the second highest in the past several years, coming in at $38,518, a whopping $15k over the last month. The 3.5% hotel tax also saw a big bump to $29, 264, $12k over month. Bar/restaurant sales taxes were $69,081 almost $35k more than last month. Retail also showed a sharp increase totaling $145,149-the largest reporting taxes in the six years I've been  tracking TPT. Food for home consumption and internet sales remain about the same as previous months. ..........ARTICLE OF INCORPORATIONSolar River LLC27 TembyBenjamin LepleyBisbee Veterinary Services11 Ocotillo St.Nicole FinchRoots to Walls5396 W. Hidden TrailAli ZigerelliAUCTIONmobile home sale to satisfy landlord leaseAs isJune 6 sale on site at #72010 S. Bowers St.Bisbee Limited Holdings..a California company

           ..............COCHISE COUNTY................          JUDGE APPROVES JAIL DISTRICT CHALLENGE SETTLEMENTA deal worked out by county supes and plaintiffs in the court case challenging the jail district election in 2023 has been approved by Apache County Judge Laham. The judge also denied Sec of State Fontes intervention in the case. The settlement will pay the plaintiffs $130,000 for their legal fees, the suspension of the collection of the .5% county tax and a new election in November, which has already been scheduled by the supes. Unless the decsion is challenged about September 1, 2025, the half cent tax will stop being colledted thereby returning Bisbee city tax rate to 9.6%. At this time it is unclear about what to do with the half cent tax monies collected since 1/2024.   However there are some issues pointed out by Herald Review reporter Terri Jo Neff that were ignored or unclear by the ruling. As she points out; "...the legal question which was before him (Judge Latham) is “how to rectify an election the Court of Appeals already stated was flawed due to the legislative anomaly where ‘inactive voters’ were entitled to ballots but not publicity pamphlets about the issue on the ballot.”   Legal observers note the court of appeals’ ruling and prior opinions from the Arizona Supreme Court make clear the mere fact of an error with how an election was conducted does not always negate the outcome of the election.   Which is why the actual question the court of appeals ordered Latham to answer was whether “the illegal votes were sufficient to change the outcome of the election.”   It is a question Latham completely ignores in his ruling." Go here for her article.    The supervisors has previously indicated they want in person voting, maybe precinct voting, and have speculated about hand counting of votes. The last two are very expensive. We'll see..............6TH ELECTION DIRECTOR HIREDMaybe this will be the charm, Melissa Avant will be the new elections director, the sixth in four years. Avant is well known to many in Cochise County through her longtime position as a regional director for First Things First, a nonprofit focused across Arizona on early childhood and child education. The group’s Cochise County regional office is based in Sierra Vista.   Her hiring is slated to be on the agenda for the board’s May 20 meeting. It is expected she would start sometime this summer, leaving Interim Elections Director Marisol Renteria in place to handle the special primary election for Congressional District 7 on July 15.++++++++++SUPES MAY TAKE ELECTION DUTIES FROM COUNTY ADMINISTRATORIn agenda item for the June 2 county supes meeting it appears that they will nix the current arrangement where the election director reports to the county administrator and replace it  giving county supes control over the entire process. These two docs are the likely what will be talked about:

This resolution will be rescinded...3-15 is here https://www.cochise.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6004/Resolution-03-15-PDF

This resolution will likely be adopted in some form, 25-11 may refer to the lege resolution 11-251 and is here https://www.azleg.gov/ars/11/00251.htm

++++++++++TV DEBATES FOR CD-7A short primer to KNOW YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CD-7. Go here

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Mark your calendars: Debates are headed your way on June 9-R’s and June 10-D’s, as candidates for the open seat in Congressional District 7 vie for your vote, the Tucson Sentinel’s Jim Nintzel reports. Arizona Public Media will broadcast the debates, which will also stream on the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections’ YouTube page. The three Republican candidates are Daniel Butierez, who lost to Grijalva in the 2024 election, Jorge Rivas and Jimmy Rodriguez. The five Democrats running for the seat are: Deja Foxx, who led “influencer strategy” in Kamala Harris’ first presidential campaign; Adelita Grijalva, a former Pima County Supervisor and daughter of the late congressman; Patrick Harris Sr.; former state lawmaker Daniel Hernandez; and Jose Malvido Jr.  It is likely that KBRP will be broadcasting the debates. The Special Primary Election is happening on July 15, 2025, followed by the Special General Election on September 23, 2025. This is following the passing of Rep. Raul Grijalva, on March 13.Key Dates & Info:Voter Registration Deadline:June 16, 2025 (midnight)Early Voting Begins:June 18, 2025Early Voting Saturdays (Bisbee & Douglas):June 21 & June 28 | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PMSample Ballots Mailed:July 3, 2025Last Day to Request Early Ballot by Mail:July 7, 2025Last Day of Early in-Person Voting:July 11, 2025Vote Center Locations (Election Day Hours: 6 AM – 7 PM):Hearing Room, Building G, 1415 Melody Lane, Bisbee, AZ 85603 Logic & Accuracy Test:June 13, 2025 – Elections Department, BisbeeQuestions?Contact the Recorder’s Office: 520-432-8350

       ...............THE LEGE................              A three week paid vacation for the legislature. They be doin nada. A budget is due soon, but nary a peep about what is going on although rumors abound of a delay because of the crap going on with tariffs.  Repugnicans, particularly the odious Jake Hoffman who can't put a coherent sentence together, continue to stymie Hobbs choices for department heads. And so it goes as the rabid right illustrates their contempt for Arizona citizens. The Arizona Agenda spells out one of the best ways to understand the state budget process.                 ........THE FEDS .........                       This is an excellent source for info about what is being done to us in the first four months of this year.   

PROJECT 2025 TRACKER

This instructive site tracks the completion rate of 313 goals set out in project 2025. It charts progress by many federal agencies as well as by task within agencies.  When tracked like this, it is clear that the first four months of trump's reign has been very successful.

++++++++++++PROJECT 2025 BACKGROUND FOR NATIONAL MILITARIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM. 

"Project 2025 is the name of an effort led by right-wing think tank, The Heritage Foundation. The effort included input from a coalition of various right-wing public policy foundations and individual contributors.

In April 2023, the group published a 922-page policy handbook titled "2025 Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise." In essence, the handbook laid out plans to reshape the federal government under a second Trump administration around two pillars.

One was the obscure "unitary executive" legal theory, which essentially consolidates executive power in the hands of the president. Critics of "unitary executive" theory argue that it is unconstitutional and essentially reframes the presidency as something akin to a dictatorship or monarchy.

The second pillar is hard-line Christian fundamentalism." Go here for the article from Cochise Regional News...................THE 2025 MAN RUNS THE SHOWThe pasty faced Elon Musk has seemingly disappeared from public view. and left the gov...oh but wait, wasn't he in Saudi Arabia and didn't he show up in the oval office with a black eye? In his stead is Russell Vought, the innocuous looking, low key, christian nationalist idelogue who was the originator and prime mover behind Project 2025, the blueprint being used to 'reform' government agencies. He now has come to  the foreground to run DOGE, instead of the background where he has been running DOGE. Musk might have been the public face for the last four months, but Vought was pulling the strings...........THE RECONCILIATION BILL THAT WILL COST $3 TRILLION?Go here for a detailed explanation of spending & savings.  

The House has finished work on the gigantic ugly anti-reconciliation bill. And it is a foul, nasty piece of work that takes from poor people and gives to the wealthy. It will make the vast majority of people in this country less healthy, with less services for all save  rich people.   The centerpiece of the Republicans’ cost savings is a whopping $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid. (In Arizona ACCESS is the medicaid program.) The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that these cuts, and the expiration of health-care tax credits Republicans don’t plan to renew, will leave at least 13.7 million Americans uninsured. About 10.3 million people would lose access to Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with 8.6- to 10  million people becoming uninsured during the 10-year budget window, according to the CBO analysis.    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits. A provision in the Agriculture Committee’s piece of Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill” to enact President Donald Trump’s agenda would cut $300 billion, a reduction of 30%, and transfer between 5% and 25% of that cost to states, depending on each state’s payment error rate, starting in 2028.......Arizona public radio and TV stations, funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting stand to lose more than $9 million as the trump administration eliminates funding  for public broadcasting.     In Arizona the funding for all stations in 2024 was $7,424,661. KXCI community radio station in Tucson was $118,039, KUAT, public television $1,9000,000, KUAZ, public radio$755,536.https://cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials/funding/2024/az   For information about the amount of funding for any state for the past several years, go here For instance in 2024 California received $57,000,000; Florida $24,000,000; Virginia $99,000,000............The Internal Revenue Service lost 31% of its auditors from buyouts and firings by the Trump administration, departures that are likely to hamper the agency’s ability to go after tax cheats. More than 3,600 revenue agents—who are responsible for collecting tax payments—have left the IRS, according to an agency watchdog report. In addition, 18% of revenue officers who oversee challenging tax cases and 10% of tax examiners, the front-line employees who review returns, have also left the agency, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said in a recent report..........Earlier this year, the Trump administration fired hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration employees as part of its broader termination of federal employees. The FAA firings came just a few weeks after the worst US civil aviation disaster in decades...........AND SOME GOOD NEWS

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is pulling out a lot of wins for the state, too. Her office’s lawsuits against the Trump administration have stopped the president from closing the Department of Education, and Mayes joined 23 other states to secure a preliminary injunction that stopped billions of dollars worth of public health cuts. from Arizona Agenda

I very much appreciate the 50+ 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.

     ................EVERYTHING ELSE................ 

ELECTIONS BOUGHT & EVERYTHING IS FOR SALE

Earlier this month, Americans for Tax Fairness analyzed spending in 2024 and discovered that just 100 billionaire families donated a record-breaking $2.6 billion to federal campaigns, up by 160 times from billionaire spending in elections before the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision. Seventy percent of that money went to Republican candidates or causes. In the three races that determined control of the Senate—Montana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania—outside money from billionaires made up 58.1%, 56.8%, and 44.5% of the outside money coming in. Elon Musk donated about $290 million, giving four times as much money to political campaigns in 2024 as he paid in income taxes between 2013 and 2018.https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-27-2025?utm_source=post-emailtitle&publication_id=20533&post_id=162308948&utm_campaign=email-posttitle&isFreemail=true&r=yh1rc&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

+++++++++++ASU STUDY SAYS THEM CORPORATIONS ARE TOO THIRSTY.... Go here for the article in the Arizona Star."The rate of water losses in the seven-state Colorado River Basin has tripled in the past decade, mainly due to intensifying groundwater over-pumping in southeast and northwest Arizona, a new study finds.""A map included in the study showed that Arizona’s greatest groundwater losses have occurred in southeastern Arizona, centered on the Willcox and Douglas basins, and in La Paz and Mohave counties in west and northwest Arizona. In both areas, out-of-state companies have moved in over the past decade or so and begun pumping large amounts of groundwater to grow alfalfa, other forms of hay and grain, and tree nuts including pecans and pistachios."++++++++++6 MILLION CHICKENS DEADAn avian flu outbreak has killed or forced the euthanasia of 95% of Hickman’s Family Farms’ Arizona hen population, totaling about 6 million dead birds in the past two week. This because the meat industry has lobbied against bird flu vaccines, stymieing efforts to control the disease. And Kennedy's anti-science agenda has just begun.   Out of some 10,000 workers laid off Tuesday across the Department of Health and Human Services, more than 130 staff were cut in the FDA's veterinary center. The center oversees medicines and food given in the U.S. to animals, ranging from pets to cattle as well as bird flu. The cuts impacted virtually all of the leadership team in the Center for Veterinary Medicine's office of the director, except for the director herself, Tracey Forfa. ++++++++++++

THE ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT AS AGING BEGINS

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/05/21/longevity-exercise-resistance-training/

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CAFFEINE LEVELS IN TEA

For tea drinkers of which I am one...A short primer of the different factors affecting caffeine levels in tea.

 "How you brew your tea has more influence on caffeine levels than the color or type of leaf alone. Temperature, time, and quantity determine whether your cup ends up mild or strong, regardless of whether it's green, black, or white."+++++++++US SUPREMES DECIDE THAT DESTROYING A SACRED SITE IS WORTH GETTING COPPER

Refusing to hear a case protesting the award of sacred Apache land to Resolution Copper, the court determined that copper was more important than Oak Flat, the Apache burial site. Christian Nationalism uber alles?++++++++               .............. WORD...............              I might have  run these but what the hell I'm desperate...

 • I took my suit to the cleaners, who wanted to charge me $40, so I gave it to the charity shop next door. They cleaned and pressed it and put it in the window. I bought it back for $15. • My wife and I decided to never go to bed angry. We've been awake since Tuesday.• Someone just gave me half a peace sign. Weird.• Growing up, we knew Dad had had enough when we heard the recliner slam down. Kids these days will never know that fear• My wife said: "That's the 4th time you've gone back for dessert! Doesn't it embarrass you?" I said: "No, I keep telling them it's for you."• She said she missed me. Normally that would be good, but she's reloading.• When I was in elementary school we learned about a shape called a rhombus and that was the last time I ever heard about that shape.• My wife and I started role-playing in the bedroom. Her favorite is The Sexy Librarian where I have to sit quietly while she reads a book.• Being old is when you don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go too.• I now know how it will all end for me, one of my kids will unplug my life support to charge their phone.• At a wedding reception, someone yelled: "All married people please stand next to the one person that has made your life worth living." The bartender was almost crushed to death.• I met my wife at a singles night. I was surprised because I thought she was home with the kids.• I want someone I can share my entire life with who will leave me alone most of the time.• Yesterday I bought a world map, gave my wife a dart, and said, "Throw this and wherever it lands, I will take you on vacation." We're spending 3      weeks behind the fridge.• As I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I remind myself that you can't always trust Google Maps.