BISBEE WIRE #98
- fred
- Sep 6
- 18 min read
editor: fred miller August 18, 2025 #98/August 2025 Hello, An alert reader (thanks CC) told me that in #97 there were a few errors-so much for proofing late at night. Ward 2 councilperson is Pete Skinner, not Pete Singer the godfather of the animal liberation front. And it is RFK junior, not RFK, (and fyi...junior had a worm in his brain, put a dead whale's head on the top of his car, and dumped a dead bear in central park. He'll always be a junior!) And Mayor Budge corrected me on term limits…There are no term limits for Bisbee mayor nor council. And Ward 3 will have both positions open, a 2 year and a 4 year term in the next election.
If the 14% rate increase requested by APS now being considered by the ACC is approved, it will mean a $20 bump in residential rates mid-2026. APS will have then received 3 rates increases totaling 30% in the past three years, about $45 added to consumers monthly bill. There has been several asks of APS to supply electricity to data centers, the notorious energy and water hogs that deliver AI to your desktop and phones. It remains to be seen if AZ consumers will end up paying for a corporate raid on resources. Two seats on the ACC will be up for grabs in 2026.
Anita is doing well, started physical therapy and has been in the gym on the bike and a few hand weights. Speaking of the Arizona St. Gym, really an excellent place in Warren to workout, if you happen to have one of the plans from United Health, you might qualify for a Renew Active account that allows you to get a paid membership at participating gyms and clubs of which AZ St is and as is Cochise Health and Racquet club in SV. (They have both steam and sauna in addition to workout facilities.) And charlieparker at 5 1/2 years has learned how to conserve energy. His napping and lying around is now occasionally interrupted by some activity... DC takes him on a doggie play run or MS spends some time on a walk, or we throw a ball. Charlie is lucky to have those kinds of friends. fred ...............KBRP................ PLEASE FILL OUT THIS KBRP SURVEY For those of you who listen to KBRP, whether streaming or radio, whether a lot or a little, whether a member or not, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. We are trying to ascertain what listeners would like to hear, what kinds of changes you would like to see. We are striving to become more relevant, more responsive; in short we want to get better and serve the community more. And we do want more members and underwriters. Our basic membership is $60 although there are other tiers if you are able to be generous. There are several underwriter opportunities to show your support for community radio. Although we run a tight ship, it still costs money; music, equipment, licenses, insurance, and more. We have one part time person, amazing though the wonderous Liz is, it is not enough to do some of the things we want to do and have been asked to do. We could use more volunteers to do office tasks as well as help out at our events. You’ll be working with a good group of folks with a common interest in helping build our community. >>>>>Mike Thornton and myself would like to expand the weekly magazine, to an additional program to cover local and county news. Perhaps to include videos, photos, as well as audio. Everything of interest: government meetings, accidents, police reports, live interviews, product reviews, video interviews, diy projects, business changes, school nooz. We can’t do it by ourselves, we need help. You could help in many ways; write up summaries, utilize AI for articles, do on-air segments, help with the tech necessary to put a show on, remote interviews, editing, and more. If you have a couple spare hours in a week and are interested in getting into the 'nooz biz' please let me know; Fred at bisbeewire@gmail.com or Mike at KBRPWeeklyMagazine@gmail.com<<<<< Just to let you know some of the good things happening at KBRP:
A NEW CANNABIS SHOP...SLOW DRIVERS ON NACO Trulieve will be opening a new shop at the site of two previous cannabis shops at 1191 Naco Hwy. Slated for early September selling, it will be only second pot shop in Cochise County. This will be Trulieve’s second shop in Cochise County, in first is Sierra Vista at 1633 AZ-92, and the 21st in Arizona. The company operates in nine states and has a total of 231 dispensaries. Last year they grossed $1.2 billion dollars, 95% from retail sales. Cannabis sales have decreased for the last couple of years. For the 2025 first quarter, adult-use recreational marijuana sales were $250 million — down almost $30 million, a 10.7% drop from last year. For the past two years there has been a 24% drop in sales. Overall Medical sales have plummeted since recreational use was legalized; less than 1/3rd of what they were in 2021. +++++++++ JAIL DISTRICT INFO MEETING AT LIBRARY A public meeting about the proposed Cochise County Jail District election will be held Monday September 8, 5:00-7:00 at the main Library. It is an opportunity to give voters more information about the upcoming special election on November 4, 2025.The meeting is one of nine community meetings to be held in towns in the county. Several people representing the Sheriff’s dept will attend along with the county attorney and district supervisors. ++++++++++ BISBEE COMMUNITY CHORUS Bisbee Community Chorus is looking for singers who would enjoy learning parts and practicing songs with others, then performing for the community. The Chorus is a friendly, non-auditioned community group, a Bisbee tradition for almost 40 years. The fall/winter season opens on Tuesday, August 19 at 6 pm with introductions and a casual first practice at the Presbyterian annex, 24 Howell Ave. in Old Bisbee. Open recruitment runs through Sept. 16, so come any Tuesday evening to meet others and start singing. ++++++++++ SPECIAL ELECTION The special election to fill the vacant CD-7 seat will be held on September 23. Candidates are Adelita Grijalva and some guy. This is the sched. August 22, 11:20AM Logic & Accuracy Test, Voting machines Elections Department Bisbee August 25, 2025 Registration closes, midnight August 27, 2025 Early Voting begins Sptember 12 Deadline to request an early ballot by mail September 13 Saturday Early Voting at Recorder's Bisbee September 23, 2025 - Election Special General ++++++++++ HIGH DESERT MARKET KEEPS ON KEEPING ON For transplanted New Yorkers, Peyton and Frank the owners of High Desert Market, have done ok in the desert. They came to town in 1998, bought a place on Hwy 80 between Bisbee and Douglas and a year later planted an acre and sold the produce at a farm stand. They moved to their current space at 203 Tombstone canyon in 2000 and began adding additional groceries to their homegrowns. After watching 5! Restaurants come and go (fine dining as well as casual) in the adjoining space, they decided to do it themselves. And do it, they have done…their restaurant puts out a daily menu of sandwiches, soups, salads, quiches, along with a huge array of baked cookies, pies, cakes, scones, and more. With seating for 20 inside and about 30 outside, they have been a go-to spot for breakie, lunch, in-betweens, and din-din for years. Often attorneys are spotted (they're the ones with ties), jurors on break from the courthouse across the street, as well as a good mix of visitors and locals. For several years when we owned Copper City Inn, we had an arrangement with Peyton that we would give a postcard to each of our guests worth $5 and they could redeem for goodies at the market. And we repaid her for however many was used. It was a benefit to us and them in that we didn't have food in the room, and visitors were enticed to walk the couple blocks up canyon and see some of Bisbee they might not have. That was when they were open seven days a week which they are not now. Over the years there has been some changes, a decrease in garden fresh veggies and the addition of plenty of colorful and useful kitchen stuff-think spatulas, wisks, dish towels, tablecloths and more-as well as a range of gourmet delicacies-canned, packaged,and glass, and frozen goods. The plant pots and basket area has been expanded. (We were introduced to reusable Swedish dish clothes at HDM several years ago and have saved boocoo bucks!) Hours are 9-5, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. If you haven’t been in awhile, stop by and knock a greet.
+++++++++ COCHISE COUNTY DEMOCRATS ELECT KARP Bob Karp was elected as chairman of the county democratic club. Former chair, Theresa Walsh, stepped down due to health reasons. Karp has been a candidate for government offices several times and is a long time democratic loyalist. Locally, the Mule Mountain Dems based in Bisbee, have had some internal tension over the importance of the issue of Israeli genocide of Palestinians vs. the myriad issues and actions in Arizona and the US caused by the trump administration. The dispute has publicly erupted in several letters/articles in the Bisbee Observer. A recently passed resolution opposing the US continuing to send arms for use in mass killings and the destruction of Gaza, hopefully has resolved the tension. INSURGENT DEMOCRATS PRESSURE DNC ON ISRAEL SUPPORT The turmoil in the local group reflects the confusion and division in the Democratic party nationally. Democrats have been very slow in condemning the government of Israel for their actions. In fact there has been a reluctance to use the term 'genocide' to describe what is happening in Gaza. That is changing as it has become clearer that the Israeli government is waging not just a war against Hamas, but a planned campaign to starve and force Palestinians out of Gaza. Next month there will be two opposing resolutions; one from insurgents condemning US support for Israel and seeking a stop to providing weapons, and the other supported by the DNC leadership which opposes the initial resolution. The confusion and hesitancy for DC democrats I believe, is a result of the success of the trump administration along with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), in planting the fallacious accusation of antisemitism on any who questions the government of Israel. Escalating criticism of Netan-yahoo's government actions is not a blanket condemnation of all Jews, yet it is portrayed that way. While dems fiddle, Gaza burns. Amnesty International accuses Israel of “carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation in the occupied Gaza Strip, systematically destroying the health, well-being and social fabric of Palestinian life.” And Sunday, 500,000 Israelis turned out in a demo against the War. (Drop Site is probably the best news source for the war in Gaza.) ++++++++++ TARANTULAS LOOKIN FOR LOVE If you see a large fuzzy brown or blonde creature about the size of a small hand, moving around…they be lookin for love. Tarantula mating season, usually in August and September, lures the scary hairy, but harmless, arachnids to cross roads, sidewalks, and open spaces particularly in the early morning of evening when it is cooler to find a mate. Generally harmless, they eat insects, noseeums! and are a boon to a garden. +++++++++++ COCHISE COLLEGE LIFELONG LEARNING KICKS OFF SEPT 2 Offering classes in photography, ceramics, painting, software, food tasting, workforce skills, nature, wellness, and lots more classed begin early September. We are fortunate to have this resource available to us, to pick and choose individual classes. Most course fees are in the $25-$40 range and offered at both Sierra Vista and Douglas campuses. Go here for the schedule. ...............COMING EVENTS................ August 26…Howl Squeak, and Roar Poetry & song festival. 6:30-8:30 at the Courtyard on the gulch. More info at http://thebisbeecourtyard.com/
August 30…Cars and Bikes on Arizona St. 10 more info go here
September 2…Bisbee Bloomer Garden Tour 10 am-4 p. More info go here This year's garden tour features certified wildlife habitat gardens in two Bisbee neighborhoods, Old Bisbee and Warren. There will be live music in many of the gardens
September 26, 27, 28 Bisbee Blues, Bluegrass, Country Pub Crawl. more info go here
September 27…TWIBFEST 2…more info go here
September 28….Project Wildlife upper Vista Park Garden Party, 5-7. (I’ll be pouring! Come by and knock a greet.)
October 5…Bisbee Music Hall of Fame…more info go here
October 26...KBRP Live Music in the Lot membership kickoff 3-6. November 7-9…Sidepony Save the date cause music be in the air all over Bisbee. For 14 years it always has been a free gig and one of the best in the west for seeing new bands and old faves. Bands will be announced in the coming weeks. In the past there has been anywhere from 75-100 bands jammin in more than 20 venues in town. Stay tunes and check in periodically. And every year they can use volunteers to help with logistics. To join the team go to the website and click on submissions/volunteers. More info go here
November 7-11…BURNERELLA…more info go here November 28, 29…Home Tour & Chair Auction 10-4. More info go here NEWSPAPER WOES CONTINUE Technology changes, in conjunction with trump ideological attacks on factual information in all media outlets, have been accelerating the decline of print media. Corporate newspapers have been declining (and transforming) for the past five years as the many digital outlets have taken away lucrative advertising while offering information free or nearly free. The growth and use of Artificial Intelligence has accelerated the pace in the past year with major changes both locally and nationally. Several examples below.
More changes at the the Sierra Vista Herald Review. Another part time reporter, Hector Acuna, was laid off. Last week 17 year-veteran reporter Shar Poirer was let go. Award winning photographer Mark Levy, a 29 year veteran of the paper, has left. Acuna and Levy have signed onto Sierra Vista Live, a Wick communications outlet.
At the Arizona Republic, several seasoned reporters and writers have chosen voluntary buyouts and have left the paper. Well known reporter Mary Jo Pitzl, Elvia Diaz, editor, and several opinions writers including Laurie Roberts, and Phil Boas have accepted the buyout. Gannet Co. Inc, that owns 300 papers in 43 states, have offered buyout packages coupled with print plant closings across their chain in an effort to cut costs substantially.
And five rural newspapers serving the Globe and Page areas have abruptly closed August 6 after their Illinois-based publisher shut down amid financial troubles. The closures include the Gateway to Copper Corridor, Arizona Silverbelt, and Copper Country News in Globe, as well as the Page-based Lake Powell Chronicle and Gateway to Canyon Country. Parent company News Media Corporation announced the shutdowns of all their two dozen papers in Arizona, Wyoming, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota have shuttered. What is apparent however is, “…people desperately want to know things, are frantically curious, and are voracious for good information — all the premature obituaries for the news be damned. What is dead are the business models. The hunger to know is not. The hunger to feel part of something is not.” From the.ink. ++++++++++ NEW PRINT SHOP TO OPEN David Morgan is a journalist that has specialized in public information requests, crime reporting, and other court related matters. He is the editor and gofer for the Cochise County Record a website which is a government record locator. For a small fee he will find records for you; Records from Cochise County police departments, magistrate and justice courts, probate docs, federal court official docs, hearing transcripts, and more. He also has a subscriber newsletter, the Record, available through snail mail and email.
Recently he sent me a notice that he is expanding his operations. He is building a small newspaper printing plant in Tucson from equipment acquired from newspapers in southern Utah. Capacity of about 12,000 24pg tabloid newspapers per hour, color on 8 of those pages. It’s a small capacity plant that will be located in an older industrial sector of South Tucson. He hopes to print for small/specialty publishers - weekly and monthly editions with current runs as little as 1000 and as high as 10,000. Probably would print your mass flyers and signs also. Since Gannet will close their Phoenix printing plant in October, he is trying to pick up some of the commercial clients they were printing. And he mentioned that a couple smaller print operations in Sonora might be interested in printing with him. He will also have the capacity to print election pamphlets, flyers, and any work that involves printing. The shop will be running in September. He is available via phone, 520-236-4051, or email Editor.SVDR@gmail.com. +++++++++ IT’S NOT ALMS FOR THE POOR… I don’t have to charge for the Wire nor depend on paid subscriptions to keep going (soon to be the 13th Year!), fortunately Anita is very supportive of my labor of love for our community. However, donations are welcome. They allow me to obtain news sources that do depend on subscriptions. That’s why I periodically ask that if you have a little or a lot of spare dough and you are so inclined… 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.
..............BISBEE ECONOMY............ The billboard advertising the expertise of the visitor center manager and her assistant has or will be removed. City Manager Pauken stated in an article in the Herald Review that, the billboard would be replaced with one “not as controversial.” It is unclear whether the print campaign linked to the $10,000 billboard buy will be changed. Former visitor center Assistant Director Janet de Acevedo Macdonald has left her job with the city. There has, as yet, no job posting on the city website. ++++++++ SCULPTURE STOLEN! It’s a damn shame! Some low life mofo has stolen the Ben Dale created sculpture of a woman lying supine atop the archway in Grassy Park! It is unclear when it disappeared, the artist reported it missing last week. Hopefully someone will come forth with info on the theft. Show no mercy when the perp is caught! Dipped in sugar and put on an ant hill! ++++++++++ Overall the first month of the new FY25/26 saw mixed results. House sales were down significantly with two house sold compared with nine in the both 2024 & 2023. This may or may not reflect the larger economy that has seen house sales slow nationally because of high interest rates, uncertainty over job security, and the blundering incompetence of the trump administration. However visitation was sound in the month of June as the month lag in reporting reflected higher taxes to the city across the board. It’s weird because June is historically a slow month for visitation and consumption. The next couple of month to round out the 1st quarter of the fiscal year should give us a better read. ... HOUSE SALES There were two houses sold in July. One in Warren and one in San Jose. This is the lowest number of sold houses in the 10 years I’ve been keep track. Depending on the source, there were about 130 houses on the market in July. ……….. BUILDING PERMITS There were $927,808 worth of building projects, both commercial and residential, in July. Pretty much on par with past years comparisons for the month. ……….. SALES TAX (figures are for actual sales one month previously, not adjusted for inflation) Bed tax were $27,592 for July, the second highest total in the past 14 months, and up $3,400 from July of 2024, and $11,000 from July of 2023. Regular Hotel tax was $19,447 up also about $5000 from last month but only $1k from this time last year. Restaurant/Bar taxes were $49,072, a $9,500 increase from last month, and a $5,000 increase from 2024 and 2023 Retail sales brought in $118,521 in taxes, about a $9,000 increase over last month, but a drop of about $2200 from 2024 but an increase of $14,000 in 2023. Groceries for home consumption was $50,699 about the same as the same period the past two years. Internet sales taxes were $36,362 an increase of about $7,000 over last month, about the same increase over 2024 and a $10,000 increase over 2023.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION Wasser Ventures LLC 1361 W. Emerris St. John Wasser
You and Love LLC 24 Howell St. Yolanda Liriano
Bisbee Jewelry and Minerals 46 Main St. Terrance Kloke Wasser Ventures LLC 1361 / Emerris St John Wasser ++++++++++ NEW DOUGLAS PORT BREAKS GROUND The General Service Administration has broken ground on the $653 million Douglas commercial port of entry scheduled to be open in 2028. Sitting on 80 acres four miles west of Douglas and 60 acres in Agua Prieta, only commercial traffic will be handled at the new Douglas location that is envisioned to be the gateway to Arizona and the USA. The existing Raul Castro entry port in downtown Douglas will also be modernized as part of the package. The Douglas city council recently approved providing water and effluent services. A connecting road, originally four lane, but is now projected to be two lanes because financing dwindled, will take truck traffic to Hwy 80, and US 191. The official ceremony, to which the public has been invited, will be September 5. In another development, CC District 2 Supervisor Gomez that includes Douglas and the new port, said that Douglas has to create a Port Authority immediately to obtain and handle all funding and operations of the two ports. She pointed to Nogales and Yuma as examples for Douglas. A port authority is the broader semi-governmental agency that would manage and oversee all operations of the two ports. She stated at a recent council meeting that, “We have to be at the table.” ++++++++++ MINING CLAIM EXPLORATION NEAR BISBEE Intrepid Metals Corp. (OTCQB: IMTCF) has expanded its land holdings in Arizona by acquiring the Viewsite Claims, comprising 348 acres of patented mining claims near its Corral Copper Project. This acquisition increases Intrepid's total land position to approximately 10,346 acres, granting the company full ownership of surface and mineral rights over the new claims. The Corral Copper Property, located near historical mining areas, is an advanced exploration and development opportunity in Cochise County, Arizona. Corral is located 15 miles east of the famous mining town of Tombstone and 22 miles north of the historic Bisbee mining camp which has produced more than 8 billion pounds of copper. Intrepid is confident that by combining modern exploration techniques with historical data and with a clear focus on responsible development, the Corral Copper Property can quickly become an advanced exploration stage project and move towards development studies. Intrepid Metals Corp. is a Canadian company focused on exploring for high-grade essential metals such as copper, silver, and zinc mineral projects in proximity to established mining jurisdictions in southeastern Arizona, USA. The Company has acquired or has agreements to acquire several drill ready projects, including the Corral Copper Project (a district scale advanced exploration and development opportunity with significant shallow historical drill results), the Tombstone South Project (within the historical Tombstone mining district with geological similarities to the Taylor Deposit, which was purchased for $1.3B in 20182 ................EVERYTHING ELSE............... UKRAINE IS CHANGING HOW WAR IS WAGED War has been around a long time, some might say from the beginning of homo sapiens, and in that time the way people, tribes, nations fight each other have changed significantly. An article in the New Yorker details how conflicts in other parts of the world this decade illustrate how ill prepared the US war machine is despite years of spending trillions of tax dollars for defense. Ukraine's innovative use of drones has enabled the vastly overpowered state to stave off an invasion by Russia. In hidden factories that can produce 1000 drones a day at about $500 apiece,the drones can be equipped with explosives and manuevered by video for precise hits on targets. Russian is retaliating in kind. The US bombing of Iran is an interesting counterpoint. A 30,000 pound bomb that cost $400 million to develop only could cripple an underground target. Ukraine used 117 drones deployed deep inside Russia and crippled or destroyed 40 strategic bombers at different locations. ++++++++++ FOOD The NGA forecasts that grocers could see a sales hit of 6.7% on average over the next six months as SNAP participants are removed from the program. ++++++++++ APPLE CORE Apple said that it has now shipped over three billion iPhones since the product’s introduction in 2007. That’s a lot of iPhones. Hence the big toodoo over rare minerals. ++++++++++ Quote from Actor Tony Hale… I don’t like mean people, and it’s just not that hard to be nice. Ego and entitlement kill joy and creativity. But watching people look beyond themselves and care for others, whether it be through their work or human service — magic. The secret is it’s as much of a gift to them as it is to the person they’re serving. ++++++++++ And then there is this gifted sentiment caught on a semi parked in Warren.... .............. WORD............... RHYME TIME Biographic is is a newsletter and magazine that features the wide world of environmental journalism. It is put out by the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. They publish many interesting articles about flora, fauna, and ocean creatures. But to the point, they have a fun feature in their newsletters called Rhyme Time in that they, “… provide a cryptic clue and you (readers) guess the answer, which will be two rhyming words with the same number of syllables. For example, the clue “The hour of the day for writing couplets” has the answer “rhyme time.” They have graciously allowed me to reprint the word play. I’ll reprint several each issue 1… Trousers belonging to a colony-forming insect: 2… A soup base for a slow-moving mammal: 3… A large ape that has taken up residence in the Philippines: 4….A horned African animal with a drinking problem: 5... A détente between warring ungulates: 6...What one says to rouse a slithering reptile: 7...An African equine that was born in late September or early October: 8… A cavity dug by a subterranean mammal: 9… A class to learn about Clydesdales and their kin: 10… Headwear for a nocturnal flyer: ANSWERS 1…ant’s pants 2… sloth broth 3…. Manila gorilla 4… wino rhino 5… moose truce 6… wake snake 7…. libra zebra 8… mole hole 9… horse course 10… bat hat ++++++++++ NEOLOGISMS (from Style invitational Week #1495 a defunct feature of the WaPo) Choose any word, name or phrase beginning A through E, then add a letter — or the same letter more than once — and define the result Chompulsion: The deep urge one has to fight while the dentist is jabbing you in the mouth.Adulltery: Sneaking away to have extramarital sex but dozing off. Bad Moron Rising: “I see the bad moron risin'/ I see trouble on the way/ I see democracy a-dyin’/ If he comes back again someday.”Choward: Someone afraid to try new food. Gastonishment: What I feel every time I fill my tank these days.Endunciate: To express one’s ignorance via pronunciation, e.g. “peach tree dish.Children of the Corny: Kids who suffer through dad jokesAcrimoney: Many a divorce settlement.Afictionado: A hardcore QAnon supporter.Amazone: An online shopper’s state of euphoriaAxel murderer: A particularly inept figure skaterAromageddon: Cataclysmic event that occurs when you enter your teenager’s room.Bullshift: 7-to-8 p.m. slot on Fox NewsBarftender: My old job title if I didn't cut off patrons who’ve had too much Copyright © 2025 Bisbee Wire, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Bisbee Wire 39 Hazzard St Bisbee, AZ 85603-1913
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