SIMPLE MATH FOLKS
When I first heard about the shooting on Tuesday, it was my impression that there was a disturbance inside the library, which had precipitated the 911 call.
In fact, Mr. Uribe had not set foot in the library. This according to the desk clerk when I swung by there the next afternoon. And corroborated by Mono County School Superintendent Tammy Nguyen.
Then I was told that there’s an outside electrical outlet which is popular for people who like to charge their phones, and that there may have been a dispute over access to the outlet.
Mammoth Police could not confirm this.
I do know this is now a thing … everybody in need of juice.
I see this at the Vons fuel station in Bishop (see top right photo on the front page). There are electrical outlets located on the islands in between the fuel pumps. And sometimes I see what I assume to be homeless people sitting on the curb charging devices. And I’ve also seen the store clerks come out and try to chase them off because it can interfere with drivers pulling in to access the pumps.
This next one … demonstrates that you’ve got to be VERY careful when it comes to jumping to conclusions and claiming something is simple.
I received the following email from Bishop resident Mark Vincent.
Simple Math Folks
There are 162 million taxpayers in the USA, Joe Biden gave Ukraine $185 Billion and Zelenskyy wanted more. Had he given that money to each one of us, YOU would be 2.6 MILLION DOLLARS richer. Need I say more about the previous government? Don’t dis DOGE because the wealth of this country was squandered by the government by the people for the government and their friends.
Hmmm, I thought, the math seems off.
So I did the math and I don’t know where he gets $2.6 million apiece.
$185 billion divided by 162 million taxpayers equals $1,142 per taxpayer.
Fisher can’t help but chime in here.
She says given Elon’s math at DOGE, maybe Vincent should apply for a job in D.C.
According to Fisher, DOGE published a “wall of receipts” online last week saying it has saved the federal government $55 billion – a figure President Trump has joked he could disperse among the American public as a “DOGE dividend.”
Unfortunately, the math on those receipts doesn’t line up either … Some contracts listed were double or triple counted, some had simply expired naturally, and one contract contained an error which said it saved $8 billion when the number was really $8 million. DOGE chalked that mistake up to a typo.
FYI … $8B is roughly the budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The kicker? Some of the contracts DOGE said it terminated were actually closed under the Biden administration.
It’s still hard to say exactly how much is being “saved” by DOGE, but it’s clear they’ve got a math problem on their hands.
In the coming week, Bishop City Council is holding a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon (2 p.m. in Council Chambers on West Line St.) to consider an appeal by Sterling Heights Principal Aaron Schat.
Schat had his conditional-use permit (CUP) pulled recently by the City of Bishop.
According to City Manager Deston Dishion, who also does double-duty as the City’s de facto Planning Director, the CUP wasn’t pulled so much as it expired.
According to state code, “a CUP shall expire two (2) years from the date of its approval unless the holder of the permit obtains a building permit or, in those instances where no building permit is required, a certificate of occupancy for the use, within such two (2) year period. The city council may, upon submittal of a written application for a time extension by the holder of the permit and prior to the expiration of the CUP, grant a one year extension of time; provided, however, that the total number of extensions for a CUP shall not exceed three (3) … Failure to develop the use within the time limits of this section shall amount to the forfeiture of all development entitlement under the CUP.”
Schat contends a building permit application was abruptly canceled just days before his CUP was terminated by Dishion, and that Building Inspector Tyson Sparrow keeps asking for things that are not in the code. “I’m just trying to get my plans done and comply,” he said. “And my payment on that building is $50,000/month.”
Speaking of appeals, the complaint by the Snowcreek VII Homeowners Assn. against the Town of Mammoth Lakes and AT&T is set for a March 14 hearing in Mono County Superior Court.
Snowcreek VII owners are appealing Town approval of an 80-to-100’ cell tower to be located on Fire Station #2 property off Old Mammoth Road.
The opening brief was initially filed on November 18, 2024.
Two things stuck out for me. One was the fact that these towers are not supposed to be located in residential areas, but because Snowcreek is zoned “resort,” (even though it also houses a lot of residents), that makes it eligible.
The other part was that Snowcreek Athletic Club owner Ralph Lockhart said he might be interested in hosting the tower on his property, which would increase the distance to the nearest local residence to 140’ – at Snowcreek, the nearest residence to the tower would be within 40’.
But then, Lockhart would be receiving the lease payments and not the Fire District.
Mohun is the presiding judge in the case. Should be interesting.
