Nov. 9 - 2015 - Peter Bearse, chair and founder of "A People's and Citizen's Congress",told us about his organization and his efforts to increase its membership and funding.  The objective of the organization is to influence congress by supporting candidates who recognize that (1) Congress is broken, and (2) find a mechanism for change.. He said that currently Congress has no way to change itself and this situation needs to be changed if our country is to remain viable and sustainable in coming years.  Peter is an optimist and tireless campaigner to accelerate the awareness of the problem and bring about a "peaceful revolution".

  Oct 19, 2015 - Sergeant Keith Kaminski of the Phoenix PD Property Crimes unit gave us good advice about minimizing the risk of having valuables stolen from cars and garages.  Regarding cars, the message to remember is Take it - Lock it - Conceal it.  Never leave valuables in your car even for a short time and always keep your garage doors closed.  He told us that thieves are well organized in gangs and are always watching for opportunities, especially in parking lots or on crowded streets. He advised us to record serial numbers of bicyles and electronic devices to help recovery if they are stolen.  He handles about 1,000 property crimes a month and said that these types of crimes are the most common.  Keith recommended that we call Crime Stop at 602-262-6151 if we see suspicious activity in our neighborhood.

  Oct 12, 2015 - Today, Retired Captain of the Phoenix Police Department, Carroll Cooley, gave us a detailed description of the historic Miranda case. Captain Cooley was the arresting officer in this 1963 case and was involved in the original trial, the appeals, the second trial, and the rule change that requires all suspects to be read their rights. He gave us vivid descriptions of the crime, the pursuit, and key elements of the trials.  It is a fascinating story which held the member's rapt attention.  There was lots of discussion and questions.  Many thanks to Captain Cooley.