MUFON Arizona - 1998 09 23 - Vol 07 No 09

Magazine Overview

This is the September 1998 issue of the MUFON-AZ Newsletter, Volume 7, Issue 9, from the Mutual UFO Network's Arizona Chapter. The cover headline is 'The Truth is Out There,' and it features a desert landscape with a cactus and starry sky. The issue details upcoming meetings, media watch segments, and various UFO-related reports and events.

Director's Message

Tom Taylor, the outgoing State Director of MUFON-AZ, announces his departure after serving since November 1991. He introduces the new leadership: Alan Morey as State Director, Bill Morris as both Pima County Section Director and Assistant State Director, and Jim Kelly as the new Maricopa County Section Director, replacing Jim Ossipov. Taylor expresses gratitude for the support received and encourages members to support the new appointees. He concludes with the reminder to 'keep your eyes to the sky!'

Media Watch

This section aims to keep the public informed about UFO-related media. It lists recently aired television and radio programs and attempts to provide advance notice of future broadcasts. Members are encouraged to ask about taped programs at meetings. Bufo Calvin is mentioned as a source for TV program listings, and readers can email him for direct updates. Several weekly radio programs are highlighted:

• DREAMLAND: Hosted by Art Bell on KFYI Radio (910 AM) on Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m. It also airs on various other Arizona stations and features 'Coast to Coast' with Art Bell on weeknights at 11 p.m.
• SPACECRAFT NEWS: Hosted by Franklin Carter on Mondays at 10 a.m. on KFNX radio (1100 AM).

Weekly TV programs mentioned include:

• UFO LIVE: Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on KFNX radio (1100 AM).
• FRACTAL DIMENSIONS: Thursdays at 5 p.m. on KFNX radio (1100 AM).
• MYSTERIES AROUND US: Sundays at 10:00 p.m. on KTAR Radio (620 AM), hosted by Frank Baranowski.
• X FILES: Sundays at 8:00 p.m. on Channel 10, and weeknights at 9 p.m. on Channel 30 (cable).
• SIGHTINGS: Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. on cable SciFi Channel.
• STRANGE UNIVERSE: Mondays through Fridays at 1:00 p.m. on Channel 45.
• AFTER MIDNIGHT: Thursdays at midnight on Channel 22.

Calendar

The calendar lists upcoming chapter meetings and events:

• Pima County Chapter: Saturday, October 24 (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) and Saturday, November 21 (1-4 p.m.) at Wilmot Library.
• Pinal County Chapter: Saturday, October 10, and Saturday, November 14 (1-4 p.m.) at Casa Grande Library.
• Yuma County Chapter: Meetings are quarterly.
• Maricopa County Chapter: Wednesday, September 23 (usual place and time).
• Experiencer's Meeting: September 28 at 7 p.m. for a free mini-hypnosis regression, contact Dr. Ruth Hover.

Several events related to 'Reverse Speech' are also listed:

• September 25: Lecture by David John Oates at ASU Memorial Union, Tempe (12 noon-1:30 p.m.).
• September 25: Lecture by David John Oates at Holiday Inn, 1600 S. Country Club (7-10 p.m.).
• September 26 & 27: Reverse Speech Workshops at Holiday Inn, Mesa ($175 for 2 days).
• September 26: Book signing party for David John Oates at Jan Ross Books, Phoenix (10-11 a.m.).
• September 26: Dinner for Mr. Oates at the American Legion Hall, Scottsdale ($15 per person).

Other events include:

• September 26-27: 'Roswell 1947 Revisited' in Roswell, New Mexico.
• October 20: Greater Phoenix Sitchin Study Group meeting.
• November 7 & 8: 35th Edition of the National UFO Conference (NUFOC) in Bordentown, NJ, featuring various speakers.
• November 20-22: Old West Town at Camp Verde, Arizona, for the final Star Knowledge Conference of 1988, featuring Hopi prophecies keeper Grandfather Martin and other speakers.

Classified Ads

Advertise in the MUFON-AZ Newsletter with ads up to three lines for $5.00, or business-card sized ads for $10. Contact Ruth Hover for larger ad prices.

Article Submissions and Membership Badges

Thanks are extended to those who submit articles and book reviews. The newsletter encourages contributions and specifies that handwritten, typed, or diskette submissions are accepted. Diskettes should be in MS Word, WordPerfect, or ASCII format. Submissions should be sent to Mary Hart at 9048 W. Holly St., Phoenix, AZ 85037, or faxed to 602/907-0609. Mary Hart can also be reached via email at [email protected]. MUFON Membership Badges, which are 1-1/4" x 3" blue badges with name and 'Arizona MUFON' listed, are available for order.

50+ Years of Arizona Sightings

Jim Ossipov's comprehensive listing of reported Arizona UFO sightings from 1946-1997 is available for $6.00 at MUFON-AZ meetings. It can also be purchased by mail for $7.50. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to Dimitri Ossipov and sent to 609 E. Tulane, Tempe, AZ 85283.

UFO Live with Dr. Duncan Bowen

This radio program airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on KFNX radio (1100 AM).

Fractal Dimensions with Dr. Simeon Hein

This program airs Thursdays at 5 p.m. on KFNX radio (1100 AM).

Mysteries Around Us

This radio program is hosted by Frank Baranowski on KTAR Radio (620 AM) on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. Baranowski is a hypnotherapist specializing in regression.

Weekly TV Programs

• X FILES: Sundays at 8:00 p.m. on Channel 10; weeknights at 9 p.m. on Channel 30 (cable).
• SIGHTINGS: Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. on cable SciFi Channel.
• STRANGE UNIVERSE: Mondays through Fridays at 1:00 p.m. on Channel 45.
• AFTER MIDNIGHT: Thursdays at midnight on Channel 22.

Flying Objects Over Sedona

This article details two separate sightings of unusual aerial phenomena near Sedona, Arizona. The first occurred on July 15, 1998, during a Sedona Astronomy Club meeting. Witnesses observed lights approaching from the east, which turned south. They described a large triangular object with three white lights, accompanied by two smaller objects that appeared to be jets. The object glided noiselessly overhead, and the jets followed at the same speed and altitude. The second sighting occurred on August 19, 1998, during another club meeting. Roger, a member who had also seen the triangle on August 15, described a large triangle with three white lights, a Stealth bomber, and smaller triangular craft with amber and green lights, performing maneuvers. He noted the noise difference between the larger and smaller craft. The author suggests these sightings might be related to Air Force maneuvers due to recent political events. A third related incident involved a strange, strong light seen by the author's daughter on August 3, 1998, while driving in Sedona, which she initially thought might be a helicopter but felt was too strong.

Greater Phoenix Sitchin Studies Group

This group discusses Zecharia Sitchin's books and theories. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 8227 E. Orange Blossom in Scottsdale. For more information, contact Ray Wallage at 948-9209 or email [email protected].

Frances Barwood Responds to Article

Frances Barwood addresses an article published on September 5, 1998, in The Arizona Star, titled 'Barwood No Longer Affiliated With UFO Believers.' She states that she never interviewed with the reporter who wrote the article and only spoke briefly with the editor, Mike, about Steve Bassett's campaign. Barwood reaffirms her continued belief in UFOs and her support for those involved in the Phoenix Lights incident. She criticizes the Tucson paper, known as the 'Red Star,' for its inaccuracy and attempts to create dissension. Barwood insists she will not stop questioning the government and encourages others not to fall for media manipulations. She invites people to visit her website and offers contact information for further discussion.

During the Last Awesome Magnetic Storm Came a Jolt from Distant Reaches of Space

This article reports on an intense flash of X-rays and gamma-rays that swept through the Solar System on August 27th. Five spacecraft (Ulysses, WIND, RXTE, NEAR, and BeppoSAX) recorded the high-energy signal, which saturated detectors on WIND and RXTE and triggered the safety mode of the NEAR gamma-ray instrument. The source is identified as a dramatic flare-up from a 'Soft Gamma Repeater,' believed to be a highly magnetized spinning neutron star called a Magnetar (SGR 1900+14). This magnetar is estimated to have been born in a supernova explosion about 1,500 years ago and possesses a magnetic field 500,000,000,000,000 times stronger than Earth's.

USGS Reports Geomagnetic Storm in Progress

On August 26th, at approximately 3:00 a.m. EST, plasma from a solar eruption impacted Earth's magnetic field, causing a sudden storm commencement (SSC) and the beginning of a significant geomagnetic storm. Solar X-ray events reported by NOAA's Space Environment Center since August 19th have the potential to cause auroral activity visible in the continental United States. While mid-latitude auroras are less dramatic, they can appear as green, blue, and red city lights in the sky. The article notes that predicting the severity of the storm is difficult. It references the March 1989 magnetic storm that caused widespread auroras and led to the collapse of the Hydro-Quebec power system in Canada. The USGS operates 13 magnetic observatories worldwide, providing data to various agencies, including NOAA, the U.S. Air Force Space Weather Operations Center, and NASA, to alert power companies and support space programs.

Triangular Craft Sighted in Florida

Susan Sunset, Director of The Florida UFO Research & Study Group, reports on sightings of triangular aircraft, possibly government-developed 'The Aurora' or related to reptilian races. She recounts a specific incident from 1996 near Vero Beach, Florida, where a woman and her husband witnessed a huge triangular vehicle hovering overhead. The woman described an energy field and lights emanating from the craft. The witness was initially hesitant to discuss the sighting but later mentioned seeing a newspaper article about a similar sighting by a student. Sunset also notes other types of craft reported in Florida, including globes, rectangular craft, dirigibles, and orbs. A significant sighting involved two lit orbs seen by multiple witnesses near Lake Okeechobee and Vero Beach, which were later explained by NASA as flares from the coast guard and a submarine, though the witnesses' accounts suggest otherwise. One sighting was reportedly videotaped in Tampa.

Search for Giant Meteorite Begins

An expedition was launched on July 22nd to investigate the impact zone of a giant meteorite that fell in Greenland on December 9th of the previous year. Led by civil engineer Jan Almquist, the seven-member team aimed to collect snow samples to filter for meteorite dust and narrow down the 50 square kilometer impact zone. An airborne radar search in January yielded no results. Analysis by astronomers and geophysicists suggests the meteorite weighed between 30 and 100 tons. The expedition faced challenging weather conditions. The scientists were able to take sufficient samples to confirm the impact site.

More Fun Websites

Links are provided for websites related to Crop Circles and General UFO & related topics.

Subscription Information

A section encourages readers to subscribe to the MUFON-AZ Newsletter for $15 per year. Instructions are provided for submitting name, address, and phone number, along with payment to Tom Taylor.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently focuses on UFO sightings, investigations, and related phenomena, with a strong emphasis on local Arizona events and reports. It promotes active participation through meetings, article submissions, and subscriptions. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, while also acknowledging and reporting on scientific events like geomagnetic storms and astronomical discoveries like magnetars. There's a clear effort to connect members with media coverage and provide resources for further research, such as books and websites. The newsletter also addresses public perception and potential government involvement, as seen in Frances Barwood's response.