Author: Tommy Acosta

Tommy Acosta is the publisher, editor, and lead opinion writer of Sedona.biz, the hyperlocal cyber magazine known as "The Voice of Sedona and the Verde Valley." He writes on local issues, politics, national affairs, culture, and personal reflection, often with a provocative or satirical tone.In addition to his work as a writer, Acosta is a working musician and reflexologist. He has written extensively about the challenges Sedona's musicians face, noting their low pay despite the town's vibrant music scene.Acosta describes himself as a "political actualist," rejecting strict party affiliations and instead focusing on how people are manipulated by political processes. His coverage spans local Sedona issues, tourism, short-term rentals, cultural events, community building, as well as national commentary and critiques of political figures, sometimes through imaginative pieces like "What Would Tommy Do?"Acosta is deeply engaged in Sedona's cultural and spiritual community, advocating for local musicians, artisans, and businesses, and writing about Sedona's unique identity as a spiritual and artistic hub.

Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Academy Award-winning film “Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got” showing July 12-15 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Brigitte Berman’s “Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got” (1985) is a portrait of the mercurial bandleader, clarinetist, composer and author. This new 4K restoration of the original film is returning to the big screen for a very limited time. Despite winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature of 1986, the film has never been on broadcast television, home video, or streaming platforms and has only been…

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By Courtney Comstock Executive Assistant – Recorder Michelle M. Burchill Yavapai County News – Our office has recently been contacted by registered voters who have received spam text messages, phone calls and mailings from 3rd Party Organizations stating they are not on the AEVL (Active Early Voter List) to receive a ballot-by-mail, or they are not registered to vote. The text messages, phone calls and mailings are not from Yavapai County Voter Registration. If you are concerned about the status of your voter registration, you may check your status at: https://my.arizona.vote Yavapai County Recorder is your trusted source for verifying…

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… a couple of full body shots of a great blue heron and a great egret tonight … wishing I was on a cool lake up on the plateau … tomorrow morning the good people from Connolly Electric and Mechanical will be here to restore a cool and dry atmosphere to my home. It will be a pleasure, as saunas and steam rooms are not really my thing … Katie objects too but is a good sport about it. The top photo in the last email was Katie, but the one below the text was of One. Moving in on…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout” showing July 12-18 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3lOdro44Zg A horrible film, an American tragedy, worldwide nightmare. Hollywood’s infamous flop, “The Conqueror,” stars John Wayne as Genghis Khan, embodying a slew of racist and sexist problems. Its enduring notoriety stems from the tragic fact that nearly half its cast and crew developed cancer, revealing a tale of government deception and negligent production choices, highlighting the devastating impact of nuclear fallout. “The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout” will be shown at the…

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By Tommy Acosta He ain’t gonna do it. He ain’t gonna quit. He is in for the long run. And just because he had a bad night, doesn’t mean he can’t have a brighter day. Analyzing everything we are being fed by the media, one can tell reading between the lines that the old coot plans to make it to the finish line. The Democrats, or whoever controls the party right now, have an ace up their sleeve. They know something. They are smugly sitting on a “Trump” card and they shortly will be playing it. There is a disturbance in…

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By David Stephen Advances for AI safety are not currently a problem of evaluations or benchmarks for models, since new benchmarks alone are unlikely to solve the current problems of misinformation and deepfakes—images, audios and videos. There are several present risks with AI that new evaluation methods may do little or nothing to solve. How is it possible to trace the AI source of some misinformation or voice cloning for deception? How can a post-guardrail AI model that produces a problematic output be penalized for its actions? Already there are several benchmark and evaluation rankings for LLMs. While they measure…

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Sedona, AZ -Steakhouse89 in West Sedona is now hosting bands and single acts starting Sunday, July 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Club89 Room. Kicking off the series Is Mr. Don Julio &The Dons, featuring Dan Vega on guitar and vocals; Fernando Leon (Don Julio) on guitar and vocals; Jeff Camption on guitar; and Tina Reichew on percussion. Vega is also a well-known and respected singer/songwriter and recording artist, considered a top musical talent throughout the Greater Sedona area. The band plays a mix of Flamenco and Pop music that is all their own, interchanging originals and standards throughout their…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “She Rises Up” showing July 12-16 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. “She Rises Up” chronicles the remarkable journeys of three women who are helping to lift their communities out of poverty through the local businesses they fight the odds to maintain. Gladys Yupanqui of Peru founded a mini-market and is looking to expand. Magatte Wade of Senegal is building a cosmetics manufacturing company. Selyna Peiris of Sri Lanka is expanding the textile company founded by her mother. Nearly one-third of all countries have…

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Yavapai County News – Early voting begins Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Ballots will be mailed to voters requesting Automatic Ballot-by-Mail on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Be sure to sign your ballot affidavit envelope in your original handwriting. Voters may vote early in-person or vote a replacement ballot beginning Wednesday, July 3 – 26, 2024 at the: Yavapai County Recorder’s Office – 1015 Fair St., Prescott, M – F 8am – 5pm Prescott Valley across from library entrance – 7351 E Skoog Blvd, Prescott Valley, M – F 9am – 4pm Yavapai County Recorder’s Office – 10 S. 6th St., Cottonwood,…

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… some special shots I have been working on over the weekend. In the kitchen I have a wall devoted to our cats … there are two 11 x 14 watercolors of Nimbus and Q and a photo of One and it is time for a photo of Katie to go up too. The watercolors are beautiful, but only partial heads so I have redone the image of One and completed one of Katie. That is Katie above this text and immediately below is a new photo of Katie … below Katie is a portrait of one of our Bobcats and…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is taking its show on the road with its new “Movies on the Move” mobile movie truck and outdoor film experience … now heading to The Village! The next event of the summer will be Tuesday, July 9 at The Collective in the Village of Oak Creek, featuring the blockbuster big screen box office sensation “Hairspray”. Showtime will be at dusk (approximately 7:45-8:00 p.m.). Bring your lawn chairs and your family and friends and enjoy “Cinema Under the Stars” on the festival’s giant outdoor screen with state-of-the-art projection and sound! The festival’s…

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Arizona News – There’s good news for drivers planning road trips over the Independence Day weekend this year. The Arizona Department of Transportation says no construction closures are scheduled on state highways from Wednesday afternoon, July 3, to Monday morning, July 8. While ADOT focuses on giving motorists a break from closures for improvement projects over the holiday weekend, drivers in turn should focus on safety when behind the wheel. Steps to take include checking your car’s tire pressure, engine fluid levels and getting adequate rest before starting out on a trip. Packing extra drinking water as part of an…

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Arizona News – The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement has opened applications for its 2024 Thiru Family Trust Momentum Maker grant. This year’s grant will tackle the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation. The grant will provide $75,000 to a project that builds social connections and community that, ultimately, improves health. Nonprofits and schools in Arizona can apply from July 1 to July 31, 2024. In 2023, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared a national epidemic of loneliness and social isolation. The issue affects at least one in two adults in the US, impacting their physical, mental, and social…

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Sedona,AZ — Greetings Sedona voters.  My name is Donna Michaels. I am currently a member and Vice Chair of the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors representing, District 3, and I am running for re-election in 2024. My job as a Supervisor is centered on the unique challenges of managing growth and development in rural areas, like Sedona, Arizona. I work to balance economic growth with environmental preservation and affordable housing, while ensuring fair representation for all community members. My responsibilities as Supervisor include safeguarding consumers and protecting vulnerable populations, including seniors, and the viticulture industry, by emphasizing the importance of…

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By Roseanne Jennings Sedona, AZ — Arizona is one of the hottest states in the country, and that’s something you’ll definitely feel in Sedona. In fact, NOAA’s citizen scientists recently mapped the city in 2023 to confirm that urban centers can be up to 20 degrees hotter than rural areas, as Sedona alone regularly experiences days where temperatures reach above 90 degrees. That makes it risky for the city’s many tourists, who may not have the same heat awareness as locals. However, it can even be more dangerous for residents, as the median age in Sedona is 60 years old. If…

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