Bruce Maccabee, Frances Barwood, and Mike Fortson join guest host Frank Warren on The Joiner Report
This month marks the 13th anniversary of what has erroneously been labeled The Phoenix Lights. The name in part stuck because the media feels the need to use “visual aids” at any opportunity; henceforth, the lights that were captured on video at around 10:00 p.m. were melded together with eyewitness accounts of a large craft(s) seen in the eight o’clock hour.
Unfortunately, while the video images were gaining traction, and became a media frenzy, the official reports (MUFON), which determined that the 10:00 p.m. videos were, in fact, flares, got thrown by the way-side.
It was MUFON investigator Richard Motzer who not only was the recipient of the flare videos early on, it was he that initially discovered the discrepancy between the witnesses to the 10:00 p.m. flare shots and the accounts in the eight o’clock hour. Point of fact is there were thousands of witnesses to the huge craft in the eight o’clock hour and only a handful at 10:00 p.m. (who happened to capture the lights [flares] on video).
This precipitated an investigation by Motzer, which would entail going to the locations of the videographers and triangulating all the pertinent videos. Stills were shot during the day at each relevant location, and he determined that the lights were above and beyond the “Estrellas,” in the airspace of the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range—not over South Mountain as initially thought. He then ascertained the time and days of military exercises, which included flare drops, and discovered that the days and times corresponded to previous video and or witness accounts of “orange lights” in that vicinity. His report was completed by mid May of ’97, just two months after the events of March 13th. This clearly explained why people on the valley floor didn’t see the flares, as it was impossible, unless one was at a higher elevation, like the videographers.
Not long after that report was made, the Air Force came clean and made an official statement admitting that the visiting Maryland Air National Guard (MANG) did eject their remaining flares before returning to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Regrettably, this has been a bone of contention and source of confusion ever since!
In part, because the media often interviewed eight o’clock witnesses, while showing the 10:00 p.m. flare videos, the former was adamant that “flares” is not what they witnessed—and this, of course, is correct. Separating, and being cognizant of the two (and other) events, is in fact the actual problem.
As time went by, there would be other investigations and scientific analyses confirming Motzer’s conclusions. One of the most in-depth analyses done, was performed by Dr. Bruce Maccabee, recently retired as an optical physicist from the Naval Surface Warfare Center and long time respected Ufologist.
Dr. Maccabee, along with direct eyewitness Mike Fortson and former Phoenix city council member Frances Emma Barwood will join Frank Warren as guest host for this Friday’s Joiner Report.
Together, they will sort out the events of March 13, 1997, which includes one of the most significant events in UFO history as well as the distraction caused by the flare footage.
Phoenix Lights Heroine and Former City Councilwoman, Frances E. Barwood Joins Guest Host Frank Warren on The Joiner Report
Although it has been a long time coming, Frances Barwood will finally share her personal experiences with what has become known as The Phoenix Lights and its aftermath in the form of two books: one book is on the objects that passed over Arizona on March 13, 1997, and the other on government cover-ups, which also relates to the first book in many areas.
Ufologists, Arizonians and eyewitnesses to the huge crafts that flew over the Arizona skies back in March of 1997 are all familiar with the name “Frances Emma Barwood.” Her name is synonymous with the events; her solitary voice pierced the silence of the restrained politically correct and demanded answers!!
Frances Barwood did not duck & run; she did not pass the buck; she did not ignore the situation, nor make light of it (as other government officials would later do) — she did what she was elected to do, i.e., represent her constituents and the best interests of the city of Phoenix.
The airspace of her city and state was repeatedly violated by a huge unidentified crafts, (and smaller ones), which maneuvered through the skies without impedance; people wanted to know what it was—she was the one to ask!
Born on January 13, 1944, in Ridgewood, Queens, New York, Frances moved from Williston, Vermont, to northeast Phoenix in 1980.
Frances was elected to serve her first term on the Phoenix City Council starting January 1992 and was re-elected to a second term January 1994. As Councilwoman, she represented District 2, which includes most of northeast Phoenix and is the city’s largest district. It encompasses over 130 square miles with a population at the time of over 160,000 and is more than 1/4 of the size of Phoenix.
Frances served on the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Air Quality Advisory Committee, as well as the following Phoenix City Council Subcommittees: Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee, Chair
Family, Youth and Education Subcommittee, member Ethics and Audit Subcommittee, member.
In January 1997, her peers elected Frances as the Vice-Mayor. Prior to being elected to the Phoenix City Council, she served as a member of the Greater Paradise Valley Chamber of Commerce and precinct and state committeeman for Legislative District 24 and then District 28. She has also served on the Squaw Peak Extension Advisory Committee, the Transportation Committee for the Community Council, and several other organizations. Then, the March 13, 1997, event occurred, and everything changed for this dedicated civic worker.
Today, Frances and her husband, Mike, have 3 adult children and a 26 year old grandson. They permanently reside in a small rural community south of Prescott, where Frances is again active in local organizations.
Please join Guest Host Frank Warren and Frances Barwood Friday evening, Dec. 4, 9-10 p.m. CST on the UFO Paranormal Radio Network, http://ufoparanormalradio.homestead.com/Main_Page_version_2.html Listeners may participate in the virtual chat room at www.paltalk.com.
(Article and photo contributed by Frank Warren, The UFO Chronicles)
