Rick Lavis died Nov. 26 at the age of 76. He is survived by his wife, Marti, and their two sons.

ProPublica, a journal that purports to produce investigative journalism in the public interest, has published a series of articles under the term: “Killing the Colorado.” Its first article is entitled “Holy Crop – How Federal Dollars Are Financing the Water Crisis in the West” (May 27). At the heart of this odd article is the notion that cotton subsidies, as provided to Arizona cotton farmers under the federal farm programs, are the culprit in the declining levels of the Colorado River. Well, this is just palpable nonsense.

The budget was not the only significant legislation that died Monday between a deadlocked House and Senate – the farm bill also expired at midnight, leaving farm programs, crop supports and food stamps up in the air.

As farmers see hay and alfalfa prices tanking, cotton production in Arizona is expected to rise by 4 percent this year, industry experts say.