Coyote Gulch

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

The Caucus Cooler
Say hello to The Caucus Cooler, they write, "Welcome to the premiere Iowa Caucus Blog. From Presidential wannabees Iowa visits, to the latest campaign acquisitions, to down and dirty insider dish- we've got it first. You go to the water cooler to catch up on office gossip and now you can go to the CaucusCooler to catch up on Presidential gossip. Pull up a chair, grab your dixie cup and bottoms up."

We couldn't find an RSS feed so here's the Atom feed
"2008 pres"
9:48:24 PM

DLC Meeting in Denver: Clinton for president?
U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton was one of the speakers yesterday at the DLC meeting in Denver. Here's a report from the Denver Post.

From the article, "Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a potential presidential candidate in 2008, accused Republicans on Monday of "bankrupting" the country and ignoring the middle class. Major increases in the cost of gasoline, college and health care, New Yorker Clinton said, have outpaced incomes, leaving many people struggling to stay afloat. 'A lot of Americans can't work any harder, borrow any more or save any less,' Clinton said to the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, which was holding its annual meeting in Denver. 'The (Republicans) are not taking care of America. They're bankrupting our country and failing to address the problems.' Clinton's comments came as she unveiled the group's "American Dream Initiative," a package of economic proposals geared toward strengthening the middle class and assisting low-income families. Clearly the superstar of the event, the former first lady was greeted with a standing ovation from about 375 local and state Democratic officials from 42 states. Afterward, she was surrounded by at least 50 people who wanted a picture taken with her. Clinton has taken a central role with the DLC in the past year, following in the footsteps of her husband, Bill Clinton."

Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton sounded like a candidate for president in Denver on Monday, telling a crowd of cheering Democrats that the middle class is falling behind and it's time for the party to rally voters behind a plan to save the American dream. 'Incomes have been stagnant for five years and the Republicans have done nothing about the costs eating away at paychecks,' Clinton told several hundred elected officials. 'Democrats can be the change agents our country needs.' Clinton unveiled proposals to enable more Americans to attend college, expand health insurance, and give every American a retirement savings account. She said education, health care and a secure retirement are the pillars of a middle- class lifestyle, and the middle class was struggling to hold on to all those things. 'The simple fact is, the middle class is the core of America's greatness,' said Clinton."

The 'American Dream Initiative' is an opportunity agenda for the middle class and all who aspire to join its ranks. Here are the pillars of the initiative's agenda: College - Every American should have the opportunity and responsibility to go to college and earn a degree, or to get the lifelong training they need; Retirement- Every worker should have the opportunity and responsibility to save for a secure retirement; Business - Every business should have the opportunity to grow and prosper in the strongest private economy on earth, with the responsibility to equip workers with the same tools of success as management; Home ownership - Every individual should have the opportunity and responsibility to start building wealth from day one, and the security and community that come from owning a home; Health care - Every family should have the opportunity to afford health insurance for their children, and the responsibility to obtain it."
"2008 pres"
6:14:10 AM

Big Thompson Flood

The Loveland Reporter-Herald is running a series about the Big Thompson Flood of 1976. From the article, "One week from today will mark the 30th anniversary of the worst natural disaster in Colorado history in terms of the number of lives lost. The Reporter-Herald will remember the Big Thompson Flood and the people it affected with a four-day series that will run from July 29 to Aug. 1. Day one of the series will examine that fateful Saturday night and how a flash flood event could take 145 lives, destroy 418 homes and 52 businesses, and wreak a total of $35.5 million in property damages. On day two, the series will look at how rebuilding efforts shaped the canyon that people know and live with today. Day three delves into how the flood's lessons and improved technology have better prepared officials and residents for future floods. The series will wrap up with coverage from events on July 31, including the dedication of a high-water marker at Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park...

"Flood remembrances start this Saturday at the Big Thompson Canyon Association Building. 'Reflections of the Big Thompson Canyon Flood, 1976-2006,' includes displays from the flood as well as maps for self-guided tours through the canyon. That evening, the association and a number of agencies will host a reception honoring the survivors, rescuers and rebuilding efforts at the River Forks Inn. On Monday, Reflections of the Big Thompson Canyon Flood continues at Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park. The association has partnered with the Big Thompson Watershed Forum and the U.S. Geological Survey to dedicate a high-water marker near the site of the city's original hydroelectric plant, another flood casualty. Heidi Koontz, U.S. Geological Survey spokeswoman, said the marker will show people just how high the flood waters were that night. After the dedication, a number of exhibitors will be on hand to feature information on flood science and natural disaster prevention tips...

"At the Big Thompson Canyon Association Building, organizers will hold a memorial service honoring the victims. At the memorial, reprinted books first published after the flood will be available. Donations will go toward a scholarship fund for the survivor's grandchildren. In Berthoud, the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District will host 'Tribute to the Big Thompson: 30 Years After the Flood' as part of an ongoing series public weather seminar by Channel 7's Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson."
"colorado water"
6:05:59 AM

Drought news

Here's an update on the drought in Morgan County from the Fort Morgan Times. They write, "The Farm Service Agency (FSA) received official notification Thursday declaring Morgan County is now one of 45 counties in Colorado designated agriculture disaster areas. Janice Wallace, county executive director with the U.S. Department of Agriculture FSA, said the organization applied for the disaster designation last month and finally received the notice it was waiting for. Morgan County was declared a disaster area due to searing heat and is battling the worst drought spurred by hot temperatures since the drought that swept over Colorado in 2002 when Gov. Bill Owens declared all 64 counties drought disaster areas. The Colorado Division of Emergency Management (CDEM) defined drought as an ambiguous hazard that defies a universal definition. Typically, a drought constitutes a shortage of water associated with a deficiency of precipitation, the CDEM explained."
"colorado water"
5:51:29 AM

Grand Valley Lake?

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: "Backers of Grand Valley Lake got in an early bid for support of their project Monday, but received no immediate encouragement. Supporters of the 2,000-acre lake made their case to the Colorado River Basin roundtable, which took no immediate action. It is the second proposal the organization has heard. Dubbed by supporters the 'next great western Colorado water project,' Grand Valley Lake would sit at an elevation of 5,000 feet on East Orchard Mesa overlooking the Grand Valley. It would contain 195,000 acre feet of water carried by aqueduct from the Gunnison River and eventually empty into the Colorado River. The ambitious project - it's estimated it would cost $580 million - would serve municipal and industrial needs, as well as provide needed water for endangered species of fish and extend the life of existing agricultural water uses, according to backers...

"A large reservoir such as Grand Valley Lake would have water-rights complications that would make it more difficult to build, he said. Some small but senior water-rights holders downstream from Delta also would have to be considered, [Dick Proctor, manager of the Grand Valley Water Users Association] said, as would implications for water quality should the aqueduct flow through selenium-rich soils, he said. Still, Proctor noted that the history of every water project includes a time 'when it's labeled crazy.' Grand Valley Lake is to go before the Gunnison River roundtable at a yet-to-be determined date. The severe basin roundtables are only now beginning to grapple with how to spend $10 million annually on studying and building water projects around the state. Grand Valley Lake will need the support of the Gunnison and Colorado roundtables, as well as the state Interbasin Compact Committee to move forward."
"colorado water"
5:43:54 AM

e-mail John: