Thursday, September 21, 2006

Amendment 44 - Legal Marijuana? Colorado Confidential has an analysis the opponents and proponents of Amendment 44. They write, "The campaign to legalize an ounce of marijuana for adults is heating up in Colorado, as opponents of the measure announced this morning that they are starting their own series of battles against Amendment 44. They were also packing some major political clout. Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton spoke out strongly against the initiative, along with a DEA agent, and an out-of-state nonprofit corporation." Take the time to read the whole article. "denver 2006" 7:08:59 AM

Beauprez for governor? ToTheRight.org: "State Sen. Shawn Mitchell had a novel suggestion: Why not have an 'open mic' night and offer some thoughts on what the Beauprez campaign should be doing. Here are some of our thoughts..." "denver 2006" 7:05:07 AM

Amendment 44 - Legal Marijuana? Amendment 44, and it's perceived effect on law enforcement, is the subject of this article from the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Voter approval of a statewide ballot measure that would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana would put further strains on federal law enforcement officials, opponents of the proposal said Wednesday. Drug runners will begin trafficking large amounts of marijuana to sell if Colorado voters approve the amendment, Drug Enforcement Agency special agent Jeffrey Sweetin said. Large amounts, he added, become a serious federal problem... "The fight over the ballot measure, which a recent Rocky Mountain News/CBS 4 poll showed to be failing 53 percent to 42 percent, has centered largely on the medical effects of marijuana and the age of those who would be allowed to smoke the drug. Fay said that the amendment would make it legal for an adult to give an ounce of marijuana to a 15-year-old, but proponents said that is misleading. Mason Tvert, campaign manager for a group that supports the amendment, said that there are already laws on the books that make it a felony to provide marijuana to a minor. His group wants to make it legal only for those over 21 to possess pot, he said. Tvert said the opposition forces 'bend the truth' about marijuana and are using scare tactics to defeat the measure - including the charge that they're part of a national movement to legalize all drugs and are funded by wealthy individuals and political action groups." Amendment 44 is picking up some support, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Backers of a statewide initiative to legalize adult marijuana possession got the support of a few Republican and Democratic activists at a gathering on the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon. Republican Jessica Corry, a law student at the University of Denver, stood with Democrat Barbara Harvey and said prohibition of marijuana hasn't worked and distracts law enforcement from pursuing more serious drugs like methamphetamines, cocaine and heroin." "denver 2006" 6:40:51 AM

Amendment 41 Here's a report about Amendment 41 from the Denver Post. They write, "A proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit gifts to public officials could affect everything from little league uniforms to college scholarships for government workers' children, an opposition group said Wednesday. Proponents, however, called the claims bogus distractions, previewing what promises to become a heated debate over just how much the measure would ban. Amendment 41 would prohibit cash and gifts of more than $50 to government employees, state elected politicians, other officials and their families... "'It will impact hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who certainly are not corrupt and are certainly not in the position to do favors for lobbyists,' said Katy Atkinson, director of the No on 41 campaign that launched Wednesday. For example, children of government employees probably could not accept college scholarships because it would be considered a gift of more than $50, Atkinson said. The measure could also prevent businesses from sponsoring little league teams if a government employee's child plays on the team because the purchase of a child's uniform could be viewed as a gift, the group says. "Jenny Flanagan of Colorado Common Cause, an author of the measure, said, 'We're not going after people's abilities to go live their lives.' The opposition are coming up with bogus claims to distract from the real issues of the campaign,' Flanagan said, adding that the measure is trying to prevent personal financial gain from public positions. Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "Great title. Bad idea. That's the word from the critics of a ballot proposal called 'Ethics in Government.' They say the public might believe Amendment 41 simply stops lobbyists from wining and dining the governor and state lawmakers. But they contend the ballot measure is so far-reaching that it impacts all public employees, from firefighters to city clerks, and that their children would be prevented from accepting a range of gifts, from scholarships to Little League uniforms. It also impacts those who have contracts with government." "denver 2006" 6:34:26 AM

Referendum I and Amendment 43 The Denver Post has the fundraising numbers for the groups around Referendum I and Amendment 43. From the article, "The organization backing Referendum I, which would give certain domestic-partnership rights to same-sex couples, broke the $1 million mark in Wednesday's latest fundraising report. Coloradans for Fairness has raised more than $1.14 million, with the latest large infusions coming from the Gill Action Fund and Fort Collins philanthropist Pat Stryker." "Backers of Amendment 43, which would effectively ban gay marriage, aren't far behind. Coloradans for Marriage has raised a little more than $265,000, but Colorado Family Action Inc., the Focus on the Family-funded committee that also opposes Referendum I, has reported more than $700,000." "denver 2006" 6:28:34 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor? Bill Ritter is leading U.S. Representative Bob Beauprez in the polls and now he has the lead in fundraising, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter extended his fundraising lead against Republican Bob Beauprez, reporting Wednesday that he has raised nearly $3 million in contributions as the candidates enter the final stretch of the campaign. Ritter collected $197,362 from contributors during the two- week period ending Sept. 13, bringing his total cash contributions for the campaign to $2.88 million, according to reports filed late Wednesday with the Colorado secretary of state's office. Beauprez reported raising $99,947, for a total of $2.38 million. Although Beauprez is now trailing by about half a million dollars, his campaign hopes to regain some ground when President Bush comes to town Oct. 4 for a fundraiser. The luncheon, at the Inverness hotel, costs $1,000 a person. The Beauprez campaign is expecting between 400 and 500 guests." "denver 2006" 6:22:23 AM

CSU to study water quality on lower Arkansas river Pueblo Chieftain: "A comprehensive study of water quality on Fountain Creek and the Arkansas River was kicked off Wednesday as the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District chipped in $200,000 to launch a $1 million study. The money will help fund a three-year project by the Colorado State University-Pueblo biology and chemistry departments, and attempt to convince other agencies to participate, said John Singletary, chairman of the Lower Ark board... "The Lower Ark will contribute $100,000 toward the purchase of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry machine, said Del Nimmo, a member of the CSU-Pueblo biology department. The university will provide $50,000 in matching funds. 'What it measures is metals, how much is in the water,' Nimmo said. The machine reads light emissions to detect levels of 30 different types of metals in water, as well as fish, animal or plant tissue. 'It's unique to have an ICP-MS at a university,' Nimmo said... "The program, if fully funded, will identify other sources of contaminants by examining 15 stations on Fountain Creek and 10 on the Lower Arkansas River, Nimmo said. Other areas include: Complete chemical analysis of water and sediment; Identifying and quantifying E. coli sources in water and sediment; Looking at concentrations of heavy metals like selenium and mercury in aquatic plants; Studying toxicity in animal species; Assessing the structure of macroinvertebrates - small creatures that form the foundation of the food chain for fish." "colorado water" 6:02:07 AM

U.S. Senate hearing on Arkansas Valley conduit Pueblo Chieftain: "The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District Wednesday gave renewed support to the Arkansas Valley Conduit - and $50,000. The conduit will be the subject of a U.S. Senate hearing in Washington today. The $320 million project would bring fresh drinking water to 42 communities east of Pueblo. U.S. Sens. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo., are sponsoring a bill that provides for 80 percent federal funding for the conduit. Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District President Bill Long will give a brief presentation to the committee on the need for the project. Allard also will testify... "The Lower Ark board also reiterated its suggestion to the Southeastern allocation committee to leave water from dried-up agricultural land in Crowley County in the Lower Arkansas Valley. The Southeastern committee has reviewed requests, but will not begin deliberations until Sept. 28. The water amounts to an average 1,881 acre-feet per year, and there are a total of 33 requests - including from the conduit committee and some conduit participants individually - for the water. Last year's study showed more water would need to be provided in the conduit to meet future needs. The water is Western Slope water once used to supplement irrigation on Colorado Canal farms sold to Aurora in the 1980s. Acreage on the Colorado Canal under Foxley Farms, bought by Colorado Springs, did not receive Fry-Ark water. Chairman John Singletary said an earlier letter from the Lower Ark district to designate all of the water for the conduit by amending the allocation principles has not been acknowledged by the Southeastern district." "colorado water" 5:54:22 AM

Bush roadless rule overturned A federal judge has overturned President Bush's roadless rules, according to the Great Falls Tribune. From the article, "A federal judge reinstated a ban Wednesday on road construction in nearly 50 million acres of pristine wilderness, overturning a Bush administration rule that could have cleared the way for more commercial activity in national forests. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Laporte sided with states and environmental groups that sued the U.S. Forest Service after it reversed President Clinton's 'Roadless Rule' prohibiting commercial logging, mining and other development on 58.5 million acres of national forest in 38 states and Puerto Rico... "A federal judge reinstated a ban Wednesday on road construction in nearly 50 million acres of pristine wilderness, overturning a Bush administration rule that could have cleared the way for more commercial activity in national forests. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Laporte sided with states and environmental groups that sued the U.S. Forest Service after it reversed President Clinton's "Roadless Rule" prohibiting commercial logging, mining and other development on 58.5 million acres of national forest in 38 states and Puerto Rico... "Laporte did not, however, reinstate a ban on road construction and logging on 9.3 million acres of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, which President Bush exempted from the Roadless Rule in 2003. Bush administration attorneys were reviewing the ruling to decide whether to appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, said Dave Tenny, deputy undersecretary for the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service... "Representatives of the timber industry denounced the decision, saying it would leave roadless areas vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires because firefighters could not access blazes in remote forests. Chris West, vice president of the Portland-based American Forest Industry Council, said states should be allowed to decide how to best manage and protect their forests... "After holding 600 public meetings over three years and receiving 1 million public comments urging forest protection, Clinton issued the Roadless Area Conservation Rule just days before he left office in January 2001. The rule protected nearly a third of the country's 192 million acres of national forest land. About 97 percent of that land is in 12 Western states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. "Despite the judge's ruling, logging would likely continue in two regions of Oregon - Mike's Gulch and Blackberry on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest - where timber sales were approved after the rule was changed, said Mike Carrier, natural resources adviser to Gov. Ted Kulongoski. All the trees slated for cutting on Mike's Gulch have been cut and are being hauled out by helicopter, and loggers have been at work in the Blackberry area for two weeks, said Rogue River-Siskiyou spokeswoman Patty Burel." Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "The court ruling in San Francisco comes just a week after a state task force forwarded recommendations to Gov. Bill Owens to preserve most of the 4.4 million acres of roadless areas in Colorado's national forests. 'While it is uncertain today how a California district court ruling may affect Colorado, one thing is clear: The bipartisan, collaborative process we have undertaken in Colorado is the appropriate way to determine our state's position concerning roadless areas,' Owens said in a press statement." "2008 pres" 5:47:09 AM

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