Saturday, September 23, 2006

Ritter for governor? Coyote Gulch loves the Internet. We recognize the need for candidates to post their ads online for wider (and more economical) distribution. Whenever a campaign uses only Windows media for their ads Coyote Gulch fires off an email to asking that the campaign consider a more inclusive approach, one that reaches out to persons that do not run software from Microsoft. We usually post to Coyote Gulch about the subject as well. Bill Ritter's campaign came through this week. Here's the link to their website with their third TV ad posted in QuickTime and Windows Media formats. They've also uploaded all their video to YouTube, making it possible for UNIX and Linux users to view (along with Windows and Macintosh users). A quick search on "Bill Ritter" yields this page with all the Ritter campaign video (and a few others from the opposition). This is the inclusiveness that we love to see from a campaign. It shows that they listen (maybe even to an Ol' Coyote) and understand that, if they get into office, government should not mandate the technology needed for access. Accessibility to government needs to be "accessibility for all." "denver 2006" 9:32:17 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor? Rocky Mountain News: "The gloves came off in the governor's race Friday, as Bill Ritter fired off a TV ad claiming that Bob Beauprez had 'distorted' and 'twisted' his Denver district attorney record and Beauprez responded that Ritter's spot was 'sleazy, dishonest.' The dust-up comes a day after the Republican Trailhead Group unleashed a gripping ad in which a tearful mother accuses Ritter of lying about issuing a 'slap on the wrist' plea bargain to the hit-and-run driver who killed her 4-year-old daughter. Democrat Ritter's response was a TV ad that begins with a narrator saying: 'Newspapers call attacks on Bill Ritter's record as district attorney 'misleading,' 'distorted,' 'twisted.' So who should be held accountable for these negative attacks on Bill Ritter?' It cuts to Beauprez's own campaign ad, showing him standing in a barn saying: 'I'm Bob Beauprez. I want you to hold me accountable.' "'The facts,' the ad concludes, is that Ritter had a 95 percent conviction rate and locked up over 12,000 criminals during his 12 years as district attorney, keeping the community safe and helping victims 'put their lives back together.' While the ad about the girl killed in the hit-and-run was produced by Trailhead's offshoot, Coloradans for Justice, Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer accused the Beauprez campaign of illegally working in concert with the so-called 527 groups. The independent political groups are allowed to raise unlimited amounts of money but prohibited from coordinating efforts with a candidate's campaign... "Meanwhile, a review of database records Friday shows that the woman in the Trailhead ad was convicted of a string of minor criminal offenses in Denver, some handled by Ritter's district attorney office, after her daughter's 2000 death. September Dixon, 27, was convicted of seven offenses between 2001 and 2003, including reckless driving, making threats and using a phone to disturb the peace. She has a history of 21 arrests ranging from making a false statement to police to failure to report an auto accident where there was personal or property damage, according to a state crime database. Asked if her prosecution left her biased against Ritter, Dixon said her legal history had nothing to do with her daughter's death. She then hung up." "denver 2006" 9:17:13 AM

Global warming? WaterSANA: "Summer ice shocks scientists; the cause is still unknown but storms in August may be the reason for a considerable change." They've posted some great graphics along with links to the experts. "2008 pres" 9:03:03 AM

Augmenation water for upper South Platte river The Flume: "The Upper South Platte and the Center of Colorado Water Conservancy Districts closed on the purchase of 30 acre feet of senior water rights on Deer Creek in northeastern Park County on Sept. 11. The water was purchased from Lone Rock H2O... "The districts provided $250,000 in cash for the water rights purchase and borrowed $140,000 from the Park County Land and Water Trust Fund, which is funded by a 1 percent county sales tax. 'Without the loan from the Land and Water Trust Fund, it is doubtful that the Districts could have acquired these water rights and prevented them from being sold to the Front Range,' said a press release issued on Sept. 14... "Administration includes, among other things, releasing water to the river system when and in the amount needed to avoid injury to more senior water rights. The Deer Creek water is the second joint purchase by the districts. Recently, two shares of Twin Lakes water near Leadville were purchased to provide augmentation water to the Guffey area that is in the Arkansas River basin. The two shares have an annual yield of approximately 1.4 acre feet. All water owned by the districts is for augmentation purposes. Augmentation water is water that replaces consumed water, which is approximately 10 percent of water used. The other 90 per cent is returned to river systems after it is used. Augmentation water is required by state law to insure that more senior water rights are not injured by a junior water right. For example, if a business uses one half-acre foot of water per year (163,000 gallons), 16,300 gallons are considered consumed and must be returned to the river system by additional water called augmentation water. The other 90 percent (146,700 gallons) is returned through the septic or central sewer system. With these two water rights purchases, the districts are now able for the first time to provide augmentation water to those needing it throughout the entire county. The districts have established a priority list for selling or leasing shares in the augmentation water... "The Center of Colorado Water Conservancy District purchased approximately 700 acre feet of Bargas Ranch water near Jefferson. A water court application to change the use of that water from irrigation is scheduled in April 2007. The first 200 acre feet of water will remain in Park County for use. Centennial Water and Sanitation District has a 50-year lease contract with one renewal option for up to 500 acre feet of the Bargas Ranch water, thus providing revenue for the Center of Colorado district until it needs the water. The Center of Colorado district also purchased the Smelter Ditch Reservoir near Alma. It will provide 18 acre feet of storage for the district's water and water jointly owned by the two districts. In addition, the Center of Colorado district will receive 100 acre feet of storage in Chatfield Reservoir, if approval is received to expand the reservoir. Currently, the federal environmental assessment is in process. According to Drucker, the Chatfield storage will allow the district to administer returns to the river system quicker and reduce evaporation losses in route to the Front Range senior users. The Upper South Platte district owns 50 acre feet of storage in Spinney Mountain Reservoir southeast of Hartsel and 37 acre feet of water. Currently there are 18 water-user clients receiving augmentation water from the district and five more in progress. According to Spann, the Upper South Platte district has a limited supply of water that is available for lease at this time. Spann said that as soon as Division 1 Water Court approves the two districts' joint plan of augmentation, there will be a considerable amount of water available." "colorado water" 8:54:10 AM

Drip irrigation project near Olathe Farmers and water officials are teaming up to learn about drip irrigation over Olathe way, according to the Montrose Daily Press. From the article, "The field is muddy. A tractor churns through the field. With each lunge, the machine pulls irrigation tape out of the ground, resembling a long snake coming up for air. The operation requires four people and a tractor driver. Once the spool is full, farmers take knives and cut the tap. It is hard work. 'This shows how labor intensive (drip irrigation) is,' said Fred Miller, Shavano Soil Conservation District president. This year Uncompahgre Valley farmers grew 200 acres under drip irrigation, taking a pilot project into the commercial stage. There have been challenges, but John Murray, National Resources Conservation Service range conservationist, said the method shows promise for local farmers... "The project started four years ago. Drip irrigation had been done in the valley in the 1980s with limited success, and farmers were reluctant to renew the method. Local farmer John Harold and NRCS officials talked in 2003 about a drip irrigation pilot project. Harold knew about the technique and thought it might work in the valley, Murray said. They decided to do a five-acre onion test project in the summer of 2003. Drip irrigation lays an irrigation tap underneath the soil, applying water directly to the roots. In other places, the method has produced high yields with less water usage... "The Colorado River Water Conservation District and the Shavano Soil Conservation District became interested in the project. Drip irrigation leaches less salt and selenium into the soil and water users along the Colorado River want to reduce the material. The river district awarded grant money to purchase new equipment and to continue the experiment. Murray enlisted the help of other local farmers and the number of acres grew. Last year, the valley had 20 acres farmed with drip irrigation... "Local farmers got together and pooled their money. They also received a grant from Colorado State University Cooperative Extension. With the money, they purchased the equipment and the valley was ready for large-scale application. Shavano took over the drip irrigation program a few years ago and were instrumental in moving it to the commercial stage, Murray said. Miller said he is impressed with the water savings and the potential benefit to local farmers. The pilot project saw a 55 to 65 percent yield increase. Duane Homewood, Mike Ahlberg, Jerry Hines, Brent Hines and Harold grew crops under drip irrigation this summer. Over the last couple weeks, the farmers began pulling up the drip tape and surveying the results. The season, however, started rough. There were manufacturing problems with some of the drip tape and a pump failed. Also, a late summer hail storm damaged crops." "colorado water" 8:42:41 AM

Arkansas Valley Conduit Here's a report about this week's U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing which included the Arkansas Valley Conduit from CBS4Denver.com. From the article, "Colorado's senators made the case Thursday for federal funding of a water project they say is desperately needed in the state's rural Arkansas Valley. But to see the Arkansas Valley conduit built, the senators will have to overcome objections from Bureau of Reclamation officials, who say the proposal would violate the department's policy that local governments pay for their own water projects... "Thursday's hearing was a step forward for the project. The state's lawmakers have been working with the Bureau of Reclamation to find compromise they all can agree to. Besides Allard and Salazar's bill, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., has introduced similar legislation in the House. "Bill Rinne, acting commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, said Thursday that 'it would help a lot' if the local communities paid even 35 percent of the cost. That is the share local governments are required to pay under a 2004 rural water proposal by the Bush administration. But Bill Long, president of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District in Pueblo, said it would be 'very difficult' for local communities to shoulder more than 20 percent of the cost." Here's the coverage from the Pueblo Chieftain. They write, "U.S. Senate committee members were sympathetic Thursday to the plight of Lower Arkansas Valley communities trying to get federal support for a drinking water conduit, Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said... "Southeastern Water Conservancy District President Bill Long testified at Thursday's hearing. Long, a Bent County commissioner, stressed a single water plant on the Arkansas River would be 60 percent less expensive than solving water quality problems for each system separately. 'Generally all drinking water systems in the Lower Arkansas River basin, from St. Charles Mesa to Lamar, are concerned with the poor water quality in this region,' Long said. 'Many of the water providers do not satisfy, or only marginally satisfy, current drinking water standards.' Long said committee members showed empathy with his viewpoint." "colorado water" 8:26:54 AM

Amendment 40 The Denver Post editorial staff is urging voters to reject Amendment 40. From the opinion piece, "Judicial independence is a fundamental element of our republic. We should be doing everything we can to protect it instead of allowing it to be gutted in a political maneuver." "denver 2006" 8:05:19 AM

© Copyright 2009 John Orr. Last update: 3/14/09; 8:35:34 PM.