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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
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Amendment 44 - Legal Marijuana?
TalkLeft: "NORML's Paul Armentano has an op-ed in today's Examiner pointing out that the U.S. is spending $1 billion dollars a year to incarcerate people for marijuana offenses. The figure comes from the latest report released by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics."
"denver 2006"
9:03:15 PM 
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Direct evidence linking human activity to the collapse of Antarctic ice shelves?
Science Blog: "The first direct evidence linking human activity to the collapse of Antarctic ice shelves is published this week in the Journal of Climate. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, University College London, and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, (Belgium) reveal that stronger westerly winds in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, driven principally by human-induced climate change, are responsible for the marked regional summer warming that led to the retreat and collapse of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf."
"2008 pres"
8:50:37 PM
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Beauprez for governor?
North Denver News: "The investigation into Republican Bob Beauprez's campaign use of restricted federal criminal database data has broadened to include the FBI, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. A statement from CBI Direct Robert Cantwell says the FBI was brought into the investigation, which CBI says is being pursued expeditiously. Cantwell also says the agency will be mum and won't provide further updates as the investigation continues."
"denver 2006"
7:31:57 PM
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Denver Post has a new look
So, Coyote Gulch was full of it when we wrote that BlogHouse took down their links. The good editors at the Denver Post have a new look for the online edition and retained their links to Colorado bloggers. Thanks!
Go to the News tab and the click on BlogHouse. Scroll down, the Colorado blogger links are on the right side of the page.
7:12:31 PM
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Kennedy for Treasurer?
The Denver Post editorial staff has endorsed Cary Kennedy for state Treasurer. They write, "One reason this race has achieved relatively little attention is that both candidates have voluntarily chosen to abide by a $500,000 limit on campaign spending - a relatively modest sum in a time of multimillion-dollar mud-slinging. Additionally, both contenders have chosen the high road by focusing on their positive visions of Colorado's future - and the financial foundations necessary to make that future happen. In contrasting the records of these two able candidates, The Post believes Kennedy has both the qualifications and common sense to serve as the state's chief fiscal steward. Her achievements in helping craft Colorado fiscal policy have been instrumental in stabilizing state finances. Kennedy has a master's degree in public administration from Columbia University and a law degree from the University of Denver. She worked as a budget specialist for Gov. Roy Romer before helping craft the school-financing Amendment 23. Most recently she was policy director for House Speaker Andrew Romanoff - a role in which she helped write the vital Referendum C on the 2005 ballot."
"denver 2006"
6:54:17 AM
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Dem convention in Denver?
According to the Denver Post the majority of Democratic state leaders favor holding the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. From the article, "Of 36 state party chairs who gave a preference when surveyed by The Denver Post, 31 chose Denver and five New York. Hawaii did not respond; the rest had no clear favorite. Democratic Party national chairman Howard Dean will make the final decision, and the opinions of the state leaders are in no way binding. And, based on interviews with party leaders, Denver must still contend with a lingering perception that the city is unfriendly to organized labor, and must satisfy the party that it will have the necessary hotel rooms, security and - most of all - cash."
"2008 pres"
6:45:53 AM
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Ritter or Beauprez for governor?
U.S. Representative Bob Beauprez and Bill Ritter attended a forum hosted by a coalition of Jewish groups, according to the Rocky Mountain News. from the article, "Congressman Bob Beauprez told a Denver audience Tuesday night that he favors repealing the Blaine Amendment, which prohibits state funding of religious schools. 'I'm in favor of repealing it,' Beauprez told several hundred people at the Hebrew Educational Alliance in Denver. 'We've inhibited the good that can be done with faith-based organizations.' Beauprez and his opponent in the race for governor, Democrat Bill Ritter, spoke at an event organized by a coalition of Jewish groups. Several of the questions submitted by the audience pertained to the use of public funds by religious groups. Many states added amendments to their constitutions in the 19th century banning the use of public funds to support religious institutions. Colorado's amendment became an issue in 2003, when state courts cited the Blaine Amendment in tossing out a voucher plan approved by the state legislature. That plan would have allowed parents to use publicly funded vouchers to pay for private and religious schooling. Beauprez told the audience he thought the amendment was preventing government from funding the good works of many religious organizations. Why in the world wouldn't we think faith-based organizations can take care of the poor and needy and elderly,' said Beauprez. 'To pretend churches can't serve society is erroneous.' Ritter opposes repealing the amendment. He said there were situations where it would be appropriate for religious groups to receive public funds, but he cautioned that there would have to be safeguards to ensure taxpayer money wasn't used for religious recruitment."
Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "Colorado's leading candidates for governor sparred over the proper role of church and state Tuesday evening at a debate sponsored by Denver-area Jewish groups. Democrat Bill Ritter left Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez speechless after criticizing Beauprez's running mate, Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland. Ritter said churches, synagogues and mosques can serve as a conduit for government funding to needy people when those institutions are "neutral" about how they distribute the aid. But then he pointed out that Beauprez's running mate 'is on record saying that she doesn't believe there is a separation of church and state.' Beauprez shook his head during Ritter's remarks and declined the moderator's offer to let him defend his running mate. Instead, Beauprez chided Ritter for attacking 'somebody who's not here.' According to the July-August 2004 issue of The Testimony, 'Western Colorado's Christian Chronicle,' Rowland and other political candidates were asked a series of questions about religion and public life. When asked 'How do you feel about the 'separation of church and state?' Rowland answered: 'It's not in the Constitution. We should have the freedom OF religion, not the freedom FROM religion.' Ritter said he thought the federal government's faith-based initiative can provide valuable funds for social programs. When he was district attorney, he said, he used such money for a program to help senior citizens. 'I want to say that we need to be very, very careful,' Ritter said. 'We need to be stubborn stewards of that relationship of the separation of church and state.' Beauprez said restrictions on money to religious organizations has hurt society."
"denver 2006"
6:37:10 AM
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Salazar to EPA: You need to do more
Tuesday, U.S. Representative John Salazar criticized the EPA's response to problems on Fountain Creek, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "The Environmental Protection Agency needs to do more to protect water quality on Fountain Creek, U.S. Rep. John Salazar said Tuesday. The EPA has responded to water quality problems in Fountain Creek by issuing compliance orders to military institutions in the watershed and working with the state in addressing municipal water releases...
"Fountain Creek and tributaries above Monument Creek are listed as impaired for selenium and E. coli bacteria; the reach from Downtown Colorado Springs to Colo. 47 was listed for E. coli; and the reach from Colo. 47 to the Arkansas River was listed for selenium. The state also sampled 13 sites in Fountain Creek seven times in the last year. Other sampling efforts are conducting tests more often, however, because of local concerns that the geometric mean of state sampling does not reflect conditions that might vary with flows. Local studies have been initiated by the Pueblo City-County Health Department, the Sierra Club Water Sentinels and a cooperative effort between Colorado State University-Pueblo, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District and other entities. The state health department will launch a three-year study of microbial source tracking upstream of Colorado Springs in cooperation with the the U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Springs and El Paso County agencies next May. More funding will be sought to evaluate the reaches below Colorado Springs, Roberts said."
"colorado water"
6:19:39 AM
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Puebloans sound off on water issues
Here's a recap of a recent survey of customers of the Pueblo Board of Water Works, from the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "The Pueblo Board of Water Works gets high marks from its customers, who believe the water board should purchase more water for future needs, protect water quality and keep rates low. The results of a poll taken in September of Board of Water Works customers were shared with the board Tuesday by Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli, a former Puebloan the board contracted recently to perform the survey. The poll involved a lengthy survey of about 15-20 minutes and was in many cases a 'dialogue about water,' where customers had a chance to sound off on an issue obviously important to them, Ciruli said...
"The poll showed issues associated with Fountain Creek and water quality to be perceived as most important to the community, but follow-up questions clearly showed Puebloans want to insure there are water supplies for Pueblo and the Lower Arkansas Valley. The poll found 61 percent still believe the area is in a drought, and 48 percent think Pueblo will face a water shortage sometime in the next 10 years. Four-fifths of respondents said the water board should begin purchasing more water as it plans for its water supply through the year 2060. Moreover, Ciruli said, support was strong for any reason offered - drought protection, keeping the water in the valley, residential or business growth...
"Customers were reluctant to see their water rates increase - 53 percent opposed - and gave lukewarm support to tap fees - 58 percent. At the same time, they supported leasing water to other municipalities like Colorado Springs and Aurora by a slim 56 percent. Pueblo has the lowest water rates and tap fees on the Front Range, largely because it gets a large portion of its revenues from leases...
"The top eight responses are listed. There were numerous other answers on this open-ended question: Fountain Creek 19%; Water quality/taste 14%; Losing water to cities 14%; Water shortage 12%; Water conservation 7%; Security issues 7%; Keeping rates low 5%; Colorado Springs waste 4%."
"colorado water"
6:17:00 AM
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Immigration
Here's an opinion piece about immigration in Colorado, written by Al Knight, in the Denver Post. He writes, "It's probably fitting to reflect on the politics of illegal immigration during the same week the population of the United States reached 300 million. This event is no cause for a national celebration. Rapid population growth is widely viewed more as a curse than a blessing - especially when much of the increase can be blamed on the failure to control illegal immigration. The news of the population milestone arrives at an opportune time, weeks before a national election in which the subject of immigration figures in many local races. The question that hovers over this election and this state is, 'Who owns the immigration issue?' More particularly, 'Have the Democrats successfully stolen this issue from the Republicans?' Definitive answers can only be known once the votes have been counted, but insights are already available. Internet users can find some of them in an article by Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, at vdare.com. Schultheis, a vocal opponent of illegal immigration, makes a convincing case that the Democrats have been able to hijack the immigration issue, largely because of the efforts (or duplicity) of former Gov. Dick Lamm.
Schultheis points out that Lamm was an original backer of a proposed statewide initiative barring illegal immigrants from receiving certain state and local benefits, but once the Supreme Court prevented the measure from appearing on this year's ballot, Schultheis says, Lamm did an amazing about-face, putting the interests of the Democratic Party above all else."
"2008 pres"
6:02:03 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 8:40:50 PM.
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