ProgressNow Daily News Digest

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/us/politics/10lawyers.html?ref=politics A conservative advocacy organization in Washington, Keep America Safe, kicked up a storm last week when it released a video that questioned the loyalty of Justice Department lawyers who worked in the past on behalf of detained terrorism suspects. But beyond the expected liberal outrage, the tactics of the group, which is run by Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president, have also split the tightly knit world of conservative legal scholars. Many conservatives, including members of the Federalist Society, the quarter-century-old policy group devoted to conservative and libertarian legal ideals, have vehemently criticized Ms. Cheney’s video, and say it violates the American legal principle that even unpopular defendants deserve a lawyer. “There’s something truly bizarre about this,” said Richard A. Epstein, a University of Chicago law professor and a revered figure among many members of the society. “Liz Cheney is a former student of mine — I don’t know what moves her on this thing,” he said.

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903858.html As Republicans work to prevent a health-care bill from reaching President Obama, they are scrambling to exploit divisions between Democrats in the House and the Senate. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned House Democrats that they would be taking a colossal risk if they approved the Senate's version of health-care legislation before the Senate had acted to remove some of the bill's most contentious provisions. Now that Democrats have lost their supermajority in the Senate, some variation of this delicate two-step process is the only way a health-care reform bill can become law. "House Democrats will have to decide whether they want to trust the Senate to fix their political problems," McConnell said. He listed perks that Senate Democrats won for Nebraska, Louisiana, Florida and labor unions; House members insist that all must be removed through a separate "fixes" bill under special budget reconciliation rules. "They will be voting, when they pass the Senate bill, to endorse the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator-aid, the closed-door deal, the special deal for the unions, which may or may not bother any Democrats, I don't know," McConnell said.

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90110/study-says-cash-for-clunkers-impact.html Search online for "Cash for Clunkers," and here's one thing you'll find: stories about its negligible overall impact on the economy. Wrong, says Maritz Automotive Research Group. The Toledo, Ohio, independent automotive research company recently surveyed participants in last summer’s federal program designed to stimulate new-car sales and get gas-guzzlers off the road. On Tuesday, the company shared its results. One key finding: 90 percent of those participating in Cash for Clunkers said they would not otherwise have bought a new car. According to federal government data, 677,000 purchases were made through Cash for Clunkers from late July through August. Maritz’s research showed that 542,000 were incremental new car or truck sales, meaning those purchases would not have occurred without the incentives. Previous estimates by industry analysts put the incremental sales figure between 125,000 and 346,000. The government’s Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, offered vouchers of $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of older, gas-guzzling vehicles who traded them in for new, fuel-efficient models. The program, which was expected to last several months, was so popular that it ran out of its $3 billion in funding in two months.

Biden’s Israel visit takes a rocky turn - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-biden-israel10-2010mar10,0,123115.story In the midst of a high-profile trip by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said, calling it "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now." "We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them," Biden said.

FOX31 Exclusive: Jane Norton defends record on spending - KDVR

http://www.kdvr.com/news/politics/kdvr-norton-spending-030910,0,2175513.story There is no issue that riles up today's conservative base like the issue of government spending, perceived to be out of control after last year's $787 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and on the verge of a health care reform bill that, if passed, could cost close to $1 trillion over the next decade. In such a context, it's no surprise that Republican candidates are talking, on the eve of this fall's midterm elections, about how Democrats have overspent and how they will, if elected, rein in such expenditures. It's also no surprise that Jane Norton, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Colorado, is already airing television commercials to that effect. And given that Norton may be the front-runner in the race, out in front of both Democratic contenders and the two Republicans challenging her for the party's nomination, it's no surprise that her record on spending is coming under heavy scrutiny -- and heavy fire -- from both sides.

Amazon.com debate heats up at Colorado Capitol - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644084 Republicans immediately blamed the Democratic-controlled legislature for passing a bill that attempts to collect the state's 2.9 percent sales tax on online sales through e-retailers such as Amazon and Overstock.com. "The Democrats' bill and their anti-Amazon rhetoric doesn't harm Amazon," said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. "It hurts the thousands of Colorado affiliates" who made money from online sales. Democrats, though, said Amazon's action was purely a public-relations tactic, punishing affiliates even though the final version of the bill removed the in-state marketers as means of collecting the sales tax. "They (Amazon) absolutely killed the affiliates just to show that they can," said Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver. Meanwhile, one liberal group called for a boycott of Amazon until the retailer renews its relationships with affiliates. Amazon "chose to make an example of our state and unfairly punish their own business associates for political gain," the group ProgressNow Colorado said in a release.

First shots fired in Colorado payday loan war | Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48681/first-shots-fired-in-colorado-payday-loan-war Perhaps no issue will underline the divide separating state Democrats and Republicans this legislative session as well as the war to rein in the payday loan industry. That war saw its first real skirmishes Monday at the capitol when roughly 150 payday-loan business owners and employees rallied outside the building in advance of a hearing on a bill that seeks to cap payday interest rates and limit the infamous cycle of personal payday-loan debt the industry depends upon to generate millions in profits. Payday supporters, including some state lawmakers, railed against the proposed regulation as an infringement on personal liberty and as job-killing government intervention. Supporters of the regulation say the time has come at last to end clearly predatory loan practices that target the state’s vulnerable populations. Republican lawmakers sympathized outside at the rally and inside the committee room with the lenders, who they portrayed as victims of big government. Democratic lawmakers sympathized with the thousands of payday loan borrowers gouged by excessive rates and fees that surpass consumer-protecting limits that apply to the larger lending industry.

Telluride Daily Planet - Gov’t supports uranium accountability bill

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704e117eac935222270.txt As President Obama calls for more nuclear power, Colorado contemplates putting two uranium mills into operation. One would be new and located in Paradox Valley west of Telluride. The other is an old mill near Cañon City, near Colorado Springs, that may be reopened. A new piece of legislation seeks to tighten up the application process and ensure that old mills are cleaned up before new ones are opened, and the Telluride Town Council came out in support of it yesterday. The Uranium Processing Accountability Act would apply most directly to the Cotter-owned mill near Cañon City, which first opened in 1958. It is still in the process of cleaning up contamination. The company applied to reopen the mill in 2001. If this bill passes, the Cotter Corp. couldn’t re-open the mill until all the clean-up has been completed. Cotter is a subsidiary of General Atomics, a nuclear company and defense contractor that builds the Predator drones used in Afghanistan. It is owned largely by Neal Blue, who owns land on the north side of Telluride’s valley floor, and used to own the 570 acres known as the Valley Floor, which Telluride condemned in 2007.

Durango Herald News, Senate tries to cap tax credits

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Senate_tries_to_cap_tax_credits/ Farmers and ranchers who are thinking about a conservation easement on their land might want to think fast. The Legislature got moving again Tuesday on an almost-forgotten 10th bill in its tax package. Nine other Democratic tax bills on items ranging from soda to Internet sales were signed into law two weeks ago. But two more - on conservation easements and enterprise zones - got waylaid. The enterprise zone bill is still on hold, but the conservation easement bill, House Bill 1197, regained its footing Tuesday, passing the Senate Finance Committee 4-3. The bill limits the state's conservation easement program to $26 million each of the next three years. That's $37 million less than state officials had expected to pay out in tax credits next year. If HB 1197 passes, tax credits would be dished out on a first-come, first-served basis, said the sponsor, Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.

CU regents could vote on 9 percent tuition hike at special meeting Wednesday - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14641787 The University of Colorado regents are holding a just-announced meeting Wednesday to discuss and possibly vote on a 9 percent tuition increase for students on the Boulder campus. "The intent is to vote on tuition," said Regent Tom Lucero, who would not yet say how he'd vote. In past years, Lucero has voted against tuition increases but has been in the minority. The administration is proposing a 9 percent tuition increase for in-state students, said CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue. For CU's College of Arts and Sciences, which charges $6,153 for in-state tuition this year, a 9 percent increase would translate to an extra $554. "Whether or not they have a vote on tuition remains to be seen," McConnellogue said. Gov. Bill Ritter has given Colorado colleges and universities a 9 percent tuition cap, and McConnellogue said CU has been engaging students in tuition-setting decisions.

Denver archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children at Boulder preschool - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14640646 The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a "painful situation," but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings. Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that. Previous reports indicated only one child was involved. Neither the parents nor the children have been identified. About two dozen protesters stood outside Sacred Heart of Jesus church on Sunday with signs, one reading "God loves all people."

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

Survivors give first-hand Holocaust accounts at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14644573 As a baby, Maria Krenz lived in hiding with her Jewish family on the sixth floor of an apartment building in Hungary, concealed by an armoire. "My mother's job was to keep me quiet at all costs so cries wouldn't be heard by neighbors," Krenz told her audience Tuesday at a Holocaust Awareness Week talk on the University of Colorado campus. Krenz -- who came to CU as an undergraduate in 1964 and has remained a Boulder resident since -- was born two decades earlier, during a bombing raid on Budapest. She arrived six weeks early, and her timing was crucial because a few weeks later Jews weren't allowed in the hospital. Krenz was 10 days old when the Nazis came to her family's apartment, declaring that all Jews needed to "get out." When her father, a Hungarian patriot, asked about his newborn daughter, they replied: "The world doesn't need anymore Jews." She told her story to a crowd of about 150 on Tuesday, piecing her early survival story together with journals that her mother kept. She has also published a memoir, titled "Made in Hungary: A life forged by history."

Charges reduced in one of the LoDo mugging cases - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644083 Denver prosecutors amended charges against eight suspects in one of the downtown mugging cases after a victim said a detective urged him to falsely claim he broke his tooth during the assault. Charges against seven suspects were lowered from felony to misdemeanor assault, and all charges were dismissed against an eighth suspect after it was learned that victim Allen Andes' tooth was not broken during an Aug. 23 assault as originally reported, said Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney's office. Defense attorney J. Trent Mannina, who represents Rasheed Turner, whose charges were dismissed, said a memo from the prosecutor's office in late February said Andes claimed that Detective Paul Baca asked him to say his tooth was broken during the assault in Denver even though he knew the injury happened earlier in Philadelphia. Prosecutors had filed more serious felony assault charges against Turner and the seven other defendants based on the false information, Mannina said.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641496 A Highlands Ranch man busted by federal agents after growing medical marijuana in his home is expected to plead guilty to a drug charge, 9Wants to Know has learned. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the home where Chris Bartkowicz, 36, lived near C-470 and University Boulevard last month. Agents say they discovered 224 marijuana plants in various stages of development. Bartkowicz pleaded not guilty on March 5 to a federal charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. That same day, Bartkowicz's attorney filed a notice of disposition telling a judge that the prosecution and defense have reached an agreement in the case and a change of plea proceeding is needed. "The prosecution and defense are waiting for a judge to set a change of plea hearing date, where (Bartkowicz) will be given an opportunity to plead guilty," U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner told 9Wants to Know.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

Durango Herald News, 22nd Judicial District attorney gets DUI

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/22nd_Judicial_District_attorney_gets_DUI/ The 22nd Judicial District's top law-enforcement official was arrested in February for driving under the influence of alcohol and faces myriad criminal charges. District Attorney James Warren Wilson was pulled over about 10:15 a.m. Feb. 21 for making an unsafe pass of another vehicle along Colorado Highway 24 near Buena Vista, said Sgt. John Hahn, public information officer for the Colorado State Patrol's headquarters in Denver. Wilson was driving a 2009 Jeep utility vehicle and heading west. Buena Vista is about 90 miles west of Colorado Springs. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of Wilson being intoxicated through their personal interaction, said Hahn. Authorities had no indication of Wilson's position as 22nd Judicial District attorney.

Review of Fort Collins infant’s death ‘dropped along the line somewhere’ | coloradoan.com

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100340/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Review-of-Fort-Collins-infant-s-death-dropped-along-the-line-somewhere A state review of the 2008 death of a 20-day-old Fort Collins boy "got dropped along the line somewhere," a Department of Human Services spokeswoman said Tuesday. The infant, Chad Munoz, was under some level of DHS supervision when he died in January 2008 of head injuries. His father, Juan Munoz, was convicted last year of reckless manslaughter and is serving a nine-year prison sentence. State law requires that county and state officials conduct a "child fatality review" whenever a child under state supervision dies. The purpose is to promptly identify and correct any mistakes so they're not repeated. DHS started but never completed the review of Chad Munoz's death, McDonough acknowledged Tuesday.

Durango Herald News, Del Taco seized by state authorities

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Del_Taco_seized_by_state_authorities/ Del Taco customers in Durango will have to do without their crispy shrimp tacos and Del Combo burritos for now. The fast-food restaurant at 1211 Escalante Drive was seized last week by state authorities for allegedly failing to pay sales tax. The business owes an estimated $14,061.96 in unpaid sales tax, said Colorado Department of Revenue spokes-man Mark Couch. Del Taco was seized March 2. The building's contents are scheduled to be auctioned at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Del Taco has until then to pay the taxes, Couch said.

Charges reduced in one of the LoDo mugging cases - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644083 Denver prosecutors amended charges against eight suspects in one of the downtown mugging cases after a victim said a detective urged him to falsely claim he broke his tooth during the assault. Charges against seven suspects were lowered from felony to misdemeanor assault, and all charges were dismissed against an eighth suspect after it was learned that victim Allen Andes' tooth was not broken during an Aug. 23 assault as originally reported, said Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney's office. Defense attorney J. Trent Mannina, who represents Rasheed Turner, whose charges were dismissed, said a memo from the prosecutor's office in late February said Andes claimed that Detective Paul Baca asked him to say his tooth was broken during the assault in Denver even though he knew the injury happened earlier in Philadelphia. Prosecutors had filed more serious felony assault charges against Turner and the seven other defendants based on the false information, Mannina said.

Police investigating attacks on or near Auraria campus - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644826 Police are investigating a series of assaults and robberies on or near the Auraria campus in downtown Denver, including a double-stabbing Monday morning. Four incidents have occurred since Feb. 16, three in the past week. It's not clear whether the attacks are related. Campus police and student leaders will discuss the attacks today at a meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Tivoli. Two male Metro State students were slashed in their dorm room at the Inn at Auraria at 9:45 a.m. Monday. The students were treated at Denver Health Medical Center.

Jurors hear about Denver tot’s killing - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644037 Earl Ryan's first-degree-murder trial opened Tuesday with defense and prosecuting attorneys portraying Angela Crookham as a woman who played two hostile men against each other in a battle that ended with her 2-year-old son dead. Ryan, who is being tried in Denver District Court, is accused of shooting Crookham's son, Noah, to death as the boy's father carried him out of his mother's home Oct. 12, 2008. Ryan lived in a basement apartment at 1243 Madison St. Angela Crookham lived in the unit upstairs. Chief Deputy District Attorney Michelle Amico told the jury that Tom and Angela Crookham's marriage had unraveled in late 2007.

Jury gets Willie Clark murder case - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644081 Prosecutors closed their first-degree-murder case against Willie D. Clark on Tuesday by telling jurors they had delivered bricks of evidence that form a "box of guilt" around the defendant. But during defense closing arguments, Clark's attorney said the evidence in the case was flimsy and that witnesses brought in to testify about the murder of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams couldn't be trusted. Interviews with two jurors, one dismissed Monday and an alternate dismissed Tuesday, suggest the jury might be divided. Juror Ray Barrientos, 42, said he was prepared to find Clark guilty and believes his former fellow jurors will do the same.

Weld warns against ‘smishing’ scams | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309656/1051 Gone smishing? That's what has been happening in Greeley the past two days, as hundreds of cell phone users received automated messages or texts, warning them that their bank accounts have been misused. It's a scam, said police and bank officials, and someone is trying to steal your account numbers so they can take your money or run up huge credit card purchases. Greeley police and the Weld District Attorney's Office both issued warnings Tuesday about a phone scam that is trying to get credit and debit card numbers. The calls falsely warn that a person's checking, debit or credit card account have been deactivated or used improperly. In each case, they ask the caller to contact them and to give their credit/debit card or bank account numbers.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Ex-prison officer gets 3 years of probation

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97399b4f8a8893242521.txt A judge this week chastised a former female prison officer at a Florence federal prison for becoming romantically involved with a male inmate and breaking the law. "I'm very troubled by your actions in this case," U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello told Constance Cordova at her sentencing. "You violated your duty as a correctional officer and became involved in illegal activity with an inmate." Arguello sentenced Cordova, about 36, to three years of probation with specified conditions and under supervision of a court officer. Cordova pleaded guilty in December to harboring an illegal alien, the former inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution where Cordova worked. "I'm hopeful that you've learned your lesson," the judge said.

Hustler asks for crime scene photos of slain Niwot High grad Meredith Emerson - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14637031 Authorities said Monday they will not give Hustler Magazine crime scene and autopsy photos of a former Longmont woman who was slain while hiking, with one Georgia lawmaker calling the porn publication's request "vile" and "disgusting." Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said his agency would reject the magazine's "indecent" request for the photos of Meredith Emerson, whose decapitated body was found in January 2008 in the north Georgia woods. The 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate had been beaten to death. Emerson graduated from Niwot High School before moving to Georgia for college. On Feb. 25, Hustler Magazine reporter Fred Rosen asked for the photos as part of an open records request filed with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, though it was unclear why. A phone call to the magazine's Beverly Hills, California, headquarters was not immediately returned Monday. Rosen also did not immediately return a phone call.

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News : Band teacher nets probation on sex plea (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b96fa75c4ce6092181237.txt Former Montrose High School band teacher Andrew Burke pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and immediately was sentenced Tuesday to three years of supervised probation. More serious sex charges against him were dropped in the plea agreement.

Lafayette judge: Case against Spork can move forward - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642709 A Lafayette municipal judge will allow a vicious animal case against a 10-year-old miniature Dachshund who bit a veterinary technician to go forward. In a ruling issued late Tuesday, Judge Roger Buchholz rejected a request from the dog owners' attorney that the case be dismissed because the state's vicious animal law does not apply to dogs that bite animal care workers such as veterinarians, vet techs and animal groomers. Buchholz found the state law does not prohibit home rule municipalities, like Lafayette, from having stricter laws than the state law. The only restriction in the state law is that municipalities cannot make breed-specific ordinances. Buchholz also noted that many other municipalities have laws like Lafayette's. However, he said excluding animal care workers from the vicious dog ordinance was a reasonable provision that the Lafayette City Council may want to consider.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14644219 The $38 billion in overdraft-protection fees that make up one of the banking industry's fattest cash cows will take a significant hit this summer when federal rules kick in that preclude the practice without prior consumer approval. That means financial institutions — battle weary from last year's economic crisis and new credit-card rules that slashed their ability to make money — are looking for new ways to make up the shortfall. And consumers ultimately will be the ones to take the hit, industry watchdogs say. "Clearly . . . there will be an effort to recoup it . . . and it's to be the customer who pays," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit.com, which tracks the banking industry. One of the first areas to get dinged, Ulzheimer said, will be the long-popular free checking plan, a 1990s concept that proved so popular it morphed into a given.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643411 The 2010 census is gearing up to employ about 8,000 Coloradans, providing a timely boost to an economy that has shed more than 10 times that many jobs in the past year. "We still need people," said Lee Ann Morning, manager of the Denver Local Census Office. "And people want to work for us." Each of the state's eight local offices should employ about 1,000 workers by late April as the count of the state's population moves toward its final push, Morning said. Besides Denver, local census offices are in Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Reasons for working with the census vary, but a pay scale that starts at around $12.75 an hour is one motivation.

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643214 The median price for a single-family home in metro Denver rose nearly 15 percent in February compared with the same month a year ago, but the number of homes sold declined. The median price for a single-family home rose to $220,750 last month, compared with $192,000 a year ago, according to Metrolist data released Tuesday. The median price for a condo increased 12.5 percent to $132,500, compared with $117,725 last year. There were 2,436 homes sold in February, down 1.9 percent from 2,484 last year. "First-time homebuyers are out in force," independent real-estate analyst Gary Bauer said. "We've also seen investors come out this month. In the lower-priced markets, we have both investors and first-time homebuyers out there bidding on the same properties."

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Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309769/1001 Aspen is showing some signs of economic recovery but clearly the resort is not out of woods, based on recent sales tax and occupancy report data. Taxable sales for January show that Aspen was up 4 percent over the previous year during the same month. Consumption-based sales tax revenue for the city in January 2009 was down 21 percent over the year before. “It's not a huge improvement,” said Aspen Finance Director Don Taylor. “Nobody expects to make it all back ... it's going to take a while.” In the city's sales tax report released last week, a new industrial category of automobiles was broken out from the “general retail” category because there was such a significant jump from the year prior — a 386 percent increase, or more than $1.4 million in taxable revenue.

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309479/1001 Avon officials say they must cut the town's 2010 budget to close a roughly $1.1 million shortfall in revenue. Town officials blame the gap on outstanding payments they claim Traer Creek Metropolitan District owes the town for municipal services and sales tax shortfalls. Town staff provided recommendations on the supplemental 2010 budget to town council Tuesday night. Proposed changes include freezing and eliminating positions, continuing the full-time furlough program though the end of the year and reducing the overtime hours in several departments. Layoffs in two departments already occurred in February. Departments found areas to reduce operating supplies, contract services, and other operating costs. Some of the major cutbacks included elimination of the live band for the Salute to the USA, deferral of ditch maintenance, delay of the Upper Buck Creek bridge overlay, reduction of street striping, the deferral of software upgrades and training and cutbacks in advertising costs.

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643220 A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has approved the Chapter 11 reorganization plan of Freedom Communications, owner of The Gazette of Colorado Springs and other media properties. Under the plan approved Tuesday, Freedom's secured lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, would assume ownership of the company in return for cutting the debt owed to them by nearly 60 percent.

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The Pueblo Chieftain :: Senate confirms three Fair board members

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a160e8df196909909.txt The Senate on Tuesday confirmed three members of the Colorado State Fair Authority Board of Commissioners. The Senate approved Vince Vigil and Dave Galli, both of Pueblo, and Loren Whittemore, of Rush, as Fair commissioners. Vigil and Whittemore were up for reappointment. Vigil is the present chairman of the commission. Whittemore is a former El Paso County commissioner.

Businesses cope, and in some cases turn a profit, from interstate closure | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/businesses_cope_and_in_some_ca When rockfall started out the workweek by closing Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon Monday morning, it cut off about one-fifth of the American Gypsum workforce from the company’s plant. The wallboard maker, located in Gypsum east of the canyon, runs on 12-hour shifts. Plant manager Ray Barnes said that pretty much ruled out people adding hours to their commute to drive a detour route. Instead, some of the plant’s 87 hourly workers have stayed with friends or co-workers in the Gypsum area, or in hotels. “We’re running pretty thin, and people are working some pretty long hours. They’re holding up so far,” Barnes said.

I-70 closure forcing some to take long way to Aspen | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309765/1001 Deliveries are late and travelers are scratching their heads, but the closure of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon hasn't put a discernible dent into life in Aspen. The rock slide that has cut off the easiest access to much of the outside world, including two airports that see use by Aspen-bound travelers — Denver and Eagle — hasn't hindered guests with ski vacations on the books, according to local resort officials. More than half of the winter visitors to Aspen/Snowmass fly directly in and out of Aspen and are unaffected by the closure, according to the Aspen Skiing Co., which put out an e-mail blast Tuesday to outline the variety of travel options available to guests and has set up a website link to advise travelers at http://www.aspensnowmass.com/travelinfo/options.cfm.

Closure slowing food deliveries | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20100310/VALLEYNEWS/100309846/1001 Despite the more-than-200-mile detour to bypass the Glenwood Canyon, deliveries to local stores were only a little behind schedule due to the rock fall that had Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon closed Monday and Tuesday. The 17-mile section of I-70 remains closed to traffic from Dotsero to Glenwood Springs. According to Safeway director of public affairs Kris Staaf, the detour pushed delivers back only a little bit, but Glenwood customers do not have to worry about out-of-stock items due to the slide. “We have adjusted our travel schedules,” Staaf said. “These things happen from time to time, and we just need to shift and adjust accordingly.” Staaf said that Safeway delivery trucks haul supplies to the Glenwood store, and other city's along the I-70 corridor, on a daily basis. This recent closure has caused the delivery trucks to go from Denver all the way to Craig, north of Rifle, and on to Glenwood Springs.

Airfares shoot up with I-70 closure | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/airfares_shoot_up_with_i70__cl The rockfall damage that shut down Interstate 70 Monday and Tuesday sent some travelers scrambling to find alternatives to driving the state’s two lengthy detours. The best advice for frugal travelers who want to head east or west across the state in the next couple days by bus, train or plane: Act quickly. Flights from Grand Junction to Denver on any of eight daily United Express flights are sky high for the next few days. Prices on Tuesday night for travel to Denver today and returning Friday ranged from the high $700s to nearly $900 for nonstop travel. One-way tickets on Amtrak from Grand Junction to Denver were $46 on Tuesday for today’s travel to Denver. Return trips from Denver on Friday were $73. The train trip is eight hours, seven minutes one way.

CDOT waits to reopen interstate | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/cdot_waits_to_reopen_interstat State highway crews will call in aerial support today in a continuing effort to reopen Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon after heavy rockfall early Monday morning. The Colorado Department of Transportation hopes to reopen the vital east-west thoroughfare to one-lane traffic in each direction. However, CDOT first wants to dislodge a rock 20 feet in diameter that is 900 feet up the hillside and could pose a danger to motorists if not brought down before opening the highway. Crews plan to use a helicopter today to help them in their effort, said transportation department spokeswoman Stacey Stegman. Workers had hoped to dislodge the rock Tuesday. But Stegman said they only got to spend about an hour working on the rock. First the team of six had to climb two hours to the site and use prybars and other tools to remove loose rocks above the big rock and make it safe to approach it.

I-70 rock-slide closure costs truckers valuable time and money - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644221 The rock slide that choked off Glenwood Canyon, closing a stretch of Interstate 70, is jacking up costs for truckers, increasing delivery times for merchants, and causing headaches for commuters and employers. The slide early Monday punched holes in a bridge and scattered boulders, some as large as a semi-tractor, onto the road near the Hanging Lake Tunnel, forcing travelers to detour 200 miles. Colorado Department of Transportation crews spent Tuesday knocking loose rock from the canyon walls and inspecting a large boulder hanging from its side to assure it is stable, said CDOT spokeswoman Mindy Crane. Once that work is finished, the agency will have an idea how long it will take to even partly reopen the road. Complete repairs could take two months.

Craig Daily Press / I-70 closure causes concerns in Steamboat

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/i-70-closure-causes-concerns-steamboat/ Over-the-road trucks rumbled through Steamboat Springs in greater numbers than usual Tuesday afternoon, but civic leaders were looking out a month to the scheduled repaving of Lincoln Avenue/U.S. Highway 40. The major highway that runs through Ski Town USA was designated one of two detours for Interstate 70 this week in the wake of a large rock slide that closed the four-lane highway in Glenwood Canyon. The slide occurred at about midnight Sunday. “People are wondering if the closure will last through April 5,” said Tracy Barnett, of Mainstreet Steamboat Springs.

Park Hill hoping to satisfy hunger for grocery store - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644222 People in Park Hill who thought they'd be shopping in a neighborhood Sunflower Farmers Market by now are still waiting. But rather than hang tight for Sunflower to find the perfect location, some neighborhood activists now are focused on a public-private partnership to bring shopping to an area considered a Denver "food desert" because of its lack of grocery stores. A $500,000 Colorado Health Foundation grant to the Denver Department of Environmental Health will be used to replicate the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a program credited with using private-public funding to create 78 new grocery stores in underserved communities. North Park Hill and Northeast Park Hill — the neighborhoods bounded by Quebec Street on the east, Colorado Boulevard on the west, East 23rd Avenue on the south and East 52nd Avenue on the north — had a King Soopers in Dahlia Square, but that closed in the 1970s. There also was a Safeway in the neighborhood.

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Kroger logs 4th-quarter profit - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643218 The Kroger Co., which operates King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado, reported fourth-quarter profit of $255.4 million, or 39 cents per share, down from $349.2 million, or 53 cents a share, a year ago.

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Durango Herald News, Del Taco seized by state authorities

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Del_Taco_seized_by_state_authorities/ Del Taco customers in Durango will have to do without their crispy shrimp tacos and Del Combo burritos for now. The fast-food restaurant at 1211 Escalante Drive was seized last week by state authorities for allegedly failing to pay sales tax. The business owes an estimated $14,061.96 in unpaid sales tax, said Colorado Department of Revenue spokes-man Mark Couch. Del Taco was seized March 2. The building's contents are scheduled to be auctioned at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Del Taco has until then to pay the taxes, Couch said.

Vail woos Olympians to teach clinics | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309494/1001 If the Vail Local Marketing District's plans work out, Vail could be the new hub for various health, wellness and fitness attractions that include Olympians teaching summer camps and workshops in Vail. The record revenues from just a couple of years ago are long gone, which is why the Vail Local Marketing District's nine-member Advisory Council has stepped up its efforts in the last year to bring more people to Vail to fill the beds in local hotel rooms during slower, non-winter months. The Marketing District's advisory council met with the Vail Economic Advisory Council Tuesday morning to reveal some of the strategies for bringing more people to town in the offseasons. What emerged from the meeting is the district's goal of making Vail a top spot for health, wellness and fitness.

Weld warns against ‘smishing’ scams | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309656/1051 Gone smishing? That's what has been happening in Greeley the past two days, as hundreds of cell phone users received automated messages or texts, warning them that their bank accounts have been misused. It's a scam, said police and bank officials, and someone is trying to steal your account numbers so they can take your money or run up huge credit card purchases. Greeley police and the Weld District Attorney's Office both issued warnings Tuesday about a phone scam that is trying to get credit and debit card numbers. The calls falsely warn that a person's checking, debit or credit card account have been deactivated or used improperly. In each case, they ask the caller to contact them and to give their credit/debit card or bank account numbers.

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642737 State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat, will hold his third town hall meeting of the year on Saturday. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will focus on education issues, in particular how the state budget crisis likely will affect funding for K-12 education. Boulder Valley School District Superintendent Chris King will be a guest speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chatauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, in the Grand Assembly Room.

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/CSU-considers-fee-hike-to-pay-for-renovations CSU students each face paying an extra $300 annually to build and renovate classrooms, upgrade Morgan Library and erect a $65 million engineering building. Colorado State University administrators are considering doubling the current $10-per-credit-hour facilities fee paid by students to $20 per credit hour, or $300 annually for a full-time resident undergraduate student. Some students worry the increase, along with an expected 9 percent hike in undergraduate resident tuition, will make CSU unaffordable for more families. Other students wonder whether CSU should consider whether increased online learning could take the place of new buildings.

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Boulder Valley school board can’t promise to save fifth-grade music program - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14644027 Some Boulder Valley school board members Tuesday night tried to allay public worries that portions of the district's fifth-grade music program will be reduced or eliminated, but other leaders were quick to point out that "everything is on the table" in the face of state budget cuts. The school board has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers and students concerned about proposals to cut or change parts of the school district's fifth-grade music program. "I honestly cannot see a scenario where we would cut this program or seriously reduce this program," said board member Laurie Albright. "So let's move this along and get this resolved." A couple of Albright's colleagues on the board agreed with her, but school board member Helayne Jones and board President Ken Roberge did not.

D-11 revises recommendation on assistant principal cuts | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-95413-principal-assistant.html Fewer assistant principals would be cut under a new recommendation presented to the Colorado Springs School District 11 board at a work session Tuesday. The suggested dollar amount of cuts actually increased by about $10,000, to $874,765. The new recommendation would take more money out of non-instructional supplies and less from personnel. The district had considered cutting nince assistant principals. The administration suggests cutting four assistant principal positions -- two from elementary schools, one from West Middle School and one from Coronado High School. Some of the difference would be made up by consolidating supervision of alternative schools under one principal. That would include Tesla Educational Opportunity Center, the Bijou School, the Digital School at The Citadel mall and adult education programs. Each of the individual programs would have an assistant principal, but the overall savings would be nearly $108,000, said deputy superintendent Mike Poore.

Craig Daily Press / Hayden School Board to hear survey results

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/hayden-school-board-hear-survey-results/ The question is not if cuts will be made next year, but where the money will be taken from as the Hayden School District predicts a 10 percent cut in state funding. To prepare for the cuts at a Hayden School Board meeting next week, the board will meet at 5 p.m. today to discuss the results of a community survey and lay the outline for budget reductions. During the work session, Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel will present the results of a communitywide survey the district conducted about budget priorities. Zabel said 1,200 surveys were sent to registered voters and mailbox holders in the district and that 183 were returned. A similar survey, with additional questions, also was given to 75 staff members, with 53 returned.

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Survivors give first-hand Holocaust accounts at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14644573 As a baby, Maria Krenz lived in hiding with her Jewish family on the sixth floor of an apartment building in Hungary, concealed by an armoire. "My mother's job was to keep me quiet at all costs so cries wouldn't be heard by neighbors," Krenz told her audience Tuesday at a Holocaust Awareness Week talk on the University of Colorado campus. Krenz -- who came to CU as an undergraduate in 1964 and has remained a Boulder resident since -- was born two decades earlier, during a bombing raid on Budapest. She arrived six weeks early, and her timing was crucial because a few weeks later Jews weren't allowed in the hospital. Krenz was 10 days old when the Nazis came to her family's apartment, declaring that all Jews needed to "get out." When her father, a Hungarian patriot, asked about his newborn daughter, they replied: "The world doesn't need anymore Jews." She told her story to a crowd of about 150 on Tuesday, piecing her early survival story together with journals that her mother kept. She has also published a memoir, titled "Made in Hungary: A life forged by history."

Craig Daily Press / Jo Ann Baxter appointed to state education council

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/jo-ann-baxter-appointed-state-education-council/ Moffat County School Board President Jo Ann Baxter was appointed to the Colorado Council for Educator Effectiveness in an announcement Thursday from Gov. Bill Ritter’s office. Ritter created the council by executive order, and Baxter will travel to Denver for its first meeting Thursday. “The council was created by executive order to work on defining educator effectiveness and new educator evaluations tied to student growth,” according to the news release. For Baxter, being appointed to the 15-person council means using her background in education and on the School Board to discuss teacher and leader evaluations.

Durango Herald News, Is better learning just a click away?

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Is_better_learning__just_a_click_away/ Fort Lewis College is upgrading its classes to allow students to transmit answers in class electronically, via “clickers." No more than a dozen Fort Lewis professors use the devices - not unlike gadgets used on television game shows - but the technology is being upgraded later this year, said college spokesman Mitch Davis. “They'll be able to use their iPhones or laptops," Davis said. “It should be a pretty good change." Clickers first appeared in college classrooms more than a decade ago and have since spread to just about every college and university in the country thanks to cheaper and better technology.

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Nine local students going to national speech tournament | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/nine_local_students_going_to_n Nine local high school students have qualified for the National Forensic Leagues’ national tournament scheduled for June 13-18 in Kansas City. The speech and debate students earned top honors in various categories at a forensics competition March 5-6 in Pueblo to qualify for the national tournament. The students include Donovan Haynie and Britny Humphries of Central High School, David Mok-Lamme of Palisade High School, Grand Junction High School’s Jack Wright, and Fruita Monument High School’s Adrienne Petch, Mia Haney and Jared Norman. Bri Castellini of Fruita Monument and Palisade High student Jaron Curtsinger qualified for the national tournament at a competition that took place at Central High School in January. Haynie also qualified in January for the national tournament in a separate category.

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Police investigating attacks on or near Auraria campus - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644826 Police are investigating a series of assaults and robberies on or near the Auraria campus in downtown Denver, including a double-stabbing Monday morning. Four incidents have occurred since Feb. 16, three in the past week. It's not clear whether the attacks are related. Campus police and student leaders will discuss the attacks today at a meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Tivoli. Two male Metro State students were slashed in their dorm room at the Inn at Auraria at 9:45 a.m. Monday. The students were treated at Denver Health Medical Center.

News : Band teacher nets probation on sex plea (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b96fa75c4ce6092181237.txt Former Montrose High School band teacher Andrew Burke pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and immediately was sentenced Tuesday to three years of supervised probation. More serious sex charges against him were dropped in the plea agreement.

Antitrust bill to stand alone | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100320/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Antitrust-bill-to-stand-alone Rep. Betsy Markey's bill to end the antitrust exemption for health insurers will be handled by the Senate as a standalone bill and not be wrapped into a broader health-care reform package now being finalized, a senior House aide said Tuesday. "It cannot be included in reconciliation because it is not a budgetary issue. It's a very significant provision and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 406-19, so we hope the Senate will take it up," said the aide, who spoke to the Coloradoan on condition of anonymity. Democratic leaders plan to have the House vote in the next couple weeks on the version of the health-care reform bill passed by the Senate in December, which did not include the antitrust repeal. The House and Senate would then use the budget reconciliation process to make a number of changes to the Senate bill requested by the House, but those changes won't include the antitrust exemption. Markey, who voted against the House reform bill in November because she said it didn't do enough to control health-care costs, hasn't said how she'll vote on the Senate version of the bill if it comes to the House as planned.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48757/colorado-democratic-party-suggests-questions-for-norton Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether. Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.

“I’m Steve Barton.” “I’m Steve Barton.” | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/im-steve-barton-im-steve-barton/ Senate candidate Ken Buck sounded like a contestant on To Tell the Truth Tuesday night at a candidate forum sponsored by several conservative organizations. “I’m Steve Barton,” Buck said, “and I’m running for the United States Senate.” The huge crowd roared with laughter. Throughout the night, when it was Barton’s turn to respond to a question, the patent attorney usually started with, “I’m Steve Barton and I’m running for the United States Senate.” People started looking at each other because all the candidates had been introduced, given their opening statements and often were called on by name when it was their turn to answer a question. People knew he was Steve Barton.

I am (lone) woman, hear me roar | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/i-am-lone-woman-hear-me-roar/ When Senate candidate Jane Norton was asked Tuesday night what was the “biggest difference” between herself and contender Ken Buck, there were plenty of laughs. “I think that’s petty obvious,” she said. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is one of five candidates running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and the only woman in the race in either the Republican or Democratic Party.

Wiens has Wienersmobile envy | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/wiens-has-wienersmobile-envy/ U.S. Senate candidate Tom Wiens is here but, alas, he didn’t arrive by the Wienersmobile. He wishes he did. “I really want to get that vehicle,” he said, with a laugh. “We’re on the road nonstop, practically.” Wiens did arrive by campaign RV, a vehicle that inspired an unnamed politico with a flair for Photoshop and a sense of humor to doctor Oscar Meyer’s Weinermobile into the Wiensersmobile.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

Bennet staff to hold meeting in Greeley | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309677/1051 Staff for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., will come to Greeley on Thursday to hear from constituents and offer help for those dealing with a federal agency. Bennet's North Central Regional Representative James Thompson will be available form 5-6 p.m. at Margie's Java Joint, 916 16th St., from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, according to a Bennet release. No appointment is necessary, but to schedule one in advance, call (970) 224-2200.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Colorado may ban promotions by elected officials | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309502/1001 A Colorado senator says the state's top elected officials are wasting thousands of dollars on official brochures and ads promoting themselves and he wants to stop it. Sen. Bill Cadman, a Republican from Colorado Springs, says the state will be forced to throw out thousands of brochures featuring photos and testimonials from Gov. Bill Ritter when he leaves office in 10 months, and it's unnecessary. His bill banning the practice by the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general will be heard Wednesday by the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Professionals’ licensure measure passes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a5406825153546013.txt The Senate on Tuesday granted final approval to a bill that makes it easier for professionals in certain regulated fields to practice their occupations in Colorado after moving from another state. State Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, sponsored HB1175 in the Senate. Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Colorado Springs, was the House sponsor. Tapia said it's aimed to help military families transition to the state. The bill calls for streamlined processes for licensing chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, nursing home administrators and physical therapists in Colorado when they move from other states. "It was really a military-driven bill," Tapia said. "It's for people coming to Fort Carson and their spouses. For years people have been assigned there, and their spouses had to work six months or a year toward a certificate or a license. In some cases, these are people who've been competent professionals for 20 years before they came to Colorado."

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Dyer bows out in Arapahoe County, primary battle ahead | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/dyer-bows-out-in-arapahoe-county-primary-battle-ahead/ An Arapahoe County commissioner race just got a whole lot more interesting. Republican Jim Dyer announced over the weekend he would not seek re-election, and he wasted no time in time in blistering one of the candidates trying to succeed him. Former state Rep. Lauri Clapp and Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe are running for the GOP nomination for Dyer’s seat. Dyer said he is backing Sharpe, saying Clapp would be a “disaster” and he fears if she wins the nomination, Democrats will take the seat in November.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Two lawmakers cast unintended votes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737b18a413318960897.txt Two state representatives who intended to vote against a bill on Tuesday accidentally voted for it, affecting the outcome in the House. By a margin of 33-29, the House passed HB1009. Two representatives were excused, but Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, were not. Both intended to vote against a bill that seeks to add a physician representative and an injured-worker representative to the board's existing nine-member board of Pinnacol Assurance, the state-run workers' compensation insurer of last resort. The pair was preoccupied by a conversation over legislative matters when it came time to vote. Scanlan and Middleton requested a new vote of the House so they could cast their intended vote on the record, but the House voted down the request. Tuesday's vote in the House was the final action before passing along the bill to the Senate.

Telluride Daily Planet - Parties hold quieter caucuses this year

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704c6283ba849365260.txt Last year, when Coloradans got a say in whether the Democrats would nominate their first black candidate or their first woman candidate for president, the caucuses were a very big deal. “It was over 150 people,” said Dick Unruh, chair of the San Miguel County Democrats. Those caucuses, it could be said, were raucouses. This March 16, when the local Democrat and Republican parties hold their caucuses, there won’t be quite as high stakes. These caucuses will be quieter — if not sickly. These caucuses, it could be said, have streptococcuses. But they are the first part of a journey for those seeking county offices. The list of new candidates isn’t long, but it is full of familiar faces.

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642737 State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat, will hold his third town hall meeting of the year on Saturday. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will focus on education issues, in particular how the state budget crisis likely will affect funding for K-12 education. Boulder Valley School District Superintendent Chris King will be a guest speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chatauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, in the Grand Assembly Room.

Riesberg to hold forum on health care on Saturday | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309679/1051 State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Colo., will host a community forum to present an overview of the issues surrounding health care and reform of the health care system in Colorado on Saturday from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., in the meeting room at Sunrise Community Health-Monfort Family Clinic, 2930 11th Ave. in Evans. Guest speakers include: Mitzi Moran, of Sunrise Community Health/Monfort Family Clinic; Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Wayne Maxwell, Executive Director, North Range Behavioral Health; and Mike Bloom, of North Colorado Health Alliance. Brochures and other information about local services will be available, according to a Riesberg press release. Following the presentations, Riesberg will highlight the legislation being discussed in Colorado and moderate a group discussion and idea sharing session so participants can share their concerns and issues, and offer input as to how Colorado can improve access to quality, affordable health care for all citizens.

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/CSU-considers-fee-hike-to-pay-for-renovations CSU students each face paying an extra $300 annually to build and renovate classrooms, upgrade Morgan Library and erect a $65 million engineering building. Colorado State University administrators are considering doubling the current $10-per-credit-hour facilities fee paid by students to $20 per credit hour, or $300 annually for a full-time resident undergraduate student. Some students worry the increase, along with an expected 9 percent hike in undergraduate resident tuition, will make CSU unaffordable for more families. Other students wonder whether CSU should consider whether increased online learning could take the place of new buildings.

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14644219 The $38 billion in overdraft-protection fees that make up one of the banking industry's fattest cash cows will take a significant hit this summer when federal rules kick in that preclude the practice without prior consumer approval. That means financial institutions — battle weary from last year's economic crisis and new credit-card rules that slashed their ability to make money — are looking for new ways to make up the shortfall. And consumers ultimately will be the ones to take the hit, industry watchdogs say. "Clearly . . . there will be an effort to recoup it . . . and it's to be the customer who pays," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit.com, which tracks the banking industry. One of the first areas to get dinged, Ulzheimer said, will be the long-popular free checking plan, a 1990s concept that proved so popular it morphed into a given.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643411 The 2010 census is gearing up to employ about 8,000 Coloradans, providing a timely boost to an economy that has shed more than 10 times that many jobs in the past year. "We still need people," said Lee Ann Morning, manager of the Denver Local Census Office. "And people want to work for us." Each of the state's eight local offices should employ about 1,000 workers by late April as the count of the state's population moves toward its final push, Morning said. Besides Denver, local census offices are in Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Reasons for working with the census vary, but a pay scale that starts at around $12.75 an hour is one motivation.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

RTD approves new manager’s contract. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644033 The Regional Transportation District board Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for new general manager Phil Washington. The contract contains none of the extra compensation included in predecessor Cal Marsella's contract. Washington's total annual compensation is $306,449. It is about 57 percent of Marsella's package.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Mild winter helps taxpayers

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737379bae2400102342.txt The winter of 2009-10 could still have some nasty surprises in it — after all, March can be a snowy month — but it has been a mild one on taxpayers' wallets thus far, according to snow-removal statistics from Pueblo County and city governments. Earl Wilkinson, the city's new director of public works, said the current winter has only cost $30,000 in terms of sending out crews to sand and clear snowy Pueblo streets. That's compared with a total of $51,658 spent in 2009 and $60,406 spent in 2008. Wilkinson, who was hired last year from Ohio, said the Southern Colorado winters are much easier to deal with than Midwestern blizzards. "One of the first things I noticed is that even when it snows, the weather usually warms up and the snow melts in a few days," Wilkinson said. "That's not the case back where I come from. When it snows in Ohio, the snow sticks around for a long time. We can go most of February and never see the sun."

Those Aching Backs! - The County Seat : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://thecountyseat.freedomblogging.com/2010/03/09/those-aching-backs/733/ The city of Colorado Springs may have turned off street lights, yanked the garbage cans out of parks and laid off hundreds of workers. But the folks over at Colorado Springs Utilities, the electric-gas-water-waste water monopoly owned by the city, are considering spending nearly $1.1 million to remodel a building that houses energy traders and $240,000 for ergonomic furniture. (Included in the remodeling costs is $150,000 for a new sanitary sewer line and $150,000 for a new roof.) An employee who was outraged by the proposed expenditures tipped us off to the project. But it took a Colorado Open Records Act request to get a more complete picture of what’s planned.

Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309769/1001 Aspen is showing some signs of economic recovery but clearly the resort is not out of woods, based on recent sales tax and occupancy report data. Taxable sales for January show that Aspen was up 4 percent over the previous year during the same month. Consumption-based sales tax revenue for the city in January 2009 was down 21 percent over the year before. “It's not a huge improvement,” said Aspen Finance Director Don Taylor. “Nobody expects to make it all back ... it's going to take a while.” In the city's sales tax report released last week, a new industrial category of automobiles was broken out from the “general retail” category because there was such a significant jump from the year prior — a 386 percent increase, or more than $1.4 million in taxable revenue.

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309479/1001 Avon officials say they must cut the town's 2010 budget to close a roughly $1.1 million shortfall in revenue. Town officials blame the gap on outstanding payments they claim Traer Creek Metropolitan District owes the town for municipal services and sales tax shortfalls. Town staff provided recommendations on the supplemental 2010 budget to town council Tuesday night. Proposed changes include freezing and eliminating positions, continuing the full-time furlough program though the end of the year and reducing the overtime hours in several departments. Layoffs in two departments already occurred in February. Departments found areas to reduce operating supplies, contract services, and other operating costs. Some of the major cutbacks included elimination of the live band for the Salute to the USA, deferral of ditch maintenance, delay of the Upper Buck Creek bridge overlay, reduction of street striping, the deferral of software upgrades and training and cutbacks in advertising costs.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Boulder Valley school board can’t promise to save fifth-grade music program - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14644027 Some Boulder Valley school board members Tuesday night tried to allay public worries that portions of the district's fifth-grade music program will be reduced or eliminated, but other leaders were quick to point out that "everything is on the table" in the face of state budget cuts. The school board has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers and students concerned about proposals to cut or change parts of the school district's fifth-grade music program. "I honestly cannot see a scenario where we would cut this program or seriously reduce this program," said board member Laurie Albright. "So let's move this along and get this resolved." A couple of Albright's colleagues on the board agreed with her, but school board member Helayne Jones and board President Ken Roberge did not.

D-11 revises recommendation on assistant principal cuts | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-95413-principal-assistant.html Fewer assistant principals would be cut under a new recommendation presented to the Colorado Springs School District 11 board at a work session Tuesday. The suggested dollar amount of cuts actually increased by about $10,000, to $874,765. The new recommendation would take more money out of non-instructional supplies and less from personnel. The district had considered cutting nince assistant principals. The administration suggests cutting four assistant principal positions -- two from elementary schools, one from West Middle School and one from Coronado High School. Some of the difference would be made up by consolidating supervision of alternative schools under one principal. That would include Tesla Educational Opportunity Center, the Bijou School, the Digital School at The Citadel mall and adult education programs. Each of the individual programs would have an assistant principal, but the overall savings would be nearly $108,000, said deputy superintendent Mike Poore.

The Longmont Times-Call - NW Rail meeting set for Thursday

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21148 FasTracks’ Northwest Rail Corridor falls within a railroad right of way, so putting passenger trains on Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Corp. tracks would be consistent with local land uses and zoning plans. That is one of the conclusions in a draft environmental evaluation of the Regional Transportation District’s proposal for building improvements and operating commuter trains between Denver and Longmont. The study says converting existing land uses to rail facilities where BNSF right of way is now constrained would occur primarily at the Northwest Rail Corridor’s proposed stations, such as the passenger line’s northern terminus now planned for a Longmont station at First Avenue and Terry Street.

Craig Daily Press / Hayden School Board to hear survey results

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/hayden-school-board-hear-survey-results/ The question is not if cuts will be made next year, but where the money will be taken from as the Hayden School District predicts a 10 percent cut in state funding. To prepare for the cuts at a Hayden School Board meeting next week, the board will meet at 5 p.m. today to discuss the results of a community survey and lay the outline for budget reductions. During the work session, Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel will present the results of a communitywide survey the district conducted about budget priorities. Zabel said 1,200 surveys were sent to registered voters and mailbox holders in the district and that 183 were returned. A similar survey, with additional questions, also was given to 75 staff members, with 53 returned.

Western Tradition attacks 98-year-old corporate campaign spending ban « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48686/western-tradition-attacks-98-year-old-corporate-campaign-spending-ban The conservative Astroturf group that spent thousands to swing the Longmont City Council back to the right last November and keep the Garfield County commissioner board in the oil and gas camp in 2008 has filed a lawsuit in Montana to overturn that state’s 98-year-old ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Western Tradition Partnership, a political committee with its tendrils in controversial issues in both Colorado and Montana, filed a suit Monday in Helena District Court in conjunction with a Bozeman painting company seeking to align Montana’s state laws with January’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate spending in political campaigns, according to the Missoulian newspaper. According to the report, both Western Tradition Partnership and Champion Painting want the law overturned so they can spend corporate funds to campaign in the June and November Montana elections on ballot issues and candidate platforms.

Craig Daily Press / Broad reactions in wake of Steamboat 700 election

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/broad-reactions-wake-steamboat-700-election/ Steamboat 700 supporters and opponents agreed on one thing Tuesday night: Voters’ rejection of the annexation means it’s time for the city to update its community plan and rethink how to handle growth in coming years.

Craig Daily Press / Steamboat says ‘no’ to 700

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/09/voters-deny-steamboat-700/ City voters denied the Steamboat 700 annexation by a margin of more than 20 percentage points Tuesday, making a strong statement about how and when growth should occur in the community and culminating a resident-led opposition effort that began with a petition drive in the fall. The vote rejects what would have been the city’s most substantial annexation since the Mount Werner ski resort area was folded into city limits decades ago. Steamboat Springs residents cast 2,592 ballots against the annexation and 1,661 ballots in favor, a 61 to 39 percent result for the mail-only vote that began in February. The Steamboat 700 annexation lost in each of the city’s eight precincts. The largest margin came in Precinct 13, which includes much of Old Town. Precinct 13 voted 383 against to 179 for the annexation, or 68 to 32 percent.

Local Democrats hire director, lose chairman | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/chairman-95398-party-director.html The El Paso County Democratic Party is looking for a new chairman. Jason DeGroot resigned the top job last month and party leaders will meet Saturday to pick his successor. That new chairman will need to heal rifts caused by a reorganization that led to the party getting a full-time executive director to oversee fundraising and outreach efforts. “These things happen,” DeGroot said Tuesday. “New people have come into the party with new energy and new ideas; that is going to cause some friction and some pain.” Party activists James Tucker and Rita Ague claimed Tuesday DeGroot and other leaders overstepped their bounds by hiring an executive director while sending the party’s longtime office manager packing because the group could not afford both positions.

News : Candidates square off at 912/Independence Caucus forum (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b97315316a51958136657.txt A packed room made things lively during Tuesday’s city council and sheriff candidates’ forum. City council at-large candidates Pat Treacy, Ray Rose and Bill Patterson said they were concerned for the greater good of Montrose, and detailed their qualifications. “If you don’t participate,” said Treacy, a former school board and Montrose Rec District board member, “you can’t bitch about it.” They fielded audience questions about everything from Downtown Development Authority elections to the role and scope of government. One of the big questions: how to bring in jobs and sustain economic growth? Treacy said Montrose has to start focusing on attracting smaller businesses, especially to downtown, where opportunity abounds.

Garcia endorses State Sen. Paula Sandoval as replacement for city council seat | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/garcia-endorses-state-sen-paula-sandoval-as-replacement-for-city-council-seat/ Denver Councilman Rick Garcia has waded into the race that will determine who will replace him in representing northwest Denver by endorsing State Sen. Paula Sandoval. In a signed letter that the Sandoval campaign will mail to 7,000 households in Council District 1, Garcia announces his endorsement. In the letter, Garcia states: “I believe Paula will continue to represent Northwest Denver as well as she has for the past eight years as your state Senator.” The letter goes on to state that Sandoval was raised in the projects of West Denver by a single mother, and that she paid her way through the University of Colorado where she received a master’s degree in public administration. It also stresses the business, Tamales La Casita, she and her husband, Paul, established.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Senate confirms three Fair board members

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a160e8df196909909.txt The Senate on Tuesday confirmed three members of the Colorado State Fair Authority Board of Commissioners. The Senate approved Vince Vigil and Dave Galli, both of Pueblo, and Loren Whittemore, of Rush, as Fair commissioners. Vigil and Whittemore were up for reappointment. Vigil is the present chairman of the commission. Whittemore is a former El Paso County commissioner.

Jason Smith wants to represent Dillon as county’s ‘last great place’ | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309761/1005 Smith and his wife, Janelle, have two boys — 3-year-old Joey and 1-year-old Josh and when the Dillon Realtor isn't working or running for town council, Smith said he loves to be outdoors and spend time with his family.

Silt municipal election features two slates of trustee candidates | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20100310/VALLEYNEWS/100309851/1001 When the candidates for the Board of Trustees here face off at a forum tonight at Town Hall, it could appear to observers to be an episode of the game show “Family Feud,” in which two families competed against each other to win prizes. That's because two slates of candidates have emerged in the election, each with its own mayoral hopeful and each with several aspirants hoping to win seats on the board. And to add spice to the race, Silt style, one of the factions is accusing the other of being aligned with the principles of the national Tea Party movement, a notion that at least two of that slate's members have denied. The two opposing camps came to light during the Board of Trustees meeting on March 8.

News : Montrose City Council candidates have their say (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b96facda6ecb725676617.txt City Council candidates provide their perspectives in this daily series. Today’s candidate is Ray Rose, running for the at-large council seat. Tomorrow’s featured candidate is Pat Treacy, seeking the same at-large seat.

County health chief honored for H1N1 response | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100318/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/County-health-chief-honored-for-H1N1-response Calling her a "visionary," the McKee Medical Center Foundation on Tuesday honored Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, Larimer County Department of Health director, with the McKee Community Health Award for her handling of the H1N1 flu vaccine distribution here. LeBailly, who was nominated for the award by Larimer County commissioners, prepared the county for the pandemic flu by bringing together communities to develop a comprehensive response plan, said McKee Medical Center Foundation Executive Director Julie Johnson Haffner. Under LeBailly's leadership, the county vaccinated more than 10,000 people against the swine flu during special inoculation clinics last fall. More than 340 people volunteered to help conduct the clinics. "We were preparing for something much worse," LeBailly said after accepting the award during a foundation event called McKee Thanks. "It still could happen." LeBailly called it "daunting and humbling" to be part of a public health agency whose job is to protect the entire community.

Durango Herald News, 22nd Judicial District attorney gets DUI

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/22nd_Judicial_District_attorney_gets_DUI/ The 22nd Judicial District's top law-enforcement official was arrested in February for driving under the influence of alcohol and faces myriad criminal charges. District Attorney James Warren Wilson was pulled over about 10:15 a.m. Feb. 21 for making an unsafe pass of another vehicle along Colorado Highway 24 near Buena Vista, said Sgt. John Hahn, public information officer for the Colorado State Patrol's headquarters in Denver. Wilson was driving a 2009 Jeep utility vehicle and heading west. Buena Vista is about 90 miles west of Colorado Springs. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of Wilson being intoxicated through their personal interaction, said Hahn. Authorities had no indication of Wilson's position as 22nd Judicial District attorney.

Grants offered for HOA fuels-reduction projects | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309757/1001 Local homeowners' associations have an opportunity for matching grants toward projects to protect their neighborhoods from wildfire through the county's Hazardous Fuels Reduction Grant Program. The competitive grant program emphasizes homeowner action. Fire prevention measures can include removing dead trees and slash as well as other types of projects. “The grant program helps concerned citizens to take action in protecting their neighborhoods as well as Summit County's critical infrastructure and watersheds for their own and future generations,” county Commissioner Bob French said in a press release. Local forests have high risk of wildfire, and many neighborhoods have been developed near them. More than 500 acres of local property have been treated since the program began, according to the press release.

Review of Fort Collins infant’s death ‘dropped along the line somewhere’ | coloradoan.com

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100340/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Review-of-Fort-Collins-infant-s-death-dropped-along-the-line-somewhere A state review of the 2008 death of a 20-day-old Fort Collins boy "got dropped along the line somewhere," a Department of Human Services spokeswoman said Tuesday. The infant, Chad Munoz, was under some level of DHS supervision when he died in January 2008 of head injuries. His father, Juan Munoz, was convicted last year of reckless manslaughter and is serving a nine-year prison sentence. State law requires that county and state officials conduct a "child fatality review" whenever a child under state supervision dies. The purpose is to promptly identify and correct any mistakes so they're not repeated. DHS started but never completed the review of Chad Munoz's death, McDonough acknowledged Tuesday.

Craig Daily Press / Jo Ann Baxter appointed to state education council

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/jo-ann-baxter-appointed-state-education-council/ Moffat County School Board President Jo Ann Baxter was appointed to the Colorado Council for Educator Effectiveness in an announcement Thursday from Gov. Bill Ritter’s office. Ritter created the council by executive order, and Baxter will travel to Denver for its first meeting Thursday. “The council was created by executive order to work on defining educator effectiveness and new educator evaluations tied to student growth,” according to the news release. For Baxter, being appointed to the 15-person council means using her background in education and on the School Board to discuss teacher and leader evaluations.

Hospital committee discusses compensation strategies | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/members-95406-committee-memorial.html Members of Memorial Health System’s Board of Trustees discussed organizational compensation strategies Tuesday, but they did it behind closed doors. The board’s Compensation Committee unanimously agreed to go into executive session to discuss a “confidential strategic document” that contains “trade secrets, privileged information and confidential commercial financial data addressing organizational compensation strategies.” It’s the second time in two weeks that a board committee held a closed-door meeting. On Thursday, the board’s Strategic Planning Committee

The Longmont Times-Call - Longmont city officials issue Heaven Fest permit

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21145 Heaven Fest is coming to Union Reservoir. Worship and the Word Movement now has its permit to use Union Reservoir park and city-owned land south of the lake for its 2010 Christian music festival. City clerk Valeria Skitt issued the use of public places permit Tuesday morning for the one-day festival, which could bring 30,000 people to Union Reservoir on July 31. “We’re excited, and we’ll be making the announcement official sometime (today),” Heaven Fest executive director Luke Bodley said Tuesday evening. “We’re confident it will be great.” City officials and Worship and the Word Movement leaders signed off Tuesday on the 12-page agreement that accompanies the permit. Skitt gave that document to Longmont City Council members during their meeting Tuesday night.

Solorado affordable-housing units start selling | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309768/1001 All Solorado affordable housing units in Silverthorne are under contract, said Joanna Hopkins, the development manager with Maryland Creek Ranch. The complex is located behind Office Max in the Ptarmigan Trail Estates subdivision bordering Silverthorne and Dillon. Three units have already closed and are occupied, Hopkins said. She expects the five remaining units to close by the end of April. The homes are going for $250,000.

Commissioners to meet with residents | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309664/1051 Weld County Commissioners Bill Garcia and Doug Rademacher will meet with southwest Weld residents from 4-6 p.m., Friday at the Weld Southwest Services complex near Longmont. The complex is at 4209 Weld County Road 24.5. The commissioners will be in Conference Room B. The two conduct office hours at the complex on the second Friday of each month. This month, Steve Moreno, Weld clerk and recorder, will join Garcia and Rademacher. To chat on line, go to http://www.co.weld.co.us and click on Weld County Chat.

Durango Herald News, Del Taco seized by state authorities

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Del_Taco_seized_by_state_authorities/ Del Taco customers in Durango will have to do without their crispy shrimp tacos and Del Combo burritos for now. The fast-food restaurant at 1211 Escalante Drive was seized last week by state authorities for allegedly failing to pay sales tax. The business owes an estimated $14,061.96 in unpaid sales tax, said Colorado Department of Revenue spokes-man Mark Couch. Del Taco was seized March 2. The building's contents are scheduled to be auctioned at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Del Taco has until then to pay the taxes, Couch said.

Utilities aoproves eventual South Slope trails access | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/utilities-95388-public-watershed.html After more than a decade of planning and talking, Colorado Springs Utilities will begin building trails this year in the South Slope watershed of Pikes Peak. Bowing to public pressure, Utilities officials have sped up their time line for opening the long-closed watershed, a remote and scenic area that contains several reservoirs. Original plans, announced in January, called for trail-building in 2011 at the earliest. While a date has not been set, the area could be opened to public recreation this summer. “It’s not any secret the public has felt like we can move faster on this. Now that we’re at a place where we can move faster, let’s do it,” said Utilities spokeswoman Patrice Quintero Tuesday. Utilities officials will make a presentation to the city council members, sitting as the Colorado Springs Utilities Board, at a public meeting March 17. A public open house will be held April 27. Utilities has been studying how to allow public access to the 15,000-acre area for a decade. A 1999 report recommended building four hiking trails, and in 2007 Utilities issued a plan to move forward with the trails. Budget cuts put the implementation on hold, and last year Utilities hired a consultant to study all forms of recreation, at a cost of $262,000.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48757/colorado-democratic-party-suggests-questions-for-norton Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether. Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.

“I’m Steve Barton.” “I’m Steve Barton.” | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/im-steve-barton-im-steve-barton/ Senate candidate Ken Buck sounded like a contestant on To Tell the Truth Tuesday night at a candidate forum sponsored by several conservative organizations. “I’m Steve Barton,” Buck said, “and I’m running for the United States Senate.” The huge crowd roared with laughter. Throughout the night, when it was Barton’s turn to respond to a question, the patent attorney usually started with, “I’m Steve Barton and I’m running for the United States Senate.” People started looking at each other because all the candidates had been introduced, given their opening statements and often were called on by name when it was their turn to answer a question. People knew he was Steve Barton.

I am (lone) woman, hear me roar | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/i-am-lone-woman-hear-me-roar/ When Senate candidate Jane Norton was asked Tuesday night what was the “biggest difference” between herself and contender Ken Buck, there were plenty of laughs. “I think that’s petty obvious,” she said. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is one of five candidates running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and the only woman in the race in either the Republican or Democratic Party.

Wiens has Wienersmobile envy | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/wiens-has-wienersmobile-envy/ U.S. Senate candidate Tom Wiens is here but, alas, he didn’t arrive by the Wienersmobile. He wishes he did. “I really want to get that vehicle,” he said, with a laugh. “We’re on the road nonstop, practically.” Wiens did arrive by campaign RV, a vehicle that inspired an unnamed politico with a flair for Photoshop and a sense of humor to doctor Oscar Meyer’s Weinermobile into the Wiensersmobile.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Dyer bows out in Arapahoe County, primary battle ahead | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/dyer-bows-out-in-arapahoe-county-primary-battle-ahead/ An Arapahoe County commissioner race just got a whole lot more interesting. Republican Jim Dyer announced over the weekend he would not seek re-election, and he wasted no time in time in blistering one of the candidates trying to succeed him. Former state Rep. Lauri Clapp and Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe are running for the GOP nomination for Dyer’s seat. Dyer said he is backing Sharpe, saying Clapp would be a “disaster” and he fears if she wins the nomination, Democrats will take the seat in November.

Telluride Daily Planet - Parties hold quieter caucuses this year

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704c6283ba849365260.txt Last year, when Coloradans got a say in whether the Democrats would nominate their first black candidate or their first woman candidate for president, the caucuses were a very big deal. “It was over 150 people,” said Dick Unruh, chair of the San Miguel County Democrats. Those caucuses, it could be said, were raucouses. This March 16, when the local Democrat and Republican parties hold their caucuses, there won’t be quite as high stakes. These caucuses will be quieter — if not sickly. These caucuses, it could be said, have streptococcuses. But they are the first part of a journey for those seeking county offices. The list of new candidates isn’t long, but it is full of familiar faces.

Western Tradition attacks 98-year-old corporate campaign spending ban « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48686/western-tradition-attacks-98-year-old-corporate-campaign-spending-ban The conservative Astroturf group that spent thousands to swing the Longmont City Council back to the right last November and keep the Garfield County commissioner board in the oil and gas camp in 2008 has filed a lawsuit in Montana to overturn that state’s 98-year-old ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Western Tradition Partnership, a political committee with its tendrils in controversial issues in both Colorado and Montana, filed a suit Monday in Helena District Court in conjunction with a Bozeman painting company seeking to align Montana’s state laws with January’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate spending in political campaigns, according to the Missoulian newspaper. According to the report, both Western Tradition Partnership and Champion Painting want the law overturned so they can spend corporate funds to campaign in the June and November Montana elections on ballot issues and candidate platforms.

Craig Daily Press / Broad reactions in wake of Steamboat 700 election

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/broad-reactions-wake-steamboat-700-election/ Steamboat 700 supporters and opponents agreed on one thing Tuesday night: Voters’ rejection of the annexation means it’s time for the city to update its community plan and rethink how to handle growth in coming years.

Craig Daily Press / Steamboat says ‘no’ to 700

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/09/voters-deny-steamboat-700/ City voters denied the Steamboat 700 annexation by a margin of more than 20 percentage points Tuesday, making a strong statement about how and when growth should occur in the community and culminating a resident-led opposition effort that began with a petition drive in the fall. The vote rejects what would have been the city’s most substantial annexation since the Mount Werner ski resort area was folded into city limits decades ago. Steamboat Springs residents cast 2,592 ballots against the annexation and 1,661 ballots in favor, a 61 to 39 percent result for the mail-only vote that began in February. The Steamboat 700 annexation lost in each of the city’s eight precincts. The largest margin came in Precinct 13, which includes much of Old Town. Precinct 13 voted 383 against to 179 for the annexation, or 68 to 32 percent.

Local Democrats hire director, lose chairman | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/chairman-95398-party-director.html The El Paso County Democratic Party is looking for a new chairman. Jason DeGroot resigned the top job last month and party leaders will meet Saturday to pick his successor. That new chairman will need to heal rifts caused by a reorganization that led to the party getting a full-time executive director to oversee fundraising and outreach efforts. “These things happen,” DeGroot said Tuesday. “New people have come into the party with new energy and new ideas; that is going to cause some friction and some pain.” Party activists James Tucker and Rita Ague claimed Tuesday DeGroot and other leaders overstepped their bounds by hiring an executive director while sending the party’s longtime office manager packing because the group could not afford both positions.

News : Candidates square off at 912/Independence Caucus forum (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b97315316a51958136657.txt A packed room made things lively during Tuesday’s city council and sheriff candidates’ forum. City council at-large candidates Pat Treacy, Ray Rose and Bill Patterson said they were concerned for the greater good of Montrose, and detailed their qualifications. “If you don’t participate,” said Treacy, a former school board and Montrose Rec District board member, “you can’t bitch about it.” They fielded audience questions about everything from Downtown Development Authority elections to the role and scope of government. One of the big questions: how to bring in jobs and sustain economic growth? Treacy said Montrose has to start focusing on attracting smaller businesses, especially to downtown, where opportunity abounds.

Garcia endorses State Sen. Paula Sandoval as replacement for city council seat | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/garcia-endorses-state-sen-paula-sandoval-as-replacement-for-city-council-seat/ Denver Councilman Rick Garcia has waded into the race that will determine who will replace him in representing northwest Denver by endorsing State Sen. Paula Sandoval. In a signed letter that the Sandoval campaign will mail to 7,000 households in Council District 1, Garcia announces his endorsement. In the letter, Garcia states: “I believe Paula will continue to represent Northwest Denver as well as she has for the past eight years as your state Senator.” The letter goes on to state that Sandoval was raised in the projects of West Denver by a single mother, and that she paid her way through the University of Colorado where she received a master’s degree in public administration. It also stresses the business, Tamales La Casita, she and her husband, Paul, established.

Jason Smith wants to represent Dillon as county’s ‘last great place’ | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309761/1005 Smith and his wife, Janelle, have two boys — 3-year-old Joey and 1-year-old Josh and when the Dillon Realtor isn't working or running for town council, Smith said he loves to be outdoors and spend time with his family.

Silt municipal election features two slates of trustee candidates | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20100310/VALLEYNEWS/100309851/1001 When the candidates for the Board of Trustees here face off at a forum tonight at Town Hall, it could appear to observers to be an episode of the game show “Family Feud,” in which two families competed against each other to win prizes. That's because two slates of candidates have emerged in the election, each with its own mayoral hopeful and each with several aspirants hoping to win seats on the board. And to add spice to the race, Silt style, one of the factions is accusing the other of being aligned with the principles of the national Tea Party movement, a notion that at least two of that slate's members have denied. The two opposing camps came to light during the Board of Trustees meeting on March 8.

News : Montrose City Council candidates have their say (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b96facda6ecb725676617.txt City Council candidates provide their perspectives in this daily series. Today’s candidate is Ray Rose, running for the at-large council seat. Tomorrow’s featured candidate is Pat Treacy, seeking the same at-large seat.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Mild winter helps taxpayers

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737379bae2400102342.txt The winter of 2009-10 could still have some nasty surprises in it — after all, March can be a snowy month — but it has been a mild one on taxpayers' wallets thus far, according to snow-removal statistics from Pueblo County and city governments. Earl Wilkinson, the city's new director of public works, said the current winter has only cost $30,000 in terms of sending out crews to sand and clear snowy Pueblo streets. That's compared with a total of $51,658 spent in 2009 and $60,406 spent in 2008. Wilkinson, who was hired last year from Ohio, said the Southern Colorado winters are much easier to deal with than Midwestern blizzards. "One of the first things I noticed is that even when it snows, the weather usually warms up and the snow melts in a few days," Wilkinson said. "That's not the case back where I come from. When it snows in Ohio, the snow sticks around for a long time. We can go most of February and never see the sun."

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Grants offered for HOA fuels-reduction projects | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309757/1001 Local homeowners' associations have an opportunity for matching grants toward projects to protect their neighborhoods from wildfire through the county's Hazardous Fuels Reduction Grant Program. The competitive grant program emphasizes homeowner action. Fire prevention measures can include removing dead trees and slash as well as other types of projects. “The grant program helps concerned citizens to take action in protecting their neighborhoods as well as Summit County's critical infrastructure and watersheds for their own and future generations,” county Commissioner Bob French said in a press release. Local forests have high risk of wildfire, and many neighborhoods have been developed near them. More than 500 acres of local property have been treated since the program began, according to the press release.

Utilities aoproves eventual South Slope trails access | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/utilities-95388-public-watershed.html After more than a decade of planning and talking, Colorado Springs Utilities will begin building trails this year in the South Slope watershed of Pikes Peak. Bowing to public pressure, Utilities officials have sped up their time line for opening the long-closed watershed, a remote and scenic area that contains several reservoirs. Original plans, announced in January, called for trail-building in 2011 at the earliest. While a date has not been set, the area could be opened to public recreation this summer. “It’s not any secret the public has felt like we can move faster on this. Now that we’re at a place where we can move faster, let’s do it,” said Utilities spokeswoman Patrice Quintero Tuesday. Utilities officials will make a presentation to the city council members, sitting as the Colorado Springs Utilities Board, at a public meeting March 17. A public open house will be held April 27. Utilities has been studying how to allow public access to the 15,000-acre area for a decade. A 1999 report recommended building four hiking trails, and in 2007 Utilities issued a plan to move forward with the trails. Budget cuts put the implementation on hold, and last year Utilities hired a consultant to study all forms of recreation, at a cost of $262,000.

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/us/politics/10lawyers.html?ref=politics A conservative advocacy organization in Washington, Keep America Safe, kicked up a storm last week when it released a video that questioned the loyalty of Justice Department lawyers who worked in the past on behalf of detained terrorism suspects. But beyond the expected liberal outrage, the tactics of the group, which is run by Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president, have also split the tightly knit world of conservative legal scholars. Many conservatives, including members of the Federalist Society, the quarter-century-old policy group devoted to conservative and libertarian legal ideals, have vehemently criticized Ms. Cheney’s video, and say it violates the American legal principle that even unpopular defendants deserve a lawyer. “There’s something truly bizarre about this,” said Richard A. Epstein, a University of Chicago law professor and a revered figure among many members of the society. “Liz Cheney is a former student of mine — I don’t know what moves her on this thing,” he said.

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903858.html As Republicans work to prevent a health-care bill from reaching President Obama, they are scrambling to exploit divisions between Democrats in the House and the Senate. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned House Democrats that they would be taking a colossal risk if they approved the Senate's version of health-care legislation before the Senate had acted to remove some of the bill's most contentious provisions. Now that Democrats have lost their supermajority in the Senate, some variation of this delicate two-step process is the only way a health-care reform bill can become law. "House Democrats will have to decide whether they want to trust the Senate to fix their political problems," McConnell said. He listed perks that Senate Democrats won for Nebraska, Louisiana, Florida and labor unions; House members insist that all must be removed through a separate "fixes" bill under special budget reconciliation rules. "They will be voting, when they pass the Senate bill, to endorse the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator-aid, the closed-door deal, the special deal for the unions, which may or may not bother any Democrats, I don't know," McConnell said.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903469.html Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks. Democrats are pushing for a new rule that would most likely forbid earmarked expenditures to private, for-profit contractors for at least one year. Such businesses reap billions annually in federal grants directed their way by individual lawmakers, particularly from the Pentagon's budget. House leaders emerged from a meeting Tuesday in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ready to push earmark reform as one way to rebut charges that they have been soft on ethics issues. A string of recent scandals -- including the admonition of Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) for accepting corporate-financed trips and the resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) amid allegations of sexual harassment -- have drowned out any political goodwill from actions Democrats took three years ago upon claiming the majority, including more disclosure of lobbyist activity and banning gifts from lobbyists.

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90110/study-says-cash-for-clunkers-impact.html Search online for "Cash for Clunkers," and here's one thing you'll find: stories about its negligible overall impact on the economy. Wrong, says Maritz Automotive Research Group. The Toledo, Ohio, independent automotive research company recently surveyed participants in last summer’s federal program designed to stimulate new-car sales and get gas-guzzlers off the road. On Tuesday, the company shared its results. One key finding: 90 percent of those participating in Cash for Clunkers said they would not otherwise have bought a new car. According to federal government data, 677,000 purchases were made through Cash for Clunkers from late July through August. Maritz’s research showed that 542,000 were incremental new car or truck sales, meaning those purchases would not have occurred without the incentives. Previous estimates by industry analysts put the incremental sales figure between 125,000 and 346,000. The government’s Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, offered vouchers of $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of older, gas-guzzling vehicles who traded them in for new, fuel-efficient models. The program, which was expected to last several months, was so popular that it ran out of its $3 billion in funding in two months.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Dispute over candidate disqualifications could mar Iraqi vote’s legitimacy - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902602.html The candidates were barred on election eve by a commission -- run by onetime U.S. ally Ahmed Chalabi and other Shiite politicians -- that was empowered to screen government officials for loyalty to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Most of the 55 candidates who were disqualified belong to the Iraqiya list of former prime minister Ayad Allawi, which appears to have done well in secular and Sunni communities. If the votes for the newly barred candidates are annulled, it could give the Iraqiya coalition powerful ammunition to allege vote-rigging by rival politicians, including some in the Shiite-led camp of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "It will be a very violent reaction," Allawi said in an interview Tuesday. "A lot of violence will take place, and God knows how this will end. I will tell you there is already an existing feeling that there was widespread rigging and widespread intimidation." The spat has alarmed U.S. and United Nations officials, who fear it will make it harder for defeated candidates to accept the outcome. Officials said, however, that it was too soon to know whether the controversy would seriously disrupt the formation of a new government.

After Delay, Partial Iraq Vote Results Expected Thursday - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?ref=world Iraq’s electoral commission is expected to announce partial results of parliamentary elections by Thursday, a United Nations official said, offering an incomplete picture of the vote that will nevertheless provide the broad outlines of the country’s political landscape. The results were initially expected Wednesday evening, but Ad Melkert, the United Nations special representative in Iraq, said he hoped the results would be released by Thursday. Iraqi officials did not immediately confirm the delay. “We hope that as soon as possible preliminary results can be made public because Iraqis have the right to know as soon as possible the outcome of their choice of election day,” Mr. Melkert told a news conference on Wednesday.

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Upset by U.S. Security, Pakistanis Return as Heroes - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/asia/10pstan.html?ref=world A tour of the United States arranged by the State Department to improve ties to Pakistani legislators ended in a public relations fiasco when the members of the group refused to submit to extra airport screening in Washington, and they are now being hailed as heroes on their return home. “People should be thankful, you made them so proud,” said Hamid Mir, the host of a popular national talk show, during an interview in his studio on Tuesday with four of the six politicians, who railed against the security precautions at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Meetings with the Obama administration’s top policy makers on Pakistan, including the president’s special representative, Richard C. Holbrooke, and visits to the Pentagon and the National Security Council, did not allay the anger the politicians said they felt at being asked to submit to a secondary screening on Sunday before boarding a flight to New Orleans. They declined to be screened and did not board the flight. Pakistan is one of 14 mostly Muslim countries whose citizens must go through increased checks before they fly into the United States, a procedure mandated by the Obama administration in the wake of the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up an airliner flying from the Netherlands to Detroit on Dec. 25.

Secretary Gates visits Afghan town recently seized from Taliban - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-gates10-2010mar10,0,5047508.story U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts. As in Marja, the United States is helping to install a rudimentary local government in Now Zad, and U.S. forces are trying to train Afghan security forces to shoulder the load.

U.S. changing focus of Iran policy - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-obama-iran10-2010mar10,0,2722682.story After keeping a careful distance for the last year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Iranian opposition movement has staying power and has embraced it as a central element in the U.S.-led campaign to pressure the country's clerical government. Administration officials and some allied governments believe that a combination of domestic unrest and international sanctions targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard offers the best hope for forcing Tehran to yield on its nuclear program, and could even lead to a change in the government. The administration has made the shift at a time when it is facing sharp domestic criticism over President Obama's failed initiative to launch negotiations with Iran and its perceived unwillingness to strongly back the opposition movement. Meanwhile, the protests sparked by June's disputed presidential election in Iran grew despite a tough crackdown.

Iran blocking foreign, domestic Web sites to curb anti-government activists - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903478.html The bearded blogger stood before an effigy of an Islamic warrior towering over the letters "WWW." "You are the young officers in this war. The United States and their domestic allies have started this fight and you have countered them," he told the recent gathering of pro-government bloggers, part of the cyber-war being fought by Iranian authorities engaged in an unprecedented effort to block anti-government forces from using the World Wide Web and social networks to communicate and organize. Ever since the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June elections led to wide-scale protests, Iran's leaders have been cracking down on the tech-savvy opposition movement with the Revolutionary Guard and police blocking millions of foreign and domestic Web sites, including some Google services, CNN and the BBC.

Israel rebuffs Biden’s peace bid with new settlement homes | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90090/israel-rebuffs-biden-by-announcing.html Hours after the arrival Tuesday of Vice President Joe Biden to help launch indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel announced the construction of 1,600 homes in a settlement block in mostly Arab East Jerusalem, an open rebuff that led Biden to issue a sharply worded condemnation. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel." The announcement by the Israeli Interior Ministry came during Biden's first day in the region, the highest profile visit by an Obama administration official. It appeared to catch the administration off guard.

Biden’s Israel visit takes a rocky turn - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-biden-israel10-2010mar10,0,123115.story In the midst of a high-profile trip by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said, calling it "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now." "We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them," Biden said.

Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000683.html Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again." On Tuesday evening, while having dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his official residence, Biden issued a statement condemning the housing decision, saying the timing of the announcement was "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust" needed to enter constructive negotiations. "We definitely appreciate the strong statement of condemnation by the administration vis-a-vis this action which definitely undermines confidence in the prospects of the political process," Fayyad said.

Food Aid Bypasses Somalia’s Needy, U.N. Study Finds - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/africa/10somalia.html?ref=world As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report. The report, which has not yet been made public but was shown to The New York Times by diplomats, outlines a host of problems so grave that it recommends that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon open an independent investigation into the World Food Program’s Somalia operations. It suggests that the program rebuild the food distribution system — which serves at least 2.5 million people and whose aid was worth about $485 million in 2009 — from scratch to break what it describes as a corrupt cartel of Somali distributors. In addition to the diversion of food aid, regional Somali authorities are collaborating with pirates who hijack ships along the lawless coast, the report says, and Somali government ministers have auctioned off diplomatic visas for trips to Europe to the highest bidders, some of whom may have been pirates or insurgents.

Bank of America will drop overdraft fees for debit cards | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90103/bank-of-america-will-drop-overdraft.html Bank of America is dropping one of the banking industry's most-criticized fees. No longer will customers be charged an overdraft fee when they use their debit card and don't have enough money in their accounts. Instead, the transaction will be denied, unless the customer has signed up for an overdraft protection service that links their card to a savings account or credit card. The Charlotte bank is going a step farther than a new federal regulation that kicks in July 1. Under those rules, banks can't charge overdraft fees on debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals unless customers provide their consent. The bank's move comes as Congress and regulators look more closely at banking industry fees. The change will affect the customers at the nation's largest consumer bank and will probably prompt other banks to weigh their own policies.

College Inc. - GW students: Our profs are liberals

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/03/gw_students_our_profs_are_libe.html A conservative students group at George Washington University researched the political leanings of the faculty and found evidence of "substantial liberal bias." The university chapter of Young America's Foundation found that 92 percent ($221,490) of political donations by GW faculty in the 2008 primary election cycle went to Democratic candidates, while 8 percent ($20,500) went to Republicans. In the presidential election, the ratio was nearly the same, 91 percent to 9 percent. The numbers reflect a well-documented liberal bias in the academy as a whole, the group said in a release. It cites data from the 2004 presidential election showing that faculty donations favored Democrats to Republicans by a ratio of 150 to 3 at Yale, 114 to 1 at Princeton and 406 to 13 at Harvard. Travis Korson, president of the chapter, cited national trends toward the rejection of Western civilization, Euro-centricism and classical liberal arts in favor of "new academic disciplines such as 'Queer Studies' and 'Africana Studies' . . . I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," he said.

UN pays tribute to 101 staff killed in Haiti - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-0310-un-haiti-20100310,0,1165717.story An emotional Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Tuesday to "the 101 heroes" working for the United Nations who were killed in the Haiti earthquake, the single greatest loss for the world body in its 64-year history. Hundreds of U.N. staff joined relatives of those who died at the ceremony, listening as Ban pledged: "We will never forget you. We will carry on your work." Cries from a young child in the audience who lost a loved one in the Jan. 12 quake punctuated the memorial tribute. The ceremony began with a video of the victims' pictures interspersed with footage of the devastating earthquake that left over 230,000 dead and more than 1 million homeless, and of Ban's visit five days later. It also depicted the solemn military farewell to Haiti mission chief Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, who died when the U.N. headquarters collapsed.

Eric J. Massa Says He Tickled House Staff Member - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10massa.html?ref=politics Former Representative Eric J. Massa of New York, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, vehemently denied any wrongdoing during a television appearance on Tuesday, even as he described having tickle fights with staff members in a house they shared. But he insisted that that was as far as it went. “No, no, no!” he said when asked during an interview with Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel. “I did nothing sexual.” Mr. Massa made the comments as new reports surfaced that the House ethics committee was investigating allegations, reported in The Washington Post on Tuesday, that he groped several male aides in his office. The paper said that the behavior dated back a year. It did not say how many staff members were involved. That is at odds with an account provided by Mr. Massa, who on Monday described an inappropriate exchange he had with an aide during another staff member’s wedding in January. He said he grabbed the aide while the two were seated at a table, joked about having sexual relations with him and mussed his hair before getting up and leaving.

Ex-Congressman Massa says groping wasn’t sexual - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-massa-resigns10-2010mar10,0,5707509.story A day after resigning his seat in the face of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Eric Massa took to the airwaves Tuesday to deny that he had touched a male aide in a sexual manner. Massa (D-N.Y.) has been the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of his staff. He resigned his seat late Monday and went on Fox News' "The Glenn Beck Program" on Tuesday to defend himself and deny new allegations that he had sexually groped a staff member. "I did nothing sexual," Massa said in a rambling interview. "I did things that were wrong." But Massa, 50, also said, "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday and it was kill the old guy."

Lejeune water probe: Did Marine Corps hide benzene data? | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90094/congressional-probers-seek-data.html Congressional investigators late Tuesday requested detailed documents from Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a private contractor that was involved in the testing and cleanup of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, N.C., over the past two decades. More letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and a second private contractor are expected this week. Among investigators' questions: why a federal agency charged with understanding the health impacts of the contamination didn't realize until recently that benzene — a fuel solvent known to cause cancer in humans — was among the substances found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune. For years, the Marines apparently didn't provide documents about the benzene to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which has worked for nearly two decades to understand the contamination and its health impacts, said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., the chairman of the oversight panel on the House Science and Technology Committee.

Ex-Christian Coalition head won’t run for Congress - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001487.html Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta, but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The boyish-looking 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He said in a letter to supporters Wednesday that he made the decision not to run for Congress after much thought and prayer.

Aid agencies fight one another to help Haiti quake victims | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90118/aid-agencies-fight-one-another.html At an encampment on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, physicians from three international aid agencies provide identical services. On a charter flight to Miami, competing doctors get into a shouting match before takeoff. And at a search-and-rescue operation, one international team claiming ownership of the effort asks another to leave -- although the departing group has the equipment to do the job. Haiti has long been fertile ground for international aid agencies that want a shot at helping the impoverished nation pull out of misery. But the politics of aid has become even sharper following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that left more than 200,000 dead and toppled hundreds of thousands of buildings. The behind-the-scenes jockeying -- even as hundreds of thousands remain without adequate shelter -- is likely to intensify as President René Préval pleads for more aid from Washington this week and the international community prepares to meet in New York later this month to discuss Haiti's reconstruction plans.

G.O.P. Looks at Steve Levy in Race for New York Governor - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10levy.html?ref=politics The Republican nomination for governor, which had for months seemed all but locked up by former United States Representative Rick A. Lazio, became a more unsettled contest on Tuesday when top New York Republicans met with the Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, as a potential challenger to Mr. Lazio. Revealing an unease over Mr. Lazio’s campaign, the state Republican Party chairman, Ed Cox, and the party’s nine regional leaders summoned Mr. Levy, a registered Democrat who has run on Republican and Conservative lines in the past, to Albany to make his case for the Republican nomination, according to people who attended the meeting. “They need some time to mull it over and digest it,” Mr. Levy said in an interview after the meeting. Asked whether he, as a Democrat, could be the Republican nominee for governor, he said: “It’s a possibility, and it’s really their call. I can only present what I have to offer and what I have accomplished. And then it’s out of my hands.”

Tim Rutten - No reason for Obama to backtrack - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rutten10-2010mar10,0,1918954.column At some point in the next week, President Obama is expected to announce whether he's decided to backtrack on his decision to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-admitted mastermind of the 9/11 atrocities, and four of his alleged co-conspirators in federal criminal court. According to reports first published in the Washington Post, Obama is being urged by key advisors to return to the Bush administration's plan to try the alleged Al Qaeda terrorists before special military tribunals. If the president, who campaigned on a promise to restore the rule of law in the treatment of the jihadis, reverses course, it will be not only a lamentable triumph of politics over principle but an affront to common sense and some of our most valuable historical precedents. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. put the matter squarely when he announced the administration's initial decision to shift the 9/11 trials to a federal criminal courtroom in Manhattan, as part of the plan to close the last remnant of the Bush/Cheney gulag at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay. "We need not cower in the face of this enemy," Holder said at the time. "Our institutions are strong, our infrastructure is sturdy, our resolve is firm and our people are ready."

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Editorial - Laws, Lies and the Abortion Debate - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion It has been three years since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority abruptly departed from precedent to uphold a federal ban on a particular method of abortion. Emboldened, foes of reproductive freedom are pressing new attacks on women’s rights and health. In Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, has signed a bill that would criminalize certain behavior by women that results in miscarriage. It was prompted by a sad and strange case last year in which a teenager who was seven months pregnant sought to induce a miscarriage by hiring a man to beat her. The measure exempts lawful abortions, and particularly worrisome language about “reckless” acts has been removed. But the law still raises concern about zealous prosecutors using a woman’s difficult choices to open an investigation. In Oklahoma, the Center for Reproductive Rights succeeded last week in blocking a burdensome measure designed to discourage abortions by requiring preprocedure sonograms and exempting physicians from liability for failing to disclose fetal abnormalities. But the ruling turned on a technical flaw in the law, and its supporters are expected to try again.

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Dana Milbank - Massa flirts with the right, but Beck isn’t tickled - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903517.html Just seven minutes into Glenn Beck's hour-long interview of Eric Massa on Tuesday evening, things had already gone very wrong. Conservatives had hopes that the now-former Democratic congressman from Upstate New York, who resigned abruptly under an ethics cloud, would deliver the goods about corruption and strong-arm tactics in the Obama White House and Congress. But instead, Massa served up an icky new confession. "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer," he volunteered. "Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and then four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday." Beck looked aghast. "Was your wife at that one?" the Fox News Channel host asked. "No, this was in a townhouse; we all lived together, all the bachelors and me," Massa explained. "My chief of staff had a conniption and said, 'You can't live there, that's not congressional.' "

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Editorial - Saving the Post Office - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed1.html?ref=opinion Many Americans rely on six-days-a-week mail delivery and expect to have a post office just around the corner. But if the United States Postal Service is going to survive the transition to the Internet age — without requiring billions of dollars of federal subsidies — Congress must allow it to cut some services, close some offices and make other sensible changes.

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Congress is running out of time to save the Postal Service - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903337.html ON THE INTERNET, friends can communicate across continents via live video hook-ups for free. Companies can exchange 100-page documents in nanoseconds. Meanwhile, at the U.S. Postal Service, 600,000 employees spend their days stamping and sorting large pieces of paper and carrying them by plane, train and truck to every home and office from Guam to Georgetown -- as federal law requires. This quaint business model was bound to be stressed by recession, and it has been. Mail volume fell from an all-time high of 213 billion pieces in 2006 to 177 billion in 2009, with more declines to come. The Postal Service is on course to lose more than $7 billion this year, despite substantial recent cost-cutting, and it could lose more than $238 billion by 2020. Approaching the limits of its federal credit line, the USPS must change drastically or go bust.

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The gay anti-gay legislator - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-ashburn10-2010mar10,0,4070153.story The self-outing of state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who confessed that he is gay on a right-wing talk-radio program Monday, was undoubtedly agonizing -- not only for Ashburn but for his family (the divorced senator has four daughters). But although we sympathize with Ashburn and hope he can turn his life in a more positive direction following this revelation, there's really no excusing his political hypocrisy. Ashburn, a Republican from conservative Bakersfield, has a deeply anti-gay voting record. He has opposed nearly every bill on gay rights that has appeared during his 14 years in the Legislature, including measures to allow same-sex marriage, recognize out-of-state gay marriages or designate a day in May to honor gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk. Ashburn was arrested on charges of driving under the influence last week. Soon afterward, a Sacramento TV station reported that he had been at a gay club before his arrest. That led to accusations from gay-rights groups that the senator wasn't just living a lie, he was a hypocrite for opposing homosexual equality. Ashburn responded to that during his on-air confession on radio station KERN-AM (1180): "My votes reflect the wishes of the people in my district."

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Editorial - An Advocate for Equal Justice - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed3.html?ref=opinion Providing poor defendants effective appointed counsel is more than a constitutional obligation. It is a concrete measure of the nation’s commitment to equal justice under law. Yet indigent defense offices across the nation have been allowed to sink into crisis. They have fallen victim to insufficient financing, overwhelming caseloads and a slew of policies that hamper effective representation. The civil legal aid system is no less challenged. Short on resources, local offices supported by the Legal Services Corporation, the federal agency that provides legal assistance for low-income Americans in civil cases, must turn away about half the eligible individuals who contact them for help with life-altering issues such as child custody or saving their homes from foreclosure. One rare piece of good news is that Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. has made it his mission to try to narrow this gap in the administration of justice. To lead his campaign, he has hired Laurence Tribe, the prominent Harvard Law School professor and constitutional scholar.

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Antitrust bill to stand alone | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100320/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Antitrust-bill-to-stand-alone Rep. Betsy Markey's bill to end the antitrust exemption for health insurers will be handled by the Senate as a standalone bill and not be wrapped into a broader health-care reform package now being finalized, a senior House aide said Tuesday. "It cannot be included in reconciliation because it is not a budgetary issue. It's a very significant provision and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 406-19, so we hope the Senate will take it up," said the aide, who spoke to the Coloradoan on condition of anonymity. Democratic leaders plan to have the House vote in the next couple weeks on the version of the health-care reform bill passed by the Senate in December, which did not include the antitrust repeal. The House and Senate would then use the budget reconciliation process to make a number of changes to the Senate bill requested by the House, but those changes won't include the antitrust exemption. Markey, who voted against the House reform bill in November because she said it didn't do enough to control health-care costs, hasn't said how she'll vote on the Senate version of the bill if it comes to the House as planned.

FOX31 Exclusive: Jane Norton defends record on spending - KDVR

http://www.kdvr.com/news/politics/kdvr-norton-spending-030910,0,2175513.story There is no issue that riles up today's conservative base like the issue of government spending, perceived to be out of control after last year's $787 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and on the verge of a health care reform bill that, if passed, could cost close to $1 trillion over the next decade. In such a context, it's no surprise that Republican candidates are talking, on the eve of this fall's midterm elections, about how Democrats have overspent and how they will, if elected, rein in such expenditures. It's also no surprise that Jane Norton, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Colorado, is already airing television commercials to that effect. And given that Norton may be the front-runner in the race, out in front of both Democratic contenders and the two Republicans challenging her for the party's nomination, it's no surprise that her record on spending is coming under heavy scrutiny -- and heavy fire -- from both sides.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48757/colorado-democratic-party-suggests-questions-for-norton Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether. Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.

“I’m Steve Barton.” “I’m Steve Barton.” | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/im-steve-barton-im-steve-barton/ Senate candidate Ken Buck sounded like a contestant on To Tell the Truth Tuesday night at a candidate forum sponsored by several conservative organizations. “I’m Steve Barton,” Buck said, “and I’m running for the United States Senate.” The huge crowd roared with laughter. Throughout the night, when it was Barton’s turn to respond to a question, the patent attorney usually started with, “I’m Steve Barton and I’m running for the United States Senate.” People started looking at each other because all the candidates had been introduced, given their opening statements and often were called on by name when it was their turn to answer a question. People knew he was Steve Barton.

I am (lone) woman, hear me roar | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/i-am-lone-woman-hear-me-roar/ When Senate candidate Jane Norton was asked Tuesday night what was the “biggest difference” between herself and contender Ken Buck, there were plenty of laughs. “I think that’s petty obvious,” she said. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is one of five candidates running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and the only woman in the race in either the Republican or Democratic Party.

Wiens has Wienersmobile envy | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/wiens-has-wienersmobile-envy/ U.S. Senate candidate Tom Wiens is here but, alas, he didn’t arrive by the Wienersmobile. He wishes he did. “I really want to get that vehicle,” he said, with a laugh. “We’re on the road nonstop, practically.” Wiens did arrive by campaign RV, a vehicle that inspired an unnamed politico with a flair for Photoshop and a sense of humor to doctor Oscar Meyer’s Weinermobile into the Wiensersmobile.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

Bennet staff to hold meeting in Greeley | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309677/1051 Staff for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., will come to Greeley on Thursday to hear from constituents and offer help for those dealing with a federal agency. Bennet's North Central Regional Representative James Thompson will be available form 5-6 p.m. at Margie's Java Joint, 916 16th St., from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, according to a Bennet release. No appointment is necessary, but to schedule one in advance, call (970) 224-2200.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Amazon.com debate heats up at Colorado Capitol - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644084 Republicans immediately blamed the Democratic-controlled legislature for passing a bill that attempts to collect the state's 2.9 percent sales tax on online sales through e-retailers such as Amazon and Overstock.com. "The Democrats' bill and their anti-Amazon rhetoric doesn't harm Amazon," said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. "It hurts the thousands of Colorado affiliates" who made money from online sales. Democrats, though, said Amazon's action was purely a public-relations tactic, punishing affiliates even though the final version of the bill removed the in-state marketers as means of collecting the sales tax. "They (Amazon) absolutely killed the affiliates just to show that they can," said Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver. Meanwhile, one liberal group called for a boycott of Amazon until the retailer renews its relationships with affiliates. Amazon "chose to make an example of our state and unfairly punish their own business associates for political gain," the group ProgressNow Colorado said in a release.

First shots fired in Colorado payday loan war | Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48681/first-shots-fired-in-colorado-payday-loan-war Perhaps no issue will underline the divide separating state Democrats and Republicans this legislative session as well as the war to rein in the payday loan industry. That war saw its first real skirmishes Monday at the capitol when roughly 150 payday-loan business owners and employees rallied outside the building in advance of a hearing on a bill that seeks to cap payday interest rates and limit the infamous cycle of personal payday-loan debt the industry depends upon to generate millions in profits. Payday supporters, including some state lawmakers, railed against the proposed regulation as an infringement on personal liberty and as job-killing government intervention. Supporters of the regulation say the time has come at last to end clearly predatory loan practices that target the state’s vulnerable populations. Republican lawmakers sympathized outside at the rally and inside the committee room with the lenders, who they portrayed as victims of big government. Democratic lawmakers sympathized with the thousands of payday loan borrowers gouged by excessive rates and fees that surpass consumer-protecting limits that apply to the larger lending industry.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

Telluride Daily Planet - Gov’t supports uranium accountability bill

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704e117eac935222270.txt As President Obama calls for more nuclear power, Colorado contemplates putting two uranium mills into operation. One would be new and located in Paradox Valley west of Telluride. The other is an old mill near Cañon City, near Colorado Springs, that may be reopened. A new piece of legislation seeks to tighten up the application process and ensure that old mills are cleaned up before new ones are opened, and the Telluride Town Council came out in support of it yesterday. The Uranium Processing Accountability Act would apply most directly to the Cotter-owned mill near Cañon City, which first opened in 1958. It is still in the process of cleaning up contamination. The company applied to reopen the mill in 2001. If this bill passes, the Cotter Corp. couldn’t re-open the mill until all the clean-up has been completed. Cotter is a subsidiary of General Atomics, a nuclear company and defense contractor that builds the Predator drones used in Afghanistan. It is owned largely by Neal Blue, who owns land on the north side of Telluride’s valley floor, and used to own the 570 acres known as the Valley Floor, which Telluride condemned in 2007.

Durango Herald News, Senate tries to cap tax credits

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Senate_tries_to_cap_tax_credits/ Farmers and ranchers who are thinking about a conservation easement on their land might want to think fast. The Legislature got moving again Tuesday on an almost-forgotten 10th bill in its tax package. Nine other Democratic tax bills on items ranging from soda to Internet sales were signed into law two weeks ago. But two more - on conservation easements and enterprise zones - got waylaid. The enterprise zone bill is still on hold, but the conservation easement bill, House Bill 1197, regained its footing Tuesday, passing the Senate Finance Committee 4-3. The bill limits the state's conservation easement program to $26 million each of the next three years. That's $37 million less than state officials had expected to pay out in tax credits next year. If HB 1197 passes, tax credits would be dished out on a first-come, first-served basis, said the sponsor, Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Colorado may ban promotions by elected officials | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309502/1001 A Colorado senator says the state's top elected officials are wasting thousands of dollars on official brochures and ads promoting themselves and he wants to stop it. Sen. Bill Cadman, a Republican from Colorado Springs, says the state will be forced to throw out thousands of brochures featuring photos and testimonials from Gov. Bill Ritter when he leaves office in 10 months, and it's unnecessary. His bill banning the practice by the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general will be heard Wednesday by the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Professionals’ licensure measure passes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a5406825153546013.txt The Senate on Tuesday granted final approval to a bill that makes it easier for professionals in certain regulated fields to practice their occupations in Colorado after moving from another state. State Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, sponsored HB1175 in the Senate. Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Colorado Springs, was the House sponsor. Tapia said it's aimed to help military families transition to the state. The bill calls for streamlined processes for licensing chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, nursing home administrators and physical therapists in Colorado when they move from other states. "It was really a military-driven bill," Tapia said. "It's for people coming to Fort Carson and their spouses. For years people have been assigned there, and their spouses had to work six months or a year toward a certificate or a license. In some cases, these are people who've been competent professionals for 20 years before they came to Colorado."

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Dyer bows out in Arapahoe County, primary battle ahead | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/dyer-bows-out-in-arapahoe-county-primary-battle-ahead/ An Arapahoe County commissioner race just got a whole lot more interesting. Republican Jim Dyer announced over the weekend he would not seek re-election, and he wasted no time in time in blistering one of the candidates trying to succeed him. Former state Rep. Lauri Clapp and Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe are running for the GOP nomination for Dyer’s seat. Dyer said he is backing Sharpe, saying Clapp would be a “disaster” and he fears if she wins the nomination, Democrats will take the seat in November.

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641496 A Highlands Ranch man busted by federal agents after growing medical marijuana in his home is expected to plead guilty to a drug charge, 9Wants to Know has learned. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the home where Chris Bartkowicz, 36, lived near C-470 and University Boulevard last month. Agents say they discovered 224 marijuana plants in various stages of development. Bartkowicz pleaded not guilty on March 5 to a federal charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. That same day, Bartkowicz's attorney filed a notice of disposition telling a judge that the prosecution and defense have reached an agreement in the case and a change of plea proceeding is needed. "The prosecution and defense are waiting for a judge to set a change of plea hearing date, where (Bartkowicz) will be given an opportunity to plead guilty," U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner told 9Wants to Know.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Two lawmakers cast unintended votes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737b18a413318960897.txt Two state representatives who intended to vote against a bill on Tuesday accidentally voted for it, affecting the outcome in the House. By a margin of 33-29, the House passed HB1009. Two representatives were excused, but Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, were not. Both intended to vote against a bill that seeks to add a physician representative and an injured-worker representative to the board's existing nine-member board of Pinnacol Assurance, the state-run workers' compensation insurer of last resort. The pair was preoccupied by a conversation over legislative matters when it came time to vote. Scanlan and Middleton requested a new vote of the House so they could cast their intended vote on the record, but the House voted down the request. Tuesday's vote in the House was the final action before passing along the bill to the Senate.

Telluride Daily Planet - Parties hold quieter caucuses this year

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704c6283ba849365260.txt Last year, when Coloradans got a say in whether the Democrats would nominate their first black candidate or their first woman candidate for president, the caucuses were a very big deal. “It was over 150 people,” said Dick Unruh, chair of the San Miguel County Democrats. Those caucuses, it could be said, were raucouses. This March 16, when the local Democrat and Republican parties hold their caucuses, there won’t be quite as high stakes. These caucuses will be quieter — if not sickly. These caucuses, it could be said, have streptococcuses. But they are the first part of a journey for those seeking county offices. The list of new candidates isn’t long, but it is full of familiar faces.

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642737 State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat, will hold his third town hall meeting of the year on Saturday. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will focus on education issues, in particular how the state budget crisis likely will affect funding for K-12 education. Boulder Valley School District Superintendent Chris King will be a guest speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chatauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, in the Grand Assembly Room.

Riesberg to hold forum on health care on Saturday | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309679/1051 State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Colo., will host a community forum to present an overview of the issues surrounding health care and reform of the health care system in Colorado on Saturday from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., in the meeting room at Sunrise Community Health-Monfort Family Clinic, 2930 11th Ave. in Evans. Guest speakers include: Mitzi Moran, of Sunrise Community Health/Monfort Family Clinic; Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Wayne Maxwell, Executive Director, North Range Behavioral Health; and Mike Bloom, of North Colorado Health Alliance. Brochures and other information about local services will be available, according to a Riesberg press release. Following the presentations, Riesberg will highlight the legislation being discussed in Colorado and moderate a group discussion and idea sharing session so participants can share their concerns and issues, and offer input as to how Colorado can improve access to quality, affordable health care for all citizens.

CU regents could vote on 9 percent tuition hike at special meeting Wednesday - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14641787 The University of Colorado regents are holding a just-announced meeting Wednesday to discuss and possibly vote on a 9 percent tuition increase for students on the Boulder campus. "The intent is to vote on tuition," said Regent Tom Lucero, who would not yet say how he'd vote. In past years, Lucero has voted against tuition increases but has been in the minority. The administration is proposing a 9 percent tuition increase for in-state students, said CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue. For CU's College of Arts and Sciences, which charges $6,153 for in-state tuition this year, a 9 percent increase would translate to an extra $554. "Whether or not they have a vote on tuition remains to be seen," McConnellogue said. Gov. Bill Ritter has given Colorado colleges and universities a 9 percent tuition cap, and McConnellogue said CU has been engaging students in tuition-setting decisions.

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/CSU-considers-fee-hike-to-pay-for-renovations CSU students each face paying an extra $300 annually to build and renovate classrooms, upgrade Morgan Library and erect a $65 million engineering building. Colorado State University administrators are considering doubling the current $10-per-credit-hour facilities fee paid by students to $20 per credit hour, or $300 annually for a full-time resident undergraduate student. Some students worry the increase, along with an expected 9 percent hike in undergraduate resident tuition, will make CSU unaffordable for more families. Other students wonder whether CSU should consider whether increased online learning could take the place of new buildings.

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14644219 The $38 billion in overdraft-protection fees that make up one of the banking industry's fattest cash cows will take a significant hit this summer when federal rules kick in that preclude the practice without prior consumer approval. That means financial institutions — battle weary from last year's economic crisis and new credit-card rules that slashed their ability to make money — are looking for new ways to make up the shortfall. And consumers ultimately will be the ones to take the hit, industry watchdogs say. "Clearly . . . there will be an effort to recoup it . . . and it's to be the customer who pays," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit.com, which tracks the banking industry. One of the first areas to get dinged, Ulzheimer said, will be the long-popular free checking plan, a 1990s concept that proved so popular it morphed into a given.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643411 The 2010 census is gearing up to employ about 8,000 Coloradans, providing a timely boost to an economy that has shed more than 10 times that many jobs in the past year. "We still need people," said Lee Ann Morning, manager of the Denver Local Census Office. "And people want to work for us." Each of the state's eight local offices should employ about 1,000 workers by late April as the count of the state's population moves toward its final push, Morning said. Besides Denver, local census offices are in Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Reasons for working with the census vary, but a pay scale that starts at around $12.75 an hour is one motivation.

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643214 The median price for a single-family home in metro Denver rose nearly 15 percent in February compared with the same month a year ago, but the number of homes sold declined. The median price for a single-family home rose to $220,750 last month, compared with $192,000 a year ago, according to Metrolist data released Tuesday. The median price for a condo increased 12.5 percent to $132,500, compared with $117,725 last year. There were 2,436 homes sold in February, down 1.9 percent from 2,484 last year. "First-time homebuyers are out in force," independent real-estate analyst Gary Bauer said. "We've also seen investors come out this month. In the lower-priced markets, we have both investors and first-time homebuyers out there bidding on the same properties."

More stories in National/Economy | Colorado/Economy
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Denver archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children at Boulder preschool - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14640646 The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a "painful situation," but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings. Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that. Previous reports indicated only one child was involved. Neither the parents nor the children have been identified. About two dozen protesters stood outside Sacred Heart of Jesus church on Sunday with signs, one reading "God loves all people."

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

RTD approves new manager’s contract. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644033 The Regional Transportation District board Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for new general manager Phil Washington. The contract contains none of the extra compensation included in predecessor Cal Marsella's contract. Washington's total annual compensation is $306,449. It is about 57 percent of Marsella's package.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Mild winter helps taxpayers

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737379bae2400102342.txt The winter of 2009-10 could still have some nasty surprises in it — after all, March can be a snowy month — but it has been a mild one on taxpayers' wallets thus far, according to snow-removal statistics from Pueblo County and city governments. Earl Wilkinson, the city's new director of public works, said the current winter has only cost $30,000 in terms of sending out crews to sand and clear snowy Pueblo streets. That's compared with a total of $51,658 spent in 2009 and $60,406 spent in 2008. Wilkinson, who was hired last year from Ohio, said the Southern Colorado winters are much easier to deal with than Midwestern blizzards. "One of the first things I noticed is that even when it snows, the weather usually warms up and the snow melts in a few days," Wilkinson said. "That's not the case back where I come from. When it snows in Ohio, the snow sticks around for a long time. We can go most of February and never see the sun."

Those Aching Backs! - The County Seat : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://thecountyseat.freedomblogging.com/2010/03/09/those-aching-backs/733/ The city of Colorado Springs may have turned off street lights, yanked the garbage cans out of parks and laid off hundreds of workers. But the folks over at Colorado Springs Utilities, the electric-gas-water-waste water monopoly owned by the city, are considering spending nearly $1.1 million to remodel a building that houses energy traders and $240,000 for ergonomic furniture. (Included in the remodeling costs is $150,000 for a new sanitary sewer line and $150,000 for a new roof.) An employee who was outraged by the proposed expenditures tipped us off to the project. But it took a Colorado Open Records Act request to get a more complete picture of what’s planned.

Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309769/1001 Aspen is showing some signs of economic recovery but clearly the resort is not out of woods, based on recent sales tax and occupancy report data. Taxable sales for January show that Aspen was up 4 percent over the previous year during the same month. Consumption-based sales tax revenue for the city in January 2009 was down 21 percent over the year before. “It's not a huge improvement,” said Aspen Finance Director Don Taylor. “Nobody expects to make it all back ... it's going to take a while.” In the city's sales tax report released last week, a new industrial category of automobiles was broken out from the “general retail” category because there was such a significant jump from the year prior — a 386 percent increase, or more than $1.4 million in taxable revenue.

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309479/1001 Avon officials say they must cut the town's 2010 budget to close a roughly $1.1 million shortfall in revenue. Town officials blame the gap on outstanding payments they claim Traer Creek Metropolitan District owes the town for municipal services and sales tax shortfalls. Town staff provided recommendations on the supplemental 2010 budget to town council Tuesday night. Proposed changes include freezing and eliminating positions, continuing the full-time furlough program though the end of the year and reducing the overtime hours in several departments. Layoffs in two departments already occurred in February. Departments found areas to reduce operating supplies, contract services, and other operating costs. Some of the major cutbacks included elimination of the live band for the Salute to the USA, deferral of ditch maintenance, delay of the Upper Buck Creek bridge overlay, reduction of street striping, the deferral of software upgrades and training and cutbacks in advertising costs.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Boulder Valley school board can’t promise to save fifth-grade music program - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14644027 Some Boulder Valley school board members Tuesday night tried to allay public worries that portions of the district's fifth-grade music program will be reduced or eliminated, but other leaders were quick to point out that "everything is on the table" in the face of state budget cuts. The school board has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers and students concerned about proposals to cut or change parts of the school district's fifth-grade music program. "I honestly cannot see a scenario where we would cut this program or seriously reduce this program," said board member Laurie Albright. "So let's move this along and get this resolved." A couple of Albright's colleagues on the board agreed with her, but school board member Helayne Jones and board President Ken Roberge did not.

D-11 revises recommendation on assistant principal cuts | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-95413-principal-assistant.html Fewer assistant principals would be cut under a new recommendation presented to the Colorado Springs School District 11 board at a work session Tuesday. The suggested dollar amount of cuts actually increased by about $10,000, to $874,765. The new recommendation would take more money out of non-instructional supplies and less from personnel. The district had considered cutting nince assistant principals. The administration suggests cutting four assistant principal positions -- two from elementary schools, one from West Middle School and one from Coronado High School. Some of the difference would be made up by consolidating supervision of alternative schools under one principal. That would include Tesla Educational Opportunity Center, the Bijou School, the Digital School at The Citadel mall and adult education programs. Each of the individual programs would have an assistant principal, but the overall savings would be nearly $108,000, said deputy superintendent Mike Poore.

The Longmont Times-Call - NW Rail meeting set for Thursday

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21148 FasTracks’ Northwest Rail Corridor falls within a railroad right of way, so putting passenger trains on Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Corp. tracks would be consistent with local land uses and zoning plans. That is one of the conclusions in a draft environmental evaluation of the Regional Transportation District’s proposal for building improvements and operating commuter trains between Denver and Longmont. The study says converting existing land uses to rail facilities where BNSF right of way is now constrained would occur primarily at the Northwest Rail Corridor’s proposed stations, such as the passenger line’s northern terminus now planned for a Longmont station at First Avenue and Terry Street.

Craig Daily Press / Hayden School Board to hear survey results

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/hayden-school-board-hear-survey-results/ The question is not if cuts will be made next year, but where the money will be taken from as the Hayden School District predicts a 10 percent cut in state funding. To prepare for the cuts at a Hayden School Board meeting next week, the board will meet at 5 p.m. today to discuss the results of a community survey and lay the outline for budget reductions. During the work session, Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel will present the results of a communitywide survey the district conducted about budget priorities. Zabel said 1,200 surveys were sent to registered voters and mailbox holders in the district and that 183 were returned. A similar survey, with additional questions, also was given to 75 staff members, with 53 returned.

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643220 A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has approved the Chapter 11 reorganization plan of Freedom Communications, owner of The Gazette of Colorado Springs and other media properties. Under the plan approved Tuesday, Freedom's secured lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, would assume ownership of the company in return for cutting the debt owed to them by nearly 60 percent.

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Western Tradition attacks 98-year-old corporate campaign spending ban « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48686/western-tradition-attacks-98-year-old-corporate-campaign-spending-ban The conservative Astroturf group that spent thousands to swing the Longmont City Council back to the right last November and keep the Garfield County commissioner board in the oil and gas camp in 2008 has filed a lawsuit in Montana to overturn that state’s 98-year-old ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Western Tradition Partnership, a political committee with its tendrils in controversial issues in both Colorado and Montana, filed a suit Monday in Helena District Court in conjunction with a Bozeman painting company seeking to align Montana’s state laws with January’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate spending in political campaigns, according to the Missoulian newspaper. According to the report, both Western Tradition Partnership and Champion Painting want the law overturned so they can spend corporate funds to campaign in the June and November Montana elections on ballot issues and candidate platforms.

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Craig Daily Press / Broad reactions in wake of Steamboat 700 election

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/broad-reactions-wake-steamboat-700-election/ Steamboat 700 supporters and opponents agreed on one thing Tuesday night: Voters’ rejection of the annexation means it’s time for the city to update its community plan and rethink how to handle growth in coming years.

Craig Daily Press / Steamboat says ‘no’ to 700

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/09/voters-deny-steamboat-700/ City voters denied the Steamboat 700 annexation by a margin of more than 20 percentage points Tuesday, making a strong statement about how and when growth should occur in the community and culminating a resident-led opposition effort that began with a petition drive in the fall. The vote rejects what would have been the city’s most substantial annexation since the Mount Werner ski resort area was folded into city limits decades ago. Steamboat Springs residents cast 2,592 ballots against the annexation and 1,661 ballots in favor, a 61 to 39 percent result for the mail-only vote that began in February. The Steamboat 700 annexation lost in each of the city’s eight precincts. The largest margin came in Precinct 13, which includes much of Old Town. Precinct 13 voted 383 against to 179 for the annexation, or 68 to 32 percent.

Local Democrats hire director, lose chairman | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/chairman-95398-party-director.html The El Paso County Democratic Party is looking for a new chairman. Jason DeGroot resigned the top job last month and party leaders will meet Saturday to pick his successor. That new chairman will need to heal rifts caused by a reorganization that led to the party getting a full-time executive director to oversee fundraising and outreach efforts. “These things happen,” DeGroot said Tuesday. “New people have come into the party with new energy and new ideas; that is going to cause some friction and some pain.” Party activists James Tucker and Rita Ague claimed Tuesday DeGroot and other leaders overstepped their bounds by hiring an executive director while sending the party’s longtime office manager packing because the group could not afford both positions.

Antitrust bill to stand alone | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100320/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Antitrust-bill-to-stand-alone Rep. Betsy Markey's bill to end the antitrust exemption for health insurers will be handled by the Senate as a standalone bill and not be wrapped into a broader health-care reform package now being finalized, a senior House aide said Tuesday. "It cannot be included in reconciliation because it is not a budgetary issue. It's a very significant provision and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 406-19, so we hope the Senate will take it up," said the aide, who spoke to the Coloradoan on condition of anonymity. Democratic leaders plan to have the House vote in the next couple weeks on the version of the health-care reform bill passed by the Senate in December, which did not include the antitrust repeal. The House and Senate would then use the budget reconciliation process to make a number of changes to the Senate bill requested by the House, but those changes won't include the antitrust exemption. Markey, who voted against the House reform bill in November because she said it didn't do enough to control health-care costs, hasn't said how she'll vote on the Senate version of the bill if it comes to the House as planned.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Professionals’ licensure measure passes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a5406825153546013.txt The Senate on Tuesday granted final approval to a bill that makes it easier for professionals in certain regulated fields to practice their occupations in Colorado after moving from another state. State Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, sponsored HB1175 in the Senate. Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Colorado Springs, was the House sponsor. Tapia said it's aimed to help military families transition to the state. The bill calls for streamlined processes for licensing chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, nursing home administrators and physical therapists in Colorado when they move from other states. "It was really a military-driven bill," Tapia said. "It's for people coming to Fort Carson and their spouses. For years people have been assigned there, and their spouses had to work six months or a year toward a certificate or a license. In some cases, these are people who've been competent professionals for 20 years before they came to Colorado."

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641496 A Highlands Ranch man busted by federal agents after growing medical marijuana in his home is expected to plead guilty to a drug charge, 9Wants to Know has learned. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the home where Chris Bartkowicz, 36, lived near C-470 and University Boulevard last month. Agents say they discovered 224 marijuana plants in various stages of development. Bartkowicz pleaded not guilty on March 5 to a federal charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. That same day, Bartkowicz's attorney filed a notice of disposition telling a judge that the prosecution and defense have reached an agreement in the case and a change of plea proceeding is needed. "The prosecution and defense are waiting for a judge to set a change of plea hearing date, where (Bartkowicz) will be given an opportunity to plead guilty," U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner told 9Wants to Know.

Riesberg to hold forum on health care on Saturday | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309679/1051 State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Colo., will host a community forum to present an overview of the issues surrounding health care and reform of the health care system in Colorado on Saturday from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., in the meeting room at Sunrise Community Health-Monfort Family Clinic, 2930 11th Ave. in Evans. Guest speakers include: Mitzi Moran, of Sunrise Community Health/Monfort Family Clinic; Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Wayne Maxwell, Executive Director, North Range Behavioral Health; and Mike Bloom, of North Colorado Health Alliance. Brochures and other information about local services will be available, according to a Riesberg press release. Following the presentations, Riesberg will highlight the legislation being discussed in Colorado and moderate a group discussion and idea sharing session so participants can share their concerns and issues, and offer input as to how Colorado can improve access to quality, affordable health care for all citizens.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

County health chief honored for H1N1 response | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100318/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/County-health-chief-honored-for-H1N1-response Calling her a "visionary," the McKee Medical Center Foundation on Tuesday honored Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, Larimer County Department of Health director, with the McKee Community Health Award for her handling of the H1N1 flu vaccine distribution here. LeBailly, who was nominated for the award by Larimer County commissioners, prepared the county for the pandemic flu by bringing together communities to develop a comprehensive response plan, said McKee Medical Center Foundation Executive Director Julie Johnson Haffner. Under LeBailly's leadership, the county vaccinated more than 10,000 people against the swine flu during special inoculation clinics last fall. More than 340 people volunteered to help conduct the clinics. "We were preparing for something much worse," LeBailly said after accepting the award during a foundation event called McKee Thanks. "It still could happen." LeBailly called it "daunting and humbling" to be part of a public health agency whose job is to protect the entire community.

CDOT waits to reopen interstate | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/cdot_waits_to_reopen_interstat State highway crews will call in aerial support today in a continuing effort to reopen Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon after heavy rockfall early Monday morning. The Colorado Department of Transportation hopes to reopen the vital east-west thoroughfare to one-lane traffic in each direction. However, CDOT first wants to dislodge a rock 20 feet in diameter that is 900 feet up the hillside and could pose a danger to motorists if not brought down before opening the highway. Crews plan to use a helicopter today to help them in their effort, said transportation department spokeswoman Stacey Stegman. Workers had hoped to dislodge the rock Tuesday. But Stegman said they only got to spend about an hour working on the rock. First the team of six had to climb two hours to the site and use prybars and other tools to remove loose rocks above the big rock and make it safe to approach it.

I-70 rock-slide closure costs truckers valuable time and money - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644221 The rock slide that choked off Glenwood Canyon, closing a stretch of Interstate 70, is jacking up costs for truckers, increasing delivery times for merchants, and causing headaches for commuters and employers. The slide early Monday punched holes in a bridge and scattered boulders, some as large as a semi-tractor, onto the road near the Hanging Lake Tunnel, forcing travelers to detour 200 miles. Colorado Department of Transportation crews spent Tuesday knocking loose rock from the canyon walls and inspecting a large boulder hanging from its side to assure it is stable, said CDOT spokeswoman Mindy Crane. Once that work is finished, the agency will have an idea how long it will take to even partly reopen the road. Complete repairs could take two months.

Craig Daily Press / I-70 closure causes concerns in Steamboat

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/i-70-closure-causes-concerns-steamboat/ Over-the-road trucks rumbled through Steamboat Springs in greater numbers than usual Tuesday afternoon, but civic leaders were looking out a month to the scheduled repaving of Lincoln Avenue/U.S. Highway 40. The major highway that runs through Ski Town USA was designated one of two detours for Interstate 70 this week in the wake of a large rock slide that closed the four-lane highway in Glenwood Canyon. The slide occurred at about midnight Sunday. “People are wondering if the closure will last through April 5,” said Tracy Barnett, of Mainstreet Steamboat Springs.

New warning system used for Glenwood Canyon rockslide | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/new_warning_system_used_for_gl Monday’s closure of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon resulted in the first use of a new system designed to notify the public of emergencies and issue other community alerts. Garfield County sheriff spokesman Phil Strouse said the system goes beyond emergency notification systems that just call home phone numbers. Instead, it can notify any participant via a cell phone call, text message or e-mail. Anyone wanting to participate can go to the Web site of Garfield County Emergency Communication Authority Board, http://www.garco911.org, to sign up. The system can notify people of events such as severe weather, fire, floods, evacuations and unexpected road closures such as that in Glenwood Canyon.

Grants offered for HOA fuels-reduction projects | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309757/1001 Local homeowners' associations have an opportunity for matching grants toward projects to protect their neighborhoods from wildfire through the county's Hazardous Fuels Reduction Grant Program. The competitive grant program emphasizes homeowner action. Fire prevention measures can include removing dead trees and slash as well as other types of projects. “The grant program helps concerned citizens to take action in protecting their neighborhoods as well as Summit County's critical infrastructure and watersheds for their own and future generations,” county Commissioner Bob French said in a press release. Local forests have high risk of wildfire, and many neighborhoods have been developed near them. More than 500 acres of local property have been treated since the program began, according to the press release.

Hospital committee discusses compensation strategies | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/members-95406-committee-memorial.html Members of Memorial Health System’s Board of Trustees discussed organizational compensation strategies Tuesday, but they did it behind closed doors. The board’s Compensation Committee unanimously agreed to go into executive session to discuss a “confidential strategic document” that contains “trade secrets, privileged information and confidential commercial financial data addressing organizational compensation strategies.” It’s the second time in two weeks that a board committee held a closed-door meeting. On Thursday, the board’s Strategic Planning Committee

Vail woos Olympians to teach clinics | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309494/1001 If the Vail Local Marketing District's plans work out, Vail could be the new hub for various health, wellness and fitness attractions that include Olympians teaching summer camps and workshops in Vail. The record revenues from just a couple of years ago are long gone, which is why the Vail Local Marketing District's nine-member Advisory Council has stepped up its efforts in the last year to bring more people to Vail to fill the beds in local hotel rooms during slower, non-winter months. The Marketing District's advisory council met with the Vail Economic Advisory Council Tuesday morning to reveal some of the strategies for bringing more people to town in the offseasons. What emerged from the meeting is the district's goal of making Vail a top spot for health, wellness and fitness.

Lafayette judge: Case against Spork can move forward - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642709 A Lafayette municipal judge will allow a vicious animal case against a 10-year-old miniature Dachshund who bit a veterinary technician to go forward. In a ruling issued late Tuesday, Judge Roger Buchholz rejected a request from the dog owners' attorney that the case be dismissed because the state's vicious animal law does not apply to dogs that bite animal care workers such as veterinarians, vet techs and animal groomers. Buchholz found the state law does not prohibit home rule municipalities, like Lafayette, from having stricter laws than the state law. The only restriction in the state law is that municipalities cannot make breed-specific ordinances. Buchholz also noted that many other municipalities have laws like Lafayette's. However, he said excluding animal care workers from the vicious dog ordinance was a reasonable provision that the Lafayette City Council may want to consider.

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643214 The median price for a single-family home in metro Denver rose nearly 15 percent in February compared with the same month a year ago, but the number of homes sold declined. The median price for a single-family home rose to $220,750 last month, compared with $192,000 a year ago, according to Metrolist data released Tuesday. The median price for a condo increased 12.5 percent to $132,500, compared with $117,725 last year. There were 2,436 homes sold in February, down 1.9 percent from 2,484 last year. "First-time homebuyers are out in force," independent real-estate analyst Gary Bauer said. "We've also seen investors come out this month. In the lower-priced markets, we have both investors and first-time homebuyers out there bidding on the same properties."

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Solorado affordable-housing units start selling | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309768/1001 All Solorado affordable housing units in Silverthorne are under contract, said Joanna Hopkins, the development manager with Maryland Creek Ranch. The complex is located behind Office Max in the Ptarmigan Trail Estates subdivision bordering Silverthorne and Dillon. Three units have already closed and are occupied, Hopkins said. She expects the five remaining units to close by the end of April. The homes are going for $250,000.

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/us/politics/10lawyers.html?ref=politics A conservative advocacy organization in Washington, Keep America Safe, kicked up a storm last week when it released a video that questioned the loyalty of Justice Department lawyers who worked in the past on behalf of detained terrorism suspects. But beyond the expected liberal outrage, the tactics of the group, which is run by Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president, have also split the tightly knit world of conservative legal scholars. Many conservatives, including members of the Federalist Society, the quarter-century-old policy group devoted to conservative and libertarian legal ideals, have vehemently criticized Ms. Cheney’s video, and say it violates the American legal principle that even unpopular defendants deserve a lawyer. “There’s something truly bizarre about this,” said Richard A. Epstein, a University of Chicago law professor and a revered figure among many members of the society. “Liz Cheney is a former student of mine — I don’t know what moves her on this thing,” he said.

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903858.html As Republicans work to prevent a health-care bill from reaching President Obama, they are scrambling to exploit divisions between Democrats in the House and the Senate. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned House Democrats that they would be taking a colossal risk if they approved the Senate's version of health-care legislation before the Senate had acted to remove some of the bill's most contentious provisions. Now that Democrats have lost their supermajority in the Senate, some variation of this delicate two-step process is the only way a health-care reform bill can become law. "House Democrats will have to decide whether they want to trust the Senate to fix their political problems," McConnell said. He listed perks that Senate Democrats won for Nebraska, Louisiana, Florida and labor unions; House members insist that all must be removed through a separate "fixes" bill under special budget reconciliation rules. "They will be voting, when they pass the Senate bill, to endorse the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator-aid, the closed-door deal, the special deal for the unions, which may or may not bother any Democrats, I don't know," McConnell said.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903469.html Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks. Democrats are pushing for a new rule that would most likely forbid earmarked expenditures to private, for-profit contractors for at least one year. Such businesses reap billions annually in federal grants directed their way by individual lawmakers, particularly from the Pentagon's budget. House leaders emerged from a meeting Tuesday in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ready to push earmark reform as one way to rebut charges that they have been soft on ethics issues. A string of recent scandals -- including the admonition of Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) for accepting corporate-financed trips and the resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) amid allegations of sexual harassment -- have drowned out any political goodwill from actions Democrats took three years ago upon claiming the majority, including more disclosure of lobbyist activity and banning gifts from lobbyists.

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90110/study-says-cash-for-clunkers-impact.html Search online for "Cash for Clunkers," and here's one thing you'll find: stories about its negligible overall impact on the economy. Wrong, says Maritz Automotive Research Group. The Toledo, Ohio, independent automotive research company recently surveyed participants in last summer’s federal program designed to stimulate new-car sales and get gas-guzzlers off the road. On Tuesday, the company shared its results. One key finding: 90 percent of those participating in Cash for Clunkers said they would not otherwise have bought a new car. According to federal government data, 677,000 purchases were made through Cash for Clunkers from late July through August. Maritz’s research showed that 542,000 were incremental new car or truck sales, meaning those purchases would not have occurred without the incentives. Previous estimates by industry analysts put the incremental sales figure between 125,000 and 346,000. The government’s Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, offered vouchers of $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of older, gas-guzzling vehicles who traded them in for new, fuel-efficient models. The program, which was expected to last several months, was so popular that it ran out of its $3 billion in funding in two months.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Dispute over candidate disqualifications could mar Iraqi vote’s legitimacy - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902602.html The candidates were barred on election eve by a commission -- run by onetime U.S. ally Ahmed Chalabi and other Shiite politicians -- that was empowered to screen government officials for loyalty to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Most of the 55 candidates who were disqualified belong to the Iraqiya list of former prime minister Ayad Allawi, which appears to have done well in secular and Sunni communities. If the votes for the newly barred candidates are annulled, it could give the Iraqiya coalition powerful ammunition to allege vote-rigging by rival politicians, including some in the Shiite-led camp of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "It will be a very violent reaction," Allawi said in an interview Tuesday. "A lot of violence will take place, and God knows how this will end. I will tell you there is already an existing feeling that there was widespread rigging and widespread intimidation." The spat has alarmed U.S. and United Nations officials, who fear it will make it harder for defeated candidates to accept the outcome. Officials said, however, that it was too soon to know whether the controversy would seriously disrupt the formation of a new government.

After Delay, Partial Iraq Vote Results Expected Thursday - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?ref=world Iraq’s electoral commission is expected to announce partial results of parliamentary elections by Thursday, a United Nations official said, offering an incomplete picture of the vote that will nevertheless provide the broad outlines of the country’s political landscape. The results were initially expected Wednesday evening, but Ad Melkert, the United Nations special representative in Iraq, said he hoped the results would be released by Thursday. Iraqi officials did not immediately confirm the delay. “We hope that as soon as possible preliminary results can be made public because Iraqis have the right to know as soon as possible the outcome of their choice of election day,” Mr. Melkert told a news conference on Wednesday.

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Upset by U.S. Security, Pakistanis Return as Heroes - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/asia/10pstan.html?ref=world A tour of the United States arranged by the State Department to improve ties to Pakistani legislators ended in a public relations fiasco when the members of the group refused to submit to extra airport screening in Washington, and they are now being hailed as heroes on their return home. “People should be thankful, you made them so proud,” said Hamid Mir, the host of a popular national talk show, during an interview in his studio on Tuesday with four of the six politicians, who railed against the security precautions at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Meetings with the Obama administration’s top policy makers on Pakistan, including the president’s special representative, Richard C. Holbrooke, and visits to the Pentagon and the National Security Council, did not allay the anger the politicians said they felt at being asked to submit to a secondary screening on Sunday before boarding a flight to New Orleans. They declined to be screened and did not board the flight. Pakistan is one of 14 mostly Muslim countries whose citizens must go through increased checks before they fly into the United States, a procedure mandated by the Obama administration in the wake of the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up an airliner flying from the Netherlands to Detroit on Dec. 25.

Secretary Gates visits Afghan town recently seized from Taliban - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-gates10-2010mar10,0,5047508.story U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts. As in Marja, the United States is helping to install a rudimentary local government in Now Zad, and U.S. forces are trying to train Afghan security forces to shoulder the load.

U.S. changing focus of Iran policy - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-obama-iran10-2010mar10,0,2722682.story After keeping a careful distance for the last year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Iranian opposition movement has staying power and has embraced it as a central element in the U.S.-led campaign to pressure the country's clerical government. Administration officials and some allied governments believe that a combination of domestic unrest and international sanctions targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard offers the best hope for forcing Tehran to yield on its nuclear program, and could even lead to a change in the government. The administration has made the shift at a time when it is facing sharp domestic criticism over President Obama's failed initiative to launch negotiations with Iran and its perceived unwillingness to strongly back the opposition movement. Meanwhile, the protests sparked by June's disputed presidential election in Iran grew despite a tough crackdown.

Iran blocking foreign, domestic Web sites to curb anti-government activists - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903478.html The bearded blogger stood before an effigy of an Islamic warrior towering over the letters "WWW." "You are the young officers in this war. The United States and their domestic allies have started this fight and you have countered them," he told the recent gathering of pro-government bloggers, part of the cyber-war being fought by Iranian authorities engaged in an unprecedented effort to block anti-government forces from using the World Wide Web and social networks to communicate and organize. Ever since the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June elections led to wide-scale protests, Iran's leaders have been cracking down on the tech-savvy opposition movement with the Revolutionary Guard and police blocking millions of foreign and domestic Web sites, including some Google services, CNN and the BBC.

Israel rebuffs Biden’s peace bid with new settlement homes | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90090/israel-rebuffs-biden-by-announcing.html Hours after the arrival Tuesday of Vice President Joe Biden to help launch indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel announced the construction of 1,600 homes in a settlement block in mostly Arab East Jerusalem, an open rebuff that led Biden to issue a sharply worded condemnation. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel." The announcement by the Israeli Interior Ministry came during Biden's first day in the region, the highest profile visit by an Obama administration official. It appeared to catch the administration off guard.

Biden’s Israel visit takes a rocky turn - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-biden-israel10-2010mar10,0,123115.story In the midst of a high-profile trip by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said, calling it "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now." "We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them," Biden said.

Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000683.html Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again." On Tuesday evening, while having dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his official residence, Biden issued a statement condemning the housing decision, saying the timing of the announcement was "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust" needed to enter constructive negotiations. "We definitely appreciate the strong statement of condemnation by the administration vis-a-vis this action which definitely undermines confidence in the prospects of the political process," Fayyad said.

Food Aid Bypasses Somalia’s Needy, U.N. Study Finds - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/africa/10somalia.html?ref=world As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report. The report, which has not yet been made public but was shown to The New York Times by diplomats, outlines a host of problems so grave that it recommends that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon open an independent investigation into the World Food Program’s Somalia operations. It suggests that the program rebuild the food distribution system — which serves at least 2.5 million people and whose aid was worth about $485 million in 2009 — from scratch to break what it describes as a corrupt cartel of Somali distributors. In addition to the diversion of food aid, regional Somali authorities are collaborating with pirates who hijack ships along the lawless coast, the report says, and Somali government ministers have auctioned off diplomatic visas for trips to Europe to the highest bidders, some of whom may have been pirates or insurgents.

Bank of America will drop overdraft fees for debit cards | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90103/bank-of-america-will-drop-overdraft.html Bank of America is dropping one of the banking industry's most-criticized fees. No longer will customers be charged an overdraft fee when they use their debit card and don't have enough money in their accounts. Instead, the transaction will be denied, unless the customer has signed up for an overdraft protection service that links their card to a savings account or credit card. The Charlotte bank is going a step farther than a new federal regulation that kicks in July 1. Under those rules, banks can't charge overdraft fees on debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals unless customers provide their consent. The bank's move comes as Congress and regulators look more closely at banking industry fees. The change will affect the customers at the nation's largest consumer bank and will probably prompt other banks to weigh their own policies.

College Inc. - GW students: Our profs are liberals

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/03/gw_students_our_profs_are_libe.html A conservative students group at George Washington University researched the political leanings of the faculty and found evidence of "substantial liberal bias." The university chapter of Young America's Foundation found that 92 percent ($221,490) of political donations by GW faculty in the 2008 primary election cycle went to Democratic candidates, while 8 percent ($20,500) went to Republicans. In the presidential election, the ratio was nearly the same, 91 percent to 9 percent. The numbers reflect a well-documented liberal bias in the academy as a whole, the group said in a release. It cites data from the 2004 presidential election showing that faculty donations favored Democrats to Republicans by a ratio of 150 to 3 at Yale, 114 to 1 at Princeton and 406 to 13 at Harvard. Travis Korson, president of the chapter, cited national trends toward the rejection of Western civilization, Euro-centricism and classical liberal arts in favor of "new academic disciplines such as 'Queer Studies' and 'Africana Studies' . . . I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," he said.

UN pays tribute to 101 staff killed in Haiti - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-0310-un-haiti-20100310,0,1165717.story An emotional Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Tuesday to "the 101 heroes" working for the United Nations who were killed in the Haiti earthquake, the single greatest loss for the world body in its 64-year history. Hundreds of U.N. staff joined relatives of those who died at the ceremony, listening as Ban pledged: "We will never forget you. We will carry on your work." Cries from a young child in the audience who lost a loved one in the Jan. 12 quake punctuated the memorial tribute. The ceremony began with a video of the victims' pictures interspersed with footage of the devastating earthquake that left over 230,000 dead and more than 1 million homeless, and of Ban's visit five days later. It also depicted the solemn military farewell to Haiti mission chief Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, who died when the U.N. headquarters collapsed.

Eric J. Massa Says He Tickled House Staff Member - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10massa.html?ref=politics Former Representative Eric J. Massa of New York, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, vehemently denied any wrongdoing during a television appearance on Tuesday, even as he described having tickle fights with staff members in a house they shared. But he insisted that that was as far as it went. “No, no, no!” he said when asked during an interview with Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel. “I did nothing sexual.” Mr. Massa made the comments as new reports surfaced that the House ethics committee was investigating allegations, reported in The Washington Post on Tuesday, that he groped several male aides in his office. The paper said that the behavior dated back a year. It did not say how many staff members were involved. That is at odds with an account provided by Mr. Massa, who on Monday described an inappropriate exchange he had with an aide during another staff member’s wedding in January. He said he grabbed the aide while the two were seated at a table, joked about having sexual relations with him and mussed his hair before getting up and leaving.

Ex-Congressman Massa says groping wasn’t sexual - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-massa-resigns10-2010mar10,0,5707509.story A day after resigning his seat in the face of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Eric Massa took to the airwaves Tuesday to deny that he had touched a male aide in a sexual manner. Massa (D-N.Y.) has been the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of his staff. He resigned his seat late Monday and went on Fox News' "The Glenn Beck Program" on Tuesday to defend himself and deny new allegations that he had sexually groped a staff member. "I did nothing sexual," Massa said in a rambling interview. "I did things that were wrong." But Massa, 50, also said, "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday and it was kill the old guy."

Lejeune water probe: Did Marine Corps hide benzene data? | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90094/congressional-probers-seek-data.html Congressional investigators late Tuesday requested detailed documents from Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a private contractor that was involved in the testing and cleanup of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, N.C., over the past two decades. More letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and a second private contractor are expected this week. Among investigators' questions: why a federal agency charged with understanding the health impacts of the contamination didn't realize until recently that benzene — a fuel solvent known to cause cancer in humans — was among the substances found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune. For years, the Marines apparently didn't provide documents about the benzene to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which has worked for nearly two decades to understand the contamination and its health impacts, said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., the chairman of the oversight panel on the House Science and Technology Committee.

Ex-Christian Coalition head won’t run for Congress - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001487.html Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta, but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The boyish-looking 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He said in a letter to supporters Wednesday that he made the decision not to run for Congress after much thought and prayer.

Aid agencies fight one another to help Haiti quake victims | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90118/aid-agencies-fight-one-another.html At an encampment on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, physicians from three international aid agencies provide identical services. On a charter flight to Miami, competing doctors get into a shouting match before takeoff. And at a search-and-rescue operation, one international team claiming ownership of the effort asks another to leave -- although the departing group has the equipment to do the job. Haiti has long been fertile ground for international aid agencies that want a shot at helping the impoverished nation pull out of misery. But the politics of aid has become even sharper following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that left more than 200,000 dead and toppled hundreds of thousands of buildings. The behind-the-scenes jockeying -- even as hundreds of thousands remain without adequate shelter -- is likely to intensify as President René Préval pleads for more aid from Washington this week and the international community prepares to meet in New York later this month to discuss Haiti's reconstruction plans.

G.O.P. Looks at Steve Levy in Race for New York Governor - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10levy.html?ref=politics The Republican nomination for governor, which had for months seemed all but locked up by former United States Representative Rick A. Lazio, became a more unsettled contest on Tuesday when top New York Republicans met with the Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, as a potential challenger to Mr. Lazio. Revealing an unease over Mr. Lazio’s campaign, the state Republican Party chairman, Ed Cox, and the party’s nine regional leaders summoned Mr. Levy, a registered Democrat who has run on Republican and Conservative lines in the past, to Albany to make his case for the Republican nomination, according to people who attended the meeting. “They need some time to mull it over and digest it,” Mr. Levy said in an interview after the meeting. Asked whether he, as a Democrat, could be the Republican nominee for governor, he said: “It’s a possibility, and it’s really their call. I can only present what I have to offer and what I have accomplished. And then it’s out of my hands.”

Tim Rutten - No reason for Obama to backtrack - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rutten10-2010mar10,0,1918954.column At some point in the next week, President Obama is expected to announce whether he's decided to backtrack on his decision to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-admitted mastermind of the 9/11 atrocities, and four of his alleged co-conspirators in federal criminal court. According to reports first published in the Washington Post, Obama is being urged by key advisors to return to the Bush administration's plan to try the alleged Al Qaeda terrorists before special military tribunals. If the president, who campaigned on a promise to restore the rule of law in the treatment of the jihadis, reverses course, it will be not only a lamentable triumph of politics over principle but an affront to common sense and some of our most valuable historical precedents. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. put the matter squarely when he announced the administration's initial decision to shift the 9/11 trials to a federal criminal courtroom in Manhattan, as part of the plan to close the last remnant of the Bush/Cheney gulag at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay. "We need not cower in the face of this enemy," Holder said at the time. "Our institutions are strong, our infrastructure is sturdy, our resolve is firm and our people are ready."

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Editorial - Laws, Lies and the Abortion Debate - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion It has been three years since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority abruptly departed from precedent to uphold a federal ban on a particular method of abortion. Emboldened, foes of reproductive freedom are pressing new attacks on women’s rights and health. In Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, has signed a bill that would criminalize certain behavior by women that results in miscarriage. It was prompted by a sad and strange case last year in which a teenager who was seven months pregnant sought to induce a miscarriage by hiring a man to beat her. The measure exempts lawful abortions, and particularly worrisome language about “reckless” acts has been removed. But the law still raises concern about zealous prosecutors using a woman’s difficult choices to open an investigation. In Oklahoma, the Center for Reproductive Rights succeeded last week in blocking a burdensome measure designed to discourage abortions by requiring preprocedure sonograms and exempting physicians from liability for failing to disclose fetal abnormalities. But the ruling turned on a technical flaw in the law, and its supporters are expected to try again.

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Dana Milbank - Massa flirts with the right, but Beck isn’t tickled - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903517.html Just seven minutes into Glenn Beck's hour-long interview of Eric Massa on Tuesday evening, things had already gone very wrong. Conservatives had hopes that the now-former Democratic congressman from Upstate New York, who resigned abruptly under an ethics cloud, would deliver the goods about corruption and strong-arm tactics in the Obama White House and Congress. But instead, Massa served up an icky new confession. "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer," he volunteered. "Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and then four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday." Beck looked aghast. "Was your wife at that one?" the Fox News Channel host asked. "No, this was in a townhouse; we all lived together, all the bachelors and me," Massa explained. "My chief of staff had a conniption and said, 'You can't live there, that's not congressional.' "

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Editorial - Saving the Post Office - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed1.html?ref=opinion Many Americans rely on six-days-a-week mail delivery and expect to have a post office just around the corner. But if the United States Postal Service is going to survive the transition to the Internet age — without requiring billions of dollars of federal subsidies — Congress must allow it to cut some services, close some offices and make other sensible changes.

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Congress is running out of time to save the Postal Service - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903337.html ON THE INTERNET, friends can communicate across continents via live video hook-ups for free. Companies can exchange 100-page documents in nanoseconds. Meanwhile, at the U.S. Postal Service, 600,000 employees spend their days stamping and sorting large pieces of paper and carrying them by plane, train and truck to every home and office from Guam to Georgetown -- as federal law requires. This quaint business model was bound to be stressed by recession, and it has been. Mail volume fell from an all-time high of 213 billion pieces in 2006 to 177 billion in 2009, with more declines to come. The Postal Service is on course to lose more than $7 billion this year, despite substantial recent cost-cutting, and it could lose more than $238 billion by 2020. Approaching the limits of its federal credit line, the USPS must change drastically or go bust.

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The gay anti-gay legislator - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-ashburn10-2010mar10,0,4070153.story The self-outing of state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who confessed that he is gay on a right-wing talk-radio program Monday, was undoubtedly agonizing -- not only for Ashburn but for his family (the divorced senator has four daughters). But although we sympathize with Ashburn and hope he can turn his life in a more positive direction following this revelation, there's really no excusing his political hypocrisy. Ashburn, a Republican from conservative Bakersfield, has a deeply anti-gay voting record. He has opposed nearly every bill on gay rights that has appeared during his 14 years in the Legislature, including measures to allow same-sex marriage, recognize out-of-state gay marriages or designate a day in May to honor gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk. Ashburn was arrested on charges of driving under the influence last week. Soon afterward, a Sacramento TV station reported that he had been at a gay club before his arrest. That led to accusations from gay-rights groups that the senator wasn't just living a lie, he was a hypocrite for opposing homosexual equality. Ashburn responded to that during his on-air confession on radio station KERN-AM (1180): "My votes reflect the wishes of the people in my district."

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Editorial - An Advocate for Equal Justice - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed3.html?ref=opinion Providing poor defendants effective appointed counsel is more than a constitutional obligation. It is a concrete measure of the nation’s commitment to equal justice under law. Yet indigent defense offices across the nation have been allowed to sink into crisis. They have fallen victim to insufficient financing, overwhelming caseloads and a slew of policies that hamper effective representation. The civil legal aid system is no less challenged. Short on resources, local offices supported by the Legal Services Corporation, the federal agency that provides legal assistance for low-income Americans in civil cases, must turn away about half the eligible individuals who contact them for help with life-altering issues such as child custody or saving their homes from foreclosure. One rare piece of good news is that Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. has made it his mission to try to narrow this gap in the administration of justice. To lead his campaign, he has hired Laurence Tribe, the prominent Harvard Law School professor and constitutional scholar.

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Antitrust bill to stand alone | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100320/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Antitrust-bill-to-stand-alone Rep. Betsy Markey's bill to end the antitrust exemption for health insurers will be handled by the Senate as a standalone bill and not be wrapped into a broader health-care reform package now being finalized, a senior House aide said Tuesday. "It cannot be included in reconciliation because it is not a budgetary issue. It's a very significant provision and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 406-19, so we hope the Senate will take it up," said the aide, who spoke to the Coloradoan on condition of anonymity. Democratic leaders plan to have the House vote in the next couple weeks on the version of the health-care reform bill passed by the Senate in December, which did not include the antitrust repeal. The House and Senate would then use the budget reconciliation process to make a number of changes to the Senate bill requested by the House, but those changes won't include the antitrust exemption. Markey, who voted against the House reform bill in November because she said it didn't do enough to control health-care costs, hasn't said how she'll vote on the Senate version of the bill if it comes to the House as planned.

FOX31 Exclusive: Jane Norton defends record on spending - KDVR

http://www.kdvr.com/news/politics/kdvr-norton-spending-030910,0,2175513.story There is no issue that riles up today's conservative base like the issue of government spending, perceived to be out of control after last year's $787 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and on the verge of a health care reform bill that, if passed, could cost close to $1 trillion over the next decade. In such a context, it's no surprise that Republican candidates are talking, on the eve of this fall's midterm elections, about how Democrats have overspent and how they will, if elected, rein in such expenditures. It's also no surprise that Jane Norton, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Colorado, is already airing television commercials to that effect. And given that Norton may be the front-runner in the race, out in front of both Democratic contenders and the two Republicans challenging her for the party's nomination, it's no surprise that her record on spending is coming under heavy scrutiny -- and heavy fire -- from both sides.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48757/colorado-democratic-party-suggests-questions-for-norton Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether. Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.

“I’m Steve Barton.” “I’m Steve Barton.” | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/im-steve-barton-im-steve-barton/ Senate candidate Ken Buck sounded like a contestant on To Tell the Truth Tuesday night at a candidate forum sponsored by several conservative organizations. “I’m Steve Barton,” Buck said, “and I’m running for the United States Senate.” The huge crowd roared with laughter. Throughout the night, when it was Barton’s turn to respond to a question, the patent attorney usually started with, “I’m Steve Barton and I’m running for the United States Senate.” People started looking at each other because all the candidates had been introduced, given their opening statements and often were called on by name when it was their turn to answer a question. People knew he was Steve Barton.

I am (lone) woman, hear me roar | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/i-am-lone-woman-hear-me-roar/ When Senate candidate Jane Norton was asked Tuesday night what was the “biggest difference” between herself and contender Ken Buck, there were plenty of laughs. “I think that’s petty obvious,” she said. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is one of five candidates running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and the only woman in the race in either the Republican or Democratic Party.

Wiens has Wienersmobile envy | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/wiens-has-wienersmobile-envy/ U.S. Senate candidate Tom Wiens is here but, alas, he didn’t arrive by the Wienersmobile. He wishes he did. “I really want to get that vehicle,” he said, with a laugh. “We’re on the road nonstop, practically.” Wiens did arrive by campaign RV, a vehicle that inspired an unnamed politico with a flair for Photoshop and a sense of humor to doctor Oscar Meyer’s Weinermobile into the Wiensersmobile.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

Bennet staff to hold meeting in Greeley | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309677/1051 Staff for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., will come to Greeley on Thursday to hear from constituents and offer help for those dealing with a federal agency. Bennet's North Central Regional Representative James Thompson will be available form 5-6 p.m. at Margie's Java Joint, 916 16th St., from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, according to a Bennet release. No appointment is necessary, but to schedule one in advance, call (970) 224-2200.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Amazon.com debate heats up at Colorado Capitol - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644084 Republicans immediately blamed the Democratic-controlled legislature for passing a bill that attempts to collect the state's 2.9 percent sales tax on online sales through e-retailers such as Amazon and Overstock.com. "The Democrats' bill and their anti-Amazon rhetoric doesn't harm Amazon," said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. "It hurts the thousands of Colorado affiliates" who made money from online sales. Democrats, though, said Amazon's action was purely a public-relations tactic, punishing affiliates even though the final version of the bill removed the in-state marketers as means of collecting the sales tax. "They (Amazon) absolutely killed the affiliates just to show that they can," said Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver. Meanwhile, one liberal group called for a boycott of Amazon until the retailer renews its relationships with affiliates. Amazon "chose to make an example of our state and unfairly punish their own business associates for political gain," the group ProgressNow Colorado said in a release.

First shots fired in Colorado payday loan war | Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48681/first-shots-fired-in-colorado-payday-loan-war Perhaps no issue will underline the divide separating state Democrats and Republicans this legislative session as well as the war to rein in the payday loan industry. That war saw its first real skirmishes Monday at the capitol when roughly 150 payday-loan business owners and employees rallied outside the building in advance of a hearing on a bill that seeks to cap payday interest rates and limit the infamous cycle of personal payday-loan debt the industry depends upon to generate millions in profits. Payday supporters, including some state lawmakers, railed against the proposed regulation as an infringement on personal liberty and as job-killing government intervention. Supporters of the regulation say the time has come at last to end clearly predatory loan practices that target the state’s vulnerable populations. Republican lawmakers sympathized outside at the rally and inside the committee room with the lenders, who they portrayed as victims of big government. Democratic lawmakers sympathized with the thousands of payday loan borrowers gouged by excessive rates and fees that surpass consumer-protecting limits that apply to the larger lending industry.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

Telluride Daily Planet - Gov’t supports uranium accountability bill

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704e117eac935222270.txt As President Obama calls for more nuclear power, Colorado contemplates putting two uranium mills into operation. One would be new and located in Paradox Valley west of Telluride. The other is an old mill near Cañon City, near Colorado Springs, that may be reopened. A new piece of legislation seeks to tighten up the application process and ensure that old mills are cleaned up before new ones are opened, and the Telluride Town Council came out in support of it yesterday. The Uranium Processing Accountability Act would apply most directly to the Cotter-owned mill near Cañon City, which first opened in 1958. It is still in the process of cleaning up contamination. The company applied to reopen the mill in 2001. If this bill passes, the Cotter Corp. couldn’t re-open the mill until all the clean-up has been completed. Cotter is a subsidiary of General Atomics, a nuclear company and defense contractor that builds the Predator drones used in Afghanistan. It is owned largely by Neal Blue, who owns land on the north side of Telluride’s valley floor, and used to own the 570 acres known as the Valley Floor, which Telluride condemned in 2007.

Durango Herald News, Senate tries to cap tax credits

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Senate_tries_to_cap_tax_credits/ Farmers and ranchers who are thinking about a conservation easement on their land might want to think fast. The Legislature got moving again Tuesday on an almost-forgotten 10th bill in its tax package. Nine other Democratic tax bills on items ranging from soda to Internet sales were signed into law two weeks ago. But two more - on conservation easements and enterprise zones - got waylaid. The enterprise zone bill is still on hold, but the conservation easement bill, House Bill 1197, regained its footing Tuesday, passing the Senate Finance Committee 4-3. The bill limits the state's conservation easement program to $26 million each of the next three years. That's $37 million less than state officials had expected to pay out in tax credits next year. If HB 1197 passes, tax credits would be dished out on a first-come, first-served basis, said the sponsor, Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Colorado may ban promotions by elected officials | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309502/1001 A Colorado senator says the state's top elected officials are wasting thousands of dollars on official brochures and ads promoting themselves and he wants to stop it. Sen. Bill Cadman, a Republican from Colorado Springs, says the state will be forced to throw out thousands of brochures featuring photos and testimonials from Gov. Bill Ritter when he leaves office in 10 months, and it's unnecessary. His bill banning the practice by the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general will be heard Wednesday by the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Professionals’ licensure measure passes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a5406825153546013.txt The Senate on Tuesday granted final approval to a bill that makes it easier for professionals in certain regulated fields to practice their occupations in Colorado after moving from another state. State Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, sponsored HB1175 in the Senate. Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Colorado Springs, was the House sponsor. Tapia said it's aimed to help military families transition to the state. The bill calls for streamlined processes for licensing chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, nursing home administrators and physical therapists in Colorado when they move from other states. "It was really a military-driven bill," Tapia said. "It's for people coming to Fort Carson and their spouses. For years people have been assigned there, and their spouses had to work six months or a year toward a certificate or a license. In some cases, these are people who've been competent professionals for 20 years before they came to Colorado."

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Dyer bows out in Arapahoe County, primary battle ahead | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/dyer-bows-out-in-arapahoe-county-primary-battle-ahead/ An Arapahoe County commissioner race just got a whole lot more interesting. Republican Jim Dyer announced over the weekend he would not seek re-election, and he wasted no time in time in blistering one of the candidates trying to succeed him. Former state Rep. Lauri Clapp and Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe are running for the GOP nomination for Dyer’s seat. Dyer said he is backing Sharpe, saying Clapp would be a “disaster” and he fears if she wins the nomination, Democrats will take the seat in November.

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641496 A Highlands Ranch man busted by federal agents after growing medical marijuana in his home is expected to plead guilty to a drug charge, 9Wants to Know has learned. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the home where Chris Bartkowicz, 36, lived near C-470 and University Boulevard last month. Agents say they discovered 224 marijuana plants in various stages of development. Bartkowicz pleaded not guilty on March 5 to a federal charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. That same day, Bartkowicz's attorney filed a notice of disposition telling a judge that the prosecution and defense have reached an agreement in the case and a change of plea proceeding is needed. "The prosecution and defense are waiting for a judge to set a change of plea hearing date, where (Bartkowicz) will be given an opportunity to plead guilty," U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner told 9Wants to Know.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Two lawmakers cast unintended votes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737b18a413318960897.txt Two state representatives who intended to vote against a bill on Tuesday accidentally voted for it, affecting the outcome in the House. By a margin of 33-29, the House passed HB1009. Two representatives were excused, but Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, were not. Both intended to vote against a bill that seeks to add a physician representative and an injured-worker representative to the board's existing nine-member board of Pinnacol Assurance, the state-run workers' compensation insurer of last resort. The pair was preoccupied by a conversation over legislative matters when it came time to vote. Scanlan and Middleton requested a new vote of the House so they could cast their intended vote on the record, but the House voted down the request. Tuesday's vote in the House was the final action before passing along the bill to the Senate.

Telluride Daily Planet - Parties hold quieter caucuses this year

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704c6283ba849365260.txt Last year, when Coloradans got a say in whether the Democrats would nominate their first black candidate or their first woman candidate for president, the caucuses were a very big deal. “It was over 150 people,” said Dick Unruh, chair of the San Miguel County Democrats. Those caucuses, it could be said, were raucouses. This March 16, when the local Democrat and Republican parties hold their caucuses, there won’t be quite as high stakes. These caucuses will be quieter — if not sickly. These caucuses, it could be said, have streptococcuses. But they are the first part of a journey for those seeking county offices. The list of new candidates isn’t long, but it is full of familiar faces.

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642737 State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat, will hold his third town hall meeting of the year on Saturday. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will focus on education issues, in particular how the state budget crisis likely will affect funding for K-12 education. Boulder Valley School District Superintendent Chris King will be a guest speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chatauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, in the Grand Assembly Room.

Riesberg to hold forum on health care on Saturday | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309679/1051 State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Colo., will host a community forum to present an overview of the issues surrounding health care and reform of the health care system in Colorado on Saturday from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., in the meeting room at Sunrise Community Health-Monfort Family Clinic, 2930 11th Ave. in Evans. Guest speakers include: Mitzi Moran, of Sunrise Community Health/Monfort Family Clinic; Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Wayne Maxwell, Executive Director, North Range Behavioral Health; and Mike Bloom, of North Colorado Health Alliance. Brochures and other information about local services will be available, according to a Riesberg press release. Following the presentations, Riesberg will highlight the legislation being discussed in Colorado and moderate a group discussion and idea sharing session so participants can share their concerns and issues, and offer input as to how Colorado can improve access to quality, affordable health care for all citizens.

CU regents could vote on 9 percent tuition hike at special meeting Wednesday - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14641787 The University of Colorado regents are holding a just-announced meeting Wednesday to discuss and possibly vote on a 9 percent tuition increase for students on the Boulder campus. "The intent is to vote on tuition," said Regent Tom Lucero, who would not yet say how he'd vote. In past years, Lucero has voted against tuition increases but has been in the minority. The administration is proposing a 9 percent tuition increase for in-state students, said CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue. For CU's College of Arts and Sciences, which charges $6,153 for in-state tuition this year, a 9 percent increase would translate to an extra $554. "Whether or not they have a vote on tuition remains to be seen," McConnellogue said. Gov. Bill Ritter has given Colorado colleges and universities a 9 percent tuition cap, and McConnellogue said CU has been engaging students in tuition-setting decisions.

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/CSU-considers-fee-hike-to-pay-for-renovations CSU students each face paying an extra $300 annually to build and renovate classrooms, upgrade Morgan Library and erect a $65 million engineering building. Colorado State University administrators are considering doubling the current $10-per-credit-hour facilities fee paid by students to $20 per credit hour, or $300 annually for a full-time resident undergraduate student. Some students worry the increase, along with an expected 9 percent hike in undergraduate resident tuition, will make CSU unaffordable for more families. Other students wonder whether CSU should consider whether increased online learning could take the place of new buildings.

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14644219 The $38 billion in overdraft-protection fees that make up one of the banking industry's fattest cash cows will take a significant hit this summer when federal rules kick in that preclude the practice without prior consumer approval. That means financial institutions — battle weary from last year's economic crisis and new credit-card rules that slashed their ability to make money — are looking for new ways to make up the shortfall. And consumers ultimately will be the ones to take the hit, industry watchdogs say. "Clearly . . . there will be an effort to recoup it . . . and it's to be the customer who pays," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit.com, which tracks the banking industry. One of the first areas to get dinged, Ulzheimer said, will be the long-popular free checking plan, a 1990s concept that proved so popular it morphed into a given.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643411 The 2010 census is gearing up to employ about 8,000 Coloradans, providing a timely boost to an economy that has shed more than 10 times that many jobs in the past year. "We still need people," said Lee Ann Morning, manager of the Denver Local Census Office. "And people want to work for us." Each of the state's eight local offices should employ about 1,000 workers by late April as the count of the state's population moves toward its final push, Morning said. Besides Denver, local census offices are in Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Reasons for working with the census vary, but a pay scale that starts at around $12.75 an hour is one motivation.

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643214 The median price for a single-family home in metro Denver rose nearly 15 percent in February compared with the same month a year ago, but the number of homes sold declined. The median price for a single-family home rose to $220,750 last month, compared with $192,000 a year ago, according to Metrolist data released Tuesday. The median price for a condo increased 12.5 percent to $132,500, compared with $117,725 last year. There were 2,436 homes sold in February, down 1.9 percent from 2,484 last year. "First-time homebuyers are out in force," independent real-estate analyst Gary Bauer said. "We've also seen investors come out this month. In the lower-priced markets, we have both investors and first-time homebuyers out there bidding on the same properties."

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Denver archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children at Boulder preschool - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14640646 The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a "painful situation," but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings. Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that. Previous reports indicated only one child was involved. Neither the parents nor the children have been identified. About two dozen protesters stood outside Sacred Heart of Jesus church on Sunday with signs, one reading "God loves all people."

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

RTD approves new manager’s contract. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644033 The Regional Transportation District board Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for new general manager Phil Washington. The contract contains none of the extra compensation included in predecessor Cal Marsella's contract. Washington's total annual compensation is $306,449. It is about 57 percent of Marsella's package.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Mild winter helps taxpayers

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737379bae2400102342.txt The winter of 2009-10 could still have some nasty surprises in it — after all, March can be a snowy month — but it has been a mild one on taxpayers' wallets thus far, according to snow-removal statistics from Pueblo County and city governments. Earl Wilkinson, the city's new director of public works, said the current winter has only cost $30,000 in terms of sending out crews to sand and clear snowy Pueblo streets. That's compared with a total of $51,658 spent in 2009 and $60,406 spent in 2008. Wilkinson, who was hired last year from Ohio, said the Southern Colorado winters are much easier to deal with than Midwestern blizzards. "One of the first things I noticed is that even when it snows, the weather usually warms up and the snow melts in a few days," Wilkinson said. "That's not the case back where I come from. When it snows in Ohio, the snow sticks around for a long time. We can go most of February and never see the sun."

Those Aching Backs! - The County Seat : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://thecountyseat.freedomblogging.com/2010/03/09/those-aching-backs/733/ The city of Colorado Springs may have turned off street lights, yanked the garbage cans out of parks and laid off hundreds of workers. But the folks over at Colorado Springs Utilities, the electric-gas-water-waste water monopoly owned by the city, are considering spending nearly $1.1 million to remodel a building that houses energy traders and $240,000 for ergonomic furniture. (Included in the remodeling costs is $150,000 for a new sanitary sewer line and $150,000 for a new roof.) An employee who was outraged by the proposed expenditures tipped us off to the project. But it took a Colorado Open Records Act request to get a more complete picture of what’s planned.

Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309769/1001 Aspen is showing some signs of economic recovery but clearly the resort is not out of woods, based on recent sales tax and occupancy report data. Taxable sales for January show that Aspen was up 4 percent over the previous year during the same month. Consumption-based sales tax revenue for the city in January 2009 was down 21 percent over the year before. “It's not a huge improvement,” said Aspen Finance Director Don Taylor. “Nobody expects to make it all back ... it's going to take a while.” In the city's sales tax report released last week, a new industrial category of automobiles was broken out from the “general retail” category because there was such a significant jump from the year prior — a 386 percent increase, or more than $1.4 million in taxable revenue.

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309479/1001 Avon officials say they must cut the town's 2010 budget to close a roughly $1.1 million shortfall in revenue. Town officials blame the gap on outstanding payments they claim Traer Creek Metropolitan District owes the town for municipal services and sales tax shortfalls. Town staff provided recommendations on the supplemental 2010 budget to town council Tuesday night. Proposed changes include freezing and eliminating positions, continuing the full-time furlough program though the end of the year and reducing the overtime hours in several departments. Layoffs in two departments already occurred in February. Departments found areas to reduce operating supplies, contract services, and other operating costs. Some of the major cutbacks included elimination of the live band for the Salute to the USA, deferral of ditch maintenance, delay of the Upper Buck Creek bridge overlay, reduction of street striping, the deferral of software upgrades and training and cutbacks in advertising costs.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Boulder Valley school board can’t promise to save fifth-grade music program - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14644027 Some Boulder Valley school board members Tuesday night tried to allay public worries that portions of the district's fifth-grade music program will be reduced or eliminated, but other leaders were quick to point out that "everything is on the table" in the face of state budget cuts. The school board has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers and students concerned about proposals to cut or change parts of the school district's fifth-grade music program. "I honestly cannot see a scenario where we would cut this program or seriously reduce this program," said board member Laurie Albright. "So let's move this along and get this resolved." A couple of Albright's colleagues on the board agreed with her, but school board member Helayne Jones and board President Ken Roberge did not.

D-11 revises recommendation on assistant principal cuts | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-95413-principal-assistant.html Fewer assistant principals would be cut under a new recommendation presented to the Colorado Springs School District 11 board at a work session Tuesday. The suggested dollar amount of cuts actually increased by about $10,000, to $874,765. The new recommendation would take more money out of non-instructional supplies and less from personnel. The district had considered cutting nince assistant principals. The administration suggests cutting four assistant principal positions -- two from elementary schools, one from West Middle School and one from Coronado High School. Some of the difference would be made up by consolidating supervision of alternative schools under one principal. That would include Tesla Educational Opportunity Center, the Bijou School, the Digital School at The Citadel mall and adult education programs. Each of the individual programs would have an assistant principal, but the overall savings would be nearly $108,000, said deputy superintendent Mike Poore.

The Longmont Times-Call - NW Rail meeting set for Thursday

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21148 FasTracks’ Northwest Rail Corridor falls within a railroad right of way, so putting passenger trains on Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Corp. tracks would be consistent with local land uses and zoning plans. That is one of the conclusions in a draft environmental evaluation of the Regional Transportation District’s proposal for building improvements and operating commuter trains between Denver and Longmont. The study says converting existing land uses to rail facilities where BNSF right of way is now constrained would occur primarily at the Northwest Rail Corridor’s proposed stations, such as the passenger line’s northern terminus now planned for a Longmont station at First Avenue and Terry Street.

Craig Daily Press / Hayden School Board to hear survey results

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/hayden-school-board-hear-survey-results/ The question is not if cuts will be made next year, but where the money will be taken from as the Hayden School District predicts a 10 percent cut in state funding. To prepare for the cuts at a Hayden School Board meeting next week, the board will meet at 5 p.m. today to discuss the results of a community survey and lay the outline for budget reductions. During the work session, Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel will present the results of a communitywide survey the district conducted about budget priorities. Zabel said 1,200 surveys were sent to registered voters and mailbox holders in the district and that 183 were returned. A similar survey, with additional questions, also was given to 75 staff members, with 53 returned.

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643220 A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has approved the Chapter 11 reorganization plan of Freedom Communications, owner of The Gazette of Colorado Springs and other media properties. Under the plan approved Tuesday, Freedom's secured lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, would assume ownership of the company in return for cutting the debt owed to them by nearly 60 percent.

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Western Tradition attacks 98-year-old corporate campaign spending ban « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48686/western-tradition-attacks-98-year-old-corporate-campaign-spending-ban The conservative Astroturf group that spent thousands to swing the Longmont City Council back to the right last November and keep the Garfield County commissioner board in the oil and gas camp in 2008 has filed a lawsuit in Montana to overturn that state’s 98-year-old ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Western Tradition Partnership, a political committee with its tendrils in controversial issues in both Colorado and Montana, filed a suit Monday in Helena District Court in conjunction with a Bozeman painting company seeking to align Montana’s state laws with January’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate spending in political campaigns, according to the Missoulian newspaper. According to the report, both Western Tradition Partnership and Champion Painting want the law overturned so they can spend corporate funds to campaign in the June and November Montana elections on ballot issues and candidate platforms.

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Craig Daily Press / Broad reactions in wake of Steamboat 700 election

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/broad-reactions-wake-steamboat-700-election/ Steamboat 700 supporters and opponents agreed on one thing Tuesday night: Voters’ rejection of the annexation means it’s time for the city to update its community plan and rethink how to handle growth in coming years.

Craig Daily Press / Steamboat says ‘no’ to 700

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/09/voters-deny-steamboat-700/ City voters denied the Steamboat 700 annexation by a margin of more than 20 percentage points Tuesday, making a strong statement about how and when growth should occur in the community and culminating a resident-led opposition effort that began with a petition drive in the fall. The vote rejects what would have been the city’s most substantial annexation since the Mount Werner ski resort area was folded into city limits decades ago. Steamboat Springs residents cast 2,592 ballots against the annexation and 1,661 ballots in favor, a 61 to 39 percent result for the mail-only vote that began in February. The Steamboat 700 annexation lost in each of the city’s eight precincts. The largest margin came in Precinct 13, which includes much of Old Town. Precinct 13 voted 383 against to 179 for the annexation, or 68 to 32 percent.

Local Democrats hire director, lose chairman | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/chairman-95398-party-director.html The El Paso County Democratic Party is looking for a new chairman. Jason DeGroot resigned the top job last month and party leaders will meet Saturday to pick his successor. That new chairman will need to heal rifts caused by a reorganization that led to the party getting a full-time executive director to oversee fundraising and outreach efforts. “These things happen,” DeGroot said Tuesday. “New people have come into the party with new energy and new ideas; that is going to cause some friction and some pain.” Party activists James Tucker and Rita Ague claimed Tuesday DeGroot and other leaders overstepped their bounds by hiring an executive director while sending the party’s longtime office manager packing because the group could not afford both positions.

Review of Fort Collins infant’s death ‘dropped along the line somewhere’ | coloradoan.com

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100340/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Review-of-Fort-Collins-infant-s-death-dropped-along-the-line-somewhere A state review of the 2008 death of a 20-day-old Fort Collins boy "got dropped along the line somewhere," a Department of Human Services spokeswoman said Tuesday. The infant, Chad Munoz, was under some level of DHS supervision when he died in January 2008 of head injuries. His father, Juan Munoz, was convicted last year of reckless manslaughter and is serving a nine-year prison sentence. State law requires that county and state officials conduct a "child fatality review" whenever a child under state supervision dies. The purpose is to promptly identify and correct any mistakes so they're not repeated. DHS started but never completed the review of Chad Munoz's death, McDonough acknowledged Tuesday.

Jurors hear about Denver tot’s killing - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644037 Earl Ryan's first-degree-murder trial opened Tuesday with defense and prosecuting attorneys portraying Angela Crookham as a woman who played two hostile men against each other in a battle that ended with her 2-year-old son dead. Ryan, who is being tried in Denver District Court, is accused of shooting Crookham's son, Noah, to death as the boy's father carried him out of his mother's home Oct. 12, 2008. Ryan lived in a basement apartment at 1243 Madison St. Angela Crookham lived in the unit upstairs. Chief Deputy District Attorney Michelle Amico told the jury that Tom and Angela Crookham's marriage had unraveled in late 2007.

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643220 A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has approved the Chapter 11 reorganization plan of Freedom Communications, owner of The Gazette of Colorado Springs and other media properties. Under the plan approved Tuesday, Freedom's secured lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, would assume ownership of the company in return for cutting the debt owed to them by nearly 60 percent.

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Hustler asks for crime scene photos of slain Niwot High grad Meredith Emerson - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14637031 Authorities said Monday they will not give Hustler Magazine crime scene and autopsy photos of a former Longmont woman who was slain while hiking, with one Georgia lawmaker calling the porn publication's request "vile" and "disgusting." Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said his agency would reject the magazine's "indecent" request for the photos of Meredith Emerson, whose decapitated body was found in January 2008 in the north Georgia woods. The 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate had been beaten to death. Emerson graduated from Niwot High School before moving to Georgia for college. On Feb. 25, Hustler Magazine reporter Fred Rosen asked for the photos as part of an open records request filed with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, though it was unclear why. A phone call to the magazine's Beverly Hills, California, headquarters was not immediately returned Monday. Rosen also did not immediately return a phone call.

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Craig Daily Press / Olympians to visit troops

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/olympians-visit-troops/ The U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team — winners of seven Olympic medals — will take part in the Armed Forces Entertainment “Olympic Heavy Medal Tour” in early April. The tour will take Olympic medalists Johnny Spillane, Billy Demong, Todd Lodwick and Brett Camerota on a special tour to visit troops at U.S. military bases around the globe. Because of military rules, the exact locations could not be revealed.

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Iwo Jima vets return from trip to island - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644035 In 1945, when Marine Jim Blane stepped into his fourth major battle in the Pacific, he considered himself a veteran. The Battle of Iwo Jima taught him otherwise. "None of the others were easy, but I certainly wasn't expecting what I saw there," he said. "It was brutal." On Tuesday night, the 85-year-old returned to Denver from his first trip to the island battle site since World War II. "A five-day battle they predicted," Blane said, but fighting lasted for 36 days, leaving 6,800 American troops dead and more than 20,000 wounded. Blane was medically evacuated after 13 days, he said.

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Littwin: Amazon’s use of human shields evil - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644174 Here's a new headline: If you don't buy this magazine, tax free, from Amazon.com, we'll kill every puppy in the state. Let me say up front that I've never liked Amazon. I mean, Amazon is the big volume, discount, you-never- have-to-leave-the-house bookseller that has been killing local bookstores — while Kindle, its new electronic book-reader, may kill the actual books too. Puppies may be the least of it. I believe in bookstores. The Tattered Cover is like a second home, if a second home is the place where you get coffee, grab a magazine, scan the stacks for a book or two you desperately need to read, pull up a badly upholstered chair, fire up the computer — I'm not a Luddite, and most bookstores have free Wi-Fi — scan the headlines, go to the Times book review section and then chill. It may not be much of a life, but it is my life. And, like the Arctic ice cap, it's shrinking. If you're like me, you'll be the last polar bear on the last floe. That's progress, I guess, or something. It's inevitable. But it's not what makes Amazon evil.

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Steve Shogan and Sheila Bugdanowitz - Colorado’s race to the top - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_14642101 We have just learned the U.S. Department of Education has chosen Colorado as a finalist in the first round of the national Race to the Top competition. This incentives-based federal grants program is designed to push states to make dramatic improvements in public education. If we eventually win, Colorado stands to receive up to $377 million during a time when the state and school districts are slashing budgets and have little money to pay for the innovation America needs to regain its place as the world's leader in public education. How does our application stack up? We are bullish on the application as well as the inclusive process that produced it. Considering that it has gained the support of 138 out of 175 school districts (accounting for 95 percent of the state's student population), the Colorado Education Association and many local teacher unions, we think Colorado is a strong contender.

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OUR VIEW: An open letter to AG Eric Holder | Opinion - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/opinion/holder-95399-colorado-springs.html The Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado’s second largest daily newspaper, respectfully joins four Colorado politicians who wrote to ask that you rein in your Drug Enforcement Administration officers in Colorado. They’ve acted with disrespect for the voters of Colorado to undermine our state’s constitutional right to buy, sell, produce and consume medical marijuana. Their actions have undermined sincere efforts by state and local politicians to achieve responsible medical marijuana regulation As you know, Colorado voters amended their state constitution in 2000 to allow for medical marijuana. That means law enforcement cannot interfere with the lawful growth, distribution or sale of marijuana intended for medical use. This is common sense. A constitutional amendment to protect the consumption of medical marijuana means nothing if law-abiding citizens cannot grow, distribute and sell the plant for acquisition by qualified patients with recommendations from licensed physicians.

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Bill Grant - Penry clings to past as renewable energy program advances | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/penry_clings_to_past_as_renewa Leading his entire Republican caucus to vote against Governor Bill Ritter’s proposed renewable energy standard expansion, Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry seems at war with himself. In one persona he is a forward-looking conservative visionary who takes the new energy future seriously. But when the opportunity comes to actually move forward, he clings to the past and resists progress. Penry “has been an outspoken supporter of efforts to expand wind, solar, and other renewable energy supplies in Colorado,” the Senate Minority Leader’s Facebook page informs us. Penry repeated that assertion last September. “I think that renewable energy is important, and I’ve supported a number of the governor’s renewable energy policies ... And he’s been right to push wind and solar,” he told the Colorado Statesman.

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Johnson: Colorado flier — and her kin — will celebrate her WWII service - The Denver Pos

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644082 Every Wednesday morning, as she has done for years, Lisa Rediger arrives at her grandmother's Montrose home for breakfast. It is a time for them to catch up, to tell stories. These days, though, Rediger does all of the talking; a stroke five years ago robbed her grandmother of speech. "I am so proud of you, and I love you so much," Rediger told her grandmother over breakfast a week ago, reassuring her that she and the rest of the family would be in Washington, D.C., to cheer for her. "She sat there with her hand over her heart, said 'Oh!' and began crying," Rediger remembered. Peggy McCaffrey, 88, will be among the more than 200 surviving members of the Women Air Force Service Pilots, or WASP, program who today will receive the Congressional Gold Medal for their service as military pilots during World War II.

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NOREEN: Darn, reality intervens again | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/news/cities-95369-warm-fuzzy.html Filled with optimism for the future, secure that the right thing was being done and fired up about the news that there would be plenty of room at the inn for the homeless, City Hall approved the no-camping ordinance in February. We could put a warm and fuzzy blanket around that tough love and, gosh darn it, it felt great that overnight, Colorado Springs had taken bold action to solve the same problem whose solution has eluded other cities across the nation. You know, cities that just weren’t as tough and creative as Colorado Springs. On Feb. 21, Homeward Pikes Peak Director Bob Holmes said, “We have enough beds for the people who want to get off the street.” A $100,000 grant from the El Pomar Foundation provided a stopgap solution, and dozens of homeless people who were camping were put into transitional housing at the Express Inn at I-25 and Cimarron Street. The cash enabled the city to offer a helping hand to those who wanted it, and as some campers took advantage, it looked like the community’s homeless situation was being transformed in one stroke. It was inevitable that reality would intervene.

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Pinnacol deal starting to look better for Colorado - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_14642883 While important issues remain, a new estimate casts an intriguing light on swapping cash for insurer's autonomy.

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Durango Herald News, Iraqi election

http://durangoherald.com/sections/Opinion/Editorial/2010/03/10/Iraqi_election/ It is a pleasure to join other commentators in praising the enthusiasm shown by Iraqis in turning out to vote in elections Sunday that included the prime minister's seat. Votes from the estimated 3,000 polling places will take some time to tally, but turnout countrywide is estimated to be 62 percent. That percentage rivals countries where democracy has been practiced for some time. In Baghdad, where there were some disruptive explosions from low-powered bottle devices, and perhaps a few mortar rounds fired, turnout was about 10 points less at 53 percent. But that is still a strong number. Prime Minister Kamal al-Maliki had a challenger, with neither man expected to have a majority of his party members in the parliament. And National Public Radio reported that a third party candidate, a healthy sign that Iraqis are challenging the status quo, succeeded in putting several of his party members into the parliament.

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The Pueblo Chieftain :: Chemical Depot

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/editorial/doc4b97214feaa5f436718782.txt IT'S ONE thing for the Army to consider blowing up 500 chemical-weapon shells known to be leaking at the Pueblo Chemical Depot. It's quite another for the Department of Defense now to say as many as 125,000 such weapons could be exploded over two years. The Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Committee is right to question this latest Pentagon report. According to Irene Kornelly, who chairs the commission, Pentagon officials have said the State Department is concerned that the United States will not look serious about treaty obligations if it stops chemical-weapons destruction activity after the last incineration plant closes in 2012. Pueblo Chemical Depot will not incinerate, but rather will chemically break down its stockpile of 2,611 tons of mustard agent contained in 780,000 mortar rounds and artillery shells.

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A sage decision | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/a_sage_decision Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar stepped into a thicket of sage grouse controversy last year. So, when he issued a decision last week, it was inevitable that he would take fire from one side or the other in the dispute. Sure enough, an Idaho-based environmental group quickly announced that it was challenging Salazar’s decision. That’s too bad, because his ruling offers the opportunity to pursue collaborative efforts to protect the sage grouse and allow development of critical natural resources. Salazar’s decision recognizes that sage grouse populations have dropped significantly from what they are believed to have been a century ago. But he declined to include sage grouse on the federal list of threatened or endangered species because the birds are not as high a priority as other species in greater danger.

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Rocky road ahead | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/rocky_road_ahead Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon was considered an engineering marvel when it was designed in the 1970s and constructed in the ‘80s and ‘90s. At the time, it was also the most expensive section of interstate highway not in a major city. Nature, however, has been unimpressed. Highway alignments shift. Pavement develops large potholes. And rocks repeatedly fall on the roadway. Most are small, but twice in the past decade, massive boulders have come tumbling from high on the cliffs onto the road. Sunday’s crushing rockfall didn’t injure anyone, thankfully. But it hammered a huge hole in one bridge and forced the closure of the interstate in both directions, causing major inconvenience to spring-break travelers and all Coloradans trying to get between the Front Range and the western part of the state.

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Online tax issue needs federal fix - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_14642882 It is unfair for retailers who have a bricks-and-mortar presence in a state to be at an economic disadvantage as they try to compete with online retailers, especially as online sales have flourished in recent years. As online sales continue to grow, states will lose out on a significant source of revenue as they struggle to pay for services that citizens demand. Besides Colorado, 15 other states have contemplated or enacted legislation that targets e-commerce sales. As cash-strapped states search for revenue, more are sure to follow. If and when federal lawmakers take on the issue, it will not be as simple as merely requiring online retailers to collect state sales taxes.

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Boats on the Res: Study must play part in policy creation - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_14642368 The Boulder Reservoir Master Plan, which will outline the policy for the reservoir, will be crafted this year. One of the most controversial aspects of the plan has been the movement to ban motorized boats from the reservoir. Some proponents of the ban say the Res, which provides about 20 percent of Boulder's drinking water, is being dangerously contaminated by the gas-and-oil consuming boats. The city conducted several tests of water just below the surface, before and after several high-traffic weekends at the reservoir -- including the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays. The tests looked for increased levels of benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene. City drinking water has always been tested for safety, but these tests were of water at the source. "We never detected anything," said Michelle Wind, Boulder's drinking water program manager. All of the levels were below the state's water quality detection limits.

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Stolen: Microbes rule | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100310/COLUMNS/100309771/1058 We think humans are on the top of the food chain, but those small predators we cannot see can kill us. Several years ago, my son caught strep throat when he was at grad school in LA. He was heading home to New Jersey to help me move to Breckenridge. It was a particularly multi-drug resistant strain. He had gone to doctors in LA, NJ, Doc PJ in Breck, and again in LA as it kept recurring. He finally got better, but it took many months. Those clever little bacteria keep swapping genes and mutating in their quest for survival and, because they multiply so rapidly and in such prodigious numbers, their chances for survival in a challenging world are pretty high. They can even form spores which survive tough environmental conditions and lurk around for years only to grow again and divide when the conditions become favorable, like the nice moist lungs of an unfortunate victim. They were here on earth before we humans and will probably survive if the human species becomes extinct. As soon as penicillin was able to be produced in large amounts and used to save many soldiers from infections in WWII, there was evidence of resistant strains occurring.

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Volunteers give big gift to parks, public lands | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/OPINION01/3100306/1014/OPINION/Volunteers give big gift to parks public lands Talk about making a difference in your community - more than 400 volunteers gave 51,000 hours of service to Larimer County's parks and open lands in 2009. That's the equivalent of about $1.2 million in donated services. The Larimer County Department of Natural Resources made some changes in its program last year to make sure the volunteer time was being used effectively. The idea was to make sure that volunteers were being used to perform work that met the needs of park or open lands managers.

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Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

The Longmont Times-Call - Longmont city officials issue Heaven Fest permit

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21145 Heaven Fest is coming to Union Reservoir. Worship and the Word Movement now has its permit to use Union Reservoir park and city-owned land south of the lake for its 2010 Christian music festival. City clerk Valeria Skitt issued the use of public places permit Tuesday morning for the one-day festival, which could bring 30,000 people to Union Reservoir on July 31. “We’re excited, and we’ll be making the announcement official sometime (today),” Heaven Fest executive director Luke Bodley said Tuesday evening. “We’re confident it will be great.” City officials and Worship and the Word Movement leaders signed off Tuesday on the 12-page agreement that accompanies the permit. Skitt gave that document to Longmont City Council members during their meeting Tuesday night.

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/us/politics/10lawyers.html?ref=politics A conservative advocacy organization in Washington, Keep America Safe, kicked up a storm last week when it released a video that questioned the loyalty of Justice Department lawyers who worked in the past on behalf of detained terrorism suspects. But beyond the expected liberal outrage, the tactics of the group, which is run by Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president, have also split the tightly knit world of conservative legal scholars. Many conservatives, including members of the Federalist Society, the quarter-century-old policy group devoted to conservative and libertarian legal ideals, have vehemently criticized Ms. Cheney’s video, and say it violates the American legal principle that even unpopular defendants deserve a lawyer. “There’s something truly bizarre about this,” said Richard A. Epstein, a University of Chicago law professor and a revered figure among many members of the society. “Liz Cheney is a former student of mine — I don’t know what moves her on this thing,” he said.

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903858.html As Republicans work to prevent a health-care bill from reaching President Obama, they are scrambling to exploit divisions between Democrats in the House and the Senate. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned House Democrats that they would be taking a colossal risk if they approved the Senate's version of health-care legislation before the Senate had acted to remove some of the bill's most contentious provisions. Now that Democrats have lost their supermajority in the Senate, some variation of this delicate two-step process is the only way a health-care reform bill can become law. "House Democrats will have to decide whether they want to trust the Senate to fix their political problems," McConnell said. He listed perks that Senate Democrats won for Nebraska, Louisiana, Florida and labor unions; House members insist that all must be removed through a separate "fixes" bill under special budget reconciliation rules. "They will be voting, when they pass the Senate bill, to endorse the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator-aid, the closed-door deal, the special deal for the unions, which may or may not bother any Democrats, I don't know," McConnell said.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903469.html Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks. Democrats are pushing for a new rule that would most likely forbid earmarked expenditures to private, for-profit contractors for at least one year. Such businesses reap billions annually in federal grants directed their way by individual lawmakers, particularly from the Pentagon's budget. House leaders emerged from a meeting Tuesday in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ready to push earmark reform as one way to rebut charges that they have been soft on ethics issues. A string of recent scandals -- including the admonition of Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) for accepting corporate-financed trips and the resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) amid allegations of sexual harassment -- have drowned out any political goodwill from actions Democrats took three years ago upon claiming the majority, including more disclosure of lobbyist activity and banning gifts from lobbyists.

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90110/study-says-cash-for-clunkers-impact.html Search online for "Cash for Clunkers," and here's one thing you'll find: stories about its negligible overall impact on the economy. Wrong, says Maritz Automotive Research Group. The Toledo, Ohio, independent automotive research company recently surveyed participants in last summer’s federal program designed to stimulate new-car sales and get gas-guzzlers off the road. On Tuesday, the company shared its results. One key finding: 90 percent of those participating in Cash for Clunkers said they would not otherwise have bought a new car. According to federal government data, 677,000 purchases were made through Cash for Clunkers from late July through August. Maritz’s research showed that 542,000 were incremental new car or truck sales, meaning those purchases would not have occurred without the incentives. Previous estimates by industry analysts put the incremental sales figure between 125,000 and 346,000. The government’s Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, offered vouchers of $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of older, gas-guzzling vehicles who traded them in for new, fuel-efficient models. The program, which was expected to last several months, was so popular that it ran out of its $3 billion in funding in two months.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Dispute over candidate disqualifications could mar Iraqi vote’s legitimacy - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902602.html The candidates were barred on election eve by a commission -- run by onetime U.S. ally Ahmed Chalabi and other Shiite politicians -- that was empowered to screen government officials for loyalty to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Most of the 55 candidates who were disqualified belong to the Iraqiya list of former prime minister Ayad Allawi, which appears to have done well in secular and Sunni communities. If the votes for the newly barred candidates are annulled, it could give the Iraqiya coalition powerful ammunition to allege vote-rigging by rival politicians, including some in the Shiite-led camp of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "It will be a very violent reaction," Allawi said in an interview Tuesday. "A lot of violence will take place, and God knows how this will end. I will tell you there is already an existing feeling that there was widespread rigging and widespread intimidation." The spat has alarmed U.S. and United Nations officials, who fear it will make it harder for defeated candidates to accept the outcome. Officials said, however, that it was too soon to know whether the controversy would seriously disrupt the formation of a new government.

After Delay, Partial Iraq Vote Results Expected Thursday - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?ref=world Iraq’s electoral commission is expected to announce partial results of parliamentary elections by Thursday, a United Nations official said, offering an incomplete picture of the vote that will nevertheless provide the broad outlines of the country’s political landscape. The results were initially expected Wednesday evening, but Ad Melkert, the United Nations special representative in Iraq, said he hoped the results would be released by Thursday. Iraqi officials did not immediately confirm the delay. “We hope that as soon as possible preliminary results can be made public because Iraqis have the right to know as soon as possible the outcome of their choice of election day,” Mr. Melkert told a news conference on Wednesday.

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Upset by U.S. Security, Pakistanis Return as Heroes - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/asia/10pstan.html?ref=world A tour of the United States arranged by the State Department to improve ties to Pakistani legislators ended in a public relations fiasco when the members of the group refused to submit to extra airport screening in Washington, and they are now being hailed as heroes on their return home. “People should be thankful, you made them so proud,” said Hamid Mir, the host of a popular national talk show, during an interview in his studio on Tuesday with four of the six politicians, who railed against the security precautions at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Meetings with the Obama administration’s top policy makers on Pakistan, including the president’s special representative, Richard C. Holbrooke, and visits to the Pentagon and the National Security Council, did not allay the anger the politicians said they felt at being asked to submit to a secondary screening on Sunday before boarding a flight to New Orleans. They declined to be screened and did not board the flight. Pakistan is one of 14 mostly Muslim countries whose citizens must go through increased checks before they fly into the United States, a procedure mandated by the Obama administration in the wake of the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up an airliner flying from the Netherlands to Detroit on Dec. 25.

Secretary Gates visits Afghan town recently seized from Taliban - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-gates10-2010mar10,0,5047508.story U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts. As in Marja, the United States is helping to install a rudimentary local government in Now Zad, and U.S. forces are trying to train Afghan security forces to shoulder the load.

U.S. changing focus of Iran policy - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-obama-iran10-2010mar10,0,2722682.story After keeping a careful distance for the last year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Iranian opposition movement has staying power and has embraced it as a central element in the U.S.-led campaign to pressure the country's clerical government. Administration officials and some allied governments believe that a combination of domestic unrest and international sanctions targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard offers the best hope for forcing Tehran to yield on its nuclear program, and could even lead to a change in the government. The administration has made the shift at a time when it is facing sharp domestic criticism over President Obama's failed initiative to launch negotiations with Iran and its perceived unwillingness to strongly back the opposition movement. Meanwhile, the protests sparked by June's disputed presidential election in Iran grew despite a tough crackdown.

Iran blocking foreign, domestic Web sites to curb anti-government activists - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903478.html The bearded blogger stood before an effigy of an Islamic warrior towering over the letters "WWW." "You are the young officers in this war. The United States and their domestic allies have started this fight and you have countered them," he told the recent gathering of pro-government bloggers, part of the cyber-war being fought by Iranian authorities engaged in an unprecedented effort to block anti-government forces from using the World Wide Web and social networks to communicate and organize. Ever since the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June elections led to wide-scale protests, Iran's leaders have been cracking down on the tech-savvy opposition movement with the Revolutionary Guard and police blocking millions of foreign and domestic Web sites, including some Google services, CNN and the BBC.

Israel rebuffs Biden’s peace bid with new settlement homes | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90090/israel-rebuffs-biden-by-announcing.html Hours after the arrival Tuesday of Vice President Joe Biden to help launch indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel announced the construction of 1,600 homes in a settlement block in mostly Arab East Jerusalem, an open rebuff that led Biden to issue a sharply worded condemnation. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel." The announcement by the Israeli Interior Ministry came during Biden's first day in the region, the highest profile visit by an Obama administration official. It appeared to catch the administration off guard.

Biden’s Israel visit takes a rocky turn - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-biden-israel10-2010mar10,0,123115.story In the midst of a high-profile trip by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said, calling it "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now." "We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them," Biden said.

Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000683.html Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again." On Tuesday evening, while having dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his official residence, Biden issued a statement condemning the housing decision, saying the timing of the announcement was "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust" needed to enter constructive negotiations. "We definitely appreciate the strong statement of condemnation by the administration vis-a-vis this action which definitely undermines confidence in the prospects of the political process," Fayyad said.

Food Aid Bypasses Somalia’s Needy, U.N. Study Finds - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/africa/10somalia.html?ref=world As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report. The report, which has not yet been made public but was shown to The New York Times by diplomats, outlines a host of problems so grave that it recommends that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon open an independent investigation into the World Food Program’s Somalia operations. It suggests that the program rebuild the food distribution system — which serves at least 2.5 million people and whose aid was worth about $485 million in 2009 — from scratch to break what it describes as a corrupt cartel of Somali distributors. In addition to the diversion of food aid, regional Somali authorities are collaborating with pirates who hijack ships along the lawless coast, the report says, and Somali government ministers have auctioned off diplomatic visas for trips to Europe to the highest bidders, some of whom may have been pirates or insurgents.

Bank of America will drop overdraft fees for debit cards | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90103/bank-of-america-will-drop-overdraft.html Bank of America is dropping one of the banking industry's most-criticized fees. No longer will customers be charged an overdraft fee when they use their debit card and don't have enough money in their accounts. Instead, the transaction will be denied, unless the customer has signed up for an overdraft protection service that links their card to a savings account or credit card. The Charlotte bank is going a step farther than a new federal regulation that kicks in July 1. Under those rules, banks can't charge overdraft fees on debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals unless customers provide their consent. The bank's move comes as Congress and regulators look more closely at banking industry fees. The change will affect the customers at the nation's largest consumer bank and will probably prompt other banks to weigh their own policies.

College Inc. - GW students: Our profs are liberals

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/03/gw_students_our_profs_are_libe.html A conservative students group at George Washington University researched the political leanings of the faculty and found evidence of "substantial liberal bias." The university chapter of Young America's Foundation found that 92 percent ($221,490) of political donations by GW faculty in the 2008 primary election cycle went to Democratic candidates, while 8 percent ($20,500) went to Republicans. In the presidential election, the ratio was nearly the same, 91 percent to 9 percent. The numbers reflect a well-documented liberal bias in the academy as a whole, the group said in a release. It cites data from the 2004 presidential election showing that faculty donations favored Democrats to Republicans by a ratio of 150 to 3 at Yale, 114 to 1 at Princeton and 406 to 13 at Harvard. Travis Korson, president of the chapter, cited national trends toward the rejection of Western civilization, Euro-centricism and classical liberal arts in favor of "new academic disciplines such as 'Queer Studies' and 'Africana Studies' . . . I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," he said.

UN pays tribute to 101 staff killed in Haiti - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-0310-un-haiti-20100310,0,1165717.story An emotional Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Tuesday to "the 101 heroes" working for the United Nations who were killed in the Haiti earthquake, the single greatest loss for the world body in its 64-year history. Hundreds of U.N. staff joined relatives of those who died at the ceremony, listening as Ban pledged: "We will never forget you. We will carry on your work." Cries from a young child in the audience who lost a loved one in the Jan. 12 quake punctuated the memorial tribute. The ceremony began with a video of the victims' pictures interspersed with footage of the devastating earthquake that left over 230,000 dead and more than 1 million homeless, and of Ban's visit five days later. It also depicted the solemn military farewell to Haiti mission chief Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, who died when the U.N. headquarters collapsed.

Eric J. Massa Says He Tickled House Staff Member - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10massa.html?ref=politics Former Representative Eric J. Massa of New York, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, vehemently denied any wrongdoing during a television appearance on Tuesday, even as he described having tickle fights with staff members in a house they shared. But he insisted that that was as far as it went. “No, no, no!” he said when asked during an interview with Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel. “I did nothing sexual.” Mr. Massa made the comments as new reports surfaced that the House ethics committee was investigating allegations, reported in The Washington Post on Tuesday, that he groped several male aides in his office. The paper said that the behavior dated back a year. It did not say how many staff members were involved. That is at odds with an account provided by Mr. Massa, who on Monday described an inappropriate exchange he had with an aide during another staff member’s wedding in January. He said he grabbed the aide while the two were seated at a table, joked about having sexual relations with him and mussed his hair before getting up and leaving.

Ex-Congressman Massa says groping wasn’t sexual - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-massa-resigns10-2010mar10,0,5707509.story A day after resigning his seat in the face of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Eric Massa took to the airwaves Tuesday to deny that he had touched a male aide in a sexual manner. Massa (D-N.Y.) has been the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of his staff. He resigned his seat late Monday and went on Fox News' "The Glenn Beck Program" on Tuesday to defend himself and deny new allegations that he had sexually groped a staff member. "I did nothing sexual," Massa said in a rambling interview. "I did things that were wrong." But Massa, 50, also said, "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday and it was kill the old guy."

Lejeune water probe: Did Marine Corps hide benzene data? | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90094/congressional-probers-seek-data.html Congressional investigators late Tuesday requested detailed documents from Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a private contractor that was involved in the testing and cleanup of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, N.C., over the past two decades. More letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and a second private contractor are expected this week. Among investigators' questions: why a federal agency charged with understanding the health impacts of the contamination didn't realize until recently that benzene — a fuel solvent known to cause cancer in humans — was among the substances found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune. For years, the Marines apparently didn't provide documents about the benzene to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which has worked for nearly two decades to understand the contamination and its health impacts, said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., the chairman of the oversight panel on the House Science and Technology Committee.

Ex-Christian Coalition head won’t run for Congress - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001487.html Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta, but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The boyish-looking 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He said in a letter to supporters Wednesday that he made the decision not to run for Congress after much thought and prayer.

Aid agencies fight one another to help Haiti quake victims | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90118/aid-agencies-fight-one-another.html At an encampment on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, physicians from three international aid agencies provide identical services. On a charter flight to Miami, competing doctors get into a shouting match before takeoff. And at a search-and-rescue operation, one international team claiming ownership of the effort asks another to leave -- although the departing group has the equipment to do the job. Haiti has long been fertile ground for international aid agencies that want a shot at helping the impoverished nation pull out of misery. But the politics of aid has become even sharper following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that left more than 200,000 dead and toppled hundreds of thousands of buildings. The behind-the-scenes jockeying -- even as hundreds of thousands remain without adequate shelter -- is likely to intensify as President René Préval pleads for more aid from Washington this week and the international community prepares to meet in New York later this month to discuss Haiti's reconstruction plans.

G.O.P. Looks at Steve Levy in Race for New York Governor - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10levy.html?ref=politics The Republican nomination for governor, which had for months seemed all but locked up by former United States Representative Rick A. Lazio, became a more unsettled contest on Tuesday when top New York Republicans met with the Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, as a potential challenger to Mr. Lazio. Revealing an unease over Mr. Lazio’s campaign, the state Republican Party chairman, Ed Cox, and the party’s nine regional leaders summoned Mr. Levy, a registered Democrat who has run on Republican and Conservative lines in the past, to Albany to make his case for the Republican nomination, according to people who attended the meeting. “They need some time to mull it over and digest it,” Mr. Levy said in an interview after the meeting. Asked whether he, as a Democrat, could be the Republican nominee for governor, he said: “It’s a possibility, and it’s really their call. I can only present what I have to offer and what I have accomplished. And then it’s out of my hands.”

Tim Rutten - No reason for Obama to backtrack - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rutten10-2010mar10,0,1918954.column At some point in the next week, President Obama is expected to announce whether he's decided to backtrack on his decision to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-admitted mastermind of the 9/11 atrocities, and four of his alleged co-conspirators in federal criminal court. According to reports first published in the Washington Post, Obama is being urged by key advisors to return to the Bush administration's plan to try the alleged Al Qaeda terrorists before special military tribunals. If the president, who campaigned on a promise to restore the rule of law in the treatment of the jihadis, reverses course, it will be not only a lamentable triumph of politics over principle but an affront to common sense and some of our most valuable historical precedents. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. put the matter squarely when he announced the administration's initial decision to shift the 9/11 trials to a federal criminal courtroom in Manhattan, as part of the plan to close the last remnant of the Bush/Cheney gulag at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay. "We need not cower in the face of this enemy," Holder said at the time. "Our institutions are strong, our infrastructure is sturdy, our resolve is firm and our people are ready."

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Editorial - Laws, Lies and the Abortion Debate - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion It has been three years since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority abruptly departed from precedent to uphold a federal ban on a particular method of abortion. Emboldened, foes of reproductive freedom are pressing new attacks on women’s rights and health. In Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, has signed a bill that would criminalize certain behavior by women that results in miscarriage. It was prompted by a sad and strange case last year in which a teenager who was seven months pregnant sought to induce a miscarriage by hiring a man to beat her. The measure exempts lawful abortions, and particularly worrisome language about “reckless” acts has been removed. But the law still raises concern about zealous prosecutors using a woman’s difficult choices to open an investigation. In Oklahoma, the Center for Reproductive Rights succeeded last week in blocking a burdensome measure designed to discourage abortions by requiring preprocedure sonograms and exempting physicians from liability for failing to disclose fetal abnormalities. But the ruling turned on a technical flaw in the law, and its supporters are expected to try again.

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Dana Milbank - Massa flirts with the right, but Beck isn’t tickled - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903517.html Just seven minutes into Glenn Beck's hour-long interview of Eric Massa on Tuesday evening, things had already gone very wrong. Conservatives had hopes that the now-former Democratic congressman from Upstate New York, who resigned abruptly under an ethics cloud, would deliver the goods about corruption and strong-arm tactics in the Obama White House and Congress. But instead, Massa served up an icky new confession. "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer," he volunteered. "Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and then four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday." Beck looked aghast. "Was your wife at that one?" the Fox News Channel host asked. "No, this was in a townhouse; we all lived together, all the bachelors and me," Massa explained. "My chief of staff had a conniption and said, 'You can't live there, that's not congressional.' "

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Editorial - Saving the Post Office - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed1.html?ref=opinion Many Americans rely on six-days-a-week mail delivery and expect to have a post office just around the corner. But if the United States Postal Service is going to survive the transition to the Internet age — without requiring billions of dollars of federal subsidies — Congress must allow it to cut some services, close some offices and make other sensible changes.

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Congress is running out of time to save the Postal Service - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903337.html ON THE INTERNET, friends can communicate across continents via live video hook-ups for free. Companies can exchange 100-page documents in nanoseconds. Meanwhile, at the U.S. Postal Service, 600,000 employees spend their days stamping and sorting large pieces of paper and carrying them by plane, train and truck to every home and office from Guam to Georgetown -- as federal law requires. This quaint business model was bound to be stressed by recession, and it has been. Mail volume fell from an all-time high of 213 billion pieces in 2006 to 177 billion in 2009, with more declines to come. The Postal Service is on course to lose more than $7 billion this year, despite substantial recent cost-cutting, and it could lose more than $238 billion by 2020. Approaching the limits of its federal credit line, the USPS must change drastically or go bust.

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The gay anti-gay legislator - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-ashburn10-2010mar10,0,4070153.story The self-outing of state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who confessed that he is gay on a right-wing talk-radio program Monday, was undoubtedly agonizing -- not only for Ashburn but for his family (the divorced senator has four daughters). But although we sympathize with Ashburn and hope he can turn his life in a more positive direction following this revelation, there's really no excusing his political hypocrisy. Ashburn, a Republican from conservative Bakersfield, has a deeply anti-gay voting record. He has opposed nearly every bill on gay rights that has appeared during his 14 years in the Legislature, including measures to allow same-sex marriage, recognize out-of-state gay marriages or designate a day in May to honor gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk. Ashburn was arrested on charges of driving under the influence last week. Soon afterward, a Sacramento TV station reported that he had been at a gay club before his arrest. That led to accusations from gay-rights groups that the senator wasn't just living a lie, he was a hypocrite for opposing homosexual equality. Ashburn responded to that during his on-air confession on radio station KERN-AM (1180): "My votes reflect the wishes of the people in my district."

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Editorial - An Advocate for Equal Justice - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed3.html?ref=opinion Providing poor defendants effective appointed counsel is more than a constitutional obligation. It is a concrete measure of the nation’s commitment to equal justice under law. Yet indigent defense offices across the nation have been allowed to sink into crisis. They have fallen victim to insufficient financing, overwhelming caseloads and a slew of policies that hamper effective representation. The civil legal aid system is no less challenged. Short on resources, local offices supported by the Legal Services Corporation, the federal agency that provides legal assistance for low-income Americans in civil cases, must turn away about half the eligible individuals who contact them for help with life-altering issues such as child custody or saving their homes from foreclosure. One rare piece of good news is that Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. has made it his mission to try to narrow this gap in the administration of justice. To lead his campaign, he has hired Laurence Tribe, the prominent Harvard Law School professor and constitutional scholar.

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Antitrust bill to stand alone | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100320/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Antitrust-bill-to-stand-alone Rep. Betsy Markey's bill to end the antitrust exemption for health insurers will be handled by the Senate as a standalone bill and not be wrapped into a broader health-care reform package now being finalized, a senior House aide said Tuesday. "It cannot be included in reconciliation because it is not a budgetary issue. It's a very significant provision and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 406-19, so we hope the Senate will take it up," said the aide, who spoke to the Coloradoan on condition of anonymity. Democratic leaders plan to have the House vote in the next couple weeks on the version of the health-care reform bill passed by the Senate in December, which did not include the antitrust repeal. The House and Senate would then use the budget reconciliation process to make a number of changes to the Senate bill requested by the House, but those changes won't include the antitrust exemption. Markey, who voted against the House reform bill in November because she said it didn't do enough to control health-care costs, hasn't said how she'll vote on the Senate version of the bill if it comes to the House as planned.

FOX31 Exclusive: Jane Norton defends record on spending - KDVR

http://www.kdvr.com/news/politics/kdvr-norton-spending-030910,0,2175513.story There is no issue that riles up today's conservative base like the issue of government spending, perceived to be out of control after last year's $787 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and on the verge of a health care reform bill that, if passed, could cost close to $1 trillion over the next decade. In such a context, it's no surprise that Republican candidates are talking, on the eve of this fall's midterm elections, about how Democrats have overspent and how they will, if elected, rein in such expenditures. It's also no surprise that Jane Norton, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Colorado, is already airing television commercials to that effect. And given that Norton may be the front-runner in the race, out in front of both Democratic contenders and the two Republicans challenging her for the party's nomination, it's no surprise that her record on spending is coming under heavy scrutiny -- and heavy fire -- from both sides.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48757/colorado-democratic-party-suggests-questions-for-norton Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether. Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.

“I’m Steve Barton.” “I’m Steve Barton.” | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/im-steve-barton-im-steve-barton/ Senate candidate Ken Buck sounded like a contestant on To Tell the Truth Tuesday night at a candidate forum sponsored by several conservative organizations. “I’m Steve Barton,” Buck said, “and I’m running for the United States Senate.” The huge crowd roared with laughter. Throughout the night, when it was Barton’s turn to respond to a question, the patent attorney usually started with, “I’m Steve Barton and I’m running for the United States Senate.” People started looking at each other because all the candidates had been introduced, given their opening statements and often were called on by name when it was their turn to answer a question. People knew he was Steve Barton.

I am (lone) woman, hear me roar | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/i-am-lone-woman-hear-me-roar/ When Senate candidate Jane Norton was asked Tuesday night what was the “biggest difference” between herself and contender Ken Buck, there were plenty of laughs. “I think that’s petty obvious,” she said. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is one of five candidates running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and the only woman in the race in either the Republican or Democratic Party.

Wiens has Wienersmobile envy | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/wiens-has-wienersmobile-envy/ U.S. Senate candidate Tom Wiens is here but, alas, he didn’t arrive by the Wienersmobile. He wishes he did. “I really want to get that vehicle,” he said, with a laugh. “We’re on the road nonstop, practically.” Wiens did arrive by campaign RV, a vehicle that inspired an unnamed politico with a flair for Photoshop and a sense of humor to doctor Oscar Meyer’s Weinermobile into the Wiensersmobile.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

Bennet staff to hold meeting in Greeley | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309677/1051 Staff for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., will come to Greeley on Thursday to hear from constituents and offer help for those dealing with a federal agency. Bennet's North Central Regional Representative James Thompson will be available form 5-6 p.m. at Margie's Java Joint, 916 16th St., from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, according to a Bennet release. No appointment is necessary, but to schedule one in advance, call (970) 224-2200.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Amazon.com debate heats up at Colorado Capitol - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644084 Republicans immediately blamed the Democratic-controlled legislature for passing a bill that attempts to collect the state's 2.9 percent sales tax on online sales through e-retailers such as Amazon and Overstock.com. "The Democrats' bill and their anti-Amazon rhetoric doesn't harm Amazon," said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. "It hurts the thousands of Colorado affiliates" who made money from online sales. Democrats, though, said Amazon's action was purely a public-relations tactic, punishing affiliates even though the final version of the bill removed the in-state marketers as means of collecting the sales tax. "They (Amazon) absolutely killed the affiliates just to show that they can," said Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver. Meanwhile, one liberal group called for a boycott of Amazon until the retailer renews its relationships with affiliates. Amazon "chose to make an example of our state and unfairly punish their own business associates for political gain," the group ProgressNow Colorado said in a release.

First shots fired in Colorado payday loan war | Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48681/first-shots-fired-in-colorado-payday-loan-war Perhaps no issue will underline the divide separating state Democrats and Republicans this legislative session as well as the war to rein in the payday loan industry. That war saw its first real skirmishes Monday at the capitol when roughly 150 payday-loan business owners and employees rallied outside the building in advance of a hearing on a bill that seeks to cap payday interest rates and limit the infamous cycle of personal payday-loan debt the industry depends upon to generate millions in profits. Payday supporters, including some state lawmakers, railed against the proposed regulation as an infringement on personal liberty and as job-killing government intervention. Supporters of the regulation say the time has come at last to end clearly predatory loan practices that target the state’s vulnerable populations. Republican lawmakers sympathized outside at the rally and inside the committee room with the lenders, who they portrayed as victims of big government. Democratic lawmakers sympathized with the thousands of payday loan borrowers gouged by excessive rates and fees that surpass consumer-protecting limits that apply to the larger lending industry.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

Telluride Daily Planet - Gov’t supports uranium accountability bill

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704e117eac935222270.txt As President Obama calls for more nuclear power, Colorado contemplates putting two uranium mills into operation. One would be new and located in Paradox Valley west of Telluride. The other is an old mill near Cañon City, near Colorado Springs, that may be reopened. A new piece of legislation seeks to tighten up the application process and ensure that old mills are cleaned up before new ones are opened, and the Telluride Town Council came out in support of it yesterday. The Uranium Processing Accountability Act would apply most directly to the Cotter-owned mill near Cañon City, which first opened in 1958. It is still in the process of cleaning up contamination. The company applied to reopen the mill in 2001. If this bill passes, the Cotter Corp. couldn’t re-open the mill until all the clean-up has been completed. Cotter is a subsidiary of General Atomics, a nuclear company and defense contractor that builds the Predator drones used in Afghanistan. It is owned largely by Neal Blue, who owns land on the north side of Telluride’s valley floor, and used to own the 570 acres known as the Valley Floor, which Telluride condemned in 2007.

Durango Herald News, Senate tries to cap tax credits

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Senate_tries_to_cap_tax_credits/ Farmers and ranchers who are thinking about a conservation easement on their land might want to think fast. The Legislature got moving again Tuesday on an almost-forgotten 10th bill in its tax package. Nine other Democratic tax bills on items ranging from soda to Internet sales were signed into law two weeks ago. But two more - on conservation easements and enterprise zones - got waylaid. The enterprise zone bill is still on hold, but the conservation easement bill, House Bill 1197, regained its footing Tuesday, passing the Senate Finance Committee 4-3. The bill limits the state's conservation easement program to $26 million each of the next three years. That's $37 million less than state officials had expected to pay out in tax credits next year. If HB 1197 passes, tax credits would be dished out on a first-come, first-served basis, said the sponsor, Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Colorado may ban promotions by elected officials | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309502/1001 A Colorado senator says the state's top elected officials are wasting thousands of dollars on official brochures and ads promoting themselves and he wants to stop it. Sen. Bill Cadman, a Republican from Colorado Springs, says the state will be forced to throw out thousands of brochures featuring photos and testimonials from Gov. Bill Ritter when he leaves office in 10 months, and it's unnecessary. His bill banning the practice by the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general will be heard Wednesday by the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Professionals’ licensure measure passes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a5406825153546013.txt The Senate on Tuesday granted final approval to a bill that makes it easier for professionals in certain regulated fields to practice their occupations in Colorado after moving from another state. State Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, sponsored HB1175 in the Senate. Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Colorado Springs, was the House sponsor. Tapia said it's aimed to help military families transition to the state. The bill calls for streamlined processes for licensing chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, nursing home administrators and physical therapists in Colorado when they move from other states. "It was really a military-driven bill," Tapia said. "It's for people coming to Fort Carson and their spouses. For years people have been assigned there, and their spouses had to work six months or a year toward a certificate or a license. In some cases, these are people who've been competent professionals for 20 years before they came to Colorado."

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Dyer bows out in Arapahoe County, primary battle ahead | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/dyer-bows-out-in-arapahoe-county-primary-battle-ahead/ An Arapahoe County commissioner race just got a whole lot more interesting. Republican Jim Dyer announced over the weekend he would not seek re-election, and he wasted no time in time in blistering one of the candidates trying to succeed him. Former state Rep. Lauri Clapp and Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe are running for the GOP nomination for Dyer’s seat. Dyer said he is backing Sharpe, saying Clapp would be a “disaster” and he fears if she wins the nomination, Democrats will take the seat in November.

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641496 A Highlands Ranch man busted by federal agents after growing medical marijuana in his home is expected to plead guilty to a drug charge, 9Wants to Know has learned. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the home where Chris Bartkowicz, 36, lived near C-470 and University Boulevard last month. Agents say they discovered 224 marijuana plants in various stages of development. Bartkowicz pleaded not guilty on March 5 to a federal charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. That same day, Bartkowicz's attorney filed a notice of disposition telling a judge that the prosecution and defense have reached an agreement in the case and a change of plea proceeding is needed. "The prosecution and defense are waiting for a judge to set a change of plea hearing date, where (Bartkowicz) will be given an opportunity to plead guilty," U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner told 9Wants to Know.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Two lawmakers cast unintended votes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737b18a413318960897.txt Two state representatives who intended to vote against a bill on Tuesday accidentally voted for it, affecting the outcome in the House. By a margin of 33-29, the House passed HB1009. Two representatives were excused, but Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, were not. Both intended to vote against a bill that seeks to add a physician representative and an injured-worker representative to the board's existing nine-member board of Pinnacol Assurance, the state-run workers' compensation insurer of last resort. The pair was preoccupied by a conversation over legislative matters when it came time to vote. Scanlan and Middleton requested a new vote of the House so they could cast their intended vote on the record, but the House voted down the request. Tuesday's vote in the House was the final action before passing along the bill to the Senate.

Telluride Daily Planet - Parties hold quieter caucuses this year

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704c6283ba849365260.txt Last year, when Coloradans got a say in whether the Democrats would nominate their first black candidate or their first woman candidate for president, the caucuses were a very big deal. “It was over 150 people,” said Dick Unruh, chair of the San Miguel County Democrats. Those caucuses, it could be said, were raucouses. This March 16, when the local Democrat and Republican parties hold their caucuses, there won’t be quite as high stakes. These caucuses will be quieter — if not sickly. These caucuses, it could be said, have streptococcuses. But they are the first part of a journey for those seeking county offices. The list of new candidates isn’t long, but it is full of familiar faces.

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642737 State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat, will hold his third town hall meeting of the year on Saturday. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will focus on education issues, in particular how the state budget crisis likely will affect funding for K-12 education. Boulder Valley School District Superintendent Chris King will be a guest speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chatauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, in the Grand Assembly Room.

Riesberg to hold forum on health care on Saturday | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309679/1051 State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Colo., will host a community forum to present an overview of the issues surrounding health care and reform of the health care system in Colorado on Saturday from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., in the meeting room at Sunrise Community Health-Monfort Family Clinic, 2930 11th Ave. in Evans. Guest speakers include: Mitzi Moran, of Sunrise Community Health/Monfort Family Clinic; Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Wayne Maxwell, Executive Director, North Range Behavioral Health; and Mike Bloom, of North Colorado Health Alliance. Brochures and other information about local services will be available, according to a Riesberg press release. Following the presentations, Riesberg will highlight the legislation being discussed in Colorado and moderate a group discussion and idea sharing session so participants can share their concerns and issues, and offer input as to how Colorado can improve access to quality, affordable health care for all citizens.

CU regents could vote on 9 percent tuition hike at special meeting Wednesday - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14641787 The University of Colorado regents are holding a just-announced meeting Wednesday to discuss and possibly vote on a 9 percent tuition increase for students on the Boulder campus. "The intent is to vote on tuition," said Regent Tom Lucero, who would not yet say how he'd vote. In past years, Lucero has voted against tuition increases but has been in the minority. The administration is proposing a 9 percent tuition increase for in-state students, said CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue. For CU's College of Arts and Sciences, which charges $6,153 for in-state tuition this year, a 9 percent increase would translate to an extra $554. "Whether or not they have a vote on tuition remains to be seen," McConnellogue said. Gov. Bill Ritter has given Colorado colleges and universities a 9 percent tuition cap, and McConnellogue said CU has been engaging students in tuition-setting decisions.

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/CSU-considers-fee-hike-to-pay-for-renovations CSU students each face paying an extra $300 annually to build and renovate classrooms, upgrade Morgan Library and erect a $65 million engineering building. Colorado State University administrators are considering doubling the current $10-per-credit-hour facilities fee paid by students to $20 per credit hour, or $300 annually for a full-time resident undergraduate student. Some students worry the increase, along with an expected 9 percent hike in undergraduate resident tuition, will make CSU unaffordable for more families. Other students wonder whether CSU should consider whether increased online learning could take the place of new buildings.

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14644219 The $38 billion in overdraft-protection fees that make up one of the banking industry's fattest cash cows will take a significant hit this summer when federal rules kick in that preclude the practice without prior consumer approval. That means financial institutions — battle weary from last year's economic crisis and new credit-card rules that slashed their ability to make money — are looking for new ways to make up the shortfall. And consumers ultimately will be the ones to take the hit, industry watchdogs say. "Clearly . . . there will be an effort to recoup it . . . and it's to be the customer who pays," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit.com, which tracks the banking industry. One of the first areas to get dinged, Ulzheimer said, will be the long-popular free checking plan, a 1990s concept that proved so popular it morphed into a given.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643411 The 2010 census is gearing up to employ about 8,000 Coloradans, providing a timely boost to an economy that has shed more than 10 times that many jobs in the past year. "We still need people," said Lee Ann Morning, manager of the Denver Local Census Office. "And people want to work for us." Each of the state's eight local offices should employ about 1,000 workers by late April as the count of the state's population moves toward its final push, Morning said. Besides Denver, local census offices are in Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Reasons for working with the census vary, but a pay scale that starts at around $12.75 an hour is one motivation.

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643214 The median price for a single-family home in metro Denver rose nearly 15 percent in February compared with the same month a year ago, but the number of homes sold declined. The median price for a single-family home rose to $220,750 last month, compared with $192,000 a year ago, according to Metrolist data released Tuesday. The median price for a condo increased 12.5 percent to $132,500, compared with $117,725 last year. There were 2,436 homes sold in February, down 1.9 percent from 2,484 last year. "First-time homebuyers are out in force," independent real-estate analyst Gary Bauer said. "We've also seen investors come out this month. In the lower-priced markets, we have both investors and first-time homebuyers out there bidding on the same properties."

More stories in National/Economy | Colorado/Economy
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Denver archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children at Boulder preschool - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14640646 The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a "painful situation," but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings. Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that. Previous reports indicated only one child was involved. Neither the parents nor the children have been identified. About two dozen protesters stood outside Sacred Heart of Jesus church on Sunday with signs, one reading "God loves all people."

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

RTD approves new manager’s contract. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644033 The Regional Transportation District board Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for new general manager Phil Washington. The contract contains none of the extra compensation included in predecessor Cal Marsella's contract. Washington's total annual compensation is $306,449. It is about 57 percent of Marsella's package.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Mild winter helps taxpayers

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737379bae2400102342.txt The winter of 2009-10 could still have some nasty surprises in it — after all, March can be a snowy month — but it has been a mild one on taxpayers' wallets thus far, according to snow-removal statistics from Pueblo County and city governments. Earl Wilkinson, the city's new director of public works, said the current winter has only cost $30,000 in terms of sending out crews to sand and clear snowy Pueblo streets. That's compared with a total of $51,658 spent in 2009 and $60,406 spent in 2008. Wilkinson, who was hired last year from Ohio, said the Southern Colorado winters are much easier to deal with than Midwestern blizzards. "One of the first things I noticed is that even when it snows, the weather usually warms up and the snow melts in a few days," Wilkinson said. "That's not the case back where I come from. When it snows in Ohio, the snow sticks around for a long time. We can go most of February and never see the sun."

Those Aching Backs! - The County Seat : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://thecountyseat.freedomblogging.com/2010/03/09/those-aching-backs/733/ The city of Colorado Springs may have turned off street lights, yanked the garbage cans out of parks and laid off hundreds of workers. But the folks over at Colorado Springs Utilities, the electric-gas-water-waste water monopoly owned by the city, are considering spending nearly $1.1 million to remodel a building that houses energy traders and $240,000 for ergonomic furniture. (Included in the remodeling costs is $150,000 for a new sanitary sewer line and $150,000 for a new roof.) An employee who was outraged by the proposed expenditures tipped us off to the project. But it took a Colorado Open Records Act request to get a more complete picture of what’s planned.

Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309769/1001 Aspen is showing some signs of economic recovery but clearly the resort is not out of woods, based on recent sales tax and occupancy report data. Taxable sales for January show that Aspen was up 4 percent over the previous year during the same month. Consumption-based sales tax revenue for the city in January 2009 was down 21 percent over the year before. “It's not a huge improvement,” said Aspen Finance Director Don Taylor. “Nobody expects to make it all back ... it's going to take a while.” In the city's sales tax report released last week, a new industrial category of automobiles was broken out from the “general retail” category because there was such a significant jump from the year prior — a 386 percent increase, or more than $1.4 million in taxable revenue.

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309479/1001 Avon officials say they must cut the town's 2010 budget to close a roughly $1.1 million shortfall in revenue. Town officials blame the gap on outstanding payments they claim Traer Creek Metropolitan District owes the town for municipal services and sales tax shortfalls. Town staff provided recommendations on the supplemental 2010 budget to town council Tuesday night. Proposed changes include freezing and eliminating positions, continuing the full-time furlough program though the end of the year and reducing the overtime hours in several departments. Layoffs in two departments already occurred in February. Departments found areas to reduce operating supplies, contract services, and other operating costs. Some of the major cutbacks included elimination of the live band for the Salute to the USA, deferral of ditch maintenance, delay of the Upper Buck Creek bridge overlay, reduction of street striping, the deferral of software upgrades and training and cutbacks in advertising costs.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Boulder Valley school board can’t promise to save fifth-grade music program - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14644027 Some Boulder Valley school board members Tuesday night tried to allay public worries that portions of the district's fifth-grade music program will be reduced or eliminated, but other leaders were quick to point out that "everything is on the table" in the face of state budget cuts. The school board has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers and students concerned about proposals to cut or change parts of the school district's fifth-grade music program. "I honestly cannot see a scenario where we would cut this program or seriously reduce this program," said board member Laurie Albright. "So let's move this along and get this resolved." A couple of Albright's colleagues on the board agreed with her, but school board member Helayne Jones and board President Ken Roberge did not.

D-11 revises recommendation on assistant principal cuts | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-95413-principal-assistant.html Fewer assistant principals would be cut under a new recommendation presented to the Colorado Springs School District 11 board at a work session Tuesday. The suggested dollar amount of cuts actually increased by about $10,000, to $874,765. The new recommendation would take more money out of non-instructional supplies and less from personnel. The district had considered cutting nince assistant principals. The administration suggests cutting four assistant principal positions -- two from elementary schools, one from West Middle School and one from Coronado High School. Some of the difference would be made up by consolidating supervision of alternative schools under one principal. That would include Tesla Educational Opportunity Center, the Bijou School, the Digital School at The Citadel mall and adult education programs. Each of the individual programs would have an assistant principal, but the overall savings would be nearly $108,000, said deputy superintendent Mike Poore.

The Longmont Times-Call - NW Rail meeting set for Thursday

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21148 FasTracks’ Northwest Rail Corridor falls within a railroad right of way, so putting passenger trains on Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Corp. tracks would be consistent with local land uses and zoning plans. That is one of the conclusions in a draft environmental evaluation of the Regional Transportation District’s proposal for building improvements and operating commuter trains between Denver and Longmont. The study says converting existing land uses to rail facilities where BNSF right of way is now constrained would occur primarily at the Northwest Rail Corridor’s proposed stations, such as the passenger line’s northern terminus now planned for a Longmont station at First Avenue and Terry Street.

Craig Daily Press / Hayden School Board to hear survey results

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/hayden-school-board-hear-survey-results/ The question is not if cuts will be made next year, but where the money will be taken from as the Hayden School District predicts a 10 percent cut in state funding. To prepare for the cuts at a Hayden School Board meeting next week, the board will meet at 5 p.m. today to discuss the results of a community survey and lay the outline for budget reductions. During the work session, Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel will present the results of a communitywide survey the district conducted about budget priorities. Zabel said 1,200 surveys were sent to registered voters and mailbox holders in the district and that 183 were returned. A similar survey, with additional questions, also was given to 75 staff members, with 53 returned.

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643220 A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has approved the Chapter 11 reorganization plan of Freedom Communications, owner of The Gazette of Colorado Springs and other media properties. Under the plan approved Tuesday, Freedom's secured lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, would assume ownership of the company in return for cutting the debt owed to them by nearly 60 percent.

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Western Tradition attacks 98-year-old corporate campaign spending ban « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48686/western-tradition-attacks-98-year-old-corporate-campaign-spending-ban The conservative Astroturf group that spent thousands to swing the Longmont City Council back to the right last November and keep the Garfield County commissioner board in the oil and gas camp in 2008 has filed a lawsuit in Montana to overturn that state’s 98-year-old ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Western Tradition Partnership, a political committee with its tendrils in controversial issues in both Colorado and Montana, filed a suit Monday in Helena District Court in conjunction with a Bozeman painting company seeking to align Montana’s state laws with January’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate spending in political campaigns, according to the Missoulian newspaper. According to the report, both Western Tradition Partnership and Champion Painting want the law overturned so they can spend corporate funds to campaign in the June and November Montana elections on ballot issues and candidate platforms.

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Craig Daily Press / Broad reactions in wake of Steamboat 700 election

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/broad-reactions-wake-steamboat-700-election/ Steamboat 700 supporters and opponents agreed on one thing Tuesday night: Voters’ rejection of the annexation means it’s time for the city to update its community plan and rethink how to handle growth in coming years.

Craig Daily Press / Steamboat says ‘no’ to 700

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/09/voters-deny-steamboat-700/ City voters denied the Steamboat 700 annexation by a margin of more than 20 percentage points Tuesday, making a strong statement about how and when growth should occur in the community and culminating a resident-led opposition effort that began with a petition drive in the fall. The vote rejects what would have been the city’s most substantial annexation since the Mount Werner ski resort area was folded into city limits decades ago. Steamboat Springs residents cast 2,592 ballots against the annexation and 1,661 ballots in favor, a 61 to 39 percent result for the mail-only vote that began in February. The Steamboat 700 annexation lost in each of the city’s eight precincts. The largest margin came in Precinct 13, which includes much of Old Town. Precinct 13 voted 383 against to 179 for the annexation, or 68 to 32 percent.

Local Democrats hire director, lose chairman | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/chairman-95398-party-director.html The El Paso County Democratic Party is looking for a new chairman. Jason DeGroot resigned the top job last month and party leaders will meet Saturday to pick his successor. That new chairman will need to heal rifts caused by a reorganization that led to the party getting a full-time executive director to oversee fundraising and outreach efforts. “These things happen,” DeGroot said Tuesday. “New people have come into the party with new energy and new ideas; that is going to cause some friction and some pain.” Party activists James Tucker and Rita Ague claimed Tuesday DeGroot and other leaders overstepped their bounds by hiring an executive director while sending the party’s longtime office manager packing because the group could not afford both positions.

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

RTD approves new manager’s contract. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644033 The Regional Transportation District board Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for new general manager Phil Washington. The contract contains none of the extra compensation included in predecessor Cal Marsella's contract. Washington's total annual compensation is $306,449. It is about 57 percent of Marsella's package.

The Longmont Times-Call - NW Rail meeting set for Thursday

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21148 FasTracks’ Northwest Rail Corridor falls within a railroad right of way, so putting passenger trains on Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Corp. tracks would be consistent with local land uses and zoning plans. That is one of the conclusions in a draft environmental evaluation of the Regional Transportation District’s proposal for building improvements and operating commuter trains between Denver and Longmont. The study says converting existing land uses to rail facilities where BNSF right of way is now constrained would occur primarily at the Northwest Rail Corridor’s proposed stations, such as the passenger line’s northern terminus now planned for a Longmont station at First Avenue and Terry Street.

Businesses cope, and in some cases turn a profit, from interstate closure | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/businesses_cope_and_in_some_ca When rockfall started out the workweek by closing Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon Monday morning, it cut off about one-fifth of the American Gypsum workforce from the company’s plant. The wallboard maker, located in Gypsum east of the canyon, runs on 12-hour shifts. Plant manager Ray Barnes said that pretty much ruled out people adding hours to their commute to drive a detour route. Instead, some of the plant’s 87 hourly workers have stayed with friends or co-workers in the Gypsum area, or in hotels. “We’re running pretty thin, and people are working some pretty long hours. They’re holding up so far,” Barnes said.

I-70 closure forcing some to take long way to Aspen | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309765/1001 Deliveries are late and travelers are scratching their heads, but the closure of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon hasn't put a discernible dent into life in Aspen. The rock slide that has cut off the easiest access to much of the outside world, including two airports that see use by Aspen-bound travelers — Denver and Eagle — hasn't hindered guests with ski vacations on the books, according to local resort officials. More than half of the winter visitors to Aspen/Snowmass fly directly in and out of Aspen and are unaffected by the closure, according to the Aspen Skiing Co., which put out an e-mail blast Tuesday to outline the variety of travel options available to guests and has set up a website link to advise travelers at http://www.aspensnowmass.com/travelinfo/options.cfm.

Closure slowing food deliveries | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20100310/VALLEYNEWS/100309846/1001 Despite the more-than-200-mile detour to bypass the Glenwood Canyon, deliveries to local stores were only a little behind schedule due to the rock fall that had Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon closed Monday and Tuesday. The 17-mile section of I-70 remains closed to traffic from Dotsero to Glenwood Springs. According to Safeway director of public affairs Kris Staaf, the detour pushed delivers back only a little bit, but Glenwood customers do not have to worry about out-of-stock items due to the slide. “We have adjusted our travel schedules,” Staaf said. “These things happen from time to time, and we just need to shift and adjust accordingly.” Staaf said that Safeway delivery trucks haul supplies to the Glenwood store, and other city's along the I-70 corridor, on a daily basis. This recent closure has caused the delivery trucks to go from Denver all the way to Craig, north of Rifle, and on to Glenwood Springs.

Airfares shoot up with I-70 closure | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/airfares_shoot_up_with_i70__cl The rockfall damage that shut down Interstate 70 Monday and Tuesday sent some travelers scrambling to find alternatives to driving the state’s two lengthy detours. The best advice for frugal travelers who want to head east or west across the state in the next couple days by bus, train or plane: Act quickly. Flights from Grand Junction to Denver on any of eight daily United Express flights are sky high for the next few days. Prices on Tuesday night for travel to Denver today and returning Friday ranged from the high $700s to nearly $900 for nonstop travel. One-way tickets on Amtrak from Grand Junction to Denver were $46 on Tuesday for today’s travel to Denver. Return trips from Denver on Friday were $73. The train trip is eight hours, seven minutes one way.

CDOT waits to reopen interstate | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/cdot_waits_to_reopen_interstat State highway crews will call in aerial support today in a continuing effort to reopen Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon after heavy rockfall early Monday morning. The Colorado Department of Transportation hopes to reopen the vital east-west thoroughfare to one-lane traffic in each direction. However, CDOT first wants to dislodge a rock 20 feet in diameter that is 900 feet up the hillside and could pose a danger to motorists if not brought down before opening the highway. Crews plan to use a helicopter today to help them in their effort, said transportation department spokeswoman Stacey Stegman. Workers had hoped to dislodge the rock Tuesday. But Stegman said they only got to spend about an hour working on the rock. First the team of six had to climb two hours to the site and use prybars and other tools to remove loose rocks above the big rock and make it safe to approach it.

I-70 rock-slide closure costs truckers valuable time and money - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644221 The rock slide that choked off Glenwood Canyon, closing a stretch of Interstate 70, is jacking up costs for truckers, increasing delivery times for merchants, and causing headaches for commuters and employers. The slide early Monday punched holes in a bridge and scattered boulders, some as large as a semi-tractor, onto the road near the Hanging Lake Tunnel, forcing travelers to detour 200 miles. Colorado Department of Transportation crews spent Tuesday knocking loose rock from the canyon walls and inspecting a large boulder hanging from its side to assure it is stable, said CDOT spokeswoman Mindy Crane. Once that work is finished, the agency will have an idea how long it will take to even partly reopen the road. Complete repairs could take two months.

Craig Daily Press / I-70 closure causes concerns in Steamboat

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/i-70-closure-causes-concerns-steamboat/ Over-the-road trucks rumbled through Steamboat Springs in greater numbers than usual Tuesday afternoon, but civic leaders were looking out a month to the scheduled repaving of Lincoln Avenue/U.S. Highway 40. The major highway that runs through Ski Town USA was designated one of two detours for Interstate 70 this week in the wake of a large rock slide that closed the four-lane highway in Glenwood Canyon. The slide occurred at about midnight Sunday. “People are wondering if the closure will last through April 5,” said Tracy Barnett, of Mainstreet Steamboat Springs.

New warning system used for Glenwood Canyon rockslide | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/new_warning_system_used_for_gl Monday’s closure of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon resulted in the first use of a new system designed to notify the public of emergencies and issue other community alerts. Garfield County sheriff spokesman Phil Strouse said the system goes beyond emergency notification systems that just call home phone numbers. Instead, it can notify any participant via a cell phone call, text message or e-mail. Anyone wanting to participate can go to the Web site of Garfield County Emergency Communication Authority Board, http://www.garco911.org, to sign up. The system can notify people of events such as severe weather, fire, floods, evacuations and unexpected road closures such as that in Glenwood Canyon.

Is Cottonwood Pass the solution to this situation? | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20100310/VALLEYNEWS/100309847/1001 Brad Higgins has been wary of Glenwood Canyon since Interstate 70 opened all four lanes through it more than 16 years ago. It didn't help matters when Higgins' truck was hit by a falling rock in the canyon last week. Higgins, the director of the Eagle County Road and Bridge Department, is a believer in creating an emergency detour route to the canyon over Cottonwood Pass. But he also knows, perhaps better than anyone else, what a project like that might mean in the long run. In the wake of a massive rockslide in Glenwood Canyon that has closed I-70 until further notice county officials Monday put a large road sign on Valley Road in Gypsum, telling motorists that the Cottonwood Pass road is closed.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Iran blocking foreign, domestic Web sites to curb anti-government activists - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903478.html The bearded blogger stood before an effigy of an Islamic warrior towering over the letters "WWW." "You are the young officers in this war. The United States and their domestic allies have started this fight and you have countered them," he told the recent gathering of pro-government bloggers, part of the cyber-war being fought by Iranian authorities engaged in an unprecedented effort to block anti-government forces from using the World Wide Web and social networks to communicate and organize. Ever since the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June elections led to wide-scale protests, Iran's leaders have been cracking down on the tech-savvy opposition movement with the Revolutionary Guard and police blocking millions of foreign and domestic Web sites, including some Google services, CNN and the BBC.

College Inc. - GW students: Our profs are liberals

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/03/gw_students_our_profs_are_libe.html A conservative students group at George Washington University researched the political leanings of the faculty and found evidence of "substantial liberal bias." The university chapter of Young America's Foundation found that 92 percent ($221,490) of political donations by GW faculty in the 2008 primary election cycle went to Democratic candidates, while 8 percent ($20,500) went to Republicans. In the presidential election, the ratio was nearly the same, 91 percent to 9 percent. The numbers reflect a well-documented liberal bias in the academy as a whole, the group said in a release. It cites data from the 2004 presidential election showing that faculty donations favored Democrats to Republicans by a ratio of 150 to 3 at Yale, 114 to 1 at Princeton and 406 to 13 at Harvard. Travis Korson, president of the chapter, cited national trends toward the rejection of Western civilization, Euro-centricism and classical liberal arts in favor of "new academic disciplines such as 'Queer Studies' and 'Africana Studies' . . . I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," he said.

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Bank of America will drop overdraft fees for debit cards | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90103/bank-of-america-will-drop-overdraft.html Bank of America is dropping one of the banking industry's most-criticized fees. No longer will customers be charged an overdraft fee when they use their debit card and don't have enough money in their accounts. Instead, the transaction will be denied, unless the customer has signed up for an overdraft protection service that links their card to a savings account or credit card. The Charlotte bank is going a step farther than a new federal regulation that kicks in July 1. Under those rules, banks can't charge overdraft fees on debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals unless customers provide their consent. The bank's move comes as Congress and regulators look more closely at banking industry fees. The change will affect the customers at the nation's largest consumer bank and will probably prompt other banks to weigh their own policies.

College Inc. - GW students: Our profs are liberals

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/03/gw_students_our_profs_are_libe.html A conservative students group at George Washington University researched the political leanings of the faculty and found evidence of "substantial liberal bias." The university chapter of Young America's Foundation found that 92 percent ($221,490) of political donations by GW faculty in the 2008 primary election cycle went to Democratic candidates, while 8 percent ($20,500) went to Republicans. In the presidential election, the ratio was nearly the same, 91 percent to 9 percent. The numbers reflect a well-documented liberal bias in the academy as a whole, the group said in a release. It cites data from the 2004 presidential election showing that faculty donations favored Democrats to Republicans by a ratio of 150 to 3 at Yale, 114 to 1 at Princeton and 406 to 13 at Harvard. Travis Korson, president of the chapter, cited national trends toward the rejection of Western civilization, Euro-centricism and classical liberal arts in favor of "new academic disciplines such as 'Queer Studies' and 'Africana Studies' . . . I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," he said.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903469.html Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks. Democrats are pushing for a new rule that would most likely forbid earmarked expenditures to private, for-profit contractors for at least one year. Such businesses reap billions annually in federal grants directed their way by individual lawmakers, particularly from the Pentagon's budget. House leaders emerged from a meeting Tuesday in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ready to push earmark reform as one way to rebut charges that they have been soft on ethics issues. A string of recent scandals -- including the admonition of Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) for accepting corporate-financed trips and the resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) amid allegations of sexual harassment -- have drowned out any political goodwill from actions Democrats took three years ago upon claiming the majority, including more disclosure of lobbyist activity and banning gifts from lobbyists.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Secretary Gates visits Afghan town recently seized from Taliban - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-gates10-2010mar10,0,5047508.story U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts. As in Marja, the United States is helping to install a rudimentary local government in Now Zad, and U.S. forces are trying to train Afghan security forces to shoulder the load.

U.S. changing focus of Iran policy - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-obama-iran10-2010mar10,0,2722682.story After keeping a careful distance for the last year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Iranian opposition movement has staying power and has embraced it as a central element in the U.S.-led campaign to pressure the country's clerical government. Administration officials and some allied governments believe that a combination of domestic unrest and international sanctions targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard offers the best hope for forcing Tehran to yield on its nuclear program, and could even lead to a change in the government. The administration has made the shift at a time when it is facing sharp domestic criticism over President Obama's failed initiative to launch negotiations with Iran and its perceived unwillingness to strongly back the opposition movement. Meanwhile, the protests sparked by June's disputed presidential election in Iran grew despite a tough crackdown.

Israel rebuffs Biden’s peace bid with new settlement homes | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90090/israel-rebuffs-biden-by-announcing.html Hours after the arrival Tuesday of Vice President Joe Biden to help launch indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel announced the construction of 1,600 homes in a settlement block in mostly Arab East Jerusalem, an open rebuff that led Biden to issue a sharply worded condemnation. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel." The announcement by the Israeli Interior Ministry came during Biden's first day in the region, the highest profile visit by an Obama administration official. It appeared to catch the administration off guard.

Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000683.html Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again." On Tuesday evening, while having dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his official residence, Biden issued a statement condemning the housing decision, saying the timing of the announcement was "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust" needed to enter constructive negotiations. "We definitely appreciate the strong statement of condemnation by the administration vis-a-vis this action which definitely undermines confidence in the prospects of the political process," Fayyad said.

Eric J. Massa Says He Tickled House Staff Member - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10massa.html?ref=politics Former Representative Eric J. Massa of New York, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, vehemently denied any wrongdoing during a television appearance on Tuesday, even as he described having tickle fights with staff members in a house they shared. But he insisted that that was as far as it went. “No, no, no!” he said when asked during an interview with Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel. “I did nothing sexual.” Mr. Massa made the comments as new reports surfaced that the House ethics committee was investigating allegations, reported in The Washington Post on Tuesday, that he groped several male aides in his office. The paper said that the behavior dated back a year. It did not say how many staff members were involved. That is at odds with an account provided by Mr. Massa, who on Monday described an inappropriate exchange he had with an aide during another staff member’s wedding in January. He said he grabbed the aide while the two were seated at a table, joked about having sexual relations with him and mussed his hair before getting up and leaving.

Ex-Congressman Massa says groping wasn’t sexual - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-massa-resigns10-2010mar10,0,5707509.story A day after resigning his seat in the face of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Eric Massa took to the airwaves Tuesday to deny that he had touched a male aide in a sexual manner. Massa (D-N.Y.) has been the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of his staff. He resigned his seat late Monday and went on Fox News' "The Glenn Beck Program" on Tuesday to defend himself and deny new allegations that he had sexually groped a staff member. "I did nothing sexual," Massa said in a rambling interview. "I did things that were wrong." But Massa, 50, also said, "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday and it was kill the old guy."

Ex-Christian Coalition head won’t run for Congress - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001487.html Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta, but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The boyish-looking 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He said in a letter to supporters Wednesday that he made the decision not to run for Congress after much thought and prayer.

G.O.P. Looks at Steve Levy in Race for New York Governor - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10levy.html?ref=politics The Republican nomination for governor, which had for months seemed all but locked up by former United States Representative Rick A. Lazio, became a more unsettled contest on Tuesday when top New York Republicans met with the Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, as a potential challenger to Mr. Lazio. Revealing an unease over Mr. Lazio’s campaign, the state Republican Party chairman, Ed Cox, and the party’s nine regional leaders summoned Mr. Levy, a registered Democrat who has run on Republican and Conservative lines in the past, to Albany to make his case for the Republican nomination, according to people who attended the meeting. “They need some time to mull it over and digest it,” Mr. Levy said in an interview after the meeting. Asked whether he, as a Democrat, could be the Republican nominee for governor, he said: “It’s a possibility, and it’s really their call. I can only present what I have to offer and what I have accomplished. And then it’s out of my hands.”

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Eric J. Massa Says He Tickled House Staff Member - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10massa.html?ref=politics Former Representative Eric J. Massa of New York, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, vehemently denied any wrongdoing during a television appearance on Tuesday, even as he described having tickle fights with staff members in a house they shared. But he insisted that that was as far as it went. “No, no, no!” he said when asked during an interview with Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel. “I did nothing sexual.” Mr. Massa made the comments as new reports surfaced that the House ethics committee was investigating allegations, reported in The Washington Post on Tuesday, that he groped several male aides in his office. The paper said that the behavior dated back a year. It did not say how many staff members were involved. That is at odds with an account provided by Mr. Massa, who on Monday described an inappropriate exchange he had with an aide during another staff member’s wedding in January. He said he grabbed the aide while the two were seated at a table, joked about having sexual relations with him and mussed his hair before getting up and leaving.

Ex-Congressman Massa says groping wasn’t sexual - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-massa-resigns10-2010mar10,0,5707509.story A day after resigning his seat in the face of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Eric Massa took to the airwaves Tuesday to deny that he had touched a male aide in a sexual manner. Massa (D-N.Y.) has been the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of his staff. He resigned his seat late Monday and went on Fox News' "The Glenn Beck Program" on Tuesday to defend himself and deny new allegations that he had sexually groped a staff member. "I did nothing sexual," Massa said in a rambling interview. "I did things that were wrong." But Massa, 50, also said, "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday and it was kill the old guy."

Ex-Christian Coalition head won’t run for Congress - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001487.html Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta, but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The boyish-looking 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He said in a letter to supporters Wednesday that he made the decision not to run for Congress after much thought and prayer.

G.O.P. Looks at Steve Levy in Race for New York Governor - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10levy.html?ref=politics The Republican nomination for governor, which had for months seemed all but locked up by former United States Representative Rick A. Lazio, became a more unsettled contest on Tuesday when top New York Republicans met with the Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, as a potential challenger to Mr. Lazio. Revealing an unease over Mr. Lazio’s campaign, the state Republican Party chairman, Ed Cox, and the party’s nine regional leaders summoned Mr. Levy, a registered Democrat who has run on Republican and Conservative lines in the past, to Albany to make his case for the Republican nomination, according to people who attended the meeting. “They need some time to mull it over and digest it,” Mr. Levy said in an interview after the meeting. Asked whether he, as a Democrat, could be the Republican nominee for governor, he said: “It’s a possibility, and it’s really their call. I can only present what I have to offer and what I have accomplished. And then it’s out of my hands.”

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Dispute over candidate disqualifications could mar Iraqi vote’s legitimacy - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902602.html The candidates were barred on election eve by a commission -- run by onetime U.S. ally Ahmed Chalabi and other Shiite politicians -- that was empowered to screen government officials for loyalty to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Most of the 55 candidates who were disqualified belong to the Iraqiya list of former prime minister Ayad Allawi, which appears to have done well in secular and Sunni communities. If the votes for the newly barred candidates are annulled, it could give the Iraqiya coalition powerful ammunition to allege vote-rigging by rival politicians, including some in the Shiite-led camp of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "It will be a very violent reaction," Allawi said in an interview Tuesday. "A lot of violence will take place, and God knows how this will end. I will tell you there is already an existing feeling that there was widespread rigging and widespread intimidation." The spat has alarmed U.S. and United Nations officials, who fear it will make it harder for defeated candidates to accept the outcome. Officials said, however, that it was too soon to know whether the controversy would seriously disrupt the formation of a new government.

After Delay, Partial Iraq Vote Results Expected Thursday - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?ref=world Iraq’s electoral commission is expected to announce partial results of parliamentary elections by Thursday, a United Nations official said, offering an incomplete picture of the vote that will nevertheless provide the broad outlines of the country’s political landscape. The results were initially expected Wednesday evening, but Ad Melkert, the United Nations special representative in Iraq, said he hoped the results would be released by Thursday. Iraqi officials did not immediately confirm the delay. “We hope that as soon as possible preliminary results can be made public because Iraqis have the right to know as soon as possible the outcome of their choice of election day,” Mr. Melkert told a news conference on Wednesday.

Upset by U.S. Security, Pakistanis Return as Heroes - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/asia/10pstan.html?ref=world A tour of the United States arranged by the State Department to improve ties to Pakistani legislators ended in a public relations fiasco when the members of the group refused to submit to extra airport screening in Washington, and they are now being hailed as heroes on their return home. “People should be thankful, you made them so proud,” said Hamid Mir, the host of a popular national talk show, during an interview in his studio on Tuesday with four of the six politicians, who railed against the security precautions at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Meetings with the Obama administration’s top policy makers on Pakistan, including the president’s special representative, Richard C. Holbrooke, and visits to the Pentagon and the National Security Council, did not allay the anger the politicians said they felt at being asked to submit to a secondary screening on Sunday before boarding a flight to New Orleans. They declined to be screened and did not board the flight. Pakistan is one of 14 mostly Muslim countries whose citizens must go through increased checks before they fly into the United States, a procedure mandated by the Obama administration in the wake of the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up an airliner flying from the Netherlands to Detroit on Dec. 25.

Secretary Gates visits Afghan town recently seized from Taliban - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-gates10-2010mar10,0,5047508.story U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts. As in Marja, the United States is helping to install a rudimentary local government in Now Zad, and U.S. forces are trying to train Afghan security forces to shoulder the load.

U.S. changing focus of Iran policy - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-obama-iran10-2010mar10,0,2722682.story After keeping a careful distance for the last year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Iranian opposition movement has staying power and has embraced it as a central element in the U.S.-led campaign to pressure the country's clerical government. Administration officials and some allied governments believe that a combination of domestic unrest and international sanctions targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard offers the best hope for forcing Tehran to yield on its nuclear program, and could even lead to a change in the government. The administration has made the shift at a time when it is facing sharp domestic criticism over President Obama's failed initiative to launch negotiations with Iran and its perceived unwillingness to strongly back the opposition movement. Meanwhile, the protests sparked by June's disputed presidential election in Iran grew despite a tough crackdown.

Iran blocking foreign, domestic Web sites to curb anti-government activists - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903478.html The bearded blogger stood before an effigy of an Islamic warrior towering over the letters "WWW." "You are the young officers in this war. The United States and their domestic allies have started this fight and you have countered them," he told the recent gathering of pro-government bloggers, part of the cyber-war being fought by Iranian authorities engaged in an unprecedented effort to block anti-government forces from using the World Wide Web and social networks to communicate and organize. Ever since the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June elections led to wide-scale protests, Iran's leaders have been cracking down on the tech-savvy opposition movement with the Revolutionary Guard and police blocking millions of foreign and domestic Web sites, including some Google services, CNN and the BBC.

Israel rebuffs Biden’s peace bid with new settlement homes | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90090/israel-rebuffs-biden-by-announcing.html Hours after the arrival Tuesday of Vice President Joe Biden to help launch indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel announced the construction of 1,600 homes in a settlement block in mostly Arab East Jerusalem, an open rebuff that led Biden to issue a sharply worded condemnation. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel." The announcement by the Israeli Interior Ministry came during Biden's first day in the region, the highest profile visit by an Obama administration official. It appeared to catch the administration off guard.

Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000683.html Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again." On Tuesday evening, while having dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his official residence, Biden issued a statement condemning the housing decision, saying the timing of the announcement was "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust" needed to enter constructive negotiations. "We definitely appreciate the strong statement of condemnation by the administration vis-a-vis this action which definitely undermines confidence in the prospects of the political process," Fayyad said.

Food Aid Bypasses Somalia’s Needy, U.N. Study Finds - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/africa/10somalia.html?ref=world As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report. The report, which has not yet been made public but was shown to The New York Times by diplomats, outlines a host of problems so grave that it recommends that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon open an independent investigation into the World Food Program’s Somalia operations. It suggests that the program rebuild the food distribution system — which serves at least 2.5 million people and whose aid was worth about $485 million in 2009 — from scratch to break what it describes as a corrupt cartel of Somali distributors. In addition to the diversion of food aid, regional Somali authorities are collaborating with pirates who hijack ships along the lawless coast, the report says, and Somali government ministers have auctioned off diplomatic visas for trips to Europe to the highest bidders, some of whom may have been pirates or insurgents.

UN pays tribute to 101 staff killed in Haiti - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-0310-un-haiti-20100310,0,1165717.story An emotional Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Tuesday to "the 101 heroes" working for the United Nations who were killed in the Haiti earthquake, the single greatest loss for the world body in its 64-year history. Hundreds of U.N. staff joined relatives of those who died at the ceremony, listening as Ban pledged: "We will never forget you. We will carry on your work." Cries from a young child in the audience who lost a loved one in the Jan. 12 quake punctuated the memorial tribute. The ceremony began with a video of the victims' pictures interspersed with footage of the devastating earthquake that left over 230,000 dead and more than 1 million homeless, and of Ban's visit five days later. It also depicted the solemn military farewell to Haiti mission chief Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, who died when the U.N. headquarters collapsed.

Aid agencies fight one another to help Haiti quake victims | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90118/aid-agencies-fight-one-another.html At an encampment on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, physicians from three international aid agencies provide identical services. On a charter flight to Miami, competing doctors get into a shouting match before takeoff. And at a search-and-rescue operation, one international team claiming ownership of the effort asks another to leave -- although the departing group has the equipment to do the job. Haiti has long been fertile ground for international aid agencies that want a shot at helping the impoverished nation pull out of misery. But the politics of aid has become even sharper following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that left more than 200,000 dead and toppled hundreds of thousands of buildings. The behind-the-scenes jockeying -- even as hundreds of thousands remain without adequate shelter -- is likely to intensify as President René Préval pleads for more aid from Washington this week and the international community prepares to meet in New York later this month to discuss Haiti's reconstruction plans.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

UN pays tribute to 101 staff killed in Haiti - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-0310-un-haiti-20100310,0,1165717.story An emotional Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Tuesday to "the 101 heroes" working for the United Nations who were killed in the Haiti earthquake, the single greatest loss for the world body in its 64-year history. Hundreds of U.N. staff joined relatives of those who died at the ceremony, listening as Ban pledged: "We will never forget you. We will carry on your work." Cries from a young child in the audience who lost a loved one in the Jan. 12 quake punctuated the memorial tribute. The ceremony began with a video of the victims' pictures interspersed with footage of the devastating earthquake that left over 230,000 dead and more than 1 million homeless, and of Ban's visit five days later. It also depicted the solemn military farewell to Haiti mission chief Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, who died when the U.N. headquarters collapsed.

Lejeune water probe: Did Marine Corps hide benzene data? | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90094/congressional-probers-seek-data.html Congressional investigators late Tuesday requested detailed documents from Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a private contractor that was involved in the testing and cleanup of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, N.C., over the past two decades. More letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and a second private contractor are expected this week. Among investigators' questions: why a federal agency charged with understanding the health impacts of the contamination didn't realize until recently that benzene — a fuel solvent known to cause cancer in humans — was among the substances found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune. For years, the Marines apparently didn't provide documents about the benzene to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which has worked for nearly two decades to understand the contamination and its health impacts, said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., the chairman of the oversight panel on the House Science and Technology Committee.

Aid agencies fight one another to help Haiti quake victims | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90118/aid-agencies-fight-one-another.html At an encampment on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, physicians from three international aid agencies provide identical services. On a charter flight to Miami, competing doctors get into a shouting match before takeoff. And at a search-and-rescue operation, one international team claiming ownership of the effort asks another to leave -- although the departing group has the equipment to do the job. Haiti has long been fertile ground for international aid agencies that want a shot at helping the impoverished nation pull out of misery. But the politics of aid has become even sharper following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that left more than 200,000 dead and toppled hundreds of thousands of buildings. The behind-the-scenes jockeying -- even as hundreds of thousands remain without adequate shelter -- is likely to intensify as President René Préval pleads for more aid from Washington this week and the international community prepares to meet in New York later this month to discuss Haiti's reconstruction plans.

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/us/politics/10lawyers.html?ref=politics A conservative advocacy organization in Washington, Keep America Safe, kicked up a storm last week when it released a video that questioned the loyalty of Justice Department lawyers who worked in the past on behalf of detained terrorism suspects. But beyond the expected liberal outrage, the tactics of the group, which is run by Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president, have also split the tightly knit world of conservative legal scholars. Many conservatives, including members of the Federalist Society, the quarter-century-old policy group devoted to conservative and libertarian legal ideals, have vehemently criticized Ms. Cheney’s video, and say it violates the American legal principle that even unpopular defendants deserve a lawyer. “There’s something truly bizarre about this,” said Richard A. Epstein, a University of Chicago law professor and a revered figure among many members of the society. “Liz Cheney is a former student of mine — I don’t know what moves her on this thing,” he said.

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903858.html As Republicans work to prevent a health-care bill from reaching President Obama, they are scrambling to exploit divisions between Democrats in the House and the Senate. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned House Democrats that they would be taking a colossal risk if they approved the Senate's version of health-care legislation before the Senate had acted to remove some of the bill's most contentious provisions. Now that Democrats have lost their supermajority in the Senate, some variation of this delicate two-step process is the only way a health-care reform bill can become law. "House Democrats will have to decide whether they want to trust the Senate to fix their political problems," McConnell said. He listed perks that Senate Democrats won for Nebraska, Louisiana, Florida and labor unions; House members insist that all must be removed through a separate "fixes" bill under special budget reconciliation rules. "They will be voting, when they pass the Senate bill, to endorse the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator-aid, the closed-door deal, the special deal for the unions, which may or may not bother any Democrats, I don't know," McConnell said.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903469.html Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks. Democrats are pushing for a new rule that would most likely forbid earmarked expenditures to private, for-profit contractors for at least one year. Such businesses reap billions annually in federal grants directed their way by individual lawmakers, particularly from the Pentagon's budget. House leaders emerged from a meeting Tuesday in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ready to push earmark reform as one way to rebut charges that they have been soft on ethics issues. A string of recent scandals -- including the admonition of Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) for accepting corporate-financed trips and the resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) amid allegations of sexual harassment -- have drowned out any political goodwill from actions Democrats took three years ago upon claiming the majority, including more disclosure of lobbyist activity and banning gifts from lobbyists.

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90110/study-says-cash-for-clunkers-impact.html Search online for "Cash for Clunkers," and here's one thing you'll find: stories about its negligible overall impact on the economy. Wrong, says Maritz Automotive Research Group. The Toledo, Ohio, independent automotive research company recently surveyed participants in last summer’s federal program designed to stimulate new-car sales and get gas-guzzlers off the road. On Tuesday, the company shared its results. One key finding: 90 percent of those participating in Cash for Clunkers said they would not otherwise have bought a new car. According to federal government data, 677,000 purchases were made through Cash for Clunkers from late July through August. Maritz’s research showed that 542,000 were incremental new car or truck sales, meaning those purchases would not have occurred without the incentives. Previous estimates by industry analysts put the incremental sales figure between 125,000 and 346,000. The government’s Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, offered vouchers of $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of older, gas-guzzling vehicles who traded them in for new, fuel-efficient models. The program, which was expected to last several months, was so popular that it ran out of its $3 billion in funding in two months.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘very troubling’ - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903040.html Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has presented the rebuttal argument in Obama v. Supreme Court. Roberts's remarks Tuesday protested the timing of President Obama's State of the Union disapproval of the court's decision in a major campaign finance case. It has begun Round Two in what appears to be a growing inclination from the White House and Democrats in Congress to criticize the court's decisions. The White House fired back Tuesday night with a statement that did not address the substance of Roberts's comments but with another broadside at the court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Press secretary Robert Gibbs accused the court of opening "the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections -- drowning out the voices of average Americans." The court ruled 5 to 4 in January that corporations and unions had a First Amendment right to use their general treasuries and profits to spend freely on political ads for and against specific candidates.

Dispute over candidate disqualifications could mar Iraqi vote’s legitimacy - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902602.html The candidates were barred on election eve by a commission -- run by onetime U.S. ally Ahmed Chalabi and other Shiite politicians -- that was empowered to screen government officials for loyalty to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Most of the 55 candidates who were disqualified belong to the Iraqiya list of former prime minister Ayad Allawi, which appears to have done well in secular and Sunni communities. If the votes for the newly barred candidates are annulled, it could give the Iraqiya coalition powerful ammunition to allege vote-rigging by rival politicians, including some in the Shiite-led camp of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "It will be a very violent reaction," Allawi said in an interview Tuesday. "A lot of violence will take place, and God knows how this will end. I will tell you there is already an existing feeling that there was widespread rigging and widespread intimidation." The spat has alarmed U.S. and United Nations officials, who fear it will make it harder for defeated candidates to accept the outcome. Officials said, however, that it was too soon to know whether the controversy would seriously disrupt the formation of a new government.

After Delay, Partial Iraq Vote Results Expected Thursday - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?ref=world Iraq’s electoral commission is expected to announce partial results of parliamentary elections by Thursday, a United Nations official said, offering an incomplete picture of the vote that will nevertheless provide the broad outlines of the country’s political landscape. The results were initially expected Wednesday evening, but Ad Melkert, the United Nations special representative in Iraq, said he hoped the results would be released by Thursday. Iraqi officials did not immediately confirm the delay. “We hope that as soon as possible preliminary results can be made public because Iraqis have the right to know as soon as possible the outcome of their choice of election day,” Mr. Melkert told a news conference on Wednesday.

Global warming skepticism rising in the GOP - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-climate-politics10-2010mar10,0,32332.story It wasn't long ago that Marco Rubio and Tim Pawlenty -- two rising Republican stars -- supported legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But in recent weeks, both have begun to express doubts about whether cars, factories and power plants have anything to do with global warming. The shift by Rubio and Pawlenty -- as well as other prominent Republicans -- reflects the rising power of climate change skeptics in the GOP, where global warming is becoming a litmus test for conservatives. Rubio, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, is running for the U.S. Senate. Pawlenty, Minnesota's governor, is eyeing a 2012 presidential bid. For Republicans, "the new political expediency is to be a global warming skeptic," said Marc Morano, executive editor of the skeptic clearinghouse website ClimateDepot.com and a former aide to outspoken skeptic Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Upset by U.S. Security, Pakistanis Return as Heroes - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/asia/10pstan.html?ref=world A tour of the United States arranged by the State Department to improve ties to Pakistani legislators ended in a public relations fiasco when the members of the group refused to submit to extra airport screening in Washington, and they are now being hailed as heroes on their return home. “People should be thankful, you made them so proud,” said Hamid Mir, the host of a popular national talk show, during an interview in his studio on Tuesday with four of the six politicians, who railed against the security precautions at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Meetings with the Obama administration’s top policy makers on Pakistan, including the president’s special representative, Richard C. Holbrooke, and visits to the Pentagon and the National Security Council, did not allay the anger the politicians said they felt at being asked to submit to a secondary screening on Sunday before boarding a flight to New Orleans. They declined to be screened and did not board the flight. Pakistan is one of 14 mostly Muslim countries whose citizens must go through increased checks before they fly into the United States, a procedure mandated by the Obama administration in the wake of the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up an airliner flying from the Netherlands to Detroit on Dec. 25.

Secretary Gates visits Afghan town recently seized from Taliban - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-gates10-2010mar10,0,5047508.story U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts. As in Marja, the United States is helping to install a rudimentary local government in Now Zad, and U.S. forces are trying to train Afghan security forces to shoulder the load.

U.S. changing focus of Iran policy - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-obama-iran10-2010mar10,0,2722682.story After keeping a careful distance for the last year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Iranian opposition movement has staying power and has embraced it as a central element in the U.S.-led campaign to pressure the country's clerical government. Administration officials and some allied governments believe that a combination of domestic unrest and international sanctions targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard offers the best hope for forcing Tehran to yield on its nuclear program, and could even lead to a change in the government. The administration has made the shift at a time when it is facing sharp domestic criticism over President Obama's failed initiative to launch negotiations with Iran and its perceived unwillingness to strongly back the opposition movement. Meanwhile, the protests sparked by June's disputed presidential election in Iran grew despite a tough crackdown.

Iran blocking foreign, domestic Web sites to curb anti-government activists - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903478.html The bearded blogger stood before an effigy of an Islamic warrior towering over the letters "WWW." "You are the young officers in this war. The United States and their domestic allies have started this fight and you have countered them," he told the recent gathering of pro-government bloggers, part of the cyber-war being fought by Iranian authorities engaged in an unprecedented effort to block anti-government forces from using the World Wide Web and social networks to communicate and organize. Ever since the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June elections led to wide-scale protests, Iran's leaders have been cracking down on the tech-savvy opposition movement with the Revolutionary Guard and police blocking millions of foreign and domestic Web sites, including some Google services, CNN and the BBC.

Israel rebuffs Biden’s peace bid with new settlement homes | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90090/israel-rebuffs-biden-by-announcing.html Hours after the arrival Tuesday of Vice President Joe Biden to help launch indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel announced the construction of 1,600 homes in a settlement block in mostly Arab East Jerusalem, an open rebuff that led Biden to issue a sharply worded condemnation. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel." The announcement by the Israeli Interior Ministry came during Biden's first day in the region, the highest profile visit by an Obama administration official. It appeared to catch the administration off guard.

Biden’s Israel visit takes a rocky turn - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-biden-israel10-2010mar10,0,123115.story In the midst of a high-profile trip by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said, calling it "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now." "We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them," Biden said.

Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000683.html Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again." On Tuesday evening, while having dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his official residence, Biden issued a statement condemning the housing decision, saying the timing of the announcement was "precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust" needed to enter constructive negotiations. "We definitely appreciate the strong statement of condemnation by the administration vis-a-vis this action which definitely undermines confidence in the prospects of the political process," Fayyad said.

Food Aid Bypasses Somalia’s Needy, U.N. Study Finds - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/africa/10somalia.html?ref=world As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report. The report, which has not yet been made public but was shown to The New York Times by diplomats, outlines a host of problems so grave that it recommends that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon open an independent investigation into the World Food Program’s Somalia operations. It suggests that the program rebuild the food distribution system — which serves at least 2.5 million people and whose aid was worth about $485 million in 2009 — from scratch to break what it describes as a corrupt cartel of Somali distributors. In addition to the diversion of food aid, regional Somali authorities are collaborating with pirates who hijack ships along the lawless coast, the report says, and Somali government ministers have auctioned off diplomatic visas for trips to Europe to the highest bidders, some of whom may have been pirates or insurgents.

Bank of America will drop overdraft fees for debit cards | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90103/bank-of-america-will-drop-overdraft.html Bank of America is dropping one of the banking industry's most-criticized fees. No longer will customers be charged an overdraft fee when they use their debit card and don't have enough money in their accounts. Instead, the transaction will be denied, unless the customer has signed up for an overdraft protection service that links their card to a savings account or credit card. The Charlotte bank is going a step farther than a new federal regulation that kicks in July 1. Under those rules, banks can't charge overdraft fees on debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals unless customers provide their consent. The bank's move comes as Congress and regulators look more closely at banking industry fees. The change will affect the customers at the nation's largest consumer bank and will probably prompt other banks to weigh their own policies.

College Inc. - GW students: Our profs are liberals

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/03/gw_students_our_profs_are_libe.html A conservative students group at George Washington University researched the political leanings of the faculty and found evidence of "substantial liberal bias." The university chapter of Young America's Foundation found that 92 percent ($221,490) of political donations by GW faculty in the 2008 primary election cycle went to Democratic candidates, while 8 percent ($20,500) went to Republicans. In the presidential election, the ratio was nearly the same, 91 percent to 9 percent. The numbers reflect a well-documented liberal bias in the academy as a whole, the group said in a release. It cites data from the 2004 presidential election showing that faculty donations favored Democrats to Republicans by a ratio of 150 to 3 at Yale, 114 to 1 at Princeton and 406 to 13 at Harvard. Travis Korson, president of the chapter, cited national trends toward the rejection of Western civilization, Euro-centricism and classical liberal arts in favor of "new academic disciplines such as 'Queer Studies' and 'Africana Studies' . . . I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," he said.

UN pays tribute to 101 staff killed in Haiti - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-0310-un-haiti-20100310,0,1165717.story An emotional Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Tuesday to "the 101 heroes" working for the United Nations who were killed in the Haiti earthquake, the single greatest loss for the world body in its 64-year history. Hundreds of U.N. staff joined relatives of those who died at the ceremony, listening as Ban pledged: "We will never forget you. We will carry on your work." Cries from a young child in the audience who lost a loved one in the Jan. 12 quake punctuated the memorial tribute. The ceremony began with a video of the victims' pictures interspersed with footage of the devastating earthquake that left over 230,000 dead and more than 1 million homeless, and of Ban's visit five days later. It also depicted the solemn military farewell to Haiti mission chief Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, who died when the U.N. headquarters collapsed.

Eric J. Massa Says He Tickled House Staff Member - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10massa.html?ref=politics Former Representative Eric J. Massa of New York, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, vehemently denied any wrongdoing during a television appearance on Tuesday, even as he described having tickle fights with staff members in a house they shared. But he insisted that that was as far as it went. “No, no, no!” he said when asked during an interview with Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel. “I did nothing sexual.” Mr. Massa made the comments as new reports surfaced that the House ethics committee was investigating allegations, reported in The Washington Post on Tuesday, that he groped several male aides in his office. The paper said that the behavior dated back a year. It did not say how many staff members were involved. That is at odds with an account provided by Mr. Massa, who on Monday described an inappropriate exchange he had with an aide during another staff member’s wedding in January. He said he grabbed the aide while the two were seated at a table, joked about having sexual relations with him and mussed his hair before getting up and leaving.

Ex-Congressman Massa says groping wasn’t sexual - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-massa-resigns10-2010mar10,0,5707509.story A day after resigning his seat in the face of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Eric Massa took to the airwaves Tuesday to deny that he had touched a male aide in a sexual manner. Massa (D-N.Y.) has been the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of his staff. He resigned his seat late Monday and went on Fox News' "The Glenn Beck Program" on Tuesday to defend himself and deny new allegations that he had sexually groped a staff member. "I did nothing sexual," Massa said in a rambling interview. "I did things that were wrong." But Massa, 50, also said, "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday and it was kill the old guy."

Lejeune water probe: Did Marine Corps hide benzene data? | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90094/congressional-probers-seek-data.html Congressional investigators late Tuesday requested detailed documents from Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a private contractor that was involved in the testing and cleanup of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, N.C., over the past two decades. More letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and a second private contractor are expected this week. Among investigators' questions: why a federal agency charged with understanding the health impacts of the contamination didn't realize until recently that benzene — a fuel solvent known to cause cancer in humans — was among the substances found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune. For years, the Marines apparently didn't provide documents about the benzene to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which has worked for nearly two decades to understand the contamination and its health impacts, said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., the chairman of the oversight panel on the House Science and Technology Committee.

Ex-Christian Coalition head won’t run for Congress - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001487.html Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed announced Wednesday that he has decided not to run for Congress in Georgia. Reed considered seeking the Republican nomination for Georgia's 7th Congressional District northeast of Atlanta, but said Wednesday on the social networking site Twitter and his Web site that he won't. The boyish-looking 48-year-old was clobbered in his first bid for elected office in 2006. Facing questions about his ties to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he was defeated by a little-known state senator in the race to become Georgia's lieutenant governor. He said in a letter to supporters Wednesday that he made the decision not to run for Congress after much thought and prayer.

Aid agencies fight one another to help Haiti quake victims | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90118/aid-agencies-fight-one-another.html At an encampment on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, physicians from three international aid agencies provide identical services. On a charter flight to Miami, competing doctors get into a shouting match before takeoff. And at a search-and-rescue operation, one international team claiming ownership of the effort asks another to leave -- although the departing group has the equipment to do the job. Haiti has long been fertile ground for international aid agencies that want a shot at helping the impoverished nation pull out of misery. But the politics of aid has become even sharper following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that left more than 200,000 dead and toppled hundreds of thousands of buildings. The behind-the-scenes jockeying -- even as hundreds of thousands remain without adequate shelter -- is likely to intensify as President René Préval pleads for more aid from Washington this week and the international community prepares to meet in New York later this month to discuss Haiti's reconstruction plans.

G.O.P. Looks at Steve Levy in Race for New York Governor - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/nyregion/10levy.html?ref=politics The Republican nomination for governor, which had for months seemed all but locked up by former United States Representative Rick A. Lazio, became a more unsettled contest on Tuesday when top New York Republicans met with the Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, as a potential challenger to Mr. Lazio. Revealing an unease over Mr. Lazio’s campaign, the state Republican Party chairman, Ed Cox, and the party’s nine regional leaders summoned Mr. Levy, a registered Democrat who has run on Republican and Conservative lines in the past, to Albany to make his case for the Republican nomination, according to people who attended the meeting. “They need some time to mull it over and digest it,” Mr. Levy said in an interview after the meeting. Asked whether he, as a Democrat, could be the Republican nominee for governor, he said: “It’s a possibility, and it’s really their call. I can only present what I have to offer and what I have accomplished. And then it’s out of my hands.”

Tim Rutten - No reason for Obama to backtrack - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rutten10-2010mar10,0,1918954.column At some point in the next week, President Obama is expected to announce whether he's decided to backtrack on his decision to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-admitted mastermind of the 9/11 atrocities, and four of his alleged co-conspirators in federal criminal court. According to reports first published in the Washington Post, Obama is being urged by key advisors to return to the Bush administration's plan to try the alleged Al Qaeda terrorists before special military tribunals. If the president, who campaigned on a promise to restore the rule of law in the treatment of the jihadis, reverses course, it will be not only a lamentable triumph of politics over principle but an affront to common sense and some of our most valuable historical precedents. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. put the matter squarely when he announced the administration's initial decision to shift the 9/11 trials to a federal criminal courtroom in Manhattan, as part of the plan to close the last remnant of the Bush/Cheney gulag at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay. "We need not cower in the face of this enemy," Holder said at the time. "Our institutions are strong, our infrastructure is sturdy, our resolve is firm and our people are ready."

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Editorial - Laws, Lies and the Abortion Debate - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion It has been three years since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority abruptly departed from precedent to uphold a federal ban on a particular method of abortion. Emboldened, foes of reproductive freedom are pressing new attacks on women’s rights and health. In Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, has signed a bill that would criminalize certain behavior by women that results in miscarriage. It was prompted by a sad and strange case last year in which a teenager who was seven months pregnant sought to induce a miscarriage by hiring a man to beat her. The measure exempts lawful abortions, and particularly worrisome language about “reckless” acts has been removed. But the law still raises concern about zealous prosecutors using a woman’s difficult choices to open an investigation. In Oklahoma, the Center for Reproductive Rights succeeded last week in blocking a burdensome measure designed to discourage abortions by requiring preprocedure sonograms and exempting physicians from liability for failing to disclose fetal abnormalities. But the ruling turned on a technical flaw in the law, and its supporters are expected to try again.

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Dana Milbank - Massa flirts with the right, but Beck isn’t tickled - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903517.html Just seven minutes into Glenn Beck's hour-long interview of Eric Massa on Tuesday evening, things had already gone very wrong. Conservatives had hopes that the now-former Democratic congressman from Upstate New York, who resigned abruptly under an ethics cloud, would deliver the goods about corruption and strong-arm tactics in the Obama White House and Congress. But instead, Massa served up an icky new confession. "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer," he volunteered. "Yeah, I did. Not only did I grope him, I tickled him until he couldn't breathe and then four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday." Beck looked aghast. "Was your wife at that one?" the Fox News Channel host asked. "No, this was in a townhouse; we all lived together, all the bachelors and me," Massa explained. "My chief of staff had a conniption and said, 'You can't live there, that's not congressional.' "

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Editorial - Saving the Post Office - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed1.html?ref=opinion Many Americans rely on six-days-a-week mail delivery and expect to have a post office just around the corner. But if the United States Postal Service is going to survive the transition to the Internet age — without requiring billions of dollars of federal subsidies — Congress must allow it to cut some services, close some offices and make other sensible changes.

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Congress is running out of time to save the Postal Service - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903337.html ON THE INTERNET, friends can communicate across continents via live video hook-ups for free. Companies can exchange 100-page documents in nanoseconds. Meanwhile, at the U.S. Postal Service, 600,000 employees spend their days stamping and sorting large pieces of paper and carrying them by plane, train and truck to every home and office from Guam to Georgetown -- as federal law requires. This quaint business model was bound to be stressed by recession, and it has been. Mail volume fell from an all-time high of 213 billion pieces in 2006 to 177 billion in 2009, with more declines to come. The Postal Service is on course to lose more than $7 billion this year, despite substantial recent cost-cutting, and it could lose more than $238 billion by 2020. Approaching the limits of its federal credit line, the USPS must change drastically or go bust.

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The gay anti-gay legislator - latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-ashburn10-2010mar10,0,4070153.story The self-outing of state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who confessed that he is gay on a right-wing talk-radio program Monday, was undoubtedly agonizing -- not only for Ashburn but for his family (the divorced senator has four daughters). But although we sympathize with Ashburn and hope he can turn his life in a more positive direction following this revelation, there's really no excusing his political hypocrisy. Ashburn, a Republican from conservative Bakersfield, has a deeply anti-gay voting record. He has opposed nearly every bill on gay rights that has appeared during his 14 years in the Legislature, including measures to allow same-sex marriage, recognize out-of-state gay marriages or designate a day in May to honor gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk. Ashburn was arrested on charges of driving under the influence last week. Soon afterward, a Sacramento TV station reported that he had been at a gay club before his arrest. That led to accusations from gay-rights groups that the senator wasn't just living a lie, he was a hypocrite for opposing homosexual equality. Ashburn responded to that during his on-air confession on radio station KERN-AM (1180): "My votes reflect the wishes of the people in my district."

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Editorial - An Advocate for Equal Justice - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10wed3.html?ref=opinion Providing poor defendants effective appointed counsel is more than a constitutional obligation. It is a concrete measure of the nation’s commitment to equal justice under law. Yet indigent defense offices across the nation have been allowed to sink into crisis. They have fallen victim to insufficient financing, overwhelming caseloads and a slew of policies that hamper effective representation. The civil legal aid system is no less challenged. Short on resources, local offices supported by the Legal Services Corporation, the federal agency that provides legal assistance for low-income Americans in civil cases, must turn away about half the eligible individuals who contact them for help with life-altering issues such as child custody or saving their homes from foreclosure. One rare piece of good news is that Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. has made it his mission to try to narrow this gap in the administration of justice. To lead his campaign, he has hired Laurence Tribe, the prominent Harvard Law School professor and constitutional scholar.

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Antitrust bill to stand alone | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100320/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Antitrust-bill-to-stand-alone Rep. Betsy Markey's bill to end the antitrust exemption for health insurers will be handled by the Senate as a standalone bill and not be wrapped into a broader health-care reform package now being finalized, a senior House aide said Tuesday. "It cannot be included in reconciliation because it is not a budgetary issue. It's a very significant provision and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 406-19, so we hope the Senate will take it up," said the aide, who spoke to the Coloradoan on condition of anonymity. Democratic leaders plan to have the House vote in the next couple weeks on the version of the health-care reform bill passed by the Senate in December, which did not include the antitrust repeal. The House and Senate would then use the budget reconciliation process to make a number of changes to the Senate bill requested by the House, but those changes won't include the antitrust exemption. Markey, who voted against the House reform bill in November because she said it didn't do enough to control health-care costs, hasn't said how she'll vote on the Senate version of the bill if it comes to the House as planned.

FOX31 Exclusive: Jane Norton defends record on spending - KDVR

http://www.kdvr.com/news/politics/kdvr-norton-spending-030910,0,2175513.story There is no issue that riles up today's conservative base like the issue of government spending, perceived to be out of control after last year's $787 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and on the verge of a health care reform bill that, if passed, could cost close to $1 trillion over the next decade. In such a context, it's no surprise that Republican candidates are talking, on the eve of this fall's midterm elections, about how Democrats have overspent and how they will, if elected, rein in such expenditures. It's also no surprise that Jane Norton, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Colorado, is already airing television commercials to that effect. And given that Norton may be the front-runner in the race, out in front of both Democratic contenders and the two Republicans challenging her for the party's nomination, it's no surprise that her record on spending is coming under heavy scrutiny -- and heavy fire -- from both sides.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48757/colorado-democratic-party-suggests-questions-for-norton Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether. Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.

“I’m Steve Barton.” “I’m Steve Barton.” | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/im-steve-barton-im-steve-barton/ Senate candidate Ken Buck sounded like a contestant on To Tell the Truth Tuesday night at a candidate forum sponsored by several conservative organizations. “I’m Steve Barton,” Buck said, “and I’m running for the United States Senate.” The huge crowd roared with laughter. Throughout the night, when it was Barton’s turn to respond to a question, the patent attorney usually started with, “I’m Steve Barton and I’m running for the United States Senate.” People started looking at each other because all the candidates had been introduced, given their opening statements and often were called on by name when it was their turn to answer a question. People knew he was Steve Barton.

I am (lone) woman, hear me roar | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/10/i-am-lone-woman-hear-me-roar/ When Senate candidate Jane Norton was asked Tuesday night what was the “biggest difference” between herself and contender Ken Buck, there were plenty of laughs. “I think that’s petty obvious,” she said. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is one of five candidates running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and the only woman in the race in either the Republican or Democratic Party.

Wiens has Wienersmobile envy | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/wiens-has-wienersmobile-envy/ U.S. Senate candidate Tom Wiens is here but, alas, he didn’t arrive by the Wienersmobile. He wishes he did. “I really want to get that vehicle,” he said, with a laugh. “We’re on the road nonstop, practically.” Wiens did arrive by campaign RV, a vehicle that inspired an unnamed politico with a flair for Photoshop and a sense of humor to doctor Oscar Meyer’s Weinermobile into the Wiensersmobile.

Oh no he di’n't… vote on a water bill | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/oh-no-he-dint-vote-on-a-water-bill/ Congressional hopeful and state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, caught some flack today for missing a vote on a water bill critical to his district while in a series of Washington, D.C. meetings. Senate Bill 52 nearly died in the House this morning, only to be resurrected at the last minute on a narrow 33-30 vote. It would protect boundaries of a designated groundwater basin that’s home to the Republican River and Gardner’s Eastern Colorado district. It gets a third and final reading in the House Wednesday. Gardner, who was excused from the legislature Monday and today, said he was in a series of Washington, D.C. meet-and-greets, though he was not fund raising. “This is an issue that really does mean life or death on the eastern plains. To see that type of shameless partisanship … people are tired of that. They could have laid that over,” said Gardner, who returned to Colorado this afternoon.

Basalt firefighters not so hot for Gems proposal | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309767/1001 The Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal is feeling heat from Basalt firefighters. The Basalt Fire Protection District's board of directors will consider a resolution March 18 to oppose to the Wilderness proposal. Fire department officials said their ability to protect the town of Basalt from a wildfire would be jeopardized if Basalt Mountain is designated Wilderness as proposed. But conservation groups promoting the Wilderness campaign said Tuesday the fire department's position is based on erroneous assumptions. Wilderness designation for Basalt Mountain will have no practical effect on the department's firefighting ability or access to terrain, said Steve Smith, assistant regional director for the Wilderness Society. He said the 1964 Wilderness Act explicitly allows for firefighting activity, with the use of machines, once a fire starts in Wilderness.

Bennet staff to hold meeting in Greeley | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309677/1051 Staff for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., will come to Greeley on Thursday to hear from constituents and offer help for those dealing with a federal agency. Bennet's North Central Regional Representative James Thompson will be available form 5-6 p.m. at Margie's Java Joint, 916 16th St., from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, according to a Bennet release. No appointment is necessary, but to schedule one in advance, call (970) 224-2200.

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48762/progressnow-calls-for-amazon-boycott-promotes-local-tax-paying-outlets State activist group ProgressNow has called on Coloradans to boycott online retail giant Amazon.com as a response to news the company fired its Colorado affiliates this week. ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark told the Colorado Independent the boycott was meant to “remind people they have online and offline alternatives.” He said the boycott (or buycott) idea had been “well received” among lawmakers at the capitol, many of whom were “mad as hell” about the affiliate firings. Amazon acted in the wake of new legislation that requires digital businesses like Amazon to ask customers to pay state sales tax. For the last 24 hours, observers have been speculating on the action, which appeared on first blush to be a sideways response to the new tax because Amazon was still committed to doing business with Colorado residents. Some have speculated, however, that in severing ties with affiliates, Amazon is setting up a legal defense in which it can argue it has no presence in the state and therefore owes the state no taxes.

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309477/1002 The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer's decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. The boycott call came Tuesday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products. Amazon blamed the state's new online tax law for its decision. It requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect taxes or tell customers how much they owe the state each year. Democratic lawmakers say Amazon is using affiliates as pawns to make a point. Republican Sen. Greg Brophy wants to try to overturn the tax but would need permission from majority Democrats to try.

Amazon.com debate heats up at Colorado Capitol - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644084 Republicans immediately blamed the Democratic-controlled legislature for passing a bill that attempts to collect the state's 2.9 percent sales tax on online sales through e-retailers such as Amazon and Overstock.com. "The Democrats' bill and their anti-Amazon rhetoric doesn't harm Amazon," said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. "It hurts the thousands of Colorado affiliates" who made money from online sales. Democrats, though, said Amazon's action was purely a public-relations tactic, punishing affiliates even though the final version of the bill removed the in-state marketers as means of collecting the sales tax. "They (Amazon) absolutely killed the affiliates just to show that they can," said Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver. Meanwhile, one liberal group called for a boycott of Amazon until the retailer renews its relationships with affiliates. Amazon "chose to make an example of our state and unfairly punish their own business associates for political gain," the group ProgressNow Colorado said in a release.

First shots fired in Colorado payday loan war | Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48681/first-shots-fired-in-colorado-payday-loan-war Perhaps no issue will underline the divide separating state Democrats and Republicans this legislative session as well as the war to rein in the payday loan industry. That war saw its first real skirmishes Monday at the capitol when roughly 150 payday-loan business owners and employees rallied outside the building in advance of a hearing on a bill that seeks to cap payday interest rates and limit the infamous cycle of personal payday-loan debt the industry depends upon to generate millions in profits. Payday supporters, including some state lawmakers, railed against the proposed regulation as an infringement on personal liberty and as job-killing government intervention. Supporters of the regulation say the time has come at last to end clearly predatory loan practices that target the state’s vulnerable populations. Republican lawmakers sympathized outside at the rally and inside the committee room with the lenders, who they portrayed as victims of big government. Democratic lawmakers sympathized with the thousands of payday loan borrowers gouged by excessive rates and fees that surpass consumer-protecting limits that apply to the larger lending industry.

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

http://coloradoindependent.com/48696/lending-business-v-plain-old-usury-notes-from-the-colorado-payday-hearing For six hours Monday in the packed Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol before the House judiciary committee, lawmakers and lenders and borrowers traded stories and opinions on the payday loan industry in Colorado and whether and how it should be regulated.

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/deal_eases_threat_to_easement Land trusts on the Western Slope and around the state that help property owners get conservation easements aren’t thrilled with a bill in the Colorado Legislature, but they’re not opposing it anymore, either. That’s because state lawmakers reached a compromise with them. House Bill 1197 initially was intended to permanently lower by nearly two-thirds a cap on the tax credit allowed for each easement. Instead, the bill would cut by more than half the amount the state would pay, in the way of tax credits, for all easements over the next three years. And instead of having the measure go into effect March 1, which would have affected easements approved this year, it would become effective Jan. 1. Bill Prakken, president of the Mesa Land Trust board of directors, said he understands why the Legislature is looking to cut the easement program. At a time when the state has had to cut budgets by billions of dollars, the $63 million it shells out each year in tax credits through the conservation easement program is hard to swallow for legislative budget writers.

Telluride Daily Planet - Gov’t supports uranium accountability bill

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704e117eac935222270.txt As President Obama calls for more nuclear power, Colorado contemplates putting two uranium mills into operation. One would be new and located in Paradox Valley west of Telluride. The other is an old mill near Cañon City, near Colorado Springs, that may be reopened. A new piece of legislation seeks to tighten up the application process and ensure that old mills are cleaned up before new ones are opened, and the Telluride Town Council came out in support of it yesterday. The Uranium Processing Accountability Act would apply most directly to the Cotter-owned mill near Cañon City, which first opened in 1958. It is still in the process of cleaning up contamination. The company applied to reopen the mill in 2001. If this bill passes, the Cotter Corp. couldn’t re-open the mill until all the clean-up has been completed. Cotter is a subsidiary of General Atomics, a nuclear company and defense contractor that builds the Predator drones used in Afghanistan. It is owned largely by Neal Blue, who owns land on the north side of Telluride’s valley floor, and used to own the 570 acres known as the Valley Floor, which Telluride condemned in 2007.

Durango Herald News, Senate tries to cap tax credits

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Senate_tries_to_cap_tax_credits/ Farmers and ranchers who are thinking about a conservation easement on their land might want to think fast. The Legislature got moving again Tuesday on an almost-forgotten 10th bill in its tax package. Nine other Democratic tax bills on items ranging from soda to Internet sales were signed into law two weeks ago. But two more - on conservation easements and enterprise zones - got waylaid. The enterprise zone bill is still on hold, but the conservation easement bill, House Bill 1197, regained its footing Tuesday, passing the Senate Finance Committee 4-3. The bill limits the state's conservation easement program to $26 million each of the next three years. That's $37 million less than state officials had expected to pay out in tax credits next year. If HB 1197 passes, tax credits would be dished out on a first-come, first-served basis, said the sponsor, Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9736bfa0997521819770.txt A bill that opponents say would undermine senior water rights first died, then was resurrected and gained preliminary approval in the House on Tuesday. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Kathleen Curry, U-Gunnison, SB52 seeks to honor already permitted wells in the event that the Colorado Ground Water Commission redraws boundaries of the state's eight existing designated groundwater basins. Designated groundwater basins generally are considered nontributary, or at least not adjacent to major streams and rivers. They may include municipal, industrial and agricultural uses. At odds in the bill are the rights of senior surface water rights and the interests of permitted well users relying on groundwater.

Rural electric co-op quits state group in support of Levy board election bill « Colorado Indepe

http://coloradoindependent.com/48727/rural-electric-co-op-quits-state-group-in-support-of-levy-board-election-bill A rift over legislation aimed at making rural electric association (REA) board elections more transparent and fair for challengers has in part spurred one co-op to part ways with the statewide association representing Colorado’s 21 REAs. The general manager of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) on Colorado’s Western Slope announced last month the co-op was pulling out of the Colorado Rural Electric Association as of April 30, citing an “unfortunate pattern of [CREA] opposing most electric industry initiatives that come before the Legislature.” Pressed for specifics, DMEA general manager Dan McClendon said Monday the split has been a long time coming but came to a head with the introduction by state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, of the REA board election transparency bill on Jan. 14. “The DMEA over the last 20 years or so ran through some very tough times on that very issue [election transparency] and we have grown and learned through that process to this day,” McClendon said. “We try to be open and provide all the information that all of our members want at any time.”

Colorado may ban promotions by elected officials | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309502/1001 A Colorado senator says the state's top elected officials are wasting thousands of dollars on official brochures and ads promoting themselves and he wants to stop it. Sen. Bill Cadman, a Republican from Colorado Springs, says the state will be forced to throw out thousands of brochures featuring photos and testimonials from Gov. Bill Ritter when he leaves office in 10 months, and it's unnecessary. His bill banning the practice by the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general will be heard Wednesday by the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Professionals’ licensure measure passes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973a5406825153546013.txt The Senate on Tuesday granted final approval to a bill that makes it easier for professionals in certain regulated fields to practice their occupations in Colorado after moving from another state. State Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, sponsored HB1175 in the Senate. Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Colorado Springs, was the House sponsor. Tapia said it's aimed to help military families transition to the state. The bill calls for streamlined processes for licensing chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, nursing home administrators and physical therapists in Colorado when they move from other states. "It was really a military-driven bill," Tapia said. "It's for people coming to Fort Carson and their spouses. For years people have been assigned there, and their spouses had to work six months or a year toward a certificate or a license. In some cases, these are people who've been competent professionals for 20 years before they came to Colorado."

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21150 Two Colorado auto dealers fighting with Chrysler after losing their franchises would get some help from a bill advancing at the Capitol. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill Tuesday. It would allow dropped dealers to seek termination payments from General Motors and Chry-sler if their franchises are awarded to someone else. They could also try to get their business back instead. Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell said it would apply retroactively to two dealers whose franchises have already been awarded to competitors — David Fitzgerald of Northglenn and Yale King of Longmont. He said the bill will give them some rights if their dispute with Chrysler ends up in court. The bill heads back to the House for re-approval.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b973916a644f668088862.txt Fremont County commissioners on Tuesday passed temporary regulations — pending more direction from the state — governing the location of medical mari- juana dispensaries and growing operations. "Some jurisdictions have passed moratoriums and some counties have enacted temporary regulations," said Ed Norden, commission chairman. "We are interested in not adopting anything permanent until we see what guidance we get from the state Legislature this session." The temporary regulations limit dispensaries and grow operations to business zones or rural highway zones. Dispensaries or grow operations established in neighborhood business zones would have to go through a special permitting process. Home occupation businesses can serve only up to three patients. Dispensaries and grow operations cannot be located within 500 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks or drug and alcohol treatment centers.

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/10/Bayfield_waffles_on_marijuana/ A Bayfield woman concerned about abuse of Colorado's medical marijuana laws claimed to have witnessed abuse firsthand at a public show in Denver. “I went up to a booth and the guy did not hesitate - did not hesitate - to write me a prescription so I could walk down to the local dispensary in Denver and get a bag of marijuana," said the woman, who would identify herself only as “Susie," on Monday night in Bayfield during a forum about dispensaries. The meeting, moderated by Town Manager Justin Clifton, drew about 30 residents to discuss the future of medical marijuana in the town. The town has received two applications from dispensaries that wish to operate in Bayfield. The meeting was held as the result of a Feb. 17 decision by the Bayfield Town Board to impose a 90-day moratorium on dispensaries in the town.

Dyer bows out in Arapahoe County, primary battle ahead | The Spot

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/03/09/dyer-bows-out-in-arapahoe-county-primary-battle-ahead/ An Arapahoe County commissioner race just got a whole lot more interesting. Republican Jim Dyer announced over the weekend he would not seek re-election, and he wasted no time in time in blistering one of the candidates trying to succeed him. Former state Rep. Lauri Clapp and Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe are running for the GOP nomination for Dyer’s seat. Dyer said he is backing Sharpe, saying Clapp would be a “disaster” and he fears if she wins the nomination, Democrats will take the seat in November.

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643334 In what is likely a first-of-its-kind case in Colorado, a judge here convicted an Avon man of marijuana possession Tuesday, despite his claim that the charges violated his First Amendment rights because he needs cannabis for religious purposes. Trevor Douglas, 25, told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion. He holds membership in two churches that espouse such beliefs and said he was trained by his parents to use marijuana in holy ceremonies. "I believe that, as mentioned in the Bible, cannabis is the tree of life," Douglas, acting as his own witness, said at his two-hour trial. "I hold the plant very sacred to myself. Obviously it is very sacred to my church. I couldn't envision my life or my church without it." Throughout his testimony, Douglas thumbed through pre-marked passages in a Bible — defense exhibit No. 3 — that he believes reference cannabis.

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641496 A Highlands Ranch man busted by federal agents after growing medical marijuana in his home is expected to plead guilty to a drug charge, 9Wants to Know has learned. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the home where Chris Bartkowicz, 36, lived near C-470 and University Boulevard last month. Agents say they discovered 224 marijuana plants in various stages of development. Bartkowicz pleaded not guilty on March 5 to a federal charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. That same day, Bartkowicz's attorney filed a notice of disposition telling a judge that the prosecution and defense have reached an agreement in the case and a change of plea proceeding is needed. "The prosecution and defense are waiting for a judge to set a change of plea hearing date, where (Bartkowicz) will be given an opportunity to plead guilty," U.S. Attorney spokesman Jeff Dorschner told 9Wants to Know.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Two lawmakers cast unintended votes

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737b18a413318960897.txt Two state representatives who intended to vote against a bill on Tuesday accidentally voted for it, affecting the outcome in the House. By a margin of 33-29, the House passed HB1009. Two representatives were excused, but Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, were not. Both intended to vote against a bill that seeks to add a physician representative and an injured-worker representative to the board's existing nine-member board of Pinnacol Assurance, the state-run workers' compensation insurer of last resort. The pair was preoccupied by a conversation over legislative matters when it came time to vote. Scanlan and Middleton requested a new vote of the House so they could cast their intended vote on the record, but the House voted down the request. Tuesday's vote in the House was the final action before passing along the bill to the Senate.

Telluride Daily Planet - Parties hold quieter caucuses this year

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/doc4b9704c6283ba849365260.txt Last year, when Coloradans got a say in whether the Democrats would nominate their first black candidate or their first woman candidate for president, the caucuses were a very big deal. “It was over 150 people,” said Dick Unruh, chair of the San Miguel County Democrats. Those caucuses, it could be said, were raucouses. This March 16, when the local Democrat and Republican parties hold their caucuses, there won’t be quite as high stakes. These caucuses will be quieter — if not sickly. These caucuses, it could be said, have streptococcuses. But they are the first part of a journey for those seeking county offices. The list of new candidates isn’t long, but it is full of familiar faces.

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14642737 State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat, will hold his third town hall meeting of the year on Saturday. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will focus on education issues, in particular how the state budget crisis likely will affect funding for K-12 education. Boulder Valley School District Superintendent Chris King will be a guest speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chatauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, in the Grand Assembly Room.

Riesberg to hold forum on health care on Saturday | Greeley Tribune

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309679/1051 State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Colo., will host a community forum to present an overview of the issues surrounding health care and reform of the health care system in Colorado on Saturday from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., in the meeting room at Sunrise Community Health-Monfort Family Clinic, 2930 11th Ave. in Evans. Guest speakers include: Mitzi Moran, of Sunrise Community Health/Monfort Family Clinic; Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Wayne Maxwell, Executive Director, North Range Behavioral Health; and Mike Bloom, of North Colorado Health Alliance. Brochures and other information about local services will be available, according to a Riesberg press release. Following the presentations, Riesberg will highlight the legislation being discussed in Colorado and moderate a group discussion and idea sharing session so participants can share their concerns and issues, and offer input as to how Colorado can improve access to quality, affordable health care for all citizens.

CU regents could vote on 9 percent tuition hike at special meeting Wednesday - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14641787 The University of Colorado regents are holding a just-announced meeting Wednesday to discuss and possibly vote on a 9 percent tuition increase for students on the Boulder campus. "The intent is to vote on tuition," said Regent Tom Lucero, who would not yet say how he'd vote. In past years, Lucero has voted against tuition increases but has been in the minority. The administration is proposing a 9 percent tuition increase for in-state students, said CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue. For CU's College of Arts and Sciences, which charges $6,153 for in-state tuition this year, a 9 percent increase would translate to an extra $554. "Whether or not they have a vote on tuition remains to be seen," McConnellogue said. Gov. Bill Ritter has given Colorado colleges and universities a 9 percent tuition cap, and McConnellogue said CU has been engaging students in tuition-setting decisions.

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100310/NEWS01/3100338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/CSU-considers-fee-hike-to-pay-for-renovations CSU students each face paying an extra $300 annually to build and renovate classrooms, upgrade Morgan Library and erect a $65 million engineering building. Colorado State University administrators are considering doubling the current $10-per-credit-hour facilities fee paid by students to $20 per credit hour, or $300 annually for a full-time resident undergraduate student. Some students worry the increase, along with an expected 9 percent hike in undergraduate resident tuition, will make CSU unaffordable for more families. Other students wonder whether CSU should consider whether increased online learning could take the place of new buildings.

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14644219 The $38 billion in overdraft-protection fees that make up one of the banking industry's fattest cash cows will take a significant hit this summer when federal rules kick in that preclude the practice without prior consumer approval. That means financial institutions — battle weary from last year's economic crisis and new credit-card rules that slashed their ability to make money — are looking for new ways to make up the shortfall. And consumers ultimately will be the ones to take the hit, industry watchdogs say. "Clearly . . . there will be an effort to recoup it . . . and it's to be the customer who pays," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit.com, which tracks the banking industry. One of the first areas to get dinged, Ulzheimer said, will be the long-popular free checking plan, a 1990s concept that proved so popular it morphed into a given.

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14641677 Three out-of-state lawyers, accused of using unfair tactics to collect debts in Colorado, have been banned from collecting debts for periods ranging from life to three years, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said today. Under a consent decree issued late Monday by Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman, lawyer Marvin Brandon is permanently banned from collecting debts in Colorado; lawyer Jack H. Boyajian is banned from collecting debts in Colorado for five years, and lawyer Karen Nations is banned from collecting debts for three years in Colorado. The consent decree specifically bars the lawyers and their firms from violating Colorado's debt-collection and consumer-protection laws. Under the settlement with the lawyers, if Boyajian and Nations want to resume debt collection in Colorado after their bans are up, they must obtain licenses from the state.

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643411 The 2010 census is gearing up to employ about 8,000 Coloradans, providing a timely boost to an economy that has shed more than 10 times that many jobs in the past year. "We still need people," said Lee Ann Morning, manager of the Denver Local Census Office. "And people want to work for us." Each of the state's eight local offices should employ about 1,000 workers by late April as the count of the state's population moves toward its final push, Morning said. Besides Denver, local census offices are in Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Reasons for working with the census vary, but a pay scale that starts at around $12.75 an hour is one motivation.

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

http://telluridenews.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/doc4b95b023cf339327520541.txt He traveled from his home in Dolores County for work. He drilled holes and lit dynamite and hauled rocks up from underground — rocks that not only powered a nation but paid his family’s bills. But when uranium mines near the Utah border closed this fall, Larry Kibel lost his job along with scores of other workers, and he found himself part of a very unfortunate statistic. Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. In December, the latest month for which numbers are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed. The high rate comes from a lot of factors — construction is bad, tourism is bad, there isn’t much agricultural work in the winter, residents say. But the mines shutting down was one of the biggest factors.

Forest Service weighs mine request to build roads in Colorado forest - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14643333 Prodded by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Forest Service is reviewing a Colorado coal-mining company's stalled request to build roads in a federally protected "roadless" forest. Oxbow Mining seeks permission to build temporary roads — and improve 14.9 miles of existing road — to drill air vents so underground mining can continue at its Elk Creek mine in western Colorado. The mine produces a low-sulfur coal that helps Midwestern and Eastern power plants meet federal air-pollution standards. It employs about 350 of the 1,000 or so miners in the North Fork Valley, near Delta, where coal mining remains an economic mainstay. "We are encouraged," Oxbow president Jim Cooper said.

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644032 The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an "intensive outreach effort" in the Four Corners area to American Indians whose work in the uranium industry during the Cold War exposed them to radiation. Tony West, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a news release that workers and their families may be entitled to payment under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Under the act, uranium miners, millers and ore transporters; those present at nuclear-weapons test sites; and people who lived in certain areas downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site may receive compensation. West said college- and graduate-student interns recruited from tribal communities will attempt to contact American Indians in the Four Corners area.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Council approves annexation project

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9738cb3b90e154165829.txt City Council agreed to annex a narrow 70-acre strip of land into the city Monday night, creating a city-owned path to the proposed future site of a new natural-gas power plant that Black Hills Energy intends to build northeast of the city. The technique is called "flag pole" annexation because it would connect the 240-acre plant site to the city by a narrow extension of land. The city is negotiating a new electricity franchise agreement with Black Hills and the utility has committed to pay the city $7.5 million if the power plant site is annexed into the city this year. The money would be in lieu of the city's use tax, which Black Hills would have to pay on equipment and materials used in building the plant. The utility has already paid the city more than $4 million with the remainder to be paid after annexation. What council will do with that money also was debated Monday night.

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643214 The median price for a single-family home in metro Denver rose nearly 15 percent in February compared with the same month a year ago, but the number of homes sold declined. The median price for a single-family home rose to $220,750 last month, compared with $192,000 a year ago, according to Metrolist data released Tuesday. The median price for a condo increased 12.5 percent to $132,500, compared with $117,725 last year. There were 2,436 homes sold in February, down 1.9 percent from 2,484 last year. "First-time homebuyers are out in force," independent real-estate analyst Gary Bauer said. "We've also seen investors come out this month. In the lower-priced markets, we have both investors and first-time homebuyers out there bidding on the same properties."

More stories in National/Economy | Colorado/Economy
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Denver archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children at Boulder preschool - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14640646 The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a "painful situation," but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings. Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that. Previous reports indicated only one child was involved. Neither the parents nor the children have been identified. About two dozen protesters stood outside Sacred Heart of Jesus church on Sunday with signs, one reading "God loves all people."

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644028 The archbishop of Denver is defending a decision by a Catholic school in Colorado not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Tuesday that it's a "painful situation" but the decision is in line with church beliefs. He said Catholic school students' parents are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples. Chaput said Sacred Heart of Jesus school in Boulder told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48678/defending-anti-gay-school-policy-chaput-takes-dig-at-tax-code Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput posted a defense of the decision by Sacred Heart parish in Boulder to expel the children of a lesbian couple. In the face of mounting bad press criticizing the school for discrimination, Chaput explained simply that Sacred Heart is Catholic and that gay sex and marriage are not condoned by the Church. He said the children and the lesbian moms are loved but not wanted at Sacred Heart. How the children were let into the pre-school program in the first place and the parents allowed to pay for the privilege of having their children integrated and then booted and themselves referred to as an affront to the Church, is a question unanswered in Chaput’s letter. Chaput, a proudly conservative political prelate, though, didn’t miss the opportunity to insert an attack on the tax code and suggest that Americans should be allowed to send their kids to Catholic schools and receive a tax write off as a result– no matter whether they’re atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, Muslim, Hindu, divorced, unmarried and sexually active, or pretty much anything similarly non-Catholic. Anything, that is, but gay of course.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b97380bac2b6188896119.txt Since the city of Pueblo began using photo enforcement techniques for red light runners, cameras have flashed on more than 1,300 vehicles. The city has collected more than $70,000 in revenue and issued 1,340 citations since the cameras went into effect in September. But chances are good the city is losing money on the venture, because it hasn't been able to collect from everybody who gets a ticket. The city has photo enforcement at two intersections: Thatcher and Prairie avenues and at U.S. 50 Bypass and Norwood Avenue.

RTD approves new manager’s contract. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_14644033 The Regional Transportation District board Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for new general manager Phil Washington. The contract contains none of the extra compensation included in predecessor Cal Marsella's contract. Washington's total annual compensation is $306,449. It is about 57 percent of Marsella's package.

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Mild winter helps taxpayers

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/10/news/local/doc4b9737379bae2400102342.txt The winter of 2009-10 could still have some nasty surprises in it — after all, March can be a snowy month — but it has been a mild one on taxpayers' wallets thus far, according to snow-removal statistics from Pueblo County and city governments. Earl Wilkinson, the city's new director of public works, said the current winter has only cost $30,000 in terms of sending out crews to sand and clear snowy Pueblo streets. That's compared with a total of $51,658 spent in 2009 and $60,406 spent in 2008. Wilkinson, who was hired last year from Ohio, said the Southern Colorado winters are much easier to deal with than Midwestern blizzards. "One of the first things I noticed is that even when it snows, the weather usually warms up and the snow melts in a few days," Wilkinson said. "That's not the case back where I come from. When it snows in Ohio, the snow sticks around for a long time. We can go most of February and never see the sun."

Those Aching Backs! - The County Seat : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://thecountyseat.freedomblogging.com/2010/03/09/those-aching-backs/733/ The city of Colorado Springs may have turned off street lights, yanked the garbage cans out of parks and laid off hundreds of workers. But the folks over at Colorado Springs Utilities, the electric-gas-water-waste water monopoly owned by the city, are considering spending nearly $1.1 million to remodel a building that houses energy traders and $240,000 for ergonomic furniture. (Included in the remodeling costs is $150,000 for a new sanitary sewer line and $150,000 for a new roof.) An employee who was outraged by the proposed expenditures tipped us off to the project. But it took a Colorado Open Records Act request to get a more complete picture of what’s planned.

Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100310/NEWS/100309769/1001 Aspen is showing some signs of economic recovery but clearly the resort is not out of woods, based on recent sales tax and occupancy report data. Taxable sales for January show that Aspen was up 4 percent over the previous year during the same month. Consumption-based sales tax revenue for the city in January 2009 was down 21 percent over the year before. “It's not a huge improvement,” said Aspen Finance Director Don Taylor. “Nobody expects to make it all back ... it's going to take a while.” In the city's sales tax report released last week, a new industrial category of automobiles was broken out from the “general retail” category because there was such a significant jump from the year prior — a 386 percent increase, or more than $1.4 million in taxable revenue.

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100309/NEWS/100309479/1001 Avon officials say they must cut the town's 2010 budget to close a roughly $1.1 million shortfall in revenue. Town officials blame the gap on outstanding payments they claim Traer Creek Metropolitan District owes the town for municipal services and sales tax shortfalls. Town staff provided recommendations on the supplemental 2010 budget to town council Tuesday night. Proposed changes include freezing and eliminating positions, continuing the full-time furlough program though the end of the year and reducing the overtime hours in several departments. Layoffs in two departments already occurred in February. Departments found areas to reduce operating supplies, contract services, and other operating costs. Some of the major cutbacks included elimination of the live band for the Salute to the USA, deferral of ditch maintenance, delay of the Upper Buck Creek bridge overlay, reduction of street striping, the deferral of software upgrades and training and cutbacks in advertising costs.

Boulder Valley schools projects as many as 380 teachers could be laid off - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14642491 Up to 221 elementary school teachers and 159 secondary teachers in the Boulder Valley School District could lose their jobs next school year, under a worst-case district scenario. As part of its contract with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the district each spring is required to project the maximum number of teacher layoffs that could happen for the upcoming school year. The estimates are designed to give the teachers' union advanced notice about what potential cuts lie ahead. Becky McClure, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said the estimate that 380 teachers face losing their jobs comes mostly from the number of teachers with one-year contracts -- where the district would likely begin making cuts -- and the number of first- and second-year probationary teachers who would be next on the chopping block.

Boulder Valley school board can’t promise to save fifth-grade music program - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/schoolchoice/ci_14644027 Some Boulder Valley school board members Tuesday night tried to allay public worries that portions of the district's fifth-grade music program will be reduced or eliminated, but other leaders were quick to point out that "everything is on the table" in the face of state budget cuts. The school board has heard from hundreds of parents, teachers and students concerned about proposals to cut or change parts of the school district's fifth-grade music program. "I honestly cannot see a scenario where we would cut this program or seriously reduce this program," said board member Laurie Albright. "So let's move this along and get this resolved." A couple of Albright's colleagues on the board agreed with her, but school board member Helayne Jones and board President Ken Roberge did not.

D-11 revises recommendation on assistant principal cuts | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-95413-principal-assistant.html Fewer assistant principals would be cut under a new recommendation presented to the Colorado Springs School District 11 board at a work session Tuesday. The suggested dollar amount of cuts actually increased by about $10,000, to $874,765. The new recommendation would take more money out of non-instructional supplies and less from personnel. The district had considered cutting nince assistant principals. The administration suggests cutting four assistant principal positions -- two from elementary schools, one from West Middle School and one from Coronado High School. Some of the difference would be made up by consolidating supervision of alternative schools under one principal. That would include Tesla Educational Opportunity Center, the Bijou School, the Digital School at The Citadel mall and adult education programs. Each of the individual programs would have an assistant principal, but the overall savings would be nearly $108,000, said deputy superintendent Mike Poore.

The Longmont Times-Call - NW Rail meeting set for Thursday

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=21148 FasTracks’ Northwest Rail Corridor falls within a railroad right of way, so putting passenger trains on Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Corp. tracks would be consistent with local land uses and zoning plans. That is one of the conclusions in a draft environmental evaluation of the Regional Transportation District’s proposal for building improvements and operating commuter trains between Denver and Longmont. The study says converting existing land uses to rail facilities where BNSF right of way is now constrained would occur primarily at the Northwest Rail Corridor’s proposed stations, such as the passenger line’s northern terminus now planned for a Longmont station at First Avenue and Terry Street.

Craig Daily Press / Hayden School Board to hear survey results

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/hayden-school-board-hear-survey-results/ The question is not if cuts will be made next year, but where the money will be taken from as the Hayden School District predicts a 10 percent cut in state funding. To prepare for the cuts at a Hayden School Board meeting next week, the board will meet at 5 p.m. today to discuss the results of a community survey and lay the outline for budget reductions. During the work session, Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel will present the results of a communitywide survey the district conducted about budget priorities. Zabel said 1,200 surveys were sent to registered voters and mailbox holders in the district and that 183 were returned. A similar survey, with additional questions, also was given to 75 staff members, with 53 returned.

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_14643220 A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has approved the Chapter 11 reorganization plan of Freedom Communications, owner of The Gazette of Colorado Springs and other media properties. Under the plan approved Tuesday, Freedom's secured lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, would assume ownership of the company in return for cutting the debt owed to them by nearly 60 percent.

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Western Tradition attacks 98-year-old corporate campaign spending ban « Colorado Independent

http://coloradoindependent.com/48686/western-tradition-attacks-98-year-old-corporate-campaign-spending-ban The conservative Astroturf group that spent thousands to swing the Longmont City Council back to the right last November and keep the Garfield County commissioner board in the oil and gas camp in 2008 has filed a lawsuit in Montana to overturn that state’s 98-year-old ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Western Tradition Partnership, a political committee with its tendrils in controversial issues in both Colorado and Montana, filed a suit Monday in Helena District Court in conjunction with a Bozeman painting company seeking to align Montana’s state laws with January’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate spending in political campaigns, according to the Missoulian newspaper. According to the report, both Western Tradition Partnership and Champion Painting want the law overturned so they can spend corporate funds to campaign in the June and November Montana elections on ballot issues and candidate platforms.

New LEED test could boost curriculum at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_14643346 A new exam prep course at the University of Colorado could improve curriculum and recruiting within the real estate MBA program, campus officials said, giving students an edge in environmental design. The pilot program sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, is a six-week course preparing students for the Green Associate exam, which tests students' knowledge of building efficiency and design. Passing the exam is the first step toward becoming Leadership and Environmental Design- certified, which is beneficial to both professionals and companies that increase their projects' energy rating by having certified employees. If the prep course is successful, it could become a permanent part of the MBA real estate track and boost interest among students since few programs offer the exam prep classes, course organizer and MBA student Brad Weinig said.

Craig Daily Press / Broad reactions in wake of Steamboat 700 election

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/10/broad-reactions-wake-steamboat-700-election/ Steamboat 700 supporters and opponents agreed on one thing Tuesday night: Voters’ rejection of the annexation means it’s time for the city to update its community plan and rethink how to handle growth in coming years.

Craig Daily Press / Steamboat says ‘no’ to 700

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2010/mar/09/voters-deny-steamboat-700/ City voters denied the Steamboat 700 annexation by a margin of more than 20 percentage points Tuesday, making a strong statement about how and when growth should occur in the community and culminating a resident-led opposition effort that began with a petition drive in the fall. The vote rejects what would have been the city’s most substantial annexation since the Mount Werner ski resort area was folded into city limits decades ago. Steamboat Springs residents cast 2,592 ballots against the annexation and 1,661 ballots in favor, a 61 to 39 percent result for the mail-only vote that began in February. The Steamboat 700 annexation lost in each of the city’s eight precincts. The largest margin came in Precinct 13, which includes much of Old Town. Precinct 13 voted 383 against to 179 for the annexation, or 68 to 32 percent.

Local Democrats hire director, lose chairman | Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

http://www.gazette.com/articles/chairman-95398-party-director.html The El Paso County Democratic Party is looking for a new chairman. Jason DeGroot resigned the top job last month and party leaders will meet Saturday to pick his successor. That new chairman will need to heal rifts caused by a reorganization that led to the party getting a full-time executive director to oversee fundraising and outreach efforts. “These things happen,” DeGroot said Tuesday. “New people have come into the party with new energy and new ideas; that is going to cause some friction and some pain.” Party activists James Tucker and Rita Ague claimed Tuesday DeGroot and other leaders overstepped their bounds by hiring an executive director while sending the party’s longtime office manager packing because the group could not afford both positions.

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/us/politics/10lawyers.html?ref=politics A conservative advocacy organization in Washington, Keep America Safe, kicked up a storm last week when it released a video that questioned the loyalty of Justice Department lawyers who worked in the past on behalf of detained terrorism suspects. But beyond the expected liberal outrage, the tactics of the group, which is run by Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president, have also split the tightly knit world of conservative legal scholars. Many conservatives, including members of the Federalist Society, the quarter-century-old policy group devoted to conservative and libertarian legal ideals, have vehemently criticized Ms. Cheney’s video, and say it violates the American legal principle that even unpopular defendants deserve a lawyer. “There’s something truly bizarre about this,” said Richard A. Epstein, a University of Chicago law professor and a revered figure among many members of the society. “Liz Cheney is a former student of mine — I don’t know what moves her on this thing,” he said.

JihadJane, an American woman, faces terrorism charges - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902670.html A petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed high school dropout who allegedly used the nickname JihadJane was identified Tuesday as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause, as federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges that could send her to prison for life. Colleen Renee LaRose, 46, has been quietly held in U.S. custody since October on suspicions that she provided material support to terrorists and traveled to Sweden to launch an attack, according to federal officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is continuing to unfold. LaRose, who lived in suburban Philadelphia, allegedly recruited men and women in the United States, Europe and South Asia to "wage violent jihad," according to an indictment issued in Pennsylvania. She fueled her interests on the Internet over the past few years and used Web sites such as YouTube to post increasingly agitated messages, the court papers said.

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903858.html As Republicans work to prevent a health-care bill from reaching President Obama, they are scrambling to exploit divisions between Democrats in the House and the Senate. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned House Democrats that they would be taking a colossal risk if they approved the Senate's version of health-care legislation before the Senate had acted to remove some of the bill's most contentious provisions. Now that Democrats have lost their supermajority in the Senate, some variation of this delicate two-step process is the only way a health-care reform bill can become law. "House Democrats will have to decide whether they want to trust the Senate to fix their political problems," McConnell said. He listed perks that Senate Democrats won for Nebraska, Louisiana, Florida and labor unions; House members insist that all must be removed through a separate "fixes" bill under special budget reconciliation rules. "They will be voting, when they pass the Senate bill, to endorse the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator-aid, the closed-door deal, the special deal for the unions, which may or may not bother any Democrats, I don't know," McConnell said.

Health care overhaul’s biggest threat? A delay in the vote | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/09/90091/health-bill-draws-protests-on.html Thousands of liberal public-option backers and conservative tea partiers launched last-chance campaigns Tuesday in the nation's capital to persuade Congress to pass — or reject — sweeping health care legislation. Democratic congressional leaders conceded that they may not have the votes for final passage of the overhaul by March 26, when Congress is to break for spring recess. They're trying to convince party moderates and abortion foes to go along. President Barack Obama wants final votes even earlier, before his March 18 departure on an overseas trip. That appears unlikely. Republicans launched an all-out effort to derail the bill, urging congressional candidates to hold town hall meetings, organize voters over the Internet and denounce any special deals that may be cut to grease Democrats' votes. "A vote for this bill opens an entirely new line of attack on House Democrats," wrote Johnny DeStefano, deputy director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a memo to candidates.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/health/policy/10health.html?ref=politics The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process. An official determination on the matter could come within days from the House and Senate parliamentarians, and could present yet another hurdle for Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders as they try to lock in support from skittish lawmakers in the House. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders and top administration officials met in the offices of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday evening trying to resolve outstanding policy differences between the chambers. House leaders were still navigating potential pitfalls, including a dispute over provisions related to insurance coverage of abortion, while opponents of the legislation, including a leading business group, planned a new onslaught of television advertisements attacking the proposal.

Sebelius piles pressure on insurers - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001463.html Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits and stop fighting President Barack Obama's health reform plans. "You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums," Sebelius said in prepared remarks to an insurance industry group. "If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits. But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage," Sebelius said in a speech to a conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. The Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass sweeping healthcare reform legislation and has sharply criticized insurers for big increases in premiums and profits. Sebelius told the group that premiums would continue to rise if the healthcare overhaul fails.

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903877.html Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system.

Economic Scene - Wishing for a Health Care Plan That Cuts Costs - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?ref=politics For anyone who cares about medical costs — which is to say anyone who cares about the take-home pay of American families or about the budget deficit — President Obama’s health reform plan is a terribly mixed bag. It does so much less than the ideal plan would do. It would not come close to eliminating Medicare’s long-term budget deficit. It would reduce that deficit only if a future Congress did not tinker with the various taxes and spending cuts scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. On the other hand, the plan would make progress in all sorts of areas. Insurance exchanges would create more competition. A Medicare oversight board would gain authority over reimbursement rates. Hospitals that committed certain medical errors — harmful, costly errors — would face financial penalties. So which matters more: what the plan does, or what it fails to do? It’s a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan.

House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903469.html Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks. Democrats are pushing for a new rule that would most likely forbid earmarked expenditures to private, for-profit contractors for at least one year. Such businesses reap billions annually in federal grants directed their way by individual lawmakers, particularly from the Pentagon's budget. House leaders emerged from a meeting Tuesday in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ready to push earmark reform as one way to rebut charges that they have been soft on ethics issues. A string of recent scandals -- including the admonition of Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) for accepting corporate-financed trips and the resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) amid allegations of sexual harassment -- have drowned out any political goodwill from actions Democrats took three years ago upon claiming the majority, including more disclosure of lobbyist activity and banning gifts from lobbyists.

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/10/90110/study-says-cash-for-clunkers-impact.html Search online for "Cash for Clunkers," and here's one thing you'll find: stories about its negligible overall impact on the economy. Wrong, says Maritz Automotive Research Group. The Toledo, Ohio, independent automotive research company recently surveyed participants in last summer’s federal program designed to stimulate new-car sales and get gas-guzzlers off the road. On Tuesday, the company shared its results. One key finding: 90 percent of those participating in Cash for Clunkers said they would not otherwise have bought a new car. According to federal government data, 677,000 purchases were made through Cash for Clunkers from late July through August. Maritz’s research showed that 542,000 were incremental new car or truck sales, meaning those purchases would not have occurred without the incentives. Previous estimates by industry analysts put the incremental sales figure between 125,000 and 346,000. The government’s Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, offered vouchers of $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of older, gas-guzzling vehicles who traded them in for new, fuel-efficient models. The program, which was expected to last several months, was so popular that it ran out of its $3 billion in funding in two months.

Draft on Payday Rules Loses a Provision - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10regulate.html?ref=politics Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who is playing a crucial role in bipartisan negotiations over financial regulation, pressed to remove a provision from draft legislation that would have empowered federal authorities to crack down on payday lenders, people involved in the talks said. The industry is politically influential in his home state and a significant contributor to his campaigns, records show. The Senate Banking Committee’s chairman, Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in November that would give a new consumer protection agency the power to write and enforce rules governing payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies that are not part of banks. Late last month, Mr. Corker pressed Mr. Dodd to scale back substantially the power that the consumer protection agency would have over such companies, according to three people involved in the talks. Mr. Dodd went along, these people said, in an effort to reach a bipartisan deal with Mr. Corker after talks had broken down between Democrats and the committee’s top Republican, Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama. The individuals, both Democrats and Republicans, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

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Daily News Digest for 3/10/2010

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National News

Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - NYTimes.com

Republicans target Democrats’ division over reconciliation - washingtonpost.com

Study says ‘Cash for clunkers’ impact was underestimated | McClatchy

Biden’s Israel visit takes a rocky turn - latimes.com

Colorado News

FOX31 Exclusive: Jane Norton defends record on spending - KDVR

Amazon.com debate heats up at Colorado Capitol - The Denver Post

First shots fired in Colorado payday loan war | Colorado Independent

Telluride Daily Planet - Gov’t supports uranium accountability bill

Durango Herald News, Senate tries to cap tax credits

CU regents could vote on 9 percent tuition hike at special meeting Wednesday - Boulder Daily Camera

Denver archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children at Boulder preschool - Boulder Daily Camera

News by Category

Colorado News

Civil Liberties and Equality

Feds work to track down Indians entitled to radiation payouts - The Denver Post

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent

Survivors give first-hand Holocaust accounts at CU-Boulder - Boulder Daily Camera

Charges reduced in one of the LoDo mugging cases - The Denver Post

Crime and Penal Reform

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Fremont enacts temporary medical pot regs

Durango Herald News, Bayfield waffles on marijuana

Pot user loses his religion defense - The Denver Post

Highlands Ranch med pot grower wants to plead guilty in federal court - The Denver Post

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

The Pueblo Chieftain :: City loses money on cameras

Durango Herald News, 22nd Judicial District attorney gets DUI

Review of Fort Collins infant’s death ‘dropped along the line somewhere’ | coloradoan.com

Durango Herald News, Del Taco seized by state authorities

Charges reduced in one of the LoDo mugging cases - The Denver Post

Police investigating attacks on or near Auraria campus - The Denver Post

Jurors hear about Denver tot’s killing - The Denver Post

Jury gets Willie Clark murder case - The Denver Post

Weld warns against ‘smishing’ scams | Greeley Tribune

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Ex-prison officer gets 3 years of probation

Hustler asks for crime scene photos of slain Niwot High grad Meredith Emerson - Boulder Daily Camera

News : Band teacher nets probation on sex plea (Montrose, CO)

Lafayette judge: Case against Spork can move forward - Boulder Daily Camera

Economy

ProgressNow calls for Amazon boycott, promotes local tax-paying outlets « Colorado Independent

Colorado group calls for Amazon boycott | VailDaily.com

Lending business v. Plain old usury: Notes from the Colorado payday hearing « Colorado Independ

Deal eases threat to easement tax credits | GJSentinel.com

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Groundwater bill moves forward

The Longmont Times-Call - Chrysler dealers get help from bill

Banks’ loss in fees may end free checking - The Denver Post

State AG bans debt collectors that didn’t play by Colo. rules - The Denver Post

Census will give about 8,000 Coloradans jobs - The Denver Post

Telluride Daily Planet - Dolores: the worst jobless rate in the state

Metro home prices rise 15% over Feb. 2008 - The Denver Post

Aspen economy showing slow rebound | AspenTimes.com

Avon eyes budget cuts | VailDaily.com

Chapter 11 approved for Colo. Springs Gazette owner - The Denver Post

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Senate confirms three Fair board members

Businesses cope, and in some cases turn a profit, from interstate closure | GJSentinel.com

I-70 closure forcing some to take long way to Aspen | AspenTimes.com

Closure slowing food deliveries | PostIndependent.com

Airfares shoot up with I-70 closure | GJSentinel.com

CDOT waits to reopen interstate | GJSentinel.com

I-70 rock-slide closure costs truckers valuable time and money - The Denver Post

Craig Daily Press / I-70 closure causes concerns in Steamboat

Park Hill hoping to satisfy hunger for grocery store - The Denver Post

Kroger logs 4th-quarter profit - The Denver Post

Durango Herald News, Del Taco seized by state authorities

Vail woos Olympians to teach clinics | VailDaily.com

Weld warns against ‘smishing’ scams | Greeley Tribune

Education

Heath to hold town hall in Boulder with education focus - Boulder Daily Camera

CSU considers fee hike to pay for renovations | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan

Archbishop defends school’s decision to bar children of lesbian couple - The Denver Post

Defending anti-gay school policy, Chaput takes dig at tax code « Colorado Independent