ProgressNow Daily News Digest

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300101 In the cold gymnasium of Nunn High School, three members of the state legislature fielded heated questions from about 100 residents of Nunn and its surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed uranium mine in north Weld County.State Reps. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, spent nearly two hours Thursday night as resident after resident stepped up to the microphone and aired their sentiments, claiming their livelihoods were at stake.The Centennial Project north of Nunn contains 5,760 acres of land, which Powertech Uranium Corp., a Canadian company, has purchased the mineral rights. The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath that land.Going into the meeting -- put on by a residents' group called Stewards of the Land -- all three lawmakers stressed that they were there merely to gain information and receive input on the issue of uranium mining, and that they had not formed an opinion.

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The Tribune - Get ready for upcoming political events

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290106 Next week is a big one for any voters interested in the presidential election. They have to register to vote -- and pick a party -- by Wednesday to take part in the Feb. 5 caucuses, and the Democratic National Convention is coming to the region.The Democratic National Convention Committee and the state Democratic Party will host an information meeting in Fort Collins on Monday.Skye Gallegos of the convention committee and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak will present information on the delegate selection process, volunteer opportunities and how Larimer County residents can be involved with the convention. Residents from neighboring communities in Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington counties also are encouraged to attend the Fort Collins event.

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The Denver Post - State education goals on target

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594340 Committees proposing education reforms, like archers, usually aim higher than their immediate targets.Some of the 15 goals set by Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council obviously fall in that category. But we hope that four of them — full-day kindergarten, expanded preschool, streamlined school accountability and a student identifier system — are realized as fast as possible.Providing a unique student identifier for every 3- and 4-year-old enrolled in a public early care and education program will allow students to be tracked throughout their school years. Besides making it easier to evaluate and serve individual needs, the resulting information on student achievement should make it easier to streamline the existing and often byzantine K-12 accountability measurements. Neither reform should strain Colorado's budget.The two most ambitious recommendations — full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool — will require extra cash. But they are also the reforms most likely to boost student achievement and cut the state's worrisome dropout problem, especially among minority students.

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The Coloradoan - Legislature must put teeth in wish list

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION01/711300324/1014/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 A state panel looking into education from preschool through college receives an A for effort, but the true test will come if the state Legislature addresses the proposals.Gov. Ritter convened the 28-member task force to look into ways to streamline P-20 education, recognizing that the current public school structure is widely influenced by preschool services and college requirements.Ritter gave the group the luxury of bringing forth recommendations without consideration to availability of funding. He explained that the idea was to focus on setting priorities for educational improvements while leaving the funding details to the Legislature - a process that could take years.Some of the 15 ideas approved were not surprising, including advocating for higher pay for teachers and setting up a $10 million fund to reward good teachers. Other proposals include tracking children's progress from the time they are 3 or 4 and expanding full-day kindergarten for at-risk children.

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News : Case against Olathe officer dismissed (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f976732e7d144563135.txt A case involving allegations of domestic violence against an Olathe police officer was dismissed Wednesday, court records show.As previously reported, Michael Percival maintained he was only defending himself during a Sept. 22 altercation with Elisha Cabrera.The Montrose Daily Press considers police officers public figures.Public court records contained Cabrera’s allegation that he locked her in a garage and threatened her with jail after a disagreement.In that same record, Cabrera admitted to knocking a telephone out of his hands.

Headlines: Hole’s found in Ritter’s strike ban | strikes, ban, ritter - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/strikes_30343___article.html/ban_ritter.html Gov. Bill Ritter’s ban on strikes by public employees, part of a Nov. 2 executive order, does not overrule a court-affirmed right to stop working for some, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.Suthers issued a formal opinion in response to questions on the subject from Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs. Republican leaders said the opinion shows the need to pass a bill that would prohibit strikes by government workers.Ritter’s executive order established a process in which employee unions can negotiate salaries, benefits and workplace conditions with department directors. It specifically prohibited striking under agreements reached between the two sides.The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that provisions of the Industrial Relations Act allow public employees to strike if the Department of Labor director declines to get involved in a dispute or if that director fails to issue an order resolving the dispute, Suthers pointed out.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - DOC agrees to provide more inmate farmworkers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/1 A pilot program to use inmates from the Department of Corrections as farmworkers opened a new chapter Thursday when DOC officials said they would expand the program to assist five additional farms in Pueblo County.At a meeting organized by state Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, state prison officials called last summer's pilot program a great success and agreed to provide work crews to five additional farmers who attended the meeting.Steve Smith, the acting director of DOC's Correctional Industries, said the additional farm crews would be male inmates, but the department would organize new crews to help the farmers who attended Thursday's meeting at the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce."Frankly, we were concerned there would be an even bigger turnout with even larger number of farms wanting work crews," Smith said.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - A.G.: State workers not totally barred from striking

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/4 State workers who enter into a union agreement under Gov. Bill Ritter's partnership plan would further limit their right to strike, but it wouldn't stop it, Attorney General John Suthers said Thursday.In a six-page opinion, requested by Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Suthers said it's unclear what the Colorado courts would do if a state agency tried to bar a strike of state workers who did not join a union or enter into a partnership agreement with their bosses.Ritter's executive order allowing state workers to form or join unions is designed to permit them to negotiate "issues of mutual concern," but the partnership agreements they would be required to enter into must include no strike/work stoppage clauses.Suthers said that's fine for those state workers who don't mind giving up that right, but what about other state workers who choose not to pay union dues.

2nd District tale of the videotape : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/2nd-district-tale-of-the-videotape/ The latest fisticuffs between congressional candidates Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald involves a battle over videotaping a town hall meeting on Iraq sponsored by Polis.Fitz-Gerald's campaign said Polis' campaign manager, Wanda James, told one of its staffers he would be kicked out if he taped a portion of the meeting in Boulder on Wednesday.In addition, on Thursday, the Polis campaign pulled a TV ad that was scheduled to air today. The campaign did not return calls about why the ad was held or what it said.But Fitz-Gerald spokesman Matt Moseley said a station staffer who saw the ad said it opened with a map of Iraq and blood dripping from it, and then discussed Polis' trip to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.As for the videotaping incident, James said the Fitz-Gerald staffer was allowed to tape Polis' opening remarks but not the question-and-answer period that followed.James said Fitz-Gerald was trying to distract the public from her votes in the state Senate in 2003 supporting the Iraq War and President Bush.

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CU withdraws ‘academic bill of rights’ : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-withdraws-academic-bill-of-rights/ University of Colorado leaders Thursday decided to abandon a formal agreement with state legislators that emerged in 2004 following a contentious statewide debate over political bias in college classrooms.Instead, the regents agreed that the university will adhere to a similar set of academic-freedom guidelines that have been supported by faculty groups and are put forward by the American Council on Education.Top leaders from the state's universities, including then-President Elizabeth Hoffman, made an "academic bill of rights" agreement with legislators in 2004 after drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers who complained that college classrooms were sometimes hostile toward conservative students' thoughts and values.CU President Hank Brown in April brought the issue to the board's attention, saying the university had done little to uphold the 3-year-old agreement with state legislators that spelled out how to protect politically diverse speech in college classrooms.Michael Poliakoff, vice president of academic affairs, has since met with CU faculty groups who have supported the American Council on Education's principles.

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The Denver Post - Health costs leap for Colo. businesses

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594676 Colorado businesses saw a double- digit jump in employee health-care costs this year for the seventh year in a row, according to a survey released today by the Lockton Cos. LLC in Denver.Employers' costs jumped by 10.2 percent, Lockton found, and that's only because the companies surveyed offered employees less-comprehensive benefits this year.If health-insurance plans had stayed stable, employers' costs would have risen by 12.9 percent, according to Lockton.The results come one week after a national survey suggested Colorado employers saw only a 4.7 percent jump in health-care costs.

The Denver Post - Foreclosures up in U.S. but ebbing in Colo.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594289 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments or even lost their homes last month compared with a year ago, with Nevada, California, Florida and Ohio posting the highest foreclosure rates, a mortgage-research company said Thursday.A total of 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 94 percent from 115,568 in the same month a year ago, according to Irvine-based Real tyTrac Inc.Colorado ranked seventh among states, with one foreclosure filing for every 382 households during October. The report showed the number of foreclosure filings last month fell from September and from October 2006.

The Denver Post - Polis’ Iraq trip spurs disclaimer

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595223 The Mile High United Way has disassociated itself from Jared Polis' Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and insists its executive vice president used vacation days for the week he spent in the Middle East with the Democratic congressional candidate."It's inconceivable to me that we would knowingly walk into a situation where we were seen as participating in a candidate's trip," Paul Franke, chairman of the United Way's board of trustees, said Thursday. "It was not a United Way-sponsored trip."A campaign news release sent the day before Polis left for Iraq said he would travel "as a supporter of the United Way's efforts to assist in the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations."Polis campaign manager Wanda James said Thursday that the United Way did not "in any way organize or pay for the trip." Polis, a multimillionaire Internet entrepreneur, went as a "potential donor to see the projects in the region for himself," she said.The trip sparked a firestorm of criticism from his opponents, who called it a campaign stunt in disguise.

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Local Briefs - Nov. 30 : Fourth candidate jumps in race : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/no-headline---30adgt/ Another Boulder Internet entrepreneur announced Thursday that he will join the political fray that has become the 2nd Congressional District race.Bill Hammons, a former employee at Newsweek magazine who moved to Boulder and began a Web site, http://www.wrhammons.com, is running as a member of the Unity Party of America.The 33-year-old outdoor enthusiast joins three Democrats — former State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Internet entrepreneur and former State Board of Education Chairman Jared Polis and Colorado Conservation Trust Executive Director Will Shafroth — in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

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Coalition fighting sale of two hospitals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/coalition-fighting-sale-of-two-hospitals/ Powerful civil liberties groups have joined forces to oppose the proposed sale of two metro hospitals to a Catholic health care organization.Many doctors at the hospitals - Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette - also oppose the sale. The civil liberties coalition is considering legal action to stop the sale.If the $611 million transaction goes through, medical staff at both hospitals must follow Catholic ethical and religious directives. That means doctors could not perform vasectomies, tubal ligations and abortions in the hospitals. They also could not give birth control counseling or remove feeding tubes for those in a persistent vegetative state.

Hispanics embracing English : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hispanics-embracing-english/ The children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants are embracing English as their primary language, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.The four-year-study of more than 14,000 native and foreign- born Hispanics found that among the grandchildren of immigrants, 94 percent say they speak English "very well," and another 3 percent say they speak "pretty well.""It's safe to call that universal," said D'Vera Cohn, a co-author of the report.The study by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank didn't include comparisons with previous immigrant groups.But the pattern of English becoming the main language by the third generation in the United States appears consistent with what is known about groups that arrived a century ago, Cohn said.

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Colorado bucks trend: no surge in immigrant population : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-bucks-trend-no-surge-in-immigrant/ The number of immigrants in Colorado held fairly steady over the past seven years, bucking a national trend that saw a 24 percent increase.The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies shows Colorado with 435,000 immigrants earlier this year, down from 449,000 in 2000.The decline is statistically insignificant, said Steven Camarota, the CIS research director. The center describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization.Data were gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The numbers are based on sampling.Nationwide, the number of foreign-born people is up sharply, to 37.2 million from just under 30 million in 2000. More than one in eight U.S. residents - 12.6 percent - is an immigrant, up from 10.8 percent in 2000.

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More states debate end to blue laws - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-29-blue-laws_N.htm When the Colorado Rockies hosted Game 4 of the 2007 World Series on a Sunday, fans planning to buy alcohol at a store to go with their game-watching had to do so by Saturday. Colorado has outlawed store sales of alcohol on Sundays since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.Some Colorado legislators hope to change that in 2008."Times have changed. That's the bottom line," said state Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who tried and failed to get the law changed in 2005. "There's no reason the government should dictate to a business that they can't open (on) a certain day."An increasing number of states have been debating proposals to end or limit blue laws that place restrictions on Sundays — whether it's alcohol sales in stores, auto sales, hunting or other activities.During the past two years, five states — Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — amended such laws or gave communities the authority to do so.

Dem lawmakers blast Ritter’s construction priorities : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/dem-lawmakers-blast-ritters-construction/ Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada."They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594679 Three Black Hawk casinos face thousands of dollars in fines for having defective software in slot machines on the gaming floor.The software records data about a machine's usage, which is then used by the casinos for tax-related reports that are submitted to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The state revoked the software in May, and the casinos were given 120 days to remove it from their slots."The casinos were given notice that the software needed to be replaced, and they failed to do so," said Don Burmania, a spokesman for the Gaming Division.The Isle of Capri, the state's largest casino, had five slots with the revoked software, the Riviera Black Hawk had three and the Golden Gulch Casino had one, Burmania said Thursday.

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Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/living-with-coyotes-in-erie/ Tempt them, and they will come.That means garbage left out, pet food left out or even pets left out — and you may get a coyote jumping your fence for an easy and tasty snack.

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-couple-charged-in-katrina-fraud/ A Colorado couple pretending to be evacuees from Hurricane Katrina defrauded the government of more than $48,000 in disaster relief, housing assistance and other aid, according to a federal indictment returned this week.Jelissa Wimberly, of Westminster, and her husband, Charles Wimberly, are charged in the nine-count indictment with mail fraud, aiding and abetting and theft of public money.According to the indictment, Jelissa Wimberly told several aid organizations shortly after the August 2005 hurricane that she had a home Diberville, Miss., that was damaged, that she couldn't get access to her home, and that she or someone else in her family became unemployed because of the disaster.Charles Wimberly assisted Jelissa Wimberly in the fraud, the indictment states.

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594837 An inquiry has been launched into a business started by four Jefferson County Regional SWAT team members that offered to provide training to other law enforcement agencies.Tac-One Consulting's training reportedly involved tactics learned during SWAT-involved incidents, including shootings at Columbine and Platte Canyon high schools. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said Thursday that he and other command staff members learned about the business Tuesday afternoon. The business and its website were shut down."There was nothing illegal about it," Mink said. "The idea was noble, but the way they went about it and charging a fee lacked forethought."Mink said any lessons learned from situations such as Columbine and Platte Canyon should be shared with other agencies without cost.

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/suthers-rules-against-no-strike-clause/ Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order giving unions a larger role in state government can't preclude workers from striking, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said in a legal opinion Thursday.Ritter has said that his order contains a strong no-strike provision that would prohibit state workers from forming a picket line if negotiations between unions and management soured.But state employees already have a right to strike under a 1915 law, and the legislature would have to pass a new law to reverse it, Suthers wrote.Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, and Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, have drafted a bill that would do just that. And Suthers' opinion reinforces the need to pass it next session, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said.Ritter, a Democrat, was aware that such legislation was in the works and would sign it, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.However, some Democratic lawmakers would have to vote for such a bill for it to make it to Ritter's desk, since they are the majority party.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Day_Care_folo.html The “no-name” day care that had four children younger than 3 slip out on their own for a stroll through the neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon has no past violations, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.According to a two-page summary of the day care’s history, which is kept on file at the state department of human services, “there were no complaints,” said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the state.

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CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-narrowly-backs-ban-informal-survey-shows-just/ According to the results of an unscientific survey conducted across CU's campuses and administrative offices, a narrow majority — 51.5 percent — of respondents said they think the school should ban all tobacco use on the campuses. Smoking indoors is already prohibited.The survey was in response to CU Regent Michael Carrigan's proposal to ban smoking inside and out. The results were released Thursday.Carrigan said the survey wasn't perfect because its participants weren't randomly selected. CU officials sent an e-mail to students, staff and faculty members, and 8,726 responded.

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290111 The Fort Lupton City Council selected Mike Konefal as the new city administrator, according to information released Wednesday by the city."Mr. Konefal's significant experience in planning and community development, as well as his undergraduate degree in planning and his Master of Business Administration degree, should serve Fort Lupton well," Mayor Shannon Crespin said in a press release.

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300342/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 More than 100 people crowded the community room at the Southgate Church on Thursday night to discuss the future of [Fort Collins'] South College Corridor, which residents voted in April to annex.Business owners and residents, many of whom live and work within the annexed 608 acres south of Harmony Road, had many concerns and questions for city leaders.

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300335/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Paris has long been known as the city of love, but a submission at Colorado State University's condom concoction competition put a different slant on the idea.A 3-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, built entirely out of condoms, was one of about a dozen creations featured at the event, held as part of World AIDS Day activities at CSU this week.The event, held for the first time this year, was designed to raise awareness about condom use and decrease embarrassment that might be associated with using them."People need to stop and think when it comes to intercourse," freshman Laura KinCannon said. "They also need to stop and think about what's going on in the world with HIV/AIDS."

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129011 Although the changing seasons may be a source of inspiration for many people, others feel weighed down as winter approaches, the weather shifts and daylight hours decrease. An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. Another 20 million adults — about 14 percent of the adult population — are estimated to suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as “winter blues.”Like the bears, squirrels, and birds, human beings have evolved under the sun. The workings of our bodies have been shaped by the seasons of the year. Although we have developed mechanisms to deal with regular changes brought on by the seasons, sometimes these mechanisms break down. In recent years science and medical practice have come to accept the importance of the seasons as well as the medical and psychological benefits of natural light.

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

http://www.gazette.com/articles/city_30348___article.html/mayor_airport.html Mayor Lionel Rivera heads for Paris this weekend — that’s France, not Texas.There, he’ll wear business suits (under the required dress code) in meetings with environmental ministers and officials of privately owned waterworks systems.“I have no idea how applicable that is here,” he said. In the United States, the government generally runs water systems.His wife, Lynn, will tag along, at her husband’s expense. The mayor’s travel is courtesy of France.Hizzoner’s days generally will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end after a 6:30 p.m. dinner. Lots of time for night life.

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595219 Program leaders say their approach to helping these students, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s, is three-pronged.They help them study and learn to go to college. They teach them how to build a social life, both with other students in the program and with nondisabled students. And they advise on pulling together a household, helping on everything from going to bed on time to grocery shopping and managing finances."If he burns through his cash early, then he has to eat noodles all week," said Anne Rabbitt, Matt's mother, in town recently for a visit from New York. "It's good for him to learn."Executive director Cheryl Okizaki sees more improvement in one year of this program than she did in four years working in high schools for kids with special needs.

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The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595221 The guiding tenet of Denver Public Schools should be to provide the highest level of education to as many children as possible.The least important factor should be the political concerns of school board members or superintendents. But alas, it seems that an unhealthy aversion to controversy is too often driving policy.Take the plight of one of the more admired school programs in Denver. The Polaris program at Ebert Elementary is "designed to serve highly gifted and high- achieving children."You can visit the school and be impressed. There are more than 300 kids in the DPS program and, I'm told, 150 on the waiting list. (One of my children was once on this list.)

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The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595315 A pitch for an outdoor smoking ban for the entire University of Colorado system was greeted warily by thousands of students and staff at CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs in an online survey.But they like the idea at the medical school.CU Regent Michael Carrigan said Thursday that he may propose designated smoking areas outside at the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses because more than half of responding students and faculty on those two campuses said they didn't like the idea of an all-out tobacco ban.Overall at all four campuses, 51.5 percent said they supported the idea and 48.5 percent opposed it.Carrigan said the survey was self-selecting and that people who opposed changes may have been more motivated to participate.

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/auditor-seeks-answers-in-dia-no-bid-contract/ The city auditor plans to ask Denver International Airport managers why they approved a catering contract for the son of former Mayor Wellington Webb without the auditor's approval, his spokesman said Thursday.Auditor Dennis Gallagher discussed the no-bid contract, awarded to Anthony Webb, with his staff Thursday, spokesman Dennis Berckefeldt said.Berckefeldt said he could not remember during the past four years a similar case when a city agency approved a contract without going through appropriate channels: Mayor John Hickenlooper signing off on the contract and the auditor countersigning the document.In this case, Turner West, DIA's manager of aviation, and the city attorney's office approved it without the OK of the mayor and auditor, the spokesman said. Berckefeldt said the auditor's office sees at least 1,000 contracts come through its doors before they're reviewed and approved.

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/more-schools-adding-mandarin-chinese-to/ During Mandarin class at Fairview High School, Erin McIntyre, 15, points to Chinese characters written under the pictograms from which they evolved. The middle row, from left, shows characters for moon, wood, water, fire, field and eye.With Chinese expected to rival English and Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in business in the next 20 years, more schools around the state are adding Mandarin to the curriculum.Scanning through the pages of Chinese newspapers, inked with boxy characters formed from precisely curving strokes, students in Yunn Pann's beginning Mandarin class at Erie High School kept their highlighters poised, ready to mark any familiar symbols.With some basic knowledge of the new language under her belt, senior Nicole Moad said she was excited to find she could recognize "a lot" of the characters.

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The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594835 Physicians from Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge were set to meet today with state attorneys to block the sale of the hospital to a Catholic health organization.The delegation of physicians issued a statement Thursday that they object to the transfer of control to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System because medical practices deemed unethical by the Catholic Church, such as abortion and tubal ligation, would no longer be offered.Exempla Lutheran is the only community hospital in Jefferson County."For more than a hundred years, Lutheran has served the entire community," said Dr. Carla Murphy, president of the Exempla Lutheran medical staff."What might be appropriate for a Catholic hospital serving a predominantly Catholic population is not appropriate for a community hospital," she said.Under Colorado law, the state attorney general must approve the transfer of assets between nonprofit organizations. Attorney General John Suthers has until Dec. 30 to decide.

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/state-probes-conservation-easements/ State officials have issued at least 30 subpoenas to determine whether a popular state program that pays farmers and ranchers to block development on their land is being abused.The Cortez Journal reported the investigation Thursday."We have reason to believe that the practice of some of the players in the conservation easement program may put the entire program in jeopardy," said Rico Munn, director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies.Erin Toll, director of the division of real estate, said her office "will aggressively pursue appraisers whose valuations of conservation easements are not credible." She would not say to whom or where the subpoenas were issued.

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594625 The hospital lost 368 patient belongings in 2006, according to Denver Health lost-property reports. Other hospitals of similar size that treat similar numbers of indigents lose fewer valuables.MetroHealth System in Cleveland lost 27 belongings last year, according to the hospital. Maricopa Integrated Health in Phoenix had 49 lost-property reports.While Denver Health loses patient items nearly eight times as often than those other hospitals, many more missing items are never reported. None of the nine patients 9News spoke with were ever told by the hospital how to file lost-property reports. Those patients complain that Denver Health has lost their purses, identification, clothing, car keys, shoes, glasses and other personal property.

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/two-appear-in-court/ Two people accused of stealing $11 million from the Colorado Department of Revenue appeared in court Thursday.Former tax supervisor Michelle Cawthra entered a plea of not guilty. Cawthra is accused of depositing unclaimed refunds from taxpayers into accounts set up by her boyfriend, Hysear Randell.Both defendants face 92 counts, including theft and embezzlement.

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594364 The Daniels Fund on Thursday announced grants totaling $9.5 million to programs serving the homeless, the disabled and the aging."The level of funding made available through the charitable legacy of Bill Daniels is amazing," said Linda Childears, president and chief executive of the Daniels Fund. "However, the nonprofit organizations that strengthen our communities by providing vital services continue to struggle with a lack of funding and need everyone's support."

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/the-fanatics-win-another/ A Sudanese court has sentenced Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old grade school teacher, to 15 days in jail and deportation to her native England. She's lucky. She could have been sentenced to six months and 40 lashes with a whip-like cane.Her crime? Her 7-year-old pupils voted to name a teddy bear in a class writing project "Mohammed," a name, as it happens, proposed by a boy named Mohammed. For this she was charged with inciting religious hatred, arrested and jailed.Gibbons could perhaps be accused of ignorance of local customs but religious hatred? The Sudanese government's first reaction was to dismiss the whole business but hard-line Muslim clerics would have none of it, demanding that she be tried under Islamic religious law and receive the maximum allowable sentence.

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Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/speakout-turning-trespassing-on-its-head/ A policy issue for the Colorado appellate courts will be whether the doctrine of adverse possession should reward those who intentionally try to take something that is not theirs or whether it should apply only to correct an unknowing and good-faith historical mistake.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/112907_14b_sewage.html Septic disposal is a growing problem for Montrose County and Western Slope communities, but a new grant proposal may help fund a solution.Randy See, manager of the West Montrose Sanitation District, submitted the $100,000 grant proposal Thursday to the state’s Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program.

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594069 Usually news stories focus on what we've lost, or are in danger of losing, such as the rare plant or animal that's almost disappeared or whose numbers are drastically reduced, or an extraordinary landscape that is threatened by man's capricious actions.In contrast, earlier this month Colorado officially celebrated 30 years of saving such treasures, with its Natural Areas Program administered by Colorado State Parks. There are 78 designated natural areas, totaling 140,000 acres of "the most significant, unique and intact areas with the rarest plants, communities, animals, or most unique or significant geology or paleontology." This includes 3,000-year-old trees, world-class fossil beds, rare and globally significant plants, even the state's largest Brazilian free-tail bat community.All are of statewide significance; a few are found nowhere else in the world. An additional 25 sites totaling 51,266 acres are registered as eligible for designation.

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Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/30/113007_1b_Peacock.html Mesa County’s Jon Peacock has been named the state’s county administrator of the year, by the Association of Colorado County Administrators.“No one was more surprised than me,” Peacock said Thursday, two days after receiving the award during the ACCA’s annual conference in Colorado Springs.Peacock, 36, originally came to Mesa County as the assistant county administrator under Bob Jasper. Three years ago Peacock became county administrator after Jasper’s retirement.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_library_free_speech.html A new policy sharply limiting public displays at the Mesa County Library won approval Thursday night, days before the last display under existing rules goes up.That display by a group of atheists hasn’t been seen, so sparks have yet to fly.But there’s no guarantee they won’t.Grand Junction attorney Yeulin Willet said it rankles him that the last display under the old policy, in which groups or individuals could post materials on a library wall, comes during the month of Christmas.“Our preference is not to litigate, but it is to see if there can’t be a practical solution and let people try to work it out reasonably,” Willet said after the Mesa County Public Library District board adopted a display policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/getting-a-taste-of-disabled-living/ "Really try to put yourself in the position of a person in a wheelchair," CU research assistant Shawn Edmonds told the Introduction to Environmental Design class.The idea behind the experiment, Edmonds said, was to teach America's future designers the importance of making buildings wheelchair-accessible by showing them how it feels to navigate life without the use of their legs.Each student was given a different task: Ride a bus, check out a library book, roll into Folsom Field or shop on University Hill. Oh, and try to use the bathroom — all while documenting their struggles and experiences in a "wheelchair diary.""If a design is unfair, write that," Edmonds said. "If you have to get out of your chair and push it, I want you to document that."Lafayette City Councilman Jay Ruggeri visited the class Thursday and called the student project "an exciting event." He challenged each student to consider how well a building's design suits wheelchairs and the pros and cons of street-crossing elements.

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/29/113007_1A_worst_nursing_homes.html The administrator of a Grand Junction nursing home labeled by the federal government as one of the worst in Colorado insisted Thursday that facility operators are working hard to improve care for their patients.Administrator Michael Boyles said Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley, which has 30 patients, is under new management, and he thinks there are no problems with care at the facility.“I guarantee they can walk into my building today and find a deficiency,” Boyles said. “It may be a paperwork deficiency. But in the deep recesses of my heart, I am quite confident they will not find quality of care issues. Not today.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/cncc_offer_new_programs/?local_news For Ed Winters, Colorado Northwestern Community College energy technology director, the “help wanted” signs around town say it all.With an economy looking for employees, the allure to get a job and forgo college is strong for high school students. At the same time, energy-driven industries are looking for trained workers, Winters said.That’s where CNCC comes in.New and forthcoming career technical courses at CNCC are geared toward meeting the needs of students and local employers.The college is scheduled to host a forum presenting two career technical courses — power plant technology and an industrial electrician program — to Moffat County High School parents and students at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Craig campus’s Bell Tower Building.

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Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129038 Controversy over a wildlife closure on a midvalley section of the Rio Grande Trail proved too tough for a citizens’ commission to resolve Thursday night.A two-mile stretch of the trail in the midvalley, between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store bridge, is closed for five months each year to benefit wildlife. Some conservationists and residents of the neighborhood claim the closure needs to be extended to eight months per year.

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071130/NEWS/71129036 The City of Aspen has some advice for those who are seeking to be environmentally conscious during the holiday season.In an effort to help encourage recycling, the city of Aspen’s environmental health department is giving away free recycle bins to the first 50 city residents that stop by the office on the second floor of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St. You can use the bins to collect wrapping paper, ribbons and bows during the holidays.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=4942 Gov. Bill Ritter has rejected former Longmont lawmaker Bill Swenson’s application for reappointment to the Colorado Transportation Commission.Ritter announced Thursday that he’d named Heather Barry of Westminster to the 4th Transportation District commission seat that represents Boulder and Adams counties and most of Broomfield.Swenson’s previous four-year term technically expired July 1, but he continued to serve while waiting to learn whether he’d be reappointed or replaced.Ritter’s news release didn’t describe Barry’s background, and Swenson said of his successor: “The name is not familiar to me at all.”

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129020 Tania Gastelum wants to be a doctor someday. Or maybe a cosmetologist.Her friend Diana Solis says she wants to be a lawyer. She thinks.They both have a destination in mind: University of Colorado, Boulder.Neither of these Berry Creek Middle School students know for sure now, and they both think it’s a little strange to be thinking that far into the future. Still, the fact that they’re putting serious thought into college is a big step for a couple of eighth graders.Middle schoolers are in the awkward position of being years away from even applying to colleges, but in the increasingly competitive world of college admissions, they’re also at a point where they’ll fall behind if they don’t start preparing now.

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Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129012 It adds a few cents to the price of your morning cup of coffee, or some extra dollars out of your pocket after a day of Christmas shopping. Unlike other major taxes, sales tax is paid in small doses, but it’s one of the biggest revenue streams for town governments in Colorado.Summit County towns are no exception. Sales tax revenue equates to about 37 percent of Breckenridge’s general fund, making it by far the least sales tax dependent town in the county. Sales tax revenue accounts for 82 percent of Dillon’s general fund, 78 percent in Frisco and 62 percent in Silverthorne.Having such a large slice of the budgetary pie come from one source affects towns’ decisions and residents’ lives in ways that may not be readily apparent. There are both pros and cons: Relying on sales tax means visitors pay for a significant share of the town budget — a sure way to lessen locals’ tax burden in a tourist-driven area — but it also carries the risk of greater revenue instability than a system based on other sources, like property tax.

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CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/CSUZONE01/711300325/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Plans for a new Colorado State University research center aimed at producing better weather forecasts and climate change predictions hit a snag after federal budget cuts forced officials to trim $1 million from their project.Last summer, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, agreed to fund a $20 million, five-year program at CSU, the Center for Multi-Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes. The NSF then cut $1 million from the contract in the first year, even as higher construction costs were already pressuring plans for the new center.The center received full funding this year, but the first-year cut had done its damage, said center director and CSU Professor David Randall.Randall and his colleagues scaled back plans for their new building, from 20,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, and put off buying a mid-sized supercomputer to help develop new models."The bad news is we're getting a smaller building. The good news is we're still getting a building," Randall said.

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

http://summitdaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129013 While officials for Summit County towns say relying on sales tax has proved to be a workable set up for local government, the situation does come with difficulties. One of the toughest is the potential conflict between adding big businesses to bring in sales tax dollars and the desire to maintain community character.Because government operation costs tend to grow faster than the retail prices on which sales tax is based, a set up relying on sales tax often requires continuous economic growth just to maintain existing services. And in an area that cherishes its small town atmosphere, Breckenridge Town Manager Tim Gagen said this leads to a “natural conflict between economic growth and sustainability and community character."

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News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f9743a4b03041570866.txt Looming local power rate increases will likely be decided Dec. 18 as the Delta-Montrose Electric Association board needs more time to consider options.“They’ve asked staff to go back and run a few additional numbers,” DMEA General Manager Dan McClendon said. “Full elimination of the residential block rate will probably be too big of a bite — at least at this stage — so I think the board is considering an element of a phase-in on that concept.”Possibilities of a 9-percent overall rate increase or an increase of 4.5 percent with abandonment of the declining block rate were discussed at a public hearing Tuesday night.

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News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97818d227515030491.txt Two of the three candidates running to become Delta next police chief withdrew their names this week — shortly before scheduled interviews, officials said.Selected from a list of 52, the three applicants chosen for interviews were Joey Chavez of Clifton, Colo.; Shannon Haynes of Connecticut, and Jeffrey Kirkham of Mesa, Ariz.

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/doc474f97a287fb7790711064.txt he Environmental Protection Agency has requested records of local septic waste haulers following an audit request from county governments, treatment facilities and haulers.“This is a rare situation,” EPA pretreatment enforcement coordinator Aaron Urdiales said. “Rarely in any part that we regulate do we have a community of local businessmen such as yourselves asking to be regulated.”He and EPA bio-solids coordinator Robert Brobst spoke at Montrose County Health and Human Services Thursday morning before a group of interested parties, many of whom submitted the audit requests. The discussion involved enforcement regulations and what records requests entail.

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/county_30350___article.html/million_commissioners.html El Paso County commissioners made limited headway Thursday in cutting the county’s 2008 budget to cover an expected $6.9 million shortfall.The commissioners, despite hours of discussion, found just $1.8 million in spending cuts before recessing until Monday in hopes the county staff or members of the public will have some grand budget-saving ideas.“Most people recognize the easy things aren’t going to get us there,” said Commissioner Wayne Williams. “We’re going to have to do things that impact people.”The commissioners made some easy cuts fairly early in the meeting.They struck internal audits, $50,000; deferred drainage studies, $219,500; and cut funding to the Colorado State University Extension Service, $298,000.They even told department heads they’ll have to absorb the cost of the county’s policy of paying 50 percent or more of unused sick time to vested employees when they quit or retire, a cost of about $540,000 in 2008.But those cuts, plus a decision to sell some unneeded county property, still leaves a budget shortfall of $5.1 million.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/2 A dam on Fountain Creek will receive further study under the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, the technical advisory committee agreed Thursday.The move came after a morning of discussion about the plan with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to use $150,000 to complete a $3 million study of Fountain Creek by March. During the 7-year-old study, most of the funding has gone to describing the conditions on Fountain Creek, and the Corps has been working with local officials for only the past four months to determine which projects will be evaluated.Charles Wilson, who is leading the technical investigation for the Corps, said the study of the dam would only be cursory, because there will be only $150,000 available to study about a dozen separate projects. Wilson said the more important part of recommendations he made in August were suggestions to adopt uniform policies in Pueblo and El Paso counties and to organize an authority to carry out larger projects.

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111290120 Topics related to higher education, including funding and its implications for the University of Northern Colorado and the community, will be discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday at UNC.The meeting will feature Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director David Skaggs, UNC President Kay Norton and Aims Community College President Marsi Liddell. The discussion will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the University Center Panorama Room, 20th Street and 11th Avenue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/5 Colorado Springs has filed a motion for clarification on an order by Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes requiring the city to seek a land-use permit from Pueblo County for its proposed Southern Delivery System.The motion was filed last week in Pueblo District Court.The order seeks to clarify if Maes’ Nov. 8 ruling in favor of Pueblo County’s motion for summary judgment applies to the entire impact of SDS Pueblo County outlined, or just the physical structures involved.Pueblo County referred to impacts from increased storage in Lake Pueblo and more return flows down Fountain Creek as well as pumps, pipelines, road crossings, property disruption and other physical effects of building the project.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/6 The Pueblo West Metro District board of directors earlier this month approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between partners in the Southern Delivery System.The agreement, reached Aug. 1, 2003, among Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security, sets up a partnership in the Southern Delivery System, a $1 billion plan by Colorado Springs to pump water from Pueblo Dam through a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north.If the pipeline were to connect to Pueblo Dam, as Colorado Springs proposes, Pueblo West would tap into the pipeline to increase the efficiency of its water delivery from Lake Pueblo to meet peak demand. Pueblo West is also looking at a river intake below Pueblo Dam as a possibility to meet the need.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/7 The search is continuing for 41 Colorado State University-Pueblo students who health department officials say should undergo testing for tuberculosis.Earlier this week, health department officials reported 14 Colorado State University-Pueblo students had tested positive for latent TB and, because of a health screening earlier this year, a former Pueblo County jail inmate had been tracked down and hospitalized with an active case of the disease.The 14 CSU-Pueblo students were tested following the death of another student in June.

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/10 Enrollment in Pueblo City Schools increased by 228 students in kindergarten through high school this year, but charter schools grew even more.The district on Thursday released its official enrollment figures from the October count period, which showed that overall K-12 enrollment grew to 15,822 from 15,594 last year. Preschool enrollment grew even more, by 161 children to 2,374, thanks to additional state-funded slots.Charter schools Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High saw their combined enrollment grow by 467 students as another full class year was added to the high school, which also moved into its own building this year.

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

http://pueblochieftain.com/metro/1196428898/13 A federal judge Wednesday gave the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until Feb. 15 to submit a status report on the agency's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.U.S. District Judge Walker Miller issued the order in a court case in which an environmental group has sued the agency about a proposed natural gas drilling project near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council sued the agency in May. The group alleged the fish and wildlife service violated the act by failing to analyze the above-ground impacts of the project.The group contended the agency did not use processes required by the act before approving staking/surveying activities, seismic operations, the location of well pads and access roads for the proposed wells.

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Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/persistent-problems-put-care-homes-on-list/ In one case, a nursing home resident was left lying in her own feces. In another, a man fell face forward out of his wheelchair three times and eventually was found tipped over in the parking lot.The two Colorado nursing homes that made a federal list of the nation's worst landed there because of problems that have, until recently, persisted for nearly three years: people left in wet or soiled clothes, residents with unexplained cuts and bruises, drugs given improperly or not at all, sores that went untreated.Administrators at Kindred Healthcare and Rehab Center of Northglenn and Eagle Ridge in Grand Junction say they've made changes for the better, and the state says both are now considered in compliance with federal regulations. But they need to make their fixes stick if they want to get off the national list of 54 "special focus" facilities that have had large numbers of deficiencies, everything from inadequate care to crummy food.

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/gates-foundation-funds-stem-cell-program/ Children's Hospital has secured a $5 million gift to allow its new neighbor, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to expand its stem cell research program to include pediatrics.The effort is thought to be among the first programs to focus on stem cell research that targets child-related illnesses ranging from diabetes to heart problems.The Gates Frontiers Fund - created by the children of the late Colorado rubber tycoon and philanthropist Charles C. Gates - provided the gift, which is set to be announced today.

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/eagle-river-deal-secures-water-for-growing-vail/ Vail and other communities in the fast-growing Eagle River Basin won a key victory this week in a deal that protects streamflows and effectively guarantees that no more water from the scenic stream will be transferred to the Front Range.The agreement was reached as a settlement in a bitter year-long court battle between the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Denver Water, the state's largest water utility.The deal allows Denver to hold onto a valued reservoir site north of Wolcott and to preserve some of its water rights for use in trades on the West Slope.In exchange, Denver gave up the rights to thousands of acre-feet of Eagle River water it had once planned to bring across the Continental Divide. "Now we have certainty that there is no longer a threat of a large transmountain diversion yet to be developed," said Chris Treese, director of external affairs for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District, a party to the case.

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/new-claim-made-in-masters-case/ Two months after Peggy Hettrick's grisly 1987 murder, Fort Collins police took an indecent exposure report in the area where her body was found - but details of the incident were not turned over to attorneys for Tim Masters when he was prosecuted for the killing.Attorneys fighting to win Masters a new trial said Thursday the newly discovered report is significant on several fronts - including the fact that the man involved matched the description given by a victim in another bizarre incident that happened around the time of the killing.The man also matched the description of Dr. Richard Hammond, a Fort Collins ophthalmologist who killed himself in 1995 after he was arrested in a sexual exploitation case.

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129047 Water from Eagle County’s tourist-luring streams and rivers is no longer in danger of being piped to Denver.Since the 1960s, Denver has held rights to much of the water flowing through the valley and planned to use it for future customers on the Front Range. But in a legal agreement reached this week, Denver is giving up most of those rights.The settlement comes just before lawyers went back to court to finish a trial that began this summer. Eagle County water managers were challenging the water rights held by Denver Water, which serves more than a million people in the metro area.The Eagle River provides the recreational lifeblood for Eagle County, and having its water secured is important for the tourist-based economy that drives the area, said Glenn Porzak, attorney for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority.

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_30339___article.html/camera_speaker.html Like the rule for children of old, legislative leaders insist they want to be rarely seen and even less often heard next year when House meetings are broadcast for the first time.The speaker of the House is fair game for constant camera time, as are those legislators who go to the microphone to speak on issues, according to a policy hammered out Thursday by House and Senate leaders. But camera operators cannot turn their gaze on the general chamber, special guests on the floor or the public gallery without advance permission from the speaker.Those probing technological eyes, leaders warned, might fall upon a legislator who appears to be sleeping. Or a gaggle of representatives chatting away and ignoring the speaker on the podium. Or the expressions of audience members reacting to a controversial statement.And while that might make good TV, it is not going to make the broadcast of “Colorado Open House,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said.

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/hundreds-missing-out-on-free-meals/ Hundreds and possibly thousands of low-income women with infants and young children in at least five suburban counties have not been getting free food from a federal aid program because of red tape.The Food Bank of the Rockies, which is contracted by the state to administer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Denver area, has prohibited food banks in Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert and Grand counties from giving food to women with infants and young children for the past two years.Women with infants and children up to age 6 are eligible as long as they meet income requirements and don't also get food vouchers through the WIC nutrition program.But the Food Bank of the Rockies doesn't permit distribution to this population in the suburban counties because they don't have an agreement with WIC providers to check for dual participation.

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7597704 A male resident with cerebral palsy at Eagle Ridge at Grand Valley nursing home was often dehydrated, his eyes dulled and his head aching.When staff of the Grand Junction nursing home took the time to mark his medical charts in May — which they often did not — they indicated that each day on average he received one-ninth of the fluids doctors had ordered, a state report says. Yet no doctor was called."I have concerns about the staff being available to help him, so I have been coming nearly every day to feed him," a member of the patient's family told a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspector in a report.The ailing resident was one of four Eagle Ridge residents whose charts were checked by state officials who determined that theresidents did not receive adequate amounts of water.This facility, along with Kindred Healthcare & Rehab Center of Northglenn, was listed this week by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as among the nation's 54 most troublesome homes.

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/church-to-put-its-aids-awareness-out-on-the/ There isn't enough room outside the church on South Federal Boulevard to show passersby the number of children orphaned every day by AIDS.So, The Pearl, a non-denominational Christian church at 1819 S. Federal Blvd., will make do with 600 photos of AIDS orphans - 10 percent of the 6,000 youngsters around the world who lose a parent to AIDS each day.They'll post placards of the 600 photos along Federal Boulevard on Saturday morning, World AIDS Day."We need to think globally," Tracy Fetter, one of the organizers of the display, said Thursday. "No matter how difficult things are for some people in the United States, they're 100 times worse in a struggling country.

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595316 Archer Sharp started preschool this fall — something the 3-year-old's parents feared would never happen, until a stem-cell infusion at Children's Hospital saved Archer's life.The boy was born with a rare type of leukemia, and 10 years ago, he would have died, his mother Bobbi Sharp said.Today, the Gates Family Fund plans to give Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine $5 million to help continue translating laboratory stem-cell science into help for sick kids.The money is an addition to a $6 million award announced by the Gates Fund 15 months ago to start UC Denver's Charles C. Gates Program in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology."It's just wonderful," Sharp said. "It's going to open up so many pathways for so many people."In December 2004, Archer received new blood stem cells from an umbilical-cord blood bank, in a technique considered innovative at the time.

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/nothing-simple-in-attempt-to-end-pollution-from/ In the mountains above the Keystone ski resort, a legacy of the past continues to pollute the future.From the 1880s through the 1940s, the Pennsylvania Mine was one of the county's most profitable. Today, all it produces is acidic, metal-laden drainage water that poisons creeks, kills fish and confounds local officials.For nearly 15 years, the federal law meant to clean sources of water pollution such as the Pennsylvania Mine has actually prevented work to improve the water.A 1993 court ruling said that, under the Clean Water Act, anyone who tries to remediate water at an abandoned mine becomes legally liable for discharges there forever. The ruling halted efforts by the state to clean drainage from the Pennsylvania Mine and ensured little water cleanup was done at any of Colorado's other 23,000 abandoned mines.

The Denver Post - Attorney general: Order allows strike

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595314 State workers have long had the right to strike and still do, despite Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order creating union partnerships for Colorado employees, the attorney general said Thursday.Republican Attorney General John Suthers said the no-strike provision in the Democratic governor's order applies only to workers who sign away their right to strike — and even that is uncertain in his view.Republicans said Ritter misled the public by claiming his Nov. 2 executive order would prevent workers from striking.The attorney general's ruling "confirms that employees have a legal right to strike and the governor can't overrule that unilaterally," said Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. "Either he misled Colorado intentionally or ignorantly, but he did mislead."But Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Thursday that the governor never said his order trumped a 1992 Supreme Court decision that all public employees have the right to walk off the job. Dreyer called Suthers' opinion "not very surprising."

Colorado eighth in suicides, 17th in depression, study says : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/colorado-eighth-in-suicides-17th-in-depression/ Colorado ranks eighth in suicides per capita and 17th in depression on a new list that rates the states by the mental health of their residents.Most of the Western states were higher in both categories than states in the Midwest, South and East Coast, according to the rankings by Mental Health America, an advocacy group.Colorado has ranked around eighth place in suicides for several years, up there with Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.Various theories - none of them proven - have attributed the high rankings to the cold, the altitude, the distance from the ocean and the fact that already depressed people often move to the mountains as a last- ditch try for happiness.

The Denver Post - Police files surface, bring call for conference in Masters case

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7595222 A newly discovered batch of police documents linked to the 1987 Peggy Hettrick murder investigation is setting the stage for court arguments next week into whether authorities withheld evidence before Tim Masters' murder trial.The materials, apparently never provided to Masters' original defense attorneys, include:A woman's 1987 report of a man exposing himself near the south Fort Collins crime scene two months after Hettrick's slaying. The man resembled another suspect in the case, sex-offender surgeon Richard Hammond, the witness recently told the defense team.A box of notes kept by the Fort Collins police investigator, Jim Broderick, who built the case against Masters. Special prosecutors, who only recently learned of the papers, will let District Judge Joseph Weatherby decide whether they should be turned over.The documents, the latest to surface in a case featuring a string of destroyed and missing evidence, have prompted Masters' attorneys to request a formal investigation by the judge into the circumstances.

JOHNSON: Baby-faced soldier won’t be a kid after duty in Iraq : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/johnson-baby-faced-soldier-wont-be-a-kid-after/ The kid has gotten to me. The why of this, I still have not precisely figured out. All I know is he keeps rattling around my head. I'm thinking maybe this will help.I had not planned on writing of him. I never even got his name. We met, though, the other night, he and his mom and uncle, at a basketball game.And he wasn't a kid insomuch as he was wearing the uniform of the United States Army.On his right shoulder was the patch that designates the division to which he was assigned, a patch that I knew well. It is what got us talking.

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The Denver Post - City video critic fired in ‘99 after pulling knife

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594626 The man who sparked national attention this week when he said a city of Denver diversity-training video portrayed whites as bigots was fired by the city eight years ago in a racially tinged incident.Personnel records show Dennis Supple was fired from his job as a city heating mechanic in 1999 after allegations surfaced that he held a knife to the throat of another worker and used racial slurs.Supple, 47, was rehired in 2006 to his former job as a heating mechanic.He said a supervisor with a grudge had blown out of proportion the incident that prompted his 1999 firing."It was horseplay that they chose to misconstrue as violence in the workplace," he said.The city released the personnel records Thursday in response to media requests citing the Colorado Open Records Act.City records state that in December 1998, Supple held the knife blade from a utility tool to the throat of a Latino colleague, leaving a visible mark. A witness recalled Supple used racial slurs during the incident.

Anti-smoking groups blast Central City patio definition : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/anti-smoking-groups-blast-central-city-patio/ The casino town of Central City is playing fast and loose with the statewide smoking ban definition on what constitutes an outdoor patio.That charge comes from anti- smoking groups a week after Central City passed an ordinance redefining "outdoor area."The city's new rule says that a structure that is at least 40 percent open to the outdoors is considered an outdoor area.Such a definition would allow some type of enclosed patio where people could smoke. Lawmakers have said that smoking is allowed only on outdoor patios that are not surrounded by walls or windows."This is a blatant attempt to undermine state law," said Stephanie Steinberg of Smoke- Free Gaming Colorado. "The casinos are trying to get away with anything they can."

The Denver Post - Charges dropped in St. Pat’s protest

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7594622 Prosecutors have dropped charges against two people accused of obstruction for trying to protest the Iraq war while marching in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade.City Attorney Patricia Kelly said Wednesday it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute Eric Verlo and Elizabeth Fineron after their first trial ended in a mistrial in August.Charges against five others arrested with Verlo and Fineron had been dropped shortly after the mistrial.Kelly defended the police decision to arrest the protesters and said the evidence was sufficient to convict them.

Headlines: Bruce starts 1st campaign fight | perry, engineers, engineer - Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/perry_30340___article.html/engineers_engineer.html Legislative candidate Douglas Bruce criticized rival Reginald Perry on Thursday for claiming in campaign literature that he is an electrical engineer despite not holding a license in the field.In the first public dust-up between them, Perry shot back that many practicing engineers do not have a license and that such accusations are “childish” and “immature.”Bruce and Perry are vying along with a third Republican for the northeastern Colorado Springs House seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Cadman, who was chosen to fill the post of recently retired Sen. Ron May. A vacancy committee of Republican officials will meet Saturday to choose Cadman’s replacement. The other candidate is businessman Steve Hasbrouck.Perry sent a letter last week to committee members outlining his positions on various issues. In discussing alternative energy, he wrote: “As an electrical engineer, I believe we must rely on science, not politically charged arguments, as we address the serious issue of our energy use, conservation and independence.”

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The Denver Post - Jenna Bush makes LoDo appearance

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_7591696 First-daughter Jenna Bush signed her book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," tonight at the Tattered Cover in LoDo.President George Bush's daughter told the Deseret Morning News in a story today that she met "Ana" (not her real name) — a young woman infected with HIV/AIDS at birth — when she was an intern for UNICEF."When I first met her, I thought she would be sad, scared. But she lives with unbelievable optimism," Bush told the Deseret News. "She is always so positive. She has education about her disease that her mother didn't have. She's working to break the cycle of ignorance and abuse."The Secret Service screened guests, and the Tattered Cover website offered a long list of prohibited items, such as weapons, backpacks, poles, sticks and umbrellas.

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Vail Daily - Your last chance to run for state rep.

http://vaildaily.com/article/20071129/NEWS/71129055 Democratic party officials are looking for someone to represent Eagle, Summit and Lake counties in the State House of Representatives, and Friday is the last day to submit names for consideration.Rep. Dan Gibbs, Eagle County’s Democratic state representative, was recently appointed to fill the place of Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who resigned to run for Congress.His vacated spot as representative for House District 56, which includes Eagle Summit and Lake counties, needs to be filled within 10 days of Gibbs’ official resignation in mid-December.A vacancy committee made up of local Democratic officials will choose from submitted candidates, said Flo Raitano, vacancy committee chair.

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The Denver Post - Solar thermal draws grants

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594680 Two Denver-area solar-energy firms and a research lab have garnered the lion's share of $12.4 million in federal grants awarded Thursday to speed alternative-energy advancements.Four grants from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $2.5 million are going to Lakewood-based Abengoa Solar Inc., formerly known as Solucar, and SkyFuel Inc. of Arvada, both developers of a solar-power technology that analysts say could change the future of generating electricity.In addition, the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is receiving $4 million from the DOE to help push the solar technologies and other clean-energy programs toward commercialization.The concentration of funding in metro Denver underscores the region's growing role in renewable energy, experts said.

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EchoStar loses out on patent decision : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/echostar-loses-out-on-patent-decision/ EchoStar Communications has lost a patent decision on its digital video recorder technology but maintained the ruling won't affect its pending appeal on the issue.Rival TiVo Inc. said Wednesday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld its patent, which is at the crux of its lawsuit filed against Douglas County-based EchoStar.EchoStar already has been ordered by a U.S. District Court judge to pay $89.6 million and halt its digital video recorder service, but it is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.While the patent office decision would appear to support TiVo's position, the appellate court could rule differently depending on additional factors.

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Health care costs to rise in ‘08 : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/30/health-care-costs-to-rise-in-08/ Coloradans' health care costs will soar an average of 12.9 percent in 2008, outpacing the national average, forcing companies to shift costs to employees.It's the seventh consecutive year of double-digit increases in the state, according to a survey of Colorado employers conducted annually by Lockton Benefit Group.The survey compares itself with national studies showing costs rising from 7 percent to 9 percent next year. The rate increases come even as Colorado often ranks among the healthiest states in terms of physical fitness and lower obesity rates."That's one of the key questions - if you have a healthier population, why doesn't that translate into lower health care costs?" said Bill Lindsay, president of Denver-based Lockton Benefit Group.

The Denver Post - TiVo claims victory in EchoStar dispute

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7594365 TiVo Inc. on Thursday proclaimed itself winner of the latest round in its battle against EchoStar Communications Corp. after federal regulators validated the digital video recorder maker's patent that is central to the case.EchoStar was disappointed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision but said the agency's conclusion won't affect its pending appeal of a court ruling in TiVo's favor. The court decision requires it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages for patent infringement and to stop distributing DVRs or to modify features of its products.TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, and the patent office launched a re-examination of TiVo's "time warp" patent after Echo Star protested the validity of it. The patent focuses on the ability to record a television program while watching another — a fundamental feature of DVRs.

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The Coloradoan - Agricultural industries face changing times

http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS01/711300337/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Agriculture still faces challenges in the years to come, said John Stulp, state commissioner of agriculture, because of tightening water resources and a statewide transportation infrastructure that needs repair.But it also has a chance to go beyond producing food for its livelihood and tap into the growing market for renewable energy."Agricultural is the original renewable industry," he said. "We have great opportunities here."Stulp spoke Thursday during the 2007 Colorado Ag Classic at the Fort Collins Hilton. The annual meeting is a joint conference of several statewide agricultural associations.Growing corn for ethanol and other crops that can be used to produce biodiesel is an increasingly viable option for farmers, Stulp said, as is allowing electricity-producing wind turbines on their property.Maintaining water supplies is the biggest challenge facing many ag producers, said John Moser, who farms in south- central Weld County.

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The Denver Post - Colorado’s chance to nominate candidates

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7594347 In the year of the great front-loaded presidential nomination process, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote and affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties if you want a voice in nominating a major party candidate for president.Doing so will make you part of a minor revolution in American politics.For three decades, two small and atypical states, Iowa and New Hampshire, have dominated the nominating process. Iowa received scant attention until 1976, when Jimmy Carter campaigned tirelessly and led the Democratic field in the state's caucuses. He rode that momentum to victory later in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and ultimately to the White House.Victory in Iowa and/or New Hampshire doesn't guarantee nomination, as George H.W. Bush learned when he defeated Ronald Reagan in Iowa in 1980 and as Patrick Buchanan underscored by beating Bob Dole in New Hampshire in 1996.

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The Denver Post - David Sirota - Conservatism and corruption

http://www.denverpost.com/opinionheadlines/ci_7592805 Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word "conservative" synonymous with the term "corrupt." Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described "conservative" Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive "subprime" mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it — a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill — a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard's Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also "permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy." But regular homeowners? Sorry — without Miller's legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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CU approves 2030 blueprint : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/30/cu-approves-2030-blueprint/ A monumental plan that could reform everything from the traditional school year to the way students live and learn at the state's flagship campus was unanimously approved by the University of Colorado's regents Thursday.The Boulder campus's "Flagship 2030" blueprint is a mix of short- and long-term plans, and the culmination of a project that CU President Hank Brown charged campus leaders to take up.The university has pinpointed immediate needs that leaders say need to be addressed to keep CU competitive with other universities. They include adding 300 tenure-track faculty positions over the next decade and increasing institutional funding and research expenditures by 5 percent every year.

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The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Assistant district attorney: Avoiding trial would be ideal in Wall case

http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2007/nov/30/assistant_district_attorney_avoiding_trial_would_b/?local_news Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall may not have to go to criminal trial for charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon.Even as her investigation into the case continues, Karen Romeo, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s Fifth Judicial District, said a plea bargain still is possible, and perhaps preferable.“I’m not even sure we’re going to go to trial,” Romeo said. “I would hope not. I think both sides would like to see it resolved. Trials bring an uncertain result.”

Colorado Daily News - ‘2030’ plan approved

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2007/11/29/news/c_u_and_boulder/news3.txt When the next history of the University of Colorado at Boulder is written, Nov. 29, 2007 will mark a strategic turning point.The University of Colorado Board of Regents Thursday unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder that was more than a year in the making, but which will transform the university for decades to come.Titled “Flagship 2030: Serving Colorado, Engaged in the World,” the plan was forged with the help of 16 Colorado communities and hundreds of contributors statewide. It builds on CU-Boulder's current strengths while seeking to literally reinvent the institution over the next two decades through 10 transformational “Flagship Initiatives.”

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The Tribune - New farm bill will take a ‘miracle’

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071130/NEWS/111300105 It will take a "miracle" to get a new farm bill passed by the end of the year.That's the opinion of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was one of the featured speakers at the second Colorado Ag Classic on Thursday at the Fort Collins Hilton Hotel. The daylong event, a joint convention of six of the state's commodity groups, drew about 200 people.The House has passed its version of a new farm bill, but the Senate failed to ratify its version and will go back to work next week when Congress reconvenes. But Dusty Tallman, a wheat grower from Brandon who is the chairman of a major committee for the National Association of Wheat Growers, told the group the Senate bill has at least 250, and perhaps as many as 300 amendments attached to it.Those amendments, Musgrave said, will probably prevent passage of a new bill this year and will result in extending the 2002 bill for at least another year.

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The Tribune - More legislators hear uranium concerns

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The Denver Post - Violations will cost 3 casinos

Living with coyotes in Erie : Erie : Boulder Daily Camera

Colorado couple charged in Katrina fraud : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

The Denver Post - SWAT business shuts down

AG rules against ‘no strike’ : Colorado Government : The Rocky Mountain News

Grand Junction Sentinel - Day care to draw more scrutiny

CU narrowly backs smoking ban in informal survey : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

The Tribune - Fort Lupton selects new city administrator

The Coloradoan - Annexation anger remains

The Coloradoan - World AIDS Day event aims to decrease embarrassment of condoms

Summit Daily News - Understanding the phenomenon of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Metro: Mr. Mayor goes to Paris — but don’t expect a souvenir | city, mayor, airport - Gazette.co

The Denver Post - Autistic students find new focus

The Denver Post - DPS closes Polaris debate

The Denver Post - Smoking ban gets a cool response

Auditor seeks answers in DIA no-bid contract : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

More schools adding Mandarin Chinese to curriculum : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

The Denver Post - Exempla doctors working to block sale of hospital

State probes conservation easements : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

The Denver Post - Patients report lost belongings during stays at Denver Health

Two appear in court : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

The Denver Post - Daniels Fund gives grants of $9.5 million to needy

The fanatics win another : Editorials : The Rocky Mountain News

Robert Duncan: Turning trespassing on its head : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News

Grand Junction Sentinel - New grant may help solve septic problems

The Denver Post - Joanne Ditmer - Protecting the rare in Colorado

Grand Junction Sentinel - State honors county official

Grand Junction Sentinel - Sides wait for atheist display

Getting a taste of disabled living : CU News : Boulder Daily Camera

Grand Junction Sentinel - Operator defends poorly rated facility

The Steamboat Pilot & Today: CNCC to offer new programs

Aspen Times News - Rio Grande Trail closure stumps group

Aspen Times News - Have an environmentally friendly holiday

The Longmont Daily Times-Call - Former Mayor Swenson loses transportation seat

Vail Daily - Eagle Co. kids picking majors in middle school

Summit Daily News - Our sales tax addiction

CSU Campus News - The Coloradoan - Funding reduction scales back climate research center plans at CS

Summit Daily News - Town growth vs. community character

News : Electricity rate increase to be decided Dec. 18 (Montrose, CO)

News : Delta renews search for police chief after candidates withdraw (Montrose, CO)

News : EPA examines local septic haulers (Montrose, CO)

Metro: Cuts don’t come easy for 2008 | county, million, commissioners - Gazette.com

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Dam makes cut in water study

The Tribune - Town hall meeting focuses on higher education

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Springs wants court order clarified

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Pueblo West inks deal for SDS connection

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Health officials continue search for 41 students

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - City schools report rise in enrollment numbers

The Pueblo Chieftain Online - Judge orders fed report on gas drilling in refuge

Persistent problems put care homes on list : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

Gates foundation funds stem cell program : Health Care : The Rocky Mountain News

Eagle River deal secures water for growing Vail area : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

New claim made in Masters case : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

Vail Daily - Denver gives up water rights in Eagle River

Headlines: Legislators turn candid camera away | house, camera, speaker - Gazette.com

Hundreds missing out on free meals : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

The Denver Post - Inside ailing nursing homes

Church to put its AIDS awareness out on the street : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

The Denver Post - Stem-cell research pot sweetened

Nothing simple in attempt to end pollution from mine : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News