Free Republic

Hot media spotlight can boost business but also poses risks Aside from logistical hurdles, transportation issues and security challenges, Denver faces a formidable task during the upcoming Democratic National Convention: Impress the press.An estimated 17,000 reporters, photographers, commentators, bloggers, support staff and other members of the media are expected to swarm the city in August, ranking as the largest media conglomeration in Denver's history and one of the biggest worldwide this year.

Public spectacle draws police A registered sex offender who drives around town with a puppy in his lap and hangs out at schools, parks and soccer games has one man so unnerved he made a public spectacle of himself Wednesday morning outside the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Travis Metcalf made such a display that he was issued a citation by police for disorderly conduct after allegedly threatening a registered sex offender. He has a court appearance set for June 25. Other witnesses to the outburst told attendants inside the activity center, 398 Arroyo Drive, to call the Garfield County Sheriff’s...

Democrats in Colorado's congressional delegation who've yet to pledge their superdelegate vote stayed uncommitted Wednesday after the latest primaries. "I don't think it's up to the superdelegates to make a decision," said Rep. John Salazar, a Manassa Democrat. "It's up to the people of this country." Salazar; his brother, Sen. Ken Salazar; and Rep. Mark Udall of Eldorado Springs haven't picked between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. All three said they want to wait until after the final primary on June 3. Mathematically, it's almost impossible for either Obama or Clinton to reach the number of needed delegates for...

An Alaska woman, accused of killing her newborn baby boy at her parents’ Grand Junction home, gave birth at a neighbor’s home, wrapped him in a plastic garbage bag and left him in a tote bag in a closet that her parents found more than two months later, according to her arrest affidavit. Morgan Hite, 22, of Wasilla, Alaska, is in custody on a no-bond warrant, but she refused extradition to Grand Junction during a court hearing Wednesday in Palmer, Alaska. Hite has retained an attorney, and her next court appearance is June 6.

Official testifies in TABOR lawsuit that more money collected as a result of mill levy freeze. State treasurer Cary Kennedy conceded today on the witness stand that a bill passed last year by the legislature alters the way taxes are calculated with the net result that many property owners pay more. But Kennedy continued to insist the 2007 law, SB 199, does not violate Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. Kennedy's testimony came on the second day of a lawsuit brought by opponents of the 2007 law. They say SB 199 should have been referred to voters under TABOR provisions. The...

Tent State University today notified Re-create '68, the chief local protest group organizing for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, that it is severing ties because of R-68's image and its oftentimes heated rhetoric, reports Chuck Plunkett. "We don't feel that Re-create 68 is working well with the anti-war left," said Adam Jung of Tent State University.

The rough political road for a proposed state-budget fix got even rougher Monday as Gov. Bill Ritter stopped short of endorsing it and the group expected to propel it to November's ballot expressed concern about funding, timing and other issues. "I don't know ultimately . . . if we're going to have the coalition together to put that on the ballot," Ritter said ... The proposal, which would alter the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and end mandated increases in education funding, started as a referendum, but Romanoff could not muster the support of two-thirds of state lawmakers — the requirement...

Judge denies motion to block gas pipeline in Colorado roadless area By Scott Condon The Aspen Times Aspen CO, Colorado May 2, 2008 ASPEN - Pitkin County and a coalition of environmental groups failed to get a temporary injunction to block a natural gas exploration company from constructing a pipeline through roadless areas of western Colorado. A federal judge on Wednesday denied a motion for the injunction. "The plaintiffs have not demonstrated a substantial likelihood that they will prevail eventually on the merits of their roadless rule or their National Environmental Protection Act claim," ruled U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn...

The Denver Sheriff Department is preparing to handle up to 3,000 arrests during the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the director of corrections said Thursday. Bill Lovingier, who is also the undersheriff in charge of the jails, spoke about a wide range of preparations for handling the possibility of mass arrests after criticisms by the Colorado American Civil Liberties Union were reported in The Denver Post. Lovingier said that in order to create holding space, an unspecified number of county jail inmates will be moved to jails in neighboring jurisdictions and city jail inmates will be transferred to the county jail....

Richard McLean and Edith Stevens did not fabricate evidence or lie to win their controversial land case against neighbors Don and Susie Kirlin, District Judge James C. Klein ruled today. Klein’s order essentially upholds his decision last fall to award about 34 percent of one of the Kirlins’ vacant lots to McLean and Stevens after they sued for it using the squatter’s-rights law of “adverse possession.” The Kirlins had filed paperwork earlier this year alleging that McLean, a former district court judge, and Stevens, an attorney, faked evidence of a dirt path across the Kirlins’ property and lied about using...

A judge today will hear a case calling Gov. Ritter's move unconstitutional because voters didn't approve it. The year-long controversy around Gov. Bill Ritter's mill-levy freeze spills into a Denver courtroom today, where a judge will decide whether the state has to give the money from the freeze back. A group of taxpayers, organized by the conservative Independence Institute, filed suit late last year against the Colorado Department of Education, arguing that the property-tax freeze amounts to an unconstitutional tax increase because voters did not directly approve it. The trial in the case is scheduled to start today in Denver...

Congressman, Texans clash over border McALLEN, Texas (AP) - South Texas officials who oppose a border fence are stepping up their criticism of a Colorado congressman who favors the divider. The mayors of Brownsville and Eagle Pass said Friday that U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo falsely suggested that they believe there is no border between the two countries. In a letter Friday, Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada and Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster, who is also chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, called the suggestion "ridiculously juvenile," and noted that the Rio Grande is a clear border between the United States and...

Activists challenge a police policy under which protesters can be arrested rather than only cited. Civil-rights activists say a Denver police policy could result in mass arrests and a clogged jail during the 2008 Democratic National Convention, and they have filed a claim seeking monetary damages over its use last Columbus Day parade. "We think there is a strong possibility that Denver is headed for a very disastrous and catastrophic situation," said Mark Silverstein, who directs the Colorado American Civil Liberties Union. The policy regards police handling of misdemeanor offenses committed by protesters. Until last year, Denver's policy for minor...

Rep. Douglas Bruce was instructed Wednesday to stay away from a woman working at the state Capitol who lodged a sexual harassment complaint against him. Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, handed Bruce a letter on the House floor. Bruce read it, then he and Romanoff briefly met in the speaker's office. Bruce, a Colorado Springs Republican, would not comment.

A heavy spring snowstorm moved across Colorado on May Day and was expected to dump up to 16 inches of snow in the high country. Wintry weather was blamed for a rash of minor accidents that closed westbound Interstate 70 for about 90 minutes just west of Denver on Thursday. "There's a lot of slide-offs, fender-bender types," State Patrol Master Trooper Ron Watkins said. "There's nothing like serious injuries or anything, but it caused the road to be closed." Watkins said up to 40 cars were involved in minor accidents on U.S. 36 near Lyons, 30 miles northwest of Denver....

A 17-year-old Afghani exchange student at Columbine High School checked his bags at Reagan National Airport over the weekend, and vanished. Five other Afghani students on the same trip also are missing. The U.S. State Department is investigating the disappearances of Mesbah Habibi and the others on the American Councils' Exchange trip. Habibi e-mailed his host family late Monday or early Tuesday to say he was all right, but did not say where he was, said Lynn Setzer, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Schools. "This was not a Columbine trip," Setzer said Thursday. The trip to the nation's capital was...

Rep. Douglas Bruce was ordered today to stay away from a female staffer who lodged a complaint against him, several of Bruce's legislative colleagues say. The Colorado Springs Republican this afternoon was handed a letter by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. Bruce's face turned red when he read the letter, and then met briefly with Romanoff in his office. Bruce would not comment afterward.

The matchup was inevitable. For the past two months, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff ... His complex proposal would undo the tightest part of that knot by lifting the spending limits imposed by the 1992 Taxpayer's Bill of Rights... Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs,... "For this purpose, I come before you as the author of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, and as is my wont, I will speak plainly," he began. "This measure, if adopted, will mean unlimited state spending forever." Bruce railed against what he saw as a conspiracy by the "tax-and-spend crowd" to "con" voters into giving up government...

A pioneering expert on hurricane forecasting says he may soon lose funding due to his skepticism about man-made global warming, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle. Dr. William Gray, who once said that pro-global warming scientists are "brainwashing our children," claims that Colorado State University will no longer promote his yearly North Atlantic hurricane forecasts due to his controversial views. Gray complained in a memo to the head of Colorado State’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences that "this is obviously a flimsy excuse and seems to me to be a cover for the Department's capitulation to the desires of...

By pioneering the science of seasonal hurricane forecasting and teaching 70 graduate students who now populate the National Hurricane Center and other research outposts, William Gray turned a city far from the stormy seas into a hurricane research mecca. But now the institution in Fort Collins, Colo., where he has worked for nearly half a century, has told Gray it may end its support of his seasonal forecasting. As he enters his 25th year of predicting hurricane season activity, Colorado State University officials say handling media inquiries related to Gray's forecasting requires too much time and detracts from efforts to...

Rush Limbaugh:Referred to as "The new face of Fascis" Denver-- Following Rush Limbaugh's broadcast calling for violent riots in Denver, city officials issue a warrant for his arrest. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper called Limbaugh a "dangerous domestic terrorist" that should be locked up. No stranger to controversy talk show host Rush Limbaugh made comments calling for riots in Denver during the Democratic National Convention this summer. As part of his "Operation Chaos" Limbaugh is expecting Republican rioters to burn cars, burn houses and kill children. "Riots in Denver, the Democrat Convention would see to it that we don't elect Democrats,"...

U.S. Senator Ken Salazar has asked today that the owner of 850 KOA "reprimand" Rush Limbaugh for what Salazar calls Limbaugh's "clear exhortation" for riots during the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Limbaugh said earlier this week that he is not calling for a riot in Denver in August but only "dreams" of it, to the tune of "White Christmas." "Now, I'm not inspiring or inciting riots. I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming of riots in Denver," he said mimicking the holiday tune. But Salazar, in a letter sent today to Clear Channel Radio, the owner of KOA, characterized Limbaugh's comments as...

The Denver Post has managed the amazing feat of criticizing Rush Limbaugh for supposedly calling for riots at this summer's Democrat convention in Denver while completely downplaying the role of the very organization calling for recreating 68 and all the problems of Chicago '68 that implies in their article provocatively titled Limbaugh dreams of DNC riot: Rush Limbaugh says he is not calling for a riot in Denver during the Democratic National Convention — he only "dreams" of it, to the tune of "White Christmas." The conservative talker discussed the possibility of Mile High unrest in August on his national...

At least 10,000 expected at May state conventionDemocrats are preparing for a standing-room-only political convention in Colorado this year — and it's not in Denver. No, we're talking about the state Democratic convention May 17 in Colorado Springs. Organizers expect this year's convention, where Democrats elect delegates to attend the national convention in August, to have record attendance. The World Arena in Colorado Springs holds a maximum of 9,000 people, and Democratic Party officials say they're expecting 10,000 or more — and that's just delegates — to show up. "We won't be breaking the fire code," said Sherry Jackson, executive...

Check out ballot initiative #101. It calls for a "sex strike" (by women only) annually on Aug. 16th, the birthday of a Sunni child. This is to take place in downtown Denver, and St. Paul MN. (Don't know why MN is required to abide by the CO constitution, but I'm sure there is good cause.) It is a "healing" amendment to the Colorado Constitution. There are currently 127 initiatives filed for Nov. ballot. If 1/3 of them get the required signatures, this could be one of the longest ballots in history. Check out some of the other crazy initiatives as...

Adverse possession law set to change. Beginning July 1, people hoping to use "adverse possession" to take control of another person's land had better be prepared to pay for it... The bill, which garnered wide bipartisan support among state lawmakers, requires that an adverse possessor believe in "good faith" that the land is actually his or her own. It also raises the burden of proof in an adverse-possession case and gives judges the power to make plaintiffs payfor any land they are awarded. Witwer on Friday said the bill is a victory for property owners. "This will make it harder...

Saturday, April 26, 2008 MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH WorldNetDaily Exclusive Survivor says U.S. shares guilt for China's abortions Consumerism pushes factories, boosts pressure to limit children Posted: April 25, 2008 8:55 pm Eastern By Bob Unruh WorldNetDaily A survivor of China's forced-abortion policy is warning Americans they share the responsibility for that nation's holocaust of government-mandated death through their consumerism. The testimony comes from Shiu Yon Zhou, whose ordeal in which she lost the child who would have been her first-born has been played before Congress, on national television and in the media. But she spoke to WND today...

Who said leftists are opposed to the death penalty? It's just a question of who's being hung. . . Many Americans might wax nostalgic for the long lost America immortalized in Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post cover drawings. Not Keith Olbermann. He longs for the good old days when people like Rush Limbaugh . . . could be strung up. Here's the Countdown host tonight, speaking with Air America's Rachel Maddow: KEITH OLBERMANN: Legally, we've come a very long way since the Haymarket bombing in Chicago in 1886 when we wound up hanging some anarchist writers, who were not even...

Rush Limbaugh's website touted the Denver broadcast with a headline that said "Screw the world! Riot in Denver!" .......Listen to the radio program on 850 KOA Radio during which Rush Limbaugh sings he's "dreaming of riots in Denver." ........... U.S. Senator Ken Salazar has asked today that the owner of 850 KOA "reprimand" Rush Limbaugh for what Salazar calls Limbaugh's "clear exhortation" for riots during the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Limbaugh said earlier this week that he is not calling for a riot in Denver in August but only "dreams" of it, to the tune of "White Christmas." "Now,...

In a sweeping indictment of the raid on a secretive polygamist compound in Texas, Aspen attorney Gerry Goldstein accused law enforcement authorities of reckless disregard and unlawful taking of DNA and demanded a review of their actions. (snip) At the crux of the 39-page motion that Goldstein filed Thursday in the Texas 51st Judicial District Court on behalf of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a revelation that the man authorities were looking for, Dale Evans Barlow, was in Arizona at the time of the raid. Snip"Prior to executing the initial warrant, (Schleicher County Sheriff...

Rush Limbaugh says he was not calling for a riot in Denver during the Democratic National Convention — he only "dreams" of it, to the tune of "White Christmas." The conservative talker discussed the possibility of Mile High unrest this August his national show for a second day in a row today. "Now, I am not inspiring or inciting riots. I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming of riots in Denver," he said mimicking the holiday tune. He explained on-air: "Riots in Denver at the Democrat Convention would see to it we don't elect Democrats," Limbaugh said. "And that's the best damn thing...

The Democrats' much-anticipated dust-up in Pennsylvania ended up making only one thing clear: It's on to Indiana. Hopes of pushing Sen. Hillary Clinton out of the race all but faded with her 10-point victory in a crucial electoral state — a state where she was outspent more than 2-to-1 by Barack Obama. Buckle up, Denver. We already have a front-row seat to history, with either the first African-American or first woman being nominated for president by a major party, but there's a chance we could witness a historic floor fight for the nomination, too. Most party leaders want something settled...

DENVER — An outbreak of mountain pine beetles in British Columbia is doing more than destroying millions of trees: By 2020, the beetles will have done so much damage that the forest is expected to release more carbon dioxide than it absorbs, according to new research. The study, led by Werner Kurz of the Canadian Forest Service, estimates that over 21 years, trees killed by the beetle outbreak could release 990 megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — roughly equivalent to five years of emissions from Canada's transportation sector. The outbreak has affected about 33 million acres, or about...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A court document says a phone number used to report alleged abuse at a polygamist retreat in Texas had been used previously by a 33-year-old Colorado woman. It's not yet clear whether authorities suspect Rozita Swinton of Colorado Springs made any of the calls that triggered this month's raid of the compound. An arrest warrant affidavit made public today says a phone number she had used previously was used to call a Texas crisis center before authorities conducted the raid and removed more than 400 children. Swinton's whereabouts are unknown. Authorities have said a 16-year-old girl...

A state representative lodged a campaign-finance complaint against Gov. Bill Ritter today, kick-starting a second investigation into campaign funds Ritter has said were spent incorrectly. The complaint, from Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, prompts the process for reviewing campaign-finance violations. Without the complaint, it is unclear whether the Secretary of State's Office could have begun a formal inquiry. "There are some very specific rules you've got to follow," Lambert said of campaign-finance laws. "This seemed to violate at least several of them and needs to be investigated further."

The city with a namesake omelette now has a namesake flower. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper unveiled the "Denver Daisy" on Tuesday along with a flower-planting effort and new initiatives aimed at leading residents down a more environmentally friendly path. Hickenlooper, during an Earth Day news conference at the Denver Botanic Gardens, said the daisy was created and named in honor of Denver's 150th anniversary. The plant is formally called Rudbeckia Denver Daisy. He said that thanks to the sponsorship of KeyBank, 300,000 seed packets will be distributed throughout the city. Packets will be given to students in Denver elementary schools...

DENVER -- Lawmakers in the state are trying to determine what kind of action will be taken against Republican Rep. Douglas Bruce after he was ordered to leave the podium of the Colorado House of Representatives for saying that Colorado doesn't need "5,000 more illiterate peasants." Bruce made the comment Monday during a debate on a bill that would allow the state to help immigrant workers get temporary visas from the federal government. Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, who was chairing the floor debate, ordered Bruce to leave the speaker's podium after saying, "How dare you?" Bruce denied later he was...

DENVER (AP) ― Rep. Douglas Bruce was ordered to leave the podium of the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday after calling Mexican workers "illiterate peasants." Bruce, a Republican with a history of provoking controversy with his statements and actions, made the comment during a debate on a bill designed to ease a farmworker shortage in Colorado. It drew an audible gasp from the House. "How dare you," said Rep. Kathleen Curry, a Democrat who was serving as chairwoman during the debate. She told Bruce he was no longer recognized to speak. The bill under discussion would allow the state...

DENVER - A Colorado legislator known for kicking a photographer was ordered to leave the podium of the state House of Representatives on Monday because he called Mexican workers "illiterate peasants." State Rep. Douglas Bruce, who has a history of provoking controversy, made the comment during debate on a bill that would allow the state to help immigrant workers get temporary federal visas. The measure is intended to ease a shortage of farm workers in the state. "I would like to have the opportunity to state at the microphone why I don't think we need 5,000 more illiterate peasants in...

Exasperated Republicans accused Democrats on the Senate floor this morning of raising wide-ranging fees on ordinary Coloradans in order to avoid seeking voters' permission for a tax hike. The debate erupted amid discussion of ... a new fee to birth certificates--and came only days after a proposal by another Senate Democrat... to slap a $25 fee increase on marriage licenses. The Republicans point to numerous fee hikes authored by Democrats ...to one that would assess higher fees on ozone-depleting compounds. "Will enough ever be enough?" the GOP's Sen. Josh Penry, of Grand Junction... "When do we stop the fees? We...

It remains to be seen whether the Democrats will ultimately take their fight for a presidential candidate all the way to the Democratic National Convention this August in Denver, but for many activists tired of the two-party system and the ongoing war, they will be demonstrating at the convention regardless of who the final nominee is. We speak with Mark Cohen, an organizer with Recreate ’68, and Mark Silverstein, the legal director of the ACLU in Colorado. [includes rush transcript]AMY GOODMAN: We’re broadcasting from Denver, Colorado, from the PBS station KBDI, where Democracy Now! broadcasts here in Denver. Yes, Denver...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A 33-year-old Colorado Springs woman who may have sparked a massive child-protection raid at a polygamist compound in Texas kept a steady job and gave no hint of her activities to those closest to her. "She is the last person I would expect to do something like this," said a woman in her mid-20s who described herself as the roommate of Rozita Swinton. Speaking at the door of their apartment, the roommate described Swinton as a steady, soft-hearted person. But growing evidence indicates Swinton repeatedly made calls to authorities in multiple jurisdictions, setting off large emergency...

Battle That Gained Texas Independence Observed Today Today is San Jacinto Day, a state holiday observing the April 21, 1836, battle near Houston in which a Texas army led by Gen. Sam Houston defeated Mexican Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Historians cite it as the decisive battle in Texas gaining independence from Mexico. Sam Houston's approximately 900 men, infuriated by the deaths of about 550 comrades at the Alamo and the Goliad massacre, took just 18 minutes to win a battle that left 630 Mexican soldiers dead and another 730 in captivity, according to historical accounts. Santa Anna agreed...

Denver expects to sign contracts in the next few weeks with dozens of police and emergency agencies that will help protect the city during the 2008 Democratic National Convention, clearing one of the most significant milestones in the city's preparation for the August event. The mayor's office has been awaiting approval from the Department of Justice on what costs can be reimbursed from the $50 million appropriated to the city by Congress in December. Katherine Archuleta, the mayoral liaison to the convention, said the DOJ has been working since January and significant progress was made last week. However, she said,...

State lawmakers adopted a measure Friday aimed at restricting how and where protests can take place in residential neighborhoods, despite vigorous calls that the legislation violates the First Amendment.By a 34-29 vote, the state House approved Senate Bill 192, which would make it a misdemeanor to carry a sign larger than 6 square-feet or protest within 300 feet of a targeted home.Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, said it is appropriate to protect people’s right not to be bothered by annoying and caustic public displays.“I thought it was important for people to have sanctity of the home,” Carroll said.The bill’s adoption, however,...

·11250 Waples Mill Road ·   Fairfax, Virginia 22030    ·800-392-8683   Hunting Ban Being Discussed in Colorado!   Friday, April 18, 2008   Please Make Plans to AttendThe Colorado Wildlife Commission will meet to discuss a complete ban on prairie dog hunting in the state of Colorado on May 1-2.  While radical anti-hunting/animal rights groups are targeting prairie dog hunting as cruel, it is a traditional sporting activity and necessary management tool, especially for ranching interests in the state.  Ban proponents like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have boasted that they seek to ban all hunting in the United States "species by species" and...

The Air America network, which provides much of the programming on KKZN-AM (760) ended its relationship last week with hostess Randi Rhodes. Rhodes had recently been suspended from Air America for her humor presentation at a San Francisco nightclub, in which she called Hillary Clinton a "big f---ing whore" and Geraldine Ferraro "David Duke in drag" and "a f---ing whore." Such wit! But no sooner had Air America dumped her than Clear Channel hired her. So Rhodes is now back on 760, in the 1-4 p.m. weekday slot. Clear Channel's decision is not entirely consistent with the theory that Clear...

DENVER -- A Colorado Springs woman was arrested on charges of false reporting to authorities and is being investigated for her alleged involvement in the call that tipped authorities off to possible abuse at a Texas polygamist compound. Police said they arrested 33-year-old Rozita Swinton at her home on Wednesday. The Texas Rangers were in Colorado Springs Wednesday as part of their investigation involving the compound in Texas. They left and have not filed any charges on Swinton, said Colorado Springs police spokesman Lt. Skip Arms. Arms said he could not discuss any aspects of the Texas case. The affidavit...

For the second straight month, Democrat Mark Udall holds a three-point edge over Republican Bob Schaffer in the race to become Colorado’s next United States Senator. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Colorado found Udall attracting 45% of the vote while Schaffer earns 42%. A month ago, Udall was up 46% to 43%. Two months ago, it was Schaffer with a statistically insignificant one point lead. This is the fourth straight Rasmussen Reports election poll to find the two candidates within three points of each other.