Face The State Blog Wrangler Feed

A different perspective from the city manager

katemelvin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:18:20 -0500

"Laurie Kadrich, city manager for the City of Grand Junction, has a PR piece published in the Daily Sentinel. She writes:

If you include seasonal and part-time workers, the city is one of the largest employers in the Grand Valley, third only to School District 51 and St. Mary’s Hospital. We dedicate 40 percent of the annual budget, including capital spending and debt service, to personnel.

The city is the third largest employer in the entire Grand Valley.

Dr Watson, I think we have found a clue."

Sierra Club misses the mark, still makes a dent

katemelvin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:30:04 -0500

"Calling all spin doctors. Calling all spin doctors. The Sierra Club could use your help.

Sources: Jane Norton is in

katemelvin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:21:44 -0500

"Yes, it appears that Colorado’s former lieutenant governor won’t need the full 30 days to make up her mind. I have received word from a reliable source or two that Jane Norton is definitely going to announce her candidacy for U.S. Senate. My guess is this will mean Bob Beauprez opts to stay out of a crowded phone booth field."

Guest Editorial: Rich Yale on the antics of Sean McCoy

katemelvin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:20:33 -0500

"Dear Councilman McCoy,

Missing: Rep. John Salazar

katemelvin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:18:54 -0500

"Despite numerous requests from many constituents, Rep. John Salazar has failed to schedule a town hall meeting in Grand Junction. Why is he avoiding his own district?"

Another day, another clueless call from a hapless government

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:25:09 -0500

"This weekend a column from the City Manager of Grand Junction will appear in the Daily Sentinel. To begin with, I would like to say that I find it laudatory for the City Manager to not hide behind the "I am not an elected official" screening device traditionally employed in her position when asked for comment."

More layoffs at the Fort Collins Colordoan

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:24:20 -0500

"This past January, the Fort Collins Coloradoan, a Gannett publication, instituted a furlough program designed to save money and help preserve jobs. But it didn't prove to be the magic solution. In March, the Coloradoan shut down its press and farmed out its printing at the eventual loss of more than forty jobs. And now, in a brief published today, the paper announced that nine more jobs have been cut. The most chilling line: "With Thursday's layoffs, the Coloradoan has about 115 employees, or about half the work force it had at the beginning of 2007."

Mike Coffman brings Israeli perspective to Douglas GOP

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:22:22 -0500

"Congressman Mike Coffman spoke to an energetic and engaged Douglas County GOP breakfast club at the monthly meeting in Castle Rock, CO. A decorated Marine Veteran, Coffman gave attendees an update on a broad range of topics, from America’s military and diplomatic efforts in the Middle East to domestic issues including health care, government spending, and immigration."

Event at CCU for homeschoolers and high schoolers

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:19:36 -0500

"I wanted to take a moment to let all you Colorado homeschoolers and high school students out there about a great opportunity coming up on Saturday, September 12. You’ll want to check out the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) seminar, hosted by Colorado Christian University (CCU) and titled “Reforming Federal Environmental Policy: Entrepreneurs, Enterprises, and the Environment."

Pikes Peak Prep: A new identity

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:17:38 -0500

"The former 21st Century Charter School @ Colorado Springs changed its name to Pikes Peak Prep last spring. This change came not long after the new principal, Patricia Arnold, started in January 2009. The school now boasts all highly qualified and experienced teachers, a different educational program and a focus on high quality."

RTD once again touts fallacy that it completes projects "on budget"

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:10:52 -0500

"RTD’s problems with math are well documented and are seen in the skyrocketing costs of FasTracks and its ability to properly budget for the project. The district is now closing the books on its part of T-Rex and rather proudly announced on its website “T-REX closes out light rail portion of project $3.7 million under budget.” Is that really true?"

Grand Junction City Council decides now is a bad time to raise taxes

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:10:11 -0500

"Waiting until the absolute last minute to decide whether or not to put a tax increase on the ballot for the largely misnamed public safety initiative-the Grand Junction City Council decided that now perhaps, was not the time.

Some city staffers clearly had been feverishly hoping to raise sales taxes and were secretly swearing at the Taxpayers Bill of Rights impediment to simply getting the Council to vote on such a measure by requiring public approval."

Zero progress evident in grocery-worker negotiations

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:01:55 -0500

"In early May, it looked like a strike against King Soopers, Safeway and Albertsons by union employees was a real possibility. Since then, however, the situation has dragged out and out and out, with continued extensions creating little pressure on either side to get something done. Earlier this month, the chains and labor reps agreed to push the contract deadline to September 12.

Throw the nemesis off the premises

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:50:28 -0500

"A jury may ultimately have to decide whether Douglas Bruce was guilty of trespassing as a result of Costco-gate. I have my doubts about whether he was guilty of impeding store traffic -- which is not the same thing as being annoying to Bruce-bashers who shop at (or manage) Costco -- since I once endured a stern and lengthy lecture from Bruce on the dos and don'ts of handing out campaign literature at storefronts. But that's not the point of this post."

Here's something those new CU cops can do with their time

katemelvin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:37:07 -0500

"With students returning to the University of Colorado at Boulder campus for the fall semester, the Boulder Police Department is stepping up DUI patrols -- and the CU cops will be out in greater force, too. The university department has added six more officers as part of an overall plan to reduce crime on campus. Meanwhile, the BPD is ballyhooing a bust not far from the school, during which a cop riding a bike on the Boulder Creek path stumbled on a robbery in progress, leading to the arrest of three men and the relief of the victim, who'd been trying to have a picnic.

Scott McInnis leads Ritter by eight points in latest poll

katemelvin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:26:59 -0500

"The most recent Public Policy Polling survey released today on the Colorado governor's race shows Scott McInnis leading Bill Ritter 46 to 38 percent, an eight point margin.

A significant margin compared to a Penry-Ritter contest, where they are dead at 40 percent."

Metro mayors talk tough on FasTracks

katemelvin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:13:08 -0500

"Tuesday the Denver Post reported some pretty tough talk from Denver metro area mayors about RTD’s FasTracks boondoggle. The rail project which is facing more than a $2 billion funding shortfall continues to show failures of management and yet area politicos seem bent on supporting it to its bitter end."

Josh Penry for Governor

katemelvin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:12:34 -0500

"Earlier this week I was privileged to sit down in a one-on-one meeting with state senate minority leader and Republican gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry. I have to admit it’s a bit surreal to be in close contact with someone running for governor who is in my age bracket — Josh is less than a year older than I am. But the political times, they are a-changin’ … and many signs suggest the pro-liberty youth movement promises to better serve the GOP and its fiscally conservative wing in 2010."

ACLU sues Denver for alleged false arrests during DNC

katemelvin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:11:47 -0500

"It's been a year since the Democratic National Convention took over this town -- and to mark that anniversary, the Colorado branch of the American Civil Liberties Union has taken two legal actions. In the first, an ACLU lawyer is representing eight people in a suit against the City of Denver and police officials asserting the plaintiffs "were falsely arrested without probable cause and groundlessly prosecuted for crimes they did not commit, in violation of the First and Fourth Amendments."

DNC protestors file suit!

katemelvin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:09:25 -0500

"What a bore. Der Posten:

Eight people who were arrested on the second day of the Democratic National Convention during a mass protest filed a lawsuit against the City and County of Denver last night alleging wrongful arrest.

Took long enough."