Update, 5:00 PM: Snowfall has lightened up, visibility has improved to nearly normal, heavy gusts of wind are far less frequent. We have just under a feet of snow, which indicates that the heaviest precipitation occurred this morning. But it hasn't stopped. And with a layer of ice under much of the snow, it will be awhile before travel is back to normal. Today is suitable for a little random weather blogging here in central Arvada ... Snow started falling at sometime around 6 AM. I've spent the morning working inside, but ventured outside at high noon. Observations: Blowing snow (heavy at times), visibility is about 100 feet or so (occasionally much less than that), the nearby side streets are barely passable for standard 2-wheel … [Read more...]
Unions Lobby State Democrats to Slow Down School Building Inspections
Who's in charge at the Colorado State Capitol these days? Big Labor:A bill whose only aim was to make it easier for local school districts to get their new buildings inspected was blindsided today on the Senate floor by union-led opposition, with all but two of the chamber's Democrats voting to kill the measure. Three of the Democrats who voted with the majority against Senate Bill 64 [PDF]--Sens. Bob Bacon, of Fort Collins, Rollie Heath, of Boulder, and Evie Hudak, of Arvada--had voted in favor of it in the Senate Education Committee only two weeks earlier. What changed their minds? The bill's sponsor, the GOP's Sen. Keith King, of Colorado Springs, says it was the fact that the Journeyman Plumbers and Gas Fitters Union began lobbying … [Read more...]
Coloradans, You Can Make a Difference for School Financial Transparency
Update, 1/29: More coverage on Colorado Spending Transparency and Ed News Colorado, as well as a kind link from the Open Records blog. This morning the Colorado Senate Education Committee got a bit of a surprise, it might seem, with a slew of concerned citizens coming forward to testify in support of Senate Bill 57 (PDF) (sponsored by state senator Ted Harvey) - which would bring something akin to full-fledged financial transparency to Colorado public schools. It's unusual to see more than 15 average citizens come forward to testify for a piece of legislation - and rarer yet, to have many of them do so quite eloquently. Most were from the metro Denver area, a couple hailed from Weld County, and one of them drove three hours over the … [Read more...]
Complete Colorado: Mayors Asking for $2.25 Billion in Federal Pork Handouts
Complete Colorado is breaking a story about 10 different Colorado mayors requesting a total of $2.25 billion in federal pork. The biggest ask (go for the gusto, right?) comes from Colorado Springs at $1.25 billion. But the most interesting request hails from the People's Republic:The city of Boulder asked for $6 million to "...[p]rovide funding to convert 60 hybrid electric vehicles to Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles with Vehicle to Grid technology. The cars are part of the City of Boulder, Boulder County, and the University of Colorado fleets." The retrofit of each vehicle, therefore, would cost $100-thousand dollars a piece. I haven't seen a cost-benefit analysis, but how much is really gained by switching to the Plug-In Hybrid Electric … [Read more...]
Denver Post Backs Grassroots GOP HD27 Challenger John Bodnar
The Denver Post gave its complete endorsement round-up for Colorado state house races today. It's impossible for us mere mortals to divine the rhyme or reason behind the Post's endorsements. As expected, the center-left editorial board has backed more Democrats than Republicans, and nearly every incumbent. But interestingly, the Post threw its lot behind two Republican challengers over Democrat officeholders. One of them is here in Arvada, where a hard-working, truly grassroots, common-sense candidate has emerged:HD 27 (Jefferson) — First-term incumbent Democrat Sara Gagliardi, a nurse, has focused primarily on health care. But we're more impressed with Republican challenger John Bodnar because of his balanced views on energy and … [Read more...]
Candidate Evie Hudak: “I Support the Entire Democratic Party Platform”
Perhaps the most closely contested state legislative race of 2008 is the battle for Senate District 19 in Arvada and Westminster. But how close would it be if people really knew what Democratic candidate Evie Hudak stood for? Yes, the same Evie Hudak who has a bizarrely condescending view of homeschoolers and parental responsibility in education. A revealing document goes even further, telling us just how much Evie Hudak is attuned to a rigid, Left-leaning ideology - far more than to the interests of everyday people in Senate District 19. On an online questionnaire for the Progressive Democrats of America, Hudak wrote:I support the entire Democratic Party platform. I have supported the issues in previous elections as an active Democrat … [Read more...]
“My Mom is Voting for Trig’s Mom”: Scene from this AM’s Sarah Palin Rally
Over at People's Press Collective last night, El Presidente posted the picture and story of an Alaskan couple temporarily displaced to Colorado:The attached photo is from a young couple from Anchorage, Alaska; here in Denver to have their special needs baby. The mother, Megan, said a few weeks ago she spoke with Gov. Palin about special needs babies for about ten minutes. They are so excited about her that they’re now volunteers for this rally! Megan will deliver their special needs son and then he will be cared for at Denver’s Children’s Hospital. Megan had a little blue baby outfit that said, “My mom is voting for Trig’s mom!†and both Megan and her husband were proudly wearing their Palin t-shirts, which they had ordered … [Read more...]
A Different Kind of DNC “Protest” West of the Downtown Denver Action
So much for all the DNC-related action happening in downtown Denver. On my drive to work this morning I spotted this unmistakable display on Table Mountain between Arvada and Golden, displayed here in a photograph taken by a friend: 9News apparently was on the scene, as well:The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department and Open Space Rangers struck a deal with the protestors allowing them to take a break before hiking back up the mountain and removing the sign. The group behind the sign was not immediately known but roughly 50 anti-abortion protestors are in the area. My friend who took the picture said she was told the sign was constructed from 2,500 bed sheets, and that students from Maranatha Christian Center did the hard work … [Read more...]
Sara Gagliardi’s Do-Nothing Record Puts a John Bodnar Sign in my Yard
Michael at Best Destiny points out the inconsequential, do-nothing record of his and my state representative Sara Gagliardi - and the representative for most of Arvada, Colorado:Among things she did NOT sponsor, she did manage to join her party voting to extend unionization into the state government (which had to be vetoed, only to reappear via Executive fiat . . .er, order); she did manage to vote against increasing academic requirements for graduation, but vote to create standards for Sex Education in the schools. So the entire track record of Sara Gagliardi's first year in office as a part of the majority was: --no academic standards --Sex Ed standards --banned smoking in casinos, which encroaches on personal rights and hurt … [Read more...]
Arvada West Republican Caucus: Romney Territory
From my own little corner of the Colorado caucus: I've just returned from a gathering of six Republican precincts held at Arvada West High School. The turnout of 141 shattered all records from recent memory, though probably was outdone by the Democrats who met on the other half of campus. If our six precincts are anywhere near representative of the state of Colorado, it's a lock for Romney. I confirmed this unofficial vote tally with the district captain: Mitt Romney - 94 (67%) Mike Huckabee - 20 (14%) John McCain - 12 (9%) Ron Paul - 10 (7%) Uncommitted - 5 (4%) In a night across the country that looks to be less than decisive for any candidate in either major party, Colorado should go into the Romney column. We'll wait for … [Read more...]