February 6, 2012

SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News "Local man busted with coke, molly and mushrooms"

Aspen Daily:

"Police allegedly found 45 grams of cocaine, 130 grams of MDMA and 25 grams of psychedelic mushrooms after a local man was arrested Saturday night.

Thomas Simmons, 22, is facing charges of possession and distribution of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence and general criminal attempt. All charges are felonies...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Bond for man accused of stealing $1.9M held at $160K"

John Colson:

"GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Craig Davis, accused of bilking more than $1.9 million from dozens of local investors, was unable to convince a judge to lower his bail from $160,000.

Davis, 61, of Silt, was arrested last December following a year-long investigation by the Glenwood Springs Police Department and the local district attorney's office.

He could spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted on the 16 counts of theft and securities fraud he is facing in 9th Judicial District Court.

Public defender Jim Conway tried on Thursday to convince Judge Denise Lynch that Davis is not a flight risk, and that his bond should be reduced to some level that “he could reasonably meet....”
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News "More fines for riding bikes on malls, sidewalks"

Hmmm....let's see.

The City of Aspen goes crazy wild in favor of supporting  a bike-share company and backs that support up with a whole lot of seed money.

The bike-share startup  comes back with a plan that shows each bike costing $6,000 EACH.

And now, the same city ratchets up the rules, laws and fines for breaking either by seriously stepping up enforcement within the City of Aspen.  With 60% of the folks supporting that.

Hmmmm....exactly how does this add up to a good deal for the folks?

Chad Abraham:

"...Open space ranger Brian Long of the city’s parks and recreation department said in the summertime, he and police officers are on “the receiving end of a lot of citizen comments and complaints.” The input concerns cyclists biking in spots where they’re supposed to be walking their bikes.

Long estimated that he received 300 or so comments last summer about wayward bikers (the pedestrian malls fall under the responsibility of the parks department). Pedestrians, some of whom are walking their bikes, often complain about narrow misses with rule-breakers, Long said Friday.

Blair Weyer, police department spokeswoman, said that roughly 60 percent of the 600 respondents to the survey indicated they want moderate to strict enforcement of the current code prohibiting bikes on sidewalks and the malls...."  (Read more?  Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent/Your Letters "Clarifying details on Silt Urban Renewal Authority"

(See related story here)

It really isn't "incredibly intense scrutiny", Rick.

It's a systemic problem  of a style of yellow journalism that the PI creates, perpetuates and enhances at every opportunity. Accomplishing nothing but harm to area residents and communities.

SandBox doesn't support Silt's URA at state and federal levels.  But, we do support Silt developing a working relationship with GarCo.  We should be keeping all of the money, including the seed and capital funds, right here at home.

"...The county did not give money to our URA or for economic development, as stated in Wednesday's paper. They set aside money for infrastructure improvements, just as they did in Rifle and Parachute. Those improvements may or may not be associated with a URA project...." (Read more?  Click title)
(Richard Aluise, Silt)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Aspen Times/Letters to the Editor "Unfair treatment by Skico"

See related stories here and here)
"Dear Editor:

It is unfair that Lee Mulcahy, after a year, is still banned from all Aspen Skiing Co. properties, including restaurants, lodges, the four mountains that Skico leases from the Forest Service, etc. Lee's crime, for which he was also fired after 14 years of service, was to protest low, unfair wages for beginning employees (about $69 per day). A lift ticket for a day is $108. He also brought up unionization.

Just like Occupy Wall Street protesters, Lee had to be crushed by a greedy corporation with the cooperation of a compliant legal system. It is clear that government works to protect corporations. Meanwhile Aspen builds employee housing, at taxpayer expense, to subsidize Skico so it can continue to pay low wages.

It is time that Skico officials lifted the ban on Mulcahy so he can ski Aspen's mountains and socialize with his friends on Skico properties. He is a great person who had the courage to speak out when he saw injustice.
(Cathleen Krahe, Missouri Heights)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Summit County Citizens Voice "Morning Photo: February (2011)"

Bob Berwyn:

"SUMMIT COUNTY — Early February is truly the heart of winter, at least here in the high country. Down in the lowlands, they may be talking about groundhogs and shadows, and in more temperate climes, it’s true, you may start to see the first hints of impending change. But at 9,000 or 10,000 feet, or in northern latitudes, this is the time of year when you really start to feel that the ground is completely still and at rest in preparation for something yet unknown. It’s a little different this year. Bare earth is visible in more than a few places, and with temperatures averaging at least 3 to 4 degrees above average, the ground isn’t even frozen solid. So in case you’ve forgotten, here’s what winter can (and should) look like in series of images from early February, 2011."