SandBoxBlogs: Dept of Defense/Face of Defense "Child chat"

"U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Smith chats with an Afghan boy during a combined patrol clearing operation in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, April 28, 2012. Smith is assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team."

 

 

SandBoxBlogs: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "USA Pro Cycling Challenge becomes presenting partner of the Colorado Mini Classic"

Today's 'prime real estate' (always the last post of the day on a blog as it is the first post seen by viewers) goes to the Town of Silt, Colorado.

Goes to Mayor Dave Moore and his rebels with a cause.

Why, you ask?

Because on June 2nd and 3rd, the itty bitty teeny tiny Town of Silt will hold a chunk of the world stage in bicycle racing.

(lol) Oh my goodness, says, 'SandBox Nanny'.

'Staff Report':
"The USA Pro Cycling Challenge, one of the largest professional cycling races in the United States, has signed on to be the presenting partner for the third annual Colorado Mini Classic, which will run June 2-3 in Silt.

Taking place in the quiet, small town with the same street decal signage as the Pro Challenge, the event provides junior athletes with the opportunity to get a taste of world-class competitive cycling action.

“The Colorado Mini Classic reinforces the unique ability of cycling events to impact communities and peoples' lives in a positive and healthy way, while focusing on sportsmanship, racing lessons, good citizenship, athletic performance and the role of family in the quest for individual achievement,” said Chris McGee, executive director, Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado. “The event is a stepping stone for all involved, and with this year's invaluable partnership with the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, we have made a tangible connection between the stars of today and American's future cycling champions.”

Modeled after the famous Mini Classics in the days of the Red Zinger and Coors Classic, which helped launch the careers of Bobby Julich, Jonathan Vaughters, Clark Sheehan and many other cycling legends, the 2012 Colorado Mini Classic presented by the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is a three-stage omnium, consisting of a time trial, criterium and road race.

Specially designed for junior racers age 10 to 18, the Mini Classic places the focus on juniors and their families.

“Our goal has always been to grow interest and participation in the sport of cycling in the U.S.,” said Brian Farris, chief operating officer of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. “Through this partnership between the USA Pro Challenge and the Colorado Mini Classic, we are fostering growth of the sport, while bringing the experience of a professional race to some of the state's best junior riders. It's just a matter of time before we see one of these very same kids standing on the USA Pro Challenge podium.”

This year's event has been recognized as one of the premier juniors-only events in the country, and is part of the 2012 Lance Armstrong Junior Race Series...."  (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Fox News "At least 7 killed in blasts in Afghan capital, as Taliban says attacks a response to Obama's visit"

"A suicide car bomber and Taliban militants disguised in burqas attacked a compound housing hundreds of foreigners in the Afghan capital on Wednesday, killing seven people, officials and witnesses said.

The Taliban said the attack was a response to President Barack Obama's surprise visit just hours earlier.
At least 17 people were also wounded in the assault, most of them Afghan children on their way to school, the Interior Ministry said.

The second major assault in Kabul in less than three weeks, the attack highlights the Taliban's continued ability to strike in the heavily guarded capital even when the city is on its tightest security for a combination of events -- the Obama visit and Wednesday's anniversary of the killing of Usama bin Laden in neighboring Pakistan.

The attack started around 6 a.m. in eastern Kabul with a series of explosions and gunfire ringing out from the privately guarded compound known as Green Village that houses hundreds of international contractors.

Shooting and blasts continued for hours later as militants who had stormed into the compound held out against security forces, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information....." (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Pueblo Chieftain "Analysis: Obama has 2 narratives on Afghanistan"

ANNE GEARAN and ROBERT BURNS:
"WASHINGTON (AP) — In President Barack Obama's twin narratives, the United States is both leaving Afghanistan and staying there.

The different messages are meant for different audiences, one at home and one away. As Obama's brief, symbolic visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday made clear, the more important audience is American voters fed up with a war that will be in its 12th year on Election Day this fall.

The president flew in secret to sign a long-awaited security compact with Afghanistan. It was after midnight in Kabul when the signing took place, and 4 a.m. there when Obama addressed

Americans in a specially arranged 7:30 p.m. EDT speech on network television. By the time most Afghans woke up, Obama was gone....."  (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Iowa Republican "SCC Member’s Refusal to Support Mitt Romney Hurts Iowa Republicans"

Kevin Hall:
"It is the job of the Iowa GOP’s State Central Committee to help Republicans defeat Democrats. Period.

That is their primary task. However, one new member of the committee is publicly refusing to help the likely GOP presidential nominee. Over the past few days, Jamie Johnson declared his distaste for Mitt Romney on WHO Radio and in a national news publication.

“I don’t care for Mitt Romney,” Johnson said on Simon Conway’s radio program last week. “Everyone who knows me knows that I do not care for Governor Mitt Romney. That is a personal perspective that I have.”

Jamie Johnson was the state coalitions director for Rick Santorum’s campaign. Santorum has a meeting scheduled with Mitt Romney on Friday. An endorsement is likely to follow. Another of Jamie Johnson’s former bosses recently became Romney’s national coalitions director. Mike Biundo was the national campaign manager for Rick Santorum. However, Biundo and Santorum’s support of Romney is not enough to sway Johnson to change his opinion of the former Massachusetts governor.

“I am personally not going to help Mitt Romney with his presidential aspirations, because I do not support him personally,” Johnson told the Washington Examiner. “My conscience will not let me help him.....”

(Read more? Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Red State "Barack Obama: A Legend In His Own Mind "

'strieff' Diary:
"In terms of iconography this photo is destined to rival that taken of FDR on D-Day.*

With some trying to turn bin Laden’s death into a campaign talking point for Obama’s reelection, it is useful to remember that the trail to bin Laden started in a CIA black site — all of which Obama ordered closed, forever, on the second full day of his administration — and stemmed from information obtained from hardened terrorists who agreed to tell us some (but not all) of what they knew after undergoing harsh but legal interrogation methods. Obama banned those methods on Jan. 22, 2009.
–Jose A. Rodriguez
The Washington Post, The path to bin Laden’s death didn’t start with Obama"

(Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Willits News "Covelo pair gets five years for federal pot crime; supplied marijuana for coast-to-coast ring"

Linda Williams:
"Two Covelo pot growers were among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty at the end of 2011 and beginning of 2012 in a multi-state federal marijuana prosecution originating in Virginia. The defendants received sentences ranging from five to 18 years in federal prison.

 

The operation generated profits estimated at $3 million from 2005 until the June 2011 arrests, according to court documents. The operation mailed packages of boutique California marijuana to individuals and groups in Virginia, Georgia, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

 

The ringleader, Anthony Guidry, 46, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilos of marijuana or more and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and is now serving 220 months in federal prison.

 

Guidry could have been sentenced from 40 years to life in prison.

 

He and all the other defendants also agreed to forfeit all assets including guns, property, a motorcycle, banking accounts and cash discovered by federal agents.

 

Agents seized 71 total pounds of weed and about $160,000 in cash from various locations during the arrests.

Guidry purchased specialty bud marijuana from a variety of sources throughout Northern California including Anthony Scott Giuliani, 45, and Annette Marie Ross, 52, both of Covelo..... 

.......One of his East Coast distributors recruited an ever-growing group of friends and family members willing to accept pot shipments to avoid raising the suspicions of postal, Fedex and UPS workers. The group admitted it was "sometimes necessary and prudent to use violence to enforce debts" in court documents.

 

Whenever a bank became too inquisitive, members of the group would open a new account at a different bank or arrange for a courier to fly out to transport the cash.

 

The entire plot began to unravel when Virginia police arrested Moataz Mohammad Masoud in January 2010 with $2,000 cash, three pounds of pot and a sales list of people owing him a total of $20,000. Masoud was still on probation after a 2008 conviction for intent to deliver marijuana for sale.

 

Masoud phoned several members of the network from the tapped phone at the jail asking for help to collect enough money to pay for his lawyer. Detectives from a growing number of state and federal agencies began investigating the people Masoud called. By the time the conspirators were arrested in June 2011, agents had intercepted more than 14,000 calls or texts from across the nation and tracked 38 marijuana packages and 21 bulk-cash packages.

Most of the individual conspirators received five-year prison sentences; the main distributors got 90 months. In exchange for a reduction in the number of counts and charges, all defendants agreed to provide law enforcement with detailed accounts of their operations.....(Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: The State/Breaking News "Haley cleared of illegal lobbying by House panel"

Gina Smith:
"In a five to one vote, a House panel cleared Gov. Nikki Haley on Wednesday of charges that she illegally lobbied while a House member.
The six members of the House Ethics Committee have been meeting behind closed doors for more than a month, looking into a complaint that Haley lobbied on behalf of two employers, Wilbur Smith, a Midlands engineering firm that has done state work, and the Lexington Medical Center Foundation.
"We found no evidence that she lobbied," said Rep. Roland Smith, R-Aiken and chairman of the committee..."  (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: KJCT News 8 "Colo. Exoneration Program to Expand"

A very interesting piece from Don Coleman off KJCT News 8.  Over Grand Junction way.

Sort of sounds like Sheriff Stan Hilkey's  'Evidence Based Decision Making Project'.

Don Coleman:
"GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Colorado's Attorney General's Office says it has been awarded additional funding to expand the program that exonerated Robert Dewey after 17 years in prison.


Since being convicted, Dewey tried to appeal through the justice system, but nothing ever came about until phase one of the Justice Review Project (JRP) that began in 2010.


It was a process that began back in 2009 when money suddenly became available at the federal level.


"There was a pool of money available for organizations and state offices and we applied for it," Julie Selsberg, Senior Assistant Attorney General for Colorado, said. "We were the only pure prosecution office to be awarded some of that` grant."


A total of 15 organizations from across the country were awarded funds by the National Institute of Justice. Colorado's were aimed at identifying cases in our state where DNA testing could potentially exonerate a wrongfully-convicted inmate.


Nearly 5,000 cases of murder, manslaughter, and sexual assault were screened state-wide without applications for review. Under the strict rules of the JRP, further eligibility would be determined.


First, only the cases of inmates who maintain a claim of innocence without ever admitting any degree of guilt would be screened. Then, someone from the Attorney General's Office would look at any and all court documents related to the case.


If the review passed those eyes, staff would contact the inmate, any witnesses, and all attorneys assigned to the case. Upon further screening, it would be up to a panel of investigators and attorneys to decide if DNA testing was needed to continue the process....." (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "Troubled by Basalt criminal activity"

A little over a year ago, 'SandBox Nanny' received a thoughtful, appreciative and detailed email letter from a follower. 

This individual has been writing their frequent letters to the editor in the valley for many years.  Long, long before SandBoxBlogs or SafePlaceBlogs ever came to be. (Notice the present tense, yes..they are still at it.)

Their purpose in sending the letter was to share a long laundry list of 'saved' news stories off the (mostly, there were a few other regional media enclosed as well) PI and the Aspen Times.

Amazing (stunning in some cases, actually) how the past that plays such a role in the present has been 'tracked' by area news media, despite their very best efforts to quash a number of issues.  The content of the tracking system in their letter was fascinating reading material!

Lest we 'forget',  let's walk back to the fairly recent past and talk about the old Members Hub for a bit.

Checking in on the comments to Nancy Heard's letter to the editor today up on the Aspen Times would be a good stop for you to head to first.  Click title.

Granted, Nancy may not have communicated her 'snark' as well as she might have, but the point is that Nancy Heard obviously cares about her community and is obviously noticing some patterns that should be concerning to all.  Regardless of your political views, etc. etc. 

Who knows why Nancy decided to try a letter to the editor.  Let's toss a hypothetical out.  Let's say Nancy thought she would give the Times another try because things seem to be better  and more open to unbiased, uncensored channels of communication.  Let's say Nancy is paying attention to her valley wide goings on and thought that just maybe..there was room for her voice too in an environment where she wouldn't be targeted by the old 'bad' or 'predator' style 'trolls' from the old Times members hub. 

After all, they have to login with DNA now.  No 'room to hide' as the Times and PI are so fond of using as an excuse for their own shortcomings in handling responsibility.

Have we now gone full circle for the Times and the PI, folks?

Blatantly obvious from the growing numbers of alternate media and chat forums that it was a huge mistake censoring and banning the voices of the folks.

Acute awareness, given the failure of their new comment system, that they didn't hold as much of a commodity on the market out here as they thought.  Heck, it's doubtful that they will ever get the 'good ones' back on again.  Even if they nix the DNA login.

Keenly aware, that the level of discussion they do get when the sparse few logon, is sorely lacking in both content and attention-grabbing power.

But, the hypothetical today is a blast from the past regarding chats, good trolls, bad trolls, predator trolls and the overall sense of security and wellbeing of the folks when it comes to local news media.  Not the blind eyes of Swift management.

Moderation works two ways. 

The first is the elimination of content that is undesired.  Such as rudeness, swearing or whatever the forum rules and regs do not allow.  

The second is to protect the person whose voice might not be the most popular in content or person.  The concept of a watering hole is that everyone gets to belly up.

What a shame that sitting around the Aspen Times newsroom today are lazy journalists and writers who could care less about Nancy Heard's viewpoint (or) Nancy Heard herself.   Just letting her letter shift for itself and/or not bothering to join in the dialogue.  Gosh, there must be major, attention grabbing goings on in Aspen today and they must be way too busy to participate.

To mimic some of the more dramatic commentators that drop by:  "Are we forever doomed to be stuck in their version of what gets censored and banned...and what does not?"

A shout out today to Nancy Heard of Basalt.  Keep talking.

Nancy Heard: 
"Dear Editor:

Perhaps the city would be a better place to raise my children? We left good jobs in the city for a rural mountain community. “A nice place to raise our kids,” we thought.

The recent events of a foiled murder plot at the park where my children hang out just 100 yards from my house has me rethinking whether this rural mountain community is in fact a good place to raise my children.

In recent years, all within a half-mile radius of our house we have experienced: shooting at 7-Eleven, armed robbery at Clark's market, a sex offender stalking kids as they leave school (yes, my kids walked right past his car), three suicides, two overdose deaths and a felony embezzlement charge. Wow!...."
(Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Customs and Border Protection "San Juan CBP Seizes 102 Kilos of Cocaine in Two Separate Seizures"

"San Juan, Puerto Rico- For the third time this month, the diligence and commitment to duty of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in the San Juan Area Port prevented drug traffickers from using commercial shipments to introduce cocaine through our shores.

 

Yesterday, while performing inspectional duties on MV CFS Paradero, arriving from Rio Haina, Dominican Republic, CBP officers assigned to the San Juan Seaport selected various containers for additional

examination. Using available technology, they detected anomalies in two of the containers.

 

When the containers were physically inspected, two bags, believed to contain narcotics, were found inside each container. On one of the containers the two bags contained a total of 32 packages that when field tested proved positive for cocaine, with an approximate weight of 35 kilograms (77 pounds).

 

On the second container, 60 packages, with an approximate weight of 67 kilograms (148 pounds), also tested positive for cocaine.

 

The container cargo description on one of the containers was “napkins” and on the other “Calcium Carbonate.”

 

Estimated street value for the seizures is $2,224,000.

 

The custody of the duffle bags and the contraband was transferred to ICE Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

 

Last Thursday, CBP also seized 28 kilos (61.73 pounds) of cocaine and 5.53 kilos (12.19 pounds) of heroin inside a container on board the M/V Maesk Tarragona arriving from Caucedo, Dominican Republic.

 

On April 4, 28.5 kilos of cocaine (63 pounds) were seized on board the vessel M/V Freemantle Express also arriving from Caucedo.

 

“Every day, our officers work tirelessly to protect our nation from those that intend to do us harm by introducing dangerous drugs that could end up in our streets and communities and harm our families. Customs and Border Protection will not tire in the pursuit of those that break our laws and attempt to use commercial shipments to accomplish their damaging goals,” said Port Director for the San Juan Area Port, Maria Palmer.

 

“We have stepped up our inspection of cargo through a risk-management based, layered enforcement approach closing routes for smugglers,” indicated Marcelino Borges, Director of Field Operations for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

 

CBP uses sophisticated methods to identify and target potentially high-risk cargo, including advanced electronic information about every cargo shipment to the U.S. before it arrives.

 

CBP’s dual mission is to facilitate travel and trade in the United States while securing our borders, our people and our visitors from those that would do us harm like terrorists and terrorist weapons, criminals, and contraband. CBP officers are charged with enforcing not only immigration and customs laws, but they enforce over 400 laws for 40 other agencies and have stopped thousands of violators of U.S. law.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws."

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

SandBoxBlogs: Telegraph UK "Chaos at border control deepens as immigration staff announce strike"

Let's do a reverse hypothetical.

After all, with all the posting of patterns she sees between illegal immigration uprisings in the area, demonizing of authority in the area, blanketing through power and censorship of voices in the area, gangs and drugs in the area (and) our culture and lifestyle in the area; it's only fair to give  a voice spot to the 'other side'.

Those that are for wide open borders.

For legalizing all drugs. 

For zero checks and balances in the illegal foreign nationals sectors of our population.

Here's the questions:

What would happen if we just stepped back as a nation, took our hands off all of the above and just let it all run loose and free?

For that matter, what would happen if we all woke up tomorrow and there were no customs, ICE, DEA agents and no cops helping out those agencies? 

Matthew Holehouse:
"The Immigration Services Union, representing 4,500 border staff, will stage industrial action next Thursday as part of a national public sector strike over pensions. It will inform the Cabinet Office today of its plans.

The move could see hundreds of staff at Heathrow and other airports affected, adding to the delays already being endured at passport control.

Home Office ministers yesterday revealed they would draft in an extra 80 border staff at Heathrow in "hit squads" to tackle the immigration crisis after the Home Secretary Thereas May was brought before the Prime Minister to explain the "unacceptable" queues of over two hours.

Lucy Moreton, the deputy general secretary of the Immigration Services Union, today said: "We don't want to cause disruption, but if the Cabinet Office continues to ignore our concerns over pensions then that is what we are going to do. We have hundreds of members at Heathrowso it will have a significant impact."

The dispute is over Government plans to give border staff with a flexible retirement age instead of pegging it at 65. Ms Moreton said that could force her members to work until their late sixties or even 70 as the state retirement age rose...."  (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Customs and Border Protection "West Desert Task Force Operation Results in Dope Seizure, Vehicle Recovery"

"Tucson, Ariz. – A targeted enforcement operation focusing on transnational criminal organizations operating in the west desert resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle and the seizure of 1,867 pounds of marijuana Friday evening, worth an estimated $933,500

The West Desert Task Force is a collaboration between the Tucson Sector Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. In this operation, Ajo Station agents responded to detection technology and discovered an abandoned pickup truck containing 82 bundles of marijuana, weighing 1,867 pounds and worth an estimated $933,500. The bundles were transported to the Ajo Station for processing (photo available). The vehicle, reported stolen out of Phoenix, was turned over to the Tohono O’odham Police Department.

 

Partnerships with other federal, state, tribal and local agencies continue to yield significant dividends against transnational criminal organizations attempting to exploit Arizona’s border region.

 

CBP welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling (877) 872-7435 toll free.

All CBP assets in Arizona were realigned under a unified command structure in February 2011. Joint Field Command – Arizona unifies the Tucson and Yuma Border Patrol Sectors and Air Branches, as well as the Tucson Field Office, to enhance border security, commercial enforcement and trade facilitation missions to meet Arizona’s unique challenges. Follow us on Twitter @CBPArizona or visit the attached website for more information.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws."

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

SandBoxBlogs: Greeley Tribune "Oil and gas companies pick up the property tax bill in Weld County"

One of the things that Sonja Linman could do for Garfield County is help facilitate a middle ground for conservative values and liberal values when it comes to the subject of hypocrisy.


Oh, how these radical extremist groups moan and cry over loss of funding to county needs and citizenry.  Pretty baseless when you think about that.  Since pretty much everything is funded by property taxes.  Who pays millions of dollars per year in property taxes?  Why, it is the oil and gas industry!


Oh, how the vulture capitalists (we do have a few if we would only be open about it) thump their chests and holler when the tax bill comes.  Who is it that generally always pays their taxes on time and is glad to lend a hand bringing jobs to the area?  Why, it is the oil and gas industry!

"Save a gas rig.  Opt for fair representation.  Vote Sonja Linman (D-Garfield County)"

Analisa Romano:
"At the mention of taxes, no one groaned or even flinched Tuesday at the Anadarko Petroleum Corp. regional office in Evans.

Instead, government and community leaders gathered to applaud the largest tax payment Anadarko has made to Weld County — $52 million in 2011 property taxes — with an oversized check and cake.

And Anadarko wasn’t event the largest taxpayer in Weld.

Noble Energy paid $57 million in 2011 property taxes, said John Lefebvre, Weld County treasurer. Together, those two oil and gas companies paid 25 percent of the total property taxes collected by Weld County for last year. The deadline to pay was Monday.

“A payment of this size represents success,” said Travis Holland, senior staff accountant for Anadarko, at the celebration Tuesday....." (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Steamboat Today "State bill would withhold revenues from counties that thwart oil drilling "

Hooray!!

House Bill 1356 is being rewritten.

With the idea that only the counties that unnecessarily harm the oil and gas industry will be penalized.

Just maybe, Coloradans can finally gain some control over baseless, frivolous accusations, lawsuits and protests waged by extremist groups against energy development in Colorado.

"Save a gas rig.  Opt for fair representation.  Vote Sonja Linman (D-Garfield County)

Tom Ross:
"Steamboat Springs — A bill before the Colorado Legislature that appears to threaten hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual revenue to Routt County from energy severance taxes is on hold after a hearing before the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee on Monday.

As it stands, House Bill 1356 would have imposed a financial penalty on any local governments in Colorado that “in any way restricted or delayed the ability of an oil and gas producer to” exercise rights to extract oil and gas.

The penalty would come from the withholding of mining and energy-related severance taxes returned to local governments by the state.

County Finance Director Dan Strnad confirmed Tuesday that Routt County received $528,106 in severance tax revenues through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs in 2011. The money goes in the county’s Road and Bridge Department fund, Strnad said.

It appears the sanctions in the bill won’t be as far reaching when it returns to committee Wednesday.

The Durango Herald reported Tuesday that state Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, who co-sponsored the bill and chairs the committee, began Monday’s session by announcing he intends to rewrite the bill so that it applies only to governments that impose moratoriums on new drilling permits....."    (Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Group says Vernal oil shale meeting was illegal"

If you have not already checked SandBox Utah out, scroll on over to the right sidebar and click on that gorgeous photo of Utah mountains and desert.

Amazing (stunning, even) how twisted oil and gas (especially oil shale) stories can get just traveling the few miles from Utah to Glenwood Springs...

Utahans, for the majority part, were thrilled that the summit of regional governors, commissioners and other various officials gathered in Utah recently to discuss everything from politics to oil shale to tourism.

Again:

Local democrats should probably not get too excited that they have made two good choices (Linman and Caloia) in their never ending search for political candidates.  Good enough that for the offices in front of them those two candidates have some fairly decent conservative scrappers out here that are voting for them.

Why?

Because  both your candidates are not women who will let anyone steamroll over balance, fairness and justice.

In other words, it's going to be a long, hot summer this political year so maybe distortion of facts isn't the best way to go.

just sayin.

If you would like to read up on the facts and a more balanced look at the recent summit in Vernal, hit google and keyword in.  Shed  some sunlight on the facts.

"Save a gas rig.  Opt for fair representation. Vote Sonja Linman (D-Garfield County)"

John Stroud:
"GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — A Colorado public watchdog group has filed an open records request with Garfield County and several other counties across three states that took part in a closed-door meeting in Utah in late March to discuss federal lands oil shale policy.

“Our local county commissioners shouldn't be traveling across state lines to meet in secret with industry lobbyists and attorneys,” Elena Nunez, executive director of Colorado Common Cause, said in a prepared statement issued Tuesday.

The meeting itself, which was hosted by the Uintah County, Utah, county commissioners in Vernal on March 27, may have been illegal per Utah's open meetings laws because it was held in executive session, Nunez said.

Any other county that had a quorum of its commissioners attending, which would include Garfield County, may also have been in violation of their state's open meetings laws, she said.

The meeting produced a draft version of a joint resolution urging the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to reinstate a Bush-era oil shale policy.

The 2008 plan allocated 2 million acres of public lands for oil shale research and development in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. The BLM is now re-evaluating the policy, and has come up with a new preferred plan to reduce the acreage to about 462,000 acres. It would include roughly 35,000 acres in northwest Colorado, as opposed to 360,000 acres in the 2008 plan.

Garfield County commissioners, at an April 9 meeting, unanimously adopted a slightly revised version of the joint resolution. The statement served as the county's official comment to the BLM's environmental analysis.

The strongly worded resolution accused the BLM, under the Obama administration, of bowing to environmental and wilderness interests in revisiting the oil shale leasing policy.

Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky confirmed that he and commissioners John Martin and Mike Samson attended the Vernal meeting.

Their intentions to travel to the meeting were disclosed at a March 19 regular Board of County Commissioners meeting, Jankovsky said.

“For our part, we made a few comments, but we were mostly there to listen,” Jankovsky said, characterizing it as an “informational” meeting....."  (Read more? Click here.)


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

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Related again takes Base Village reins'

To Related Cos.:   Well done.

There are many in the construction industry who will likely feel same or similar.   While at the same time,  also sending out a little wish that you can future recover, by the major success you will surely be at Base Village, the deep financial loss suffered at the hands of tort interference.

Think those black hearts and unscrupulous, borderline legal sharks that pulled what they did at Base Village  will ever be brought back into the fold of top level Aspen development  again?  Lordy, we all hope not.  Quite a few out here are very weary of seeing the good guys like Pat Smith and Tom Divenere taken such advantage of.

How much money do y'all think those allegedly corrupt scallywags made in their boondoggle?

.....hmmmm....let's speculate.... (in order of event...) a boondoggle done by yanking the cash flow, dangling carrots, upping the game in dollars and cents...yanking the cash flow again, throwing it all into bankruptcy, upping the game again in dollars and cents only this time dragging in homeowners too, dangling carrots, stringing along everyone including the local justice system and owners, yanking any glimmer of cash support but still collecting years of rents, etc. etc. etc.......and then finally...

(whisper...whisper...yes, this is  a "whispering campaign" ......hmmmm....interesting how fast this thing started shaking out as soon as the power of the Crowns and Skico got named in a lawsuit for alleged fraud)

..."allowing" "resolution"?  How much?  A few thousand?  A few hundred thousand?  A few million?  A few billion?

Nice work, if you can get it.  

Funny how these things never, ever get to full trial where the details that clear the good guys can get extracted out from the layers upon layers of spin and lawyers.

Gosh, sort of sounds like our affordable and employee housing boondoggles from certain developers end, doesn't it?  Nothing like generating the same sales over and over again every time there is a "default".  Great work, if you can take it.

Sincere congratulations to Pat Smith and Related Cos.  Whether he is a part of this next life of Base Village or not, there is a priceless value on getting your name and your pride back.

Well done.  Now, all the collateral damaged folks in the area have to do is forget their own losses  and move on.

(Be a good time to remember some related stories from the past, by clicking here and here.  And some current, similar stories here and here. )

Chad Abraham:
"Ending a tumultuous period of multiple lawsuits and uncertainty in Snowmass Village, The Related Companies announced Tuesday that it will reclaim control of the Base Village project from the consortium of European banks that foreclosed on the stalled development last year.

Related Colorado president Dwayne Romero said the “massive” agreement between his company and the banks’ affiliate resolves nearly all of the pending litigation over the project. The deal will transfer to a Related subsidiary, Snowmass Acquisition Co. LLC, the titles for: the Viceroy Hotel, the arrival center and parking garage, retail units, unsold condominium units in the Capitol Peak and Hayden lodges, the Little Nell building and other land parcels, according to a press release.

Town officials said they were cautiously optimistic that construction of the partially finished Base Village — which voters approved in 2004 as a way to transform Snowmass into a year-round resort — will resume sometime after the closing between Related and the banks is finalized. The closing could happen this fall, said Related spokesman Steve Alldredge...."  (Read more? Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Summit County Citizens Voice "Morning photo: Silky skies"

All credit:  Bob Berwyn (Click title)